Yoga through meditation works remarkably to achieve harmony and helps the mind
work in synchronization with the body. How often do we find that we are unable to
perform our activities properly and in a satisfying manner because of the confusions
and conflicts in our mind weigh down heavily upon us?

Stress is the number one suspect affecting all parts of our physical, endocrinal and
emotional system. And with the help of yoga this things can be corrected.

At the physical level, yoga and its cleansing practices have proven to be extremely
effective for various disorders.

Listed below are just some of the benefits of yoga that you can get.

Benefits of Yoga 1: Yoga is known to increase flexibility; yoga has postures that
trigger the different joints of the body. Including those joints that are not acted upon
with regular exercises routines.

Benefits of Yoga 2: Yoga also increases the lubrication of joints, ligament and
tendons. The well-researched yoga positions exercise the different tendons and
ligaments of the body.

It has also been found that the body which may have started doing yoga being a
rigid one may experience a quite remarkable flexibility in the end on those parts of
the body which have not been consciously worked upon.

Benefits of Yoga 3: yoga also massages all organs of the body. Yoga is perhaps the
only exercise that can work on through your internal organs in a thorough manner,
including those that hardly get externally stimulated during our entire lifetime.

Benefits of Yoga 4: Yoga acts in a wholesome manner on the various body parts.
This stimulation and massage of the organs in turn benefits us by keeping away
disease and providing a forewarning at the first possible instance of a likely onset of
disease or disorder.

One of the far-reaching benefits of yoga is the uncanny sense of awareness that it
develops in the practitioner of an impending health disorder or infection.

This in turn enables the person to take pre-emptive corrective action

Benefits of Yoga 5: yoga offers a complete detoxification of the body. It gently
stretches the muscles and joints as we;; as massaging the various organs, yoga
ensures the optimum blood supply to various parts of the body.

This helps in the flushing out of toxins from every nook and cranny of your body as
well as providing nourishment up to the last point. This leads to benefits such as
delayed ageing, energy and a remarkable zest for life.

Benefits of Yoga 6: yoga is also an excellent way to tone your muscles. Muscles
which have been flaccid and weak are stimulated repeatedly to shed excess fats and
flaccidity.

But these enormous physical benefits are just a “side effect” of this powerful
practice. What yoga does is harmonize the mind with the body and these results in
real quantum benefits.

It is now an open secret that the will of the mind has enabled people to achieve
extraordinary physical feats, which proves beyond doubt the mind and body
connection.

In fact yoga = meditation, because both work together in achieving the common
goal of unity of mind, body and spirit which can lead to an experience of eternal bliss
that you can only feel through yoga.

The meditative practices through yoga help in achieving an emotional balance
through detachment.

This in turn creates a remarkable calmness and a positive outlook, which also has
tremendous benefits on the physical health of the body.

Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave
Babushka Baba Yaga

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The reality is that most of us are not happy with our physical state and we are looking for solutions. We are not only looking for solutions, we are actually paying for them. This creates the natural demand for physical fitness programs.

The variety of physical fitness programs does not indicate that one method is better than the other. Like neither is Coke better than Sprite nor Sprite better than Coke. It’s a matter of preference and either one of them could quench your thirst. Variety is good. It gives us the freedom to choose.

In spite of having a good supply of effective fitness programs and variety, I think the failure to benefit from such programs lie in us. We are not organized enough or do not have the time to practice them. Because of our work and careers the time investment becomes difficult.

I remember the last time I enrolled in a Martial Arts course. After a few weeks I could not keep up with it because it required 2 hours of classes, 3 days a week. That’s only 6 hours a week. Yet I could not find time for Martial Arts from my daily work schedule.

That is the reason why the 2-minute fitness program caught my attention. Anyone can afford to spend 2 minutes. Tony Bahu founder of the 2-minute fitness program provides a full workout composed of minutes only.

If you failed earlier in elaborate fitness programs, the 2-minute fitness program may be the right program for you. As you don’t have to invest large amounts of time in the program, you will probably not give up so easily.

More information about the program can be found here: http://health-fitness.marc8.com/ebook-info.php/name/2_minute_fitness/toc_id/6-0-11-17

About the author:
Sanjib Ahmad – Freelance Writer and Product Consultant for Business.Marc8.com ( http://business.marc8.com/). You are free to use this article in its entirety as long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content, and include the resource box listed above.

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To fully appreciate a cup of hot gourmet coffee, you should take a minute to familiarize yourself with the basics of gourmet coffee. The coffee bean is not really a bean; they are actually the seeds of a cherry that are found on a coffee tree. There are a couple of different ways to extract the seed; wet process and dry process. Each process will bring about the shared result of removing all of the fruit from the seed.

There are two grades of coffee: Robusta and Arabica. The Robusta makes up the coffee that contains the most caffeine, at the lowest price. Arabica (a.k.a. gourmet) coffee is the superior grade. It has half the caffeine of Robusta and has a more desirable taste. Those that enjoy this type of coffee will also tell you that gourmet coffee has a much better smell and more desirable flavors than Robusta.

Gourmet coffee is available in many of your favorite flavors, including: almond, amaretto, Irish crème, French vanilla, Swiss mocha, vanilla, chocolate, mint, peppermint, pumpkin spice and just about anything else you can imagine! Basically, if there is any flavor that you are partial to, you will be able to find.

There are gourmet coffees that are caffeinated and those that are decaffeinated. If you have a sensitive stomach, you can even find gourmet style coffee that is low in acid, making it a little more gentle. Arabica coffee ranks very high among the Specialty Coffee Association of America, which pretty much sets the standards applied to gourmet coffee drinks.

Many coffee making companies offer a gourmet style drink, including: Gevalia, Green Mountain, San Giorgio, San Francisco Bay, Kona and Javalution. The gourmet coffee beans are offered in a variety of different serving sizes. They are also offered at many different prices, depending on your personal preference. Though this type of coffee may be a bit more pricey than the Robusta, it’s the only choice for true coffee lovers!

About the author:
C V is a freelance writer, providing articles and information on all types of
coffee produstc from Bunn
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gift baskets and more. http://www.coffee-makers-n-espresso-machines.com

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Genealogy has become the hobby and the passion of a lot of people from all over the world. They give importance on finding their self identities and self pride by uncovering the legacy of their family. Genealogy research can be more fun and enjoyable andiIt can bring your entire present family member together to create a project in which everybody can contribute. Regardless of your reasons, genealogy software is still your best tool for researching your past.

Genealogy research can include numerous tools that are easy to utilize. It helps in discovering and organizing your research. One typical example is the organizational tools. It can connect people according to relationships, combine people in the family trees, locate entries in duplicates, and help in recognizing problems. Genealogy software can be used for individual or entire family research.

Genealogy software can give you comprehensive charts and reports for organizing your research as well as for viewing the development of your genealogy research. To find the right genealogy software, you need to read genealogy articles, stories, and complete reviews. You will invest your money, so make sure that it’s worth it.

It does not matter if you are a professional genealogy researcher or a weekend genealogist as long as you choose the best genealogy software program. This can make a big difference in the course of your research. You will be more satisfied with the information you are getting. Recording, reviewing, and accessing information is easy and fun. Make sure that you know important criteria that you need to rate.

- Easy to use. Genealogy software must be user friendly to meet the needs of both beginners and expert computer users. The programs are easy to explore and well organized.

- Easy to setup and install. The genealogy software has simple and straightforward instruction for computer installations and setting up. As much as possible there is no confusing steps or errors.

- Featured set. Genealogy software is equipped with all necessary features for organizing and researching the family tree which include charts, reports, web access, searching capabilities, and other useful ways of storing data.

Various charts and reports include:

• Ancestor charts. It contains the direct line of the person’s ancestors. In this manner, he or she can see the exact length of the line from way back then.

• Narrative reports of the ancestors. These reports are written in a story form similar with books beginning from a specific individual and then followed by his or her lineage. Sharing this research to your friends and family members can be fun.

• Family charts. This shows the whole families which include the wife, husband, and children.

- Provides help and documentation. The developer of genealogy software must provide help in various forms. It can include FAQs, phone support and email, product tutorial, and online course. This is very useful for helping anyone to learn the programs and use it. They can also access consumer support conveniently.

Using the latest breakthrough in technology is a one great technique to find your family history in a faster and more convenient way. Try it for a new research experience.

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If you think family trees are just kids stuff or junior high assignments, then better think again. Family trees are hard to make. In fact, many individuals find it very hard to start tracing their family trees especially if they have very little knowledge about genealogy. But you don’t have to be an expert to make your own family tree. Because of today’s modern technology, many people are able to make their family tree by researching online and by seeking the help of helpful organizations.

By just sitting around in your house, it would be impossible to trace your family tree. What you need to do is to find an internet connection, and another thing is to get your family involved in such a worthwhile activity.

What is exactly a family tree? This is typically a history of humans. The tree is used to record a certain person’s ancestors of more than one generation. It is up to you if you want a record of only your immediate ancestors; or if you want to make it more elaborate that includes siblings, intermarriages, and many others. Family trees are also called genealogical trees.

Beginning your genealogy history is such an awe-inspiring task. Start with your personal information. Always write full names and for married women, include their maiden name. These things are called vital statistics. It also includes birth date, birthplace, and if married, try to include the date/location of such marriage. If you want, you can also add the date and/or location of every individual’s christening or baptism.

The next step is quite simple. Write all the important information about your parents. They will comprise the next branches of the trees. Make sure that you fill up all their vital statistics and that of close relatives. Work upwards by including your grandparents, as well as your great grandparents. Don’t forget to include the date of death and their burial places. Talk to all your family members about what they know about their respective parents or grandparents. Treat the gathered information as leads so that when you verify afterwards, it would a lot easier.

It is very important that you verify all your gathered information. Family memories often fade with time, and the facts contained in certain databases like the national census can easily get confounded. Don’t rely entirely on birth, death, and marriage certificates for accurate verification of your information. There are many subscription services online and genealogical societies willing to help individuals like you who are trying to trace their roots. With a little expense, you can get all your verified information at the soonest possible time; and it’s such a worthy expense.

If you want to leave your child or children with a legacy that will never be forgotten as time goes by, then better start making your own family tree or genealogy tree. Help them to know their ancestors. Make them understand its importance.

Although tracing your family tree involves note taking, record finding, verifying, and using archives and the census, in the end you will find contentment in finding your roots. This can give your life more meaning. For now, try to live your life to the fullest and when it’s finally the right time, pass the family tree to your children.

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Although liposuction surgery can give you a thinner and better looking body, you have to consider that this process don’t necessarily develop your body. The process will involve sucking out fats from a specific part of your body and the surgeon will “sculpt” your body to get a better looking figure. In dieting, you should consider that this can be very dangerous for your body as it can deprive the body of the nutrients it needs. Some diets say that you shouldn’t eat carbohydrates, which your body needs in order to have energy. Some diets suggest fasting which also means depriving your body of the essential nutrients it needs.

So, just what is the best way to have a better looking body and at the same time, give your body the health benefits it needs?

The answer to this question is very simple. With the proper diet plus fitness training, you will be able to obtain a well-toned body with all the health benefits because fitness training actually keeps your heart pumping, therefore, making it healthy.

There are quite a lot of fitness training methods available today. You have to choose the fitness training method that will suit your needs. If you like body building, you have to consider concentrating more on cardiovascular exercises and weight lifting. However, if you only want a healthy body and a well-toned one, you can consider fitness training exercises that concentrate more on cardiovascular exercises and a little on weight training.

Fitness training is the most natural way of obtaining a well-toned and healthy body. You have to remember that muscles burn fat. By developing your muscles it will burn fat at the same time. The fat stored in your body is what keeps your muscles working. Think of the fat in your body as the fuel for your muscles. This is why that although dieting alone can give you a slimmer body, it will lack strength because you are depriving your muscles of fat.

You have to consider that the human body needs fat in order for it to work properly. However, you have to use those fats in order for you to not have that “extra padding” or those “love handles”. You can try hunting for your own food in the wilderness as what the humans before did that is both an exercise and a necessity. However, most of the food hunting you do today is in the mall with your credit card as your weapon. Technology have contributed to obesity and being overweight. So, the best way that you can use your fat and at the same time develop your body’s muscles is through fitness training.

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Quirky State Symbols

 

What’s Your State Muffin?
AL-HI: Butterflies, Bolas, and Beyond:
ID-MI: Tug-O-War, Moxie and Jousting
MN-OR: Hang On, Sloopy, Where Are We?
PA-WY: Slinky and Jell-o and Harley, Oh My!
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Most people are aware that U.S. states have a variety of official symbols, the most common categories of which are birds, flowers, mottos, songs, and trees. Beyond those designations, though, is a plethora of “official state” items, many of which are unexpected, intriguing, and just plain quirky. This lens will focus on some of the more idiosyncratic information I’ve encountered. This means that unless some state has marijuana as its state plant or Methuselah as its official fossil, I probably will not address them.

Not that I wouldn’t vote for Pig Latin in a heartbeat…

Consider this: a number of states have officially declared a state language. Of those who did (I believe Illinois was one of the first to do so, in 1969) most decided to go with… English. This kind of makes me wonder what the other choices were. Not that I wouldn’t vote for Pig Latin in a heartbeat, if that was one of the choices, but Americans are famous for not knowing how to speak anything but English. It’s what makes us such annoying travelers abroad. In any event,

Alaska didn’t pass the English-as-state-language initiative until 1998. And it’s not yet official because the issue needs to be decided in court. (In Alaska, nearly 15% of the population speaks a language other than English. Topping that list are Yupik, Spanish, Tagalog, and Inupik.)

Note: I make light of this topic, but the question of official languages is serious business, without a clear cut solution and with complex considerations. In fact, the United States does not have a declared national language, so a particular state’s choice to have an official language is itself a statement. You will find at least one state in the list below that has an official language other than English (care to guess which?).

The number and variety of categories states choose to deem official differs widely. Some have a state mammal; some have a state equine. Some have both. Massachusetts has a state muffin. Keep reading to see if any other states have designated a state muffin – or other baked good. There are worse benchmarks for picking a place to live than what the people like to eat or what their state legislature chooses to spend its time discussing.

I have culled the things I find especially interesting or curious. I present the information in alphabetical order by state, recognizing that this is somewhat unfair to the states at the back of the alphabet, since some of their choices will have been highlighted previously.

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Butterflies to Bolas — and Beyond 

State Symbols: Alabama – Hawaii

ALABAMA. Alabama’s state equine is the Racking Horse. I mention this because when I first read it I thought it said ROCKING horse. That would have been worth writing about.

Here’s a head scratcher. The Alabama state butterfly (and mascot, by the way) is the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. But the state insect is the Monarch Butterfly. I wonder what the politics of that were. Did the Monarch stage a coup? Did the insects bring in a ringer? I can see the logic of choosing a different bug than the butterfly for a state insect, but to decide that the Tiger is the best butterfly (including the Monarch, presumably) and then promote the Monarch in the larger category seems a little like a slap in the Tiger’s teeny tiny face.

Alabama is big on flora and fauna. It has a state horse, mammal, bird and game bird, fish and marine fish, amphibian and reptile, tree, tree fruit, flower and wildflower, mineral, fossil, and shell. In fact, it has so many animals that when I reached the part about the state SEAL it took me a couple of beats to realize we weren’t talking about something with flippers (although the state seal could have flippers on it for all I know…) There is also an official state soil (Bama soil — not kidding), and state nut.

Alabama has a state drama: The Miracle Worker; championship: Barbecue Cook-off; tournament: State Horseshoe (animals again) Tournament; and spirit (no, not team): Conecuh Ridge Alabama fine whiskey.

ALASKA. Alaska’s symbols generally seem straightforward and state appropriate. As might be expected for such a young state, the overall number of symbols is pretty conservative (and no, I’m not going to pursue the “conservative” theme).

There are two special state HOLIDAYs. Seward’s Day, on the last Monday in March, commemorates the signing of the treaty by which the United States bought Alaska from Russia. Alaska Day, on October 18, celebrates the formal transfer of the Territory and the raising of the U.S. flag at Sitka in 1867. Other items: fossil: wooly mammoth; mammal: moose; fish: King salmon; mineral: gold. My personal favorite: the Alaska state SPORT is dog mushing.

ARIZONA. Arizona is another state with a relatively restrained list that includes a state gemstone (turquoise), fossil (petrified wood), and flower (Saguaro cactus flower). The wild card for Arizona it that it has official state NECKWEAR: the bola tie.

ARKANSAS. Another state with English as the official state language, Arkansas also has a state mineral (clear quartz), gem (diamond), and rock (bauxite). Although it does not have an official grass, its state GRAIN is rice. In common with a majority of states, its official beverage is milk. Arkansas is the first state I’ve encountered with an official INSTRUMENT (fiddle) and the only one with a COOKING VESSEL — the Dutch oven.

CALIFORNIA. Of special interest in California are its two state GHOST TOWNs: the Gold Rush town of Bodie and the Silver Rush town of Calico. With this in mind, it isn’t surprising that the state mineral is gold and the state motto is “Eureka! I have found it!”

California has a state dance (West coast swing) and folk dance (square). In 2001, California adopted its official state TARTAN — the California State District Tartan.

COLORADO. Colorado also has a state tartan, the Colorado State District Tartan. Fittingly, one of its two official state songs is Rocky Mountain High by John Denver.

CONNECTICUT. Connecticut also has a state tartan, so that’s the last time I’ll mention tartans. Once a category appears in three states it moves to the doesn’t-need-to-be-mentioned category. Actually, at least half the states have official tartans.

Connecticut introduces several new “official state” categories, including: Ship, Tall Ship, Aircraft, HERO (Nathan Hale), and HEROINE (Prudence Crandall – so designated in 1995 as a symbol of courage for her stand against prejudice. In 1833, she established the first academy for African-American women in New England).

Lots of states have Poets Laureate; Connecticut is the first I’ve found that has a state TROUBADOUR. Like the Poets Laureate, Troubadours change on some kind of schedule.

DELAWARE. For the most part, Delaware has kept it simple, with a state animal (horseshoe crab), tree, flower, fish, bug (lady), and butterfly. Then it throws in the state MACROINVERTEBRATE — the stonefly. This reminds me that Delaware also has a state fossil and mineral. It’s the first state I’ve found that has an official HERB (sweet goldenrod) and STAR (The Delaware Diamond, located in the constellation of Ursa Major). In fact, Delaware is the first state to have a star on the International Star Registry. A contest was held to name it.

FLORIDA. Florida has lots of categories, most common with other states. Its state beverage is orange juice; the Florida state PIE (new category) is key lime. Florida also has a state RODEO: The Silver Spurs Rodeo. Somehow, I’ve never associated Florida with spurs. I think it’s the flip flops (yes, I am aware that Florida encompasses more than beaches).

GEORGIA. This peachy state is another with a long list of official symbols, including some I haven’t encountered. The official PREPARED FOOD of Georgia is grits. The state POSSUM is the “Pogo Possum” by Walt Kelly, adopted in 1992. Georgia’s official state CROP is peanuts (with the related Georgia State Peanut MONUMENT). Georgia has an official WALTZ and two Championships: the Beef and Pork BBQ Cook-off’s.

HAWAII. The first thing to note is that Hawaii’s official language is not English — it’s Hawaiian (did you guess?). Also, because Hawaii comprises 7 islands, it has not one state flower but seven. Actually, in Hawaii the designation is FLOWERS OR LEI MATERIALS – so this category includes flowers, berries, and shells. Hawaii’s state dance is the Hula. Although most states have official fish, I mention Hawaii’s for the pleasure of including its name: Humuhumunukunukuapua’a. Hawaii’s official TEAM SPORT is outrigger canoe paddling.

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Tug-O-War, Moxie and Jousting: Which States? 

State Symbols: Idaho – Michigan

IDAHO. Idaho has a rather no-nonsense list of official symbols. I can’t resist mentioning the state fish because of its name: Cutthroat Trout. I wonder if they serve it with huckleberries, the state fruit, and potatoes (surprise!), the state vegetable. Idaho does have a state RAPTOR: the Peregrine Falcon. It also has an official horse, the Appaloosa, and GEM, the star garnet. Although it has been popularly believed that the name Idaho derived from an Indian phrase supposedly meaning “gem of the mountains” (hence its nickname: The Gem State), Idaho is actually a coined word with no attributed meaning.

ILLINOIS. Illinois, whose name is an Algonquin Indian word meaning “tribe of superior men,” is nicknamed the Prairie State. It is the first state (alphabetically) to have an official SNACK FOOD: popcorn. Its state gem is fluorite.

INDIANA. The Hoosier state introduces the category state AWARD: Sagamore of the Wabash, which is awarded by the governor. Sagamore is a Native American Indian term that refers to a person of especial wisdom whom the tribal chief consults on important matters. Indiana’s state beverage is water, the first state (alphabetically) to choose it.

Indiana’s official PIE is Hoosier sugar cream pie. According to Wikipedia, the ideal sugar cream pie, like Santa Claus, “should shake like a bowl full of jelly.” It is also known as “finger pie” because traditionally it’s stirred with the finger during baking to avoid breaking the crust

IOWA. The Hawkeye state has a very short list of “official state” categories and introduces no new ones. Tama is its UNofficial state soil.

KANSAS. Kansas also keeps its list short and frills-free. On that list, therefore, the state amphibian — the ORNATE box turtle — stands out.

KENTUCKY. Kentucky has quite a lavish array of state-designated categories, including the official state TUG-OF-WAR championship. Its musical instrument is the dulcimer and the official dance is clogging. New categories are the state SILVERWARE PATTERN (Old Kentucky Bluegrass) and the WILD GAME ANIMAL (gray squirrel, r.i.p.). It comes as no surprise that the official state music is Bluegrass. In May 2010, Kentucky legislated 2 new symbols. The state SPORTS CAR is the Corvette; the state DISH is Burgoo, which is a kind of thick soup or stew. Contents vary, apparently. Although there is a Kentucky Bourbon Festival, the state’s official drink is milk.

LOUISIANA. Louisiana adds another pastry to the list of official state foods — the DOUGHNUT (beignet), which is best washed down with milk, the official state beverage. Food, in fact, plays a big part in the state’s identity. Among the categories unshared by other states (so far): JELLIES (two!): mayhaw and Louisiana sugar cane; MEAT PIE (Natchitoches ); CUISINE: gumbo.

Now, when I first saw this next item listed, I read it as “HOT DOG Trials”, which is why it follows immediately on the food discussion (I really need new glasses). As it turns out, this official state event, held each year at the end of March, is the world championship of HOG Dog trials. This has to do with hunters and their dogs pursuing wild boars (it is not about killing the hogs, I hasten to add; its purpose is to judge the dogs’ skill in baying and cornering). In addition to two regular state songs, Louisiana has an official state ENVIRONMENTAL SONG.

MAINE. Maine’s state beverage is Moxie soda. Moxie, which predates Coca Cola, has been the oldest continuously produced soft drink in the United States since 1884. Maine introduces the category of state CAT. Theirs is (ready?) the Maine Coon Cat. Although Maine has not adopted an official state language, they do have the Maine State LANGUAGE OF THE DEAF (American Sign Language).

MARYLAND. Like Maine, Maryland has a state cat (Calico). It also has an official state DESSERT, Smith Island Cake, which can be most any flavor. The key feature is its form, which consists of 8 – 12 (relatively thin) layers, thus providing a much higher than usual frosting-to-cake ratio. Wash it down with milk, the state beverage.

Maryland has both an official theater and an official SUMMER THEATER. Other new categories: DINOSAUR (Astrodon johnstoni), DOG (Chesapeake Bay retriever), EXERCISE (walking), and TEAM SPORT (lacrosse). And of course, my personal favorite: The Maryland State Sport is jousting. That is a sport I’d watch. Although the souvenir T-shirts might be on the heavy side.

MASSACHUSETTS. Massachusetts is the state that started me on this exploration of state symbols. I couldn’t resist finding out more about a state that had an official state MUFFIN. It’s the corn muffin, and this surprises me, since the official Massachusetts state BERRY is the cranberry and the state beverage is cranberry juice.

In general, Massachusetts really rocks the state foods category. In addition to the muffin, they have adopted a BEAN (baked navy bean), COOKIE (chocolate chip), DESSERT (Boston cream pie), and DONUT (Boston cream donut). Even their state rock carries out the theme: it’s Roxbury puddingstone.

If I ever ran for a state legislature I think I’d want it to be in Massachusetts. How much fun to debate and vote on the state: CHILDREN’S BOOK AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR (Dr. Seuss), CHILDREN’S BOOK (Make Way for Ducklings), FOLK HERO (Johnny Appleseed), GLEE CLUB SONG, HISTORIC ROCK, INVENTOR, and POLKA. Interestingly, Massachusetts does not have a state hero, but its state HEROINE is Deborah Samson, who fought in the American Revolution as Robert Shurtleff until she was wounded and the masquerade discovered. She was the first woman to receive a military pension).

MICHIGAN. Michigan is another state with an official children’s book: The Legend of the Sleeping Bear. The rest of the list consists of categories previously mentioned. The state motto: “If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.”

Intro :: AL-HI :: MN-OR :: PA-WY :: Comment :: Resources

“Hang On, Sloopy”: Where Are We? 

State Symbols: Minnesota – Oregon

MINNESOTA. We have another entry in the muffin category! Minnesota officially designates the blueberry muffin. It also has a state grain (wild rice) and introduces the category of state PHOTOGRAPH (Grace by Eric Enstrom).

MISSISSIPPI. In addition to the regular categories, Mississippi introduces the state SHELL (oyster shell) and TOY (teddy bear).

MISSOURI. The “Show Me” state has adopted, as its official dessert, the ice cream cone. They also have a state nut and introduce the state GRAPE (Norton/Cynthiana grape) to our category list. While Missouri hasn’t yet formally adopted David Cook as its state AMERICAN IDOL, I’m sure it’s just a matter of time…

MONTANA. Montana has a state Cowboy Hall of Fame and a state Firefighters Memorial. In addition to a state song, it also has both official LULLABY and BALLAD. It’s one of the states to adopt English as its official language.

NEBRASKA. New category! Nebraska’s state SOFT DRINK is (I love this) Kool-Aid. Perhaps to balance that frivolity, its official beverage is milk.

NEVADA. With Nevada, we have the first instance of a state ARTIFACT, the Tule duck decoy. Nevada also has a state MARCH (Silver State Fanfare) in addition to its state song.

NEW HAMPSHIRE. New Hampshire is one of the few states to choose a state sport — skiing. Refusing to limit itself to one state song, New Hampshire has elevated TEN to official status. It claims English as its official language and has a state tartan. Its state fruit is the pumpkin.

NEW JERSEY. While New Jersey doesn’t introduce any new categories, it is one of the few states with a state DINOSAUR (Hadrosaurus foulkii), shell (knobbed whelk), and TALL SHIP (A. J. Meerwald).

NEW MEXICO. I love that New Mexico’s state aircraft is a hot air balloon. Its state TIE is the bola. Adding to the sugar adoptions, New Mexico claims as its official cookie the biscochito.

Although most states have an official song (or several), New Mexico is the only one so far that adds a SPANISH LANGUAGE SONG to the mix. Titled Asi Es Nuevo Mejico, it appears to be a Spanish version of the state song, O, Fair New Mexico. In addition to the song and Spanish language song categories, New Mexico has a state BILINGUAL SONG: New Mexico – Mi Lindo Nuevo Mexico. No state language has been adopted…

NEW YORK. Hooray, another muffin. The official muffin of the Empire State is the apple muffin and although no size is specified, I’m guessing they would not be small. New York’s state song is I Love New York. Currently under consideration are proposals to name Riesling as the state WHITE WINE and Merlot as the state RED.

NORTH CAROLINA The North Carolina state colors are red and blue, which explains why the Tar-Heel state has both an official BLUE BERRY (yup, the blueberry) and RED BERRY (strawberry). You have to love the state CARNIVOROUS PLANT, the Venus flytrap. North Carolina also has a state CHRISTMAS TREE, the Fraser fir.

The list of official state festivals in North Carolina includes celebrations of watermelon (separate northeastern and southeastern regional), collards, and barbeque. The state POPULAR DANCE is the shag.

NORTH DAKOTA. Questions of identity have been the subject of much debate in North Dakota. Efforts to change drop the word “North” from the state name – to Dakota – were twice introduced and defeated. Its official nickname is The Peace Garden State, after the memorial built on the border of North Dakota and Manitoba, Canada. Over the years, groups have attempted to change the official nickname to The Roughrider State and The Flickertail State (for the native squirrels). No need to cry for the squirrels, though. They might have lost out on the nickname but they do have the state MARCH – The Flickertail March – named for them. The language of North Dakota is English, so designated in 1987.

OHIO. Ohio’s special contribution to the pantheon of state symbols is the ROCK SONG which, for them, is Hang On Sloopy. Ohio is also one of the few states with an official beverage that isn’t milk. Ohio’s state beverage is tomato juice. Ohio’s nickname is the Buckeye State, for the tree which is so prevalent throughout its regions. Its official GROUNDHOG is named Buckeye Chuck. Although the lifespan of the groundhog is two (wild) to ten (domesticated) years, some people contend that the same Buckeye Chuck has been making its predictions for the last 30 years. My theory is that the position is a franchise, much like the Dread Pirate Roberts in the Princess Bride.

OKLAHOMA. Oklahoma ramps it up in the food category, by having an official state MEAL: fried okra, squash, cornbread, barbecue pork, biscuits, sausage and gravy, grits, corn, strawberries, chicken fried steak, pecan pie, and black-eyed peas. Whew! Just as well they don’t have an official cholesterol level, because it would be HIGH, I’m thinking.

Apparently a music-loving state, Oklahoma not only has a state song/anthem (Oklahoma from the musical of the same name), it has an official folk song, rock song, children’s song, country & western song, and waltz. Counter to most popular wisdom and the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Oklahoma has designated watermelon as its state VEGETABLE.

Oklahoma is the first state to have an official CARTOON CHARACTER. Gusty was created by meteorologist Don Wood of KTUL, to illustrate predicted weather conditions.

OREGON. Not only does Oregon have a state MOTHER and FATHER, it also has a state HOSTESS (Miss Oregon). In the agricultural area, it introduces the category of official MUSHROOM: the Pacific golden chanterelle.

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Slinky and Jell-o and Harley, Oh My! 

State Symbols: Pennsylvania – Wyoming

PENNSYLVANIA. The Keystone State has a playful side, as evidenced by its state TOY, which is the slinky. This isn’t as random as it might appear, though, since the slinky was invented in 1943 by 3 Pennsylvanians and was produced in Pennsylvania for more than 40 years.

Pennsylvania’s state cookie is chocolate chip. Other official state designations include a flagship, a locomotive, and an arboretum.

RHODE ISLAND. Well, 40 states into this, it’s difficult to find categories that haven’t been mentioned, but Rhode Island comes up with one. The Charles I.D. Looff Carousel (also known as the Crescent Park Carousel) was designated the Rhode Island state SYMBOL OF AMERICAN FOLK ART in 1985. Built in 1895, it’s one of the few remaining handmade carousels still in use.

Rhode Island also deviates slightly from the prevailing milk-as-state-beverage trend, naming as its drink COFFEE milk…

SOUTH CAROLINA. South Carolina shares many “officials” with its northern sister state, but it does introduce a couple of new categories. Although its state beverage is milk, South Carolina has added a state HOSPITALITY BEVERAGE, tea. The state was the first place in the U.S. where tea was grown; today, on a tea farm outside of Charleston, descendants of the original tea plants are still “at the root” of this crop.

The Low Country HANDCRAFT is the sweet-grass basket. The official music of the Palmetto state is the spiritual, while its popular music is beach music. As for the state SNACK FOOD, don’t reach into that bowl thinking you’re going to grab a handful of chips. In South Carolina, you’ll be snacking on boiled peanuts.

SOUTH DAKOTA. With South Dakota, we introduce the category of state BREAD — in this case, fry bread. South Dakota also names kuchen as its official dessert. Black Hills gold is the state JEWELRY (another new category). And the state sport is rodeo.

TENNESSEE. As might be expected of the home of the Grand Ole Opry and Elvis Presley, Tennessee has 11 state songs and has designated songwriting as its official ART FORM. The official FINE ART of the state is porcelain painting.

TEXAS. The Lone Star State brings a couple of new categories to the list of official symbols. A 2007 resolution designated the cowboy boot as the official FOOTWEAR of Texas, after a year-long effort by a 7th grade social studies class. That’s one heck of an effective lesson plan! Another first: Texas has selected the buckyball as its state MOLECULE. The Buckminsterfullerene molecule is named for its resemblance to Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic dome. Introducing another new category, Texas has named cotton as its FIBER/FABRIC.

Texas is very thorough in its food categories, designating two PASTRIES (strudel and sopaipillas) as well as fruit, vegetable, bread and state health nut (pecan, not Richard Simmons). The importance of peppers to the local cuisine is clear: in addition to both official pepper and official native pepper, the state SNACK is tortilla chips and salsa and the state DISH is chili con carne.

UTAH. Utah gives us a new SNACK FOOD: Jell-o. It also has designated both an official vegetable (Spanish sweet onion) and HISTORIC VEGETABLE (sugar beet).

VERMONT. In a classic demonstration of Yankee efficiency, Vermont uses the same fruit, apple, for both its state FRUIT and state PIE. Here’s a category we haven’t encountered before. Vermont’s state FLAVOR is maple (its tree is the sugar maple). Vermont has an official gem, mineral, and rock.

VIRGINIA. Virginia’s state BOAT is the Chesapeake Deadrise – a wooden workboat used for seafood harvesting. As with the oysters it was once used to harvest, this example of local handicrafts is disappearing from the landscape.

Surprise! Two new categories. Virginia’s state MEAT is Virginia ham; its state BAT is the Virginia big-eared bat.

WASHINGTON. For about a year there has been push to make Aplets & Cotlets the Washington state CANDY. This candy is a combination of apples (AP), apricots (COT), and nuts in a smooth confection that has been in existence since about 1920. It’s not clear whether the resolution has actually passed or whether it is still being debated.

Most states have an official vegetable, but few are as enjoyable to say as the Walla Walla Sweet Onion. Recently, Washington adopted English as its official language.

WEST VIRGINIA. Only about a dozen states have adopted official state colors. West Virginia is one of them – its colors are old gold and blue. Its adoption of bituminous coal as the state rock is appropriate, since West Virginia is the second largest producer of coal in the U.S. Only Wyoming produces more.

WISCONSIN. Efforts to name Harley-Davidson the Wisconsin state MOTORCYCLE and Lactococcus Lactis the state MICROBE failed last year due to scheduling issues which stalled the legislation. A movement to name cheese as the official SNACK is underway. Wisconsin’s state dance is the polka; its mineral is red granite.

WYOMING. This state has SIX different nicknames – a lot of appellations for the least populous state in the nation. The first state to grant women the right to vote, it became known as the Suffrage State and, later, the Equality State. It is also called the Sagebrush State the Cowboy State, Big Wyoming, and The Wonderland of America.

We’ve reached the end of our brief exploration of state symbols and designations. The choices made – and not made – reflect the individuality of the states and citizens that comprise the United States. That people cherish their unique heritages and take time to recognize and appreciate the places they live is something to be celebrated. What state beauty, tradition, or quirk would you like to see acknowledged? I’ve enjoyed my muffin encounters, but think the NAACC (National Association for the Advancement of CupCakes) might want equal time. Care to lead the charge?

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“If you’re 10 minutes late, you blow it,” said Aaron Locker, a vegetable farmer in the Mad River Valley.

If you wait too long, the carrots and beets are up, and you’ve missed your chance to kill by flame (the crops will die, too). If you burn the weeds too soon, they’ll re-grow before crops push through the dirt.

And at Kingsbury Farm, a problem with growing crops could have far-reaching consequences for social-service organizations in the valley and beyond — the recipients of much of the farm’s produce. Kingsbury is the first farm in Vermont to be owned by a foodbank.

Locker, 35, was pretty pleased with his flame-weed timing in late June, and the results speak for themselves: a half-acre of ferny carrot tops and beet greens, in pencil-straight lines, stand about three inches highs. They’re growing in a plot with parsnips in the sandy soil of a farm on Vermont 100 at the Waitsfield-Warren townline. Weed free.

“Quite frankly, we’re very good at what we do,” Locker said. “I know I can get the yields.”

The yield Locker is talking about is the rent he owes the landlord of Kingsbury Farm. He and his wife, Suzanne Slomin, are tenant farmers at Kingsbury Farm, which is owned by the Vermont Foodbank.

Locker owes the Foodbank $30,000 worth of produce, at wholesale prices.

“I’m paying in vegetables,” he said. “I’ve got $29,000 to go. It’s not going to be any problem to do that. The important thing is that we develop a long-term relationship.”

The Vermont Foodbank in Barre, a hunger-relief organization, stores and distributes a variety of food — cereal, canned goods, rice and produce — to 280 member agencies around the state. These mostly are food shelves, but also homeless shelters, senior centers and soup kitchens.

Last year, the Foodbank purchased the 20-acre Kingsbury from the Vermont Land Trust for $225,000. The VLT holds a conservation easement on the property, valued at $270,000, which restricts its development and includes a requirement that the land remain in agriculture.

Kingsbury Farm, which uses organic practices, grows fresh vegetables such as lettuce, Swiss chard and beets for 10 Mad River Valley social-service agencies. It is also producing about 40,000 pounds of storage crops for the Vermont Foodbank, which the hunger-relief organization will distribute to partner agencies throughout the state.

“I grew twice as much carrots, onions and squash as the Foodbank said they wanted,” Locker said. “That way if I really screw it up, I’ll still have enough.”

By owning a vegetable farm, the Vermont Foodbank can provide greater access to local, fresh and nutritious food for people who otherwise can’t afford it, said Foodbank CEO John Sayles. Providing fresh produce to needy populations, and having an active role in the “food system,” are important components in the fight against hunger, Sayles said.

And the arrangement is a first for the state — although the Vermont Foodbank is the only such organization in the state.

Owning the farm also gives the Foodbank greater control over the kinds of food it distributes — more, for example, than with the food it receives through donations, he said.

“We get to plant and grow, right here, what people want and provide it to them,” Sayles said. “The farm brings us a wonderful connection to local agriculture and the sustainable food security movement in Vermont.”

‘Very, very impressed’
The produce is now getting to the people intended to receive it. Thursday morning, 14 people picked up Kingsbury Farm produce at the Mad River Valley Food Shelf in Waitsfield, said Nancy Smith, coordinator of the volunteer organization.

“I have to tell you that I am very, very impressed with the young farmers and what they’re doing,” Smith said. “People were oohing and aahing this morning. They’re very pleased. The vegetables are incredibly beautiful: They’re young and bright green.”

Slomin runs a bakery and garden market at the farm. She donated half a dozen loaves of her naturally leavened bread to the food shelf, too, Smith said.

“Those young people are doing a wonderful thing,” Smith said. “Providing for the valley and providing also for the food shelf.”

Locker and Slomin, 40, moved to the Mad River Valley 2 1/2 years ago from upstate New York, where they owned and operated a vegetable farm for 7 1/2 years in Madison County.

“We moved to Vermont thinking we were going to get out of farming,” Slomin said, “but this opportunity came up with the Foodbank and somehow we ended up back in.”

The couple was drawn to the project for several reasons, including not owning the farm or being solely responsible for its infrastructure (it comes with a tractor and an irrigation system) and growing food for people who don’t often have access to top-quality produce.

“Just being able to get really good food to people that otherwise don’t usually have the resources to get decent produce really appealed to us,” Slomin said.

Also, they noted farmers are receiving significantly higher prices for produce in the Mad River Valley than farmers were getting in New York.

Longtime farmer
The Foodbank farm addresses both those issues: getting fresh food to low-income people, and growing and selling produce at a price that makes farming viable, Slomin said.

At the couple’s bakery and farm stand, they can sell their produce to private customers for profit. This week, new potatoes were selling for $3.50 a pound — and customers were thrilled, Locker said.

“People here are more willing to pay,” Locker said. “In New York, I was selling new potatoes for $1 a pound. And I know I wasn’t losing money.”

His interest in farming started when he was a teenager, the oldest of four boys growing up in Litchfield County, Conn. His brother Jonathan is working with him and Slomin at Kingsbury Farm.

Locker’s father is a landscaper painter; his late mother was an English teacher. The Locker parents wouldn’t get their sons cars when they were teenagers — “they didn’t want us to crash them,” Locker said — so, seeking activity, Locker started working on nearby farm. He’s been farming pretty much ever since.

During last week’s heat wave, Locker got to the Kingsbury Farm from his “shack” on the other side of town at 4 or 5 in the morning, he said. He wanted to beat the heat for harvesting and had to get the irrigation system going. The water that feeds the farm, which comes from the Mad River on the farm’s western edge, ran about 16 hours a day last week.

Wednesday, customers who stopped at the farm stand for bread and vegetables told Locker they were walking his across his fields to swim in the river. “Sounds like a good idea,” he said.

Produce packed for local food shelves and other social service agencies was ready for pickup at the store. It was the second week of harvest for the agencies, and the haul included lettuce, carrots, beets, cucumbers and Swiss chard.

Interested in innovation
Locker is a keen, energetic and thoughtful farmer who is interested in innovation, growing technique and efficiency. He overhauls and retrofits farm equipment to suit his small farm. This season, he has about three acres in cultivation, with plans to build four greenhouses on another acre. The greenhouses will be used for starter plants and to grow greens through the winter. In coming seasons, Locker expects to farm about seven acres.

Because newer farm equipment is designed for large-scale farming, Locker says he scours the roadside for old machinery he can weld and repair for his particular use.

“It’s great to be growing food for the Foodbank,” Locker said. “It’s really exciting. I’m thinking about how can I grow things efficiently, and how can I grow things cheaply.

“I want to keep my prices down to the point where the Foodbank can distribute more food to people who really need it,” he continued.

Good old-fashioned sunshine and heat helped crop growth the past week, Locker said.

But he’s looking ahead, to his long-term relationship with the Vermont Foodbank, and to a time, just around the corner, when small farms serving local regions are no longer “boutique.”

“I’m my life, we’re going to get to the point where these things are real assets for food,” Locker said. “We have to figure out to do things well enough to produce a lot of food on a small farm. It won’t be boutique. It will be important.”

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Below is a listing of the equipment and programs commonly found in fitness studios:

* Treadmill

This is a piece of sporting equipment that allows the user to run without actually moving a distance. The word treadmill is used to refer to a kind of mill which is run to grind grain.

The treadmill operates by the principle called belt system in which the top side of the belt runs to the rear so that the runner could run the same distance. Therefore, the speed of the mill can be measured or set since the rate of the belt equals the rate of the runner.

* Weight training

Weight training is under the strength training program designed to develop the size of skeletal muscles and physical strength. It uses the principle of gravity; the trainee’s force would be used to oppose the pull of the earth. This weight training makes use of different kinds of equipment to develop specific groups of muscles. Dumbbells, weighted bars or weight stacks are the most commonly used.

* Cycling

Cycling is commonly done by people who want to improve their cardiovascular health and fitness. In this view, cycling is particularly beneficial for those suffering from arthritis and for those who are not fitted to play rigid sports like running which require strength of the joints.

* Swimming

Swimming is a very good exercise. Swimming is also usually recommended for those who with disabilities or who want to rehabilitate after injuries.

* Racquetball

Racquetball is a sport game where racquets are used along with a hollow rubber ball. This can be played either in indoor or outdoor courts. Unlike other racquet sports like badminton and tennis, the usage of the floor, ceiling, and walls of the court is legal instead of out-of-bounds. Two players are involved in the game, although some variations of this game have three and four players.

* Aerobics

Aerobic classes usually include stepping patterns, done with music and signals directed by an instructor. Researches show that aerobic is one of the healthiest exercises. Aerobics, literally meaning “with oxygen”, helps the body to use consume the oxygen more efficiently by training the lungs and heart. This helps to reduce stress and to control weight.

* Basketball

While this very common sport is an indoor game, other variations have been popular as this sport can also be played outdoors.

* Yoga
Yoga focuses on meditation. It is considered as a way to both spiritual and physiological mastery.

* Martial arts

Martial arts are structures of arranged traditions and practices of combat training. Martial arts today are not just being learned for combat purposes, but also for fitness, self-defense, mental discipline, self-cultivation, and character development.

* Physical therapy

Physical therapy deals in maximizing and identifying movement potential in promotion, treatment, prevention and rehabilitation. This includes services that are concerned with circumstances where function and movement are threatened by injury, disease, or ageing.

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