Who are the stars of Renaissance Artists? - Part 1

Mary with her child, sculptured by Michelangelo

As we know that Renaissance is revival period for many fields: science, literature, philosophy, music and off course art.

In the field of art, at least there were 50 more recognized artists in this period. The question then: Who are the stars of Renaissance Artists?

The answer may be 4 or 3. My favorites are three, they are:

- Michelangelo

- Leonardo da Vinci

- Raphael.

Michelangelo was well known as architect, sculptor and painter. One of his monumental work was "Madonna of Bruges."

This sculpture of Mary and her child is “the very core of Christianity,” since it refers to “virgin Mary and son Jesus together.”

Sculpture was created in Italy, then exported to Belgium around 1504. Some other iconic works accomplished by Michelangelo are:

- David

- Pieta

- Moses

- Bacchus

- Angel

- The creation of Adam

Bacchus

Bacchus sculpture is made of marble in 1496 – 1497. The nude statue represents god of wine from Roman mythology.

At early time, this statue drew controversy, because god was posed in drunken (rolling eyes and walking in lack of balance) by Michelangelo.

In fact, Bacchus is associated with love of grape (wine), ecstasy and madness. 

Creation of Adam

Michelangelo depicted “creation of Adam” based on Biblical narrative in 1508 – 1512. It has been “iconic of humanity.”

Painting of the “creation of Adam” has been replicated and reproduced in many forms worldwide.

Have you seen art works of Michelangelo in Italy?

Why Japan’s Elderly are Increasingly Committed Crimes?

A Japan’s elderly in a prison (credit to Google)

When I was in Japan about 25 years ago, seniority means a “respect and role model.” Japanese word for senior is “senpai.” Younger can’t argue with them.

I never heard privately that seniors are going to jail on purposes. There were almost no news about wrong things did by seniors in mainstream medias.

Crime rate even lower in Japan compared to other industry countries such as USA, UK and Italy 25 years ago.

Surprisingly, medias around the globe reported that crime rate increased steadily not only to younger, but also to elderly in Japan recently.

We may have a question: Why Japan’s Elderly are Increasingly Committed to Crimes? Two main reasons are:

- Economic

- Social changes: elderly feel isolated from society

Japan elderly women sit on the park bench (credit to Google)

Economic reasons include cost of food, cloth, apartment rent (include heating) and health care. Japanese may bankrupt due to health care cost.

Japan society has changed a lot in the last two decades. Many people, especially older find themselves difficult to connect with society.

Loneliness not only due to society changes, the children also leave away from their parents to find economic opportunities in other cities.

What Japan’s elderly did in order to go to jail? Some simple things are:

- Come to police station with their stolen bikes.

- Bring a knife to a public garden or a park, then “pretend” to threat women.

- Shoplifting

Bizarre fact that the cost to custody in jail is extremely expensive compared to crime cost, as an example:

- Steal of US$ 1.84 could be sentenced for two years in jail. This two years punishment lead to budget spending of US$ 77 thousands.

Why not this US$ 77 thousand is given to elderly in forms such as low cost housing and free health care?

What do you think?

What was Prediction After 9/11 of Terrorist Attacks?

Terrorists attacked on WTC (credit to Google)

I compared two articles published in 2001 during terrorists attacked on several important sites in the USA. First was a report and second was a short story.

The article with title “Many Sporting Events Called Off or Postponed” is about respond of sport communities to terrorist attack by postponed sport events around the nation. 

In addition to deep mourning, the sport community also concern with their own security, even security in the training area. 

Litsky and Williams (2001) started their article with national tragedy that had occurred in September 11, 2001. 

The series of four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks caused tremendous damages to USA, then followed by cancellation of many sport events, from baseball to hockey, soccer, golf and so on. 

Memorial of WTC attacked (credit to Google)

Moreover, the short story entitles “Fear & Loathing in America” is the same about terrorist attack on American soil, but author looks at different angles.

American had a lot of war with a lot of victims, but still fear in life. When writer wrote story, actually American has engaged war within the countries where attackers might come from. There are fear and loath on both sides.

According to Thompson (2001), “Make no mistake about it: We are At War now -- with somebody -- and we will stay At War with that mysterious Enemy for the rest of our lives” (paragraph.6). 

It is suggesting that the author is true about the current condition of USA, where there is ongoing war since September 11, 2001 until recently. The enemy is so mysterious from Al-Qaeda to ISIS to unknown.

I myself favor non-fiction story of Thompson, it is because the narrative so brilliant with exactly prediction of future event. 

American still screening shoes and underwear at airports, but no assurance will be avoiding the terrorist attacks in the near future. Fear and loathing still live in the American’s mind.

References

Litsky, F and Williams, L. (2001). Many Sporting Events Called Off or Postponed. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/12/sports/many-sporting-events-called-off-or-postponed.html

Thompson, H.S. (2001). Fear & Loathing in America. Retrieved from http://proxy.espn.com/espn/page2/story?id=1250751

What Kinds of Foods Have no Effect on Weight Gain?

A Melon, fruit

Many of us so worry with weight gain, especially if the weight gain relate to certain health condition or diseases such as high blood pressure, high fat content in blood and high blood sugar.

Questions then, What Kinds of Foods Have no Effect on Weight Gain? Or what kind of foods that we can eat as much as we want?

The general guidelines that we could eat the foods as much as we want without worry of weight gain are following:

- High satiety index

- High water content

- Low caloric content

- Low fat

- Higher fiber

- Good source of protein

For simplicity, the foods includes in the general guidelines are categorized as:

- Vegetables

- Fruits

- Legumes

Varied of Tomatoes. They are considered as vegetables and fruits

Some fruits we may eat as much as we want are following:

- Melon

- Cantaloupe (my article about Cantaloupe: Cantaloupe Grows Well in America)

- Apples

- Citrus fruits

- Strawberries

Vegetables are food which we can eat almost unlimited, some of them are:

- Potatoes are included as root vegetable because it contain starch. Potatoes are also include as a high satiate index food.

- Tomatoes considered both as fruit and vegetable.

- Broccoli

- Cauliflower

- Kale

Legumes contain high fiber, source of protein and low fat, few are:

- Beans

- Peas

- Lentils

- Black beans

- Soybeans

Which are you prefer most: fruits, vegetables or legumes?

Can We Make Tea of Hibiscus Flowers?

Yellow Hibiscus flower

We just went to the farmer market, we interest in Hibiscus flowers. There are plenty of colors, some of them are peach, purple, pink and many more.

I took pictures of three flower colors from three different plants. The colors are yellow, red and orange. Look so beautiful.

Flowers grow in tropical and warm temperate regions. They grow in America too, but it is said that they will not survive during winter or colder temperature.

From reading, genus Hibiscus has several hundred of species. Quite plenty compared to other genus.

Red flower

In addition to their beauty, Hibiscus flowers, leaves and plant parts may be processed to be a tea. Healthy tea.

Honestly, I never tried it. Some literature said that we just dry hibiscus (flowers, leaves and plant parts) properly, then be used as a tea like other commercial teas.

Hibiscus tea also called as herbal tea or a tisane, French for “herbal infusion.” We can make it for hot tea or ice tea.

Orange color

It is said that Hibiscus tea has several health benefits, they are:

- Lower blood pressure

- Improve liver health

- May reduce body weight

- Contain antioxidant to improve healthy cells

- Decrease blood fat and blood sugar

Can we drink Hibiscus tea every day? The answer is yes, but no more than 15 cups of tea per day.

Over drinking of Hibiscus tea may cause nausea and headache. In case of diabetes patients, too much drink of Hibiscus tea could lead to sudden drop of blood sugar.

Do you have Hibiscus flowers and ever drink Hibiscus tea?

Why do People Make and Eat Salted Duck Eggs?

Salted duck eggs are ready to eat

When I was a college student, I always eat salt duck eggs. I thought it is because salt eggs contain highly energy and protein.

In reality, duck eggs are better than chicken eggs in term of protein content. 9 grams of protein for a duck egg and 6 grams for chicken eggs.

The salted duck egg is a Chinese traditional food, and then well known in South East Asian countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.

Why do People Make and Eat Salted Duck Eggs, not chicken egg? The answers are:

- Texture of duck eggs absorbs salt (brine) easier than chicken eggs

- A duck egg is tastier

- A duck egg is fresh longer

- A duck egg contains Omega-3 fatty acids more than chicken eggs

- People who allergic to eggs are prefer duck eggs than chicken eggs.

Cooked salted duck eggs

We can find salted duck eggs in almost Asian groceries (Chinese, Vietnamese, Thailand), here, in America. The salted eggs are cooked, and ready to eat.

Some people use cooked salted duck eggs as food flavor. They also use it as a condiment. Tasteful.

Wrapped salted duck eggs

In addition to protein, one salted duck egg also contains 1 gram and 9.6 gram of carbohydrate and fat consecutively. All these 3 nutrients are good for skin and muscle cares.

Sure, duck eggs are rich in vitamin (B12 and A) and minerals (selenium and iron). Selenium is good for hormone production. Iron used to increase oxygen contents in blood cells.

However, if you concern with highly salted and cholesterol, you should eat no more than one salted duck egg in a day or avoid at all.

Recently, I myself very rarely eat salted duck eggs, may be just two or three times in a year.

Have you taste salted duck eggs?

Have You Try to Freeze Strawberry?

Strawberry, red and sweet

Strawberry is one of my favorite fruits. I just buy them in enough amount to consume for several days.

Since we consume bought strawberries in a proper time, thus, they are in good condition and tasted fresh.

Off course, they are abundance during spring seasons. Mainly local productions. We could find strawberry all seasons, but they are imported ones.

Based on my own experienced, imported strawberries are varied in term of taste, freshness and overall quality.

I just read in an article that we can freeze strawberry, then can be used to make many foods as we know, a jam as an example.

Washing strawberries in the glass bowl

We can use frozen strawberries to make like following foods:

- Pie

- Compote

- A chocolate dip

- Cobbler

- Cake

- etc

My readings said that before freezing, strawberries are washed by clean water. Then put them into plastic bags (freezer bags).

We may freeze strawberry up to 2 months in a freezer, and some said that strawberries are safe to be consumed even after 12 months.

Honestly, I never freeze strawberry, thus never eat 12 months frozen strawberries.

Have You Try to Freeze Strawberry? How long in freezer is safe to be consumed?