Stuffed sole and stuffing your soul

Shrimp Stuffed Sole

Stuffed sole can be a healthy, satisfying treat for your taste buds that provides vital nutrients to your body that help combat stress and fight inflammation. While you feed your body, do not neglect your mind and spirit.

Your mind and spirit need nourishment and exercise as well. The nourishment for your mind includes learning new things as well as entertainment. For your spirit, it means fulfilling higher needs through religion or spirituality. The exercise for each requires challenges. The mind enjoys puzzles and debate. The spirit, or soul, needs challenges to your moral values. But, like you need to eat smart and exercise wisely for physical health, the same element of moderation is necessary for the mind and spirit.

First let’s feed the body with a meal featuring stuffed sole. Sole can be relatively inexpensive, especially when compared to salmon or tuna. It’s a white fish, so it is not quite as rich in DHEA as salmon. However, it is a better choice than catfish.

Shrimp Stuffed Sole

Ingredients (per serving):

Stuffing:

Shrimp, raw and peeled – 4 oz.
Almonds – 1 oz.
Green onion, chopped – 1
Garlic, minced – 1 tspn
Butter, softened – 1tbsp
Coconut oil, melted – 1 tspn
Turmeric – dash
Dill – pinch

Outside:

Sole, filets – 2, approx. 6 oz (3 oz each)
Ancho, chipotle, and/or paprika powder – garnish to taste
Nutritional quick facts: Approx 8g carbohydrates (3.5g from fiber) , 55g protein, 890mg Omega-3 per serving. Amounts may vary.

Shrimp Stuffing

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
If the shrimp are not already peeled, peel them. Place shrimp in a food processor and chop them into a pink mush. Place the shrimp into a small bowl and set aside. Place raw, unsalted almonds into the food processor and chop until they have a rough appearance. You don’t want them chopped too fine. Add the almonds, chopped green onion, softened butter, garlic, and spices to the shrimp. Fold the ingredients until the spices appear well blended and butter and almonds seem evenly dispersed. Add the melted coconut oil. Fold again until well dispersed.

Place one sole filet in a glass baking tray, on top of  the olive oil. Place the second filet with one end overlapping and the other extending at approximately a 30 degree angle from the first filet. Spoon the filling onto the bottom filet, making sure the filling also pins the overlapping edge of the second. Shape the filling so it doesn’t extend past the edges of the bottom filet. Wrap the second filet around the filling, tucking the free end inside once the stuffing is encircled.  Garnish with the pepper powder of choice. The example depicted used a equal ratio of ancho and chipotle powders.

Stuffing the Sole

Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes or until fish has a flaky appearance.

Healthy Benefits

The sole and the shrimp provide your body with DHEA, an Omega-3 fatty acid. Your body uses Omega-3s to form high-density lipo-protein (HDL) cholesterol. The gray matter in your brain is composed of those HDL cholesterols. A diet sufficient in DHEA can promote brain health and the regeneration of that gray matter. The HDLs your body generates also combat plaque created from low-density lipo-proteins merging with free radicals and rogue glutenoids, protien strains from grain gluten. That plaque clogs arteries. It also becomes white matter in the brain that attaches itself, at first, at endorphin and exorphin receptors in the brain. Studies indicate that the plaque build-up in the brain, called white matter, contributes to (and may be partially responsible for causing) ADHD, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.

If you pair this dish with legumes or leafy greens high in anti-oxidants such as vitamin A, your body is better equipped to fight inflammation and plaque. The vitamin D in both the fish and the vegetables also benefit the skin, brain, and joints by preventing unnecessary inflammation.

Stuffing Your Soul

Stress can be good or bad. Good stress motivates us, serving as exercise necessary to increase strength and resolve. The more fit we are thanks to good stress, the better we handle bad stress.

As previously stated, you need to exercise your mind, learning something new each day. Learning is part of the equation. You need to practice and challenge that learning. Things like puzzles or playing a new song on an instrument accomplish this. So can healthy debate. Healthy debate also serves a purpose in creating a forum to not only impart our wisdom, but learn from the experiences and knowledge of others.

But debate means we sometimes move outside of our comfort zone. It means we may also face challenges to our moral values. We face ideas and mores that may offend us. It is fine to be offended. Being offended exercises our spirits, or souls. It allows us to be more tolerant.

The word “tolerance” gets misused far too often these days. What people fail to realize is that tolerance requires us to be offended. In fact, you cannot tolerate something that doesn’t offend or annoy you. Tolerance is not acceptance. Tolerance means you put-up with another person’s offensive opinions or moral code. That does not mean you have to agree. It doesn’t mean you have to enjoy it. It doesn’t mean you have to support it. In fact, you shouldn’t.

Some believe that rock and roll is immoral music. Others believe that of rap. If rap offends you, but you are tolerant, it means you won’t listen to it in your home or car. However, it does not give you permission to ban it in your neighbor’s house. Tolerance also means you don’t have to endure your neighbor blasting rap so loud you cannot hear your rock and roll, either. If it is in his own home, tolerance means leaving it alone as long as it doesn’t infringe upon your right to listen to your choice in music in yours. You can apply this to a variety of other issues.

Stuff your soul by exercising tolerance but not capitulating your morals or values.

This article is dedicated to Glenn Beck.

Healthy dark chocolate truffles break the ‘echo chamber’

This article and recipe came at the request of my good friend and former co-worker Michelle Ray. You can follow her on Twitter. I highly recommend her radio program, In-Deep with Michelle Ray.

Dark Chocolate Truffles

These hand-made dark chocolate truffles are a great social network management tool at small gatherings. The truffles are a tool to help you escape that dreaded “echo chamber” that Glenn Beck and Kevin Boyd caution against.

Imagine your spouse’s liberal cousin “Eggar” comes for a visit. You know he’ll want to talk politics and try to sell you on Obamacare. You want a break from debating TARP’s failure and you are sick of hearing how the “shutdown” was all Bush’s fault. You just want to enjoy some polite conversation and enjoy the company.  When Eggar starts trying to corner your more conservative guests, raise the plate and ask “would you care for a dark chocolate truffle?”

You’ll be able to boast that you made these yourself.  Eggar will be too amazed to start that argument he desperately needs to feed his attention-starved life. If you really want to part Eggar’s uni-brow, this would be a great opportunity to segue into a discussion on great wines to pair with the truffles. Should you be lucky enough to have a wine aficionado such as Ilona Thompson on hand, pass the center of attention over to her. Hopefully she’ll have brought a bottle of a “big, broody mountain fruit Cabernet”  along.  Having a pinot noir from Laetitia Wine or Chamisal Vineyards on hand may heighten the conversation. Some hidden local treasures such as Sonoita Vineyard’s MeCaSa (varietal combining Merlot, Cabernet, and Sangiovese) from Arizona or Llano-Estacado Winery’s Petit Verdot from Texas could turn it into a wine and chocolate tasting party. Eggar’s mouth will be too busy tasting the combination of a dark chocolate truffle and a luscious red wine to try to bug you about how Keynesian economic programs will eliminate evil income inequality.
Note: Eggar is a composite character and is not meant to represent any specific individual, living or dead (and still voting).

Brain-Building Dark Chocolate Truffles

 Adapted and modified from a recipe in Dr. David Perlmutter’s best-selling book “Grain Brain”.
Makes from 20-40 truffles, depending upon size.

Ingredients:

1 cup – heavy whipping cream
1 tsp – vanilla extract
1/2 tbsp – granulated sugar
1 1/2 tbsp – dark chocolate cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1 tbsp – coconut oil
1 oz – liqueur such as Irish cream, amaretto, or Frangelico (optional)
8 oz – dark chocolate bar of 80 percent or greater cacao, chopped
finely chopped nuts, finely chopped coconut, and/or cocoa powder & confectioner’s sugar (2:1 ratio) for covering
Nutritional quick facts: Each truffle contains approximately 5g carbohydrates, 2g protein per truffle, depending upon size of truffle, coating, and grade of chocolate.

Directions:

Place the broken up pieces of dark chocolate bar into a small mixing bowl, preferably glass. Set the bowl aside at room temperature.

broken dark chocolate

In a small sauce pan, mix the remaining ingredients except for the coating. Heat at low-medium heat, stirring constantly with a silicon or rubber spatula until the coconut oil melts and the ingredients are well blended. Lower to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for approx. 5 minutes. Make sure the dry ingredients dissolve and are well-blended into the mixture, especially the cocoa powder.

The simmering accomplishes two things. First it ensures the ingredients blend well and the flavor and sweetness are consistent. Second, it helps reduce the amount of water in the mixture, allowing it to thicken to the right consistency once cooled.

Next, pour the warm mixture over the broken chocolate bar in the bowl. Fold the ingredients with the spatula until the chocolate bar pieces are melted and well blended throughout the mixture. The mixture should be smooth and free of lumps, with a light glossy appearance on top.

truffle mixture

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours but no more than 8.

Prepare your coating. The example in the pictures uses a blend of hazelnuts, almonds, coconut, cocoa powder, and confectioner’s sugar milled in a food processor until it has a rough meal appearance. Other possible coatings include just coconut, finely chopped peanuts, cocoa powder, or even ground up Coco Pebbles for those not on a carbohydrate or grain restricted diet. Place your coating material on a beveled plate or a shallow soup bowl.

spooning truffles

Using a common spoon, spoon out a portion of the truffle mixture. With your hands, roll the mixture into a ball approx. one inch in diameter. Resist the temptation to lick your fingers until you’re done with all the truffles. Next, roll that ball in the coating material. Place the truffle on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or waxed paper. Repeat until all the truffles are coated and placed on the paper-covered sheet.

Refrigerate for 12 hours to set.

Eat and enjoy. The truffles will keep up to a week if placed in an airtight container and refrigerated. In most households, though, they probably will be eaten within 48 hours.

completed truffle

 Healthy Benefits

This is a desert treat. However, there are a few healthy benefits hidden in these treasures. An option not listed in the recipe is adding a teaspoon of high-grade instant coffee to boost the anti-oxidants. However, dark chocolate contains many of the same inflammation-fighting and free-radical expelling anti-oxidants. Chocolate and coffee are cousins much like spinach and kale. Recent studies indicate that dark chocolate is good for cardiovascular health and brain health. Not only does it contain those anti-oxidants, it has other chemicals the body uses to eliminate plaque, keeping it from adhering to blood vessel walls or building up as white matter in the brain.

The medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) in the coconut oil are beneficial to transporting omega-3 fatty acids where they need to go. They also transport vitamins D, K, A and B to fight inflammation and work on cellular regeneration, to include brain cells.

Pairing the truffles with red wines adds other benefits. Red wines contain resveratrol. Resveratrol helps reduce low-density lipo-proteins  (LDLs) from building up as plaque in the heart and blood vessels. It helps the body to generate high-density lipo-proteins (HDLs), a key component of brain cells. So, in moderation, red wine and dark chocolate can help make you smarter.

Health and happiness from my mouth to yours, and even to Eggar’s.

The author is not a medical doctor nor a currently registered dietitian. The information provided in this article is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be interpreted as medical, nutritional or health advice. Please seek the advice of an expert before starting any new diet or exercise program.

Pasta-less pesto recipe and choice

Pasta-less Pesto Pasta

This pesto recipe and pasta dish is about choice. It can be made with or without traditional pasta. It can be made with no pasta. And there are plenty of other options.

Each choice in life comes with consequences, responsibilities, and accountability. With some choices, some people wish to burden others with the consequences instead of taking personal responsibility. Some do this by playing the “victim” game. They committed a crime or offense because they are a “victim of society”. With each choice we make, we must weigh the pros and cons of each alternative, including the second and third order effects of our decisions.

Some people choose to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they ingest, along with the amount of gluten from grains, in an effort to reduce visceral fat and lose weight. Others do so in an attempt to promote the growth of new brain cells. Others change to this sort of diet in hopes of mitigating cardiovascular disease. Then there are those who are tired of hearing others bash gluten.

Here’s a meal that gives the cook, a few options.

Possibly Pasta-less Pesto Recipe

Makes six (6) servings. Leftovers are just as tasty cold, eaten like a pasta salad.

Ingredients:

Pasta :

1 Spaghetti Squash (approximately 3 pounds)
-or-
1 package standard thin spaghetti
-or-
1 package gluten-free, wheat-free pasta

Pesto Sauce:

Pine nuts – 2 oz
Oilve Oil – 6 tbsp
Chopped basil – 1/2 tspn
Chopped Oregano – 1/2 tspn
Chipotle powder – 1/2 tspn
Fennel seed – 1 tspn
Minced garlic – 2 tbsp
Red Pepper flakes (dried)  – 1/4 tspn (or to taste)
Raw almonds (unsalted) – 1 oz
Grated Parmesan cheese – 1/4 cup

Fillers:

Shrimp (peeled) – 12 oz
Sausage ring – 12 oz (can be smoked, Italian, kielbasa, or any form you prefer)
Garlic – 1 tbsp
black pepper – to taste
Coconut oil (or olive oil) – 3 tspn
Chipotle powder – to taste
Turmeric – dash, or to taste
Chopped kale, spinach, and/or chard – 1 cup (total)
Bell pepper (red, orange, yellow or green) – 1 large, chopped
Tomato, chopped – 1 medium or large or 2 Roma
Other chopped vegetables such as asparagus or broccoli (optional)
Nutritional Quick Facts: These values are approximates and may vary depending upon ingredients. The example used included spaghetti squash and a smoked, all-beef sausage. Per serving: 19g protein, 14g carbohydrates, 3g dietary fiber.

Directions:

If using a boxed pasta (either regular or gluten free), boil and prepare it per the directions on the box.
Spaghetti squash has two main ways it can be cooked. One method is to quarter it, long ways, and boil it in a stock pot for 30-40 minutes. Quarter the squash and remove the seeds. Place the squash in a stock pot and fill with water until the squash is completely immersed. Cover and place on heat. When it reaches the boiling point, uncover and continue to boil for 30-40 minutes.

To prepare in an oven, quartered it, remove the seeds (to be roasted separately as a snack) and place it inside-down in a glass roasting tray. Add water until the water covers 2/3 of the squash. Bake in the oven at 425 for one hour, turning the squash over after 40 minutes. No need to preheat the oven. It cooks best if the squash and water warm with the oven.

baked spaghetti squash

After turning the squash, start on the pesto. If you are boiling the squash, start this when the squash begins to boil. If using a boxed pasta, you can do this while waiting for the water to boil.  Using a food processor or a strong blender, combine all of the ingredients. Puree the mixture until it has the consistency of warm peanut butter. Set aside, at room temperature.

Pesto

If cooking the squash using the baking method, get your stock pot out. If you are using your stock pot to boil past or the spaghetti squash, then wait until they are done cooking, then drain in a colander and set aside. Use the stock pot for the next step.

Place the coconut (or olive) oil in the pot along with the garlic and heat over low-medium heat until the coconut oil melts (or garlic turns a very light brown). Slice the sausage into 1/4″ thick slices. Add the shrimp, sausage, and spices to the pot. Raise the heat to medium-high. Stir regularly to avoid sticking. Cook for 6-10 minutes.

spiced sausage, shrimp, and garlic

Add the vegetables to the stock pot. Continue to stir over medium-high heat until the greens are wilted and the peppers soften. Reduce heat to low.

If using a cooked, boxed pasta, add it to the meat and vegetables mix in the stock pot. Stir.
If using spaghetti pasta, remove and drain it, (if you haven’t already). If it’s from the oven, you may want to let it cool for a minute or two, or rinse it in lukewarm water. Take a large, preferably metal, spoon and a paring knife. Using the paring knife, separate the the skin from a corner of the squash quarter. Place the spoon in the cut. Use the spoon the remove the “spaghetti” strands from the skin. Place them into the stock pot as you free them from the husk. Repeat with the rest of the quarters until all of the edible portions are removed from the skin. Mix the squash, shrimp, sausage, and other vegetables to make sure you break up any portions of the spaghetti squash that may be trying to cling together.

Mix in “pasta”

Regardless of which option you took in pasta or squash cooking method, it’s time to add the pesto. Pour the pesto into the stock pot and mix. Remove from heat and serve.

mix in pesto & toss

Healthy Benefits

The health benefits vary greatly depending upon the choices and options you decide. Previous articles, such as this couscous recipe and this shrimp dish, discussed the benefits of coconut oil, the curcumin in the turmeric, and vitamins A and K in the spinach and kale, and other similar benefits.

Some of the ingredients may cause allergic reactions for those with food allergies. Some may be allergic to squash, others allergic to tree nuts. Consult your doctor before trying these ingredients. Spaghetti squash can also slightly elevate your susceptibility to inflammation. The kale and squash may counteract the inflammation index. Again, consult your doctor and/or a registered dietitian (RD) if you suffer from an inflammatory condition.

Choice, accountability, responsibility, and consequences

The recipe above illustrates several variations on a dish from which to choose. Some choices are more physically healthy. Others may provide some psychological comfort level, like a dinner of macaroni and cheese followed by a few scoops of rich, chocolate ice cream and a glass of red wine. Each choice we make has consequences. There are immediate consequences and long-term effects.

Those choices in lifestyle such as diet and exercise can have short-term effects, giving us pleasant feelings as chemicals known as exorphins hit our brains, in the case of eating a gluten-rich chocolate cupcake. People who run often refer to a “runners’ high” when endorphins kick in. The long-term consequences can mean a longer, healthier life, more energy, better sleep, and lower medical bills.

The same is with every choice we make, big or small. In some cases, the unexpected long-term consequences can be far greater than we initially thought. In other cases, the ramifications may not be as bad as expected. Regardless of the case, when you make a choice, you must own the consequences, be they reward or failure.

Conservative-minded people tend to be more accepting of individual responsibility and accountability. If you make a mistake, you own it. You make up for it. You learn from it. You don’t blame somebody else for your choice. You don’t take credit for the fruits of another person’s choice, decision, action. That is the way adults should be. It’s one of the core values we work hard to instill into our children’s moral code.

Choice is a power to create or destroy. Choice creates prosperity and rewards. It creates hardship and misery. In each case, it is one’s choice, therefore one’s responsibility, to be accountable for the fruit of each choice. Don’t take away the choices of another. Don’t force your choices onto another. Don’t burden another with the consequences of your bad decisions. Choose it and own what comes.

The author is not a medical doctor nor a currently registered dietitian. The information provided in this article is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be interpreted as medical, nutritional or health advice. Please seek the advice of an expert before starting any new diet or exercise program.

Trimming the fat with low-carb couscous

Cauliflower couscous w/ peas & mahi mahi crusted w/ raspberry mango chipotle & almonds

Trimming the fat is something many people talk about. We talk about trimming the fat from our waistlines. We talk about our federal, state, and local governments trimming the fat out of the budgets. But when we talk about trimming fat, too often we are reluctant to cut out certain things necessary to do so.

When we talk about trimming the fat out of the federal defense budget, many citizens pressure legislators to do so without compromising national defense. The same concept comes in trimming the fat from our waistlines. We don’t want to give up certain things out of worry that we’ll compromise our body’s defenses. A certain balance and trade-off must take place. That trade-off needs to be one that leaves us comfortable. When it comes to national defense, it means we need the psychological comfort that our nation will be capable of preempting, thwarting, or responding to those threats accordingly. When it comes to food, we want certain comfort foods. Among those comforts are starchy side dishes.

If you find yourself changing your diet towards a healthier one, or if your doctor has told you to avoid starches and high-gluten grains, it can be a little disheartening. A little research can reveal some interesting side dishes that replace those comfort foods.

Many who remember the days when “The South Beach Diet” was the diet fad of the week that whipped cauliflower was a tasty and healthy exchange for mashed potatoes. There are other side dishes using cauliflower as well. For instance, here is one recipe for a low-grain, low-carbohydrate, gluten-free couscous that uses cauliflower.  It pairs well with baked or grilled fish (as depicted above) that is high in neuro-genesis-inducing (brain cell regenerating) nutrients like the omega-3 fatty acid DHA.

Low-carb Cauliflower Couscous

2 tbsp – Olive oil
2 oz (weight) – Cauliflower (per serving)
1 tsp – Coconut oil (per serving)
1 oz (1/8 cup) – Quinoa (per serving)
1 tsp – Minced garlic (per serving)
1/2 oz (weight) – Kale or spinach (per serving)
1 oz (1/8 cup) – Grated Parmesan cheese (per serving)
2 oz (1/4 cup) – Water (per serving)
Rosemary (to taste)
Ground black pepper (to taste)
Nutritional Quick Facts: Approximately 20g carbohydrates, 12g of dietary fiber, 10g protein per serving. These are estimates and may vary.

Directions:

Take fresh, uncooked, unfrozen cauliflower and cut the florets into small bits. Using the food processor, chop the cauliflower to small bits approximately the size of cooked rice. Next, use a chef’s knife to chop the kale or spinach into small strips. You can use a food processor but many cooks find it may be quicker to do this by hand.

Oil & Garlic | PHOTO CREDIT: P-G Matuszak

Combine olive oil, coconut oil, and garlic in a small to medium (depending upon number of servings) pan. Heat at low-medium heat until the coconut oil melts and mixes with the olive oil. This gives the garlic time to infuse into the oils.

Add quinoa and cauliflower to the oil. Increase the heat to medium-high. Stir continuously for 2-3 minutes. Lower heat back to low-medium. Add water, kale and/or spinach, and rosemary. Stir mixture, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.

 Finely chopped cauliflower for couscous.

Uncover the mixture and add black pepper and Parmesan cheese. Remove from heat and fold the couscous until the cheese is well blended into the mixture. Cover and let stand for five minutes before serving.

Healthy Benefits

As briefly explained in this article, coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) that promote brain health. The winners in this recipe, though, are the greens and the cauliflower.

Cauliflower contains about 47 milligrams (mg) of omega-3 fatty acids per ounce. Those omega-3s are beneficial to your cardiovascular health as well as your brain. Recent studies indicate they may even help fight unnecessary inflammation and assist in boosting your immune system. As such, cauliflower, on its own, is listed as “mildly anti-inflammatory”.

If you opt for kale, this leafy green adds approximately 50 mg of omega-3s. Also, it is high in vitamin-K, providing approximately 229 micrograms per ounce. That is over 280% of what the average adult requires a day, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Vitamin K helps in a variety of things. Among them, it assists in blood health, particularly in helping fight off infection. It helps fend off infections by boosting the blood’s ability to clot adequately, sealing a wound. Studies also suggest that vitamin-K is involved in bone and joint health, helping the body repair and strengthen your skeletal system. Doctors usually recommend a diet high in vitamin-K to those who suffer digestive conditions such as celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. Kale is also a good source of the anti-oxidant vitamin-A.

Spinach is another leafy green with good benefits. Per ounce, it contains about half the recommended daily allowance for adults of vitamin-A. Vitamin-A is an anti-oxidant that assists with the immune system. It helps to fend off inflammation and infection. Studies also indicate it helps reduce free radicals. Free radicals bind together with gluten byproducts to form plaque. That plaque can build up in the blood stream, causing blockages that lead to strokes and heart attacks. Several studies released since 2005 indicate that same plaque may aggravate or even cause brain diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. While not as rich in vitamin-K as kale, spinach still packs about 135 mcg per ounce. That is approximately 170% the RDA for adults recommended by the USDA.

Boosting defenses and trimming the fat

Recent studies suggest that reducing your gluten and carbohydrate intake and eating a balanced diet contribute to a lifestyle that promotes your natural immunities and defenses. Exercise is another key component of that lifestyle. Combined with adequate sleep, they can help you trim off the visceral fat around your midsection. A high  level of visceral fat has been tied, by several studies, to other ailments, particularly those connected to insulin, leptin, inflammation, and  cholesterol-based plaque. So, in the case of the human body, trimming the fat can actually increase your defenses.

Other studies present data and evidence that indicate such a lifestyle can also lead to the regeneration of healthy gray matter in your brain. So what could you do with those new brain cells? First, contact a doctor and get a physical. Ask that doctor to recommend the best diet and exercise program that fits your individual needs. Next, take that suggested diet along with your test results and see a registered dietitian (RD).
You may also start looking at the various proposals before the US Congress, your state legislature, and your local municipal officials. People don’t like to give up the “special shiny things” that give them comfort. They don’t want to trade food stamp funding for business incentive programs. They want both. They also want free transportation, free housing, better benefits for the military, etc. Take a look at Article I sections 8 and 9 of the US Constitution. Those outline what congress cannot do and what congress must do. The fat to be trimmed is between those limits. They must fund postal routes. They must provide for the military. They must pay public debts. They must fund all essential functions of the federal government.

Think if your family were teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. You have a limited income. Your credit is over-extended. What are your options? What luxuries do you do without until you are in a situation better suited to afford them? Do you need that new, fancy SUV? What junk can you sell? Do you need that family cellphone plan with unlimited everything? How about your cable television package (since you can watch only one station at a time, anyway)? Do you need those family season passes to the amusement park? There are things to trim. Things you don’t trim are your retirement account investments, “rainy-day” savings, or kids’ college funds. You get the point.

Apply the same common sense approach to government budgets. There are things we’d rather not do without. However, luxuries are luxuries. The government doesn’t need to buy steak and lobster for the less fortunate. The less fortunate need a source of income, an opportunity, not a handout. But without adequate defense force with enough funding to train and deploy fully equipped to handle the threats to our nation, none of it will amount to more than a pile of rotten beans. To ensure the manpower necessary to conduct those missions, we need to make sure we take care of the military members and their families. We owe it to them. We also owe it to our veterans and our military retirees. They sacrificed and were promised certain reciprocation and compensation. Those fall under “public debt” and the “thanks of a grateful nation”.

The author is not a medical doctor nor a currently registered dietitian. The information provided in this article is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be interpreted as medical, nutritional or health advice. Please seek the advice of an expert before starting any new diet or exercise program.

This one-pot shrimp and vegetables dish gives you time to cook, and vote

One-pot shrimp and vegetables | PHOTO CREDIT P-G Matuszak

No time to vote? No time to eat healthy? With this 30-minute, healthy shrimp and vegetables dish, you have no excuse.

Time. In these hustle and bustle days, there seems to never be enough of it, does there?

You know you should eat a healthy breakfast. There’s not enough time. So you opt for a mass-produced bagel and a large coffee product at the corner corporate coffeehouse. You feel tired because you didn’t have enough time to get at least six hours of sleep, making you “need” that large coffee even more. Luckily, studies have found dark-roast coffees contain vital anti-oxidants. Your dinner last night was something mass-processed that you zapped in a microwave. You may not have even taken the time to toss it on a plate. Despite many states having early voting polling sites and Permanent Early Voter Lists (PEVLs), you don’t have time to vote.

We have deadlines, kids with homework and after school commitments, attempts at social lives, Twitter tweets to catch up, email to read, bills to pay, neglected housework piling up, and a gym membership we haven’t used since two weeks after we made that New Year’s resolution.

There’s time. You just need to budget it a bit. When budgeting it, you need to find things that will fit into that budget. It’s just like doing your kitchen table economics you had to do when you sat down to figure out how you were going to afford your new Obamacare premiums. The time is there. You just have to find it.
Some people claim that eating healthy is expensive. It can be. It probably will be if you continue to buy processed, pre-packaged meals that are labelled as “healthy”. Unfortunately, unless you know what to look for, many of those things are not all that healthy. If you try to read the labels, you start wondering if you should have paid more attention to your high school chemistry lessons. Many of those same people claim that it takes too long to prepare healthy meals from scratch (or “near-scratch”).

This quick, one-pot, healthy meal takes less than 30 minutes to cook. With a little “mis en place” preparation, it can take less.

This recipe includes ancient grains, specifically quinoa, healthy leafy greens, high-omega-3 seafood, and some ingredients that help mitigate unnecessary inflammation.  It is wheat and gluten-free and designed for heart and brain health.

One-pot shrimp and vegetables

Ingredients:

Shrimp (4 oz per serving), raw, de-veined, and peeled
Qinoa – 1/4 cup uncooked per serving
Coconut oil – 2 tsp
Olive oil – 1 tbsp
Garlic (crushed) – 1 tbsp
Peas or broccoli (frozen work)  – 3 oz per serving
(optional) leafy greens, i.e. kale, spinach, or chard – 1-3 oz per serving
Chipotle powder  – 1/4 tsp per serving
Turmeric powder  – 1/4 tsp per serving
Wasabi powder – 1/4 tsp per serving
Lemon pepper – 1/2 tsp per serving
Water – 1/4 cup per serving
Nutritional quick facts: Approximately 30 grams of protein, 20 grams carbohydrate, and 10 grams of dietary fiber per serving. These are estimates and may vary.

Directions

Seasoned Shrimp | PHOTO CREDIT: P-G Matuszak

First prepare the shrimp. If not bought veined and peeled in the package, then prepare accordingly. Place peeled and veined shrimp in a bowl. Add half the garlic, and the spices. Now “add some love”. That means to take your freshly washed hand and massage all of that together until the spices are well blended and coating the shrimp.  Let sit. It takes only a couple of minutes for those spices to sink into the shrimp.
While the shrimp is marinating in the spice mix, place the coconut and olive oils in a medium (or larger if serving more than 4 people) pot. Add the rest of the garlic and warm at low-medium heat until the coconut oil melts. Once the oil is melted, add the shrimp and the quinoa.

Oil & Garlic | PHOTO CREDIT: P-G Matuszak

Stir those shrimp and the quinoa until the shrimp turn pink. Add the water, stir, and raise the heat to medium-high.  Bring to a low boil, uncovered. Stir again.

Here you have two options. If you opted for frozen peas (you can substitute broccoli spears, instead, if you’d like) instead of fresh ones, you can add them at this time. For a time-saving shortcut, you can buy frozen “steam in the microwave” peas for as low as $1.50. When you add the shrimp to the pot, you microwave those steamer peas (or broccoli) for 3-5 minutes in the microwave. They do not need to completely cook in the microwave, just warm and defrosted.

Pink shrimp & quinoa | PHOTO CREDIT: P-G Matuszak

If you left the peas frozen, add them and bring back to a low boil. Cook covered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

If you nuked the peas, add them and cook covered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve in bowls. Eat.

Healthy Benefits

The coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). Your body uses those MCTs to create beta-hydroxybutyrate, a biochemical your body uses to regenerate cells, especially brain cells. Those same MCTs are used by your body to produce glutathione, a vital anti-oxidant your body needs to increase brain-power, fight inflammation, and increase the efficiency of your metabolism. It also can slow the aging process, a plus for those of us over 30.

Quinoa is a nearly gluten-free ancient grain. It has a mild nutty flavor and doesn’t contribute to unnecessary inflammation or plaque production like high-gluten grains (wheat, barley, rye, and even some processed oats). Plaque is not just that nasty film on your teeth. Similar substances build up, over years, in your blood vessels, your liver, and your brain. That aggravates and may even be the cause of multiple problems including type-2 diabetes, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s,  and ADHD. Gluten is one of the key components of that plaque.
The shrimp contains vitamin-D and the omega-3 fatty acid, DHA. Recent studies have indicated that DHA is vital for brain cell production, heart health, and combating type-2 diabetes, among other ailments. Vitamin-D’s benefits are still being studied. It enhances mood. It helps prevent unnecessary inflammation in joins, brain, heart, and bloodstream. It helps in bone health and regrowth (for bruised and broken bones).
These are just a snippet of the “good” in this quick and easy dish. To explore all of the potential benefits, you may want to take some of that time you saved making this quick meal to read books such as Dr. David Permutter’s  (@davidperlmutter ) “Grain Brain“.

Admittedly, there are better protein sources than shrimp. Red fish such as salmon or yellow-fin tuna are much more beneficial. In a time-crunch, though, they take too long to cook. Spinach and kale are better vegetables than peas. Sometimes you need to cook what you have available. Nearing the end of a week, when you’ve already consumed all of the kale and spinach, reaching into the freezer for the frozen peas or broccoli is an adequate option.

What to do with the “saved time” — vote

With that time you saved, you have generated enough time to head to an early polling location and cast your ballot. You have time to budget spending filling out your PEVL ballot and walking it down to the mailbox.
Before doing either of those, you need to use some of  that extra time doing your diligence. “Your diligence” means being a responsible voter. Voting is not a right. If you read the US Constitution, it does not directly guarantee a right to vote. It outlines and prohibits certain things from disqualifying a voter. It establishes a minimum voting age. But it does not guarantee a “right” to vote.

Voting is a responsibility and a privilege. We owe it to ourselves and our children to vote, if we are legally able to do so. The laws differ from state to state. Some require you to be a resident of your polling precinct for a minimum time period and to have registered in advance. Federal laws require states to scrub and verify voter registration rosters in advance as well. So, if you register too late or just moved, you may not qualify to vote. If you are convicted of certain crimes, you may not be eligible to vote. If you are dead, you shouldn’t be reading this much less casting a ballot.

If you are eligible to vote, you need to register. If you are registered, you need to cast your ballot. You may think one vote doesn’t count. However, if 10,000 people in your polling precinct feel that way, that’s 10,000 votes that could have dramatically swayed the outcome of an election. Ask California about Proposition 8. One of the main arguments against that bill was not enough people bothered to show up to vote. The majority who did vote passed a law that the majority of citizens of the state opposed.

If you are going to cast a ballot, you need to be responsible and do your research. Certain politicians count on “single-issue” voters to comprise their base. For example, some believe that a they will automatically get pro-life votes because of their pro-life platform. They count on you to ignore their fiscal irresponsibility or anti-second amendment platforms. You need to look into issues on which all candidates have campaigned in favor (or opposition). Look up their voting records and what bills they have sponsored. Look at their success rates. For a legislator, that success rate is how well their proposed bills have done. If they have a high passage rate for bills they sponsored that favor your views, they are “successful”.

This is just a recommended time-saving meal that is good for your health and will save you time; time to do something for the health of the nation and the futures of our children.

The importance of faith in battling PTSD

Soldiers Praying in Khost | PHOTO CREDIT: US Army (Public Domain)

When I returned from Iraq in the summer of 2003, I was a wreck. I can say that in retrospect. I knew it at the time, but the severity was lost in the turbulent waves of chaos that surrounded my being.

I will not get into an account of what happened during the war. That is a story for another medium and will comprise multiple chapters, no doubt, in a memoir. I saw a lot. My job in intelligence also put me "in the know" of a lot more that I experienced indirectly. I can say that immediately following the deployment, some of those direct and indirect experiences did get crossed. That is rather common with PTSD.

I was diagnosed with PCS, post-combat stress, a precursor and warning sign for PTSD. It's an unofficial classification that is not recognized by the APA, ACA, or DSM. It's just something that some military shrinks and doctors use to monitor for risks of PTSD. Some, not all. However, I was told I had it and that a good reintegration into "normal" routine would likely cause those "feelings" to fade within a few weeks. They did.

When I first returned, I scared myself. I felt as though the world around me was a movie, or a dream. None of it felt real. Reality, for me, was back in Iraq or on the dunes in Kuwait. It wasn't Fort Sill, Okla. It wasn't Fort Hood, Texas.

The best I can describe is that I was numb. There wasn't enough stimulation. I kept searching for that adrenaline rush, that shock, that Fedayeen Saddam popping into the street to shoot at me and those around me. Except for a few close friends ad family members, I didn't see other people as human. I saw them as paper cut-outs. I could shake their hands, hug them, or punch them and it didn't matter.

But it did matter. That was what scared me. That just was not me. I value human life. I value life in general, though I wouldn't feel bad about swatting a fly or squishing a spider. However, I get upset if my dog is sick or my snake isn't eating. I check on my cat's welfare several times a day if he's too quiet (usually because he sleeps days). That is now.

My regard for life didn't change, not in the long run. In the short term, though, it did. I was still enmeshed in that combat mindset where self-preservation and the preservation of the lives around me dictated that I be able to kill a threat without hesitation or remorse. It took time for that mindset to wear off.

What helped me to keep grips with my morality was my faith. I prayed to the higher powers I recognized and asked for guidance. I clung to the morality and values I held dear. At the core, I know murder is wrong, and killing is justified only as a last resort, never to be taken lightly or arbitrarily. Life is not a video game. Though I felt reality had become a movie, it wasn't. I reminded myself that these are real people, with real lives and real families. I clung to my faith.

The reason I was so afraid of myself and those numb "desensitized" feelings was because of my morality. I didn't question it. I was tested, the moral code wasn't. I realized that core fact. I didn't fall, though I teetered on faltering.

Now, nearly eleven years and three more combat tours to Iraq, not counting other missions before and between, I am grateful. I am thankful for my faith. I am thankful to my parents and family that raised me with those values.

It matters little what name or names you ascribe to your deities. If they are just and good, their teachings and your faith can get you through the toughest and darkest of times. Call those higher powers G-d and his angels, Jesus and his saints, Odin and the gods of Asgard, or the lords of Shinto -- it matters not. Faith in yourself and a strong, values-based moral code are what matter.

These days, thanks to a loving and devoted wife who has faith in me and a very similar moral code, the horrors of the war rarely revisit me. They still come, yes. They always will. But I am ready to battle those demons and shadows. I recognize them for what they are -- tests.

Perry editorial praises Texas's diverse and creative culture

Austin, Tx., March 9, 2014 -- Governor Perry's press office released an editorial Perry penned regarding Texas culture and creativity.

Rick Perry pinged on several key points concerning Texas. He addressed how the diverse and creative culture make Texas a great state for tourism as well as business.

Perry's editorial opens with this up-front point, referring to the SXSW arts and technology conference in Austin:

"Some people like to say this is the time of year when creative folks converge on Texas. I say, they're here all the time."

 The Governor continues to cite examples spanning the past 60 years to back his claim:

"This is, after all, the place where Texas Instruments created the integrated circuit in the 1950s. This is the place where Ray Price revolutionized how people thought of country music. And this is the place where Robert Rodriguez elevated guerrilla filmmaking to a modern art form.

"We've always been home to people who are willing to try new things, adopt new approaches, and carve new niches.

"That's a tradition that's thriving as never before.

"In fact, our state's creative culture is flourishing in an economic climate that's been ranked No. 1 in the nation for nine years in a row in an annual survey of CEOs.

"Visionary companies like Facebook, Electronic Arts and Apple have picked Texas for expansions. Last year, Austin was selected as just the second city in the country to receive Google Fiber service, and AT&T has made Austin one of the first places to get its own GigaPower network."

Perry includes several artistic centers around the state, including Austin. Austin's Moody Theater hosts PBS's concert series "Austin City Limits".

He also mentions other Texas cities such as San Antonio. San Antonio is home to the Magik Children's Theater, who has a full-time company, a touring troupe, and runs several acting and theater educational camps and classes throughout the year. This season, The Magik Theater secured exclusive rights to adapt Judy Schachner's beloved SkippyJon Jones to the stage, "Skippyjon Jones and the Cirque de Ole" specifically, in celebration of the first book's tenth anniversary.

"Our low-tax environment and reasonable cost of living also means more people have more money to pursue their passions, and that includes the arts.

"Austin isn't the Live Music Capital of the World for nothing, and other cities across the state are steadily evolving into major hubs of a variety of fine arts. Dallas-Fort Worth is home to an array of world-class galleries. San Antonio is a bastion of state history and fine music. And Houston has a thriving theater district that is surpassed only by New York City in terms of theater seats."

 Perry concludes his statement with the following food for thought:

"This is an exciting time in Texas, and I encourage all of you to enjoy yourself during SXSW and - for those from out of state - take time to see why the Lone Star State is the best place to do business of any kind."

 Perry's full editorial can be found here, at the Office of the Governor's offical website.

Those Lazy February Numbers (Unemployment)

Normally, I call the monthly layman's analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistic's employment figures a "run at the numbers". But this months report is another instance of the numbers barely moving. My hamster (nocturnal) and cat (also nocturnal) are far more active in daylight than the national employment situation has been over the last month.

So, I figured if readers want to read just more of  the same, they could easily look that the previous couple of years worth of analysis.

Good news, the Labor Participation Rate, or Workforce Participation Rate, remained unchanged. It's still just above that 30 year low it hit in December '13 and remains stagnant at an awful and depressing 63.0%. The U3 unemployment rate didn't go up too much. It still rose. For February, it jumped from 6.6% to 6.7%.

Nationally, there were 175,000 jobs created. Some may celebrate that new jobs were created. However, economic models show that is half the number the nation needs to pull out of the recession. Correction, that is half the number the nation would have needed to create each month starting in July 2009 in order to recover by December 2014. To make up for that, we'd need to create closer to four times that amount for the rest of the year. Last year's average was 189k per month.

In reality, a handful of states are carrying the majority of the weight in job creation and economic recovery. Texas and Nebraska, who won Site Selection Magazine's Governor's Cups, are part of the handful. Texas won the overall. Nebraska won the per capita cup. Ohio's Governor Kasich and his administration have been criticized for enacting more conservative leaning economic policies. Ohio took second in both categories for the Governor's cup.

Texas saw it's seasonally adjusted U3 rate drop from 6.0% in December to 5.7% in January. It remains well below the national average. Governor Rick Perry commented on the numbers:

"Every day, more Texans are going to work, earning a living and supporting their families because we follow a simple recipe for job creation: we keep our taxes low, our regulations effective and predictable, our courts fair and our schools accountable. That's why Texas has been the national epicenter for job creation for more than a decade, and today's numbers indicate we're not slowing down anytime soon. While Washington is unable to significantly move the needle on unemployment, in Texas we free job creators to pursue success, which means more good-paying jobs for more Texans."

The Dakotas also have been pulling a large amount of that recovery weight. Many of those jobs are due to shale oil and gas fracking in those states. Those jobs generated economic booms in support industries such as grocery stores and restaurants.

The national economy has fallen into a state of socialism. The few who can and will are pulling all the weight for those who won't.

Texas has been well praised for the state's business-friendly policies that have placed the state at the pinnacle of economic performance. Some naysayers complain about increased public debt. The majority of those debts are at the municipal level, not the state level. Cities keep borrowing money, called issuing bonds. They do so to fund projects, using a selling point of "we can do this without raising taxes". It's a lie. What they mean is:  "We won't raise your taxes this year. In five years we will in order to start paying back the money we owe. The interest at that point will make the amount we owe so much higher. So, you and your kids and grandkids will need to pay back those loans".

A better idea would be to stop politicking to raise funds for things we don't need, and many don't even want. Examples are "light rail" systems. The light rail project in San Antonio is costing tax payers far more than the potential revenue it could ever accrue. The monthly overhead costs are more than the potential revenue. The construction costs will never see equity.

If you were a small business owner that sold ice cream, would that business model make any sense to you? Your supplies cost you $0.75 per serving. The labor cost per serving is $0.50. The overhead (utilities, rent, taxes, healthcare) amount to $1.25 per serving. In order to sell any, you have to compete with the market value of $2.00 per serving, for a loss of $0.50 per serving. You have to pay to stay in business. You lose money. Would you undertake this business? It will fail.

I know this from experience. I was a silent partner in a business. My partner changed the business model, against my advice, while I was deployed. She wanted to increase customer numbers. So she lowered prices. The reality was most of the "customers" were people hanging out and not purchasing anything. She started selling coffee at a loss, hoping to garner more paying customers. The only nights that saw a profit were those with special entertainment and a cover charge. People were willing to pay to hang out, participate (or watch) open-mic nights, sing karaoke, or watch local bands perform. I proposed she enact either a "must purchase" policy on non-event nights or start charging a "hangout fee". Instead, she lowered the cover charge on event nights and lowered the prices of the products. She sold more. But each sale was at a loss.

This is what municipalities run by left-wing ideologues are doing. They expect the tax payers to pick up the bills for the "politicians' wants" when they should be scaling budgets back towards those needs of citizens that fall under the explicitly enumerated authority and responsibility of the municipal government. Stop buying things we don't need, and most of us don't want. 

Outside of Texas, you have whole states that cannot understand this concept. We have a federal government that cannot understand this simple concept. For example, we waste tax money on green energy projects in the Department of Defense that will cost more in the long run. They will not save either money nor energy. Meanwhile, they propose we cut our military personnel, and cut the benefits of those remaining. Why? Because they waste operational, training, and logistic funding on crap like windmills and algae-based fuels. 

Common sense compromise on gun control

Ideally, the only correct answer to the gun control versus gun owners' rights debate is for those involved to read the US Constitution and the Federalist Papers. The Federalist Papers may not carry the legal weight of the US Constitution. However, the authors wrote it for two key purposes. The first was to explain the Constitution to the citizens of the day. The second was to serve as a form of "how to" manual for future generations.

Hamilton, Jay, and Madison were geniuses.

Going back to the US Constitution, there are some key parts aside from the Second Amendment that are important to the whole debate. The first is Article VI. Article VI establishes the Constitution as the supreme law of the land, superior and of higher authority than any other. In regards to adjudicating laws, crimes, due process, and individual rights, all justices from the Supreme Court down to the lowest municipal court must abide by the US Constitution. It take precedence over any local law, automatically. This is something that Wendy Davis seemed to ignore when she stated that cities should have the rights to establish gun control laws as they see fit, regardless of the US Constitution.

The second important portion of the US Constitution that relates to the gun control debate is the 14th Amendment, particularly section 1. "No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law; nor to deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

Taking those two portions in conjunction with the Second Amendment grants the Second Amendment precedence to supersede and preempt any local or state gun control ordinances. In other words, neither states nor municipalities have the authority to implement any gun control regulations or laws. Not even the US Congress can legally legislate any restrictions on ownership or transportation of firearms within the United States without first gaining ratification of a constitutional amendment to repeal the Second Amendment.

By the letter of the US Constitution, there is no basis to ban a private citizen from having a fully loaded M1A1 Abrams tank in his back yard. The idea of necessity has no logical place in the argument. Use of force laws for self-defense and defense of private property already include constitutional proportionality clauses. If a guy breaks into your house armed with a machete, use of the main gun of a tank is overkill. It's also potentially dangerous for your neighbors. However, if you own a 100+ acres cattle ranch just outside of Naco, AZ, there is a legitimate and justifiable necessity. There are well-armed criminal foreign invaders who have no regard for the rights or lives of US citizens. A tank patrolling the ranch may serve as a deterrent as well as a proportionate response to such a threat. In contrast, banning the tank from being driven on public roads makes a lot of sense. Tanks tend to tear up streets causing damage that is costly to repair. In addition, some people are not mentally equipped enough to understand that tailgating a tank is a stupid move. The heat form the exhaust can burn the paint off of a car.

The court of public opinion has a say, sometimes too much of one, in current policies. There are plenty of people acting emotionally instead of reasonably. Due to the public outcry over an illogical and unreasonable fear of firearms, some gun control measures may be upheld by the courts, despite the mandate of the Article VI to the contrary.

So this proposed compromise is just that. It is a compromise. Those of us who understand our rights as protected explicitly by the US Constitution give up a lot in this compromise. Those who want to dictate how responsible, law-abiding citizens should live their lives give up a little.

First, the open carry of all firearms, pistols or rifles, should be automatic for any citizen of voting age who has not had his or her constitutional rights suspended due to commission of a crime against the people. In other words, courts may suspend the Second Amendment rights of violent offenders. It would not be permanent, but a reasonable amount of time after the sentence is served.

Open carry should be restricted in certain areas. First, if a property owner doesn't want firearms on his or her property, that individual's sovereignty on that property preempts the right to bear.

Second, courthouses, city councils, congressional meeting areas, and the like should be free of firearms except for those carried by those militia directly tasked to defend those places and keep the peace. There are several historic incidents where legislators have pulled guns on (or even shot) each other over a political debate. There are incidents of vigilantes shooting suspects on their way to or from a courtroom for their fair trial. The list goes on.

Third, schools from pre-K though high school should not allow open carry. There have been several school shootings over the past couple of decades. The offenders didn't care about the laws. But banning open-carry in these places does allow those assigned to protect the students a means to better identify potential threats.

Fourth, places that serve alcohol. The reason should be more than obvious. Responsible people tend to become much less reasonable when intoxicated. Even if the bearer is not drinking, an openly carried pistol can still cause problems.

Fifth, college campuses and other places of higher education. If the institution is privately owned, this defaults back to the private property preemption. However, state supported post-secondary education institutions do have a point about openly carried firearms being a potential distraction from learning, and other things.

Lastly, medical facilities should not allow open carry, or concealed carry, except by law enforcement personnel. This should be inside the facilities, still allowing carry on the grounds. The reasons behind this may be hard to comprehend. From a military mindset, hospitals and clinics are "protected areas". That wouldn't necessarily stop a criminal, though. Other reasons include the fact these are places of healing. While firearms are seen as defensive tools, seeing them can generate anxiety in patients. Anxious patients don't heal as well. Also, firearms are not exactly septic items and can be rather difficult to sterilize. In fact, sterilization would remove many of the lubricants necessary for the firearm to function properly.

Though none of the above may seem like good reasons for prohibitions in those areas, remember, this is a compromise. 

Concealed carry should be a state level policy for issuance of a permit. Permits should allow concealed carry even in places where open carry isn't allowed. The permits should require some additional level of training to include applicable laws, marksmanship, presentation from a concealed location, etc. The permits come with implied additional responsibilities.

The places where concealed carry should be allowed, but open carry prohibited include the following:

First, all places of higher learning, unless it's private property that invokes a private property preemption. University campuses are notorious for crimes, including violent rapes. Criminals know their prey is most likely unarmed on campuses. So they are a magnet for scumbags.

Second, places that serve alcohol. A concealed carry permit holder should know not to drink while carrying. It can be more deadly and dangerous than drinking and driving. So, carrying but abstaining from alcohol would be a responsible decision, one a responsible adult citizen should be allowed to make on his or her own.

Schools pre-K through high school should allow concealed carry, with a caveat. First, parents with concealed carry permits should be allow to carry onto school premises, as long as they do not enter the buildings with the weapons. No parent or guardian should be denied the ability to defend his or her children while in route to or from school. Inside the schools, every teacher or administrator who attains a permit should go through advanced classes. These classes (and testing), once passed, should allow for a special qualification that allows concealed carry in the schools in order to protect the children and faculty from threats. In high schools, you have gang members who intimidate and threaten teachers. You have crazed people shooting up schools in order to gain infamy and their 15 minutes of fame in the news. Banning guns doesn't stop gunmen. It creates a magnet in the form of a soft target. Allowing those with the special classification to carry is a deterrent. Such a criminal would know the possibility of one to thirty armed teachers and administrators may be in the building at any given time. They don't know who, how many, etc. It creates a hard target of unknowns. Second, a teacher can shoot one of these scumbags before he or she hurts too many kids.

All together, certain other weapons should require special licensing and training. The Second Amendment strongly implies, as bolstered by the Miller v US US Supreme Court decision, that the right to keep and bear arms directly relates to the freedom for citizens to own and carry weapons of military grade. The decision is quoted by many gun control advocates as precedent for gun control laws. But it cuts both ways, since the decision was against a modified shotgun that had no rational military use at the time. These days, though, a sawed-off 12-guage shotgun does have military uses, primarily in breaching doors when fighting in an urban environment. However, common sense can concede that certain military grade weapons need specialized training to handle safely and effectively.

Among those military grade weapons, other than the aforementioned Abrams tank, are fully-automatic, belt-fed, open-bolt weapons. The slang term for this type of weapon is "machine gun". There are legitimate home defense uses and requirements for these firearms. Take the previously discussed cattle ranch owner living on the border as an example. But most citizens do not need an M249 7.62 machine gun to defend their home or family. Most citizens wouldn't be able to effectively handle one. These are not "spray and pray" weapons like movies depict. They require more fire discipline, greater marksmanship ability, and a little more than the average knowledge of ballistics to properly use. Because of their rapid-fire nature, the Minute of Arc (MOA) variations increase during more sustained fire. In layman's terms, you don't have time to properly aim after the first round or two, and being able to compensate takes training and practice. So, your accuracy decreases the longer the burst. Most seasoned machine gunners in the military fire 6-9 round bursts instinctively. This means the more rounds you fire in a single pull of the trigger, the higher the probability that you will shoot something that you do not want to hit instead of something you intend to hit.

Other items, such as hand-grenades, grenade launchers, mortars, anti-armor missiles, etc. should be banned. Even that cattle rancher on the border would have a hard time justifying a Mark-19 grenade launcher. For one thing, using one would cause more damage to his land than the invaders would. If he accidentally hit a cow with a .50cal round from an M2, there may still be some useable meat. A 40mm HE grenade from a Mark-19 would leave nothing edible.

So we can capitulate on those items.

This presents a fair and reasonable compromise for the gun-grabbers and opponents of the Second Amendment. Like they keep trying to tell us with Obamacare, the Second Amendment is the law of the land. However, the ACA is just a legislated act. The Second Amendment is the supreme law, higher in authority than the US President, every member of Congress, and the Supreme Court.

Perry's birthday bonus: 5th Site Selection's Goveror's Cup

On March 3, 2014, Site Selection Magazine awarded Texas and Governor Rick Perry its coveted 2013 Governor's Cup. Under Governor Perry's administration, Texas won the cup four previous times in 2004, '05, '10 and '12.

This comes as a form of birthday present for the Texas governor, who celebrates his 64th birthday on March 4th. Perry was born in 1950 in the small Texas town of Paint Creek. Rick Perry has been the Governor of Texas since 2000 when George W. Bush left the office for his first presidential run. After 14 years in the governor's mansion, Perry announced last year that he would not seek re-election to the republic's highest executive office.

Upon receiving news of earning this economic-strength demonstrating award, Perry released the following remarks:

"States are the laboratories of innovation, and Texas continues to be a beacon of opportunity for job creators and entrepreneurs. Over the past 12 years, we've built a strong foundation for the future of this state with our low taxes, smart regulation, fair courts and skilled workers. Companies nationally and internationally know that Texas works, and is the best place to live, work, raise a family and own a business."

In the competition, Texas won by a large birth with 657 qualifying projects. Ohio was second, logging 480 qualifying projects. Based upon electoral demographics, Texas carries 38 electoral votes while Ohio carries just 18. For a state less than half the size, politically, Ohio did exceptionally well.

A qualifying project must consist of more than $1 million in capital, create at least 50 new jobs, and involve more than 20k square feet of new building construction. 

In awarding the cup, Site Selection's Editor-in-Chief, Mark Arend, stated:

"States that appear on our rankings of top locations for new projects, especially at the top of the ranking, like Texas, are those with the location attributes most in demand by corporate site selectors. Areas compete aggressively for capital investment, and Texas' latest first-place Governor's Cup finish is evidence of a highly successful economic development strategy."

Site Selection awarded another Governor's Cup to Nebraska for its qualifying projects per capita. Ohio took second place in this category as well. The magazine started this category in order to give smaller, more rural states and opportunity to also compete for one of their coveted Governor's Cups.