Cupcakes!

Cupcakes are everywhere! Milan, Paris, and even among friends! Frankly the Paris ones are the most beautiful, but who cares?! What happened to the muffins and bagels and churros? In a couple of months we are probably going to have cupcake carts on the streets. (I should not have said that, someone will steal my idea). Soon the UN will send boxes of cupcakes to Haiti instead of giving medical care.

But what is the problem? Is this is a conspiracy of the "American imperialism?" No one knows. (But beware, the FBI can certainly arrest you for revealing the secret plans of the US government cooks).
We must fight against this epidemic! Many have begun to build rehabilitation clinics, and you can help too. Get rid of any form of cup-shaped cake with some type of topping (be careful not to reject the muffins). Also ignore any reference to the noun "cupcake." Do not delight yourself with this aberration. Do not even take a bite: the risk of addiction is imminent. Do not even dare to look at these goodies: some say they were created by Medusa.

We must battle to have our dignity back. Spread this manifesto!

Father-and-son

Father and son always fight right? Let us say yes: at least once a child has raised his voice to his father. Fights between father and son are more common in adolescence, a time in which some young people complain about the authority of parents, and some others complain about their permissiveness. Several scholars have tried to explain this phenomenon. Some say father and son fight as a demonstration of virility: perhaps that happens not only in the literal sense of the word, but some also fight to show who is right. Carlos Drummond de Andrade is an example of a son who did not get along with his father. Drummond only graduated in pharmacy to give the diploma to his father, since he was forced to study in college. Drummond demonstrates his fear and his parents’ severity in the verses of "Noturno:" (the poem was translated by me, as no published translation was found):


“(…)
Que noite mais comprida desde que nasci.
Viajando parado. O escuro me leva
sem nunca chegar. Sem pedir abença
como vou saber que não vou sozinho?
Que o mundo está vivo? Abença papai,
abença mamãe. Mas falta coragem
e peço pra dentro. Dentro não responde.”

"(...)
The longest night since I was born.
Traveling stopped. The darkness takes me
never arriving. Without asking the blessing
how will I know I am not alone?
That the world is alive? Bless me father,
bless me mother. But I lack courage
and I ask quietly. They do not respond. "

But can father and son live harmoniously? The answer is obvious and the formula is simple:

For a good parent-child relationship, both must have:

1. Unconditional Love (father and son should love one another even if one does not do what pleases the other, and even if one disappoints the other. Love in the family is not something disposable);

2. Maturity (Years after the death of Drummond’s father, the poet said he did not agree with the attitudes of his father, but he understood them. Maturity is directly related to understanding. If both sides are mature, or at least they respect the differences, the relationship will be healthy).

Simple, isn’t it? In fact, for many, these two points are difficult to keep up with. But if it were easy, how fun would it be?

Valentine's Day

I remembered an episode of mythbusters where they prove that it is possible polish turd. And, metaphorically, I also polished poop, but in the kitchen. Actually I made a kind-of-molten twix become a French dessert. Twix is not that bad, but nobody would ever serve that chocolate after serving foie gras. The before is up there and the after below:

Mini-pizza to snack on at nite.

Simple and delicious. When hunger comes at dawn, use some fried egg roll dough, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and ham or turkey. Preheat oven to 325 ºF. Cut the tomatoes into 4 pieces and place them on the dough. Actually, I take the skin and seeds off the tomatoes, sprinkle a little dried onion soup and brown sugar. The onion soup prevents tomatoes detached lots of water, and also add flavor to pizza, brown sugar takes away the acidity of the tomatoes and also flavors, letting the tomatoes with a more mature taste. Of course, using industrialized tomato sauce is much more practical to use than fresh tomatoes, but not so tasty. Then add the cheese and ham and put a little oregano on top. Bake until the pastry is golden and the cheese melts.

Another way to make the pizza a little more Italian is to use buffalo mozzarella and basil.

300 channels and what to watch.

Many criticize me because I watch cartoons and teen series. Sometimes some people stare at me with a strange look meaning: you-are-too-old-for-it. According to them, I qualify to watch Criminal Minds, Bones, and CSI. But honestly, these shows are more childish than the shows in Playhouse Disney.
Series about attempts to escape from prison, airplanes falling on islands, or vampires who engage in romantic relationships are a step backwards in emotional stability, and (depending on the series) in the critical and analytical capacity of an individual.
For example, when comparing Vampire Diaries with Phineas and Ferb, one can see that the series about vampires is just entertainment for teenage girls, while the cartoon is responsible for developing the intellectuality and character of a child. Phineas and Ferb are two young, creative inventors, who instinctively follow the standards of meritocracy. The fact that the two are very young, for example, to use reverse engineering or to explain quantum physics is repeated in the show, but the kids never get discouraged and never think about quitting. But probably (of course there are always exceptions) Vampires Diaries fans have never heard of reverse engineering, and probably never understood quantum theory, but a children's program is so much superior that it teaches these concepts to children whose parents block the Warner Channel.
Of course the plot of cartoons is suitable for young children, but it is an intellectually much more intellectually active than spending hours mesmerized by Two and a Half Man. And obviously not all children’s series are good for the mind (I highlight the poor performance in My Wife and Kids and the poorly written plot of H2O, Girls Sirens). And not every adult series is a disaster for the mind (for instance, the wonderful satire to Western customs in The Simpsons and in Friends. Also, CSI makes a few neurons work, but just a few.