ARTICLES                              

Prepare Your Very Own Turkey

By: Gian Erguiza

Thanksgiving is here and you decide to throw a Thanksgiving dinner. You have everything prepared as far as the side dishes go, already have a headcount and enough food, went shopping for all the materials needed, scheduled the whole shindig so everything will turn out well, and have that awesome cheesecake made by yours truly. The only problem you’ve got is, you have no clue how to prepare, stuff and cook a Thanksgiving Turkey. Bummer. Fear not! We’re here to help! We’ll hook you up with some tips.

* Buy the Turkey 3 days in advance for proper defrosting.
* Make sure that the Turkey you choose is USDA approved, Grade A.
* Make sure the Turkey is enough for everyone meaning each person will probably eat at least 1 lb. So for 10 guests it should be a 13-15 lb. Turkey for safe measure.
* Avoid Turkey’s with stuffing. They are most likely bacteria infected.
* Once you get the Turkey to your home, Stick it in the coldest place of your freezer for days.

3 days before the big meal, Take the Turkey out of the freezer and stick into your refrigerator to defrost and thaw. Any Turkey under 20 lbs. should not take any longer than 3 days to thaw. If the Turkey is over 20 lbs. though, it will take 4-5 days instead of 3, take note.

After 3 days in the fridge, defrosting, you’re Turkey will be ready for roasting. Here’s what you need to do next:

* Preheat Oven to 325°F.
* Remove the wrapper and wash the Turkey in cold water while rubbing with a wet paper towel.
* Dry the Turkey with paper towels.
* Remove the giblets by pulling the neck out of the body cavity.
* Drain the juices and blot the cavity with paper towels.
* With a brush, rub the Turkey with Salt, Pepper and Olive Oil.

The Turkey should come with its own roasting instructions and we suggest following the instructions for best results. Now throw that baby in and roast it!

Just in case the instructions are a little complicated, remember these:

- The pan has to be at least 2 inches deep.
- Put a foil tent over the Turkey to prevent the Turkey from browning too quickly.
- 10-12 minutes per pound @ 325°F
- Let 15-20 minutes go by before carving the Turkey.

After carving the Turkey, it’s time to stuff it. We recommend stuffing the Turkey afterwards to prevent bacterial growth. The stuffing should go into the empty back and the front of the bird.

Now for the stuffing:

Ingredients:

* 10 cups of day old bread cut into cubes.
* 4 cups of chicken stock
* 2 sticks of finely chopped celery
* 1 peeled onion, finely chopped
* ½ cup of walnuts chopped

Cooking Directions:

* Preheat oven to 350°F
* Melt the butter on a pan and mix the celery. Cook for about 3-5 minutes.
* Throw all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
* Transfer stuffing into a buttered baking pan and cover with foil.
* Bake for 15-minutes, then increase the temperature to 400°F and bake for another 25 minutes.
* When the top is brown, it should be done, now stuff your turkey.

Hopefully we helped you out. It seems like a task but a task that will reap good benfits for sure. You should have a nice Turkey for your guests and if you wanted to glaze BBQ or any other glaze of your choice, make sure you put it all around, inside and out before you stick it in the oven. Other than that, you should have a great turkey ready to serve. Happy Turkey Day!

Shut-Eye Starvation (a.k.a. Sleep Deprivation)

By: Gayle Gatchalian

By the time we hit the age of 18, when somebody shows us a can of Red Bull, there’s no mistaking one constant association we make with that product. All-nighters, be it for school (that damned midterm) or for work (Powerpoint presentations and filing paperwork notwithstanding). You haven’t lived until you’ve watched the sun set and rise in a single waking day, preferably on a drinking binge with friends. Sometimes, we even look forward to those nights when we can arm ourselves with coffee or No-Doz or any one of the energy drinks readily available everywhere because it just goes to show how hard-working we are. And how much better we are at procrastinating than anything else.

We down shots of espressos just as easily as we down shots of good tequila, taking the jumpstart caffeine provides for granted, not realizing that daily Starbucks expenditures are part of a larger problem than afflicts 47 million American adults today. That’s almost a quarter of the population, according to the National Sleep Foundation. The problem? Sleep deprivation.

“Bullshit,” some might say. Four hours gets you through the day, and that’s usually enough for the productivity-obsessed denizens of the urban metropolis. A little thing like not getting enough sleep isn’t going to trip up your great plans to be the next Bill Gates or win the Nobel Peace Prize. Think again.

Let’s look briefly into what sleep is, more importantly, what sleep deprivation is, some of its effects and finally, some tips on better sleeping habits. And no, the answer is not Ambien or Lunesta or Excedrin PM.

Sleep is, in a few words, necessary for survival. Stanford University professor William Dement describes sleep as ‘the behavioral state of complete perceptual disengagement from the environment.’ (Wikipedia.Com) There are many theories regarding the uses of sleep, but of immediate interest to us is something intuitional. Sleep is ‘rest’. The brain's frontal cortex relies on sleep to function effectively. Now this is the part of the brain generally thought to be where higher level thinking, planning, and goal formulation take place.

What about sleep deprivation? Obviously, not getting enough sleep. We all know that the recommended amount of sleep daily is 8 hours, give or take an hour, depending on the person’s needs. And just because you can go on four hours of sleep doesn’t mean you should. Why?

First of all, remember that little thing called the frontal cortex and what it does? Insufficient sleep messes with your brain’s “ability to control speech, access memory, and solve problems.” According to sleepdeprivation.com, “Concentration levels drop, and memory becomes impaired. Speech becomes slurred and fragmented, and mental reaction time slows.”

It shows in one’s mood as well. Coming from an all-nighter doesn’t really make you Little Ms. Sunshine, does it?

Physically, fatigue is the most immediate and noticeable effect of sleep deprivation. Generalized weakness, inability to focus, lessened endurance are all familiar, and rightfully associated with lack of sleep, so is an increase in appetite, hence weight gain. A big no-no these days, especially to us here in Hollywoodtown. Also, lose enough sleep and you are at a greatly increased risk for acid reflux disease, ulcers, and hypothyroidism which include sensitivity to cold, depression, muscle pain etc. etc.

Last but not the least… Sleepiness! It’s what we call that heavy-eyed feeling accompanied by yawning and stretching. It’s that lazy limbo between waking and passing out, that is a nuisance, as well as a danger to yourself and people around you.

Remember, 55% of drowsy driving fatalities occur under the age of 25. So if you’re sleepy and you get behind the wheel, just think that you have a 1 in 2 chance of getting into an accident.

What then, can we do to avoid sleep deprivation and its posse of effects like mental incapacitation, fatigue, weight gain, irritability and such?

Well, The National Sleep Foundation has come up with the magic 7 tips for getting a better night’s sleep, so you won’t need to wait for the Sandman to sprinkle his mojo dust on you.

1. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, including weekends and vacations.
2. Regular exercise improves sleeping habits, but take care not to exercise within five hours of bedtime.
3. Worrying about falling asleep actually keeps many people awake. Get up and do something else until you feel sleepy.
4. Nicotine and caffeine are both stimulants, and should be avoided up to six hours before bedtime. Alcohol is a sedative, and may appear to promote sleep, but in fact, once the sedative effect wears off, sleeping patterns become erratic.
5. A heavy meal before bed can cause indigestion and drinking fluids before bed can make you to get up and pee in the middle of the night. Try to avoid these two for at least two hours before bedtime.
6. Relax. Spending some down time before bed helps falling asleep come easier. Try meditation. A warm bath works, or quiet reading. Course readers will get you sleeping in no time.
7. Watching TV, paying bills etc. create the expectation in your mind that the bedroom is for activities other than resting. Your bedroom should only be used for sleeping and sex, and that is according to the National Sleep Foundation.

But in the end, we don’t really need the credibility or justification of a nation-wide group of scholars to tell us something that is so fundamental, so necessary to being alive that it is quite a wonder sleep deprivation has become an affliction. All you need is a couple of Zs to keep the mind sharp and your game tight. Just do in the bedroom what needs to be done in the bedroom. Nothing more, nothing less… sleep, that is.

3 Signs to prove he's Gay

By: Gian Erguiza

Turn on your Gaydars people! Have you ever wondered if a friend of yours is gay? Have you ever looked at someone and said to yourself, is he? Feminine dudes have always plagued what the public views as a straight man. Some men are just plain old lady like but are not gay. Some just want to hide it for personal reasons. And some dudes proclaim it like it was a free for all. Yikes! We did a survey with a few of our gay friends, women and men alike, and asked them the question: What are some of the signs to prove that he is gay? Here are the top 3 answers.

1. He wears Pink religiously.

Some men wear pink. But some men wear pink like it’s the new black. That is where the difference lies. Fat Joe and other rappers like Cam’ron aren’t gay but have gone as far as sporting pink Air Force One’s, pink designer shirts, pink Hats and Polo’s and the most illustrious one would be, the pink Range Rover. Cam’ron might not be gay but man, that’s going a little overboard with his fascination of the color. Black would’ve been just fine. Wearing pink religiously is gay. Period. Still not convinced by the first answer? Check out answer number 2.

2. He has fresh flowers all over his house, all the time.

Sure it’s ok to have flowers in your house. Just as long as you’re not single and the flowers were handpicked by your girlfriend/mom/wife, not you. A real man doesn’t even have flowers in his head nor does he ever think about dressing up his house with fresh flowers. This indication to me proves that he is extremely gay!

3. He has a different set of clothes for every season.

Dudes have 1 set of clothes for all seasons! This is a definite sign that he is gay. Real men are perfectly fine with the same clothing all throughout the season because it is of no concern to them what color is in/out or what the latest fashion trend is. It is ok to be a “fashionista” and wear trendy new clothes but not to wear the most flamboyant/colorful thing they can get their hands on!

Runner Ups:

· Has tickets to see Barbara Streisand or Cher in concert
· Has Elton John’ website book marked
· Cried when Queer Eye for the Straight Guy was cancelled
· Has every Bette Midler cd ever sold
· Loves the Pottery Barn
· A collector of Judy Garland memorabilia
· Infatuated with Massachusetts
· Thinks Sex in the City is the best show ever
· Sings songs from Les Miserable

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