Healthy food vs Junk food

The obesity epidemic that’s increasing exponentially in America has sparked interest in an array of programs to establish initiatives for Americans to become serious about their health, especially in terms of their weight. It has also led to a variety of commercials that are currently airing, to explain the negative effects that unhealthy junk foods can wreak on our bodies. It singles out many food brands as contributing to people gaining weight by consuming their products. These commercials graphically describe the effects by displaying visuals of heart disease or other health issues in order to frighten viewers into being more health conscious. While many doctors will tell you to eliminate junk food from your diet completely, that is somewhat impossible, we all get a sweet tooth sometimes and it can be difficult to turn down your favorite junk food weakness. So instead it can be better to be more physically active by way of exercising extensively in order to burn off the calories that were put on by way of delicious yet fattening food.

Now, in an effort to be more honest with consumers, companies are highly considering adding new labeling to processed food products that will clearly indicate exercise equivalents that can be done to burn off the calorie intake of that specific food item. This will enable consumers to understand the severity of the amount of calories they are ingesting on the daily basis.

kid having trouble decide between healthy foods or junk foods

Image by: Nancy Ripton

It will help them see how much junk food that they are eating because an apple naturally would not have a warning label but a bag of potato chips would. While the potato chips essentially have no nutritional value, the apple, despite it still having a sugar and calorie index, has vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals that will consequently benefit the body to have the energy to run efficiently. The new labeling that the potato chips would have would describe exercises to do to counteract the calories of it, for example; the label could possibly read that it would take 35 minutes of walking to burn away the calories. However this can still be a tad bit misleading because in order to know how to burn off a specific amount of calories, you have to calculate that person’s body mass index. So a person who weighs 100 pounds will have to walk or run twice as long as a 200 pound person.

Overall though it would be an encouragement for all consumers to be more attentive to labels and will hopefully help them make better educated choices when purchasing food for themselves or their families as in theory it will help you to consider buying foods with a lower calorie index in terms of sodium and sugar content which would overall be healthier. Many consumers have said labeling is difficult to understand and it would be more beneficial to make the labeling more consumer friendly. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is currently considering redesigning labels on packaged foods to highlight the ingredients that you should avoid or that are healthy in the food item.

 

Victory, The Victorious

a young man in a red hooded sweatshirtThis weekend I spoke with the underground musical artist, Victory. A awesome jaw dropping lyricist, with an interesting hobby. Check it out:

a man wearing large black headphones, in front of an image of the word "Victory"

How did you get your name? Actually the way I got my name is because my rap name use to be Flawless Victory but I just shorten it to Victory

How’d you describe you musical style? / What sets u apart from the artist out there? I would describe my musical style as fun and energetic and what sets me apart is that I won’t rap about what typical rappers rap about because I’m not a trap type of rapper so it forces me to be creative

I  a lot of your music can be comical and jaw dropping… Do you think most lyrical artist sell out from their original genre and fall to mainstream artist? I don’t think most lyrical artist sell out to maintain stream but I do think that they try to go with the times because you don’t have to change what you want to say you just have to update how you say it and most artist don’t realize that

 

What else do you do? I also make clothes and I edit videos also

a man on a tv screen

I love your designs and I watched the amazing growth… How did You get into fashion / what sparked your interest? I originally got the idea by making a shirt to promote myself as a artist and people liked the design and started requesting it then that’s when we really started getting into the clothing aspect

a man in sunglasses and a T-shirt

Is there anything you’ll like for the listeners to know? I would like my listeners to know that I’m working there’s a lot of good music coming with some great visuals so stay tuned

seven young men and women of colorthe back of a man wearing a black sweatshirt that says "Just Us II" in white letters

I wish him good luck on all endeavers.

Preparing for Interviews

the cover of a book called "the essential guide for Hiring & Getting Hired"

Image Credit

As I get closer to graduating, I know how important it is to prepare for interviews. In fact, I was reminded that interviewers make judgements within the first five minutes of an interview. It’s been a long time since I went on an interview and I have so much depending on me getting a job. So I came across this checklist as a place to start my preparation and maybe it can help you too.

Adler, L. (n.d.). Essential guide for hiring & getting hired.

Preparing for the Interview Checklist

  • Be Prepared. Don’t wing the interview. Prepare as much as you would for any important management presentation.
  • Don’t look at your resume during the interview. Looking is a sign of nervousness or fabrication. You need to know everything on the resume without hesitation.
  • Use the SAFW format to answer each question. A complete 1-2 minute answer is the sweet spot for length and content.
  • Get the interviewer to describe real job needs. Force the interviewer to ask about relevant topics.
  • Focus on the opportunity, ignore the compensation.  Compensation increases will follow great performance.
  • Demonstrate interest and acts about next steps. Get the interviewer to commit to something, and if he or she hesitates, find out why and respond.
  • Demonstrate how you develop solutions rather than giving the solution. Most problem-solving questions are designed to understand how a person develops a solution, rather than the actual answer.
  • Practice, practice, practice. Everyone gets a little nervous during the interview. To get through the initial two minutes of discomfort, practice getting nervous by answering questions to a friend or family member.

My biggest takeaway is that it is important to be in control of the interview. That means, answering in such a way that you feel in control. Also you should make sure that you absolutely know what is on your resume and know all your accomplishments. Who knows you more than you know yourself?

Dream Car

 

At some point in our lives we all thought about our dream car/jeep or at least imagine what it will look like. Every year around spring time, the Jacob Javits Center accommodates the New York International Auto Show. Its only there for a week but attending it is always worth the while.

Whatever your type of car maybe, they are in the exhibition. They range from Dodge and Lotus, to Bentley and Lamborghini. It really amazes me to see how far technology in auto mobiles has advanced; from stick shift to hydro charging to self driven cars. As intriguing as these cars maybe, I’m not so sure I’ll want my car to do the driving for me. However,  I’m open to test driving one. I mean like who, wouldn’t right?

To see more of my images, you can click on this link: https://vsco.co/konycafrancis/grid/1


 

 

a white sports car with aqua trimThe Toyota future hydro car  8:06pm

 

a silver sports car on displayThose two cars go hand in hand. The hydro charges the other one  8:12pm

 

a mint-green sports car on displayKia  8:16pm

 

a blue sports car on displayDodge 8:36pm

 

a Kermit-green sports carLamborghini  8:52pm

 

an old-fashioned white car on an elevated platform8:53pm

 

a white sports car with a black stripe down the frontKoenigsegg  8:54pm

a metallic brown sports car on displaySpyker  8:54pm

a blue sports carBentley  10:05pm

several sports cars in a showroomHyundai Genesis  10:07pm

a red sports carMaserati  10:08pm

Unleash your soul

a white card that says "Unleash your soul"

“Unleash Your Soul is another way to say just be yourself. On March 14th, 2013 it was the last time I had suicide thoughts, I was depressed because I couldn’t be myself. If I wanted to turn into a good Christian, I had to let go my homosexual lifestyle. I spent 2 whole months reading the bible trying to find a loop where it was okay to be gay. Luckily that night I fell asleep before taking any actions, the next day I stumble upon a lady named Dolores Cannon on YouTube. I learned the difference between religion and being spiritual. That night I was extremely happy I was set free and most of all I was able to be myself again. Once you’re set free being alive is not enough but feeling alive it was a new method of thrill.”

–KC

Why I Like to Review Restaurants and Use Yelp

Review websites such as: Yelp, Zomato *formerly UrbanSpoon), Tabelog, and TripAdvisor have changed the way we obtain reviews and discussions centered around restaurants and other businesses. Yelp in particularly has grown rapidly and has dominated the online review of establishments.

I have heard a lot of mixed reviews and comments about Yelp from classmates, professors here at City Tech and from my family and friends. Based on their comments and feedback, it’s a love and hate relationship with Yelp, but  everyone is entitled to their own opinions just like I do. When it comes to Yelp, most of my friends would describe me as a serious Yelper because I use and rely Yelp a lot to make my decisions of where to eat and I can be considered an active member because I’ve written a lot and have been a member of Yelp since July 2010 (almost six years).  I would like to share with you a few reasons why I like to review restaurants on Yelp and like to use Yelp.

1.Yelp is FREE and has an abundance of information and in my personal opinion, I think it’s quite easy to use.

a screenshot of a yelp profile

a screenshot of yelp review stats

2. On the mobile app and website, you can now see these statistics based on your profile, reviews, and photos. This comes in handy especially because you can see what’s effective and what do your friends and followers like to see. In addition, there’s a section called Rating Distribution where a user/reviewer or a visitor can see what businesses do you review the most and what neighborhoods.

a screenshot of a yelp page showing places on a map

3. I also enjoy using the Bookmarks section a lot because I like to save the places I want to visit or have visited and need to review because it reminds me of places I want to try and comes especially handy when my family, friends, or boyfriend ask me where would I like to go for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert. Additionally, if I read about a restaurant or place that sounds interesting and I may bookmark that place so I know to check it out or visit.

a screenshot of a yelp user profile

4. The Yelp Elite Squad is Yelp’s way of recognizing and rewarding people who are active in the Yelp community and role models on and off the site. To be considered as a Yelp Elite member, is based on a number of things (well-written reviews, high quality tips, detail personal profile, active voting and complimenting record, and a history of playing well with others). Members of the Elite Squad are allocated a badge displayed alongside their profile and reviews. After being elite for 5 years, they’ll receive the Gold Elite Badge like I have, and after 10 years, they’ll received the coveted Black Elite Badge.

screenshots of yelp check-ins

5. If you are a user of Yelp and visiting a certain establishment or restaurant, there are places that gives you a discount or FREE food, just by a tap on your phone to “check-in”. Who wouldn’t like a discount or FREE food?  Checking in also lets your friends and fans know where you area and also lets you know who in your social network has visited the place you are at.

screenshots of yelp pages

6. I also love that you can create lists on Yelp. I don’t know about you, but I am a huge fan of lists because it keeps everything organized and in one place (most of the time). I must admit that I don’t always update my lists because I review so much that I sometimes forget. If you would like to see more of my lists, please click here.

screenshot of a yelp comment

7. I also like Yelp because when I do have a good experience at a restaurant or any establishment, sometimes I get a lovely and personal message/comment from a staff member or the business owner thanking me for the review and hope that I will return. There are instances where business owners don’t agree with my review or are apologetic if I had a bad experience and those feedback and comments help me as a customer and reviewer too.

screenshot of yelp results

8. There’s also a Tips section on Yelp where you can read a user’s tips on a certain business. These are NOT reviews, but can give you insight on little bits and pieces that may go on a business that you may not be aware of. I often leave tips if I want to warn my friends and followers or there’s just a service or food that’s outstanding that needs to be known.

All in all, I’ve been using and on Yelp since July 2010 and most people don’t know that I am an Yelp Elite member or that I review restaurants on Yelp, but now you do. My reviews are all based on personal experiences, my personal opinions, and research. I like to write reviews on Yelp because I like to keep track of where I’ve visited, eaten, and to share my experience with others and friends don’t let other friends eat at bad restaurants.

*If you are interested in following me on Yelp or reading my reviews, please click here*

Do you use any online review websites to read or search for a certain business? If so, what is it and do you write reviews?

Virtues from Motherhood: Dating

Dating by its own account can be a nerve wracking ordeal, picking a time and a place, juggling a busy schedule, and of course what to wear. Then throw in finding a sitter and a night where you have no other responsibilities and you might be inclined to just stay home. If you’re a single mom, or dad for that matter, you know how hectic managing your life can be without trying to pencil in time to get to know someone new.

When you’re a single parent, your life tends to be a cycle of wake up, go to work, pick up the little one and prepare for tomorrow, and if you’re like me throw a full schedule of college classes in there. With only 24 hours in the day finding even one to sit down with a date or potential significant other can be a feat that you end up neglecting altogether. Since Ava’s father and I split in 2011 I have been in one serious relationship spanning just over a year and even that amazes me. I’ve gone on plenty of dates and awkward “you just have to meet my friend” set ups but after one or two meet ups over lunch or dinner I usually end up having to cancel future plans because something comes up, mostly because I don’t have a sitter or I’m just swamped with work and school responsibilities. My family helps me tremendously with Ava while I’m at work and at school and some days I’m out of the house from 9am until 9pm so asking them to watch her yet another night so I can go on a date seems a little selfish of me, not to mention after being a passing ship to Ava most nights a week I want to use my weekend to hang out with her. In my mind a date can wait, I just want to be home.

That desire to just want to flop on the couch and watch Disney movies on a Friday night is often met with skepticism. Things like “Don’t you want more kids?” “Don’t you want to get married soon?”, “You’re still single?!” come whizzing past your head at family gatherings or even work events and for the sake of your job, and being polite, you learn and master new ways to avoid or brush off this questions all the while screaming in your head “I DON’T HAVE TIME TO WORRY ABOUT THIS NOW!”. Don’t get me wrong, the women who stuck it out with their partners, whose relationships work, I applaud you and I’m happy you’ve found that so early in life. But for others it didn’t happen in that order, some of us thought love started and ended with a high school sweetheart only to find that a high school romance may not be strong enough to withstand the seasons of life. So when these relationships don’t work we don’t throw pity parties, we throw on our grown up britches and get on with it. We pour ourselves into giving to our kids, to bettering their lives and to make sure they live the life they deserve, after all they didn’t ask to be here.

What it comes down to and truth of the matter is I don’t want to be in a relationship right now, I simply do not have the time to commit to one and I’m not one to half commit or skirt on any aspect of my life. Right now I’m worried about getting my second degree and securing a good job for Ava and I to live comfortably. I want my own life to be on solid ground before I begin looking to share that ground with anyone else. I’m unapologetic when it comes to being consumed with my own life because when I’m ready to share it … I will.

The Smorgasburg of 2016

Smorgasburg graced Brooklyn this weekend and showcased different foods from all over the world in one place for all those who were eager to try them. Unfortunately, I could not attend but I found many new and interesting foods that were being sold there this year in particular. This set up allows vendors to share their products or even use visitors of Smorgasburg to be taste testers to newest creations.

One of the newest innovative desserts is one that is severely time sensitive that must be eaten in half an hour. This dessert is called the raindrop cake, which literally looks like a raindrop, but if not eaten quickly it will turn into a puddle of water. It is constructed by way of agar, a vegetarian substitute for gelatin. Yet, the dessert tastes similar to water but has more body and texture. It is usually paired with other small sides to eat along with the cake.

a raindrop cake on a wooden plate

Image by: Huffington Post

The video shows how to make the newest dessert; it is simply amazing to see how the cake is constructed in a way unlike any other. I want to eventually try this cake, I find it to be super interesting and I wonder how it taste in its own complex yet simplistic way to appeal to anyone’s palate.

Many spectators felt that the foods here will eventually be sold readily in America and will be the next food craze but I wondered what really creates a food craze. And what really makes people want to wait in lines for hours just to try these foods? Many believe that it is due to the bragging rights that come with the hype of these trending foods. It is awesome to be able to understand their notions but still it is further explained by using the term, mob psychology, because if something is being sought after then everyone begins to become envious of that particular item and wants to be able to have that experience as well. We as people naturally can become obsessed over a phenomenon that everyone wants to be a part of because it gives us some sort of popularity status because we are part of a trend.

Comment below to name a food that you have always wanted to try or a dessert you recently tried that you think should be the next food trend.

How To Sew A Handbag

Can you sew? Would you ever try creating your own hand bag?

There was a time where I, Amoni B, did seam-stressing and designing. I self taught myself to create handbags, purses and more. Being an activist of sustainability, I started creating bags from reusable, recycled and second hand materials. Today I’d like to teach you guys how to create your own bags. Below are two videos, for the beginner and intermediate. You can use your own materials, I sometimes even use old jeans and dresses, which can be seen HERE.

Video 1: Yankee Tote | Video 2: Motherland Scrunch Clutch

 


QUESTIONS TO THE AUDIENCE: Do you have a hobby, trade, or interest? What is it? | Have you ever created anything? What?

The Fear of Criticism

a green chalkboard with the word "FEAR" written and crossed out, in white chalk

Image Credit

“Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things” Frank A. Clark.

“Any fool can criticize, complain, and condemn—and most fools do. But it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving” Dale Carnegie.

For a recent class topic, I wrote about criticism, or rather, the fear of criticism. This got me thinking about how to handle criticism in a professional environment. Criticism means to find fault with someone or thing and remark or comment about it. There are two types of criticism – constructive criticism and destructive criticism. It is true that both forms are difficult to deal with and can hurt our feelings, but learning how to cope with criticism can reduce the fear and discouragement we often feel.

Constructive criticism is motivated by a desire to help us improve and grow and destructive criticism is intended to be harmful and can lower our self-esteem. But the truth is that we all make mistakes and criticism will never stop. There will always be both destructive and constructive criticism and we can either use it in a positive or negative way. Whether at school or work, criticism is a part of life. The first step in dealing with criticism is to evaluate the person delivering the message. Who is the person and how was it given?

It’s difficult for us to accept criticism when it’s coming from someone who is not credible in our eyes. So, you should determine if you value their opinion. What is the intention of the person who is criticizing you? Are they judgmental? Do they mean well? Is it someone you like and respect, or is it someone you would rather keep away from? Or maybe it’s a boss who you have to take seriously because it could cost you your job. Once you determine the value of the person, it becomes easier to detach the criticism from the person and the environment.

The second step is to deconstruct the criticism. Look for something—even if it is just a grain—that you can take from what is being said to better yourself? You can’t grow and improve if you can’t take criticism. So the key thing to do is to step back and look at what’s being said and focus on the parts that are most useful. You may find that there is some truth to what is being said.

But regardless if criticism has any basis or not, at the end of the day, what really counts is our attitude towards it.


Questions:

How do you cope with criticism?

Has it ever held you back and how did you get over it?

Are you still struggling with it?