Largest Outbreak of Ebola Virus in History

August 5, 2014 / tellmemoreblogger / 10 Comments

CDC map of affected African Countries

The African continent is once again dealing with an outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus, though this time the virus is spreading much faster than in previous years. According to the CDC, as of August 1st, there are 1603 cases of the virus. So far the countries of Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria have confirmed cases. 887 people have already died from the virus, which unfortunately has no known vaccine. Studies currently suggest that the virus is first contracted by bats and then transmitted to humans, though the actual process by which the virus infects humans is unknown.

Experts say that the virus has spread at such a rapid rate in part due to the poor conditions found in West Africa. Guinea, which was the first location of the outbreak, is one of several West African nations that is poorly equipped to deal with the virus from a healthcare point of view. A lack of facilities to treat the virus coupled with insufficient healthcare resources has led to the spread of Ebola in the region. Experimental vaccines are supposedly being tested on two U.S. citizens who contracted the virus while treating infected patients in Africa.

Symptoms of the Ebola virus can be high fever, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, kidney damage, liver damage, internal bleeding, external bleeding and skin rashes. The images that I saw when researching this virus were so horrific that I chose not to add any to my post. My heart goes out to those who are suffering from this virus. All that I could do is pray that a vaccine is found shortly and that the virus ceases to spread any further. If there is any progress with this situation I’ll make sure to do a follow-up post on this. Thanks for stopping by everyone.

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/guinea/

Health officials wait to screen passengers at the arrival hall of Lagos airport. Photograph: Sunday Alamba/AP

Latin House, A Food Lover’s Paradise

July 24, 2014 / tellmemoreblogger / 3 Comments

Latin House – Chimi Burrito

So I’ve been wanting to write about this amazing restaurant for a while because it’s one of my absolute favorite places to eat. The first time that I went to this place with Jessica, our waiter explained the inspiring Latin House story to us. Initially a food truck, Latin House gained its reputation by serving up some of the most unique cuisine in town. With the food truck craze in full swing across Miami, it didn’t take long before people began raving about their amazing dishes. Eventually they became so popular that groups of people began following the food truck from location to location and at times even to the chef’s home. Earning them the appropriate title of “stalkers”. Overwhelming success allowed the chef to open up a restaurant location and embrace the phrase “stalkers welcome”. For me it was love at first bite. Cuban, Mexican and American foods are all delicious on their own, but when combined together, they form some of the most epic fusion cuisine I’ve ever tasted in my life. So here’s what we ordered…

Latin House – Queso Fondue

The Queso Fondue. A blend of 3 cheeses and Mexican chorizo, melted and served with fresh tortilla chips. This is a must have if you’re planning on ordering an appetizer. This mouthwatering treat is served in the same cast iron skillet that it’s cooked in, giving the Fondue a truly great flavor.

Latin House – 2 Sangria’s and a Chimay

Sangria and Chimay beer. Known for giving everything an unexpected twist, Latin House makes their own special version of Sangria that’s perfect for Miami weather. I went with one of my favorite beers called Chimay which never disappoints.

Latin House – Grilled and Regular Chimi Burrito’s

The Chimi Burrito and the Grilled Chimi Burrito. Normally Jessica goes with the “MadLove” burger but after trying my Chimi Burrito last time, I can’t blame her for ordering one this time around. Since they’re basically the same I’ll just tell you about the regular Chimi Burrito that I can’t seem to get enough of. Yellow “Chuchi” rice, three cheeses, sweet plantains and carne asada come wrapped in a large flour tortilla that is flash fried and topped with pico de gallo, avocado lime sauce and Mexican crema. In short, this is the holy grail of burritos. If you’re the type of person that likes going to a restaurant and ordering the dish that made them famous, then make sure you order one of these. I could literally write an essay explaining why this burrito is the greatest invention ever created but I rather you just try it for yourself.

Latin House – Timba

Timba. Fried Cheese Cubes and a special Guava dipping sauce. The only negative thing that I have to say about this dessert is that it doesn’t come with more! I’m not really a desert person per say but when it comes to Timba, that doesn’t really apply. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, these cheese cubes go perfect with the special Guava dipping sauce.

I highly recommend that all food lovers give Latin House a shot. Great service and amazing food keep me going to this restaurant time after time. I hope you enjoyed the post and thanks for stopping by!

Israel Conducts Major Anti-Terror Operation in Gaza

July 22, 2014 / tellmemoreblogger / Leave a comment

Israeli Police Evacuating Warzone in Gaza

Israeli Police Evacuating a Warzone in Gaza

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to put an end to Hamas’ military attacks on his country. Years of rocket fire on the Jewish state along with constant terrorist operations from Hamas have led Israel to this decisive point. Talks of a truce between Hamas and Israel only worsened the situation as Hamas rejected the idea of a cease-fire. Now Israel has deployed thousands of troops to infiltrate the terror network and asked more than 100,000 Palestinians to leave the area of conflict.

Air power is perhaps Israel’s strongest weapon against Hamas, but terror tactics have made the use of air strikes close to impossible without causing civilian casualties. Hamas takes advantage of its people and asks innocent civilians to stand on the rooftops of their buildings to prevent Israeli air strikes. The result has been a massive ground operation by Israel in which soldiers, tanks and marine assets have all descended upon the Gaza Strip. Underground tunnels used by Hamas to store weapons and move terrorists into the city are being destroyed by the overwhelming ground force.

Just today Delta airlines canceled all flights to Israel due to concerns of rocket fire and ground to air missile attacks. After diverting a flight from Israel to Paris, the airline claimed that it would not risk the lives of its passengers or crew and therefor will be cancelling all flights to Israel for the time being. As the conflict in Israel rages on, the death toll has reached about 550 Palestinians and 25 Israelis. Prime Minister Netanyahu has warned that calling off this operation before destroying Hamas’ terror network could pose a greater threat to Israel in the future.

While waging war against Hamas is a necessary action for stability in Israel, I can’t help but reflect on the U.S. war against Al Qaeda which resulted in more damage and resentment than it did resolution. So how can a country battle terrorism and actually win? I’m not sure if there is any way of achieving a victory against this type of enemy but at least Israel is fighting this battle in its own country and not abroad. My heart goes out to the innocent lives being lost in this confrontation and I hope that a peaceful resolution could be achieved. Thanks for stopping by everyone and feel free to leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts on this conflict.

Israeli Tanks Mobilized in Gaza

Map of Israel

Recreational Marijuana Legalized in Washington

July 8, 2014 / tellmemoreblogger / Leave a comment

Marijuana

Marijuana shop in Washington

Tuesday July 8, 2014 the state of Washington has allowed for the legal sale of recreational Marijuana. Washington is the second state after Colorado to legalize the sale and consumption of recreational Marijuana. With only a handful of locations open to the public, lines have formed outside of the lucky Marijuana businesses. While the state received overwhelming support for the initiative, some cities have protested and written counter-legislation to outlaw the sale and use of Marijuana. However, despite these few rebellious cities, the majority of Washington’s population is in favor of the initiative.

Colorado and Washington are now the social experiment of the United States as their techniques of monitoring and taxing the plant are being monitored closely. Meanwhile investors and venture capitalist are jumping at the opportunity to make serious profit from this unique time. So many years of prohibition towards Marijuana has made the public reluctant to accept the status quo but activists remain hopeful that the trend will spread. With the economy in a vulnerable state and our national debt to China on the rise, it’s hard to see how there’s any resistance to this new source of income.

I began to think about the benefits and consequences of legalizing Marijuana in Florida and I too believe that more good than bad can come from this type of legislation. Speaking for myself, I would like to see a national effort to change these laws and lift this current state of prohibition. The legalization of Marijuana has the potential to divert billions of dollars of revenue to hard working Americans, instead of illegal drug traffickers. In addition the revenue from its taxation could prove to be useful in this time of economic struggle.

Currently 23 states have legalized the medical use of Marijuana and 2 states have legalized the recreational use of Marijuana. Florida recently passed a bill that allows for the consumption of Marijuana for medical patients with chronic illnesses given that it has a low dose of THC and is not smoked but rather vaporized or in pill form. Little by little progress is being made around the country and it seems that we are well on our way to the end of this prohibition. I would love to hear from anyone living in Colorado or Washington. What do you think about the new laws? Leave a comment and let me know. Thanks for stopping by!

Thailand’s Undercover Military Operation

July 7, 2014July 7, 2014 / tellmemoreblogger / Leave a comment

The past six months in Thailand have been chaotic to say the least. At first, the judicial branch of government overthrew its political leaders and democratically elected Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. During this transition the opposition group led by Suthep Thaugsuban created the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) to temporarily control the country until new elections could be held. Unsurprisingly enough, this coalition did not last for long, as the country’s military ordered a coup d’état. Today Thailand is under strict rule and martial laws are being enforced daily. This is where it gets interesting.

Under the order of General Prayuth Chan-ocha, commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, any opposition to the coup d’état is punishable by law. With orders to break up any gathering of more than five people, the military has had its hands full with the task of detaining all opposition groups. Realizing that the military is on a mission to silence anyone who challenges them, the people have assembled in small groups and quietly expressed their political beliefs. Small acts of defiance like putting up three fingers or passing out sandwiches to supporters has even been prohibited by the military.

In the video above, you will see anti-military activists simply walking through a mall to assemble a resistance and then undercover military forces detaining them. In the past month, hundreds of anti-military activists have disappeared, as undercover military forces take them to undisclosed locations. Posing as security guards to disguise their military status, the militants grab any opposition activists they see and detain them immediately, never to be seen or heard from again. Meanwhile the military government has placed curfews, limited social media usage, taken full control of the judiciary, taken full control of the media and imposed martial law.

It is unclear whether or not the military intends on simply restoring order and then establishing elections, or if they plan on remaining in power. Hundreds of former politicians await their fate in prison as the military has accused and sentenced most of the former leaders to jail. The video that I posted above is one of five installments from Vice News. For more episodes you could visit their YouTube page and check out the other dispatches. I would love to hear from anyone who is from Thailand about the situation that is going on. Are you pro or anti military and why? If you know anything about the conflict that we should know please leave a comment. Thanks for stopping by!

Thailand and its neighbors

Thailand on a World Map

Smell Text Messages with the oPhone

July 2, 2014 / tellmemoreblogger / Leave a comment

The oPhone Duo

oSnap app screen shot

Have you ever had the desire to send your friend a scent via your smartphone? No? Me either. However that’s aside from the fact that now you actually can! Sending a scent is now possible with the all new oPhone. Harvard professor David Edwards and co-inventor Rachel Field have invented the first device that is capable of sending and receiving scents via an app on your phone. oNotes would be the equivalent of say text messages. The idea is to take a picture, tag it with oNotes and send it to a friend with an oPhone who can then smell your message.

After going on their website I found that you could be the proud owner of an oPhone for just $149.00. I’m still trying to figure out if that’s a steal or a rip-off. The mobile app oSnap is already available for iPhone users to download which consists of a collection of scents and smells that users could send to one another. Apparently capturing a scent and sending it is still out of reach at the moment. For now users could use multiple oNotes to identify the smell of whatever they are tagging. Eventually oSnap wishes to boast a more comprehensive oMedia library filled with a broad range of scents.

Edwards believes that the future of mobile communication lies in attaching scents to our pictures and creating oFilms capable of capturing a range of aromas throughout a video. I’m not sure if this technology will be as revolutionary as Edwards believes it will be but at the very least, it brings a new sense to the world of mobile communication. I would love to hear from someone who owns one of these. If you own an oPhone and have used oSnap to send oNotes, please let us know what you think of the technology and if it is as innovative as its inventor’s make it seem. Thanks for stopping by!

Brunch at Rok BRGR South Miami

June 27, 2014June 29, 2014 / tellmemoreblogger / Leave a comment

Rok BRGR Bacon Jam Sliders

South Miami is an area in Miami that has recently joined in on the food revolution. For about the past five years South Miami has boasted a diverse restaurant and bar scene. On Sunday Jessica and I decided to go to one of our favorite Gastro-Pubs in South Miami called Rok BRGR. From the first time that we went we instantly fell in love. Their Whiskey, Scotch and Bourbon selection is great, which is a plus for me as I genuinely enjoy a well-made Old Fashioned cocktail. As for Jessica, she loves mimosas which happen to be free and unlimited for ladies on Sundays. With that type of a deal we just can’t resist going. Here’s what we had.

Rok BRGR Classic Eggs Benedict

I ordered the Classic Eggs Benedict which came with a fruit salad. The flavors were great but I feel that they put just a little too much benedict sauce making the bread wet and soft. The fruit salad on the other hand went extremely well with the relatively heavy dish. I probably would not order this dish again.

Blue Moon and Mimosa

Blue Moon (Left) and Mimosa (Right). Our drinks were both amazing. Though I love my old fashioned cocktail, 12pm is a little early for me to indulge on Bourbon so I went with a Blue Moon instead. It has an Orange flavor to it which is great in the morning and Jessica’s Mimosas were mixed to perfection.

Rok BRGR Bacon Jam Sliders

Jessica ordered the Bacon Jam Sliders which contains Kobe beef, maple bourbon bacon jam and brie cheese (she usually orders better than I do!). I’m salivating just reminiscing on those delicious sliders (I had to steal one of course). These little burgers were cooked to perfection and the maple bourbon bacon jam worked perfectly with the brie cheese. I would recommend this dish to anyone.

All in all our Brunch was successful. Though I wasn’t overly fond of the Classic Eggs Benedict, I don’t want to dissuade you from going to this place. I have eaten their multiple times and highly recommend that you order what they do best, Burgers. Apart from that, the unlimited free Mimosas for women on Sunday’s is hard to beat. This place has a nice homey vibe and a great crowd that could be expected from any worthwhile Gastro-Pub. Thanks for stopping by.

Solar Freakin Roadways

June 25, 2014 / tellmemoreblogger / Leave a comment

Above is a video titled “Solar Freakin Roadways”, which is the campaign kick starter by Indiegogo that was intended to capture the attention of big time investors. With a goal of one million dollars to get an initial prototype project underway, the campaign was flooded with more than two million dollars and over 48,000 supporters in just a couple of months. Needless to say, these solar powered roadways, sidewalks and parking lots are pretty amazing. Aside from providing energy solutions, these roadways could open up a new market for job creation and also generate income from an unlimited supply of renewable energy.

As you watch the video, you’ll notice that the benefits of having solar powered roadways are countless. The installation of these roadways would call for an underground electrical channel which could be used in conjunction with each cities electrical infrastructure to remove the use of power lines. Heated solar roadways would also prevent the buildup of snow during the winter months which would result in less corrosive damage from salt, safer travel and savings from minimizing snow plow costs. Regular streets have to constantly be repaved and patched up wherever potholes appear, another possibly obsolete problem solved with solar roadways.

Each of the solar panels is lined with a high impact resistant material to prevent damage and also with LED lights which could be used in a number of configurations. For instance, let’s say there’s an accident up ahead, the LED lights could signal for you to slow down or merge lanes. Parking lots could be rearranged as needed in seconds because with the LED lights in place, painting the space will not be necessary. Like I said before, the benefits are seemingly endless so it’s best if you watch the whole video. I myself was a little skeptical at first, but the video convinced me otherwise. I believe this stuff could change the world one day and it could make our country an energy independent nation if taken seriously. So enjoy the clip and thanks for stopping by!

China Brings Jobs to the U.S.?

June 23, 2014 / tellmemoreblogger / Leave a comment

Suntech Power Holdings factory in Phoenix, Arizona

Americans (myself included) can’t remember a time when we weren’t the most powerful nation in the world. Being the most powerful nation in the world is a title that comes with special responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is job creation. The U.S. has long been known for its ability to keep unemployment rates down and its salaries reasonable. However, over the past decade, the U.S. has been slipping on its job creation responsibilities. Unemployment has been on the rise, the middle class has been all but wiped out and the gap between the rich and the poor is at its greatest. In the most unlikely of twists, the country that’s now creating jobs in the U.S. is none other than China.

Last year an estimated 14 billion dollars were invested in the U.S. by Chinese companies, employing over 70,000 U.S. citizens. Who would have thought that China, of all countries, would be investing in the U.S. and creating jobs? After decades of U.S. companies moving their operations to China, Chinese investors are now looking to do the same here in the U.S. by promoting more Chinese American business investment. From the Southern states of Alabama and Mississippi to the Western state of Arizona, these states are offering cheap real-estate and a strong workforce. Suntech Power Holdings, a Chinese solar panel firm, is a prime example of Chinese investment in the U.S. as the factory is located in Phoenix, Arizona.

Chinese investors are purchasing struggling U.S. companies and also purchasing abandoned factories and converting them into profitable modern factories. With competitive wages and the necessary infrastructure to move large sums of products already in place, it’s likely that the U.S. will only see an increase in Chinese investment. While I’m not entirely comfortable with the thought of Chinese companies employing our citizens, I was less comfortable with the idea of sending U.S. jobs overseas to China. Hopefully this new era of Chinese investment in the U.S. will remind our own companies of how valuable U.S. employment can be.

I would love to hear from you guys about this new era of U.S. investment. Do you think that China’s investments in the U.S. is a good thing or a bad thing? Let me know what you think and thanks for stopping by!

China and its Neighbors

Miami-Style Lunch at Berries

June 20, 2014June 20, 2014 / tellmemoreblogger / 1 Comment

Pisco Passion Fruit & Cuba Libre at Berries

Sunshine and a cool ocean breeze welcome you at the entrance of this hidden gem. Coconut Grove is a place in Miami that locals tend to frequent for its natural atmosphere, proximity to the bay and unique restaurants and bars. Jessica and I decided to head to Berries this afternoon for lunch, a local restaurant with rich history and a loyal customer base. This was the meal we ordered.

Jessica ordered a Pisco and Passion fruit blend while I went for the Cuba Libre (Rum&Coke) seen in the picture above. Both of the drinks were well mixed and only $5 each which is surprisingly cheap for a restaurant in the grove.

The Brazilian Burger at Berries

Berries Brazilian Burger

Then we split what Berries calls a “Brazilian Burger”. They use Picanha steak with Chimichurri sauce, tomatoes, lettuce, a pickle and Challah bread. It came with specially seasoned fries and we got honey mustard on the side.

Pisco Passion Fruit & Cuba Libre at Berries

Sometimes desert in Miami means a second round. I mean, when the drinks are such a good price it would be a shame if we didn’t indulge in a second round.

Jessica and I at Berries

All in all our meal was great, service was fast and the atmosphere was perfect. With a World Cup match on their T.V.’s (Costa Rica v Italy) and a relaxed business crowd, this turned out to be a really nice spot. I recommend anyone who likes trying unique food and a relaxed/natural atmosphere to try this place out. Thanks for stopping by!