Chicago Speed Cameras

Being a driver in Chicago can be hectic, crazy and stressful. You have cabs trying to get around you, other cars, buses, people walking, bicycle riders and much more happening around you. The last thing you want to worry about is getting a speeding ticket or a red light ticket. I have found about 45 different places around Chicago with red light cameras, and speeding cameras. Take a look and see how many there are, and how close they are to one another. You can see that many of these cameras are located by major park areas such as, Lincoln park, McKinley park. I believe the reason why they are here are because there are many pedestrians and people around these areas, this is helping drivers be aware that they need to follow the speed limit to not only help them but also to avoid a tragic accident.  I also found that there are a couple by the Airport as well, again the high pedestrian rate in this area is speed camera benefit. Chicago is a very busy place and there is always something happening, and this is why that speed cameras and red light cameras are put into place to help everyones safety. Though it may be annoying getting a ticket in the mail, it also teaches you a lesson on staying the speed limit even though it is hard when cars are behind you giving you the middle finger but they'll be glad you followed the rules and kept them from getting a ticket or even worse causing an accident

15 foods you can make in 15 min

Being a college student, it is hard to juggle everything from class, work, extra curricular, and let along having time to make food. I recently found this article on Buzzfeed that shows 15 different foods you can make in 15 min. I recently just made the Chicken and Asparagus stir fry. The chicken took about 5 min top to cook on the stove and with the simple sauce of honey, garlic, and soy sauce made the whole dish come together. Not only is this dish delicious but it is also healthy. Which is another problem students in college face, since we are always so busy we tend to lean on microwaveable dinners which are high in sodium, and carbs, along with eating a bag of chips or just continuously snacking when pulling all nighters. All 15 of these dishes are simple, fresh, and create a healthy balance. My next dish on this list I want to try is the Margarita Pizza and the Gouda, and peppers and mushroom Quesadilla.

 Check out all 15 here: http://www.buzzfeed.com/melissaharrison/15-minute-dinners#.kwZeXwQw

Nik Wallenda completes walk of 400-foot wheel in Orlando

Nik Wallenda the dare devil completed yet another terrifying stunt on Wednesday morning in Orlando Florida. Nik started walking around 8 am on top of the cities new attraction, which will be open to the public in a month. Nik said it was really windy, winds probably around 20 mph, and the structure was really slippery. Though he was committed to his 4 min walk across the 400ft  Orlando Eye. He rode to the top of the wheel, then navigated his way around the structure. After completing his task he rode down in one of the wheel cars. Nick Wallenda is known for doing crazy dare devil stunts, just last November in Chicago, he went across two skyscraper with no safety wear. Also in 2012 at the Grand Canyon, he went across just walking on thin wire as well. Nik is a the great- grandson of another great dare devil, Karl Wallenda who fell to his death in a stunt in Puerto Rico at the age of 73.

 Watch Nik complete his  Orlando walk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pyClntoJFY
Nik at the Grand Canyon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pyClntoJFY
Nik at Chicago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho5uYKGIxBE

Baltimore Mother Beats Son

The news in Baltimore has been everywhere, though today a new story has been brought to the spot light. A Mother in Baltimore smacked her child when she saw her son throwing rocks at the police. In the video you can see her chasing her son around, and slapping him and giving him a profanity lecture about how rioting is not ok. Everyone has been applauding this mother for her action, even the cities commissioner, Anthony batts is applauding her actions, though it wasn't just the police applauding everyone on social media has as well, saying Mom of the year, good parenting, we have your respect... etc. What do you think? I personally think this is great, I think that parents need to get involved, since their children area just as apart of the riots as other adults are. Parents are a big influence on their kids, and what this mother did is show that she loves her son, and wants him to succeed in life.

You can watch the video here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG11R6rdros

Bruce Jenner: The Interview

The highly anticipated interview of Bruce Jenner talking about his transition into becoming a woman. 
In the interview with Diane Sawyer, Jenner said, " My Heart and my should and everything I do in life, that female side is part of me." Bruce Jenner the Olympic gold medalist turned reality star told Diane Sawyer that his, "brain is much more female than it is male." The two hour interview Jenner expressed a range of many emotions, Sawyer let Bruce take the lead on the questions and what body changes he was waiting to undergo, he made it clear that being transgender does not have to do with his sexual orientation, though he said he is not gay, and have always been attracted to women. Diane asked him is the publicity of being in the Kardashian family pushed him to make this announcement, his answer, was "What I am doing is going to do some good and were gonna change the world." Bruce also mentioned he has always been confused even since he was a little boy, he would dress up in his big sister's dresses when no on was home, he was also caught by Kim Kardashian in one of her dresses though never talked about it again. The interview continued on into Jenner’s life with the Kardashians. "Kris Jenner,  always knew what was happening, in part because Bruce had breasts. “If she would’ve been really good with it and understanding, we’d probably still be together,” 
Watch the full interview on ABC. 
  

Baltimore Erupts

Demonstrators clashed with police in Baltimore today (Monday) just a couple hours after the funeral services for Freddie Gray, who sustained a fatal spinal injury while in the custody of police. 
 What we know so far: 
- Maryland Governor declared a state of emergency 
- At least 15 police have been injured 
- Several businesses have been looted 
- Police warned they would use tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the crowd 
- City officials are imposing a weeklong curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting Tuesday.
 -According to the city’s Office of Emergency Management, the area around Mondawmin Mall and North Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue are restricted.
                    

London Olympic Audio Story

This slideshow is from the BBC on the plans for the areas around the Olympic stadium and what they will look like. There is a voiceover done by Duncan Innes, form the Olympic Park Legacy Company. The slideshow has a mixture o shots of the state of the areas no and then the digital artistic impressions of what the areas will look like when the construction is completed. 

The slideshow I believe was done very well because it matched what Duncan Innes was saying to the images, for example when he says one area will be very close to the cycling tack, then a couple seconds later, he says it will also be close to the station, and then we get a visualization of what the Stratford station looks like. I think that timing is everything, and especially important with a voiceover in a video slideshow such as this one, such as if the voice was recorded before the slideshow, it would not match up and create confusion of the listener. 

Because this slideshow is showing what will be expected, I especially enjoyed seeing the before and the expectations of what the suburbs will look like when the construction is done, it shows huge promise and high expectations for the city of London. Not only does he talk about the the games but how the Olympic suburbs will help London grow as well, with jobs, journalism, just bringing everyone together. It also shows how each different part of the suburbs have its own personality, from urban, to country and how the travel to the main Olympic park is close to all of them making going to the games very convenient anywhere you stay. 

Overall, I think this slideshow was very effective, it had a lot of information, it was put together nicely and precisely, making sure that the voice over was correct with the photos being showed. I especially enjoyed seeing the before and after photos of transformation of each suburbs, and how every suburb has its own personality and unique things to do.  

Check out the story here: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-12785816

10 Best Islands to go to in 2015

Traveling this summer, wanting to travel somewhere in the year? Trip Advisor just released the Top 10 Best Islands in the world. There number one island is, Providenciales, the most populated of the Turks and Caicos islands.There is so much to do here from snorkeling, upscale dining, accessible to many beaches, and breath taking scenic views. Looking for somewhere in the USA? Maui, Hawaii is just your ticket. I was here a couple years ago and absolutely fell in love with it, I took the Road to Hana, this is an all day event in which you travel through the rain forests, banana fields, and just overall see the beauty of Maui. Everyone needs a break from their hectic life, and these islands are just the ticket, they are here for you to let loose and to reconnect with your self, your family, and your love ones. 

 Check out the rest of the Top Ten Best Islands of 2015 Here: 
http://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Islands-cTop-g1

Spice up your regular cup of Joe

If you are like me you love your coffee, you get excited driving to Starbucks or your local coffee shop to get your favorite cup of coffee. Though now you don't even have to stress with long lines, and hoping that the barista got your coffee order right. Here is a link of 26 ways to spice up your coffee. I have not tried all of these though I have tried a couple on this list including, Rumchata iced coffee, baileys iced coffee, and Irish ice coffee and all of these are fantastic and I always want to have more than one cup. All of these recipes and photos look delicious and can't wait to try them! I am exceptionally want to try White Russian Cinnamon Coffee, I have had a White Russian, though never with cinnamon coffee which sounds so delicious.

To see all these great recipes head to this link below
http://www.buzzfeed.com/jessicaprobus/its-always-iced-coffee-weather#.jhM6bgY9D4

Who do you think you are?

The show Who Do you Think you Are on the tv channel TLC takes celebs on a journey of their ancestry. I have been a fan of this show for the past few seasons it has aired. It makes me think what stories my ancestors hold. In some episodes they are able to create a family tree reaching back to the 1600s. I find this information so fascinating, that everyone has a past, and story in their family. It makes me want to go out and search my ancestry to see what stories, controversies, triumphs that my ancestors have. If it was not for our ancestors, we, I would not be here today. All of our family trees started somewhere. I have a cousin that traced our one side of the families tree back to Poland though I do not know much details, I know that she has visited many of our long lost cousins and family members. Though you don't even have to leave the house now to find your families history, the use of ancestry.com allows everyone to trace their family tree, and show documents, photos and other interesting information that is attached to your families history. So what will your families history reveal?

#kyliejennerchallenge

Kylie Jenner recently has been sporting a more plumper lip, and many girls have been trying to achieve this look, yet have epicly failed. Kylie Jenner is becoming more and more influential with teens, but now her look is inspiring girls to a 'lip challenge' where a shot glass is used to plump their lips! Her challenge is leaving girls with bruises and face hickies. There has been a recent video of a girls lips exploding from doing this challenge, she said, " I did it as a joke to post on Instagram" Le says she put her lip inside a Sprite bottle and sucked the air until she felt her lips explode. The picots below is the result of attempting Kylie's lip challenge. Celebrities are always creating new trends, and which teens are being sucked into. Every girl want to have the latest style, the latest makeup look, because they do not realize they are gorgeous they way they are. They think guys will like them more if they have these huge lips like Kylie Jenner. Yet achieve this look has created much controvery and overall many problems.
My Words of Advice: Just Be You.

A Picture is Worth a 1000 Words

Today in class we had a guest speaker, our Photojournalism professor come and talk to us about how photos capture the moment and create emotions we could not get by just reading a description. Throughout her presentation she should many different photos ranging from, iconic, happy, sad, and even disturbing. One of my favorite photos she showed was a photo story,"The final salute." These pictures was a story of a fallen solider being brought home to his family. The photos captured his pregnant wife, emotions, along with his fellow marines staying by his side one last time. These pictures hit home to me, I have had many friends go into the military and be deployed yes, many of them returned yet, one of my good friends did not make it home. I remember the 21 gun salute and his family holding the folded flag and processing that their boy is being laid to rest. But not all the photos she showed was heartbreaking the last photo she showed was a little girl pressed against a statues butt, everyone in the classroom started to laugh including me.

Photos are worth a 1000 words, they show peoples emotions, thoughts, and life. I think that photographing people is more interesting that landscapes, people to me have so much to share, and we can all relate to one another in different ways. And photos help us do so

Waiting for Death

Another assignment that was given to us in class was to find an audio slide show. When I first googled "audio slide show" there were many examples that showed up. Though this audio slide show title, Waiting for Death, struck me the most. I was interested, intrigued to see what this story was about. This story was about a 90 year old man who knew he did not have much time to live, he didn't even think he had a year left. He compared him self to an old crumbing statue that was in his backyard, what I feel he meant by this was, that you don't realize how old you are until you start looking and realizing the cracks and deterioration of your health. Though the statue will always be there. The pictures that went along with the narrative story were humbling, mysterious, and weirdly calming.  The old man was narrating the story his voice was slow, humbling and you could hear the old wisdom in his voice. I think that the amount of pictures that were shown within this 1:30-2 min story went along well with what the man was saying. I especially love the part when he said that he will always be here, in his children, grand children, and his DNA will be here. And the old pictures of his wife, kids, friends,and family that wen along with the part was truly heart warming. We all have had someone close to us pass, and we know that they are not physically here but the memories, stories, and special objects will always be apart of us.

If you would like to listen and watch this great story click on the link below:
http://www.latimes.com/local/ed_shneidmanff_ss-htmlstory.html

Chicago Speed Cameras

Being a driver in Chicago can be hectic, crazy and stressful. You have cabs trying to get around you, other cars, buses, people walking, bicycle riders and much more happening around you. The last thing you want to worry about is getting a speeding ticket or a red light ticket. I have found about 45 different places around Chicago with red light cameras, and speeding cameras. Take a look and see how many there are, and how close they are to one another. You can see that many of these cameras are located by major park areas such as, Lincoln park, McKinley park. I believe the reason why they are here are because there are many pedestrians and people around these areas, this is helping drivers be aware that they need to follow the speed limit to not only help them but also to avoid a tragic accident.  I also found that there are a couple by the Airport as well, again the high pedestrian rate in this area is speed camera benefit. Chicago is a very busy place and there is always something happening, and this is why that speed cameras and red light cameras are put into place to help everyones safety. Though it may be annoying getting a ticket in the mail, it also teaches you a lesson on staying the speed limit even though it is hard when cars are behind you giving you the middle finger but they'll be glad you followed the rules and kept them from getting a ticket or even worse causing an accident.

Check out the map here! 

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8454807,-87.6998084,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!6m1!1sz0NMXOWdRGQ0.kCiEtNMahhEw

Panera, Healthy?

Panera is one of my favorite places to grab lunch, though it is still considered a fast food restraurent it does not feel like it since you feel you are going to a little cafe which has healthy choices, with the variety of sandwiches, soups, salads and so much for to choose from. "While there are a lot of lean meats, whole grains, and veggies on the menu, it definitely takes a bit of skill to uncover the healthiest dishes that won't break those calories and lets not talk about the sodium! "A recent article I read on AOL this morning should what nutritionists order when at Panera. Their article talked about how even though you think you are eating healthy by getting a salad, some of their salads have over 1000mm of sodium per serving! One of my favorite meals was mentioned on here and it was one of the meals that the nutritionists recommended as well, the Half roasted Turkey Avocado BLT on sourdough bread with a Cesar salad.

Here is the link to article and take notes for your next visit!
http://www.everydayhealth.com/pictures/nutritionists-reveal-panera-bread-orders/?xid=aol_eh-news_3_20150406_&aolcat=HLT#10 View All

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  Scott Eells/Bloomberg via Getty Images 

  Make the Healthy Choice

  Panera Bread is a popular destination because it’s quick and provides lots of tasty and seemingly healthy options. While there are a lot of lean meats, whole grains, and veggies on the menu, it definitely takes a bit of skill to uncover the healthiest dishes that won't break the calorie (and sodium!) bank. We quizzed nine nutritionists on what they order at Panera Bread — take notes for your next visit!
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  Photo Courtesy of Panera Bread 

  Classic with Chicken Salad

  “One of my biggest gripes about these types of restaurants is the sodium in the dishes,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RDN, CDN, Everyday Health Columnist. “The Classic with Chicken Salad is a decent pick because the calories are low (300), the fat is reasonable (13 grams), the protein is good (27 grams), and the sodium is a decent number (310 milligrams), unlike some of their other salads clocking in at over 1000 milligrams of sodium per serving!”
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  Photo Courtesy of Panera Bread 

  Half Greek Salad with Black Bean Soup

  One of Panera Bread’s selling points is the “You Pick Two” combo, where you can choose two of the following: cup of soup, half sandwich, half salad, or one flatbread. Robyn Coale, RD and author of The Real Life RD blog, went for a “You Pick Two” option for her order.
  “The Greek Salad is full of fresh vegetables instead of lots of meat and cheese. You’ll get more fiber and antioxidants! I would order the dressing on the side so I could control how much I use,” says Coale. “I’d pair the salad with the Black Bean Soup since it’s full of fiber and phytochemical-rich, plant-based protein – which is great for preventing chronic disease and keeping you full! Plus, by choosing a vegetarian soup, you’ll avoid the unnecessary saturated fats that come with meat or cream-based soups.”
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  Photo Courtesy of Panera Bread 

  Power Chicken Hummus Bowl

  “Whenever I am ordering from a restaurant menu, my strategy is to look for a meal with the most whole food ingredients along with portion sizes that most closely mimic a ‘balanced plate’,” reveals Alicia Anskis, MS, RD, LDN, and nutritionist at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. “This means that ¼ of the plate contains lean protein, paired with ¼ starch, and the rest should be low-calorie, nutrient-rich vegetables and fruit.”
  “At Panera Bread, the Power Chicken Hummus Bowl fits this model. It’s low in saturated fat and has less sodium than most of the other items,” continues Anskis. “It is full of veggies like spinach, tomatoes, and cucumber which are rich in fiber, potassium, vitamins A and C, and health-protective phytonutrients like flavonoids and carotenoids, which provide anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits. Plus, the fresh cilantro and lemon add extra flavor without extra calories!”
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  Photo Courtesy of Panera Bread 

  Fuji Apple Chicken Salad

  “My favorite thing on the Panera Bread menu is the Fuji Apple Chicken Salad,” says Katherine Younger, RD and author of the blog, Kath Eats Real Food. “It has a great sweet and savory combo. The chicken provides protein, while the pecans act as a healthy fat. The apples and lettuce will give you a good dose of fiber. Just go easy on the dressing!”
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  Photo Courtesy of Panera Bread 

  Half Sierra Turkey Sandwich and Garden Vegetable Soup

  “I love that it's easy to see the menu’s nutrition facts at Panera Bread,” says Jenna Braddock, MSH, RD, CSSD, and author of the blog, Make Healthy Easy. “It makes it easy to be flexible and choose the best option. I also appreciate that you can choose a half order of a sandwich. My favorite sandwich is the Sierra Turkey, but at 740 calories, that's rarely going to work for me. However, a half size of the sandwich is only 340 calories, and I can pair it with the Garden Vegetable Soup with Pesto at 140 calories and be right under 500 calories — a filling lunch.”
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Presidency History

Hilary Clinton has announced on Sunday that she will be running for President in the next election. There has always been rumors going around in past elections that she will be running, though it has come true. She is striving to be not only the first women president though also trying to show America what its true potential can be. I believe that this is a great step women, it shows that we are powerful and do deserve to run especially since our ancestors have pushed for so many rights in the past, and for them to see this happening today, I could not imagine what their emotions would be. Hilary has always been in the political life, from her younger days in college to her first lady days when her husband President Clinton. Though of course with politics and people opinions, there has been some harsh words and criticism towards her announcement of running for president. Such as for her logo, many are saying, "Hillary Clinton's official, high-budget Presidential campaign logo. Brought to you by Microsoft Paint." Her logo can be seen below. I think that this criticism will only make her a stronger candidate and will show the people of America what she believes will help our country. 

Big Girl World

As my last semester as a college student comes closer and closer to ending, it is crazy to think that I will be in the big girl world! Trying to find a full time job that will hire a recent graduate is harder than what I expected. Everyone always says to stay in school cause getting into the big boy/girl world is not easy. All I can do is hope for the best in sending out my resumes to the companies I hope to be apart of. There is also the factor that I want to move out of IL though I would love to move out right away, I have come to face that it is somewhat not ideal though because I want to so bad, I believe I could make it work to reach the goals that I want in my life, experience what else the world has to offer other than staying in IL. In your 20s, I believe it is the time in your life to go out and try out things and even if they don't work, I know I will always have a home and loving parents to come home to, and have for support in my life.

Bikini Season is Almost Here!

Summer is just around the corner, and which means Bikni and swimsuit season! If you are like me, its time to get back into the gym. Those winter months were all about styaing inside, drinking hot cocoa, and just curled up on the couch with a blanket,making it hard to hit the gym when its -20 out.
Now it is nice out again, and there is no excuse to be inside, and not doing some sort of exercise.
I have recently started back up and already feel so much more healthier.
Here are so great ways to help you get back into shape for the summer.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/sallytamarkin/moves-for-a-killer-core
 I have been doing these ab workouts for the past couple days, though they are kill and every abs burn, I am already seeing results! Make sure that you do multiple reps and sets. I ususally do 20 reps with 5 sets. Which would make doing each exercise 100 times. One of my favorite things is to infuse my water with fruits or just with lemons, it makes drinking water fun and exciting! Along with lemon water it helps to detox along with other great benefits. Try Cucumber water if you are feeling stresssed!


 Happy Bikini Training!

Bring Your Mom To Class

I was presently surprised when I was waiting for my 12:30 class, to see my Mom in the elevator to surprise me at school. She did this back when I was just a little Freshman, which was so embarressing. Though now it was actually really fun to take her to some of my classes and to see the reaction of my classmates and teachers. She stayed from Tuesday till Thursday morning, we went to the movies, shopped around town, and it was also nice that I didnt have to eat leftover dinners from 3 days ago, since she took me out for dinner and lunch both days.
 My Mom is literally my bestfriend, even though she gets on my nervs sometimes, it's all out of love :)  Since I will be graduating in 4 weeks, it was a nice little send off since she visited my 1st year here and now she visted for my last year. Definetly one of the memories I will charish, and will probably do to  my kids as well.