Rocco Dispirito and Me

I recently started following Rocco on twitter and he soon followed me.  So why use twitter?  It may not be necessary to have an account with every social networking service.  Twitter is great for micro-blogging and getting right to the main idea.  In a flash millions can spread important news and social movements.  Respect and careful use is of course necessary, as in everything we do in life.  Life is short, so make sure when you tweet, post on Facebook, or make a call that it is useful, informative, or helpful.

Pointe Viven - Jesse Bluma. All rights reserved.

@roccodispirito

@JesseBlumaPointeViven

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I just got terminated by Amazon and Jerry Brown

7.8 quake could affect 3 of 4 jobs

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7.8 quake could affect 3 of 4 O.C. jobs

June 21st, 2011, 1:39 pm · 17 Comments · posted by Mary Ann Milbourn

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Damage from a 7.8 magnitude earthquake on the southern end of the San Andreas fault would affect more than 68,000 Orange County businesses and nearly a million workers here, according to a study released Tuesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In the seven-county Southern California area, 434,000 employers with 4.5 million jobs could be disrupted by a shaker of that size.

The report is a follow-up to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Shakeout Scenario released in 2008 focusing on which areas would suffer the most damage in a 7.8 quake. The USGS chose that magnitude because historically there is a high probability of a quake of that size.

A computer simulation created in that studyshowed a 7.8 quake would shake Orange County for 60 seconds and cause significant damage.

Gary Toebben,chief executive of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, said the new report was prepared to show the potential economic and employment impact in the region when and if the Big One hits.

“It’s impossible for us, of course, to know when an earthquake will hit,” Toebben said during a press conference unveiling the report. “But it is possible for us to prepare.”

Quake expert Lucy Dunn, chief scientist of the USGS Multi Hazards Project, noted that modern  codes were designed to prevent buildings from collapsing and killing people during a major quake. That doesn’t mean, however, that businesses won’t be severely impacted by the damage.

“An earthquake won’t kill you, but it very well can bankrupt you,” Dunn said.

Orange County is second only to Los Angeles in the potential economic impact of a major quake.  The report estimates 73% of businesses here and 77% of the jobs would be in areas that would get hit with very strong or destructive shaking.  The jobs potentially affected represent $47.5 billion in annual payroll.

O.C. jobs impacted by a major quake

Rank	Orange County- Top 10 Industries	Employment
1	Manufacturing	117,772
2	Retail trade	100,269
3	Health care and social assistance	94,232
4	Educational services	86,265
5	Accommodation and food services	85,377
6	Administrative and waste services	82,950
7	Professional and technical services	69,545
8	Wholesale trade	54,924
9	Construction	50,950
10	Finance and insurance	48,590

“This is not to scare you,” Dunn said. She said it was intended to help businesses understand their potential risk.

She recommended employers prepare by determining how well their buildings are built to withstand a major quake.  Noting employees may be stuck on site for days, employers should also consider provisions for workers.

In addition, Dunn said employers should be talking to suppliers, vendors and utilities to develop alternate plans for getting back into business with the least disruption.

“Be ready for an event, be ready to respond and be ready to get back on your feet,” she said.

Pointe Viven: Emergency Preparedness

Do you remember the fable "The Ants and the Grasshopper" by Aesop?  It's not only important to be prepared for winter, it's important to be prepared for other acts of nature.  I came across these water pouches when putting together an emergency kit for my car (Datrex Emergency Water Packet - 3 Day/72 Hour Supply).   It's also important to have three kits, one for home, work, and the car.  I also keep the expiration dates of non-perishable goods on my calendar.  

Pointe Viven - Jesse Bluma. All rights reserved.

Three-day supply of non-perishable food.

Three-day supply of water - one gallon of water per person, per day.

Portable, battery-powered radio or television and extra batteries.

Flashlight and extra batteries.

First aid kit and manual.

Sanitation and hygiene items.

Matches and waterproof container.

Whistle.

Extra clothing.

Kitchen accessories and cooking utensils, including a can opener.

Photocopies of credit and identification cards.

Cash and coins.

Special needs items, such as prescription medications, eye glasses, contact lens solutions, and hearing aid batteries.

Items for infants, such as formula, diapers, bottles, and pacifiers.

Other items to meet your unique family needs.

(http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/assemble_disaster_supplies_kit.shtm)

Cookies will keep stored in the freezer for four months - click to order your organic and gourmet cookies.

Pointe Viven - Jesse Bluma. All rights reserved.

http://economy.ocregister.com/2011/06/21/quake/59225/

Nutmeg Kreppel

The perfect nibble to wake up to on a weekend with a glass of milk, as the sun beams in from the beach. This muffin is reflective of my European roots, have you tried it with a side of homemade jam? This is one version hard to outdo, with its light texture, topped with confectioner's sugar!

Pointe Viven - Jesse Bluma. All rights reserved.

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Watermelon Cookies

Watermelon Cookies

Pointe Viven - Jesse Bluma. All rights reserved.

These watermelon cookies are a taste of Americana and delicious anytime.  Made with quality ingredients, lightly sweetened, and topped with a sprinkling of artisan watermelon flavor candy.  Serve at your next picnic or event with Latin sandwiches, fresh strawberries, and icy drinks.  

To order click here.

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Join Michael Bublé

http://vancouver.ca/police/

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It’s Gettin’ Real In The Whole Foods Parking Lot (Warning: PG-13)

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Refreshing Party Pasta - Recipe

If you are in the northern hemisphere we are entering our season of outdoor meals.  This pasta dish is perfect to launch off your next party.  Simply print the recipe and take it with you to your grocery store or garden.  

Refreshing Party Pasta 

by Jesse Bluma

Pointe Viven - Jesse Bluma. All rights reserved.

Ingredients

2 boxes of whole wheat rotini pasta

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of fresh cracked black pepper

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil for the pasta

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil for roasting tomatoes, white asparagus, and mushrooms

4 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar

6 fresh, ripe tomatoes (organic)

1 cup Cotija cheese cheese, grated

1 cup Panela cheese cheese, grated

1 bunch white asparagus (organic)

16 ounces of baby bella mushrooms (organic)

1/2 cup of scissor snipped fresh curly parsley (orgamic)

1/2 cup of scissor snipped basil (organic)

zest of 1/2 lemon (organic)

juice of 1/2 lemon 

Serves 16 

(can scale up or down for number of people)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Follow pasta directions on box, cook pasta until al dente (both boxes).  

Drain the water from the pasta in a large colander or two smaller colanders.

Pour the pasta into a very large bowl or two smaller bowls (if using two smaller bowls remember to equally divide the ingredients).

Season the pasta with the salt and pepper. 

Add the olive oil and rice wine vinegar. 

Gently mix  and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Dice the tomatoes and place them into a colander to drain.

Break off the tough ends of the white asparagus, then chop the remaining white asparagus into about 1/2” pieces.

Slice the baby bella mushrooms.

Drizzle a roasting pan with olive oil, place the tomatoes, white asparagus, and mushrooms on the pan.  Roll the three ingredient around the pan to get an even coating.  

Roast the items for 25 minutes, until tender and still crisp.

Transfer these ingredients to a cool rack on the kitchen counter to cool to room temperature.

Add the grated cheeses, roasted tomatoes-white asparagus-mushrooms, parsley, basil, zest, and lemon juice to the room temperature pasta, then gently mix well.

Pointe Viven - Jesse Bluma. All rights reserved.

For your next potluck serve this party pasta with cookies and cupcakes from Pointe Viven.

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Feathers in your cookies?

L-Cysteine is produced from feathers, pig bristles and sometimes even human hair. These days L-Cysteine can also be produced synthetically but apparently human hair remains one of the richest sources of this amino acid – it makes up about 14% of your hair - and there is a small industry in China making the additive from hair clippings (BBC News).  

L-Cysteine is an additive in many of your store bought and fast food cookies, bagels, pizzas and other bread products.  Open your kitchen cabinet and check out the ingredient lists on some of the products.  L-Cysteine is an amino-acid that helps to condition dough items.  It is a legally permitted food additive, although there are some religious and vegan laws against the product.  If we can enjoy cookies, cupcakes, and breads made with only ingredients we know, why not?  

The meaning of Pointe Viven is to live at the highest point, "liberating food and taste".   We get to live on a planet with a spectrum of food choices miles wide.  If we only eat from a small portion of that spectrum from store shelves, are we really living?  Pointe Viven is committed to quality ingredients and excellent flavor.

Pointe Viven - Jesse Bluma. All rights reserved.

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/newsnight/2007/01/does_your_daily_bread_contain_human_hair.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BWfeather.jpg