DuarteGeraldino's Blog

How much do you spend feeding your family?  What is the per person cost?

Yvonne Calvin spends about $10-15 per day to feed eight people. That is about $1.50 per person for three meals.    What about your family?  How much do you spend and what do you cook?   Give us some recipes.

Hundreds of homes in the Houston community have been receiving Qurans on their front doorsteps. Each copy was delivered in a plastic bag with a note from the Book of Signs Foundation. The note asked the recipients to accept the book as a gift from the Muslim community. The majority of people who received these copies are NOT Muslim, and have found the gesture offensive.   Would you?

The Book of Signs foundation claims to have distributed 30,000 Qurans in Houston to neighborhoods they believed would be the most receptive, or in need of a better understanding of their religion.  Do you think that is a good idea?

 The books were first distributed in Illinois and Houston is the second area to receive the Qurans.

Corporal Steven Schulz was a 20-years-old soldier in Iraq when a bomb went off. He suffered sever brain injury. Three years later he is back home getting stronger each day.

On June 9, 2008, thanks to the Homes for Heroes program, he broke ground on a new house. It is valued at $300,000. He only has to take out a $50,000 mortgage. The house is designed to meet his special needs.

Tell me what you think about his new home.

In Jasper, a few feet from Black Street, you'll find James Byrd Jr. Memorial Park. It's a patch of green in a city whose name has all but become synonymous with a ten year old hate crime that literally left pieces of a black man scattered on a long stretch of road.

At ceremony remembering the anniversary of his death, his mother sat strong and kept one seat beside her empty… almost as if to hold a place for her son.

A diverse group of community members, activists and children crammed under a tent to remember James Byrd Jr. and recognize how much progress Jasper has made towards healing racial tensions. One family friend even brought a straw hat signed by people who loved Byrd.

It is tough decision for any parent. Miranda and Neil Goranflo say their children are dieing.  They believe their only hope is stem cell treatment in China.  Their five and three year old children suffer from a rare genetic disorder called Batten’s Disease.   It typically causes death within 8-12 years.   The family is trying to raise a quarter of a million dollars to fly to China to pay for stem cell treatment for the children.  

  If the family raises the money both children will have stem cells injected into their spines.  Miranda Goranflo says one of her children will likely be treated with stem cells from an umbilical cord, whereas the other child will be treated with embryonic stem cells.

               Use of embryonic stem cells for medicinal purposes is controversial.

Opponents of embryonic stem cell therapy argue the procedure kills living organisms that—undisturbed—would eventually become living breathing independent humans.  Supporters argue not every embryo successfully develops into a human.   If it can be used to save a life, why not?

Complicating this case,  the Gornflo’s  say the Chinese procedure will likely cost their family a quarter of a million dollars.    

If you were in their shoes, what would you do? 

 BDSRA: Batten Disease and Research Association

           This year it seems  many people are crossing party lines in order to vote in Texas' historic democratic presidential campaign. I met one gentleman over the weekend who told me he is a republican but was considering voting for Obama.  I also met a super delegate who running for public office.  The super delegate wished Hillary good luck but said he felt pressure from his potential constituents to side with Obama.

Check out the stories.

Obamican

Pressured for Obama.

Just before the city of Freeport joins the Southeastern Texas Crime Information Center, it is offering violators a break.  For two weeks only, Freeport is waving the $308 fine associated with failure-to-appear warrants and giving people who violate city ordinances $50 discounts on other fines.

The city is hoping the discount encourage to people to turn themselves in and therefore avoid jail time.

What do you think?  Good or bad idea?

Click her to see the story

On Saturday night we prepared a report about a young family with five children. They’ve had the worst year so far.   A few weeks ago the mother lost her job. The family moved in with relatives.  Then that house burned down.  A week later their 11 year –old daughter was walking home with her 8- year old brother , when she was hit by car and just left on the side of the road.  The driver never stopped.  The girl’s younger brother had to help her home.    The girl survived, but now the family is worried something else will happen to the.  Now they are just praying for help.  

Click here to watch their story

The Texas Assessment of Knowledge Skill test is scheduled for March 15. Is your child ready?

I just came from a school in Needville that has a unique way of preparing students for the composition portion of the test. They’re instructing students to organize their essays by thinking in images. The theory goes if the student can see it then they can write it. What do you think? How do you help your children prepare for the test?

     The city of Houston may end up paying half a million dollars for justice to be served.

     Harris county commissioners want the city to pay for investigating the botched cases from HPD's crime lab.

     They passed a motion to that effect yesterday.

     180 cases are now under review by an independent attorney hired by the court.

Do you think the city should have to pay alone is should everyone have to cover the cost of justice?

    Army soldiers (who are also San Jacinto YMCA members) will be deployed next week. This morning their families and Y staff/members held a luncheon for them.

    I can only imagine how tough it must be for them to head off to a war zone as one of the most celebrated seasons in the U.S. approaches—-Thanks giving/x-mas/ New Years (I realize there are many more holidays that I am not mentioning).   What will you guys do for the soldiers in your life this holiday season?

  I lot of folks have been asking me what I used to make the pasta dish that I am shown cooking in my bio video.  Here you go.   I call it Houston Pasta.  It feeds about 6 people

Ingredients:

1.5 pounds of cheese stuffed ravioli (you can buy it or make it). Pre cook it.

1/3 cup Sun dried tomato pesto

1 cup whole cream

1 pound of Asparagus

2 large white onions

4 table spoons olive oil

2 teaspoons of minced garlic

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 chicken breasts

1 tablespoon of cumin.

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Directions:

   Texture is very important to me when I cook.  Please pay attention to your pan so that you don’t over cook any portion of the meal.

Step1:  Clean chicken breast with lemon juice. Season it with cumin.   The chicken breasts should be half an inch thick.  If they are not ½ inch thick, slice them the long way and make them thinner.

Step 2:  Heat the large pan. Put a tablespoon of olive oil in pan.  Put breast in for about 3 minutes on both sides.  When your done put the chicken to the side.

Step 3:   Slice your onions and asparagus. The asparagus should be about inch long or so.

Step 4:  Put your asparagus in an oiled pan.  Cook for about 2 minutes (you may need to add a tiny bit more olive oil.  Please don’t drown the vegetable in oil and don’t overcook them.  When the meal is down you’ll remember the crunch!)

Step 5:   With Asparagus in pan, through in the onions and cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Make sure your vegetables don’t get weak under heat of pan.  Take veggies out and put to the side.

Step 6:  Put 3 table spoons olive oil in pan.  Add pasta.  Let pasta brown about (3 minutes).   Toss in chicken and veggies.

Step 7:  Toss Sun dried tomato pesto and cream in pan with the other ingredients.  Mix it up and serve.  Let sauce thicken and serve.

Step: 8:   Add salt & Pepper to taste.

  Let me know what you think.