Lovely Valentine Dessert: Sprinkles’ Strawberry Cupcakes

Sprinkles is a fancy Beverly Hills bakery specializing in cupcakes and nothing but cupcakes. What works for me is when, today, owner Candace Nelson gave Martha Stewart the recipe for the Strawberry Cupcakes just in time for St. Valentine’s Day and Martha even gave her blessing to spread the news via the Internet. Just click here to be taken to the scrumptious recipe. It’s their only cupcake recipe ever published.

If you haven’t heard, everyone is raving about Sprinkles including Oprah Winfrey, and people are waiting in line all the way down the street to get their $3.25 all-natural cupcake. The bakery will have other stores opening soon across the country.

For more Works For Me Wednesday participants, THIS WEEK ONLY, please visit Don’t Try This At Home. Otherwise, it’s regular home is at Rocks In My Dryer.

Don’t miss my other Works For Me Wednesday post about Valentines.

And here’s another fast and easy Valentine dessert recipe.

Here are my other Household Tips and Organizing Tips.

Cloning Pioneer Rejects Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Ian Wilmut, the scientist who cloned Dolly the sheep, is abandoning embryonic stem cell research, finally admitting it does NOT work.

Embryonic stem cell research, also called nuclear transfer and therapeutic cloning research, requires destroying the embryos.

According to the Associated Press, “Tens of millions of dollars have been spent worldwide on therapeutic cloning research in the past decade, but nobody has made it work.” Embryonic stem cell research has only caused cancers in humans.

Even Dolly and a few cats cloned had numerous medical problems, premature aging and premature death.

Wilmut told London’s Daily Telegraph, “I decided a few weeks ago not to pursue nuclear transfer.” He will be researching a method inspired by Japanese scientist Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University.

Wilmut says that method does not require human eggs or the destruction of human embryos, which, he told reporters, many people are against.

According to AP that has “become a major stumbling block for funding and regulating research.”

It is “easier to accept socially,” Wilmut says.

The new method, called fibroblasts, slips four genes into mouse skin cells. According to AP, the altered cells behave similarly to embryonic stem cells.

Adult stem cell research has been far more successful but has been overshadowed by advertising and political campaigns in support of embryonic stem cell research.

Related research, which is also successful and not only used in the lab but also in human trials, is pig cell research. Scientists and medical doctors have successfully used pig cells as a solvable scaffolding for a patient’s own human cells to grow and replace organs and organ parts such as bladder, heart valves and wind pipes.

The horizon looks just a bit brighter today as Wilmut abandons embryonic stem cell research, opening the door for more scientists to admit it does not work and for the gratuitous slaying of embryonic human life to stop.

• Don’t know what NaBloPoMo and NaNoWriMo are? Read all about it here and here.

• Want to know why I’m participating in both? Click here.

Tell it on the Mountain. Tell All About Cancer.

Cancer kills.  It has killed my father.  It has killed my grandmother, my grandfather, an aunt and uncle, and too many other relatives to mention.

Cancer has many forms and names, but the best way to beat the odds is early detection.  It’s never more important than when dealing with a fast-acting cancer such as inflammatory breast cancer.  While inflammatory breast cancer does not run in my family, anything we can do to educate ourselves and others is worth our time.

I am taking the invitation of fellow blogger Memegrl (memegrl.blogspot.com) to spread the word about cancer.  Below is her blog about her friend’s experience with inflammatory breast cancer while pregnant and how to detect this cancer to seek quick help from doctors.  Memegrl asks that you all feel free to post.  If you don’t have a blog, you can e-mail or even use good old word of mouth.

Spread the word because silence is deadly.

I also invite you to use this post as a platform to tell others about your experiences with cancer of any type.

Blessings to all.

“Monday, July 30, 2007
“And now for an important public service announcement

“I know, many of you who know me are well aware that my best friend was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer when she was pregnant. (Because she’s an overachiever like that. Most of us would have enough trouble with either cancer OR pregnancy AND working full time but nope, not her.) I had never heard of inflammatory breast cancer until the email from her. (“Are you sitting down? Good. I’m pregnant! I’m due in June and it’s a boy and he’s healthy and we’re thrilled. And I have breast cancer. It’s called inflammatory breast cancer, and it’s one of the most lethal forms, and I’m starting treatment tomorrow.” Yah. That’s the email you like to see from your BFF when you are strung out from trying to nurse your own newborn and desperately seeking comfort and connection from the internet.)

“Since that time, I have learned of three other women with it, which leads me to believe one of three things: 1) the percentage of all breast cancers that inflammatory represents must be growing from the stated 1%-5% (because really, otherwise how do I hear of all these and almost no others?); 2) further proof of the “once you become aware of something you find it everywhere” phenomenon (ever have that happen with a new word or idea–you never heard of it, then find it 6 times in a day?); or 3) it’s getting better press in general.

“Anyway, here’s a post from the latest diagnosee in Bloggityville. Please read it. Please remember it. Please do your BSEs, or remind someone you love. And, thankfully, my BFF is now a few years out and doing well.

“From Toddler Planet:

“Inflammatory breast cancer
“Monday July 23rd 2007, 3:11 pm
“Filed under: About Us / Favorites, breast cancer
“We hear a lot about breast cancer these days. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetimes, and there are millions living with it in the U.S. today alone. But did you know that there is more than one type of breast cancer?

“I didn’t. I thought that breast cancer was all the same. I figured that if I did my monthly breast self-exams, and found no lump, I’d be fine.

“Oops. It turns out that you don’t have to have a lump to have breast cancer. Six weeks ago, I went to my OB/GYN because my breast felt funny. It was red, hot, inflamed, and the skin looked…funny. But there was no lump, so I wasn’t worried. I should have been. After a round of antibiotics didn’t clear up the inflammation, my doctor sent me to a breast specialist and did a skin punch biopsy. That test showed that I have inflammatory breast cancer, a very aggressive cancer that can be deadly.

“Inflammatory breast cancer is often misdiagnosed as mastitis because many doctors have never seen it before and consider it rare. “Rare” or not, there are over 100,000 women in the U.S. with this cancer right now; only half will survive five years. Please call your OB/GYN if you experience several of the following symptoms in your breast, or any unusual changes: redness, rapid increase in size of one breast, persistent itching of breast or nipple, thickening of breast tissue, stabbing pain, soreness, swelling under the arm, dimpling or ridging (for example, when you take your bra off, the bra marks stay – for a while), flattening or retracting of the nipple, or a texture that looks or feels like an orange (called peau d’orange). Ask if your GYN is familiar with inflammatory breast cancer, and tell her that you’re concerned and want to come in to rule it out.

“There is more than one kind of breast cancer. Inflammatory breast cancer is the most aggressive form of breast cancer out there, and early detection is critical. It’s not usually detected by mammogram. It does not usually present with a lump. It may be overlooked with all of the changes that our breasts undergo during the years when we’re pregnant and/or nursing our little ones. It’s important not to miss this one.

“Inflammatory breast cancer is detected by women and their doctors who notice a change in one of their breasts. If you notice a change, call your doctor today. Tell her about it. Tell her that you have a friend with this disease, and it’s trying to kill her. Now you know what I wish I had known before six weeks ago.

“You don’t have to have a lump to have breast cancer.

“P.S. Feel free to steal this post too. I’d be happy for anyone in the blogosphere to take it and put it on their site, no questions asked. Dress it up, dress it down, let it run around the place barefoot. I don’t care. But I want the word to get out. I don’t want another young mom — or old man — or anyone in between — to have to stare at this thing on their chest and wonder, is it mastitis? Is it a rash? Am I overreacting? This cancer moves FAST, and early detection and treatment is critical for survival.

“Thank you.”

Pavarotti Remembered In His Own Words

Luciano Pavarotti, 71, died at 5 a.m. this morning, Italian time. His latest recording of sacred songs is scheduled for release in early 2008.

He earned the title of “King of the High C’s” when he hit nine high C’s in quick succession at the New York Metropolitan Opera in 1972 during performances of “Ah! Mes Amis” in Donizetti’s “La Fille du Regiment.”

In his own words, here are a few memories and thoughts of his life.

“When I was born, my mother was under 20, my grandmother 38, my great grandmother 56. They had many sisters. I have three daughters with my first wife and one with my wife, Nicoletta. I have had many secretaries in the past, around 10 to 15, all women. I was born with women all around. This is perhaps why you see me so happy. They protect me so that when I am on stage, I only have to think about my singing.”

“Our family had very little, but I couldn’t imagine one could have any more,” Pavarotti said. He was the son of a baker.

“In my teens I used to go to Mario Lanza movies and then come home and imitate him in the mirror.”

“Whenever I went to visit him (Arrigo Pola, his music teacher whom he continued to visit right up to Pola’s death), I took a lesson. He was a very significant teacher for me. I give him the impression that I still need him — and it was true. Not that I need to study with him, but that I need him to hear me and tell me, yes, it’s good like that or not like that. In fact, I’m doing exactly what I did the first day I met my teacher. Nothing has changed, not one comma.”

“You should ask one of my colleagues if I am lazy. I make them work like pigs.”

“I always want to be serious, a professional person. And if you ask me what I want to do now, it is the same thing. My goal is to be remembered as a very serious professional singer who has begun his career in the world of the opera; sings, let’s say, 25 years in the opera house; and for the last 15 years of his life, goes a little outside the world of opera to meet other people — especially with the television, who is a great sister in publicizing everything, including music.”

Speaking of his yo-yo dieting with a reported high of 396 pounds (180 kilograms) in 1978, “Maybe this time I’ll really do it and keep it up.”

“In act II of Tosca, sitting on a little classic baroque chair during rehearsal, I told the stage director that I couldn’t sit there, it will explode. He said ‘no, don’t worry I will reinforce it with iron.’ During rehearsal Tosca sang close to me while I was sitting on the chair. She put her hand on my leg, it was fine. On the night of the performance, she was more exuberant, and sat on me. They are still looking for the chair. And that was the premiere.”

“For many years I always dream that I am in my dressing room, in underpants and the orchestra begins to play. And I wake with a jump. Once in the Paris opera, I prepared for an 8 p.m. start, but at 7 p.m., the opera began … and I was in my underpants. It was an incredible night.”

“I’m a very lucky man. I’m not selling anything but music.”

“I take it day by day, I never make plans. I do what is demanded of me. … If it comes to me and I like it, I go. I have been singing for 41 years, and for the last 10, I have

been making music outside opera. Now I’m able to take it to people who never knew this music existed. We had a concert in China and millions got to watch it. We cannot do that in an opera house. Some people are afraid of opera music. But once they know, they are not afraid anymore.”

“The word commercial is exactly what we want. We’ve reached 1.5 billion people with opera (with the Three Tenors concerts). If you want to use the word commercial, or something more derogatory, we don’t care. Use whatever you want.”

“First of all, I never sang for legend. I sang for the composer first of all. Secondly, if there is a legend, the Three Tenors concerts make the legend more.”

“When I go on stage by myself, I try to be good. When I go on stage with the tenors, I try to be better!”

“Some say the word ‘pop’ is a derogatory word to say ‘not important’ — I do not accept that. If the word ‘classic’ is the word to say ‘boring,’ I do not accept. There is good and bad music.”

“I want to give something back to the younger generation. Teaching I think is the most difficult thing; teaching is more difficult than singing. Why? Because you have to transfer a thought from your brain to the brain of the other person and the throat of the other person. I want to teach people who really are good.”

“I won’t give the twins anything more than I gave my three daughters. Of course, back then, my career was in full swing. This time I will have more time to devote to my children.” (A baby boy died during childbirth, the girl, Alice survived.)

“Alice was born during the making of this record (Ti Adoro). She has inspired me so much. I dedicate this record to her.”

“Now I only need God’s help — and it really seems to me that he is giving it to me.”

“I cannot live being thought not a good person.”

“I was a fortunate and happy man. After that, this blow arrived (pancreatic cancer). And now I am paying the penalty for this fortune and happiness.”

Pavarotti recordings can be found here.