American flag cake Recipe

For this 4th of july we decided to post a cake recipe on the blog.

American Flag Cake
Print Recipe

2 boxes white cake mix (plus oil and eggs)
Blue and red food coloring

For cream cheese frosting:
1-1/2 pound cream cheese (3 – 8oz. packages, not low fat)
1 pound unsalted butter (4 sticks)
2 pounds powdered sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

  1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease two 8″ cake pans with nonstick spray.
    2. Make cake mixes according to box directions. You will need to make one 8″ blue cake, and three 8″ red cakes. I dyed one batch of cake batter red; I split the other batch in half and dye one half blue and one half red. Try to use as much batter as you can for each cake, because you want to end up with thick cakes.
    3. Bake the 8″ cakes according to box directions. Cool completely before going on to the next step.
    4. The most complicated part of creating this cake is torting the red cakes. Pain. in. the. butt.  I used a large serrated knife to cut the cakes. Torte two of the red cakes so that you end up with 4 or 5 thin and even layers. Try to make the layers as level as possible.
    5. Use a knife to level off the blue cake (remove the “dome” that forms when the cake bakes). After the blue cake as been leveled, cut a hole out of the middle of the cake. I used a large round cookie cutter for this step. Using a round cookie cutter is a good idea because of the sizing consistency it provides. At the end of this step your blue cake should look like a donut — with a hole in the middle.
    6. Use a knife to level off the last red cake. Once the cake is leveled, use the same round cookie cutter to cut a circle out of the red cake. Torte the circle you cut out to get three thin layers.
    7. For the frosting, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Slowly add the cream cheese until you reach the desired consistency. I like thicker frosting, so I always add nearly 2 lbs of powdered sugar.
    8. Time to assemble! Layer the first 4 or 5 full-sized red layers on a cake platter, adding cream cheese icing between each layer. Once the full-sized red layers are assembled, add the blue “donut” to the top. Fill the “donut hole” with the small red slices of cake, adding cream cheese icing in between each. Thoroughly frost the outside of the cake and decorate the top of the cake if you’d like to. I used red and blue frosting to create a spiderweb/fireworks design.
    9. Before cutting into your cake, chill the cake in the refrigerator for a few hours so the frosting can set (and the cake will be easier to cut!).

Flag Cake

For This 4th  OF JULY, WE DECIDED TO SHOW YOU THIS DELICIOUS CAKE MADE OF BLUEBERRIES AND STRAWBERRIES.

INGREDIENTS

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix

Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

1 container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting or Betty Crocker® Whipped vanilla frosting

1/3 cup fresh blueberries

1 pint (2 cups) fresh strawberries, stems removed, strawberries cut in half

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  • Step 1:Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 13×9-inch pan. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
  • Step 2Place cake on tray. Frost top and sides of cake with frosting.
  • Step 3:For flag design, arrange blueberries on upper left corner of frosted cake to create stars; arrange strawberries in rows over frosted cake to create stripes. Serve immediately. Store covered in refrigerator.

BRAZIL: CLAIM FOR YOUR RIGHTS

protesto

“Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed.

If people all over the world…would do this, it would change the earth.”

― William Faulkner

After years of silence, brazilians go back to the streets claiming for their rights.

The last few days, Brazil has been facing massive protests throughout many cities: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Florianopolis among others.

The wave of protests began over a hike in bus prices in São Paulo, but it was also fed by images of police beating demonstrators and firing rubber bullets during a march last week. The video below shows some scenes on June, 13th, when the protests started in São Paulo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG7ISIQcSao

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Besides bus fares, the demands are for a better quality in Public Health and Education systems and Government transparency . The abusive costs of hosting the World Cup, corruption, social inequality, violence are the main issues discussed by demonstrators.

5396_535730313151275_1223376376_nBorn in social networks and claiming for non-violence and for the absence of poltical parties in the streets, this movement has been showing that  Brazil has waken up.

For a detailed review on Brazil protests, check the articles below:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-22992410

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/18/world/americas/thousands-gather-for-protests-in-brazils-largest-cities.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/21/world/americas/brazil-protests.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fworld%2Famericas%2Findex.jsonp

Voices and visions over Brazil protests:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eF62uX3erJc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEXea3fsz80

speak

SPEAK OUT!

We want to know your opinions and visions  about  the protests. 

Do you think there are other ways to protest and claim for your rights? If  yes, tell us more about that.

CALL OF DUTY – BLACK OPS II: I LIKE IT. DO YOU?

Call-of-Duty-Black-Ops-II-Key-Art

Have you ever played Call of Duty 1? Call of Duty Black Ops 2 is even better…

READ HERE  !!!!!!!!! 😀

Call of Duty is a first-person and shooter computer/video game franchise. The series began on the PC, and later expanded to consoles and handhelds. Several spin-off games have also been released. The earlier games in the series are set primarily in World War II, this includes: Call of Duty, Call of Duty 2, and Call of Duty 3. Beginning with Modern Warfare, which is set in modern times, the series has shifted focus away from World War II. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (released November 2007) was followed by Call of Duty: World at War and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Black Ops (released November 2010) takes place in the Cold War, while Modern Warfare 3 (released November 2011) takes place in the near-future setting. Black Ops 2 (released November 2012) takes place in the year 2025.

call of duty death machineCall-of-Duty-Black-Ops-II-Fase-com-cavalos-600x334Call-of-Duty

The Call of Duty games are published and owned by Activision. While the studio Infinity Ward primarily still develops them, Treyarch has also developed several of the titles with the release of the studios’ games interlaced with each other.

Popularity: There are 40 million monthly active players across all of the Call of Duty titles, with 10 million Call of Duty: Elite users and 2 million paying annual members. Over 1.6 billion hours of online gameplay have been logged Modern Warfare 3 since its 2011 release.

Check this nice trailer of Call of Duty Black Ops 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wIZp_E2CxQ

Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_of_Duty

For more info: http://www.gamechup.com/call-of-duty-black-ops-2-prestige-emblems-high-res/

http://www.oxmonline.com/call-duty-black-ops-ii-review?page=0,1

It´s one of my favorite games

I recommend everyone  play this game!!!!

call-of-duty-black-ops-2-prestige-emblems

HAVE YOU EVER PLAYED THIS GAME? HAVE YOU TRIED OTHER VERSIONS OF CALL OF DUTY? HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM?

SHARE WITH US YOUR OPINIONS!

SHERLOCK HOLMES FOR THE BRAIN

English: Sherlock Holmes (r) and Dr. John B. W...

English: Sherlock Holmes (r) and Dr. John B. Watson. Illustration by Sidney Paget from the Sherlock Holmes story The Greek Interpreter.

Sherlock Holmes  is a well-known detective that uses logic and scientific methods to decipher his cases.

holmes 3

SHERLOCK HOLMES (2009)

“With the arrest of Lord Blackwood, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson believe they have stopped one of London’s most dangerous killers, responsible for four deaths and about to commit the fifth when he is apprehended. Several months later he is hanged for his crimes but rumors begin to circulate that he is in fact still alive, because he is seen leaving the tomb where his coffin was left. He managed to escape death using  black arts. When they disinter his remains, they find the body of another man in the coffin. Soon, all of London is terrified with the news that Blackwood has risen from the dead and for some, he is the devil incarnate. With the assistance of the very capable Irene Adler, Holmes and Watson must stop Blackwood before he can initiate his master plan: the takeover of the British government and eventually, world domination. Soon, it becomes a great challenge for the detective that does not believe in any kind of magic.”

Source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0988045/plotsummary

Sherlock Holmes character posters of Robert Downey Jr as Sherlock and Jude Law and Watsonadler holmes

sherlock

A SCENE OF HOLMES’ OBSERVATION:

Sir Thomas: Mr. Holmes, apologies for summoning you like this. I’m sure it’s quite a mystery as to where you are, and who I am…

Sherlock Holmes: As to where I am, I was, admittedly, lost for a moment, between Charing Cross and Holborn, but I was saved by the bread shop on Saffron Hill. The only baker to use a certain French glaze on their loaves – a Brittany sage. After that, the carriage forked left, then right, and then the tell-tale bump at the Fleet Conduit. And as to who you are, that took every ounce of my not-inconsiderable experience. The letters on your desk were addressed to a Sir Thomas Rotherham. Lord Chief Justice, that would be the official title. Who you *really* are is, of course, another matter entirely. Judging by the sacred ox on your ring, you’re the secret head of the Temple of the Four Orders in whose headquarters we now sit, located on the northwest corner of St. James Square, I think. As to the mystery, the only mystery is why you bothered to blindfold me at all.

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SOME OF OUR CRITIC REVIEWS

It is an exciting movie. It’s full of mystery and suspense and the plot is so good that makes you interested in the story. The actors are great. Robert Downey Jr is spectacular as Holmes. Rachel Mcadams is Irene Adler and Jude Law is John Watson. It is definitely one of my favorite movies, because I can watch a hundred times and I never get tired. Sherlock Holmes is a great character and he always entertainments with his power of observation. There are  lots of fight scenes ( it’s amazing his way of thinking in these  parts) and action. I recommend it.

quote holmes

I really like this movie. There are some parts that  I just don´t understand, but in the end I got that. This movie is brilliant, the way he thinks is very interesting. I recommend Sherlock Holmes  for those who likes movies that makes us think. It’s a very good movie.   holmes 2

What about you? Did it make you think?

MINECRAFT: HOW DO YOU LIKE IT?

minecraft

This game is about placing blocks ,fight and avoid the mobs that spawn on the dark, and collect as much items as you can. The world you see around you is all made in cubes, and you can interact with much biomes and characters, like caves, forests and cliffs. When you kill some mob or mine some ore, you earn experience points, that will let you use some locked abilities and items.

Minecraft has two mods: creative and survival. In creative you can fly around the terrain and get infinite blocks in your inventory, to build, destruct and craft. In survival you have a health bar, a hunger bar, and you have to collect blocks to get protected from the mobs that spawn on the night. You can eat some types of items, that will enhance your health bar and your hunger bar.

Some of these features only appear on the PC version. I know it because I play Minecraft Pocket Edition. Lots of people enjoy this game, and some others don´t enjoy. I enjoy it very well.

By G. G.

Welcome

god of war

Hey there!

Here we are writing a little text about our blog.

In this blog we are going to post tutorials, information and gameplay about some types of games for computer and videogames. This includes:

–    God of War

–    Call of Duty

–    Far Cry 3

–    Resident Evil

–    Minecraft

–    Army of Two

–    Assassin`s Creed

If you want us to get some more games, post them on the subscribes.

moviesBesides games, movies, books, food recipes and everything else that means something in our daily lives will be here to be shared!

Hope you enjoy the blog.

The blueplatypus team