Baker's Trick...

Old Baker's Trick

Whenever you are entertaining, and want your cake to look like it came right out of a bakery, use a crumb coat. A crumb coat is an old baker's trick that seals moisture in a cake and also makes frosting the cake much easier. Basically it's a thin layer of frosting applied to a completely cooled cake. Allow this layer to set before you frost and decorate the cake. When the final frosting is applied, it is virtually crumb-free, since any loose crumbs have been already sealed in the crumb coat. Give it a try the next time you make a cake—for professional-looking results!

Good To Know! V...

Matching The Pill To The Pain

***Please consult your doctor before taking any medication!

• 1-HEADACHE First choice: Acetaminophen. Pain relievers that also offer caffeine may offer added benefit. Second choice: Aspirin or ibuprofen
• 2-EARACHE First choice: Acetaminophen Secondo choice: Ibuprofen
• 3-BACKACHE First choice: Ibuprofen Second choice: Acetaminophen or naproxen
• 4-MESTRUAL CRAMPS First choice: Ibufen Second choice: Naproxen
• 5-FEVER First choice: Acetaminophen Second choice: Aspirin (but never for children under 18 years)
• 6-SUNBURN First choice: Ibuprofen Second choice: Acetaminophen
• 7-TOOTHACHE First choice: Ibuprofen Second choice: Alternate ibuprofen with acetaminophen until you get to the dentist.
• 8-OSTEOARTHRITIS PAIN First choice: Acetaminophen. Since this is a chronic condition and medication must be taken long term, acetaminophen offers the safest relief. Second choice: Ibuprofen or naproxen
• 9-MUSCLE STRAIN (OVERUSE) First choice: Acetaminophen Second choice: Ibuprofen or naproxen
• 10-MINOR SPRAIN First choice: Ibuprofen is especially good if there's swelling, plus the usual RICE drill-rest, ice,compression and elevation. Second choice: Acetaminophen

Good To Know! IV...

9 Common Travel Scenarios

Here's the first thing you should do when you wind up lost, check into a hotel, enter a historic site, and other travel situations.

• 1-When you get out your suitcase:Update the luggage tags. Remove your home address and add your cell-phone number. Most of us dutifully write our full name, home phone, and home address on our tags, but that reveals too much personal information, says Anne McAlpin, a packing expert and the author of "Pack It Up: The Essential Guide to Organized Travel." Instead, print your first initial and last name — a safety precaution for women, since it doesn’t signal your sex or that you might have jewelry in your bag. Second, leave off your home address. It tells a potentially unscrupulous baggage handler, “No one’s home at this address.” Third, instead of including a home phone (which isn’t much use when you’re not home), include your email address and your cell- phone number. Other information to include on the airline’s paper bag tags (which you can update for each trip): a phone number for (1) your first hotel and (2) a friend or a relative at home who can reach you.
• 2-When your flight gets canceled: Avoid the long line at the airline counter. Instead, call your carrier’s reservations number. You may get faster help by contacting the airline directly, says Peter Greenberg, NBC’s travel editor and the author of "The Complete Travel Detective Bible. Politely ask to be rebooked on the next available flight. If it’s going to be a long wait, ask the representative to transfer your ticket to another airline with a more immediate flight. Although not all carriers are required to do this, some agents can work it out. Stranded overnight? Ask about meal or hotel vouchers. (Every airline has a different policy.) By the way, the possibility of a delay is a good reason to avoid flights later in the day, since there will be fewer same-day rebooking options, says Greenberg.
• 3-When your bag goes missing: File an in-person report at the baggage-claim office right away. If your trip has just begun, ask for a toiletries kit or a voucher for necessities. When you fill out claim paperwork, get a copy of it and write down the direct phone number for the baggage office; you don’t want to call the airline’s 800 number to follow up, says Marybeth Bond, the author of Best Girlfriends Getaways Worldwide. Then carry on with your trip. “In most cases, it’s the airline’s responsibility to deliver your bag to you when it arrives — even if you’re hundreds of miles away from the airport,” says Bond.
• 4-When you check in to a hotel: Request a room below the eighth floor, far from construction, and on a floor with a booster pump. Why below the eighth floor? It’s a scary thought, but in case of, say, a fire, the fire department is equipped to reach you more quickly than folks on the upper floors, says travel editor Peter Greenberg. As for booster pumps, “high-rise hotels have trouble maintaining consistently great water pressure on all their floors, so every few floors they install booster pumps,” explains Greenberg. “You want to be on one of those floors so the pressure in your shower is as strong as a fire hose’s.”
• 5-When you enter a historic attraction: Ask the staff for advice about special exhibits, must-see artifacts, and unusual features. Staff — or, in a pinch, security guards — can often point out little-known gems the guidebooks miss. They might even suggest a way for you to tour the facility (“Go to the third floor and work your way back down”) without getting swept up in the crowds, says tour guide Dave Fox. Another tip: Hit popular sites at lunchtime, rather than first thing in the morning, when tour buses arrive.
• 6-When you walk into your hotel room: Fully check it out (turn on the air conditioner, the shower, the TV) before you unpack, in case you need to switch rooms. Better yet, ask to examine the room thoroughly before you register, in case something isn’t to your liking, says Jessica Singerman, a Trek Travel guide who leads group tours in Europe and Central America. This isn’t rude; it’s just savvy. Prefer a room that isn’t next to the elevator? Ask. Once you’re satisfied, Greenberg suggests a quick cleaning: Wipe the TV remote and the phone handset with disinfecting wipes. Finally, clean water glasses in hot water, in case the housekeeper forgot to replace them after the last guest checked out.
• 7-When you’re offered a local delicacy that makes your stomach turn: Suck it up: Try a small bite. Let go of preconceived notions and just try it, says travel guide Jessica Singerman. You might enjoy it. At worst, you can smile after tasting it and say, “My, that’s interesting.” The locals will probably appreciate your willingness to try something new. The only exception is when you’re offered food that may not have been stored or cooked properly — a common concern in street markets. Don’t risk your health; simply smile and say, “No thanks.”
• 8-When you find yourself lost: Sit down or duck into a café so you can look at your map without looking like, well, a tourist. Sitting down gives you a few minutes to get calm and avoid becoming a target for pickpockets, says Desiree Reyes of Backroads, who led cycling and sports-travel tours for six years. “I always attach a little compass to my belt loop so I can figure out which way is which,” says Reyes. If you still can’t get your bearings, ask a local for help. In a foreign country, college-age folks can be your best bet, since they have probably studied English.
• 9-When you get sick in a foreign country: Enlist the help of your hotel concierge. Hotel staffers often deal with ill guests and can help you get care more quickly — the name of an English-speaking doctor who makes room calls, a cab to the emergency room, or a suggestion for an over-the-counter drug for a minor illness. Many health-insurance plans also have overseas phone numbers of representatives who can provide a list of nearby doctors or pharmacists.

Good To Know! III....

Allergy Alert

Dr. Mao's Secrets: Itchy, watery eyes, running nose, an aching head, and sinus congestion. Sound familiar? You may be among the 37 million people in the United States who suffer from allergic rhinitis or sinusitis. Consider combating your springtime woes naturally with these time-tested self-healing techniques.Allergens in the AirWhen your sinuses, the air-filled hollow cavities around your nose and nasal passages, become inflamed, fluid can accumulate and interfere with normal drainage of mucus in the sinuses. This condition is known as acute sinusitis. The result? You may have trouble breathing through your nose and feel your eyes and facial tissue swell up. Your symptoms may include a headache, fever, a nagging cough, post-nasal drip, thick green or yellow discharge, and a feeling of facial "fullness" that gets worse when you lean forward; during a severe sinus infection, some people even experience a toothache.This uncomfortable condition has many possible causes, including bacterial, viral, and fungal infections, allergies, or a deviated septum. Synonymous with spring, allergic rhinitis, commonly called hay fever, is the inflammatory result of your immune system's overreaction to allergens in the air. Pollen is one famous offender. Other allergens include dirt, pollution, animal hair, food particles cloth fibers, and mold. Surprising Secrets for Sinus HealthHere are some all-natural ways to gain freedom from sinus suffering. • Clear your sinuses and your mind with a steamy stovetop spa. Add a few drops of wintergreen oil to a pot of boiling water and inhale the steam. Take care not to be burned by the vapor. • Herbs and spices like ginger, scallion, basil, garlic, oregano, cayenne peppers, white pepper, horseradish and turmeric will have your sinus passageways unblocked in no time! • The supplement bromelain - a papaya and pineapple-based enzyme - helps reduce histamine release, the body's natural allergic response. • Clear your nasal passageway daily for healthy, happy sinuses. Add 1 tsp of sea salt, 1 drop of oregano oil, and 1 drop of wintergreen to a cup of warm water. Fill a small-spouted squeeze bottle with this warm solution. Squirt into one nostril at a time and blow out through the nose. Alternate nostrils. • Press one clove of garlic, mix with 1 tsp of olive oil and soak a clean cotton ball with the oil mixture and place in nostrils after having washed the nostril with warm salt water. Leave in for 20 minutes and repeat three times a day until the symptoms clear up.• These two simple self-massage practices that follow are incredibly effective for relieving sinus congestion. For both, sit at the tip of a sturdy chair with your back erect, spine stretched, and your head tilted slightly forward. 1. Inhale and gently press your forehead just inside the temples with your palms. Exhale and release. Repeat three times. 2. Cross your middle and index fingers by placing the tips of your middle fingers on top of the fingernails on your index fingers. Rub the sides of your nose 36 times in a circular motion, warming your fingers first if they're cold. What you eat affects your sinus health Avoid the foods that produce mucous and dampness: dairy products, cold and raw foods, corn (including corn syrup), and simple sugars. Choose whole grains like quinoa, amaranth and brown rice instead of wheat, rye and barley, which are typically high allergy grains. Opt for papaya, cranberries, pear, pineapple, cherries, mango, and citrus fruits. Eat more green vegetables such as artichoke, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, and spinach. Both alcohol and smoking should be avoided during a sinus flare-up as they irritate the respiratory tract and worsen nasal inflammation. Also, sinus congestion is often worse with lack of quality rest so be sure to get plenty of sleep and keep your stress level low.I hope that you find the ways to keep your sinuses clear and freely flowing.

Good to Know! II...

Experts now recommend hands-only CPR

You can skip the mouth-to-mouth breathing and just press on the chest to save a life. In a major change, the American Heart Association said Monday that hands-only CPR — rapid, deep presses on the victim's chest until help arrives — works just as well as standard CPR for sudden cardiac arrest in adults. Experts hope bystanders will now be more willing to jump in and help if they see someone suddenly collapse. Hands-only CPR is simpler and easier to remember and removes a big barrier for people skittish about the mouth-to-mouth breathing. "You only have to do two things. Call 911 and push hard and fast on the middle of the person's chest," said Dr. Michael Sayre, an emergency medicine professor at Ohio State University who headed the committee that made the recommendation. Hands-only CPR calls for uninterrupted chest presses — 100 a minute — until paramedics take over or an automated external defibrillator is available to restore a normal heart rhythm. This action should be taken only for adults who unexpectedly collapse, stop breathing and are unresponsive. The odds are that the person is having cardiac arrest — the heart suddenly stops — which can occur after a heart attack or be caused by other heart problems. In such a case, the victim still has ample air in the lungs and blood and compressions keep blood flowing to the brain, heart and other organs. A child who collapses is more likely to primarily have breathing problems — and in that case, mouth-to-mouth breathing should be used. That also applies to adults who suffer lack of oxygen from a near-drowning, drug overdose, or carbon monoxide poisoning. In these cases, people need mouth-to-mouth to get air into their lungs and bloodstream. But in either case, "Something is better than nothing," Sayre said. The CPR guidelines had been inching toward compression-only. The last update, in 2005, put more emphasis on chest pushes by alternating 30 presses with two quick breaths; those "unable or unwilling" to do the breaths could do presses alone. Now the heart association has given equal standing to hands-only CPR. Those who have been trained in traditional cardiopulmonary resuscitation can still opt to use it. Sayre said the association took the unusual step of making the changes now — the next update wasn't due until 2010 — because three studies last year showed hands-only was as good as traditional CPR. Hands-only will be added to CPR training. An estimated 310,000 Americans die each year of cardiac arrest outside hospitals or in emergency rooms. Only about 6 percent of those who are stricken outside a hospital survive, although rates vary by location. People who quickly get CPR while awaiting medical treatment have double or triple the chance of surviving. But less than a third of victims get this essential help. Dr. Gordon Ewy, who's been pushing for hands-only CPR for 15 years, said he was "dancing in the streets" over the heart association's change even though he doesn't think it goes far enough. Ewy (pronounced AY-vee) is director of the University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center in Tucson, where the compression-only technique was pioneered. Ewy said there's no point to giving early breaths in the case of sudden cardiac arrest, and it takes too long to stop compressions to give two breaths — 16 seconds for the average person. He noted that victims often gasp periodically anyway, drawing in a little air on their own. Anonymous surveys show that people are reluctant to do mouth-to-mouth, Ewy said, partly because of fear of infections. "When people are honest, they're not going to do it," he said. "It's not only the yuck factor." In recent years, emergency service dispatchers have been coaching callers in hands-only CPR rather than telling them how to alternate breaths and compressions. "They love it. It's less complicated and the outcomes are better," said Dallas emergency medical services chief Dr. Paul Pepe, who also chairs emergency medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. One person who's been spreading the word about hands-only CPR is Temecula, Calif., chiropractor Jared Hjelmstad, who helped save the life of a fellow health club member in Southern California Hjelmstad, 40, had read about it in a medical journal and used it on Garth Goodall, who collapsed while working out at their gym in February. Hjelmstad's 15-year-old son Josh called 911 in the meantime. Hjelmstad said he pumped on Goodall's chest for more than 12 minutes — encouraged by Goodall's intermittent gasps — until paramedics arrived. He was thrilled to find out the next day that Goodall had survived. On Sunday, he visited Goodall in the hospital where he is recovering from triple bypass surgery. "After this whole thing happened, I was on cloud nine," said Hjelmstad. "I was just fortunate enough to be there." Goodall, a 49-year-old construction contractor, said he had been healthy and fit before the collapse, and there'd been no hint that he had clogged heart arteries. "I was lucky," he said. Had the situation been reversed, "I wouldn't have known what to do." "It's a second lease on life," he added.

From:http://health.yahoo.com/news/ap/hands_only_cpr.html

Just For Fun....

This is one of my all time favorite movies!!

After years of setbacks and renewed efforts to start production and a quarter of a century after the first book was published, the big-screen adaptation of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was finally shot. Pre-production began in 2003, filming began on 19 April 2004 and post-production began in early September of 2004. After a London premiere on 20 April 2005, it was released on 28 April in the UK and Australia, 29 April in the United States and Canada, and 29 July in South Africa. (A full list of release dates is available at the IMDb.) The movie stars Martin Freeman as Arthur, Mos Def as Ford, Sam Rockwell as President of the Galaxy Zaphod Beeblebrox and Zooey Deschanel as Trillian, with Alan Rickman providing the voice of Marvin the Paranoid Android (and Warwick Davis acting in Marvin's costume), and Stephen Fry as the voice of the Guide/Narrator. The plot of the film adaptation of Hitchhiker's Guide differs widely from that of the radio show, book and television series. The romantic triangle between Arthur, Zaphod, and Trillian is more prominent in the plot; and visits to Vogsphere, the homeworld of the Vogons (in the books it was already abandoned), and Viltvodle VI are inserted. The film covers roughly events in the first four radio episodes, and ends with the characters en route to the Restaurant at the End of the Universe, leaving the opportunity for a sequel open. Reactions to the film were mixed, both within and outside fandom. Some fans felt essential elements of the humour and philosophy had been lost in the adaptation, and the introduction of a romantic subplot was an unnecessary Hollywoodism, whereas criticism from some reviewers held that the film had good intentions but the pacing was problematic. It is therefore considered by many that the humour and philosophy elements were purposefully slanted more towards the American market and to work within the confines of a roughly two hour film, and hence, the story was reworked by Adams as such. Commercially the film was a modest success, taking $21 million in its opening weekend in the United States, and nearly £3.3 million in its opening weekend in the United Kingdom. The film was released on DVD (Region 2, PAL) in the UK on 5 September 2005. Both a standard double disc edition and a UK-exclusive numbered limited edition "Giftpack" were released on this date. The "Giftpack" edition includes a copy of the novel with a "movie tie-in" cover, and collectible prints from the film, packaged in a replica of the film's version of the Hitchhiker's Guide prop. A single disc widescreen or full-screen edition were made available in the USA and Canada on 13 September 2005.

From:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hitchhiker's_Guide_to_the_Galaxy

Curiosities II...

The New 7 Wonders of the World

• New Seven Wonders of the World is a project that attempts to revive the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World concept with a list of modern wonders. A popularity poll was organized by the private New 7 Wonders Foundation, with winners announced on July 7, 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal.
• And here are the winners in alphabetical order:

• Chichen Itza from Yucatec Maya: "At the mouth of the well of the Itza" is a large pre-Columbian archaeological site built by the Maya civilization located in the northern center of the Yucatán Peninsula, in the Yucatán state, present-day Mexico. Chichen Itza was a major regional center in the northern Maya lowlands from the Late Classic through the Terminal Classic and into the early portion of the Early Postclassic period. The site exhibits a multitude of architectural styles, from what is called “Mexicanized” and reminiscent of styles seen in central Mexico to the Puuc style found among the Puuc Maya of the northern lowlands. The presence of central Mexican styles was once thought to have been representative of direct migration or even conquest from central Mexico, but most contemporary interpretations view the presence of these non-Maya styles more as the result of cultural diffusion. Archaeological data, such as evidence of burning at a number of important structures and architectural complexes, suggest that Chichen Itza's collapse was violent. Following the decline of Chichen Itza's hegemony, regional power in the Yucatán shifted to a new center at Mayapan. The ruins of Chichen Itza are federal property, and the site’s stewardship is maintained by Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, INAH). The land under the monuments, however, is privately-owned by the Barbachano family.
• Christ the Redeemer (Portuguese: O Cristo Redentor), is a statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The statue stands 39.6 metres (130 ft) tall, weighs 700 tons, and is located at the peak of the 700 m (2,296 ft) Corcovado mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park overlooking the city. A symbol of Christianity, the statue has become an icon of Rio and Brazil.
• The idea for erecting a large statue atop Corcovado had been around since mid 1850s, when Catholic priest Pedro Maria Boss requested financing from Princess Isabel to build a large religious monument. Princess Isabel did not think much of the idea, which was completely dismissed in 1889, when Brazil became a Republic, with laws mandating the separation of church and state. The second proposal for a large landmark statue on the mountain was made in 1921 by the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro. The archdiocese organized an event called Semana do Monumento ("Monument Week") to attract donations. The donations came mostly from Brazilian Catholics. The designs considered for the "Statue of the Christ" included a representation of the Christian cross, a statue of Jesus with a globe in his hands, and a pedestal symbolizing the world. The statue of Christ the Redeemer with open arms was chosen.
• Christ the Redeemer with Corcovado in background. Local engineer Heitor da Silva Costa designed the statue; it was sculpted by Paul Landowski, a French monument sculptor of Polish origin. A group of engineers and technicians studied Landowski's submissions and the decision was made to build the structure out of reinforced concrete (designed by Albert Caquot) instead of steel, more suitable for the cross-shaped statue. The outer layers are soapstone, chosen for its enduring qualities and ease of use. Construction took nine years — from 1922 to 1931 and the monument was opened on October 12, 1931. The cost of the monument was $250,000, and the statue was lit by a battery of floodlights triggered remotely by shortwave radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi, stationed 5,700 miles (9,200 km) away in Rome.
• The Colosseum or Coliseum, originally the Flavian Amphitheatre (Latin: Amphitheatrum Flavium, Italian Anfiteatro Flavio or Colosseo), is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire. It is one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering.
• Occupying a site just east of the Roman Forum, its construction started between 70 and 72 AD under the emperor Vespasian and was completed in 80 AD under Titus, with further modifications being made during Domitian's reign (81–96). The name "Amphitheatrum Flavium" derives from both Vespasian's and Titus's family name (Flavius, from the gens Flavia).
• Originally capable of seating around 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. It remained in use for nearly 500 years with the last recorded games being held there as late as the 6th century. As well as the traditional gladiatorial games, many other public spectacles were held there, such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building eventually ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such varied purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry and a Christian shrine.
• Although it is now in a ruined condition due to damage caused by earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum has long been seen as an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome. Today it is one of modern Rome's most popular tourist attractions and still has close connections with the Roman Catholic Church, as each Good Friday the Pope leads a torchlit "Way of the Cross" procession to the amphitheatre.
• The Colosseum is also depicted on the Italian version of the five-cent euro coin.
• The Great Wall of China (literally "Long wall") is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in China, built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire during the rule of successive dynasties. Several walls, referred to as the Great Wall of China, were built since the 5th century BC. The most famous is the wall built between 200 BC - 220 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang; little of it remains; it was much farther north than the current wall, which was built during the Ming Dynasty. The Great Wall stretches over approximately 6,400 km (4,000 miles) from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia, but stretches to over 6,700 km (4,160 miles) in total. At its peak, the Ming Wall was guarded by more than one million men. It has been estimated that somewhere in the range of 2 to 3 million Chinese died as part of the centuries-long project of building the wall.
• Machu Picchu (Quechua: Machu Picchu, "Old Peak") is a pre-Columbian Inca site located 2,400 meters (7,875 ft) above sea level. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, which is 80 km (50 mi) northwest of Cuzco. Often referred to as "The Lost City of the Incas", Machu Picchu is probably the most familiar symbol of the Inca Empire. It was built around the year 1450, but abandoned a hundred years later, at the time of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire. Forgotten for centuries, the site was brought to worldwide attention in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, an American historian. Since then, Machu Picchu has become an important tourist attraction. It was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Machu Picchu was built in the classical Inca style, with polished dry-stone walls. Its primary buildings are the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun, and the Room of the Three Windows. These are located in what is known by archaeologists as the Sacred District of Machu Picchu. In September of 2007, Peru and Yale University reached an agreement regarding the return of artifacts which Hiram Bingham had removed from Machu Picchu in the early 20th century. Currently, there are concerns about the impact of tourism on the site as it reached 400,000 visitors in 2003.

• Petra (from πέτρα "petra", rock in Greek; Arabic: البتراء, Al-Butrā) is an archaeological site in Arabah, Aqaba Governorate, Jordan, lying on the slope of Mount Hor in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. It is renowned for its rock-cut architecture. The site remained unknown to the Western world until 1812, when it was discovered by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. It was famously described as "a rose-red city half as old as time" in a Newdigate prize-winning sonnet by John William Burgon. UNESCO has described it as "one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage."
• The Taj Mahal (pronounced /tɑʒ mə'hɑl/) (Persian: تاج محل, Devanagari: ताज महल) is a mausoleum located in Agra, India, that was built under Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal (also "the Taj") is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Turkish, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was cited as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage." While the white domed marble and tile mausoleum is most familiar, Taj Mahal is an integrated symmetric complex of structures that was completed around 1648. Ustad Ahmad Lahauri is generally considered as the principal designer of Taj Mahal.
• From:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

Good to Know! I

Over 70 Uses for Vinegar - Health, Cleaning & More

Using Vinegar for BEAUTY, HAIR & BATH:

1. In your bathwater.Add ½ cup of vinegar or so to warm bath water when bathing and get double benefits – softer skin and a cleaner bathtub with less work!
2. Hair Conditioner: vinegar makes a simple, inexpensive conditioner for your hair and helps remove the sticky stuff shampoo can leave behind. About a tablespoon will do it.
3. Dandruff Treatment: Simply pour a few Tablespoons of vinegar on your hair and massage into your scalp. Wait a few minutes, then rinse and wash hair like normal. Try this for a few days until you see results.
4. Weight Loss: Vinegar naturally helps to remove fat from the body - apple cider vinegar is especially good for this. Drink some in a glass of water a few times a day, and add a little lemon or honey for a nicer flavor. This will also help reduce your appetite.
5. Cracked, dry skin: Smooth a little vinegar on dried skin to help it heal.
6. Clean dentures: Soak dentures overnight in Heinz White Vinegar, then brush away tartar with a toothbrush.
7. Facial spritzer: mix 1/2 apple cider vinegar and 1/2 water into a spray bottle. Refreshing!
8. Hair Cleanser: Take 1 cup of vinegar and warm water into a large glass and use to rinse your hair after you shampoo. Vinegar adds highlights to brunette hair, restores the acid mantel, and removes soap film and sebum oil.
9. Longer lasting pantyhose: Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the rinse water when washing and your pantyhose will last longer!
10. Toenail Fungus: Treatment: Another use for vinegar.......Soak your feet in a strong solution of vinegar and water at least daily to get rid of toenail fungus.

Using Vinegar for CLEANING

1. Cleans Glass: Mixed with water or simply sprayed full-strength on glass and mirrors, vinegar does a great job quickly and easily. Simply wipe windows dry with crumpled-up newspapers and watch your windows sparkle.
2. Clean your car: Use it full-strength to polish car chrome with a cloth and see it shine! Use it on your car’s windshield and windows, too.
3. Cleans drinking glasses: Soak cloudy drinking glasses in warmed white vinegar for a few hours to remove the film, simply wipe clean, rinse, and dry.
4. Clean your washing machine: Periodically run a gallon of distilled vinegar through your washing machine to clean it thoroughly, get rid of soap scum, and clear out the hoses. Run the machine through the warm water wash cycle empty and then add the vinegar during the rinse cycle.
5. Furniture Polish: Make your own furniture polish with one part vinegar and three parts lemon oil or olive oil.
6. Remove price tags or stickers: Paint them with several coats of vinegar and let it soak in. Depending what you are removing them off of is whether they'll slide off easily or require a little heavier rubbing.
7. Clean your IRON: Put vinegar in the water holder and let it steam itself clean. Remember to flush it with water when you are done.
8. Clean paintbrushes: Simmer paintbrushes in pure vinegar, then wash in hot soapy water.
9. Wash walls: Wipe down your walls with a vinegar-water mixture and it will help absorb odors and clean the surfaces.
10. Remove spots from glass: Use a vinegar-soaked cloth to remove spots from any glassware or crystal.
11. Unclog drains: Pour boiling white vinegar down clogged drains to remove the clog!
12. Clean jars: Remove odors and stains from jars by cleaning them out with vinegar.
13. Clean an old lunchbox: Soak a piece of bread in vinegar and let it sit in the lunchbox over night.
14. Clean and deodorize a garbage disposal: Make vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the disposal. After grinding, run cold water through
15. Teapot cleaning: Boil a mixture of water and vinegar in the teapot. Wipe away the grime.
16. Dishwasher cleaning: Run a cup of vinegar through the whole cycle once a month to reduce soap build up on the inner mechanisms and on glassware.
17. Microwaves: Boil a solution of 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave. Will loosen splattered on food and deodorize.
18. Remove smoke smells from clothing: Add a cup of vinegar to a bath tub of hot water. Hang clothes above the steam.
19. Clean eyeglasses: Wipe each lens with a drop of vinegar.
20. Remove stains from furniture and upholstery: Remove stubborn stains from furniture upholstery and clothes. Apply Heinz White Vinegar directly to the stain, then wash as directed by the manufacturer's instructions.
21. Natural air deodorizer: Heinz Vinegar is a natural air freshener when sprayed in a room.
22. Remove rust: Soak the rusted tool, bolt, or spigot in undiluted Heinz White Vinegar overnight.
23. Toilet bowl: Pour in one cup of Heinz White Vinegar, let it stand for five minutes, and flush.
24. Brighten fabrics: Add a 1/2 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle.
25. Natural cleaning wipes: A cloth soaked with vinegar for sanitizing kitchen counters, stove, and bathroom surfaces. This is just as effective as the anti-bacterial products and does not promote resistant strains like the commercial products can, this is also a cheaper and greener way to protect your loved ones.
26. Remove lint from laundry: Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.
27. Remove grease from suede: Dip a toothbrush in vinegar and gently brush over grease spot.
28. Remove perspiration stains from clothing: Apply one part vinegar to four parts water, then rinse.
29. Clean coffee or tea stains from china: A mixture of salt and vinegar will clean coffee and tea stains from chinaware.
30. Clean coffeepots and coffee makers: Vinegar can help to dissolve mineral deposits that collect in automatic drip coffee makers. Fill the reservoir with vinegar and run it through a brewing cycle. Rinse thoroughly with water when the cycle is finished.
31. Fabric Softener Replacement: Use vinegar in place of fabric softener in the laundry. Use the same amount as fabric softener plus twice the amount of water (so 2 parts water, 1 part vinegar) and put it in the fabric softener dispenser. Clothes come out soft and scent free. It also helps reduce static!
32. General Household Cleaner: Keep some vinegar diluted in a spray bottle. Use this for wiping down counter tops (at night only so smell goes away) and cleaning up carpet stains in combo with Oxygen Cleaner (generic OxyClean).
33. Removes smoke stains from walls: To remove nicotine from walls before painting, always use vinegar in hot water. Will remove stains and the nicotine will not bleed through the paint. It is especially good in bathrooms, where there is a lot of steam from showers. Be very careful to use rubber gloves because the nicotine will absorb into the skin and you will get the same effect as smoking.

Using Vinegar for FOOD & COOKING

1. Cheese Storage: Cheese will last longer if you store it in a vinegar-soaked cloth.
2. Whiter Cauliflower: Add a teaspoon or so of white vinegar to your cooking water while cooking cauliflower - it will retain a whiter color.
3. Ketchup: Only have a little ketchup left in the bottle? Add a bit of vinegar and give it a good shake and you'll have a bit more!
4. Boiling Eggs: Add a bit of white vinegar to the water you're boiling your eggs in, and the shells won't crack.
5. Cooking Cabbage: Add a bit of vinegar to the water you're cooking your cabbage in to remove that stinky cabbage smell.
6. Fluffier Meringues: Add 1 teaspoon vinegar for every three egg whites and you'll have fluffier meringues.
7. Tenderize Meat: Soak in vinegar over night.
8. Unsticky Rice: To cook rice without sticking add a spoon full of vinegar in it.
9. Remove onion odors from skin: Eliminate onion odor by rubbing vinegar on your fingers before and after slicing.
10. Disinfect/clean cutting boards: Clean and disinfect wood cutting boards by wiping with full strength vinegar.
11. Make buttermilk: Add a tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of milk and let it stand 5 minutes to thicken.
12. Potato Cooking Water: Add 1 teaspoon to the water when you are boiling potatoes to avoid them going black. Note this does not apply to potatoes that are freshly dug or new. This works on potatoes that have been in storage over the winter.

Using Vinegar for GARDENING & YARD

1. Clay Pot Cleaning: Remove white salt buildup on old clay pots by soaking them in full strength vinegar.
2. Kills grass: Undiluted vinegar will kill grass between bricks and sidewalk cracks.
3. Kills weeds: Spray full strength on weeds - be careful not to spray it on the surrounding grass as it will kill that too.
4. Deter Ants: Spray vinegar around doors, appliances, and along other areas where ants are known to gather.
5. Keep Cats Away: Sprinkle vinegar on areas you don't want the cat walking, sleeping, or scratching on.
6. Freshen Cut Flowers: Add 2 tablespoons vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar for each quart of water.

Using Vinegar for HEALTH

1. Suffering from a sore throat? Mix a teaspoon vinegar with a glass of water. Gargle with the mixture and then swallow.
2. Remove calluses: Try soaking your feet in a combination of white vinegar and warm water nightly and watch your feet soften noticeably.
3. Sunburned Skin: Soak a washcloth in vinegar and gently apply it to sunburned skin for cool relief. Reapply as needed as it evaporates. Besides sunburn, vinegar also soothes the itch and irritation of bee stings!
4. Arthritis Tonic: Two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water, several times a day.
5. Jellyfish Stings: Dot the irritation with vinegar and relieve itching.
6. Sinus Infections and Head Colds: Add 1/4 cup or more vinegar to the vaporizer.
7. Wart Removal: Mix one part Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar to one part glycerin into a lotion and apply daily to warts until they dissolve.
8. Soothe an upset stomach: Drink two teaspoons Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar in one cup water to soothe an upset stomach.
9. Mosquito bites: Use a cotton ball to dab mosquito and other bug bites with Heinz Vinegar straight from the bottle.

Using Vinegar for PETS & ANIMALS

1. Pet's drinking water: Add a teaspoon of vinegar to your pet's drinking water to encourage a shinier coat, and reduce odor.
2. Remove skunk odor: Use vinegar straight to remove skunk odor from your pet's fur.
3. Stop your cat's scratching furniture: Sprinkle or spray vinegar on areas you don't want the cat scratching on.
4. Fish bowl cleaner: Eliminate that ugly deposit in the gold fish tank by rubbing it with a cloth dipped in vinegar and rinsing well.
5. Remove pet stains from carpets: Blot up urine with a soft cloth, flush several times with lukewarm water, then apply a mixture of equal parts vinegar and cool water. Blot up, rinse, and let dry.
6. Clean pets cages: Use a mixture of 50% White Vinegar and 50% Water in a spray bottle to clean pet cages. It disinfects and deodorizes it and is much cheaper than the commercial products.
7. Stops dogs scratching: The cat scratch tip works for dogs as well.

From: http://www.kitchencraftsnmore.net/vinegar.html

Food for thought III

Top Diet Myths Exposed

• Myth 1: Potatoes and bread are fattening.
• Actually: It's just the opposite. Starchy vegetables and bread (whole-grain bread, that is) are quality carbs needed to fuel every part of you, from your brain to your muscles. Where you can get into trouble is how you eat them: Smear butter on a slice of whole wheat bread or deep-fry potatoes and you can double, triple, or quadruple their calories.

• Myth 2: Drinking a glass of water before a meal curbs appetite.
• Actually: Yes and no. Water tames appetite if it's incorporated into food, such as soup or a thick drink (think V8 juice). Apparently, when water is bound to food, digestion is slower, explains Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of 10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman's Diet. That's why in one study women found chicken-rice soup more satisfying than chicken-rice casserole and a glass of water--even though the soup had 27% fewer calories! One exception to this rule: Because it's easy to confuse hunger and thirst, if you find yourself craving something--but what?--drink a big glass of water and wait a few minutes. You may find that's what you really wanted.

• Myth 3: Shellfish is high in cholesterol.
• Actually: On one hand it's true, just three ounces of shrimp deliver more than a third of your daily cholesterol, but there's a surprising flip side to this story: Shrimp are low in saturated fat--the kind that becomes artery-clogging bad cholesterol--and they have a smidgeon of heart-healthy omega-3s. In fact, University of Southern California researchers discovered eating shellfish, such as shrimp, every week reduced heart attack risk by 59%!

• Myth 4: The occasional burger and fries won't kill you.
• Actually: If "occasional" means every Friday night, then no. But if it means every few months, and you're fit, and you've got good "numbers" (weight, waist size, cholesterol, blood pressure) AND you're chowing down on vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and other nutritious fare most other days, hey, you'll live. But few of us are that perfect. If you do occasionally indulge? Offset the effects of a fat fiesta with a brisk, 90-minute walk afterward.

• Myth 5: Women naturally gain weight after menopause.
• Actually: While you can blame a lot of things on hormones (from acne to PMS), in this case slowing down physically is far more likely at fault. Study after study has found that older women who exercise regularly and vigorously maintain their girlish figures. What about those charts that say as you get older, you need to eat fewer calories to simply maintain your weight? Same story. The research doesn't show that age (instead of inactivity) accounts for the drop.

• Myth 6: Diet soda is worse than the real thing.
• Actually: Soft drinks now outrank coffee as America's favorite beverage, but we all would be better off switching to water, diluted juice, and green tea than drinking either diet or regular soda. Both increase kidney and heart disease risk, plus they contain acids that erode tooth enamel, inviting cavities.

• Final fact (this one's no myth): Maintaining your weight and body mass index at a desirable level can make your RealAge as much as 6 years younger.

From:http://food.yahoo.com/blog/beautyeats/27317/top-diet-myths-exposed