Cakes and Puddings for A Happy Christmas

5th RECIPE: MELT N MIX CHRISTMAS PUDDING

500g mixed fruit
125g dates
125g butter
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1.5 cups day-old soft bread crumbs
1 Granny Smith apple
1 cup self raising flour
1/3 cup brandy

      Chop fruit and dates, place in large basin. Melt butter, add to fruit with sugar and eggs, mix well. Stir in breadcrumbs, peeled and coarsely grated apple, sifted flour and brandy; mix well. Boil (or steam in well greased 10 cup capacity basin) for 4 hours. Boil or steam pudding further 2 hours on day of serving.

Cakes and Puddings for A Happy Christmas

4th RECIPE: CHERRY WALNUT CAKE

250g butter   
1 table spoon grated lemon rind  
1.25 cup castor sugar
4 eggs
125g glace cherries
125g walnut pieces
300ml carton sour cream
0.5 tea spoon bicarbonate of soda
2.5 cups plain flour

Cream butter, lemon rind and sugar until light and fluffy, add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, stir in finely chopped cherries and walnuts, then sour cream. Lightly stir in sifted soda and flour into two lots. Divide mixture evenly between two well greased 20cm X 10cm loaf tins, bake in moderately slow oven 1 - 1 hours and 15 minutes, or until cooked when tested. stand 5 minutes before turning on to wire rack to cool. Serve cake dusted with icing sugar. Store cake in air-tight container for up to 1 week, or it can be frozen for up to 1 month.

Unexpected Harvest

Several months ago I threw some orange seeds on to the compost heap in the front yard. Now we have a heap of plants. The fun of this accidental happening is manifold. A bright spot in the garden. Free veggies, the joy of watching something grow, my son even measures one plant's progress and every day  it seems a centimetres bigger. And all this from something that was just thrown away.

The Derwent Valley's Muted Tapestry

A large percentage of the rain that falls on Tasmania flows into the sea along the magnificent Derwent River. Before the river  reaches sea level, it irrigates thousands of hectares of verdant forest and vertile farmlands and provides residents and visitors alike with beautiful scenery.
In 1813, the New Norfolk island settlement, several hundred kilometers north east of Sydney, was abandoned and many displaced islanders were granted land in the Derwent Valley area of the Van Diemen's Land settlement. They built New Forfolk 48 km from Hobart on the Derwent River.
Development hasn't spoiled its rural character and the district retains the quaint atmosphere of a century ago. Many farm properties are built in the style of 1850s. Mellow old homes that sit settings of English trees surrounded by olderly hectares of hop vines, are protected from the wind by tall poplars.
In autumn when the trees are turning to gold, the ever beautiful New Forfolk districts become a sight that you'll always remember.

Treating Nose Bleeds

Any nose bleed that keeps on keeping on requires proper medical attention. It sometimes heralds the onset of disease, and leukimia must be considered, particularly in older person. Fortunately most are due to simple causes. This is usually the case for youngsters. Frequent bumping when at play is the usual cause. The scab may form, only to be dislodged again a few days later. Picking and fiddling with fingers is another common reason in children. During spring and summer when airborne pollens abound, allergies are common. These lead to an itchy nose and the desire to rub the nostrils. Cold and nasal infections increase the blood supply and also the risk of bleeding. Recurrences should be checked out by the family doctor or ear, nose and throat specialist. Sometimes cautery of the offending blood vessel will effect a prompt and lasting cure. It is usually the same vessel each time in small region just inside the nose called Little's Area. Firm, even pressure for 10 minutes using the thumbs and forefinger will usually stop most nose bleeds.

Cakes and Puddings for A Happy Christmas

3rd RECIPE: IRISH FRUIT CAKE

375g raisins
375g sultanas
90g glace cherries
90g dates
60g prunes
30g glace pineapple
60g mixed peel
1 tea spoon grated lemon rind
1 tea spoon grated orange rind
2 table spoons lemon juice
0.25 cup orange juice
0.33 cup whisky
0.5 small green apple
30g walnut pieces
60g ground almonds
185g butter
0.75 cup castor sugar
3 eggs
1.5 cups plain flour
0.25 tea spoon nutmeg
0.5 tea spoon cinnamon
0.25 tea spoon salt
1 table spoon whisky (extra)

       Stone prunes, chop all fruit, combine in large screw top jar with rinds, juices, whisky and peeled and grated apple, cover with plastic lid. Shake jar well to mix ingredient evenly; store in cool, dry place in 3 weeks. Reverse jar each day. Line deep 20 cm square cake tin with two thickness of greaseproof paper, bringing paper 5 cm above edges of tin. Chop walnuts. Beat butter until soft, add sugar, beat only until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Place fruit mixture into large basin, add walnuts, almonds, and creamed mixture; mix well. Stir in sifted dry ingredients. Spread mixture evenly into prepared tin, bake in slow oven 3 to 3.5 hours. Remove from oven, brush evenly with extra whisky. Cover with aluminium foil, leave until cold. Remove from tin, wrap in plastic food wrap, then in foil to keep airtight until required.

Saltimbocca

Italian in origin, the name, literally translated, means "jump in the mouth". In other words, a dish that is easy to eat. If fresh sage is available, use one or two leaves for each steak in place of the dried sage suggested in the recipe. Quantities given serve four. Here we go:

4 veal steaks
125g prosciutto or ham de luxe
1 tea spoon dried sage
salt n pepper
90g butter
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup dry white wine

Flatten meat with meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle sage over meat, season with salt n pepper. Place ham over veal, skewer the layer together with toothpicks. Melt butter in pan, add crushed garlic and veal, cook until lightly browned on each side and cooked through. remove and place on serving plate. Add wine to pan; cook, stirring, 1 minute or until syrupy, pour over the veal.

What Every Woman Should Know About Men

Women know precious little about the men in their lives. They live with them, love them, fear them, seek their advice, resent their attitudes, watch their diets, bear their children - but they don't really understand them as well as they should. But what is there to understand? Are men and women really so different? Of course they are, it is not that one sex is better or worse than the other. It's simply the sexes are different. If we can understand these differences and learn to use them creatively, all of us men and women alike, will be happier with ourselves and with each other.

• We know that men change their minds more often than women do, they are more vulnerable, they don't tolerate things as well as women do.
• Men have thicker skins and longer vocal chords. Their blood is redder, their daylight vision better, their metabolic rate is higher and more of them are left-handed.
• Men feel pain less than women do. They age earlier, but they wrinkle later. They lose weight more easily, but rich men are fatter than a rich women.
• Men's immunity against disease is weaker. They talk about themselves less, but they worry about themselves more. And they are nowhere as sensitive to others as women are.

Men, it seems, always been different. Does it really matter?
It matters very much. More than it ever has before. Women's relationships with men are in transition along with life-styles, values, and aspirations in this era of technical and cultural dislocation. Both at home and at work outside the home, women are rebelling against what they see as male dominance, male chauvinism, male exploitation, and male harassment.
Men don't see it the same way. what men see is that their power base is eroding. They are no longer undisputed lords and masters. And many of them don't quite understand why.
Once women understands why men act and feel the way they do, she can put what she has learned to immediate use. It is like having a master key that unlocks the mysteries of masculine thought and behavior.
She will not able to change him, but has to realize that he needs her more than everything else in this world.

Cakes and Puddings for A Happy Christmas

2nd RECIPE: BOILED APRICOT CAKE

250g dried apricots
125g raisins
125g dates
125g glace cherries
125g sultanas
125g currants
125g mixed peel
185g butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
0.5 cup brandy
0.25 cup apricot jam
3 eggs
1.5 cups self raising flour
1.5 cups plain flour

Chop apricots, raisins and dates, halve cherries; combine all fruits in pan with butter, sugar and water, stir over medium heat until butter is melted and sugar dissolved, bring to boil, cover, reduce heat, simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in brandy and jam, cover, leve to stand overnight. Next day, stir in lightly beaten eggs and sifted flours, mix well. Spread mixture into lined (bring paper 5 cm above edge of tin), deep 20cm square tin or deep 23cm round tin. Bake in moderately slow oven 2.5 hours, or until cooked when tested. Cover top of cake with aluminium foil, leave to become cold. Wrap in plastic food wrap (leave lining paper intact), then in aluminium foil, store in cool dark place for up to 4 weeks.

   

Oatmeal Crunchies

I have these recipe, that will spoil your kids. They will love these crunchy oatmeal cookies you make. Here we go:

Ingredients
250g Margarine
225g brown sugar
60g eggs
185g plain flour
1/2 tea spoon bicarbonate soda
1 tea spoon ground cinnamon
60 ml milk
1 tea spoon vanilla essence
250g minute oats
Variations:
155g roasted peanuts
185g sultanas
185g chocolate chips
185g sunflower seeds
2 medium carrots finely grated
sesame seeds for sprinkling
chocolate or glace icing (optional)

Cream margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Sift flour, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon together, then stir into mixture alternately with milk and vanilla. Stir in oats and variations of your choice. Place teaspoons of mixture on greased baking trays, allow room for spreading. Bake in center of a moderately hot oven at 190°C for 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire cooling trays. Ice if desired. Sore in an air-tight container, serve for approx.36.

Cakes and Puddings for A Happy Christmas

Here are some great recipes to enjoy in your holiday season.

THE INGREDIENTS
Eggs: The large 60g eggs are used in all recipes. Have eggs at room temperature when making the cake or pudding.
Butter: Have butter at room temperature so that it is easier to cream.
Sugar: Brown or black sugar can be used in the recipes  which specify brown sugar. Black sugar is darker than brown and, make a richer colour to the cake; black sugar is available from health food stores. Always sift the sugar before incorporating it with other ingredients to remove any coarse lumps.

1st RECIPE: WHISKY PECAN CAKE

250g raisins
125g dates
125g glace cherries
60g mixed peel
1cup whiskey
185g butter
1.5 cups brown sugar
5 eggs
250g pecan nuts
2.5 cups plain flour
0.5 cup self raising flour
2 table spoons whiskey (extra)

Chops raisin and dates, halves cherries, combine with peel and whiskey, cover, stand two days. Cream butter with sugar until just combined, beat eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mixture might curdle at this stage, but will reconstitute after flour is added. Add creamed mixture to fruit mixture. Reserve some of the pecan halves for decorating top of cake, add remaining whole pecans to fruit mixture; mix well. Stir in sifted flours in two lots. spread mixture into  lined deep 20cm square or 23 cm round cake tin, (bring paper 5 cm above edge of tin), bake in slow oven 3 hours. Sprinkle with extra whiskey when cake is cooked, cover cake with aluminium foil, leave until cold. Re wrap cake (leaving lining paper intact) in plastic food wrap, then aluminium foil, store in cool dark place up to 6 weeks.

Wasting Time?

Tricks to get more done in less time:

1. Don't overdo overtime.One study found that worker productivity sharply declines after 50 hours a week. Make evening plans to avoid lingering.
2. Schedule even the small stuff.Looming little tasks can add up and distract you. But when a call is set, you'll forget it and focus on the project at hand.
3. Take a holiday.After some vacation you'll return with a fresh perspective and ideas.
4. Master meeting drain. Use time between meetings for jobs you can finish. 15 minutes is perfect for answering e-mail.

Little Chef

Many parents designate the kitchen as a forbidden area for kids. However there is no reason they can't help cook, even at a young age. Here are some ways to nurture your little chef.

1. Start early. Children as young as a year old can be taught sounds, colors and shapes using food. As they get older they can perform safe, simple tasks such as kneading dough.
2. Nurture curiosity. They'll want to do everything you do. If you're cracking eggs, they'll want to try it. Don't wait until they are teenagers, when they'll have other distraction.
3. Have fun. Cooking is like play. Dough is fun, if they throw it at each other, it won't hurt.
4. Educate. Kitchens are a great venues to learn about maths. If a recipes make a single serving and you're preparing three, have them adjust amounts.
5. Clean Up. Chef clean as they go. Kids can help by doing dishes or wiping benches as the food is cooking.

Please Thank

Getting kids to send some thank you notes for gift is old-fashioned, right? False, thanking people is a common courtesy. How do you encourage kids to send a note of thanks? Here we go:

• Turn it into an artistic activity. Get kids to design their own notes.
• Set aside a time for the family to write thank you notes. Make it fun.
• Use e-mail if a handwritten note is all to hard. The vehicle is less important than their expression of thanks.

Sharpen Your Mind

If you often find yourself saying, " I know this!" or "It's on the tip of my tongue," It's time to sharpen your mind. Here are ways to pump up your memory and prevent embarrassing flubs:

1. Shake things up. When your brain is stimulated, new connection are thought to form between brain cells. Turn a book or magazine upside down and read it for 3 minutes.
2. Dance. Exercise carries oxygen and blood to your brain. Complex dances strengthen connections between brain cells. Get moving with ballet or tango even line dancing.
3. Take a class. People who return to school have more active brain cells, which help protect the aging mind.

Easy Ways to Boost Immune System

Part 3: It's yours

• Seek some shade. The sun's UVB and UVA rays can reduce immunity by depleting T cells and immune activating skin cells.
• Check your home environment. Lead-based paints and toxic mould from damp carpets may affect immune function.
• Go for a stroll. Walking at a good pace for 45 minutes a day, 5 days a week, rouse the immune system and slashes your risks of illness by almost half. And don't forget to wear music gadget while you walk. Cause music may heighten immune function, because listening  can raise immunoglobulin-A levels.
• Join a choir. Singing significantly increased salivary levels of immunoglobulin-A. While more studies are needed to confirm this findings, it can't hurt to warm up those pipes.
• Update your work skills. Feeling unqualified or blaming yourself for career failures may weaken immune function. Revamping your skills and being realistic about what you can control may increase job satisfaction and reduce stress.

Faking When Shaking

Public speaking was the second people's greatest fear behind snakes, according to recent poll. To appear more poised than you feel during talks or toast, try some of this advice:

• Practise in your car, in front of the mirror, or while showering. Worried about your opening? Leave it on a voice mail to yourself. Worried about an unresponsive crowd? Practise at the cemetery, then flee!
• To take the heat off you, make it about the listeners. Tell them what they stand to gain ( the purpse is to help you) Make eye contact, and throw in a question or two to keep them engaged.
• If someone ask you question , step towards them, which look strong, instead of stepping back, which look fearful, or running in circles, which just look strange.
• Plan a graceful escape, not from giving the talk, but from rambling. To conclude, recap a few points, thank the audience, and end.

False Walk

A lifetime of walking wrongly can add up to osteoathritis as you age. Here's how to fix your gait before it's too late:

• Keep your hips level. Watch your hips when  you pass a window. Are they moving up and down? Try to stay straight and level so there is less force on your heels as you land.
• Use your knees. Bend your knees more and use your quadriceps for a longer time to cushion your body weight as you land.
• Use your feet. Step on the outside of your foot; roll to the inside to provide shock absorption.
• Float when you walk. To decrease pain, walk as if you're on clouds. Cushioned shoe inserts and good shoes can help.
• Step lightly. Just the suggestion that you land more softly on your heels can be enough to make a difference.

I Do

Two girls, aged six, were playing wedding. Their mother overheard these vows: "You have the right to remain silent. anything you say may be held against you. You have the right to have an attorney present. You may kiss the bride."

Picture This

Dean was unknowingly caught in an automated speed trap that tracked his speed on a radar gun and photographed his car. A week later he received a photo of his car and a ticket for $40 in the mail. Instead of paying, he sent a photograph of $40 to the police. Days later he got letter from the police containing another picture... handcuffs.

Waffling Drives You Crazy?

It may feel like a relief to know you can take back the blender you bought, but having the option may make you less satisfied with it. In a recent study, subjects were asked to take photos and select one as a souvenir. Half could swap it later if they wanted, but other had just one chance to decide. While most preferred having the right to renege, those who didn't have it ended up happier with their selection. When a decision can be reversed, your mind can't help but focus on what's wrong with your choice. But with a decision set in stone, we tend to accept it and focus on the upside.

Easy Ways to Boost Immune System

Part 2: Relaxing

• Call a friend. Chatting with a pal may trigger positive emotions. Laughing and confiding reduce the body's level of cortisol, a hormone known to surpress the immune system.
• Relax with a crossword puzzle. Stimulating brain parts that handle memory, judgement and abstract thought may elevate levels of T-cells. So try some challenging puzzles and games.
• Make love , fight bugs. Having sex once or twice a week may have higher levels of immunoglobulin-A, a virus fighting antibody developed and secreted by B cells.
• Get lots of sleep. If you're not getting around 7-8 hours a night, your chances of getting sick may increase.
• Watch a funny movie.Laughter may boost the immune system and diminish immune surpressing cortisol.
• Get a massage. Massage therapists say certain treatments prevent gridlock in lymph vessels, the immune circulatory system. Although massage may alleviate immune inhibiting stress, there are no convincing studies to prove it.
• Pray or meditate. This can reduce stress and help you get better when you're ill.

Watch Your Plate

A diet that's rich in foods are high in protein  and low on carbohydrates can increase the risk of kidney stones and reduce the body's ability to absorb calcium after just six weeks. Researchers found that six weeks on a high-protein diet increased the acid load to the kidneys, raising the risk of stones. Some diets are enjoying a revival, but although they result in weight loss in the short term, they're less successful long term and can even be hazardous.

Cactus Problem

During a guided tour of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum , a New York woman mentioned that she was raising a type of cactus in a pot on her apartment balcony. Another tourist asked her how she kept from watering it too much, because the cactus would die if over watered. "I subscribe to the Tucson newspaper," replied the woman. "Every time I read that is rained in the desert, I give my plant some water."

Room to Move

Savvy travelers know to ask for the front bulkhead seats in economy to get a little extra leg room. But are they the best place to sit? After all bulkhead seats offer no storage place in the seat in front and are often near the lavatory and galley, creating extra noise and traffic. Some tips on maximizing your space in economy:

• Ask. The best way get a good seat is to request one. Counter agents will often do what is most convenient for the airline, not you. Seat assignments can sometimes be booked by a travel agent in advance.
• Make sure that you get the seat that reclines. The last rows in a cabin section and rows near emergency exits often have seats that don't tilt back.
• Spread out. When traveling as a couple on a flight that isn't full, ask for the aisle and window seats, in the hope that no one will take the middle seats. If someone does get it, offer them the aisle or window to reunite.
• Request seats near the front of the cabin. Meals are often served earlier and you can get off quicker when deplaning.
• Show up early. The best seats go first, so don't wait until the last minute to ask for good spot.
• Size matters. Larger planes have more room. Some airlines will run a smaller, older plane and a gleaming new 747jumbo jet on the same route at different times. Get on the big one if you can.

If you are on more than a short hop in economy, it is worth the time to do a little research in advance and see where you would like to be seated. Many airlines offer seating charts on line.

It's All in the Hormones

Women may be just that little better at handling stress than men. Researchers asked a group of students to memorize a list of words. They then asked them to speak before a stern committee and perform a complex mathematical task after wards. Finally they were tested on how many of the original words they could recall. Men with high levels of the stress hormone cortisol performed badly, but no such correlation was found in the women. Since previous research with postmenopausal women had come up with the opposite results, the team believes the female hormone oestradiol may help counter stress.

Trick Expeerienced Travellers Used

Here are some top trips from a travel columnist at the New York Times:

1. Carry two credit cards separately. If one is stolen and the account is frozen, you can still feed and house yourself.
2. Airline pillowcases usually aren't changed every flight. If this bothers you, bring your own.
3. Unless you're traveling in a tropical country, pack gloves: Hands get cold on the most unexpected dates.
4. The international Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers has a directory of English-speaking doctors overseas who make office and hotel calls.
5. Don't pack more than you can lug up two flights of stairs.
6. ATMs and computer systems get knocked out, so keep cash on you. A faxed confirmation gets you into your hotel if the reservation system fails.
7. Bring film and camera batteries. Shopping for special size of film where you don't speak the language is hard.

Easy Ways to Boost Immune System

How to toughen up your defense against disease? Drawing on the latest research, here are some ideas to get you started:

Part 1: Mind Your Meals

• Try some liver. Liver brims with immune boosting selenium, zinc, magnesium, iron, copper, folic, and vitamin B6 and B12.
• Sample some seafood. Seafood contain iron, zinc, selenium, copper, and magnesium that do your immune system good.
• Sprinkle ground flaxseed on your cereal. Flaxseed is a good source of omega 3 fatty acids and phytoestrogens, which are associated with lower rates of cancer and heart disease.
• Ironware. Be sure not to get more than 45 mg of iron a day from your food or a supplement, an excess iron can be toxic.
• Choose water, not softdrinks.Drinking water keep germ trapping mucuous membranes moist and effective. It'll also make you feel more energetic overall.
• Munch on wheat bran. In cereals and baked goods, it contains immune-strengthening magnesium, selenium and zinc. Research suggest daily dose of wheat bran also lower level of oestradiol, a female sex hormone linked to hormone dependent cancer.
• Hold the cocktails. If you drink alcohol, raise a glass of red wine. Although most alcohol is known to stifle the immune system, red wine may not. Plus it offers heart healthy and potentially immune enhancing antioxidants.
• Ballance your belly. Stress, alcohol and poor diet can alter intestinal bascteria and weaken our bug fighting ability. Probiotic may right this imbalance, you can find them in some yoghurts or in powder form at health food shops.

Family Check In

Many hotels have identified a growing class of guest -children. Hotels need to offer services that pampers small minds, bodies ans souls. Parents can do their part as well.

• Some places discourage young guests, so it pays before you book to check with your travel agent or the hotel that kids are welcome and whether services are provided for them.
• Once there, make sure children understand the rules for using the snack bar, the telephone, in room movies and other services which attract a fee.
• To add a touch of home, bring a favorite blanket or pillow to help kids settle in.

Simple Act of Giving

You don't have to wait until a birthday to show someone special how you feel. And it doesn't need to cost a fortune. Because when you make a gift by hand, you give someone your time and your thoughts. Here are a few simple ideas:

• Personalise it. Store bought gift baskets are fine , but you can also buy some of their favorite snacks and put them in a basket with a ribbon.
• Picture this. Create a homemade photo album or a scrapbook that chronicles your time together.
• Put it to paper. Write a story- with your special someone as the lead characters- that illustrates how you feel about them. A poem is even better.
• Make a movie. Videotape friends and relatives saying what they like about your loved one.

Watch Your Words

Ever argue with loved ones over simple misunderstandings? Little wonder. We overestimate how well we get our point across. Here's expert advice to reduce confusion:

1. Don't rely on cues. Listeners often nod make eye contact or say "uh-huh" to be polite or move the conversation along. But it's easy to misinterpret this as sign of understanding.
2. Train the editor in your head. If you say "May discusses her problems with her brother," It's not cleari f she's talking to her brother or about him. Try instead "May talks to her brother about her problems."
3. Ask listeners to retate your message. Preface the request with "I want to be sure I said that right." Question like "Does that makes sense?" also work.
4. Listen well. When on the receiving end, ask questions to be sure you're on the same page. After all speakers aren't responsible for the whole exchange.

This'll Mac Your Day

Diet dreams are made of this. What is high in fat but reduces bad cholesterol? Is packed with kilojoules but is unlikely to stack kilos? It's the macadamia nut. Researchers asked a group with high blood cholesterol readings to eat a handful of macadamias each day for four weeks. Their bad cholesterol levels fell by 5.3%; good cholesterol levels rose up to 7%. Macadamias have a very high level of monosaturated fats and a large amount of plant sterols, which limit cholesterol absorption.

Don't Cough Cash

Next time you need to treat a tickle in your throat, reach for the kettle, not your wallet. Based on research that reviewed 15 studies of over-the-counter cough medicines, involving over 2000 people, and found no solid proof the pricey potions were anymore effective than a placebo. Try this remedy first: lemon and honey in a mug of hot water.

10000 Steps to Healthier Living

It fits in your hand, doesn't cost the earth and will make you feel great. Give up? It was a Pedometer. About 500 people wear a pedometer and taking 10000 steps a day. By the end of eight weeks 56% reported having more energy, 47% improved their mood and 50% loss weight. They reported that seeing their total step count motivated them to take more.

Make Your Home Mosquito-Free

An area of standing water as thin as a coin is all mosquitoes carrying the deadly dengue virus need to breed, so checking regularly for standing water in following areas:

1. Ponds and fountains.
2. Open and closed drains.
3. Tree holes and areas between branches.
4. Litter bins.
5. Flower troughs, plant boxes and pots.
6. Air conditioners.

For area where water accumulates regularly, try applying sand granular insecticide. And make sure that the insecticide is not used in areas where the water might be consumed by pets.

The Low-Down on Laundry

The average person generates more than 200 kilos of dirty duds a year, here are simple steps for cleaner loads:

• Let the water fill  a few centimeters, add detergent and then the clothes. Only about 40% of us do it in this order, it can make a difference as large as using premium detergent over budget.
• Wait five minute to add chlorine bleach, cause detergent and bleach fight each other when added together.
• If you're using more than one product, make them all powders or all liquids. Powder and liquid are different chemically, and they may inhibit each other if used together.

Keeping Cut Flowers Fresh

Make beautiful bloom last longer with these dos and don'ts :

• Do use coloured glass vases, not clear ones. The darker the container, the harder it is for that unsightly, smelly slime (actually algae) to grow. Be sure containers are scrupulously clean.
• Do cut dried stem bottoms immediately before putting them into water.
• Do use a commercial floral preservative. Homemade concoctions don't work as well.
• Do clean the vase, completely replace the water and add new floral preservative every three days.
• Don't shock flowers with cold water. Cut stems response best to warm water (about 43 degrees).
• Don't put flowers near a bowl of fruits. especially apples, pears and plums, which emitting ethylene gas that cause wilting.

"Look What I Made!"

If your home is overloaded with art from a budding Picasso, try these space-savers:

1. Starts a rotating gallery. Hang paintings in plastics frames or pin them to clothesline along one wall, then replace old works with new.
2. Create an object d'art. Have a photocopy shop laminate a favourite painting as a place mat. For a matched set, make colour copies first.
3. Decorate the Net. With a PC and a scanner , you can set up a web site to display your kid's masterpieces. Relatives can even visit the virtual gallery from afar.

Seat Belts Save Lives

Safety belts on seats were first used in aircraft as early as as 1910, and by the 1940's, tests demonstrated that these belts could  substantially reduces injuries in car accidents. By the 1970s, many countries passed legislation making it compulsory for motorist to use belts. Ever since, they've proved to be lifesavers. After seat-belt legislation was introduced in the state of Victoria in 1971, the number of people wearing belts rose from around 20% to 80%, while road fatalities dropped by about 25%. In the year after Hong Kong made the wearing of seat belts in the back seat of private cars compulsory in 1996 "(people in the front seat have had to buckle up since), road accidents casualties fell by 17%. Buckling up can reduce fatalities anywhere from 30 to 50 percent, depending on the complexity of the car crash. When you're inside a moving car, both you and your vehicle are moving at the same speed, if the car stops suddenly you will be thrown forward. If you're not restrained, you will hit whatever is in front of you, a seat belt is designed to prevent you from being thrown forward and this can save your life. Most modern seat belts comprise a lap band and a shoulder band, held in place by a single buckle and bolt fastened to the car's body. They can either be "non-retracting" or "automatic-retracting". The first, an older design, doesn't adjust to the wearer's movements and is less convenient. The second which is more common,allows you to move around more freely, but has a mechanism that restrain you when the car hits something or stops suddenly. It's not only front seat passengers who risk life and limb in an accident. If back seat passenger aren't buckled in, they, too,can get thrown about and be killed or seriously injured.

Turn Down Your Radio Please

Why do all presenters of radio phone-ins ask callers to turn their radios down? If the sound of a caller is broadcast by a station and then comes out of his/her radio and back down the phone to be broadcast again, it creates a loop. A complex noise, such as voice , is made up of various sound waves of different frequencies that, on their own, sound like single whining tones. In a loop, one such frequency can become more prominent than the rest and as it is repeated it will overlay itself, getting louder and louder, until it's distinctly and unpleasantly audible. A second reason for turning your radio down is the seven second broadcast delay some stations use to avoid foul language or slander being aired. If such a system is in use and the caller can hear his radio, he will hear himself seven seconds ago while trying to have a conversation in the present. Obviously this will be very off-putting.

Tea Break for Nescafe Employees

"Workers on the production line are entitled to breaks, but they're not limited to specific beverages," says a company spokesman. "They can have whatever they choose, be it milk, tea, or even softdrinks. But Nescafe is available if they want to enjoy the fruit of their labour."

Fabulous Fish

Men who eat oily fish twice a week can halve then risk of developing prostate cancer and greatly reduce their chances of dying from the disease. Men who ate fish rely or never had a two to three fold higher risk of the cancer than those who ate two to three servings per week. Experts already now that fatty acids in oily fish inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells, but the Swedish scientist have shown just how protective fish can be: in men who developed the disease , the one regularly eating oily fish such as herring, salmon and mackerel were 70 % less likely to die.

Crazy for Nuts

Once shunned as a high fat, high kilo joule snacks, nuts are now staking claim to a reputation as health food for the heart. Researchers found that men who ate a couple of handfuls of nuts every week had a 47% lower risk of sudden death due to cardiac arrest than those who ate nuts less often. Why are nuts so heart healthy? It may be because they're high in unsaturated fats, magnesium and vitamin E. Munching nuts may also help protect against dementia. Scientist also found that people with a diet rich in foods containing vitamin E were less likely to develop Alzheimer's.

Camping Guides

Want a camping holiday to remember for all the right reasons? Follow this advice:

• Set up in daylight - you'll avoid unpleasant surprises , like ant nests.
• Level, firm ground is important, but remember that water will pool at the lowest spot when it rains.
• Biting insects breed around water. Set up your camp at least 100 m away.
• Take a doormat. It's great for removing sand and soil before entering the tent.
• Position your tent so you sleep with your head higher than your feet.
• Locate the campfire downwind from your tent.
• Minimize messy washing up with wrap-up meals. Tortillas taste great and make handy plates.
• Try mess-free eggs on an open fire. Cut an orange in half and eat the pulp. Crack an egg into an orange skin and put it in the embers.
• A first aid kit is a must for any camping trip.

Get Ready to the Beach

What is the attraction of a day in the beach? Is it the rhythm of the waves or the delicious salty smell of the sea? That's part of it, but the most powerful lure is the way the beach forces us into the here and now. We're forever trying to live five minutes in the future or worrying about the past. Beach living is so simple and unsophisticated. It's almost impossible not to relax and savour life at its purest. If you're planning a trip to the beach you'll probably remember your swimsuit, sunscreen and towel. Here are few other items you might want to keep in mind:

• Water! Soft drinks and beer are no substitute when it comes to keeping yourself hydrated.
• Disposable wipes to clean greasy fingers after applying sunscreen.
• Reef shoes, or an old pair of sneakers, to wear in the ocean in case there is sharp coral.
• Ziplock bags to keep it all dry and clean.

Hi-Tech Airport Crime

Millions of travelers never have trouble, but thieves are out there - especially in international airports. Watch out for some "shoulder surfers" one crook pretends to video tape friends while zooming in over your shoulder to steal your phone or credit-card numbers. Another trick : One thief stalls the metal detector line with keys, change and other metallic objects, distracting everyone while an accomplice steals carry-on from the other end of the conveyor belt.

Savings Habits

Here are some ways to teach your children smart savings habits :

1. Problem Your kids say a low interest savings account offers them little incentive to save. Solution Agree to match 50-75% of their savings once their accounts reach pre-set goal.
2. Problem You give your children a generous allowance, but they still come to you for movie money and games purchases. Solution Establish expenses that your kids must cover.
3. Problem When you tell your kids to sink or swim with expenses - they sink. Solution Advance them funds for overlooked essentials, with a plan of repayment.

Do You Spank Your Child?

Spanking children is generally not a good idea. While spanking may stop a child in his tracks, you can't be sure what he has learned from the experience. A child might feel that he is unfairly punished. He might resent the person who spanked him; he might think that he isn't loved or might even harbour thoughts of revenge. Insidiously, the child may learn that might is right. With children of preschool age, the occasional spanking doesn't usually leave any long term psychological scar if in other ways the parent demonstrate warmth and caring. With older children, spanking causes shame, loss of dignity and a feeling of disgrace and should therefore be avoided entirely. When a parent resorts to spanking, he misses the opportunity to teach his child something important and will soon find that the more often he uses spanking to discipline, the more likely he will have to use it exclusively.

Ech - in - acea

This herbs has muscled its way into the top ten best selling supplements, with Australians downing around 200 millions dozes a year. Of course, because research shows echinacea can boost the immune system, shortening colds and the flu. The herbs doesn't seem to prevent viruses, so save money: take it only when you feel sick. People with immune related disorders such as AIDS, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis should avoid it. So too should anyone with asthma, eczema and other known allergies. Adverse reactions, although rare, can be life threatening.

Prepare Some Safe Food

It only requires a few precautions to ensure that the food you prepare in the kitchen is safe and sanitary. Follow these tips for healthy home cooking:

• Watch that milk. Keep dairy products refrigerated once opened and follow the expiration dates. Discard expired items even if they don't show signs of spoilage.
• Chill out. Thaw meat, fish and poultry on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator or under running potable water.
• Keep it clean. Wash chopping boards and knives before and particularly between cutting cooked and raw foods,
• Cook, don't freeze. Once meat, fish or poultry has been thawed, cook them immediately. Don't refreeze raw items. 

Warnings

As litigation increases, manufacturers of consumer product have to protect themselves with warning labels. But where do we draw the line?

• On a frisbee like flying disc, warning: may contain small parts.
• On a portable stroller, caution: remove infant before folding for storage.
• On a package of fireplace logs, caution: risk of fire.
• A musical birthday candle warns: do not use softwax as ear plugs or for any other function that involves insertion into a body cavity.
• On a dessert box: product will be particullarly hot after heating.
• On a hair dryer: do not use while sleeping.

How to Make a Toast

It's best to be sober when you make the toast, so try to do it early in the party. If you're nervous, tell people you're nervous. You don't do this for a living.
Always open with humor. If you make fun of your self, you're allowed to make fun of others. However I wouldn't take more than a couple of jabs at the guests of honor, placed one is all you need.
In the middle have some substance. especially if you have a story to tall about the person. One serious sentiments always good to throw in near the end, to show something real is happening.
The no.1 mistake people make is getting maudlin. I remember so many people breaking down in tears fueled by alcohol.
The wonderful thing about a toast is that you can't go on too long. Everyone is standing there holding their glasses.


     

Make Love Not Wrinkles

It'll do more than put a skip in your step. In several surveys done over a ten-year period, graduate students examined photos of thousands of men and women, mostly 45 to 55 years old, and had to guess their ages. Those judged to look youngest-up yo 12 years younger than their real age-had sexual intercourse 50 percent more often than those who looked their age.

Staying Healthy on the Road

The WHO offers these guidelines to stay healthy while on the road:

• Update your vaccinations four to six weeks before departure.
• While travelling, eat only thoroughly cooked foods, and drink only well-sealed bottled water or packaged cold drinks. Other water should be boiled.
• Bring a card or wear a bracelet showing your blood type and medical allergies in case of an accident.
• If you're taking prescription medication, bring enough to last for your entire stay.

The Volcanoes Awesome Power

A volcanic explosion can spew rocks into the air at up to 1200km/h and toss a large boulders like pebbles. The results may be devastating. When Indonesia's Tambora volcano exploded in 1815, for example, it killed over 10,000 people. Then the ash falling from the sky piled so thick that it ruined crops, and more than 80,000 people perished from famine and disease. The gases and dust emitted into the atmosphere brought the year without summer as far away as the northeastern United States. It can takes 10,000 years for molten rock to work it's way to earth's surface, but once it does, volcano building can surprisingly rapid.
Volcanic power can also be a force for good. Many millennia ago the condensation of volcanic gases helped form our oceans, making human life possible. When volcanic ash weathers, it forms a rich, loamy soil, which provides the crops to support that life. And volcanic steam is used to generate power and heat homes, while volcanic rocks often contain precious minerals such as gold.
Looking heavenwards we can view the lava plains of the moon, the vast Olympus Mons volcano on Mars and the still active volcanoes on Jupiter's moon Io, and feel the wonder and the power of our volcanic universe.