Wrong Type of Exercise

Relying on short bursts of intense activity, such as going to the gym, may actually mean you put on weight. Researchers measuring the energy expended by 14 women and 16 men over 2 weeks found those who engaged in sport or gym-based exercise made up for it by reduced activity when not training. Overall, they burnt fewer kilojoules then those who got moderate exercise through walking, cycling or just a less sedentary job. So make gym sessions the icing on the cake of an active life and don't reward yourself after workouts by eating pizza in front of the TV.

I'm female

While I was checking my e-mail, an instant message popped up my screen , obviously sent to me in error. I chatted briefly with the sender, and it become clear we were both writers. "What genre?" I asked. The sender wrote back, "I'm female."

Keeps on Clicking

If and when you're in the market for a new laptop computer, there is a tougher breed to consider. Known as "semiruggeds," they shrug off drops and liquid spills - the two big reason for computer failure. What makes them very oops-proof? Inside, rubber cushions the hard drive and other fragile essentials. Outside, a thin vinyl film shields the keyboard, speakers and track pad.
Depending where you shop, semirugged start at about $2000.

Rebound!

At 183 centimetres, my cousin is constantly on the receiving end of the usual comments about tall people. One day a woman at least 30 centimetres shorter asked, "Do you play basketball?" My cousin gazed down at the woman for a moment before replying, "No. Do you play miniature golf?"

High-Rise Suggestions for Staying Safe

Most of Singaporeans live in high-rise buildings. Here are some ideas on how to make sure your home in the clouds is safe:

1. Don't store items on your balcony. They can block escape routes and become a fire hazard.
2. Keep a close eye on toddlers when they are playing near the balcony, and make sure there are no items of furniture or plants that they can climbto get over the edge.
3. Make sure potted plants are well secured. They can be havier than they appear to be when they are filled with water.
4. Don't stand on a stool or lean out of windows, or let your house help do these things, while cleaning windows and balconies.

Grow Your Own Smile

Although not yet within our grasp, a technique is being tested in laboratories that may one day make dentures , implants, veneers and crowns obsolete- self regenerating teeth. Sound far-fetched?
At the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Dr Mary MacDougall has conducted experiments in which genetically engineered mouse and human cells were made to reproduce and form tooth tissue. She expect to regenerate teeth in culture as replacements for the next-G dental implant, or even get additional teeth to grow at the site. The advantages are obvious. But there would be a small price to pay if the latter part of her prediction come to pass: adults might have to use teething rings.

Follow the Leader

I was playing golf with three friends on a remote course, parts of which were inhabited by monkeys. As we neared our balls on one fair way, a monkey swung down from a tree, rummaged through our bags picked up my wood cover and scampered back up its tree. I tried distracting it in the hope that it would drop my cover, but no avail. Then I remembered the old adage, "Monkey see, monkey do." I picked up another wood cover and threw it to the ground forcefully. The next minute, the monkey threw the other wood cover at me.

Neither Will Hers

When my friend was pregnant, she was having a hard time with all the weight she'd gained. One day her husband persuade her to go to the beach for the day.
"There I sat, with my bulges and potbelly," she told me later, "and this gorgeous girl, about 17 years old, walked by in a red micro bikini, and I started to cry."
"When my husband asked what was wrong," she continued, "I said,'Just look at that beautiful girl. My body will never look like that again."
"He rolled over and glanced at the girl, and - here's how I know I've married a special man - he took my hand and kissed it.'You know what, honey?' he said. 'Neither will hers.'"

A Real Heel

Women, you're not doing your legs any favors by wearing those fashionable wide-heeled shoes instead of stiletto heels. Using a barefoot stride for a comparison, the researchers recorded the jump in knee stress as 20 women walked in shoes. Heels at least 5 cm tall - regardless of width - boosted pressure by about 24%. Doctors say you're better off sticking with flats.

Just Be Friends Virus

A colleague asked if I knew what to do about a computer problem that was preventing him from getting e-mail. I told him that e-mail was being delayed to check for a computer virus.
"It's the variant of the I Love You virus, only worse," I said. "What could be worse?" my single colleague asked wryly. "The Let's Just Be Friends virus???"

The Lost Art of Shaving

Many men nowadays prefer the convenience of an electric razor, but some British barber advocates the closeness of a traditional wet shave.
Here's how to get it right: Wash your face with warm water and a mild soap. Apply a moisturizer, then brush on the shaving soap in circular movements, lifting the hairs into an upright position. Apply the lather to one area at a time to prevent the skin becoming dried out. Using a sharp safety razor, glide downwards in the direction of hair growth using short, even strokes. Dip the razor in hot water frequently. After shaving, wash face and apply moisturizer or alcohol free aftershave. Change your razor blade after four uses. Have a nice shaving.

Hosting a Great Party

A party is a wonderful way to keep in touch with your old friends and make some new ones. Don't ever worry that your home is not smart enough or that you cannot afford a big spread. Successful entertaining is really all about people. This is some tips for hosting a party :

1. Be bold with your guest list and invite people from different backgrounds. When guests have to work a bit harder, rather than just talk shop, they learn so much more about each other. Invite more guest than you can handle - people always drop out.
2. Send out invitation two to three weeks in advance and make sure you include RSVP details. Always give your postal and e-mail addresses along with my telephone numbers. If the venue is hard to find, include a map and, if appropiate, a note about parking.
3. Whatever the size of the party, put the start and finish time on the invitation. That way everyone knows when you are going stop serving food and drink.
4. Make sure you answer the door and always greet your guest personally. Separate partners, introducing them individually to other groups with a helpful prompt: "Jack, meet Julie. Her children go to the same school as yours."
5. Once the party is in full swing, you can expect to be on the go continuesly. If there are two of your hosting, one can make sure the glass are filled.
6. Encourage guests to circulate, but if you take someone away from one group, replace them with another guest so they don't feel abandoned. Then move on yourself.
7. To make the most of your friends, work out a seating plan for your lunch or dinner party - through be prepared to change it. If you've got more than eight guests at your table , it's a good idea to swap them around after the main course.
8. If anyone brings a gift, try to unwrap it there and then, unless this is likely to cause offense.
9. A relaxed host is an absolute must. Don't start panicking if things go wrong, and don't get stuck in one place.
10. It's a friendly gesture, when confirming your invitation, to check whether there is something a guest can't eat. And do try to accomodate guests who are on diet -  don't press them into having seconds and make sure there is fresh fruit on the table.

Green Mango Salad

This salad, from the kitchens of Kuala Lumpur's Mandarin Oriental Hotel :
1kg julienne unripe mango
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 small chillies, chopped
1tbs. fish sauce
2tbs. lemon juice
2tbs. crushed peanuts
Mix grated mango with garlic, chillies, fish sauce, lemon juice and peanuts. Season with pepper. Serve on a bed of lettuce and cabbage leaves. Garnish with slices of tomato. Serves for ten people.

Wit Staff

We took a friend to dinner at a restaurant that offered free refills of non-alcoholic drinks. Before the main course arrived, he kept the waitress scurrying for refills. When our friend asked for yet another, the waitress raised an eyebrow and asked, "What did you have for lunch - a sponge?"

How to Be the Best Guest

Planning to stay with friends or relatives? Don't be unwanted house guest. These tips can make the experience more enjoyable for everyone. And you might even get invited back.

1. Call first. See to it that your host know in advance your arrival and departure dates, and make sure your schedule fits their plans. For instance they might have other guests visiting at the time.
2. Double check who's really invited. Don't bring pets or children unless they're specifically invited. Your dog chewing up the family's shoes or your kids destroying the furniture can be a host's worst nightmare. If your children are welcome, make sure they are on their best behaviour.
3. Don't come empty handed. Bring a gift, such as their favorite drink or a decoration for the house, to show your appreciation.
4. Lend a hand. Help out with the chores whenever possible. Straighten up your bed in the morning, hang your towel properly in the bathroom. If the hosts have house help, a small tip for the extra work is often appreciated.
5. Phone home with care. Your host may refuse to accept money for long distance calls, then regret their graciousness when the bill arrives. To avoid problems, use a cell phone.
6. Go with the flow. Adapt your lifestyle to the way your host run their house. Don't expect them to stay up to the small hours with you if they usually go bed at 10p.m.
7. Have fun. Make your visit a joyful one. Your hosts aren't running a hotel - they invited you because they like your company. Don't hide in the guest room, and invite them along when you make plans to go out.
8. Buy dinner. Take your hosts out to their favorite restaurant. This give both the cook and their budget a break.
9. Say thanks. A card or phone call to say thanks will bw appreciated. Even better, send a small gift.

Hundred Years Behind

During our holiday in Crete, we took a coach tour through the mountains. Occasionally we saw lonely huts but otherwise the landscape was dry, barren and deserted. "Civilization here is a hundred years behind the times," our guide told us. "You have only yourself to rely on. In emergencies, help won't be just around the corner."
I was impressed, and as we passed a flock of sheep I truly felt I was back in the last century. That was when I saw the shepherd deep in conversation on a mobile phone.

One Aim

"It's impossible," says Reason.
"It's reckless," says Experience.
"It's painful," says Pride.
"Let's try," says Dream.
The aim... to bring Dream to life.

Microwave Myths Zapped !!!

Most of the 'facts' are just hot air
Microwave oven are dangerous.
Microwaves are comparatively safe, but take care when using any heating device. Older ovens should be checked regularly to ensure the seals are intact. Becareful when removing food covers to avoid scaldsfrom escaping steam.
Microwaved food gets hotter once you take it out
Microwaves aren't bouncing around in the food after the oven has been turned off. In fact, food will begin to cool immediately. Let it stand for a few minutes so the outer and inner temperatures even up. The food may continue cooking as this happens.
Microwaves cook from the inside out.
Microwaves penetrate, at most, only about a centimetre intio food. The rest is heated by conduction and convection, just like in the conventional oven.
Microwaves heat only water particles.
Water molecules do absorbs microwaves energy. But once the water has vapourised, fats and proteins absorb the energy and heat to more than 100 degrees.

Lost and Found

One evening a woman I know received an unexpected phone call from a ticket clerk at a major airline. He read a list of names and asked if she knew any of the people. "Yes," she replied. "They're all friends of my son. How can I help you?" "The crew was cleaning a plane, and they found this cell phone," the clerk explained. "After seeing no identification, we looked through the phone book entries and found one we knew could help us. It was Mum!"

The Right Gadget

A gas engineer came to fix my boiler and arrived with a laptop computer, cell phone and other high-tech equipment. But he couldn't do the job until I gave him a box of matches to light his blow torch and a hand mirror to inspect behind the pipes.

Young Soul

My friend had gone to visit her great aunt, who was celebrating her 90th birthday. As my friend was admiring the many cards and presents she had received, her aunt pointed to one of the gifts. Referring to the giver, her aunt stated, " I know she means well, but the gift would be more proper for someone old."

Tailor-Made Tips

On Nathan Road in Hong Kong or Sukhumvit in Bangkok, the well-dressed smiling men are everywhere. In their hands are cards offering " best quality " tailoring services " at lowest prices. " But how do you find the good ones among the crowd?
Avoid the people who are pushing you hard to come into their shop, the people working on the street take a comission for bringing you in, and that increases the price. Once you're in the shop. there's no real way of knowing by sight if it's a good place or not. Your best bet is to ask local residents to recommend someone and skip the sidewalk touts.

Step Lively

Here's how to make the most of your walking routine :

1. Get into gear. Walker's shoes should have enough room at the front for the feet to spread.
2. Go easy. Avoid muscle aches by starting slowly and incorporating gentle stretches into both your warm-up and cool-down.
3. Plot your course. Some people walk at specific time each day. Others include walking into their routines by parking the car a few blocks from the shops or taking the stairs instead of the lift.
4. Make it noteworthy. Record your efforts, including how long and how far you walked. Jotting down improvements keeps you motivated and challenges you to do better.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

House plants are simple and inexpensive way to liven up your home. And don't think you need a bright and expensive house - you can find a plant for just about any space. Here's how you can make your home greener:

• Put smaller plants on tables and larger varieties in corners. Big plants can also hide unsightly areas such as cracked walls.
• Group plants in single are that ir bright but without direct sunlight, and that is easy to reach. This also increases humidity, helping them prosper.
• Consider whether your home offers the right growing conditions before buying an unusual.
• Over-watering is still the biggest plant killer. Water a plant only when the topsoil in the pot is dry to the touch.

Straighten Up and Type Right

Show this to your boss : When a government department in the US installed ergonomically correct workstations in their new offices, computer-related health complaints fell by 40% and doctor visits dropped by 25% in less than a year.
What made the difference? Chair with adjustable armrests. backs and seats, tilting keyboard holders and mouse platforms. The workers also took regular breaks and stretched.

Women Swoon for High Tech

Men looking to further their romance with flowers may want to think tech instead. A small study at the University of Hertfordshire measured women's reaction to gifts: They showed the most arousal when imagining getting electronic gadgets. In addition, a study of 1000 people found six in ten women said their love lives suffered if they had no mobile phone or hand-held computer with them.

 

Slice of Life

My brother stopped by a sandwich shop one afternoon and placed his order with the girl at the counter. She rattled off a list of condiments, but he stopped her when she asked if he wanted white cheese or yellow.
"What the difference?" my brother asked.
"Hello???" replied the girl, signing and rolling her eyes. "Color?"

Blue Sea

What makes the sea blue? Water absorbs more light from the red end of the spectrum that it does from the blue and, when it's about a meter deep, most of the red light disappears, leaving only the blue visible.
So in the absence of any other factor that might influence the sea's colour ( algae, which can make it appear green or red), it will look blue.

The Gift of Giving

There are plenty of ways to give from the heart and help the less privileged without writing a cheque to a charity:

1. Fund-raising parties. Anyone can hold a fund-raiser. Throw a party, charge your friends admission , and donate the proceeds to the charity of your choice. Link the party's theme to the cause, such as having an animal costume party to help a wildlife charity.
2. Donate direct. Some groups accept specific goods, such as used books for hospital libraries. Before you ditch any unwanted possesions, check around for charities that might need them.
3. Dive into conversation. Scuba divers, snorkellers or others interested in the ocean can use their pastime to help conserve coral reefs. The Reef Check Foundation trains divers from over 50 countries, including Philippines and Malaysia, to conduct underwater surveys in their area for an annual report on the state of the world's reefs.
4. Try retail charity. When buying giftd for friend and family, pick up an extra toy or other item and donate it into charity on their behalf. You can also seek out charity bazaars while you shop.

Who Was the Real "Q" ?

A vital ingredient of Bond films is 007's endless supply of life-saving gadget provided by "Q". Of all Ian Flemming's Bond characters, Q was the only one who actually existed. During World War II, Flemming worked in British Naval Intelligence and became fascinated by a series of ingenious devices that were helping save the lives of British secret agents, saboteurs and prisoners of war. These included shaving brush handles hollowed out to hide escape maps and a miniature telescope disguised as a cigarette holder.
They came from the Ministry of Supply's Clothing Department. There, working so deeply undercover that even his boss knew almost nothing of what he up to, was Charles Fraser-Smith. A man who described himself as having " an inquring mind and decidedly independent spirit," he had previously been a missionary and farmer in Marocco.
Like the fictional Q, Fraser-Smith could do all sort of unusual things with everyday objects. such as paper that left no ash when set alight. But his most bizzare assignment was to produce a 190 cm long watertight container with a dead weight of 90 kilos. This was used to transport "the man who never was." a corpse in a British uniform carrying bogus documents that was dropped into the sea off Spain in 1943 to put the Germans off the scent of the Allies invasion of Sicily.
Fraser-Smith who died 19 years ago, enjoyed being immortalized as Q but was critical of Flemming's Q balls, the golf balls used in Diamonds are Forever to hide diamonds. This was straight rip-off of Fraser-Smith's golf balls, which were sent to POW officers and contained compasses. "Flemming's contraceptions wouldn't have fooled an Irish farmhand, let alone lynx-eyed prison officers," said the real Q.
Many of Q's gizmos are currently faetured in "Bond,James Bond," a major exhibition at the Science Museum in London.

For Everyone Else, There's Cotton

Put your credit card away, for most hot weather exercise, a plain T-shirt works just as well as pricey exercise gear. Specially designed fabric promises to keep away sweat, keeping you drier. But when some university researcher tested the fabrics, they found that they didn't keep exercisers, who ran in 30 degree heat for half an hour,cooler or more comfortable. State-of-the-art fabrics might make a bigger difference for people working out in more extreme conditions, but for the rest of us, exercising in our favorite comfy clothes is just as cool.

Put On a Happy Face

Want to feel happier? Here are a few tips:

• Skip stones across a creek.
• Comb your child's hair.
• Count your blessings.
• Tape ten favourite photos to your office desk.
• Make yourself some cinnamon toast.
• Ask your parents to tell you again how they first met.
• Whisper to your spouse, "I can't believe how lucky I am to have found you."
• Get your car washed.
• Make an anonymus donation to your favourite charity
• Give someone a backrub.
• Have someone give you a backrub.

Mother Tongues

Some parents fear it may be confusing for their children to grow up with more than one language, but research shows it benefits them in many ways - they learn their native tongue better, as well as languages in general, and develop problem-solving skills earlier, cause multilingual children have a sense of perspective that makes them very language-aware and able to block out irrelevant information.

Luck Starts with Happiness

Is there any connection between feeling happy and being lucky? "When you're happy, you're smarter, you interest better with other people and you're healthier," says some psychologist."All of this adds up to what commonly we call luck."
What's the best way to become happy-go-lucky? He suggest the following steps :

1. Stop, look and listen. Take time each day to absorb the details of your surroundings. Notice colours, designs and patterns of nature and architecture. This will heighten your sense of beauty and make you feel good.
2. Realize things could be worse. Make a point to be thankful when good things happen to you. You'll wind up dwelling less on bad things and focusing more on taking steps to improve your life.
3. Feel the bliss. Think about how you feel as you're experiencing what you enjoy the most on life. By savouring the sensation, you allow the experience to satisfy you fully and pump up your happiness.

Make Light work

Brighten you home with these illuminating tips :

1. Set up lighters into the floor to guide the eye along a particular route, or set them behind a plant or sofa to create a soft glow.
2. With free-standing lamps, fitting sockets into the floor will reduce the length of cord.
3. Fit dimmer switches to everything. Varying light levels help set the mood for each part of the day.
4. Use lighting to define an area - table and floor lamps can mark zones in a large room where, for instance, one end is for seating and the other for dining.

Mooncake Festival

The Moon festival (also called the Mooncake or Mid-Autumn festival) falls on September 12th in the year 2011. What is the Moon festival? Every year on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, when the moon is at its maximum brightness for the whole year, the Chinese celebrate "zhong qiu jie." Children are told the story of the moon fairy living in a crystal palace, who comes out to dance on the moon's shadowed surface. The legend surrounding the "lady living in the moon" dates back to ancient times, to a day when suns appeared directly in the sky. The Emperor ordered a famous archer to shoot down the nine additional suns. times the task was accomplished, Goddess of Western Heaven rewarded the archer with a pill that would make him immortal. However, his partner found the pill, took it, & was banished to the moon as a result. Legend says that her beauty is greatest on the day of the Moon festival.

Other Moon Festival Legends
According to another legend, on this day the "Man in the Moon" was spotted at an inn, carrying a writing tablet. When questioned, they said they was recording the names of all the happy couples who were fated to marry & live happily forever after. Accordingly, as June is the traditional month for exchanging nuptials in the west, lots of Chinese weddings are held in the work of the eighth lunar month, with the fifteenth day being the most popular.

Of work, the most famous legend surrounding the Moon festival concerns its feasible role in Chinese history. Overrun by the Mongols in the thirteenth century, the Chinese threw off their oppressors in 1368 AD. It is said that mooncakes - which the Mongols did not eat - were the ideal vehicle for hiding & passing along designs for the rebellion. Families were instructed not to eat the mooncakes until the day of the moon festival, which is when the rebellion took place. (In another version designs were passed along in mooncakes over several years of Mid-Autumn festivals, but the basic idea is the same).

How to Celebrate the Moon Festival

Today the Chinese celebrate Mid-Autumn festival with dances, parties and see the moon. Not to mention mooncakes. While baked goods are a common feature at most Chinese celebrations, mooncakes are inextricably linked to the Feast of the Moon. Traditional Mooncake type is filled with lotus seed paste (see picture aside). About the size of a human palm, these mooncakes are filled, which is cut diagonally in quarters and circular. What explains the excessive cost (about $ 5.00 in Canada). A word of warning: the salt of yellow in the middle, representing the full moon, is an acquired taste.

More elaborate versions of mooncakes containing egg yolk (which represent the phases of the moon). Besides lotus seed paste, other traditional fillings include red bean paste and black bean paste. Unfortunately for the diet, moon cakes are high in calories.

While last week did historicallyin mooncakes to make, automation has speeded up the process considerably. Today, moon cakes can be filled with everything from dates, nuts, fruits and meats in China. More exotic creations, such as moon cakes, green tea and table PEI or snowskin moon cakes, a change in South Asia to the cooked glutinous rice flour. Haagen-Dazs is even in the act by introducing a line of ice cream mooncakes in Asian markets.

Given the difficulty of them, most people prefer to purchase their mooncakes instead of making them. You will find them in bakeries in Asia will begin in mid August.

Car's colour Sayz

Here is what your vehicle is telling people about you :

• Black. Ambitious and status seeking.
• Green. Traditional and an elitist.
• Blue. Team player and very socialible.
• White. Aloof, dutiful, and methodical.
• Grey. Understated and cautious.
• Silver. Have a sense of style, but can be pompous.
• Red. Outgoing, impelsive and easily bored.

Nap Power

If your boss catches you sleeping at work, tell him/her that it's all in the name of productivity. why ?
Thirty people in Harvard University were tested four times a day on how quickly they could process information. They were shown flashing images of diagonal lines on the screen and asked to identify which direction they were slanted. The performance of ten people who stayed awake the entire day declined by 50%, while the people who napped for an hour in the early afternoon did as well as on their last test as on their first. Even those who napped for half an hour did better than the ones who didn't sleep.

From One Bank to Another

Wading down the sidewalk through freshly fallen snow, I passed a woman whose car was stuck in a bank of snow. I remembered when a stranger had helped me in similar circumstances, so I turned back and freed her, waving out her thanks. A few month later, on my third attempt to the bank about the loan, I was ushered into the manager's office. There, in the manager's chair, sat the woman I had helped. She had just been hired, my application was approved.

Storytelling was EASY

Telling stories doesn't require any special skills or a powerful imagination. It simply demands using your memory. Children are hunger to hear about the first time you went to school or when you did something naughty that you latter regretted. Here some storytelling tips :

1. Keep the storyline simple and short
2. Use a lot of detail - "I wore a red scarf," etc
3. Be prepared to answer questions
4. Don't worry about using words with which children are not familiar.
5. Always give a clear ending
6. It doesn't need to contain a lesson. It's enough for children to feel part of something real
7. It needn't be a big event - how you lost your favourite pet or handled an awkward situation is great.
8. A photo album is a wonderful prep for getting started.

The earlier you start, the more say you'll have in your child's moral education.

The Car That Keeps You Awake

Vehicles of the future may keep an eye on their drivers, rousing you if you start to nod off, thanks to new technology that can scan your face for signs of drowsiness. It uses two cameras built into the dashboard to identify key points on your face (it's unfazed by sunglasses or a head turned to one side), creating a 3D picture that it compares to a computer model.By analyzing the movement of your head, the rate you blink and the angle of your gaze, it monitors progressive drowsiness. If you're in danger of falling asleep, the system could trigger alarms or a flashing red light - which could refuse to stop until the car did. If the system works and it adopted by the industry, it could have save thousands of live lost around the world each year from falling asleep at the wheel.

Save the Earth - and Some Money

Everyone can take a few simple steps to help reducing the greenhouse gas emission that cause global warming, and cut some bills on the way,

• Take a hike: whenever possible walk or bike, both are good for your health, instead of driving a car. Too far ? Use public transport.
• Read the label: Try to but energy efficients appliances. Many countries including Singapore and the Philippines, are introducing labels that rate energy usage of white goods.
• Don't be a drip: Fix leaky taps. Pumping wasted water into your home and heating it up are a slow but steady drain on energy supplies.
• Shut off the motor: When waiting in your car for more than a minute, turn off the engine rather letting it idle. Restarting burns less petrolthan letting it run.
• Insulate: Seal spaces around doors and windows to keep air conditioning from escaping, and clean the unit's filter regularly to keep it running efficiently.

Cutting energy consumption might seem like a small contribution to a large problem but a collective change in behavior could have a major impact. 

What we did before we were 3 years old?

Scientists believe our inability to remember our infant and toddler years has more to do with the brain's neurological immaturity and a child's undeveloped language skills. Recent studies suggest that memories start to form when a child's ability to reason fully has developed, usually around the age of four. At this age, children can use words to file away memories.

Brain Awareness

Even when you're asleep, your brain is aware of it's surroundings to some extent. It will have remembered how big your bed is and how far your body can safely turn. Should you get too close to the edge, it will tell your muscles and you'll roll backwards. Be warned though. Your brain will often lose it's bearings if you've drinking or you're in unfamiliar bed.

Beer Bread

Not a beer drinker? Try this recipe instead
4 cups flour
2 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sugar
350ml draught beer
2 eggs, slightly beaten
Preheat oven to 190 degrees, Sift together flour, powder, salt and sugar. Add beer and eggs, and stir until batter is just blended. Pour into greased bread pan and bake for around 70 minutes. Remove from pan and let it cool, ready!

Ten Ways to Be Kind

1. Buy an extra book and donate it to your child's classroom, the local library, or a refugee.
2. Nextime you're craving something sweet, bake a double batch of chocolate chip biscuits and give some to a housebound neighbor or overworked colleague.
3. Pick up litter on your way to the bus or the train in the morning.
4. Go the extra distances when someone goes out of her way for you. Send a complimentary note to her supervisor, with acopy to the person who helped you.
5. Next time you're in line at the supermarket with loaded trolley, be gracious. Let the person behind you - the one with the single item - go ahead of you.
6. Carry change to feed expired parking tickets.
7. Donate blood and give the gift of life.
8. Offer to water neighbor's plans while they're away on holiday.
9. Praise your children. Try to raise above the inevitable petty conficts that litter family life.
10. Be recklessly courteus and wildly polite, Thank the bus driver, the coffee shop's counter person - all the service people whose work makes life a little more livable.

Unwrapping the Package

Package tours offer many advantages, especially for travelers who don't want to visit new and strange lands on their own. The consumers Association of Singapore offers these tips when booking a packaged deal :

• Check the itinerary first. Ensure that there is sufficient information, especially about hotels.
• Beware of the hidden costs. Check exactly what is included in the package. You will have to pay more for optional yours and extras.
• If you need to clarify anything , ask before you make your booking. Don't wait until you reach your destination.
• Understand the terms used by the tour agents. A five-day tour may mean that you only spend three days in the country you travel to. The travel time to and from the country may be included in the tour.
• If you are unhappy with anything during the tour, keep original copies of bills or, if possible. take photographs as proof when you make your claims or complaints.
• Beware of "free" shopping tours - you will most likely taken to shops that pay a comissions to the guide. Compare prices and quality before you shop.
• Check the requirements of the country you are visiting. Although the travel agent is there to advise you, there may be visa requirements or foreign currency restrictions that you may not be aware of.
• Do some research on the country you are visiting. You may not want to go during the typhoon season or when there is an existing health hazard, for example.

Tomatoes are Tops

This versatile fruit - yes, it's a fruit - is high in vitamin A and C, and is one of the best sources of lycopene, an antioxidant that may reduce the risk of prostatecancer and heart disease.
If you can't find fresh tomatoes at your local market, try the packaged variety. Tomato products such as spaghetti sauce or tomato pasta can deliver up to ten times more lycopenethan vine-ripe fruits. ( The canning process breaks down tomato cell walls, making it easier for the body to absorb lycopene.)

Days of Our Lives

Need to ask a favour? Try your luck Thursday. That's when people feel most agreeable, according to a study from McGill University in Montreal. Researchers, who tracked behaviours in people working at least 30 hours a week, found that we become more accomodating as the week progresses towards the weekend. By Friday, though, the compliant mood is over: We're in rush to finish things. Come Monday, it's back to business. Productivity peaks Tuesday, but avoid touchy subjects on Wednesday, when people are most quarrelsome.

Winging It

Some jokes of the air for flyboys:

• Every takeoff is optional, every landing is mandatory.
• When in doubt, hold on to yyous altitude. No one has ever collided with the sky.
• The propeller is a big fan in front of the plane used to keep the pilot cool. When it stops, you can watch the pilot start sweating.
• The only time you have too much fuel is when you are on fire.
• Stay out of clouds, the silver lining everyone keeps talking aboutmight just be another plane travelling in the opposite direction.
• You start out with abag full of luck ang an empty bag of experience before emptying  the bag of luck.
• There are three simple rules for making a smooth landing. Unfortunately, no-one knows what they are.