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Friday, November 16, 2007

8 Ways To Avoid Holiday Flight Problems

1.Getting Bumped According to the U.S. Dept Of Transportation, if you're bumped involuntarily from a flight and you arrive between one and two hours late, you can collect up to $200 of a one way fare from your airline. 2. Invoke Rule 240 When an airline can't get you to where you want to go, and its their fault, Rule 240 says that the airline must pay for your flight on another carrier. 3 Beat Long Lines If your flight has been cancelled, forget about mobbing the gate with the other passengers. You can go to any one of your airlines other gates to cancel or confirm your new reservation. 4. Fly Early Flights between 6am and 7am have a 90% departure rate. But flights booked between 8 and 9pm have a 55% chance of being delayed. 5. Free Tickets If you give up your seat on an overbooked flight, airlines try to offer you a free space available standby ticket. You should refuse and ask for a confirmed round trip ticket that guarantees you an actual seat. 6. Cash In On Lost Luggage About 98% of all lost luggage is returned within a few hours. But if your bag turns up lost, make sure you inflate the dollar value of your bag contents by 30%. That's because airline depreciate the value estimate you give them by 30%. 7. Easy Check In If you haven't been assigned a seat, check in by phone or internet 24 hours before the flight. Some roomier seats like the exit rows are not assigned until the day of flight. 8. Wait In Comfort If you're flight is delayed, you should head straight for the arrival area. There, you'll find bigger seats to relax and more conveniences.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

How To Be Treated Like A Star When Dining Out

1. Pick The Right Restuarant If famous people dine there, and you know about it,then avoid it like the plague. A good restauarnt doesn't want Hiltonesque publicity because it relies on discretion and a good reputation to keep busy. 2. Avoid Saturday Nights Many good restaurants equate Saturday night with amateur night. To be treated like a good friend, try to eat out on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. 3. Book A Table 30 Days In Advance You should make reservations at busy restuarants at least 30 days in advance. If you cannot make your reservation, call in advance and cancel. You'd be surprized at the number of good restuarants that keep your information and put you on a blacklist. 4. First Impressons Count If a hostess is rude or treats you with out care or concern,then leave the restaurant. It's just a sign that things will probably get worse. If you're table isn't ready,a good eatery will apologize, escort you to the bar, and quite often buy you a drink. 5. The Golden Rule If you want great service,don't act like a jerk and be nice to your waiter. 6. When In Rome, Do As The Romans Do If a place is famous for steak, order steak. If its seafood, order fish. If you want a heads up on the best menu items, say this to your waiter: "If I had one day to live, which entrees would you recommend ?" If you have special dietary requirements, speak up. However, don't try to design your own menu, mix and match items, or ask that foods be over cooked. It's OK to share food when you ask for extra plates. But don't ask for half orders. In better places, avoid taking home leftovers. It makes you look like a chump. A good rule of thumb is don't do anything you wouldn't do on a first date. 7. How To Order Wine Don't be afraid to tell the sommelier that you don't know much about wine. Most people don't. Just tell him what you're eating and ask for a suggestion. If you'd like a bottle of wine, say this: "Can you select a moderately priced wine for me to go with the meal? Since I don't know much about wine, an expensive bottle would be a waste on me." 8. Send It Back If your food was not prepared as ordered, or if there is something wrong with it, tell your waiter. A good restuarant will correct the error. If the wine doesn't taste right, make sure you point it out after the first sip. Also, don't take out wrongly prepared food out on your waiter. He or she didn't cook it. 9. Tips On Tipping If your meal was good, 20% should be the minimum if you want to return .If you want to become a regular,tip 30% to make a good impression. Keep in mind that tips are split among lots of people. However, if you tip above 50%, you'll look like a fool.

Sunday, September 9, 2007

How To Cook The Perfect Steak

First, start out with a good cut of USDA "choice" or "prime" beef available at BJ'S, Costco or Sam's Club. Cut strip steaks or rib-eyes about 1 1/2 inches thick, and 2 1/2 inches for a filet mignon. Remove steaks from the frig for 1 to 2 hours before cooking and dry them with a paper towel. While the steaks are resting at room temperature, make a dry spice rub as follows: Combine 1/4 cup ancho chile powder, 1/4 cup finely ground espresso coffee beans, 2 tsp of sweet paprika, 2 tsp of dark brown sugar, 1 tsp of dry mustard, 1 tsp of salt,1 tsp of dried oregano, 1 tsp of ground corriander, 2 teaspoons of ground ginger in a bowl. This yeilds about 1 cup of dry rub which can be stored in a tight-lided jar in cool dry place. To omit the dry rub, you can just rub 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt for each side of the steak. To use the rub, omit the kosher salt. Apply the rub or the salt just before you're ready to start cooking. Pre heat the oven at 400 degrees with a rack set in the middle. If cooking outside, pre-heat the grill on high. Then heat a heavy cast iron skillet over medium high heat. The skillet will be ready when a few drops of water evaporate in 3 seconds. Then coat the bottom of the pan with 2 teaspoons of grapeseed or canola oil. Place the steaks in the pan or on the grill for 2 minutes on each side, flipping ONLY once using TONGS. Do not use a fork! During the searing, there will be some smoke. But the steaks are not burning. Its just smoke from the spice rub. If cooking outside, sear each side of the steak on the hottest part of the grill for 2 minutes on each side. Flip only ONCE using TONGS. While still in the pan, transfer the steaks to the oven and roast for 8 to 9 minutes on a 1 1/2 inch steak for medium rare. Transfer the steaks to a cooler part of the grill if cooking outside. Continue cooking for 8 or 9 minutes. An instant read thermometer will register about 125 to 130 degrees. When done, transfer the steaks with tongs and wrap them in a tent of aluminum foil. Then let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Friday, August 17, 2007

How To Protect Yourself From Being Cheated By Property & Casualty Insurers

The PBS show Now revealed a distrubing trend by major property and casualty insurance companies. PBS demonstrated that after a disaster strikes, insurance companies try to pay as little and as late as possible. To protect yourself, you should first view the video or transcripts of the PBS show Now,Insurance 911. You can access the show at : http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/333/index.html To view the entire investigative report on the insurance industry by Bloomberg Market Magazine see: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601170&refer=home&sid=aIOpZROwhvNI# Also, see what steps you can take to protect yourself against home insurers at: http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/insurance/homeowner/

Sunday, August 5, 2007

How To Survive Terrorism & Natural Disasters

Anthrax If there is an anthrax attact, wait for instructions from authorities before taking antibiotics or cleaning your house or clothes. The drugs that treat anthrax can cause nausea, diarrhea or dizziness. Cleaning could stir up spores and raise your risk of infection. Symptoms to watch for are a raised rash that will develop a black scab. The first sign of anthrax inhalation mimics the flu with fever, headache, chills, vomiting,and chest or abdominal pain. The good news is the risk of anthrax attact is low since it requires an enormous amount of technical skill to produce it on a large scale. Also, when properly treated, it can be neutralized. Chlorine If there is a chlorine alert, head in doors. Then get into the shower since water will keep the vapors away from you. If you're outside, make a low tech gas mask out of a crumpled shirt to hold it over your nose and mouth. Wetting it will buy you more protection. Mild exposure to chlorine may cause slight choking or coughing. A strong dose will bring on nausea,dizziness, shortness of breath and tightness in the chest. High exposure causes the lungs to fill up with fluid making it difficult to breath. This can result in death. The risk of chlorine attact is high since there are 850,000 places in the US that store chemicals like chlorine. Plus there are thousands of truck that transport it around our highways everyday. The good news is that chlorine has a pungent odor and usually can't sneak up on you. There is no antidote for chlorine but medical treatment can help those exposed. Sarin If you suspect a sarin attact, hold your breath and head for the nearest exit. Once outside, forget your modesty and strip down to your underwear. Also make any victims you take with you strip off their clothes too. If you can find a public water fountain, bottled water or any water source, scrub your skin and hair. Also, don't leave the scene even if you think you're OK. That's because people can have delayed exposure symptoms and signs may be subtle. The good news is that the risk of sarin attact is low since its difficult to acquire and produce. Also, since it's like perfume, it quickly dissipates and its not inevitably fatal. Nuclear Suitcase Bomb If you're alerted to a dirty bomb going off, stay indoors. Draw your blinds and move away from the outer walls. If your building has a basement, go there immediately. If you can get a signal, attune to your local emergency broadcast. If you have to evacuate, get into your car and get out of the area. Drive at a right angle to the path of the cloud. And if its moving north to south, drive east to west. Signs of radioactive poisoning include reddening of the skin, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue and hair loss. Doctors can check your blood count to determine exposure. The good news is that such devices need periodic maintenance by highly skilled technicians so dirty bomb attacts may be unlikely. Plus you can ward off throid cancer by taking potassium iodide pills. They're available at most drug stores. Evacuation If you need to evacuate because of a natrual diaster, you need to create a back up plan in case of an emergency. Back Pack An emergency back pack should be ready to go at a moments notice. It should contain copies or a CD ROM of your birth and marriage certficates, ID, passports, home and life insurance policies, bank and medical records, deeds, miltary discharge, medicaid, medicare, vetran an other important papers. It should also contain prescription drugs, a mini first aid kit, $200 to $300 in one dollar bills,a prepaid phone card, waterproof matches, emergency flashlight with extra batteries, a signal whistle, a portable NOAA hand crank or battery operated radio, granola, nuts, snacks, bottled water, an extra set of keys to your house and car plus infant and pet neccessities. Car You car should contain local maps and a road atlas, writing supplies, paper cups, plates, plastic untensils, 2 gallon sof bottled water, hand sanitizer, a compact sleeping bag or blankets, plus dried fruit, granola or other light snacks. It should also contain a roll of toilet paper, a roll of paper towels, towelettes, a first aid kit, multitool knife, jumper cables, light sticks or road flares,and a tow line for hauling. Plus you should have a sweater, a waterproof jacket and an extra hat and shoes. Home When planning for home emergency supplies, keep in mind that a family of 4 consumes 51,000 calories and 14 gallons of water per week! Keep at least 1 gallon of water per person per day for drinking and sanitation. Filling up a 50 gallon bathtub with water will last up to 12 days.Home supplies should include plastic sheeting, duct tape, clothes,canned or dried food and pet food, and a three day supply of bottled water.Figure on 1 gallon of water per person per day plus a few gallons of bleach and and eye dropper to purify water. You'll also need a manual can opener,plastic and paper utensils, a latern, candles, matches, a hand crank radio, dust masks, flashlights and batteries, heavy gloves, rope, fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and manual, toiler paper, a bucket and hand and power tools. You should also call your utility company before disaster strikes so you can learn how to stuff off the gas, the water and the electric in five minutes. Most gas valves are located outside and require a wrench for shutoff. Its a good idea to locate your main water valve and mark it so you can shut it off in an emergency. To shut off your electric, locate the circuit box and shut off the main breaker. If there is standing water near the service panel or circuit box , DO NOT TOUCH IT! Communication Keep a card with an updated list of family contacts in your wallet, backpack and car at all times. Make sure each family member carries the number of a familly member or trusted friend 50 miles away in case the phones are out. If your family members get seperated, you can form a circle or hub of communication by keeping in touch through a 3rd party. Technology Scan bank, medical,tax, property, ID, marriage, birth, military, insurance and other important records on your home computer. Then burn this info onto a CD ROM or DVD. Then keep back up copies of the CD ROM or DVD in a safe deposit box with the original documents or with a trusted family member. Also, keep a copy of the CD in your emergency backpack or car. Hidden Water Hidden water can be collected from your home pipes. Close the main water valve and open a top floor faucet to let the air out. Then draw water from the lowest faucet in the house. Another source of water is the hot water heater. A 30 gallon tank holds enough water to supply a family of 4 for one week. Keep in mind a natural disaster can sometimes foul up the water supply. So make sure you filter any water before you drink it. Purifying Water To treat contaminated water, rain water, moving stream or clear lake water, filter it through a paper towel, clean cloth or coffee filter to remove debris. Then boil it or sterilize it with 16 drops of household bleach per gallon of water. Wait 30 minutes before drinking. Power When the electric goes out, an unpowered frig can keep food up to 4 hours. Frozen food will last up to 2 days. If you have doubts about freshness, use a food thermometer. Anything above 41F should be trashed. Fruit can last at room temeprature up to 7 days. If unopened, dried pantry foods can last about six months and canned and jar goods can last up to one year. A 900 watt generator will run a dorm frig and seven 60 watt bulbs and burn 2.5 gallons of gas per 24 hours. A 4000 watt generator will run a full size frig, some lights , a coffee maker or a well pump. It will burn 12 gallons of gas per 24 hours. An 8000 watt generator will run a well pump, coffee maker, full size frig , lights, sump pump or the central air unit. It will burn 26 gallons of gas in 24 hours ! Always keep a generator at least 10 feet from the house. Also, because of carbon monoxide poisoning, never run a generator in a garage, under a deck, or enclosed. Also, you should have an electrican install a transfer switch on your generator to prevent electric going back on the grid. This will prvent utility workers from getting harmed when trying to repair a local line. Survival Supplies A good source of survival supplies at reasonable prices is: www.QuakeKare.Com

Sunday, July 8, 2007

Earn 18% On Your Money Guaranteed

Six in ten people carry a balance on their credit cards at an interest rate of 18% or higher. So if you have an extra $1,000 to spend, then use it to pay off a high interest credit card. If your intertest rate is 18%, you'll save a cool $180 and make 18% on your payment investment!

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Why Time Shares Are A Poor Investment

Buying a timeshare could be one of the worst investments you could make. Instead of paying $15,000 to $75,000 for a time share, put the money in a vacation fund. The yield will pay for stays at comparable hotels and you won't lose your principal. And you won't be stuck paying annual maintenance fees of $700 to $1500 if you don't use the timeshare in a given year. If you're tempted to buy a timeshare, keep in mind that the same unit is being sold up to 26 times (two weeks for each buyer). Then ask yourself if you would consider a total purchase price of $400,000 to $2 million. If not, walk away.

Sunday, May 27, 2007

28 Red Hot Travel Tips

1.Dump Your Foreign Currency When checking out at your hotel, first pay your bill with foreign bills and coins, then pay the balance with your credit card. 2. Get Free Web Access If you don't have a laptop, Sears and Kmart have free interent access in CA, HI and 15 other states. Or visit the local public library or the nearest junior or 4 year college library. 3. Pack A Small Portable AM-FM Radio On A Caribbean Cruise AM signals travel easily over water and you'll get to listen to lots of different island music while the ship is in port. 4. Pack A Rubber Jar Opener It works better than tape roller lint brush and takes up hardly an room. 5. Check Out A Hotel,Charter Package Or Cruise Ship Before You Book Ask the hotel or resort whether there will be a wedding or a convention during your stay. On a ship, ask how mature or young the crowd will be, whether there will be singles or children present. For detailed info on cruises, check:www.CruiseCrtic.Com When shopping for cruises, check out www.CruisesOnly.Com ,www.CruiseStar.Com and www.Cruise411.Com If you don't get the price you want, then let cruise brokers fight over you at www.CruiseCompete.Com Brokers bid against each other for your business and you are under no obligation to buy anything! If you book a cruise, make sure you arrive at the port the night before the ship leaves. If your flight gets delayed because of bad weather, the ship will leave without you and it's up to you to catch up. 6. Passport Safety Besides making a copy of your passport, scan it and e-mail it and your itinerary to yourself and someone back home. That way you can always access a copy online. 7. Don't Trust Hotel Ratings 100% Sometimes the difference between a 3 star hotel and a 4 star hotel is a phone in the bathroom. Plus some online hotel photos may date back 20 years, may hide construction, rooms may seem bigger than they are or the room pictured is far better then the one you booked.Always check out what other travelers had to say at: www.TripAdvisor.Com 8. Always Join Loyalty Programs Make it a point to join FREE car rental, hotel or airline or airport lounge loyalty programs even if you just use it one time. You get better treatment and way faster check in and check out times. 9. How To Bid On Priceline Priceline is best for hotels in big cities but stay clear of 2 stars hotels or less. For best results, bid on business hotels for weekend stays,at resort towns for weekday stays,and anywhere off season. To see successful Priceline bids, check out: www.BiddingForTravel.Com c 10.Charter Tour Operators & Consolidators May Have Cheapest Flights Tour operators like Apple, Funjet and Vacation Express that sell packages also sell flights seperately. The downside is that they only leave once a week. So if you miss your flight, you're out of luck. Consolidators buy airlines seats in blocks and re-sell them at a discount. One of the best is www.1800FlyEurope.Com 11. How To Override A Travel Vendor's Voicemail If you get an operator that sounds like an idiot or a jerk, just hang up before you give your name or use a fake name and hang up. Wait a few minutes and then call back. Or visit:www.GetHuman.Com 12. Delete Your Cookies Make sure you delete your cookies every time you visit a travel website. This will keep the site from giving you the same price each time you visit. 13. Always Confirm Always confirm all your reservations, rates, perks and cancellations with a confirmation number and an e-mail. If you don't have proof in writing, it's tough getting a charge off your credit card. 14. Never Pay Cash Never pay cash or even make partial deposits in cash for travel. Always use a credit card. If the tour operator goes broke or something goes wrong, you've got recourse. Always try to use your American Express or Discover card when booking travel. They have a better track record of siding with consumers involving any dispute as compared to other cards. 15. Always Insure Your Trip Even if you are flying within the US and staying with friends or relatives, insure your trip. Reason? In a medical or dental emergency, your health insurance may not cover you outside of your home state. If you get sick or break your leg, you may not want to recover in a hospital hundreds of miles from home. So you may need a medical airlift to your home state. That can easily cost 10 to $25,000. When going abroad, it's imperative to have medical, dental and airlift coverage in a foreign country. Plus new trip insurance policies allow you cancel for any reason including terrorism. The best site to compare costs and buy insurance is: www.InsureMyTrip.Com 16. Never Check Your Bags In this age of terrorism, checking bags and lost luggage are a huge hassles and big time wasters at airports and on criuse ships. Learn to pack light and do laundry at your destination. The other advantage is that you can check in and print your boarding pass 24 hours before you arrive at the airport. Then you can avoid the long check-in lines and go straight through security. If you have to check your bag, mark it with a colorful strap or sticker and take a photo of the bag in case it gets lost. Or you can ship your bags ahead to your hotel or destination via Fed Ex. If you do this yourself, you'll save 50% of what a baggage forwarding service would charge. When you carry your own bags, you can walk right off a plane or a ship and head for home immediately.17. How To Get A Good Seat Always reserve a specific seat when you book a flight or package. Visit www.SeatGuru.Com to check out a plane's worst and best seats. If you end with a bad seat, try to switch to a better one at check-in. If that doesn't work try again at the gate and again when you board the plane. 18. Breeze Through Airport Security At home ,place gels and liquids in 3 oz containers and put them in a quart-sized Ziploc bag. Wear slip on shoes, and wear socks. When your 3 people from the front of line, remove everything except your ID and boardpass from your pockets, remove your shoes, take off your jacket and remove your laptop from your bag. You'll breeze right through. 19. Avoid Upscale Hotels Upscale hotels usually charge for phone calls, internet, breakfast, the gym and more. If you book an upscale hotel on the cheap, make sure you inquire as to what's included. Mid range hotels like Holiday Inn Express, Four Points By Sheraton,Coutyard by Marriott, and Hampton Inn include lots of perks for free. 20. Avoid Room Service & Mini Bars Room service food is just fair, over priced and may take forever. To chill out in your room, whip out the phone book and either have a pizza or some other take out delivered to your room. It's way cheaper and faster. Plus don't touch anything in the mini -bar. Modern mini-bars have sensors that know when you remove something. 21. Be Safe Always use the hotel safe to store extra cash, jewelry , airline tickets, and other valuables. And always make it a point to use a money belt even when traveling in the US. 21. Car Rental Tips Alays reserve the least expensive model. If they don't have your car, rental companies always upgrade you to a better model for free. Prepaid gas is for people with expense accounts. Always gas up before you turn your car in. In general, unmarried couples can often skip the extra driver fee. Laws vary by state so make sure you tell the clerk you are domestic partners. Always turn down CDW or collison damage waiver fees. Its a big money maker for car rental companies at $10 to $20 daily. Always use a credit card that covers this for free. Also, if your car insurance policy has collision, you may be covered to drive any car. Ask your insurance company or agent before you book a car. 22. Airline Passenger Rights If you're bumped from a domestic flight and you get on another flight within two hours, the airline must pay you the equivalent of a one-way fare or $200 maximum. If it's more than two hours they got to cough up to $400. Voucher are an option too. If your checked bag is delayed, the airline must cover expenses for toiletries and clothing until it delivers the bag to you. For a lost bag, the carrier must reimburse you up to $3,000. If your hotel is overbooked, it must find you a comparable room nearby at no extra charge. 23. Free Or Low Cost Airport Parking Airport parking frees run about $140 a week or $20 a day. Sometimes, you can park at the far end of an airport hotel parking lot and no one will bother you. Just park your car on the property, and take the hotel shuttle bus to your airline terminal. If that's not an option,go to www.AirportParkingReservations.Com for a list of off-site, low cost parking lots. 24. Try Bribery If you need a special favor, try slipping the front-desk clerk , maitre'd or other service personnel at $20 bill. It goes a long way. But just don't try it with cops, custom or border agents. You might end up in jail. 25. Document Eveything Buy a digital camera with a minimum of one gigabite of memory or make sure your cell phone has a camera. If that's not an option, then buy a disposable flash or video camera at CVS. Then you can snap before pictures of damage to your rental car before you sign off on it, how full the gas tank was when you returned the car, where you parked your car, a ferry schedule or roaches or bed bugs in your hotel room. You can always delete digital photos later. PS The diriest item in any hotel room is the bedspread. As soon as you enter your room, take it off and put it in the corner. If you see bed bugs in your bed, demand a refund, and leave the hotel. If you bring them home, bed bug infestations are difficult to eradicate.26. Avoid Long Lines Some museums such as the Louve in Paris, have more than one entrance. The lesser known ones often have shorter lines. Also, you can purchase tickets at locations other than the end of a long line at the front door. Tickets for Versailles can be purchased in advance at Fnac record stores in France. In Rome, tickets pourcahsed at the Palatine Museum lets you walk right in the Colosseum. Check various guide books for tips before you go. 27. Buy City Passes Most major cities sell ciy passes to majot attractions. For instance, a NYC pass costs $53. But that good for five diferent major attractions that sell for $100 if purchased seperately. 28. Bring It Home Tax Free When returning to the US, Americans can bring back $800 of goods for personal use without paying duties or taxes. For a couple, that's $1600 in tax free goods! You can also send $200 worth of goods per day to yourself at a US address. That's $400 a day for a couple. You can also send duty-free gifts worth up to $100 per person per day to friends and relatives in the US. Keep in mind that shipping rates will vary depending on the country your mailing from. So compare postal rates and insurance to FedEx and UPS rates from the county of origin.

Best Dry Barbeque Rub

Mix 1/2 cup paprika, 1/4 cup chili powder, 3 tablespsoons salt, 2 tablespoons ground corriander, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 2 tablespoons curry powder,2 tablespoons of hot mustard powder, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon dried basil, 1 tablespoon dired thyme, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, and 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper in a bowl. Mix well and store in an airtight container in a cool dry place aay from heat and light.

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Super All Around Barbeque Sauce

Here's an easy to make,versatile BBQ sauce that can be brushed on ribs, chicken, burgers, steak, fish or use it to marinate shrimp before grilling. Or stir into a pot of baked beans for added flavor. To make it, put 1/4 teaspoon of Tobasco sauce, 1 tablespoon of chilli powder, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1/3 cup of packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/4 cup of Worchestshire sauce, 1/4 cup of canola oil, 1/2 cup of cider vinegar, 1 cup of water, 2 cups of ketchup, 4 cloves of garlic finley minced, and 1 onion finely chopped in a pot and bring it to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Then pour the sauce through a strainer to remove the onion and garlic. Season to taste and let cool to room temperature. If you're not using it immediately, you can refrigerate it for up to a week. This recipe makes 3 cups, and for each 2 tablespoon serving it has 60 calories, 10 grams of carbs, 1 gram of protein, 2.5 grams of fat, and is cholesterol free.

Friday, May 11, 2007

Best Bars In The USA

Birmingham, AL: Lou's Pub, 726 29th St, 205-322-7005, Little Rock, AR: Midtown Billards, 4089 Lincoln Blvd, 310-821-6622, Tuscon, AZ: The Bars @ The Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress St, 800-722-8848, Los Angeles, CA: La Cita, 336 S. Hill St, 213-687-7111, Redwood, 316 W. Second St,680-2600,J Lounge, 1119 S. Olive St, 746-7746, Golden Gopher, 417 W. Eighth St, 614-8001, Edison Bar, 108 W. Second St, 613-0000, Bordello, 901 E. First St, 687-3766, Bar 107, 107 W. Fourth St, 625-7382, Marina del Ray, CA: Brennan's Pub, 4089 Lincoln Blvd, 310-821-6622, Sonora, CA: The Sportsman, 90 S. Washington St, 209-532-1716, Minturn, CO: Minturn Saloon, 146 N. Main St, 970-827-5954, Essex, CT: Tap Room @ Griswold Inn, 36 Main St, 860-767-1776, Washington, DC: Hawk N' Dove, 329 Pennsylvania Ave, 202-543-3300, Wilmington, DE: Dead Presidents Pub & Eatery, 618 N. Union St, 302-562-7737, Miami,FL: Jimbo's, Duckland Rd, 305-361-7016, Honululu, HI: Lewers Lounge @ Halekuliani Hotel, 2199 Kalia Rd, 808-923-2311, Boise, ID: Pengilly's, 513 W.Main St, 208-345-6344, Chicago, IL: California Clipper, 210 Fourth St, 515-280-3771, Indianapolis, IN: Red Key, 5170 N. College St, 317-283-4601, Lawrence, KS: Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts Ave, 785-749-7676, Louisville, KY: OLd Seelbach Bar, 500 Fourth St, 502-585-3200, New Orleans, LA:Chart Room, 300 Charles St, 504-522-1708, Baltimore, MD: Brewer's Art, 1106 N. Charles St, 410-547-6925, Portland, ME: Rosie's, 330 Fore St, 207-722-5656,Cambridge, MA: B Side Lounge, 92 Hampshire St, 617-354-0766, Minneapolis, MN: Bulldog NE, 401 E. Hennepin Ave, 612-378-2855, Oxford, MS: Upstairs Bar, 152 Courthouse Sq, 662-232-8080, St. Louis, MO: John D. McGurk's, 1200 Russell, 314-776-8309, Omaha, NE: The Henry Inn, 1510 N. Saddles Creek Rd, 402-554-5815, Portsmouth, NH: Library Lounge, 401 State St, 603-431-5200, Newark, NJ: McGovern's Tavern, 58-60 New St, 973-643-3984, Bernadillo, NM: Silva's Saloon, 955 Camino del Pueblo, 505-867-9971, New York, NY: Bemelman's Bar @ The Carlye Hotel,35 E. 76 St, 212-744-1600, Keen's Stockhouse, 72 W. 36th St, 947-3636, Angels Share, 8 Stuyvesant St @ 9th AVe, 777-5415, Flatiron Lounge, 37 W. 19th St, 727-7741, San Domenico, 240 Central PArk South, 265-5959, Charrlotte, NC: Thomas Street Tavern, 1218 Thomas St, 704-376-1622, Fargo, ND: Monte's Downtown, 220 Broadway, 701-526-0149, Columbus, OH: Andyman's Treehouse, 887 Chambers Rd, 614-294-2264, Norman, OK: Library Bar & Grill, 607 W. Boyd St, 404-366-7465, Eugene,OR: Sam Bond's Garage, 407 Blair Blvd, 541-431-6603, Rincon, PR: Tamboo Tavern, RT 413, Kilometer 4.4, Sandy Beach Rd, 888-823-8550,Providence ,RI: Wild Colonial Tavern, 250 S. Water St, 401-621-5644, Charleston , NC: Moe's, 714 Rutledge Ave, 843-722-3287, Yankton, SD: Ice House, 101 Capitol St, 605-665-2631, Nashville, TN: Tootsie's, 422 Broadway, 615-726-0463, San Antonio,TX: La Tuna, 100 Probandt St, 210-224-8862, Burlington, VT: The Needs, 207 College St, 802-658-0889, Roanoke, VA: Coffee Pot, 2902 Brambleton Ave SW, 540-774-8256, SEattle, WA: Sambar, 425 Northwest Market St, 206-781-4883, Shepherdstown, WVA: Mecklenburg Inn, 128 E. German Ave, 304-876-2126.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Best Vinos Under $10-Spring 07

Pepperwood Grove Merlot-CA-$8, Banrock Station Shiraz -Au $5, Jacobs Creek Shiraz- Au $5, Concha y Toro Casillero Del Diablo Carmenere -Ch $9, Santa Rita 120 Chardonnay,-Ch $8, Folonari Pinot Grigio- It $8, Osborne Solaz Tempranillo-Cabernet Sauvignon -Sp $9, Vino Verde Quinta da Aveleda Casal Garcia -Por $7.

Best New Paris Bistros

Le Baratin,3 rue Jouye-Rouve,(20th)011-33-1-43-49-39-70, La Verre Vole , 67 rue de Lancry,(10th) 011-33-1-48-03-17-34, Bistrot Paul Bert, 18 rue Paul Bert,(11th)011-1-33-1-43-72-24-01

Best Pizzas In The USA

Best In The US Sally's, 237 Wooster St, New Haven, CT 203-624-5271 Chicago Spacca Napoli,1769 W. Sunnyside Ave,773-878-2420 Detroit Crust Pizza & Wine Bar,2595 Rochester Rd, Rochester Hills 248-844-8899,Houston Dolce Vita,500 Western Rd, 713-520-8222 Los Angeles Pizzeria Mozza, 641 N. Highland Ave, 323-297-0101New York Arturo's,106 W. Houston St, 212-677-820,Philadelphia Pietro's, 1714 Walnut St 215-735-8090,PA Suburbs JulesThinCrust.Com,78 S. Main St, Doylestown, PA 215-34-JULES, Phoenix Cibo's, 603 N. Fifth St, 602-441-2693, Portland, OR Monday's,304 Southeast 28th Avenue , 503-517-9950

Monday, March 19, 2007

How To Avoid High Airfare Prices

1. Call The Carriers after midnight Monday through Friday. That's when airline agents typically load new fares into their computer systems. Call around 1 AM to get the best price. 2. Maximize Your Options Check out all airports near your destination and consider every departure time you can handle. To save even more money, skip the direct flight and opt for connecting flights.3. Book Between 7 & 21 Days In Advance Any less time and you'll miss out on some deals-any more time any you'll be unable to take advantage of sudden drop in fares. 4. Go Mid-Week Weekends are prime time travel. For the best deals, go Tuesday through Thrursday with a Saturday night stay over

Saturday, February 24, 2007

5 Exceptional Wine Picks 4 Under $10-Winter 07

2005 Banrock Station Reisling-Austrailia ($5), 2006 Santa Isabel Torrontes-White-Argentina ($7), 2005 Skouras White-Greece ($9), 2005 Rioja Vega Joven-Red-Spain ($8) and NV HRM Rex Goliath Ziffandel-California ($9).

Monday, February 19, 2007

How To Fight A Denied Insurance Claim

If you've been denied a legitimate insurance claim by an auto, health, home owners or life insurance company, these consumer advocate websites will help you win your claim. www.familiesusa.org,www.naic.org, www.healthinsuranceinfo.net, www.policyholdersofamerica.org and www.unitedpolicyholders.org

Thursday, January 11, 2007

If you're a plantiff in a mold lawsuit, show this to your lawyer

If mold has made you sick and you're a plantiff in a mold lawsuit, tell your lawyer to read the front page of the January 9th, 2007 Wall St. Journal.The article is titled,"Amid Suits Over Mold, Experts Wear Two Hats." The article states that a position paper by the American College Of Occupational and Environmental Medicine or ACOEM,has been intoduced by defense lawyers. The paper says that "scientific evidence DOES NOT support the proposition that human health has been adversely affected by inhaled mycotoxins in the home, school or office environment." What the paper doesn't reveal is that the people who wrote the paper are regularly paid experts for the defense in mold litigation.The paper has become a key defense tool used by builders, landlords and insuers in litigation. Your lawyer should base his or her case on a paper issued by the Institute Of Medicine that states:"Studies have demonstrated adverse effects-including immunotoxic, neurologic, respiratory and dermal responses-after exposure to specific toxins,bacteria, molds or their by products."

7 Ways To Protect Yourself From A Dirty Hospital

Every year, over 80,000 people die in the US from infections contracted in dirty hospitals. Here are 7 ways to protect yourself. 1. Wash your hands frequently and don't be shy about asking doctors, nurses and aids to do the same. 2. Try to lose weight or stop smoking before having surgery. People who are overweight or who smoke are more susceptible to infection. 3. Wash with 4% chlorhexidine antibiotic soap at least 3 days before having surgery. 4. Ask your MD for a nasal swab test to detect MRSA. MRSA is short for the drug resistant bug, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. 5. Ask your MD to prescribe an antibiotic for you before surgery. 6. Ask your doctor to not to shave the surgical site. Instead, have the MD use hair clippers. Tiny cuts from razors can get infected. 7.Ask friends and family not to visit you in the hospital if they are ill. Then ask your doctor to limit the number of aides and medical students that enter your room. If you can't speak up for yourself, have a family member or friend do it for you.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

8 Fabulous Travel Tips

1.Ignore Expiration Dates Make sure you save all travel website specials regardless of their expiration dates. When you want to take advantage of the special, just call the hotel or sales director. Many times you'll get the deal even if it isn't officially available. That's because companies are always trying to fill rooms and tours no matter what the time of year.2. Carry On Toothpaste & Shampoo Buy Eco-DenT Tooth Powder and Burt's Shampoo Bars at Whole Foods. 3.Ginger Candy Stops Motion Sickness Just about any kind of ginger candy will prevent motion sickness on the road, on a plane or at sea. 4. Avoid booking hotel rooms online Hotel managers hate guests who book rooms through website booking engines. Because after the internet takes it's cut,the hotel barely makes any money. So if you book directly with the hotel chain, you always get better service. Contact the hotel directly and ask for the best price. When you book directly, many hotels will even give you AAA or AARP discounts even if you're not a member! 5. Be pleasant when lodging complaints with the front desk If you're staying at a hotel, and you have a legitimate complaint, raise your concern in a pleasant manner. Hotel staffers stick together, and if you're rude and nasty, the front desk clerk will make a note of it in the logbook. So if you insult one employee, don't expect good treatment from another employee. When it comes to hotel front desk complaints, you'll get a lot farther with honey than vinegar. 6. Record credit card phone numbers Put all your credit card phone numbers with the last 4 numbers of your account,on a piece of paper. Then tape it to inside of your luggage. If your wallet is lost or stolen on a trip, you can call all the credit card companies to put a fraud alert on your account and get new cards issued. 7. Buy a three-legged folding chair When you are touring public places, carry a ultra light and strong folding chair for long-winded impromtu talks by tour operators. A folding chair also comes in handy when touring large museums with no rest seating,waiting in long airport lines, and outdoor, bring your own chair, concerts. A product called the "packseat" weighs just 26 ounces and holds up to 300 pounds. It fits in a case 15" x 4" and you can sew on cheap, wide guitar strap handle to make it easy to carry over your shoulder. It's under $25 and available at www.magellans.com 8. Ask An Rx Where To Eat If you're in a foreign city and don't know where to eat, ask a pharmacist. Most of them speak English and they can recommend a "safe" and "clean" place to eat. This comes in handy especially when visiting 3rd world or developing countries.