Cleaning Matters

Seven Ways To Get A Cheap Flight

2012-01-06T17:07:00.000-05:00

1. Buy Tickets at 3pm EST On Tuesday Most sale fares kick in on Monday at 8pm and by Thursday 8pm the sale is over.

2. Compare Prices at least 3 months in advance and check   www.Kayak.com , www.Expedia.com, www.PriceLine.com , www.Travelocity.com and www.FareCompare.com . That's because one system can traill another by 5 hours. So be sure to check the airline's site which charges slightly less than 3 rd party sites since there's no commission.

3. Forget Weekends    Don't fly on Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday night and Monday morning to get the best price.

4. Fly Hungry The cheapest flights take off at dawn, around lunchtime, and after 6pm.

5.Consider A Connecting Flight They're usually cheaper than non-stops especially on international routes.

6. Shop For One Seat Only If you're travelling with a group, establish the base price for one person and compare it for a price for all. That's because reservation systems are programmed to bump up groups to the next price level.

7. Book Well In Advance That's because you'll pay a premium if you book within 7 to 14 days of travel.

For Gals Only: The Biggest Beauty Dont's

2011-10-10T17:34:00.000-04:00

Don't Layer On Mascara  or else you risk getting clumpy eyelashes or raccoon eyes. Curl your lashes first and apply only a coat or two of mascara. Start at the base of your lashes and wiggle the wand as you brush it towards the tip. The wiggling motion is the key to deposit color evenly even on the finest shortest lash hairs.
Immediately remove gobs with an eyelash comb before mascara dries because once it dries it's no longer pliable. If you need a second coat, apply it before the mascara dries. If you're still getting raccoon eyes, then change brands or don't use it on the bottom lashes.

Don't Rush Your Blush or you can end up looking overdone. take your time and use just enough to brighten your glow and enhance your face shape but not so much its obvious. To deposit the right amount of color, dust a sheer rosy powder on cheeks and temples using a fluffy brush. Newer formulations of blush tend to be sheer, so its difficult to over do it. Switch brands or brushes if needed. If your skin is oily or streak prone, pat your face with translucent powder or oil blotting sheets before applying blush. You can also use a translucent powder to tone down too much blush.

Don't Buy Foundation That Adds Years  or you might look worse than going bare faced. Foundation that's too light ages you and if it's too dark it looks "Jersey Shore". So make sure your foundation flatters your skin tone and blend it in well. Your best bet is to visit a makeup counter that custom blends foundation and have a makeup artist pick the three best shades for you or test the shades on your own. Foundation with yellow undertones is generally more flattering than pink undertones. Try it on your entire face or at least on your jawline. Places like your neck, chest or hand aren't good for judging because they are rarely the same color as you face due to more or less sun damage. Before you buy it, leave the store and check your face in sunlight and under fluorescent light. Then return the makeup that doesn't work. Most stores let you return opened products. But just to be sure, ask before you buy it and save your receipt.

Don't Use Lip Liner or else you'll end up looking clownish. Outlining is "out" because it looks fake and its the biggest beauty mistake people make. If you insist on liner, match it to your lipstick or use the the same pencil to line and fill in your lips with color. The top it off with gloss if it looks or feels dry. Line your lips precisely along the rim.

Don't Dye Your Brows Too Light or elss they won't do a good job complementing your features. Keep your eye brow color a few shades lighter than your natural shade since the slightest contrast is more flattering. Lighten your brows just a bit by switching to a brow pencil or powder one shade lighter than your brows.

Don't Over exfoliate  or else you'll end up damaging your skin. Exfoliation is meant to smooth skin not irritate it. Cosmetic companies want you to think otherwise, but your skin is constantly shedding and renews itself naturally. So don't inflame it while trying to look younger. using a scrub every few days is generally safe buy scrubs can irritate sensitive skin and cause broken blood vessels. Another option is to use skin car products that contain retinols or lactic, hydroxy or glycolic acids. These act as exfoliates and speed up cell turnover.  If your skin isn't overly sensitive, the use a clay facial mask, mild facial cleansing grains, or an at home microdermabrasion kit as needed but not more than once a week.

Don't Go Crazy With The Tweezers or else it will lead to over plucked brows. If your brows are pencil thin or comma shaped or if they are more or an arch than a line, put the tweezers away for a few weeks. Fill in sparse brows with a waterproof brow pencil or powder. The next time you tweeze,remove strays between your brows and above and below your natural brow line and do nothing else.

Don't Neglect Your Neck  or else it might end up aging faster than your face. So treat your neck like your face and protect it with sunscreen and moisturizer. Don't buy products sold specifically for the neck. Whatever you use on your face is fine.

Don't Brush Wet Hair or else you can damage it. When hair is wet it has the ability to stretch but unlike elastic, wet hair won't stretch without breaking off. So let your wet hair dry naturally or blow dry it out before brushing it out.

Don't Wear A Tight Ponytail Or Bun Too Often or else you might end up with a receding a hairline.
Any kind of hair style that tugs your hair, even weaves and cornrows, can lead to traction alopecia. That's causes localized hair loss from constant tension on the hair roots.   It can also lead to permanent hair loss or tension headaches. So gather your hair loosely in a ponytail or bun and secure it with a coated elastic band or srunchie.

Don't File The Sides Of Your Nails or else you can damage them. Just file snags as needed. The sides are braces that help the nails grow long and strong. So just keep the tips square or rounded for support. Frequent use of nail polish remover can dry out your nails. So avoid changing polish more than once a week.

Don't Skip Your Nightly face Washing Routine or else you can end up with clogged pores and skin and eye problems. Taking off your makeup and washing your face before bed is just as important as wearing sunblock. Your makeup traps in all sorts of dirt and pollution through out the day. So if you're not good at washing up at night, then store no-rinse make up remover towelettes by your bedside and use them before you turn out the lights.

Don't Apply Sunless Tanner Without Prepping Your Skin   or else you'll look blotchy. That's because the active ingredient in sunless tanner reacts more strongly with skin that is rougher, thicker or scaly. So prep your body by sloughing off dead skin and smoothing rough spots using a grainy body scrub or mesh sponge or body wash in the shower. Pay special attention to the elbows, knees, ankles and feet. Or use a daily use sunless tanner.

Two Incredible Italian No Cook No Fuss Desserts Not Well Known In The US

2011-09-25T10:12:00.000-04:00

Macedonia Invernale -Here's a terrific no cook, no-fuss dessert that popular with Italian home cooks. You just mix your favorite fruits with chopped nuts, chopped chocolate and any left over candy. Add some organe juice and a splash of liqueur and pass the spoons. Here are the ingredients:

2 handfuls of assorted dried fruit chopped
2 handfuls of assorted chopped nuts
1 handful of assorted leftover candy bars chopped
1 handful of dark chocolate chopped
1 handful of milk chocolate chopped
10 amaretti ( crisp almond cookies ) or other cookies coarsely chopped
A little candied orange peel minced
Freshly squeezed orange juice
Itlain liqueur such as limocello or amaretto
Mascarpone cheese or whipped cream

In a resealable plastic bag or container with a lid, combine the dreid fruit, nuts, candy, dark and light chocolates, cookies and candied orange peel. Seal and set aside for up to 3 months. One hour before serving add enough orange juice to moisten thr fruit mixture. Just before serving add the liqueur to taste.
Serve in wine glasses with a dollop of Mascarpone or whipped cream. Serves 10 to 12.

Dolce Torino or Instant Chocolate Cake

This no bake recipe comes from an Italian Piedmont cookbook written in 1891. Here's what's inside:

7 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1/2 cup fo confectioners sugar
1 large egg yolk
3 1/2 ounces dark chocolate at least 70% cacao
2 tablesppons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon puree vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sugar plus more to taste
4 tablespoons of sweet liqueur such as alchermes
12 savvoiardi ( lady fingers )
2 tablespoons of crush pistachios or hazelnuts

In a large bowl, using a wisk or electric mixer, beat the butter, confectioner's sugar and egg yolk until very smooth and creamy. Set aside. Then put the chocolate and cream in a smaill bowl and melt the chocolate either in a microwave or over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Let the chocolate mixture cool to room temperature, then stit it and the vanilla into the butter mixture. Set aside. Next combine 5 tablespoons of warm water with the granulated sugar in a shallow bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the liqueur adding more sugar to taste. Dip 4 of the lady fingers one at a time, into the liquid. Be sure to moisten them well on all sides. Arrange the 4 liqueur dipped lady fingers in a row, close together on a serving plate. Spread one third of the chcolate mixture on top and around the stacked lady fingers. Spinkle top layer with pistachio or hazelnuts. Repeat the dipping and layering to make 2 more layers, spreading the last layer of chocolate mixture on top and around the lady fingers. Sprinkle to the top layer with pistachio or hazelnuts. Rerigerate for 3 hours until firm. Serve cold. Serves 4 to 6.

Four Sensational Leaf Peeping Spots Just A 3 Hour Drive From Mercer County

2011-09-25T09:19:00.000-04:00

Here are four scenic getaways that don't require a trek to the airport or long hours behind the wheel

1.Clinton, NJ Located in Hunterdon County, this town looks like a Norman Rockwell pianting came to life. For more info see http://www.clintonnj.gov/ ( 1 hour by car)

2. Kent, CT Named the top New England foliage destination by Yankee Magazine, Kent is situated near two state parks for plenty of leaf viewing. For more info on Kent, see http://www.ct.gov/ ( 3hours by car)

3. Millbrook, NY This town is filled with rolling hills, beautiful gardens, and Millbrook Vineyards (845) 677-8383. Just 10 minutes away from the winery is Innisfree Garden which occupies 150 acres on part of a lake. The public garden features streams, waterfalls and terraces. Call 845-677-8000 for more details.
( 3hours by car)

4. Hunter, NY Get your adrenaline fix with a trip to Hunter Mountin and take a Skyrider Tour. It's North America's longest highest and fastest zipline course. It sends riders flying at speeds of 50 mph on lines that extend 3,000 feet and more than 600 feet in the air. The entire course covers more than 4.6 miles of forest giving thrill seekers a stunnung aerial view of the Catskills. For more info visit http://www.huntermtn.com/ or call 800-HunterMtn. ( 3 hours by car)

12 Ways To Outfox Bill Collectors

2011-09-23T20:46:00.000-04:00

1.If they threaten to have you arrested, use profanity or call before 8am or after 9pm, then they are in violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. So report then to your state attorney general at http://www.naag.org/ and the Federal Trade Commission at http://www.ftc.gov/

2. When they leave a message on your phone, its just a message from a made up person. When you call back and ask for him or her, they will say they are out to lunch and offer to help you instead.

3. When a bill collector makes unreasonable demands, never ask for a manager since he or she won't help you. Just call back and get another collector on the line.

4. Bill collectors love to call you at work because it puts extra pressure on you. However, if you specifically ask them not to call you at work, by law they have to stop.

5. If you decide to settle, collectors are trained to "take your application" in a bored voice. They'll the ask for your spouse's work phone, and other personal information. But it's they're way of getting more info out of you in case the debtor rejects your settlement. So if you want to settle, don't give them an more info to harass you.

6. Always check whether your debt has passed the statute of limitations. You can check for info about your state at http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/credit-card-state-statute-limitations-1282.php
If your debt has passed the statute of limitations, they can't sue you or put it on your credit report. But if you make any kind of payment or even acknowledge the debt, then that starts the clock ticking all over again !

7. Debt collectors always lie when negotiating and say they have to get a manger involved. Then the other collector becomes the "bad cop". The theory is that just having another voice on the phone may get you to open your wallet.

8. A lot of collection agencies buy debt for pennies on the dollar. So when you negotiate, start low at about 25 cents on the dollar. Then say, "I have $200 I can apply towards this debt.. Will you accept that as payment in full?" If the collector says "no", then ask what they will accept. When you reach a deal always make them put it in writing. Then pay the bill.

9. Collectors won't tell you , but most accounts have a one time settlement fee of 15% to 35% that's pre-approved. This is especially true with credit card debt. So always negotiate hard.

10. The more money a collector can get out of you, the bigger bonus he or she will get. Top collectors routinely get bonus checks of $10,000 or more each month. So always negotiate your debt down to pennies on the dollar.

11. All collectors have heard every tale of woe in existence. They may seem sympathetic when they talk to you, but they just don't care. So make sure you always negotiate your debt down.

12. Debt collectors are trained to believe that all debtors are compulsive liars. So no matter what you tell them , they are trained to keep pushing. So they ask you if you can borrow from friends, your 401k or another credit card. Don't do it. If the collector won't negotiate the debt down, hang up.

Sensational Sunday Italian Meat Ball Recipe

2011-09-18T12:25:00.000-04:00

Meat Mix:

1lb ground beef ( 80% lean/20% fat )
1lb ground veal
1lb pancetta or thick-sliced smokey bacon, finely minced
2    whole eggs
1/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
8    garlic cloves minced

Herb Mix:

1/4 cup fine dry unseasoned bread crumbs
4oz. (1/2 cup) whole milk
1 tsp coarse salt
1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Slowly add milk to bread crumbs, stirring until the mixture has the consistency of wet sand. Then add to the meat mixture, season with salt and pepper and mix well. To taste for seasoning heat a small amount of canola oil in a small pan. When it's hot, it will ripple in the pan. Pinch off a bit of meat, and fry it in the oil. Remove with a spoon, taste, and correct seasoning, adding more salt if necessary. Refrigerate meat for about 30 minutes.

Next you'll need:

canola oil for browning
12 cups of good quality tomato sauce kept warm over low heat ( see recipe below )
finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Shape meatballs using an ice cream scoop. Firmly pack the meat into the scoop, pressing down on the flat side with your palm. Then use the spring trigger to release it, and roll it between your flattened palms into a ball. In a large skillet, heat about 1/4 inch of canola oil until very hot.Working in batches, brown all sides of each meatball. As they finish, transfer browned meatballs to a deep, ovenproof casserole. Cover meatballs with tomato sauce and make sure they are totally submerged. Place in oven and bake until well done, or about 1 3/4 to 2 hours. When done, they should feel firm to the touch, or an instant read meat thermometer should read 160 degrees.

To Serve:

Spoon sauce over meatballs ( 2or 3 per person) and top with grated cheese. Makes 25 to 30 meatballs. Serve 8 to 10 as an entree.

Tomato Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

San marzano tomatoes, oilive oil, garlic cloves, basil leavesight

1.Get eight (8) 28 oz cans of whole San Marzano tomatoes.

2. Empty in a huge bowl and crush by hand or with a potato masher. .

3. Place an 8 to 10 qt stockpot over moderate heat.

4. Add 1/2 cup olive oil and 8 crushed garlic cloves, and cook until the garlic starts to sizzle, about 3 or 4 minutes. ( Don't burn it. That will ruin the whole sauce )

5. Add tomaotoes in four portions, waiting until each comes to a simmer before adding the next. ( This speeds up cooking time)

6. Lower heat, add a few ripped basil leaves, and simmer until foam subsides and the sauce looks a little oily. Probaly about 45 minutes.

7. Let cool and store until ready to use. Makes about 16 cups so you'll have leftovers.

Design It Yourself Sneakers, Handbags, Jewlry & More

2011-09-18T11:23:00.000-04:00

If you don't like off the shelf fashion acessories, then design them yourself.

Sneakers:                     http://www.nikeid.com/

Baggage:                        http://www.reloadbags.com/

Fragrances:                    http://www.gardenbotanika.com/

Lingerie:                        http://www.evloveintimates.com/

Jeans:                             http://www.makeyourownjeans.com/

Dress Shirts/Suits          http://www.moi-meme.com/

Shoes:                             http://www.shoesofprey.com/

Handbags:                      http://www.elementalthreads.com/

Pillows & Bedding:        http://www.inmod.com/

MakeUp:                        http://www.discontinuedlipstick.com/

Jewelry:                          http://www.egjewelry.com/

Is It a Mirror Or 2-Way Glass?

2011-09-14T22:44:00.000-04:00

How can we tell the difference between a real mirror or a 2-way glass in public bathrooms, hotel rooms or changing rooms? It quite easy. Here is a simple test provided by a policewoman who travels all over the U.S.
She gives seminars to businesswomen about security issues. Just place the tip of your fingernail against the reflective surface. If its is a genuine mirror, there will be about a 1/8" gap between your actual fingernail and the actual reflection of your finger nail. However, if your fingernail DIRECTLY TOUCHES the image of your nail with NO SPACE or NO GAP, then BEWARE! IT'S A 2-WAY MIRROR! Now you motto should be,
"No Space, Leave The Place". So remember to do the fingernail test every time you see a mirror. All ladies should share this information with their girlfriends, sisters, daughters and moms. Men should share this info with their wives, daughters, daughters-in-laws, moms, girlfriends and friends.

Why Have Italian Men Given Up Sex?

2011-09-14T08:03:00.001-04:00

"Italian men don't want to have sex anymore," said Manuela Grassi and Antonella Piperno in the weekly Panorama. "Our mothers used to warn us to be careful with that boy, he'll try to get you in bed. Now they warn us to watch out for that one, he'll never get in your bed." In Italy, it seems that young men, who are supposed to be in their sexual prime, don't know how to have sex. Nearly 20 percent of men between 18 and 30 have no sex life at all, and don't seem to miss it. Plus it's the women who are suffering. All across Italy, in beauty salons, Internet chat rooms, and agony columns, women are wailing with frustration. One woman left a man she might have really loved because he refused to get intimate more than once a month. Some experts say that Italian men are overwhelmed by the pressure to succeed in business. Others blame rapacious Italian women for intimidating men. Italy's sexy TV personality Anna Falchi is typical. "I had a likewarm lover only once, " she said. "I threw him out immediately." Experts say its no wonder why men are too scared to perform.

How To Negotiate A Severance Package

2011-09-14T07:47:00.000-04:00

When you get a job termination notice, don't shake hands with the people who have fired you. Instead, deliver a written counterproposal to the company's cookie cutter severance package. Ask for one month of severance pay for every year you worked there, an extra month of pay for each of your dependents, full health coverage until you find a job, a promise of strong references, and a lump-sum payment. If they refuse to negotiate, say they will hear from your attorney soon. In the unlikely event they call your bluff by letting you leave, have your lawyer place a call. Just stand ready to compromise, get the final check, and say goodbye.

Six Ways To Appear Like A Local When You Travel

2011-09-11T22:55:00.000-04:00

1. Eat Fast Food -Strangely enough, fast food places are a great way to understand a culture. For instance in Vienna, where coffee is an obsession, the city is defined by the numerous coffeehouses that dot the city. Even at Starbucks, the locals order a melange which is much like a cappuccino. That unfamiliar option is a tip off to what the locals order. At McDonald's in Rome, look for a self-serve salad bar since Italians won't out up with pr-packaged greens.

2. Read Local - To keep sticking out as a tourist, buy a local newspaper in the local language and carry it under your arm. It makes fro great camouflage.

3. Dress Like A Local - Spend the first morning in any new city people watching to see how they dress. Then budget to buy a piece of clothing that will be a souvenir and serve as camouflage.

4. Watch Your Timing - To pass as a local, don't stick to rigid time table. For instance, in Spain or Greece, eating super before 10 pm means your a tourist. In Valencia, locals don't start to party until 3am even on weekdays! To keep up with the locals, just live like they do. Instead of plowing through 8 hours of sightseeing, linger over lunch, nap during the hottest times of the day, and dine late at night.

5. Learn The Local Lingo - In Philly the subway is called the"L", in London it's called the "tube". So make sure you familiarize yourself with the local slang words. You can purchase small slang books for various languages or you do a Google slang search for our destination.

6. Bonus Tip - Only Americans wear sunglasses when it's shady out-so only bring them out on the sunniest days.

11 Ways To Avoid Online Dating Scams

2011-08-21T16:39:00.002-04:00

1. Avoid long distance relationships Although long distance relationships sometimes work out, if you stay local, you drastically reduce the the odds of being scammed.

2. Never reveal personal data to someone until you meet them face to face While its tempting to reveal personal info about yourself, that's what scammers are counting on.

3.Pay attention to language Many people who commit dating scams are from West Africa or the former
Soveit republics. If their command of English is fuzzy, that's a BIG red flag!

4. Use search engines to check out potential suitors If someone online seems too good to be true, just cut and paste their e-mails in Google and their exact words might pop up on several websites devoted to romance scams.

5. Upload a potential suitors photo to http://www.tinyeye.com/ This website will allow you to see where else the photo appeared. Many con artists just swipe a photo from Facebook and use it.

6. Stick to paid online dating services If members pay to join a site, that means a credit card is on file
and these people are easier to trace. However, it does not mean that these sites are free of scammers.

7. Be suspicious if some wants to use instant messaging or e-mail immediately They may rogues trying to hack into your computer.

8. Watch out for someone claiming to be a soldier Lately, scammers have stolen photos of soldiers on social networking sites and pretend to be trustworthy members of the military.

9. Don't fall for a sob story Many scammers claim to have lost a spouse, child or parent in an accident or claim they have a relative that is very ill. Also, they might say say that they are at the airport and they are on their way to visit you, but their credit card has been declined. Don't give them your credit card number and never, ever wire money to a stranger!

10. Call your potential suitor by phone ASAP Someone who sounds great online may not sound might be an obvious fraud on the phone.

11. Run a check on your suitor on http://www.beenverified.com/, http://www.pigbusters.net/
and ww.RomanceScams.Org . If your lover has conned others, he or she may show up on these sites.

How To Prepare A Flawless Risotto

2011-08-14T09:23:00.000-04:00

This risotto combines pears, goat cheese and crushed black peppercorns with a veggie stock:

To make it you'll need:

4 cups vegetable stock -buy a quality store bought brand or make your own ( recipe follows)
8 tbsp unsalted butter ( 1 stick) at room temperature
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots n
2 cups of Carnaroli or Arborio rice
2 cups white wine
2 cups ( 8oz ) finely crumbled goat cheese that's not aged
2 cups of peeled and diced pears ( 2 pears) preferably Bosc pears
Salt and freshly cracked peppercorns

In a medium saucepan , bring the vegetable stock to a simmer. In a large sauce pan over medium heat, melt 3 tbsp of butter. When it begins to sizzle, add the shallots and cook, stirring for about 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Add the wine to the pan to deglaze, and cook stirring occasionally, until the wine has evaporated, ab out 5 to 7 minutes. Then add enough simmering stock to reach about 1/4 inch above the rice and cook, stirring, until the liquid begins to simmer. When the rice has absorbed almost all of the liquid, add another ladle full of stock. Continue to cook in this fashion until all the liquid has been added ( about 14 to 16 minutes total ) Reduce heat to low. Add the goat cheese, pears and remaining 5 tbsp of butter and give the mixture a couple of stirs. The cheese and butter should melt, and the risotto should take on a smooth consistency in about a minute or so. serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.

To make the vegetable stock, you'll need:

2 onions, peeled and halved
2 carrots, peeled and quartered lengthwise
2 stalks celery
2 leeks, halved lengthwise ( white and green parts)
5 qts ( 20 cups) of water
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 bunch fresh rosemary
1 bunch fresh thyme
2 bay leaves

In a large stock pot, simmer veggies, water, and salt for 15 minutes, skimming surface of foam and particles.
Add herbs and simmer for another 20 minutes. Strain the stock, discarding solids. Makes about 15 cups.

The Secret Of the South's Best Fried Chicken Recipe

2011-08-14T08:55:00.000-04:00

To make it you'll need:

1 3-lb chicken , cut into 8 pieces
1/4 cup kosher salt
4 cups buttermilk
1 lb lard
8 tbsp ( 1 stick ) unsalted butter
1/2 cup country ham pieces
1 cup flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

The night before, place chicken in a large bowl and set aside. In a large pitcher, combine kosher salt with 6 cups of water and stir until the salt has dissolved. Pour salt water over chicken pieces until they are submerged. Cover and refrigerate over night. In the morning, drain chicken pieces and rinse chicken and the bowl. Return chicken to the bowl and cover with buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.

About 1 1/4 before serving, combine the lard, butter, and ham in a large heavy skillet. Cook over low heat, skimming as needed, until ham is lightly browned, about 30 to 45 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove ham and brown bits from fat. Increase heat to medium high and bring fat to 335 degrees.

In a shallow bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper and mix well..Dredge chicken pieces thoroughly in flour mixture, then pat well to remove excess flour. Working in batches, do not crowd pan, and place chicken pieces skin down on fat side. Cook 8 to 10 minutes on each side, until chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Drain on crumpled paper towel. Serve hot, warm , room temperature or cold. Serves 4 to 6.

Restuarants Offering Free Food On Your Birthday

2011-08-06T15:46:00.000-04:00

ALFY'S PIZZA - free mini pizza

ALL-AMERICAN CAFE - free dessert

APPLEBEES - free dessert

AUSTIN GRILL - Register First - free meal

BAKERS SQUARE - free pie

BANDIDO'S - free entree

BANJARA INDIAN CUISINE - free meal

BASKIN ROBBINS - free ice cream treat

BEACHES RESTAURANT - free meal

BENIHANA'S JAPANESE RESTAURANT - free dinner WITH 3 other paying guests ( Verify first with your local )

BENNIGANS - free dessert + song

BERN'S - free meal

BILL KNAPP'S - gives adults a % discount equal to age; plus a free bday cake (w/purchase of a meal) during the week of your B-day

BLACK BRISKEE - free meal

BOB'S BIG BOY - free hot fudge ice cream

BRUSTER'S - free waffle cone on your birthday

BURGER KING - free kids meal to all kids club members

CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN - Register First - free kids meal during the month of their birthday

CAPTAIN D'S BIRTHDAY CLUB - free two-piece meal at sign-up and once a year on your birthday

CAPTAIN DIZZY'S CAR WASH - free car wash

CARROWS - free cake

CATTLEMEN'S - free dessert and cowboy hat

CHARLIE BROWNS RESTAURANTS - free meal for "Handshake Club" members

CHARLIE'S SEAFOOD - free meal

CHEVY'S - free dessert and sombrero

CHILI'S - free desert on your birthday

CHIPS N GIGGLES - free meal

CLAIM JUMPER - Free Dessert

CROWN THEATRES - Buy One Movie Ticket, Get One Free

CRAZY BUFFET - free meal

DAVE AND BUSTERS - $5 game card credit

DENNY'S - free meal (said to be only kids under 10 now)

DESPARADOS MEXICAN RESTAURANT - free meal

DOCKSIDE RESTAURANT - free meal

DUKE'S CHOWDER HOUSE - b1g1 coupons (register first). FREE dinner for your birthday!

EL CHICOS - free dessert

ERNIE'S STEAKHOUSE - free meal

FAMOUS DAVE'S BARBEQUE - free meal (w/advance signup)

FIREHOUSE SUBS - free sub (must sign up for birthday club)

FUDDRUCKERS - free burger

FUNNY BONE COMEDY CLUB - free cake (party of 5 min.; 2 drink min.)

GRILLFISH - free meal

HANA JAPAN - free meal

HARD ROCK CAFE - free dessert

HOMETOWN BUFFET - free birthday cake

HOULIHAN'S RESTAURANT - free entree

HOLLYWOOD VIDEO - one free video rental

HOOTERS - free song + tshirt

HOSS'S STEAK HOUSE AND RESTAURANT - free cake + song

IHOP- free meal

JOE'S CRAB SHACK - free cake

JT WHEATFIELDS - free coupon in phone book

KING BUFFET - free meal

LADONNA - free meal

LOMBARDI'S IN BALLARD - Register First - free meal w/another during month of birthday

LOTUS - free meal

LUTHERS BBQ - free stuff (varies) for "Great Rewards" members

MACARONI GRILL - free dessert + OPERA-style "Happy birthday" song

MAGGIANOS - $10 Off purchase of $20 (sign up in advance)

MARIE CALENDERS - free dessert

MAX AND ERMA - free $5 dessert

MEXICAN VILLAGE - free meal

MOONIES DINER - free meal

MUCKLESHOOT CASINO - free sushi dinner + player's club points

NEWICK'S SEAFOOD RESTAURANTS - free entree

NITTY GRITTY - free drink + souvenir glass

OKAYAMA RESTAURANT - free meal

OLD SPAGHETTI WAREHOUSE - free meal

ONAMI - free dinner WITH 3 other people paying

OUTBACK Steakhouse - free dessert + song

PANCAKE HOUSE - free entree

PAPPA'S RESTAURANTS - free dessert

PARADISO'S - free meal

PERKIN'S - free stack of pancakes

PF CHANGS - free cake or cheesecake

PIZZA EXPRESS - free meal

PONCHO'S - free meal, dessert & picture

PROVINO'S ITALIAN RESTAURANT - free $10.99 meal and ice cream dessert

Radisson - free entree in their 12th floor restaurant

REAL SEAFOOD COMPANY - free meal and dessert

RED ROBINS - Register First - free burger coupon / discount coupon

RICE & COMPANY - free meal for Robinson Rewards Club members

ROCK BOTTOM - free appetizer for Mug Club members

ROUND TABLE - free personal pizza

RUBY TUESDAY - free burger and fries (must sign up for their newsletter to receive this offer)

SCALINI'S ITALIAN RESTAURANT - up to 10.95 off pasta specialties

SHEPARD'S BUFFET - free dinner buffet w/3 other paid customers

STEAK AND ALE - free mini choco cake

STEAK-N-SHAKE - free dinner for "birthday club" kids

TGI FRIDAYS - Free birthday Dessert

THE 99 - free meal

THE BARNSIDER'S/DEPOT RESTAURANTS - 1/2 off meal + cake & song

THE LOFT - free meal

THE PALM - 3lb lobster (must be a member/register first)

THE PARADISO - free entree + sombrero & song

THE VINE TAVERN - free meal

TODAI SEAFOOD BUFFET - Free Meal or voucher for Meal Next Visit

TONY ROMA'S - free dessert, free meal

UP THE CREEK - free meal and dessert

VACCARO'S ITALIAN PASTRY SHOP - free dessert and drink

WENDY'S - free kids meal to all kids club members

Z' TEJAS - Register First - $15 coupon for the month of your birthday

ZIO'S - free dessert mini pizza

Ten Ways To Get Anyone To Like You In Less Than 2 Minutes

2011-07-24T12:07:00.000-04:00

1. Let Your Smile Build Slowly Its always a good idea to smile when you meet someone, but instantly switching on a 100 watt smile seems phony. Instead, make sure smile build slowly when you make eye contact.

2.Make Strong Eye Contact People tend to trust people who make strong eye contact. If you have trouble making eye contact, make a habit of noting specifics about your prospect's eyes. Note the color, the shape, how far apart they are , the length of the lashes and how often they blink. Answering these questions will help you make strong eye contact with another person. Just make sure you break eye contact occasionally since starring too intently can make people uncomfortable.

3.Select A Good Body Position During the first minute of conversation, slowly rotate your body to completely face the person. The exception would be a man meeting a woman. A man should stop a few degrees short of angling his upper body directly towards her so as not to appear overly aggressive. If you're holding a drink or a plate of food, set it down or hold it down by your side. If you hold it in front of your chest, your arm will block off your body making you seem less open. If you're not sure what to do with your hands, then use gestures when you talk or put them in your pockets. Just don't cross your arms across your chest which makes you seem closed off.

4.Find The Right Space Zone Standing too close to a person can make them feel uneasy. Stand too far and they won't feel connected. So the average distance you should stand in front of a new person is about 26 to 28 inches away. Keeping moving closer until you detect discomfort in their eyes. Then ease back slightly until you see the discomfort disappear.

5. How To Shake Hands When you shake hands, very gently touch your forefinger to the other person's wrist. Gently touching it fosters a feeling of warmth and closeness even though the other person may not be conscious of it.

6.Treat Business Cards With Respect A business card represents a person's professional accomplishments. Showing respect for the card shows respect for the person. When you are handed a card,
imagine it as a delicate precious gift. Hold it gently in your hands. Pause to read it, then carefully place it in your briefcase, wallet or purse. Never just jam a card into your pocket.

7. How To Begin A Conversation Questions that make great icebreakers are "What do you do?" Followed by "How did you decide you wanted to do that?" To couples say, 'How did you two meet?"

8.Slowly Nod When People Speak This sends a message of acceptance and encouragement which makes people feel more at ease. Just do not nod if a man or woman is saying something with which you disagree.
Keep in mind that women tend to interpret nodding as "I understand" not "I agree."

9.Pay Attention To Small Talk If someone says, "At least the rain is good for my plants," seize on the word plants and say "Do you have a garden?" Or if someone says, "It's been too hot to walk my dogs," say "what kind of dog do you have?" Small talk is a good conversation starter.

10. Use The Same Speaking Terms If a parent refers to her offspring as her "child" do not refer to the child as her "little one" or "baby". If someone refers to his lively hood as a "profession" do not refer to it as a "job" or a "career".

Blue Cheese Potato Salad Is A Backyard Favorite

2011-07-04T09:48:00.000-04:00

If you want areal attention getter for your next cookout, then serve your guests Blue Cheese Potato Salad.
In a blender, puree 1 cup of blue cheese crumbles, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, 1/8 cup white vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Then fold in an additional cup of blue cheese crumbles to the blender mix, season to taste, and set aside. In a separate large bowl, mix 3 cooked and cooled Idaho potatoes cut into large dice size pieces. Then add 3 whole finely chopped scallions and 2tablespoons of parsley. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of Sriracha hot sauce, 1 1/2 cups of the reserved blue cheese dressing and 2 more ounces of crumbled blue cheese. Mix well, season to taste with Kosher salt, and serve. Serves 4 to 6 people.

Get Free Access To the World's Top Health Experts 24 Hours A Day

2011-06-29T06:52:00.001-04:00

http://www.pdrhealth.com/
Gives you access to the experts behind Physicians Desk Reference

http://www.intellihealth.com/
Harvard Medical School

http://www.mayoclinic.com/
Mayo Clinic

http://www.healthfinder.com/
U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services

http://www.medhelp.com/
Doctor and Medical Institutions

http://www.webmd.com/
Health info site

http://www.medlineplus.gov/
From the experts at the National Library of Medicine and National Institute Of  Health

http://www.medicinenet.com/
Articles written and reviewed by doctors

http://www.safemedication.com/
Prescription and over the counter drug info from the American Society Of Health System Pharmacists

http://www.mypillbox.org/
Drug info and help identifying pills

http://www.ismp.org/
Institute for Safe Medication Practices

http://www.rxlist.com/
Detailed drug info for questions other sites may not answer

http://www.drugdigest.org/
Info about drugs, vitamins and herbs

Six Easy NO Ice Cream Maker Ice Cream Recipes

2011-06-26T10:16:00.000-04:00

Impress your cookout or dinner guests with these easy to make, no-brainer gourmet ice creams that require no ice cream maker! First, start off with 1 pint of premium store bought ice cream or low fat yogurt ice cream you buy on sale. Second, smash in your favorite flavors, then enjoy. Mixing Tips: Don't soften the ice cream too much. You want if firm but pliable. Quickly cut the carton away from the ice cream into chunks on a work surface to facilitate folding. Return the ice cream to the freezer in a plastic container for 30 minutes to two hours so the flavors can firm up and blend. After that, the crunchy ingredients start to soften. Here are the recipes:

1. Black Forest Fold in 2 Tbs. of brandy into 1/2 cup of cherry preserves. Fold in chocolate ice cream along with 1 cup of crumbled chocolate wafers.Six

2. Turtle Stir in 1/4 cup Carmel sauce, 1/2 cup chopped pecan pralines or candied pecans, and 1/2 cup chopped semi-sweet or bitter sweet chocolate into chocolate ice cream.

3. Chocolate Hazelnut Stir in 1/4 cup of Nutella, 1 cup of crumbled chocolate wafers, and 1/2 cup of roasted chopped hazelnut into chocolate ice cream.

4. Banana Pudding Fold 1 coarsely mashed large banana, 1 cup crumbled vanilla wafers and 1 cup of crumbled meringue cookies into vanilla ice cream.

5. Salted Caramel Fold 1/4 cup of caramel sauce and 1 cup of coarsely crumbled regular or peanut butter filled pretzel nuggets into vanilla ice cream.

6. Strawberry Shortcake Mix 1 cup of sliced strawberries with 2 Tbs of strawberry jam. Fold into vanilla ice cream with 2 slices of crumbled pound cake which is about 1/ 1/2 cups. Then add 1 cup of crumbled meringue cookies.

How To Get Your Low Bids Accepted On Priceline

2011-06-05T10:22:00.000-04:00

You have seen it advertised, and maybe tried it. Now make it work for you. www.Priceline.com offers 2 basic services for 3 travel products: airfare, hotels and rental cars.

The services are:

1. Fixed price travel service just like any other travel agent.

2. “NAME YOUR OWN PRICE”

The fixed price travel service is nothing unique and offers nothing special in terms of pricing, (unless they post a mistake rate)

The “Name Your Own Price” service offers Great Travel Prices with savings of up to 60% if you know how and: THE BIG WINNER is HOTELS

The savings are really significant and with the help of these sites:

www.Biddingfortravel.com

www.Betterbidding.com

www.Travelbuddy.com

www.Tripadvisor.com

Here’s how it works: biddingfortravel.com, travelbuddy.com and betterbidding.com are sites that lists successful previous priceline bids for airfares, hotels and car rentals around the world. In addition, they list reviews for the hotels in a given city and by region and by star level. (5* is the best, 1* is really bad). Try to bid 4*, 3* if the reviews are ok and 2 ½* in a region you want to stay in.

Example: If you need to go to Boston, first go to www. priceline.com and “name your own price” hotels and find the various regions listed for the Boston market and the top hotel rating in that zone. Then open another window and head to www.biddingfortravel.com. In that site , go to “hotels”, then “Mass”, then “Boston”. You can check previously accepted prices in the various regions of Boston, get reviews of the hotels and decide what star level you are comfortable with. If Downtown, you might find Copley and Back Bay regions are too expensive,. try the Airport region .You could typically win the Hyatt Harborside for $42 per night.It's a beautiful hotel with shuttle to the airport and to the subway (T) stop to downtown. Typical weekend night at the Hyatt would be $129. Ask for a waterside room.

NOTE: To be most successful using Priceline you MUST read the section on bidding and rebidding.

Suppose you want Zone Airport and a 4* hotel. From previous bidders you see that $42 has won in the past, so your first bid is Zone Airport, 4 stars at $35. If you don’t win, then add another zone that has lower star levels ONLY available, and this time bid $37. If there are 5 zones without a hotel over 3 stars, you have 5 free rebids until you get the best price.

Rebidding allows you to start low and move your price higher without changing your parameters. READ these sections of www.biddingfortravel.com before going to priceline.com to actually place your bids. Once booked there are NO REFUNDS.

Travelers using Priceline rooms in over 30 US cities, London, Dublin, Paris and Rome have rarely been disappointed. Do your research on www.biddingfortravel.com or www. betterbidding.com first, and double check the reviews at www.tripadvisor.com. Remember to bid one star level higher in Europe for US comparison hotels. Remember that one bad hotel in a given zone and at a given star rating should force you to bid a higher level or different zone for that city. By using these 5 sites in conjunction, you will save the cost of hotels by 50% or more for the rest of your travel life.PS: Practice this technique with several imaginary cities WITHOUT hitting the “Buy my Hotel” button. Do your research. There are NO REFUNDS.

Discover New Jersey's Best Secret Secluded Beach

2011-06-01T07:46:00.000-04:00

You'd never know that High Bar Harbor, a lollipop-shaped stretch of sand tucked behind the Barnegat Lighthouse, even exists. But watch out for the water, because if the tide comes, you might get stranded. To get there, take Long Beach Island Blvd , north into the town of Barnegat Light and turn left on 20th St, a.k.a. as Auburn Rd. Go a third of a mile , then bear right at the Y-shaped intersection onto Sunset Blvd. Take it to the end. You'll see a footpath to the beach.

Do You Really Need Heart Surgery?

2011-05-29T09:32:00.000-04:00

Up to 30% for surgical procedures in the US are unnecessary. Each year, more than 1 million heart patients are treated with angioplasty and stents which restore normal circulation to the heart and reduce angina pain.

The problem is that angioplasty and stents are overused. A study of more that 2,300 patients by the American College of Cardiology found that patients with stable angina that were treated with medications like nitroglycerine had the same outcome of those treated with invasive procedure of stents.

Who is helped by stents: People with unstable agina, people with a significant blockage in the left main coronary artery, or with three coronary arteries blocked and weakened heart muscle. People with stable angina should be treated with medications to control pain , reduce blood pressure and cholesterol.

The Best Houseplants For Healthier Indoor Air

2011-05-29T09:08:00.000-04:00

The source of most indoor pollutants are volitile organic compounds (VOCs) that "gas out" from indoor paints, varnishes, adhesives, furniture, dry cleaned clothing, cleansers, detergents, disinfectants, spot removers and air freshners. Now, not all VOCs are bad. The frangrance of flowers and a fresh baked apple pie are VOCs. But many are bad for your health.

They can cause asthma, headaches, fatigue, eye irritation, skin rashes and more. Some like benzene, are known carcinigens. But the good news is that houseplants can remove VOCs from the air. The pollutants are absorbed through mircroscopic openings in the leaves. The best house plants for removing VOCs from the air are:

Purple Waffle ( Hemigraphis aternata ) English Ivy ( Hedera helix ) Wax plant ( Hoya carnosa) Asparagus fern ( Asparagus densiflorus ) Purple heart plant ( Tradescantia pallida ) Boston fern (Nphrolepus exaltata Bostoniensis ) Bamboo plant ( Chamaedorea seifrizzzii ) Rubber plant ( Ficus robusta ) Gerbera daisy ( Gerbera jamesonii ) and Golden pothos ( Epipremnum aureum ).

For maximum indoor air quality improvment, you should experimemnt with multiple species as needed. The exact number is difficult to determine depending on your indoor air quality. Also, keep in mind that plants grown without dirt, usually in pebbles or another open aggregate , are 30 to 50% more effective in removing VOCs than those grown in potting soil. This is due to the greater air flow through pebbles to the plant zone where microbes break down the VOCs.

12 Best Food Festivals In The Northeast

2011-05-21T20:42:00.000-04:00

1. Great Chowder Cook Off Newport, RI June 4 http://www.newportwaterfrontevents.com/ 2. Vermont Cheesemakers Festival -Shelburne, Vt July 24 http://www.vtcheesefest.com/ 3. Atlantic City Food And Wine Festival - Atlantic City, NJ July 28-31 http://www.acfoodandwine.com/ 4. Ice Cream Festival, Toms River, NJ July 16 http://www.downtowntomsriver.com/icecream/festival.htm 5. Maine Lobster Festival -Rockland, ME August 3-7 http://www.mainelobsterfestival.com/ 6. Taste Of The Caribbean And Jerk Festival Hartford, CT Aug 6 http://www.tasteofthecaribbeanct.org/ 7. Pittson Tomato Festival Pittston, PA Aug 18-21 http://www.pittstontomatofestival.com/ 8. Hard Crab Derby Cristfield, MD Sept 2-4 www.crisfieldchamber.com/etints 9 . National BuffaloWing Festival Buffalo, NY Sept 3-4 http://www.buffalowing.com/ 10. Milford Pumkin Festival Milford, NH Oct 7-9 http://www.milfordpumpkinfestival.org/
11. Bridgeville Apple Scrapple Festival Bridgeville, DE Oct 14-15 http://www.applescrapple.com/ 12. Wellfleet Oyster Fest Wellfleet, MA Oct 15-16 http://www.wellfleetoysterfest.org/

Hang It Up For Less

2011-05-18T13:50:00.000-04:00

If you want to fill your blank walls with inexpensive and good paintings, prints and photos you don't have to be an art mogul to buy a masterpiece. The following sites offer art at great prices: www.20x200.com,
www.Aceditions.com , www.ArtOfThe Print.Com , www.ArtStar.Com , www.CircuitGallery.Com , www.Exhibitiona.Com , www.EyeStorm.Com , www.Society6.Com, www.TinyShowCase.Com ,
www.theworkingproof.com , and www.Zatista.Com

Four Gourmet Popsicle Recipes That Will Blow Your Mind

2011-05-16T08:04:00.000-04:00

1.Strawberry Basil-2 lbs fresh strawberries, 3/4 cup sugar, 10 large fresh basil leaves, 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar,juice of 1/2 lime. Hull and wash strawberries and put in blender. Add the remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour into molds, add sticks , and freeze until solid , 4-6 hours.

2. Plain Yogurt, Dried Fruit And Nuts 20 ounces plain non-fat yogurt, 6 ounces of sugar, 1/2 cup of dried fruits and nuts. Blend yogurt until it liquefies, then add sugar until it disintegrates. Chop dried fruits and nuts into small pieces and add to yogurt in small quantities. Stir in slowly to prevent the fruits and nuts from sticking together. Scoop the mix into molds making sure to get an even amount of nuts and fruit into each mold. Insert sticks and freeze solid 4-6 hours.

3. Blueberry Lemonade 11/2 cups blueberries, 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest, 2/3 cups of sugar, 2 1/2 cups of water. Rinse the berries them combine all ingredients in a blender on high until thoroughly and evenly pulverized. Hold a fine mesh strainer over a pitcher and strain the mixture by slowly pouring. Let the mixture rest until any froth has dissolved or remove it by spooning it off. Pour the liquid into molds and add sticks. Freeze until solid 4-6 hours.

4. Pineapple Chile 1 very ripe medium pineapple, 1 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 1 cup water, 1/3 cup sugar. Peel and core pineapple. Separate fruit into thirds, set 1/3 aside. Cut the other 2/3 into cubes. Using a saucepan cover with water and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool, Meanwhile finely chop the reserved pineapple and set aside. Once cooked pineapple is cool, transfer to a blender. Add sugar and cayenne to taste. Blend together and pour into mold leaving a little space to add the reserved chopped pineapple to each cavity. Add sticks and freeze solid, 4-6 hours.

Where The Jobs Are Now

2011-05-14T07:26:00.000-04:00

One of the biggest jobs fields right now is health care. The top paying jobs are: Radiologic Technologist
They help doctors perform diagnostic exams like X-rays, CT scans and MRIs. They work in hospitals, clinics doctor's offices. The median wage is $53,000. The job requires a two year associate degree from a community college or a 21-24 month certificate from a technical college. For more info visit www.arrt.org

Next is Physical Therapist Assistant They help patients implement programs developed by physical therapists. The median wage is $48,000. The job requires a two year associates degree from a accredited program and a licensing exam must be passed. For more info visit www.apta.org Also see www.CapteOnline.Org

Another career choice is Medical Assistant One and two year programs are offered by many vocational schools. The median wage is $29,000. For more info visit www.aama-ntl.org

Dental Hygienists earn about $67,000 a year. They provide dental cleanings and exams in dental offices. A two year associates degree in dental hygiene is required and a licensing exam must be passed. For more info see www.adha.org .

Little Known Credit Card Perks

2011-05-10T16:49:00.000-04:00

Extend Your Warranty -Besides points and cash back, Gold and platinum MasterCards, Visa and American Express cards all extend the manufacturer's warranty by one year. Plus if you loose or break that new laptop or digital camera within 90 days of purchase, Citi's new Thank You Premier card will pay to repair or replace it or reimburse you up to $1,000.

The same is true for purchases made with your American Express card. Also, most gold and platinum cards plus American Express will pick up the collision insurance when you rent a car. You just need to refuse it when you pick up the car and and inform the rental company that your credit card will pick up the insurance.

Get The Lowest Price -If you see an item you purchased with a Citi premium card advertised for less within 60 days, Citi will make up the difference up to $250. Many gold and platinum MasterCards offer the same protection.

Get Covered On The Road - If your laptop is stolen from your hotel room, MasterCard will reimburse you if you used a gold or platinum card to pay for the room. Likewise, if your luggage doesn't arrive when you do, MasterCard will reimburse you for the cost of replacing essential items. Plus, MasterCard will cover the cost to replace or repair damaged luggage.

How To Avoid Online Dating Scams

2011-05-05T08:27:00.001-04:00

Scammers use a phony picture of a good looking man or woman. Then they flatter and fawn. Once you're hooked, they hit you with some variation of several war torn stories. Sometimes they say they live abroad and desperately want to visit you but their banking system is broken. Or they're at the airport and their credit card has been declined. But all their stories all end up the same: "please wire cash and I'll pay you back." These scammers usually reside in West Africa or one of the former Soviet republics. So to protect yourself, use search engines like Facebook or Google. There you can search for any sob story to see if it is common. Next, stick to PAID online dating services. Paid sites have a paper trail of their members from credit card information. Then ask for info before you share your e-mail address or phone number. Make sure his or her info on Facebook matches up with what they are telling you. Then for added insurance, run a background check on sites like http://www.beenverified.com/

London Insider Travel Tips

2011-04-24T12:14:00.000-04:00

If you're hopping over for the royal wedding or plan to visit London this summer, then these tips will put you light years ahead of most tourists.

London Subway  Never pay cash on the tube since cash fares are more than double what locals pay. Buy yourself an Oyster Card ( www.tfl.gov.uk ) . Any tube station sells these stored-valued swipe cards. Load them up with a deposit of 3 pounds ($4.95 US), and fares are automatically deducted every time you ride.

Best London Guides Time Out London is the unbeatable bible of what to do in London. You can view it online at www.timeout.com/london . On Saturdays, grab a copy of the Guardian newspaper and you'll find a terrific pocket-sized guide for free. Or check it out online at www.Guardian.Co.Uk . Hands down the savviest price minded guide to London is: Pauline Frommer's London: Spend Less, See More at $16.99.

Best Department Store  Forget Harrods since it's for tourists only. Hip Londoners go to real department stores like www.SelfRidges.Com with its delicious Food Hall and great designer brands. Another best bet is www.JohnLewis.Com whose slogan is, "Never Knowingly Undersold". Another unmissable is
www.MarksAndSpencer.Com .

Museums Almost ALL museums in London are 100% free. So make sure you see all the sights.

Taxi Cabs - Taxi cabs are double NYC fares and drivers won't let you in the cab unless you reveal your destination. But since they have to pass a test on memorizing ever street in London, their less apt to turn down fares like NYC cabbys. Also, tipping in England is a gesture, NOT an obligation.

  Best Cheap Eats There's a www.PizzaExpress.Com on almost every corner and www.Carluccios.Com is a great place for killer pasta, cheap wine and great coffee. In London, Indian food has displaced fish and chips as the national dish and the best place to sample it is on Brick Lane in the East End which is lined with cheap eats. Or try the central www.IndianYMCA.Org just north of Oxford Street. They serve fabulous dirt cheap dinners for less than 5 pounds or $8.25 US..

9 Top Wilderness Survival Tips

2011-04-17T09:57:00.000-04:00

1. Charging Lion, Tiger Or Bear These animals like to mock charge so its best to stand your ground or even fight back. The minute you run, it tells the animal you're prey. 2. When You're Lost don't stay put. People who walk 600 yards may see a cabin or a road. Those who stay put don't see that. 3. When Your Lost In The Woods look for a stream. All streams lead to rivers, and rivers lead to lakes and people.
4. The Best Way To Determine of its Direction is to put a three foot stick in the ground and mark the tip of its shadow. That's west, no matter where you are. Wait for the shadow to move , 10 to 15 minutes, and mark the tip of the shadow again. The line between those tips is east-west. 5. To Escape From Quicksand flop forward and splay your body out onto drier ground. If you stay perpendicular, you're going down. 6. The Best Defense Against A Shark is to punch it on the nose as hard as you can. All predators fear being injured because they need their faces to survive. 7. The Best Sustenance For Being Stranded In A Blizzard is to eat bark from a pine tree. 8. What To Drink When Adrift At Sea Urine will work for the short term, and sea water is too salty. So make a solar still but covering a cup of ocean water with a piece of plastic and it will collect salt free condensation a few droplets at a time. 9. How To Tell If A Plant Is Safe To Eat When Stranded In The Wild First rub the plant on your body the wait 45 minutes for a reaction. If none, touch the plant to your lips and wait 5 minutes. If all is OK then hold it on your tongue for 15 minutes. If there is no reaction, swallow and wait 8 hours. t.If you get no reaction, the plant is safe to eat.

Top Ten Barber Shops In America

2011-04-17T09:19:00.000-04:00

Chicago: http://www.belmontbarbershop.com/ Dallas: http://www.razorsedgebarbers.biz/ Los Angeles http://www.baxterfinley.com/ Miami: http://www.churchillsbarbershop.com/ Portland: http://www.hairmgrooming.com/ New York: http://www.blindbarber.com/ New Orleans: http://www.aidangillformen.com/, Philadelphia: http://www.2bgroomedstudios.com/, San Francisco: http://www.barberlounge.com/ Seattle: http://www.rudysbarbershop.com/

The Thrifty Gourmet's Guide To Rome

2011-04-12T08:06:00.003-04:00

Top Billing: http://www.ristoranteilpagliaccio.com/ Where Locals Go: Flavio Al Velavevodetto, 97-99 Via di Monte Testaccio, 011-39-06-574-4194 For Classic Glamour: http://www.anticocaffegreco.eu/
The Best Pastas: http://www.feliceastestaccio.com/ , L'Arcangelo, 59-61 Via G.G. Belli, 001-39-06-321-0992, http://www.anticofornoroscioli.com/ , For The Ultimate Sandwich: http://www.tricoloremonti.it/
For Fabulous Pizzas: Pizzarium, 43 Via della Meloria, 011-39-06-3974-5416, Gatta Mangiona, 30-32
Via Frederico Ozanam, 011-39-06-534-6702, Da Remo, 44 Piazza Santa Maria Liberatrice, 011-39-06-6270, For Home Cooking: http://www.homefood.it/ , For People Watching: Settembrini, 27 Via Luigi Settembrini, 011-39-06-323-2617, For The Best Expresso: Sant'Eustachio, 81 Piazza Sant'Eustachio, 011-39-06-6880-2048, For Gourmet Groceries: http://www.volpetti.com/ and http://www.dioriginelaziale.it/
For Incredible Ice Cream: Gelateria Fatamorgana, 9 Via Lago di Lesina and 7 Via Giovanni Bettolo,
011-39-06-6456-1314, Fiora Di Luna, 96 Via della Lungaretta, 011-39-06-321-6668, Galateria Dei racchi, 272 Via dei Gracchi, 011-39-06-321-6668, Il Glato, 105 Via dell' Aeronautica, 011-39-06-512-8948, Cremeria Monteforte, 22 Via della Rotonda, 011-39-06-686-7720

5 Keys To A Succesful Garage Sale

2011-04-10T09:43:00.000-04:00

1. Avoid The Big Mistakes Never plan your sales for a holiday weekend. Most shoppers will have other plans. Next, make sure your sale is in line with all local regulations about signs and sales. When making signs, use a thick black marker, white cardboard and clear, large print and arrows to steer drivers to your sale. You want to make sure that your address and sale hours are written large enough to be read from a moving car.Most shoppers will walk away rather than ask for a price on an item. So take the time to mark all your items with masking tape and price them. If you know something about an item like "works fine" or "only worn once" or "circa 1950" then put that info on your masking tape price tag.Never sell broken junk and unusable garbage and price stuff low enough so bargain hunters cannot pass it up. Finally, always have enough change and go to the bank the day before the sale and get 50 singles and $20 in quarters.

2. Items That Sell include decorative items for the home in good condition, framed prints, cookbooks, kitchen appliances that work, needlework and embroidered crocheted items, tools, fishing gear, and house plants and rooted cuttings. Also, decorative , fashion and household items that are in good condition if they date back to 1960 or earlier. But never try to sell antiques or collectibles at a garage sale. Most people won't spend more than $10 to $20 on a single item. Also, clothing does not sell well at garage sales because most shoppers will not share your size or taste in clothing. The only exception is children's clothing if it is priced well. One good marketing ploy is to try to combine a bake sale from your church or charity with your garage sale. That's because most shoppers are hungry from a morning spent driving around. Plus it wouldn't be a bad idea if you sold hot coffee with cream and sugar for 50 cents a cup to go along with the bake sale. If its a warm or a hot summer day, sell cold bottled water or generic cold soda from a cooler for 50 cents each. Just try to buy water and regular and diet soda on sale for 25 cents each.

3. How To Advertise Place classified ad in local newspapers starting at least a few days prior to the sale. Your ad should include the hours and location of the sale with a few categories of merchandise that your sale will feature. Example: Garage & Bake Sale. Sat 8am-1pm 123 Main St, Anytown. Glassware, quilts, houseplants, kitchen appliances, knickknacks, tools. Then hang fliers advertising your sale on community bulletin boards like those found at entrance of supermarkets. On the morning of the sale, hang signs along busy roads near your home to attract drive by customers. If you live in or near a big city, you ca also advertise your sale for free on www.CraigsList.Org Also, make sure you post info about your sale on your Facebook and Twitter page. Plus to get a jump on your competition, have a sign in list so people can leave their e-mail address and area of interest so they can get advance notice of your next sale.

3. The Best Time to have a sale is on a weekend when there are several other sales advertised in your neighborhood. A concentration of sales encourages shoppers to come to your part of town and visit them all.
So invite your neighbors to join in and participate. The majority of sales are made with in the first 3 hours of the sale on a Saturday morning. That's because most shoppers think anything worth buying has been bought up. So make sure you schedule your sale on Saturday between 8am and Noon. Another good tactic is to consider starting your sale on Friday between 5pm and dusk and then continue on Saturday morning. You will have far less competition and you may snag shoppers on their way home from work. And finally, watch the weather reports at www.Weather.Com or call 1-800-555-TELL and interrupt the recording by saying
"weather" loudly for a 5 day report for your area. Cancel the sale and wait for a better weekend if it looks like rain.

4. Presentation Merchandise sells better if is placed on tables. Clothes sell better if they are hung on hangers and not folded or piled. Place large items like furniture and lawn mowers out front so they can be seem from the street by passing motorists. Have a 25 or 50 ft extension cord running into your house so you can plug in electrical appliances to prove that they work.

5. Common Sense Security Never let a shopper use your bathroom or telephone. You don't want things going missing from your home or you don't want someone to case your house for a future burglary. Politely direct them to the nearest gas station or convenience store.

Top 4 Family Vacation Spots In The USA

2011-04-05T08:51:00.000-04:00

1. Penobscot, Maine at http://www.sailmainecoast.com/ 2. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
at http://www.gtlc.com/ 3. Acme, Michigan at http://www.grandtraverseresort.com/ 4. Sante Fe, New Mexico
at http://www.bishopslodge.com/

DC'S Best Keep Secrets

2011-03-30T20:34:00.000-04:00

Book Peak Season Rooms At Off Season Rates-One of the best places to stay in DC is the Tabard Inn.
www.TabardInn.Com 1739 N Street NW. Located just 5 blocks from the White House, this quaint, historic boutique 40 room hotel consists of three 19th century row houses. And the rooms go for just $120 to $165 even during Cherry Blossom season. Even if you don't stay here, make sure you stop by for brunch. The food here is absolutely outstanding.

Explore The Local Art Scene - On the first Friday of every month, DC residents flock to Dupont Circle. There, the local galleries turn into a bustling un-snooty fete. Here you can expect live music and free wine until 9pm. Check it out at starting at 9 Hillyer Ct NW and visit www.ArtsAndArtists.org

The Two Best Crab Cakes In Town Check out the Old Ebitt Grill at www.Ebbitt.Com where crab cakes are $17. Or make it over to the amazing alternative at CF Folks http://www.cffolksrestaurant.com/ where the scrab cake sandwich is just $14.

Go Behind Closed Doors when DC'S top 30 embassies open their doors on just two days: May 7 and and May 14. During prime time afternoon hours, hit the embassies on International Drive which tend to be larger and less hectic than the rest. For more info see "passport DC" at www.CulturalTourismDc.Org

Where The Locals Chow Down Without Dinner Reservations On Barracks Row, you'll find eateries that serve everything from soul food to authentic Indian cuisine. You'll find the majority of these low key dining spots on 8th Street between Pennsylvania Ave and M Street. Just stroll along until you find a menu that peaks your interest or see http://www.barracksrow.org/

Reserve Advance Half-Price Tickets To DC's Best Concerts , plays, operas and more at the
the downtown ticket outlet located at 407 7th St NW or see www.TicketPlace.Org

The Best Spot For Lunch In DC is the cafeteria at the National Museum of the American Indian. The museum's sunny Mitsitam Cafe is considered one of the best spots in town. It pays homage to Native American culinary traditions like buffalo burgers, glazed salmon and more. Its located at 4th Street and Independence Ave SW. Or see www.Nmai.Si.Edu

7 Tips On How To Get A Locksmith To Pick Your Lock Instead Of Your Pockets

2011-03-27T15:51:00.000-04:00

1. Some locksmiths in the phone book and online are scam artists. They’ ll quote you a great price on the phone. But when they get to your or business, they’ll say that you have a special lock and they can’t pick it. So they’ll have to drill it open. Then they’ll replace it with a lock you can buy at a big box store for $25.

Also, make sure you look for company advertising and identification. Also, call a local qualified locksmiths that bring a reliable familiarity within your area matched with strong community reputation. When contacting a locksmith, if the legal business name isn’t stated, ask for it. If there’s hesitation, there’s cause for concern.

Hang up and move on. Written estimates should be supplied before work begins, along with an itemized invoice upon completion. All service vehicles, vans and trucks should be clearly marked with the company name and identifying details. The locksmith should have a valid state locksmith license/registration where applicable.

The qualified locksmith should always ask for your proof of ID and authorization to begin work upon arrival, as well as supply his or her own professional identification and credentials. If, for any reason, you’re uncomfortable, it is your right to refuse service.

2. To find a reputable locksmith, check to see if any are Better Business Bureau members in your area at http://www.bbb.org/

3. Keys stamped “Do Not Duplicate” are duplicated all the time. Ask you locksmith about high security locks with keys that can’t be replicated at a hardware store.

4. Don’t believe car dealer who says only he can duplicate your key. In most cases a locksmith who specializes in automotive work can duplicate a key much cheaper than the dealer.

5. If you have a housekeeper who needs a key, then ask your locksmith to key your door so that your master key works on both the dead bolt and the door knob, but hers just works on the knob.

6. Before you call a locksmith, try the door. If the locksmith comes out and finds your door unlocked, he still will charge you for the service call.

7. If your key won’t turn, try WD-40 or silicone spray. Sometimes the lock pins get jammed. And 25 to 40% of the time, that solves the problem.

25 Dirty Secrets Human Resource People Don’t Want You To Know

2011-03-25T14:17:00.001-04:00

1. If you’ve been unemployed for six months or more,
they assume that other people passed over you and
they may not want to hire you.

2. When it comes to getting a job, who you know
really matters. No matter how great your
qualifications may be, connections count. So make
you network as much as possible.

3. If want a job at specific company, its best to
bypass the HR department completely. Try to
go through someone you know or go directly
to the hiring manager.

4. You will not be taken serious if your e-mail
address does sound professional like BobJones
@ gmail.Com. BobbyLikes2Booze@ Yahoo.com
just won’t cut it.

5. Most companies practice discrimination.
If you’re in your 50's or 60's, don’t put the year
you graduated on your resume.

6. HR people get irritated about a job hunter
cramming an entire resume on one page in 2 point
type. Use two pages if necessary, but three pages
is pushing it.

7. Most HR people use applicant tracking systems
that scan resumes for key words. To get your resume
through the system make sure you put key words directly
from the job description on your resume.

8. Try to avoid using colored ink and paper when
you submit your resume. Also, dropping off your
resume in person is a no-no.

9.If you want to be considered for a job, make
sure you learn as much as you can about the
company before your interview.

10. A lot of HR people don’t want to hire applicants
with young children. Although its illegal to ask you,
they will pull all kinds of tricks to find out. Some
will put photos of kids on their desks even if they
don’t have children. Then they hope you’ll ask
about the kids and mention your own children.
Or, they may walk you out to your car to see if
you have car seats.

11. HR managers routinely discriminate against
people who are over weight or obese and if you
have a weak hand shake, it will count against you.

12. If you don’t want to blow the job interview,
make sure you turn your cell phone completely
off.

13. Make sure you’re pleasant and cordial to everyone
you encounter at the company. If not, the HR manager
will hear about it and it will count against you.

14. If you have a real personal emergency and you
can’t make your interview, and you have a legitimate
excuse, most HR people probably won’t believe you.

15. Never reveal or on a resume that you were fired.
If you do, it will be trashed. Nine times out of ten,
most state laws on reference immunity and your former
company’s policy will prevent most HR people from
ever finding out.

16. Make sure you know how to pronounce the name
of the person who will interview you. If you must,
call the company receptionist and find out. Also,
make sure your personal hygiene is impeccable.
You should well groomed, and make sure
you wear your best suit or dress for the interview.

17. When asked to talk about yourself, make it
short and to the point. Avoid being a blow hard.

18. Wait at least a week before you send a thank
you note for the interview. In that time, the HR
manager will have interviewed a lot of other
people and your thank you note will stand out.

19. HR managers find persistent people annoying.
Sometimes they’ll tell applicants that they hired
someone internally just to get rid of them. If you want
to check back on your status, limit it to one or two contacts.

20. If you did not get along with your former
supervisor, do not list his direct line as a reference.
Instead, just provide the HR phone number at
your former company. Most will only give out your dates
of employment and your title.

21. If you’re credit score is below 650, it will count
against you when you apply for a job. But since back
ground checks are expensive, HR managers sometimes
bluff and will not even run one.

22. Don’t quote Salary.Com when negotiating pay.
Reason? It’s usually 10 to 20 grand higher than actual
salaries. Plus it annoys HR people like crazy. And
when discussing salary, most HR people try to lock
you in early by saying, “the position pays 35K to 40K.
If they ask you if that’s acceptable, say “no”, “it depends”,
or “it may not be out of the question”. That way, they
can’t lock you into that salary area.

23. If you already have a job, and they start giving you
the worsts assignments possible, with impossible
deadlines, they are setting up to fail so they can terminate it.
So start looking for a new job immediately. Also, watch out
if you’re put on a performance improvement plan and they
say that they want it to work out. They may be looking to
sack you. And the third signal that want to give you
the boot is when you’re a high level employee, and they
start taking away your responsibilities to work on special
assignments. Start sending out resumes fast.

24. If you get laid off, you’ll probably get a separation
agreement where you agree not to sue. Before you sign
it , try to ask for more severance money, a glowing
recommendation in writing or more Cobra. The worst that
could happen is that they'll say no.

25. If you’re asked to travel to attend a conference, try
not to say no. It could end your career.

New Jersey's Best Vintage, Retro And Couture Second Hand Shops

2011-03-17T15:06:00.000-04:00

Asbury Park: http://www.alanandsuzi.net/   Beach Haven: http://www.coastalconsignment-salvage.com/
Bernardsville: http://www.encoreconsignments.com/  Forked River: http://www.stillgreatconsignment.cim/
Haddonfield: http://www.borntoshopthrift.com/ Hawthorne: http://www.secondglance.biz/ Livingston:
http://www.dueteveryday.com/  Princeton: http://www.janeconsignment.com/ Red Bank, Ridgewood, Short Hills And Englewood: http://www.edoubletake.com/ Toms River: http://www.silkpurseconsignment.com/
Westfield: http://www.thecoutureexchange.com/

Why The Internet Is Making Us Stupid

2011-03-15T09:28:00.000-04:00

An experiment at UCLA showed that spending one hour per day on the web alters our neural pathways. Another Canadian study asked 70 people to read a short story on a computer screen. Some read traditional text, while others read a version containing hyperlinks. Only 10% of those who read the traditional text reported any difficulty following the story versus 75% who read the hyperlinked version. Those who read the traditional text did so faster.

Simply ignoring online distractions does not work. That's because our brains must make a split second decision not to be distracted which breaks our concentration. For instance, reading books is often considered a passive activity when compared to web surfing. But we think more deeply when we read a printed page compared to an Internet page. The quiet space afforded by the printed page lets us mull over what we read. That quiet space does not exist online, so we're less likely to formed reasoned conclusions about the validity of what we read.

If we want to increase our concentration and comprehension when we read e-books or text online, we should close our e-mail programs, our facebook page, and other competing info feeds on our screen.

How To Avoid The Hidden Dangers In Your Clothes And Bedding

2011-03-15T09:02:00.000-04:00

Wrinkle free fabrics contain perfluorochemicals ( pfcs) for stain and wrinkle resistance. Clothing labeled no iron, permanent press and wrinkle free often contain pfcs. They last long because they are hard to break down.They accumulate in the body and been linked to reproductive toxicity and liver problems.The chemicals in clothing may be absorbed through the skin or inhaled when they out gas.
Numerous cyclesin the wash may release some but not all. Also, synthetic fibers, contain polyvinyl chlorides a known carcinogen.So to play it safe, try to wear clothes made from 100% natural fibers like cotton and wool.

Dry Cleaning Dangers In dry cleaning, a chemical called perchloroethylene (perc)is used to saturate clothing to remove dirt and stains. But a lot of the solution remains in the clothing fibers after cleaning is done. Exposure to perc had been linked to kidney and liver damage. Plus it causes cancer in lab rats. Even short term exposure results in dizziness, headaches and rapid heart rate. One study found that elevated levels of perc remained in clothing after dry cleaning for 48 hours. California and other states have mandated that dry cleaners stop using perc by 2023. In the meantime, you can air out your perc dry cleaned clothes by removing the plastic and hanging them outdoors or in a garage for one or two days. Also, make sure you wear a barrier like a T-shirt when you wear clothes dry cleaned in perc. You can also find a green dry cleaner that uses liquid carbon dioxide instead of perc.

Problems With Mattresses Most innerspring and foam mattresses and made from polyurethane It is so flammable its considered solid gasoline. To neutralize that, makers are required to add flame retardants to the mattresses. Before 2005, these included highly toxic polybrominated ethers and heavy metal antimonies that disrupt hormone activity and may interfere with normal brain functions. If you're sleeping on a mattress made prior to 2005, consider replacing it with an organic mattress made from natural latex and or wool. If you buy a synthetic mattress, take off the outer wrapping and let air out for a few days outdoors or in a garage. You can also purchase a natural latex mattress topper or one made from cotton or wool to act as a barrier between you and the flame retardant materials.

If It Smells Clean It Could It Could Be Bad For Your Health The National Academy of Science reports that up to 95% of substances used to make fragrances for detergents, plug-in air fresheners, fabric softener, are made from petroleum that can trigger asthma, and may cause problems with the nervous system. So when you can, try to use non-toxic natural fabric softeners and detergents around the house. Also, you can find reusable clothes dryer sheets online that are not coated with chemicals.

Land A Job For Someone Else And Make Up To $250 An Hour Or More

2011-03-10T09:04:00.000-05:00

With the local unemployment rate at 9% and up to 40% in some areas, job seekers are in full supply. So that means resume writers are in high demand. So to get training and network opportunities, its critical that you hook up with the Professional Association of Resume Writers. You'll also need to join the National Resume Writers Association for more credentials and leads. After your training, make sure you sign up for the PARW'S $225 certification exam. For more info go to www.PARW.Com and www.TheNRWA.Com. Another good resource to find new clients is www.MovinOnUpResumes.Com

GPS Owner Security Alert

2011-03-01T16:49:00.000-05:00

FROM ONE OF OUR READERS:

"Wednesday, I approached my truck from the passenger side to place my computer case in the front passenger seat. As I reached to open the door I noticed there was a hole right under my door handle. My first thought was, "someone has shot my truck !" I began to think about it and inspect it a little closer and the "light" slowly began to come on.

I phoned my friend who owns a body shop and asked if he had any vehicles with damage to the doors that looked like a bullet hole. "Yes, I see it all the time. Thieves have a punch and place it right under the door handle, knock a hole through, reach in and unlock it, just as if they have a key.

No alarms, broken glass or anything. I then placed a call to my insurance agent and explained it to him I was puzzled that they left my GPS and all other belongings. Here is where it gets scary! "Oh no, he said, they want the break-in to be so subtle that you don't even realize it."

They look at your GPS to see where "home" is. "Now they know what you drive, go to your home, and if your vehicle isn't there they assume you aren't and break in your home."

He says they will even leave a purse or wallet and only take one or two credit cards. By the time you realize there has been a theft, they may have already had a couple days or more to use them. I didn't realize my situation for two full days! They even give you the courtesy of re-locking your doors for you. Periodically walk around your car, daily if you are in a shopping center or other parking area.

Report thefts immediately....your bank w/missing check numbers, your credit card agencies, police, and insurance companies, etc."

11 Hot Tips To Sell Your House Fast In A Weak Market

2011-02-26T13:55:00.000-05:00

1.Choose A Broker That Can Sell To find the best broker,determine which realtor dominates your market by "For Sale"signs and recommendations by neighbors. Then call the sales manager at the realty office and find out who are the top 10% agents as measured by sales. These agents generate 90% of revenues for an office. So they are most likely to sell your house at the best price. Before you commit to an agent make sure he or she has sold several homes in your neighborhood at attractive prices. Also, make sure that no more than 6 months had passed between the time the homes were listed and sold. Then make sure the agent has a marketing plan tailored to your home. 2. Offer A 2 Point Commission Bonus bringing the total commission to 8%. That way, the listing agent, your broker, and the selling agent, the buyer's broker, get an extra one-point incentive to focus on your property above anyone else's. Tell your agent to make sure the extra commission is clearly stated in the MLS listing - both under "commissions" and under "broker remarks". 3.Get Your Marketing Right Most home buyers start their search on the Internet. So make sure your agent lists your property on the seven biggest real estate sites which are Yahoo, Craigslist ,Trulia, Zillow, Homes.Com ,Realtor.Com and MLS. Only real estate agents can list homes on Homes.Com, Trulia, Realtor.Com and MLS. Ads range from free to $300+ for first page positions, slide shows and videos.
4. Brainstorm With Your Agent to come up with the single most important outstanding feature that makes your property different. It's called a USP or "unique marketing proposition". Then market the daylights out of it. Brainstorm further to come up with a list of special features like a fabulous view or a quiet street .It can be long or short. Then rank the items from most to least important. Then make sure all your advertising includes your USP and your home's special features. 5. Use Professional Photos Market research proves that photos influence buyers more than any other tool. Develop a virtual tour online like something you might see in a home magazine. Whether they're clearly visible or not, each photo or video should include a strongly worded caption that points out interesting details or features. Some agents will send out a professional photographer to take photos. If yours doesn't, you can hire your own for $100 to $500 depending where you live. 4. Clean Out Your Closets Neatness implies that you take care of things. Buyers may think that a messy closet means faulty wiring or plumbing. 5. Get Rid Of Clutter Every piece of junk reduces your homes value because buyers can't see past it. If necessary, rent storage space for a few months. Never underestimate how much a poor appearance will turn away potential buyers and diminish a sale. You want buyers to take a look and say, "Wow! I could move in here today!" 6.Let There Be Light Buyers want a bright house above all except location. So ditch the heavy drapes, have the house cleaned, wash the windows, and move furniture away from the windows. Then trim any outdoor plants blocking the sun. Paint the walls creamy white. And if possible, paint the outside of the house yellow. If you need to re-paint or change the siding of the house, make sure it's yellow. Yellow houses have the most curb appeal and sell faster than any other color. 7.Swipe And Deploy Attend an open house at a few new developments and take note on how the model homes are decorated. Then try to apply some of these latest decorating trends to your house on the cheap. 8. Price It Right The smartest strategy is to under price your house below market value. That's because buyers are looking for value when they buy. This also might force buyers into a bidding war over your house with one another. If you price high and then go low, buyers will sense your desperation and start making low ball offers. Calculate the average on the "comps" for your area and mark it down 10%. If market conditions are deteriorating rapidly, or if you're in a particular hurry, mark it down another 10%. 9. How To Handle Low Ball Bids In A Weak Market When you get low ball bids on your property, never say " NO" regardless of how ridiculous you may think they are. That's because your agent may be able to nurse the buyer along and warm him or her up to a price you may be able to live with. Also, it will be a learning experience. You and your agent will get a chance to get a sense of what a buyer's typical objections may be. Then you'll have a chance to try out some arguments to overcome the next buyer's objections. Based on what you and your agent learn, you can update your marketing materials on the web while your listing is relatively new. 10. Offer Incentives In a buyers market, new home builders will be handing out incentives like Halloween candy. So to sell a used home like yours, giving buyers a cash incentive will give you an unfair advantage over other sellers. Offer to pick up part or all of the closing costs. Then advertise this in advance and more people will want to see your property. You could also offer a decorating allowance of say 1% of the sale price. But do not make this known except to buyers who see the house. Otherwise, prospects may consider it as a sign that the home is not clean or needs work. 11. Hold The Paper First of all, one-fifth of all homes sold involve partial or seller financing. Second, buyers may not be able to qualify for a conventional mortgage because they may be self-employed or can't come up with 20% down. If you don't have a mortgage to pay off, and you aren't buying another house, or if you don't need the cash, this is a win-win for you and the buyer. You can charge 5% interest or more, and the collateral is a property you know and trust. The buyer gets to skip the hassle of applying for a mortgage, and saves on closing costs. The down payment also becomes negotiable. Plus you might be able to spread any capital gains you might owe over several years. Just make sure your agent or lawyer runs a credit check on the buyer and let your lawyer draw up a formal contract. Also, make sure your contract states the if the buyer falls behind on payments just one or two months,the buyer forfeits the down payment and you can take back the property.

Ten Keys To Happiness

2011-02-20T17:05:00.000-05:00

Here are steps you must take if you want to be happy:

1. Find Something To Look Forward To - One study found that just thinking  about watching your favorite movie will raise your endorphin levels by 27%.

2. Infuse Positivity Into Your Surroundings  - Another study showed spending   20 minutes outside in good weather will improve your mood and memory.

3. Exercise More - More powerful than antidepressants, even walking is  a good way way to improve your mood and your brain.

4. Use Your Strengths - If you don't know what they are, find out for free at http://www.viasurvey.com/

5. Encourage Others - Studies show that teams and improved 31%  with  encouraging managers  Employees don't quit companies, they quit supervisors.

6. Change Your Performance To Change Your Mind  - Henry Ford said, "If you think   you can or if   you think you can't, you're right." When facing a difficult challenge,  focus on why you will succeed rather than why you may fail. People with a "fixed mindset" will always be less successful than those with a "growth mindset."

7. Commit Conscious Acts Of Kindness - Be gracious in traffic or in line and let   people in. Then see how you feel.

8. View failure As Opportunity - Thomas Edison failed 10,000 times before he got the light bulb right.

9. Overcome Inertia -  Use the 20 second rule to break bad habits. For instance,  if you think you watch too much TV, take the batteries out of your remote. The next time you click on the TV, you can read a book or start an important project.

10. Make A Social Investment - A lack of meaningful social contact can add 30 points to your blood pressure. Studies show that a bond between a manager and employees is the prime predictor of both daily productivity and the length of time people stay at their jobs.

25 Fun Facts China Doesn't Want You To Know

2011-02-02T14:40:00.000-05:00

#1 The U.S. trade deficit with China increased by 26 percent during 2010.

#2 Since China entered the WTO in 2001, the U.S. trade deficit with
     China has grown by an average of 18% per year.

#3 The United States has now had a negative trade balance every single
     year since 1976.

#4 The U.S. trade deficit with China during August was more than
     4,600 times larger than the U.S. trade deficit with China was for the
     entire year of 1985.

#5 According to a new report from the Economic Policy Institute,
     between 2001 and 2008 lost 2.4 million jobs due to the growing trade
   deficit with China. Every single state in America experienced a net
     job loss due to our trade deficit with China during this time period.

#6 China is now the number one producer in the world of wind and solar
     power.

#7 Back in 1970, 25 percent of all jobs in the United States were
   manufacturing jobs. Today, only 9 percent of the jobs in the United
     States are manufacturing jobs.

#8 China now possesses the fastest supercomputer on the entire globe.

#9 Back in 1998, the United States had 25 percent of the world's
     high-tech export market and China had just 10 percent. Ten years
     later, the United States had less than 15 percent and China's share
     had soared to 20 percent.

#10 China now has the world's fastest train and the world's biggest
       high-speed rail network.

#11 The United States has lost a staggering 32 percent of its
       manufacturing jobs since the year 2000.

#12 The United States had been the leading consumer of energy on the
       globe for about 100 years, but this past summer China took over the
       number one spot.

#13 China has accumulated the largest stockpile of foreign currency
       reserves on the entire globe - $2.85 trillion.

#14 American companies keep handing Chinese companies our most
       advanced technology. Just consider the following example that was
       just reportedin the New York Times. G.E., in the partnership with a
      state-owned Chinese company, will be sharing its most sophisticated
      airplane electronics, including some of the same technology used in
      Boeing's new state-of-the-art 787 Dreamliner.

#15 All of this new wealth has enabled China to dramatically upgrade
       and modernize their military forces. For example, China has actually
       developed a missile system that can  destroy a U.S. aircraft carrier
       nearly 2,000 miles out to sea.

#16 China is now the number one supplier of components that are
       critical to the operation of U.S. defense systems.

#17 Since 2001, over 42,000 U.S.factories have closed down for good.

#18 Wealthy Chinese companies are now gobbling up U.S. businesses and
       U.S. infrastructure at a staggering pace.

#19 As of the end of 2009, less than 12 million Americans worked in
       manufacturing. The last time that less than 12 million Americans were
       employed in manufacturing was in 1941.

#20 The United States has 10 percent fewer "middle class jobs" than it
       did just ten years ago.

#21 According to Stanford University economics professor Ed Lazear, if
       the U.S. economy and the Chinese economy continue to grow at current
      rates, the average Chinese citizen will be wealthier than the average
     American citizen in just 30 years.

#22 Nobel economist Robert W. Fogel of the University of Chicago is
       projecting that the Chinese economy will be three times larger than
       the U.S. economy by the year 2040 if current trends continue.

#23 According to one recent study, China could become the global
       leader in patent filings by next year.

#24 Today, China controls over 90 percent of the total global supply
       of rare earth elements.

#25 According to one shocking new poll, 47 percent of Americans
       believe that China is the number one economic power in the world.
       Only 31 percent of those responding to the survey indicated that they
      believe that the United States is still the number one economic power.

35 Best Beers From Around The Globe

2011-01-16T14:27:00.001-05:00

1. Hoegaarden, Belgium 2. Lindmans Framboise, Belgium 3. Ufo White, Harpoon Brewery, Boston, MA 4. Coopers Sparkling Ale , Australia 5. Avery Elle's Brown Ale, Boulder. CO 6. Doggie Style Pale Ale, Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, MD 7. Saranac Adirondack Lager, Matt Brewery, Uitica, NY 8. Mama's Little Yellow Pills, Oskar Blues Brewery, Longmont, CO 9. Tailgate Beer Jay's Blacktop Blonde, San Diego. CA 10. Back In Black IPA, 21st Amendment Brewery, San Francisco, CA 11.Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout, North Coast Brewing, Fort Bragg, CA 12. Hitachino Nest White Ale, Kiuchi Brewery, Japan 13. Pliny The Elder, Russian River Brewing, Santa Rosa, CA 14. Good Harbor Golden Wheat, Leelanau Brewing, Leeland, MI 15. Sessions Lager, Full Sail Brewing, Hood River, OR 16. Old Abominable Barley Wine, Stoudts Brewery, Adamstown, PA 17. Steel Reserve High Gravity, Steel Brewing, Irwindale, CA 18. V-12 , Victory Brewing, Downingtown, PA 19. St. Ides High Gravity, Irwindale, CA 20. Kiwanda Cream Ale, Pelican Pub Brewery, Pacific City, OR 21. Estrella Damm Inedit, S.A. Damm Brewery, Barcelona , Spain 22. The Sixth Glass, Boulevard Brewing, Kansas City, MO 23. Ommegang Hennepin, Coppertown, NY 24. Chipolte Ale, Rogues Ales Brewery, Newport, OR 25. Wild Raspberry Wheat Ale, Great Divide Brewing , Denver, CO 26. Sea Dog Blue Paw Wheat Ale, Bangor, ME 27. Abita Pecan Harvest, New Orleans, LA 28. Horizon Red Ale, Summit Brewing, St. Paul, MN 29. Harppon Belgium Pale Ale, Boston , MA 30. Silver Moon Bridge Creek Pilsner, Bend, OR 31. Sweet Water SCH' Wheat, Atlanta, GA, Hard To Get & High Alcohol Content Beers: 32. Sink The Bismark, Brewdog Brewery, Scottland 41% proof, 33.Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA , Milton, DE 36% proof, 33. Westvleteren 12, Belgium (considered the best in the world and limited to one case each to customer by the Trappist monks who make it ) 35. Rodenbach Vintage 2008, Palm Breweries, Belgium ( only 30M bottles of were made from a single barrel).

19 Awesome No Brainer Quick Meals For 2011

2011-01-03T15:54:00.000-05:00

1. Asian Pork Chops Combine 2 tbs hoisin sauce, 2 tsp fish sauce, and 1 tsp of lime juice. Cut 2 thick pork chops into 1/4 inch slices. Dip in mixture. Saute 5 to 10 minutes or until done. Serve with rice noodles.
Serves 2.

2. Linguine With Anchovies  Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet. Add 3 sliced garlic cloves, 4 anchovy fillets, and 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes. Cook until anchovies melt into oil. Stir in cooked linguine. ( 8 oz dry) Sprinkle with 3 tbsp of chopped walnuts. Serves 2.

3. Smoky Spice Rub Combine 1 tbsp each of smoked paprika, cinnamon, garlic powder, cumin and brown sugar. Rub on steak or chicken thighs. Grill outside or in broiler.

4. Pork With Fig Preserves Combine 1/2 cup fig preserves , 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 crushed garlic cloves, and 1 tbsp of lemon juice. Roast 2 ( 1 lb) whole pork tenderloins 15 minutes at 375F. Brush with fig mixture during last 5 minutes of roasting. Serves 8.

5. Smoky Honey Pork Combine 1/4 cup honey, 1 tbsp smoked paprika and 2 tbsp chopped green onions. Brush over 2 lb boneless pork loin. Roast 30 minutes or until done at 375F.

6. Salmon With Miso Combine 2 tbsp each of brown sugar, miso paste, soy sauce, and hot water.
Spoon over 4 ( 5oz) salmon fillets and broil 10 minutes. Serves 4.

7. Chinese Mustard Vinaigrette  Combine 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar, 2 tsp Chinese mustard, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1/4 cup walnut or peanut oil, 1 tsp minced shallot, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Drizzle over fish or veggies.

8. Roasted Peppers With Polenta & Cheese Cut a package of polenta into 8 slices. Heat 1 tbsp of Olive oil in a skillet. Add polenta slices and saute 3 minutes on each side. Cover with roasted bell peppers and sliced provolone cheese. Cover skillet and cook until cheese melts. Serves 4.

9. Grilled Chicken With Tahini Sauce Combine 1/2 cup tahini and 1/2 cup plain yogurt. Use as a dipping sauce for 1 lb of grilled chicken tenders. Serves 4.

10.  Chicken With Salsa Verde & Feta Place 2 lbs of boneless, skinless, chicken thighs in a roasting pan. Pour 1 1/2 cups salsa Verde over the top. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup of crumbled feta cheese. Bake 40 minutes at 375F. Serves 6.

11. Curried Chicken Strips Combine 1/2 cup orange juice concentrate with 3 tbsp of green or red curry paste and 1 tbsp oil. Toss with 1 lb chicken tenders or strips. Roast 15 minutes at 375F. Serves 4.

12. Orange Scallops Combine 3 tbsp orange marmalade , 3 tbsp chopped green onions, and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Toss with 1/2 lb scallops. Saute scallops until done. Serves 2.

13. Mayan Hot Chocolate   Stir 1 oz chocolate and 1/4 tsp ancho chili powder into 12 oz of hot milk. Serves 1.

14. Barbecued Salmon Combine 3 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tsp of ancho chili powder, 1 crushed garlic clove, and 1 tsp of finely grated orange rind. Spread on top of 4 ( 5oz) salmon fillets. Broil 10 minutes. Serves 4.

15. Chipolte Salmon Combine 1 chipotle chilie, 1 tbsp adobo sauce and 1/3 cup mayonnaise. Spread on top of 4 ( 5oz) salmon fillets. Broil 10 minutes. Serves 4.

16. Curried Honey Chicken Thighs Combine 3 tbsp honey, 2 tsp of curry powder, 1 tsp finely grated orange rind, and 1 tsp of ground ginger. Slice 1 orange and place in shallow baking dish. Place 6 chicken thighs on top of orange slices, spread honey mixture on chicken and bake 20 minutes at 375F. Sevres 3.

17. Rice Salad With Peppers & Feta Combine 3 cups cold leftover rice, 1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers, 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, 1 can white beans (rinsed and drained) 1/4 cup chopped parsley,
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 2 tbsp sherry vinegar. Serves 4.

18. Beef With Horseradish Sauce  Combine 1/4 cup each horseradish and sour cream with 1 tbsp brown sugar. Serve with beef or hamburger.

19. Couscous Chicken Salad Combine 3 cups cooked garlic flavored couscous, 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, 1 cup shredded lettuce, 1/2 chopped green onions, and 2 tbsp of sherry vinegar and olive oil. Serves 4.

Why Kids May Be Getting Dumber By The Minute

2010-12-16T17:59:00.002-05:00

In the past decade, the number of college grads who can interpret a food label has fallen from 40 percent to 30 percent. And not too long ago, a high school teacher out west handed out an assignment that required students to use a ruler. But she discovered not a single one of them knew how. Kids today seem way dumber than they used to be. That's because they spend all their time playing computer games and hanging out with one another on Myspace and Facebook.

They don't know the most basic stuff like who fought whom in World War II, how many pints are in a quart, and in some cases, even the months or the days of the week. The average kid spends nearly 9 hours a day in front of computers, TV and iPhones screens. Add in 8 hours of sleep and 7 hours in school, that just leaves 1/2 hour when their senses are not under siege while they take a shower. Technology was supposed to set us free, but it seems to be binding our youth to mundane, time-consuming tasks. Each day, kids send and receive more than 4,000 text messages each month or about 100 a day. Plus they have an average of 450 friends on Facebook.

Reading is highly unnatural in that it requires us to filter out distractions and focus on a single task. But a study done at Stamford last year revealed that heavy users of multimedia have a very hard time filtering out distracting information. When the phone rings, their behavior is driven by that distraction. In fact, kids today are assailed by such a constant stream of input that they can't even remember what they see.

Here are some examples of how technology is effecting our brains. Heavy computer users take longer than light users in moving between different tasks and have trouble tuning out irrelevant information. Computer gaming can become literally addictive. Under the stress of playing, a part of the brain produces more endorphins, leading to euphoria. If a kid stops playing, the endorphin level drops and he has to play again.
Computer gaming over time also increases the level of stress, and releases stress hormones.

When kids multitask, their brains become wired for instant gratification. And that makes their attention span shorter. If you ask a kid a question, they get restless. That's because they're used to getting everything at a click. That's why they don't have conversations anymore. If they have something important to say, they text it.

On a final note, with Facebook, their cell phones and laptops, kids don't ever have to be alone but they're always alone. Research has shown that the more they use the internet to connect, the more vulnerable they are to depression. Plus the incidence of depression has doubled among teens in the last decade. In addition, a quarter of all Americans report not having even one person they can confide in. More than half have no close friends outside their immediate family.

Employers Are Spying On You At Facebook, Twitter And Linkedin

2010-12-16T17:18:00.000-05:00

Remember that hazy trip to Cabo San Lucas with old friends a few years ago? Those margaritas were huge. You just had to post photos of them on Facebook, along with a few other Kodak moments. Then you mostly forgot about them.

Even if you don't recall all of the sordid details from that weekend of debauchery, your employer may know all about it. That's because a new company called Social Intelligence billing itself as a social media private eye will observe your Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other online accounts on behalf of employers to make certain you're not a liability. Background checks involving criminal records and credit histories are typical and even expected of many major employers responsible for children, nursing homes or public safety.

But the Santa Barbara, Calif.-based company takes this concept to a new level offering an automated tool that mines social media content for troubling signs. Search filters can be customized "to reflect corporate culture," and additional manual reviews are conducted by "social media experts."

A display tells the human resources manager in your workplace how many "negative" hits are uncovered, placing the names of both job applicants and active employees next to red flags like "drugs/drug lingo," "gangs," "poor judgment" and "demonstrating potentially violent behavior."

Social Intelligence is the latest in an ever-expanding movement by both corporations and government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, to use new communications tools for surveillance
purposes. Some of the most provocative examples yet emerged only in recent weeks.

The trend raises fresh questions about how standards enforcing privacy online can withstand the rush of data about you and everyone else that courses through the Internet.

After finally landing a job, the information gathering has only just begun. From there, Social Intelligence will carry out near "real-time surveillance" of your behavior with screenshots and customizable reports used to document activity and keep the front office informed.

Its marketing materials play into larger fears every employer could have. According to the company's website: Once employees have been hired, their online behavior poses a possible threat to your company. Employees may criticize managers or coworkers on a social networking site, post questionable photos on a blog, or regularly update personal sites while on the clock. Consistent monitoring creates awareness and strict adherence among employees, thereby reducing 'cyber slacking,' fraud and negative company publicity.

Internet.com pointed out Sept. 29 that Social Intelligence doesn't actively "friend" users to surreptitiously access more private posts online. The goal is to shield companies from job seekers and employees who turn out to be dangerous or untrustworthy. Litigation following violent episodes in the workplace can hinge on warning signs an institution may have been aware of in advance. But clearly bloodshed isn't the only thing Social Intelligence is promising to help prevent.

Government investigators, meanwhile, will quietly friend you and more generally use social media to seek out evidence of possible security threats and spy on political organizations.New documents unearthed recently in Pennsylvania show that state homeland security officials used Twitter accounts to watch people who had not violated any laws, including elderly anti-war protesters linked to Quaker activism.

The news came shortly after Pennsylvania's homeland security director resigned amid revelations that the state paid a private contractor thousands of dollars to monitor gay and lesbian groups, environmentalists and even a nonprofit tied to the governor. Findings from the surveillance were compiled in intelligence reports ostensibly designed to inform authorities about potential terrorism. But the public reacted angrily. Gov. Ed Rendell apologized, calling the intel-gathering "ludicrous" and insisting he wasn't aware of it.

Then in October, the Electronic Frontier Foundation obtained documents through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit showing that the federal government created a special center prior to Barack Obama's
inauguration for analyzing oceans of data passing through Facebook, Twitter and other sites in an attempt to identify hazards.

Further records turned over to EFF revealed that federal investigators were taught how they could deceptively "friend" people applying to become citizens and snoop for relationship details meeting the
government's standard of a legitimate marriage. According to one internal memo:

Narcissistic tendencies in many people fuels a need to have a large group of 'friends' link to their pages, and many of these people accept cyber-friends that they don't even know. Once a user posts online, they create a public record and timeline of their activities.

In documents made publicly available earlier this year by the Department of Homeland Security, officials described another new program for maintaining "situational awareness" that involved tracking social media sites and other online destinations.

Personnel at the department's National Operations Center scan the Web using dozens upon dozens of key search terms and phrases, among them "militia," "cops," "riot," "dirty bomb," "Mexican army,""decapitated," "Iraq," "radicals" and many more. The NOC stores and analyzes its results before determining what tips should be distributed to other government agencies and even private companies authorized to receive such information.

As for Social Intelligence, attempting to expose online criticism from employees could become its own liability. The National Labor Relations Board is arguing that condemnation of your boss on Facebook
doesn't justify termination. Lawyers for the labor board alleged in late October that an ambulance company violated the law when it fired an employee for disparaging remarks made on the Web. Observers are
calling the case ground-breaking.

You can check out the company snooping for employers at: http://www.socialintelligencehr.com/home

How To Make Venetian Rainbow Cookies For The Holidays

2010-12-16T11:58:00.000-05:00

The holidays would not be the same without the almond sponge cake pastries known as rainbows or tricolors which first originated in Venice. For starters, you'll need:

12 Large Eggs, Separated
2 3/4 Cups Sugar
24 Oz Almond Paste
8 Sticks Butter Softened
5 3/4 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Tsp Salt
2 Tsp Red Food Coloring
2 Tsp Green Food Coloring
16 Oz Orange Preserves ( Smuckers will do fine)
heated and strained
8 OZ Bittersweet Chocolate, Chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Beat egg whites in electric mixer until they hold stiff peaks. Add 1/2 cup sugar, beating until whites hold stiff, slightly glossy peaks, the refrigerate. Beat together almond paste and remaining sugar in mixer. Add butter gradually and beat until mixture is fluffy , about 3 minutes. Add yolks and beat until well combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour and salt and mix until combined. Fold in egg whites. Divide batter equally among 3 bowls; wearing gloves. (1) whisk red food coloring into one, and green into the other, leaving the third batch plain. Spread each batch separately and evenly, about 1/4" thick, onto 3 half-sheet pans , each greased and lined with parchment paper. Bake until barely set, about 7 minutes. ( 2) When layers are cool, spread half the preserves onto the green layer. Invert plain layer over it and discard paper. Spread on remaining preserves , and invert red layer over it, discard paper. Wrap with plastic and top with a weighted baking pan. Refrigerate for several hours. Remove plastic and bring to room temperature. Melt chocolate in a double boiler, and (3) spread thinly on top layer. Chill in freezer briefly until firm. Cover with wax paper, place another baking sheet on top, then invert cake onto sheet pan and remove paper. Quickly spread remaining chocolate and return to freezer until firm. Trim edges, slice and serve.

Best Coffee Shops In NYC

2010-12-09T09:20:00.000-05:00

Best Tasting Stump Town Coffee Roasters In The Ace Hotel, 18 W. 29th St, between 5th Ave & Broadway, and http://www.joetheartofcoffee.com/ various locations around New York City
For Hanging Out www.MudNyc.Com 307 E. 9th between First & Second Aves 212-228-9074
For Doing Work www.ThinkCoffeeNYC.Com 28 Mercer St, between 3rd & 4th Sts 212-228-6226
For Work Space www.CoffeeFoundry.Com Rent booth/work space for $15 hr lst hr $10 hr thereafter,
186 W. 4th St between Barrow and Jones Sts

15 More Incredible Must Know Travel Tips

2010-12-05T10:36:00.000-05:00

1. Before You Go Join every airline's frequent flyer program from jet Blue to Continental's One Pass even if you fly just once a year. In any situation, from better seating to bumping passengers off flights, the airlines always pay more attention to and take better care of the passengers they consider loyalist, whatever their mileage balance. 2. Buy One Way Tickets These days, there's no price difference between buying a one way ticket and a return. It's way smarter to buy two one-ways. That's because if the first leg goes unflown, the second is automatically cancelled. So if you miss your flight, you end up shelling out for two replacements. Keeping them separate avoids this problem. 3. Get The Best Fares at http://www.kayak.com/and www.Hipmunk.Com 4. Make Photo Copies & Photos Whether you travel domestically or abroad, make photo copies of your passport and ID and stuff them in your hand luggage in case you lose the originals. It makes them a lot easier to replace. And while you're at it, snap photos of your luggage and keep them handy on your cell phone in case your luggage is lost. Airlines often complain that traveler's can't describe a lost bag which makes it harder to find. 5. Never Pack A Single Suit Case For Each Family Member For more than one person, never allocate a single suitcase. That's because if dad's case is lost, he's not left with nothing to wear but mom's swimsuit. Instead, divvy up clothes for each family member across s the cases so no one will be left shirtless. 6. Check Your Hotel's Website Most hotels list comprehensive amenities. So you can avoid lugging around an iron or hair dryer when you don't need to. 7. Watch Your Books Watch how you pack books. That's one big reason why TSA guards search your luggage. A column of stacked books shows up on X-rays as a blank space. That triggers a search by hand. So pack your books in layers across the case rather then piled up. 8. Remember 311 The 3-1-1 rule which limits you to 3 one ounce containers in a 1 quart zip lock bag. One clever way around this is to use solid shampoos and sunscreens from http://www.lush.com/ 9. How To Handle Cancelled Flights Planes are cancelled for a lot of reasons besides weather. Weather issues rarely result in refunds.If the airline has to nix a flight because of mechanical or labor issues, you're entitled to the next flight to your destination on ANY airline, rather than the same company's next scheduled route. For cost reasons, that's what they're likely to offer you. If so, politely decline and ask to be "FIM-ed". That stands for Flight Interruption Manifest which is the code for switching to another airline's schedule. And no matter what, minimise your plane problems by standing online at the ticket counter while calling your airline's customer service HQ on your cell phone. Work with whomever you reach first. 10. By A Lounge Pass When there's a delay or a snafu, shell out $25 for a lounge pass. Besides buying you drinks and a comfy chair, it will mean you have quicker, easier access to desk clerks than the chumps stuck in line at the main airport. It's also a family stress buster on Christmas Eve. 11. Avoid Outdated Guide Books When you buy a guide book, flip to the small print and check out the publication date. If it's more than 2 years old, it may be outdated. Plus guidebooks sometimes hit the book shelves a year after their printed. So watch out. 11. Best WiFi Reception Since a few airports offer free WIFI reception, it may be spotty. So just lurk outside the airport lounge and piggyback off the gratis signal offered to VIPS. 12. Avoid Credit Card Fees If your traveling overseas, most credit card companies levy fees on foreign transactions. Only Capital One levies NO handling fees and fair exchange rates. 13. Beef Up Your Memory Buy the biggest memory card your camera can handle even if you rarely need to empty it. Holiday snaps pile up quickly and its a pain to ration out how many snaps you can take. 14. Insider Info The best way to get on the ground insider info is by having breakfast at a local sit down cafe and linger over your coffee. Forget Starbucks or other chains. Wait staff folks are least rushed at breakfast and will often like to chat up a friendly guest. This is especially true if you come back more than once. 15 Survive The Language Barrier Even if you flunked high school French, just carry a small note book and pen. No matter how rough your sketch, people will get the gist of what you're trying to convey. A

The Top Ten Turkey Mishaps And How To Avoid Them

2010-11-21T11:52:00.000-05:00

1. Forgetting To Defrost Soak your frozen turkey in a brine solution. Unwrap the packaging, rinse well and place in the sink or large container , breast side down. For a 16 pounder, dissolve 1 1/2 cups of kosher salt in 2 gallons of cold tap water. Change the brine every 30 minutes. This trick should halve your defrosting time to 15 minutes per pound.

2. Dry Turkey Breast Your turkey is being overcooked. Make sure you use a meat thermometer and remove the turkey from the oven when the temp reaches 155 F. Once out of the oven, the bird will continue to cook and the temp will rise to 165F. Remove the stuffing from the cavity immediately since a stuffed bird retains more heat.

3.Turkey Breast Is Too Dry After cooking, soak the breast in pan juices ASAP. Otherwise, douse with gravy or save it for turkey day leftovers.

4. Turkey Skin Is Not Crisp Either rub the skin with softened butter or extra virgin olive oil and then season before roasting, OR salt the skin of a thawed turkey and let it air dry overnight in the frig.

5. Turkey Lacks A Golden Hue You need to baste it more. With a brush or basting bulb, coat the turkey evenly all over with pan juices every 15 minutes for the last hour of roasting. If the top is browning too much before the bird is cooked, just cover it with a piece of foil.

6. You Forgot To Take Out The Giblet Bag Even if you do, the turkey is safe to eat. In the future, rinse your turkey inside out and you'll find the bag before you cook it.

7. No One Knows How To Carve It First, you need a sharp knife. Then cut off each leg and slice the band of skin connecting it to the body. Then twist the drumstick to pop out the joint and slice through. Next, wiggle the thigh bone to find the joint and slice through. For the breast make a deep horizontal cut above the wing joint,then make perpendicular slices. Slice behind the wing joint to remove it.

8.Not Enough Breast Meat For Everybody Just cook an extra turkey breast along side your bird.

9.Safely Cook Stuffing Inside The Bird To make sure your stuffing is safe to eat, insert an instant read thermometer in the stuffing when it comes out of the oven. If should read 160 F. If not ,then make sure you transfer it to an oven safe dish. Don't serve from the bird. That way you can pop it back in the oven to get up to 160 F.

10. Attend A Home Coming Game And Cook Your Bird Too Just roast the bird cut into parts. This only takes an hour for a 12 pound turkey.

No Brainer Thanksgiving Treats Everyone Will Love

2010-11-14T12:48:00.000-05:00

Basil Butter Just blend 1 cup chopped basil into 1 pound of unsalted butter and a pinch of salt . Then its good to go on the Thanksgiving dinner table or in a glass jar as a gift with a hand written label. Cheap glass jars and blank labels are available at the dollar store. Be sure to wash and dry the jars before putting anything in them.

Honey Walnut Butter Simply blend in a food processor 1 pound of butter, 1/2 cup honey, 1/4 tsp of cinnamon and a 1/4 cup of walnuts. Just serve with store bought or homemade apple bread. Or just present in a glass jar as a gift with a hand written label.

Chocolate Bark You'll need a 10 ounce package of chocolate chips, 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil, 1 tsp. of peppermint or almond extract, some nuts, dried fruit and candy bits. Just melt the chocolate chips in the microwave at 50% power for 3 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add the veggie oil and the extract. Stir in the nuts, dried fruit and/or candy bits. Then spread it out on a baking pan lined with greased foil. Let it harden in the frig for about 2 hours. Then break apart and serve . You can also place the bark in a small gift bag lined with white tissue paper from the dollar store and give it out as gifts.

Orange Cello Vodka You'll need 7 medium navel oranges,( preferably organic) One 750 ml bottle of plain cheap domestic vodka, 2 1/2 cups of water, and 1/12 cup sugar . use a veggie peeler to remove the peel from the oranges in long strips. Save the oranges for a snack or another use. Using a small sharp knife, trim away the white pith and discard. Place the orange peels in a 2 quart pitcher or a large glass bowl. Pour the vodka over the peels and cover with plastic wrap. Steep the orange peels in the vodka for 4 days at room temperature. After the 4 days are up, in a medium saucepan, combine the water and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool for about 20 minutes. Then pour the syrup over the vodka mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight. Strain the mixture through a mesh strainer. Then discard the peels, and transfer the orange vodka into another bottle with a funnel. Then serve as an after dinner drink. You can pick up a large cheap bottle, a funnel and gift labels at a dollar store for $1 each.Or buy several smaller bottles to use as gifts. Hand write your own labels and place on bottles. Make sure you wash and dry the store bought bottles before putting the orange vodka in them.

How to Buy Late Model Cars At Deep Discounts

2010-10-31T14:25:00.000-04:00

Take your time when buying a car if at all possible. The bigger the hurry, the more you'll end up getting fleeced. The tactics and strategies we are about to suggest are far more effective if you control the purchase time-clock rather than the dealer. Here's what to do:

Once a dealership purchases a car, it anticipates holding that piece of inventory for 60 days or less. The goal of the dealership is to earn a 10% profit on every car it sells, so cars are typically priced about 20% above their initial purchase price. As you determine the next car you would like to purchase, do some research before you make your purchase.

Begin by comparing general prices through online sites such as http://www.autotrader.com/ , http://www.edmunds.com/ and http://www.kellybluebook.com/ about 3 to 4 months before you are ready to buy your new vehicle.

Discover This Dealer Trick and Save Big Money

Dropping ads on trading websites is one dealer tactic to gain attention for their inventory and to determine what the consumer feels is a reasonable price to pay. For example, if the car is listed on the dealership’s own website at $23,900, the dealership likely owns the car for $20,000, and it may list a ‘Buy it Now’ price of $22,900 on Ebay while offering a list price of $24,900 on Autotrader.

This type of stealth marketing can be effective for the dealership for when the consumer does not do sufficient research, he or she may simply purchase the car on Ebay for $22,900 even though the car could have been bought through a salesperson for less.

Timing Is Everything

Since the car industry operates on a 60-day inventory cycle time, dealerships begin reducing prices of their automobiles after the first 30 days if these assets have not sold. This is mainly due to applicable holding costs (and depreciation) as the dealership is paying interest on all of the cars that they have remaining for sale. Therefore, if you start monitoring the make and model that you want to purchase about 120 days in advance of your buying time frame, you will notice how the prices may drop by about 10% over a 60-day period.

If one of the cars that you have been monitoring appears to have been sold, then call the dealership and ask if that unit is still available. The dealership may advise that the vehicle has recently been sold and you can nonchalantly ask for its selling price.

When To Low-Ball A Car Dealer

What you will notice is that the original advertisement price was probably reduced after 30 days and after speaking with the dealership, it will probably be apparent that the final selling price was less than the lowest advertised price. It is also important to note that dealerships will, at times, take a loss on their inventory depending on the situation, so don’t be afraid to offer 20% less than the list price. The worst they can say is ‘no,’ but you could end up receiving the car for 15% less than their asking price.

In the event that the car has been on the lot for 60 days or more, dealership manages essentially have three options; they can further reduce the price, move the automobile to another dealership for new advertising, or sell the car at one of the national auto auctions (where they likely originally purchased the vehicle). In any event, selling the car to a consumer at a lower price than they own it for is sometimes the best-case scenario, as the added cost of transportation or auction fees could cause greater losses for dealerships than a reduced price. And they miss the opportunity to gain a happy customer.

How Your Timing Gets You The Best Price

Since the car business is based on commissions and monthly sales quotas, complete your research ahead of time and then go to the dealership on the last day of the month, just a few hours before closing time to make your offer. You will be amazed how quickly a salesman may be willing to make a deal and even give up some of his commission to make sure the deal is finalized.

Since salesmen typically earn much of their income from bonuses based on sales volume, they have little problem giving up part of their commission if selling one more car will qualify them for their monthly incentive bonus.

Don't Buy A New Car

Buying a late model pre-owned (used) car from a reputable dealer is the best way to save money. Here’s why:

* Today's cars are engineered to last much longer than they used to. Most dealers only sell pre-owned cars that meet far more rigorous standards than in years past.

* New car buyers take a huge depreciation hit for essentially driving the vehicle off the lot – 20% or more. You never get this money back.

* Lower insurance costs, particularly on collision coverage.

Avoid Trade-Ins

Another issue worthy of consideration is whether to trade in your current car. If you have the time and the means, avoid trade-ins at all costs. Better to sell your existing car individually and avoid giving the dealership more leverage/wiggle room in the overall exchange.

A clean purchase without the distraction of haggling over the "value" of your trade-in is far preferable. Sell your vehicle on Craigslist or other car trading post and walk into the dealer on your date of purchase free and clear. The salesman will have less opportunity to wear you down, and he will enjoy less maneuvering room. It reduces the angles he has to deflect your pressure tactics, which involve superior research and impeccable timing as suggested above.

Never Rush

Above all, remember to never be in a rush when buying a car. That's how car dealers get away with high mark-ups. All the blustering and negotiating in going toe-to-toe with a car salesmen can be an exercise in frustration if you haven't properly prepared.

How To Find The Jobs Of The Future

2010-10-26T08:15:00.000-04:00

http://www.ama-assn.org/ lists 80 careers in health care and provides a directory of 8,600 accredited institutions in those fields. Nurses, techs and docs are in high demand. To become a home health care aide requires only short term training and that filed will grow by 50% by 2018.

www.Nrdc.Org/Energy/Greenjobs provides a primer on clean-energy companies that are the biggest players in the field. Between January and March 2010, 83,000 clean energy jobs were created.

http://www.jobnob.com/ showcases jobs with startup companies. Many of these new companies will be looking for staff.

Best East Coast Salvage Shop Where You Can Furnish Your Home On The Cheap And Protect The Environment

2010-10-24T11:01:00.002-04:00

If you want to spruce up your home but are short on funds, then head over to Build It Green! NYC in Astoria , NY. This 18,000 square foot warehouse is stocked from everything from movie props to antique lighting to wooden doors. In fact, its all materials that would have ended up in a landfill if it weren't for the staff at this nonprofit. Recent finds included a pool table for $50, church pews for $200, and antique and designer appliances. for more info see http://www.bignyc.org/ or call 718-777-0132. Its located at 3-17 26th Ave, Queens, Astoria, NY .

How To Get A Great Face Lift Without Losing Face

2010-10-24T10:59:00.000-04:00

The American Society For Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reported that over 94,000 people got face lifts in 2009. 89% were gals and 11% were guys. But the journey between thinking about getting a lift and can be fraught with concerns. That's because there is no way to judge how it will turn out and you can't re-return if you don't like it. Plus the problem is compounded because women won't tell you where they had it done. You can opt for less invasive treatments like botox but they can only do so much. But if you're beginning to look like a shar-pei, then you need to see a plastic surgeon.

There are many variations of a face lift but it is just a resection of sagging skin and muscle from the neck to the mid face. That's one operation. A brow lift and eye surgery are different procedures at additional cost.
A skilled doc will only do one face lift a day which takes about 5 hours. None of it is covered by insurance and there is a two week downtime before you can return to work. In some cases it may take 3 weeks for the swelling to go down.

Keep in mind a plastic surgeon trains as much as a heart surgeon. He or she must go through one or more years of specialized surgical training on top of the general residency requirements. Yet, anyone with an MD after their name can call themselves a cosmetic surgeon. That's why credentials are so important. What you want is a doc that's either board certified in plastic surgery or facial plastic surgery-meaning that the doc is an ear, nose and throat surgeon with specialized cosmetic training. Its a plus if they have aesthetic surgery fellowships.
That's why only a handful of master surgeons do the majority of lifts in either L.A. or NYC. Usually, a skilled doc will only do one face lift a day which takes about 5 hours. Also, make sure you ask your prospective surgeon how many face lifts he or she does a month. You want to hear at least 15 or more. Not one or two.

Next, visit the waiting room. A busy surgeon will have a least several post-operations waiting to see him. Also, check the docs before and after photos. The reason you do this is that you want to get an sense of what the docs idea of beauty is. That's because you can end up with a great surgeon and be disappointed if your idea of beauty is different than his or hers.

Plus a great number of surgeons do a lift that tightens the skin only. You want a surgeon who tells you that he is doing a lift on both the skin and the underlying muscle. This takes extra skill and training. But it generally lasts longer and avoids the bad face lift look.

To find a qualified plastic surgeon you can start by going to your nearest library or bookstore and looking at Americas Top Doctors published by Castle Connolly-9th edition. Also, you can check out these links:

http://www.castleconnolly.com/doctors/results.cfm?source=nymetro&mag=28&speccode=073 or see

http://www.phillymag.com/health/top_docs/listings/202482/results?content=Keyword&category=49&property_value=2&x=17&y=9&my_form_idx_148=148

Insider Method For Getting An Unfair Discount At NYC Department Stores

2010-10-24T10:57:00.000-04:00

At the Tourist Center counters at Bloomingdale's and Macy's, just show an out-of-state ID for an instant store wide discount of 10% off. That might be 10% off on top of any sales that may be in progress. Since no record is kept of these coupons, you can get them anytime you visit NYC.

How To Land Cheap Flights For The Holiday Season

2010-10-21T08:20:00.000-04:00

Go To The Source: Airlines try to bypass online travel sites by posting discount promo codes on their home pages. So start your search for deals at the carriers' sites. Google It: If you can't find codes on an airline's site, then do a web search with the airlines name and the term "promo codes". You'll be surprized by what you find. Leave It To The Pros: www.AirFareWatchDog.Com scans countless sites for "promo codes" and posts unpublished discount codes.

Get A Solar System On The Cheap

2010-10-13T18:17:00.000-04:00

Instead of buying a solar energy system, lease one. In some places, you can get a $30,000 solar energy system for about $141 a month on a 15 year lease with no upfront cost. Plus you'll typically see a 10% to 15% drop in your electric bill every month. But make sure your lease allows you to sell excess energy back to the grid and that your rate is locked in over the life of the lease. Also, make sure the provider passes along the federal residential energy credits and local incentives back to you in the form of a lower monthly lease rate. And if you can afford it, make sure you have the option to prepay the lease. Prepaying even a portion of your lease can double or even triple your net savings. To get more info and ideas visit
www.SolarCity.Com , www.Sungevity.Com and www.SunRunHome.Com .

The Secret To Roasting Carrots

2010-10-10T12:36:00.000-04:00

Most of the time when you roast carrots, they come out dry and shriveled. That's because they contain more pectin than any other vegetable or even some fruits. So it takes a long time for this complex carbohydrate to break down. The solution is to precook the carrots covered in foil. This creates a heat stable form so the carrots will stay moist even after you turn up the heat and give them a tasty carmelization. This process works well even when parsnips, fennel, and shallots share the pan. Here's a great recipe you might enjoy:

Roasted Carrots And Shallots With Lemon And Thyme

Ingredients: 1lb carrots, peeled and halved crosswise, and cut lengthwise to create even pieces- 6 medium shallots- 1tsp chopped thyme leaves-2 tbsp butter, melted, salt & ground black pepper- 1 tsp lemon juice

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine carrots, shallots, thyme , butter, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and toss to coat. Transfer carrots to foil or parchment lined rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Cover tightly with foil. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to cook stirring twice, until carrots are well browned and tender, about 30 to 35 minutes. Toss with lemon juice , transfer to platter . Then salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4 to 6.

Save Big Time On Cruising Alaska

2010-10-09T15:55:00.000-04:00

One of the greatest secrets of Northwest travel is seeing Alaska by ferry. Nine state run ferries, known as the Blue Canoe cruise the same 950 mile Alaska Marine Highway System that the luxury ships do. Plus they venture into many unspoiled places they don't. One way fares begin at just $375 and you can hitch a ferry ride starting in Bellingham, WA. Unlike a cruise ship, the ferry system allows travelers to stop off at harbor towns whenever and for as long as they like. For more info see http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/index.shtml
for ferry and cabin fare rates or call 800-642-0066.

Hate To Be Put On Hold? Lucy Phone Can Help You For FREE

2010-10-08T08:14:00.001-04:00

Lucy Phone promises that you'll never wait on hold again. Here's how the free service works: You type in the toll-free customer service number you want to call at http://www.lucyphone.com/ , on Facebook or through your iPhone app. You enter your phone number and click "Start". In a moment, your phone rings. It's Lucy, who asks you to press 1 to connect with the company you want. Once connected, you navigate the customer service menu. When you get to where you want to go, if you're put on hold, you press "**" and hang up. You then go about your business while Lucy Phone keeps your place in the customer service line. When an agent becomes available, he or she is asked to press 1 to reach you. Your phone rings and then you're connected. Lucy Phone is great for calling the IRS, Social Security, Motor Vehicles and other bureaucratic state and federal government lines that put you on hold forever.

Reverse The Tide Of Government Waste In NJ

2010-10-02T15:18:00.000-04:00

www.JoinTheCampaign.Com is a non-partisan public service initiative to get 5,000 citizens to participate in the leadership of their communities to reverse the tide of government waste. The Citizens' Campaign, launched in 2004, works to cultivate a culture of service and develop a new generation of leaders - leaders who put service over personal gain. They recruit, educate and mentor new leaders. Through live events and online classes, the Citizens' Campaign has educated thousands of New Jerseyans in how to navigate the power structure of government and to exercise leadership beginning with their own hometowns.

The Citizens Campaign educates citizens how to enter four powerful non elected leadership positions, including appointed office service, political party service, citizen legislator service and citizen journalist service.

The Citizens' Campaign also devises innovative government solutions that support good government and open the doors for citizen service. They have led the successful fight for the adoption of pay-to play protections at the state level. New Jersey now has the strongest state pay-to-play reform law in the nation.

For more information, click on the link above.

Chemicals You Can't Wash Off

2010-09-26T17:34:00.000-04:00

Systemic pesticides are chemicals that are actually absorbed by a plant when applied to seeds, soil, or leaves. The chemicals then circulate through the plants tissues, killing the insects that feed on them. Use of these pesticides on food crops began in 1998, and has steadily increased during the past 10 years. Unlike traditional pesticides, you can't wash or peel off systemic pesticide residues because they're in the plant's tissues not on their exteriors.

The four main systemics used on food crops are members of the nitroguanidine/neonicotinoid group of chemicals. They have been implicated in the mysterious colony collapse disorder that has killed millions of bees. Imidacloprid can be applied to many veggies including tomatoes and leafy greens right up to the day they're harvested. Thiamethoxam was first approved as a seed treatment for corn in 2002.

Plus these products have been approved for use on most veggie and fruit crops. Clothianidin is used as a seed treatment on canola, cereals, corn and sugar beets and as a soil treatment for potatoes. Dinotefuran can be applied to soil or sprayed on leafy greens, potatoes, and cucumbers. When the Pesticide Action Network reviewed the results of pesticide residue tests conducted by the USDA from 1999 to 2007,numerous samples contained residues of systemic pesticides. For example, 74 percent of conventionally grown fresh lettuce and 70 percent of broccoli samples showed imidacloprid residues.

The U.S. EPA has launched a comprehensive review of the environmental safety of imidacloprid, but we won't know the results until 2014. In February 2009, California's Department Of Pesticide Regulation cited reports of eucalyptus nectar and pollen with imidacloprid levels up to 550 parts per billion, or nearly 3 times the 185 parts per billion needed to kill honeybees. And deadly levels of of these systemic poisons are even showing up in leaf guttation drops. These are water droplets that plants sometime exude.

According to a 2009 report in the Journal Of Economic Entomology, "when bees consume guttation drops, collected from plants grown with neonicotinoid coated seeds, they encounter death within a few minutes." Equally disturbing, it appears that nitroguanidine pesticides can persist in soil for 500 days or more. Right now, there is no scientific evidence that says foods laced with these pesticides will hurt humans. But when we let a novel, man made chemical loose in the food chain, we can't be certain of what will happen next. This new contamination of our food supply is yet another reason to grow and buy organic.

How To Treat Common Ailments Naturally

2010-09-25T14:42:00.000-04:00

Many medical authorities disparage medicinal herbs. Critics say herbs are ineffective, unsafe, and unregulated. Like drugs, medicinal herbs can cause harm. So to ensure safety, always consult your doctor before taking or mixing herbs with prescription medicines. Or you can read the ABC Clinical Guide To Herbs. Since its $80, see if your local library has it. Or check out the natural medicines database at http://www.naturaldatabase.com/ .

Now anyone who calls herbs dangerous may be misinformed. The University of Toronto did a 30 year study of drug side effects in hospital patients. They estimated that drug side effects kill over 100,000 US hospital patients a year and cause over 2 million serious non-fatal problems. This makes drug side effects the nation's fourth leading cause of death . The true number is actually higher since this study focused on hospital patients and not the public. Also, these deaths occurred when drugs were administered as approved by the FDA.

Before approving new drugs, the FDA requires drug makers to prove them safe and effective. Such tests aren't required of herbs leading to claims that herbs are unregulated and are therefore unsafe. But FDA pre-approval studies usually involve only a few thousand people. Many side effects only turn up in one user in 10,000 to 50,000 people or more. So these problems don't emerge until the drug is widely used by people who are unaware that they are guinea pigs. Since so many side effects show up during the 5 years after approval, the FDA requires drug makers to rewrite warning labels on half of the new drugs that come out on the market.

Although drugs are heavily regulated, it doesn't guarantee their safety. In fact ,hundreds of studies show that when compared to herbs, drugs always cause more side effects. Some critics claim that herbs are not as strong as drugs. This is true. But rather than herbs being too weak, drugs are usually too strong causing sides effects. If you'd like to try herbs instead of drugs, do some research. A good place to start is the Physician's Desk Reference ( PDR) For Herbal Medicines. You can buy it online at Amazon for $47, read it at your local library or check it out at a local health food store.

When you've decided on what herb to take, then check out www.PennHerb.Com Philadelphia. They stock over 400 medicinal herbs and spices in capsule, bulk, powder and extract form. Plus they stock over 7,000 heath remedies. For a free hard copy catalog, or info on herbs, call 215-632-6100 Mon-Fri 8:30am - 5pm EST. For orders only call 800-523-9971

Best Wedding Cake Bakers In The US

2010-09-19T09:36:00.000-04:00

NYC: http://www.cakealchemy.com/ & http://www.gailwatsoncake.com/ & http://www.weddingcakes.com/ CA: Santa Rosa: http://www.fleurdeliscakes.com/ Santa Monica : http://www.vanillabakeshop.com/ MA: Boston: http://www.cakestoremember.biz/ MN: Minneapolis www.Gateaux-Inc.Com TN: Nashville
http://www.maplesweddingcakes.com/ & http://www.dulcedesserts.com/

Best Websites For Helping Schools

2010-09-18T12:34:00.000-04:00

www.DonorsChoose.org lets public school teachers nationwide post info about classroom projects that need funding. If you donate money, you'll receive photos of projects being carried out, a cost report, and thanks. www.AdoptAClassroom.Org provides criteria for selecting an under served classroom. Donors get an expense report, thank you packages and students' artwork. You can also support students directly by visiting the classroom or chaperoning field trips. www.WeGiveBooks.Com provides children's books to literacy organizations while enlisting adults to read with youngsters. Participants choose a title to read online with a child, and a physical copy of the book is donated to the chosen organization.

Best New Canned Gourmet Beers

2010-09-18T10:14:00.001-04:00

BACK IN BLACK IPA by 21st Amendment Brewery, San Francisco. Has smooth flavor with hints of grapefruit, lemon, orange and licorice with color of India ink. SELF-RIGHTEOUS ALE by Stone Brewing, Escondido, CA has a balance of bittersweet chocolate and resiny hops. INIQUITY by Southern Tier Brewery , Lake wood, NY, has a rich fudge-cake flavor ahead of the prickly hops.

Best Gourmet Foods Trucks In USA

2010-09-18T09:58:00.001-04:00

Los Angeles: http://www.bigmista.com/ Miami: http://www.gastropodmiami.com/ NYC: www.Twitter.Com/JenAndOutlaws Portland, Ore: http://www.thefryingscotsmanpdx.com/ St.Paul, Minn: www.Twitter.Com/ChefsShack1

At Last! A Free And Easy Diet Trick That Really Works!

2010-09-18T09:47:00.001-04:00

A new study says the most effective way to lose weight isn't by taking pills or adopting extreme diets. It's by drinking water before meals. Nutrition researchers at Virginia Tech found that subjects who drank 16 ounces of water-about two glasses-before each of their three daily meals lost 50% more weight than the control subjects did. The study volunteers, 48 overweight and obese men and women, were put on a low calorie diet for 12 weeks. Half were given no instructions about what to drink. Half were instructed to drink two glasses of water shorty before their meals. The first group lost 11 pounds on average. But the water group lost more-15.5 pounds on average. Plus the diet seems to stick. A year after the study, the water drinkers had continued the regimen on their own and lost additional weight.

Europe's Best Outlet Malls

2010-09-01T16:51:00.001-04:00

If you're going to Europe, make sure you check out the best outlet malls the EU has to offer. Here are the locations: DUBLIN: http://www.kildarevillage.com/ Round trip bus transportation from center city Dublin is only $15US. BARCELONA: http://www.larocavillage.com/ Round trip bus fare from Placa Catalunya Is $15 US. FLORENCE: This stores at this outlet reads like the who's who of Italian fashion. Simply know as "The Mall", its a round trip SITA bus from center city for about $8US. Check it out at: http://www.themall.it/ LONDON: London's outlet mall is called Bicester Village. A 75 minute round trip ride by bus from central London will set you back about $28 US. For more info see: http://www.bicestervillage.com/ PARIS: http://www.lavalleevillage.com/fr_FR/ has 90+ shops that hit all the designer high points. The round trip bus fare from Place de Pyramides is $27US.

Get A Round Trip Ride To Atlantic City For $3 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-09-01T16:28:00.002-04:00

Every Monday, from 8am to 9:15 am, Stout's Bus Service will give you a round trip ride to Atlantic
City For $3 and drop you off at the Tropicana Casino. So you can take the bus, go swimming or shopping,
and spend the day. There are various boarding locations in Hamilton, Ewing, Yardville, Columbus, and Roebling, NJ . Call Stout's at 609-883-8891 and dial Extension 61 for more info on boarding locations and departure times.

How to prepare a FLAWLESS risotto

2010-08-29T10:15:00.000-04:00

This a recipe for risotto with pears, goat cheese and freshly crushed black peppercorns

Ingredients:

4 cups vegetable stock ( recipe follows )
8 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
2 cups of Carnaroli rice ( may substitute Arborio rice)
2 cups white wine
2 cups peeled and diced pears ( about 2 pears ) preferably Bosc pears
Salt and freshly cracked black peppercorns

In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable stock to a simmer. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tbsp of butter. When it begins to sizzle, add the shallots, and cook, stirring about 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Add the wine to the pan to deglaze, and cook, stirring occasionally
until the wine has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Then add enough simmering vegetable stock to reach about 1/4 inch above the rice and cook stirring until the liquid begins to simmer. When the rice absorbs almost all the liquid, add another ladle of stock. Continue to cook in this fashion until all the liquid has been added. (14 to 16 minutes total ) Reduce heat to low. Add goat cheese , pears, and remaining 5 tbsp of butter, and give the mixture a couple of stirs. The cheese and butter should melt, and the risotto should take on a smooth consistency in a minute or so. Add salt and crushed black peppercorns to taste.   Serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients For Vegetable Stock

2 onions, peeled and halved
2 carrots, peeled and quartered lengthwise
2 stalks celery
2 leeks, halved lengthwise ( white and green parts)
5 qts ( 20 cups) water
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 bunch fresh rosemary
1 bunch fresh thyme
2 bay leaves

In a large stockpot simmer vegetables, water, and salt for 15 minutes, skimming surface of foam and particles. Add herbs and simmer for another 20 minutes. Strain the stock, and discard solids.
makes about 15 cups. Since you only need 4 cups for the risotto, freeze the rest to make more risotto later on.

Secret ingredient to the South's finest fried chicken

2010-08-29T09:43:00.000-04:00

Ingredients: 3 lbs organic, free range chicken cut up into 8 pieces
                     1/4 cup kosher salt
                     4 cups buttermilk
                     1 lb organic lard
                     1 cup flour
                     2 tbsp cornstarch
                     8 tbsp ( 1 stick ) unsalted butter
                     1/2 cup organic country ham pieces
                     1/2 tsp salt
                     1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

The night before, place chicken in a large bowl and set aside. In a large pitcher, combine kosher salt with 6 cups of water and stir until the salt is dissolved. Pour salted water over chicken pieces until they are submerged. Cover and refrigerate over night. In the morning, drain chicken pieces and rinse chicken and the   lbowl. Return chicken to bowl and cover with buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.
About 1 1/4 hours before serving, combine the lard, butter, and ham in a large heavy skillet. Cook over low heat, skimming as needed, until ham is lightly browned, 30 to 45 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove ham and brown bits from fat. Increase heat to medium high to bring the fat to 335 degrees.

In a shallow bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper, mix well. Dredge chicken pieces thoroughly in flour mixture, then pat well to remove excess flour. Working in batches, (do not crowd pan ), place chicken pieces skin side down in fat. Cook 8 to 10 minutes on each side, until chicken is golden brown, and cooked through. Drain on crumpled paper towels. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature or cold. Serves 4 to 6.
           .

7 New Identity Theft Scams You Need To Know

2010-08-21T11:34:00.000-04:00

1. Watch Your Back When you're in line to pay at a supermarket or a department store, make sure the person behind you is not using his cell phone to snap a photo of your credit card as your using it. 2. Check Your Check Book & Credit Card Balances Once A Week Identity thieves can do a lot of damage in the 30 days between statements. 3. When Bills Are Late You should be concerned since they might have been stolen. 4. Watch Your Garbage Identity thieves fill their trunks with garbage and sort it out later. Make sure you shred all sensitive documents like old paid bills, checking account deposit slips, job or loan applications, credit card checks and offers for new cards before you throw them out. 5 Watch Your ATM If you see something that doesn't look like it belongs on an ATM, walk away. It might be a skimmer to capture your pin number. 6. Don't Sign The Back Of Your Credit Cards Instead, print these words on the signature strip: "ASK FOR PHOTO ID". 7. Never Use A Credit Card To Pay A Utility Bill ID thieves will call your utility company and say: "I thought I paid this bill, but I can't remember. Did I use my Visa or Mastercard? Can you read me back the number?" You'd be surprised what utility workers will reveal to strangers posing as you.

How To Enjoy Fresh Peaches Out Of Season

2010-08-13T08:02:00.000-04:00

Supermarket peaches are usually hard and flavorless. They are picked so green that they don't ripen once you get them home. However, real peaches are super juicy with great flavor. During peach season, which is July and August, local farmers markets usually sell ripe peaches. Even when shipped from a neighboring state, they are almost always better than what you find in a supermarket. Here's a remarkable way to enjoy fresh peaches out of season. Drop the ripened peach in a plastic sandwich bag, zip shut and toss it in the freezer. When you want a fresh peach, just run the frozen peach under water for a moment and the skin will peel off. Slice the peach into a bowl, wait until the iciness is gone, and enjoy the next best thing to a fresh, ripe peach just picked form a tree.

TRADE SECRETS! Butcher,Hat & Boot Maker

2010-08-06T21:30:00.001-04:00

If you'd like to hone your artisanal skills without devoting a lifetime to the craft then check out these resources. Shoemaking : www.ShoeMakingClasses.Com NYC Call 646-823-0084. Weekned workshops $795.
www.JCCManhattan.Org 334 Amsterdam Ave between 75th & 76 th Sts, NYC 646-505-4444. Shoe making class $455, pattern making class $295. www.ShoeMakingCourse.Com Various Cities $1495-$1795.
pattern making course $250. Butchering: www.JeffreysMeatMarket.Com 120 Essex St between Delancy and Rivington Sts, NYC 212-475-6521.One class $75, two $140, three $195. Millinery :www.Artikal.Com
$55-$150. 510 E. 12th St, between Aves A & B, NYC 212-260-0278. www.FitNyc.Edu FIT, D Bldg, lower level, Seventh Ave @ 27th St, NYC 212-217-3334. $387.50.

When Its Summer,It Pays To Be A Jerk!

2010-08-01T10:51:00.000-04:00

Here's a great authentic Jamaican Jerk marinade that you can use on chicken, beef pork or fish. For the best flavor ,try using whole allspice berries and black peppercorns and crush them with the bottom of a heavy pan or in a coffee mill before adding to your food processor. If you want less heat, use jalapenos peppers in place of Scotch bonnets. Here are the ingredients:

1 bunch green onions, cut into 2 inch lengths, 4 garlic cloves, 1 (2 inch) piece of peeled fresh ginger, 1 heaping tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves, 1 teaspoon of ground allspice, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 2 teaspoons of coarsely ground pepper, 1 to 3 Scotch bonnets or habanero chile peppers, stems and seeds removed, 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, juice of 4 limes ( 6 tablespoons) 1/2 cup of vegetable or canola oil. This is enough for 3 pounds of chicken, beef, pork or fish

Place all ingredients except oil in a blender or food processor. While the processor is running, slowly add a thin stream of oil until the mixture becomes thick. Save 1/2 cup of the marinade for drizzling over beef, chicken pork or fish during cooking. Place your meat or fish and a good amount of marinade in a zip top plastic bag and marinate at least 2 hours or over night in the frig. Prepare your grill and follow cooking times for various meats or fish.

A New Cancer Test Could Save Your Life

2010-08-01T10:31:00.000-04:00

A new test called AMAS or Anti-Malignin Antibody Screen can detect early cancer cells of all types.
It has an accuracy rate greater than 95% and with a second test, its accuracy shoots up to 99%. Keep in mind that AMAS cannot be used to diagnose cancer on its own. But it is a remarkable breakthrough for the detection of cancer cells, which taken in conjunction with other factors, may help doctors arrive at a more concrete diagnosis.

If you suspect that you may be at risk for cancer because of family history or other factors, tell your doctor about this test. Chances are he's never heard of it because it hasn't been heavily promoted. If he refuses to give you this test, you can contact Oncolab, Inc at 800-9CATEST or www.Oncolabinc.Com

Why Heavy Exercise May Put Your Heart On Shaky Ground

2010-08-01T10:18:00.001-04:00

According to some doctors, there is no relationship between exercise and longevity. Actually, there is no conclusive proof that vigorous daily exercise for its own sake does anything but destroy health.

According to an article in Circulation, the the journal of the American Heart Association, regular exercise did not make one iota's difference in rates of age related physical decline study of more than 800 male and female subjects of various ages.

Measured by periodic tread mill tests over an average age period of 8 years, both the exercisers and otherwise healthy non-obese sedentary types, , experienced a 20% decline in aerobic capacity for every decade past age 70.

That means despite what running shoe makers, sports drink makers, and gym owners tell you, heavy exercise does nothing to stave off the natural reduction in physical strength and stamina that comes with aging.

The Paradox Of The Exercise Craze

Enlargement of the heart, known as cardiomegaly, is considered a healthy sign in athletes. But in the rest of us, its considered to be a serious sign of heart disease. Does this give us any clue as to why super athletes die young from heart disease? Many athletes also have irregular cardiograms that would be considered serious signs of heart disease in most of us. But since they're in shape, its considered benign.

A case in point would be Pheidippides the first marathon runner. He ran from Marathon to Athens which is 26 miles, to announce the Greek victory over the Persians. He delivered his message and then dropped dead. Things have changed much since then since marathoners are still dropping dead at the finish.

One medical study involved 10 cases of sudden death among runners. The researchers discovered severe coronary atherosclerosis is the most common cause of death among marathon runners. The researchers pursued these findings among 24 cases of joggers, not marathoners, but joggers. Thirteen died while jogging, and six soon after jogging. All but one had severe coronary artery disease.

Consider this Swedish study. A total of 315 heart attack patients were divided into two groups. Half received exercise training and half no exercise. There was no evidence that the exercise group fared better than the control group in terms of death rates or rate of recurrence of heart attacks. A Canadian study came up with similar results.

A Little Exercise Goes A Long Way

The key to maintaining muscle mass is balance. In young adults there's a healthy ebb and flow between the buildup and breakdown of muscles that helps maintain that balance. But that's not the case with the elderly. Instead, the muscle breakdown continues unabated while the buildup process slows down considerably.

So the best way to keep muscles strong is to get moderate exercise. Some doctors recommend that if you're over 65 you should walk one mile round trip once a day. And if you want to keep your body fit and strong, there are plenty of low impact exercises you can do to keep fit.

If you're unsure about which exercises to do, you can go to a gym and tell one of the trainers that you want to strengthen your muscles. Tell him or her the specific areas you're interested in working and let the trainer know that you don't want a comprehensive muscle building program. If the trainer asks why, tell him that's all your doctor recommended. If he or she tries to sell you a lot of bodybuilding capsules, don't waste your money. Moderate low impact exercise is all you need to keep fit.

Best Beers On Tap USA

2010-07-25T09:38:00.001-04:00

Alabama: Birmingham http://www.jclyde.com/ Arizona: Tuscon http://www.1702az.com/ California: San Francisco
http://www.monkskettle.com/ Oakland http://www.thetrappist.com/ Colorado: Denver http://www.fallingrocktaphouse.com/ D.C. Washington http://www.churchkeydc.com/ Florida: Orlando
Red Light Red Light www.myspace.com/theredlightredlight Georgia: Decatur http://www.brickstorepub.com/
Athens http://www.trappezepub.com/ Atlanta http://www.theporterbeerbar.com/ Illinois Chicago http://www.hopleaf.com/ and http://www.themaproom.com/ Massachusetts Cambridge - Bukowski's Tavern
www.myspace.com/bukowskitavern Amherst http://www.themoananddove.com/ Michigan Grand Rapids
http://www.hopcatgr.com/ North Carolina Ashville http://www.monkpub.com/ Oklahoma Tulsa http://www.mcneillies.com/ Oregon Portland http://www.horsebrass.com/ Pennsylvania: Philadelphia http://www.monkscafe.com/ Texas Houston http://www.gingermanpub.com/ Dallas http://www.oldmonkdallas.com/
Virginia Richmond http://www.capitalalehouse.com/ Washington Seattle http://www.uberbier.com/

Best Flea Markets In NYC

2010-07-18T15:26:00.000-04:00

Best For Bargains: West 25th St Market, year round, Sat-Sun 9am-6pm. For more info see
www.HellsKitchenFleaMarket.Com Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Market, 52 W. 116th St, between Fifth Ave and Malcolm X Blvd. 212-987-8131 Daily 10am-8pm. Best For Antiques: Green Flea Market, Columbus Ave between 76th and 77th Sts, 212-239-3025. April-October: Sun 10am -6pm. November -March: Sun 10am-5:30pm. www.GreenFleaMarkets.Com The Antiques Garage, 112 W. 25th St between 6th & 7th Aves. Year around Sat-Sun 9am-5pm. www.HellsKitchenFleaMarket.Com Best For Jewelry & Accessories: East 67th St Market, E. 67th St between First & York Aves , 718-897-5992, Year around Sat 6am-5pm. http://www.east67thstreetmarket.org/ Best For Emerging Designers: The Market NYC, 268 Mulberry St, between Houston & Prince Sts, year around, Sat-Sun 11am-7pm.
www.TheMarketNYC.Com Best For Vintage: Hester Street Fair, Hester St @ Essex, April-December, rain or shine, Sat-Sun 10am-6pm. www.HesterStreetFair.Com

Cool Off This Summer With A Frozen Hot Chocolate

2010-06-20T13:49:00.001-04:00

The key to making this recipe work is that you need to make real homemade hot chocolate to get a cooked carmelized quality. Second you need to let the hot chocolate chill completely before blending . If not , it melts the ice too rapidly and you're left with watered-down cold chocolate milk. You'll need 1 cup of milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 ounce of water, 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 1/2 ounces of Godiva chocolate liqueur, 3 mini marshmallows for garnish, gourmet chocolate pieces for optional garnish. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, sugar, water, cocoa powder and vanilla. Stir constantly until its starts to boil. Then place in refrigerator until completely cooled.
Combine the cooled hot chocolate and chocolate liqueur in a blender with 4 ice cubes. Blend until smooth. Add and blend additional sugar if needed. Pour into cocktail glass. garnish with mini marshmallows and chocolate pieces if desired.

NY'S Best Gourmet Ice Cream Sandwiches

2010-06-20T13:34:00.002-04:00

RonnyBook Milk Bar, Chelsea Market, 75 Ninth Ave @ 15th St,( 212 ) -741-6455 $4, Dessert Club ChikaLicious 204 E. 10th St, between First &Second Aves, 475-0929 $2.50, Three Tarts Bakery & Boutique, 164 Ninth Ave @ 20th St, 462-4392 $4.25, The Meatball Shop, 84 Stanton @ Allen St, 982-8895 $4.

Asian Burgers & Mayo That Will Have Your Guests Begging For More

2010-06-19T14:54:00.002-04:00

Mayonnaise 3/4 cup mayo, 1/4 cup EACH finely chopped Thai basil, cilantro, and scallions 2 Tbsp lime juice BURGERS 2 lbs ground pork, 1/4 cup Asian or Vietnamese fish sauce, 4 tsp palm sugar or light brown sugar, 1 tsp of Asian chili sauce, 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter, 2 tsp EACH grated fresh ginger and minced garlic, 1/2 tsp ground star anise, 6 rectangular sandwich rolls, 6 butter lettuce leaves . Preheat a hot charcoal grill or gas grill to medium high. Combine all mayo ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble burgers. Place fish sauce, sugar, and chili sauce in a large bowl, mix well. Add pork, peanut butter, ginger, garlic, and star anise. Handle the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it. Just mix well. Form mixture into 6 oblong patties to fit the rolls. Brush grill rack with vegetable oil. Place patties on rack, cover, and cook, turning once, about 5 minutes per side, until cooked through on a instant read thermometer that registers 155F. Spread roll bottoms with a thin layer of mayonnaise.Place a lettuce leaf, then a burger and a generous dollop of mayo on each. Add roll tops and serve.

Gourmet Burger ,Mayo & Salad Recipe That Will Impress Your Guests

2010-06-19T09:06:00.005-04:00

Rolls: 6 Kaiser Rolls Mayo 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, 4 cloves garlic crushed, 2 Tbsp of lemon juice, 1 tsp EACH of cumin, paprika, kosher salt & harissa*( * hot red pepper paste used in North African cooking-if you can't find it locally-you can make your own-click on link for recipe: www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Harissa-Sauce-107098 6 Tbsp olive oil,1 cup of mayonnaise. Combine all mayo ingredients except mayo in a food processor and process until well blended. Transfer to bowl and stir in mayo. Cover and refrigerate until assembling burgers. Carrot Salad 3 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp EACH ground cumin and kosher salt, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp EACH ground cinnamon and crushed red pepper flakes, 2 Tsp olive oil, 1 Tsp chopped flat leaf parsley, 1 tsp honey, 1 lb of carrots peeled and grated. In a bowl combine lemon juice, garlic, cumin, salt, paprika, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes mixing well to combine. Add remaining salad ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until assembling burgers. Burgers 1 1/2 lbs ground chuck, 1/2 lb of ground lamb, 2 oz EACH of dried apricots and pitted dried dates diced, 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro and 3 Tbsp fresh mint, 2 tsp EACH of harissa and kosher salt, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper,1 tsp of minced garlic, 1/4 tsp EACH of ground fennel, ground coriander,and cayenne. Romaine lettuce for garnish. Combine all burger ingredients in a large bowl, handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it. Form mixture into 6 equal patties to fit the rolls. Brush grill rack with vegetable oil. Place patties on rack , cover, cook turning once, about 5 minutes per side for medium. During last few minutes of cooking, place rolls cut side down on the outer edges on the rack to toast slightly. Assemble Drain carrot salad and squeeze out extra moisture. Spread generous amount of mayo on the cut sides of the rolls. On each roll bottom, place shredded romaine, burger, and some carrot salad. Add roll tops and serve.

How To Surf Safely On Public Wi-Fi

2010-06-13T09:30:00.004-04:00

FACT: Absolutely nothing is safe on open Wi-Fi. But in a coffee shop, airport, lounge or library, people routinely surf the net or read their e-mails without thinking twice. So the first thing you can do is stick to a webmail system that uses HTTPS when you log in. But after you sign in, your webmail system usually switches back to HTTP because it reduces computer strain on their servers. That means everyone who is on the same wireless network can read your e-mail content. The only exceptions to this if you were viewing your e-mail on a corporate system or using Gmail. That's right, Gmail! Right now, the default setting in Gmail detects suspicious login detection algorithms and makes Gmail a standout for secure wireless surfing. So if you've been thinking about dumping your AOL, Hotmail or Yahoo account, now is the time. If that's too much of a hassle for you, then set up a Gmail account and have ALL your e-mails from other accounts forwarded to it. Then when you read your e-mails on a wireless network, the whole world won't be watching. Also watch out for a common misconception among business travelers. Most of them think that commercial hotspots that you pay by the hour or by subscription are more secure that free Wi-Fi hotspots. That simple is not true! So if your company offer VPN or a virtual private network connection, then take advantage of it. If it doesn't, you can download a FREE program called Hotspot Shield from www.AnchorFree.Com This company offers its own VPN software that you can install on your laptop prior to using a a public Wi-Fi. Once you enable it, it encrypts all of your traffic through a tunnel to a Hotspot Shield and then out on the Internet. It works just like a corporate VPN but its 100% FREE!

Mobile Phone Security Alert

2010-06-13T08:53:00.005-04:00

Imagine sitting in a cafe and closing an important business deal by phone. After you hang up, you get a text message from a stranger referring to the deal and asking money in exchange for silence. According to university researchers, cells phones make excellent surveillance devices. And its done through the implanting of malware. So, in general, always be suspicious of phone downloads or ringtones as they could harbor spyware. Fortunately, major antivirus software makers offer tools that protect against phone malware. But one start up company offers a FREE mobile security tool that offers a suite of mobile firewall, mobile data backup,and the ability to wipe a lost or stolen phone remotely. Go to www.MyLookOut.Com and get it now for free.

Keep Clear Of New Craig's List Scams

2010-06-13T08:40:00.003-04:00

Check Fraud You list a used piece of furniture for $100 on Craig's List and a scammer calls you and says he will be out of town. So he mails you a check for$250. When you ask him about it, he apologizes for the mistake and asks that you wire him the over-payment. Plus he'll throw in a few bucks for your inconvenience. The fact is, the check is fake and you'll be out $150+! Employment Fraud Two common scams are asking for up-front training fees and gathering personal info under the guise of "background check"purposes. You'll either get beat for the training fees or have your identity stolen in a NY minute. So watch out for job offers that post great salaries, requiring little or no experience, or that involve fees, or telecomuting without meeting your boss or hiring without any interview. These are BIG RED FLAGS!

Why You Should Avoid Buying Chinese Garlic

2010-06-07T08:03:00.003-04:00

In 2006, the average wholesale price of Chinese garlic was about 35 cents a pound. Then large amounts were dumped on the US market at 7 cents a pound which is below its production costs. Right now, Chinese garlic is being dumped all over the world, and right now, garlic farmers all over the world are going out of business because they cannot compete with the dirt cheap price of Chinese garlic. In California, garlic farmers cut their production from 160 million pounds of garlic in 2003 down to 95 million pounds in 2007. There are only five garlic growers left in New Zealand and Thailand's garlic production is down 20%. And in 2000, China suspended imports of South Korean cell phones in retaliation of Korea's sharp increase in garlic tariffs. So the Chinese are not dumping cheap garlic all over the world because their nice guys. The plan is to put everybody out of business, dominate the market, and then charge whatever the market will bear. And here's something you didn't know about Chinese garlic. Its not as tasty or nutritious as Garlic grown in the US. That's because the root of the garlic contains disease and pestilence that might spread in the US. So the roots are gouged out before they get here. That's why there's a concave gouge at the bottom of Chinese garlic. Plus all Chinese garlic is irradiated before it gets here so the process kills all the taste and nutrients. So make sure you avoid buying Chinese garlic whenever you can. And in light of what they're doing in the garlic market,it might be a good idea to avoid buying any kind of produce grown in China.

Here's a Clock That Will Blow Your Mind

2010-06-06T13:59:00.006-04:00

Just click on the link: www.usdebtclock.org

Must Try Asian Grill Recipes

2010-05-16T10:23:00.011-04:00

Baby Back RibsServes 4. Get 4 racks of true baby back ribs ( each 3/4 to 1lb) 6 cloves coarsely chopped garlic, 1 piece (2 in) fresh ginger,peeled and coarsely chopped, 1 tbs. sugar, 1 tbs. coarse salt, 2 tbs. honey, 1 tbs. soy sauce,1 tbs. Asian fish sauce or additional soy sauce. For the dipping sauce 4 tsp coarse salt, 4 tsp white pepper, and 4 juicy limes cut in half. To prepare the ribs remove the thin, papery membrane from the back of each rack or ribs. ( some stores sell them already removed). If you have a large rack of ribs, cut each rack in half. Place ribs in a non-reactive baking dish just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Place the garlic, ginger,sugar,1 tbs salt and black pepper in a motor and pound to a paste. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, puree ingredients in a food processor. Work in honey, soy sauce and fish sauce or additional soy sauce. Spread spice over the ribs on both sides and let marinate in the frig covered from 1 to 4hours. For the dipping sauce, place 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of white pepper in neat mounds side by side in each of 4 tiny bowls. Place 2 lime halves next to each bowl. Then preheat your grill to medium. When ready to cook, brush grill grate clean and apply a thin coat of olive oil to the grate. Place ribs bone side down on the hot grate until then are golden brown and cooked through about 8 to 12 minutes per side. Cook a little longer for full size ribs. When done, transfer ribs to a cutting board and cut into individual ribs. Then arrange on platter for serving. Just before eating, instruct guests to squeeze 1 to 2 tbs of lime juice into bowl of salt and white pepper and stir until mixed. Dip ribs in sauce before eating. Beef Kebabs Serves 4. You need 1.5 lbs of rib eye steak about 1/2 in thick. 3 tbs light brown sugar, 2 tbs ground coriander, 1 tbs ground turmeric , 1.5 tsp ground cumin, 1.5 tsp freshly ground pepper,3 tbs Asian fish sauce or soy sauce, &3 tbs vegetable oil. Cut steaks into 1/2 in cubes without trimming fat. In a nonreactive mixing bowl, stir in brown sugar, coriander, turmeric, cumin, pepper, fish sauce or soy sauce, and oil. Let beef marinate in frig for at least 2 hours. Then drain beef cubes and discard the marinade. Thread beef onto bamboo skewers leaving the bottom half of the skewers for a handle. Preheat grill to high. When ready to cook, brush grill grate with a thin coat of oil. Arrange skewers on hot grate with a strip of aluminum foil placed under exposed ends of skewers to keep them from burning. Grill cubes 1-2 minutes per side for medium rare, a little longer for medium. Beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 F. Serve beef cubes with a tasty relish or fried garlic peanut sauce. Asian Cucumber RelishAsian Cucumber Relish Makes 1 to 1.5 Cups. Take 1 medium cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and take out seeds. Then take 1 shallot and mince to get 2-3 tbs or 1 scallion, white and green parts, trimmed and minced. Then get 1 small hot red chile, stemmed, seeded and minced. Put aside 2 tbs rice vinegar, 1 tbs sugar and coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Cut cumber into 1/4 in dices. Place cucumbers, shallot, chile, rice vinegar and sugar in a mixing bowl and toss gently to mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You can make this relish up to 2 hours ahead. Fried Garlic Peanut Sauce Yields 2 cups. Ingredients are 2 tbs veg oil, 5 cloves garlic , 3 thinly sliced crosswise and 2 minced, 1 shallot minced, 2 strips lemon zest 1/2 in by 2 in, 1-3 small hot chiles stemmed, seeded and minced. ( for hotter sauce leave in seeds) 3/4 cups peanut butter, 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk, 2 tbs sugar, 2 tbs soy sauce, 1 tsp fish sauce (optional) 1 tsp fresh lime juice, 1 tsp finely chopped cilantro, coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Heat oil in a sauce pan over medium high heat. Add sliced garlic and cook until golden brown or about 2 minutes. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon. Place on paper towels to drain. Add minced garlic, shallot, lemon zest and chiles and cook over medium high heat until fragrant and lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in peanut butter,coconut milk, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce if using, , lime juice and 3/4 cup of water. Reduce heat and gently simmer until sauce is thick and pourable about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in cilantro during last 2 minutes of cooking. Just before serving, stir in fired garlic. If sauce turns thick and pasty, add 1 tbs or so of water. Add salt and pepper to taste and more sugar and lime juice if needed. Coconut Grilled Corn makes a great side dish with the ribs or beef skewers. Serves 4. You'll need 4 ears of sweet corn,husked,3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk, 2 tbs light brown sugar, 1-2 bay leafs, 1/4 tsp salt. Combine coconut milk, sugar, bay leaf and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Let simmer gently until sugar dissolves, 3 to 5 minutes.Taste for sweetness adding more sugar if necessary. Remove pan from heat and let mixture cool to room temperature. Preheat grill to high. When ready to cook, brush grill grate clean and apply thin coat of oil to grate. Place corn on hot grate.Start basting with coconut milk mixture after a few minutes. Baste several times until corn is nicely browned on all sides, about 2 -3 minutes per side, 8 - 12 minutes total, turning with tongs. Baste corn one final time, plate and serve.

Home Made Gelato Recipes From Florence, Italy

2010-05-16T09:44:00.005-04:00

Plain Base First make 1 quart of plain base with 2 cups whole milk,1 cup heavy cream, 4 large egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar. 1. In a heavy bottom sauce pan, combine milk and cream. Place over medium-low heat and stir occassionally so a skin doesn't form. Keep on heat until tiny bubbles start to form and the mixture reaches 170 F.( use a candy thermometer ) 2. In a medium heat proof bowl, wisk egg yolks until smooth. Gradually wisk in sugar until the mixture is a thick, smooth pale yellow. Temper the egg yolks by slowly pouring them into the hot milk mixture while wisking continuously. Return the custard to the saucepan and place over low heat. Cook, stiring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and it reaches 185 F. DO NOT bring to boil. Poor the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl and let cool to room temperature stiring every 5 minutes or so. To cool the custard quickly, make an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water and placing the custard in it. Stir the custard until cool. Cover and refrigerate until very cold for at least 4 hours or overnight. Banana Gelato This requires 2 chilled ripe bananas,1 tablespoon sugar,and 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Make your Plain Base and chill. Place the bananas, sugar and lemon juice in a blender and add half the plain base. Blend until smooth, then wisk in remaining base. Pour the mixture into the container of an ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer's directions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for a least 2 hours before serving. Lemon Poppy Seed Gelato Requires 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 2 reaspoons grated lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds. Make the Plain Base as directed. Then gently wisk in the lemon juice and zest into the base. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker container and follow manufactuer's dirfections. Add poppy seeds 5 minutes before the churning is completed. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.

Leave The Haggling To Someone Else

2010-05-13T17:16:00.002-04:00

If you've ever bought a used car, the worst part of the process is haggling about the price. Now a new company has emerged that will do the dirty work for you and save you money which is www.Carsala.com Call or log onto their website and enter the make, model, year range etc. Carsala will then send you a report listings cars that fit your description. It also removes any damaged, wrecked or flooded vehicles from the search plus any dealers with bad business practices. You can select up to 20 cars for Carsala to negoigiate for you, including cars you found on your own. Pro hagglers take over and get you the deal in writing. Plus you get another report with all the negoiated deals and then you can take a test drive and complete the deal. Carsala charges 20% of the savings OFF the asking price which is capped at $300 for up to 20 cars. So if the asking price is 15 grand and Carsala gets you a price of $14 grand, you pay $200 or 20% of the $1,000 difference. Until Oct 1, 2010, Carsala is offering a $99 flat fee when you use the coupon code, KIPIE.

Five Ways To Avoid Or Dispute Surprise Medical Bills

2010-05-03T14:34:00.009-04:00

1. Stay In Your Network This is the best way you can avoid extra charges. 2. Double Check Everything The first time you visit a doctor, always call to verify that he or she is in your network. Websites can sometimes be outdated and mix-ups happen. Also make sure before you're admitted to a hospital that you will be treated by doctors in your network. That way you won't be hit up for "balance bills". 3. Negotiate Everything Upfront If you know you must go out of your network, be ready to talk money before you are treated. Keep in mind that even in emergency situations, insurers only pay what they deem as "usual" and "customary" treatments in your area. So if your P.P.O pays 80% of out of network charges, that means 80% of reasonable and customary fees. If your doctor charges well above what the insurance company deems reasonable, you may be "balanced billed" for the difference. So ask the out-of-network doctor what the charges for your care will be. Than check with your insurer to see how their payouts match up. Armed with this info, you can negotiate with the doctor to accept the insurance company payment in full. If you want to use an out-of-network hospital, you'll also need to get pre-approval on surgeon's fees and other charges. 4. Negotiate Everything Afterwards Too When you get a balance bill, don't hesitate to call the doctor and ask why he or she feels the insurance payment is not sufficient and why you were not told about the extra fees ahead of time. 5. File An Appeal If you feel your insurance company is not paying its fare share, consider a formal appeal. (If you found this post helpful,why not click on the small "envelope icon" below and e-mail this post to ten of your friends or family members.)

How To Get Out Of Almost Any Service Contract Without Penalties

2010-04-27T10:26:00.004-04:00

If you agreed to a 2 year service contract on your broadband or smartphone service ,you may be able to ditch your obligation if your provider changes the terms after you sign up. In December, one phone carrier notified its customers of a 40 cent monthly increase on all lines and a $5 increase on accounts with spending limits. That constitiued a "materially adverse change of contract" as per the carrier's terms. So if your provider alters the terms of your contract and you want to break it, just contact the company in writing ( certified mail is best ) within the time period specified in your contract. It is usually 30 to 60 days. Make it clear in your letter that you are leaving because of the "materially adverse" nature of the change. P.S. If you found this post helpful,please forward it to your family and friends.

How To Learn Something For Nothing

2010-04-24T16:58:00.002-04:00

www.AcademicEarth.Org This site offers the courses of 10 elite universities with 130 full courses and 3,500 video lectures. www.CNX.Org Connexions hosts more than 16,000 modules that make up a collection of say an algerbra textbook or a statistics course. www.OcwConsortium.Org This consortium represents 250 universities from around the globe that want to advance free educational resources. www.ItunesU.Com is the largest entry point into all of online education with nearly 300,000 audio and video files from more than 600 colleges around the world. www.YouTube.Com/Edu currently hosts about 300 universities with 200 full courses and 60,000 videos.