Why Kids May Be Getting Dumber By The Minute

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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