Did You Know That...

- drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional "pain relievers"?

- Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns?

- before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoid Peppermints, they will clear up your stuffed nose..

- achy muscles from a bout of the flu?.. you can mix a tablespoon of Horseradish in a cup of Olive oil, then let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil, for instant relief of aching muscles..

- sore throat? just mix 1/4 cup of Vinegar with 1/4 cup of Honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

- you can cure urinary tract infections with Alka-seltzer.. just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly even though the product has never been advertised for this use.

- you can eliminate puffiness under your eyes.. all you need is a dab of Preparation H, carefully rubbed into the skin, avoiding the eyes. The hemorrhoid ointment acts as a vasoconstrictor, relieving the swelling instantly.

- Honey remedy for skin blemishes.. cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a band-aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. It works overnight.

- Listerine therapy for toenails fungus.. get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.

- easy eyeglass protection.. to prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal clear nail polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.

- Coca cola cure for rust... forget those expensive rust removers, just saturate an abrasive sponge with coca cola and scrub the rust stain. The phosphoric acid in the coke is what gets the job done.

- cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer.. if menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.

- smart splinter remover.. just pour a drop of Elmer's glue all over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin, the splinter sticks to the dried glue.

- Hunt's tomato paste boil cure.. cover the boil with hunt's tomato paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothes the pain and brings the boil to a head.

- Balm for broken blisters.. to disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine.. a powerful antiseptic.

- Heinz vinegar to heal bruises.. soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hr. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

- you can kill fleas instantly.. Dawn Dish Washing Liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly, rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Goodbye fleas..

- Rainy day cure for dog odor.. next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.

- Eliminate ear mites.. all it takes is a few drops of Wesson Corn Oil in your cat's ear. Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smoothers the mites, and accelerate healing.

- Vaseline cure haills balls.. to prevent troublesome hair balls, apply a dollop of Vaseline petroleum jelly to your cat's nose. The cat will lick off the jelly, lubricating any hair in its stomach so it can pass easily through the digestive system.

- Quaker oats for fast pain relief.. It's not for breakfast anymore! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bown and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

What Cristina Means

You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily. You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind. A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable. You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun. You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing. You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long. You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start. You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong. You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know. You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak. Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do. You are a seeker. You often find yourself restless - and you have a lot of questions about life. You tend to travel often, to fairly random locations. You're most comfortable when you're far away from home. You are quite passionate and easily tempted. Your impulses sometimes get you into trouble. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic “Type A” personality.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

How Jealous Are You?

You Are 83% Jealous

You're jealousy is plain old self destructive. And you've got to change. You're living your life thinking way too much about other people... And you probably are putting too much stake in what other people think of you. Relax and live your life for yourself. There's no one else you need to be concerned with.

How Jealous Are You?

What Color Hair Should You Have?

Your Hair Should Be Red

You are a passionate person... both in love and in life. You have many causes that are important to you. You can be very intense. You are very fiery. You speak up, and you don't mince words. You also have a very flamboyant personality. You love to show off. You are both eccentric and expressive. You like to share your unique point of view. You can become quite impassioned. So impassioned that you can seem a little overbearing.

What Color Hair Should You Have?

Are You a Maneater?

You're a Part Time Maneater

While you're not a black widow, you've definitely left a few guys feeling used and abused. You're only out for fun, but sometimes you get a little carried away with your flirting. Cute guys tend to make you lose control. You really can't help it! You're a good girl at heart... you just can't help but let your bad girl side out sometimes!

Are You a Maneater?

What Kind of Sexy Girl Are You?

You Are Sensual Sexy

You exude a luxurious sensuality in your everyday life Turning heads everywhere you go, it's all about your sexy attitude. You're naturally hot - gorgeous in both sweats and stilettos. Your biggest problem is that your ultra sexy self sometimes scares men away.

What Kind of Sexy Girl Are You?

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Your Birthdate: April 1

You are a natural born leader, even if those leadership talents haven't been developed yet. You have the power and self confidence to succeed in life, and your power grows daily. Besides power, you also have a great deal of creativity that enables you to innovate instead of fail. You are a visionary, seeing the big picture instead of all of the trivial little details. Your strength: Your supreme genius Your weakness: Your inappropriate sensitivity Your power color: Gold Your power symbol: Star Your power month: January

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Desiderata

-- written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s --
Not "Found in Old St. Paul's Church"! -- see below

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

The Confused History of "Desiderata"

CHOCOLATE

CHOCOLATE:

Forget the calories, forget the guilt - if its indulgence you seek, chocolate is the ultimate pleasure. Try chocolate sauces to drizzle over ice cream, chocolate drinks that can be whipped up in no time, and all the classics, including brownies, mouse and mud cake. Lick the bowl, lick the spoon, lick your fingers, and eat every last morsel - there is simply no such thing as too much chocolate

Chocolate - food product made from cocoa beans, consumed as candy and used to make beverages and as a flavouring ingredient or coating for various confections and bakery products. Rich in carbohydrates, it is an excellent source of quick energy and also contains minute amounts of the stimulating alkaloids theobromine and caffeine.

· Chocolate Essentials
Cooking with chocolates is an art. Once perfected it will be appreciated by everyone. Follow these tips and chocolate catastrophes will be a thing of the past.

Types of chocolate

· Dark Chocolate
contains sugar, cocoa liquor and cocoa butter. Types of dark chocolate include bittersweet, containing less sugar than regular dark chocolate, and semi-sweet, which can be substituted with bittersweet if a little more sugar is added to the recipe.- chocolate liquor with cocoa butter and small amounts of sugar and vanilla; lecithin is usually added

· Milk Chocolate
contains the same ingredients as dark chocolate, with the addition of milk solids.- chocolate made from chocolate liquor with sugar and cocoa butter and powdered milk solids and vanilla and (usually) lecithin; the most common form of chocolate for eating; used in chocolate candy and baking and coatings

· White Chocolate
contains sugar, full-cream milk or milk solids, cocoa butter and flavorings. It is not a true chocolate, as it contains no cocoa liquor.- a blend of cocoa butter and milk solids and sugar and vanilla; used in candy bars and baking and coatings; not technically chocolate because it contains no chocolate liquor

· Couverture Chocolate
is the best chocolate available. It is very high in cocoa fats, and melts and coats easily.- used by professional cooks because it melts smoothly and is glossy, but needs tempering. It usually contains a minimum of 32% cocoa butter, which enables it to form a much thinner shell than ordinary confectionery coating. It is often used for chocolate-covered fruits, or as the chocolate used in chocolate fountains.

· Compound Chocolate
is more economical to use than couverture chocolate. It has added vegetable fats, which allow it to set very quickly, and at room temperature. Chocolate melts, chocolate bits and chocolate chips (dark milk and white) are all compound chocolate.

a less expensive chocolate replacement made from a combination of cocoa, vegetable fat, and sweeteners.
Often used in lower-grade candy bars, compound chocolate is designed to simulate enrobed chocolate on a product. It costs less than chocolate, as it uses less expensive hard vegetable fats and tropical fats such as coconut oil and palm kernel oil in place of the more expensive cocoa butter as its fat source.Cocoa powder - is ground from the dried, pressed remains of cocoa liquor, from which most of the cocoa butter has been removed. Dutched cocoa powder has a darker, richer color and more mellow flavor than regular cocoa due to further processing.

Melting Chocolate

Try to melt the chocolate uniformly without burning it. Chocolate from a block should be chopped or grated into even-sized pieces for even melting. White chocolate melts better when it is grated or finely chopped. Once the chocolate has melted, work quickly before it sets. Prevent any water or steam from coming into contact with the melted chocolate. Even a small amount of liquid may cause the chocolate to seize, rendering it unusable. If this happens, the chocolate becomes a mealy, stiff substance. You can sometimes rescue it by adding 1 tbsp of cream or vegetable oil. If the chocolate burns, you will need to start again with fresh chocolate. Do not try to speed up the melting process.

· Conventional Method
Put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Half fill a saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Remove from the heat and place the bowl of chocolate over the pan, making sure it is not touching the water. Stir occasionally intil the chocolate is melted.

· Microwave Method

Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in 30-second bursts on Medium(50%), stirring frequently. Chocolate holds its shape when melted in the microwave, so it may retain its square, check if it has melted by stirring. Dpn't try to cook it faster on a high heat, as it burns easily.

STORING CHOCOLATE

Most chocolate, depending on its quality, can be kept for several months. Wrap it in foil or plastic wrap, and store in a cool, dry place. Sometimes chocolate will develop a white "bloom" on its surface. This is usually the result of a radical temperature change. It may occur on chocolate that has been overheated or on chocolate that has been refrigerated. The bloom is harmless, however, and doesn't affect the flavor of the chocolate. Stale chocolate can also develop a bloom. It is unpleasant and dry, and should be discarded.

HINT

· Grate chocolate quickly with a vegetable peeler or in a food processor and use it to decorate the tops or sides of cakes.

· Couverture chocolate is the best type of chocolate to use for decorating, especially fancy designs, as it sets firmly and holds it shape at room temperature. Compound chocolate can also used successfully.

· If chocolate is too thick to use as a coating, stir in a small amount of vegetable oil or melt a small amount of Copha (white vegetable shortening) and stir it into the chocolate.

· Before coating food with chocolate, ensure it is free from moisture, which will seize the chocolate and make it useless. After dipping, place the food on a lined tray and allow it to set at room temperature.

About me..

I love freedom, and I will accept any challenges. I will get impatient if my ideas do not work out immediately and as expected. I am unwilling to follow someone else's suggestions, especially if they do not make sense. I often have excess energy which can make me aggressive. I am a brave leader who express care and concern for all I lead. However, being a follower is rare, and can be troublesome. Sometimes I can be a self-centered person because I believe that my views are right, and anyone who conflicts with me is wrong. Because I am open and honest, I can be more energetic and a generous friends. I have trouble compromising which can lead to problems in otherwise smooth friendships. I am extremely friendly and charming, and very attracted to the opposite sex. I get bored very soon in my affairs because I also prefer intelligent and versatile partners. I am advised to be careful in my relationships as I could get into trouble easily when I let my heart rule my head. The opposite sex finds me fascinating because of my beauty consciousness, lavish expenditure, dynamism and adventurous nature.

Tao Zhu Gong's Business Management Principles

Tao Zhu-Gong's 12 golden standards for wealth and 12 golden business standards, are perhaps the world's oldest business management principles over 3,000 years ago in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty.

Tao Zhu-Gong's 12 golden standards for wealth:
1. Be a good judge of character (know whom you can trust)
2. Be customer-oriented (customer is king, customer satisfaction first)
3. Be single-minded (be focused)
4. Be captivating in your sales promotion (be creative, imaginative, varied)
5. Be quick to respond (hesitation and procrastination mean lost opportunities)
6. Be vigilant in credit control (be good at collecting all debts/accounts)
7. Be selective to recruit only the best (match ability to assigned work)
8. Be bold in marketing your product (think of unconventional ways)
9. Be smart in product acquisition (be meticulous in stocking up)
10. Be adept in analyzing marketing opportunities (market research, timing)
11. Be a corporate model (personally follow your own company rules)
12. Be far-sighted in developing a total business plan.

Tao Zhu-Gong's 12 Golden Safeguards:
1. Don't be penny-pinching (invest in public relations and social concerns)
2. Don't be wishy- washy (be resolute and decisive)
3. Don't be ostentatious (don't forget Confucian virtue of frugality)
4. Don't be dishonest (avoid cheating, profiteering, unethical acts)
5. Don't be slow in debts collection (avoid bad debts to accumulate)
6. Don't slash prices arbitrarily (good pricing to meet sales margin)
7. Don't give in to herd instinct (avoid investing where everyone does)
8. Don't work against the business cycle (be sensitive to rise and fall of a product life)
9. Don't be a stick-in-the-mud (be open to new ideas, adapt to changes in the market)
10. Don't overbuy on credit (too much credit can cause cash flow problems)
11. Don't under-save -- keep reserve funds strong (cash allows buying at low prices)
12. Don't blindly endorse a product (be objective and sharp in judging product quality)

The ten most effective supplements

According to Christopher Hobbs, L.Ac. and Elson Hass, M.D. in their book Vitamins for Dummies (IDG, 1999), the following supplements are the most effective for the most people. These supplements have many years of research to back them up, and they offer benefits for improving energy, preventing diseases and more.
1. Vitamins C and E, for their antioxidant properties.
2. B Vitamins, for the brain, nervous system, and energy
3. Calcium and magnesium, for strong bones and calm nerves
4. Grapeseed and green tea extracts, for their strong antioxidant effects
5. Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum), for its healthy omega-3 oils
6. Genistein and daidzein, for their phytoestrogenic benefits
7. Spirulina and nutritional yeast, for their energy-boosting effects
8. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum), for its liver-protecting properties
9. The ginsengs (Panax gensing, P. quinquenfolius, and Eleutheronococcus senticosus), for their energy-boosting and stress-relieving effects
10. Garlic (Allium sativum), for a wide range of benefits including antibiotic properties

Things you should know about me for those interested :D

1. I like red.
2. I hate reading but I want to read..
3. I want to be a writer.
4. I want to have more shoes, more clothes, more bags, i want more...
5. I'm lazy.