ANNAI-ILLAM

Children send illicit text messages

2011-07-25T04:06:00.002-07:00

Children are using their parents' mobile phones without their knowledge, research suggests

Children as young as six months are playing with gadgets and youngsters are using their parents' mobile phones without their knowledge, research has suggested.

It showed that nearly a fifth of parents (19%) said their children had sent a text message or made calls from their mobile phone without them knowing at the time.

The survey, carried out by Legal and General, also found that one in ten children had downloaded apps onto a parent's smartphone without their knowledge.

Nearly two-thirds (60%) of youngsters between six months and two years play with gadgets such as tablet computers and laptops, and one in ten children aged six months do so too.

The research found that 36% of fathers were comfortable with letting children under four play with gadgets, but only 23% of mothers felt that way.

Mike Lawler, from Legal and General, said: "I find it amazing how quickly children know how to use technology gadgets. But inquisitive fingers can soon become expensive fingers if the gadget they play with should break.

"We are increasingly bringing new and often expensive pieces of technology into our homes, which if left within reach, can be very tempting for a child to then play with. While smartphones and HD TVs can help to keep children entertained, we need to be watchful to protect these expensive items and also those little fingers."

The survey of 2,000 people was carried out by OnePoll between April 13 and 15 this year.

Cameron: Hacking has shaken public

2011-07-25T04:06:00.001-07:00

David Cameron says public confidence has been shaken by 'this whole disgraceful and sorry episode' of phone hacking

Successive scandals over MPs' expenses, banking and phone hacking have shaken people's confidence in Britain "to the core", David Cameron has warned.

The Prime Minister said the public felt that the rich and powerful had been "serving themselves".

From now on institutions would have to be "beyond reproach" in order to win back trust.

The comments, in an interview with the Big Issue, came after Business Secretary Vince Cable insisted Rupert Murdoch's dominance of the UK media landscape had been "deeply unhelpful" and must never be repeated.

Mr Cameron said: "Over the past few years, this country has had some real knocks and people's confidence in our country has been shaken to the core. I'm talking about the expenses scandal, the financial crisis, this whole disgraceful and sorry episode of phone hacking.

"There's a sense that the rich and the powerful - politicians, bankers, the press and the police - have been serving themselves, not each other. Add to all that the way the world is changing, with the rise of new powers like China and India, and I think there's a general feeling that maybe our best days as a country are behind us.

"I passionately believe that is not the case. So if you ask me what I want Britain to look like and feel like at the end of my time as Prime Minister, I want us to be a country - and a people - which has our confidence back. Institutions that are beyond reproach, that serve the public not the other way round."

Mr Cable was stripped of responsibility for deciding the fate of News Corporation's bid for full ownership of BSkyB last year after he was recorded in a newspaper sting saying he was at "war" with Mr Murdoch. The Liberal Democrat minister told the BBC on Sunday there was nothing "personal" about recent concerns raised about the media mogul.

"The balanced historical view would be that he has made positive contributions," he said. "But we are dealing with the world as it actually is, where we have had a very, very dominant media company and we need to deal with the lessons from that."

Mr Cable said it was right that Ofcom should look at whether News Corp's UK subsidiary News International was "fit and proper" to hold a majority stake in BSkyB.

Harris key to Australia's attack - Bayliss

2011-07-25T04:03:00.000-07:00

Ryan Harris could be a key man for Australia in Sri Lanka© Getty Images

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Trevor Bayliss, the former Sri Lanka coach, has nominated Ryan Harris as the Australian bowler most likely to trouble a formidable home batting line-up during next month's Test series in the island nation.

Harris is one of numerous Australian players waiting nervously to discover whether they will be chosen in the first Test squad to be led by the new captain Michael Clarke, after the Australia A tour of Zimbabwe clouded the selectors' options almost as much as it shed light on them. The squad will be announced on Tuesday morning.

Told earlier this year that he was being considered as more of a Test match bowler, Harris, 31, was omitted from the limited-overs squad for the Sri Lanka tour despite showing he had returned to full fitness during the Indian Premier League. Bayliss said Harris' combination of speed, skid and movement both ways would make him the sort of bowler capable of troubling the likes of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.

"From a pace point of view someone like Ryan Harris could be dangerous," Bayliss told ESPNcricinfo. "He is someone who bustles in, a bit quicker than what you think, but bowls a fairly consistent line and length, but nips the ball about and can nip it about off the seam and through the air a bit.

"Someone like that on their wickets over there ... early on with those wickets you get a little bit of swing and a little bit of seam, and someone who maybe skids onto the bat a bit quicker than what you think, and maybe nipping it back in, I think he could do well. [He is] someone who can bowl reverse swing as well when the ball is older."

Beyond Harris, the questions surrounding the Australian attack are many and varied. Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle, the opening bowlers for much of the Ashes last summer, were conspicuously toothless with the new ball in Zimbabwe. Across the two-day and first-class portions of the tour, not once was either able to claim a wicket in their first spells to the top order.

The left-armer Mitchell Starc fared better, while Trent Copeland, another possible selection, bowled long spells but tended to struggle for wickets. Of the touring spin bowlers Michael Beer and Jason Krejza both had their moments of success counter-balanced by the odd expensive spell. Nathan Hauritz will not be considered for reasons of fitness, while Steve Smith's value as a Test match slow bowler is yet to be proven.

"From a spin point of view it depends a little on who they pick, most of them unless it is Nathan Hauritz, the rest of the guys haven't had a lot of experience in the subcontinent," said Bayliss. "So how they handle the pressure of having to bowl against batters who have been brought up on spin-friendly wickets, how they go about their craft under the pressure the Sri Lankan batters will undoubtedly put on Australia's spinners.

"It's not going to be easy, there are going to be some difficult times trying to get through the Sri Lankan batting order. You've got seven guys in the likely batting order to whom they're going to have to bowl very well and there's going to be some hard work to get through those seven.

"Sangakkara and Jayawardene are the main stumbling blocks, and if you can get those two out of the way, it puts a lot of pressure on the rest of the batting order. You can't take the rest of the guys lightly, but it does put a little bit of extra pressure on the rest of the guys when the two best players don't score any."

Australia's batting appears a little more settled, as Phillip Hughes secured his place alongside Shane Watson by maintaining a rich vein of form that began in the closing weeks of the Australian domestic season. Usman Khawaja's lack of runs in Zimbabwe should not preclude his inclusion, and Shaun Marsh seems likely to stay on in reserve beyond the limited-overs matches.

Australia's batsmen have shown fallibility against quality bowling in recent times, and Bayliss said they would need to be aggressive in order to avoid becoming tangled in the web of the local spinners Rangana Herath, Suraj Randiv and Ajantha Mendis.

"In the Ashes last summer it was more about pace bowlers, but in Sri Lanka it will be more about spin, and Australia's batting against spin," Bayliss said. "Against spin you've got to be a bit more proactive, and try to put the pressure back onto the bowler, so it'll be interesting to see how Australia's batsmen go about facing the Sri Lankan spinners."

Possible squad Michael Clarke (capt), Shane Watson (vice-capt), Phillip Hughes, Usman Khawaja, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Shaun Marsh, Brad Haddin (wk), Steve Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle, Michael Beer or Jason Krejza, Mitchell Starc.

Dizzee Rascal to replace U2 at Glastonbury?

2010-05-24T08:48:00.000-07:00

Dizzee Rascal is being lined up to replace U2 at this year's Glastonbury festival.

The 'Bonkers' rapper has been asked by the British music event's organiser Michael Eavis to fill in for the Irish band after frontman Bono had emergency back surgery last week.

The 'Beautiful Day' hitmakers are set to headline the Pyramid Stage on Friday June 25 but if Bono has not recovered in time, they will have to pull out.

Dizzee is currently set to play the set before U2 but may be promoted to close the evening.

However, Eavis has also phoned Coldplay - who are currently in the studio working on their fifth album - to see if they are available, according to The Sun newspaper.

Bono suffered his injury while preparing for his group's world tour, and attended a specialist neurosurgery clinic in Munich, Germany, for immediate work on his spine.

He is expected to stay in Germany for a few days before returning to his home in Ireland.

A planned tour date in Salt Lake City on June 2 has been postponed.

A statement on the band's website reads: "Once his condition has been assessed further, a statement will be made regarding the impact on forthcoming tour dates."

Industry insiders expect the band will announce later this week that they will not be able to play Glastonbury.

New death hits iPhones factory

2010-05-24T08:47:00.000-07:00

A worker at a huge Chinese factory which makes iPhones and iPads has fallen to his death - the eighth fatality this year at the world's largest contract maker of electronics. Skip related content

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New death hits iPhones factory Enlarge photo

The previous deaths at the Foxconn Technology Group plant in the southern boom town of Shenzhen were deemed suicides, but it was not immediately clear what caused the most recent one.

The worker was identified as Nan Gang, 21, according to reports.

The death will raise more questions about working conditions at Foxconn's massive complex, which labour activists allege has a long history of mistreatment of workers.

They claim the 300,000 employees are pushed hard, toil under tremendous pressure and face harsh discipline for making mistakes.

There was no immediate comment about the death from Foxconn, owned by Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry group. The corporate behemoth has also produced computers for Hewlett-Packard, PlayStation consoles for Sony and mobile phones for Nokia.

After a suicide earlier this month, Foxconn said its workers enjoyed world-class treatment, including social responsibility programmes to ensure their welfare.

Recent suicides include a 24-year-old factory worker who jumped from a building inside the factory complex earlier this month.

The highest-profile death happened last July when Sun Danyong, 25, jumped to his death after being interrogated over a missing iPhone prototype. Mr Sun was responsible for sending the device to US-based Apple.

Brits' honest feelings while online

2010-05-24T08:45:00.001-07:00

Britons may be renowned for being emotionally shy and reserved face to face but one in five admit to opening up about their feelings while online, a new survey has found. Skip related content

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Brits' honest feelings while online Enlarge photo

About 20% revealed they were more likely to be honest about their wellbeing when asked "How are you?" while using a social networking site or email.

The study for healthcare company Bupa polled 2,224 adults via YouGov in March as part of its "How are you Britain?" report.

According to the findings, more than three quarters (78%) of Brits thought they were more open about their health than 20 years ago, with the figure rising to 83% among females.

One in 10 (10%) of Brits currently signed up to a social networking site said they posted an online comment about how they were feeling at least once a day, with 32% admitting they do so at least once a week.

However, the study also suggested Brits reverted to type when responding in person to a query about how they were feeling. On average, people were asked the question "How are you?" four times a day, with more than half (53%) stating they gave a similar response each time without properly considering their feelings.

Close to a third (31%) said they opted to give a vague answer because they thought people were only asking to be polite.

Bupa Health and Wellbeing medical director Dr Katrina Herren said: "We believe 'How are you?' should not be a rhetorical question.

"It's an important conversation starter and people needn't be afraid of responding with how they really feel.

"Sharing an emotion with people who listen and don't judge it to be good or bad can not only make you feel better but improve communication between you and others and maintain your mental wellbeing."

Google plans to merge web and TV

2010-05-24T08:43:00.000-07:00

Google believes it has come up with the technology to unite web surfing with channel surfing on televisions. Skip related content

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Google plans to merge web and TV Enlarge photo

To reach the long-elusive goal of turning TV sets into internet gateways, Google has partnered with Sony, Intel and Logitech International. They unveiled their much-anticipated plan for a "smart" TV, and Intel CEO Paul Otellini predicted the effort will be "the biggest improvement to television since colour".

"Our goal is to make the same impact on television as the smart phone has had on the mobile phone market," said Rishi Chandra, the Google product manager who is overseeing the smart TV project.

The TVs are expected to go on sale this fall in US Best Buy stores, with prices to be announced later in the year. Sales will expand to other countries next year.

Other companies have tried to promote internet-connected TVs with little success during the past decade.

"I have seen this movie before," Gartner analyst Ray Valdes said of Google's ambitious plans. "They are going down a road littered with failed initiatives like this."

But Google and its partners believe they have developed a system that will make internet TV simpler and more appealing. They are also counting on various websites to build news applications tailored to run on the internet TV; they believe that would persuade more couch potatoes to begin interacting with their sets instead of just watching them.

Many households already have been connecting their TVs to the internet, mostly to watch video through set-top boxes, video game consoles and Blu-ray players. Web-connected TVs are expected to account for about 19% of the U.S sales of flat-panel models this year, with the share projected to rise to 46% in 2013, according to ABI Research.

Three of Google's biggest rivals - Apple, Microsoft and Yahoo. - also have been trying to bring more internet video and services to televisions.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs once described his company's device for tethering TVs to the internet as a "hobby". Forrester Research analyst James McQuivey expects Apple to become much more serious about its efforts now that Google is expanding into TV. "The whole game for Google is to become the (operating system) for the living room and make sure Apple doesn't," Mr McQuivey said.

Spain to block credit for local authorities

2010-05-24T08:42:00.001-07:00

The latest effort to balance Spain's books came as the International Monetary Fund called for labour and banking sector reform and as press reports said the government would need 2.7 billion euros to save a local bank.

"The local authorities and those that depend on them ... cannot obtain long-term public or private credit, in any form, to fund their investments," a draft law said Monday,

The ban is valid until the end of 2011.

The measure is part of a two-year 15-billion-euro (19-billion-dollar) deficit-slashing plan announced earlier this month that includes a freeze on state pensions and an average five percent pay cut for civil servants.

The socialist government is under pressure to take action from both its EU partners and from the markets, which fear Spain could follow Greece -- Athens needed an unprecedented 110-billion-euro bailout by the EU and the IMF earlier this month to save it from bankruptcy.

The IMF on Monday said the "ambitious" fiscal consolidation in Spain needs to be "complemented with growth-enhancing structural reforms" in the labour market and banking sector.

As the eurozone crisis has unfolded, there have been concerns that local government debt could prove at least as big a problem as central government debt as governments try to put their public finances in order.

International ratings agency Standard and Poor's warned Spain last week that the nation's powerful regional governments face worsening deficits.

It predicted Spain's regional debt burden could surpass 110 percent of consolidated operating revenues in 2012, up from just 40 percent in 2007.

The debt of Spain's local authorities at end-2009 was 34.6 billion euros, equivalent to 3.3 percent of GDP, according to the finance ministry.

Overall, accumulated public debt was equivalent to 55 percent of GDP in 2009 and is expected to rise to 74 percent in 2012 as the public finances are further eroded.

The problem of local government debt has another side to it, raising issues of how appropriate such financing has been for them.

In Italy, for example, there have been worries that the country's economy faces huge risks from derivatives contracts taken out by local governments who did not fully understand what they were buying into.

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero announced the main points of the latest austerity plan on May 11. The government approved it on Thursday but it must still be passed by parliament.

The measures are on top of a 50-billion-euro package announced in January designed to slash the public deficit to the eurozone limit of three percent of gross domestic product by 2013 from 11.2 percent last year.

Public finances faced further pressures after Spain's central bank on Saturday took control of a troubled regional savings bank, CajaSur.

A business newspaper, Expansion, said as much as 2.7 billion euros (3.38 billion dollars) may be needed to clean up the bank's 1.5 billion euros in doubtful debt and cover another 364 million euros in bad loans and the depreciation of property assets.

News of the rescue unsettled investors already nervous over the European debt crisis and sent European and US stocks lower on Monday.

The austerity measures have sparked widespread public anger.

Unions representing public sector workers have called a strike for June 8 over the latest austerity plan, while Spain's largest trade union, the CCOO, said Friday it would "probably" also call a national general strike.

Washout hits India's semis chances

2009-09-29T03:59:00.000-07:00

Australia 234 for 4 (Hussey 67, Ponting 65, Paine 56) v India - match abandoned due to rain

Michael Hussey found some form with 67 ©

India and Australia will have their Champions Trophy fortunes decided on Wednesday after a washout in the match between the two sides in Centurion on Monday, when Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey led a strong Australian batting effort. Australia reached 234 for 4 before the deluge that had appeared imminent for more than an hour finally arrived and set in.

It meant the only winner was Pakistan, who are now assured of a semi-final spot. The fate of Australia and India now rests with the final two group matches, both on Wednesday. For India to progress they must thrash West Indies and lift their net run-rate while also hoping Australia lose to Pakistan; any win or no-result for Australia in their remaining match and they are through.

Australia were the frontrunners when the match was abandoned. There was no centurion at Centurion but a string of half-centuries from Ponting, Hussey and Tim Paine, as well as a late flurry from Cameron White set them on a comfortable course. As the players toiled against the backdrop of lightning, White lifted the tempo with an unbeaten 35, including a monstrous six over midwicket off Amit Mishra.

However, it was Ponting and Hussey who controlled the middle of the innings as they kept the scoreboard ticking over with little drama. Hussey was typically unobtrusive in compiling 67 from 65 deliveries, driving through gaps and haring through for single after single. There had been a reverse sweep early in his innings but he'd taken few risks until he lofted a wide ball from Ishant Sharma, who bowled poorly, straight to Sachin Tendulkar at long off.

Ponting was more classical, if slower to score his 65 runs, until he was caught short by a magnificent direct hit from the deep from Gautam Gambhir. Until that moment, Ponting had looked set for a century as he settled into a rhythm with quick singles and the odd cracking cut or drive, as well as one brilliant, high lofted drive for six off a good-length Praveen Kumar delivery.

Ponting was the anchor, combining in an 88-run stand with Hussey and an 84-run partnership with Paine, while India's bowlers battled to make inroads into the top order. Paine was the aggressor early and took plenty of risks. He walked down the pitch to Ishant and turned him over midwicket for four, also pulling him for six as Ishant's first over cost 16 and his first three overs leaked 30.

The risk-reward strategy continued against Harbhajan Singh, whose first ball to Paine was paddle-swept for four from on the stumps and later in the same over Paine reverse-swept another boundary to bring up his half-century. However, Paine's luck expired on 56, when he top-edged another paddle-sweep off Mishra to midwicket.

Mishra and Ashish Nehra were the most impressive bowlers in an Indian effort that lacked bite. There was sharp turn for Mishra but not a great deal of assistance for the fast bowlers, although India could also have used a sharper fielding effort - Paine should've been run out on 6 and on 31 his edge off Mishra flew between MS Dhoni and Rahul Dravid at first slip.

After India lost the toss, Nehra gave them the perfect start when he consigned Shane Watson to his third consecutive one-day international duck. Nehra found some extra bounce that surprised Watson, whose top-edged pull lobbed to Harbhajan at midwicket.

There wasn't much more joy for India, although the washout was a reasonable outcome for them given Australia's solid batting. However, India need to find some spark to hammer a West Indies side that has fought well in this tournament, and they must also hope for a Pakistan win against Ponting's men. Australia's fate is in their own hands.

Cooking the perfect anniversary dinner for five years of love, laughter and fabulous food

2009-09-29T03:58:00.000-07:00

Lobster_2

Dave and I have been together five years this month. We've had some great times, travelled to some amazing places and are closer and more in love than ever. But enough with the mushy stuff---you don't really want to hear about that anyway---let's get to the good part: the food.
I'm a part of this month's Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24, and I decided to do a five-course anniversary meal---celebrating each year of our relationship with a memorable dish from that year. Four grocery stores, one fish market, four hours of shopping, and nine hours of cooking later, we sat down to eat five years of memories to the mellow tunes of John Mayer's Continuum album.
First course: Ham and cheese croquettes

Ham croquettes_2

These little golden-fried beauties were inspired by our time in Spain, when Dave came to visit me during my study abroad stint our first year together.
Second course: Microgreen salad with honey dressing

microgreen salad_2

microgreen salad

I LOOOOVE this salad. Surprisingly, so does Dave. I say surprisingly because Dave is a caesar-salad-only kind of guy. This recipe, an original from my momma, has all sorts of ingredients that Dave "doesn't like." I made this for him during our second year together when he was still too polite to turn down any of my food. In fact, this salad was a part of the one of the first meals I ever made for him. It's also special because it marks the first time Dave trusted my culinary intuition, even though he thought he wouldn't like it. I'll take some of the credit for making him a more adventurous eater, thank you very much. Since then, he'll (tentatively) try almost every single dish I put in front of him, even the veggie-heavy ones.
Third course: Lobster bisque

Lobster

Lobster bisque

Dave and I LOVE us some lobster bisque. Our third year together we had two of the best lobster bisques I've ever had, from Capital Grille and Tru. Recreating this was quite a task---one of the most daunting I've ever taken on.
First of all, I endured a giant rush of guilt and a massive case of the willies every time I opened the fridge and saw the lobster's paper bag staring back at me. I have no problem eating something that was once alive, I'd just prefer that someone else do the dirty work for me. I didn't have a choice in this case. As far as I know, the only lobster you can get on short notice in Chicago is one that's alive and thrashing.
I read up on everything from lobster hypnosis (seriously) to a swift slicing between the eyes as ways to humanely kill lobster. In fact, the jury is still out as to whether or not they can feel actually pain. In the end, I popped him in the freezer for a couple minutes, which seemed to calm him, or freeze him just enough to prevent movement, and plunged him head first into boiling salt water.
Then, in a moment of poor judgment, I lifted the lid off the pot, only to see him writhing around in there as he boiled to death. Completely awful.
The torture ended for the lobster about a minute or so later---mine endured for hours longer. Dismembering and pulling out the lobster meat was the next unpleasant undertaking. Never mind that I was squeamish about pulling apart something I had just killed. That was a walk in the park compared to dealing with the ungodly mess that splattered all over my face and spilled out on to the kitchen counter and floor when I pulled the legs off cut the lobster's body open. *Shudder*
I breathed a sigh of relief when it was all over. Little did I know, my aggravation was far from over. After I cooked and pureed the bisque, I decided to run it through a super-fine mesh strainer to get the smooth and silky texture of a good restaurant lobster bisque. I'd compare this process to squeezing dozens of tiny key limes by hand just to get a few ounces of juice for a margarita (Which I've also done. What the hell is wrong with me?) In the end, about five cups of puree resulted in about half as much bisque.
Saying that my blood, sweat and tears went into this dish would almost be a literal interpretation. In the end, it was all worth it. The bisque was truly restaurant quality---silky, rich, with a spot-on flavor and huge chunks of sweet, tender, juicy lobster meat. And it was Dave's favorite dish of the night.
But if I make this dish again, I must be a masochist.
Fourth course: Indian-spiced pork with carrot and sweet potato puree

Indian Spice Rub

Indian spiced rub pork

Indian Spice rubbed pork

This was a dish we ate at Veya, a fantastic restaurant on the island of Anguilla in the British West Indies. This vacation (and the food we ate there) was so incredible, we're going back again this year. Knowing a local with a fabulous house by the beach has its perks. See you in December Neal!
Fifth course: Chocolate pecan pie with Kahlua whipped cream

Chocolate Pecan Pie_2

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Chocolate Pecan Pie_5

The dessert course is (surprise, surprise!) a Rick Bayless recipe. Remember the chocolate pecan pie that I said would change your life?? I first had it on my birthday this year at Frontera. Lucky for me, I didn't have to play around and hope to come close to recreating it---the recipe is online. It turned out fabulously. Rick would be proud.

The meal was a perfect celebration of our anniversary. After all, there's some truth in the saying, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach."
Ham and cheese croquettes (adapted from 1080 Recipes) You'll need: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 1/2 tablespoons butter 4 tablespoons flour 1 1/2 cups whole or 2% milk 1-2 eggs 2 cups bread crumbs 1 cup pancetta, prosciutto or bacon, finely minced 1/4 cup cheddar or swiss salt and pepper to taste
Cook the finely chopped ham in the vegetable oil in a sauce pan or skillet. Remove and set aside. Using the same pan, melt the butter and stir in the flour. Bit by bit, incorporate the milk, constantly stirring and reducing the sauce until it is very thick. Stir in the cheese and ham. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mixture in a baking dish and allow to cool for two hours. Form croquette shapes using two tablespoons and your hands. Cover the croquettes in bread crumbs, dip in the beaten eggs, then again in the bread crumbs. Store in the fridge or freezer and chill thoroughly before deep frying until golden brown. Serve with garlic and parsley aioli (mayo, minced garlic and parsley).
Microgreen salad You'll need: about 2 cups (or one small carton) microgreens (the only place I've ever found these is Trader Joe's. You can use spinach, arugula or mixed spring greens as a substitute) 1 half of a yellow bell pepper, chopped finely 1 half of an orange bell pepper, chopped finely 1 half of a small onion, chopped finely 1/4 cup pine nuts 1/3 cup feta cheese 1/4 cup mandarin orange slices 4 tablespoons honey 4 tablespoons olive oil salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together and toss to coat everything.
Lobster bisque (adapted from recipe from The Signature Room) You'll need: 1, 1- to 2-pound lobster 3 cups lobster stock 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 tablespoons butter 1/4 cup white wine 1/4 cup brandy 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup arborio rice 1 small onion, chopped 1/4 cup celery stalk, chopped 1/4 cup carrot, chopped 1/2 cup leek, chopped 1 teaspoon tarragon salt and pepper to taste
Cook the lobster in boiling water for 8-10 minutes, depending on the size. Pull the lobster out with tongs and put in ice water to cool. Pull the meat from the lobster and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Cook the vegetables in the butter in a large pot. Add the tomato paste, stir to coat the vegetables. Add in the white wine, vanilla and brandy and cook until the alcohol smell starts to dissipate and the mixture smells sweet. Stir in the rice and lobster stock and reduce. Stir in the cream and reduce again. Continue to cook, stirring periodically, until the mixture is thick and the vegetables are cooked through. Add the tarragon and puree the mixture in a blender or food processor and strain with a fine mesh strainer. Add the lobster and reheat in a pot over the stove or in the microwave. Top with chives and serve.
Indian-spiced pork tenderloin with carrot and sweet potato puree You'll need: a whole, 1-pound pork tenderloin Indian spice rub (recipe follows) olive oil for cooking 5 carrots 1 sweet potato 1/2 cup onion 1 cup chicken broth 2 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon curry powder salt and pepper to taste
Indian spice rub 1 tablespoon curry powder (spicy curry--if not spice, add chile powder to taste) 1 tablespoon cardamom 1 tablespoon coriander 1 tablespoon turmeric 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon pepper 1 tablespoon garlic powder 2 tablespoons paprika 1/2 cup brown sugar
Rub the pork in the spice rub and drizzle with olive oil. Let sit overnight or for several hours in the fridge. Brown in a skillet and finish off in a 350-degree oven until the internal temp of the tenderloin reached 145-150 degrees. Let sit for at least ten minutes before cutting and serving. To make the puree, peel and chop the carrots, sweet potato and onion and cook in the butter and chicken broth until vegetables are soft. Puree and season to taste. Serve hot topped with a slice of pork.
Chocolate pecan pie with Kahlua whipped cream (adapted from Rick Bayless' recipe) You'll need: Crust 1 1/2 cups flour 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in small pieces and chilled thoroughly 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut in small pieces and chilled thoroughly 3/4 teaspoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons ice water
Filling 2 cups toasted pecan halves 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 3 tablespoons flour 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar5 eggs, room temperature 3/4 cup light corn syrup 1/4 cup molasses 1 1/2 tablespoons Kahlua or coffee liquor 2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon salt
Whipped cream 1 cup whipping cream 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 tablespoons Kahlua
For the crust, combine all ingredients except for the ice water in a food processor, but don't over process--you want little beads of butter and shortening in the dough. Mix in ice water, again being careful not to over-process. Form into a disk and refrigerate for one hour. Roll out into a 12 inch disk and form to a pie dish. Pre-bake, with foil over the crust and weighted down by pie weights, beans or another oven-safe dish at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove and cool. For the filling, crush the toasted pecan halves and mix in the chocolate and flour. Whip the butter and sugar for 5 minutes in a mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in the remaining filing ingredients and mix in the chocolate/pecan mixture. Pour mixture into the pie crust and bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until the center of the pie is completely set (not jiggly). Whip all ingredients for the whipping cream until light and fluffy. Top each pie slice with a dollop.

The Ultimate Potato Chip Taste Test

2009-09-29T03:56:00.003-07:00

From bleu cheese to black pepper, honey dijon to hickory barbeque, who can keep up with all the latest twists on potato chips? Whether it’s just the plain and simple classics, or a new-fangled gourmet version, suddenly our grocery store shelves seem to be brimming with a slew of irresistible-sounding varieties. Being chip lovers, we decided it was time to check them out for ourselves. Mmmm, tough assignment...

Kettle Brand Baked Potato Chips - These tasty babies are 65% less fat (about 3 grams of fat and 120 calories for 20) than regular potato chips and they really hold up -- we practically devoured the entire bag in one sitting! They're super crunchy, loaded with flavor (just pure, natural potatoes here with a little salt and oil) and 100% satisfying. We're hooked!
Trader Joe's Popped Potato Chips - These curved, disk shaped chips tout they're "never baked, never fried." Instead, the potatoes are popped by adding heat and pressure! Clever idea, huh? And, this process results in yet another irresistible snack that's lower in calories (4 grams of fat and 120 calories for 22), but definitely not lower in taste. They're light, airy and still very crispy, and we've already run out to buy a few extra bags.
Rock 'n Roll Gourmet Hippie Chips - Similar to the Popped chips, these guys are curved, disk shaped and almost the same fat and calories, but the hook here is that they're made with organic hemp seeds which are loaded with essential fatty acids and reportedly have many health benefits. Tastewise, they're definitely the lightest of the low calorie bunch and not as crunchy. But if you're looking for a groovy, healthy twist on the good ol' potato chip then these could be right up your alley. For more info check out their website.
Kettle Krinkle-Cut Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper – Spiked with spicy flecks of black pepper, these are dangerously addictive. They were not the first chips we tasted, so by the time we got to them we were promising ourselves to eat only 2-3 chips – max. Just not possible with these – you’re lucky if you stop before the bag is empty!
Kettle Yogurt & Green Onion – Slightly sweet when you first pop them in your mouth, followed by a quick tang, these are perfection. Personally, we’re not big on “flavored” chips because they tend to be overpowering, but these are the ideal balance of toasty potato + oniony goodness.
Tim’s Reduced Fat Lightly Salted Chips – These boast “40% less fat” than regular chips, but weighing in at 6 grams per serving we didn’t quite get the math. Still, they’re definitely lighter, no doubt about it. As for the “lightly salted” part, we could taste the reduced sodium and liked it (110mg per ounce vs an average of 150-200mg in other brands). If you crave potato chips for the salt fix, these aren’t for you. But we loved the fact that they weren’t going to make us feel five pounds heavier in the morning. Overall, a healthier option that’s still super satisfying.
Hawaiian Original Kettle Style Chips – Our idea of the perfect chip. Great, not too salty, and a smaller-than-average size (not the gigundo ones that make you feel like you’re binging).
Lays Kettle Cooked Mesquite BBQ Extra Crunchy – A tad too sweet and a bit chemical tasting, but still we found it hard to stop munching. These are the perfect snacky ballgame chip, but not something we’d be inclined to eat with a meal.
Terra Sweets & Carrots – The bag says there’s “a full serving of vegetables in every ounce” - and no trans fats (which can increase the risk of heart disease). Sounds good enough. As for the taste, we loved it. These are very low in sodium (20mg per ounce) and a bit higher in sugar (other chips average 0-1 grams of sugar while these have 7 grams). The carrots and sweet potatoes are naturally sweet and rich, making for an indulgent gourmet spin on the classic.
Boulder Canyon All Natural Malt Vinegar & Sea Salt – In our humble opinion, salt and vinegar chips are one of the BEST junk foods ever invented. That said, we were a bit alarmed to read the label and discover these have a whopping 410mg of sodium per ounce. Yeah, they are S-A-L-T-Y. And incredibly, irresistibly delicious. We would easily down a whole bag.

For more information on how to live stylishly, check out our website, The Foxy Files, and our latest book, Curves Rule And Flat Is Fabulous: Sexy, Stylish Looks For Every Figure.

10 Reasons Not Have Kids Yet ... Or Ever

2009-09-29T03:56:00.001-07:00

Cameron Diaz thinks your kids are bad for the environment.

Well, no, not really. But she told Cosmopolitan she thinks women shouldn’t be pressured into procreating or “shunned” for not having kids because “honestly, we don’t need anymore kids. We have plenty of people on

this planet already.”

The Frisky: How Soon Is Too Soon To Talk About Kids?

While we agree with Cameron that it’s b.s. women still get hassled for not raising rugrats, we can think of far better reasons than old Mother Nature for staying childless.

If you were up last night at 3 a.m., it’s your own damn fault.
Nothing in your closet has someone else’s barf on it. Or someone else’s poop.
You don’t want to keep a spare, clean diaper or a baggie of Cheerios in your purse.
You still want to wear a push-up bra—not a nursing bra.
You can’t have that second mojito if you’re breast feeding.
It’s probably a health hazard to carry around a 10lb baby in four-inch heels.
You want to spend all morning in bed having sex…and all afternoon, too.
You are the only one you want your guy calling a “baby.”
You can blast Amy Winehouse or Lil’ Kim as loud as you want as you want, whenever you want.
If something strange is leaking out of your vagina, it’s probably just because of your period.

The Frisky: What's So Wrong With A Woman Being Selfish?

There’s lots of other reasons not to have kids just yet…what are some of your own?

-- Written by Jessica Wakeman at The Frisky

Indoor air versus outdoor: Which is cleaner?

2009-09-29T03:54:00.004-07:00

The surprising answer is that the air outside your home is probably healthier than the air inside.

Indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air even in the largest and most industrialized cities, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Even in smoggy Los Angeles? Yes.

Martin Wolfe, Seventh Generation's "Scienceman," measured pollution levels in several Los Angeles locations including the side of a freeway, behind a natural-gas powered bus, inside private homes, and more. The result: The outside air in LA is twice as good for you as the air inside your home.

You can see the testing process for yourself in the entertaining video below.

We spend about 90 percent of our time indoors, so it's worth making small changes to improve the air whenever you can. Below are some tips to help you breathe easier when you're at home.

Think twice about what you bring into your home:

Air out dry-cleaned clothes before hanging them in your closet.
Stay away from commercial air fresheners. Many contain synthetic fragrances that can aggravate allergies and asthma. Instead, find the source of the odor and fix it.
Switch to less toxic household cleaning products or follow in grandma's footsteps and use items right out of your pantry. For example, use Alka Seltzer to clean your toilet, glass baking dishes, and more.
Choose low-VOC paints, sealants, and glue. A wide variety of affordable options that work well are available at most home improvement stores.
Replace a vinyl shower curtain with one made from a natural material such as cotton or linen.
Minimize carpeting and look for formaldehyde-free pressed wood furniture and supplies when decorating.

Maintain and clean your house regularly:

Wet-mop or vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate (HEPA) air filter often to limit the chemicals that can accumulate in household dust.
Fix leaks to help avoid formation of molds.
Change your furnace's filters regularly and maintain other fuel-burning appliances.

Keep track of potential pollutants:

Install battery-operated carbon monoxide detectors in your bedroom and other places where you spend a lot of time. Make sure you place detectors in spots where you can hear them, and change the batteries regularly.
Buy a simple radon test kit to determine if radon levels in your home are too high. Radon is a naturally occurring gas that's found in the ground, and it can accumulate in a basement and make its way into your living area.

Let the fresh air in

When it comes to ventilation, there are several options from opening your windows on a windy day to using kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans to employing a whole-house mechanical system. You can ask a knowledgeable professional to explain how you can bring in enough outdoor air to dilute the pollutants in your house and circulate some of them outside.

Environmental journalist Lori Bongiorno shares green-living tips and product reviews with Yahoo! Green's users. Send Lori a question or suggestion for potential use in a future column. Her book, Green Greener Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-smart Choices a Part of Your Life is available on Yahoo! Shopping and Amazon.com.

10 Hair Removal Techniques for Women

2009-09-29T03:54:00.003-07:00

For most women, the struggle with hair is a daily one--not just how to find and maintain a flattering haircut, but how to get rid of unwanted underarm, facial, arm, leg and pubic hair without a lot of effort or expense. Fortunately, there are a number of options available for temporary or permanent hair removal. Laser

Hair Removal

Laser hair removal uses pulsed light, or lasers, to remove unwanted hair by destroying it at the root. Although laser hair removal usually requires at least five sessions at a laser clinic before the hair is completely removed and is significantly more expensive than most other hair removal techniques, it can be used effectively on any part of the body and requires return visits to the clinic only one a year after the initial treatment.

Waxing

Waxing is an effective hair removal technique for nearly every part of the body, including the bikini area. Waxing can be performed in some salons and spas or at home with the use of a home waxing kit, though all follow the same procedure: a soy-based cream-like wax is spread on the skin and covered with clean cloth strips. The strips are removed when the wax hardens and the hair is removed with it. Waxing must be repeated at least every 2 weeks.

Tweezing

Tweezing pulls the hair out at the root and, for some women, it can be uncomfortable, especially when used to remove facial hair. Tweezing can also be time-consuming and, when used at home to remove hair around the eyebrows, can be difficult to do well.

Sugar Waxing

Sugar waxing is similar to waxing in that it involves spreading a substance on the skin, covering it with strips of cloth, then swiftly removing the strips after the substance hardens. With sugar waxing, the hardening substance used is a thick, sugary liquid that is easier to wash off than the soy-based wax used in traditional waxing.

Electrolysis

Electrolysis is truly permanent hair removal. In this technique, the cells that are responsible for hair growth are permanently destroyed by an small electrical current. The hair will not grow back. It may sound like a dream, but there are some drawbacks: it is expensive, more than 2 dozen sessions may be needed to complete the treatments and, because it requires the insertion of a tiny needle into each hair follicle, it can be painful without the use of a local anesthetic cream.

Depilatory Creams

Depilatory creams include chemicals that dissolve hair proteins. They can be highly effective on facial hair, although they need to be applied at least weekly and usually have to be left on for a minimum of five minutes.

Shaving

Most women are inducted into the world of hair removal with this technique and, whether it's done with a straight razor or an electric one, for many it is still the method of choice. Although shaving is only a temporary hair removal technique and must be repeated at least every few days (many women find they must shave more often), it is economical and, with a number of quality razors of both kinds on the market, easy on the skin.

Rotary Epilators

Rotary epilators look and function a lot like electric razors, except they pull out hair at the root with rows of tweezers instead of shaving the hair shaft. While the results can last for several weeks, using epilators can be uncomfortable and the hair must be long enough for the epilator to grasp.

Vaniqa Hair Removal Cream

Vaniqa is a prescription cream that contains a chemical, eflornithine, that inhibits hair growth by inhibiting the enzyme that stimulates hair production. For best results, Vaniqa must be applied twice daily for at least two months, and sometimes as long as six months.

Hormone Treatments

A number of medications, including many commonly prescribed birth-control pills, incorporate a drug that controls the hormones responsible for hair growth. For women who suffer from excessive hair growth, these medications may help bring the situation under control.

Five-step guide to kicking your sugar habit (without sacrificing your sweet tooth)

2009-09-29T03:52:00.001-07:00

Let’s face it: We’re addicted to sugar — and it’s wreaking havoc on our health.

Check the back of your favorite snack, and you’ll probably see some form of sugar on the ingredient list. Whether they call it sugar, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, sorbitol, maltodextrin, mannitol, or malitol, sugar is inside a lot of our foods, and consuming too much of it can pose serious health risks.

Long known to cause weight gain and high cholesterol, diets high in sugar have been strongly linked to diabetes, heart disease, hyperactivity, and tooth decay. Some studies even suggest that excess sugar intake can cause depression and mood swings.

Need another reason to kick your sugar habit? The chemical bleaching process that turns raw cane sugar into the pure white powder you put in your coffee takes huge amounts of energy and emits tons of greenhouse gases. Not to mention the environmental damage caused by large-scale sugar cane plantations, whose toxic chemical runoff pollutes the local water supply and threatens public health.

It may be hard to avoid sugar these days, but it’s not impossible — you just have to know what to look out for. Below we’ve compiled a list of the worst sugar offenders and a five-step guide to kicking your sugar habit without sacrificing your sweet tooth.

Identifying the sugar culprits

Avoid all the white stuff — Within 15 minutes of ingestion, white bread transforms into sugar in your blood stream. It burns very quickly and is deceptively filling. Say no to refined carbs: white sugar, white flour, and white potatoes.

All of these foods have the same effect on the blood sugar; they cause a tremendous spike, then dramatic fall in blood sugar. This causes intense mood swings, hyper cravings, and low energy.

Usually intense sugar binges are followed by cravings for very salty and fatty foods. This destructive cycle causes weight gain among other health side effects. Choose dark breads and whole grains to fill you up and give you lasting energy.

Don’t drink the juice — There are so many hidden sugars in beverages. By now you know soda is an obvious item to eliminate, but fruit juices are high on the list as well. Fruit juices have all the sugar but none of the healthy fiber of whole fruits. Add a lemon wedge or splash of fruit juice to water to give it a kick.

Don’t go low on the carbs — When you don’t consume enough carbohydrates to fuel your body, you get hungry, which many people experience as a craving for sweet foods.

Build meals around complex carbohydrate-rich foods. Examples include baked or roasted purple potatoes; sweet potatoes; root vegetables, such as carrots or parsnips; fresh fruits; or whole grains, such as brown or wild rice, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, or 100-percent sprouted or sourdough whole-grain bread.

Add colorful, fibrous vegetables — particularly greens — preferably steamed or sautéed leafy greens, salad greens, a dash of healthy fat or oil (nuts or seeds; olive, coconut or flax oil; butter; or avocado), and include a small portion of protein in each meal, as insufficient protein intake will induce sugar cravings as well. So keep your diet well rounded.

Shake your sugar blues — Emotional eating is a huge factor when it comes to sugar dependency. Instead of using sugar to cope with imbalances in our lives, why not explore a dialogue to start fresh. Integrate healthier sweeteners, and make a conscious effort to decrease your intake of sweets. Your body will thank you.

Five steps you can take to kick sugar to the curb:

1. Drink more water — We often experience cravings that are largely due to dehydration. Drink more water. When you feel a craving arise, drink an 8-ounce glass of water. See what happens 10 minutes later, you may find that your craving will decrease of fade entirely.

2. Manage your stress levels — Adrenal exhaustion can contribute to cravings for stimulants, such as salt, sugar, alcohol, coffee, etc. Working out daily and getting enough sleep will help alleviate your adrenals and relieve your system of stress. A regular practice of deep diaphramatic breathing will also help you manage stress as it rises.

3. Integrate sweet foods — Sweet potatoes, pears, and cinnamon: These foods are soothing to the pancreas and can satisfy the body’s craving for sweet taste.

4. Try herbs — Garcinia and gymnema sylvestre – aka “sugar destroyer.” This herb is used in Ayurvedic medicine to balance sugar cravings by temporarily numbing the tongue receptors to sweet and restoring the pancreas. You can take capsules or drink the tea.

5. Eat your veggies — As you increase your intake of dark leafy green vegetables, your body begins to find a balance and cravings for sweet begin to diminish. The micro sugars in your greens loaded with phyto-nutrients that fortify the blood and cleanse your organs.

Still need to satisfy the sweet tooth? Click here for a list of healthy sugar substitutes.

More from ecomii:

High-tech airships making a comeback

2009-09-29T03:51:00.001-07:00

Airships are making a comeback with the US military, which could be good news for civilian applications. The military has the deep pockets for research and development, but then, once these ideas are worked out, civilian applications often follow along. So it is for those reasons, and not military booster-ism, that we are excited to see that the US Army is planning to deploy an unmanned airship called the LEMV which can spend up to 3 weeks at an altitude of 20,000 feet (6,100 m) with a 2,500 pound (1,134 kg) payload of surveillance equipment by the middle of 2011.

LEMV (Long Endurance Multi-intelligence Vehicle) is a hybrid airship which gets most, but not all of its lift from the buoyant volume of the vehicle. 20% of the lift, however, comes from the aerodynamic shape of the craft and from its thrusters. The LEMV is capable of a much longer period of continuous operation than other contemporary unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).

The video below shows trial flights of the Lockheed Martin P-791 prototype which, at 125 feet (38 m) long, was about half the size of the proposed LEMV. The initial Army deployment of the LEMV is to be in Afghanistan. But research applications and disaster relief are just two of the more beneficial uses this technology could be used for in the near future.

via: Slashdot and Gizmodo

Make Over Your Boobs!

2009-09-29T03:49:00.001-07:00

Charla Krupp gives 10 tips for finding the best, most flattering bras for you.

By Lois Joy Johnson, BettyConfidential.com

One of my best friends is a petite peppy blonde you’ve seen lots of times on the Today show. She’s Charla Krupp, author of the bestseller How Not To Look Old ($15.99 reduced to $10.87, amazon.com) a.k.a. the bra-queen. Charla has been known to eyeball a friend or colleague’s chest (over lunch no less) and pull out of her large Gucci bag a bra that “you must try right this minute because it will change your life.” She’s always right and saved a large group of her N.Y.C. and Hamptons chums from looking saggy or like deflated party balloons in our DVF and Milly sheaths this summer. Buy her paperback to get all the info but I asked Charla to give the Bettys her top ten bra tips:

1. If you haven’t gotten a professional bra fitting in the last year go now! If you gained or lost weight, had a baby, are menopausal, went on or off the pill … you need an update. Bra manufacturer Wacoal says in the last ten years average size went from a 34B to a 36D. Wow! Major department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom and Bloomingdales all have specially trained fitters in their bra departments.

2. The right bra will lift your breasts up and off your ribcage and give you a couple of more inches of torso right under the bra band so your body looks longer and leaner. This is the skinniest part of your torso so don’t hide it under saggy breasts! I once did a bra segment on Oprah and this tip really got amazing viewers raves.

3. Get a molded underwire bra especially if you’re a D or larger. For years I wore minimizers thinking the compression made me look smaller. I ended up looking like I had a uniboob … or like I had four boobs, depending on the bra. They either squashed me together or emphasized excess spillage at the top and sides.

4. You need a wardrobe of bras to avoid a panic situation when you’re getting dressed. How many times have you put something on and realized the bra didn’t work? At the minimum, you need a T-shirt bra, a strapless bra, a cleavage bra, a sports bra and a casual weekend bra.

5. Forget white bras forever – no more! Buy nude and black. Nude disappears under white clothes and sheers and black works under everything else. If you have to start out with just one, get nude.

6. Get a casual weekend bra. So many women just skip a bra altogether when they’re at home hanging out but you still need support. The Spanx Bra-llelujah! bra comes in underwire and soft cup, or try the new racerback underwire: perfect for cutaway sleeveless tops (32A to 38D, $62 nordstrom.com). It won’t give you back fat even in skinny fitted tees and there’s absolutely no metal or stitching to irritate. You feel like you have nothing on.

7. I keep saying that the Le Mystere Dream Tisha bra (underwire, 32C to 44G, $68, nordstrom.com) is the ultimate T-shirt bra and it is. I know it’s pricey, but it’s better to splurge on a good bra when you’re busty and scrimp on clothes, because a quality bra like this one makes anything you wear look expensive and this will get your boobs up and off your chest.

8. Bras should lay flat one on top of the other in your drawer, cup to cup. Never roll or fold them up! And if you do wear molded bras, invest in a firm contour travel container like the Bra-g bra case ($49.95 the bragcompany.com) so they don’t get squashed in your luggage.

9. Wash your bras by hand, and never put them in the dryer or sun-dry them. I know you’re tempted to throw them in the machine but it wrecks the elasticity. I soak my bras in the sink in a gentle liquid designed for hand washing or Ivory Snow. Right now I’m using Forever New Delicate Fabric Wash ($17, amazon.com). FYI, a single bra lasts about 100 washings from brand new to worn out so you need two of your everyday basic: one to wear while the other one is being washed/dried. Please don’t wear the same bra everyday! Believe it or not your bra needs time to “bounce back” so it doesn’t lose its holding power.

10. Let the band, not the cups, do the heavy lifting. The band should sit low on your back below your shoulder blades and feel snug. The bra should stay up even without the straps in place. Some women hike up the straps and raise the band but that actually creates back fat. When trying a new bra, always fasten the middle or loosest hook. With wear, the band stretches and then you’ll want to shift to the tightest closure.

Tips to Find Your Soul Mate

2009-09-29T03:47:00.000-07:00

1. Stop Looking. Have you ever spent hours looking for something you've lost only to find it once you stopped looking? It's the same with soulmates. Once you stop trying so hard to find "the one" you're far more likely to find hi

m or her.

2. Stop Trying to Please People. This is especially true for many women, who often try so hard to make someone else happy that they lose themselves in the process. You want someone to love you for who YOU are, don't you? Not for becoming someone else.

3. Lose the Sleaze Factor. I've seen so many women shorten their hemlines, wear push-up bras, and sport low-cut tops, who then wonder why they attract the wrong men. I think a lot of women do these things out of fear that no one will find them attractive. Sure, you'll attract people this way, but rarely ever the right type of person.
4. Improve Yourself. I met my husband when I "gave up" on men. I had decided to simply focus on "better-ing" myself. Et voila! He showed up when I least expected it…but was at my best.
5. Stop Creating Grocery Lists of What You Want in Another Person. That might work fine for groceries, but the love of your life should be so much more than a list of characteristics and attributes. Not to mention that so many people put ridiculous things like wealth, height, and other fairly shallow requirements on their list of expectations for their future mate. You wouldn't want to miss the love of your life because he or she is a few inches shorter than you wanted, now would you?

Headphones That Protect Kids' Hearing

2009-09-25T22:06:00.001-07:00

Griffin's MyPhones are designed for kids' heads and health

Kids today have become used to wearing headphones so that they can listen to everything from music and movies on a portable media player to the zaps and pows of a video or computer game. But kids usually wear headphones that aren't made for their smaller heads and more sensitive ears.

Griffin Technology's new MyPhones ($39.99, available in early October) are specifically designed, over-the-ear headphones for kids. They include circuitry that limits volume to 85 decibels, a level that regulatory agencies and pediatric audiologists consider safe for kids. MyPhones also feature soft, rubber ear cushions for extra comfort and an adjustable headband so that kids won't grow out of them too soon. They plug in via a heavy-duty, 50-inch cable designed to take the sort of abuse that kids can dish out.

MyPhones can also be customized. The ear caps have interchangeable decorative inserts, and each pair of MyPhones comes with three different designs and blank templates so kids can make their own. More templates can be downloaded from the MyPhones Web site, and kids can upload their own designs or download those of others. The MyPhones packaging also doubles as a see-through carrying case, and it can also be customized with kid-designed inserts.

MyPhones lets kids enjoy their favorite electronic activity with great sound quality and gives mom and dad peace of mind about their kids' hearing -- as well as some peace and quiet around the house or in the car.

Drive a Real Ferrari While Gaming

2009-09-25T22:01:00.000-07:00

Maybe you can't afford a Ferrari, but if you're addicted to Gran Turismo or PC racing games, at least you can own a Ferrari-licensed gamepad. Four models from Thrustmaster -- the wireless 430 Scuderia and F60 (both $49.99), the wired F430 ($39.99, pictured above) and dual analog F60 ($24.99) -- will all hit showrooms in October.

The first three feature "grips that are reminiscent of Ferrari noses" and are cloaked in the supercars' colors. And to make them feel as exclusive as a real Ferrari, these three limited-edition gamepads all come affixed with a numbered plate.

The two wireless models feature 2.4 GHz technology, while all have an optical wheel with automatic centering as well as dual progressive triggers. All models are also fully programmable, have internal memories and are PS3 and computer-game compatible.

To keep a driver from becoming fatigued throughout a long day of simulated racing, the Ferrari gamepads also feature a "peach skin" texture on the lower grip's lining, which Thrustmaster says provides comfort as well as precision and reliability.

That's something even legendary Ferrari F1 driver Michael Schumacher's race car didn't have.

Spirited England shock Sri Lanka

2009-09-25T21:59:00.001-07:00

England 213 for 4 (Morgan 62*) beat Sri Lanka 212 (Kandamby 53, Mathews 52) by six wickets

Eoin Morgan made a confident 62 against Sri Lanka's formidable attack © Getty Images

Sometimes you just have to get away from it all to find what you are really looking for. After embracing embarrassment throughout a lamentable one-day series against Australia, England's cricketers travelled 6000 miles south from Durham to Johannesburg, where to the astonishment of players, spectators and pundits alike, they atoned for their shortcomings by toppling the tournament pace-setters, Sri Lanka, in their opening match of the Champions Trophy.

Dossier-compilers across the cricketing world will doubtless enquire exactly how England passed the time during their 11-hour long-haul flight on Monday, but if their performance stopped short of being sexy cricket, it did at least last rather longer than most of their recent efforts. An ecstatic new-ball onslaught from James Anderson and Graham Onions set England on course for victory as early as the sixth over of the match as Sri Lanka slumped to 17 for 4, and though Thilan Kandamby and Angelo Mathews responded manfully with a pair of well-paced half-centuries, Sri Lanka's eventual total of 212 was chased down with something approaching assurance, with 30 balls to spare.

After the early loss of both openers, including the potentially devastating dismissal of Andrew Strauss for 9 via a stunning one-handed interception by Kandamby at midwicket, Paul Collingwood lifted England's intensity with a bullish 46 from 51 balls that included three leg-side sixes, before Eoin Morgan sealed the deal with his highest score in ODIs for England. In between whiles, Owais Shah put his recent jitters behind him with a calm and comfortable 44 that drew the sting of Sri Lanka's spinners, particularly the off-colour Muttiah Muralitharan, before Matt Prior partnered Morgan to the close with an aggressive unbeaten 28.

It truly was an upset of the highest order, because the two teams could hardly have come together with their form and fortunes more polarised. In Sri Lanka's opening fixture at Centurion on Tuesday, they racked up the small matter of 319 for 8 as they routed the hosts and tournament favourites, South Africa, in a rain-curtailed contest. England, on the other hand, sloped belatedly into the country with their morale at their bootlaces and their form under a cloud, after the humiliations of their 6-1 trouncing by Australia.

This time, however, being under a cloud suited England perfectly. On a green-tinged surface that might have been imported from Uxbridge in April, Strauss won his seventh toss in eight ODIs, and was delighted to unleash a seam-heavy attack in which Onions had been chosen in preference to Tim Bresnan, despite having played only one previous 50-over international. Sure enough, his faith was quickly repaid, as Onions extracted the out-of-form Sanath Jayasuriya with his fifth delivery, caught behind nibbling outside off for a second-ball duck.

Four balls later, and Anderson extracted the prize scalp of Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sri Lanka's centurion against South Africa, who had been frustrated for 11 probing deliveries in which his only scoring shot was a prod down to third man. He fell to a scything slash to point off the fullest delivery of Anderson's spell, whereupon Mahela Jayawardene - who seemed to have decided to go down swinging from the outset - was pinned lbw for 9 as he attempted an over-ambitious flick across the line.

Kumar Sangakkara endured a torrid mini-innings - he was struck amidships first-ball by a wicked inducker from Onions, but then chased a ball that might well have been called wide, had he not connected with his edge and flashed a high chance to Andrew Strauss at first slip. At 17 for 4 after 32 deliveries, Sri Lanka were staring at the sort of humiliation that West Indies (47 for 7) encountered on this same surface against Pakistan on Wednesday.

But Anderson and Onions could not continue indefinitely, and the arrival of Stuart Broad loosened the shackles enough for Sri Lanka to wriggle free. From his second delivery, Samaraweera drove an indifferent length ball through the covers for four, before following up with a handsome slash through point for a second boundary, and before long, England had truly lost the plot. In total, they served up an unforgiveable 21 wides, as they searched for killer deliveries in a bid to skittle the Sri Lankans inside 30 overs, whereas the more patient approach adopted by the Sri Lankan batsmen would have been far more appropriate.

Broad took a while to gauge the pace and length for the surface - often his biggest failing as a bowler seems to be his inexperience - while his indiscipline spread to Onions' bowling as well, who beat Samaraweera with a vicious bouncer that almost knocked the batsman off his feet, only to squander that surprise element by beating the life out of the middle of the wicket, instead of pitching it up and inviting the ball to swing. Samaraweera followed up two overs later with back-to-back fours off Onions, before guiding another Broad bouncer over the slips and away through third man.

Thilina Kandamby

But, just as England were beginning to strain for inspiration, Broad rediscovered a good length outside off, and Samaraweera's enterprising innings of 30 from 48 balls came to an end thanks to a sharp catch from Paul Collingwood in the gully. Collingwood then followed up with an eight-over spell of accurate cutters that didn't realise any wickets, but conceded just 24 runs in the process - almost half the rate at which Onions and Luke Wright were dispatched.

It took a run-out for England to truly regain their control of the contest, as Kandamby set off for a second run from a push into the covers, only to find Mathews rooted to the crease at the striker's end. Two overs later, they claimed their second run-out ... but Strauss, with visions of Collingwood's vilification in a similar situation against New Zealand last summer, asked the umpires to reverse the decision. Mathews had turned Onions into the leg-side, and set off for an intended two, only to collide with Onions, who had tracked back towards the non-striker's stumps, and with no apparent intent in his actions, was standing right next to Mathews as he turned blind on completing his run.

Mathews was visibly unimpressed with the decision, and gesticulated as such as he left the crease, but it wasn't until he was in the pavilion tunnel that Strauss called him back to the crease. Three balls and one run later, his generosity was repaid, as Mathews nibbled outside off, and edged Wright low to Prior behind the stumps. As he left the crease for the second time, he acknowledged Strauss's sportsmanship with a wave. Cricket was the winner, and several forests-worth of newsprint were spared.

Muralitharan cashed in with an enterprising slogged 18 before he and Malinga had their stumps demolished in consecutive deliveries from Broad, but at the halfway mark, Sri Lanka appeared to have a more-than-competitive total on the board, especially when Kulasekera struck to remove Denly and Strauss inside his first four overs. But the dewy conditions did not play to Sri Lanka's strengths in the slightest. The same, however, could not be said for England, who have now stormed to the top of their group. Wonders truly will never cease.

Eat Your Way to Better Sex

2009-09-25T21:56:00.004-07:00

Do you know the most important factor in good sexual health? It's your mind. Studies involving men and women have shown that it is the mind that determines sexual performance and drive more than anything else. Men and women were given a placebo and told that it would increase their libido and performance; the majority stated that they saw a significant increase in those areas, which shows us that it is the mind more than a pill that is responsible for the change.

So what does food have to do with sexual and emotional health and how the mind works to help us have better health?

For women, the addition of soy in the diet will help in vaginal lubrication because soy adheres to the estrogen receptors, which are responsible for determining how much lubrication the vagina needs. It also helps to reduce the occurrence of hot flashes that happen during menopause. For men, soy is beneficial to helping the prostate stay healthy. Adding chili peppers and ginger to your diet will help improve your circulation and stimulate nerve endings, which will improve your sexual pleasure.

Another added benefit to eating heart-healthy foods is that they also help a man's sexual health by keeping the blood flowing properly through the arteries. High blood pressure and coronary artery disease can affect the function of the male organs due to the inability of the blood flow to reach the genital area, which can cause erectile dysfunction.

There are also a number of foods that are said to directly affect sexual performance due to their aphrodisiac influence. These foods include ginseng, bananas, figs, asparagus, eels, oysters and rhino horn, which supposedly increases sexual appetite.

There are many myths that pertain to food and sexual health that date back thousands of years; for example, that eating certain roots that are phallic shaped will increase a man's performance, but there are some true benefits from certain foods and beverages.

The consumption of alcohol relaxes you and gives you a short-term artificial boost in self confidence. Caffeine and sugar are the solution for a quick energy fix. But it is the diet we follow daily for a long time that will promote better sexual health. Eating lean foods like fish along with fruits and vegetables is not just good for your sexual health but for your heart as well.

Dispelling four myths about electric motorcycles

2009-09-25T21:56:00.003-07:00

(Photo: Vogelbilt Corp)

The following is a guest post by Seth Leitman, editor of the TAB Green Guru Guides

Electric motorcycles are a great form of eco-friendly travel, although there are a number of myths/rumors being circulated about them. So we turned to Carl Vogel, author of the new book Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle (part of the TAB Green Guru Guides series I edit), as well as builder of an electric cruiser with a biodiesel side car.

Here's what Carl has to say in answer of the biggest myths about electric motorcycles:

1. Electric motorcycles can't go fast enough

Many electric motorcycles on the market today have a top speed of 60 mph or more. The Electra Cruiser easily tops more than 80 mph. The beauty of building your own electric motorcycle is you determine how fast you want your vehicle to go.

2. Electric motorcycles have a puny range

Nothing could be further from the truth, but unfortunately, this myth has been widely accepted. The reality is that electric motorcycles can go as far as most people need. While lithium-ion batteries will expand the range dramatically, the technology is not yet ready for a massive road trip. But what is its range? The federal government reports that the average daily commuter distance for all modes of motor travel (i.e., cars, trucks and buses) is 10 miles, and this figure hasn't changed appreciably in 20 years of data gathering. An earlier study showed that 98% of all trips are less than 50 miles per day; most people do all their driving locally and take only a few long trips. One-hundred-mile and longer trips are only 17% of total miles driven.

Virtually any of today's 120-V electric motorcycle conversions will go 75 miles using readily available off-the-shelf components -- if you keep the weight under 1,000 pounds. This means that an electric motorcycle can meet more than 85% of the average person's needs. If you're commuting to work -- a place that presumably has an electric outlet available -- you can nearly double your range by recharging during your working hours. In addition, if range is really important, you can optimize your electric motorcycle for it. It's that simple.

3. Electric motorcycles aren't convenient

A popular question is, "Suppose that you're driving and you are not near your home to charge up or you run out of electricity. What do you do?" Well, my favorite answer is, "I would do the same thing I'd do if I ran out of gas: call AAA or a tow truck." The reality is that electric motorcycles are extremely convenient. Recharging is as convenient as your nearest electric outlet, especially for conversion motorcycles using 110-V charging outlets. Here are some other reasons:

You can get electricity anywhere you can get gas -- there are no gas stations without electricity.

You can get electricity from many places -- there are few homes and virtually no businesses in the United States without electricity.

Plug-in-anywhere recharging capability is an overwhelming electric motorcycle advantage. No question that it's an advantage when your electric motorcycle is parked in your own garage, carport or driveway. If you live in an apartment and can work out a charging arrangement, it's an even better idea. Moreover, a very simple device can be rigged to signal you if anyone ever tries to steal your motorcycle. [Oops, guess the Fuel and Veggie Van Organization team needed one of those!]

The widely available 110-V electric supply does the job quite nicely if your electric motorcycle has an onboard charger, extension cord and plug(s) available. In the future, you will be able to recharge quicker from multiple voltage and current options, have "quick charge" capability by dumping one battery stack into another, and maybe even have uniform battery packs that you swap and strap on at a local "battery station" in no more time than it takes you to get a fill-up at a gas station today. Just as it's used in your home today, electricity is clean, quiet, safe, and stays at the outlet until you need it.

4. Electric motorcycles are expensive

While this is perhaps true that electric motorcycles manufactured in low volume today are expensive -- and partially true of professionally done conversion units -- it's not true of the do-it-yourself advocates. The reality is that electric motorcycles cost the same to buy (you're not going to spend any more for one than you would have budgeted anyway for your second internal combustion engine motorcycle), the same to maintain, and far less per mile to operate. In the long term, future volume production and technology improvements will make the cost benefits favor electric motorcycles even more.

Check out the new book Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle. Seth Leitman blogs at Green Living Guy.

The Daily Green's Community News section is a forum for our audience to get the word out about issues that matter to them, enlist support, get help and advice, celebrate successes, or share humor. Submissions to The Daily Green are subject to our Privacy and Terms of Use policies.

Would you raise your own poultry?

2009-09-25T21:54:00.001-07:00

The number of people growing vegetables in home or community gardens has increased tremendously in the last year or two.

Experiencing a similar renaissance is backyard chickening. (Chickening = birth of a word.) How else to explain the existence of Backyard Poultry magazine?

In this week’s issue (Sept. 28) of The New Yorker, the author Susan Orlean (“The Orchid Thief”) writes about her foray into raisi

ng chickens.

“Chickens seem to be a perfect convergence of the economic, environmental, gastronomic, and emotional matters of the moment, plus, in the past few years, they have undergone an image rehabilitation so astonishing that it should be studied by marketing consultants.”

Unfortunately, Orlean’s article, "The It Bird," isn’t available online, but a three-minute video of Orlean and her chickens is on The New Yorker site. Click here to watch.

Water bottles and your health: a secret history

2009-09-25T21:53:00.005-07:00

There’s a lot of talk and confusion about BPA recently … at least within the water-bottle world. Here’s the latest on the scandals and a brief history of water bottles in America. Hopefully this will clear up a few things and help you make an educated choice about buying water bottles for you and your family.

Nalgene

Remember Nalgene? These bottles used to be all the rage, until early 2008 when the clear ones were found to leach BPA. Clear Nalgenes and other similar bottles are made from polycarbonate plastic (usually marked with the recycling number 7, a good way to spot them). The verdict is still out on the opaque Nalgenes, but most people would rather be safe than sorry.

SIGG

After Nalgene’s BPA scandal, water bottle lovers made a big push for metal bottles made of aluminum and stainless steel. One company in particular, SIGG, seemed to rise to prominence for selling a highly functional, durable, and stylish product that was environmentally friendly and (purportedly) “chemical-free.” SIGG claimed that numerous tests in the United States and Switzerland found absolutely no evidence of chemical leakage into the water. Well … you can probably see where this is going.

Latest developments

Surprise: Last month, SIGG announced that the protective inner liner of its older aluminum bottles contained traces of BPA. SIGG still maintains that all testing “revealed absolutely no migration or leaching of BPA or any other substance from the protective inner liner,” according to a letter from CEO Steve Wasik on the company’s website. So while the liner did contain BPA all along, users were still totally safe … right?

SIGG is now being accused of “greenwashing,” or exaggerating the health and environmental properties of their bottles to make a profit. Some critics claim that SIGG took advantage of the backlash against polycarbonate bottles to push its aluminum bottles into market victory.

What’s next?

From Steve Wasik’s letter: “To be clear, all SIGG bottles made since August 2008 contain our new BPA free EcoCare liner. SIGG bottles manufactured prior to August 2008 have the former water-based epoxy liner which contains trace amounts of BPA.” SIGG contends that its old bottles (even though they contain BPA) do not leach BPA and are 100% safe. At this point, however, many SIGG users don’t want to risk it.

If you have an old bottle (pre-August 2008), and you write to the company to complain, SIGG will replace it with a new BPA-free EcoCare bottle — you just have to pay for shipping.

5 things that can ruin your skin (a friendly reminder)

2009-09-25T21:53:00.003-07:00

Let's be honest with each other: No matter how enlightened one may be, the experience of discovering new wrinkles is everything from startling to a major bummer. It's not easy to watch yourself age, but it is inevitable. However, there are a few things we can do to take back the power, to slow down the process, and to make our faces look as young as possible for as long as they possibly can. You probably know most of this stuff, but you might have forgotten. Or, if you've been living under a little stone and have never heard of sunblock, it's honestly never too late to start practicing safe skin.

1. Unprotected sun exposure
If we could be tan for the rest of our lives, we SO would, but tanning causes premature aging, fine lines, and unpleasant big brown splotches and freckles all over your skin (also: skin cancer. Scary!). This is why we should all be using moisturizers with SPF 30--and don't forget to slather it on your neck and hands, as well. They're two places with delicate skin that's prone to aging young.

2. Smoking
Between the drying out and the toxins and the oxygen-zapping and the above-the-lip, pucker-inhale wrinkles, smoking does absolutely nothing good for your skin and really just makes you look old and gray-faced before your time.

3. Booze
Ooh. I bet you liked those four Mojitos last night, but you know what? Your skin hated them. Alcohol dehydrates the skin, it can cause tiny red veins to rupture on your visage, and make you look as blotchy and flushed as Nick Nolte in a mugshot. To combat this: Down a glass a water between spirits, and limit consumption to just a couple of booze-y beverages per night.

4. Sugar
Dear chocoholics, cookie monsters, and anyone who regularly polishes off a pint of Chunky Monkey: Sugar messes with your skin's collagen; it can lessen its repair function and speed up elasticity loss, leaving your face dull and saggy. Curb sweet tooth cravings by turning to natural sugars like those found in fruit or, even better, snack on a handful of almonds which are packed with both antioxidants (good for skin!) and protein.

5. Dehydration
You know the rule: You need 8 to 10, 8-ounce glasses of water a day. As annoying as this is, it's just enough to keep your organs flushed and functioning and your skin hydrated from within. The second part of the hydration-equation is experimenting with skincare regimens until you find the right one for your budget and skin type. Essentially all you need is a mild cleanser, a good day moisturizer with SPF and slightly thicker night cream that's packed with vitamins and will give you skin-healing benefits while you sleep.

Six products win Green Good Housekeeping Seal certification

2009-09-25T21:52:00.003-07:00

Six new products have been certified by the Green Good Housekeeping Seal -- a first.

Known for decades as the authority in product testing for its Good Housekeeping Seal, the new seal certifies products that not only live up to marketing claims for efficacy, but for its sustainability. Good Housekeeping Research Institute evaluates various criteria, including reduction of water use in manufacturing, energy efficiency in manufacturing and product use, ingredient and product safety, packaging reduction, and the brand’s corporate social responsibility.

"The Good Housekeeping Seal was originally created to protect consumers from potentially dangerous products and false claims,” said Rosemary Ellis, editor-in-chief of Good Housekeeping. "Today our readers are interested in making choices that are healthier for their families and for the planet, so we’re continuing our legacy of consumer advocacy with the Green Good Housekeeping Seal, offering consumers a guide, backed by scientific research, for products making significant steps towards being environmentally sound."

The best part: If the product fails to live up to its claims in the first two years, Good Housekeeping will replace the item or refund the consumer.

The first round of testing included cleaning and beauty products. Upcoming tests will include more than a dozen categories, including building products, home appliances, consumer electronics, textiles, and children’s products.

Here are the newly certified products, and Good Housekeeping's description of them:

Aveeno’s Soothing Bath Treatment is made of 100 percent pure natural colloidal oatmeal that works as a cleanser, while relieving itchy, irritated skin. In the Research Institute’s environmental evaluations, the product performed particularly well in the following areas: toxicity and product safety; sourcing of product ingredients; sourcing of packaging materials; producing low levels of greenhouse gases; and reducing industrial and hazardous waste from manufacturing. AVEENO and its parent company Johnson & Johnson are also making great strides in improving their distribution carbon footprint including increasing the number of hybrid vehicles in their fleet 36 percent in 2008 from 2007.
Physicians Formula’s Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Tinted Moisturizer, a lightweight tinted moisturizer with SPF 15, consists of 100 percent natural ingredients including organic jojoba, organic shea butter, and organic sunflower oil, with 80 percent of its ingredients produced from organic farming. In the Research Institute’s environmental evaluations, the product performed well in the following areas: use of energy efficient and renewable energy processes in manufacturing; toxicity and product safety; sourcing of product ingredients – especially the use of ingredients from certified sources; reducing industrial and hazardous waste from manufacturing; producing low levels of greenhouse gases.
Green Works’ Natural Bathroom Cleaner, which removes soap scum, hard water stains, and rust, is made with at least 95 percent natural plant and mineral-based biodegradable cleaning ingredients. In the Research Institute’s environmental evaluations, the product did particularly well in the following areas: toxicity and product safety; sourcing of product ingredients; sourcing of packaging materials, especially using recycled content in their packaging and packaging recyclability; producing low levels of VOCs. Green Works and its parent company Clorox are also taking substantial steps to improve the environmental impact of their company as a whole, committing to measure and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, water and energy use and waste.
Nature’s Source All Purpose Cleaner uses plant-based cleaners to remove grease and dirt from a variety of surfaces including porcelain, fiberglass, chrome, ceramic, and stainless steel. In the Research Institute’s environmental evaluations, the product did particularly well in the following areas: toxicity and product safety; using energy efficient distribution practices; reducing industrial and hazardous waste from manufacturing; producing low levels of VOCs.
Nature’s Source Glass & Surface Cleaner contains plant-based cleaning agents derived from natural substances such as coconut oil or palm-kernel oil and also corn-based ethanol, a plant-based alcohol that allows surfaces to dry streak-free. In the Research Institute’s environmental evaluations, the product did particularly well in the following areas: toxicity and product safety; using energy efficient distribution practices; reducing industrial and hazardous waste from manufacturing; packaging of the product.
Nature’s Source Laundry Stain Remover combines simple, biodegradable ingredients into a natural solution and contains no ammonia, bleach, phosphorus or dyes. In the Research Institute’s environmental evaluations, the product did particularly well in the following areas: toxicity and product safety; using energy efficient distribution practices; reducing industrial and hazardous waste from manufacturing; sourcing of product ingredients.
Nature’s Source Natural Bathroom Cleaner attacks and loosens soil with the power of lactic acid, which is produced from the breakdown of natural sugars in fruits, vegetables and a variety of other sources. In the Research Institute’s environmental evaluations, the product did particularly well in the following areas: toxicity and product safety; using energy efficient distribution practices; reducing industrial and hazardous waste from manufacturing; producing low levels of VOCs.

10 Cities with the Worst Cellulite

2009-09-25T21:50:00.003-07:00

Cellulite sucks, there's just no two ways about it. A big part of why we lovely ladies get it has to do with genes and hormones (joy!), but there are also some lifestyle factors involved (check out this article to see if you're guilty of any cellulite-causing habits). We looked at those pesky habits to see which cities likely have the most cellulite.

Check out the list below (click on any to see why they made the list). Is your hometown on it?

No. 10: Memphis, Tenn.

No. 9: Charleston, W.Va.

No. 8: Montgomery, Ala.

No. 7: Huntington, W.Va.

No. 6: Jacksonville, Fla.

No. 5: Hagerstown, Md.

No. 4: Mobile, Ala.

No. 3: Rock Springs, Wyo.

No. 2: Wichita Falls, Texas

No. 1: Birmingham, Ala.

Is your home not there? Whew! But you may not be completely in the clear. Get help for cellulite here.

Love our "worst-city" lists? Then check out:

Looking for something a little more positive? Then how about:

Keep up with the latest in beauty -- follow us on Twitter and friend us on Facebook.

How the new fuel efficiency standards will affect us

2009-09-25T21:50:00.001-07:00

“This is the single biggest step the American government has ever taken to cut greenhouse-gas emissions.”

That’s what Daniel Becker of the Safe Climate Campaign said back in May about the Obama administration’s plans to raise fuel efficiency requirements for motor vehicles progressively over the next several years.

You could, of course, call this damning with faint praise. However, this is a strong step in the right direction that will hopefully be followed up with further environmental sustainability legislation and a strong international agreement in Copenhagen.

On September 15, the details of this plan were filled in. The plan incorporates fuel efficiency requirements in both miles per gallon (mpg) and carbon emissions terms. The mpg increase will be about 5% annually, culminating in a fleet-wide average of 35.5 mpg for 2016.

The carbon dioxide limit will reach an average of 250 grams per mile by 2016. These standards will begin to take effect for the 2012 model year.

The administration has made it clear that financial considerations have been taken into account. They estimate that these requirements will add $1,300 to the initial price of a car by 2016, but that the payback period from the savings on gas will be less than 3 years and come to $2,800 over the life of the vehicle.

The White House also estimates that over the four years of efficiency standard increases a total of 950 million metric tons of CO2 will be prevented from entering the atmosphere.

After hearing the details of the plan Daniel Becker stuck behind his original statement:

“Keeping President Obama’s promise, today’s proposed clean car rule is the biggest single step the US has taken to curb global warming and our oil addiction. It demonstrates to the world that the United States is now confronting the threat of global warming. It shows that we can use the Clean Air Act and other existing laws to tackle the pollution spewing from vehicles and power plants.

Controlling global warming pollution is auto mechanics, not rocket science. All automakers have the advanced technologies — engines, transmissions, high strength, lightweight materials and aerodynamics — to safely achieve this new standard and to go beyond it.

The devil is in the details. Detroit’s lobbyists have done their best to riddle this decision with credits and other loopholes. We urge the Administration to close these loopholes or implement an automatic backstop to ensure that the president’s promise of 35.5 mpg average vehicles in 2016 will be kept.”

More from ecomii:

Coupons are cool again

2009-09-25T21:49:00.001-07:00

Goodness knows we like to debate whether we really can save money using coupons here on Shine. But whether you're a coupon pro or you only cut out a few coupons for the products you always buy, you've got lots of company. Coupon use is definitely up for the first time since the early 1990s, thanks ever so much to a these short-on-money-and-jobs times.

Coupon use peaked in 1992, at the end of that recession, when 7.9 billion coupons were redeemed, The New York Times reports. Coupon use dropped pretty dramatically, to 2.6 billion, in 2008 and stayed pretty steady through 2008. But as the economy took a dive and we consumers grew more worried and careful about money, coupons have become very popular once again, with redemptions climbing 10 percent at the end of 2008 and 23 percent in the first half of this year. About 3 billion coupons are expected to be redeemed this year.

Coupons are so in vogue that "coupon," like so many other nouns these days, is becoming a verb. "The households that tend to not coupon as much are all couponing significantly more this year versus last year,” Neil Heffernan, senior vice president and general manager for the research company Knowledge Networks/PDI, told the Times. The researchers found that coupon use is up across the board with people of all incomes. .

You'd think digital coupons would have a lot to do with the resurgence of coupons, but while coupon codes on the Web and via cell phones are definitely being used more (up 25 percent over a year ago), paper coupons still rule. Sites like redplum.com and coupons.com provide coupons you can print and clip online, bridging the gap for those of who are online more and more but still like to do some old-fashioned clipping and saving. (For online shopping paperless coupon savings, try sites like retailmenot.com and couponcabin.com.)

10 things never to say on a job interview

2009-09-25T21:47:00.000-07:00

Job interviews... Most of us have been on a few (or more) and many consider them to be nerve-wracking (at best) and downright painful (at worst). We can't really tell you how to land the ideal job, but we can give you a few pointers on what to avoid. While it's important to let your personality shine through in an interview and to be sincere, it's not the right time to let it all hang out. Here, our list of top things to avoid uttering...

"I Need The Money…” Even if the fact that you only have $25 in your bank account is the reason you’re going back to work after a hiatus (traveling through Europe, raising the kids, laid off, etc.), don’t ever mention it. The interviewer doesn’t need to know you’re hard-up for cash. It may unintentionally sound like you’re there only to earn money and that you’re not really interested in working. The goal is to always show passion and enthusiasm for the company and the position you are being interviewed for.
“My Last Boss Was A Jerk…” Dissing your previous employer has no upside, no matter how awful he/she treated you. Even if he/she made “Ari Gold” on Entourage look like an angel, sharing the details can come off sounding rude and disrespectful to potential co-workers and those who are “higher up” on the food chain than you. So remember to ban the bad-mouthing.
“It’s Worse Than Being A Republican/Democrat…” It’s wise to remain neutral by keeping your political views to yourself. Even if you feel fairly certain that the interviewer (and company) share your perspective, this type of conversation can easily lead to major disagreements and conflict (unless, of course, you might be interviewing for a political job where this becomes very relevant).
“Thank The Lord…” It’s beautiful to have faith, but similar to discussing politics at work, religious statements, even innocuous ones, aren’t a good tactic during job interviews. They could possibly offend the person you’re meeting with, or cause them to see you in an inaccurate light.
“What The Hell…” While certain curse words seem to have become part of popular vernacular, they aren’t the right way to spice up your personal sales pitch. Keep your language clean as a whistle on job interviews. There’s never a good reason to use expletives to get your point and your passion across!
“My Kid’s Always Getting Sick…” Oftentimes, a mention of kids or family may come into the conversation and it’s always nice to give a little taste of your life outside of the office. But don’t take that too far. If you mention that your child is constantly getting sick, an employer may worry that you’ll be easily absent or distracted because of it. Similarly, if your spouse or child has a chronic condition that warrants attention, save it as a personal matter. Assume that you can do the job (if you’re hired) in the best possible way without letting things on the home front interrupt you – in which case, what happens in your private time is your private business.
“A 9-5 Schedule Is Best For Me…” No one wants to think they might be hiring a clock watcher or someone who’s going to be way too eager to race out the door at the stroke of 5pm. It’s not a good idea to mention that you have a class three evenings a week at 6pm either. The employer needs to feel that your job will be the main priority. Your schedule will evolve (and work best for you and the employer) once you’ve landed the gig.
“I’m Vegan…” Certain people may make false assumptions about your personality based on the fact that you’re a vegan, vegetarian, don’t eat wheat, soy, or any other type of food lifestyle you choose. It sounds silly, but find ways to let them know who you are without leaving yourself open to judgment.
“I Don’t Have Time To Read Much…” Whether it’s newspapers, magazines, the web, or books, reading is generally seen as something that increases intelligence and breadth of knowledge. You should also make it a point to do your reading homework and learn as much as possible about the employer you are meeting with. It can easily impress an interviewer when you’re up to date on current events as well as what’s new with the company and that specific industry. Which means you should be reading something!
“I’m Terrified of Flying…” The job you’re interviewing for may require flying at some point, so your employer needs to know you can handle it. If you have a phobia or family situation that will prohibit your ability to do your job, you should ask questions like: “How much travel will be involved, and where would I be traveling to?”

For more tips on living a stylish and savvy life, check out our Foxy website, and our latest book, Curves Rule And Flat Is Fabulous: Sexy, Stylish Looks For Every Figure.

Canadian Designer Stirs Plus-Size Model Controversy at London Fashion Week

2009-09-24T04:54:00.004-07:00

Dangerously thin models have been a controversial topic in the past, but at a recent London fashion show, it was a trio of plus-sized models who caused a commotion. The Daily Mail reports that when Canadian designer Mark Fast announced to his staff that three women who wore sizes 10 and 12 (UK sizes 12 and 14) would be in his show, two members of his team apparently quit in disgust.

The 5 Most Outrageous Things Seen at New York Fashion Week.

The show was saved by two last-minute volunteers who worked late to get the collection together. "We are glad we stuck to our vision," Amanda May, Fast's creative director, said. "We wanted women to know they didn't have to be a size zero to wear a Mark Fast dress—curvier women can look even better in them."

When Is It OK To Go Braless?

2009-09-24T04:54:00.003-07:00

iStockphoto

Now here’s a dilemma I’ve never had to worry about since l was 12 and grew size-C boobs one night in the middle of 7th grade: to wear a bra or not to wear a bra? See, even after breast reduction surgery when I was 19, I still can’t fathom actually going braless out in public. I rarely even feel comfortable enough to free-ball it the privacy of my own home (my boobs at 33 simply aren’t what — or where — they were 10 years ago). That isn’t to say I’m not a little jealous of women who don’t have to wear a bra. When I read that quote from Christina Applegate about the, uh, perk of going braless since getting implants after her double mastectomy for breast cancer, I thought, Well, at least there’s one upside! But then, I still have to wonder, just because a woman feels she can go braless, does that mean it’s appropriate?

This question comes after reading an article in today’s Daily Mail about a photo of a braless Kate Moss looking very much like a 35-year-old, post-breastfeeding woman who arguably could have used a little support. The article seems to pose the question: Is it appropriate for women of a certain age to continue eschewing bras while out in public? But a better question might be: Is it appropriate for women of any age? It seems to me that no matter how small and perky a pair of boobs might be, they can always benefit from an extra layer of fabric between them and the rest of the world. At the very least, a bra can help dim the headlights a little, right?

You ladies out there with the delightfully perky boobs what say you? Do you ever skip the bra just because you can? Where and when do you think it’s appropriate to do so, and how do you justify your decision? And for everyone: is going without a bra simply a matter of comfort or is there a thrill in being that much more exposed?--Wendy Atterberry for The Frisky

Raining revolution: Collect rain water, help the planet

2009-09-24T04:52:00.001-07:00

(Photo: RainXchange)

EarthTalk is a Q&A column from E / The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: How can I make good use of the rainwater that runs down my roof and into my gutters? -- Brian Smith, Nashua, NH

For most of us, the rain that falls on our roof runs off into the ground or the sewer system. But if you're motivated to save a little water and re-distribute it on your lawns or plants -- or even use it for laundry, dishes or other interior needs -- collecting rainwater from your gutters' downspouts is a no-brainer.

If it's allowed in your state, that is. Utah and parts of Washington State have antiquated but nonetheless tough laws banning anyone but owners of water rights from collecting rainwater flowing off privately owned rooftops. Such laws are rarely enforced, however, and one in Colorado was recently overturned.

According to John C. Davis, writing in E / The Environmental Magazine, just about any homeowner can collect rainwater, given that the roof and gutters do most of the work. And since an inch of rain falling on a 2,000-square-foot roof produces some 1,200 gallons of runoff, one can harvest enough to supply all the water needs of a family of four for about two weeks. Of course, most of us would only use rainwater to irrigate our lawn or garden, and there should be plenty to go around for doing that in all but the most drought stricken areas.

Plants and grass actually do better when fed rainwater instead of tap water, which is usually treated with softeners that actually inhibit plant growth. And, reports Davis, the lack of minerals in rainwater actually makes it more effective than tap water for shampooing or doing dishes. Using rainwater for plumbing uses can also extend the life of pipes and water heaters, since the salts added to tap water facilitate corrosion. Homeowners should set up a water purification system if they do plan to use rainwater for interior needs.

Beyond the benefits to individual homeowners, rainwater harvesting can also be good for the local community, as it reduces the erosion, flooding and pollution runoff associated with heavy rainfall, and lessens reliance on public water supplies, alleviating some of the burden on utilities. Given these benefits, some states, including even drought-prone Texas, subsidize residential rainwater collection systems.

Many varieties of rain barrel systems, starting at just $100, are available for home installation. A typical set-up is simply a rain barrel positioned under a gutter's downspout. "The barrel is typically fitted with a spigot at its base to fill a watering can or attach a soaker hose (which bleeds out water all along its length, providing effortless drip irrigation), and a filter or screen at its top to prevent a buildup of leaves and other debris," writes Davis. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a single 100-gallon rain barrel can save up to 1,300 gallons of utility-provided water during the high demand summer months.

Handy homeowners can make their own water harvesting systems (even from discarded barrels), but buying one pre-made is easier. Most nurseries and garden centers offer a range of choices (as well as advice), but websites such as Aquabarrel, Clean Air Gardening and Rainxchange make it easy to order a system online.

Got an environmental question? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E / The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it here or by email. Read past columns here.

Bracken out of Champions Trophy

2009-09-24T04:51:00.005-07:00

Nathan Bracken will not be part of Australia's Champions Trophy defence © Getty Images

Australia have suffered a major blow before their first Champions Trophy match with Nathan Bracken ruled out of the tournament with a chronic knee injury. Cricket Australia confirmed Bracken would be sent home on Thursday due to the problem with his right knee.

"The nature of Nathan's right knee problem has meant that he has had some ongoing manageable pain, but this has now reached a point where he is unable to continue playing in the ICC Champions Trophy," Australia's physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said. "He will return to Australia to consult a knee specialist for an opinion on the best course of action. His return to cricket will be determined after consulting the specialist."

The loss of Bracken will hurt Australia's attack as he is the team's highest-ranked one-day international bowler, sitting sixth on the ICC ODI rankings, ahead of the next Australian Mitchell Johnson in equal ninth. Bracken, who played in the recent one-day series in England, will also be in doubt for the Champions League Twenty20, where he was expected to represent New South Wales in early October.

Australia's first match of the Champions Trophy is against West Indies on Saturday. Cricket Australia has not yet confirmed a replacement for Bracken in the 15-man squad, although contenders will include Doug Bollinger, Stuart Clark and Brett Geeves.

Quick Seafood Pasta for the Busy Cook

2009-09-24T04:51:00.003-07:00

I prefer to make my Project Recipe assignments to a share with others, but there are times when conflicting schedules and picky eaters leave me cooking for myself. This was the case recently with grill-roasted clam linguine, which I happily turned into a solo weekday lunch.

The Recipe: Grill-Roasted Clam Linguine

My prep time: 37 minutes
My total time: 37 minutes

Grilling the clams serves two purposes--first, to concentrate the flavors with high, dry heat, and second, to accommodate cooking four dozen clams at once. Online reviewers--who universally loved this recipe--attested to the ease of the grilling technique. But since I was reducing this recipe by three-quarters, it didn't make sense to fire up the grill. Plus, I was worried about losing some of the precious "clam liquor" (Bridget, that was for you) to heat and spillage. So much like my grill-deprived colleague Bridget, I used a lidded cast iron skill and a hot oven.

First one makes the sauce, some oil, flavored with garlic, lemon zest, crushed chiles, then a little white wine. After the wine boils down, minced anchovies, lemon juice, and flat-leaf parsley (whose bright taste is perfect here) round out the flavors. I hadn't started out particularly hungry, but the fragrance of the simmering sauce sharpened my appetite considerably.

Everything you need to know about cooking with mussels and clams.

My clams were a local manila variety, mostly on the small side with a few jumbos mixed in. Roasting them was a slightly improvised experience. I heated the skillet in a 500-degree oven while I made the sauce. That was a mistake, as I realized when I later lined the hot skillet with heavy-duty tinfoil to catch clam juices--which would have been so much easier before it was 500 degrees. I dumped in the clams, clapped on the lid, and popped it in the oven.

After about four minutes I could smell the briny aroma of roasting clams; I removed the lid and let them cook a little longer in the oven's heat. Just as I had hoped, most of them had popped open, although one troublemaker had forcibly shattered, tearing the tinfoil and allowing a lot of the juice leak beneath it (making a mess of my carefully seasoned skillet), so I had to cautiously transfer it to a baking sheet to without dribbling it all onto the floor. I was able to get most of the accumulated liquor from the clams into the sauce without mishap.

Next one cooks the linguine. In another departure from the recipe instructions I lifted the al dente pasta directly from the cooking water (allowing a little to cling to it) and mixed it into the simmering sauce to enrobe it completely.

All that was left was to toss the clams on top, sprinkle on the remaining parsley and a little lemon juice, pour a glass of sauvignon blanc, and sit down to lunch. This was a sublime meal. Every time I eat shellfish I am struck by just how good they are, and how infrequently--due to family preferences and my own inertia--I eat them.

Sometimes the best meals are the ones a busy cook prepares just for himself.

Younis fit for India game

2009-09-24T04:50:00.001-07:00

Younis Khan will be available for the Champions Trophy fixture against India on September 26, the PCB said on Thursday. Younis suffered a minor hairline fracture on the little finger of his right hand during the warm-up game against the Warriors in Benoni on September 20 and had been advised rest by doctors.

Younis could have been available for Pakistan's opening Champions Trophy game against West Indies in Johannesburg on Wednesday but the team management decided against taking a risk so that he could be fully fit to play India in Centurion.

India suffered a setback even before their Champions Trophy campaign began, with Yuvraj Singh fracturing his finger during a practice session in Johannesburg. He has been ruled out for six weeks and, though Virat Kohli will replace him, his absence is likely to alter the roles of some of the main members of the batting line-up.

The last time the teams met in Centurion was in the 2003 World Cup, where India won by six wickets.

The Art of Conversion

2009-09-24T04:49:00.001-07:00

If you are cooking for one, one of the greatest challenges you will face is finding single-serve recipes. Even though recipes for one are few and far between, portions can be scaled down to individual serving sizes in just a few simple steps.

Here is how you can get started:

1. Learn the Art of Conversion: In order to scale down your recipe you must first adjust all the ingredients into single quantity units. Don't fret if you are not a math wizard, there are a host of recipe conversion calculators online which will seamlessly calculate the conversions based on the ingredient measurements entered. One of my favorites can be found on the Fruit from Washington website. (Keep in mind that electronic scales provide a more accurate read than measuring cups so you will not be way off when measuring new quantities.)

2. Know the Limits: It is best not to scale a recipe more than four times down from its original serving size. So, if possible, stick to recipes that serve four because results beyond this cannot be guaranteed.

3. Adjust Cooking Time and Temperatures: Since cooking pots and baking pans will be smaller, you may need to adjust cooking temperatures. Start with the original temperature and adjust from there by shortening baking/cooking times and slightly increasing temperatures. When roasting meats, the cooking time is based on the amount being roasted, so use per-pound guidelines.

4. Be Sensible with Seasonings: It is best to use less seasoning than the scaled recipe calls for, so always use less than the adjusted amount. You can always add more spices and seasonings as you go!

Keep in mind that not all recipes scale well, including dishes that call for egg whites, breads with yeast as an ingredient and single large items intended to be divided into smaller portions, such as a whole chicken or pot of soup. For those recipes, we recommend preparing the original recipe and storing them in individual sized containers in the freezer.

It may not be easy reducing recipes, but if you like to cook it can be a lot of fun experimenting. Start off with easy dishes like sautes and stir-fries that are less precise and work your way towards harder-to-scale menu items like casseroles, souffles and baked goods.

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Are we charging the planet into ruin?

2009-09-24T04:48:00.001-07:00

As I've written before, ounce for ounce, your little plastic charge cards arguably create a larger carbon footprint than any other single item you probably own. Well, maybe "create" is the wrong word; "enable" is more like it.

You see, the production, distribution and consumption of nearly all goods and services result in the emission of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, and thus the creation of a measurable "carbon footprint." And now, according to Bankrate.com, nearly 25% of all goods and services purchased in the U.S are purchased using a credit card.

Of course I'm not saying that all of those purchases are unnecessary, or that we wouldn't still manufacture and consume many of the same things even if we didn't have charge cards. But there's no denying the fact that America's trend toward uber-consumption over the past few generations has been fueled in large part by the widespread availability of consumer credit and, specifically, the skyrocketing use of charge cards. A number of studies in recent years have shown that we do, indeed, buy more stuff when we use a charge card and we're willing to pay more for it. For example, one study showed that people using credit cards at fast food restaurants spend up to 50% more than those paying with cash. Now that's likely to result in both a larger carbon footprint and a larger waistline.

The first charge card, the Diners Club card, was issued in 1950 to allow businessmen the convenience of charging their meals at 27 restaurants that were individually listed on the back of the card. Today there are more than 20,000 different charge cards available to U.S. consumers, and the average American family owes nearly $8,500 in credit card debt. Since about 60% of all active credit card accounts are not paid off monthly, that typical American family is paying about $1,200 annually just in credit card interest, to say nothing of the $43 billion in other fees collected by the credit card industry last year.

Another shocking credit card fact from Bankrate.com: The typical credit card purchase ends up costing 112% more than if cash were used. That's right, more than twice as much!

Reducing or even eliminating entirely the use of credit cards in your life is likely to make you happier -- or at least less stressed out over being in debt -- and may very well reduce the size of your carbon footprint in the process. Few people need to own more than one credit card, and studies show that if you make it a point to always pay with cash, on average you'll spend about 30% less. It's just harder, psychologically, to part with actual greenbacks. Also, in the case of discretionary purchases, make it a point to wait at least a week between the time you see an item in the store, and when you go back to buy it. I'll bet that most of the time you'll never go back to buy it.

And if your debt and spending is seriously out of control, get help from Debtors Anonymous, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people overcome "compulsive debting." With a mission like that, in the end it might just be one of the greenest organizations around, too.

Jeff Yeager is the author of the book The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches. His website is www.UltimateCheapskate.com.

Would You Let Your Husband Visit A Sexual Healer?

2009-09-24T04:47:00.003-07:00

Let's say you and your significant other are having major sex problems. Perhaps he can't maintain an erection, finishes too quickly, or you never finish because he doesn't know what in God's name he's doing. You've got some kinks to work out. Big kinks. Read: The Myth of the Male Orgasm

Could you ever imagine hiring a "sexual healer" to sharpen his skills? And when we say "sexual healer" we mean a woman who sleeps with him and offers him pointers. Think of it as hands-on consulting. Read: Therapists: Virtual Worlds ‘Could Replace Real Relationships’

Mare Simone boasts a sex resume of over 1,500 men. Many of them "clients" and technically other women's husbands or boyfriends. Nice.

I earn my living by sleeping with other women's husbands or boyfriends. But I am in no way a prostitute as sex surrogacy is legal, as long as it is done in a therapeutic and healing atmosphere. People are paying for counseling and to cure their problems—not sex. I am helping improve and change the sex lives of thousands of men, which means I am also helping improve the sex lives of their wives and girlfriends.

According to an interview she gave to The Sun, couples flock to the 54 year old for sexual counseling. She charges about $100 a session. She has five (five!) appointments a day. Sure, sometimes she gets naked but her main objective is to make couples feel more at ease in the sex department. She counsels women, too. Read: Couples Who Drink Together, Stay Together

All of my sessions start in the same way. We start by chatting while I caress their hands to make them feel relaxed and confident with me. During the next few sessions I move to giving them back and shoulder massages, so the client relaxes further while talking about their problems. Following that, we do a mirror exercise. This is where the client and I will both take off our clothes and look at our bodies in the mirror... Sometimes I will have sex with a husband in front of his wife, to show them both how to be more sensitive lovers. Often, couples find just talking openly to a stranger about the problems in their love life helps in the bedroom.

Hmm. If you're wondering where all this sexual, er, openness stems from, we learn later on in the piece that Mare was raped at a young age. She found sex difficult with her husband and decided to let the pendulum swing the opposite way. She has now adopted a sexual attitude so relaxed it borders on vain exhibitionism dressed in faux-spiritual clothing.

Just a quick question. If a man is having a hard time making his wife climax, why would he improve by pawing a stranger? Is she that much of a sexual connoisseur that a few rolls in the hay will transform him into a man of experience? If he has so much performance anxiety with his own wife that he can't perform—how does stripping in front of a mirror with a strange middle-aged lady serve as a cure?

Maybe we're just jaded. If this does in fact work, then bravo and more power to her.

Ask Umbra on that new-car smell

2009-09-24T04:46:00.001-07:00

Q. Dear Umbra,

I have an old and dying Cash for Clunker-eligible SUV with well over 210,000 miles on it ... My problem is I find the VOC off-gassing of new cars intolerable. Is there any way to off-gas a new car before I drive it so that I am not inhaling that not so healthy “new-car” smell?

Alli K.
Spokane, Wash.

A. Dearest Alli,

Either you or I or both of us are a little behind the times, as the Cash for Clunkers program ran out of money and ended on August 24. A new program called the Dealership Funded Cash for Clunkers Program is trying to pick up where the federal program left off. But the dealership funded program has no mileage requirements, and the used cars will not be destroyed. It seems more like a “let’s keep this car sales thing going” project than a mileage improvement program. (The mascot is either a frog or Gollum—you decide.)

If and when you do buy a new car instead of a used one, you will need to deal with some amount of off-gassing fumes. Car interiors are constructed from metals, plastics, adhesives, cloth, and sometimes leather. A few tests have indicated that the new car smell in some part consists of unpleasant and unhealthy chemicals wandering out of these interior materials, including toluene and xylenes. Then, of course, there are the ones that have no odor and simply give us a special feeling inside, like phthalates. The dust settling on our dashboard also contains dubious matter.

Hence it is probably best if we all give new cars a daily airing for the first few months. Keep your windows down when you drive, and leave them open a crack when your car is parked, if that’s practical. When you use the vents, choose fresh air rather than recirculated. Other suggestions beyond good ventilation include using solar reflectors and avoiding parking in the sun, since exposure to UV rays hastens the breakdown of these chemicals. (Of course, if hastening is your goal, I suppose you could park in the sun intentionally, bake your car, then leave your windows open and not drive for the six months or so it takes for new-car fumes to dissipate—but this seems a bit deranged.) Some people also swear by using charcoal to absorb the odor.

The easiest solution would be to buy a used car whose fumes were inhaled by a previous owner, or to own no car—you could make every day car-free day! If you do buy new, you might investigate companies that have made a commitment to using fewer toxic chemicals in their auto interiors. Volvo has made a name for itself in this area. Honda is also a leader. To find more information on the interior threats of your car of choice, visit HealthyStuff.org—but please, please remember that the most important factor in your car purchase should be fuel efficiency.

A WWE Diva leaves a career for marriage: Do women really still do this?

2009-09-24T04:45:00.003-07:00

Last night, Lilian Garcia stepped out of the ring and waved goodbye to her career as an announcer for the WWE. Garcia, one of the federation's most famous voices, participated in many of the dramatic story lines while wielding the mic for Raw and other wrestling specials and shows.

Dubbed the first and only "Decade Diva" for the WWE, Garcia's ten-year stint came to an official and emotional close, which she described as "tough." Although her contract expires at the end of the year and wrestling publications report that her retirement was not a surprise.

What is most interesting to me about this story is not that the singer, radio deejay, and pageant winner made a career out of belting out the national anthem and playing along with wrestling hijinks, but the reason given for her departure. Garcia, blogs and other pubs are saying, left to get married.

Several blogs do say that Garcia wants to put together a band. However, many more play up her forthcoming wedding to a non-WWE fiance.

As fascinating as the world of wrestling is to me (admittedly, a non-WWE person myself), I am more compelled by the idea of a woman exiting her career to enter into a marriage.

Clearly, there are women who believe that this is the best route for them and have made arrangements with their partner to pursue a full-time dedication to the household and family. But other than the requisite Housewives of Pretty Much Every Metropolitan City, we don't see these women in the spotlight very often.

Garcia stepped out of her own spotlight after bringing her fiance into the ring to slow dance for the audience to the song "I've Had the Time of My Life." Somehow, this soundtrack seems so bittersweet. Did she have the time of her life in those ten years, or is the time of her life just beginning for the now-former announcer?

Who are the women who choose to leave a job when they get married? Do you know them? Are you one of them?

Whether you have a glittery, on-stage profession like Lilian Garcia did or something much more everyday, what do you think are the politics and long-term effects of this decision for a woman?

Stylish Steal of the Day: The Perfect Fur Collar Trench For Fall!

2009-09-24T04:41:00.000-07:00

Object Of Desire

BB Dakota brown tan lammar coat, $106, at chickdowntown.com

Reason #1:

Now that fall is officially here, we've jumped on the bandwagon wholeheartedly with the perfect fall moisturizer, the five key pieces you need to stock up on now, and even our three favorite new restaurants for fall dining.

Reason #2:

While this coat doesn't fall under the red outerwear trend that we are currently loving, the classic trench shape and fur collar will never go out of style.

Reason #3:

We already found you our 16 favorite fall coats for under $100, but this one might just be worth the extra $6. Actually, it definitely is. We literally did a double take at the price for such a great, lasting piece.

New York climate talks: The good, the bad, and the ugly

2009-09-24T04:40:00.003-07:00

(Photo: Thaddeus Robertson)

Representatives from 100 nations are meeting in New York to discuss global warming. That is good.

But they're meeting because the United Nations leadership is worried that there isn't momentum enough to create a strong successor to the Kyoto Protocol that governs global warming action worldwide. That's bad.

While everyone talks a good game about the importance of doing something about the old rich nation-poor nation divide, embodied by hyper consumption in the U.S. and hyper industrialization in China, with neither willing to concede too much ground for fear of alienating citizens and losing power. That's ugly.

More to chew on:

The Good

World leaders have already agreed to halt the growth in temperatures to no more than 3.6 degrees F (2 degrees C) by 2050.

China vowed to cut greenhouse gas emissions, get 15% of power from non-fossil fuel sources (including nuclear) and foster a green economy, all by 2020.

The U.S. House has passed the first-ever national cap on carbon emissions, as part of a comprehensive energy bill designed to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and jump-start a more sustainable economy.

U.S. negotiators are no longer questioning whether global warming is really a problem in need of a dramatic solution, as they did during the Bush Administration, nor trying to work outside of the U.N. process with only the world's biggest polluters.

Climate Week is mobilizing hundreds, if not thousands, to take part in events designed to show that U.S. residents want to see action, both within our boarders and around the world.

More than 500 companies signed a statement urging dramatic and fast action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Bad

Rajendra K. Pachauri, the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's chief scientist, warned leaders that the worst-case scenarios for climate change appear to be unfolding before our eyes, as emissions lead to more drastic and near-term consequences than had been anticipated.

Many U.S. politicians, citizens, think tanks and business associations still cling to arguments that human's role in global warming is neither real, really a problem, or really worth doing anything about.

Small island nations are so scared that global warming-induced sea-level rise will inundate them that they're committing to steeper cuts by 2020 than the rest of the world has set. The bad news: The moral high ground is about all they have in that category.

The Ugly

While world leaders have agreed to a temperature target, they have not agreed to a framework to achieve that target, with mandatory emissions limits or technology transfers from rich to poor nations.

China's 2020 goals lack specificity, and are contingent on economic growth, so that they mirror in some ways President George W. Bush's "carbon intensity" targets, which cut carbon dioxide emissions only relative to economic output, not overall.

Debate on a U.S. Senate bill that might match the House carbon cap-and-trade bill is stalled at least until the health-care reform is finished, and however the health-care bill comes out, it may leave President Obama without much political capital to spend on a revolutionary energy policy. If the Senate fails to act by December, other nations are unlikely to follow Obama's call for worldwide action.

As Thomas Friedman illustrated recently, the U.S. is falling far behind in reaping the jobs benefits of its technological prowess, with one Silicon Valley solar company having built 14 solar panel plants, employing hundreds -- all overseas.

As CBS News pointed out, the U.N. gathering has a heavy carbon footprint.

The Women of "Modern Family" Get Stylish

2009-09-24T04:40:00.001-07:00

On our recent trip to Hollywood we talked on and off-screen style with Julie Bowen and Sofia Vergara, two of the stars of ABC's hilarious new comedy "Modern Family".
Read More »

Airlines pledging to cut emissions by 50%

2009-09-24T04:38:00.000-07:00

At the UN climate talks today in New York, an agreement between airlines, airports and aircraft companies to slash emissions by 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2050 will be presented. If the UN accepts the proposal, it will be added to the Copenhagen agenda.

This would be significant because not only is the aviation industry responsible for two percent of yearly global emissions, but those emissions weren't part of the Kyoto Protocol. Adding a commitment like this to whatever agreement comes out of Copenhagen will mean a substantial improvement over Kyoto.

The International Air Travel Association is also promising that all industry growth will be carbon neutral by 2020.

The one downside of this pledge by the aviation industry is that it will undoubtedly raise fares for travelers, at least initially, while new technologies are being developed.

South Africa aim to end trophy drought

2009-09-21T05:18:00.000-07:00

South Africa were favourites to win the World Twenty20 in June, but lost the semi-final to Pakistan

It's difficult to believe that the team ranked No. 1 in one-day internationals has not won an ICC event in 11 years. The one tournament they did win under the auspices of cricket's governing body was in 1998, when South Africa beat West Indies in the final of the ICC knock-out tournament in Bangladesh.

Since then, South Africa haven't even managed to make the final of an ICC tournament. Their World Cup woes have earned them the tag of 'chokers' and their Champions Trophy record has done nothing to erase that label. Their subsequent campaigns, following the 1998 victory, were derailed by defeats to India in the 2000 and 2002 semi-finals, and losses to West Indies in the 2004 and 2006 competitions.

AB de Villiers, though, believes the silverware dearth is about to end. "I think, in the next two years, we will be bringing home the trophies. It will be our time," he said during a training camp in Potchefstroom a week ago. South Africa chose the small town as their preparation pond, perhaps hoping some of the magic that rubbed off on Australia, when they trained there ahead of the 2003 World Cup, will sprinkle itself on them too.

After a three month break from the game, following the World Twenty20 in June, the South African team reconvened last week for a seven-day camp and will have another week-long session at the same venue. The training has involved warm-up matches against the Lions franchise as well as general fitness and net sessions. Despite the intensity with which the team is preparing for the competition, coach Mickey Arthur says this year's Champions Trophy is "not the be all and end all" of the team's limited-over ambitions.

"We are a process-driven side and as long as we keep working as a team I am happy," Arthur told Cricinfo. "The team has enjoyed successes together for some time now and as long as they all produce in their roles, we will do well. Whichever team strings five good performances together during the event will win."

This isn't the first time South Africa go into a competition as one of the favourites. But this time they're banking on home advantage to give them an extra edge over the other teams, even though it didn't work at the 2003 World Cup or the 2007 World Twenty20. "We are extremely comfortable with the two venues the tournament will be played at (Supersport Park, Centurion and The Wanderers, Johannesburg)," said Arthur. "We've had some good results at both stadiums in the past and we receive lots of local support there as well."

Shaun Pollock, who was part of both those home campaigns, believes it might be "third time lucky" for South Africa. "They know the conditions better than anyone else and, given their performances of late, they will have a lot of crowd support." In fact, Pollock thinks the benefit of playing at home will even counteract the lack of match practice in the past few months. "They would have probably have wanted to play two or three one-day games to be really firing, especially since almost all the other teams have been in action recently. While I would have said that would work in favour of other teams, I think its negated by the fact that South Africa are at home."

The other danger for the team will be going into the tournament complacent, as they appeared to be at the World Twenty20 in June. South Africa went into their semi-final against Pakistan determined that they were ready to reach a final - Arthur said they were "very strong and ready to go to another level". Needless to say, the chokers tag was stuck onto the team even more firmly than before after they lost by seven runs.

This time, Arthur hasn't talked up his team's chances. "I think there are seven out of the eight teams who could stand a chance of winning (He did not want to make public which team he thought was not going to be in contention.). But I do think the four semi-finalists will be South Africa, Australia, India and Sri Lanka. Then again you underestimate New Zealand at your peril and depending on which Pakistan team shows up, they could be dangerous as well."

Although Arthur and his team appear to have realised the importance of finally winning an ICC event, they are not letting on that this will be any more important than any other competition. Maybe it's just a clever way of disguising the pressure.

"It will definitely mean something for them to win and it certainly counts more than any normal series," Pollock said. Of course South Africa, ever the diplomats, could just see the Champions Trophy as yet another stepping stone on their road to something else, as they so often do with series that they lose. "Doing well in the competition will certainly give them confidence ahead of the 2011 World Cup," said Pollock. But somehow, one doubts they'll be willing to spend another two years as the best team never to have won a trophy.

Top 5 Runway Beauty Trends to Try at Home

2009-09-21T05:17:00.001-07:00

Which look is your favorite?

Fashion week has finally wrapped (and I say finally because we're all exhausted over here-- coffee, energy drinks, and my preferred cure of eating bags of chocolate) won't even zap us back to life. But, we did survive, and the Spring 2010 season has a lot for us to look forward to, not only in fashion but in beauty trends as well. Here are our top five beauty trends from the runways, and our tips to replicate them on your own.

Trend 1: Statement Lips

All images from WWD.com

Seen at both Jason Wu and Vena Cava (above) statement lips are a must for spring. Whether it be plum, wine, or burgundy, there are a variety of colors you can choose from to pull off this bold lip. Below are a few of our drugstore favorites:

1. CoverGirl Continuous Color Lipstick in Bistro Burgundy, at Drugstore.com, $5.49

2. Studio Gear Lipstick in Misty Mauve, Ulta.com, at $14.50

3. Pur Minerals Shea Butter Lipstick in Black Amethyst, at Ulta.com, $15.00

Trend 2: Bold Pink Eyes

Pink eyeshadow used to be daunting for many, but after seeing the eyes at both Michael Kors (above) and Ruffian this past week, I think the trend will catch on.

1. Max Factor Eyeshadow in Premiere Pink, at cvs.com, $6.99

2. Bloom Eye Colour Cream in Peony, at Ulta.com, $15.00

3. NYX 3 Color Eye Shadow, at Drugstore.com, $5.99

Trend 3: Pale Pink Lips

Chris Benz not only wowed us with his bright clothes this season, but he knows how to play it simple with the makeup and make a statement with subdued pale lips. Here are a few good picks for the warm weather:

1. Colour Riche by L'Oreal Lipstick in Peach Fuzz, at Ulta.com, $6.99

2. Revlon Moon Drops Lipstick Frost Crystalcut Coral, at cvs.com, $8.99

3. Covergirl Continuous Color Lipstick in Pink Chic, at drugstore.com, $5.49

Trend 4: Natural, Glowing Face

The fresh faced beauties at Milly let their 80s hairstyles steal the show. To achieve their flawless looks we just recommend bronzer, mascara, and a lip balm. Simple and classic, yet show-stopping.

1.Rimmel Natural Bronzer in Sun Bronze, at drugstore.com, $5.49

2. Maybelline Mascara in Classic Black, The Colossal, at cvs.com, $7.49

3. Nivea, A Kiss of Shimmer Pearly Shimmer Lip Care, at ulta.com, $2.99

Trend 5: Colored Eyeliner

Last but certainly not least, the girls at Nanette Lepore (above) and DKNY added flair to their look with colored eyeliner or mascara respectively. This look is definitely playful and best for a night on the town!

1. Big Fatty Colored Mascara by Urban Decay in Flipside, at Ulta.com, $17.00

2. L'Oreal Hip Color Chrome Violet Volt Eyeliner,at cvs.com, $9.99

3. Bourjouis Paris, Maxi Frange Maximum Length and Volume Waterproof Mascara, at Sephora.com, $9.50

Swann saves England from whitewash

2009-09-21T05:15:00.003-07:00

England 177 for 6 (Denly 53) beat Australia 176 (Ponting 53, Swann 5-28) by four wickets

Graeme Swann's offspin was the difference between the sides

England's desire to avoid humiliation proved a greater incentive (but only just) than Australia's desire to complete an arduous tour with an unprecedented 7-0 whitewash, as Graeme Swann's maiden five-wicket haul proved the difference between the sides in the final match of the series at Chester-le-Street.

England being England, they still managed to make a meal of their chase of 177 to win, slumping from 106 for 0 to 141 for 5 before Paul Collingwood dragged them kicking and screaming to a spectacularly inglorious victory. Coming on the last official day of summer, and comprehensively overshadowed by a pulsating Manchester Derby in the Premier League, this was quite simply a contest too far. Tomorrow the teams jet off to South Africa for the Champions Trophy, and on the evidence of the past three weeks, you might as well send England straight back home again.

Even better, you might as well leave half the players behind in the first place, specifically England's guileless middle-order who, for the umpteenth time this summer, treated the loss of Andrew Strauss's wicket with the same grief and disorientation that a clutch of baby chicks might greet the devouring of their mother by a fox. Strauss made 47 from 74 balls, a continuation of his unfulfilled form in this series. He had the game at his mercy until for some strange reason - perhaps it was boredom, perhaps it was experimentation - he chose to reverse-sweep Nathan Hauritz, and chipped a looping catch to Ben Hilfenhaus in the gully.

And then the panic set in. Joe Denly had batted with poise and confidence to bring up his second half-century in ODI cricket, but the arrival of Ravi Bopara reduced his game-brain to mush, as between them the two batsmen decided to take on the bullet arm of Ricky Ponting in the covers, and lost. Bopara then fell lbw to Shane Watson for 13, Owais Shah snicked a drive off James Hopes for 7, before Eoin Morgan completed a collapse of 4 for 11 in 34 balls by edging a cut off Brett Lee for 2.

Twenty-one runs later, Matt Prior drove Ben Hilfenhaus to Ponting at short cover for 11, but Collingwood, on his home ground, finished his Australian summer as he had begun it in vastly different circumstances back at Cardiff in July, clinging on with the tail for company to swipe the momentum from Australia's grasp. That'll show 'em.

In fairness, England did just about deserve their victory, because they possessed in Swann the day's stand-out performer. He came into the attack in the 25th over of Australia's innings, with Ponting and Michael Clarke sitting pretty in a third-wicket stand of 79, and produced a spell of hand-grenade uncertainty, finding flight, loop and bite to unsettle a previously serene batting line-up. His first wicket was also the most crucial, that of Ponting, whose 53 from 67 balls had enabled Australia to recover from a shaky 17 for 2, but who fell to Swann's fifth ball of the innings, as he was deceived in the flight and plopped an attempted cover-drive into the hands of Collingwood at midwicket.

Three overs later, and Clarke, the sheet-anchor of Australia's innings, was also on his way back, courtesy of a badly-judged run to Morgan at short fine leg. His 38 from 81 balls was a broken promise of a performance - given that sort of a batting tempo, he really couldn't afford not to push onto a big score - but at 110 for 4, the innings was clearly wobbling. Five balls later and it really was in trouble as Cameron White, a centurion at the Rose Bowl, was bowled through the gate by a beautiful turning offspinner from Swann.

Though Michael Hussey remained among the specialist batsmen, the way into the tail had been opened, especially with Swann settling into a magnificent rhythm. Hopes was the next to go, caught by the bowler himself as he looped a leading edge towards mid-on, before Mitchell Johnson and Lee fell in the space of three deliveries - Johnson to another leading-edge, this time to James Anderson in the covers, and Lee bowled through the gate to complete Swann's first five-wicket haul in ODIs.

Having committed the cardinal sin of failing to play out their full 50 overs, Australia then started grimly with the ball, as Lee conceded nine runs, including four byes, from his opening over, before Hilfenhaus - given his first outing of the series at Nathan Bracken's expense - effectively relegated himself to the bench for the Champions Trophy with a shocking first spell that included four front-foot no-balls and a beamer from a free hit. Fittingly he returned at the end of the innings to produce another over-step with the scores level, to finish the tour with the dampest of squibs.

Denly took 12 deliveries to get off the mark, but once he had done so he grew in confidence, as did Strauss, who has not lacked for that aspect of his game at any stage of a superb year. Collectively, however, England are a bereft unit, this pyrrhic victory notwithstanding. An ICC 50-over world event comes around every two years, and each and every time, England manage to embark on their campaign with their hopes and expectations as low as they could possibly be. That's quite a feat, it has to be said.

US ties, climate change focus of Hatoyama's debut

2009-09-21T05:15:00.001-07:00

TOKYO - Just five days in office, Japan's prime minister left Monday for his debut on the world stage, where he is to meet with the leaders of the U.S., China and Russia and promote his ambitious plan to cut greenhouse gases in a speech at the U.N.

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama was scheduled to hold talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao after arriving in New York late Monday, then attend a climate summit at the U.N. starting Tuesday.

Japan's new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, left, waves as his wife Miyuki smiles before boarding a plane at Tokyo's Haneda Airport Monday, Sept. 21, 2009. Hatoyama is leaving Japan to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York and the G-20 summit at Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

Hatoyama, whose party defeated the long-ruling conservatives in last month's elections, faces his biggest diplomatic test Wednesday, when he meets with President Barack Obama.

Japan has long been one of Washington's closest allies. Hatoyama's new government has said it wants to pursue a more independent relationship with the U.S., and will not extend the refueling operations in the Indian Ocean in support of American troops in Afghanistan beyond January.

The U.S. is boosting troop levels in Afghanistan even as international support for the coalition wanes, and is loathe to lose the backing of an ally.

Hatoyama also has said he wants to review the U.S. military presence in Japan, where 50,000 American troops are stationed, although he said he doesn't plan to bring up that potentially contentious topic during his initial meeting with Obama.

"I'm going to meet with President Obama for the first time. I hope to build a good relationship so that I can gain his trust as a person," Hatoyama told a group of reporters before heading to the airport.

Hatoyama is also planning to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak in New York on Wednesday.

Discussion topics will include climate change, the global economy and North Korea's nuclear program, a foreign ministry official said.

At the United Nations on Thursday, Hatoyama is to talk about his government's goal of a 25 percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 — among the most ambitious cuts proposed by an economic power.

He wants to "send a strong message to show Japan's commitment" to tackle the issue, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano said Sunday.

Hatoyama will then travel to Pittsburgh to attend the Group of 20 economic summit.

While Hatoyama has said he wants Japan to take a less passive role in its ties with the U.S., its main military ally and major trading partner, he also has been careful to reassure Japanese and Americans alike that the U.S. will remain the "cornerstone" of his government's foreign policy.

Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada said Sunday that Japan is considering sending more financial aid to Afghanistan after the refueling mission ends. During an interview on TV Asahi, Okada said it was unlikely that Japan would send troops, even for a noncombat role as it did in Iraq. Japan's pacifist constitution prohibits offensive military operations.

Okada left for New York to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton later Monday. He wants to reconfirm the importance of the U.S.-Japan alliance during that meeting, the foreign ministry official said.

Last week, Clinton played down differences with Hatoyama's government, saying she expects new policies in Tokyo, just as the Obama administration has forged different approaches than the Bush administration.

The Art of Conversion

2009-09-21T05:13:00.002-07:00

Here is how you can get started:

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Renault presents four all-electric vehicles in Frankfurt

2009-09-21T05:13:00.001-07:00

The Frankfurt Motor Show this year has hosted a slew of hybrid and all-electric vehicles. Renault has caused quite a bit of buzz by introducing not one, but four all-electric concept vehicles ranging from tiny to : the Twizy Z.E., Zoe Z.E., Fluence Z.E., and Kangoo Z.E.

The Twizy is actually more like half a car. The 1+1 city car is only 2.3 meters long and just over one meter wide, barely larger than a scooter. It maxes out at 47 mph with its 15kW motor.

The Zoe is a compact car with a 100-mile range and a 70kW motor. It's front and rear feature polyurethane gel bumpers. You can also personalize your own avatar to deliver driving information and it comes with mood lighting and "hydrate, detox and active scent" climate control settings -- uh, cool?

The Fluence is their version of an all-electric family vehicle. It's a four-door, five-person sedan with a 100-mile range.

The Kangoo is an electric commercial fleet vehicle, also with a 70 kW motor and solar roof panels.

All four models will have three options for recharging: Standard charge that takes four to eight hours at any charging spot, quick charge that takes 20 minutes at special charging points and "Quickdrop" battery exchange, all of which the company has paired up with Better Place to facilitate.

Renault expects to start releasing these vehicles in 2011.

via Autoblog Green

10 Things "Dirty Dancing" Taught Us About Love and Sex

2009-09-21T05:12:00.001-07:00

R.I.P. Patrick Swayze, star of Dirty Dancing. Thank you for giving us the gift of dance and romance that only teenagers with a very high tolerance for cheese and a low level of taste can appreciate (and quote from endlessly). We'll never forgot you. And we'll never be put in a corner.

You don't need a perfect face to land a cute guy.
Reproductive rights are really important.
Being called "Baby" is not necessarily derogative.
If you're trying to impress someone, do not talk about heavy lifting or fruit.
Men can be used for sex, too.
God wouldn't have given us maracas if He didn't want us to shake 'em.
Stay away from jerks who subscribe to Ayn Rand's philosophy.
It's important to defend the boundaries of your personal space.
Don't say cheesy things like "And most of all I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I'm with you" if you can't do it with convincing conviction.
When it comes to relationships, do the lift.

Seven reasons to join a beach cleanup

2009-09-21T05:11:00.002-07:00

(Photo: Sieto Verver / iStockPhoto)

The Ocean Conservancy's annual International Coastal Cleanup is Saturday. Find a cleanup near you and join in. Even if you don't live anywhere near the beach, every stream, river, and lake in the U.S. eventually spills into an ocean, so there are cleanups planned far inland.

Here are seven good reasons to join in:

Everyone else is doing it. In 2008, 400,000 volunteers worldwide participated.
There's plenty of trash to go around. Last year, volunteers removed 6.8 million pounds of trash. (With 304 million U.S. residents disposing an average of roughly 4.4 pounds of trash per day, it's easy to see how it all adds up.)
Cigs are king. Cigarette butts -- 3.2 million of them in 2008 -- along with plastic bags and food wrappers and containers make up the largest share of litter collected each year.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch keeps growing. Estimated to be about the size of Canada, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a debris field in the North Pacific Ocean, roughly 1,000 miles from land, that scientists on a recent expedition called shocking.
Trash kills. The oceans cover two-thirds of the planet and are home to 97% of all life on Earth, and yet simple litter represents a real threat to that life. Turtles and marine mammals choke on debris, and the breakdown of some products releases toxic substances into the water that affect reproduction, neurological development, and other keys to health.
You might save an animal. In 2008, cleanup volunteers found 443 animals, including sharks, stingrays, and seahorses entangled in debris -- mostly "ghost nets" from fishing boats or discarded fishing lines. They were able to save 65%.
You can turn the tide. A recent scientific analysis found that the combined threats of overfishing, pollutant runoff, global warming, acidification, and habitat destruction are sending the oceans back to a primordial stew. Helping to reduce litter is one small thing we can do to help.

Emmy Beauty Predictions (Plus 7 Tips to Getting Yourself Red Carpet Ready!)

2009-09-21T05:11:00.001-07:00

As part of our “Thread goes to Hollywood” series we met up with celebrity makeup artist, Bruce Grayson, who just happens to be the makeup department head for the 2009 Emmys. Bruce gave us a preview of what we'll be seeing at the awards PLUS 7 tips for getting ourselves red-carpet gorgeous.

We might not be hitting the actual red carpet but we all have to dress for big occasions where we'll be photographed and then seen by who knows how many people if the photos end up on Facebook! Here's some advice from Grayson that all of us can follow:

Tip #1 - The biggest mistake celebrities— or any of us, for that matter— can make, is getting too complicated with makeup. This Fall, simplicity is key. Less is best!

Tip #2 - Create iconic, bold red lips. Grayson always applies lipstick with a lip brush so you can really paint the lips perfectly. (I’m running out to get some fire engine red right now.)

Tip #3 - Loooong dramatic lashes go a long way. For the lushest possible eye lashes, Grayson suggests using an eyelash curler at the base of the lash line, then “walking” the curler up the lashes and squeezing it again at several points for a maximum curl. Start with your mascara wand at the lash root and then “wiggle it up” to make the lashes as full as possible.

Tip #4 - Sexy, defined brows can take years off your appearance. Grayson uses two shades of shadow to fill in a brow— a lighter to contour and shape and a darker shade in the middle to define. Then, to make sure the shape lasts all night long, he sets the powder with a gel.

Tip #5 - Take great care of your skin (i.e. your canvas). Grayson tells everyone to work from the inside out— moisturize with a quality cream to hydrate and firm up areas that need it.

Tip #6 - Once you pick what you're going to wear, don't stress about matching your makeup to your outfit. Neutral shadows go with everything and let the red lips, dramatic lashes and brows stand out.

Tip #7 - A few days before the big event, reduce your salt intake and drink lots of water to hydrate and reduce puffiness.

We can't wait to see how the stars work the red carpet this Sunday. Let us know what you think of their looks by posting a comment below. And thanks so much to the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood for a fabulous poolside setting!

Today' Expert: Emmy-nominated makeup artist and Bruce Grayson is the makeup department head for the Primetime Emmy® Awards. He has also worked on and managed makeup teams for television series including The Larry Sanders Show, News Radio and Just Shoot Me. He is currently working on CBS's Rules of Engagement. Bruce’s celebrity clients include Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Brooke Shields, Hayden Panettiere, Brittany Murphy, Sarah Rue, Mel Gibson and David Spade.

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Thanks for watching the Thread. We'll be back soon from our Planet Hollywood studio in Times Square with a brand new episode.

Less makeup = more money in your purse

2009-09-17T23:52:00.000-07:00

If reuse is a tenant of a green lifestyle, buying products that serve dual purposes should be one too. One area of my life where this has become commonplace is in my makeup bag.

Not only do products that serve more than one purpose save money, they save space. Where I used to juggle products and run back and forth between the bathroom and bedroom when I primped to go out at night, now I have one drawer that contains all of my cosmetics and hair care products (with the exception of my shampoo and conditioner, of course).

In this economy and with so many families either downsizing or unable to upgrade their families’ living quarters, being able to cull the clutter is just as valuable as the money you’ll save at the register.

Everything I recommend here is paraben-free, petroleum-free, and cruelty-free, not to mention minimally packaged in recyclable containers. Here is a list of my favorite healthy products that have saved me time, space, and money:

Tinted moisturizers are a beautiful way to save money and time. I am obsessive about moisturizing, and the older I get the more a radiant complexion means more than just some lotion. Rather than toting around -- and paying for -- a face cream and base makeup, my go-to product is now Kiss My Face’s Tinted Moisturizer.

It smooths on like a lotion but provides the sheer coverage that I need to even out my erratic complexion. With a dusting of talc-free and paraben-free powder on top, my skin looks as dewy as it did when it actually was dewy. Kiss Your Face’s Tinted Moisturizer retails for $10.

I don’t have the time or the inclination to head home to freshen up between all of my work and social events, so my favorite compact to tote with me is Josie Maran Cosmetics’s Finger Paints.

I use Finger Paints in Sweet, which are pinks and apricot shades of multi-use creams for lips, cheeks, and eyes. Or choose Finger Paints in Lovely, which are earthier browns and bronzes. Finger Paints retail for $36.

To save money in the shower and out, one of my favorite (two) products come from vonNatur. The company’s Complete Hair & Body Wash and Complete Hair & Body Conditioner are the real deal in the two-for-one game.

Use the wash head to toe, replacing the need for a shampoo and a soap, and use the conditioner head to toe in lieu of a conditioner and a separate moisturizer. Each product retails for $17.

Kiss My Face makes my list twice with its 3-Way Color. I own it in heather (no surprise!) and ruby. While I mainly use it as a lip gloss, it also serves well as a blush. Being cosmetically challenged, I like to dab a dollop into some moisturizer to make it creamier before applying to my cheeks. 3-Way Color retails for $9.

To highlight all of this gorgeousness, I love Jane Iredale’s Pencil in White. I use it on the inside corners of my eyes to brighten me up on those dark days, blended well under my eyebrows for a lightening lift, and to lightly line my lips -- lightly ladies, this isn’t Culture Club -- to make my lip gloss sparkle. Jane Iredale’s Pencil in White retails for $9.

Finally, for all-over moisture, I take Trilogy’s Everything Balm everywhere I go. The balm, which comes in an easy-to-tote 1.5-ounce jar, can be used on lips, face, hands, and even as a massage oil.

Just warm a dab in the palm of your hand and the balm melts for easy absorption. Trilogy’s Everything Balm is available at beautorium and retails for $18.

Heather O’Neill is the founder of Eco to the People, a green living blog. You can email her at heather@ecotothepeople.com.

Outrage in South Africa over ICC awards

2009-09-17T23:49:00.000-07:00

There isn't a single South African among the nominees for the ICC awards © Getty Images

The ICC's prestigious annual awards appears to have run into a controversy with several high-profile figures from South Africa, including Gerald Majola, the national cricket board's chief executive, criticising the final selection process for not including a single South African player. Majola questioned the credibility of the awards - which will be presented in Johannesburg on October 1 - and said it appeared to him that the only way to get on the shortlist was to play the Ashes.

Majola's views have been echoed by Mickey Arthur, the South Africa coach, who said the "very disappointing" nominations shortlist would motivate his players to perform better in the ICC Champions Trophy starting on September 22. Allan Donald, the former South Africa fast bowler and a member of the awards voting panel, admitted that he was surprised by the shortlist. Journalist Neil Manthorp, the only other South African on the 25-member panel, wrote that the honour of being on that jury had turned into an embarrassment. Cricinfo has also received angry emails from readers complaining about the omissions.

When contacted, an ICC spokesperson said that the awards nomination "is a completely independent process in which the ICC has no say whatsoever".

"To me, it looks like the only way to get on these nomination lists is to play the Ashes," Majola told Cricinfo. "Unfortunately, our players don't play for England or Australia. That seems to be the criteria to select these awards. I don't know what the criteria are for these nominations but I simply can't believe that this has happened to South African players. My personal opinion is that this doesn't lend credibility to this year's awards, for sure. To rub salt to our wounds, the awards ceremony is being held in our country.

"I am totally dismayed and disappointed. The last season was one of the best ever for South Africa and there were a lot of outstanding performances by our players. In my personal opinion, there were at least three South African players who should have figured on the shortlist. But I am not going to name them because I don't want to drag our players into this issue when they are preparing for the Champions Trophy. I haven't spoken to them about this either."

Donald revealed that he had nominated two South African players for the shortlist. "But I am surprised to see that there is no one from South Africa in the final list," he told Cricinfo.

The long list of nominations for the individual awards was prepared by a five-member ICC panel headed by Clive Lloyd, the ICC's cricket committee chairman, and including Anil Kumble, Mudassar Nazar, Bob Taylor and Stephen Fleming. The performance period taken into account was August 13, 2008 to August 24, 2009. This list was then sent to the ICC's independent panel of 25 members - including two South Africans, Allan Donald and Manthorp - to vote for the shortlist of the top four contenders in each category.

The independent panel included former players Ian Healy, Ramiz Raja, Athar Ali Khan, Allan Donald, Bob Willis, Sidath Wettimuny, Srinivas Venkataraghavan, Ian Bishop, Jeremy Coney, Dave Houghton, Roland Lefebvre. The media was represented by Jim Maxwell (Aus), Osman Samiuddin (Cricinfo's Pakistan editor), Sayeed Uzzaman (Ban), Neil Manthorp (SA), Scyld Berry (Eng), Ramil Abeynaike (SL), Sharda Ugra (Ind), Fazeer Mohammed (WI), Richard Boock (NZ), Enock Nuchinjo (Zim) and Jon Coates (Associates). The officials were ICC referees elite panel representative: Alan Hurst; ICC umpires elite panel representative: Billy Bowden and chairman of the ICC cricket committee: Clive Lloyd.

While the shortlist was announced on Tuesday, the category winners will be known only on awards night. The votes have already been collated by Ernst and Young, who acted as independent auditors.

South Africa are currently the No. 1 Test and ODI team on the ICC rankings and the long list, reflecting this, featured four South African players. Graeme Smith, who led his team to their first Test series win ever in Australia, and AB deVilliers, who hit two match-winning centuries against Australia - one of them set up that historic away series win - were nominated for Cricketer of the Year and Test Player of the Year; Dale Steyn, who was ICC's Test Player of the Year in 2008, also featured on the long list for the best Test player; and Wayne Parnell, the left-arm fast bowler, was nominated for the best Twenty20 International Performance of the year.

None of them made it to the final four in their categories.

Writing on the SuperSport website, Manthorp said the fault lay not with the ICC but with the system used for determining the award winners. The 25-member panel has to select the final nominees from a dozen or more names on the long list, which, he said, was simply too time-consuming to be done thoroughly. There were "plenty of Proteas" on the long list, he said, but not having played for three months meant they were "out of sight and out of mind."

Andrew Strauss, the England captain, and Mitchell Johnson, the Australian fast bowler, figure in both the shortlists (of four players each) for Cricketer of the Year and Test Player of the Year. MS Dhoni, the India captain and Gautam Gambhir, the India opener, are the other shortlisted nominees for Cricketer of the Year; Gambhir and Thilan Samaraweera, the Sri Lankan batsman, are also in the race for the best Test player.

However, South African players can still be part of the awards night by featuring in the best Test and ODI teams for the last year that will be announced at the ceremony. Smith, for instance, was named captain of the best Test selection last time in a team that also featured Jacques Kallis and Steyn. Herchelle Gibbs was part of the best ODI selection last year.

Recycling human hair to make eco-friendly products

2009-09-17T23:48:00.000-07:00

Could you imagine cleaning up a pound of hair every day? Well that’s what more than 300,000 hair salons in the U.S. do at least once a day before closing time. The stylists carefully sweep up your old hair and throw it in the trash, leaving it destined for the dump.

Instead of taking the excess hair to the landfill, some entrepreneurs have come up with ways to recycle old hair into eco-friendly products. It may sound a bit strange, but there are some very cool things that hair can create. Here are a few:

Oil spill hair mat

Most people who follow the green movement can recall 1989’s Exxon Valdez oil spill. It is considered one of the worst human-caused environmental disasters in North American history, spilling over 10.8 million gallons of oil into the Alaskan sea.

Alabama hair stylist Phil McCrory watched the eco-tragedy television, and when he saw the oil-soaked animals, he got an idea. He noticed how the fur on otters helped to trap the oil, so he thought about using human hair to clean up oil spills. McCrory showed his idea to NASA, and the rest is hair history!

His idea helped inspire the OttiMat, which soaks up about 7.8 gallons of oil in less than 3 minutes. It can also be wrung out and reused more than 100 times. This video demonstrates:

McCrory’s invention inspired the charity organization Matter of Trust to create the Hair for Oil Spills Program, which takes hair donations from salons and turns the hair into oil spill mats.

(Photo: Morning Glory Antiques and Jewelry)

Woven hair jewelry

The Victorian Hairwork Society was created for people who are interested in creating art out of hair.

In the 19th century, it was fashionable to weave sentimental jewelry out of a beloved -- and often deceased -- person's hair. People today are keeping the art, uh, alive.

For inspiration, check out the many vintage examples at Morning Glory Antiques and Jewelry.

(Photo: Phil Smith and
Ronald Thompson)

Stiletto chair

Created by former hairstylist-to-the-stars Ronald Thompson, the unique stiletto chair was conjured up when Thompson was cleaning hair clippings on the set of Batman Begins.

He realized how sturdy a piece of hair was as opposed to fiberglass, and he decided to create an eco-friendly alternative to traditional fiberglass molds.

Thompson designed the stiletto chair, which is waterproof, fire-resistant, and totally amazing. Although it costs $15,000, he does hope to develop less-expensive models.

(Photo: Ananova)

Human hair dress

Croatian designers at Artidjana Company used 165 feet of blond hair to make a dress worn by model Simona Gotovac. The outfit was featured at a fashion show in Zagreb.

(Photo: Jim Cole / AP)

Dartmouth banner

Using 420 pounds of human hair from Dartmouth students, faculty, staff, and other members of the Hanover community, artist Wenda Gu created a human-hair banner that hangs in the college’s Baker-Berry Library. It is a part of Gu’s “united nations” project that began in 1993.

The trimmings from 42,000 haircuts were sent to a studio in China, where they were dyed, glued, and shaped with twine to form the banner.

See, recycling hair is a great way to make eco-friendly products, and unless human evolution dramatically changes, hair will be around for us to use forever!

Cracking the Colonel's Secret Recipe for KFC Fried Chicken

2009-09-17T23:46:00.000-07:00

It's one of the big mysteries of the food world, up there with the secret formula for Coca-Cola. What, exactly, are Colonel Sanders' 11 herbs and spices?

Former JP Morgan finance director-turned-recipe sleuth Ron Douglas says he's cracked the Colonel's secret recipe, and is publishing it in "America's Most Wanted Recipes," in which he deciphers the way home cooks can make chain-restaurant meals such as Taco Bell Mexican Pizza, Arby's Apple Turnovers, and Macaroni Grill Foccacia. (You'll see a whole bunch of blogs taking part in The Great American Taste Test, a national tryout of Douglas' recipes, by the way.)

So I've tried out Douglas' attempt to duplicate the Kentucky Fried Chicken original recipe, and I'm publishing it here, after the jump.

Ron Douglas' Clone of KFC Original Recipe Fried Chicken
1 egg, beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1 3-lb. chicken, cut into 6 pcs.
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground oregano
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. tsp. dried sage
1 tsp. tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried marjoram
1 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbl. paprika
1 Tbl. onion salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbl. Accent
1 can lard (or 1 3-lb. can Crisco)

1. Combine egg and buttermilk in bowl, Soak chicken in mixture.

2. Add flour to separate bowl and fold in spices and herbs.

3. Roll chicken in seasoned flour until completely covered. Double coat for extra-crispy chicken.

4. Add lard to pressure cooker and heat to 365 degrees F.

5. Lower four pieces chicken into fryer and lock lid.

6. Fry for 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown.

7. Remove chicken and drain on paper towels or rack.

8. Repeat with remaining chicken.

And that's it. So, essentially, the secret ingredient to KFC is, according to Douglas, Accent, aka monosodium glutamate (MSG).

I tried the recipe myself, but because I couldn't track down a pressure cooker, I had to jimmy up an alternate cooking method by emptying two cans of Crisco into a Dutch oven and deep-frying it that way. I ended up having to cook it a bit longer that way, and thus the breading was a little past golden brown. (I took pictures of the entire process, of course, and can put those up later if you all would like.)

The friend I made try it and I agreed that it didn't taste much like original recipe KFC, but also agreed that the method of cooking probably had a lot to do with that. We both liked the way it tasted, though.

So, has anyone else tried to crack the Colonel's recipe? What did you decide his 11 herbs and spices were? Anyone else care to run their own taste test?

See previously: Taste Test: KFC’s Kentucky Grilled Chicken

What's for dinner?

2009-09-17T23:42:00.000-07:00

This week's easy and delicious recipe picks from Shine...

Monday
Beef and Orange Stir-Fry

When cutting the beef into strips, slice against the grain (across the striated fibers); the result will be meat that is much more tender. Cutting the orange crosswise allows the connective tissues to stay in place, so the slices are less likely to break apart when tossed with the beef. Serve the dish with white rice.

Tuesday
Lemon and Olive Chicken

Wednesday
Turkey Quesadillas

Thursday
Roasted Ratatouille With Eggs and Cheese

Friday
Vietnamese-Style Beef and Noodle Soup

Saturday
Blackened Salmon Sandwich

Sunday
Pizza With Pesto, Tomatoes, and Feta

For more delicious eating, check out 10 Things to Do With a Pint of Ice Cream.
Or if you're eating out, find out if anyone tips 15% anymore.

Facebook Saved My Marriage.

2009-09-17T23:30:00.001-07:00

Marriage is hard work. It so easy for me to drift apart for periods of time from Jon while dealing with the trials and tribulations of navigating the early intervention system for our twins, navigating the public school system for Elby and attempting to ensure our house doesn’t smell like cat pee –and we don’t own a cat – take a moment with that one. Due to our lack of time and motivation to go on “dates” which would entail paying for even more childcare or just spending time together in the house (God, that’s a lot of effort) you’d think we’d be well on our way to marriage counseling. But hold on. I’ve stumbled upon something much better, a hells a lot cheaper and way more geographically desirable: Facebook. Oh yeah, it’s not just for finding old elementary friends anymore.

I have been spending a little quality time perusing my husband’s Facebook account and I already feel like I’m rediscovering an old friend. Sure it’s interesting that a girl I was besties with in junior high is married to a woman who’s in prison for murder! Who in their right mind could deny that’s good stuff? But, that just doesn’t compete with finding out that my husband joined the group, “Billionaires for Wealthcare.” I mean, hold the f------ phone – we’re BILLIONAIRES? You’d think this was information he wouldn’t shared while we watched the intro to Keith Olberman last night in bed. But in his defense, maybe I was asleep already or maybe he just didn’t have a chance to slip it in to conversation while I explained that our home warranty doesn’t cover our dishwasher’s “too loud” issue and will only fix it if it doesn’t work at all. Bottom line, we’re billionaires and that makes me feel a lot closer to him.

There’s also the fact that we have 68 friends in common. Hello! That’s a lot of mutual friends. And do you know why? It’s because we have such similar taste in people that we’re destined to like a lot of the same ones thus solidifying my knowledge that I made a solid choice in husbands!

Without Facebook I wouldn’t have just discovered that someone named “Dana” told my husband “You are so sick. I love your sense of humor!” Finding out that someone else appreciates my man doesn’t make me want to cut a b---- , it makes me proud that other people get how hilarious he is. Okay, maybe I want to cut a b---- a little. I’m only human. I’m not going to do it! Get a grip, will you? Anyway, her name isn’t even Dana (even if it was, you’ll never pin it on me). But really, Dana, I agree with you. Jon keeps me in stitches! Hang on let me go find more.

Read More...

Raising preemie twin girls plus a sassy preschooler while trying to make a book deadline isn't for wussies. In her Mommy Track'd column, Make Mine a Double, Stefanie Wilder-Taylor takes imperfect parenting to an art form. Each week she breaks the pristine laws of the mommy manuals as she reveals how she attempts to parent her three children through instinct, intelligence, and a lot of trial and error. She is the author of Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay, Naptime Is the New Happy Hour, and It's Not Me, It's You: Subjective Recollections from a Terminally Optimistic, Chronically Sarcastic and Occasionally Inebriated Woman. She’s appeared numerous times on The Today Show, is a member of the Us Weekly Fashion Police and writes on her blog, Baby On Bored.

6 Things Every Woman Should Have in Her Closet

2009-09-17T23:29:00.000-07:00

Bob Hiemstra

1. Steal a trick from men: Always have a tuxedo on hand. Or at least a tuxedo jacket. My worst moments of panic come when I’m faced with a last-minute black-tie event for work. Since I’m not quite equipped to slip into a sample-size ball gown and waltz out the door, I often rely on a 10-year-old tuxedo jacket that fits perfectly and can be worn over cropped velvet pants and great evening shoes. This makes even more sense if you attend formal affairs only once in a while: Rather than buying a dress you’ll never wear again, you can reach for your timeless tux. In between, you can use the jacket to dress up jeans for weekend dinners out.

2. Stash a strapless bra in the dresser drawer. Even if you’re the type who can slip into an evening dress, make sure you have the proper undergarments. I remember spending a lot of time and money to refit a strapless gown for a special occasion only to find at the last minute that I didn’t have the right bra. It was quite a letdown indeed.

3. Ditto Spanx―in moderation. I love Spanx, and any kind of body shaper always makes an outfit look sleeker. But there is such a thing as too sleek. Hollywood stylists have a trick: They layer two pairs of Spanx under a celebrity’s dress and stitch them to her bra. It may work on the red carpet, but don’t try this at home. Limit yourself to one pair at a time to avoid looking like a sausage stuffed in a tight casing.

4. Invest in a suit (preferably one that fits well). You never know when you’ll need to impress in a job interview or just boost your own morale. When I’m stressed at work or frazzled by my kids’ school schedules, putting on the fashion armor always seems to bring a little order to my life and lift my spirits. And let’s be honest―a jacket is like the body’s version of concealer: It can hide all kinds of flaws.

5. Stock up on underpinnings. That’s the inside-baseball term for what goes under the suit. Please don’t let it be a once-was-white cotton T-shirt or a tank top that has taken too many turns in the dryer. Fashion has evolved to the point that sleeveless silk shells can be found in every color at every price point, and every woman should have a few in her closet. They brighten up a business suit, and they’re a key ingredient of the pulled-together pencil-skirt-and-cardigan look.

6. Make a simple dress your all-occasion staple. There’s a reason women like Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy, and Babe Paley became our country’s style icons: They all relied on the little sleeveless shift dress―and no list of wardrobe essentials would be complete without it. You can wear it to work, dress it down with sandals or flats, add a shawl for evenings, and throw on a cardigan anytime if you don’t relish revealing your arms. Not only is it a classic but it’s pretty much seasonless, too.

Will "Love Happen" for Jennifer Aniston?

2009-09-17T23:25:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Aniston's latest film "Love Happens" opens this week. We caught up with Jen to talk about men who have too much baggage, managing a relationship, and her classic style on and off the red carpet. Check out Jen's obsession with the little black dress in our photo gallery below.

Follow The Thread on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook.

Thanks for watching the Thread. We'll be back soon from our Planet Hollywood studio in Times Square with a brand new episode.

Jennifer Aniston in Rochas

At the 2006 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, Jen wore a scoop-neck chiffon gown that acted as the perfect backdrop for her gorgeous Bulgari diamond necklace.

Photo by: Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

6 Ways to stave off swine flu

2009-09-17T23:22:00.000-07:00

Like just about everyone, I’ve had my share of questions about the H1N1 virus, so I dispatched Prevention’s best reporters to talk to experts and find out the facts so far. Although there’s certainly a chance that you’ll be exposed to the germs (a recent White House report predicts that as much as 20 to 40% of the population could experience swine flu symptoms, with more than half of cases seeking medical attention), whether you get sick or spread the bug to others may be largely due to your health habits. Here are 6 simple health behaviors to keep you and your family free from the flu (swine

or seasonal).

13 Facts about the swine flu.

1. Get a vaccine

It’s the single best way to not get sick, experts say. “No matter how well you wash your hands, you still have to breathe,” says Robert Belshe, MD, professor of medicine and pediatrics at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine and director of the vaccine center at Saint Louis University, which is conducting clinical trials for the swine flu vaccine. “If you breathe in flu aerosol particles—which are invisible and can travel as far as 10 feet—you’ll likely catch the flu.” That’s why vaccines are so important: They prime your body to mount a flu-fighting response before you’re even exposed.

This year, you’ll need two different flu vaccines: one for seasonal flu, and a separate one for swine flu (which may require two separate doses, about 3 weeks apart—reports are still pending). Everyone can get the seasonal flu vaccine, but the swine flu vaccine will be preferentially given first to the highest-risk groups as quantities roll out. The first 45 million doses will be available mid-October. The five groups with highest priority, according to Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease at the NIH, are:

Pregnant women
Caregivers of children less than 6 months old
First responders and health care workers
Healthy people ages 6 months to 24 years
People ages 25 to 64 with underlying conditions like heart disease and asthma*

*People ages 65 and older don’t seem to be at increased risk of swine flu.

Have your children vaccinated and get the shot as soon as you can based on your eligibility. Some states will provide the swine flu vaccine through schools or community clinics; it should also be available wherever you get the regular seasonal flu vaccine.

Stay cold and flu free this season.

2. Be Obsessed With Hand Washing

Even if you are exposed to swine flu (by using a germy pen at the post office, say), if you clean your hands before you touch your face, there’s little chance the germs can reach your eyes, nose, or mouth, the usual ways they enter your system and start wreaking havoc. “Washing hands is enormously effective,” says Wayne LaMorte, MD, a professor of epidemiology at the Boston University School of Public Health. One University of Michigan study found that regular hand washing can reduce respiratory illness transmission by more than 20%.

The key is to make hand cleansing a habit. Aside from after a bathroom break, wash your hands with soap and water—or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer—before you eat, after being in crowded public places, like the mall, or if you’ve been near someone who’s sneezing or coughing.

The lazy girl's guide to good health.

3. Teach Your Children to Wash Well

It appears that kids in schools are the ground zero of swine flu spread. Children ages 5 to 19 are responsible for the most transmission, according to a recent study in the journal Science. The probable victims: Their parents. “If a child contracts the flu, about 40 to 50% of her family will likely develop clinical flu symptoms,” says LaMorte.

Teach kids to lather up with soap and water after using the bathroom, after sneezing or coughing, and before every meal and snack. (Stash a bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitizer in their backpacks; it’s a good substitute if they can’t get to a sink.) If the kids are doing a group project and share materials, tell them to wash afterward. Finally, show your child the right way to sneeze: into a tissue, ideally, or into his sleeve—not his hands.

13 Healthy life lessons to teach your kids.

4. Stop Nibbling Your Nails

You’re basically inviting swine flu or other germs to infect you. No matter how anal you are about hand washing, let’s face it—you can’t park yourself in front of a sink or use hand sanitizer 24-7. That’s where the avoid-unnecessarily-touching-your-face rule comes in. “Rubbing your eyes or biting your cuticles can increase viral transmission,” says Aiello. In doing so, you give germs a more direct route to your mouth and nose, where they enter your body and start making you sick.

How bad are your health vices?

5. Keep Your Cube Clean

When was the last time you wiped down your desk or disinfected your phone? Chances are you don’t remember. About 41% of office workers say they rarely or never disinfect their desks, according to a new survey from Clorox in consultation with Corporate Wellness, Inc. To add to the ick factor, that’s despite the fact that two-thirds of people say they eat lunch at their desks at least once or twice a week. If your unclean desk harbors germs, you can pick them up (and get sick) while shuffling papers or answering the phone—and especially when you lunch right on top of them. To play it safer this flu season, University of Arizona microbiologist Charles Gerba, PhD, recommends that you use disinfectant spray or wipes. Schedule a standing reminder in your Outlook calendar to wipe down your desk after you eat.

Avoid these 10 worst germ hotspots.

6. Be Your Healthiest Self

The last piece of the swine flu prevention puzzle: Make sure your immune system is firing on all cylinders. Scientists are still learning exactly how and which healthy habits bolster immunity, but there’s clearly some solid evidence for adopting—and avoiding—certain behaviors. One good-for-you habit is sleep. A recent Carnegie Mellon study found that sleeping 8 hours a night (instead of 7 or fewer) can make you 30% less likely to develop a cold—a sign that sleep plays an important immune-boosting role. A well-balanced diet may help fortify your immune system too. And avoid unhealthy habits, such as smoking or letting stress get the better of you, which have been linked to decreased immunity.

12 Surprising ways to supercharge your health right now!

Countdown to clean

2009-09-14T04:44:00.003-07:00

I love that serene “ahhhhh” moment when you can sink into a comfy chair, look around your sparkling house and breathe a sigh of relief. Now, if I could just figure out how to get there without the hours-long top-to-bottom scrubathon. Lucky for me (and you!), there’s a shortcut: Get into a clean routine.

“The more often you clean, the less buildup you have and the faster you can do it next time,” says Debra Johnson, training manager for Merry Maids. Let our experts’ checklists take the guesswork out of housework.

Tools of the Trade
“The quality of the work depends on the quality of the tools,” says Weber. So choose good ones, clean them after use and put them away in the same place.

Your Gear:

Countdown to Clean

● Spray bottle of all-purpose cleaner
● Spray bottle of glass cleaner
● Can of furniture polish
● Dust wand with adjustable handle
● 3 or 4 microfiber cloths
● Small scrub brush
● Tool belt to carry it all, hands-free
● Vacuum
● Mop
● Bucket

15 Minutes a Day
Really. That’s all it takes to handle the basics once you’ve established our routine. “I call it the Daily Hotel Clean,” says Kathryn Weber, publisher of the Everydayclean.com cleaning calendar.

Step 1: Make the beds.

Step 2: Make sure dirty clothes are all in hampers. Do a quick room-by-room pickup, putting items back in place.

Step 3: Wipe dirty counters in the bathroom and kitchen.

Step 4: Put away all dishes. Step 5 Sweep the kitchen floor.

Weekly Clean Sweep

Either set aside a 2- to 3-hour chunk of time, or work in 15-minute increments throughout the week. The basic formula: Clean top to bottom and left to right, and only go around a room once (not including floors). Ready? Strap on your tool belt and go!

Bedrooms, Living Rooms, Dining Rooms: If you have a two-story home, start upstairs; for one floor, begin in the area farthest away from the front of the house. First, go through all the rooms and empty wastebaskets. Then go back into the first room and start at the top, removing any cobwebs with your dust wand and working your way down, dusting ceiling fans, door frames, moldings, picture frames and lamps. Switch to the furniture spray and a microfiber cloth to clean dressers and tables. (Remove knickknacks first.) Clean mirrors with the glass cleaner and a fresh cloth. When you’ve finished all these rooms on a floor, vacuum, starting farthest from the door in each room and vacuuming your way out.

Bathrooms: The pros have a special way to clean bathrooms: First, spray cleaner on the shower doors and walls, tub and sink, and in the toilet to start loosening dirt. Then use the same top-to-bottom, left-to-right system. Remember to wipe the towel racks and toilet paper holder. Clean the toilet inside, outside and behind the bowl. Vacuum, then mop.

Kitchen: Starting from the top, wipe cabinet fronts and work your way down. Empty the toaster’s crumb tray and clean inside the microwave. Unlike your daily counter wipe, now is the time to get behind canisters, mixers and other counter dwellers. Do the kitchen sink last, then sweep and mop the floor. Don’t forget the vent at the bottom of the refrigerator.

Tackle Monthly
Pick a Saturday to do all eight, or add two to each weekly session, says Johnson.

1. Use paper towels or a cloth to thoroughly clean the tracks of sliding glass and shower doors.

2. Run 1/2 cup of vinegar mixed in a full pot of water through your coffeemaker.

3. Wash down the shelves and veggie bins in the refrigerator.

4. Clean stove hood vents.

5. Vacuum under couch cushions. A handheld vac, like the Black & Decker Flex Vac, shown, makes quick work of this chore.

6. Spray down the leaves of artificial plants with the sink hose (or a spray bottle of water) and let air-dry in the sink.

7. Clean the top of the fridge.

8. Wash insides of garbage cans and wastebaskets.

A Year of “Biggies”
Weber recommends 12 annual chores, one for each month.

January: Clean medicine cabinets; toss expired meds.

February: Clean all the hard-to-reach places: behind the stove, refrigerator, washer/ dryer, sofas and under beds.

March: Steam-clean carpets.

April: Wash windows and screens.

May: Organize the pantry and kitchen cabinets.

June: Wash duvets, blankets, comforters, spreads, pillows.

July: Clean and organize the garage.

August: Clean out drawers and closets. Donate usable clothing and items to charity.

September: Clean out the linen closet.

October: Defrost and clean freezer, refrigerator, stove, oven.

November: Polish silver, wash china, dust inside the china cabinet.

December: Turn mattresses; vacuum upholstered furniture and drapes.

60-Second Quick Fixes
Got a minute? These simple changes will make your house tidier—no elbow grease required!

1. Place a mat at the front door and enforce a strict no-shoes-inside rule. You’ll eliminate 70% to 90% of the dirt entering your home, says Weber.

2. Last person to shower squeegees the shower door to cut down on mineral deposits left behind when the water dries—less scrubbing time for you.

3. When you see it, clean it. Spills on the counter, a towel on the floor…a few seconds as you pass through a room save many minutes later.

4. Switch to microfiber cloths. They speed cleaning by trapping and picking up dust, not just moving it around. Wash and hang to dry after use Save money by buying them in the automotive section of discount stores, where they’re less expensive.

Younis aims for more major trophies

2009-09-14T04:40:00.000-07:00

Younis Khan, the Pakistan captain, has targeted winning at least one of the next two big ICC one-day tournaments, the Champions Trophy or the 2011 World Cup. Other goals he has set for his side are beating India and Australia in Test series.

"Every captain has certain targets in mind, mine is that we must win either of these two major ICC events until I am captain," Younis said during Pakistan's conditioning camp in Karachi. "We also go to Australia later this year and we have never won a Test series there. I think we have the best chance of achieving this first time feat in the coming series."

He also hoped India and Pakistan would resume bilateral cricket, which was suspended after the Mumbai terrorist attacks last November. "I would love to lead the team in a full series against India as beating them would be a big achievement for me and a big plus in my career."

Younis has already led Pakistan to a major trophy, the World Twenty20 in England earlier this year, and was confident his squad was strong enough to achieve the targets he had set. "We have the players to win the Champions Trophy or World Cup and even beat Australia in Australia but we need to combine and click together."

Pakistan are drawn with India and Australia in the group phase of the Champions Trophy, but Younis was unfazed by the strong opponents. "When our team is clicking well and playing with confidence and on a high it does not matter how many teams we have in our group," he said. "Even if they are six we can still qualify for the semi-finals."

Another person upbeat about Pakistan's chances was Javed Miandad, who is coaching the team's batsmen during the five-day camp. He, however, warned that the batting needed to be more consistent. "I think Pakistan has one of the best bowling attacks in the world," he said, "and if they improve their batting they can win the Champions Trophy."

Miandad said that the problem with Pakistan batsmen was that some of them hadn't mastered the basics of batting yet. "Some of them play strokes while running at the crease and some leave the stumps to hit a ball which are flaws and I am doing my best to tell them the basics."

Pakistan kick off their Champions Trophy campaign against West Indies on September 23 in Johannesburg.

Stay healthy in flu season: 11 swine flu prevention tips

2009-09-14T04:39:00.001-07:00

A recent announcement from the White House warned that up to 50% of the U.S. population could come down with H1N1 or swine flu this upcoming flu season. This may sound alarming, but keep in mind that this estimate is on the high end -- and most cases will be no more severe than your usual winter flu*.

What does this mean for you?

H1N1 spreads pretty much the same way the normal flu spreads: Through contact with sick people, coughing and sneezing, and contact with surfaces that have flu virus on them.

With college students heading back to campus, children back to school, and colder weather looming, now is the important time to start taking steps to keep you and your family safe and healthy. In most cases special vaccines or antibiotics are not needed. A simple review of some sickness-prevention strategies can prevent this from getting out-of-hand.

1. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze.
OK, everyone knows to do this … right? Then why do I still see so many people just letting their sneezes loose? Use a tissue or napkin and throw it away immediately afterwards. If a tissue isn’t available, sneeze into the inside of your elbow — not in your hands.

2. Wash your hands regularly.
Another reminder you can never hear too many times. Use soap and water or an alcohol-based hand cleaner. Washing hands is especially important after sneezing or coughing, before handling food, or after spending time in a public place.

3. Don’t touch your face.
Keep your hands away from your mouth, nose, and eyes. This is hard to do, but at least try to be aware if you’re doing it often. See above and wash frequently if you can’t keep your hands off yourself.

4. Get some sleep.
Having a regular and appropriate sleep schedule is one of the best ways of keeping your immune system strong and staying healthy. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7-9 hours per night for adults.

5. Be wary of surfaces — clean them regularly.
Tables, chairs, countertops, desks, computer keyboards, doorknobs … pretty much everything you touch on a regular basis. Most common household disinfectants should work fine to keep them germ-free.

6. Exercise.
A sure way to make sure your body is strong and ready to fight infection is to stay active. Make exercise a part of your daily routine to cleanse toxins from your body and release stress.

7. Eat well. Maintain a diet full of immune boosting foods and high in Antioxidants, such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

8. Drink well.
Have plenty of water to flush toxins from your system. Fruit juice rich in vitamin C is a good choice as well. Avoid alcohol — it’s an immune suppressant.

9. Stay away from sick people.
A few feet should do it. Just stay far enough away from sick friends to be out of range of saliva, snot, and other potential disease-carrying fluids.

10. Get help when you need it.
If you start experiencing flu-like symptoms such as fever, coughing, sneezing, chills, body aches, etc., call your doctor. Do your co-workers or classmates, and yourself, a favor by staying home for at least 24 hours — except to see a doctor.

11. Stay calm.
There’s likely to be plenty of swine flu coverage in the media over the next few months, but nothing does your body more of a disservice than unnecessary stress and panic. If we’re smart, cautious, and relaxed, we have little reason to fear.

*Editor's Note: For comparison, the Center for Disease Control reports that in a typical year, 20% of the U.S. population gets the flu and over 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related complications.

World's first smart grid city is now operational

2009-09-14T04:38:00.001-07:00

Xcel Energy's SmartGridCity project in Boulder CO is the first operational installation of a smart grid for electrical power in the world. This is a city-wide installation, rather than the kind of long-distance distribution system that many people think of when discussing a national smart grid, but both will be necessary components for an upgraded electrical infrastructure.

The SmartGridCity project also included automating three of four distribution substations, four computer-monitored power feeders, and another 23 feeders that are watched for voltage irregularities. Approximately 200 miles of fiber optic cable, 4,600 residential and small business transformers and nearly 16,000 smart meters are now connected to the smart grid system.

The smart grid allows the utility to better monitor and regulate the electrical grid. Using real-time monitoring and data feedback, the utility can more rapidly adjust for equipment failures, power outages, and other electrical problems. Individual consumers whose service is connected through a smart meter will also be able to access their own information and can "design and personalize energy consumption strategies" for themselves.

Already this year, since some of the components were installed, four potential transformer failures have been detected, and outages have been able to be prevented by proactively replacing those units before they failed

Have You Begged Your Man to Come Back?

2009-09-14T04:37:00.001-07:00

Earlier today we discussed whether or not you’ve publicly slammed your ex after a nasty split, but have you ever done the opposite and begged for him back?

I hate to say that the latest rumor around our dear Britney Spears is that she’s pulling out all the stops in an effort to woo back her ex boyfriend, Jason Trawick. Oh, and he just happens to be her agent, so that should make for some awkward meetings, eh Brit?

Star magazine claims this week that the popstar has been calling and texting him non-stop, pleading for another chance, writing “Don’t you miss me?”

Eeeeee, oh Britney say it ain’t so! And if that isn’t bad enough, the mag also says that she’s been sending him pricey jeans and—wait for it—having roses delivered to his office.

Check out Brit's cover shoot photo gallery!

You know, hair grows back, careers can be revived, but once you sacrifice your dignity to a relationship, it’s gone for good. Plus, it never works! No man worth his salt has been essentially bribed back into a relationship—especially with roses.

Now, a number one spot in his fantasy football draft might be a different story….

7 Healthy Tailgate Party Food Swaps

2009-09-14T04:36:00.003-07:00

We've bid farewell to summer and warmly welcomed college football season. That means it's far from time to pack up our grills. If anything, it's all the more reason to fire them up! If you're one of the many who spend your Saturdays tailgating or throwing football parties at home, you know all too well how easy it is to create a buffet of food that is about as healthy as what they're serving in the stadium. And if you're also one of the many who is trying to get in shape before the holiday season, then you know you can't afford to spend the next 12 or so Saturdays eating like a linebacker.

With that in mind, we have some ideas to make healthy tailgating enjoyable, delicious and just as satisfying. It's entirely possible that the guys won't even notice or mind!

As you grocery shop for snacks and cookout grub, consider some of these healthy tailgating recipes and food swaps. Odds are, they’ll taste better and no one will recognize the difference as they polish off a platter of leaner foods.

Pork Bratwurst for Turkey Brats
It’s a difference of 450 calories and 37 grams of fat for the pork, versus 160 calories and 9 grams of fat for the turkey. Still boil in beer and soak in mustard and they’re really quite tasty.

Burgers for Chicken Sandwiches
A 6 oz. angus beef patty yields 500 calories and 43 grams of fat, whereas a 6 oz. grilled chicken breast yields 281 calories and 6 grams of fat. Season any way you like, and still add a slice of reduced-fat cheese!

Cheese Dip for Salsa
Choose a baked corn chip and feel free to dip into fresh or store-bought salsa. Just two tablespoons of cheese dip has 40 calories and 2.5 grams of fat. Hearty salsas offer about 10-15 calories and zero fat per two tablespoons. Also consider guacamole or hummus.

Regular Beer for Light Beer
You never want to drink your calories, but if you're going to have a few cold ones while tailgating, make them light beers. The average light beer has 103 calories, compared to 153 in your average regular beer. Also, alternate a bottle of water between beers to stay hydrated and avoid filling up on empty calories.

White Buns for Whole Grain Buns
You want to limit white, processed foods anywhere you can, so start with swapping your burger and hot dog buns. You'll be adding some essential fiber, vitamins and minerals that get stripped in the processing of white breads. Plus, they taste pretty good, too!

No Fruits and Veggies for Some Fruits and Veggies
This can be accomplished a number of ways and won't feel like a tea party. Throw bell peppers, corn on the cob, onions, asparagus, and zucchini on the grill and serve with your entree. Make fruit kabobs by alternating grapes, strawberries, melon, and kiwi on skewers. Grilled pineapple complements grilled chicken well, and grilled peaches with honey make an irresistible dessert. In the colder months, serve thick vegetable soups or stews loaded in veggies.

Junk Snacks for Healthier Snacks
Everyone wants finger food and snacks, and it's OK to oblige. If you put out cheddar cheese crackers, choose the whole grain variety. If you put out a bowl of nuts, make them fresh, raw nuts, rather than the over-salted canned variety. If someone wants chocolate, make it a dark chocolate low in added sugar. The compromises are there, you just have to find them.

Recycling oddities: Beyond metal, glass, paper, and plastic

2009-09-14T04:35:00.001-07:00

(Photo: Cevdet Gökhan Palas / iStockPhoto)

If you’re old enough to remember the Carter administration like me, you’re old enough to have witnessed the birth of modern day recycling in the U.S.A. I’m glad -- and proud -- that we’re now a nation where recycling is as common as an 8-track tape player was in an AMC Gremlin back when Jimmy was president.

Today, more than 80% of U.S. households have easy access to locally based programs for recycling paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum.

But recycling isn't just about everyday household items any more. Nonprofit organizations and specialized businesses are springing up everywhere to recycle almost everything imaginable.

Here are 10 recycling oddities that might surprise you.

Human hair

Locks of Love is a well known nonprofit organization that accepts donations of human hair to recycle into hairpieces for financially disadvantaged children suffering from medical hair loss.

But even smaller quantities of human hair -- including much of what used to end up in the barbershop’s wastebasket -- is now being recycled into a variety of gardening products that encourage healthy plant life and naturally deter unwanted pests in the garden.

Coffins

Why not try a recycled coffin? You won't know the difference, after all. Consider renting a casket from the funeral home rather than purchasing one if you’re planning on being cremated ... or think you might still snap out of it.

For cremation or regular burial, often times it’s even less expensive and more eco-friendly to buy a cardboard coffin, many of which are made from 100% recycled materials.

Dentures

Every year, there are roughly 3.6 million sets of dentures manufactured in the world, and each set contains about $25 worth of precious metals, including gold and silver. Most unwanted dentures are thrown away, but a nonprofit organization was recently created in Japan to recycle the metals found in dentures and donate the proceeds to UNICEF.

To date, it has raised more than $250,000 for UNICEF and other organizations. Is anyone looking for a worthwhile nonprofit venture to bring to the U.S., maybe something to sink your teeth into?

Prosthetic limbs

According to the Amputee Coalition of America, “Prosthetic components are generally not reused in the United States because of legal considerations. However, used prosthetic limbs may be disassembled and the components shipped to Third World countries for use by landmine victims and/or other individuals in need.”

See this website for a list of organizations in the U.S. that accept donations of prosthetics.

Adult novelties

Just when you thought you’d heard all of the recycling news that’s fit to print, here’s some that perhaps isn’t (so be forewarned before opening this link): The folks at Sex Toy Recycling are in the business of doing just as their name implies.

Apparently their mothers never told them, "Don't play with that thing. You don't know where it’s been."

Mattresses

An increasing number of mattress retailers will accept your used mattress for recycling, but specifically ask/insist about recycling before you agree to buy a replacement.

Mattress recycling centers are springing up around the country, where they recycle about 90% of the mattress into fiber for clothing, wood chips, foam products, and scrap metal.

Given that about 20 million mattresses are replaced every year in the U.S., you’ll sleep better knowing that your old mattress isn’t spending the night in the landfill.

Diapers

Of course cloth diapers have always been recyclable, although few Americans use cloth diapers anymore. But since 1999, a British company, Knowaste, has been pioneering the recycling of disposable diapers, or disposable “nappies” as the Brits call them.

The movement (so to speak) is catching on in the U.S., which a good thing since the average baby requires about 6,000 disposable diapers by the time he or she is potty trained.

Hotel soap

Ever wonder what happens to those little slivers of soap you leave in the shower at the hotel? More and more hotel chains are recycling their leftover soap and shampoo, or joining forces with nonprofit organizations like Clean the World to recycle it and donate it the needy.

Of course you can always take the soap slivers home with you, like I do. Put a bunch of them in the heel of an old pair of pantyhose to make your own Green Cheapskate soap-on-a-rope.

Running shoes

Given their hefty price tag, you can bet that I run my running shoes into the ground before retiring them. But even worn out shoes can be recycled into building materials, or, if they still have some life in them, donated to the less fortunate.

Check out the website www.recycledrunners.com for shoe recycling facilities and organizations near you.

Bicycles

For many people of the world, a bicycle is basic transportation -- not recreation -- but still a luxury they can’t afford. Providing bicycles to those living in third-world countries can change lives for the better.

Americans throw away more than 15 million bicycles each year, but the nonprofit organization Bikes for the World is working to keep those unwanted bikes out of our landfills and put them in the hands of people who really need them.

Jeff Yeager is the author of the book The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches. His website is www.UltimateCheapskate.com.

New Zealand under pressure to stay afloat

2009-09-10T23:26:00.001-07:00

India's middle order has been shaky against fast, short-pitched bowling and if a wicket goes down early, expect Rahul Dravid to walk out first

Despite finding out the morning before their first match that Gautam Gambhir had aggravated a groin injury and would take no part in the series, India's captain MS Dhoni was confident of the side's chances. He has reason to be.

This is India's third one-day series in Sri Lanka over the last 13 months. Where for decades India's record here had been nothing to crow over - they arrived for a tri-series in 2005 having won just nine of 33 matches - a strong one-day outfit has turned that record around dramatically.They have won seven of ten matches since then and in their last two series proved the past now counts for little, beating Sri Lanka 3-2 last August and 4-1 in February. In terms of rankings, there's plenty at stake for India in this series - if they go unbeaten into the final and win there, they will climb to No. 1 in the ICC's ODI rankings for the first time.

India strutted their stuff at the two practice sessions they had since arriving two days after the tournament began, and look confident. There were no traces of rust in how their batsmen and bowlers applied themselves. On the whole, the manner of their preparation has been calm and self-assured even though Virender Sehwag, a critical cog in the batting line-up, is missing. Plenty of responsibility will be on Rahul Dravid, recalled to the one-day team after two years. India's middle order has been shaky against fast, short-pitched bowling and if a wicket goes down early, expect Dravid to walk out first.

To beat a confident Indian outfit, New Zealand will have to shape up in disciplines that let them down in the first game. Their batting was rocked by a superb display from three bowlers of varying speeds and trajectories - Ian Bishop called it one of the best one-day efforts under lights he had seen - but the application was perhaps to blame. The top order seemed intent on attacking from the start. In the field, New Zealand failed to finish the job when Sri Lanka were 69 for 5 in 25.3 overs, and also gave them leeway with singles and doubles in the field. That was surprising given how efficient they were in the Twenty20s. A defeat tomorrow will see them crash out of the short tournament.

Form guide

(last five matches, most recent first)
India NRWLWL
New Zealand LWLLNR

Watch out for...

Ashish Nehra's return to Sri Lanka. In 17 matches here, he has taken 25 wickets at 26.36 with a best of 6 for 59 in his last outing here. That match happened to be at the R Premadasa Stadium. A recall to the side after a stellar IPL in South Africa was followed up by a good showing in the West Indies. If he gets the chance to bowl under lights at the Premadasa this time, with the assistance it provides to swing, Nehra could add to his impressive tally in the country.

Jesse Ryder should take a look at this Indian team and say to himself, 'Right, let's get some runs here'. Ryder was in top form when India toured New Zealand earlier this year, and set the tone for a personally excellent series in the one-day leg. He scored a sublime hundred in Christchurch and then took three wickets and scored a half-century in the last game, smashing India's attack all around Eden Park. Conditions are obviously a lot different and hitting sixes at the Premadasa will be a difficult proposition, but Ryder may just decide to raise his game against this outfit.

Team news

Dinesh Karthik has been confirmed as the man to open the innings in Gambhir's absence, at least for this game. Dravid will bat at either of Nos 3 or 4. Dhoni said it was rare that India went in to a match with five specialist bowlers, and indicated that it would be a 3-1 combination, which means Harbhajan Singh will be the only spinner. Ishant Sharma, Nehra, Praveen Kumar and RP Singh will contest the fast-bowlers' slots, but it is likely RP will be the one to miss out. Abhishek Nayar will have to wait to get his chance.

India: (probable) 1 Dinesh Karthik, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Rahul Dravid, 4 Suresh Raina, 5 Yuvraj Singh, 6 MS Dhoni (capt/wk), 7 Yusuf Pathan, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Praveen Kumar, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Ashish Nehra.

It's not been confirmed whether Kyle Mills, who was under the weather before the last game, will fit in this time. Daryl Tuffey stepped up admirably in Mills' absence, and Ian Butler's poor bowling in the batting Powerplay during the last match may see him sit out for Mills. The batting will remain the same.

New Zealand: (probable) 1 Brendon McCullum (wk), 2 Jesse Ryder, 3 Martin Guptill, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Jacob Oram, 6 Grant Elliot, 7 Daniel Vettori (capt), 8 Nathan McCullum, 9 Ian Butler/Kyle Mills, 10 Daryl Tuffey, 11 Shane Bond.

Pitch and conditions

In the last match the pitch was two-faced and not an ideal one for one-dayers. It remains to be seen what is rolled out for Friday's encounter. As usual, scattered showers are forecast but fans will hope the rain stays away, as it did on Tuesday.

Stats and Trivia

Sachin Tendulkar averages 44.25 at the Premadasa, with 885 runs and three centuries from 24 matches.

Dravid averages 31.25 here, with 500 runs from 21 matches.

Quotes

"It is good to have him in the team. With that sort of experience, he is always going to help the team. It is wonderful to have him back in the squad."
India's coach Gary Kirsten is excited about Dravid's return

"New Zealand really missed him when he was in the ICL. He's their spearhead and the fast bowling goes to a new level with Bond."
Dhoni knows New Zealand's confidence will be up with the return of Shane Bond

Hands-Free Tech From BlueAnt

2009-09-10T23:22:00.005-07:00

S1 for the Car, Q1 for Your Ear

Bluetooth headsets are becoming an increasingly common sight -- for better or for worse, depending on your opinion them. But the fact remains that many states have made it illegal to talk on cell phones while driving, unless a "hands-free" device is used.

BlueAnt is one of the companies that has been at the forefront of the Bluetooth craze. For mobile users who want an in-car solution without having to stick a headset in their ears, the BlueAnt S1 car speakerphone may be a terrific option.

The S1 clips easily onto any car visor, with no installation required. The S1 "pairs" with a cell phone in the same way that any Bluetooth headset does, and it takes advantage of BlueAnt's lauded noise-reduction and voice-activation features.

My wife has been testing the S1 for a while now, and really likes it. In her daily grind as a real-estate agent, she sends and receives calls all day long but would rather not use a headset in most cases. The S1 lets her keep her hands on the wheel while driving, and the noise-reduction capabilities are pretty remarkable.

For mobile users who do crave the "Star Trek" look that many headsets have, there's the BlueAnt Q1 ($129), which we previously reviewed here on the MSN Tech & Gadgets Blog.

The Q1 also boasts the very finest in noise-reduction and voice-activated technology, and is a breeze to use. Also, as pointed out by our GearDaddy expert Paul Hochman in this "beach tech" video, the Q1 is a great option for outdoor and recreational use because the in-ear speaker won't slip out or fall out of your ear.

So put those hands to use doing something more productive, and let BlueAnt field those calls for you.

What's Your Hair Dream?

2009-09-10T23:22:00.003-07:00

For years and years, I have been a blond. A nice, golden blond color has been my friend for as long as I can remember. Month after month and year after year, my roots would start to call. Time for a run to the drugstore and purchase my blond dye kit; time to hide what is dark. Yay! Although I couldn't stand the sight of this truth from beneath my scalp, hubby loved to see the real me. This sight of truth didn't make me look so prim and proper and I think he likes when I look a little dirty. Hey, to each their own...

After years of trying to hide my dark roots, I'm beginning to embrace them instead of hide them away in my head. This is not an easy task. Once your hair has been bleached for as long as mine has, the hair is very porous. That means the darker hair color has a harder time grasping the hair strand, in turn leaving me at first try with green hair. After another bottle of dark brown color it looked a little better but each time I wash my hair, the color fades back to blond. I'm going to keep trying.

The decision has been a long time in the making. The saying "blonds have more fun," could be defiantly looked into. When your hair is blond, I swear men will hang their bodies out of a car to get a look at you. You could be stopped in traffic and see a man driving his car the opposite way and they will literally fall out of the car to see this blond person. I'm tired of this. Look at somebody else. I'm busy over here.

My mother was a blond for many years before she wanted to try the "red look". She loved it and did this look for awhile. Early in the summer when she visited her hairstylist, he asked her what she wanted to do this season. For some reason , she told him to take her back blond. Never really loving this look again, she plans on returning to her red hair the next time she visits him. As we talked about this color change she embarked on, she laughed to tell me of men hanging their heads out of turning cars just to get a peek at this woman in blond. When she was a red head, no one looked.

I have to say that Emmanuelle Chriqui's character as Sloan on Entourage has been a huge inspiration of mine for the transformation of blond back to my roots. Also Jessica Lowndes from 90210 has also been inspirational.

Do you have a hair dream of the moment? Has it been inspired in anyway?

On the Wall: BenQ Mini Projector

2009-09-10T23:21:00.003-07:00

Joybee GP1 Shows Digital Movies and Photos Anywhere

Popcorn, anyone?

For some reason, the experience of watching projected images on a wall makes me crave a tub of popped, buttery kernels. The feeling was no different as I was testing the extremely cool BenQ Joybee GP1 Mini LED Projector.

Almost every digital media product on the market touts its ability to be connected with or plugged into a TV. Which means you could theoretically hook up your camera or laptop to your HDTV and enjoy your media on a big screen. But who really does that? And what if no TV is available, or you don't have the right cable to make the magic happen?

Enter the Joybee GP1, from the good people at BenQ. Billing itself as the "world's first LED pocket projector with an integrated USB drive," the Joybee is a compact and stylish little machine that makes it easy to project your digital media with or without a PC. It weighs in at just 1.4 pounds and is compatible with just about any device you can think of. Sure, you can hook up a laptop or game system to the project (which is fun). But what gets even more interesting is that if you pack your media onto a portable storage device like a USB thumb drive, you can plug that drive directly into the Joybee GP1 and project your media on any wall. You can't get a "bigger" screen experience with more portability than that.

At our house, the Joybee GP1 was a big hit. My 4-year-old daughter loved the idea that we could watch "computer movies" on the wall -- an idea that was completely foreign to her, having never really seen a projector before (yes, that made me feel old). For my wife and me, the GP1 offered a welcome alternative to the "hook the laptop up to the TV" scenario, and it was a lot more fun. The LED light source is bright and powerful (no "lamp" to burn out), and we were able to project a very sharp, 12-foot-wide image on an interior wall of our house.

The Joybee GP1 is a great option for traveling professionals or teachers who need an easy way to present slide shows to an audience, for organizations or families who want to share photos and videos easily, and for just about anyone else who dreads trying to figure out how to plug their media into whatever TV may be available at their venue. Just find a wall, and you're good to go.

The Joybee GP1 is available now for $499. Learn more at the BenQ Web site.

And pass the popcorn, please.

New Season, New Favorite Handbag

2009-09-10T23:20:00.005-07:00

If you’re like us, you’ve been dreaming of suede and leather all summer - and lo and behold, it's finally fall.

FALL HANDBAG

There are tons of drool-worthy designs out there this season, so we’ve sifted through and picked out our favorite fall styles. Check out the assortment of totes, shoulder bags, and clutches that we’ve compiled in our fall handbags guide.

The purple Cole Haan number, above, is our favorite - creative zipper placement, a rich jewel tone, and not too much distracting hardware. Sigh.

For more fashionable picks for the upcoming seasonal shift, check out our guides for the best blazers, evening tops for jeans, and fall shoe trends.