Hello and welcome!
We are revamping this page and will be updating it on a regular basis with fun tidbits - everything from brief profiles of people and businesses with a story to tell, news of interest to our readers, and general discussion covering a variety of topics. This page will most definitely take on a life of its own, so check back frequently to see what's going on.
As always, if you have something to share, feel free to do so by completing the form below.
Good morning! It's your friendly Café team and we are up bright and early today.
We have lots to share with you today and it's time for Steve to make his appearance.
Enjoy your day.
Steve's daily tips
Taken from Melanie Mama's corner
For Crispier Pie Crusts
To prevent those extra juicy peaches from making the bottom crust of your pie soggy, sprinkle the pastry lined pie plate with 3 tablespoons ground bread crumbs before filling with fruit. The crumbs will absorb all the extra liquid, ensuring a crisp crust...
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Outsmart Curling Parchment Paper
Grab 4 refrigerator magnets and place one on each corner of a parchment paper lined
baking sheet. With the paper firmly attached to the metal, dispensing cookie dough
will be a breeze. Simply remove the magnets before baking.
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Soggy Foods In The Microwave?
To keep foods from getting soggy in the microwave, cover them with paper instead of plastic wrap. Because it doesn't cling, wax paper will allow more steam to escape.
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Removing Blood Stains From Clothes
Presoak in cold or warm water at least 30 minutes. If stain remains, soak in lukewarm ammonia water, 3 tablespoons
ammonia per gallon of water. Rinse. If stain remains, work in detergent, and wash, using bleach safe for fabric.
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Keeping Cooked Pasta Warm
Quickly drain the pasta and let it stand in the colander just long enough to drain. Transfer the drained pasta back to the cooking pan. The pan will be warm enough to keep the pasta warm while you prepare the sauce. Warm the serving dish before piling in the pasta: Fill the dish with hot water and let it stand a few minutes. Pour out the water, dry the dish, add the pasta, and serve immediately.
* Cooked pasta can also be stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. If possible, store pasta and sauce separately. To reheat, simply drop pasta in boiling water for a few seconds; drain.
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Bacon
Rinse bacon under cold water before frying. This reduces the amount the bacon shrinks by almost 50 percent. To quickly and easily make real bacon bits, hold slices of raw bacon over a frying pan, cut off little pieces into the pan with kitchen shears, then brown, stirring often; drain off grease.
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Chicken Breasts:
The best buy at the supermarket is to purchase a large bag (usually 3 to 4 pounds) of boneless, skinless chicken breasts from the freezer section, rather than buying it a pound at a time from the fresh meats section. This saves about $15 a month or more.
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Dry Skin?
Combine 1 cup oatmeal, 1 cup warm water, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup baking soda in a blender or food processor until you have a smooth paste. Pour this paste under the running water while drawing a bath. Very soothing to dry, itchy skin.
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Keep Macaroni Salad Cold For Hours
To ensure your pasta salad stays cool and fresh, fill a resealable plastic bag with ice cubes and a few tablespoons of salt (which keeps ice cold longer). Place the sealed bag in the bottom of your serving bowl, cover with lettuce leaves and top with the macaroni...
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Seed Bell Peppers In Seconds
Use a sharp knife to slice the pepper in half from the bottom toward the top, stopping just short of the stem. Then pull the two halves apart so they break off, leaving the stem, bulb and seeds behind. Now it takes just seconds to enjoy bell peppers.
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Garlic Time Saver
Microwave unpeeled garlic cloves at 100 percent power for 10 to 20 seconds, cool, and store in a self-sealing plastic bag in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Microwaving makes garlic easier to peel and lessens the garlicky smell on your hands. Use the garlic within two weeks.
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Keep Cake Moist For Days
Store leftover cake in an air tight container along with an apple slice, spritzed with lemon juice to ward off browning. The moisture from the apple helps keep the air in the container humid, preventing the cake from drying out.
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General Freezing Instructions For Fruits:
Please be aware that fruits are 80 percent or more water. When frozen, the water expands, and the cell wall breaks, thus changing the texture. Upon thawing, the texture will be mushy. Keep this in mind when determining how to use the frozen product. We recommend Ball's Blue Book as a thorough and accurate guide for preserving fruits and vegetables.
Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, and Raspberries:
Wash and sort fruit.
Add sugar if desired.
Put fruit in freezer bags or containers.
Seal and place in freezer.
May be stored for up to one year at 0 degrees fahrenheit in the freezer.
Strawberries:
Freezing with Sugar:
Wash strawberries and drain in a colander.
Remove stems and slice berries as you stem them.
Sweeten: Mix 3/4 cup sugar to 4 cups sliced berries.
Stir and let stand until sugar dissolves, just a few minutes, then put into freezer containers, leaving 1/2 inch head space for expansion.
Put into freezer immediately.
Berries can also be crushed, sweetened, and then frozen.
Freezing Whole for Garnish:
Wash large, select berries, and drain on a paper towel.
Place in freezer on a cookie sheet, only one layer at a time.
After they are frozen, place these berries in a freezer bag, and tie.
Place the bag back in the freezer.
Source: North American Strawberry Growers Association, 1983
Cherries:
Freeze cherries as soon as possible after picking to ensure a high quality product.
To freeze: Stem and sort cherries
Wash in cold water. Drain and pit.
Pack into containers in one of the following ways:
With sugar: 3/4 cup sugar to 1 cup water; mix to dissolve.
In syrup: Bring 5 cups sugar and 4 cups water to a rolling boil. Chill syrup before using to freeze cherries.
Plain: Place in freezer quality plastic bags.
Frozen cherries may be stored for 12 months at 0 degrees fahrenheit.
Peaches:
Make a simple syrup of 1 3/4 cups sugar boiled with 4 cups water and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Cool.
To get peels off easily, dip peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, and then dip into ice water.
Peel peaches and cut into chunks.
Pour cooled syrup over cut peaches.
Put peaches and syrup into plastic containers, allowing about 1/2 inch of head space. Do not use glass because the expansion in the freezer will break the glass.
Press a crumbled piece of wax paper over the top layer of peaches to keep them from rising to the top of the container.
If using plastic freezing bags, make sure all of the peaches are completely covered by the syrup to prevent browning.
Source: The Sun 2 August 1989
Apples:
Apples should be stored in a refrigerator, between 32 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit, in a plastic bag for best results.
(Maryland State Apple Commission: "Maryland Apples") Refrigerated apples will last two weeks to several months, depending on the variety. Apples may be frozen in slices or in a pie mixture. Ball's Bluebook suggests boiling the apples for two minutes, then cooling in ice water prior to draining, and freezing in plastic bags.
Source: Ball Bluebook, p. 87.
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Clean And Brighten Artificial Flowers
Fill a large plastic bag with 1 cup of salt. Place a couple of flowers inside and close the bag, then shake for 30 seconds. The granules work like micro scrubbers to whisk away the dust and dirt. Plus, the salt will absorb musty odors.
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Clean Grout Without A Fuss
Spray shaving cream on the grout lines after your next shower. The steam will loosen the gunk making it easier for the foam's concentrated alcohols to soak into crevices and break down dirt and mildew. Works on both light and dark grout because shaving cream is bleach free. Simply wipe away any residue with a damp cloth.
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Scorched Pots?
Crush an eggshell and use a dish towel to rub the fragments against the burned area.
The calcium carbonate in eggshells acts as an abrasive to scrub away the burn marks, while the egg white remnants in the shell absorb loose food particles. Just rinse away the shards to reveal a like new pot.
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Soothe Scrapes In A Pinch
Scraped knee wont stop bleeding? To the rescue a pepper packet from a fast food restaurant or from a pepper shaker. Just open the packet and shake on the pepper onto the clean cut. The small black specs coagulate blood while the spice's antibacterial properties thwart infection. And unlike other disinfectants, pepper wont sting. Rinse away the flakes after 5 minutes and the knee will be good to go.
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Sweeter Smelling Moth Protection
As if the smell of mothballs weren't bad enough, they are also toxic. A safer alternative: Toss a handful of soap slivers in a paper bag, poke a few holes in the bag with a pair of scissors and staple the top closed. Then slip the bag into the storage container with your clothes. The soap's sodium hydroxide emits a strong clean scent that moths dislike, so the bugs will stay at bay.
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Laundry Basket Freshener
Place a fabric softener sheet in the bottom of your laundry basket. Remember to change it weekly. You can also simply sprinkle some baking soda in the bottom of your basket and that will help absorb the odors as well.
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Prepping For Pasta
Don't scrimp on the boiling water! Pasta likes to have "breathing" room, with plenty of space for moving around.
If possible, use an 8-quart pot with 5 to 6 quarts of water for a pound of pasta.
It's not necessary to add oil to the water, just use plenty of water and stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Gently stir pasta immediately after adding to water.
Salt the water to add flavor and help pasta absorb the sauce, about 1-2 tablespoons salt to 6 quarts water.
Don't combine two types or sizes of pasta in the same pot of water. One kind will probably be ready before the other.
Do not rinse pasta unless you're using it for a cold pasta salad. Otherwise you'll rinse the starch off.
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British Foods Converted To American
1. Aubergine is an Eggplant
2. Bangers is Sausage
3. Beetroot is beet
4. Bilberry/Wishberry is BlueBerry
5. Biscuit is Cookie
6. Broad Bean is Favabean
7. Caster Sugar is Superfine Gramulated
8. Chips is French Fries
9. Cling Film is Plastic Wrap
10. Corn Flour is Corn Starch
11. CornishPasty is Meat turnover
12. Courgette is zucchini
13. Double Cream is Heavy Cream
14. Potato Crisps is Potato Chips
15. Dripping is Fat From Rosted Pork, Beef Or Lamb
16. Finny Haddock is Smoked Haddock
17. Fish Slice is Spatula
18. Maize Flour is CornMeal
19. Strong Bread Flour is Hard Wheat Flour
20. ForceMeat is SausageMeat
21. French Bean is Green Bean
22. Gammon is Ham
23. Golden Syrup is Substitute Light Corn Syrup
24. Peanut is Groundnut
25. Pork Shoulder is Hand Of Pork
26. Heaped Spoonful is Heaping Spoonful
27. Icing Sugar is Confectioners' Sugar
28. joint of meat is Large cut of meat with or without bone
29. Marrow is a zucchini like squash
30. Minced Meat is Ground Meat
31. Offal is Various Kinds of internal Organs, E.G. Liver, heart, Kidney
32. Pie Dish is Deep Bakeing Dish
33. Pigs Trotter is Pigs Foot
34. Pine Kernels is Pine Nuts
35. Pips is Seeds
36. Pudding is Dessert
37. Brown Ale is Dark Beer
38. SilverSide is Beef Cut From The Rump
39. Stoned / Pitted is Seeded
40. Sultanas is Golden Raisins
41. Black Treacle is Molasses
42. Tunny Fish is Tuna Fish
43. Single Cream is Light Cream
44. Whipping Cream is Half And Half Cream
45. Self Rising Flour is Flour With Added Bakeing Powder
46. Plain Flour is All Purpose Flour
47. Lard is Commercially Made From Pig Fat
48. Fruit Jam is Jelly
49. Fruit Flavour Jelly is Jello
50 gurkins is pickles
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If you know of someone who would like to join Mama's Corner, please contact me at:
mamas-corner-owner@yahoogroups.com
Hi everyone! I'm Heather DeMarco, your friendly Café friend and it's the start of a brand new week.
Today, I have a thought provoking article to share with you; one that comes from Europe and the Europeans's thoughts on legislating web accessibility. Here is one part of the world that is taking this concern very seriously and we hope that North America is watching closely.
I wish you a pleasant day and I thank the good guys at http://www.sterlingcreations.ca for passing this one along to us.
European Commission Floats Idea of Web Accessibility
Legislation
OUT-LAW News, Oct. 2, 2009
The European Commission has proposed legislating to ensure that all EU
nations adopt accessibility rules designed to ease disabled people's access
to the web.
Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding has for the first
time talked of a 'European Disability Act' that could compel EU nations to
adopt web accessibility rules together so that all of Europe's websites
become accessible at the same rate.
"We cannot achieve the Single Market by leaving aside certain parts of our
population," said Reding in a speech yesterday. "I am talking about
e-accessibility: 15% of our population is disabled and our rules on
accessibility are still fragmented."
"We should in my view encourage the European-wide adoption of the global web
accessibility standard, the new Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
(WCAG)," she said. "We should do it together and in step so that the online
services industry can reap economies of scale and the users get a decent and
reliable framework. I believe the way we should do this is to develop
together with stakeholders a European Disability Act."
UK anti-discrimination legislation which guarantees the rights of disabled
people is derived from the EU's Equal Treatment Directive. However, the main
UK law on disability , the Disability Discrimination Act, is unusual in
Europe because it created a duty of web accessibility that applies to
private andpublic sector web operators.
WCAG, now in version 2.0, is a set of technical standards written by the
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). They are designed to ensure that websites
are constructed in a way that makes them accessible to disabled people by
being structured in certain ways and being compatible with assistive
technologies.
Reding said that the EU is facing fragmentation on the issue that may put it
at a disadvantage.
"Each Member State is going its own way. We have to consider that this is
costly for industry because they have to respond to a wide range of
fragmented national standards. It also leaves disabled people without a
consistent level of service that they can expect," she said.
Reding suggested the European Disability Act while promoting greater
harmonisation within the EU of practices, laws and technologies connected to
the market for digital media services.
"We need a harmonised single European market with clearer rules enabling
users to be free to buy and enjoy anywhere, anytime and on any platform the
content they paid for," she said. "We want to focus the debate on practical
solutions for encouraging new business models, promoting industry
initiatives and innovative solutions, as well as on the possible need to
harmonise, update or review legislation."
Reding also committed herself and the Commission to ensuring that telecoms
companies did not start trying to extract payment from content providers as
well as consumers. Network neutrality, which is a guarantee that all
internet traffic will be treated the same and delivered to telecoms
consumers equally, has become an issue in the US.
Reding said that new telecoms rules expected to be agreed by the European
Parliament this autumn will give the Commission more power to defend network
neutrality."When the telecoms package enters into force, it will give the
European Commission and national regulators new instruments to ensure that
the net will be open and neutral in Europe," she said.
"The new telecoms package is in many instances a quite robust answer to such
new threats to net neutrality. However, I also know that technology and
regulation will evolve further in the years to come. And I plan to be
Europe's first line of defence whenever it comes to real threats to net
neutrality," said Reding.
Reding said that the Commission would publish a European Digital Agenda in
March 2010 that would contain more details of its proposed actions.
Struan Robertson, a technology lawyer with Pinsent Masons, the law firm
behind OUT-LAW.COM, gave Reding's comments a cautious welcome.
"It's great to see web accessibility on the Commission's agenda, but it's
too early to know what the plans are. Commissioner Reding talks about
'encouraging' the adoption of WCAG 2.0 but she also talks about a 'European
Disability Act' which implies something mandatory."
"The EU doesn't pass 'Acts' - it passes Resolutions, Regulations and
Directives. We're not told anything else about the plans, so for now, it's
all rather ambiguous," he said.
"It was only a small mention in a big speech, but getting any attention for
web accessibility at a pan-European level has to be good news," said
Robertson.
http://www.out-law.com/default.aspx?page=10418
Donna J Jodhan is the president of Sterling Creations.
Now you can view blogs and editorials written by Donna at:
http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com (Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all)
http://numpadplus.com/blog/?page_id=7 (access and accessibility)
http://www.accessibilitynews.ca/acnews/editorials/donna.php (accessibility issues in Canada)
http://www.accessibilitynewsinternational.com (under the editorials section, an international perspective)
http://www.onestopbookcafe.com (under the café talk link)
http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm (important answers to consumers concerns)
http://www.diversityintheworkplace.ca (monthly editorial on issues on diversity)
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/magazine.html (monthly editorial)
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog/blog.html (blogs for language professionals and accessibility consultants)
Good Saturday morning to you out there! A beautiful day is shaping up and it is the first Saturday of magnificent March!
Are you ready to enjoy! Getting ready for spring! Well, we hope that our package this week will help you to get in the mood.
Have fun now!
Your Café moms
Healthy eating tips
Week of March 06
Breaking news! A Yoga Mat for Your Mouth
Iowa Department on Aging: Iowa Department on Aging reminds Iowans that March ...
IowaPolitics.com (press release)
To figure out how many calories you need to achieve a healthy weight, visit http://www.mypyramid.gov . Test your taste buds: A healthy eating plan ...
Read more at:
http://www.iowapolitics.com/index.iml?Article=186290
A Yoga Mat for Your Mouth
Huffington Post (blog)
Or you can "Photoshop" pictures of your children whose well-being, in part, depends on your modeling of healthy eating habits. Get creative and laminate the ...
Read more at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pavel-somov/a-yoga-mat-for-your-mouth_b_470702.html
Is It Healthier To Eat Like A Caveman? | Healthy Eating Tips ...
By Darya Pino
While the promise of a diet free of processed foods is substantial, the Paleo diet goes beyond this and demands considerable sacrifice.
Summer Tomato -
http://summertomato.com/
Dieting Tips For Healthy And Rapid Weight Loss | Healthy Living Radio
By admin
dieting tips foods that burn fat free weight loss plans free weight loss program low calorie diets low carb diet plan reduce body fat tips to lose weight anne collins healthy eating habits healthy eating tips high protein low carb diet ...
Healthy Living Radio -
http://www.evoradio.net/
Swurching The Latest Happenings » Blog Archive » 6 Excellent Tips ...
By Admin
You should follow these tips for eating healthy mainly because you wish to be healthful, not because you think it is what you have to do. It is all about your mindset and having an open mind to new strategies as well as different diets. ...
Swurching The Latest Happenings -
http://www.swurch.com/
6 Diet Tips For Healthy Eating and Weight Loss | Diet Tips
By admin
Are searching for diet tips for advantageous bistro and weight loss? Well,, diet tip, you are not alone. Weight accident is a actual accepted botheration all.
Diet Tips -
http://www.easy2diet.net/
Benefits of Healthy Eating | Foods and Diet for Healthy Lifestyle
By Holistic Health
What are the benefits of eating healthy? Eating healthy food can give you long lasting health, healthy diet gives you ability to fight more disease.
Health and Wellness: Home Remedies,... -
http://www.tandurust.com/
Seniors Eating for Health and Enjoyment: Tips for Older Adults To ...
Many seniors keep meaning to start eating that healthy stuff. There are ways to eat healthier while still enjoying the food in healthy diets and staying on that budget.
Suite101: Senior Fitness Articles -
http://senior-fitness.suite101.com/
Six Practical Tips for Eating Healthy « Buzzin News, Chat and ...
By Admin
You should adhere to these tips for eating healthy mainly because you would like to be healthful, not because you believe it is what you have to do. It is all about your disposition and developing an open mind to innovative strategies ...
Buzzin News, Chat and Information -
http://www.buzzin.me/
Basics To Healthy And Quick Weight Loss | Healthy Eating World
By admin
Kaeli Megan is a co-founder of QWLT! Quick Weight loss Tips! team is trying to help men and women all over the world to battle bulge, the healthy and effective way. Join us today at http://www.quick-weightloss-tips.org ...
Healthy Eating World -
http://www.healthyeatingworld.com/
Causes of Weight Gain — Healthy Eating by Dietriffic
By Melanie
... professional help if you find this difficult. Check out these 15 effective stress banishing tips. Some of the best strategies for managing stress are: Deep breathing practises; Exercising/stretching regularly; Laughing/smiling often— even when you don't feel like it! Writing about what's stressing you; Eating a healthy, whole food diet. What have you found to be working against your efforts to lose weight? Have you noticed any causes of weight gain which are unusual? ...
Healthy Eating by Dietriffic -
http://www.dietriffic.com/
Healthy Eating at Expo West
By salmendarez@vpico.com (SANDY ALMENDAREZ)
Business cards, check; umbrella, check; healthy eating? Uh…that one is a little more up in the air for the weekend of the natural, organic and healthy products trade show on March 12 to 14 in Anaheim, CA. If you've been before, ... Other tips include getting sauce or dressing on the side, getting two healthier appetizers instead of a meal, and not indulging too much in bread, dessert and alcohol. And, she said try to burn off those excess calories by working out. ...
Natural Products Marketplace... -
http://www.naturalproductsmarketplace.com/
Greetings everyone! I'm Jayna Sheffield, your friendly Café friend and it's that time of week to introduce you to our favorite editorialist and blogger; Donna J. Jodhan. This week, Donna has another personal glimpse to share with you and I hope that you can use it to gain inspiration.
Have a great day.
Why I learned to ice skate
Growing up in Canada often means that ice skating is par for the course but for blind and visually impaired kids? Many of you may think that it is not possible but I am here to tell you that it most definitely is.
Now, please do not go limp on me here! You're probably trying to figure out in your minds how or why would someone want to skate on ice if they are unable to see where they are going? Why would they want to put themselves through share torture? How on earth would they be able to retain their footing and keep from falling? These are all very logical and legitimate questions and I'll be very honest with you. I took the step to learn to ice skate in order to improve my confidence. Skating without much vision can be very daunting and scary and it was for me when I first started but I was determined to overcome.
When I first learned to ice skate I had some vision so it was not too bad for me and it has helped me tremendously to continue on now that I have lost most of my vision. I managed to complete four of six levels and learned to do such things as: Glide on one foot, skate backwards, skull, do cross cuts and hockey stops, plus more. I still skate regularly but without much vision I have to use different techniques in order to stay on my blades.
Ice skating gives me the feeling of power, self-control, and togetherness. Up until five years ago, I used to skate on my own with limited guidance but now I skate by holding on to a friend’s arm. Ice skating brings me freedom! The feeling of pure bliss and exhilaration! I can be myself when I step on to the ice. I can fly high by feeling the wind in my face and smelling the fresh air and as Whitney Huston says in one of her songs: “Give me one moment in time. When I’m more than I thought I could be! When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away and the answer is all up to me.”
When I am on the ice, I am on the top of the world and sight or the lack of really does not matter to me. I know that when others see me ice skating they stop and stare but I do not really care. My friends often tell me that occasionally skaters bump into each other while staring at me. Let them! I am blind but I can skate and have fun just like them.
I even played ice hockey! No, not within the mainstream environment, but with a team of blind and sighted players. This hockey team has been in existence since the 1970s and has traveled to such places as Russia and Finland to play other teams of blind players. If you would like to learn more about this team, then please visit www.iceowls.ca.
I'm Donna J. Jodhan inviting you to go out there and tell everyone that yes! Blind and visually impaired persons can learn how to ice skate and enjoy it like anyone else.
Donna J Jodhan is the president of Sterling Creations.
Now you can view blogs and editorials written by Donna at:
http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com (Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all)
http://numpadplus.com/blog/?page_id=7 (access and accessibility)
http://www.accessibilitynews.ca/acnews/editorials/donna.php (accessibility issues in Canada)
http://www.accessibilitynewsinternational.com (under the editorials section, an international perspective)
http://www.onestopbookcafe.com (under the café talk link)
http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm (important answers to consumers concerns)
http://www.diversityintheworkplace.ca (monthly editorial on issues on diversity)
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/magazine.html (monthly editorial)
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog/blog.html (blogs for language professionals and accessibility consultants)
Hello there! We your friendly Café team are delighted to be with you today and it's time for us to present you with our newsletter of helpful monthly tips. We hope you enjoy it and we thank you for all of your feedback. Please keep them coming to info@onestopbookcafe.com.
Have a great day.
Helpful tips for March
In this issue:
General tips
Tech tips
Top American cities
Quotes for the day
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General tips
Courtesy of the research team at http://www.sterlingcreations.ca
What is the difference between yams and sweet potatoes?
Yams are of a deeper reddish orange color.
Which bone in our body is the largest?
Why, it's the leg bone.
What are some of the primary symptoms of an appendix attack?
Pains that resonate from the naval to the lower right hand corner of one's stomach.
Nausea, and vomiting.
Where is the coxes bone located?
The coxes bone is near the tail bone.
What are the benefits of a chemical peel?
It is used to get rid of fine lines and dark spots.
Can aspirin penetrate the skin?
Yes, indeed it does.
Are you looking for an environmentally friendly way to unclog the drains in your kitchen sink?
Try the following:
First pour a half cup of baking soda down your drain.
Next, pour a cup of vinegar.
Then finish off with a few cups of very hot water.
What are the ingredients for a home made tooth whitener?
You can do this by making a paste out of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide.
What are one of the benefits of using Witch Hazel?
Witch Hazel is used as a skin toner.
Where on our bodies can you find three of the more well known knots?
At the nape of our necks, below the shoulder blades, and in our lower backs.
What can one do to cut down on catching a cold?
Use some mouth wash before and after trips.
What should you do if you burn your tongue?
Place some sugar on it and keep there for a few seconds.
Rinse after with some cool water.
What is the best way to heat up your baby's formula?
By placing your baby's bottle under a tap of running hot water.
Keep there for a few minutes until you are sure that the bottle is sufficiently warm.
Test against the inside of your wrist.
What are some of the benefits of vitamin C?
It helps to strengthen your immune system.
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Tech tips
Dan's Tech tips:
Taken from Melanie mama's corner
Internet Safety
This article is intended to stress the need for internet safety and developing a comprehension of what to watch for.
One should adopt a very cautious attitude when using the internet for research/surfing.
The information is from Fred's Head of American Printinghouse For the Blind.
hijacking: What Is It?
"In getting to websites, neatness counts. If you type in the wrong web address, you might be in for a surprise.
You could be taken to a site run by a business that competes with the site you were trying to find, to a rogue site that lampoons the intended site, to a porn site that tricks you or your children into its seediness, or to a spam or phishing site that steals your email address, your money, or your identity.
This phenomenon goes by the names "typosquatting" and "URL hijacking."
A study by McAfee, a maker of computer security software, sheds some interesting light on it
www.mcafee.com/typosquatters
Among its findings are these points:
If you misspell a popular URL or web address, you have about a 1-in-14 chance of landing at a typosquatter site.
The five most highly squatted categories are game sites such as www.miniclip.com, http://runescape.com, and http://minijuegos.com; airline sites such as www.ryanair.com, www.united.com, and www.lufthansa.com; mainstream media sites such as www.vh1.com, www.globo.com, and http://qvc.com; dating sites such as www.plentyoffish.com, www.true.com, and http://singlesnet.com; and technology and Web 2.0 sites. Sites for children and teens such as www.webkinz.com, http://clubpenquin.com, and http://neopets.com are also heavily targeted. Some of the trick sites are designed to expose children to pornography.
The more celebrated examples of typosquatting have involved, among others, the web search site Google and the user-written web encyclopedia Wikipedia. By mistyping www.google.com as www.goggle.com, users were taken to the site of a rogue software maker that automatically downloaded spyware to their computers.
Wikipedia endured a similar experience. By mistyping www.wikipedia.org as www.eikipedia.org, www.wilipedia.org, or www.wikipedi.com or by mistyping en.wikipedia.org as en.wiipedia.org, en.wikipedi.org, or en.wikipediia.org, users were directed to sites with pop-up ads, spyware downloads, and ad-generating web directories.
Typosquatters bank on the fact that people make simple typing mistakes, misspell words, add an "s" to make a name plural when it shouldn't be, and get the top-level domain wrong by typing "com" instead of "org," for example.
One common technique used by typosquatters is to profit from click-through ad revenue.
Legitimate ad syndication services affiliated with Google and other search sites enable typosquatters to make money by tricking people into coming to their sites, where revenue-generating ads a’re displayed.
Another, more nefarious, technique is to continue the ruse by tricking people into thinking they're at the real site, using copied logos, page layouts, and content.
When you then type in credit card, Social Security, and other sensitive data, the criminals use that data to steal your money and your identity.
Typosquatting isn't a new phenomenon, but it is increasing in frequency, judging by the number of cases filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization's arbitration system (www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains)
This is one remedial method available to sites whose addresses have been copied."
If you have any questions about the tips posted in Dan's Tech tips, please contact Dan at the following email address:
dthompson5@mchsi.com
____________________
Remove The File, Not The Email Message
Ever have an email message in Outlook with an attachment and you find that you no longer need the attachment? You may want to keep the email so that you have varification that it was received but don't want a file that contains personal information. Maybe you work in an office setting with a space quota? Attachments can really add to the size of your message archives.
If these situations sound familiar, you may be interested in knowing that you can delete attachments without deleting the message.
Once you're sure you have no more use for the attachment, open the message. (By "no more use" I mean that either it's been saved or is of no further use to you.)
If you use a screen reader, hit a shift+tab to get to the list of attachments. You may have to hit a right arrow to highlight the actual file. If you use a mouse, right-click on the file you want to delete.
From the resulting menu, choose Remove.
When you close the message, you'll see a confirmation prompt. Yes will finalize the delete, No will close the message without deleting the file and Cancel will put you back into the message as though you never tried to close it.
If you have any questions about the tips posted in Dan's Tech tips, please contact Dan at the following email address:
dthompson5@mchsi.com
____________________
Here Are Four Great Sites For Anyone Who Likes Looking Skyward, And a link to download all of Wikipedia to your computer.
Astronomy Picture of the Day
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation. Many people are already familiar with this great site, but did you know you can view it in several different languages
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
Weird, Rare Clouds and the Physics Behind Them
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/09/clouds/
Brought to you by Weird Science, these are awesome cloud photos. You can view them page by page, or click the "View All" link to see them all at once.
Okawix: Download the Whole Contents of Wikipedia
http://www.okawix.com/?page=home
Okawix lets you download the whole content of Wikipedia, with or without images, so that you can browse it offline: Okawix is available in 253 languages and includes sister projects of the Wikimedia Foundation (Wikisource, Wiktionary, Wikiquote, Wikibooks).
Versions are available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
If you have any questions about the tips posted in Dan's Tech tips, please contact Dan at the following email address:
dthompson5@mchsi.com
Convert Email To HTML Pages
ForwardOn is a web service that provides an alternative way to share your favorite email messages with others. Instead of forwarding them to your friends individually, ForwardOn lets you send them to
share@forwardon.com
and convert them to html pages by publishing them to your personal forwardon.com account. Your messages will be presented on a clean formatted web page along with any attachments like videos, pictures or audio. Using the website is very easy and requires sign up.
You can also browse email messages shared by other users, check out most popular shared items, rate them and leave comments. ForwardOn also has a reward system where, depending on the popularity of your posts, you can get points which can be redeemed for prizes or donations to several organizations.
Click this link to visit
http://www.forwardon.com
If you have any questions about the tips posted in Dan's Tech tips, please contact Dan at the following email address:
dthompson5@mchsi.com
_________________________
Large Display Online Stopwatch
TimeMe is a free web-based timer and large display stopwatch for your browser. It can be used to time meetings, class tests or any other events. Due to its huge display it can be easily used in conference rooms with many people, at home for a low vision alternative to inaccessible timers or classrooms with low vision students.
The watch can be set to count up or down and an alarm can be set to go off when the timer stops. Users may also adjust the timer's display (size, color, width) and sound alarm settings to fit their needs.
Click this link to visit the Time Me site:
http://www.timeme.com/timer-stopwatch.htm
If you have any questions about the tips posted in Dan's Tech tips, please contact Dan at the following email address:
dthompson5@mchsi.com
_________________________
Locate Restaurants Where Kids Eat Free
If you eat out with your family on a regular basis, KidsEatFor is definitely for you. It's a website that helps you locate restaurants where kids eat for free. Just type in your address or zipcode (US only) and hit search, KidsEatFor will then give you a list of nearby restaurants that offer kids specials.
In case you know a restaurant in your area that is not listed, you can submit it for inclusion. You can even sort results by days of the week to get in on those daily specials. The restaurant's address and phone number is also presented.
Click this link and feed your kids ffor free by searching at
http://www.kidseatfor.com
If you have any questions about the tips posted in Dan's Tech tips, please contact Dan at the following email address:
dthompson5@mchsi.com
_________________________
MaximEyes Video Magnifier
I have not personally used this but thought it would be very helpful for low vision individuals of all ages.
However, the web site link below the following document is very long. I suggest to copy it to your clipboard and then paste it into your internet browser instead of typing it in.
I did just that and it does work.
MaximEyes Video Magnifier
The newly upgraded MaximEyes Video Magnifier from EITAC Solutions Group is offered exclusively by APH. It offers access to printed materials, multimedia, as well as improved productivity. With up to 60X magnification, you are able to display an enlarged view of materials placed on the work surface. A new, larger 22 inch widescreen display provides a clear image for reading and writing.
The improved MaximEyes has a unique interface that uses a new joystick controller that replaces the mouse from the previous model. You can manipulate the optional camera in any direction, zoom in or out, or control any of the wide variety of features.
With an optional Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) camera, not available from APH, you can see information such as a lecturer being presented in the distance. Three inputs allow connection to other media sources, such as a VCR, DVD player, or compatible computers.
Features
Corded PenTracker for improved writing capability
NEW! Improved design
New! AutoTrackT reading feature, no x-y table
Access to remote audio-video presentations through the provided inputs
NEW! Quieter motion control system
NEW! Better lighting
Specifications
NEW! Larger 22 inch widescreen display
Up to three additional video and one audio input
NEW! Joystick controller for easy control of camera movement, magnification, and more
Unique PenTracker technology, includes one corded PenTracker
NEW! SMALLER BASE: Base of unit measures 17" wide by 15 1/2" deep, requires less space than other CCTVs that require a moveable x-y table
Can utilize an optional Sony® EVI-D70 Pan-Tilt-Zoom camera (available from commercial vendors)
One year limited warranty (optional extended warranty available)
MaximEyes Video Magnifier Unit:
Catalog Number: 1-03915-01
Optional Extended Warranty (extends the included one-year warranty for an additional year, giving you two years total. Must be ordered within 60 days of the date your product was shipped):
Catalog Number: 1-03918-00
Replacement PenTrackerT, Corded:
Catalog Number: 1-03917-00
Joystick Controller:
Catalog Number: 1-03914-01
PenTracker, Cordless:
Catalog Number: 1-03916-00
Click this link to purchase the MaximEyes Video Magnifier
http://shop.aph.org/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_MaximEyes%20Video%20Magnifier%20--%20UPGRADED!_1-03915-01P_10001_11051
If you have any questions about the tips posted in Dan's Tech tips, please contact Dan at the following email address:
dthompson5@mchsi.com
_________________________
I have not tried this since I am totally blind but thought there are those getting this publication who Love reading when there's a slot of time available.
This is the patented book cover that illuminates your reading material anywhere without requiring a separate book light. A light built into the cover's spine turns on automatically when it is pulled out and turns off when it is retracted. Its dual LEDs cast bright light across both pages and its head can be precisely adjusted so as not to disturb airplane seatmates or a dozing spouse. The cover is durable yet pliable .8 mm black leatherette that won't split or crack and protects against dirt and spills. Includes an attached cloth bookmark. Requires three AA batteries that provide 40 hours of illumination.
Click this link to purchase The Illuminating Book Cover from Hammacher Schlemmer
http://www.hammacher.com/Product/77939?refsku=77980&xsp=2
If you have any questions about the tips posted in Dan's Tech tips, please contact Dan at the following email address:
dthompson5@mchsi.com
_________________________
Start Your Day With News From The Brighter Side Of Life.
I took a break from mainstream news a few years ago, when I read that taking a break from news can help lower stress. I'm still enjoying my break from the headlines and have discovered that I like good, interesting, or happy news. Without further ado, I present a few sites that deliver good news of all kinds.
Happy News
http://www.happynews.com/index.aspx
Excellent range of articles. This is the site visit the most.
Gimundo: Good News Served Daily
http://gimundo.com/home.aspx
I like the weekly featured article and best of the web sections.
Good News Network
http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/
This site has a fairly global focus. The newsletter is great, and free.
They have a subscription service that delivers news everyday to your computer, I get the weekly newsletter and read the site articles free.
Optimist World
http://optimistworld.com/
This site has a wider focus that the others - it includes "daily good news headlines, inspiring stories about charities, positive corporate social responsibility activities, sustainable travel, optimistic stories from the world of sports, and so much more."
Site available in English, German, French, Italian and Spanish
Get Good News Every Day
If you have any questions about the tips posted in Dan's Tech tips, please contact Dan at the following email address:
dthompson5@mchsi.com
_________________________
A Beginners Guide To The Windows Command Line
The command line is often a mystery to most of us. It looks a little scary.
In actuality it's a really useful tool to get things done in a hurry, cleverly disguised as something scary looking that only uber geeks use.
You can get the complete guide by visiting the link below.
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/a-beginners-guide-to-the-windows-command-line/
The command line lets you communicate directly with your computer and instruct it to perform various tasks. For this you have to use specific commands. The commands are not necessarily intuitive, so they have to be learned, just like words in a language.
Fortunately, there are graphical user interfaces (GUIs) replacing most procedures that formerly required using the command line.
However, sometimes using the command line is quicker or even the only way to access certain information. Thus knowing how to use the command line can be extremely valuable.
And that's where this Windows command guide comes in.
To access the Windows command line in XP, click > START > Run, type cmd into the Open: field, and click OK.
windows command guide
Alternatively, you can go through > Start > All Programs > Accessories and select command prompt.
This launches cmd.exe, a window that reminds us of the old days in computer history:
pure white text on a uniform black background. Despite its resemblance to a DOS windows, cmd.exe merely is a command line interpreter merely similar to DOS.
guide windows commands
Now that you have successfully accessed the command prompt, what is there to do here?
To operate at command prompt level, you need to know some commands. Let me give you some basics to play with.
Help
First let me say that there is intrinsic help in the command prompt. If you're not sure whether a certain command really exists or what it does or what switches there are to it, type the command followed by a slash and question mark as in /? and you shall be enlightened.
Switches
Switches are optional extensions to a command, which change the command's behavior.
We actually saw an example of a switch in the previous section.
Using the symbols of slash and question mark together as in /? is a switch to any command, explaining its function rather than executing it in any way.
Note that you can add several switches to each command, but always leave a space between the command and each switch.
Now let's get on with serious commands.
dir
The dir command lists the contents of the current directory.
There are some useful switches to it. For example dir /d
(/d being the switch) will list the directory contents in up to three columns. Alternatively, you can use dir /w, which will sort the contents differently. With dir /p
the information doesn't scroll, but pauses at the end of the screen, until you hit a random key for the next screen full of data.
cd
To change directories, use the cd command.
Pick a directory seen in the previous dir listing. Directories are indicated by
Hello there! I'm Matt Chadwick, your friendly Café friend and it's a brand new week and a brand new month. Happy March to you out there.
Today, I have an interesting article to share with you; all about what to do when you meet a sighted person. Through the eyes of a blind person. We thank our friends at http://www.sterlingcreations.ca for passing this along to us.
I hope you enjoy it and I wish you a great day.
What To Do When You Meet a Sighted Person:
People who use their eyes to acquire information about the world are called sighted people or "people who are sighted". Legal sight means any visual acuity greater than 20/200 in the better eye without correction or an angle of vision wider than 20 degrees.
Sighted people enjoy rich, full lives working, playing and raising families. They run businesses, hold public offices, get arrested and teach your children!
How do Sighted People get Around? People who are sighted may walk or ride public transportation but most choose to travel long distances by operating their own motor vehicles, usually one passenger to a car. They have gone through many hours of extensive training to learn the rules of the road in order to further their independence. Once that road to freedom has been mastered, sighted people earn a legal classification and a drivers license which allows them to operate a private vehicle relatively safely and independently.
How do you assist a sighted person? Sighted people are accustomed to viewing the world in visual terms. This means that in many situations they will not be able to communicate orally and may resort to stammering, pointing, hand waving or other gesturing. Subtle facial expressions may also be used to convey feelings in social situations. Calmly alert the sighted person to his or her surroundings by speaking slowly in a normal tone of voice. Questions directed at the sighted person help focus attention back on the verbal rather than the merely visual.
How do sighted people remember things? Often they don't remember things.
In fact this is one of the most painful aspects of the visual affliction, the degree to which sight inhibits detailed memory. Often, the sighted person must reacquire the same information each time it is needed. You can help by being sensitive to their struggle by learning to anticipate their need and providing them with the information they need when it is necessary. Don't tell them too much too quickly. Be sensitive to the capacities of the individual with whom you are dealing. These limitations vary from person to person and it is deeply upsetting to a sighted person to realize that you recognize their mental short comings.
At times sighted people may need help finding things, especially when operating a motor vehicle. Your advance knowledge of routs and landmarks, bumps in the road, and traffic lights will assist the sighted person in finding their way quickly and easily. Your knowledge of building layouts can also assist the sighted person in navigating complex shopping malls and office buildings. Sighted people tend to be very proud and are reluctant to ask for assistance. Be gentle yet firm.
How do sighted people use computers? The sighted person relies exclusively on visual information. His or her attention span fades quickly when reading long texts so it is best to write in bulleted lists of very brief items. The use of bright colors will help the sighted person stay focused.
Computer information is presented to the sighted in a graphical manner to assist them in comprehending their world. Coordination of hands and eyes is often a preoccupation with sighted people so the computer mouse, a handy device that slides along the desk top, saves confusing keystrokes. With one button the sighted person can move around his or her computer screen quickly and easily, if not necessarily efficiently. People who are sighted are not accustomed to synthetic speech and may have great difficulty understanding even the clearest synthesizer, falling asleep between syllables or becoming distracted by a spot on the carpet. Be patient and prepared to explain many times how your computer works.
How do sighted people read? Reading is accomplished by the sighted person through a system called "print," which is a series of images drawn in a two dimensional plain. People who are sighted generally have a poorly developed sense of touch. Braille is completely foreign to them and severe bouts of disorientation can sometimes result from over exposure to the use of the higher senses.
Sighted people cannot function well in dimly lit conditions and are generally completely helpless and often devastatingly frightened in total darkness. Their homes are usually very brightly lit at great expense as are businesses that cater to the sighted. Naturally these costs are passed on to the consumer.
How can I support the sighted person? People who are sighted do not want your charity. They want to live, work, and play alongside you on as equal a basis as possible. You must ignore their tendency to display feelings that they are superior to you. Failing to allow them this delusion may promote aberrant and antisocial behavior. The best thing you can do to support sighted people in your community is to simply open yourself to their world and help open their limited world to the bounty of your experience. These citizens are vital contributing members of the community, real people with thoughts and feelings, hopes and dreams and a story to tell. Take a sighted person to lunch today and make them feel like you truly care.
Above article, Author Unknown.
Donna J Jodhan is the president of Sterling Creations.
Now you can view blogs and editorials written by Donna at:
http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com (Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all)
http://numpadplus.com/blog/?page_id=7 (access and accessibility)
http://www.accessibilitynews.ca/acnews/editorials/donna.php (accessibility issues in Canada)
http://www.accessibilitynewsinternational.com (under the editorials section, an international perspective)
http://www.onestopbookcafe.com (under the café talk link)
http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm (important answers to consumers concerns)
http://www.diversityintheworkplace.ca (monthly editorial on issues on diversity)
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/magazine.html (monthly editorial)
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog/blog.html (blogs for language professionals and accessibility consultants)
Good very early morning to you out there! It's your Café moms and we're up very bright and early and for good reason! We're going on a weekend trip to Montreal so we need to get going before the sun rises.
Our packages need to go out before we leave so here we are!
Take care now!
Your Café moms
Healthy eating tips
Week of Feb 27
Breaking news! Warm Weather | Health Tips, Weight Loss, Lose Weight, Healthy ...
Bulletin Board
Glens Falls Post-Star
Participants will be guided through a lesson on healthy eating, explore how to set nutritional goals and learn tips for staying on track with a healthy diet ...
Read more at:
http://www.poststar.com/lifestyles/hometown/article_c5a77be2-17e6-11df-996a-001cc4c002e0.html
Boys & Girls Club of Los Fresnos expanding
Brownsville Herald
... and every weekday, except for Fun Fridays, participate in activities where they learn study skills, healthy eating tips and how to stay away from drugs. ...
Read more at:
http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/boys-108621--.html
How To Tell Green Garlic From Green Onions | Healthy Eating Tips ...
By Darya Pino
Look for green garlic at your local farmers market from now until the end of spring. The only issue is, green garlic can look a lot like green onions if you don't know how to tell the difference.
Summer Tomato -
http://summertomato.com/
Warm Weather | Health Tips, Weight Loss, Lose Weight, Healthy ...
By admin
how to lose weight, Health Tips, Weight Loss, Lose Weight, Healthy Eating, Diet Plan, Weight Loss Tips, health tips for kids, summer health tips, nutrition tips, diet tips, safety tips, exercise tips, healthy foods, tips to lose weight, ...
Health Tips, Weight Loss, Lose... -
http://www.healthtips247.com/
Wilton native's new book offers tips on how to boost brain power ...
By Staff
http://www.thehour.com/story/482259/">Wilton native's new book offers tips on how to boost brain power through healthy eating. WILTON By KARA O'CONNOR Hour Staff Writer Before readers pick up Samantha Heller's new book, ...
The Hour Headlines -
http://www.thehour.com/
“Healthy Diet – A Guide to Weight Loss “ - Health Info and Tips
By jeandit
Smart cooking and healthy eating begins with learning regarding nutrition and the way to prepare healthy recipes. 8. Find out how to form the family favorite recipes and build certain that fats, salt, and sugar are cut out. ...
Health Resources -
http://www.jeandit.com/
Social Eating: Healthy Eating Tricks | How to Diet Down NOW
By admin
Social Eating: Healthy Eating Tricks. Social eating means eating out with friends, eating at weddings, office parties and more. Amy Mac is going to give you tips to eating right without sabotaging your Diet. More info at WithAmyMac.com ...
How to Diet Down NOW -
http://dietdownnow.com/
Strategies To Being Plant Eater Overnight, Equipped With ...
By feedme
Visit this vegetariandinnerrecipes.info site for free tips for losing unhealthy fat and eating healthier by choosing a veggie dinner plan. It can be tough to lose pounds and prepare healthy family meal plans when you cling to a typical ...
Healthy Eating World -
http://www.healthyeatingworld.com/
Social Eating: Healthy Eating Tricks | WatchDoit
View full profile. Social Eating: Healthy Eating Tricks Social eating means eating out with friends, eating at weddings, office parties and more. Amy Mac is going to give you tips to eating right without sabotaging your diet. ...
WatchDoit Video -
http://www.watchdoit.com/
im 13 overweight and need weight loss tips? | Cyber Snaps !
By admin
Don't think you can change your eating habit all at once, its call a habit for a reason. Once you have started your healthy eating habit, here are some tips breaks it down and maintain your habit: 1. Take your time eating. ...
Cyber Snaps ! -
http://www.cybersnaps.com/
Diet Weight Loss Secret Healthy Tips – Clinical Nutrition | AIB ...
By admin
I have been eating healthy foods for about a yr and im not taking off any weight… im not understanding why im not… i eat berries, all fresh foods i even get organic milk, i eat alasken salmon i shop at whole foods i have even tried a ...
AIB Excellence Awards 2008 -
http://www.aibawards.com/
Dieting - Lose Weight Healthy | Diet Tips
By admin
Take your time, don't try to rush losing weight, lose weight healthy means lose weight slow, plus if you do it the right way, you will keep the weight off. Many people who lose weight to rapidly, as soon as they shift their eating ...
Diet Tips -
http://www.easy2diet.net/
Hey there! I'm Alix Shadonnay, your friendly Café friend and it's time for me to introduce our weekly editorial written by our dear friend Donna J. Jodhan. Donna is dynamic, delightful to work with, and she is never tired of sharing and greeting. This week, she shares a very personal experience with us. Here now is Donna.
Enjoy your day.
Growing up with sighted parents
In a previous blog, I talked about blind persons being parents. I grew up with two wonderful sighted parents who allowed me to go out there and take the world by the tail or the bull by the horns. For the most part, it was a delicate balance of ensuring that I fitted in and at the same time being realistic enough to understand that being blind had its limitations.
The great thing was that my parents never really said no to my requests for adventure but they were naturally cautious and timid towards certain things. My dad allowed me to reach for the stars when it came to education but he was always leery when it came to my choice of career. My mom on the other hand was a bit more outgoing and made very sure that I fitted into the sighted world. With two loving brothers for company, a gentle granny who prodded me along, and wonderful cousins, I managed to grow up in a very unique type of environment.
It was not always easy for me at times and these were times when I wanted to be a bit too mainstream for my own good but I learned fast. These were the times when I was limited by my lack of sight and my parents had to step in and teach me about reality. Nevertheless, I soldiered on and as far back as I can remember it was always my goal to leave home as early as I could in order to be independent as I could be. It has paid off but not without tremendous sacrifice on the part of both me and my family.
Yes! I learned to ride a bicycle and had bike races with my dad along the beach. He taught me how to swim and fly a kite. We went fishing together. He and my brothers played football and cricket with me in the park. My mom and granny taught me how to cook and bake and even played doll's house with me. My dad was my constant source of knowledge while my mom and granny were my constant tutors of life. As for my brothers? Well, they were brothers all the way.
If you would like to learn more about how sighted parents can interact with their non-sighted children, then you can contact me directly at donnajodhan@sterlingcreations.ca and I would be delighted to give you some useful pointers.
I'm Donna J. Jodhan your accessibility and special needs business consultant reminding you to go out there and tell the world that when it comes to sighted parents being able to raise blind children, nothing is impossible.
Donna J Jodhan is the president of Sterling Creations.
Now you can view blogs and editorials written by Donna at:
http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com (Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all)
http://numpadplus.com/blog/?page_id=7 (access and accessibility)
http://www.accessibilitynews.ca/acnews/editorials/donna.php (accessibility issues in Canada)
http://www.accessibilitynewsinternational.com (under the editorials section, an international perspective)
http://www.onestopbookcafe.com (under the café talk link)
http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm (important answers to consumers concerns)
http://www.diversityintheworkplace.ca (monthly editorial on issues on diversity)
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/magazine.html (monthly editorial)
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog/blog.html (blogs for language professionals and accessibility consultants)
Hello there! We your Café team are again delighted to be with you and today; we have a four part series to share with you on the benefits of drinking green tea. It comes courtesy of Steve at Melanie mama's corner.
Enjoy and have a great day.
Your Café team
Steve's daily tips
Taken from Melanie mama's corner
Green Tea Benefits, Part 1 of 4
16 Things That Make Miracles Possible
When you drink tea, you are inviting positive changes into your life. Why green tea benefits manifest as the Miracles In The Cup.
1:
Acts as antioxidants
Many experts believe antioxidants can slow down aging and prevent heart disease, strokes and cancers.
Green tea is an excellent source of antioxidants. It contains catechins, powerful antioxidants found in large quantities in green tea.
Fruits such as pomegranate may contain as much as or more antioxidants than green tea.
But gram for gram and dollar for dollar, none of them packs as much punch as green tea.
2:
Burns fat. Exercise longer
With green tea, you get two in one. Its fat burning property helps you to burn fat and exercise longer - at the same time.
With more than 1,000 individuals being questioned for more than 10 years, a Taiwanese study provides the best evidence yet that green tea and oolong tea burn fat.
The longer you drink, the more evident the weight loss effect.
Green tea increases exercise endurance. Green tea catechins burn fat and reduce carbohydrate utilization, enabling athletes to exercise longer.
3:
Prolongs life
One of the largest population studies ever conducted: 40,530 Japanese adults were questioned for 11 years.
Researchers found those who drink 5 or more cups of green tea a day are 16 percent less likely to die than those who drink less than one cup a day.
Heavy green tea drinkers are also 26 percent less likely to die from heart disease.
4
Prevents and treats cancers
Green tea anti-cancer prowess extends beyond its antioxidant activities.
It starves off cancer cells by restricting blood vessel growth.
It wreaks havoc in abnormal cells, causing them to self-destruct.
It blocks over-production of harmful enzymes that act as catalysts to cancer growth.
From brain tumor to leukemia, from lung cancer, stomach cancer, colon cancer, oesophageal cancer to bladder cancer, not to mention breast cancer, ovarian cancer and prostate cancer, green tea cancer studies are showing positive results.
_________________________
Green Tea Benefits, Part 2 of 4
16 Things That Make Miracles Possible
When you drink tea, you are inviting positive changes into your life. Why green tea benefits manifest as the Miracles In The Cup.
5:
Soothes stress. Boosts brain power
Tea contains a special compound called theanine, which has been known to stimulate alpha brain waves, calm the body and promote relaxed awareness.
A 2007 study found that drinking 4 cups of tea enhances the brain's ability to concentrate on the tasks at hand.
Theanine Health Benefits
The list of theanine health benefits gets longer daily and manifests itself both in mind and body.
Theanine and Caffeine - How Tea Improves Concentration
Two 2007 breakthrough studies found that green tea regenerates damaged brain cells and is a viable treatment option for multiple sclerosis patients.
6:
Rejuvenates body from heart attacks and strokes
Drinking green tea helps patients recover from heart attacks and strokes.
Preliminary studies suggests active green tea compound EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) speeds up the recovery process.
As many as 5 different population studies suggest that tea drinking reduces heart disease risk, although scientists still do not understand the mechanisms for these observations.
7:
Improve Heart Health
As we grow older, our arteries naturally harden.
Fats, cholesterols and blood platelets accumulate in the artery wall. When they thicken and clog up the entire artery, a heart attack or stroke occurs.
A hamsters study suggests green tea inhibits atherosclerosis, the hardening and thickening of arteries. A human equivalent dose of 3 to 4 cups a day is associated with 26% to 46 percent lower risk.
Green tea also helps to keep the artery passageway clear by reducing cholesterols, triglycerides and blood clots.
8:
Reduces high blood pressure
A 2004 study found that regular tea drinkers are 65 percent less likely to develop high blood pressure if they drink more than two-half cups a day.
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Green Tea Benefits, Part 3 Of 4
16 Things That Make Miracles Possible
When you drink tea, you are inviting positive changes into your life. Why green tea benefits manifest as the Miracles In The Cup.
9:
Prevents and treats diabetes
Green tea is anti-diabetic. Tea compounds EGCG and the aflavins have been found to regulate blood sugar level through the following ways:
Increase insulin activities
Promote glucose metabolism
Block glucose absorption.
A study found that brewed tea, when added to the fat cells of laboratory rats, increases insulin activities by more than 15 times. But adding milk decreased insulin activities by 90 percent.
A study discovered that drinking 6 cups of tea per day for 8 weeks reduces blood sugar levels by 15 to 20 percent. Furthermore, drinking green tea with a Japanese diet is highly effective in preventing diabetes.
10:
Treats Inflammation
You will be surprised to learn that green tea's anti-inflammatory property makes it a perfect remedy for a variety of conditions.
If you are a woman, take note. Rheumatoid arthritis is a common disease affecting about 1 in 100 people. Women are 3 times more likely to be affected. There is no known cure.
Two studies found that drinking tea may prevent rheumatoid inflammation.
EGCG and Arthritis
Tea and Pimples - Acne Skin Benefits
Plagued by acne or pimples? Preliminary data suggests that green tea cream causes fewer side effects than benzyl peroxide. Patients treated by green tea reported fewer cases of dry skin, itching and allergic responses.
Tea and Colitis
Colitis is a general term for inflammation in the lining of the bowel. Out of the three studies I looked into, two found green tea to be helpful.
11:
Protects lungs from smoking
Irritated by second hand smoke? Why should we be forced to breathe in carcinogens just because other people are smoking?
Green tea protects you from lung cancer by reducing cellular damage caused by cigarette smoke.
A study conducted by the University of Arizona found that it reduces cellular damage by 25 percent.
12:
Protects liver from alcohol
In a laboratory study, rats were intoxicated with alcohol for 4 weeks. It was found that green tea prevents damage to their livers.
If that wasn't nasty enough, in another laboratory study, mice were exposed to carbon tetrachloride, a toxic chemical solvent.
Green tea so greatly reduced their liver injuries that researchers suggested it should be used to treat liver disease.
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Green Tea Benefits, Part 4 Of 4
16 Things That Make Miracles Possible
When you drink tea, you are inviting positive changes into your life. Why green tea benefits manifest as the Miracles In The Cup.
13:
Prevent tooth decay. Cure bad breath
Have a sweet tooth and need to ward off tooth decay?
Tea can help. Unlike soft drinks, tea is non erosive. It also fights mouth virus and reduces bad breath.
14:
Builds bones
Studies found that drinking at least 2 cups of green tea a day helps preserve bone density and reduce osteoporosis risk. The longer you drink, the greater the benefits.
15:
Boosts immunity. Fights off flu and colds
Tea contains antigens, which are found also in some bacteria. It builds up immune defence and prepares us for bacterial invasion.
A study on drinkers of black tea found that 5 small cups a day boost the immunity level.
16:
Rehydrates
UK Scientists found that tea is healthier than pure water.
They dispelled the common belief that tea dehydrates.
Tea not only rehydrates as well as water does, it also has many other health benefits.
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If you would like to join Mama's corner then please send an email to mamas-corner-owner@yahoogroups.com
Hi everyone! I'm Heather DeMarco, your friendly Café friend and it's a new week with always new possibilities. Today, I have a very enlightening article to share with you and I hope you find it as stimulating as I do.
We thank our friends at http://www.sterlingcreations.ca for passing this along to us.
Have a great day.
Date: November 4, 2009 9:19 AM
Blind women help detect breast cancer
• Blind women being trained to use their sensitive touch to detect breast
cancer lumps
• Called Medical Tactile Examiners, they can spend more time on patients
• The 'Discovering Hands' program takes place at a school in Düren, west
Germany
By Nick Wade and Joana Krause-Palfner
For CNN
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Blind women are being trained to use their
sensitive touch to help detect breast cancer earlier and more precisely than
doctors.
The blind assistants use tape strips with braille coordinates to accurately
locate cancerous lumps
The program, called "Discovering Hands," is the brainchild of German
gynecologist Dr. Frank Hoffmann.
Two years ago, he created Braille strips as a system of orientation,
allowing the blind to carry out breast examinations.
Using these strips blind women are trained to become Medical Tactile
Examiners (MTUs) because they are more able to detect smaller lumps than
sighted doctors.
Hoffman argues that because of their disability, the blind can possess a
more acutely developed sense of touch, which has proved to be a valuable
asset in breast examinations.
Once the strips are placed along specific areas of the breast, they are then
used to report a precise location to the doctor as the MTU reads their
Braille
coordinates.
"We are turning a disability into a gift," Dr. Hoffmann told CNN.
"It's like the game Battleship," he added. "You have the exact location."
A study at the Essen University's women's clinic, Germany, concluded that
MTUs found more and smaller tumors than doctors in 450 cases.
The identification of smaller lumps allows earlier diagnosis and more
effective treatment.
Another advantage of having MTUs is that they are able to dedicate more time
to examining a patient.
Dr. Hoffman said he had previously been able to spend only a few minutes on
each examination due to his other commitments, whereas MTUs can commit half
an hour.
Training takes place at the BFW occupational school in
Düren, west Germany, a center for those who are no longer able to continue
their profession because of visual impairment or blindness.
So far, ten blind women have qualified as MTUs. One of the women,
Marie-Luise Voll, 57, told CNN: " The work brings me a lot of joy."
Voll had previously practiced as a nurse before losing her sight in 2007,
but used the experience when training at Düren for her new role.
The highly personal nature of the procedure means that only women will be
trained. The MTUs report to the doctor - for whom they act as an assistant
not a replacement - who then uses this information as part of their ultimate
diagnosis.
If an abnormality is located the doctor will decide how to proceed, with
ultrasounds and mammography being the most frequent course of action.
The testing phase of the project between 2006 and 2008 has now been
completed in Germany. The hope is that twenty trained MTUs will qualify
every year after 2010.
The program has been acclaimed as a success by both patients and
practitioners in Germany.
Health services in Europe including Ireland, France, Denmark and Austria
have also registered interest in starting an equivalent of their own,
Hoffman said.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/07/29/german.blind.cancer/index.html
Donna J Jodhan is the president of Sterling Creations.
Now you can view blogs and editorials written by Donna at:
http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com (Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all)
http://numpadplus.com/blog/?page_id=7 (access and accessibility)
http://www.accessibilitynews.ca/acnews/editorials/donna.php (accessibility issues in Canada)
http://www.accessibilitynewsinternational.com (under the editorials section, an international perspective)
http://www.onestopbookcafe.com (under the café talk link)
http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm (important answers to consumers concerns)
http://www.diversityintheworkplace.ca (monthly editorial on issues on diversity)
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/magazine.html (monthly editorial)
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog/blog.html (blogs for language professionals and accessibility consultants)
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