IN FRATERNAM MEAM: October 2005

IN FRATERNAM MEAM

Friday, October 28, 2005

INFORMAL ENGLISH: CURIOUS WORDS AND PHRASES OF NORTH AMERICA

Here are some examples of Informal English, Puncture Ladies, Egg Harbors, Mississippi Marbles and Other Curious Words and Phrases of North America still being spoken and used:

** Columbia Leprosy - A euphemism for some disease, probably syphilis. (Scargill, Canada)

** Colluvies - A collection of filth; excrement. (Worcester)

** Brick in the Hat - A drunken man is said to have a brick in the hat, the allusion being to top-heaviness and inability to preserve a steady gait. (new England)

** Break the Road - The person breaks the road who is first to pass over the road after a snowstorm. (Nebraska)

** Breeze of Luck - A period of prosperity, good luck. (Craigie)

** Berdache - From the evidence available, the word means hermaphrodite when applied to animals, but homosexual when applied to man. Coward (Mississippi Valley)

**Betting the Eyes - A term used by gamblers when a "sucker" looks on at a game but does not bet. (Matsell)

** BIg Dog of the Tanyard - The name often given to an overbearing person who will allow no one else to speak or differ from his views. (Schele de Vere)

** Biggity - Consequential; giving oneself airs (a Negro term)

** Blacberry Baby - An illegitimate child. (Northwestern Arkansas)

** Anxious Mourner, Anxious Bench - Persons who are peculiarly excited to a consciousness fo their sinfulness and the necessity of seeking salvation. (Southern Indiana)

** Apple-palsy - Plain drunk, caused by too much drinking. (Burlington, County, New Jersey)

** Easter Before Lent - This was an expression used by the Creole folk to indicate that a baby had been born too soon after the wedding. (Louisiana)

** Fence-corner Peach - Any good-lloning country girl may be called a fence-corner peach, but the term often implies a low-class family background or questionable paternity. (Randolph and Wilson)

** Fill one's shirt - To eat heartily. (Southwestern Eisconsin)

** Fine as a frog hair - Extra fine. (Arkansas)

** Feel pale - A humorous way to say someone is sick.

** Fiddle-faced - Sorrowful, sad; gloomy. (Weseen)

** Gossling Patch - The period in which a boy's voice is changing. (Western)

** Got a Mash on - In love with, (North Carolina)

** Grab-gutted - Greedy, selfish (Sourthern Illinois)

** Granny grunts - Stomach aches (Eastern Alabama)

** Gravels for my Goose - A man in search for sexual satisfaction. (Randolph and Wilson)

** Mizzy - A negro expression for stomach aches .(Louisiana)

** Mockbeggar - A house that looks well but gives no hospitality (New foundland)

** Moose Face - A rich, ugly faced man. (Matsell)

** Red in the comb - When a mountain man says of a woman that "her comb is red", he means that she is in a state of sexual excitement. (Southeastern Missouri)

** Skeezix - A man not to be trusted (Philadelphia)

** Slangander - To slander in a silly manner.(Barrer)

** Tetnit - A child born of elderly parents. (New Hampshire)

** Talk Iron - To talk low and indistinctly. (Cape Cod)

(Source: Informal English by: Jeffrey Kacirk)

posted by infraternam meam @ 8:52 PM 0 comments

Thursday, October 27, 2005

THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF HEADACHES AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THEM

Migraine Headaches:
Migraines are vacular headaches related to changes in the size of the arteries within and outside the brain. The exact causes of migraines are not yet known, but experts know they are related to changes in the brain and genetic causes. The new way of thinking is that migraines are caused by inherited abnormalities in certain areas of the brain. Many people with migraines have inherited sensitivity to certain migraine triggers, including fatigue, bright lights, and weather changes.

Here are some of the various characteristics of Migraine Headaches:
* Often, but not always, the pain is on one side of the head. It can be felt in the whole head, or it can shift from one side of the head to the other.

* Often it is a pounding, throbbing pain.

* Migraine headaches are often accompanied by associated characteristics, such as nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, sensitivity to bright light or loud noise, dizziness, or mood changes.

* About one-fifth of migraine headaches are preceded by neurological symptoms that last a few minutes to an hour before the pain of the headache beins. These symptoms include blurred vision, sparkling lights, and numbness in the hands or face.

* Sometime they include an "aura" with visual symptoms such as bright flashing dots or lights, blind spots, or wavy or jagged lines.

* They can last fomr four hours to three days.

* They usually occur one to four times a month.

Tension-Type Headaches:
Tension-type headaches (muscle contraction headaches) are the most common type of headaches among adults and teens. About 30 percent to 80 percent of American adults suffer from occasional tension-type headaches, with the majority being women. About 3 percent of American adults suffer from chronic daily tension-type headaches.

Here are some of the various characteristic of tension-type headaches:
* Pain ismild to moderate, with constant band-like pain.

* Pain is felt in the front, top, or sides of the head.

* Pain usually begins gradually, often occuring in the middle of the day.

* Headache pain can last from 30 minutes to several days.

* People with episodic tension-type headaches often have them no more than once or twice a month but sometimes they are more frequent than this.

* Sudden onset occurs when you wake up in the morning.

* Chronic fatigue, irritability, and disturbed concenttation.

* Mild sensitivity to light or noise.

* General aching of the muscles.

Common causes of this type of headaches include:
* Emotional or mental stress.

* Having problems at home or a difficult family life.

* Deadlines at school or work.

* Having a new child.

* Going on vacation (believe it or not, this can be stressful for some people).

* Starting a new job or losing a job.

* Competing in sports or other activities.

* Being a perfectionist.

* Not getting enough sleep.

* Being overscheduled or having too many demands placed on you.

* Being overweight.

* Alcohol use.

* Skipping meals.

* Changes in sleep patterns and not getting enough rest.

* Excessive medication use.

* Tnesion.

* Depression.

* Eyestrain and neck or back strain due to poor postures.

Additive-Induced Headaches:
Symptoms can begin within 20 to 25 minutes after eating products that contain additives. Some reports state that headaches brought on by foods containing MSG can occur within an hour of eating.

Look for symptoms such as :
* Pressure in teh chest.

* Tightening and pressure in the face.

* Burning sensation in the chest, neck, or shoulders.

* Facial flushing.

* Dizziness.

* Headaches pain across the front or sides of the head. (unlike more classic migraines, headaches brought on by additives are usually sensed on both sides of the head).

* Abdominal discomfort.

Sinus Headaches:
(Sinuses are air-filled spaces located in your forehead, cheekbones, and behind the bridge of your nose.The sinuses produces thin muscus that draws out the channels of the nose.)

Some neurologists believe that when people think they are having sinus headaches, they are actually having migraines. Sinus headaches almost never recur, so if you notice that your sinus headaches seem to be recurring, that's you first clue that you may be having migraines instead. But diagnosing one or the other can getrather confusing because people with migraines seem to see an increase in headaches depending on humidity and other environmental conditions.

Sinus headaches are generally associated with deep and constant pain in the cheeckbones, forehead, or bridge of the nose. The pain usually intensifies with sudden head movement. Sinus headaches are usually accompanied by other sinus symptoms, including nasal discahrge, a feeling in fullness in the ears, fever, or facial swelling.

When sinuses becom inflames, usually because of an allergic reaction, a tumor, or an infection, the inflamation will prevent the outflow of mucus. This causes a pain similar to that of a headache.

Here are some of the various characteristics of Sinus Headaches:
* Pain in deep and constant, and is located around the cheekbones, forehead or bridge of the nose.

* The pain usually intensifies when you move your head suddenly or strain yourself.

* Sinus headaches usually occur with other sinus symptoms, such as nasal discharge, a feeling of fullness in the ears, fever, and facial swelling.

How are Sinus Headaches Treated?
Treatment is generally focused on treating the infection in the sinuses using an antibiotic. Antihistamines such as Benadryl or decongestants such as Sudafed may also be used for a short period of time to help with the symptoms. Decongestants are often used to relieve headaches associated with sinus infections because they work by constrictiong blood vessles that cause headache pain. However, decongestants should only be used as directed, as they can be habit-forming.

What's the Relationship Between Allergies and Headaches?
Allergies don't cause headaches per se, but the allergies cause sinus confestion, and the congestion cana lead to headache pain. Keep in mind that treating your allergies will generally not relieve your headache pain; the two must be treated individually.

Rebound Headaches.
Rebound headaches are caused by the overuse or misuse of over-the-counter pain relievers or not following your doctor's advise regarding dosage. You literally "rebound" into headache after headache. What ends up happening is that when the pain medication wears off, you may experience a withdrawal reaction, whcih ten prompts headache and the urge to take even more medication. Eventuallyu, many people starts suffering from chronic daily headaches, more severe pain, and more frequent headaches than ever before.

The overuse of pain reliegers seems to interfere with the brain centers that regulate the flow of pain messages to the nerves, worsening headache pain.

Caffeine Only Makes It Worse.
This rebound reaction is especially problematic when using medication containing caffeine (caffeine is added to speed up the reaction of the other ingredients). The caffeine in the medications, plus the caffeine so many of you consume daily in beverages such as coffee, te, and soft dirnks, makes you even more vulnerable to developing rebound headaches.

Pain-Relief Medication May Be the Cause.
Commonly used pain-relief medications that can cause rebound headaches when taken in large enough amounts include:

* Aspirin.
* Sinus-relief medications.

* Acetaminophen (Tylenol).

* Nonsteroidal anti-inlamatory medicatons (Aleve).

* Codeine and prescription narcotics.

* Over the counter headaches remedies that contain caffeine (Anacin, Excedrin and Bayer Select).

* Ergotamine preparations (Cafergot, Migergot, Ergomar, Bellergal-S, Bel-Phen-Ergot S, Phenerbel-S, Ercaf, Wigraines, and Cafatine PB).

* Butalbital combination pain relievers (Goody's Headache Powder, Supac, and Excedrin).

(Source:"Tell Me What To Eat if I have Headaches and Migraines" by:Elaine Magee, M.P.H., R.D.)

posted by infraternam meam @ 11:01 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

MIGRAINE AND HEADACHES

What are the most common Migraine Triggers?
Stress is the No. 1 Migraine Trigger, and, according to some etimates, certain foods and beverages maybe responsible for triggering up to 30 percent of migraines.

Migraines can be triggered by many factors, including:

* Stress (Emotional stress is one fo the most common triggers of a migraine).
* Anxiett.
* Bright light or reflective sunlight.
* Smoking and second hand smoke.(Nicotine stimulates blood vessels in the brain to constrict or narrow. Smoking also stimulates the nerves in the back of the throat, which contributes to headached pain.)
* Any change in sleeping habits (either getting too much or too little sleep).
* Menstrual cycle and hormonal changes in women.
* Changes in weather, climate or barometric pressure.
* Fasting or skipping meals.
* Specific foods.
* Excessive caffeine consumption or caffeine withdrawal.

What are some other possible Migraine Triggers?

* Depression, anxiety, or strong emotions.
* Physical exercise.
* Alcohol (red wine and port).
* Aspartame (an artificial sweetener found in diest sodas, light yogurts, and other sugar free or light food products.)
* MSG ( an additive found in many packaged food products and Chinese/Asian cuisine).
* Nitrates/Nitrites ( an additive found in cured meats, including hot dogs, sausage, bacon and cold cuts.)
* Tyramine (an amino acid found in aged cheese, yeast and pickled or marinated foods).
* Certain foods, including chocolate and citrus fruits.
* Birth control pills or hormone therapy.
* Certain medications that dilate blood vessels.
* Overuse of pain medication (may trigger rebound headaches).
* Polluted air.
* Odors from thing sush as perfume, paint, dist and certain flowers.

Are certain medical conditions associated with Migraines, and are there potential intertwined problems that should be considered?

The following are meidcal conditions that are more commonly associated with migraines:
* Asthma.
* Chronic fatigue syndrome.
* Hypertension.
* Ranaud's phenomena (occurs when blood vessels narrow, causing pain and discoloration, usually in the fingers.)
* Stroke.
* Sleep disorders.

ORGASMS AND EXERCISE: What Do They Have to Do With Headaches?
Here's what's going on when you exercise or exert yourself: the muscles of the head, neck, and scalp need more blood to circulate, causing the blood vessles to swell, which can lead to headaches caused by physical exertion.

What about the sex part? Just as people can develop a headache while exerting themselves while exercising, they too can develop an orgasmic headache after sex.

(Source: "Tell Me What To Eat If I Have Headaches and Migraines" by: Elaine Magee, M.P.H., R.D.)

posted by infraternam meam @ 11:53 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

HISTORY YOU WANTED TO DISCOVER:GOVERNMENT AND ORGANIZATION OF EARLY TIMES

GOVERNMENT INNOVATION, 3100 B.c., EGYPT TO 1945, U.S.
The earliest governments in both Sumer and Egypt were inextricably with religion. IN Sumer, about 3500 B.B., the first rulers were priests who claimed divine right to the land. In the Old Kingdom of Egypt, which began 3110 B.C., the government also was under the king-god.

But the Egyptians believed that their divine system of government had been created at the beginning of time, along with the seas, mountains, and skies. The great pyramids, which were all erected during the Old Kingdom, were thoguht to join earth with heaven by their toweing height. What follows are the origins of major govenement innovation from Sumerian and Egyptian times to the present.

Dynasty, 3100 B.C. Egypt.
The Egyptian rulers, or pharoahs, were grouped in families, or dynasties. A dynamic government resolved the instability and conflit that might arise from the question of succession following a pharoah's death. The I Dynasty was that of the Egyptian pharoah Menes.

INterstate Commerce, 1292 B.C. Egypt.
A letter found in Boghazkeui from a Hitite king to Ramses II of the XIX Dynasty discusses selling iron to Egypt. It is the first written record of international trade.

Military Pay, 405 B.C., Rome.
The general Marcus Furius Camillus ordered his troops reimbursed after they were kept in the field all winter one year during the ten-year siege of Veii. Army life became more attractive to men who previously had worried about hoe to feed their families while they were away at war.

Corporation, 100 B.C.; Roman Empire.
Under Roman Law the corporation became an entity that could own property, mnake contracts, litigate, and engage in many activities. Many such bodies came about as group ventures with pooled resources.

Parliament, 991; England.
The Anglo-Saxon kings and aristocrats beagn this body, known as the Witenagemot ("meeting of the councilors"), in a manner quite different from its current evolution. There was no element of popular representatuon in the beginning.

House of Lords, 1066; England.
The aristocracy established the House of Lords as a lineal descendant of the Great Council or King's Council of the Norman and Plantagenent kings.

Tariffs, 1275; England.
Under King Edward I, special fees were levied on imported and exported goods in order to raise money for the government and protect home industries. Such duties were called "poundage" because they were based on weight.

Think Tanks, 1832; Philadelphia.
Yhe U.S. secretary of the treasury, confronted by dangerous boilers that kept exploding in American steamboats, contracted the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia to study the problem. Since then the government has had a hand in sponsoring scientifici research and development at universities and private think tanks.

United Nations, 1945; San Francisco.
The United States, Great Britain and the Soviet Union were instrumental in establishing the charter for this peacetime body to deal with political, economic, social, legal, and military problems on an international basis.

(Source: "Origins of Everything Under and Including the Sun" by: Charles Panati)

posted by infraternam meam @ 10:45 AM 0 comments

Monday, October 24, 2005

MODERN POSTAL SYSTEM, 18TH CENTURY ENGLAND

Most early societies had systems for transmitting messages. As cicilization expanded, communication became an essential element in the ancient world. The earliest postal system originated about 2000 B.C. in Egypt as ameand of prompt conveyance of orders from the pharoahs to their lieutenants in regions throughout the empire.

Although the Persians and the Greeks also developed communication systems, the Romans, with their well-unified empire and superb roads, conceived the most elaborate mail delivery scheme, composed of numerous relays stations. Some historians contend that in a singel day a Roman dispatch could cover 170 miles -- a feat not equaled in Europe until the 19th century.

The modern postal system dates almost 150 years to a British treatise, Post Office Reforms: Its Importance and Practicability, by Rowland Hill, an educator and civilservant. The extensive study examined postal costs and concluded that the single fixed rate for all mail, regardless of weight or destination, did little to cover the costs of delivering a letter. From this idea sprang the practice of pricing a letter by weight and the distance it had to travel.

Hill also introduced the postage stamp, an adhesive label that served as a prepayment of postage for uniform rates and could be bought by the sender in advance at any post office. By 1840 stamps could be purchased in books of twenty. Questions have arisen over whether Hill or one of his assistsnce actually conceived the idea of a postage stamp, but in light of his vase renovations of an alomsot paralyzed system, the point becomes moot.

(Source: "Origins of Everything Under, and Including the Sun" By: Charles Panati)

posted by infraternam meam @ 10:45 PM 0 comments

WHY DOES GUM GET HARD WHEN YOU DRINK WATER WHILE CHEWING?

Most food softens when moistened, but chewing gums stiffens. What's the deal?

Calling chewing gum a "food" is a stretch. Until about sixty years ago, most gum base wasmade from the sap of a Central American sapollia tree -- that sap was chicle (of Chiclets fame). In essence, folks were chomping on rubber.

By the 1950's most major gum manufacturer replaced chicle with an artificial gum base made from a synthetic plastic-rubbery substance that chemically resembles the chicle it replaced. Although there are other ingredients in gum (sugar or artificial sweeteners, natural flavourings, glycerin to preserve moistness, etc) it is the gum base that gives gum its charateristics elasticity and softeness.

Chicle and the artificla gum base that was designed to mimic chicle share one important characteristic -- they soften and harden over a small range of temperature. When moist gum cools, it hardens. When moist gum is wamred, it softern. When you stick a thermometer in your mouth, it registers 98.6 degrees Farenheit on your thermometer (give or take a degree or two or a hospital visit or two ). When you chec gum, your near 100-degree saliva moistens the gum, and that rigid stick quickly softens.

When we drink water, it's usually cold. But even room-temperature water is cold enough to give our gum rigor mortis. Drink some hot water and the gum will magically soften up again.

This is not a chemical reaction. The gum does'nt care wheatehr the cold liquid is Coca-Cola, water ice, or malt liquor. And this is true of all rubber -- pour some cold water on a rubber eraser and it will harden, too. In fact, as fans of Heloise know well, applying ice is the classic home remedy for removing dried gum from clothing -- once you've harden the gum, it is much easier to remove.

For the sake of research, we tested various water temperatures on a stick of Wrigley's Doublemint gum, and we found we could achieve stasis. When we opened the hot water faucet and the water was warm but nothot, we could drink wihtout the gum softening or hardening --the Golden Mean.

(Reserched by: Jill Clay of Pleasant Prairies, Wisconsin, and Matt Weatherford of Arvada, Colorado/ from the Book: "Do Elephants Jump?" by David Feldman)

posted by infraternam meam @ 10:42 AM 0 comments

HOW TO AVOID TRANS FATS

In principle, it should be easy to avoid synthetic trans ftas. After all, humans did without them (except the small amount found in meat) until the early 1900s. But now it's more complicated because packaged and convenience foods-especially cookies, cakes, crackers, chips, and other snacks-are ubiquitous and usally loaded with trans fats. Trans fats are also found in many restaurant and fast foods, certain cereals and even some energy and nutirition bars.

Since the updated trans fat labeling is strictly voluntary until 2006, how do we know what foods to avoid now? If we stop eating margarine, fried foods such as doughnuts and French fries, and certaine prepared foods, we'll cut out at least half the trans fats available in the American diet.

Here are some additional strategies for lowering your intake of trans fats:

** Be label savvy. If a product lists shortening or partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oil as one of its first ingredients, it has a lot of trans fat. Avoid it, or eat only a very small quantities.

** If you're eating out, beware of foods fried in partially hydrogenated oils. Some fastfood restaurants list nutrition information on wall posters or make it available in a handout.

** Do some math. Some labels include enough information to allow you to figure out trans fat content, even if it's not listed. If the grams of polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat are given, add them to the grams of saturated fat and subtract the sum from "total fat". What is left is total trans fat.

** Choose the better spreader. Generally, the softer a margarine is at room temperature, the better-that is, the lower in trans fat. One that's labeled trans fat-free is your best bet. Or try using olive oil on your bread or cooked vegetables. If you must choose between butter and a margarine whose trans fat "credentials" are not clearly marked, gow ith the butter. Products that are free of trans fat usually feature that fact prominently on the label and gram, trans fats are worse than the saturated fats in butter.

** Fry and saute wisely. Use canola oil or olive oil. And be on the lookout for "true but-tricky" advertising in restaurants and on packages of frozen fried foods. Food that's fried in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils is often labeled "cholesterol free" and "cooked in vegetable oil".

** Make it yourself. Trans fats are also found in unexpected places-commercial breads, soups, cereals, bean and other dips, and packaged entrees. Whenever possible, make these foods from scratch, using nonhydrogenated fats.

(Source: "The Harvard Medical School Guide to Lowering Your Cholesteral" by: Mason W. Freedman, MD, Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School with Christine Junger)

posted by infraternam meam @ 10:13 AM 0 comments

Sunday, October 23, 2005

WOLRD'S TO KILLERS OF CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

** Pneumonia ............ 19 Percent.

** Diarrheal Diseases ... 17 Percent.

** Malaria .............. 8 Percent.

** Measles .............. 4 Percent.

** HIV/AIDS ............. 3 Percent.

(Source: World Health Organization/2000-2003)

posted by infraternam meam @ 8:59 AM 0 comments

Saturday, October 22, 2005

DO YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS??

** $167 million Amount Tyco's ex-CEO Dennis Kozlowski was ordered last week to pay in restitution and fines for looting $150 million form the company.

** $1.05 Amount he can earn each day in prison; he was snetenced to 8 1/2 to 25 years in prison.

** 83 Percentage of 6,336 individuals observed in four U.S. cities who washed their hands after using public rest rooms.

** 90 Percentage of women who washed, compared with 75% of men.

** 47 Percent increase in monthly stipends, to $916, the French government will give to any parent who takes a one-year unpaid leave from work after the birth of his/her third child.

** 1.9 Average number of children per woman in France, whose fetility rate must rise to 2.07 to prevent population decline.

(Source: New York Times, USA Today, Associated Press, Washington Post)

posted by infraternam meam @ 12:40 PM 1 comments

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, IT'S EASY.....

Domestic violence happens every day and no one says a word.

As long as no one says anything:
** You won't go to jail.
** You won't lose your license.
** You won't lose your job.
** You won't loose your kids.
** You won't have to pay a fine.
** You won't even have to apologize.

Children who witness domestic violence are usually too scared to tell. And they will probably grow up and be in abusive relationships too!

Most people don't interfere because they think it's not of their business.

Types of physical abuse:
** Hitting
** Punching
** Kicking
** Slapping
** Choking
** Shaking

And don't forget about yelling.

Types of verbal abuse:
** Yelling/screaming
** Constant criticism
** Humiliating remarks
** Threats
** Name-calling

It's so easy that millions of people are abused every day!

(Source: Safe at Home Foundation
joetorre.org.)

posted by infraternam meam @ 12:27 PM 0 comments

EAT YOUR ANTIOXIDANTS

CHOOSING FOODS RICH IN DISEASE-FIGHTING ANTIOXIDANTS WILL BENEFIT YOUR HEART AND OVERALL HEALTH. NOW THERE ARE EVEN MORE WAYS TO EAT A NUTIRENT-SAVVY DIET.

FEELING BAD BECAUSE YOU DON'T LIKE FISH? Don't be. Salmon sardines andother fish are a finne source of omega.-3s, which are powerful antioxidants, but thee are plenty of other foods known to deliver healthful disease-fighting nutirents too. And the list keeps growing.

Consider the most colorful fruits and veggies, such as blueberries, red grapes, cranberries, oranges, tomatoes, brocoli, spinach and carrots. All are full of oxidant-busting alpha-linolenic acid. Now add mushrooms to that lineup. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University recently found that portobellos, ciminis, shitakes -- even your basic white mushrooms -- are natural source of Ergothioneine, a potent antioxidant also found in wheat germ. Saute the mushrooms in a little olive oil (known to have anti-inflammatory properties) with garlic (packed with healing benefits), and you've given your taste buds and your heart, eyes and joints a nice treat.

If wine is'nt your drink of choice, consider a cup of coffee or green tea; both contain a healthy dose of antioxidants. Yes, coffee! Sure, it's not a s good for you as eating your veggies, but a daily cup with a bowl of whole-grain cereal sprinkled with flaxseeds, grapes seeds or whet germ, an egg enhanced with omega-rich banana will give those errant oxidants (also called free radicals) a run for their money.

Why worry about oxidants in the first placet in the first place? Left on theri own, they beat up healthy cells, making you more susceptible to heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure and the effects of aging. That alone should be incentive to eat your antioxidants.

(Resources: www.cancer.gov/
www.wholehealthmd.com
www.nim.nih.gov/medineplus/antioxidants.html)

posted by infraternam meam @ 12:15 PM 0 comments

Friday, October 21, 2005

NUTTY ABOUT NUTS.....

ONCE THOUGHT TO BE HIGH-CALORIE DIET BUSTERS, NUTS ARE NOW THE HEALTHY STAR OF THE SNACK AISLE.

CRAZY ABOUT NUTS? Not to worry. Nuts have shed their nutritional bad guy reputation. That's because we now know that nuts are cholesterol-free and a great plant source of protein. They also contain phytochemicals, the plant substances thought to reduce the risk of diseases such as cancer.

High in fat, you say? Think again: One ounce of nuts (two dozens or so almonds, for example) has about two thirds less saturated fat than a slice of cheese. And most of nuts fat calories come from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat, the types that are thought to help lower cholesterol. In fact, several studies have linked the frequent consumption of nuts with a 30 percent to 50 percent lower rsik of heart disease.

Which nut to choose? While almost all nuts are considered to be nutritional powerhouses, experts point to almonds, peanuts and pistachios as particularly good sources of protein and fiber. Almonds also deliver beneficial amounts of vitamin E, magnesium and calcium, while peanuts are high in folate and pistachios provide potassium.

So, not only is it okay to go nutty snacktime (try a handful to curb the afternoon urge to nibble), it also is not a bad idea to add the healthier and tast of nuts to main course salads, stir-fries and pastas.

(Resources: Medline Plus www.nlm.nih.gov/medineplus/nutrition.html)

posted by infraternam meam @ 11:26 AM 0 comments

Thursday, October 20, 2005

BOOSTING YOUR FIBER INTAKE

You can probably identify some high fiber foods, such as bran cereals and whole grain breads. But not all foods billed as "high Fiber" really have much fiber; read the labels on packaged foods to see the number of grams of fiber they contain. You can be sure of getting fiber if you eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grain foods such as whole wheat bread, brown rice and oats each day. The amount of fiber that you should get (also known as fiber's dietary reference intake of DRI) varies with age and gender. Men fifty and under should get 38 grams per day, while woment at age should get 25 grams per day. Older men and women should aim for 30 and 21 grams per day, respectively.

Here are some ways to make sure that your diet meets the DRI for fiber:

** Eat whole grain cereal for breakfast. Oatmeals is an excellent choice. Steel-cut oats have the most fiber. If prefer cold cereal, choose products that have bran or list whole wheat, oats, barely, or another wole grain first on the list of ingredients.

** Choose whole grain breads. As with cereals, true whole grain breads list a whole grain first in the ingredients. Whole grain sliced bread, pita, and rolls are equally good.

** Skip the French fries and baked potaoes. Instead of white potaties, eat sweet potatoes or yams. Instead of white rice, eat brown rice or another intact grain as a side dish. Good choices are kasha, bulgur, millet, quinoa and barley.

** How much fiber is in in the food? Fiber is the indigestible part of grains, vegetables and fruits. Its effect is to delay the time it takes for the food to be digested, and some kinds of fiber can lower cholesterol. Whole grain foods have more fiber than refined foods.

** How much fat is in a meal or snack? Fecase fat take longer to digest than carbohydrates, the more fat a meal or snack has, the more slowly it will be digested and, possibly, the less detrimental on effect it will have on your blood sugar. Just make sure that the fat is one of the good fats. Pasta with olive ole and reoasted vegetables is far healthier than a burger or fries. A handful of cashews or other nuts is a better sanck than a cookie made with butter or trans fats.

** Cook with whole wheat flour. You can make pancakes, muffins and home baked goods healthier if you mix whole wheat flour with white flour. Because whole wheat flour is heavier than white flour, a straight substitute won't work for every recipe. Try starting with a ratio of one part whole wheat to three parts white to see if you like the results. If you think the dish could stand a heavier, grainer texture, try increasing the share of whole wheat flour. You may need to increase the amount of liquid at the same time.

** Take fiber supplements. Fiber can also be taken in the form of supplements, which provide the same benefits as fiber in foods. Take them with plenty of water to get the full benefits. Fiber's sterling reputation was slightly tarnished by findings that it does'nt prevent colon polyps, precursors of colon cancer. Also, LDL cholesterol only slightly. But it is still considered one fo the most improtant health attributes of foods. Beware that increasing your fiber intake can cause flatulence, particularly if you go straight from eating little fiber to eating a lot. Slowly increasing the amount of fiber in your diet can help.

(abstracted from the book: Lowering Your Cholesterol by the Harvard Medical School Guide to Lowering Your Cholesterol by: Mason W. Freedman, MD, Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School sith Christine Junge. Published by McGraw Hill)

posted by infraternam meam @ 10:43 AM 0 comments

BIG SALES COME IN SMALL PACKAGES

High gas prices are finally hitting home. Car buyers are abandoning big sedans and SUVs in favor of economy cars and more modest wagons or crossover vehicles. Here's how some autos fared in September:

*** WINNERS ***

1.. Nissan Sentra (Compact) 65.8 pct increase in sales.

2.. Mazda3 (Compact) 45.2 pct increase in sales.

3.. Chevy Aveo (Compact) 24.7 pct. increase in sales.

4.. Saturn Vue (Small SUV/Crossover) 17.8 pct. increase in sales.

5.. Nissan Murano Midsize SUV/Crossover) 5.5 pct. increase in sales.

*** LOSERS ***

1.. Chevy Suburban (Full-sive SUV) 56.6 pct decrease in sales.

2.. Mercury Mountaineer (Midsize SUV) 54.0 decrease in sales.

3.. Honda Pilot Midsize SUV) 25.8 pct. decrease in sales.

4.. Volvo V70 (Midsize car) 22.8 pct. decrease in sales.

5.. Ford Crown Victoria (Full-size car) 20.3 pct. decrease in sales.

(Source: J.D. Power and Associates)

posted by infraternam meam @ 10:31 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

10 MOST POPULAR COUNTRIES VISITED BY U.S. RESIDENTS

Travel to foreign destinations by U.S. residents reached an all-time high last year: 61.8 million Americans journeyed abroad for leisure and business combined, a 10 percent increase from 2003, China, which was neve on the top 10 before, saw a 72 percent surge in interest, says Barbara Benham of Travel Magazine.

*** 1. MEXICO ..... 19.36 million.

*** 2. CANADA ..... 15.06 million.

*** 3. U. K. ...... 3.69 million.

*** 4. France ..... 2.41 million.

*** 5. Italy ...... 1.92 million.

*** 6. China ...... 1.81 million.

*** 7. Germany .... 1.75 million.

*** 8. Jamaica .... 1.26 million.

*** 9. Japan ...... 1.07 million.

***10. Bahamas .... 1.01 million.

(Source: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, ITA, Office of Travel & Tourism Industries/2005)

posted by infraternam meam @ 12:58 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

ANTHROPOLOGY :"THE MODERN BRAIN, 100,000 YEARS AGO"

The small hairy primate Dryopithecus, which served as ancestral stock for modern apes and man, lived about 36 million years ago and was controlled by a brain with a capacity of only 150 cubic centimeters, or the equivalent of about 9 heaping tablespoons of gray matter. By the time of the arrival of the family of man, or the hominid lineage, in the form of Ramaphitecus 15 million years ago, hominid size had doubled, but uts frowth was very slight over the next 10 million years. Once the ape-man began to make greater use of his nads to brandish weapons and fasion simple tools, however, the brain's expansion was rapid.

This seemingly sudden growth, after thousands of years of inertia, began about 4 million years ago with the dawn of Australopithecus a short, largely defenseless ape-man who live on the ground possessed the ingenuity to break antelope thighbones to legnths that made convenient clubs. In a "mere" 2 million years, from Australopithecus to Homo habilis, the first true man, brain capacity jumped from 450 cc to 750 cc. The tool-making industry of Homo habilis, or handy man, further stimulated brain development, so that by the time Homo erectus appeared, about 1.5 million years ago, the human brain had begun enlarging at the phenomeal rate of 20-odd centimeters, or 1 heaping tablespoon of gray matter, every hundred thousand years.

The evolution of speech also must have a profound effect on the human brain. About 500,000 years ago the rate of growth peaked when the brain expanded at an astonishing rate of more than 200 cubic centimeters every hundred thousand years. No other organ in the history of life is known to have grown as fast. When Homo sapiens emerged about 100,000 years agom, the brain already had reached its present size of 1400 cc, and changes since then had been insignificant.

The tapering off of grwoth, or stability of size, can be accounted for in two ways. One is that all the resources of the brain as it now exists have yet to be tapped, so no additional size is required. Second, from an anatomical standpoint, the fetal brain cannot be larger because of the narrow width of the female birth canal, itself a result of humans erect posture.

(abstracted from the book: The Browsers Book of Beginnings by:Charles Panati)

posted by infraternam meam @ 9:36 AM 0 comments

Monday, October 17, 2005

MEET THE NEW PLANETS

We used to think of the solar system as nine lonely worlds traveling in neat rings around the sun. But the harder astronomers look, the more crowded our cosmic neighborhood seems to become.

** 2003 UB313
Discovered on Oct. 21, 2003, and temporarily nicknamed Xena, it's the most distant object ever found orbiting the Sun.
DISTANCE FROM SUN: 10 Billion miles
DIAMETER: 1,800 miles

** 2003 EL61
Discovered on May 6, 2004, it was formally announced by astronomers who allegedly learned of its existence by acessing another sicentist's webpage.
DISTANCE: Unknown
DIAMETER: 930 miles (est)

** 2004 DW
Discovered on Feb. 17, 2004, it was potted not by a human eye but by a robotice telescope and camera system.
DISTANCE: 4.3 billion miles
DIAMETER: 990 miles (est.)

** QUAOAR
Pronounced as kwa-war, it was discovered in June 2002 and named for the creation force in the mythology of the indegenous Tongva people of Southern California.
DISTANCE: 3.7 billion miles
DIAMETER: 770 miles

** SEDNA
Discovered on March 15,2004, it's from the distant Oort Cloud. Named for the Inuit goddess of the sea.
DISTANCE: 8 billion miles
DIAMETER: 1,000 MILES

(Abstracted from TIMEMAG)

posted by infraternam meam @ 4:52 PM 0 comments

Sunday, October 16, 2005

TRICK OR TREAT!! DRACULA 101

DRACULA was stolen from Romanians and Romania 500 years ago, and they never had gotten him back.

** In 1476, Vlad Tepes seized control of Wallachia (just south of Transylvania), after decades of warfare, capture and exile. His country has sufered through years of being chewed up between the Ottoman Turks and the Goly Roman Empire. His father and older brother wee murdered by enraged mobs, and his younger brother, Radu the Handsome, was forced into the sulatna's "Harem".

Vlad put an end to all that and was duly hailed as a hero...until his headless body was found in a marsh ouside Bucharest.

Even worse, Vlad became the victim of the world's first media smear campaign. Fleeing Germans told wild stories about the man called DRACULA, which literally means "Son of the Dragon" (His father was part of the Order of the Dragon, empowered by the Holy Roman Empire to fight the Turks) As luck would have it, Guttenberg had just fired up his printing press and, after banging out the bible, published some of the first secular works ever printed : Anti-Dracula pamphlets, "He had children roasted; these their mothers had to eat", one read. "And he cut the women's breats off; these their husbands had to eat. Afterwards he had them all impaled".

Hence the catchy nickname, "Vlad the Impaler".

MIDNIGHT STOKER
In the 1890's, Bram Stoker was working as a stage manager and finishing his second book. But the damn thing was about a vampire, and that market was already flooded. Stoker's diary has no entries saying,"I'm a no-talent hack and should develop develop a laudanum habit", but it's probably what he was thinking.

But then he found a book about a prince who fought bloody battles against the Turks. The details were sketchy and the name Dracula had been mistranslated as "son of the devil", but he sounded like ahell of acharacter. In Stoker's manuscripts, preserved at Philadelphia Rosenbach Museum, you can see where he crossed out his charater's name, the oh-so-original "Count Wampyr," and replaced it with "Dracula". By 1897 Stoker had a created a monster.

(abstracted from MAXIMAG)

posted by infraternam meam @ 4:26 AM 0 comments

Saturday, October 15, 2005

A QUICK ON PAUL McCARTNEY... OF THE BEATLES

PAUL McCARTNEY.....of the Beatle!!

He's been a:

** QUARRYMAN

** BEATLE

** WING

** POET

** PAINTER

** FATHER

** FRONTMAN

** PRODUCER

** BUSINESS MOGUL

and if that were'nt enough..... A KNIGHT OF ENGLAND.

THE KEY IS....NEVER STOP DOING WHAT YOU LOVE.

(Abstracted from the Ad Campaign of FIDELITY)

posted by infraternam meam @ 3:32 AM 0 comments

UNBELIVEBALE NUMBERS.......

*** 27 Years in prison Syrian-born Imad Yarkas was sentenced to by a Madrid court for conspiracy In Europe's biggest trial of al-Qaeda suspects conncected to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

*** 74,325 Years in prison prosecutors had sought for Yarkas- 25 years for each of the 2,973 people killed in the attacks-who was cleared of the charge of being an accomplice.

*** USD 236 Million Amount FEMA of USA agreed to pay Carnival Cruise Line to house Katrina evacuees for six months in three ships, now half empty.

*** USD2,550 Average cost per person a week, based on the ship's currecnt occupancy rate, accoring to Senator's Barack Obama and Tom Coburn.

*** USD599 Pirce Carnival normally charges per person for a seven day western Carribean cruise from Galveston, Texas.

*** USD1.89 Million Amount Moses Bittok, an immigrant from Kenya, who won last weeks in Iowa's Hot Lotto game.
Just one Day being a U.S. citizen before winning the lottery, the prison guard guard will receive 25 annual payments of USD52,920 after taxes.

(abstracted from TIMEMAG)

posted by infraternam meam @ 3:16 AM 0 comments

About Me

Name: infraternam meam
Home: Chicago, United States
About Me: I am now at the prime of my life and have been married for the past 25 years. Sickly at times, but wants to see the elixir vita, so that I will be able to see my grandchildren from my two boys.
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