Consulting Party

Tropical Storm Debby

A look at tropical storm from 3 stories up.

Holidays

Memorial  Day is to remember our soldiers and all they gave up in battle for us. Listening to all of the ceremonies on TV put me in a mode of some relaxing time for myself. So, since it was a three day weekend from work I decided to attended the beaches and ride US 1. Observing the waters and the boaters, thinking of the distance the oceans travel from one side of the world to the other.

While on that side of the coast, decided to stop and visit some relatives. They were having a family barbeque celebrating a house warming and an engagement. The wedding is scheduled for next month and will be a beach wedding: colors are coral and beige     , invitations were  a message in a bottle. 

Vision of a wedding on the beach with coral colors seem to cause my mind to drift even more. All the gifts God has bestowed upon all of us are a wonder.   

Headaches

Understanding the Different Types of Headaches

Not all headaches share the same symptoms. Learn about the different types of headache and headache symptoms and who is more likely to experience each type.

By Marijke Vroomen-Durning, RN

Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

Most people get headaches now and then, some people more than others. Then there are those who get migraines, which are much more than “just” headaches. Migraineurs — those who get frequent migraine headaches — know their migraine symptoms all too well.

Head pain can be frightening because people often think that it could be the sign of something serious. “A person with headaches should always discuss this issue with their physician,” says Steven P. Herzog, MD, an attending neurologist at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. "In turn, their physician can make a correct diagnosis of the type of headaches the patient is suffering with and whether or not they should see a headache specialist.”

What Is a Headache?

It sounds like an obvious question, but different types of headaches affect people in a variety of ways, and they generally have different headache symptoms.

·         Tension-type headaches affect almost everyone at some point. Those that happen occasionally are just that: occasional headaches. Some people, however, have tension-type headaches just about every day, and these are considered to be chronic. Headache symptoms for tension-type headaches usually include pressure or muscle tension on both sides of the head or back of the neck; the pain is usually constant, not sharp or throbbing. Many people describe them as like having a band squeezed around their head.

·         Hormone headaches are menstrual headaches that may start before your period is due or while you’re menstruating. Migraines are often associated with menstruation, and symptoms include sharp, throbbing pain on one side of the head, nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light, sound, and even touch.

·         Cluster headaches affect men more often than women. They are extremely intense, very severe headaches that last between 30 and 45 minutes; you can have several in one day. They usually come on with no warning, catching people by surprise. The pain is piercing and usually located on one side of the head, often around the eye. People also report teary eyes on the affected side and sinus congestion. The headaches will recur over a period of time, almost always on the same side, and are followed by a headache-free period of varying length.

·         Migraines are often put in a class by themselves because of the intensity of the pain and the overall effect they have on the body. For some people, migraine symptoms include auras, which are symptoms that occur before the pain hits. The auras can be visual (seeing lines or spots) or they can cause motor or verbal disturbances. “It’s estimated that 50 million people in the United States have migraine,” says Dr. Herzog. However, most do not have migraine with aura.

Migraine pain, usually throbbing and piercing, is generally one-sided, but can affect both sides. People often report sensitivity to light and loud noises as well as nausea during migraine attacks.

When Should You See a Doctor?

Call your doctor if the quality or type of headache symptoms change, or if you feel that you are having migraines, which may need prescription-strength treatment. Other reasons to contact your doctor include:

·         Any changes in the type of headache you usually get.

·         Headaches that don’t go away or that get worse as each day passes.

·         Headaches that occur with physical activity (including sex).

·         Headaches that happen after injury or illness.

·         Headache accompanied by a fever, stiff neck, signs of a stroke (such as difficulty speaking, numbness, weakness), seizures, or changes in your vision.

·         Worsening of your headache if you have to strain, as when having a bowel movement, sneezing, or coughing.

·         New headaches if you’re over 50.

Headaches are miserable, but you don’t have to suffer alone. Share your story in a discussion group or a blog. You might learn a remedy or two that you haven’t tried before.

olive oil

The Hottest New Grocery Scam Could Be Lurking in Your Pantry Right Now

By Mandi Woodruff | Business Insider – Mon, Jan 2, 2012 2:55 PM EST

Celebrity chefs have made olive oil a $720 million business in the U.S., but a new book is blowing the lid off an industry that might be built in part on the backs of crooks.

That's the argument Tom Mueller makes in Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil.
“I was sitting in a dark bar with an undercover cop in Italy, and he was telling me about deals being cut with high-level politicians and millions of dollars in EU subsidies being misappropriated,” Mueller told the New York Post. “He was speaking in this hushed tone, and I had to laugh, because this was not black-market plutonium or drugs, this was olive oil.”
Mueller contends that because true olive oil is so pricey to produce, some companies have taken to doctoring bottles with chemicals and disguising cheaper oils with added flavoring.
[See also: What Will Be Cheaper in 2012]
Then they slap on fancy labels with buzzwords like "Made in Italy" and "Cold-pressed" and ship them to stores without any rigorous quality control from the FDA, he says.
It wouldn't be that big of a deal, except the knockoffs offer far fewer of the health benefits that made olive oil such a cash cow to begin with.
The Best Way to Tell a Fake From the Real Thing? 
Consumers spend an incredible $720 million per year on olive oil, according to the California Olive Oil Council. But, clearly, not all olive oil is created equally.
[See also: Healthy Resolutions and How to Keep Them]
Follow tips from COOC to be sure you know what you're buying:
Bottle color matters. True olive oil should be kept cool so bottles will be darker in color to extend shelf life.
Check the label. States like California place quality control labels from the COOC on all bottles of oil produced in the state. To earn a seal, a taste panel puts it through a vigorous chemical test.
Where you shop matters. Olive oil is definitely one of those products you never want to buy generic. Not all retailers keep a close eye on where they're sourcing their oils, so look for higher quality oils at specialty markets. When in doubt, check the label yourself to see its origin.
And don't believe everything you read. The FDA can't catch every bottle that hits store shelves proclaiming to be "Extra virgin" or "cold pressed," Mueller warns. If all else fails, try taking a whiff. True EVOO should smell a little fruity.

Food Prices

http://shine.yahoo.com/financially-fit/5-most-dramatic-food-price-hikes-2011-185000903.html

5 Most Dramatic Food Price Hikes of 2011

By Good Housekeeping | Financially Fit – Fri, Dec 23, 2011 9:42 AM EST

Over the past year in the test kitchen, we've noticed our grocery bills creeping higher and higher. Have you noticed the same thing at home? We dug around and found out which ingredients have been adding up:

1. Nuts: We noticed a price hike for pecans, and it turns out other nut prices jumped too. According to Market Analysts Mintec, the average wholesale cost of nuts, including almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, brazil nuts, pistachios, peanuts, and macadamias, increased 36% from April 2010 to April 2011.

Eggs

2. Eggs: The inventory of hens that lay the eggs we eat decreased in 2011, bringing egg prices up 22.8%. The good news is that eggs have always been budget-friendly and still are easy on the wallet.
Related: 6 Top Food News Stories of 2011

Apples

3. Apples: A host of reasons account for the 12.3% price increase and one of them is us, the consumers! We're buyin' up the delicious-and more expensive-varieties like Honeycrisp and SweeTango. That larger percentage of market sales contributes to the higher average price of all apples.

Potatoes

4. Potatoes: According to the Consumer Price Index, potato prices were up 11.9%. With twice the average rainfall in the east and cold spring weather across North America, crop losses and delays were significant. That, along with seed shortages, meant there were no bumper crops to drive down prices this past year.
Related: 5 Make-Ahead Holiday Appetizers

Oil

5. Fats & Oils: We don't tend to think about soybeans when greasing our skillets, but they're the reason our cooking oils cost more. Surging soybean prices in 2011 made the commodity prices of fats and oils go up 11.1%. Maybe that's a good thing as we start our New Year dieting...

How To De-Seed A Pomegranate

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/04/how-to-de-seed-a-pomegranate_n_995367.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl12%7Csec1_lnk3%7C116421#es_share_ended

John Reilly of The Culinary Institute of America explains that removing the seeds of a pomegranate begins even before you cut into the fruit. First you want to roll the pomegranate on the counter and squeeze it slightly to break up the inner membrane, which will help the seeds detach once you cut into it. Don't be too aggressive, however, or you'll crush the seeds inside and end up with juice. After rolling the fruit, he cuts it in half down the middle, then uses a spoon to scoop out the seeds. He then uses his fingers to separate the seeds from the membrane, putting cleaned seeds in a bowl.

Video Transcript

I'm Chef John Reilly from the Culinary Institute of America, and I'm going to show you this kitchen basic: how to deseed a pomegranate.

What we're going to do to our pomegranate is give it a little squeeze, and even pound it just a little bit. Then we're going to roll it - and you can actually hear it break up, some of that membrane that's inside. We don't want to go too far with this, though, or we'll start making pomegranate juice out of it.

We'll use a nice chef's knife and cut right across the equator of our pomegranate, and you see the juice come out already - oh, that's just beautiful, look at that!

The seeds are what's edible; the membrane and the outside of the pomegranate are not edible. Now we're going to take a spoon to our pomegranate and pop out the remaining seeds. Get your shell nice and clean; remove all your seeds. Now we're going to pick through and clean them, separating the seeds from the membrane. This takes a little bit of time - but as you can see, a lot of the membrane is broken up already, and we've got a lot of good seed that's left inside.

Now we've separated the seeds from the membrane, and the pomegranate is ready to be enjoyed.

Tips On Saving Gas

Tips On Saving Gas

Some tips on saving gas and what gas stations not to get gas from because they support middle east oil L

For what its worth, with gas as high as it is now if just one of these tips below is true it might help to do it.

TIPS ON PUMPING GAS

I don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline.... but here in California we are also paying higher, up to $3.50 per gallon. But my line of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more of your money's worth for every gallon..

Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose , CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.

Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role.

A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.

When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3)stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some other liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.

One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.

Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up--most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom. Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.

DO SHARE THESE TIPS WITH OTHERS!

WHERE TO BUY USA GAS, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW. READ ON

Gas rationing in the 80's worked even though we grumbled about it. It might even be good for us! The Saudis are boycotting American goods. We should return the favor.

An interesting thought is to boycott their GAS.

Every time you fill up the car, you can avoid putting more money into the coffers of Saudi Arabia . Just buy from gas companies that don't import their oil from the Saudis.

Nothing is more frustrating than the feeling that every time I fill-up the tank, I am sending my money to people who are trying to kill me, my family, and my friends

I thought it might be interesting for you to know which oil companies are the best to buy gas from and which major companies import Middle Eastern oil.

These companies import Middle Eastern oil:

Shell.......................... 205,742,000 barrels

Chevron/Texaco......... 144,332,000 barrels

Exxon /Mobil................ 130,082,000 barrels

Marathon/Speedway.. 117,740,000 barrels

Amoco............................62,231,000 barrels

Citgo gas is from South America, from a Dictator who hates Americans. If you do the math at $30/barrel, these imports amount to over $18 BILLION! (oil is now $90 - $100 a barrel

Here are some large companies that do not import Middle Eastern oil:

Sunoco..................0 barrels

Conoco...................0 barrels

Sinclair.................0 barrels

B P/Phillips...........0 barrels

Hess......................0 barrels

ARC0....................0 barrels

If you go to Sunoco.com, you will get a list of the station locations near you.

All of this information is available from the Department of Energy and each is required to state where they get their oil and how much they are importing.

But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of gas
buyers. It's really simple to do.

NBA Allstar Weekend 2012, Orlando Florida

5 Ideas For CD's

New Uses For Everyday Things: 5 Ideas For CDs

Posted: 02/28/12 02:54 PM ET | Updated: 02/28/12 02:54 PM ET

Is your copy of Dave Matthews Band's Under The Table And Dreaming scratched to the point that it will not play ever again (not that it's a bad thing)? Did you windup with your ex's copy of 'Boondock Saints'? What about all those outdated copies of Macintosh System 8, or those CD-Rs which didn't burn right?

Flickr photo by TR HaunInstead of putting these compact discs in the trash, there are a lot of ways you can repurpose them around the house. Need some ideas? Here are a few of my favorites.
Scaring Birds
Contrary to what Disney World's Enchanted Tiki Room wants you to believe, sometimes you do not want to be bothered by birds in your backyard, as they might wind up feasting on your plants. Try hanging the compact discs in your tree branches. The discs reflect the light, which is enough to make the birds not want to hang out in the tree. This trick is also useful for those with sliding glass doors (and the birds who love to fly into them).
Coasters
Compact discs that you really enjoyed but since converted over to mp3 format can make an interesting coaster. Glue felt to the bottom of the disc with the album art facing up. Trim the excess felt around the rim and you're all set. Whether its a video game, a DVD, or U2's Achtung Baby its sure to make a conversation piece.
Kitchen Scrapers
Need something to scrape out food that's been fused to a bake dish? An old compact disc to the rescue. Using a pair of scissors, cut the disc in half. You can use it as a scraper to clean out the gunk. Best of all, you can just toss it out when your done with it.
Furniture Pad
Instead of going to the store to buy what is essentially a coaster to put under your furniture legs, use a compact disc. It won't leave the indentation mark on your carpet.
Painter's Palette
Did you know that a small painter's palette will cost you at least $6? Save some money and just use an old compact disc. It fits in your hand and is great for mixing oil paints. Also, the hole in the disc makes it easy to hold on to.

What's on your mind for Spring?

Spring Wear

                            

Spring is near

What’s on your mind for Spring?

Traveling

 London, England

      

        Sonoma, California -300-plus wineries,

Pittsburgh

Fifty and Fabulous!!!!!

Whole-Wheat Bread

January 25, 2012

Kitchen Daily

Taste Test: The Best Whole-Wheat Sandwich Bread

Sandwich bread is a mainstay in home kitchens -- what would our school lunches have been without sliced bread? You'll easily find a bag of store-bought bread in anyone's fridge or cupboard. And nowadays everyone has made the switch from white bread to wheat bread. But not all wheat breads are created equal. Our aim is to find the best-tasting wheat bread out of the bunch.
Most of us just buy whatever bread is on sale, or the one that's always the least expensive. Many of us grew up eating the same brand, like Wonder bread, so we keep buying it to keep the nostalgia alive. But we at Kitchen Daily needed to know: which wheat bread is the best in taste and texture? Which one is the right choice for sandwiches?
Our editors blind-tasted 10 different wheat breads. We discovered that many brands offer different types of wheat breads, such as country-style or stone ground. Many of them had a true wheat flavor and good texture. Some were very dry, bordering on stale. Others had a bitter taste. And unfortunately there were some that were just too soft to handle, becoming gummy in the mouth. So which wheat bread should you be buying in the future?

#1: Nature's Pride 100% Whole Wheat Bread - "Savory, slightly bitter. Good for toast." "Earthy, tastes like brown bread and beer. Good texture." "Nice substantive wheat bread with brown crust. Impressive for mass-produced bread." "Deeper taste than most, almost artisanal." "Hard, sweet and yeasty. Good flavor."

#2: Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse 100% Whole Wheat Bread - "Very soft and moist with definite wheat flavor." "Tastes earthy but slightly off." "Hearty yet light." "Standard, fine." "A little sweet but otherwise ok." "Bitter and doughy."

#3: Whole Foods Organic 100% Whole Wheat Bread - "Very soft and moist with definite wheat flavor." "Tastes earthy but slightly off." "Hearty yet light." "Standard, fine." "A little sweet but otherwise ok." "Bitter and doughy."

#4: Whole Foods 100% Whole Wheat Bread - Nice chewy bounceback. Good mild wheat flavor." "Above average bread." "Middle of the road... good for sandwiches." "Little bit gritty, but not much flavor." "Soft and doughy... semi-sweet flavor."

#5: Wonder Stone Ground 100% Whole Wheat Bread - Marshmallowy texture, perfect for soft sandwiches." "Nice and soft... good taste." "Very mushy like Wonder bread." "Funny sour smell." "Nice and pillowy." "Tastes bitter, rancid."

#6: Arnold Country Wheat Bread – "Nutty and soft." "Nice sweetness." "Chewy and gummy with a processed taste." "Too sweet."

#7: Arnold 100% Whole Wheat Bread - "Nutty and hearty... good for cold cuts but not peanut butter and jelly." "Good thickness." "Earthy but with a slightly metallic taste." "Really soft and doughy, but fragile." "Too sweet and moist." "Too soft, too sweet, and almost tastes rancid."

#8: Pepperidge Farm Stone Ground 100% Whole Wheat Bread - "Nutty and soft." "Nice sweetness." "Chewy and gummy with a processed taste." "Too sweet."  

#9: Home Pride Wheat Bread- Dry texture." "Lacks flavor... tastes like white bread." "Like wonder bread but with wheat." "Mushy texture but ok flavor." "Lacks flavor."

#10: Arnold Stone Ground 100% Whole Wheat Bread - "Stale texture." "Bitter taste." "Too dry, but flavor is ok and wheaty." "Weird bitterness." "Weird taste." "Bland."

Thrift Store Shopping

Stylelist Home  |  By Brie Dyas  |  Become a fan  |  Posted: 1/19/12 08:56 AM ET  |  Updated: 1/20/12 10:58 AM ET

If you want to get an extreme reaction from someone, mention thrift shopping. You'll either get a "I would never do that!" or an "OMG! I love thrifting!" There seems to be very little in-between.
Case in point: That article we ran a few weeks ago about upholstery expert Shelly Leer's studio, which was primarily furnished using finds from Goodwill. Half of you expressed, shall we say, hesitation at shopping secondhand, while the other half expounded on the great deals they've found over the years.
If you're in the former group, we'd like to (attempt to) change your mind about thrift shopping. The fact is, we all would like to save money, especially when it comes to home items. Furniture, tableware and accessories can be staggeringly overpriced and/or shoddily constructed. Visiting a thrift store can yield genuinely high-quality items that have withstood the test of time for far, far less than you'd get retail, on ebay and especially on etsy.
The catch? You'll have to go to a thrift store to find those bargains. To make the search easier, here are some tried-and-true tips that we use when shopping secondhand to great results.
Thrifting secret #1: Shop in the suburbs. Actually, shop near "Grandma neighborhoods." You know, the places that were happening for families in 1970. City thrift stores are little more than IKEA outlets. By shopping in "Grandma neighborhoods," you're more likely to come across genuine old-school furniture of a higher caliber. Plus, there's less competition for the goods.
Thrifting secret #2: Watch for discount days. Goodwill stores usually have a "color of the day" deal, where certain price tags automatically get a 50% discount.
Thrifting secret #3: Don't go near anything upholstered. It's tempting, but it's too risky in the era of bed bugs. Stick to wood furniture, which can be thoroughly cleaned and more easily scrutinized. Disinfect everything. Plus, wood furniture can be refinished or repainted.
Thrifting secret #3a: Look for dovetailing. This is an easy way to tell if the wood dresser you're considering is of a higher quality. Simply take out a drawer and see if it has dovetailing. This type of joinery is hard to replicate on a mass scale, indicating that some level of craftsmanship was involved in the production.
Thrifting secret #4: Go early. This is doubly true on weekends, when bargain hunters are out in full force. While most thrift stores restock during the day, you're guaranteed a fresh selection of merchandise when you arrive right when the shop opens.
Thrifting secret #5: Look in the kitchen section. This is, hands-down, my favorite tip. There are more genuine vintage sets of china lingering in the aisles of thrift stores than there are bridal registries in America. They usually cost less than what you'd pay for a single tea cup in a new set.
Thrifting secret #6: Be realistic. This is coming from an editor who is practically steeped in DIY: You probably won't restore a seriously down-at-its-heels piece of furniture. Similarly, you definitely won't sell that ugly but vintage midcentury modern decorative vase on eBay. Who has the time?
With these tips, you'll be ready to compete with, well…me…over the best that your thrift stores can offer. And if you're still turned off to the idea, what can I say? More for the rest of us.

Sema Show

My son visited Los Vegas, Neveda.

                  Mercedes                                    Mini Cooper

 
               Dodge Charger                                  1932 Ford

1927 Duesenberg

Hunting Season

My Brothers Hunting

                               
                        Tree Stand                                        Snake Boot