Info-Leeches and other E-Invertebrates

Spring has arrived, bringing with it the sweet start of strawberry season. Strawberries, the first fruit to ripen in spring, are enjoyed all over the world, with native forms growing on every continent except Africa and Australia. Families in 94% of American households eat strawberries, which were selected as the favorite fruit by more than half of all 7 to 9 year olds.

In addition to being delicious, strawberries are very nutritious. Ancient Romans prized strawberries for their medicinal value, believing the berries alleviated symptoms of melancholy, fainting, inflammation, fevers, throat infections, kidney stones, halitosis, attacks of gout and diseases of the blood, liver and spleen. In fact, strawberries are very high in vitamin C, containing more vitamin C than a medium orange. Vitamin C helps your body heal, resist infections and maintain healthy bones, gums and teeth. Strawberries are also high in antioxidants and fiber, as well as a source of iron, calcium,folate and vitamin A.

Whether you buy your strawberries from a local farmer’s market or the nearest chain grocery store, take time to select the sweetest, ripest berries. Look for bright red berries with fresh green caps. Make sure there are no signs of mold growth in the package; if one berry has mold, then you can be sure mold spores have spread throughout the entire package. One-and-a-half pounds of strawberries equals one quart, which will give you about four cups of sliced strawberries.

As soon as you get home with your strawberries, put them in a shallow container, cover them loosely with plastic wrap and store them in the coldest part of your refrigerator for two to three days at most. Do not wash the berries until you are ready to use them. To wash your strawberries, put them in a colander and rinse them under cold running water. Then, just remove the green caps with a paring knife or the tip of a vegetable peeler. Now, you’re ready to eat your strawberries or use them in your favorite recipe.

FABULOUS STRAWBERRY MUFFINS

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup melted butter
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped

Preheat oven to 400F. Spray muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or line muffin cups with paper cupcake liners. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir until all ingredient are well blended.

In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, butter, eggs and vanilla. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients, pour liquid mixture in and add the strawberries. Using a large spoon, gently fold ingredients just until moist. Do not overmix.

Spoon the batter evenly into 12 muffin cups. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins

FRESH STRAWBERRY PIE

1 9-inch pastry shell, baked
4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp butter
1 cup whipped topping

Arrange 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled side down, in cooled baked pastry shell. Make a sauce with the remaining 2 cups of strawberries: chop berries and heat them in a saucepan with sugar, water, cornstarch and salt. Remove from heat when thickened and stir in butter. Wait for the sauce to cool and pour it over the strawberries in pastry shell. Chill for several hours.

When you’re ready to serve, pipe, spoon or spread the whipped topping on top of the pie.

Makes 1 pie

TROPICAL STRAWBERRY PIE

8 oz. pkg. of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
8 oz. can of crushed pineapple, undrained
1 cup grated coconut
8 oz. carton whipped topping, thawed
1 9-inch pastry shell, baked

With an electric mixer, cream together softened cream cheese and sugar for 3 or 4 minutes on high speed. Stir the crushed pineapple, and coconut into the cream cheese mixture and mix well.Carefully fold in half of the whipped topping until well-blended. Reserve remaining whipped topping for garnish. Spread the filling in baked pastry crust and chill for several hours.

When you’re ready to serve, pipe, spoon or spread the whipped topping on top of the pie.

Makes 1 pie

Of course, these three recipes aren’t the only way to enjoy fresh strawberries. They are delicious in smoothies, cakes, crisps, sauces, salads and so much more, including just washed and hulled. So go ahead, celebrate the arrival of spring and give your immune system a big boost. Savor the sweet taste of nutritious strawberries.

About the Author

Sherri Allen is the editor of an award-winning website devoted to topics such as family, food, garden, house&home and money. For free articles, information, tips, recipes, reviews and coloring pages, visit http://www.SherriAllen.com/

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. It’s rich, full-bodied taste is a daily necessity to millions of people. Of course, coffee is not only loved for its taste. The caffeine kick is needed by many to start the day. But if you are a true coffee lover, fresh gourmet coffee has a taste that can’t be beat.

Luckily, it’s easy to get a hit of fresh gourmet coffee almost everywhere. There are coffee shops on almost every street corner and quality coffee beans are sold in many specialty shops as well as supermarkets.

“Fresh” is the key to fresh gourmet coffee. Coffee simply does not improve with age — it should be used within six months of production. Some of the large coffee distributors include old coffee beans in their mixes to reduce the cost. Needless to say, this practice also reduces the flavor.

Fresh gourmet coffee costs a bit more than regular supermarket coffee. That’s because it’s made from high quality Arabica coffee that has been hand-picked in processed. Commercial grade coffee is made from the cheaper Robusta coffee which has an inferior taste and texture than Arabica.

Commercial grade coffee is also machine picked and processed which means that foreign substances such as twigs and leaves find their way into the finished product. When you buy fresh gourmet coffee, you are assured of the quality and taste.

You have many choices when it comes to fresh gourmet coffee. Each coffee growing region produces a uniquely flavored coffee bean and the processing method to also determines the final taste of the coffee. The roasting method in particular determines the kind of coffee taste.

Fresh gourmet coffee should be ground just before brewing. You need a coffee grinder in your home if you want to the best tasting coffee possible. A good-quality coffee maker is also a necessity when making great tasting coffee.

About the Author

Ross is author of
the Coffee
Specials and Gourmet Basket section at Steaks-Guide.com

TX Auto Insurance Coverage Requirements by State Law

• Bodily Injury Liability for one person: $25,000 Limit
• Bodily Injury Liability for all people involved:$50,000 Limit
• Property Damage Liability: $25,000 Limit

*As of April 1, 2008,these increased requirements passed into effect

Texas auto insurance laws follow a tort system. This means that an individual will always be found to be blameful in an accident. This man or woman and their insurance underwriter are then held liable to cover any damages. The specific rules for Texas may differ from other states..

People in the state of Texas can get supplementary optional coverage such as uninsured/underinsured insurance or No-Fault auto insurance. Underinsured motorist coverage is elective auto insurance coverage that financially covers you against persons who do not have an insurance policy. If you’re caught up in an accident with them, you can help cover costs with your own insurer. With No fault insurance, you will be protected by your insurance firm irrespective of who is found to be blameworthy.In the state of Texas, you aren’t commanded to have additive auto insurance coverage over the amount required. Even so, there are plenty of Texas drivers that opt to add these options.

With average Texas insurance premiums at around $932 in 2003, and the national average at around a little above $900, plenty of Texas residents incorrectly think that they have no choice but to accept that these Texas auto insurance costs defined by auto insurers and state regulatory agencies. Insurance rate quote shopping sites know there are cheaper auto insurance rates available for motorists, and will assist you find them.

These insurance quote comparison sites can help you save money, but it isn’t a guarantee to always keeping your insurance rates low. In general, insurance expenses tend to go up over time. 2007 saw the first decrease in costs since 1999. The reduction was around 1% and the decrases continued through most of 2008. However, by the end of 2008, auto insurance rates again began to grow.

As your driving history gets stronger or your personal situation changes, you may not be getting all the discount rates you qualify for and will end up paying more for insurance. Auto insurance fluctuates and recently there was an get more expensive of 6% from 2002 to 2003. You’re insurance agency will continue to get more expensive your auto insurance costs, but it is on much rarer occasions that they proactively lower your insurance rates. To get less expensive auto insurance costs, get a free rate quote from an auto insurance comparison website.

Feng shui has a great impact on the food we eat. Feng shui, the food we eat and ourselves are interrelated and influence each other. Chi and our life balance are highly influenced by food, starting on how it was harvested and produced, going through how we cook it and the environment and mood in which we eat it.

Chi or positive energy flows in food as well as in everything else, and its quality depends a lot on the way we cook it. Actually, eating has direct relation with energy flowing, since it is the way we receive energy and it becomes part of us. Therefore, the source of that energy, which is food, should be handled very carefully.

Harmony and balance is an important aspect of the relationship between food and feng shui. It is important that we eat balanced food, which consists in variety and balance of colors. Feng shui recommends that a dish should contain different colors which are in harmony with each other. You should try to use as many different colors as possible in one same dish at the same time as they should combine and look good together.

You should also achieve a yin and yan balance in your food which is done through the balance of flavors. A feng shui and yin yan harmonic dish would contain strong flavors as well as delicate ones balanced through the use of different colors. There should not be one strong element predominating too much over the others. The food, the colors and the smells should all be in balance.

It is also important to pay attention to the food smells as well. You should like the smell of your food and it should be appealing to you. Every sense which is part of the eating process should be paid attention to and in balance with the dish as a unity. All the process, through which food goes, from where they are originated to when we eat it, is very important and should be followed carefully.

By Jakob Jelling

http://www.fengshuicrazy.com

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.fengshuicrazy.com. Please visit his website and learn all the feng shui tips you’ll ever need!

Project Graduation Cap

As one is excitedly preparing for the graduation ceremony, it is important to have a graduation cap. The commencement ceremony is the most thrilling part of one’s life. In the medieval times during the 12th and 13th centuries, the scholars wore the graduation cap on daily basis but in the modern life today, this cap is used to signify a special academic graduation day. The cap is worn and reserved for special academic days when one has completed their degree and is finally receiving their long awaited award. A cap is generally composed of a square top, flat on the surface, the tassel hanging on the side and a round headpiece.
The Graduation cap , which is the mortarboard, is called so because the surface of the cap is square shaped and looks like a mortar. The cap is also called an oxford cap and corner-cap or trencher in the UK and Australia, some other countries it is called a square. The cap is normally worn together with the toga. The cap comes in different sizes and if one is going to order for the cap, then a size should be fitted for that particular graduate. If possible one shown make the necessary adjustments before the due date and for the female graduates the style in which the hair will be styled should be considered.

The word fondue comes from the French word fondre and it means to melt or to blend. They should have named it after the French word for outstandingly delicious but even that would be limiting. There are so many varieties and types of fondues out there that perhaps one word really can’t describe it.

I’m sure you’ve probably heard of or even tried cheese fondue. It was popular in the 70ies. If you weren’t around back then, maybe you got a fondue pot as a wedding present and have been meaning to try it. Or maybe you have never tried it at all. Whatever your background, this guide will show you the basics of cheese fondue and hopefully get you excited to experiment with the many other varieties such as hot oil, broth or dessert fondues.

Cheese fondue originated in the alps at the end of winter when food supplies were low. Farmers would use what they had on hand to feed their families. Cheese, bread and wine were usually all that was available. So they threw the wine and cheese in a pot and dipped their bread in there and waited for Spring.

So why is fondue popular again? It’s not because people are having a hard time finding food during the winter. Supermarkets took care of that problem. No, fondue is popular again because it’s fun and delicious. A fondue party is a great way to have a dinner party. All the prep can be done before the guests arrive and the host can enjoy the meal and their company without running back and forth from the kitchen to the dinner table.

Okay, so lets get you cooking. First thing you’ll need to try fondue is a fondue pot. The electric fondue pots are best for a beginner. Just plug them in, set the temp and you’re all set. There are also ceramic pots and metal pots that you could use but you can’t cook hot oil fondue in a ceramic pot and the metal pots aren’t great for cheese fondue. The electric fondue pots are the most versatile and they are even made dishwasher safe now.

Classic Cheese Fondue. is the first recipe you should try. When people talk about fondue this is what they are talking about. Remember to use the real Gruyere and Emnenthaler cheeses and not some swiss from the supermarket. You’ll taste the difference and so will your guests.

Classic Cheese Fondue
1/2 lb Emnenthaler Cheese (shredded)
1/2 lb Gruyeye (shredded)
1 clove Garlic
2 cups Dry White Wine
1 tbs Lemon Juice
2 tbs Flour
3 tbs Kirsch (also known as Kirschwasser - cherry brandy)
1/4 tsp White Pepper
Nutmeg and/or Paprika to taste

Rub the inside of the fondue pot with the garlic clove - add clove to pot or disgard it (your choice)
Heat up the White Wine & Lemon Juice - should be hot but do not boil
Reduce heat to low and slowly add cheese while stirring
Slowly add remainder of ingredients while stirring

To Dip:
Italian Bread (or any crusty bread) cut into bite-sized cubes
Vegetables - Broccoli, Cauliflower, Bell Peppers, etc.

Fondue Tips & Traditions:
* If the fondue is too hard add more wine
* If the fondue is too soft add more cheese
* Have your guests stir in a figure eight pattern each time they dip something
* Tradition says that if the item you’re dipping comes off of your fork:
— Men: Next round of drinks is on you
— Women: You must kiss the man to your left
* Make up your own traditions. The ones above are outdated and sound a little chauvinistic to me.
* Cold drinks are not usually served.
* The traditional drink for fondue is hot tea or the wine that you used to cook with.
* Ignore the rules and serve Merlot. It goes great with cheese fondue.

About the Author

Anthony Tripodi is the webmaster of GoFondue.com - The Home of Fondue. For more information about fondue including recipes, ideas and equipment, visit http://www.gofondue.com

The main causes of hair loss are several and regularly are enriched by misconceptions. Though the largest part of the top five causes of hair loss are scientifically confirmed. Age can be certainly the key cause which starts hair loss because it have an effect on hormones and declines the immune routine. Infection and accurately fungus contagion or tumours of the scalp, unquestionably injure hair, although this is not irretrievable. Genetics is a source of hair loss in a tiny amount of folks as tight braiding, as well as feeble eating habits. Hair beauty stuff if not tested or if enormously filled with elements, can really injure the head-skin tissues.Journals are stuffed with myths about the probable origin of hair loss and its relationship with bed life, genetically materials, intelligence, anxiety, diet and caps. Some of these tradition have a fraction of scientific truth. Generally are simply part of the hairlessness myths that alter from territories.
Bald-headedness is heritable from your mum’s parents. Examinations draw attention to that the gene for the androgen receptor, which is considerable in causing hair loss, is positioned on the X chromosome and therefore is heritable from the maternal family part. In reality it is a 50 % chance that a human being has the similar X gene as their mother’s grandfather - so there are 50 % of possibilities that these is forwarded to the masculine kids.However, research has also highlighted that somebody with a balding dad has also a greater probability of having troubles with baldness.mental activity or psychological troubles might activate hair loss. This possibly will be correlated to the detail that in the very old cultures if a person was hairless it was probable that he had an abundant amount of carbohydrates during his normal diet.
Emotional pressure has been revealed to spark off hair loss in persons. Click this site for baldness treatments. Pressure due to lack of sleep decrease testosterone levels, except is not distinguished to have affected unequivocally balding. Bald men are extremely sexually lively than others and that common sex triggers baldness.Tight hats prompt baldness; While this may perhaps be a myth, caps do cause hair splintering.
To get a better idea, check these pictures from Advanced Hair Studio. Read more about the issue on this press release.

The average American only gets about half the amount of fiber they need everyday for their body to function optimally. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), fiber helps lower cholesterol and is important for the health of our digestive system. Both the AHA and the National Cancer Institute recommend that we consume 25 to 30 grams of fiber daily.

Dietary fiber is a transparent solid complex carbohydrate that is the main part of the cell walls of plants. It has two forms: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber may help lower blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Insoluble fiber provides the bulk needed for proper functioning of the stomach and intestines. It promotes healthy intestinal action and prevents constipation by moving bodily waste through the digestive tract faster, so harmful substances don’t have as much contact with the intestinal walls.

Unfortunately, many people are not eating this much fiber, which is causing serious cardio-vascular health concerns. Recently the AHA and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) confirmed that coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, killing more people than any other disease. It causes heart attack and angina (chest pain). A blood clot that goes to the heart is considered a heart attack, but if it goes to the brain it is a stroke. The AHA ranks stoke as the third most fatal disease in America, causing paralysis and brain damage.

Eating a high-fiber diet can significantly lower our risk of heart attack, stroke and colon cancer. A 19-year follow-up study reported in the November 2001 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine indicated that increasing bean and legume intakes may be an important part of a dietary approach to preventing coronary heart disease. Beans and legumes are high in protein and soluble fiber. Another study reported in the January 2002 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology also suggests that increasing our consumption of fiber-rich foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, can significantly lower the risk of heart disease. Additionally, results from recent studies at the American Institute of Cancer Research indicate high-fiber protein-rich soy foods, such as textured soy protein (also known as TVP) and tempeh, help in preventing and treating colon cancer.

Whole beans, soybeans and other legumes are excellent sources of fiber. A 1 cup serving of cooked navy beans contains about 19 grams of fiber! Always read the Nutrition Facts label to find out the amount of, and the type of, fiber contained in any particular food. To help you achieve your daily allotment of fiber, here is a list of various foods with their fiber content.

Examples of Dietary Fiber:

1 cup cooked dry beans (navy, pinto, red, pink, black, garbanzo, etc.) = 9-19 grams of fiber

1 cup cooked lima beans = 13 grams of fiber

1 cup cooked peas = 9 grams of fiber

1 cup raisin bran cereal = 8 grams of fiber

1 cup canned pumpkin = 7 grams of fiber

1 cup cooked spinach = 7 grams of fiber

1/2 cup whole wheat flour = 7 grams of fiber

1/2 cup soy tempeh = 7 grams of fiber

1/2 cup soy flour = 6 grams of fiber

1/2 cup edamame (whole green soybeans) = 5 grams of fiber

1 cup cooked broccoli = 5 grams of fiber

6 Brussels sprouts = 5 grams of fiber

1 baked sweet potato = 5 grams of fiber

1 cup cooked brown rice = 4 grams of fiber

1 cup cooked old fashioned rolled oats = 4 grams of fiber

1 medium apple = 4 grams of fiber

1 medium orange = 4 grams of fiber

1 cup carrot strips = 4 grams of fiber

1/2 cup raspberries or blackberries = 4 grams of fiber

1 medium banana = 3 grams of fiber

5 dried plums (prunes) = 3 grams of fiber

1 ounce of nuts (almonds, peanuts, pistachios) = 3 grams of fiber

1 baked potato (russet) = 3 grams of fiber

1/4 cup dry roasted sunflower seeds = 3 grams of fiber

1 medium mango = 3 grams of fiber

1 medium tomato = 2 grams of fiber

1 cup pineapple juice = 2 grams of fiber

1/2 cup blueberries = 2 grams of fiber

1 cup romaine lettuce = 1.5 grams of fiber

1/2 cup tofu = 1 gram of fiber

Monique N. Gilbert, B.Sc. is a Personal Health, Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach; Certified Personal Trainer/Fitness Counselor; Recipe Developer; Freelance Writer and Author. Go to http://www.MoniqueNGilbert.com to learn more about Monique’s coaching.

Copyright © Monique N. Gilbert - All Rights Reserved

References:

** “Legume consumption and risk of coronary heart disease in US men and women: NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study.” Bazzano, L. A., He, J., Ogden, L. G., Loria, C., Vupputuri, S., Myers, L., Whelton, P. K., Archives of Internal Medicine 2001 Nov 26;161(21):2573-2578.

** “A prospective study of dietary fiber intake and risk of cardiovascular disease among women.” Liu, S., Buring, J. E., Sesso, H. D., Rimm, E. B., Willett, W. C., Manson, J. E., Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2002 Jan 2;39(1):49-56.

** “Virtues of Soy: A Practical Health Guide and Cookbook” by Monique N. Gilbert, Universal Publishers, 2001, pp. 11, 18, 24.

About The Author

Copyright © Monique N. Gilbert - All Rights Reserved

Monique N. Gilbert, B.Sc. has offered guidance in natural health, nutrition, fitness, weight and stress management since 1989. She has received international recognition for helping people improve their well-being, vitality and longevity. Her personal coaching provides the motivation, guidance and support you need to naturally get healthy and fit, lose weight and keep it off, reduce stress and anxiety, strengthen your immune system, increase your energy levels, lower your cholesterol, improve your sleep, and achieve your goals. For more information about Monique’s coaching, visit http://www.MoniqueNGilbert.com

One of the biggest problems that every poker gambler has is one more hand syndrome, which players that play other casino games can also relate to. It’s not the other players at the poker table, it’s not busting at the blackjack table, bad beats, or just plain bad luck. This can happen at the casino or even while playing poker online.

One more hand is the mindset that keeps you from quitting while you’re ahead. Its the little part of your brain that tells you that enough isn’t enough. That extra hand is what keeps you at the table or the computer screen until all of your money’s gone. It happens to everybody, but not everybody lets it ruin his game.

It’s always easy to justify another few hands, but it’s just a matter of telling yourself when you need to quit. It’s a lot harder when you’re playing online, because you don’t have a long drive home or anything to make you feel rushed.

A few ways to keep you from overstaying your welcome at a table (i.e.-losing all your money) are to keep a time limit. Approach a table knowing that you’re going to be leaving in two hours whether you’re up, down or even. Having a set time limit and sticking to it will make it a lot easier to leave before you live to regret it.

London is a great place to stay if you’re planning your first trip to Europe. It’s a kind of easy introduction to European travel for American, Canadian, Australian and Kiwi visitors because you don’t have to deal with language barriers and the culture is familiar in many ways. On the other hand, it’s still got plenty of history, atmosphere and culture to keep you occupied with.

If you’ve never purchased airline tickets to Europe before, the price may be daunting, but be sure that discounts are possible, especially certain times of the year. London is one of Europe’s prime airport hubs, with two major airports (Heathrow and Gatwick) serving as a gateway to the rest of Europe, so there are more discounted flights there than anywhere else.

The city tends to attract many young people, which means there are a ton of inexpensive London hotels there. If you really want to go inexpensively, you can choose one of literally hundreds of hostels and stay for under fifty dollars a night. It’s a great way to meet new people and find friends, especially if you’re traveling alone. Choose lodging near an underground station for convenient access all over the city.

Entertainment in London is cheap and readily available. You can find live musicians known as buskers all over the city for free, and there are tons of outdoor flea markets that you can browse around in among other things. London has lots of pubs and wine bars and while some of them are expensive, if you look around you can find cheaper versions.

History is one of London’s greatest attractions. Whether you want to visit Buckingham Palace in order to see the famous changing of the guard, or see some of the world’s greatest art at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London has it all.