Green Fair-Trade Holiday Gift-Giving Guides

Green, Sustainable, Fair Trade Holiday Gift-Giving Ideas
Whatever your religious views, if you participate in holiday gift-giving, why not consider giving green, eco-friendly, fair trade gifts this holiday season? Here gift-giving ideas from companies committed to using renewable, sustainable resources.
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Christmas Gifts For Children

The expectation of children in relation to Christmas increases with the approaching of Dec. 25. The date, as well as Children's Day - October 12 - is one of the most awaited by boys and girls of all ages. The belief in Santa Claus, who according to legend distributes Christmas gifts to those who behaved well during the year, is the reason for the increase of this anxiety.

The Christmas celebration commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ and it is time for unity, joy and peace between the families and friends. The act of giving at Christmas is related to the gift that Jesus received from the Magi. Many children have already sent letters, had the good old man with the most varied applications, among which are toys, electronics, clothing and even food.

Tips Gifts for Kids:

At that time the stores are already filled with gifts for children and the options are varied, to meet the desires that demand. Dolls are toys and strollers that occupies little space in the list of Christmas gifts; today, the high-tech products are among the preferences of the kids. Among children in an age group up to five years, toys that make noise, musical carpet, houses and dolls that move, or perform some activity, are the options, for children between 6 and 10 years, the choices are: Barbie, Polly and video games, however for the range of 11 to 15 years, are cell phones, Xbox 360, iPod, among others.

As age is also a factor that interferes with the time of purchasing a gift for the children, since boys and girls have different tastes, here are some tips to help in  the time of the choice:

Gifts for Girls

• Age 0-5 years: noisy pets, colored phone, house, rag doll.
• Age 6-10 years: Barbie, Polly, makeup bags of children's, stuffed animals.
• Age 11 - 15 years: perfume, blouses with designs, games, children's characters, sandals, shoes, jewelry.

Gifts for Boys

• Age 0-5 years: bag of parts to assemble, musical carpet, pull cart.
• Age 6-10 years: puzzles, video games, soccer team shirt, remote control car.
• Age 11 - 15 years: video games, board games, Xbox 360, slippers of superheroes.

Christmas Basket with Wine - Elegant Gift Baskets

As in every year, the streets are already starting to get decorated, the stores advertise special deals, people begin to plan the celebrations, at work and at school are already being made the draw-hidden from friends, we are already buying gifts and families are planning the party to stay together!

Some of these people deserve a more fine and delicate gift, but what to buy? Of course this will depend on the characteristics of the person and the type of relationship established between you and her, but give a few options that tend to please!

Baskets are trendy and are a delicious choice! If this is a woman, how about giving her a beautiful chocolate basket with wine? But be careful, to harmonize with sweet wine is no easy task! After all, the strong taste of cocoa, sugar and fat just "stealing" the taste of wine! The way is to minimize the characteristics of chocolate! So, no super-filled chocolates and sweets, opt for semisweet or "dark", are less cloying and have quite a high percentage of cocoa! As for wine, do not hesitate to choose a good fruity Pinot Noir or Malbec.

If the option is a wine and cheese gift basket, the possibilities are almost endless! And the claim is ratified by the maxim "to sell wine, serve cheese" has long been practiced in the French vineyards! To set the combination, if you choose full-bodied wines, also opts for strong cheese! Hard cheeses go well with a more tannin wine (have higher acidity of oak bark) and soft cheeses, wines with little tannin! If you choose a white wine, do so accompanied by soft cheeses (this would be a great choice, after all, white wine blends with the warmth of the season!).

If you find it difficult to assemble a basket and hitting the mixture of wine with food, is very fine and elegant basket with a good wine and glasses or accessories, allowing the combination to the person!

Have fun when picking and Happy Holidays!

Christmas Gift Tips for Women

Christmas is getting closer and closer and you certainly will not escape having to give a present to some women, being your mother, sister, coworkers, girlfriend or wife... But how to choose something that pleases?!

First remember the significance of the date, Christmas marks the birth of Christ and, by tradition, we exchange gifts in symbolism to the present that God gave us to put Jesus in our lives! Thus, important in that, regardless of your choice, be something that demonstrates you care about that woman! In this sense, it is worth taking advantage of the occasion to revive old ties and reconcile!

So get to work! An important tip is: do not leave anything to buy on the spot, like you, there will be several other desperate people, causing riots! Moreover, prices are higher the closer the day of celebration!

Whoever is the woman to be given and what role she plays in your life, there are these "wild card" with which the vast majority of them feel completely satisfied and, on top of this list, without no doubt is the good old chocolate! And best of all is that there are several options to suit all budgets and tastes!

Women also like mugs, jewelry (watch, always opt for the more basic and subtle, unless you know very well what she likes, which is unlikely!), Cosmetics of all kinds, soaps, creams, lotions, perfumes... Makeup and makeup bag!

A creative idea is to give something that matches the season, for example, a beautiful umbrella! If she is religious, it is worth betting on images, candles and prayer books, flowers, after all, completely combine with the occasion.

In the end, the most important is that you can demonstrate your affection, then, with any common sense, anything goes! Happy Holidays!

the batch I am baking this week...

I am getting ready to channel my inner Giada on Thursday and film all day, but before I focus on that I want to whip up a great batch of cookies for my book club gathering tomorrow evening. While I'd love to get a jump start on cut-out gingerbread and sugar cookies, I think I'll leave the extra rolling & cutting step for a lazy weekend morning. Instead, I'll make a batch of those Molasses Crinkles I dream about January-November...

Flowers in Vase - Types of flowers that beautify the environment

Flowers are bright and great to decorate any room. Whether at a party, meeting, home or office, enjoy an array of good taste is always as good as they are able to interact with more diverse tastes among people.

If you do not have much idea of what types of flowers to choose or how to take care of them, here's a short list on how to make your home beautiful and colorful:

- Bonsai: Chinese, is a kind of mini tree, symbol of luck and wisdom. Having a bonsai at home is a sign of prosperity. Care: should be located near a bright window for light to contribute to its natural growth and be watered so that the earth's surface don't becomes dry.

- Bromeliads: these plants, which existed since 1943, brings purification to the environment, and feelings of renewal and vitality due to the vibrant colors and shape of leaves.

- Cacti: believed to protect, the cacti purify the environment. Care: they require direct sunlight in large quantities and must be watered (depending on size) every fortnight.

- Hydrangeas: With over 100 different species, the hydrangeas are lovely as plants for decoration. Cautions: may be maintained in local internal or external, need direct sunlight in large quantity and the soil should always be damp but not wet.

- Lilies: from Europe, Asia and North America, lilies are the symbol of purity. Cautions: should receive indirect light in large quantities; be kept in indoor locations and soil always moist but not wet.

- Orchids: recommended for apartments, these flowers are simple and very beautiful. Cautions: leave them in the light for a few hours/days indoors or outdoors and keep the soil moderately moist.

- Tulips: their meaning and the pansy bring charm and elegance to the environment. Care: To increase the durability of your vase of tulips keep it in a cool place, but that does not have direct sunlight and water it sparingly.

- Violet: originating from Tanzania, violets are super easy to care for plants. Care: Keep the vase in a cool place with indirect light in large quantities, and place a dish underneath the pot and water it weekly.

Having flowers at home, even if only in a corner, brings joy, harmony and lots of color for the family. Moreover, they have great therapeutic potential, because they leave the environment more peaceful. And everything will work out is important to keep the place neat and clean, so you'll have a very comfortable environment.

If you already have a house fill with flowers pass the tips to your friends or send arrangements for them. Look for florists delivery people and have such good energy to everyone.

Chocolate Gift Baskets

Nothing better then giving gifts to people who we love and are special in our lives. With a wide variety of gifts available, some people prefer to receive flowers, other receiving books, and many love to receive chocolates.

Besides tasty and irresistible, chocolate is a delicious way to give someone a present. Almost all people melt when they receive a beautiful basket of chocolates.

There is a wide variety of chocolate, white, bittersweet, semisweet, milky, raisins, crunchy and so on. With so many types of chocolates, we also have various ways of giving with them. We present on different dates as Friendship Day, International Women's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, Grandma's Day, Father's Day, Secretary's Day, Children's Day, Teacher's Day, and even at Christmas.

But it still does not stop there... It is ideal for birthdays, to thank one person, congratulate someone for a promotion. Finally, the possibilities for gift baskets with chocolates are enormous. But how to give a basket of each type?

Chocolate Gift Baskets Types:

- Romantic Chocolate Gift Basket: Wedding anniversary or Valentine's Day are dates to be commemorated by two, and a romantic basket, consisting of chocolate liquor, cherry and assorted red roses, cookies, 2 cups and a bottle of wine or champagne.

- Luxury Style Chocolate Basket: Perfect for gifting the boss, coworkers, day of the Secretariat, and finally occasions that require more finesse and sophistication. So must contain a basket of excellent quality of imported products as delicacies such as a box of fine chocolates, a package of smoked salmon, a pate, cheese, snacks of peanuts or cashew nuts, crackers, and various toasts. Be sure to include a bottle of Argentine or Chilean wine, a bottle of champagne.

- Basket of Chocolate and Flowers: a special basket for women, perfect for holidays such as International Women's Day, Day of the Maid, Mother's Day, Grandmother's Day and Secretary's Day. The basket should contain varied chocolate sweets, dreams waltz, several chocolate bars, chocolate chips, a box of Ferrero Rocher and a lovely array of wildflowers.

- Chocolate and Fruit Basket: Chocolate in a fruit basket to the delight of the chocolate mixture to the pleasant taste of fruit, their assembly can be made of many different types of chocolates and seasonal fruit. Wonderful choice of Christmas present, birthday or young adult, friendship day, among other dates.

Now for the busy people who do not have time to search for the best kind of basket for the occasion, is indicated to demand online for gifts online. In the virtual world you will find, besides baskets of delicious chocolate gifts and other types of books, perfumes, shoes and so on.

Delicious Havanna Candies as a Great Gift

For over 70 years, the brand Havanna is present in the life of alfajores lovers - the famous filled sweets with tradition in Argentina. Invented in Arabia, brought to Spain and "naturalized" in Argentina, this became an icon of delicious sweet cuisine of the country through the company that began in 1939, the result of entrepreneurship - and why not, audacity - of two young friends. Its production started in a small factory in Buenos Aires, but the result of a fruitful partnership with the developer who sold his alfajores bomboniere, those young friends have decided to open a factory in the port city of Mar Del Plata, promising place at the time. There they met the pastry chef Toribio Gonzalez who has perfected the recipe and in 1947 came the famous Havanna alfajores, appreciated all over the world.

Besides alfajores, Havanna also has other products that carry any chocoholic swoon. Lemon cream with chocolate and coffee cream with chocolate sauce are some of the fillings and toppings galletitas crackers. Havannet cones are Dulce de leche topped with white chocolate or milk - that are only available in winter. Besides these products, there are the chocolates with the most varied shapes and flavors, and to complete, we have the traditional Argentine Dulce de leche (made with vanilla), panettones and more. Those who visit one of Havanna Cafés can taste these and other delicacies enjoying a pleasant climate, and excellent service.

With more than 150 outlets in various countries, it is very easy for you to give who you like with the Havanna alfajores. Are you going to offer a breakfast gift basket? Sweet surprise by putting Havanna. Want to leave that special someone's with water in the mouth? Add a box of the best alfajores for it or mount a delicious gift basket with that candy brand. To make this even more charming Havanna unites and flowers.

If in your town there isn't a point of sale of Havanna products, simply enter the company's Web site or the sites of companies working with Havanna products.

Final Verdict of Marie France

Weeks ago, the day before I left for Taiwan trip, I went for my final session at Marie France.

12 sessions.

3 months.

Done.


It was such a relief.

It was such a relief because I have never felt BETTER in my life.




I've actually lost quite an amount of weight, even though that was not my initial target when I entered the salon, the sights of cellulite on my thighs have diminise tremendously.

YAY!

It's not obvious on the before and after photo so I shall tell you in my words that I have received lots of remarks everywhere that I have been looking better, and better.


Photos here are not edited, only sharpened because my hands were shaky when I took the photos.





Over the span of three months, not only I have learnt how to:

take care of myself better,
understand how my body works,
become more aware of how my body, and fats, functions;

I've actually have a better diet, and a happier looking skin.

Surprise surprise.




To entertain you with my results, I have lost:

1. 7cm each on my right and left upper thigh
2. 12cm each on my right and left lower thigh
3. 4cm each on my right and left calve.


I had wanted to lose more on my calves because I have really thick calves, thanks to my older backpacking days, and it's really hard to get rid of.

But as the sessions went on week after week, the treatments I received have seemed to shift towards my thighs and hips.

I could have asked them to spread the treatments evenly across my calves and thighs and hips but I was worried spreading the treatment time and cream/serum/solution might also reduce the effectiveness these treatments have on each section of my body.

So I decided to let them focus on my back thighs and hips in the end.

And I'm loving the results.




I'm not saying I'm perfectly pleased with how my body looked yet, but I have never seen a fitter me in a long time and I am definitely feeling supremely confident how the way I look these days.




I've been religiously rubbing lotion after my shower every day now on my thighs and calves, I'm determine to get my calves to shrink now that I am no longer attending treatments at Marie France.

But Marie France has helped me achieve my ultimate goal.

To know that I can still lose, get fit and eliminate those wrinkly skin I thought was forever.

To know that I can get rid of all these, if I work on myself more.




A girl's got to do what a girl's got to do eh?

One day, soon enough, I'm going to achieve my perfect figure.

Maybe one day, I can always return to Marie France for more advanced tech aid.

;)


~*~*~*~*~*~*~


SMS For a free 60min slimming session (worth
RM380)

type MFB NICOLEKISS Name send to
32996

Quick & Easy Bouillabaisse

I'm done with turkey. Tonight I wanted to make something that was the opposite. In a matter of minutes, I made the base for Bouillabaisse, then when my husband got home I tossed the fish & shellfish in so we could sit down to a relaxed dinner with his parents. He asked what the secret ingredient was this time...it might have been this aioli? Everyone got a dollop tonight because we can't just go from decadence to healthy in one fell swoop this week...

Bouillabaisse (a.k.a. Hearty Fish Stew)

Makes 8 servings

(can always half or quarter this recipe)

olive oil

1 onion, chopped

6-8 cloves of garlic, minced

1 fennel bulb, chopped

6 stalks of celery, chopped

zest of 1 orange

1 bottle white wine

32 oz can crushed tomatoes

32 oz diced tomatoes

parsley

thyme

3-4 lbs fish & shellfish*

aioli (optional)

crusty bread + stinky cheese (optional)

* tonight I used a combination of shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, and halibut

In a large stock pot, saute the onions, garlic, fennel and celery in a bit of olive oil. Add orange zest and white wine and boil until wine is reduced by about half. Add fresh thyme and parsley and contents of both cans of tomatoes-- chopped and crushed (not drained). Let simmer for about 15 minutes. Add salt & pepper to taste. At this point, you can turn the heat off and just let the pot sit covered until a few minutes before you are ready to eat...

When ready to eat, bring the contents of the pot back up to a heavy simmer and add the fish & shellfish. Let cook for about 8 minutes, or until fish is cooked through and shells have opened. (Discard any mussels or clams that do not open).

Ladle a few chunks of fish and a few scallops, shrimp, clams and mussels into each bowl, with some of the aromatic broth. My husband is convinced that the dollop of aioli made this out of this world tonight. Perfect served with some a crusty bread for dipping.

Christmas Gift Baskets - Tradition and Recognition

Christmas is a date with many symbols and customs that are passed from generation to generation. As an example, the time of supper, traditionally celebrated on 24 to 25 of Dec., considered one of the most important rituals on which we gather family and friends into our homes.

Based on this tradition, companies in all industries have a habit of gifting their employees with Christmas Gift Baskets as a thank you for your dedication and partnership during the years of work. The baskets range from simple to exquisite, and today some businessmen also prefer to order custom baskets, according to the taste of his employees.

The success of this tradition is so great that we now have companies that operate seasonally specializing in Christmas Gift Baskets, targeted in the business of packaging and assembly. The business drives the economy both in trade of baskets, and the creation of thousands of temporary jobs each year.

The Christmas Gift Baskets are always well received by employees, whether any hierarchical level, gender or age. And what must be prioritized when purchasing the baskets is the quality assurance of products that comprise and promptness in delivery of goods. After all, punctuality is key in this case.

The content and the packaging of the basket should also be of high quality and visually beautiful, like a gift box. Cardboard models, besides being the cheapest, are the most suitable in terms of ease of transport baskets by employees. But if the intention is to be creative, there are options such as wicker chests and ecobags. The choice of packaging will depend on the budget available and the impression you want with this cause.

Christmas Gifts that Women do Like

They have evolved, gained their place in the work market and are increasingly demanding. Yet it is often simple to please women. As Christmas is coming check out some gift tips for women:

- Jewels. Every woman is happy to receive them. But we must be willing to spend a little more with that kind of Christmas present. The jewels are gifts for mothers, wives and girlfriends. You need to know the taste of them, because there are women who like most extravagant pieces and others that are more discreet.

- Handbags and jewelry. This accessories are great gifts and women consider them very important. The more they have to combine with clothes better it is. Another positive point is that they are found in different prices. Therefore, you are sure you can find something that is affordable for you to buy.

- Chocolates. They tickle women of almost all ages, but conduct an investigation and see if she is not on a diet. Moreover, as the chocolate will end, a Christmas card becomes indispensable. Caprice in the dedication.

- Clothing. Women love clothes, but if isn't someone you know it is very difficult to hit the taste. Look for a shop that accepts the trade of the product.

- Books. A good novel will always make a woman cry. Other highly sought by them are the self-help. To contribute to the choice follows some of the best-selling books this year: The Shack, Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, The Vendor of Dreams, Dangerous Minds, Marley and Me, The Code of Intelligence and Smart Couples.

Also look for innovate and seek creative and personalized gift as a Christmas Gift Basket, burn a CD with songs she likes best or a mural with pictures of the couple, if your girlfriend or wife. What women do not like being in any way, are the household items and objects for the home. In all the other options a Christmas card with a beautiful message makes the gift even more special and shows how that person is important to you.

Christmas Baskets - Discover 6 Tips for Custom Baskets

Many companies choose to present their employees with Christmas Baskets at the end of the year. However, given the many options offered by the market, it is difficult to choose which model to offer. Therefore, we set up a selection of six baskets available on the market that can help you decide which basket to choose for each specific situation.


Simple Basket: This basket is ideal for smaller budgets or in the case of giving a very large amount of employees. Such products are generally a basket of national brands and packages are smaller. The most common items are: panettone 500mg, 600 ml cider, crackers and sweets, champagne biscuits, green olives, olive oil, box of chocolates, raisins, prunes, juice in cash, flour, pasta, guava.


Classic Basket: A little more expensive than its predecessor, the Classic Christmas Basket has recognized brands and products in greater quantity. Items found in this basket, which usually are not included in the single are: panettone 750mg, 750ml champagne, red wine 750 ml, nuts, cashews, almonds, walnut cake, nuts, pasta, peaches in syrup, dried apricot, nougat, lentils and truffles.

Premium Basket: Due to its high cost, this basket is usually purchased in small quantities to give directors and shareholders of companies. The products that comprise it are usually imported. Some examples: Argentine wine 750 ml, 12 years Scotch 750 ml, French liqueur, cassis cream, capers, Spanish tuna, Italian rice, cherries, Spanish pears in syrup, dried tomato preserves, fruit panettone, 750 mg panettone, chocolate, 750 mg of blackberry jam, Swiss chocolate.


Ladies Basket: If most of the company's employees are female, as is the case of apparel and clothing esthetic clinics, the ideal is the Christmas Baskets that are assembled with products designed for the feminine taste. In this case, substitute sparkling wines and beers and you can add to the list varieties of sweets and chocolates. To please the tip is further research into models of creative packaging.


Masculine Baskets: In the case of companies such as contractors and carriers, where the number of male employees is higher, you can order baskets that contain the greatest amount of snacks and beverages as a way to please the taste of employees.


Light/Diet Baskets: To demonstrate a concern for quality of life of employees, companies can choose to include light and diet products in the Christmas Baskets. Or in the case of employees who already have a health problem, the ideal is that they receive baskets geared to their needs. Products such as light toast, diet juice, sugar free jams, alcohol-free champagne and light panettones are easily found on the market today. Fruit and cereals can be maintained without restrictions.

Packaging for Christmas Basket: Do it yourself

The Christmas baskets are excellent options when giving gifts to people we like and that are important during the year, being they friends, relatives, employees or customers. In the market there are numerous brands, sizes, prices and types of Christmas baskets ready to be delivered to people who you want to please. Besides them, there is also the possibility to make your own basket, customizing, giving it a more intimate and personal touch to this show to the person who will receive it you spent time thinking and preparing the gift.

This year, being the Christmas basket that you have chosen ready or prepared by you, the look of this is very important. Nothing better than getting a gift from a friend or hidden coming of Santa Claus with a beautiful packaging, and embellishments such as bows, ribbons and flowers. To make it even more special and unforgettable, follow some basic tips.

Already assembled baskets: Most already assembled Christmas baskets come in cardboard decorated boxes. If you bought one of these, even the design of the box is already quite nice, it costs nothing to buy a satin ribbon, red or green (the colors that are commonly used in Christmas decorations), and passing around the box. In craft stores you can find the ideal tape or if you prefer, you can buy a pretty tie, ready, and place on top of the box.

Assemble your Christmas Basket: if you are one of those who chose to make yourself a Christmas basket, the first step to prang is choose a nice package. At this time, do not forget to take into consideration the personality of the person who will receive it, the theme of the basket and the type of products you bought to make this. If the basket has the feature to be more traditional or simple, wooden or wicker baskets are ideal alternatives. Now, if you chose something more luxurious, a chest or a box of wood or leather, and stylish, they are far better. You can find packages in supermarkets, department stores, grocery stores or shops and craft fairs.

And in those places you can find another essential item to decorate your Christmas basket: the paper will wrap it up. The most common is the cellophane, the color of choice, remember that red, green or golden always match the season. Another alternative is the role of silk, which is much less strong, but also beautiful. You will also need something to line the container and thereby protect the products they bought. For this, a role can be much simpler, preferably colored and chopped, or straw and even cellophane.

After filling out the bottom of the container, add the items you bought into it and wrap with the paper you choose, it's time to end this. The hint is the same to already mounted baskets: ribbons, bows and flowers, ready or made by you, make a difference. For those who like to innovate even more, worth buying decorating Christmas trees and-paste with hot glue. It is something quite different and attractive.

After following our tips, do not forget to buy a card for the one who will receive the gift and write a nice message, however small. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Christmas Gift Tips for Women

Women love to be presented at any time of year, but Christmas is the day that they are expecting more. This is precisely why many men find it difficult to choose Christmas gifts for them. In fact, many do not know where to start.

The first rule of choosing a Christmas present is to observe the person and see if it is a sportsman, intellectual, vain or other gender and adapt this to her profile.

Some men think that what counts is the intention and not the present, they are mistaken. Imagine giving a gift to a person and in the first opportunity she offers this same gift for someone else. Very annoying isn't it? But it may happen. Therefore, it is worthwhile to program and search for something that makes your wife, girlfriend, fiancee, mother or friend happy.

Following these rules the probability of hitting in the right Christmas gift becomes larger. To help you further, we list the Christmas gifts that women would most like to receive. Check out these guft tips.

Gift Tips for Women:

• Clothing: Any part of the summer collection for 2011 as a bikini, dress, skirt, blouse. If the person likes to dress well, have no problems when presenting with clothes. But find out the her size and color preference.
• Purse: Most women are crazy for purses. The purse is an essential accessory that is very useful and improves the look of a woman. 
• Accessories: women also like accessories like necklace, earrings, belt, watch, shoes, ring and bracelet.
• Pair of sunglasses is another indispensable accessory for many women, and to protect them from the sun, the glasses make up a more charming and "stylish" present.
• Wallet: From the simplest models for daily use, to the ones to take to ballad and models that are to rock at parties. Women does not leave home without using this accessory.
• Breakfast Gift Basket: This type of gift has made the minds of many women, no one can resist a beautiful and tasty breakfast basket arriving home at the daybreak. Flowers, pampering and a card inside the basket will only do this to become even more special.
• Makeup: A makeup bag, a set of brushes, or a kit with such items as face powder, eye shadow, lipstick, gloss, blush, mask, eyeliner, correction of good brands are very cool gifts that can please enough.
• Scent: A delicious fragrance in a pretty jar is the gifts that women love to receive.
• Electronics: cell phone, laptop, notebook, digital camera, camcorder, these are modern and more requested by them.

Can psychology help combat pseudoscience?

From homeopathy to dodgy nutritional supplements, support for pseudoscience and quackery thrives on people believing falsely that one thing causes another, when in fact it doesn't. Meanwhile, psychologists study belief formation, and specifically illusions of control (see earlier), whereby people wrongly believe that they're controlling something when they're not. In a new paper, three psychologists at Deusto University in Bilbao argue that the psychological literature can be mined for ways to help combat pseudoscience, and they've performed a small study to test the principle.

One of the psychological findings that Helena Matute and her colleagues focus on is that people are particularly likely to form an illusion of control when: (1) a desired outcome occurs frequently and (2) they, or someone else, perform some ineffectual action lots of times. In the context of health, this would be akin to having a condition from which recovery occurs frequently without intervention (e.g. back pain), whilst at the same time receiving a frequent, but ineffectual, treatment. This leads to the inevitable pairing of the desired outcome with the ineffectual intervention, thus giving rise to the false belief that the intervention is causing the positive outcome.

Matute's team tested this in a fictional scenario. One hundred and eight participants (recruited online) read about a fictional medicine 'Batarim' that could potentially cure the pain caused by a fictitious disease 'Lindsay Syndrome'. They were told about 100 patients, one at a time, in each case learning whether the patient had been given Batarim and whether their pain had subsided.

Crucially, half the participants heard about 80 patients who'd taken the drug and 20 who hadn't, whilst the other participants heard about 20 patients who'd taken the drug and 80 who hadn't. For both groups, the rates of recovery, at 80 per cent, were the same regardless of whether patients had taken Batarim or not - in other words, on this evidence, the drug doesn't make any difference to recovery rates.

Next, the participants were asked to rate the drug's effectiveness. All of them believed the drug had had some effect, thus showing how easily confused people are about issues of cause and effect. The key finding, however, is that those participants in the group who'd heard about just 20 patients who'd taken Batarim were far more accurate in their appraisals. Presumably this is because they'd had the opportunity to see that recovery often occurred without the drug, whereas participants in the other group were blinded by the more frequent pairing of drug with recovery (even though they too witnessed recovery occurring at just the same rate without the drug).

Matute and her colleagues said this suggests a simple way for pseudoscience claims to be challenged on TV and in news reports: '...simply showing participants the actual proportion of patients that felt better without following the target treatment helps them detect the absence of contingency for themselves. This should counteract the effect of all those miracle-products advertisements that focus their strategies on presenting confirmatory cases.'

Another finding from the psychological literature that Matute's team focused on relates to the wording used in questions about cause and effect. They predicted that people are more likely to endorse pseudoscientific beliefs when asked how effective a given treatment is, compared with when asked whether it caused the desired outcome. The latter should focus people's minds on the probabilities involved. That's exactly what was found in the current study - participants gave the fictional drug more realistic ratings when asked whether it had been 'the cause of the healings' compared with when asked how 'effective' it had been.

The main point of this study was to demonstrate, in principle, that findings in psychology can be exploited to help combat the ubiquity of pseudoscientific belief, and Matute's team feel they've done that. 'Our research proves that developing evidence-based educational programmes should be effective in helping people detect and reduce their own illusions,' they said.
_________________________________

Matute, H., Yarritu, I., and Vadillo, M. (2010). Illusions of causality at the heart of pseudoscience. British Journal of Psychology DOI: 10.1348/000712610X532210

Jane's Pumpkin Bread (a.k.a. The Best Pumpkin Bread Ever)

One of my friends mentioned that the day after Thanksgiving is the day she goes from pumpkin to peppermint. I did notice a proliferation of Christmas lights as we drove home from dinner last night. Still, I'm not giving up on pumpkin just yet...particularly because my friend, Jane, shared her recipe for (the best) pumpkin bread (ever). So simple and worth sharing. (If you have already moved on to peppermint, just bookmark this for next fall.)

Jane's Pumpkin Bread

(which is really an adaptation of Vern Bertagna's recipe via a '95 Bon Appetit and then epicurious, but since I got the recipe from Jane, it will forever be known as "Jane's Pumpkin Bread" to me)

Makes 2 full-size loaves or 5 mini loaves

2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
2 cups (or 1 16-ounce can) solid pack pumpkin
2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon ground cloves*
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon*
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg*

* OR 3 teaspoons of "pumpkin pie spice" if you have that kicking around your spice drawer
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Turbinado sugar (to sprinkle on top, optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans (if they aren't non-stick). Beat sugar and oil in large bowl. Mix in eggs and pumpkin. Add the flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg (or the pumpkin pie spice if you're going that route), baking soda, salt and baking powder. Stir until combined. Divide batter equally between baking pans. Sprinkle with Turbinado or other coarse sugar before baking (optional). Bake about 1 hour, or until tester inserted into center comes out clean. Transfer to racks and cool. These loaves freeze beautifully.

(No silly, I do not sift the dry ingredients in a separate bowl...)

a few fabulous ways to use up that turkey!

Well, I wasn't sure it was worth the extra step, but I must say that this year's turkey was my best ever (if I might say so myself). I really do think the brine I made off of The Pioneer Woman's blog made a huge difference. I took detailed notes and photos so I can pass them along to you next year (in advance of the big cook day). But this weekend, I thought it would be most helpful to share my favorite uses for leftover turkey...If you're not up for cooking again just yet, simply shred your leftover turkey and put it in a big zip-loc in the freezer, then bookmark this post for when you decide to re-enter the kitchen!

I have a bunch of tried and true recipes here on the blog that can be made with any turkey meat you may have on hand. These are my six favorites:

Turkey Chili (substitute shredded turkey for the ground turkey)

Hearty Bean Soup with Turkey (simply substitute chunks of turkey for the sausage)

A zesty picadillo made with shredded turkey is a nice counterbalance to the richness of Thanksgiving dinner (and the past few days of leftover stuffing...)

If your pantry is well-stocked then you probably have a seasoning packet you could use for soft tacos (substitute turkey for the pork) or maybe you have one of these great sauces on hand and you can whip up a simple curry.

... and of course, you can always whip up a batch of Chicken Enchiladas with turkey instead. Simply shred the meat and go from there! My recipe varies a little bit each time I make them (depending upon what I have on hand) but here's one and here's another.

Christmas Gifts for Romantic Boyfriends

Romantic men are part of the imagination and desire of many women. They are sensitive, passionate, companions, poetic and love to give a gift to a loved one, like flowers, chocolates and verses. Why not reciprocate this affection?

Well, if your boyfriend is a romantic, the Christmas Day is an excellent opportunity to present him. But you must be wondering: What to give as a Christmas present for you romantic boyfriend? Easy question to answer: With romantic things! Bah!

Romantic Boyfriend Gifts Tips for this Christmas:

• Be creative, make a surprise: Give something done by you! A personalized gift gives the impression that you worked very hard and made it with love.
• Wine and cheese gift basket: Very romantic, huh? This gift can be tasted by two, in a place you feel special.
• Flowers for Men: Bromeliad, cacti and bonsai in a beautiful vase are chic and durable options. Different choice of gift for your boyfriend.
• Surprise Box: Buy a gift box, place within it, various objects such as CD or DVD, book, shirt of the team he supports, chocolates, perfume, without forgetting a pretty nice card or a handwritten letter.
• Panel of photos: How about your best photos together and put on a panel? Surely he will be surprised and happy! Buy a big panel, several imams and then to organize the photos on the panel involved with a beautiful ribbon, this is creative and very romantic. But if you want something small and discreet, you may prefer a photo album, digital picture frame or scrapbook.
• Breakfast Gift Basket: There is nothing better than waking up and being confronted with a beautiful and tasty Breakfast Gift Basket. Surprise him: Caprice in the elements that make up the basket, the wrapping and delivery. Certainly he will be even more in love with you.
• SPA Kit: With shaving foam, soap, bath foam, creams, and perfume. Gifts like this show that you want to see him beautiful and fragrant.
• Get ahead: Give what your boyfriend wanted to buy! The best gifts are often those who you would buy! Just watch and shoot! It means you paid attention to what he said.

If you have not decided yet what to give in the next days observe more your boyfriend, see what he likes to do and his interests. Even if it's romantic, men in general like to receive gifts that have to do with them and to be used on a daily basis.

Do not spoil the romance by giving gift certificates or money, this is not a good hint. Giving this sort of thing demonstrates coldness and unromantic.

Good luck in the choice of romantic gifts for your boyfriend! Be happy.

Super Gruesome Awesome Sago Worms Videos

So I'm late for more than 24 hours for this post.

Blame it on the power cut yesterday that lasted for more than 5 hours in the house, and by evening time, I was out on our 2nd year anniversary dinner and movie.

Then today the internet decided to go bonkers on me all afternoon.

Sigh. It's fate that's not allowing me to blog I tell you.

But now here it is!! (Previous post on the Sago Worms, photos and words)




Our sago worm cocktail party, live! In videos!

First, let's introduce the worms.





Clare was the only person in the party who has ever tried Sago Worms and knew how to eat it. So we had her to demonstrate to us, and the rest of you readers, HOW to Eat a Live Sago Worm.





And for the MOST exciting part.

ME EATING A LIVE SAGO WORM! (click to play video below)


Ho ho.... be warned, I was quite the coward when it comes to eating live shit, so pardon my jumpi-ness.




I totally freaked out. You have to watch the video to see how freaked out I was.

God I swear it was so god damn gross when you have a torn worm with all its goo oozing out from its lifeless body and you knew you were about to put that THING in your mouth, AND SWALLOW IT!

OMG I could faint at that point.


But really, it didn't really taste anything fancy. Read previous post on my experience here.


And if you have the extra free time, here's the rest of us having a go at the sago worms.




Watch it, cause in there you can see a more terrified Derek trying to consume a worm and gagged, several times. LOL

It's so totally hiralous!!!!

Favors as a Cheap Christmas Gift

Whether in the east, west, either in developed and developing countries, Christmas is a holiday celebrated worldwide. Although each country has its peculiar way of understanding the essence of Christmas, the celebration of this day is present in all of them, each in his own way. However, regardless of geographic space, this festive day of celebration resemble some features, like the act of gifting.

It is the month of November as the trade begins to heat up. During this period, people go to the streets and begin to search the price of products that will give to relatives and friends on Dec. 25. However, it is important to note that some traders take advantage of that moment when people are willing to buy, and therefore, they abuse increasing price of some products. With this excessive desire for profit, some underprivileged entrepreneurs who have limited financial resources to spend on Christmas gifts, but would like to find something that is in your budget. However, even the audience with high purchasing power do not feel comfortable about buying expensive gifts because they believe that price is not conditioned on product quality.

An excellent alternative to circumvent these difficulties, without missing the charm and noble gesture of giving the other person is to buy good souvenirs. The idea that only what is expensive is valuable needs to be demystified. The Christmas souvenirs have a unique emotional value to the one that receives it. To buy souvenirs, it is necessary first to know the taste of the person. Thus it is possible to identify the ideal gift for your friend, dad, boyfriend, wife, teacher, boss or anyone else who is within your circle of affection. We elaborate some cheap gift tips to help your pocket. Let's see them:

Top 5 Tips for Christmas Favors:

1. CDs and DVDs: If your honoree loves music and has a band or a favorite singer, present him with the DVD release or album of his favorite artist. It will be even stronger if you make a dedication.
2. Chocolates: There is always that person that loves this delight. Give chocolates in a box and decorated it is an attitude as sweet as a gift.
3. Diverse objects: Many have collection of objects such as cups, for example. A good alternative is to help with some new objects to the collection.
4. Flowers: They are welcome in all seasons, mainly as a gift option for women.
5. Frames: A refined frame, with you and the person who will be presented, is a great reminder of you.

Enjoy the tips, which are very economical, use your creativity and give a great gift this Christmas.

Christmas gifts for someone who is farway

In search of a better life and achievement of dreams, many had to move to locations far away from their families and friends. But the holiday season is when we feel the nostalgia for people who live far away increases.

Only those who live a situation like this knows how difficult and painful is to be away from those who loves, even more if that person is a mother, father, brother, son... In this season everyone thinks in seeing again those that are far away, but that isn't always possible.

But that does not mean you're completely missing that day, there are several ways for you to have a presence, such as calling, sending letters and cards, messages and virtual gifts for Christmas. Receiving a gift is already exciting, receiving from someone who is far is even more, because it means you remember the person and care about her.

Well, if you're looking for Christmas gifts tips for those who live far away, you need to check our suggestions for Christmas gifts.

Another option, fast and safe is to purchase gifts online you only need to access, search, analyze and order and it is ready within a few days, your Christmas present will be presented in the house.

Now Check Our Tips For Christmas Gifts for Who Lives Far:

Gifts for Girlfriend:

• Clock;
• Electronic devices;
• Perfume;
• Makeups;
• Exchange;
• Wallet;
• Flowers;
• Breakfast Gift Basket;
• Happy Hour.

Gifts for Boyfriend:

• Clock;
• Perfume;
• Electronic devices;
• wallet;
• Jewelry like bangles and chain;
• CDs and DVDs;
• Team shirt;
• Accessories for the car.
  

Gifts for Kids:

• Dolls;
• Dolls and Action Figures;
• Stands and toy vehicles;
• Toys and Household Furniture;
• Musical Instruments;
• Remote Control Toy;
• Children's Films;
• Games like Bingo, Magic Cube, Dominoes, Football Button, Darts, Educational Games, Electronic Games, Pranks and Magic, and Other.

Gifts for Babies:

• Walkers;
• Dolls, Tighten;
• Youth Games;
• Mobiles;
• Stuffed Animals;
• Swimming pools for babies.

Using beauty as an advertising tool - does it always work?

Announcing that neuroscience writer Jonah Lehrer had been listed as one of Salon's sexiest men of 2010, psychologist and uber-blogger Vaughan Bell joked that an aftershave would soon follow. Vaughan was referring, of course, to the widespread tendency for marketeers to use beautiful people to promote products. The rationale of the tactic is obvious. By pairing a product with an attractive model, hopefully people will come to find the product attractive too. A new study by Debra Trampe and colleagues tests the limits of this assumption, finding that attractive models do usually increase a product's appeal, except when consumers think hard about the advert and physical beauty is irrelevant to the product.

One hundred and fifty-nine female participants looked at one of four versions of an advertising poster and then rated the product being advertised. The ad was either for a diet product or a deodorant and it either featured a standard female model or that same model but with a digitally enhanced body made to look extra lean and attractive. Another twist was that half the participants were encouraged to think hard about the ad, by telling them they'd have to write a review of the product, and that they were one of a only small number of people involved in judging the ad. By contrast, the other half of the participants were encouraged not to think too hard about the ad, but to judge it on first impressions.

For the participants who didn't think much, the presence of a more attractive model led them to rate both products more positively. However, for those participants who thought harder about the ad, the more attractive model only led to higher ratings for the diet product, not the deodorant. This was taken as evidence that when people think about adverts, an attractive model is only beneficial when beauty is relevant to the product being advertised.

A second study backed up this finding using two products that more clearly differed in their relevance to beauty - a shampoo brand and a home computer. Similar to the first study, for participants who judged on first impressions, the presence of an attractive model (versus no model) led to higher ratings for both products. By contrast, for participants who reflected more deeply on the ad, the presence of an attractive model was only effective for the beauty-relevant product. In fact, for these more engaged participants, the attractive model led to marginally lower ratings for the home computer.

'An attractiveness-relevant product is best paired with an attractive model, rather than an average-looking model or no model,' the researchers said. 'For products less relevant for attractiveness, however, an attractive model appears to be as effective as an average-looking model, or no model.'

Trampe's team also acknowledged that the presence of a beautiful (or unrealistically thin) model can affect the way customers feel about themselves (often adversely), not just how they feel about the product - future research is needed to find out how these responses interact, they said.
_________________________________

Trampe, D., Stapel, D., Siero, F., and Mulder, H. (2010). Beauty as a tool: The effect of model attractiveness, product relevance, and elaboration likelihood on advertising effectiveness. Psychology and Marketing, 27 (12), 1101-1121 DOI: 10.1002/mar.20375

The Special Issue Spotter

We trawl the world's journals so you don't have to:

Schizophrenia (Nature).

Mechanisms of Physical Activity Behavior Change (Psychology of Sport and Exercise).

Issues in the American Presidential Campaign 2008 (American Behavioral Scientist).

Translational Science: Utilizing Research on Hormones to Inform Education (Mind, Brain, and Education).

Experimental and Theoretical Advances in Prosody (Language and Cognitive Processes).

The Relational in Psychotherapy and Counselling (European Journal of Psychotherapy and Counselling).

Personality and politics (Journal of Personality).

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Esquire

It's always awesome when we get national press exposure and our Saison Rue is featured in the December issue of Esquire magazine. The article is a bit weird since it focuses on saisons, but also lists Chimay Grande Reserve (and i don't believe anyone categorizes that beer as a saison), but we're more than happy to be featured alongside some other amazing beers.

Check out the article here

Let the cooking begin!

I'm a few minutes into cooking this year's Thanksgiving feast and already I am having to improvise...I thought I would start with the cranberry sauce. That's easy to knock off the to-do list before the school bus comes rumbling up the street. My itunes workout mix is cranked up. Happy cooking music. After sneaking out for an hour and half of paddle tennis this gorgeous Fall morning, I am ready to come inside and start whipping up side dishes. No port wine on hand, so instead I've got a mixture of brandy and cointreau reducing. Kitchen smells amazing. I am operating with my friend's mantra that Thanksgiving is "really just dinner with a few extra sides". So here we go! I'm sticking to the plan I wrote about a few days back: turkey, gravy, stuffing, green beans with walnuts and frizzled onions, roasted brussel sprouts with lemon zest, maple mashed sweet potatoes, regular mashed potatoes with fresh herbs, cider-braised cabbage for something tart and this delicious cranberry sauce with cointreau and brandy instead of port this year. Let the cooking begin!

Gift Tips for Women

All of us, in some point received a present that was so terrible that it makes you want to cry just by looking it. Try not to commit the same error.

Gift Tips for Women:

- For the vain women that love receiving gifts like lotions, perfumes, beauty kits, but never give to a woman things like anti-wrinkle or acne creams, or even worse one that offer miracle exfoliating for the skin. They spend fortunes in beauty products, but they may not like to receive this kind of products.

- The women who keep saying "I'm chubby and need to lose a few pounds" although they say this phrase, they do not want to never, ever or under any circumstances, to be given a gift on her birthday related to weight loss as diet programs or fitness DVDs. Prefer gifts such as breakfast gift baskets or fruit gift baskets.

- Educated women who love reading or watching a documentary, love to receive good literature or DVDs with historical documentaries, so forget the funk or swing DVDs, or books with a profile inappropriate for this woman.

- Romantic women love to receive bouquets of beautiful flowers with delicious assorted chocolates, so choose well the flowers and the right box of chocolates to give her.

- For the simple women that don't like to receive fancy gifts, a simple gift will do the trick, just to say that you remember her and took the time to buy her something.

If you want to send a gift by an online store, be sure they'll send a receipt, so if she doesn't like the present be able to change it for another thing.

Women love receiving gifts, so try to present in a interesting and pleasing way.

Christmas Baskets products tips

Traditionally, some products can not be missed in the Christmas Baskets, they are: wine or champagne, panettone, raisins, nuts, cookies, cakes and chocolates. However, the presence and quantity of these products vary with the price of the baskets.

The Premium Baskets of higher value, usually contain imported products such as liqueurs, nuts and jellies, which can be replaced by national cider, candy and canned plums, if the intention is to leave the Christmas Basket cheaper. The price of the baskets also varies widely among the distributors, so it's worth researching and comparing products and services included in order to save money.

In addition to price, quality is also critical.

The intention of Christmas Baskets, and any Christmas present, is to please. And to ensure that this symbol of gratitude does not become a problem for the company and its employees, some tips for quality inspection must be followed.

The first step is to verify that the baskets of the contracted company come with the seal of inspection, after all, in the case of food, great caution is needed. The certification is usually exposed on the company website that distributes the baskets, such as quality assurance.

If the model chosen for the basket is the simplest, it is possible that the products are of unknown brands. But this does not necessarily mean poor quality, but it does not hurt to do a search with the dealer about the suitability of these products.

The layout of the basket also deserves attention. This depends on the chosen design of the packaging, but must be attentive to the presence of glass containers, so that will not break. Moreover, great caution is needed with perishable products, the ideal is that goods that do not stand outside the refrigerator stay out of list.

How to assemble a Christmas Basket

One of the best times of the year, and for some, the best, the end of the year holiday are already coming. It is time for celebrations, gatherings and reunions with those who we care most about, colleagues, friends or relatives, and renewal of strength and expectations for the year to come. And the traditional exchange of Christmas presents, given by a friend or being Santa Claus to someone, it's a fun part of this season, and it is important not to disappoint. The options are endless, from a small gift for Christmas or a more expensive present.

Spending more or less, according to what your pocketbook allows, a basket for Christmas is always a good alternative gift for friends, family, employees or customers. There are those that are already ready, that are bought in supermarkets or through large companies that specialize in this market, which each day grows more. But what about giving gifts to persons that were important to you during the year with a completely custom basket of Christmas? Check the walkthrough for the assembly of a gift that has everything to please the honoree, who will see, with very good eyes, how much you spent in that gift.

Knowing the person - For those looking for a gift to please, nothing better than to be able to find one that has everything to do with who will receive it. To do this, search for, even briefly, about what one likes, your personality and your interests and hobbies. This is only for one or for the whole family? If more than one, be sure to raise the quantity of items and/or variety of them.

Choose the items - Once you know exactly what the homage likes, it is much easier to decide what to buy. Make a basic list of products that the basket will have, not forgetting the traditional, you can not miss at all, wine or champagne, fruit and dried fruit such as walnuts, grapes and nuts, candies and products to increase Christmas supper and a delicious panettone. When making purchases, add items to the list if you have forgotten something, but not quite extrapolate the value initially proposed.

Innovate - Apart from traditional items of Christmas baskets, as mentioned above, give a personal and intimate touch to the gift, like a picture frame with a photo of the family, or items such as CD, DVD or a vase with flowers, according with the recipient of the basket. Another demonstration of how much you cared to please and wanted to escape the ordinary.

Packaging - The packaging options for Christmas basket may be different depending on the amount of products you purchased from the traditional cardboard box decorated, through wicker or wood baskets, even plastic bags and cold packs for travel and to the most luxurious, wooden chests and leather. You can find the ideal packing in supermarkets, department stores, markets or in shops or craft fairs.

Assembly - No matter the package you chose to put the chosen items. It will need something on the bottom to cushion and protect products. Most common are shredded paper (preferably color), straw and cellophane. After filling in the bottom of the pack, it's time to group the items of the basket. A good tip is to always put the biggest first, and thus fit the smaller items in the spaces that were vacant. It is important to remember that one side of the basket should not be heavier than the other because this is likely to be dismantled before they reach their final destination.

Finishing - After putting all the ingredients on the package, just pick a cute cellophane, preferably the favorite color of the person who will receive it, and a tape or a nylon string that matches the paper. Red and green are the colors used at the time, but gold is also a great option and is very beautiful. To give the final touch, make a card with words to express how the person was important to you in years.

The 'smell' of other people's anxiety makes us take more risks

When people are anxious they release a chemical signal that's detectable on a subconscious level by those close to them. That's the implication of a new study that collected sweat from people as they completed a high-rope obstacle course, and then tested the effect of that sweat on study participants as they played a gambling game.

Katrin Haegler's team placed the sweat samples inside odourless tea bags which were attached with an elastic band to the underside of the gambling participants' noses. For comparison, the participants were also exposed to sweat collected from non-anxious riders of an exercise bike.

When exposed to the anxious sweat, the participants took longer to decide over, but were more likely to bet on, the highest risk scenarios - wagering that the next playing card in a pair would be higher than a 9 (where 10 was as high as the cards went) or lower than a 2 (where 1 was the lowest). In other words, the detection of another person's anxiety made them more willing to take risks. Quite why this should be remains unclear. However, the idea that humans can detect the anxiety of others via chemical signals is not new. For example, a 2009 study showed that sweat collected from an anxious person, compared with from an exerciser, triggered extra activity in a range of emotion-related brain areas.

The participants in the present study rated the anxiety-laced sweat and anxiety-free sweat as equally unpleasant and intense, suggesting, consistent with past research, that they couldn't consciously tell the difference between the two. So the effect of anxiety-laced sweat on risk-taking seems to have been a non-conscious influence.

'Although it is not fully understood if perception of emotional chemical signals in humans may have the ability to alert conspecifics about possible danger [as happens with some animals],' the researchers said, 'our findings suggest that anxiety in humans can be communicated through chemical senses.'
_________________________________

Haegler K, Zernecke R, Kleemann AM, Albrecht J, Pollatos O, Brückmann H, and Wiesmann M (2010). No fear no risk! Human risk behavior is affected by chemosensory anxiety signals. Neuropsychologia, 48 (13), 3901-8 PMID: 20875438

The turkey: to brine or not to brine?

I forgot to order a turkey. In all of the happy hub bub of turning my kitchen into a savory pumpkin cannelloni factory for a bunch of the teachers at my older son's school, I completely forgot to get my own Thanksgiving planned. No biggie. There were plenty of perfect turkeys sitting around just waiting for me to pick one. Who knew? I always thought you had to order the perfect bird! Now there's one less thing I have to worry about going forward, hmm. Anyway, brining seems to be the hot topic these days. A friend asked me last week and I kind of dismissed it, saying I'd tried it a few years back and I didn't notice a major difference. Every year since then I've just been going the rub-down-with-butter route and it's been great. (The turkey, not me. Get your mind out of the gutter.) Anyway, enough of you have asked me if I am brining (and you all have this wild look in your eyes saying how you're so excited about brining) that I am going to try brining again this year. One glitch-- Whole Foods was sold out of brining kits. (See, I told you it was big. Man, I wish I owned a brining kit company this year.) Thankfully, the Pioneer Woman's got me covered. Here's her recipe for the perfect brine.

Teddy Bears as a Great Gift

Cute, cheerful and warm. Teddy bears are irresistible and touch the heart.

According to historical records, the first stuffed animals appeared in the United States of America in 1902, creations of a Russian immigrant named Morris Michtom.

The story goes that Michtom, a toy salesman, made the first teddy bears after listening to a story in which President Roosevelt went on a hunt and captured a bear, the president should kill the animal and take it as a trophy, but he declined, and the story of his kindness spread throughout the country.

The bears made by Morris Michtom to honor the story of Roosevelt became very famous and began to carry the name of Teddy Bear, "Teddy", nickname of Theodore Roosevelt's first name.

Some reports say that before the teddy Michtom had a German woman, named Margaret Steiff, which made little animals, but felt.

Previously, the stuffed animals were not very soft. In mid 1950, the toy was made of cotton flannel and was filled with sawdust.

Today, the stuffed animals are made with synthetic and soft materials. Some are even anti-allergic.

The world of stuffed animals is full of interesting and unusual facts: one of the smallest ever made teddy bears measure 3.5 mm in height and was made by the artist Bettina Kaminski. The teddy bear sold at higher price in world history was the "Louis Vuitton Bear", which cost 213,720 euros to the buyer, something around 588 thousand dollars. The teddy bear that cost more to be done was manufactured by German company Steiff, this little animal is stuffed with wires made of gold and eyes made with sapphires and diamonds.

The biggest teddy bear in the world was exposed at a fair in South Korea and is 10 meters high and 2 meters wide.

Bears or other animals, the fact is that this type of gift always charm and are perfect gifts to give especially to women and children: a basket with flowers and a teddy or a box of chocolates and teddy will be great for dates as Mother's Day or Valentine's Day. A teddy can be given as a birthday present. Teddy bears are great presents to be given in several occasions, keep this in mind, the person who will receive it will be pleased for sure.

Top 10 Tips for Birthday Gifts

We don't always stop to think about the date of our anniversary, we usually want to celebrate it, but most people never stopped to think about what that really means. The anniversary is a special day because it is unique and different for each person. Of course with so many people in the world there will always be birthdays in the same day, but it's rare, very rare, and finding someone who was born the same day and time of another person is really rare.

The moment of coming into the world is worshiped in different ways by each culture, and numerology and astrology believes that the place, date and time of birth influence throughout one's life through his personality. Can you shiver to think that destiny can be defined in just one second. But these are pagan beliefs. For the Christian religions, the anniversary is a repetition of someone's birth date and should be celebrated to remember the importance of life granted by God and celebrate another year of joy.

You can not just celebrate birth anniversary, the Japanese tend to celebrate the anniversaries of death of their loved ones. In the West we tend to celebrate anniversaries, dating, and the purchase of a property. A country can celebrate their independence day or the end of a war.

As usual nowadays we present the birthday boy.

10 Tips for gifts, for men and women:

- Women are always more finicky, they like besides the content of the gift, they notice the package and the card, it shows them the dedication and care of the person who give the present. So use caution when choosing gifts for them, it can be simple, but it has to be whimsical.

1. Flowers are always welcome, but they fade, in this case one can choose a sumptuous vase, this melt any female heart.
2. They like to receive for sure, beauty accessories. Only those who have no vanity would not give any importance to a new makeup kit, but just between us, that is very rare.
3. Another option are clothes, or even basic blouses with delicate details always a big plus, the only attention it should have is knowing how big the honoree use and ask if the store makes trading if needed.
4. Women also like to receive handbags and wallets, according to the style, is not difficult to find numerous options in stores.
5. Finally a classic gift, but it serves for the more reserved women, are the books and DVDs for the most hyped, self-help books, fiction or DVDs of films in release or pop concerts. And for the most intellectual and neat books of poetry and classic literature, old movies and contemporary music, pop, for example.

- Men give less attention to detail, tend to be happy with the simple and useful. Here are five tips to not make mistakes with them:

1. They will always be connected to technology or anything that is useful in everyday life, a new mobile phone, a camera, a watch, a Swiss army knife with many functions, a flashlight and bottle opener or even a toolkit, will leave them with glowing eyes, like a child with new toy.
2. For the most relaxed, a cap, a plain T-shirt or a modern tennis for sure will be part of his wardrobe.
3. The more straights and executives will be happy to receive a wallet, a belt, a tie or a book that tackles issues of everyday life.
4. Men adventurers like backpacks and bermudas, and these gifts are easy to find in any variety stores.
5. An option that is more classic and sophisticated are drinks, fine wine or liquor is a good thing. Just check the taste of the honored and if it can consume alcoholic beverages.

Gifts are always a cuddle in the heart of the giver and the gift recipient, hours of joy are shared. The important thing is to know who will be presented and watch the likes of the person. Surely with simple gifts you can cause great and good impressions.