Top Of The World, Baatara Gorge Waterfall

Top Of The World, Baatara Gorge Waterfall

Discovered in 1952 by French bio-speleologist Henri Coiffait, the waterfall and accompanying sinkhole were fully mapped in the 1980s by the Spéléo club du Liban. The cave is also known as the "Cave of the Three Bridges." Traveling from Laklouk to Tannourine one passes the village of Balaa, and the "Three Bridges Chasm" (in French "Gouffre des Trois Ponts") is a five-minute journey into the valley below where one sees three natural bridges, rising one above the other and overhanging a chasm descending into Mount Lebanon. During the spring melt, a 90–100-metre (300–330 ft) cascade falls behind the three bridges and then down into the 250-metre (820 ft) chasm. A 1988 fluorescent dye test demonstrated that the water emerged at the spring of Dalleh in Mgharet al-Ghaouaghir.

Source:   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baatara_gorge_waterfall

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Top 20 Most Evil Humans

Top 20 Most Evil Humans

This list looks at the last three years of lists of evil men and women, and combines and ranks the worst of the worst. Children are excluded as the evil children don’t rank anywhere near the evil of adults seen in the past. I have also added one entry who has not appeared on other lists, but is definitely worthy of inclusion. If you disagree with my ranking (as no doubt many will) be sure to tell us in the comments – perhaps include your own ranking, too. Also, tell us if you think someone else should be on the list.

1.Delphine LaLaurie

 LaLaurie was a sadistic socialite who lived in New Orleans. Her home was a chamber of horrors. On April 10, 1834, a fire broke out in the mansion’s kitchen, and firefighters found two slaves chained to the stove. They appeared to have started the fire themselves, in order to attract attention. The firefighters were lead by other slaves to the attic, where the real surprise was. Over a dozen disfigured and maimed slaves were manacled to the walls or floors. Several had been the subjects of gruesome medical experiments. One man appeared to be part of some bizarre sex change, a woman was trapped in a small cage with her limbs broken and reset to look like a crab, and another woman with arms and legs removed, and patches of her flesh sliced off in a circular motion to resemble a caterpillar. Some had had their mouths sewn shut, and had subsequently starved to death, whilst others had their hands sewn to different parts of their bodies. Most were found dead, but some were alive and begging to be killed, to release them from the pain. LaLaurie fled before she could be bought to justice - she was never caught. You can read a more indepth article on Delphine LaLaurie here.

2.Ilse Koch

Known as The “Bitch of Buchenwald” because of her sadistic cruelty towards prisoners, Ilse Koch was married to another evil Nazi, who served in the SS, Karl Otto Koch, but outshone him in the depraved, inhumane disregard for life which was her trademark. She used her sexual prowess by wandering around the camps naked, with a whip, and if any man so much as glanced at her she would have them shot on the spot. The most infamous accusation against Ilse Koch was that she had selected inmates with interesting tattoos to be killed, so that their skins could be made into lampshades for her home (though, unfortunately, no evidence of these lampshades has been found). After the war she was arrested and spent time in prison on different charges, eventually hanging herself in her cell in 1967, apparently consumed by guilt.

3.Shirō Ishii

 Ishii was a microbiologist and the lieutenant general of Unit 731, a biological warfare unit of the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War. He was born in the former Shibayama Village of Sanbu District in Chiba Prefecture, and studied medicine at Kyoto Imperial University. In 1932, he began his preliminary experiments in biological warfare as a secret project for the Japanese military. In 1936, Unit 731 was formed. Ishii built a huge compound - more than 150 buildings over six square kilometers - outside the city of Harbin, China.

Some of the numerous atrocities committed by Ishii, and others under his command in Unit 731, include: vivisection of living people (including pregnant women who were impregnated by the doctors), prisoners had limbs amputated and reattached to other parts of their body, some prisoners had parts of their bodies frozen and thawed to study the resulting untreated gangrene. Humans were also used as living test cases for grenades and flame throwers. Prisoners were injected with inoculations of disease, disguised as vaccinations, to study their effects. To study the effects of untreated venereal diseases, male and female prisoners were deliberately infected with syphilis and gonorrhea via rape, then studied. A complete list of these horrors can be found here.

Having been granted immunity by the American Occupation Authorities at the end of the war, Ishii never spent any time in jail for his crimes and died at the age of 67, of throat cancer.

4.Ivan IV of Russia

 Ivan IV of Russia, also know as Ivan the Terrible, was the Grand Duke of Muscovy, from 1533 to 1547, and was the first ruler of Russia to assume the title of Tsar. In 1570, Ivan was under the belief that the elite of the city of Novgorod planned to defect to Poland, and led an army to stop them, on January 2. Ivan’s soldiers built walls around the perimeter of the city in order to prevent the people of the city escaping. Between 500 and 1000 people were gathered every day by the troops, then tortured and killed in front of Ivan and his son. In 1581, Ivan beat his pregnant daughter-in-law for wearing immodest clothing, causing a miscarriage. His son, also named Ivan, upon learning of this, engaged in a heated argument with his father, which resulted in Ivan striking his son in the head with his pointed staff, causing his son’s (accidental) death.

5.Oliver Cromwell

 The Cromwellian conquest of Ireland (1649-53) refers to the re-conquest of Ireland by the forces of the English Parliament, led by Oliver Cromwell, during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. The consequence of this conquest (in order to displace Catholic authority) was 200,000 civilian deaths from war-related famine and disease, and 50 thousand Irish being taken as slaves. Cromwell considered Catholics to be heretics so the Irish conquest was a modern day Crusade for him. The bitterness caused by the Cromwellian settlement was a powerful source of Irish nationalism from the 17th century onwards. He died in 1658, and was so hated that, in 1661, he was exhumed from the grave and given a posthumous execution - his corpse was hung in chains at Tyburn, and he was later dismembered and his remains thrown into a pit, with his head being displayed on a pole outside Westminster Hall for the next twenty-four years.

6.Jiang Qing

 Jiang Qing was the wife of Mao Tse-tung, the Communist dictator of China. Through clever maneuvering, she managed to reach the highest position of power within the communist party (short of being President). It is believed that she was the main driving force behind China’s Cultural Revolution (of which she was the deputy director). During the Cultural Revolution, much economic activity was halted, and countless ancient buildings, artifacts, antiques, books and paintings were destroyed by Red Guards. The 10 years of the Cultural Revolution also brought the education system to a virtual halt, and many intellectuals were sent to prison camps. Millions of people in China, reportedly, had their human rights annulled during the Cultural Revolution. Millions more were also forcibly displaced. Estimates of the death toll - civilians and Red Guards -from various Western and Eastern sources are about 500,000 in the true years of chaos of 1966-1969, but some estimates are as high as 3 million deaths, with 36 million being persecuted.

7.Pol Pot

 Pol Pot was the leader of the Khmer Rouge and the Prime Minister of Cambodia, from 1976 to 1979, having been de facto leader since mid-1975. During his time in power, Pol Pot imposed an extreme version of agrarian communism where all city dwellers were relocated to the countryside to work in collective farms and forced labour projects. The combined effect of slave labour, malnutrition, poor medical care and executions is estimated to have killed around 2 million Cambodians (approximately one third of the population). His regime achieved special notoriety for singling out all intellectuals and other “bourgeois enemies” for murder. The Khmer Rouge committed mass executions in sites known as the Killing Fields. The executed were buried in mass graves. In order to save ammunition, executions were often carried out using hammers, axe handles, spades or sharpened bamboo sticks.

8.Heinrich Himmler

 Heinrich Himmler, the architect of the holocaust and final solution, and considered to be the biggest mass murderer ever, by some (although it’s really Josef Stalin). The holocaust would not have happened if not for this man. He tried to breed a master race of Nordic appearance, the Aryan race. His plans for racial purity were ended by Hitler’s vanity in making rash military decisions rather than letting his generals make them, thus ending the war prematurely. Himmler was captured after the war. He unsuccessfully tried to negotiate with the west, and was genuinely shocked to be treated as a criminal upon capture. He committed suicide by swallowing a cyanide capsule he had bit upon.

9.Adolf Hitler

 Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany in 1933, becoming “Führer” in 1934 until his suicide in 1945. By the end of the second world war, Hitler’s policies of territorial conquest and racial subjugation had brought death and destruction to tens of millions of people, including the genocide of some six million Jews, in what is now known as the Holocaust. On 30 April, 1945, after intense street-to-street combat, when Soviet troops were spotted within a block or two of the Reich Chancellory, Hitler committed suicide, shooting himself while simultaneously biting into a cyanide capsule. Hitler ranks over Himmler merely for the fact that it was in his power to prevent Himmler’s policies being implemented

10.Josef Stalin

 Stalin was General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union’s Central Committee, from 1922 until his death, in 1953. Under Stalin’s leadership, the Ukraine suffered from a famine (Holodomor) so great it is considered by many to be an act of genocide on the part of Stalin’s government. Estimates of the number of deaths range from 2.5 million to 10 million. The famine was caused by direct political and administrative decisions. In addition to the famine, Stalin ordered purges within the Soviet Union of any person deemed to be an enemy of the state. In total, estimates of the number murdered under Stalins reign, range from 10 million to 60 million.

11. Attila The Hun

 Attila was Khan of the Huns from 434 until his death in 453. He was leader of the Hunnic Empire which stretched from Germany to the Ural River and from the Danube River to the Baltic Sea. In much of Western Europe, he is remembered as the epitome of cruelty and rapacity. An unsuccessful campaign in Persia was followed in 441 by an invasion of the Eastern Roman Empire, the success of which emboldened Attila to invade the West. He passed unhindered through Austria and Germany, across the Rhine into Gaul, plundering and devastating all in his path with a ferocity unparalleled in the records of barbarian invasions and compelling those he overcame to augment his mighty army. Attila drowned in his own blood on his wedding night.

12. Maximilien Robespierre

 Maximilien Robespierre was a leader of the French revolution and it was his arguments that caused the revolutionary government to murder the king without a trial. In addition, Robespierre was one of the main driving forces behind the reign of terror, a 10 month post-revolutionary period in which mass executions were carried out. The Terror took the lives of between 18,500 to 40,000 people, with 1,900 being killed in the last month. Among people who were condemned by the revolutionary tribunals, about 8 percent were aristocrats, 6 percent clergy, 14 percent middle class, and 70 percent were workers or peasants accused of hoarding, evading the draft, desertion, rebellion, and other purported crimes.

13. Ruhollah Khomeini

 Ayatollah was the religious leader of Iran from 1979 to 1989. In that time he implemented Sharia Law (Islamic religious law) with the Islamic dress code enforced for both men and women by Islamic Revolutionary Guards and other Islamic groups. Opposition to the religious rule of the clergy or Islam in general was often met with harsh punishments. In a talk at the Fayzieah School in Qom, August 30, 1979, Khomeini said:

    “Those who are trying to bring corruption and destruction to our country in the name of democracy will be oppressed. They are worse than Bani-Ghorizeh Jews, and they must be hanged. We will oppress them by God’s order and God’s call to prayer.”In the 1988 massacre of Iranian prisoners, following the People’s Mujahedin of Iran operation Forough-e Javidan against the Islamic Republic, Khomeini issued an order to judicial officials to judge every Iranian political prisoner and kill those who would not repent anti-regime activities. Many say that thousands were swiftly put to death inside the prisons. The suppressed memoirs of Grand Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri reportedly detail the execution of 30,000 political activists.

After eleven days in a hospital for an operation to stop internal bleeding, Khomeini died of cancer on Saturday, June 04, 1989, at the age of 86.

14. Idi Amin Dada

 Idi Amin was an army officer and president of Uganda. He took power in a military coup in January 1971, deposing Milton Obote. His rule was characterized by human rights abuses, political repression, ethnic persecution, extra judicial killings and the expulsion of Indians from Uganda. The number of people killed as a result of his regime is unknown; estimates range from 80,000 to 500,000. On August 4, 1972, Amin issued a decree ordering the expulsion of the 60,000 Asians who were not Ugandan citizens (most of them held British passports). This was later amended to include all 80,000 Asians, with the exception of professionals, such as doctors, lawyers and teachers. Amin was eventually overthrown, but until his death, he held that Uganda needed him and he never expressed remorse for the abuses of his regime.

15. Leopold II of Belgium

 Leopold II was King of Belgium from 1865-1909. With financial support from the government, Leopold created the Congo Free State, a private project undertaken to extract rubber and ivory in the Congo region of central Africa, which relied on forced labour and resulted in the deaths of approximately 3 million Congolese. The regime of the Congo Free State became one of the more infamous international scandals of the turn of the century. The area of land privately owned by the King was an area 76 times larger than Belgium, which he was free to rule as a personal domain through his private army, the Force Publique. Leopold’s rubber gatherers tortured, maimed and slaughtered until at the turn of the century, the conscience of the Western world forced Brussels to call a halt.

16.Elizabeth Bathory

 She was a Transylvanian princess of the late 16th and early 17th Century. Her brother was Price of Transylvania, and basically an Ottoman puppet, since the Ottoman conquest of Hungary in 1543. The Turks allowed a shadow independence in Transylvania and promoted Protestantism to divide the Christians.In order to improve her complexion and also to maintain her failing grasp on her youth and vitality, she slaughtered six hundred innocent young women from her tiny mountain principality...

17.VladIII the Impaler

 Most people are familiar with Bram Stoker's infamous book - Dracula.  What you may not know is that Stoker's famous writing was based upon a real-life character.  Although Bram's Dracula was indeed quite forbidding, the real life Dracula is the epitaph of evil.

Vlad's Banquet (16043 bytes)Impalement was Dracula's favorite method of punishment.  Not only was this method of punishment extremely painful, but Dracula seemed to derive sick pleasure from watching his people being tortured.  In fact, wood cuttings from this time period indicate that Dracula often dined surrounded by the decaying bodies of the dead.

Impalement was initiated by by taking a oiled stake about as wide as a burly man's arm, and inserting it through the victims buttocks, often until it protruded from their mouths.   The stake was purposefully kept dull to keep the victims from dying too soon from shock.  The victims legs were tied to two horses while the stake was placed in position.  Upon command the horses slowly pulled the victim's legs until the stake was impaled into the victims body.  Mother's often had additional stakes driven through their chests with their children and infants impaled on the extended portion of the stake.  After the stakes were in place, they were driven into the ground and placed around the outside perimeter of Vlad's castle.  Bodies were left in these positions for months, the stench of rotting bodies permeating throughout the kingdom.

18. Hirohito

Hirohito was the Emporer of Japan from 1926 to 1989. In 1937, Japanese troops committed the war crime that is now known as the Rape of Nanking (the then Capital of China, now known as Nanjing). The duration of the massacre is not clearly defined, although the violence lasted well into the next six weeks, until early February 1938. During the occupation of Nanjing, the Japanese army committed numerous atrocities, such as rape, looting, arson and the execution of prisoners of war and civilians. A large number of women and children were also killed, as rape and murder became more widespread. The death toll is generally considered to be between 150,000 and 300,000. The Wikipedia article contains images and descriptions of the atrocities committed.

19. Talat Pasha

He was the Grand Vizier of the Sultan in the Ottoman empire from 1917 to 1918.  In 1915, Talat declared an order to wipe out the Armenian race.  People were whipped, tortured, robbed, raped and killed.  All of the Armenians were forced into concentration camps.  People were overloaded with supplies and forced to trudge miles with no food and they were killed if they couldn’t continue.  People were naked when they marched.  The whole male population of Angora was exterminated.  Many were forced to rape family members.  People were killed by bayonets, clubs, axes, hammers, spades, scythes, and saws.  Many had their private parts and sexual organs cut off.  Tens of thousands were burned, drowned, poisoned, dismembered, crucified, boiled and beaten to death.  Out of the population of 2.5 million Armenians, 1 to 1.5 million people were killed.  Talat was assonated in 1921 by a Armenian assassination squad.


20  .Genghis Khan

He was Khan of the Mongolian Empire from 1206 to 1227.  In that time he conquered most of China and all the land through the Caspian Sea.  He was ruthless, vengeful, cruel, and bloodthirsty.  He and his army destroyed countless numbers of cities, solders, civilians and children.  People were killed  by having molten metal and silver poured into their eyes and ears. In one massacre alone, 700,000 people were killed. At another place, the poor were decapitated and the rich were tortured to find out where their treasure was.  Women were sometimes raped in front of their families.  Hundreds of thousands had their lives ruined.  It is said that if his army of men had no water they would cut a horse’s vein and drink its blood.  He would use people as human shields.  Tens of thousands became slaves.  He would order you to be killed immediately if you were an enemy, if you betrayed him or if you were disloyal to him.  Genghis and his army killed  20 to 60 million people (or 10% to 30% of the known world’s population).  He killed three-fourths of the population of the Iranian Plateau which was 10 to 15 million.  He also killed his brother at age 13 just because his brother had stolen a fish from him.  Genghis Khan once said “The greatest happiness is to scatter your enemy to drive him before you, to see his cities reduced to ashes, to see those who love him shrouded in tears, and to gather into your bosom his wives and daughters.” Genghis Khan died of natural causes in 1227.

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Top 8 Foods for Healthy Hair

Top 8 Foods for Healthy Hair

When it comes to eating for healthy hair,variety is the key.Hair consists mainly of protein, but also requires zinc,sulfur,iron, the B-vitamins and essential fattyacids ,to keep it healthy. Therefore, an overall balanced diet of lean proteins,fruits,and vegetables,whole grains,legumes,fatty fish like salmon and dairy produce are all  beneficial forhealthy, strong hair. Here are some of the topfoods for healthy, strong, shiny looking hair:

1. Oily Fish
Oily fish such as salmon is loaded with omega-3 fattyacids,and this high quality protein source is also packed with vitamin B12 and iron. Essential omega-3 fattyacids are needed to support scalp health and a deficiency can result in a dry scalp and lifeless hair. However, eat fish in moderation as it can also contain high levels of contaminants such as mercury.
A vegetarian alternative is to include one or two tablespoons of ground flax seeds in the daily diet for some plant-based omega-3 fats.

2. Dark Green Vegetables
Vegetables like spinach, broccoli and Swiss chard, are excellent sources of vitamins A and C, which the body needs to produce sebum. This oily substance, secreted by the hair follicles,is the body’s natural hair conditioner. Dark green vegetables also provide iron, calcium and sulfur. Sulfur is an important mineral for glossy, shiny hair.

3. Beans
Legumes like kidney beans and lentils should be an important part of the hair care diet. Not only do they provide plentiful protein to promote hair growth, but also iron, zinc ,and biotin. Biotin deficiencies, whilst rare, can result in brittle hair.

4. Nuts
Brazil nuts are one of the best natural sources of selenium, an important mineral for a healthy scalp.

Walnuts contain alpha linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that helps condition hair.They are also a great source of zinc,as are cashews, pecans,and almonds.A zinc deficiency can lead to hair loss,so make nuts are a regular addition to the diet.

5. Poultry
Poultry is an example of high quality protein. Inadequate or low quality protein can  result in weak, brittle hair,and a profound protein deficiency can result in loss of hair color,causing hair to become grey quicker. Poultry also provides the body with a form of iron that has a high degree of bio availability, meaning the body can easily reap its benefits.

6. Eggs
Eggs are one of the best protein sources available,and they also contain biotin and vitamin B12, which a real so important hair nutrients. Egg yolks are rich in zinc,which, among other uses,can help to maintain hair color and promote hair growth.

7. Dairy Products
Dairy products like milk,yogurt and cottage cheese are great sources of calcium, an important mineral for hair growth. They also contain whey and case in, two high quality protein sources.

8. Carrots
Carrots are an excellent source of Vitamin A, which not only promotes good vision, but also a healthy scalp. A healthy scalp is essential for a shiny, well conditioned head of hair.

9. Coconut Oil
The ancient Indian practice of Ayurvedic medicine has relied on the power of coconut oil for centuries. Coconut oil is used as an anti-aging and stress relieving treatment - in addition to a miracle hair treatment. Massaging coconut oil throughout your hair just a few times per week can keep your hair free from dandruff, split ends, and hair-loss. Plus, the fresh coconut scent will instantly transport you to the beach - how’s that for stress relief?

10. Honey
Not only will honey sweeten your tea, it can also add some sweetness and shine to your hair. Mix 2 tbsp of honey with 2/3 cup of olive oil, massage into hair and wrap with a warm towel for a half-hour, rinse with warm water. Although it may seem a little sticky, your hair will appreciate the sweet effort.

11. Turkey
Full of lean protein, turkey is an excellent choice for iron, which makes for healthy, strong hair. With less calories and fat than beef, turkey can be eaten more frequently and that means more ways to get solid protein in your diet. Replace bacon with turkey bacon and throw a few turkey burgers on the grill for a lean, mean way to keep your hair strong.

12. Avocados
With over 25 vital nutrients, avocados pack a punch with Vitamins E and B. Replace your pricey conditioner with a ripe avocado and apply to wet hair after using your favorite cleanser and let it linger on your locks for a few minutes. Rinse throughly and you’ll have a clean, fresh, and shiny head of gorgeous hair.

13. Peas
Peas provide an excellent way to get the carbohydrates and potassium that your hair needs to stay vibrant and strong. Although they contain more calories than other green vegetables, these nutrient-filled calories will keep you full and your hair at its healthiest.

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Top 10 Health Tips for Men

Top 10 Health Tips for Men

When it comes to health care, we men are like ostriches. We bury our heads in the sand. We are much less likely than women to visit our doctors regularly, take symptoms seriously and live a healthful lifestyle. Maybe that’s one reason why women have a seven-year average survival advantage on us!  Yet it’s obviously important that men of all ages become more proactive about their health. And an easy way to start is to follow these 10 basic steps to maintaining health and vitality.

1. Eliminate "White Foods" from Your Diet.
White flour, white sugar and other processed foods are not only devoid of vitamins and minerals, but they’ve also been stripped of their natural fibre. As a result, they rapidly drive up blood sugar levels, which contributes to weight gain, diabetes and a host of other health problems. Avoid breads and baked goods made with white flour, sugar-laden sodas and snack foods. Instead, focus on eating fibre-rich fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains.

2. Stay Away from Dangerous Trans Fats.
While it’s important to reduce your overall fat intake, it’s even more important to watch the types of fat you eat. Deep-fried foods and anything made with hydrogenated oils (margarine, peanut butter, shortening, store-bought pastries and cookies) contain trans fats that raise your risk of heart disease. Eat only healthful fats, such as olive oil and the omega-3 oils found in salmon and other cold-water fish, which actually protect against heart disease.

3. Take a Potent Daily Multivitamin and Mineral Supplement.
Although there is no substitute for a good diet, I am convinced that for optimal nutrition, you need to take a high-potency multivitamin and mineral supplement. Even if you are eating right, it’s unlikely that your food contains all the nutrients you need. Poor soil quality, storage, processing and cooking deplete our food of vitamins and minerals. Taking a high quality daily supplement is "health insurance" against possible deficiencies.

4. Include Weight Training in Your Exercise Routine.
Aerobic exercise is great for cardiovascular conditioning, but it’s vastly inferior to weight training in attacking the "flab factor." Recent research has shown that as little as once-weekly resistance exercise can improve muscle strength. Even the busiest or laziest among us can find the time and energy for that. Join a gym, consult a personal trainer or ask an experienced friend to show you the ropes.

5. Maintain Your Optimal Weight.
Current statistics suggest that half of us are losing the battle of the bulge, but maintaining a healthy weight is one of the best things you can do for yourself. You’ll look better, feel better and reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and other major killers. I know this is easier said than done, but if you just follow the four steps above, you’ll be well on your way.

6. Drink Alcohol Only in Moderation. 
You’ve probably heard of the "French Paradox," and that drinking wine protects against heart disease. Repeated studies have shown that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol (all kinds) protects not only against heart disease, but also lowers risk of death from all causes. Remember that moderation is key. While one to two drinks a day are protective, excess alcohol consumption is devastating to health. And for some, one drink is too many.

7. Protect Your Prostate.
Around the age of 40, the prostate gland begins a growth spurt that results in symptoms such as frequent nighttime urination. The good news is that this condition, known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, can be prevented or reversed by taking extracts of two herbs: saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) and pygeum (Pygeum africanum). Dozens of studies have shown that these herbs work in improving urinary flow without adverse side-effects. Suggested doses are 160 to 320 milligrams of saw palmetto and 40 to 80 mg of pygeum daily.

8. Reduce .
Your Risk of Prostate Cancer. Experts estimate that 80 per cent of all cancers can be prevented by making healthy lifestyle choices. Avoid saturated and trans fats, which may fuel prostate cancer growth, and incorporate protective foods, such as soy, green tea and tomatoes, into your diet. Soy contains isoflavones with specific anti-cancer activity. Green tea is rich in polyphenols that inhibit the formation of cancer-causing compounds and block the growth of prostate cancer cells. And tomatoes, particularly cooked tomato products, are an excellent source of lycopene, which is linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer. In addition, make sure your daily nutritional supplement contains high doses of the antioxidant selenium (200 micrograms) and vitamin E (800 IU), which have been shown to dramatically lower the risk of prostate cancer.

9. Maintain Vigorous Sexual Function.
Most cases of erectile dysfunction (impotence) have a physical cause: You’re just not getting enough blood to the area in question. To improve overall circulation, follow the diet, exercise and supplement recommendations above. If you’re taking drugs, review them with your doctor, as many can worsen erectile function and impair libido. Smoking also significantly impairs erectile function. Several herbs have been shown to improve sexual function. Ginkgo biloba increases blood flow to the penis, and Panax ginseng, oats, horny goat weed, maca and seroctin improve libido.

10. Maintain Close Relationships.
Another thing women seem to do better than men is maintain close relationships. Make a point to strengthen ties with your family and friends. Volunteer work, religious ties, even pets–anything that keeps you involved with others–reduces stress and enhances health.

Take charge of your health by incorporating these 10 steps into your life. The rewards of optimal health and well-being will be well worth your efforts.

Men’s Longevity "To Do" List

1.  Eliminate "white foods" from your diet.
2.  Stay away from dangerous trans fats.
3.  Take a daily vitamin-mineral supplement.
4.  Incorporate weight training in your exercise routine.
5.  Maintain your optimal weight.
6.  Drink alcohol only in moderation.
7.  Protect your prostate.
8.  Reduce your risk of prostate cancer.
9.  Maintain vigorous sexual function.
10. Maintain close relationships.

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Top 10 Ways to Promote Your Blog

Top 10 Ways to Promote Your Blog

Blogs are a very popular outlet for Internet marketing? they are easy to start up and easy to keep up, they’re also a free medium to advertise products and ideas with content. Blogs are popular because readers get to participate in the conversation about niche markets and aren’t as formal as sales pages and website pages. Once you have a blog up and running, you need to promote it to get traffic to your blog? we won’t go into what you should have in your blog (compelling, interesting and informative articles/copy that engages the reader and creates a dialogue), but we will look at the top 10 ways to promote your blog and get the traffic that you need.

1. Social Bookmarking Sites
Sites such as Digg and Delicious grab traffic and have it head right for your blog. These are quite easy to use (so long as you don’t vote for yourself)?. Create a free account, write a description, add tags and the address to your blog, and voila! - With compelling headlines and descriptions, you can quickly gain traffic to your blog.

2. Visiting Forums
Visiting forums in your niche market is nearly as old as the Internet itself?.But this works and it’s free. Participate in the forums with relevant (and compelling) information that leads to what your blog is all about. Having a great signature line with a link to your blog is the key.

3. Free eBooks
Writing and offering free eBooks will also bring traffic to your website. Your eBook should be compelling, well written and chock full of useful information (otherwise, no one will visit your blog, thinking you’re nothing real to say anyway).

4. Join Groups
Look at MSN, Yahoo and Google groups and find some that are relevant to your niche. Don’t spam them ? Enjoy the conversation and ease into it.

5. Video it
Create a video (or hire someone to do it) then submit it to one of the many popular video sites (such as YouTube) and find more traffic being directed to your site. It’s not a secret that video sites are incredibly popular and that this popularity is only growing each and every day ?so get in on the action, create a compelling video and get more traffic to your blog.

6. Update Regularly
Updating your blog regularly is very important. You have to continue updating with relevant information that is interesting and leads to more information yet to come. This will bring people back to your blog time and time again.

7. Blog Directories
This is very simple ?submit your blog to blog directories for backlinks and new potential readers. Although most blog directories will require a link back from your blog, it may not have to be permanent. Here are a few of the most popular blog directories you should submit to:
BlogCatalog
Blog Flux Directory
BlogHub

8. Really Simple Syndication (RSS)
RSS feeds are also incredibly popular and this allows your loyal readers to know when you’re updated your blog (which should be often and regularly). It’s quite easy to RSS your blog and this allows your readers to know when you’re posted more information that they want to read.

9. RSS Directories
Don’t forget, now that you’re syndicated your blog, to submit to RSS directories as well.

10. SEO your Blog
The most importnat, SEOing your blog will lead to receiving completely free traffic from search engines. The main things you need to do is make sure your markup is error-free, and you’re using headings, such as,and’s, the most important three. You should also link to your homepage with the appropriate anchor text. You should try and get as many quality backlinks as you can to help this along.

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Desk Top Safari

Desk Top Safari 

By Mike Whiteside

It truly is a very fascinating idea, combining the quirky characteristics of animals with the bored and motivational lacking office worker. Despite being trapped behind their desk, now they can swim in the ocean , soar through the sky, leap across lily pads, or even (if you have an IPad) hang upside down like a bat.

Source: http://desksafari.tumblr.com/

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Top Twenty Tips Life Success and Happiness

Top Twenty Tips Life Success and Happiness

Do you want to move ahead in your life, career, relationships, confidence, health or personal happiness? Typically it’s a lack of self-belief, focus and action caused by a whole host of thoughts, fears and ideas that hold you back from the happiness and fulfillment you seek. It’s is no surprise because from infancy we’re all bombarded with all sorts of ideas and beliefs (conditioning) about who you should be, how you should look, what you should own and all sorts of other nonsense.  The good news is that some simple steps will help build the vision, belief and action the keys to unlock greater success and happiness: 

Top twenty tips 
1.  Be yourself, no-one else (this is one the greatest keys to happiness).

2.  Appreciate who you truly are (remember you’re the magic, rich, whole spirit beneath the ideas and fears you’ve been handed by society).

3.  Take responsibility for your life / actions from now (let others do the same)

4.  Focus on your life don’t be sidetracked by those of others, celebrities or the characters in whatever TV show others may be hooked on!

5.  Let go of negative relationships and build positive ones. Be kind to yourself and supportive of others.

6.  Stop thinking about what you don’t want in life and start acting on what you do want (this is one of the key traits of happy and fulfilled people).

7.  Write down all your personal and professional qualities, strengths and achievements -keep them in mind and always work from your strengths.

8.  Find a quiet space. Take 15 minutes to imagine / picture / think about where you’d like to be in your life, career, relationships, health and interests in three years time. Make it as specific and detailed as you can. Now jot down what steps you’d need to take to achieve them. Include all the skills, talents, resources and support you have now and all those that you’d need to seek out or develop.

9.  List the 3 people who inspire you most and 3 qualities you admire in each of them. Now write down all the ways you share their qualities/ values. Finally write down what 3 pieces of advice each of your 3 people would give you to help you move ahead in your life.

10.  Spend quality quiet time with yourself every day and live one day at a time. Move toward your goals at your own pace.  Be flexible, trust your instincts and learn from success and setbacks in equal measure. Flowers grow by both sun and rain.

11. Make happiness a priority.  If happiness is not at the top of your list then other  things will take precedence.  If other things take precedence, they may well interfere with your efforts to feel good.

12. Play and have fun. Don’t take life too seriously. Although we all have responsibilities there’s no reason why we can’t approach much of our lives in a playful manner.  In fact, those who do so will undoubtedly be happier.

13. Identify where your strengths lie.  Know where your faults and weaknesses are to avoid problems.  Know where your strengths lie to be really happy and to succeed in life.

14. Utilise your strengths. Although we all can and should endeavour to improve in areas in which we’re weak there’s just as much, if not more, to be gained from focusing on the maximal utilisation of your strengths (including all your positive qualities and attributes).

15. Be curious. Constantly search for new ways to be happy.  Keep a look out for new ways to approach life and to have fun.

16. Be grateful and appreciate what you have. We all have many choices in life one of which is whether to focus on all the things we don’t have (of which there might be many), or to focus on all the things we do have. There’s no doubt, that gratitude and appreciation will significantly increase your chances of experiencing happiness.

17. Invest time and energy in to your key relationships. Happy people spend more time working on and in their relationships. Happy people tend to be more supportive of other people in their life. Happy people are more generous and altruistic.

18. Weed out unhelpful thoughts. The Dalai Lama has been quoted saying that “The central method for achieving a happier life is to train your mind in a daily practice that weakens negative attitudes and strengthens positive ones.” Learn first to identify your thoughts and then begin to challenge those that are negative and unhelpful.

19. Live a healthy life. Eat well and keep active. Exercise regularly. Although not impossible, it’s difficult to be happy if you’re constantly sick and not very healthy.

20. Live in the present moment. The author, Henry Miller once said  “Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognise it as such.” The only moment in which we can truly be happy is the present moment. The only moment over which we have control is the present moment. So be happy now!  Because if not now, then when? .

Above all:  Remember whatever you do, ‘happiness is who you are within not that you are without’. You are already whole and full of potential. This is the birthplace of success. Your value is innate – not dependent on what you achieve. Enjoy your life.

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Top Grooming Tips for Men

Top Grooming Tips for Men

We live in a time when it pays to look younger, whether it's in the workplace or in the dating world. One of the keys to success is good grooming, experts say.  An increasing number of men are making grooming a priority because they want to maintain a youthful appearance and a winning edge.

1. Move more
Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it’s a stress buster. Think ‘move’ in small increments of time. It doesn’t have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing. But that’s great when you’re up to it. Meanwhile, move more.
Thought for the day: Cha, Cha, Cha .  Then do it.

2. Cut fat
Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise. Thought for the day: Lean, mean, fat-burning machine. Then be one.

3. Quit smoking
The jury is definitely in on this verdict. Ever since 1960 when the Surgeon General announced that smoking was harmful to your health, Americans have been reducing their use of tobacco products that kill. Just recently, we have seen a surge in smoking in adolescents and teens. Could it be the Hollywood influence? It seems the stars in every movie of late smoke cigarettes. Beware. Warn your children of the false romance or “tough guy” stance of Hollywood smokers.
Thought for the day: Give up just one cigarette . The next one.

4. Reduce stress
Easier said than done, stress busters come in many forms. Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like. (i.e. soak in a hot tub; walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your dog; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie. Get a massage, a facial or a haircut. Meditate. Count to 10 before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when possible.
Thought for the day: When seeing red, think pink clouds. then float on them.

5. Protect yourself from pollution
If you can’t live in a smog free environment, at least avoid smoke filled rooms, high traffic areas, breathing in highway fumes and exercising near busy thoroughfares. Exercise outside when the smog rating is low Exercise indoors in air conditioning when air quality is bad. Plant lots of shrubbery in your yard. It’s a good pollution and dirt from the street deterrent.
Thought for the day: “Smoke gets in your eyes” . And your mouth, and your nose and your lungs as do pollutants . Hum the tune daily.

6. Wear your seat belt
Statistics show that seat belts add to longevity and help alleviate potential injuries in car crashes. Thought for the day: Buckle down and buckle up.

7. Floss your teeth
Recent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it’s because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don’t?.
Thought for the day: Floss and be your body’s boss.

8. Avoid excessive drinking 
While recent studies show a glass of wine or one drink a day (two for men) can help protect against heart disease; more than that can cause other health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer. Thought for the day: A jug of wine should last a long time.

9. Keep a positive mental outlook
There’s a definitive connection between living well and healthfully and having a cheerful outlook on life. Thought for the day: You can’t be unhappy when you’re smiling or singing. 

10. Choose your parents well
The link between genetics and health is a powerful one. But just because one or both of your parents died young in ill health doesn’t mean you cannot counter act the genetic pool handed you.
Thought for the day: Follow these basic tips for healthy living and you can better control your own destiny.

11. Get rid of the gray hair. 
The fastest way to take years off of your look is to get rid of gray hair. It's less noticeable and more natural to begin coloring your hair when you first begin to go gray. An easy-to-use product formulated , can be used at home to cover gray hair with natural looking results.

12. Go short if you’re balding. 
Balding is another common problem among men. Opting for a comb-over just dates your look. Get comfortable with your changing look and opt for a modern short haircut. When men begin to lose the hair on their heads, they may begin to notice unwanted hair in other places, like their nose, ears or back. Be sure to trim or wax unwanted hair for a clean,  contemporary look.

13. Protect and pamper your skin.
The best way to prevent wrinkles and skin cancer is to protect your skin from sun damage by using a daily moisturizer with sunscreen.  A good daily skin care routine includes cleansing, followed by a gentle facial exfoliant scrub, which also enhances shaving ease and comfort. Follow with a moisturizer containing sunscreen for day and at night a moisturizer to encourage skin regeneration.

14. Pay attention to hands and feet.
Don’t forget to include your hands and feet in your grooming routine. Well-manicured nails and toes contribute to good hygiene and grooming habits. Make time to clip and file your nails at home.
Foot odor is a common problem among many men, and is relatively easy to treat. Scrub your feet daily and dry them completely. Insert a pair of Odor-Eaters In soles into your shoes, which will absorb wetness and odor.

Quick grooming tips
a. If you don’t iron your clothes, remove them immediately from the dryer so wrinkles don’t set.
b. In hot weather, wear light colored, cotton clothing and socks. This will absorb less heat and “sweat stains” will be less visible.
c. Consider trimming your arm pit hairs in warm weather. Less hairs, less bacteria, less smell.

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Top 10 camera phone tips

Top 10 camera phone tips

Image Source: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

#1. Use the rule of thirds
When composing a picture, imagine two horizontal lines and two vertical lines crossing like a tic-tac-toe grid on top of it. Place strong lines and divisions like the horizon in your image on the gridlines and let elements of interest fall on the intersections. A few camera phones let you activate a grid display on the image-preview screen. You can also make your own grid display on a transparent LCD skin with a felt-tip pen. Another option is software that creates a composition overlay in an image-editing program so you can crop your image to conform to various compositional principles.

#2. Stabilize your camera phone
Image-stabilizing functions are now common in compact digital cameras. If your camera phone has a stabilizing feature for video or photos, use it. Camera phones are so lightweight it's nearly impossible to keep them steady and avoid blurred images.This problem gets worse in low light, since the camera phone slows the shutter speed to let in more light and has a longer opportunity to capture movement. To ameliorate this problem, hold the camera phone with both hands and brace your upper arms against your body when you shoot. Bracing your hand against an immobile object such as a telephone pole or a tree can also help, as can a tripod or other support. For posed shots, the self-timer will help keep you from tilting the phone when you push the shutter-release button.

#3. Use the highest resolution setting
Unless you're sure the only thing you want to do with your images is send them to another mobile device or post them online, use the highest resolution setting available. If later you want to print a shot, you'll be glad you did. When shooting video, a higher resolution shows more detail and allows a larger image display when
playing the video on a computer screen. If your camera phone has a memory-card slot, use a high-capacity card so you won't have to drop the resolution to save space. If the phone is compatible with software that lets you upload your images to a gallery or blog at full resolution, use that to make room on your memory card instead of sacrificing image quality.

#4. Use the highest quality setting
Most camera phones allow you to select a quality level for your images. This determines the level of compression used when the images are saved. The higher the quality setting, the lower the compression level. Choose the highest quality setting available so you lose less detail and don't get a muddy photo. If you have to choose between resolution and a quality setting to save space-and it's unlikely you'll make prints reduce the resolution. Even VGA or QVGA resolution will look fine on a screen, but using heavy compression will make the image look worse in any form of display.

#5. Shoot videos at the right frame rate
If your camera phone gives you a choice, use the highest frame rate available for videos, unless you want a slower rate for effect. The most advanced devices can shoot at 30 frames per second-the same rate used by most digital camcorders. Some shoot at a rate closer to 24 frames per second, the rate used to shoot most movies on film. Dropping down to about 15 frames per second gives choppier footage with a look similar to that of an old, silent movie. Higher frame rates produce a smoother look but take up more memory; so if your camera phone has a memory card slot and you're going to shoot a lot of video, get a high-capacity card.

#6. Use a low ISO setting if you can
Many camera phones don't let you control the ISO setting, but if you have one that does, make use of it. In good light, set the ISO to a low number, like 100. The lower the number, the less visual noise will appear in your images. As the light level drops, increase the light sensitivity of the sensor by using a higher ISO setting or switch to auto ISO. You'll get noisier photos at higher ISO levels, but sometimes that's better than no photos at all.

#7. Get the right color tone
Most camera phones provide a handful of white-balance settings, along with some color effects like black-and-white and sepia. In general, it's a good idea to notice what kind of light you're shooting in and select color settings accordingly. Using a white-balance setting designated for the type of light in your scene often produces more natural-looking results than automatic white balance, especially with fluorescent lighting. If the lighting is mixed-maybe incandescent bulbs and natural light from a window-you're better off using automatic white balance. Take a few test shots to see what works. If the light is very dim and there's a lot of visual noise in your shots, try a monochrome shooting mode or convert your shots to black-and-white or sepia with an editing tool. The speckles that look ugly in color can give an image an atmospheric, grainy look in shades of gray or sepia. Shooting in black-and-white in any light can help develop your photographer's eye by letting you concentrate on the relationship between light and shadow without the distraction of color.

#8. Use digital zoom judiciously
A limited number of camera phones offer optical zoom, giving you more flexibility in composing your shot. There's no reason not to use it. Almost all camera phones are equipped with digital zoom, which it's usually not a good idea to use. A digital zoom is basically a cropping function that cuts out and saves a portion of the image that is optically available to the sensor-and ultimately degrades its quality. Whenever possible, opt for sneaker zoom: Take a few steps back or forward to change the framing instead of using a digital zoom or having subjects move.

There may be times when composition is more important than quality-maybe if you're shooting video of a speaker and want the speaker's head and upper body to fill most of the frame. In any case, you won't see the person's face very clearly, but if you use the digital zoom, the image will be composed well. Just remember that digital zoom will negatively affect the quality of both photos and videos, and use it only when the alternative is worse.

#9. Anticipate shutter lag
If you've ever used a compact digital camera, you're familiar with shutter lag. It's the delay between the moment you press the shutter-release button and the moment the image is captured. In very simple camera phones, there's a negligible delay. More sophisticated devices, however, are prone to noticeable shutter lags, especially with auto focus. Get used to your camera phone's timing so when something interesting happens, you'll have a good feel for the point when you need to press the shutter release to capture the most interesting moment.

#10. Decide what your photograph is before you take it
If you're taking a picture or shooting a video, think about the story your photo or video will tell before you take it.
What is the main subject of the photo? 
What are you trying to convey about it? 
Which elements of the scene help you tell the story, and which are footnotes and tangents better left out?
Ask yourself what it is about what you see that makes you want to take a picture of it, and think about the best way to show that to someone who sees the picture.

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TOP TEN HOME REMEDIES FOR SEXUAL DEBILITY AND IMPOTENCE

TOP TEN HOME REMEDIES FOR SEXUAL DEBILITY AND IMPOTENCE

Sexual debility usually results in people who are stressed up emotionally and physically or in people who overindulge in sex since an early age, resulting in poor sexual performance, resulting in the person further feeling low and depressed. Impotence also called erectile dysfunction [ED] is a condition that involves a partial or complete failure of erection of the penis with a normal sexual desire. This may occasionally resolve on its own within a few days, but if it persists then consulting a doctor becomes necessary. Avoid eating a heavy meal late at night. Taking a cool bath before going to bed may help in certain cases. Avoid taking excessive alcohol and stop smoking.

Give yourself some time to relax and avoid talking of work at home. 

SOME HOME REMEDIES

#1. Those who are suffering from the above said condition are advised to take a well-balanced diet consisting of seeds, nuts, grains, vegetables and fruits. They should avoid tea, coffee and all kinds of processed, canned and refined foods.

#2. Two to three cloves of raw garlic should be taken daily.

#3. Lightly macerated mixture of equal parts of dried dates (seedless), blanched almonds, pistachios and sugar is pickled in thin ghee for a week and one ounce is given to the person every morning.

#4. Milk in which figs (anjeer), roots, bark and tender sprouts of Banyan tree (vata) have been boiled is given with honey and sugar.

#5. The dried roots of asparagus (safed musli), about fifteen grams boiled in one cup of milk should be taken twice daily.

#6. Ripe plantains are taken with some ghee twice daily.

#7. Cooked rice eaten  with some ghee and soup of kidney beans (rajmah) is good.

#8. Juice of white onions and fresh ginger is taken with honey daily for a few weeks.

#9. Black raisins should be boiled with milk and taken thrice daily.

#10. Ten drops of the fluid extract of Black Willow (Salix Nigra) in a little hot water before meals is useful for sexual weakness and neurasthenia.

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TOP 20 Examination Tips

TOP 20 Examination Tips

1. Be sure to use the exam requirements, recommended literature and mock papers.

2. Complete the mock first without consulting the answers. Then make sure to  carefully read and understand the feedback.

3. Have all necessary material with you.
You can't borrow items such as pens, pencils, rulers or special equipment while in an examination.

4. Have a relaxing night before your exams.
Have an early night, and try to have a healthy breakfast.

5. Make sure to allow for plenty of time when travelling to the exam location. Enter an exam well-rested.

6. Read the entire paper. 
Where you have choices, decide which ones you plan to answer. Read the question very carefully. Consider what precisely is being asked. If the question demands four arguments, then give four, not three or five. Do not write more than required in the hope that the people marking the exams will select the correct answers.

7. Plan your time. 
Spend some time drafting a plan for the questions you choose to answer.

8. Jot down ideas as they come to you.
While you are answering one question, information about another may suddenly occur to you. Jot it down somewhere because when you come to that question perhaps an hour later, you may have forgotten it.

9. Start with the easy questions. Do not get stuck on difficult ones, but put those questions aside and return to them later. 

10. Often, first impressions are best. Therefore, do not change your answers unless you are absolutely certain that you have made a mistake.

11. When you compose the entire answer yourself: make sure you write clearly.

12. Be Specific. 
One of the frustrating things for examiners can be that they can see the candidate knows about the topic, but is not being specific enough in their answers. The marks are awarded for specific words or terms being mentioned in the answer, therefore be sure to use the keywords of the topic.

13. Don't leave any questions unanswered.
If you are short of time, use note form. Remember, you can only be marked on the answers you give.

14. Never leave the room early.
If you have time at the end, go over your work, add information (e.g. in the margin). You can't return if you suddenly remember a fact after you have left.

15. Do not spend too long on multiple choice questions.
With multiple choice questions it is best to cover the answers and work out your own before looking at the choices on paper. If you can't answer the question come back to it later - have a guess.

16. In the case of multiple choice questions: think of your own answer first before looking at the answers listed on the page.

17. When Running Out Of Time.
If, despite your time management technique, it is clear that you are not going to finish, then adopt this simple technique.

18. Let's say there are five questions left and only ten minutes...... spend two minutes on each and give a partial answer to each. Because majority of the marks for a question are gained in the first couple of minutes where you write down the key words and ideas. The extra time gains the bonus marks and it takes more time or writing to get these.

19. Maintain a stable energy level.
Eating foods such as chocolate bars before an exam might give you an energy boost to begin with but your blood sugar levels will drop within an hour and your energy will plunge dramatically, making it hard for you to concentrate.

20. When you are finished, check carefully whether you have answered all the questions

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Top 10 Tips for Camera Phone

Top 10 Tips for Camera Phone

Whether you're a novice or a pro with your camera phone, we've got some tips that will help you get more camera out of your camera phone. So grab your camera phone and get started!

1. Take lots of pictures
Since your camera phone is always with you, take advantage of capturing those spontaneous moments. Take lots of pictures to increase your chance of capturing just the right shot. Use pictures to communicate - it may be faster and easier for both you and the recipient.

2. Move in close
Many camera phones lack a zoom lens, so make sure you move in close to capture your subject Fill your phone's display screen with your subject to create pictures with greater impact.
Up close you can reveal telling details - a wrinkled nose or an arched eyebrow. Don't get too close or your pictures will be blurry and distorted. As a general rule, stand about one to two feet from your subject.

3. Shoot at eye level
Direct eye contact can be as engaging in a picture as it is in real life. When taking a picture of someone, hold the camera at the person's eye level to unleash the power of those magnetic gazes and mesmerizing smiles. For children and pets, that means stooping to their level. Your subject doesn't have to stare at the camera - all by itself that eye level angle will create a personal and inviting feeling that pulls you into the picture.

4. Watch the light
To create impactful pictures, move in close and fill your viewfinder or LCD with the subject. Unless your camera phone has a built-in flash, low light - bad picture. Try to take pictures in bright light. Without adequate lighting, your camera phone pictures will look dark and grainy. In sunlight, move around where the sun beams onto your subject. Indoors, turn on extra lights to brighten your subject.

5. Use a plain background
A plain background shows off the subject you are photographing. When you're ready to take your picture, force yourself to study the area surrounding your subject. Make sure a tree isn't growing from the head of your subject and that no cars seem to dangle from their ears. Check your picture in the your phone's display screen and retake it if necessary.

6. Try different angles
Start by shooting at eye level. CLICK Capturing many angles will add variety and  interest to your photos. Keep the ones you like, delete the ones you don't.

7. Set resolution to high
Many camera phones include a low, medium, and high resolution setting (picture quality).
Setting your camera phone to the highest setting gives you the best quality pictures.
The quality difference might not be apparent on your phone's display screen, but you'll see it on a computer screen.

8. Discover your phone's capabilities
Flip through your phone manual and see if your phone has any of these features: Picture messaging - send pictures from your phone to others.
Picture effects - snap black & white or sepia pics or add different frames.
Photo caller ID - set a picture for people in your address book so it appears when they call.
Wallpaper - save your favorite picture as the background for your phone.
BLUETOOTH - wirelessly send pictures to Bluetooth Wireless Technology enabled devices.

9. Stay still
Jittery hands cause blurring. Keep your hand still a second or two after shooting, since the shot is still processing. When you hear the click sound, it doesn't mean you captured the photo, it just indicates that you pressed the shutter.

10. Be courteous, be legal
Cell phone etiquette includes being mindful of its camera. Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind.
Ask permission before taking people's picture.
Don't use your camera phone in places like health clubs or theaters.
Places like airplanes, courthouses, concert venues, and military bases, don't allow
cameras or phones. Abide by their rules.
Phones have limited storage space. Send pictures to online photo sites, Photobucket Gallery, instead.

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Top 18 Baking Tips

Top 18 Baking Tips

1. Remember when shopping read labels carefully.  Anything ending in "ose" is a sugar.
2. Always remember, too much baking powder is just as disastrous in baking as too little.  Try to be exact.
3. For lighter and faster rising dough and batters, substitute the liquid from the recipe with powdered milk and water.
4. Spray your counter top with non-stick cooking spray before rolling out dough to prevent sticking of dough.
5. Storing plastic wrap in the fridge prevents it from sticking together and makes it easier to tear.
6. When making icing, try creaming with shortening instead of butter and add a few drops of vinegar. The icing will not harden and will be easy to cut.
7. Test baking soda for freshness by adding a spoonful of soda to a cup of vinegar or lemon juice. If it "fizzes" it's still active.
8. If you forgot to grease your baking pan, place a damp cloth beneath it for a few minutes then the baked item can be easily removed.
9. To keep muffin papers in place while you fill them, rub the bottom of the muffin tin cups with shortening before you put the papers in place.
10. Use an ice cream scoop to pour muffin batter into muffin cups. This will ensure all muffins are uniform in size.
11. Make a quick and easy whipped topping by adding a sliced banana to one beaten egg white. Beat the two together until mixture is stiff.
12. For fluffier whipped cream, add a teaspoon of honey as you whip, followed by a little icing sugar.
13. Glass and ceramic baking dishes retain heat better, allowing you to reduce oven temperature by up to 25 degrees Fahrenheit.
14. To keep the crust from getting too hard when baking bread or dark fruit cake, place a small dish of water in the oven while cooking.
15. When baking a milk pudding, place the dish in a pan of water in the oven to prevent the pudding from burning or boiling over.
16. An entire batch of bread dough can be frozen to be baked at a later date.  Mix the dough, wrap and freeze or let it rise once, punch it down and then wrap and freeze. When it thaws, put it in bread pans for the second rise and then bake.
17. To give dinner rolls and buns that "just baked" freshness, fill a brown paper bag with water, then pour it out immediately. Fill the bag with the rolls or buns, rolling the top of the bag to close. Place it in a low temperature oven for 5 -10 minutes. They will then have that "fresh from the oven" taste.
18. Freeze water in muffin tins or bundy pans to make ice for punch bowls.

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