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Contrary to popular belief, the peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a nutritious snack that doesn't just satisfy the savory sweet tooth. It can be turned into a significant source of protein and fiber with an adequate number of calories that will keep your engine charging without overloading you to the brink of disgustion. Here's how.

Many a times when one is getting prepared to concoct the classic PBJ, or when one is thinking about not making it, bread and a healhty dose of carbs come to mind. For those who are looking to beef up their PBJ and turn it into a meal, as opposed to a snack, or for those who are turned off by the relatively insignificant value of nutritional content in a slice or two of the simple white or classic wheat, consider sprouted rye, classic whole grain, or any other hearty dough that will leave a lasting impression on your bowels and or your oblique muscles. There are breads out there with 5 grams of protein per slice and 7% of your daily fiber intake. That's 20% of your daily protein requirement and a near 15% of that in fiber just for a couple of bread slices with only 10% carbs.

Peanut butter is often one of the most underappreciated condiments because of it's seemingly high fat content and the fact that many people store it in the refrigerator. Peanut butter is supposed to be creamy. Keep it in the pantry.

When selecting a peanut butter there are several brands to choose from, but the nutritional content in most of them is all the same. Plus, most of them are pretty similar in taste. Some people like to buy the special health store food peanut butter made from organic nuts and natural oils, but nutritionally, it doesn' t make that much difference. Plus, it runs. It's not thick. It's smooth, but not dense. It will dribble out from between your bread and onto the new shorts you just waited 7 months to buy because of the fall sale. Stick to Jiff, Peter Pan, Skippy, even the store bought. If you want to cut fat, buy the light. The difference is 6 grams.

The key, and I repeat the key to a good peanut butter and jelly sandwich is the jelly, preserves, or jam. This is the sweetness in your food. Otherwise, the high protein and high fiber bread coupled with the sticky dry peanut butter turns your sandwich into a piece of cardboard, and you don't want that. Choose your jelly, preserves, and jam carefully. This is not only the sweetner but the cooling system. It's refrigerated. The chill from the temperature will give your sandwich balance and the sweetness of the sugar will make it savory and delicious. I recommend Knotts Berry Farm's Boysenberry Preserves. They are very sweet and tasty, and for those who do not enjoy the sweetness of a tasty jam but do eventually enjoy the variation in texture that a jelly provides in contrast to the dry bread or butter, try apricot. Either way, your sandwich will now have balance.

Nutritionally, the jelly, preserves, or jam don't mean much. It's really just sugar, probably going to add 60 – 80 calories to your sandwich. I think it's worth it. For those who are strict and just want something creamy, nutritious, and salty, the peanut butter sandwich will do wonders on its own. With the whole grain rye, or sprouted organically created bread, the peanut butter sandwich comes out to about 350 calories. With 17 grams of protein though however and close to 25% of your daily fiber intake, it really makes for quite efficient eating despite those 16 grams of fat. The sandwich is filling. These are not loose thin slices of bread. They're made for meal purposes and in so are hearty. Pasting a little jelly, jam, or preserves on your peanut butter sandwich will give it the balance it requires because of the soft silky texture and cool wet temperatures. Plus, it is sweet. The sandwich almost becomes pastry like and at nearly 420 calories 16 grams of fat, it is. The difference between this PB&J that you are going to make though and the muffin you buy from the bakery, or that eclair you nibble at after dinner, is that this PB&J has significant nutritional value. Specifically, 17 (approximately 35% of your daily requirement) grams of protein and 25% of your daily fiber intake. Now compared to the 420 calories which is approximately 20 – 25% of your daily recommended allowance, this sandwich is doing pretty well. It really is smart eating. Plus, it tastes good. Afterall, it is a pastry. Make it nutritional.

(Updated 30 May 2009)

Introduction

Now, finally, we look at two more examples of using the method of Superposition for solving statically indeterminate beams. And these are two pretty cool examples. The first is the example of a two-span continuous beam with one of the supports not in alignment with the others. This first example is essentially the same as that of a cambered beam (that wasn't supposed to be cambered) placed over supports that are aligned. The second is one beam placed across another beam.

First Example

Consider a continuous beam placed over two spans of 12 ft each. The beam has a stiffness, EI, of 2200,000 lb-in.2. The center support is 1.00 in. low. The beam is loaded with a uniformly distributed load of 600 plf. We will disregard self-weight (since we don't know what it is), or assume that it is small.

Approach

Assuming that the beam deflects enough to come in contact with the center support (which we will check) the example becomes one of a simple beam spanning between the far ends loaded uniformly, and a (similar) simple beam spanning between the far ends loaded upward with a point load at center such that the net deflection at the center (center support) is 1.00 in.

Solution

Simple Beam Uniform Load

Δ = (5/384) ω L4 / EI … where L = 24 ft (from far end to far end) … call it Δω.

Simple Beam Point Load at Center

Δ = PL3 / 48EI … where, again, L = 24 ft … call it ΔP.

We now add the two as follows:

Δω = ΔP + 1.00 in.

(We can think of it like this: the uniform load causes it to sag the amount Δω and then the center support acts like a jack, `jacking it back up' and amount ΔP to a point 1.00 in. less than the original (unbent) condition.)

Dumping in our values and watching the units,

(5/384) (600 /12) lb/in.(24*12 in.)4 / 2200,000,000 lb-in.2 =

P (24*12 in.)3 / (48*2200,000,000 lb-in.2) + 1.00 in.

2.036 in. = 0.0002262 in. P /lb + 1.00 in.

Gives,

P = 4579 lb.

This value is the center support reaction, acting up.

With P now known we can determine the rest of the reactions, the shear, and the bending moment by statics.

We can also get a curve for the bent shape …

From the `uniform load' part …

v(x) = – ω x (L3 – 2 L x2 + x3) / 24EI

= – 600 x (243 – 2 (24) x2 + x3) / 24EI

= (- 345,600 x + 1200 x3 – 25 x4) / EI

From the `point load' part (acting up) …

v(x) = – Px (3L2 – 4×2)/ 48EI … where P = – 4579 lb.

= 4579 x [3(24)2 - 4 x2] / 48EI

= (164,844 x – 382 x3 ) / EI

Adding,

v(x) = (-180,756 x + 818 x3 – 25 x4 ) /EI …

And this is valid for x from 0 to 12 ft …

Plotting it up, we obtain the following, and, note, it checks, since v (x = 12ft) = -1.00 in.

@ x = 0 ft we get v = 0.00 in.

@ x = 1 ft we get v = – 0.14 in.

@ x = 2 ft we get v = – 0.28 in.

@ x = 3 ft we get v = – 0.41 in.

@ x = 4 ft we get v = – 0.53 in.

@ x = 5 ft we get v = – 0.64 in.

@ x = 6 ft we get v = – 0.72 in.

@ x = 7 ft we get v = – 0.82 in.

@ x = 8 ft we get v = – 0.89 in.

@ x = 9 ft we get v = – 0.94 in.

@ x = 10 ft we get v = – 0.97 in.

@ x = 11 ft we get v = – 0.99 in.

@ x = 12 ft we get v = – 1.00 in. … Checks!

YEAH!

Second Example

Now, finally, for our next and final example.

Instead of a support at mid-span, let's place another beam, say, 12 ft long, perpendicular to the first, supporting the first at its midspan, and with this first beam bearing at the midspan of the additional beam. Assume no initial displacement, that the beams are light compared to the applied load, and when the load is applied to the upper beam, both beams will now deflect. For illustration let's use EI = 2200,000,000 lb-in.2 for the second beam as well.

Approach

The upper beam will deflect due to the uniform load, and be somewhat supported (jacked up) by the lower. So, similar to the first example we will have a total deflection of the upper beam of …

Δ upper = Δupper due to ω – Δ upper due to P

where P is the load of the lower upward at midspan of the upper.

This total deflection will be equal to the deflection of the lower, which is due to the equal and opposite P acting downward,

Δ lower = Δ lower due to P

and these can be set equal.

Therefore,

Δupper due to ω – Δ upper due to P = Δ lower due to P

We'll solve the above equation for P (the reaction between the two beams), and then solve for deflection, or whatever else we want to solve for.

(5/384) ω L4 / EI – PL3 / 48EI = PL3 / 48 EI.

In this example we let the EI of the two beams be the same, so at least for now the EI vanishes from our calcs. But note that the L's for the two beams are different.

So,

(5/384)(600)(24)4 – P (24)3/48 = P (12)3/ 48.

Solving for P gives 8000 lb.

Let's check.

The deflection due to the 600 plf uniform load on the upper beam only is 2.04 in. downward (calcs not shown).

The deflection due to 8000 lb acting upward at the midspan of the upper beam is, 1.81 in. (see Note below).

Hence the net deflection of the midspan of the upper beam is 2.04 – 1.81 = 0.23 in.

We can check this against the deflection of the lower beam due to a point load of 8000 lb at mid-span, not forgetting that we have used 12 ft for the span of this beam.

Δ = PL3 / 48EI = 8000 lb (12*12 in.)3 / (48 * 2200,000,000 lb-in.2) = 0.23 in.

What is interesting is how the total load on the beam `splits out' between the two beams. If we consider a total load of 600 plf * 24 ft we get W = 14,400 lb. The shorter beam carries 8000 of the 14,400 or 56%, while the upper beam carries 44%. The shorter beam is overall `stiffer' due to it being shorter, and `load goes to stiffness'.

Note: the deflection of 1.81 in. for the 8000 lb load is obtained as follows:

In the first example the load of 4579 lb made up the difference between 2.036 and 1.00 in. or 1.036 in. Considering `linear behavior' a load of 8000 lb acting on the same beam in the same place would generate a deflection of 8000/4579'ths as much.

Hence, 1.036 (8000/4579) = 1.81.

Once we understand superposition, we are UNSTOPPABLE!

Closing Remarks

I said we would check the 1.00 in. gap thing. Indeed, under the action of the uniform load, unhindered, the beam deflects more than the 1.00 in., and thus `closes the gap'. Had that not been the case, we would need to look at the actual conditions of the support. If there was indeed just a gap, and under the action of the load the deflection is less than the gap, then the beam never `touches', and it is as though the center support is not even there. On the other hand, if, during installation, the beam is forced to come in contact, such force would (need to) be downward … and actually the beam would be pulling up on the center support. (It would be in tension.) The same would be the case if the supports were originally aligned but the center support settled. If it settles less than the deflection due to load, the support still provides upward reaction; if it settles more, then it pulls the beam down with it.

References

Mechanics of Materials, Fifth Edition, James M. Gere, Brooks/Cole, 2005.

Formally known as the Royal Queensland Show, the Ekka is one of Brisbane's best loved shows. A mix of a theme park, animal show, a restaurant district and a good old fashioned carnival complete with showbags, the Ekka has it all in one place.

The Ekka is organized by the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland (RNA), and is held at the RNA Showgrounds in Bowen Hills, which is approximately two kilometers north-east of Brisbane's CBD. The Ekka is easily accessed, with TransLink providing regular train and bus services to and from the Ekka that drops passenger's right near the gate.

The Ekka opens at nine each morning and doesn't close until 8-10pm each night. It is held for ten days from early to mid August each year and this year will be running from the 6th to the 15th. This year The Ekka is going to be particularly special as Queensland is celebrating its 150th year.

The Ekka has many different areas to keep visitors occupied all day long, with lots of free events, entertainment and food tasting as well as demonstrations and shows, there's something here for everyone.

The Ekka is mostly broken up into a couple of main sections. These include: Side Show Alley, a carnival section of the grounds, filled to the brim with carnival rides and games, The Showbag Pavilion, an undercover stretch that offers almost 500 different showbags available for visitors to buy, and the Community Arena, which hosts a lot of the free events and the live fireworks after dark.

Side Show Alley is where most of the visitors flock to with plenty of rides to keep anyone, from the small children to the big kids occupied. There is an extra charge to go on the rides but they are well worth it.

The Showbag Pavilion is, of course, the other area, that visitors head straight to, inside you can purchase showbags filled to the brim with food, toys and other such novelties. Make sure to pick up the Bertie Beetle Bag still only one dollar so you can prove you have been to The Ekka.

But there are a lot of other areas to note. The Nova Park which hosts Nova Radio a local station that will blast it's station live for the duration of The Ekka, and also hosts live events and stage performances from Evermore, Bob Evans and Paul Dempsey.

Another area inside The Ekka is Animal Boulevard, a large undercover pavilion where you can scroll through and meet the very best animals The Ekka has to offer. Start at the birds and wonder through the felines and fish, the horses, cattle and sheep before finishing at the Animal Nursery where you can pet and feed the animals. There are even live demonstrations such as live sheep shearing or cow milking.

There are tens of different halls littered throughout the park with one from every type of industry, with the meat, dairy, flower and garden halls there's a hall for any interest. There's Fashion and Flavours Prescient a place to sample all different food from around the world without ever leaving Brisbane. It's also a great place to get that famous strawberry ice creams and Dagwood dogs.

There is also shopping for the people out for a bargain from home and lifestyle to food, in particular most of the free tasting pavilions around the grounds offer the option to buy what they are handing out if you find that you really like it. You can even buy cars and caravans at The Ekka with special showrooms on display near the government and police pavilions.

Admission into The Ekka is $23 for adults, $17 for concession, $13 for children (5-14) and children under 5 are free. There are also family options available; tickets can be purchased at the gate, from attended QR Stations from Friday 20 July, or from your local RACQ Office. For a limited time only tickets can also be purchased online at the official Ekka website at www.ekka.com.au where you can save 15%.

Khuda Ke Liye – is an insightful film. It makes you peep into your conscience, makes you think about all what you did in the name of God. It has opened my eyes to a world that i never saw and yes, into a culture that perhaps was ours and we never embraced it as ours. We Indians! This movie has shown us all the emotions of Pakistani's and how perception can be generalised. I belong to India and today i feel so small in the large scheme of things, so ignorant and so helpless when perceptions drive our actions towards people.

Pakistan has been our neighbour infact were one nation not long ago and its such a shame we know so little about them. Its almost like not knowing the person whom you've spent your life with and have just separated some time ago. Its a pity on the country that as we grew up we were always taught about the war, the separation, the tortures, the pain and the division but were never taught the past was when we were one. Tell me one school that teaches what Pakistan culture is, one teacher who'd tell us their history which fellas, is ours as well, one institution that will give you Pakistan as an option to study!!! NONE and thats a shame. All we know about them is they celebrate independence day on the 14th of August and we on 15th. How would barriers break unless we try to know each other. How would difference resolve unless we talk to each other. A country that was part of us merely 60 odd yrs ago is suddenly PADOSI DESH (neighbouring country) to us. If we treat our fellows this way the world will naturally look at us and them the way we posture the relation. And who doesn't like to make use of other people's weaknesses?

This movie has painfully revealed the general perspective of people around the world for Pakistani's. The common belief that – All Muslims are terrorists is infact not true, but sadly all terrorists are found to be Muslims. No religion teaches its followers voilence or bloodshed. No god would love a world full of destruction. That's surely not the vision he had when he created life here. How is it that it people shed blood and kill each other in the name of GOD??? Well, what i understand is religion is merely for convinience these days. Am i jew or a hindu, am i buddhist or muslim… my life and all that depends on it. My end Karma depends on it. The life i lead will bring me closer to God. But hey! what life are you leading in the name of God? Some religions kill animals as offerings to God – Wow! since when was God a non-vegetarian or such a sadist? People fast to please their deities. Now the story told to me was 'its how much you can sacrifice to impress God'. I wish i could believe it all and am sure God must be having the last laugh. You fast not because God will be impressed. He'd never want you to undergo so much trouble. You fast because you are selfish and you want him to give you things that you want. No God will be smiling to see you fast and die! Religion everything has been tweaked and twisted in the name of Religion for our convinience. Religion is now a political gimmick and nothing more than that.

So when people do not listen to you, God is brought in between for people to believe you. How many people would believe if i said fish mate in a certain season which is why it is taboo to eat them then, but no! If i said God's bless this season and that's why you must quit non-vegetarian for some time, everybody would buy the crap! Hindu's dont allow women to enter temples when they are mensturating because its not holy. They are not allowed to enter the kitchen in some households. For all those people who still think this way i'd like to lecture here that the logic behind keeping women away is making them rest for atleast 3-4 days in the month. Then women use to do all the household work and it was extremely painful for some to continue doing it in those days as well so if asked to take rest they'd never do it so the best thing was – IT AIN'T HOLY, stay away! People if it was really so unholy the we would not have been born!

Gosh in the name of God stop all this non sense. We are all educated and intelligent enough to understand. Handful of people who mislead the innocent and vulnerable can never fight the large section of smart and intelligent people. How is it that one OSAMA in the name of God and religion is giving tough time to hundreds of billions of others? How many terrorists can he make? A 100, 1000, 10000, crore? But can they still stand against the world. The world will only unite when there is one religion and that is – HUMANITY. We are all humans first and then whatever respective religions we belong to. And frankly, religion is a choice we make or our ancestors made.

I personally feel that no other religion in the world is as strict as Islam and so are the people who follow it. Therefore its all the more easy twist people's beliefs because they are so much into it. But there is nothing wrong with Islam or their teachings. It is only the meaning we derive according to our convinience. Britanicca quotes that according to Qu'ran and the Hadith the meaning of Jihad is a duty which needs to be fulfilled in four ways : by the heart, the hand, the tongue and the sword. What we have done is jumped straight to the last option and twisted the whole meaning of the word to suit us and our whims. Now how many people thought Jihad was terrorism or a fight to save the religion, tell me honestly?

Khuda ke liye ends with a dismal climax. The Maulana who brainwashed the main protagonist was left free. If i were to change the end i would have no doubt gotten him arrested and put behind bars simply to have admitted to the crime and not being ashamed of it. I will reco this movie to everybody who has any kind of notions about Indians and Pakistani Muslims. We are living here and fighting for our basics everyday. The bigger issue is will this planet exist after 50 yrs? Will there be enough water to drink? Will there be enough food left to manage one meal in a day? Will there be animals to balance the food chain? The issue is not which religion is superior and which race is better. Is this not part of Jihad for humankind??? THINK!

The first day of December was a hot spot in San Francisco's Civic Center Plaza, where gun owners lined up to anonymously trade their illegal firearms for gift cards in a one day only Gifts for Guns event, but not everyone was positively fired up.

“It's naïve to think a criminal is going to give up his gun unless he's looking for a clean shot at dumping the evidence,” Jan West, a North Bay area resident said Saturday.

Jim Cheng of Berkeley shared a similar sentiment, “I'm anti-gun and fully support cutting crime, but this is just encouraging people to buy a $75 rifle and turn it in for a $100 gift certificate.”

The trade-off sounded like a sweet deal for some. Rifles and shotguns were worth $100 in gift cards, revolvers and semi-automatic pistols $150, and assault-type firearms $200. Guns could be turned in with no questions asked, no identification required.

Mikail Ali, director of the mayor's office of criminal justice, said he was overwhelmingly pleased to see the type of weapons that were turned in. “It's actually relieving,” he told reporters, “because now we know those weapons aren't going to find their ways to the streets and be used in acts of violence.”

Although the event collected four assault rifles and two sawed-off shotguns, those in the line-up to turn over their firearms were mostly average citizens who could use the extra cash.

A 70-year-old gun advocate turned in two worthless pistols in exchange for an easy $300. A man whose wife no longer wanted his gun in the house cashed in for $150. A stay-at-home dad got $100 for a gun he'd forgotten he owned before reading about the Gifts for Guns event in the morning newspaper.

One recently laid-off Oakland resident drove over to exchange his gun for a $150 gift card, which he planned to use to buy his 3-year-old daughter a Christmas present. “It's great the mayor is trying to do something about the homicide rate, but he's targeting the wrong crowd,” he said. “I may be unemployed, but I haven't shot anyone yet,” he joked, then gestured toward the small group of men gathered around the turn-in table and added, “Crime rate may be up, but it's not because of guys like us.”

100 guns were collected at Saturday's event, which was Mayor Gavin Newsom's second Gift for Guns campaign of the year, co-sponsored by the Juvenile Probation Department, Brothers Against Guns, Hunters Point Family Peacekeepers, and Girls 2000. July's event collected 117 hand guns and 2 shotguns.

Despite local criticism and nationwide debates, this likely won't be the last Gifts for Guns event for the San Francisco area. In announcing the December event Mayor Newsom said, “I plan to continue advancing our anti-gun efforts at all levels – with legislation in Sacramento, increased officers on the streets, and directly in neighborhoods with programs like Gifts for Guns.”

When I was asked to be a room parent for one of my children's classrooms, I was a bit nervous as I had no clue about being one. Over time I learned that being a room parent is a rewarding experience for you and the classroom you're helping out with. In the past, room parents used to be called room mothers but slowly the name has been changing to room parent to be more politically correct. Yes, even men have been room parents, thus the name change.

So what is a room parent? A room parent is someone who is a representative for that classroom. You'll go to the Booster club meetings to get up to date on fundraiser's and other events at the school. You'll contact parents for various reasons and help the teacher when she/he needs it.

How To Be An Effective Room Parent For Your Child's Class #1: Get to know the teacher

You need to get to know the teacher of your children's classroom and make sure that you two can work together. It's important that you get along with the teacher for the sake of the children. You can't really be a good room parent if you're constantly butting heads with your children's teacher. Ask the teacher what you can do to help, after all it is their classroom and you're simply a volunteer to help with what needs to be done.

How To Be An Effective Room Parent For Your Child's Class #2: Get to know the other parents

As a room parent, you have to accept that you can't do it all. If other parents want to help volunteer, take them up on their help. It will make things run a lot smoother! Find out what parents you can lean on when push comes to shove. Like you, the other parents only wants what is best for your child and coming together as one can accomplish that. You want the other parents to feel welcome about helping. You could send home a note with each child introducing yourself as the room parent and include your phone number so that the other parents could contact you with ideas, questions and concerns.

How To Be An Effective Room Parent For Your Child's Class #3: Set up a contact list

Ask your child's teacher if you can have a list of phone numbers of the other parents. As the room parent, you should be able to get the information easy, just don't abuse the power. Only call when the teacher asks you to or when there is a project coming up that needs the help of other parents. The other parents won't mind you calling once in a while but if you call every day of weekly, they may complain to the teacher.

How To Be An Effective Room Parent For Your Child's Class #4: Help with field trips

Field Trips are an important event at any school. It allows the children to take a break from school while still learning and having a fun time. Volunteers are always needed on field trips to make sure that the children all stay together, behave and have a good time.

How To Be An Effective Room Parent For Your Child's Class #5 Help with Class Parties

As a room parent, another one of your responsibilities to help with class parties. Many schools no longer allow items that are full of sugar because of child obesity so you need to think of other fun items to replace them with. One thing I really enjoy doing is making goody bags for my children's classes full of goodies such as pencils, little toys, stickers and more.

Being a room parent is about taking the initiative but you want to be careful not to be a know it all otherwise you'll come across as bossy and the other parents won't respond as kindly to you. As a room parent, you need to try to get along with everyone even if you don't agree with their views. Being a room parent can sometimes be a lot of work but the satisfaction you'll get in the end will make it all worth it.

Christmas is around the corner and you'll probably find something naughty, nice and unwanted under your tree. So what do you do? I know. Regift!

Regifting is the timeless tradition of giving someone else an unwanted gift. It's a way for many to save money and also empty out a cluttered drawer. So what are the rules? When do you regift? What do you regift? And how?

Here are six rules to follow when regifting to others:

1) Select items that are easy to regift. Excellent candidates for regifting are unopened bottles of wine/liquor, new household items and inexpensive jewelry. You should stray away from handmade or one-of-a-kind items, signed books and monogrammed towels.

2) Make sure your regift is in good condition. Regift only unused, new and unopened items that are still in good condition. Stay away from giving items you've owned for an extended period of time as well as partially used items. What's the rule of thumb? If you have to dust it off, keep it!

3) Use common sense. In order to be successful in regifting, you must use your noggin. Don't regift back to the person who first gave you the item or to a person who may see the original giver on a regular basis. Also, if you have a nosy Aunt who'll never accept any excuse as to why those frilly socks she gave you aren't on your feet, keep them and wear them ONLY when she visits. It'll keep the family peace.

4) Be sure that the receiver will enjoy your regift. Although it may help empty a space in your already cluttered closet, you don't want to give a person a gift they won't enjoy. So, if you know your co-worker is an avid reader and you got your share of (unsigned) books this Christmas, its okay to give them one.

5) Be sure to re-wrap your regift. Although the item isn't new to you, it should look new as you present it to someone else. As a result, buy a new bag, box and/or wrapping for your regift. You should also spring for a new card or gift tag.

6) Check your conscious. When regifting, you have two choices. Either you keep it a secret or announce with an 'I got this from my grandmother, but I knew you'd just love it!' statement. You should pick the option that you can live with. If you consider regifting wrong, then don't do it at all.

Now that you know some basic rules of regifting, here are some other options to consider.

1) E-Bay. If you got more than your share of an item, such as bath towels, you can always sell these items on E-bay. It's quick, simple and easy. Plus, its another way to regift and make money in the process.

2) Regifting Parties. A fun way for you and your friends to unload your unwanted gifts is to have a theme party especially for it. You can set the guidelines in your invitation as far as price, type and quantity. You can keep the party light by making it more of a gag gift exchange around the living with room with your favorite munchies or make it into an after-Christmas or New Years gift exchange. It's up to you!

3) Charities. For those new clothes you know you'll never wear, but don't want to exchange, give them to a local charity. Charities are an easy way to regift to someone and feel great at the same time.

http://www.regiftable.com/Regifting101/Default.aspx

Welcome to my first installment of a number of articles I will be writing on Internet security and staying safe online.
I won't be covering the very basics, like making sure you have Anti-virus software, but I will talk about special browser plugins, firewalls, proxy servers, sandbox machines, onion routing and plenty of other interesting, helpful and exciting things you can do to stay safe and learn about.

Nowadays there is a lot to worry about on the internet. Devious types can easily intercept your communications and trace your connection back to you for all sorts of things from stealing bank details, to installing malware or finding out what town or even street you live on!

Every device connected to the internet has an IP address, a unique identifier, it is not normally hidden and is very easy to obtain. You can see you IP address by visiting sites like http://www.whatismyip.com, other information can also be extracted, such as what browser and operating system you are using, for example if you visit http://hamish.notdot.org you should see not only your IP address, but the refering page (the one you came from) and a string of text that identifies your browser and operating system.

Internet security software has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years but sometimes when you want a little extra anonymity it can pay to use a proxy service.

A proxy is, in it's simplest terms a relay, in 'in between' computer, you make your request for web pages to the proxy, it fetches them and sends the contents back. As far as the other end is concerned they think it is the proxy connecting.

If you access the Internet at work, or at the library it is likely you have used a proxy without even realizing it.
Proxies can be used to hide your tracks but can also be used to filter internet traffic, or even to speed up browsing, these are known as 'transparent proxies' and 'caching proxies' and I will discuss them in another article. for now we are concerned with anonymous proxies.

Anonymous proxies can keep you hidden from hackers and logs. There are many available if you search Google, but two of my favorite are http://proxy.notdot.org and http://hidemyass.com both of which are free. A proxy isn't necessary, but it is sometimes convenient. If you want to visit a site without giving away your IP, or if you are slightly suspicious of a link you have been given it cold be worth using one.

If you happen to be unlucky enough to have an IP that has been flagged as bad in the past, perhaps from another user of your ISP, or from the wrong area, you might find yourself blocked from some sites or forums, but an online web proxy can help you bypass those restrictions.

The other handy thing about using an online web proxy service is that you might be able to use them to access sites that have been blocked by your company, for example, lots of offices now won't let you access Facebook, YouTube or Myspace at work, but with an online web proxy you often can!

Remember, the best way to stay safe online is to use common sense, if something seems suspicious then don't click on it!

The Maytag repairman won't be so lonely anymore. Maytag announced today a massive recall of refrigerators, including not only the Maytag brand but others under the corporate umbrella including Jenn-Air, Amana, Admiral, Magic Chef, Performa by Maytag and Crosley units. 1.6 million refrigerators are subject to the Maytag recall. The refrigerators involved in the Maytag recall may have faulty relays that overheat and pose a fire hazard.

The Maytag recall was issued in response to 41 cases of relay switches igniting, in some cases causing extensive damage to the property on which they were located.

Since 1967, the Maytag repairman appeared in television commercials as a lonely man because Maytag quality products never needed repair. Seems the Maytag repairman will make up for all those years of loafing in the coming months as the Maytag recall remedy consists of free in-home repair.

The refrigerators involved in the Maytag recall were sold between January 2001 and January 2004 and include both discount and high end models, ranging in price from about $350 to $1600.

How can you tell if your refrigerator is subject to the Maytag recall? First, if the freezer unit is on the bottom, you're safe. All of the refrigerators involved in the Maytag recall either have top freezer compartments or are side by side models.

To determine if your side by side refrigerator/freezer is included in the Maytag recall, check the serial number and model number against this list: All recalled side by side refrigerators have serial numbers ending in one of the following letter combinations: AA, AC, AE, AG, AJ, AL, AN, AP, AR, AT, AV, AX, CA, CC, CE, CG, CJ, CL, ZB, ZD, ZF, ZH, ZK, ZM, ZQ, ZS, ZU, ZW, ZY, ZZ. If your refrigerator's serial number ends in one of those combinations, check its model number. The model numbers affected by the recall begin with the letters ARS, CS, JC, JS, MS, MZ, PS.

Refrigerators with top freezer compartments involved in the Maytag recall have serial numbers ending in one of the following letter combinations: AA, AC, AE, AG, AJ, AL, AN, AP, AR, AT, AV, AX, ZK, ZM, ZQ, ZS, ZU, ZW, ZY, ZZ. The model numbers of these units begin with one of these letter combinations: AT, CT, MT, PT.

With due apologies to the Maytag repairman who will now need a cell phone and have to get used to its incessant ring, this is the toll-free number to call to schedule a repair if your refrigerator is part of the Maytag recall: (866) 533-9817. Maytag recall information is also available at the company website.

Sources: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09145.html; http://www.huliq.com/1/78254/maytag-refrigerator-recall-affects-16-m-units; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maytag.

Plain lampshades are inexpensive, but they're also very ordinary, and they don't add much vibrancy or color to a room. I have two plain paper lampshades with pottery-style bases in my living room, and I've been considering ways to decorate my plain paper lampshades to make them more decorative, unique, and appealing. I've discovered a number of great ideas, and I plan on making them more colorful and decorative with one of the ideas I've found.

If you have plain lampshades, consider the following easy and inexpensive ways to decorate them. You can turn your plain lampshades into extraordinary home accessories you'll never find in a store. Best of all, they'll look more expensive and far more decorative with very little expense. Give these ideas a try. With a little effort and a lot of creativity you can decorate paper lampshades to look far more appealing and decorative than anything you could buy ready-made.

Button Lampshades

Lampshades embellished with colorful buttons are perfect for a bedroom. If you have a plain bedroom lampshade that could use some color, decorate them with flat buttons. Cover the entire surface with rows of colorful buttons to match the room, or create a colorful edge along the top and bottom. Use your imagination and unique sense of creativity to make button lampshades that will definitely light up the night as well as your bedroom décor.

Add Shades of Color

A small amount of color is sometimes all that's necessary to decorate and give new life to old lampshades. Consider trimming plain shades with ribbon. Using clear drying fabric glue, attach a single row of colored ribbon of your choice around the top and bottom edge. Match the ribbon to specific pieces of furniture or fabrics. The newly decorated lampshades will give the room a warm glow with designer appeal.

Sequined Lampshades

If you like flashy décor, consider using craft sequins to decorate plain shades. Visit your local craft store and you'll find sequins in all colors and sizes. They provide a great way to decorate plain lampshades while adding glitz and color to a room. Cover the entire surface with sequins of various coordinating colors, or add them just around the edges. It's amazing what you can do with eye-catching sequins and a little glue!

Stenciled Designs

I love the outdoors, and my living room is decorated with rustic furnishings and embellishments. The walls are decorated with oil paintings of fox and pheasants, and I've chosen pinecones, deer, and other wildlife themed accessories. I decided to decorate my plain lampshades with stamped pinecones in varying shades of brown latex craft paint. They look fantastic when the lights are on, and they look far better than higher priced lampshades I've found in the store.

Look for stencils in a theme you prefer, and use a craft sponge and latex paint to add graphics to plain lampshades. Practice on paper before trying this technique on plain paper lampshades. With a little practice you'll achieve the look you want, and when using stencils, artistic skills aren't required. If you can dream it up, you can create it!

Leather-look Lampshades

Many kids in school have made bottles with a leather look, and this look is achieved with ordinary masking tape and brown shoe polish. This simple covering looks great on glass bottles, and this technique also looks highly impressive when applied to ordinary paper lampshades. They look like pieced strips of leather, and it's a very easy and affordable way to decorate plain lampshades.

Practice on a large paper cup before using this crafting technique on your plain paper shades. Randomly rip off sections of masking tape between two and three inches in length, and haphazardly apply them to the surface. You can't make a mistake! Overlap the tape, and place it in varying directions. Once the entire shade is covered, apply a thin wash of brown latex craft paint or brown shoe polish. Your paper lampshades that used to be plain and lifeless will look like expensive and highly unique works of art.