Archive for January 9th, 2007
Try a Mediterranean Diet for Beautiful Skin
January 5th, 2007 by Tracey
Ever notice the beautiful skin possessed by women in the Mediterranean? Does Sophia Loren who has aged ever so gracefully come to mind? 
Perhaps credit should be given to two botanicals that have been cultural standards for years: figs and olives. Both are packed with antioxidants and olive oil is abundant in essential fatty acids. Cleopatra and the prophet Mohammed both enjoyed figs and the Roman writer Pliny the Elder praised them for their power to get rid of wrinkles. 
Recognized traditionally for their healing properties, figs and olives are the new buzz in skin care. The fruit of the olive tree has been touted as a youth elixir. And no wonder, olive trees can live up to 1,000 years. 
Packed with polyphenols olive oil itself is a wonderful moisturizer, cuticle cream and hair conditioner. Incorporated into beauty products, it packs a bigger punch.
Greece devotes 60 percent of its cultivated land to olive growing. It is the world’s top producer of black olives and boasts more varieties of olives than any other country. Straight from olive oil country, Greek manufacturer Apivita makes a Deep Face Scrub with olive grains that purifies and exfoliates. Rich in natural emollients, olive oil, when added to soap skin moisturizes and cleans in one fell swoop. Apivita’s Olive Oil Soap fills the bill.
When a regular part of a diet, figs are touted to lower cholesterol, help stop strokes, control blood pressure, promote weight loss, battle diabetes, and combat cancer. 
Valued for their warm, unique scent, figs have been often used to fragrance soaps and candles. Acca Kappa’s Fig Soap gently cleanses and moisturizes with a lovely soft scent. To bring the fresh clean scent of fig to your home, try Archipelago Botanicals White Fig Home diffuser or candle.
So, aside from that occasional Fig Newton and a drizzle of Olive Oil on your salad, add some figs and olives to your beauty routine. The beauty of Mediterranean skin awaits.
Beautiful skin — definitely HOT!
Add comment January 9, 2007
‘Pure’ to Britney – no cash when sleeping on the job.
Submitted by botox on Tue, 2007-01-09 10:29.
BritneyPureLasVegasIt’s rumored the people at ‘Pure’ in Las Vegas were trying to get out of paying Britney Spears for her New Years Eve appearance. The club allegedly argued that the Princess of Pop broke her contract when she passed out and didn’t deserve the agreed 400K.
“Britney failed to spend the agreed amount of time in the club, because she had to be helped out after collapsing,” alleges a close source.
The source said the club was also upset that Britney’s PR people said she merely “fell asleep”, which implied the New Years Eve party was boring.
A spokesperson for the club said Britney Spears was compensated with “less than half” of the 400K and wasn’t penalized for leaving early, “Britney had a great time,” said the spokesperson. “We love her and can’t wait for her to come back.”
Come on, Britney passing out was the best thing that’s ever happened to ‘Pure’ as far as publicity is concerned. They should be paying extra for that stunt.
Add comment January 9, 2007
Plywood Or Solid Wood – Be Aware
Plywood Or Solid Wood – Be Aware
by: Sarika Kabra
With the advent of newer options everyday, furniture buying has turned into a real chore. It has become really difficult to pick the best from the good enough. There is metal, glass and the good old wood. Even the types of wood, the qualities and strengths of each, the durability and moisture content can leave anyone terribly confused. In this situation, it is not wise to completely trust the salesperson at the local store. It is important that you do your basic homework before stepping out to buy wooden furniture. What the salesperson calls solid wood might just be plywood or particle board topped with a veneer. There is a big difference between Amish handcrafted furniture and plywood cabinets with oak doors.
Now one would wonder why so many furniture manufacturers use plywood instead of solid wood. Here is why. One reason why veneered panels of plywood are used extensively in furniture making is the cost of plywood versus solid wood. Plywood can be got at a small fraction of the cost of really good solid wood. The more expensive solid woods like cherry can cost as much as 3 to 4 times the price of sheet goods. Manufacturers have now begun calling their cheap plyboards and flakeboards as ‘Furniture Boards’ just to enhance its image.
Another reason is the cost of labor to machine and assemble solid panels versus just cutting a rectangle of plywood or veneering a panel. It is cheaper to work with sheet goods than solid lumber in terms of man hours spent to put the piece together. Many high end tabletops are simply veneered plyboards with a wood edge. Despite the difficulty, true Amish furniture is handcrafted out of solid wood and stained and finished to perfection to give you a piece to last a lifetime.
Another reason is that it is easy to get thousands of plywood sheets all looking identical. Solid wood by its nature would differ slightly in terms of grain, color, shade and moisture content. Cabinet parts, to many people, are more attractive in the form of matched veneer than the random color and grain matching of solids. Some people prefer the color variation of solids and the sometimes wild grain patterns and try to use these differences to make unique looking details.
In the USA, the Federal Trade Commission regulates the furniture industry and its sales pitches, etc. They have ruled on solid wood versus plywood and have indicated that there is a difference. That is, plywood is not solid wood. Specifically, The Federal Trade Commission has accepted for public comment a consent agreement with Taylor Woodcraft, Inc., settling charges that the company violated Section 5 of the FTC Act by deceptively claiming in promotional materials that its household furniture was constructed of solid maple or oak, when a number of its pieces contained some veneered exposed surfaces.
So while plywood may be cheaper and easier to construct, it is no match for solid wood furniture. It is more of an escape route towards convenience and higher profits. Beware of manufacturers who claim to be selling solid wood furniture but use plywood or particleboard for most of the internal parts. Do not feel shy to ask for details from the salesperson before buying a piece. Buy something only if you are absolutely sure. If the salesperson is not forthcoming with genuine information, it is time to check another store.
For more information visit: Amish Furniture Home
About The Author
Sarika Kabra is an expert in the field of interior design and home improvement techniques. She has vast experience in the manufacture of Amish Furniture.
For more information visit: Amish Furniture Home
Add comment January 9, 2007
Cleaning Laminate Flooring – What’s Best?
Cleaning Laminate Flooring – What’s Best?
by: Richard Keech
One of the great advantages that laminate flooring has over other types of flooring is how easy it is to keep clean. Once installed, the after care that laminate flooring requires is very little and extremely simple, and if it is carried out regularly, your floor can be kept looking like new for many years to come.
Generally speaking a simply brush over with a soft headed brush or a very slightly damp mop, is all that is needed when cleaning laminate flooring. Follow this with the use of a vacuum cleaner around the edges of the room, and also around any larger pieces of furniture that cannot be moved, and that is all that is generally required.
Special cleaning pads are available which look very much like a mop, and have replaceable wipes that wrap around the pad which attracts the dust, etc. These make cleaning laminate flooring even easier but can become expensive.
When using a damp mop to clean the laminate, do not use to much water. Make sure you only use enough water to make the mop damp so that it holds the dust, etc., do not soak the floor, as this could cause the edges of the laminate boards to start to expand and the whole floor may start to buckle.
For stain removal, do not use a strong detergent. Firstly, try using just warm water, but again, only use enough for removal of the stain in the small local area. In other words – don’t over-wet the area. If this doesn’t seem to work then try using a mild, non-abrasive cleaner. For cleaning of larger stains, etc. on laminate flooring, use a mop with ammonia or a mixture of water and vinegar.
Where ever possible try to use citrus-based cleaners, and not the conventional soap-based cleaners. When trying a cleaning product for the first time always test on an area of laminate flooring that is out of sight, such as under the cooker or fridge for example. Once you’ve tested the new product, leave this small area for 30 minute’s just to be certain that there are no adverse effects to the laminate surface.
When trying to clean laminate flooring do not use steel wool, sand paper, or scouring powder on the laminate surface, as these will quickly break down the laminate and lead to very early failure of the flooring. Also never try to sand, wax, or apply lacquer to the laminate flooring.
Try to always use a door mat at every exterior doorway. This will help to trap any dirt etc., and also trap small stones and grit which may easily scratch the surface of your laminate flooring. To avoid any marks that could potentially be left by furniture, always use felt pads under the furniture legs, or castor cups under any furniture wheels.
Always read the manufacturer’s “care” instructions that come with your flooring, and adhere to them. It is important that the correct installation and after care procedure’s are followed so that any manufacturer warranties are valid.
By following the manufacturer’s instructions and these supplementary tips on cleaning laminate flooring, your floor should look as good as the day it was installed, for many years to come.
About The Author
Richard Keech has over 20 years experience working in the construction industry. This article may be republished as long as this author box remains unchanged.
For further information on laminate flooring, installing laminate flooring, and cleaning laminate flooring please visit The Laminate Floor Guide.
Add comment January 9, 2007
Ten Maintenance Tips For Hardwood Flooring
Ten Maintenance Tips For Hardwood Flooring
by: Mike Kildea
Wooden floors can – quite literally – last you a lifetime and look as good as new throughout. That is – they can if you look after them. And, unfortunately, wood flooring requires more than just sweeping and vacuuming to keep them in great condition.
As someone who runs a business solely supplying wood floors, I am often asked how best to maintain wood floors, so here are my top ten tips to keep your flooring in perfect condition.
i) Protect Your Floor From Furniture – Put protective pads under the legs of furniture, most particularly chairs.
ii) Clean Your Floors With Proper Wood Cleaners – Use floor cleaners specially designed for hardwood floors.
iii) Add Rugs and Mats – Putting down thick rugs and floor mats in areas that get the most foot traffic will help ensure the longevity of your wood floors.
iv) Do Not Use Wet Mops – This could warp your flooring over time and may result in discolouration.
v) Avoid High Street Cleaning Products – Many of these contain ammonia and substances that could damage your floor. Only use cleaners that are specifically designed for hardwood flooring.
vi) Entrance Mats – Use good quality entrance mats and dirt scrapers at all exterior doors and at the front door of your apartment.
vii) High Heel Shoes – Even the lightest, skinniest woman can dent a wooden floor when wearing high heel shoes due to the pressure they exert. Don’t walk on a wooden floor in high heels.
viii) Clean Up Immediately – Tracking dirt around your floor or leaving spills will certainly damage your flooring over time. Clean up spillages, dirt, grease immediately and your floor will keep its looks for longer.
ix) Heat and Sunlight – Excess heat and direct sunlight can cause changes of colour in wooden flooring and even shrinkage. Regulate the heating, and humidity allow ventilation especially in conservatories.
x) Lacquer – New coats of lacquer can be easily applied when the finish starts to look tired. If you leave it too long the old finish will have to be completely removed by a professional.
Follow these ten tips and your wood floor really will last you a lifetime.
About The Author
Mike Kildea is owner of London based wood flooring suppliers Wood4Floors. UK customers can request free flooring samples. See their website at Wood for Floors.
Add comment January 9, 2007
