Stuck For Gift Ideas To Fill Your Mans Stocking This Christmas?
by Sarah hague
Stuck for gift ideas to fill your mans stocking this Christmas? www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk has the answer to your Christmas gift and gadget needs!
With over 1000 gift ideas for men, women & children Find-me-a-gift.com
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Below is a few of our favourite stocking fillers for men this Christmas.
Racing grannies - Possibly the best wind-up toy ever invented, the Racing Grannies are to geriatric speedway what Ferrari is to Formula One. As anyone who has been on the receiving end of a Zimmer-frame will know, grannies are formidable movers with legendary stamina, and these delightful wind-ups are testament to their endurance. With expressions of steely determination and complete with go-faster cardigans, these two are just a few winds away from the race of their lives. It's time to have your own Grand National! http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/racing-grannies.html
Arse Face Soap - Arse Face Soap is a hilarious bar of soap that's sure to add some fun to your bathroom. Arse Face Soap is a generous size with a fresh scent; clearly stating which side of the soap should be hygienically used for certain areas of your body!
This is a very funny gift for guys who do not have cleanliness at the top of their priority list and, let's face it; there are a lot of them out there.http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gifts-for-men/personal-gift/arse-face-soap.html
Jim�ll fix it badge - If you grew up in the '70 or '80 chances are that you grew up watching Jimmy Savile on the BBC's Jim'll Fix It show. Every week thousand of hopeful kids and grown ups alike would put pen to paper and compose their begging letters: "Dear Jim, will you fix it for me to spend a night in an igloo / be a pantomime horse / drive a crane... (You get the idea)" The show often received over 3,000 letters a day! Jim would "fix it" for several lucky children's wishes to come true each week, this usually involved such treats as watching a troupe of Cub Scouts eating their entire packed lunch on a roller coater (and then being sick!) or similar, and finally the lucky participants would be presented with a "Jim fixed it for me" medal, the famous Jim'll Fix It Badge! Well now after all these years we can finally put things right... in association with Sir Jimmy Savile himself... Jim'll Fix It Soap On A Rope (or a ribbon to more accurate), just like the real thing only crafted from finest soap!http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/jim-ll-fix-it-soap-on-a-rope.html
USB cup warmer - In case you didn't know, the USB Cup Warmer is the hottest thing to hit the office since the water cooler. Pun intended, folks. "But what is it?" I hear the simpler of you ask. It's easy. It's a metal plate that plugs into your computer. You put your tea or coffee on it. Your hot drink stays hot. No need for plugs or batteries. Genius. You're not crazy. You like hot drinks and you like to drink them at the intended temperature. Why do your co-workers, friends and family insist on bothering you when you're trying to drink them? I don't know, but I do know that the USB Cup Warmer will mean you never suffer the misfortune of cold hot drinks ever again. The perfect present for yourself or anyone at all! http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gifts-for-men/work-gift/usb-cup-warmer.html
Ball scratcher - The Executive Ball Scratcher is every gentleman's executive dream. Ball Scratcher's do the one job that the executive gentleman has to do himself: Scratch their balls!http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gifts-for-men/personal-gift/executives-ball-scratcher.html
Booby stress relievers - The Boob Stress Chest is the brand-new improvement on the classic booby stress reliever. Tired hands? Aching wrists? Stressed out? These boobs will gently soothe your body and mind back to chilled out bliss!http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gifts-for-men/personal-gift/boob-stress-relievers.html
Pretty Polly � swearing parrot - Good old Not So Pretty Polly. Our boy's living proof that if you shouldn't always say the first thing that pops into your head. You've got to be so careful what you say these days, but luckily for us Polly the Insulting Parrot isn't, and lets them rip with one insensitive and rude wisecrack after another. http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gifts-for-men/men/not-so-pretty-polly-swearing-parrot.html
Orgasmatron - Orgasmatron Head Massager is truly amazing. It doesn't look much, some say it looks a little weird but it really does give you surprising sensations. Within seconds it can give you goose bumps, hairs on the back of your neck stand up, your spine tingles and you can feel trance states of ecstasy. The feeling the Orgasmatron head massager gives you is pure excitement. Consider it "exercise for the hairs on the back of your neck. "The Orgasmatron's smooth tips glide across the surface of your scalp, sending sparkling sensations thru your entire body.http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gifts-for-men/personal-gift/orgasmatron-head-massager.html
Potty Putter - Introducing Potty Putter! The toilet time golf game that lets you practice your putting while going to the bathroom. If you're a golfer who can't get enough practice time, then Potty Putter is for you! Now you can sink putts where no one else has sunk them before - in the bathroom!http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gifts-for-men/men/potty-putter.html
Finger drums - Now you can be the ultimate office enemy.....just keep practicing your drum rolls in important meetings...or when someone is trying to pour their heart out to you!! Fingers are used instead of sticks with this superb tiny electronic drum kit. Each replica drum is touch sensitive and plays a digital drum sound when touched. It even includes a cymbal, and a bass drum with pedal.http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/finger-drums.html
To see our full range of fabulous Christmas gift ideas please click below
http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/
If you need any other information please email me sarah@findmeagift.co.uk
About The Author
Find me a gift ltd is the owner of this article
If you need any further information please contact sarah@findmeagift.com
http://www.find-me-me-a-gift.co.uk
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Scam Alert II: Domain Hijacking
Scam Alert II: Domain Hijacking
by Douglas Miller
There's a frightening new batch of scams going around now that can damage your reputation as domain "squatters" steal your domain name.
There are a number of ways the "game" is played. The first is entirely legal, if more than a little questionable. In this version, the name of a city or geographic area is grabbed by a domain squatter and pointed to... "sites that you wouldn't want your children visiting."
(We chose that term to avoid getting caught in a lot of spam filters for the use of the word "p-o-rn.")
A prominent notice is placed on the sites, offering them for sale at prices that range from $2500 to as much as $500,000!
The idea here is that city officials will feel that enough damage is being done to the reputations of their towns that they'll pay to keep them from being associated with that type of material.
It's obviously safe to say that it's not appropriate to pop those kinds of images into people's faces while they're looking for info on a completely different topic.
That's where the pressure on the cities comes from, and why this is such a disgusting scheme.
In essence, the domain squatter says: "Pay us, or continue to watch as your city's reputation suffers."
Many would call this blackmail...
~~~
The second variation on the theme is not always legal. When someone takes a trademarked name (or variation of the spelling of one) or a famous person's name, and does the same thing.
For trademarks or close variations, there's a specific procedure for addressing the problem. (See the resource section at the end of this issue.)
For the names of famous people, there MAY be a remedy. But, it can be tricky -- and expensive.
For example, if someone named John Jones registered http://WalterCronkite.com and pointed it to one of "those" sites, Walter Cronkite could probably force the domain away from him.
However, if someone named Steve Cronkite registered http://Cronkite.com and did the same thing, Walter Cronkite would have no recourse. It would be very hard to demonstrate that Steve registered the domain in bad faith. And if Steve's son's name is Walter, the same is true for http://WalterCronkite.com.
If you feel that your name is likely to be typed into a browser when people are looking for information on you, you should consider getting both the .com and .net versions of the domain if they're available.
It will cost you a few bucks to prevent the problem. Fixing it, assuming you win, will cost you hundreds -- if not thousands -- of dollars.
And there's no guarantee you'll win.
~~~
A third version is a bit more benign. It's common among members of affiliate programs.
In this version names very close to, or even including, the trademark are registered. The sites are created to drive traffic to the affiliates' URL at the main site.
This may or may not be acceptable to the affiliate program owner. If it is, it's a good technique for getting traffic. If not, it could get you into hot water. Check with the owner of the trademark before doing this.
Less benign is an alternative version of this technique where someone grabs domain names that are close to the trademark of a competitor and uses them to grab competitor type-in traffic. This is often done by finding out the most common misspellings of the real domain name or trademark.
Watch for people doing this with your domain.
~~~
Here's the worst version of this -- and it can hit anyone if they have enough traffic and don't pay close attention to when their domain registrations expire.
In this situation, someone grabs expired domain names and points them to "those" kinds of sites. This is a "no lose" for the hijacker, as they will profit from the traffic even if the previous owner doesn't pay the requested ransom for the domain.
The more traffic the URL gets, the greater the clickthrough value to the hijacker. This means more potential damage to the original owner -- and a higher ransom to get it back.
In effect, your own popularity is your worst enemy in this case.
The solution to this one is simple -- and very important: Don't let your domain names expire!
Useful Resources:
If you find yourself a victim of domain hijacking, there is hope for correcting the problem.
For a more formal explanation of the legal aspects of this problem, visit
http://www.llrx.com/congress/100200.htm
For specific information on the UDRP (Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy), the procedure for taking domain names that are being used in violation of a trademark, see
http://wipo2.wipo.int/process1/index.html
For information on taking action under the Anti-Cybersquatting Act (A US law that provides for damages in addition to the less severe penalties of the UDRP) see
http://www.domain-name.org/cybersquatact.htm
If you have a famous name or trademark, the best defense is to make sure that you register the main variations in both the .com and .net form. The .org is probably only necessary if you are heavily involved with charitable activities.
Protect yourself. Scammers come up with new schemes all the time...
So, keep your eyes open.
About The Author
A few notices, curiosities and some advice for tasting caviar a delicacy originating in Russia but nowadays imitated and produced almost everywhere.
A few notices, curiosities and some advice for tasting caviar a delicacy originating in Russia but nowadays imitated and produced almost everywhere.
by David Russo VMD, PhD
Like it or not, everyone knows that it is a Russian specialty, inseparable from vodka... The word, however, is of Turkish origin: "Kawiar" became "caviale" in Italian, then "caviar" in French, all this before the Russians even arrived upon the Volga River or the Caspian Sea in the 16th century. Before the word entered into the Russian lexicon, roe from all fish, including the sturgeon and salmon, was referred to as "ikra", a word of Slavic origins decidedly.
The first to consume caviar were Muslims living in the Caspian region, who had to content themselves with the eggs due to their religion prohibiting them from eating sturgeon meat. There is no question, however, that the Russian czars and their subjects made up for lost time in consuming sturgeon roe. After the fall of the Soviet Union caviar was no longer produced exclusively in Russia and Iran but also in Azerbaidjan, Kazakistan and Turkmenistan. In other words, it was also produced by the nations along the banks of the Caspian Sea who rushed to take advantage of the prolific riches of the Caspian. According to experts, the pressure exerted by these nations combined with the ecological disasters of the Volga River and the Caspian Sea will bring about, in 7-10 years the near-complete disappearance of black-caviar. Enjoy it while it lasts!
Caviar can be fresh, not sterilized, thereby fully preserving its flavour. Fresh caviar, however, must be kept refrigerated and has a limited duration, from 2 to 6 months, depending on the type of manufacturing. Sterilized caviar has a long preservation time, it usually comes in a glass jar and can be kept for a longer time at room temperature, but it definitely loses its flavour. The eggs of the Beluga are the largest and reach 2.5 millimetres in diameter. They are considered the most valuable when they have clear shadings; those of the Sevruga are instead the smallest (about 1 millimetre), but they are characterized by an enhanced flavour; Osetra (about 2 millimetres) vaguely recalls the taste of walnut, has a clear green-grey colour and a gilded quality. Sterlet caviar was only eaten by the families of the Sci� and the Zar.
The sturgeon (Acipenser sturio) is a prehistoric lance like fish with very small, fine scales and an elongated snout with four tactile feelers at the tip. The beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) is the largest, weighing up to 400 Kg and measuring up to 4 meters in length. It is extremely rare (fewer than 100 are caught per year) and varies in colour from a clear grey to black. The osetra sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii colchicus) weighs up to 200 Kg and measures up to 2 meters. The sevruga sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus) is very thin, weighing up to 30 Kg and measuring up to 1.5 meters. Beluga caviar can comprise up to 15% of the sturgeon's weight! The beluga sturgeon is a wild and robust fish and is hard to catch. It travels to the streams to lay its eggs only every 2-4 years.
There are numerous kinds of jars and tins of caviar, the most well known being Beluga (blue tin), whose grey eggs are appraised by clarity, the clearest being of highest value (000 clear grey, 00 medium grey, 0 dark grey). Next is Osetra (yellow tin), the eggs are also grey but smaller than Beluga, with a nutty flavour. A highly refined type of Osetra is also known as Golden Royal and was prized by Russian czars. Karaburun eggs vary in colour from amber-yellow to greyish yellow. Finally, the most common and least expensive type, while delicious nonetheless when fresh and authentic, is Sevruga (red tin). It is always preferable to select your confections behind glass, so as to be able to verify its quality (shine, colour, consistency), as well as the expiration date.
The flavour of caviar is fine, delicate, rich of tonality, with a precise aroma, and probably among the best of gourmet food. For this reason, the best way to taste caviar is to eat it alone, possibly after being chilled on ice in its container, opened just before eating. For the best taste, use a non-metallic teaspoon made of something like bone or nacre. Above all else it must be tasted without lemon, which alters its real flavour! An elegant coupling with the four caviar varieties can be realized using whipped butter with vodka, minced scallion (sweetened in water), minced hard-boiled egg (yellow and white).
Carefully spread caviar on thin slices of lightly toasted and buttered bread. Warm blinis (Russian crepes), spread with whipped cream, are also particularly good accompaniment.
To top it all off, a glass of ice-cold vodka, making sure to drink it only at the end in order to avoid numbing the palate while tasting the caviar.
If you do not like caviar at all, at least try eggplant caviar, which is nothing more than a mash of eggplant pulp!
95% of the caviar produced in the world comes from sturgeon caught in the Caspian Sea by Russian and Iranian fishermen. The remaining 5% is produced in China, the USA, France and also Italy. Widespread opinion holds that the most valuable caviar is the Iranian. This is because the Caspian Sea is deeper on the Iranian side, never freezing, crossed by currents that oxygenate its waters, with a gravely bottom as opposed to the muddier bottom on the Russian side. In Iran, female sturgeon fishing is under the supervision of Cites, the international regulatory body overseeing its quantity and quality. For this reason caviar lovers widely agree that the best caviar is Iranian. The sturgeon's preferred habitat is in much deeper and warmer waters than those of the Iranian banks of the Caspian. So the Iranian fishermen set up their nets far from shore, allowing them to catch the females before they begin their journey to the river mouths that feed into the Caspian. The sturgeon is then anesthetized and the caviar is extracted by an entirely manual process which includes caesarean, the separation of the eggs by dimension and then cleaning. Once the eggs have been selected and categorized they are salted and packaged. Packing is a very delicate operation. In fact, after having filled the containers, the lid is put on with utmost caution; light pressure is applied with the hand so that any entrapped air exits the container. An airtight rubber seal is then finally put on the lid. The oily liquid that usually comes out of the containers during storage is a sign of its freshness.
The Russians, meanwhile, are forced to wait for the females to arrive at the mouth of the Volga to fish them, by which time the eggs have matured further, losing many of the qualities that are said to make the Iranian caviar better (crunchy skin, defined grain etc). It is also worth noting that the Iranian method of anesthetizing the fish allows it to be brought to the collection points where the caesarean is performed alive, so as to ensure maximum freshness of the eggs. Sturgeon fishing season starts in February and ends in May, but the best quality caviar is produced in the spring.
Although Russian caviar is more commercialized, the uniformity of the grain, the crunchy skin, the dodecagonal shape (as opposed to spherical) and a much defined grain (not sticky) of the Iranian caviar render it the preferred caviar among chefs worldwide.
Fresh caviar can be recognized by odour, which carries a hint of the sea in it, and its delicate taste. Any fishy odour or spicy taste immediately signals that the caviar is not fresh. The grain must be well defined, in the shape of a dodecagon, not sticky and without any surrounding liquid. The tin should be tightly packed, without any empty space under the lid. If the caviar is not fresh or has been exposed to heat the rupturing of the grains causes liquid to form and the quality to diminish.
From a dietetic point of view, it is a nutritive food, rich in proteins, fats, phospholipids and lecithin. It provides 280 Kcal. per 100 g of product. contains considerable amounts of the vitamins A, C, PP, B2, B4 and B12 as well as both folic and pantothenic acids. As for proteins it contains arginine, istidine, leucine, lysine, and methionine all essential amino acids.
The most expensive and very rare caviar is the Almas, packaged in 24 karat gold tins and sold at up to $24,000 per kg! Its whitish colour is due to the age of the sturgeon from which it is harvested and its flavour is marvellous.
Caviar is said to bear aphrodisiacal qualities.
About The Author
Veterinary Scientist, Gourmet Lover and Amateur Cook
http://www.high-net-worth-gourmet.com
718 8247308
dgrusso@verizon.net
Keeping The Registry Clean With A Registry Cleaner
Keeping The Registry Clean With A Registry Cleaner
by Arvind Singh
The registry is the backbone of the operating system. It is the record keeper of all that is stored and where it is stored on the system. Keeping the registry clean will keep your computer running smoothly.
Windows uses a system called the system registry. This is a central database that is used by all modern Windows platforms. This registry or central hierarchal database contains all the information that is required by the operating system to configure the system and make it operate efficiently. The operating system constantly refers to the registry for information. This may be several times a minute and the information sought may range from user profiles, which applications are installed on the machine, to what hardware is installed and which ports are registered and used for what service. The system registry was introduced in the late 1990's along with Windows ninety-five and replaced the older version of recording data in .INI files. The entire registry is composed of binary code and keeps on growing as the operating system adds entries to it. This slows down the system and it needs a registry cleaner to erase all the useless sentries to make the system more efficient.
What is the Registry?
As we use the computer the operating system keeps updating the registry with the new data it has to refer to for smooth operation. Let us take for example the simple file saving information, when we save a document the system has to record where the document has been saved and when it was saved also by which user. All this information is entered in the system registry. No consider how many times you save a document on the system. In addition to this consider how many sites you access on the Internet. Each time you open a site entries are made in the system registry. This makes the registry grow and slow down. Registry cleaners are programs that scan the registry and remove all the redundant entries. Registry Cleaners such as Windows registry cleaner is programmed to identify redundant entries and remove them. This makes the system faster.
So How Does The Registry Slow The System?
As the programs refer to the registry for information such as the location of a particular file or folder it has to start rummaging through the file from the beginning until it comes to the file entry it is looking for. All the entries are entered in hierarchical order so every time the programs refer to the registry they have to start from the beginning. They will also have to go through the broken links and useless entries, which number many thousands. This is why the registry slows the system. A registry cleaner like Win XP registry Cleaner scans the registry and identifies all the broken links and redundant entries that are entries not associated with any application, and removes them. This speeds the system up greatly.
About The Author
To know about the Registry Cleaner visit at: http://www.pcmantra.com/registry-cleaner.htm
Know more about Registry Cleaner?
Read Articles at : http://www.pcmantra.com/RegistryCleanerResource.aspx
Tea: White Tea: India�s White Teas Compared To Ceylon White Teas
Tea: White Tea: India�s White Teas Compared To Ceylon White Teas
by Marcus Stout
White tea is quickly becoming one of the most popular teas in the world. Tea connoisseurs everywhere are scrambling to learn about the different varieties of white tea and sampling them like made. The vast majority of white tea is grown in China, with Japan being the second most popular place for growing white tea.
However, each year more and more white tea comes from India and Sri Lanka, making these the two fastest growing regions for the production of white tea. Many people are not familiar with white teas from these countries, though black tea from both Sri Lanka and India are very common. As time goes on, it�s certain that you�ll see more of these white teas become available.
Sri Lanka and Ceylon Tea
Ceylon is the colonial name for Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is the third largest tea producing area in the world, but is mostly known for its black teas. In fact, tea production is Sri Lanka�s largest employer, providing work for more than one million residents. Approximately 19% of the tea consumed in the world is Ceylon tea.
Tea is grown in Sri Lanka�s highlands over an area of about four thousand miles, and tea can be plucked all year long. White Ceylon tea is grown in the Nuwara Eliya region near Adam�s Peak, where the altitude is about 2200-2500 meters above sea level.
All Ceylon teas have a distinct flavor that is different from Indian and Asian teas. Ceylon is a very mild tea, and is often recommended for new tea drinkers since it has lots of flavor, but retains its mildness. When it comes to the Ceylon white teas, the color is very light with gold to copper color. You�ll taste a bit of honey and pine in a Ceylon white tea.
Ceylon white tea is harvested and rolled by hand. The leaves are dry and are allowed to wither in the sun. Because Ceylon white is only grown in a small area of the country, it is rare and highly prized. Because the tea is not mass produced, and because Sri Lanka ensures that tea farming can continue to be viable career for its citizens, Ceylon white tea is one of the most expensive white teas you can buy.
India and Darjeeling Tea
Darjeeling is a region in the northeastern part of India, in the foothills of the Himalayas, between Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan. Darjeeling is one of the most well known tea producing regions in the world, and Darjeeling tea is known for its very distinct flavor. Today the Darjeeling region boasts more than 80 tea gardens over 19,000 hectares. Tea production employs over 52,000 Nepalese people full time, with another 15,000 people employed part time during the plucking season.
Darjeeling teas are known as the �Champagne of Teas�, in part because of the distinct muscatel flavor. You�ll also find Darjeeling teas to have a bit of a flowery note and a significant astringency. It is the exact combination of the moist cool climate, the fertile soil, heavy rain and gradually sloping terrain that gives the Darjeeling tea a flavor that cannot be matched by tea gardens in other parts of the world.
If you�ve tried Darjeeling in black tea, and been disappointed, it�s likely because you bought a tea that was labeled Darjeeling, but was actually a mix of teas, including Darjeeling as part of the mixture. Darjeeling experts believe that each year about 10,000 pounds of Darjeeling tea is grown, but about 40,000 pounds of tea is labeled Darjeeling. So, it�s important to choose tea that is labeled 100% Darjeeling to ensure you get that distinct flavor.
Darjeeling white tea is far rarer than Darjeeling black teas. Darjeeling white tea is very mild and slightly sweet like other white teas. It brews to a pale golden color, and because it is less compact than many other teas in loose form, requires more tea leaves per cup. However, it still retains the astringency and muscatel flavor of Darjeeling black in a lighter flavor.
Many tea drinkers who find black Darjeeling a bit strong will likely love white Darjeeling because it is more flavorful than many other white teas yet is not as robust as black Darjeeling.
If you�re interested in sampling a Darjeeling white tea, Darjeeling White Tips is a great tea to start with. It�s very indicative of most good Darjeeling teas, with a light sweet note and a flavor that reminds you of muscatel and other white wine. If you�ve found other white teas nearly tasteless, you may be pleasantly surprised by the flavor in a Darjeeling.
Because such a large percentage of the world�s white tea is grown in China and Japan, people often overlook Indian and Ceylon teas. But, in fact, some of the most delicious white tea in the world is grown in these two areas. As you�re sampling the many variations of white tea out there in pursuit of your favorite, don�t forget Ceylon and Darjeeling. You�re sure to love them both.
About The Author
Drinking Tea
Drinking Tea
by Kadence Buchanan
The second most consumed beverage behind water is tea. Interestingly enough the 3,200,000 tones of tea produced worldwide come from only one plant species, named "camellia sinensis." But how a plant becomes a beverage? Tea is made by steeping processed leaves, buds, or twigs of the tea bush in hot water for a few minutes, a great variety of tea tastes, aromas and colors can excite even the more skeptical drinker. If you do like tea drinking, but simply never had the opportunity to learn more about it beyond the fact that you enjoy it, you should know that there are thousands of kinds of tea offered on today's market. Shades in flavor derive from the region of cultivation and the method of processing the tea leaves. It is the processing techniques that produce the four simple tea categories are considered the art of tea making. In its most basic form, processing is the taking of the raw green leaves and deciding whether or not, and how much oxidation (or fermentation) should take place before drying them out. Oxidation is the reaction of the enzymes contained in tea leaves when they are broken, bruised or crushed.
The first category is that of black tea. Black tea is nothing more than the leaves of the camellia sinensis after being exposed to 8-24 hours of open air. After the leaves are picked up they are spread out to let the water they contain evaporate. You have probably witnessed it happening to a flower that is left without being watered. The foliage curls up and begins to dry. After this part of the process, the tea leaves are balled into rolls that encourage oxidization. When fully oxidized, the leaves turn into a rich black color. Tea producers then put the tea leaves into the final drying period before sorting and packaging them.
Oolong tea is another tea category and is considered to be the most difficult of the four types of teas to process. The best way to describe oolong tea is that it is somewhere in between green and black tea. This is because the leaves are only partially oxidized during the processing. As with black tea, the leaves are spread out to dry for 8-24 hours, but after that, they are tossed about in a basket in order to create a bruising and partial exposure to the air. The final step involves steaming the leaves, which neutralizes the enzymes in the tea and prevents further oxidization.
Green teas, like white teas, are closer to tasting like fresh leaves of grass that the other two tea categories. This type of tea is also lower in caffeine and has higher antioxidant properties. The whole process of creating green tea revolves around preventing oxidization from taking place in the leaves. Though the tea leaves are sometimes laid out to dry for a few hours, then, in order to neutralize the enzymes and prevent further oxidation, the leaves are steamed or pan fried. It is this very technique which results in the preservation of the enzymes which have recently become the focus of medical research. After steaming, the leaves are rolled up, still quite green in color.
Finally, white tea has recently become a popular item in the west as it is the least processed tea and thus tastes the most like fresh leaves or grass. White tea is made of the little buds of the tea plant. Again like green tea, white tea is steamed or pan fried to prevent any kind of oxidization, and great care is taken to avoid bruising or crushing the tea. The dried buds have a silver-like appearance because the tiny white hairs of new growth are still present.
About The Author
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Suggestions for a Cheaper, Greener, more Eco Friendly Christmas and New Year
Suggestions for a Cheaper, Greener, more Eco Friendly Christmas and New Year
by Davinos Greeno
Christmas tree
� Rather than buying a real tree thats been cut down, transported and then thrown away, purchase a large potted plant or small tree that can be used each year as your evergreen Christmas tree.
� You could always purchase an artificial tree that can be reused for many years, these range from 10 pounds to over 100 pounds. Ours actually looks real!
� If you buy a real tree, pay the Woodland Trust or a different organization to plant one in its place!
Christmas Decorations
� If you have evergreen shrubs and trees - to make sure you have an annual supply of eco-friendly Christmas decorations why not do some of your pruning just before Christmas and use the choice bits for inside? If you have not got any evergreens but have a garden ask for some of these plants as Christmas presents. They may take a few years to grow but then all you will need to do is harvest in December and be as creative as you like.
� Make a homemade wreath using branches trimmed from your garden or somebody elses.
� Purchase handmade decor made from recycled or eco-friendly materials. If possible by Fair trade as well, as they are a great way to support the disadvantaged. While some of these crafts may not be from recycled materials they provide much needed income to needy individuals.
� Ivy is good to drape around pictures, windows and the base of Christmas trees, it will hide the wires of the tree lights. There is as far as I know no substitute for electric fairy lights but as they last for years and use very little power, their impact is relatively low and they do look great.
� One of the advantages of using natural decorations is that after Christmas they do not need to go in the bin they can enter your normal garden waste on the compost heap.
Christmas tree ornaments
� Make homemade ornaments from (painted) pinecones, painted eggshells, crushed (colored) aluminum foil, paper chains, paper snowflakes, old CDs and more!
� Decorate a doll as an angel.
� Do an online search for recycled or homemade tree ornaments for numerous ideas or purchase these recycled or eco-friendly tree ornaments if you cant be bothered to make them.
Gifts
� Buy a subscription to an organisation working to make the world a better place such as the RSPB, RSPCA or Oxfam.
� If you are buying a present that uses batteries make sure the person you are buying it for has a battery charger and buy rechargeable batteries.
� Buy a homemade present, bird table, compost bin. Chocolate cakes often go down very well!
Gift wrap
� Collect extra photocopies or no longer needed papers from work for your children to draw on the back.
� Use colored pictures from your childrens colouring books.
� Use leftover pieces of fabric or wallpaper.
� Use recycled paper.
� Put the gift inside another gift such as a decorative tin, nice wooden box etc.
� Use gift wrap, gift bags and gift boxes, ribbon and bows from last Christmas or previous celebrations. Leave the tags blank on the gifts you are giving so that they can be reused.
Greeting cards & gift tags
� Send an e-card.
� Make a greeting card or tag from scrap paper, fabric or wallpaper.
� Make cards or tags from pieces of food box.
Packing material
� Use saved packing material such as foam or bubble wrap.
� Crush up newspaper into loose balls. This is cheap, quick and lightweight! This is our preferred method for box filler.
After the New Year
� Find out where you can recycle your real Christmas tree or Christmas cards, local councils and supermarkets are a good place to start. They will turn your trees into mulch for use in parks and public gardens.
� Use any wrapping paper that is no longer reusable for shelf liners or craft projects.
� Save boxes, gift bags, wrapping, filler, ribbons and bows for future gift wrapping or craft projects. Give them away to friends, neighbours etc if you have too many to keep.
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