10 facts about coffee

THE World’s Biggest Coffee Morning takes place today, raising funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. Details may be found at coffee.macmillan.org.uk

1. More than 400 billion cups of coffee are drunk around the world every year.

2. Expenditure on coffee in Britain first overtook the amount spent on tea in 1998.

3. In the late 15th century, Turkey passed a law making it possible for a woman to divorce her husband if he did not keep the coffee pot full.

4. Coffee was introduced into Europe in 1683, when the Turkish army left sacks of coffee behind as they retreated from the gates of Vienna.

5. In 2002, scientists found that sprinkling coffee grounds in the garden helps deter snails and slugs.

6. The world's most expensive coffee is said to be Kopi Luak coffee, made from beans eaten and excreted by the luak (palm civet) of Indonesia.

7. Japanese researchers this year developed a chemical test to find whether coffee has genuinely passed through a civet’s digestive system.

8. Frederick the Great of Prussia (1712-86) took coffee made with Champagne as a calming drink.

9. A car fuelled by used coffee grounds made the 250-mile London to Manchester trip in 2010...

10. ...It was called the 'car-puccino' and made the trip on the equivalent of 11,000 espressos.

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fun facts of the day

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•  Dogs and cats consume over $11 billion worth of pet food a year
• Thirty-five percent of the people who use personal ads for dating are already married
• Jim Morrison, of the 60′s rock group The Doors, was the first rock star to be arrested on stage
• In England, the Speaker of the House is not allowed to speak.
• In the last 4000 years no new animals have been domesticated.
• An ostrich’s eye is bigger than its brain.
• The human heart creates enough pressure in the bloodstream to squirt blood 30 feet.
• In Italy, 17 is considered an unlucky number. In Japan, 4 is considered an unlucky number.
• Ramses brand condom is named after the great pharaoh Ramses II who fathered over 160 children.
• The average garden variety caterpillar has 248 muscles in its head.
• Anise is the scent on the artificial rabbit that is used in greyhound races.
• The cruise liner Queen Elizabeth II moves only six inches for each gallon of diesel that it burns.
• Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times.
• Some people say that when the black bands on the Woolybear caterpillar are wide, a cold winter is coming.
• There are more donut shops in Canada per capita than any other country.
• Termites outweigh humans by almost ten to one.
• Right handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left handed people do.
• It can take as long as 4 hours to hard-boil an ostrich egg.
• The volume of the earth’s moon is the same as the volume of the Pacific Ocean.
• A rat can last longer without water than a camel.
  
  
  

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MAN CARRIES HOME ON HIS BACK FOR 5 YEARS

HUMAN SNAIL

About 20 years ago, Liu Lingchao left his small hometown of Guangxi for big city dreams in Guangzhou and Shenzhenof. 

Liu Lingchao

About 5 years ago Liu decided to go back home.  Instead of taking modern transportation, he opted to trek the entire 450 miles on foot.  Oh, and did I mention he has carried his home on his back the entire time!

MOVING AT A SNAIL’S PACE

To put that in perspective, walking from Shenzhen to Guangxi is 450 miles, equivalent to walking from New York to North Carolina.  Sure a long distance, butI’ve heard of people walking 3,000 miles coast-to-coast across the USA in a year, so why has it taken Liu 5 years to go about 1/6th the distance?  Perhaps it’s the 132 lbs, 5-ft x 7-ft home strapped to his back?

NO HANDOUTS HERE

Liu inside his travel home

Liu is 100% self-sufficient.  He literally carries his home on his back, and he recycles discarded bottles he finds on the road for cash.

Everything he needs he has packed in his carry hut.   He travels with his bedding, food, and other necessities.

So far he has worn out three of these travel homes.  However, Liu is only 20 miles away from ending his journey and returning home to Guangxi.

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GRAD STUDENT CONVERTS OLD SCHOOL BUS INTO RAD MOBILE HOME

So, you just spent a bajillion dollars on grad school. What’s next?

For most, the next obvious course of action would be to get a job and start paying off that debt.

That plan did not sit well with Hank Butitta. Instead of taking the traditional life route, Hank decided to buy an old school bus and go road tripping, Jack Kerouac style.

HI! I’M HANK, AND I BOUGHT A BUS

Hank was in his final semester of architecture school, and instead of drawing imaginary plans that would never be realized, Hank decided to create something real for his Masters Final Project.

He bought an old school bus off Craigslist for $3000 and started to convert it into a workable living space.

Factor in an additional $6000 and sprinkle a bit of encouragement from his instructor, Adam Marcus, and you have the coolest mobile home ever!

ON THE ROAD

Hank is keeping a travel log of his journey. To follow his cross-country road trip, check out his websitewww.hankboughtabus.com.

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Pregnancy Facts

Pregnancy facts*

• A normal pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks and is grouped into three trimesters.
• Symptoms of early pregnancy include the absence of menstrual periods, breast changes, tiredness, nausea, mood swings, or other symptoms.
• A pregnancy test measures the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin in the urine or blood.
• Symptoms of late pregnancy can include heartburn, difficulty sleeping, swelling of the ankles or fingers, hemorrhoids, and mild contractions.
• By the end of 37 weeks, a baby is considered full term and its organs are ready to function on their own.
• As you near your due date, your baby may turn into a head-down position for birth. Most babies "present" head down.
• Babies at birth typically weigh between 6 pounds 2 ounces and 9 pounds 2 ounces and are 19 to 21 inches long. Most full-term babies fall within these ranges.

Introduction

Pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks, counting from the first day of your last normal period. The weeks are grouped into three trimesters (TREYE-mess-turs). Find out what's happening with you and your baby in these three stages

What is the first trimester (week 1-week 12)?

During the first trimester your body undergoes many changes. Hormonal changes affect almost every organ system in your body. These changes can trigger symptoms even in the very first weeks of pregnancy. Your period stopping is a clear sign that you are pregnant. Other changes may include:

• Extreme tiredness
• Tender, swollen breasts. Your nipples might also stick out.
• Upset stomach with or without throwing up (morning sickness)
• Cravings or distaste for certain foods
• Mood swings
• Constipation (trouble having bowel movements)
• Need to pass urine more often
• Headache
• Heartburn
• Weight gain or loss

As your body changes, you might need to make changes to your daily routine, such as going to bed earlier or eating frequent, small meals. Fortunately, most of these discomforts will go away as your pregnancy progresses. And some women might not feel any discomfort at all! If you have been pregnant before, you might feel differently this time around. Just as each woman is different, so is each pregnancy.

What is the second trimester (week 13-week 28)?

Most women find the second trimester of pregnancy easier than the first. But it is just as important to stay informed about your pregnancy during these months.

You might notice that symptoms like nauseaand fatigue are going away. But other new, more noticeable changes to your body are now happening. Your abdomen will expand as the baby continues to grow. And before this trimester is over, you will feel your baby beginning to move!

As your body changes to make room for your growing baby, you may have:

• Body aches, such as back, abdomen, groin, or thigh pain
• Stretch marks on your abdomen, breasts, thighs, or buttocks
• Darkening of the skin around your nipples
• A line on the skin running from belly button to pubic hairline
• Patches of darker skin, usually over the cheeks, forehead, nose, or upper lip. Patches often match on both sides of the face. This is sometimes called themask of pregnancy
• Numb or tingling hands, called carpal tunnel syndrome
• Itching on the abdomen, palms, and soles of the feet. (Call your doctor if you have nausea, loss of appetite,vomiting, jaundice or fatigue combined with itching. These can be signs of a serious liver problem.)
• Swelling of the ankles, fingers, and face. (If you notice any sudden or extreme swelling or if you gain a lot of weight really quickly, call your doctor right away. This could be a sign of preeclampsia.)

• Most women find the second trimester of pregnancy easier than the first. But it is just as important to stay informed about your pregnancy during these months.
  You might notice that symptoms like nauseaand fatigue are going away. But other new, more noticeable changes to your body are now happening. Your abdomen will expand as the baby continues to grow. And before this trimester is over, you will feel your baby beginning to move!
  As your body changes to make room for your growing baby, you may have:
  • Body aches, such as back, abdomen, groin, or thigh pain
  • Stretch marks on your abdomen, breasts, thighs, or buttocks
  • Darkening of the skin around your nipples
  • A line on the skin running from belly button to pubic hairline
  • Patches of darker skin, usually over the cheeks, forehead, nose, or upper lip. Patches often match on both sides of the face. This is sometimes called themask of pregnancy
  • Numb or tingling hands, called carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Itching on the abdomen, palms, and soles of the feet. (Call your doctor if you have nausea, loss of appetite,vomiting, jaundice or fatigue combined with itching. These can be signs of a serious liver problem.)
  • Swelling of the ankles, fingers, and face. (If you notice any sudden or extreme swelling or if you gain a lot of weight really quickly, call your doctor right away. This could be a sign of preeclampsia.)

What is the third trimester (week 29-week 40)?

You're in the home stretch! Some of the same discomforts you had in your second trimester will continue. Plus, many women find breathing difficult and notice they have to go to the bathroom even more often. This is because the baby is getting bigger and it is putting more pressure on your organs. Don't worry, your baby is fine and these problems will lessen once you give birth.

Some new body changes you might notice in the third trimester include:

• Shortness of breath
• Heartburn
• Swelling of the ankles, fingers, and face. (If you notice any sudden or extreme swelling or if you gain a lot of weight really quickly, call your doctor right away. This could be a sign of preeclampsia.)
• Hemorrhoids
• Tender breasts, which may leak a watery pre-milk called colostrum (kuh-LOSS-struhm)
• Your belly button may stick out
• Trouble sleeping
• The baby "dropping," or moving lower in your abdomen
• Contractions, which can be a sign of real or false labor

As you near your due date, your cervix becomes thinner and softer (called effacing). This is a normal, natural process that helps the birth canal (vagina) to open during the birthing process. Your doctor will check your progress with a vaginal exam as you near your due date. Get excited — the final countdown has begun!

THANKS TO..............................................................

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20 Useful CSS Tips For Bloggers

20 Useful CSS Tips For Beginners

In the old days, we depend a lot of on developers and programmers to help update the website, even when it’s just a minor one. Thanks to the CSS and it’s flexibility, styles can be extract independently away from the codes. Now, with some basic understanding of CSS, even a novice can easily change the style of a website.

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