According to Maori mythology, you can see her green eyes staring at you in the night when your time to die has come.

Hine-Nui-Te-Po, the goddess of death and decay, is black as the darkness of the earth.  A dying person is said to creep into her womb.

Maui, a great Maori hero, stalked the Sleeping Mother Death.  He knew his end was near and he intended to trick death.

His plan was simple:  he would creep through her body while she was sleeping and come out the other side.  In that way, he’d overcome death and begin life anew.  It didn’t work, of course.

You can’t cheat Mother Death, the Great Lady of the Night.  When he had almost succeeded, a songbird chattered and Hine-Nui-Te-Po awoke.

She closed her hips and Maui was caught.

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Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb hamburger
• 1 cup oats
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 egg Salt and pepper to taste

Glaze:

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1 Tbs brown sugar

Combine all ingredients together and form into loaf.

Bake in loaf pan for 1 1/2 hours at 350 degrees.

Mix the glaze ingredients together and spread over the loaf for the last 15 minutes of baking.

- Thanks John

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I really hate it when I go to a public restroom and there is pee all over the toilets!!!

I’m sure many of you have this peeve too!!!!!!

Am I right???  Thanks for letting me vent…

- Michelle

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Ever notice that sometimes (in spite of Webster) that the “-tre” version of theater is still used in this country?  When referring to the art or live performances it’s usually “theatre”, whereas the building structure is a “theater.”

- Ginger

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One of the more pleasant tasks associated with arranging a wedding is deciding on what wedding favors to have for the guests. Fortunately, there are a number of different options which are very easy to arrange at the last minute. Favors do not have to be stressful part of organizing the special day when there are other more important things that require your time.

One option for an easy wedding favor, especially popular with the ladies is flowers. There is virtually no preparation involved in this and depending on how many guests you have you may not have to order them well in advance.

Many people who choose flowers decide on a single red rose for each guest as a symbol of their love. You can simply purchase one for each guest and have a member of the catering staff, a friend or family member place one rose across each place setting after the tables have been set for the wedding reception.

Although candy might be an easy wedding favor, it is immensely popular and with almost three out of every four weddings using it, often placed in a specially designed box. However, there is an even easier way to give candy and also help you to save money on centerpieces. This just needs a large quantity of various candies placed in a large bowl on the middle of the table.

Each wedding guest can then have a small bag or box to place their favorite candy in to eat when they like. Of course this means that you won’t have to wrap anything yourself but it should get the thumbs up from everyone.

Pictures frames can also work well especially if they are used as place card holders. Where possible, try to find a way around wrapping wedding favors, especially the likes of picture frames which could take a considerable amount of time, not to mention the cost. Almost all receptions have place names at the tables for the guests so this is an ideal way to present the frame without the need to spend time and more money on wrapping paper which will only be discarded.

One final idea for a very easy wedding favor is to give each guest a digital photo of themselves at the reception by hiring a photographer to take a picture of each couple as they arrive at the wedding reception. So to make sure each guest leaves with their photo, the photographer could take along a fast digital printer then they could be printed out whilst the guests are enjoying the reception. As most wedding photographs are in groups, a photograph with just one couple at a time showing them at their best would be a welcomed wedding favor. If the photographer can arrange a slide show, the guests not only get a personal memento but they also get the opportunity to see how the photos turned out for all of the other guests as well.

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When you think about it, what is the mystery about natural weight loss - if you don’t eat too much and have regular physical activity you won’t put on weight; recommendations such as this are generally ignored. This is not as simple as it seems though even though the concept is easy to comprehend; with the number of overweight American citizens increasing, this advice obviously doesn’t work. There are many reasons why you would want to lose weight once you have put it on, but what reason is strong enough to actually encourage you to do it, good health or looks?

What most people do not realize is keeping at the right weight is much, much easier than losing it. Even though many people know this subconsciously very few actually plan to ensure that weight gain doesn’t happen to them.

Studies have shown that it is more likely a person who has lost weight using a calorie controlled diet, even if they actually enjoyed it, are more likely to go back to their old eating habits at some point. The simple fact is this; the longer you ignore natural weight loss programs and stay overweight, the more likely you are to have health problems.

The truth is there is a huge price to pay with your health when you are overweight and in particular, clinically obese. If you think about it, losing excess weight by natural methods is the most acceptable way to get rid of those extra pounds but too many people want a ‘quick fix’ system.

Maintaining a natural weight loss regime means sticking to low fat meals that are high in fiber and contain complex carbohydrates with a moderate amount of protein. If you were looking at a meal then this would be a baked potato (carbohydrate), the vegetables would be the fiber and a little meat, is the protein.

Dietary fat is a problem because it is full of calories which will be converted into body fat unlike calories that are consumed in food from other sources. Manufacturers have realized that there is a huge market for low-fat or even fat-free products but the propensity and popularity of these foods are not lowering the average weight of the nation.

One of the greatest delusions of the 1990s was that no fat meant non-fattening but the truth is you are often getting just as many calories from these foods; the calories are just not coming from fat. This is a trap that many people fall into and forget it’s about eating from the correct food groups, and if you have to snack make it a small healthy one.

Health experts say it would be better to try eating every three to four hours, which may mean a nutritious low-fat snack between lunch and dinner. Natural weight loss is a lifestyle choice not a fad; hence, it takes a great deal of determination, self-control, and discipline to achieve your ideal weight.

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When the topic of dementia is brought up, the discussion will invariably turn towards Alzheimer’s disease; being the most common progressive degenerative disorder makes it especially noteworthy. Alzheimer’s disease gradually causes deterioration in the memory and is currently affecting one in ten of people aged 65 and over; the problem in the past has been the accuracy of diagnosis which has gradually improved and is now up to 94 percent accurate. Alois Alzheimer a German physician first discovered the disease back in 1906 but it has only really been in the world’s focus for just over 30 years; its effects are not fully understood even today with all the research that has been carried out.

Studies into the disorder have shown you have a grater chance of acquiring Alzheimer’s the older you become. Many people experiencing the first signs of Alzheimer’s are unwilling to admit to themselves or others that there is anything wrong.

At the moment all forms of dementia treatment are pretty much the same and that includes Alzheimer’s disease. Stalling the progression and possibly improving the condition is about the best that can currently be achieved with drugs but no definitive treatment has yet been discovered. The mental abilities of an Alzheimer’s disease sufferer can be improved anything up to six months with the use of prescribed medication like Donepezil, Tacrine, and Rivastigmine. These drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Memantine is showing a degree of success with sufferers in the later stages of Alzheimer’s. This drug slows down the mental deterioration so those already prescribed Donepezil with severe symptoms are now prescribed Memantine. Memantine is the first drug to show such positive results with sufferers who have moderate to severe symptoms. There are very few side effects and four fifths of it is passed out in urine unchanged by the kidneys.

As the fourth largest cause of death in America, Alzheimer’s disease is thought to be one of the largest public health problems. This is due to an increase in the life expectancy of the populations in the industrialized world. That is not the only problem, the annual cost of treating and care for sufferers is in excess of 40 billion dollars and is expected to rise well beyond this in the future. According to the National Institute on Aging, nearly half of its annual budget was spent on research into this awful disease last year alone. Currently there are hundreds of substances being tested for treatments around the world.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is one proven method you can use to reduce the risks of contracting dementia. Although not full proven yet, researchers studying Alzheimer’s patients have noticed that those who stay healthy and cheerful have slowed down the rate of decline. Fortunately this disease is still mainly affecting elderly people but there have been recent occasions where younger persons have developed this disease.

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The regular use of anti-ageing skin care products is becoming normal these days; when most of us can expect to live longer and have fuller, more active lives, this is hardly surprising. The skin care industry uses beauty products that increase the synthesis of the protein collagen, the main protein in skin which becomes less elastic as we age; twenty-five per cent of the skin’s protein is collagen. This category of skin products is in fact related to another group of everyday products that help reduce the signs of aging; known as antioxidants, they are the body’s method of slowing down the ageing process.

Vitamin C is probably one of the better known anti-oxidants in use today but the debate about the daily quota required is ongoing. The problem with vitamin C derived skin care treatments is they can become oxidized when exposed to the atmosphere, often even before they are used.

To overcome this problem, manufacturers use alternative skin care treatments that still provide the same benefits but not the high manufacturing costs. However, these anti-ageing skin care treatments are not as effective vitamin C based products, although vitamin E and lipoic acid are also anti-oxidants and have similar effects.

Found in human blood, vitamin E is not only an antioxidant but is designed to increase the immune system’s resistance to disease and can also help ward off cancer. Lipoic acid is also an energy making component of the body, found in every cell, it can also help reduce the ageing process which affects the skin.

Another group of products used to reduce the visible signs of ageing are phytochemicals which are compounds extracted from various plants and used in many anti-ageing skin care products. Phytochemicals prevent occurrence of certain types of cancer; these include prostate cancer, breast cancer and colon cancer.

It has also been discovered that there are anti-ageing benefits to vitamins B5, B6 and B12. The use of anti-ageing skin care products is a huge scientific field to research and has far greater potential than just producing goods that reduce the visible signs of age.

There is no doubt that what has been learned so far is only a small part of the jigsaw puzzle but research is moving forward rapidly and it is only a matter of time before a new generation of products becomes available. With the research that is now taking place, many people are confident that in time, more effective, cheaper anti-ageing skin care products will be discovered.

In some respects the real way ahead lies in our own hands as there are many things we can do to reduce the signs of ageing naturally. You know all these things but how many do you practice? Regular exercise, restful sleep, drinking plenty of water, eating a healthy diet and keeping your stress levels low are all necessary.

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Very few cities in Europe can compete with Paris as a romantic destination; ideally situated along the banks of the river Seine. Unfortunately a Paris short stay can only ever be considered a taster; with a great deal to see and do that really a week is needed.

It is known for its wonderful buildings, style, excellent food and wine; it is the home of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and many other famous tourist attractions. Fortunately for tourists, Paris has a first rate transportation system; there is a superb underground rail system called the Metro which is efficient and easy to understand.

At almost 1,000 feet high, the Eiffel Tower is an impressive sight; it’s visible throughout most of the city but the views from the top of this huge steel structure are even more impressive. At night, it comes alive with lights that have to be seen to be believed; guided tours add to the thrill as you get to peek into history on how it was constructed.

A walk along the Champs Elysees is essential when you visit Paris; you can see beautiful shops, sit and drink coffee from the many cafes or have a meal in a first class restaurant. This is an ‘up-market’ area that attracts thousands of tourists each day; top class hotels are found here, although if you want to stay at a more reasonably priced hotel, they are available outside of the city center.

If you are an art lover you will enjoy the Louvre, a truly amazing museum; it holds in excess of 300,000 pieces of art, which cannot possibly be seen in a single visit. Visitors on short stays in Paris could easily be overwhelmed; with the likes of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa to view in addition to some of the finest collections of art in the world. What makes Paris special is the number of artists that have been attracted to this great capital; chances are that you will have the opportunity to see a number of famous paintings whilst you’re visiting.

The Arc de Triomphe another famous landmark was built by Napoleon in 1806; it provides visitors with a wonderful photo experience because it contains the names of every one of his generals. Many people do not know that an observatory was included in the design which affords great views of the surrounding area; it stands in the place where the city’s main avenues begin including the Champs Elysees.

Of course this article can only give a small sample places to visit; there are plenty of others to keep you occupied but to make the most of your time, use one of the guided tours. A short stay in Paris will definitely be a busy one even if only a few sights are visited; anything else on your ‘to see’ list can wait for your next trip.

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So many people have drab bathroom decorations when they spend good money keeping the rest of their homes looking nice; why shouldn’t people have a pleasant bathroom to relax in. It is probably because we all take longer in this room than we used too, so employing a few bathroom decorating ideas to liven it up makes it all that more enjoyable. Why shouldn’t this room be a pleasant place to visit especially when you may relax in a bath for 30 minutes or more.

If nothing else, your bathroom decorating ideas will impress your friends and neighbors. The kitchen used to be another place that wasn’t a high priority but all that has changed as the average family spends more time there so why not the bathroom as well.

The chances are that your bathroom decorating ideas will follow the same used in the rest of your house so that every room matches to a degree. For example, if a nice low table looks good in the hallway, it will look positively elegant in the bathroom. Small round or square tables are also good for magazines, which is something else that will not look out of place in your bathroom.

This can also work the other way, if you have used certain decorating or furnishing ideas in your bathroom then why not extend some of those to other areas of your home? Wall and floor tile are a prime example of this transfer of decorating ideas which can be seen in many homes.

If a bathroom tile has a particular pattern there are many places where it could be used to augment the feel of the home including the kitchen. Of course, bathroom decorating ideas might start with tiles on the floor and sink, but they do not end their.

Soap dishes and soap trays are becoming more fashionable and some designs are really effective. Many guides to bathroom decoration suggest that you make your own soap trays.

There was even a suggestion of how to make them with clay which is not a material that would automatically spring to mind but does provide certain flexibility. I have always found that even if you do nothing else, a relaxing picture, perhaps of woodland, lake or seashore can make a great deal of difference to a bathroom. With the materials and information available today, there is no excuse not to turn your bathroom into something very special.

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