General George Custer perished during the Battle of the Little Big Horn, but his wife, the spirited and courageous “Libbie” Custer, who often rode with him, survived to ride again.

Libbie was out of the fort, riding with her sister, during the fatal attack.

This was indeed fortunate for her, as George had instructed his cavalry to shoot his wife, rather than let her be captured by Indians.

After her death, at the age of ninety-two and following a lifetime of adventures, she was buried beside George Custer in West Point’s military cemetery.

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For the crust:

• 3 sticks margarine
• 4 egg yolks
• 4 c.  flour
• 1/4 c.  milk
• 1/4 c.  warm water
• 1 pkg.  dry yeast

For the filling:

• 3 lb.  Ricotta cheese
• 1 basket cheese (a white, mild cheese sold in Italian groceries around Christmas and Easter)
• 1.5 lb.  pepperoni
•  2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp.  salt
• 2 T.  chopped parsley

1. Combine yeast and warm water; set aside.
2. Cut margarine into flour and blend well.
3. Add beaten yolks, milk, and yeast.
4. Knead dough and divide into three balls.
5. Roll out two bottom crusts to fit 9″ pie plates.
6. Dice basket cheese and pepperoni and add to egg yolks.
7. Add the rest of the filling ingredients.
8. Mix well and pour into pie shells.
9. Roll out remaining dough and cut into strips.
10. Weave into lattice over top of the pies and brush with milk.
11. Bake at 350F until golden brown.
12. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
13. Makes 12 generous lunch servings.

- Thanks Kari!

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Vanity and arrogance have always been two of my most bothersome pet peeves.  I have a friend who constantly fishes for compliments, compliments herself, and really reads too far into peoples’ gestures.  She insists that all guys think she’s good looking and want her.  Even when a guy is talking to me, winking, smiling, and complimenting me, she thinks he is hitting on her!  This frustrates me so badly!  I’ve even addressed the issue, but she keeps talking about how all men like her so much.  This aspect of her attitude reminds me of the fisherman who always thinks he has a bite, but keeps pulling in seaweed and old boots!  Even with the proof on the end of his line, he insists he caught a big one!

- Aubrey

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Here is the one fact I want to share with all of you out there.  Two days ago I came to know the actual meaning of “Bless You” when someone sneezes.  However, in India, it’s a whole different story.  As of Indian traditions, if one sneezes it means someone is missing him or her.  It’s a very common sign of being missed by your loved ones.

- MONA

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The bride and groom are usually so busy on their wedding day that without photos to remind them, many of the days events would be forgotten; digital wedding photography has changed how wedding photographers can carry out their work ensuring the day is captured on disk. Digital photography may have replaced film but people still like to see photographs they can handle!

This isn’t easy; creating that perfect shot if you are taking photographs without help as there is only so much you can do on your own without help. So, if you need some help for a wedding you are to attend and you are going to use a digital camera, then you may find some useful information in this article.

Most importantly try to ensure you don’t have poor background scenery and that there aren’t too many people in the shot. Don’t worry too much if you can’t get a full body shot of the couple as you can get around this problem by taking a portrait shot of them which will solve the problem.

If some of the guests are wearing glasses, they can be asked to stand with their heads a little down or sideways to avoid the glare effect from spectacles that normally appears when a flash is used. If you are shooting into the light, remember to compensate and increase the aperture otherwise the couple (or guests) will appear dark in the image.

Some of the best pictures you will take will be those where the subject(s) do not know the shot is being taken and the best way to do this is by using a zoom lens. To avoid missing what will probably be great shots, don’t put your camera down because with digital wedding photography you can guarantee the moment you do, something worthwhile will take place.

Probably the most important thing to remember with digital cameras is to have plenty of memory in your camera plus fresh batteries and the best way to ensure this is to always carry spares. Professional digital slr cameras start at 6 mega pixels and very few compacts are now below that so your card will need to be a minimum of one gigabyte to be on the safe side.

The reason you need to set the cameras resolution to the maximum is because the colors will be richer and if you want to enlarge the photos, it won’t be a problem. To ensure your pictures are safe and ready to print, save them as soon as possible to your computer’s hard drive and create a CD you can present to the couple.

A new generation has grown up not really knowing what film photography is like, so to them digital wedding photography is quite normal.

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Over the last few years a new weight loss treatment has started to hit the news in the form of a plant called ‘Hoodia’; it has won over many skeptics with it’s ability to control weight. Merchandisers all over the world have started using this ‘magic’ plant in the composition of natural Hoodia weight loss products; the number of slimming products containing the extract grows weekly. But, do you know why this strange plant is in such demand or even where it comes from?

Found in some of the deserts of South Africa, the Hoodia is a cactus, one of thirteen different varieties. The Gordonii species has the ability to suppress (and eliminate) the appetite of someone who eats it. In fact, this cactus is so good at reducing the appetite that it is considered, by medical science, as the most effective appetite inhibitor on the planet. This is probably why it is in great demand.

Before being included in weight loss treatments, this cactus was actually studied in laboratories and even directly tested in first-hand experiments. One of the examples of its effectiveness was quite astounding as it consisted of a number of BBC workers who volunteered to eat just a single Hoodia leaf. Nobody on the team required food or drink, once they had consumed it, for the entire day.

Hoodia weight loss products are all the more effective given the fact that they are completely free from side-effects. There are no unpleasant digestive problems or heart rhythm disturbances that often happen with other appetite inhibitors. The strange thing is the fact that whilst the product is being used, it does not make the user feel tired or listless.

Anyone using it should still eat healthily during the day and also maintain their fluid levels. People using Hoodia weight loss pills on a regular basis, will not feel the desire to eat as much; although, it would not be healthy to stop eating altogether. If you experience problems controlling your hunger then using Hoodia weight loss pills are probably the only way to help your problem.

It is important to mention that products containing the true ingredient are quite expensive as this plant is quite rare. This explains the high production costs. You may think you are lucky when you find an internet site selling Hoodia weight loss products with genuine extracts at low prices. The chances are, these will not contain any of the plant at all, or at best, they will contain low doses that will be ineffectual. Be prepared to pay a premium for any product containing Hoodia as it is considered to be the best natural appetite suppressant in the world. Avoid those offers that appear to be ‘too good to be true.

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Back in the early part of the 1990’s a film called ‘The Medicine Man’ was released, a story that revolved around a research scientist who discovers the cure for cancer, only to lose it in a local disaster; fortunately there is a worldwide research program being carried out and it’s just a matter of time. Think about that for a moment; can you even imagine the impact this would have on our world if the suffering of so many people could be put to an end? Because we don’t fully understand exactly what causes cancer it means that we can only take certain precautions to avoid it.

There are theories that we all have it and it just takes something to start it off, but what is cancer? The word cancer is often used by some to explain something that spreads out of control; this is what happens with a population of cells that increase in size by replication, similar to the amoeba; although cancer is able to spread to neighboring cells and other parts of the body.

A cancerous tumor keeps growing but a benign one is self-limiting and generally won’t cause any harm to the body. There are rare occasions when a benign tumor changes to a malignant one. The disease may affect people of all ages and there is an increased risk of suffering from the more common cancers as you get older; cancer is responsible for about 13 percent of all deaths worldwide. Cancerous cells may have been transformed by radiation or poison for example and this creates genetic abnormality in those cells which then continue to grow and divide.

For some people the problem lies not with any form of external poison although faults with their parents DNA or genetic makeup can result in a person being born with the diseased cells. It would seem some people are more susceptible to it than others and it may be their genetic makeup and their exposure to certain carcinogens that is responsible.

Research into the cause of cancer continues around the globe and is the disease most frequently studied on a regular basis. More knowledge is being acquired about cancer each year. More information is being gathered about all illnesses and why some people are more prone to certain conditions. Knowledge like this could enable more people avoid contracting cancer in the first place.

One of the major causes surrounds food and dietary habits. Your regular diet could be putting you at long term risk from all kinds of diseases. People are generally eating too much of the wrong things such as an excess salt intake, too much saturated fat and certain dairy produce. Studies have shown that there is a connection between dairy produced calcium and prostrate cancer.

Cancer can strike anywhere in the body and each is a specialist type to the organ or part of the body it has infected. This is an insidious disease that can take a long time to surface but fortunately the number of forms that can be treated is increasing all the time. Although not it is not something anyone wants to be diagnosed with, cancer does not have to mean death these days, with the advances in medical treatment.

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The usually unsightly condition known as cellulite is suffered by woman around the world and is universally hated; the affected areas are normally from the waist down. Although additional fat is normal in women, this is not just a problem exclusive to overweight women; the lumpy substance that looks more like cottage cheese beneath the skin can affect slim, even sporting women as well.

The fats just below the skin surface push against the tissue which results in the skin surface having that dimpled look common of cellulite. After many years of research, scientists still cannot determine the exact reason for its formation or why some are affected more than others but there may be some connection between toxins that enter the body and how certain fat cells store them.

One thing is certain though and that is as a persons age increases, the amount of this fatty tissue increases in the same way that wrinkles also form which is probably due to the reduction of the two components that keep the skin looking young; collagen and elastin. It is classified as a hormonal imbalance experienced by women and seldom appears on males as normally fat stored in the thighs and buttock is the same as fat stored all over the body so no difference is observed.

Even women who do not appear to have cellulite may have them and sometimes this is visible when the skin is compressed as in the case of squatting or when it is pinched between the thumb and forefinger; however as most women suffer with at some stage it seems to be a perfectly normal condition. Just how much a person has will depend on a number of factors like, age, gender, genetics and even the thickness and type of skin they have will affect how easily it can be seen.

Currently there isn’t one single treatment that can rid a person of this condition because the cause has remained elusive despite considerable research into the area. Some clinics specialize in the removal of cellulite simply apply deep massaging to puff up the skin and temporarily reduce the cellulites appearance.

Other treatments involve liposuction (to remove fats) and mesotherapy (injection of drugs into the affected areas) which is expensive and out of reach of the majority of women. However, these are only temporary measures so do not provide permanent relief and liposuction is really only efficient for deeper based fats and not those close to the surface as with cellulite.

Unfortunately at the moment there isn’t a magic formula for removal and it may be some time before it is found although some companies claim that they have creams that are effective but this seems to be better at hiding the effects. Although no treatment can really help, adjustments to lifestyle habits seem to be a better option which means adopting a healthy diet, with regular physical activity and an overall reduction in weight.

Water too is useful as it has the effect of flushing out toxins that accumulate and are thought to be partly responsible for the cellulite; in addition to this smokers are urged to quit or reduce their smoking which is an effective way for toxins to enter the body.

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Most company’s customer base has become more ‘global’ in recent years and as a consequence many business people have to travel more widely; the wider range of markets is claimed to be a direct result of the power of the Internet. It is business travelers though who are feeling the strain with increasing stress and fatigue levels. Business travel tips are useful to regular travelers by ensuring certain routines are carried out every time they travel to reduce the possibility of wasted trips.

One thing that will probably happen at some stage is your luggage will go missing which can be a real problem for anyone traveling but more so if you are on business. To reduce the chance of a wasted journey, always carry anything that is relevant to your trip in your hand luggage.

This type of forward thinking means that you will not be caught out nor will you have a wasted trip. As far as your main luggage is concerned, make sure you only pack just enough for the trip and this is probably the most useful business travel tip to bear in mind.

The order of the day is simplicity, this means just enough business clothes for the trip and the same for the evenings; if the amount of footwear is restricted to one pair for business and one for pleasure then you will be keeping your luggage to minimum. This will leave room for toiletries, any other extra business materials you’ll need, and so on.

A little business travel tip that flight attendants use when they pack is to roll up their clothes, then place them into cylinders which compresses the clothing and reduces the number of creases. Then to reduce the chance of needing clothing laundered if something is spilt, a simple trick is to pack dark clothes which can absorb liquids without much sign and creases are not so apparent.

Another little trick that experienced travelers use is to carry hand and face wipes with them which can freshen your appearance in seconds without the need of a washroom. Cell phones and other related equipment normally have good battery life but don’t forget to take a charger if you are going to be somewhere for more than a few days.

If you make effective use of your day time ‘downtime’ while you are traveling, then you may be able to spend evenings exploring the areas once when you arrive at your business trip destination. By following these few quick and handy tips you should find that you will not be on the back foot and no matter what happens during your travel on business, you should have a successful trip.

If you are able to mix a little personal relaxation time with your work you should enjoy your business travel and you will probably be more productive so the business travel tips highlighted here will be more worth while.

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Bathroom tile designs have come a long way in recent years; there are so many styles to choose from however, that it can become a problem because this needs to be decided upon before anything else. As tiles have become increasingly popular, there has been a corresponding increase in the number of designs available especially from other countries. Of course there are favorites and four tile designs spring to mind, the famous harlequin style, marble, stone and the more contemporary colored tiles.

If you don’t know what the harlequin bathroom tile looks like; imagine a white tile that has smaller black diamond shapes in a grid like pattern imprinted on them and you have the harlequin style. Sometimes these tiles are available in other colors but the traditional black and white oblong tile is the most popular and effective.

I personally like a harlequin bathroom design in black and white as the diamond shape of the pattern really yields well to the stark contrast of the extreme colors. Whilst the style will go with many bath types and polished fixings, it is when they are used in combination with a traditional bath tub that the best effect is seen.

Not everyone is happy with lots of shiny things because they have to be wiped constantly owing to the fingerprints that show so readily on them. Despite the wonderful appearance, it is something to consider especially when you have younger children that absolutely adore making patterns and marks with their hands.

My favorite is the black and white design as the effect it has is hard to match and always improves the look of a bathroom. If you have a little more to spend you may want to consider marble in your bathroom tile design and although it is expensive it will provide an unparalleled look and feel which everyone will admire.

Whilst tiles are intrinsically expensive there are ways to ensure you have a unique design that won’t cost a fortune; try using good but less expensive bathroom tiles as a base for your creation. Once you have this it is a simple matter of choosing a higher quality tile to place within the overall design and as you won’t be using a huge number of them, it really wont matter how much they cost.

Whilst tiling isn’t overly complicated, it is still an art which you would do well to remember and organize a tradesman to come in to do it for you. Of course you will save a great deal of money if you carry out the tiling yourself. If there are problems, it will waste time and if then you have to bring in a professional, it will cost considerably more to finish your bathroom remodeling project.</P.

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