How to Give Your Dog the Heimlich Maneuver

Today's "Julie Pages" featured site is called eHow. The title pretty much explains what it is, but here's a synopsis:

Say you have a question on how to boil and egg (the actual question I had that led me to this website...don't laugh). How about the best way to find a good Christmas tree? Or how to test, buy, and wear store perfumes in order to get the best results? Well, look no further! The answer to all the questions and more are on this site.

This is a really fun webpage. Sometimes I just like to browse the millions of subjects listed because it can be quite entertaining, along with informative.

Here are examples of some funny questions that are answered here:

• How to hide from your kids (I assume every parent has a moment they need to hide)
• How to fashion a makeshift tattoo gun (Ouch! Don't try this at home!)
• How to trim toenails (For men, obviously)
• How to annoy a Trekkie (I don't really get it at all, but I'm sure trekkies do)

Anyway, you really should browse. It's fascinating!

Shopping for Jeans.....Fun???

Typical scenario:

"Hey, I really need some new jeans. I'll go shopping and have fun spending money and making my wardrobe cuter!"

2 hours later.........

"ARRRGH!!! I hate this! Why can't I find ONE pair of jeans out of the THIRTY that I tried on that fits well and makes me look cute???!!! I must be a freak."

Sound familiar? (Please say yes, I don't want to be the only one out there that this happens to, thus confirming my "freakness".)

Here's a webpage http://www.zafu.com/ that is soooo fun because you can shop for jeans using your exact measurements, fit style, and fashion sense. You go through a series of questions and then get results personalized for you! It tells you exactly what brand, style, and size you need, how much they are, and where to get them. Make sure to click on the results links for additional information. PERFECTO!

Now I haven't actually gone to buy any of the jeans yet. It's been a long time since I've needed any, but I will as soon as I get out of maternity and post-maternity sizes. So if any of you end up trying on or buying a recommended pair, let me know how it goes!

The same webpage does dress pants and bras (I'm not EVEN going to go THERE)!!!

Spooky action at the Space Station

Nerd Warning - I you don't care about quantum mechanics and encryption then you probably don't want to waste your time on this.  Otherwise, this article is freaking awesome!  I've only included some excerpts so follow the link for the entire article. Enjoy!

Quantum entanglement is weird. And I mean weird even for quantum mechanics, which sets a whole new level for weird.

Why is Dick York’s picture here?
Is it entangled with this post? Spooky.

In the world we live in, the macroscopic world, if you flip a coin, it can either land heads or tails (ignore it landing on its side, the results of which have been thoroughly discussed in The Twilight Zone). That’s it. But in the quantum world, that coin could be both heads and tails, with an equal probability of both. Until you actually examine the coin and see which way it landed, it exists in that weird in-between state.

I’m not making this stuff up. This is very real, as real as atomic bombs, computer chips, and solar cells. In fact, all three of those depend on quantum effects, so we know, which absolute certainty, that quantum mechanics works.

Spooky action at the Space Station
The Bad Astronomer
Tue, 10 Jun 2008 02:53:10 GMT

Disheartening News from the Fake Italians

I came upon an article this evening that has really broken my heart. I, along with most Americans, love Italian food; at least, we love the Americanized version of Italian food. But after reading this, I may think twice before indulging in some of my favorite dishes. You can get the entire article at http://www.cspinet.org/new/200710311.html or just read the main points here.


“If you wanted to enjoy the health benefits of the traditional Mediterranean diet, you’d eat mostly fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, and fish,” said CSPI nutrition director Bonnie F. Liebman. “But the heaping portions of meat, cheese, pasta, and cream sauces served up at Italian-style American chain restaurants are about as far from the ideal Mediterranean diet as you can get.”

OLIVE GARDEN
• Lasagna Classico. 1,060 calories and 28 grams of bad fat. It’s like eating a BK Quad Stacker from Burger King, which has four beef patties, four slices of cheese, and eight strips of bacon.

ROMANO’S MACARONI GRILL
• Spaghetti & Meatballs with meat sauce. The following nutrition numbers are not typos: Romano’s rendition of this classic dish provides more than an entire day’s calories (2,430) and nearly three days’ worth of saturated fat—an astonishing 57 grams. Or you could eat six Quarter Pounders for the same effect on your waistline.

“Keep in mind that these numbers don’t include any of Macaroni Grill’s peasant bread or Olive Garden’s unlimited breadsticks and salad,” said Liebman. “Nor do they include 1,000-calorie appetizers like fried calamari.

“You’d have to walk briskly for 11 hours or jog an entire marathon to burn off 2,800 calories.”


Now these are just two examples. Most of the other menu items are similar in nutritional value. Isn't that disgusting??!! I'm not saying I won't ever go to these restaurants anymore and order my Penne with Creamy Tomato Sauce or Chicken Marsala, but it sure won't be as fun anymore knowing what I'm eating!! Sorry for possibly ruining it for the rest of you, but I thought it was important information to pass on.

Squeak, Squeak

So you know that annoying asterisk that is always placed in front of any product or service claim? For example: "*33% More Free!" Have you ever followed the asterisk to find out what it's for? Using the above example, the fine print usually says something like "When using a 1/4 cup of detergent rather than a 1/3 cup." Duh! The fine print is often referred to "mouseprint" because it's so small that no one but a mouse can read it.



There is a weekly blog post at http://www.mouseprint.org/ which uncovers the hidden terms and conditions in popular marketing campaigns. It even translates them, which is badly needed since only a lawyer can decipher half of the jargon.



Here's one of my biggest personal pet peeves but isn't on the mouseprint blog. What's up with all the meals with chicken at the supermarket and fast food chains that say "with white meat chicken" when it's hardly even chicken? Have you ever looked at the ingredients that are in parenthesis after chicken? It's something like water, chicken POWDER (gross!), salt, chemical, chemical, chemical. I mean, that's just wrong!! I seriously refuse to eat any fake chicken. Chicken comes from a bird, not a lab!

On the Topic of Health

Well, shockingly, I've had two people tell me they miss my blog! Whoa! Here we are, almost a year after my last entry. So I thought I'd make it an important topic--health.

There have been many times when I've looked up a health question online (I'll keep specific questions private, thank you!) and find about a BILLION entries, mostly from the layperson or wannabe expert. There are a few credible websites like WebMD and the like but I have oftentimes wanted more information than the summary they give. That's where http://medlineplus.gov/ comes in.

This site is pretty exhaustive. They have the usual Medical Encyclopedia and Drug & Supplements pages, but there's a difference. This site doesn't actually post it's own information. It gives you access to the world's largest medical library, the National Library of Medicine. So whenever you click on a topic to research, it takes you straight to the experts of any particular field...the ACTUAL experts. Nice, huh? No more two paragraphs on Gestational Diabetes from some random doctor. It takes you to the source, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, for all the info you need.

Of course, it'd be nice if we never needed to look up any health-related issues, but we do. So we may as well get the best information out there.

M&Mmmmmmmmms

Here's something really cool. If you go to http://www.mymms.com/customprint/ you can customize your own batch of M&Ms!! You can choose 2 colors, 4 lines of text, and your packaging (bag, tin, etc.). The only catch is that it's expensive (min $46.00 order for four 7.5 oz packages), but it's a fabulous idea for weddings, parties, or gifts. How cool is that?!

Movies For Moms

This post is for all the moms, dads, caretakers, etc out there who are bored and want to go to a movie with the kids. Megaplex Theatres features "Movies for Moms" on Mondays. What a great idea! The movie is kid-friendly within a kid-friendly environment. Plus, kids under 5 are free!! Even better! I've done this before with a group of friends and their kids and it was a lot of fun. Go to http://www.megaplextheatres.com/momsclub.php for more information.

Just What I Needed

For my birthday a couple weeks ago, my sister gave me a gift card to a day spa. I decided to get a massage and it was totally wonderful. I actually haven't been feeling too bad since I'm no longer at a computer all day long, but the masseuse told me that she never feels shoulders that were as tight as mine unless it's someone who cuts hair for a living! I told her that I just have a son that likes to be held. But the best part of the massage was getting my neck done. That's where I tend to hold all of my stress and it was such a relaxing and rejuvenating experience. I think as a mom, I tend to forget that it's nice to be the one being taken care of, instead of always being the one to take care of other things. So if you feel like you need a pampering, visit www.segolilydayspa.com and see what they have to offer.

This is the Place

My favorite webpage for this week is one I've used a lot. If you're ever bored or are looking for something to do, this is a great resource. The page is http://www.downtownslc.org/. This site has a list of all the upcoming events and activities in Salt Lake City. You can search by day, week, weekend, or month and you'll be surprised at how many fun things there are to do. For example, one thing that I found here that I'm looking forward to doing is the Salt Lake Gallery Stroll. You can print off a map and walk to all the downtown art galleries. They're all free that night and some of them serve refreshments. It sounds like a great date! The page also lists all the free and non-free concerts, places of interest, exhibits, etc. So if you're looking to get out of the house one of these warm summer evenings, go downtown!!