Dealing with in-laws can be tough, but it doesn’t have to be ugly. In the recent past, due to unavoidable circumstances (avoidable; though if my hubby was convinced), I am living with my in-laws in their home for some time. Initially, things were bad and I was hopelessly dealing with them, including fighting with my husband resultantly ruining my relationship with him. After awhile I came to realize that, I have to give my in-laws and myself some time to accept each other. After all, I have been married into their family and I have taken license to own and hang out (for major part of the day) with their most priced possession, it is but natural for them to feel not so good about me.

Having spent some good (hmmm…… were there any?? I doubt) and bad times, I have gathered few tricks of trade that may help many daughters of Eve in dealing with their in-laws especially their Moms-in-Law (“Moms-out-law” to be more precise).

In today’s troubled economy and high inflation, most people are forced to cut spending on luxuries, frivolities and extras. Naturally when money is tight, it is spent on necessities, and things like home décor is on the last of everyone’s list. Honestly, how much do you really have to spare after spending so much on rents, utilities and groceries alone?! But the good news is that it is very much possible to have a spectacular looking home even on a tight budget. Whether you’re decorating a new house or you’re fed up of your old décor, you don’t need to spend a fortune to make your home look stylish and appealing. Decorating on a tight budget can be a challenging but very rewarding task. All that is required is some creativity and imagination. Here are some inexpensive home décor ideas that will help you in creating your dream home without cleaning out your bank account!

1. Start from the critical areas first

In a craziest yet amazing development, an Indonesian woman gave birth to a 19.2 pounds baby, a record weight in history and amazingly both mother and the baby were fine. For the record, previous record was of an American baby born in 1879, weighing at 23 pounds, though he died immediately after birth.

Average weight of an baby at birth time is usually between 7-8 pounds, boys are usually on heavier side and the weight also varies based on mothers health too.

Traditionally women boast about giving birth to babies weight above 8 or 9 pounds and it is considered an achievement, but this Indonesian woman achievement is way above all in the word’s known history. Bravo to this woman (Ani).

The baby has already been a fortune and center of attraction for the family, as it was featured on centre stage media such as yahoo news, MSNBC and other digital media.  The family is yet to name the baby and word is suggesting some crazy names … like Hulk, BabyZilla ??

Check out the video below.

Via : http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/93042

Traditionally, our society expects the men to earn the money & the women to stay at home and take care of the family & household. Many question the intentions of women when they opt to enter the workforce instead. Pakistani women work for different reasons. Many work out of necessity, having to do it just to make ends meet. Some do it, because two paychecks is the only way to maintain the lifestyle that they want. Some do it because they like to be economically independent from their husbands. They like the financial security that their jobs provide them. And many do it because they don’t want to be “just housewives” for the rest of their lives and want to prove themselves as competent professionals. They do not want to spend their whole lives doing the thankless (not to mention pay-less!) drudgery that is housework. Whatever the reason for their working, women feel that they are always pressed for time. And no matter how hard they try, they feel that they are still neglecting their homes & families in the process. The result is constant frustration & anxiety.

I have always been fond of dark themes (never wondered why). They give you a nice warm and mesmerizing feeling when you see your desktop. With Ubuntu and Gnome being the buzzword these days, I have discovered some great themes for them which you can download for free to enhance your Ubuntu experience. Don’t forget to mention which one you like the most.

1- Bruzd Nodoka – Download

2- Chris0 – Download

3- Ubuntu Studio – Download

  4- Blue Joy – Download

5- Cobra – Download

This does come as a surprise though a search engine solely for the Muslims? well actually not so. Quite frankly it can be used by anyone but is meant to differentiate between “halal” and “haram”. To begin with the landing page of I’mHalal gives a somewhat Islamic look with the picture of a Mosque in the background. In the middle is off course the search space for entering text.

There are four categories to search for namely,  home, images, news and website. The top left hosts a selectable drop down tab for changing the background to the liking of the user. The right corner has a button to make the I’mHalal your Home Page and hence I’mHalal your search engine. The left middle corner has a feedback link which when clicked opens up a window for giving your feedback to the developers. The right bottom hosts a small nifty tool for taking down notes when searching items, a good addition I must say. Well this is all about the interface.

The search engine works by giving each searched item a “Haram” value from 1 to 3. When searched for “pork” it gave a “Haram” value of 1, warned me and then proceeded to display the results. However, the word “porn” had a “Haram” value of 3 assigned to it, the highest by far and which meant that the engine would not proceed any further. By the way, the word “porn” was searched solely for scientific purposes and does not at all show my intentions for a lazy day’s search I have better things to do….

This is how the search engine interface looks like….

The search engine has already attracted over 50,000 people since its launch three weeks back and a number of them non-Muslims. That is because most of them want to protect their kids form the evils of sleaze rampant on the web. A great idea! simply great.

It is said that ignorance is bliss. But when it comes to our kids, I beg to differ. As parents we all try to keep our children away from everything that may be detrimental to their physical, psychological or emotional well-being. But it is often the little things we overlook that eventually harm their health. A few examples: Whenever you go out for a meal you order soft drinks for everyone, including the kids. You don’t mind that your child frequently buys colas from the school canteen. Doting grandparents often spoil their grandchildren with chocolates, soft drinks, ice creams and other treats while you look on. What’s wrong with that? You ask. The answer is CAFFEINE! 

It is a common misconception that caffeine is found only in coffee. There are in fact, many other foods and beverages that contain significant amounts of caffeine. Resultantly, most parents are unknowingly giving their children this drug in plentiful amounts. Yes… DRUG! Did you know that caffeine is actually classified as a drug because it stimulates the central nervous system?! In fact Caffeine is one of the most popular and widely-used drugs in the world. We all take it in some form or the other on a daily basis. And unfortunately, so do our kids. In fact, children are consuming caffeine earlier and more often than ever before! The reason is that caffeinated food & drinks are ubiquitous these days. Caffeine is found in significant amounts in all the following:

• Sodas/Colas & other carbonated soft drinks
• Energy drinks
• Ice cream
• Chocolate
• Chocolate drinks
• Coffee
• Tea
• Iced tea
• Pain relievers & over the counter medicines

Caffeine occurs both naturally and may also be added to these items. The effects of caffeine are more pronounced in children than in adults because children have lower body weights than adults, and even small amounts of caffeine can have very intense effects. More than young children, it is the teenagers who are more likely to overdo their caffeine intake, because they often take caffeinated drinks, to stay awake during late-night study sessions, especially during exams. A low dose of caffeine may aid their concentration and task completion in the short run however, in the long run, regular doses of caffeine actually affects concentration negatively and will also make them nervous, anxious, fidgety, frustrated and short-tempered. Couple that with raging hormones and you have a walking talking time bomb on your hands! Probably the worst offenders in this regard are the various energy drinks currently available in the market.

These drinks are very harmful because they contain extremely large amounts of both sugar and caffeine. The crazy energy drink ads being shown these days should be more than an eye opener for us as to what is being offered…which is caffeine levels so high that you’re jumping off cliffs and airplanes and throwing your self in front of trains because of the rush it brings! These energy drink suppliers market themselves aggressively to our youth daring them to ‘take up the challenge’ so to speak.

Why Caffeine is bad for kids

• Caffeine disturbs sleep (Try giving your child a cola close to bedtime and you’ll know exactly what I mean)
• Caffeine is a diuretic, which means that instead of hydrating your kid’s body, it causes the child to urinate more, therefore making him more susceptible to dehydration. In fact, the more soda your child drinks in hot weather, the more water he will need to replace the lost fluids!
• Caffeine limits the body’s calcium absorption which is essential for strong bones & teeth
• Caffeinated beverages contain empty calories with absolutely no nutritional value which can lead to childhood obesity
• Too many sweetened caffeinated drinks lead to tooth decay (Try putting a human tooth in a container of a fizzy drink and leave it for some time. The acidity of the fizzy drink shall soften the tooth and eventually dissolve it completely!)
• Caffeine can make it difficult for children to concentrate
• Caffeine is addictive and even children will experience withdrawal symptoms like headaches, mood swings, sleepiness when deprived from it
• It causes nervousness, restlessness, irritability, agitation and anxiety if taken in large amounts
• Too much caffeine can also cause nausea, vomiting & diarrhea

What you can do

 It is up to you to limit the amount of caffeine your child consumes. The following steps can be taken in this regard:

• Offer them healthy choices like milk, juice and water in place of caffeinated beverages
• Never allow them to drink energy drinks
• Allow chocolates & candies occasionally, and not on a regular basis
• Strictly enforce rules regarding their purchases from school canteens. Give them bottled water or juice from home instead
• If they insist on a soft drink on a night out, then order 7UP as it contains no caffeine
• Purchase only beverages labeled “caffeine-free”
• Explain to them why these steps need to be taken and how caffeine is detrimental to their health

It seems now that iPod will finally have a competitor that is going to shake it out of its slumber. The latest Zune HD released from Microsoft might do just that. The Zune HD boasts of a 3.2” OLED screen, HD radio, HD video out, Wi-Fi,  and off course the much needed synchronization applications.  With the addition of HD video out users will be able to download High Definition video content on their devices for a visually enthralling experience.  A separate dock will also enable viewing on a TV set. Zune is available in 16 GB and 32 GB versions thus making it possible to carry our digital lives in our pockets. The screen as expected is touch sensitive obviating the old touch pad found in previous models. The device is retailing at $220 and $290 for the 16 GB and 32 models respectively. The IE built from Windows Mobile 6.5 is known to handle websites flawlessly. Twitter and FaceBook applications are in the offing and are expected by November. Zune is sure to spruce up the competition with iPod which presently enjoys 73% of the market share as compared to Zune which has just 2% share. (Source: NPD www.npd.com )

Most of us are usually seen grumbling about their gardeners not working properly. They take big amount of money and yet you can’t see any initiative coming from their ends. How about taking some interest in your garden  and managing it yourself. You will not only save money but will also feel the difference. Let’s start by identifying the problems facing us.

Problems 

1. Saving baby plants from birds, insects and other animals.

2. Dried grass and plants in summer.

3. Grass growing under shadow of trees.

4. Proper fertilizing.

5. Spacing between plants.

6. Amount and time of watering.

Here are few simple and easy-to-use gardening tips that will definitely benefit your garden, making it bloom in just a couple of days.

• Plants can be saved from insects by planting insect repellant plants among other plants. These plants have their own chemical defense system which repels away insects. Few of these plants are Ants mint, tansy, garlic, aphids-mint, chives, coriander, mice onion, radish and squash bug etc.
• · Plants can be saved from birds, insects and other animals by using scarecrow sprinklers. Scarecrow sprinklers comprise of ultrasonic detector which detects any movement and shoot a burst of water in that direction. Birds, insects and animals are repelled away unharmed.
• · Another remedy for plant saving from insects is natural insecticide. Put onions and garlic in a jar of water and keep it in a warm place for a week. Then spray this water on plants. Insects will go away.
• · If the grass clippings are left on the grass to decompose after mowing, this can be an excellent natural fertilizer for the grass. This process is also known as grass recycling.
• · To grow grass under shadow of trees shadow tolerant grass should be used. Deep watering can also be helpful in growing grass under shadow of trees. You can also install lawn sprinklers and automatic water timers.
• · Best time for watering is early morning and night. These timings will reduce evaporation of water and water will penetrate deeply in soil. Avoid watering when it is windy.
• · For successful growth of grass and plants about 1 inch of watering a week is appropriate. In summer 1 inch of watering after 3 days will be suitable. Deep watering nearly 4- 6 inches is very good for growth. In case of deep watering time lag can be of two to three weeks.
• · Amount of water in the lawn can be measured by placing a can in your lawn before watering. When the can is filled with water stop watering and then measure the water in the can.
• · Proper growth of plants can be ensured by plant thinning or removal. Proper spacing between plants is very important. If plants are properly spaced insects and diseases can be controlled easily.
• · Compost tea is a very quick liquid fertilizer. It goes into the soil rapidly and provides plants with necessary nutrients. Compost tea is formed by soaking compost in water for a week. You have to place it in warm place and stir it daily.
• · Topsy turvy upside down planters can be used if you don’t have enough ground places. By using Topsy turvy plantation your plants can be saved from ground fungus and harmful bacteria. You can avoid spraying of insecticides, digging and weeding and backbreaking work.

Stop worrying about what to do. Just start from today!

Now that Eid is just around the corner people have started thronging the markets and Bazaars for those newest, trendiest and costliest of clothes. There are those who believe in brewing their own styles and then there are those who would rather die than not wear brand names. There is clothes, shoes, jewelry, perfumes and cosmetics that is on sale, but all this would look pretty useless without a makeover. And makeovers don’t come cheap,  besides you will never know how you are going to look in a Demi Moore or even a Jolie hairdo. Who is sure if it will suit your looks or even if your loved ones will like it. If that be the case, simply log on to www.dailymakeover.com , www.taaz.com or even www.thehairstyler.com upload your photograph and treat yourself to a virtual makeover for free. Try out the various hairstyles, make ups and lip glosses. The list of celebrity hairdos is simply endless. And while you are these get news about the latest trends, info on the latest celeb hairstyles, browse through the beauty tips, all this for free. You can also save, share or print your photographs. So, now on the next trip to Depilex take your latest photograph with you and get the treatment you deserve.