Cristina’s Blog

Agence France Presse reports that Dean, who died on May 31 at age 97 in a nursing home in Hampshire, England after suffering a short illness, survived as an infant on the Titanic when she was bundled up in a sack and then carried to safety. Her mother Georgette Eva and brother Bertram also made it, but her father, Bertram Frank, was among those who died, according to the British Titanic Society, of which Dean was the honorary president. Millvina was the youngest passenger on board the RMS Titanic.

Dean’s family was moving to America where her father hoped to begin a new life in Kansas by opening a tobacco store. After their rescue, the family returned to England. Millvina was eight years old before she was even told that she had been on board the ship. The president of the U.S.-based Titanic International Society, Charles Haas, mourned the loss of the “last living link to the Titanic” and a “dear friend.” He told AFP, “While she never sought the limelight, she enjoyed its results in meeting people and travelling the world. Her story inspires us as a story of hope after adversity and teaches that a full and rewarding life can follow personal tragedy and loss. We will miss her very much, but never forget her or the other 2,200 aboard Titanic.”

Dean never married and worked as a cartographer for the British government during World War II and then later for an engineering company in Southampton. It wasn’t until the wreckage of the Titanic was found in 1985 that she became a celebrity. She told the BBC in 2000 that while she didn’t mind the attention, she was surprised by it. “I think sometimes they look on me as if I am the Titanic!” While she accepted an invitation in 1997 to complete her family’s journey to the United States aboard the QE2, she declined to attend the premiere of the blockbuster movie “Titanic.” Why? She thought it would be just too upsetting.

_NETSCAPE

On these archeological findings therefore proven….. that it’s a human nature and not silly to be self-conscious on our physical appearance and to use all sorts of thing like cream, cosmetics, etc to hide our flaws or to enhance our looks.

Now enjoy the read…..

Look What They Found in a London Ditch!

The ancient Romans must have had soft, beautiful, and fashionably pale skin.

In July 2003, archaeologists who were excavating the site of a major Roman temple in London made an astounding find: a sealed box containing a white cream that still bears the finger marks of the person who last used it. And that would have been nearly 2,000 years ago. The find was considered of major significance because the original contents were still in such good condition.

Fast forward 16 months: Scientists have analyzed the tin and found that the white cream is so sophisticated it could rival today’s top cosmetics. “It is quite a complicated little mixture,” Richard Evershed, an analytical chemist at the University of Bristol in southwestern England, told Reuters. “Perhaps they didn’t understand the chemistry of everything, but they obviously knew what they were doing.”

The chemical analysis of the cream shows it is made from about 40 percent animal fat, likely from sheep or cattle, and 40 percent starch and tin oxide. The creamy base is formed by the fat, while the opaque white color comes from the tin oxide. “As far as I can tell, the tin oxide was quite inert so it wouldn’t cause any dermatological problems,” Evershed explained to Reuters. When the Bristol University scientists concocted their own version of the Roman cream, they said it left a smooth, powdery texture when rubbed into the skin.

The tiny pot–it’s just 2.4 inches across by 2 inches high–was discovered in a waterlogged ditch, but was preserved under wooden planks in thick layers of mud. It’s thought that the cream was probably used by fashionable Roman women who desired a fair complexion, which was quite popular in those days.

“We’re speculating that it would have been some sort of foundation cream,” Evershed told Reuters. “It gives us yet another insight into the sophisticated way in which our ancestors used materials from their environment. This is an ancient technology and one that doesn’t differ so much from some of the cosmetic technologies in use today.”

The dig just two miles south of London has revealed several other treasures, including a stone tablet that bears the earliest known inscription of the Roman name for London. Also found were pieces of statues, leather shoes, and a wooden writing tablet. The temple, which dates from 50 AD, contains two small temples, a guest hours, plinths for statues and a stone pillar.

The study findings were reported in the journal Nature.

http://channels.isp.netscape.com/whatsnew/package.jsp?name=fte/londonditch/londonditch&floc=wn-nx

Can we always count or rely on the fashion rules? There are always Fashion rules that we would come to know and just liked before, not even 2 decades after… it will be tossed out!  Sure there were rules we have cherished in spite being arbitrary! But, this article I’ve found out helpful to be in good taste and dressed up with a classier look upon reaching a certain (just like ME, over the hill) age and be admired/respected on how you look!

Most of us don’t push the clothes age barrier nearly as far, but even a tasteful fashionista may not always know how to dress appropriately as she moves past 35, 40 and beyond. Walk into any mall and you’ll see a 40-something woman wearing every trend from Forever 21: tight tank top, low-rise jeans, metallic platform heels, plastic bangles and oversized earrings. Are you a middle-aged fashionista who just doesn’t know when to quit? Read on for the top 10 clothing items to leave in the past…

The Top10 Y-O-U’R-E too OLD to wear according to our style experts!

• Message T-shirts
• Too-trendy denim
• Costume shoes
• Micro-mini skirts
• Anything showing excessive cleavage
• White, ribbed cotton tank tops
• Hair gadgets
• Oversized, overly-decorated hobo bags
• Cheap, unflattering underwear
• Loud accessories

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE!

HUH! The wonderful uses of Peanut Butter I’ve actually used this to remove the price tag attached on several items and to untangle my daugher’s hair sometimes during her younger days. I didn’t realize there are 8 more unusual uses for it, amazing!

10. Lube it UP

 Peanut butter is an excellent lubricator. If your lawnmower blades are getting a little tight and rusty - smear on some of the spread and voila - perfect lubrication. This hint is particularly useful because almost every time I need lube, I don’t have any around - but I always have a jar of peanut butter in the cupboard. It can be used for virtually all your lubrication needs

If you own a cat or a dog, you will know how hard it can be to get them to take their medication - especially when it is in pill form. Fortunately cats and dogs love peanut butter - so next time you have to give them some medication, mix it up with a spoonful and feed it to them. No more struggling with the animal as you hold its mouth open and try to force feed it a bitter pill.

Most recipes that use butter can be cooked with peanut butter instead. In cookies and cakes this can make a wonderful and subtle taste difference. Next time you are making fudge brownies, try using peanut butter instead - it will be like eating a huge Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. You can also stir peanut butter into a sauce instead of butter to give it a nutty finish

Mice are not particularly fond of cheese - so it is strange that it is the first food people go for when they are baiting their mousetraps. What most people don’t know is that mice prefer peanut butter - how this has been proven I do not know, but the fact that peanut butter is so much cheaper than cheese, makes this tip a very handy and frugal one. So next time you need to bait a mouse trap, don’t bother loading it with camembert or 5 year aged cheddar, stick on some trusty peanut butter.

6. Price Tag Removal

If you have ever fried fish, you will know that it leaves behind a rather unpleasant fishy smell in the house. To help eradicate the smell, take a tablespoon of peanut butter after you have finished frying the fish, drop it in the frying pan and fry it off for a minute or two. The smell of peanut butter is the house is much more enjoyable than stale fish and oil.

This one doesn’t seem quite so weird, but it is included because these cookies use peanut butter as the main ingredient - there is no flour at all. The cookies are a mix of peanut butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla. You can even throw in a handful of chocolate chips if you wish. The resulting cookies are amazingly tasty and it only takes about 20 minutes from start to finish. You can read the full recipe here, which is also the source of the image above. The site is my sister’s, so check out the other articles too!

Believe it or not, peanut butter makes a great shaving gel. Just apply it like you would apply the gel, and shave as normal. It works just as well and anyone that has bought a container of shaving gel will know, it is a hell of a lot cheaper. The end result is a very smooth shave and, as a bonus, the oils in the peanut butter are very good for your skin, so you don’t need to spend even more money on moisturizer for your legs or face. You might want to remember to use smooth peanut butter though - the chunky stuff doesn’t work quite as well. If you want to see this in action, a rather foul-mouthed girl has made a youtube clip of herself shaving her legs. You can view it here - but be warned - there is plenty of obscene language so it isn’t safe for work.

source

Pont Gustave Flaubert, Rouen,  France

This is the incredible, brand new vertical lift bridge in Rouen, France, a beast of a structurewhose 2 bridge spans weigh 1′200tons each but can be hoisted 180ft vertically by the bridge’s lifting mechanism in an impressive 12 minutes.  Just the angular structures at the top of each tower weigh in at 450tons each, helping to support the lifting system as cruise ships sail through.

Hegigio  Gorge   Pipeline   Bridge ,

Southern Highlands Province,  Papua New Guinea

Technically, this is a bridge: it’s a structure which spans a gorge.  The only difference is, the bridge can’t be used by humans due to the fact that its purpose is to support 2 pipelines - 1 gas, 1 oil - across the extremely high gap in  Papua New Guinea . So high in fact that if this were to be officially recognised as a bridge it would rocket to the top of the ‘world’s highest bridge-span’ list at an impressive height of 1′290ft. By comparison, the current highest bridge span belongs to the  Royal Gorge   Bridge   in  Colorado , hanging a mere 1′053ft above ground level, while  Manhattan ’s  Chrysler Building measures 1′047ft.

Just the thought of not having a cell phone even though I don’t use it often, it’s just for important calls (always off for sanity) and to give up my online access, I’ll be lost! But, I WOULD be more than lost and in real despair if the warm feeling and assurance of love that my husband gives me everyday is gone forever! True happiness is living a good life and not allowing the pursuit of material things thwart your true values in life. I would rather receive enduring pleasure and satisfaction from investing in life experiences than material possessions. I’ll be able to learn to live without these hi-tech gadgets if I have to! To give up your hubby/partner sounds so extreme and it sure is a n-u-t-c-a-s-e to me!

 IF… this study was done in USA, I wonder

what were the results would be!?  Now, here’s the

amazing news…

GERMAN twenty-somethings would ditch their spouses and do without a car in a heartbeat if they had to choose between having them or Internet access or a mobile phone, according to an industry study.The respondents were aged 19-29, and 84% of them said they would rather do without their current partner or a car than give up their Internet connection.

         CLICK:source to read more on this article.

  VALENTINE’S

DAY…

AROUND THE

GLOBE

Back in third-century Rome when Emperor Claudius II banned marriages because he thought single men made better soldiers, one passionate priest named Valentine continued to wed young lovers. Later imprisoned for his defiance, Valentine fell in love with a young girl who came to visit his cell. Before his death, the story goes, the priest wrote her a letter–the first valentine. Nearly two millennia later, Valentine’s Day rakes in $17 billion in the U.S. But other countries are crashing Cupid’s party too, as shown in the pictures below.

Valentine’s Day In Japan

Japanese women give chocolates to their boyfriends, male friends and co-workers. The men return the favor a month later on March 14, known as White Day, by handing out white chocolates, lingerie and jewelry to their friends and loved ones. Those who dreaded their high school prom would sweat bullets on Valentine’s Day in Japan. “Valentine’s Day has really caught on,” says Jack Santino, professor of folklore and popular culture at Bowling Green State University. He notes, “It is very important to have a date.”

Valentine’s Day

 In Norway

In Denmark and Norway, Valentine’s Day, or Valentinsdag, is not celebrated widely, though some lovers share a romantic meal, exchange cards and give red roses. What Norwegians really love, apparently, is the environment: The country is pushing to import fewer flowers in an attempt to become the world’s first carbon-neutral economy by 2050.

Valentine’s Day

In Iran

Muslims don’t exactly embrace Cupid. However, Valentine’s Day is gaining traction with the younger, more Westernized crowd, says Iranian-American filmmaker Shaghayegh Azimi, who has captured some of the romance in her movies. Increasingly, stores decorate windows with stuffed animals, heart-shaped chocolates and red balloons, and teenagers show their affection by holding hands and strolling though the alleys of Tehran together.

Valentine’s Day

In Mexico

Cupid’s definitely a hit in Mexico. According to Jennifer Hirsch, professor of socio-medical sciences at Columbia University, the “red rain” begins as soon as Christmas is over. It is common for Mexican men and women to exchange flowers, red balloons, anything red and heart-shaped. The gift-giving is both an expression of love and prosperity, says Hirsch. Migrant laborers in particular demonstrate their success by treating their loved ones.

Valentine’s Day

In Vietnam

Valentine’s Day is a new tradition in Vietnam. As recently as the late 1990s, there were no card shops or Valentine’s Day celebrations to speak of, says Harriet Phinney, a professor of anthropology at the University of Washington who has researched love and courtship around the globe. Yet on a recent visit, Phinney noticed banners with Valentine messages strung over the main streets inviting young people to attend Valentine’s Day celebrations. Married couples tend not to participate, though: “In Vietnam, romance is ‘for before you are married,’” says Phinney.

 Click:   source

                                               Melanie Lindner