HashOut

Wanna Bet?

Need to settle a trivia dispute fast? Richard Blewett, a "Trivial Pursuit" question editor for the games company Hasbro, suggests these websites:

Movies: IMDB.com posts film facts. Were you aware that Tom Hanks is a descendant of Nancy Hanks, Abraham Lincoln's mother?

History: Bartleby.com is an online reference publisher and features historical facts and quotations. The home page also features a list of links to other reference-book sites.

Celebs and TV: Hollywood.com can tell you in which film Jennifer Aniston was menaced by a killer leprechaun, and other details about celebs.

Music: Billboard.com's "Music Info Search" lets you keep up the names of recording artists, song titles and lyrics.
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You need a vacation

Here is a quick list of annual public holidays by country:
Italy42
Brazil40
France36
Germany35
Britain30
South Korea26
Canada24
Japan23
US20
India43

Source: World Tourism Organization
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The Left Ear Has Heart

The Left Ear Has HeartWhen it comes to the language of love, not all ears are created equal. In a recent study, volunteers listened to emotional and non-emotional words through each ear. The preliminary findings: Subjects had a 64% recall rate of emotional words heard in the left ear, 58% in the right. Why? Because the brain's right hemisphere, the side that processes emotions better, is more sensitive to signals from the left ear. So if you want to play to someone's soft side lean to the left. » Continue reading

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The Best Pill for Brain Power?

Multivitamin tablets / capsules with antioxidants Vitamin C and E fight free radicalsSkip the exotic herbs and extracts -- your brain is more likely to benefit from a good old multivitamin, according to some experts. It's well known that antioxidants like vitamins C and E protect cells from damage by disarming free radicals -- naturally occurring molecules that destroy healthy cells. The brain generates more of these trouble-makers per gram of tissue than any other organ.

The advantage of a multivitamin is economy: You not only get C and E, but other key nutrients linked to healthy brain function, including beta carotene, iron, zinc, B-12 and folic acid.
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Visit museums and sites of historical interest without stepping out the door

Museums and historical sites are popular with travelers. But you don't have to travel far. Tourist bureaus of most Asian countries have websites where you can find information about local museums and places of historical interest.

For a list of museums go to asia.yahoo.com, click on Arts, then "Museums, Galleries and Centres". For extra listings visit Virtual Library Museums Pages of the International Council of Museums. Or seek out books such as The Extraordinary Museums of Southeast Asia (Harry Abrams Inc) by Kristin Kelly. » Continue reading

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House-Swapping Vacations

House-Swapping VacationsEver dreamed of staying in a villa in Tuscany? Maybe you can -- if you're willing to swap your house for someone else's. It can save you huge amounts of money (at least half of swaps include cars too), and give you the experience of another culture in a way hotel stays can't. Bill and Mary Barbour have been swapping their home in the US for 18 years -- 100+ times worldwide -- and never had a theft or serious damage. Here's what they've learned:

  • Don't do it if you're uneasy living in someone else's home -- or trusting them to live in yours.
  • Don't expect a palace in Paris if you're trading a modest small-town home. But with time, you'll find the right fit.
  • Get to know the swap family. Talk by phone or email, and exchange photos and information.
  • It's easy to arrange swaps through several agencies like Intervac or HomeLink. For more agencies, just Google for "house swapping"
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A sandwich you can trust

Summer can be the time for big meals, leftovers -- and food poisoning, if you aren't careful. Keep sandwiches and curries from biting back with these cooling tips:

Chill Out: The sooner you get cooked food into the fridge, the sooner any harmful bacteria they may harbor will stop multiplying. "People have a hesitancy about putting warm food in the refrigerator," says one expert. But today's refrigerators can handle warm dishes without taxing the motor.

Divide and Conquer: Large portions such as a deep dish of curry or a pot of soup should be split up into shallow containers first. Otherwise it won't cool fast enough to stop bacterial growth.

Let it Breathe: Allow some room around the hot stuff in the fridge. You need air to circulate to get the food cold very quickly.
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