Freebies

Freebies from Kiplinger at Yahoo

6. Free Credit Report

By law, you're entitled to one free report once a year from each of the three main credit bureaus. Go to www.annualcreditreport.com to find out what lenders can see about your credit history.

18. Free Digital Storage Space

With free online backup storage, you can protect your important files and photos from computer crashes, theft or natural disaster.

For instance, Spideroak.com and Myotherdrive.com each give you 2 gigabytes of free and secure digital storage space. You can also store your cherished photos and videos at sites such as Photobucket.com and Flickr.com.

19. Free Tech Recycling -- With Benefits

Not only is it getting easier to keep your old electronics out of the landfill, but you may even get some free cash in exchange. Services such as BuyMyTronics.com, Gazelle.com, MyBoneyard.com and GreenPhone.com recycle or refurbish your old tech and send you a check in return. They take cameras, cell phones, MP3 players, game consoles and more.

How to test whether your Beano is good / whether your Beano works

I just got a new bottle of Beano(TM) drops, and tested them last night for activity. They are inactive! I wonder how many people are taking Beano to help their digestion, and are really getting no benefit at all because the enzymes are inactive! From now on I will test every new container of Beano I buy!

How to test:

Take a sample of peanut butter or cooked beans. Add a little Beano. Add water. The water should be 'absorbed' if the Beano is working.

Last night I scooped a spoonful of peanut butter out of the jar and put in in a bowl. I dripped two or three drops of Beano on the peanut butter, then mixed, then mixed in about as much water as peanut butter. What I got was soupy peanut butter. What I should have gotten (if the Beano was working) was very dry peanut butter.

The week before, I discovered that my Beano tablets were bad when I tried adding a few, dissolved in water, to refried beans. Again, what I got was soupy beans! :(

Background:

In 2000 or so I tried mixing Beano directly into a jar of peanut butter, and when I tasted the result, my mouth immediately went completely dry! I've never experienced such total dryness.

I'm no food science expert, but I happened to know one. A PhD candidate at UC Berkeley told me the way these enzymes work. They attach to a polysaccharide molecule, break a sugar-sugar bond, and recruit two water molecules to attach to the new broken ends.

So what happened was, the enzymes broke bonds and stuck water molecules on until they used up all the water in the peanut butter. Then they sat there waiting for more water so they could break more bonds. When I put the peanut butter in my mouth, they immediately grabbed all the water molecules they could and used them to break more bonds, hence the dry mouth!

I found that the peanut butter I was using could absorb a whole jar of water! I also found that when it was that broken-down, it quickly went bad, so I don't actually recommend treating a whole jar, but I do recommend testing any Beano you buy!

100 pushups for my 48th?

I'm starting my 3rd week of the 6-week hundred push ups training program.
If I can stick with it, I should be able to do 100 consecutive push ups by my birthday.
Sounds improbable, but I surprised myself last Friday by completing sets of 10, 10, 8, 8, and 11.
It's also motivating me to improve my cardiovascular health by taking hikes in the Berkeley hills.

2008 http://hundredpushups.com/
strict 1 min rests :: strict 90 sec rests :: strict 2 min rests
:: 14-10--8--5--5 : 42
07.25 :: 07.29 :: 07.31
14--8--5--5--4 : 36 :: 12--8--7--5--7 : 39 :: 14--8--4--7--5 : 38
08.02 :: 08.04 :: 08.06
15--8--7--4--4--5 : 43 :: 14-10--7--6--5--5 : 47 :: 12-10--7--6--6--5 : 46 (sore shoulder)

(real negative resistance)
08. :: 08.20 :: 09.03
10--8--3--6--3--4 : 34 :: 13--9--6--5--4--4 : 41 :: 13--7--3--7--4--5 : 39
09.05 :: 09.10 :: 09
14--7--4--2--4--4 : 35 :: 13--8--7--4--5--4 : 41 :: 14--9--7--4--6--6 : 46

(5 sets)
09.15 :: 09.17 :: 09.20
14--7--6--5--3 : 35 :: 14--8--6--5--5 : 38 :: 16--9--7--7--5 : 44
09.26 :: 09.28 :: 09.30
16--7--5--6--4 : 38 :: 16--8--7--5--5 : 41 :: 14--9--6--7--7 : 43
10.02 :: 10.04 :: 10.06
15--8--5--4--5 : 37 :: 16--9--7--7--7 : 46 :: 16-11--8--8--7 : 50
10.9 :: 10.13 :: 10.15
15--7--7--6--6 : 41 :: 17--8--6--5--6 : 42 :: 17--9--7--7--6 : 46
10.18 :: 10.20 :: 10.22
17--6--5--5--4 : 37 :: 14--9--8--6--5 : 42 :: 16--9--7--7--7 : 48
10.25 :: 10.27 :: 10.29
17--8--6--5--5 : 41 :: 16--8--8--7--6 : 45 :: 18-11--9--8--5 : 51
oct. avg: (39) (43.75) (48.75)
(4 sets)
11.03 16--9--6--5 : 36 :: 11.05 18-10--5--6 : 39 :: 11.08 18-10-10--8 : 46
11.10 19--8--6--6 : 39 :: 11.12 20-10--8--6 : 44 :: 11.14 16-10-10--7 : 43
11.17 20-10-7--8 : 45 :: 11.19 22-11-11-10 : 54 :: 11.21 19-12-10--9 : 50
(no belly bounce)
11.24 17--8--8--7 : 40 :: 11.26 20--8--8--5 : 41 :: 11.28 16-13--9--7 : 45
12.03 16--6--6--5 : 33 :: 12.06 16-10--9--6 : 41 :: 12.08 16-12--8--8 : 44
(2 min intervals)
12.29 14-10--7--6 : 37 :: 12.31 16--9--8--8 : 41 :: 01.02 18-10--8--7 : 43
01.05 15-10-10-8 : 43 :: 01.14 18-10--8--6 : 42
29.45

aug 05 days 211 pushups 42.2 pushups/day
sep 10 days 400 pushups 40.0 pushups/day
oct 12 days 526 pushups 43.8 pushups/day (5 sets) 8.77/set
nov 12 days 522 pushups 43.5 pushups/day (4 sets) 10.88/set
dec 5 days 196 pushups 39.2 pushups/day (4 sets) 9.80/set
jan 3 days 128 pushups 42.7 pushups/day (4 sets) 10.67/set

heart rate: per 10 sec
17 - 20 : Fat burning zone:
This amounts to 60-70% of the maximum heart rate.
Within this pulse range, most calories from fat are burned. Furthermore the cardiovascular system will be trained.
- 23 : Aerobic zone:
This amounts to 70-80% of the maximum heart rate.
Within this pulse range, carbohydrates and fats are burned for power production in the muscle cells. This range requires the cardiovascular system as well as the lung and the metabolism.
- 26 : Anaerobic zone:
This amounts to 80-90% of the maximum heart rate.
Within this pulse range, the body cannot cover the oxygen demand any longer. This range is for the development of power and muscle mass.
- 28 : RED zone:
This amounts to 90-100% of the maximum heart rate.
This pulse range should be handled with caution. It is dangerous for beginners and can be harmful for the heart.

Hand Rolled Hem Handkerchiefs DIY

The Purl Bee tells how to make Hand Rolled Hem Handkerchiefs. I have been cutting up old shirt and flannel boxers to make un-hemmed hankies, which is fine. They'd stay nicer longer if I'd hem them though. The Purl Bee says it can take one hour per hankie, though, so we'll see how badly I want to...

Science and Technology Podcasts Reviewed

The PopSci Podcast

Popular Science magazine editors and writers go "beyond the printed page" to discuss stories featured in the magazine. Lately (since 2.25.2008) it's been Cocktail Party Science, so this is also partly a review of CPS.
my review:
While the editors talk pretty cogently, some writers are surprisingly inarticulate (lots of ummm, ah, y'know...) so the information density (or signal-to-noise ratio) varies widely. The host has an annoying forced laugh, perhaps in an attempt to "keep it light" and non-threatening to science-phobes. Stories are usually quite interesting, but often only marginally important. The writers frequently provide human-interest details about the scientists and technologists they interviewed for the stories.

Information Density:	4.0/5
Interesting:	4.0/5
Important:	2.0/5
In-depth:	2.5/5
Not annoying:	3.5/5
Overall rating:	3.2/5

Pumpkin Bread 1

I got a bunch of 19 ounce cans of "Pumpkin Pie Mix" at Grocery Outlet.

Adapted from Anyway You Like It Pumpkin Breads:


Ingredients:

dry ingredients
* 2 cups whole wheat flour
* 1 2.75 oz. package (1/2 cup) orange gelatin dessert mix
* 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt

wet ingredients
* 2 large eggs (or egg substitute)
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1 can (19 oz.) Pumpkin Pie Mix
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 1 cup soy milk and water (or orange juice, apple juice)

* 1 cup Stir Ins (raisins, sweetened dried cranberries or chopped dates)

* 2 to 3 tablespoons Sprinkle Ons (chopped nuts, cinnamon sugar, seeds such as: poppy, sesame or sunflower, optional)



Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans.

COMBINE dry ingredients in large bowl. Combine wet ingredients in another large bowl. Pour pumpkin mixture into flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in Stir Ins. Spoon batter into prepared pans. Sprinkle with your choice of Sprinkle Ons.

BAKE for 50 to 55 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely.




Here's the original recipe. I love the open-ended "Stir Ins" and "Sprinkle Ons"


Ingredients:

* 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup Stir Ins (raisins, sweetened dried cranberries or chopped dates)
* 1 can (30 oz.) LIBBY'S Easy Pumpkin Pie Mix
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 1/2 cup orange juice, apple juice or water
* 2 large eggs
* 2 to 3 tablespoons Sprinkle Ons (chopped nuts, cinnamon sugar, seeds such as: poppy, sesame or sunflower, optional)



Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans.

COMBINE flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Combine pumpkin pie mix, oil, orange juice and eggs in another large bowl. Pour pumpkin mixture into flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in Stir Ins. Spoon batter into prepared pans. Sprinkle with your choice of Sprinkle Ons.

BAKE for 50 to 55 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely.

FOR EIGHT 5 1/2 x 3 1/4-INCH MINI-LOAF DISPOSABLE PANS:
PREPARE as above. Bake for 38 to 42 minutes.

FOR TWO DOZEN MUFFIN CUPS:
PREHEAT oven to 400° F. Prepare as above. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes.

Medical myths?

NPR has an opinion piece called Separating Medical Truth from Fiction, based on a BMJ comment piece, "Medical myths".

NPR's guy gets his science wrong, and there is a lot of controversy in the responses to the article.