WILL ANYONE STAND UP FOR AMERICAN INDUSTRY?

I came across this article from another blog.  Here's a quote from the article:

"...America, a country that once pulled off the most audacious of engineering projects with panache, one that put a man on the moon in the 1960s, now can't even build a bridge to replace one it constructed with ease in the 1930s."


It is quite disconcerting. 

10 Ways to look Younger

Found this article with tips on looking younger.  I've put the highlights below, but please click on the link and read the details.

• Pomegranates contain the antioxidant ellagic acid, which protects skin against the sun's free radicals.  Eat 1/2 a cup of seeds or one cup of juice a day to help smooth fine lines.
• Cucumbers help maintain collagen production.  
• Apply a cream or stain blush under make-up to mimic skin's youthful glow. 
• Apply sheer face coverage, avoiding creases with liquid foundation or tinted moisturizer.
• Enhance cheekbones with a shimmer cream applied to the outer edge of the cheek bones and sweep it up and out to the hairline.
• Get plenty of sleep to feel refreshed.  Lack of sleep can cause blood pooling under eyes, creating under eye circles.  To help camouflage under-eye circles, use a soft, flat-bristle brush to apply concealer from the inner corner under the eye to midway under, where most of the darkness lies.
• Enhance eyes by drawing eyeliner or dampened brush dripped in eye shadow along upper lashes only, giving lift at the outter edge.  Use mascara on upper lashes only to help give eyes a lift.
• Look for make-ups and face products that contain firming peptides, antioxidants, and hydrating hyaluronic acid to get double duty
• Get 30-60 minutes of cardio exercise per day for 25% oxygenation increase for healthier cells - also improving heart function and mental health.
• Beta-carotene helps prevent collagen breakdown and protects skin from UV rays.  Foods high in beta-carotene:  peppers, green leafy vegetables (lettuces, kale spinach), carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, butternut squash, etc.
• Feed your face (and skin) with omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce inflammation, stress, and even reduces arterial thickening.  Sources of omega-3's:  fish oil supplments, salmon, walnuts, flaxseeds, and winter squash.
• Not mentioned in the article:  Drink plenty of water.  Keeping your skin hydrated is pertinent to healthy, glowing skin.

Vintage Cleaning Tips

I always like hints and tips for making chores easier.

A Decade of Economy

A lost decade for U.S. economy, workers

Economists, policymakers will be chewing on lessons of the Aughts for years

By Neil Irwin

© 2010 The Washington Post Company

Highlights of the article:

"The past decade was the worst for the U.S. economy in modern times,..."

"..debt-driven expansion that was neither robust nor sustainable."

"Economic output rose at its slowest rate of any decade since the 1930s as well."

"Middle-income households made less in 2008, when adjusted for inflation, than they did in 1999 ..."

"...we let housing bubbles get out of control."

"Total household debt rose 117 percent from 1999 to its peak in early 2008, ..."

"The first decade of the new century was an experiment in what happens when an economy comes to rely heavily on borrowed money."

"...people engaged in excessively risky behavior without realizing the risks associated,"

"...forecasters are now generally expecting the job market to turn around early in 2010 and begin creating jobs."