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Eliminating 'muda'

(Published on 2 October 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

As a Miss Know-All I need to keep abreast with new terms and terminologies. It was with great interest that I heard the younger generation use the word – ‘Muda.’ Never heard that one before. Looking at my perplexed and confounded expression – my young and considerate companion whispered – “muda means waste.”

Waste? What kind of waste? Can any waste be called muda?

Muda is defined as waste, where waste is anything or any activity that does not add value. It is a term that is commonly used in management circles. Reducing or eliminating muda is the fundamental objective of a good quality-oriented manager. Muda is one of the '3Ms': muda, or waste, mura, meaning irregular, uneven or inconsistent, and muri, meaning unreasonable or excessive strain.

Taichi Ohno of Toyota identified and described aptly the seven mudas – or in other words the seven wastes:

Waste from overproduction
Often goes unnoticed as overproduction is seen as work happening. But it leads to excess inventory, handling, storage, machinery wear and tear, staff costs and overhead.

Processing waste
Additional effort is required if a process is not properly thought through. This can lead to multiple wastes – manpower waste, time waste and resource waste.

Inventory waste
Excess buffer stocks can also result in a whole lot of waste. Getting it right and maintaining minimum required stocks is the solution to avoid a total breakdown.

Waste of time in waiting
People waste a lot of time waiting for a response from the other. They are often waiting for one another. This could happen because they have objectives that are not aligned.

Transportation waste
Poor arrangement and lack of proper planning can lead to things being moved multiple times. If things are not placed in the right place, they can be hard to find. This can aggravate a complete lapse of processes.

Waste of motion
This includes movement of people, from simple actions when in one place to geographic movement from one place to the other. Having everything easily accessible reduces motion muda.

Waste from product defects
Any defect causes duplication of effort besides upheaval in a set routine or synchronised set of processes and systems.

Laws, rules, formulas, principles make no sense to me unless I look at it from a practical point of view. Let us bring the 7 Muda principles within the four walls of the kitchen… Whether, waste from overproduction, waste of time in waiting, transportation waste processing waste, inventory waste, waste of motion, waste from product defects – all these are things that our grandmothers firmly believed in and practiced in their kitchens.

The best managers run kitchens and homes. For centuries housewives have been eliminating muda and increasing efficiency and productivity.

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Index

(63) Eliminating 'muda'
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/021007/14.asp

(62) Way of the weasel


(60) Fond of fondue
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/04092007/14.asp

(59) The kind of chocolate you like - reflects the personality you have
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/210807/15.asp

(58) Winnie the Pooh... the World's Ambassador of Friendship
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/140807/15.asp

(57) Understanding boomerangs
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/07082007/14.asp

(56) In the Doldrums
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/24072007/13.asp

(55) Paiting the Eiffel Tower
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/170707/14.asp

(54) A shoe museum that showcases used and old shoes!
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/03072007/13.asp

(53) Why a Bluetooth is called a Bluetooth?
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/260607/15.asp

(52) Feng Shui for enhancing productivity in the office
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/19062007/13.asp

(51) And the credit goes to… Thomas Crapper!
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/120607/13.asp

(50) The great Foie Gras controversy
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/050607/13.asp

(49) We’ve all heard of Murphy’s Law. But who is Mr Murphy?
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/29052007/P15.asp

(48) The 'hobble skirt' bottle!
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/220507/13.asp

(47) Guinness - a record breaking idea!
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/15052007/P15.asp

(46) Water intoxication... drinking too much water can be dangerous!
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/08052007/16.asp

(45) Are all plastics microwave safe?
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/010507/14.asp

(44) Hair gel, mousse or serum... what should one opt for?

(43) Understanding autism
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/100407/13.asp

(42) Why is a horseshoe considered lucky?
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/03042007/13.asp

(41) Incontinence... the silent affliction
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/27032007/13.asp

(40) Why does mineral water have an expiry date?
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/18032007/13.asp

(39) The relevance of celebrating International Women's Day
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/060307/15.asp

(38) Beating jet lag
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/270207/15.asp

(37) Crazy about walnuts...
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/200207/14.asp

(36) Are you addicted to email?
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/060207/14.asp

(35) The goodness of honey...
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/300107/14.asp

(34) Know your sunscreen - SPF and more!
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/160107/15.asp

(33) Netizen Speak
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/090107/13.asp

(32) The significance of the Christmas Tree
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/020107/13.asp

(31) RSVP - 'repondez, s'il vous plait'
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/26122006/12.asp

(30) Dating Allowance! Staff retention... at what cost?
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/121206/14.asp

(29) Yes! I've finally been 'mammographed'!
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/05122006/4.asp

(28) Read the fine print - carefully!
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/211106/13.asp

(27) Dangers of a long flight - deep vein thrombosis!
http://www.dailymirror.lk/sections/supp/w@w/141106/15.asp

(26) Suffering from whitlow?
(25) Want to lose weight? Get your ears stapled!
(24) Triskaidekaphobia
(23) Paparazzi on the prowl...
(22) Understanding deja vu...
(21) Looking for soft skills...?
(20) Raising a toast to the queen of crime!
(19) What!!! Pluto not a planet...
(18) Holy smoke... now it's laptop batteries that are exploding!
(17) Fishing or Phishing?
(16) Being a good houseguest...
(15) Difference between warranty and guarantee...
(14) The art of insulting
(13) Arouse the 'Kartini' within you...
(12) Anti-aging... with and without botox!
(11) Caviar... much overrated!
(10) A catch 22 situation!
(09) De- stressing... stress busters from an expert
(08) Fugu Fish - a poisonous delicacy!
(07) How do barcodes work?
(06) Sudoku - the puzzle of the 21st Century
(05) Are green tea, white tea and red tea from the same plant?
(04) How does the rice cooker know when to turn off?
(03) Why does the hair on your arm not grow long?
(02) How your mobile phone works...
(01) Origin of the term 'daylight robbery'

Fond of Fondue

(Published on 04 September 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

A Swiss friend of mine invited us over for dinner with a promise that she’d serve the best fondue we had ever had. While I fished out my stilletoes, and my Hermes silk scarf – I also brushed up my ‘fondue etiquettes.’

The term “fondue” comes from the French word ‘fondre’ which literally means to melt. Fondue refers to communal dishes shared at the table in an earthenware pot called ‘caquelon’ which is kept over a small burner called ‘rechaud’. Fondue is eaten by spearing small cubes of bread or other food items with a long fork, and then dipping it into the delicious mixture of molten cheese present in the fondue pot. Besides cubes of bread, one can also dip cooked chicken, ham, garlic sausage, roasted potatoes, asparagus spears, broccoli and cauliflower florets and peppers.

Fondue was actually invented out of necessity. Swiss villagers, who were separated from towns by long winters, had to rely on foods such as bread and cheese that were made in the summer. Stale cheese becomes very hard. However, if cheese was heated over a fire it tasted better and was much easier to eat. Bread in turn would soften when it was dipped into the cheese. Soon wine and other seasonings were being mixed to turn old cheese and bread into a delectable meal. As with etiquettes connected with other communal meals, fondue etiquettes, range from being practical to amusing.

Fondue etiquettes:

>>After dipping the bread into the fondue, hold it over the pot for a few seconds to allow the extra cheese to drip back into the fondue pot. This also allows the cheese time to cool. To avoid dripping, you can bring the bread to your mouth with a small plate underneath it. Alternatively, remove it onto the plate.

>>Don’t touch the fondue fork with your mouth as the fork goes back into the pot. Be extra careful not to touch it with your lips.

>>Don’t double dip. Dipping the food, taking a bite, and then dipping it into the pot once again is a big no-no! Just make sure you cover the bread with enough cheese the first time round.

>>Don’t dip with your fingers. Use the given fork. Besides being bad table manners it’s not really recommended that you dip your fingers in hot molten cheese.

>>Don’t lose your food in the pot. As per tradition, the person who loses food in the fondue pot has to buy a round of drinks for everyone at the table.

Each household has their own rules. If the bread is lost in the fondue, it is customary for that person to be punished in some way. If a lady drops food in the pot she has to kiss the person next to her. An extract of the fondue scene from ‘Asterix in Switzerland’ explains the gravity of the offence:

The Trouble with Fondue...
"Everyone got it? If you lose your piece of bread in the fondue, you pay a forfeit! The first time it's five of the best with a stick; the second time you get twenty lashes with a whip; the third time you get thrown into the lake with weights tied to your feet!"

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

The kind of chocolate you like - reflects the type of personality you have

(Published on 21 August 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Trust a Miss Know-All to come up with this pearl of wisdom. Next time when a box of chocolates is doing the rounds, watch carefully what each person chooses for them selves - for the kind of chocolate they like reflects the personality that they are.

Now this is no figment of my imagination – it’s the conclusion drawn after a thorough research was conducted. Have you ever wondered why some people like dark chocolate, some like milk chocolate and others like white chocolate? The makers of a Swiss brand of chocolates commissioned a research to learn whether certain personalities matched certain types of chocolate. The results were astounding.

People who like dark chocolate are as complex as their tastes. They are connoisseurs of all things superior. They are very particular about quality and about achieving perfection. Dark chocolate lovers take the time to study about the things they care about, and value their ability to make choices. They are health conscious and choose dark chocolate for its rich, satisfying flavour and its heart warming content. They are the kind of people who you will find in a pair of faded jeans during the weekend. If a lipstick colour was to be named after them, it would be called ‘Complex & Captivating’

Milk chocolate lovers have a heart of gold. They are optimistic people who enjoy the sweetness of life. They have made the choice to see the good in people and everything around them. They spread joy through their infectious laugh. Eating chocolates evokes warm feelings and memories in these types of people. They are the type of loyal friends who remember your birthday and whom you can call at any unearthly hour to share your problems. Milk chocolate lovers would spend the weekend in an old school sweatshirt. The name of the colour of the lipstick best suited to their traits would be – ‘Breath of Fresh Air.’

White chocolate lovers are different from the above two kinds of people. They know what’s in style long before their friends do. They love chocolates, but they love it just a little bit different. People who love white chocolates are great people to be with. They are adventurous and always willing to try out new things. They are daring and eager to be different from the average ordinary bloke. During a weekend, a white chocolate lover would be found in the latest new yoga gear. The colour of the lipstick that would best compliment their personality – is ‘All the Rage.’

And as for those who like all the three types of chocolates - they need to be in a freak show on display. For it is believed that people who like dark chocolates get put off by the white kind. Here’s a wise one from Terry Moore: “The 12-step chocoholics program: NEVER BE MORE THAN 12 STEPS AWAY FROM CHOCOLATE!”

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Winnie-the Pooh - the Ambassador of Friendship

(Published on 14 August 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Does one need a special day to celebrate ‘Friendship Day’? For me each day is dedicated to my friends. Each day is marked by raising a toast to all those friends who have stuck by me, through thick and thin. Then why this big fuss over the first Sunday of August, when Friendship Day is celebrated the world over?

Considering the valuable role friends play in our life it was considered fit to have a day dedicated to friends and friendship. The tradition of dedicating a day in tribute to one’s friends began in America in 1935. Gradually the festival has gained popularity in other countries as well and today Friendship Day is celebrated the world over.

So what special things are you supposed to do on this day? On this day people spend time with their friends and express their feelings for them. Exchanging of gifts like flowers, cards and friendship bands is a popular tradition.

When we think of friendship, one name that comes to mind is that of Pooh. In 1997, the United Nations named Winnie the Pooh as the world’s ‘Ambassador of Friendship.’ Though Pooh is described as a ‘bear of little brain,’ he has a big heart. To Pooh, friendship means not just caring and sharing with old friends, but also accepting new ones with an open heart. With his unconditional way of giving from his heart, lending a caring shoulder, and always having a friendly word of encouragement, Pooh teaches us important lessons about friendship. Winnie has always been acknowledged as an Ambassador of Friendship. He even led the Friendship Day celebration in Disneyland.

But what is really interesting is how Winnie happened to get his name. In 1914, a Winnipeg soldier Harry Colebourn bought an orphaned black bear cub in White River, Ontario while en route to fight in the First World War. Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba and is located at the eastern edge of the great plains of Western Canada.

Harry Colebourn named the bear ‘Winnie’ after his hometown, Winnipeg. The cub became the mascot of Colebourn’s regiment. When Colebourn was shipped out to the war zone, he donated the bear to the London Zoo, where it spent twenty long years. It was at this zoo that Christopher Robin Milne, the young son of author and playwright A.A. Milne happened to meet ‘Winnie’ the bear. The young Milne renamed his stuffed bear Winnie the Pooh and his father later wrote stories about a boy and his bear, Winnie.

Friends and friendship have always been valued… there can be no substitute for friends. To my readers – may there be numerous ‘Winnie-the-Pooh’s in your life who offer you unconditional love and support and a friendship that lasts a lifetime.

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Understanding boomerangs

(Published on 7 August 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

God bless relatives… they come up with the most amazing ways of harassing you. My cousin returned from a trip to Australia with a boomerang. A whole family picnic was planned, far away from the concrete jungle that we lived in, so that the boomerang could be tested.

It was no easy task – for the boomerang refused to do what it was supposed to do – return to the thrower. Many an expert tried their hand and voiced their adroit opinions but to no avail. The picnic seemed to loose meaning as everyone seemed disappointed with the unyielding boomerang. The literature that came along with the boomerang was read aloud, and then re-read one-by-one. We came to the firm conclusion that probably it was our comprehension skills that was at fault. Why was it that the amazing application of complex laws of physics was escaping us?

Boomerangs are curved devices that return to you when you throw them. The specially crafted, lightweight piece of wood has basically two wings connected in a banana-shape.
When thrown correctly, a returning boomerang is supposed to fly through the air in a circular path and arrive back at its starting point. A straight piece of wood, when thrown will simply keep going in one direction, until gravity pulls it to the ground.

The working of a boomerang makes perfect sense once we understand the physical forces at work. The classic banana-shaped boomerang has two wings and that is the reason for its characteristic flight path. The two component parts make the boomerang spin about a central point, stabilising its motion as it travels through the air. The wings are set at a slight tilt and are rounded on one side and flat on the other - similar to the shape, of the wings of an aeroplane. Air particles move more quickly over the top of the wing than they do along the bottom of the wing. This creates a difference in air pressure. The wing has lift when it moves because there is greater pressure below it than above it. As a result of the stabilising motion of the two wings, the boomerang stays aloft longer.

It is not really very clear when and where people first developed boomerangs. Aborigines of Australia are credited with the invention. Aborigines used wooden weapons called Kylies for hunting. It is believed that they discovered boomerangs by accident while using their Kylies. The Aborigines perfected the boomerang design and throwing technique for the simple fun of it.

We are already planning our next picnic. My cousin promises he has mastered the art of throwing the boomerang. I doubt it though – any stick thrown within the four walls of his tiny apartment will bounce back to him. No dexterity required here.

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

In the Doldrums

(Published on 24 July 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

All of us go through the blues… those grey days when you feel you are in the doldrums! As far as my Aunt Jigna is concerned, everything looks hopeless and life in general is in the doldrums. There’s no arguing here. Everything has a gloomy side – and that’s the side that faces my dear Aunt.

But what my Aunt Jigna is not aware of – is that more than half of my writing comes from my interaction with her. Take for example the term ‘doldrums’… being in the doldrums, means to be in low spirits; or feeling dull and drowsy. In the early 19th century, the term doldrums was used to mean 'a general state of lethargy.' The term has its origins in the word 'dol', which means 'dull.' It has taken its form as ‘doldrums’ from the word 'tantrum'. That is, as a fit of temper was called a tantrum, a fit of laziness and dullness was called doldrums.

Lord Byron was the first to use the phrase in a nautical context. In 1824, in the story The Island, Byron wrote, "From the bluff head where I watched to-day, I saw her in the doldrums; for the wind was light and baffling." Byron was the first to relate shifting and variable winds with the term ‘doldrums’, meaning a wind that makes it impossible for a ship to progress at sea. In other words… a dull wind.

Using the context used by Byron, the region of calm winds centred slightly north of the equator and between the two belts of trade winds was given the name The Doldrums. The two trade winds meet in this region and neutralise each other. This region was given this name only in the mid 19th century. When reports of ships that were stranded in this equatorial region described them as being 'in the doldrums,' it was incorrectly thought that the reports were describing their location rather than their state. And this somehow stuck and remained so until this date.

Signing off sweeties! Enough information to keep your grey cells ticking. Need to give a shot of brandy to my Aunt Jigna… the only effective solution to yank her out of her state of being ‘in the doldrums.’

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Painting the Eiffel Tower

(Published on 17 July 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

When Peter Ford cleverly asked in his article about the colour of the Eiffel Tower, he thought he had me dumb founded. But dear Peter, they don’t call me a Miss Know-All for nothing. My knowledge is as layered as the number of paint coats on the Iron Lady of Paris. Actually, Peter’s question is a trick question. Though it seems as though the Eiffel Tower is in one colour the truth is that the monument is not painted in one single colour. It is in fact painted in three different shades of a specially mixed ‘Eiffel Tower Brown.’

Gustave Eiffel painted his creation red when he constructed the Eiffel Tower in 1889. Since then, the tower, erected for the International Exposition and for the centennial celebration of the French Revolution, has changed from being a yellow to a beige and finally to a brown.

Since 1968, the iron structure has been 'Eiffel Tower Brown,' which has been considered as the colour that best brings out its silhouette against the Paris sky. To ensure that the tower seems as though it is in one colour – it has been painted in three shades. This is owing to the visual effect the background has on any object. By painting the bottom of the tower a darker colour, the centre a slightly lighter shade and finally the top an even more paler shade, it makes the visitor believe that the tower is in one colour. The shading ensures that the colour is perceived to be the same all the way up. This shading is believed to enhance and accentuate the structure's elegance.

However, the painting is not just about aesthetics. Mr. Gustave Eiffel himself emphasised that painting of the tower is the essential means of conserving the metallic structure, and that maintenance is the only guarantee of its durability. The paint keeps the iron structure from rusting and collapsing.

The Tower has been repainted seventeen times since it was built. Sixty tons of paint is required, as well as 1500 brushes, 5000 sanding disks and a team of 25 painters. The paint is applied manually, with brushes. Rollers and paint guns are not allowed. The 18th coat of paint was applied from December 2001 to June 2003. The first floor to the top of the Tower is painted every 5 years while the entire monument is painted every 10 years.

Out of the sixty tons of paint used each time, about 20 tons of pain evaporates or erodes. That still leaves 40 tons more weight on the tower each time. After 17 paint jobs, the Eiffel Tower is about 700 tons heavier than when it was first designed. However, this does not pose any danger, as the weight is evenly distributed.

For those who have been to Paris, the view of this majestic tower can be compared to no other. In the words of Alexandre Gustave Eiffel – “I ought to be jealous of that tower. She is more famous than I am.”

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

A shoe museum that showcases used and old shoes!

(Published on 3 July 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

I just love travelling, pets… and that’s really how I gather all my information. My visit to Toronto had me standing in front of a building that looked uncannily like a shoe box. The signpost read – Bata. We all know that Bata is connected with shoes… no prizes for guessing that but what had me curious was that the building actually housed the Bata Shoe Museum.

If you thought that the Bata Shoe Museum housed samples of all the footwear that the Bata Company has ever produced - you are totally wrong. Although the name is synonymous with the giant shoe empire, there are less than a dozen Bata shoes in the entire collection. Created by Sonja Bata, the wife of the founder of the Bata Shoe Company, the museum has a massive collection of shoes spanning 4,500 years. On display are shoes ranging from beautiful Egyptian sandals and Chinese bound foot shoes, to celebrity footwear including Elton John's platforms and Napoleon’s socks.

The Bata Shoe Museum opened its doors in 1995. The five-storey building, designed by Moriyama and Teshima Architects, is truly unique. It is in the form of a huge shoe box with the lid laid across the top. The collection contains 10,000 varieties of footwear and showcases changing fashions, and highlights the craft and sociology of making shoes.

It all began as a hobby, when Mrs Sonja Bata started collecting shoes as she travelled around the globe. The fascination grew into a huge collection. As per Mrs. Bata, shoes are a personal artefact that tells about the owner’s social status, habits, culture and religion. Shoes, more than any other personal item, reflect the living habits, the work and the customs of the people who wore them. A visit to the museum is truly a visit down history. A pair of Egyptian footwear lies alongside the late Princess Diana’s rich burgundy dress shoes. In another display, Queen Victoria’s ballroom slippers lie alongside the ceremonial shoes of Pope Leo the III.

Hundreds of fascinating shoes from famous feet and from some unknown owners, whose names have been lost to history are on display. Pressurised sky-diving boots to iron-spiked shoes used for crushing chestnuts are among the items on exhibit. Rock stars, sports heroes, musicians, artists, film legends...they’re all there.

Viewed chronologically, shoes trace a path through technological development. The museum is a powerhouse of information. Today, if I know where the boots worn by Neil Armstrong for his famous first walk on the moon in 1969 are, it’s because of my visit to the museum. The answer will blow your mind away for Neil Armstrong’s shoes are currently floating in space as they were jettisoned before he returned to earth in case of contamination.

I further learnt that my foot has 18 muscles and that approximately 25% percent of all the bones in my body are found in the foot. I left the museum with a new found respect for my feet. I’ll head off for a foot massage and a pedicure at the earliest given opportunity – which is once I return to my home country. Until then I’ll just soak my feet in warm water… after all a dollar saved is a dollar gained.

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Why a Bluetooth is called a Bluetooth?

(Published on 26 June 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Gone are the days when the only blue tooth people knew of was the half broken one decaying in the depths of someone’s mouth. Well Bluetooth isn't some strange form of tooth decay. Bluetooth is the name of a new technology.

Take a look around you. Whether you are at home or at office – your electronic equipment will be wired to one another by cables. Cables can become quite a bother. Bluetooth technology is an answer to this. It provides a ‘cable free’ environment.
Bluetooth wireless technology is a short-range communications technology intended to replace the cables connecting portable and fixed devices.

Bluetooth provides a way to connect and exchange information between devices such as mobile phones, computers, laptops, printers and digital cameras over a secure, globally unlicensed short-range radio frequency. It is actually just a small, radio chip that is plugged into electronic gadgets. It takes the information normally carried by the cable, and transmits it at a special frequency to a receiver Bluetooth chip present in the gadget where the information is to be received.

A master Bluetooth device can communicate with up to seven devices. This network group of up to eight devices is called a piconet. Piconet is a combination of the prefix ‘pico’ meaning very small or one trillionth and network. A piconet allows one master device to interconnect with up to seven active devices. Either device can switch roles and become the master at any time.

Having understood what Bluetooth was all about it seemed strange that this novel technology should be given such an outlandish name. What is interesting is that the Bluetooth was named after a late tenth century king, Harald Bluetooth who was the King of Denmark and Norway.

Harald Bluetooth is known for unifying warring tribes from Denmark, Norway and some parts of present-day Sweden, where the Bluetooth technology was invented. As the Bluetooth technology unifies different technologies, such as computers and mobile phones, it was thought appropriate to name it after the famous king. Choosing this name indicates how important the Nordic region is to the communications industry.

Harald Bluetooth built a large monument, the Jelling rune stone. The Bluetooth logo merges the Nordic runes similar to the modern Latin H and B (haglaz) and (berkanan) forming a bind rune.

Now why Harald Bluetooth was called Bluetooth remains a mystery. Maybe he did have a decaying blue tooth after all. That reminds me… I am off to the dentist sweethearts. Until next week… ciao.

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Feng Shui for enhancing productivity in the office

(Published on 19 June 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

I’ve just changed jobs. And the first thing I was told about my new boss was that he was very particular about everything in the office, being as per Feng Shui dictates. I looked around and did find that certain desks were rather strangely angled, the Accounts section was differently coloured and Feng Shui charms lay on just about everyone’s desk.

I reached office next day with a little bamboo pyramidal arrangement (called Lucky Bamboo or Dracaena) – which I placed at a predominant spot on my desk. My knowledge of Feng Shui ended there - for beyond the bamboo arrangement I had no clue of what else was good to enhance my productivity. (…and the prosperity of my boss)

Feng Shui is the art of placement and an ancient Oriental doctrine based on the principle that environmental design can change your life for the better or for the worse. Feng Shui experts believe that good Feng Shui, which is an environment that allows the free flow of energy (Chi), enhances career opportunities and attracts good business. The philosophy of Feng Shui is being incorporated into many offices to promote success, wealth, opportunities, and feeling of contentment.

Here is some Feng Shui advice for the office that will make it a more productive environment:

· Plants: Plants boost energy levels. Placing fresh flowers or a leafy plant on the left side of the desk creates good chi (energy). Putting a money tree or prosperity plant in the Southeast corner of the desk or cubicle is also beneficial. Cactuses and bonsai trees should be avoided, as the former creates difficult work relationships and the latter will stunt career growth.

· Position of desk: Where one sits and the arrangement of the office can have a huge impact on one’s workplace energy. If you want to get ahead at your job don’t sit directly in line with the door which is the path of negative energy. And never have your back to a door, as it’s from the door that business and opportunity enters. Try to sit in the corner farthest from the entrance to the room to have control and keep your back towards a corner or wall for support. If there's more than one desk, place two on a diagonal facing towards the door and any others on a diagonal facing into the centre of the room. They should not be placed in rows in a traditional classroom layout or back to back.

· Colour: Colour can play a huge role in the office environment. Colours like blues and greens are calming. Red can be an empowering colour and is great for those in business or sales. Yellow is good for people who need discipline. To incorporate colour include photos and picture frames, furniture, mouse pads, or any small items on your desk. Try to incorporate the right colours wherever you can and you'll get ahead at your job.

· Wealth Producing Objects: Different objects or symbols produce wealth. Put a fountain or a picture of a waterfall or river by the entrance to your office to facilitate a raise and to diffuse any negative energy present. A safe in the West or Northwest corner of the office will help with prosperity and financial security. A crystal ball near the phone will encourage more business calls.

The following traditional Feng Shui tips keep the positive energy flowing in the office:

Ì Differentiate between clutter and storage. Stored items should be stacked neatly so as not to hamper energy flow.

Ì Placing papers on a desktop weighted by a crystal, which is a grounding element, represents clarity.

Ì If feasible put your computer in the North or West area of your office to enhance your creativity or in the Southeast to generate income.

Ì If you face a partial wall or partition when entering an office, place a mirror on the partition. Soften jutting walls with plants and break up dull walls with mirrors or paintings.

Ì If it's time to look for new clients, add a water fountain, wind chime or a mobile. If flowing water or tinkling chimes is distractive, consider placing a picture of flowing water. Placing a picture of a lake, waterfall or any other water scene helps. Water represents energy flow. Use an aquarium if you wish.

If business isn't booming, maybe it's time to bring in a different kind of efficiency expert... Feng Shui. Creating harmony and balance in the work area can boost productivity - and the bottom line. Job contentment will follow.

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

And the credit goes to... Thomas Crapper!

(Published on 12 June 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

I’m often asked where I get my inspiration to write from... or on how I select what to write on in the Miss Know-All column. The truth is that just about everything intrigues me – and I have a nose that’s keen to dig deeper for answers. Curiosity they say kills the cat… but not me pretties! Curiosity is what I thrive on. From shady scams to crazy jams, we, the Miss Know All’s have an answer to everything.

This write - up may take you by surprise. Words that seem unimportant have interesting origins. We’ve all heard of the word ‘crap’. Apologies to those, who are cringing at the very mention of the word. However, knowledge is knowledge… even if it is – well, ‘crappy’! The word crap was imported into the English language from the Dutch in the 15th century, and means ‘to defecate’.

However, it is also believed that the word ‘crap’ originated from Thomas Crapper’s name. Mr. Crapper was a plumber who ran a successful plumbing business in England from 1861 to 1904. Crapper had a successful run in the plumbing industry. He held nine patents for plumbing related things: four for improvements to drains, three for water closets, one for manhole covers and the last for pipe joints.

However, the most famous product attributed to Thomas Crapper wasn't invented by him at all. The "Silent Valveless Water Waste Preventer" was a symphonic discharge system that allowed a toilet to flush effectively when the cistern was only half full. Albert Giblin, an employee of Crapper, was responsible for this invention and held the 1819 British Patent for it. Crapper bought the patent rights from Giblin and marketed the device under the name of his company.

When Thomas Crapper retired, he sold his shop to two partners who operated the company under the Crapper name. The Crapper company lived on until 1966, completing 105 years in business.

It is believed that during World War I doughboys, who were passing through England linked Crapper's name with the toilet. They saw the words T. Crapper-Chelsea printed on toilet tanks and coined the slang term ‘crapper’ for the toilet. Hence, the use of the word - ‘crap,’ to express use of the toilet.

Thomas Crapper may not be the inventor of the product he is associated with, but what remains undisputed is that his contribution to plumbing history is significant. Whether for water closets, manhole covers, pipe joints, toilet flushes or for the origins of the word ‘crap’ – the credit shall always go to… Thomas Crapper!

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

The great Foie Gras controversy

(Published on 05 June 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

This is the fiftieth publication of the Miss Know-All column – and I don’t seem to tire from spreading awareness and enlightening the ignorant. There is so much to write about and so little awareness. My task has been chalked out for years to come. You’ll keep hearing from me pretties… keep reading and keep getting wiser!

I had written earlier about the much overrated caviar and how I did not care much for it. But this article is about ‘pate de foie gras’ – something dear to my heart or should I say to my taste buds. But like all other things – wherever I go controversy seems to follow. So – this write up is about the great Foie Gras controversy.

Though the name sounds impressive and fancy, foie gras is poultry liver. It is a French word meaning ‘fat liver’. It took us Asians time to learn how to pronounce it… leave alone eat it. (pronunciation - fwä grä) Once considered a luxury food item, foie gras has become the subject of a global campaign as animal rights activists claim that the manner in which foie gras is produced is cruel to animals. To understand this allegation a bit of explaining is required.

Foie Gras can only be produced by migratory birds as only these birds develop livers that are exceptionally fatty in texture. This is because when a bird migrates, it flies several hundred miles before stopping for food. It sustains itself through the long flight by stuffing itself before setting out on its journey. This extra food supply is stored in the liver in the form of fat. As a result, the liver increases in size from four ounces to a pound and a half.

The ancient Romans were the first to discover that to acquire fatty livers they needed to hunt migratory birds when they were actually migrating. Later, as an alternate they fattened the birds even when they were not migrating – by feeding them with grain. When the livers expanded as a result of overeating, the birds were slaughtered. The French in turn discovered that it was goose that was the ideal bird for foie gras. Geese were fed with corn and then killed once their livers were ready. Interestingly poultry farmers in other parts of Europe opted to breed ducks instead of geese.

After the 1970’s farmers started breeding the Moulard duck for foie gras. A funnel is inserted into the fowl’s mouth and grain is then poured down its gullet. The fact that the birds are force fed in this way till their livers fatten up did not ‘go down’ too well with the animal rights activists and they stepped in to cry ‘FOUL’! The animal rights lobby argues that this kind of force feeding causes the birds livers to get diseased. Foie Gras farmers do not agree as they feel the condition is not a disease but similar to what happens when the birds migrate. The activists retaliate by saying that keeping birds in custody and force feeding them in an unnatural way amounts to torture.

The debate continues even as Arnold Schwarzenegger announced a ban on foie gras in California. The ban will come into effect in 2012. The city of Chicago has banned the sale of foie gras as well. There is also a growing demand for a total ban all across America.

As for me… well, killing any animal for its meat is sin enough. Then why all this brouhaha over a fattened liver?

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

We've all heard of Murphy's Law. But who is Mr Murphy?

(Published on 29 May 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

I just love the Murphy’s Law. It states – ‘If anything can go wrong, it will.’ Now isn’t that a bit ridiculous – but what the Murphy’s Law teaches us is that there are some things beyond our control – and what we need to do is take things in our stride. Besides – there is a knack for everything unexpected and uncanny to just happen. So it’s best to expect the unexpected.

Basically good old Murphy – the one who I presume formulated this law wanted us to know that things can go wrong… and well there is no point fretting and sweating to achieve perfection – for what is destined to happen will happen. Also it’s a good way of voicing our resignation to one’s fate – by just stating the Murphy’s Law!! Each one of us can make our own interpretation of what Murphy wanted to say… but have you ever wondered who Murphy was?

As per The Desert Wings written in March, 1978, the Murphy's Law was born at Edwards Air Force Base. The term was coined in 1949 and was named after Capt. Edward A. Murphy, an engineer working on an Air Force project designed to see how much sudden deceleration a person can stand in a crash. The project, a part of a research on the rocket sleds that tested the limits of human endurance to acceleration and deceleration was being conducted in California.

One day, after finding that a transducer was wired wrong, Murphy cursed the technician responsible and said, "If there is any way to do it wrong, he'll find it." Murphy was referring to a particular technician, whose name is sadly unknown and not recorded. The project manager kept a list of ‘laws’ and added this one, which he called Murphy's Law. In a press conference, Dr. John Paul Stapp, an Air Force doctor allegedly credited his program’s safety record to the Murphy’s Law. He said that their good safety record on the project was due to a firm belief in Murphy's Law and in the necessity to try and circumvent it. Aerospace manufacturers picked it up and used it widely and soon it was being quoted in many articles. And this was how Murphy's Law was born.

Ironically, Murphy died under strange circumstances. One dark night, his car ran out of gas. As he hitchhiked to a gas station, he was struck from behind by a British tourist who was driving on the wrong side of the road.

Like Murphy, some of his other colleagues too came up with their own wise liners:

Nichols' Fourth Law credited to George E. Nichols, the Northrop project manager states, "Avoid any action with an unacceptable outcome."

While Stapp's Ironical Paradox by Doctor Col. John P. Stapp states that "The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle."

Aah! How wise. How true.
Remember ‘dahlings’ it’s Miss Know-All who knows it all. From irregular bowel movements to quivering jowl movements, I have an answer to everything.

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

The 'hobble skirt' bottle

(Published on 22 May 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

I attended the Finale of the Brand Equity Quiz in Mumbai recently and was greatly intrigued when a team was asked to comment on a picture shown on the monitor. The picture seemed old – say of the 1915’s and showed a couple in European attire. Just when the audience was wondering what the picture had to do in a Business Quiz – pat came the reply from one of the participants. The famous Coca-Cola bottle was designed to look like the ‘hobble skirt’ shown in the picture. That was a very interesting bit of trivia and I decided to find out just how a Coca-Cola ended up looking like a hobble skirt.

A hobble skirt is a skirt with a narrowing hem. It got its name as it inhibits the wearer's stride. The shape of the skirt made the wearer 'hobble’. The term 'hobble skirt' came into popular use in the early 1910s when a fashion trend started by French designer Paul Poiret introduced long skirts that were narrow at the hem. Interestingly some attribute the hobble skirt to Mrs. Hart Berg, the first American woman to fly with the Wright Brothers. To keep her skirts from flying out of control while airborne, she tied a rope around them below the knees.

The famous Coca-Cola bottle, called the contour bottle, which is also known to some as the "hobble skirt" bottle, was created in 1915. The Coca-Cola Company launched a competition among its bottle suppliers to create a new bottle for the drink. The brief was that it should be - "a bottle which a person could recognize even if they felt it in the dark, and so shaped that, even if broken, a person could tell at a glance what it was". Chapman Root, president of the Root Glass Company, delegated the task to members of his staff including Earl Dean, bottle designer and supervisor of the bottle moulding room. It was decided to base the bottle’s design on one of the drink’s two ingredients, the coca leaf or the cola nut. But as no information was available about coca or cola – Dean took inspiration from the gourd-shaped cocoa pod. It is also believed that he got the inspiration for the design from the ‘hobble skirt’.

Dean sketched out and created the mould for the bottle. The prototype bottle was approved and a design patent was issued on the bottle in November, 1915. The bottle was chosen over other entries by Coca Cola in 1916. By 1920, Dean’s contoured bottle became the standard for the Coca-Cola Company.

The Root Glass Company wanted to reward Dean for his efforts. He was offered a choice between a $500 bonus or a lifetime job at the Glass Company. He chose the lifetime job.

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Hobble Skirt Postcard

Guinness - a record breaking idea!

(Published on 15 May 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)


You all know my Aunt Jigna – thanks to this column, where she features ever so regularly. Well this aunt of mine has a penchant for facts and figures… (and arguments may I add) and has a ‘record breaking’ collection of the Guinness Book of World Records.

I did ruffle up the old lady when I told her that it was easier and quicker to refer to the internet rather than flip pages and search for results. But the truth is that I do envy her collection of the Guinness Book of World Records. I could spend hours and hours browsing and marvelling.

The story about how the idea of putting together such a book of records is an interesting one. The idea was conceptualised by Sir Hugh Beaver. Educated at Wellington College, Berkshire, Sir Hugh Beaver spent two years in the Indian Police force from 1910 to 1912. Later he returned to England, and joined Alexander Gibb and Partners Engineers, the firm commissioned by the Canadian government to conduct a survey of its national ports. Beaver supervised the rebuilding of the Port of St John, New Brunswick. He was the Director General and Controller General of the Ministry of Works from 1940-1945

In 1946, he became the managing director of Arthur Guinness, Son and Co Ltd. On 10 November 1951, while Beaver was still the managing director of the Guinness Brewery, he went on a shooting party by the River Slaney in Ireland. While on the shoot, he became involved in an argument with a friend about whether it was the Golden Plover or the Grouse that was the fastest game bird in Europe.

The argument came to no conclusion for it was not possible to confirm the answer in any reference books. Beaver realised that there must be numerous similar questions debated, but there was no book with which to settle arguments about records. He recognized then that a book supplying the answers to this sort of question might prove popular.

Sir Hugh’s idea saw the light of day when Guinness employee Christopher Chataway recommended his University friends Norris and Ross McWhirter. The two brothers had been running a fact-finding agency in London, and were commissioned in 1954 to compile all the information into one book which came to be called The Guinness Book of Records. The first 198 page edition was bound on 27 August 1955 and went to the top of the British best seller lists. The following year it launched in the USA, and sold 70,000 copies.

Since then, Guinness World Records has become a household name in world records. No other venture collects, confirms, accredits and presents world record data with the same commitment. The Records Management Team maintains a vigilant watch to guarantee the accuracy of each and every Guinness World Record. A fact becomes a Guinness World Record when it’s tested and verified. The book has gone on to become a record breaker itself. With sales of more than 100 million copies in 100 different countries and 37 languages, the Guinness World Records is the world’s best ever selling copyright book.

Sir Hugh Beaver KBE was knighted in 1943. He was awarded a KBE in 1956. He also received honorary degrees from the University of Cambridge, Trinity College, Dublin, the National University of Ireland. The London School of Economics made Sir Hugh Beaver an honorary fellow in 1960.

What a record breaking idea!
“Good ideas are common - what's uncommon are people who'll work hard enough to bring them about” - Ashleigh Brilliant, English author and cartoonist.

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Water intoxication... drinking too much water can be dangerous!

(Published on 8 May 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

A recent newspaper report about a young 22 year old marathon runner, David Rogers dying as a result of drinking too much water had me absolutely stumped. For, every fitness instructor and dietician I have ever known or heard of, have claimed that one should drink as much water as possible. A die-hard Oprah Winfrey fan – I followed the instructions given during her boot camp – and religiously downed bottles and bottles of aqua. Then what was this about?

David Rogers collapsed at the end of the race and died due to water intoxication or hyponatraemia. This happens when there is more than necessary water in the body which results in low levels of vital minerals such as sodium. Medically, Hyponatraemia means a low concentration of sodium in the blood. This happens especially in the case of long distance runners who sweat extensively. Lost sweat which is composed of salt and water is replaced only by intake of water. This dilutes the level of sodium in the bloodstream.

Sweat contains between 2.25 - 3.4 grams of salt per litre. During a long race that takes place in hot climatic conditions, the rate of perspiration averages to about 1 litre per hour. This means longer the race – more the loss of salt. Without realising the consequences, the athlete replaces only the lost water resulting in the drop of percentage of salt in the body. This explains the importance of electrolytes and sports drinks to replenish salt in the body.

The symptoms of hyponatraemia can range from mild to severe and include nausea, muscle cramps, headaches, disorientation, slurred speech and confusion. In severe cases the sufferer experiences swelling of the brain, seizures or coma. In mild cases, the problem can be treated by eating salty foods and hydrating with sodium containing sports drinks. However, severe cases need immediate medical attention.

There are no clear cut instructions to be followed as a precaution. It is not really correct to recommend drinking less water to rebalance sodium and water intake as one might run the risk of dehydration and heat related injuries. Some experts recommend increasing salt intake. By ingesting more sodium, hydration with water is balanced and dilution of sodium does not occur.

This year’s London Marathon that took David Rogers life was the hottest in the event’s 27 year history. More than 600 runners failed to complete the race as a result of the unbearable heat. Hyponatraemia was found in as many as 13% of runners in a Boston Marathon. In January 2007 Jennifer Strange, a woman in California, died following a water-drinking contest sponsored by a local radio station. Jennifer, 28, had taken part in the contest to see how much water she could drink without going to the bathroom. Her family has since filed a civil lawsuit against the radio station

Do you and I need to worry? No. For us – eight to ten glasses of water a day is recommended. And unless you are out hiking in a desert or running a long marathon, you need not worry too much about dipping sodium levels. Keep hydrated and keep guzzling that aqua.

“If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water” - Loran Eisely, The Immense Journey, 1957

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Are all plastics microwave safe?

(Published on 1 May 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Every visit to my Aunt Jigna is a nightmare. I return with frayed nerves and a splitting headache. She has an opinion about everything. As she rambles on, I comatose myself taking comfort in a beautiful world where silence prevails. Just as I had reached into a blissful stupor – I heard my Aunt shriek. She held in her hand a deformed plastic bowl and bore a flabbergasted look.

As I sat her down, I learnt that it was the microwave that was to be blamed. “Was the bowl microwave safe?” I enquired. All I could hear was a volley of abuses hurled at the microwave oven. This brought us to the most obvious question: Are all plastics microwave safe?

Today, there is a lot of kitchen ware that is made of plastic. Different plastics serve different purposes in the kitchen. Storage and reheating, being the main two functions. Majority of the plastic kitchen ware is specially designed to withstand high temperatures. But this does not mean all of them are. It is wise to check the item before presuming that it is microwave friendly.

Plastics that are designed to withstand microwave temperatures will be marked accordingly. Some products are labelled with the term ‘Microwave Safe.’ or carry a microwave symbol. This is the manufacturer’s way of letting consumers know that a product has been designed to withstand microwave heat without melting or warping. Others provide instructions for proper microwave use – informing you of the temperature that it is able to with-stand. If used inappropriately, the plastic container may warp or melt when exposed to extremely hot temperatures. It is best to look for plastics that are labelled for microwave use and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Why take chances? If your container isn’t labelled for microwave use, it’s best to choose something that is.

However it is not necessarily unsafe to use a plastic container in the microwave if is not labelled as microwave compatible. But it is wiser to select a microwave safe dish and have the assurance of knowing that the item was tested and evaluated for this purpose.
Frozen meals are often packaged in microwavable trays made of PET, a type of plastic which is also used to make jars and bottles. While microwavable PET trays are specially fabricated for high heat resistance, the jars and bottles made with PET could warp if subject to high heat.

For some time there has been an email doing the rounds that claims that microwaving food in plastic containers or plastic wrap is dangerous. The message warns that chemicals can seep out of the plastic and into the food, causing cancer and other diseases. That is when food is placed in a plastic container and cooked in a microwave; substances used in manufacturing the plastic may leak into the food. However, this is not true as manufacturers of food products that belong to well known brands, closely regulate the quality of the plastic containers and ensure that no such chemicals migrate from the plastic into the food.

Here are some tips from Miss Know All’s kitchen to keep in mind when using your microwave:

( Don’t microwave food in plastic storage bags from the grocery store.

(Vent the container before microwaving food that is leave the lid ajar.

(Takeout containers, water bottles, and plastic tubs or jars made to hold yogurt and foods such as cheese, mayonnaise, and mustard are not for use in the microwave.

(Takeout dinner trays that can be put in the microwave are designed for one-time use only and this will be mentioned on the package.

(Don’t allow plastic wrap to touch food during microwaving as it may melt.

(If you’re confused about use of plastic containers in the microwave, transfer food to glass or ceramic containers labelled for microwave use.

(Microwaving in containers that are round or oval in shape can help foods heat more evenly. With rectangular containers, the corners tend to receive more energy, which can cause food to dry out or overcook in these areas.

This quote by Bryan Miller is for all the great cooks I know (including Aunt Jigna, who I must admit makes the most awesome prawn curry!) - “The qualities of an exceptional cook are akin to those of a successful tightrope walker: an abiding passion for the task, courage to go out on a limb and an impeccable sense of balance.”

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Hair gel, mousse or serum - what should one opt for?

(Published on 24 April 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Gone are the days when the only mousse you had heard of – was the one your mother made as a dessert. Today’s generation are accustomed to seeing it as a hair product – in a range of horrendous florescent colours and ‘hair raising’ odours.

Well, grooming is not really my forte dahlings – so when I was asked what the difference between a hair gel and a hair mousse was I went scurrying to my friend who is an expert and a well known hair stylist. A mousse creates fullness she explained. It actually plumps the strands so your hair appears fuller. As a result a mousse is best suited for those with fine hair texture. Gels are made to slick hair down. They give control and can smooth hair. Stylists use them to give sleek looks, to taper ends or to smooth edges.

Having a perfect hair style is as important as having stylish clothes. Men and women, both attach great importance to the way their hair looks. It has become much easier to implement just about any kind of hair style as there is a wide range of styling products now available in the market. What exactly should be used depends entirely on the specific hair type and personal preferences.

YMousse
A mousse is a body-builder and is best suited for adding volume. They are used to hold fine, thin hair that needs a lift from the roots. It is best applied to dry hair. Working from the roots, the mousse is spread up through the strands away from the scalp. This can be followed by either a blow-dry or a finger-dry.

YGel
Gels are great for creating a slick, wet look. A stylist would use them to give a lasting hold to curls or to keep fringes in place. Usually gel is applied to damp hair, which is then combed through, styled and left to dry. Applying gel to the roots of dry hair will give style volume.

YWax
Wax adds gloss and definition to hair. It is best suited for naturally curly or permed hair. Wax is rubbed between the palms and then applied by running through dry hair to give a polished, groomed effect.

YSerum
Serum is a relatively new hair product. It is good for giving hair instant shine, controlling static or frizz, and protecting the hair shaft from damage. It is sprayed evenly on dry or damp hair for a glossy look. Serums are also known to work well in protecting and strengthening hair.

Many people consider using hair gel for styling, a good solution. Hair gels have been used for ages. At that time hair gel ingredients were completely different from those used now. In order to be sure that constant hair gel usage is not harmful to your hair, you need to make sure that the gel you use is of a well known brand and should contain some useful natural components. Today, certain gels have herb extracts that effectively strengthen the hair and also offer protection against everyday damage. Hair gels also contain a considerable amount of different vitamins and nutrients that are essential for promoting hair growth.

However, what one must remember is that mousse, gel and hairsprays are only mere hair styling tools. Before selecting one of these for yourself, you need to check whether your hair is cut to work in the style you want. At the end of the day a super hairstyle is always the outcome of a great haircut and not the consequence of the gel, mousse or serum that you have used.

I’m off to the parlour sweeties… time to get a new look and some well deserved attention!

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Understanding Autism

(Published on 10 April 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

World Health Day is celebrated every year on 7 April. This date marks the day when the World Health Organization (WHO) was founded. It was on this day in the year 1948 that the first World Health Assembly was held. It was then decided that 7 April would be marked as the World Health Day to raise awareness of key global health issues. The theme for the year 2007 is international health security. The objective is to urge governments, organizations and businesses to "Invest in health and in doing so build a safer future."

However, investing in health is not just about research, science, medicine and improved technology. It’s not just about improved infrastructure but also about spreading awareness. Educating oneself is as crucial. While most of the diseases prevalent today are recognized and given their due – Autism is rarely recognized and seldom given enough attention.

Autism is a developmental disability that results from a disorder of the human central nervous system. The word ‘autism’ was first used by the Swiss psychiatrist Eugene Bleuler in 1912. It comes from the Greek word for self - autos. It usually occurs in children below the age of three years. Autism has been defined as a disorder that begins in early childhood and which affects three fundamental areas of development: communication, social interaction, and creative or imaginative play. Children with autism are unable to socially interact with others and effectively communicate with their peers.

Autistic children often seem to prefer being alone and may passively accept physical display of affection without reciprocating. Many children with autism face social alienation in school and on the playground. Making friends in real life and maintaining relationships with others proves to be difficult. As a response to this, many resort to inventing imaginary friends.

People with autism are not physically disabled. They look just like anybody else without the disability. Due to this invisible nature of the ailment, it has become difficult to create awareness and understanding of the condition. As an autistic child looks normal people assume they are naughty or are badly brought up. The exact cause of autism is still not known. However, research shows that it is caused by genetic factors.

Specialist education and structured support can make a difference to the life of a child suffering from autism. Proper guidance helps them to maximise skills and achieve full potential as they grow older. Figuring out if a child has autism can be difficult. A parent is usually the first to suspect that something is wrong. Doctors and counsellors help in further diagnosis.

There is no cure for autism, but doctors, therapists, and special teachers can help children with autism overcome or adjust to the difficulties that they are facing. The earlier the treatment is started for autism, the better. Therapists also help patients learn social skills. Some children need special help with day- to day living chores. Others have trouble sitting still or controlling their tempers and need therapy to help them control their behaviour. Children with mild autism can go to regular school. They need teachers trained to understand the problems they have with communicating and learning.

For more information visit the official website of The National Autistic Society: http://www.nas.org.uk/

Let us educate ourselves. Educate others. It’s time for each one of us to invest in health and build a safer future.

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Why is a horseshoe considered lucky?

(Published on 03 April 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Good luck coins, lucky rabbit feet, four-leaf clovers, wishbones, horseshoes, rattlesnake rattles, black-eyed peas, lucky charm vials and talismans are just few of the lucky charms that people keep to bring them good luck. Is this just a superstition or do these lucky charms have unseen powers? As per the Oxford dictionary – a superstition is a widely held but irrational belief in supernatural influences. It is a belief that future events are influenced by specific things or behaviours, without having any relationship to it whatsoever.

One of the most common lucky charms is the horseshoe. The use of worn-out horseshoes, as having protective powers, originated in Europe, where one can still find them nailed on top of doorways. As per legend, one day St. Dunstan, formerly a blacksmith was working at his forge, in Mayfield, a village in north-east Sussex. The Devil, disguised as a beautiful woman paid him a visit with the intention of leading him astray. However St. Dunstan spotted the cloven hooves beneath the dress. He grabbed the devil's nose with his red hot pincers, thus thwarting the Devil’s evil intentions. But it did not end there. For the Devil returned again as a weary traveller in need of a horseshoe. St. Dunstan saw through the disguise once again. He beat the Devil until he pleaded for mercy and swore never to enter any house with a horseshoe above the door.

The church in Mayfield has since been dedicated to St Dunstan. Dunstan became the Archbishop of Canterbury from 960 – 988. He founded Mayfield Palace, one of the great residences of the medieval Archbishops of Canterbury. In 1864 it was presented to The Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus and since then remains a Roman Catholic boarding school. To this day, visitors to the convent can see the famous tongs used by St Dunstan, and his anvil.

Interestingly, the crescent form of the horseshoe is also considered a symbol of the pagan Moon goddesses of ancient Europe such as Artemis and Diana. The horseshoe is also related to other magically protective doorway-goddesses, such as the Irish sheela-na-gig, and to the lunar protectress who is often shown standing on a crescent moon.

People across Europe believe that nailing a horseshoe on their door will ward off evil. It is even represented in the form of jewellery, wall hangings, and printed images. In Europe, the Middle-East, and Latin America protective horseshoes are placed in a downward facing position with the belief that ‘luck pours onto you.’ When hung over doorways for protection, the horseshoe is supposed to point downwards so that ‘no witch will pass under it.’ But in some parts of Ireland and Britain people believe that the horseshoe must be turned upward or ‘the luck will run out.’ In Italy, a horseshoe, worn and discarded by a horse that was found on the road or in a field, is nailed by the side of the door so that the person who enters the door can touch it.

In Turkey horseshoes are blended with the protective all-seeing eye to form a unique charm that is believed to ward off the evil eye. In Mexico, used horseshoes are wrapped in colourful rayon thread, decorated with sequins and holy prints of the horseback-riding San Martin Caballero and backed with a prayer. Terra cotta blue-glazed horseshoe plaques are found in the Middle-East.

Although actual horseshoes are considered to be protective, modern horseshoe jewellery is worn because it is considered lucky. Especially, due to its association with horse-racing, it is believed to have become a gambler's lucky charm. Furthermore, because horseshoes resemble horseshoe magnets, they are also considered to have the power to attract money.

I have no idea whether a horse shoe does have protective powers or the power to bring good luck or the power to attract money. But if I ever do find one lying on the road, I would not just pass it by. I’d bring it home.

“Superstition is foolish, childish, primitive and irrational - but how much does it cost you to knock on wood?” - Judith Viorst


Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Incontinence... the silent affliction

(Published on 27 March 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

The objective of writing this column is not just about making smart-alecky retorts, cocky observations and smug comments… it’s about sharing and learning from each other. This week I have chosen to write on – incontinence. People who have elderly members at home will understand and know what this is all about.

Incontinence refers to the loss of normal control of the bladder or the bowels. Urinary incontinence is more common especially amongst the aged. A person having urinary incontinence cannot hold the urine for long and has sporadic trickling. In extreme cases even an action like sneezing could result in an accident. In other words, incontinence is the involuntary flow of urine. We all know that the loss of bladder control is perceived as socially unacceptable and is a cause for great embarrassment. People affected with this problem feel ashamed and depressed. Incontinence is also referred to as "the silent affliction" as most often the patients suffer in silence trying to cope with the problem all on their own. Other impacts of incontinence include social withdrawal and low self-esteem.

Incontinence can result from damage to the muscle, including sphincters, nerves, or the part of the body involved to store and release waste. Several types of cancer and its treatments are also associated with this ailment. Incontinence can be successfully treated, and people suffering from this problem should seek medical advice. The method of treatment depends on the cause. A surgical solution is sought in extreme cases. Placement of an artificial sphincter has also given successful results. In most cases, treatment may include medications, dietary changes, muscle-strengthening exercises, or behavioural training, which involves bladder training and requires regular and monitored visits to the rest room. As a precaution some people suffering from this problem resort to wearing adult diapers.

Patients are also advised to do regular pelvic exercises (Kegel’s exercises) in order to correct the problem. However it is advised that even those not suffering with urinary incontinence do these exercises regularly. Just as one would lift weights to tone one’s muscles, it is important to keep the pelvic muscles strengthened and in good shape. Doing Kegel’s exercise regularly will keep the pelvic floor muscles toned and help reduce the risk of incontinence as one gets older. The pelvic floor muscles need to be contracted repeatedly. Usually 10 minutes of doing so daily would be good enough. These exercises can be done anywhere and any time. It is usually best to begin when lying. Later these exercises can also be done either sitting on a chair or even while standing.

A befitting way to close an article on such a serious topic would be to quote Andy Rooney: "The best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person." One should never stop learning from the elders in the family. It’s only a question of time when one will fill their shoes.

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Why does mineral water have an expiry date?

(Published on 20 March 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Went to spend the day with my Aunt, sweeties. It does really take a lot of persuasion and goading on my mother’s part to get me to visit her. She has an answer for everything – and will pull out an encyclopaedia published in 1935 to quote her facts! I thought I’d gift her, a new set of Britannica Encyclopaedias but that would mean more arguments and more conflicting opinions.

As I helped her make tea I noticed quite a few mineral water bottles lying on her kitchen shelf. You have to use those up I advised as they too have an expiry date. She looked in disbelief. “Water… has an expiry date? Isn't the water we drink everyday about three billion years old? It hasn't hurt us yet has it?” I let that pass but decided to do a little research on my own.

About 70% of the earth is covered with water. But most of it is unavailable for human consumption unless it is processed first. Water contains various minerals - some good and others not so good for our health. Mineral water, as the name suggests, contains various minerals and traces of elements. It is usually measured as the residue left when a litre of water is evaporated.

It is believed that the minerals in mineral water have various effects on the health of a person. However, apart from the obvious function of providing clean and pure water to the body, studies have shown that there is no significant effect of mineral water on the health. Mineral waters do contain minerals, but the ability of the body to absorb them from the water is as good as negligible.

Still mineral water normally bears an expiry date. However, it does not mean the product is sub-standard after this date. Over a period of time, the composition of mineral water, changes. Usually, this change is not much. But even then it is essential that the consumer be informed that the composition of water, in other words the percentage of minerals in the water has changed in comparison to that specified on the label. The expiry date on the bottle denotes this time – when changes are likely to take place. Government agencies, like the Chief Food Authority (CFA), The Food Control Administration Unit of the Health Ministry and the Sri Lanka Standard Institution (SLSI) regulate the quality of bottled mineral water and have stringent regulations in place to monitor what is available in the market.

Sparkling water on the other hand has a limited shelf life, due to the carbon dioxide. PH indicates water acidity level. PH value between 6.5 and 7.5 is considered neutral. Mineral water should be as neutral as possible. Adding CO2 to water increases its acidity. Carbon dioxide in sparkling water slowly dissipates through the walls of the plastic container and the plastic caps. Sparkling water in glass bottles with metal closures has a much longer shelf life.

Even though mineral water, way past its expiry date would still be a better option to consume than regular tap water - I have begun to check the label before I buy a bottle. I am looking forward, to visiting my Aunt once again to share with her my new found knowledge. Also wanted to leave her with some needling questions that I came across:
If someone invented instant water what would they mix it with?
Where do they get Spring water in the other three seasons?
If pure water is so good for you, how come you never see any fish in it?

Will keep her busy and out of people’s way for a couple of days.

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

The relevance of celebrating International Women's Day

(Published on 6 March 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Each year 8 March is observed as International Women's Day. As always women's groups around the world irrespective of their nationalities, economic and political differences and their ethnic and cultural backgrounds come together to commemorate their day. I have been invited to an august gathering this coming 8 March where celebrity women achievers from different walks of life will voice their opinion about equality, justice, peace and development. But the International Women’s Day is not just about the few that have a voice and have gathered for a symposium. It’s about the ordinary woman on the street. Celebrating International Women’s Day is about empowering that ‘ordinary woman’ and about understanding the meaning of words like equality and suffrage.

For centuries women had been taught that, for them, the earth is flat, and that if they venture out, they would fall off the edge. But the turn of the century brought with it, a new wind of change. The first ever National Woman's Day was observed across the United States on 28 February 1909. Soon after, it was unanimously decided to establish a Women's Day to honour the movement for women's rights and to achieve universal suffrage for women. As a result, International Women's Day was marked for the first time on 19 March 1911 in Austria, Germany, Denmark and Switzerland. Besides the right to vote and to hold public office, women demanded equality with emphasis on the right to work and to an end to discrimination at work.

Russian women observed their first International Women's Day on the last Sunday in February 1913 lobbying for peace on the eve of World War I. Women in Europe followed suit, holding rallies on 8 March 1914 to protest the war. Russian women again chose the last Sunday in February 1917 to strike for "bread and peace" to protest against the 2 million Russian soldiers who had died in the war. Four days later, the provisional Government in power after the Czar’s abdication granted women the right to vote. That historic day fell on 8 March on the Gregorian calendar.

Since then, International Women's Day is celebrated on 8 March and has taken on a new global dimension. The growing international women's movement has resulted in coordinated efforts to demand women's rights and participation in the political and economic process. The campaign to promote and protect the equal rights of women has received intense and widespread support. The Charter of the United Nations signed in 1945, was the first international agreement to proclaim gender equality as a fundamental human right.

The United Nations' theme for International Women's Day in 2007 is "Ending Impunity for Violence against Women and Girls." The subject highlights the crucial need to create and maintain a social and legal environment that does not accept and tolerate violence against women. Unfortunately, such violence occurs in every country and cuts across boundaries of culture, class and education. We all publicly decry violence against women. But the truth is that it is often embedded within our cultural practices and norms.
Ending all forms of violence against women, whether it is physical, sexual or psychological, is one of the most daunting challenges faced by the world.

It is time for the women of today to reflect on progress made. International Women's Day is YOUR day. It is time for YOU to call for a change.

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Beating Jet Lag

(Published on 27 February 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Been travelling a lot lately and as a result groggy eyed and bit spaced out. Most unlike a Miss Know-All to be in such a state, sweeties… it almost feels as though I am sleep walking all day long or perpetually stoned. While I packed yet another suitcase and headed to the airport – I decided to find out how one could beat jet lag.

The term jet lag is often used to describe the general exhaustion of travelling. That is technically incorrect if there is no change in time zone. Jet lag is a physiological condition which is a consequence of trans-meridian travel and happens as a result of changes to the body rhythm. Alterations in work shifts can also result in a similar condition. In medical terms this symptom is called desynchronosis or dysrhythmia.

Jet lag occurs because the body cannot adjust to changes in rhythm. A person’s body gets used to the daylight rhythms it is habituated to. The body clock of a person travelling across time zones goes out of sync with the destination time. As a result it experiences daylight contrary to the rhythms it is familiar to. The condition is not linked to the length of the flight, but to the trans-meridian distance travelled. Travelling east is worse as it accelerates the passage through time. Travelling west gives additional hours and as such can be easier to adjust to.

The symptoms of jet lag can be quite varied. People are known to experience headaches, fatigue, dehydration and loss of appetite, insomnia, grogginess, nausea and upset stomach. The quickness with which the body readjusts itself to the new rhythm in its new environment depends from person to person. Young individuals adjust faster. Physical fitness also helps. Here are a few tips to beat jet lag:

4Seasoned travellers set their clock to the destination time zone, as soon as it is practical.

4Flights should be scheduled so that you arrive well in advance. If you lack luxury of time then travelling westward would be a better option. Studies show that flying westwards causes less jet lag than flying eastwards.

4In day time flights it is advisable to stay awake and keep mentally active. Exercise as much as you can on the flight; stretch, walk down the aisles or rotate your feet.

4On long haul flights that entail travelling during the night it is advisable to get some sleep on the plane. The timing of this should be decided in advance so that some meals on board can be missed. Depending on the length of the flight, sleep until the breakfast time of your place of destination.

4To compensate for the dry air on board, re-hydration is advised. Intake of water and fruit juices is recommended. Fizzy drinks and alcohol should be avoided.

4Avoid coffee. Caffeine stimulates water loss as well as keeps you awake.

4The last meal prior to the time allotted for sleep should be high in carbohydrates and low in protein in order to induce drowsiness.

4On reaching your destination try and fit in immediately with the new environment. There may be other environmental factors to consider such as heat, humidity or even altitude. If one has travelled westward, one should retire to bed early.

4In this period of adaptation - alcohol taken late in the evening is likely to disrupt sleep and as such is not advised.

4Taking drugs can alter biological clocks, depending on the time they are taken. Coffee and tea are stimulants. Taken in the evening they would help in recovery after flying eastward and in the afternoon after flying westward.

4Exercise speeds up the adaptation to a new time zone. Exercise at a light intensity is adequate for stimulating synchronization to new rhythms. Exercise that is too strenuous may disrupt rather than promote sleep.

Jet lag generally lasts a few days. A recovery rate of ‘one day per time zone’ is the suggested guideline. However, not too many of us zigzagging across the globe can give ourselves a day to recover and recharge our batteries. To think of it pretties, even if I did get an extra day to recover from jet lag – I’d rather be at the closest mall, shopping till I dropped dead… than be holed up in my hotel room getting paranoid about my body and its daylight rhythms! A cup of strong coffee… and I’ll be fine.


Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Crazy about walnuts...

(Published on 20 February 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

My neighbour has a terrific photogenic memory. Aunt Sheila will not only remember what you served her for a meal ten years ago but will also recollect the colour of the table mats you had used. While I struggled with dates, she would remember the exact date on which her third born lost his fourth tooth. I needled her to reveal her secret – and all she came up with was – walnuts! Aunt Sheila believed that as walnuts looked like the brain – they were good for the brain. Now I truly don’t know whether there’s much truth in that – but I did decide to research a bit and find out why she was so nuts about walnuts!

Walnuts are the rounded, single-seeded stone fruits of the walnut tree which is a member of the Juglandaceae family. The walnut is enclosed in a green, leathery husk which is inedible. Inside the husk is the wrinkly walnut shell, which is in two halves, and encloses the kernel. The Romans considered certain nuts to be food of the gods. During the Renaissance, walnuts were used to treat head ailments because of their close resemblance to the brain. (That explains where my Aunt Sheila got her facts from.) Walnuts grow in France, Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, India, China, North America, Australia and New Zealand. Walnuts need to be dried after harvesting. However, fresh walnuts taste a lot better than ones that have been kept for long. Walnuts can be over-dried, which spoils their flavour and makes them taste rancid.

Is eating a handful of walnuts every day one of the easiest ways to improve ones diet and health? The latest news about walnuts will make you want to – well, go nuts! When eaten as a part of a healthful diet, walnuts promote healthy cholesterol levels and healthy arteries. Walnuts have been identified as one of 14 ‘Super Foods’ because of their high omega-3 content. Walnuts are the only nut that contain a significant amount of omega-3s. No other nut matches the nutrition value of a walnut! They are low in saturated fats, have no cholesterol, and are high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats (the good fats) which can lower ‘bad’ cholesterol levels (LDL). Walnuts also contain iron, minerals and fibre, and contain no sugar. People who ate nuts once a week are known to have a 25% less chance of a heart disease than people who avoided nuts completely.

Walnuts are also known for their high antioxidant activity. Antioxidants help counteract the effects of oxidation, a process that is constantly occurring in the body. Naturally occurring antioxidant enzymes work to protect our cells and our DNA from oxidative damage. Oxidative stress occurs when the body’s natural defences can’t keep up with oxidative damage. Daily processes like breathing, eating, exposure to pollution, and over-exposure to sunlight can all create oxidative stress. One way to combat oxidative stress is to eat more antioxidant-rich foods, like walnuts.

Dr. Steven Pratt, Scripps Memorial Hospital, San Diego, and author of the best-selling book “Super Foods Rx” recommends including the nutrient-rich walnuts in our daily diet to promote good health and longevity. In his words: “What’s the single easiest, most delicious and health-promoting snack food on the planet? My vote goes to walnuts…”

I’ve started seeing a close resemblance between squirrels and my Aunt Sheila. They both have very prominent incisors, are quick and sharp in their reactions and above all the two of them love nibbling at nuts all day long!

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Are you addicted to email?

(Published on 6 February 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

This is a confession. I have to admit that I am addicted to email. The first thing I do in the morning before I even brush my teeth is to check my mail box. The last thing I do before jumping into bed at night is to quickly check on my email. If for some reason I am unable to get online before hitting the pillow – I am restless all through the night… believing that there’s something lurking in the shadows of the virtual world. A feeling of uncertainty at what awaits me in my mailbox engulfs me. An uneasy fear.

Before you guffaw and pass off this write up as just another writer whining and wanting to turn yet another non-issue into an issue… think again for I am not alone. Many people suffer with what psychiatrists call – addiction to email!

Dilbert, the comic strip character once complained to Dogbert, “I’m addicted to email. My endorphins spike when I get a message. And when there are no messages, loneliness and despair overcome me.” Though over-the-top, Dilbert’s feelings are quite common. A lot of internet users today look to the web for solace and company. According to a study, nearly 41 percent of adults in America clamber out of bed and check their email first thing in the morning. What’s even more amazing is that more and more people now believe that it is unthinkable to go beyond two or three days without a virtual fix!

Email addiction can be compared to drug addiction. All the symptoms of addiction are present. There is a rush when one hears the sound of an email alert… and withdrawal symptoms come into play in the form of depression when the inbox is empty. An email addict has a perpetual craving to be wired. How else would you explain travellers on transit rushing to internet cafes or to wi-fi enabled locations at an airport?

Office goers are known to work right through the day with their mail boxes open – with one eye (or ear in the case of an email alert) firmly planted on the inbox. This has resulted in chronic multi-tasking and as a result shrinking attention spans. What we fail to realise is that this addiction to email has a devastating effect on one essential thing: productivity. If you’d like to enhance your productivity, give up the tendency to multi-task—and stop checking and rechecking your email inbox in the midst of other assignments.

It is wise to look for rehabilitation to counter any addiction. Email addiction cannot be taken lightly. For email addiction there are solutions short of rehab. Here are some tips to help loosen the grip of the ‘web’ noose:

g Emails are supposed to ease and streamline communication. Work with your email, not against it. Make the system you have chosen work in your favour and to suit your requirements.

g Send certain messages, like greetings, thank you notes and congratulatory notes by snail mail. Alternatively, take the help of the organiser to pre- plan and send these messages at an earlier date.

g Set a rigid email timeframe. This is difficult and requires immense will power. Enforce rules and convince yourself that email is not allowed before or after the set timings.

g Turn off the ‘ding’ sound that alerts you to new messages. It can be distracting and an annoying interruption.

g Try to close up email shop completely for a few days. As a rule not accessing your emails over week-ends is a good start.

I’ve made up my mind. I am going to turn a new leaf. I am not going to let myself turn into another internet junky! I am glad I have been able to extract myself before I got entangled in the vicious World Wide Web.


Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

The goodness of honey...

(Published on 30 January 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Insomnia is something that many live with. A friend of mine was dousing herself with pills to keep from staying awake all night… but with not much relief. “Believe in grandmother's remedies?” I asked her on one of the many occasions when she seemed exhausted and frayed. I could have suggested just about anything – for she was ready to try whatever it would take to catch some shut eye. Old fashioned cures have been proven effective by modern medical research. The physicians of Rome, prescribed honey to their patients who had trouble sleeping. Even to this day, a glass of warm milk sweetened with honey is believed to help ensure a restful night. Honey acts as a sedative and is also very useful in bed wetting disorders.

Various ingredients of honey have helped it to become a natural product with high nutritional and medicinal value. Honey is composed of sugars like glucose and fructose and minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium chlorine, sulphur, iron and phosphate. It contains vitamins B1, B2, C, B6, B5 and B3 as well as small quantities of copper, iodine, and zinc. Several kinds of hormones are also present.

The medicinal quality, taste, colour and aroma of honey differs according to the geographical area and the species of plants from which it has been collected. As per Ayurveda there are eight types of honey depending on the type of bee which collects it. ‘Makshika,’ is honey collected by small honey bees and is considered as the best with immense medicinal properties. From time immemorial, honey has always played an important role in the pursuit of health and vitality. It is said that Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, realised the healing power of honey way back in the 1st century BC and prescribed it regularly to his patients. Honey has various therapeutic uses and is known to have the following qualities:

– Healing quality
The most ancient use of honey is as a healing agent for wounds, burns and cuts. During the First World War, honey was mixed with cod liver oil to dress soldier’s wounds. Even today, medical professionals from Eastern European countries continue to dress wounds with honey. Honey prevents further infection of wounds and burns. Modern science acknowledges honey as an anti-microbial agent. This property enables it to arrest infection.

– Remedy for sore throat and cold
Since honey arrests infection it is the best natural remedy for sore throats, coughs and general cold. Honey has long been used in various natural sore throat remedies. Even today many cough syrups and preparations for sore throats are honey based.

– Contains antioxidants that support good health
Honey contains antioxidants that help to eliminate the free radicals in our bodies that contribute towards many chronic diseases. Antioxidants are non-nutritive agents that can decrease the activity of cell-damaging free radicals. The darker varieties of honey contain large quantities of a particular antioxidant called flavonoids. ‘Pinocembrin,’ a unique antioxidant is only found in honey.

– Acts as a preservative
Honey does not spoil and is a preservative. Honey slows chemical reactions that cause foods to get rancid. This beneficial characteristic of honey is due to its antioxidant agents.

– Energy provider
As honey contains sugars which are quickly absorbed by our digestive system and converted into energy, it can be used as an instant energiser. Honey is more energy-packed and sweeter than sugar. However it has a low calorie level. Honey rapidly diffuses through the blood. Its free sugar molecules make the brain function better since the brain is the largest consumer of sugar. Honey thus reduces mental fatigue.

– Supports blood formation
Honey provides energy needed by the body for blood formation. In addition, it helps in cleansing the blood. It has some positive effects in regulating and facilitating blood circulation.

– Enhances Skin
Honey is a wonderful beauty aid that nourishes the skin and the hair. Antioxidant-rich honey plays an important role in skin care and is used to produce alpha hydroxy acids, a vital ingredient in skin creams and moisturisers. These acids are said to help skin shed dead surface cells and increase the rate of cell renewal. Honey also helps the skin retain its moisture.

Honey restores the damaged skin and gives soft, young looks. Here are some great beauty tips from the desk of Miss Know-All. Now don’t complain that I did not share my beauty secrets with you my ‘dahlings.’

þ Honey mixed with ground almonds makes an excellent facial cleansing scrub.
þ Mix 1 teaspoon of honey, with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and a 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice to treat dry patches of skin.
þ Honey is good for chapped lips as well as for acne because it has antibacterial properties.
þ A tablespoon of honey whisked together with an egg white, 1 teaspoon of glycerine and 1/4 cup of flour makes a brilliant firming mask.
þ Mix 2 tablespoons of honey with 2 teaspoons of whole milk to create an effective moisturising pack.
þ For lustrous and shiny hair, mix 1 teaspoon of honey into 4 cups of warm water and use as hair rinse.

Ever doubted the goodness of honey?
To quote Martin Elkort: "Nobody disputes the role of the dog as man’s best friend, but a convincing argument can be also made for the honeybee."

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Know your sunscreen - SPF and more!

(Published on 16 January 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

There is one thing we people living in this part of the world love – smothering ourselves with a whole lot of creams and lotions that promise to make us… “fair and lovely.” Donning layers of foundation to camouflage ourselves is another obsession. My Aunt has been using a whitening cream for years. I hesitate to tell her that it has made little or no difference. I bought her a bottle of a sunscreen lotion the last time I went overseas. She looked at the jar with great suspicion and it lay on her dresser for months. What she failed to realise is that what is more important than the bleaching cream is the regular use of a sunscreen lotion.

A sunscreen, also known as sun block is a substance that helps protect the skin from the sun's harmful rays. It reflects and absorbs ultraviolet radiation. Lotions or creams that contain sunscreens are used not just to protect the skin from tanning but to help protect the skin from premature aging and damage that may lead to skin cancer. The best sunscreens protect against both UVB (ultraviolet radiation with wavelength between 290 and 320 nanometres), which can cause sunburn, and UVA (between 320 and 400 nanometres), which damages the skin with more long-term effects, such as premature skin aging.

But does one go to a supermarket and pick up the sunscreen lotion that promises the world – or does one pick up something as per one’s complexion and requirements? Sun screen lotions are graded as per their SPF value. SPF or - sun protection factor is a number representing the amount of sun that the lotion has the ability to block. That is SPF is a scale for rating the level of sunburn protection that a sunscreen product can provide. The higher the SPF, the more sunburn protection it gives. A sunscreen with an SPF of 15 filters 92% of the UVB. In other words the SPF 15 sunscreen allows a person to stay out in the sun 15 times longer. Sunscreens with an SPF value of 2 - 11 give minimal protection against sunburns. While, sunscreens with an SPF of 12 - 29 give moderate protection. And those with an SPF of 30 or higher give maximum protection against sunburn.

This brings us to the next question. How would one choose the best suited sunscreen for oneself? The answer lies in the colour of your skin as well as the nature of your work. Other factors to be considered are the skin type (sensitive skin), the amount of sunscreen applied and frequency of re-application as well as activities in which one engages for example, swimming. If your work requires you to be out in the sun for longer periods - the best sunscreen would be one that blocks enough UV radiation to protect your skin for the longest possible time. The chart below can be used as a guideline to obtain the proper protection:

.SPF 30 – 50: Fair; blonde, light brown hair; unexposed skin is white; freckles. Tans lightly and usually develops a painful burn quickly.

.SPF 15 – 20: Average Caucasian; unexposed skin is white. Develops an average tan and moderately burns.

.SPF 6 - 15: Medium complexion; unexposed skin is light brown; usually with dark hair and dark eyes. Tans easily and burns minimally.

.SPF 2 – 10: Dark, unexposed skin is brown. Tans easily and rarely burns.

Most sunscreens work by containing either an organic chemical compound that absorbs ultraviolet light or an opaque material that reflects light, or a combination of both. Absorptive materials are referred to as chemical blocks, whereas opaque materials that reflect are called physical blocks. Research has shown that the best protection is achieved by application 15–30 minutes before exposure to the sun, followed by reapplication 15–30 minutes after the exposure begins. Further reapplication is only necessary after activities such as swimming or excessive sweating. However it is advisable to consult a skin specialist when choosing a proper sunscreen especially if you have sensitive skin and are prone to photosensitivity.

Interestingly, clothing also provides protection from the sun. The ‘protectiveness’ of clothing can also be measured by SPF. The following are SPF's of various types of clothing:
Stockings - SPF 2
Caps / Hats / Shade - SPF 3-6
Light summer clothing - SPF 6.5
Thick cottons/ sun-protective clothing - up to SPF 30

And to my Aunt who has just consumed yet another jar of whitening cream…
“Its beauty that captures your attention; personality which captures your heart.”
You need to start focussing more on enhancing your personality!

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Netizen Speak

(Published on 9 January 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Netizens, referring to citizens belonging to the world of Internet come from a different planet for not only do they speak a strange language, they are also governed by their own set of rules and regulations. While we the citizens of mother earth are still coming to terms with what we call disputes, quarrels, clashes and battles, the netizens are fighting what they call a Flame War. While the rest of us think that Archie was a comic book, the Netizens believe that Archie is a tool (software) for finding files stored on anonymous FTP sites. While we, the ordinary are still trying to cope with cockroaches and mosquitoes, our netizen friends speak of spiders that they also call worms or crawlers.

Eddy Peters could not have been more correct when he said that: “Not only does the English Language borrow words from other languages; it sometimes chases them down dark alleys, hits them over the head, and goes through their pockets.” This holds true for the Netizen language as well. Except, that this time around, - it’s the English Language that’s at the receiving end.

If you by now are already fidgeting in your seat wondering what this is all about – here’s an opportunity for you to bring yourself up to speed on the various terms that are used online by the netizens.

Backbone: A high-speed line or series of connections, that forms a major pathway within a network.

Bandwidth: How much stuff you can send through a connection. Usually measured in bits-per-second.

Bit (Binary DigIT): The smallest unit of computerised data.

Browser: A software that is used to look at various kinds of Internet resources.

Byte: A set of Bits that represent a single character. Usually there are 8 Bits in a Byte.

Cookie: Refers to a piece of information sent by a Web Server to a Web Browser that the Browser software is expected to save and to send back to the Server whenever the browser makes additional requests from the Server.

Cyberpunk: Cyberpunk was originally a cultural sub-genre of science fiction taking place in a not-so-distant, dystopian, over-industrialized society. The term grew out of the work of William Gibson and Bruce Sterling and has evolved into a cultural label encompassing many different kinds of human, machine, and punk attitudes.

Cyberspace: Term originated by author William Gibson in his novel Neuromancer the word Cyberspace is currently used to describe the whole range of information resources available through computer networks.

Finger: An Internet software tool for locating people on other Internet sites. Finger is also sometimes used to give access to non-personal information, but the most common use is to see if a person has an account at a particular Internet site.

Fire Wall: A Fire Wall is a combination of hardware and software that separates a LAN into two or more parts for security purposes.

Flame War: A Flame War is when an online discussion degenerates into a series of personal attacks against the debaters, rather than discussion of their positions. A heated exchange.

HTML (HyperText Markup Language): The coding language used to create Hypertext documents for use on the World Wide Web.

IP Number: (Internet Protocol Number): Sometimes called a dotted quad. A unique number consisting of 4 parts separated by dots, e.g. 176.143.248.2. Every machine that is on the Internet has a unique IP number.

ISP (Internet Service Provider): An institution that provides access to the Internet in some form, usually for money.

Modem (MOdulator, DEModulator): A device that you connect to your computer and to a phone line that allows the computer to talk to other computers through the phone system.

Port: First and most generally, a port is a place where information goes into or out of a computer. A port also refers to a number that is part of a URL, appearing after a colon (:) right after the domain name. And finally, a port refers to translating a piece of software to bring it from one type of computer system to another.

Spam: An inappropriate attempt to use a mailing list, or other networked communications facility as if it was a broadcast medium by sending the same message to a large number of people who didn’t ask for it.

Spider: A software robot that serves a search engine by exploring the net, collecting web page addresses and page contents, and following links from them to other addresses to collect still more web information. Also known as a worm or crawler.

URL (Uniform Resource Locator): The standard way to give the address of any resource on the Internet that is part of the World Wide Web (WWW).

Words and terms from the Netizen language are now being embraced by the English language as they are now in common use. In the words of John French:

“Words are the leaves of the tree of language, of which, if some fall away, a new succession takes their place.”


Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

The significance of the Christmas Tree

(Published on 2 January 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Just attended a lovely Christmas party - an occasion that holds a special place in my heart right from when I was a child. The spirit was one of festive cheer and bonhomie. The MC on the mike asked the children if they knew the significance of the Christmas Tree. Surprisingly none of the kids had any idea. Then the question was put forward to the adults. Everyone shuffled uncomfortably in their chairs. A Christmas Tree is such an integral part of Christmas – but sadly nobody was really sure of its significance. Has it become just a decorative addition to the celebration?

The Master of Ceremony asked everyone to look at the Christmas Tree again with an open heart and listen to what it told us. He said the triangle shape denoted the trinity. Further the tree pointed upwards towards God. Being an evergreen the tree indicated that life was eternal. The needles grew upwards like hands praising God. The lights on the tree represented heaven and the gifts around it represented charity, love and compassion. This was truly beautiful – and suddenly the Christmas Tree came to life and had a truly different meaning.

A tree is known to represent the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. It is believed that the Christmas tree originated in Germany. The earliest record of an evergreen tree being used and decorated for Christmas is 1521 in the German region of Alsace. In the fourteenth century, churches held plays to tell the people in villages and towns stories from the Bible. The play that was held every December 24 was about the Garden of Eden and showed how Eve was tempted by the serpent and how she picked the apple from the forbidden tree. A major problem was to find an apple tree with needles on it in the middle of winter. A solution was found by cutting down an evergreen tree, probably a spruce or pine, and tying apples onto it. The tree was also decorated with round white wafers to remind that even though Adam and Eve were expelled from Paradise, the birth of baby Jesus would bring redemption. The idea of a Christmas tree decorated with apples enchanted people so much that before long many families were setting up Paradise trees, in their own homes. The custom persisted long after the plays were no longer performed.

Ever since, red and green, the colours of apples hanging on the tree have been the main colours of the festive season. History records that the first person who decorated an indoor Christmas tree was Martin Luther. The first Christmas tree in Windsor Castle was brought by Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, in the year 1834.

As the years passed the trees were decorated by hanging gilded nuts, gingerbread cookies and marzipan candies, shaped like fruits and vegetables from the boughs. Brightly decorated eggshells, cut in half and filled with candies, were set in the tree. The wafers that once hung on the Paradise tree were replaced with cookies in the form of hearts, bells, angels and stars. With time, the cookies were replaced with decorations made out of thin, painted metal. When people combined the decorations with candles, they created the Christmas tree that we know of today.

Decorating the tree is a special task that is shared by everyone in the family and is supposed to bring about a special bonding between family members. These days sparkling ornaments, electric lights, and shining tinsel are used as decorations. Glittering with colour and light and topped with a star or an angel, the green Christmas tree symbolises that life is eternal. The presents below the tree are reminders of the love and close ties that are shared by families and friends.

"O Tannenbaum" – a German folk song says:
Not only in summer's glow,
But 'mid the winters frost and snow
O faithful pine, O faithful pine,
You're true and green forever.

Season’s greetings to all the readers of W@W. May the beauty of this joyous season fill your heart and home with peace and happiness.

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

RSVP - 'repondez, s'il vous plait'

(Published on 26 December 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

The four little letters at the bottom of a wedding invitation card almost always go unnoticed. There is no doubt that the host sending out the invites must have put this acronym there with a purpose. Especially at a time when the cost of printing the card depends on the number of words being printed on it… the person sending the card most certainly would not add these four letters to heighten the aesthetic value of the invite or show-off his knowledge of the English language. Judith Martin, the author of many books on etiquette believes that ‘RSVP’ came about as a polite way of reminding people of something that they should already know: If you receive an invitation, you should reply.

Interestingly the acronym RSVP has numerous meanings:
m RSVP - Rotating Surveillance Vehicle Platform
m RSVP - Reading, Spelling, Vocabulary, Pronunciation
m RSVP - Rapid Service Voice Processing
m RSVP - Rating Site Value Points
m RSVP - Reinforcing Safety Values in People
m RSVP - Retrieve Sound Velocity Profile
m RSVP - Recognise Success via Implementation
m RSVP - Rapid Serial Visual Presentation
m RSVP - Rare Symmetry Violating Processes
m RSVP - Retired and Senior Volunteer Program
m RSVP - Research Society for Victorian Periodicals
m RSVP - Renewables for Sustainable Village Power
m RSVP - Restartable Solid Variable Pulse (rocket motor)

Now if you are a rocket scientist you might just confuse RSVP to stand for Restartable Solid Variable Pulse with reference to a rocket motor – but for you and me it really is quite simple. RSVP stands for a French phrase, "répondez, s'il vous plaît," which means ‘please reply.’ Implying that, the person sending the invitation would like you to tell him whether you accept or decline the invitation. Invitations carry the host's telephone number so you can call with your answer. However, under strict etiquette rules, a written invitation requires a written reply.

For hosts who are planning a dinner party, a wedding or a reception, this is important from a practical point of view. The host will need to know how many people to cater for, not just for planning food quantities but issues relating to appropriate seating, transportation, etc. among other administrative things. However what is more important is the simple courtesy of responding to someone who was nice enough to invite you, even if it is to say that you will not be able to attend. Nowadays, to make it more convenient for the guest, invitations often carry a request saying -‘regrets only.’ That means that the host will count on your being present unless you tell him otherwise.

There is lot of confusion in the minds of guests as to what exactly RSVP means. RSVP does not mean to respond only if you're coming, and it does not mean respond only if you're not coming (the expression ‘regrets only’ is used if that is what is to be conveyed). It means the host needs a definite head count for the planned event. It is considered as rude and a pointless exercise to respond and communicate on the very date of the event itself. Rather too late for the host to make changes and swing into action.

I’d like to believe that the decline in RSVP's is attributed to ignorance and people not really knowing what it means rather than rudeness. RSVP is a term given to us by the French and it would be thus appropriate to close with a line on etiquette by Colette, a French novelist: “It is wise to apply the oil of refined politeness to the mechanisms of friendship.”

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Dating Allowance! Staff retention... at what cost?

(Published on 12 December 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Given the current demand for skill, HR heads of multinationals are getting their knickers in a twist about retaining a committed workforce. Finding and keeping good people is always a major concern. As corporate loyalty and commitment are in short supply, a great workplace culture is the need of the hour. Organisations are now looking at innovative changes in the workplace and work culture and improved ways to motivate their staff.

Recently, there was much hue and cry in the press when a leading Indian company was accused of giving its employees a ‘dating allowance’. One had heard of HRA, LTA, Medical, Transport and Dearness allowance... but what in the world was a ‘dating allowance’?

A case was filed by Tripti Nigam against Wipro, India's third-biggest software company under the new Domestic Violence Act alleging that her husband Gaurav Nigam had deserted her because the company paid him a ‘dating allowance’. Tripti, who lives in Kanpur, alleged that Wipro paid her husband an allowance for dating and this was leading to ‘moral degradation’. While Wipro officials went blue in the face denying that they gave employees ‘dating allowance’, the whole incident has brought to light something that is still very new to the Indian corporate world.

Dating Allowance is the latest to join the list of incentives being offered to employees. More of a trend in the US, this new allowance has now made its way to India as well. Believed to be an essential addition in times of long stressful work hours, a dating allowance is typically aimed at promoting inter-personal communication and possible long lasting relationships, within the office. The philosophy behind the initiative is to show that the company wants to participate in the lives of its employees. Whether a company should participate and interfere in the lives of their employees to such an extent is debatable… as well as a personal choice.

Staff turnover costs companies dearly. But staff retention… at what cost? A driving factor of the employee’s loyalty is the company’s well-planned and executed package of benefits. These days among the perks are on-campus fitness centres, lap pools, tennis courts, basketball courts, and volleyball courts. Company hosted events are organised to help build camaraderie. The benefit package includes flexible work hours. While recreational activities have nothing to do with improving the employee’s job performance, companies recognise that such activities help employees grow personally. Organisations actively encourage off-the-job activities, which include scuba classes, yoga classes, dance classes and ski-resort getaways.

However, employee retention efforts are not all focused on fun and games. Competitive compensation packages which include not just the salary but bonuses, stock options, and the traditional health and retirement package are other tools that help keep employees onboard. Both communication and staff development are crucial. A communication plan needs to be devised to keep employees apprised of company performance and business objectives. A company needs to be committed to employee education and respond effectively to their needs. Rewards and recognition can be powerful tools and are proving to be effective especially when recognition is linked to personal needs such as time off, job sharing, flex-time, office space, special tasks and public acknowledgment.

Attention to retention should be a constant, ongoing process. Nurturing staff should be a non-stop, day-to-day activity. We are no moral police to judge if this new perk called ‘dating allowance’ is appropriate or not... for at the end of the day isn’t it up to the employee to decide how he uses his allowance… irrespective of what name it is given.

Zig Ziglar makes an interesting observation on employee motivation - “People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily.”

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Yes! I've finally been 'mammographed'!

(Published on 5 December 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Overcoming one’s fears is not easy. I have been wanting to get a mammography done for some years now… but was scared stiff. Friends are to be blamed for this – for they told me that it was a painful exercise that resulted in a lot of discomfort. But really – it was fear of the unknown. I was not even sure of what the procedure entailed. Was it an injection? Or was it a needle biopsy? Or was it just a plain ultrasound or an x-ray? Or do they put you in a ‘CAT scan’ like machine? I reached the hospital clueless. The only instruction given prior to the mammography was to avoid using any deodorant, talcum powder or lotion. The lady doctor was gentle and before she proceeded chose to explain the whole process to me.

Mammography is the process of examining the breast for different types of tumours and cysts by using low-dose X-rays. The process has been proven to reduce mortality from breast cancer as it results in early detection. During the procedure, the breast is compressed by two plates that are part of the machine, in order to even out the tissue and increase image quality. Both front and side images of the breast are taken. Radiologists then analyze the image for any abnormal growths. Self-breast examination is essential for regular breast care but mammography is a more reliable method. Routine mammography of older women is encouraged as a screening method to diagnose early breast cancer.

The doctor also explained that though mammography is the only screening method which has been shown to actually detect cancer, it is not always 100% accurate. 10 – 20% of cancers are missed by mammography. In every 100,000 women approximately 350 women suffer with breast cancer. Of these about 35-70 will not be seen and detected by mammography. The following myths about breast cancer need to be busted:
hOnly women get breast cancer
hOnly women with a family history of breast cancer are at risk
hOlder women are less likely to get breast cancer than younger women
hBreast cancer is contagious
hAll breast lumps are cancerous
hSmall-breasted women cannot get breast cancer
hDrinking coffee increases a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer
hAntiperspirants are a leading cause of breast cancer
hBreast-feeding causes breast cancer
hOral contraceptive pills cause breast cancer

The examination lasted for less than 30 minutes. While mammography does involve breast compression, which is temporarily uncomfortable, the procedure is not unbearably painful. It was over before I realised that it was. The compression lasts for a very short duration. My appeal to all my readers is to take out half an hour from their busy schedules and get a mammography done. And when you have taken the step – remember to talk about it to as many people as possible.

"Sickness comes on horseback and departs on foot." Dutch Proverb

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Read the fine print - carefully!

(Published on 21 November 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

The world out there is a nasty place. There are numerous wolves that you will come across as you plod along life’s way. Some, whom you will face head on – while others, who will in their camouflaged garb, take you by surprise. It’s not just about black and white. There are many greys that you will encounter. As a customer one has to be on the guard for there are often agreements in fine print that go unnoticed right under our noses.

Fine print refers to the practice of including necessary terms and conditions, legal stipulations, warnings and disclaimers in small writing on commercial or contractual documents and products. It is usually included at the bottom of a document or product, in a smaller font size with the hope that it goes undetected. Whether it is for opening a bank account or signing a loan agreement, or applying for a credit card or insurance, the customer is always eager to finish the documentation process quickly rather than understand the terms and conditions he has agreed to. Service providers use jargon in contractual small print to conceal terms disadvantageous to the customer, or to obscure legal rights and obligations.

As a customer, you should have an eye for fine print. Ask the service provider to give you all the details and run you through the contract. Taking a loan is not just about interest rates. More than often what is not mentioned is that pre-closing of a personal loan can cost you a penalty. A ‘free for life’ credit card offer from card issuers sounds attractive. But what is not disclosed is that most of these cards don’t allow you to earn reward points against your spend. This can be a disadvantage because these days there are a wide range of redemption options. Some countries require by law that certain information be included on advertisements or packaging. Advertisers and manufacturers include this information in fine print in order to meet the requirements but with the intention that it draws minimum attention.

It is not ethical to bury significant and crucial information within the fine print of an agreement and to rely upon the fact that most people will never read or comprehend its meaning. As if this is not enough lately there's even mouse print. Mouse print is now a common term in the marketing world and refers to legal terms being printed so small that it can only be read by someone the size of a mouse. One wonders how companies get away with it.

Knowledge is power! Awareness is more power! Before making any large purchase or commitment of any nature one should do research and read up what’s available in the market, and compare the alternatives. Then make the best choice to suit your needs. If you do your homework well you will know what exactly you have signed up for. In his album ‘Small Change’, Tom Waits said - "The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away." How very true.

Don’t forget Miss Know All, dahlings – always your well wisher. No hidden agendas here.

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Dangers of a long flight - deep vein thrombosis!

(Published on 14 November 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Awareness is critical to prepare oneself for all eventualities. Little did Panna Marfatia know when she boarded the British Airways flight BA-139 from London to Mumbai on 4th November 2006 that she would not step out of the plane alive. Panna complained of uneasiness on board and was given medical treatment by the in-flight staff. However, Panna collapsed and was declared dead by the Sahar Airport doctor after the flight landed. The post-mortem stated cardiac arrest as the cause of death but it was suspected that she had suffered deep vein thrombosis.

What is deep vein thrombosis? Why does it happen? How can it be prevented? These are just few of the questions that come to one’s mind. Long flights result in passengers sitting in a sedentary, cramped position for a long duration of time. As a consequence blood flow slows down and there is poor blood circulation. The constricted blood circulation often leads to swelling of the feet. In extreme cases a blood clot develops in a deep vein, usually in the lower leg. Unlike small clots that can be broken down by the body as time passes by, larger clots block blood flow in the vein. This is called deep vein thrombosis.
Symptoms of deep vein thrombosis are swelling in the legs and pain in the calves.

People who are either over the age of forty, or those who suffer from diabetes or hypertension, pregnant women and women on contraceptive pills are more prone to get deep vein thrombosis and fall into the high-risk group. Other risk factors include obesity and recent surgery. As long-haul flights bring about prolonged immobility, it is advised that travellers are made aware of what deep vein thrombosis is all about and how they can avoid it. While heart patients, senior citizens and pregnant women are advised to visit their doctors and take professional advice before a flight - the following is recommended for all long distant passengers:

8On a long flight it is advised that you stretch your legs and perform leg exercises while seated. Most airline magazines diagrammatically explain how these exercises can be done.

8Every couple of hours, briefly walk up and down the aisle to enable blood circulation and to prevent cramps.

8Drink juices and water to keep hydrated.

8Avoid alcohol and caffeine drinks as they lead to dehydration which causes thickening of blood.

8Push back your seat so as to assume as much a horizontal position as possible to assist circulation of blood.

Having said that – I’d like to emphasise that good health is something one has to work towards. As quoted by Wayne Fields in ‘What the River Knows’:

“The best six doctors anywhere
And no one can deny it
Are sunshine, water, rest, and air
Exercise and diet.
These six will gladly you attend
If only you are willing
Your mind they'll ease
Your will they'll mend
And charge you not a shilling.”

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Suffering with whitlow?

(Published on 7 November 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Remember those ‘Tell me why’ series of encyclopaedias in the school library dahlings? Well I’m planning to come out with my own series. The ‘Tell me why Miss Know All’ series of books that are destined to be a sell out before they even go into print. The questions people ask me… I can’t help but find myself showing off – my knowledge that is.

Waiting for my turn at the beauty parlour for a facial (a meek and feeble attempt to slow down the aging process) – I found myself chatting with another client… young and pretty, may I add. While I’d give her an A++ for grooming – I noticed she suffered with a bad case of whitlow. Every opportunity to impart knowledge is seized… and here I was sitting amongst a group of hoity-toity make-up laden ladies telling them what to do when struck with this ailment.

A whitlow is an infection that occurs at the side or the base of a finger nail or a toe nail. The medical name for this is paronychia. This nail disease is a bacterial or fungal infection where the nail and skin meet at the side or the base of the nail. Patients suffer with characteristic vesicular lesions. Fluid within the vesicles is usually clear. It can also be chronic and people are known to have a tendency of getting it regularly. The cuticle, which is the skin at the base of the nail acts as a protective covering. If the cuticle is damaged then bacteria are able to enter the skin and cause infection. The skin becomes inflamed, red, and throbs continuously. Despite the small area affected these infections can be extremely painful.

Whitlows are very common amongst people who because of the nature of their work, have to repeatedly wash their hands. Excess water softens the cuticle and soaps or detergents remove the protective skin oils. This leaves the skin dry and more prone to split. Any damage to the cuticle allows infection to enter. Biting or picking at the cuticle or even damage through over enthusiastic manicuring can be the cause. Whitlow can be caused by either bacterial infection or a fungal one. When the infection comes on quickly it's usually caused by bacteria. This needs treatment with antibiotics. Usually a cream would suffice but in severe cases tablets would have to be taken. If the infection persists then a fungal infection is often the cause. An anti-fungal cream is the solution.

When someone is prone to whitlows it's advisable for them to use rubber gloves when washing things. It is also important to moisturise the skin well after drying your hands. Discourage over enthusiastic manicurists from digging around the cuticle when manicuring your nails.

‘Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.’ – Confucius
Real knowledge is to also accept that a Miss Know All has done her homework well and knows what she is talking about.

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Want to lose weight? Get your ears stapled!

(Published on 31 October 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

There’s just no end to learning. A Miss Know-All needs to keep alert and vigilant. You need to keep yourself updated with what is latest in just about every field. I’d hate to be a ‘had-been’ – one needs to work hard to maintain one’s reputation of being a Miss Know-All. From maturing cataracts to bouquets n brick-bats… we the Miss Know All’s have an answer for everything!

Just when I thought that the only ways to lose weight and rev up your metabolism was to follow a high protein diet, catch enough sleep and indulge in high impact exercise – I was in for a surprise. Over the last few years, an alleged weight-loss method that is gaining ground and popularity is ear stapling. Stapling of the ear is a pretty simple procedure. A practitioner uses a specialised staple gun. The slightly protruding piece of cartilage close to the tragus is pierced. Tragus is a part of the external ear and is a small projection in front of the ear canal. A very thin staple remains in the ear from anywhere between six weeks to three months. The basic idea is that the pressure created suppresses the appetite. Once the body gets used to the staple, it needs to be repositioned. The person has to return to the practitioner to have the ear re-stapled in a slightly different position. Practitioners recommend stapling both the ears to achieve maximum weight loss.

The ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture is attributed as the source of this procedure. Stimulating specific points on the body using needles or finger pressure affects overall health and wellbeing. According to studies, the outer ear and the abdominal organs are right next to each other during foetal development in the womb. The physical connection between these body parts remains via nerve pathways even after they are no longer in close proximity. As per this explanation, stimulating a part of the external ear also stimulates the abdominal organs, including the stomach.

Ear-stapling is supposed to work wonders especially when combined with a good diet and exercise regimen. Believers in ear stapling claim that it can curb appetite reduce stress and increase metabolism. Whether you think it's going to work or not, what’s truly important to keep in mind is that weight loss works best if you focus on eating healthy and keeping active. It's possible that you'll achieve similar results if you leave out the staple and just focus on the food and exercise.

I’d like to close with the legendary entertainer Eartha Kitt’s words:
“I am learning all the time. The tombstone will be my diploma.”

Miss Know-All
wow@dailymirror.wnl.lk

Triskaidekaphobia

(Published on 24 October 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

My grandmother organised a family do on 13th September. Everyone graced the occasion except for an aunt who refused to turn up even though she lives just two houses down the lane. No amount of cajoling helped her change her mind. You see this aunt is a triskaidekaphobic and nothing in the world will make her step out of her house on the 13th day of any month. Besides, this September – 13th fell on a Friday… I wonder whether she got out of bed at all, that day.

Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number 13 as over a period of time this number has been associated with bad luck. The word ‘triskaidekaphobia’ has Greek origins: ‘tris’ means three; ‘kai’ means and; ‘deka’ means ten – thus adding up to the number thirteen. Phobia of course denotes fear. This superstition leads some people to fear or avoid anything involving the number 13 and leads to interesting practices such as omitting the number 13 when numbering floors in high-rise buildings.

The association of bad luck with the number 13 has been attributed to the fact there were 13 people at the Last Supper. The association has also been linked to that fact that luni-solar calendars such as the Hebrew and the Chinese calendars have to have 13 months in some years in order to synchronise the solar and lunar cycles. Triskaidekaphobia is also related to Norse mythology. God Odin invited eleven of his closest friends to a dinner party, only to have his party ruined by Loki, the god of evil. The total number of people added to 13. The legend further recounts how Balder, one of the most dearly loved gods, tried to throw Loki out of the party. A scuffle ensued and Balder was killed with a mistletoe-tipped arrow.

Fear of the number 13 also leads to fear of Friday the thirteenth. While the number 13 is associated with the number of people at the Last Supper, the crucifixion took place on a Friday. Thus, bad luck is associated with the combination of this number with this day. The year 1998 was a bad one for triskaidekaphobics. That year was one of the rare years in which Friday the 13th appeared thrice. Every year has at least one Friday the 13th. In a 28-year cycle, there are four years that have three ‘Friday the thirteenths’. The next being in: 2009, 2012 and 2015.

The only consolation I can offer triskaidekaphobics is that they are not alone and share their fears with other famous people. Napoleon, Richard Wagner, Franklin Roosevelt and Mark Twain were known to suffer with triskaidekaphobia. While there does not appear to be any hard evidence to support that the number thirteen is unlucky, it has been noted that a lot of money is lost each Friday the 13th as a result of people avoiding to start a new venture, begin a journey, get married, move and start a new job. Very rightly - Voltaire, one of the greatest French writers and philosophers observed that, "Superstition is to religion what astrology is to astronomy; the mad daughter of a wise mother"

Miss Know-All
wow@dailymirror.wnl.lk

Paparazzi on the prowl...

(Published on 17 October 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

It takes so little to excite the gentry ‘dahlings.’ The streets of Pune - a town 160 kilometres south of Mumbai, India's financial and entertainment capital, have been abuzz with excitement. Citizens of Pune woke up one morning to find Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie with their son Maddox riding an auto rickshaw down their crowded and cramped roads. Hollywood’s top couple are currently on a six-week trip to Pune along with their children - Maddox, Zahara and Shiloh-Nouvel. Angelina is in Pune, to shoot for 'A Mighty Heart' based on the real life story of Wall Street journalist Daniel Pearl, who was killed in Pakistan by Islamist terrorists in 2002. Jolie is to portray Mariane Pearl, wife of the slain journalist. Pune was chosen for the shooting as the landscape resembled Karachi.

Hollywood’s first couple have descended on this lethargic Indian town with an army of security guards. Also in tow are a mammoth number of paparazzi from around the world. While an average bloke on the street can’t fathom out why his hometown is at the centre of so much attention – the paparazzi is going ballistic trying to steal a glimpse. Paparazzi from across the world are monitoring every move of the stars. Photographers have mounted a 24/7 vigil of all possible exits and entries of the hotel. Recently Angelina’s private security guard manhandled a photographer. The beefy security personnel apparently roughed up British lens-man Sam Pelf. Eyewitnesses said he also used abusive language and threatened to thrash the photographer. While the incident raked up a debate on how far the paparazzi can be allowed to overstep on people’s privacy, I wondered what the origin of the word ‘paparazzi’ was.

Paparazzi - is plural of Paparazzo and comes from the name of a character in the movie ‘La Dolce Vita.’ Paparazzo was a photographer who would go to great lengths to take pictures of American movie stars. In 1960, this annoying freelance journalist was immortalised by the director Federico Fellini. The origin of the name Paparazzo is attributed to the Sicilian word for an oversize mosquito – papataceo. As per Fellini, paparazzo is a buzzing insect, hovering, darting and stinging. He goes further to describe it as a human-like figure that has no bone structure and resembles a vampire like insect that is a parasite. After the movie was released, the word paparazzi became synonymous with intrusive photographers. Time magazine introduced the word to the public in an article entitled, ‘Paparazzi on the Prowl’ and described them as a ravenous wolf pack of freelance photographers who stalk celebrities for a living and fire with flash guns at point-blank. The term soon gained popularity across the entertainment world.

But what is very clear is that no matter what the ‘celebrity bounty hunters’ achieve to capture, paparazzi is a derogatory term. However - each to his own opinion. For as per Anna Nicole Smith: “I love the paparazzi. They take pictures, and I just smile away. I've always liked attention. I didn't get it very much growing up, and I always wanted to be, you know, noticed.”

Miss Know-All
wow@dailymirror.wnl.lk

Understanding deja vu...

(Published on 10 October 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

My reputation as a Miss Know All is gaining speed for I now have total strangers come up to me and ask the weirdest of questions. Don’t mistake me for an agony aunt pretties… for I’m not here to hear you moan and solve your problems. I’m here to impart knowledge to the ignorant. From technical hitches to marital glitches – we the Miss Know Alls have an answer to everything.

Have you ever visited a park for the first time and felt that there was something strangely familiar about it? Or maybe you're in conversation with somebody and you suddenly get the feeling that you've had the exact conversation before. If you've ever experienced such situations, then you've experienced déjà vu. It can be triggered by sight, sound, taste or even smell. An admirer came over and asked me to explain what déjà vu is…

Déjà vu is a French term that literally means "already seen." It is described as the feeling that you've seen or experienced something before when you know you haven't. Defining types of déjà vu is very difficult. Déjà vu is extremely difficult to study because it occurs briefly, without any notice, only in certain people, and has no witnesses or physical manifestations. Because of this, there is little research and no explanations. Studies depend on personal descriptions. While about 60 percent of people say they have experienced déjà vu, the rates are highest among younger people. Researchers believe that déjà vu experiences decrease with age. There have also been higher reported occurrences among people with active imaginations.

Taking a very broad look at the research and resources available, we can put déjà vu experiences into two categories:

Associative déjà vu: The most common type of déjà vu experienced by normal people is associative in nature. You see, hear, smell or otherwise experience something that stirs a feeling that you associate with something you've seen, heard, smelled or experienced before. Many researchers think that this type of déjà vu is a memory-based experience and assume that the brain is responsible for it.

Biological déjà vu: Déjà vu also occurs among people suffering with epilepsy, psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, depression and schizophrenia. Just before having a seizure they often experience a strong feeling of déjà vu. Researchers have been able to identify the areas of the brain where these types of déjà vu signals originate. The person experiencing déjà vu may truly believe they've been through the exact situation before, rather than getting a feeling that quickly passes.

The mind is truly a strange organ for it can play games. I like what Elihu Burritt has said about the mind: “Our minds are like certain vehicles, when they have little to carry they make much noise, but when heavily loaded they run quietly.”

Ever wondered how the scarecrow knew that he didn't have a brain?

Miss Know-All
wow@dailymirror.wnl.lk

Looking for soft skills...?

(Published on 3 October 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

When a friend from Jakarta came down to Colombo on a job assignment – I was all set to help her find her feet and generally introduce her to the place. But the lady in question had done her homework well, for she carried with her a huge file with maps, contact addresses, list of associations, information on club memberships, directions to super-marts, web site URL’s of international schools and application forms of medical clinics and insurance companies. Impressed, I thought it best to step back and let her explore the beautiful country all on her own, till one fine day I got a call with a much exasperated voice at the other end.

“Will you just speak to the gentleman on the telephone line,” she requested. “He just does not seem to understand my requirements.” On the line was the manager of a placement agency equally frustrated and wound up who informed me that all he wanted to know was what skills she was looking for in her domestic help. And in turn all my friend kept answering was - “just someone with excellent soft skills!”

Here I was doing what I do best. Educating the public and coming to the rescue of the distressed. Soft skills are personality traits that do not require specialised training and practice. They refer to personal character and behaviour and include qualities of social graces, personal habits, and sense of responsibility, self-esteem, integrity and honesty, as well as communication skills and the ability to adapt to different cultures. Actually for any career, soft skills go hand in hand with hard skills, which are the technical requirements of a job. Hard skills have to be learned and require specialised training. For example: carpentry, plumbing, software programming, engineering, etc. However, to be successful in today’s complex job market it takes more than a sound technical background.

Soft skills play an important part in the success of any organisation and are what sets apart any organisation from its competitors. Every employer seeks a different mix of skills and experience from an employee. But soft skills are something that they look for consistently. Organisations dealing with customer interaction are generally more successful if their recruitment policy mainly focuses on soft skills. For this reason, soft skills are increasingly sought out by employers in addition to the required qualifications. Foremost amongst soft skills is interpersonal skills – the importance of which cannot be more emphasised irrespective of any job in any industry.

My friend has been here for over a year now – and extremely satisfied with the domestic help she has at home ever since. As for the placement agency – I saw their new advertisement in a national daily recently which read:
“Available: professional housemaids, drivers and nannies with excellent soft skills.”

A commendable display of soft skills… for the manager of the placement agency had the humility to follow and the drive to change!

Miss Know-All
wow@dailymirror.wnl.lk

Raising a toast to the queen of crime!

(Published on 26 September 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

In the words of Washington Irving - “There is never jealousy where there is not strong regard.” How very true for I found myself besieged with envy as Mathew Prichard, Agatha Christie's only grandchild and Chairman of Agatha Christie Ltd. led the world in paying glorious tributes to his celebrated grandmother, Agatha Christie on her 126th birthday on 15 September.

And in case you are left wondering where I am coming from pretties, let me explain. No, it’s not Agatha Christie whom I envy. I wish I was in Mathew’s shoes. It must be truly wonderful to have a grandmother who could weave intriguing tales. How many of our grandmothers would tuck us into bed and concoct a story about a Belgian private detective based in London called Hercule Poirot who sported a black waxed moustache and wore patent leather shoes? Or conjure up St Mary’s Mead, the fictional village where the shrewd and intelligent Miss Jane Marple lived?

Agatha Christie remains the world’s best-selling fiction author, with more than over two billion books sold. It was claimed that Agatha Christie was outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. I guess that might have changed ever since but Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple continue to remain the most popular detectives. Many of Christie’s novels were released as movies. For her contribution to literature, Agatha Christie was made a Dame of the British Empire in 1971. The magic of her storytelling continues to reach a contemporary audience and she continues to be recognised as the undisputed 'Queen of Crime'. The Agatha Christie Theatre Company was launched with an immensely successful production of ‘The Hollow.’ This classic mystery was also innovatively adapted into the first ever Agatha Christie story to be a PC game. Kevin Elyot's stage adaptation of ‘And Then There Were None’ opened in the West End to outstanding reviews.

A truly grand old Dame who touched so many lives with her timeless stories of murder and deceit, Agatha Christie was a true woman of substance. One of her quotes, that’s a favourite of mine is - “The best time to plan a book is while you're doing the dishes.”

And to my dearest grandma – I love you a lot – but I wish you had been a little more creative and imaginative with your bed-time stories! The only consolation is that like Miss Marple you like gardening and are often seen carrying knitting needles and yarn!

Miss Know-All
wow@dailymirror.wnl.lk

What!!! Pluto not a planet...

(Published on 19 September 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Ever since I can remember… (and my Geography teacher, Miss Breganza was a great lady – who would tell me no lie) Pluto has been known as the ninth planet of our solar system since it was discovered by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930. The new announcement informing the world that Pluto does not fit in with the pattern of the other planets is being unkind to all the Geography teachers down the years. What teachers said in class was law – and one never ever thought of challenging what they said or taught.

Since 1992 small objects, made of rock and ice up to a few hundred kilometres in size, have been found orbiting at a great distance from the Sun. These are called Trans Neptunian Objects (TNOs). The information gathered on Pluto and the discovery of TNOs in the outer solar system with orbital characteristics very similar to those of Pluto, have led to this new deduction. The argument is that Pluto is so small and out of place in its distant orbit around the Sun that it cannot be classified as a proper planet. As a result, Pluto will now have the rare distinction of having dual classification as a planet and a TNO, at least for the time being. This dual classification for Pluto is a result of its remarkable nature.

The group who will decide the official status of Pluto for the professional astronomers is the International Astronomical Union. They will be informing the world of their decision shortly. The definition of a planet is rather arbitrary. Planets need a better definition rather than being known as an object that our ancestors saw moving in the sky. Until there is clarity and a consensus regarding the definition it is not right to either 'demote' Pluto or 'promote' Ceres. Since the discovery of the minor planet Ceres in 1801 astronomers have found thousands of minor planets orbiting the Sun, mainly between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Members of the IAU have been expressing their opinions on Pluto's status. There have been several votes with no clear-cut conclusion. Whatever the result it seems clear that Pluto is a special type of celestial object, which may well deserve a special status.

Well that temporarily puts to rest my belief in my Geography teacher who painstakingly taught us, seven year olds, the names of the nine planets with the help of a model. Miss Breganza – if you are reading this - I still believe that you were right and nothing will ever change that. Today even if the universe changes its views – I shall always remember what you taught me in Grade II. What rings in my mind is what Bertrand Russell has said “More important than the curriculum is the question of the methods of teaching and the spirit in which the teaching is given.”

Miss Know-All
wow@dailymirror.wnl.lk

Holy smoke... now it's laptop batteries that are exploding!

(Published on 12 September 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Ever heard of exploding laptops that suddenly burst into flames? Good lord. Laptops have now got a mind of their own. Handle yours with care for if you treat it with a little disdain, it will lose its cool – heat up – and just explode!

But this is no banter. Dell recently recalled 4.1 million laptops as they felt that the batteries of these could short-circuit. These Dell laptop batteries could overheat and catch fire or explode. This isn't the first time in the computer industry that laptops have been recalled. HP and Apple have recalled laptop batteries in the past. But the threat of the battery exploding or catching fire is something new.

This really got me worried dahlings. As I work late into the nights often leaving the laptop on for hours on end, it was important I understand the mechanism of how the battery worked and why there were chances of it catching fire. Batteries have two terminals - a negatively charged terminal and a positively charged terminal. Energy from electrochemical reactions causes negatively charged particles called electrons to collect at the battery's negatively charged pole. When a battery is connected to a circuit, the electrons flow from the negative pole to the battery's positively charged pole. In this way a flow of charge or electricity is generated. The cells of a lithium-ion battery also contain separators that keep the positive and negative poles called anodes and cathodes apart.

Depending on the type of battery, electrons are generated in different ways. In a lithium-ion battery, pressurized containers house a coil of metal and a flammable, lithium-based liquid. Tiny metal pieces float in the liquid. Manufacturers try their best to limit the size and number of these metal fragments. If the battery gets hot through excessive use or recharging, the pieces of metal begin to move around. If a piece of metal gets too close to the separator that separates the anode from the cathode, it can puncture the separator and cause a short circuit. In case of a short circuit, the spark created could ignite the flammable liquid causing a fire. On the other hand if the short circuit causes the temperature inside the battery to rise rapidly, the battery could explode due to the increased pressure. Conversely if the short circuit causes the temperature to rise slowly, the battery can melt, and the liquid inside can leak out.

As users, we want small, light laptops that we can use for long time periods. We also want our laptops to have lots of processing power. Laptop batteries have to be relatively small, but have the capacity to hold a lot of energy and last a long time. Making lithium-ion batteries that can hold more power for a longer period requires its components, specially the separators, to be small and thin. The reduction in size makes it more probable that the batteries will short circuit or leak.

The thought of your laptop bursting into flames is a scary one. I have started treating mine with a lot more respect honeys. Before I go to bed I cover it with a lace cloth and caress it goodnight… the truth is that I want to be sure it’s not too hot on touch. I’ve come to the firm conclusion that a laptop is a woman. For no one but its creator understands its complexity. Even the smallest errors are stored in long term memory for possible retrieval. And finally – only a woman could explode on losing her cool!

Miss Know-All
wow@dailymirror.wnl.lk

Fishing or Phishing?

(Published on 5 September 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

I often walk into the public library… it’s always a good place to check out who is working hard and could be potential competition. There are so many who aspire to be Miss Know Alls…

Much to my surprise I bumped into a friend who teaches nine year olds at the local convent. What was even more surprising was when asked what she was doing at the library she said she was preparing for the next day’s class. Preparing to teach nine year olds? How much of a preparation would you need for that? On enquiring I learnt that the previous week she was taken to task by a student’s parent for cutting marks in a spelling test. The child had written ‘phishing’ – instead of fishing. The parent a computer engineer had given my friend an entire book on phishing – and the subtracted marks were duly added to the mark sheet.

In computing, phishing is an illegal activity where in fraudulent techniques are used to acquire sensitive information, such as passwords and credit card details. People who indulge in phishing are called phishers. These swindlers attempt to get confidential information by concealing their true identity and pretending to be a trustworthy person or business. Phishing is most often carried out using email or an instant message. More recent phishing attempts have targeted the customers of banks and online payment services. Typically, a phishing attempt would be disguised as an official email from a bank, and would attempt to trick the bank's members into giving away their account information.

Most methods of phishing use some form of technical deception designed to make a link in an email appear to belong to an organisation. Misspelled URLs are common tricks. Some phishing scams use JavaScript commands in order to alter the address bar. The damage caused by phishing ranges from loss of online access to financial loss. Unsuspecting people often divulge personal information with ease, including credit card numbers; I-card numbers, and address details. Once this information is acquired, the phishers may use a person's details to create fake accounts in a victim's name or even prevent victims from accessing their own accounts

These days legitimate email messages from organisations to their clients will contain an item of information that is confidential. Emails from banks and credit card companies will often include partial account numbers. One should always be suspicious if the message does not contain some personal information.

I left the library feeling sympathetic towards my friend. She sat with a list of all the words she was to give in the spelling test the next day… checking out all possible valid ways of spelling each word. “Don’t give the student an ‘F’ in his report card when he fails,” I advised. “Just give him a ‘PH’!!!!!!!”

Miss Know-All
wow@dailymirror.wnl.lk

Being a good houseguest...

(Published on 29 August 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Ever had a painful houseguest pretties? A family is usually full of them – and instead of being a joyful family reunion – the occasion often turns out to be the lady of the house’s worst nightmare.

As a kid I remember frequently going for vacations to my grandmother’s house. A whole bunch of cousins would descend at her place and it would be one big party. Having said that there were strict house rules to be followed and even though we were so many of us – housework never got disrupted and everything else around us worked as it should when it should – like clockwork. We were repeatedly reminded by our parents that if we were good guests we would be welcomed over and over again.

Being a houseguest in another's home is a wonderful way to bond and share friendships. However, it takes special effort to be a good house guest whether it is at a relative’s or a friend’s house. I recollect an aunt and her bratty kids coming over one summer. By the time they left nerves were frayed and the whole family was in a cantankerous crabby mood. Our living room cushions were stained with chocolate, the garden hose had been twisted repetitively, the doorbell would not ring any more, the music system speakers had given up, the doormat had chewing gum and biscuit crumbs would appear from the most startling places.

The perfectionist that I am, I’ve always taken great care to be a good houseguest and formulated my own rules and regulations. Little bit of research on the people you are visiting always helps. After all it would be only appropriate to dress and behave as per what’s acceptable at your hosts. It’s a nice gesture to take the family something as a gift – even if it means a jar of home-made treacle. A small act, that will help you forge friendships. Keep observant and follow small hints that the hostess may drop. Usually the lady of the house wants the housework to proceed without a hitch. Flow with the tide. Don’t be a hindrance. Observe how people behave in their homes and follow suit. Pay attention to when people bathe, how frequently and for how long, when people get up and go to sleep and whether or not shoes are worn indoors.

And for heaven’s dahlings - if you want to remain popular, limit your stay to just a couple of days. As aptly put by Hubbard Kin, “making a long stay short is a great aid to popularity.” Your host may insist you stay longer, but its left for you to evaluate whether, your doing so would affect the host's life and budget. Additional house members are always an economic burden and a strain on the household budget. Paying for groceries, fruits, etc is a polite way of contributing. Give your host numerous opportunities to accept your offers of gifts or to make purchases for the household. Sending a thank-you note along with some photos that include the host family is a lovely and thoughtful way to ensure that your bond with the host family will last forever. Whether a close relative or a dear friend no relationship should be taken for granted.

Wonder why Miss Know All’s are so popular, sugars? It’s because we lead our lives by the book… perfectionists that we are.

In the words of Benjamin Franklin, “Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days.”

Miss Know-All
wow@dailymirror.wnl.lk

Difference between warranty and guarantee...

(Published on 22 August 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

I bought an electric kettle as a gift for an old Aunt who resides in a hill station. It will be useful by her bedside, as she would not need to get up in the cold, to heat up water for herself. Though a favourite Aunt, one always hesitates to visit her. An acidic tongue, she always has lots to say… whether it is about my gaining too much weight or loosing too much weight… about my skin looking lifeless or my hair looking limp. At eighty five – one always let her take the liberty of passing remarks that would have otherwise been sternly dealt with.

I gave her a warm hug and settled by her rocking chair as I handed her the gift along with a bottle of brandy as I enquired after her arthritis. She chose not to reply as she read the text on the box of the electric kettle with great interest. “So does this have a guarantee card or a warranty card?” she enquired. I squirmed for I hadn’t a clue. I tried to glance at the box in her hand – for some telltale signs … but it was a futile exercise. The only way out was to admit I hadn’t a clue and was not even too sure about the difference between warranty and guarantee. What followed was a volley of accusations of being a careless and irresponsible consumer who was unaware of my consumer rights. I retrieved myself and my battered ego from there and went straight to a lawyer friend’s house. So what indeed is the difference between warranty and guarantee?

A warranty is a promise given and is usually a written assurance for a product and declares the manufacturer’s responsibility to repair or replace a defective product or its parts. It means that the service is perfect when the contract is performed and the manufacturer is liable for this. The period commences on the day of acceptance of the goods. A guarantee on the other hand is an agreement assuming responsibility to perform, execute, or complete something and offers security for that agreement. It is an assurance that attests to the quality or durability of a product or service, or a pledge that something will be performed in a specified manner.

Flummoxed? Well sweeties for once I must admit – so was I! My friend elaborated and slowly the difference dawned. The fundamental difference is that a guarantee is generally a short term pledge. “We guarantee that you will be satisfied or your money back”. While a warranty is a long term contract, it is generally based on the quality of the product and its longevity rather than just simple satisfaction. This means that if you do every thing the manufacturer tells you to do and do it in the specified time frame then they will repair a quality defect at no cost to the consumer. The other type of guarantee involves the financial aspect of the transaction rather than the quality. In this type of guarantee, the buyer is given a promise of getting his money back in the event of a failure in satisfaction over a longer term.

Well, it will be some time till I visit my old Aunt again. But if it wasn’t for her I would not be wiser today. Obeisance from one Miss Know All to a very senior and seasoned Miss Know All!

Miss Know-All
wow@dailymirror.wnl.lk