Rhonda aka RaRa's blog: "Interesting & helpful"

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Here's something i didn't know -- hope it will be useful to you too! Driving tip that could save your life I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THIS? A 36 YEAR OLD FEMALE HAD AN ACCIDENT SEVERAL WEEKS AGO AND TOTALED HER CAR. A RESIDENT OF KILGORE , TEXAS SHE WAS TRAVELING BETWEEN GLADEWATER & KILGORE. IT WAS RAINING, THOUGH NOT EXCESSIVELY, WHEN HER CAR SUDDENLY BEGAN TO HYDRO-PLANE AND LITERALLY FLEW THROUGH THE AIR. SHE WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED BUT VERY STUNNED AT THE SUDDEN OCCURRENCE! WHEN SHE EXPLAINED TO THE HIGHWAY PATROLMAN WHAT HAD HAPPENED HE TOLD HER SOMETHING THAT EVERY DRIVER SHOULD KNOW - NEVER DRIVE IN THE RAIN WITH YOUR CRUISE CONTROL ON. SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS BEING CAUTIOUS BY SETTING THE CRUISE CONTROL AND MAINTAINING A SAFE CONSISTENT SPEED IN THE RAIN. BUT THE HIGHWAY PATROLMAN TOLD HER THAT IF THE CRUISE CONTROL IS ON WHEN YOUR CAR BEGINS TO HYDRO-PLANE AND YOUR TIRES LOSE CONTACT WITH THE PAVEMENT, YOUR CAR WILL ACCELERATE TO A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED MAKING YOU TAKE OFF LIKE AN AIRPLANE. SHE TOLD THE PATROLMAN THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT HAD OCCURRED. THE PATROLMAN SAID THIS WARNING SHOULD BE LISTED, ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT SUN-VISOR - NEVER USE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE PAVEMENT IS WET OR ICY, ALONG WITH THE AIRBAG WARNING. WE TELL OUR TEENAGERS TO SET THE CRUISE CONTROL AND DRIVE A SAFE SPEED - BUT WE DON'T TELL THEM TO USE THE CRUISE CONTROL ONLY WHEN THE PAVEMENT IS DRY. THE ONLY PERSON THE ACCIDENT VICTIM FOUND, WHO KNEW THIS (BESIDES THE PATROLMAN), WAS A MAN WHO HAD HAD A SIMILAR ACCIDENT, TOTALED HIS CAR AND SUSTAINED SEVE RE INJURIES. IF YOU SEND THIS TO 15 PEOPL E AND ONLY ONE OF THEM DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT THIS, THEN IT WAS ALL WORTH IT. YOU MIGHT HAVE SAVED A LIFE. NOTE: SOME VEHICLES (LIKE THE TOYOTA SIENNA LIMITED XLE) WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO SET THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE ON.

Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose, CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons. Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role. A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps. When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pump ping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money. One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, ev ery truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount. Another reminder. If there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up--most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom. Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.

Can you guess which of the following are true and which are false? Don't cheat! 1. Apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the morning. 2. Alfred Hitchcock didn't have a belly button. 3. A pack-a-day smoker will lose approximately 2 teeth every 10 years. 4. People do not get sick from cold weather; it's from being indoors a lot more. 5. When you sneeze, all bodily functions stop, even your heart! 6. Only 7 per cent of the population are lefties. 7. Forty people are sent to the hospital for dog bites every minute. 8. Babies are born without kneecaps. They don't appear until they are 2-6years old. 9. The average person over 50 will have spent 5 years waiting in lines. 10. The toothbrush was invented in 1498. 11. The average housefly lives for one month. 12. 40,000 Americans are injured by toilets each year. 13. A coat hanger is 44 inches long when straightened. 14. The average computer user blinks 7 times a minute. 15. Your feet are bigger in the afternoon than any other time of day. 16. Most of us have eaten a spider in our sleep. 17. The REAL reason ostriches stick their head in the sand is to search for water. 18. The only two animals that can see behind themselves without turning their heads are the rabbit and the parrot. 19. John Travolta turned down the starring roles in 'An Officer and a Gentleman' and 'Tootsie.' 20. Michael Jackson owns the rights to the South Carolina State anthem. 21. In most television commercials advertising milk, a mixture of white paint and a little thinner is used in place of the milk. 22. Prince Charles and Prince William NEVER travel on the same airplane, just in case there is a crash. 23. The f first Harley Davidson motor cycle built in 1903 used a tomato can for a carburetor. 24. Most hospitals make money by selling the umbilical cords cut from women who give birth. They are used in vein transplant surgery. 25. Humphrey Bogart was related to Princess Diana. They were 7th cousins. 26. If coloring weren't added to Coca-Cola, it would be green. See answers below............................... They are all true . Now go back and think about #16

ICE Campaign - 'In Case of Emergency' We all carry our mobile phones with names & numbers stored in its memory but nobody, other than ourselves, knows which of these numbers belong to our closest family or friends. If we were to be involved in an accident or were taken ill, the people attending us would have our mobile phone but wouldn't know who to call. Yes, there are hundreds of numbers stored but which one is the contact person in case of an emergency? Hence this ' ICE' (In Case of Emergency) Campaign The concept of 'ICE' is catching on quickly. It is a method of contact during emergency situations. As cell phones are carried by the majority of the population, all you need to do is store the number of a contact person or persons who should be contacted during emergency under the name 'ICE' (In Case Of Emergency). The idea was thought up by a paramedic who found that when he went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but they didn't know which number to call. He therefore thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name for this purpose. In an emergency situation, Emergency Service personnel and hospital Staff would be able to quickly contact the right person by simply dialing the number you have stored as 'ICE'. For more than one contact name simply enter ICE1, ICE2 and ICE3 etc. A great idea that will make a difference! Let's spread the concept of ICE by storing an ICE number in our Mobile phones today ! Please forward this. It won't take too many 'forwards' before everybody will know about this. It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest.

Good to know This is what Oxi clean is... 3% peroxide did you Know that???? This was written by Becky Ransey of Indiana "I would like to tell you of the benefits of that plain little old bottle of 3% peroxide you can get for under $1.00 at any drug store. My husband has been in the medical field for over 36 years, and most doctors don't tell you about peroxide, or they would lose thousands of dollars." 1. Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the bottle) and hold in your mouth for 10 min. daily, then spit it out. (I do it when I bathe) No more canker sores and your teeth will be whiter without expensive pastes. Use it insteadof mouthwash. (Small print says mouth wash and gargle right on the bottle) 2. Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup "Peroxide" to keep them free of germs. 3. Clean your counters, table tops with peroxide to kill germs and l eave a fresh sme ll. Simply put a little on your dishrag when you wipe, or spray it on the counters. 4. After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it to kill salmonella and other bacteria. 5. I had fungus on my feet for years - until I sprayed a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let dry. 6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes several times a day. My husband has seen gangrene that would not heal with any medicine, but was healed by soaking in peroxide. 7. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water and keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming your septic system like bleach or most other disinfectants will. 8. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture whenever you have a cold, or plugged sinuses. It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes then blow your nose into a tissue. 9. If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a dentist right away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth and hold it for ten minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly. 10. And of course, if you like a natural look to your hair, spray the 50/50 solution on your wet hair after a shower and comb it through. You will not have the peroxide burnt blonde hair like the hair dye packages, but more natural highlights if your hair is a light brown, reddish, or dirty blonde. It also lightens gradually so it's not a drastic change. 11. Put half a bottle of peroxide in your bath to help rid boils, fungus, or other skin infections. 12. You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of whites in your laundry to whiten them. If there is blood on clothing, pour directly on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a minute, then rub it and rinse with cold water. Repeat if necessary. 13. I use peroxide to clean m y mirrors with, and there is no smearing which is why I love it so much for this. I could go on and on. It is a little brown bottle no home should be without! With prices of most necessities rising, I'm glad there's a way to save tons of money in such a simple, healthy manner.

Expiration dates for commonly used make-up: 3 Months: Mascara 12 Months: Facial moisturizer Foundation Concealer Eye Shadow Lipstick Lip gloss Facial powder Facial blush 2 Years: Bronzer 3 Years: Sunscreen (but remember it can lose its effectiveness over time) (Source: CBS News) The countdown to the expiration date begins when you break the seal and airborne bacteria can enter the make-up product. It may be hard to throw it away, but the consequence could be much more difficult and costly.

Just good to know. Watch the video; we are never too old to learn something or to be reminded of how to handle a situation. (In an email I received) This is a great video. Everyone should watch it and take heed. When I was stationed in Charleston Navy base at the Fire Fighting Training school we would demonstrate this with a deep fat fryer set on the fire field. An instructor would don a fire suit and using an 8 oz cup at the end of a 10 foot pole toss water onto the grease fire. The results got the attention of the students. What happens is the water being heavier than the oil sinks to the bottom where it instantly becomes superheated. The explosive force of the steam blows the burning oil up and out. On the open field it became a thirty foot high fireball that resembles a nuclear blast. Inside the confines of a kitchen the fire ball hits the ceiling and fills the entire room. Also do not throw sugar or flour on a grease fire. One cup creates the explosive force of two sticks of dynamite.

THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW YOUR CELL PHONE COULD DO!!! There are a few things that can be done in times of grave emergencies. Your mobile phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival. Check out the things that you can do with it: FIRST Subject: Emergency The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile; network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly, this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked. Try it out. SECOND Subject: Have you locked your keys in the car? Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone: If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their cell phone from your cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the "remote" for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk). THIRD Subject: Hidden Battery Power Imagine your cell battery is very low. To activate, press the keys *3370# Your cell will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you charge your cell next time. FOURTH How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone? To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your phone: * # 0 6 # A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. When your phone get stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use/sell it either. If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones. And Finally.... FIFTH Cell phone companies are charging us $1.00 to $1.75 or more for 411 information calls when they don't have to. Most of us do not carry a telephone directory in our vehicle, which makes this situation even more of a problem. When you need to use the 411 information option, simply dial: (800) FREE 411, or (800) 373-3411 without incurring any charge at all. Program this into your cell phone now. This is the kind of information people don't mind receiving, so pass it on to your family and friends.