Brace Yourself For a Major Gasoline Price Hike!

Courtesy of Reuters
U.S. average retail gasoline prices have reached a new high of almost $3.20 per gallon and will likely jump another 20 to 30 cents in the next month, worsening the pain of consumers struggling to make ends meet in an economic downturn.
Gasoline prices are rising sharply as refiners, who have kept prices down in order to compete for sales, become more willing to pass on their higher costs of crude oil, according to an industry analyst on Sunday.
The national average for self-serve regular unleaded gas was nearly $3.20 a gallon on March 7, up about 9.44 cents per gallon in the past two weeks, according to the nationwide Lundberg survey of about 7,000 gas stations. The price has risen 64 cents per gallon in the past 12 months.

How To Handle The Daylight Savings Time Switch

Courtesy of Yahoo! Health.
It's time to change the clocks once again, in preparation for this coming Sunday morning when Daylight Saving Time kicks in.
That means we'll have one less hour this weekend between the time we usually go to bed Saturday night and our usual wake-up time Sunday morning. Sadly, many of us already don't get enough sleep on a regular basis, so the time change this weekend could increase our sleep-deprivation backlog even more.

Most adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep daily to feel fully awake and alert during their waking hours. Teenagers should have about 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep each night, and younger children require 9 to 11 hours.

How can you minimize the effects of giving up that precious hour of sleep this weekend?
Easy: the combination of getting to bed earlier Saturday night and getting up later Sunday morning should help most people achieve more sleep and prevent potentially dangerous sleep loss. Or, if you can't get enough sleep at nighttime, consider taking a nap.
Finally, be cautious driving to work on the Monday following the time change, since you and the drivers around you may not be as bright-eyed and vigilant as usual.

The Perfect Wife?

The notion of being the "perfect" wife could make you laugh or cry, but it sure is entertaining. Check out what it takes... courtesy of The Associated Content.

The perfect wife knows how to provide the harmonic balance within the family unit. She knows how to balance career, domestic chores, taking care of the children and support her husband emotionally. The perfect wife has many roles to fulfill and finds it both a challenge and rewarding. Not every woman wants to be the perfect wife. Many women will purposely try to be something different to establish their independence. Even those women that rebuff the idea of a perfect wife, read on. There are many deep emotional rewards for striving to be the perfect wife.(Uhhmmm, what?)

The perfect wife knows how to smile at those jokes that aren't really that funny. She manages a small laugh and desn't remind her husband that he has told that joke before repeatedly.

The perfect wife finds the energy to pick up the piles of clothes, socks strewn about and the glasses that never make it back to the sink. Instead of clearing up after everyone and feeling like a maid, the perfect wife is proud of her home.

The perfect wife wakes in the middle of the night to toss the covers back onto her husband because she wants him to stay warm. She doesn't sit up and wonder why she had to marry someone that thrashes about and snores so loudly.

The perfect wife learns how to cook the dishes that are her husband's favorite to eat. Eventually, she even learns to like some of these dishes herself.

The perfect wife does not look at just today. The perfect wife does not keep score as to who has contributed the most or contributed what to a relationship. She values her marriage and embraces her friendship with her husband.

For the complete list, visit The Associated Content

Game Day Grub

There's nothing like super grub for Super Bowl Sunday. Check out these great, no-fuss dishes that will get everyone cheering, coursesy of Yahoo! Food.

Chuckwagon Chili Mac

Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings

Ultimate 7-Layer Dip

Tortilla Soup

See more Game Day Grub recipes including Oven-Fried Chicken and Fries, Corona-Steamed Shrimp Kebabs and Beer-Battered Chicken at Yahoo! Food.

You Can't Send Letters To Injured American Soldiers

An e-mail encouraging readers to send letters to injured American soldiers has been gaining popularity, but there is one problem; your correspondents will never get to a soldier. The e-mail lists the address of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C., but according to the United States Postal Service, they are legally unable to deliver your cards.

Msnbc.com reports, The U.S. Postal Service will not deliver any letter, post card, or package that is not addressed to a specific individual. Anything sent to “A Recovering Soldier,” “Any Wounded Soldier,” or “Any Service Member” is unacceptable. “We cannot accept any mail that is not specifically addressed to an individual or an organization at the medical center,” says Terry Goodman of Walter Reed. Sometimes one of these letters will make it through to the medical center. If that happens, it is returned to sender. Goodman says officials are just following Department of Defense policy designed to ensure the safety of patients and staff at all military hospitals. And don’t try to contact Walter Reed or any other military medical facility to get the name of a wounded service member to write. Because of medical privacy regulations, hospital officials can’t give out that information.
So what can you do?Walter Reed suggests visiting the “American Supports You” Web site where you can make a donation to one of the more than 300 non-profit organizations dedicated to helping U.S. troops and their families.
Other resources:
· The Postal Service Web site lists ways to support our troops.
· You can post greetings on the “To Our Soldiers” message board.
· You can donate a USO Care package via the USO site.
If you want to do something for the military men and women from your area, contact your local military base or the local National Guard or military reserve unit.

What Makes A Woman Sexy?

The sexiest thing a woman can do is in the eye of the beholder. InStyle magazine asked some celebrities what they think! Do you agree?

"Mc STEAMY" "Grey's Anatomy" actor Eric Dane, who is married to actress Rebecca Gayheart, says what is most sexy is the small of his wife's back. "It's soft, it's secret, and if there's a good curve, maybe a dimple or two, well, that's something that pulls my focus."

Rachel Bilson, of "O.C." fame, told InStyle, "Confidence. The most important thing a woman can be is confident in herself. And a cute pair of shoes doesn't hurt."

Fergie says it's mystery, while Terrence Howard says it's watching someone make music.

Meanwhile, singer Rihanna says good skin is sexy. "You want to have good skin and be blond and all that good stuff."

"Idol" winner Katharine McPhee told InStyle, "Men are sexy, but I always think of women being more sexy than men, in a different kind of way." Huh?

But rapper Pharrell Williams insists it is style that is sexy. He told the magazine, "Style, because it's everything that matters, believe it or not. Whether you have great style or bad style, it's the only thing that counts--your sense of individuality."

Beauty pageant titleholder and sometime "Entertainment Tonight" and "Access Hollywood" reporter Maria Menounos can sum up sexy in three words: "Victoria's Secret lingerie."

Model and actress Rebecca Romijn insists it's shoes. And not just any shoes. "High heels. I'm 5'11", and sometimes I get self-conscious about wearing 4-inch heels. But [my husband] loves me in them, so who am I to say no?"

Thanksgiving To-Do List

Thanksgiving To-Do List by Holly Clegg,
author of The Holly Clegg Trim & Terrific™ Cookbook
Courtesy of iVillage.com

"I come from a family of cooks. Every year, I look forward to the taste of my aunt's cornbread dressing and my mom's sweet potato casserole at Thanksgiving dinner. I like to take on the desserts -- cakes, trifles and pies for about 50 people. On many occasions, I have hosted and organized the event, too.
When there's this much oven time, counter space and refrigerator room involved, I resort to list making. Below is a list of holiday tasks. Use it to develop your own timeline for this year's Thanksgiving feast. May it be one of your easiest and most delicious ones ever!"

EARLY NOVEMBER

• I always make my sweet potato and vegetable casseroles about this far in advance. They store well in the freezer. Just make sure to wrap them up well.

• Make a grocery list.

• Purchase all your nonperishable staples. Last-minute groceries should include only foods that spoil quickly.

• Decide on your guest list. Now's even a good time to make your seating arrangements.

• Sort through your serving dishes. Label the dishes, matching recipe to platter.

• Bar cookies freeze well. Make them in advance and store them in the freezer. Same for layer cakes. Don't assemble the cake until you are ready to defrost and serve it, though.

• This week at the grocery, pick up all those extra canned or bottled drinks for your company.

MID-NOVEMBER

• Buy holiday-themed paper plates and napkins. I like to use them for dessert. Not only are the paper plates festive, but no one has to wash those dainty, china, dessert dishes.

• Check the linen closet to make sure your tablecloth is clean and ready to use. Do you have enough napkins for all your guests?

• This is when we order the turkey in my family.

• If your local bakery or fancy food store makes a holiday specialty you like, order it this week. In some cases, they'll need even more notice.

• Buy fresh cranberries. In fact, buy extra now, while they are available. You can store them in your freezer for up to one year.

THANKSGIVING WEEK

• Pick up any pre-ordered items.

• Buy your perishables.

• Start cooking.

• Clean the house.

• Start setting the table.

• If you work during the day, remember to prep your ingredients ahead of time and store them in plastic sandwich bags or bowls. That way they'll be ready when you really start cooking.

• The day before Thanksgiving, I run to my local florist just before they close. That way, I am able to purchase flowers for the table at a discount.

Good luck and good eating!