Ask Maxy

Dear Maxy ,

I have a couple of friends who are , for lack of a better term , potheads . They always come over to my house and smoke pot in my yard. I feel I don't have enough authority over them to tell them not to smoke , especially at my house . What can I do or say to them to get them to listen to me ?

Olivia

Dear Olivia ,

You absolutely  have the authority to tell your friends they cannot smoke pot at your home , outside or inside . As you know , it is illegal  ... unless they are smoking for mediacl purposes , which is doubtful when they are at your house ! Your friends may say you are boring or corny or any other disparaging thing . It doesn't matter . Be tough and clear . Tell them you happy to entertain them , but they have to leave their drugs at home . If they decide not to visit anymore , so be it .

Maxy

I recently ran into an old class-mate who told me where she's been working for the past ten years . I mentioned the name of a man I know who works there . She proceeded to tell me  that this man was  involved in extramarital affiars in the office and that she has had a flirt with him as well. What I didn't tell my class-mate is that this man's wife is a friend  and we teach at the same school.

Do I tell my teacher friend about her philandering husband ?

Ellen

Dear Ellen ,

You haven't seen this class-mate in ten years and have no idea whether she is telling the truth . Quite frankly, this sounds like unfounded gossip  to me and doesn't merit repetition . Unless you have independent knowledge that your friend's husband is cheating , I would let this sleeping dog lie.

Maxy

 Dear Maxy,

I never thought I would need to sit down and talk to my friend about her jealous ways . I really didn't notice this until she came to my bridal shower . As a close friend , it would behoove her to say something nice  when she was called to do so . Instead she turned her nose up  and disrespectfully declined .

After my bridal shower , I asked her if she could come with me to fix last-minute discrepancies so the wedding would flow . The day we were suposed to go out , she bailed on me . I was so angry that I told her not to come to my wedding .

How can I retract such a bold , drastic statement  ? She's one of  the closest friends I have .

Sanai

Dear Sanai,

Tempers often flare around weddings . Lots of emotions bubble forth for the bride  and her friends , as you are experiencing .

Now is a perfect time to extend an olive branch . Call your friend and apologize for retracting her invitation . Talk to her about how you felt when she disrespected you . Tell her that you what her to be happy for you in your marriage , that you value her friendship  and that you want her to be a part of the beginning of your new life since she has been so important to you .

Maxy

Food For Thought ---- 'Honey'

September is  National Honey Month , and there is no better time to enjoy one of nature's sweetest treats . Each year , American  concume a little more than a pound of honey . While there are a  variety of honeys'  available , usually the darker the honey , the more antioxants it contains .

Here are a few tips to help you enjoy honey this month and the months to come  :

Honey has slightly more calories than table sugar  , but it is much sweeter . You don't have to add as much to get to get the same sweetness.

Add a touch of honey to salad dressings , to granola or oatmeal .

Try honey to glaze pork , chicken or other poultry .

Never give honey to a child under two-years old .

For better baking results , make sure you measure ingredients correctly . Here are a few tips :

*    Always use a liquid measuring cup ... one with a pouring tip ... for liquid ingredients . Place the cup on a flat surface  and check the amount at eye level .

*   Use measuring cups that can be level with the back of a knife for dry ingredients . These come in graduated sets for different measurements .

Enjoy  eating and cooking with honey ... it's one of nature's national sweeteners .

Coffee May Prevent Depression, Scientists Say

 

Coffee must contain caffeine to be effective 

Women who drink two or more cups of coffee a day are less likely to get depressed, research suggests.It is not clear why it might have this effect, but the authors believe caffeine in coffee may alter the brain's chemistry. Decaffeinated coffee did not have the same effect.

The findings, published in Archives of Internal Medicine, come from a study of more than 50,000 US female nurses. The experts are now recommending more work to better understand the link. And they say it is certainly too soon to start recommending that women should drink more coffee to boost mood. 

 The Harvard Medical School team tracked the health of the women over a decade from 1996 to 2006 and relied on questionnaires to record their coffee consumption. Just over 2,600 of the women developed depression over this time period.

More of these women tended to be non- or low-coffee drinkers rather than frequent coffee consumers.  Compared with women who drank one cup of caffeinated coffee or less per week, those who consumed two to three cups per day had a 15% decreased risk of developing depression.Those who drank four or more cups a day cut their risk by 20%.

Regular coffee drinkers were more likely to smoke and drink alcohol and were less likely to be involved in church, volunteer or community groups. They were also less likely to be overweight and have high blood pressure or diabetes. Even after controlling for all of these variables, the trend of increasing coffee consumption and lower depression remained.

The researchers say their findings add weight to the work of others which found lower suicide rates among coffee drinkers. They suspect caffeine is the key player - it is known to enhance feelings of wellbeing and energy.  And it has a physical effect on brain function and transmission by blocking certain chemical receptors, like adenosine. But more research is needed to show if this might mean it is useful for warding off depression.
Alternatively, it might be that people with low moods chose not to drink coffee because it contained caffeine, point out the researchers. One of the common symptoms of depression is disturbed sleep, and caffeine can exacerbate this because it is a stimulant.How much caffeine?

Too much caffeine can also increase feelings of anxiety.
Prof Bertil Fredholm, an expert in pharmacology and physiology at Sweden's Karolinska Institute, said the findings were reassuring for coffee-lovers.
"This fits nicely with a lot of the previous work and what we know about caffeine and the brain. It blocks adenosine, which produces a similar effect to increasing dopamine production. And it's becoming increasingly clear that the dopamine-rich areas of the brain are much more important in depression that previously thought.
"Despite valiant efforts to show how dangerous coffee is for us, it is not proving so.
"This removes yet another anxiety regarding caffeine use. Drunk in moderation, the evidence is strong that it is not one of the things we do that is going to damage your health."

• There is no recommended level a person should consume
• But pregnant women are advised to consume less than 200mg a day
• One mug of instant coffee: 100mg
• One mug of filter coffee: 140mg
• One mug of tea: 75mg
• One can of cola: 40mg
• One 50g bar of milk chocolate: about 25mg

Kate and Pippa Dazzle at Wedding of Friend

Kate, who hasn't been publicly photographed in two and a half weeks, stepped out with her younger sis Pippa to celebrate the nuptials of their close friends Thomas Sutton and Harriet Colthurst in Wilton, Wiltshire in England on Saturday.
The Duchess looked red-hot in a scarlet knee-length lace dress and matching fascinator and was joined by her husband Prince William.
Pippa, who had her serious beau Alex Loudon at her side, opted for a grey-and-white floral-printed frock and black fascinator -- a chic and safe bet for the early fall wedding.
Just last week, Pippa attended the wedding of her college chum Humphrey Bowles in the North Yorkshire hamlet of Lythe, where she pulled a major fashion faux-pas. She wore a clingy, knee-length silk green dress -- a color that has long been considered bad luck to wear to wedding ceremonies according to the adage "weddings and green should never be seen."

Empanadas with Picadillo Stuffing

                         Prep time : 30 minutes       Cook time  1   1/4  hours

Picadillo stuffing :

1     tablespoon  olive oil or vegetable oil

1     large yellow onion , chopped

1     medium-size sweet green pepper , cored , seeded and finely chopped

1     small  jalapeno pepper , cored , seeded  and finely chopped

4     small pepperoncinis or other small very hot chili peppers , cored , seeded  and chopped

4      cloves of garlic , minced

1      pound lean ground beef

18    pimiento-stuffed olives , chopped

1      can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes , chopped with their juice

1      teaspoon salt

1/2   cup dark seedless raisins or dried currants

1      cup canned black beans , drained and rinsed.

Empanadas :

2      recipes for a Double-Crust Pie

2      eggs , lightly beaten .

1)     For the  Picadillo ; In a 4-quart Dutch oven over moderately high heat .... heat oil for 1 minute . Add onion , the three peppers and garlic and saute until onion is soft ... about 5 minutes .

2)     In a large skillet over moderately high heat , saute beef , stirring to break up clumps , until browned  ... about 15 minutes . Drain fat .

3)     Add beef and all the remaining picadillo ingredients to Dutch oven and cook , covered , over low heat for 40 minutes . Meanwhile , prepare Empanadas .

4)     For the Empanadas ; preheat the oven to 400*F . Prefare Pastry for a Double-Crust Pie (directions on package) . Roll out and filled  like small meat pies or fruit pies .

5)     Bake until golden brown ... about 20 minutes .

Makes 32 Empanadas .... HMmm good .... enjoy . 

Pot Roast with Winter Vegetables

                    Prep time --1 hour  -- Cooking time about 2 1/2 hours

2      tablespoons vegetable oil

4      pounds boneless beef roast  ( rump, chuck. sirloin tip  or bottom round )

3      large yellow onions  , 1 chopped and 2 quartered

2      tablespoons salt

1/2   teaspoon black pepper

1/2   cup cold water

1      pound tiny ( about 1 inch in diameter ) red skin potatoes , scrubbed

2      medium-size carrots , peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

2      medium-size parsnops , peeled and quarteded lengthwise

1      pound rutabaga , peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

4      whole gerlic cloves, peeled

3      cups canned reduced-sodium beef stock

1/4  cup unsifted  all purpose flour

1)  In a 6-quart Dutch oven over moderately high heat ... heat oil for 1 minute . Pat beef dry , add to Dutch oven and brown well on all sides , remove beef and set aside .

2)   Add chopped onion to dutch oven and cook , stirring until golden --- about 5 minutes . Return beef  and accumulated juices to Dutch oven and  sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon pepper . Add water , reduce the heat to low , and simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours .

3)     Add patotoes , carrots , parnips , rutabaga , quartered onions , garlic , cup over the stock , and the remaining  1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper . Simmer covered  until ingredients are tender - 15 -60 minutes .

4)    Remove meet and vegetables to a heated serving platter , cover , and keep warm . Skim off any fat from drippings . In a small bowl , whisk 1/2 cup of the remaining stock into the flour.

5)    Add the remaining 2 cups stock to Duch oven and cook over moderately high heat , stirring to loosen brown bits , for 2 minutes . Slowly blend in flour mixture  and cook , stirring until mixture boils and thickens . Cook , stirring about 1 minute more .

6)    Carve beef across the grain into thick slices , serve with vegetables and top with gravy .

Makes 6 servings....

I Love Baby Laughing Videos

Butterfly Candleholders

What you do
You can buy whatever glass candle holders you like (or use some you already have laying around). I bought mine at Walmart for about $0.59. You could also find them at thrift stores or yard sales.

I chose butterflies for my design, but you could choose whatever design you'd like--maybe keeping in mind the tastes of the person you're making them for. You can cut out pictures from anywhere, including calendars, greeting cards, magazines. Thin paper decoupages best.

After you have some pictures in mind, use cuticle scissors (the kind you cut your fingernails with) to cut out the pictures. These scissors work best on small pictures and cut rounder corners than regular scissors. If you're not going to use the pictures right away, store them in ziploc bags.

You can buy decoupage at any craft store. It is normally found with the glue. It allows you to permanently affix a picture to another object, giving the object an overall glossy effect. Make sure the glass you're working with is clean. Tear a piece of tissue paper into small (approx. 1 inch) pieces. Using the paint brush, brush some decoupage on to the back of one of the pieces of tissue paper. Position the tissue paper on the glass and then brush some more decoupage on top of it. Continue gluing on pieces of tissue paper, overlapping at the edges, until the entire candle holder is covered (including the bottom--set the candle holder on its top to dry). Brush one last coat of decoupage over the entire candle holder. Use damp paper towel to wipe off any excess decoupage.

After the decoupage has dried for about an hour (or more),position the butterflies (or other pictures) on top of the tissue paper. First  brush some decoupage on the backs of the pictures and place them on the glass. Brush another coat of decoupage over the entire glass and set the candle holder on its top to dry again. After the decoupage has dried, add 2 or 3 more coats of decoupage after each coat has dried.

That's it! These candle holders are only limited by your imagination. Use different colors of tissue paper and a variety of pictures for different themes. You could make these with holiday themes, like for Christmas or Easter. They also make great birthday presents, or party favors. They are very easy to make and you can make several of them at one time.

Trifle With Lots of Fruit

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
• 1 (9 inch) angel food cake
• 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 3 kiwis, peeled and sliced
• 1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
• 3 bananas, peeled and sliced
• 1 (15 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 sprig fresh mint

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, fold sour cream and unprepared pudding mix into the whipped topping.
2. Cut the cake into thirds, horizontally.
3. Line a large trifle or other glass serving bowl with kiwi and strawberry slices, reserving two whole strawberries and two kiwi slices. Place one layer of cake in bottom of bowl, top with 1/3 of bananas and pineapple, and 1/3 of whipped topping mixture. Repeat layering until all ingredients are used.
4. Make fan garnishes of whole strawberries by slicing from just below the stem. Garnish assembled trifle with fanned strawberries, reserved kiwi slices, and a sprig of mint. Refrigerate until serving.

Marriage on the Decline: StatsCan

 

My husband and I just recently celebrated our first wedding anniversary, and while we are super excited about our marital union, it looks as though we’re in the minority of those saying ‘I do.’ The National Post reports that numbers from Statistics Canada show in 2008 there were 147,788 couples in Canada who tied the knot, which is down 14 per cent from 1991 when 172,251 couples were wed. That might not seem like a lot, but marriages have been steadily on the decline for the last 20 years, with common-law relationships picking up the slack, particularly in Quebec.

And for the first time, in 2006, families without children outnumbered those with kids in the household.
So not only are we not getting married, we’re also not creating more people who one day may or may not get married. Could it be that perhaps couples are eschewing marriage because they aren’t having children?
Not so, according to the numbers more children live in households with unmarried parents. So what’s causing this trend then?

Those with at least some level of post-secondary education are more likely to tie the knot, so perhaps as more people become educated, they’re simply delaying marriage until they’re more established in their life roles, and in another 5-10 years we’ll see a big upswing in the marriage numbers. Or, maybe not.
Maybe people no longer see the need for a formal marriage when a common-law relationship now offers many of the same economic and social benefits.

No one says you need to be married or even in a relationship to be happy, but it certainly is nice to have someone to share all life’s precious moments with and snuggle up to at night.

Are you delaying or refraining from marriage? Why or why not?

Ask Maxy

Dear Maxy,

A friend of mine just got married , and I learned about it on Facebook . Granted , we aren't super close , but it was weird to see her posting that said her relationship status had changed . And then suddenly she was married . I have no right to feel offended since we weren't close like that . But I think it's weird that she used a social media to announce something so serious .

Mary

Dear Mary ,

I understand why you feel uncomfortable about  learning of your friend's marriage  via social media . At the same time , I recognize that Facebook is an effective tool for delivering information . Rather than begrudging your friend , be happy with the information you have obtained. Congratulate your friend  via Facebook . If you want to have personal interaction with her , ask her can you get together to celebrate .

Maxy

Dear Maxy,

My 40-year-old daughter and her two young children live with me . Her husband is in and out of prison  and she relies on me for help .

I also have an 18-year-old daughter with a baby living under my roof not to mention a third daughter who is visiting for a month with her five kids .

I'm fed up and what to be left alone . I plan to sell my home , move to a senior apartment and maybe travel . I don't want them to follow me . I think that is the only way to get rid of them. I assure you they will never leave on their own.

Am I obligated to provide child care and housing forever ?

Debbie

Dear Debbie ,

Of course not . Let your kids know you are selling the house and moving into a much smaller place and they will have to find other  housing arrangements . I hope you enjoy your travels. It sounds like you deserve a break .

Maxy

Dear Maxy,

A"good" friend of mine seems to be avoiding me , and I'm not sure what to do . We got together a few weeks ago and had a fantastic time . It even got a little cozy between us . Ever since then , he has been  MIA. When I called him , he was very short with me on the phone . I don't think I did anything wrong . We just had fun together . But now it's just weird . How can I find out what's wrong or fix it so that we are back in communication ?

Martha

Dear Martha,

Back off for now . Whatever happened or didn't happen , clearly he is not interested or able to talk about it right now . Reaching out to him is not resulting in what you desire , so stop . He is going to have to come to you to get any type of resolution .

Who knows ? Maybe the coziness you mentioned made him uncomfortable after the fact . For sure , he is not interested in connecting with you now . As much as that may hurt your feelings , you have to see it for what it is . Continuing to try to get him to respond to you can begin to look like desperation . And trust me , desperation is an immediate turnoff.

Maxy

Sophia Loran : Happy 77th Birthday Loren

                              1955  

                                                                                                                            

                                          

                                 1959

                  1960 - lucia curcio - 'It Started In Naples'

                                          1964

                     1965

                               1984

                            1987

                                      February 13 , 2000

                            April 21 , 2004

                              February 22 , 2009

                             January 23 , 2010

                                      May 5 , 2011

Italian actress Sophia Loren is a remarkable beauty ... although she turned 77-years-old  birthday ... she hasn't lost any of her inner glow . To celebrate her birthday ... take a gander at some of Loren's most glamorous looks from the past six decades.

How To Get Rid Of pet Hair : 7 Odds Ways

If you have pets , you most likely will run into a problem with pet hair . Especially in the first weeks of the  fall , when animals seems to shed their summer coat for their warmer autumnals models . Some are already in the midst of this transition , as one glance at their sofa and chairs can tell you , and so I do not need to tell you that they are terrified of brushes.

Here's how these DIY removal methods fared.

1)  A ballon an enchanting solution : Rub a ballon over the offending spot . The static electricity does grab fine hair , but left  the more stubbon fur behind.

Bottom line : Not effective , unless your pet hair is made of cashmere .

2)  Tennis ball : The nubby felt texture has fine "teeth" that help grab fur . Just rub the ball against the hair and watch clumps of it come with it .

Bottomline : If you tend to have a tennis ball anyway , great . If not , you might as well buy a lint roller .

3)   Velrco curlers : This works on small ares  , but why waste a good volumizer .

Bottomline : Only if desperate and in possession of an overstock of velcro curlers.

4)    Fabric softener sheet : It pulled at the hair , leaving wads of it on the sofa . It also left an alarming sheen on the slipcovers from the fabric softener residue .

Bottomline : Not effective.

5)    Package tape : Everyone has a few rolls left  over from doing odd jobs around the house . There are two schools of thinking on packing tape  as pet hair removr . Loop it around yout hand and run it over the fur-strewn area , and wad it up in a ball and roll . Yeah , it works in a pinch , but you need to replace  the tape after a few passes.

Bottomline : Effective , but not efficient . The  ball method works better , since you have more surface area to pick up the hair.

6)    Rubber gloves : Moisten a rubber glove with water , then run it over  the sofa and chairs . This method swiftly picked up fur and give you a little more control . Just don't use to much water .

Bottomline :  Effective .

7)   Vacuuming your pets :The thinking ? If you get the fur now , then you won't find it on your furniture  later . Wrong . Perhaps one day the scratches  will fade from your arms . A terrible idea .

Bottomline : If animals could see therapists , they would tell them because the therapists need to know .

The winner was the rubber glove method , because it was quick , efficient and of course effective  .

Have any other tips for removing pet hair ? Let us know in the comments .     

Perfect Roast Chicken in the Crock Pot

About a year or so ago, I had some friends over for a dinner party and decided to make a roast chicken. Sure, the whole thing sounded simple — overnight brining in salt water, a day of drying and dusting with herbs, a few hours in the oven and a couple of minutes to rest. Easy, right?

In actuality, it was exhausting! I was so pooped from the chicken prep that I could barely keep my eyes open through dessert. Sure, the chicken was really good, but the whole almost-24-hour process made it totally unrealistic for a Sunday dinner, let alone a weekday night.

And then I found this slow cooker chicken over at Weelicious. I tried the recipe and loved the super-moist texture of the chicken, but wasn't crazy about the zingy lemon flavour or the slightly anemic looking bird. So I came up with my own variation and haven't looked back since. Two and a half hours in the old crock pot followed by a 10-minute broil gives me perfectly roast chicken every time — without having to brine, baste or worry.
 

You need:

• 1/2 cup of red wine
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 small white onion
• 1 celery stalk, cut in half
• 1 carrot, cut in half
• sprinkle of herbs de provence, thyme, or herb combination of your choice
• tin foil

Directions:

Crumple three pieces of aluminum foil and place in the middle of your slow cooker.

1. Add wine, garlic, onion, celery and carrot
2. Place chicken on top of aluminum foil. (You may have to push the chicken down a bit so it'll all fit in there!)
3. Sprinkle chicken with herbs, salt and pepper.
4. Set slow cooker to high and cook for 1/2 hour per pound.
5. When ready, stick a meat thermometer into leg to ensure it is done. Transfer chicken to a roasting pan and set oven to 500º Fahrenheit.
6. Broil for 8-10 minutes, or until skin is golden brown.
7. Serve with roast root vegetables, mashed potatoes, or anything else you'd like!

The best part of this recipe? After your done cooking everything, you'll have a considerable amount of jus left over from the chicken. Whisk it with some cornstarch for a truly delicious gravy, or save it in your fridge or freezer for at-the-ready soup stock when you need it in a pinch. (It's so much better than bouillon.)

Yup, chicken in a crock pot is the gift that keeps on giving.

 

 

This mahogany wine rack will store atleast 17 bottles of wine horizontally. The solid sides keep most light out

Tools and Materials

• Tablesaw
• Clamps
• Biscuit joiner

Cut List for Wine Rack

2	Top and Bottom	9-5/8 in. x 11-1/4 in. x 3/4 in.	mahogany plywood
2	Sides	34-3/4 in. x 11-1/4 in. x 3/4 in.	mahogany plywood
5	Partitions	11-1/8 in. x 10-1/2 in. x 3/4 in.	mahogany plywood
1	Top partition	11-1/8 in. x 10-1/2 in. x 3/4 in.	mahogany plywood
4	Feet	12 in. x 3/8 in. x 13/16 in.	solid mahogany
20 linear ft.	Edging	3/8 in. x 3/4 in.	solid mahogany
12	Brass screws	#10 x 3/4 in.

How to Make:  Cutting the Sides and Partitions to Size

1. Cut all the parts to the widths given in the cut list, leaving all the parts about 2 in. too long. The sides for the box are 3/4 in. wider than the partitions because the partitions are inset front and back by as much.

2. Mill enough solid-mahogany edging stock to cover the front and back edges of all the parts.

3. Glue and clamp this edging to all these edges and set them aside to dry. It's easiest to leave this edging a little wide and long, so you can trim it flush after the glue has dried. This kind of edging is difficult to align perfectly, so if you leave some extra and it slides a little while being clamped, it will still cover the edges. When these parts are dry, trim all the edging flush with the faces of the plywood.

4. First trim the excess off the ends. This can be done very quickly by crosscutting 3/4 in. or so off each end, which should still leave about 1-1/2 in. of extra length.

5. Trim the excess from the sides. The quickest way to accomplish this is with a flush-trimming bit in your router. As long as you haven't left too much extra, you shouldn't have any splintering problems. You could also use a sharp block plane or even a sanding block. Regardless of the method you use, make sure that the edging ends up completely flush and level with the sides. If there is any rounding, it will show where all the parts come together.

Building the Box

It's hard to get out of the rut of measuring outside dimensions, but the most important thing to remember for this project is that the inside measurements are what count. I have also given you outside measurements for this wine rack, but these assume that the plywood you are using is exactly 3/4 in. thick. As you may or may not know, 3/4-in. plywood is rarely exactly 3/4 in. and can be as much as 1/16 in. under. If you multiply this by two (the number of sides) , you can make a box with interior dimensions as much as 1/8, in. off, more than enough to throw off the fit of the partitions. Other than that, it's just a box put together with biscuits.

1. Size the sides, top, and bottom for a box with inside dimensions of 33-1/4 in. by 9-5/8 in., factoring in any stock-thickness variations.

2. Cut the biscuit slots so that the top and bottom are between the sides when assembled.

3. Finish-sand the inside faces of the box parts to 150 grit.

4. Glue, biscuit, and clamp the parts together. Make sure the box is still a true rectangle when clamped up.

5. When the glue is dry, finish-sand the outside.

Making the Feet

The box has four feet, attached with some brass screws over the plywood edges that show on the top and bottom of the box. Not only will these cover the raw plywood edges, but they also lift the bottom of the box slightly.

1. Mill four pieces of mahogany 12 in. by 3/8 in. by 13/16 in. for the feet.

2. Drill three countersunk holes, sized to brass screws at even intervals in each foot.

Making the Partitions

 This part is not difficult, nor will it take very long, but you must be accurate.

Cut 60-degree angles on the ends of every partition.

1. Set the blade on your table saw to 60 degrees.

2. Set the fence so that each cut will take off about 1/8 in. to 1/4 in. more than you need. This will ensure a splinter-free cut.

3. Rip a 60-degree angle on one end of all six of the partitions.

4. Reset the fence to 11-1/8 in., and rip a matching 60-degree angle on the opposite end of the five of the six partitions. The same face of the partition should ride on the table during the cut

5. Attach an auxiliary fence that sits perfectly flush with the table, and set the fence to cut at 11-1/2 in. This auxiliary fence must lay tight to the table surface. The next cut requires that the long point of the last partition rides on the table and against the fence. You don't want any space under the rip fence under which the point could slip.

Cut a complementary 60-degree angle on the ends of the top partition.

6. Cut a complementary 60-degree angle without a bevel on the end of the last partition.

7. Make an angle-block carrier to hold the top and bottom partitions at 60 degrees to the sawblade. This allows you to cut the secondary angles that are at 90 degrees to 60-degree angles. A simple block of wood about 18 in. long by 1-3/4 in. high by 2-1/2 in. wide will work fine.

8. Attach one of the two partitions to this block with some double-sided tape. (Both of these partitions will be cut the same way, with the same exact setup.

An auxiliary block angles the top and bottom partitions to cut the corners of one edge at 90 degrees to the 60-degree bevel.

9. With the blade at 90 degrees to the table, set the rip fence 1-15/16 in. away from the blade. Then run the partition through. Repeat the procedure for the other partition.

Assembly

Before you glue the partitions in place, do a dry assembly to check the fit.

1. Stand the box on end.

As you stack the partitions in the box, the sides will bow a little bit, making it easy to insert the top partition.

2. Starting at the bottom, place the partitions in the box one on top of the other. The accumulating weight of the partitions will spread the sides of the box a little, which is good since it will allow room for the last partition to be inserted. However, it will make it look as though nothing fits right, since the partitions are settling toward the bottom of the box. Don't worry.

3. Take some clamps and, working from the bottom up, position them front and back across the box at the joint of each partition.

4. Lightly tighten the clamps as you go until the partitions fill up the space. If all the partitions have been cut correctly, they will lie nicely one on top of the other with all the intersecting joints tight.

5. Just be sure, check that the box is the same width in the center as it is at the top and at the bottom; also, check the diagonals to be sure it is square.

6. Once you are satisfied with the fit, remove the partitions and finish-sand them to 150 grit.

7. Starting at the bottom again, carefully apply a light bead of glue down the center of each end of the first partition and place it in the box. Remember that the partitions are set in 3/8 in. front and back from the edges of the box. Make sure to keep glue away from the last inch or so of the edge at the front and back. This will be plenty of glue to hold things together, and this way it shouldn't make a mess (which otherwise would be very difficult to clean up).

8. Continue gluing and installing partitions until they are all in. The box should spread a little like before, and you should have no problem getting the top partition in without smearing glue on the inside of the box. If it's tight, just spread the sides a little with your hands and it should be fine.

Clamp the case sides together at each partition joint, both front and back. The clamping will make the top partition joint snug.

9. Clamp it up just as you did during the dry assembly and check for square. That's it!

Finishing

This is a very difficult piece to spray finish (or oil for that matter). The compartments created by the partitions make it difficult to get the finish inside. But like an old cabinetmaker I used to know once said, it's also difficult for anyone to see if it's finished in there! So I ended up spraying it the best I could with some satin lacquer. It looks fine-but don't you dare pull out a bottle just to see how well it's finished inside.

Are African Mangos the New weight loss Miracle??

Goodbye, grapefruit diet. Hello, African mango?
Everyone’s looking for the magical weight-loss solution. Some claim they’ve found it in the African mango, the latest fruit fad to invade the weight-loss world. Its supplements have even been endorsed on The Dr. Oz show. 

Dr. Tanya Edwards wrote on DoctorOz.com:
“Sounds like a magic bullet to me! I tried it myself, and lo and behold, in the first month of taking it (only once per day, mind you, instead of the recommended twice daily), I lost seven pounds without making any changes in my usual healthy diet and exercise routine!”

Africa’s “bush mango” boasts a special agent called IGOB131, a fat eliminator. Die-hard fans claim the fruit’s seeds contain a “’special fibre’ that binds to cholesterol and helps to eliminate unwanted fats from the body — thereby resulting in rapid weight loss.”

Some studies are backing up the weight-loss claims — and citing improved cholesterol and blood-sugar levels — but the researchers had “a vested interest in bumming up the product,” making the results tough to take seriously.

Critics are rolling their eyes.
Fox News’ “medicine hunter” Chris Kilham points out fruit fibre and reduced cholesterol is a connection we’ve known about for ages. He would sooner recommend we enjoy healthy diets filled with a variety of vegetables and fruits — biting into succulent mangoes rather than popping extract supplements — than encourage us to give into the quick-fix promises of what he calls a “scam.”

Edwards, in a follow up to her “magic bullet” enthusiasm, conceded:
“The results have been slightly underwhelming. A few patients lost a few pounds, but it has not been the magic bullet I had hoped for. And with continued use, I have not lost any more weight.”

Fortunately, studies have shown no undesirable side effects. Fibre is great for you. Instead of spending your hard-earned cash on supplements, head to your local fruit stand and buy a real mango or two....Yummy, a treat that is really good for you. Well...on to the next magic bullet.