Health officials give holiday food safety tips

CHICAGO | Public health officials in Illinois say the holidays mean family, food and safety.

The Kane County Health Department says be sure to prepare holiday meals in a safe manner.

That includes thawing food in the refrigerator at 41 degrees or below and not at room temperature. Officials say it takes approximately 24 hours for each five pounds of frozen food to thaw in a refrigerator.

Holiday hosts should be sure to keep everything in the kitchen clean and wash hands often during preparation and serving. Guests should be careful when eating foods like raw oysters or egg drinks.

Officials also suggest double-checking meat to make sure it's thoroughly cooked. They also warn against cross contamination. For example, don't handle raw meats and then other food without washing your hands first.

Source  http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/illinois/health-officials-give-holiday-food-safety-tips/article_cebe9f02-97d3-5255-a4a1-ebed48bbe572.html

Cambodians held over eviction protest before Obama visit

Police in Cambodia arrested at least eight people on Thursday for painting messages on their homes near the capital's airport asking for help from U.S. President Barack Obama because they face eviction before he visits the country next week.

The villages involved around the perimeter of the airport in Phnom Penh are home to 182 families.
Residents said they were told in July they had to move out because of security concerns when world leaders, including Obama, fly in to attend summit meetings in coming days. They have not been offered compensation for the loss of their homes.

Armed police moved into the villages on Wedneday night and residents were told to remove the messages they had painted beside pictures of Obama or face the consequences, a worker for the Licadho human rights group said.

At least six women and two men had been taken into custody, Licadho and the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights (CCHR) said. Cambodian police declined comment.

"I put up the picture of Obama because I want him to help us get fair compensation from the government," said resident Chuong Socheata, 33. "And that's because the government has no plans to solve this peacefully."

Forced evictions have been rife in Cambodia in recent years and are frequently criticized by rights groups, even if the authorities may have legitimate security concerns in this case about buildings so close to the airport.

Only about 20 percent of Cambodians have land titles -- a hangover from the Khmer Rouge's abolition of private property during its 1975-1979 reign of terror -- leaving many defenseless when the authorities hand their land over to big companies for development.

The World Bank, which had been helping the government rebuild a land registry, froze fresh aid to Cambodia last year because of the eviction of families in Phnom Penh.

International rights groups met U.S. officials last week to try to get Obama to bring up rights issues with Cambodian premier Hun Sen during his trip. They did not come away with high hopes of any public statement.

Hun Sen has brought stability to the Southeast Asian country, which has attracted development aid and industrial investment, but he tolerates no dissent and rights group call his government authoritarian.
In a report this week, Human Rights Watch said more than 300 people had been killed in politically motivated attacks since an agreement in 1991 that ended a civil war, but not one person had been convicted.
It pointed the finger at Cambodian security forces and called on Obama to demand an end to impunity for abusive officials.

Source  http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/15/us-cambodia-obama-idUSBRE8AE0FE20121115

Five best hair care tips for this winter

Winter, a season when the temperatures continue to drop and the days seem to get darker and darker…a season that brings cold, snow and to a lucky few, a break from work or school…a season of whacky flus that you would never want to strike at your door...a time to don all your coats and hats, for the cold has taken hold!

Awestruck by the beauty of winters? Don’t just get lost in the ‘dreamy’ picture, but devote your attention towards the downside of these cold winds too. For, winter weather can wreak havoc on your hair and leave you with a feeling of cursing this blissful weather. But, you don’t have to worry for we bring you the best hair care tips to leave you with those beautiful locks that you would love to run your fingers down this winter season. 

Oil your hair properly: In winters due to cold winds, the temperature outside is cool, but, the temperature indoors is generally warm, so due to this change in temperature, it is very necessary to oil your hair properly to avoid them from breakage. Use warm oil to massage your hair and scalp for at least one or two hours to restore the moisture of your tresses. If after shampooing your hair, little bit of oil is left over, just let it be and don’t shampoo them again as this will ruin the conditioning effect of the oil.

Avoid using too much of shampoo: It is a fact that due to cold winter winds, not just your skin, even your hair and scalp are left dry. So avoid shampooing your hair much at least not more than twice a week. Also, never use very hot water for washing your hair in winter as it leaves your hair tattered and frizzy. To avoid such a condition, use lukewarm water to retain the moisture of your hair.

A hair conditioner is a must: To fight against winters, the best method is to apply a good conditioner each time you wash your hair. But make sure not to apply conditioner on your scalp but only on the strands of hair. This provides a shine to your hair and prevents them from breakage. Another important point is to choose a conditioner as per your hair type. Like, if you have dry hair, choose a conditioner that will restock your hair with essential substitutes needed by them.

Avoid using a hairdryer: Ideally, it is always good to let your hair dry naturally. If due to some reason, you are using a hairdryer, don’t over dry as this will hamper your hair badly and leave them frizzy and damaged. Another advice that will help you maintain healthy hair is by setting your hair dryer on the ‘cool’ mode while blow drying as cool air damage your hair less though it might be a little time consuming.

Cover you crown: Love your hair? Then cover your crown ladies to protect your hair from those whacky cold winds. Make sure to wear a scarf, a hat or a cap to lock the moisture of your tresses to save them from breakage. But, keep in mind that your scarf or cap should not be very tight as it hampers blood flow in the scalp.

So, try these amazing tips for healthy hair that will leave you with a beautiful feeling even as the mercury drops.

Source  http://zeenews.india.com/news/health/health-news/5-amazing-hair-care-tips-for-this-winter_19526.html