ZRoundtable's Lifestyle & Family Blog

The River: (Premieres Feb 7)

2012-01-28T15:30:00.000-05:00

This is another promising new show, with a 2-hour premiere on Tuesday, February 7th.

Dr. Emmet Cole is missing.

The beloved host of The Undiscovered Country, which brought the wonder and magic of the natural world into our homes for so many years, has disappeared in the wilds of the Amazon. Gone for six months now, and thought by many to be dead, his emergency beacon went off two weeks ago. Now Dr. Cole’s wife and frequent co-host of The Undiscovered Country, Tess, has begun the search for her husband. With the help of her son, Lincoln, and crew members Lena Landry, Emilio Valenzuela and his daughter Jahel, and Captain Kurt Brynildson, Tess is looking to be reunited with her husband and save the rest of his missing crew.

http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/the-river/about-the-show

Beauty & Women

2012-01-25T08:27:00.001-05:00

Here's a nice article about women, beauty -- and a look at how fashion and beauty have changed over the years...

... some aspects of a woman are as sensual today as they were thousands of years ago. What has changed is the way these alluring attributes are either concealed or revealed. From ancient Greek statues to today's latest stars, see how "sexy" has evolved...

4-Wheel-Drive and All-Wheel-Drive Vehicles

2012-01-21T10:45:00.000-05:00

With the snow storm hitting many parts of the U.S., many folks are talking about four-wheel and all-wheel drive cars. Here's some info...

Four-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive systems are becoming popular options not only for SUVs, but cars as well. All SUVs and pickup trucks offer 4WD or AWD systems, and even some compact cars, like the Mitsubishi Lancer and Toyota Matrix, offer available AWD systems. Oftentimes, more than one system is available for any given vehicle, leaving consumers puzzled.

With so many options to choose from, it's easy for drivers to get confused by a barrage of acronyms, each more meaningless than the last. For most shoppers, there are three basic options: Full-time 4WD, part-time 4WD, or AWD. Although each system has its own merits, one thing is certain--any 4WD system will make your vehicle less fuel efficient and more complicated to repair and maintain. In many situations, it'll also add quite a few dollars to your vehicle's purchase price.

http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/your-ride-4wd-vs-awd-cga.htm

List of cars:
http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/your-ride-4wd-vs-awd-cga1.htm

Hot Water Heater Settings

2012-01-18T06:03:00.006-05:00

In the northeast US, we're in the middle of winter, so some folks are adjusting their hot water heater -- especially if this is used for heating the house.

The difference between the high / low setting should be around 20-30 degrees apart for many systems.
Increasing the spread slightly (5-10 degrees), and lowering the temperature of the min/max settings (try 5-10 degrees at a time) can save 5-10% of your heating bill.
A common setting is 140/160, although 135/160 may be hot enough for some systems. During the summer, 125/150 may be hot enough.
Lower temperatures may make the heating / radiators quieter as they heat up. They will also cause less mineral deposits, making the hot water tank/system last longer.
During the winter, may need to adjust hotter if the hot water is used for heating.

Jan 2012 TV Premieres

2012-01-17T07:18:00.004-05:00

We are in the midst of the January 2012 winter TV season premieres... Here are some shows that we're keeping an eye on... So set your DVRs:

American Idol (Fox): Wed, January 18th.
Touch (Fox): January 25th - Kieffer Sutherland

Other shows that have captured some of our attention:

The Middle -- good stories that many families can relate to...
Showtime's "House of Lies" & "Shameless" -- recently started new seasons

Recipe: Swedish Coffee

2012-01-16T09:36:00.004-05:00

Want some nice, deep, rich-tasting coffee? No coffee maker? Or all of the above? This recipe for Swedish Coffee can make "okay-to-good" coffee: "great" -- and make "great" coffee just a bit richer/less bitter.

Swedish Coffee Recipe

Ingredients:

1 egg

1 cup cold water, divided

1 cup regular grind coffee

6 cups boiling water

Directions:

1. Use a Graniteware (enamel) coffee pot.

2. Wash egg, break it into a smal bowl (reserving shell), and beat slightly.

3. Add 1/2 cup cold water, the 1 cup ground coffee, and the reserved (crushed) egg shell, and mix thoroughly.

4. Turn into coffee pot, pour on boiling water, and stir.

5. Place on front of range and boil for 3 minutes. (If not boiled, coffee is cloudy. If boiled too long, too much tannic acid is developed.)

6. Add remaining 1/2 cup cold water, which perfects clearing. (Cold water, which is heavier than hot, sinks to the bottom and carries the grounds with it.)

7. After coffee has settled, serve at once.

Read more here:
https://sites.google.com/site/juliarosechin/cooking

Parenting: Achieving & Working Hard

2012-01-09T07:38:00.000-05:00

One of our contacts, a sports psychologist and co-author of the "Who Will Win the Big Game?" book had a chance to interview Shannon Miller, the Gold Medal Olympic gymnast. The interesting thing is that -- even at that high level -- she talks about:

hard work
focus (and getting into "the zone")
mental toughness and not getting derailed
performing "smart" (when you are not 100%)
setting goals

http://whowillwinthebiggame.blogspot.com/2012/01/co-author-of-who-will-win-interviews.html

Help for Tennis Elbow

2011-12-12T07:41:00.002-05:00

With the weather turning colder, some people have been saying that their tennis elbow is acting up. Some players look into tennis rackets (weight and vibration damping) as well as string tension (lower tension, perhaps by 2-3 pounds, and as much as 5 lbs). Here's some information:

Technique First, Gear Second If the way you’re hitting the ball is the cause of your arm problem, no amount of equipment changes will save you.

Make the Sweet Spot Bigger Bigger sweet spot = hitting more balls in the sweet spot = less vibration. Try using a lower string tension. A 2 – 3 pound reduction in tension noticeably enlarges the sweet spot. If you’re looking at making a racquet switch, remember that racquets with a larger head size will have a larger sweet spot too. Consider moving up a size.

In addition, there are several products that people say have been helpful. One product is very useful for strengthening the arm and forearm:

Some people like this type of product because it gives relief from tennis elbow pain:

Read more here:
http://www.tenniscompany.com/about4.html

Humor and Parenting

2011-12-08T11:37:00.003-05:00

Line of the day (from a parent on motivating children to take ownership and be responsible / proactive):

"Do you think Christopher Columbus' parents nagged him to discover America?"

from the TV Show "The Middle."

On parenting: it's always good to keep your sense of humor!

Kindle Fire - #2 to the IPAD

2011-12-02T14:42:00.000-05:00

We love the Kindle Fire -- and so do a lot of others. According to a Bloomberg article (see below), the 7-inch tablet (smaller than the Apple I-Pad) is taking over the #2 spot in the tablet wars. Amazon actually loses a bit on each Kindle Fire sold, but expects to make up for that with increased sales/revenues.

Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN)’s share of the tablet computer market will surge to 14 percent this quarter as consumer demand catapults the Kindle Fire to the No. 2 spot after Apple Inc.’s iPad, according to research firm IHS Inc. (IHS)

Amazon will probably ship 3.9 million units of the Fire in the final three months of the year, IHS said today in a report. After hitting store shelves on Nov. 14, the Kindle Fire has surpassed more established products from Samsung Electronics (005930) Co. and Barnes & Noble Inc. (BKS) in vying with the iPad, which will ship an estimated 18.6 million units, IHS said.

Parenting: The Trouble with Bright Kids

2011-11-25T11:48:00.001-05:00

Here's an excerpt from a good article at Business Week (bolding below by zRoundtable.com):

It’s not easy to live up to your fullest potential. There are so many obstacles that can get in the way: bosses that don’t appreciate what you have to offer, tedious projects that take up too much of your time, economies where job opportunities are scarce, the difficulty of juggling career, family, and personal goals.

But smart, talented people rarely realize that one of the toughest hurdles they’ll have to overcome lies within.

...

When I was a graduate student at Columbia, my mentor Carol Dweck and another student, Claudia Mueller, conducted a study looking at the effects of different kinds of praise on fifth-graders. Every student got a relatively easy first set of problems to solve and were praised for their performance. Half of them were given praise that emphasized their high ability (“You did really well. You must be really smart!”). The other half were praised instead for their strong effort (“You did really well. You must have worked really hard!”).

Next, each student was given a very difficult set of problems — so difficult, in fact, that few students got even one answer correct. All were told that this time they had “done a lot worse.” Finally, each student was given a third set of easy problems — as easy as the first set had been — in order to see how having a failure experience would affect their performance.

Dweck and Mueller found that children who were praised for their “smartness” did roughly 25% worse on the final set of problems compared to the first. They were more likely to blame their poor performance on the difficult problems to a lack of ability, and consequently they enjoyed working on the problems less and gave up on them sooner.

Children praised for the effort, on the other hand, performed roughly 25% better on the final set of problems compared to the first. They blamed their difficulty on not having tried hard enough, persisted longer on the final set of problems, and enjoyed the experience more.

Violin Shoulder Rests

2011-11-20T16:34:00.000-05:00

Here is a look at the most popular shoulder rests for string instruments:

The KUN is one of the most popular; and good quality.

The Bonmusica is more expensive but some people like the fact that you can bend the shoulder rest a bit.

Everest is less expensive, and is a best-seller at Amazon:

Humor: Check this video out...

2011-11-05T11:00:00.000-04:00

"The best medicine is laughter..." It's always good to have a sense of humor!

Check this out...

Tom Mabe: Eavesdropping
Tags: Tom Mabe: Eavesdropping, CMT

Halloween Traditions and Origins

2011-10-31T08:52:00.000-04:00

Think about the traditions associated with Halloween -- trick or treating, dressing in costume, bobbing for apples ...

Have you ever wondered where did that come from?

Wonder no more. Here's the history on some of Halloween's customs:

* Centuries ago, Halloween was a two-day celebration. Ancient Celtics marked Oct. 31 as Samhain (sow-win), signaling the end of harvest time, and then the start of a new year on Nov. 1.

* At night, people put food on the doorstep outside to appease evil spirits who might otherwise play a trick on them or try to come inside.

* Because it was believed that ghosts came back to earth on Halloween, people would wear masks and costumes when they left their homes so the ghosts would mistake them for fellow spirits.

* Once upon a time "witch" meant "wise one." People thought that witches told fortunes and flew out of chimneys on broomsticks.

* Ancient Romans bobbed for apples, believing that the first person to catch an apple with his or her teeth would be the first to marry in the new year.

* In the Middle Ages people believed that witches avoided detection by turning themselves into cats.

* In ancient Ireland, people carved faces in turnips and potatoes and beets -- not pumpkins.

* People used to carve turnips into lanterns to remember the souls held in purgatory.

* In the early 1800s, American carved pumpkins to celebrate the harvest. It was not until decades later that pumpkin carving became part of Halloween festivities.

* Trick or treating dates back to the Middle Ages, when rich people gave poor people "soul cakes" (baked goods) if they promised to pray for the giver's dead family members.

* The origin of jack-o-lanterns is linked to Irish folklore in which a notorious drunkard and trickster named Jack tricked Satan into climbing a tree. Jack then carved an image of a cross in the tree trunk, trapping the devil in the tree. They made a deal: Jack would let him down if the devil promised to never tempt him again. When Jack died he was denied entrance into heaven because of his evil ways, and the devil denied him entrance to hell because of the trick he played, forcing him to forever roam in the frigid darkness. According to the folk tale, the devil gave Jack a single ember to light his way, and the ember was placed in a hollowed-out turnip to keep it glowing longer.

TV Ratings: What's Hot & What's Not?

2011-10-21T12:07:00.000-04:00

Some shows have already been cancelled. Here's a look at the top 25 shows for the week ending October 16, 2011. This includes ratings for the all-important 18-49 age range.

Good info from:

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/10/18/tv-ratings-broadcast-top-25-sunday-night-football-two-and-a-half-men-modern-family-ncis-top-week-4-viewing/107571/

Rank	Shows	R=Repeat S=Special P=Premiere	Net	18-49 Rating	18-49 Viewers (000)
1	NBC Sunday Night Football		NBC	6.6	8,379
2	Two and a Half Men		CBS	5.9	7,537
3	Modern Family		ABC	5.9	7,481
4	SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK		NBC	5.3	6,840
5	OT, THE		FOX	5.0	6,423
6	Big Bang Theory, THE		CBS	4.6	5,890
7	2 Broke Girls		CBS	4.3	5,514
8	NCIS		CBS	4.0	5,108
9	How I Met Your Mother		CBS	4.0	5,071
10	MIKE & Molly		CBS	3.9	5,006
11	FOOTBALL NT AMERICA PT 3		NBC	3.9	4,989
12	Criminal Minds		CBS	3.8	4,828
13	Big Bang Theory, THE:SP(S)	SR	CBS	3.7	4,779
14	X-FACTOR-THU		FOX	3.7	4,755
15	Last Man Standing	P	ABC	3.6	4,607
16	GREY'S ANATOMY		ABC	3.6	4,578
17	X-FACTOR-SUN SP-10/16(S)	S	FOX	3.4	4,306
18	NCIS: LOS ANGELES		CBS	3.3	4,200
19	OFFICE		NBC	3.3	4,163
20	DANCING W/STARS RESULTS		ABC	3.3	4,161
21	SURVIVOR: SOUTH PACIFIC		CBS	3.2	4,155
22	Happy Endings		ABC	3.2	4,050
23	Suburgatory		ABC	3.1	3,972
24	Dancing with the Stars		ABC	3.0	3,825
25	MIDDLE, THE		ABC	2.9	3,652

Nature Landscapes: Awesome Timelapse Video

2011-10-13T08:13:00.000-04:00

Awesome. Enough said!

Landscapes: Volume Two from Dustin Farrell on Vimeo.

Home Remedy: Cold Sores

2011-10-11T09:00:00.001-04:00

It is autumn and "back-to-school" time for students. This means more germs, colds -- and sometimes cold sores. In fact, many people feel that cold sores are a function of sickness and a lowered immune system. Some people swear by over-the-counter medication (see below) -- and others feel that the home remedies below work better:

Salt water: swish salt water around the area of the cold sore (or use a cotton swab/Q-Tip if the cold sore is on your lip).
Hydrogen peroxide: For the sensitive skin/membranes use a cotton swab or Q-Tip. Dab the cold sore with a cotton swab or Q-Tip soaked with hydrogen peroxide. For the sensitive skin/membranes of the mouth, some people water down the hydrogen peroxide with an equal part of water. Rinse immediately afterwards (because the hydrogen peroxide is harsh for the mouth).
Remember to keep the cold sore as dry as possible.

Avoid citrus, which can irritate the cold sore. If particularly painful, you can use Anbesol. And, remember to get rest and drink lots of fluids to help your immune system recover.

10 Things we know about Cancer (that we didn't 10 yrs ago)

2011-09-30T11:47:00.001-04:00

Here is an interesting article about cancer:

"...humans may have lived with cancer for millennia but, until recently, we knew next to nothing about it. Now, it seems the every day brings promising new research on cancer’s causes, its weaknesses and ways to thwart it.

Some developments, such as vaccines for cervical cancer, are now established; others, such as experimental therapies using viruses, are still very much experimental. We also know now that restraint in diagnosing and treating cancer is better than aggressive therapies that carry harmful side effects.

We compiled a list of cancer breakthroughs and new directions that have happened in recent years (though some of them obviously have roots in earlier decades)."

Please click here to see the list:

http://www.txchnologist.com/2011/10-things-we-know-about-cancer-that-we-didn%E2%80%99t-know-10-years-ago

Fall Allergy Season...

2011-09-27T09:12:00.000-04:00

The fall allergy season has been pretty bad for allergy sufferers -- and even some who normally are not bothered by allergies:

allergists said a hot, dry summer and a strong hurricane season could bring out bad allergy symptoms this Fall.

Experts say people who have never suffered before, could be affected this year

"It is the time of year from August to November when these people tend to come in with exacerbations of their symptoms," said Lombardi.

If this is your first allergy season suffering, you might want to try an over the counter medication like Allegraor Zyrtec. If your symptoms persist for more than two weeks it's time to see a doctor.

A physician can prescribe something stronger and if your itchy eyes, sore throat and head aches don't ease up, allergy shots are an option.

Terra Nova premieres Monday, 9/26/11

2011-09-25T13:27:00.000-04:00

Terra Nova looks like a good new show. It starts Monday, September 26, 2011 on Fox (8pm ET/7pm CT):

Terra Nova is an American science fiction drama television series that is scheduled to air on Fox on Monday nights. It is scheduled to begin on September 26, 2011, starting with a two-hour premiere.^[3]

Here is a VERY short excerpt -- to avoid too much of a spoiler:

The show begins in the year 2149, a time when all life on planet Earth is threatened with extinction (suggested in trailers to be due to dwindling worldwide air quality and overpopulation). In an effort to save the human race....

If you want to read more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_Nova_(TV_series)

http://www.fox.com/terranova/

Vibration Alarm Watch

2011-09-25T13:10:00.001-04:00

We got this vibration alarm watch for our child -- to avoid disrupting the class when she needs to attend a special class.

Some other choices include (a Timex and another Casio):

Fall TV Season Premier Dates - 2011

2011-09-14T15:01:00.000-04:00

Get your DVRs ready -- the new fall TV Season is about to start. Below is the regular schedule -- along with premier dates for this season's shows. (Thanks to EW.com for putting together this chart.)

Read more here:
http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/08/19/fall-2011-12-tv-schedule-dates/

MONDAY
Time	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30
CBS	How I Met Your Mother (9/19)	2 Broke Girls (9/19)	Two and a Half Men (9/19)	Mike & Molly (9/26)	Hawaii Five-O (9/19)
NBC	The Sing-Off (9/19)				The Playboy Club (9/19)
FOX	Terra Nova (9/26)		House (10/3)
ABC	Dancing with the Stars (9/19)				Castle (9/19)
CW	Gossip Girl (9/26)		Hart of Dixie (9/26)
TUESDAY
Time	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30
CBS	NCIS (9/20)		NCIS: Los Angeles (9/20)		Unforgettable (9/20)
NBC	The Biggest Loser (9/20)				Parenthood (9/13)
FOX	Glee (9/20)		New Girl (9/20)	Raising Hope (9/20)
ABC	Last Man Standing (10/11)	Man Up! (10/18)	Dancing with the Stars (9/20)		Body of Proof (9/20)
CW	90210 (9/13)		Ringer (9/13)
WEDNESDAY
Time	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30
CBS	Survivor: South Pacific (9/14)		Criminal Minds (9/21)		CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (9/21)
NBC	Up All Night (9/14)	Free Agents (9/14)	Harry’s Law (9/21)		Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (9/21)
FOX	The X-Factor (9/21)			I Hate My Teenage Daughter (11/23)
ABC	The Middle (9/21)	Suburgatory (9/28)	Modern Family (9/21)	Happy Endings (9/28)	Revenge (9/21)
CW	H8R (9/14)		America’s Next Top Model (9/14)
THURSDAY
Time	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30
CBS	The Big Bang Theory (9/22)	How to Be a Gentleman (9/29)	Person of Interest (9/22)		The Mentalist (9/22)
NBC	Community (9/22)	Parks and Recreation (9/22)	The Office (9/22)	Whitney (9/22)	Prime Suspect (9/22)
FOX	The X-Factor results show (11/3)		Bones (11/3)
ABC	Charlies Angels (9/22)		Grey’s Anatomy (9/22)		Private Practice (9/29)
CW	The Vampire Diaries (9/15)		The Secret Circle (9/15)
FRIDAY
Time	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30
CBS	A Gifted Man (9/23)		CSI: NY (9/23)		Blue Bloods (9/23)
NBC	Chuck (10/21)		Grimm (10/21)		Dateline (9/23)
FOX	Kitchen Nightmares (9/23)		Fringe (9/23)
ABC	Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (9/25)		Shark Tank (TBA)		20/20 (9/16)
CW	Nikita (9/23)		Supernatural (9/23)
SATURDAY
Time	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30
CBS	Rules of Engagement (9/24)	Comedytime Saturday	Crimetime Saturday		48 Hours Mystery (9/24)
NBC	Encore Programming
FOX	Cops (9/10)		Encore Programming
ABC	Saturday Night Football (9/3)
SUNDAY
Time	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30
CBS	60 Minutes (9/25)/ The Amazing Race (9/25)		The Good Wife (9/25)		CSI: Miami (9/25)
NBC	Football Night in America (9/11)		NBC Sunday Night Football (9/11)
FOX	The Simpsons (9/25)	Allen Gregory (10/30)	Family Guy (9/25)	American Dad (9/25)
ABC	America’s Funniest Home Videos (10/2)/ Once Upon a Time (10/23)		Desperate Housewives (9/25)

DWTS -- Season 13 Pairings

2011-09-12T12:49:00.000-04:00

The Stars for the 13th Season of Dancing with the Stars have been announced. Season 13 premieres on Monday, September 19th at 8pm (Eastern).

Pairings, "leaked" early from Hollywood Reporter are listed here:

David Arquette will partner with two-time winner Kym Johnson, who was crowned last season's champion when she was paired up with Pittsburgh Steelers player Hines Ward.PHOTOS: 'Dancing With the Stars' Season 13 Cast

George Clooney's ex-girlfriend and actress Elisabetta Canalis will be paired up with Valentin Chmerkovskiy,DWTS pro Maksim's brother.

Baskeball player Ron Artest will be tangoing with Peta Murgatroyd, who makes her DWTS debut as a pro this upcoming season.
PHOTOS: Inside Kardashian Inc.

Chaz Bono will be paired with Lacey Schwimmer, who competed on So You Think You Can Dance. The new season marks her fifth year as a pro.

Reality star Kristin Cavallari and Mark Ballas will partner up, while Nancy Grace will team wth new DWTS proTristan McManus.

The youngest Kardashian sibling, Robert, will be partnered with Cheryl Burke, who has won twice.

Former Queer Eye for the Straight Guy Carson Kressleywill dance with Anna Trebunskaya, who returns for her eighth year.

Ricki Lake will be partnered with Derek Hough, while J.R. Martinez and Karina Smirnoff will team up.

Hope Solo and Maksim Chmerkovskiy will partner, while Chynna Phillips and Tony Dovolani will vie for the top prize.

Read more here:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/dancing-stars-pairings-revealed-season-229796

Below are some DWTS links for avid fans of the show. We'll be back with recap of other popular shows and their kickoff dates.

http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/dancing-with-the-stars
http://www.facebook.com/dancingwiththestars

Hurricane info

2011-08-27T10:20:00.003-04:00

One of our contributing blogs posted links with hurricane info. We thought we would add a few links:

http://www.intellicast.com/Local/Observation.aspx?location=USNY0996 (Past Weather Observations)

http://gis.nyc.gov/oem/he/index.htm (NYC Evacuation Zone -- enter your address)

http://abcnews.go.com/US/hurricanes/page?id=14381208 (NYC Hurricane Evacuation map)

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/27/live-blog-irenes-heavy-rains-strong-winds-lash-n-c-coast/ CNN live blog

From z-techie blog:
http://z-techie.blogspot.com/2011/08/tracking-hurricanes.html

With Hurricane Irene bearing down on the east coast of the US, here are some links we are keeping an eye on -- to track the predicted path of the hurricane.
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at4.shtml?5day?large#contents

http://www.esri.com/services/disaster-response/hurricanes/latest-news-map.html

http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/

Mohu Leaf - HDTV Indoor Antenna (Works!)

2011-08-23T07:25:00.001-04:00

After seeing rave reviews about this product, we thought we would give it a whirl -- and it works!! Good reception for digital HDTV broadcasts (not needed if you have cable TV -- but great if you want to receive air wave broadcasts).

As an aside, I have used the TERK HD antenna with good results as well -- along with basic RCA-types -- but if you are unsure of your reception, the MOHU seems to have good technology and good results (LOL: even if it looks like just a laminated piece of black/white paper, there is "good stuff" inside...) And made in the USA...