Both Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and its close relative Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) are commonly used in many soaps, shampoos, detergents, toothpastes and other products that we expect to "foam up". Both chemicals are very effective foaming agents, chemically known as surfactants.

SLS and SLES are esters of Sulphuric acid - SLS is also known as "Sulfuric acid monododecyl ester sodium salt", however there are over 150 different names by which it is known. In fact, SLES is commonly contaminated with dioxane, a known carcinogen.

Although SLES is somewhat less irritating than Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, it cannot be metabolised by the liver and its effects are therefore much longer-lasting.

A report published in the Journal of The American College of Toxicology in 1983 showed that concentrations as low as 0.5% could cause irritation and concentrations of 10-30% caused skin corrosion and severe irritation. National Institutes of Health "Household Products Directory" of chemical ingredients lists over 80 products that contain sodium lauryl sulfate. Some soaps have concentrations of up to 30%, which the ACT report called "highly irritating and dangerous".

Shampoos are among the most frequently reported products to the FDA. Reports include eye irritation, scalp irritation, tangled hair, swelling of the hands, face and arms and split and fuzzy hair. The main cause of these problems is sodium lauryl sulfate.

Possible health effects Here

So why is a dangerous chemical like this used in our soaps and shampoos?

The answer is simple - it is cheap. The sodium lauryl sulfate found in our soaps is exactly the same as you would find in a car wash or even a garage, where it is used to degrease car engines.

In the same way as it dissolves the grease on car engines, sodium lauryl sulfate also dissolves the oils on your skin, which can cause a drying effect. It is also well documented that it denatures skin proteins, which causes not only irritation, but also allows environmental contaminants easier access to the lower, sensitive layers of the skin.

Perhaps most worryingly, SLS is also absorbed into the body from skin application. Once it has been absorbed, one of the main effects of sodium lauryl sulfate is to mimic the activity of the hormone Oestrogen. This has many health implications and may be responsible for a variety of health problems from PMS and Menopausal symptoms to dropping male fertility and increasing female cancers such as breast cancer, where oestrogen levels are known to be involved.

Products commonly found to contains Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or SLES

Soaps
Shampoos
Bubble-baths
Tooth paste
Washing-up liquid / dish soap
Laundry detergent
Childrens soaps / shampoos
Stain Remover
Carpet Cleaner
Fabric glue
Body wash
Shave cream
Mascara
Mouthwash
Skin cleanser
Moisture lotion / Moisturiser
Sun Cream

Do not believe that just because a product is labeled as "natural" it is free from SLS or SLES. Most common brands of "Natural" or "Herbal" shampoos and cleansers still use these harmful chemicals as their main active ingredient - check your labels!

The full page here!
More info here!

EARLY HISTORY OF CHOCOLATE

The earliest record of chocolate was over fifteen hundred years ago in the Central American rain forests, where the tropical mix of high rain fall combined with high year round temperatures and humidity provide the ideal climate for cultivation of the plant from which chocolate is derived, the Cacao Tree. 

The Cacao Tree was worshipped by the Mayan civilisation of Central America and Southern Mexico, who believed it to be of divine origin, Cacao is actually a Mayan word meaning "God Food" hence the tree's modern generic Latin name 'Theobrama Cacao' meaning 'Food of the Gods'. Cacao was corrupted into the more familiar 'Cocoa' by the early  European explorers. The Maya brewed a spicy, bitter sweet drink by roasting and pounding the seeds of the Cacao tree (cocoa beans) with maize and Capsicum (Chilli) peppers and letting the mixture ferment. This drink was reserved for use in ceremonies as well as for drinking by the wealthy and religious elite, they also ate a Cacao porridge. 

The Aztecs of central Mexico also prized the beans, but because the Aztec's lived further north in more arid regions at higher altitudes, where the climate was not suitable for cultivation of the tree, they had to acquire the beans through trade and/or the spoils of war. The Aztecs prized the beans so highly they used them as currency - 100 beans bought a Turkey or a slave - and tribute or Taxes were paid in cocoa beans to Aztec emperors. The Aztecs, like the Mayans, also enjoyed Cacao as a beverage fermented from the raw beans, which again featured prominently in ritual and as a luxury available only to the very wealthy. The Aztecs called this drink Xocolatl, the Spanish conquistadors found this almost impossible to pronounce and so corrupted it to the easier 'Chocolat', the English further changed this to Chocolate.

The Aztec's regarded chocolate as an aphrodisiac and their Emperor, Montezuma reputedly drank it fifty times a day from a golden goblet and is quoted as saying of Xocolatl: "The divine drink, which builds up resistance and fights fatigue. A cup of this precious drink permits a man to walk for a whole day without food" 

In fact, the Aztec's prized Xocolatl well above Gold and Silver so much so, that when Montezuma was defeated by Cortez in 1519 and the victorious 'conquistadors' searched his palace for the Aztec treasury expecting to find Gold & Silver, all they found were huge quantities of cocoa beans. The Aztec Treasury consisted, not of precious metals, but Cocoa Beans.

CHOCOLATE IN EUROPE

Xocolatl! or Chocolat or Chocolate as it became known, was brought to Europe by Cortez, by this time the conquistadors had learned to make the drink more palatable to European tastes by mixing the ground roasted beans with sugar and vanilla (a practice still continued today), thus offsetting the spicy bitterness of the brew the Aztec's drank.

The first chocolate factories opened in Spain, where the dried fermented beans brought back from the new world by the Spanish treasure fleets were roasted and ground, and by the early 17th century chocolate powder - from which the European version of the drink was made - was being exported to other parts of Europe. The Spanish kept the source of the drink - the beans - a secret for many years, so successfully in fact, that when English buccaneers boarded what they thought was a Spanish 'Treasure Galleon' in 1579, only to find it loaded with what appeared to be 'dried sheep's droppings', they burned the whole ship in frustration. If only they had known, chocolate was so expensive at that time, that it was worth it's weight in Silver (if not Gold), Chocolate was Treasure Indeed!

Within a few years, the Cocoa beverage made from the powder produced in Spain had become popular throughout Europe, in the Spanish Netherlands, Italy, France, Germany and - in about 1520 - it arrived in England.

The first Chocolate House in England opened in London in 1657 followed rapidly by many others. Like the already well established coffee houses, they were used as clubs where the wealthy and business community met to smoke a clay pipe of tobacco, conduct business and socialise over a cup of chocolate.

BACK TO THE AMERICA'S

Event's went full circle when English colonists carried chocolate (and coffee) with them to England's colonies in North America. Destined to become the United States of America and Canada, they are now the worlds largest consumers - by far - of both Chocolate and Coffee, consuming over half of the words total production of chocolate alone.

CHOCOLATE AS WE KNOW IT

The first mention of chocolate being eaten in solid form is when bakers in England began adding cocoa powder to cakes in the mid 1600's. Then in 1828 a Dutch chemist, Johannes Van Houten, invented a method of extracting the bitter tasting fat or "cocoa butter" from the roasted ground beans, his aim was to make the drink smoother and more palatable, however he unknowingly paved the way for solid chocolate as we know it.

Chocolate as we know it today first appeared in 1847 when Fry & Sons of Bristol, England - mixed Sugar with Cocoa Powder and Cocoa Butter (made by the Van Houten process) to produce the first solid chocolate bar then, in 1875 a Swiss manufacturer, Daniel Peters, found a way to combine (some would say improve, some would say ruin) cocoa powder and cocoa butter with sugar and dried milk powder to produce the first milk chocolate.

Check out the timeline here!

More stuffs from the source.

The other day someone told me that there's something called "butter mushroom". Being the professed mushroom lover that I am, I simply denied its existence because I've never heard of it.
But of course, I went back and asked mr. google.

1. Wild mushrooms

A variety of mushrooms that are not cultivated commercially, but are gathered in the wild such as morel and chanterelle varieties. Care must be taken when harvesting wild mushrooms because there are many poisonous varieties that have the same appearance as edible mushrooms.

2. Blue legged mushrooms

Also referred to as the Field Blewit or at times confused with the Wood Blewit, this variety of mushroom is readily identified by the blue to purplish-blue streaked coloring of its stem. Topped with a smooth, light tan or light brownish colored cap that ranges in size from 2 to 5 inches in diameter, the Blue Leg mushroom emits a pleasant aroma from its dense white flesh, which begins to darken when it ages. As a wild mushroom, this species may be referred to as the Blewitt, while the Blue Leg or Bluefoot (a.k.a. Blue Foot, Bluey, and Bluebutton) name is used to describe the larger, cultivated version of the mushroom.

3. Button mushrooms

(We all know this!) A small, white mushroom with a mild taste, which is one of the most commonly used mushrooms in salads, soups, and main dishes.

4. Chanterelle mushrooms:

A funnel shaped mushroom that is tapered at the base. The cap of the mushroom usually measures up to six inches across, has a depressed center and a curly edge. When fresh, it has a bright yellow color, which fades to a paler yellow after it is harvested later in autumn and as it ages. A chanterelle mushroom has a mild somewhat fruity flavor and a subtle scent of apricots. Chanterelles grow in many areas of North America, but are most numerous on the West Coast. Large quantities are exported to Europe where they are very popular for serving in soups, stews, sauces, egg dishes, or with poultry and pork. The dried chanterelle is not as flavorful as the fresh variety. This mushroom is also known as a Golden Trumpet or Pfifferling mushroom.

5. Cremini mushrooms

A variety of mushroom that is similar in size and shape to a button mushroom, but has a brown skin and a creamy tan flesh. The flavor is much more pronounced than button mushrooms. Also known as crimini.

6. Cup mushrooms

A white mushroom with a mild flavor that is very much like a button mushroom only larger. They are grown commercially and are easy to find in supermarkets.

7. Enoki mushrooms

A mushroom commonly found growing on tree trunks or tree roots. It grows in long clusters of string-like stems with small white caps. It has a mild flavor and a texture that is somewhat crunchy. It is a good addition to salads, soups, meat dishes, and as a garnish. The spongy base should be removed before using. Also known as the "snow puff" and "velvet foot" mushroom.

8. Lobster mushroom

Orange in color, the name for this variety of mushroom is derived from its coloring that is similar to a lobster with the burnt orange outside and white inner meat. Firm and chewy in texture, this mushroom provides a somewhat salty, delicate flavor. Often referred to as a parasite, the Lobster mushroom lives off the nutrients provided to other fungi as its host, most often living off Russula or Lactarius mushrooms. Although the Lobster mushroom most often does not live off poisonous varieties as hosts, it may do so at times, depending on the area in which it grows. Therefore, care should be taken to make sure surrounding mushrooms that are host to the Lobster mushroom are not of the poisonous variety. As it grows, an irregular shaped cap forms above the stem, developing into many different shapes with many different sizes.

9. Morel mushrooms

A wild edible mushroom whose cone-shape cap has a honeycombed appearance. The cap ranges from two to four inches tall and the mushrooms stem is hollow. The different varieties of morels vary in color from light yellow to dark brown. The darker the mushroom's color is, the stronger its flavor becomes. They have a nut-like taste with a crisp, chewy texture that makes it a good choice for light cream sauces, pastas and egg dishes. The morel can be found growing singly or in groups near hardwoods, old apple orchards, and near dead elm trees, but its most popular habitat is in burned areas. It is one of the first mushrooms to appear in the spring, even before all the snow has disappeared. They should never been eaten raw because this may cause acute gastrointestinal illness. Morels are sold fresh, which are available seasonally, and dried, which are available throughout the year. They are also known as sponge mushrooms and yellow morel mushrooms.

10. Osyter mushroom

An Asian fan-shaped mushroom that is white, light gray, light gray with a bluish tinge, pale yellow or pinkish in color. It has a slight odor similar to anise or licorice and a tender texture with a mild oyster-like flavor. They can be stir-fried, deep-fat fried, braised or sautéed. They are good in casseroles, or cooked with fish or chicken. Oyster mushrooms are available throughout the year in Asian markets and specialty produce stores. Also known as Pleurotte mushrooms and Shellfish mushrooms.

11. Porcini mushrooms

A rich meaty flavored mushroom that has a large, round cap that is pale yellowish brown to dark reddish brown in color and grows 2 to 8 inches in width. They grow on the ground under conifers and hardwood trees in the North American woods. The cap and stem have a firm, thick, white flesh with a distinctive and assertive flavor and is excellent used in soups, sauces, stuffing, fish and other dishes. They are available fresh, frozen and dried and can be broiled, sautéed, stewed or baked. When dried, the porcini mushroom is available throughout the year but when fresh, they are only available June to November. Also known as cepes and stone mushrooms.

12. Portobello mushroom

A rich flavored, meaty textured Italian mushroom, which has a large, flat, dark brown caps that grow up to 5 inches in diameter. Delicious when grilled, broiled, or sautéed. These are available from December to March. This mushroom may also be referred to as a Portobella mushroom or as a Bella or Baby Bella mushroom.

13. Puffball mushroom

A round, white or grayish-tan colored mushroom that grows or "puffs up" into the shape of a round ball. Growing without a stem or gills, the Giant Puffball may be somewhat small in size reaching 4 to 6 ounces or grow to a size of 20 to 40 pounds exceeding 2 to 3 feet in diameter. Slightly nutty flavored, the Puffball has a bright white inner meat with a dense and firm texture that should not tear when cut cleanly with a knife. If the flesh is discolored (yellowed or brown), does not cut cleanly or contains evidence of excessive moisture, avoid using the Puffball. Before eating, always cut open the Puffball to make sure it contains only a consistently dense flesh without features such as gills, a stem or a cap beginning to form. Since small varieties of Puffball mushrooms can be confused for other poisonous varieties such as "Amanitas" or "Amanitaceae" when they are very young it is always important to cut open the mushroom to check for gills. The Small Puffball contains no gills, but on the outside closely resembles the Amanita. As the Puffball mushrooms mature and dry their color changes from white to yellow and then brown on the outside with a powdery collection of dark brown spores on the inside.

14. Shiitake mushroom

(We all know this too!) An Asian mushroom with a pale brown to dark reddish brown cap that is generally two to four inches wide. The young mushrooms have an edge rolled inward, which nearly flattens out with age. The stems are tough and fibrous and are generally detached and discarded. The cap has creamy white gills on its underside and its flesh is firm and white. The mushroom grows in clusters on hardwood, such as oak, chestnut and beech. The flesh is meaty textured with a rich, smoky flavor and goes well with all foods. The shiitake can be sautéed, baked or broiled and can be used in soups, casseroles, sauces, in stuffing for poultry or fish and eaten on their own. Shiitake mushrooms are available fresh and dried. Shiitake mushrooms are also known as Japanese black mushrooms.

15. Wood Ear mushroom

A type of mushroom that resembles a large ear when it is fresh and grows as large as half a foot. The surface of the mushroom is purplish-gray in color and the flesh is a dark purplish gray to almost black in color. It has very little flavor, but is used mainly for its firm, gelatinous texture and for the color. With a firm, almost rubbery texture, it may be best to slice it into small bits in order to make it more easily chewed and digested. The mushroom is available both fresh and dried. The Wood Ear mushroom is also known as a Judas' Ear and Tree Ear mushroom.

16. Yellow leg mushroom

A common mushroom that grows in large groups in wooded areas and damp places. They are characterized by dark brown caps that measure up to two inches across and brownish-yellow stems. The underside of the cap features narrow veins rather than gills. Yellow leg mushrooms have a pleasant aroma but are very bitter if eaten raw. They are best when added to dishes that are slow cooked which makes them tender and much more flavorful. They will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to a week and they are very easy to dry.

There's no butter mushrooms. ha!

More at this source: click here!

The recycling symbol on plastic items is used by the plastic industry for promotional reasons. The number identifies the molecule shape - it is the code of what type of plastic it's made of. It does not mean the item can be recycled, only that it's made of a certain kind of plastic.

There are hundreds of different types and molds of plastics. Limited markets for recycling these plastics mean that we can recycle only a few.

What does each number mean?

#1 - Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE) or (PET). Also nicknamed Polyester.
Properties: Clear, tough, and has good gas and moisture barrier properties. Commonly used in soft drink bottles and many injection molded consumer product containers.
Used for: soft drink and water bottles, beer bottles, mouthwash bottles, peanut butter and salad dressing containers, ovenable film, ovenable pre-prepared food trays.
Recycled into: Polar fleece clothing, fiber, tote bags, bottles, clothing, furniture, carpet.

#2 - High Density Polyethylene (HDPE).
Properties: Unpigmented bottles are translucent, have good barrier properties and stiffness, and are well suited to packaging products with a short shelf life.
Used for: milk, water and juice containers, trash and retail bags, liquid detergent bottles, yogurt and margarine tubs, cereal box liners.
Recycled into: liquid laundry detergent containers, drainage pipe, oil bottles, recycling bins, benches, pens, doghouses, vitamin bottles, floor tile, picnic tables, lumber, mailbox posts, fencing.

#3 - Vinyl (Polyvinyl Chloride or PVC)
Properties: Versatility, clarity, ease of blending, strength, toughness, resistance to grease, oil and chemicals.
Used for: Clear food packaging, shampoo bottles, medical tubing, wire and cable insulation. There has been increasing concern over the potential toxicity of PVC, watch the media for developments.
Recycled into: Packaging, loose-leafbinders, decking, paneling, gutters, mud flaps, film and sheet, floor tiles and mats, mobile home skirting, garden hose, cassette trays. 

#4 - Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
Properties: Used predominately in film applications due to its toughness, flexibility and relative transparency, making it popular for use in applications where heat sealing is necessary. LDPE is also used to manufacture some flexible lids and bottles and it is used in wire and cable applications.
Used for: Bread bags, frozen food bags, squeezable bottles (e.g. honey, mustard).
Recycled into: Shipping envelopes, garbage can liners, floor tiles, furnitures, trash cans, lumber, compost bins. 

#5 - Polypropylene (PP)
Properties: Has good chemical resistance, is strong, and has a high melting point making it good for hot-fill liquids. PP is found in flexible and rigid packaging to fibers and large molded parts for automotive and consumer products.
Used for: Ketchup bottles, yogurt containers and margarine tubs, medicine bottles.
Recycled into: Automobile battery cases, signal lights, brooms and brushes, ice scrapers, oil funnels, bicycle racks, trays. 

#6 - Polystyrene (PS)
Properties: A versatile plastic that can be rigid or foamed. General purpose polysterene is clear, hard, and bittle. It has a relatively how melting point.
Used for: Compact disc jackets, food service applications, grocery store meat trays, egg cartons, aspirin bottles, cups, plates.
Recycled into: Thermometers, light switch plates, thermal insulation, egg cartons, desk trays, rulers, cups, utensils. 

#7 - Other: Use of this code indicates that the package in question is made with a resin other than the six listed above, or is made of more than one resin used in combination.
Used for: Three and five gallon reusable water bottles, some citrus juice and ketchup bottles.

From a more reliable source: click here!

If it's #2, it's recyclable, right?
Not always. The symbol #2 means that the item is made of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). There are two types of HDPE used frequently for food packaging. One type can be used to blow-mold containers like milk jugs and detergent bottles. The other type can be used for injection-mold containers like yogurt and margarine tubs. The blow-mold type has very long chains of HDPE and can be recycled through markets that are close by. The injection-mold type has short chains of the plastic and currently cannot feasibly be recycled in our area.

How do I tell the difference?
If the container has a neck--that is, the opening is smaller than its base--it is recyclable. This category includes milk jugs, detergent bottles, and peanut butter jars. If the container is more of a tub, it's not recyclable. This category includes yogurt and margarine tubs.

More organic chemical-ish explanation can be found at: Recycling symbols

If you read enough, you would have noticed a EAN mark at the backpage of most books, alongside with the barcode.
Here are a few definitions I compiled:

EAN is an acronym for European Article Number.

European Article Numbering System, the international standard bar code for retail food packages.

European Article numbering, now also called IAN (International Article Numbering); the international standard bar code for retail food packages corresponding to the Universal Product Code (UPC) in the United States. UPC is a subset of IAN. If a reader is equipped to read EAN, UPC can also be decoded, but a reader equipped to read UPC may be unable to decode EAN.

EAN is a voluntary, non-profit standards development association active in numbering, bar coding, and EDI messages for products, services, utilities, and transport units and locations. The EAN system is fully compatible with the Universal Product Code (UPC).

European Article Number: The international standard for coding retail goods.

European Article Number: A European / International version of UPC that is used primarily in retail applications. In this symbology, the elements are defined in metric units (see also Barcode Symbologies).

(noun) The international bar code standard that is used in the retail market place. In the United States and Canada, the UPC code is the accepted standard.

Abbreviation for EAN International: Also used to refer to the bar code symbology used for marking of consumer products in accordance with this body's specifications. Go to the Uniform Code Council web site for more information.

—European Article Number—International product marking bar-code standard; most scanning devices capable of reading UPC codes can interpret EAN.

European Article Numbering (EAN) is the European equivalent of a UPS number.

The European Article Number Organization. EAN is the equivalent of the UCC outside of North America. EAN works in cooperation with the UCC administrators and the UCC/EAN system. The UCC/EAN system consists of product and serialized identification codes, Application Identifiers and associated symbologies.

Read more here!

While we're at it...

Bar codes (also called Universal Product Codes or UPC's) are small, coded labels that contain information about the item they are attached to; the information is contained in a numerical code, usually containing 12 digits.
UPC's are easily scanned by laser beams. UPC's are used on many things, including most items for sale in stores, library books, inventory items, many packages and pieces of luggage being shipped, railroad cars, etc.
The UPC may contain coded information about the item, its manufacturer, place of origin, destination, the owner, or other data.
The first "bullseye code" was invented by Norman Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver, from work which they began in 1948. On October 20, 1949, they patented their bullseye code (a series of concentric circles that were scannable from all directions, using regular light). Woodland and Silver patented a new UPC in October 1952; the UPC was also improved and adapted by David J. Collins in the late 1950's (to track railroad cars). UPC's were first used in grocery stores in the early 1970's.

Ever wondered what does the roundish CE symbol on practically every item sold mean?

Yeah. that.
This is what I found from howstuffworks:

The European Union (consisting of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, SwedenUnited Kingdom) has set up rules for selling certain types of products within the EU. For example, there are rules for medical devices, machines with moving parts, electronic devices, etc. If you want to sell a product in one of these categories anywhere in the European Union, your product must meet the standards set by the rules. If your product meets the standards, it can bear a CE marking and be sold in the EU. and the

CE stands for Conformité Européenne, which is French for "European Conformity." A product in one of the controlled product categories cannot legally be sold in the EU unless it has passed the tests to receive the CE marking.

For a company trying to sell a product, getting a CE marking makes things much easier because it means you can sell the product anywhere in the EU. In the United States, electronic device manufacturers need to meet the same sort of requirements to get FCC approval.

This holidays I have vowed to fully equip myself with the neccessary knowledge I need to survive in the cruel world out there.
My original plan is to create a scrap book, like a project book I had since I attended some dolphin development camp in form 1, or maybe to compile it all in Microsoft Word and print it out. Then I thought: how cool would that be if I had my own website and post whatever knowledge I compiled from the net?
Then it hit me: Why not just create a new blog? It can save all the hassle of creating and designing my own web page, I can post whatever I like, since most of it would consist of words anyway.
The few things I will be researching about are:
- The top 100 tallest buildings in the world
- The 50 richest men in the world and how they acquired their wealth
- Famous U.S. presidents, what they were famous for, and how they died
- Countries of the world: their capitals, currency, and flags
- The map of USA
- Characteristics of all horoscopes
- Prominent mythology characters and their absurd stories
etc. etc. etc.
(Won't be citing properly though, hopefully nobody sues me for plagiarism >.<)
From now on, I can keep track of my newfound knowledge and constantly update them =)