thoughtsJune 21, 2008 7:34 am
facts 7:21 am
The world’s best places to live 2008
New York, London and Paris are internationally renowned cities but consultants at Mercer Consulting have picked Zurich, Switzerland, as the best place to live in the company’s annual survey.
Consultants rated each city on a variety of factors including the level of traffic congestion, air quality and personal safety reported by expatriates living in more than 600 cities worldwide. In the top 25, U.S. cities such as San Francisco, Boston and Chicago were all edged out by Geneva, Switzerland, Vancouver, Canada, and Auckland, New Zealand. The highest-scoring U.S. city is Honolulu, which came in at No. 28.
Still, Mercer acknowledges that cities with a high quality of life are not necessarily the most exciting. "There are a lot of ’sleepy’ towns that got high ratings," said Rebecca Powers, a principal consultant in human capital for the company. "But if you were to judge them on something like nightlife, there are some that probably wouldn’t have rated as high."
Satisfy Your Appetite 1:22 am
Pasta Salad with Shrimp and Snow Peas
Ingredients:
| 1/2 pound(s) | (medium) pasta shells |
| 3/4 pound(s) | (medium) shrimp, shelled and deveined |
| 1/4 pound(s) | snow peas, trimmed |
| 2 tablespoon(s) | olive oil |
| 2 tablespoon(s) | fresh lime juice |
| 1 clove(s) | (small) garlic, crushed through a press |
| 3/4 teaspoon(s) | chili powder |
| 1 | jalapeño, seeded and minced |
| 1 teaspoon(s) | (grated) lime zest |
| 3/4 teaspoon(s) | salt |
| 3 tablespoon(s) | (minced) red onion |
| 1/3 cup(s) | (chopped) roasted red pepper |
| 1/3 cup(s) | frozen corn, thawed |
Directions
1.Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, about 14 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water until cool. Drain again.
2.In same pot bring 1 inch of water to a boil. Add shrimp and cook until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Stir in snow peas; drain and rinse with cold water until cool. Drain well. Pat dry with paper towels.
3.In a large bowl, combine oil, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, jalapeño, lime zest, and salt. Whisk until blended. Add pasta, shrimp and snow peas, red onion, roasted pepper, and corn. Toss until combined. Serve room temperature or cold.
facts 1:05 am
Flat Behind
The key to going from flat to flattering is finding a pair of jeans with some Lycra or spandex for lift, wide-set back pockets to break up the turf back there, and embellished stitching to define roundness. Most important, stay away from stiff denim — it will flatten your backside like a pancake!
Bubble Behind
Women with the coveted "bubble behind" have a not-so-coveted challenge: to find jeans that fit their derriere but don’t gape at the waist. Jeans with a high waist and/or a contoured seam above the back pockets (instead of dipping, it should crest upward toward the waist) are most likely to hold in your curves. Also, choose a pair with some stretch for a sag-free fit.
No Behind
The trick to creating a backside where there really isn’t one is to wear jeans with eye-catching posterior details, like flap or button pockets and multicolored designer stitching, which help give the illusion of a little junk in the trunk.
Triangle Behind
A triangle behind (widest where your hips meet the thighs) is in need of some balance. The ideal pair of jeans is one made of a heavyweight denim with only a little stretch, to help round out the bottom of your derriere. Also, strategically placed pockets — ones that are on a diagonal or set high toward the waist — keep eyes focused on the center of your butt and not on your outer thighs to achieve balance.
Wide Behind
Rule No. 1 for making a wide posterior look great: Avoid wide-leg jeans, which cling to your widest point and nowhere else. Straight-leg or boot-cut shapes — with closely set pockets that draw eyes to the center — are better because they don’t use too much fabric. Instead, they skim your curves, highlighting your best assets.
Low Behind
Ladies with low rear ends need a little lift. Look for slim-fit jeans — they give the illusion of a higher rear because they make legs look longer and sleeker. But avoid jeans with no back pockets — without distracting details, the jeans will make your posterior look lower (and bigger!) than it actually is.
