From the desk of Miss Know All: Read the fine print - carefully!

(Published on 21 November 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

The world out there is a nasty place. There are numerous wolves that you will come across as you plod along life’s way. Some, whom you will face head on – while others, who will in their camouflaged garb, take you by surprise. It’s not just about black and white. There are many greys that you will encounter. As a customer one has to be on the guard for there are often agreements in fine print that go unnoticed right under our noses.

Fine print refers to the practice of including necessary terms and conditions, legal stipulations, warnings and disclaimers in small writing on commercial or contractual documents and products. It is usually included at the bottom of a document or product, in a smaller font size with the hope that it goes undetected. Whether it is for opening a bank account or signing a loan agreement, or applying for a credit card or insurance, the customer is always eager to finish the documentation process quickly rather than understand the terms and conditions he has agreed to. Service providers use jargon in contractual small print to conceal terms disadvantageous to the customer, or to obscure legal rights and obligations.

As a customer, you should have an eye for fine print. Ask the service provider to give you all the details and run you through the contract. Taking a loan is not just about interest rates. More than often what is not mentioned is that pre-closing of a personal loan can cost you a penalty. A ‘free for life’ credit card offer from card issuers sounds attractive. But what is not disclosed is that most of these cards don’t allow you to earn reward points against your spend. This can be a disadvantage because these days there are a wide range of redemption options. Some countries require by law that certain information be included on advertisements or packaging. Advertisers and manufacturers include this information in fine print in order to meet the requirements but with the intention that it draws minimum attention.

It is not ethical to bury significant and crucial information within the fine print of an agreement and to rely upon the fact that most people will never read or comprehend its meaning. As if this is not enough lately there's even mouse print. Mouse print is now a common term in the marketing world and refers to legal terms being printed so small that it can only be read by someone the size of a mouse. One wonders how companies get away with it.

Knowledge is power! Awareness is more power! Before making any large purchase or commitment of any nature one should do research and read up what’s available in the market, and compare the alternatives. Then make the best choice to suit your needs. If you do your homework well you will know what exactly you have signed up for. In his album ‘Small Change’, Tom Waits said - "The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away." How very true.

Don’t forget Miss Know All, dahlings – always your well wisher. No hidden agendas here.

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

To chop, dice or slice? Cookery terms for the clueless!

(Published on 14 November 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Although the art of cooking seems a daunting task at first, it’s not as challenging as it seems once you are armed with a little bit of know how and loads of confidence. As per Dr Bryan Miller: “the qualities of an exceptional cook are akin to those of a successful tightrope walker: an abiding passion for the task, courage to go out on a limb and an impeccable sense of balance.”

The great world cuisines came into being when people in diverse environments and geographic locations experimented with limited food resources and technologies over long periods of time. Today, you can prepare foods using different methods that have already been tried and tested, with a variety of equipment, ingredients and seasonings.

However, having said that, are you still clueless in the kitchen? Confidence in the kitchen begins with getting a grip on the various terms used to describe cooking methods. My experiment with this art started at the very bottom rung. I did not even butter my bread as I considered that cooking. It took me ages to fathom out the difference between a saucepan and a frying pan! As recipe terms such as simmer and sauté had me in a pickle, and I could not for the life of me know when to chop, or dice or slice – I created my own little book of common kitchen catchwords:

Al dente: An Italian term that refers to the desired texture of cooked pasta. It literally means "to the tooth". When the pasta is cooked al dente, there should be a slight resistance in the centre when the pasta is eaten. It should be cooked until tender but still firm to the bite.

Baste: To spoon liquid over a food while cooking to prevent it from drying out. The liquid is usually meat drippings, melted butter, or any other liquid such as a sauce. Basting flavours the meat and keeps it moist.

Beat: To make a mixture smooth or to introduce air by using a brisk, regular revolving motion that lifts the mixture over and over.

Blanch: To plunge foods into boiling water for a few seconds or a few minutes, then remove and place in ice water. This process sets the colour of vegetables and lets you easily slip the skins off.

Blend: To combine two or more ingredients so that the constituent parts are indistinguishable from one another.

Braise: To cook meat or vegetables by browning in fat, then simmering in a small quantity of liquid in a covered container.

Bread (as a verb): To roll or coat with bread crumbs.

Broil: To cook by exposing to direct heat.

Brown: To brown a meat means to cook until brown.

Chop: To cut into small pieces with sharp knife.

Coat the spoon: To cook until mixture sticks to the metal stirring spoon in a thin layer.

Cube (as a verb): To cut into small squares of more or less equal size.

De-bone (as a verb): To remove bones from meat, poultry or fish.

Dice: To cut into small cubes.

Dot: To scatter small pieces of butter or other fat over food before cooking.

Dredge: To coat or cover by sprinkling lightly with flour, sugar, etc.

Dust: To sprinkle food lightly with a dry ingredient, such as a seasoning.

Fold: To combine by cutting vertically through the mixture and turning over and over. It is usually accomplished with a spatula. The aim is to mix without losing the air.

Garnish: To embellish or decorate prepared food or drink to add contrasting flavour.

Glaze: A glaze is a coating of a glossy, often sweet, mixture applied to food. Egg whites and icing are both used for this purpose.

Grate: To cut food into very fine particles by rubbing on a grater.

Grease: To coat lightly with fat or butter to avoid sticking.

Grind: To cut food into tiny particles by pushing through a food grinder, or by crushing with a mortar and pestle.

Julienne: Julienne is a fancy word for a simple cut. Julienne means to cut something into long strips.

Knead: To repeatedly fold, turn and press down on dough with the hands until it becomes smooth and elastic.

Marinate: To let foods stand and soak in a liquid mixture, usually of vinegar, wine or oil with various spices and herbs.

Mince: To cut or chop into very small pieces.

Parboil: To cook partially by boiling briefly.

Pan-fry: To cook in a small amount of fat in a pan.

Poach: To cook in water or other liquid that is just below the boiling point.

Roast: To cook by dry heat in oven.

Sauté: To cook briskly in a small amount of fat.

Scald: Scald means to heat a liquid, usually a dairy product, just short of boiling.

Sear: To brown surfaces quickly over high heat, usually with a hot instrument.

Shred: To cut into fine pieces with a knife or sharp instrument.

Sift: To put dry ingredients through a sieve, to either incorporate them, or to remove large pieces.

Simmer: To cook in liquid at a low temperature.

Skim: To remove the fat or scum that rises to the surface of a liquid such as milk, soup or sauce.

Slice: To cut completely through an object. Think of slicing cheese, or bread. Same principle goes for veggies, meat and fruit.

Sliver: To slice into long, thin strips.

Steam (as a verb): To cook covered over a small amount of boiling liquid so the steam formed does the cooking.

Steep: Let stand in hot liquid to extract flavour, as in tea, or to hydrate dried vegetables or fruits.

Stew: To cook slowly in liquid.

Stir: To mix foods with a circular motion for the purpose of blending or obtaining uniform consistency.

Thin: To dilute by adding liquid.

Toss: To throw lightly or fling repeatedly about to mix (as in a salad) so as to cover with dressing.

Whisk: To blend ingredients smooth, or to incorporate air into a mixture, similar to whipping.

And as one ventures into this exciting arena, remember what Barbara Costikyan has to say – “In the childhood memories of every good cook, there's a large kitchen, a warm stove, a simmering pot and a mom.”

From the desk of Miss Know All: Dangers of a long flight - deep vein thrombosis!

(Published on 14 November 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Awareness is critical to prepare oneself for all eventualities. Little did Panna Marfatia know when she boarded the British Airways flight BA-139 from London to Mumbai on 4th November 2006 that she would not step out of the plane alive. Panna complained of uneasiness on board and was given medical treatment by the in-flight staff. However, Panna collapsed and was declared dead by the Sahar Airport doctor after the flight landed. The post-mortem stated cardiac arrest as the cause of death but it was suspected that she had suffered deep vein thrombosis.

What is deep vein thrombosis? Why does it happen? How can it be prevented? These are just few of the questions that come to one’s mind. Long flights result in passengers sitting in a sedentary, cramped position for a long duration of time. As a consequence blood flow slows down and there is poor blood circulation. The constricted blood circulation often leads to swelling of the feet. In extreme cases a blood clot develops in a deep vein, usually in the lower leg. Unlike small clots that can be broken down by the body as time passes by, larger clots block blood flow in the vein. This is called deep vein thrombosis. Symptoms of deep vein thrombosis are swelling in the legs and pain in the calves.

People who are either over the age of forty, or those who suffer from diabetes or hypertension, pregnant women and women on contraceptive pills are more prone to get deep vein thrombosis and fall into the high-risk group. Other risk factors include obesity and recent surgery. As long-haul flights bring about prolonged immobility, it is advised that travellers are made aware of what deep vein thrombosis is all about and how they can avoid it. While heart patients, senior citizens and pregnant women are advised to visit their doctors and take professional advice before a flight - the following is recommended for all long distant passengers:

4On a long flight it is advised that you stretch your legs and perform leg exercises while seated. Most airline magazines diagrammatically explain how these exercises can be done.

4Every couple of hours, briefly walk up and down the aisle to enable blood circulation and to prevent cramps.

4Drink juices and water to keep hydrated.

4Avoid alcohol and caffeine drinks as they lead to dehydration which causes thickening of blood.

4Push back your seat so as to assume as much a horizontal position as possible to assist circulation of blood.

Having said that – I’d like to emphasise that good health is something one has to work towards. As quoted by Wayne Fields in ‘What the River Knows’:

“The best six doctors anywhere
And no one can deny it
Are sunshine, water, rest, and air
Exercise and diet.
These six will gladly you attend
If only you are willing
Your mind they'll ease
Your will they'll mend
And charge you not a shilling.”

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

From the desk of Miss Know All: Suffering from whitlow?

(Published on 7 November 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Remember those ‘Tell me why’ series of encyclopaedias in the school library dahlings? Well I’m planning to come out with my own series. The ‘Tell me why Miss Know All’ series of books that are destined to be a sell out before they even go into print. The questions people ask me… I can’t help but find myself showing off – my knowledge that is.

Waiting for my turn at the beauty parlour for a facial (a meek and feeble attempt to slow down the aging process) – I found myself chatting with another client… young and pretty, may I add. While I’d give her an A++ for grooming – I noticed she suffered with a bad case of whitlow. Every opportunity to impart knowledge is seized… and here I was sitting amongst a group of hoity-toity make-up laden ladies telling them what to do when struck with this ailment.

A whitlow is an infection that occurs at the side or the base of a finger nail or a toe nail. The medical name for this is paronychia. This nail disease is a bacterial or fungal infection where the nail and skin meet at the side or the base of the nail. Patients suffer with characteristic vesicular lesions. Fluid within the vesicles is usually clear. It can also be chronic and people are known to have a tendency of getting it regularly. The cuticle, which is the skin at the base of the nail acts as a protective covering. If the cuticle is damaged then bacteria are able to enter the skin and cause infection. The skin becomes inflamed, red, and throbs continuously. Despite the small area affected these infections can be extremely painful.

Whitlows are very common amongst people who because of the nature of their work, have to repeatedly wash their hands. Excess water softens the cuticle and soaps or detergents remove the protective skin oils. This leaves the skin dry and more prone to split. Any damage to the cuticle allows infection to enter. Biting or picking at the cuticle or even damage through over enthusiastic manicuring can be the cause. Whitlow can be caused by either bacterial infection or a fungal one. When the infection comes on quickly it's usually caused by bacteria. This needs treatment with antibiotics. Usually a cream would suffice but in severe cases tablets would have to be taken. If the infection persists then a fungal infection is often the cause. An anti-fungal cream is the solution.

When someone is prone to whitlows it's advisable for them to use rubber gloves when washing things. It is also important to moisturise the skin well after drying your hands. Discourage over enthusiastic manicurists from digging around the cuticle when manicuring your nails.

‘Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.’ – Confucius
Real knowledge is to also accept that a Miss Know All has done her homework well and knows what she is talking about.

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com