Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Lengha

The lengha (lehnga) is one of South Asia's favourite garments, worn frequently at weddings and other formal occasions. It is a long skirt worn either with a choli or a longer kurti top (tunic). Lengha skirts come in many varieties which are described below:
Gaghara - A full flared skirt, usually with a broad fitted belt around the waist (as worn by this model).
Garara - A divided skirt, similar to culottes or flared bell-bottoms.
Sharara - This is similar to the gaghara, but it is cut in an A-line pattern and the flare usually begins at the knees.

Monday, October 20, 2008

What about vegetarian diets?

Some Americans eat vegetarian diets for reasons of culture, belief, or health. Most vegetarians eat milk products and eggs, and as a group, these lacto-ovo-vegetarians enjoy excellent health. Vegetarian diets are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and can meet Recommended Dietary Allowances for nutrients. You can get enough protein from a vegetarian diet as long as the variety and amounts of foods consumed are adequate. Meat, fish, and poultry are major contributors of iron, zinc, and B vitamins in most American diets, and vegetarians should pay special attention to these nutrients.

Vegans eat only food of plant origin. Because animal products are the only food sources of vitamin B12, vegans must supplement their diets with a source of this vitamin. In addition, vegan diets, particularly those of children, require care to ensure adequacy of vitamin D and calcium, which most Americans obtain from milk products.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Crude Oil

The petroleum industry often characterizes crude oils according to their geographical source, e.g., Alaska North Slope Crude. Oils from different geographical areas have unique properties; they can vary in consistency from a light volatile fluid to a semi-solid. Classification of crude oil types by geographical source is generally not a useful classification scheme for response personnel because they offer little information about general toxicity, physical state, and changes that occur with time and weathering. These characteristics are primary considerations in oil spill response. The classification scheme provided below is more useful in a response scenario.