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By Jay Williams Valentine's Day is a traditionally romantic day on which lovers express their desire for one another by giving one another chocolates, flowers, cards - generally anything meaningful. Lovers from all around the world celebrate Valentine's Day, Dïa del Amor y la Amistad, Valentinsdag, Dia dos Namorados, giri-choko, which all translates to a lot of chocolate and a lot of love. The day is closely associated with love, cupid, roses and the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines." Originally it was a religious celebration, but today it's more of a marketing exercise, not unlike Easter, when people spend big bucks on showing their affection - sometimes to the whole world! A century ago, hand written love notes and some flowers would suffice, enough to charm the object of your desire, or your "valentine". But handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards, and in some cases newspaper mess...

Hazardous Chemicals in Cosmetics and Personal Care Productd Some of the ingredients in cosmetics and personal care products are chemicals that may be hazardous to your health. Take a look at some of the ingredients to watch for and the health concerns raised by these chemicals. Antibacterials (e.g., Triclosan) are found in many products, such as hand soaps, deodorants, toothpastes and body washes. Health Hazards: Some antibacterial agents are absorbed through the skin. Triclosan has been shown to be secreted in breast milk. These chemicals may be toxic or carcinogenic. One study has found antibacterials may interfere with the functioning of testosterone in cells. Antibacterials can kill the 'good' protective bacteria as well as pathogens, actually increasing susceptibility to infection. The products may increase the rate of development of resistant strains of bacteria. butyl acetate Butyl acetate is found in nail strengtheners and nail polishes. Health Hazar...

February 9th is the birthday of the United States Weather Bureau. Professor Lapham of Milwaukee was instrumental in raising awareness for a need for the government to pay attention to weather. He frequently forwarded clippings of newspaper articles outlining the deaths of sailors due to severe Great Lake storms. Congress passed the legislation and President Ulysses S. Grant established the Bureau in 1870. The official name for this agency was "The Division of Telegrams and Reports for the Benefit of Commerce". The agency granted the Secretary of War to maintain meteorological observations and data and to warn citizens of approaching storms. The task was assigned to the War Department because it was believed military discipline would allow the "greatest promptness, regularity, and accuracy" needed to maintain the service. Every day, personnel from the Signal Service Corps would report weather information to Washington DC. The Weather Bureau would evolve over tim...

If you've ever poured hydrogen peroxide solution onto a cut and didn't experience the expected fizz, it's likely your bottle of hydrogen peroxide has become a bottle of plain water. The 3% hydrogen peroxide solution you can buy for use as a disinfectant typically has a shelf life of at least a year if the bottle is unopened, but only lasts 30-45 days once the seal has been broken. As soon as you expose the peroxide solution to air, it starts to react to form water. Also, if you contaminate the bottle (e.g., by dipping a swab or finger into the bottle), you can expect the effectiveness of the remaining liquid to be compromised. So, if you have a bottle of hydrogen peroxide that has been sitting in your medicine cabinet for a few years, it would be a good idea to replace it. If you've opened the bottle at any point, its activity is long-gone. If you feel like testing the solution. Solvay Chemicals describes a test you can perform to assess the remaining activity.