If you want to lose weight and look like the women on the Red Carpet, try these tasty appetizers from the Carb Lovers Diet Cookbook.
This tasty pizza boasts a whole wheat crust and is topped with fresh tomato and basil, mozzarella, and chicken sausage. Serve small wedges as appetizers or larger pieces for a dinner main dish.
We took this traditionally high-fat appetizer and gave it a makeover using reduced-fat sour cream, a reduced amount of cheese, and smaller potatoes to keep these bites portion-controlled.
This hearty layered bean dip is always a bit hit at parties, but is also high in fiber and low in fat.
These mini cornmeal muffins are flavored with feta cheese and corn kernels and great for snacking or serving with soup or chili.
Potato chips are no longer forbidden when you’re trying to lose weight. These crisp and tasty chips are made from thin slices of russet potato that are tossed in a small amount of oil and baked.
Zesty and bold, this richly textured pepper spread is fabulous for parties, and also helps jazz up sandwiches and wraps.
Make individual pizzas by topping whole wheat pita rounds with arugula, olives, roasted peppers and feta cheese.
This prosciutto-and-cheese-topped pizza on a whole wheat crust is a great choice for either a party appetizer or a main dish. Cut into 16 slices for appetizer servings.
The editors at Health who brought you the The CarbLovers Diet offer a cookbook with a collection of easy, carb-loaded recipes that will help you get and stay slim without ever feeling hungry.
Dealing with outside plumbing can be a challenge, especially if you have a large area to maintain. Outdoor plumbing systems can include everything from faucets to drains, septic tanks, sewer lines and more. It’s important to keep a vigilant eye on your outdoor plumbing maintenance because inclement weather can cause damage to your system without your knowledge. Check out the following outdoor plumbing tips to help you keep your system in tip-top shape.
Check all faucets and hose bibs to make sure water flows freely. If an outdoor faucet is barely dripping or if there is leakage the first time the hose is turned on, a pipe may have cracked and needs to be repaired.
It’s important to winterize outdoor faucets and pipes to prevent them from freezing. Frozen pipes can expand and crack.
If the water pressure on your outdoor faucet is inconsistent (e.g., fine one day and not great the next), there could be debris blocking the opening. There are several potential culprits, including the washer, the spigot, the inside valve, the aerator, or the inside of the faucet spout.
Check for birds’ nests that may have been built in plumbing vent pipes, like the ones from the dryer to the outside.
A twice-a-year application of Roto-Rooter® Root Destroyer can retard the growth of roots in your drain line. Simply pour the recommended dosage into your toilet bowl and flush the product into the line.
For those who don’t feel confident in diagnosing and fixing a clogged drain – or those who simply don’t have time! – call Roto-Rooter’s drain cleaning service at 800-438-7686 or contact us online.
Septic tanks should be inspected and pumped every three to five years to help prevent costly replacement of the filter field. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, replacing or repairing a malfunctioning system can cost $3,000-$7,000!
Add Roto-Rooter® Septic & Cesspool Treatment to your septic system every four to six months to maintain a healthy, free-flowing system.
Maintain a detailed record of all septic system maintenance visits, as well as repairs, permits, pumpings and inspections. Also keep a sketch of your septic system’s location and any other pertinent information with your file.
Our 80-plus years of national experience, combined with our local knowledge and understanding of the Dallas market, give us the resources and know-how to provide you with 24/7 emergency plumbing, sewer and drain services with iron-clad guarantees that the work will be done right. We are committed to keeping Dallas healthy by providing all of your water service needs. Call on the original Roto-Rooter today.
Researchers demonstrating the ability of aluminum to repel oil underwater. Courtesy of the researchers
Metal-air batteries are one of the lightest and most compact types of batteries available, but they can have a major limitation: When not in use, they degrade quickly, as corrosion eats away at their metal electrodes. Now, MIT researchers have found a way to substantially reduce that corrosion, making it possible for such batteries to have much longer shelf lives.
While typical rechargeable lithium-ion batteries only lose about 5 percent of their charge after a month of storage, they are too costly, bulky, or heavy for many applications. Primary (nonrechargeable) aluminum-air batteries are much less expensive and more compact and lightweight, but they can lose 80 percent of their charge a month.
The MIT design overcomes the problem of corrosion in aluminum-air batteries by introducing an oil barrier between the aluminum electrode and the electrolyte - the fluid between the two battery electrodes that eats away at the aluminum when the battery is on standby. The oil is rapidly pumped away and replaced with electrolyte as soon as the battery is used. As a result, the energy loss is cut to just 0.02 percent a month - more than a thousandfold improvement.
The findings are reported today in the journal Science by former MIT graduate student Brandon J. Hopkins ’18, W.M. Keck Professor of Energy Yang Shao-Horn, and professor of mechanical engineering Douglas P. Hart.
While several other methods have been used to extend the shelf life of metal-air batteries (which can use other metals such as sodium, lithium, magnesium, zinc, or iron), these methods can sacrifice performance Hopkins says. Most of the other approaches involve replacing the electrolyte with a different, less corrosive chemical formulation, but these alternatives drastically reduce the battery power.
Other methods involve pumping the liquid electrolyte out during storage and back in before use. These methods still enable significant corrosion and can clog plumbing systems in the battery pack. Because aluminum is hydrophilic (water-attracting) even after electrolyte is drained out of the pack, the remaining electrolyte will cling to the aluminum electrode surfaces. "The batteries have complex structures, so there are many corners for electrolyte to get caught in," which results in continued corrosion, Hopkins explains.
To demonstrate the ability of aluminum to repel oil underwater, the researchers plunged this sample of aluminum into a beaker containing a layer of oil floating on water. When the sample enters the water layer, all the oil that clung to the surface on the way down quickly falls away, showing its property of underwater oleophobicity. Courtesy of the researchers.
A key to the new system is a thin membrane placed between the battery electrodes. When the battery is in use, both sides of the membrane are filled with a liquid electrolyte, but when the battery is put on standby, oil is pumped into the side closest to the aluminum electrode, which protects the aluminum surface from the electrolyte on the other side of the membrane.
The new battery system also takes advantage of a property of aluminum called "underwater oleophobicity" - that is, when aluminum is immersed in water, it repels oil from its surface. As a result, when the battery is reactivated and electrolyte is pumped back in, the electrolyte easily displaces the oil from the aluminum surface, which restores the power capabilities of the battery. Ironically, the MIT method of corrosion suppression exploits the same property of aluminum that promotes corrosion in conventional systems.
The result is an aluminum-air prototype with a much longer shelf life than that of conventional aluminum-air batteries. The researchers showed that when the battery was repeatedly used and then put on standby for one to two days, the MIT design lasted 24 days, while the conventional design lasted for only three. Even when oil and a pumping system are included in scaled-up primary aluminum-air battery packs, they are still five times lighter and twice as compact as rechargeable lithium-ion battery packs for electric vehicles, the researchers report.
Hart explains that aluminum, besides being very inexpensive, is one of the "highest chemical energy-density storage materials we know of" - that is, it is able to store and deliver more energy per pound than almost anything else, with only bromines, which are expensive and hazardous, being comparable. He says many experts think aluminum-air batteries may be the only viable replacement for lithium-ion batteries and for gasoline in cars.
Aluminum-air batteries have been used as range extenders for electric vehicles to supplement built-in rechargeable batteries, to add many extra miles of driving when the built-in battery runs out. They are also sometimes used as power sources in remote locations or for some underwater vehicles. But while such batteries can be stored for long periods as long as they are unused, as soon as they are turned on for the first time, they start to degrade rapidly.
Such applications could greatly benefit from this new system, Hart explains, because with the existing versions, "you can’t really shut it off. You can flush it and delay the process, but you can’t really shut it off." However, if the new system were used, for example, as a range extender in a car, "you could use it and then pull into your driveway and park it for a month, and then come back and still expect it to have a usable battery. ... I really think this is a game-changer in terms of the use of these batteries."
With the greater shelf life that could be afforded by this new system, the use of aluminum-air batteries could "extend beyond current niche applications," says Hopkins. The team has already filed for patents on the process.
"The technique introduced here is eloquent in that it uses fundamental surface physics to estimate required oil and membrane properties, and the results demonstrate predicted performance," says Robert Savinell, a professor of engineering at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio, who was not involved in this research. "This work may indeed mitigate the need for costly high-purity metals and alloys for primary metal-air batteries, and might reduce the complexities of electrolyte additives."
Savinell adds, "The ability to efficiently extract usable energy from high energy-density aluminum-air batteries, especially under intermittent use conditions, will facilitate the development and improvement of technologies requiring very high energy-densities for extended operation."
This is the first of what will be many weekly articles on the San Francisco Automotive Solutions Blog. We want to utilize our blog to share useful information with our customers, so that you can make the right decisions when it comes to your automobile.
San Francisco Automotive Solutions (formerly All American Automotive) was opened in 1991 by owner, Patrick Banta. Yes, we are in the process of changing names to better represent our local connections, so don't be confused as we make the transition. After all, for the past 25 years, we've been proud to serve the San Francisco and Bay Area communities including, Soma, Mission, Financial District, Castro, Potrero Hill, Dog Patch, Marina, Cow Hollow, Pacific Heights, Russian Hill, North Beach and the Historic Waterfront District. This city is our home and there's nothing we love more than serving our neighbors with the best in automotive service and repairs.
If you have car trouble, we can fix it and get you back on the road safely. We handle everything from bumper to bumper, so you'll always feel comfortable knowing that your car is in the best of hands. Our mechanics, diagnosticians and automotive service experts will handle every repair you can imagine. If your check engine light comes on, bring it in and we'll take care of it. If you ever need any of the following automotive repairs, we've got you covered: electrical components, air bags, engine performance, diagnostics, transmission repair, air conditioning, smog inspection, wiring, steering, ignition, battery issues, suspension, alternators, timing belts, tires, brakes, clutch, shocks and struts. And that's just a partial list of repair services we offer!
San Francisco Automotive Solutions is also a hybrid engine specialist. If you have a modern, eco-friendly vehicle, you can't just take it to any repair shop. You need an expert who understands how these unique and sensitive hybrid systems work. That's why you'll want to bring your hybrid to our shop for service and repairs. We also specialize in high-end sports cars and luxury vehicles that require a more discerning touch.
Most auto shops will provide only a short-term warranty on repairs performed (if any at all). At San Francisco Automotive Solutions, you can rest assured that most repairs we perform are backed by an incredible 3 Year, 36,000 Mile Warranty.
On our weekly blog, you will learn more about the automotive repair services we offer at San Francisco Automotive Solutions and you will get to know our exceptional team of mechanics, diagnosticians and customer service professionals. We'll share stories about our customers and keep you up-to-date with everything happening at our state-of-the-art 4,000 square foot repair center. We want to show you what we're all about, so you'll remember to consider San Francisco Automotive Solutions any time you have car trouble or want to perform preventative maintenance on your vehicle.
If you have any questions or want to schedule a service visit, contact us online today or give us a call at (415) 957-1170. Be sure to check back every week for more blog posts and follow us on our social media pages.