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Topic Overview
What is acne?
Acne, or acne vulgaris, is a skin problem that starts when oil and dead skin cells clog up your pores. Some people call it blackheads, blemishes, whiteheads, pimples, or zits. When you have just a few red spots, or pimples, you have a mild form of acne. Severe acne can mean hundreds of pimples that can cover the face, neck, chest, and back. Or it can be bigger, solid, red lumps that are painful (cysts).
Acne is very common among teens. It usually gets better after the teen years. Some women who never had acne growing up will have it as an adult, often right before their menstrual periods.
How you feel about your acne may not be related to how bad it is. Some people who have severe acne are not bothered by it. Others are embarrassed or upset even though they have only a few pimples.
The good news is that there are many good treatments that can help you get acne under control.
What causes acne?
Acne starts when oil and dead skin cells clog the skin's pores. If germs get into the pores, the result can be swelling, redness, and pus.
For most people, acne starts during the teen years. This is because hormone changes make the skin oilier after puberty starts.
Using oil-based skin products or cosmetics can make acne worse. Use skin products that don't clog your pores. They will say "noncomedogenic" on the label.
Acne can run in families. If one of your parents had severe acne, you are more likely to have it.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of acne include whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples. These can occur on the face, neck, shoulders, back, or chest. Pimples that are large and deep are called cystic lesions. These can be painful if they get infected. They also can scar the skin.
How is acne treated?
To help control acne, keep your skin clean. Avoid skin products that clog your pores. Look for products that say "noncomedogenic" on the label. Wash your skin once or twice a day with a gentle soap or acne wash. Try not to scrub or pick at your pimples. This can make them worse and can cause scars.
If you have just a few pimples to treat, you can get an acne cream without a prescription. Look for one that has adapalene, benzoyl peroxide, or salicylic acid. These work best when used just the way the label says.
It can take time to get acne under control. But if you haven't had good results with nonprescription products after trying them for 3 months, see your doctor. A prescription gel or skin cream may be all you need. If you are a woman, taking certain birth control pills may help.
If you have acne cysts, your doctor may suggest a stronger medicine, such as isotretinoin. This medicine works very well for some kinds of acne.
What can be done about acne scars?
There are many skin treatments, such as laser resurfacing or dermabrasion, that can help acne scars look better and feel smoother. Ask your doctor about them. The best treatment for you depends on how severe the scarring is. Your doctor may refer you to a plastic surgeon.
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There are different types of acne. The most common acne is the type that develops during the teen years. Puberty causes hormone levels to rise, especially testosterone. These changing hormones cause skin glands to start making more oil (sebum). Oil releases from the pores to protect the skin and keep it moist. Acne begins when oil mixes with dead cells and clogs the skin's pores. Bacteria can grow in this mixture. And if this mixture leaks into nearby tissues, it causes swelling, redness, and pus. A common name for these raised bumps is pimples.
Certain medicines, such as corticosteroids or lithium, can cause acne to develop. Talk to your doctor about any medicines you are taking.
It isn't just teens who are affected by acne. Sometimes newborns have acne because their mothers pass hormones to them just before delivery. Acne can also appear when the stress of birth causes the baby's body to release hormones on its own. Young children and older adults also may get acne.
A few conditions of the endocrine system, such as polycystic ovary syndrome and Cushing's syndrome, can lead to outbreaks of acne.
Acne develops most often on the face, neck, chest, shoulders, or back and can range from mild to severe. It can last for a few months, many years, or come and go your entire life.
Mild acne usually causes only whiteheads and blackheads. At times, these may develop into an infection in the skin pore (pimple).
Severe acne can produce hundreds of pimples that cover large areas of skin. Cystic lesions are pimples that are large and deep. These lesions are often painful and can leave scars on your skin.
Acne can lead to low self-esteem and sometimes depression. These conditions need treatment along with the acne.
What Happens
Acne develops most often in the teen and young adult years. During this time, both males and females usually produce more testosterone than at any other time in life. This hormone causes oil glands to produce more oil (sebum). The extra oil can clog pores and cause acne. Bacteria can grow in this mixture. And if the mixture leaks into nearby tissues, it causes swelling, redness, and pus (pimples).
Acne usually gets better in the adult years when your body produces less testosterone. Still, some women have premenstrual acne flare-ups well into adulthood.
What Increases Your Risk
The tendency to develop acne runs in families. You are more likely to develop severe acne if your parents had severe acne.
The risk of developing acne is highest during the teen and young adult years. These are the years when hormones such as testosterone are increasing. Women who are at the age of menstruation also are more likely to develop acne. Many women have acne flare-ups in the days just before their menstrual periods.
Acne can be irritated or made worse by:
- Wearing straps or other tight-fitting items that rub against the skin (such as a football player wearing shoulder pads), as well as using equipment that rubs against the body (such as a violin held between the cheek and shoulder). Helmets, bra straps, headbands, and turtleneck sweaters also may cause acne to get worse.
- Using skin and hair care products that contain irritating substances.
- Washing the face too often or scrubbing the face too hard. Using harsh soaps or very hot water can also cause acne to get worse.
- Experiencing a lot of stress.
- Touching the face a lot.
- Sweating a lot.
- Having hair hanging in the face, which can cause the skin to be oilier.
- Taking certain medicines, such as corticosteroids, some barbiturates, or lithium.
- Working with oils and harsh chemicals on a regular basis.
Athletes or bodybuilders who take anabolic steroids are also at risk for getting acne.footnote 1
When should you call your doctor?
Call a doctor if:
- You are concerned about your or your child's acne.
- Your acne gets worse or does not improve after 3 months with home treatment.
- You develop scars or marks after acne heals.
- Your pimples become large and hard or filled with fluid.
- You start to have other physical symptoms, such as facial hair growth in women.
- Your acne began when you started a new medicine prescribed by a doctor.
- You have been exposed to chemicals, oils, or other substances that cause your skin to break out.
You may want to seek medical assistance sooner if there is a strong family history of acne, you are emotionally affected by acne, or you developed acne at an early age.
Watchful waiting
Watchful waiting is a wait-and-see approach. If you get better on your own, you won't need treatment. If you get worse, you and your doctor will decide what to do next.
Mild acne, with a few pimples that clear up on their own, may not need any treatment. But if you are worried about how much you are breaking out, see your doctor. Getting medical treatment early may prevent acne from getting worse or from causing scars.
If you have severe acne, if your acne does not clear up with home treatment, or if you develop acne scars, call your doctor.
Who to see
The following health professionals can diagnose and treat acne:
Exams and Tests
When you see a doctor about acne, you'll have a physical exam, and your doctor will ask about your medical history. Women may be asked questions about their menstrual cycles. This information can help your doctor find out if hormones are playing a role in acne flare-ups. Most often, you won't have any special tests to diagnose acne.
You may need other tests if your doctor suspects that acne is a symptom of another medical problem (such as higher-than-normal amounts of testosterone in a woman).
Treatment Overview
Acne treatment depends on whether you have a mild, moderate, or severe type of acne. Sometimes your doctor will combine treatments to get the best results and to avoid developing drug-resistant bacteria. Treatment could include lotions or gels you put on blemishes or sometimes entire areas of skin, such as the chest or back (topical medicines). You might also take medicines by mouth (oral medicines).
Mild acne
Treatment for mild acne (whiteheads, blackheads, or pimples) may include:
- Gentle cleansing with warm water and a mild soap, such as Dove or Cetaphil.
- Applying a topical retinoid (such as adapalene gel, or Differin).
- Applying benzoyl peroxide (such as Brevoxyl or Triaz).
- Applying salicylic acid (such as Propa pH or Stridex).
If these treatments do not work, you may want to see your doctor. Your doctor can give you a prescription for stronger lotions or creams. You may try an antibiotic lotion. Or you may try a lotion with medicine that helps to unplug your pores.
Moderate to severe acne
Sometimes acne needs treatment with stronger medicines or a combination of therapies. Deeper blemishes, such as nodules and cysts, are more likely to leave scars. As a result, your doctor may give you oral antibiotics sooner to start the healing process. This kind of acne may need a combination of several therapies. Treatment for moderate to severe acne may include:
- Applying benzoyl peroxide.
- Draining of large pimples and cysts by a doctor.
- Applying prescription antibiotic gels, creams, or lotions.
- Applying prescription retinoids.
- Applying azelaic acid.
- Taking prescription oral antibiotics.
- Taking prescription oral retinoids (such as isotretinoin).
Treatment for acne scars
There are many procedures to remove acne scars, such as laser resurfacing, chemical peels, and dermal fillers. Some scars shrink and fade with time. But if your scars bother you, talk to your doctor. He or she may refer you to a dermatologist or a plastic surgeon.
What to think about
Most treatments for acne take time. It often takes 6 to 8 weeks for acne to improve after you start treatment. Some treatments may cause acne to get worse before it gets better.
If your acne still hasn't improved after several tries with other treatment, your doctor may recommend that you take an oral retinoid, such as isotretinoin. Doctors prescribe this medicine as a last resort, because it has some rare but serious side effects and it is expensive.
Certain low-dose birth control pills may help control acne in women who tend to have flare-ups before menstruation.
Although you can't prevent acne, there are steps you can take at home to keep acne from getting worse.
- Gently wash and care for your skin every day. Avoid scrubbing too hard or washing too often.
- Avoid heavy sweating if you think it causes your acne to get worse. Wash soon after activities that cause you to sweat.
- Wash your hair often if your hair is oily. Try to keep your hair off of your face.
- Avoid hair care products such as gels, mousses, cream rinses, and pomades that contain a lot of oil.
- Avoid touching your face.
- Wear soft, cotton clothing or moleskin under sports equipment. Parts of equipment, such as chin straps, can rub your skin and make your acne worse.
- Avoid exposure to oils and harsh chemicals, such as petroleum.
- Protect your skin from too much sun.
Home Treatment
Treatment at home can help reduce acne flare-ups.
- Wash your face (or other affected skin) gently one or two times a day.
- Do not squeeze pimples, because that often leads to infections, worse acne, and scars.
- Use a moisturizer to keep your skin from drying out. Choose one that says "noncomedogenic" on the label.
- Use over-the-counter medicated creams, soaps, lotions, and gels to treat your acne. Always read the label carefully to make sure you are using the product correctly.
Examples of some over-the-counter products used to treat acne include:
- Benzoyl peroxide (such as Brevoxyl or Triaz), which unplugs pores.
- Alpha hydroxy acid, which dries up blemishes and causes the top skin layer to peel. You'll find alpha hydroxy acid in some moisturizers, cleansers, eye creams, and sunscreens.
- Salicylic acid (such as Propa pH or Stridex), which dries up blemishes and causes the top skin layer to peel.
- Tea tree oil, which kills bacteria. You'll find tea tree oil in some gels, creams, and oils.
Some skin care products, such as those with alpha hydroxy acid, will make your skin very sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) light. Protect your skin from the sun and other sources of UV light.
Medicines can help manage the severity and frequency of acne outbreaks. A number of medicines are available. Your treatment will depend on the type of acne you have (pimples, whiteheads, blackheads, or cystic lesions). These medicines improve acne by:
- Unplugging skin pores and stopping them from getting plugged with oil (tretinoin, which is sold as Retin-A).
- Killing bacteria (antibiotics).
- Reducing the amount of skin oil (isotretinoin).
- Reducing the effects of hormones in producing acne (certain oral contraceptive pills for women).
The best medical treatment for acne often is a combination of medicines. These could include medicine that you put on your skin (topical) and medicine that you take by mouth (oral). Or you may take medicines such as clindamycin/benzoyl peroxide, a gel that contains two topical medicines.
Medicine choices
Treatment of acne depends on whether inflammation or bacteria are present. Some acne consists only of red bumps on the skin with no open sores (comedonal acne). Topical creams and lotions work best for this type of acne. But if bacteria or inflammation is present with open sores, oral antibiotics or isotretinoin may work better.
The most common types of medicines that doctors use to treat acne include:
- Benzoyl peroxide, such as Brevoxyl or Triaz.
- Salicylic acid, such as Propa pH or Stridex.
- Topical and oral antibiotics, such as clindamycin, doxycycline, erythromycin, and tetracycline.
- Topical retinoid medicines, such as adapalene (Differin), tazarotene (Tazorac), and tretinoin (Retin-A).
- Azelaic acid, such as Azelex, a topical cream.
- Isotretinoin, an oral retinoid.
- Low-dose birth control pills that contain estrogen (such as Estrostep, Ortho Tri-Cyclen, or Yaz), which work well on moderate acne in women and for premenstrual flare-ups.
- Androgen blockers, such as spironolactone. Androgen blockers can be useful in treating acne. These medicines decrease the amount of sebum (oil) made in your pores.
What to think about
If you are pregnant, talk to your doctor about whether you should take antibiotics for acne. Some antibiotics aren't safe to take during pregnancy.
Over time, bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics, which means that the antibiotics are no longer effective at killing or controlling the bacteria causing the acne. This is called drug resistance. When this occurs, a different antibiotic may be used.
After acne is under control, you often need ongoing treatment to keep it from returning. This is the maintenance phase of treatment. Your doctor may suggest treatments other than antibiotics for long-term use, to avoid the risk of drug resistance.
Topical medicines usually have fewer and less serious side effects than oral medicines. But topical medicines may not work as well as oral medicines for severe acne.
Isotretinoin (such as Sotret) and tazarotene (Tazorac) can have serious side effects. Women who take isotretinoin or tazarotene need to use an effective birth control method, to avoid having a baby with serious birth defects.
Other Treatment
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) and other light and laser-based therapies are being used to treat acne. These include the use of blue light, red light, intense pulsed light (IPL), and infrared or pulsed dye lasers. Sometimes these therapies are used along with medicines, but they may also help people who cannot be treated with medicines.
Treatments like laser skin resurfacing and chemical peels can also help. They can make acne scars less noticeable. Dermal fillers also work well for some types of acne scars.
Your doctor may suggest other types of therapies to treat acne or acne scars.
Related Information
- Hall JC (2010). Seborrheic dermatitis, acne, and rosacea. In JC Hall, ed., Sauer's Manual of Skin Diseases, 9th ed., pp. 149–159. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
Other Works Consulted
- American Academy of Dermatology (2007). Guidelines of care for acne vulgaris management. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 56(4): 651–663. Also available online: http://www.aad.org/education-and-quality-care/clinical-guidelines/current-and-upcoming-guidelines.
- Del Rosso JQ (2012). Acne vulgaris and rosacea. In EG Nabel, ed., ACP Medicine, section 5, chap. 12. Hamilton, ON: BC Decker.
- Habif TP, et al. (2011). Acne. In Skin Disease: Diagnosis and Treatment, 3rd ed., pp. 102–108. Edinburgh: Saunders.
- Purdy S, de Berker D (2011). Acne vulgaris, search date February 2010. BMJ Clinical Evidence. Available online: http://www.clinicalevidence.com.
- Tsatsou F, Zouboulis CC (2010). Acne vulgaris. In MG Lebwohl et al., eds., Treatment of Skin Disease: Comprehensive Therapeutic Strategies, 3rd ed., pp. 6–11. Philadelphia: Mosby Elsevier.
- Van Durme DJ, Johnson LM (2015). Acne vulgaris. In ET Bope et al., eds., Conn's Current Therapy 2015, pp. 219–220. Philadelphia: Saunders.
- Zaenglein Al, et al. (2012). Acne vulgaris and acneiform eruptions. In LA Goldman et al., eds., Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine, 8th ed., vol. 1, pp. 897–917. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Current as ofApril 1, 2019
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: Kathleen Romito, MD – Family Medicine
Adam Husney, MD – Family Medicine
E. Gregory Thompson, MD – Internal Medicine
Martin J. Gabica, MD – Family Medicine
Elizabeth T. Russo, MD – Internal Medicine
Ellen K. Roh, MD – Dermatology
Current as of: April 1, 2019
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:Kathleen Romito, MD – Family Medicine & Adam Husney, MD – Family Medicine & E. Gregory Thompson, MD – Internal Medicine & Martin J. Gabica, MD – Family Medicine & Elizabeth T. Russo, MD – Internal Medicine & Ellen K. Roh, MD – Dermatology
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.


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I'm Martin, a non-sectarian "Dzochenpa" with strong Soto roots in my past and I am firmly convinced that there is ultimately no difference between (unfortunately secret) Dzogchen mengagde teachings and Shikantaza. It is important for me to know what Zen practitioners think of them.
One short definition of Shikantaza is: Just sitting. This is complementary to the task: Just sit. Or: Sit down and do nothing. Or: Sit down and leave everything as it is. Or: Sit down and don't focus on anything. Or: Sit down and be natural. The deeper meaning of these tasks is exactly the same. But what is meant by the term "deeper meaning"?
Task: Just sit. But now you may practice: "just sitting", instead of just sitting.
Different possible Dzogchen-menagde introductions:
Task: Do nothing. But now you may practice: "doing nothing", instead of doing nothing.
Task: Leave everything as it is. But now you may practice: "leaving everything as it is", instead of leaving everything as it is.
Task: Don't focus on anything. But now you may focus on "non-focusing", instead of not focusing on anything.
Task: Behave yourself completely natural. But now you may practice "completely natural behavior", instead of behave yourself completely natural.
If you are practicing these tasks, you're like the client of a hypnotist. You automatically fabricate and grab his suggestions because you hold specific expectations for the session. And an artificial state of mind is the result. But primordial nonpractice has nothing to do with suggestions and hypnosis. Rather, it is the exact opposite of a self-hypnosis like meditation. Do that please absolutely clear.
One is practicing these tasks, because of grasping. It's important to detect this process exactly. If I tell you for example, that I have no name and you answer: "Hello no-name", you fabricate an artificial reified-concept out of the fact, that I have no name. In our special case one fabricates a reified-concept out of these tasks and a quality like "just sitting'nes" seems to appear and permeates experience. That's consciousness; a fabricated state of mind. This quality is reified-identified with experience and because of that one want to get something very specific from these tasks. That brings us right back to the start of this circle of ignorance. All this only because of fabrication.
How can you break out of it? Recognice the difference between practiced "leaving everything as it is" and factual 'leaving everything as it is' exactly .. and leave everything as it is. That's primordial unfabricated looseness. Since it is completely unfabricated, the reified-concepts of an origin or source or subject or object .. doesn't matter naturally from itself. This knowledge is an immediate obvious fact, not just a thought or insight like: "It doesn't matter naturally from itself." It's impossible to understand knowledge trough consciousness, because knowledge is primordial inseparable from appearances; so everything is like a vivid reflection. This expression is called transparency.
Note A: It's not a vivid reflection, it's like a vivid reflection. Don't misunderstand the term "vivid reflection" in a reified sense. You can't understand transparency through consciousness.
Note B: Don't think: "There's nothing to do". That's just an idea, just thinking, just like philosophy. The task must be implemented. And there are two ways to implement the task. As unfabricated fact, or grasping. As primordial nonpractice, or practiced nonpractice. For a person who is still on the ordinary path of training, when he follows one of these tasks, in the first time it is unavoidable not to practice one of these tasks, because ones own consciousness is the expression of grasping and fabrication. But if you realize the difference between your fabricated task and the factual unfabricated task, primordial natural looseness is immediate obvious. Since it is completely unfabricated, the reified concepts of an origin or source doesn't matter naturally from itself.
Conclusion: The task: "Just sit", can be the beginning of recognicing the process of fabrication and if this process is fully understood, it can be the beginning of primordial natural looseness, which is completely unfabricated."Knowing" does not mean perception; for perception is of little measure. It does not mean understanding; for understanding is artificially constructed. Therefore, this "knowing" is "not touching things", and "not touching things" is "knowing". (..) Thought" is itself "knowing", without dependence on another's power. "Its knowing" is its form, and its form is the mountains and rivers. These mountains and rivers are "subtle", and this "subtlety" is "mysterious". (Dogen, Zazenshin)
From your Soto-Perspective, can you define important differences, or not? Big sorry for my bad english


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Do you know how to actually protect yourself during an earthquake or hurricane? What about a tornado or fire? You've probably heard lots of conflicting information over the years. We hope you won't ever need it, this start-to-finish guide to handling disasters will help you remember what you should really do during an emergency and afterwards to recover as quickly as possible.
To break down the best practices to keep you alive in each type of disaster, we talked to Dr. Arthur Bradley, author of The Handbook to Practical Disaster Preparedness for the Family and Disaster Preparedness for EMP Attacks and Solar Storms. Here's what he had to say.
Table of Contents
For Any Disaster: Make a Disaster Preparedness Plan
One common thread you'll see in almost every section below is that you'll need a disaster plan. You should be familiar with it before the disaster, and ready to act on it in case the unthinkable happens. We can tell you all about the best thing to do in the heat of the moment—and we will—but when the danger has passed, a disaster or emergency plan for your family or coworkers can be the difference between you meeting up in a secure location or being lost, unable to find one another.
We've shown you how to prepare for a disaster before, and you should bookmark the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster preparedness site, Ready.gov, but here are some stand-out tips:
The previously mentioned disaster kit from 72hours.org is a must-have. Offered up by the City of San Francisco, the 72hours guide can help you prepare for any type of disaster, and has special tips if you have children, are disabled, are a senior citizen, have pets, and more.
Keep your family's most important documents, like birth certificates, passports, and social security cards in a safe place in case you need to grab them and leave the house. Create a home inventory and keep it with those documents. Make digital copies, and put them on a flash drive in the same place. A portable safe/fireproof box is a good idea.
Make sure you have a well-stocked go-bag that will keep you safe, warm, fed, and any medical needs you have taken care of for at least a few days. Include things like emergency food and water, an emergency radio, batteries, extras of any prescriptions you take, and even a charged cell phone just for 911 purposes. 72hours's guide says that you should prepare to take care of yourself for at least 72 hours without help. If you want to plan for longer, this list is a good start.
Make sure you and your family have a planned and practiced escape route from your home, and a place you all agree to meet up if something terrible happens. Whether it's a burglar or a fire, everyone in your home should know the fastest way out of the house safely. Escape ladders from high windows are good investments, but if you live in an apartment building or high-rise, memorize the fastest route to a stairwell. Finally, practice your escape route with your family so everyone's clear on it.
Make sure you're familiar with the emergency or disaster plan at your office. Your company should have evacuation routes from your workplace and meet-up locations outside of the building. If you don't know what they are, ask. If no one knows what they are, come up with them on your own. Ask yourself where the closest stairwell to your desk or work area is, and time yourself getting to it. Find out where the closest first-aid kit in the office is, in case you need it.
Gear and kits are great, and you should definitely have them on hand, but nothing replaces a good escape plan that you can quickly act on without thinking about it in case of an emergency. Many people die in accidents and natural disasters simply because they don't know what to do and find themselves waiting for someone to tell them. Plan accordingly.
Don't assume that because you may not live in an area that's specifically prone to tornadoes that you're not at risk. Anywhere a thunderstorm can appear, a tornado can too. The amount of concentrated damage they can inflict is stunning. As with most storms, the best way to handle a tornado is to get out of its way and steer clear. Photo by Minerva Studio (Shutterstock).
Before: Learn the Warning Signs and Prepare
There's little you can do to actually "prepare" a home or business for a tornado. Their destructive power is simply too immense for you to just armor up and go on about your business. Here's what you can do, however:
Make sure you have a disaster plan. We may sound like a broken record now, but it's still important. If a tornado warning is issued for your area, you and everyone in your household or office should know what to do and where to take shelter.
Familiarize yourself with the warning signs. Tornadoes are usually accompanied by other strong storms, like thunderstorms or hurricanes, but not always. Watch the sky—the sky will get dark suddenly, and you may hear a loud rushing sound, almost a roar. The wind may pick up for a while, but suddenly die down. Watch for clouds beginning to rotate in a circular pattern. Tornadoes may strike quickly—the trademark funnel cloud is a good sign, but the cloud doesn't take on that tone until the cloud descends or debris is picked up. They may be transparent before that.
Learn the truth about tornado myths. "Tornadoes don't cross rivers or bodies of water." "Tornadoes don't happen in the mountains or on rough terrain." Both of these are false (The Great Natchez Tornado of 1840 moved along the Mississippi river for miles, and just last year a tornado in the Colorado mountains was the 2nd highest on record), and there are more where those came from. Don't get caught following superstition or old wives' tales in the middle of a life-threatening emergency.
Listen to emergency radio. We've said this before too, but it's just as important. Severe weather information is often first communicated by NOAA Weather Radio. Secondhand reports like weather apps, television news, or talk/music radio may also convey useful information, but they'll always be moments behind. Listen for emergency broadcasts if the conditions look right for a tornado, or if you're in the middle of a severe thunderstorm.
Understand the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning. A tornado watch means the conditions are right for a tornado to develop. A tornado warning means one has been sighted and you should seek shelter immediately.
During: Stay Low and Get Away from Windows or Exterior Walls
What you do during a tornado may save your life. There are several misconceptions about what you should do and where you should go if a tornado warning is issued. For example, your bathroom is not necessarily the safest place in a tornado, unless it's a small interior room. Never ever open your windows in a tornado to "release the pressure." Instead, commit these tips from Ready.gov to memory, and you'll stay safe. Photo by peggydavis66.
If you're indoors, shelter in a basement, storm cellar, or the lowest building level. A designated safe room or root cellar will work just as well. If you're in a high-rise and can get downstairs, go, but don't waste too much time getting there. Stay away from windows, doors, corners of the building, or any other outside wall in the process.
If you're indoors and cannot get to a lower level/live in a high-rise, go to the smallest interior room or hallway, as far from the exterior of the building as possible. The goal is to get as many walls and structure between you and the storm as possible, and to keep you away from flimsier things like windows, siding, or flying debris.
If you're driving when a warning is issued, try to drive to the closest place you can take shelter. This is, of course, if a warning is issued and you're advised to take shelter, not if you actually see a storm.
If you're driving and cannot get to shelter, get out of the vehicle. Lay face-down, hands over your head in a ditch or a noticeably lower level next to the roadway, away from the vehicle. If you can't get out or cannot get lower than your vehicle, shelter in your vehicle. Lay down or bring your head below the level of the windows, and try to cover the back of your head with a seat cushion, pillow, coat, or blanket.
If you're driving and see a tornado, do not try to outrun it. Pull over immediately and shelter with one of the two previous methods. Avoid overpasses, bridges, tall buildings, and flying debris.
After: Watch for Debris, Nails, and Damaged Structures
Most tornado-related injuries that occur after the storm has passed are caused by people attempting to rescue others, or by people injuring themselves on debris while cleaning up and assessing the damage. Keep monitoring emergency radio, and check with your local authorities before determining if an area you evacuated from is safe to return to. Remember, tornadoes can cause incredible damage and down power lines, rupture gas lines, and damage structures and put them in danger of collapse. Many injuries after tornadoes are just people stepping on nails or cutting themselves on broken glass. Be careful, both immediately after and when you try to clean up the damage.
Generally we see hurricanes coming from miles away, and we have the technology to forecast how severe a hurricane will be when it gets close enough to us to matter. This is a double-edged sword though; what you do beforehand matters, but because the real threat won't show up for hours or days, it's easy to ignore. Hurricanes are still dangerous and deadly, and shouldn't be underestimated. Here's what to do. Photo by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
Before: Secure Your Home and Learn Local Evacuation Routes
Preparation is critical if you're in the path of a hurricane, or if you live in an area where hurricanes are frequent. Remember, hurricanes can be dangerous enough, but they can bring flooding, thunderstorms, and tornadoes with them, along with sustained rains and winds, so you should think as though you're preparing for those disasters as well.
Make sure you have a disaster plan. Your disaster plan, go bag, and important documents are more important here than in many other cases. You'll likely have enough warning to get them and evacuate if an order is issued, but you probably won't have time to assemble them if the storm is coming. Do yourself a favor and do it beforehand, and Make sure your family understands what to do if the storm arrives and you're not all in the same place together. A 72 hour kit with food and water is especially important for a slow-moving storm like a hurricane, which can knock out power for days and cut off potable water supplies. Make sure you have water, either by buying it or filling bathtubs and toilets with fresh water before the storm hits.
Prepare your home. If you're a homeowner (or you live in an area prone to hurricanes), you can board up your windows with plywood or install storm shutters, secure your roof and siding to your house frame with straps. Reinforce garage doors, trim back long branches, bring in outdoor furniture, and so on. Check the Federal Emergency Management Agency's flood map database to determine if your home is in an area prone to flooding. Check where the highest ground in your area is, just in case. Familiarize yourself and your family with utility shut-off switches and valves in your home in case you have to evacuate.
Familiarize yourself with emergency evacuation routes and shelters. If an evacuation order is issued, you don't want to wonder which path is the best and safest out of town. Check with your local emergency management agency to see what the designated evacuation routes in each direction are, and commit them to memory (or draw them out on a paper map and stash it in your vehicle.) Also make sure you're aware of any community shelters in your neighborhood, or buildings that qualify as shelters (like old fallout shelters with deep basements, for example.)
Prepare for travel. If an evacuation order is issued, you want to make sure your vehicle is ready to leave, or you have a way to get out of town safely. Make sure your car's gas tank is full, important items are already stowed in the car, and any repairs that might impede your evacuation are done. Make sure there's a first aid kit in your car (as well as in your go-bag and with your disaster kit.)
During: Hunker Down, Evacuate When Ordered
Even weaker hurricanes are still hurricanes, and can cause serious damage. If you haven't been told to evacuate, you're likely safe sheltering in place, but you should still be alert and aware of what's going on outside. The order to evacuate can come quickly, even if everything else seems like it's going well. Remember, in many cases it's not the hurricane itself that does the damage, but the storm surge—or water that's pushed ashore by the hurricane's fierce winds and motion. Much of the damage from Hurricane Sandy, for example, was caused by the surge, not the winds and rain. Photo by Mark Winfrey (Shutterstock).
Monitor emergency radio, news radio, or television news for relevant information. Paying attention to emergency radio can keep you up to date on whether an evacuation order has been issued for your area, but local news in this case can keep you up to date on how your neighbors are faring and when it'll be safe to go out to other parts of town.
Secure your home and shelter in place. Now is the time to put into motion all of the preparation you did before the storm struck. If you didn't need to reinforce your home, close the blinds, move important items away from the windows, and secure them. Stay away from the windows yourself. Close interior doors, and stay as far to the interior of your home as possible.
Obey evacuation orders. If an order is issued for your area, leave immediately. Grab your go bag, disaster kit, any important documents and items, and leave as quickly as possible along evacuation routes. Don't try to pack your car after the order is issued—grab what you can and go.
Don't be fooled if there's a lull in the storm or if conditions seem to suddenly improve. You may be experiencing the eye of the storm, and the winds and rain will return soon. It may be a good time to evacuate or get to a shelter if you've been instructed to, but don't think the storm is over.
After: Watch for Lingering Storms or Flooding
Hurricanes can often leave the type of destruction in their wake that resemble floods, thunderstorms, and tornadoes all in one. If you've sheltered in place, odds are it'll be safe to leave once the hurricane has passed over, although you may still see thunderstorms in your forecast. Continue to monitor local weather conditions and emergency radio before you head out. If you're without power, avoid using candles (for fire safety reasons) and try to use flashlights to get around.
If you were evacuated, check with authorities that it's safe to return before going back. Remember, there may be flooding or standing flood water, so just because the storm has passed, it may not be safe to return. There may not be power, there may be ruptured gas lines in the area, contaminated water, or damaged structures in the wake of a damaging hurricane. When you are able to return, inspect your home and take note of any damage. Report it as soon as possible to the appropriate authorities. Throw out any spoiled food that may have been in your fridge or freezer while you were without power, and stay alert for additional trailing storms or wind that may follow the hurricane.
If you live in a part of the world where earthquakes are common, you probably already know it. That trademark shaking or rolling of the ground is unmistakable. If you're not sure, or want to know if there's any seismic activity in your area, the Global Seismic Hazard Assessment Program and the United States Geological Survey both provide maps that highlight areas of high seismic activity. The USGS also has a live map of seismic activity around the world. Photo by Nigel Spiers (Shutterstock).
We can tell where in the world it's likely you'll experience an earthquake, we just can't tell when one will happen and what magnitude it'll be when it does. Because of this, preparation is critical. What you do in and after an earthquake may save your life, but what you do beforehand almost certainly will.
Before: Debunk Earthquake Myths and Learn You Should Really Do
There's nothing you can do to actually avoid the effects of an earthquake. All you can really do is make sure you understand the difference between a minor one and a serious one, and prepare accordingly. Here are some tips Dr. Bradley suggested:
Make sure you have a disaster plan. As with our other disasters, a disaster plan for an earthquake is important. However, because earthquakes can strike suddenly and without warning, and in some cases they can lead to other problems like fires or tsunamis, it's critical to have a disaster plan for your household and family, and to have practiced it so it's second nature when you need to act on it.
Give your home an earthquake checkup. Check for hazards, fasten shelves to wall studs, and store breakables and poisons in cabinets that latch shut so they won't fall out and onto someone in an earthquake. Put heavy objects on lower shelves, and secure heavy furniture, either by fastening it to the wall or blocking rollers so they won't slide around. Make any structural repairs to the walls or foundation that are necessary.
Practice drills with your family (or coworkers.) Know where the utility shut-off switches are in the house, and time yourself getting from your bedroom out of the house to a safe location. Time yourself doing the same again, but shutting off utilities and grabbing your go bag, documents, and checking on family members along the way. In a real emergency, you may not have time for any of that, but it's important to see if it's possible.
Familiarize yourself with common earthquake myths. Earthquake myths abound, and many keep people from doing the safe thing in an emergency. For example, you may have heard that in an earthquake you should stand in a doorframe to protect yourself from collapsing walls. That's not true at all: Doorframes in most homes are lightly constructed and will collapse easily. Ready.gov notes you should only stand in a doorway if you know for fact that it's sturdy and load-bearing in your home. Other myths, like "earthquakes only happen in the morning," and "hot and dry equals earthquake weather," are all similarly false. The idea you should shelter next to furniture instead of under it is also untrue. Finally, don't assume that earthquakes are a California, west coast thing. Nothing could be further from the truth.
During: Get Under Something Sturdy or Find an Open Space
Dr. Bradley noted that most earthquake-related deaths and injuries come from flying debris and falling objects. Collapsing walls and structures are dangerous too. Your first priority in an earthquake should be to minimize personal injury. Here's how:
Shield yourself or take shelter under sturdy furniture. The old "get under your desk" rule is a good one, but only if your desk is sturdy enough to take the impact. If you can, get underneath and hold on. If you're in bed, try to cover yourself (specifically your head) with pillows and hold on. Photo by Sinisa Botas (Shutterstock).
If you're indoors, stay put. If you're indoors, try to stay clear of obvious hazards like windows, hanging fixtures, shelves, or anything that's already loose and might collapse. Otherwise, if you're in bed, stay there and shelter. If you're at your desk, get under it. "Unless you feel your current location is particularly hazardous, don't attempt to move to another room or evacuate outdoors," Dr. Bradley noted. "It is usually safer to stay put."
If you're outdoors, get away from tall objects that may collapse. This includes buildings, trees, utility poles, streetlights, construction equipment—anything tall that might fall from the shaking or rolling. Try to get to as clear and open a place as possible, like a park or parking lot. Once you're in the open, get on the ground and hang on.
If you're in a vehicle, stop quickly, but try to stay clear of those tall objects. You don't want anything collapsing onto your car. Stay in the car and shelter in place. When the earthquake has passed, tune to emergency radio and be careful of bridges, ramps, or other structures that may have been damaged.
Again, your primary goal in an earthquake is to stay put and avoid any personal injury. Moving around only puts you at greater risk, and in an emergency situation, you need to make sure you take care of yourself—you'll be no help to others if you're hurt or killed on the way to help a family member. Also, don't take earthquakes lightly, even if you live in an area where small ones are common.
After: Avoid Damaged Structures and Watch for Aftershocks
After an earthquake has passed, don't immediately assume the danger is gone. In some cases, damaged structures can fall well after the shaking has stopped, or there may be other hazards in or around your home or office to deal with. Assess the situation, and execute on your disaster plan. Meet your family or coworkers in a safe space, away from damaged buildings and other hazards like hanging wires, fires, gas leaks, falling glass, or uneven ground. Be prepared for aftershocks, which can be just as dangerous (or more so to already compromised infrastructure) than the original quake.
If you're trapped under debris, make as much noise as possible so emergency services can get to you. Tap on pipes, whistle, shout—just make sure not to inhale dust or debris that may be around you. Cover your mouth with clothing to filter out some of the dust. If you can move or see a path out, try to get out, just be careful not to move anything that might cause other debris to settle or fall on you.
Once you're safe, administer first aid to those who need it, and listen to the radio—preferably emergency broadcasts—for more information. Be prepared to move to higher ground if you live on the coast and the earthquake may have triggered a tsunami. If the quake was minor, inspect your home and property to make sure you don't have ruptured gas lines, dangling wires or tree limbs, or any other hazards that need to be addressed before you can go back into your home. If you think your home is damaged, call the appropriate service provider to inspect it properly.
Floods and Tsunami
Floods and tsunami can happen on regular schedules or they can be complete surprises. Tsunami are series of large waves triggered by undersea earthquakes or major disruptions on the sea floor. The amount of time you have to prepare or get to higher ground depends entirely on how close to the shore the disturbance was. Flooding is a little more predictable, but not necessarily. Flash flooding can occur in areas where there's been no rain. There's a great deal of data on regional flood plains and areas with histories of flooding, but don't assume that because you don't live in said region, it can't happen to you. With planning and research beforehand though, neither have to take you by surprise. Photo by Thomas Good.
Before: Find High Ground, Get Ready to Leave
With floods and tsunami, preparation is absolutely key. Flooding can go from a trickle to multiple feet in no time, and in the case of tsunami, storm surges can wash away entire buildings in minutes. Dr. Bradley notes that these disasters, tsunami specifically, are subject to his Cardinal Rule: That some disasters can only be survived by getting out of their way. Here's how to prepare:
Make sure you have a disaster plan. Specific gear won't generally help you in a flood or a tsunami's surge, but things like food and fresh water, medication, water purification tablets, and a first aid kit definitely will. What's more important in this case though is that you have a plan that you and others can put into motion quickly to get out of a dangerous area and to higher ground. It's essential to practice your escape plan with family members so you can get to a meet-up point quickly and safely.
Visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency's flood map database. Use the tool to see if you live in a flood plain or area at high risk for flooding, and how often that flooding normally occurs. You can also use topographical maps to find out where the highest points in your community or area are, so you can head there if a flood or tsunami occurs. If you're a property owner, get flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program.
Make sure you have an emergency radio. Tsunami warnings are usually issued by NOAA's Tsunami Warning Center, and it's important to tune in after an earthquake to find out whether a tsunami warning has been issued. Flood and flash flood warnings are also issued by NOAA, so make sure you have a radio that can tune in to NOAA Weather Radio.
During: Monitor Emergency Radio, Be Ready to Move Quickly
During a flood or a tsunami, the critically important thing is to get out of the water and to higher ground. Tsunami are generally violent, fast, and destructive—much more so than they may appear at first glance. What looks like a slow-moving cascade of water from above is actually a rushing wave dozens of feet high to someone caught in it. If you don't believe me, the video here was taken with a dashboard camera during the 2011 tsunami in Japan. It goes from happily driving to a bobbing bubble of metal floating in the water in less than four minutes. Here's what to do if you're caught in a sudden flood or rush of water:
Listen to emergency radio. There's no way for you to tell whether what you're experiencing is a flood, a flash flood, or how high the waters will get. If an evacuation order is given, you'll need to pay attention to emergency services to hear it. Listening to emergency radio can make the difference between moving to a higher floor in your home or apartment building and needing to leave your home entirely for safer ground.
If you're driving, do not pass through standing water, or water where you cannot see the bottom. Six inches of water will reach the bottom of most cars, causing control issues. If that water gets into the engine, your car will stall. Six inches is all it takes. A foot is enough to float a car or truck. Two feet will carry almost any vehicle off, including SUVs. Don't be deceived by what looks like a little water either—the road underneath may have washed away, making it deeper than it appears, especially at night. Don't risk your vehicle or your life. Pull over, drive around, or get out and get to higher ground.
If you're walking, do not walk through moving or rushing water. A few inches can make you fall down, and fast-moving water can carry a person off quickly. If you have to walk through water, look for where the water isn't moving. Stay away from streams, sewer drains, and manmade channels or drainage canals.
If there is any possibility of a flash flood, or you think a tsunami is imminent get to higher ground immediately. Don't wait for instructions or an official warning—just get your go-bag, important documents, family members, and go as soon as possible. "Trust your instincts and take action," Dr. Bradley explains. If an actual flood warning has been issued, do the same and evacuate for higher ground immediately. Make sure you know the difference between a warning and a watch.
If you time to evacuate your home, turn off utilities and move critical items to the highest possible point. Do this only if you have time, but if you live in a floodplain, you may have some warning. Make sure you know where gas, water, and power cut-off valves are, and disconnect any appliances you can. Of course, don't touch any wires, plugs, or other electrical equipment if you're standing in water
After: Avoid Floodwater and Stay Out of the Way
Many of the rules post-flood are the same as during a flood. Just because the water starts to recede doesn't mean it's gone where you want to go. Don't walk into moving or deep water just because the storm has passed or rushing water has receded. Keep your ears on emergency radio, and stay out of the way of emergency service personnel who may be working to help people who have been trapped by the waters.
Keep in mind that any flooded area is prone to additional flooding if conditions pick back up. Even a little rain can turn a once flooded area into a sudden flash flood. Also, floodwaters may have swept debris and other hazardous materials into an area. Look out for glass, downed power lines, ruptured gas lines, damaged buildings, and so on. Floodwater itself can be contaminated by gasoline, oil, sewage, or other chemicals—another reason to stay out of any of it, even if it's standing water. Do not return to a flooded area until authorities indicate that it's safe.
House Fires
Home fires are deadly, killing thousands every year in the United States alone—and they're almost always preventable. Still, while prevention is key, it's what you do in the middle of a fire that may save your life. Unlike other disasters that give you warning and time to get away, a fire isn't nearly as forgiving. Here's how to prepare, and what to do. Photo by dvs.
Before: Preparation (and Smoke Detectors) Is Everything
Remember, a house fire isn't just one thing—it's a deadly mixture of things: Smoke and toxic gases, lack of oxygen, crippling heat, scorching flames, and a lack of light are all dangerous on their own, and a house fire offers every single one of them. It's important to be prepared and act quickly if a fire occurs.
Make sure you have a disaster plan. Your plan in the case of a fire should largely consist of an evacuation plan that you've practiced. Everyone in your household or office should be well versed in it, and you should have meet-up or rally points set at a safe distance from your home or office. Make sure you have multiple ways out of each room, even if that means you need collapsible fire ladders for upper-floor windows. If you live in an apartment building or high-rise, memorize the fastest way to the nearest stairwell, by sight and by feel. You should be able to get there even if you can't see—which you may not be able to in a fire.
Make sure you can open windows, screens, security bars, and doors. You and everyone in your household should be comfortable opening security bars on windows, screen doors, anything that might slow down your egress from a burning building.
Make sure you have smoke alarms installed and you change their batteries regularly. Dual-sensor smoke detectors are best, as they feature both ionization and photoelectric smoke sensors. If they're wired to the power in your home, that's best, but they should also have battery backups. Change those batteries regularly—every year is a good guideline, or every time daylight savings kicks starts or ends. Don't let cost hold you back—most fire departments will give smoke detectors and batteries out for free if you can't afford them. While you're getting smoke alarms, get a carbon monoxide detector too.
Keep household fire extinguishers handy. If the fire is serious, do not try putting it out yourself. A household extinguisher can help keep a small fire from spreading, or help you clear a path to a safe area, but they're not for heroics. I like to keep one in my bedroom and another in the kitchen in my apartment. If you live in a larger house, you may consider two on every floor, especially near bedrooms, kitchens, furnaces, or water heaters.
During: Get Low, Get Out
During a house fire, escape should be your top priority. You may only have seconds to get out safely. You likely won't have time to grab a go-bag or run around the house collecting important items. Leave them and get out as soon as possible. If a fire alarm has gone off in your building, you may have a few moments, but if there's a fire in your house, there's no time to waste. Photo by Elliot Brown.
Get to the nearest exit immediately. If there's smoke in the air, get as low as possible where you may be able to breathe and feel your way out. If there's smoke blocking your door, open the window. Before opening any door, feel the doorknob and the door body. If it's warm or there's smoke coming in from the other side, don't open the door—there may be a raging fire on the other side. Use your second exit, even if it's a window. If you have to open a door, open it slowly and be ready to shut it if smoke comes in.
Once you're out, contact emergency services. Don't wait to contact them inside the house. Get out first. If you can't get to family members or pets on the safe way out, let them know when you call 911 and let them know where in the home they are.
Do not go back into a burning building.
After: Stay Safe and Pick Up The Pieces
House fires are incredibly destructive. You likely won't be able to return to your home until well after the danger has passed. Wait for the fire department to tell you it's safe. Contact your insurance company, landlord, mortgage company, or any other relevant agencies to let them know about the fire. When the fire department has given you the okay to go back inside, try to collect valuable items like documents, records, or irreplaceable items and assess the damage. Before you leave a fire-damaged home, let the police know that you're leaving and the place will be unoccupied—fire damaged properties are often a target for burglars.
The US Fire Administration has an What to Do After a Home Fire checklist and guide to help you through the first 24 hours after a fire, including everything from insurance to replacement documents that may have been lost. Rebuilding after a fire is a long and draining process. It's not something that happens in a day, or even a few weeks—it takes a long time. Be ready for a long process, and give yourself plenty of time to recover.
As we said, we hope you'll never need such a complete and thorough guide to so many disasters, but information is key to making sure that you're prepared for what may happen and can recover as quickly as possible when the emergency has passed. Plus, you'll be in a better position to help others who still need it. If you need to get in touch with family after a disaster, a new app from Microsoft called HelpBridge (iOS/Android/Windows Phone) can help. A little preparation before an event will result in higher chances of survival for you, your family and loved ones, and an easier time recovering when everything is said and done.
Dr. Arthur Bradley is the author of The Handbook to Practical Disaster Preparedness for the Family and Disaster Preparedness for EMP Attacks and Solar Storms. You can read more about his work at his website. He graciously offered his expertise for this article, and we thank him.
Title image made using Zastolskiy Victor (Shutterstock).


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Barcelona Getaway 2 Nights
"Barcelona! Such a beautiful horizon. Barcelona! Like a jewel in the sun." Freddie Mercury and opera singer Montserrat Caballe say it all in the song Barcelona. And no one brings you Barcelona like Monograms! On this vacation, we've arranged your hotel reservations, daily breakfast, and sightseeing. Plus, a one-of-a-kind feature is the Monograms Local Host®, a friendly local who is on hand to answer questions, offer suggestions, and help ensure your vacation is what you want it to be.Your vacation begins when you arrive in Barcelona, where we can pick you up at the airport and take you to your hotel. Your Local Host will greet you with a warm bienvenidos (welcome), help you get settled, and give you a packet of information to familiarize you with the city. The next morning, after an included breakfast, we'll pick you up at your hotel for guided sightseeing with a local expert. Your sightseeing tour includes inside stories as you drive along Passeig de Gràcia, Barcelona's most famous avenue filled with shops and fascinating architecture. We'll take you to an inside visit of Gaudi's Casa Batlló, designed in 1905 and today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Gaudi was Barcelona's most famous architect, and on your sightseeing tour, we'll also take you to the Sagrada Familia Basilica. It was begun 130 years ago and still is not completed. Your included entrance fees contribute to its completion.You'll also have a free day to explore Barcelona on your own. You may want to visit Montserrat, a 1,000-year-old Benedictine monastery with a museum housing paintings by El Greco, Picasso, and Dali. Perhaps visit one of the beaches; browse the colorful markets; people-watch on the promenade; explore the Picasso Museum; or wander around Port Olimpic, an area built for the Olympics with restaurants, bars, and sculptures. Be sure to ask your Local Host for the best place to sample tapas. And don't forget… your package includes daily breakfast, so you'll start each day full of energy to explore this wonderful city. Between that, the sightseeing and guides we've arranged, and the hotel we've booked, all you have to do is have fun. Add the comfort of knowing you'll have a Local Host throughout your stay to help you feel comfortable and at ease in the city, and it's a dream vacation!
City Highlights
Guided sightseeing; inside visits and special features are shown in UPPERCASE
Buffet breakfast daily


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I had these on my del.icio.us for ages – ever since Nika posted them, more than a year ago. Her cookies looked so good! Every time I took a look at my bookmarks I felt like baking these just to, seconds later, realize that the type of coconut in my pantry was not the one the recipe called for.
A quick trip to the grocery store solved that problem and I wish I hadn't been so lazy: these cookies are fantastic.
Nika's chocolate coconut hedgie cookies
1 ¼ cup (175g) all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup (88g) packed light brown sugar
½ cup (100g) caster sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (100g) flaked sweetened coconut
icing sugar
Sift flour, baking soda, and salt, set aside.
Cream together butter, brown and white sugars. Make certain that it is very well mixed and that you get a light fluffy texture (you have incorporated air into the mix).
Add egg, vanilla, and chocolate powder and mix well. It will be getting thick now. Add the flour by 1/3rds. The mix will be very thick, like a dough towards the end. Don't be shy, use your hands to knead it all together, if necessary. Add the coconut flakes. You will likely need to use your hands to incorporate the coconut – I used my Kitchen Aid with the paddle attachment and it was enough.
Cover with plastic/cling film and chill in the fridge – I chilled it for 3 hours, Nika did it overnight.
Preheat oven to 165ºC/325ºF; line two large baking sheets with parchment/baking paper.
Make balls using 1 leveled tablespoon of dough, roll in icing sugar and put onto prepared sheets, placing the balls 5cm (2 in) apart.
Bake for about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes 32


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Internet Providers in Carregado, Lisbon, Portugal
January 2024
This information on internet performance in Carregado, Lisbon, Portugal is updated regularly based on Speedtest® data from millions of consumer-initiated tests taken every day. After you've learned about median download and upload speeds from Carregado over the last year, visit the list below to see mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds from additional cities within . Then compare your internet experience by taking a Speedtest below.
For additional up-to-date information about internet speeds in Portugal as a whole, visit the Speedtest Global Index™ or read our recent Market Reports for provider information.
Carregado Fixed Speeds
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Cities in Lisbon
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Totaram Jewelers Online store and Totaram.com. All designs and photographs of 22K Gold Jewellery and 18K Diamond Jewellery are copyright of Totaram Jewelers Online and Totaram.com and may not be used elsewhere. Photographs of Indian Jewellery that we sell online may not reflect exact color, scale and or dimensions. Our photographs of Indian Gold Jewelry and Diamond Jewelry are enlarged for clarity of design. In case of typographical, Human, system or any other errors or any other reasons, Totaram.com online jewellery store reserves the right to cancel any order(s) anytime at our own discretion. All carat, gram weights and dimensions mentioned are approximate, based on manufacturers best estimates and may vary. Most of our Designer Jewellery as well as our other jewelry products are made in India


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House Tour: New Cottage with Vintage Style
Instant classic
This cheerful green cottage high on a Wisconsin bluff overlooking Green Bay was built in 2005 — but looks very much like one that the owner's grandparents once lived in nearby.
When Melissa and Andy Mather enlisted local architect Virge Temme to design their four-bedroom summer getaway, they asked her to duplicate a 1920s Door County cottage. So, in keeping with the local architecture, they built charming gabled roofs with dormers and large overhanging eaves supported with brackets. Even the wood siding's grass green color is homegrown. The Mathers fell in love with the hue after spotting it on a vintage structure in nearby Fish Creek, so Virge marched up to it with paint chips in hand to find a match.
Click ahead to read more about this Door County cottage. A resource guide is on slide 12.
Authentically old
The Mathers went to great lengths to make the cottage feel authentically old, as if it had already weathered many summers of wet bathing suits and the sandy feet of their four children and six grandchildren. "Andy said something to me like 'It needs to feel believable,'" Virge says. "I started thinking about actual building practices and materials that were used in the 1920s."
Early Door County residents would have gotten their home building materials locally, so that's what Virge did. The team excavated stones from the property to build the fireplace, outdoor walkways and stairs. All the timber used—in beams, columns, exposed rafters and interior walls—was harvested within 30 miles of the house. Virge took Melissa and Andy to visit the local sawmill supplying the wood. "They met the guy who was going to take down the trees and mill their wood. That gives you a strong sense of history and community."
All abloom
A mix of low-maintenance native and heirloom flowers, including Oriental poppies, iris, Trillium, day lilies and lady's slipper, dots the front yard and back bluff.
Inexpensive treasures
To continue the "age-old" style inside, Melissa hit flea markets, yard sales and vintage stores to pick up inexpensive treasures in her favorite hot pinks, periwinkle blues and whites. "No worries" is her decorating mantra. Wood floors sport easy-clean scatter rugs. Windows are bare or wear minimal coverings. In the entry (pictured), a hand-me-down wicker tea cart and flea market mirror anchor the space.
Enjoying the outdoors
For all the charms inside the 3,200-square-foot house, Mother Nature lures the family and guests outside for swimming in Green Bay, walking a mile into town for ice cream, roasting marshmallows at the fire pit the Mathers' sons built with stones from the shore or enjoying the gorgeous view from the back porch (pictured).
Wicker porch furniture, repainted several times, is more than 100 years old and came from Andy's parents' cottage. "We live out on the porch," says Melissa. "The water, the breeze—it's spectacular!"
Kitchen charm
A local carpenter built in new paneled cabinetry and open shelving. Pine planks cover the walls and ceilings, and - just as in 1920s cottages — knotholes in the floors provide perfect spying spots for youngsters above. "The grandkids can look through the cracks and holes in the bunk room floor and see us in the kitchen," says Melissa.
Old detailing
Workers scuffed up raw pine floors (later sealed) for a naturally aged look.
Master bedroom views
Transom-topped French doors in the master bedroom open up to a private deck outfitted with hot-pink Adirondack chairs. "The room gets a ton of light," says Melissa. "At night, it's gorgeous with the moonlight coming in."
Sweet dreams
All six grand-kids can sleep in the bunk room, with plenty of room left for play, too.
Updated cottage style
Colorful, nontraditional bedding updates a cottage-style bed. A clip-on lamp and a painted child's chair eliminate the need for a bedside table in this guest bedroom.
Light and bright
All ceilings in the second-floor bedrooms in this home open to the rafters. The blue dresser in this guest bedroom is vintage; old and new quilts dress the queen bed.
Resource guide
ARCHITECT Virge Temme Architecture (920/824-5746; virgetemme.com).
LANDSCAPE DESIGNER: Cliff Orsted, Door Landscape (920/746-9770; doorlandscape.com).
CARPENTER: (kitchen cabinets) Dennis Laaksonen, Laaksonen Builders (920/421-0371).
KITCHEN: Appliances Dishwasher. Miele (800/843-7231; miele.com). Built-in refrigerator. Sub-Zero (900/222-7820; subzero-wolf.com). Range and range hood. Thermador (900/735-4328; thermador.com). Undercounter refrigerator. U-Line (800/779-2547; u-line.com). Apron sink Kohler (800/456-4537; kohler.com).
LIVING ROOM: Slipcovered sofa and chairs Crate and Barrel (800/323-5461; crateandbarrel.com).
DINING ROOM: Chairs Village Grigio side chair. Crate and Barrel (800/323-5461; crateandbarrel.com).
MASTER BEDROOM: Paint color 2052-70 Ice Blue. Benjamin Moore (benjaminmoore.com).
BUNK ROOM: Paint color 2055-70 Innocence, Benjamin Moore (benjaminmoore.com).
Pictured: A peg rack in a hallway outside the kids' bunkroom has enough space to hang baseball caps and beach towels for all six grandchildren.


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With materials taking precedence, two new site-specific works explore the nature of narrative creation and memory.
The body in art is nothing new. In the last 60 years, through the ear and nose sculptures of John Baldessari, Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party (1974-79) and Magdalena Abakanowicz's Nierozpoznani (2002), this focus has been brought down to the composite elements of the human form. Furthering this discourse, a new collaboration will concentrate this elemental focus through the work of Alice Anderson and Kate MccGwire and their use of these basic components, reflecting not just the human body, but in the work of MccGwire, nature itself. Each artist is contributing a site-specific sculpture in All Visual Arts' new permanent space, with the works creating a monumental and immersive experience, overpowering the space with their otherworldly presence.
Alice Anderson and Kate MccGwire both work in sculpture, but with varying approaches to the medium. Anderson has engaged in a continual narrative based around childhood anxieties and synthetic dolls' hair, in the same red as her own hair, which has dominated her work. Last year she filled Riflemaker with thousands of metres of the material, flowing organically through the rooms and along the façade in an extraordinary cross-examination of visual motifs from her childhood and the fictitious nature of memory. MccGwire creates sculptures that interrogate the essential duality between the senses and reason that lies at the heart of human existence. Feathers have featured prominently in her work since 2007, representing this duality in the animal kingdom. Inherently beautiful, sensuous and unique, their roots lay the practicalities of the warmth and transportation of the birds from which they come. With a common desire to create site-specific works on a monumental scale, MccGwire says of the collaboration: "Alice and I have wanted to work together for a while. AVA has been brilliant in that they've trusted in our joint vision and given us free rein to make whatever we wanted."
Anderson's Fort-Da comprises ropes of the red dolls' hair repeatedly wrapped around a three-metre bobbin. It is part of a full body of work referencing notions of childhood memory that will be shown at the Freud Museum from 15 April to 5 June. Fort-Da was a game invented by the grandson of Sigmund Freud when he was just one-year-old, which evoked profound memories of Anderson's own childhood rituals and anxieties of losing her mother: "The terrible fears I used to have when I was a child left alone at home for many long hours." Anderson describes the rituals that she would invent "to calm my anxieties" including "undoing the threads from seams and winding these threads around parts of my body and other objects." As the ritual grew, Anderson turned the focus in on herself, and began using her hairs in place of the threads. Even today with her incredibly long follicles, you wonder if Anderson maintains this ritual of comfort and anxiety outside of her artistic practice.
The ultimate theme and tool in Anderson's work is this recollection of memory.In these recollections and interrogations Anderson recognises the emotional nature of time in the human mind, and how our memories, particularly of our childhood, are manipulated by the passing of time to become something entirely new, something so unrecognisable from the actual events (of which we can of course never prove, only reminisce) as to be almost a work of fiction. "I play with the dislocation of time in the same way that children construct parallel worlds." Through these ideas of childhood ritual, Anderson also speaks of its ramifications outside of the family: "I am interested in the emotional tensions that occur as a result of the exercise of power. The family is the footprint of all political organisations. It's an original unit where we have many aspects of relationships and cultural traditions. In the mother-daughter relationship, there aren't two actors, but three. Power is the third element."
In this manner of repeatedly referencing her relationships, psychoanalysing and questioning the boundaries of time, it is apt that a substantial body of Anderson's work should be showing at the Freud Museum. Its combination of the analytical with art and science, paralleling not only Anderson's studies into memory, but also her use of the scientific and the synthetic in evoking the organic. Anderson's works at the Museum focus on Anna Freud, daughter of the great psychoanalysist and pioneer of psychological studies. At the Freud Museum, Anna's loom is appropriated for Anderson's sculpture as the dolls' hairs are woven into ropes and bindings, which are then used to create Grids and Confinement Room, referencing not only the repeated ritual of weaving on a loom, but also the suffocating nature of family relationships. For Anna, practising in her father's field, his reputation must have been overwhelming, and the tautly formed, claustrophobic ropes of the works reference this, alongside Anna's own decision to remain in the family home long into adulthood: "Knowing that Freud stated once that the activity of weaving was a cover for 'genital deficiency' [I had] to have her loom as a starting point of the exhibition!"
In a long tradition of female artists, Anderson explicitly references her own body in her work. The dolls' hair is inherently wound into Anderson's identity as a redhead, carefully considered, and methodically wrapped all over its surroundings as a maternal feminine force, enveloping the atmosphere and the viewer in its beauty and benevolence. But Anderson argues too for a juxtaposition in the work through the masculinity of the regimented grid system: "The conjunction of the masculine associations of the grid, with its claims to disembodied abstraction, with the corporeal, feminine associations of the dolls' hair."
Similarly to Anderson's use of dolls' hair, MccGwire has increasingly been using birds' feathers as the building blocks of her work. MccGwire's Corvid is a huge, jet black, feathered serpentine being, that becomes an imposing force beside Anderson's childlike creation. Tightly wound around itself, it is an endless being with evocations of power and restraint, and MccGwire's choice of crows' feathers creates an ominous alliance with this most foreboding of birds: "Throughout history, crows have been regarded as deviant, as the bearers of bad news. I've tried to make it look as though it's writhing, as though the deviant is in the process of becoming more aberrant. For me, it's as if the material, and thus Corvid, becomes a physical manifestation of a state of mind."
The materials contrast with the synthetic nature of Anderson's dolls' hair in the nomadic manner of their collection and inherently organic qualities: "You could see the pairing of the two as a kind of dialogue between the perfection of nature and the imperfection of man … I've only ever used organic materials, or products of organic materials such as paper." Using feathers over the past few years, MccGwire is attracted to their otherness: "When you find one on the ground they always look so utterly separate from the bird they've been discarded by. It's difficult to imagine when you look at a quill that this flesh-less stem was once attached to a bird."
Thus, Corvid addresses the process of ritual and myth-making, and the manner in which we still partake in traditions today, unaware of their creation and original circumstances. In questioning these accepted notions, and subverting the context, MccGwire can lead the viewer to challenge the status quo. MccGwire is fascinated by "the way we can be drawn to certain materials, but repelled by them at the same time – the familiar, when seen out of place, can throw you out of kilter. I'm slowly exploring that fine line, trying to subtly unsettle the viewer in some way." Through using the feathers from crows, the artist engages in the predator-prey dichotomy: "The work's very existence relies on the fact that these birds are shot for being pests, for damaging crops and killing off fledgling birds." Collecting feathers after these culls, MccGwire describes her relationship with the materials as "more symbiotic than predatorial."
This juxtaposition is continued in the subversively aggressive form. This aggression when combined with Anderson's Fort-Da creates an immersive body of work that questions our part in the environment and the otherness of materials, not only from people, but also from animals, once they have left the body. Taking on the cylindrical nature of life, these new installations reference their materials through a constant process of loss and renewal.
Bound was on until 30 April 2011. www.allvisualarts.org.
Ruby Beesley


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Welcome to Dragon Cave! Dragon Cave is an online adoptables game. Collect eggs, raise them to adulthood, and then breed them to create interesting lineages. New dragons are added regularly!
Arsani Dragons place a heavy emphasis on community. They are born with the innate ability to sense the emotions of others in their own species, and therefore take great care to ensure the happiness of their brethren. It's not uncommon for them to give gifts and affection to those around them without warning. This good-natured giving extends far beyond the reaches of their own kind. Anyone who gains the friendship of a Arsani Dragon is likely to receive food, pretty rocks, and occasionally even flowers at regular intervals. The shared connection of the Arsani Dragons also allows them to draw on each other's strength when performing feats of magic, making them some of the strongest spell casters yet discovered.
Dragons are highly-intelligent reptilian creatures that—from a human perspective, at least—appear to live forever. Many different varieties of dragon exist, each with their own unique qualities, habitats, and behavior. Adolescence in dragons is usually marked by the growth of a hatchling's wings, although not all breeds of dragons grow wings and some breeds have other traits that indicate the beginning of maturation. In Galsreim, dragons and humans coexist peacefully.