DID YOU KNOW:

ScienceDaily (July 1, 2008) — A cold slice of watermelon has long been a Fourth of July holiday staple. But according to recent studies, the juicy fruit may be better suited for Valentine’s Day. That’s because scientists say watermelon has ingredients that deliver Viagra-like effects to the body’s blood vessels and may even increase libido. Beneficial ingredients in watermelon and other fruits and vegetables are known as phyto-nutrients, naturally occurring compounds that are bioactive, or able to react with the human body to trigger healthy reactions, Patil said.
In watermelons, these include lycopene, beta carotene and the rising star among its phyto-nutrients – citrulline – whose beneficial functions are now being unraveled. Among them is the ability to relax blood vessels, much like Viagra does.

Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC (Can), (January 11,[1] 1815 – June 6, 1891) was the first Prime Minister of Canada and the dominant figure of Canadian Confederation. Macdonald's tenure in office spanned 18 years, making him the second longest serving Prime Minister of Canada. He is the only Canadian Prime Minister to win six majority governments. He was the major proponent of a national railway, completed in 1885, linking Canada from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans. He won praise for having helped forge a nation of sprawling geographic size, with two diverse European colonial origins, numerous Aboriginal nations, and a multiplicity of cultural backgrounds and political views.

Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs only have about ten.
The airplane Buddy Holly died in was called "American Pie." (Thus the name of the Don McLean song.)

If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle; if the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died as a result of wounds received in battle; if the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes. (note: if the rider's head is up the horse's rear, the rider died a politician.)
What do bullet proof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser printers all have in common?-- All were invented by women

Last Meal Ribs recipe
Serves. 2 adults.
Preparation time. Overnight marinating is optional.
Cooking time. We will be cooking low and slow, so allow 5 hours for St. Louis Cut ribs and 3 hours for baby backs.
Hardware
1 pair of long handled tongs
1 sauce brush, preferably one of those newfangled silicon jobs
12 feet of heavy duty aluminum foil, not the lightweight stuff
1 good instant read thermometer, preferably digital
1 six pack of beer (for the cook, not the meat)
1 lawn chair
1 good book and plenty of tunes to taste
Software
1 slab of fresh St. Louis Cut (SLC) ribs. That's 1/2 slab per adult. If you use baby back ribs, get a whole slab per person. You may have leftovers, but what's wrong with that? SLCs are the meatiest and most flavorful ribs. They are spare ribs with the tips removed so they form a nice rectangular rack. You can use baby back ribs if you prefer. They are smaller and cook faster. Country ribs come from the shoulder and are not really ribs, so don't use them for this recipe. Get fresh, not frozen meat if possible. Fresh meat has the best pork flavor and the most moisture. Ever notice the pink liquid when you defrost meat? You can't get that back into the meat, so buy fresh meat whenever possible. Ask the butcher to remove the membrane on the back side.
3 tablespoons cooking oil
4 tablespoons of a spice rub
1 cup apple juice
1 cup of your signature homemade barbecue sauce or a good commercial barbecue sauce
Do this
1) Rinse. Rinse the ribs in cool water to remove any bone bits from the butchering and any bacterial film that grew in the package (don't worry, cooking will sterilize the meat). Pat dry with paper towels.
2) Skin 'n' trim. If the butcher has not removed the membrane from the back side, do it yourself. Insert a butter knife under the membrane, then your fingers work a section loose, grip it with a paper towel, and peel it off. Finally, trim the excess fat from both sides.
3) Rub. Coat the meat with a thin layer of cooking oil. Sprinkle enough spicy rub to coat all surfaces but not so much that the meat doesn't show through. That is about 2 tablespoons per side depending on the size of the slab. Many of the herbs and spices in the rub are oil soluble, so the cooking oil will help them penetrate a little better. Spread the spice on the meat and rub it in. Wash your hands. Wrap the meat in half the foil and let it sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours on a platter or pan to catch leaks. In addition to flavoring the meat, the salt in the rub pulls the juices to the surface and that will help form a crust during the cooking. If you don't have time to let the meat marinate in the dry rub, it's not the end of the world. Put on the oil and rub anyway and start cooking.
4) Setup for indirect 2-zone cooking. Setup your cooker for indirect cooking with two zones. That means that one side is hot and the other is not If you have a gas grill, use only one burner. Put a disposable aluminum pan with water on top of the hot burner. Moisture and combustion gasses in a propane grill combine to create a seductive, baconlike flavor in the meat. If it has only one burner, put the water pan between the meat and the burner. If you have a charcoal grill, push the coals to one side. You can use a water pan, but it is not necessary.
5) Adjust the temp. Preheat your cooker to about 225F and try to keep it there throughout the cook. Adjust the air intake dampers at the bottom to control heat on charcoal grills. Intake dampers are more effective than exhaust dampers for controlling the temp because they reduce the supply of oxygen to the coals. Take your time getting the temp right. Cooking at 225F will allow the meat to roast low and slow, liquefying the collagen in connective tissues and melting fats without getting the proteins knotted in a bunch. It's a magic temp that creates silky texture, adds moisture, and keeps the meat tender. If you can't hit 225F, get as close as you can. Don't go under 200F and try not to go over 250F.
6) Relax. Put the slabs in the cooker on the cooler side of the grill, meaty side up. Close the lid and go drink a beer and read a book.
7) The Texas Crutch. Now we employ another secret of the champions, The Texas Crutch. After 3 hours of cooking SLC ribs at 225F (2 hours for baby backs), take 6' of heavy duty foil and fold it into a 3' length. Lay the slab on the foil meaty side up. Fold up the sides making a boat and pour 1 cup of apple juice into the boat. Don't pour it on the meat or you'll wash off the rub. Now carefully fold the foil around the meat, sealing it tight and trying hard not to puncture the foil. Be careful, those bones can poke through. Put the packet back on the grill for 30-60 minutes. No more than an hour. By creating a little steam, The Texas Crutch adds flavor, moisture, tenderness, and finishes cooking the meat. If you want to skip this step, you'll still make killer ribs.
8) Sauce. Now take the meat out of the foil, being careful not to curl your eyebrows with the steam when you open the packet, and place the ribs back on at 225F for 30 minutes to firm up the surface. Then paint both sides with your favorite barbecue sauce and move them directly over the hottest part of the grill in order to caramelize and crisp the sauce. On a charcoal grill, just move the slab over the coals. On a gas grill, crank up all the burners. One coat of a thick sauce should be enough, but if you need two, go ahead, but no more! Don't hide all the fabulous flavors under too much sauce. If you think you'll want more sauce, put some in a bowl on the table.
If you've done all this right, you will notice that there is a thin pink layer beneath the surface of the meat. This does not mean it is undercooked! It is the highly prized smoke ring caused by the combustion gases and the smoke. It is a sign of Amazing Ribs. Now be ready to take a bow when the applause swells from the audience.
9)Optional. Instead of using barbecue sauce, make Vermont Pig Candy. This is always a huge hit. Here's a summary of the process. Pour the apple juice from the foil into a sauce pan and mix it with 1/4 cup of real maple syrup (not artificially flavored pancake syrup) and cook it about 15 minutes on medium high heat or until it starts to foam. Watch it carefully and take it off the moment it foams. Then add 2 pinches of salt and 2 teaspoons of hot sauce more or less. Paint this wonderful glaze on the meat and put it back on the grill over high heat with the lid open and watch it carefully because it can burn easily. The moment it begins to sizzle and bubble, turn it and sizzle it on the other side. Serve it and wait for the compliments.
10)Serve with
Creamy Deli Slaw or Sweet-Sour Slaw
Baked Beans
Home Made Lemonade ,Ice Tea or Beer
Lusty Chocolate Truffles for dessert

Previous Answer Betty “princess” Anderson on Father Knows Best
Trivia: What role did John Hillerman play 1980-1988?