Timely nuggets of information and ideas we want to share with you.

The Zojiirushi Neuro Fuzzy 10-cup Rice Cooker and Warmer NS-ZCC!0 wins every comparison among rice cookers.  The Wirecutter said it was the overall best rice cooker because “it produces excellent white rice across different grain types, including brown rice and even basmati and is very forgiving of errors in water ratios”.  They considered it the most foolproof and versatile cooker they tested. $211.99.

Hubble is busy exploring the universe 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  It has observed something fascinating on your birthday. Enter the month and the day of your birthday and you’ll see.

Below is what was seen on my birthday in 2000.  It is “the glowing remains of a dying Sun-like star.” Click here for Hubble.

It’s very helpful to have a good kitchen scale for baking.  Many baking recipes have metric weight measurements in addition to the U.S. Customary System that we’re all used to. The metric system deals with weight of the ingredients which is more precise for baking.  This Oxo Good Grips 5 lb. Food Scale gets great reviews.  This scale is thin enough to keep in a kitchen drawer and is simple to use.  $29.85.

This is a website that is devoted to elongating your vacations.  It’s called Stretch My Time Off. It will identify all the government holidays in your country and highlight the best weeks in the year to schedule your vacation.