Chocolate lovers attention!! Please march to Switzerland , because these people eats chocolate at a high volume.
Source: Euromonitor 2003
Interesting Christmas Present Ideas
Christmas is coming soon. Finding an interesting Christmas present idea is not a simple trick. Too often we fall into a rut of un-original thinking. Trouble is, the Christmas present idea that was so well received a few years ago starts to get boring. After all, there are only so many times you can give someone a fragrance gift selection box, aren't there?
What should you do instead so that the thought you've put into selecting a Christmas present idea shows through? Even if you've spent less time choosing than you would like?
Here are some interesting Christmas present ideas for you to consider:
God damn it. Just when we start our annual Shiny Towers Get Fit Quick scheme, we're bombarded with temptation in the form of National Chocolate Week. What's a group of slightly hormonal women to do? Pass the Galaxy, will you?
Here's our top Chocolate picks for the week ahead (and no, they're not all from LG). 
1. HP Pavilion Chocolate laptop
Yeah yeah yeah, it's got a low-light webcam, a dedicated media button, stereo speakers, a wireless mouse. But it's also got "earthy and chocolate browns", "a filigree flower pattern inlaid in the casing" and a "russet slip cover". Mmm, nothing tastes as good as style over substance.
2. Chocolate fountain
There are some people who will only attend a party if the Champagne is flowing. Me? I won't turn up unless there's a chocolate fountain on hand. You can get your very own living room version from Firebox for £89.99.
2. Explosive chocolate bomb
Bombs, generally, are rubbish. They hurt people, they're expensive (I imagine) and they're terribly unpopular. Unless they're made of chocolate, that is. You can light the wick of this one, and stand back as the chocolate bomb explodes. And the mess to your table cloth? Why, that's just collateral damage.
3. Sony Ericsson K770i
Making a successful brown phone is all about the right marketing. The sludge brown K770i? Not going to sell. The truffle brown K770i? Instant best-seller. It's also got a 3.2 megapixel camera, 16MB of internal memory, and all the lens and flash professionalism you'd expect from a Cybershot. Sadly, now all we're interested in are the 5 megapixel babies, despite the fact we will Never. Print. Our. Photos.
4. Shocolate chocolate dispenser
When your chocolate craving becomes a real problem, there's only one solution. Electrification. Yes, when you can't trust yourself to have the self-control to leave the candy alone, you can lock it in this jar which will administer an electric shock to whoever tries to retrieve it. You set the timer to decide when it's accessible again. Some time in 2009 should do the trick.
Ok, so it's not actually a gadget, but it does have gadget heritage. Thanks to the dubious power of Facebook groups, Cadbury's has brought back the Wispa bar. There's only one way to respond to that - set up a 'Bring back Spangles' group.
6. Choctail Maker
As Mr Ford of Ford Motor Cars once said, you can have any flavour, as long as it's chocolate. This machine will make you chocolate milkshakes, mochaccinos, hot chocolate and chocolate flavoured cocktails, all ready for you to add the compulsory whipped cream flourish on top. You just set it to melt your favourite chocolate bar, add the milk/coffee/Baileys, and pour.
7. Gina McGrath laptop bag
Good enough to eat? Quite possibly, but even the softest of leather tends to stick in the throat when not chewed properly. You're better off using this one for its intended purpose and sticking your laptop in it, especially since it's going to set you back $150, and that would be one expensive taste of chocolate.
8. LG Chocolate phone
We couldn't just not mention it, now could we? It's spawned a whole host of LG Chocolate ranges, such as TVs, speaker systems and computer monitors, but the original is this beautiful to look at (rubbish to actually use) mobile phone, so loved by... well, everyone.
10. PSP vending machine
They were announced in June last year, but we've yet to hear of any sightings in the wild. But, they *might* exist, and they're surely the 21st century chocolate vending machine. In fact, that goes for the rumoured Japanese porn vending machines, the Vodafone PAYG phone vending machines and the hot boy vending machine. OK, that last one might just be in my head.
A news from Sydney Morning Herald revealed that giving a dog a Christmas "treat" from the dinner table may actually be doing it serious harm.The Australian Veterinary Association said vets around the country spend a lot of the silly season looking after dogs with gastro problems.
Association president Mark Lawrie said grapes, sultanas, avocados and macadamia nuts were particularly dangerous.
“We don't know exactly why … there are a few theories around but we haven't been able to isolate the toxic agent,” Dr Lawrie said.
“What we do know is that they cause tubular damage, which in severe cases can lead to renal failure or death.”
He added that in most cases, the danger can be managed and the animal recovers well but pet owners should be careful not to give any fruitcake to their pets this Christmas.
“Similarly, with avocado and macadamia nuts, they haven't picked up the toxic factor, but we do see poisonings that are clearly related to these foods. They've also done controlled studies,” Dr Lawrie said.
“Luckily with macadamia nuts and avocado, although [dogs] can get quite sick, they do invariably recover.”
"There are some foods which we indulge in over the Christmas period that are just not good for our cats and dogs," Dr Lawrie said.
"Chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, can cause an increase in thirst and urination followed by increased heartbeat, tremors and seizures, and in extreme cases can even cause death."
Even a bit of pork crackling could be hazardous, Dr Lawrie said.
"Too much fat from cooked meat such as lamb or pork, especially if they have been cooked with salt, can also cause problems with your pet's digestive system," he said.
"Cooked bones are also not good for our pets."
Dr Lawrie said it was in the dog's best interest to resist the "hungry dog" look.
"We recommend that you get your pet its own Christmas present treats designed especially for them from your vet clinic, pet store or supermarket," he said.
(taken from Sydey Morning Herald)
Chocolate is Good for You!........Honestly!
Mood Elevator
Chocolate contains phenylethylamine, which is a mild mood elevator/anti-depressant, and also happens to be the same chemical that our brain produces when we feel love or happiness. Chocolate contains other stimulants to "raise" your mood, such as caffeine, in very small amounts. In fact, one ounce of milk chocolate only has about as much caffeine as a cup of decaffeinated coffee. Because these chemicals are so mild, chocolate is not considered physically addictive (despite how many people feel about it).
Cardiovascular Health
Like red wine, tea, fruits, and vegetables, cocoa seeds contain important antioxidants called flavonoids. Antioxidants help to reduce certain damage to the body's cells and tissues over time. In recent studies, the flavonoids in chocolate have been found to regulate certain hormones essential to cardiovascular health and may even have further immunoregulatory effects. Dark chocolate, which contains the highest concentration of cocoa liquor, is considered the best for your health. Dark chocolate contains about twice as many antioxidants as a bar of milk chocolate.
Cholesterol
Just because it tastes good doesn't mean it has to be bad for you. Unlike many comfort foods, eating chocolate will not raise your cholesterol. Chocolate and cocoa butter contain both saturated and unsaturated fat. But unlike many saturated fats, the stearic acid in chocolate is a neutral fat and does not raise bad cholesterol levels (LDL). The unsaturated fat in chocolate, oleic acid, is the same type of fat as in olive oil, which may actually help raise good cholesterol (HDL).
