Archive for the 'General' Category
December 18th, 2008 -- Posted in General |
For many people, the holidays are some of the best times of the year. They often mean a chance to take a little time off of work, gather the family together, decorate, and basically just have fun. Having fun and happy times make the day to day drudgery of the everyday that much more bearable.
Of course, some people dive into the holidays a little harder than others. And everyone has their own personal favorite – some like Christmas with the lights and the gifts, others Easter with cuddly bunnies and chocolate eggs, and then there is Halloween, with scary costumes and more candy than you know what to do with. And for those who dive whole heartedly into the holidays, accessories are just a part of the celebration.
A new trend
Wearing holiday jewelry is a newer trend. Starting with Christmas, it has now spread to the other holidays as well. So while you can have candy canes, nativity scenes, and packages in December, there are other things that you can wear throughout the year to celebrate the other holidays as well. Bunnies and crosses for Easter, snowflakes and snowmen for winter, menorahs for Hanukkah, and flags four the Fourth of July and Memorial Day are all popular additions to holiday accessories.
How you can accessorize for Halloween
While Christmas might still hold the lead for holiday accessories, Halloween is a close second. You can now choose anything from little ghosts, witches, pumpkins, black cats, spiders and more. And these Halloween icons can be found on earrings, pendants, bracelets, and other jewelry items so that you can mix and match your favorites into your everyday wardrobe.
Why do it?
You might wonder what would possess someone to don a pair of skeleton earrings during the month of October, or sport a brooch shaped like a black cat with glowing red eyes. However, it is an easy way for you to celebrate the holiday that you love without being obnoxious about it.
Take, for instance, the average office situation. Chances are, there is probably a dress code that you have to follow involving wearing business attire. So unless your office takes a casual day and allows you to dress up, wearing the clown, monkey, or witch costume to work on Halloween is probably going to be considered inappropriate. However, most bosses will not say anything about a tastefully chosen jack-o-lantern lapel pin or earrings shaped like black cats. So it can be a discrete way to observe the holiday without putting your job at risk.
Halloween accessories can also be that finishing touch that you need to your costume. For instance, what glamorous witch would you be without some flashy bat earrings or a large spider ring to complete your look? Halloween jewelry will add that finishing touch.
If you are looking for a fun, and possibly discrete, way to observe Halloween, or any of your other favorite holidays, choosing some holiday jewelry can be a fun way to do it.
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December 18th, 2008 -- Posted in General |
We all make mistakes. Howsoever intelligent we may be, or wealthy, or experienced, we all make mistakes. Sometimes we realize, other times we don’t. But we all make mistakes because we are human. Only God does not ever make any mistake.
Some of our mistakes hurt our interest. They don’t hurt anyone else. But sometimes, we do few things knowingly or unknowingly that hurt others. That is the time to apologize. Why do many of us apologize immediately, and why do many of us avoid it? Why do many of us say sorry even for an insignificant hurt, while some wait for ages to sorry after committing gigantic blunders? That is a mystery. It all depends upon our thinking, our upbringing, our humility, our sense of right and wrong, and our opinion of others feelings and so on. But do we become smaller by saying sorry? Are we confessing a blunder by saying sorry? Are we hurting our ego by saying sorry? Certainly not.
We rather become better by saying sorry. When we say sorry, we feel good, the other party feels good. By saying sorry, we are not making a mistake of confessing a blunder and putting ourselves to risk of ridicule, but saying that- look here, I made this mistake, and I am very sorry for that. Please forgive me and let us be friends again. An apology makes us a better person by cleansing us of our guilt. Let us all say sorry as soon as we realize that by any act of ours, we have hurt someone even if the hurt is insignificant. If the mistake is bigger, our apology should match it to bring matters back to normal.
Let us apologize at all the times, we make a mistake and make someone happy again and get happiness in return.
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December 18th, 2008 -- Posted in General |
It would be a sweet reward to find a cure for pediatric cancer and other life-threatening diseases that affect children-and ice cream fans now have a way to help.
Fans of ice cream-whether it’s on a stick, in a cup or on top of a cone-can visit Icecream.com to “stick up” for kids with cancer.
For every virtual frozen pop stick message sent from the site between May 15 and Dec. 31, 2006, Nestlé Ice Cream will donate 25 cents to City of Hope Cancer Center, where the money will be used for pediatric cancer research, treatment and education.
Visitors to Icecream.com are invited to write some words of inspiration, a favorite joke or simply a message of hope on a virtual frozen pop stick that will be shared with kids who are currently undergoing treatment.
At the end of the program, the number of virtual frozen pop sticks will be counted and an equivalent number of real-life frozen pop sticks will be used to construct a sculpture. A talented artist will design a kid-friendly, whimsical sculpture that will be placed at City of Hope to remind children that people throughout the country are wishing them well.
The sculpture will be erected in spring 2007 and an image of the sculpture may be placed on selected frozen treat packages to support and grow the program.
“Nestlé Ice Cream is proud to partner with City of Hope to support research and treatment programs that will benefit kids with cancer,” said Maggie Hughs, senior manager, Nestlé Ice Cream. “We hope enabling ice cream fans across the nation to send a virtual message of hope will not only help this worthwhile cause, but also inspire both the sender and recipient of each message.”
City of Hope is one of the world’s leading research and treatment centers for cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases. Named by U.S. News & World Report as one of America’s best medical centers for cancer treatment, City of Hope is a Comprehensive Cancer Center, the highest designation bestowed by the National Cancer Institute, and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a pioneer in the fields of bone marrow transplantation and genetics.
City of Hope’s scientific knowledge is shared with medical centers locally and globally, helping patients battling life-threatening diseases.
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December 18th, 2008 -- Posted in General |
Those shoes that you just can’t live without, that you use for working out, doing yard work, walking, running or just hanging out – the sneaker – has a fascinating history.
The sneaker has been around since the 1800s when the Industrial Revolution took hold on America and rubber began being produced. Sneakers were once called plimsolls when they were first made in the 1800s as a plain rubber soled shoe. Goodyear, now a tire manufacturer, began as a rubber shoe company and in 1892 introduced Keds Ò to the world. The word “sneaker” was also introduced to the world about a decade later when an advertising agent gave these rubber soled shoes the name sneakers because the soles were so quiet and didn’t make any noise on any surface.
Converse was the next company to release a sneaker to the world in 1917. They called it the Converse All Star and it was the shoe worn by basketball players. This shoe – the Converse All Star – later became the Chuck Taylor All Star and became a necessity to basketball players, kids and others for more than 50 years.
Adi and Rudolph Dassler introduced the first shoe used for tennis, or the tennis shoe, in 1931 and the brand name Adidas was born. Soon after Rudolph Dassler teamed with Puma Schuhfabrik to produce the Puma brand shoe for football.
It took until the 1950s for sneakers to be the preferred footwear of teenagers after James Dean was photographed wearing his jeans and white sneakers. Girls and boys wore their sneakers as a symbol of rebellion.
In 1968 the sneaker giant Nike enters the sneaker scene after Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman partner to create Blue Ribbon Sports shoes which was later changed to Nike after the Greek Goddess of Victory. In 1971 the famous Nike swoosh was bought from a graphic design student for a mere $35! In 1979 Nike created the first Nike Air sole shoe claiming a revolutionary air-cushioning shoe. They introduce the first shoe using this technology called the Nike Tailwind. However, one of the most memorable shoe lines that Nike released was the Air Jordan which hit the markets in 1985.
Since then Nike has captured the athletic shoe market. In 2001 they introduced their Nike Shox advanced support technology. This system uses columns of engineered foam to give runners and athletes superior cushioning and support. This was a new revolution in shoe design.
Nike continued to lead the market in 2003 and acquired Converse, Inc. The Chuck Taylor All Star is reintroduced and is again a fashion staple in the lives of teenagers across the country.
Sneakers have come so far that they are not strictly for athletes anymore. In 2004 Reebok formed a partnership with music professionals to create their Sound and Rhythm line. This was done on an attempt to grow and heighten sales and to recognize the growing popularity of the music industry and it’s effect on today’s youth.
Whether you are a professional athlete, casual athlete, music enthusiast or lover of fashion only, there is sure to be several pairs of sneakers in your wardrobe to fit every facet of your life. But did you ever know that this staple item had such an interesting history behind it?
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December 18th, 2008 -- Posted in General |
sk any expert and they will tell you that computers should be kept in high-traffic areas of the house, such as the kitchen or family room. Almost everyone will agree that letting a teenager have his or her own computer in the bedroom is not a good idea. But in a time when many families have more than one PC in the home, teens having their own Internet connection is an unavoidable reality. Add to that fact that this is the season of giving and making young wishes come true, chances are a lot more teens will be online with their own connections within the next month.
As technology advances, however, parents can easily give their online youngsters privacy and freedom, while at the same time protect them from the dangers online. One word: monitoring software!
Parents need to be smart when giving teens their own PC. It’s important to adopt and enforce a new set of rules, such as leaving the door open and a “no Internet after” time. Also, visit your child’s room often when they are online, and ask them questions about what websites they are visiting and who their online friends are.
“But before you even do that, as you get ready to give them the ‘big gift’ this year, make sure it is outfitted with the proper parental control software, such the latest PC Pandora release, version 5.0.” says Pandora Corp. co-founder, James Leasure.
Tools like PC Pandora make it easy to find that happy medium between teens being able to freely use the Internet socially, and parents not being left in the dark about their child’s online activity.
Co-founder Manuel Coats explains, “PC Pandora works like a TiVo for your PC, by recording and taking sequential snapshots of what is on the computer screen. This enables parents to see exactly what their children see.” Coats continues, “ In addition, it has all the features that other programs utilize, such as website filtering and blocking, time scheduling, and it will even email a busy parent at work with updates on their child’s online activity.”
The new version 5.0 boasts a revamped user interface, new webcam snapshot capture and Instant Messenger blocking.
If someone is approaching your kids with ill intentions, you will know. It’s really the best all-around defense you can get to help keep your children safe online.
As a special promotion for the holidays, the company is offering the software at a discounted price. Parents can use the code ‘holiday07’ at the pcpandora.com store to get $15 off the Standard or Pro editions of the program.
The www.PCpandora.com website has become a place where parents can go to discuss issues, get tips, educate themselves and find answers. They have an interesting Blog and you can find 18 Tips for Safe Surfing.
Online safety is an important topic, now more so than ever – and parents are the first and best line of defense for their kids. Parents, educate yourself on the Net, talk to your kids and protect your PCs with PC Pandora!
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December 18th, 2008 -- Posted in General |
I took a lunch meating with a Hollywood pal in May, 2005.
We talked movies, and we talked meat. Meat, meat and more meat.
Tri-tip. Pepper steak. Garlic steak. Beef kabob. Top sirloin.
It’s (almost) all about meat when you’re at Amazon Churrascaria in Fullerton (in Orange County, Calif.). Churrascaria are a particularly Brazilian mix of barbecue and steakhouse, featuring waiters who roam the room bearing sword-length skewers, each loaded with a chunk of meat, still steaming hot from the open-flame grill tucked into the kitchen.
Brazilian touches extend to the decor. A waterfall cascades down a wall facing the front door. Faux jungle plants, and crypto jungle-ruin panels cover the walls. It made me think of the kid-favorite Rainforest Cafe chain, sans roaring animatronics, flashing lights and corporate-restaurant mega-merchandising.
A curious touch of the American Midwest dominates the middle of the large restaurant, which has served in former lives as a Chinese buffet and a Country Inn buffet. A salad bar of sorts, the kind popular in Peoria in the ’80s, harbors mayo-based salads, three-bean salads, cheesy breads, some soups. And in one corner, the very Brazilian treat of banana frita: ripe banana strips rolled in cinnamon-flavored flour, deep-fried and coated with sugar. Delicious.
Returning to your booth, it’s pretty basic. Red oilcloth-covered tables, well-worn water goblets, a short list of Chilean table wines and the guys bringing the meat. As long as you keep a little tabletop red-yellow-and-green spindle turned green-side up, they keep carving. It’s all you can eat, for as long as you can eat. (Put the spindle red side up and it means stop, already! Sideways means bring the bill.)
For lunch ($12.75), the fare typically is limited — if you can call it that — to a dozen cuts of beef, pork sausage, giant chicken drumsticks and turkey cubes wrapped in bacon.
At dinner ($21.75), the choices expand to 22 different meats. All the beef you can get at lunch, plus skirt steak, succulent beef and pork ribs, ribeye, lamb. There’s roasted salmon. And now the exotics come in. Alligator, duck, quail, chicken heart.
The aroma of smoky meat fills the room, and depending on your sensibilities, it is either delectable or overpowering.
None of it should come as a surprise. You know what you’re getting the minute you pull into the parking lot.
One of those big photo banners hangs on the exterior wall facing the parking lot. A smiling meat server manhandles a loaded skewer. A dozen other full skewers loom next to him. Barbecue smells, richer than anything that wafts over your backyard fence, fill the air.
My pal (who introduced me to this place that we’ve come to call “that meat palace” while we were each in our Atkins Diet phase) and I liked the smell outside and in. My wife, who joined me for a Saturday-night meal, was firmly in the overpowered camp.
She liked the skirt steak and the ribeye, but six or seven servings of different meats later, she was full and ready to go. She waited patiently for me to work through the beef rib — as beautiful as any prime rib I’ve had — the quail, the alligator, the rabbit, the pork.
For her patience, she rewarded herself with a chocolate cheesecake served from a rolling cart by Jessica, the “dessert girl” — another curious Midwestern touch — and we split a pineapple sorbet that was a perfect cap to my gorging: light, creamy, cold and served in a hollowed-out pineapple husk.
Restaurant manager Roman Alcaraz says they’ve built a loyal following, among area Brazilians to be sure — perhaps it’s the caipirinha cocktails, a sort of Brazilian margarita made with cachaca, a type of Brazilian rum — but also from the full melange of Orange County’s many immigrants, be they Asian, Latin or Illinoisan.
Owner Kent Choy, a CPA in Los Angeles’ Koreatown, got the idea for Amazon from a client, and in December 2002 it opened as the only one of its kind in Orange County. A few churrascaria serve Los Angeles County, and the staff in Fullerton hears rumors of a competitor coming to Irvine.
But for now, it’s a singular kind of experience, a great place to meat a pal.
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December 18th, 2008 -- Posted in General |
Over 25 years ago, a fellow named Don Shoendorfer was traveling in Morocco and witnessed a sight that inspired him to make a difference in the world. To bear witness to the sight of a crippled Moroccan woman dragging herself across a dirty road in the middle of town proved too much for him. Her image haunted him for many years to come, until he decided to put his education to use for those less fortunate. He has undertaken a task of great importance, which has the potential to change lives.
In 1999, Don established the Free Wheelchair Mission as a non-profit organization and set to work giving mobility and dignity back to disabled people in developing countries. With his PhD in Mechanical Engineering and an absolute heart of gold, Don has achieved what so many well intentioned organizations strive for. He has given thousands of people the renewed opportunity to live and experience life. And with that, he has given them hope for the future.
The initial challenge facing Don was that of developing a wheelchair that was safe and functional, but also relatively inexpensive. He set about doing research and development and, over time, came up with a design that has virtually eliminated the cost burden generally associated with wheelchairs and wheelchair production. The Free Wheelchair Mission has developed a wheelchair that sells for approximately $50.00 USF, which includes the costs of manufacturing, shipping, and distribution.
The second major challenge facing Don and his organization was the ability to provide these low cost wheelchairs to disabled persons in developing countries at no cost. To overcome this challenge, they have established partnerships with a number of charitable organizations. To date, they have provided wheelchairs free of cost to over 70,000 people in 46 countries. Their mission is to provide 20 million wheelchairs by the year 2010. This is a noble mission, indeed. The Free Wheelchair Mission has generated a lot of positive press for their amazing work, and they were recently acknowledged by the American President, George W. Bush, for the wonderful work they are doing. If only there were more people like Don Shoendorfer.
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December 18th, 2008 -- Posted in General |
When most people hear the dreaded words Driving under the Influence they see dollar signs because of the costs involved anymore. Organizations like M.A.D.D. and S.A.D.D. have done a terrific job of heightening awareness across the country on driving under the influence of alcohol. States like New Mexico have come the furthest but only because it seemed like they were a safe haven for drunk drivers. Today there is a new problem!
One of the unspoken related problems of drunk driving is drivers falling asleep while intoxicated. Now there is a new epidemic sweeping the country in the form of “sleepwalking” drivers-driving under the influence of the most popular prescription sleep medication in the U.S. – Ambien.
Drivers who are unaware they are asleep at the wheel are a rising threat on U.S highways according to a recent NY times article. In Washington State alone in 2005, for example, 78 impaired drivers were arrested, up from 56 the previous year, with Ambien in their bloodstream. According to the Times article, ten state toxicology labs that test for the presence of the drug rate it as one of the top ten found in impaired drivers yet most states do not even test for the drug. Ambien had 26.6 million prescriptions last year with $2.2 billion in sales according to the article.
According to the report, following their arrests many of the drivers claim to have no recollection of getting behind the wheel. In many of the cases the drug was taken incorrectly either as an overdose or in addition to other drugs such as alcohol—HELLO!
Bizarre behavior often accompanies the misuse of the drug. The label warns of combining the drug with alcohol and possible sleepwalking side effects. Those warnings apparently have been relatively ineffective because broad misuse continues.
Additionally, sleep apnea and other sleep disorders which continue to grow in the U.S. provide another source of drivers falling asleep at the wheel. A study showed that people with sleep apnea were seven times more likely to have multiple car accidents.
So it’s not just your alcohol DUI any more. Drugs, legal and illegal, and a host of sleeping disorders are turning the streets into a nightmare for drivers falling asleep at the wheel all across the country. There are a variety of devices that can keep drivers awake if they are suspect, but maybe the best thing to do is not drive-what a co
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December 18th, 2008 -- Posted in General |
An addict is not considered an addict just because he drinks and drugs too much, nor because his life spirals downwards because of drugs. These are just predictable symptoms of the progressive disease. Perhaps if we had a new definition for addiction, it would not be so difficult to accept that individuals may be suffering from a disease that will eventually destroy their lives.
We have all heard that addiction is a disease, but how do we truly feel about this issue? When you hear the word “addict”, do you think of a junkie, crack addict, prostitute, or a homeless person who begs for money on a street corner? When you here the word addict, do you think of a lowlife, who has unacceptable behaviors, and lower morals? Do you somehow believe that their life circumstance is their fault and that they could, “just say no?”
A successful CEO, attorney, doctor, or professional with a substance abuse problem, would not fall into the category of addict according to the stereotypical definition. Perhaps, this is one of the reasons why a professional with a drug problem, alcohol included, does not easily consider himself to be addicted and readily seek addiction treatment . Success in other venues tends to convince the professional that he can also handle this problem as well, especially when he compares himself to addicts who have bottomed out and not entered a drug rehab. If the addicted professional is still semi-functioning and has not yet lost their job, house or family, his denial system will still be relatively intact.
Perhaps if we had a new definition for addiction, it would not be so difficult to accept that individuals may be suffering from a disease that will eventually destroy their lives. According to the American Medical Association, in order for a illness to be classified as a disease, it must meet one of the following criteria. It must be either progressive, predictable or terminal. Addiction qualifies as a disease by meeting not just one, but all three criteria. An addict is not considered an addict just because he drinks and drugs too much, nor because his life spirals downwards because of drugs. These are just predictable symptoms of the progressive disease.
Everyone knows that there are blood and urine tests to determine if drugs or alcohol are present in the body. Few of us are aware that there is now a test which determines whether someone has the DNA for the addiction. There is a “Y” factor in the genetic coding of alcoholics and addicts. This genetic makeup determines how the body processes, and breaks down alcohol or drugs in the system. This “Y” factor distinguishes the addict from the drug abuser.
An addict born with the DNA coding, or Y factor, is similar to the person who is born with the predisposition for cancer, diabetes, or lupus. As with cancer, when certain favorable conditions exist the diseases will activate and progress. For those with the addictive gene, once addictive chemicals are introduced into the body, the disease activates. It does not matter whether the addictive drugs are prescribed by a doctor or bought illegally.
There are exceptions to this genetic predisposition guideline. While the children of addicts will almost certainly have the addictive gene, in some instances, it may skip a generation. However, some who do not have the genetic coding for addiction, will also become addicted. Why? Drugs like crack cocaine have been designed in laboratories to intentionally cross over this genetic line, and become instantly addictive. Have you ever heard of a social crack cocaine smoker? This drug causes someone to bottom out at a much faster pace.
Drugs change the brain’s receptors sites. Enough drug usage can permanently alter the brain, and its ability to absorb vital nutrients. Our receptor sites are similar to loading docks in the brain, sending and receiving messages continually. These messages are sent through chemicals which are moved about though electrical surges. Not only do drugs alter the chemical balance in the brain, they eschew the pattern of energy pulses. But the most damaging effect of drug usage is permanent change in the cell walls, upon which other cells dock, much like how a key fits into a lock. If the lock is changed then the key won’t fit.
If you knew that you have the genetic coding for a disease, wouldn’t you do everything in your power to keep the disease from activating before the need for a drug rehab program? If you understood that your disease was actively progressing, wouldn’t you seek drug treatment? How can you help someone who does not yet realize that they need help? Family, friends, and co-workers are in a position to see the effects of drugs, long before the addicted has a clue.
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December 18th, 2008 -- Posted in General |
An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. – Mahatma Gandhi
There is a lot of hatred in this world. On the morning of September 11, 2001, the world witnessed the terrible repercussions of such hatred. Now I’m reading this blog titled “I Hate Racists” on ihatethis.org that is filled with venom and hatred towards racism and bigotry. By preaching sheer hatred like this you are only adding fuel to the fires that burn in a world already filled with hatred and violence.
Most of us are waiting for the world to come together in peace. We may never reach that and it may seem like a farfetched dream, but together we must find the means. We must create a safe and secure environment for our children and our children’s children.
Racism is a difficult subject to tackle and in order to form a culture free of such racism, we must begin with education. If you don’t want your children to grow up in a word of hatred, teach them tolerance toward race, religion, color, and sexual orientation. We must expose racism and bigotry for what they are.
It is important to understand what racism is. Wikipedia describes racism as “Historically, it has been defined as the belief that race is the primary determinant of human capacities that a certain race is inherently superior or inferior to others, and/or that individuals should be treated differently according to their racial designation. Sometimes racism means beliefs, practices, and institutions that discriminate against people based on their perceived or ascribed race.”
Racism is based on ignorance, stereotyping and learned hatred. Many people accept that we live in a diverse society today and we appreciate different cultures. However, there are still large segments of society that won’t accept human capacities are not determined by race.
There is no doubt in my mind that we need to find a healthy solution to end racism. It is important to understand the nature of racism and intolerance. Together we can end prejudice. Our fight against racism cannot be won while there are attitudes like the one displayed on ihatethis.org against racists. Such behavior is unacceptable.
Racism is not an issue that will be easily resolved, and the sooner that we begin to work together the sooner we’ll come to a solution. There is a history of racism that cannot be undone but we can look to the future and make positive changes in how society views those of different ethnic backgrounds.
Give your children the opportunity to develop close friendships with people of different races. Teach your children to accept people as individuals. We must teach them that there is no room for discrimination. Remember that our children are influenced by the world around them.
Examine your own attitudes and opinions about those of a different race. Before stereotyping people, stop and think what your stereotyping is doing to our world today.
I don’t hate all the people in the world, I only feel ill towards those who are blind and cannot accept people for who they are.
The ability to accept that we are equal regardless of origins is necessary in order to live in a diverse society.
To quote the words of John Lennon, “I hope someday you’ll join us and the world will live as one.”
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