Current Feed Content from 3 Jul 08 18:56
Do You See Yourself As A Victim?
Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:30:08 GMTGreg Hicks is co-author of the new book Choosing Brilliant Health and the bestselling How We Choose to Be Happy. Hicks and his partner, Rick Foster, are internationally recognized as pioneers in the happiness/health
Rick & Gregconnection through their unique and in-depth research and their groundbreaking system of 9 choices. Besides being frequently sought out by the media, they have taught their Brilliant Health system to over 10, 000 doctors and nurses in leading medical centers, to people with chronic illnesses, and to thousands of leaders in companies around the world including G.E., Mercedes-Benz, AXA-Financial, the Mayo Clinic's Departments of Medicine and Nursing, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and Kaiser Permanente.Greg Hicks--
Back in the mid 1990s, my partner, Rick Foster, and I spent three years traveling the world studying happy people. What we discovered was that there are nine universal things they do to ensure a high quality, happy life. One of these is that they refuse to blame others. Intuitively, they sense that chronic finger-pointing and feelings of victimhood rob them of the emotional capability needed to feel in control of their lives.
Flash forward 5 years. We again traveled the world, this time looking for the connection between the nine positive thoughts and behaviors we had uncovered and good health. We worked closely with the Mayo Clinic and our collaborator Jen Seda M.D. and we interviewed people on 6 continents. As part of our investigation, we asked hundreds of doctors and nurses a simple question: Is there anything that seems to characterize which of your patients will be least successful in recovering their health. The most common answer was, “They are the people who see themselves as victims.”
Our immediate reaction was not one of shock, especially since we’d come to see that when we feel victimized we give away our power to whomever or whatever we blame. But here’s what else we uncovered: When we see ourselves as chronic victims, we’re creating an internal state that’s similar to being under constant attack. We respond as if danger lurks around every corner. Our blood pressure and heart rate jump up, our digestion shuts down, and the immune system prepares for battle. Although these responses are helpful in those moments when we really are under attack, they don’t serve us well when we keep ourselves in this constant state. We remain stuck in our lower brain functions of reacting, this has direct impact on brain regions that secrete chemicals into the bloodstream. We eventually reach an exhaustion phase that is the endpoint of excessive stimulation from anger, fear, and anxiety. Studies show that this results in a host of very undesirable outcomes: reduced sex drive, insomnia, depression, decreased memory, impaired digestion, and immune deregulation.
Just picturing these horrible effects on the body has had a life-changing effect on me. These days I intentionally catch the first signs of that internal voice that says, “I can’t believe what he did to me, ” or “Why does this always happen to me?” These are my signals to redirect to a new mindset that goes something like this: “O.K. I didn’t want this to happen, but it did. So let me put all my energy into making things better.” And this is one of the messages we give to the corporate leaders, physicians, and patients with whom we work.
It’s not that we aren’t all victimized by other people and circumstances from time to time. We are. But please join me in the fight against framing ourselves up as a victim in life. It just might keep you healthy and happy.
Unrelenting Anger Causes Disease
Cranberry-Orange Mini Scones
Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:08:42 GMTFrom Robert Ferguson, MS, CN, Performance Nutritionist to the Boxing Elite and Founder of the Food Lovers Fat Loss System and the Diet FREE Life, Mr. Ferguson is the author of Conquering the Munchie Monster.
Robert Ferguson--Enjoy cranberry-orange scone with a cup of coffee and continue reducing your waistline. Or have a scone for an afternoon snack. However you want it -- the GREAT news is that you will enjoy yourself and not be concerned with gaining some body fat. Take advantage of this unique blend of ingredients and share these scones with your friends and family. Most people won't believe they're healthy. Why? Because they taste so good!
Recipe Ingredients:
- 2 cups King Arthur Brand “White Whole Wheat” Flour1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ cup Egg Beaters (or 2 egg whites)
- ¾ cups Granulated Splenda
- 8 TBSP Smart Balance or Earth Balance buttery spread
- ½ cup Greek Style 0% fat plain yogurt
- ½ cup dried cranberries (Craisins)
- Zest of 1 orange
- *optional – 1 ½ tsp Evaporated Cane Juice (As a topping)
Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and Splenda. Add buttery spread and mix with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
In another bowl combine yogurt, dried cranberries, Egg Beaters and orange zest.
Add yogurt mixture to flour mixture and blend with a spatula. Mixture will seem dry…but it will all mix together to become a soft dough. (You may need to mix with your hands a bit)
On a floured work surface, divide dough into 2 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball.
Next flatten each ball until you have two flat circles about 1” thick. (*Sprinkle each with Evaporated Cane Juice.)
With a sharp knife, cut each circle into 6 equal parts, (like you are cutting a pie). You will end up with 12 triangular mini-scones.
On a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper place scones about ½ inch apart.
Bake for 11 minutes or until bottom of scones begin to brown.
Serves: 12
Serving Size: One scone
Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 160 calories (7 grams of fat, 4 grams of protein, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber)
Should We Buy A Home Now?
Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:19:34 GMTEllie Kay, "America's Family Financial Expert, " is the founder of SHOP, SAVE, & SHARE SEMINARS, a best-selling author, a frequent media guest on Fox News, CNN, and CNBC, and a commentator for Money Matters radio show. In 2003, her book, Heroes at Home was a finalist in the Gold Medallion Book Awards; President Bush issued a Presidential Initiative for the distribution of Heroes at Home to military families. Ellie Kay has also been the 2007 OnStar and GMAC spokesperson at the Satellite Media Tour NYC, and the 2006-2007 spokesperson for Consumer Credit Education for Washington Mutual. Ellie Kay has published 11 books, the most recent is A Tip A Day With Ellie Kay: Twelve Months Worth of Money Savings Ideas. For money savings tips, check out her blog at www.elliekay.com
My husband, Bob and I lived on military bases for the first dozen years of our marriage. When you move eleven times in thirteen years it doesn't make sense to buy! When we finally settled one place long enough to purchase our first home, we were thrilled and had "imposter syndrome" for the first month or so. We kept waiting for the "real" owners to show up and kick us out of the house! Alas, it was a dream come true and we truly enjoyed that home. Now...I know what some of you are thinking--is that a picture of my house? No, it's not, it's just one of the many, many gorgeous homes that are on the market in America. We sold that first home and the next year property values plummeted in the area. Not all Americans are having such good timing in buying and selling.
Earlier this month, the average fixed rate mortgage was at its highest since last October, 2007, with a 30 year averaging 6.32%, up from 6.09% but still below last year's rate of 6.74%. It appears that the rate will continue to creep upward, so if you were thinking of buying a home, now would probably be a good time. It can turn from a buyers market to a sellers market in a relatively short amount of time as those extra properties are purchased and taken off the market.
If you are considering buying a home, shop carefully for lenders and be sure that you negotiate, negotiate, negotiate with the LENDER as well as the SELLER. When discussing closing costs and fees, make sure that you don't over pay. Here are four key areas to keep in mind when negotiating fees and costs with your lender:
Don’t Pay for Inflated Credit-Report and Courier Fees - Some lenders are charging up to $65 for pulling your credit report. That is unusually high, considering the fact that credit reporting bureaus only charge $6 to $18 per report. Using the same tactics, some lenders charge courier fees for shipping your closing documents for as much as $100, while the majority of overnight express services only charge $22. Tell your lender, up front, that you refuse to pay any more than the going rate for these services.
Don’t Pay for Document Prep and Administration Fees - The origination fee should include these services, so don’t pay them! Ask your lender to waive these fees.
When You Buy A Home: Don’t Pay for Yield Spread Premiums - Lenders increase your interest rate slightly to include origination and other fees so you don’t have to pay them out-of-pocket at closing but some lenders and mortgage brokers are double dipping—by charging both the fees and the higher interest rate. Ask your broker directly if a firm charges you a yield spread premium. If so, you shouldn’t pay any additional fees.
Don’t Pay for Padded Title Insurance Fees - When you are shopping for lenders, look for all the above, plus look out for those who don’t tack on a lot of extra charges for services such as title search and document preparation. Theses can add hundreds of dollars to your closing costs and they really should be included in the price of title insurance, which depending on where you live, can be as high as $6, 000.Food As Medicine--A New Idea?
Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:20:27 GMTDubbed “An Apostle for Fitness” in her profile in the Wall Street Journal, Carole has been a featured guest on more than sixty radio and television shows, including NBC’s Today show, CBS’s Early Show, MSNBC’s
Countdown, and CNN News. Carole has been featured in magazines such as American Fitness, Diet & Exercise Magazine, and Today’s Health & Wellness, as well as in newspapers such as the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Tampa Tribune, Sacramento Bee, Baltimore Sun and the Los Angeles Times. Carole’s book, From Fat to Fit, was named a finalist in the health and fitness category of the National Best Books 2007 Awards, sponsored by USA Book News. Besides teaching and consulting, Carole has produced a weekly community television show, The Tipping Point and a reality show, Go Fat to Fit. This, fall Carole will serve as mentor to the national AARP Fat to Fit Community Challenge, a new virtual community devoted to fitness and healthy weight loss.
Our food should be our medicine. Our medicine should be our food. Hippocrates
Is Cocoa the New Red Wine?
As researchers discover the medicinal benefits of different foods, we can expect to be bombarded with advice on what to eat to treat or prevent specific medical conditions. As long as it’s a food I like (and I can count the foods I dislike on one hand), I’ll happily eat my way through the entire medicine chest.
And what could be more satisfying than a cup of cocoa? A study in the June 3, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reported that cocoa was used to prevent cardiovascular disease in diabetic patients. During the month that the diabetic patients drank a high-flavanol cocoa, their blood vessel function improved dramatically . The classification of their blood vessels went from severely impaired to normal.
A month isn’t a very long test period, is it? Amazingly enough, drinking three cups of cocoa a day for 30 days produced results comparable to or better than those achieved with exercise or medications or both.
And there’s more good news. In a study of elderly Dutch men reported in the February 27, 2006 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers concluded that drinking cocoa lowered the participants’ blood pressure and risk of death. In addition, scientists in Spain report their successful efforts at creating a version of cocoa with enhanced heart-boosting medicinal value. They have yet to report their marketing plans.
Flavanol, the medicinal ingredient in cocoa, is also found in red wine and certain fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately for those of us not participating in the research, the flavanol-enhanced cocoa is not yet available to the public. But you can guess it will be.
In the meantime, enjoy a cup of hot chocolate with a clear conscience. But you might want to skip the whipped cream topping!
Wanted: A Fitness Protection Program For The United States
Online Daters Are Shallow
Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:06:16 GMT
Founder of online dating consulting service E-Cyrano and author of Why You're Still Single: Things Your Friends Would Tell You If You Promised Not To Get Mad and I Can't Believe I'm Buying this Book: A Commonsense Guide to Successful Internet Dating, Evan Marc Katz has established himself as America's leading dating expert. In addition to being a regular contributor to Match.com’s Happen Magazine, he was the co-creator, editor in chief, and advice columnist for JDate’s JMag. Evan was also named Harlequin Books’ 2006 Romance Report media spokesperson, doing interviews about mastering real-life dating encounters.John Tierney of the New York Times reports about a study that I cited last year, in which the follies of shallow online daters are dissected for the world to see. To his credit, because he’s a Times columnist, he dug up a study I hadn’t seen before, covering the behaviors of speed daters, who, not surprisingly, are even MORE shallow. Among the selected highlights:
Women who speed date are selected by half the men.
Men who speed date are selected by one-third of the women.Money quote: “Women were not only pickier than men, but also more realistic about their own appeal in the dating market. Correctly divining that men put a premium on looks, the more attractive women set a higher bar for their partners than less attractive women did. But the men set about the same bar for their partners no matter what they looked like themselves or how successful they were professionally.”
You mean below average men actually think they have a shot at at above average women? Really? Who knew?
But guys aren’t the only ones to be single-minded about their preferences.
Ordinary looking men whose picture is in the median in attractiveness would have to make $143, 000 more than a guy in the 90th percentile in order to have the same success. Similarly, a 5′ 6″ man would have to make $183, 000 more than a 6′0″ man if he wanted to level the playing field.
Finally, fewer than 1 percent of online daters rated themselves as having “less than average looks."
Who says that people lack self-esteem?
Which Are The Best Sunscreens?
Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:41:59 GMTDiane MacEachern, the founder and president of Big Green Purse and the author of Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World (featured on CSPAN's Book Notes), is passionate about empowering women to use their marketplace clout to protect the environment. A best-selling author, successful entrepreneur, sought-after public speaker, and long-time conservationist, she has launched the only company in the U.S. dedicated specifically to transforming women’s environmental concerns into measurable improvements in our quality of life. As the co-founder and president of an award-winning communications company based in Washington, D.C., Diane's clients included the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, the Earth Council, World Wildlife Fund, Earth Day, the National Wildlife Federation, Earth Share, the League of Women Voters, and the Women's Environment Development Organization.
A frequent speaker on women and the environment, Diane serves as the vice-chair of the board of directors for the Alaska Wilderness League. She has been cited for her Distinguished Service as a board member of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Diane played an integral role in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's campaign to educate the public about global warming. In addition, Diane helped develop Earth Quest, a traveling museum exhibit underwritten in part by the Ford Motor Company to educate children about the environment. She also worked with the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance to establish the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument during the Clinton Administration.She is also the author of Enough is Enough! The Hellraiser’s Guide to Community Activism: How to Organize a Successful Campaign for Change, and Beat High Gas Prices Now! The Fastest, Easiest Ways to Save $20-$50 Every Month on Gasoline. Big Green Purse has reached #7 on Amazon's ranking of environmental books.
My family is really susceptible to skin cancer. My father's had it, my brother's had it, and I've had it - several times. Needless to say, I'm a borderline fanatic when it comes to wearing sunscreen. My daily face lotion contains SPF15, and if I'm at the beach I always use at least SPF 45, along with a hat, sunglasses, a breezy long-sleeve shirt and light pants. Yes, it took a while to get over wanting a "summer tan." But there's nothing like a few bouts of skin cancer to put vanity into perspective, especially considering the facts:
Every year, more than 800, 000 Americans are affected by basal cell skin cancer alone. The percentage of women who are younger than 40 when they develop the disease has tripled in the past three decades, says the National Women's Health Resource Center; the same age group has quadrupled its rate of squamous cell skin cancer. More than 77 percent of cancer-causing exposure occurs after the age of 18. (By the way, tanning beds are no safer than the sun. Using tanning beds before age 35 increases your risk of the even deadlier skin cancer, melanoma.)
The sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays appear to trigger most lip cancer, too. What's more, too much sun can prematurely age your face and make you look as pinched as a prune. UV rays even take their toll on eyes, causing cataracts and other ailments.
UVA is the most abundant source of solar radiation; it penetrates beyond the top layer of human skin. UVB is a factor, too. The hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. (9 a.m. - 3 p.m. during standard time) pose the greatest risk, and that's true whether it is sunny or cloudy.
What Can You Do?
· Follow the "shadow rule." Avoid the sun during the late morning and early afternoon when the sun is strongest - and when your shadow is shorter than you are.
· Use enough sunscreen. Apply one ounce of sunscreen (about the amount that fills your palm or a shot glass) at a time. Larger people will need more. If you're swimming or sweating a lot, apply sunscreen immediately after drying off. Don't miss ears, around the eyes, neck (all the way around), hands, feet, toes, and backs of knees.
· Use the right SPF. Different skin types need different SPF (sunburn protection factor) ratings. The American Academy of Dermatology advises choosing a sunscreen with at least SPF 15. If you are fair, burn easily and often suffer bad sunburns, choose higher SPF numbers such as 30 or 45. But don't stay in the sun longer. An SPF 45 "probably provides 3 to 4 percent more protection than a SPF 15, " says Dr. Susan C. Taylor, MD, a Philadelphia dermatologist and the Founding Director of the Skin of Color Center at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in New York. According to Dr. Taylor, even though skin pigment, or melanin, in the "average" African American gives protection equivalent to SPF 13, brown- and black- skinned people should still use sunscreen with at least SPF 15.
· Apply early and often. The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends applying sunscreen 15 to 20 minutes before going outside to let your skin absorb it, then reapply every two hours. Because no sunscreen is truly "waterproof" or "sweatproof, " reapply after 40 minutes of sweaty activity or swimming.
· Dress for the occasion. Wear protective clothing, such as a wide-brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirt, and long pants. Protect your eyes with wraparound sunglasses that provide 100 percent UV ray protection. Beach umbrellas and other kinds of shade help, but UV rays can still bounce off sand, water, and porch decks. Use sunscreen whenever outside.
What to Buy?
· First, throw away last year's lotions, as some ingredients lose effectiveness over time.
· Pick the best product. According to Environmental Working Group, 54 percent of sunscreens become unstable when exposed to light and might not offer the advertised protection. The group recommends the "best" sunscreens here.
· Consider self-tanning lotions and sprays. However, you can still burn in the sun, as these only contain an SPF of 4. Use a sunscreen every two hours with an SPF of at least 15.
· Solarweave® is a revolutionary fabric specially manufactured to block more than 97.5% of all UVA and UVB radiation. Available in bathing suit cover-ups, long-sleeve shirts, t-shirts, pants, and hats (pictured above).
· Coolibar clothing comes packaged with a hang tag that includes an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (or "UPF") rating. Some clothes claim to block 98% UV. Available in tunics blouses, hoodies, pants, and cover-ups.
Want to learn more? See our Personal Care Page, or visit the National Women's Health Resource Center .You Matter
Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:41:57 GMT
Author Matt Emerzian is part of the creative force behind 40 Days of Love and the Every Monday Matters Foundation. The Every Monday Matters vision has created a collective action of ordinary people--a national movement--making a difference that benefits society. Matt wishes to set an example for future generations to follow--leaving a legacy of social awareness and consciousness of giving back because people do matter. Written with co-author Kelly Bozza, Matt oversees that a portion of all book sales of Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a Difference are donated to charity. The Every Monday Matters campaigns connect through online communities and via a weekly online newsletter.Maybe it was a grandparent, a teacher, a mentor, or a boss. Someone older, patient, or wise. The person who understood you, helped you to see the world through a different view, showed you how to impact your own neighborhood, your life and the lives of others. The one who gave you sound advice to make your way in life.
For me, it was Charles Matoian, my Grandpa, an Armenian immigrant. His parents arrived in the Central Valley of California after fleeing the Genocide in Armenia with one valuable possession–their baby, my grandfather. Like many immigrants, they had no money and no place to live yet they were alive, they had each other, they had desire, and they had human spirit.
As a young boy, my Grandpa started working in the agricultural fields – growing and harvesting fruits and vegetables. After school, my Grandpa would sell his produce at his first street-side produce stand, “Charlie’s Produce.” He started off making one dollar a day. Not a lot, but he was taking personal responsibility, helping his family, contributing. That’s the Armenian way – and, that’s all his family knew.
Over the years, my Grandpa continued to do what he knew best and Charlie’s Produce grew into OK Produce, one of largest produce distribution companies in California leaving a legacy for the next generation of his family.
The night before he died, he told me something I will never forget. “Matt, ” he said “Live everyday like it’s your last and try to affect as many people’s lives in a positive way as you can. I love you.”
My Grandpa had a way of making every day of his life matter. And while he incorporated this philosophy into his life, I didn’t really grasp the impact of touching people’s lives until his funeral. The church overflowed as over 1, 500 people arrived in the triple-digit heat of a Fresno summer. The church set-up loudspeakers outside so that everyone could be involved. I knew, in that moment, that my Grandpa didn’t just make a living…he made a life.
His beautiful life of making a difference for others continues today in perpetuity – through his children and grandchildren, through a state-of-the-art Cancer Center at Fresno Community Hospital, through education endowments at Fresno State University, and most importantly, through all the people he touched.
My Grandpa was my idol. And, will always be my idol. My grandpa mattered. Not just to me, but to thousands of people. I believe that, in the depth of everyone’s heart, people want to matter just as much. They may not know what to do or where to go, but now they have a vehicle with which to do so…Every Monday Matters.
Every Monday Matters was written to show every single person exactly how much they matter. Through the 52 Ways to Make a Difference offered in the book, we, ordinary people, can do extraordinary good and make this world a better place. Help yourself, help others, help the environment. It’s easy, yet so significant. Don’t just read it…live it. You Matter.
Multimedia - Video Mashups
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:00:38 GMT
Be Radiant On Your Wedding Day!
Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:14:29 GMTAuthor and board-certified dermatologist Dr. Debra Luftman has always felt that there is an important connection between overall health, skin health and emotional well being. Her mission is offering cutting edge medical care while retaining the art of medicine-always communicating with her patients.
Dr. Luftman is often called upon in the press as an expert in cosmetic medicine, and has appeared on Good Morning America, and EXTRA TV as well as other television programs. She is frequently quoted in the NY Times, LA Times, Vogue, W, InStyle, Oprah Magazine, National Public Radio, just to name a few. She is also the co-editor for the medical text Glycolic Acid Peels, Published by Marcel Dekker. Debra Luftman co-authored The Beauty Prescription with Eva Ritvo M.D.
6 weeks prior- Start a healthy skin care regime. Use a glycolic cleanser, spf, and antioxidant night cream- a good one is revaleskin night cream. Visit your aesthetician or dermatologist for mild peels or microdermabrasion every 2-4 weeks. Eat well, don't forget to get omega fatty acids- either in a supplement or salmon fish.
2 weeks.- Anxiety can cause an increase in the hormone- cortisol which can stimulate acne breakouts. Make sure you are prepared, have at hand Therapeutix emergency out break stick, or visit your dermatologist for cortisone injections for unsightly blemishes before they scar. Its important to work on stress relief at this stage, get plenty of sleep and try stress relievers like yoga or warm baths.2 days - your skin should be in pretty good shape if you followed the previous plan. A hydrating mask could be used if you are dry , if you have a tendency to breakout, a mild Silkpeel, or home dermabrasion, will brighten your skin.
1 day before- don't mess with your skin- you should be glowing from excitement, drink lots of water, an Emergency Vitamin C pack, and sleep will prepare you for your big day.
Morning of--do your usual regime, make sure makeup is oil free, or mineral. If your wedding is out doors don't forget the spf. Walk down the aisle--- You are radiant, stand up tall, smile --- Your skin is beautiful!
Social Security: Making Sure Your Benefits Add Up
Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:59:52 GMTJim Miller is the creator of Savvy Senior, a syndicated information column for older Americans and their families that is published in more than 400 newspapers and magazines nationwide. Jim is also a regular contributor on NBC’s “Today” show, and is the author of The Savvy Senior, The Ultimate Guide to Health, Family and Finances for Senior Citizens, (Hyperion, 2004).
Jim is frequently quoted in articles about issues affecting senior citizens and has been featured in numerous high profile publications, including Time magazine, USA Today and The New York Times. In addition, he has made
multiple appearances on CNBC, CNN, Retirement Living Television and national public television. Guest Blogger Jim Miller--
Is Uncle Sam calculating your Social Security benefits correctly? Government watch groups estimate that the Social Security Administration makes mistakes on at least 3 percent of the total official earnings records it keeps. If it happens to you, you may not get the amount to which you are entitled once you retire. And if you’ve already retired, you may not be receiving as large a monthly check as you should. Here’s how you can prevent and correct mistakes if they occur.
Earnings Errors
Social Security benefits are based on your 35 highest-earning years as reported to the government by your employers. If an employer has given the government incorrect salary data or if the government has erred in recording the information, you want to get it corrected as quickly as possible. Otherwise you may not get the full amount you’re entitled to when you retire. So, when you receive your annual Social Security statement, take the time to compare the earnings listed in the statement with income listed on W-2 forms in your tax records. And if you spot a discrepancy, follow these steps:
· Call your nearest Social Security office (see www. ssa .gov/locator or call 800-772-1213 to get the number) to report the error. Some corrections can be made over the phone. However you may need to schedule an appointment and go in with copies of your W-2 forms or tax returns to prove the mistake, or you can mail it in.
· If you suspect a discrepancy but don’t have backup records, the SSA may be able to use your employment information to search its records and correct mistakes. If the SSA can’t locate your records, you’ll need to contact the employer to obtain a copy of your W-2 for the year in question.
· Once your earnings record is corrected, SSA will send you a confirming letter. If you don’t receive the confirmation within three months, contact SSA again. And double-check the correction by making sure it appears on next year’s statement.
· If corrections aren’t made on the next statement you receive, start an appeals process (see www.ssa.gov/pubs/10041.html ).
Note: SSA statements are mailed annually (about three months before your birthday) to everyone age 25 and over who is not already receiving Social Security benefits. If you’re not receiving yours, see www.ssa.gov/mystatement .
Other Mistakes
Earnings miscalculations can also happen if the SSA didn’t have your correct mailing address. If you don’t receive your annual statement, that’s a tip-off. If there is a mistake, contact the IRS (SSA depends on the IRS for addresses) at 800-829-3676 and ask them to mail you the “Change of Address” form 8822, or print it off at www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8822.pdf , fill it out and mail it back to the address on the form.
Two other factors that can cause mistakes are if you changed your name following a marriage or divorce, or if your date of birth in SSA records isn’t the same as it appears in IRS files. Double check your SSA statement for these possible mishaps and make sure your earnings data matches the amounts on your W-2 forms. And whenever you change your name, or if you notice a birth date error call the SSA (800-772-1213) and ask for Form SS-5, “Application for a Social Security Card, ” and submit it with the correct information. The form can also be downloaded at www. ssa.gov/online/ss-5.html .
Calculation Errors
Even when all the earnings data is correct, the SSA occasionally errs in calculating benefits. You can double check their calculations by using SSA’s formula found at www.socialsecurity.gov , however the math is rather complex. If you think your benefits have been miscalculated, point it out to your local SSA office and ask them to recalculate. If they do find an error, make sure you receive a confirming letter and that the correction appears on next year’s statement. If you’re already receiving benefits, the SSA will reimburse you for the amount of the error.
When Do I Begin My Social Security Benefits?
It's About Your Life, Not Your Fat
Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:41:32 GMT
Seven years ago, author Janice Taylor, permanently removed over 50 pounds of excess weight. She utilized weight loss as a vehicle for reinvention and transformation. Taylor has been featured in O, The Oprah Magazine, New York Times, New York Post, New York Daily News, Family Circle, Good Housekeeping, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Sun Times, Fitness magazine, Health magazine, CNN.com, Religion and Spirituality, has appeared on View from the Bay, San Francisco, Discovery Health, Naomi’s New Morning, Hallmark Channel, FitTV.She is a Life & Wellness Coach, Certified Hypnotist, Neurolinguistic Practitioner, as well as the author of All Is Forgiven, Move On: Our Lady of Weight Loss’s 101 Fat-burning Steps on Your Journey to Sveltesville (May 2008) and Our Lady of Weight Loss: Miraculous and Motivational Musings from the Patron Saint of Permanent Fat Removal (Fall 2006.) Janice is also the creator of the very popular e-newsletter Kick in the Tush Club, and a syndicated blogger for Beliefnet .
Taylor leads workshops at a number of wellness centers across America, including Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, New York, The Crossings, Austin, Texas and Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, The Berkshires, Massachusetts.
Taylor is a member of the International Coach Federation, Association for Integrative Psychology, CIVA (Christians In the Visual Arts). She has studied at New York Society of Ericksonian Psychotherapy and Hypnosis, American Pacific University, NLP Center of New York and New York University. She is also a co-founder of artHARLEM, a grassroots Harlem, New York art organization.
I am delighted that Basil & Spice invited me to share My FAT Story with you and introduce you to my new book – All Is Forgiven, Move On: Our Lady of Weight Loss’s 101 Fat-Burning Steps on Your Journey to Sveltesville. It’s not your typical fat to thin story and my book is not your typical diet book. We’re talkin’ permanent fat removal here (if you lose it, you may find it). And now, my fat-to-thin story and a few lessons from All Is Forgiven, Move On artfully weaved through-out!
One day I woke up FAT! I mean really FAT.
To be clear, it wasn’t the first time that I’d woken up FAT. In fact, I was born FAT. I was the only baby in the hospital nursery to gain weight (babies traditionally lose an ounce or two their first week on the planet – but not me)! An ominous sign! And by the time second grade rolled around, I weighed-in at 112 pounds. YIKES! It was Yo-Yo City from there on in.Now back to the future … THE morning of ALL mornings!
On this history making morning, when I woke up fat, I was discombobulated (more than usual). So, after my shower, instead of grabbing the towel and then my glasses, I grabbed my glasses and passed a full-length mirror on the way to the towel.Get the picture? I did!
I was shocked to see that my fat roll had grown its own fat roll. The unexpected truth was undeniably right smack dab in front of me. I could no longer ignore the fact that the fat monster had once again taken over. I had to stop HIM in his tracks!
So, right then and there (after I painstakingly picked out the lightest weigh-in outfit I could find), I dragged myself to one of those weight loss centers where people obsess about food and the scale. (You know the place I’m talking about, yes?) I was depressed, defeated and deprived before I even weighed-in (sound familiar?); and then, when I did weigh in … whoa Nelly! Tears came to my eyes. It was, indeed, my highest number ever.I joined the group for the lecture. As the tears made their way down my cheek, I thought, “I’m never going to make it.” That’s when I heard the voice, which I later came to realize was the voice of Our Lady of Weight Loss. She said, “If you think you’re never going to make it, you never will.” Now, I suppose we all pretty much know that our actions follow our thoughts, but when Our Lady spoke those words to me, it felt as though I had been hit over the head with a Zen celery stick. I was AWAKENED!
I shifted from deep despair to happy in a millisecond! I was excited! Our Lady of Weight Loss had snap-crackle-popped my mind into a new place. I had a deep and powerful understanding that I no longer needed to be depressed, hate myself or be mean to myself over extra fat cells – or over a number on the scale. I let it go. And when I let it go … when I stopped being mean to myself … when I practiced forgiveness, I was able to move on!
I was able to move towards my compelling future.
Have you ever watched an Olympic swimmer push off the side of the pool? It is quite amazing, isn’t it? The thrust, the power, their determination is enormous. Often the strength of this one solitary push can propel the Olympian right straight into the middle of the Olympic sized pool.When we decide to go on a ‘diet, ’ we essentially push off from the side of the ‘pool of discontent.’ We gather a vast amount of energy from not liking ourselves, being disgusted, and ashamed of how we look. We don’t like ourselves. No, we sure don’t.
Sometimes this energy takes us half way to our goal weight. Sometimes all the way … 10, 20, 30, 100, 200 pounds lost. Then what?
Unlike the Olympic swimmer who has a plan; who is moving toward her big win; who sees herself as a champion and knows with every cell and fiber of her being that she is the victor, we only know ourselves to be losers. We are basing this attempt on past attempts to lose, which have failed.
It is easy to get lost if you don’t know where you are going.
If you want to be victorious at the game of Permanent Fat Removal, then you need to have a compelling future. You need to know where you are going; what you want; what removing those pounds means. The diet and exercise plans do not live alone. This is a holistic event. It’s about your life not your fat.
I will leave you with this … one final thought.
EVOLVE, don’t just improve!
Break The Emotional Eating Habit
Is Mold Making You Sick?
Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:33:02 GMTAuthor Jeffrey C. May, M.A. is also the principal scientist of May Indoor Air Investigations LLC in Tyngsboro, MA. He has solved thousands of indoor air quality problems. His latest book is Jeff May’s Healthy Home Tips: A Workbook for Detecting, Diagnosing & Eliminating Pesky Pests, Stinky Stenches, Musty Mold, and Other
Aggravating Home Problems (Johns Hopkins Press, July 2008). Jeff is a Certified Indoor Air Quality Professional (Association of Energy Engineers) and served on the national Board of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). He received his B.A in organic chemistry from Columbia College and his M.A. in organic chemistry from Harvard University. Jeff’s other books include: My House Is Killing Me!: The Home Guide for Families with Allergies and Asthma, and The Mold Survival Guide: For Your Home and For Your Health, (Johns Hopkins Press). Jeff May--
Breathing in mold spores can cause allergy or asthma symptoms like sneezing, coughing, chest tightness, swelling, rashes, and itchy, watery eyes. Some highly sensitized individuals may even experience neurological symptoms such as headaches and “brain fog.” If you or anyone in your family experiences symptoms like these in your home - and especially if you’ve had a flood - there may be a mold problem present.
Sometimes you can see black mold growth on drywall where the flood occurred. Other times, the growth may be more subtle and you’ll need to hold a bright flashlight parallel to a surface to see the colonies, which can look like white, yellow or blue-green round or oval patches. And unfortunately, if the flooding was substantial enough, there may be mold growth concealed inside walls or ceilings. Whether or not you can see the mold, if you smell a musty odor there’s mold somewhere, and it should be cleaned up. On the other hand, if you don’t smell mold, don’t assume that you’re home free. Mold doesn’t always smell. It may be of some comfort to know that even if the mold you see growing along a surface has an odor and is unsightly, this kind of growth doesn’t rot wood. Unless the wood framing stayed damp for weeks or months, the wood is probably sound.
Of course, one of the first things you want to do if you have a flood, whether caused by a broken pipe or severe weather, is to stop the water and dry up the area. In dealing with a flood, home occupants usually turn to shop vacuums and fans for help. Unfortunately, this equipment can disturb spores from mold that may have grown before the flood occurred, and you may end up breathing in high concentrations of spores. One of my clients, after a small flood in her moldy basement, spent six hours cleaning her basement with a shop-vacuum. She wasn’t wearing a mask. Soon afterwards, she was hospitalized with severe breathing problems. So look carefully around the area to see if there is visible mold before you turn on that fan. And wear a NIOSH N95 mask or half-face respirator when investigating or cleaning mold growth.
There are other precautions to take when dealing with flooding. If the flood was in your basement, keep the door between your basement and the house closed when cleaning. If there is no door to close, hang a plastic sheet over the opening and tape the edges to make an air seal. If you need fresh air for drying, open the bulkhead door or the door leading to the garage, but not the door to the rest of the house.
Look inside any furnace, air conditioner or heat pump that rests on the basement floor, to make sure there is no water inside. If a throw-away filter or any interior fibrous insulation got wet, it must be replaced. If you have a carpet in the basement and it remained damp for more than 24 to 48 hours, the carpet as well as the pad should be removed. I recommend to my clients that they have a vinyl or tile floor installed in their basements rather than wall-to-wall carpeting, because then if there’s flooding, mopping up will be a snap.
If a flood was caused by a burst pipe inside a ceiling or wall cavity, the cavity must be opened up and wet insulation removed so the wood can dry out. Of course, the pipe must be repaired or replaced. If you have mold sensitivities, hire someone else to do the work. Lastly, don’t wait too long to deal with the flood, because with moisture, mold can grow within 24 to 48 hours. Moving quickly is crucial.
It’s best, of course, to avoid the flood in the first place, if you can. Don’t ignore stains on ceilings and walls. Call the plumber. Check rubber hoses periodically for leaks. Make sure you know where your water-main shut off is and label it, so if necessary, you can shut off the water flowing into your house. Have a battery-operated floor-water alarm in the basement, next to your hot-water heater, boiler or washing machine. If you have a central alarm system, install a floor-water alarm on a dial-up.
For web site references and more specific directions on dealing with floods, refer to my book The Mold Survival Guide: For Your Home and For Your Health.
Some Medications Increase Skin Cancer Risk
Sun, 29 Jun 2008 20:13:05 GMTSuzy Cohen, R. Ph., is a licensed pharmacist with nearly 20 years of clinical experience. The author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist (HarperCollins, July '07), she is "America's Most Trusted Pharmacist, " and has helped millions of patients in various clinical settings, such as retail, hospital, nursing home pharmacies, and through her
nationally syndicated column, "Dear Pharmacist." A former spokesperson for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Suzy Cohen is a member of the Institute of Functional Medicine, The Association of Natural Medicine Pharmacists and The American Pharmacists Association. You can subscribe to Suzy's free weekly newsletter or ask her a question at her DearPharmacist website. Guest Blogger Suzy Cohen--
Question: You recently wrote an article about how good the sun can be for you in creating vitamin D. The instructions with the medication I take for acne (doxycycline) state that I should stay away from the sun, so I do. What can happen if I don’t? --DP, Gainesville, Florida
Answer: The sun does help you make more D which helps protect against prostate cancer and breast cancer. But some medications warn against sun exposure because of a side effect called “photosensitivity.” It isn’t a given because not everyone who uses a photosensitizing drug is affected. Offending drugs of this type cause some people to suffer a dreadful sunburn, brown splotchy patches or skin rash. Depending on the medication, this side effect may or may not be reversible. Some drugs are more likely to cause reactions than others.
Doxycycline is an antibiotic often prescribed for acne and has a strong reputation for causing skin damage in some people who are photosensitive. It is one of many drugs that increase a person’s photosensitivity, so you could burn after only a few minutes of exposure, where it might normally take two hours to get sunburned. Sunburn is just one type of reaction; it is possible to experience other short-term effects such as hives, eye burn, itches, blistering or scaling of the skin.
Chronic effects with certain photosensitizing drugs include premature aging of the skin, skin cancer, strong allergic reactions and even cataracts. Now this isn’t 100 percent foolproof, but eating certain foods and taking some supplements may prevent or reduce the severity of a sunburn. Seriously, studies suggest that antioxidant substances like vitamin C, E, lycopene and green tea extract may be helpful in protecting your skin. Chocolate too!
For the record, the FDA reports that many household substances also increase your risk for sunburn. Such ingredients are commonly found in deodorants, antibacterial soaps, artificial sweeteners, mothballs, nylon and wool fibers and cadmium sulfide, a chemical injected into the skin during tattooing.Interestingly, many blood pressure reducing medications, female hormones, birth control pills (anything with estrogen in it) and anti-inflammatory arthritis medications and diabetic medications have the potential to cause photosensitive reactions.
If you get a bad sunburn take a painkiller (like Tylenol) then take a bath in oatmeal, it’s sold under the brand name Aveeno at pharmacies nationwide. I personally add a little baking soda to the bath for even more soothing sensation. Dry off and apply a lightweight moisturizer to your skin twice a day. Dermoplast or Solarcaine are over-the-counter anesthetics that you can spray on your skin. Aloe is fantastic, apply it straight from the plant. You can also use this folk remedy: Dip a compress into cool water that contain apple cider vinegar (50/50 mix) and apply it to painful areas of your skin.
Wedding Shape In Six Weeks
Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:45:38 GMTAuthor of Crack The Fat Loss Code, Wendy Chant’s impressive credentials surpass the already rigorous standards required in the competitive and demanding field of nutrition sciences. She is a Certified Master Personal Trainer (MPT) and Specialist in Performance Nutrition (SPN), with a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Sciences and Nutrition Science.
A former marathon runner and champion bodybuilder who competed on the national level, Wendy has since focused all of her attention on spreading the ForeverFit® message. From her corporate offices in Central Florida she divides her busy schedule between running her individual NUTRITION Boot Camp™ classes and nurturing a full speaking schedule, holding seminars and workshops for the likes of FedEx, AT & T and Disney.
We all want to look great on our wedding day, but with time at a premium – and free time a thing of the past – how can we be our best AND look our best on the happiest day of our lives?
6 Weeks Before:
It might seem like you have a lot of time to spare, but in “wedding time, ” six weeks just seems to fly by. But there’s still plenty of time to tone up, trim down and look great for your wedding day. Here are some great ways to start setting a strong foundation for looking your best on your big day:
- Diet – Clean up your diet by eliminating all processed and packaged foods. Stick with whole grains, fruits and veggies and lean meats. Keep sugars to taste testing that wedding cake and eliminate alcoholic beverages to just once this week. Increase water intake to 6 - 8 glasses daily.
- Weight training – One key to effective, quick fat loss is weight training. Hit the weights 3 times this week and focus on the lower part of your body with higher reps.
- Cardio – Do 30 minutes of cardio training 5 times this week, first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach.
- Supplements – Take 1000mg of flax or fish oil daily to improve skin glow, hair luster and nail strength. Use multivitamins and anti-oxidants to combat the inevitable stress related to your wedding planning.
5 Weeks Before:
Great; you’ve set up a super base for your six-week program, but you’re one week down. That’s okay – you’ve still got five to go. Let’s spend them building on what you’ve already started and keeping the pace through the big day:
- Diet – Pattern food intake to 5-6 small meals each day and splurge a little on Saturday or Sunday. Make sure each meal contains a protein source such as eggs, turkey, chicken, fish or lean beef; consider adding a whey protein shake to keep blood sugar in check to keep your body in a fat loss mode. Choose low glycemic carbs instead of high ones. For instance, use brown rice instead of white rice, choose sweet potato over white potato, etc. Also, continue to drink lots of water and eliminate soft drinks – even diet soft drinks. Instead, drink hot or cold tea.
- Weight training – Consider hitting the gym every other day this week and focus on lifting as heavy as you can with high intensity; this burns the most amount of fat. Choose exercises that specifically focus on the deltoids (shoulders) and arms, such as triceps curls.
- Cardio – Increase cardio to 30 minutes of the HIIT method (High Intensity Interval Training). This is a method of interval training, where you go from your normal pace to a fast pace and back again in interval fashion. So maybe 30 seconds fast, then 1 minute slow, etc.
4 Weeks Before:
Here we are at the one month mark, and things are heating up. Hopefully you’ve nailed down the vitals on your wedding planning to-do list, but even if you haven’t stick to your program. People won’t know that you wanted to serve salmon instead of tilapia or that the tablecloths were supposed to be teal, not fuchsia, but you don’t get that many chances in this life to be a bride, so stick to what’s important: looking and feeling your best on that big day:
- Diet – Only one month, ladies, so it’s crunch time! Eliminate all starches after 3 p.m., so for dinner only choose a lean protein source and veggies. Continue “patterning” your meals with 5-6 small meals per day. Plan only one “cheat meal” this week to keep your brain chemistry balanced and your metabolism cranking.
- Weight training – Continue with high intensity weight training, but now add a daily regimen of the following exercises:
- Walking lunges – 3 sets of 25 strides.
- Ball squats – use an exercise ball against the wall, keep knees and feet together and squat down – Do 50 reps
- Crunches – do them for timed workouts, working up to 10 minutes non-stop
- Lateral raises – for nice cuts in your deltoids raise your arms out to the side and raise up until you can no longer do it
- Dips – for your triceps, find something to push off of – like a step or ledge in your house – then put your feet forward, lean back on your arms and lower yourself in a dip fashion.
- Cardio – This is where you really need to begin to kick it into gear! Do 30-45 minutes daily and at least one day this week add a long duration walk of 1 – 1 ½ hours.
- Supplements – Add green tea extract to heat up your core temperature and aid you in the fat loss process. Look for an extract or authentic green tea from an asian vendor. Green tea is also great for the complexion.
- Diet – No more alcohol or cheat meals – we’re on the home stretch. Take 2 days each week and eliminate all starchy carbs for added fat loss. So maybe Monday, Thursday or Tuesday, Friday. Increase protein and fibrous carbs to help you on low carb days.
- Weight training – continue with the same exercises you started doing last week.
- Cardio – Increase cardio to 1 hour every morning and 1 hour again in the afternoon every other day. Make sure to do one-long duration walk this week as well.
- Supplements – use a lipotropic product or L-Carnitine prior to morning cardio to aid in fat loss. Continue with green tea.
- Diet - Stay strict on your diet by avoiding all sauces and toppings, brown bag it as much as possible so you know what you’re eating. Eliminate dairy products like cheese from your diet as well. Increase water to 12 glasses daily
- Weight training – Move to high-rep workouts this week. Keep reps above 20 reps for all body parts. And continue to do daily exercises.
- Cardio – 1 hour of cardio twice daily, first thing in the morning and again in the late afternoon or evening.
- Supplements – Continue with the same program you’ve been doing since week 3.
- Diet – Eliminate all fibrous veggies except asparagus, and try to have two serving per day. Asparagus is a natural diuretic and it will begin to help you drop water. Keep water intake extra high until 4 days prior to the wedding, then cut it by half each day until your wedding day. Cut carbs to 15 – 20 grams daily until the day before the wedding, just in time for the rehearsal dinner. Enjoy eating what you want that night, as long as carbs were low all week you will look incredible on your special day!
- Weight training – Stick with upper body workouts this week. No leg workouts; this is important since blood will remain in the lower region of the body for about 5-7 days and make your legs appear bigger, so do your last leg workout 8 days prior to the big day.
- Cardio – Keep up the double sessions all the way to the morning of the day before. Doing cardio the day of the wedding will not do anything to change your body at this point, so skip it – AND the stress of fitting it in!
- Tanning – Consider a spray tan, especially if your gown is backless or sleeveless. Be careful of self tanners; they can make you have an orange glow instead of a tan. You may want to try out the spray tan a few weeks prior if you’re concerned with how it will look, because this really isn’t something you want to experiment with at the last minute.
- Do your morning cardio then relax by doing some yoga before getting ready for the rehearsal dinner.
- Watch the fibrous carbs still; they will bloat you – so go for the meat and potatoes that night, not the veggies or salad.
- Try your best to get plenty of sleep, even if you just have multiple short naps.
- Looking well rested goes along way.
- Make sure to eat some breakfast and keep some food in your stomach to keep your blood sugar from dropping, as nerves will contribute to this as well.
- If your gown is sleeveless, purchase some exercise bands ahead of time and do some exercise for the deltoids, triceps and back rows to have you looking incredibly fit as you walk down that aisle.
3 Weeks Before:
Wow, now I know you’re feeling the heat; less than one month to go but don’t sweat it. Or, in this case, DO sweat it; keep up the pace and you’ll be happy you did as you look at those wedding pictures again and again over the years:
2 Weeks Before:
We’re getting down to the wire, girls, but I have faith that you’ll be prepared if you stick to the routine and follow these helpful tips as you hit the 14-Day point and counting:
1 Week Before:
Wow, one week away! Can you say, “Stressed”?!? But you don’t have to be. Not only are eating healthy and exercising a great way to get in shape for your wedding day, they’re a great way to relieve tension and bust stress. So kill two birds with one stone – look AND feel great – as you take your diet and exercise plan down to the wire:
The Day Before:
And… we’re off! 24-hours to the big day and you don’t just have COLD feet; you may even be having HOT flashes thinking about all you have to do. Well, I can’t tell you to stop thinking about all that but I CAN offer you the following quick tips for those last-minute preparations you’ll need to be the best looking – and feeling – bride ever:
The BIG Day is Here!
At last; your BIG day is here. First of all, congratulations! No matter how much of this advice you’ve taken, I know that it wasn’t easy to stick to a six-week program – especially when they can be the busiest six weeks of a gal’s life. And since you have a million other things to worry about, I’ll keep today’s tips short:
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Social Syndication... Get The Fwicki Feed Cloud Widget!Worldwide Demand For Natural Gas To Increase
Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:52:05 GMTFEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD KEEP PATH CLEAR FOR LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS
LNG Enables U.S. to Remain Competitive Amidst Skyrocketing Global Natural Gas Demand Predictions
Washington, D.C. (June 26, 2008) -- The Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) release of its International Energy Outlook 2008 signals that the U.S. must be competitive on a global basis to ensure natural gas supplies are available when needed. According to EIA, worldwide demand for natural gas will increase by 52 percent from 2005 to 2030.
“Increased worldwide demand for clean burning natural gas will no doubt increase global demand for LNG, ” said Bill Cooper, President of the Center for Liquefied Natural Gas. “If the U.S. expects those supplies to help meet our growing demand for natural gas, the federal government must ensure that we can compete for those supplies.”
The United States has existing natural gas reserves in many areas. However, current federal restrictions preventing natural gas from being produced in those areas mean that the energy industry must look elsewhere to meet the needs of consumers. LNG is the most viable answer to meeting that demand.
LNG is simply natural gas cooled to its liquid form. LNG is non-toxic, odorless, and is clean burning. Natural gas is a highly attractive choice for electricity generation because of its efficiency and clean burning qualities. Just one LNG facility in the Boston Harbor receives enough natural gas to generate electricity for 1.5 million homes with less carbon emissions than other available fossil fuels.
Despite restrictive government policies, the U.S. will continue to require large amounts of natural gas to fuel its industrial and power generation needs. LNG is an environmentally sound and efficient answer to America’s rising demand for this clean fuel.
Source: News Release From Center for Liquefied Natural Gas
Three Truths About Men
Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:12:54 GMT
Relationships expert, Brenda Della Casa, is a journalist and casting producer who has spent the last seven years interviewing thousands of men and women for a variety of articles and television shows. One of those years was spent interviewing nearly 1, 000 single, married and coupled men world-wide, together with hundreds of single women specifically for her breakthrough book, Cinderella Was a Liar: The Real Reason You Cannot Find (or Keep) a Prince. Brenda has been featured on The Today Show, iVillageLive! and numerous other television and radio shows. Her work and advice have been profiled in Cosmopolitan, Psychologies, Men's Health, FHM, iVillage.com, Woman's Day, Cosmo Bride, Health and Fitness, Fabulous, For Me, Company, Seventeen, Bliss, New Woman and many others. Her column, O Solo Mio, can be seen on Divorce360 and she authors columns for Lifetime and Start Your Business Magazine. She is the author of Walking Barefoot.Brenda Della Casa--
One Thursday evening, five very intelligent, successful and attractive women were sitting around a small, circular table in a dimly lit wine bar discussing the dating and mating habits of their male counterparts. All but one of them tossed their questions into the proverbial hat for the others to pull out and answer while the last one sat there silently as the oldest questions in the book started spilling all over the faux oak. “What does he mean?” “Why didn’t he call?” “Is it bad that I slept with him on the first date? “Do you think something happened to his mother?” You can imagine their reaction when she blurted out, “If he wanted to date you, respect you and treat you well, you wouldn’t have to ask.”
If her colleague’s look were a fist, she would have been down for the count.
Romance is a funny thing in that it causes intelligent women who can otherwise manage corporations, save lives, run the country and give life to suddenly toss their good common sense and replace it with habits, thoughts, actions and reactions that are the emotional equivalent of convincing themselves that two plus two equals five. So, instead of sitting back and placating my readers and friends with assurances a man thinks and feels differently than he does or that he really did lose a phone number, I have decided to share the Three Simple Truths About Men & Dating that I learned straight from the source: real men.
You Don’t Need a Ph.D in Love To Know How He Feels:
By nature, men are competitive and direct in their thoughts and feelings and this means that when one is emotionally available, healthy, interested and worthy of all of the beautiful and precious gifts you have to offer, you won’t have to ask anyone else. He’ll show you. “It baffles me when my female friends spend weeks asking me and everyone else they know how a guy feels about her. I don’t know any man who would let a woman he wants to be with linger so that she could be snagged up by another guy, ” says Bryan, 30, New York, NY.
What’s A Girl to Do: Pay attention to how he speaks to you and treats you as well as how often he wants to see you and what he wants to do when you are together. Does he call you and ask you out in advance? Does he want to see you at normal times or is he calling you after the bars close for a late night rendezvous? Does he “link dates” such as asking you out for another day or night soon after seeing you? You shouldn’t expect a key by week three but if he’s doing things to keep your stomach is in knots, he doesn’t have butterflies.
Sex Is Not Love: Men have a keen ability to compartmentalize sex and emotions which means they can be in a sexual relationship with a “friend with benefits” and fall in love with someone else. This means that if you were not being wined and dined, respected and adored before you dropped your knickers, don’t assume you’ll be meeting grandma and having cocktails with his boss after a little late-night nookie. In addition, many men will automatically toss the idea of romancing a woman if she sleeps with him too soon. “It may be old-fashioned and hypocritical but a woman who sleeps with a man on the first date is generally thought of as a ‘good time’ girl even if the guy was into her before. It just ruins the mystery and makes you question her self-esteem, ” says Frank, 32, New York, NY.
What’s A Gal to Do? Look and flirt all you want, but hold men like Frank up to their own standards and keep fully dressed until you know enough about the guy that you can trust he will be respectful of your mental, physical and emotional health. Tempted to go home with the hottie from the bar? Just think about the last time you gave yourself to a guy who turned out to be a schmuck and go home to your Rabbit, instead.
When a Man Tells You Who He Is, Believe Him: It’s happened to the best of us. We meet a gorgeous, intelligent man who sweeps us off of our feet and then drops us on our head by telling us (either through words or actions) that he’s not boyfriend material. Maybe he doesn’t call when he says he will, borrows money and doesn’t pay it back or tells us directly that he’s not looking for anything serious. Instead of taking reality in, too many women convince themselves they can change him.
What’s A Gal to Do? Think about how hard it is to change one small habit you aren’t so proud of. How long have you been trying to stop smoking, biting your nails, or promising yourself you will eat more healthfully? Change is not easy and it takes a deep desire and a daily effort on the part of the individual--and you are going to try and take on the inner workings of another human being who has been who they have been for decades? If this sounds like something you do, it’s time to find someone who is who you want to be with from the start and change your own habit of looking at partners as “Fixer Upper’s."
Wild Rice with Radicchio and Dried Cherries
Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:11:13 GMTA registered dietitian and professional chef, Cheryl Forberg is the nutritionist for the NBC reality series The Biggest Loser and an advisor for Prevention magazine. She has written or contributed to nine books, including Stop the Clock! Cooking, The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook, and The Biggest Loser: The Weight Loss Program, and the recently published Positively Ageless. She is also a recipient of the prestigious James Beard award for healthy recipe development. To learn more about Cheryl and her work, visit her Web site at www.cherylforberg.com.
Cheryl says this dish is a perfect complement to the summer barbeque!
MAKES 10 SERVINGS
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 head radicchio (12 ounces), cored and finely chopped
3 green onions, chopped, with some green tops
2 cups cooked wild rice
3/4 cup chopped parsley
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup walnut or olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, lightly toasted
Parmesan cheese (optional)
In a small bowl, cover the cherries with the wine and let soak for about 2 hours or overnight. Drain, discarding the wine or reserving for another use.
In a large bowl, toss the radicchio, onions, rice, and parsley.
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, oil, salt, and black pepper. Pour over the radicchio mixture and toss gently. Serve at room temperature, sprinkled with the walnuts. Add shavings of Parmesan, if desired.
NUTRIENT ANALYSIS PER SERVING
147 calories, 3 g protein, 17 g carbohydrates, 7 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 2 g monounsaturated fat, 630 mg omega-3s, 3 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 152 mg sodium
* With permission from Positively Ageless: A 28-Day Plan for a Younger, Slimmer, Sexier You by Cheryl Forberg RD (Rodale 2008)
Can A Warmer Planet Feed Us?
Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:22:47 GMT
Sally Kneidel, PhD, is the author of eleven books on nature, conservation, and science topics. Two books from Fulcrum co-authored by Sally and Sadie Kneidel are Going Green: A Wise Consumer's Guide to a Shrinking Planet (May, 2008) and Veggie Revolution: Smart Choices for a Healthy Body and A Healthy Planet (Nov, 2005). Contact the author at skneidel@earthlink.net. Before too long, our most direct link to global warming will be the food on our dinner tables. The vast bounty of our neighborhood supermarkets all depends on cycles of rain and air temperatures in far-off parts of the globe. Now, across the world, those cycles are changing and the effects will be profound — for all of us.
As patterns of wind and rain shift, no one knows exactly where the water will end up or when it will arrive. But most of the big computer models predicting Earth's future climate, including those created by NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, foresee declining rainfall in the tropics. Harvests in those regions will decrease too. In India and much of Africa, already struggling with food shortages, food production will drop.
Climate change will produce more extreme weather, such as hurricanes and monsoons that can destroy crops and leave people with no food at all.
Most scientists don't foresee major changes in total food production during the next decade or two, as average temperatures increase by just a few degrees. As food production falls in sub-Saharan Africa and India, food production will actually increase (temporarily) in temperate regions such as North America and Europe. As a result, the world will become increasingly dependent on a handful of major food exporters, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil and Argentina.
Forty or fifty years from now, as today's children reach middle age, things are projected to get worse. As temperatures continue to rise, along with levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, most models show global food production falling. The areas most affected will be those least able to purchase food from abroad. Foremost among these is Africa. According to some estimates, tens of millions of people could go hungry unless there's a major effort to help these countries adapt.
Agricultural communities can adapt in some ways, but it won't be easy, especially in the poorest parts of the world. The soil in many parts of Africa is highly degraded from overgrazing and overharvesting. There's very little organic matter — decomposed leaves, roots and grass — left in the soil. It isn't replenished because any leftover vegetation is used for fuel. Improving the soil would help Africa prepare for climate change by increasing harvests and also helping the soil store water. Providing alternative fuels for rural households is one way to help improve soil in sub-Saharan Africa.
Anything that increases the wealth of developing nations, especially in the tropics, will help them adapt to coming food shortages.
What can we do? Decrease our own contribution to greenhouse gases, with our driving choices, our food choices, and how we heat and cool our homes. Our new book Going Green: A Wise Consumer's Guide to a Shrinking Planet offers guidelines for these three high-impact consumer categories.New Study: Meat Impacts Climate Change More Than "Buying Local"
A Final Gift
Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:27:09 GMT
I spent this past Memorial Day absolved to consider the holiday just another day, one without pomp and circumstance, flowers, tributes, and graves. Our recognition of the dead runs deep in my family. As a girl, we'd go to decorate the graves of my grandparents and great grandparents in Northern Michigan. But this year was different.My father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in February of 2007. Before he passed on, he wished to buy one last car, presumably for himself--a convertible red Mustang. Dad drove it a couple of times, taking my 15-year-old son around town with him. At the time, though my son had a driver's permit, I was reluctant to let him chauffeur my father, preferring that Dad take the wheel.
A few months passed, and so too did Dad. It was a very difficult time for our family, especially my son, who has been very close to his grandfather. During the immediate days after my father's passing, my uncle mentioned to my husband that Dad's wish was for my son, David, to have the Mustang. Mom, my husband, and I all considered the thought, not sure if this car would be in my child's best interest.
David's 16th birthday came and went. He was given permission to drive the Mustang on weekends or for transportation to a part-time job. On Memorial Day David went out to the beach with his friends. By late afternoon, my husband, concerned about our son, phoned him about his whereabouts. David stated he'd be home soon, but first he needed to stop and see Grandpa.
Not sure if he'd heard correctly, my husband drove over to our local cemetary and found our teenage son, sobbing by my father's grave. He was thankful that his grandfather had left him this final gift.
My son speaks of my father seldom. But when he does it's just to let us know, "I still miss Grandpa." That's normal I explain to him.
And though I sought to avoid Memorial Day, it found me instead.
Dad gave us many signs that he was indeed dying. At the time, I felt like I had a knot in my throat which kept me from calmly discussing these markers, though I recorded them later.
If you are struggling with the death of someone you love, I recommend reading Final Gifts written by Hospice nurses Maggie Callanan and Patricia Kelley. Though I read the book after my father's passing, I wished I'd had the courage to read it before. Final Gifts offers comfort and reassurance from eye witnesses to the passage of life.
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