THE SPIRIT FM MORNING SHOW
with
JIM & KAREN
LIFE CHANGING WORD
LOVE DARE # 30
Love brings unity.
Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. John 17:11
Unity. Togetherness. Oneness.
These are the unshakable hallmarks of our God.
From the very beginning of time, we see His unity at work through the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Father, Son and Spirit are in pristine unity. They serve each other, love each other, and honor each other. Though equal, they rejoice when the other is praised. Though distinct they are one, individual.
And because this relationship is so special – so representative of the vastness and grandeur of God – He has chosen to let us experience an aspect of it. In the unique relationship of husband and wife, two distinct individuals are spiritually united into “one flesh” and “what God has joined together, let man not separate”.
There love this one who is as much a part of your body as you are. Service this one whose needs cannot be separated from your own. Honor this one who, when raised upon the pedestal of your love, raises you up too in the eyes of God, all at the same time.
TODAY’S DARE: Isolate one area of division in your marriage, and look on today as a fresh opportunity to pray about it. Ask the Lord to reveal anything in your own heart that is threatening oneness with your spouse. Pray that He would do the same for them. And if appropriate, discuss this matter openly, seeking God for unity.
TODAY IS…..
Today is Proposal Day, a holiday for those seeking to marry. Go ahead, propose
Today is National Agriculture Day.
National Bubble Week begins today, a great time to have fun outdoors with children and bubbles.
On this day in 1969, John Lennon married Yoko Ono. The wedding photographer recommended a heavy-duty veil.
Today is Master Gardener Day - A great day to celebrate that wonderful invention called the Garden Weasel
In The News…..
President Obama was on the Tonight Show Last Night.
President Obama is the first “sitting” president to appear.
"New information on Antarctica's regularly melting distant past is giving scientists a glimpse into what may be a flooded future as the planet warms up." The Antarctica is melting faster than AIG's reputation.
Citi Office Remodeling
Bailed-out Citigroup is going to spend $10 million to remodel some executive offices. The offices need new windows that don't open so the executives stop trying to jump out of them.
Bonus Givebacks
Several AIG executives have agreed to give back their controversial bonuses. They've all decided to go after the real easy money and run for Congress.
"Bernard Madoff's longtime accountant was arrested on fraud charges as authorities blamed him for failing to make the most basic auditing checks that would have exposed an epic fraud that cost investors billions of dollars.
"Speaking of accountants: Why are they putting the accountants at the bottom of the ocean? They found out that deep down they're really not so bad.
China Spending
A new survey shows that China's 1.3 billion consumers won't dip into their savings and buy enough products to avoid a global recession... mostly because the Chinese make most of those products and know just how dangerous and poisonous they truly are.
Everyone’s favorite wacky dictator Kim Jong Il has demanded that North Korea open its first pizzeria. He wants to call it: “Papa Jong’s.”
"Former President George W. Bush, who once famously called himself 'The Decider,' is writing a book about decisions.'I want people to understand the environment in which I was making decisions."You know, maybe I should write my memoirs too. Mr. Bush calls himself "The Decider." Maybe I would call myself “The Hungry One”.
"Kelley Davis of North Carolina said she had an extra $400 in cash to deposit after working extra hours as a physical therapist. She told the News & Observer of Raleigh that she planned to deposit the money, but it wasn't in her pocket.She remembered leaving it in the bedroom and it occurred to her that the family's 2-year-old greater Swiss mountain dog, Augie, might have eaten it.Davis said when she took Augie for a walk she found parts of three $100 bills and five $20s in his leavings. She washed them with a garden hose and hopes to find enough pieces to exchange them for cash. Good luck. All I can say is that it adds new meaning to to the term "Dirty money."
In Sick bay: "Star Wars" actor DAVID PROWSE, who played the guy in the Darth Vader costume in the original "Star Wars" trilogy (JAMES EARL JONES was the voice). The now-73-year-old Prowse revealed during a radio interview in England that he’s been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and has had two months of radiotherapy already. "I feel fantastic, no problems whatsoever," he said. "The only thing I've had is hot flushes. I've also lost some of my hair on my legs and the hair on my chest has all got very fine. But other than that I've had no after effects."
STAR-TREK FANS CAN NOW HAVE THEIR OWN STAR-TREK COLOGNE
Genki Wear, known for its licensed science fiction jewelry and perfumes, has produced what might be the most unusual Star Trek product ever: Star Trek colognes and perfume based on the original 1960s television show. In our latest look at Trek’s big Spring Collection, TrekMovie has all the exclusive first details and images on this unique addition to the pantheon of Star Trek merchandise
Genki Wear Star Trek Perfume - A trio of scents from the final frontier
There are three fragrances planned for 2009 with the monikers "Tiberius" "Red Shirt" and "Ponn Farr."
Tiberius
The Tiberius cologne, named in honor of the Mirror Universe James T. Kirk’s challenges users to "Boldly Go" with a perfume described as being spiked with "notes of freshness and sensuality." According to Genki Wear, the perfume has sweet citron zest, black pepper, and cedar as its top notes (top notes refers to those scents that are noticeable first) and warm vanilla, white musk, and sandalwood as its base notes (scents perceived last, usually about a half hour after application). Genki Wear promises that "Tiberius Cologne for men is difficult to define and impossible to refuse" which is also a pretty good description of the Mirror Kirk himself.
Red Shirt
Genki’s "Red Shirt" cologne (whose tag line "Because Tomorrow May Never Come" is priceless) celebrates the sacrifices of those often nameless crew of the USS Enterprise. Described appropriately as a cologne for those with a "devotion to living each day as it could be your last" the cologne has top notes of green mandarin, bergamot, and lavender, with base notes of leather and grey musk.
Pon Farr
The most risqué titled of the new Star Trek fragrances is "Ponn Farr" which is a perfume designed to "drive him wild." It should only be used once every seven years (okay, that isn’t true). Named for the Vulcan mating ritual first introduced in the episode "Amok Time," this perfume is one of the newly designed products meant to appeal to female fans. More details and an image on Ponn Farr will be available soon.
Star Trek First
While there was a cologne included in the 1996 Star Trek First Contact travel set (that also included a wallet and soap), this is the first time that Star Trek is getting a first class fragrance treatment in the perfume area. The First Contact cologne had a generic label and was in an inexpensive plastic bottle. The Genki Wear line, however, includes uniquely designed containers and specially crafted boxes, as well as carefully prepared fragrances that the company believes is comparable to Chanel or Cartier. What is especially exciting about this line is that it has something that most Star Trek products don’t…a practical purpose. Not only are fans getting a collectible, it is a collectible that could and should be used. It is also nice because it allows the partners of Star Trek fans (whether fans or not) to buy this perfume for that special "Captain Kirk" in their lives.
All the Star Trek fragrances will be available this April at department and retail stores, and at online retailers. Genki Wear has invited Trekmovie.com readers to send their questions or suggestions to them at questions@genkiwear.com regarding this and possible future fragrances.
Obama Family Plants Kitchen Garden on the Lawn of the White House
For more than a decade, food activists have rallied, cajoled, even pleaded for a garden on the White House lawn. Now they're finally going to get it.
On Friday, Michelle Obama will host a groundbreaking for a White House kitchen garden on the South Lawn. She will be joined by students from Bancroft Elementary in Washington, who will be participating in the project during tomorrow's event as well as by planting in the coming weeks and harvesting later this year.
The 1,100 square foot garden will include 55 kinds of vegetables, including peppers, spinach, and, yes, arugula. (The list of vegetables is a wishlist put together by White House chefs.) There will also be berries, herbs and two hives for honey that will be tended by a White House carpenter who is also a beekeeper. The chefs will use the produce to feed the first family and for state dinners and other official events.
The White House will be using organic seedlings, as well as organic fertilizers and organic insect repellents. The garden will be located near the tennis courts and visible to passerbys on the street. The whole Obama family will be involved in tending the garden, White House spokeswoman Katie McCormick Lelyveld said.
Proponents of the garden see the move as a victory for fresh, wholesome food. With the Obamas as role models, it could also be a turning point in their battle to overturn the perception of organic food, farmers markets and gardens as the preserve of the elite.
"Nothing could be more exciting," said Alice Waters, chef of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Calif., who has been lobbying for a garden on the White House lawn since the first Clinton Administration. "The symbolism of putting a seed in the ground is a promise of a real nourishment and education for the population who visits, the people who plant the crops and the people who pick from it."
The White House appears to be casting the garden as just another strategy to encourage healthful eating. Barack Obama famously learned the political perils of being too familiar with "elite" vegetables such as arugula. In several interviews, Michelle Obama has talked about the importance of healthful eating and the challenges of persuading her children to eat fruits and vegetables. But she tends to use words such as fresh and nutritious rather than organic and sustainable. "We want to use it as a point of education," the first lady said in an interview in the April issue of O Magazine. We want "to talk about health and how delicious it is to eat fresh food, and how you can take that food and make it part of a healthy diet."
The Obama's garden will not be the first at the White House. John Adams, the White House's first tenant, planted a garden shortly after taking up residence in 1800.
Woodrow Wilson brought in sheep to mow and fertilize the White House lawn in 1918, an effort to conserve resources for the war effort. In 1943, over the objection of the Agriculture Department, Eleanor Roosevelt planted a victory garden, inspiring millions of Americans to grow their own food.
Recent efforts have been more modest. Jimmy Carter, a Georgia farmer who extolled the virtues of gardening during his campaign, declined calls in 1978 to plant a vegetable garden at the White House. During the Clinton years, a small garden was planted on the roof; the White House rejected the idea of a larger garden on the lawn, saying it was not in keeping with the formal nature of the White House grounds.
Idol Finalist Says Performing on the Show Reminds Him of Church
(CBS) After "American Idol" finalist Kris Allen first stepped onto the stage of the Fox singing competition, the 23-year-old college student later confided in his pastor that feeling the warm stage lights and seeing the eager audience looking up at him reminded him of only one thing: going to church.
Two weeks into the finals, and religion is playing a big role for Allen and many other singers this season on the popular show. More than half of the remaining 11 finalists have regularly performed at places of worship. Three of those six contestants - including Allen - have worked as worship leaders at their respective churches back home.
"Kristopher was in a position where he was singing on a weekly basis in front of a large number of people," said Brandon Shatswell, executive worship pastor at the New Life Church in Allen's hometown of Conway, Ark. "I had him learning new songs quickly, things that he might not readily choose for himself, so I do think working here helped him be more comfortable in the competition."
Not only has regularly performing in churches prepared many singers for the big "Idol" stage, religion may also be providing some contestants with a built-in voting bloc. Joanne Brokaw, who blogs about "Idol" and Christian music at BeliefNet.com, believes many Christian viewers have been rallying for this season's Christian contestants.
As The Recession Deepens More Americans Go Fishin’
MEREDITH, New Hampshire (Reuters) - From his wooden fishing shack on Lake Winnipesaukee's thinning skin of ice, Mike MacDonald doesn't need to think twice about why more Americans are going "fishin'" in the deepening U.S. recession.
"This costs $6 to get a bucket of bait and it will last the whole day," he said, skinning a fish next to a hole drilled into the frozen New Hampshire lake. "Compare that to skiing -- one day of skiing would cost $80 just for the lift ticket."
As Americans forgo expensive vacations, costly dinners and shopping mall splurges, many are opting instead for the quiet simplicity of fishing, according to the sport fishing industry and reports from bait shops and fishermen.
From the icy north to fly-fishing streams in Texas, angling is on the rise. For families, it's an inexpensive outing. Those with a knack for it can trim their grocery bills. And for newly unemployed, it's something to do.
"I'm seeing a lot more fishermen down here," said John Miller, owner of Bob's Sport & Tackle in Katonah, New York. "With the economy the way it is, people are getting laid off from work and don't want to sit at home and do nothing.
"The cheaper alternative," he said, "is to go fishing."
Town To Spray Paint Lawn Bald Spots – Apparently, this relates to the housing slump.
PERRIS, Calif. (AP) -- A town is going green to combat foreclosure blight: A contractor has been hired to spray-paint lawn bald spots. Perris spokesman Joe Vargo said contractor Dave Milligan uses an environmentally friendly dye that lasts up to six months and is harmless to people and pets. The city hopes the foreclosed properties are purchased and occupied before the lawn needs a touchup.
It costs about $550 to spray-paint a lawn. The city, some 70 miles southeast of Los Angeles, has set aside $2 million in an effort to stabilize foreclosure-fraught neighborhoods.
Flying Car Takes Maiden Flight
It's not really a flying car. But it's still pretty cool.
The Transition "roadable aircraft" has made a successful maiden flight, according to Terrafugia, the company that is developing it.
Media were not present at the airstrip in Plattsburgh, NY when the test took place, but the company has released photos and videos chronicling the event.
With front-wheel drive and fold up wings, the aircraft is capable of being driven on public roads at highway speeds and will fit in a standard garage. What it can't do, legally, is take off and land from anywhere other than an approved general aviation airport.
The vehicle is expected to go on sale as early as 2011 for around $194,000. A small price to pay to say you have a "flying car." Air quotes are required whenever you do.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
TODAY IS THURSDAY - MARCH 19, 2009
THE MORNING SHOW
WITH
JIM & KAREN
on
SPIRIT FM
LIFE CHANGING WORD
LOVE DARE # 29.
Love’s motivation.
Render service with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to men. Ephesians 6:7
It doesn’t take much experience to dsicover that your mate will not always motivate your love. In fact, many times they will de-motivate it! More often than you’d like, it will seem difficult to find the inspiration to demonstrate your love. They may not even receive it when you try to express it. That’s simply the nature of life, even in fairly healthy marriages.
But although modds and emotions can create all kinds of moving motivational targets, one is certain to stay in the same place, all the time. When God is your reason for lioving, your ability to love is guaranteed. The love that’s demanded fromyour marriage is not dependent on your mate’s sweetness or suitability. The love between a husband and a wife should have one chief objective: honoring the Lord with devotion and sincereity. The fact that it blesses our beloved in the process is sikply a wonderful, additional benefit.
TODAY’S DARE: Before you see your spouse again today, pray for them by name and for their needs. Whether it comes easy for you or not, say “I love you”, then express love to them in some tangible way. Go to God in prayer again, thanking Him for giving you the privilege of loving this one special person-unconditionally, the way He loves both of you.
TODAY IS…..
Today is Swallows Day at San Juan Capistrano, California. Traditionally, the swallows return each year on St. Joseph's Day.
Today is Absolutely Incredible Kid Day, a day to honor the nation's youth, Write a letter of love and encouragement to the absolutely incredible kid in your life.
Today is Companies That Care Day
http://www.companies-that-care.org/
Mission
The Center for Companies That Care is a national, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to enhancing the well-being of employees and communities by educating and inspiring employers to practice employer engagement* and to integrate the 10 Characteristics of Companies That Care into their daily business practices. *
Employer engagement exists when the values and practices of the employer support the needs of society as well as the profitability of the business
Vision
By encouraging and assisting business in practicing the 10 Characteristics that enable individuals and communities to thrive, we strengthen our communities and our society, resulting in a sustainable future for the generations to come.
Goals
All employers are Companies That Care
Businesses value and respect their employees
Businesses create a work environment that enables individuals to thrive
Businesses and communities develop partnerships to strengthen future generations of employees
People and communities are sustained and prosper
Today is Let's Laugh Day.
On this day in 1959 Tibet's Dalai Lama fled to India. The Indians welcomed him with a rousing chorus of "Hello, Dalai." Honestly, sometimes I embarrass even myself.
The first bank robbery in U.S. history occurred on this day in 1831 when City Bank of New York was robbed of $245,000. The biggest bank robbery in U.S. history occurred last year when some banks raised credit card interest rates to 28%.
1985: After ten years, the TV comedy series Alice ended when Mel Sharples sold his diner. Linda Lavin played Alice, Philip McKeon was her son Tommy. Vic Tayback was Mel, Polly Holliday was Florence Jean Castleberry, and Beth Holand played Vera.
On the final episode of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," the entire WJM-TV news staff was fired on this day in 1977, except for dippy anchorman Ted Baxter. Hey, c'est la vie! The goofazoids always survive.
Just look at Congress.
2003: U.S. forces bombarded Baghdad with cruise missiles and precision-guided bombs, starting the Iraq War.
In The News…..
Pelosi Caught on Tape
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is in hot water after new video captures her having a friendly talk with illegal immigrants. Pelosi insists she doesn't favor amnesty, and that she was just trying to score some Mexican botox.
In a speech yesterday, President Barack Obama lashed out about the excessive AIG bonuses. He was so upset he changed his slogan from “Yes We Can” to “Oh No You Don’t.”
AIG Clawback?
The government is working on taking away those taxpayer-funded bonuses paid out to failed AIG executives. Congress is promising to get most of the money back by forcing those executives to give them bigger campaign donations.
You what AIG stands for? Adventures in greed.
Actually AIG executives have asked those paid bonuses to “do the right thing” and give half of it back.
Isn't it funny how the word 'politics' is made up of the words 'poli' meaning 'many' in Latin, and 'tics' as in 'bloodsucking creatures’
The economy is so bad, everybody is cutting back. At the supermarket -- the lady who hands out free sausage samples on the little sticks -- she cut me off after my ninth sample.
The producer of "Survivor" predicts reality shows will get "edgier and nastier". One network is already planning "So You Think You're a Bigger Weasel Than That Guy On The Bachelor".
Octo-Mom update: NADYA SULEMAN has taken the first two of her eight children home from the hospital. People magazine reports the two healthiest and heaviest infants — NOAH, weighing 5 lbs., 13 oz, and ISAIAH, weighing 5 lbs. — were released yesterday from the Kaiser Permanante Medical Center.
Auto World /Gas Guzzlin' Update:
Today's Bad Timing Award goes to the beleaguered hybrid car.
The LA Times points out that demand for hybrids has plunged just as automakers are releasing more of the fuel-efficient cars than ever before.
It's hardly a secret that the whole auto industry is doing badly, but hybrids are particularly difficult to get off the sales floor because consumers are reluctant to pay a premium for fuel-efficiency when the average price of gasoline has dropped below $2 a gallon.
Automakers, however, feel as though they have no choice but to keep producing these types of vehicles because of pressure from Washington. In other words, as one analyst put it, they need to pacify politicians with expensive fuel-efficient cars because the politicians have the power to bail them out. Or not.
Ways To Boost Your Metabolism
Working out with weights will raise your metabolism
Practicing portion control helps to keep you from overloading on unusable energy
Study: Metabolic rates of people watching funny videos rose by 10 to 40 calories
Metabolism" is the name of the bodily system that converts food calories to energy needed to perform various tasks, like pumping oxygen to muscles during a long walk. Many variables contribute to your metabolism, including heredity, gender and age. But you can quicken yours; here's how.
Exercise more. When you walk, run, or lift weights, you increase the energy required of your body, which raises your metabolism then, and for hours afterward.
"It's not a huge spike, but it makes a difference," says Gary Miller, PhD, associate professor of health and exercise science at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Work out with weights. During weight training, muscle tissue is stressed; afterward, it's repaired -- which raises metabolism.
A woman who strength trains three times a week for six months can build enough muscle to burn 10 to 32 extra calories a day, according to Robert Wolfe, PhD, professor of geriatrics at the University of Arkansas. CookingLight.com:
Practice portion control. This helps ensure you don't overload your metabolism with a surplus of unusable energy (that is, food).
Use a food scale or measuring cups to identify proper portions. Or use your hand as a guide. A fist equals a serving of fruit, a cupped hand equals a serving of cereal or grains, two cupped handfuls equal a serving of leafy green vegetables and an open palm equals a serving of meat. CookingLight.com: Exceptional recipes
Eat smaller meals more often. Some experts recommend eating smaller meals throughout the day, known as grazing. "Grazing helps normalize blood sugar levels rather than producing three large spikes, which is what happens eating three meals a day," says Nick Flynn, PhD, associate professor of biochemistry at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas.
Determine the amount of calories you need at Mypyramid.gov. Then keep that number in mind as you transition from eating three ordinary-sized meals to five smaller ones. CookingLight.com: We compare similar foods so you can decide which to eat
Laugh it off. When researchers from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, put people into a "metabolic chamber" (a small room that measures heat output in order to calculate a person's metabolic rate) and showed them funny videos, the subjects' metabolic rates rose by 10 to 40 calories. It's a small increase, but every calorie counts for those seeking weight loss, says lead researcher Maciej Buchowksi, PhD
It’s A “BABY BOOMLET”!
More babies were born in the United States in 2007 than any year in the nation's history, topping the peak during the baby boom 50 years earlier, federal researchers reported Wednesday.
There is both good and bad news from the more than 4.3 million births:
-The U.S. population is more than replacing itself, a healthy trend.
-However, the teen birth rate was up for the second year in a row.
The birth rate rose slightly for women of all ages, and births to unwed mothers reached an all-time high of about 40 percent, continuing a trend begun years ago. More than three-quarters of these women were 20 or older.
For a variety of reasons, it's become more acceptable for women to have babies without a husband, said Duke University's S. Philip Morgan, a leading fertility researcher.
Even happy couples may be living together without getting married, experts say. Some cited a growing trend among all adult women to have children regardless of their marital status.
The new numbers suggest the second year of a baby boomlet, with U.S. fertility rates higher in every racial group, the highest among Hispanic women. On average, a U.S. woman has 2.1 babies in her lifetime. That's the "magic number" required for a population to replace itself.
State Farm Recalling Good Neigh Bears..Apparently they are a choking hazard
State Farm® Recalls Good Neigh Bears® Due to Choking Hazard
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of product: State Farm Good Neigh Bears
Units: About 800,000 in the United States and 27,000 in Canada
Distributor: State Farm, of Bloomington, Ill.
Hazard: The eyes on these bears can come off, posing a choking hazard to young children.
Incidents/Injuries: State Farm received one report of the plastic eye of a bear coming off and a child placing it in her mouth. No injuries have been reported.
Description: This recall involves the 11-inch (28 cm) and 18-inch (46 cm) State Farm Good Neigh Bears with plastic eyes. The bears are brown and wear a white and red State Farm shirt.
Sold at: The bears were given away free through State Farm agents and at State Farm sponsored events from September 2005 through March 2007.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately take these bears away from young children and discard them.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact State Farm toll-free at (877) 226-8079 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. CT or visit the company’s website at www.statefarm.com or www.statefarm.ca
Is It Possible That American Idol Is Fixed? Could Be!
Is it possible the great FOX show American Idol could be fixed? According to reports the final four have already been chosen despite there being 13 idols left. One of the show's staffer's reportedly has gone around telling anyone she can of who is to be entering despite the singing of the final 13 to begin.
According to NY Daily News, "One of the hit show's staffers is running around telling anyone who'll listen that the team of producers and judges has already picked the final four contestants — despite the fact that 11 kids are still battling to be the latest pop star."
So who are the final four you ask? The female American Idol staffer is proclaiming it will be Danny Gokey, Lil Rounds, Adam Lambert, and Alexis Grace according to NY Daily News. The female staffer said that those contestants WILL be the people in the final four. FOX has yet to comment and people are pretty upset right now. Although they have not yet named the woman who said this and her position, everything should be taken with a grain of salt.
Elementary Student A Finalist in Ketchup Contest
Restaurants across the country could soon see ketchup packets designed by a 2nd Grader from our area.
Pittsville Elementary School Student Colleen Lassa is a Finalist in the Heinz Ketchup Creativity Contest.
Her Art Teacher, Kris Doering says no one from Wisconsin has ever won.
"The Heinz Corporation called the school and informed us that Colleen was the only Finalist from our school."
Using only 6 colors, and templates from the company's website... 1st through 12th grade students across the country had an opportunity to design a ketchup packet.
Doering says the school submitted 300 entries for the contest.
Heinz narrowed the 45,000 entries from across the US down to just 3 finalists from each grade level.
"This is really exciting for Pittsville, the exact center of the state and for the state of Wisconsin cause Heinz says nobody from WI has won before this is very exciting."
Unfortunately, the school doesn't have a copy of Colleen's drawing, but the public will get an opportunity to see it and vote for their favorites when the online voting begins March 20th.
Colleen says her design was inspired by the swing set at her house.
"I did like a sun and the sky and then I had some grass and a swing set with the ketchup bottle on it."
Each winner will receive $1,000, their school will receive $1,000 toward art supplies,$1,000 worth of Heinz ketchup packets for their school cafeteria, and a poster of their winning design.
To vote for Colleen look for her name among the other second grade finalists.
You can cast your vote from March 20th through the 25th.
Teens Take Picture of Outer-Space with a Camera Tied to a Balloon
Proving that you don't need Google's billions or the BBC weather centre's resources, the four Spanish students managed to send a camera-operated weather balloon into the stratosphere.
Taking atmospheric readings and photographs 20 miles above the ground, the Meteotek team of IES La Bisbal school in Catalonia completed their incredible experiment at the end of February this year.
Building the electronic sensor components from scratch, Gerard Marull Paretas, Sergi Saballs Vila, Marta Gasull Morcillo and Jaume Puigmiquel Casamort managed to send their heavy duty £43 latex balloon to the edge of space and take readings of its ascent.
Created by the four students under the guidance of teacher Jordi Fanals Oriol, the budding scientists, all aged 18-19, followed the progress of their balloon using high tech sensors communicating with Google Earth.
Team leader Gerard Marull, 18, said: "We were overwhelmed at our results, especially the photographs, to send our handmade craft to the edge of space is incredible."
Completing their landmark experiment on February, the Meteotek team had to account for a wide variety of variables and rely on a lot of luck.
"The balloon we chose was inflated with helium to just over two metres and weighed just 1500 grams," said Gerard. "It was able to carry the sensor equipment and digital Nikon camera which weighed 1.5kg.
"However, when we launched at 9.10am on that morning the critical point for the experiment was to see if the balloon would make it past 10,000m, or 30,000ft, which is the altitude that commercial airliners fly at."
Due to the changing atmospheric pressures, the helium weather balloon carrying the meteorological equipment was expected to inflate to a maximum of nine and a half metres as it travelled upwards at 270 metres-per-minute.
"We took readings as the balloon rose and mapped its progress using Google Earth and the onboard radio receiver," said Gerard.
"At over 100,000ft the balloon lost its inflation and the equipment was returned to the earth.
"We travelled 10km to find the sensors and photographic card, which was still emitting its signal, even though it had been exposed to the most extreme conditions."
The pupils' incredible school science project has already caught the attention of the University of Wyoming in the US.
WITH
JIM & KAREN
on
SPIRIT FM
LIFE CHANGING WORD
LOVE DARE # 29.
Love’s motivation.
Render service with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to men. Ephesians 6:7
It doesn’t take much experience to dsicover that your mate will not always motivate your love. In fact, many times they will de-motivate it! More often than you’d like, it will seem difficult to find the inspiration to demonstrate your love. They may not even receive it when you try to express it. That’s simply the nature of life, even in fairly healthy marriages.
But although modds and emotions can create all kinds of moving motivational targets, one is certain to stay in the same place, all the time. When God is your reason for lioving, your ability to love is guaranteed. The love that’s demanded fromyour marriage is not dependent on your mate’s sweetness or suitability. The love between a husband and a wife should have one chief objective: honoring the Lord with devotion and sincereity. The fact that it blesses our beloved in the process is sikply a wonderful, additional benefit.
TODAY’S DARE: Before you see your spouse again today, pray for them by name and for their needs. Whether it comes easy for you or not, say “I love you”, then express love to them in some tangible way. Go to God in prayer again, thanking Him for giving you the privilege of loving this one special person-unconditionally, the way He loves both of you.
TODAY IS…..
Today is Swallows Day at San Juan Capistrano, California. Traditionally, the swallows return each year on St. Joseph's Day.
Today is Absolutely Incredible Kid Day, a day to honor the nation's youth, Write a letter of love and encouragement to the absolutely incredible kid in your life.
Today is Companies That Care Day
http://www.companies-that-care.org/
Mission
The Center for Companies That Care is a national, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to enhancing the well-being of employees and communities by educating and inspiring employers to practice employer engagement* and to integrate the 10 Characteristics of Companies That Care into their daily business practices. *
Employer engagement exists when the values and practices of the employer support the needs of society as well as the profitability of the business
Vision
By encouraging and assisting business in practicing the 10 Characteristics that enable individuals and communities to thrive, we strengthen our communities and our society, resulting in a sustainable future for the generations to come.
Goals
All employers are Companies That Care
Businesses value and respect their employees
Businesses create a work environment that enables individuals to thrive
Businesses and communities develop partnerships to strengthen future generations of employees
People and communities are sustained and prosper
Today is Let's Laugh Day.
On this day in 1959 Tibet's Dalai Lama fled to India. The Indians welcomed him with a rousing chorus of "Hello, Dalai." Honestly, sometimes I embarrass even myself.
The first bank robbery in U.S. history occurred on this day in 1831 when City Bank of New York was robbed of $245,000. The biggest bank robbery in U.S. history occurred last year when some banks raised credit card interest rates to 28%.
1985: After ten years, the TV comedy series Alice ended when Mel Sharples sold his diner. Linda Lavin played Alice, Philip McKeon was her son Tommy. Vic Tayback was Mel, Polly Holliday was Florence Jean Castleberry, and Beth Holand played Vera.
On the final episode of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," the entire WJM-TV news staff was fired on this day in 1977, except for dippy anchorman Ted Baxter. Hey, c'est la vie! The goofazoids always survive.
Just look at Congress.
2003: U.S. forces bombarded Baghdad with cruise missiles and precision-guided bombs, starting the Iraq War.
In The News…..
Pelosi Caught on Tape
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is in hot water after new video captures her having a friendly talk with illegal immigrants. Pelosi insists she doesn't favor amnesty, and that she was just trying to score some Mexican botox.
In a speech yesterday, President Barack Obama lashed out about the excessive AIG bonuses. He was so upset he changed his slogan from “Yes We Can” to “Oh No You Don’t.”
AIG Clawback?
The government is working on taking away those taxpayer-funded bonuses paid out to failed AIG executives. Congress is promising to get most of the money back by forcing those executives to give them bigger campaign donations.
You what AIG stands for? Adventures in greed.
Actually AIG executives have asked those paid bonuses to “do the right thing” and give half of it back.
Isn't it funny how the word 'politics' is made up of the words 'poli' meaning 'many' in Latin, and 'tics' as in 'bloodsucking creatures’
The economy is so bad, everybody is cutting back. At the supermarket -- the lady who hands out free sausage samples on the little sticks -- she cut me off after my ninth sample.
The producer of "Survivor" predicts reality shows will get "edgier and nastier". One network is already planning "So You Think You're a Bigger Weasel Than That Guy On The Bachelor".
Octo-Mom update: NADYA SULEMAN has taken the first two of her eight children home from the hospital. People magazine reports the two healthiest and heaviest infants — NOAH, weighing 5 lbs., 13 oz, and ISAIAH, weighing 5 lbs. — were released yesterday from the Kaiser Permanante Medical Center.
Auto World /Gas Guzzlin' Update:
Today's Bad Timing Award goes to the beleaguered hybrid car.
The LA Times points out that demand for hybrids has plunged just as automakers are releasing more of the fuel-efficient cars than ever before.
It's hardly a secret that the whole auto industry is doing badly, but hybrids are particularly difficult to get off the sales floor because consumers are reluctant to pay a premium for fuel-efficiency when the average price of gasoline has dropped below $2 a gallon.
Automakers, however, feel as though they have no choice but to keep producing these types of vehicles because of pressure from Washington. In other words, as one analyst put it, they need to pacify politicians with expensive fuel-efficient cars because the politicians have the power to bail them out. Or not.
Ways To Boost Your Metabolism
Working out with weights will raise your metabolism
Practicing portion control helps to keep you from overloading on unusable energy
Study: Metabolic rates of people watching funny videos rose by 10 to 40 calories
Metabolism" is the name of the bodily system that converts food calories to energy needed to perform various tasks, like pumping oxygen to muscles during a long walk. Many variables contribute to your metabolism, including heredity, gender and age. But you can quicken yours; here's how.
Exercise more. When you walk, run, or lift weights, you increase the energy required of your body, which raises your metabolism then, and for hours afterward.
"It's not a huge spike, but it makes a difference," says Gary Miller, PhD, associate professor of health and exercise science at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Work out with weights. During weight training, muscle tissue is stressed; afterward, it's repaired -- which raises metabolism.
A woman who strength trains three times a week for six months can build enough muscle to burn 10 to 32 extra calories a day, according to Robert Wolfe, PhD, professor of geriatrics at the University of Arkansas. CookingLight.com:
Practice portion control. This helps ensure you don't overload your metabolism with a surplus of unusable energy (that is, food).
Use a food scale or measuring cups to identify proper portions. Or use your hand as a guide. A fist equals a serving of fruit, a cupped hand equals a serving of cereal or grains, two cupped handfuls equal a serving of leafy green vegetables and an open palm equals a serving of meat. CookingLight.com: Exceptional recipes
Eat smaller meals more often. Some experts recommend eating smaller meals throughout the day, known as grazing. "Grazing helps normalize blood sugar levels rather than producing three large spikes, which is what happens eating three meals a day," says Nick Flynn, PhD, associate professor of biochemistry at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas.
Determine the amount of calories you need at Mypyramid.gov. Then keep that number in mind as you transition from eating three ordinary-sized meals to five smaller ones. CookingLight.com: We compare similar foods so you can decide which to eat
Laugh it off. When researchers from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, put people into a "metabolic chamber" (a small room that measures heat output in order to calculate a person's metabolic rate) and showed them funny videos, the subjects' metabolic rates rose by 10 to 40 calories. It's a small increase, but every calorie counts for those seeking weight loss, says lead researcher Maciej Buchowksi, PhD
It’s A “BABY BOOMLET”!
More babies were born in the United States in 2007 than any year in the nation's history, topping the peak during the baby boom 50 years earlier, federal researchers reported Wednesday.
There is both good and bad news from the more than 4.3 million births:
-The U.S. population is more than replacing itself, a healthy trend.
-However, the teen birth rate was up for the second year in a row.
The birth rate rose slightly for women of all ages, and births to unwed mothers reached an all-time high of about 40 percent, continuing a trend begun years ago. More than three-quarters of these women were 20 or older.
For a variety of reasons, it's become more acceptable for women to have babies without a husband, said Duke University's S. Philip Morgan, a leading fertility researcher.
Even happy couples may be living together without getting married, experts say. Some cited a growing trend among all adult women to have children regardless of their marital status.
The new numbers suggest the second year of a baby boomlet, with U.S. fertility rates higher in every racial group, the highest among Hispanic women. On average, a U.S. woman has 2.1 babies in her lifetime. That's the "magic number" required for a population to replace itself.
State Farm Recalling Good Neigh Bears..Apparently they are a choking hazard
State Farm® Recalls Good Neigh Bears® Due to Choking Hazard
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of product: State Farm Good Neigh Bears
Units: About 800,000 in the United States and 27,000 in Canada
Distributor: State Farm, of Bloomington, Ill.
Hazard: The eyes on these bears can come off, posing a choking hazard to young children.
Incidents/Injuries: State Farm received one report of the plastic eye of a bear coming off and a child placing it in her mouth. No injuries have been reported.
Description: This recall involves the 11-inch (28 cm) and 18-inch (46 cm) State Farm Good Neigh Bears with plastic eyes. The bears are brown and wear a white and red State Farm shirt.
Sold at: The bears were given away free through State Farm agents and at State Farm sponsored events from September 2005 through March 2007.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately take these bears away from young children and discard them.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact State Farm toll-free at (877) 226-8079 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. CT or visit the company’s website at www.statefarm.com or www.statefarm.ca
Is It Possible That American Idol Is Fixed? Could Be!
Is it possible the great FOX show American Idol could be fixed? According to reports the final four have already been chosen despite there being 13 idols left. One of the show's staffer's reportedly has gone around telling anyone she can of who is to be entering despite the singing of the final 13 to begin.
According to NY Daily News, "One of the hit show's staffers is running around telling anyone who'll listen that the team of producers and judges has already picked the final four contestants — despite the fact that 11 kids are still battling to be the latest pop star."
So who are the final four you ask? The female American Idol staffer is proclaiming it will be Danny Gokey, Lil Rounds, Adam Lambert, and Alexis Grace according to NY Daily News. The female staffer said that those contestants WILL be the people in the final four. FOX has yet to comment and people are pretty upset right now. Although they have not yet named the woman who said this and her position, everything should be taken with a grain of salt.
Elementary Student A Finalist in Ketchup Contest
Restaurants across the country could soon see ketchup packets designed by a 2nd Grader from our area.
Pittsville Elementary School Student Colleen Lassa is a Finalist in the Heinz Ketchup Creativity Contest.
Her Art Teacher, Kris Doering says no one from Wisconsin has ever won.
"The Heinz Corporation called the school and informed us that Colleen was the only Finalist from our school."
Using only 6 colors, and templates from the company's website... 1st through 12th grade students across the country had an opportunity to design a ketchup packet.
Doering says the school submitted 300 entries for the contest.
Heinz narrowed the 45,000 entries from across the US down to just 3 finalists from each grade level.
"This is really exciting for Pittsville, the exact center of the state and for the state of Wisconsin cause Heinz says nobody from WI has won before this is very exciting."
Unfortunately, the school doesn't have a copy of Colleen's drawing, but the public will get an opportunity to see it and vote for their favorites when the online voting begins March 20th.
Colleen says her design was inspired by the swing set at her house.
"I did like a sun and the sky and then I had some grass and a swing set with the ketchup bottle on it."
Each winner will receive $1,000, their school will receive $1,000 toward art supplies,$1,000 worth of Heinz ketchup packets for their school cafeteria, and a poster of their winning design.
To vote for Colleen look for her name among the other second grade finalists.
You can cast your vote from March 20th through the 25th.
Teens Take Picture of Outer-Space with a Camera Tied to a Balloon
Proving that you don't need Google's billions or the BBC weather centre's resources, the four Spanish students managed to send a camera-operated weather balloon into the stratosphere.
Taking atmospheric readings and photographs 20 miles above the ground, the Meteotek team of IES La Bisbal school in Catalonia completed their incredible experiment at the end of February this year.
Building the electronic sensor components from scratch, Gerard Marull Paretas, Sergi Saballs Vila, Marta Gasull Morcillo and Jaume Puigmiquel Casamort managed to send their heavy duty £43 latex balloon to the edge of space and take readings of its ascent.
Created by the four students under the guidance of teacher Jordi Fanals Oriol, the budding scientists, all aged 18-19, followed the progress of their balloon using high tech sensors communicating with Google Earth.
Team leader Gerard Marull, 18, said: "We were overwhelmed at our results, especially the photographs, to send our handmade craft to the edge of space is incredible."
Completing their landmark experiment on February, the Meteotek team had to account for a wide variety of variables and rely on a lot of luck.
"The balloon we chose was inflated with helium to just over two metres and weighed just 1500 grams," said Gerard. "It was able to carry the sensor equipment and digital Nikon camera which weighed 1.5kg.
"However, when we launched at 9.10am on that morning the critical point for the experiment was to see if the balloon would make it past 10,000m, or 30,000ft, which is the altitude that commercial airliners fly at."
Due to the changing atmospheric pressures, the helium weather balloon carrying the meteorological equipment was expected to inflate to a maximum of nine and a half metres as it travelled upwards at 270 metres-per-minute.
"We took readings as the balloon rose and mapped its progress using Google Earth and the onboard radio receiver," said Gerard.
"At over 100,000ft the balloon lost its inflation and the equipment was returned to the earth.
"We travelled 10km to find the sensors and photographic card, which was still emitting its signal, even though it had been exposed to the most extreme conditions."
The pupils' incredible school science project has already caught the attention of the University of Wyoming in the US.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
TODAY IS WEDNESDAY - MARCH 18, 2009
THE MORNING SHOW
with
JIM & KAREN
on
Spirit FM
LIFE CHANGING WORD
LOVE DARE # 28.
Love makes sacrifices
He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers. 1 John 3:16
Life can be hard. But what we usually mean is that OUR life can be hard. We’re the first to feel it when WE’RE the ones being mistreated or inconvenienced. We are quick to sulk when we’re the ones who feel deprived or unappreciated. When life is difficult for us, we notice.
But too often the only way we notice that life is hard for our mate is when they start complaining about it. Then instead of genuinely caring or rushing in to help, we might think that just have a bad attitude. The pain and pressure they are under doesn’t register with us the way it does when it is OUR pain and pressure.
This doesn’t happen when love is at work. Love doesn’t have to be jarred awake by your mate’s obvious signs of distress. Love makes sacrifices. It keeps you so tuned in to what your spousse needs that you often respond without being asked.
Even when your mate’s stress comes out in words of personal accusation, love shows compassion rather than becoming defensive. Love inspires you to say “no” to what you want, in order to say “yes” to what your spouse needs.
TODAY’S DARE: What is one of the greatest needs in your spouse’s life right now? Is there a need you could lift from their shoulderse today by a daring act of sacrifice on your part? Whether the need is big or small, purpose to do what you can to meet the need.
PHONER TOPIC
DESCRIBE YOUR REALTIONSHIP WITH GOD IN ONE WORD and you can’t use the words awesome or amazing.
TODAY IS…..
Today is Awkward Moments Day, a time to celebrate the humor of life's uncomfortable situations
Today is Forgive Mom & Dad Day, a day to let your parents down off the wedding cake into a world of mere humans
Schick began selling the first electric razor on this date in 1931. Before that, men had to scrape off their beards with blades, and go into work every morning with toilet paper stuck to their faces.
On this day in 1931 Schick introduced the first electric shaver. And, ironically, on the same day a New Jersey man dropped his new electric shaver into a sink full of water and accidentally invented the home permanent.
1961: Poppin’ Fresh, the Pillsbury Doughboy was born. We know about the Doughboy's Grandmommer and Grandpopper and his baby brother, Bun Bun, and Flapjack the Dog and Biscuit the Cat. But Pillsbury has been very secretive about Poppin' Fresh's parents. And then there is the whole controversy over whether or not Poppy is Pop N Fresh’s girlfriend or his sister. It really all is quite disturning actually.
2005: Doctors removed the feeding tube keeping Terri Schiavo alive after an wide-ranging fight over the brain-damaged Florida woman's care that involved Congressional leaders. She died 13 days later.
In The News…..
You what AIG stands for? Adventures in greed.
Pay Loopholes
Banking firms are looking for new ways to get around the new federal pay caps. Instead of million dollar bonuses Wall Street brokers and traders are expected to get something much more valuable, like a free parking space in Manhattan for a whole month.
Downsized Homes
The economic downturn has more Americans shifting to smaller homes. For example, Bernie Madoff just traded a 3,500 square foot penthouse for a 9 x 10 windowless studio in lower Manhattan. But no worries…it is still a “gated community”.
There’s another tape from Osama bin Laden. In it he attacks Arab leaders, he calls for renewed jihad, and he gives his NCAA picks.
MICHELLE OBAMA INSTRUCTS STAFF TO TURN THE WHITE HOUSE FOUNTAIN GREEN FOR ST. PATRICK’S DAY
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House is going green for St. Patrick's Day.
The water in the fountains on the north and south lawns of the White House has been dyed green to mark the national holiday of Ireland.
First Lady Michelle Obama came up with the idea for the festive touch, said spokeswoman Katie McCormick Lelyveld. She was inspired by the St. Patrick's Day celebrations in her hometown of Chicago, where the city marks the holiday by dyeing the river green.
"It's a little piece of home for our new home," said Lelyveld, who is also from Chicago.
Lelyveld said it's the first time the water in the White House fountains has been dyed. The green hue will stay until the dye runs outs.
President Barack Obama marks St. Patrick's Day with separate meetings in Washington with Irish leaders and he'll also attend St. Patrick's Day events in the White House and on Capitol Hill.
AMERICAN IDOL PLANS ON LAUNCHING TRADING CARDS OF CONTESTANTS
LOS ANGELES – "American Idol" fans will soon be able to trade Carrie Underwoods for Danny Gokeys.
"Idol" production company FremantleMedia and trading card publisher Upper Deck are launching a new line of trading cards featuring images of past and current contestants as well as the judges and host of the Fox singing competition. The 138-card line is set to debut April 21.
"The 'American Idol' brand has always been really strong in the interactive space," said Nora Wong, FremantleMedia senior manager of consumer products. "With the trading cards, it's an old school way of interacting with the fans. It's another form of expression for the fans to demonstrate their connection with the show and collect their favorites."
Six special cards autographed by past "Idols" will be randomly slipped into the five-card packs. Regular cards will feature rejected hopefuls such as William Hung and Nick Mitchell, past winners like Ruben Studdard and David Cook, and popular finalists including Adam Lambert and Jennifer Hudson.
What about long-gone first season co-host Brian Dunkleman?
"That remains to be seen," said Wong.
CHAOS CAUSED BY PENNIES…A GOOD IDEA GONE HORRIBLY WRONG!
TALLAHASSEE -- The plan was simple: Pile more than 2.6 million pennies on the steps of the Capitol for a rally by parents, teachers and other educators.
Only that many pennies -- one to represent every student in the state of Florida -- weighs some 15,000 pounds.
And under those Capitol steps? A parking garage used by state lawmakers, Cabinet members and their staff.
''We didn't want to chance it,'' said Cathy Schroeder, spokeswoman for the Department of Management Services, which handles requests for rallies and demonstrations at the Capitol, but said no to the penny plan.
Still, the pennies are coming. In trucks and buses, in plastic bags and jars, some in rolls, others loose with traces of lint and household goo.
Hundreds of thousands have arrived already. In an undisclosed location near the Capitol. More than 300,000 were delivered Monday by Chuck McNaughton, who sells hay in Brevard County.
The Florida Education Association organized the penny drive as a way to show support for a proposal by state Rep. Dwight Bullard, D-Miami, that calls for a three-year, 1-cent raise in the state sales tax to fund education.
Brinks was hired to count and transport the $26,000 in coins before their eventual donation to the Children's Home Society of Florida. Until then, only a handful of people know where they are.
TOP TEN REASONS TO GO TO CHURCH
1. It’s a way to get a healthy glow without makeup.
2. Elvis started out in a church choir … so can you.
3. Goodness and mercy will follow you all the rest of your life–which are better than the IRS or FBI.
4. In this economy, it might be good to be hooked up with Someone who can turn water into wine.
5. You can walk down an aisle and approach an altar without having to gain a mother-in-law.
6. The Biblical admonition to “greet one another with a holy kiss” boosts your social life.
7. Hard Times? Kids getting on your nerves? Free coffee and child care at church!
8. The sound of money dropping is the offering, not your stocks.
9. Robes, candles, music…and it’s less expensive than a spa.
10. With April 15 coming, remember, Man does not live by Turbotax alone.
Bill Shuler is the pastor of the Capital Life Church in Arlington, Virginia.
POWER LINES MESS WITH ANIMAL MAGNETISM
Cows face different direction because of power lines. Without power lines they will always face the north. Yes….another stupid research study to tell us this!
Researchers, who reported last year that most cows and deer tend to orient themselves in a north-south alignment, have now found that power lines can disorient the animals.
When the power lines run east-west, that's the way grazing cattle tend to line up, researchers led by Hynek Burda and Sabine Begall of the faculty of biology at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany report in Tuesday's edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
They also found that cows and deer grazing under northeast-southwest or northwest-southeast power lines faced in random directions.
The research team studied cows and deer using satellite and aerial images.
In their report last August, Burda and colleagues suggested the north-south orientation was in response to the Earth's magnetic field.
The new study adds weight to the animals responding to magnetic effects, because power lines also produce a magnetic field. And the effect was most noticeable close to the power lines, declining as the magnetic field of the electric lines was reduced by distance.
Wind and weather can also affect which ways cows choose to face, but without such factors about two-thirds of them tended to align north-south when away from power lines.
The Earth's magnetic field is thought to be a factor in how birds navigate, and other animals also are believed to respond to it.
NEW AIRLESS VEHICLE TIRE COMING SOON CALLED THE “TWEEL”!
Michelin is reinventing the wheel and it could one day revolutionize the way we drive.
The Tweel, whose name comes from a combination of the words tire and wheel, is an airless tire that features a conventional tire tread connected to a central wheel connected to flexible spokes.
Taking the air out of the wheel eliminates flats, blowouts and checking your car's tire pressure.
"It's not an evolutionary advancement of the pneumatic tire, it's a revolution," said Michelin engineer Bart Thompson. "It's something completely different."
The main roadblock to using the Tweel for everyday driving is the faster you go, the noisier they get. Uses that involve heavy loads and high speeds are still a challenge the company is working to solve, Thompson said.
Tweels for passenger vehicles won't be in stores for a decade, but the public got its first glimpse this past January when a prototype lunar module using the Tweel participated in the inaugural parade.
While engineers are still working out ways to use the new tire in conventional driving situations, the tire already has applications in the construction industry. It also is being used in mobility systems for the disabled and in the Segway.
The company is also exploring military applications. In testing, the Tweel survived an explosion from a simulated roadside explosive.
It's also being engineered for an eventual out-of-this world trip.
"We are engineering the Michelin lunar wheel to work with manned vehicles and with unmanned robotic vehicles," Thompson said.
The Tweel, which unlike conventional tires can survive the extreme temperatures of space, will be part of NASA missions to the moon or Mars within the next three to five years, he said.
IT’S LENT SO IT IS TIME TO DECIDE: FISH STICKS OR…FISH FILETS?
In the beginning, there was the fish stick. Made of minced fish -- we never knew exactly what fish, just that it was something that formerly bore fins -- and wrapped in a crispy coating that combined the crunch of cornflakes with the grainy texture of cornmeal. It was a staple freezer food for decades and many a suburban kid of the 1960s, '70s and '80s.
Invented in Great Britain in the 1950s as a way to make the herring catch a bit more palatable to the folks at home, fish sticks quickly jumped the pond and entered our freezers.
The proportion of breading to actual fish in most fish sticks is pretty appalling, but many a harried parent has used them to fulfill Lenten fish Fridays. With a half-sheet pan and a hot oven, you can have enough cooked in 15 minutes to feed a fair-sized crowd.
Whether through evolving tastes or the American urge to make everything just a little bit larger, various other battered or breaded frozen fish chunks have appeared in grocery freezers. Most call themselves "fish fillets," although their resemblance to what a restaurant would call a fillet is very limited unless some new species of triangular fish has been discovered. They do contain far more meat than fish sticks, and there's a fairly wide variety of coatings wrapped around them. Some manufacturers have even gone so far as to specify which fish is being offered, from flounder to catfish.
In this taste comparison, we picked seven frozen fish fillet products, two each from the major players in the industry and three from smaller (but still widely available) makers. Each entry was rated by a panel of five testers on taste, appearance, texture and accuracy of cooking instructions. Each tester could award a maximum of 20 points per entry, for a possible perfect score of 100.
Mrs. Paul's Crunchy Fish Fillets: (serving size 2 fillets) 280 calories, 14 grams fat, 40 mg cholesterol, 510 mg sodium, 25 grams carbs
The only real knock on these was the appearance. Out of the oven, they suffered from blotchy browning and looked somewhat unappetizing. However, the coating was nicely crispy with very little greasiness, and the fish was firm without being chewy. It lacked any real defining flavor, but that's more a hallmark of the category than an individual failing. Final score: 84.
Fisher Boy Golden Crunchy Tenders: (serving size 3 tenders) 230 calories, 11 grams fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 450 mg sodium, 22 grams carbs
elf, with a watery, flimsy texture. The coating was the crunchiest of the test, possibly even too crunchy for very young diners. There was a bit of a greasy aftertaste, but it wasn't overpowering or unpleasant. Final score: 81.
Gorton's Crunchy Golden Fish Fillets: (serving size 2 fillets) 240 calories, 12 grams fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 500 mg sodium, 23 grams carbs
The Gorton's fisherman probably should have thrown this one back. The coating was heavy and greasy, and the fish was limp and flavorless. One tester stated that they tasted very salty, although that wasn't echoed by the others. The appearance was quite good, with even browning and very few burned spots. Final score: 73.
Morning Fresh Farms Crunchy Fish Fillets (serving size 2 fillets) 290 calories, 14 grams fat, 40 mg cholesterol, 600 mg sodium, 29 grams carbs.
Our tasting panel is normally a fairly well-mannered group, but the comments on this product vacillated between "school cafeteria food" and "prison food." The coating was thin and gummy, without any real flavor, and the fish had the texture of wet bread. Final score: 32.
The last three entries go beyond the norm either in coatings or type of fish used. They can be pricier than others.
Gorton's Potato Crunch Fish Fillets: (serving size 2 fillets) 240 calories, 14 grams fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 790 mg sodium, 20 grams carbs.
This one made two of the testers decide they wanted to immediately begin rolling random foods in potato chips to see if that improved their taste, too. The coating was the real star here, with the crunch of a good potato chip and just the right hit of saltiness. The fish was of middling quality, but it's safe to say this would be the most kid-pleasing of any of the items tested. Final score: 91.
Mrs. Paul's Lightly Breaded Flounder Fillets: (serving size: 1 fillet) 160 calories, 7 grams fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 12 grams carbs
At 3 fillets per package for the same price as a box of 6 to 8 standard fillets, a greater difference in quality and flavor was a fair expectation here. While they were perfectly adequate, there wasn't much to distinguish them from fillets made from more humble (or at least less prominently identified) fish. The coating was a bit too crispy and tended to flake off the fish, which was nicely firm. One tester noted that these, with their square shape, would make great fish sandwiches. Final score: 88.
Pubhouse Battered Fish: (serving size: about 2 pieces) 140 calories, 5 grams fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 370 mg sodium, 12 grams carbs
On a per-ounce cost, this was easily the most expensive item in the test, but the added expense paid off. The fish, firm and fresh-tasting, is coated with a beer batter that crisps up very well in the oven. If you've got a deep-fryer, these would work even better and you could pull off proper fish and chips. Final score: 96.
The Pubhouse fillets really stood in a class by themselves, but they don't make the cut as the best buy for this test. At a price equivalent to the standard-coating fillets, the Gorton's Potato Crunch fillets are an easy pick for best buy, closely followed by the Fisher Boy Crunchy Tenders.
YAHOO LAUNCHES NEW FRIEND FINDING SITE: FRIENDS ON FIRE
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Yahoo has released a Facebook application called Friends on Fire
Like Google Latitude, service lets people share their location with each other
Friends on Fire doesn't work on cell phones; Yahoo is working on a mobile version
Users can set what level of detail they want to share, from exact location to non
Taking a different approach to Google's Latitude software, Yahoo has released a Facebook application called Friends on Fire that lets people share their location with each other.
Google Latitude is an island unto itself, using Google's own technology for cell phone-based location detection and for managing who gets access to your location.
Friends on Fire, though, stitches together a variety of services: Yahoo's Fire Eagle, a service that can store and share your location with authorized applications, and Facebook, which handles the issue of identifying who your friends are and granting them permission to see your location.
The service is intriguing, though as with any service that has to tiptoe carefully around a lot of privacy landmines, it can be somewhat burdensome to set up. It's great that Yahoo is making something real out of its Fire Eagle service, which previously was more about plumbing than a faucet.
Fire Eagle is an intermediary. It relies on other services to tell it where you are and on other services to do something useful with that location data; only services you specifically authorize may do anything at all with Fire Eagle.
"There are services that are more immediate than Fire Eagle, but as we get more apps, the value of updating once and having it shared across all your services is more important," said Fire Eagle leader Tom Coates in an interview just before he headed to the SXSW conference to announce the new technology
At the same time Yahoo is releasing Friends on Fire to consume Fire Eagle location data, it's also releasing a Firefox plug-in to update Fire Eagle with your location through the browser.
The plug-in, which uses Firefox's Geode plug-in to actually determine your location based on nearby wireless networks and other data, adds a toolbar button that lets you tell Fire Eagle where you are. You have to specifically enable Fire Eagle to accept data from the plug-in, just as you have to authorize Fire Eagle to share data with Friends on Fire.
“HONEY THE CROPS ARE TEXTING US AGAIN!”
May I have your attention, please? This is your pachysandra calling. I'm thirsty.
As if we're not getting enough electronic stimulation already, a new device enables plants to send a text message when they need a drink.
A sensor developed by Israeli scientists sends text messages to farmers when crops need water, or to homeowners when the Ficus is thirsty. It is currently being prepped for international commercial markets.
Israel Agricultural Ministry plant physiologist Dr. Eran Raveh and his earth-scientist partner Dr. Arie Nadler spent seven years perfecting the hammer-shaped sensor that gauges moisture levels in plants and trees and sends real-time alerts to mobile phones or computers when water levels are low.
"The idea behind creating the sensor was to cut irrigation costs by up to 50 percent," Raveh told Fox News.
TIMES ARE TOUGH…IF YOU WANT TO FILE A LAWSUIT THE COURTHOUSE SAYS YOU’LL HAVE TO BRING IN YOUR OWN PAPER TO PRINT IT ON
MOUNT GILEAD, Ohio (AP) -- An Ohio city court says it will only accept new case filings from people who bring their own paper.
Judge Lee McClelland of Morrow County Municipal Court in north-central Ohio says the court has just enough paper to handle hearing notices and other documents for pending cases.
McClelland says the court will stop accepting case filings Monday because it cannot afford to reorder more paper. He told The Columbus Dispatch that the county still hasn't paid the bill for basic supplies the court ordered in November.
McClelland says several county agencies have volunteered to provide paper to handle their own filings.
The Morrow County prosecutor declined to comment on the new filing rules.
with
JIM & KAREN
on
Spirit FM
LIFE CHANGING WORD
LOVE DARE # 28.
Love makes sacrifices
He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers. 1 John 3:16
Life can be hard. But what we usually mean is that OUR life can be hard. We’re the first to feel it when WE’RE the ones being mistreated or inconvenienced. We are quick to sulk when we’re the ones who feel deprived or unappreciated. When life is difficult for us, we notice.
But too often the only way we notice that life is hard for our mate is when they start complaining about it. Then instead of genuinely caring or rushing in to help, we might think that just have a bad attitude. The pain and pressure they are under doesn’t register with us the way it does when it is OUR pain and pressure.
This doesn’t happen when love is at work. Love doesn’t have to be jarred awake by your mate’s obvious signs of distress. Love makes sacrifices. It keeps you so tuned in to what your spousse needs that you often respond without being asked.
Even when your mate’s stress comes out in words of personal accusation, love shows compassion rather than becoming defensive. Love inspires you to say “no” to what you want, in order to say “yes” to what your spouse needs.
TODAY’S DARE: What is one of the greatest needs in your spouse’s life right now? Is there a need you could lift from their shoulderse today by a daring act of sacrifice on your part? Whether the need is big or small, purpose to do what you can to meet the need.
PHONER TOPIC
DESCRIBE YOUR REALTIONSHIP WITH GOD IN ONE WORD and you can’t use the words awesome or amazing.
TODAY IS…..
Today is Awkward Moments Day, a time to celebrate the humor of life's uncomfortable situations
Today is Forgive Mom & Dad Day, a day to let your parents down off the wedding cake into a world of mere humans
Schick began selling the first electric razor on this date in 1931. Before that, men had to scrape off their beards with blades, and go into work every morning with toilet paper stuck to their faces.
On this day in 1931 Schick introduced the first electric shaver. And, ironically, on the same day a New Jersey man dropped his new electric shaver into a sink full of water and accidentally invented the home permanent.
1961: Poppin’ Fresh, the Pillsbury Doughboy was born. We know about the Doughboy's Grandmommer and Grandpopper and his baby brother, Bun Bun, and Flapjack the Dog and Biscuit the Cat. But Pillsbury has been very secretive about Poppin' Fresh's parents. And then there is the whole controversy over whether or not Poppy is Pop N Fresh’s girlfriend or his sister. It really all is quite disturning actually.
2005: Doctors removed the feeding tube keeping Terri Schiavo alive after an wide-ranging fight over the brain-damaged Florida woman's care that involved Congressional leaders. She died 13 days later.
In The News…..
You what AIG stands for? Adventures in greed.
Pay Loopholes
Banking firms are looking for new ways to get around the new federal pay caps. Instead of million dollar bonuses Wall Street brokers and traders are expected to get something much more valuable, like a free parking space in Manhattan for a whole month.
Downsized Homes
The economic downturn has more Americans shifting to smaller homes. For example, Bernie Madoff just traded a 3,500 square foot penthouse for a 9 x 10 windowless studio in lower Manhattan. But no worries…it is still a “gated community”.
There’s another tape from Osama bin Laden. In it he attacks Arab leaders, he calls for renewed jihad, and he gives his NCAA picks.
MICHELLE OBAMA INSTRUCTS STAFF TO TURN THE WHITE HOUSE FOUNTAIN GREEN FOR ST. PATRICK’S DAY
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House is going green for St. Patrick's Day.
The water in the fountains on the north and south lawns of the White House has been dyed green to mark the national holiday of Ireland.
First Lady Michelle Obama came up with the idea for the festive touch, said spokeswoman Katie McCormick Lelyveld. She was inspired by the St. Patrick's Day celebrations in her hometown of Chicago, where the city marks the holiday by dyeing the river green.
"It's a little piece of home for our new home," said Lelyveld, who is also from Chicago.
Lelyveld said it's the first time the water in the White House fountains has been dyed. The green hue will stay until the dye runs outs.
President Barack Obama marks St. Patrick's Day with separate meetings in Washington with Irish leaders and he'll also attend St. Patrick's Day events in the White House and on Capitol Hill.
AMERICAN IDOL PLANS ON LAUNCHING TRADING CARDS OF CONTESTANTS
LOS ANGELES – "American Idol" fans will soon be able to trade Carrie Underwoods for Danny Gokeys.
"Idol" production company FremantleMedia and trading card publisher Upper Deck are launching a new line of trading cards featuring images of past and current contestants as well as the judges and host of the Fox singing competition. The 138-card line is set to debut April 21.
"The 'American Idol' brand has always been really strong in the interactive space," said Nora Wong, FremantleMedia senior manager of consumer products. "With the trading cards, it's an old school way of interacting with the fans. It's another form of expression for the fans to demonstrate their connection with the show and collect their favorites."
Six special cards autographed by past "Idols" will be randomly slipped into the five-card packs. Regular cards will feature rejected hopefuls such as William Hung and Nick Mitchell, past winners like Ruben Studdard and David Cook, and popular finalists including Adam Lambert and Jennifer Hudson.
What about long-gone first season co-host Brian Dunkleman?
"That remains to be seen," said Wong.
CHAOS CAUSED BY PENNIES…A GOOD IDEA GONE HORRIBLY WRONG!
TALLAHASSEE -- The plan was simple: Pile more than 2.6 million pennies on the steps of the Capitol for a rally by parents, teachers and other educators.
Only that many pennies -- one to represent every student in the state of Florida -- weighs some 15,000 pounds.
And under those Capitol steps? A parking garage used by state lawmakers, Cabinet members and their staff.
''We didn't want to chance it,'' said Cathy Schroeder, spokeswoman for the Department of Management Services, which handles requests for rallies and demonstrations at the Capitol, but said no to the penny plan.
Still, the pennies are coming. In trucks and buses, in plastic bags and jars, some in rolls, others loose with traces of lint and household goo.
Hundreds of thousands have arrived already. In an undisclosed location near the Capitol. More than 300,000 were delivered Monday by Chuck McNaughton, who sells hay in Brevard County.
The Florida Education Association organized the penny drive as a way to show support for a proposal by state Rep. Dwight Bullard, D-Miami, that calls for a three-year, 1-cent raise in the state sales tax to fund education.
Brinks was hired to count and transport the $26,000 in coins before their eventual donation to the Children's Home Society of Florida. Until then, only a handful of people know where they are.
TOP TEN REASONS TO GO TO CHURCH
1. It’s a way to get a healthy glow without makeup.
2. Elvis started out in a church choir … so can you.
3. Goodness and mercy will follow you all the rest of your life–which are better than the IRS or FBI.
4. In this economy, it might be good to be hooked up with Someone who can turn water into wine.
5. You can walk down an aisle and approach an altar without having to gain a mother-in-law.
6. The Biblical admonition to “greet one another with a holy kiss” boosts your social life.
7. Hard Times? Kids getting on your nerves? Free coffee and child care at church!
8. The sound of money dropping is the offering, not your stocks.
9. Robes, candles, music…and it’s less expensive than a spa.
10. With April 15 coming, remember, Man does not live by Turbotax alone.
Bill Shuler is the pastor of the Capital Life Church in Arlington, Virginia.
POWER LINES MESS WITH ANIMAL MAGNETISM
Cows face different direction because of power lines. Without power lines they will always face the north. Yes….another stupid research study to tell us this!
Researchers, who reported last year that most cows and deer tend to orient themselves in a north-south alignment, have now found that power lines can disorient the animals.
When the power lines run east-west, that's the way grazing cattle tend to line up, researchers led by Hynek Burda and Sabine Begall of the faculty of biology at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany report in Tuesday's edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
They also found that cows and deer grazing under northeast-southwest or northwest-southeast power lines faced in random directions.
The research team studied cows and deer using satellite and aerial images.
In their report last August, Burda and colleagues suggested the north-south orientation was in response to the Earth's magnetic field.
The new study adds weight to the animals responding to magnetic effects, because power lines also produce a magnetic field. And the effect was most noticeable close to the power lines, declining as the magnetic field of the electric lines was reduced by distance.
Wind and weather can also affect which ways cows choose to face, but without such factors about two-thirds of them tended to align north-south when away from power lines.
The Earth's magnetic field is thought to be a factor in how birds navigate, and other animals also are believed to respond to it.
NEW AIRLESS VEHICLE TIRE COMING SOON CALLED THE “TWEEL”!
Michelin is reinventing the wheel and it could one day revolutionize the way we drive.
The Tweel, whose name comes from a combination of the words tire and wheel, is an airless tire that features a conventional tire tread connected to a central wheel connected to flexible spokes.
Taking the air out of the wheel eliminates flats, blowouts and checking your car's tire pressure.
"It's not an evolutionary advancement of the pneumatic tire, it's a revolution," said Michelin engineer Bart Thompson. "It's something completely different."
The main roadblock to using the Tweel for everyday driving is the faster you go, the noisier they get. Uses that involve heavy loads and high speeds are still a challenge the company is working to solve, Thompson said.
Tweels for passenger vehicles won't be in stores for a decade, but the public got its first glimpse this past January when a prototype lunar module using the Tweel participated in the inaugural parade.
While engineers are still working out ways to use the new tire in conventional driving situations, the tire already has applications in the construction industry. It also is being used in mobility systems for the disabled and in the Segway.
The company is also exploring military applications. In testing, the Tweel survived an explosion from a simulated roadside explosive.
It's also being engineered for an eventual out-of-this world trip.
"We are engineering the Michelin lunar wheel to work with manned vehicles and with unmanned robotic vehicles," Thompson said.
The Tweel, which unlike conventional tires can survive the extreme temperatures of space, will be part of NASA missions to the moon or Mars within the next three to five years, he said.
IT’S LENT SO IT IS TIME TO DECIDE: FISH STICKS OR…FISH FILETS?
In the beginning, there was the fish stick. Made of minced fish -- we never knew exactly what fish, just that it was something that formerly bore fins -- and wrapped in a crispy coating that combined the crunch of cornflakes with the grainy texture of cornmeal. It was a staple freezer food for decades and many a suburban kid of the 1960s, '70s and '80s.
Invented in Great Britain in the 1950s as a way to make the herring catch a bit more palatable to the folks at home, fish sticks quickly jumped the pond and entered our freezers.
The proportion of breading to actual fish in most fish sticks is pretty appalling, but many a harried parent has used them to fulfill Lenten fish Fridays. With a half-sheet pan and a hot oven, you can have enough cooked in 15 minutes to feed a fair-sized crowd.
Whether through evolving tastes or the American urge to make everything just a little bit larger, various other battered or breaded frozen fish chunks have appeared in grocery freezers. Most call themselves "fish fillets," although their resemblance to what a restaurant would call a fillet is very limited unless some new species of triangular fish has been discovered. They do contain far more meat than fish sticks, and there's a fairly wide variety of coatings wrapped around them. Some manufacturers have even gone so far as to specify which fish is being offered, from flounder to catfish.
In this taste comparison, we picked seven frozen fish fillet products, two each from the major players in the industry and three from smaller (but still widely available) makers. Each entry was rated by a panel of five testers on taste, appearance, texture and accuracy of cooking instructions. Each tester could award a maximum of 20 points per entry, for a possible perfect score of 100.
Mrs. Paul's Crunchy Fish Fillets: (serving size 2 fillets) 280 calories, 14 grams fat, 40 mg cholesterol, 510 mg sodium, 25 grams carbs
The only real knock on these was the appearance. Out of the oven, they suffered from blotchy browning and looked somewhat unappetizing. However, the coating was nicely crispy with very little greasiness, and the fish was firm without being chewy. It lacked any real defining flavor, but that's more a hallmark of the category than an individual failing. Final score: 84.
Fisher Boy Golden Crunchy Tenders: (serving size 3 tenders) 230 calories, 11 grams fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 450 mg sodium, 22 grams carbs
elf, with a watery, flimsy texture. The coating was the crunchiest of the test, possibly even too crunchy for very young diners. There was a bit of a greasy aftertaste, but it wasn't overpowering or unpleasant. Final score: 81.
Gorton's Crunchy Golden Fish Fillets: (serving size 2 fillets) 240 calories, 12 grams fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 500 mg sodium, 23 grams carbs
The Gorton's fisherman probably should have thrown this one back. The coating was heavy and greasy, and the fish was limp and flavorless. One tester stated that they tasted very salty, although that wasn't echoed by the others. The appearance was quite good, with even browning and very few burned spots. Final score: 73.
Morning Fresh Farms Crunchy Fish Fillets (serving size 2 fillets) 290 calories, 14 grams fat, 40 mg cholesterol, 600 mg sodium, 29 grams carbs.
Our tasting panel is normally a fairly well-mannered group, but the comments on this product vacillated between "school cafeteria food" and "prison food." The coating was thin and gummy, without any real flavor, and the fish had the texture of wet bread. Final score: 32.
The last three entries go beyond the norm either in coatings or type of fish used. They can be pricier than others.
Gorton's Potato Crunch Fish Fillets: (serving size 2 fillets) 240 calories, 14 grams fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 790 mg sodium, 20 grams carbs.
This one made two of the testers decide they wanted to immediately begin rolling random foods in potato chips to see if that improved their taste, too. The coating was the real star here, with the crunch of a good potato chip and just the right hit of saltiness. The fish was of middling quality, but it's safe to say this would be the most kid-pleasing of any of the items tested. Final score: 91.
Mrs. Paul's Lightly Breaded Flounder Fillets: (serving size: 1 fillet) 160 calories, 7 grams fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 12 grams carbs
At 3 fillets per package for the same price as a box of 6 to 8 standard fillets, a greater difference in quality and flavor was a fair expectation here. While they were perfectly adequate, there wasn't much to distinguish them from fillets made from more humble (or at least less prominently identified) fish. The coating was a bit too crispy and tended to flake off the fish, which was nicely firm. One tester noted that these, with their square shape, would make great fish sandwiches. Final score: 88.
Pubhouse Battered Fish: (serving size: about 2 pieces) 140 calories, 5 grams fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 370 mg sodium, 12 grams carbs
On a per-ounce cost, this was easily the most expensive item in the test, but the added expense paid off. The fish, firm and fresh-tasting, is coated with a beer batter that crisps up very well in the oven. If you've got a deep-fryer, these would work even better and you could pull off proper fish and chips. Final score: 96.
The Pubhouse fillets really stood in a class by themselves, but they don't make the cut as the best buy for this test. At a price equivalent to the standard-coating fillets, the Gorton's Potato Crunch fillets are an easy pick for best buy, closely followed by the Fisher Boy Crunchy Tenders.
YAHOO LAUNCHES NEW FRIEND FINDING SITE: FRIENDS ON FIRE
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Yahoo has released a Facebook application called Friends on Fire
Like Google Latitude, service lets people share their location with each other
Friends on Fire doesn't work on cell phones; Yahoo is working on a mobile version
Users can set what level of detail they want to share, from exact location to non
Taking a different approach to Google's Latitude software, Yahoo has released a Facebook application called Friends on Fire that lets people share their location with each other.
Google Latitude is an island unto itself, using Google's own technology for cell phone-based location detection and for managing who gets access to your location.
Friends on Fire, though, stitches together a variety of services: Yahoo's Fire Eagle, a service that can store and share your location with authorized applications, and Facebook, which handles the issue of identifying who your friends are and granting them permission to see your location.
The service is intriguing, though as with any service that has to tiptoe carefully around a lot of privacy landmines, it can be somewhat burdensome to set up. It's great that Yahoo is making something real out of its Fire Eagle service, which previously was more about plumbing than a faucet.
Fire Eagle is an intermediary. It relies on other services to tell it where you are and on other services to do something useful with that location data; only services you specifically authorize may do anything at all with Fire Eagle.
"There are services that are more immediate than Fire Eagle, but as we get more apps, the value of updating once and having it shared across all your services is more important," said Fire Eagle leader Tom Coates in an interview just before he headed to the SXSW conference to announce the new technology
At the same time Yahoo is releasing Friends on Fire to consume Fire Eagle location data, it's also releasing a Firefox plug-in to update Fire Eagle with your location through the browser.
The plug-in, which uses Firefox's Geode plug-in to actually determine your location based on nearby wireless networks and other data, adds a toolbar button that lets you tell Fire Eagle where you are. You have to specifically enable Fire Eagle to accept data from the plug-in, just as you have to authorize Fire Eagle to share data with Friends on Fire.
“HONEY THE CROPS ARE TEXTING US AGAIN!”
May I have your attention, please? This is your pachysandra calling. I'm thirsty.
As if we're not getting enough electronic stimulation already, a new device enables plants to send a text message when they need a drink.
A sensor developed by Israeli scientists sends text messages to farmers when crops need water, or to homeowners when the Ficus is thirsty. It is currently being prepped for international commercial markets.
Israel Agricultural Ministry plant physiologist Dr. Eran Raveh and his earth-scientist partner Dr. Arie Nadler spent seven years perfecting the hammer-shaped sensor that gauges moisture levels in plants and trees and sends real-time alerts to mobile phones or computers when water levels are low.
"The idea behind creating the sensor was to cut irrigation costs by up to 50 percent," Raveh told Fox News.
TIMES ARE TOUGH…IF YOU WANT TO FILE A LAWSUIT THE COURTHOUSE SAYS YOU’LL HAVE TO BRING IN YOUR OWN PAPER TO PRINT IT ON
MOUNT GILEAD, Ohio (AP) -- An Ohio city court says it will only accept new case filings from people who bring their own paper.
Judge Lee McClelland of Morrow County Municipal Court in north-central Ohio says the court has just enough paper to handle hearing notices and other documents for pending cases.
McClelland says the court will stop accepting case filings Monday because it cannot afford to reorder more paper. He told The Columbus Dispatch that the county still hasn't paid the bill for basic supplies the court ordered in November.
McClelland says several county agencies have volunteered to provide paper to handle their own filings.
The Morrow County prosecutor declined to comment on the new filing rules.
Monday, March 16, 2009
TODAY IS TUESDAY - MARCH 17, 2009 HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!
The Morning Show
with
Jim & Karen
on Spirit FM
LIFE CHANGING WORD
LOVE DARE # 27.
Love Encourages.
Guard my soul and deliver me; do not let me be ashamed for I take refuge in you. Psalm 25:20
Marriage has a way opf altering our vision. We go in expecting our mate to fulfill our hopes and to make us happy. But this is an impossible order for our spouse to fill. Unrealistic expectations breed disappointment. The higher your expectations, the more likely your spouse will fail you and cause you frustration. Divorce is nearly inevitable when people refuse to allow their spouses to be human. We must choose to live by encouragement rather than by expectations. Love puts the focus on personal responsibility and improving yourself rather than on demanding more from others.
TODAY’S DARE: Elimnate the poison of unrealistic expectations in your home. Think of one area where your spouse has told you you’re expecting too much, and tell them you’re sorry for being so hard on them about it. Promise them you’ll seek to understand, and assure them of your unconditional love.
TODAY IS…..
Today is St. Patrick's Day, a national holiday in Ireland. The World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade is held in Maryville, Missouri. The parade route gets shorter every year, down now to about 86 feet
How did St. Patrick get to Ireland in the first place?
At age 16, he was kidnapped by pirates and taken to Ireland. Six years later he escaped to France. When he was 47, the church sent Bishop Patrick back to Ireland.
Today is National Quilting Day.
In The News…..
AIG Bonuses
Members of Congress are outraged that bailed-out AIG is paying out $165 million in bonuses to the same executives who destroyed the company. It's kind of like when the taxpayers are forced to give pay raises to the same Members of Congress who destroyed the country.
Things you can buy for $170 billion (source, Huffington Post):
• 3,736 Bombardier Global Express XRS ultra long-range business jets
• Spending $4.65 million a day for 100 years
• 236 days of the Iraq War
• Getting the Rolling Stones to play continuously for 2 years, 281 days (based on the $7 million/hour rate the band charged Texas investor David Bonderman at his 60th birthday in 2002)
• 38 aircraft carriers (based on the $4.5 billion cost of the USS Nimitz)
• 85-thousand Natalias (the most expensive production car in the world, each priced at $2 million)
• Just about all of Palm Beach County (based upon the county's total assessed property value in 2006)
• A million people to buy a million homes each worth $175-thousand
• Medical care for everyone in Canada
• 25 desalination plants to turn ocean water into 50 million gallons of clean, safe, sustainable, fresh water a day
• Anywhere from 10 to 28 new nuclear power plants
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Obama will appear this week on Jay Leno's talk show, perhaps adding a lighter touch to his bid to resuscitate the moribund economy.
Obama will visit The Tonight Show With Jay Leno during his trip to Los Angeles on Thursday. NBC will tape the program and air it that night, after the president has returned to Washington.
Oil Price Drops
Crude oil prices are down after OPEC decided against cutting production. It would make sense economically, but none of the OPEC countries wants to lay of workers during the annual Al Qaeda/Hamas/Hizbollah job fair.
Best Buy Future
Best Buy is planning to survive the economic downturn by creating more interactive stores, where customers can actually play new videogames or test high-definition video cameras. More consumers are expected to indeed try out the new items at Best Buy... and then actually buy them at Wal-Mart.
America’s Recession will probably end this year ifthe government suceedds in blostering the banking system. That’s according to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernake who was on 60 Minutes Sunday night. You really want to know how bad the recession is? I went out yesterday to buy a toaster and it came with a bank!
The stock market is up again. I don’t know what makes me happier — the stock market going up, or Bernie Madoff going down. See, we didn’t need a stimulus package — we just needed to see Madoff in jail. Bernie Madoff has been moved from his $7 million penthouse apartment to a much larger gated community.
MAN MAKES CROSSES FOR THE TOOPS
Steve Thomas has stood on the downtown square in Center to honor fallen soldiers. He's watched news clips of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, and heard valiant stories of men and women who have served. And each scenario, he said, heightened his desire to help.
A little more than a month ago, he found a way to help.
Michele Marcotte/The Daily Sentinel
(ENLARGE)
Steve and Lisa Thomas construct small, wooden crosses with the words ?Prayer Cross? written across them to send to soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Individuals who would like to contribute names so the couple can send their friend, family member or loved currently serving a prayer cross can contact the couple at 936-591-0564.
"One day while driving, I came up with this idea to make crosses," he said. "It took me awhile to figure out how to make them and what I needed ... and this seemed to fall right in place."
Thomas, a retired prototype builder, constructs small, wooden crosses with the words "Prayer Cross" written on them. The bottom leg of each cross is hollowed out in order to hold a small slip of paper which contains the soldier's name and the date that Thomas' church, First United Methodist Church in Center, prayed for that soldier.
Thomas goes to the local salvage yard to get the wood for the crosses, which he said take about four hours to make.
Thomas and his wife, Lisa began to send the crosses, which can be worn as necklaces, to soldiers overseas three weeks ago. In each one they included a small piece of paper that conveys their gratitude for the soldier's service and their hope for a safe return home.
Lisa said five have been sent out so far, and she and her husband are eager to send more.
The Thomases are asking local residents to send the names of anyone they know serving overseas in Iraq or Afghanistan.
"It doesn't matter where they are from," Thomas said, adding that the soldiers do not have to be from East Texas.
The couple said they haven't received much feedback from their endeavor so far, but noted that their church has been very supportive.
"We did receive a 'thank you' card from the parents of the first cross we sent out, thanking us for taking the time to think of their son," Thomas said. "It was very touching."
Individuals who would like to contribute names can contact the Thomases at 936-591-0564.
RADIO STATIONS OFFERING FREE EMPLOYMENT ADS TO BUSINESSES LOOKING TO HIRE
For no charge employers can tout their job openings. Job-seekers cannot call in, it is only for employers to call and give a brief description of what they are looking for in an employee, what the job pays, and how they would like for potential job-seekers to contact them. It is done at the same time each Monday thru Friday on a first call-first serve basis.
MATTEL RETHINKS RESIGN OF DORA THE EXPLORER AFTER MOMS GO CRAZY!
NEW YORK – When toy maker Mattel, working with Nickelodeon, announced earlier this month that a "tween" version of Nick's beloved "Dora the Explorer" cartoon character would be unveiled in the fall, the response was overwhelming ... overwhelmingly negative.
Dora the streetwalker. A sexed-up version of a children's icon. A poor example for kids.
Those were just some of the terms tossed around the blogosphere after Mattel released a silhouette of the "new" Dora, whose image was drastically changed from the endearing tomboy look Dora fans grew to love, with her bowl-cut hairdo, T-shirt and red shorts. This new Dora appeared to have long flowing hair, and was wearing what seemed a scanty skirt, emphasizing her long, shapely legs.
"Did Mattel turn Dora the Explorer into a Tramp?" read one headline from The Huffington Post.
But not so fast.
Mattel and Nickelodeon both say there are two major misconceptions about the new Dora, which is not replacing the "Dora the Explorer" cartoon, but will be a new interactive doll aimed at 5- to 8-year-olds.
"People care so deeply about this brand and this character," Leigh Anne Brodsky, president of Nickelodeon Viacom Consumer Products, says. "The Dora that we all know and love is not going away."
with
Jim & Karen
on Spirit FM
LIFE CHANGING WORD
LOVE DARE # 27.
Love Encourages.
Guard my soul and deliver me; do not let me be ashamed for I take refuge in you. Psalm 25:20
Marriage has a way opf altering our vision. We go in expecting our mate to fulfill our hopes and to make us happy. But this is an impossible order for our spouse to fill. Unrealistic expectations breed disappointment. The higher your expectations, the more likely your spouse will fail you and cause you frustration. Divorce is nearly inevitable when people refuse to allow their spouses to be human. We must choose to live by encouragement rather than by expectations. Love puts the focus on personal responsibility and improving yourself rather than on demanding more from others.
TODAY’S DARE: Elimnate the poison of unrealistic expectations in your home. Think of one area where your spouse has told you you’re expecting too much, and tell them you’re sorry for being so hard on them about it. Promise them you’ll seek to understand, and assure them of your unconditional love.
TODAY IS…..
Today is St. Patrick's Day, a national holiday in Ireland. The World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade is held in Maryville, Missouri. The parade route gets shorter every year, down now to about 86 feet
How did St. Patrick get to Ireland in the first place?
At age 16, he was kidnapped by pirates and taken to Ireland. Six years later he escaped to France. When he was 47, the church sent Bishop Patrick back to Ireland.
Today is National Quilting Day.
In The News…..
AIG Bonuses
Members of Congress are outraged that bailed-out AIG is paying out $165 million in bonuses to the same executives who destroyed the company. It's kind of like when the taxpayers are forced to give pay raises to the same Members of Congress who destroyed the country.
Things you can buy for $170 billion (source, Huffington Post):
• 3,736 Bombardier Global Express XRS ultra long-range business jets
• Spending $4.65 million a day for 100 years
• 236 days of the Iraq War
• Getting the Rolling Stones to play continuously for 2 years, 281 days (based on the $7 million/hour rate the band charged Texas investor David Bonderman at his 60th birthday in 2002)
• 38 aircraft carriers (based on the $4.5 billion cost of the USS Nimitz)
• 85-thousand Natalias (the most expensive production car in the world, each priced at $2 million)
• Just about all of Palm Beach County (based upon the county's total assessed property value in 2006)
• A million people to buy a million homes each worth $175-thousand
• Medical care for everyone in Canada
• 25 desalination plants to turn ocean water into 50 million gallons of clean, safe, sustainable, fresh water a day
• Anywhere from 10 to 28 new nuclear power plants
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Obama will appear this week on Jay Leno's talk show, perhaps adding a lighter touch to his bid to resuscitate the moribund economy.
Obama will visit The Tonight Show With Jay Leno during his trip to Los Angeles on Thursday. NBC will tape the program and air it that night, after the president has returned to Washington.
Oil Price Drops
Crude oil prices are down after OPEC decided against cutting production. It would make sense economically, but none of the OPEC countries wants to lay of workers during the annual Al Qaeda/Hamas/Hizbollah job fair.
Best Buy Future
Best Buy is planning to survive the economic downturn by creating more interactive stores, where customers can actually play new videogames or test high-definition video cameras. More consumers are expected to indeed try out the new items at Best Buy... and then actually buy them at Wal-Mart.
America’s Recession will probably end this year ifthe government suceedds in blostering the banking system. That’s according to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernake who was on 60 Minutes Sunday night. You really want to know how bad the recession is? I went out yesterday to buy a toaster and it came with a bank!
The stock market is up again. I don’t know what makes me happier — the stock market going up, or Bernie Madoff going down. See, we didn’t need a stimulus package — we just needed to see Madoff in jail. Bernie Madoff has been moved from his $7 million penthouse apartment to a much larger gated community.
MAN MAKES CROSSES FOR THE TOOPS
Steve Thomas has stood on the downtown square in Center to honor fallen soldiers. He's watched news clips of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, and heard valiant stories of men and women who have served. And each scenario, he said, heightened his desire to help.
A little more than a month ago, he found a way to help.
Michele Marcotte/The Daily Sentinel
(ENLARGE)
Steve and Lisa Thomas construct small, wooden crosses with the words ?Prayer Cross? written across them to send to soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Individuals who would like to contribute names so the couple can send their friend, family member or loved currently serving a prayer cross can contact the couple at 936-591-0564.
"One day while driving, I came up with this idea to make crosses," he said. "It took me awhile to figure out how to make them and what I needed ... and this seemed to fall right in place."
Thomas, a retired prototype builder, constructs small, wooden crosses with the words "Prayer Cross" written on them. The bottom leg of each cross is hollowed out in order to hold a small slip of paper which contains the soldier's name and the date that Thomas' church, First United Methodist Church in Center, prayed for that soldier.
Thomas goes to the local salvage yard to get the wood for the crosses, which he said take about four hours to make.
Thomas and his wife, Lisa began to send the crosses, which can be worn as necklaces, to soldiers overseas three weeks ago. In each one they included a small piece of paper that conveys their gratitude for the soldier's service and their hope for a safe return home.
Lisa said five have been sent out so far, and she and her husband are eager to send more.
The Thomases are asking local residents to send the names of anyone they know serving overseas in Iraq or Afghanistan.
"It doesn't matter where they are from," Thomas said, adding that the soldiers do not have to be from East Texas.
The couple said they haven't received much feedback from their endeavor so far, but noted that their church has been very supportive.
"We did receive a 'thank you' card from the parents of the first cross we sent out, thanking us for taking the time to think of their son," Thomas said. "It was very touching."
Individuals who would like to contribute names can contact the Thomases at 936-591-0564.
RADIO STATIONS OFFERING FREE EMPLOYMENT ADS TO BUSINESSES LOOKING TO HIRE
For no charge employers can tout their job openings. Job-seekers cannot call in, it is only for employers to call and give a brief description of what they are looking for in an employee, what the job pays, and how they would like for potential job-seekers to contact them. It is done at the same time each Monday thru Friday on a first call-first serve basis.
MATTEL RETHINKS RESIGN OF DORA THE EXPLORER AFTER MOMS GO CRAZY!
NEW YORK – When toy maker Mattel, working with Nickelodeon, announced earlier this month that a "tween" version of Nick's beloved "Dora the Explorer" cartoon character would be unveiled in the fall, the response was overwhelming ... overwhelmingly negative.
Dora the streetwalker. A sexed-up version of a children's icon. A poor example for kids.
Those were just some of the terms tossed around the blogosphere after Mattel released a silhouette of the "new" Dora, whose image was drastically changed from the endearing tomboy look Dora fans grew to love, with her bowl-cut hairdo, T-shirt and red shorts. This new Dora appeared to have long flowing hair, and was wearing what seemed a scanty skirt, emphasizing her long, shapely legs.
"Did Mattel turn Dora the Explorer into a Tramp?" read one headline from The Huffington Post.
But not so fast.
Mattel and Nickelodeon both say there are two major misconceptions about the new Dora, which is not replacing the "Dora the Explorer" cartoon, but will be a new interactive doll aimed at 5- to 8-year-olds.
"People care so deeply about this brand and this character," Leigh Anne Brodsky, president of Nickelodeon Viacom Consumer Products, says. "The Dora that we all know and love is not going away."
Saturday, March 14, 2009
TODAY IS MONDAY- MARCH 16, 2009
THE SPIRIT FM MORNING SHOW
WITH
JIM AND KAREN
LIFE CHANGING WORD
LOVE DARE # 26
Love is responsible.
When you judge aqnother, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. Romans 2:1
Today will be hard. But as you seek God’s strength and wisdom, you will be able to get through it. This day could be a milestone in your marriage if you allow it to be. So resolve to focus on what the Lord may be saying to you, and purpose to follow His leading.
Today is about personal responsibility. It’s something we all agree others should have, but we struggle to maintain it ourselves. We tend to believe that our vies are correct, or at least much more correct than our mate’s. And we don’t believe that anybody, given our same set of circumstances, would act much differently than we have. As far as we’re concerned, we’re doing the best we can. And our spouse just ought to be glad we’re as good to them as we are.
TODAY’S DARE: Take time to pray through your areas of wrongdoing. Ask for God’s forgiveness, then humble yourself enough to admit them to your spouse. Do it sincerely and truthfully. Ask your spouse for forgiveness as well. No matter how they respond, make sure you cover your responsibility in love. Even if they respond with criticism, accept it by receiving it as counsel.
ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION: What does your mate need to see in order to believe that your confession was more than just words?
TODAY IS…..
Today is Lips Appreciation Day, a day to do something nice for your lips. Kiss somebody
Today is Freedom of Information Day, when he nation's libraries celebrate the people's right to know
Today is Circus Day. The Barnum & Bailey Circus was formed on this date in 1881. It joined with the Ringling Brothers Circus in 1907.
Act Happy Week begins today (acthappy.com). Also, :National Spring Fever Week, Brain Awareness Week, and Wellderly Week, for senior who never act their age.
597 BC: According to some archaeological calculations, the first conquest of Jerusalem by Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar occurred. The event is recorded in the Bible in 2 Kings 24 and 2 Chronicles 36.
In The News…..
Citi Board
Citigroup is accepting nominations to fill four vacancies on its board of directors. The bank is looking for new directors who have extensive experience with panhandling.
Chinese Concerns
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is expressing concerns about the growing U.S. debt. If this keeps up, American consumers might start needing to make their own toys and poisonous dog food.
Sesame Street Layoffs
The economic downturn has forced layoffs at the Children's Television Workshop. It's getting so bad that Ernie and Bert had to move into Oscars' garbage can.
Lost Wealth
A new study shows that Americans have lost 17.9% of their net worth over the past year. Luckily, another study shows that most Americans don't have the basic math skills to understand what 17.9% is.
Former presidential candidate John Edwards spoke to Brown University last night to a crowd of 600 people. Does this seem crazy.. he spoke to the students on poverty and morals! He’s a personal injury lawyer who cheated on his wife!!! What is wrong with people?!!
Last week…Bernie Madoff pleaded guilty to $50 billion in fraud. He told the judge he was deeply sorry and ashamed and the judge said, “Oh,” before sentencing him to probably the rest of his life. I feel bad for the victims, but the guy’s name is “Made-Off.” Seriously — that’s not a red flag? That’s like hiring a guy named “Bernie Hepatitis” to serve you clams.
Tickets for Michael Jackson's 50 London concerts sold out within hours of becoming available. Go figure. Here’s the way I look at it: Would I rather see Michael Jackson in concert or........
a.Having your dentist do a root canal.
b.Be audited by the IRS.
c.Have a colonoscopy.
"President Barack Obama says the nation's decades-old food safety system is a 'hazard to public health' and in need of an overhaul, starting with the selection of a new head of the federal Food and Drug Administration." Personally, I do believe in food safety. I also believe in the importance of daily eating from the four food groups: Fast, Frozen, Instant, and Chocolate.
"Congress' automatic pay raises are in little immediate danger of being scrapped for good, even with the economy slumping and millions of Americans unemployed”. Lawmakers defeated a Senate measure to abolish the automatic pay hikes and force them into the deep discomfort of casting actual votes to give themselves raises." I like what Will Rogers said: "We have the best Congress money can buy."
Miley Cyrus has written her autobiography. Chapter Four is a real tearjerker. That’s the chapter with the sad story of how Miley discovered her dad, Bill Ray Cyrus, is the same Billy Ray Cyrus who recorded "Achy Breaky Heart".
Memo to Slackers:
Your boss will be impressed with how much you get done if you simply master the art of wasting company time. The Sun Sentinel passed along the concept of DREW SATTEE; he wrote 50 Ways to Look Busy At Work Even When You're Not. Drew calls himself "America's Looking Busy Coach." His tips include:
1. Keeping various digestive medicines visible on your desk. "That way, if you're not at your desk, no one will wonder where you are."
2. . Discreetly spray your face and/or clothes with water once in a while. You'll look like you're working so hard you're actually sweating."
3. "Always be late ... because it says (you are) too busy to be on time."
Before you try any of Drew's ideas, make sure your boss hasn't read his book first.
Over-reaction?
A South Carolina high school teacher is out of work after firing a gun at one of his students. Twenty-nine-year-old JEFFERY BAKER won't do any jail time though. The Beaufort Gazette reports Mr. Baker fired a foam dart from a plastic Nerf gun at a 14-year-old girl in his science class two weeks ago.Jeff was joking around, but the girl didn't laugh when the dart hit her left shoulder at Battery Creek High School. She instead stood up and slapped her teacher's face.
Her mom wanted to get Mr. Baker charged with assault. The school figured the least they could do was place him on paid leave while everyone calmed down. Last Friday, Jeffery took it a step further and quit.
THE TOP THINGS WE OVERPAY FOR
Does the avalanche of news about layoffs, business losses and a declining stock market have you looking for ways to cut your spending so you can beef up your savings? We're here to help, with suggestions for less-expensive alternatives to ten everyday purchases (for more ideas, go to http://www.billshrink.com/, which tracks cell-phone plans and credit cards).
Afternoon snacks. Do you munch protein bars as a healthier alternative to a chocolate pick-me-up? You could easily be paying more than $2 per bar and consuming just as much sugar as you would with your favorite candy bar. Stock up on fruit for a fraction of the cost when you do your grocery shopping. You'll be fitter and save a bundle.
Bottled water. Yes, it's important to drink water every day. But picking up the bottled variety with your lunch is an expensive way to stay hydrated. Rather than spend $2 a day for water, buy a pitcher and a filter for about $20 and drink as much as you want for pennies a glass.
A caffeine fix. Can't get through the day without at least one cuppa Joe? Stopping at Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts can set you back as much as $1.65 per cup. Splurge on a pound of gourmet coffee for $8 to $13 and you can make 40 cups for about 20 cents to 33 cents each.
Favorite tunes. Do you rush out to buy the latest CD by your favorite group even though there are only one or two songs you really like? Instead of paying up to $18 for the CD, download those cuts you want from iTunes for 99 cents each, or from Amazon for as little as 79 cents.
A night at the movies. An evening for two at your local theater costs an average of about $20, including the popcorn -- and closer to $30 in major cities. And that doesn't even count the babysitter. For just $5 a month, you can watch two movies from Netflix or pay $9 for unlimited viewing. If you're willing to wait a little longer for new releases, borrow them free from your local library.
Fresh flowers. A bouquet of spring blooms brightens up a room and your mood. But purchasing it from a florist at $25 and up can quickly put a dent in your budget. Check out your local grocery store, which offers a selection of seasonal bouquets for $5 to $10.
Fruits and veggies. Sure, precut vegetables and salad mixes that are washed and bagged save a little time. But you'll pay for the convenience. Broccoli florets and sliced peppers cost $6 per pound, compared with one-third to one-half the price for the uncut versions. Lettuce varieties that are pre-washed and bagged sell for $5.98 a pound. But it takes just minutes to wash and spin dry enough arugula for your evening salad, and you'll pay one-third as much. Buying whole strawberries rather than sliced ones that are prepackaged cuts the price by 75%.
Credit-card fees. Every month, millions of credit-card customers pay their bills late, and they're assessed as much as $39 each time. Set up an automatic debit and you'll never incur another late fee.
ATM fees. Each time you use an out-of-network ATM you pay an average of $3.43. Do that once a week and you'll rack up almost $180 in ATM fees every year. Avoid those charges by selecting a bank with a large ATM network or an online account that reimburses your ATM fees -- such as the eOne no-fee account from Salem Five Direct bank. Another alternative: Get cash back at the grocery store.
Fax and mail services. Instead of paying FedEx $1.49 to fax one page, sign up to send free faxes from a provider such as faxZero or K7.net. Save on shipping with the U.S. Postal Service's priority mail service. You'll pay just $4.95 to mail an envelope or small box anywhere in the U.S., and your parcel is likely to arrive within two days. Larger packages cost $10.35. That saves at least 50% compared with UPS's two-day service, the cost of which varies by weight and distance.
DID YOUR DOG MAKE THE TOP TEN SMARTEST LIST?
PetMD came up a list of the top 10 smartest canine breeds in the world. See if your dog’s breed makes the grade.
10. Australian cattle dog. Yes, that Australian cattle dog from Down Under. A working dog that is traditionally occupied with controlling and herding cattle, its qualities are exceptional intelligence, alertness, resourcefulness and a fiercely protective loyalty over its property and people. They are agile, strong, active dogs, both physically and mentally, which revel in new experiences. The flip side is that they bore easily and will unintentionally find trouble while looking for activities to occupy themselves with. The cattle dog is very organized; many are known for putting their own toys away after playing.
9. Rottweiler. Another herding dog, the Rottweiler began in Germany as a true work companion. They are still primarily used for work as guard dogs and as police dogs. They are well known for their stoicism, keen perception, courage and unflagging loyalty. They make an excellent addition to the family.
8. Papillon. This deceptively cute, butterfly-eared dog is smarter, tougher and stronger than it appears (it’s like the bionic dog). Often described as big dogs in little bodies, they have the athletic stamina to keep up on long walks, and the bravura of a canine 10 times its size. The papillon is a true companion and watchdog. Although they can be ferociously protective over what belongs to them, their keen intelligence makes it possible to take them anywhere. Let’s not forget they can be litter-trained, a big plus.
7. Labrador Retriever. The Lab, as it is affectionately called, is the most popular breed chosen by families. Another member of the working class of dogs, the Lab is best known for its intelligence, affection, patience and gentility, making them perfect companions for households with kids. They are easily trained, and, in fact, are one of the top dogs chosen for search and rescue, assisting the disabled and police work. They are also known to self-train, observing behaviors in humans and repeating them — a great asset in emergency situations.
6. Shetland sheepdog. Another herding dog, the Shetland takes this ability into the home, showing the same commitment and protectiveness over its human “herd” as the farm raised version does. Highly intelligent, the Sheltie handles life with great efficiency and diligence, learning new commands with little repetition, and making sure that all of the family is safe, sound and in place. They show great devotion to their families, and are happy to live just about anywhere.
5. Doberman pinscher. Due to an inborn fearlessness and deep stamina, the Doberman is one of the most popular of guard dogs. Smart and assertive, they can easily be trained for dominance or docility. Because of their past as war and police dogs, they may appear fearsome, but they are actually quite gentle. Their loyalty and acuity make Dobermans great additions to the family.
4. Golden retriever. A very affectionate and popular breed, the golden retriever is highly regarded for its intelligence. They can learn well over 200 commands, making them indispensable companions, both in the home and in the workplace. Loyal, loving and patient, with a willingness to please and a love of learning, this is a fabulous companion pet to bring into your family.
3. German shepherd. The German shepherd was originally bred specifically for intelligence. Smart, courageous and protective, the shepherd is one of the most dependable of companions. They learn tasks after only a few repetitions, and obey first commands nearly always the first time it is given. They are eager to learn new tasks, as this gives them direction and purpose — very important for a shepherd. Besides being used for herding animals, they are often used as guard dogs, police dogs, search-and-rescue dogs and have even been trained by the military for parachute jumps.
2. Poodle. Easily trainable, steadfast, and sharp-minded, poodles flourish in human company. Even with the frou-frou hairdos, poodles are sometimes made to endure and can be quite effective as guard dogs, especially the standard-sized poodles. In fact, the “poodle clip,” was created specifically for the working poodle, so that it could swim more effectively, while still having fur to protect its organs as it went about the business of hunting and retrieving. The poodle excels at training and obedience, and also loves creative play time. This is what made them so popular as circus performers. But, this can be a drawback as well. If left alone to boredom, poodles can be creative about finding ways to amuse themselves, sometimes finding trouble along the way.
1. Border collie. The border collie comes in at No. 1. Because of their extraordinary intelligence and high energy, it is essential to give border collies an occupation or purpose, or you may well find your home wrecked upon your return from a long day at work. They have an intense connection with humans, making them ideal work and home companions. However, keep this in mind: border collies invariably will not do well unless they are with people who are as high energy as they are; they do best with humans who can participate in dog sports with them. Also, because of their background as herding dogs, they may be frustrated by small children, as their inability to herd the children as they deem fit is confounded. For the right human, the border collie is well-behaved, exceptionally good at learning and a true-blue companion.
MORE LAYOFFS IN ELDON AND LLOYD BELT CHRYSLER CLOSES DOWN
Find a job takes work. You can expect to spend 30-40 hours a week looking for a job.
SACRAMENTO, CA - Expect to spend 35 to 40 hours a week looking for a job if you've been laid-off, said Friday's Live_Online guest, career counselor Renata Pagliaro.
Pagliaro, who's an executive with the human resources agency Lee Hecht Harrison in Sacramento, gave viewers practical advice in organizing a job search. She said it involves researching companies you'd like to work for, figuring out how your skills can benefit an employer and networking with family, friends and colleagues to learn about possible job leads. She said these days, a job search could last several months at the very least.
Pagliaro put together the following tip sheet to help job seekers stay focused and optimistic:
It's Not Your Fault
Losing one's job is difficult and with the loss comes sadness, anger, denial and a myriad of other emotions. Don't feel like there is something wrong with you because you are experiencing these emotions. If you are aware that some of these negative emotions are normal and to be expected, you might not over-react to them as much as you would without that knowledge. If negativity persists, such as staying in the house without seeing anyone for days or weeks, drinking excessively or feeling depressed, please seek out professional help.
You Have a Lot to Offer
Assess your skills, interests, and values. Be able to clearly and succinctly speak to your skills that you used in your most recent job and how those skills were used on the job. Also think about how you helped your former company succeed. Think about what you know you do well. Even if it is as simple as showing up on time or needing little or no supervision.
Get a Decent Resume Together
Have a clear objective statement at the top (the job you want), a summary statement that shows the skills you have to perform the job, and the professional experience to support that you have done the work in the past.
Network, Network, Network
Spend most of your day with people. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, get out and have coffee meetings with friends, family, former co-workers and bosses. Network at the gym, a volunteer organization, a professional association, chamber of commerce , Employment Development Department, Rotary Club, church groups -- anything you can think of to be around people. Eventually the conversation can lead to job leads, learning information about what different companies do, contacts for informational interviewing, etc. The rest of the day, tidy up your resume, make appointments to meet with people, send thank you notes, research companies that you are interested in working for and apply to jobs online.
Do Your Research
You'll find resources at EDD, One Stop career workshops, and even at the library. The Sacramento Business Journal has tons of information about local companies that you may want to research for information and potential jobs.
Be Optimistic
Even if the unemployment rate is over 10 percent, that means there is still 90 percent. Just stick to your job search.
LOADS OF CHRISTIANS ON AMERICAN IDOL THIS YEAR
Every week, tens of millions of Americans tune in religiously to "American Idol" to watch the trials and tribulations of their favorite singers.
This season, though, a large number of those faithful viewers have more than a casual pop-culture interest in the show: They're Christians who are also watching because more than half of this year's crop of finalists — including Danny Gokey, Michael Sarver, Kris Allen, Scott MacIntyre, Matt Giraud and Lil Rounds — either have a strong affiliation with the church or are worship leaders in their communities
"I think that Christians probably watch the show all the time but maybe don't admit it. But this gives them someone to root for in this cast who is not just talented but also follows their faith, and people want to get behind contestants who align with their views," said Joanne Brokaw, who writes the Gospel Soundcheck" column for the spirituality Web site BeliefNet.com. "Christian music has always had this cheesy label attached to it, and this shows that a Christian singer can have artistic integrity and they are people who can really sing."
Brokaw, a freelance writer who contributes to a number of Christian media outlets, began live-blogging "Idol" this year for BeliefNet, and she said the show's inclusion of such worship leaders as front-runner Gokey and Texas roughneck Sarver piqued her interest early on. "I think someone like Danny Gokey allows mainstream audiences to see that Christian music is not scary," she said. "He's not preachy. And the story of how he lost his wife is so heartbreaking, but you can see there is a joy in his performance that speaks to people. He doesn't have to talk about God for people to see that he's a Christian and see past the stereotype."
According to Brokaw's research, at least six of the remaining top 11 contenders have ties to the church. Among them are Gokey, who she said ran two services in two different cities every Sunday for Faith Builders International until his wife's death; worship leaders Sarver and Allen; gospel-quartet member and churchgoer MacIntrye; Giraud, who has released two Christian CDs; and Rounds, who has said she "grew up in church."
At press time, a spokesperson for "Idol" had not responded to requests for comment for this story.
When Jordin Sparks won the competition two years ago, Brokaw said Christians took notice because of her strong faith and her background in gospel and Christian music. She followed in the footsteps of other avowed Christians Chris Daughtry, who has gained a strong following thanks to his spiritually inclined lyrics, and first-season singer RJ Helton, who represented early on in the show's run but reportedly quit singing inspirational music after coming out as a gay man.
The show also built what Brokaw thought was an overt bridge to its Christian audience last season when the top eight sang the evangelical Christian tune "Shout to the Lord" during the charity fundraiser "Idol Gives Back"; the song was covered by season-two winner Ruben Studdard on his 2004 gospel album, I Need an Angel.
"Even if contestants don't come out and say it, we can all spot someone [who is Christian]. The more that there are contestants that we can connect with — who we can say, 'That person is like me' — the more it will probably help drive viewership this year," Brokaw said, pointing to a moment on Tuesday's performance show when the judges praised Allen for helping other contestants work on their songs, which Brokaw said brought a knowing nod from Christians who know of his church background.
"We see what kind of person he is, and if you talk to people in his church they'll say they're not surprised." Brokaw said. "But people who don't know that he's a worship leader or actively involved in a Christian church might say, 'Why is he doing that? This is a competition!' Those are the values people want. We love it as much as anyone when Simon gets snarky, but watching a contestant perform with integrity and treating fellow contestants with grace and dignity speaks to us."
Just as this season kicked off, freelance writer CJ Casciotta penned an essay for faith site ConversantLife.com titled "American Idol — Good for TV. Bad for Church," in which he questioned whether the show's shunning of the "awkward, the socially inept, the ugly, the difficult" during the often cruel early rounds shouldn't be a call to action for the rest of us to embrace those whose lives are a struggle.
Casciotta's interest was piqued when he heard "Shout to the Lord" on "Idol" last season, and he suspects that the inclusion was an overt attempt to court Christian viewers. "The people at 'American Idol' are not idiots. They realize that there's this huge percentage of America that watches TV as a family, and a lot of families go to church. ... [The viewers] know worship leaders and musicians in church, and why not bring that aspect to the show?" he said.
He suspected that the inclusion of so many people of faith on "Idol" this year is part of a trend Christian music has been undergoing over the past decade, growing out of its cloistered corner and going more mainstream without losing its core values. "People who are Christians have a platform through 'American Idol' to write their songs and share their stories, and it doesn't have to fit in with the traditional Christian or worship genre," he said.
In fact, Casciotta said, he thinks Christian voters could end up being the deciding factor in this year's finals. "I would hope for people of faith that they would judge solely by talent," he said. "But if it came down to it, and the two [finalists] were equally talented and one was Christian, people would vote for that person who shares our faith."
DOCTOR WANTS A CHOCOLATE TAX
Scottish doctor is so concerned that Britons are taking after their American cousins in the waistline department that he's recommending the government tax chocolate.
Dr. David Walker, a family doctor and nutritionist, warned in an interview with the BBC that "Obesity is a mushrooming problem. We are heading the same way as the United States.
"There is an explosion of obesity and the related medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes," he told BBC News' Web site. "I see chocolate as a major player in this, and I think a tax on products containing chocolate could make a real difference."
According to Walker, drastic action is needed to jolt the British people out of their sugar-induced "false sense of security."
"I had one patient recently who said to me she thought chocolate was good for you. People are being brainwashed into believing this," he said.
Many people in Britain, the good doctor warns, are consuming their entire caloric intake for the day in chocolate – on top of their regular meals.
He wants to see a tax on chocolate just like the one levied on tobacco and alcohol.
And why not?
I'll tell you why not: There would be widespread mutiny (and I do mean widespread - U.K. leaders would long for the days of the quaint little Boston Tea Party), followed by a very, very brief civil war.
Dr. Walker and his army of nutritionists would not fare well against this densely populated island nation of chocoholics.
WITH
JIM AND KAREN
LIFE CHANGING WORD
LOVE DARE # 26
Love is responsible.
When you judge aqnother, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. Romans 2:1
Today will be hard. But as you seek God’s strength and wisdom, you will be able to get through it. This day could be a milestone in your marriage if you allow it to be. So resolve to focus on what the Lord may be saying to you, and purpose to follow His leading.
Today is about personal responsibility. It’s something we all agree others should have, but we struggle to maintain it ourselves. We tend to believe that our vies are correct, or at least much more correct than our mate’s. And we don’t believe that anybody, given our same set of circumstances, would act much differently than we have. As far as we’re concerned, we’re doing the best we can. And our spouse just ought to be glad we’re as good to them as we are.
TODAY’S DARE: Take time to pray through your areas of wrongdoing. Ask for God’s forgiveness, then humble yourself enough to admit them to your spouse. Do it sincerely and truthfully. Ask your spouse for forgiveness as well. No matter how they respond, make sure you cover your responsibility in love. Even if they respond with criticism, accept it by receiving it as counsel.
ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION: What does your mate need to see in order to believe that your confession was more than just words?
TODAY IS…..
Today is Lips Appreciation Day, a day to do something nice for your lips. Kiss somebody
Today is Freedom of Information Day, when he nation's libraries celebrate the people's right to know
Today is Circus Day. The Barnum & Bailey Circus was formed on this date in 1881. It joined with the Ringling Brothers Circus in 1907.
Act Happy Week begins today (acthappy.com). Also, :National Spring Fever Week, Brain Awareness Week, and Wellderly Week, for senior who never act their age.
597 BC: According to some archaeological calculations, the first conquest of Jerusalem by Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar occurred. The event is recorded in the Bible in 2 Kings 24 and 2 Chronicles 36.
In The News…..
Citi Board
Citigroup is accepting nominations to fill four vacancies on its board of directors. The bank is looking for new directors who have extensive experience with panhandling.
Chinese Concerns
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is expressing concerns about the growing U.S. debt. If this keeps up, American consumers might start needing to make their own toys and poisonous dog food.
Sesame Street Layoffs
The economic downturn has forced layoffs at the Children's Television Workshop. It's getting so bad that Ernie and Bert had to move into Oscars' garbage can.
Lost Wealth
A new study shows that Americans have lost 17.9% of their net worth over the past year. Luckily, another study shows that most Americans don't have the basic math skills to understand what 17.9% is.
Former presidential candidate John Edwards spoke to Brown University last night to a crowd of 600 people. Does this seem crazy.. he spoke to the students on poverty and morals! He’s a personal injury lawyer who cheated on his wife!!! What is wrong with people?!!
Last week…Bernie Madoff pleaded guilty to $50 billion in fraud. He told the judge he was deeply sorry and ashamed and the judge said, “Oh,” before sentencing him to probably the rest of his life. I feel bad for the victims, but the guy’s name is “Made-Off.” Seriously — that’s not a red flag? That’s like hiring a guy named “Bernie Hepatitis” to serve you clams.
Tickets for Michael Jackson's 50 London concerts sold out within hours of becoming available. Go figure. Here’s the way I look at it: Would I rather see Michael Jackson in concert or........
a.Having your dentist do a root canal.
b.Be audited by the IRS.
c.Have a colonoscopy.
"President Barack Obama says the nation's decades-old food safety system is a 'hazard to public health' and in need of an overhaul, starting with the selection of a new head of the federal Food and Drug Administration." Personally, I do believe in food safety. I also believe in the importance of daily eating from the four food groups: Fast, Frozen, Instant, and Chocolate.
"Congress' automatic pay raises are in little immediate danger of being scrapped for good, even with the economy slumping and millions of Americans unemployed”. Lawmakers defeated a Senate measure to abolish the automatic pay hikes and force them into the deep discomfort of casting actual votes to give themselves raises." I like what Will Rogers said: "We have the best Congress money can buy."
Miley Cyrus has written her autobiography. Chapter Four is a real tearjerker. That’s the chapter with the sad story of how Miley discovered her dad, Bill Ray Cyrus, is the same Billy Ray Cyrus who recorded "Achy Breaky Heart".
Memo to Slackers:
Your boss will be impressed with how much you get done if you simply master the art of wasting company time. The Sun Sentinel passed along the concept of DREW SATTEE; he wrote 50 Ways to Look Busy At Work Even When You're Not. Drew calls himself "America's Looking Busy Coach." His tips include:
1. Keeping various digestive medicines visible on your desk. "That way, if you're not at your desk, no one will wonder where you are."
2. . Discreetly spray your face and/or clothes with water once in a while. You'll look like you're working so hard you're actually sweating."
3. "Always be late ... because it says (you are) too busy to be on time."
Before you try any of Drew's ideas, make sure your boss hasn't read his book first.
Over-reaction?
A South Carolina high school teacher is out of work after firing a gun at one of his students. Twenty-nine-year-old JEFFERY BAKER won't do any jail time though. The Beaufort Gazette reports Mr. Baker fired a foam dart from a plastic Nerf gun at a 14-year-old girl in his science class two weeks ago.Jeff was joking around, but the girl didn't laugh when the dart hit her left shoulder at Battery Creek High School. She instead stood up and slapped her teacher's face.
Her mom wanted to get Mr. Baker charged with assault. The school figured the least they could do was place him on paid leave while everyone calmed down. Last Friday, Jeffery took it a step further and quit.
THE TOP THINGS WE OVERPAY FOR
Does the avalanche of news about layoffs, business losses and a declining stock market have you looking for ways to cut your spending so you can beef up your savings? We're here to help, with suggestions for less-expensive alternatives to ten everyday purchases (for more ideas, go to http://www.billshrink.com/, which tracks cell-phone plans and credit cards).
Afternoon snacks. Do you munch protein bars as a healthier alternative to a chocolate pick-me-up? You could easily be paying more than $2 per bar and consuming just as much sugar as you would with your favorite candy bar. Stock up on fruit for a fraction of the cost when you do your grocery shopping. You'll be fitter and save a bundle.
Bottled water. Yes, it's important to drink water every day. But picking up the bottled variety with your lunch is an expensive way to stay hydrated. Rather than spend $2 a day for water, buy a pitcher and a filter for about $20 and drink as much as you want for pennies a glass.
A caffeine fix. Can't get through the day without at least one cuppa Joe? Stopping at Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts can set you back as much as $1.65 per cup. Splurge on a pound of gourmet coffee for $8 to $13 and you can make 40 cups for about 20 cents to 33 cents each.
Favorite tunes. Do you rush out to buy the latest CD by your favorite group even though there are only one or two songs you really like? Instead of paying up to $18 for the CD, download those cuts you want from iTunes for 99 cents each, or from Amazon for as little as 79 cents.
A night at the movies. An evening for two at your local theater costs an average of about $20, including the popcorn -- and closer to $30 in major cities. And that doesn't even count the babysitter. For just $5 a month, you can watch two movies from Netflix or pay $9 for unlimited viewing. If you're willing to wait a little longer for new releases, borrow them free from your local library.
Fresh flowers. A bouquet of spring blooms brightens up a room and your mood. But purchasing it from a florist at $25 and up can quickly put a dent in your budget. Check out your local grocery store, which offers a selection of seasonal bouquets for $5 to $10.
Fruits and veggies. Sure, precut vegetables and salad mixes that are washed and bagged save a little time. But you'll pay for the convenience. Broccoli florets and sliced peppers cost $6 per pound, compared with one-third to one-half the price for the uncut versions. Lettuce varieties that are pre-washed and bagged sell for $5.98 a pound. But it takes just minutes to wash and spin dry enough arugula for your evening salad, and you'll pay one-third as much. Buying whole strawberries rather than sliced ones that are prepackaged cuts the price by 75%.
Credit-card fees. Every month, millions of credit-card customers pay their bills late, and they're assessed as much as $39 each time. Set up an automatic debit and you'll never incur another late fee.
ATM fees. Each time you use an out-of-network ATM you pay an average of $3.43. Do that once a week and you'll rack up almost $180 in ATM fees every year. Avoid those charges by selecting a bank with a large ATM network or an online account that reimburses your ATM fees -- such as the eOne no-fee account from Salem Five Direct bank. Another alternative: Get cash back at the grocery store.
Fax and mail services. Instead of paying FedEx $1.49 to fax one page, sign up to send free faxes from a provider such as faxZero or K7.net. Save on shipping with the U.S. Postal Service's priority mail service. You'll pay just $4.95 to mail an envelope or small box anywhere in the U.S., and your parcel is likely to arrive within two days. Larger packages cost $10.35. That saves at least 50% compared with UPS's two-day service, the cost of which varies by weight and distance.
DID YOUR DOG MAKE THE TOP TEN SMARTEST LIST?
PetMD came up a list of the top 10 smartest canine breeds in the world. See if your dog’s breed makes the grade.
10. Australian cattle dog. Yes, that Australian cattle dog from Down Under. A working dog that is traditionally occupied with controlling and herding cattle, its qualities are exceptional intelligence, alertness, resourcefulness and a fiercely protective loyalty over its property and people. They are agile, strong, active dogs, both physically and mentally, which revel in new experiences. The flip side is that they bore easily and will unintentionally find trouble while looking for activities to occupy themselves with. The cattle dog is very organized; many are known for putting their own toys away after playing.
9. Rottweiler. Another herding dog, the Rottweiler began in Germany as a true work companion. They are still primarily used for work as guard dogs and as police dogs. They are well known for their stoicism, keen perception, courage and unflagging loyalty. They make an excellent addition to the family.
8. Papillon. This deceptively cute, butterfly-eared dog is smarter, tougher and stronger than it appears (it’s like the bionic dog). Often described as big dogs in little bodies, they have the athletic stamina to keep up on long walks, and the bravura of a canine 10 times its size. The papillon is a true companion and watchdog. Although they can be ferociously protective over what belongs to them, their keen intelligence makes it possible to take them anywhere. Let’s not forget they can be litter-trained, a big plus.
7. Labrador Retriever. The Lab, as it is affectionately called, is the most popular breed chosen by families. Another member of the working class of dogs, the Lab is best known for its intelligence, affection, patience and gentility, making them perfect companions for households with kids. They are easily trained, and, in fact, are one of the top dogs chosen for search and rescue, assisting the disabled and police work. They are also known to self-train, observing behaviors in humans and repeating them — a great asset in emergency situations.
6. Shetland sheepdog. Another herding dog, the Shetland takes this ability into the home, showing the same commitment and protectiveness over its human “herd” as the farm raised version does. Highly intelligent, the Sheltie handles life with great efficiency and diligence, learning new commands with little repetition, and making sure that all of the family is safe, sound and in place. They show great devotion to their families, and are happy to live just about anywhere.
5. Doberman pinscher. Due to an inborn fearlessness and deep stamina, the Doberman is one of the most popular of guard dogs. Smart and assertive, they can easily be trained for dominance or docility. Because of their past as war and police dogs, they may appear fearsome, but they are actually quite gentle. Their loyalty and acuity make Dobermans great additions to the family.
4. Golden retriever. A very affectionate and popular breed, the golden retriever is highly regarded for its intelligence. They can learn well over 200 commands, making them indispensable companions, both in the home and in the workplace. Loyal, loving and patient, with a willingness to please and a love of learning, this is a fabulous companion pet to bring into your family.
3. German shepherd. The German shepherd was originally bred specifically for intelligence. Smart, courageous and protective, the shepherd is one of the most dependable of companions. They learn tasks after only a few repetitions, and obey first commands nearly always the first time it is given. They are eager to learn new tasks, as this gives them direction and purpose — very important for a shepherd. Besides being used for herding animals, they are often used as guard dogs, police dogs, search-and-rescue dogs and have even been trained by the military for parachute jumps.
2. Poodle. Easily trainable, steadfast, and sharp-minded, poodles flourish in human company. Even with the frou-frou hairdos, poodles are sometimes made to endure and can be quite effective as guard dogs, especially the standard-sized poodles. In fact, the “poodle clip,” was created specifically for the working poodle, so that it could swim more effectively, while still having fur to protect its organs as it went about the business of hunting and retrieving. The poodle excels at training and obedience, and also loves creative play time. This is what made them so popular as circus performers. But, this can be a drawback as well. If left alone to boredom, poodles can be creative about finding ways to amuse themselves, sometimes finding trouble along the way.
1. Border collie. The border collie comes in at No. 1. Because of their extraordinary intelligence and high energy, it is essential to give border collies an occupation or purpose, or you may well find your home wrecked upon your return from a long day at work. They have an intense connection with humans, making them ideal work and home companions. However, keep this in mind: border collies invariably will not do well unless they are with people who are as high energy as they are; they do best with humans who can participate in dog sports with them. Also, because of their background as herding dogs, they may be frustrated by small children, as their inability to herd the children as they deem fit is confounded. For the right human, the border collie is well-behaved, exceptionally good at learning and a true-blue companion.
MORE LAYOFFS IN ELDON AND LLOYD BELT CHRYSLER CLOSES DOWN
Find a job takes work. You can expect to spend 30-40 hours a week looking for a job.
SACRAMENTO, CA - Expect to spend 35 to 40 hours a week looking for a job if you've been laid-off, said Friday's Live_Online guest, career counselor Renata Pagliaro.
Pagliaro, who's an executive with the human resources agency Lee Hecht Harrison in Sacramento, gave viewers practical advice in organizing a job search. She said it involves researching companies you'd like to work for, figuring out how your skills can benefit an employer and networking with family, friends and colleagues to learn about possible job leads. She said these days, a job search could last several months at the very least.
Pagliaro put together the following tip sheet to help job seekers stay focused and optimistic:
It's Not Your Fault
Losing one's job is difficult and with the loss comes sadness, anger, denial and a myriad of other emotions. Don't feel like there is something wrong with you because you are experiencing these emotions. If you are aware that some of these negative emotions are normal and to be expected, you might not over-react to them as much as you would without that knowledge. If negativity persists, such as staying in the house without seeing anyone for days or weeks, drinking excessively or feeling depressed, please seek out professional help.
You Have a Lot to Offer
Assess your skills, interests, and values. Be able to clearly and succinctly speak to your skills that you used in your most recent job and how those skills were used on the job. Also think about how you helped your former company succeed. Think about what you know you do well. Even if it is as simple as showing up on time or needing little or no supervision.
Get a Decent Resume Together
Have a clear objective statement at the top (the job you want), a summary statement that shows the skills you have to perform the job, and the professional experience to support that you have done the work in the past.
Network, Network, Network
Spend most of your day with people. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, get out and have coffee meetings with friends, family, former co-workers and bosses. Network at the gym, a volunteer organization, a professional association, chamber of commerce , Employment Development Department, Rotary Club, church groups -- anything you can think of to be around people. Eventually the conversation can lead to job leads, learning information about what different companies do, contacts for informational interviewing, etc. The rest of the day, tidy up your resume, make appointments to meet with people, send thank you notes, research companies that you are interested in working for and apply to jobs online.
Do Your Research
You'll find resources at EDD, One Stop career workshops, and even at the library. The Sacramento Business Journal has tons of information about local companies that you may want to research for information and potential jobs.
Be Optimistic
Even if the unemployment rate is over 10 percent, that means there is still 90 percent. Just stick to your job search.
LOADS OF CHRISTIANS ON AMERICAN IDOL THIS YEAR
Every week, tens of millions of Americans tune in religiously to "American Idol" to watch the trials and tribulations of their favorite singers.
This season, though, a large number of those faithful viewers have more than a casual pop-culture interest in the show: They're Christians who are also watching because more than half of this year's crop of finalists — including Danny Gokey, Michael Sarver, Kris Allen, Scott MacIntyre, Matt Giraud and Lil Rounds — either have a strong affiliation with the church or are worship leaders in their communities
"I think that Christians probably watch the show all the time but maybe don't admit it. But this gives them someone to root for in this cast who is not just talented but also follows their faith, and people want to get behind contestants who align with their views," said Joanne Brokaw, who writes the Gospel Soundcheck" column for the spirituality Web site BeliefNet.com. "Christian music has always had this cheesy label attached to it, and this shows that a Christian singer can have artistic integrity and they are people who can really sing."
Brokaw, a freelance writer who contributes to a number of Christian media outlets, began live-blogging "Idol" this year for BeliefNet, and she said the show's inclusion of such worship leaders as front-runner Gokey and Texas roughneck Sarver piqued her interest early on. "I think someone like Danny Gokey allows mainstream audiences to see that Christian music is not scary," she said. "He's not preachy. And the story of how he lost his wife is so heartbreaking, but you can see there is a joy in his performance that speaks to people. He doesn't have to talk about God for people to see that he's a Christian and see past the stereotype."
According to Brokaw's research, at least six of the remaining top 11 contenders have ties to the church. Among them are Gokey, who she said ran two services in two different cities every Sunday for Faith Builders International until his wife's death; worship leaders Sarver and Allen; gospel-quartet member and churchgoer MacIntrye; Giraud, who has released two Christian CDs; and Rounds, who has said she "grew up in church."
At press time, a spokesperson for "Idol" had not responded to requests for comment for this story.
When Jordin Sparks won the competition two years ago, Brokaw said Christians took notice because of her strong faith and her background in gospel and Christian music. She followed in the footsteps of other avowed Christians Chris Daughtry, who has gained a strong following thanks to his spiritually inclined lyrics, and first-season singer RJ Helton, who represented early on in the show's run but reportedly quit singing inspirational music after coming out as a gay man.
The show also built what Brokaw thought was an overt bridge to its Christian audience last season when the top eight sang the evangelical Christian tune "Shout to the Lord" during the charity fundraiser "Idol Gives Back"; the song was covered by season-two winner Ruben Studdard on his 2004 gospel album, I Need an Angel.
"Even if contestants don't come out and say it, we can all spot someone [who is Christian]. The more that there are contestants that we can connect with — who we can say, 'That person is like me' — the more it will probably help drive viewership this year," Brokaw said, pointing to a moment on Tuesday's performance show when the judges praised Allen for helping other contestants work on their songs, which Brokaw said brought a knowing nod from Christians who know of his church background.
"We see what kind of person he is, and if you talk to people in his church they'll say they're not surprised." Brokaw said. "But people who don't know that he's a worship leader or actively involved in a Christian church might say, 'Why is he doing that? This is a competition!' Those are the values people want. We love it as much as anyone when Simon gets snarky, but watching a contestant perform with integrity and treating fellow contestants with grace and dignity speaks to us."
Just as this season kicked off, freelance writer CJ Casciotta penned an essay for faith site ConversantLife.com titled "American Idol — Good for TV. Bad for Church," in which he questioned whether the show's shunning of the "awkward, the socially inept, the ugly, the difficult" during the often cruel early rounds shouldn't be a call to action for the rest of us to embrace those whose lives are a struggle.
Casciotta's interest was piqued when he heard "Shout to the Lord" on "Idol" last season, and he suspects that the inclusion was an overt attempt to court Christian viewers. "The people at 'American Idol' are not idiots. They realize that there's this huge percentage of America that watches TV as a family, and a lot of families go to church. ... [The viewers] know worship leaders and musicians in church, and why not bring that aspect to the show?" he said.
He suspected that the inclusion of so many people of faith on "Idol" this year is part of a trend Christian music has been undergoing over the past decade, growing out of its cloistered corner and going more mainstream without losing its core values. "People who are Christians have a platform through 'American Idol' to write their songs and share their stories, and it doesn't have to fit in with the traditional Christian or worship genre," he said.
In fact, Casciotta said, he thinks Christian voters could end up being the deciding factor in this year's finals. "I would hope for people of faith that they would judge solely by talent," he said. "But if it came down to it, and the two [finalists] were equally talented and one was Christian, people would vote for that person who shares our faith."
DOCTOR WANTS A CHOCOLATE TAX
Scottish doctor is so concerned that Britons are taking after their American cousins in the waistline department that he's recommending the government tax chocolate.
Dr. David Walker, a family doctor and nutritionist, warned in an interview with the BBC that "Obesity is a mushrooming problem. We are heading the same way as the United States.
"There is an explosion of obesity and the related medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes," he told BBC News' Web site. "I see chocolate as a major player in this, and I think a tax on products containing chocolate could make a real difference."
According to Walker, drastic action is needed to jolt the British people out of their sugar-induced "false sense of security."
"I had one patient recently who said to me she thought chocolate was good for you. People are being brainwashed into believing this," he said.
Many people in Britain, the good doctor warns, are consuming their entire caloric intake for the day in chocolate – on top of their regular meals.
He wants to see a tax on chocolate just like the one levied on tobacco and alcohol.
And why not?
I'll tell you why not: There would be widespread mutiny (and I do mean widespread - U.K. leaders would long for the days of the quaint little Boston Tea Party), followed by a very, very brief civil war.
Dr. Walker and his army of nutritionists would not fare well against this densely populated island nation of chocoholics.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
TODAY IS FRIDAY - MARCH 13, 2009
The Morning Show
with
Jim & Karen
on
Spirit FM
Monday - Friday 6-9 a.m.
LOVE DARE # 25
Love Forgives.
What I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:10
This one is tough. Perhaps the toughest dare in the book. But if there is to be any hope for your marriage, this is a challenge that must absolutely be taken seriously. Counselors and ministers who deal with broken couples on a regular basis will tell you that this is the most complex problem of all, a rupture that is often the last to be repaired. It cannot just be considered and contemplated but must be deliverately put into practice. Forgiveness has to happen, or a successful marriage won’t.
TODAY’S DARE: Whatever you haven’t forgiven in your mate, forgive it today. Let it go. Just as we ask Jesus to “forgive us our debts” each day we must ask him to help us “forgive our debotros” each day as well. Unfrogiveness has been keeping you and your spouse in prison too long. Say from your heart, “I choose to forgive”.
ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS: What did you forgive your spouse for today? How long have you been carrying the weight of it? What are the possibilities now that you’ve released this matter to God?
TODAY IS…..
Today is Good Samaritan Involvement Day, a time to be unselfish and get involved to help others.
Today is Uncle Sam Day. On March 13, 1852, the New York Lantern first featured the Uncle Sam character. Uncle Sam came to be a symbol of American patriotism. The nickname of Uncle Sam was first used in the September 7, 1813, issue of New York's Troy Post.
LISTENER EMAILS:
Karen,
You need to check out the GS pledge, I went to their web site and they have in small print God is whatever you want him to be. I am not sure the GS are the same as when I was in .. I will be 51 this year. I will be listening in the morning on my way home from work. God bless.
Dawn
Dawn:
I did follow up and check into this and Dawn is exactly right..this is what the website says:
Girl Scout Promise and Law
The Girl Scout Promise and Law are shared by every member of Girl Scouting. The Girl Scout Promise is the way Girl Scouts agree to act every day toward one another and other people, and the Law outlines a way to act towards one another and the world.
The Girl Scout Promise
On my honor, I will try:
To serve God* and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.
The Girl Scout Law
I will do my best to be
honest and fair,
friendly and helpful,
considerate and caring,
courageous and strong, and
responsible for what I say and do,
and to
respect myself and others,
respect authority,
use resources wisely,
make the world a better place, and
be a sister to every Girl Scout.
* The word "God" can be interpreted in a number of ways, depending on one's spiritual beliefs. When reciting the Girl Scout Promise, it is okay to replace the word "God" with whatever word your spiritual beliefs dictate.
Jim & Karen:
Please warn your listeners to not support The Watchmen movie. My husband and I went to watch it this past weekend, expecting something like X-Men, but that movie is full of disgusting, vulgar filth. We left the theatre before the movie was even half over and regretted we gave money to corrupt our minds. We hardly ever go to the movies because it is hard to find one worth going to and we really wish we had heard a little bit more about what this move was about before we went. Anyway we would appreciate it if you would pass this info along and hopefully save some innocent minds from the moral depravity of this film.
Rachel.
Rachel:
If you ever want to know what Focus on the Family rates a movie you can always go to www.pluggedinonline.com Here is what they had to say about the film:
THIS FILM FEATURES GRAPHIC VIOLENCE AND LEWD SEXUAL CONTENT. THIS REVIEW REFERENCES THAT CONTENT AND IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN.
As a book, Watchmen is messy. As a movie, Watchmen is a mess. In fact, I'll go so far as to call it dispirited, depressing schlock—both as a work of art and as a mode of message. Fanboys may be enthralled, but I'd imagine the uninitiated will walk away appalled, confused and even strangely bored. At the advance screening I attended, where folks generally stay glued to their seats, I saw a number of people leave the theater. Some never came back. This isn't a movie as much as an assault.
In The News…..
Bad day for Sesame Street. They had to lay off 67 people. Now all the characters are living in garbage cans.
The super-small iPod Shuffle has gotten even smaller. Apple unveiled a new 4-gigabyte Shuffle Wednesday that's just half the size of its predecessor.
A photo of the new MP3 player shows something that looks like a stick of gum. It's smaller than a Double-A battery, but holds up to one thousand songs. The battery life on the new device is about 10 hours. Apple says the Shuffle also adds a new VoiceOver feature that can recite song titles, artists and playlist names in 14 languages.The new Shuffle comes in silver or black and costs 79 bucks.
How Mothers Can Balance Work and Family
If you're a mom who not only has beautiful children but also a job you love, plenty of people have probably said you "have it all." While you have been able to start a family and a successful career, you know all too well that having it all also means having the pressures of the workplace piled on top of the demands of parenthood - and that's not an easy act to balance.
CareerBuilder.com's annual Mother's Day survey finds that working mothers are eager to trade the office for family time if only it were financially feasible. Forty-three percent of working moms are willing to take a pay cut if it allows them to spend more time with their children. Of those willing to take the pay cut, 34 percent are willing to give up ten percent or more of their salaries. Fifty-one percent of moms who live in households with more than one income would leave their job if their family could live off of their spouse's or significant other's income.
Not enough hours in the day
Finding the time to do their job and still be involved parents is a daily struggle for today's working mothers. Late nights in the office can mean missing a family dinner, a teacher conference or baby's first words. Seventeen percent of surveyed mothers have missed three or more significant events in their children's life in the last year. In fact, 34 percent of mothers admit to spending less than three hours each day with their children.
One common way mothers attempt to balance their workload and their families is to bring work home with them, which can help advance their careers but also damage their personal relationships. One key problem with bringing home work is that it means you might be in the same room as your children, but your mind is still at the office. Yet sixteen percent of working moms bring work home at least three days a week, while one in five brings it home every workday. Perhaps unsurprisingly, 24 percent of mothers cited work as having a negative impact on their relationships with their children.
How to make it work
Although raising children while holding a job outside of the home will always be a challenge, here are some steps you can take to ease the pressure of being a working mom.
1. Incorporate telecommuting into your workday. Many companies allow their employees to work from home one or more days per week, which is an easy way for you to spend more time in the morning and afternoon with your children rather than in standstill traffic. Check with your human resources department and employee manual to see if telecommuting is an option. Of course, to telecommute you should be self-disciplined and able to get your work done even though the boss isn't leaning over your shoulder.
2. Use one calendar for all appointments. If you have a conference scheduled for Monday morning, you're not going to be late to work. If your daughter has a soccer game Wednesday night, will you have the same determination to be there on time? Putting all of your appointments - whether they involve the office or the family - on one calendar makes it easier to avoid schedule conflicts and missing personal appointments. You'll also be able to notice if you're spending more time on work than on family with a quick glance at the calendar.
3. Make your family a priority. Although your family is the most important thing in your life, you might forget to show it. Devote your weekends and any free weekday evenings to family activities. Even if you can't plan a mid-week activity, make a quick phone call to your children to see how their school day went.
4. Take it easy. Work can become so hectic that you forget that you actually do like your job and the people around you. Leave some free time to relax and regroup between meetings so you don't stay in a constant state of stress. You'll be able to appreciate what you do and whom you work with. Also, keep evenings and weekends free of projects so you can rest and be completely recharged when you head back to the office.
5. Let others do their share. Make sure you're letting the people around you take on some responsibility. You might be tempted to do everything yourself, but you'll only stress yourself out. If you're a manager, delegating responsibility will ease your workload and allow your staff to develop their skills.
What Career Is Right For You? Take the Career Builder Test and Find Out!
http://www.careerpath.com/career-tests/careerplannerquiz.aspx?utm_source=cbhome&utm_medium=jstools&utm_content=careertestsquiz
Great Website For Personal Health Information Records
http://www.myphr.com/
This site has downloadable forms to record your or your child(ren) medical record, medication, etc so in case of emergency & if you have an emergency you have all of the info ready for the Dr, nurses, or even EMT's. It is a great tool for firefighter if you put it into a plastic sleeve & put it on your fridge. They will check there if the patient is diabetic (meds in fridge, & med. record on the fridge).The site has 2 different forms 1 for children & 1 for adults.
with
Jim & Karen
on
Spirit FM
Monday - Friday 6-9 a.m.
LOVE DARE # 25
Love Forgives.
What I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:10
This one is tough. Perhaps the toughest dare in the book. But if there is to be any hope for your marriage, this is a challenge that must absolutely be taken seriously. Counselors and ministers who deal with broken couples on a regular basis will tell you that this is the most complex problem of all, a rupture that is often the last to be repaired. It cannot just be considered and contemplated but must be deliverately put into practice. Forgiveness has to happen, or a successful marriage won’t.
TODAY’S DARE: Whatever you haven’t forgiven in your mate, forgive it today. Let it go. Just as we ask Jesus to “forgive us our debts” each day we must ask him to help us “forgive our debotros” each day as well. Unfrogiveness has been keeping you and your spouse in prison too long. Say from your heart, “I choose to forgive”.
ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS: What did you forgive your spouse for today? How long have you been carrying the weight of it? What are the possibilities now that you’ve released this matter to God?
TODAY IS…..
Today is Good Samaritan Involvement Day, a time to be unselfish and get involved to help others.
Today is Uncle Sam Day. On March 13, 1852, the New York Lantern first featured the Uncle Sam character. Uncle Sam came to be a symbol of American patriotism. The nickname of Uncle Sam was first used in the September 7, 1813, issue of New York's Troy Post.
LISTENER EMAILS:
Karen,
You need to check out the GS pledge, I went to their web site and they have in small print God is whatever you want him to be. I am not sure the GS are the same as when I was in .. I will be 51 this year. I will be listening in the morning on my way home from work. God bless.
Dawn
Dawn:
I did follow up and check into this and Dawn is exactly right..this is what the website says:
Girl Scout Promise and Law
The Girl Scout Promise and Law are shared by every member of Girl Scouting. The Girl Scout Promise is the way Girl Scouts agree to act every day toward one another and other people, and the Law outlines a way to act towards one another and the world.
The Girl Scout Promise
On my honor, I will try:
To serve God* and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.
The Girl Scout Law
I will do my best to be
honest and fair,
friendly and helpful,
considerate and caring,
courageous and strong, and
responsible for what I say and do,
and to
respect myself and others,
respect authority,
use resources wisely,
make the world a better place, and
be a sister to every Girl Scout.
* The word "God" can be interpreted in a number of ways, depending on one's spiritual beliefs. When reciting the Girl Scout Promise, it is okay to replace the word "God" with whatever word your spiritual beliefs dictate.
Jim & Karen:
Please warn your listeners to not support The Watchmen movie. My husband and I went to watch it this past weekend, expecting something like X-Men, but that movie is full of disgusting, vulgar filth. We left the theatre before the movie was even half over and regretted we gave money to corrupt our minds. We hardly ever go to the movies because it is hard to find one worth going to and we really wish we had heard a little bit more about what this move was about before we went. Anyway we would appreciate it if you would pass this info along and hopefully save some innocent minds from the moral depravity of this film.
Rachel.
Rachel:
If you ever want to know what Focus on the Family rates a movie you can always go to www.pluggedinonline.com Here is what they had to say about the film:
THIS FILM FEATURES GRAPHIC VIOLENCE AND LEWD SEXUAL CONTENT. THIS REVIEW REFERENCES THAT CONTENT AND IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN.
As a book, Watchmen is messy. As a movie, Watchmen is a mess. In fact, I'll go so far as to call it dispirited, depressing schlock—both as a work of art and as a mode of message. Fanboys may be enthralled, but I'd imagine the uninitiated will walk away appalled, confused and even strangely bored. At the advance screening I attended, where folks generally stay glued to their seats, I saw a number of people leave the theater. Some never came back. This isn't a movie as much as an assault.
In The News…..
Bad day for Sesame Street. They had to lay off 67 people. Now all the characters are living in garbage cans.
The super-small iPod Shuffle has gotten even smaller. Apple unveiled a new 4-gigabyte Shuffle Wednesday that's just half the size of its predecessor.
A photo of the new MP3 player shows something that looks like a stick of gum. It's smaller than a Double-A battery, but holds up to one thousand songs. The battery life on the new device is about 10 hours. Apple says the Shuffle also adds a new VoiceOver feature that can recite song titles, artists and playlist names in 14 languages.The new Shuffle comes in silver or black and costs 79 bucks.
How Mothers Can Balance Work and Family
If you're a mom who not only has beautiful children but also a job you love, plenty of people have probably said you "have it all." While you have been able to start a family and a successful career, you know all too well that having it all also means having the pressures of the workplace piled on top of the demands of parenthood - and that's not an easy act to balance.
CareerBuilder.com's annual Mother's Day survey finds that working mothers are eager to trade the office for family time if only it were financially feasible. Forty-three percent of working moms are willing to take a pay cut if it allows them to spend more time with their children. Of those willing to take the pay cut, 34 percent are willing to give up ten percent or more of their salaries. Fifty-one percent of moms who live in households with more than one income would leave their job if their family could live off of their spouse's or significant other's income.
Not enough hours in the day
Finding the time to do their job and still be involved parents is a daily struggle for today's working mothers. Late nights in the office can mean missing a family dinner, a teacher conference or baby's first words. Seventeen percent of surveyed mothers have missed three or more significant events in their children's life in the last year. In fact, 34 percent of mothers admit to spending less than three hours each day with their children.
One common way mothers attempt to balance their workload and their families is to bring work home with them, which can help advance their careers but also damage their personal relationships. One key problem with bringing home work is that it means you might be in the same room as your children, but your mind is still at the office. Yet sixteen percent of working moms bring work home at least three days a week, while one in five brings it home every workday. Perhaps unsurprisingly, 24 percent of mothers cited work as having a negative impact on their relationships with their children.
How to make it work
Although raising children while holding a job outside of the home will always be a challenge, here are some steps you can take to ease the pressure of being a working mom.
1. Incorporate telecommuting into your workday. Many companies allow their employees to work from home one or more days per week, which is an easy way for you to spend more time in the morning and afternoon with your children rather than in standstill traffic. Check with your human resources department and employee manual to see if telecommuting is an option. Of course, to telecommute you should be self-disciplined and able to get your work done even though the boss isn't leaning over your shoulder.
2. Use one calendar for all appointments. If you have a conference scheduled for Monday morning, you're not going to be late to work. If your daughter has a soccer game Wednesday night, will you have the same determination to be there on time? Putting all of your appointments - whether they involve the office or the family - on one calendar makes it easier to avoid schedule conflicts and missing personal appointments. You'll also be able to notice if you're spending more time on work than on family with a quick glance at the calendar.
3. Make your family a priority. Although your family is the most important thing in your life, you might forget to show it. Devote your weekends and any free weekday evenings to family activities. Even if you can't plan a mid-week activity, make a quick phone call to your children to see how their school day went.
4. Take it easy. Work can become so hectic that you forget that you actually do like your job and the people around you. Leave some free time to relax and regroup between meetings so you don't stay in a constant state of stress. You'll be able to appreciate what you do and whom you work with. Also, keep evenings and weekends free of projects so you can rest and be completely recharged when you head back to the office.
5. Let others do their share. Make sure you're letting the people around you take on some responsibility. You might be tempted to do everything yourself, but you'll only stress yourself out. If you're a manager, delegating responsibility will ease your workload and allow your staff to develop their skills.
What Career Is Right For You? Take the Career Builder Test and Find Out!
http://www.careerpath.com/career-tests/careerplannerquiz.aspx?utm_source=cbhome&utm_medium=jstools&utm_content=careertestsquiz
Great Website For Personal Health Information Records
http://www.myphr.com/
This site has downloadable forms to record your or your child(ren) medical record, medication, etc so in case of emergency & if you have an emergency you have all of the info ready for the Dr, nurses, or even EMT's. It is a great tool for firefighter if you put it into a plastic sleeve & put it on your fridge. They will check there if the patient is diabetic (meds in fridge, & med. record on the fridge).The site has 2 different forms 1 for children & 1 for adults.
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