After someone comes out of the closet, it can be difficult to find other gay people to date, especially if you live in a small town. If you're a gay man, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Luckily, the advent of the internet has made it a lot easier for gay people to find one another.
But not all dating sites are created equal when it comes to the homosexual community. Many popular sites have very few gay users, and one of the most popular dating sites doesn't even allow gay people to use their service (more on that later). After some careful searching, I've compiled this list of the top 3 dating websites for gay men.
Number Three--Match.com. Match.com was one of the very first internet dating sites, and recently began a widespread marketing campaign geared specifically towards the gay community. There are lots of gay men to choose from in the Match community, but be forewarned-you probably won't find just a casual date or "one night stand" on Match.com, as nearly all of the men I found were looking more long-term and serious commitments. This might have something to do with the somewhat expensive membership fee, as it probably keeps out those who are less serious.
Number Two--ManHunt.net. On the other hand, if you are looking for something less serious, Manhunt.net just might be the place for you. Manhunt has the distinction of being one of the most popular and fastest growing gay sites on the net. A lot of the men on this website are just looking for a quick hook-up or a very casual date, but then again, probably so are a lot of the men reading this article. Be prepared for some guys to have R-or X. Rated profile pictures as well. Every once in a while you will find a guy looking for a friendship or more serious relationship on Manhunt. But this site is worth checking out if for no other reason than its immense popularity.
Number One--PlanetOut.com. At the top of my list is this popular internet portal for the gay community. PlanetOut has been around for a long time and has attracted a widespread and diverse user base. I hear that guys from very small towns have particularly good luck with this site. From the quick fling to something a bit more romantic, PlanetOut.com is a great place to start your search for Mr. Right.
Dishonorable Mention--eHarmony.com. It seems like you can't look anywhere these days without seeing an ad for eHarmony.com. The site claims to have some secret formula to help you find true love, but apparently it only works if you're straight. That's right--eHarmony won't let you join their site if you're searching for a member of the same sex. Not too surprising for a company who markets heavily through James Dobson's virulently anti-gay "Focus on the Family'' ministry. Until eHarmony.com decides to step out of the dark ages, do yourself a favor--avoid the eHarmony.com website and encourage your straight friends to do the same.
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Moviebeam: A New Way to Rent Movies On-Demand from Your Couch
Americans like convenience, as can be seen by the stunning success of "pay-per-view" and "on-demand" movie rentals. People enjoy the convenience of being able to rent the newest movies right from the comfort of their own living rooms without having to make a trip to the video store. Satellite TV companies don't offer "on-demand," however, meaning that if you have satellite, you have to watch your movie on someone else's schedule. Also, companies generally aren't offering their movies in high-definition, and some consumers are wary of investing in high definition DVDs before the HD-DVD vs. BluRay battle is finally settled.
Attempting to solve all of these problems is a set-top box called Moviebeam, which is a device which promises a library of up to 100 of the newest and most popular films available to rent whenever you want. Moviebeam isn't exactly new. The service debuted in 2002 and was owned by Disney for a while, then was operated as an independent company, and was just recently bought by Movie Gallery, the parent company of Hollywood Video. However, the service has not been marketed very intensively, so most people have never heard of Moviebeam.
The Moviebeam unit is about the size of a VCR, and connects to your television just like any other component. The unit attaches to an external antenna, which is typically placed in an unobtrusive place like a bookshelf or end table. This antenna is the key to the Moviebeam service. Moviebeam constantly receives a digital, over-the-air signal that refreshes the content on your box. You'll also need to hook your Moviebeam box up to a landline telephone, as the unit dials-in periodically for billing purposes.
The menus on Moviebeam are very user-friendly, and are strikingly similar to the Tivo interface. You navigate the menus using a simple, 13-button remote control that easily fits in the palm of your hand. Moviebeam allows you to sort your library of movies by title, actor/director, or arrival date. Each movie has a full preview that you can watch before renting. When you find a movie that you want to rent, just select the appropriate menu option, confirm your selection, and you can start watching right away. New releases are $3.99 (which is the same price as my local Blockbuster) and older titles are just $1.99. About 10% of the movies on Moviebeam are in true high definition, and the cost for an HD movie rental is $4.99. (Also, I should note that after you buy the Moviebeam box, there is no subscription fee-you just pay for the movies you rent.)
Each week, the Moviebeam unit automatically receives up to 10 new movies, replacing the oldest titles in the library. You'll also find that Moviebeam continuously receives new previews for movies that are about to be released both in-theaters and on the Moviebeam service. Parents will also like the fact that the unit has a comprehensive set of parental controls, allowing you to block movies above a certain rating, set a weekly spending limit, or lock the unit completely.
The selection on Moviebeam is very good. Most of the major motion picture studios (with the exception of Sony) have signed deals with Moviebeam, so most popular new releases are available through this service. However, some studios won't allow Moviebeam to release the movie until other "pay-per-view" operators get the rights to show it, which is typically 30 to 45 days after the movie is released on DVD. While this may bother some people, I found that with 100 movies to choose from, there was always something I wanted to watch and I didn't mind waiting for certain titles.
When you rent a movie through Moviebeam, you have unlimited access to that movie for 24-hours. You can rewind, fast-forward, or re-watch as much as you want during that time, which I find is generally more than enough time. The picture quality is great, and it's just so convenient. The best place to get a Moviebeam is straight from their website (see the featured links below), since they are usually running a promotion and will send you a box pre-loaded with the latest movies. A new Moviebeam unit will probably cost you anywhere from $100 to $200, although people have been known to get them for free through very special offers. Also, Moviebeam isn't available in all areas (check your zip code at the website to find out), but if you live near a major city, chances are Moviebeam is ready for you. If you love movies, this is a neat little device that you should definitely check out.
Attempting to solve all of these problems is a set-top box called Moviebeam, which is a device which promises a library of up to 100 of the newest and most popular films available to rent whenever you want. Moviebeam isn't exactly new. The service debuted in 2002 and was owned by Disney for a while, then was operated as an independent company, and was just recently bought by Movie Gallery, the parent company of Hollywood Video. However, the service has not been marketed very intensively, so most people have never heard of Moviebeam.
The Moviebeam unit is about the size of a VCR, and connects to your television just like any other component. The unit attaches to an external antenna, which is typically placed in an unobtrusive place like a bookshelf or end table. This antenna is the key to the Moviebeam service. Moviebeam constantly receives a digital, over-the-air signal that refreshes the content on your box. You'll also need to hook your Moviebeam box up to a landline telephone, as the unit dials-in periodically for billing purposes.
The menus on Moviebeam are very user-friendly, and are strikingly similar to the Tivo interface. You navigate the menus using a simple, 13-button remote control that easily fits in the palm of your hand. Moviebeam allows you to sort your library of movies by title, actor/director, or arrival date. Each movie has a full preview that you can watch before renting. When you find a movie that you want to rent, just select the appropriate menu option, confirm your selection, and you can start watching right away. New releases are $3.99 (which is the same price as my local Blockbuster) and older titles are just $1.99. About 10% of the movies on Moviebeam are in true high definition, and the cost for an HD movie rental is $4.99. (Also, I should note that after you buy the Moviebeam box, there is no subscription fee-you just pay for the movies you rent.)
Each week, the Moviebeam unit automatically receives up to 10 new movies, replacing the oldest titles in the library. You'll also find that Moviebeam continuously receives new previews for movies that are about to be released both in-theaters and on the Moviebeam service. Parents will also like the fact that the unit has a comprehensive set of parental controls, allowing you to block movies above a certain rating, set a weekly spending limit, or lock the unit completely.
The selection on Moviebeam is very good. Most of the major motion picture studios (with the exception of Sony) have signed deals with Moviebeam, so most popular new releases are available through this service. However, some studios won't allow Moviebeam to release the movie until other "pay-per-view" operators get the rights to show it, which is typically 30 to 45 days after the movie is released on DVD. While this may bother some people, I found that with 100 movies to choose from, there was always something I wanted to watch and I didn't mind waiting for certain titles.
When you rent a movie through Moviebeam, you have unlimited access to that movie for 24-hours. You can rewind, fast-forward, or re-watch as much as you want during that time, which I find is generally more than enough time. The picture quality is great, and it's just so convenient. The best place to get a Moviebeam is straight from their website (see the featured links below), since they are usually running a promotion and will send you a box pre-loaded with the latest movies. A new Moviebeam unit will probably cost you anywhere from $100 to $200, although people have been known to get them for free through very special offers. Also, Moviebeam isn't available in all areas (check your zip code at the website to find out), but if you live near a major city, chances are Moviebeam is ready for you. If you love movies, this is a neat little device that you should definitely check out.
Top 5 'The Facts of Life' Videos on YouTube
I really like watching sitcoms from the 70's and 80's, and The Facts of Life was one of my favorites. You never quite knew what to expect with Mrs. Garrett and her crew of girls from the Eastland Academy, but you could always count on a lot of laughs. Recently, The Facts of Life has been released on DVD (at least the first 3 seasons), and I've had fun re-watching all of my favorite memories from the show.
Today, I decided to do a search on YouTube to see if I could find any clips from The Facts of Life, not really expecting to find too much. Boy, was I surprised when over 1600 video results were returned. I took the time to watch some clips, and I've compiled this list of my five favorite video clips from YouTube about The Facts of Life.
5. The Facts of Life Theme Song - "You take the good, you take the bad. You take 'em both and there you have..." Ahh..who could forget the wonderful theme song from The Facts of Life? Many people aren't aware that the theme song was actually written by Alan Thicke, who is probably best known for playing "Jason Seever" on the show Growing Pains.
4. "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" Tribute Video - Featuring some absolutely great clips of Jo, Blair, Natalie, and Tootie from the show, this music video is a "fan tribute" set to Cyndi Lauper's fabulous song Girls Just Want to Have Fun. I can't think of a better song to sum up The Facts of Life...it really was about a group of great girl friends growing up and having fun together.
3. Blair and Mrs. Garrett Reunite - Throughout the years, it has been very rare for the cast of The Facts of Life to appear together in public. However, at the 2006 "TV Land Awards," fans got a big kick out of seeing Lisa Whelchel and Charlotte Rae reunite on-stage to sing the theme song from the show. Watch this clip and see for yourself!
2. Facts of Life Parody by ITTV - Brought to you by the folks at It's Twisted Television, this comedy sketch is absolutely hilarious. When the girls need to cook for a bake sale, Jo talks the gang into selling "pot brownies." Things are looking bad for the bake sale, until Cousin Gerri saves the day. The actors in this sketch really nailed the idiosyncrasies of the original cast members, which makes this clip even funnier. And the top video is...
1. The Facts of Life Girls Get Stoned - Speaking of pot, most people don't believe me when I tell them that in the first season, two of the show's main characters got stoned. While I'm sure the show was considered very progressive and educational at the time, looking back at it is just down right laughable. (Oh, and if you're curious to see the aftermath of the marijuana, you can watch this clip from later on in the same episode.)
The Facts of Life was a great show, and I'll probably never get tired of watching the reruns. Now, thanks to YouTube, everyone can access these (and many more) great clips from this hit television program.
Today, I decided to do a search on YouTube to see if I could find any clips from The Facts of Life, not really expecting to find too much. Boy, was I surprised when over 1600 video results were returned. I took the time to watch some clips, and I've compiled this list of my five favorite video clips from YouTube about The Facts of Life.
5. The Facts of Life Theme Song - "You take the good, you take the bad. You take 'em both and there you have..." Ahh..who could forget the wonderful theme song from The Facts of Life? Many people aren't aware that the theme song was actually written by Alan Thicke, who is probably best known for playing "Jason Seever" on the show Growing Pains.
4. "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" Tribute Video - Featuring some absolutely great clips of Jo, Blair, Natalie, and Tootie from the show, this music video is a "fan tribute" set to Cyndi Lauper's fabulous song Girls Just Want to Have Fun. I can't think of a better song to sum up The Facts of Life...it really was about a group of great girl friends growing up and having fun together.
3. Blair and Mrs. Garrett Reunite - Throughout the years, it has been very rare for the cast of The Facts of Life to appear together in public. However, at the 2006 "TV Land Awards," fans got a big kick out of seeing Lisa Whelchel and Charlotte Rae reunite on-stage to sing the theme song from the show. Watch this clip and see for yourself!
2. Facts of Life Parody by ITTV - Brought to you by the folks at It's Twisted Television, this comedy sketch is absolutely hilarious. When the girls need to cook for a bake sale, Jo talks the gang into selling "pot brownies." Things are looking bad for the bake sale, until Cousin Gerri saves the day. The actors in this sketch really nailed the idiosyncrasies of the original cast members, which makes this clip even funnier. And the top video is...
1. The Facts of Life Girls Get Stoned - Speaking of pot, most people don't believe me when I tell them that in the first season, two of the show's main characters got stoned. While I'm sure the show was considered very progressive and educational at the time, looking back at it is just down right laughable. (Oh, and if you're curious to see the aftermath of the marijuana, you can watch this clip from later on in the same episode.)
The Facts of Life was a great show, and I'll probably never get tired of watching the reruns. Now, thanks to YouTube, everyone can access these (and many more) great clips from this hit television program.
New Symbol Warns Public About Dangerous Radiation Sources
Since the Cold War, most Americans have been familiar with the trefoil, the international symbol for radiation. The radioactive trefoil prominently appears on "Fallout Shelter" signs and can be seen to this day on schools, libraries, and other public buildings throughout the country. While the symbol is easily recognized by most people in developed nations, there is nothing inherent in the radioactive trefoil that would explicitly communicate the dangers of radiation to someone who had never seen the symbol before.
This lack of recognition can pose a real safety threat to workers in countries like Indonesia and China, especially those who work in the ''scrap metal'' industry. There have been numerous cases in which workers were injured or killed as a result of processing metal "scraps" that contained high levels of radiation. In some of these cases, the metal objects were clearly stamped with the radioactive trefoil, but the workers did not know what the symbol meant and so they handled the dangerous objects anyway.
Two regulatory bodies, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the International Organization For standardization (ISO), recently recognized this serious problem and developed a new supplemental symbol that is being used to warn people about the most dangerous radiation sources. This new label is meant to more effectively communicate the dangers of radiation, with the traditional trefoil at the top with radiating waves protruding outwards. At the bottom of the label is a skull and crossbones as well as a running man. You won't see the new symbol on buildings, doors, or shipping containers. Instead, it will primarily be used on industrial sources of radiation like food irradiators and cancer treatment machines-- equipment that sometimes ends up in junk yards when proper disposal procedures aren't followed. Also, the new symbol won't replace the old symbol, rather, it will be used in addition to the traditional trefoil.
According to the IAEA, ''the new symbol is aimed at alerting anyone, anywhere to the potential dangers of... ionizing radiation" and is the result of more than 5 years of research (IAEA, New Symbol Launched to Warn Public About Radiation Dangers, http://tinyurl.com/2jw8du). The symbol was carefully designed by a team of researchers, radiation experts, and graphic artists and was tested by the Gallup Institute. This testing revealed that the new symbol's message of "Danger--Stay away" was recognized by people of all ages, educational backgrounds, and nationalities.
The new symbol has already gained wide-spread acceptance among manufacturers of radioactive equipment, and the process of retrofitting older equipment with the new label is already underway. Hopes are that this new symbol will actually save lives. According to Carolyn MacKenzie of the IAEA, "We can't teach the world about radiation, but we can warn people about dangerous sources for the price of a sticker." (IAEA, New Symbol Launched to Warn Public About Radiation Dangers, http://tinyurl.com/2jw8du)
This lack of recognition can pose a real safety threat to workers in countries like Indonesia and China, especially those who work in the ''scrap metal'' industry. There have been numerous cases in which workers were injured or killed as a result of processing metal "scraps" that contained high levels of radiation. In some of these cases, the metal objects were clearly stamped with the radioactive trefoil, but the workers did not know what the symbol meant and so they handled the dangerous objects anyway.
Two regulatory bodies, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the International Organization For standardization (ISO), recently recognized this serious problem and developed a new supplemental symbol that is being used to warn people about the most dangerous radiation sources. This new label is meant to more effectively communicate the dangers of radiation, with the traditional trefoil at the top with radiating waves protruding outwards. At the bottom of the label is a skull and crossbones as well as a running man. You won't see the new symbol on buildings, doors, or shipping containers. Instead, it will primarily be used on industrial sources of radiation like food irradiators and cancer treatment machines-- equipment that sometimes ends up in junk yards when proper disposal procedures aren't followed. Also, the new symbol won't replace the old symbol, rather, it will be used in addition to the traditional trefoil.
According to the IAEA, ''the new symbol is aimed at alerting anyone, anywhere to the potential dangers of... ionizing radiation" and is the result of more than 5 years of research (IAEA, New Symbol Launched to Warn Public About Radiation Dangers, http://tinyurl.com/2jw8du). The symbol was carefully designed by a team of researchers, radiation experts, and graphic artists and was tested by the Gallup Institute. This testing revealed that the new symbol's message of "Danger--Stay away" was recognized by people of all ages, educational backgrounds, and nationalities.
The new symbol has already gained wide-spread acceptance among manufacturers of radioactive equipment, and the process of retrofitting older equipment with the new label is already underway. Hopes are that this new symbol will actually save lives. According to Carolyn MacKenzie of the IAEA, "We can't teach the world about radiation, but we can warn people about dangerous sources for the price of a sticker." (IAEA, New Symbol Launched to Warn Public About Radiation Dangers, http://tinyurl.com/2jw8du)
Tips for Avoiding Illness on Cruise Ships
Millions of Americans embark on cruise ship vacations each year, and it's easy to see why. Cruises offer exotic destinations, fantastic entertainment, and top-notch dining at competitive, all-inclusive prices. As much fun as cruises can be, hardly a year goes by that there aren't media reports of at least one outbreak of gastrointestinal illness aboard an American cruise ship.
With frightening terms like "Norwalk virus" being thrown around, many people are scared and confused about the threat of illness aboard cruise ships. The truth is, Norwalk-type viruses are very common and more than 80% of Norwalk outbreaks actually occur on land. It is unfortunately very common for outbreaks of stomach illness (caused by Norwalk viruses) to occur in places where large numbers of people gather for days at a time, such as hotels, camps, convention centers, etc. Luckily, there are some simple steps you can follow to keep yourself healthy and "stomach virus" free while you're on your next cruise.
In order to protect yourself from illness, we first need to understand why stomach maladies seen to spread so quickly aboard cruise ships. Stomach viruses are typically transmitted via what scientists call a "fecal-oral" route. As gross as it may be to think about, the fact of the matter is that a lot of people don t wash their hands after they go to the bathroom. As I said earlier, the Norwalk virus is very common and it is not uncommon for someone to be infected with the virus and not even know it, since the symptoms are generally not extremely severe and self-limiting. All it takes is for a few infected people to start touching handrails, door knobs, lounge chairs and everything else on board, and before you know it, you have an "outbreak."
The best way to protect yourself from illness on a cruise is the tried-and-true advice of frequent hand washing. Studies have proven over and over that this simple step provides the most dramatic reduction in rates of illness. When you're on a cruise, get into the habit of washing your hands religiously. Certainly wash your hands before every meal and after using the bathroom. Also, carry a tube of alcohol-based "hand sanitizer" gel with you, and use it frequently, especially after touching potentially-infected objects like hand rails or door knobs.
Be careful at ports of call. While the food and beverages aboard your cruise ship should be perfectly safe, one of the most common ways people get stomach illness on cruises is by eating contaminated food in foreign countries when the ship is docked. When on land, be sure to only drink bottled beverages, as the tap water could make you sick. Make sure that any food you eat is thoroughly cooked, and avoid raw fruits and vegetables (i.e. salads) in particular as these items are commonly washed with tap water that could be contaminated.
If you do feel yourself getting sick with some sort of stomach illness, you should immediately report to the ship's infirmary, as it is very important that the medical personnel aboard the cruise ship have a record of your illness. If they do confirm that you are sick with a communicable virus, they may ask you to stay in your cabin for a few days. Please heed this advice...if more people did, outbreaks of stomach illness wouldn't be nearly as common.
Finally, if you are onboard a cruise and there is an announcement that there is an active outbreak aboard the ship, follow the instructions you are given carefully. Avoid touching objects in common areas, like serving spoons, magazines, or public telephones. You may also want to avoid gym equipment and shared restrooms. If you do get sick, don't panic. As stated earlier, cruise ship illnesses generally have a short course and chances are you'll be feeling better in a few days.
With frightening terms like "Norwalk virus" being thrown around, many people are scared and confused about the threat of illness aboard cruise ships. The truth is, Norwalk-type viruses are very common and more than 80% of Norwalk outbreaks actually occur on land. It is unfortunately very common for outbreaks of stomach illness (caused by Norwalk viruses) to occur in places where large numbers of people gather for days at a time, such as hotels, camps, convention centers, etc. Luckily, there are some simple steps you can follow to keep yourself healthy and "stomach virus" free while you're on your next cruise.
In order to protect yourself from illness, we first need to understand why stomach maladies seen to spread so quickly aboard cruise ships. Stomach viruses are typically transmitted via what scientists call a "fecal-oral" route. As gross as it may be to think about, the fact of the matter is that a lot of people don t wash their hands after they go to the bathroom. As I said earlier, the Norwalk virus is very common and it is not uncommon for someone to be infected with the virus and not even know it, since the symptoms are generally not extremely severe and self-limiting. All it takes is for a few infected people to start touching handrails, door knobs, lounge chairs and everything else on board, and before you know it, you have an "outbreak."
The best way to protect yourself from illness on a cruise is the tried-and-true advice of frequent hand washing. Studies have proven over and over that this simple step provides the most dramatic reduction in rates of illness. When you're on a cruise, get into the habit of washing your hands religiously. Certainly wash your hands before every meal and after using the bathroom. Also, carry a tube of alcohol-based "hand sanitizer" gel with you, and use it frequently, especially after touching potentially-infected objects like hand rails or door knobs.
Be careful at ports of call. While the food and beverages aboard your cruise ship should be perfectly safe, one of the most common ways people get stomach illness on cruises is by eating contaminated food in foreign countries when the ship is docked. When on land, be sure to only drink bottled beverages, as the tap water could make you sick. Make sure that any food you eat is thoroughly cooked, and avoid raw fruits and vegetables (i.e. salads) in particular as these items are commonly washed with tap water that could be contaminated.
If you do feel yourself getting sick with some sort of stomach illness, you should immediately report to the ship's infirmary, as it is very important that the medical personnel aboard the cruise ship have a record of your illness. If they do confirm that you are sick with a communicable virus, they may ask you to stay in your cabin for a few days. Please heed this advice...if more people did, outbreaks of stomach illness wouldn't be nearly as common.
Finally, if you are onboard a cruise and there is an announcement that there is an active outbreak aboard the ship, follow the instructions you are given carefully. Avoid touching objects in common areas, like serving spoons, magazines, or public telephones. You may also want to avoid gym equipment and shared restrooms. If you do get sick, don't panic. As stated earlier, cruise ship illnesses generally have a short course and chances are you'll be feeling better in a few days.
Top 5 Saved by the Bell Videos on YouTube
If you were born in the 80's and grew up in the 90's, chances are you have a soft-spot in your heart for "Saved by the Bell." I have fond memories of watching this show religiously every Saturday morning, and it makes me happy that they still show reruns to this day. I feel like Zack Morris, Jesse Spanno, and Screech are close friends of mine, and I probably have more fond memories of Bayside High School than I do my own.
Of course, now we're in the age of the internet, and it seems like quite a few people have been using the net to express their love for this popular teenage sitcom. From clips to reenactments, more and more "Saved by the Bell" videos hit YouTube every week. Luckily, I've taken the time to wade through them all and I've compiled this list of the top five "Saved by the Bell" videos on YouTube. Here's the countdown...
5. "Saved by the Bell - Brokeback Style" - One of the most controversial films released in recent years is the gay cowboy movie Brokeback Mountain. Always on the cutting edge of pop-culture, some "Saved by the Bell" fans put together this funny little movie clip which is a parody of the Brokeback Mountain preview. The author of the clip edited together various clips from the show to suggest a homosexual relationship between two of the shows main male characters, Zack Morris and A.C. Slater. Not the funniest clip I've seen, but clever enough to make it to the bottom of this list.
4. Zack and Kelly Break Up - Perhaps one of the most dramatic and poignant scenes from "Saved by the Bell" is when Kelly breaks up with Zack at the costume ball. Remember? Jesse & Slater are inside singing a duet of Michael Bolton's How am I Supposed to Live Without You? while Kelly takes Zack outside to tell him that she has feelings for someone else. I can barely hold back the tears every time I see it, and now I can see it anytime I want thanks to the internet.
3. Zack Proposes to Kelly - While I did love Saved by the Bell, I never really got into "The College Years" episodes. However, I always wanted Kelly and Zack to end up together, forever. While not necessarily what I was imagining, I was happy to finally get to see Zack propose to Kelly. Of course, Kelly says "Yes."
2. Reenactment of "Hot Sundaes" Workout Video - Just about any "Saved by the Bell" fan will tell you that the best episode of the series is "Jessie's Song," when the girls get together and decide to form a music group. Their music video is called "Go For It" and features the girls working out and singing in a gym-type setting. The video on the show is amazing, but what's even more amazing is that this group of girls has managed to reenact the entire thing on stage and make a video of their own. I was rolling on the floor laughing the first time I saw this.
(Another reenactment of the workout video, featured here, also deserves an honorable mention. Both reenactments are absolutely hilarious.) Which brings us to the number 1 "Saved by the Bell" video on YouTube...
1.Jesse's Music Video - Finally, who could forget when the seemingly infallible Jesse Spanno gets addicted to drugs. Her addiction to caffeine pills leads to the infamous line, "I'm so excited...I'm so...scared!" As if the episode didn't have enough comedic value all by itself, some clever YouTuber has made a strikingly funny music video revolving around Jesse's unfortunate predicament. Funny can't even begin to describe it...this one you have to see to believe!
Thanks to YouTube, many of my favorite "Saved by the Bell" memories are now ready for me to watch whenever, wherever I want. If you remember liking the show when you were younger, take a moment to check out these videos and take a little trip down memory lane.
Of course, now we're in the age of the internet, and it seems like quite a few people have been using the net to express their love for this popular teenage sitcom. From clips to reenactments, more and more "Saved by the Bell" videos hit YouTube every week. Luckily, I've taken the time to wade through them all and I've compiled this list of the top five "Saved by the Bell" videos on YouTube. Here's the countdown...
5. "Saved by the Bell - Brokeback Style" - One of the most controversial films released in recent years is the gay cowboy movie Brokeback Mountain. Always on the cutting edge of pop-culture, some "Saved by the Bell" fans put together this funny little movie clip which is a parody of the Brokeback Mountain preview. The author of the clip edited together various clips from the show to suggest a homosexual relationship between two of the shows main male characters, Zack Morris and A.C. Slater. Not the funniest clip I've seen, but clever enough to make it to the bottom of this list.
4. Zack and Kelly Break Up - Perhaps one of the most dramatic and poignant scenes from "Saved by the Bell" is when Kelly breaks up with Zack at the costume ball. Remember? Jesse & Slater are inside singing a duet of Michael Bolton's How am I Supposed to Live Without You? while Kelly takes Zack outside to tell him that she has feelings for someone else. I can barely hold back the tears every time I see it, and now I can see it anytime I want thanks to the internet.
3. Zack Proposes to Kelly - While I did love Saved by the Bell, I never really got into "The College Years" episodes. However, I always wanted Kelly and Zack to end up together, forever. While not necessarily what I was imagining, I was happy to finally get to see Zack propose to Kelly. Of course, Kelly says "Yes."
2. Reenactment of "Hot Sundaes" Workout Video - Just about any "Saved by the Bell" fan will tell you that the best episode of the series is "Jessie's Song," when the girls get together and decide to form a music group. Their music video is called "Go For It" and features the girls working out and singing in a gym-type setting. The video on the show is amazing, but what's even more amazing is that this group of girls has managed to reenact the entire thing on stage and make a video of their own. I was rolling on the floor laughing the first time I saw this.
(Another reenactment of the workout video, featured here, also deserves an honorable mention. Both reenactments are absolutely hilarious.) Which brings us to the number 1 "Saved by the Bell" video on YouTube...
1.Jesse's Music Video - Finally, who could forget when the seemingly infallible Jesse Spanno gets addicted to drugs. Her addiction to caffeine pills leads to the infamous line, "I'm so excited...I'm so...scared!" As if the episode didn't have enough comedic value all by itself, some clever YouTuber has made a strikingly funny music video revolving around Jesse's unfortunate predicament. Funny can't even begin to describe it...this one you have to see to believe!
Thanks to YouTube, many of my favorite "Saved by the Bell" memories are now ready for me to watch whenever, wherever I want. If you remember liking the show when you were younger, take a moment to check out these videos and take a little trip down memory lane.
Real Men like to Scrapbook
I have a confession to make: I'm a guy and I like to scrapbook. When I tell my female friends, they usually think its pretty cool and are eager to look at my albums and crop with me. But when I share my love for scrapbooking with my guy friends, its not such a warm reaction. I've been made fun of on more than one occasion because I like to make photo albums. This article is my attempt to appeal to more of my male counterparts to pick up the camera, the scissors, and the pens and start getting your memories into archival quality albums. Read on...I promise I won't tell the guys at the bar...
The fact is, more and more men are taking an interest in scrapbooking. The Wall Street Journal recently published an articled called "Wanted: A Few Good Men (with Scissors)," which highlights the growing number of men that are actively pursuing this hobby. But let's get a few things out of the way first, okay?
One of the reasons that scrapbooking has traditionally been perceived as a woman's hobby is because most people's idea of a scrapbook involves lots of ribbons, stickers, and bright pastel papers. But guys, it doesn't have to be that way. The whole point of scrapbooking is to get your memories, primarily photos and paper memorabilia, into organized, photo-safe, archival quality albums.
So many of my friends, male and female, look at my albums and tell me that they really wish they had taken the time to get all of their memories organized. Many of my guy friends tell me about all the cool trips they've taken and experiences they've had, but they never even thought to take any pictures or save any souvenirs. Taking a picture every now and then does not make you less of a man, I promise, and if those pictures are worth taking, they're worth preserving.
Even the guys I know who do take pictures are content to just have them stored in a shoebox in the attic. If you're just going to leave them in a box, you might as well not even take the picture. Here's where scrapbooking comes in...the absolute safest place for your pictures to be are in a photo-safe album. The best "albums" out there are made by scrapbooking companies (my favorite is Creative Memories).
Why choose a "scrapbook" over a cheap, off-brand photo album from the discount store? Two reasons, really. First off, a lot of the albums out there on the market will destroy your photographs faster than you would believe. They contain chemicals and materials that will actually eat through your pictures, whereas scrapbooks made by reputable companies are guaranteed to be photo safe. Second, scrapbooks provide a space for you to write your memories down.
The hardest part of scrapbooking for guys is "journaling." My male friends have told me they don't want to get all "mushy" and write their feelings down. But do whatever you feel comfortable with. Did you go on a cruise with a girlfriend and buy one of those professional photos? Just jot down her name and a date underneath the photograph...something as simple as "Me & Mindy - June 2003." In 20 years, you'll have no clue what her name was and will be glad you wrote it down. Did you win a bowling tournament? Write 2 sentences about the practice you put in and how it felt to win. You'll be creating an album that will preserve your memories but that you won't be ashamed to show to the guys.
Even if you're not into designing layouts and using papers in your scrapbook, you may find that a trip to your local scrapbooking store yields some surprising finds. I've been able to find "beer" stickers, Penn State football paper, and a whole line of grilling/BBQ embellishments at my local store. These simple elements can make your pages more visually appealing without making your photo album any less masculine.
You can choose a darker colored album, like navy or black, and concentrate on earth tones inside to give your album even more of a masculine touch. Everybody has memories, and memories are worth preserving, even if you're a guy. Nothing beats the feeling of completing an album and realizing that years worth of your memories are safely preserved forever. Plus, I'll let you in on a little secret, chicks really do dig a guy who scrapbooks.
The fact is, more and more men are taking an interest in scrapbooking. The Wall Street Journal recently published an articled called "Wanted: A Few Good Men (with Scissors)," which highlights the growing number of men that are actively pursuing this hobby. But let's get a few things out of the way first, okay?
One of the reasons that scrapbooking has traditionally been perceived as a woman's hobby is because most people's idea of a scrapbook involves lots of ribbons, stickers, and bright pastel papers. But guys, it doesn't have to be that way. The whole point of scrapbooking is to get your memories, primarily photos and paper memorabilia, into organized, photo-safe, archival quality albums.
So many of my friends, male and female, look at my albums and tell me that they really wish they had taken the time to get all of their memories organized. Many of my guy friends tell me about all the cool trips they've taken and experiences they've had, but they never even thought to take any pictures or save any souvenirs. Taking a picture every now and then does not make you less of a man, I promise, and if those pictures are worth taking, they're worth preserving.
Even the guys I know who do take pictures are content to just have them stored in a shoebox in the attic. If you're just going to leave them in a box, you might as well not even take the picture. Here's where scrapbooking comes in...the absolute safest place for your pictures to be are in a photo-safe album. The best "albums" out there are made by scrapbooking companies (my favorite is Creative Memories).
Why choose a "scrapbook" over a cheap, off-brand photo album from the discount store? Two reasons, really. First off, a lot of the albums out there on the market will destroy your photographs faster than you would believe. They contain chemicals and materials that will actually eat through your pictures, whereas scrapbooks made by reputable companies are guaranteed to be photo safe. Second, scrapbooks provide a space for you to write your memories down.
The hardest part of scrapbooking for guys is "journaling." My male friends have told me they don't want to get all "mushy" and write their feelings down. But do whatever you feel comfortable with. Did you go on a cruise with a girlfriend and buy one of those professional photos? Just jot down her name and a date underneath the photograph...something as simple as "Me & Mindy - June 2003." In 20 years, you'll have no clue what her name was and will be glad you wrote it down. Did you win a bowling tournament? Write 2 sentences about the practice you put in and how it felt to win. You'll be creating an album that will preserve your memories but that you won't be ashamed to show to the guys.
Even if you're not into designing layouts and using papers in your scrapbook, you may find that a trip to your local scrapbooking store yields some surprising finds. I've been able to find "beer" stickers, Penn State football paper, and a whole line of grilling/BBQ embellishments at my local store. These simple elements can make your pages more visually appealing without making your photo album any less masculine.
You can choose a darker colored album, like navy or black, and concentrate on earth tones inside to give your album even more of a masculine touch. Everybody has memories, and memories are worth preserving, even if you're a guy. Nothing beats the feeling of completing an album and realizing that years worth of your memories are safely preserved forever. Plus, I'll let you in on a little secret, chicks really do dig a guy who scrapbooks.
Friday, August 1, 2014
New Pill Promises No More Periods for Women
On Tuesday, the FDA is expected to announce approval for Lybrel, a new birth control pill from Wyeth. Women have been looking for ways to avoid their period, as indicated by the success of recently-marketed pills that allow women to experience fewer periods each year. Lybrel, however, is the first birth control pill that would be FDA approved to allow a woman to skip her period indefinitely.
The name "Lybrel" is meant to conjure thoughts of "liberty." Other pills, like Yaz and Loestrin promise periods that are shorter in length, while Seasonique (the new version of Seasonale) is intended to reduce the occurrence of periods to 4 times per year. However, recent surveys indicate that up to half of all women say that they would prefer to skip their period altogether, which is the market segment that Wyeth seems to be targeting with Lybrel.
Some experts have raised concerns about the safety and wisdom of interrupting the menstrual cycle for extended periods of time. Paula S. Derry, a health psychologist from Baltimore, says "menstrual suppression itself is unnatural" and says there's not enough long-term safety date to support the practice. However, most doctor's agree that there is no medical reason that a woman needs to have a period and that periods can in fact cause major problems (like anemia) in some women. These doctors also note that women have been tinkering with their periods since birth control pills were developed with no widespread ill-effects.
The major problem with Lybrel seems to be with "breakthrough bleeding," which is bleeding that occurs outside of a woman's period. In one pre-approval study, 59 percent of women taking Lybrel had no bleeding after six months, however, another 18 percent of women dropped out of the study because of spotting and breakthrough bleeding. Some people see this as trading scheduled bleeding for unscheduled bleeding, a tough sell to say the least.
Only time will tell if women in the US are ready for a birth control option like Lybrel which would allow them to eliminate their periods altogether. Doctors are preparing for a blitz of questions about the new pill fueled by an aggressive consumer marketing campaign, although Wyeth has promised to market Lybrel to doctor's first. Some estimates say that sales for Lybrel could reach $40 million in 2007 alone. Regardless of Lybrel's success, this new pill is bound to be the answer to a lot of women's prayers.
SOURCE: Associated Press; "First pill meant to end periods poised for OK;"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18745930/
The name "Lybrel" is meant to conjure thoughts of "liberty." Other pills, like Yaz and Loestrin promise periods that are shorter in length, while Seasonique (the new version of Seasonale) is intended to reduce the occurrence of periods to 4 times per year. However, recent surveys indicate that up to half of all women say that they would prefer to skip their period altogether, which is the market segment that Wyeth seems to be targeting with Lybrel.
Some experts have raised concerns about the safety and wisdom of interrupting the menstrual cycle for extended periods of time. Paula S. Derry, a health psychologist from Baltimore, says "menstrual suppression itself is unnatural" and says there's not enough long-term safety date to support the practice. However, most doctor's agree that there is no medical reason that a woman needs to have a period and that periods can in fact cause major problems (like anemia) in some women. These doctors also note that women have been tinkering with their periods since birth control pills were developed with no widespread ill-effects.
The major problem with Lybrel seems to be with "breakthrough bleeding," which is bleeding that occurs outside of a woman's period. In one pre-approval study, 59 percent of women taking Lybrel had no bleeding after six months, however, another 18 percent of women dropped out of the study because of spotting and breakthrough bleeding. Some people see this as trading scheduled bleeding for unscheduled bleeding, a tough sell to say the least.
Only time will tell if women in the US are ready for a birth control option like Lybrel which would allow them to eliminate their periods altogether. Doctors are preparing for a blitz of questions about the new pill fueled by an aggressive consumer marketing campaign, although Wyeth has promised to market Lybrel to doctor's first. Some estimates say that sales for Lybrel could reach $40 million in 2007 alone. Regardless of Lybrel's success, this new pill is bound to be the answer to a lot of women's prayers.
SOURCE: Associated Press; "First pill meant to end periods poised for OK;"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18745930/
The Body Shop Versus Yankee Candle Company: Who Makes Better Home Fragrance Oils?
Burning scented oils is a great way to fragrance your home. Home fragrance oils are available in a wide variety of scents, and recently more and more companies have entered the scented oil market. A long time player in this market is The Body Shop, a company that has been selling home fragrance oils for decades. More recently, Yankee Candle Company has entered the game with their very own line of oils. In this article, I'll provide a head-to-head comparison of these two popular products.
Before I begin, I should let you know that I've been affiliated with both of these companies. I worked at a Yankee Candle Company retail store for a few years, and I've also been a consultant for the direct sales branch of The Body Shop in the past. Although I am not currently affiliated with either company, one of the reasons I feel qualified to provide this product comparison is because I've had extensive experience with both product lines. I had a great experience working for both of these companies, and I promise not to let my prior work influence this article...Scout's Honor.
The Basics of Burning Home Fragrance Oils
For those of you unfamiliar, here is a quick crash course in burning oils. To properly burn home fragrance oils, you'll need an oil burner, which is a small item that has a dish for the oil and a place to hold a tea-light candle underneath. Any place that sells oils will probably also sell oil burners.
Once you have the burner, simply put anywhere from 4-12 drops of oil in the dish, depending on the amount of fragrance you like. Light a tea-light candle and place it under the dish. As the dish heats up, the wonderful fragrance of the oil should start to fill the room. After you have achieved your desired level of fragrance (typically 10 to 15 minutes), you can blow out the candle, and your house should stay filled with fragrance for several hours.
The Price
These two companies are pretty even in terms of price. Yankee Candle Company sells a .33 ounce bottle of oil for $7.99, while The Body Shop has an ever-so-slightly smaller .30 ounce bottle of oil available for $7.50. Once you account for the small size difference, these oils are essentially selling for the same price. Also, both companies periodically run specials on their oils, so sometimes one might be cheaper than the other. I like to stock up when oil is on sale, because you can store it safely and it never goes bad.
Fragrance Selection
Having a wide variety of fragrances is important, since it is easy to get bored with the same scent all of the time. The Body Shop clearly wins this category. There are currently 33 different home fragrance oils available on The Body Shop's website, and they regularly are coming out with new & seasonal scents. A trip to an actual Body Shop store could reveal an even bigger selection of scents, since the store is bound to have out-of-season and discontinued oils in addition to the ones being currently produced.
In contrast, Yankee Candle has only ever produced 24 different scents of oil, and the majority of them are their newer scents which they are trying to promote. The reason for the smaller selection from Yankee Candle is simple: Yankee has only been selling oils since the beginning of 2007, whereas The Body Shop has been selling oils for years and years. I expect that it won't take long for Yankee to catch-up and maybe even surpass The Body Shop in terms of fragrance selection.
Product Performance
I bought my first oil burner from The Body Shop years ago and I fell in love with it the day I got it. When burning an oil from The Body Shop, I find that I usually only need 4 or 5 drops of oil because the fragrance is very concentrated. Within minutes of firing up my oil burner, the oils from The Body Shop fill my home with a wonderful scent that you can smell everywhere in the house. The scents always smell natural and just plain good, and I've never been disappointed.
When Yankee Candle Company decided to start selling home fragrance oils, I had high hopes. I knew that Yankee made some of the world's best candles, and I figured the oils would be just as good. The first thing I noticed was that the dispenser hole on the bottle of Yankee Candle oil was bigger, which means that more oil is dispensed with each drop. After filling the dish with an equivalent amount of oil, I began to wait.
I must say, it took quite a while for me to be able to smell the Yankee Candle oil. When I did finally catch the fragrance, it wasn't nearly as "potent" as when I burn oil from The Body Shop. The Yankee Candle oil did manage to fill the room with fragrance, but I could not smell it throughout my house like I do when I burn Body Shop oils. Then, as the oil in the dish started to evaporate, the strangest thing happened. The Yankee Candle oil began to give off a distinctly "chemical" smell. It's hard to put my finger on it, but my roommates agreed.
Wanting to give the Yankee Candle scented oils one more chance, I tried again the next evening. Instead of the normal 4-5 drops, this time I used significantly more oil. The extra oil did seem to help with the fragrance strength and you could definitely catch the scent better than the day before. But the same thing happened when the oil got lo--a distinct chemical odor was given off. When I added new oil to the dish, this chemical smell went away, but I shouldn't have to constantly be adding more oil to avoid an unpleasant aroma.
Conclusion: The Body Shop wins!
Overall, I just wasn't very impressed with the scented oils made by Yankee Candle Company and I will be sticking with oils from The Body Shop. Although the price is about the same, The Body Shop's oils just seem to perform better in my experience. Yankee Candle claims to be the world leader in home fragrance, and although I usually love Yankee products, I think they missed the mark with the scented oil line. The Body Shop has had a lot more time to perfect their product than newcomer Yankee Candle...perhaps in a few years, Yankee will work out the kinks and some of these issues with their scented oils will be resolved.
Before I begin, I should let you know that I've been affiliated with both of these companies. I worked at a Yankee Candle Company retail store for a few years, and I've also been a consultant for the direct sales branch of The Body Shop in the past. Although I am not currently affiliated with either company, one of the reasons I feel qualified to provide this product comparison is because I've had extensive experience with both product lines. I had a great experience working for both of these companies, and I promise not to let my prior work influence this article...Scout's Honor.
The Basics of Burning Home Fragrance Oils
For those of you unfamiliar, here is a quick crash course in burning oils. To properly burn home fragrance oils, you'll need an oil burner, which is a small item that has a dish for the oil and a place to hold a tea-light candle underneath. Any place that sells oils will probably also sell oil burners.
Once you have the burner, simply put anywhere from 4-12 drops of oil in the dish, depending on the amount of fragrance you like. Light a tea-light candle and place it under the dish. As the dish heats up, the wonderful fragrance of the oil should start to fill the room. After you have achieved your desired level of fragrance (typically 10 to 15 minutes), you can blow out the candle, and your house should stay filled with fragrance for several hours.
The Price
These two companies are pretty even in terms of price. Yankee Candle Company sells a .33 ounce bottle of oil for $7.99, while The Body Shop has an ever-so-slightly smaller .30 ounce bottle of oil available for $7.50. Once you account for the small size difference, these oils are essentially selling for the same price. Also, both companies periodically run specials on their oils, so sometimes one might be cheaper than the other. I like to stock up when oil is on sale, because you can store it safely and it never goes bad.
Fragrance Selection
Having a wide variety of fragrances is important, since it is easy to get bored with the same scent all of the time. The Body Shop clearly wins this category. There are currently 33 different home fragrance oils available on The Body Shop's website, and they regularly are coming out with new & seasonal scents. A trip to an actual Body Shop store could reveal an even bigger selection of scents, since the store is bound to have out-of-season and discontinued oils in addition to the ones being currently produced.
In contrast, Yankee Candle has only ever produced 24 different scents of oil, and the majority of them are their newer scents which they are trying to promote. The reason for the smaller selection from Yankee Candle is simple: Yankee has only been selling oils since the beginning of 2007, whereas The Body Shop has been selling oils for years and years. I expect that it won't take long for Yankee to catch-up and maybe even surpass The Body Shop in terms of fragrance selection.
Product Performance
I bought my first oil burner from The Body Shop years ago and I fell in love with it the day I got it. When burning an oil from The Body Shop, I find that I usually only need 4 or 5 drops of oil because the fragrance is very concentrated. Within minutes of firing up my oil burner, the oils from The Body Shop fill my home with a wonderful scent that you can smell everywhere in the house. The scents always smell natural and just plain good, and I've never been disappointed.
When Yankee Candle Company decided to start selling home fragrance oils, I had high hopes. I knew that Yankee made some of the world's best candles, and I figured the oils would be just as good. The first thing I noticed was that the dispenser hole on the bottle of Yankee Candle oil was bigger, which means that more oil is dispensed with each drop. After filling the dish with an equivalent amount of oil, I began to wait.
I must say, it took quite a while for me to be able to smell the Yankee Candle oil. When I did finally catch the fragrance, it wasn't nearly as "potent" as when I burn oil from The Body Shop. The Yankee Candle oil did manage to fill the room with fragrance, but I could not smell it throughout my house like I do when I burn Body Shop oils. Then, as the oil in the dish started to evaporate, the strangest thing happened. The Yankee Candle oil began to give off a distinctly "chemical" smell. It's hard to put my finger on it, but my roommates agreed.
Wanting to give the Yankee Candle scented oils one more chance, I tried again the next evening. Instead of the normal 4-5 drops, this time I used significantly more oil. The extra oil did seem to help with the fragrance strength and you could definitely catch the scent better than the day before. But the same thing happened when the oil got lo--a distinct chemical odor was given off. When I added new oil to the dish, this chemical smell went away, but I shouldn't have to constantly be adding more oil to avoid an unpleasant aroma.
Conclusion: The Body Shop wins!
Overall, I just wasn't very impressed with the scented oils made by Yankee Candle Company and I will be sticking with oils from The Body Shop. Although the price is about the same, The Body Shop's oils just seem to perform better in my experience. Yankee Candle claims to be the world leader in home fragrance, and although I usually love Yankee products, I think they missed the mark with the scented oil line. The Body Shop has had a lot more time to perfect their product than newcomer Yankee Candle...perhaps in a few years, Yankee will work out the kinks and some of these issues with their scented oils will be resolved.
Your Guide to Finding the Best Deals on Apartments in Baltimore
If you've decided to move to Baltimore (or even if you're just thinking about it), let me be the first to welcome to you this exciting city with lots to do! I first moved to Baltimore when was a sophomore in college, and I was on an extremely limited budget. I had never looked for an apartment before, so I tried the obvious websites like Apartments.com and Rent.com. Unfortunately, all that came up were apartments and condos that were part of managed buildings, and these were way out of my price range.
I moved to a Baltimore suburb with my older brother while continuing my apartment search, and made a few friends that lived in the city, where I ultimately wanted to live as well. Once I knew them well enough, I started asking them their rent and I was astonished. One friend is paying $270 for a small, but adequate studio with kitchen and bath next to the beautiful Baltimore Inner Harbor. Another friend has a huge two-bedroom apartment with antique hardwood floors in trendy Mount Vernon and she was paying $525 a month. Why couldn't I find deals like these?
The problem was that I was looking in the wrong places. Apartment buildings are nice and often have amenities like fitness centers and laundry facilities, but you will pay a hefty premium for those. Most of the professionally managed apartment buildings I looked at were asking a minimum of $800 to $1200 a month in rent.
The secret to living cheaply in Baltimore is to find an apartment that is owned by a private landlord or a small business owner. In many of the most exclusive parts of Baltimore, the shops, bars, and boutiques were built with an apartment or two on the second and third floors for the owner and the family to live in. Many of these businesses are now run by corporations, or the owners do not wish to live in the city, and they are willing to rent out these apartments for bargain basement prices because they are a great way to add a little something to their bottom line.
Many of these landlords don't want to go to the hassle or expense of maintaining a leasing office or showing the apartments to tenants. Most of the friends I know who had gotten amazing deals on their rent knew someone that had lived in the space prior to them and had simply transferred the lease over, usually on the same exact terms.
So basically, it boils down to word-of-mouth. You won't find these great deals on apartments if you look in the newspaper or search traditional online rental websites. But, with a little bit of "detective work," you too can land an apartment with absurdly affordable rent in the heart of Baltimore...here's how:
If you know someone who lives in Baltimore, ask them if they know of any apartments that are available for rent. This seems obvious, but many people forget this step. This simple question can lead to some of the most amazing deals on rent that you'll find.
Use social networking websites like Craig's List and MySpace. One friend I know who is paying $310 for a two-bedroom apartment with a balcony and a great view in Charles Village found his apartment by browsing profiles on MySpace. I see apartments in the $300 to $600 range all the time on Craig's list. These might not be the first places you'd think to look, but often these venues are where you'll find the best bargains.
Look for ads in smaller newspapers that wouldn't be considered "mainstream," like Baltimore Gay Life, OutLoud!, and the Baltimore Jewish Times. Advertising in a big city newspaper like the Baltimore Sun can be prohibitively expensive for some people, and other owners like to advertise to communities to which they feel they belong. By searching for less-known media outlets in Baltimore, you may be able to find a great rental property in an exclusive neighborhood for a price that's easy on the pocketbook.
If you're really strapped for cash, other options to consider might be on of the many government-assisted housing communities available in Baltimore, or to share a space with a roommate or two. With Johns Hopkins University, University of Baltimore, MICA, and other major universities all in the heart of the city, you'll often find people looking to split their living expenses with someone else. While it may not be ideal, it may be just the solution for a few months or a year while you look for something else.
With a little bit of research, and a willingness to look "off the beaten path," you can find affordable housing pretty much anywhere you want in Baltimore. It may take a little time, but some patience and perseverance will definitely pay off in the long run.
I moved to a Baltimore suburb with my older brother while continuing my apartment search, and made a few friends that lived in the city, where I ultimately wanted to live as well. Once I knew them well enough, I started asking them their rent and I was astonished. One friend is paying $270 for a small, but adequate studio with kitchen and bath next to the beautiful Baltimore Inner Harbor. Another friend has a huge two-bedroom apartment with antique hardwood floors in trendy Mount Vernon and she was paying $525 a month. Why couldn't I find deals like these?
The problem was that I was looking in the wrong places. Apartment buildings are nice and often have amenities like fitness centers and laundry facilities, but you will pay a hefty premium for those. Most of the professionally managed apartment buildings I looked at were asking a minimum of $800 to $1200 a month in rent.
The secret to living cheaply in Baltimore is to find an apartment that is owned by a private landlord or a small business owner. In many of the most exclusive parts of Baltimore, the shops, bars, and boutiques were built with an apartment or two on the second and third floors for the owner and the family to live in. Many of these businesses are now run by corporations, or the owners do not wish to live in the city, and they are willing to rent out these apartments for bargain basement prices because they are a great way to add a little something to their bottom line.
Many of these landlords don't want to go to the hassle or expense of maintaining a leasing office or showing the apartments to tenants. Most of the friends I know who had gotten amazing deals on their rent knew someone that had lived in the space prior to them and had simply transferred the lease over, usually on the same exact terms.
So basically, it boils down to word-of-mouth. You won't find these great deals on apartments if you look in the newspaper or search traditional online rental websites. But, with a little bit of "detective work," you too can land an apartment with absurdly affordable rent in the heart of Baltimore...here's how:
If you know someone who lives in Baltimore, ask them if they know of any apartments that are available for rent. This seems obvious, but many people forget this step. This simple question can lead to some of the most amazing deals on rent that you'll find.
Use social networking websites like Craig's List and MySpace. One friend I know who is paying $310 for a two-bedroom apartment with a balcony and a great view in Charles Village found his apartment by browsing profiles on MySpace. I see apartments in the $300 to $600 range all the time on Craig's list. These might not be the first places you'd think to look, but often these venues are where you'll find the best bargains.
Look for ads in smaller newspapers that wouldn't be considered "mainstream," like Baltimore Gay Life, OutLoud!, and the Baltimore Jewish Times. Advertising in a big city newspaper like the Baltimore Sun can be prohibitively expensive for some people, and other owners like to advertise to communities to which they feel they belong. By searching for less-known media outlets in Baltimore, you may be able to find a great rental property in an exclusive neighborhood for a price that's easy on the pocketbook.
If you're really strapped for cash, other options to consider might be on of the many government-assisted housing communities available in Baltimore, or to share a space with a roommate or two. With Johns Hopkins University, University of Baltimore, MICA, and other major universities all in the heart of the city, you'll often find people looking to split their living expenses with someone else. While it may not be ideal, it may be just the solution for a few months or a year while you look for something else.
With a little bit of research, and a willingness to look "off the beaten path," you can find affordable housing pretty much anywhere you want in Baltimore. It may take a little time, but some patience and perseverance will definitely pay off in the long run.
New Study Finds that Fewer U.S. Women Are Getting Mammograms
According to a report by federal researchers that was released today, the percentage of U.S. women getting mammograms to screen for breast cancer has begun to drop after steadily rising for decades. The study, released by the National Cancer Institute along with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), reveals that the overall rate that women are getting mammograms fell 4 percent between 2000 and 2005, the first decline since mammograms became standard practice in 1987.
While breast cancer experts speculated as to the cause of this trend, they all seemed to be alarmed by the fact that fewer women are getting mammograms. More than 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, and at least 40,000 die from the disease annually. Mortality rates have been improving because mammograms tend to catch the disease in earlier, more treatable stages. However, according to Nancy Breen of the American Cancer Society, "If women are not getting mammograms, then their cancer may not be diagnosed until later stages, which could translate into higher mortality from breast cancer."
According to the study, which consisted of a survey of 10,000 women, just 66 percent of women stated that they had gotten a mammogram in the last two years when asked in 2005, compared with 70 percent of women who answered the question in the year 2000. Experts believe that one reason this is happening is because less women are taking hormone replacement therapy, a practice that was found to increase the chance of heart attack and stroke. Because they are not taking hormones, some experts say, these women believe that their risk of breast cancer has declined.
Another possible explanation is the increasing shortage of mammography facilities in the United States. Some women may have to wait weeks or even months before they can be scheduled for a mammogram. This frustrating experience, coupled with our increasingly busy lives, means that many women simply choose to skip the mammogram or they put it off longer than they should.
Finally, some women have been confused by recent media reports that have questioned the benefits of mammography. However, experts counter that these reports only deal with women who are between the ages of 40 and 50, and that the benefits of mammography have been well established for women over the age of 50. According to Constance Lehman, a professor of radiology at the University of Washington, "A mammogram is the best thing a woman can do to reduce her chances of dying from breast cancer."
Source: Washington Post - "Fewer U.S. Women Getting Mammograms" - May 14, 2007 -http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18646146/
While breast cancer experts speculated as to the cause of this trend, they all seemed to be alarmed by the fact that fewer women are getting mammograms. More than 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, and at least 40,000 die from the disease annually. Mortality rates have been improving because mammograms tend to catch the disease in earlier, more treatable stages. However, according to Nancy Breen of the American Cancer Society, "If women are not getting mammograms, then their cancer may not be diagnosed until later stages, which could translate into higher mortality from breast cancer."
According to the study, which consisted of a survey of 10,000 women, just 66 percent of women stated that they had gotten a mammogram in the last two years when asked in 2005, compared with 70 percent of women who answered the question in the year 2000. Experts believe that one reason this is happening is because less women are taking hormone replacement therapy, a practice that was found to increase the chance of heart attack and stroke. Because they are not taking hormones, some experts say, these women believe that their risk of breast cancer has declined.
Another possible explanation is the increasing shortage of mammography facilities in the United States. Some women may have to wait weeks or even months before they can be scheduled for a mammogram. This frustrating experience, coupled with our increasingly busy lives, means that many women simply choose to skip the mammogram or they put it off longer than they should.
Finally, some women have been confused by recent media reports that have questioned the benefits of mammography. However, experts counter that these reports only deal with women who are between the ages of 40 and 50, and that the benefits of mammography have been well established for women over the age of 50. According to Constance Lehman, a professor of radiology at the University of Washington, "A mammogram is the best thing a woman can do to reduce her chances of dying from breast cancer."
Source: Washington Post - "Fewer U.S. Women Getting Mammograms" - May 14, 2007 -http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18646146/
Treating Insomnia Without Drugs: A Review of the SleepKey Electronic Self-Help Device
In the past year, numerous prescription sleeping pills have hit the market, and it seems like you can't turn anywhere without seeing an ad for one of these drugs. Sleep aids like Ambien, Lunesta, and Rozerem have helped millions of Americans get a good night's sleep. But these drugs are not without their side effects (remember the media frenzy a few months ago over people ''sleep driving" while on Ambien?), and some people prefer a more natural approach to dealing with sleep problems.
A new product called SleepKey recently hit the market and promises a drug-free, behavioral approach to dealing with insomnia. Sleep key, which is made by a company called PICS, Inc., is an unassuming electronic device about the size of a small remote control. I've been having some problems getting on a regular sleep schedule myself, so after reviewing the SleepKey website, I decided to purchase one of the gadgets for myself.
The product arrived quickly, and it was easy enough to set up. SleepKey has only four buttons, so there's really not much to screw up. After installing 3 AAA batteries, I set the current time, in addition to the time I wanted to wake up the next morning. For the first 7 days, the instruction manual informed me, SleepKey would take me through the first of three phases.
Here's how it works: when you go to bed, you let Sleep key know by pressing the "In/Out of Bed'' button. After a short while, SleepKey will emit a very soft beeping tone. If you hear the tone, you press the "Awake" button on top of the device, which is probably similar in shape, size and feel to the snooze button on your alarm clock. The idea is that if you're sleeping, the tones won't be loud enough to wake you up, so you won't press the button. This process, called "Active Sleep Sampling'', let's SleepKey assess your sleep efficiency, or the amount of time that you're in bed that you are actually sleeping.
I had no problem falling asleep with the tones, as they are very quiet and infrequent. If you find that the tones bother you, SleepKey also has a vibrate option, In the morning, SleepKey acts as your alarm clock and gets you out of bed by emitting a series of progressively louder and longer beeps. You have to press the ''Out of Bed" button to stop the alarm as opposed to the "Awake'' button that you'd intuitively press, which is actually a great feature. I find that sometimes I just hit the snooze button on my alarm clock without actually waking up, causing me to sleep in. SleepKey makes me think just enough to turn the alarm off that I really am awake and I do get up out of bed.
After the first seven days, SleepKey has learned enough about your personal sleep pattern to move on to the second phase. In Phase II, SleepKey tells you when you should go to bed, as opposed to you picking your own bedtime as you did during the first phase. Initially, the bedtime that SleepKey sets might be much later than you are used to--that's okay. The idea is that if you wake up at a normal time, you'll be tired enough to get a good night's sleep the next night.
Each night during Phase II, SleepKey will sound a prompt to let you know that it's time for bed. Once you are in bed, SleepKey will emit the same tones to check whether or not you're awake. Unlike Phase I, however, if you are in bed for too long without falling asleep, SleepKey will prompt you to get out of bed and try falling asleep again in a little while. This is based on studies that show insomnia is caused, to some degree, by people not associating their bed with sleep. By making you get out of bed until you are tired enough to sleep, SleepKey helps to reinforce the notion that your bed should be used for sleep, and not much else.
SleepKey also provides important data about your sleep, allowing you to retrieve your "Total Time Asleep" and "Sleep Efficiency" numbers for the past 7 nights, and gives you averages of these important numbers as well. That might not seem important at first, but by allowing you to see your "raw data," you can see your sleeping patterns improve over time. Once your sleep efficiency starts to rise and you are spending most of your time in bed asleep, SleepKey will adjust your bedtime to be a little bit earlier every few days, allowing you to achieve a normal bedtime and the optimum amount of sleep for your body.
Once you have achieved a normal sleep schedule that you are happy with, you can manually set SleepKey to go into Phase III, which is "maintenance mode." During Phase III, SleepKey will no longer adjust your bedtime earlier, but may make it later if you begin to have problems sleeping again. Some users are able to graduate to Phase III in a matter of weeks, while others find it takes them several months to get back on a normal sleep schedule.
I've been using SleepKey for a little over a month now and my sleeping habits have greatly improved. I am finding that my body clock is slowly resetting itself, and I am getting tired around my bedtime and, more importantly, I'm ready to get up when my alarm sounds. I still have a bit to go until I'm on a "normal" sleep schedule, but I have no doubt that SleepKey can help me reach that goal.
The only drawback to SleepKey is that it does depend on you to "obey" its prompts. If you don't go to bed when the unit prompts you to, or if you ignore the wake up prompts, SleepKey won't work. You have to be an active participant in the process. If you're looking for a quick fix for short-term sleep problems, prescription sleeping pills might be the right choice. But if you're looking for a behavioral approach to help you deal with sleeping difficulties over the long-term without drugs, SleepKey might be just the product you've been looking for.
A new product called SleepKey recently hit the market and promises a drug-free, behavioral approach to dealing with insomnia. Sleep key, which is made by a company called PICS, Inc., is an unassuming electronic device about the size of a small remote control. I've been having some problems getting on a regular sleep schedule myself, so after reviewing the SleepKey website, I decided to purchase one of the gadgets for myself.
The product arrived quickly, and it was easy enough to set up. SleepKey has only four buttons, so there's really not much to screw up. After installing 3 AAA batteries, I set the current time, in addition to the time I wanted to wake up the next morning. For the first 7 days, the instruction manual informed me, SleepKey would take me through the first of three phases.
Here's how it works: when you go to bed, you let Sleep key know by pressing the "In/Out of Bed'' button. After a short while, SleepKey will emit a very soft beeping tone. If you hear the tone, you press the "Awake" button on top of the device, which is probably similar in shape, size and feel to the snooze button on your alarm clock. The idea is that if you're sleeping, the tones won't be loud enough to wake you up, so you won't press the button. This process, called "Active Sleep Sampling'', let's SleepKey assess your sleep efficiency, or the amount of time that you're in bed that you are actually sleeping.
I had no problem falling asleep with the tones, as they are very quiet and infrequent. If you find that the tones bother you, SleepKey also has a vibrate option, In the morning, SleepKey acts as your alarm clock and gets you out of bed by emitting a series of progressively louder and longer beeps. You have to press the ''Out of Bed" button to stop the alarm as opposed to the "Awake'' button that you'd intuitively press, which is actually a great feature. I find that sometimes I just hit the snooze button on my alarm clock without actually waking up, causing me to sleep in. SleepKey makes me think just enough to turn the alarm off that I really am awake and I do get up out of bed.
After the first seven days, SleepKey has learned enough about your personal sleep pattern to move on to the second phase. In Phase II, SleepKey tells you when you should go to bed, as opposed to you picking your own bedtime as you did during the first phase. Initially, the bedtime that SleepKey sets might be much later than you are used to--that's okay. The idea is that if you wake up at a normal time, you'll be tired enough to get a good night's sleep the next night.
Each night during Phase II, SleepKey will sound a prompt to let you know that it's time for bed. Once you are in bed, SleepKey will emit the same tones to check whether or not you're awake. Unlike Phase I, however, if you are in bed for too long without falling asleep, SleepKey will prompt you to get out of bed and try falling asleep again in a little while. This is based on studies that show insomnia is caused, to some degree, by people not associating their bed with sleep. By making you get out of bed until you are tired enough to sleep, SleepKey helps to reinforce the notion that your bed should be used for sleep, and not much else.
SleepKey also provides important data about your sleep, allowing you to retrieve your "Total Time Asleep" and "Sleep Efficiency" numbers for the past 7 nights, and gives you averages of these important numbers as well. That might not seem important at first, but by allowing you to see your "raw data," you can see your sleeping patterns improve over time. Once your sleep efficiency starts to rise and you are spending most of your time in bed asleep, SleepKey will adjust your bedtime to be a little bit earlier every few days, allowing you to achieve a normal bedtime and the optimum amount of sleep for your body.
Once you have achieved a normal sleep schedule that you are happy with, you can manually set SleepKey to go into Phase III, which is "maintenance mode." During Phase III, SleepKey will no longer adjust your bedtime earlier, but may make it later if you begin to have problems sleeping again. Some users are able to graduate to Phase III in a matter of weeks, while others find it takes them several months to get back on a normal sleep schedule.
I've been using SleepKey for a little over a month now and my sleeping habits have greatly improved. I am finding that my body clock is slowly resetting itself, and I am getting tired around my bedtime and, more importantly, I'm ready to get up when my alarm sounds. I still have a bit to go until I'm on a "normal" sleep schedule, but I have no doubt that SleepKey can help me reach that goal.
The only drawback to SleepKey is that it does depend on you to "obey" its prompts. If you don't go to bed when the unit prompts you to, or if you ignore the wake up prompts, SleepKey won't work. You have to be an active participant in the process. If you're looking for a quick fix for short-term sleep problems, prescription sleeping pills might be the right choice. But if you're looking for a behavioral approach to help you deal with sleeping difficulties over the long-term without drugs, SleepKey might be just the product you've been looking for.
CAPTCHA Tests Limit Web Access For The Disabled
We've all been annoyed by them. Some can be frustratingly difficult to get right. I'm talking about those little boxes with the squiggly words that you have to guess correctly in order to register for a website, like the examples in the "Pictures" section of this article. They're called CAPTCHAs, which is a geeky acronym for "Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart." Basically, these tests make sure that an actual person is performing a given action, and not an automated computer process.
The idea is that, even though the tests are "simple," they are tasks that are too complex for a computer to perform, so if the correct answer is given, the user must be a human. These test go a long way in deterring fraud on the internet, preventing identity theft, and keeping social networking sites like MySpace.com and Digg.com relatively free of spam (obviously, in the last example, the spammers have found ways around the CAPTCHA technology). But an unintended consequence of using CAPTCHAs is that these seemingly simple tests often prevent disabled people from using many popular websites.
Think about it. People with perfectly good vision often have a difficult time picking out all the letters in some CAPTCHAs. Now imagine you had cataracts or some other vision problem that reduced your visual acuity. It certainly doesn't make the process any easier, to say the least. Some CAPTCHA boxes rely on a user's ability to distinguish colors, which eliminates the color blind. Those who are completely blind have special computer equipment that converts text on the screen into spoken words or Braille. Unfortunately, these technologies cannot "read" CAPTCHA boxes.
Some sites have recently come out with alternative "audio CAPTCHAs," where a user clicks a link, hears a spoken word, and has to correctly transcribe the word that was said. One company who adopted this early on was popular GoDaddy.com. While this helps those with just visual impairments, it does nothing for the millions of individuals worldwide who have both vision and hearing difficulties. People with learning disabilities like dyslexia often have particular difficulty with CAPTCHAs as well.
So far, no one has figured out the perfect solution that will prevent automated web submissions while allowing web access to all humans, not just those without disabilities. In the meantime, progressive companies are making sure that they provide both visual and audio CAPTCHAs to provide access to the widest range of people. In addition, it is important for companies to have alternate registration procedures, such as allowing users to register over the phone, for those people who still have trouble with CAPTCHAs because of their disability. This will ensure that the web is truly accessible to everyone.
The idea is that, even though the tests are "simple," they are tasks that are too complex for a computer to perform, so if the correct answer is given, the user must be a human. These test go a long way in deterring fraud on the internet, preventing identity theft, and keeping social networking sites like MySpace.com and Digg.com relatively free of spam (obviously, in the last example, the spammers have found ways around the CAPTCHA technology). But an unintended consequence of using CAPTCHAs is that these seemingly simple tests often prevent disabled people from using many popular websites.
Think about it. People with perfectly good vision often have a difficult time picking out all the letters in some CAPTCHAs. Now imagine you had cataracts or some other vision problem that reduced your visual acuity. It certainly doesn't make the process any easier, to say the least. Some CAPTCHA boxes rely on a user's ability to distinguish colors, which eliminates the color blind. Those who are completely blind have special computer equipment that converts text on the screen into spoken words or Braille. Unfortunately, these technologies cannot "read" CAPTCHA boxes.
Some sites have recently come out with alternative "audio CAPTCHAs," where a user clicks a link, hears a spoken word, and has to correctly transcribe the word that was said. One company who adopted this early on was popular GoDaddy.com. While this helps those with just visual impairments, it does nothing for the millions of individuals worldwide who have both vision and hearing difficulties. People with learning disabilities like dyslexia often have particular difficulty with CAPTCHAs as well.
So far, no one has figured out the perfect solution that will prevent automated web submissions while allowing web access to all humans, not just those without disabilities. In the meantime, progressive companies are making sure that they provide both visual and audio CAPTCHAs to provide access to the widest range of people. In addition, it is important for companies to have alternate registration procedures, such as allowing users to register over the phone, for those people who still have trouble with CAPTCHAs because of their disability. This will ensure that the web is truly accessible to everyone.
Polaroid Pictures & Scrapbooking: What You Should Know
A few months ago, I resurrected an old personal hobby and started scrapbooking for the first time in years. Soon thereafter, I painfully realized that I quit taking pictures around the same time I quit scrapbooking in high school, and I have virtually no photos of the past 7 or 8 years. My entire time at college. My internship at Walt Disney World. My first boyfriend. All these memories pretty much gone forever.
I set out on the market for a new camera so I could start documenting my life with photographs once again, when I came across a deal on a website that caught my eye-a brand new, Polaroid instant camera for just $24.99. I remembered the (very) few times in my life that I had an instant photograph taken, I remembered how much fun it was, and I decided to take the plunge into the world of instant photography.
A few months after I got my Polaroid camera and took some great photographs, I was having a conversation about scrapbooking with my aunt (who is like the World Queen of Scrapbooking...you should see her supply room) when I mentioned that I had recently gotten into taking instant photographs.
I believe that her response was something along the lines of "You need to get out of the 1970s and get areal camera where the prints won't dissolve in 10 years." We laughed at the time, but it made me think....should I really be trusting my memories to be preserved on Polaroid pictures? How will these prints hold up compared to my traditional, 35mm prints? What makes me like instant photography so much? These are all questions that I'll attempt to provide some answers to in this article.
First, let's address the common belief that Polaroid pictures will deteriorate faster than traditional prints. This is simply not the case. Traditional prints can begin breaking down in just 15-20 years if not stored properly, and most experts agree that the majority of today's photographs will fade completely in just 60-100 years. According to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), it will take more than 100 years for today's Polaroid pictures to fade to an unacceptable level. Therefore, we can safely say that the "shelf life" of traditional prints versus instant prints is roughly the same. Furthermore, Polaroid pictures have the advantage of a built-in protective outer layer made from polyester, making them easy to clean (think fingerprints, dust, adhesive, etc.) and providing some level of protection against water damage.
Many scrapbookers want to know if they can safely crop instant photographs. The answer is, it depends who you ask. The problem is that instant pictures contain a developing chemical which can be caustic and irritate the skin and eyes. Normally this isn't a problem since the chemicals are contained within the picture itself. The problem arises when you start cutting the pictures up and "break" the seal the picture itself provides.
I will warn you that there have been reports of people seeking medical treatment after cropping Polaroid pictures....they are few and far between, though, and no one has suffered any permanent injuries as a result. The irritating chemicals inside the picture start to neutralize themselves as soon as your instant print is ejected from the camera. However, this neutralization process may take several days to complete. Think of it as the inside of the picture needing to "dry out." Most people find that they can safely crop Polaroid photographs about a week after the picture was taken. I have safely cropped hundreds of Polaroids without incident. However, if you are concerned about the chemical issue, you can simply mount the picture in your scrapbook without cutting it.
Lastly, let me tell you about the many benefits of owning an instant camera. Did you know that over 90% of the pictures taken worldwide are never printed? They stay locked in a digital camera, or worse yet, a roll of film, never to see the light of day. With a Polaroid camera, you take a picture, you get a print....that simple, no questions asked. Plus, Polaroids are fun! You should see the smiles on peoples' faces when they see a picture pop out of the front of my camera. Everyone gathers round and wants to shake the picture and see it develop. Take one to your next special event and I guarantee you'll be the life of the party!
There are a few downsides, however. First, I find that my Polaroid works best for close-up shots...especially shots with people. Landscape shots and shot of distant objects are not ideal for the Polaroid...I would recommend a traditional or digital camera for those. Second, some people complain about the expense of Polaroid pictures. If you buy the film at retail, you will probably pay about $20 for 20 prints...or $1 per photograph. I find that if I look around on eBay and deal sites, I can usually get film for about $0.40-$0.60 per print. Not cheap, but remember, the Polaroid film includes your film, developing, and batteries (a lot of people don't know that a battery inside each film pack powers your camera....new film means new battery, too). When you factor in these costs, there is not such a big price gap between instant and traditional photography.
One other great thing....often now, when I come home from a special event, I can start scrapbooking immediately. Since I used my Polaroid camera, I already have all my pictures. Gotta love that!
Overall, I would highly recommend picking up a Polaroid camera, especially if you're serious about scrapbooking. It probably won't become your only camera, but you'll find it useful in more situations than you'd imagine and I'd bet you'll soon be taking more Polaroid pictures than you ever imagined!
I set out on the market for a new camera so I could start documenting my life with photographs once again, when I came across a deal on a website that caught my eye-a brand new, Polaroid instant camera for just $24.99. I remembered the (very) few times in my life that I had an instant photograph taken, I remembered how much fun it was, and I decided to take the plunge into the world of instant photography.
A few months after I got my Polaroid camera and took some great photographs, I was having a conversation about scrapbooking with my aunt (who is like the World Queen of Scrapbooking...you should see her supply room) when I mentioned that I had recently gotten into taking instant photographs.
I believe that her response was something along the lines of "You need to get out of the 1970s and get areal camera where the prints won't dissolve in 10 years." We laughed at the time, but it made me think....should I really be trusting my memories to be preserved on Polaroid pictures? How will these prints hold up compared to my traditional, 35mm prints? What makes me like instant photography so much? These are all questions that I'll attempt to provide some answers to in this article.
First, let's address the common belief that Polaroid pictures will deteriorate faster than traditional prints. This is simply not the case. Traditional prints can begin breaking down in just 15-20 years if not stored properly, and most experts agree that the majority of today's photographs will fade completely in just 60-100 years. According to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), it will take more than 100 years for today's Polaroid pictures to fade to an unacceptable level. Therefore, we can safely say that the "shelf life" of traditional prints versus instant prints is roughly the same. Furthermore, Polaroid pictures have the advantage of a built-in protective outer layer made from polyester, making them easy to clean (think fingerprints, dust, adhesive, etc.) and providing some level of protection against water damage.
Many scrapbookers want to know if they can safely crop instant photographs. The answer is, it depends who you ask. The problem is that instant pictures contain a developing chemical which can be caustic and irritate the skin and eyes. Normally this isn't a problem since the chemicals are contained within the picture itself. The problem arises when you start cutting the pictures up and "break" the seal the picture itself provides.
I will warn you that there have been reports of people seeking medical treatment after cropping Polaroid pictures....they are few and far between, though, and no one has suffered any permanent injuries as a result. The irritating chemicals inside the picture start to neutralize themselves as soon as your instant print is ejected from the camera. However, this neutralization process may take several days to complete. Think of it as the inside of the picture needing to "dry out." Most people find that they can safely crop Polaroid photographs about a week after the picture was taken. I have safely cropped hundreds of Polaroids without incident. However, if you are concerned about the chemical issue, you can simply mount the picture in your scrapbook without cutting it.
Lastly, let me tell you about the many benefits of owning an instant camera. Did you know that over 90% of the pictures taken worldwide are never printed? They stay locked in a digital camera, or worse yet, a roll of film, never to see the light of day. With a Polaroid camera, you take a picture, you get a print....that simple, no questions asked. Plus, Polaroids are fun! You should see the smiles on peoples' faces when they see a picture pop out of the front of my camera. Everyone gathers round and wants to shake the picture and see it develop. Take one to your next special event and I guarantee you'll be the life of the party!
There are a few downsides, however. First, I find that my Polaroid works best for close-up shots...especially shots with people. Landscape shots and shot of distant objects are not ideal for the Polaroid...I would recommend a traditional or digital camera for those. Second, some people complain about the expense of Polaroid pictures. If you buy the film at retail, you will probably pay about $20 for 20 prints...or $1 per photograph. I find that if I look around on eBay and deal sites, I can usually get film for about $0.40-$0.60 per print. Not cheap, but remember, the Polaroid film includes your film, developing, and batteries (a lot of people don't know that a battery inside each film pack powers your camera....new film means new battery, too). When you factor in these costs, there is not such a big price gap between instant and traditional photography.
One other great thing....often now, when I come home from a special event, I can start scrapbooking immediately. Since I used my Polaroid camera, I already have all my pictures. Gotta love that!
Overall, I would highly recommend picking up a Polaroid camera, especially if you're serious about scrapbooking. It probably won't become your only camera, but you'll find it useful in more situations than you'd imagine and I'd bet you'll soon be taking more Polaroid pictures than you ever imagined!
The True Cost of 'Convenience'
We all do it. The light bulb is burned out so we run to the corner store and pay $3.49 for a two-pack of bulbs because that's the closest store there is. We don't feel like driving all the way to our own bank, so we pay a $2.00 ATM fee to withdrawal some money. Or maybe we don't feel like cooking dinner, so we stop off at Boston Market and pay $17 for a "family meal."
Whatever the case may be, consumers seem to be willing to pay big bucks for convenience, and corporate America has certainly taken notice. One convenience store chain, 7-Eleven, manages to rake in a cool 10.8 billion dollars a year. It seems like if you can make something, anything, even a little bit faster or easier, Americans will shell out their hard-earned money.
Of course everyone wants to make their life easier, and the truth is, in any one particular instance, the cost of convenience isn't that much. Take the examples I mentioned earlier. The light bulbs might only be $1.50 cheaper at Home Depot. That ATM fee was only $2.00. The prepared dinner might only be $5 or so more expensive than a home cooked meal. When taken separately, these are not large amounts of money that we're talking about.
But over time, these things do start to add up. If you stop at an ATM not owned by your bank just once a week, that's $104 in a year. Take the family out to eat once a week instead of cooking at home, at an average cost of $50 each time you eat out (which is very conservative), and you've spent a whopping $2600.
It's the little things, and how you live your day to day life, that start to form your overall financial picture. Over time, those "little bits" of money start to accumulate into large sums. And what starts out as "convenience" really ends up being not so convenient when you start to live beyond your means. Having to work longer hours or worry about credit card debt is not "convenient."
It is easy to get accustomed to a certain lifestyle, and to rationalize to yourself that you can afford the luxury of "convenience fees" every now and then. Occasionally, spending a little more money for convenience can be worth it as a nice treat for yourself. But if you find that your budget is stretched thin, or that you don't have as much money saved as you would like to, you might want to ask yourself just how much your lifestyle is costing you.
Of course everyone wants to make their life easier, and the truth is, in any one particular instance, the cost of convenience isn't that much. Take the examples I mentioned earlier. The light bulbs might only be $1.50 cheaper at Home Depot. That ATM fee was only $2.00. The prepared dinner might only be $5 or so more expensive than a home cooked meal. When taken separately, these are not large amounts of money that we're talking about.
But over time, these things do start to add up. If you stop at an ATM not owned by your bank just once a week, that's $104 in a year. Take the family out to eat once a week instead of cooking at home, at an average cost of $50 each time you eat out (which is very conservative), and you've spent a whopping $2600.
It's the little things, and how you live your day to day life, that start to form your overall financial picture. Over time, those "little bits" of money start to accumulate into large sums. And what starts out as "convenience" really ends up being not so convenient when you start to live beyond your means. Having to work longer hours or worry about credit card debt is not "convenient."
It is easy to get accustomed to a certain lifestyle, and to rationalize to yourself that you can afford the luxury of "convenience fees" every now and then. Occasionally, spending a little more money for convenience can be worth it as a nice treat for yourself. But if you find that your budget is stretched thin, or that you don't have as much money saved as you would like to, you might want to ask yourself just how much your lifestyle is costing you.
Do You Know What a 'Ghetto Latte' Is?
You never know where your next article idea is going to come from. On a lot of days, I head down to the neighborhood Starbucks to grab a caffeinated beverage and sit down with my laptop and knock out an article or two. The inviting décor and soft music seem to create the perfect atmosphere for writing, and I must not be the only one with this idea, because I see other people working on their laptops all the time.
Standing in line today, I noticed a very polite, well-dressed woman standing in front of me. We happened to make eye contact and exchanged smiles. Our drinks were ready at the same time, so we made our way over to the "condiment bar" (for lack of a better phrase...you know, the place where you get your cream and sugar). I glanced over and noticed that her cup was only half full with a mixture of espresso and ice.
I watched as she proceeded to fill up the other half of her cup with whole milk from the carafe at the bar. Intrigued, I just had to ask, "Exactly what drink did you order?"
"Oh this...well, this is what you call a 'ghetto latte'," she said, leaning in close to me so no one around could hear us.
I cracked a smile. "You'll need to explain that one to me," I said. Without missing a beat, the woman proudly explained to me the whole "ghetto latte" process.
Apparently, some people find that a regular Starbucks iced latte, which is nothing more than a few shots of espresso, milk, and ice, is a bit too expensive for their budgets. So, these people have found an ingenious way to knock a few dollars off of their weekly coffee bill. Starbucks also sells an iced Americano, which is espresso, water, and ice, which is about a third cheaper than an iced latte. Here's where the 'ghetto' part comes in.
Customers have found that you can order an iced Americano without water, giving you the espresso and ice components of an iced latte. Now, just walk a few feet, add your own, free milk from the self-service bar, and viola: a "ghetto latte" (or for those who prefer, the more politically correct "poor man's latte").
The woman who told me about all of this wasn't someone I'd expect. She was dressed in a smart business suit carrying a Louis Vuitton bag. I looked at the menu, and for her grandé-sized drink, she saved $1.05 by ordering an Americano instead of a latte. Not exactly something to write home about.
But then I thought about it some more. Let's say she stops at Starbucks nearly every day, or 300 times per year (I know some business people who drink Starbucks much, much more frequently, but we'll be conservative). Over the course of one year, you can save $315 by drinking "ghetto lattes." I asked my math-whiz brother to crunch the numbers, and if you invested that amount each year at a conservative 10% return, after 40 years, you would have close to $140,000. Now that's not anything to sneeze at.
I guess it just goes to show that every little bit does add up and that it pays to be a tightwad. I've noticed in my life that the richer someone is, the 'cheaper' they tend to be. Maybe that's not just a coincidence.
Standing in line today, I noticed a very polite, well-dressed woman standing in front of me. We happened to make eye contact and exchanged smiles. Our drinks were ready at the same time, so we made our way over to the "condiment bar" (for lack of a better phrase...you know, the place where you get your cream and sugar). I glanced over and noticed that her cup was only half full with a mixture of espresso and ice.
I watched as she proceeded to fill up the other half of her cup with whole milk from the carafe at the bar. Intrigued, I just had to ask, "Exactly what drink did you order?"
"Oh this...well, this is what you call a 'ghetto latte'," she said, leaning in close to me so no one around could hear us.
I cracked a smile. "You'll need to explain that one to me," I said. Without missing a beat, the woman proudly explained to me the whole "ghetto latte" process.
Apparently, some people find that a regular Starbucks iced latte, which is nothing more than a few shots of espresso, milk, and ice, is a bit too expensive for their budgets. So, these people have found an ingenious way to knock a few dollars off of their weekly coffee bill. Starbucks also sells an iced Americano, which is espresso, water, and ice, which is about a third cheaper than an iced latte. Here's where the 'ghetto' part comes in.
Customers have found that you can order an iced Americano without water, giving you the espresso and ice components of an iced latte. Now, just walk a few feet, add your own, free milk from the self-service bar, and viola: a "ghetto latte" (or for those who prefer, the more politically correct "poor man's latte").
The woman who told me about all of this wasn't someone I'd expect. She was dressed in a smart business suit carrying a Louis Vuitton bag. I looked at the menu, and for her grandé-sized drink, she saved $1.05 by ordering an Americano instead of a latte. Not exactly something to write home about.
But then I thought about it some more. Let's say she stops at Starbucks nearly every day, or 300 times per year (I know some business people who drink Starbucks much, much more frequently, but we'll be conservative). Over the course of one year, you can save $315 by drinking "ghetto lattes." I asked my math-whiz brother to crunch the numbers, and if you invested that amount each year at a conservative 10% return, after 40 years, you would have close to $140,000. Now that's not anything to sneeze at.
I guess it just goes to show that every little bit does add up and that it pays to be a tightwad. I've noticed in my life that the richer someone is, the 'cheaper' they tend to be. Maybe that's not just a coincidence.
Gun Advocates Feel 'Strengthened' by Virginia Tech Shooting
According to a new Yahoo! News article, gun advocates are denying being weakened by last week's deadly school shooting, calling on Sunday for a bill to be passed that would allow college faculty members, as well as students over the age of 21, to carry a concealed weapon on Virginia campuses. Members of the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) and OpenCarry.org, two pro-gun groups in Virginia, are saying that gun control laws in place last week helped to ensure that no one on the Virginia Tech campus could defend themselves against the shooter, and that had this bill been in place last week, perhaps not as many lives would have been lost.
Virginia has a law in place that allows anyone 21 years of age or older to carry a concealed weapon, provided that they have a permit. However, Virginia Tech had a policy in place that strictly forbade any weapons on campus. As Philip Van Cleave, president of the VCDL pointed out, "Gun control failed. [Cho Seung-Hui] under university rules was not to have a gun."
Van Cleave said that last weeks tragedy could give the proposed bill a boost since apparently the current gun control laws failed to stop the deadly shooting. Many people had expected gun control activists to rally around the Virginia Tech shootings, but that has not been the case, with gun advocates taking the lead in public debates so far.
Many US politicians aren't interested in introducing gun control legislation, and for good reason. It is estimated that around 40 percent of US households own a gun, and gun rights advocates tend to be particularly vocal, as well as politically active.
But the question remains: would Virginia Tech, or any other college campus for that matter, really be safer if more people had guns? Cho Seung-Hui was a particularly troubled individual with a history of psychological problems and violent outbursts. He took several weeks to get a gun, break the rules, bring the gun on campus, and commit his crime.
Now imagine that every frat boy that was at least 21 had a gun. Do we really think there would be less violence? Considering the nature of campus life, with cramped quarters, tense roommate situations, and abundant amounts of alcohol, giving everyone guns to "protect themselves" may end up causing more problems than it actually solves.
In the meantime, Van Cleave says that his groups, along with other pro-gun organizations, will continue to try to introduce legislation easing the restrictions on carrying guns on campus in Virginia. The efforts are bound to be controversial, but only time will tell if our schools might actually be safer if more people had guns.
SOURCE ARTICLE: Yahoo! News; "Pro-gun lobby strengthened following US campus shooting"; Retrieved 4/23/2007;http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070422/ts_alt_afp/uscrimeshootingguns_070422195959
Virginia has a law in place that allows anyone 21 years of age or older to carry a concealed weapon, provided that they have a permit. However, Virginia Tech had a policy in place that strictly forbade any weapons on campus. As Philip Van Cleave, president of the VCDL pointed out, "Gun control failed. [Cho Seung-Hui] under university rules was not to have a gun."
Van Cleave said that last weeks tragedy could give the proposed bill a boost since apparently the current gun control laws failed to stop the deadly shooting. Many people had expected gun control activists to rally around the Virginia Tech shootings, but that has not been the case, with gun advocates taking the lead in public debates so far.
Many US politicians aren't interested in introducing gun control legislation, and for good reason. It is estimated that around 40 percent of US households own a gun, and gun rights advocates tend to be particularly vocal, as well as politically active.
But the question remains: would Virginia Tech, or any other college campus for that matter, really be safer if more people had guns? Cho Seung-Hui was a particularly troubled individual with a history of psychological problems and violent outbursts. He took several weeks to get a gun, break the rules, bring the gun on campus, and commit his crime.
Now imagine that every frat boy that was at least 21 had a gun. Do we really think there would be less violence? Considering the nature of campus life, with cramped quarters, tense roommate situations, and abundant amounts of alcohol, giving everyone guns to "protect themselves" may end up causing more problems than it actually solves.
In the meantime, Van Cleave says that his groups, along with other pro-gun organizations, will continue to try to introduce legislation easing the restrictions on carrying guns on campus in Virginia. The efforts are bound to be controversial, but only time will tell if our schools might actually be safer if more people had guns.
SOURCE ARTICLE: Yahoo! News; "Pro-gun lobby strengthened following US campus shooting"; Retrieved 4/23/2007;http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070422/ts_alt_afp/uscrimeshootingguns_070422195959
Five Great Tips for Coping with Hair Loss
Although we would like to stay young forever, sooner or later, most men (and many women) wake up one day to discover that they are losing their hair. This can be a frightening and unsettling experience, to say the least. Many people feel like going bald means kissing their youthful good looks goodbye, and this can be a difficult thing to accept.
Luckily, there are some simple things you can do to "fight back" against hair loss. From choosing the right haircut to having a positive mental attitude, here are some simple steps that you can take to help you cope with hair loss:
1) Realize that your hair does not determine your self-worth. This is difficult for many people, especially young people, who are used to looking a certain way. When your hair starts to fall out, it is easy to feel like that's all anybody is looking at. But chances are, you notice your own hair loss way more than anyone else. Try to relax. The truth is, most people are way more concerned about your personality than the way you look. And those that aren't are not worth being friends with in the long-run.
2) Learn about your medical treatment options as soon as possible. It may seem strange, but hair loss is an actual medical condition that can be successfully treated in most cases. From over-the-counter and prescription medication to surgical procedures, there are more options for treating baldness than ever before. One thing is certain, though. The sooner you start treating your hair loss, the better the chances are that you will have hair in the future. If you're determined to battle against your own personal hair loss, a trip to your family doctor or dermatologist should be one of the first steps you take.
(For more information about medical hair loss treatments, including my own personal experience with the prescription hair loss drug Propecia, read my previous article by clicking here)
3) Choose a hair cut that will help take the focus off your hair loss. It's so true...the right hair cut can make all the difference in the world when you start losing your hair. It may seem counterintuitive, but shorter hair cuts usually tend to work better for people who are balding, because longer hair makes the bald patches more noticeable. If you've lost a considerable amount of hair already, you might end up looking better with a completely shaved head. Talk to a good hair stylist who has experience in dealing with people with hair loss. Ask your stylist which cut they think would work best for your situation. Finally, if you don't like one cut, don't be afraid to go someplace else the next time. It may seem like a lot of trouble, but your appearance and self-confidence are worth it.
4) Choose the right styling products. The same hair products you used when you were 13 and had a thick, full head of hair are not the same products you should be using once your hair starts to thin and fall out. Many products are too "heavy" or greasy for thin hair, and will only make your hair loss more noticeable when applied. When deciding on a hair product, you want to look for something that will thicken the hair and provide a matte finish. Beware of products that say they add "gloss" or "shine," as they will usually be too oily. Find a store that will let you return an opened product if you don't like it, and again, don't be afraid to ask the opinion of your hair stylist. They will usually have some great recommendations.
5) Learn to accept the fact that you will eventually be bald...and that it doesn't matter. Hair loss is generally an ongoing, irreversible process. While medical technology has come a long way, and we can now slow down and even reverse hair loss, they haven't figured out a way to stop the inevitable from eventually occurring. Chances are that, one day, you will be completely bald. Hopefully it won't be until you're old enough to not care any more, but try to get comfortable with the fact that hair loss is just a part of life. When you realize that people love you for who you are, and not the hair on your head, your hair loss problem will start to seem less and less important.
Luckily, there are some simple things you can do to "fight back" against hair loss. From choosing the right haircut to having a positive mental attitude, here are some simple steps that you can take to help you cope with hair loss:
1) Realize that your hair does not determine your self-worth. This is difficult for many people, especially young people, who are used to looking a certain way. When your hair starts to fall out, it is easy to feel like that's all anybody is looking at. But chances are, you notice your own hair loss way more than anyone else. Try to relax. The truth is, most people are way more concerned about your personality than the way you look. And those that aren't are not worth being friends with in the long-run.
2) Learn about your medical treatment options as soon as possible. It may seem strange, but hair loss is an actual medical condition that can be successfully treated in most cases. From over-the-counter and prescription medication to surgical procedures, there are more options for treating baldness than ever before. One thing is certain, though. The sooner you start treating your hair loss, the better the chances are that you will have hair in the future. If you're determined to battle against your own personal hair loss, a trip to your family doctor or dermatologist should be one of the first steps you take.
(For more information about medical hair loss treatments, including my own personal experience with the prescription hair loss drug Propecia, read my previous article by clicking here)
3) Choose a hair cut that will help take the focus off your hair loss. It's so true...the right hair cut can make all the difference in the world when you start losing your hair. It may seem counterintuitive, but shorter hair cuts usually tend to work better for people who are balding, because longer hair makes the bald patches more noticeable. If you've lost a considerable amount of hair already, you might end up looking better with a completely shaved head. Talk to a good hair stylist who has experience in dealing with people with hair loss. Ask your stylist which cut they think would work best for your situation. Finally, if you don't like one cut, don't be afraid to go someplace else the next time. It may seem like a lot of trouble, but your appearance and self-confidence are worth it.
4) Choose the right styling products. The same hair products you used when you were 13 and had a thick, full head of hair are not the same products you should be using once your hair starts to thin and fall out. Many products are too "heavy" or greasy for thin hair, and will only make your hair loss more noticeable when applied. When deciding on a hair product, you want to look for something that will thicken the hair and provide a matte finish. Beware of products that say they add "gloss" or "shine," as they will usually be too oily. Find a store that will let you return an opened product if you don't like it, and again, don't be afraid to ask the opinion of your hair stylist. They will usually have some great recommendations.
5) Learn to accept the fact that you will eventually be bald...and that it doesn't matter. Hair loss is generally an ongoing, irreversible process. While medical technology has come a long way, and we can now slow down and even reverse hair loss, they haven't figured out a way to stop the inevitable from eventually occurring. Chances are that, one day, you will be completely bald. Hopefully it won't be until you're old enough to not care any more, but try to get comfortable with the fact that hair loss is just a part of life. When you realize that people love you for who you are, and not the hair on your head, your hair loss problem will start to seem less and less important.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Top 5 Reasons to Go Vegetarian
Currently, there are over 12 million vegetarians living in the United States, a number that is growing by leaps and bounds each year. While people committed to a vegetarian diet used to be relatively few and far between, these days vegetarianism is everywhere you look. College students and Hollywood celebrities alike are jumping on the vegetarian bandwagon. Why? Well, here are 5 good reasons that someone like yourself might want to consider a vegetarian diet.
1. For the animals. This one seems obvious, but sadly for a lot of people, it's not. Animals raised for food today are not raised on picture-perfect family farms like you might think, but are instead reared in an agricultural system that includes drugs, antibiotics, cages, intensive confinement, and dirty slaughterhouses. Dairy cows and egg-laying hens don't have it any better than animals raised for meat, either. A quick look at the websites of PETA or the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) will show you everything you need to know. It is estimated that by going vegetarian, a single person will save the lives of 95 animals annually. If you love animals, adopting a vegetarian diet is one of the best things you can do to help them.
2.For the environment. This one might not be as obvious to people as the first one was. But a diet filled with meat, eggs, and dairy is a huge burden on the planet as well as a tremendously inefficient use of our natural resources. It takes over 5,000 gallons of water to produce one pound of meat, compared to 25 gallons for a pound of wheat. Over 80% of the agricultural land in America is used to grow food that we feed to farmed animals. These same farm animals produce over 130 times the amount of excrement as the entire human population in America each year, which ends up polluting our lands and waterways.
Clearly, our environment would be better off if everyone were to adopt a vegetarian diet. Forget about the hybrid car. If you're serious about reducing your environmental foot print, going vegetarian is the place to start.
3. For your health. Many people don't know just how much healthier vegetarians are compared to their meat-eating counterparts. In studies of vegetarian diets, it has been found that vegetarians tend to weigh less, have lower cholesterol , live longer, and have fewer serious diseases than those who eat meat. Nearly every major health organization in the world has gone on record as saying that one of the keys to good health is a diet that is rich with fruits and vegetables. Now with the recent "Mad Cow Disease" and e-coli scares, it seems like the smart thing for anyone who is really concerned about their health to do is to stop eating meat and other animal products.
4. For human rights. This is where I start to lose some people, but the fact of the matter is that a diet based on animal products is likely to be contributing to human suffering in other parts of the world. The meat industry is notorious for abusing its workers. From hiring illegal immigrants (who are afraid to complain) to denying valid workers' compensation claims, a quick search on Google will reveal the many atrocities of the American meat industry.
Beyond American workers, however, a meat-based diet actually contributes to hunger and starvation problems in third world countries. In a world where over 26,000 children die each day from starvation, most people are content to eat meat, which means feeding 16 pounds of grain to an animal to produce a single pound of meat. If we took all the perfectly good food we were feeding to farmed animals and started feeding it to the people who need it, world hunger could be a thing of the past.
5. It's the trendy & cool thing to do. This might not be the most important reason, but the fact of the matter is, more and more people are choosing a vegetarian diet each day. From Hollywood celebrities like Richard Gere, Alicia Silverstone, and Pamela Anderson, to countless high school and college students, it seems like you can't go anywhere these days without hearing more and more about vegetarianism. Some of the hottest restaurants in the world right now exclusively serve vegetarian and vegan cuisine. And why not...it tastes great, is good for you, and is amazingly easy to prepare!
If you've been thinking about going vegetarian, there's never been a better time. There are more vegetarian dining options than ever before, and if you need any information, the web is chock full of vegetarian-focused websites. Even if you can't give up eating meat completely, adding a vegetarian meal to your diet every now and then could have more benefits than you might think.
1. For the animals. This one seems obvious, but sadly for a lot of people, it's not. Animals raised for food today are not raised on picture-perfect family farms like you might think, but are instead reared in an agricultural system that includes drugs, antibiotics, cages, intensive confinement, and dirty slaughterhouses. Dairy cows and egg-laying hens don't have it any better than animals raised for meat, either. A quick look at the websites of PETA or the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) will show you everything you need to know. It is estimated that by going vegetarian, a single person will save the lives of 95 animals annually. If you love animals, adopting a vegetarian diet is one of the best things you can do to help them.
2.For the environment. This one might not be as obvious to people as the first one was. But a diet filled with meat, eggs, and dairy is a huge burden on the planet as well as a tremendously inefficient use of our natural resources. It takes over 5,000 gallons of water to produce one pound of meat, compared to 25 gallons for a pound of wheat. Over 80% of the agricultural land in America is used to grow food that we feed to farmed animals. These same farm animals produce over 130 times the amount of excrement as the entire human population in America each year, which ends up polluting our lands and waterways.
Clearly, our environment would be better off if everyone were to adopt a vegetarian diet. Forget about the hybrid car. If you're serious about reducing your environmental foot print, going vegetarian is the place to start.
3. For your health. Many people don't know just how much healthier vegetarians are compared to their meat-eating counterparts. In studies of vegetarian diets, it has been found that vegetarians tend to weigh less, have lower cholesterol , live longer, and have fewer serious diseases than those who eat meat. Nearly every major health organization in the world has gone on record as saying that one of the keys to good health is a diet that is rich with fruits and vegetables. Now with the recent "Mad Cow Disease" and e-coli scares, it seems like the smart thing for anyone who is really concerned about their health to do is to stop eating meat and other animal products.
4. For human rights. This is where I start to lose some people, but the fact of the matter is that a diet based on animal products is likely to be contributing to human suffering in other parts of the world. The meat industry is notorious for abusing its workers. From hiring illegal immigrants (who are afraid to complain) to denying valid workers' compensation claims, a quick search on Google will reveal the many atrocities of the American meat industry.
Beyond American workers, however, a meat-based diet actually contributes to hunger and starvation problems in third world countries. In a world where over 26,000 children die each day from starvation, most people are content to eat meat, which means feeding 16 pounds of grain to an animal to produce a single pound of meat. If we took all the perfectly good food we were feeding to farmed animals and started feeding it to the people who need it, world hunger could be a thing of the past.
5. It's the trendy & cool thing to do. This might not be the most important reason, but the fact of the matter is, more and more people are choosing a vegetarian diet each day. From Hollywood celebrities like Richard Gere, Alicia Silverstone, and Pamela Anderson, to countless high school and college students, it seems like you can't go anywhere these days without hearing more and more about vegetarianism. Some of the hottest restaurants in the world right now exclusively serve vegetarian and vegan cuisine. And why not...it tastes great, is good for you, and is amazingly easy to prepare!
If you've been thinking about going vegetarian, there's never been a better time. There are more vegetarian dining options than ever before, and if you need any information, the web is chock full of vegetarian-focused websites. Even if you can't give up eating meat completely, adding a vegetarian meal to your diet every now and then could have more benefits than you might think.
Take a Trip Down Memory Lane to Your Local 'Recollections' Scrapbooking Store
I've been scrapbooking for a while now and as my fellow scrappers know, there is no shortage of places to buy supplies. There's craft stores, Wal-Mart, specialty scrapbook stores, and even direct sales companies that have consultants that will allow you to shop from home. Everyone sells the same basic stuff, like scissors, papers, albums, stickers, etc., and you have to do something really special to set yourself apart in the world of scrapbooking.
A few weeks ago, I came across a store that did just that. I was recently talking about scrapbooking with my aunt, when her eyes lit up and she told me about "her new favorite store," which was apparently a recently-opened scrapbooking store in Columbia, Maryland. She got so excited that she insisted on getting in the car right then and taking me there.
I wasn't expecting much....I have been in scrapbooking stores before and as I stated earlier, they all seem pretty much the same to me. After a short drive, we arrived at a store called "Recollections," and as soon as I stepped inside, I knew just why my aunt had gotten so excited. The place was huge, with aisle after aisle of the cutest stickers, papers, and other scrapbooking accoutrements that you've ever seen.
Besides for offering one of the biggest assortments of scrapbooking supplies you'll find under one roof, what really sets Recollections apart is the work studio. Each Recollections location has a work studio where you are free to go and work on your albums during store hours, free of charge. You can use all of the paper cutters and die-cut machines for free, and you can "start a tab," use all the supplies you need, and pay for them at the end.
The studio also features computers so you can scan & print photographs, as well as print words & titles for your albums. There is a small kitchenette off the work studio where they have some vending machines and a refrigerator, so you can bring lunch or grab a snack without interrupting your work on your albums too much. Plus, each location offers a variety of classes and "crop" sessions that are open to the public, which is a great way to meet other people interested in scrapbooking.
I've always found the staff at Recollections to be very friendly, and always willing to help out when you need them to. They've taken the chance to get to know me, and always ask me about my albums and how they're coming along. The prices are very competitive to other scrapbook retailers, but the service & amenities are second to none.
So far, Recollections only has locations in four states (Arizona, Maryland, Texas, and Virginia), but they just started in 2003 and are looking to expand into other areas soon. If there is a Recollections store in your area, you should definitely stop by and check it out. If you're anything like me, you won't want to shop for your scrapbook supplies anywhere else.
A few weeks ago, I came across a store that did just that. I was recently talking about scrapbooking with my aunt, when her eyes lit up and she told me about "her new favorite store," which was apparently a recently-opened scrapbooking store in Columbia, Maryland. She got so excited that she insisted on getting in the car right then and taking me there.
I wasn't expecting much....I have been in scrapbooking stores before and as I stated earlier, they all seem pretty much the same to me. After a short drive, we arrived at a store called "Recollections," and as soon as I stepped inside, I knew just why my aunt had gotten so excited. The place was huge, with aisle after aisle of the cutest stickers, papers, and other scrapbooking accoutrements that you've ever seen.
Besides for offering one of the biggest assortments of scrapbooking supplies you'll find under one roof, what really sets Recollections apart is the work studio. Each Recollections location has a work studio where you are free to go and work on your albums during store hours, free of charge. You can use all of the paper cutters and die-cut machines for free, and you can "start a tab," use all the supplies you need, and pay for them at the end.
The studio also features computers so you can scan & print photographs, as well as print words & titles for your albums. There is a small kitchenette off the work studio where they have some vending machines and a refrigerator, so you can bring lunch or grab a snack without interrupting your work on your albums too much. Plus, each location offers a variety of classes and "crop" sessions that are open to the public, which is a great way to meet other people interested in scrapbooking.
I've always found the staff at Recollections to be very friendly, and always willing to help out when you need them to. They've taken the chance to get to know me, and always ask me about my albums and how they're coming along. The prices are very competitive to other scrapbook retailers, but the service & amenities are second to none.
So far, Recollections only has locations in four states (Arizona, Maryland, Texas, and Virginia), but they just started in 2003 and are looking to expand into other areas soon. If there is a Recollections store in your area, you should definitely stop by and check it out. If you're anything like me, you won't want to shop for your scrapbook supplies anywhere else.
Good Things Come to Those Who Complain
Have you ever had a bad experience when dealing with a company? Chances are you have. Maybe the fast-food joint forgot to put one of your items in your bag at the drive through. Maybe you went to a store and couldn't find any help or experienced an unacceptably long wait. Maybe a staff member was just down right rude to you.
Whatever the case may be, most people just "grin and bear it," accepting these inconveniences as one of life's little hassles. But, if you're willing to speak up and share your experience with the company, you may be compensated for your trouble. That's right...many people already know this, but if you take the time to write a letter of complaint to the corporate headquarters, you will almost always receive a letter of apology in response, usually in addition to some sort of refund, gift certificate, coupon, etc.
Some people would say that it's not worth the time or effort to sit down and actually send a letter to a company, but I disagree. The letter does not have to be very long, just a paragraph or two. Briefly explained exactly what happened, and why you were upset. Include the date and time of your experience, if available, and if you remember the names of any staff involved, be sure to include those two. You don't need to ask for any sort of compensation--just let the company know that you are unhappy and that you will remember this experience in the future when deciding where to do business.
You can send an actual "snail mail" letter if you prefer, but in today's online world, it is usually cheaper and easier to send an e-mail. Just go to the company's website and look for the "Contact Us" button or a corporate e-mail address. Usually, once you send your letter or e-mail, the company will respond within a couple of weeks. If you include your phone number, you will likely get a call from a company representative to offer an apology. In any case, as long as you provide your mailing address, you will almost always receive some sort of small "token of apology," usually a gift card or a coupon.
You might be surprised at the value of these. I had an unpleasant experience at a casual dining restaurant, wrote a letter, and was promptly mailed a $75 gift card, even though the value of our original meal was only $37. I've received coupons for free meals, free products, and even free oil changes. These things can really start to add up. Plus, these gift cards and coupons are for companies you already do business with, so you're sure to use them.
One last thing...don't take advantage of the willingness of these companies to try to make things right. Only write a letter if you've truly had a bad experience, and don't "nit-pick" just to get free stuff. But if you've had a bad experience, it can certainly be worth it to take the time to let the company know. Not only might you score some free stuff, but you're also letting the company know where they can improve so hopefully you won't have a repeat of your bad experience.
Whatever the case may be, most people just "grin and bear it," accepting these inconveniences as one of life's little hassles. But, if you're willing to speak up and share your experience with the company, you may be compensated for your trouble. That's right...many people already know this, but if you take the time to write a letter of complaint to the corporate headquarters, you will almost always receive a letter of apology in response, usually in addition to some sort of refund, gift certificate, coupon, etc.
Some people would say that it's not worth the time or effort to sit down and actually send a letter to a company, but I disagree. The letter does not have to be very long, just a paragraph or two. Briefly explained exactly what happened, and why you were upset. Include the date and time of your experience, if available, and if you remember the names of any staff involved, be sure to include those two. You don't need to ask for any sort of compensation--just let the company know that you are unhappy and that you will remember this experience in the future when deciding where to do business.
You can send an actual "snail mail" letter if you prefer, but in today's online world, it is usually cheaper and easier to send an e-mail. Just go to the company's website and look for the "Contact Us" button or a corporate e-mail address. Usually, once you send your letter or e-mail, the company will respond within a couple of weeks. If you include your phone number, you will likely get a call from a company representative to offer an apology. In any case, as long as you provide your mailing address, you will almost always receive some sort of small "token of apology," usually a gift card or a coupon.
You might be surprised at the value of these. I had an unpleasant experience at a casual dining restaurant, wrote a letter, and was promptly mailed a $75 gift card, even though the value of our original meal was only $37. I've received coupons for free meals, free products, and even free oil changes. These things can really start to add up. Plus, these gift cards and coupons are for companies you already do business with, so you're sure to use them.
One last thing...don't take advantage of the willingness of these companies to try to make things right. Only write a letter if you've truly had a bad experience, and don't "nit-pick" just to get free stuff. But if you've had a bad experience, it can certainly be worth it to take the time to let the company know. Not only might you score some free stuff, but you're also letting the company know where they can improve so hopefully you won't have a repeat of your bad experience.
Are You Depressed or Do You Have Bipolar Disorder?
Millions of Americans suffer from depression. Perhaps you or a loved one have been diagnosed with, or sought medical treatment for depression. Although medicine can help, the right diagnosis needs to be made in order for treatment to be effective. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to tell the difference between depression and bipolar disorder.
In fact, it is not uncommon for people with bipolar disorder to initially receive a misdiagnosis of depression. Even medical professionals have a hard time telling these two conditions apart. Luckily, if you take a little bit of time to educate yourself about the features that distinguish these diseases from one another, you can make sure that you receive the proper diagnosis and you will soon be on your way to recovery.
Bipolar disorder, which is also known as manic depression, is a mental illness characterized by unusual highs and lows in a person's mood. People with bipolar disorder experience periods when they feel tired, down, and just generally depressed. These periods can last for many months or even years, which is why they are often initially diagnosed with depression.
The flip side to this, however, is that bipolar people also have periods known as ''mania'' where they feel unusually good or energetic. During these manic periods, people find that they don't need as much sleep as normal. They will usually be more talkative and outgoing than usual, and may also be more interested in spending money or engaging in sexual activity. The longer that bipolar disorder goes untreated, the worse the mania can get. People experiencing severe mania may suffer from feelings that they are invincible or even hallucinations, either of which could lead to dangerous or suicidal behavior.
It is these manic periods that really make the difference between a diagnosis of depression and a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Often, bipolar individuals have periods of feeling "normal" between mania and depression. And since people are much more likely to ask for help when they're feeling bad than when they're feeling good, these manic periods often go unreported when they finally seek treatment.
So, what does all of this mean to you? Well, if you've been feeling ''down" or depressed, I would certainly encourage you to talk to your doctor. But before you do, ask yourself some basic questions. Has there ever been a period of time in your life where you've felt unusually "good," "up," or "happy?" A period where you needed less sleep than normal? Perhaps you were more interested in sex or shopping than normal? Was there a time when you were reckless, or ran up a lot of debt and/or got in trouble with the law?
If the answer to any of these questions is "Yes," be sure to tell your doctor, even if he/she doesn't specifically ask. If you're not sure, ask your doctor point-blank if they think you could be bipolar. Many of the medicines used to treat depression can actually make bipolar disorder worse, so make sure you get the right diagnosis the first time.
In fact, it is not uncommon for people with bipolar disorder to initially receive a misdiagnosis of depression. Even medical professionals have a hard time telling these two conditions apart. Luckily, if you take a little bit of time to educate yourself about the features that distinguish these diseases from one another, you can make sure that you receive the proper diagnosis and you will soon be on your way to recovery.
Bipolar disorder, which is also known as manic depression, is a mental illness characterized by unusual highs and lows in a person's mood. People with bipolar disorder experience periods when they feel tired, down, and just generally depressed. These periods can last for many months or even years, which is why they are often initially diagnosed with depression.
The flip side to this, however, is that bipolar people also have periods known as ''mania'' where they feel unusually good or energetic. During these manic periods, people find that they don't need as much sleep as normal. They will usually be more talkative and outgoing than usual, and may also be more interested in spending money or engaging in sexual activity. The longer that bipolar disorder goes untreated, the worse the mania can get. People experiencing severe mania may suffer from feelings that they are invincible or even hallucinations, either of which could lead to dangerous or suicidal behavior.
It is these manic periods that really make the difference between a diagnosis of depression and a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Often, bipolar individuals have periods of feeling "normal" between mania and depression. And since people are much more likely to ask for help when they're feeling bad than when they're feeling good, these manic periods often go unreported when they finally seek treatment.
So, what does all of this mean to you? Well, if you've been feeling ''down" or depressed, I would certainly encourage you to talk to your doctor. But before you do, ask yourself some basic questions. Has there ever been a period of time in your life where you've felt unusually "good," "up," or "happy?" A period where you needed less sleep than normal? Perhaps you were more interested in sex or shopping than normal? Was there a time when you were reckless, or ran up a lot of debt and/or got in trouble with the law?
If the answer to any of these questions is "Yes," be sure to tell your doctor, even if he/she doesn't specifically ask. If you're not sure, ask your doctor point-blank if they think you could be bipolar. Many of the medicines used to treat depression can actually make bipolar disorder worse, so make sure you get the right diagnosis the first time.
If You Have Stinky Feet, Try the Odor Neutralizing Foot Spray or Deodorizing Foot Powder by Avon
I have something a little embarrassing to tell you. At first I was almost too self-conscious to write this article but then I thought, "Hey, we're all friends here at Associated Content, right?" So here it goes...my feet smell bad. Sometimes they smell really bad. For a while I just thought it was a matter of replacing my shoes a lot and washing my feet a lot, neither of which are horribly convenient.
Then, I was flipping through an Avon catalog that my representative gave me, and I noticed that they offered two products that we're supposed to help with foot odor: a "Deodorizing Foot Powder" and an "Odor Neutralizing Foot Spray." They were running some sort of a 2-for-1 special, so I went ahead and ordered both products.
I was excited when the products arrived and I was anxious to put them to the test. The labels on both products say that they can be used either directly on the feet or on the shoes. I decided that I would try the Foot Spray first.
When I sprayed the Foot Spray directly on my foot, I immediately noticed a pleasant, cooling sensation from the spray. Even if it didn't help with the odor, this would be a nice treat after a long day. However, the foot spray did not fail to eliminate my foot odor, leaving my feet with a clean, albeit slightly mint smell (probably from the Menthol that is an active ingredient). When I sprayed the Foot Spray on the insides of my shoes, however, I wasn't so impressed.
I had allowed my shoes to dry completely from any moisture that they had accumulated during the day, as the label instructed, then sprayed just a small amount on the insides of my shoes. I found that the spray didn't do that much to reduce the foot odor on the insides of my shoes, but even worse, my shoes were damp for the next 3 hours! I followed the instructions to the letter, but I guess the spray just isn't designed to dry very quickly on fabric.
I decided to then give the foot powder a try. The next day, I came home and sprinkled the powder on my feet. Unlike the spray, there was no tingly, cooling sensation and I found that the powder made my feet feel dry and didn't help that much with the odor. However, I sprinkled a fairly liberal amount of the powder in my shoes, and instantly, you could tell that the odor had almost completely diminished. As an added bonus, the next day, my feet were noticeably drier and smelled better after a long day. I guess the excess powder helped to absorb some of the moisture and odor that normally would have accumulated all day.
So, my recommendation would be to try them both. Avon is usually running some sort of a sale on their Foot Works line, and you should be able to pick up both products for less than $10. The foot spray is great for your feet, and the powder will work wonders for your shoes. Though neither product is great for both as claimed, together they seem to be a winning combination.
Then, I was flipping through an Avon catalog that my representative gave me, and I noticed that they offered two products that we're supposed to help with foot odor: a "Deodorizing Foot Powder" and an "Odor Neutralizing Foot Spray." They were running some sort of a 2-for-1 special, so I went ahead and ordered both products.
I was excited when the products arrived and I was anxious to put them to the test. The labels on both products say that they can be used either directly on the feet or on the shoes. I decided that I would try the Foot Spray first.
When I sprayed the Foot Spray directly on my foot, I immediately noticed a pleasant, cooling sensation from the spray. Even if it didn't help with the odor, this would be a nice treat after a long day. However, the foot spray did not fail to eliminate my foot odor, leaving my feet with a clean, albeit slightly mint smell (probably from the Menthol that is an active ingredient). When I sprayed the Foot Spray on the insides of my shoes, however, I wasn't so impressed.
I had allowed my shoes to dry completely from any moisture that they had accumulated during the day, as the label instructed, then sprayed just a small amount on the insides of my shoes. I found that the spray didn't do that much to reduce the foot odor on the insides of my shoes, but even worse, my shoes were damp for the next 3 hours! I followed the instructions to the letter, but I guess the spray just isn't designed to dry very quickly on fabric.
I decided to then give the foot powder a try. The next day, I came home and sprinkled the powder on my feet. Unlike the spray, there was no tingly, cooling sensation and I found that the powder made my feet feel dry and didn't help that much with the odor. However, I sprinkled a fairly liberal amount of the powder in my shoes, and instantly, you could tell that the odor had almost completely diminished. As an added bonus, the next day, my feet were noticeably drier and smelled better after a long day. I guess the excess powder helped to absorb some of the moisture and odor that normally would have accumulated all day.
So, my recommendation would be to try them both. Avon is usually running some sort of a sale on their Foot Works line, and you should be able to pick up both products for less than $10. The foot spray is great for your feet, and the powder will work wonders for your shoes. Though neither product is great for both as claimed, together they seem to be a winning combination.
Review of Vonage V-Phone Device
Recently, I took a job working from home answering telephone calls for various companies. My new job required me to have a second phone line installed, so naturally I called Verizon (my current local phone company) and asked them to come out and add a line to my home. Of course they were more than happy to do this...for a $96 installation fee and $24.99 a month for the phone line. The prices seemed a little unreasonable to me, so I decided to shop around.
It quickly became apparent that one of the many "internet phone companies," that utilize VoIPtechnology, would be much cheaper than going with Verizon. I did some reading online and finally settled on Vonage as my provider...now the only thing left to do was to pick the device that I would use to access the Vonage service.
Traditionally, Vonage customers get a "phone adapter" that plugs into their high-speed modem and has a jack which you plug a traditional phone into. I also saw on their website that they offered a newer, more portable device that allows you to talk using Vonage, called the "V-Phone." The current retail price for the Vonage V-Phone is $39.99.
Basically, the V-Phone is a simple USB dongle, much like the USB hard drives that everyone seems to have on their key chains these days. The V-Phone comes pre-loaded with the Vonage Talk software, has a 2.5 mm headphone jack, and also has 250MB worth of storage space that you can use however you wish.
After activating your Vonage service (which I did at the store when I bought the V-Phone, but can also be done over the phone or online), your V-Phone is assigned a phone number. To use the Vonage service, just pop the V-Phone device into any available USB port on your high-speed internet connected computer. After a few moments, your computer will recognize the device and the Vonage software will load, after which a familiar telephone keypad will appear on your computer screen.
Now, just plug any standard microphone headset (the V-Phone comes with a microphone headset, but I use the same headset that I use for hands-free operation on my cell phone) into the V-Phone device and you are ready to start talking. To make a phone call, just dial a number using the keypad on the computer screen and click the "call" button. The Vonage V-Phone also has a "Contacts" feature that allows you to store and dial your frequently called phone numbers.
Receiving a call is just as easy. Anyone in the world can dial your Vonage number, and assuming your V-Phone device is plugged in, your computer will alert you to the incoming call with both sounds and an on-screen message. If you're computer is off or your V-Phone is unplugged, you can set the calls to go straight to voicemail, or ring any other number you wish.
The sound quality with the V-Phone is amazing. As I mentioned earlier, I take customer service calls for some big companies, and I have never had a problem with audio quality with this device. Most of my friends and family are shocked when I tell them we're talking on an internet connection, because it is just as clear, if not clearer, than traditional phone lines.
The V-Phone device also offers a few other advantages. First off, the V-Phone doesn't actually install any software on the "host" computer, so you don't have to worry about littering computers that other people own with software they don't want or need. With the V-Phone, I can use my Vonage phone line from pretty much any computer with high-speed internet access. If I take my laptop to a hotel or Starbucks, I can just plug in my USB device and talk on the phone. With the traditional Vonage phone adapter, I can't use my service unless I have an actual modem to plug my phone adapter into and a phone to plug into the adapter. It seems much easier to travel with this device. I also find that I use the generous 250MB of storage space quite often to transfer my audio and picture files from computer to computer, something other Vonage devices just can't do.
Overall, I couldn't be happier with my Vonage V-Phone, or the Vonage service. My activation fee with Vonage was waived because of a promotion, and I pay just $14.99 a month for my phone line, which is at least ten dollars cheaper than Verizon. If concerns about VoIP being difficult to use or having poor-quality audio have prevented you from jumping on the "internet phone bandwagon," the Vonage V-Phone might be the perfect starter device for you.
It quickly became apparent that one of the many "internet phone companies," that utilize VoIPtechnology, would be much cheaper than going with Verizon. I did some reading online and finally settled on Vonage as my provider...now the only thing left to do was to pick the device that I would use to access the Vonage service.
Traditionally, Vonage customers get a "phone adapter" that plugs into their high-speed modem and has a jack which you plug a traditional phone into. I also saw on their website that they offered a newer, more portable device that allows you to talk using Vonage, called the "V-Phone." The current retail price for the Vonage V-Phone is $39.99.
Basically, the V-Phone is a simple USB dongle, much like the USB hard drives that everyone seems to have on their key chains these days. The V-Phone comes pre-loaded with the Vonage Talk software, has a 2.5 mm headphone jack, and also has 250MB worth of storage space that you can use however you wish.
After activating your Vonage service (which I did at the store when I bought the V-Phone, but can also be done over the phone or online), your V-Phone is assigned a phone number. To use the Vonage service, just pop the V-Phone device into any available USB port on your high-speed internet connected computer. After a few moments, your computer will recognize the device and the Vonage software will load, after which a familiar telephone keypad will appear on your computer screen.
Now, just plug any standard microphone headset (the V-Phone comes with a microphone headset, but I use the same headset that I use for hands-free operation on my cell phone) into the V-Phone device and you are ready to start talking. To make a phone call, just dial a number using the keypad on the computer screen and click the "call" button. The Vonage V-Phone also has a "Contacts" feature that allows you to store and dial your frequently called phone numbers.
Receiving a call is just as easy. Anyone in the world can dial your Vonage number, and assuming your V-Phone device is plugged in, your computer will alert you to the incoming call with both sounds and an on-screen message. If you're computer is off or your V-Phone is unplugged, you can set the calls to go straight to voicemail, or ring any other number you wish.
The sound quality with the V-Phone is amazing. As I mentioned earlier, I take customer service calls for some big companies, and I have never had a problem with audio quality with this device. Most of my friends and family are shocked when I tell them we're talking on an internet connection, because it is just as clear, if not clearer, than traditional phone lines.
The V-Phone device also offers a few other advantages. First off, the V-Phone doesn't actually install any software on the "host" computer, so you don't have to worry about littering computers that other people own with software they don't want or need. With the V-Phone, I can use my Vonage phone line from pretty much any computer with high-speed internet access. If I take my laptop to a hotel or Starbucks, I can just plug in my USB device and talk on the phone. With the traditional Vonage phone adapter, I can't use my service unless I have an actual modem to plug my phone adapter into and a phone to plug into the adapter. It seems much easier to travel with this device. I also find that I use the generous 250MB of storage space quite often to transfer my audio and picture files from computer to computer, something other Vonage devices just can't do.
Overall, I couldn't be happier with my Vonage V-Phone, or the Vonage service. My activation fee with Vonage was waived because of a promotion, and I pay just $14.99 a month for my phone line, which is at least ten dollars cheaper than Verizon. If concerns about VoIP being difficult to use or having poor-quality audio have prevented you from jumping on the "internet phone bandwagon," the Vonage V-Phone might be the perfect starter device for you.
ChapStick Versus Blistex - a Closer Look at Two Popular Lip Treatments
We all get chapped lips. It's one of life's little inconveniences that happens to all of us sometimes. When your lips are chapped, there are lots of different products available to help you feel better, and sometimes it can be hard to make the right choice. In this article, I'll provide a detailed comparison of ChapStick and Blistex, two of the most popular lip treatments on the market.
In terms of price, a quick check of drugstore.com revealed a tube of Blistex selling for $1.81 and a tube of ChapStick for $1.99, making ChapStick just a little bit more expensive. The whole reason I had to check a website, though, is because like most people, I don't necessarily do a whole lot of comparison shopping for lip treatments. Chances are good that the negligible price difference between these two items won't be a big factor in choosing one over the other.
In terms of taste, ChapStick comes in a wide variety of flavors (my favorite happens to be cherry), whereas Blistex just comes in ''Original", which has a slightly medicinal, menthol taste. This is where ChapStick wins the competition, hands down. While the taste of Blistex isn't all that bad, it certainly isn't very good, either. ChapStick, on the other hand, tastes so good that you almost want to eat it.
If your lips are dry and just tend to need a little moisture, both products work well. I find that Blistex tends to provide relief a little quicker, but ChapStick is thicker and stays on your lips longer. It is important to note that most ChapStick contains a bit of color, whereas Blistex goes on clear. This is important for guys especially, because too much red Chap Stick can make it look like you're wearing lipstick. Many women enjoy this hint of color, however, and is one of the reasons that they choose to apply a lip product in the first place.
It is when your lips are feeling really chapped and sore that Blistex really starts to shine. Sometimes, especially during the colder winter months, my lips get so chapped that they're almost raw. During these times, I want a lip treatment that really packs a punch and will work for an extended period of time. ChapStick might provide partial relief for horribly chapped lips, but that relief is bound to be short lived, forcing you to reapply the product quite often.
When you apply Blistex, however, you immediately feel a cool, tingling sensation that lets you know the product is working. This sensation helps to provide immediate and complete relief for even the worse case of chapped lips. The relief lasts for a nice long while, too, and you wont feel the need to constantly be reapplying Blistex. When I use this product, my chapped lips actually start to get better and heal over time. ChapStick, on the other hand, may relieve some of the discomfort of painfully chapped lips but never really seems to get to the ''root" of the problem.
As a guy, I might like to use ChapStick sometimes, but I can see it being a ''must carry" item for lots of women (at least the ones that I know). But when I have a really bad case of sore, chapped lips, I'll definitely choose Blistex over ChapStick any day of the week. At less than two dollars each, it probably wouldn't hurt to keep a tube of each product on hand. Give those lips of yours a little tender loving care every now and then. Your lips (and maybe even your Friday night date) will end up thanking you.
In terms of price, a quick check of drugstore.com revealed a tube of Blistex selling for $1.81 and a tube of ChapStick for $1.99, making ChapStick just a little bit more expensive. The whole reason I had to check a website, though, is because like most people, I don't necessarily do a whole lot of comparison shopping for lip treatments. Chances are good that the negligible price difference between these two items won't be a big factor in choosing one over the other.
In terms of taste, ChapStick comes in a wide variety of flavors (my favorite happens to be cherry), whereas Blistex just comes in ''Original", which has a slightly medicinal, menthol taste. This is where ChapStick wins the competition, hands down. While the taste of Blistex isn't all that bad, it certainly isn't very good, either. ChapStick, on the other hand, tastes so good that you almost want to eat it.
If your lips are dry and just tend to need a little moisture, both products work well. I find that Blistex tends to provide relief a little quicker, but ChapStick is thicker and stays on your lips longer. It is important to note that most ChapStick contains a bit of color, whereas Blistex goes on clear. This is important for guys especially, because too much red Chap Stick can make it look like you're wearing lipstick. Many women enjoy this hint of color, however, and is one of the reasons that they choose to apply a lip product in the first place.
It is when your lips are feeling really chapped and sore that Blistex really starts to shine. Sometimes, especially during the colder winter months, my lips get so chapped that they're almost raw. During these times, I want a lip treatment that really packs a punch and will work for an extended period of time. ChapStick might provide partial relief for horribly chapped lips, but that relief is bound to be short lived, forcing you to reapply the product quite often.
When you apply Blistex, however, you immediately feel a cool, tingling sensation that lets you know the product is working. This sensation helps to provide immediate and complete relief for even the worse case of chapped lips. The relief lasts for a nice long while, too, and you wont feel the need to constantly be reapplying Blistex. When I use this product, my chapped lips actually start to get better and heal over time. ChapStick, on the other hand, may relieve some of the discomfort of painfully chapped lips but never really seems to get to the ''root" of the problem.
As a guy, I might like to use ChapStick sometimes, but I can see it being a ''must carry" item for lots of women (at least the ones that I know). But when I have a really bad case of sore, chapped lips, I'll definitely choose Blistex over ChapStick any day of the week. At less than two dollars each, it probably wouldn't hurt to keep a tube of each product on hand. Give those lips of yours a little tender loving care every now and then. Your lips (and maybe even your Friday night date) will end up thanking you.
Seroquel Versus Zyprexa - a Comparison of Two Antipsychotic Medications
Tens of millions of Americans take psychiatric medicines, and some people need to take a medication known as an antipsychotic (or the older term, "neuroleptic"). Although this may sound scary at first, antipsychotic drugs are prescribed to treat a variety of conditions, including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, severe depression, and sometimes even insomnia.
There are several antipsychotic medicines currently on the market, but the two most popular (in terms of market share) are Zyprexa and Seroquel. If your doctor decides that an antipsychotic is right for you, chances are that she'll start you out on one of these. I am bipolar and I have had the chance to take both of these drugs at various times, and I am happy to be able to share my experience with you here.
The first drug that I was put on to help with my manic episodes was Zyprexa, an antipsychotic made by the Eli-Lilly company. At the time I was feeling very anxious & wound up, and I was also having a hard time sleeping. My shrink wrote me a prescription for Zyprexa and it began to help from the very first dose.
I was instructed to take the Zyprexa at bedtime, which is good because it knocked me out within 15 minutes. Although I hadn't gotten a good night's sleep in months, my first night on Zyprexa I slept a full 9 hours. Within a few days of starting the drug, I began to feel much calmer and less anxious. Things were definitely getting better.
After being on Zyprexa for about a month and a half and doing pretty well, some other things started to happen that weren't so good. The minor problem was that the "knock out'' effect the drug originally had for me was stating fade, and I was beginning to have problems sleeping again. But the much bigger problem (no pun intended) was that I was starting to gain weight. A lot of it--to the tune of almost 30 pounds in just two short months.
The Zyprexa made me ravenously hungry and a little bit tired a combination which almost assured my weight gain. Concerned, my doctor decided that I should stop taking the Zyprexa and try something else. So, she put me on Zyprexa's main competitor: a drug called Seroquel.
The first night that I took the Seroquel, the first thing I noticed once again was how quickly the medicine put me to sleep. I also noticed that, while I still felt calm and relaxed during the day, I wasn't nearly as hungry as I was with Zyprexa. In fact, during my first 2 months on Seroquel, I only gained 4 pounds, which is much more acceptable than thirty.
The only downside I found with Seroquel as opposed to Zyprexa was how much of the drug you have to take. My dose of Zyprexa was just 5 milligrams per day, or one small pill. The equivalent dose of Seroquel for me was a whopping 600 mg, which was 3 much larger pills. My doctor tells me this is normal. She also tells me that although I haven't gained a whole lot of weight on Seroquel, weight gain is an issue for most people taking any antipsychotic and is something that I'll need to keep close tabs on.
In closing, it is very important to note that only your doctor can decide which antipsychotic drug, if any, is right for you. Each individual will react to these drugs differently, and what works for me might not necessarily work for you. However, you should keep in mind that if one antipsychotic medication isn't working for you or is causing unwanted side effects, there are other drugs on the market which may work better for you.
During my treatment with antipsychotic medication, I found that Zyprexa and Seroquel are both extremely effective medications for bipolar disorder. Both initially, helped me sleep better, but this effect wore off after time with the Zyprexa. Also, although both drugs made me gain weight, Zyprexa caused me to gain significantly more. Overall, my life has been much better since I started taking bipolar medicine, but I am certainly happy my doctor switched me from Zyprexa to Seroquel.
There are several antipsychotic medicines currently on the market, but the two most popular (in terms of market share) are Zyprexa and Seroquel. If your doctor decides that an antipsychotic is right for you, chances are that she'll start you out on one of these. I am bipolar and I have had the chance to take both of these drugs at various times, and I am happy to be able to share my experience with you here.
The first drug that I was put on to help with my manic episodes was Zyprexa, an antipsychotic made by the Eli-Lilly company. At the time I was feeling very anxious & wound up, and I was also having a hard time sleeping. My shrink wrote me a prescription for Zyprexa and it began to help from the very first dose.
I was instructed to take the Zyprexa at bedtime, which is good because it knocked me out within 15 minutes. Although I hadn't gotten a good night's sleep in months, my first night on Zyprexa I slept a full 9 hours. Within a few days of starting the drug, I began to feel much calmer and less anxious. Things were definitely getting better.
After being on Zyprexa for about a month and a half and doing pretty well, some other things started to happen that weren't so good. The minor problem was that the "knock out'' effect the drug originally had for me was stating fade, and I was beginning to have problems sleeping again. But the much bigger problem (no pun intended) was that I was starting to gain weight. A lot of it--to the tune of almost 30 pounds in just two short months.
The Zyprexa made me ravenously hungry and a little bit tired a combination which almost assured my weight gain. Concerned, my doctor decided that I should stop taking the Zyprexa and try something else. So, she put me on Zyprexa's main competitor: a drug called Seroquel.
The first night that I took the Seroquel, the first thing I noticed once again was how quickly the medicine put me to sleep. I also noticed that, while I still felt calm and relaxed during the day, I wasn't nearly as hungry as I was with Zyprexa. In fact, during my first 2 months on Seroquel, I only gained 4 pounds, which is much more acceptable than thirty.
The only downside I found with Seroquel as opposed to Zyprexa was how much of the drug you have to take. My dose of Zyprexa was just 5 milligrams per day, or one small pill. The equivalent dose of Seroquel for me was a whopping 600 mg, which was 3 much larger pills. My doctor tells me this is normal. She also tells me that although I haven't gained a whole lot of weight on Seroquel, weight gain is an issue for most people taking any antipsychotic and is something that I'll need to keep close tabs on.
In closing, it is very important to note that only your doctor can decide which antipsychotic drug, if any, is right for you. Each individual will react to these drugs differently, and what works for me might not necessarily work for you. However, you should keep in mind that if one antipsychotic medication isn't working for you or is causing unwanted side effects, there are other drugs on the market which may work better for you.
During my treatment with antipsychotic medication, I found that Zyprexa and Seroquel are both extremely effective medications for bipolar disorder. Both initially, helped me sleep better, but this effect wore off after time with the Zyprexa. Also, although both drugs made me gain weight, Zyprexa caused me to gain significantly more. Overall, my life has been much better since I started taking bipolar medicine, but I am certainly happy my doctor switched me from Zyprexa to Seroquel.
Restaurant Review: Frisco Grille & Cantina in Columbia, Maryland
Living in the Baltimore suburbs, my roommates and I have hundreds, if not thousands of places to choose from when it comes to dining out. But one of our favorite suburban hangouts is Frisco Grille & Cantina (commonly referred to as "Frisco Burrito") located in Columbia, Maryland. Just minutes from both I-95 and the popular Mall in Columbia, Frisco Grille has great food and a convenient location.
Frisco Grille offers freshly prepared, southwestern-style cuisine at great prices. When you dine at Frisco, they'll start you off with a basket of fresh tortilla chips and their 'homemade salsa.' The salsa is zesty and flavorful, and they also have two kinds of queso dip available if you prefer. That's just the beginning.
Many people dine at Frisco Grille because of the outstanding liquor and beer selection. Frisco offers 19 beers on tap, and my beer-connoisseur brother says that Frisco offers one of the best micro-brewed beer selections in the Baltimore area. If you prefer a mixed drink, Frisco makes a world-class margarita and offers you a choice of 19 premium tequilas. In addition to table service, Frisco also has a full-service bar, making it a great place to stop to get a drink after work or during a sports game.
As for your main course, Frisco offers all the traditional Mexican favorites, like tacos, burritos, quesadillas, etc. The burritos are massive and I've never been able to finish a whole one in a single sitting. In addition to chicken and steak, Frisco will happily substitute beans or tofu in any of their selections, pleasing meat-eaters and vegetarians alike. If you're not in the mood for Mexican, Frisco also offers burgers and full-sized entrees, with something for even the pickiest eaters.
The only downside to Frisco Grille is the service, or lack thereof, sometimes. Frisco Grille is a small restaurant, and I imagine their business varies widely from one day to the next. Sometimes when we go to Frisco, there is only one waitress responsible for 8-10 tables. The staff tries their hardest, but sometimes there are just not enough people and you end up having to wait a while for things like your next beer or the check.
The prices at Frisco Grille are extremely reasonable. Most of the selections on the food menu are priced anywhere from $6-$12 and drinks are comparably priced to other restaurants in the area. Usually, my two roommates and I can dine at Frisco for under $50, including 2 or 3 alcoholic beverages between us.
Overall, Frisco Grille & Cantina is a great little restaurant that offers amazing food at competitive prices. Sometimes, the service can leave a little to be desired, but usually Frisco offers a great dining experience. If you live in the Baltimore area, this is a restaurant that you should definitely check out.
Frisco Grille offers freshly prepared, southwestern-style cuisine at great prices. When you dine at Frisco, they'll start you off with a basket of fresh tortilla chips and their 'homemade salsa.' The salsa is zesty and flavorful, and they also have two kinds of queso dip available if you prefer. That's just the beginning.
Many people dine at Frisco Grille because of the outstanding liquor and beer selection. Frisco offers 19 beers on tap, and my beer-connoisseur brother says that Frisco offers one of the best micro-brewed beer selections in the Baltimore area. If you prefer a mixed drink, Frisco makes a world-class margarita and offers you a choice of 19 premium tequilas. In addition to table service, Frisco also has a full-service bar, making it a great place to stop to get a drink after work or during a sports game.
As for your main course, Frisco offers all the traditional Mexican favorites, like tacos, burritos, quesadillas, etc. The burritos are massive and I've never been able to finish a whole one in a single sitting. In addition to chicken and steak, Frisco will happily substitute beans or tofu in any of their selections, pleasing meat-eaters and vegetarians alike. If you're not in the mood for Mexican, Frisco also offers burgers and full-sized entrees, with something for even the pickiest eaters.
The only downside to Frisco Grille is the service, or lack thereof, sometimes. Frisco Grille is a small restaurant, and I imagine their business varies widely from one day to the next. Sometimes when we go to Frisco, there is only one waitress responsible for 8-10 tables. The staff tries their hardest, but sometimes there are just not enough people and you end up having to wait a while for things like your next beer or the check.
The prices at Frisco Grille are extremely reasonable. Most of the selections on the food menu are priced anywhere from $6-$12 and drinks are comparably priced to other restaurants in the area. Usually, my two roommates and I can dine at Frisco for under $50, including 2 or 3 alcoholic beverages between us.
Overall, Frisco Grille & Cantina is a great little restaurant that offers amazing food at competitive prices. Sometimes, the service can leave a little to be desired, but usually Frisco offers a great dining experience. If you live in the Baltimore area, this is a restaurant that you should definitely check out.
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