31 October 2010

Medical Marijuana: still a VERY hot topic!!

The medical use of marijuana has been a hot topic especially in the last decade. Recently, South Park (Comedy Central) did a segment on what lengths some people will go to in order to get a prescription for medical marijuana. In the last few years, many marijuana dispensing sites have opened up throughout the country.

I live in Michigan which is one of 13 states where "medicinal marijuana" is legal and many of these dispensing sites have had to withstand picketing, harassment and now several are closed. No one wants these dispensing clinics in their neighborhood due to the "low element" that might infiltrate their area even though the "Michigan Medical Marijuana Act" was approved 11/4/08 and went into effect 12/4/08. This is not a "problem" that seemed to appear out of no where but an issue that has been around for a long time.

Marijuana, the most commonly used illegal drug in the US is taken from the leaves and flowering tops of the Cannabis Saliva plant. It first became popular in the United States in the 1920's and can also come in a concentrated, resinous form called hashish and a sticky black liquid called hash oil. The average potency has increased over the past 20 years.

Marijuana can be smoked in many ways:

  • Rolled into joints (marijuana cigarettes)
  • Blunts (marijuana rolled into the leaf wrap of a hallowed-out cigar)
  • Use of a vaporizer
One of the dangers of smoking marijuana is the possibility that it has been laced with other, more dangerous substances such as crack, cocaine PCP or even embalming fluid. With unregulated drugs such as marijuana, the user has no way of knowing what has been added.

Doctors in Michigan approve the medical use of marijuana for treatment of chronic/debilitating medical conditions such as: cancer, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, hepatitis C, Crohn's Disease, agitation of Alzheimer's disease, severe nausea ( especially as a result of chemotherapy), and seizures.

I feel the option of medical marijuana should be available to people who have conditions where their pain can be eased and the quality of their life (especially for those who are terminally ill) can be improved or at least maintained.

Soon You May Be Charged Online Sales Taxes!!

Online shopping many soon be more costly. This is a scary thought for the millions of people who like to shop online from the comfort of their own homes. Laws in New York, Rhode Island and North Carolina will force retailers to collect state sales tax on purchases from Internet retailers.

With state revenues decreasing, many states are considering the so-called "Amazon Laws" which require Internet retailers to collect sales tax even if there are based in another state. The Supreme Court ruled that companies need to collect sales tax only if they maintain a "physical presence" (store or warehouse) in the same state as the customer. New laws get around this Supreme Court ruling by treating "in-state-hosted affiliate websites" as the legal equivalent of a physical presence.

States loose approximately $20 billion dollars a year in tax revenue due to online shopping.

source: PARADE

Let Your Hard-Earned Money Work For You

You work hard but don't know what to do with the $$$ you are able to save. Are you just starting your employment career having landed your first job? Are you in the middle of your career with retirement in sight in the next few years? Whether you're a young person or someone who's middle age, financial planning is something that needs to be done by everyone especially in these tough economic times. You"ll learn how to invest and work with your own managed funds with RaboDirect, an online savings bank, in business since 1898. Managed funds (a type of mutual investment: pooling funds from many different investors) offers many financial advantages including diversification.

If you decide to do online money management, you'll be placing your financial future into trusted and experienced hands. The important thing for a person of any age is to have a program for regular saving and investing. RaboDirect is an online business that can help you find answers to your investment questions. After you've spent years raising a family, getting your children through college, seeing them get married and are now enjoying your grandchildren, you want to be able to enjoy your "golden years" in style and be comfortable knowing that you're not going to outlive your money.

29 October 2010

Get The Best Web Hosting Available

Fed up with the downtime your computer? Looking for a reliable company to work with? Need mirroring disaster recovery or geographic load balancing? Then Superb Internet with their web hosting is the Internet site for you. Their data centers ensure 100% up-time on all levels.

If you're looking for managed hosting you'll find everything you need with managed servers, managed services and professional services and an excellent support team to help you through the rough spots so that you have complete understanding. Technical support, security experts, system administrators and network engineers are all available to manage your infrastructure so that you don't have too.

Colocation may also be an option that you're interested in. Single to multiple server rack colocation is available with customized packages to meet your needs. If you lack space, have temperature control issues or are concerned with security, then this is the way to go. State-of-the art data centers are extremely secure and have strict environmental controls including smoke detectors, fire detectors and surveillance cameras.

27 October 2010

Fair for the Food

Guest post written by Janey Byer

I've never been one for scary things and that especially goes for scary rides. I just also don't trust scary rides. But I still go to the local fair whenever I get a chance so I can chow down on all of the great food.

I was really excited to go this year to the state fair so I started looking online for all of the fair food that was supposed to be there when I came across cleartvbundle.com and read through it and decided to switch our internet service over to it.

By the time I got to the fair, I knew exactly which kind of fair food I was going to get. I wanted a traditional corn dog covered in mustard and then also a funnel cake. Although there are all kinds of great things to cover funnel cakes with, I prefer cinnamon sugar just because it's just so much lighter and a nice change from plain powdered sugar or chocolate syrup. Even though I love the food, I am glad that the fair only happens once a year because I can not eat like that more often.

24 October 2010

Advertising is Vital to the Success of a Business

If your advertising isn't hitting the mark, then you're just wasting your $$$. Many people have avoided dentists for years either through fear or finances. When they finally decide they need a dentist, they look either in the yellow pages in their phone book or on the Internet. What separates one dentist from another when looking on the Internet? A top-notch web design that catches their eye. Fast food chains have found that the most eye-catching graphics/colors are those that contain red, yellow and orange colors and ads should incorporate bright colors. Graphics also play a major part in an ad.

Everything has seen dramatic changes in the last couple of decades and that's where ThatAdvertisingCompany.com comes into play. Advertising has seen major changes and as a digital advertising company, they keep up with the changing times. A business needs an advertising agency that uses "future thinking". Their professionals track the success of the campaign so that advertising dollars are used to their best advantage. Their 3m (mixed media marketing) has proved successful using print, radio and television marketing. With the growth of the Internet, having a successful campaign often settles the question on whether a business stays open or closes it's doors.

21 October 2010

What Are Stem Cells?

What are stem cells?
Stem cells are master cells of the body - cells from which all other cells with specialized functions are created.

Where do stem cells come from?

There are several sources of stem cells: embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, adult cells altered to have the properties of embryonic stem cells and amniotic stem cells.

Why is there a controversy about using embryonic stem cells?
Embryonic stem cells are obtained from early- stage embryos. Extracting stem cells from embryos raises ethical and moral questions.

Where do the embryos come from?
The embryos that are used in embryonic stem cell research come from eggs that were fertilized at invitro clinics but never implanted in a woman's uterus.

Why don't researchers use adult stem cells instead?
Researchers believe that the adult stem cell may not be as versatile and durable as the embryonic stem cells are.

Have stem cells already been used to treat diseases?
Yes. Stem cell transplants also known as known as bone marrow transplants have been preformed in the US since the late 1960's. Stem cells from umbilical cord blood have been successfully used to treat rare genetic diseases.

Stay Warm & Toasty This Winter

In just a few weeks, Santa will be paying his yearly visit. Do you have a warm, inviting modern fireplace waiting, with stockings hanging for him to fill? Not only does Santa like a fireplace, it's also a great place for the family to gather in front of in the harsh winter months that many of us experience.

At modernhearth.com, you'll be amazed at the selection of modern fireplaces that are available. Whether you're looking for a gas, electric, wood or fuel fireplace, there's a style to fit everyone's decor (and price range). Free shipping is available on many of their products and they offer exclusive fireplaces that are only found on their web site.

If modern is what you're looking for, then this is the web site for you. Fireplace accessories are also available including fuels and scents.

19 October 2010

Mountain Climbing?

These days, more and more people are getting into what are known as extreme sports. One of the fist known extreme sports, which was done by millions of people before it ever became an extreme sport, is mountain climbing. This is a fun and exciting way to get plenty of exercise, and, if you can’t get to a mountain, the sport has become so popular that you can find indoor rock walls to climb in just about every city and town across North America.

When you get into rock climbing, you will gain strength, improve muscle tone and increase flexibility, all things you need to be able to mountain climb in the first place.

Outdoor Rock Climbing Lets You Commune with the Great Outdoors

When you decide to make rock climbing your sport/exercise of choice, you will be getting into a sport that will really allow you to commune with nature. You will be out there facing the elements, and must use your physical strength to get yourself to the top of the rock or mountain. Rock climbing is great for your cardiovascular system, and when added to the fact that you will be breathing in fresh mountain air, you will be doubling the benefits.

Don’t Let Foul Weather Stop You

Often, especially for those of us living in North America, we don’t always live in an area where the weather is good enough to mountain climb year-round. But, you don’t need to let this stop you. As we mentioned earlier, there are all kinds of places where you can climb on indoor rock walls, and you get pretty much the same benefits as outdoor rock climbing, with the exception of the great scenery and fresh air. But, it’s better than nothing, and you’ll more than likely have loads of fun doing this as well as climbing outdoors.

Wear the Right Gear

You need specific gear for most sports to ensure safety, but this is especially true with mountain climbing. You need to wear clothing that is comfortable and not constricting, but that is not loose-fitting either, because you don’t want pant legs or sleeves catching on rocks and branches, causing you to lose your footing or grip. Make sure that you wear a helmet, knee pads and elbow pads, and wear the proper footwear. If you are unsure of what you need, talk to a sporting goods expert to get the right gear.

Once you have your gear, and a place to climb, you’re all set to start off on many fun and exciting adventures that are going to help keep you in awesome shape.

***Consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program***

They've Come A Long Way...

Medical nursing uniforms used to be either white or drab blue or drab grey. Today, they are making a fashion statement and medical personnel have fabulous color choices. Many of the new uniforms and scrubs are wrinkle resistant which is very important for the long hours the professionals spend on the job.

Scrub sets, made from high quality fabric, are stylish as well as functional. Manufactured in the United States, they feature stitching on the pockets of the scrub bottoms and matching stitching on the pocket of the scrub top. Blueskyscrubs.com offers flare-leg or boot-cut bottoms and tapering waist tops (surgical hats that match the uniforms are also available).

If you're looking for a white lab coat, you'll find that also. Made of a wrinkle-resistant, teflon-protected cotton (100%), they're piped in slate gray. They fall just above the knee and have plenty of pockets. Orders totaling over $155.00 (excluding gift certificates, tax and additional shipping) are shipped free.

18 October 2010

Asbestos Exposure CAN Be a Death Sentence!

Asbestos, named by the ancient Greeks, was found to damage the lungs of slaves. Some archaeologists believe that ancients made shrouds to wrap bodies in before being placed on funeral pyres. The asbestos also helped preserve the ashes. Wicks of asbestos were also made for tombs and lamps. Asbestos became popular with manufacturers and builders in the late 19th century. It was used in some products for it's heat resistant qualities.

The word asbestos causes as much fear as the material itself. Health issues associated with this material have been know since the early 1900's but it's use continued worldwide sickening thousands and causing the death of hundreds. In the US when the medical issues became prevalent in the 1930's information was not made public. It is expected that the clean up/removal will take years: therefore, it's vital that anyone who thinks there is asbestos in their environment needs to get an asbestos survey from a reliable, established company without further delay. Get quotes for analysis and/or removal of any exisitng asbestos in your home or business.

Have The Time of Your Life

Thinking about a winter get-away for the family when the children have a holiday break from school? Then think http://www.avistaresort.com where you can swim in the ocean or in the pool at a top-notch resort or a Myrtle Beach hotel.

Not a fan of swimming? Then how about some golf at one of the areas many top notch golf courses? Choose from Legends Parkland, Grande Dunes, Island Green, Lion's Paw golf Links, True Blue and more.

Resorts in Myrtle Beach including Avista Resort, are close to many attractions where the family will find something for everyone. Family Kingdom Amusement Park & Water Park (featuring over 30 rides) is just a little over 6miles away from Avista Resort and there are many movie theaters for quieter times. Start planning now so you'll have someplace fabulous to visit when the snow starts to fall!

12 October 2010

Ways To Boost Weight Loss

If you’re like millions of Americans... tens of millions of Americans, you could stand to lose a few pounds. It’s almost inevitable, unless you’ve been blessed with those rare genetics that let you eat anything without getting fat, that you will gain weight as you get older. Carrying around an extra 10, 20 or more pounds is not only unhealthy, it just plain looks bad. We’d all like to have the coveted “six-pack abs” and healthy lean bodies, but somewhere along the line, we just fall short. If you feel like you’ll never find the secret to shedding pounds the healthy way, don’t give up hope! Here are a few tips to help you sneak in some healthy tactics to lose some weight.

Do a Lot of Little Things

Carving out an hour or two of your busy schedule for exercise can be tough to do. We all have busy lives, but chances are that you can find a few 10 to 20 minute breaks in your day to get in a little bit of exercise. In an ideal world we’d all have dedicated time to work out, but unfortunately most of us have schedules that are just too hectic. Since it’s hard to find regular time, you need to learn to make use of the unplanned little breaks that pop up throughout the day. Filling these little gaps with exercise can help to boost your metabolism and help you shed some unwanted pounds.

Any time you have 10 minutes or more, instead of having a cup of coffee or watching television, try one of the following:

• Take a calisthenics break. Do a few sets of push-ups, sit-ups and lunges. If you have ten minutes, you can easily fit in 3 sets of 10 each for these exercises. That might not seem like a lot of exercise, but if you get a chance to do this twice a day you’ll have sneaked in over 400 extra push-ups, sit-ups and lunges each week. Those kinds of things have a cumulative effect and can add up to great weight loss. • Go for a walk at lunch. Instead of taking an entire hour to eat at a restaurant or at the cafeteria, spend a few minutes eating a light lunch and then walk for the remaining 45 minutes. If you do this 3 to 5 times a week, you’ll end up burning a lot of extra calories and your fitness level will dramatically improve. • Just say no to sugar. Too much sugar in your diet can hinder weight loss greatly. If you’re drinking a few sodas a day or a large coffee filled with sugar, you are sabotaging your weight loss efforts. Say no to sugar filled drinks and drink an extra glass or two of water instead. You’ll feel better and you’ll escalate your weight loss efforts in the process.

Think of some other ways that you can sneak in a healthy habit to replace an unhealthy one. The end results will be weight loss without all the struggles you’ve faced in the past.

***Consult a medical professional prior to starting any exercise program***

06 October 2010

It's School Time: School Bus Dragnet

Several of the school districts in mid-Michigan are making it known: "Stop for school bus signals". In some cities, if you past an extended "stop arm" or flashing red lights, the fine is $295.00 plus 3 points on your license.

In a 1997 survey, 99% of the drivers asked said they considered running past a school bus with flashing red lights or an extended stop arm. This offense is considered more dangerous than running a red light or racing another driver because children may be darting around the bus.

In Michigan, state laws require stopping. There are now police officers in Fenton, MI who are aboard some of the school buses. They radio ahead to police cruisers if a driver goes past the school bus "stop" signals.

05 October 2010

Highway Memorials: Are They a Distraction?

Roadside memorials are markers that usually commemorate a place where a person died unexpectedly and suddenly away from home. It's not a grave site as there is no body there but marks the last place on Earth where that person was alive. before being killed in a car crash (even if they died in the hospital after the crash. The memorial is usually created and maintained by family and friends and can be made up of anything from flowers (plastic or real), messages, stuffed toys, crosses, mementos to anything else that reflects the deceased.

Roadside memorials have been around for centuries with the origin of crosses in the U.S. being placed by Hispanic settlers in the southwest. In funeral processions when a group was carrying a coffin from the church to the graveyard, a cross was placed where the coffin was set down so that the bearers could get a rest.

At the Delaware Highway Memorial Garden at the Smyrna Rest Area, mourners can sit in a garden lined with bricks inscribed with the names of nearly 600 crash victims. Many people prefer this type of memorial to the roadside ones with crosses and flowers. It opened in 2007 with 268 bricks and since the has grown. This garden is used as a model for other states.

Many states have laws prohibiting roadside memorials but the law is often ignored because states are unwilling to enforce it.

Source: USA Today

Aren't They Adorable?

You or someone you know has announced the arrival of the "blessed event". A new happy, healthy boy arrives after much anticipated waiting. He looks like a little doll and you want to dress him as one.

Baby clothes at vertbaudet.co/uk is just the place to start to get a terrific wardrobe for this terrific guy! Usually baby girls got all the adorable and great clothing, but it's now available for boys. Whether you're looking for t-shirts and polos or outfits, jackets and coats and more, you'll find what you're looking for at affordable prices. Sox, underwear and sleepwear are also available. What are you waiting for? Start you baby shopping now!

04 October 2010

Where Would You Like To Find Good Television?

Is your television programming and reception fuzzy, buzzy and irritating? Businesses are starting to see television viewing in a different way too. Direct tv for lobby is the current trend. How many times have you had to wait with nothing to do but read old torn-up magazines? Wouldn't it be nice to catch up on the news with television that has good reception? Certainly would make waiting a lot more pleasant!

Have you or someone you love been hospitalized? Besides the notoriously bad food, have you had to suffer through bad television reception also? Have you paid for television only to get a lot of static and a wavy picture? Many hospitals are now switching to direct tv for hospitals. There's a large variety of channels to choose from and helps make a hospital stay a little more pleasant.

http://www.dishbusiness.com/index.shtml offers many options for satellite television. Log onto their web site to see what's happening in technology: it's changing at a very rapid rate.

Kick-boxing & Stronger Legs

A lot of people want to develop their leg muscles without resorting to hours of heavy squats. While the squat is a great exercise, there are ways to greatly improve the muscle mass and conditioning of your legs without lifting any heavy weights. If you've ever seen the thigh muscles of a professional kick-boxer or MMA fighter, you know these professional athletes have some of the best developed legs on the planet. When you kick people for a living, your legs have to be strong, flexible and resilient. What a lot of people don't know is that many of these professional fighters rarely lift any heavy weights for their leg workouts.

If you want to develop the legs of a kick-boxer or MMA fighter without having to get in the ring and fight like one, here are some kicking exercises that will boost your leg development in a flash.

Heavy Bag Kicking – If you have access to a heavy bag, either freestanding or hanging, you can get in a fantastic workout like the professional fighters do. The best kick to workout on the heavy bag with is the roundhouse kick. To do a roundhouse, turn your hips into a kick so that you make contact with the bag using the front of your shins. The real key to a powerful roundhouse kick is to pivot on your supporting foot so that your hips turn quickly and powerfully into the kick.

Start off with a few light rounds of these kicks. When you get winded, throw a few light jabs to keep your heart rate high. As soon as you catch your breath, start throwing hard roundhouse kicks for all you're worth. This is a phenomenal way to develop muscles in your legs and hips that you didn't even know you had.

Stretching Your Legs – After a hard kicking workout, you will want to spend 10 to 15 minutes stretching your legs. There are lots of stretches you can do. One of the best stretches is to sit on the floor, with your legs spread as wide as you can and reaching to alternating feet and pulling your torso into that leg. Do each leg three to five times, holding each stretch for about 30 seconds.

To get the best results you should do each of these kicking workouts for your legs two to three times a week. After a few weeks you should see some definite improvement in your leg conditioning.

Article written by Joesph Jackson.

03 October 2010

Affordable Fitness Products

Want to test your body fat or the body fat of your team? Many individuals, coaches and trainers are using Futrex Body Composition Analyzer to do this. With it's lightweight push-button wand, testing is easier than ever. It can be used on both males and females. Knowing what the "essential" body fat is, is important as some body fat is needed to protect the body's health.

Founded in 1986, Health & Fitness Network, Inc. sells products that measure fitness levels including MedGem and BodyGem and have access to over 36,000 medical products. Personal trainers and those working with them are seeing the benefits of using equipment to measure fitness levels. It helps to see the level of success for those who are exercising and working out and helps in achieving realistic goals.