The Ripple Effect of The Gulf Oil Spill

The catastrophic nature of the Gulf spill has affected 14 million residents of the Gulf Coast and could ultimately affect nearby Latin American and Caribbean shores.  Predictions have been made that the spill could reach the Mexican coast by December, followed by Cuba, the Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands.  The Gulf oil spill has far reaching effects beyond the U.S. borders.

Such a huge disaster has everyone wondering why it happened and how we can prevent it from ever happening again.  There are numerous liability issues surrounding the spill. BP’s oil spill cleanup response costs have hit $2.35 billion. It has been speculated that BP could eventually be fined $258 million a day. This would be in addition to payments for cleanup costs and economic damages to businesses.

There is no doubt that the regulatory systems in place for overseeing  offshore oil and drilling failed.  That system is controlled by an agency called the Minerals Management Service (MMS).  It has been reported that they allowed BP to run the oil rig without demonstrating the ability to shut off the flow of gas and oil.

With fingers pointing to the MMS and pressure mounting, the head of the MMS,  Elizabeth Birnbaum, resigned from her position.  Michael R. Bromwich, a former Justice Department prosecutor and inspector general, has been appointed by the President  to  restructure the agency to make it a more effective regulator. There is now an independent commission investigating the Gulf oil spill that has been given subpoena power so that better regulating systems can be developed.

Is the United States accepting help from other nations?  There may be offers made that haven’t been accepted however there are skimming systems and other assets accepted from Mexico, Norway, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands. The President has also authorized the use of 17,000 National Guard members to help with the clean up.

Massive efforts by various non-government organizations have been taken to clean birds  drenched in oil. Some question the wisdom in this.  According to German biologist Silvia Gaus, it would have been better if they put the birds to sleep instead of cleaning them since most aren’t likely to survive long term. Experts from other countries also say that this is a better way to treat the animals since they will be suffering liver and kidney failure after ingesting oil.

The economic impact of the oil spill in the Gulf is devastating. The fisheries in the area have been declared as a disaster zone making the seafood-producing states lose money with many businesses failing. Louisiana’s seafood industry supplies up to 40% of the United States’ seafood supply and the price of seafood has risen. Apart from this, wildlife in the area have suffered. Tourism is affected as well since many hotels have reported cancellations in reservations.The toll on a wide variety of human health issues has not even begun to be studied.

Many scientists are hopeful something good will come from this oil catastrophe.  Americans have gained a better appreciation for their environment. We have turned to scientists to help answer the questions of why this even happened and how to prevent it in the future. People  recognize the importance of  a healthy marine ecosystem to our economy, culture and way of life in the Gulf Coast.

Control What You Can To Improve Your Life

I have been to my local gym to exercise, swim and use their public steam bath many times. One of my favorite things about this experience is to enjoy ten minutes of sitting in the steam bath. The heat and moisture make me feel good and more energetic during the rest of my day.

One of the things I hate about the steam bath is that many many times I’ve sat in the steam bath when there is barely any steam at all. I’ve watched people use various methods of trying to get the steam regulator to cool down, thus triggering the release of more steam. The small regulating device is strategically placed at a height of 6 1/2 feet and must be all of about 3/4 of an inch wide. Some people are successful at getting it to restart the steam. They were either taller than I was or had a better water bottle.

If you have ever tried to actually squirt water out of a drinking container, you’ll know that the water doesn’t go very far and accuracy is difficult to obtain. I have thought many times in the past as I was sitting in the steam bath that I should buy a cheap water gun and see if that would work. I had the idea months ago, but today I actually went to buy the water gun  and make it part of the necessary piece of equipment for my exercise routine.

I walked into the steam room. There were about six people sitting there and the steam looked like it was on its way to fizzling out. I sat down and inquired about the steam. I was told that it had just stopped but had previously been fine. I took my little water gun, filled with tap water and proceeded to take aim at the regulator. My first few attempts seemed to miss the bulls eye, but I continued until I could see that it was hitting it and felt that it had been sufficiently soaked. I walked to the seating area and within ten seconds the steam started coming forth with vigor. It provided the group with the best steam bath. In fact it got so hot in there that several people left.

What I learned from this experience is that if there is something that you can control to improve your life, do it. Don’t just think about it. Do it. The next time I go to the gym, I feel confident that I will be able to enjoy the best steam bath possible at the time that I want it to and it cost me 99 cents. That is really sweet.

When you work on the Internet and devote your days to building your business, many things that you choose to do can grow your business. However there are a slew of things that you can do that will not help you in the least. You have most likely already spent hours and hours getting distracted from your main Internet goals in the past.  Choose to do something that you know will help. Are you offering people better information? Are you offering them a reason to link to your site? Are you improving anything about your services and letting people know?

Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her. But once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game. ~ Voltaire

Expect the Unexpected With Internet Startups

Great Expectations

I have cut, sliced and diced hundreds of onions. So many that when I cut this onion open and saw these funny faces smiling back at me, I had to laugh. I was amazed at how perfect these images seemed. To refresh my memory of what onions normally look like, I cut into another onion and found the look I usually find – one center and concentric circles. This onion produced two smiley faces. Totally unexpected! Sometimes it is better to expect the unexpected.

In any business people try to predict their success and  rely on statistics to back up their predictions. With the Internet this method doesn’t always work.

Many people start Internet businesses and plan to be successful. They’ve got a great business idea and they invest money and time towards building the business. They literally do everything they can do. What sometimes happens is that they don’t get enough traffic to sustain the business and they stop trying. This is not what they expected.

The Unexpected

On the other hand there are people who start an Internet business and have no expectations of being wildly successful, but they enjoy trying new things and testing different methods of getting their business to work. They actual stumble upon little ideas and little tricks that end up making their business earn more money. Repeating this as a regular work habit can make the site profitable.

Think about your expectations of your Internet business. Is it going well or is it a project that you have abandoned?

In a search for “websites that fail” an article was listed called The number 1 Reason Why Most Websites Fail. You would expect this site to tell you about reasons sites fail, however this site was an example of failure. Mistakes on the page were causing major errors that failed to pull in the correct information in five different areas. This is the advice they give.

Websites do fail. Lots of them fail. You will see many of them every day. Some of them fail to inspire or enthuse. Some fail to get found at all. Some fail to get completed. Some fail to understand the needs of the people visiting them. But there is an underlying common reason for all these failings..

This site expected to be an authority on why websites fail, but lost credibility because their own site was failing. That wasn’t what was expected.

Finding Success With Internet Start Ups

In 1969, Honeywell International Inc. developed a computer that sold for $10,600. It was advertised as a kitchen computer because back then, the engineers decided that the only reason people would want to use a personal computer at home was to store recipes. That was what they expected people to wanted to do. Not one of the computers they designed sold. Did they expect that when developing this product? I’m quite sure they didn’t.

When you start your business on the Internet remember to expect the unexpected. It will give you  patience while you work on your site and build it and continue to build it. Success for you may be right around the corner.

In life there is nothing more unexpected and surprising than the arrivals and departures of pleasure. If we find it in one place to-day, it is vain to seek it there to-morrow. You can not lay a trap for it.
~ Alexander Smith, Scottish poet

Creativity comes from looking for the unexpected and stepping outside your own experience.
~Masaru Ibuka, co-founder of Sony Corporation

Sometimes it is better to expect the unexpected.

Health Benefits of Drinking Alkalized and Ionized Water

Drinking alkalized and ionized water can make you feel more energy, release excess body fat and stored toxins, balance blood sugars, lower blood pressure, cleanse and heal the colon, improve arthritis, diabetic conditions, slow the aging process and heal a variety of skin conditions.

Based on clinical experiences in Japan and the United States, drinking alkalized and ionized water has helped people feel more energy and regain a sense of health and well being.The Enagic Corporation, a Japanese water technology company, has patented a machine that will alkalize and ionize water and now it is finally available in the United States. That machine produces “Kangen” water.

Kangen drinking water has produced so many positive, healing results with people who are having health issues that Japan has named this device a “medical device.” This water technology has been used in Japanese hospitals for over 30 years. You may be wondering what benefits this Kangen drinking water could give you.

Here are the top four reasons for drinking Kangen water:

1. To Balance the Body PH – The water raises the PH of tap water by “ionizing” the water molecule resulting in H+ and OH- ions. Overall, this increases the bicarbonate buffers in the blood, balancing the body and helps in neutralizing and excreting built up acids and toxins.

2. It Increases Hydration – Ionization reduces the size of the water molecule by 2/3, making it more able to penetrate the cellular membranes in our bodies. It speeds up the building of new tissue and waste removal through the lymphatic system.

3. Increases Blood Oxygenation – The OH- rich alkaline water makes more oxygen readily available to enrich the blood. Increased oxygenation can speed healing and increase one’s energy level.

4. Neutralizes Free Radical – The alkaline water with an abundance of OH- ions have extra electrons that easily neutralize destructive free radicals circulating throughout the body. Kangen water carries a high negative ORP (oxygen reduction potential) when it is first produced, making it a potent antioxidant. It also improves the absorption and utilization of food or supplements. This allows the natural healing process to predominate and promote health. Here are some surprising benefits of using other PH levels of water that the Kangen Water Machine produces.

Strong Alkaline Water with an 11.5 PH has some very powerful absorption properties that makes it excellent for use as a cleaning agent. People have used this water to remove carpet stains, clean household items and as a pain reliever in muscle strains or deep injuries to the body.

Beauty Water with a 5.5 PH has amazing properties when applied topically. This PH is similar to your natural skin’s PH and acts as a toner. Used on the face and skin, it softens the skin and makes it look beautiful. When sprayed on hair, it makes your hair shiny and radiant looking.

Strong Acidic Water with a 2.5 PH is not to be used for drinking. It has the ability to kill germs. In fact it has been used in restaurants to keep utensils and cutting boards clean and used in hospitals as a disinfectant. As seen on a short movie clip at our websites, bacteria die on contact with the 2.5 PH water. This type of water has been beneficial in replacing pesticides in agricultural crops in Japan.

Please use the contact us link to find out more about the Kangen Water Filter for your home.

10 Steps to a Healthy Diet Plan

Eating a healthy meal once a day is not a difficult task. In fact eating healthy meals all your life is easy. Here are a few tips on how to keep from eating unhealthy food and binge eating:

1. Set a goal – If there is a need for you to lose some weight through eating healthy, set a goal for yourself on how much weight you aim to lose in a month’s time. Of course, you would need the assistance of your doctor to determine the numbers that won’t be a health risk.

2. Commit to your eating plan – If you are doing it just because your doctor told you to, it won’t work. You have to be committed to eating healthy and you have to know that doing this will do your body a lot of good.

3. Plan a Menu – Plan a menu that suits your diet. If you cook it yourself, it’s better so you know what’s in the food you eat. Research online for easy to cook recipes that you can try. This way you won’t have to stick to eating carrots or celery or any of those boring and bland food.

4. Do Not Eat Fast Food – Do not order from any fast food chain. You have to think that this will not only ruin your diet but will also defeat the fact that you have a healthy diet plan.

5. Reflect – Before you give yourself a fresh start on your eating plan, reflect first on why you are sticking to your diet. Reflect on why you are doing it and once you know the importance of your diet plan you’re good to go.

6. Recognize that people around you are not on the same diet plan – With other people in your workplace eating burgers and other greasy types of food, temptation to eat fast food is everywhere. With this in mind, you can tell your colleagues or the people around you that you are trying something new so you’d have to say no to that pizza they are offering you.

7. Support System – A support system plays a huge part in staying on your healthy eating plan. Tell your family or your friends what you need to do and make them understand why you are doing this. With a good support system, by the time you feel like stopping your eating plan altogether, they will be the ones who will encourage you to continue with your diet.

8. Learn to Say No – Let’s face it, not many people will understand why you no longer eat what you used to eat. If some of the people you know keep on nagging you to eat something that is not included in your eating plan, just say “No”.

9. Live and Let Live – Accept the fact that your family or your friends may not join you in your diet. Do not feel alone at all just because of your diet. Let them enjoy what they eat while you enjoy yours.

10. Give Yourself a Holiday – You can take a break on Sundays and then go right back to your diet plan on Monday. Giving yourself a holiday is a good idea so that you won’t get tired of your eating plan.

How to Have Beautiful Skin and Hair

Who wouldn’t want healthy looking skin and beautiful, shiny hair? There’s no need to break the bank to have beautiful skin and hair. Here’s how:

Water, water, water

Drink water. Being hydrated all the time hydrates the skin and the hair as well, making you look healthier and more beautiful.

Healthy Diet

Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. A healthy diet does not only make you feel good, it will also make you look good and that includes your hair and your skin. It may be a cliché but you are what you eat. If your hair and your skin do not look healthy then you may not be eating right.Beauty is not just skin deep, it comes from within.

Oil Treatments

For unmanageable and frizzy hair, use virgin coconut oil and leave it over night. You can apply coconut oil on your body as well to add moisture to the skin. Olive oil for the skin is good as well.

Protection

Protect your hair and your skin from harmful elements. There are conditioners available in the market that can protect your hair from UV rays. For the skin, you can use a sun block.

Super Meals

Omega 3 and 6 are good for the skin. Salmon, tuna, walnuts and sardines frees skin cells from toxins. For your hair eat red meat twice a week, the protein content in meat, with vitamin B, iron and zinc will make your hair look healthier and shiner than ever.

The Don’ts in Hair Care

Do not wash your hair with warm water, it makes it dry. Dry hair is hard to manage and it doesn’t look nice. If you are fond of using warm water however get a conditioner and moisturize daily. Apart from moisturizing your hair, a good organic conditioner like those made of aloe vera or fruit extract without chemical ingredients will keep your hair healthy and protect it from the elements.

Do not fail to cut the tips of your hair at least once every two months. Getting a trim will enhance hair growth and will remove split ends.
Do not use hair care products with too many chemicals on. it may make your hair look shiny and pretty the first few times but in the long term, it brings considerable damage to hair follicles.

The Don’ts in Skin Care

Do not go out without sunscreen even if you are not going to the beach. The sun’s UV rays damage the skin and may even cause skin cancer. Do not use tanning beds. A good tan may look nice on you but you are burning your skin, there is no such thing as safe tanning especially when tanning salons are concerned. To tan naturally, go to the beach with enough sunscreen protection and lay there in the early morning until 9 am. Do not tan in the middle of the day, the sun’s rays are not healthy for your skin at those hours.

Do not fail to exfoliate. Removing dead skin cells makes your skin look healthy and a lot smoother than before. For a natural way to exfoliate, you can use rock salt.

Dreaming comes naturally in nature

Why does this picture inspire people? Notice there is no recognizable landmarks. It could be any beach in any country. This could be the beach you last went to or the beach you want to go to.

Are you letting yourself dream about things that make you happy or about the life you want to have?

Dreaming is the precursor of reality, so dream on.

Our lives can become so wrapped up in schedules and routines, that we sometimes get bored with life. Vacations have a definite purpose in our psyches. When you are on vacation, you let yourself dream about how things could be different in your life. That dreaming is the basis of actual change.

Change something in your life today that you never thought of before. Do something different. Picture yourself in a different life costume and see how it fits.

Would Oprah Make a Good Senator?

What do you think of Oprah being appointed President Obama’s old senate seat?

On the first day of Blagojevich’s impeachment  trial for conspiracy and bribery charges, Blagojevich announces that he’s considering nominating Oprah Winfrey to fill the empty U.S. Senate seat left by President Barack Obama. Is there anything else he could do to draw more attention to himself than that?

USA Today reports: 

 ”She was obviously someone with a much broader bully pulpit than other senators,” Blagojevich said. But the Democrat said appointing Winfrey might have been perceived as a gimmick — and that Winfrey probably would not have accepted the appointment anyway.”

What was Oprah’s response?

Oprah said that she was pretty amused by the whole thing and that she would have fallen off her treadmill if she had been working out on it.

She is definitely, not interested.

CNN conducted a phone in survey and here is what several people said:

James from Brooklyn, New York,  says that Oprah may not be bi-partisan. Her opinions may not reflect the opinions of the rest of the country.

Sharese from Seattle, Washington says that she would be the perfect Senator because she understands poverty, she’s totally involved in the community and she can definitely handle it.

Larry, from Louisiana said that Blagojevich is a cynical and evil person and that by considering Oprah as a Senator because he ultimately wants someone in the position to help him get his own way.

What do you think?

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