Going Green x 10
By newsguy | November 7, 2008
Grass is green just like the leaves. Paint and crayons are the same, but what about your lifestyle?
Just like cozy cardigans and vintage floral patterns going green is in. This environmentally conscious way of living is this year’s newest fashion trend and millions are jumping on the bandwagon to save the planet.
With this new way of living become so prevalent here are some tips for making it easier in his life.
Tip #1: Take showers rather than baths. I know baths are nice, but they take up to 70 gallons of water where as a shower takes as little as 15.
Tip #2: Use natural temperature control. Open the winds during the day to let in light and cooler air. Then at night keep the heat in by closing them up tight.
Tip #3: Its okay to use the air conditioner, but keep electronics that exude heat (televisions, computers, etc.) away from them. They will feel the warmth and so run longer. It will save you money and help with going green.
Tip #4: Microwaves are that bad. Use them for small meals rather than a conventional oven because they use a lot less energy.
Tip #5: Laptops use less energy so if you are thinking about getting a new computer look into them. (I hear Apple has some great ones!) Also keep electronics unplugged. According to the U.S. Department of Energy up to 75% of energy wasted by home electronics occur when they are turned off but still plugged in.
Tip #6: Your lawn is the best place to go green. Avoid fertilizers that can get contaminate groundwater, streams, and lakes do to run off.
(See The American Lawn)
Tip #7: Also for your yard, leave the grass clippings on your lawn. Bagging them just creates unnecessary garbage and they are also natural fertilizers.
Tip #8: Make a new friend! Take public transport at least once a week. 1,500 of greenhouse emissions a year could be cut if people drove to work only four out of five days.
Tip #9: Make your lighting green (not literally unless you want to). Change your incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient fluorescent lighting. They use a ¼ of the energy and last 10 times longer. You can do this in your office too.
Tip #10: Avoid plastic lids, paper cups, and/or styrofoam containers in your take out. Try eating in once and a while. Its helps save resources and it’s also a bit nicer than wolfing down food on the go.
Our world is in need of a little care. So take up your marker, pencil, or crayon and color yourself green. There are so many things you can do this is just a start.
By: Landis Grenville
Topics: environment, earth, global warming | No Comments »
Trick Or Treat The Right Way
By newsguy | October 30, 2008
-NEVER travel alone. No matter how old you are, there’s safety in numbers. Children especially should be accompanied by an adult when trick-or-treating. Notice I said adult, not parent- if for some reason the parent cannot join their kid in their quest, they should either find someone they can trust that will or a parent in the neighborhood that’s already watching a few kids.
-Carry a flashlight of some type. Glow-sticks are also good, especially for tying onto rambunctious children that you need to keep track of.
-Respect the lawn. Use the street to get from house to house instead of just cutting across. Not only might you step on or in something nasty, but it’s just rude to tromp across someone’s yard without their permission.
-Only visit houses that have their lights on out front. A dark house means no spoils to reap.
-Devising a route beforehand not only helps you trick or treat at an optimum level, it also lets everyone know where to head should separation happen or the need to find someone arises.
-Bring a cell phone if possible. Otherwise, keep a pocket full of quarters just in case you need to call home from a payphone. Remember, calling 911 is absolutely free.
-Never go around to the back of the house, enter a house (unless set up for community horror-house), or enter a vehicle for candy.
-Make sure your costume isn’t so long that you’ll trip on it or catch in snags.
-Be aware of cars. Just because you have the right of way doesn’t mean the car will stop for you.
-Once home, examine your candy, or let your parents do so. Any unwrapped or suspicious candy should be disposed of. Why? Cases of razorblades, pins, and needles hidden within candy have been reported for many years now on Halloween. Unless you want to bite into one of these, it’s advised you be suspicious. Especially check any candied apples received.
This is also a great time to check that the ingredients in any of these candies don’t follow any allergies.
This year, the candy to look out for are chocolate coins, any Spongebob gummy Krabby Patties, and Hannah Montana Picture Ringpops. These should just be thrown away for safety. Reports, legitimate reports, of melamine have been found in China’s powdered milk formulas, a toxin that has been killing many Chinese infants. The powdered milk is present in some Chinese candies, like the ones mentioned above.
-Callidryas
Topics: Halloween | No Comments »
Taylor Meyer was found dead in a swamp
By News Desk | October 20, 2008
The world has not taught children and teens enough about alcohol. More and more teens have resorted to partying with liquor. This trend is not a healthy one I personally know friends who party with alcohol and don’t really see it as a big thing, I though on the other hand, do. Alcohol is horrible for anyone but now I have to worry about teens, my friends drinking. In the news today a girl by the name of Taylor Meyer was found dead in a swamp near an abandoned airport. Several of her friends had decided to go party in an abandoned airport and they decided to bring alcohol. So now they all need to understand the consequences if it has to take one of there friend’s dead then so be it. She was not innocent either she drank that night, too. I mean drinking at the age of 17, come on Think now do you value your mind? Obviously not, because you have the disrespect for your body considering it is undeveloped at any age under 21. Life is to short to screw it up with alcohol.
Story By: Neema Fallon
Topics: Discuss Amongst Yourselves | No Comments »
Eat a Kitten; Its good for you!
By newsguy | October 14, 2008
According to Peruvians the way to ensure you live to a ripe old age and never get bronchial infection is to eat fluffy kitties. To get double the health benefits you can eat it fried. These are not normal strays, not these kitties are bred especially for the purpose of being deep fried and eaten. I wonder then if there are any health benefits of eating kittens. Perhaps the meat is leaner and better for you. I for one am disgusted by this practice. Do not get me wrong though I think that eating a cat is no different then eating a cow. Keep in mind though I do not eat moo moo cows. I am torn between being disgusted and tolerating another culture. On one hand I think that it is gross and appalling but I also think that eating cows is just as gross if not more to people who worship them.
Yummy?
Topics: Uncategorized | 4 Comments »
The American Lawn
By newsguy | October 13, 2008
Grass growing tall in that lovely shade of green. Freshly mowed to an even level. Watered daily to keep it in a healthy condition. Flowerbeds heavily laden with new mulch. The perfect little lawn, a status symbol repeated in millions of suburban yards. But could such a typical custom have a darker underside?
The answer is yes. All the care put into keeping such a manicured exterior is all at the expense of the environment.
For one, American lawns are planted with usually non-native grasses that reduce biodiversity. Also these foreign plants are not easily sustained in such a different atmosphere, so they require more attention and care, i.e. more resources wasted.
It is estimated that 32 million acres of American soil is taken up by the sweet suburban yard. That is 32 million acres to water with our most precious resource. A resource that is not only key to our survival but is also in increasingly short supply. If all the world water fit in a gallon only three tablespoons are freshwater and only one tablespoon can be accessed as of today.
In fact the wars of the coming century will no longer be about oil or territory, it will be water that sparks the conflict. So if you are willing to make the trade, a perfect lawn to day, for your children children’s thirst keep competing for Yard of the Month.
To get such perfect seeming results Americans employ a wide variety of harmful chemical agents. Pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, and gasoline-powered lawnmowers all pollute the land, the water, and the humans that come into contact with it. If it kills off weeds and insects, chances are it’s not the best for humans either.
So if a status symbol is more important than a healthy environment that will continue to sustain our ever increasing population, than by all means take our weed killer and have your perfect picture. But if you understand the direr nature of these events, look into alternatives to this suburban killer.
Topics: What do you think? | 1 Comment »
Asteroid hits Earth…
By newsguy | October 7, 2008
Scientists were today celebrating the first successful prediction of an asteroid smashing into the Earth’s atmosphere.
Although it didn’t actually hit Earth, it had an impact out of all proportion to its size - because it enabled experts to prove they could warn of potentially catastrophic asteroid strikes.
‘It’s the first time we’ve been able to predict an impactor in advance,’ said Donald Yeomans, manager of Nasa’s Near Earth Object program, which tracks asteroids and comets that come close to our planet.
Topics: Discuss Amongst Yourselves | No Comments »
2008 Wal-Mart First Tee Open
By newsguy | October 6, 2008
Do you know about The First Tee? It’s a youth development program that uses the game of golf as a way to reach young people and teach them valuable life lessons.
Source: http://walmartstores.com/Video/?id=967
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Wal-Mart Gave More than $296 Million in 2007
By newsguy | October 6, 2008
Giving back to the community has always been a top priority for Wal-Mart, and 2007 was no exception. This past year, we donated more than $296 million to charitable organizations benefiting thousands of communities across the United States. What’s more, our associates and customers generously contributed an additional $106 million through company-sponsored programs. When combined with international donations, Wal-Mart’s global contributions totaled more than $470 million.
“We are proud to be in a position to make a real difference, not just through donations made by the company, but also by encouraging others to give,” said Margaret McKenna, president of the Wal-Mart Foundation. “Our support last year helped students return to the classroom, local children’s hospitals care for terminally ill youth, disaster relief agencies pick up the pieces following natural disasters, and many other important charitable causes across the country.”
Financial and Volunteer Support
For the past two years, we have been recognized as the largest corporate cash contributor by Chronicle of Philanthropy, an honor we proudly share with our customers and associates. In addition to their individual donations, our associates volunteered more than 1 million hours to causes of their own choosing. In support of their dedication, the Foundation matched associates’ volunteer hours with $6 million in grants.
Many of Our Donations are Made at the Local Level
Others are made to national organizations that reach into communities around the country. A few examples of 2007 giving in the United States include;
Education: The Foundation donated $67 million to support various educational efforts. We also recognized more than 4,000 teachers across the United States in our 12th annual Teacher of the Year program, providing more than $5 million to schools in every community where we have a presence.
Hunger Relief: Wal-Mart donated $5 million to American’s Second Harvest food banks, and more than $35 million in merchandise. During a nationwide food shortage at food banks this past December, we were the first corporation to respond by dispatching 3 million meals to every state in the country.
Environmental Sustainability: We supported several environmental organizations and partnerships like the Rocky Mountain Institute and the University of Arkansas’ Applied Sustainability Center. In addition, 2,300 elementary schools in 12 states received donations as part of Wal-Mart Foundation’s Kids Recycling Challenge.
Health Care: This year, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of our partnership with the Children’s Miracle Network with combined corporate and individual donations of $39 million, including more than $7 million from Wal-Mart Canada. Other donations went to the Delta Regional Authority, American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association and Meharry Medical College, among others.
Disaster Relief: We continued our tradition of delivering relief in the wake of natural disasters by donating $4 million in cash and products to families affected by tornados, floods, wildfires and winter storms.
Military Outreach: With more than 3,000 associates currently on a military leave of absence, we hold America’s servicemen, women and their families close to our hearts by supporting several organizations devoted to the special needs of this community. During the 2007 holiday season, “Operation: Deck the Walls” brought holiday cheer in the form of cash donations and store merchandise to military families spending the holidays in Fisher Houses across the country. The Wal-Mart Foundation also provided funding to support veterans returning home from assignments abroad, as well as to organizations seeking to meet the needs of military families.
Salvation Army: Volunteer bell ringers stationed outside Wal-Mart stores and Sam’s Clubs collected $32.5 million, an all-time high accounting for more than 27 percent of all donations to the Red Kettle Campaign.
“We continue to be amazed at our associates’ dedication to give back to their local communities,” said McKenna. “And through our Volunteerism Always Pays program, we are pleased to back-up their volunteer activities with grants from the Wal-Mart Foundation.”
This list highlights just a few of the donations made in support of worthy causes across the country. Other recipients included United Way of America, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Hispanic Scholarship Fund, United Negro College Fund, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Mercy Health Systems, Special Olympics and Boys & Girls Clubs of America, among many others.
Global Giving
Wal-Mart operations outside of the United States increased their community support in 2007. Donations abroad last year were more than $41 million, up from $28 million in 2006. International associates and customers also made a big impact on Wal-Mart’s global communities, giving more than $30 million through company-sponsored fundraisers and events.
Wal-Mart’s global contributions for 2007 totaled more than $470 million, up from $418 million in 2006. Source: http://walmartstores.com/CommunityGiving/8010.aspx?p=223
Topics: Miracles, The Buzz, Uncategorized | No Comments »
JNJ Health - Prostate Cancer: Diagnosis
By newsguy | October 3, 2008
Topics: Miracles, What do you think?, The Buzz, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Sisterhood to Motherhood - BABYCENTER® Supports Parents Worldwide
By newsguy | October 3, 2008
“A Kind of Family”
When Archana Aggarwal and her feverish baby, Shreya, returned from the pediatric clinic in Delhi, she clicked on BABYCENTER® India and saw messages from three moms asking if everything went o.k. That Aggarwal had never met these women didn’t matter. They were her BABYCENTER® friends who had swapped vegetarian recipes and advice on temper tantrums, picky eating and shedding those extra pregnancy pounds. “It becomes a kind of family,” Aggarwal says. BABYCENTER® India launched in 2007 and quickly became one of the most popular web sites for new and expectant parents in a country that accounts for 20 percent1 of births worldwide. “We found an overwhelming need to provide online prenatal and parenting information to one of the fastest- growing internet and parenting populations in the world,” says Tina Sharkey, BABYCENTER®, L.L.C. chairman. In the United States, BABYCENTER® has long been the number one destination for new and expectant parents, reaching 78 percent2 of online pregnant women and mothers of young children. Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2007, the only Johnson & Johnson media company is now in 12 markets and six languages and reaches more than 6 million3 monthly visitors worldwide. BABYCENTER® starts the journey at preconception with tools like the Ovulation Calendar. Then every week expectant parents get a newsletter tailored to their exact stage of pregnancy. With its chat rooms, bulletin boards and birth clubs, some moms forge such deep friendships that they meet in person. BABYCENTER® also offers thousands of articles for parents reviewed by expert advisors and an online store with mom-reviewed products. ParentCenter® continues the experience to age 8. In 2007, BABYCENTER® revamped its site to deliver a more personalized and relevant experience for each parent and to enhance the parent-to-parent interactivity.
Expanding Around the World
BABYCENTER® launched an ambitious expansion plan in 2005, extending its global network from Australia to China and recently to India. Local editors and medical experts make each site culturally meaningful. BABYCENTER® India offers articles on dressing for the monsoon weather and respectfully addresses traditional beliefs. “We provide the right information without being judgmental,” Executive Editor Shrvidya Sen says. In 2007, BABYCENTER® en Espanol launched for Latina mothers in the U.S. Not only does it address topics of special concern, such as how to find Spanish-speaking doctors, it makes standard parenting information relevant, such as addressing pregnancy concerns related to typical Latino dishes like ceviche. “We don’t believe in a one size fits all experience of pregnancy and motherhood,” says BABYCENTER® en Espanol Executive Editor Isidra Mencos. The next stops for BABYCENTER® are the Middle East, Latin America and Southeast Asia. But it won’t stop there, Sharkey says: “Our job is to support every parent around the world through their journey.”Source: Johnson & Johnson, http://www.jnj.com/connect/caring/patient-stories/baby-center/
Topics: What do you think?, The Buzz, Uncategorized | No Comments »