Sagging Skin, Fine Lines, Wrinkles, Uneven Skin Tone….

What do you think of when you think of these words?  

Yes, OLD!  

To all humans, these words signify age.  Finding that fountain of youth that would make us all look like we were in our 20’s has been an age old desire.  

Many people have opted for plastic surgery or laser treatments to correct their sagging skin and fine lines, but there are other less painful and less expensive alternatives to getting rid of your fine lines and wrinkles. 

First, you have to start by taking care of your body.  1. Make sure to stop all your bad habits, like smoking, drinking and not protecting yourself in the sun.   2. Then, yes, you must get on a diet and exercise regimen. 
3. Finally, you should look into an anti-aging skin care lotion/cream that you can use daily on your face. 

Anti-Aging Laser Treatment: Laser treatment involves using a laser, which means that it can and will generate a lot of heat.  The purpose of using Laser is to cause damage to the top layer of skin.  It allows the body to heal with new skin underneath.  The heat from the laser is what damages the top layer of the skin. 

Anti-Aging Light Therapy: This is a relatively new treatment which has become quite popular for the treatment of fine lines and wrinkles.  It is interesting, in that, anti-aging light therapy has the same light frequency as the laser treatment, but does not generate heat, as the laser treatment does.  Therefore, it does not burn the top layer of the skin.  But what it does do, is stimulate the collagen production on your face or hands over time.  Take a look at this picture to see what your skin looks like:
infographichttp://tanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/tanda_infographic.png 

There is still ongoing research into light therapy for treatment of wrinkles.  Red Light is the specific type of light used to treat aging skin. 
There is another type of light, blue light, which has an anti-inflammatory effect and also will kill bacteria.  Blue light is use most often to treat bad cases of acne. 
Studies now show that Red and Blue light used together have the best effect on aging skin. 

My personal opinion, take it or leave it....   Don't do surgery unless you absolutely HAVE to.  Surgery does have its place, and it can be beneficial, but first exhaust all conservative measures before opting for surgery.  

Who Know??  Our Fountain of Youth may just be in Light Therapy!  

Is Nomorerack For Real??

Yes, Nomorerack is For Real!!  In our fast-paced lives, sometimes it's nice to have one and only one website where you can sit at home and shop for anything.  Everything is at your fingertips, especially when its cold outside and you just don't want to have to trudge out into the cold Again!  An added bonus would be that this website has prices that are just right, and maybe even better than just right; prices that you just can't refuse!!

I know!  You think that I am living in La-La-Land and that there is no such thing, but I want you to go right now, and see for yourself.  Check out Nomorerack.com.  Its an internet based online shopping site.  You sign up and every day you will get 8 new deals.  You will also get an "insanity deal", once a month, where you can get items like an IPad for less than $50!!

Another pet-peeve of mine are shipping costs!  That's where they get ya!  Even with the best deals, you still have to pay shipping!!  But at Nomorerack, shipping is $2.00 flat, regardless of the item that you purchased.  I like that a lot!!

If you are STILL not sure, read about them some more.  There are several nomorerack reviews out there.  You can see what other people are saying before you decide to sign up.  But its probably the best thing you will do for yourself this year.

One more thing I need to address is the fact that I noticed that there was some negative publicity about a nomorerack scam!  So of course, my nosey little self had to look into it.
I found that the scam was not a scam at all.  In fact, it was just the opposite!  (Someone had scammed Nomorerack, and hacked into their system!).  There is so much hacking going on these days, but all the clients information was safe and secure.

Whatever you do this year, make sure that you sign up for Nomorerack!  Its the best present you will give yourself this winter!  :)

DO YOU HAVE A WEBSITE FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

Today’s small businesses need to get with the program.  An increasingly large number of small businesses do not have a presence on the internet.  Why is this?  The answer is that several small companies which have been present for years, even prior to the internet boom just don’t want to change.  They do not think that they need to go online.

The problem arises when these business owners start to lose clients, or their clients start to decrease in number.  The world has changed dramatically with the internet.  Businesses can market themselves completely only by having an internet presence.  Many people today, especially the new generation go online to look for everything; from finding a new pet to finding a mortgage to finding something new to buy.  It’s all on the internet. 

Businesses will only grow from now on if they have a signature on the internet.  If you are a small business and do not have a website, a good place to start is with a web development company.  This company is a web development company; they will help you to build your website.  They even have a part of the website where they can speak to you online about your situation and give you a quote depending on what you require. 

Getting started with a website is not as expensive as it used to be.   Make sure to read thoroughly about web development before you start to build your website.  Remember, building a website for your business needs is essential in today’s economy and in today’s world.  

SHOULD I REFINANCE MY HOME??

Yes!  NOW is the time to Refinance Your Home.  The interest rates have dropped and you shouldn’t be sitting there still “thinking” whether you should refinance or not.

JUST DO IT!

Today’s 30 year fixed Mortgage Rates are as low as 3.39% with a 15 year Fixed Rate.  An easy way to get a quick and accurate quote to see what your rates potentially could be, go to FHA streamline refinance rates.  If you already have an FHA or a VA home loan, then you are already half way there. 

You may be wondering what FHA means.  FHA is short for Federal Housing Administration.  It is government run agency which provides mortgage insurance on loans made by FHA-approved lenders, and  streamline FHA refinance is one of those lenders. 

VA Home Loans were created specifically for veterans by the VA or the Veteran’s Association.  It helps Veterans secure a lower interest rate on their homes.  You must therefore be a Veteran of the US Military (you must have served 90 days during wartime or 181 days during peaceful times).  There are other requirements to get VA refinancing.  If you do have a VA Home Loan, click here to see more qualifications that you need in order to refinance your loan. 

If you are still unsure of what to do, then, the best advice is to READ MORE.  Start by expanding your knowledge base.  A good place to begin is a place called Real Estate Communities on the web.  Whether you are buying a new home, selling your home or looking to refinance your existing home, you can start with RealEstateCommunities.com.  They will help to keep you up to date on Mortgages, Foreclosures, and they even have tips for first time home buyers. 

Whatever your situation is, be sure to ACT NOW!  The mortgage rates are low today, with the world’s economy as it is, make sure to grab a good deal when you see it!  

Steel Signs the New Trend?

Everywhere I look I seem to see more and more Metal Signs.  Did you know that even the Hollywood Sign is made of Australian Steel which is painted white?  The Hollywood Sign was originally wooden and sheet metal.  Later, when the sign started deteriorating due to the wear and tear of weather, it was later redone as it is today. 

Today, most outdoor signs or signs that we hope to preserve longer are made of steel.  Another old sign which was redone was at the Second City Comedy Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.  That sign is now a beautiful stainless steel.  Make sure to take a close look at their business signs.  Its cleaner, brighter and very catchy.  A great change for a Comedy Club!  

Steel is an alloy of Iron and Carbon and is known for its ability to resist rusting and its ability to be welded into shape. 

Another niche that has been using Steel Signs are companies who want to display donor contributions.  Our society's generosity is one of the main reasons why some companies (including non-profit organizations, museums, and schools) even exist.  Find out for yourself some beautiful examples of signs for donors.  It is important to recognize and display what our donors have done for us and for our society.  


Today, we have the ability to utilize steel to make signs that will last.  Steel is readily available today, and is one of the most common materials in the world.  Approximately 1 Billion tons of it is produced every year.  Steel is used in building infrastructure, tools, ships, automobiles, machines, many appliances and weapons.  

To cut costs of redoing signage, many small businesses and large companies alike should start to utilize steel, and redo their signage if they have not already.  It seems to be the new trend.  It is Chic, and aesthetically pleasing; but more importantly, it is long lasting, especially in its ability to resist rusting.  Many companies are now making signs for businesses in steel.  Take a look for yourself at www.impactsigns.com

TOP 5 ENDANGERED SPECIES OF THE WORLD

Endangered Species are those animals or plants that are in danger of becoming extinct, or dying out completely. There are many reasons why species may become endangered, and may even cease to exist. Most of the reasons stem from the rising human population. Our population is on the rise, and so is our colonization of every part of the earth.

The top 5 endangered animals according to the World Wildlife Federation are:
1. Black Rhino
2. Giant Panda
3. Siberian Tiger
4. Beluga Sturgeon
5. GoldenSeal

When we as humans start to spread out over the planet, we bring with us industry, and technology. With the increase in technology and an increase in our standard of living, we are also encroaching into parts of the earth where animals live and where they need to have more natural habitats than we do as humans.

The animals and plants are slowing losing land and space on which to live and to survive. Some animals or plants are not able to survive on a limited amount of land that they now have to live on since humans have invaded and taken over the land, cut down the trees and created cities. The Siberian Tiger for instance requires vast, continuous forest landscape to survive. Logging has resulted in their land diminishing in size consistently. The Siberian Tigers are one of many species who are being pushed farther and farther and sometimes the land they are being pushed into is land on which they are unable to survive. The Giant Panda, second on the Endangered Species list is one such animal whose habitat are the Forests of central China. These forests are those containing bamboo trees which the Pandas thrive on for food. If the forests of China are not preserved, the Giant Panda will soon be extinct.
Fifth on the list of Endangered Species is the Golden Seal, a low-growing woodland plant native to South East Canada and Northeastern United States. Due to deforestation, the Goldenseal has been on the Endangered Species List.
With the limited space they now have, the endangered animals which are remaining have to fight with other animals on the land just so that they can have enough space to live. And animals end up fighting amongst themselves to retain their own space, and this too results in death.

Another cause of animals extinction are chemicals such as pesticides. At one time in the United States, the American Eagle was on the verge of becoming extinct with the use of DDT, a chemical which caused the eggs to become increasingly fragile. When an eagle went to sit on her eggs, the eggs would collapse with the weight, and break apart. The decrease in DDT use has caused the Eagle population to start to grow once again.

Hunting, trading and Poaching for animal body parts, oil, and fur has also resulted in extinction. Since the 5th century B.C. for example, Rhino Horn has been sought after since it was believed to make poisons harmless, and the Rhino Tail was believed to decrease labor pains. The West African Black Rhino on July 7, 2006 was finally deemed extinct, due to poaching. The total African Rhino population from 2003 survey taken by the International Rhino Foundation was 3610 in number. According to the World Wildlife Federation, the Black Rhino is at the top of the list of endangered species today.
Some measures have been taken to try and stop poaching and trading of Rhino Horns. Some areas have attempted to try and saw off the Rhino horn so that poachers would not try and kill the animal, however, not much is known about how Rhinos will survive without their horn. Trade regulations banning all trade of Rhino horn, as well as regulating and protecting areas with armed guards to ward off poachers. However, these measures have not helped the Rhino Population. The poachers are even known to kill the armed guards just to get to the Rhino Horn.
Another animal sought for its fur and bones is the Siberian Tiger; third on the list of Endangered Species. Traditionally, the Siberian tiger was killed for its fur as well as for its bones in China, where the bones were used in Chinese medicines. Today, poaching and the use of tiger bones is banned in China. However, it is still difficult to curtail all of the poachers.
The Beluga Sturgeon, a fish killed for its exquisite Roe or Caviar is being over fished to extinction. Their caviar sells for over $100 an ounce. They are found primarily in the Caspian Sea. Even though they are on the Endangered Species list, the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) has allowed quotas for countries surrounding the Caspian Sea to allow them a certain amount of fishing per year.

Finally pollution from our waste products has resulted in many animals being killed which could lead to their extinction. It is our duty as responsible humans to try and limit our waste disposal. We need to recycle more, buy less animal products, such as leather, fur, etc.. which could enable us to significantly affect the livelihood of the most precious thing on earth, that is, life itself.

KENTUCKY ICE STORM 2009

January 26th, 2009 marked Kentucky's worst ice storm in its recorded history. Ice storms can be crippling as a thin layer of ice coats almost everything it possibly can.

Precipitation comes down as freezing rain and immediately freezes. It forms a smooth coat of ice over everything the rain comes into contact with. The thin layer of ice covers branches and trees.

The ice is heavy once it freezes on the tree branches and the weight of the ice causes the branches to break, and even entire trees can freeze and fall from the ice.
Power lines are also not immune to an ice storm. A quarter inch of ice accumulation can add approximately 500 pounds of weight. This will explain why large trees, power lines, electric poles etc.. can come crashing down in an ice storm.
Not only do things fall, but because of the ice freezing even on roads, driveways and outside stairs, people fall from slipping, and cars crash, the drivers unable to control their cars on a layer of ice covering the roads.

Soon after experiencing this crippling ice storm at the end of January, on February 11, 2009, a cold front set in with winds over 60mph enveloping the state. Over 700,000 households and businesses lost power across the state of Kentucky.
President Obama's Administration was quick to declare the area a Federal Emergency. The state of Kentucky is now asking FEMA-PA (Federal Emergency Management Agency-Public Assistance) to cover the cost of their disaster 100% for the first 7 years. This has been brought to the government'sattention, however no decision has yet been made. A positive outcome of this disaster is FEMA-PA pilot program which will enable FEMA to cut through red tape and distribute funds more easily following a natural disaster.

Two major Utility companies are hard hit, namely Louville Gas & Electric (LG&E) which cost them $45 million to restore power to homes and businesses; and Kentucky Utilities (KU) which cost them $62 million to restore power. This will cause taxes to increase in the state in order for the state to be able to pay off the costs of the damage due to the ice storm. Unfortunately, the emergency money reserved for natural disasters or emergencies was not enough to cover the cost of the actual damage. LG&E had only 4.4 million dollars in emergency funds, and KU had 2.6 million dollars, a mere drop in the bucket.

Volunteers helped to bring Kentucky out of its dire state. Volunteers came from surronding states to help out in 192 shelters across Kentucky. They provided food, shelter and water to over 8000 people.