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Topics - ginapanso

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1
DAILY QUOTES / Mystery deposit dilemma
« on: June 28, 2009, 02:32:07 AM »
Anyone ever have accidental deposit issues with their savings accounts?

I recently had over $5,000 deposited into my savings account from an unknown source. I plan to just leave it there until the bank notifies me there has been a mistake. But what if they don't? Am I entitled to keep that money? What would you do? Any help would be great. Thanks.

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HOLLYWOOD & SHOWBIZ NEWS / Jessica Simpson breaks down
« on: February 06, 2009, 10:24:27 PM »
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - A bizarre 38-minute set by opening act Jessica Simpson inadvertently stole the spotlight from headliner Rascal Flatts in a show at the Van Andel Arena. The Grand Rapids Press said Simpson forgot her lyrics, struggled with her ear monitors, mumbled through songs and fought back tears during Thursday night's performance.
 
At one point, the 28-year-old singer-actress asked her backing band to start over on one song, and she forgot the words to another.

"Jessica had an off night," Cindi Berger, a representative for Simpson, said Friday. "She's a perfectionist, and wanted to start some of the songs over. She always wants to give her best performance to her fans."

Simpson apologized to the supportive audience of about 9,000 by mouthing the word "sorry" on two large video screens.

While introducing her last song, Simpson said she sometimes feels like quitting. She appeared to be wiping away tears after finishing the song and walking off the stage.

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MEET AND GREET / Annod, welcome
« on: January 09, 2009, 10:24:50 AM »
hi annod, welcome to the forum.

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FOOD AND DRINKS / What does these desserts says about you!
« on: January 05, 2009, 03:17:33 AM »
1. ANGEL FOOD CAKE -- Sweet, loving, cuddly... You love all warm and fuzzy items.
A little nutty at times. Sometimes you need an ice cream cone at the end of the day. Others perceive you as being childlike and immature at times.

2. BROWNIES -- You are adventurous, love new ideas, and are a champion of underdogs and a slayer of dragons. When tempers flare up you whip out your saber. You are always the oddball with a unique sense of humor and direction. You tend to be very loyal ..

3. LEMON MERINGUE -- Smooth, sexy, & articulate with your hands, you are an excellent caregiver and a good teacher. But don't try to walk and chew gum at the same time. A bit of a diva at times, you set your own style because you do your own thing You shine when it comes to helping others and have many friends.

4. VANILLA CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE ICING -- Fun-loving, sassy, humorous, not very grounded in life; very indecisive and lacking motivation. Everyone enjoys being around you, but you are a practical joker. Others should be cautious in making you mad.  However, you are a friend for life.

5. STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE -- Romantic, warm, loving. You care about other people, can be counted on in a pinch and expect the same in return. Intuitively keen. You can be very emotional at times but a true person in every way. You like to do things for yourself and help others learn about themselves..

6. CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE ICING - - Sexy; always ready to give and receive. Very creative adventurous, ambitious, and passionate. You can appear to have a cold exterior but are warm on the inside. Not afraid to take chances.  Will not settle for anything average in life. Love to laugh.

7. ICE CREAM -- You like sports, whether it be baseball, football, basketball, or soccer. If you could, you would like to participate, but you
enjoy watching sports. You don't like to give up the remote control.  You tend to be self-centered and high maintenance.

8. CARROT CAKE -- You are a very fun loving person, who likes to laugh. You are fun to be with. People like to hang out with you. You are a very warm hearted person and a little quirky at times. You have many loyal friends. You were meant to lead and teach others. A wonderful role model.


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HEALTH WATCH / The Truth About Diet Soda
« on: December 29, 2008, 01:48:28 PM »
by David Zinczenko, with Matt Goulding

We talk a lot about ''watching what we eat,'' but if you never gave a thought to what you ate and instead watched only what you drank, you could probably cut 450 calories a day out of your life. (Yes, nearly a pound of fat loss a week!) That's what a study from the University of North Carolina found. Americans today drink about 192 gallons of liquid a year—or about 2 liters a day. To put it into perspective, this is nearly twice as many calories as we did 30 years ago.

When confronted with the growing tide of calories from sweetened beverages, the first response is, “Why not just drink diet soda?” Well, for a few reasons:

Just because diet soda is low in calories doesn't mean it can't lead to weight gain.

It may have only 5 or fewer calories per serving, but emerging research suggests that consuming sugary-tasting beverages--even if they're artificially sweetened--may lead to a high preference for sweetness overall. That means sweeter (and more caloric) cereal, bread, dessert--everything.

Guzzling these drinks all day long forces out the healthy beverages you need.

Diet soda is 100 percent nutrition-free, and again, it's just as important to actively drink the good stuff as it is to avoid that bad stuff. So one diet soda a day is fine, but if you're downing five or six cans, that means you're limiting your intake of healthful beverages, particularly water and tea.

There remain some concerns over aspartame, the low-calorie chemical used to give diet sodas their flavor.

Aspartame is 180 times sweeter than sugar, and some animal research has linked consumption of high amounts of the sweetener to brain tumors and lymphoma in rodents. The FDA maintains that the sweetener is safe, but reported side effects include dizziness, headaches, diarrhea, memory loss, and mood changes. Bottom line: Diet soda does you no good, and it might just be doing you wrong.

The best way to hydrate is by drinking low-calorie, high-nutrient fluids—and avoiding belt-busting beverages like the 20 Unhealthiest Drinks in America.

Now that you have a hold on your liquid assets, upgrade the rest of your grocery list by avoiding the 13 Worst "Healthy" Foods in the Supermarket. With so many items to choose from, it's easier to fall victim to packaged food lies than you think.

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LET'S TALK LOVE / Everything You Know About Affairs Is Wrong
« on: December 21, 2008, 04:40:05 PM »
Myth #1: There's a "cheater" profile.

The reality: With the right trigger circumstances, anyone is susceptible to cheating. "There are as many different profiles as there are people who have affairs," says Douglas Snyder, Ph.D., a couples therapist and a professor of psychology at Texas A and M University. Yet the myth persists that there's a recognizable "type" of person who's unfaithful. That's why it took Linda Mitchell, 43, a personal trainer in Monroe, OH, by such surprise when she found out her first mate was having an affair. "He never did anything to lead me to think he would cheat," she says. "He'd bring me flowers, tell me how beautiful I was and what a great partner I was."
While some people are chronic philanderers, it's more common to unintentionally wind up in an affair. "People who have accidental affairs have no thoughts of being unfaithful," says Snyder. "It's not even consistent with their values system, but the opportunity presents itself." Maybe a coworker hits on you during a business trip when you're stressed, or your cute handyman compliments you when you're getting over a fight with your mate.
"Here's the best way to prevent affairs: Rather than saying, 'We will never have one,' instead think of the kind of person, situation and mood that would make you vulnerable," says Barry McCarthy, Ph.D., a marital therapist and author of "Getting It Right This Time: How to Create a Loving and Lasting Marriage." Maybe you're so nurturing that you'd be vulnerable helping a neighbor whose wife just died, while your fun-loving sister would be susceptible during a trip to Las Vegas. It may feel contrived or scary, but having this tough conversation with your partner can help you both recognize chancy situations and be on guard.
You can also stay in safe territory with friends of the opposite sex by not confiding personal things, like airing complaints about your mate, and not keeping anything about those friendships secret. "You know you've crossed a line if you don't want your mate to know about whatever you're talking about with this person," says Tina Pittman Wagers, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist and instructor at the University of Colorado at Boulder. "If it starts feeling like that, then you need to pull back and reestablish closeness with your mate."

Myth #2: It's men who cheat.
The reality: While baby-boomer men do cheat more, women in their 20s and 30s have affairs just as frequently as men their age, according to new research. One reason: More women are working. When you have a job, you've got more financial freedom, which could make you more comfortable taking a gamble with your relationship. You also have opportunity; around 46 percent of women and 62 percent of men who have affairs cheat with someone from work.
Myth #3: Long-term boredom leads to an affair.

The reality: Michael, 34, a lawyer in Tampa, says his wife started having an affair before the couple's two-year anniversary. "I never, ever thought that would happen," says Michael. Yet the so-called honeymoon period is actually a high-risk time for infidelity. "More people have affairs the first two years of marriage than any other time," says McCarthy. Women may experiment with a comparison affair: Would I be better off with this guy? Did I make a mistake in marrying my spouse? Men, on the other hand, are likely to cheat for reasons that have nothing to do with their relationship. Thanks to their upbringing or their circle of friends, they may believe that's just what guys do.
An early affair may be just a last fling that a couple can work through, but it's more likely a wake-up call to a person that his or her partner has a fundamentally different model of monogamy, says Wagers. Still, newlywed affairs don't have to spell doom. If both partners decide that they want to give their union another shot, it's important to figure out what factors contributed to the affair and whether there's any hope for changing them.

Myth #4: A man is driven to infidelity when he's not happy in his relationship.
The reality: It's true that the majority of women who've had an affair reported being physically and emotionally disengaged from their partners for at least a year before the affair. But more than half of men involved in affairs reported being happy or very happy in their marriages prior to cheating, according to a survey by the late Shirley Glass, Ph.D., noted infidelity researcher and author of NOT "Just Friends." Lots of other factors weigh into a guy's decision to start an affair, including chemistry, opportunity and poor impulse control. "I counseled a couple where the husband's younger coworker made a pass at him when they were at a conference and he accepted," says Wagers. "Even though he felt close to his wife and he felt like he had a good marriage, he was excited and flattered that this woman who was 15 years younger found him attractive."
Many cheaters do blame their actions on a less-than-perfect home life, but researchers say they're just rewriting history. "Often times these are retrospective reports that are now having to justify how it is that the partner violated vows," says Snyder. Granted, lots of cheaters are unhappy on some level in their marriages. But so are many men and women who don't have affairs. "Infidelity isn't the only road," says Wagers. "If you're not satisfied in your marriage, you might also be driven to talk to your partner." That's why therapists say it's so important to stay in touch with each other. For you, that might mean setting aside 20 minutes every night to talk about your day, your differences and your dreams. "It's the whole idea of staying close to your spouse," says Wagers. "The more disconnected you get from the relationship, the easier it is to slide down the slippery slope of infidelity."

Myth #5: Adulterers find lasting happiness with their affair partners.
The reality: No matter how blissful they feel, affair pairings rarely get to happily ever after. A whopping 75 percent of affair partners who marry end up divorced. For one thing, the qualities that attract you to an affair partner -- like impulsiveness or extravagance -- might be the polar opposite of what makes you happy long-term. And during affairs, lovers are under the spell of chemical changes in their bodies that make them feel euphoric -- feelings that are exaggerated even more by the secrets they're keeping. They're in a type of fantasy world, focusing only on each other and not getting bogged down in day-to-day stuff like bills and child rearing. "Somebody may seem like a soul mate when it's all fresh and shiny," says Wagers. "But you can't assume the new-car smell is going to last 15 years."

Myth #6: Betrayed partners know on some level when their partners are fooling around.
The reality: In many cases, the betrayed mate is totally in the dark. "A lot of cheating partners are really invested in keeping this secret and are very good at lying," says Wagers. So true, says Dayle DeCillo, 39, a mother of five in Mission Viejo, CA, who had zero suspicion that her husband of 11 years was unfaithful -- until she discovered him with another woman. "I was blindsided," she says. "He was a paramedic and firefighter, and was gone a lot, either 'working' or 'working out.' I was never concerned he wasn't where he said he was."
DeCillo simply made the same assumptions most people do: You assume you're trustworthy and your mate is, too. The possibility that he could stray isn't even on your mind, so you don't get suspicious if he says he has to work late or go on a golf trip with his buddies. Usually it's not until the affair is out in the open that the betrayed mate can go back and give new meaning to history.
It's also common after an affair is exposed for the betrayed mate to feel like he or she is facing a new truth: You never can be sure whether your partner will cheat. In reality, it's a truth that was there all along.

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DAILY QUOTES / What Not To Ask Him
« on: December 21, 2008, 03:41:59 AM »
4 questions to never ask your guy

Unless you want to bruise your love bond, these questions are best left unasked.

1. "Am I better-looking/smarter/etc. than your ex?"

Would you want him to ask you that? If he answers yes to your q, you'll wonder if he's lying. If he says no, well, can your really handle that kind of truth? He's with you now, not her, so just don't even go there.

2. "Do you love me?"

Has he used the L word already? Well, there's your answer. If he hasn't--and you absolutely have to know where he stands--you might start by telling him how you feel about him, rather than putting him on the spot with a needy question.

3. "Can you lend me some money?"

A few bucks is fine, but asking for anything substantial (like a down payment on your car, a month's rent, etc) is unfair. You don't sleep with your bank teller, so don't borrow cash from your boyfriend.

4. "Are you cheating on me?"

If he's innocent, he'll resent the question. If he's guilty, chances are that he'll lie...and even when you have info to backup your suspicions, you better soft-pedal your accusation. If you're wrong, your relationship may never recover.

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HEALTH WATCH / Fast Workouts That Really Work!
« on: December 04, 2008, 11:59:22 PM »
By Lucy Danziger

I love my long training runs, but most days carving out more than an hour to work out just isn't in the cards. And when my schedule is really crammed, shoehorning a sweat session seems next to impossible.

Luckily, the fantastic fitness team at SELF let me in on a little secret: You can get an hour's worth of fitness and calorie burning in 20 short minutes. Yes, I was skeptical at first, but this fat-blasting routine is as ultraeffective as it is speedy, and the secret lies in high-intensity spurts of energy.
Here's how to do it:

• Pick any cardio you like (running, swimming, the elliptical trainer). Warm up for 2 minutes at a moderate pace, then sprint for 30 seconds at the highest intensity you can muster. Slow down and do 90 seconds at a catch-your-breath recovery pace. Repeat eight times. You'll torch more calories in less time, while you burn fat faster. Follow this cardio session with a few of the following fast firmers for a total-body workout in less than 30 minutes.

• Tighten your tummy: Do two sets of 10 to 12 crunches on a stability ball. Research from the University of Auckland, Tamaki Campus, in New Zealand, revealed that using the ball makes crunches 20 percent more effective compared to hitting the floor.

• Firm up legs: Stand on left foot, hands on hips, and bring right knee to hip level in front. Trace a horizontal figure eight in front of you with knee. Then bend left knee and hop to right, landing on right foot. Repeat figure eight with left knee, then hop back to left to complete one rep. Do 10 reps, then hop back and forth 10 times to complete one set.

• Boost your bottom: Stand with feet hip-width apart, hands on waist. Shift weight to left foot and lift heel of right foot so you're resting on toes. Bend left knee and sink hips back, keeping weight off right foot (toes stay on ground). Rise up. Do 12 reps on left leg, then switch legs and repeat.

• Bare amazing arms: Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand with feet hip-width apart. Raise arms, palms down, out and slightly forward to shoulder height. Slowly lower them behind you so weights almost touch. Do 12 reps.

• Slim all over: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Keeping legs as straight as possible, bend forward and walk hands out until they're under shoulders. Do two push-ups, then walk hands back and stand. Repeat twice, doing four push-ups, then six.

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PRAYERS ARE POWERFUL / Saying Grace In A Restaurant
« on: December 01, 2008, 02:54:19 AM »
A friend of mine shared this and I love this  story! Please keep it moving. Sometimes, we all  need some ice cream.I  hope God sends you some Ice Cream today!

Child's prayer....

Last  week, I took my children to a restaurant.
My  six-year-old son asked if he could say grace.
As we bowed  our heads he said, "God is good, God is great. Thank you for the food, and I  would even thank you more if Mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And Liberty and  justice for all! Amen!"

Along with the laughter from the  other customers nearby, I heard a woman remark, "That's what's  wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for  ice cream! Why, I never!"
Hearing this, my son burst into  tears and asked me, "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at  me?"
As I held him and assured him that he had done a  terrific job, and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman  approached the table.
He winked at my son and said, "I  happen to know that God thought that was a great  prayer."
"Really?" my son asked.
"Cross  my heart," the man replied.
Then, in a theatrical whisper,  he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), "Too  bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul  sometimes."

Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end  of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment, and then did something I will  remember the rest of my life.
He picked up his sundae and, without a word,  walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her,  "Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes; and my soul is  good already."

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HEALTH WATCH / How To Avoid Flu & Colds
« on: December 01, 2008, 02:42:43 AM »
5 Ways to Protect Your Kids (and Yourself!) from the Flu

The season is changing and we have finally arrived at that bittersweet time of Daylight Savings.  I always feel like this simple one-hour time change throws me into a pretty significant physiological shift.  For me, it also marks the beginning of the flu and cold season. 
 
Ever wonder why the winter months are when we get sick the most? While many experts have their myriad reasons, the culprit is not as simple as "it's cold outside."
 
There are few steps that you can take to protect yourself and your family from what seems to be the inevitable flu. The guardian of the health of our body is the immune system.  While intangible and challenging to identify, the immune system has very specific signs and symptoms.
 
For a moment, put aside the traditional considerations for assessing your child’s health.  Instead, I’d like you to consider some new approaches and angles that will provide you with insight into the likelihood that your child will stay healthy or get sick this winter season.

1. Sugar and processed foods impact the immune system.

Studies have shown that through a complex system of chemical processes sugar and processed foods depress the immune system. There exists a direct link between the amount of these foods that your child consumes and his/her health. 
 
Obvious foods such as sodas, candy, cookies, ice cream, and potato chips are the big guns that should be kept concealed.
 
Even more disturbing are the foods that you think are healthy for your child that hide sugar and many refined ingredients: yogurt, and yogurt drinks and “pops;”most cereals; juices; fruit roll ups and “leathers;” “healthy” cookies and treats, soy ice cream and frozen treats. While being marketed as healthy choices, these foods aren’t much better than the obvious poor choices. Work hard during flu season to keep these foods away from your children.  Read ingredient labels and watch out for:  corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup or “HFCS,” brown rice syrup, fructose, sucrose, barleymalt and the obvious, sugar.

2. Fresh foods offer the highest quality vitamins.

It’s shocking to me how often I see people turn to orange juice for vitamin C in an effort to fight off a cold or flu.
 
It is important to understand that the majority of vitamin C in orange juice is added after processing. Vitamin C and others like zinc, vitamin E, and magnesium help to support the immune system and are a great defense during flu season. 
 
Choose better by having kids eat fresh whole foods such as cherries, berries, and apples, and vegetables such as spinach, kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots and sweet potatoes. 
 
I know you probably hear this suggestion all the time, but it can’t be stressed enough. It is imperative to find creative ways to prepare vegetables so that kids will actually eat them.  Sautee, roast or grill vegetables with olive oil or real butter, add some fresh sea salt or sprinkle with organic low fat cheese and kids will be more likely to eat.

3. Sleep will boost the immune system.

At night while we rest, the body is working to rebuild the immune system.  Deep sleep allows a complex set of hormonal changes that recharge the body so that it’s resilient the next day.  Be diligent and ensure that kids get a full night sleep of 8-10 hours.
 
Mandate bedtime despite protests and stick to a regular schedule. These are the times that mom and dad really need to be the boss. Resist the temptation to allow your child to stay up late and watch his or her favorite show. At the end of the day when you are tired as well, it’s easy to give in to your child’s vigilant campaign. 
 
Remember: Would you rather avoid the confrontation tonight? Or deal with a sick kid tomorrow?

4. Fatigue is the first sign of a distressed immune system.

As already stated, the immune system desperately needs sleep to keep the body healthy.  When the immune system is fighting to keep your child healthy, it requests that the body get extra rest to help in the fight. 
 
If your child seems more fatigued than usual, it could be a very strong signal that your child is on the brink of getting sick.
 
The best way to fight off a cold or flu is to act immediately and get extra rest. Pay attention to the health of others around you such as those at work or your child’s school.  If you hear of a bug “going around” and you notice that your child is tired, there’s a good chance that extra sleep will ward off the cold or flu.  This is the time to allow extra television and require a mid-day nap.

5. Wash hands frequently, but avoid antibacterial products.

This seems counterintuitive, but the best way to kill environmental germs is to use soap and hot water and scrub hands thoroughly. Bacteria live all around us.  They are on every surface we touch and in every breath we take. Without bacteria, our immune system wouldn’t learn to be strong. 
 
Our internal bacterial system fights off invaders and thereby gets more effective at winning the battle.  It’s just like working out:  In order to become stronger, you must work hard in the gym.  Your child’s body is a bacterial gym.  Again, this comes back to the immune system. If you foster a strong immune system, your child’s body will fight off invaders and therefore become more resilient to future battles. While it is imperative to wash hands frequently during flu season, remember that the hands are only one very small way that germs enter your child’s system. Killing off the germs on hands with antibacterial products is futile and weakens your child’s- and the world’s- future ability to confront germs.

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