Be oyster aware!

"I heard oysters are an aphrodisiac - so I bought two dozen but three of them didn't work!" Okay, so that oyster joke might not appear all that funny to most of you, but neither is getting sick from eating raw oysters.
Personally, I’m a fan of fried oysters. Not being a raw seafood eater, the texture of raw oysters sliding down my throat just isn’t for me, but it sure is for millions of others around the world who find raw oysters to be a delicacy. There are definitely some great health benefits to eating these pearls of the sea, but like most foods, oysters have risks and you should be aware of you are an at-risk consumer. While not widely known, people with diabetes, weak immune systems, or liver disease, should avoid eating raw oysters due to the risk of vibrio vulnificus bacteria, which in some individuals with the aforementioned conditions can cause serious illness or even death. Like anything, be informed about what you are eating and know the facts about Gulf oysters.

Back home at Heavenly Valley!

After a day that involved 19 hours of travel, sun, rain, snow, and not too much sleep, Julie and I arrived in South Lake Tahoe on Friday night for a 9-day stay in the Blue World. Not unlike last year, we brought the snow with us and Heavenly Valley was blanketed with 2 feet of fresh snow through last night. When we woke this morning, the sun was shining and our third day on the slopes was nothing short of epic with bluebird skies and temps around 40 degrees. Of course at 10,000, that sun packs a punch and I kind of wish I'd put some sunscreen on this morning. Oh well. The extent of my posting this week will be from this beautiful wonderland.

Oasis Nasal Spray is the real deal!

I’ve been cursed since childhood with a multitude of symptoms associated with asthma and allergies. I recall having to go into the doctor’s once a week for allergy shots that normally didn’t do anything other than make my arm puff up for a while. While the asthma may have gone into remission for the most part, my allergies seem to be in a year-round love affair with anything and everything in and outdoors. While I don’t have to deal with nasty food allergies, I suffer from many of the common household and pet allergies. This can mean long nights of sniffling and constant blowing my nose to the point of dry skin. You may ask why I don’t take a plethora of allergy medications and to be truthful, I’ve tried them all – over-the-counter and prescription, but not much really works. Don’t get me wrong, there have, for a long time, been over-the-counter nasal sprays that actually do provide some daily relief, but there’s always the addiction catch, and quite frankly I don’t need to take that risk. I did recently hear about a nasal spray that is not only safe for me, but also safe for kids, and non-addictive. Gathering its’ ingredients from the Dead Sea, Oasis Nasal Spray is gaining popularity for the aforementioned reasons.

An Oasis of Relief for Parents

As a parent, deciding on what medicine to give your children is one of the most fearful responsibilities you have. You hear bad reports on how addictive or how harmful some remedies are in newspapers and on the TV almost every week. It can become absolutely stressful when your child is sick and you then must make the hard decision on what to pick up at your local pharmacy.

This grave concern was not helped when the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made a recent recall for over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for children. They are now contemplating whether nasal sprays and nose drops are safe for children younger than 12. The FDA is worried that these easy to use congestion reducers have dangerous side effects such as addictive tendencies. But there is hope for parents out there. There is now a safe and effective solution you can buy.

Oasis Nasal Spray and Wash is proud to announce that it is not on the recall list and has a strict non addictive standing. Oasis has released Children's Oasis Nasal Spray and Wash. Oasis’ solution is all natural and produced entirely of purified Dead Sea Minerals. Many nasal sprays contain a saltwater base, which helps release congestion in the nose and is easily wiped away. Oasis nasal spray takes it another step by not simply being saltwater from any ocean mixed with other chemicals like the leading nasal spray, but is all natural and made from the most salty sea in the world.

Oasis Nasal Spray provides the healing powers of the Dead Sea in their products for problems faced everyday; nasal allergies, runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, postnasal drip, itchy nose, recurrent sinus infections, and chronic sinusitis. Oasis Nasal Spray was created by Scott Cordray; Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist. His company Master Solutions has helped to create Oasis Nasal Wash and Oasis Nasal Spray by utilizing the healing salts of the Dead Sea.

As the field narrows towards the final two...

...You know the rest, don't you? The two candidates start to try and distinguish between each other, fail to do so, and then the pot shots and dirty politics start to fly fast and furiously. Apparently the latter is gong to take precedence in the normal order of presidential politics as today we learned that a female lobbyist is accusing John McCain to "getting too close," so to speak. Really? Wow! Didn't see this coming from a campaign that has included tricky Bill, but the fact of the matter is that the so called allegations are at this time, just that, and quite frankly silly. Even still, the primaries and caucuses aren't even over yet and still the behind the scenes PACs are already digging stories on candidates. I'm sorry, but this one has Moveon.org all over it. And if they don't like it, they can sue me for accusing them. See how it works. Silly stuff.

Do you have effective enterprise resource planning solutions?

One of the most rewarded ways to earn a living is to own and operate a small business. This is especially true in Maine where small business is one of the foundations of our economy. That said, it can also be said that there can sometimes be a fine line between financial viability and operating in the red. A key aspect to operating and maintaining a healthy business in today’s business environment is having good business management software that offers easy to use and complete online accounting. NetBooks offers unique business solutions and small business erp. NetBooks can help you organize your books, grow your business, and plan for the future while taking care of all your small business erp needs.

Hell can wait till I get back from vacation!

As I sat with my boss earlier today, I explained how I worked while I was in Lake Tahoe this time last year. No, I didn’t put in hours, but I was constantly in touch with people at my office getting updates and providing opinions etc. As part of my New Years resolution list, one of the items was to not do this type of thing anymore, even on short vacations or days off. This is a long vacation and one which I truly feel I have earned. While I know that work will be hell when I return – not unlike heaven, hell can wait!

Do you have a good online shopping cart?

So you’ve got a plan for a home-based online business and you want to use a site like eBay. You’ve got your products lined up, your distribution line set, and you even have warehousing solutions. Regardless of whether you use eBay or another online site for selling – even your own website – you will need a fast and effective way for your potential customers to pay for their items and check out. It might seem rather academic, but a quality shopping cart is key to a successful businesses. I can say that I have come across some sites that were just a real pain to deal with and it made me not want to shop with the merchant again. The truth is; these sites weren’t using Ashop Commerce shopping cart software on their site. Ashop has ecommerce solutions for all types on online sellers and you can even demo their products before you purchase.

Do men get a raw deal?

Okay, so I know I'm going to take some heat for this post, but truth be told, most men don't have the spine to say what they've been thinking forever - men get a raw deal when it comes to engagement. Now I should say that I've shared my thoughts with my girlfriend and she hasn't acknowledged my comments as holding any water, but at the same time, hasn't really refuted them. So the deal is this; two folks hang out for a while and then a guy goes and spends a ton of money on a piece of jewelry to give said woman. Man has to make an ass out of himself in the proposal process while the woman gets "a girl's best friend." Understanding that with marriage, the man gets the honor of having the woman and vice versa, I'm confused why the man doesn't get a multi-thousand dollar gift when getting engaged.

Truth be told, I'm really only half-kidding as I am quite the traditionalist, but I told some people I was going to post this several months ago and never did it. I would, however, love to hear some people's thoughts on the subject!

Bronzing is no longer a thing of the past!

One of the things I admire most about Mainers and indeed living in Maine, is the strong sense of tradition that enriches our lives. I feel blessed to come from a family that takes pride its’ history and passes down special keepsakes from generation to generation. For some reason, I feel that such a practice has become lost in our society with the advent of everything electronic. Old photo albums with baby pictures have been replaced with online viewing sites while other traditions are simply just lost. I suppose I thought that was what had happened with the practice of bronzing baby items. That isn’t to say I had put all that much thought into it, but recently, while viewing some of my mothers’ antiques, we came across a pair of my baby shoes that had been bronzed. As if it were yesterday, I suddenly recalled seeing these laying on the floor in my old room, and I smiled; perhaps partially because I never thought of myself as being so small, but more so because my mother had kept the bronze keepsakes for all these years. The even better news is that at least in the circles I travel in, people are becoming increasingly more aware of their heritage and embracing traditional practices, hence things such as bronzing are once again relevant. Luckily, American Bronzing Company never stopped bronzing family heirlooms and other items and they been doing it since 1934. American Bronzing is so intent on making you happy with your bronzing experience, they offer a 100% guarantee, leaving you with nothing to lose. Visit them at abcbronze.com.

To Bush or not to Bush - that title makes no sense! :)

So in a move to give myself a little bit of a break from the throws of insurance today, I decided to click over toe MSNBC.com to see what else was going on outside my little world. Apparently not much given that the title page had a story about whether or not John McCain should allow or seek George Bust to campaign with him and whether hard line conservatives would back off him a little if he did. Well, from my perspective, it can only hurt. Sure, there is the whole damned if you do-damned if you don’t aspects, but in a general election when most of your registered voters aren’t registered to a party, my opinion is that you steer clear of the W Factor as much as possible, something which may not be possible was the GOP stamp will continue to serve as a reminder. It’s almost likable to Hillary with Bill. Having him campaign for her is good and it’s bad. He’s obvious a lot more popular than W, but he’s extremely polarizing if your not a member of his party. And while I think that the endorsement of the elder Bush is fine for McCain, I’d leave it at that. The only chance this man will have is to distance himself from the younger.

Let Trusted Tours & Attractions Guide You Through Boston

With Valentine’s Day having just passed, there are many folks out there with love on their mind. Okay, I’m a guy, I don’t say stuff like that, but I think that from time to time I’ve crossed over into the realm of romance. Recently I’ve been thinking of some of what I consider to be the most romantic places I could be with my girlfriend and it just so happens that we are making our return to one of these places in a couple weeks. While many people can’t get enough of the big city feel of New York City, I find myself more swayed by all the things to do in Boston. If watching the Red Sox isn’t your thing – and it is considered romantic by many – you may find that strolling along the shores of the Charles River, while the autumn leaves fall all around you, more your pace. Regardless of what you want to do or where it is in the United States you want to go, Trusted Tours & Attractions has some really great romantic getaways as well as family vacation ideas to suit everyone’s budget. And if you sign-up for their newsletter now, you’ll be entered to win a free digital camera!

Gone Baby Gone

It's rare that I walk away from a movie as taken aback as I was after watching Gone Baby Gone last night. Some of you may recall that I spoke of this acclaimed movie shortly before it came out to theaters. If you recall, I spoke of how powerful the novel by Dennis Lehane is, and don't get me wrong, it is, but rarely there are times when the movie strikes as much of a cord with its' viewers as the book does. While I think that the two works are very much different and even have differences in the plotline, the main points of the novel are carried through in the book and Casey Affleck absolutely nailed what my perception of Patrick Kenzie would be if put to screen. This movie is nearly as thought provoking as the novel it is based on. I'm haunted, and that is the point.

California Car Insurance

Whether you live in Los Angeles, Anaheim, Long Beach, or need san bernardino car insurance, Cost U Less has been providing great rates on car insurance since 1980. Having started small, in northern California, they are a growing company that now has stores all over the state and offer great rates for your insurance needs. Check them out online today or stop into one of their locations!

Other options for Valentine's Day

I've increasingly heard from couples that they don't want to do the flowers and candy thing anymore. Granted, my significant other is not in that camp, but unfortunately for her, I am, at least financially. I just can't stomach paying $80 to have flowers sent on this one day when you are supposed to love someone everyday. Regardless, I'm not going to continue on that path right now as it is a losing battle; however, for those of you that don't want to wade through the long lines and crowded restaurants, there are other options for Valentine's Day. For example, my girlfriend and I love to ski, so instead of doing the traditional dinner thing, we are going to go night skiing. We'll save some money, have fun, and most importantly, spend the evening together. What are your plans?

Start getting your finances in order today!

Especially in this day and age, managing your money and budget is paramount for a strong fiscal future. While it is easy to accept every credit offer that comes along, the difficult thing is learning how to deal with the associated financial pressures that can go along with this. I learned at an early age that poor financial and budget management can put a real dent in ones’ credit score and affect your future when it comes to securing financing to live a fruitful life, but luckily, I am enabled with the tools to fight my way back and take control. If you currently find yourself in debt, you owe it to yourself and your family to consider all the options available to you and not make uneducated decisions regarding your financial future or debt management. Care One Credit Counseling offers a wide range of services that can be tailored to you specific financial needs and help you get on track to financial freedom. Whether you want to consolidate debt or learn to better manage your finances for the future, knowledge is the biggest asset you can gain.

The Leftovers - kicking pop music in the a@@!

It's rare that we get such a unique and raw punk sound out of Portland, Maine. Sure, Portland's had its' fair share of "the next big thing," but aside from a bit of a solo sensation out of Brewer - about 150 miles to the northeast - Maine hasn't had much to spout about on the musical scene.
...And then there are The Leftovers. In between semesters of college, these guys are rockin' out everywhere from Genos to the clubs of Europe. With their hometown roots meshed with the influences of everything from The Beach Boys to the Ramones, The Leftovers sort of remind me of a cross between Rancid and The Dropkick Murphys. In other words, they are kicking some butt and know that getting an education is really smart, especially in their line of work.
Check you their myspace page and click on "Dance With Me," their current single.
The Leftovers
You'll be glad you did. ~J. Graffam

Get the Lifelock guarentee!

Has someone attempted to steal your identity or are you afraid that this is something that could happen to you? You’re not alone. Identity theft is rampant in our country and especially here on the Internet. We all have virus protections and multiple passwords and yet hackers constantly come up with new ways to try and steal from you and me. lifelock is a system that helps protect all of us from the downfalls of identity theft, especially those who think they aren’t at risk. While you may not consider yourself a target for identity theft, you may not realize that some of the most vulnerable people are students, young adults, and families. Why? Because of the simple fact they think they are at low risk. The bad guys know this and therefore target all these unsuspecting people. Everyday there are people having their credit ruined, being turned down for loans or insurance, being denied employment, getting passed over for promotion, or even getting arrested – all because someone got a hold of their identity. The aforementioned issues could take many years to be cleared up and are better to be avoided all together. Lifelock guarantees your protection; isn’t that worth a second look?

Broken ski is worse than a broken heart!

Regardless of how many skis one has in their quiver, so to speak, everyone has a favorite ski that they love to ski on in almost any condition. Of course, this is also the ski that gets the most abuse and sees the largest variation in terrain and condition changes. I bought my Rossignol B2s two years ago and have been in love with them. In all but five of the 53 days I’ve skied this year, they’ve been at least used part of the day. The moment I dreaded, but knew could happen did, I snapped a ski Saturday. Sure, I’ve been thinking about jumping to a longer and wider Rossi, but not right now. So I suppose it’s a good thing the economic stimulus package passed as I went down and bought a brand new pair of B3s. Thanks to Sunday River Sports for giving me 30% off! It still stings, though!

Have you ordered your Valentine's Day flowers?

I’ve said it before and I’ll do so again, I’m not a big fan of Valentine’s Day, but I understand that millions of people around the world love this holiday and celebrate it every year. Shops and restaurants love that they get a mid-February economic boost from the holiday and some women are lucky to get flowers or chocolates. After discussing the date with my significant other, we decided that instead of attempting to fight for reservations and crowds at any of the local eateries, we’d do something else we love. So on Thursday, we will go night-skiing together instead. We know, however, that we will be in the minority and therefore my advice to all you men that are looking to buy valentines day flowers should get on the phone now and make sure you order early!

Are predictions of a landslide in November a bit pre-mature?

The title is in regard to the upcoming presidential general election, which many believe is already over... Wait a minute! How can an election be over when one of the parties doesn't have a candidate? Curious. The court of public opinion is voicing strong opposition to any Republican taking office, or are they. Yes, we've heard about the liberal media for years, but perhaps this time around it is more than just a biased opinion or favoritism in capturing sound bytes. In Maine's caucuses yesterday, the Democrats had their largest turn out ever. In 2004 they also had their largest turnout for caucuses, but there's a huge difference. In 2004, 14,000 party-goes attended the caucuses. This year the number was over 45,000 and it was snowing. Granted, Kerry vs. Edwards didn't quite have the luster that Obama Clinton has, but this is interesting. As for counting out McCain and friends for November; I'm not so sure I'd take that course it I were a dem, but the numbers aren't looking good for the GOP in general.

The Bank of England turns to interest rates cuts as well!

Interestingly, many people think that it is just the United States that is in financial dire straits right now and quite frankly, that’s just not the case. Whereas I’m not cheering for anyone to have financial difficulty, especially when it comes to obtaining a Commercial Mortgage - the backbone to small business growth, I do think it is worth discussing. I recently read an article that had an all too familiar title regarding interest rates being cut by .25 percent. Granted, this was done by the Bank of England as opposed to the Federal Reserve, but the comparisons are noteworthy. Everyone is looking for a way to jump start the economy in this time of slowed economic growth. The good news is that there are some really good deals out there from a lending perspective.

TGIF!

I’ve increasingly found that when it comes to working for “the man,” it truly is impossible to please others. Granted, I know you can’t please everyone all the time, but for Christs’ sake, I truly feel that I can never get ahead and it pisses me off because there are so many others who I work with who work half as hard, half as many hours, and their results suck, but they get pats on the back. To be frank, I don’t want a pat on the back, but a little positive feedback would really be nice every now and again mixed in with the favors and constructive feedback… Rant over!

Get the car prices you deserve!

As I think back to 2005 when I bought my last new car, I cringe when I think of the process I went through unnecessarily. Being a first time new car buys, I thought I had to go to all the dealers and be hounded by the sales people. This wasn’t the case then and isn’t the case now. Don’t let people pressure you over Car Prices and features. Find out what you want and what you wan to pay, on your own.

Super Tuesday... Part 2

Nope, this is not going to be about the Super Bowl. Let's get that straight right now. Yikes, I was listening to some local sports radio on the slow and snowy ride to work this morning and it was fairly sad listening to grown men practically cry over this game. YES, I was upset, but life goes on... Sorry - I digress, sort of...

As for the topic, it looks as though the political landscape is not going to change as much as many had thought with today's Super Tuesday primaries. As of about 9:30 EST, Clinton and Obama had about split the primaries and caucuses already called and with the others, they are so close that they may end up splitting delegates. Most had thought that one or the other could really gain some ground today, apparently not.
On the Republican side, things were far different as McCain put a lot of distance between he and Romney and Mike Huckabee won no fewer than 3 primaries. I would assume that Huckabee - although not a serious contender - will stay in the race while I would expect Romney to make an announcement sometime tomorrow about the future of his candidacy.

It's time to save some dough on shipping!

As much as many of us like to shop on sites like eBay or Amazon, we also know that the shipping can sometimes be outrageous, especially if it’s a biding situation and the seller sets the cost. Whether you’re just across the border in Ottawa or across the pond in the United Kingdom, you will pay far more for shipping that you should. It comes down to basic supply and demand. You may be able to have the item shipped to you for much less than the seller, but the seller is the one doing the shipping, so they have you in a tight spot. Okay, but what if you are someone who shops fairly frequently in the United States? If you are someone who does buy and import from U.S.A., you can actually get a mailing address here and have any items you purchase sent to you stateside address and then forwarded on to you wherever you are in the world, on your shipping terms. Shipito.com is also a great service if you are starting a small business, need to warehouse products prior to shipping, and need a central location. People with eBay businesses have been doing this for years and it can be extremely cost effective, much more so that shipping on an item by item basis. A good distribution solution can be a huge factor is improving your bottom line.

Super Tuesday...

Is a hell of a lot better than Super Sunday in my book these days, but it's not like I'm a boitter Pats fan or anything. Actually, I'm noit. They got outplayed, period,a nd I can appreciate that. Sure I wanted to see them have the perfect season, but there is a specific reason they actually play the game. The Giants showed up determined and their defense stole the show. I have to apologize to Manning fans, but Eli is just not the MVP of that game. The whole defensive line gets that nod, another period. Congrats to the 2008 Super Bowl Champion New York Football Giants!

Is Tenerife on your list of vacation spots?

Located of the northwestern coast of Africa, Tenerife – largest populace in the Canary Islands – is a much heralded vacation location from people from all over the world. During my few years of living in the UK, I often heard from families who were headed to this tropical Spanish colony. The great folks from dialaflight.com have been booking flights to Tenerife for years and would love to hook you up with anything from a simple flight to a weekend spa getaway, to the ultimate vacation in the Canary Islands. Of course not everyone is in the mood for an equatorial locale this time of year to spend their time sp Dialaflight.com has the rest of the globe covered as well.

It never gets old...

As I sit here, somewhat deflated from the Patriots' loss in the Super Bowl, I take solace in knowing that I had yet another memorable couple of days on snow. I've gotten an increased amount of questions as to the amount of days I've skied this season already and to be honest, it makes me feel uncomfortable. No, I don't mind that people think I never work. I get a certain amount of days off a year and I choose to take them in the winter for the most part. I just feel awkward as I don't want to come across as bragging or as though I'm competing with anyone. I do compete with myself and the mountain and yet the latter is an opponent I never truly test for she wields a power far greater than me. And while I skied day number 49 today, it was one specific day last week where I was just blown away at how blessed people like myself are. With the mercury well-below zero and a gusty northeasterly wind making things a bit interesting at Sugarloaf, I braved the elements and enjoyed some of the best conditions of the year. And then on the last run, I took time to pause, catch my breath, and have a moment of reflection. When I turned to look up to the summit from my vantage point at mid-mountain, this was the site... and if for a moment I forgot why I love places like these, that moment was surely short!

Diet Pepsi and some stars line up for Superbowl viewers!

It’s that special time of the year when we all look forward to the big game also known as the Superbowl. While millions will tune in to watch Tom Brady and The Patriots shoot for the perfect season and the New York Giants attempt to be the spoiler, advertisers will spend multi-millions of dollars to get your attention. I recently caught a glimpse of one of this years’ featured ads for Diet Pepsi Max set to the song What is Love. While I’m not one of those who tune into the game just for the commercials, I had to laugh as watching stars like Busta Rymes, Missy Elliot, and LL Cool J nodding off during various seasonal award shows, which also happen to frequent the calendar this time of year. The bobbing head was great because the first set of shots were totally candid and the camera was catching all these stars falling asleep. And whether you like Enigma Haddaway or Seether, What is Love or Remedy, Playphone.com has a great selection of ring tones, wallpaper, and videos for your phone. You can even download the Diet Pepsi Max video to you phone if you want. As for the soft drink itself, the stars seem to agree that it packs enough of a punch to keep them awake when the award shows carry on late into the night. While I haven’t tried had much of it myself, I like the short interviews with each star.