Other Means to an End.

United American Insurance Company

2009-04-29T21:46:00.001-05:00

Please note: this is a sponsored post.

United American Insurance Company has been around since 1947. They provide health, life and medical insurance. As a relatively new retiree, I have become familiar with the Medicare Part D coverage, which is one of the perks of being a senior.

If you have an entrepreneurial streak and are seeking a reliable company to represent, you might want to check out United American Insurance Company. For more than 30 years, they have earned the A+ (Superior) financial strength rating from A.M. Best company. Standard and Poors gave them a AA (Very Strong) rating.

In these days of dissolving companies and shaky finances, it is absolutely necessary to do careful due diligence on any company with which you may be considering doing business. United American Insurance Company can handle the scrutiny.

Who are K-Designers?

2009-04-29T21:22:00.000-05:00

Please note: this is sponsored post.

K-Designers is a huge remodeling company that services the Western half of the United States. It began when one of the founders saw an opportunity after a huge hailstorm hit Caspar, Wyoming. That was in 1978. Larry Judson moved there to help with the hail damage and the company just grew from there. Now the company covers eighteen states; in 2005 their annual sales exceed sixty three million dollars.

In 1986 K-Designers established Sacramento, California as their home office. They have won many awards since their humble beginnings. Due to their continuous growth and the need for a larger office, they moved their home base to Gold River, California in 2004.

Larry and Lee Judson continue to run the company. They credit K-Designers success to some old fashioned reasons; just giving their customers good value for their hard-earned money.

Who is Muhammed Babangida ?

2009-04-29T20:45:00.002-05:00

Please note: this is a sponsored post.

Muhammed Babangida is a Nigerian celebrity who also loves jazz and is an avid sportsman. He is a polo player and supporter of the game. His love of jazz has led him to start a blog on the subject, where he has proven to be fairly knowledgeable on the subject.

At one time Muhammed Babangida served as the president of Nigeria. He is so well known in his country, he is referred to by the acronym IBB. Muhammed Babangida is also a retired five-star general.

Nigeria and its people are somewhat of a mystery to those of us that live in the USA. When I used to drive a cab, I met quite a few cabbies who were of Nigerian orgin. I also know that in the religion that I have practiced for many years, ECKANKAR, there are many Nigerians. In fact there is a big ECKANKAR center in Lagos.

Who is Frank Hanna?

2009-04-29T15:42:00.002-05:00

Please note: this is a sponsored post.

Frank Hanna is an Atlanta based businessman whose has started and backed several successful businesses. Currently he is acting as CEO of Hanna Capital, LLC. What makes this man interesting is that he is not just a successful businessman.

In September of 2008 Frank Hanna also became a published author. His book is called What Your Money Means: And How to Use It Well. In this book he explains the motives for his philanthropic work among many other things.

Frank Hanna has been involved in forming three Catholic schools in Atlanta. One of these, Holy Spirit Prep, was named one of the top 50 Catholic high school in the USA.

It looks to me like this guy knows not only what money means, he knows what life is about too.

Amos Tamam

2009-04-29T11:51:00.002-05:00

Please note: This is a sponsored post.

Back in the days when I used to drive taxis and later limos for a living, I didn't know the name Amos Tamam. I found out later that one of his inventions did effect my livelihood. I drove in Chicago and remember very well when the first machines were installed that allowed us to process credit cards to pay the fares.

Later this invention of Amos Tamam was installed on cabs in New York city and other major metro areas. It was very helpful for business for several reasons. It expanded the options people had for payment. Especially for business travelers who are used to paying with plastic, it was a boon. For cabbies who were concerned about safety, having to carry less cash was helpful too.

Amos Tamam was a classic American success story. An immigrant from Israel who came to the USA with nothing, he got into the cab business and eventually started the VeriFone company with his primary innovation being his machine that processed credit cards.

Flowers

2009-04-23T12:23:00.002-05:00

Note: this is a sponsored post.

Flowers are the perfect gift. They are universally recognized as an expression of love so they are appropriate for most any occasion.

You could say that flowers are the default gift forMothers day. Every mom will appreciate the gift of flowers.

Moms work hard at their twenty four hour a day job. They deserve to be recognized and celebrated on their special day. So give a call to 1-800 flowers and send your mom some flowers. She will appreciate your consideration and kindness on Mother's day. Not only that, you will feel good about yourself for being such a good and kind kid.

Socializer

2007-02-28T21:05:00.000-06:00

OK, this is tech. stuff that is slightly intimidating for me. Socializer is clever system for centralizing all your social networking. There is a great explanation for how to incorporate it into blogger blogs here:
http://fixgadgets.blogspot.com/2006/06/socializer-automatic-submission-of.html

I haven't even done it yet myself. I am actually putting it here as a way of bookmarking it so I can hopefully do this myself sometime soon when I am feeling more strongly left-brained.

Send Your Kids to Circle Pines

2007-02-09T13:33:00.000-06:00

Check out my new article on Associated Content: Review of: Associated Content, Business; By: Stan S. on Judy's Book; Rating: 4 stars; Read review on Judy's Book.

Hi folks,

I just published a new article titled "Send your kids to Circle Pines"on AC. It's about my life long experience with a wonderful co-op camp in SW Michigan. Please check it out.

If you have any interest in freelance writing, please also take a closer look at Associated Content. It is a great place to publish your writing, get some experience, and grow as a writer.

The process of publishing is simple. After registering, you submit your article on a form. It is best to write the article on Word and then paste it in. You will hear from them with in a week if the article is accepted. Payment is via paypal and happens upon acceptance.

Amounts are fairly modest, but grow as your writing improves and you find a wider audience. I got $8.00 for this article, but they have paid up to $50. for a well written article on a popular subject.

Check 'em out:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/join.html?refer=32602

http://www.thehungersite.com/

2007-01-06T02:18:00.000-06:00

http://www.thehungersite.com/: Review of: The Hunger site, Society; By: Stan S. on Judy's Book; Rating: 5 stars; Read review on Judy's Book.

Sounds like a great project. Reminded me of this internet project that anyone can participate in just by remembering to click on the site. They also have some worthwhile related charities on the site where you can help simply by clicking, or help even more by buying gifts, etc. It is one of the more creative uses of the internet I have found.

Take a walk

2007-01-04T14:36:00.000-06:00

Take a walk: By: Stan Schultz; Category: Opinion > Other; Read the article on Judy's Book.

The best cures are the free ones, and just getting out and taking a walk will usually lift a funk. Outside is best, but if the weather is not co-operating a stroll through the local mall will work.

St.John's wort is an herb with an odd name that is very effective for mild depression. It is readily available nowadays in capsule form. It is non-narcotic, non-addictive and relatively inexpensive. You can find it online, at your local health food store, and sometimes even at a well stocked drug store.

I noticed Dr. Weil had some info about St.John's wort in his newsletter today, in addition to some other helpful ideas on combatting da funk:

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/WBL02017

Take a walk

2007-01-04T14:25:00.000-06:00

Take a walk: By: Stan Schultz; Category: Opinion > Other; Read the article on Judy's Book.

A partridge in a pear tree

2006-12-17T03:27:00.000-06:00

The article just below about buying organically grown pears was inspired by a question that was asked on Judy's book by a gal whose job it is to inspire writers there to post reviews. She used the 12 days of Christmas as her inspiration, so that was where the pear tree came in.

I have been starting by writing these articles on Judy's book, and they have an option of having the same articles posted to this blog, which is what I have been doing. The problem is, if you don't go back to Judy's book, you don't get the context.

So in the future I think that I will post the articles here first so you can get the whole picture. I don't really want to be a shill for Judy's book!

Buy organically grown pears

2006-12-17T03:18:00.000-06:00

Buy organically grown pears: By: Stan Schultz; Category: Opinion > Other; Read the article on Judy's Book.

People don't buy organic fruit because it costs more and they don't understand its value. It costs more because it is real food, not designed to be a product that lasts a long time on the shelf and looks good.

Commercially grown pears are typically sprayed 7 times while growing to kill the bugs. You can't wash all the spray off, it is 7 layers deep. This spray is poison.

Wonder why cancer is epidemic? One of the reasons is that people want cheap pretty food, and they forgot that it is food first. Organic food is tastier, more nutritious and although it may not be as cosmetically perfect as commercial produce, it is better for you and better for the environment.

If you do a little research into the realities of modern food production, you would never eat commercially produced food unless you had a strong death wish.

Even the economics are skewed. Organic food is actually cheaper in the long run because it keeps you well. You won't have to worry about doctor bills and health insurance and the cost of drugs if you start practicing preventative medicine by eating right and expecting to stay healthy.

Give a goat

2006-12-15T21:33:00.000-06:00

Give a goat: Review of: Oxfam, Society; By: Stan S. on Judy's Book; Rating: 5 stars; Read review on Judy's Book.

Oxfam is a wonderful charity organization that has been around for years. We Americans are so blessed with material riches that instead of buying more stuff for each other, we can really enrich our lives and the lives of those we love by giving to folks who really need it. There are all kinds of amazing gifts we can give that can really make a significant difference in the lives of those less fortunate.

If we give a gift in someone's name, we can give them a card that explains the gift. You could show someone a whole new way to think.

There are other worthy organizations like this; this is just the first one that came to mind. Check out their website:

http://www.oxfamamericaunwrapped.com/

(note: this is the correct link. I had posted the link to the British website earlier)

Give a goat

2006-12-15T10:31:00.000-06:00

Give a goat: Review of: Oxfam, Society; By: Stan S. on Judy's Book; Rating: 5 stars; Read review on Judy's Book.

Oxfam is a wonderful charity organization that has been around for years. We Americans are so blessed with material riches that instead of buying more stuff for each other, we can really enrich our lives and the lives of those we love by giving to folks who really need it. There are all kinds of amazing gifts we can give that can really make a significant difference in the lives of those less fortunate.

If we give a gift in someone's name, we can give them a card that explains the gift. You could show someone a whole new way to think.

There are other worthy organizations like this; this is just the first one that came to mind. Check out their website:

http://www.oxfamunwrapped.com/?tduid=bc032a4bedc9c7a3cc3fc3a812e19d40

Happy holidaze!

2006-12-15T10:12:00.000-06:00

Happy holidaze!: By: Stan Schultz; Category: Opinion > Other; Read the article on Judy's Book.

Stay cool folks during this crazy season. Remember the real reasons behind all the celebrations and don't yield to the rampant materialism that surrounds us. Be grateful for the great blessings we all have and remember to share with the less fortunate.

Lovely story

2006-12-14T13:37:00.000-06:00

Lovely story: By: Stan Schultz; Category: Opinion > Other; Read the article on Judy's Book.

Thanks for a lovely story Audrey. I am not a Christian myself, but I certainly love this kind of story which gets to the heart of what Christianity is about. It is so important now a days to focus on what the religions have in common, rather than their differences. Love is at the heart!

Old Disney cartoons

2006-12-06T00:15:00.000-06:00

Old Disney cartoons: By: Stan Schultz; Category: Opinion > Other; Read the article on Judy's Book.

I have two grandsons, 5 and 7 year old boys. The 5 year old was digging through the videotapes tonight and put on this collection of ancient Disney cartoons, with Mickey, Donald and Goofy. Classic stuff, and they howled and laughed like they were all new. Dontcha love the way kids can enjoy the simplest pleasures?

Peace

2006-12-02T10:16:00.000-06:00

Peace: By: Stan Schultz; Category: Opinion > Other; Read the article on Judy's Book.

With all due respect Audrey, I prefer your pics in peacetime garb. I hear enough about war on the news. It is not cute. You are a sweetheart, please go back to some sweetheart garb.

Traumeel

2006-12-02T10:10:00.001-06:00

Traumeel: Review of: BHI - Traumeel, 3.53 oz cream, Other; By: Stan S. on Judy's Book; Rating: 5 stars; Read review on Judy's Book.

This a homeopathic salve that is incredibly effective. I thought that I have reviewed it elsewhere on JB, but a search didn't bring it up. Anyway, Traumeel is very effective for temporary relief of soreness. You can find it at health food stores, Whole Foods, etc.

Traumeel

2006-12-02T10:10:00.000-06:00

Traumeel: Review of: BHI - Traumeel, 3.53 oz cream, Other; By: Stan S. on Judy's Book; Rating: 5 stars; Read review on Judy's Book.

Best of the best library

2006-12-02T10:03:00.000-06:00

Best of the best library: Review of: Cook Memorial Public Library Dist, Public Libraries; By: Stan S. on Judy's Book; Rating: 5 stars; Read review on Judy's Book.

I am a big fan of libraries and this one is right at the top of my list. They have done everything right here; I really love this place.

I first came for the wireless internet access which anyone can use; you don't even need a card. With a card you can access their excellent collection of books, tapes, CDS, DVDS, prints, etc.

Here is an example of how cool their staff is: One day I was using one of the house computers. I left my card next to it. The next day I received it in my mail! Hows that for service?

This place represents the best of America to me.

Update: I just moved back into Mundelein and found that I am now in the Cook library district! Yay! First thing I borrowed was a beautiful David Hockney print which I now have hanging in my LR. God Bless America!

Just sing HU

2006-11-30T15:08:00.000-06:00

Just sing HU: Review of: Sing HU, Health; By: Stan S. on Judy's Book; Rating: 5 stars; Read review on Judy's Book.

HU is an ancient name for God, and anyone can benefit by singing it. It is my favorite reliever of stress that I use several times a day. It is prounounced like the man's name Hugh.

Consider it a love song to God! You can sing it silently if you are in a crowd, or aloud when you are comfortable doing so.

Here are some links. The first is a German website that has a lovely visual too; I actually use this as my homepage, I love it so much. You will hear a group singing the HU:

http://www.sing-hu.org/

Here is a page that gives some history of the HU:

http://eckankar.org/hu.html

Make $25-500 an hour playing Blackjack

2006-11-30T14:57:00.000-06:00

Make $25-500 an hour playing Blackjack: Review of: Blackjack Classroom, Games; By: Stan S. on Judy's Book; Rating: 4 stars; Read review on Judy's Book.

A highly successful blackjack player is doing short seminars to show you how to win consistently playing Blackjack. For more information on this valuable, life-changing course, click on the link. If you decide to participate in the seminar from this link, you will get a $25 discount. Use the same code (save25) to enroll by phone:

http://www.blackjackclassroom.com/SAVE25

I have not personally taken this course yet. I got involved in this project because a business associate of mine is in charge of marketing, and we have worked together on other projects. He is a good, trustworthy guy and I decide to promote this course based upon my experience working with my associate whose integrity I trust.

These current seminars are being conducted at various locations in California and Nevada.

Make $25-500 an hour playing Blackjack

2006-11-30T13:42:00.000-06:00

Make $25-500 an hour playing Blackjack: Review of: Blackjack Classroom, Games; By: Stan S. on Judy's Book; Rating: 4 stars; Read review on Judy's Book.

A highly successful blackjack player is doing short seminars to show you how to win consistently playing Blackjack. For more information on this valuable, life-changing course, click on the link. If you decide to participate in the seminar from this link, you will get a $25 discount:

http://www.blackjackclassroom.com/SAVE25

I have not personally taken this course yet. I got involved in this project because a business associate of mine is in charge of marketing, and we have worked together on other projects. He is a good, trustworthy guy and I decide to promote this course based upon my experience working with my associate whose integrity I trust.

These current seminars are being conducted at various locations in California and Nevada.

Associated Content

2006-11-29T15:01:00.000-06:00

Associated Content: Review of: Associated Content, Business; By: Stan S. on Judy's Book; Rating: 4 stars; Read review on Judy's Book.

I have had a lot of fun hanging out in the JB community, but other than some payment I received for the initial batches of reviews I posted, there has been no monetary compensation.

Now I know money isn't everything, but it is something, and my creditors place an unusually high value on it:)

A.N, turned me onto Associated Content, another website like JB that solicits content from their readers. I have not received payment from them yet, but I have spent a while acquainting myself with the site, and I have to say it is looking more promising by the moment. I have spent most of the day writing my first article for them.

It is very professionally organized with high quality content, nice graphics, and a challenging and inspiring format. I daresay it is a step up from JB.

They offer the option of allowing you to keep the copyright on new content you create, or giving them the exclusive. Of course they pay more for the exclusive rights.

The big thing is that they do pay upfront for content. This is not a get rich quick scheme by any stretch, but it looks like a better shot for a serious writer.

And if you aspire to have your own website online and publish your content there, I think this is an excellent intermediate step.

They are running a promotion until the end of the year where if you register as a content producer you get $3 for each person you refer who publishes an article on their site, so if you haven't registered already, please check it out. It is free to register:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/join.html?refer=32602

Big Crumbs.com

2006-11-29T08:14:00.000-06:00

Big Crumbs.com: Review of: Big Crumbs, Shopping; By: Stan S. on Judy's Book; Rating: 4 stars; Read review on Judy's Book.

Several years ago I joined a company called Card Global which had exactly the same idea. It was managed by some big guns who had made big
$ in network marketing. I had high hopes, but the company went bust.

I trust these guys will do better. I signed up with you as my sponsor Gina.

In fact I also invited my former sponsor to sign up. She is a legendary marketer living in Hawaii who has grown wealthy in network marketing.

We shall see!

Batteries

2006-11-28T11:16:00.000-06:00

Batteries: By: Stan Schultz; Category: Opinion > Other; Read the article on Judy's Book.

Usually when I see these daily questions, there are dozens of answers. This time, not a single one. Batteries is not the kind of subject one gets passionate about, but there could be another reason: Maybe they aren't that different.

I vaguely recall reading a Consumers Reports article on the subject where they concluded exactly that, not much difference between brands. They just recommended buying what's on sale; shop for price.

Places like Jewel and Dominick's in the Chicago area have their own brands which are usually cheaper than the brand names and are just as good.

Keep in mind too that it costs millions of dollars to run those ad campaigns to establish the brand names like the one referenced in the question. That is money that does not go into improving the quality of the products. Smart consumers think about these things.

Big money?

2006-11-19T18:46:00.000-06:00

Big money?: By: Stan Schultz; Category: Opinion > Other; Read the article on Judy's Book.

Forgive me for doing a little numbers crunching here Kathleen. You have earned $3.24 working 1-2 hours a day for 5 days? Even at just an hour a day that works out to less than 65 cents an hour.

Writing can be fun but we really aren't in it for the money at this rate, are we?

Oh you hedonist you!

2006-11-13T22:43:00.000-06:00

Oh you hedonist you!: By: Stan Schultz; Category: Opinion > Other; Read the article on Judy's Book.

Move over and pass the cobbler and ice cream please.

Digital Art

2006-11-13T06:15:00.000-06:00

The amazing cool thing about digital art is that you can reproduce it exactly. If you liked zjush, you could save it to your computer, print it out, turn it into a screen saver, etc, etc.

I want to make a living selling these digital images because I crank them out just about as regularly as I go.

Until I learn how to do that , I will give them away:)

"To give and give only without once thinking of rewards is the beginning of immortality"

I have already thought about rewards, so I guess I blewwthat, but oh well...we are all immortal as Soul anyway:)

zjush

2006-11-13T06:06:00.000-06:00

Prana.cosmic energy. juice. what you see when you close your eyes or sometimes with deyes open

zjush

2006-11-13T06:01:00.000-06:00

Patience

2006-11-10T21:44:00.000-06:00

Patience is the primary human virtue. Mercury retrograde, which is in effect now, is a great tester of patience. If you have been going crazy lately, it can be helpful to know about these mercury retrograde times so you know to allow more time, expect delays, etc.

I have been helping my daughter through a crisis and without going into all the gory details, it has been really helpful to know that this condition exists and extra patience is required.

I am Soul. I began to say I am an impatient Aries, but that is the limited astrological sun sign perspective. Fortunately, I have enough Soul consciousness so I know that I am not my emotions. If I had been identifying with my emotions lately, I would have gotten myself into some very murky soup.

As it is I have been able to remain calm and be somewhat helpful. I am grateful to Spirit for knowing I can be of service where I am.

Skype

2006-11-08T14:16:00.000-06:00

Skype: Review of: Skype, Computer & Video Games; By: Stan S. on Judy's Book; Rating: 3 stars; Read review on Judy's Book.

I got interested in the VOIP (voice over internet protocol) when yahoo offered phone service through its yahoo messenger. The attractiveness of course was the cost. I could talk to my son in Germany for 2 cents a minute! I tried it and was pretty pleased with the results. The quality is comparable to a cell phone, with occasional dropped sentences, etc.

I ended up at Skype which also offers phone service through the computer. It is dirt cheap compared to a regular or cell phone. I won't try quoting the rates because they vary depending on what block of time you buy, etc. Domestic calls in the USA are free until the end of the year. You just pay for voice mail and the actual phone number.

I have had their service for a few months now and I will give them a thumbs up. The quality is still not great, but for the cost, it is unbeatable. It practically eliminates your phone bill, like way less than $10 a month.

Of course the only time you have service is when you are connected to the internet, so this is not a substitute for a cell phone and I would not depend upon it if I was trying to run a business that required heavy phone usage. But for normal home phone use, it is satisfactory for my purposes, and I love the savings and being free of the tyranny of AT and T.

http://www.skype.com/helloagain.html

vote!

2006-11-07T11:07:00.000-06:00

Election day; time to vote some non-republicans into office so maybe we can start getting our country back! Take some time to make some calls too. It is a proven technique that helps to get voters to the polls. This may be a close one so every vote counts. I have hosted a few calling parties and they are effective and fun.

The Secret

2006-11-07T02:09:00.000-06:00

The Secret: Review of: The Secret, DVDs & Videos; By: Stan S. on Judy's Book; Rating: 4 stars; Read review on Judy's Book.

The last movie I saw was actually a free showing at a wonderful bookstore called Transitions that I have reviewed elsewhere on JB. The movie is "The Secret" and I highly recommended it. The secret is what can make all your dreams come true. I know it sounds like hype but go see the movie and judge for yourself. If you can find it in a theatre great; otherwise you can view it online or buy the DVD: http://www.thesecret.tv/

connections

2006-11-07T01:16:00.000-06:00

animation

2006-11-07T01:11:00.000-06:00

yellow HUs

2006-10-21T00:13:00.000-05:00

Here is another bitmap drawing inspired by the HU.

bitmap HUs

2006-10-21T00:06:00.000-05:00

Continuing with the ECK theme, this is a bitmap painting just using the theme of the HU repeated. If you are not familiar with the HU, it is an ancient name for God that is frequently sung as a chant, a love song to God. There is a really cool website that has a wonderful flash animation that also includes sound; check it out:
http://www.sing-hu.org/

Sept.'06 revision (after)

2006-10-20T23:59:00.000-05:00

I tried painting in the quote, but I didn't have the proper equipment to do it right, so I ended up just painting in the URL of the ECKANKAR website. The grid that I had drawn and a bit of the quote in marker is still slightly visible. The sun is just not as intense in Sept., although I'm sure it will fade the rest of it in time.

Reinholds at work

2006-10-20T23:51:00.000-05:00

Artists at work

2006-10-20T23:47:00.000-05:00

Bill Reinhold and his daughter Leanne who drove in all the way from Crystal lake to do the bulk of the painting for the mural.

The Living Water is the Holy Spirit, or the ECK

2006-10-20T23:44:00.000-05:00

Eckankar mural in the park (before)

2006-10-20T23:32:00.000-05:00

This is a picture of a mural that was painted in June '06 as part of the Artists of the Wall festival in Loyola park on the lakefront in Rogers Park on the NorthEast side of Chicago. Bill Reinhold and his daughter did the bulk of the work and I put in the text. Unfortunately, I used "permanent" marker which faded in the summer sun and the text virtually disappeared within a few weeks. So this would be the before shot. The Rogers Park Eckankar center sponsored this
project so we made the Eckankar presence as strong as we could. The theme of the festival this year had to do with the shoreline, so we brought that theme into our piece at least a bit.

lego boychicks

2006-10-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

This picture of my grandsons was taken last year about this time. That
pile of black stuff in the background is some really creepy Haloween paraphernalia. I have other pics from this series where it shows up better.If you click on the pic and enlarge it you can see. But this pic stands on its own merits, me thinks.

Continuity (bitmap image)

2006-10-19T08:54:00.000-05:00

That was so much fun I had to do it again. Some of these images look so good to me that they must have some commercial potential. I would like to figure out how to exploit that before I gave them all away!

Abstract landscape (bitmap image)

2006-10-19T08:41:00.000-05:00

I have hundreds of these bitmap images executed with Windows paint program from the accessories file. I thought it was about time I started sharing them. I love that little program; it is fairly easy to master, he says modestly. Of course now that I think about it, I really am no where near mastering it. But I have had a lot of fun playing with it. I worked in real paint for so many years that I had to overcome a bit of prejudgment. Then I discovered the unique qualities of inner light that a watercolorist can only dream about. Each medium has its strengths and shortcomings.

the Health Ranger

2006-10-18T18:45:00.000-05:00

Occasionally online you meet someone who really impresses you. Mike Adams is one of those guys. He is a young guy who made some bucks as a techie and then had a health crisis and discovered natural healing. He now calls himself the health ranger and has put up some amazing websites. What is most amazing about him his is conscientious integrity, very unusual.

I just got through watching a cool interview he did with a garlic expert, very instructive and entertaining, check it out and then go back and look at Mike's websites: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5311981916795011230&hl=en

http://www.newstarget.com/

http://www.healthranger.org/

Nature's Gate products

2006-10-14T10:59:00.000-05:00

Nature's Gate products: Review of: Nature's Gate herbal hair conditoner, Other; By: Stan S. on Judy's Book; Rating: 4 stars; Read review on Judy's Book.

I love South Pacific, it is my favorite musical. I will excuse the gender bias of the song reference. If I have needed to wash someone out of my hair, they have been women, but that's not the point of this review, now is it?

I have been using Nature's Gate shampoo and conditioner for years. You will find them in health food stores, they are normally not seen at your local supermarket unless it is Whole Foods. They have all natural, herbal ingredients and are good for you.

There is stuff in commercial shampoos and conditioners like propelene glycol, the same thing used in anti-freeze. It is absorbed through your skin and does you harm.

Nature's Gate has a large variety of flavors to suit your hair type and other preferences. Particularly special is their herbal hair conditioner. It has the most wonderful smell and leaves your hair feeling just great. Check it out.

Soup from scratch

2006-10-14T10:33:00.000-05:00

Soup from scratch: By: Stan Schultz; Category: Opinion > Other; Read the article on Judy's Book.

I live on my soups from scratch in the cold weather. I pretty much alternate between a mushroom barley with a chicken base (Jewish penicillin), and my famous chili. I won't bore you with the receipes, but you can write me if you're interested.

I usually keep some cans of soup on hand in types that I don't usually make like clam chowder, but there is nothing like homemade soup. I never get tired of it.

Tom's toothpaste

2006-10-13T11:53:00.000-05:00

Tom's toothpaste: Review of: Tom's of Maine Spearmint Anti-Plaque Toothpaste (6 Ounces), Bed & Bath; By: Stan S. on Judy's Book; Rating: 4 stars; Read review on Judy's Book.

Tom's of Maine products are usually found in health food stores or the health food section of your local supermarket, if it has one.

They make high quality products with healthier ingredients and not all the bad stuff like preservatives and artificial colors.

I use several of his toothpaste's for variety. My current one is s spearmint flavor with natural antiplaque ingredients propolis & myrrh. The other one I like has a fennel flavor, which is like a mild licorice. It is actually quite nice.

"An Inconvenient Truth"

2006-10-12T12:14:00.000-05:00

"An Inconvenient Truth": Review of: An Inconvenient Truth, DVDs & Videos; By: Stan S. on Judy's Book; Rating: 5 stars; Read review on Judy's Book.

I finally saw this important movie last night. A local church group sponsored it, a very cool group called "Interfaith Power and Light".

Go see this movie if you haven't already. If you can't find a showing in a theater, rent or buy the DVD. It is really the mother of all wake up calls. Most of the basics about global warming have become a part of popular culture, but seeing this presentation by Al Gore brings the message home with a real immediacy.

We all need to get off our complacent butts and start becoming more active to effect change, or things are going to be getting much worse much sooner than we think.

I am writing this on a morning when Chicago had a record snowfall, its earliest on record, Oct. 12. Although the snow was lovely, it is part of the goofy weather patterns that are a symptom of the radical changes that are happening all around us.

It is our children and grandchildren that are really going to suffer the effects of our complacency if we don't get busy. Don't leave the tragic legacy of a ruined planet because we were too busy watching the next episode of "Grey's Anatomy".

Tempted but no

2006-09-27T05:41:00.000-05:00

Tempted but no: By: Stan Schultz; Category: Opinion > Other; Read the article on Judy's Book.

I consider TV a dangerous drug so as tempted as I am to join I think I will pass. Being a member of this site would only encourage me to watch more and what I would like to do is watch less!!

I love TV too much. It sucks the free time out of me. There are much more productive and creative ways to use my free time than to add to my couch potatoeness. (If this word ends up in the dictionary, I want credit for creating it:)

I want to be very very selective about what I watch. Make sure it is something special. Just my 2 cents. The older I get the more selective I am about how I use my time.

Life's sacred messiness

2006-09-25T11:16:00.000-05:00

Life's sacred messiness: Review of: Belief Net (A place for everyone's beliefs even the Stars), Reference; By: Stan S. on Judy's Book; Rating: 4 stars; Read review on Judy's Book.

Beliefnet is a wonderful website. In order for me to explain how cool it is and how I used it this morning, I need to give you a little history about me.

I was born Jewish and although I have been an Eckist for 35+ years (www.eckankar.org) I still like Jewish wisdom. I have a brother in Vermont and a sister in Spokane who have had a little rift and I have been trying to find a gentle way to help them heal it. It's funny, my older brother has asked me to not get in the middle. I'm the middle kid, how can I not get in the middle?

This morning I found this wonderful little video clip of a talk by a very wise rabbi on the subject of "Life's sacred messiness."

It is a great little story for the high holidays which we are going through now. I sent it to my brother and sister. It will also give you a good idea about why I like beliefnet. Here it is:
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/200/story_20004_1.html#

Old Dream

2006-09-10T11:00:00.000-05:00

This morning I remembered a dream I had a long time ago. At the time I was studying watercolor and was painting daily. I was dreaming about making a living as an artist. The dream was of an artist whose life had a grand order. He would wake, conceive of what his work was to be that day, and proceed. If he was going to do a watercolor of a flower still life, he would get the flowers, arrange them and proceed.

I found in painting there were certain rituals of preparation that naturally evolved. Setting up the paints and brushes, arranging the workspace for optimum efficiency, etc. When I was drawing, I would have to sharpen pencils and this naturally lent itself to a contemplative state.

So the work would be executed, a reflection of the contemplation of the Love of God. Would be nice if all of life could proceed with this kind of order and beauty. A lovely dream. Sometimes this kind of order can be achieved in art, less frequently in life.

Especially now it is good to be reminded of that dream as I contemplate the pile of boxes in front of me. Having moved, my current task is to unpack and put my things in order. I intend to do it in the same spirit as the artist in the above dream. The differentation between sublime and mundane is just one of perception. All tasks can be done in a spirit of love.

Check out Verlo

2006-08-09T17:26:00.000-05:00

Check out Verlo: Review of: Verlo.com; By: Stan Schultz; Rating: 4; Read review on Judy's Book.

The best mattress I have ever had was bought from Verlo. I just checked and found their website; I will put the link in at the end of this review

This was a traditional style mattress, just very high quality at a reasonable price. Pillow top, firm, very comfortable.

http://www.verlo.com/

Smile and click

2006-08-02T13:12:00.000-05:00

Smile and click: By: Stan Schultz; Category: Opinion > Other; Read the article on Judy's Book.

The number and quality of responses to this juicy question certainly speaks well for the quality of folks who are hangin' out at JB!

I haven't read all the responses, but one I haven't seen is the simplest of all, just smiling at folks. A kind word and/or a smile can help to brighten up our corner of the world.

Online, there is something you can do that is more like a deliberate act of kindness. I try to visit this site and its cousins everyday: http://www.thehungersite.com/

Try Traumeel

2006-07-16T19:00:00.000-05:00

Try Traumeel: By: Stan Schultz; Category: Opinion > Other; Read the article on Judy's Book.

This is a wonderful homeopathic formula that is practically miraculous in the way it relieves pain and itching, albeit temporarily. I have never used it for your particular issue, but I bet it would help.

BTW, I know nothing about the store at this link. I just did a search and this is what came up. Any well stocked health food shop should have it. Its a long link; if it doesn't work just do a search using the word Traumeel.

Happy healing!

ciao, Stan

http://www.herballoveshop.com/search.asp?keywords=traumeel&gclid=CIvvqN64l4YCFSYISQodyEc2sg

Great games website

2006-07-09T19:32:00.000-05:00

Great games website: Review of: Pogo; By: Stan Schultz; Rating: 4; Read review on Judy's Book.

We all reach a point in the day when we need to step back and relax just a bit. A nap or some TV is great, but if your mind is still buzzing and you want to be a little more active, this is a great place to play and unwind.

It is a very well designed free website that is extremely popular. You can accrue points as you play and cash them in for opportunities to win real cash. The real pogo junkies get a paid membership but please don't become one of those folks. Get a life, ya know?

There are great word games; try word whomp, one of my favorites. And of course there are all the traditional games too. Poker, blackjack, etc. Look around and you will find some relaxing games to suit your fancy.

http://ea.pogo.com/

Inner Vacation

2006-07-09T19:16:00.000-05:00

Inner Vacation: By: Stan Schultz; Category: Opinion > Other; Read the article on Judy's Book.

Sometimes we just can't get away physically. But there is a spiritual exercise I learned in ECKANKAR that allows me to get away anytime I need a little R and R.

You travel via the Soul body to anywhere your heart desires. You can revisit favorite vacation spots, places you want to visit, places you used to live, or places on the inner planes.

There are Temples one can visit where you can gain more knowledge of your Self or knowledge of God. These places are just as real, more real than the room in which you now sit.

Visit www.eckankar.org. for more info.

Happy travels, Stan

Mercury retrograde

2006-07-09T18:57:00.000-05:00

Mercury went retrograde on July 4th. It was this tri-annual event that finally convinced me of the validity of astrology. I have Mercury very prominent in my chart, and whenever it went retrograde it used to drive me crazy. When I discovered what it meant and that it could be charted on a calendar, everything changed. The challenge became to not make it worse by allowing it to become a self fullfilling prophecy. In other words, psyching myself out by negative expectations.

There is a great article which has an excellent perspective on the subject:
http://www.myspiritualastrologer.com/NewsAlertMercRetroSept24,2001.htm

Paperback Swap; Promise of the internet fulfilled.

2006-07-08T20:02:00.000-05:00

Paperback Swap; Promise of the internet fulfilled.: By: Stan Schultz; Category: Opinion > Other; Read the article on Judy's Book.

I joined as soon as I heard about it because I have always been an avid reader. Its a great idea and an impressively well organized website. I especially like the fact that it prints out a label/wrapper for you.

I have already sent and received 6 or 7 books without a hitch. It is also impressive that participants seem to be pretty conscientious about holding up their end, sending out books promptly, wrapping them well etc.

This kind of website represents the best of the internet to me.

Great pizza

2006-06-29T15:14:00.000-05:00

It has been a while since I have gone to a restaurant for pizza. What has become my steady favorite, whenever I get a jones for a good pizza, is the frozen pizza available from DiGiorno, their spicy chicken. It heats up in 27 minutes and is excellent, thick crust with a just the right mix of chicken and veggies, well spiced with just the right amount of cheese and tomato sauce.

At the local supermarket, it runs from $5 to $8, depending on what sales they are running.

Gotta check the spelling on the name!

Internet Marketing Center seminar

2006-06-26T14:28:00.000-05:00

I attended a seminar this weekend sponsored by the Internet Marketing Center, one of the older and more established online marketing centers. They are based in Vancouver, Canada.

A $97 deposit was required, which they did return as promised at the end of the seminar. Of course they did pitch their products while they were providing information, but they did not overdo the sales pitches, and in fact their software and consulting services are so obviously worthwhile that I did not feel offended.

I mean, come on, you get invited to a "free" seminar you know there is going to be some strings attached. But on balance, it was well worth. They presented a lot of juicy, useful information.

There were 250 people there; it was held at the Sheraton in Arlington Heights, IL. They gave out nice free goodies too; a tote bag, notebook and pen, and plastic drinking cup, all plastered with their logo of course.

We were even given a chance to present our little enterprise on stage to the group.

They had a large number of staff on hand too, maybe a dozen mostly young folks with various areas of expertise who were very friendly and available for help.

Derek Gehl, the pres. and CEO did most of the presenting, but there were other very competent folks including Brandon Dupsky, a eBay hotshot who provided all sorts of useful hints.

There were plenty of opportunities to network and set up joint ventures, etc. Altogether a very worthwhile weekend. In fact, I was so impressed with the IMC that I decided to become an affiliate.

Insomnia solutions

2006-06-21T12:00:00.000-05:00

I have had issues with insomnia for a long time. I have found several things that work:

Probably the biggest factor is just getting enough exercise during the day. If you have been sitting around all day and you still have a lot of energy left when you go to bed, you will toss and turn.

If you get physically tired by taking a really long walk, it will be much easier to sleep.

Other stuff that has helped me: Melatonin and Valerian are right at the top of the list. I used to drink the Valerian as a tea: my kids called it dirty sock tea because of its matchless fragrance:) I switched to taking capsules. I also drink sleepytime tea, easy now is also good.

Doing a spiritual exercise is frequently helpful. I chant HU, which is an ancient name for God. I also have a CD of a group HU chant that I play that is great.

I have also used a CD of running water like a brook, and surf which can really be helpful. Pee before putting this one on :).

Reading always relaxes me. Of course you have to pick a soothing, uplifting book. Not something exciting or that will make you worry more.

Don't stay in bed if you can't sleep. Get up and occupy yourself until you are tired.

Obviously a topic with which I have had some experience:) Note: this post was inspired by a question from someone at judy's book. I am still working on getting my posts there published here: www.judysbook.com

Posting reviews to my blog

2006-06-20T20:46:00.000-05:00

I have written a bunch of reviews on judysbook.com and yelp.com. I would love to publish them on this blog but so far I haven't been able to get it to work even though both sites have procedures set up to do just that. Any body know how to help me get this done?

2006-06-13T18:23:00.000-05:00

I recently shaved my beard. This is the most recent picture I have of myself clean shaven, taken about a year ago.

Bird flu

2006-05-30T17:04:00.000-05:00

Oprah talked about bird flu today with an "expert" on the subject. They talked a lot about the availability or lack of same of drugs, the need to stock up on food, the inevitability of the pandemic, etc.

There was never any mention of the fact that if you are healthy, it is not likely you will contract this or any other flu. I am no expert but I have studied nutrition for a long time. Preventative medicine is the way to go. My understanding is that viruses are transmitted through the cell walls, as opposed to the cold bacteria, which passes between cell walls.

If you strengthen the cell walls, viruses cannot be transmitted. Rutin, a nutrient found in green vegetables like green peppers, is especially helpful in strengthening the cell walls.

Making yourself healthy and strengthening your immune system is the best preparation for any illness. Eating organically grown fruits and veggies, with a diet of whole grains, nuts and seeds is the foundation for good health.

Yelp reviews

2006-05-25T21:49:00.000-05:00

http://www.yelp.com/blogbadgemap?v=1&userid=wkttdVkt1yr8fiQcE-BNbQ&width=200&height=328&uicolor=C41200&textcolor=FFFFFF&type=latest&speed=10">

A lovely spring day

2006-05-25T20:36:00.000-05:00

Wow, sun in Gemini has certainly energized the mental; this writing probably has some of that energy in it. Nice moon in Taurus though, Mr. mellow.

Oprah had a wonderful program this morning with Elie Weisel and an essay contest for high school kids, interpreting the significance of Night. I was scheduled to see my laptop repairman but couldn't leave.

Omtae

2006-05-23T19:04:00.000-05:00

I should mention the primary meaning of Omtae, the title of this Blog. I spoke first of the acronym I created, but there is a more primary meaning.

It is a name first spoken by my ex, whose name is Sheila. She said it was my spiritual name, and it felt right so there it is. Sheila is otherwise known as Omnec Onec, the woman from Venus. Meeting her and eventually having two kids with her and marrying her was one of the seminal experiences in my life.

As I write this, she is in Germany giving workshops and seminars. She has been taken more seriously there, and has established a bit of a career for herself. She has only a temporary visa though, so the latest I have heard is that she will be back in the area around the end of May '06..

Here is a website put up by some of her supporters: Oops, filling that in will have to wait since I am currently typing on a library computer and don't have access to my bookmarks. I just did a search on "Omnec Onec" and got many, many pages of references but couldn't find her website.

10.19.06 Update: The website put up by her supporters is apparently offline. All I could come up with is this reference:

http://www.alienzoo.com/roswell/omneconec.html

Merc. ret. again

2006-03-02T14:18:00.000-06:00

What a curious thing! I felt moved to return to this blog and when I did I discovered that I had started it at the beginning of the last Merc. Ret.! I had forgotten this completely. I wonder what the significance of that might be?

2006-03-02T14:16:00.000-06:00

new years day '01

Other Means to an End.

United American Insurance Company

Who are K-Designers?

Who is Muhammed Babangida ?

Who is Frank Hanna?

Amos Tamam

Flowers

Socializer

Send Your Kids to Circle Pines

Check out my new article on Associated Content

http://www.thehungersite.com/

http://www.thehungersite.com/

Take a walk

Take a walk

A partridge in a pear tree

Buy organically grown pears

Give a goat

Give a goat

Give a goat

Give a goat

Happy holidaze!

Lovely story

Old Disney cartoons

Peace

Traumeel

Traumeel

Traumeel

Traumeel

Best of the best library

Best of the best library

Just sing HU

Just sing HU

Make $25-500 an hour playing Blackjack

Make $25-500 an hour playing Blackjack

Make $25-500 an hour playing Blackjack

Make $25-500 an hour playing Blackjack

Associated Content

Associated Content

Big Crumbs.com

Big Crumbs.com

Batteries

Big money?

Oh you hedonist you!

Digital Art

zjush

zjush

Patience

Skype

Skype

vote!

The Secret

The Secret

connections

animation

yellow HUs

bitmap HUs

Sept.'06 revision (after)

Reinholds at work

Artists at work

The Living Water is the Holy Spirit, or the ECK

Eckankar mural in the park (before)

lego boychicks

Continuity (bitmap image)

Abstract landscape (bitmap image)

the Health Ranger

Nature's Gate products

Nature's Gate products

Soup from scratch

Tom's toothpaste

Tom's toothpaste

"An Inconvenient Truth"

"An Inconvenient Truth"

Tempted but no

Life's sacred messiness

Life's sacred messiness

Old Dream

Check out Verlo

Check out Verlo

Smile and click

Try Traumeel