NICE ELECTION WALLPAPER FOR YOUR COMPUTER -- FREE !!!

By JC Leahy

This image will create a pleasant and meaningful 2010 computer desktop background or "wallpaper" for your pc at work or home. The process is simple:  Place your cursor on this image below.  Right click your mouse and select "Save picture as" to save a copy to your computer.  Then got to the copy of your computer.  Right click your mouse.  Then select "Set as desktop background" or "Set as Desktop Wallpaper".  That's all there is to it!

Oh, and if you want to buy an actual one or more of these buttons to wear on your clothing, here's the link:

PURCHASE TAKE OUT THE TRASH CAMPAIGN BUTTON

From the E-Mailbox: "Female Phrases"

An E-Mail "Forward" submitted by Theresa Beltran, Silver Spring, MD

This is for the females to read and enjoy, and for the males to learn how we females communicate.

"FINE"
This is the word we use at the end of any argument that we feel we are right about but need to shut you up. NEVER use fine to describe how a woman looks. This will cause you to have one of those arguments.

"FIVE MINUTES"
This is half an hour. It is equivalent to the five minutes that your football game is going to last before you take out the trash, so I feel that it's an even trade.

"NOTHING"
This means something and you should be on your toes. "Nothing" is usually used to describe the feeling a woman has of wanting to turn you inside out, upside down, and backwards. "Nothing" usually signifies an argument that will last "Five Minutes" and end with the word "Fine."

"GO AHEAD" (with raised eyebrows)

This is a dare. One that will result in a woman getting upset over "Nothing" and will end with the word "Fine."

"GO AHEAD" (normal eyebrows)
This means "I give up" or "do what you want because I don't care." You will get a raised eyebrow "Go Ahead" in just a few minutes, followed by "Nothing" and "Fine" and she will talk to you in about "Five Minutes" when she cools off.

"LOUD SIGH"
This is not actually a word, but is still often a verbal statement very misunderstood by men. A "Loud Sigh" means she thinks you are an idiot at that moment and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here
and arguing with you over "Nothing."

"SOFT SIGH"
Again, not a word, but a verbal statement. "Soft Sighs" are one of the few things that some men actually understand. She is content. Your best bet is to not move or breathe and she will stay content.

"THAT'S OKAY"
This is one of the most dangerous statements that a woman can say to a man. "That's Okay" means that she wants to think long and hard before paying you retributions for what ever it is that you have done."That's Okay" is often used with the word "Fine" and used in conjunction with a raised eyebrow "Go Ahead." At some point in the near future when she has plotted and planned, you are going to be in some mighty big trouble.

"PLEASE DO"
This is not a statement, it is an offer. A woman is giving you the chance to come up with whatever excuse or reason you have for doing whatever it is that you have done. You have a fair chance to tell the truth, so be careful and you shouldn't get a "That's Okay."

"THANKS"
A woman is thanking you. Do not faint, just say you're welcome.

"THANKS A LOT"
This is much different than "Thanks." A woman will say, "Thanks A Lot" when she is really ticked off at you. It signifies that you have hurt her in some callous way, and will be followed by the "Loud Sigh." Be careful not to ask what is wrong after the "Loud Sigh," as she will only tell you "Nothing."

Health Tip: Drinking Water at the Right Time

Submitted by Barbara Leahy, Walnut Creek, CA

Another little tidbit that's news to me. Always knew to drink a lot of water, but who knew the timing affected things.  Drinking water at the correct time maximizes its effectiveness on the Human body:

• 2 glasses of water after waking up helps activate internal organs
• 1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal - helps digestion
• 1 glass of water before taking a bath - helps lower blood pressure
• 1 glass of water before going to bed - avoids stroke or heart attack

Please pass this to the people you care about.......

Is Moslem Religion Compatible With American Ideals ??

Submitted by Steve Monje,  Federal police officer

HELLO?
U S A.....are you there? are you listening?...
are you tired of hearing about a mosque at GROUND ZERO?
Well........Have you seen the streets in NYC that look just like this?????
Here is a CBS editorial about Paris
Are we next?

CLICK HERE:
Video to Think About

Where Did All the Stink Bugs Come From, and How Can I Fix the Problem??

By JC Leahy

I’m not talking about Progressive Democrats; if I could fix that problem, I’d be a national hero. I’m talking about those ugly little, brown, shield-shaped bugs that are now, or soon will be, bothering you in your home. When I was a child, the infestation that captured our attention was the Japanese Beetle. Japanese Beetles were everywhere, eating the neighbors' roses and other garden plants, and bothering farmers to no end. Japanese beetles had two redeeming traits: (1) they didn’t want to come into your house, and (2) they made great fishing bait. The infestation of the 2010’s is the Stink Bug.

Like Japanese beetles, stink bugs came from Asia. They came from Korea or China, probably in an agricultural shipment, in the mid or late 1990’s. Since their arrival, they have multiplied remarkably in the Mid-Atlantic region, absent whatever predators keep them in check in Asia. Like Japanese Beetles, stink bugs eat crops: fruits such as apples, peaches, citrus crops, and soybeans – as well as ornamental plants you might have in your landscaping or garden. Some Maryland farmers have reported losing as much as 20 percent of their crops to stink bugs.  Like Japanese Beetles, stink bugs are resistant to pesticides.

Unlike Japanese Beetles, stink bugs want to infest your house. They are attracted to light.  Your household lighting system says, “Welcome Stink Bugs!!  ENTER HERE!!”   This goes for grounds lighting, too.  If you light it, they will come. If they come, they will enter through any opening. They can come around and through your window air conditioners, kitchen vent fans, dryer fan, attic vent, or any other opening in the exteior of the house.  This is particularly true in the autumn as they seek to escape the cooler temperatures.  There are MANY of them.  The photo at the right shows a handful I just scooped off the windowsill here in front of my desk. (Fortunately all of these are dead, becaue my insect fogger did the job!)  They won’t damage your belongings, but they will fly around your rooms with a loud buzzing that is impossible to ignore. They also smell. And if you upset them, they stink – hence the name.


How Can I Get Rid of Stink Bugs?

Prepare Yourself: Like the Federal Deficit, Experts Expect Stink Bug Population to Soon Explode!

Here’s your strategy: Turn out your house lights at night during late summer and autumn. Remove window air conditioners and close the windows. Check your weather stripping and caulking. Every now and then use bug bombs (insect foggers) in the attic.  The attic may be a stink bug's point of first entry. You can also use bug bombs in living spaces when the situation warrants, but not while you're there; that would make a silly headline, wouldn't it?  My experience is, and the literature confirms, that with stink bugs many or most insecticide foggers DO NOT work. I’ll provide links to insect foggers that work.  (It is best to select a fogger that contains pyrethrum, a relatively safe insecticed made of natural ingredients.)  Turn out the lights. Buy insect foggers and use them.  Seal your house. Repeat: Seal your house.  Where possible, vacuum up the stink bugs and empty the canister right away to avoid stink.  And on November 2, be a hero and take out the trash.



SUGGESTED INSECTICIDE & FOGGERS ("BUG BOMBS") TO KILL/CONTROL STINK BUGS:




Or:




Or:





Cheers! 


Further Reading:


Fox News On Stink Bugs


JC Leahy on Health Care Reform


Browse the Blog (jaitoday.com)

HEALTH DRINK??!! IS COFFEE GOOD FOR YOU?!

By JC Leahy
RN, BSN, MA
Sigma Theta Tau's "100 Most Extraordinary Nurses Award"

Health Benefits of Coffee


I ran across a link entitled “25 Nutrition Tips” from Yahoo. To my surprise, the number-one nutrition tip was, “Drink a second cup of coffee.” I always thought coffee was bad for you, so I decided to do a little research.

There is a growing body of research about the link between Type II (Adult Onset) diabetes and drinking coffee. Every study concluded that drinking coffee is associated with a reduced incidence of Type II diabetes. The more coffee you drink, the lower your diabetes risk.


Various of these studies have been percolating since at least 2004. The most recent was published this year in the March 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. This is a Finnish study involving 16,000 Finns. They found that the more coffee one drinks, the lower the risk of developing Type II diabetes, and that the effect is more pronounced among women than men. Men who drank 3-4 cups of coffee per day had a 27% lower risk of diabetes, and for women, a 29% lower risk. Men who drank 7-9 cups per day had a 33% lower risk, and for women, 61%.

It is unknown why coffee helps prevent diabetes. Coffee contains 11mg of magnesium per 100g of dried coffee, and magnesium is thought to increase cellular sensitivity to insulin, thereby lowering blood sugar levels. Coffee also contains an antioxidant polyphenol chlorgenic acid, which inhibits the activity of an enzyme called glucose-6-phosphatase – which in turn would inhibit the increase of blood glucose levels. Antioxidants also may inhibit the absorption of glucose by the intestines. Additionally, caffeine is thought to stimulate the insulin producing cells of the pancreas.

Coffee is also thought to help prevent Alzheimer’s disease and prostate cancer.

However, in other ways, drinking lots of coffee could be bad for you. For example, if you suffer from gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD), caffeine is counterproductive in that regard. If you suffer from high blood pressure or certain cardiac disease, caffeine may be harmful.

The bottom line to the various research studies is this: Daily coffee consumption can help reduce the risk of developing Type II diabetes. Within reason, the more you drink, the greater the effect. However, drinking coffee may not be advisable if you suffer from GERD, cardiac disease or high blood pressure. The research suggests that coffee drinking won’t help much if you don’t exercise and maintain a healthy diet.  That's common sense.  One more point, my experience is that dringing too much coffee on an habitual basis just makes you feel poorly. Furthrmore, drinking coffee in the afternoon or evening may inhibit your sleep.   All things considered, I think that up to 4 cups per morning  is reasonable and may provide a health benefit for those concerned about developing Type II diabetes, prostate cancer, or Alzheimer's disease.

Further Reading:

Coffee Prevents Diabetes?  Web MD

Can Coffee Prevent Diabetes? -- The Health Rules

New Study Links Coffee and Reduced Diabetes Risk -- CBS

Coffee Prevents Diabetes -- Medical Student Notes

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Good Humor in Politics

Submitted by Donald Greenwood

How To Start Each Day With A Positive Outlook


1. Open a new folder in your computer.
2. Name it 'Barack Obama'.
3. Send it to the Recycle Bin.
4. Empty the Recycle Bin.
5. Your PC will ask you: 'Do you really want to get rid of 'Barack Obama?'
6. Firmly Click 'Yes.'
7. Feel better?

GOOD! – Tomorrow we'll do Nancy Pelosi.

Journal Endorses Brian Murphy for Maryland Governor

by JC Leahy, editor
MA Accounting
RN, BSN, ACLS
Sigma Theta Tau's "100 Most Extraordinary Nurses Award"

Voters in this Tuesday's Maryland Republican primary election have 2 choices for governor: Bob Ehrlich and Brian Murphy.

 Bob Ehrlich is a Republican establishment career politician who served as Maryland governor from 2003 to 2007. During the 2002 gubernatorial election, he mailed out voters guides that, according to critics, strongly implied that he was, himself, a Democrat and that certain Democratic politicians had endorsed him, when they had not. His election campaign featured bringing in busloads of homeless people from Philadelphia to wear his T-shirts and pass out election literature door-to-door as if they were from Maryland. He championed the cause of "fiscal responsibility" and advocated balancing the Maryland budget with gambling revenues. He ended the policy of making criminals sentenced to life terms actually serve life terms. By the time of his 2006 reelection campaign, he was sufficiently unpopular to achieve the distinction of becoming the only incumbent governor that year to be defeated for reelection. Now, he wants a chance to do it all again.

Brian Murphy is not a career politician. He has an undergraduate degree in Economics and an MBA in Finance. He claims to be a fan of such writers as Friedman, de Tocqueville, and Hayek. He has apparently had a successful business career with a credible smattering of public-service involvement. His platform indicates an understanding of important current issues. It includes:

• Job creation by making Maryland competitive -- Depending on the poll, Maryland now ranks 45th to 50th in terms of overall business attractiveness.
• Health care that allows patients to make sensitive cost decisions and allows them direct access to their doctors. The way he phrases his health care position indicates an uncommon level of understanding, in the estimation of JAITODAY.COM.
• Educational policy that promotes efficient schools and educational opportunity for all Maryland students.
• Energy policy that encourages development and use of energy sources as closer to Maryland than the Middle East.
• Environmental policy that preserves the Chesapeake Bay

Nominating Bob Ehrlich to succeed Martin O'Malley would be like nominating George Bush to replace Barack Obama -- not a smart move and not beneficial for the people of Maryland. Brian Murphy is new. He is credible. Maryland needs a new and credible change from the "same-old" career politicians. Brian Murphy looks like the best choice for Maryland, and JAITODAY.COM endorses him.

 Get a yard sign. Get involved. VOTE!! Here is a link to his campaign:

YES!!! YOU CAN BUY AN ACTUAL 2010 ELECTION BUTTON TO WEAR!!

by JC Leahy, RN, BSN, MA
Sigma Theta Tau's "100 Most Extraordinary Nurses Award"

Contrary to what you might think, this sooo-appropriate 2010 Election campaign button is not a mere figment of  your cyberspace.  You can buy it in physical, pin-on-your-coat form.  Different sizes are available. Here's the link to buy one button or many:

TAKE OUT THE TRASH CAMPAIGN BUTTON

Humerous Lesson in Financial Management

submitted by Joshua Dee, MD

A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing up her shower, when the doorbell rings.
The wife quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs downstairs.
When she opens the door, there stands Bob, the next-door neighbor.
Before she says a word, Bob says, 'I'll give you $800 to drop that towel.'
After thinking for a moment, the woman drops her towel and stands naked in front of Bob, after a few seconds, Bob hands her $800 and leaves.
The woman wraps back up in the towel and goes back upstairs.
When she gets to the bathroom, her husband asks, 'Who was that?'
'It was Bob the next door neighbor,' she replies.
'Great,' the husband says, 'did he say anything about the $800 he owes me?'

Moral of the story:
If you share critical information pertaining to credit and risk with your shareholders in time, you may be in a position to prevent avoidable exposure.

Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

DEA Heads First-Ever Nationwide Prescription Drug Take-Back Day Saturday, September 25, 2010, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Submitted by Arilma St. Clair, RN

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and government, community, public health, and law enforcement partners are holding a nationwide prescription drug "take-back" day. On September 25, 2010, collection sites around the country will take any expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs for safe, legal, and environmentally friendly disposal.


This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. The misuse of prescription drugs, including diversion, accidental poisoning, and overdose, has been increasing at an alarming rate. Nationally, an estimated 6.2 million people age 12 and older report having misused prescription drugs in the past month. One of the easiest ways individuals can help reduce this problem is to properly dispose of unused or expired medications. Studies have shown that a majority of prescription drugs are easily obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. The take-back day offers Americans an easy way to dispose of their prescription drugs and help reduce the rate of prescription drug abuse.

Further Information: Getting Involved in National Take-Back Day:

FLU SEASON - TIME FOR YOUR INFLUENZA VACCINE

by JC Leahy, RN, BSN, MA, ACLS
Sigma Theta Tau's "100 Most Extraordinary Nurses Award"

Flu season in the United States generally starts in October or November and ends in April or May. The best time to get your flu shot is October or November in order to prevent an outbreak to the flu virus. Every year the flu virus changes. That is why last year's flu inoculation will not protect you against this year's flu virus. Each new flu season has it's own customized flu vaccine. . There are usually 3 deactivated or killed stains of the flu virus in the vaccine each new flu season.

WHO SHOULD GET AN INFLUENZA INOCULATION?


Who should get a flu shot? Well, according to the CDC, these groups have the highest need to be inoculated::

• Children between ages 6-23 months
• Adults aged 65+
• Individuals with chronic conditions aged 2-64
• Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant during flu season
• Residents of nursing homes/long term facilities
• Children between 6 months to 18 years of age on chronic aspirin therapy (because they could develop Reye Syndrome if they contract influenza)
• Health care workers that work in direct patient care.
• Household contacts/out-side caregivers of children under 6 months of age

 Additionally, a flu shot is recommended for:

• Anyone with long-term health problems, including heart disease, lung disease, asthma, kidney disease, liver disease, anemia or other blood disorders, or metabolic diseases such as diabetes.
• Anyone with a weakened immune system. This includes persons with HIV/AIDS, long-term steroid treatment, and those undergoing cancer treatment with x-rays or drugs
• Anyone with certain muscle or nerve disorders that can lead to breathing or swallowing deficits. This includes seizure disorders and cerebral palsy.
• Residents of long-term care facilities such as nursing homes.
• Anyone who comes into regular contact with persons at high risk for severe complications of influenza. This includes anyone caring for infants and children up to the age of 5 at home.
• Anyone living under crowded conditions. This includes dormitories and prisons.
• Anyone providing essential community services
• Anyone planning on travel to the southern hemisphere between April and September or to the tropics at any time or in organized tourist groups at any time.
• Anyone who just doesn't want to get influenza or give it to others.
  

 WHO SHOULD AVOID GETTING AN INFLUENZA SHOT?

 Some people should not get a flu shot without consulting their physicians. They are:

• People who have severe allergies to chicken eggs
• People who have an allergy to any component of the vaccine, including thimerosal
• Those who have Guillain-Barre syndrome obtained after a flu vaccine should not receive get a flu vaccine
• Anyone who has had a bad reaction to a flu vaccine in the past
• Anyone who will have surgery in the next week or has had same-day surgery during the past two weeks or who has discharged from the hospital during the past 10 days for a surgical admission.
• Any current hospital inpatient.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF FLU/INFLUENZA VACCINE

Flu shots that are delivered with a needle contain inactivated vaccine. This means that there is no live virus present. It is therefore impossible to get the flu from a flu shot. Nevertheless, there are possible side effects to getting a flu shot. Severe side effects are very, very rare.

Flu shots may contain preservatives. One common preservative is thimerosal.  Thimerosal contains 49% ethylmercury. As far as studies have shown, thimerosal is not harmful unless you are actually allergic to it. Nevertheless, it is probably better to give children thimerosal-free influenza vaccine. And here's a tip for everyone: single-dose vials of influenza vaccine don't require any preservatives at all -- only the multi-dose vials do.

Most people experience absolutely no flu shot side effects. If you do get side effects, they will probably be redness, swelling or soreness at the injection site; aches, or fever. These symptoms may last for a couple of days. Severe reactions include allergic retactions. These would probably occur from a few minutes to a few hours after the flu shot.

In 1976 there was a swine flu vaccine that was associated with Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). The incidence was 1 or 2 cases per million flu shots. No other flu shot has been linked to GBS.

THE BOTTOM LINE

WALGREEN'S FLU SHOT FINDER

With the few caveats mentioned above, flu shots are safe.  The best tip for flu prevention is to get a flu shot ASAP unless contraindicated, and maintain a healthy immune system by getting plenty of sleep, exercise, and a healthy diet.

To learn more, go to the CDC website,

PS - There does exist an attenuated influenza vaccine that contains weakened virus. Attenuated flu vaccine is delivered as a spray into the nostrils. We're not talking about attenuated flu vaccine in the above article. -- JC Leahy

HEALTH SYMPOSIUM ANNOUNCEMENT

2010 ELECTION SEASON -- DESKTOP WALLPAPER :)

LOL!!  YOU WILL LOVE IT!!! SPREAD THE WORD!!!!

Instructions for adding this image as desktop wallpaper for your home or work computer:

1. 
   
   Place your cursor on the image above and left-click the mouse
2. Now, right click your mouse
3. From the pop up menu, select "Save picture as"
4. Navigate to your "Pctures" folder or other location where you want to save this image.
5. Save the image.
6. Go to the image on your computer, place your mouse cursor on the image and left click
7. Now, right click
8. Select "Set as desktop wallpaper"
9. SPREAD THE WORD!!!  LOL!!!

That's it!! Don't you just love it??!! It will drive certain of your coworkers crazy!!  But it's okay for any workplace because it doesn't say anything about any candidate or even any election!!

If you want to buy an ACTUAL campaign button like this, here's the link:

I WANT TO PURCHASE AN ACTUAL TAKE OUT THE TRASH CAMPAIGN BUTTON

Cheers!!  JC Leahy, RN, BSN, MA, ACLS -- "100 Most Outstanding Nurses Award," Washington, DC, 2009