The Info Master

Doctor reveals secrets to Fat Loss

2008-07-27T13:40:00.000-07:00

A new breakthrough secret is all you now need in order to forever shed countless pounds, stay healthy, and add many years to your life!

A lady doctor from Arizona has blown the lid off the best-kept secret in weight loss ever discovered -- and this has the whole diet food and drug industries turned upside down and in nothing less than a torrential uproar.

Her name is Dr Suzanne Gudakunst, and she's marching to the beat of a different drum.

And no, nothing about her "secret" is difficult -- nor does it require that you do something completely out of the ordinary or anything unnatural.

Instead, the Arizonian boasts proudly "...this is something that I caught onto just before 2002 when there was so much research and exploration going around concerning the human colon and digestive system working in harmony with nutritional absorption, and I started doing independent studies just to test things at first ... but which I later expanded on after seeing some fantastic results."

This same woman medical practitioner went on to accurately determine a definitive correlation between harmful plague and parasitic infestations of the human bowel tract, and people suffering chronic obesity -- and who despite intense diet and exercise appeared to be unable to lose any weight whatsoever.

Over the course of six years the Arizona doctor developed a number of natural treatments for the removal of these same harmful, even life-threatening plaques and rapidly reproducing digestive parasites -- and when applied to even worse-case patients suffering extreme obesity (98% of which were in immediate danger of dying) she saw a 100% effectiveness and success rate.

She then borrowed from her research on the severely obese, and applied the same strategies on milder cases of overweight persons -- only to find the same effectiveness and quality results as described above (although the individual weight loss per subject wasn't nearly as much as those obese patients 100 lbs to 200 lbs or more overweight).

So powerful is her secret that she's able to reverse diabetes, rid illness altogether in people suffering from cancer (linked directly to poor diet and overweight factors), as well as an elimination of an entire spectrum of serious and otherwise life-threatening diseases.

Nearly 100% of all her case subjects were told in the alternative by "conventional doctors" that they either had just months or years to live, or they would never live a life anything resembling remotely a "normal" existence -- yet after applying Dr Suzanne's treatments saw a complete contradiction to others doctors' prognoses.

Again, nothing about her secret is unnatural or requires someone to do any major action or modification in their lives.

In fact, her entire treatment is based completely on built-into-nature 'protection agents' scattered throughout the world in the form of select herbs, extracts, and organic constituents, and which can be found in a variety of plants -- but when combined in specific combinations and carefully chosen amounts make for a solution to what is perhaps the world's worst ever plague: OBESITY (and the illnesses and diseases resulting from it -- or at least severely aggravated or exacerbated by it).

Now to everyone else's great gain, whether suffering from just a few extra pounds and inches, to those extremely fat and overweight, this brave, bold lady doctor is releasing to the general public her secret for forever destroying the tight unrelenting closed-fist of obesity's stronghold over the now more than 40% of Americans labeled obese, and others worldwide.

But she's not promising any of us for how long.

Some experts and sociologists suggest that in the bigger scheme of things, the world will never tolerate a discovery of such magnitude, any more than it would be realistic to expect a car that runs on water (even if very real) to ever become commercially available to the general public for day-to-day use.

One well-respected and famous diet & wellness author wrote years ago that if anyone ever "truly unlocked the keys to permanent fat loss, they may actually suffer the same fate as JFK."

It is currently available at:

=> Fat Loss Secret

...so you may want to head on over there now and get it and before someone or "something" gets it forever yanked out of ever getting in YOUR hand at least.

It's in a very easily readable format and is quickly and readily understood and mastered by anyone with even a 4th grade reading level.

While you're there, why not scroll down and review for yourself the huge successes others are now having with this incredible breakthrough in rapid, massive weight loss and extremely improved and enhanced health, now made freely available to the rest of us?

How I cured my Cellulite Naturally!

2008-03-16T15:19:00.000-07:00

I like so many other women struggled with nasty cellulite for years, spending thousands of dollars of creams, lotions, body wraps and everything else trying to find to get rid of my cellulite. At my wits end I was ready to visit the plastic surgeon for help! But then I found this ebook on HowCelebritiesLoseWeight that was touted as the hush-hush secret that the stars use to lose cellulite without surgery! The ebook claimed to have the cure for cellulite, and better yet it was all natural, and all the supplements could be found at your local grocery store!

The ebook is called "The Natural Cellulite Solution." It was written by a naturopathic counselor who specializes in Natural Medicine for women. I thought, what do I have to lose but hopefully my cellulite? I bought the ebook, and I am happy to report that I have been cellulite free since May 2007! I literally saw my cellulite start to diminish within days of following the plan outlined in the ebook!

In the ebook the author explains why you have cellulite in the first place. She explains things such as: why men don't get cellulite, and why even skinny women have it. Then, she tells you what herbal and vitamin supplements to take to get rid of it. She also explains what to put on your skin to treat cellulite, and why most creams don't work. Her motto is "work from the inside out and the outside in."

When I showed up at my friends pool party without a wrap, my girlfriends had to know what my secret was! They bought the ebook too and started applying the secrets, and now they are on their way to being cellulite free!

The information in this ebook is so invaluable, I would have paid ten times what it costs! If you want to lose your cellulite for good this ebook will show you how to do it. Check it out.

Here is a link to the site.
www.cellulite.ifoundthecure.com

Eco Friendly Cleaning

2008-03-14T19:10:00.000-07:00

Why Eco?

You may be wondering why cleaning with eco friendly products should matter to you. To find out why cleaning the eco way is important to you please click on the links below for more information.

Products containing harmful ingredients are required by law to be labeled "CAUTION", "WARNING" or "DANGER." These signal words are DEFINED as follows:

"Caution" means that more than 1 ounce must be ingested before life threatening symptoms will occur. An ounce to a pint may be fatal or harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin by an adult 180-pound man.

"Warning" means that ingesting 1 teaspoon to 1 ounce can be life threatening. A teaspoon to an ounce may be fatal or harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin by an adult 180-pound man.

"Danger" or "Poison" means that from a few drops to 1 teaspoon, if ingested, can be life threatening. A taste to a teaspoon is fatal if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin by an adult 180-pound man.

If these amounts are fatal to a 180-pound man, imagine what the effects to women, children, and pets.

That of the 17,000 chemicals that appear in common household products only 30% have been adequately tested for the negative effects on our health.
Of the approximately 1,400 chemicals the EPA allows manufacturers to call "inert", 40 are known carcinogens and/or neurotoxins, and 64 are believed to be potentially toxic.
The Federal Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) has found that airborne chemical levels in homes were as much as 70 times higher than outside.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission found that of the homes tested, the outdoor air contained less than 10 volatile organic compounds (VOC's) while the indoor air contained one-hundred and fifty VOC's. Many of the VOC's involved were traced to household cleaners.

Chemical	Effects
Ammonia Found in Glass Cleaner & All Purpose cleaners	Fatal when swallowed, can irritate eyes and lungs and cause headaches, bronchitis, pneumonia, and trigger asthma.
Chlorine Bleach	Potentially fatal if ingested, Number one cause of poisonings in children
Formaldehyde Found in some furniture polishes, and carpet cleaners	Highly toxic; known carcinogen
Hydrochloric acid	Corrosive, eye and skin irritant
Hydrochloric bleach	Eye, skin and respiratory tract irritant
Lye	Severe damage to stomach and esophagus if ingested
Naphtha	Depresses the central nervous system
Nitrobenzene	Causes skin discoloration, shallow breathing, vomiting, and death
Perchlorethylene	Damages liver, kidney, nervous system
Petroleum Distillates Found in Furniture Polish; Heavy-duty Cleaners; Car Wax; Pet Flea Treatments	Highly flammable, eye, skin, and respiratory irritant. May also contain traces of benzene--a carcinogen.
Phenol	Extremely dangerous; suspected carcinogen; fatal taken internally
Propylene Glycol	Immunogen; main ingredient in antifreeze
Sodium hypochlorite Found in Household Bleach	Potentially fatal, eye, skin, and respiratory irritant – especially hazardous to those with heart conditions or asthma.
Sodium laurel sulfate	Carcinogen, toxin, genetic mutagen
Sodium tripolyphosphate	Irritant
Trichloroethane	Damages liver and kidneys

All Purpose Cleaner Toxicity

Chlorinated materials can form orgono-chloride compounds, which in turn are stored in the fat cells and can enter mother's milk. Morpholine is very toxic and a liver and kidney poison. Glycol ether, Stoddard solvent, naphtha and kerosene are neurotoxins and central nervous system depressants which can cause confusion, headaches, lack of concentration, and symptoms of mental illness. Glycol ether is also a kidney and liver poison. Sodium bromide can cause confusion.

Commercial Deodorizer Toxicity

Methoxychlor is a chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticide, which accumulates in fat cells and can enter mother's milk. It is also a neurotoxin and can over stimulate the central nervous system. P-Dichlorobenzene, aromatic hydrocarbons, and naphthalene are central nervous system depressants, which can cause confusion, headaches, lack of concentration, and symptoms of mental illness. Salicylates can cause strong allergic reactions and are very toxic. Formaldehyde is assumed to be carcinogenic. Piperonal butixide is a suspected carcinogenic (cause cancer).

Commercial Furniture Polish Toxicity

Naphtha, diglycol laurate, amyl acetate, and mineral spirits are neurotoxins and central nervous system depressant, which can cause confusion, headaches, lack of concentration, and symptoms of mental illness. Diglycol laurate can also be a liver and kidney poison. Mineral spirits can cause upper respiratory tract irritation and can contain impurities including the carcinogen benzene.

Commercial Glass Cleaner Toxicity

Organic solvents, naphtha, and petroleum-based waxes are neurotoxin and central nervous system depressant, which can cause confusion, headaches, lack of concentration, and symptoms of mental illness. Organic solvents also commonly contain impurities such as the carcinogen benzene and can cause respiratory irritation. Butyl cellusolve is very toxic. Phosphoric acid and ammonia are highly corrosive.

Commercial Solvent Spot Cleaner Toxicity

The ingredients listed are so threatening to health that solvent-based spot removers should simply never be used. Most of the ingredients are carcinogenic, suspected of being carcinogenic, neurotoxin, central nervous system depressants, stored in fatty tissues, a cause of respiratory distress, liver and kidney poisons, extremely toxic and corrosive and can cause death.

Commercial Toilet Bowl Cleaner Toxicity

Sodium acid oxalate, chlorinated phenols, and o-or-p-Dichlorobenzene are highly toxic. Sodium acid sulfate is highly corrosive. Chlorinated phenols are not only corrosive buy metabolic stimulants. Fungicides can cause liver and kidney damage. O-or-p-Dichloriobenzene is a liver and kidney poison, as well as being a powerful central nervous system depressant which can cause confusion, headaches, lack of concentration, and symptoms of mental illness. Germicides can be toxic.

YOUR HEALTH

Medical doctors and scientists have concluded that there is a definitive connection between our health and the use of everyday common household cleaning chemicals.

Within 26 seconds after exposure to chemicals found in most cleaning products , traces of these chemicals can be found in every organ in the body.
A 15-year study concluded, as a direct result of the much higher exposure rate to toxic chemicals in common household products women who work at home have a 54% higher death rate from cancer than those who work away from.
According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) 50% of all illness can be traced to indoor pollution, which can be directly related to the use of household cleaners.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission on "CHEMICALS COMMONLY FOUND IN THE HOME" identified 150 as linked to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological abnormalities with ten percent ( 10% ) causing High Blood Pressure and Migraines and twenty percent ( 20% ) being responsible for mental disturbances.

Health Issues caused and or triggered by chemicals found in common cleaners:

Allergies, Alter the body's metabolism, Asthma, Behavioral disorders, Birth defects, Cancer, Depression, Developmental disorders, Dizziness, Enzyme dysfunction, Fatigue, Fatigue, Headaches, Hormonal changes, Itchy eyes, Nutritional deficiencies, Rare learning, Respiratory infections, Runny nose, Scratchy throat, Skin rash, and Toxicity

Asthma rates have risen 30% since the 1970s with high increases noted in children. Experts believe sensitive young lungs are reacting to a chemical onslaught created by household chemical products like cleaners.

Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) or environmental illness MCS is thought to result from both acute and chronic chemical exposure. No specific chemicals cause MCS, nor are symptoms the same in each case. Sufferers find themselves suddenly unable to tolerate even minute exposure to some or all synthetics.
Neurological problems: Tests of many toxins in cleaners have shown that they can damage the neurological system and cause fatigue, memory problems, personality changes, headaches, sleep disorders, coordination difficulties, visual problems, and sexual dysfunction.
Organ damage: The two organs most responsible for detoxification are the liver and the kidneys. When these organs are exposed to certain chemicals, damage and disease can occur. Butyl cellosolv, a common cleaning ingredient, is just one such compound that has displayed high levels of toxicity to these vital organs.

Caustic household cleaners can cause severe burning if swallowed or put on the skin, Symptoms of poisoning include redness around the mouth, drooling and difficulty in swallowing.
Some floor polishes contain chemicals that can cause cancer as well as damage to the heart, kidneys, liver and central nervous system

Petrochemical toxins found in cleaners can accumulate dangerously in the muscles, fat and bones from one toxic chemical exposure or from many smaller ones.

One doctor and his researchers studied the babies of women who were exposed to chemical solvents in the workplace, and found that the babies has vision problems. "Vision is one of the functions of the human brain, so it means that these chemicals find themselves through the mum, through the umbilical cord, into the baby, into the developing brain, and damaging functions there, and the baby is born already with a problem."

Residues of more than 400 toxic chemicals - some found in household products and foods - have been identified in human blood and fat tissue.

In 1989, the EPA determined the toxic chemicals found in common household cleaners, often dispersed in fumes, are three ( 3 ) times more likely to cause cancer than are other air pollutants.

PETS & ANIMALS

Animals are closer to the ground, which puts them in direct contact with these harmful substances. Animals also have faster metabolisms and smaller lungs than we do. So their bodies have to work harder to try and eliminate these toxins. Not only are they processing these chemicals at a faster rate, they are also breathing them in more rapidly; which makes them more vulnerable to the effects of these toxic chemicals, and to toxic poisoning which could result in death.

Symptoms of Cleaning Product Poisoning For dogs and cats:

Anxiety, Burns on the mouth and esophagus, Central nervous system depressant, Colic, Coma, Corneal damage, Cough, Death, Excessive salivation, Foaming at the mouth, Hormonal changes, Hyperthermia, Muscle weakness, Restlessness, Seizures, Shallow breathing, Skin ulcers, Slow respiration, and Vomiting.

In addition to the above-listed symptoms, cats, who can have fatal reactions to cleaning products, also experience the following:

Cardiac arrhythmia, Hair loss, Hyperactivity, Panting, and Shock

CHILDREN

Approximately 1.4 million people in the United States are exposed to household chemicals and are referred to poison control centers every year. More than half of these are children under 6 years of age.

Clever marketers have tried to convince parents that cleaning their house with toxic cleaners to “disinfect” all the surfaces your children come into contact with is a measure of protection. When the truth is that this is causing their children to be poisoned and sick from all the toxic chemicals.

Children are at higher risk when playing on floors with the residue from formaldehyde, asbestos and pesticides from common household cleaners. Their respiration rates are three times higher than adults, and their detoxification systems are not fully developed and cannot filter these toxins out really.

A child’s biology is different. Their immune system is less developed and may be less protective. Developing cells are more easily damaged than cells that have completed development. During the rapid growth period of childhood, cells divide very quickly, making it more likely that a cellular mutation will be reproduced, thus initiating cancer.

Because they are younger, children have a longer life span ahead of them for chemically induced health problems to progress.
Children absorb greater concentrations of pesticides and "toxic" chemicals per pound of body weight through inhalation, ingestion and contact with the skin.
Chemical residues from cleaning products after usage are left behind and easily absorbed into the skin of babies who are much more susceptible to the toxins present in these products.

THE ENVIRONMENT

The average American uses about 25 gallon of "TOXIC" , "HAZARDOUS" chemical products per year in their Home. A major portion of these can be found in household cleaning products.

Household cleaners create toxic waste in their manufacture and use, which gets disposed of in the environment in the form of air and water pollution and solid toxic waste every day. This pollution come back to haunt our own health and harms every living thing on earth. For example , the "California Department of Fish and Game" tested the toxicity of common chemicals which were found in waterways. The most toxic substances to aquatic organisms present in the water were : Household Bleach, All-purpose Cleaner, Laundry Detergent, and Dish Detergent. Unfortunately, people overlook the cumulative effect of repeated exposures since no one is really affected by a single exposure of handling cleaning chemicals.

More than 32 million pounds of household cleaning products are poured down the drain each day nationwide. The toxic substances found in many of these are not adequately removed by sewage treatment plants.
In 2000, major American companies dumped 7.1 billion pounds of 650 different industrial chemicals into our air and water.
The Clean Water Fund estimates that the average American interacts with 40 lbs of unsafe chemical cleaners each year (multiply that by 245 million Americans) at their workplace, school, or home.
Most common store-bought cleaning products that are stored under kitchen or bathroom sinks contain ingredients that are considered hazardous waste.

Please after reading this Consider switching today, go to your Local coop and you will find solutions.

Stars- How big are they?

2007-08-06T19:16:00.001-07:00

For decades astronomers have been plagued with the burning question, just how big are stars? From our perspective, here on earth it can be hard to gauge their enormity. But, by training the Hubble Space Telescope on the densest known cluster of stars in our galaxy, experts at the Space Telescope Science Institute have put many of those questions to rest. Determining star size has been difficult due to the lack of direct observations. In previous studies it was determined that the smallest stars are approximately one-twelfth the size of our sun. To put that into perspective, the sun is 300,000 times the size of the Earth.

The stars researched were estimated to be 2.5 millions years old which is imperative because stars any younger than that are shrouded in dust, making them difficult to see. On the other hand, stars older than that would have exploded or died off by that point. Researchers spent several years analyzing and measuring stars in the “Arches Cluster,” a star formation that lies 25,000 light years away, where huge clouds of gas collide forming some of the largest stars known. After measuring about 1,000 stars researchers found they ranged in size from six to 130 times the size of the sun. Scientists have also been able to establish a limit on how big stars are, which is; up to 150 time the size of our sun. These findings are expected to help astronomers understand how stars are formed, how they age and how they die.

The universe's biggest stars have been of particular interest in recent years because of what happens when they die. Both “black holes” (a region of space resulting from the collapse of a star) and “gamma ray bursts” (brief bursts of highly energetic electromagnetic radiation emitted by radioactive decay) are thought to be created when the most massive stars collapse. According to astronomers, bigger stars are thought to die faster than smaller stars. Experts say it is possible that future observations will detect stars larger than 150 times the size of the sun. Who knows what other amazing discovers will be uncovered in the following decades about space? But, one thing is certain, the more we learn about the real unknown the more unbelievable it seems to be. So when you wish upon a star remember how vast they really are and how many wishes they have the capacity to hold.

What’s up… Doc? - Bugs Bunny vs. Bugs Bunny

2007-08-06T19:13:00.000-07:00

The Television station the WB, has recently announced a new cartoon series titled “The Loonatics” scheduled to begin airing Saturday mornings starting this fall 2004. To the dismay of many cartoon lovers, “The Loonatics” gives many of our most beloved cartoon characters including Daffy Duck, The Tasmanian Devil, Lola Bunny, Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, and Bugs Bunny an edgy makeover.

Although all of the characters have a new look, the majority of the controversy is surrounding Bugs Bunny who is arguably the most notable character in the bunch. The new and questionably improved Bugs, is a far cry from the lovable character that rocketed to stardom in the 1940s. Renamed Buzz, this “new” character is a dark superhero, adorned with frightening eyes void of pupils. The new Bugs Bunny aka “Buzz” utters the same infamous phrase as the original but with seemingly different connotations in a slowed down, lower tone with a snoot pause after “what’s up” suggesting attitude and sarcasm.

Industry insiders echo the concerns of the average cartoon fan. Harry Shearer the voice of Principal Skinner on “The Simpsons” said: "These characters don't look like they belong on a cartoon. They look like they belong on stage with Kiss." Jimmy Kimmel called “The Loonatics" one of the worst things I've ever seen." "Tweety Bird looks like a hooker from space."

Betsy McGowen, a senior executive of children’s programming at the WB welcomes the naysayers: "It's great we're getting all this attention." Still, many continue to protest, going as far as creating websites in an attempt to save the classic characters from this image overhaul. Some have said that these changes would have Ben Hardaway the pioneer of Bugs Bunny, rolling in his grave. Perhaps this new cartoon is just another reflection of the ever-changing world of television programming where the viewers voice is the sound of the channel changing.

• Bugs was created in 1938 by Ben (Bugs) Hardaway, but later developed
by Tex Avery.

• The carrot-munching star was modeled after cigar-chomping
Groucho Marx.

• Bugs debuted in the 1938 short "Porky's Hare Hunt."

• Bugs first asked, "What's up, Doc?" in the 1940 short "A Wild Hare."

• More than 150 Bugs Bunny cartoons have been made.

• Mel Blanc, the voice of Bugs, claimed to be allergic to raw carrots,
and would chomp on them when a scene called for it and then spit it
out into a trash can.

Daylight Savings Time, Why?

2007-08-06T19:06:00.000-07:00

“Daylight Saving Time” (DST) is a method of changing clocks twice a year to make better use of daylight. This year Daylight Saving Time begins on April 3rd, as it is the first Sunday of the April. The term Daylight Saving Time is used in North America, while in Europe, Russia, and South America the name "Summer Time" is used. The official spelling is Daylight Saving Time, not Daylight Savings Time as it is commonly pronounced.

Benjamin Franklin first proposed Daylight Saving Time in 1784, but it wasn’t until 1916 that several counties in Europe adopted the method. On March 19, 1918 the United States put forth an act to set standard time zones and set summer DST. The new method of time proved to be unpopular, and soon it became a local choice. From 1945 to 1966, there was no federal law for Daylight Saving Time. This caused mass confusion and forced broadcast stations, railways and airlines to publish new schedules every time a town or state decided to end or begin DST.

The DST controversy was even prevalent in the Twin Cites. In the sixties, St. Paul decided to start DST at the same time the majority of the nation did, while Minneapolis chose to should follow state law, which stipulated a later start date. This left a one-hour time-difference between St. Paul, and Minneapolis until later resolved with a unilateral time change.

Soon, the inconsistencies with time throughout the U.S. grew unbearable, and congress decided to establish one pattern across the country. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 was signed stating that Daylight Saving Time began on the last Sunday of April and ended on the last Sunday of October. If a state wanted to be exempt from DST they would have to pass state law stating such.

In fact some parts of the U.S. did just that. Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, most of the Eastern Time Zone portion of the State of Indiana, and the state of Arizona (with the exception of the Navajo Indian Reservation) do not change their clocks.

At nearly every session of Congress, a bill is proposed to extend DST through Halloween making it safer for the trick-or-treaters to be out at night. The period of DST has been challenged for political reasons as well. DST usually ends a week before Election Day, and more than once an extension has been proposed as a way to encourage greater voter participation. The logic being that more people would go to the polls in the evening if it was still daylight when they returned home from work.

Whatever your opinion of Daylight Saving Time is, for most people in the Midwest it is perhaps a sign that the winter is over, and summer is one the way. The bare white landscapes will soon be lush and green; the sun will be out when you wake up, and for a while longer when you get home from work. For midwest Daylight Saving Time could just be the cure for the winter blues many of us are in search of.

Levar Buton - Reading Rainbow

2007-08-06T19:01:00.000-07:00

Levar Burton was an impressionable eleven-year-old when “Mister Rogers Neighborhood” first aired back in the late sixties. Little did he know that a few decades later he would follow in Fred Rogers’ footsteps and host his own popular children’s show. Levar’s mother was an English teacher so it seemed he had no choice, but to develop a passion for literature, or as he put it "reading was mandatory, not optional" in his household.

Inspired by Fred Rogers’ ability to entertain, and educate children all at once, Lever jumped at the chance to host the educational children’s show “Reading Rainbow.” The show was created to address the "summer loss phenomenon" where children spend their summer vacation in front of the television wasting brainpower. This concept was right up Lever’s alley knowing how the fervor he had for literature at a young age impacted his life.

Now some twenty years later, with a slew of Emmy wins, and nominations under belt, “Reading Rainbow” continues to be one of the most popular children’s show. With generations of fans “Reading Rainbow” has become synonymous with childhood nostalgia. Just hearing the theme song could evoke warm feelings of comfort, and reveries of that great time when you could do anything.

Like “Mister Rogers Neighborhood” “Reading Rainbow” encourages children to think, read, and learn. To show them that it’s cool to be smart, and creative. For several years now “Reading Rainbow” has held an annual contest for young writers and illustrators. Kids kindergarten through third grade are challenged to create original picture books. Levar has proclaimed on several occasions that what he is most proud of in terms of the show, is that they have had the ability to produce "human beings who are passionate about literature.” He also makes the point that there aren’t many shows that cover real world events, at an age appropriate level. The show has covered many current events such as September 11th, homelessness, and war.

Levar Burton had this to say about his friend Fred Rogers after his passing, “I loved Fred very deeply, and I’m not ashamed, nor am I embarrassed, to say that. Fred was a great teacher and a mentor to me, and I miss him an awful lot.” “The physical aspect of Fred is no longer here, but his spirit, as strong as it is, is here.” It has often been said that children watch too much TV. But, with the high standards Fred Rogers, and Levar Burton set for children’s programming, perhaps these icons have paved the way for a new view of children’s shows.

Bela Lugosi - I Vant to Drink Your Blood

2007-08-06T18:52:00.001-07:00

Bela Lugosi was the actor infamous for his role as the original Dracula. Be’la Ferenc Dezso Blasko was born October 29th, 1882 in Lugos, Hungary (now Romania.) He was the youngest of four children brought up in an upper middle-class home. At a young age Bela became fascinated with acting, and at twelve ran away from his childhood home in hopes of becoming a famous actor. At first, Lugosi found little work acting, and resorted to working at railroads and mines. Nevertheless, his dream of becoming an actor ceased to die, and began studying acting theory diligently. Soon, Lugosi changed his name to Bela Lugosi, which means “one from the town of Lugos.”

In 1921, Lugosi moved to New York. He struggled to find roles handicapped by his nonexistent understanding of English. Lugosi learned his lines phonetically, and made his American film debut in 1923's “The Silent Command.” Then, in 1927 he was cast as Dracula in the Broadway production that ran for nearly three years. It wasn’t until 1930 that Dracula was brought to the silver screen. To everyone’s surprise, the film was a smash success. In 1931 Bela married 20 year-old Lillian Arch. This was Lugosi’s fourth marriage, which lasted 20 years, and produced a son Bela Lugosi Jr.

Dracula rocketed Lugosi to international fame, and he was immediately offered the role of Frankenstein, which he turned down to star in another film. This move has been deemed the biggest mistake of his professional life. From that point on Lugosi’s career began to fade. He was eternally type cast as the villain in horror films. To continue working he made a string of b-movies. As his career dwindled Lugosi endured several financial problems, and a battle with addiction. He became increasingly eccentric as well, being seen around town sporting his Dracula costume.

By 1953, Lugosi was aligned with filmmaker Ed Wood, who is notorious as the worst director in movie history. He played the lead role only once, in 1955's “Bride of the Monster” as Dr. Eric Vornoff. The pair also made the film “Glen or Glenda?”

In April of 1955 Lugosi committed himself to the Los Angeles County General Hospital to help him recover from a morphine addiction. He had been taking the drug for a rumored twenty years to ease shooting pains in his legs. He was released later that year, and married Hope Lininger, a fan who had written him letters every day he was in hospital. She would be his fifth and final wife. Lugosi died of a heart attack on August 15th, 1956 at the age of 73, and was buried in his Dracula cape as he wished.

Decades after his death, Lugosi continues to be a cult figure. In 1994 the acclaimed filmmaker Tim Burton directed the screen biography of director Ed Wood, and cast veteran actor Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi. Landau went on to win the Oscar that year for his portal. Over the course of his career Bela appeared in over one hundred movies, but none would ever mimic the success, of Dracula, which remains one of the most well-known characters in cinema today, and most people know Dracula as; Bela Lugosi.

The History of Middle Names

2007-08-06T10:11:00.000-07:00

Your first name defines you before you have a chance to define yourself. While knowing someone’s first name seems like trivial information, knowing someone’s middle name is a different story. Middle names are mysterious, and intriguing. It’s as though you need a special pass to know what someone’s middle name is, and once you do, there is a new view of this person, a secret that has been uncovered.

When someone is asked what their middle name is, a glow of anticipation comes across their face, because posing that question is an invitation to a private knowledge that we hold tightly between two public names. Often, there is a story of why they were given that name, who they were named after, what that person meant to their family, and what it has meant for them to carry that name.

Middle names are as common as Apple Pie in America, but they are not native to this country. Middle names are actually a modern custom in America. In Germany during the fifteenth century, nobility used middle names as a status symbol. They played such a key role in Germany that children were known solely by their middle name.

In other parts of the world middle names were used to give siblings separate identities. When infant mortality was high, children commonly shared their parent’s name in an effort to keep the family names alive. For example, if the father’s name was John, the first son might be named John Joseph, and the second son John Patrick. The same would be true for the daughters. This explains why there were so many Rose Marys, and Rose Anns.

In America; however, parents gave their children only two names. It wasn’t until the early 19th century several hundred years after German immigrants introduced the tradition to America that giving a child a middle name became commonplace. Even some of the most infamous icons in American History were without middle names. Figures such as; George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson did not have middle names.

By World War I, it was safe to assume that everyone in America had a middle name. One of the first trends was to use the mother's maiden name as a middle name to avoid the loss of her family surname. In religious families another trend was to give a string of middle names to a child to honor ancestors, godparents, and loved ones. Often, one of the middle names would correspond to the name of the Saint whose feast day corresponded to the individual's birthday.

Nowadays in America there is no clear trend for middle names. There are no rules, anything goes. Some children are born with one middle name of no ancestral significance while other children have two or three middle names. Perhaps one of the most interesting naming trends is found in the world of celebrity.

Since a name can make or break you in Hollywood, stars have a long history of manipulating their names. For instance; everyone is familiar with actress Meg Ryan, but not everyone is familiar with her birth name, Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra. Who knows whether Meg Ryan would have experienced as much success had she stuck with her birth name? John Denver is another example of a celebrity who tampered with his name. John was born Henry John Deutschendorf Junior but, chose to go by his middle name, and who knows where Denver came from? Reese Witherspoon, born Laura Jean Reese Witherspoon also foresaw the negative impact her birth name could potentially have had on her career and opted to use a portion of her middle name as her alias instead.

Take the time to learn about your names, and inquire about the middle names of people you love. You’ll learn something new about them, and if nothing else you’ll hear a good story. If you are one of the poor souls whose parents got it all wrong, and you despise your first name, middle name, or your entire name itself, rest assured that with a few clicks of the mouse and a mere hundred and forty bucks you can go online and legally change your name to anything your heart desires. If that all seems like too much work, change the spelling of your name, or start going by your middle name. Be who you are in every sense. If your name doesn’t capture who that is go for it, all you have to lose is a name that doesn’t suit you.

Cats, From Egypt to your Couch

2007-08-06T10:03:00.000-07:00

Cats are considered one of the most popular pets in the world. They were first domesticated in Egypt around 4000 BC, to keep rodents away from supplies of grain. The Egyptians quickly fell in love with cats, and started letting the cats into their homes. Before long cats were treated as gods by the Egyptians. Cats played a large role in the representation of many Egyptian Goddesses. Mafdet is thought to be the first Egyptian goddesses depicted as a feline. She is shown as a cat killing a snake with her claws.

The love Egyptians had for cats was also used to their detriment. When at war with Persia, a Persian general strategically used cats to play on the Egyptian’s emotions. The general ordered all his men to capture as many cats as possible, and then when the Persian’s lined up for battle they released all the cats onto the battlefield. The Egyptians were so horrified by the number of terrified cats they surrendered to the Persians. Cats were even protected by law. If someone were to kill a cat, accidentally, or otherwise, they would be condemned to death. In Egypt cats were held to such a high regard that when they died they were mummified, and buried with mice, rats, and saucers with food. Cat cemeteries line the Nile River and cat mummies can be found in many of the Egyptian tombs.

The spread of domestic cats to other parts of the globe was delayed due to the law Egypt set forth banning the exportation of cats. From time to time armies were deployed to recapture cats from foreign lands. In spite of this law, many people took the risk and smuggled cats to Europe and Asia. Eventually cats were almost everywhere.

Cats have come a long way since 4000 BC. They are now doted on by many cat lovers willing to do anything for their furry friend. Nowadays adopting a cat is easy, but if being a cat owner isn’t your cup of tea maybe now you can at least appreciate what intelligent and mysterious little creatures they are.

The Bermuda Triangle

2007-08-06T08:26:00.000-07:00

The Bermuda Triangle is a region of the Atlantic Ocean between Bermuda, Miami, Florida, and San Juan, Puerto Rico where several planes have unexplainably disappeared over the last fifty years. A plethora of theories ranging from aliens, and warp-holes in time, to a link to the mythical lost continent of Atlantis have been used to explain the deaths and disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle.

Theoretical Physicist Stephen Hawking once facetiously commented that the “Giant Turtle Theory” was to blame for the mysterious disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle. This theory suggested that the Earth is a flat plain on the backs of gigantic turtles, and people who disappear in the triangle may actually have fallen off the edge of the earth. Scientists have yet to agree upon the three points that form the triangle, which fuels skeptic’s argument that it is nearly impossible to compare the number of accidents within the triangle to other areas of the ocean.

Perhaps the most infamous tragedy of the Bermuda Triangle was “Flight 19.” On December 5th, 1945 five Navy Avenger bombers and crewmen left the Fort Lauderdale Naval Station for a routine training exercise. The weather wasn’t perfect with light rain and a few clouds but was deemed safe enough for a simulated bombing run. Around 4pm that afternoon the instructor radioed headquarters panicked saying he had lost track of the Florida coast, and his compasses weren’t working. Soon, other pilots reported malfunctioning compasses, and a feeling of disorientation as well. Although the pilots did radio for help, contact was lost after some time, and the pilots of Flight 19 were never heard from again. To this day, the remains of the avengers have not been discovered.

Scientists now believe they have an explanation for the mysterious phenomena caused within the Bermuda Triangle. In 1981 geochemist, Richard McIver, announced that he had discovered a possible link between methane gas blowouts in the ocean and the Bermuda Triangle incidents. McIver believed that massive landslides in the ocean near Bermuda bring down huge boulders that rupture the layer of gas beneath the sea floor. When a methane gas pocket ruptures an immense reservoir of gas surges from the seabed, suddenly erupting onto the surface. The theory is that this explosion of methane gas makes the air lighter than normal in turn causing planes that fly overhead to lose engine function, explode, or descend into the ocean.

For now some skeptics have been quieted by the methane gas theory, but still others search for a more exciting, and intriguing explanation. In the end, it seems the truths behind the Bermuda Triangle mysteries are subjective, and will never convince all the skeptics keeping the mystery alive for years to come.