I belong to a wonderful greyhound rescue organization calle SEGA. We normally rescue greyhounds that are being retired from racetracks. Sometimes we have a different kind of resue. Unfortunately (fortunately for the dog) we had a different kind of rescue this week. Here's the story:
(All names have been removed to protect the innocent)
We got a call on the Greypet line week before last saying that the owner was moving and could not take Keystone Peabody nka Sophia and he wanted to return her to us. He could only keep her another week and half. Penny spoke to him and then passed his information on to me. For those who do not know our process, I get in touch with anyone who is bouncing a dog, send them a report card to complete and request pictures, and also ask if the dog is current on vetting and dental. We request that they bring them current if they are able to. If this is a hardship then we take the dog as is and take care of it. We also suggest a donation to SEGA - again not required but we ask. When I spoke to the owner he said he would bring her current on her vetting and get back to me and also complete the report card so we would have baseline information on her. When he did not email the form back to me I started leaving him messages on his cell phone every day or so.
However beginning last Thurs or Friday, I left messages daily with increasing urgency. The one I left yesterday emphasized that we wanted to help and get her back and if the cost of vetting was a problem, we were still willing to take her. I reminded him of his adoption contract saying that I was sure he would not give her away or take her to the pound and we wanted to get her back. I was going to give him until AM before calling out a posse to help as I did not have a good feeling about Sophia and was going to get more aggressive about getting her. I put out a call to people living in or near Acworth this morning requesting that someone go to the home. Our foster coordinator got in touch with his folks too. And by 10:00, rescuer #1 and resucer #2 had gone to the house and Rescuer #3 was going this afternoon. What was reported to us was heartbreaking. It appeared that Sophia had been abandoned in the house without utilities. Grass was knee high and there was little if any furniture in the house and it had a lockbox on the door. Since his home was around the corner from LCAH, I called them to see if they were clients of theirs. They last brought Sophia in sometime in 2005 and their contact information matched what we had on file. A dead-end. Rescuer #2 reported that the basement window was broken. Rescuer #1 has seen the dog in the house. Next plan was to see if anyone could go to the kennel and look in her folder to see if we had another contact information or references listed that I could contact. In the meantime, Rescuer #2 and her son arrived on the scene. She was able to speak with neighbors and found out that they had moved three months ago, the house is in foreclosure, and the owner comes by once a month and throws food out in the house. She spoke to the neighbor and the wife of the homeowners association president. She called the police and they would not help. Per Helper #1 suggestion, I called our in house vet to see if he knew someone on the police force or someone at Animal Control that could help us get the dog. Our in house vet immediately got on the phone with someone he knows at animal control and we sort of had a three way conversation -actually our in house vet had me in one ear and animal control in the other. The process with animal control is that they will go the home reported and place a 24 hour notice. If no response, they go back the next day and post another notice. If they can see the animal and it appears to be in distress, they can break in at that time, but otherwise they have to wait another 24 hours before going back and at that time, they can break in if no response from the owner. He told our in house vet they would send someone out now. Resuer #2 has now left to go to the kennel to see if there is any contact information in the dog's folder that we have not tried. None was found, so she and her son drove back to the house. What great timing, as they were coming down the street, a car pulled into the driveway and someone was getting out. It was the owner who was hot under the collar because his "nosy neighbors had called animal control." She told him that she was from SEGA and had come to take Sophia. Animal control drove up then and, God bless Rescuer #2, she played good cop/bad cop and acted like animal control was the bad guy so he had no problem signing her back over to SEGA. Very happy ending for Sophia. However, there is a cat and a tiny kitten left in the house. Animal control has been informed and will be going back to help out the cats.
A big thank you to our adoption coodinator for rallying his troops; to Rescuer #3 for going by to check out the house; to Rescuer #1 for doing that as well and following up with some additional information; to Rescuer #4 and Recuer #6 who were willing to break her out of that house and risk the Big House for their efforts; and to Recuer #2 and her son for going over there twice, going to the kennel to look in her file, and for getting the owner to surrender Sophia to us. ( I promise you, one way or the other, she was not spending an other night in that house!!) She and her son took her to the kennel, Capstarred her (she was covered in fleas), and gave her some loving care. Our in house vet went downstairs to look at her and took her upstairs to evaluate her and vet her today. They brought down food for her. Her badly needed dental is Monday. Our foster coordinator is going to find a foster home for her to go to after her dental. I have some potential adopters coming to the kennel on Sat and MAYBE one of them
will fall in love with her. In spite of her miserable past three months, Sophia is affectionate and loving and apparently none the worse for her ordeal.
To see all the greyhounds we have available for adoption and to see more about what we do you can go to:
http://www.greyhoundadoption.org/
Friday, June 12, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
The Demise of Another MLM/Network Marketing Company
With great sadness I found out last night that Seriesse International, founded by Jennifer-Flavin Stallone and Sylvester Stallone has "ceased operations". This will be effective May 10, 2009.
The state of the economy was the reason given . This quote is from an email that was sent out to all the consultants: "Unfortunately, as many of you have experienced in your own efforts to grow your business, the state of the economy has limited your sales and our options to grow Seriesse into a sustainable and profitable business."
I was a consultant with Seriesse for a short 2 months. I feel bad for the consultants that had been there since conception. They will loose a large amount of income. I was lucky, I had not built my business to a point that the income loss would hurt me.
In the short time I was with Seriesse I saw integrity and compassion from the leaders of the company. Jennifer and Slyvester put their all into the business. The company was trying new and innovative ways to market Seriesse and was very supportive of their consultants.The products were excellent. I was very happy with all that I tried.
One thing that really impressed me was a personal call from Patrick Flavin, Jennifer's brother. He was at the top of my upline. I had listened to a conference call and was not able to write down all the information I wanted. I emailed customer service and asked if there was any way I could get a copy of the information Patrick had given out. The next evening Patrick called me personally to give me answers to my questions. I was one of the "little guys" in his downline. The fact that he took the time out of his busy schedule to address my questions meant a lot to me. That one call from Patrick refreshed my determination to succeed.
This has been a disappointing experience for me but I still have faith in MLM. I have been with a wonderful MLM for a couple of years that is one of the best relationship building tools I have ever seen. I will continue to go forward "Changing Lives One Card at a Time".
The state of the economy was the reason given . This quote is from an email that was sent out to all the consultants: "Unfortunately, as many of you have experienced in your own efforts to grow your business, the state of the economy has limited your sales and our options to grow Seriesse into a sustainable and profitable business."
I was a consultant with Seriesse for a short 2 months. I feel bad for the consultants that had been there since conception. They will loose a large amount of income. I was lucky, I had not built my business to a point that the income loss would hurt me.
In the short time I was with Seriesse I saw integrity and compassion from the leaders of the company. Jennifer and Slyvester put their all into the business. The company was trying new and innovative ways to market Seriesse and was very supportive of their consultants.The products were excellent. I was very happy with all that I tried.
One thing that really impressed me was a personal call from Patrick Flavin, Jennifer's brother. He was at the top of my upline. I had listened to a conference call and was not able to write down all the information I wanted. I emailed customer service and asked if there was any way I could get a copy of the information Patrick had given out. The next evening Patrick called me personally to give me answers to my questions. I was one of the "little guys" in his downline. The fact that he took the time out of his busy schedule to address my questions meant a lot to me. That one call from Patrick refreshed my determination to succeed.
This has been a disappointing experience for me but I still have faith in MLM. I have been with a wonderful MLM for a couple of years that is one of the best relationship building tools I have ever seen. I will continue to go forward "Changing Lives One Card at a Time".
Monday, May 4, 2009
Thoughts on Social Networking from Douglas Castle
Here are some interesting thoughts on social networking from Douglas Castle:, "The Global Futurist":
"It seems as if the noise level is increasing, yet I'm hearing less and less; It seems as if I am being bombarded with messages and requests, but I can't seem to focus on any single one of them; I thought that this e-media and social media networking technology was going to make my life easier -- now I literally spend hoursand hours every single day just doing 'techno-chores'...reading emails, deleting spam, responding to emails, posting on a whole bunch of groups, jumping from Facebook to Linked In to Twitter, text-messaging, iPhoning, shooting out rapid-fire messages that are becoming more and more like apologies - 'I've been too busy to
talk with you or meet with you. I'm booked.'
I have a rapidly growing number of contacts to keep up with, yet I know less and less about each of them personally. I don't "know them" at all; I send them emails and get autoresponder "out of office" messages back; the tiny percentage of those that I've actually spoken with on the phone with is shrinking; the even tinier percentage of those I've met is shrinking even more
quickly.
The most pathetic thing is that I still do most of my business with a small number of personal, time-tested associates. They feel like friends to me. Despite all of this technology, people are getting ruder, more impersonal. What a paradox! It seems as if I'm suffocating and falling behind. It seems as if nobody has any compassion or humor left. It seems that people have lost the joy in the art of conversation.
I am on a treadmill, surrounded by strangers. I am working harder and accomplishing less. With all of this networking, it seems that I don't have time to actually close any business. I feel
increasingly friendless...increasingly lost.
Please help me. I'm drowning in buzzwords, keywords, adwords and a sensorial bombardment that is destroying the quality of my life. I can't even hear my own thoughts. I can't get a grip on my own feelings. It's as if I were living in a constant state of crisis. I don't know any of my neighbors. I'm forgetting about common courtesies, like asking about people's kids, or their health.
Could we go out to the diner? Maybe we can talk about our families, or music or art, or even philosophy? Please?
****
My friend, Adam J. Kovitz, hinted at this some time ago when he started discussing his notion of Relationship Capital. He believes, as I do, that people are beginning to crave real interpersonal bonding; real spiritual communion; real trust and meaningful friendship; deeper communication and cooperation; more of a celebration of individuality, of quirkiness, of the
differences that make us special and interesting to know. WE NEED TO BRING SOME HUMANITY BACK INTO NETWORKING, OR NO BUSINESS IS GOING TO HAPPEN!
I have a few goals to share with you -- and I dedicate this to all of my family members and precious friends (whom I've been 'just too busy' to call), to every Subscriber, Member, Sponsor, Author and Advertiser in THE NATIONAL NETWORKER (TNNW), to all of my blog readers, followers, mentors, teachers, comrades-in-arms, comrades-in-chains and, of course, ukelele players:
1. I am going to become a person again.
2. I am going to take breaks from work now and again in order to enjoy this world and this life.
3. I am re-dedicating myself to doing everything in my power, and within my ability, to make sure that THE NATIONAL NETWORKER stays HUMAN, and PERSONAL...that we make every single effort to be a community of friends, business associates and individuals -- each
special. We have to listen and to help instead of simply talking and promoting. I have discovered a secret: In these times, business success is dependent not only upon competence and mutual needs -- it is, more than ever, dependent upon our being good friends, and having good friends.
Thank you, Douglas. I think I better go call some friends and make personal contact! Should I get rid of my Facebook, Blogger , Twitter and other social networks? Naw, I think I'll wait awhile.
"It seems as if the noise level is increasing, yet I'm hearing less and less; It seems as if I am being bombarded with messages and requests, but I can't seem to focus on any single one of them; I thought that this e-media and social media networking technology was going to make my life easier -- now I literally spend hoursand hours every single day just doing 'techno-chores'...reading emails, deleting spam, responding to emails, posting on a whole bunch of groups, jumping from Facebook to Linked In to Twitter, text-messaging, iPhoning, shooting out rapid-fire messages that are becoming more and more like apologies - 'I've been too busy to
talk with you or meet with you. I'm booked.'
I have a rapidly growing number of contacts to keep up with, yet I know less and less about each of them personally. I don't "know them" at all; I send them emails and get autoresponder "out of office" messages back; the tiny percentage of those that I've actually spoken with on the phone with is shrinking; the even tinier percentage of those I've met is shrinking even more
quickly.
The most pathetic thing is that I still do most of my business with a small number of personal, time-tested associates. They feel like friends to me. Despite all of this technology, people are getting ruder, more impersonal. What a paradox! It seems as if I'm suffocating and falling behind. It seems as if nobody has any compassion or humor left. It seems that people have lost the joy in the art of conversation.
I am on a treadmill, surrounded by strangers. I am working harder and accomplishing less. With all of this networking, it seems that I don't have time to actually close any business. I feel
increasingly friendless...increasingly lost.
Please help me. I'm drowning in buzzwords, keywords, adwords and a sensorial bombardment that is destroying the quality of my life. I can't even hear my own thoughts. I can't get a grip on my own feelings. It's as if I were living in a constant state of crisis. I don't know any of my neighbors. I'm forgetting about common courtesies, like asking about people's kids, or their health.
Could we go out to the diner? Maybe we can talk about our families, or music or art, or even philosophy? Please?
****
My friend, Adam J. Kovitz, hinted at this some time ago when he started discussing his notion of Relationship Capital. He believes, as I do, that people are beginning to crave real interpersonal bonding; real spiritual communion; real trust and meaningful friendship; deeper communication and cooperation; more of a celebration of individuality, of quirkiness, of the
differences that make us special and interesting to know. WE NEED TO BRING SOME HUMANITY BACK INTO NETWORKING, OR NO BUSINESS IS GOING TO HAPPEN!
I have a few goals to share with you -- and I dedicate this to all of my family members and precious friends (whom I've been 'just too busy' to call), to every Subscriber, Member, Sponsor, Author and Advertiser in THE NATIONAL NETWORKER (TNNW), to all of my blog readers, followers, mentors, teachers, comrades-in-arms, comrades-in-chains and, of course, ukelele players:
1. I am going to become a person again.
2. I am going to take breaks from work now and again in order to enjoy this world and this life.
3. I am re-dedicating myself to doing everything in my power, and within my ability, to make sure that THE NATIONAL NETWORKER stays HUMAN, and PERSONAL...that we make every single effort to be a community of friends, business associates and individuals -- each
special. We have to listen and to help instead of simply talking and promoting. I have discovered a secret: In these times, business success is dependent not only upon competence and mutual needs -- it is, more than ever, dependent upon our being good friends, and having good friends.
Thank you, Douglas. I think I better go call some friends and make personal contact! Should I get rid of my Facebook, Blogger , Twitter and other social networks? Naw, I think I'll wait awhile.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Astigmatism in Laymans Terms
As an optician for 30 or so years I have heard many people comment on how concerned they are about having "a stigmatism". The proper word is astigmatism. There are several "refractive errors" in diagnosing your eye condition. The terms used may be myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, astigmatism, near sightedness, farsightedness, etc. In this Knol I am going to be discussing astigmatism because it seems to be so misunderstood.
Astigmatism is one word. In the general public it is often referred to as " a stigmatism", I often hear a patient saying that the doctor told them they have "a stigmatism" and they think it is something awful and want to know what it really is. There is no such term as "stigmatism", the correct word is astigmatism.
A definition for astigmatism can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astigmatism_(eye) .
This definition can be very confusing to anyone who does not have optical training and knowledge. In laymans terms I would explain it like this:
Astigmatism is a need for a correction in your glasses or contacts just like the need for a correction when you are nearsighted or farsighted. When you have astigmatism the shape of your eye or the lens inside your eye may be slightly irregular. Some people will tell you instead of your eye being shaped like a basketball it is shaped more like a football. It creates two points of focus on the retina or back of your eye. In perfect vison the point of focus falls right on the retina or back of your eye. With astigmatism it is divided and one point may fall short of the back of the eye while the other falls right on the back of the eye or one point may fall beyond the retina or back of the eye and the other fall right on the back of the eye. The corrective lenses in your glasses or contacts will bend the light rays so that they both come together to fall right on the back of the eye or retina. Astigmatism is usually very easy to correct with glasses or contactsand it is often in conjunction with being nearsighted or farsighted.
Astigmatism is one word. In the general public it is often referred to as " a stigmatism", I often hear a patient saying that the doctor told them they have "a stigmatism" and they think it is something awful and want to know what it really is. There is no such term as "stigmatism", the correct word is astigmatism.
A definition for astigmatism can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astigmatism_(eye) .
This definition can be very confusing to anyone who does not have optical training and knowledge. In laymans terms I would explain it like this:
Astigmatism is a need for a correction in your glasses or contacts just like the need for a correction when you are nearsighted or farsighted. When you have astigmatism the shape of your eye or the lens inside your eye may be slightly irregular. Some people will tell you instead of your eye being shaped like a basketball it is shaped more like a football. It creates two points of focus on the retina or back of your eye. In perfect vison the point of focus falls right on the retina or back of your eye. With astigmatism it is divided and one point may fall short of the back of the eye while the other falls right on the back of the eye or one point may fall beyond the retina or back of the eye and the other fall right on the back of the eye. The corrective lenses in your glasses or contacts will bend the light rays so that they both come together to fall right on the back of the eye or retina. Astigmatism is usually very easy to correct with glasses or contactsand it is often in conjunction with being nearsighted or farsighted.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Don't freeze your water in plastic bottles!
This is great information from Johns Hopkins.
Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Centeras well.
Dioxin chemicals causes cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxinsare highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic.
Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us.. He said that weshould not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers.This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else.Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc.
He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons. Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.
Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Centeras well.
Dioxin chemicals causes cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxinsare highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic.
Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us.. He said that weshould not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers.This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else.Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc.
He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons. Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Green Tea is Good for You
From an article Happier, Healthier You by Lucy Danziger, SELF Editor-in-Chief a Yahoo! Health Expert for Women's Health:
"Tea up: Women with the highest consumption of catechins, the plant-based antioxidants in tea that may boost fat burn, put on fewer pounds over 14 years than those who drank less tea, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reveals. Try to choose green or white varieties, which contain the most catechins. Learn how to maximize the benefits of tea and other superfoods. "
This ties right into why I am using Essential Green Tea Antioxidant Water Amplifier from Seriesse Intenational. Just a dropper full ( about 1ml.) in a glass of water gives you the evquivelent of drinking 4-5 cups of green tea. It comes in 3 flavors and can be added to your favorite beverage. I am not a good water drinker but now that I am using this product I am drinking more water because it makes the water taste good! All three flavors contain Acai, a potent mixed berry extract for additional antioxidant protection. The Essential Green Tea Antioxidant Water Amplifier contains decaffinated green tea leaf extract. It also contains 100% natural pomegranate, citrus and mixed berry. It is calorie free and sugar free. It comes in a 2 oz. bottle and the 2 little ounces are equal to 240 cups of green tea. What an easy way to enjoy something good for you. I love it!! Drink up!
"Tea up: Women with the highest consumption of catechins, the plant-based antioxidants in tea that may boost fat burn, put on fewer pounds over 14 years than those who drank less tea, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reveals. Try to choose green or white varieties, which contain the most catechins. Learn how to maximize the benefits of tea and other superfoods. "
This ties right into why I am using Essential Green Tea Antioxidant Water Amplifier from Seriesse Intenational. Just a dropper full ( about 1ml.) in a glass of water gives you the evquivelent of drinking 4-5 cups of green tea. It comes in 3 flavors and can be added to your favorite beverage. I am not a good water drinker but now that I am using this product I am drinking more water because it makes the water taste good! All three flavors contain Acai, a potent mixed berry extract for additional antioxidant protection. The Essential Green Tea Antioxidant Water Amplifier contains decaffinated green tea leaf extract. It also contains 100% natural pomegranate, citrus and mixed berry. It is calorie free and sugar free. It comes in a 2 oz. bottle and the 2 little ounces are equal to 240 cups of green tea. What an easy way to enjoy something good for you. I love it!! Drink up!
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