Numerous investigations have documented cases of illness in people who were exposed to (low level) electromagnetic fields.  Some of those included people who lived or worked near large power plant sub-stations. Symptoms and physical findings included frequent headaches, nausea, dizziness, chronic fatigue, problems sleeping, memory loss, dementia and certain types of cancer. 

In 2009, Scientists and health researchers published a report in the medical journal, Pathophysiology. They expressed enormous concern of possible health risks, including immune and nervous system disorders, tumors and other types of cancer. They also stated, "The evidence for risk is quite strong enough to alert the public of the dangers, and petition governments for new safety limits regarding EMF exposure."   
The World Health Organization doesn’t deny that electromagnetic fields above certain levels could trigger physical effects.Our nerves, muscles, brain and heart all function by transmitting small, electrical currents. Low frequency electric fields will have an influence on the body just like they would effect any material that was made up of, or contained, particles that were charged. An (independent) scientific commission has set guidelines regarding exposure to electromagnetic fields in the range of 0 to 300 GHz.

Heating is the main effect of electromagnetic waves; like a microwave. Furthermore, the heating effect is what the guidelines were formed by. However, the WHO (World Health Organization) doesn’t believe that the evidence suggests there could be a risk at levels lower than what the guidelines are set at. They admit there is a need for more quality research to fill in the areas that we’re not sure about.
This controversy has gone on for years and will probably continue for years to come; denying the people who need to know the most, any kind of resolution.

What about technical schools? Some technical schools, also called “trade schools”, offer courses that can give you a certificate or licensing in a specific field such as electronics, computers, medical assistant or heating and air conditioning. These schools usually have classes that are six to eight hours a day, Monday through Friday, for a period of nine to sixteen months. The tuition rates are often very high and can end up costing anywhere from around $15,000 to $40,000 depending on how many “credit hours” your program is rated for. Some offer Pell grant assistance but most is strictly student loan type financial aid.  

There is also controversy surrounding these types of schools, regarding their validity and ethics. “Diploma mill ” is a term that is associated with many of them. If you are considering a technical school, make sure you do your research about them. Most colleges will not accept your “credits” from a technical school, unless they are partnered with that school. For example, some Vo-Tech schools are partnered with colleges in their area to offer incentives for high school students to take the Vo-Tech classes. The courses they take are accredited through the college, and if you decide later to go to college, those credits will transfer and count toward your chosen degree. Some people who go to technical schools find themselves with certificates that carry no recognition in the “real world” of employment, and student loan debt as high as a four year college would have cost. 

There has been a new trend over the last few years where some colleges are offering access to classes online, for free. It’s called “Open Courseware”. You get access to course lecture notes, labs, assignments and any other media associated with the program. There are numerous programs that range from engineering and science to business courses and humanities. The down side of this is that you won’t get a “diploma” from the college, but basically you have taken an entire course, for free. It’s worth checking into; especially if it doesn’t cost you any money. It can also be a good way to check out a potential career without spending all the money; only to find out later that you don’t like it as much as you thought you would. 

Here are some school Open Courseware links and information:

MIT- http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm 
SHARE Courseware.org-   http://www.sharecourseware.org/Index.aspx
Utah State University- http://ocw.usu.edu/
TUFTS University- http://ocw.tufts.edu/ 

Where most shops usually deal in jewelry, electronics, tools, guns and musical instruments, some are also buying gold and silver. The huge rise in gold prices has a lot of people pawning and selling their gold or silver jewelry for quick cash. Some pawn brokers seeing the type of people who have become the newest clients are catering to that crowd. Some stores are geared toward the more affluent crowd. Their inventory includes items like diamond rings (in multiple carats), Picasso paintings, Rolexes, fur coats and Ducati racing bikes; these places make loans for hundreds of thousands of dollars, even into the millions. They aren’t your typical kind of pawn shop, but they do exist.  

The process isn’t difficult. A customer will take their merchandise into the pawn broker, who then examines it and decides if it is worth loaning money on. If it is, and you can both agree on a price, you get your money, and they will hold your item for thirty days. At the end of your loan period you must pay for the loan, plus interest, pay the interest only and extend the loan period for thirty more days, or lose your stuff. Some brokers make loans for thirty days. Some do it for sixty days, and some will make the loan for longer, depending on the amount borrowed.

There are many factors that influence the broker’s decision to loan money on things; the age and condition of the item and the ability to re-sell that type of merchandise have a lot of bearings. You can also choose to outright sell the item to them and not worry about repaying the loan. Pawn shops deal in a multitude of merchandise, but some places won’t take certain items like musical instruments, cars or guns; other shops may want those kinds of things. It would be to your benefit to go visit a few in your area, before you’re in a crunch for the cash. Look at the items they carry and talk to the staff about what they loan money on. 

Some people think of pawn shops as seedy, back alley types, that are only used by people of the criminal element, and that simply isn’t true. Pawn Brokers are also thought by some to deal in stolen goods; actually, most (pawn) brokers work with their local law enforcement officers to cut down on receiving stolen property. Some city’s or states may even require the broker to check in with local law enforcement on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to be given updates about stolen property to watch for. Pawn shops are regulated by state and federal laws, and most have interest rates that are actually lower than the typical payday loan store.

There are several forms of bullying in the workplace. Although there are variations of the definition, most forms include: shouting, swearing or other verbal abuse at one employee, having objects thrown at you or in your direction, accusations regarding a lack of effort or personal performance, withholding necessary information or being kept out of the loop, undue pressure and impossible to meet deadlines, lack of acknowledgment for good work performance, giving the silent treatment, being falsely accused of error’s you didn’t make, and encouraging others to turn against you (also known as “mobbing”). Almost three-quarters (72%) of the bullying is done by bosses.

It’s hard to believe that in this day, with all of our technological advances and intelligence, this type of behavior is still tolerated in corporate America. From big industry businesses all the way down to small companies, bullying is happening, and up to 62% of the companies are ignoring it. Some companies are starting to recognize the poor impact it has on their employees and their business, causing them to implement zero tolerance policies. In many of these places, if a complaint is filed, legitimate actions are taken to stop the bullying; in many other businesses filing a complaint only makes matters worse. 

Figures show that a company with one thousand employees can/will lose 1.2 million dollars as a consequence of bullying; these costs are in sick pay, loss of production and replacement costs for the people who leave due to the bullying. Those figures do not include any litigation (legal) expenses the company may have to pay. Other ways the company may suffer are through a high turnover, lack of employee motivation, lost innovations from both the bullying boss and the employee, and eventually, difficulty in hiring quality people due to the reputation the company has earned for tolerance (or encouragement) of this type of behavior. 

There are as many as 13% who are currently being bullied at their job, 24% have been bullied and 12% witness the bullying. That is almost half (49%) of the workforce. As many as 45% of those people will suffer from stress related health conditions or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms; many, require counseling, medications, or both, to treat their illnesses. Most people who have been bullied don’t really know how to explain what has happened to them; leaving them depressed and angry with a loss of self esteem and a host of other physical, mental and social issues to deal with.  Some states have laws to protect employees from workplace bullying, while other states don’t have legislation passed as of yet. Regardless of the state you live or work in, you have certain legal rights against this type of treatment. If you are experiencing health issues as a result of workplace bullying you should seek treatment for your physical illness(s) and consider counseling to help you deal with the emotional aspects; you may also consider legal counsel.

The first thing to do is get informed. Educate yourself (and your family) on basic preparedness, like what extra items you should have such as non-perishable food items, drinking water, medications, blankets, candles and flashlight batteries. Get familiar with what threats or natural disasters are common to your area. Learn alternate routes to get in or out of your neighborhood; learn first-aid, there are many aspects to being prepared other than buying lots of tools, gadgets and gear.

Even our own government is now telling us that we need to be prepared for emergencies, such as natural disasters. Just look at the damage hurricane Katrina caused and the thousands of people who were without help; the May, 2007 tornado outbreak across portions of the central United States and the areas that were left in ruins, with no electricity, water or food. Ready.gov is the government emergency preparedness web site that gives tips on how to make an emergency plan, a checklist for needed items and more. Their common recommendation is to have at least three days worth of food, water, medications and other items for each family member and your pets. 

How extreme you want to go with the preparedness is a personal choice for everyone and their family. There are over four million web sites listed under “emergency preparedness”, and over a hundred thousand web sites under “survivalist information”; so there is no shortage of ideas, tips and articles for about any subject you would need to get information on.
You can buy all the survival stuff in the world, but if you have no knowledge about it and don’t have the basic skills then you are setting yourself up for failure.  

If your income is limited (or you’re just frugal) there are a lot of inexpensive options to get some of the things you may need.
When you go grocery shopping buy a can of tuna, spam or beanie-weenie (whatever you will eat). Typically, these items are under two dollars; a small bag of beans, rice or black eye peas is inexpensive also. Buying just a couple of items each time you go shopping can add up fast. Go to discount stores and buy a few items when they are having a sale. Go to garage sales, auctions or flea markets to look for items like tools, backpacks, or camping gear. Networking with friends or other family members can help you also; they may have items they would be willing to trade, sell or just give to you. Other good places are surplus stores, Salvation Army stores or Goodwill stores. 

The main thing is to educate yourself with good information so you can make the appropriate decisions for yourself and your family.

We have all done it at one time or another; ran into someone we haven’t seen in years and not be able to remember their name. You know how it is. Suddenly, it’s like someone flipped a switch inside your head that completely shuts down the recall-railroad. Inside you are saying, "come on, you know this", and you are trying to make your mind throw a name out; but there is nothing but an empty space (that by this point is starting to fill with panic). Of course, when it’s all over, and you walk away, then it hits you, and you remember their name, where you met them at and other loads of information.

So what is Alzheimer’s disease ? Alzheimer’s is an irreversible, progressive brain disease and is the most common cause of dementia among older people over 60 years of age. Dementia is defined as the loss of cognitive functioning, or the thinking, reasoning and memory processes; to the point that it interferes with a person’s everyday tasks.  
Alzheimer’s disease is most usually slow and progressive, occurring in "stages" over a period of time. Forgetting to call someone, or an appointment you made or an acquaintance’s name is not really a cause for panic. However, when you notice a pattern developing of forgetting important information such as a child or spouse’s name, for example, it may be time to talk to your physician. There are simple tests doctors can use to determine if your memory loss is a normal result of a stress you may be experiencing, or if you need other tests to rule out things like hormones, thyroid, vitamin deficiency or brain tumor; all of which can cause problems with memory or other neurologic issues.  

The progression of Alzheimer’s disease is broken down into three stages; mild, moderate and severe.
Early on you may notice an increase in forgetfulness of things that you were normally responsible for, like paying your bills or taxes. You may be repeating questions or taking longer than normal to complete daily tasks. An inability to concentrate or focus may also be noticed.
As Alzheimer’s progresses to the moderate stage you may have more difficulty with reasoning, sensory processing and confusion. You may be getting disoriented or lost in once familiar places or have trouble recognizing friends or family. Mood and personality changes may also be noticed at this stage. At the severe stage communicating may be difficult and most daily tasks can’t be completed without assistance.

Although there is not yet a cure for Alzheimer’s there have been significant strides in medical research regarding its development and progression. In turn, this has led to the development of new medications that can be used to treat some of the symptoms and even slow down its progression.
Finding out you have Alzheimer’s disease, or that a parent or loved one has it can be overwhelming, but there are many support groups and web sites that have very good information regarding medical treatment, options and support for family and caregivers. Doctors estimate that as many as 5 million Americans may be living with Alzheimer’s disease and that 7 out of 10 people with Alzheimer’s are living at home.

It’s understandable that people are tense. Unemployment is at 9.8% and inflation for food and energy is up 0.3% in the last three months. People are losing their homes and having trouble paying their bills. A recent survey of 1500 people showed that Christmas came in second as the biggest cause of stress and worry; finances were first. If there was ever a time when we needed a Hallmark moment and holiday miracles, it’s now.

For some, Christmas has become an “event” that they train for all year; sort of like the shop-Olympics. It’s more about the sales, bargains and keeping up appearances than anything else. According to the Consumer Credit Counsel the average family will spend almost a thousand dollars this year at Christmas. We have become hooked on having “stuff” and it’s taking us to the poor house. About forty three percent of U.S. families spend more than they earn, and the average household carries over ten thousand dollars in credit card debt. It’s no wonder that the mainstream family is spending almost fourteen percent of its disposable income on revolving credit.

We go on a month long binge, pausing only temporarily to think about the consequences. Afterwards, we wake up and think “oh my God, how are we going to pay for this”? We work overtime, week-ends, and some even get a second job, and so the cycle goes. It’s no wonder that we’re all stressed out and depressed. We all need to stop, take a deep breath and start over. Simplify things just a little. By cutting down our debt, we take a load of stress off and we don’t feel sick, anxious and angry all the time. You might even be able to work normal hours and spend more time with the family. Below are just a few tips for simplifying your life. It can’t hurt to try. Who knows, maybe by next year Christmas will be a stress free, enjoyable holiday.

1. Try to cut back on eating out so much. Start cooking at home.
2. Instead of going out to the movies, rent movies more often.
3. Make your lunch and take it with you to work.
4. Learn to do minor vehicle maintenance. You would be surprised how much you could save by detailing your own car, or changing your oil & spark plugs yourself.
5. Recycle aluminum cans. Some states pay for plastic bottles too.
6. Cut back on drinking soda and expensive coffee. Drink juice or water. Get a travel mug and take your coffee with
   you.
7. Evaluate your cell phone plan or cable/satellite plan. Are you paying for more than your actually using? Switch to a
   less expensive plan.

Young teen singing sensation Miley Cyrus has had quite a year for herself. On the verge of adulthood, the former Disney star clearly took steps in removing herself from her sweet and demure “Hannah Montana” alter ego. Because of her actions during the year, CNN pronounced Miley Cyrus as “provactive.”

While the ultimate prize for Most Provocative Celebrity did not eventually go to Miley Cyrus (that honor went to raw meat dress-wearing singing sensation Lady Gaga), young Miley clearly went out of her way to distance herself from her former life as a Disney superstar.

As she went through the year, Miley Cyrus started dressing just a wee bit less conservatively, showing much more skin with skimpy, hip-hugging outfits and plunging necklines.

Her performances at concerts became events that maybe shouldn’t have been seen by pre-teens, or oven teens in some cases, at one point simulating a girl-on-girl kiss during one performance, shades of Madonna and Britney Spears a few years back.

During the release and promotion of her newest album “Can’t Be Tamed,” Miley produced videos which shocked her former fans and showed a very risqué side in several different clips.

Finally, in October, Miley was positively slammed by the Parents Television Council. In their statement, the Council said, “Miley built her fame and fortune entirely on the backs of young girls, and it saddens us that she seems so eager to distance herself from that fan base so rapidly.”

Miley also reeled from the news revealed in late October that her parents, Billy Ray and Tish, are divorcing after 17 years of marriage. Reports have recently surfaced that Miley, who turned 18 just recently, has been acting out and was caught on video smoking Salvia, an LSD-like substance that is not technically illegal in the state of California.

Unfortunately, Miley is not a normal teenager acting out against her parents’ pending divorce. Every move the young superstar makes is heavily scrutinized by every entertainment website and publication on the planet, and her every move is analyzed and discussed ad nauseum.

Miley’s father, Billy Ray, even took to his Twitter account early on Dec. 10, basically saying that he had no idea what his teenage daughter was up to. “Sorry guys. I had no idea. Just saw this stuff for the first time myself. I’m so sad. There is so much beyond my control right now,” Billy Ray Tweeted to his fans.

Miley did face some heavy competition among CNN’s Most Provocative Celebrity List. Along with the aforementioned Lady Gaga, the rehab queen, Lindsay Lohan, made the list, along with partier and hotel room destroyer Charlie Sheen of Two and a Half Men. Actor Mel Gibson made the list as well, still reeling from his 2006 DUI arrest in which he was heard ranting about his hatred of Jews.

While Miley lost the competition, there is still much alarm voiced by her legion of fans, who wonder what the young singing starlet will be up to in 2011.

Not only is Jack Black talented, he has a big heart. Just a little over two weeks before the release of his new movie, Gulliver’s Travels, Jack Black stars in an animated video with Gulliver’s Travels co-star Jason Segel, who also stars in the hit CBS series How I Met Your Mother.

In the animated video, Black and Segel get together to recreate a “rockified new version” of Little Drummer Boy, first made famous by legendary singers Bing Crosby and David Bowie in 1977.

Black, who has an extensive musical background, teams with Segel to rock it out, and the pair decided that all proceeds from the animated duet will be given to the nonprofit charity organization Blue Star Families, an organization that helps to support military families.

Funnyman Jack Black is no stranger to philanthropic efforts. Earlier this year, Black and his band Tenacious D teamed with comedy actor Will Ferrell to raise money for the youth of Los Angeles, CA, in an effort to reduce violence and make the streets safer for kids in the greater Los Angeles area.

Black also performed a concert for the benefit of the charity organization Untied Mitochondrial Disease Foundation back in 2007, and he is an ardent supporter of the Children in Need charity.

What makes this animated video so meaningful is that both Jack Black and Jason Segel didn’t load the cartoon with their normal style of humor, rather focusing on the song itself. Segel certainly showed off his singing prowess as well in the duet.

Black told People Magazine, ”Jason Segel and I wanted to generate some good karmic energy whilst rocking the house with this tasty Classic Jam. We want to send a big shout out to Bing and Bowie. Much love on this outstanding holiday season.”

Mark Smith, executive director for Blue Star Families, was extremely appreciative of the efforts of the two celebrity actors.

“BSF is extremely grateful for this gift. This gesture serves as wonderful example of the strong support our military families enjoy for all their sacrifices from the civilian community across the country.”

“We would like to especially thank Jack Black and Jason Segel for their generosity.”

The song is now available for download through iTunes, and the video can be seen at collegehumor.com.

Thanks to a pretty healthy number of divorces, several high profile celebrities are back on the market again. And in some cases, those celebrities were blindsided by the revelation of infidelity.

And in two cases, the so-called Oscar curse hit. In the past several years, celebrities who won Oscars were then awarded with their own divorce decrees, and this year was no different.

Kate Winslet – Sam Mendes: The actress who won the Oscar for Best Actress in “TheReader” announced in March that she was splitting from her husband of six years, Hollywood director Sam Mendes.

Sandra Bullock – Jesse James: Literally days after Sandra Bullock took home the Oscar for Best Actress in the movie “The Blind Side,” was blindsided herself by revelations of several incidents of unfaithfulness by her husband, Jesse James. Their divorce was finalized in June after five years of marriage.

Rachel Weisz – Darren Aronofsky: Celebrated British actress Rachel Weisz also fell victim to the Oscar curse. Weisz, who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in “The Constant Gardener” in 2005, announced she was splitting with her partner of nine years, film director Darren Aronofsky. Although the couple wasn’t married, this certainly qualifies as a celebrated split-up.

Eva Longoria – Tony Parker: Fans of Desperate Housewives were shocked to learn on Nov. 17 that actress Eva Longoria had filed for divorce from her husband, NBA basketball star Tony Parker, after only three years. Seems that Parker was having an erotic text-message relationship with the wife of a former teammate, Erin Barry. Barry has since denied the allegations.

Courtney Cox – David Arquette: After 11 years of marriage, this celebrity couple announced that they were going through a “trial separation” in October. Cox, currently starring in “Cougar Town,” and actor David Arquette have one daughter, born in 2004.

Tiger Woods – Elin Nordegren: When Tiger Woods crashed his car into a fire hydrant just outside his home in Windemere, FL in November of last year, revelations of extra-marital affairs soon became instant hits on the internet. In August, the couple finalized their divorce, ending their marriage just short of six years.

Christina Aguilera – Jordan Bratman: Celebrity singer Christina Aguilera, who through her album sales has become of the most popular female entertainers in history, announced in October that she was splitting from her husband of nearly five years, music executive Jordan Bratman. Aguilera, who currently stars in the movie “Burlesque,” was shortly seen in the arms of a set worker from that movie.

There have been quite a few other divorces and splits as well, but the above is just a sampling of the type of year it was for Hollywood.

… Can you Predict Who’s Next??