Having a Pet can Help People Live Longer

By Witney Macken

Recent Studies have found that people who live with pets generally
live longer than those who live alone. Owners of pets have a bond of
unconditional love from their pets, a sense of loyalty, company, and a
companion who is always around. Many people might think having a pet
could be more work than its worth, but it might be well worth it if it
helps you live a happier healthier life style.

Picking out the perfect pet could be hard. It doesn't have to be a
dog or a cat, although dogs are considered 'man's best friend' and
most cats are loving and comforting. If you don't like mammals, and
don't want to have to do much maintenance or spend much money for
upkeep, you could invest in a fish. Other animals could range from
some kind of amphibian to a hamster or Ginny-pig. Whatever you
decided is best for you, it would be a great addition to your life if
you live alone.

The most common pet is a dog. The advantages of having a dog vary
depending on what kind of dog you get. A small dog might be nice to
have so they can sit on your lap or even sleep in your bed. A big dog
can help you feel a sense of safety and security. You can take your
dog for a walk as a way to get out of the house and get some exercise.
Taking a dog to the park is a great way to socialize and get out and
meet people. Teaching your dog to play games like 'fetch' or new
tricks is a fun way to occupy your time.

Little kittens are also fun to play with! A great way to spend time
would be getting a little toy or string and the cat will love chasing
it. Cats are easy because it doesn't require much to train them.
Just have a litter box, and some food and water and your good to go!

Some things may seem like a hassle like buying food, or taking your
pet to the vet, but it gives you something to do and keeps a person
busy.

Rescuing an animal from the humane society is a great idea! Not only
are you getting a pet, your saving a life, and doing something that
should make you feel good about yourself.
Overall, getting some kind of pet will give you things to do, a
companion who will love you and make you feel better about your life,
helping you live a happier, healthier, longer life.

Alabama Music Hall of Fame

By Kyle Francis Aaron

When you think music, what city comes to mind? I bet you didn't think
about Muscle Shoals, Alabama, did you? You would be surprised to learn
just how influential this small northwestern Alabama community has
been on the American music scene. But many of the biggest names in the
music industry have recorded at the Muscle Shoals studios over the
years. Indeed, we never realized how many famous musicians have come
out of Alabama .

The Alabama Music Hall of Fame in Tuscumbia tells the story of the
Alabama music industry, from rhythm and blues, to country, gospel, and
rock and roll. Whatever music you enjoy, it's pretty certain an
Alabama musicians performs it and the Hall of Fame honors it.

Opening in 1990, the Hall of Fame includes exhibits and displays on
Alabama musicians and research facilities, along with the hallowed
gallery where top names in the music industry are honored for their
accomplishments. Every other year an induction banquet is held to
select new performers into the Hall of Fame.

For decades musicians have found their way to nearby Muscle Shoals,
where they have recorded hits that went on to top the charts. Sam
Phillips, a versatile innovator who changed the face of popular music
in the 1940s and 1950s when he brought together the diverse elements
that combined to create rock and roll, got his start in neighboring
Florence, Alabama and owned a radio station in Muscle Shoals. Phillips
formed Memphis Recording Service, working with such artists as B.B.
King, Ike Turner, Bobby "Blue" Bland, and James Cotton. After
producing ten songs for a newcomer named Elvis Presley, Phillips sold
his contract to RCA Records for $35,000 and used that money to expand
his Sun Records label.

In 1969 four musicians opened the Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in an
old building that had once housed a casket company, and soon gained
fame as the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. The list of performers who
have recorded at the Muscle Shoals studios is long and lofty,
including Joan Baez, Percy Sledge, Wilson Pickett, Larry Gatlin,
Aretha Franklin, Little Richard, the Rolling Stones, Willie Nelson,
Rod Stewart, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Cat Stevens, the Commodores, Hank
Williams Jr., the Temptations, Bob Dylan, Cher, Earl Thomas Conley,
Jimmy Buffett, T. Graham Brown, John Conlee, Boz Scaggs, Joe Cocker,
Linda Ronstadt, Eddie Rabbitt, Mac Davis, Jerry Jeff Walker, Billie
"Crash" Craddock, Sawyer Brown, Dr. Hook, Delbert McClinton, Jerry
Reed, Leon Russell, Paul Simon, Bob Seger, the Osmonds, Art Garfunkel,
Paul Anka, T.G. Sheppard, and the Supremes. Today the Muscle Shoals
Sound Studios is a state-of-the-art complex located on the Tennessee
River in Sheffield, Alabama. The Hall of Fame has an impressive
exhibit telling the story of the Muscle Shoals influence on music.

The Alabama Music Hall of fame is located on US Highway 72 in
Tuscumbia, and is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The parking lot can accommodate any
size RV with ease. For more information, call 800-239-2643 or visit
their web site at www.alamhof.org

Visiting the Hall of Fame:
ADMISSION
• Adults $8.00
• Students (13-18) $7.00
• Seniors (55 & older) $7.00
• Children (6-12) $5.00
• Children (5 & under) Free

DIRECTIONS
The Alabama Music Hall of Fame is conveniently located at 617 Highway
72 West in Tuscumbia, Alabama (the Northwest corner of the state).
Only 2½ hours from Nashville, 2 1/2 hours from Memphis, 2 hours from
Birmingham, and only 1 hour from Huntsville.

HOURS
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mon. - Sat.
1 - 5 p.m. Sun. May through October
(Closed on Sunday's from November through April)
Museum Closed on: New Years Day - Easter Sunday - Thanksgiving &
Friday after Thanksgiving - Week of Christmas

TOURS
Groups of 10 or more qualify for reduced rates. Call Dixie to book
your group - 800-239-2643. Call and book your club or group! Tour
guide available for groups. (Hall of Fame Story, 2008)

Sources:
Alabama Music Hall of Fame. (2008). Retrieved December 7, 2008, from
Gypsy Journal: http://www.gypsyjournal.net/index.html
Hall of Fame Story. (2008). Retrieved December 7, 2008, from Alabama
Music Hall of Fame: http://www.alamhof.org/amhof_about.html

The Big Green Egg

By Kyle Francis Aaron

The Big Green Egg is at the top of any outdoor cooking device. Eight
out of 10 U.S. families own barbecue grills. The average outdoor
cooker owns 1.2 grills and the Big Green Egg has made believers of
literally everyone who owns one.

With the many user benefits, the Big Green Egg remains unique among
other kamado cookers. The ceramic parts come with a lifetime guarantee
against damage from normal use. It is weather-impervious and there are
no "hot spots" or flare-ups from within and no need to add charcoal
while cooking. The innovative ceramic material keeps the outside
surface far cooler than any gas grill.

One Big Green Egg has more diverse cooking capabilities than a
warehouse of other grills combined, at any price. As a smoker it
provides a wide range of controlled low temperatures which are easily
maintained at 180° to 250°F. As a grill it sears and cooks foods at
750° F for steakhouse searing, and as an oven it will bake
crispy-crust pizza, bread and desserts as well as a brick oven.

Designed and built for heavy duty use, the EGG cannot be harmed by
extreme external temperature, rain or snow. It cleans up easily, and
inside heat burns off grease and spatters just as with a self-cleaning
oven. It is as close to perfect as a grill can be and will last as
long as your able to grill and eat.

For more information go to http://www.biggreenegg.com/

Tips for holiday traveling

by Casey Payton

The holidays can be a very joyous occasion. Families get together and
share stories and eat great food, but if you're traveling this holiday
season it could put some unnecessary stress on you and your family. So
to make things easier the Transportation Security Administration has
listed some helpful tips when traveling.

Before entering the airport, be sure to:
Do not pack or bring Prohibited Items to the airport. Read the
Permitted and Prohibited Items list.
Pack travel-size containers less than 3 ounces comfortably in one,
quart-size plastic, zip-top bag. Learn more.
Place valuables such as jewelry, cash and laptop computers in carry-on
baggage only. Tape your business card to the bottom of your laptop.
Avoid wearing clothing, jewelry and accessories that contain metal.
Metal items may set off the alarm on the metal detector.
All types of footwear are required to be removed and placed through
the X-ray machine for screening.
Put all undeveloped film and cameras with film in your carry-on
baggage. Checked baggage screening equipment will damage undeveloped
film.
Declare firearms & ammunition to your airline and place them in your
checked baggage.
If you wish to lock your baggage, use a TSA-recognized lock .
Do not bring lighters or prohibited matches to the airport.
Do not pack wrapped gifts and do not bring wrapped gifts to the
checkpoint. Wrap on arrival or ship your gifts prior to your
departure. TSA may have to unwrap packages for security reasons.

At the airport:
Place the following items IN your carry-on baggage or in a plastic bag
prior to entering the screening checkpoint:
Mobile phones
Keys
Loose change
Money clips
PDA's (personal data assistants)
Large amounts of jewelry
Metal hair decorations
Large belt buckles
Take your laptop and video cameras with cassettes OUT of their cases
and place them in a bin provided at the checkpoint.
Take OFF all outer coats, suit coats, jackets and blazers.

Although there is nothing you can do about long lines and terrible
airplane food, but if keep these tips in mind when you are traveling
and it will surely make things easier for you and your family.

For more information visit www.tsa.gov/index.shtm.

When it's raining

by Brandon Moore

During everyday life there are many decisions made, some conscious and
some not. Such as, what to do, where to go, answer the phone or let it
ring. These questions are simple and minuet in the scheme of things,
but when it comes down to it these questions play a bigger role on
your day than you think.

In the hustle and bustle of the everyday life it's hard to stop and
realize the amount of strain your body goes through. Especially this
day in age with the technology boom, people are on the go 24/7. They
eat badly, they don't exercise, it seems there is no time "me time".

Though it's not recognized one of the biggest role players in your
everyday life is something you have absolutely no control over, the
weather.

The weather is such a huge part of our lives but it's hard to realize
it because we don't control it with a remote, phone, or anything else.
We wake up and deal with what the Earth has given us that day, rather
it's rain, snow, or sunshine.

The reason the weather is such a big deal and can put a strain on us
is because it affects people's moods. Your mood has everything to do
with your daily "rituals." The weather controls how you think; feel,
and act and it may be unannounced to you.

Studies have shown that when it is cloudy or raining people are more
likely to be depressed and lazy on those days' viruses when it is
sunny outside.

Kylor Cone, who works at the Maryville Missouri Community Center said,
"When it's raining or drizzling outside, it's hard for me to get
motivated to go work out. Which is something that I do everyday, it's
built into me, like waking up."

This shows why it is harder for people to wake up on rainy mornings,
or why you want to nap on those cloudy afternoons. Your body goes into
somewhat of a shut down mode when the weather isn't cooperating.

When the weather isn't on, it's "A game." Chances are you're not either.

Espre, an Acai juice formulation, rates high among antioxidant supplements

Espre, the new antioxidant fruit beverage created by NutriPrima, recently registered the highest nutritional rating ever recorded for its category of health supplement drinks from an independent manufacturing facility.

NutriPrima co-founder John Peterson said Espre set a new standard in September 2008 by registering an Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) score of 4,581 for a single 1 oz.
serving, the highest ever officially certified and validated for this Acai formulation by Brunswick Laboratories, which holds the U.S. patent for ORAC testing and is considered the gold standard when it comes to evaluating antioxidant drinks.

ORAC is important because it certifies and validates the nutritional quality and content of antioxidant supplements, which are credited with helping prevent health conditions such as cancer and heart disease while providing numerous positive health benefits.

The daily ORAC score suggested by experts is around 3,000 units to have a significant impact on plasma and tissue antioxidant levels. Most Americans get around 1,000 a day, so most people need a simple solution. By taking one ounce of Espre a person receives that and more, said Peterson.

Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and bicarbonate of soda

Linus Pauling added bicarbonate of (baking) soda to ascorbic acid to
make an effervescent drink. See: How to Live Longer and Feel Better
(Pauling, 1986).

Being more active

Here is a great list of activities provided by Michelle Drake:

Now it is time to focus on being more active. Even though it's darker
earlier and somewhat cooler, you can still do outdoor activity to help
burn extra calories and rev up your metabolism. Begin by adding steps
to your day! Here are some helpful suggestions. Select one or more
to add to your daily activity this week:

- Get off public transportation a few stops early. Walk the rest of
the way to your destination.
- In safe areas, park your car farther away. Increase your walking
time to and from work, grocery store, or mall.
- Use the stairs instead of the elevator. Start with one or two
flights of stairs and add more flights as you increase your stamina.
- Join a health club that's close to work and/or home. A quick
workout can be done at the end or beginning of your day.
- Use the speaker phone or cordless phone. Walk around while talking
on the phone.
- When working at a sedentary job, plan breaks every hour, on the
hour. Get up and move around or stretch. Take a quick 5-10 minute
walk.
- Take a water break. Visit the drinking fountain 8 times a day.
Staying well hydrated can help prevent fatigue due to dehydration.
- Sign up for an exercise class this week. Try something new like
Yoga, Tai Chi, or square dancing!
-Invest in a good aerobics or strength training video. Use it regularly.
- Avoid drive up windows. Load your own groceries in your car; pick
up your own dry cleaning. If you have to stop at a fast food
restaurant, walk in to place your order.
-Lose your remote control. Get up to change channels on your
television, or to select a radio station or compact disk.
- Manage TV time and Internet time. Avoid mindless television
watching for hours and hours and stick with watching only your very
favorite shows. Get up and move during commercial breaks. Set an
alarm when surfing the Internet and when it goes off—get up and move!
- Meet with a friend or coworker. Take a walk and enjoy the outdoors
or spend time problem solving while on the treadmill.
- Schedule your exercise time. Put it in your planner, palm pilot or
mark it on a calendar. Plan ahead by having your walking shoes and/or
work out gear packed and ready to go.
- Plan a family outing that involves activity. Go to the park, go
bowling, fly a kite, or go for a walk—and don't forget the dog!
- Clean out your closets this week. Gather old clothes and toys that
you no longer need. Make plans to give them away to charity.
- Walk for lunch. You can either walk TO lunch or walk INSTEAD of
lunch. Walk to lunch spots at a distance from your office instead of
frequenting the closest place. If you can eat at your desk, take
brisk walk first and then eat your lunch.
- Go shopping! If you haven't done all your Christmas shopping, plan
to go early in the morning and do some mall walking before the stores
open. Then complete your shopping and stop for a healthy lunch!
- Work in the yard. The leaves are falling and there still may be some
clean up to do in your flower beds or vegetable garden. Bag those
leaves and use as compost for next year's garden.
- Play with your kids or grandkids. Children need daily activity for
healthy bodies. Wrestle with them, play catch, freeze tag, kick ball
or hide and seek! It's fun!
-Start an abdominal strengthening program this week. Plan to do as
many crunches as you can keeping your low back on the floor, knees
bent, feet flat on the floor and hands behind your head. Lift your
shoulder blades off of the floor using your stomach muscles.

She suggests you use this list to write your own plan.