health and wellness

Wow, who would have thought but Rock legend Robert Plant snagged a CMT award with his  duet with Alison Krauss. Their song, “Gone, Gone, Gone (Done Moved on).”  But the biggest winners of the night were Taylor Swift  who won the nights biggest award, and Kellie Pickler who took home three trophies for herself. It was a fabulous show, and the full list of awards are below. And if you missed the show last night, not to worry, you can watch it  here. 

Video of the Year
Taylor Swift — “Our Song”Duo Video of the Year
Sugarland — “Stay”Female Video of the Year
Taylor Swift — “Our Song”Male Video of the Year
Trace Adkins — “I Got My Game On”Wide Open Country Video of the Year
Alison Krauss and Robert Plant — “Gone, Gone, Gone (Done Moved On)”

Collaborative Video of the Year
Bon Jovi featuring LeAnn Rimes — “Nothin’ Better to Do”

Performance of the Year
Kellie Pickler — “I Wonder” — 41st Annual CMA Awards

Tearjerker Video of the Year
Kellie Pickler — “I Wonder”

Supporting Character of the Year
Rodney Carrington — “I Got My Game On”

Video Director of the Year
Michael Salomon (”High Maintenance Woman” — Toby Keith, “I Got My Game On” — Trace Adkins, “Love Me If You Can” — Toby Keith)

USA Weekend Breakthrough of the Year
Kellie Pickler — “I Wonder”

Group Video of the Year
Rascal Flatts — “Take Me There”

American Experience aired tonight April 14 on PBS showcasing Walt Whitman’s Selections from Leaves Of Grass, as one of the greatest writer/poets ever known. It was a wonderful show and if you missed it you can find it here http://www.pbs.org/

Walt Whitman’s form was unique and musical; the lines themselves kept its rhythm, and there was virtually no internal meter. But his themes were universal, ranging from the equality of all people to the divine nature of the self. Born May 31, 1819 on Long Island, New York, he spent much of his time as a journalist, but largely, was self-educated.

Some of his most famous quotes:

 ”To the real artist in humanity, what are called bad manners are often the most picturesque and significant of all.”

“You must not know too much or be too precise or scientific about birds and trees and flowers and watercraft; a certain free-margin, and even vagueness - ignorance, credulity - helps your enjoyment of these things.”

The Titanic, Day In History 

April 14, 1912 noted as one of the worst disasters of all time, the Titanic luxury ocean liner struck an iceberg off the coast of Newfoundland and sunk to the bottom of the sea claiming over 1,500 lives. Only a fraction of her passengers were saved. Today, the sad 96th anniversary offers a chance to recall the many lives aboard “the unsinkable ship” who died in the icy Atlantic. The titanic, carrying 2,200 passengers and crew, went down more than halfway through its voyage from Southampton, England, to New York.

According to Ulster Titanic Society Chairman, Stephen Cameron, most of the people who died did not drown but rather from hypothermia. Others died when they jumped from the ship. He continues saying, “What is remarkable looking back on it today is that the male first class passengers stepped back and let their wives and children get off. Today is the time to reflect on those people who lost their lives.”

There have been several books written about the Titanic, but the most successful film of all time was reported to have grossed more than $1 billion worldwide starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in the Oscar-winning movie, “Titanic.“ Writer/director James Cameron quotes, “Titanic is not just a cautionary tale - a myth, a parable, a metaphor for the ills of mankind. It is also a story of faith, courage, sacrifice and, above all else, love.”

If you haven’t already filed for the appropriate tax extensions, when the clock strikes midnight Tuesday April 15, all Federal income tax returns must be on its way to the Internal Revenue Service. Last-minute tax filers can expect long lines at the post office causing this to be a particularly stressful day. But if taypayers know they will miss the April 15 deadline, be sure to complete Form 4868 to insure a six month filing extension which would move the filing deadline to October 15. However, this extension is allowed only for filing, not for payment of owed taxes that are due. Be sure all payments are received by the IRS by the April 15 deadline to avoid penalties.

Some things to be aware of are the tax scams that include phishing. Eric Erickson, IRS spokesperson said the IRS wants taxpayers to file on time and receive the economic stimulus package. Some information he offers are listed.

• To receive the economic stimulus payment, taxpayers must have a valid Social Security number, $3,ooo of qualifying income and file a 2007 federal tax return. He also states retirees, disabled veterans and low-wage workers who usually are normally exempt from filing a tax return must do so this year in order to receive the rebate. The U.S. Treasury will begin issuing economic stimulus payments in May. For more information, taxpayers can visit the economic stimulus information at IRS.org.
• Taxpayers earning $54,000 or less qualify for free electronic filing at IRS.org.
• Workers with low incomes should see if they qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit. As many as 20 to 25% of Americans who qualify do not claim the EITC, which can be as much as $4,716. The EITC Assistant on IRS.org can help taxpayers determine eligibility.
• Many postal services will extend its hours on April 15. Check for local listings.

American Idol’s shocking elimination on last night’s show had the audience booing and American fans devastated. Did America get it wrong? We’ve seen it happen before, what with Chris Daughtry; but more probable, America’s lack in votes for one of the top, talented contestants this Season was due, more in part, the feeling that Australian born, Michael Johns, 25, was in no real danger to begin with. His rendition of “Dream On” by Aerosmith was a well-suited performance for his genre, but possibly it didn’t help that he opened Tuesday’s show. Hearts are heavy, and posts abound in fight for his return. But this is American Idol, folks, and it should remind us of this very hard lesson to remember to vote for our favorite each time. Hearts are heavy which even left the judges in shock; their mouths seen agape, their heads shaking.  “I’m going to miss you. You’re a very good singer, and a very, very nice guy,” Simon Cowell said. Paula held him tight after his farewell song, while Randy Jackson was seen offering condolence to him; his family in the audience crying. Very moving, it always is.

We wish him the best, and hope to see more of him in his new endeavors because, without a doubt, he has a talent!

We will miss you, Michael Johns.

I just have to take a moment to comment on the wonderful show Sunday night April 6th of “Idol Gives Back.” First of all, I am a very big fan of American Idol and I watch it annually.  To me it’s a beautiful concept how young teens from unknown backgrounds can find their way to express their passion through a medium that allows them to showcase their singing talents in front of the American viewers. The slide show provided here http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24018568/from/ET/ is just an awesome inspiration to the American people to get involved in giving back. So many celebrities are involved as well, making it an exciting vehicle for everyone to participate in.

Jason Castro, left, and Kristy Lee Cook earned praise from “American Idol” judges Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell on Tuesday night, April 8th.  I actually agree on this one this week, but still someone will be going home tonight, and somehow that is always a sad time for me. It’s amazing how attached you can become to these bright hopefuls.

But the question is who do you think is going home tonight?  Any thoughts?? 

A dear friend of mine sent this information to me that I thought was an interesting read. Gas prices keep soaring through the roof. If this can help consumers like me, it’s always good to share what you know.

TIPS ON PUMPING GAS

I don’t know what you guys are paying for gasoline…. but here in California we are also paying higher, up to $3.50 per gallon. But my line of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more of your money’s worth for every gallon.

Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose , CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.

Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening….your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role. A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.

When you’re filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3)stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some other liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you’re getting less worth for your money.

One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.

Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up–most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom. Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.

DO SHARE THESE TIPS WITH OTHERS!

WHERE TO BUY USA GAS, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW. READ ON

Gas rationing in the 80’s worked even though we grumbled about it. It might even be good for us! The Saudis are boycotting American goods. We should return the favor.

An interesting thought is to boycott their GAS.

Every time you fill up the car, you can avoid putting more money into the coffers of Saudi Arabia. Nothing is more frustrating than the feeling that every time I fill-up the tank, I am sending my money to people who are trying to kill me, my family, and my friends. I thought it might be interesting for you to know which oil companies are the best to buy gas from and which major companies import Middle Eastern oil.

These companies import to the Middle Eastern:

Shell……………………… 205,742,000 barrels

Chevron/Texaco……… 144,332,000 barrels

Exxon /Mobil…………… 130,082,000 barrels

Marathon/Speedway… 117,740,000 barrels

Amoco……………………….62,231,000 barrels

Citgo gas is from South America, from a Dictator who hates Americans. If you do the math at $30/barrel, these imports amount to over $18 BILLION! (oil is now $90 - $100 a barrel.

Here are some large companies that do not import Middle Eastern oil:

Sunoco………………0 barrels

Conoco………………0 barrels

Sinclair………………0 barrels

B P/Phillips………….0 barrels

Hess……………… ..0 barrels

ARC0………………..0 barrels

If you go to Sunoco.com, you will get a list of the station locations near you. All of this information is available from the Department of Energy and each is required to state where they get their oil and how much they are importing. But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of gas buyers. It’s really simple to do.

Now, don’t wimp out at this point…. keep reading and I’ll explain how simple it is to reach millions of people!!

I’m sending this note to about thirty people. If each of you send it to at least ten more (30 x 10 = 300)…and those 300 send it to at least ten more (300 x 10 = 3,000) .. and so on, by the time the message reaches the sixth generation of people, we will have reached over THREE MILLION consumers !!!!!!! If those three million get excited and pass this on to ten friends each, then 30 million people will have been contacted!

If it goes one level further, you guessed it ….. THREE HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE!!!

I have a wonderful, little dog named Heidi. Believe it or not, it is our first dog ever! I had done a lot of research on different breed of dogs to make sure we were taking home the right one for us. This takes a lot of thought, and unfortunately, too many people pass over this most important step. I have three children at the ages of 16, 14, and 12 and I knew we needed a playful and loving dog that wouldn’t mind being held a lot, and overly showered with attention.  

After a lot of reading, I discovered many interesting facts about shih tzu dogs. Their ancestry being from Tibet or Central Asia have been among the most honored and sacred companions. The name “Shih Tzu” means “lion” in Chinese, giving it a particular symbolic significance. Many ancient statues resemble the short-legged dogs with long haired manes quite recognized and admired to that of a lion’s head. Lionlike dogs have religiously guarded many temples and sacred artifacts .

Shih Tzu dogs are known for their easy going temperment. They are considered the finest lap dog of them all and require a great deal of affection. They can be proud and somewhat arrogant, but they are never known to be overly aggressive, or unpleasant. They make wonderful travel companions, and are truly one of the most lovable and loyal pets to have.  It’s no wonder why The British Queen Mother herself chooses such a companion, the shih tzu, as her preference of choice, among other such celebrities as Zsa Zsa Gabor, and Elizabeth Taylor just to name a few.

At a later date, I will try to write more on this topic. I find it particularly fascinating to understand the rare breed of the Shih Tzu dogs.