Verizon Wireless Helps with Harassing Phone Calls

Who is constantly calling my cell and not leaving a message? All day up until the late evening, my phone rings and the same number comes up. I even tried calling back and got a message that the call can't go through.  Sounds fishy to me.

I called www.verizonwireless.com to see if they could give me information on the number which shows up on my phone, but they couldn't.  What they did offer was to put a block for that number on my phone.

The block is free for up to 5 numbers and will last for 90 days.  After that you have to call again to reinstate the block.  The 5 numbers can change anytime, and the service will remain free as long as you don't go over the 5 number limit.

Another feature which Verizon offers will help when you get harassing phone calls which don't stop. Aside from a block, which is not permanent,  www.verizonwireless.com will allow you to change your phone number without incurring a fee.

Truthfully, this was not so serious as to alert the police, but it was extremely annoying. The solution was easy.

Thank you Verizon Wireless.

Where to call:  1-800-922-0204 or visit www.verizonwireless.com

Germ-Free...Maybe

Just when you think you are doing a good thing to keep yourself germ-free:  read this article from www.vitacost.com:

FDA to Re-examine Anti-Bacterial Chemical in Soaps, Cleansers
Triclosan linked to hormonal changes, antibiotic resistance in recent studies
By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter
(HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Thursday acknowledged that there could be safety concerns regarding triclosan, an ingredient found widely in consumer products, such as antibacterial soaps, toothpaste and cosmetics, clothing and toys.

In an update to its Web site, the agency stated that "triclosan is not currently known to be hazardous to humans. But several scientific studies have come out since the last time FDA reviewed this ingredient that merit further review."

The FDA did not recommend that consumers change their behavior with respect to these products.

At issue is whether or not triclosan alters hormone regulation in humans, as it has been shown to do in animals. Such disruptions can cause developmental or other problems.

There is also concern that triclosan may contribute to resistance to antibiotics, whereby bacteria develop ways around the potentially lifesaving drugs.

One public health advocacy group applauded the FDA announcement.

"It's about time FDA has finally stated its concerns about antibacterial chemicals like triclosan," Dr. Sarah Janssen, a medical doctor and staff scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said in a news release issued Thursday. "The public deserves to know that these so-called antibacterial products are no more effective in preventing infections than regular soap and water and may, in fact, be dangerous to their health in the long run."

However, a representative of the cleaning-products industry defended triclosan's safety profile.

"With all due respect to the statement made by FDA, the agency has in its hands a wealth of scientific data showing a distinct germ-killing benefit of antibacterial soaps containing triclosan," said Brian Sansoni, spokesman for the Soap and Detergent Association (SDA). "We believe these products play a very important role in everyday hygiene routines for millions of Americans."

The FDA update may have come in response to a report in the Washington Post that said the agency had sent a letter to Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment. That letter acknowledged that research had recently raised "valid concerns" about the safety of triclosan, the Post reported.

That letter was a response to a letter Markey had sent to the FDA in January, asking for an update of the FDA's scientific review of the chemical.

According to the Post, Markey has called for a ban on triclosan in products geared toward children and any products that could contaminate food, such as cutting boards. Some countries have already banned or put restrictions on triclosan, the newspaper stated.

"We're certainly going to continue providing an informed perspective to FDA, to EPA [the Environmental Protection Agency] and Congressman Markey and others who might be challenging its safety and effectiveness," the SDA's Sansoni said.

While reiterating that triclosan is not known to pose any danger to humans, the FDA did state that it is "reviewing all of the available evidence on this ingredient's safety in consumer products. FDA will communicate the findings of its review to the public in spring 2011."

The agency also pointed out that it has no evidence that triclosan is any better than soap and water for cleaning purposes.

A University of Michigan review of data, published in 2007 in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, found that antibacterial soaps that contain triclosan as the main active ingredient are no better at preventing infections than plain soaps.

Dr. Kenneth Bromberg, chairman of pediatrics at The Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York City, said triclosan poses "no immediate health threat as it relates to individuals. I think the FDA is dealing with a more global issue of risk/benefit for something that may not add any real individual benefit but may, on the aggregate, have negative implications for everybody.

"I wouldn't go throw out all my toothpaste, but more chemicals in the world are not necessarily better," he added. "Every time someone raises an issue of risk/benefit, it doesn't mean we should go nuts, but sometimes less is more. Maybe we don't need all this stuff and, if there's no clear benefit, maybe we should reconsider." 

Where to read more like this:  www.vitacost.com

WebMD Has the Answers

For Women Only:  I read this article on www.webmd.com which was reprinted from Redbook Magazine and thought it interesting enough to share.

Where to read more:  www.webmd.com

4 Diseases Doctors Get Wrong

Doubting your diagnosis? Read on to find out what you might really have.

WebMD Feature from "Redbook" Magazine

By Laura Nathan


Doubting your diagnosis? Read on to find out what you might really have.

Sometimes even the best doctors miss the mark: About 40 percent of all mistakes that M.D.s make are misdiagnoses, says the National Patient Safety Foundation. That's because many ailments have similar symptoms or can be detected only with tests that your physician might consider unnecessary if he's confident in his verdict. If you're in the know about often-confused conditions, though, you can ask the right questions to prevent or fix an error — and even save your life.

1. YOUR SYMPTOMS: Numbness on one side, headaches, dizziness, suddenly blurred vision, lack of balance or muscle coordination, and/or slurred speech

• The doctor says it's: Vertigo, migraines, or an inner-ear disorder
• It could be: Stroke
• Why the confusion? Research shows that 14 percent of stroke cases in people under 45 are misdiagnosed. When patients are young and otherwise healthy, ER staff might point to milder problems first. But if you leave the ER with an undiagnosed stroke, you could suffer another one. You may also miss the chance to reverse impaired speech or vision, paralysis, and brain damage.
• Red flags: If one side is numb or you have any combination of the listed symptoms, rush to the ER, especially if symptoms persist more than an hour.

2. YOUR SYMPTOMS: Headaches and/or ringing or aching ears, plus aching back, neck, and/or teeth

• The doctor says it's: Migraines or an ear disorder
• It could be: Temporomandibular joint syndrome
• Why the confusion? When the joint connecting your jaw and skull becomes inflamed, the pain radiates and causes headaches or ear problems. TMJ is best treated by a dentist, but the symptoms will likely send you to an M.D., who might diagnose you with something else. The price you'll pay? Serious pain that could easily have been alleviated.
• Red flags: If your doctor gives a tentative diagnosis without conducting any tests or prescribes meds that don't do the trick, head to a dentist.

3. YOUR SYMPTOMS: Fatigue or trouble breathing plus chest pain or tightness and/or palpitations

• The doctor says it's: Stress or panic attack
• It could be: Heart attack or heart disease
• Why the confusion? Heart attacks tend to be more subtle in women than in men: Fatigue or shortness of breath might be your only sign of a problem. In fact, up to half of female heart attack victims are initially misdiagnosed — and heart disease remains the top killer of women in America.
• Red flags: If your doc's recommended treatment doesn't help, see a cardiologist, pronto.

4. THE SYMPTOMS: Sadness plus fatigue, weight gain, insomnia, and/or muscle aches or stiffness

• The doctor says it's: Depression
• It could be: Hypothyroidism
• Why the confusion? Doctors tend to link persistent sadness with depression and might not think to test for hypothyroidism, a condition in which your thyroid gland fails to produce enough hormones. Left untreated, hypothyroidism can cause high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, and (ironically) clinical depression.
• Red flags: If the meds your doctor prescribes don't lift your mood, request a TSH blood test to check for hypothyroidism. Better yet, ask for the test during your initial visit.

SpaLook for Luxury Skincare Essentials - 20% Off

If you haven't taken a look at www.spalook.com, now is the time!  Mother's Day discount on everything and free shipping when you spend $50 or more.

The brands sold here are top of the line, including Frederic Fekkai, Dr. Hauschka, Jan Iredale, Obagi, Rene Furterer and Trish McEvoy, for starters.

What you will find at www.spalook.com are products for your face and hair as well as make up, body products, tools and fragrances for both men and women.

The coupon code to use is:  MOMSPA.

Where to shop:  www.spalook.com

Beauty is only a click away!

Italian Wine Merchants Makes Life With a Wine Cellar so Easy

Finally, a great way to remember wines you laid down in your wine cellar without the need for an expensive computer program.

Italian Wine Merchants in New York City has a program which is so easy to use. If you have never looked at their site, www.iwmcellars.com, you should do so as well as sign up for emails.  They have one of the best selections of Italian wines anywhere.

A while ago I had received an email from Italian Wine Merchants describing a "Complimentary Online Cellar Management Account" service they offer where you input information about each wine you have. 

Once the wine is in the system, you will find sub categories such as "Cellar View" and "Analysis" for example.  It also allows you to rate the wine you have for future reference. You can sort your wine by almost any attribute, keep track of quantity of each wine, and where it is stored in your cellar.

When in your "cellar" account, another feature makes it easy to purchase a wine you already have. You highlight the wine to see if Italian Wine Merchants carries it and if so, you can order it. It is so simple.

When you go to www.iwmcellars.com, from the Home Page, "Wine Collecting Services," go to Register to set up an account. Once there you can learn how the program works.

While on the site, don't forget to take a look at all the wonderful wines!

Where to go:  www.iwmcellars.com 

Where to shop for wine:  www.iwmstore.com

Now you can start on your journey to wine management.

The Container Store is my New Best Friend

Just picture a New York City apartment where closets are at a minimum.  What you do with those closets is the difference between having all your belongings fit inside or having to put your clothes, shoes, sheets, whatever, under the bed!

(By the way, you can purchase containers which will fit under most beds if you don't have enough closets.) 


We discovered The Container Store one day after seeing an ad for a discount on Elfa shelving. We made an appointment to work with an organization expert and then took measurements for each closet we needed help with.  Armed with ideas of what we wanted in the closet, we discussed our needs with our organization expert, decided on what type of wood we wanted for trim, colors of grid shelving and brackets and before long, had a closet design.

What is incredible about The Container Store is the product:  Elfa - a modular shelving and drawer system.  The computer program it uses works like a charm.  When your design is finalized, the program adds in all the types of screws you need (you will be asked what material your walls are,) and anything else necessary to complete the project.  It's a no-brainer.

My husband did all the installation himself after reading the directions, which are very clear, and after doing two closets, he became an expert. In total, he has done 8 closets and one wall unit.  He is ready right now to help you with your closets!

For a fee, you can also have The Container Store do the installation.  They offer discounts on installation as well as the shelving various times throughout the year. On the website, www.containerstore.com, you can watch an installation video ahead of time to see if this is something you want to take on.

The product almost always arrives in perfect condition, although if you have an issue with any piece, you can return/exchange it.  Once we found a scratch on an end piece of a free standing unit and The Container Store delivered a new piece the next day.  Also, any extra pieces you didn't use, such as a bag of screws, you may also return.

Needless to say, The Container Store sells everything you could possibly need for making your life more organized.  When they have a 20% off sale on everything in the store, watch out, because all of a sudden you will wonder how you could have managed without all you will find there!

I noticed on their website, www.containerstore.com, that there is a Spring Organization Sale going on now and some of the Elfa shelving is on sale.

There is a flat fee for local delivery. Otherwise it ships UPS.

Where to shop:  www.containerstore.com

Who to call:  1-888-CONTAIN

Enjoy your new, orderly life!

Blinds To Go in No Time at All

The sun is coming in, it's too hot outside and you need to block out the intense light.  If you want a quick and economical solution, you have to shop at Blinds To Go.  I use the word "economical" not to imply cheap, just to let you know that you can design a really nice window treatment for a great price...and have it in your hands in no time at all.

We went into the store, of which there are many locations, gave the salesperson our measurements, picked out fabric and our order was put into production.  The best part was that we picked up our shades 48 hours later.

If you look at their website, www.Blindstogo.com, you can view everything you need to start your project, "e-talk" to an expert, view promotions, learn how to measure, find a store nearby. Blinds To Go offers factory-direct prices with factories in the United States and Canada. 

Once you have your measurements, visit the store and you won't believe the selection of blinds and fabrics for all types of shades.  We were impressed with our salesperson's expertize and he didn't seem to mind how long we took to decide on our fabric choice and finalize our order.

When giving measurements to your salesperson, make sure they understand the exact set up of the shades/blinds you are going to install. In our case, because two shades were being installed next to one another in the same window frame, the salesperson didn't allow enough space for one of the brackets. This made installation a bit difficult. Also, read all the directions first so you know exactly what you have to do.

So nice to have a room where the light is beautifully filtered through. 


Where to start:  www.Blindstogo.com

You can also call:  1-800-BLINDS-7