Information Junkie – 6/23/10
INFORMATION JUNKIE DAY!!! I could spend the whole day pouring over periodicals and newsletters for “stuff” to share; but since I don’t have all day, I better get focused and get to the task at hand!
From Prevention, May 2010:
If you walk for exercise and want to burn more calories, take your dog instead of your best friend (unless, of course, your dog IS your best friend)! According to researchers at the University of Missouri, walking with a dog can increase your speed by 28% and your calorie burn by up to 30%. The other plus is that Fido is usually much more excited than that friend who willingly agrees with you when you want to shorten the route!
What kind of movies and TV shows do you watch? Well, if you like comedies and you actually allow yourself to chuckle or laugh out loud, you could be improving your blood flow by 21%! At the University of Texas in Austin, a study showed that “chuckling” while watching a show improved blood vessel dilation for up to 24 hours by one-fifth; whereas, watching documentaries or serious shows actually restricted blood vessels by 18%. I guess that means if I watch Criminal Minds, followed by Modern Family, I should end up with a net 3% improvement!
From AARP Bulletin, May 2010:
If you’re looking for an idea for a vacation excursion, check out the over 500 tours across the United States that can be taken of manufacturing facilities at www.factorytoursusa.com. Since I live in Missouri and hail from New York, I searched to see what I might find: Anheuser-Busch Brewery, Purina, Hallmark, Harley Davidson Power Train, Herbaria Soaps, and Sierra Bullets (Missouri); Chelsea Modular Homes, Corning Museum of Glass, Herschell Carousel Factory, Madison Square Garden, NBC Studios, and the Original American Kazoo Company in New York, just to name a few. You can check out all 50 states on the site.
Be aware of the newest, rampant form of identity theft…your medical identity! Information from medical records contains tons of valuable data, including social security numbers, insurance account numbers, addresses, etc. Using this information, anyone can get health care using your identity, leaving you with the bill, not to mention having all the needed information for obtaining a passport in your name! Be sure to keep an eye on letters and statements from your insurer, monitor your credit report (www.AnnualCreditReport.com) for billing errors, and keep a close eye on your insurance cards.
Last, but not least, From Living Magazine (Martha Stewart), June 2010:
I don’t actually know how I ended up with this magazine. It’s not really “me”, if you know what I mean; but I thought I’d take a look today. A couple things I found were pretty cool…living more “green” is on my mind a lot (and others I know). Both these items speak to this desire. One is napkins and placemats that come on a roll…but they’re not paper, they’re cotton! They are biodegradeable and recyclable and can be washed so you can use them again. They’re called Mydrap and cost $29, come in three sizes and 20 colors. Unfortunately, it appears they are not sold here in the U.S., but need to be ordered from overseas. To order: 877-625-2539
Another great little tip I learned while skimming through Living today was to use leftover packing popcorn in planters. Put them in a plastic bag, place the bag at the bottom of the planter, then put potting soil on top. It saves you from having to use as much soil and saves the environment from all that “popcorn” being thrown away!
Well, that’s it for the Information Junkie today. See you next Wednesday!
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