The Democratic convention has yet to take place, yet many Democrats are already saying that Barack Obama is the clear winner to be their Presidential Candidate.   

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/07/obama-camp-
aims-to-finish-off-clinton-in-nomination-fight/

Do you think that Hillary Clinton should stay positive and fight until the very end, or is she fighting a losing battle?   What do you think she needs to do to win the nomination?

Republicans have a long wait to November, with little fanfare or drama on who will be on the ballot for President.    Democrats are living quite another experience.    See the results of who's on top at Fox News

http://elections.foxnews.com/

But where is your vote going?   If you're a Republican, are you throwing your vote away to pick a Democratic candidate that, in your opinion, could lose against John McCain?     If you are a Democrat, how are you choosing your candidate?   Charisma?   Experience?   Race?   Religion?   

Had it with high gas prices?    Is there a limit to what you will pay?   It's one commodity that leaves little recourse for high prices if you drive alot.    Now gas prices, already at an all time high, are expected to go even higher as the summer travel season starts.    What will you do to compensate for the surge?    Read about it on foxnews.com and tell us what you think!

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,344189,00.html<
/a>   

Ahhh....finally back from maternity leave.   It's amazing how much time it takes to care for a tiny baby.   I spend every minute of my day caring for my son.   From bottles to diapers to feeding, there is always something that needs to be done.   Sometimes all he needs is to be rocked.   I love it!    But I'm interested to hear how your newborn changed your life.   I know there are many new moms out there.   I have about ten friends right now who are pregnant, or recently delivered their baby.    What is the biggest change you've had with a baby?   What's your secret for making it work?    Mine?    Get lots of help....even if you just have someone who can run to the store for you, or cook for you, or perhaps taking the child so you can get some sleep.   Time goes up in value once you become a parent.

We know that the dope in the water has had a profound effect on fish. ie males with female genitals and vs. versa. But were not sure about humans!  wow makes me thirsty!!

Lets call it by it's name.  "WATER DOPE"

                                                    
                 Tim

Well, the Oscar nominees have been announced.....

 http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,324548,00.html

Can't say I've seen a lot of these movies (perhaps because I'm pregnant and sitting in a movie theatre isn't appealing right now).... but it'll give me a chance to watch something good on DVD or PPV.    Still, no matter how familiar I am with the movies, just watching the Academy Awards show on TV is always enterntaining with all of it's Hollywood regalness.    However this year, things could be alot different with the writer's strike.   Some actors say they're not crossing a picket line, which surely will be a large part of the Oscar scenery.    Perhaps it will get more people to watch the Oscars this year?   What's your take?

1909--Ford brings out Modet T.

$825.

4 cylincer

20 horsepower.

top speed  45 mph.

fuel economy-- 13 to 21 mpg

not many  amenities

----------------------

2008--Tata brings out Nano

$2,500

2 cylinder

33 horsepower

top speed 60 mph

fuel economy-50 mpg

not many amenities--only seatbelts and one wiper

-------------

the big question is--what   is the balance between convenience and environment and safety?

Do you think that Hillary Clinton's show of emotion after Barack Obama won the Iowa Caucues was sincere?   Warranted?   One of the criticisms I often hear about women in politics, in particular regarding a woman running for President, is that being emotional could lead her to make crucial decisions irrationally.    However, others say that emotions can lead a person to have compassion about issues that might get pushed aside.    What do you think?   Here is a link about the incident... 

http://www.foxnews.com/oreilly/index.html

How safe do you feel now, after a Tiger killed a teen and injured two others at a San Francisco Zoo?    Apparently the wall the Tiger was kept behind wasn't high enough.   

http://news.scotsman.com/12007/Police-logs-reveal-t
iger-escape.3628770.jp

How do we know that zoos are safe when we visit them?   Will this change how you feel about visiting a zoo?     Should there be more regulation on zoo safety?   

Dear,Readers

            Sometimes there are a few that don't remeber.  The saying was ( I did not

            haave sex with that Woman.)  At this time  Chuck Rosenthal has not lie

             about what happend . And Bill Clinton did and still keep Office . So tell

             me why Rosenthal should leave ?  Mr Rosenthal  I am all for what you

             to stay in office. And what you  do .  You do one thing wrong and you

             have to be condemn.  What about Bill . I dont live in Houston but at times

            like this I wish I did I am all on your side.  Stay in there .

Dinners, Drinks & Sweets, Oh My!

It’s that time of year again. The holidays – love them or dread them  – we can’t escape them.  And along with the holidays come articles, newsclips and advice on how to “eat healthy during the holidays”.  Is it really possible with the numerous family dinners, holiday parties, social gatherings, happy hours, potlucks, treat days, cookie exchanges, luncheons, travel, shopping, and stress???  Temptations abound at this time of the year more than any other and healthy routines can get off track.  Is this a mission  im-possible?  Actually, armed with a few fresh tips, common sense, mindfulness and a real desire to do better, it can be done!  Sometimes we just need a little reminding.  Here’s my top ten tips to stay on track.

#1 MODERATION –We’ve heard this one before, but truly this is the number one thing to remember. You can have a bit of everything in moderation.. What is moderation? Saying “no” to seconds. Taking just  a “taste” of the high calorie foods. Eating only until you are almost full. Use a smaller plate and don’t pile it high. Leave some space on your plate by taking only so much that none of the foods touch. Place your napkin over your plate after you are finished and clear away your dinnerware soon after you’ve finished.

#2 DEPRIVATION – A big diet crasher is to deprive yourself of things you’d like to eat. But also depriving yourself of regular meals and good nutrition. Holiday shopping, running errands and preparing for events can lead to poor nutritional choices. Try to resist the temptation to resort to fast food, the dreaded food court or even skipping meals.  Don’t deprive yourself of your regular eating habits and meals. Eat breakfast, lunch and healthy snacks as usual before a big holiday dinner or party.  Treat the holiday meal like any other meal but with just very special foods. Eat in moderation, prevent deprivation!

#3 SATISFACTION – Satisfy your cravings by allowing yourself a piece of chocolate, a glass of wine, small slice of pie. Enjoy eating the items you choose or you will feel guilty instead of satisfied.   If you eat in moderation and don’t deprive yourself, you will feel satisfied and therefore less likely to overeat or binge.

#4 SENSATION –  Eating and drinking are sensory experiences and meant to be enjoyed.  Eating includes all of the five senses – taste, touch, smell, sight, and even hearing – enjoy the crunch of a cookie, the slurp of a soup, the pop of a champagne cork. Take your time and savor every bite and sip. Sit down to eat , don’t stand and talk and nibble from the food table. You’ll eat more and enjoy it less.

#5 REGULATION – Keep to your regular sleeping, exercising and eating schedule as much as possible.  Stick with your routine and monitor your calendar. Keeping close to your regular schedule may decrease your stress level(preventing stress eating) and increase your energy level. You’ll be in control which will help you control your cravings.

#6 SUBSTITUTION – It is no longer cool to say – I don’t eat low fat/low sugar, low salt, low calorie. When you can substitute an ingredient or a food with a healthier alternative, why wouldn’t you? With the myriad of health problems facing American adults and the child obesity epidemic, it only makes sense to reduce calories, fat, sugar and salt whenever possible. It is easier than ever to make substitutions with the variety of healthier options available.  Substitute fat free mushroom soup for the full fat version in green bean casserole.  Use salt alternatives to increase flavor in dishes like stuffing and vegetables. Lower sugar content in sweet treats by replacing some of the sugar with a sugar substitute. Just a few changes can make big difference in the calorie count and healthiness of holiday recipes.

#7 SELECTION –  The holidays bring so many foods and drinks to choose from. Dinners may consist of ten different dishes. Parties may have a buffet of  sweets and treats 50 feet long. Selecting what you eat may be as important as the old moderation philosophy. Be mindful and think about your choices. Do you really need a roll  and butter with your meal? No – skip it. What to do with six different desserts to choose from?  Choose one that you really want to eat and take a small portion. Don’t take a “sample” of them all.  Begin your meal with either a healthy vegetable salad or a few raw veggies. Watch the dressings and skip the dip unless you know they are low fat healthy versions. Choose turkey over ham. Pick boiled shrimp over fried oysters.  Leave off the gravy. Scrape off the marshmallows from the sweet potatoes. Save yourself some calories with good selections and have a little desert or a holiday drink.

#8 LIBATION – Holiday drinks can be a diet destructor on their own. From eggnog to glog, beet to wine, and everything in between, the variety of drinks offered up may rival the food. Alcohol contains empty calories ranging from 100 for a light beer to1000 for a large margarita or a few eggnogs. But calories aren’t the only hazard to your health with too much holiday libation. Celebrations can easily lead to drinking a bit more than we usually do. Keep yourself, your family and others safe. Drink in moderation. Designate a driver. Plan to stay over. Drink water and eat healthy snacks between alcoholic beverages. You’ll consume less calories and feel better in the morning.

#9 EDUCATION – Learn what your best food choices are and know what ingredients are in the dishes you are eating. Surf the internet and use your resources for healthy recipes and calorie counters. Find healthy recipes and how many calories you burn doing an activity on www.myapex.com.  Get the calorie count and nutrition information of foods at www.calorieking.com . Do you know how many calories are in a piece of pumpkin pie? A glass of wine? A serving of stuffing?  A slice of ham?  Read labels, research recipes, and get informed  about cooking and your health.

#10 CELEBRATION – It is a tradition to combine celebrations with food. It has been said that food and drink bring people together. Combine food, drink and the holidays and the celebrating can get out of control! But if you remember the other nine tips listed here, you’ll have a reason to celebrate. You may just get through the holidays with your weight  and your health in tact. It is the enjoyment, the sharing and the excitement of the season that is the real cause for celebration. 

Eat & Drink (in moderation)  & Be Merry for your New Year!

If you think you are keeping your credit card number safe by not shopping online, then read this story...

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/21/60minutes
/main3530302.shtml

Seems it might be SAFER to use your credit card number on the internet than in a retail store.    Moreover, according to CBS News, the reason for the lack of security can be blamed on retailers cutting corners to save money.    Seems however, it's at YOUR expense.    What do you think?

What's in a hug?   Apparently two days of detention if you go to school in Mascoutah, IL.     There is a policy against public displays of affection at school.    Recently, one girl was punished with two days detention for putting her arm around a friend.   

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1683
668,00.html

Do you think this is going too far?   Or is it not enough to teach proper boundaries to kids?    Seems like when a day is going downhill, it's those little hugs from friends that can really keep you going.    What's your opinion?

Now veterans are getting a piece of the Illinois Lottery pie.    A new game unveiled this week in the state will give certain proceeds to various veterans' causes such as health care.    For $2 you get a chance to win $20,000....and help veterans at the same time.    See the complete story here on our local news from Newschannel at Nine.

I heard a couple of radio hosts talking about their favorite Halloween candies and of course chocolate is high on most people's lists.  They also mentioned some of the least favorite treats they had received which included toothbrushes, popcorn balls and suckers. According to new information and recent polls, many folks are opting to give "alternative" treats such as trinkety toys, coloring books, and granola or energy bars. Did you say "granola bars"? Yes - and it seems there are so many to choose from. these days.  There are literally thousands of energy bars on the market today.  Of course the new bars are much different from the days of the dry and hard oats and honey granola bars - although those are still around! The bars of today are as varied in their types as they are in names - energy bars, meal replacements, weight loss bars, healthy snack option, protein bars, performance power, xtreme energy and on and on. The new granola bars may be covered in chocolate , filled with peanut butter, swirled with caramel or loaded with chocolate chips.  Sounds like health food right?  Sounds more like a candy bar to me. Before you bite into that next granola or energy bar, you might want to read the nutrition label. You may be shocked to see just how many calories, fat grams, sugars and other diet de-railers are in your favorite bar.  Let's compare two products made by M&M Mars Company - A Snickers "Candy" bar and a Snickers Marathon Protein Bar. 

                                                    
        Nutrition Facts

Snickers Candy Bar                                             Snickers Marathon Protein Bar

                                                                         
         Caramel Nut Rush (Chocolate coated)

Serving Size - 1 Bar (2 oz)                                    Serving Size - 1 Bar (2.82oz)

Calories 273  Calories from Fat 126                Calories 290  Calories from Fat 90

Total Fat 14g  22%                                               Total Fat 9g  14%

Saturated Fat 5.1g 26%                                      Saturated Fat 5g 25%

Cholesterol 7mg   2%  Sodium 152mg 6%     Cholesterol 5mg  2%   Sodium 200mg 8%

Dietary Fiber 1.4g    Protein 4.6g                        Dietary Fiber 11g  Protein 21g

Sugars 28.1g                                                  
      Sugars 20g

Side by side comparison shows that while the Marathon Protein bar does contain more fiber and protein(it also contains vitamins & minerals) much of the rest is the same or very close. If you are counting calories - the energy bar is higher in calories than the candy bar!   Besides all this number crunching - no pun intended - it comes down to a matter of taste and satisfaction. How does that energy bar taste?  is it going to satisfy you so that you can stay on track during the day with meals and snacks? The new bars  look like candy, smell like candy and even taste like candy. The granola bar world has come a long way!

The radio hosts finished out by saying, "If I got a granola bar, in my treat bag,  I'd have to TP (toilet paper) that house!".   Now before you go buying the mega roll of Charmin to attack your neighbors trees,  take a good look in your Halloween treat bag and if you do come across an energy bar - you might want to give it a second chance - if it's covered in chocolate and swirled with caramel and loaded with chocolate chips - it might not be so bad!  But if you do get one of those dry, crunchy cardboard tasting old style granola bars - Well,  I'll leave the rest up to you.....

Have a Happy & Safe Halloween & remember - everything in moderation!

We first reported on Newschannel at Nine....as part of the first Homecoming without Chief Illiniwek, the University of Illinois is making the event  "Chief-less."    No displays, no floats, no garments with the Chief.   Still, Students For the Chief are encouraging people to come out wearing and displaying the Chief.    Seems it's a long standing tradition that might be difficult to part with.   What do you think?   Is it infringing on your personal choice to be told you cannot wear or display the Chief?   If you attend any of the festivities, will the Chief be part of your celebration in any way?   

FOX News is reporting that Democratic Presidential Hopeful Hillary Clinton is under fire this week for consulting Sandy Berger, a former White House Aid to President Bill Clinton, who also admitted stealing classified documents.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,300005,00.html<
/a>

Are you "bugging"? NBC's Biggest Losers are bugging and folks in Springfield are bugging too. Bodybugging that is.

As aBodybugg™ devotee myself, I was very excited to learn that the participants on the Biggest Loser TV show had begun using the Bodybugg™ program this season to aid in their weight-loss goals. FitClub began utilizing the Bodybugg™ to assist individuals with their fitness and weight-loss goals in early 2007. As a 20 year veteran of all things fitness, I was amazed with the Bodybugg's technological advancements in weight-loss, fitness and health. What the Bodybugg™ provides, on the most basic level, is fitness on your own terms.

Long term weight-loss has been an issue for many for a very long time. The biggest problem most people have is knowing how many calories they burn and how many calories they really need. There was simply no easy way to find actual calorie burn for an individual person or to know the amount of calories one should consume. It was based on charts that gave ranges for exercises and activities, such as 40 minutes of step aerobics will burn XXX - XXX number of calories, or cardio rowing will burn X number calories based on a 150 pound man or 130 pound woman . There were also formulas for calculating heart rate targets, target training zones, resting metabolic rates, daily caloric needs and many others. How do these charts and forumulas help the average person? Not very well and not with much accuracy. This uncertainty leads to discouragement and ultimately to failure in weight-loss goals.

The Bodybugg™ is a small device(like an ipod)) worn on the back of the upper right arm. It uses a patented process for interpreting an individual's calorie burn. The "bugg" collects a range of data using a multiple sensor system that along with your personal parameters(age, height, weight, gender) provides an accurate estimation of calories burned. The information from the bugg is downloaded via computer to your personal website. You are then able to see how many calories you burn daily doing various activities. It was pretty amazing to see how many calories I burned doing a variety of activities such as mowing the grass, teaching a group exercise class, jumping on the trampoline with my kids, grocery shopping, washing my car, taking a shower and even sleeping! Did I mention it's in real time - minute by minute? Once you know how many calories you burn every day minute by minute there's only one other component needed to find the path to long-term fat loss and weight management- how many calories are you consuming daily? The online Bodybugg program makes it easy. Simply enter the foods eaten each day. I don't have to do any calculating or deciphering of formulas or enrolling in additional math or science courses! The calorie count and complete nutritional information for over 40,000 foods are built into the program. The program then provides your calorie balance for the day. We know that the way to weight loss it to burn more calories than we consume. This program gives you all the information you need to do just that. You set your goals, giving you control and information - and fitness on your own terms.

Want to get "bugged"? For more information log onto www.fitclub.net or call (217)787-8348 and speak with a certified fitness professional.

The Presidential election is more than a year away, and the Primaries are yet to start, but with headlines reading the way they do, it seems it might really be taking place this November, instead of next year.   Have the early campaigns of candidates helped you make a clear decision at this point....or are you waiting until the election looms closer to see how things will pan out?    A strong Republican frontrunner is still unclear, but Illinois' Senator Barack Obama has come out with the announcement that he's going to ban nuclear weapons.    http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN0242686820
071002

Hilary Clinton is already making plans for new healthcare.    Are these announcements pushing you to make a choice now?