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It took a long time for the recession of 1929 to turn into a Great Depression that spanned over 10 years.

So when the government declared the recession was over some months ago, it was difficult to for me to understand. I have the fortunate opportunity to talk business and middle class economics with many of my web and SEO clients. Not everyone believes the recession ever ended.

Today the stock market took the biggest single-day dive since the Fall of 2008, the beginning of “the Great Recession”. On the heels of Congress and the President’s argument over whether or not to raise the debt ceiling, the S&P downgraded the United States’s pristine AAA credit rating for the first time in 94 years.

Amassing a 14.3 trillion dollar debt, a number that is only slated to rise over the coming years, the United States’s major lack of economic growth, lack of consumer demand, continuing unemployment, and the government’s admission that America will have to continue to borrow money from foreign countries to finance its existence and operation- have all contributed to the events which have transpired in the month of August, 2011. This could be the beginning of another recession.

The United States dollar is the world’s reserve currency and has been historically seen as a safe haven asset, but other countries are already demanding a new currency to which to peg the rest of the world’s currencies. With Quantitative Easing 1 and 2 which occurred during the first two years of the recent recession, the United States’s willingness to print extra money to stimulate the economy, basically printing money out of nowhere, has caused stocks to rise and the value of the dollar to fall.

But the rising stock prices may not reflect much more than numbers at this point. Even the former Fed Reserve Chairman Allan Greenspan seems to think the U.S. can always pay back debts because “it can simply print more money”- this idea seems absurd to most people with even a little common sense. How long will the rest of the world sit by and let this go on? Not forever.

We’re now seeing the effects of these policies, how the world and markets are reacting, and it’s looking like another recession is forming on the horizon.

I don’t claim to have all the answers, but here’s my advice as to how to prepare yourself mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and interpersonally for the coming 2nd recession. As a matter of historical fact, the Great Depression initially started as a double-dip recession.

*Work your job hard, love your job and continue to learn and improve. Look for new ways to make your time more efficient. Focus on being more productive every day.

*Treat others with love and respect. You never know who might help you one day or how generosity and kindness will help others or yourself.

*Be and stay positive. Have faith in yourself and a Higher Power. Love your friends, spouse, family, kids, even show love to people you don’t know.

*Visualize freedom, happiness, and a world that you would love to live in. Then work to get there. Be grateful for every positive thing in your life and in your day. Create a positive mindset and flow of energy, create positive emotions within yourself and it will spread to others. Don’t let negativity stop you, slow you down, or make you give up.

If things get really bad, then people will no longer be able to rely on the historical prosperity of the past years of America. We must focus on creating value, and not worry about money. Life is so much more than printed money.

Thanks for visiting Patrick Warren.com

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Same Sex Couples Can Turn to Professional Counseling to Help Their Relationships

Love is the most wonderful feeling in the world. It lights up your soul and makes everything look perfect.

On the flipside, Love also hurts. A lot. It can be magical but it can also be unbearably hard. Even if you are already in committed relationship and don’t need to worry if your love is reciprocated, there are so many circumstances and obstacles that can make your life together a living hell. If you are in a same sex relationship, the same rules apply, of course, but, unfortunately, you have the added pressure from a still very prejudiced society to deal with.

Marriage is supposed to be a very wanted and cherished bond between two people that love each other unconditionally. In the moment you tie the knot, Love is there, and you know you are changing your life a great deal. You’ll be sharing the same space and material possessions, trying to fit in each others’ circle of family and friends and dividing responsibilities and decisions for the rest of your lives, among other things. This is nothing like dating is it? It’s about working each day with your spouse in a loving, tolerant and compromising way. The thing is sometimes you are both challenged with situations that are just too overwhelming. Too much pain or too many bad memories are involved. When you get to the point when your relationship is on a self destructive spiral, you need to figure out if your problems can be resolved or if it’s actually the end of the road. If you are not ready to quit and are determined to fight for your relationship, by all means, you should look for outside help.

Counseling is one of the tools you have available to heal your shattered relationship. First of all, you must find a relationship counselor or therapist. Not just anyone, but someone with which you can relate to and feel comfortable with and arrange a way to have a session a week, for example. This is a determinant step in the right direction. You’ll be:

On unbiased ground: you’ll know the therapist is not there to take sides, instead he will hear you both and try to work out your differences;

Taking advantage of a professional and objective perspective: you’re both too involved in the problem to look at it properly – the therapist will do that for you, giving you a clearer, more objective view of things;

Releasing your negative vibes: you’ll be able to vent your feelings and frustrations in a friendly environment, without fear;

Analyzing your reactions: you’ll discover what triggers your anger and other hurtful feelings towards each other;

Learning how to deal with negative and stressful situations;

Setting goals regarding what you need to accomplish and to work on;

Doing homework to complement each session;

Working with a qualified, understanding person on making your marriage/partnership stronger.
It’s also very important that you try to focus in resolving the issues at hand and don’t get fixated on past mistakes. You need to forgive yourself and your partner in order to go forward. Remember: you want to heal the wounds and not scratch them open. You love this person and he/she loves you. That is the most important requirement needed for a life together. You’re one of the lucky ones if you have true love in your life.

Keep smiling,

Susana Aires

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The success of “Carmageddon” has given way to a political and lifestyle question: If L.A. residents can cut their driving for one weekend, why can’t they drive less the rest of the time?

The closure of the 405 Freeway over the Sepulveda Pass came with the threat of epic gridlock — but the exact opposite happened. Streets and freeways were clear. Caltrans statistics show there were significantly fewer cars on some freeways and significantly less traffic, even in areas far from the 405.

The outcome has Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other politicians suggesting the city try to build on the success and encourage people to stick close to home and stay out of their cars more often.

PHOTOS: ‘Carmageddon’ shuts down the 405 Freeway

“You can suddenly hear people talking. You hear kids playing,” said county Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. “People discovered something about themselves and Los Angeles auto culture that shocked them. Why can’t we take some chunk of L.A. and shut it down to traffic on certain days or weekends, as they do in Italy?”

Some mass-transportation advocates went further, saying Carmageddon showed the need for less freeway expansion –- like the $1 billion project that closed the 405 –- and more investment in rail and bus service.

But turning Carmageddon into a movement is likely to prove difficult. Some of those who stayed out of their cars this weekend said they doubt it will become a habit. Not in a city that was planned around the car with limited mass transit and a DNA of venturing out rather than staying in.

“I find it hard to imagine that ordinary middle-class Angelenos will be satisfied with living and working and shopping and spending their time in the space of the area encompassed by their ability to walk or even ride a bike,” said L.A. historian D.J. Waldie.

Waldie said he was impressed with how much traffic eased over the weekend, but he also noticed another thing: “Most of what I hear about car-free weekends comes from people who wish that you weren’t driving around in your car, but they’re happy to be driving around in their car.”

INTERACTIVE: Watch a time-lapse video of the demolition

Because weekend traffic is so much less congested than weekday traffic, having a modest percentage of drivers staying off the road ended up making a big difference.

“Appeals for car-free weekends may sound appealing, but from a somewhat cynical perspective, or a skeptical perspective, is that ultimately we hope that other people don’t drive as much,” Waldie added.

Caltrans statistics seemed to back up that point. On the 5 Freeway in Santa Clarita, roughly 74,000 vehicles were recorded Saturday, compared with 84,000 the Saturday before. On the 101 Freeway in Moorpark, the vehicle totals dropped from 75,000 to 55,000.

Carmageddon turned out to be a boon for those who decided to stay on the road. Along the 101, the drive from Calabasas to Van Nuys took 11 minutes this week, compared with 20 minutes the weekend before. The 10 Freeway saw similar improvements in drive time between the Westside and downtown L.A.

Still, mass-transit backers hope that Carmageddon showed people they can survive without a weekend of driving around.

“One of the great things that we can learn is that in Los Angeles we have so many dynamic neighborhoods and there’s so much stuff to discover and enjoy in every part of the city,” said Alexis Lantz, planning and policy director at the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition. “We can really enjoy the city by walking, bicycling, using public transit.”

Added Denny Zane, executive director of Move LA, a nonprofit group that advocates public transit: “It is Good Karmageddon.”

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Jul 1, 2011

President Barack Obama
The White House, 1st Floor, West Wing
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Obama,

I am writing to humbly request that you rethink your new DOJ policy and
to direct your U.S. Attorneys not to target medical marijuana providers
who are acting in compliance with state law.

Reputable medical marijuana providers should not be intimidated or
raided away. For many patients who are too incapacitated to grow their
own medicine, a dispensary operating in compliance with state law is
the only legal way they can access their medicine. In addition, three
of the states’ programs do not allow patients to grow. Those
legislatures, after vigorous debate on the pros and cons, decided that
regulating access was better for the patients and communities than
allowing patients to grow. To now threaten providers with the force of
federal law is an insult to the patients they serve and the
legislatures that enacted the laws they follow.

The truth of the matter is that well-regulated medical marijuana
providers offer a necessary and good service to their communities. The
alternative for sick patients is to go to drug dealers. This is not
only dangerous for the patient, but it further enriches the criminal
market and ensures that states have zero control over medical marijuana
access.

Mr. President, over 80% of the public supports allowing medical
marijuana, according to a 2010 ABC News/Washington Post poll. This
seems like a no-brainer to me. Please allow medical marijuana providers
who are operating consistently with their state’s laws to continue to
provide the sick and dying the medicine their doctors recommend.

Sincerely,

Patrick Warren

Click here to send the same message automatically with your name and information.

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Everyone who’s grown a beard knows how awesome a beard can be. Beards have withstood the test of time.

Here’s a song of what it’s like to have a beard.  Right click on the link and select save as to download:

Grow a Beard

Listen to the song on Youtube:

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I recently got a week’s pass to Miami Fitness, a gym in Burbank. It’s a great little gym with a ton of free weights and machines. I didn’t use the cardio equipment too much, but why would I when I can run outside at the park?

The monthly rate is $25 and there is no contract. However, they do require a credit card for automated monthly billing.

One big plus is that they have a room with MMA punching and kicking bags. Even if you’ve never trained in boxing or muay thai you can still get a great workout for your body by utilizing this equipment.

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When it comes to doing our part for the environment and future generations, nothing is easier to do than to drop off old office equipment for ewaste disposal, especially when disposal is free and when it helps prevent lead and mercury from getting into the water supply.

A message from Yosi Fischer of F&H Office Systems, organizer of Free Ewaste Disposal Day in Burbank, CA

“I think every day should be Earth Day. That’s why we started our company: F&H Office Systems,. it’s estimated that 8 printer cartridges are thrown away every second in the US.,over 400 million are tossed into our nation’s landfills each year. We think there’s a better solution.

At F & H office systems we provide green office supplies—such as re-engineered ink and toner cartridges. We consult on green services, repairs, and business machines. We’ve made a commitment to helping companies of every size become greener, more efficient and to save money in the process.

Join us, and remember it’s always a green day at f and h.”

Free eWaste Disposal Day for Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley

Saturday July 23rd from 9am – 3pm at Unity Church

637 South Victory Boulevard, Burbank, CA 91502

818-982-1818

*There are many additional ways to help the environment, and the most effective practices are at home, by changing static light switches to motion sensitive ones, utilize water as if it was as expensive as gasoline!, recycle every paper, can, bottle moving forward, if you need to shop some light groceries, take your bike for a spin instead of the car, walk whenever possible, print less at the office or at home, only necessary documents.

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Performance Mouthguards and Performance Mouthwear – do they really work?

Under Armour’s new and innovative Performance Mouthwear and Performance Mouthguards are a new line of custom mouthpieces and mouth guards, which are aimed at improving athletic performance. UA Performance Mouthwear is supposed to be able to provide increased strength to any athlete, improve endurance and reaction time, reduce athletic stress, and with the mouth guard, reduce impact from blows to the jaw. Performance mouthguards are powered by ArmourBite, Bite Tech’s patented technology which is engineered to unlock an athlete’s power and potential.

Performance mouthguards counteract the human body’s most instinctive reflex systems, the teeth-clenching which can strain most athletes’ true potential. This triggers the production and release of hormones such as cortisol (stress hormone). Since performance mouthguards prevent teeth-clenching and relieve pressure on the jaw, the body is that much less inhibited by performance degrading factors. Now, athletes in any sport can capitalize on a product that will make them better, stronger, and faster with the safe, custom-built Performance Mouthwear and performance mouthguards.

History Behind Performance Mouthwear and Performance Mouthguards

“Throughout history, soldiers, warriors and athletes realized that by preventing their teeth from clenching together with a leather strap or bullet, they were able to gain the edge they needed to get through, or even excel at strenuous or punishing activities,” said Jon Kittelsen, Bite Tech’s performance mouthguards founder and maverick entrepreneur. “Our technology brings this ancient concept to today’s athletes with a comfortable, safe product from Under Armour.”

Bite Tech’s performance mouthguards have been tried and tested by hundreds of professional, Olympic and collegiate athletes for years. Even a roster of current and former athletes such as Minnesota Vikings Adrian Peterson, Bernard Berrian and Bobby Wade, New York Ranger Marian Gaborik, and retired sports legends Brett Hull and Raghib “Rocket” Ismail have invested in Bite Tech’s innovative performance mouthguards.

The Science Behind Performance Mouthguards

Years of independent studies conducted by Bite Tech at some of the nation’s top universities and research centers have proven the science behind the ArmourBite Technology found in UA Performance Mouthwear. “Under Armour is the perfect partner because we share their mission of using innovation to make all athletes better,” said Bob Molhoek, CEO of Bite Tech, who has high hopes for these performance mouthguards. “We’re thrilled to launch this technology under one of the most popular brands in sports.”

Bite Tech contends that performance mouthguards have a hormonal basis. They state that athletic competition triggers a “fight or flight” reaction that includes clenching of the jaw and that “the clenched jaw and teeth compress the TMJ, triggering the release of excess amounts of performance-sapping hormones (like cortisol) that produce stress, fatigue and distraction.” The company further claims that UA Performance Mouthwear helps the human body help itself by unlocking the power of the jaw.

Patented ArmourBite Technology in performance mouthguards prevents your teeth from clenching and pivots your jaw forward to relieve pressure on the TMJ. Thanks to performance mouthguards, gone are the excess negative hormones and the energy-draining effects, so the body can now unleash its full potential. Independent studies conducted at some of the nation’s top universities and research centers have proven the undeniable advantages of UA Performance Mouthwear and performance mouthguards.

Where to Get Performance Mouthwear and Performance Mouthguards

ArmourBite products can be obtained through dentists who send molds of the patient’s top and bottom teeth to the Bite Tech lab, which makes the performance mouthguards. There are three models. UA Performance Mouthguards are for contact sports and features a custom-molded piece offering superior protection and comfort. The UA Performance Mouthpiece is for noncontact sports and features a custom-lolded piece with optimal fit and comfort. Both cost the dentist $160 and retail for $495 (plus the cost of the dentist’s services).

The UA Performance Allow Mouthpiece, which has a metal crosspiece, costs the dentist $370 and retails for $950. In contrast, standard mouth guards worn to simply protect teeth during contact sports are available through retail outlets for less than $20. While you can safely perform using an ordinary mouth guard, those wanting an edge may want to opt for Under Armour’s ArmorBite performance mouthguards. Contact an authorized UA Performance Mouthwear dentist like Los Angeles dentist Dr. Arthur Weiss to get custom made performance mouthguards for only $395!!

Who is Recommending Performance Mouthwear and Performance Mouthguards?

Performance Mouthwear is a completely new category of performance gear designed for all athletes looking to get better in their chosen sport. Performance Mouthwear, which includes mouthpieces and performance mouthguards with patented technology from Bite Tech, does more than provide the standard protection from a regular mouth guard: It enhances performance. It is not only backed by some of the biggest names in pro sports, it’s also recommended by dentists, pro trainers, strength coaches and wellness experts.

Who is Wearing Performance Mouthwear and Performance Mouthguards?

Hundreds of professional athletes are currently relying on the superior performance and protection benefits of performance mouthguards. But it isn’t just for pros – Performance Mouthwear is for all athletes who want to excel in their sport or activity. The Under Armour Performance Mouthguard offers superior protection in addition to its performance benefits and should be used in contact sports such as football, hockey and lacrosse. The Under Armour Performance Mouthpieces are appropriate for non-contact and limited contact sports such as running, soccer, baseball, golf, tennis, and training.

Your dentist will make accurate impressions of your top and bottom teeth. A bite registration will be taken as well. The process is completely painless and usually takes less than 20 minutes. Once fitted, the orders typically take 10 days for delivery of performance mouthguards. Talk to your dentist about shipping options to receive your product sooner.

Who Are Performance Mouthguards Appropriate For?

Under Armour Performance Mouthguards should last at least one season unless your jaw or teeth change dramatically or you chew on the product. All adults and children ages 8 and older are candidates, however, individuals with a history of joint pain, missing molars or braces should talk with their dentist to determine if it is right for them . Most dental cleaning products work on Under Armour Performance Mouthwear and performance mouthguards so ask your dentist for more details about cleaning solutions.

I hope this site helps you make a good decision about whether performance mouthwear and performance mouthguards are right for you. Keep thinking cutting edge!

FILED UNDER: PERFORMANCE MOUTHGUARDS

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