Travel Blog

There is a great deal of evidence against Lance Armstrong concerning doping in the Tour de France and other races. We have no idea whether he did or did not. However there are just too many people who have either testified or gone public with the information. It is really difficult not to believe that he did not master mind the entire thing.

Every year since more and more Tour riders have been found to have used some sort of doping methods. They have had their titles removed. This sport along with almost every other sport seems to be trying the doping drugs. They get away with it for a little while and then the authorities say enough is enough and crack down on them. If someone is doing too well in a sport, chances are that they are going to be accused and are going to be tested. Folks if you are reading this, it is inevitable that you will be caught some time. Can it all be worth it?

He Should be Ashamed

Sure Lance Armstrong is now rich and he did start the Live Strong charity for cancer which is a very noble thing, but the way most measure things and remember people is for their success in life without resorting to what is frankly cheating. He will be forever labeled as the cheater who got caught and brought everyone down with him.  Were I come from your integrity and measure as a man or women is that you:

• Do not cheat
• You do not use enhancing drugs
• Do not lie
• You do not run around on your wife.

Lance Armstrong has done all of these things and a lot more based on what we have read in the media and although he is rich, he has lost all respect and of his colleagues and his fans for the most part. This is not something that I would be proud of if it were me, regardless of whether I had many millions in dollars or not.

Tour de France and Lance Armstrong

I love to watch the Tour de France and will record it every year and watch all 21 days of racing, much to my wife’s disgust. I am not sure that I can watch it any longer knowing that the winners are likely doping and have not been caught yet. What a sad thing for sport, particularly bike racing in the professional sphere.

If you have comments either way about this phenomenal or Lance Armstrong in general, feel free to leave your comments. You might not even agree with me. That’s ok; it is freedom of speech in operation. Rude and derogatory comments will not be approved for publication.

There many types of CPAP masks to meet just about everyone’s needs. We all have different size faces, mouth, nose etc. We also all have individual preferences . This leads to several different types of masks in a variety of sizes so that they will fit multiple user’s. The picture on the left shows the main types of masks, which include:

• A full face mask
• A nose mask
• A nasal pillow mask

All have straps attached to them which will fit around your head and hold the mask, whichever kind, tightly to your face. Remember the CPAP machine will supply air pressure. Your CPAP mask must provide a good seal around the mask so that no air escapes.

Types of CPAP Masks

In some cases CPAP patients will need to try several masks before they find one that they are comfortable with. I use the nasal pillow mask which  I like very much. It fits under my nose and has two outlets which fit into my nostrils and provide an air tight seal. A friend of mine who also uses a CPAP machine, prefers a mask that covers his nose instead. Another acquaintance uses the full face mask which covers the nose and mouth. He is a mouth breather and has to use this type of mask. Your respiratory therapist will help you evaluate which mask is best for you based on your sleep study results and your own personal preferences.

Replacing Your Mask

Regardless of which mask you select, they usually need to be replaced every 6 months or so.  They tend to wear out and the plastic becomes less flexible due to body oils etc on the mask. the mask should be washed every day in mild soapy water and the hoses and straps should be washed once per week to keep them clean and to prolong their life.

If you have health insurance most insurance companies will help to pay for these devices and masks as well as the replacement tubing and face masks. Most pay in the range of 80% of the cost, however this can vary quite a bit. Check with your health insurance for details on what is covered.

The First Time Wear a CPAP Mask

You have been prescribed a CPAP and may have some concerns about wearing this mask on your face all night.  One spouse even called her husband Darth Vader when he has his mask on. However the quality and the amount of sleep you get from wearing this mask and using the CPAP machine will be well worth it.

Allow yourself up to a month to get used to wearing it and to get into the routine of preparing the mask , the distilled water for the humidifier and cleaning it in the morning. It may feel weird and uncomfortable in the beginning, however once you have that first good nights sleep you will actually wonder why you waited so long.

Adjust the tightness of the straps so that the mask makes a good seal around your face or into your nostrils in the case of a nasal pillow mask. Too tight and something is going to hurt in the morning. You will also have these marks on your face were the straps touch your face.

Too loose and air is going to escape out the sides of the mask. Not only is this air escaping irritating, there is less pressure on your airways and you may not receive the full benefit that is intended. It should be just tight enough to prevent air escaping, and loose enough so that it does not hurt.

Dry Mouth

I had a really dry mouth the first couple of times I used the CPAP machine. I have a humidifier on my machine and now have turned up the humidity to the maximum and also learned to keep my mouth shut as well. In addition there is a flap in your throat which directs air into your lungs and not into your stomach. Sometimes this flap does not work perfectly and air goes to your mouth which can dry out your mouth a lot. It can be as if there was sand paper in your mouth.

Try to remember to keep your mouth closed all of the time and if you cannot, then you may have to wear a chin strap to hold your mouth closed. If you are a mouth breather then a full face mask will likely be needed.

If the problem persists, then speak with your therapist or doctor to sort out what you should do to avoid a dry mouth.

Bottom line is that using the CPAP machine has vastly improved my quality of life, I am getting a good nights sleep now, I am not falling asleep while driving,  and I am even dreaming at night which I have not done for a really long time. Try it under a doctors direction and I am sure that this CPAP machine will help you too. For more information about CPAP masks, click here.

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We recently visited Atlantic city and did not find any really great Atlantic city restaurant deals, however there are ways to save money on restaurant meals and still have a great meal. We will review some of the restaurants that we visited and let you decide on the value based on our experience. If you know of some really great restaurant deals, then let us know by leaving a comment. Next time we visit Atlantic city we will definitely try them out.

Atlantic City Restaurant Deals

Breadsticks at the Resorts International Hotel and Casino

Located in the casino, but facing onto the boardwalk this is a great place to grab a quick bite. It is a sit down restaurant, but the service is quick and the food is very good. We dined at this restaurant in September in the evening and frankly we were just looking for something to eat and not too large. It was late in the evening and we did not want a large meal.

The waiter quickly understood and suggested that we split a bowl of soup and a salad and then think about what other courses we would like. We asked for the corn chowder soup and he brought it to us in two small bowls, which was exactly the size we were looking for. The soup was fantastic and I will definitely order this soup again. We also ordered a Caesar salad, which he also split for us and again it was large enough to satisfy both of us. At this point we should have stopped simply because we realized that we were completely satisfied, however we ordered the seafood linguine and split that. It was excellent, however there was so much that we could not finish it and this was supposed to be a meal for one person.

While these were not specials, we did save a lot of money and enjoyed the food so I guess this would qualify as an Atlantic City restaurant deal.

Six Restaurant at Bally’s Hotel and Casino

We really wanted to try a buffet at Bally’s. However they have closed their buffet and refer customers to the buffet at Caesars casino. We ended up going to this restaurant on the 6^th floor, because they advertised crab legs and steak. All you can eat with a salad and pasta to go with it for $29.99. We certainly had more food than we could handle and it was very tasty as well.

The pasta was actually a seafood spaghetti in a huge bowl. The steaks were a bit over cooked, very lean and tasty. And the crab legs were excellent with lots of hot butter. We found that the crab legs were not split so it is a bit more work to remove the crab meat. However we enjoyed the food very much. We did not save any money at this restaurant, however there was lots of food and we used our comp dollars to pay for part of it.

We probably would not eat there again, preferring to try other restaurants in the area along the boardwalk.

Buffet at the Resorts Hotel and Casino

This was also $24.99 for all you can eat including crab legs. Typical of most buffets, they had a great assortment of foods on display and you certainly would not go hungry or be disappointed. The only negative thing we would like to mention is the line ups.

Go early before 5 pm, or plan to spend at least 45 minutes waiting in line. The seating area is relatively small for a buffet, so there are long line ups at meal time. The crab legs were not split here as well, but they still taste great. We think that this is the main attraction of this particular buffet.

Casino Restaurant Meals and Comp’s

One of the best ways to enjoy Atlantic City restaurant deals is to use your casino slot card at restaurants in the casino. If you play the slots at all, make sure you use a slot card and receive food and hotel room comp’s from the slot card. One meal came to a total of $48.00. It ended up costing us a $1.04 after we used our comp’s. Now that is a deal as far as we are concerned. We were going to gamble anyway. This is a great way to receive something back from the casino for your efforts.

Watch a video of the boardwalk on YouTube, click here

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As you can see from the picture on the left, there are quite a few CPAP mask accessories to choose from. Sometimes patients have to try several models before they really become comfortable with one of them. CPAP Mask Accessories are not free and they are expensive. Give some thought about which one you will choose.

As a recent user of a CPAP machine, I have initially gone with the nasal mask pillow type of mask. In fact it is really not a mask at all. I find it is the least invasive of all of the masks and it works well for me. Basically it has two small outlets which fit on the front of your nose and held in place by straps that go around your head. So far I have found it pretty good since it allows freedom to speak easily and since I cough a bit, I am coughing normally instead of into a mask.

CPAP Mask Accessories

If you are uncomfortable with a nasal pillow mask, there are other units that actually cover the full nose and only touch your face around the nose. You have the same freedom to use your mouth as before, but there is nothing touching your nostrils. I have not tried this one, but I think I might purchase this one as a backup in case I have a cold or something and cannot breathe through my nose.

The other major mask type is one that covers both the nose and the mouth. It is ideal for people who alternately breathe through their nose and their mouth. Also some people may require this type of mask to give them more perceived freedom around the mouth and nose. Personally this one would not work for me, due to the fact that I cough quite a bit from asthma and allergies.

They all come with straps that will hold the mask to your head and keep it on while you move around at night. It is important to have these straps on tight enough to keep the mask in place as you move around, however you also do not want it so tight that it is uncomfortable. The first night I used my nasal pillow mask, I had it on too tight and my nose hurt in the morning. Since then I have loosened the straps and everything seems to work well now.

Adapting to Wearing a Mask

One friend of mine told me that it took him over a month to get used to wearing the mask and sleeping with it. Another told me it took him a couple of weeks. For me, the first night I wore the mask, I had a really great sleep. In fact it was the best sleep that I had in a long time. This was with the straps too tight and it has only got better since then. My adaptation is taking a much shorter time than my friends, but it really is a personal thing and which mask you end up using.

Personally wearing a mask that covers the entire face would take a longer time to adjust to for me than the nasal pillow mask. The nasal pillow mask is soft and conforms to the shape of my nose very easily. Try several until you find the one that works the best for you to provide you with a good nights sleep.

Resisting a CPAP device

Both of my friends as well as myself resisted even going for the sleep test. In fact it was only at the urging of our wives that we actually went for a test. In my case I also have asthma and the doctor told me that it was critical that I take the sleep test.  My oxygen level was low anyway with asthma and it only gets worse with sleep apnea. I was a strong candidate for both a heart attack as well as a stroke.

Talk to your friends or read some of the posts on this blog about CPAP machines. If you have any of the following you may want to talk to your doctor about having a sleep test:

• Snoring
• Gasping
• Stop breathing
• Tossing and turning
• Extreme Fatigue
• Always tired and never rested when you get up in the morning.

Tired All of the Time

Basically with sleep apnea, your sleep is interrupted all night long. I had a sleep disturbance on an average of 39 times and hour which is pretty high and I did not even realize it. I was tired all of the time and would fall asleep almost anywhere.

My friend would fall asleep at the wheel of his car. If you have any of these symptoms, it won’t hurt to have the sleep test and then you will know if you have sleep apnea. It is simple to do. Basically you sleep over at a sleep lab and they monitor you all night long with many probes to assess your quality of sleep and your oxygen level. These results will quickly tell you if you have sleep apnea or not. For more information about Sleep Apnea and CPAP issues, click here.

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CPAP Insurance Coverage varies a great deal based on were you live and also the insurance coverage that you may have. For example in Ontario, Canada if you are a resident with an OHIP card, the government will pay the first 75% of the cost of a CPAP device.

You are responsible for the remainder. However if you have health insurance through work or personally, you will be covered by the that plan. Usually up to 80% of the remaining cost. In other locations, some governments will cover some of the cost. But many provide no coverage at all. These devices in Canada cost around $1200 just to get started. Then every 6 months you are supposed to replace hoses and masks because they become dirty and they deteriorate. this happens even if you wash them every day which is what you are supposed to do.

CPAP Insurance Coverage – Basic Machines

It is difficult to know what is considered a basic machine. Were I live it includes the CPAP, the humidifier, the hoses and one mask for each person. In some localities they might not include the humidifier as part of the basic machine for the CPAP device. Before you make your purchase following doctors orders, it is a good idea to find out what is covered and what is not covered to make sure that you can afford all of the device components. Also do not let them sell you a bunch of stuff that you may or may not need until you have tried the machine for a while, otherwise you could end up spending more money than needed.

Humidifiers

Most people have told me that this is a must have. Otherwise your nasal passages and mouth are going to get really dry with so much air passing through.  You should use distilled water for the humidifier to avoid any contaminants getting into your lungs. Anyone with allergies or asthma will appreciate the importance of this suggestion.

You add water every day and you clean out the humidifier every day and allow it to dry in the open air. Other wise mold could develop and cause you some problems if breathed into your lungs. The humidifier is a must have and should be considered part of the basic plan.

Data Recording

Some of the better machines have a memory card in them which can be removed and read by your therapist. They use this information to determine of your treatment is sufficient and to monitor how you are using the machine. For me the more information that your therapist has the better.

Apparently it can also be read and sent by email to you or to your doctor as well for assessment. This can save time and avoid unnecessary visits to the doctor’s office.

Mask, hoses etc

the mask and hoses need to be replaced at regular intervals. They will deteriorate over time and also become contaminated with the oils from your skin. The instructions I received were that they should be replaced every six months or whenever something cracks.

A crack will allow air to exit from the system and decrease the therapy that you are receiving, so it is important to replace the hose or mask immediately to ensure that you continue to receive the required therapy.

The mask should be washed in mild soapy water everyday while the remaining components such as the hose and the straps should be washed once a week in warm soapy water. This process helps to not only keep them clean, it also prolongs the life of these parts and saves you money. This can make a big difference to your budget, if you have to pay for this device on your own.

Should You Proceed or Not

You might be thinking that the cost is high and it is not worth it. As a CPAP user. I cannot emphasize enough that getting a good nights sleep will be such a benefit to you that it is worth all of the money. Besides it might also prevent you from having a heart attack or a stroke which are common problems with people who have sleep apnea.

I have talked to many people about CPAP machines and as users of these devices, they all say without fail that it has changed their lives. They no longer snore, they get a good nights rest and they feel much better during the day. They can perform better at work and also during their leisure time.

If you have been prescribed one of these machines by your doctor, go and try it for a month. It might take that long to adapt to it. But you will likely not want to give it up after getting a great nights sleep. For more information about CPAP machines etc., click here.

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Well Bristol Palin made it through another night and two former winners went home last night that danced much better than she did. How does this happen? Why should talent not count for more? Clearly Bristol has not got what it takes to train and perform at a level that other contestants have. She is young and immature and has not had to really compete for anything in her life compared to the other contestants. There are very successful people competing with her that know how to work hard , to prepare and to go out and give it everything they have. Bristol simply is not in this category. So why is she still there and not even in the bottom two or three?

Voting Structure – and Bristol Palin

The answer is pretty simple really and it reflects on the way the voting system is set up. The judges are responsible for 50% of the vote and the voting public is responsible for the other 50%. Last night, Bristol Palin improved from the previous week, the judges indicated this and as a fan of DWTS, I would have to agree. They kept her at the lowest score, but they also rewarded her with a score that really was not too bad at all, 7.5 across the board for a total of 22.5! Although having the lowest score she did not even make it into the bottom two!

In order to get a lot of votes from the audience you must have a following and franking some of the folks that went home before her are not in the mainstream any longer and do not have a strong enough following to enable them to get the votes. They also scored better than Bristol, but not significantly better, being only a couple of points ahead of her and well behind the leaders who had 27.

Bristol Palin – You Need a Strong Following

Bristol Palin has a following, or rather her mother does. Her mother is a big fan obviously and she has stated several times that she is rallying her followers to get out there and vote for her daughter. And they do vote so much so that they keep her out of the bottom two every week so far. These people are not voting for excellence, they are not even voting for themselves. They appear to be mindlessly following what Bristol’s mother tells them to do. Sad but true and this is how you end up with what we have. The voting is working exactly the way it is supposed to.

Are the Judges Doing Their Job

The writer happens to think that the judges are not doing their job. Bristol’s performance was so far below that of the other performers that her score should have been much lower. With a greater separation, there might have been a better chance of her going home much earlier.

Will it Make a difference in Who Wins Dancing With the Stars

Will it make a difference in the long run? Probably not, Bristol will never measure up to the leaders and will go home eventually. The people who have gone home already would have also gone home before the leaders as well unless they significantly step up their game. So will it make a difference in who wins, probably not? But should she have gone home last night? We think so!

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One of the restaurants that we enjoyed while in Atlantic city was the Bungalow Restaurant on the boardwalk. The picture on the left shows the restaurant as seen from the boardwalk. This particular restaurant is probably not one of the best Atlantic city restaurants in the area, however we spent one warm September morning having breakfast at this restaurant and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Sitting under umbrellas on director chairs with white table clothes with excellent service is my idea of a nice breakfast outside with the beach in the distance and the boardwalk just outside the perimeter of the restaurant. The prices were quite reasonable. We paid $5.99 for breakfast which included two eggs, hash browns and bacon with toast. Coffee was a bit expensive at $3.00, however they did a good job of keeping our cups full of coffee.

Best Atlantic City Restaurants

The service was attentive, but not over powering. All in all, a definite place to have breakfast. We did not try any other meals there during the day, however we would expect similar service and quality. The Bungalow restaurant is located near the Tropicana Casino if you are looking for it. You cannot miss it, with the white tablecloths and umbrellas. They also have an inside area where you can also dine during inclement weather.

Other Atlantic City Restaurants

All of the casinos have a variety of restaurants ranging from fine dining to coffee shops. Prices will be a bit higher in these restaurants since this is one way the hotels make their money, however the portions are so large that the meals can be shared and you may still have food left over unless you are a really big eater.

For example we went to the SIX restaurant in Bally’s. For $29.99, you can have unlimited steak and crab legs, with pasta, salad and buns. We would have been satisfied with the crab legs, steak and salad; however the seafood pasta was over the top. They brought this bowl of pasta which really was enough for two people by itself. We focused on the steak and especially the crab legs since this was the reason we went there in the first place.

The crab legs were excellent, however they are not pre-cracked or split and this makes it more difficult to open them. We have been to other restaurants were the legs are already split and this totally enhances the removal of the crab meat. The steaks were ok, a bit overdone and thin, but tasty. Service was also quite acceptable. Although we enjoyed it very much, we probably would not go back due to the issue with the crab legs.

Additional Restaurants

Another restaurant we grabbed a quick dinner in was the Breadsticks restaurant in the Resort Casino. It is also located inside close to the boardwalk with windows looking out onto the boardwalk. We were not looking for a large meal and we ordered a corn chowder soup and salad. The waiter suggested that we split these items and he brought two small bowls of soup and two small plates of salad.

It was perfect for us and the soup was truly excellent. I recommend you try this soup anytime you visit the Resorts casino if it is on the menu. We ordered a seafood linguine to share as well and between the two of us could not finish it. This is a great way to save a bit of money and to keep from gaining weight as well while on vacation.

We also ate at the Resorts Hotel Buffet. The only bad thing about this was that we stood in line for 45 minutes before we were seated. The food was great, the crab legs were very good, but not split as we mentioned before. The restaurant was very crowded and noisy. We enjoyed it very much, but again probably would not go back, preferring to try some other location.

While these restaurants would not be considered some of the best Atlantic City restaurants, they did have great food and the prices were not too bad particularly if you can split the meals. Of course this cannot be done if you are dining in a buffet style of restaurant. Let us know if you have visited other restaurants in the area and what you thought of them. Watch a video of the boardwalk on YouTube, click here

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Sleep apnea treatment options vary, however the common one seems to be utilizing a CPAP machine to help keep the airways open. When the snoring gets so bad that your spouse says go to the other bedroom, or you wake up gasping for air, it just might be time to see your doctor about a sleep study.

I have just been prescribed one of these machines and I am learning a lot about sleep apnea and wanted to share it with other readers. Note that if you suspect that you have it, see your doctor.

What I have learned so far is that when you go to sleep, the muscles in your neck relax and sag to the back of your throat, blocking the airway to your lungs as shown in the picture. When this happens you stop breathing and carbon dioxide begins to build up in your blood stream until the brain realizes what is going on and causes a muscle spasm, waking you up and causing you to breathe. My respiratory therapist told me that I would not suffocate this way, because the brain goes into panic mode and will wake you up before you suffocate. That is the good news.

During this time when carbon dioxide is building up, your heart begins to race and your blood pressure can also become very high. This makes people with sleep apnea prone to heart attacks and also to strokes.  These issues can be very serious and actually make your life far worse than it already is due to lack of sleep. If you are experiencing these symptoms mentioned in preceding paragraphs, go see your doctor!

Sleep Apnea Treatment Options

I have read some information about operations that can be done, however there is no guarantee and the operation could damage your voice box. An operation is very invasive and not a decision that should be taken lightly. Most people associate sleep apnea with people who are overweight. However apparently slim people can also have sleep apnea and 4% of men have it along with 2% of women. Having an operation is not something I even thought about, preferring to follow my doctors suggestion and follow another option.

The other option is a CPAP machine which is not invasive at all. Although it looks cumbersome and most people will have to learn to adjust to it. But once you do most people will be very happy with it.

Basically it is a machine that pressurizes your airways and keeps then from collapsing. People stop snoring completely and they stop all signs of sleep apnea after a few weeks, provided that they wear the mask and use the CPAP machine properly. I can attest to this since my spouse told me that I have not snored since I started using the device. I am still adjusting to wearing the mask, but then that is to be expected.

Types of CPAP Masks

All of the masks require that you wear straps around your head to hold the mask in place and if you happen to be a mouth breather, you will need a chin strap as well. There basically 3 kinds of masks as I have come to understand it. There is the nasal pillow mask, the full nose mask and the full face mask.

The nasal pillow mask basically fits to your nostrils with an opening to each one. It is held in place by two straps and is very soft and form fitting to the nose. The first night mine was too tight and my nose was sore in the morning. Since then I have loosened it slightly and everything has been fine since.

The full nose mask covers your nose and creates a tight seal to the skin around your nose. It is also held in place by straps. For me it is a bit more cumbersome looking. Since I sneeze a lot, I decided that it was not for me. Not sure how the nasal pillow one will work when I sneeze. But I guess I will cross that bridge when we get to it.

The full face mask covers the nose area and the mouth. There are straps holding in place and is ideal for people who are uncomfortable with something close to their nose. It provides the option of breathing through your nose or your mouth and is ideal for mouth breathers. I cough a lot as well and this one did not appeal to me for that reason preferring to cough into the air rather than into the mask.

Summary

This is what I know so far about the masks. So far after five weeks I am comfortable with the nasal pillow mask. As a result I plan to stick with it for the time being unless something changes. My government insurance plan pays 75% of the cost. My personal insurance pays 80% of the rest, so the cost will not be too bad on a personal level. Replacement masks and hoses will be covered in the same manner as far as I know. More to come about CPAP machines and sleep apnea. For more information about sleep issues and sleep apnea, click here.

Can you believe it, Bristol Palin is still on Dancing with the Stars? She had the lowest points going into this session, week two of the 2012 season by a long shot and who gets booted off? Instead Joey Fatone and Kym Johnson were given the boot, much to our disgust.

Bristol cannot dance and worse, she is not even trying.  She does not seem to have the work ethic which is so symptomatic of many young people these days. So what is keeping her on the show. Well in our opinion it has to be the republican right. Also all of the young single mothers who are pulling for her. And then of course there are her mothers follower’s who must be voting for her.

Bristol’s Work Ethic

We predict that unless she changes her work ethic and picks up her style, the judges will give her an even lower score next time just to try to get her off.  the rest of the dancing crew are so far above her in skill and entertainment value that it is really embarrassing. Even the MC, Tom Bergeron does not know what to say. Everyone was shocked last night. If this continues like it did in the last Dancing with the Stars show she was on, other much more talented people are going to be going home before she does.

Let us know what you think about Bristol Palin being on the show and also what you think of her dancing. She has a long way to go before she catches up with the others on the show who have much more talent.

What About Mark Ballas

We also feel sorry for Mark Ballas. He is an extremely talented dancer with tremendous energy. To be stuck with someone who has stated she does not care that much about the show is bad enough. A person who apparently goes home early also must be very difficult to take. Fortunately for Bristol, he is a professional. He will keep plugging away at her to try to improve her dance skills. There are other people on the show younger than her and with far more energy and better work ethic. They are doing well and will be in the finals I am sure unless the voting really gets out of whack.

Vote for anyone but Bristol so that she goes home next week regardless of how she does so that the real competition can begin with the people who are working really hard on Dancing with the Stars. We need to see a real competition and not a popularity show that is really attributed to her republican mother. She probably is a really nice girl, but get with the program and start competing. Work hard and at least try to improve!

That is our take on last nights elimination with Dancing with the Stars.

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There are many dangers of not getting enough sleep for people who cannot get enough sleep due to their jobs, health issues and possibly bad habits that develop over time in our daily lives. For example having a coffee within a couple of hours before you go to bed can keep a lot of people up for hours or even cause them to wake up during the night as their bodies process the caffeine in the coffee. There are many reasons regarding why people do not get enough sleep, however we will focus on some of the dangers associated with sleep deprivation and then review some of the steps you can take to try to get better sleep.

Symptoms and / Or Causes of not Getting enough sleep

The dangers of not getting enough sleep can involve the following which we will expand on further:

• Fatigue
• Pain
• Depression
• Weight Gain
• Heart Disease
• Death

Fatigue

Chronic fatigue can affect us in many different ways. We are obviously not as alert as we should be which makes us prone to having more accidents of all kinds including while driving a car, working at physical jobs and just not being alert when we cross the street for example.

Our bodies also suffer. In fact every organ in our body will be impacted by lack of sleep which if allowed to go on for a long time can also have very negative effects on our overall health. When we are sick we will be sicker, even cancers can advance more quickly when our bodies are too tired to fight diseases of all kinds.

Pain

Even pain from things like arthritis, cuts, broken bones, etc will feel far worse when we are tired. Our ability to deal with the pain is impaired and we just do not have the patience as well.

Depression

People can become very depressed as well. If you are prone to depression, fatigue and lack of sleep will only make this worse.

Weight Gain

We tend to eat more when we are tired. Our bodies crave energy to make up for the lack of sleep and tired feeling. We eat more and we gain weight as well more so when we are tired  all of the time we gain weight.

Heart Disease

The risk of heart disease goes up as well due to our bodies being under stress due to lack of sleep. If you have underlying heart disease from other issues, this can only make it worse.

Death

Chronic lack of sleep can trigger events in your body that might not otherwise occur. Heart attacks, strokes etc can be triggered by chronic fatigue and lack of sleep.

How to get More Sleep

We just watched a short documentary on getting enough sleep and what the impacts can be if you do not get enough sleep. They suggested that the short list of steps to take to help ensure that you get a good sleep every night is as follows:

• Go to bed at the same time every day
• Get up at the same time every day, including weekends
• Limit alcohol to no more than 3 drinks two hours before you go to bed
• Limit exercise  to greater than 4 hours before you go to bed
• Try to keep the same routine

If you sleep in on the weekends, after two days, your body adjusts and expects to sleep in on Monday. This is probably why Mondays are always so hard and difficult for people. Their bodies are expecting to sleep in, but cannot because they have to get up earlier and go to work. They begin the work week feeling tired and fatigued and not totally alert.

The dangers of not getting enough sleep  can be decreased by sticking to a routine. Avoid any kind of stimulants and also depressant such as alcohol. If these steps do not work, then there could be some other underlying health issue. It could be preventing people from getting a good nights sleep. For example in older people above the age of 45, sleep apnea can be a major cause of not getting enough sleep which contributes to fatigue and other health issues.

If you have tried all of the above and you are still not getting enough sleep it may be wise to check in with your family doctor to asses any other reasons that might be preventing you from sleeping. For more information about the dangers of not getting enough sleep, click here.

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I just got equipped with a CPAP machine and it is also already set up for travel as well. The model I have is shown in the picture and have been using it for 6 weeks now. I am so happy with this CPAP machine that I will travel every where with it. Sure it is another piece of luggage to carry and you must also use distilled water with the humidifier. But it is well worth the hassle to get a good nights sleep. There are some things you can do to make your CPAP for travel more convenient and easy to accommodate. Diet and sleep are linked very closely.

You might wonder why we are including posts about CPAP machines on a diet web site. Well it turns out that if you do not get a slot of sleep then you start to eat more to give you that energy boost during the day when you are fatigued and just need that pick me up. Also when you are tired, you also rest more and do a lot less. Your metabolism declines and next thing you know the pounds are just rolling on. One of the reasons for being so tired is sleep apnea. There are many reasons for tiredness. So regardless of what you do, talk to your doctor and if he thinks you need a sleep test, then do it.

CPAP for Travel by Car and lack of Sleep

CPAP machines are often prescribed for people who have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is described many different ways, but for me who also has sleep apnea, it meant that I would snore really badly, I would stop breathing for awhile until my brain went into panic mode and woke me up. Then I would gasp or snort making it really difficult for anyone sleeping with me or even in the next room.

Another side effect is that you are always very tired. In fact after my sleep study, I was informed that I had a sleep disturbance 39 times on average every hour during the night. How can you ever get a good sleep under those conditions? Well when it came to driving, I would frequently have to pull over and take a nap or get out and walk around until I was re-energized enough to continue driving. This was the result of extreme fatigue from not sleeping enough and not soundly enough. I never even got to the point of dreaming.

This was dangerous since falling asleep at the wheel was a constant worry. But it turns out that I was not as bad as my friend. He apparently has sleep apnea far worse than I do. This guy would fall asleep at the wheel on a regular basis. He would even fall asleep at stop lights and his wife would have to wake him up when the light turned green! Hard to believe, but it is a true story. Now that he has a CPAP machine, he rarely falls asleep at the wheel. Or even during the day any more. CPAP for travel is one of the best things that you bring with you.

Traveling Over Night with your CPAP Machine

As you can see from the picture this particular machine comes with a handy travel case which is easy to pack up and carry. My friend takes him with him wherever he goes. If he happens to forget it for a night, he knows that he is trouble and will have a very difficult time driving.

Most machines have a humidifier built in. Humidity makes it much more comfortable for patients since it keeps your nasal passages open and moisten. If you happen to be a mouth breather it is even more important since your mouth will become extremely dry and uncomfortable. You are supposed to only use distilled water in these machines to prevent calcium build up and other impurities that might be in your tap water from getting into your lungs.

Traveling by Plane

Traveling by plane these days with any kind of liquid is a problem. You can travel with your CPAP machine. However most people should be prepared to purchase distilled water at their final destination to fill their CPAP device. Once you get used to sleeping at night, having a full nights rest and getting used to the machine itself, most people will never be without their machines.

The noise of the CPAP device is very low. In fact it is much lower than even the noise from a small fan set a low speed. Patients will take some time to get used to wearing the mask. Which may take a week or as along as month depending on how adaptable they are. But once you become comfortable with wearing the mask, we are sure you never will be without one of these devices.

I have one now for the past 6 weeks and I am already convinced that I will travel everywhere with it to avoid losing sleep, not to mention other possible side effects such as heart attacks and strokes. If you have been prescribed a machine, don’t hesitate, get one right away. You will be so happy with getting a good nights sleep! If you need more information about CPAP for travel or CPAP in general, click here.

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Continuous Positive Airflow Pressure or  CPAP for short are small quite machines that significantly improve a persons quality of life. Apparently 4% of men and 2% of women have sleep apnea. They all can benefit from using a CPAP machine.

The picture on the left is a typical machine that comes as two separate units. It contains the CPAP or Continuous Positive Airflow Pressure machine. There is also an attachment that provides humidity to the air as it passes through the machine.

Humidity is very important from a comfort perspective. What it does is adds water vapor to the air as it passes through the machine and into your airways. This water vapor prevents your nasal passages and your mouth from becoming extremely dry during the night. I use a CPAP machine and strongly recommend the humidifier model for your personal comfort. Every night, distilled water should be added to the reservoir. In the morning it should be rinsed out and cleaned. Then left to dry during the day to prevent any possibility of mold developing in the reservoir or in the tubing. Mold is ugly looking. But if you have allergies to mold, then you will want to really make sure the unit is clean. Make sure that no mold is allowed to grow in this environment.

How Does a Continuous Positive Airflow Pressure CPAP Work

And why do you need one in the first place? First of all I am not a doctor, but I am a user of one of these machines and cannot say enough positive things about it. So after reading this material, check with your doctor to see if you even need a CPAP machine. The only way to properly know if you need one is to have a sleep study completed and then the results will quickly tell the doctor what is required.

In my case, I snored very loudly, I stopped breathing and I gasped. I was also very tired almost all of the time because I was not getting enough sleep. In fact my sleep was being disturbed an average of 39 times an hour during my sleep study which lasted all night.

Adding Air Pressure

The Continuous Positive Airflow Pressure machine works by adding air pressure to your airways, which opens them up allowing air to easily pass through them. But more important at the back of your neck, the flesh around the airway relaxes and closes the airway while you are sleeping causing you to stop breathing until the CO2 levels build up in your body and causes the brain to issue a panic mode command causing you to move and begin breathing.  With a CPAP machine, this airway does not collapse and you will continue breathing easily all night.

In addition, I also have asthma and my nasal passages are always a bit swollen. The positive air pressure causes my airways to expand like a low pressure balloon and I can actually take a full breathe easily. For those people who always breathe easy,  try breathing through a straw all of the time and then breath normally and you will get the picture. It makes a huge difference in comfort as well as my sleep!

Keep the CPAP Clean

One of the most important things you can do is keep your Continuous Positive Airflow Pressure machine clean, especially the mask and the hoses. Oils from your skin will build up on the mask or nasal pillows if you are using nasal pillows. Not only is this yucky it also causes the plastic to deteriorate over time as well. I have only had mine for 2 weeks, but apparently they only last about 6 months if you take good care of the mask and the hoses.

Also mold can build up in the mask and the hoses if you do not wash them every week with mild soap and water. If you are allergic to mold, this can be a significant additional problem to avoid.

Reluctance of Patients to Use a CPAP

I have talked to five or six people about CPAP. They were all reluctant to use one of these machines, including myself. However they all tell me as well, that once they started using the machine, they were so happy with the benefits, that will never stop using the machine, even when they travel. My friend takes his CPAP every where he goes on business trips and vacation.

It can take a little time to get used to wearing the machine. There is some discomfort with having this thing on your head and the hose that goes with it. But after a couple of weeks of use, you will quickly find that when you do not wear it, you are so tired etc, that you wonder why you resisted. Your partner will appreciate it from the beginning. NO MORE SNORING! That’s right you stop snoring whenever it is on which most partners really appreciate. The machine is very quiet and causes no more noise that a small fan at low speed!

If you think you might need one of these machines, check with your doctor today and have a sleep study completed. For more information about CPAP machines, click here.

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An Irish story is always fun to read and we thought this one would be interesting to many people, so we included it on our blog.  It is not based on real people, just something we heard from a friend and we thought our readers would enjoy it.  The email it arrive in claimed that it was based on a true story, but who really knows. These kinds of stories become urban legends that get embellished over time and just get better and better over time. People telling the story love to embellish the story so that it sounds better when it is being told. Sometimes there is an element of truth to the story, but most of it is so embellished that it does not compare to what really happened in the first place.  Hope you enjoy this one:

This story happened a while ago in Dublin , and even though it sounds like an Alfred Hitchcock tale, it is apparently true. You be the judge of whether you think this story is true or not. Whether it is true or not, it is fun to read and imagine the looks on everyone’s faces if it were a true story.

An Irish Story

John Bradford, a Dublin University student, was on the side of the road hitchhiking on a very dark night and in the midst of a big storm.

The night was rolling on and no car went by. The storm was so strong he could hardly see a few feet ahead of him.

A Ride in the Storm

Suddenly, he saw a car slowly coming towards him and stopped.

John, desperate for shelter and without thinking about it, got into the car and closed the door…. Only to realize there was nobody behind the wheel and the engine wasn’t on. The car started moving slowly. John looked at the road ahead and saw a curve approaching. Scared, he started to pray, begging for his life. Then, just before the car hit the curve, a hand appeared out of nowhere through the window, and turned the wheel. John, paralyzed with terror, watched as the hand came through the window, but never touched or harmed him.

Rescued From Driver less Car

Shortly thereafter, John saw the lights of a pub appear down the road, so, gathering strength; he jumped out of the car and ran to it. Wet and out of breath, he rushed inside and started telling everybody about the horrible experience he had just had.

A silence enveloped the pub when everybody realized he was crying… And wasn’t drunk.

Feeling Foolish

Suddenly, the door opened, and two other people walked in from the dark and stormy night. They, like John, were also soaked and out of breath. Looking around, and seeing John Bradford sobbing at the bar, one said to the other….

Look Paddy….there’s that fooking idiot that got in the car while we were pushing it!!!!’

Well you can draw your own conclusions about whether this story is true or not. It is hard to believe that someone would be this foolish, but then you never know about people and how observant they are. Some just do not have any clue at all and could easily fall into this kind of situation. They get caught up in the moment and do not really think about their situation. Next thing you know they have fallen for a joke of some kind. There are lots of shows on TV that do this sort of thing all of the time and consumers fall for whatever situation is being portrayed. LOL

More posts about Dublin and Belfast, click here.

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We just got back from Atlantic city and with a couple of exceptions really enjoyed our stay in the area. We decided to stay at the Showboat casino, which is right on the Atlantic city boardwalk with full access to the beach and all of the other hotels and casinos. For those of you who have never been to the Atlantic city area the attractions include: Seven miles of boardwalk with a combination of shops, restaurants, casinos and homes; miles of sandy beach with lots of sand bars to wade out on; bars on the beach beside the boardwalk; bike riding on the boardwalk, and for us beautiful weather!

We will discuss each of these in a bit more detail, and we will provide a link to a YouTube video that we shot which really shows how large the beach and the boardwalk really is. Unfortunately Atlantic city is going through some tough times right now due to government overspending and imposing taxes and tolls on visitors. They also have a lot of competition from casinos in other states.

Atlantic City Outlets

If you like to shop, Atlantic city has seen a huge change in this environment. For many years it really was not even safe to leave the boardwalk and go into the downtown area. Now if you head down Michigan Ave, which is just beside Bally’s Casino, past the hospital for 3 blocks, you have over 250 outlet shops, McDonalds, Starbucks and Subway to choose from. This is upscale, safe and the deals are there just like any other major outlet mall and it is in easy walking distance of the Atlantic City Boardwalk.

Atlantic City Boardwalk

The picture we have at the top left of this post shows a section of the boardwalk early in the morning. We took this picture when there were not many people around. It stretches for approximately seven miles and it is all in good condition, safe for bike riding which you can do from 6:30 am to 10:30am every day. After 10:30am it just gets too crowded with people. On the right of the picture is the beach which we show in another picture in the next section. Watch a video of the boardwalk on YouTube, click here

The Beach

This is one of the most beautiful sandy beaches anywhere. Miles and miles of sand with a large area between the sand dunes and the water to catch the sun’s rays. The picture we took was near the time when the low tide was at its maximum so the beach area was almost doubled. People were just coming out to suntan, stroll along the water and look for rings etc with metal detectors. We spent a very enjoyable two hours just strolling along the water’s edge taking in the sights, sounds and the smell of the ocean.

The Atlantic City Casinos

As we mentioned we were staying at the Showboat Casino hotel. It is located at the north end of the boardwalk, beside the Taj Mahal and the new Revel Casino which just opened in April 2012. We have stayed there before and enjoy this hotel, however next time we will stay at Bally’s or Caesars which are in the middle of the casino action and closer to the outlet shop area. You can walk from the Showboat to the outlets , however it is a long walk and some people might find it just too far. Here is a list of the casinos in Atlantic City that we are aware of (some of these are now closed or going through bankruptcy hearings):

• Atlantic Club Casino
• Bally’s
• Borgata
• Caesars
• Golden Nugget
• Harrahs
• Resorts
• Revel
• Tropicana
• Trump plaza
• Trump Taj Mahal

All but the Borgata, Harrahs and the Golden Nugget are on the boardwalk. There are shuttles to these hotels to and from the boardwalk. If you plan to go to Atlantic City to gamble, sign up for a slot card and use it while you are there. You may receive future comp’s for rooms and meals which makes it a much less expensive vacation.

What Do We like About Atlantic City

The boardwalk is our favorite along with the beach areas. We really enjoy strolling along the boardwalk and also renting bikes to ride the boardwalk in the morning. We play the slots a bit and obviously try different restaurants, but we spend the majority of our time strolling along the boardwalk, taking in the sights and sounds and people watching.

What We Do Not Like About Atlantic City

Well it is the tax grab that the state applies to people coming to and staying in Atlantic City. We spend ten or fifteen dollars alone on tolls just getting there by car. Then we had to pay five dollars to park our car at any of the casino parking garages. We had to pay thirteen dollars a day in state taxes for each night we stayed at the hotel.

Now if that is not a rip off of tourists, I do not know what is. We would probably go back to Atlantic City every year if it was not for those taxes. There are just so many other places to go, why would you go to some place were you are taken advantage of by all of these taxes?

For more details about Atlantic city, click here.

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Your CPAP machine comes with a CPAP travel bag which for some people is a life saver. I just spoke to my neighbor about it. As it turns out he has a CPAP machine similar to the one that I have and he takes it everywhere with him.

Now there is no problem missing your machine for one night for many people. However that is one night you do not get a good nights sleep. That is why my neighbor travels with his CPAP machine all of the time.

CPAP Travel Bag

Depending on the system that you purchase, there will be various bags provided. I have the one on the left in the picture. It holds everything I need, including the machine , the power supply, the hoses and of course the mask. Some people will go with a full mask, however I am using a nasal pillow type of mask which fits over your nose with straps that go over your head to hold it in place. Every thing fits inside the bag and it has a handy carrying strap as well to fit over your shoulder for easy transport.

Sleeping Well While You Travel

Do you remember what you felt like prior to getting a CPAP machine. You may recall how tired you were all of the time and how tired your partner probably was. Personally I would fall asleep every afternoon because I was so tired. This really created a problem when I was traveling on a driving trip. I would have to pull over multiple times during the day to take a nap, because I was so tired. Now with my CPAP machine, I am getting a full eight hours of sleep every night and I am no longer needing that nap during the day!

Driving is much easier as well. I do not get that drowsy feeling settling over me at various times of the day due to fatigue.  As a result, I always will be traveling with my CPAP travel bag and CPAP system.  It only takes a few minutes to set up and presto, you are off to sleep. I cannot believe how well I now sleep with the CPAP machine.

CPAP Mask

Personally I use a nasal pillow type of mask. If you look at the previous post,  CPAP Mask Nasal Pillows, you can see a picture of this type of mask. It is soft and fits comfortably to my nose and is held in place by the straps that go around your head. It is a very small unit and takes little room inside the travel bag.

For me, I much prefer this type of mask compared to the one that covers your nose and mouth. Personally I would find that too restrictive, but it really is a personal preference as to which one you use. A friend of mine is a mouth breather and he requires a full face mask to cover his mouth and nose when he is running the CPAP machine.

Why Should You Consider a CPAP Machine

If you snore loudly, if you stop breathing, or gasp for air, then you probably need a CPAP machine. I did all of those things and was very surprised to learn that my sleep was interrupted on average 39 times an hour. The only way to really tell if you need one of these machines is to arrange with your doctor for a sleep study assessment to determine if you need it and what pressure that you are required to set the machine at.

One night’s sleep test could significantly improve your quality of life and it could also save your life. Apparently people with sleep apnea suffer heart attacks and strokes much more often than people who do not have sleep apnea. If you also have asthma, then there is a a significant increase in those probabilities.  My doctor did not hesitate at all to schedule a sleep apnea test once she correlated asthma with snoring and gasping.

Results of Using MY CPAP Machine

I have only used my CPAP machine for 2 weeks at the time of writing this post, however I can already say that it has made a huge difference in my quality of life. I am sleeping better and longer and my asthma has not bothered me at all. Still it is only 2 weeks, so will need to wait longer to really see all of the benefits, but I would say to anyone reading this post that you should see your doctor right away and get a CPAP machine immediately if you are diagnosed with Sleep Apnea.

The improvement in quality of life is phenomenal and I now feel a lot more rested. In fact I will make sure that I always carry my CPAP in my CPAP travel bag where ever I go. It is just too important in my life. I actually love to go to bed now for a good nights sleep! For more information about CPAP machines, masks and travel considerations, click here.

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If you snore a lot, stop breathing during your sleep, snort or gasp while sleeping or feel really tired during the day, then there is a chance that you have sleep apnea. I now have a CPAP machine and chose the CPAP Mask Nasal pillows approach. Which has worked out very well for me over the past year.

I had just been diagnosed with sleep apnea and wanted to share what I have learned about this health problem with other people who might have the same problem. I had all of the above symptoms and my wife would routinely poke me in the middle of the night when I would stop snoring, because she knew that I had stopped breathing. Sounds pretty severe and it turns out that it was. I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea after having completing a sleep test at a local hospital.

If you have any doubts about this at all, get a doctors opinion as to whether you should go for a sleep test. It could save your life and also improve your quality of life significantly. Turns out that sleep apnea patients are prime candidates for heart attacks and strokes as well as other problems. Don’t fool around get that sleep test today.

CPAP Mask Nasal Pillows

I will talk about my sleep test and diagnosis in future posts, however I wanted to discuss the nasal pillows which is what I have opted for. The picture above shows what the mask looks like. It actually is not really a CPAP mask. Instead it is a small device that fits on the front of your nose with two outlets, one for each nostril. they are soft and flexible and fit comfortably on the front of your nose.

The entire nasal pillows are held in place with straps that go around your head to hold it in place. A hose connects the CPAP machine with the nasal pillows. I found the first night I had the straps too tight and it hurt my nose a bit. After loosening the straps I settled into a comfortable position as far as the straps were concerned.

There is a bit of getting used to having this contraption strapped to your head. However for me, right from the first night I had a better sleep than I have had in years. My wife tells me that I do not snore at all, which she likes very much. There is no gasping at all or snorting and I can breath really well.

I have used the CPAP mask now for 10 days and although I am still adjusting to using a CPAP every night, I find that I am really comfortable with the mask, the hose and the machine. I am sleeping the best I have done in years and feel much more rested than ever before.

New CPAP Machines are Quiet

One of the things we were concerned about is whether the CPAP machine would be noisy and keep my wife awake at night. We usually have a fan running in our bedroom at night to keep the air moving to provide some circulation.  Turns out that the CPAP machine is quieter than the fan. In fact it is so quiet that we barely hear it even when the fan is turned off.

Today’s CPAP machines are very quiet and comfortable. They also come with humidifiers to keep your mouth and nose hydrated as well. They have a little chip that records a lot of information about your sleeping habits, how well you are doing from a sleep apnea perspective and much more. We will talk about this in future posts, but it is safe to say that I am amazed at how much information they can learn about how well you are doing relative to how well you are sleeping.

Monitoring by Your Therapist

It is important to stay in touch with your sleep therapist who will adjust the pressure to match your condition properly. They will also discuss the nasal pillow approach vs. a full mask which are necessary for some people. I choose the nasal pillows, because I did not want to have a mask and it turns out that for me the nasal pillows are working out very well.

Some people will need a full mask because they breath through their mouths from time to time or they are uncomfortable with the nasal pillows. It is all about comfort so select something that works well for you and that is comfortable. Some people will apparently require a chin strap to help them keep their mouths closed while using the nasal pillows. So far I have not had to go to this approach, since I generally keep my nose closed.

Weight Is not an Issue

I wanted to end this post by saying that weight does not seem to be an issue. I am told that people who are thin can have problems with sleep apnea, however if you are overweight there is a higher probability that you will have problems with snoring and sleep apnea. Your throat and nasal passages will be that much thicker which can cause snoring.

Please do not hesitate. If you have a sleep apnea problem, see your doctor and have a sleep study completed to see if you have a problem. You could have avoid a stroke or heart attack! For more information about sleep issues, click here.

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We always enjoy going to Ruby’s Diner Palm Springs. This is an old fashion diner with the chrome tables and red leather seats that you used to see back in the ’50s. They even have a small model train, actually, two of them running on separate tracks suspended from the ceiling.

Breakfast is a bottomless cup of coffee and there are many fantastic breakfast meals available. In fact, the meals are often so large that my wife and I will split a meal. I sometimes will order some side dishes to go along with the main meal, but rest assured there is ample food on one plate for two people on most meals.

Ruby’s Diner Palm Springs

We get to save money and we get to manage our waistlines as well by splitting a meal. We talk to a lot of couples throughout our travels and find that many people are doing just that. Ordering one meal and splitting it because of the amount of food they serve. The restaurants do not seem to mind. They are happy to get your business and even will bring an extra plate, sometimes with the meal already split for you. Ruby’s Diner is one of those and if you receive great service like that, make sure you leave a decent tip for the waiter. He or she was thoughtful enough to split it for you so it makes sense to tip them properly.

The Food at Ruby’s Diner Palm Springs

The food they serve is classed as American fast food, with hamburgers,  and many other menu items. They serve breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late takeout. We love going there for breakfast and they have a huge menu. Traditional eggs any way you want them, pancakes,  fruit meals, cereal, toast, and bagels. There are lots to chose from and they also provide various combinations of the above. If you cannot find something good to eat at Ruby’s we would be very surprised.

What do Other People Think about Ruby’s Diner

We are obviously very satisfied with Ruby’s, but we were wondering what other people seemed to think about Ruby’s so check on some of the various agencies that provide review ratings and also on Ruby’s site as well. What we found was no surprise. The majority of people going to Ruby’s had great things to say about the food, the service, and the overall experience. We saw a couple of comments from people who received poor service. This is to be expected from time to time. But when over 90% of your ratings are excellent or very good, we can see that they are obviously doing something right.

It Can be Hot in Palm Springs

The sun hits the outside area of Ruby’s Diner in the mornings, so it can get a little hot unless you sit under an umbrella or around the side where you are in the shade. Most mornings in Palm Springs are more than comfortable enough to sit outside and enjoy the scenery. Occasionally it will be cool enough that you need to move inside in the winter months.

When the summer months arrive, actually even in April, sometimes the temperatures require misters to be started. The Picture above shows the misters running on both patios to keep you cool. If you have never experienced this, you should know that it really makes a difference and will keep you cool in the hot temperature weather.

The location of Ruby’s is Perfect

Ruby’s Diner is located at 155 S Palm Canyon Dr, in Palm Spring, California. They are right in the middle of the main street of Palm Springs with ample free parking in the back. You can sit on one of their patios, have dinner and also watch the people strolling by along the sidewalk. On Thursdays, there is the Palm Springs street fair and this is an excellent location to watch the thousands of people strolling along looking at the many vendor’s products available in their booths.

We are great fans of Palm Springs and think that it is one of the best places to spend the winter. There are many snowbirds who spend their winters there from January through to the end of April. The busiest times are February and March. After March 31, it gets warmer and there are fewer people around.

We particularly like the April time period. There are fewer crowds and line ups, less traffic and it is a chance to get to mingle with some of the locals instead of the snowbirds from all over the US and Canada. Either way, breakfast or dinner at Ruby’s is a great deal, good food, inexpensive and great service. We recommend that you try it.

For more information about the Palm Springs area, click here.

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A previous post talked about joining Goodlife Gyms and how important it was to go with a partner and just get out their and do it.  Well I wanted to spend a bit more time on my chosen exercise training program to give people a feel for what is possible for pretty much everyone.

Exercise Training Program – My Goals

Your trainer will start off by trying to ascertain your goals or reasons for joining the gym. You may want to build muscle, improve your cardio, or strengthen your respiratory systems. In my case my goals or preferences were ; 1) improve my respiratory system ; 2  Improve my endurance and cardio and 3) lose 20 pounds.

Now if I do not lose the weight, but have a lot more stamina and respiratory functions in 3 months time, I will feel that I have succeeded. You always must have goals so that you can focus your training program accordingly. This is a starting place and it is expected that you will improve over time. Do more rep’s, go faster, lift heavier weights and in general improve.

Broad Exercise Training Program

In my case, I am doing a 40 minute cardio exercise training program to start with. My warm up is part of this 40 minute cardio program. Basically my plan is to do 20 minutes on the treadmill while keeping my heart rate in the 70% zone for my age and then do another 20 minutes on the stair master machine.  Then I am focusing on some muscle toning and development which involves the arms and shoulders as one group , the torso as another area and finally the legs as another basic group to focus on.

Let’s get Down to the Details of My Training Program

• Each day do 40 minutes of warmup and cardio
• Day 1 should include chin ups and push ups along with sit ups to work the arms and the torso along with the circuit of 9 machines that focus on the upper body.
• Day 2 should include squats, lunges and more chin ups or sit ups along with the circuit of 9 machines that focus on the lower body.
• In addition, the number of reps should be in groups of 3, with 8 reps each time. By number eight you should be just able to complete the last rep before your muscles give out. Take a rest and then repeat the 8 reps 2 more times.
• Allow your muscles to recover from the strain by alternating between upper body and lower body.
• Lastly only add weights when you find yourself doing 10 or more reps easily.

This is a pretty good program if I can keep it up. It should take about an hour each time, not including travel time. Also in my case I should only be exercising no more than 4 or 5 times a week so that my body has time to recover.

As I get stronger, I will do one or more of the following:

• Increase the speed of the treadmill
• Increase the speed of the stair master
• Add more weight and continue with the same number of reps

For exercises such as push ups, sit ups, etc, doing more reps is the only answer in this case. Hope this helps our readers. Don’t forget to tailor your program to you body conditioning level and follow your trainers suggestions.

Can I stay With the Program

This is really the tough part. I have outlined a pretty good program for me personally. But the real test is whether I can stay with this program. I was pretty good up until the end of June of this year and then fell off the wagon so to speak. I caught a bit of a cold which developed into a bad asthma attack and pretty soon I had broken the habit of going every 2nd day to the gym. After two months I am not going at all which is not a good thing. As i sit here and write this post, my wife and I have decided that as of Sept 1st, we are going to restart our exercise program and go every 2nd day.

It has not been a total loss however. I recovered from the asthma attack in mid July. Then I began a lot of the outside work around the home that I do every year. I do not believe in hiring someone to do the work. I can do all of the landscaping myself just as well as the experts and I get some great exercise as well from doing it. Cutting the lawn, trimming trees, planting shrubs and the big project building a fence.

But as of Sept 1st, all of the major work will be done and it is time to go back to the gym and renew my exercise training program. I will let you know how it goes on a future post. For more information about exercise and how good it is for you, click here.

We stayed at the Aquarius Casino in Laughlin, Nevada again this spring for four days. The picture on the left shows the Aquarius in the far distance. There is another hotel shown here on the right, both are on the Colorado River. This particular picture was taken along Casino Drive. We really enjoy staying in Laughlin for a couple of days every year.

We always stay here for free, the meals are very good at the buffet and we enjoy the free drinks as well. There is a Starbucks in the casino, however, you do not get to enjoy the benefits of having a Starbucks membership at this location i.e free refills. Instead, you need to pay 50 cents for a refill which is not too bad, but still, this is one of the few areas the casino does not offer a good deal.

Aquarius Hotel Casino

We enjoy getting a coffee in the morning and then heading out to the river. There is a nice area to sit, watch the boats on the river, enjoy the sun, and just relax. There is also a sidewalk that runs along all of the casinos except for Harrahs at the far south end. It is a nice walk any time of the day with lots to look at.

We particularly like the contrast of the mountains in the distance, the desert, and the rolling Colorado River. The river in this area is fast and cold and swimming anywhere along this stretch is definitely not recommended. We have seen some people swimming on the Arizona side along a shallow stretch, however, the current is very strong and you need to be very careful.

Location of Laughlin, Nevada

Laughlin is in Nevada and on the border with Arizona, Cross the river and you are in Arizona and also in a different time zone as well.  Laughlin is 90 miles from Las Vegas and roughly 60 miles from Searchlight, Nevada. We headed on to Las Vegas for two nights at the Wynn hotel and then on to Palm Springs after that. We spent 2 months in Palm Springs this spring which was delightful and we will write more posts about our time there as well. For more posts about Laughlin Nevada, click here.

The picture on the right is also of the Aquarius showing one of the towers. There are two towers and they often place families with children or large groups in the north tower, leaving the other tower for couples without kids. This is a great way to make sure that one group does not bother the other since they are there in Laughlin Nevada for different reasons altogether. Some are there for gambling, others for the pool and boating and many just to get a weekend away.

Restaurants at the Aquarius

There are a number of restaurants that you can enjoy while at the Aquarius. We have already mentioned Starbucks. Besides, it is a Subway which is really great for an inexpensive nutritious meal. We often buy a sub and eat in Starbucks. There is also a Panda, which is another fast food location with seating where you can look over the casino.

There is a full restaurant run by the casino and then of course there is the buffet with huge floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto the Colorado river. This is a good deal, yu receive discounts with your slot card and it includes unlimited beer and wine. Finally, there is the Outback Restaurant. We have yet to eat there, but it seems to be very popular.

RV Parking

There is a large parking lot just north of the north tower that is usually full of RVs. There are no services and we are not sure if it is owned by the Aquarius or owned by the casino next door.  These folks pull in and set up, using their generators for power and their satellite dishes to pull in TV signals. We have actually spoken to a number of people in Starbucks who stay in RVs. They love the lifestyle and they use the hotel washroom as needed and eat at the restaurants.

Parking at the Aquarius

There is ample parking in front of the casino which you can also see in this picture. There is also a parking garage with at least 6 floors for parking. It is patrolled on a regular basis as well. We have always found everything to be very safe at the Aquarius hotel.

For more information about the Aquarius Casino and Laughlin in general, click here.

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Is drinking lots of water good for you? We recently saw this following note in an email and decided to include it on this blog as a post. Turns out that drinking water is good for you, it is even better if you drink water a certain times of the day as well.  As with everything, do it in moderation, however you can obtain improved efficiency for your mind and body, by drinking water, in this case, at certain times of the day. We can optimize our performance by paying attention to these issues and make us more competitive too! This is one of the reasons, why should we drink water and regular amounts of it.

We do not know if it is true or not, however it does make a lot of sense. I like water even better than drinking a can of cold pop. It is far more refreshing and a lot less calories as well. Turns out it is much better for your body  as well.

Why Should We Drink Water

Here is his advice.

A doctor was asked why do we and other people urinate so much at night time.

Answer from this cardiac doctor was gravity holds water in the lower part of your body when you are upright. When you lie down and the lower body (legs and other things) seeks level with the kidneys it is then that the kidneys remove the water because it is easier. This then ties in with the last statement!

You need your minimum water to help flush the toxins out of your body!

Correct time to drink water… Very Important. From A Cardiac Specialist!

These are added reasons to answer the question, why should we drink water. Drinking water at a certain time maximizes its effectiveness on the body:

2 glasses of water after waking up – helps activate internal organs

1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal – helps digestion

1 glass of water before taking a bath – helps lower blood pressure

Also 1 glass of water before going to bed – avoids stroke or heart attack

The physician said that water at bed time will also help prevent night time leg cramps. Your leg muscles are seeking hydration when they cramp and wake you up with a Charlie Horse.

Drinking Before Bedtime

Well I am not sure about that last one. Drinking a glass of water before you go to bed, also means that you have to get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night if your bladder is full as a result. For middle aged guys and older this can be a real problem since our bladders shrink and we have to get up a lot more often to go to the bathroom.  Which is worse, the leg cramps or getting up 2 or 3 times to go to the bathroom.  Just getting up might cause a heart attack!

Since I added this original post I came across another comment that suggested that we wake up for a variety of reasons during the night. It might be a bad dream, it might be something our partner did, it might be from snoring or a some other issue. Regardless as soon as the mind realizes that you are awake, it sends us the message that it is time to void and we get this full feeling in our bladders. Time to go to the bathroom regardless of what time it is. When I do not wake up in the middle of the night, I find I have a very full bladder. If you are getting up a lot during the night, it might be from some other related problem which you need to deal with.

For more information about general health issues, click here.

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We have been to Borrego Springs in California several times on day trips and have enjoyed every visit. We stay in Palm Springs and drive south along I10 until you come to Cal 86. Take this highway and stay on it until you come to Borrego Salton Seaway. Turn on to this road, you will see the signs. The scenery is truly fantastic with lots of spots to stop along the way. Observe the huge vista’s as well as the ravines where off road vehicles race each other along the bottom of the ravines.

As the picture shows on the left, traveling to Borrego springs allows you to see huge vista’s that are very impressive. Whether you are renting a home, staying in a motel or camping in the Borrego Springs campground you will enjoy the scenery, the solitude, the hiking and the fresh air! We like to go to the Borrego Springs museum or visitors center. You can learn all about the area, how it came to be and the local wildlife that exists in the area.

Borrego Springs Campground California – Hiking

Hiking Path

There are short paved hiking paths were you can walk into the desert. Experience the feeling of being in the dry desert without actually having to hike too far. This is suitable for those people who may not be able to walk that far. Or need paved surfaces for wheel chairs and motorized chairs. The entire visitors center is set up so that people who have difficulty with steps can see the entire indoor and outdoor exhibits. We really enjoyed the exhibits and learning about the area and how it originally got started.

What to Bring to Borrego Springs

If you do plan to go to the area, always take along a hat, sun tan lotion and a bottle of water. It can get pretty hot on some days. You do not want your trip curtailed because you forgot to bring a hat or water to drink while hiking in the area. The trail that begins at the visitors center winds its way through the desert for about 1 mile. It ends at the Borrego Springs Campground. It appears to be suitable for both camping in tents as well as  it can accommodate RV parking as well.

There is also a golf course in the area with homes that back onto the golf course. We have driven through the area and found them well manicured in terms of landscaping and watered lawns. There is a grocery store and several restaurants in the area. Visitors should be aware that this is a small village that does not have all of the things that you might expect to have in a larger community.

Driving to Borego Springs

The picture below is an example of the pristine desert that you walk through. Hikers are asked to stay on the walkway to avoid damaging the environment. They also avoid encountering snakes and other wildlife.

The drive to Borrego Springs as we already mentioned is spectacular.  There are many ravines that crisscross the desert. These ravines are washed out areas that have been formed by flash floods that occasionally occur in the desert. They have flat sandy paths that are now used by off road vehicles. They are for people who are looking for some excitement and to get a taste of a different part of the desert.

Visit the area in the spring time. The flowers are spectacular. If you can time your visit in the March time frame or just after a winter rain storm there is a good chance you will see lots of flowers. Also some years are better than others in terms of flowers. However as always the desert is beautiful in it’s own way with very different plants and fauna that you do not see anywhere else.

We plan to go back to this area again in the spring of 2013 and will provide another update . For more information about Borrego Springs California, click here.

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As a Canadian, I just cannot believe the number of Americans that apparently carry guns or keep guns in their homes. It is really foreign to us and I worry that too many innocent people are being killed every year  due to someone having a gun when they really do not need one. What is gun control anyway? We did not add a picture of a gun to this page simply because we cannot promote guns in general.

I really do not care about the right to bare arms. That was set back in a time when it was important to be able to defend yourself against marauding Indians  and many criminals that just felt they could take what they wanted.  If you feel that you need a gun to protect yourself, what is wrong with a pistol. If you feel you want to go hunting, what is wrong with a single action rifle of some kind? When would you ever use an assault rifle? This is what we need to discuss when it comes to gun control.

So let’s be really clear. This is not a rant against guns in general. This is a question about why we should be able to buy assault rifles or some other automatic action gun. There is just no need for one of these guns in our society. Rifles are ok for hunting, pistols are ok for self defense. we just need to be really careful about how we store them so our kids cannot get at these guns in the home. That is gun control in our mind.

Why Do we need Gun Control?

If people are that worried about defending themselves against marauding armies or even your own country, then we have far worse problems. There are just too many people being killed every year by guns that are purchased legally.  This is what apparently happened in Colorado in July of 2012. Why did this guy need and why should he even be able to buy an assault rifle  and all of the ammo for it? It just does not make any kind of sense at all.

Then are the people who feel that if someone also had a firearm while in the theater, this could have ended before so many people were killed. That’s just great, now you have bullets flying around from multiple guns, going through walls and probably killing others in adjacent rooms. Can you imagine the carnage? In the confusion, people would not know who the good guys were and who the bad guy was. People would shoot at anyone with a gun in this kind of situation and the death toll would have been a lot higher from so called friendly fire.

How Do We Solve The Gun Problem

The United States needs to get this problem solved. If gun laws are no good, or cannot be changed, then another solution needs to be found. It must start with a profound culture change from many people wanting to have guns to many people not wanting to have guns. How you change the culture of a nation were the use of guns and the ownership of guns is such as excitable issue for many people and embedded in the culture is really difficult. Most politicians on either side just do not want to attack it. They may find their political careers over.

Even if you try to limit guns with some kind of automatic action, many gun enthusiasts will fight this. It is considered and encroachment on their rights and the first step towards abolition of guns all together. I think we are so far from that latter scenario, that they need not worry at all.

We seriously need to try to do something about this major problem. We are no longer in the old west were you needed a gun. This is the 21st century!

Some readers might wonder why a Canadian is so concerned about this issue. Well the reality is that what goes on in America, pretty soon begins to affect Canada. We have already seen more killings from guns in some of our major cities. This problem is on the up tick in Canada. We think it will only get worse here too unless something is done in both countries.

Your comments are welcome on both sides of the argument. Let’s keep it civil and constructive and maybe we can move this issue ahead somewhat to better understanding on both sides. For more thoughts on this interesting subject, click here.

This is a picture of the Rideau Carleton Raceway casino located about 20 km’s from down town Ottawa. It is associated with the race track that has been at this location for many years and effectively kept the race track alive. Many people no longer go to the races for dinner and betting, preferring to spend their time in the casino. Apparently the race track venues were gradually succumbing to other forms of competition and the casino is the only thing that has kept them alive across Ontario.

The Rideau Carleton Raceway transfers money to both the race track group as well as the city of Ottawa every year as part of the agreement for being located on this property. For a complete review of this casino and links to other pages and casinos, click on Las Vegas Hotel Casino Reviews.

Rideau Carleton Raceway – dinner

Many people come to the Rideau Carleton Raceway for dinner 7 days a week. You can order off a menu, however most people will enjoy the buffet. There are a lot of choices, however we have found that the presentation and quality is not what we enjoy and as a result we personally never go to the buffet. It is crowded every weekend so there are many that do enjoy it.

The grounds of the Rideau Carleton Raceway are perfect for many venues, such as the Ottawa Fair and various musical events. They have lots of parking which is free and there are is a great deal of space for flea markets, for food markets etc.

The casino is run by the OLG or the Ontario Lottery Group. They run all of the casinos and lotteries across Ontario.  They do an ok job, however like any government organization they are slow and bureaucratic in terms of making changes. We have been to many casinos across North America. We have found that these casinos are just plain slow when it comes to making changes or updating machines. However they are the only game in town, they really do not have to worry about competition so why should they make an effort to improve service and be competitive.

Dinner at the Bar

We have occasionally ordered a sandwich at the bar inside the casino. The bar tenders can only work with what they are given. However the quality of the sandwiches are not the best. They are made hours before, stored in a fridge, wrapped in saran wrap and served on a plastic plate. You would think they could do better. Most of the  time they do not have the full advertised selection available. There is also soup and hot dogs available. The hot dogs are warmed up in the microwave and the soup is not bad, but very salty.

On Saturday nights at the Rideau Carleton Raceway casino they also have a wing night. In fact it is one of the best things they have available and they are reasonably priced.

They are now talking about locating a casino in downtown Ottawa. Or out at the Scotia bank place were they play hockey. Personally we would like to see another casino in Ottawa to provide more competition. We would like to see the Rideau Carleton Raceway casino remain open. It is easy to get to, and there is free parking. Patrons do not have to deal with traffic down town. For those people who have a problem with gambling, it might be too easy for workers down town to slip into the casino at lunch to play . At least with the Rideau Carleton Raceway casino , you have to drive to the casino. This takes some thought , effort and time.

We are reporting this message here on our website since it is such an inspiring and thought provoking story. It is about What are we missing? We are not sure who the original writer was, since it came to us on written paper from a friend of ours who send us inspirational stories from time to time. We liked this one and decided to add it to our web site.

Hope you like it. If it happens to be yours, leave us a message and we will add a link to your web site.

What Are We Missing?

In Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007, a man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk..

A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

A little while later …..

A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

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These pictures were taken at the bottom of the Rideau Canal locks were the canal meets the Ottawa River. In the distance on the left of the top picture you can see the Chateau Laurier hotel. In the foreground the doors to the next lock is shown. At the top of the locks is Rideau street, which is right in the middle of downtown Ottawa.  Within a couple of blocks you have lots of hotels, shopping and of course the parliament buildings.

Ottawa Rideau Canal Locks

These locks continue to operate for pleasure boats that wish to traverse from the Rideau River system into the Ottawa river system and vice versa.

Bicycle Paths

There is a bike path that runs from Sussex drive on the west side, down the hill and along the river out to the west end of Ottawa. Once you cross Sussex and follow it east, you will eventually pick up another bike path that will also follow the Ottawa River all the way to Orleans. In total about 40 KM’s of paths on this one stretch alone.

There are also bike and walking paths along side the canal and also along side the Rideau River that run up to hogs back and Moneys bay. There is another set of locks at Hogs back rapids as well.

Mooney’s Bay Ottawa

Mooney’s bay is sometimes open for swimming, although there are many days when the bacterial counts in the water test negative and swimming is closed

This picture shown on the right is from the same spot as above. Only looking north to the Ottawa river and also across the river to Hull Quebec. There are another network of bike trails that wander into Gatineau park. Many people ride these trails every summer and ski in the winter time.

It is very pleasant to walk or bike along the river at these locations. There are places were you can sit and enjoy the scenery from the waters edge on park benches.

You will often see office workers taking a lunchtime walk along these paths to get some fresh air and some exercise. A truly beautiful spot in the heart of the city of Ottawa.

For more things to do in Ottawa, click here.

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I have asthma and I was also fortunate enough to participate in asthma research studies recently at the local Ottawa hospital. The purpose of the study was to assess patients who have been diagnosed with asthma and confirm that they actually have asthma. There seemed to be some doubt as to whether patients were actually being diagnosed properly or not with this problem.

In my case I was pretty sure that I had it. But then you never know, so I thought I would at least get another opinion. Even if they confirmed that I have asthma, I was sure that I would learn something. This is really why I am writing this post. I would like other people to learn what I learned. But first the details of how the study was run and whether it was really scientific enough.

Asthma Research Studies

When I first got a call from the hospital, they arranged for an appointment for me to come in. They also arranged for a complete a questionnaire as well as several airway tests to confirm my baseline breathing capability. I was on medication and I was doing a good job at managing my asthma as it turns out. Once they reviewed these baseline results, they called me back for a second test.

The second test involved the application of what I call an irritant to see how my lungs would react. If I have more than 20% degradation in lung capacity, then I was deemed to have asthma. turned out that I only had a 17% degradation in lung capacity and confirmed that I was managing things well. Apparently the doctor had some doubt as to whether I actually had asthma, so he asked me to go to the next stage which was to stop all medication and record my lung capacity using a flow meter and also any symptoms I had, which I did.

No Medication and Asthma is Back

Well that was all it too. Over the weekend I was exposed to cut grass , humid weather and I went down hill fast. I had to use my emergency Ventolin puffers many times and they retested me on Monday morning. My lung capacity was down to 70% from 100% and when the finally gave me Ventolin, I improved by 17%. I have a way to go but I was feeling much better, once I had a treatment of Ventolin.

This confirmed I had asthma, so no big surprise. Was it all worth it, definitely and here is why.

What Did I Learn from this Clinical Asthma Research Study

First of all apparently 23 % of patients are misdiagnosed with asthma. These people may have had a small problem and were put on Ventolin and told they had asthma when they don’t

Second, I have always had trouble telling when my puffer was empty. What you need to do is shake it beside your ear and if you can still hear something sloshing around inside then there is still medication inside. Even when the medication is done, there still can be compressed air coming out of the puffer when it is depressed. Do not rely on this indicator for checking your puffer. Some manufacturers are now placing counters on them which is a great idea.

Third, I learned the proper way to use a puffer. As the picture above shows, you should be using a proper tube, press the puffer, then begin to breathe in at a regular rate. This is the best way to get all of the medication into your lungs. Otherwise much of it ends up on your tongue and the back of your throat were it will not do any good at all. Don’t breathe too hard or the same thing will occur with medicine on your tongue and the back of your throat.

Not COPD!

Lastly they also told me that COPD and asthma are very different. Most people who smoke end up with pockets of dead air in their lungs were the lung tissue has died. This is caused 99% of the time by smoking! If you are smoking, try to stop immediately. Snce getting COPD is a terrible problem to have even worse than asthma.

they paid me for the parking and for the gas my car used, so I really was out of pocket at all. I am really glad that I participated in this asthma research study! For more information about asthma, click here.

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There is a bike path that runs along the Ottawa River below the Canadian parliament buildings. It runs along the river from the arts center heading west for roughly 15 kilometers. This is a very scenic spot that is also peaceful away from traffic and the tourists.

The first picture on the right is looking east along the river towards one of the bridges that cross the river. You can just see the top of the library of parliament on the upper right hand side of the picture.

Ottawa River – Rideau Canal

This picture shows the same area with a zoom in on the art center. Although you cannot really tell, from this picture, there is an inlet on the right had side which is were the Rideau Canal locks are. Boats wishing to go from the Ottawa river system into the Rideau river system and late into the St Lawrence and Lake Erie can traverse these locks. An earlier post shows the Rideau canal locks. This is a beautiful spot and we really enjoyed biking along this particular path. There were a number of people walking and a few sitting along benches along the river.

City of Gatineau

Across the Ottawa river is the city of Hull, now renamed Gatineau. The buildings shown here are most likely a set of government buildings that are occupied by thousands of government workers.

Apparently there is also a walking / bike trail on that side of the river as well. Access to these trails from the Ottawa side by traveling across one of three bridges that span the river of Ottawa.

These pictures were taken on a week day at the beginning of September. There are not many boats out on the water. During the summer on the weekends there are literally hundreds of boats out on the river.

Access to the Hull casino, Lac Leamy can also be reached from the Ottawa river by boat. Head up the Gatineau river a short distance and then into the Lac Leamy area. If you are a day tripper boater this is an excellent area to own a boat and spend time on the river.

These pictures of the Ottawa area and the river were taken with my phone and uploaded to this web site. Quality is not too bad considering they are from a mobile phone!

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There are really a lot of luxury resorts in the Palm Springs area that snow birds can visit over the winter, the fall and the spring. They range from exquisitely private hotels and motels to the mega golf resorts that dominate the area. Did you know that there are 115 golf resorts in the area, many that are public and cater to the snow birds that come to the Palm Springs area every year. Many of these resorts are behind gated communities with homes and condos that back onto the golf course. These places are spectacular and you may need to be invited before you can play at some of these courses.

Luxury Resorts Palm Springs

Palm Springs has a great deal to offer the snowbird regardless of whether you golf or not.  There are of course the luxury resorts in the Palm Springs area with fantastic pools and tropical surroundings. These luxury resorts in  Palm Springs will cater to all of your needs with happy hour bars and fantastic restaurants that will cater to your every taste.

With so much to do in the Palm Springs area, it is a wonder that the luxury resorts in  Palm Springs are able to do a lot of business. Many people will opt for lower cost motels and hotels leaving valuable funds available for many other activities.

List of things to do in Palm Springs

here is a broad list of things to do in the area, some which will cost money while others are entirely free.

• Golf at one of the 115 courses in the area
• Play at one of the 10 or more casinos in the area
• Dine at one of the hundreds of restaurants in the Palm Springs and surrounding area
• Hike on one of the many hiking trails
• Go biking around the area on the bike trails that dominate the area
• Visit one of the many happy hours that are available
• Swim in the pool at one of the  luxury resorts in  Palm Springs
• Play tennis at one of the luxury resorts in  Palm Springs
• Shopping at El Paseo
• Shopping at the Cabazon outlet malls
• and more and more

If you have not caught the message by now, we really endorse the Palm Springs area because there is so much to do in the area, the weather is fantastic and we love the outdoor desert environment.

Great Place for Snow Birds

If you do not really believe this post or perhaps you think that is is just blatant adverting for the Palm Springs area, think again. We are snowbirds and really love the area and plan to spend a lot of time here as we enjoy the overall environment. In fact, we would prefer that people stay away from the area so that it does not get really crowded. it is not crowded at the moment, although business is picking up.

Check out Palm Springs and some of the other desert communities in the area and come here for a week or even a month to get to know the area and all that it has to offer as well as the luxury resorts in  Palm Springs.

For a list of more things to do in the Palm Springs area, click here.

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Along the Arkansas river there is an area called the Bighorn Sheep Canyon area. It furnishes a class 3 set of rapids and rafters can enjoy a 38 mile or 61 kilometer trip. The rafting season typically lasts from May though August, however as with all rivers, you should call ahead to make sure that the river is suitable for rafting at the time of year you are planning. Also you might need to make reservations, so always call ahead.

Although this river is called the Arkansas, it is actually located in the state of Colorado in the United States.

The Best Rapids

The best rapids along the Arkansas River include the following:

• Badger Creek,
• Tin Cup,
• Spider,
• Maytag,
• Devils Hole,
• Cottonwood,
• Texas Creek

This is a long section of river that is 38 miles in length and there are various alternatives for white water rafters, such as day trips, overnight trips and multi day trips that can including camping.

There are also various trips offered by a variety of companies that include all or a portion of this 38 mile river trip.  Some trips are as short as 5 miles while other half day trips can be 10 miles in length. Discuss your skill level with your guide and select the right trip for you and your group based on the lowest skill level of the group.

Arkansas Bighorn Sheep Canyon – Multi Day Trips

There  is the Arkansas Royal Gorge, the Browns Canyon and several multi day trips that can be booked.

This area is also known for the bighorn sheep that abound in the area.  It can be very exciting to catch a glimpse of these animals while on a rafting trip.

There is no guarantee that you will actually be able to see any of these sheep that dwell in the area. Keep your eyes peeled for them on the cliffs as you drift down the river.

They are often out in the early morning hours and the late evening hours. You can see them easily along some of the cliffs that border the river. It is always a fantastic site to see these wild animals in the wild. don’t forget to protect the environment and take everything out with you that you brought along with you on your trip.

Your guides will be responsible for all of your gear and ensure that you are able to maximize opportunities to see these beautiful animals along the Arkansas bighorn sheep canyon white water rafting trip.

Comments are welcome. Let us know what you think about this particular white water rafting opportunity.

Is it just me or is the news negative all of the time. Every time you read the headlines in the paper(for those of you who still read the paper), the online news or on TV. It does not matter what channel you go to. The main news channels or the cable news channels, the news is always bad.  Every once in a while they do add a cute story about a cat or dog, . Or something a good Samaritan has done. But these are far and few between.

Why is there such a preoccupation with bad news. Why do the networks continuously feed us this stuff?  Some people feel that if we do not know about it, we really have our heads in the sand. We should be aware of what is going on in the world and those things that can and do affect us directly.

Categories of Negative News

The negative news can be separated into several categories, some we can ignore because there is nothing that we can do about it, while with others we need to pay attention. Here is our list and the category of what we should pay attention to:

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