National Night Out

National Night Out Against Crime is coming up Tuesday night. There are events from Deerfield Beach to Hollywood to your own neighborhood.

Remember to turn on your porch light.

New movies opening today

There is so much to choose from: Matt Dillon in "The Bourne Ultimatum," J-lo and Marc Anthony in "El Cantante" and for the kids "Underdog" and "Bratz."

Get details on all movies opening this weekend.

Bargain Hunting for Dummies

Hot off the presses for the inner bargain shopper in all of us: writer Kelli B. Grant reports in Smartmoney.com that "some days of the week may yield better bargains than others."

Looking for an airfare bargain? Search the Internet on Wednesdays. Airline sales kick off over the weekend, so by Tuesday competitors announce their own deals. But wait -- there's more! By Tuesday and/or Wednesday, the original airline to initiate the sale usually bats back with an even better deal.

If you're on the lookout for a car, mark Mondays as the best bet. The reason: the weekend rush is over and by Monday the salespeople are desperate to make a deal.

Shop on Thursday evenings for clothes when retailers have set up for the weekend sales promotion. You'll beat the Saturday-Sunday crowd for the bargains.

Military kids at risk

Confirmed incidents of child abuse and neglect among Army families increase significantly when a parent is deployed to a combat zone, according to a new study.

The study, funded by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, shows that the overall rate of child abuse and neglect was more than 40 percent higher while a soldier-parent was deployed for a combat tour than when he or she was at home. The study confirms that supportive services are needed for families of deployed soldiers and that those services need to be provided in a way that encourages parents who are having difficulties to take advantage of them.

Banning Baby Bottles?

First they moved against smoking, and then trans fats. Now, New York City health officials are taking on the bottle -- as in a baby's bottle. On Tuesday they announced a new campaign to promote breastfeeding instead of using formula.

Baby bottles beware. New york City hospitals don't want you around. Instead, they want infants to eat at Mom's instead. Doctors also said breastfeeding helps mom's health too and burns 500 calories a day. Then there's the cost of formula. Supporters say this may be the best dining deal around. About a quarter of women who deliver at city hospitals choose to breastfeed. New York City officials want that number to triple by 2010

Keeping Kids Safe

You might think it would be impossible to forget that you have left your car with a child in the back seat, exposed to temperatures which could hit 140 degrees, but the founder of Kids and Cars, an organization which tracks child deaths in cars, said it happens more than most people realize.

One device that could possibly save a life: The Child Minder system replaces the car seat's harness clip with a "smart clip" synchronized to a key ring alarm. The unit is activated when the child is buckled in. As long as the child remains in the seat, an alarm will sound if the adult walks more than 10 feet from the automobile.

The Pet Club

Pamper your pet at The Pet Club

It's a modern facility with a state of the art air conditioning system providing healthy fresh air for your pets at all times. They have a boutique full of pet jewelry, furniture, leathers, collars, and a dog bakery for special treats.

You enjoy the spa...but what bout your pet?

Their spa offers a VIP lounge, aromatherapy, hot oil/cond. treatment, nail polishing, and doggy/kitty day care.

Don't forget the new Disney movie "Underdog" opens Friday.

This place has the approval of my kids, Geddy and Aircheck.

Lead paint spurs toy recall:

Another recall of products from China. Fisher-Price is recalling nearly one million plastic preschool toys because of excessive levels of lead in the paint. The recalls covers 83 types of toys including the Big Bird, Elmo, Dora and Diego characters. For more details, click here.

When thunder's around put all metal down!

If you're ever caught in a thunderstorm, get rid of your iPod immediately.

If you'd happen to be struck by lightening, it could make your injuries worse! When lightening jumps from a nearby object to a person, it often flashes over the skin, leaving most of the body undamaged. But metal can concentrate the electrical energy, and cause severe contact burns, whether it's a cell phone, an iPod, beeper, laptop computer, jewelry, coins in your pocket- even an underwire bra!

Never leave a child in the car again

You might think it would be impossible to forget that you have left your car with a child in the back seat, exposed to temperatures which could hit 140 degrees, but the founder of Kids and Cars, an organization which tracks child deaths in cars, said it happens more then most people realize.

One device that could possibly save a life: The Child Minder system replaces the car seat's harness clip with a "smart clip" synchronized to a key ring alarm. The unit is activated when the child is buckled in. As long as the child remains in the seat, an alarm will sound if the adult walks more than 10 feet from the automobile.

Pet pleasers

You've heard me talk about my dog, Geddy and my cat, Aircheck for years now and I can attest to the fact that they can reduce my stress and put me in a good mood. Owning a pet comes with lots of responsiblitly but what you get in return in unmeasureable. Find out the benefits of pet ownership.

Do you have a work spouse?

Sometimes I call Jeff Martin my work husband.

With a work spouse, you know each other's favorite food; gripe about co-workers; confide about personal issues; and support each other during good and bad times. The main difference? There's no canoodling.

With a 9-to-5 marriage, a "couple" gets support without the hassle of a romantic entanglement. After all, with the amount of time we spend at work it's not unusual to become close--if not intimate--with our colleagues.The term office spouse has become so prevalent it made its way into a poll last year on attitudes in the American workplace. Of 750 respondents, 17% said yes, they had a workplace spouse, according to the Harris Interactive poll. Marital status didn't seem to matter. Singles and married folks reported to having an office spouse at the same rate. Plus, research shows having close ties at work is good for employees and the employer.

Hey Jeff, you have something in your teeth...while you're up can you grab me a coffee and pick up my dry cleaning tomorrow morning and ......

Making Lust Last

Rekindling Passion for the Husband You Still Love
By Keith Ablow, M.D.

Here are 5 ways to put the X back in married sex!

Luckily, with so much passion locked inside us, there's a lot to unlock. It's just a matter of finding the right key. For most couples, being married makes being passionate together more difficult, not less. Admitting this is happening is the first step toward making it stop. You can change your sex life this week. Pick one item from this five-point plan and try it out. Have your husband pick another for next week. You'll be on your way to married sex that works.

1. Assume you don't know everything about each other sexually.
2. Offer up an emotionally safe way to explore each other's fantasies.
3. To make sex less intimidating, turn it into a game. Ask your partner to tell you three of his fantasies, and you get to choose one to act out. Then it's his turn -- you tell him three of yours, and he selects one.
4. Provide examples. In order for your spouse to believe that you want to hear his real fantasies, you'll have to prove it by giving a believable example.
5. Give real-life routine a rest. Monotony (not to be confused with monogamy) is the enemy of passion. In order to see your mate as the prince, and for him to see you as the princess, it helps to set the stage and put on the right costume. Tell him to meet you at a restaurant for a date. Dress to impress each other.

For the complete details of each suggestion just click here.

A day for your Wellies

I was just talking about wearing my Wellies yesterday during that torrential downpour. Then I got flooded with e-mails asking "What's a Wellie?" Well, remember the Morton Salt girl? She wore Wellies. They're rubber boots or also known as galoshes. Here's a site with more on Wellies.

Why whoopie?

Researchers have come up with some answers to the burning question: Why do people have sex?
The researchers asked college students taking psychology classes to rank the reasons on a one-to-five scale based on their experiences.

The students agreed on their top reasons for having sex:
They were attracted to the person, they wanted to experience physical pleasure and -- quote -- "it feels good."

For older adults:
Twenty of the top 25 reasons given for having sex were the same for men and women.
Expressing love and showing affection were in the top 10 for both men and women.
The study appears in the August edition of Archives of Sexual Behavior.

Alert for parents!

During these 'dog days of summer' air conditioning units are working overtime trying to keep homes and offices cooled down. But many of those air conditioning units are becoming the target of kids wanting to drain the freon gas from inside and inhale it, sometimes with deadly results. Even the first time that they would do it they could die. The long term if they continue to do this is memory problems, they can suffer permanent liver damage, kidney damage, lung damage and brain damage. For about $30 you can buy a locking mechanism to prevent access to the Freon in your air conditioner.

Help for osteoarthritis

Preliminary research in rats suggests that an existing drug could help older women stop osteoarthritis in its tracks. The drug, known as calcitonin, is currently used to treat osteoporosis. According to tests in female rats, it shows promise as a possible treatment for osteoarthritis in older, postmenopausal women. However, testing in humans won't end for another three years, and there's no guarantee that the drug will work as well in humans as in rats. The study is published in the August issue of the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism.

Protect your home when you're away

A home that appears occupied deters burglars:

Use timers to operate lights; Leave blinds and curtains in everyday positions; Turn your telephone ringer down, so no one outside can hear repeated rings; Review your answering machine. Make sure it does not imply you are away; Ask a friend to pick up newspapers and deliveries, or have deliveries stopped; Arrange for continuing yard care; and if your car is parked in the driveway, have a friend move it occasionally. Remove objects that might allow access to your home, such as ladders stored outside or trashcans that could be used to enter a window or scale a fence; To prevent intruders from hiding behind shrubs, trim bushes to expose branch structure; Never leave a key hidden outside. Burglars know all the best places;

Eat, drink and help kids

Sample yummy food and drink from South Florida's best chefs tomorrow night at The Ritz Carlton on Key Biscayne. They are hosting the Share our Strength's Taste of the Nation and all proceeds from the culinary event will benefit the fight against childhood hunger.



For tickets, call 1-877-26 taste or visit their website.

Over 40 vision!

Well, I knew the time would finally come. I have "reader" glasses everywhere...by my computer, in my purse, in the car and at work. That small print has become too darn small for me to read. So today I'm wearing my first pair of progressive glasses. I feel like I'm looking out of a fish bowl. But, everyone I've talked to says I have to give it some time and learn how to use them. Here are some tips I ran across that are supposed to help:

A progressive lens is not designed to have clear vision throughout the entire lens. In learning to wear a progressive lens you must remember that like an hourglass the corridor is narrower in the middle than the top and bottom. To use the middle portion you need to use your nose like a pointer and turn your head slightly to look directly at your object to get the full advantage of the intermediate area. If you glance to either side you will run into the blended area and your vision will blur slightly. To adjust the power between the distance and the near you must move you head slowly up or down which changes the power according to how far away the object or reading material is from you. Generally your near distance is measured at about 16 to 18 inches or elbow distance. The intermediate distance is between you elbow and about 6 inches beyond your finger tips. The far vision is anything beyond the ends of your finger tips. When wearing a progressive for the first time you must tilt you chin toward your chest and look over the intermediate blend to see the floor since it is beyond your fingertips.
(Your Eyeglasses and You)

Stop Negotiating With Your Kids!

What’s the secret to stress-free parenting?

Stop negotiating with your kids! I’ve got the facts on rules you can follow that’ll help keep your whole family happy. These tips come from CNN.

The first rule to live by: I don’t work past 8pm. The goal is to get your kids in bed on time every night. That way, you’ll get some quiet time before you hit the sack. But don’t bother telling your kids that they need their sleep. Instead, make the rule about you. In other words, tell them something like “the labor department just made a new rule – no mom jobs can be done after 8pm!” But you’ll gladly play games, give baths, and read bedtime stories before then. Pretty soon your kids will be rushing to spend mom time with you before you go “off the clock.” Why it works: The rule is for you, and you’d only have yourself to blame if it’s not enforced.

Another rule for stress free parenting: I can’t understand you when you speak like that. The goal is to get your kids to stop whining, screaming, and generally being rude. So, the next time your kids get out of hand, tell them you can’t understand unless they calm down, and talk to you instead. Whispering your request helps because they’ll have to strain to hear what you’re saying. And bringing down the volume a notch makes sure your kids don’t get the drama they’re looking for.

And the last rule to live by: We don’t argue about money. The goal is to stop your kids from begging and pleading for stuff. It’s a rule that has to be enforced at all times. But the basic deal is this: You can tell your child “yes” or “no” about any requested purchase, but you won’t discuss the reasons. If your kid protests when you say “no,” calmly tell them you’re not going to argue about money. Studies show this technique shifts the focus from the whined-for-treat to a financial policy. In other words, you’re almost changing the topic on them and no longer debating why they should or shouldn’t have gum or some plastic toy they want. Instead you’re invoking a reasonable-sounding family value.

A new modesty Movement is taking teen girls by storm

Check out these new style tips for girls:
Skirts should be no more than 4 fingers above the knee.
No tank tops without a sweater over them.
Pants should fit well, but not be too tight. You should be able to pull them away from the leg.

Is that a dress code for a private school? Nope – they’re fashion guidelines from a website called Pure Fashion – which encourages girls to show the public it’s possible to be “cute, stylish, and modest”. It’s the tip of the iceberg in the new modesty movement that’s taking teen girls by storm.
There are other sites out there, like Modest Apparel USA, Modesty By Design, and Dress Modestly – that all cater to this growing movement of “girls gone mild.” There are modest fashion magazines too, like “Eliza”, aimed at 17 to 34 year olds. Even Macy’s is carrying a line of clothes called “Shade” designed by two women who wanted trendy but not revealing clothes.

So why is the modesty movement happening now? Because there’s a dawning of awareness that maybe not everyone being lewd and showing skin is happy with their choices. It’s not empowering. In fact, these girls feel it makes them less powerful because people don’t take sleazy girls seriously. It’s a reaction to the media, where bad girls are glorified. It’s also a reaction to parents who want to be “cool” and their kid’s “best friend” – so they let them wear whatever they want, stay out late, and are overly permissive. It’s basically the parents who are, or have, pushed the boundaries and now their kids are slamming on the brakes. Which just may prove that rebelling against Mom and Dad is one trend that’ll never go out of style.

Back-to-School Tax free Shopping

The Florida Tax Relief Act
Looking for a way to save a little money on back to school purchases? Starting at 12:01 a.m. on August 4th until midnight on August 13, 2007, the Florida Department of Revenue is offering a nine day, tax free shopping spree on selected articles of clothing, wallets, backpacks and much more.

Included in the list will be:

Clothing and related items with a sales price of $50 or less,
Books with a sales price of $50 or less,
School supplies with a sales price of $10 or less.

The tax savings is only for individual exempt items priced $50 or less. This means that a jacket priced at $55 is not tax exempt, but the purchase of 2 jackets priced at $45 each, are tax exempt. Selected school supplies priced $10 or less are tax exempt. There are no restrictions on the number of eligible items you purchase at one time or during the tax exemption period.