Connecting Blog

If you were thinking of getting a portable oxygen concentrator, I might have a good suggestion for you. Dr. Donnelly and his staff have created some that are lighter, smaller and just more convenient to use. Air quality is so important to all of us, but the elderly, children and people with respiratory problems can benefit the most from one of these oxygen concentrators. Making the air better around you to breathe can really make a difference. We are just building more cars and factories these days and cutting down trees along the way and it’s affecting our whole environment. Clean air and water are still two very important things; that we will need to pass on to the other generations that come after us. We’re not doing too well of a job at that, so more and more people will be looking to things like oxygen concentrators to help purify the air around them. The portable oxygen concentrators come in handy, because we don’t have to stay at home all the time and we can take our clean air with us. If you would like to learn more about oxygen concentrators and the good things Dr. Donnelly and his staff have created, be sure to check out OxygenConcetrators.org.

*Colorado State Employees can save 10% on their purchases of oxygen concentrators.

Search and you will find some great deals online through various sites like buy.com. I believe we all like to find the best buy we can find; when shopping online or going to the local department stores.

I have just noticed  something that two professional coaches in Atlanta have in common. Mike Woodson of the Atlanta Hawks and Bobby Cox of the Atlanta Braves have two philosphies that are exactly the same and I’m not sure I agree with them. Now in basketball or the NBA it is pretty common for a player to sit the rest of the game out, if they picked up their 3rd personal foul in the half. Most coaches in the NBA do this and since a player is only allowed 6 fouls in a game, they don’t want them picking up over half of that amount in the first half.

Now in baseball it’s common to see pitchers swing the bat early in a game and not let a pinch hitter step in for them. In the National League most teams like to see their starting pitchers go 5 innings and as long as they don’t stink it up too bad, most are allowed to get their 5 innings. So I understand why teams in both sports does this, but isn’t there an exception to every rule?

Mike Woodson and Bobby Cox are two coaches that put their self in position late in the game to have all their horses available. If you’re planning to beat the Atlanta Hawks or Atlanta Braves in extra innings or overtime, the coaches might have the advantage over you. The problem is that neither coach doesn’t understand the middle of the game and if you don’t make adjustments then, the last few minutes of the game or the 9th inning will be too late and the game will already be decided at that point.

Mike Woodson seems to follow the rules to a “T”, but doesn’t realize when the bench isn’t stepping up and buying time for one of the starters on the bench, it’s time to yank them and let your starter go back out there and play. So what if he picks up another foul or fouls out before the last few minutes of the game. You can worry about those things when you get to that point. If you don’t stick with your guys or allow them to use up all 6 of their fouls, they might not be any use for them late in the game. I have seen Mike Woodson save players so they wouldn’t foul out and then the team ends up losing by 20 points and the bench players are all out there anyways just waiting for all the time to tick off the clock.

Bobby Cox is exactly the same and he often lets pitchers bat in the 5th inning with the Braves losing by 4 or 5 runs. That just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Obviously your pitcher isn’t worth keeping in, if you find your self down 3 or more runs in the 5th inning or later. It’s important to understand that every bat is important now and start using your pitch hitters to swing for those pitchers. You will often find Bobby Cox saving his best pinch hitters to the 8th or 9th innings and by him waiting to use them then, the Braves are losing so bad then, a grand slam homerun wouldn’t help them win that game.

The Atlanta Hawks will often finish a basketball game with guys still having fouls to give and they probably had to sit on the bench because at some point in the game they were in foul trouble. The Atlanta Braves will finish games on the wrong side of the scoreboard and they will still have pinch hitters and pitchers that never got the call, because Bobby Cox was saving them for later in the game. I think both of these coaches need to worry about the middle of games for their ball clubs and worry about finding those extra guys off the bench at the end when you have to go to them. If you save your guys for the end of games, you will soon learn there is no end to the game, because you will be down so far it’s not going to help.

Mike and Bobby really need to adjust their coaching practices and quit playing for those overtimes and extra innings. The Hawks and Braves are losing way too many games for them to be saving a player here or there, so they can be there for the finish. We need guys to win games for us in the middle and the end will turn out much better!

Find some of the best  theater seating available to create your dream basement.

Hilton Head, South Carolina is one of the most beautiful places on the eastern half of the United States. It’s one of the barrier islands and at a lenth of 12 miles long, it is the 2nd largest barrier island on the east coast. The location and beauty are two big reasons why so many want to come and visit Hilton Head Island. When you make plans to stay at one of the Hilton Head rentals or villas, you will want to make this your home away from home. Once you get to Hilton Head, you don’t have to stay on the island and can charter a boat for fishing, sight-seeing, parasailing, dinner cruises or just taking a boat out and watching the dolphins at sea. I think the two things I would want to do most, is take advantage of the fishing at Hilton Head and going crabbing. Both of these things are fun to do and you can even get a little tasty treat for your efforts. There is nothing like eating crab or fresh fish from the ocean and Hilton Head offers both! So if you think Hilton Head might have something to offer you with activities or just relaxation; get your reservations in now for one of the beautiful rentals you can find on the island.

It doesn’t take long for the off-season to end in Nascar. While we was just finishing up in November and crowned Jimmy Johnson as the 2007 Nascar Champion; the 2008 season is off and running with one race done in Daytona. The Daytona 500 is like the Super Bowl for Nascar and this year’s winner was Rocket Ryan Newman. He held off the other 42drivers in the field to give his self  the points lead in Nascar.

I’m not sure there is that many areas around the country that says a vacation like Branson does! You can find Branson located in the southern section of Missouri and it makes it convenient driving distance for about half the country. Branson is just one of those great places to go on vacation and has even been referred to as “Family-friendly Las Vegas”. I guess this is due to the shows and attractions that are a lot like Las Vegas; they also have a lot of the neon lights like you see in Vegas.

Have you ever thought of making Branson your next family vacation? Branson Getaways can make that next family vacation a reality for you and your family! They have a family package you can take advantage of for less than $1,000. This package will include a 4 day and 3 night (Presidential Condo) and 4 tickets to see Darren Romeo, Ride the Ducks and the Hamner Barber Variety Show. The whole family will love this package and all of the other shows and theme parks that Branson offers. You can also find a lot of packages at Branson Getaways for just you and 1 other guest.

So what is there to do, see and eat at in Branson? There is plenty and that’s why you will need more than just 1 day to take it all in. Silver Dollar City is a must for anyone that is going to Branson. You will also want to make plans to see the Dixie Stampede and see those horse riders dazzle you with all the tricks they can do on horseback. Legends in Concert is a show you can catch while in Branson and it gives you a chance to see some of the biggest legends of our time, perform all those great songs that are still popular today. The singers are so much like the real thing; you will actually think Elvis Pressley or Patsy Cline is on the stage singing! You will have no problems finding a good place to eat and Branson offers all types of food and just about any corner you turn, you will see lots of choices to grab a bite to eat. The shopping is huge in Branson and you can find great bargains at Tangler Outlet Center in Branson.  There is just a little bit of everything and that makes Branson, Missouri a desired vacation destination for most!

So are you ready to start planning that trip to Branson yet? Go ahead and make your plans today, so you can go see all the rides & water rides, caves & caverns, golf, movie theaters and even take a spin on the go-kart track in Branson. Be sure you make a stop at Ripleys Believe It or Not Museum and the Hollywood Wax Museum; both of these places alone make the trip to Branson a worth-while trip! So if you’re ready to get started making those plans, just get in touch with Branson Getaways for all the details, shows and attractions you will get to see in Branson!

While most days we have seen the DOW continuing to drop, it got a lift on Friday and went higher by almost 100 points. I think as the warm weather draws closer, we will once again see the DOW moving back up. The DOW is at 12, 381 and that’s a long ways from the highs of 14,000 that saw just a couple of months ago. It can be a good time to invest in stocks when the DOW is struggling to hold it’s head above water and the bargains on Wall Street are out there.

I think the banking stocks have become attractive and I am starting to lean to that part of the market now. I still like the big pharma companies and will continue to invest in those stocks, but the financial sector of the market is ready for a run. I think some of the credit card companies and banks will be the first ones to break out of this recession we find our selves in today. If you been looking at different financial stocks and just been waiting for the right time to jump in, I see now is a great time.

I think a lot of the banking stocks and financial based stocks may see a 10 percent increase over the next quarter. You might be able to see your returns just as the dog days of summer are arriving. I really don’t want to mention specific stocks at this point, because the market is still a little shakey right now, but the financial sector is always going to hold it’s ground well in times like these. Many of the financial stocks across the board have took sharp hits over the last 2 months and I think they might be done slipping. I see a few of the big banks and one or two of the credit card companies that look like they are ready to roll. Do your own research and see if you can see any financial stocks you might want to roll the dice with right now.

The banks do offer us guaranteed interest on those saving and checking accounts, but I think the bank’s stocks will bring in more new money; than just having them draw the little interest in the banks. The credit cards are going to be taking a sharp turn to the good, because more and more people will start to go outside and enjoy the warm days that are around the corner. If those days get too pretty and you haven’t found your financial stock yet; you might want to hold off with your investments. I think you should do real well over the next 6 to 10 weeks and buying up large sums of banking and credit card stocks to add to your portfolio. I think in 12 weeks from now, would be a good time to go back and see where the DOW and other indicators are at, to see which sector might look best then. So go look through a few of the big banks and some of the credit cards and I think you will discover the same thing I did. One bank and one credit card stock would be nice additions to your portfolio right now and I would even go as far to say that you have 25 percent of your total portfolio with 1 banking stock and 1 credit card stock. Don’t go over that 25 percent level and you will keep your portfolio diversified. If you already own a stock in banking or credit cards, now would be a good time to add new money to them. Good luck with the financial sector and be sure you just hang in there, because there are brighter days around the corner.

Don’t feel alone and I know lots of people that do this with exercise equipment. I know my family alone has owned at least two treadmills, two sets of weights for lifting and probably no telling how many of those things you can buy from the infomercials. The trick to exercising and your exercise equipment is to keep the cob webs off of it. So go dust off that exercise equipment that you have stored up some place and get back to using it, so you will live longer and feel better!

I really wish somebody could bottle energy, because I could buy some of it right now. I have got so many things to get done and it just doesn’t seem like they are enough hours in the day to get it done. Maybe I need those diet pills that give you energy. I have heard stories about some people taking diet pills and they wouldn’t even go to sleep at night because they were just too wound up. I guess that would make a pretty good diet pill, if it didn’t make you rest or sleep. Too much of something like that could be bad, but for someone wanting to shed a few pounds it could be the smart and easy way to go.

I just have a lot of work on the computer that needs to get done this week. I have my blogs to work in and I have to earn credits at all my traffic exchanges, so I can continue to promote my online interests. I wake up everyday and come straight to the computer and it’s usually well past midnight when I finally log off. So I spend a lot of my days on the computer and if I don’t watch my figure, I might need to go on a diet or get some dieting tips. Maybe it’s not energy that I need, but more hours in the day?

Tonight is the night many Hawks fans have been waiting for. Those wanting to see Kobe Bryant play the Hawks tonight have been waiting longer; than the ones waiting to see Mike Bibby make his debut in a Hawks Uniform. That’s because Mike Bibby just became a Hawk on Saturday. He will get to start his Hawks career on the west coast in L.A. and tomorrow night face his old team the Sacramento Kings.

Kobe Bryant is one of my favorite players so I enjoy watching him play anytime. Getting to see Bibby play with the Hawks tonight does give it a little bit more to be excited for. I assume that Mike Bibby will be in the starting line up and will get to see him right away. They might let Acie Law start and work Bibby in later. I just know they are counting on Mike Bibby to lead them into the playoffs, so might as well throw him in the fire and see how he does.

Mike Bibby does give the Hawks a legitimate point guard and they really haven’t had that for a long time. Jason Terry was probably the last point guard that ran the Atlanta Hawks like an NBA team is suposed to be run. Hopefully Bibby can help with our team speed, because we have a very fast team that can play a running style of game. The Hawks should be able to run most teams off the court, if they will just continue to push the ball.

Tonight’s game is big for the Lakers, because we barely beat them in Atlanta and I’m sure they are looking for revenge. It’s important to the Hawks playoff position and a win with Mike Bibby being productive would be a good sign for this team. So basketball fans should be in for a treat to watch this game tonight. It’s not often you can get a playoff atmosphere in a regular season game and that is what this one is shaping up to be.

The tip off will come at 10:30 PM; our local time here in Georgia. I bet they will be a lot of tired and sleepy basketball fans going in to work tomorrow. I would assume that everybody will stay up for this one and watch it to the end! Go Hawks!

Everything you know and what you can learn can go a long ways to maximizing your business success. Keeping your managers and employees with the latest information for your industry is key to keeping up with the competition or maybe even passing them. Getting performance reviews regularly can really shape your business and help get the most out of each member of your company. This knowledge can go a long ways in giving you power to move to the next level. It’s a very cost-effective way of maximizing your employees efforts and the money invested in reviews can make everyone on board much more productive. If you really believe in the product or service your company provides, make sure you take advantage of performance reviews to help your business continue to grow.

Do you have hopes of trying to move from where you live now? Do you know that perfect city that you and your family would prefer to live at now? I know we might not always enjoy where we are staying at right now and the grass does always look greener on the other side. I guess most would like to move to an area where taxes and just the cost of living aren’t as expensive. The mortgage lenders are constantly trying to find those people new homes in more desirable areas. If you are seriously looking to move from where you’re living now, see if it’s in your budget for a successful relocation. Get in touch with a lender and see what they might have available in your price range and maybe they can loan you the extra money needed for your new home. Most don’t have all the funds needed for a new area to live in and seeking cash from one of the mortgage lenders in your area might be your best bet. See if your dreams of living in a new place are possible or if they are just a dream for now.

That is a tough question and everyone will have to make their own decision to the answer. The good news is if you have money right now, you’re ahead of most people. Times are tough right now and with oil prices continuing to rise, it will affect everything in our lives. Most will be counting on their tax returns to give them a boost or help pay some overdue debts. Use your tax return money wisely and don’t be too quick to spend it all when you first get it. We don’t know how the summer months and fall months are going to be looking and saving a little for those times would be a good idea.

Stocks are still good investments and you can find the bargains in every sector of the market. It can be a little difficult and timely cashing out those stocks, not to mention the small fees associated with transactions like those. You might want to keep the money in a place that can be quickly accessed in case of emergencies. If your car was to require a thousdand dollar repair; are you in a position to pay for it? If not, you really want to make sure you save for your transportation purposes. We all need our vehicles in running condition to make those trips we survive on and just getting to and from work. So it might be a good idea for most to keep some of that tax money just for our cars.

Oil will probably really surge this summer, but maybe we can get some relief in the fall and have prices back down to what we are paying now. I know that might not seem like a lot of comfort, but the volitale energy market will play a big part in just how much extra money we will have in our pockets for other things. Don’t worry if you’re just barely making it now and any increses might send you in the hole. There are many people in the same situation as you’re and we can all get through these tough times together if we just stay positive and smart with our nickels and dimes!

Everything we do today will come back to get us tomorrow. It’s best to try and do as many good things for our bodies today, so we will feel good tomorrow. Taking some vitamins or a colon cleanse to rid our body of the excess things we don’t need, can make a big difference for tomorrow.

You see a lot of videos online these days. Some will have people singing in them, showing clips from something off television or maybe advertising with videos online. There is no doubt this is a new and growing industry by the second. I wish I had more technical skills so I could take advantage of the demand of videos online. The people that know how to do all those fancy graphics and captioning can really make a lot of money online. If they hook up with advertisers and help them promote their products or services, it could be a nice little secondary income. I’m sure the really good people out there that can work a camera and upload them to the internet could earn a living from it. I might have to find some training or hook up with a good company that can help me perform some of these skills. The World Wide Web is constantly changing and the folks that can change with it, stand the most to gain!

A lot of the computers you buy today come with a lot of extra stuff that you probably don’t need or will ever use. Building your own computer can be less expensive and prove to be a better deal too! For the people that that like to play games or go to websites with all the fancy graphics, probably want a computer with some speed and you can design yours just for that. When you build your own computer, you can be sure to maximize it just for that and not have any programs slowing you down. Using a lot of your memory can sometimes cause your computer to lag and just not work as swiftly as it once did. Time is important to all of us and we can save a lot of time by having a computer that gets us to where we are going online. See if a barebones computer might be right for you and have the computer that suits your needs. You don’t have to have a lot of computer knowledge and easy step by step instructions will show you every step that you need to do. If you know how to work a screwdriver, you should have no problems building your own computer. Please let me know how it comes out!

Looks like stocks are on their way down again today. The DOW is nearing the 12,000 level and I still see some excellent buys out there. Our economy will recover and it’s important that you continue to search out the best deals on the stocks you want. We do appear to be in a recession and how long this might last is anyone’s guess. I still continue to buy and buy, becasue so many bargains are out there. You want to buy low and sell high and that is what we all try to accomplish. Across the board right now you can find stocks that are low. So you really don’t have to be an expert to find the best value. If you believe in the company and think they have room to grow, you should continue to invest in them through the recession. Stocks will pick back up again, but we might be looking at July to see any sharp up swings. Should be interesting to see if FEDS cut the interest rates again or hold off, so they have some leverage down the road.

Life is tough enough without having to go through all the pains and discomforts that PMS can cause. A product like progesterone can help women prevent and relieve the symptoms of PMS, Perimenopause and Menopause. Just remember your not alone out there women and half the world is in the same boat as you. The products on the market today are much better than what the women of earlier years had to deal with. So consider your self lucky that a product like Progesterone exists today and can help you through those difficult times. Start feeling better naturally and get on with the things that are really important in your lives. Don’t let those female problems keep you from missing out!