ok, it's been a while since I posted some gratuitous eye candy & I couldn't resist. Whose B-day?

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Swine flu: Staying "Open for Business" - tips for operating a business

Swine Flu: Staying "Open for Business" risk assesment! Farmers has partnered with the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) to make a disaster-recovery planning tool available to you. The tool is called Open for Business, and it will help plan for a disaster and reduce losses.   IBHS is currently cautioning businesses and nonprofit organizations to examine their ability to operate in the event of a flu pandemic. With the federal government declaring Swine Flu a public-health emergency, IBHS says it would be wise to prepare now for the possibility of closures or other impacts a pandemic could have on operations.   Evaluating specific risks and planning well beforehand for a variety of potential emergencies that could disrupt day-to-day business is critical. Fortunately, most catastrophes can be managed with advance, effective preparation and that means having a well-thought out action plan with specific, appropriate policies, resources and contingencies.   The Top 5 IBHS pandemic preparedness steps include: Determine when to curtail employee travel, domestically and internationally. Develop business continuity policies that provide work-at-home options. Address sick leave policies, since people with swine flu or those attending to relatives may need to be on leave longer that the current policy allows. Consider the impact a shutdown of public transportation or the loss of basic utilities would have. Determine at what point the organization would need to close its doors. IBHS has created a self-assessment tool for business owners and managers. By answering nine basic questions, they can rate their readiness for a flu pandemic. You can click HERE to start this assessment. You can find out about IBHS on farmers.com. Click on Business Insurance>Loss Control and then Institute for Home & Safety.

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Mother's Day Massage Special! 1 hour massage for only $35! Great gift idea. Located in NW

May     2009 Mother's Day Massage Special 1/2 Price Massage Gift Certificates        Dear Moms,   If a massage appointment sounds like the kind of gift you'd love to receive for Mother's Day, just forward this email on as a hint!                          Let her know how much appreciate her.     Mother's Day is Coming.......   Have you found something special to give the mothers in your life?    Most of us lead busy lives, and the world continues to move at a furious pace.  Suspend your daily routine for a moment and consider the women who contribute positively to your life, because Mother's Day is always a great opportunity to thank moms for all that they do.    Whether it's your mother, your wife, your girlfriend, your best friend or your sister........let's face it moms work hard!  And they may need some extra pampering to let them know just how special they are...    That's why Asula Chiropractic and Wellness Center is holding a Mother's Day Special.  Until Sunday, May 10th (which is the date of this year's Mother's Day for anyone who hasn't checked yet) we will offer massage gift certificates, at $35 for an hour massage, to honor the day.      We will even include a Mother's Day card to complete your purchase!     Call our office today to schedule at (503) 719-5335.              Happy Mother's Day! I Owe You    A story to melt your heart and make you smile!   When most people look through their wallets or their pocketbooks, way down at the bottom, past the credit cards, baby pictures and Green Stamps, they usually find a little ol' dog-eared piece of poetry.   I was cleaning out my wallet the other day and I ran across a whole bunch of IOUs instead, some of them 30 years overdue.  Funny thing is that all these IOUs are owed to one person and I kind of feel like right now might be a pretty good time for an accounting.    MOM, ARE YOU LISTENING?   Mom, I owe you for so many things---a lot of services.  Like the night watchman, for instance---for lying awake nights listening for coughs, cries, creaking floorboards and me coming in a too late.  You had the eye of an eagle and the roar of a lion, but you always had a heart as big as a house.    I owe you for services as a short-order cook, chef, baker--for making sirloin out of hamburger, turkey out of tuna fish and two big ol' strapping boys out of leftovers. I owe you for cleaning services, for the daily scrubbing of the face and ears---all work done by hand---and for the frequent dusting of a small boy's pants to try to make sure he led a spotless life.  And for drying the tears of childhood and ironing out the problems of growing up, something no laundry could ever do.  I owe you for services as a bodyguard---for protecting me from the terrors of thunderstorms and nightmares and too many green apples.    And Lord knows I owe you for medical attention---for nursing me through measles, mumps, bruises, bumps, splinters and spring fever.  And let's not forget the medical advice either--oh, no--important things like don't scratch it or it won't get well and if you cross your eyes, they are going to stick like that.  Probably the most important of all was, be sure you've got on clean underwear, boy, in case you're in an accident.   I owe you for veterinarian services for feeding every lost dog I dragged home at the end of a rope and for healing the pains of puppy love.    I owe you for entertainment--entertainment that kept the household going during some pretty tough times--for wonderful productions at Christmas, Fourth of July and birthdays---and for making make-believe come true on a very limited budget.   I owe you for construction work---for building kites, confiedence, hopes, and dreams.  Somehow you made them all touch the sky.  And I owe you for cementing a family together so it could stand the worst kind of shocks and blows, and for laying down a strong foundation to build a life on.    I owe you for carrying charges---for carrying me on your books for the necessities of life that a growing boy just had to have---things like a pair of high-top boots with a little pocket on the side for a jackknife.  And one thing, Mom, I will never ever forget---when there were only two pieces of apple pie left and three hungry people, you were the only one who suddenly decided you really didn't like apple pie after all.    These are just a very few of the things for which payment is long overdue.  The person I owe them to worked very cheap.  She managed by simply doing without a whole lot of things that she needed for herself.    My IOUs add up to much more than I could ever hope to repay.  But you know the nicest thing about it is that I know she'd mark the entire bill "paid in full" for just one kiss and four little words--   MOM, I LOVE YOU!   Excerpt from Chicken Soup for the Soul By Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen    Upcoming Events Summer Soiree at Asula Chiropractic and Wellness Center  To welcome the newest members of our team More information to come....   Event date:  July 15 2009 Location: Asula Chiropractic and Wellness Center 1828 Nw Overton Portland, Oregon 97209

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Pics from Hotel 50... beautiful rooms!... now @ Starbucks in Governor Hotel w/PABA Exec. Committee

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7 Facts we can all be thankful for (courtesy of goodnewsnetwork.org)

7 Facts we can all be Thankful for

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Posted by geri

Thursday, 27 November 2008

What can we be thankful for in the midst of doom and gloomy news of the economy? Here are 7 items from the news for which we can ALL be grateful this holiday season... What can we be thankful for? 1) Filling up our gas tanks for under $30.00. Buying gas for $1.89 a gallon is now a reality for much of the country as crude prices dropped under $50.00 a barrel for the first time in 3 years  -- REAL relief, just in time for the holiday season, when families fill cars with presents and travel on highways to visit loved ones. 2) Traveling will likely be safer this season - whether by car or airplane. The U.S. traffic death toll in 2008— according to a mid-year study—  could reach its lowest level in almost 50 years. Traffic deaths last year dropped to the lowest level since 1994, and deaths per 100 million miles traveled are the lowest on record, the government said in August. 2007 was also one of the safest years in modern aviation history, with the lowest number of crashes worldwide since 1963, 28 fewer than in 2006, even while the number of airplanes in the sky increased. 3) Americans will continue giving to others, despite economic downturn. Historically, looking at the trends over 40 years, charitable giving overall has not declined much during hard economic times...  Recently a survey showed that most Americans who had given to charities online in the past, plan to continue donating in the coming months. Half of donors plan to give before the end of the year. Sixty-seven percent of those will donate the same amount or more than last year. Only thirty-three percent say they'll be giving less. Traditional charities continue to be buoyant. During one month following  the Wall Street collapse of September 15, the American Red Cross reached the halfway mark in its effort to raise $100 million through its Campaign for Disaster Relief - $50 million collected in hard times. According to a Giving USA Foundation report, organizations that serve the needy tend to see contributions jump during the most difficult times, even in recession. Last year, as the economy deteriorated, The Salvation Army's income from its holiday kettles (a small portion of overall donations) was a record $118 million. (source: Christian Science Monitor) 4) The world is getting happier. And, in America, the overall ratio is about five to one in favor of happiness on any average day.  Overall, the world is getting happier, according to a World Values Survey, done regularly by a global network of social scientists. It found happiness to be on the rise since 1981 in 45 of 52 countries analyzed. Some of the optimism is attributed to economic growth in previously poor countries, democratization of others, and rising social tolerance for women and minority groups. (Thanks also to the Gallup Organization's new Happiness Index - Read more about it at McClatchy) 5) Wind Power in the US is set increase by 45% this year. Renewable energy markets surged in the United States in the first half of 2008 -- including wind power, on a pace to increase 45% this year. In fact, wind, solar, and geothermal energy are all on the rise. And, the $700 billion rescue plan for the economy includes incentives and benefits for green consumers and businesses that want to expand energy conservation and renewable energy. 6) Foreclosures of rental properties have ceased, thanks to a hero sheriff. Families who've paid rent on time are no longer being thrown out into the street in Metropolitan Chicago because of one man seeing the unfairness and standing for principle. Hero Sheriff Tom Dart said he would protect innocent renters who are playing by the rules, but whose landlords are facing imminent foreclosure. In his jurisdiction, Cook County, the second most populous county in the US after Los Angeles, after weeks of heartless evictions, Dart decided that it was only fair to protect renters from these surprise evictions, when they have always paid their rent on time. (Watch a video on GNN-i) 7) The number of new cancer cases is falling in the U.S. for the first time. Cancer researchers have been waiting for this day for a long time. For the first time since we began counting them, the number of new cancer cases has gone down. For both men and women the rates are falling across the board for lung cancer, colon cancer, and breast cancer. The declines held across racial lines for whites, blacks, hispanics and Asian. "What we're seeing is clear evidence that cancer prevention is working." This month, the CDC reported the number of adults who smoke has dropped below 20 percent. (Details in a story this week) Editor's Note: The Good News Network wishes all our American friends -- and any Americans at heart -- a very wonderful Thanksgiving. This 7-part posting will be my sole offering for Thursday, while I busy myself in the kitchen -- and with guests -- on this most scrumptious holiday. But we will be back tomorrow to bring you more good news and more reasons to be grateful!  (Lifting a glass of white wine to all my viewers) Cheers!

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Was @ District Meeting @ Farmers Servicepoint in Hillsboro. 107k sq ft to serve us :-)

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Zack, a 16 year old gay teen forced into "ex-gay" therapy against his will. Old video, but shocking what happens.

Visit this site     www.truthwinsout.com

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Some funny for your Monday

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Viagaracommercial.wmv (4072 KB)

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Portland Gay Men's Chorus Connections April 2009

May 2007 The Portland Gay Men's Chorus aspires to expand, redefine, and perfect the choral art through eclectic performances that honor and uplift the gay community and affirm the worth of all people.     QUICK LINKS     PGMC RESOURCES    o Our Website  o Online Store  o Auditions  o Volunteering  o Donations      MORE GAY ARTS    o Confluence  o PLC  o RCGFB                                 WEBSITE Visit the PGMC Website   STORE Concert tickets, merchandise and more   DONATE TODAY Make a donation to PGMC today   AROUND THE WORLD IN TWO HOURS     On April 4, and 5, 2009, PGMC and Jet Pink took patrons attending Earthly Harmonies on a world tour. Performing in nine languages, PGMC traveled to six continents and sang music from 18 different countries. Artistic Director Bob Mensel said this concert was in support of the PGMC mission to "...affirm the worth of all people," and what better way to do that than to sing the music of some of our neighbors on this small planet! The audience enthusiastically expressed their thanks and appreciation for the performance. Click the picture above to enjoy a sample of the music. Before singing Zikr, Vikram Srinivasan spoke about India, ending his comments acknowledging the social statement being made by a "...a devout Hindu and a western gay chorus singing a Muslim song."       PGMC STIMULUS PACKAGE     Dear PGMC Supporter, Despite challenges, the show must go on. The gay choral movement began in 1979 as a non-violent response to the assassination of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. The Portland Gay Men's Chorus was an early participant in that movement, and PGMC is proud to be the fourth-oldest gay men's chorus in America. It is easy to forget the atmosphere of the early years. "Conservative" activists picketed PGMC's performances. Some Chorus members listed themselves as "Name Withheld" on the programs for fear of reprisals from employers. Bomb threats were made in an effort to disrupt performances. Changes have occurred and the Chorus has done its part to bring about those changes. Our concerts have addressed the challenging issues of civil rights, marriage equality, family, HIV/AIDS, war, and poverty. Our outreach programs have touched communities throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington. Our membership provided seed money for what is now the Cascade AIDS Project, and our volunteers continue to work closely with many community partners. Nevertheless, many challenges remain. The fight for freedom and equality has not been won. PGMC is determined to continue to present our message of hope and equality and we need your help to do so. Like other arts organizations, we rely on donations from our friends and supporters for part of our budget. In the current economic climate, support from foundations and corporations has been reduced. Moreover, our 2008 holiday concert, normally our best attended and most profitable, was disrupted by a catastrophic winter storm. At considerable cost, we were obliged to reschedule two of the three performances and to clear walkways and parking lots to provide safe access for our guests. You are the cornerstone of our financial health. Our challenges will be met and overcome. Your participation as a donor insures that the Chorus will continue to be a community leader for years to come. Please help us insure that the show will go on. Thank you!       MARS ON BROADWAY     Saturday, June 13, 2009; 7:30 pm Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Susannah Mars, prominent star of Portland's theater and cabaret scene, will be our special guest as we romp through some of the greatest musical moments from Broadway. Favorites from Rent, West Side Story, A Chorus Line, My Fair Lady, and the Music Man are just a few of the hugely popular and foot-stomping numbers Susannah and the chorus will perform. The Oregonian says, "When Susannah Mars sings, the world stops." We agree! So don't miss this earth-stopping songfest of musical delights when PGMC meets Mars on Broadway.   Feel free to forward this on to others. If you no longer wish to receive messages of this type from PGMC, please click here.

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No bull: Oregon Dairy to be powered by cow manure

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No bull_ Dairy to be powered by cow manure - Innovation.pdf (379 KB)

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Review of the Blind Onion in NE (Per Dwayne's request :-)

We visited The Blind Onion Pizza & Pub on 33^rd and Broadway this evening after desperately searching for a happy hour near Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Chameleon and Pour are both closed on Sundays eliminating our first two options. Many times when I worked at AT&T they had ordered out from the Blind Onion in SW near PSU and it was delicious. Having been years since my last taste, today being our splurge day, and driving by it on our way to Pour, in we went. Well, out, because we sat outside.

Not expecting much service from a pizza & pub we were politely greeted by our waitress who promptly brought our beverages and took our orders. They have many games to play so we occupied the 15 minute wait for our food by playing Connect Four. Matt slaughtered me at first, but I came back with a vengeance after getting warmed up.

Matt’s salad was mixed greens with pizza toppings, but he said it was delicious. I had an 8” Generals pizza with no mushrooms that was delightful. The crust, sauce, and toppings were delicious, though smaller chopped accoutrements would have assisted in their stability upon the slice while consuming. Overall, a great experience that I would recommend to all in search of good pizza and/or a great place to indulge on “Splurge Day”

www.blindonion.com

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Awesome new iPhone business tool. Bump Application

I just downloaded a free application for my phone called Bump. It lets you exchange phone numbers and other contact information with someone by simply bumping your hands together. No more typing contact information into your phone! Check it out at http://bumptechnologies.com/bsp/itunes.html
 
 
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Free tix to Frost/Nixon tonight @ 7:30. Call box office or show this image when walk in.

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Q Center kitchen almost done! Yay for microwave. No more cold lunches. 

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Will it blend an iPhone?

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New Farmers Insurance Commercial: 'Roots'

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The sunset was beautiful.

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Geico takes Auto rate increase in Oregon effective in May. Details included

Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group has filed rates and rules increase
applicable to their Private Passenger Auto program in Oregon. The
effective date is 5/7/09 for new and 5/22/09 for renewal business.
 
The changes by company and coverage are summarized below:
Government Employees Insurance Company and
GEICO General Insurance Company: 4.1% (10.6% indication)
Bodily Injury 3.0%
Property Damage 8.0%
Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury 10.0%
Uninsured Motorist Property Damage 5.0%
Personal Injury Protection 13.0%
Collision -3.0%
 
GEICO Indemnity Company: 8.2% (16.7%
indication)
Bodily Injury 6.0%
Property Damage 10.0%
Uninsured Motorist Property Damage 5.0%
Personal Injury Protection 20.0%
Collision 3.0%
 
GEICO Casualty Company: 8.5% (17.0% indication)
Bodily Injury 6.0%
Property Damage 10.0%
Uninsured Motorist Property Damage 5.0%
Personal Injury Protection 20.0%
Collision 3.0%
 
 
Notable changes include:
Introduced new collision/comprehensive deductibles of $750, $1500, $2000
and $2500.
 
   
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Study - low carb diet affects brain function!

Brain Research

Study:
A study from Tufts University examined the effect of low-carbohydrate weight loss diets on cognition and mood. Participants included 19 women ages 22 to 25, who selected either a low-carbohydrate diet or a low-calorie, macronutrient balanced diet recommended by the American Dietetic Association. The dieters completed 5 testing sessions that were held over the course of 3 weeks.

Results:
When dieters eliminated carbohydrates from their meals, they performed more poorly on memory-based tasks than when they reduced calories but maintained carbohydrates. Additionally, reaction time for those on the low-carb diet was slower, and their visuospatial memory was not as good as those on the low-calorie diet; however, low-carb dieters did actually respond better during the attention vigilance task. Interestingly, after the dieters resumed eating carbohydrates, their cognition skills returned to normal. According to Holly Taylor, professor of psychology at Tufts, this study demonstrates that “the food you eat can have an immediate impact on cognitive behavior.” Although the researchers concede that the study’s sample size was small and tracked data for a short period, the study does demonstrate, according to Taylor, that “the brain needs glucose for energy, and diets low in carbohydrates can be detrimental to learning, memory, and thinking.”

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Keynote speaker @ PBA Luncheon on sustainability. Lelsie Dach of WalMart. Really?

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I didn't do it.

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Cool opportunity for free web listing from a Queer Site - Queercents

Hi Everyone, Queercents is about to launch the Queercents Professional Directory (located at http://blogs.queercents.com/about/). The Directory is a place to browse for LGBT and LGBT-friendly professionals. We all know from our day-to-day experiences and those shared at Queercents that the issues faced by LGBT people take on a unique spin. This is why it is often important to work with professionals who know how to deal with the unique issues of our lives. What sets the Queercents Directory apart from other web and chamber listings is that you see a business’ information but also view an extended profile and get to know this person through their articles and blog posts published on the directory site. Here is a sample profile listing: http://blogs.queercents.com/allisoneinbinder/ We're looking to add beta testers over the next week and hope that you might be able to ask a couple of professionals in your personal network to join the Directory (e.g. financial advisors, accountants, attorneys, real estate agents, mortgage brokers, insurance agents, professional coaches, etc). They can sign up here: http://blogs.queercents.com/wp-signup.php In return for being a beta tester, Queercents will waive the $150 annual fee for the first year. After they complete the registration process, they just need to email me (nina@queercents.com) with their user name so I can override the fee and allow their listing to go live - they do not need to pay via the Paypal prompt. We're trying to populate the Directory with real professionals and work out any last minute technical bugs before making a push to sign up paying Directory members. We'll be promoting the Directory on Queercents.com after the beta period. I would be deeply appreciative if you could forward this email to a couple of LGBT or LGBT-friendly professionals in your network that might benefit from this free offer. We're trying to sign up 30 or more beta users in the next week. Thank you so much for your help and continual support of Queercents. Nina -------------------------------- Nina Smith, Founder Queercents / Online Media Kit / Newsletter We're here, we're queer, and we're not going shopping without coupons.

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Farmers Insurance has some good new commercials... finally... look

 

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Pics from Thievery Corporation Concert in Portland last night... good times + 2 encores

 

 

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