The following are tips to reduce unwanted mail.

1. Be selective in the charity you are giving to. Even some of the more “well known” charities sell their list of subscribers. It dosen’t make any difference the amount you give. Even the smallest donation gets you on their list of donors.

2. Always include a statement with your donation making it clear that all future donations will be predicated in not giving out your name to other organizations.

3. If you are getting a large amount of mail from certain charities, write to them. Tell them they are wasting their money sending you multiple mailings. Ask to have your name removed from their list. This might not happen because the mailing you received might have come from a “bought list”. Often they do not keep these lists after a mailing.

4. Contact the Direct Mailing Association and request your name be removed from all of their direct mailing companies they are associated with. You can also write to:

Mail Preference Services
Direct Marketing Association
P. O. Box 642
Carmel, NY 10512

How many times have to got an email from some charitable organization that seemed so legitimate? It seems some charities are not what they appear to be.

Recently, Daniel Borochoff, of the American Instiute of Philanthropy, made a testimony to the House Committe on Oversight and Government Reform Hearing on Veteran Charities. It will amaze you when you read about the poor performance of some of these charities. The institute grades charities in several different catagories. The worst two performing charity catagories are Veterans & military, and Crime & fire.

No matter what your stand on the current involvement of our military, our troops are getting wounded. Moms and dads are getting killed. They deserve more than they are getting. It seems a lot of supposed “veteran charities” are becoming wealthy playing on peoples sympathies. You would be suprised at how little of your donations actually get to help our veterans. So check out the charity you donate to before giving.

You can go to AIP’s (American Institute of Philanthropy) website and find a rating for the charity you may be giving to. Charitywatch.org

As the cooler weather approaches a lot of people start using space heaters to supplement their heating needs. They can be a safety hazard if not used properly.

They are not to be used as a primary heating source. They should be used only when they are being supervised. Using them when you are asleep or away from the home is very dangerous.

You must keep the area surrounding any heater clear. Never place anything on top of it. Make sure there is a metal guard around the heater. This guard protects someone from getting burned and items that may come in contact with the heater.

If it is necessary to use an extension cord, be sure you use a heavy duty one. I recommend a 14 gauge or larger size three conductor grounded wire. If your heater has a grounded type plug, do not by-pass the ground. Use the heater only in a grounded outlet.

Place an electric heater well away from any water source. Be sure you cannot touch the heater and any water faucet or water pipe at the same time. These are a direct paths to ground. Never touch the electric heater when you are wet. Your body resistance to current flow is greatly reduced when you are wet.

Do not use portable heaters to dry clothes . They should be clear of all objects. Also, keep the heaters clean and dust free. Read the instructions on the proper operation of your heater before using it.
Think Safety First.

It’s been a while since my last blog because I have been literally flat on my back and unable to get out of bed for two weeks. We all think, at least some of us guys, that we are ten feet tall and bullet proof. That’s the exact time when we throw caution to the wind and end up getting hurt such as I did.

I was mowing one of my lawn customers properties when my lawn tractor starting malfunctioning. So I decided to finish the lawn cutting with my push mower. The property has some steep burns on it and that’s where I got myself into trouble. While cutting the burns I put forces on my body making some of my muscles put my back “out-of-balance”. This put pressure on my back bone and some of the pelvic muscles, mainly the piriformis muscle located in the pelvic area. At the end of the day I started relizing a slight pain in my lower back. The pain the next day was unbearable. I was experiencing a condition called Sciatica, an irritation of the sciatic nerve.

There can be several causes of scitica so it’s important to get a physician to derermine the origin of the pain. Some of the causes can be related to a herniated disc, lumbar stenosis, isthmicspon-dylolisthesis, a pinched nerve the list goes on.

The pain usually starts in the lower back and it can radiate down one of the legs all the way to your ankle. Believe me, I mean pain. The pain can last for just a few days or for many months or years. It can seem to “go away” but it may return at any time.

The sciatic nerve starts in your lower back and it runs through or around the piriformis muscle. This is the main muscle in your lower back. Quite often this is the problem such as mine because the sciatic nerve runs through this muscle and irritates or pinches the nerve causing the pain. Along with with this pain you may experience muscle spasms or leg cramps as well. This only adds to the pain. Further information can be read here.

Siatica can be treated sometimes with steroids, muscle relaxiants, pain medication and plenty of bed rest. Since sciatica is an inflamation applying a cold compress will help reduce the inflamation and pain. Hot compresses may increase the inflamation and is not recommended. If the cause is from a herniated disc, surgury may be needed. Be prepared for it to take a lot of time for it to subside so the best cure is to not put yourself into a position where you may cause this condition in the first place. Think of Safety First.

It’s that time of year again. Time to change your clocks from Day Light Savings Time to Standard Day Light Time.

The official time is 2 am Sunday November 4, 2007. You turn your clocks back one hour. Remember; “fall back - spring forward”

This is the best time to put new batteries in all of your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. This way you don’t have to remember when was the last time you changed them out.

Even though your detectors might be powered by the electrical circuits in your home they may also have a “back-up” battery in them as well. So check to see if your detectors have a back-up battery in them.

I recently bought a small fishing boat. My first task was to equip it with all the safety needs. I started making a list of everything I needed to pass a safety check. One of my friends is a retired Fish & Game Officer and he helped me with my list.

Each state has their own rules and requirements for boaters. I live in Tennessee and have included items necessary in this state.

Tennessee Boating Safety Rules & Regulations

The official Tennessee.gov website offers free information about boating safety and registration.

My Pre-Departure Checklist

• Life Vests One life vest/preserver for each person in the boat. You have at least one floatation device that came be thrown to someone in the water depending on the size of your boat. All children 12 years of age or younger are required to wear a life vest.
• Registration: ALL powered boats are required to be registered. Keep a copy of the registration in the boat. Keep copies of all important papers concerning your boat in the boat. Keep the originals at home. Keep them in a water proof container. Laminating your papers offers some protection as well. Get a “tamper-free” lock for your trailer. This will prevent it from getting stolen while out boating.
• Water to prevent dehydration. Being out on the water, you can get dehydrated easily without realizing it.
• No Alcohol. Most recreation areas have stiff penalties for just having alcoholic beverages in the boat.
• At least one paddle or oar.
• Fire extinguisher.
• First Aid kit.
• Air horn.
• Sun screen.
• An anchor large enough to secure the boat.
• I carry a small one gallon can of extra fuel.
• Flash light or spot light.
• Safety lights: If you operate your boat between sun down and sun rise or in limited light conditions you are required to have the following lights:
  • Rear running light (white) that can be seen for at least two miles.
  • Depending on the state, you may be required to have a “masthead” light according to the size of your boat.
  • Front lights, red for the port side (left) of the boat, green for the starboard (right) side of the boat.
  • If anchored , you must have a light that can be seen 360 degrees for at least two miles.

There are almost 200,000 reported accidents from ladder use in America every year. The people of the American Ladder Institute, are becoming more concerned at this rate because we Americans are becoming more and more over-weight.

The “old trusty” ladder you’ve had for years might not be adequate anymore. All ladders are rated according to the maximum weight they are suppose to carry. The 250lb. person now may be climbing up a ladder with a tool belt and materials that will push the weight restrictions over the limit.

Ladders come in different sizes and shapes. I have step ladders, extension ladders and also a Werner Ladder that can be configured in all three shapes: step ladder, scaffolding, and extension ladder. Again my ladders are made of all three materials, wood, aluminum, and fiberglass. Each ladder has a specific use for what the ladder is made of and the configuration of the ladder. Aluminum ladders generally are lighter but may not carry the needed weight. The fiberglass and wood ladders can be much heavier but they can be used in electrical projects or when the ladder may come in contact with electrical wires since they do not transmit electrical current.

The proper way to carry a ladder is parallel to the ground. This way you don’t come in contact with over-head obstructions or wires that may cause electrical shock or injury to you.

No matter what the project is that you are using a laddder for NEVER stand on the top rung or platform of the ladder. Be sure it’s safely stabilized and climb the ladder facing it. Use both hands and center your body in the ladder. Position the ladder so you can adequately reach the area you are going to work in. It’s always good to have a second person at the bottom of a ladder when using a taller extension ladder to keep it more stabilized.

So the next time you get you ladder out think safety and use the correct ladder for the job.

THINK ABOUT IT !

There is a lot of controversy as to which airline is safest. Many have the idea that some “third world country” airlines are unsafe when in actuallity they have some of the best safety records.

Sometimes it’s best to fly a carrier located in the region where you are flying. They have more knowlege of certain conditions that may occur in that area. Here again, their airlines may only have four or five units as compared to a larger airline like American Airlines that have several hundred. So their safety record would naturally be greater simply because of the numbers. Statistics can be vague because a carrier that handles several million passengers per year may have had more crashes but that does not make them any less safe to fly than a carrier carrying much fewer passengers. It’s like playing the lottery, does buying three tickets out of millions make you more of a chance to win? No, the differences are negligable.

There are some airlines that have not had a fatalitiy in the last 25 years. One website you can log onto is: Airsafe.com. They have a listing of these airlines. You might be surprised of the airlines listed.

In review, I wouldn’t worry about an airline safety record unless I was planning on flying in a dubius area. Even at that, you are still safer flying than you are driving to the airport.

THINK ABOUT IT.

Ever wonder how I can make my next airline flight safer? Here are some tips to this question.

Most accidents happen during landing and take off. That only makes sense because there are more aircraft in the same area surrounding an airport. So limit this probable cause by taking non-stop flights whenever possible. This limits the amount of take offs and landings.

Familiarize yourself to the aircraft you are flying in when you enter the plane. Notice where the emergency exits are and how many seats you are sitting from them. If you are sitting in one of the seats that indicates it has an emergency exit next to it, be sure you are able to operate it. If you feel you can’t, ask to be moved to another seat.

Pay attention to the Flight attendant’s instructions and read the safety card that is located in the pocket of the seat in front of you.

It is not good to over-indulge in alcoholic beverages or medications before a flight. You want to be at your best if an emergency does occur. Quick action and clear thinking could save your life.

Remain in your seat with your seat belt fastened at all times. You never know when the aircraft may enter into a sudden violent pocket of air. Keep your movement to a minimum.

Dress comfortably but keep in mind what might be good to wear in a survival situation. Shorts and short sleeve shirts are not recommended. Wear hard sole shoes not flip flops or sandals. Some foot wear is made of synthetic materials that will melt under high heat conditions. If it is a long flight try not to wear tight clothing such as panty hose and some foundation under garments.

Finally, if you have any special medical conditions be sure the flight attendant is aware of them and take any medications well in advance of your flight to insure maximum effectiveness. Be sure you bring enough of your medications to last for the entire flight, especially if you require inhalers.

Next blog will inform you where you can go to find out your airlines safety record before you make your reservations.

THINK ABOUT IT

Since I have a lawn service business I work outside. I don’t have to tell you we’re experiencing hot waves all over our country. Yes, I know you’re “bullet proof and ten feet tall.” You jog on a regular basis and you can handle the heat, but heat exhaustion and heat stroke can attack you before you know it.

Some symptoms include, cramps, fatigue, clammy skin, headache , nausea, hyperventilation and irritability. Our bodies usually regulate it’s temperature by sweating, but when it experiences unusually hot weather it can’t keep up with regulating itself. When temperatures start rising to 104 to 106 degrees ( 41.1 degrees celsius) you are a candidate for a heat stroke. Heat stroke can occur in just 20 minutes under the right conditions.

If somone is having a heat stroke get them to a shady area immediately. Remove clothing and spray the body with cool (not cold) water. Place ice packs under the arm pits and get to a medical facility as soon as possible.

The most important thing you can do to avoid heat stroke is to be sure you drink a lot of water and don’t overdo exercise in extreme hot conditions. Do not drink alcoholic beverages in excess in very hot conditions. Alcohol dehydrates the body. Heat exhaustion/stroke is the result of the body losing fluids and salt excessively. This is what causes cramps as well. Be careful in hot conditions and you can avoid these conditions.