Incredible things happen when you are open to the possibilities. This publication is put out there for the world in the hope that it opens your eyes, brings a little light into your life, inspires someone, brings good for you to pass on to another. We share it with you and hope you enjoy the experience. And pass it on...    

Take a wildflower trail ride In Cave Creek CAVE CREEK — The wildflower season is upon us, and what better way to experience its glory than on horseback? “You can really enjoy the wildflowers this way,” said Deb Bitton, co-owner of Cave Creek Trail Rides, based at the Cave Creek Regional Park, just north of Carefree Highway in Cave Creek. “A trail ride gives you a chance to get out, enjoy the desert, and let the horses watch where they step.” Wildflowers typically begin blooming in early- to mid-March.  Story Continues   Arizona Capitol Museum Lunch Bunch From Cowboys to Cavalrymen, Rough Riders of the Arizona Territory April 21, 2010  12:15-1:00pm  1st floor Museum Lounge  1700 W. Washington Phoenix, AZ    Story Continues Local Job Growth in Booming In-Home Senior Care Industry With the national unemployment rate remaining stubbornly high at 9.7 percent and more and more news of companies going under, where on earth can you find a job in this town? Look no farther than your aging parents and relatives, who are creating one of the biggest economic booms this country has ever seen. In the coming years, two out of ten people in the U.S. will be age 65 or older and there just aren’t enough people to take care of them. That’s why care giving for the elderly is an exploding sector of the growing local and national senior care industry. This year alone, the in-home care industry is expected to grow by 12.5 percent, adding more than 100,000 new jobs, many of them right in our area. “Senior care is a thriving industry with no sign of a slow down in sight,” says Peter Ross, CEO of Senior Helpers, the nation’s fastest growing provider of in-home senior care with offices locally and nationally. “We employ more than 6,000 caregivers nationally and we are hiring at most of our 283 locations.  In-home care is recession-resistant, rewarding work that provides peace of mind for families who just can’t be with their senior loved ones all of the time.”  Story Continues   TOMS Shoes Announces Its 3rd Annual One Day Without Shoes With every pair purchased, TOMS gives a new pair of shoes to a child in need. One for One.  New York, NY (March 4, 2010) - In an effort to bring attention to the impact a simple pair of shoes can have in a child’s life, TOMS Shoes announces its third annual One Day Without Shoes campaign that asks everyone worldwide to go barefoot on April 8th.   Barefoot events around the world from Venice to Little Rock, Dubai to London have already been planned, with more in the works.   On April 8th communities and individuals will be spreading awareness about the importance of shoes in parts of the world where children’s feet are exposed to debilitating diseases.  So many of the world’s children in developing countries grow up without shoes, having to walk miles to get food and water, medical help, and attend school (which often require shoes as uniform). A leading cause of disease in these areas is soil-based parasites.  Story Continues     Carefree Cave Creek Chamber of Commerce Events  Story Continues   The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel offers a year-round whale watching package Sometimes called the Whale Capital of the West, scientists believe that Dana Point may possibly serve as a reference “landmark” for whales and is a famous gathering area, attracting not only marine mammals but marine biologists and whale lovers from around the world.  In celebration of the California Gray and Blue whale’s annual journey, The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel offers a year-round whale watching package.  Story Continues Western Coen Brothers Style with Classic John Wayne "True Grit" Remake  We read in the New York Times that the Coen brothers' are working on a remake of "True Grit"  "True Grit" is scheduled to hit theaters at the end of this year, on December 25.  This is great news for western aficionados wanting westerns introduced to another generation who seem more preoccupied in the science fiction and fantasy of the future than the history of their ancestors past. Coens are capable of making a film the next generation will embrace and maybe open the door a crack for more westerns.  Story Continues ARIZONA KANGEN AT AIR MARKETING FRIDAY 7PM - PUBLIC WELCOME! KANGEN  ionized alkaline water with anti-oxidant & micro-clustering WATER SEMINAR HELD EVERY TUESDAY 7PM MAR 9thCOME LEARN ABOUT KANGEN WATER!  3419 E University Phoenix, AZ Seminar lasts about two hours and explores health issues that benefit from ionized alkaline water with anti-oxidant & micro-clustering. Public is welcome to attend and to bring 3 gallon containers to be filled with water to try for FREE. Questions 602-565-5785 Daniel Dimacales is one of the top Kangen distributors in America and is an expert on the effects of healthy Kangen water. His enthusiasm and knowledge enthralls audiences. You walk away knowing so much more about how your body works and how you can feel better just by drinking good water.  KANGEN = MiracleWater  Avatar and other Oscar Bound Flicks Roger Ebert said it best, "Watching "Avatar, I felt sort of the same as when I saw "Star Wars" in 1977. That was another movie I walked into with uncertain expectations. James Cameron's film has been the subject of relentlessly dubious advance buzz, just as his "Titanic" was. Once again, he has silenced the doubters by simply delivering an extraordinary film. There is still at least one man in Hollywood who knows how to spend $250 million, or was it $300 million, wisely."   Story Continue Kurt Warner wins Bart Starr Award Newly retired, Kurt is still winning awards!  He was presented with the Bart Starr Award on Saturday in Fort Lauderdale, recognizing his outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field, and in the community.    Story Continues   PROMINENT CURATOR OF LATIN AMERICAN ART SPEAKS AT “THE AMERICAS SERIES 2010” Latin American Art Alliance (LAAA), a support organization of Phoenix Art Museum proudly presents Cecilia Fajardo-Hill, Vice President of Curatorial Affairs and Chief Curator at Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) in Long Beach, CA who will discuss the challenges and rewards facing curators, artists and supporters of Latin American art.   Considered one of the leading curators of Latin American art in the country, Ms. Fajardo-Hill is former Director and Chief Curator of the Cisneros Fontanals Arts Foundation (CIFO)—a non-profit organization devoted to the promotion of contemporary art from Latin America—and the Ella Fontanals Cisneros Collection in Miami, one of the leading collections of contemporary American art in the world.   Story Continues Unique Online Social Platform Matches Artists And Art Buyers  http://www.theartistfinder.com  It is an innovative online social platform for artists worldwide designed to help connect artists and their works with the perfect match of consumers. It is called TheArtistFinder.com and it is increasing in popularity -- and it is free to join. Art lovers looking to find that perfect art piece are able to browse the site for free as well linking to multiple art sales venues. A few years back, the online art matchmaker site called BoundlessGallery.com popped onto the cultural scene allowing artists and art seekers a worldwide a place to connect. Now, the company has added TheArtistFinder.com to help provide an additional matchup option for artists and art lovers.  Story Continues   Arizona State Parks Keeps Nine Parks Open. Thirteen will Close The Arizona State Parks Board voted on January 15 to keep nine parks open and close the remaining thirteen State Parks. These closures would occur in phases starting February 22, 2010 due to six different State Parks funds being swept of $8.6 million. In addition, four parks will remain closed due to previous budget reductions. Story Continues   WHITE HOUSE BACKS DOWN ON TERRORIST TRIALS IN NEW YORK PRISON AT GUANTANAMO BAY IS PROPER LOCATION Move America Forward, the nation’s largest grassroots pro-troop organization, applauds the White House for backing down on holding the trial of 9/11 terrorist mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in New York City. Story Continues   Featured Item A palindrome is a word, phrase, number or other sequence of units that can be read the same way in either direction. “The Butterflies of Grand Canyon” Book Review by LeeAnn Sharpe “The Butterflies of Grand Canyon” by Margaret Erhart, is an “Indie Next List Notable Pick” with good reason. Erhart brings the Grand Canyon of the American West to life with an intriguing romance and mystery. Her gentle characters, complemented by the sweet butterflies, provide considerable imagery against the might and majesty of the Grand Canyon. Story Continues   NEW SERIES EXPLORES TRADITIONS AND INNOVATIONS IN LATIN AMERICAN ART PHOENIX, AZ (January 11, 2010) – Latin American Art Alliance (LAAA), a support organization of Phoenix Art Museum presents an unprecedented opportunity to explore and understand the traditions as well as innovations in the vast realm of Latin American art from the Colonial period to the 21st Century. Featuring lectures, slide shows and films, “The Americas Series 2010” runs from January to May 2010 at Whiteman Hall in Phoenix Art Museum 1625 N. Central Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85004. PhxArt.org All events are open to the public. Suggested donation for each event is $10  Story Continues   Wolfgang's Vault This Week's Featured Playlist: Best of the Best Volume 4 You know how in movies, the quality of the film usually decreases with every sequel? That doesn't happen in the Vault! This playlist stars Ringo, Booker T., Zappa, Zevon, Little Feat, Jimi, AC/DC, Skynyrd, and many more. Eat your heart out, Home Alone 3! Listen to this Featured Playlist in Concert Vault   Disney Musical Hand Wash Timers Offer A Fun & Effective New Way To Fight Germs During the Flu Season And Beyond Story Continues   Arizona Grand Resort Launches Grand Sunsation Package in Exclusive Partnership with the Phoenix Suns Experience Phoenix with room/game ticket package from $279 with nightly $100 resort credit    Arizona Grand Resort, Arizona’s only all-suite AAA Four Diamond hotel and Preferred Hotels and Resorts® Ultimate Luxury Collection member, today announced an exclusive room and game ticket package with the NBA Phoenix Suns basketball team.  Guests of the resort can take advantage of the new Grand Sunsation package starting from $279* per night that includes a nightly $100 resort credit, plus two regular season tickets to an exciting Phoenix Suns home game featuring superstar players like Steve Nash and Amar’e Stoudemire. Story Continues  The Four Agreements The Four Agreements are: Be Impeccable With Your Word. Don't Take Anything Personally. Don't Make Assumptions. Always Do Your Best. Practical information and timeless wisdom.    NRA COMPETITIVE SHOOTING RULE CHANGES FOR "2010" NRA Rule Books are no longer reprinted on an annual basis. Changes made prior to the next printing will be published here each year until new rule books are printed. You may also receive a printed copy of the changes (please indicate which shooting program you wish), at no charge, by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope (#10) to: National Rifle Association Competitive Shooting Division 11250 Waples Mill Rd. Fairfax, VA 22030 Rule Books are *available from the NRA Program Materials Center. You may call 1-800-336-7402 (9am to 9pm, Eastern time Mon-Fri). You may also order on-line at http://materials.nrahq.org/go/ Heart to Heart  Pet-A-Rama The 2010 Heart to Heart Pet-a-Rama will be Sunday, February 14 from 9 am - 2 pm. Steele Indian School Park  Begin Valentine's Day with your Best Friend!!  Most of us have been together from the beginning and I hope we can all see the Pet-a-Rama through its final year.  Truth be told, it's a ton of hard work and we're all getting older and aren't quite as fit as we were six years ago when we started.  Having said that, I want to make it official-the 2010 Heart to Heart Pet-a-Rama will be the FINAL Pet-a-Rama    Story Continues  To Every Friend & Fan of Arizona's Arts & Cultural Community: Support ShowUp.com  Alliance for Audience is an independent 501c3 non-profit organization formed in 2003 to enable Arizona's arts and cultural community to work together to raise the visibility of their offerings. You know us best as ShowUp.com and it is our great privilege to represent nearly 200 arts and cultural organizations throughout Greater Phoenix, Metro Tucson and Flagstaff. As you consider making year-end contributions to organizations and causes that are important to you, please let me invite you to directly support the arts & cultural organizations whose performances, concerts, festivals and exhibits you most like to attend. For organizations both large and small, your personal gift makes a huge impact. Please also know that you can support Alliance for Audience (and thus benefit the breadth of Arizona's arts and cultural community) by clicking this link - or by clicking the "Donate Now" icon located in the "Services" box on every page of ShowUp.com. However you decide, there has never been a more important time to show your support of arts and culture in Arizona. Thank you, as always, for the opportunity to be of service. Wishing you a healthy and prosperous new year! Matt Lehrman, Executive Director, Alliance for Audience & ShowUp.com

 

EarthTalk®  From the Editors of E/The Environmental Magazine
Dear EarthTalk: I am very concerned about the amount of chlorine in my tap water. I called my water company and they said it is safe just let the tap run for awhile to rid the smell of the chlorine. But that just gets rid of the smell, perhaps, not the chlorine?    -- Anita Frigo, Milford, CT
 Thousands of American municipalities add chlorine to their drinking water to get rid of contaminants like microbes, nitrates, arsenic and pesticides. But this inexpensive and highly effective disinfectant has a dark side. “Chlorine, added as an inexpensive and effective drinking water disinfectant, is also a known poison to the body,” says Vanessa Lausch of filter manufacturer Aquasana. “It is certainly no coincidence that chlorine gas was used with deadly effectiveness as a weapon in the First World War.” The gas would severely burn the lungs and other body tissues when inhaled, and is no less powerful when ingested by mouth.

 Lausch adds that researchers have now linked chlorine in drinking water to higher incidences of bladder, rectal and breast cancers. Reportedly chlorine, once in water, interacts with organic compounds to create trihalomethanes (THMs)—which when ingested encourage the growth of free radicals that can destroy or damage vital cells in the body. “Because so much of the water we drink ends up in the bladder and/or rectum, ingestions of THMs in drinking water are particularly damaging to these organs,” says Lausch.

 The link between chlorine and bladder and rectal cancers has long been known, but only recently have researchers found a link between common chlorine disinfectant and breast cancer, which affects one out of every eight American women. A recent study conducted in Hartford, Connecticut found that women with breast cancer have 50-60 percent higher levels of organochlorines (chlorine by-products) in their breast tissue than cancer-free women. But don't think that buying bottled water is any solution. Much of the bottled water for sale in the U.S. comes from public municipal water sources that are often treated with, you guessed it, chlorine. A few cities have switched over to other means of disinfecting their water supplies. Las Vegas, for example, has followed the lead of many European and Canadian cities in switching over to harmless ozone instead of chlorine to disinfect its municipal water supply. As for getting rid of the chlorine that your city or town adds to its drinking water on your own, theories abound. Some swear by the method of letting their water sit for 24 hours so that the chlorine in the glass or pitcher will off-gas. Letting the tap run for a while is not likely to remove any sizable portion of chlorine, unless one were to then let the water sit overnight before consuming it.

Of course, an easier way to get rid of chlorine from your tap water is by installing a carbon-based filter, which absorbs chlorine and other contaminants before they get into your glass or body. Tap-based filters from the likes of Paragon, Aquasana, Kenmore, Seagul and others remove most if not all of the chlorine in tap water, and are relatively inexpensive to boot. A more aggressive solution is to restructure your water for increased health benefits with a Kangen water machine. Editors Note: See our sponsor link  KANGEN = MiracleWater 

 SEND YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS TO: EarthTalk®, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php. EarthTalk®is now a book! Details and order information at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalkbook.

When you look deep enough what do you see? Hubble Telescope saw...

KAY LANG + ASSOCIATES ESTABLISHES URBAN ELEGANCE FOR THE RESIDENCES AT MANDARIN ORIENTAL, LAS VEGAS  Strip Debut offers the Ultimate in Ethereal and Sophisticated Living
LAS VEGAS – With the much anticipated opening of The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas at City Center, the sophisticated design of Kay Lang + Associates becomes a tangible dream; an unsurpassed Zen retreat blended with stylish haute couture.
Story Continues

Bring a Touch of Romance into Your Bathroom…
For homeowners who are passionate about a bathroom update, ornate floral motifs bring a sense of serenity and romance. The updated décor adds a touch of sophistication that will transform any bath into a private sanctuary. Faucets and shelves with gentle, flowing flower tendrils to washbasins and bathtubs designed with gentle arcs and curvatures create a retreat-like experience, complete with luxury and relaxation. Story Continues

No Increase in Postage Prices for 2010
The US Postmaster General, John Potter announced that "there will not be a price increase for market dominant products including First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, periodicals, and single-piece Parcel Post."

Crisis Nursery Fundraiser & Online Silent Auction www.crisisnurseryphx.org
To see and bid on AUCTION ITEMS click here!

Find the hero in you. Give blood 3 times a year.

Cell Phone Numbers Go Public - Register on Do Not Call List 
REMINDER.... All cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls. YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS Even if the message is saved on your phone, you will be charged for the minutes to listen to it. To prevent this, call the following  number from your cell phone:  888-382-1222 It is the National DO NOT CALL list. It will only take a minute of your time. It blocks your number for five (5) years.   You  must call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked.   You cannot call from a different phone number.HELP OTHERS BY PASSING THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS.. It takes about 20  seconds.  After 30 days you may file a complaint if telemarketers call your number. To file a complaint go to www.donotcall.gov