Mountain Monkeys

posted by maggie on Jun 28

The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the oldest teams in the NFL. They are only preceded by four teams — the Chicago Cardinals and Bears, the Green Bay Packers, and the New York Giants. They were a part of the NFL almost from the beginning; although it wasn’t a smooth start.

Began in 1933 by Arthur Rooney, the Steelers were originally named the Pirates. The team struggled throughout the 30′s; facing severe losses and several coaches. However in the 1940′s things began to turn around for young team. The name was changed to the Steelers and, for the first time, they had a winning season. Even with many players going off to fight in the war they continued to excel, even winning an Eastern Conference title. When the American Football League merged with the NFL in the 1970′s, the Steelers switched to the AFC Central division and then went on to win their first division title. In 2009, the Steelers again made history by becoming the first team to win six Super Bowl Titles when they beat the Arizona Cardinals in Florida.

Throughout the years the Steelers have had several players and coaches nominated into the football hall of fame; Terry Bradshaw , Bobby Layne, Bill Dudley, and founder Arthur Rooney. Defensive tackle Ernie Stautner, no. 70 and also a Hall of Fame member, is the only player in Steelers history to have his jersey retired.

Despite the ups and downs the Steelers have experienced throughout the years, their fan base has remained fiercely loyal. It is not uncommon to see a truck driving down the road with a Steelers license plate frame or window stickers in states as far away as California or Arizona. Some fans even sport Pittsburgh Steelers watches and t-shirts.

You don’t even have to be a football fan to appreciate all that the Steelers have been through and the significant marks that they have left on the sport of football and the NFL.

posted by maggie on Jun 24

While many people use the term DUI to mostly mean drunk driving, what it actually stands for covers a lot more. Driving under the influence is driving under the influence of anything that could prevent you from being able to maintain control of the vehicle. This includes things like driving while drowsy, driving under the influence of illegal drugs such as heroin and marijuana, driving under the influence of prescription drugs that may make you become drowsy, loopy or otherwise not in full control. This means that the majority of people have driven under the influence of something at least once in their life. While this may change to some degree from state to state, because some states don’t have codes for some types of DUI, it is a safe bet in any state to not drive under the influence of any of those things. In states like Arizona all of these are applicable to DUI charges and are often cracked down on hard. If you get caught you will need a very good DUI lawyer. AZ is fairly harsh on these kinds of things.

For the majority of people this is driving while drowsy. Most people drive while drowsy going to and from work. When they don’t get enough sleep at night and don’t give themselves enough time to get going in the morning, people are more likely to get into accidents. The scary thing about this kind of DUI is that there are not a lot of tests that can be done to determine if someone is driving while drowsy. Most people will also not admit to such a thing so they can not be taught just how dangerous it can really be. Just like other DUI drivers most of them are never caught until they hurt someone , which could include themselves, their kids, or someone else’s kids. Just like many other drivers who drive while under the influence of something they are usually unable to say that this is a bad idea.

There are police who can recognize driving while drowsy, so these people should be aware of that. Make sure you get enough sleep and give yourself time to wake up, or do whatever else you need to do to wake up before you go out on the road and you won’t need a lawyer.

posted by maggie on Jun 22

With some of the loveliest beachfront in the world, it’s not an easy task to wake up angry when visiting Myrtle Beach. 4 star hotels are about as luxurious as life needs to get, and facing so much hospitality and style, and the Atlantic Ocean, there are no good reasons for a bad mood. However, some people are morning people, and some are simply not, so there’s no fighting it when it does come. Good moods or bad moods, they do pass, although, truth be told, it is much easier to wait for a good mood to pass than to try to get out of a bad one. It’s better company for everyone if the mood is good.

On the days where the body decides not to cooperate, and it seems like the mind might not be so sure itself, there are tricks to getting these things to work together again, and in a better frame of mind (and body). This is Myrtle Beach, after all, and it’s the rare chance to get to be in a small town where there are limitless opportunities to relax and enjoy everything. Also, they are used to tourists here, so if one decides to fall asleep at the cafe because they’re so deliciously happy, there’s a good chance it’s happened before.

Wherever a day begins, after bed it should be somewhere with the smell of espresso, and for this, Jacob’s Java is a nice little spot in town. There is the suspected espresso drinks that can jumpstart the interior biology and make the day begin in earnest. It’s a good time to be awake. And once woken, anything that smells as good as fresh-baked bread is worth looking into, but it’s better if one doesn’t have to walk far. Next door is Benjamin’s Bakery and that smell that’s so much like fresh bread turns out to be fresh bread. It’s a fantastic start. And everything is one the verge of getting better, too.

posted by maggie on Jun 18

Every summer there are a number of new people who are showing up and are ready to try to sell you something. That is the way it seems to go. If you live in certain neighborhoods it is of course worse than other neighborhoods, and every sales person is different. There have been increased reports of scammers and bad people roaming about the streets these days, so one should always be careful whom they open their door to.

If you are uncomfortable opening your door to the person don’t do it. If you are really uncomfortable opening the door call the police and let them know that there is someone creepy hanging around your neighborhood trying to get into houses. While you might feel like if he was really dangerous someone else will have already called the police that is rarely the case. Most other people are feeling like you are as well and assuming that someone else has already done it for them. This is how many people get away with it. It is also ok to call the police if they are still hanging around your house after you tell them to go away. If they are still on your property at this time it is now trespassing.

Ask them who they are and to state their business before you open the door to them. If you have a peep hole ask them to show you identification from their business before you think about opening the door. Many legitimate companies like Southwestern Company provide their sales people with identification from the company for this exact reason. Even if they show it to you through the peep hole don’t be afraid to open the door ask to see it in person and close the door again once they hand it to you. Examining it and a drivers license can give you a lot of information on if this person is legitimate. Tell them you are going to write down the information in case they turn out to be a scammer. If there does end up being a problem you can give the police some extra information. Use the information on the business identification to look them and to company up.

If the person is acting strangely don’t answer the door or if you already have tell them to go away and close the door on them. There are some older people who will dress up to look more like teens, tend to show up closer to sunset so it is harder to see them and say that they are selling something for a school trip or something else school related. These are more often than not scammers.

Be safe. Know which companies are safe companies to buy from and report to all companies any employee of theirs who was behaving oddly. If you would like more resources on what you can do to stay safe look at this Southwestern Company blog.

posted by maggie on Jun 16

For those who have decided to leave the nuances of coffee to the rest of the world, and are sticking with the thin stuff of truck stops, coffee roasting won’t have too much appeal. But for anyone whose ears start to perk up whenever there’s a nearby conversation where people are debating whether or not a macchiato should have whipped cream, the subtleties of roasting are terribly interesting. In the Chicago area, everything is pretty spectacular, with a very discerning population from all over the planet. It’s not just that there’s a threat that someone will know how things are supposed to taste, but that there are thousands of people who know, and they’re happy to share opinions.

For the record, no whipped cream, just a splash of hot milk.

And like anyone in Chicago, the people who know the art of coffee are terribly interesting. David Meyers , the force behind Resistance Coffee, is a guy with a vision, and he’s not afraid to share it. He does like to keep it all on the downlow, however, and there are plenty of reasons for that.

He always had a thing for coffee, but when he started becoming aware of the Zapatistas in Chiapas, and the struggle for land, along with their very savvy uses of the internet, coffee connections started to pop, like beans in the Bean Boss.

Because growers need to find people to buy their product.

And there are means of getting the product out that don’t have to follow the usual codes, and in the coffee industry, this is moving to a new level. Jesse Diaz, and Star Lounge , follow a similar approach. Fair Trade Coffee was something relatively unknown ten years ago, but now it’s a symbol that’s recognized by most coffee consumers.

Perhaps indie roasters is the next wave, and if so, Chicago is on it, and with hotel reservations, Chicago can open up all kinds of coffee worlds, along with many other wonderful things.

posted by maggie on Jun 14

There are a hundred perfectly reasonable explanations for wanting to pay a visit to Honolulu, any time of year. Its eminence as a major destination for tourists and travelers in the world is well-established. With every passing year, it continues to attract more visitors, drawn by the siren’s call of its precious beaches, and the promise of happy times ahead.

But it is also a place of great learning, where the University hosts some of the most cutting edge and provocative thinkers, artists, and scientists in the world. There are some stunning experiments in the works at any given time, and the island offers a wonderful balance. Scholars can delight in a peace of mind that can only be found in such a lovely setting, but they can also interact with some of the best minds of their generation. Some of these, like Ryuzo Yanagimachi are putting forth theories and experiments that can be reproduced in other places, under the same conditions, and that’s tantamount to a breakthrough.

Some lovers of science and technology are familiar with the new cloning technologies, but it might be news to discover that one of the most promising comes from Dr. Yanagimichi, and is even called the Honolulu Method named for the place he developed it. He conceived of a way to take the DNA out of the nucleus of a mouse, and to inject it into another cell to replace its DNA.

The method has proven to be very elegant and successful, and has brought him enormous attention, and secured his place in the history of biological sciences. So, while many travelers are drawn to the Honolulu best hotels for the chance to escape from it all, there is also the possibility of meeting up with some of these exciting visionaries, who are helping to create a better world, here and everywhere.

posted by maggie on Jun 11

Washington DC makes everyone think of a few specific places and things, Senators, the White House, national monuments, these are just a few of the many things that go into making the country run well and DC is the center for all of this. However Washington DC doesn’t have to be about all of those things. A trip here can be about more than just history and government. Between the sightseeing make a little time out for some free fun.

If you are there on a weekend check out Saturday Morning at the National. It is a free performance series at the National Theater . Shows range from puppet shows to ballet and a lot in between. It is first come first serve however and the tickets are handed out thirty minutes prior to the show time. Some people will get there as much as an hour before that though, so if you want to check out that week’s show make sure to get there early.

If you can hand drum, or just like listening to drumming circles go out to Meridian Hill Park on Sundays between three and nine in the afternoon. Not only is there a drumming circle that offers to let anyone come in and join them but there is also African dancing to watch. There is no charge and they have been meeting here regularly for over forty years so it is a pretty sure fire bet that they will be there if you show up.

The National Museum of the American Indian offers free storytelling, music, dance festivals and more occur regularly. You would have to check their programming schedule to find out when you can get in and see one, but they are always put on by Native Americans and have some kind of significance to the tribe that is putting them on.

In between some of this you will need to go back to your boutique hotel. DC has a lot to offer and trying to take it all in at once is tiring. If any of these events are not close to your hotel, remember that the preferred method of travel in this city is the subway and it will get you around quicker than most ways of traveling the surface streets.  And you can always consult a travel directory for even more fun-filled ideas.

posted by maggie on Jun 6

All drug abuse not only effects the community in general, but the drug abuser themselves; it has the effects of altering thoughts, behavior and feelings. Drugs directly affect the brain and the central nervous system (CNS). Feelings are affected and altered when the drugs affect the neurotransmitters and the intercellular communications; every organism seeks a balance between inhibitory and excitatory functions, which is called homeostasis. Specific drug action depends upon the route of administration, the dose taken, if there’s other drugs involved, and the state of mind of the individual. Basically, drug effects can be classified by their primary action on the CNS.

The effects of these drugs, as mentioned above, altered perception, thought and feelings cannot be experienced without taking drugs, except maybe in dreams, and to keep up these altered states, physical dependence will develop and if the drug is discontinued, withdrawal symptoms will occur, which again affects the central nervous system. The withdrawal symptoms are a rebound effect in the physiological systems, which were modified by the drug, such as when alcohol depresses the CNS, withdrawal stimulates the CNS. In studying the effects of withdrawal, look for the opposite effect that the drug was initially used for, e.g., amphetamine is used to stimulate and energize, so amphetamine withdrawal causes depression and reduces energy output.

For most drug users, development of physical dependence is gradual, it can occur over weeks, months, or even years of chronic abuse. Tolerance and physical dependence develops after chronic abuse. With increasing tolerance, the drug user needs more of the drug to acquire the same effects. The nerve cells structurally and chemically counteract the drug’s psychoactive effects, causing tolerance to grow and dependency to develop. The effects of tolerance leaves the chemically dependent drug abuser to crave more of the drug; they become obsessed with obtaining more of the drug to maintain a sense of well being. Despite these adverse consequences, the chemically dependent abuser becomes inflexible in their behavior toward the drug. The need for the drug will intensify and will become overwhelmingly all consuming and they will be totally preoccupied with the drug. This is what leads many to seek treatment from one of the many drug rehab centers across the country.

This preoccupation with drugs in general affects society, effects and strains any relationships, affects the drug abuser’s finances, and health. The impact of drug abuse on all of society is so huge a problem, it even effects government to take action by creating legislation to constantly find ways to stop this overwhelming, growing issue.

posted by maggie on Jun 4

Moving can be hard. It tends to be harder the farther away you move and the more stuff that is going on the move. In such a case one person moving with only enough stuff to fit in the back of a car moving down the street is of course a lot easier than four people moving with a twenty foot moving van full of stuff across state lines. It stands to reason then that it gets even harder when the move is across national borders . Here are a few things to have planned out ahead of time when getting ready to take this move.

Choose a great property management company to help choose the right place to live. This can be hard, but looking around at the news, websites and finding out what property managers are exceptional in the areas of interest. If this doesn’t work, asking a friend who lives in the area may be another way to go to get some help. Once a place to live is secured, make sure that the utilities are turned on before arriving and that the place will be livable. If possible get the property management service to do this allowing a little ease for the move. There is nothing worse than arriving in a new country and having no place to live, or a place that is currently unlivable.

Consider foreign exchange fluctuations and know that some days money will be better or worse for the duration of the move. When money is due for utilities, or when looking at job offers, know that the exact money is not the same between the two countries, even places like Canada and the United States have different currency rates. Making sure that the amount of money is very important and can be the difference between late fees, no house, no car, or too little pay and the lifestyle that could otherwise be had in a new place.