Great Example of An Apology - From a funny text post!!

I am really sorry about tonight. You're right, I don't take your needds into consideration and i absolutely bulldozed you. I am going ot work on actively and thoughtfully listening to you. I want you to feel respected and heard.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ColdandFluNews/story?id=6479792&page=1&singlePage=true

The Perils of Sneezing

Dec. 22, 2008

By CARI NIERENBERG
ABC News Medical Unit 

It might have been just another summer day at the office. But when Erina Ramly of Chestnut Hill, Mass., felt a tickle in her nose as she headed to the cubicle of a co-worker, she did not imagine that what happened next would lead to excruciating pain.

She let out a sneeze but soon afterward noticed that she couldn't turn her neck to the left or right.

As the pain in her neck worsened, Ramly went to see her doctor. Much to her surprise, she found out she had whiplash. She was given a neck brace to wear and some muscle relaxants for the pain.

In all likelihood, the sudden movement of the sneeze aggravated Ramly's neck muscles, which may have been tight to begin with because her back was feeling stiff.

"It felt really embarrassing, when I had to tell people the story," Ramly said. "You don't expect to get whiplash from sneezing." But her physician told her he had seen it before, and another friend confided that it had happened to her as well.

Injury Happens Quicker Than You Can Say 'Gesundheit'

Although the chances of hurting yourself while sneezing are extremely low, it can and does happen.

And it can happen to the fittest of us. Not one, but two forceful sneezes sent baseball slugger Sammy Sosa's back into spasm right before a game in 2004. Shortly thereafter, the Chicago Cubs outfielder was placed on the disabled list with a sprained ligament in his lower back.

Sneezing is a quick, sudden motion that can aggravate an underlying problem, like neck or back discomfort, explained Dr. Eric Holbrook, co-director of the sinus center at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Given the right set of circumstances, a sneeze has the potential to strain a muscle or pull a ligament.

Traffic fatalities and accidents have also occurred when drivers have turned their head away to sneeze for a split second or have had a sneezing fit.

In November, for example, a Boston man lost control of his pickup truck on a curvy stretch of road adjacent to the Charles River after he reportedly sneezed while behind the wheel. The driver was not hurt during the incident but his vehicle ended up partially submerged in the river.

Other consequences of sneezing don't necessarily lead to injury, but they can be embarrassing. For women who have incontinence, part of the pressure generated during a sneeze might transmit that pressure to the bladder, which may or may not hold, said Dr. Erin O'Brien, a sinus specialist at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. This can also happen with a strong sneeze during pregnancy.

Get Your Questions Answered at the ABCNews.com OnCall+ Cold & Flu Center

• Best Ways to Avoid the Flu
• How to Make a Fast Flu Recovery
• Battle of the Nasal Washes: In One Nostril, Out the Other
• Sick Kids: Keep Them Home? Or Are They Faking?

Since the average person tends to sneeze roughly 200 times a year, the odds are low of any harm, noted Dr. Michael Benninger, chairman of the head and neck institute at the Cleveland Clinic. "The greatest risk from sneezing is contagiousness, not personal injury," he said.

What You Might Not Know About Sneezing

A sneeze often starts when an irritant enters the nose, whether it's mucus, dust or an allergen, and this stimulates the trigeminal nerve. An area of the brain called the "sneezing center" senses this and triggers a reflex reaction throughout the body. You take a deep breath in from the lungs, your muscles contract, your eyes close and there's a forceful outflow of air from the nostrils and mouth -- it's all intended to expel whatever was irritating your nose.

"Sneezing is a defense mechanism to protect against a foreign body entering," Holbrook said.

Sneezing is also a subject of curiosity among ear, nose and throat physicians, as well as sinus specialists who get their fair share of questions and hear many old wives' tales about it.

For example, Holbrook says he's been asked whether sneezing with your eyes open will cause them to pop out of your head (he reassures his patients that he has never heard of this happening).

Another myth is that your heart temporarily stops while sneezing.

And then there's the photic sneeze reflex, which is one example that has a medical basis. Looking at bright light or going from dark to light (indoors to outdoors) triggers a sneeze in some people.

About 25 percent of the population has this reflex, and it appears to be hereditary.

Another response that might seem strange and also has a tendency to run in families is sneezing when you have a full stomach. O'Brien says that both her grandfather and father sneeze when they first take a few bites of chocolate, although neither man is allergic to it. Fortunately for O'Brien, she did not inherit this reaction.

The Dos and Don'ts of Sneezing

Sneezes are thought to travel at a speed of 100 miles an hour with a wet spray that may spread about five feet. So for those times when you need to say "achoo," there are some things to remember to do it safely.

Many experts agree that it was best to sneeze into the bend of your elbow, not into your hand. While you may have been taught as a child to cover your mouth with your hand when you sneeze to avoid spreading germs, kids and adults alike are now being taught to sneeze (or cough) into the inside of the elbow.

Sneezing into your hand is believed to be worse at spreading infection because the hand doesn't absorb mucus very well and often goes on to touch things afterward (instead of being immediately washed).

O'Brien also recommended keeping your mouth open because the sneeze is generating so much pressure you want to let it out.

As for what not to do, it could be risky to suppress a sneeze by pinching your nostrils or closing off your mouth. This can rupture an ear drum or damage the middle ear.

If you're going to sneeze, let it come, suggested Benninger. Historically, he explained, the Greeks believed that sneezing was a gift from the gods -- a signal from above, so to speak. This might be one reason why the phrase "Bless you" came into being, which probably was a derivative of "You are blessed."

As Benninger put it, "If people sneeze, just let them know they're blessed. The gods are with them."

Cars - Why it's good to "idle" your car on cold mornings

http://jalopnik.com/yes-warm-your-damn-car-up-if-its-cold-1678251730


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/culture/commuting/help-im-moving-to-winnipeg-when-do-i-plug-in-my-car/article4791898/

http://www.autos.ca/forum/index.php?topic=41422.0

What to do if you lock your keys inside your car

What to do if you lock your keys inside your car

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/tips-for-getting-into-your-car-without-your-keys.html
http://www.reddit.com/comments/26jgg5
http://www.yelp.com/topic/san-diego-locked-keys-in-running-car
--> Call CAA or a towing company. They will bring a device they use to "slimjim" into the car.
Video: unlocking car using plastic strap (have to purchase the tool, but it shows the basics of it)
Video: unlocking car using a long piece of string, and tying slipknots into it
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Tie-a-Slip-Knot/



Don't lock yourself out of your running car

http://www.reddit.com/r/LifeProTips/comments/2r9vmu/lpt_dont_lock_yourself_out_of_your_running_car/

Description of Bombay Cats

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombay_cat

The Bombay is a highly social breed that loves to be in the company of others.^[2] Bombays tend to be attached to their families and crave attention, and for this reason this breed is highly suitable for children.^[4] Most Bombay cats are not independent. Older Bombays are somewhat more independent than younger ones. They seek attention from their owners and people around them often and dislike being left alone for extended periods of time.^[5] Although they like to be around people generally, Bombay Cats also tend to have a certain person whom they pay special attention to in their lives.^[5] Overall, the Bombay breed is intelligent, playful, and attention-seeking.^[5] They tend to get along well with other cats, as they have an established pecking order in the household. They have a very distinctive purr and love to snuggle.

http://www.cfa.org/Breeds/BreedsAB/Bombay.aspx

“I’d love to own a panther!”

At first glance, you may mistake a Bombay cat for a miniature panther. In fact, that is why the breed was created by Louisville, KY breeder Nikki Horner, who set her sights on producing a copper-eyed, black shorthaired cat with the exotic appearance of a mini or “parlor” panther. The black leopard of India inspired her choice of the breed’s name.

The Bombay is an example of a hybrid breed, combining characteristics of established domestic breeds to create and maintain a specific, third look. Although the goal is to produce cats who look like wild panthers, there is absolutely no wild blood in the breed. Ms. Horner began her effort in 1953 with the selective breeding of a black American Shorthair with rich eye color bred to a Grand Champion sable Burmese female. Through a long, selective process of line breeding and outcross breeding, she was able to consistently produce a black cat unlike any other. Black American Shorthairs and sable Burmese are still allowable breed outcrosses.

The Bombay achieved CFA championship status in 1976, and the rest, as they say, is history. The beguiling, charming shiny black coat with the brilliant gold to copper eyes caught on with the public and other breeders and exhibitors. Although small in numbers, the breed has consistently contributed to national and regional winner status.

It has been said that if you want a dog, a cat or a monkey all rolled into one mischievious package, then the Bombay is the breed for you. They can be leash trained, and most enjoy playing “fetch” and are fond of inventing new ways to entertain themselves and the humans with whom they live. Bombays are congenial, outgoing and make intelligent, affectionate companions. They adapt well to busy life styles and usually get along with children, elders and other pets. The Bombay generally combines the easy going temperament and robust nature of the American Shorthair and the social, inquisitive, lap-loving character of the Burmese.

With the exception of color, the Bombay and Burmese standards are very similar. Whereas the Burmese body presents a compact sturdy appearance, the Bombay body is of medium length, presenting a more lithesome appearance than its Burmese cousin. The Bombay’s head is “rounded” with a short muzzle. The coat is the most defining characteristic of the Bombay. Its short, flat, gleaming, black-to-the-roots coat accentuates its rippling muscular form. And, along with its conspicuous large, brilliant gold to copper eye color, the Bombay is described as the “patent leather kid with the new penny eyes.”

In selecting a Bombay kitten, consider what characteristics are most important to you and discuss them with the breeder, who knows each kitten and can help match you with the right one. Kittens are usually available around sixteen weeks of age, by which time they have had their basic inoculations and developed the physical and social stability needed for a new environment. Keeping such a rare treasure indoors, neutering or spaying, and providing acceptable surfaces for the natural behavior of scratching (CFA disapproves of declawing or tendonectomy surgery) are essential to maintaining a healthy, long and joyful life. For more information, please contact the Breed Council Secretary for this breed.

http://mybombaycat.com/bombay-cat-characteristics-and-personality/

Like other pets, Bombay cats crave human attention.  They have loud purs and very distinct “voices.”  Some Bombay cats can be quite talkative and meow alot at times like when you get home from work or wake up in the morning, for example.  The Bombay doesn’t get along too well with certain breeds of cats, but can tolerate others.  Bombay’s get along well with dogs because of the natural “pecking order” they have.  Also, Bombay’s typically prefer to live indoors rather than be an “outside-cat.”

Bombay’s are “heat-seekers”,  they simply love to be warm.  You’ll often find your Bombay sleeping in sunlight or next to heaters when its cold.  Bombay’s often tend to sleep on their owners when lying down for the warmth.

Bombay’s love attention.  The enjoy being held and being pet.  Some Bombay’s even take on dog-like characteristics like playing fetch, for example.  They enjoy being around people, but tend to select a certain someone to pay special close attention to.  Bombay’s are also great with young children.

Overall, the Bombay is a sensitive and intelligent cat that is perfect for a first-time cat owner.