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Prepaid prepaid phone cards allow the user to purchase a specific dollar value of calling time and to have the cost of each call deducted from the account balance. Sold at many retail locations as well as on the Internet, you can buy them at relatively cheap prices and use them from almost from anywhere.

But are these phone cards really a great deal?

Have you seen calling cards at your local convenience store or gas station and wondered how they work? Maybe you have heard about the great long distance rates that calling cards offer, and are curious about how they can offer such great prices?

Are you really getting any minutes with such a deal?

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Fluffy is using your new chair for a scratching post…again!

Its a very natural thing for a cat to sharpen it’s claws. After all, they are used for climbing, catching “food” (when necessary), climbing, perching and defending themeselves. Of course, let’s not forget another very important trait that cat’s need claws for…”kneading your leg” when contentedly curled up on your lap. So, what’s a human to do?

Get a scratching post!

It’s relatively easy to teach a cat to use a scratching post instead of your own furniture (and in some cases…you!). Even a “slow” cat will catch on to the idea fairly quickly. Many pet stores sell scratching posts and furniture in all shapes and sizes to keep your frolicing feline happy and content.

You can also make your own scratching post out of simple materials lying around your home. For example, take a 4″ diameter branch about 2 feet long. Wrap it snuggly and securly with some rope. Voila…simple scratching post. Another option is to cover a 2X4 board with old carpeting.

Once you have a scratching post (either purchased or home- made), place it near the area that your cat spends the most time or next to his favorite “scratching” place. Now comes the hard part…waiting and watching.

As soon as your cat begins to scratch an inappropriate item (from your point of view…not his), quickly say “no” in a deep voice and pick him up. Take him to the new scratching post and rub his paws gently over the post, simulating scratching. You will have to be deligent about this.

Whenever you see your cat using the scratching post on his own, immediately praise him, perhaps even giving him a treat the first few times to reenforce the behavior. A cat learns quickly and it shouldn’t take long for him to “readjust” his habits.

I remember the first day of training well. It had been an interesting experience (read euphemism for painful) as I limped into the shower afterwards. My feet were killing me, it was that simple.

All the more worrying for me afterwards was that I was committed to driving round to pick up my girl friend and anxious to make a good impression I was sure the sight of me hobbling and limping up to the front door was going to go down extremely well!

Add to the above physical pain the fact that her father who was twice my age and had already completed several marathons (I had yet to complete one) and I was potentially in for an evening of ritual humiliation that would remain with me for a long time.

As it turned out, things went better than expected, I actually got a mega load of sympathy, lots of hugs and kisses for at least trying (and that was from the dad – only joking folks) and ended up almost a hero but the real benefit of the entire evening came with some gentle constructive advice from the father whilst the girlfriend was getting ready (why do they always take so long?)

The advice came along the lines of it was pretty damn obvious to disguise the fact that I was in no small amount of pain and that it was either bucket loads of TLC, lots of alcohol or a hefty shot of painkillers was going to be what it took to get me through the night (possibly a nice combination of all three who knows?) Having established this fact and the cause of my discomfort my girlfriends’ father took me aside and showed me where he kept all his training gear.

Now this guy was serious about his running, he had a physique that was lean and mean, all the hallmarks of a “fully paid up mountain goat” and had a degree of fitness that I could only have fantasised about at the time.

His most revealing words were: “Look after your feet and do not, repeat do not, go running in shoes that are not designed for the job.” Sounds pretty obvious I know but as advice goes (and isn’t it strange how all the best advice is simple at the end of the day) it was right up there with some of the best I have ever had.

If there is one area of your running gear (and if you are going to survive out there on the roads then you have to be serious) that you cannot treat in a cavalier fashion it is with your running shoes. If you are about to set out and run hundreds of miles then the correct shoes is not only a must, it is essential.

I have a colleague, the husband of a friend of mine who is competing in this years London Marathon (2007) and he works his way through one pair of running shoes every four weeks. Now imagine when you are running that sort of distance how much damage you would do to your feet if you don’t have the right shoes?

Many people who want a work at home job think of data entry first. It’s hardly a surprise. Data entry is relatively easy, doesn’t require a quiet workspace or much in the line of special equipment. And many people can quickly learn to type fast enough to qualify.

However this is also one of the most common work at home scams. Because so many people feel comfortable with the idea of doing data entry at home, scammers know they can get people to pay them for opportunities that don’t exist. It really pays to know what a real data entry job looks like.

There are a few common scams. One is to disguise a business opportunity as a job. This scam is really only a scam because it pretends to be a job rather than a business opportunity. People can make money at it, but there is financial risk involved and you most certainly are not an employee of anyone, despite what these ads claim. Would you want to learn how to run a successful business from someone who lies to you about it being a job?

The opportunity is generally affiliate marketing for various products through Clickbank. Often they recommend placing pay per click ads in AdWords and other programs. As I said, people can and do earn money at this. However it is not easy and if that is what you want to do from home I strongly recommend learning about it from an honest source.

Another common scam is to request you pay a fee to show that you are serious. The supposed work is filing in forms with names and addresses to compile address lists for advertisers. However these jobs can often be done much more quickly and easily by computers.

Real data entry jobs may not sound that different at the start. I know of one company that does have you type in customer’s information from forms they filled out. That’s because you’re processing rebate forms. This particular job is limited to the Tempe, AZ area as you must pick up and drop off your work each day.

The difference, of course, is in the presence of an actual job. The scams may sometimes send you work but good luck getting paid. The real companies should have reputations you can check and you should be able to find other people who have successfully done the work in the past or are even doing it now.

You should not have to pay to get the job. The job probably will have standard equipment requirements for all contractors or employees. The most common requirement, aside from that of having a computer, which should be a given, is that you have a cable or DSL internet connection. Most companies will not accept dialup or satellite connections. Check the requirements of each company to be certain.

Caution is indicated anytime you are looking for a work at home opportunity. The scams are far easier to find than the legitimate work is. However the legitimate opportunities are out there for those who take the time to hunt for them.

One of the most scenic options you have while in Hawaii is taking an aerial tour of Maui via a helicopter. As you are up in the helicopter, you will see views you could only imagine on the ground.

Many people only have the privilege of seeing Maui from the windows in an airplane. This view might seem spectacular, but it is a fairly quick event, and depending on the height of the plane, may not offer the true beauty of a flight closer to home.

Helicopter tours on Maui range in price from modest to expensive. However, if you have the means while you are on vacation, this type of tour is highly recommended. Depending on the tour you choose to take, you will see part or all of Maui or a collection of small islands and Maui, as well.

As you travel in the helicopter, you will see waterfalls as you fly above them. You will see the towering cliffs, mountains, streams, and the floor of the rainforest. Many tours will take you by the historic Iao Valley, where they will teach you about the culture and history of the area.

A tour guide will be onboard the flight to fill you in on all you see and the history and geography behind what you are viewing. In most cases, you will fly over the Haleakala Crater, Hana Town, the Hana Rainforest, and the Oheo Gulch. You may fly over Maui completely and see the rugged shorelines and the rocky cliffs on certain parts of the island.

Below is a list of the aerial tours of Maui via helicopter.

Island Tours

Complete Island of Maui Helicopter Tour

In this tour, you will see all of Maui from the air. You begin the tour at the heliport and will be guided by certified tour guides who know all there is to know about Maui. You will see Hana and the Rainforest, Oheo Gulch, the Northeast portion of Maui, Haleakala Crater, and much more. The price for this tour ranges from $279 - $309, though this depends on the particular aircraft being flown during the trip.

Blue Hawaiian Tours

Depending on the tour you take, you will spend 30 to 90 minutes viewing places like the West Maui Rainforest, the West Maui Mountains, Hana and Haleakala, the island of Molokai, or other islands or areas of Maui. You can even take a complete tour of the island if you want. You will see a variety of landscapes from volcanoes to hidden waterfalls. Prices for this tour range from the low $100s to just under $300.

Full Circle Island Deluxe

This helicopter tour will take you through Maui’s Valley Isle. This tour lasts for an hour and gives you a chance to explore the Haleakala Crater from the air. You will reach as high as 10,023 feet. Additional travel spots include the Hana Rainforest, the northeastern coastline of Maui and the West Maui Mountains. This tour comes to $270.00.

These are just a few of the aerial helicopter tours on Maui. If you would like additional options, you can speak to your hotel clerk about scheduling something with one of the local companies.

The internet has shrunk the world into one mouse click away. This is certainly true for online dating. It now dramatically speeds up the process of finding the type of person you are looking for and someone who lives in close proximity for obvious reasons. It also allows you to make new friends from all over the world. Here is some online dating advice that you should bearin mind.

1. Don’t be in a hurry

There are people who are online just trying to take advantage of other people. In getting to know someone online you can begin to notice tendencies in how they respond. If you notice them saying things that seem odd to you in any way then you may want to move on. Dating companies have thousands upon thousands of members and there are a lot of nice people to meet so that is where you want to spend your time. Take your time and feel each other out before scheduling your first date.

2.Do not give out your personal information

Since you do not have any idea who this person may be it is better not to give out your personal information. Things such as your address, email address, or even your last name should be kept secret for now. As you feel more comfortable you can reveal more about yourself. Go for a company that has an internal email system. That way there is no obligation to give out your personal email address.

3. What do they look like

Physical appearance is important in life and so it is in online dating also. Certainly part of the attraction of a person is what they look like. You may as well know this right up front to determine if this looks like a person you would want to meet or not. If not be polite and move on to another profile that interests you.

4. Meet on your terms

You can control how soon you meet and you can control where you meet. Keeping your safety in mind pick a public place and let a friend or relative know where you are meeting. If you are feeling pressured to meet too soon tell them to back off.

Some of the best dating advice you can get is from other people who have already been on dates that were started from an online contact. If you are a member of a service you can get online and chat. Many dating sites have articles that go into more detail on various situations that people have been in and how they have handled it.

This is the same with online dating forums. Hanging out and reading allows you to learn more at your pace and you can get more dating advice there.

How does a busy professional like yourself cope with the mounting demands and pressures of career and everyday life and still achieve success?

Whether you are a beginner just starting your career or a tenured executive with many years of success, the key to achieving BIG is breaking the “feel-good” addiction.

The feel-good addiction is an addiction to the small, easy “feel-good” tasks that bombard us every day – sorting the mail, answering email, checking voicemail and straightening, organizing and reorganizing. If you’ve got a big comprehensive report due tomorrow, even cleaning toilets can feel good. You know exactly what I’m talking about – we all have our favorite feel-good tasks. Mine is cleaning out the refrigerator (I leave the toilets to my husband).

Let yourself get caught in the feel-good addiction, and before you know it, you’re majoring in minor things. You accomplish lots of little tasks, but achieve very little of significance for your career.

The feel-good addiction is insidious for those of us who get a charge out of checking things off our to-do lists. Sure you knock out some minor chores, but that check-mark high comes at a price. In the long term this cheap high is guaranteed to frustrate, overwhelm and stress you out. You’ll start questioning how you can be so busy all day yet accomplish so little of importance. Soon, your enthusiasm and energy will wane along with your productivity.

Start Your Day Big

The feel-good addiction begins with the way you start your day. Most of us (yes, even morning people) like to ease into our workday. Ask yourself this: Is this feel-good start to my day really the best use of my professional time?

You start with a few small and easy feel-goods. “I’ll just check my email.” Then you’re off and running on all those other messages you “need” to answer, forward or research. After all, you tell yourself, firing off an email only takes two minutes. Since you’re not yet feeling the day’s time constraints, these tasks steal more attention than they deserve. Two minutes turns into 20 as one item leads to another. Soon the morning’s gone faster than those first two cups of coffee. In a flash, the day is over, and you haven’t written one page of that comprehensive report.

Even if you set these small to-do’s aside, they can buzz around in your head like mosquitoes. For the rest of the day, they nag at you until you divert your attention from something important and swat them. You give in and start opening that stack of bills. This distraction now diffuses your focus on the complex report you’re supposed to be concentrating on.

Knowing my inability to look at a stack of anything, trivia included, without diving into it, I start each day with a clean desk free of clutter and a clear mind free of trivia. I put small tasks out of sight and out of mind until the designated time to deal with them. Sometimes you can’t avoid a really big mosquito that needs to be swatted NOW, but I’ve trained myself to forget about the small ones.

Engage Big Things for Big Results

What you engage and focus on is where you will yield results. Doing little things gives you little results, drains your creativity and saps your brain power. When you cease to accomplish really Big Things, you lose desire and motivation. The less important your accomplishments, the less important you feel. You start to believe you’re not cut out to achieve the business success you imagined.

Engaging Big Things guarantees worthwhile achievements, and you’ll become addicted to the momentum of accomplishment. That momentum is a far more lasting high than the transitory feel-good of checking off trivial tasks.

Once you’re focused on accomplishing Big Things for your career, you’ll approach even routine matters with laser-sharp focus, quickly delegating or deleting. More important, with fewer distractions to sidetrack you, your creativity and productivity will catch fire and the resulting momentum will keep you pumped. You’ll glide through your day full of confidence and satisfaction from achieving significant milestones.
Engage momentum today. There’s more to feeling good than feeling the feel-good addiction. You can have time in your life and still have the time of your life. Make that your Big Thing for today.

INTRODUCTION

The upsurge of spiritual energies encircling our planet at this present time, has resulted in an awakening in humanity of the existence of higher realities. Whatever the cause of this spiritual conflagration in the hearts and minds of humanity may be, the effects of its pulsation are readily apparent in the interest taken by the general public in the many metaphysical arts and sciences that were once considered occult and mystical, studied and applied by only an elite few. This higher awareness is gaining momentum with the aid of scientific research and study that is being carried-out in various universities and colleges–researches based on the theories of hyperspace and quantum physics, and also in the field of parapsychic science. Various paradigms of the constitution of man and his occult anatomy as found in Eastern philosophy and Yoga are being discovered to contain elements of truth. Even the nature of the occult processes of death are now being studied through various methods already established by science, such as hypnotic-regression. The problem now facing the metaphysical teacher and practitioner is:

1) The integrating of present findings of science to traditional metaphysical knowledge so as to be able to convey spiritual truths and Cosmic Laws in a rational, logical and intelligent manner to the educated masses who are wary of traditional cultural values and knowledge that are out-worn or unscientifically presented, such as precepts of value that are sometimes wrongfully considered to be superstitions.

2) To present new ways of teaching and healing in an efficacious and holistic manner.

3) To personally prepare the metaphysician’s own mind, body, and soul that s/he may effectively heal the dis-eased psycho-somatic principles of humanity.

4) To present metaphysical truths that would stimulate and awaken the innate divinity of those interested persons, thus fostering spiritual growth in contradistinction to the development of religious fervor, bigotry, zealousness, and fanaticism. The precept of universalism falls upon the shoulders of metaphysicians to educate the masses.

The four points above should be the main goal of metaphysics. Too often we see so-called metaphysical counselors degenerating into psycho-deceivers and rapists, into street fortune tellers and psychic readers who present sensational readings to appease the lower selves of their clients. Such a manner of counseling causes a dependency to others on the part of the client. As a result, spiritual growth is stunted for both the client and the counselor; for the counselor is responsible for what he teaches. Most people seem to believe that psychic ability indicates a high spiritual development. This is one of the erroneous beliefs concerning metaphysics that has to be rectified. A psychic person may not be spiritual, neither does a spiritually-evolved person to a certain degree have to be psychic. Low forms of psychicism may be atavistic, an indication of soul-regression, for certain animals have shown to be sensitive to psychic impressions. Psychic abilities may deceive a person and others into thinking that one is an “old soul.” There is an element of pride in this and is a spiritual pitfall. Like the medical profession that upholds the ethical code of Harpocrates, the metaphysician should conform to the divine moral principles that resides in his innermost being, and not deceive anyone, himself included, as to the puerile over-concern over one’s soul status or spiritual standing.

In this dawning of the Aquarian Age, every person is to be their own priest and healer. This should be kept in mind by those who are seeking to be shepherds of men. Like Socrates, counselors should be adept in awakening the inner intelligence of those who come to his sanctum for advice by mystical, metaphysical and psychological means, and not simply repeating scriptural verses or platitudes parrot-like for their clients to swallow. People may reiterate verbally the wisdom of others, and yet in their lives we see nothing–no divinity expressing through them. To practice what we preach is a trite saying, but a true one nevertheless.

Metaphysical and spiritual teachers should strive to connect every person who calls at his door to the person’s own Inner Light, to the person’s own innate wisdom or Buddhic Mind. We should all take responsibility for our own spiritual unfoldment. Self-reliance and self-motivation are factors that indicate the maturing of the soul. It is of vital importance to educate people the lesson of non-dependency upon the unreal, that which is false, the non-self, upon externals, and upon the fallible human intellect.

Awareness of higher realms is not synonymous to the ability to function in those states. Before one can operate one’s microcosmic components in higher dimensions and apply the laws governing any field of evolution, the laws of those states must be understood; the occult nature of man must be known and developed. For without the understanding of such, wisdom and power lies dormant. The Universe operates through Cosmic Laws and creative principles. By knowing and understanding these laws, it is possible for the human mind/will to apply and direct these laws so as to manifest perfection in mind, body, and soul. Cosmic energies may be harnessed by knowing its source, nature, and how it operates in the universe; and by duplicating the processes of creation in our individual lives, we raise our creative level and output that eventually manifests in abundance, prosperity, peace, health, love and fulfillment. A high level of awareness creates strong, constructive survivors out of us. It stimulates in us a profound interest in the abstract, in the first causes of mundane manifestations of circumstances, conditions and states that fill our lives.

An intellectual understanding of the Cosmos and its laws, and Reality, is insufficient, however. At a certain point of one’s probing into Reality, the intellect has to be transcended and a higher faculty of the soul brought into activity. It is incumbent upon the metaphysical counselor to unfold divine qualities such as wisdom, love, power, and intelligence that he may be an effective instrument in the hands of the Divine Being.

Laws of Nature belonging to any realm of existence are natural. It is only by non-awareness and non-apprehension of those laws that we call them “super-natural.” Nature manifests as a whole spectrum of energies, and only an infinitesimal part of it is perceptible to man’s senses. By expanding one’s consciousness by daily attunement with the Divine Mind, one gradually realizes the interrelationship of all manifestations, which in reality is of one essence. This awareness assists us to get into touch with the immaculate being of other people, and from such a level of awareness it is possible to aid them to improve their lives in a beneficial manner.

Our purpose in this paper is to present some of the important points of Cosmic Law and principles that the metaphysical counselor should be familiar and fully grounded with, thus increasing his effectiveness in his ministry. In Christian Tradition, it is believed that St. Peter holds the keys to the portal of heaven. “Peter” means “rock,” which in a philosophical and esoteric sense, signifies something fundamental, a foundation, a basis. Therefore, spiritually interpreted, Peter and the keys simply mean the fundamental laws and principles that when applied, opens our awareness to the spiritual heavenly state of our primordial consciousness. Higher metaphysical awareness can only be acquired when the fundamental laws of the Cosmos are sought, understood, and applied. There should be a sincerity of purpose in the heart of the metaphysician, for without it divine attunement would be difficult. This lack of divine attunement manifests in a poor expression of one’s ministry. The metaphysician must be attracted to the human soul and its manifold qualities; its struggles, its pain, its sorrows, its aspiration toward Truth and the Light, and its endeavour to acquiring freedom from mortal limitation and delusion. Such an interest unfolds one of the most important divine attributes in man–compassion. The true metaphysician is a mystic and an occultist, a magician, a philosopher, priest, scientist, and a humanitarian. All true servants of the Divine Being and humanity are Bodhisattvas. As a public servant, the metaphysician should live-up to this image–by expressing his innate Buddha-Mind in the world of men. This he should do so if he is to avoid being a metaphysician in name only.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

In this chapter we will present two themes which we feel are the basis of metaphysical thought and awareness, and possessing the potentiality of spiritual application. To the metaphysician, they are the keys that unlock the door to myriad possibilities in healing and counseling. We will not overburden this section discussing the many excellent books and literature on the subject, we will, however, quote a few passages to support our notions and assertions. In the following chapter we shall present several principles and laws as related to those two themes that could be expressed as “relative and Absolute Reality.”

Awareness of the Mind and its Relationship to Mundane Reality

Metaphysics is the study of true perception; the knowing of the First Cause that brought the universe into being and the ontological processes that manifests life in the physical dimension; it is the personal awareness of the causes that creates one’s reality, the causes that are beyond the physical and material plane. The word “Reality,” of the above heading here refers to one’s mortal experiences in the samsaric, relative worlds and not to the Absolute. What one experiences in life is determined by the attitudes, thoughts, beliefs, opinions and feelings one revolves in one’s psyche. They are the cause of our fortune or misfortune. Our mind is an expression of the Divine Mind of the Universe, and thus, functions in a microcosmic manner and in the world as a creator. The mind creates in the world of form whatever lies within its consciousness, and more subtly but forcefully, whatever lurks in its subconsciousness. How we use our mind in filling these lower streams of the Divine Consciousness causes the many circumstances in life that we find ourselves experiencing. By creating our inner reality, we manifest our external reality–the outer is but a reflection of the inner. Animal breeds after their kind, so do our thoughts and feelings. For instance, poverty thoughts create poverty while sickly thoughts manifest sicknesses. Negative thoughts expresses outwardly as negative words and actions, and they usually rebound back to us as negative feedback from all those around us. What is true for the negative is also true for the positive polarity. This is the law of “like attracts like” in operation within the psychological and psychospiritual being of man. It is in this wise that we create and are responsible for our own heaven and hell on earth. We are creators and not mere creatures. The Aquarian Gospel puts it this way:

God never made a heaven for man; he never made a hell; we are creators and we make our own.” (33:9)

Living in hell-like circumstances and states is is the result of one’s ignorance and misapplication of the laws of the mind. Our mind is a two-edged sword that either “slays” the Real by its misperception or able to cut-through the unreal by its power of discrimination between the true and the false. Man was given the “freewill” to choose either one. Correcting one’s inner state–one’s attitudes, and belief-framework by positive, uplifting, constructive and lofty thoughts cause, spiritually speaking, the manifestation of heaven in one’s mundane experiences. Heaven is actually one’s way of perceiving things. We may see things as they are, or as they appear to be. Appearances are deceptive, a veil of Maya upon the senses. Hindu philosophy knows the world to be a play of the mind–Krishna’s leela. True perception is the de-hypnotizing of the mind of its false conceptions and ideas based upon opinions and not facts–that it may see beyond the veil–that it may cognize and recognize one’s true nature as the New Jerusalem.

It is well known to mystics, and documented by psychic researchers, that the subconscious mind radiates or broadcasts thoughts and feelings. Thoughts are patterns of energy-waves that tend to actualize or concretize in the world of form. Our minds, at a subconscious, psychic level, have the power to create sub-atomic particles from the Universal Substance. Whatever we conceive and generate in our minds, whether expressed or repressed, we influence our outer and inner environment–and thus, indirectly speaking, to us personally. It is for this reason that in order to create abundance, peace, health, and contentment in our lives and in the lives of others, the first step that we have to take is in the amelioration of the nature of our thoughts. Aside from improving one’s life, lofty thoughts also stimulate the higher chakras, or psychic centers. Prince Gautama who became the Buddha, discerned this truth and incorporated it into his teachings, in order to relieve the state of suffering in humanity and to set their feet firmly onto the path of spiritual integration. “Right Thinking” as taught by the enlightened prince, is one of the steps in the Buddhistic Eightfold-Path.

How one creates one’s reality is a theme in many of the channeled teachings that is being conveyed to us at our present area. This is, however, but an echo of the ancient sages and their teachings.”New Age” truths are but fragments of the eternal Wisdom that was taught by them. There is, as the Solomonic saying goes, “nothing new under the sun.” Understanding how we create our reality is one of the points that the metaphysician should be familiar with. It is one of the basic teachings that has to be inculcated in the minds of men, for the correct apprehension of this principle has the power of transforming a person’s life.

The metaphysician has to awaken a sense of responsibility in his clients, that they take control over their world. Many people believe that they are weak and powerless to change things directly or indirectly. This may or may not be true; however, one still has the freedom to choose one’s response and attitude toward things; and more important, one has the power of putting the right causes into motion in the realm o the mind that will indirectly change and influence conditions and events. Such an awareness should be instilled into the minds of people that they begin to live harmoniously, for when the source and cause of abundance are known and applied, less tension will there be in the struggle for survival. The laws of the jungle will be replaced with the Law of Love. Instead of competition there will be cooperation. There will eventually be more time and energy for higher pursuits. Without a higher awareness of life, man wastes and squanders his time and resources on trivial matters, and this causes one’s evolution to stagnate.

Copyright © 2006 Luxamore

Susie was driving home with her children after a medical appointment. Driving in the opposite direction was a contractor who was talking on his cell phone to a supplier. While looking at the phone, the contractor lost control of his vehicle, crossed the center line and hit Susie’s vehicle head on.

Susie and one of her children were killed, and her other children were injured, one of them seriously. The contractor suffered minor injuries.

A recent study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that driver distraction is a factor in 80 percent of all motor vehicle crashes.

The list of distractions in an automobile is long and continues to grow. The bottom line here is that we just have to pay closer attention to our number one responsibility behind the wheel: driving safely. Here are some tips to help achieve that objective.

Focus On The Task At Hand

* Start with the basics and drive defensively. Make it your goal to have a “perfect” trip.

* Don’t turn your head to talk or look at scenery or another person.

* Don’t fool with the radio or other nonessential equipment when the road is busy. When driving in unfamiliar areas, turn off the radio for maximum concentration.

* Personal grooming and reading are obvious no-no’s.

* Experts say we eat one in ten restaurant meals in our automobile, often while weaving through traffic. Don’t eat or drink while you drive.

* If you don’t know exactly where you’re going, get directions before you leave.

* If you need to look at a map or reach into your purse or briefcase, pull over. The same applies to dealing with troublesome children.

* Do not engage in stressful or emotional conversations that may be distracting.

* Illness is a distraction. When you’re sick, your reflexes are slower than normal and your senses may be fogged. Consider staying home until you are alert.

* Read the labels on medications and talk to the pharmacist. Many medications such as antihistamines can make you dizzy or drowsy.

The Rolling Phone Booth

Using a cell phone while driving is a leading cause of driver inattention.

* Learn and follow all local and state laws. When you travel, review local requirements.

* Learn how to operate your phone without looking at it.

* Never take notes or look up phone numbers while driving. Use a small tape recorder to take notes.

* Keep conversations brief so you can concentrate on your driving.

* A cell phone should only be used when it is absolutely necessary. The Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association offers these safety tips for cell phone users:

* Take the time to become familiar with the features of your phone such as speed dial and redial.

* Position your phone so you can reach it while maintaining a proper view of the road and all mirrors.

* Dial while the vehicle is stopped. If you absolutely must dial in light traffic, dial a few numbers, check traffic, and continue dialing when it’s safe. Or, have a passenger dial for you.

* If you place a call while moving, stay in the lane reserved for slower traffic.

* Use Speed Dialing for frequently dialed numbers.

* Always assess the traffic situation before receiving calls. Allow voice mail to answer the phone when it’s unsafe to speak, e.g., heavy traffic or bad weather.

* Let the person you are speaking to know you are driving. If necessary, suspend conversations during hazardous driving conditions or situations.

* The National Safety Council recommends not using a cell phone at stoplights. You may notice cars moving in the next lane, but your light could still be red.

* Hearing impaired drivers should pull over to use the phone. Too much of your attention will be diverted to deciphering the sounds.

The surgical procedure to remove the bladder is known as a cystectomy and is usually performed as a result of cancer of the bladder. You can also have radiation and chemotherapy treatment which is used to treat bladder cancer. If the cancer is in the muscle of the bladder then surgery is performed to remove it.

Cystectomy is considered a very aggressive treatment option and may not be the best option for everyone. Those who have superficial tumors may respond better to a more conservative treatment. A cystectomy is considered a major surgical procedure and the patient is put under general anesthesia. There is a small incision made on the lower abdomen.

The ureters are found, tied, and cut. The ureters connect the bladder to the kidneys, so cutting them frees the bladder for the removal process. The bladder as well as other associated organs are then removed. In male patients the prostate is removed along with the bladder. In women patients the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and part of the vagina are also removed with the bladder removal process.

The bladder of a healthy person collects urine from the kidneys for excretion at a later time. When the bladder has been removed the doctors must come up with a new method to remove urine from the body. In many cases a small portion of the small intestine is removed, cleaned, and tied at one end to become the form of a tube. After this the other end is then used to form a stoma, which is an opening through the abdominal wall to outside the body. The patient is required to wear a bag to collect the urine.

Before the procedure is performed a member of the medical staff will discuss the entire procedure and can tell the patient where the stoma will be on their body and what it will look like. The patient will also get all the information they need on how to care for a stoma and bag. Counseling may be discussed and there may be a period of fasting required as well as an enema.

After going through a successful operation the patient will be given fluid based nutritional drinks until the intestines begin to function normally. You are also given antibiotics to prevent infection of the incision area. When a person’s organs are removed it means that there will be major lifestyle changes after the procedure.

After this procedure women are infertile as a result of the ovaries and uterus being removed, but it is more common for women to have a cystectomy are postmenopausal and are far past their child baring days. Men are impotent because the nerves that control penis erection are cut during the removal process of the bladder.

The patient must be fitted with an external bad that connects to the stoma and is used to collect urine. These bags are usually worn around the waist and are easily hidden under clothes. It may take a while to get used to wearing a bag but since there isn’t a bladder urine is excreted when it is produced, which is continuously.