http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php Black Bike Week will be held in Myrtle Beach, SC from May 22th-May 25th 2009 (Memorial Day Weekend). BlackBikeWeek.com is the definitive place to get information and chat about Black Bike Week. en Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:29:25 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.blackbikeweek.com/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=126 Thu, 12 May 2011 22:03:19 GMT

People have taken FB too far for and posted too much info on there. I don't remember Myspace or any social site with so much drama. ]]> softbuttcheeks http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=126 http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=125 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:51:35 GMT A hater is someone who is jealous and envious and spends all their
time trying to make you look small so they can look tall.
They are very negative people to say the least. Nothing is ever
good enough!

When you make your mark, you will always attract some haters...

That's why you have to be careful with whom you share your
blessings and your dreams, because some folk can't handle seeing
you blessed...

It's dangerous to be like somebody else... If God wanted you to be
like somebody else, He would have given you what He gave them! Right?

You never know what people have gone through to get what they
have...

The problem I have with haters is that they see my glory, but they
don't know my story...

If the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, you
can rest assured that the water bill is higher there too!

We've all got some haters among us!

Some people envy you because you can:
a) Have a relationship with God
b) Light up a room when you walk in
c) Start your own business
d) Tell a man / woman to hit the curb
(if he / she isn't about the right thing)

e) Raise your children without both parents being
in the home

Haters can't stand to see you happy.
Haters will never want to see you succeed.
Most of our haters are people who are supposed to be
on our side.

How do you handle your undercover haters?
You can handle these haters by:

1. Knowing who you are & who your true friends are
*(VERY IMPORTANT!!)

2. Having a purpose to your life: Purpose does not
mean having a job. You can have a job and still be
unfulfilled.

A purpose is having a clear sense of what God has called you to be.
Your purpose is not defined by what others think about you.

3. By remembering what you have is by divine
prerogative and not human manipulation.

Fulfill your dreams! You only have one life to live...when its your
time to leave this earth, you 'want' to be able to say, 'I've lived my
life and fulfilled 'my' dreams,... Now I'm ready to go HOME!

When God gives you favor, you can tell your haters, 'Don't look at
me...Look at Who is in charge of me...'

Pass this to all of your family & friends who you know are
not hating on you including the person who sent it to you

If you don't get it back, maybe you called somebody out!
Don't worry about it, it's not your problem, it's theirs..
Just pray for them, that their life can be as fulfilled as
yours! Watch out for Haters...BUT most of all don't become
a HATER!

'A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ that a man
should have to seek Him first to find her.'

Maya Angelou ]]> DczThykDonDiva http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=125 http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=124 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:45:58 GMT

The 'Middle Wife' by an Anonymous 2nd grade

teacher...

I've been teaching now for about fifteen
years. I have two kids myself, but the best birth story I know is the one I saw in my own second grade classroom a few years back.

When I was a kid, I loved show-and-tell.
So I always have a few sessions with my
students. It helps them get over shyness and usually, show-and-tell is pretty tame. Kids bring in pet turtles, model airplanes, pictures of fish they catch, stuff like that. And I never, ever place any boundaries or limitations on them.. If they want to lug it in to school and talk about it, they're welcome.

Well, one day this little girl, Erica, a
very bright, very outgoing kid, takes her turn and waddles up to the front of the class with a pillow stuffed under her sweater.

She holds up a snapshot of an infant. 'This is Luke, my baby brother, and I'm going to tell you about his birthday.'

'First, Mom and Dad made him as a symbol of their love, and then Dad put
a seed in my Mom's stomach, and Luke grew in there. He ate for nine months through an umbrella cord.'

She's standing there with her hands on the pillow, and I'm trying not to laugh and wishing I had my camcorder with me.

The kids are watching her in amazement.
'Then, about two Saturdays ago, my Mom
starts saying and going, 'Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh!' Erica puts a hand behind her back and groans. 'She walked around the house for, like an hour, 'Oh, oh, oh!' (Now this kid is doing a hysterical duck walk and groaning.)

'My Dad called the middle wife.. She delivers babies, but she doesn't have a sign on the car like the Domino's man. They got my Mom to lie down in bed like
this..' (Then Erica lies down with her back
against the wall.)

'And then, pop! My Mom had this bag of water she kept in there in case he got thirsty, and it just blew up and spilled all over the bed, like psshhheew!' (This
kid has her legs spread with her little hands miming water flowing away. It was too much!)

'Then the middle wife starts saying 'push, push,' and 'breathe, breathe They started counting, but never even got past ten.

Then, all of a sudden, out comes my brother. He was covered in yucky stuff that they all said it was from Mom's play-center, (placenta) so there must be a lot of toys inside there. When he got out, the middle wife spanked him for crawling up in there.'

Then Erica stood up, took a big theatrical bow and returned to her seat. I'm sure I applauded the loudest. Ever since then,
when it's show-and-tell day, I bring my
camcorder, just in case another 'Middle Wife' comes along.


]]> DczThykDonDiva http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=124 http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=123 Fri, 11 Feb 2011 22:42:53 GMT This is an article I came across while back that I find it to be an interesting piece to read. Source: http://www.celestialhealing.net/physicalveg3.htm How humans are not physically created to eat meat Although some historians and anthropologists say that man is historically omnivorous, our... This is an article I came across while back that I find it to be an interesting piece to read.
Source: http://www.celestialhealing.net/physicalveg3.htm
How humans are not physically created to eat meat



Although some historians and anthropologists say that man is historically omnivorous, our anatomical equipment * teeth, jaws, and digestive system * favors a fleshless diet. The American Dietetic Association notes that "most of mankind for most of human history has lived on vegetarian or near-vegetarian diets."



And much of the world still lives that way. Even on most industrialized countries, the love affair with meat is less than a hundred years old. It started with the refrigerator car and the twentieth-century consumer society. But even with the twentieth century, man's body hasn't adapted to eating meat. The prominent Swedish scientist Karl von Linne states, "Man's structure, external and internal, compared with that of the other animals, shows that fruit and succulent vegetables constitute his natural food." The chart below compares the anatomy of man with that of carnivorous and herbivorous animals.



When you look at the comparison between herbivores and humans, we compare much more closely to herbivores than meat eating animals. Humans are clearly not designed to digest and ingest meat.



Meat-eaters: have claws

Herbivores: no claws

Humans: no claws



Meat-eaters: have no skin pores and perspire through the tongue

Herbivores: perspire through skin pores

Humans: perspire through skin pores



Meat-eaters: have sharp front teeth for tearing, with no flat molar teeth for grinding

Herbivores: no sharp front teeth, but flat rear molars for grinding

Humans: no sharp front teeth, but flat rear molars for grinding



Meat-eaters: have intestinal tract that is only 3 times their body length so that rapidly decaying meat can pass through quickly

Herbivores: have intestinal tract 10-12 times their body length.

Humans: have intestinal tract 10-12 times their body length.



Meat-eaters: have strong hydrochloric acid in stomach to digest meat

Herbivores: have stomach acid that is 20 times weaker than that of a meat-eater

Humans: have stomach acid that is 20 times weaker than that of a meat-eater



Meat-eaters: salivary glands in mouth not needed to pre-digest grains and fruits.

Herbivores: well-developed salivary glands which are necessary to pre-digest grains and fruits

Humans: well-developed salivary glands, which are necessary to pre-digest, grains and fruits



Meat-eaters: have acid saliva with no enzyme ptyalin to pre-digest grains

Herbivores: have alkaline saliva with ptyalin to pre-digest grains

Humans: have alkaline saliva with ptyalin to pre-digest grains

Based on a chart by A.D. Andrews, Fit Food for Men, (Chicago: American Hygiene Society, 1970)





Clearly if humans were meant to eat meat we wouldn't have so many crucial ingestive/digestive similarities with animals that are herbivores.



Many people ask me, "If we weren't supposed to eat meat than why do we?". It is because we are conditioned to eat meat. Also, the ADA (American Dietetic Association) tells us that "most of mankind for most of human history has lived on a vegetarian or Lacto-ovo vegetarian diet.



A popular statement that meat eaters say is; "In the wild, animals kill other animals for food. It's nature." First of all, we are not in the wild. Secondly, we can easily live without eating meat and killing, not to mention we'd be healthier. And finally, as I have already shown, we weren't meant to eat meat. Meat and seafood putrefies within 4 hours after consumption and the remnants cling to the walls of the stomach and intestines for 3-4 days or longer than if a person is constipated. Furthermore, the reaction of saliva in humans is more alkaline, whereas in the case of flesh-eating or preying animals, it is clearly acidic. The alkaline saliva does not act properly on meat.



The final point I would like to make on how we as humans were not meant to eat meat is this. All omnivorous and carnivorous animals eat their meat raw. When a lion kills an herbivore for food, it tears right into the stomach area to eat the organs that are filled with blood (nutrients). While eating the stomach, liver, intestine, etc., the lion laps the blood in the process of eating the dead animals flesh. Even bears that are omnivores eat salmon raw. However, eating raw or bloody meat disgust us as humans. Therefore, we must cook it and season it to buffer the taste of flesh.



If a deer is burned in a forest fire, a carnivorous animal will NOT eat its flesh. Even circus lions have to be feed raw meat so that they will not starve to death. If humans were truly meant to eat meat, then we would eat all of our meat raw and bloody. The thought of eating such meat makes one’s stomach turn. This is my point on how we as humans are conditioned to believe that animal flesh is good for us and that we were meant to consume it for survival and health purposes. If we are true carnivores or omnivores, cooking our meat and seasoning it with salt, ketchup, or tabasco sauce would disguise and we as humans would refuse to eat our meat in this form.



Overall advantages of vegetarianism
You can indeed reap a lot of benefits by being a vegetarian and people have become more aware of the health benefits of being a vegetarian. Animal rights issues is only one of the reasons why people decide to go on a vegetarian diet. People are beginning to care more about the environment. However, the main reason why people go on vegetarian diet is because of health benefits.



Meat is not good for you as it clogs your thinking. This is especially true if you eat red meat; white meat has less fat compared to red meat. Excessive intake of fats into your body can result in having a high level of cholesterol. If you think that not eating meat is going to make you look scrawny or unhealthy please think again. Just imagine that cows, goats, gorillas, elephants, rhinoceroses and so on are all vegetarians (herbivores) but look at how tough these animals are, not to mention their life span which is longer compared to the carnivores (meat eating animals).



If you look at the chicken and vulture (carnivores), these animals eat just about everything and notice how unhealthy these animals look. The Chinese believe that the chi or life force in your body is less when you consume meat and so do the Indians with their ancient yogic principles, their life force was called prana.



The great Tai Chi masters of China were adept at preserving their chi, even if some of the masters were not vegetarians, they still had a balanced diet. It has now been scientifically proven that a balanced vegetarian diet is better compared to a diet that is taken with meat.



There are a lot of misconceptions about being a vegetarian; protein is one of the main topics of debate as a lot of people think that you can only get protein from meat. Vegetarians get a lot of protein, if they eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes. What vegetarians don't get is the excess protein of traditional American diet, excess that leads to kidney overload and mineral deficiency diseases.



A lot of people also think that a vegetarian diet is not a balanced diet. Vegetarian diets have a proportion of three macronutrients, which are complex carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Vegetarian food sources (plants) tend to be higher sources of most micronutrients. Another myth that needs to be clarified is the so-called lack of calcium among vegetarians. Many vegetables, especially green, leafy ones, have a good supply of calcium. The truth is that vegetarians suffer less from osteoporosis (a deficiency of calcium that leads to weak bones).

It is not my intention to force people to become vegetarians. However, vegetarianism is my answer to complete health and wholeness. The three issues to consider in regard to vegetarianism are: spiritual, mental, and physical (nutritional). ]]> softbuttcheeks http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=123 http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=122 Fri, 11 Feb 2011 22:16:22 GMT Ever wonder how you gained 5 pounds overnight—even when you're cutting calories? The usual culprit is water weight.



If your stomach feels bloated, your face looks puffy, or your hands and feet swell, it's likely that your body is retaining water. And this may show up on the scale as a few extra pounds. Not fun.

Here's why it happens. Your body is constantly trying to rid itself of the salt you consume. When it can't purge all the extra salt, your tissues react by holding on to water, so the ratio of salt to water is always at a safe level.

But if you want to determine your real weight, see how close you are to your fitness goals, and button up those old jeans with ease, follow these quick tips to lose the extra water weight—fast.

Drink more water.
It may seem counterintuitive, but not drinking enough water every day can actually make you retain more water! Dehydration causes your body to go into panic mode, and it'll hold on to water the next time you take a drink. Diuretics like alcohol, tea, and caffeinated soda can actually have a dehydrating effect on your body since they flush water out of your system.

What to do? Drink at least eight to ten glasses of water each day so your body will maintain its fluid balance, and you won't gain those extra pounds. Water is the best diuretic you can give your body and it's all natural, and usually free! If looking thinner and feeling less bloated isn't enough motivation, here's some more. Drinking water before each meal has been shown to help promote weight loss and even to help keep your skin healthy, which is particularly useful if you don't want your skin to sag once you lose weight.

So keep a water bottle at your desk, send yourself "drink water" reminders if you have to, track your water intake for motivation, or do whatever it takes to remember to drink enough water. The extra hydration will prevent those false pounds from showing up on the scale.

Sweat it out with exercise.
When you sit in one place for a long period of time, your circulation slows down and your body can begin to swell. Exercise promotes blood flow and circulation (not to mention sweating). So when you get in some serious cardio, you'll literally sweat out excess fluids and pounds. Make sure to get your daily exercise to help rid your body of water weight.

:)

Limit the sodium in your diet.
To give your body a break from retaining water and working hard to eliminate sodium in the first place, try to keep your sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams per day and avoid adding salt to foods.

Watch out for sneaky salt in boxed or packaged foods by reading nutrition labels carefully. Some of the foods where sodium is often hidden are canned soups, fast foods, pickled foods, processed/deli meats, cheeses, frozen meals, and soy sauce. Make sure to look for labels that say "reduced sodium" or "sodium free." You may also want to choose fresh vegetables over canned. While canned veggies can be a handy substitute for fresh, they're typically laden with preservatives or sauces and seasonings that add extra sodium. A cup of canned cream-style corn, for example, contains 730 milligrams of sodium.

Also, food at restaurants and fast food establishments often contains high amounts of sodium. Eliminate all table salt and try using pepper or other spices on your food instead. Or, maybe try nothing and remind yourself what the food actually tastes like.



Eat more protein.
Deficiencies in protein, along with vitamins B1, B5, and B6, can lead to water retention as these nutrients assist with fluid balance functioning. Some good sources of these nutrients include lean beef, legumes, and low-fat dairy products. You should try to eat two to three appropriate portions of lean protein per day.

Don't starve yourself.
Undereating can also cause you to gain water weight. Eating fewer than 1,200 calories a day may cause your body to retain water and, ironically enough, cause you to gain more weight.

Limit your sugar intake.
Having too much sugar in your body can cause your insulin levels to rise. High levels of insulin may make it harder for your body to get rid of sodium, which in turn causes water weight gain.

Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.
Fresh fruits and vegetables—especially those naturally rich in water, such as watermelon, onions, celery, and cucumbers—can make you urinate more frequently, reducing water retention. Fruits and vegetables also provide ample sources of potassium, which assists with fluid balance within body cells. ]]> softbuttcheeks http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=122 http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=121 Sat, 05 Feb 2011 06:21:48 GMT Earth could be getting a second sun, at least temporarily.

Dr. Brad Carter, Senior Lecturer of Physics at the University of Southern Queensland, outlined the scenario to news.com.au. Betelgeuse, one of the night sky's brightest stars, is losing mass, indicating it is collapsing. It could run out of fuel and go super-nova at any time.

When that happens, for at least a few weeks, we'd see a second sun, Carter says. There may also be no night during that timeframe.

The Star Wars-esque scenario could happen by 2012, Carter says... or it could take longer. The explosion could also cause a neutron star or result in the formation of a black hole 1300 light years from Earth, reports news.com.au.

But doomsday sayers should be careful about speculation on this one. If the star does go super-nova, Earth will be showered with harmless particles, according to Carter. "They will flood through the Earth and bizarrely enough, even though the supernova we see visually will light up the night sky, 99 per cent of the energy in the supernova is released in these particles that will come through our bodies and through the Earth with absolutely no harm whatsoever," he told news.com.au.

In fact, a neutrino shower could be beneficial to Earth. According to Carter this "star stuff" makes up the universe. "It literally makes things like gold, silver - all the heavy elements - even things like uranium....a star like Betelgeuse is instantly forming for us all sorts of heavy elements and atoms that our own Earth and our own bodies have from long past supernovi," said Carter.

UPDATE: To clarify, the news.com.au article does not say a neutrino shower could be beneficial to Earth, but implies a supernova could be beneficial, stating, "Far from being a sign of the apocalypse, according to Dr Carter the supernova will provide Earth with elements necessary for survival and continuity."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_811864.html ]]> softbuttcheeks http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=121 http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=120 Thu, 03 Feb 2011 18:54:03 GMT Stress is a mental,physical and emotional repsonse to pressure in which can compromise your health. Stress can and have lead to emotional depression if you don't take control of it. Family often add to the stress when theres lack of support. With family that blood can run thin. You have to eliminate who provide the least support and contaminate your sanity. ]]> softbuttcheeks http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=120 http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=119 Sat, 29 Jan 2011 01:45:22 GMT Hara Hachi Bu - eat until you are 80% full. The traditional Okinawa diet, with its emphasis on vegetables, whole grains, fruits, legumes (soy foods) and fish with limited amounts of lean meats serves as a model for healthy eating and healthy aging that not only reduces your risk of cardiovascular... Hara Hachi Bu - eat until you are 80% full.
The traditional Okinawa diet, with its emphasis on vegetables, whole grains, fruits, legumes (soy foods) and fish with limited amounts of lean meats serves as a model for healthy eating and healthy aging that not only reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease but also helps to minimize free radical production. Free radicals are cell-damaging molecules that are generated mainly by our bodies' metabolism when we create energy from food.

The Okinawan cultural habit of calorie control called hara hachi bu, which means eat only until you are 80% full, plays a role as well as their habit of eating an antioxidant rich plant-based diet. Stopping at 80% capacity is actually a very good strategy to avoid obesity without going hungry because the stomach's stretch receptors take about 20 minutes to tell the body that how full it really is and 20 minutes after stopping you will really feel full.

In Okinawa, Heart Disease rates are 80% lower, and stroke rates lower than in the US. Cholesterol levels are typically under 180, homocystein levels are low and blood pressure at goal levels. Rates of cancer are 50-80% lower - especially breast, colon, ovarian and prostate cancer. Hip fractures are 20% lower than mainland Japanese and 40% lower than in the US. Dementia is rare.

However, Okinawans who adopt Western eating styles have similar rates of heart disease as in the US. Young Okinawans, eating more processed foods, have a higher risk of heart disease than their elderly relatives. A study of 100,000 Okinawans who moved to Brazil and adopted local eating habits, showed a life expectancy 17 years lower than in Okinawa.

In summary, the Okinawa approach is:
•Consciously controled portion sizes through the practice of Hara Hachi Bu: eat until you are 80% full.
•A low-calorie, mostly plant-based diet with plenty of fish and soy foods, a great variety of vegetables as well as moderate amounts of the monounsaturated fats and Omega 3’s. Include high fiber whole grains and starches.
•Regular, life-long physical activity. Tai Chi, walking and gardening are common forms of exercise.
•Staying lean and fit. The combination of diet and activity keeps body fat low (BMI 18-22). ]]> softbuttcheeks http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=119 http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=117 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 12:50:32 GMT Hey All, this is not my first trip to Myrtle Beach for Bike Week but i am hoping that it will be my best:)...I am traveling with reasonable sized (8-10) co-ed crew & we are looking for the best places & parties to hit up while we are in town:D...I am familiar with the layout of the beach being that I come often when its not Bike Week...please feel free to post and let me know What's the 411:confused::confused:...Thanx ]]> phatsassycheekz http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=117 http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=116 Thu, 23 Dec 2010 06:40:38 GMT Identity theft is a problem that isn't going away anytime soon. With more than 11 million victims in the U.S. in 2009, it's a very real problem that can become an even bigger hassle during the holiday shopping season, when we are busier (and more distracted) than usual and hunting for a good deal.

While thieves often often use a victim's identity for credit card fraud, they'll also use it to get a job or to receive health care, according to CreditCards.com. Thieves also don't care whether a victim has good credit or bad, as long as they can use their good name to commit fraud they'll be happy to steal their identity.CreditCards.com rounded up three tales of identity theft. One victim had their identity purchased on the black market, another had their's stolen by an ex and yet another became caught up in an identity-theft ring. The tales show just how easy it is to be taken and how much work it can be to clear your name.

Don Redinius, who had his identity stolen by an ex-girlfriend who went on to rack up $68,000 in debt and took anther $6,000 from a line of credit, estimates that he has spent 300 hours dealing with his stolen identity and has only resolved two out of the three accounts in question. His story isn't out of the ordinary for victims of identity theft.

"Our data indicates that identity fraud can happen to anyone at any time." Joe Reynolds, Identity Fraud Product Manager at Travelers told WalletPop via email. "Thieves don't discriminate; they prefer crimes of opportunity. So, it really becomes a matter of being vigilant and prepared this holiday season in the event identity fraud happens to you."

Travelers provided the following five tips to combat identity theft and online fraud this holiday season.

1. Before You Go Shopping, Take Inventory of Your Wallet or Purse.

According to a 2010 study of Travelers ID fraud claims, stolen wallets or purses account for the vast majority of identity fraud cases. With this in mind, think about how much of your personal information a thief would obtain if your wallet or purse were stolen. For an average trip to the mall, avoid carrying your Social Security card, birth certificate or passport unless absolutely necessary. Also, avoid carrying extra credit cards, unless you know you're going to use them.

WalletPop Recommends: Keeping the phone numbers for your credit card accounts in a note in Evernote or in Springpad so that you can have access to the numbers on your smartphone if your purse or wallet is stolen. Just be sure not to store your entire credit card number there.

2. Avoid Predictable Passwords and PINs.

While easy to remember, birthdays, street names, pet's names, children's names or consecutive numbers are predictable, even if the thief does not know you very well. Instead, it's best to create passwords that combine letters and numbers. Although convenient, writing down your password and keeping it in your wallet/purse provides an open door for thieves to access your personal information. Memorize all your passwords to ensure you're protected.

Additionally, many financial institutions offer features that add extra layers of security protection to your account. These features allow you to use an additional code or password (a number or word) when accessing your personal information.

WalletPop Recommends: Following this advice closely, especially in the wake of a recent security breach at Gawker that exposed the emails and passwords of many online commenters, which underscores the trouble with re-using passwords.

3. Review Credit Reports Before and After the Shopping Season.

Credit reports are an easy way to determine if fraud was committed with your identity. We recommend ordering two reports to look for discrepancies: one now and one after the New Year. Check these reports diligently for fraudulent activity.

If your report uncovers suspicious activity, be sure to report mistakes to the credit bureaus immediately. Consumers have the right to receive one free copy of their credit report every 12 months from Experian, Equifax or Transunion. Other popular free credit report bureaus exist that will provide information as well.

WalletPop Recommends: Visiting AnnualCreditReport.com to be sure you are on a site that offers truly free credit reports and won't charge you a monthly fee for enrolling in a program like Triple Advantage.

4. Enhance Your Computers' Defenses.
?
If you plan to shop online this year, there are a few basic security essentials to reduce your risk significantly. In particular, personal firewalls and security software packages with anti-virus, anti-spam and spyware detection features.

If you already have those measures in place, make sure your computer has been upgraded with the latest security patches. Many operating systems will prompt you to upgrade automatically when logging in. Additionally, make sure that you access your online financial accounts only on an encrypted website. Combining security measures with a little common sense reduces your risk of identity fraud significantly.

WalletPop Recommends: Download popular free versions of antivirus such as Avast, Microsoft and AVG and check your computer since many modern operating systems have a firewall built in.

5. After Online Shopping, Log Off Completely.

Many computers store cookies and remember passwords and other personal information, even if a window is closed. Instead, the only way to completely terminate an online shopping session is to log off. The best protection we recommend is to disallow your browser from remembering your user name and password information at all. This will ensure that your information is not saved and not easily accessible by thieves.

WalletPop Recommends: If you want to keep your browsing to yourself from the start, look for Incognito or Private Browsing modes that don't keep cookies or track the websites you've visited. This is also a good way to stop a snooping family members form figuring out what gifts you've bought them.
Info by Josh Smith via Walletpop on Twitter ]]> softbuttcheeks http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=116 http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=115 Sun, 07 Nov 2010 01:49:05 GMT :) Well We Normally Wait Until Feb. Or Mar. To Book Our Stay For Bbw.but We Just So Happen To Check With The Hotel We Normally Stay And They Said They Only Had 7 Rooms Left.so We Went Ahead And Booked For Bbw 2011. Bbw Get Ready For The Tennessee Walking Horses!!!!lol :) Well We Normally Wait Until Feb. Or Mar. To Book Our Stay For Bbw.but We Just So Happen To Check With The Hotel We Normally Stay And They Said They Only Had 7 Rooms Left.so We Went Ahead And Booked For Bbw 2011.
Bbw Get Ready For The Tennessee Walking Horses!!!!lol ]]> CARRAMELKISSES http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=115 http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=114 Thu, 28 Oct 2010 22:42:37 GMT IF YOU WANT BEAUTIFUL THINGS TO BLOSOM IN YOUR LIFE,YOU MUST CUT OFF DEAD BRANCHES.:) IF YOU WANT BEAUTIFUL THINGS TO BLOSOM IN YOUR LIFE,YOU MUST CUT OFF DEAD BRANCHES.:) ]]> softbuttcheeks http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=114 http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=113 Fri, 22 Oct 2010 10:52:59 GMT Nature creates a sense of peace. In fact, research shows that viewing nature reduces anger and anxiety and enhances feelings of pleasure. So flood your home with natural light, open windows and doors to let fresh air inside, and bring plants indoors. Decorate with bamboo, wood, or wicker, and use... Nature creates a sense of peace. In fact, research shows that viewing nature reduces anger and anxiety and enhances feelings of pleasure. So flood your home with natural light, open windows and doors to let fresh air inside, and bring plants indoors. Decorate with bamboo, wood, or wicker, and use stones and rocks to add texture. You can also adorn the walls with paintings of nature and its serenity. ]]> softbuttcheeks http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=113 http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=112 Fri, 22 Oct 2010 10:49:48 GMT Although we are told that coconut oil is a harmful saturated fat, that is just a myth. It is actually one of the healthiest oils you can consume.* People all over the world are experiencing the healthy benefits of using coconut oil. It has kept people in the tropics healthy and lean for centuries.... Although we are told that coconut oil is a harmful saturated fat, that is just a myth. It is actually one of the healthiest oils you can consume.* People all over the world are experiencing the healthy benefits of using coconut oil. It has kept people in the tropics healthy and lean for centuries. We are just now rediscovering the amazingly healthy benefits of coconut oil.

Here are the top seven reasons why you should use coconut oil as an alternative to other common cooking oils:

1. Coconut oil doesn’t turn to fat in your body.
Unlike many other common oils, like soy (vegetable) and corn, coconut oil won’t make you fat. Coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), which are an easy fuel for the body to burn, without turning to fat. Most other cooking oils and fats contain long-chain triglycerides (LCT).* LCT’s are usually stored as fat. Since coconut oil is a MCT, it is more easily absorbed and converted to energy quicker.
People in the tropics have relied on coconuts as a traditional staple in their diet for centuries. They consume large amounts of coconut oil every day. Instead of getting fatter, it helps them stay healthy, lean and trim. When they switch from coconut oil to our modern oils, they develop obesity and the health problems that our modern society faces.
Some other people who have known this truth for a long time are people who are in the animal feed business. When livestock are fed vegetable oils, they put on weight and produce more fatty meat. When they are fed coconut oil, they become very lean.

2. Coconut oil increases your metabolism.
Not only does coconut oil convert to energy quicker in your body, it increases your metabolism, which promotes weight loss. Because it boosts your metabolism, it helps your body burn fat more effectively.
Coconut oil may triple your calorie burn. Since coconut oil is a MCT, it is converted to energy so quickly that it creates a lot of heat. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, MCT’s burn three times more calories for six hours after a meal than LCT’s.

The February 15, 2005 issue of Woman’s World magazine stated that coconut oil is the “underground high-metabolism secret.”
This is great news for people who have thyroid problems, since coconut oil improves sluggish thyroids by stimulating the production of extra thyroid hormones. Most other common oils, like vegetable (soy) and corn have been shown to inhibit thyroid function.

3. Coconut oil contains healthy omega 3 fatty acids.**
Most cooking oils contain omega 6 fatty acids, something we get way too much of in the United States.* Our omega 6 to omega 3 ratio should be 1:1* but it is more like 50:1.* We need to drastically cut back our omega 6 oils and consume much more omega 3 oils to be healthy.* And coconut oil is filled with these healthy omega 3 fatty acids.

4. Coconut oil gives you energy.**
Because of the healthy omega 3 fatty acids and the fact that it increases the metabolism, most people that switch to coconut oil feel a burst of added energy in their daily life.
This is because coconut oil is nature’s richest source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT’s), which increase metabolic rates and lead to weight loss. MCT’s promote thermogenesis, which increases the body’s metabolism, producing energy.
This is because coconut oil is nature’s richest source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT’s), which increase metabolic rates and lead to weight loss. MCT’s promote thermogenesis, which increases the body’s metabolism, producing energy.* Many people with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia have found that adding coconut and coconut oil to their diet was helpful to them.

5. Coconut oil is one of the best things you can use on your skin and hair.
One of the best things you can apply directly on your skin and hair is coconut oil. It gives temporary relief to skin problems like rashes. It aids in healing and restoring skin to a younger appearance. It has also been known to help with people who suffer from yeast infections in the skin, as well as many other skin problems.
Not only does is soften and smooth your skin, coconut oil has antioxidant properties that protect the skin from free radical damage.* Coconut oil makes excellent massage oil too.**

6. Coconut oil has healthy benefits that most other oils do not.
Evidence is mounting that coconut oil has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral effects when both consumed and used topically on the skin.
Most oils oxidize and turn rancid very quickly causing free radical damage in our bodies.* Coconut oil is not easily oxidized and does not cause harmful free radical damage like polyunsaturated vegetable oils. Free radical damage is thought to be responsible for many ailments in our body from arthritis to increased susceptibility to cancers.

Coconut oil also helps our bodies absorb other nutrients more effectively, such as Vitamin E.

7. Coconut oil is one of the best oils you can use for cooking.

It has a higher smoke point than olive oil, which means it can take higher temperatures better. There are several healthy omega 3 oils we can choose to consume, such as flax and olive oil, but they don’t do well under the high heat we use for cooking. Coconut oil can be used in higher cooking temperatures.

It is harder for coconut oil to go rancid, unlike other cooking oils, which are usually rancid long before you even bring them home. Rancid oils cause free radical damage in the body, which is a leading cause of cancer. Coconut oil is stable for over a year at room temperature.**

Because of the misinformation we have been given for years, we have lost out on the healthy benefits that coconut oil has given the people of the tropics for centuries. But now it has been rediscovered! Coconut oil is so effective, it won’t be long before we see coconut oil supplements promoted, but you can get the jump on the popular crowd and start consuming and cooking with coconut oil today! ]]> softbuttcheeks http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=112 http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=110 Mon, 13 Sep 2010 19:36:46 GMT You can't hurry love...you just have to wait. Stop jumping from relationship to relationship so you won't feel like bait. It's okay to take a break so you can make a better selection next time. It's okay to have lonely nights. Sometimes it's better to be alone than be unhappy.You heart will thank you later. ]]> softbuttcheeks http://www.blackbikeweek.com/blog.php?b=110