By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide
Guest Blogger

Exotic animals don’t make good companions.

You can buy them at pet shops, over the Internet, through newspaper ads, or from a neighbor. They’re not the same as a cat or dog – or a rabbit or guinea pig.

What are exotic pets? They’re agoutis, chameleons, coatimundis, hedgehogs, iguanas, marmosets, monkeys, chimpanzees, prairie dogs, pythons, servals, sugar gliders, wallabies, tigers, and lions.

These varied animals share one critical trait: They’re wild. Species from outside the United States often may be called “exotic” rather than “wild,” but none of them are domesticated.

When people buy pets, they need to be responsible and provide the animals with the right kind of care and humane treatment.

However, meeting the responsibility for wild and exotic animals can be impossible for the average person, says the Humane Society of the United States, and the animals usually suffer because of it.

Exotic animals require considerable expertise, specialized facilities, and total dedication to their needs. Without these, the life of an exotic “pet” is miserable – leaving the animal to languish in a cramped cage.

Dogs and cats were domesticated thousands of years ago and shaped by breeding for traits making life with humans easy and natural, the society says. They’re used to living with humans, and they depend on humans for their care.

But, wild or exotic animals – even those who were captive-born or hand-raised by people – haven’t been adjusted to life with humans. It takes generations for these traits to occur.

As a result, keeping these animals as pets is often inhumane even if the owners don’t deliberately abuse them.

In addition, having wild or exotic animals as pets can lead to health and safety problems.

The risk to human safety isn’t related to the species, age, or size of an exotic pet, the society reports. Small animals can be as dangerous to people as large ones. Muzzled and declawed exotics still present a danger from their strength.

Along with the potential for physical injury comes serious public health issues such as polio, rabies, ringworm, and tuberculosis, the society reports.

More than 93,000 cases of reptile-associated salmonellosis occur each year in the United States, resulting in about 10 deaths annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All reptiles and amphibians carry salmonella and are capable of passing the bacteria on to household members even without direct contact.

Macaque monkeys can transmit herpes B virus to humans through bites or saliva. The result is usually fatal, the society reports.

The threat of rabies also is a concern. No approved vaccine exists to immunize wild and exotic mammals, as is routinely done with dogs and cats.

Not only does the exotic and wild pet trade threaten public health and safety and condemn captive animals to miserable lives, it also causes the deaths of millions of animals worldwide every year, says the society.

Many finches, parrots, and toucans are wild-caught, and up to 80 percent of wild-caught birds die during transport and capture.

Captivity stresses the survivors, making them more susceptible to medical and behavioral problems. This is an issue because large parrots can live more than 50 years.

Most pet reptiles are wild-caught or born to wild-caught parents. About 90 percent of wild-caught reptiles die in their first year of captivity from trauma during capture and shipment and their often-unmet dietary and habitat needs.

The society advises people to resist the urge to take home an exotic or wild animal. It’s not good for the animals or your family.

For more information, see the article “Don’t Buy Exotic Animals for Pets” on The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide.

Popularity: unranked [?]

On average we consume over 20 teaspoons of added sugar in our diet daily, and sometimes we don’t even know it. This can add up to an average of 142 pounds of sugar per person per year! Americans love sweets! And how could we not when sweet flavors release serotonin in our brains, the chemical that gives off the feelings of love, contentment and well-being. But not all sweeteners are created equal. When it comes to refined sweeteners like white table sugar, high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners like NutraSweet and Splenda, there are many side effects and health risks to take into consideration. These items are stripped of vitamins, minerals and fiber and can spike your blood sugar, often leading to more sugary cravings, mood and energy swings. Sugar can be addictive for many people because of the chemical reaction that take place in the body. Artificial sweeteners, because of the neurotoxins they contain, have been know to cause headaches, memory loss, nausea, PMS, dizziness, mood changes, heart arrhythmia, joint pain and more. Using natural and minimally processed sweeteners can help to control sugar cravings, stabilize moods and energy and have a dramatic effect on your health. Since most natural sweeteners are 1.5 times sweeter then sugar, you can use less of it in baking and other recipes that call for sugar.

Here are 5 natural sweeteners to get you started.

1) Agave Nectar-Agave nectar is a natural liquid sweetener made from the juice of the agave cactus. It is 1.4 times sweeter than refined sugar, but does not create a “sugar rush,” and is much less disturbing to the body’s blood sugar levels than white sugar.

2) Raw Honey-Honey will have a different flavor depending on the plant source. Some are very dark and intensely flavored. Wherever possible, choose raw honey, as it is unrefined and contains small amounts of enzymes, minerals, and vitamins.

3) Date Sugar-Date sugar consists of finely ground, dehydrated dates, utilizing this fruit’s vitamin, mineral, and fiber content. If you like the taste of dates, this will definitely appeal to you. Date sugar can be used as a direct replacement for sugar, and comes in a granulated form

4) Maple Syrup-Maple syrup is made from boiled down maple tree sap and contains many minerals. It adds a pleasant flavor to foods and is great for baking with. Be sure to buy 100% pure maple syrup, and not maple-flavored corn syrup.

5) Barley Malt-Barley malt is made from the soaking, sprouting, mashing, cooking, and roasting of barley. This process capitalizes on the naturally present enzymes. In this process, the carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars, yet the final product is more of a “whole food” than many other sweeteners. Barley malt can come in the form of powder or syrup.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Start Living Fearlessly!

How would it be to live without fear?  To make decisions based on knowledge rather than fear? To live each day fearlessly?

Wonderful – right?

Well you can! Starting Wednesday, June 24, 2009 we will work together for 10 consecutive weeks toward living a life without fear. As your facilitator and life coach I will assist you to start living life fearlessly.  I have worked and supported several groups through their personal transition from fearful living to fearless living and I look forward to doing the same for you.

Here is the fun part – you get to take this course from the privacy of your living room.  No one will know who you are, so you can be honest and forthright. We will work together at a specified call in time over a free bridge line. It is that easy!

Once your one time low payment of $45 is confirmed I will send you your welcome letter and homework for the 10 weeks plus your bridge number for calling in.

It’s really is that simple!

So, pay now – purchase your copy of Fearless Living by Rhonda Britten (used copies are available most everywhere) and let’s get started toward living life fearlessly.

Just visit my website Wise Heart Coaching and hit Pay Now!

Once again all the stats:

Fearless Living by Rhonda Britten

Meeting: 10 weeks starting June 24^th

Time: 6:30 PM PDT for one hour for 10 weeks.

Class limit: 15 persons

Cost: $45

Includes: Study Guide, Facilitator, and Bridge Line

Now, hit that button and start living fearlessly today!  I look forward to working with you.  Wise Heart Coaching.com

Judith Auslander

Judith@WiseHeartCoaching.com

Popularity: unranked [?]

By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Guest Blogger

President Obama is expected to sign a credit card reform bill on Friday.

It passed the Senate Tuesday and the House Wednesday.

The new law increases disclosure requirements and sets limits on increases in interest rates and fees after consumers sign up for credit cards.

Interest rates can’t be raised during the first year after an account is open. Customers need to be notified 45 days in advance if the interest rate is increased.

If customers are more than 60 days late on payments, their interest rate can be raised on balances. However, the rate must go back to the lower rate if customers make the minimum payment on time for six months in a row.

Over-the-limit fees can’t be charged unless cardholders are told that the purchase will put them over their limit and they authorize it to go through anyway.

The bulk of the credit card requirements go into effect nine months after President Obama signs the bill into law, which will be February 2010.

The bill calls for phasing in credit card protections, with the earliest provision – giving consumers 45-day advance notice of significant changes in credit card terms – starting 90 days after enactment of the law, which is this fall.

New credit card rules approved by the Federal Reserve and other regulators in December 2008 include many but not all of the same consumer protections, reports the article “House Easily Passes Credit Card Reform Bill” on CreditCards.com.

Those rules aren’t mandatory until July 1, 2010 – allowing card issuers lead time to revamp their computer systems and business models to accommodate the changes.

Banks don’t like parts of the new law and threaten that credit cards will be less available due to its provisions.

And, to make up for losses in revenues, banks may charge annual fees for credit card use and cancel awards programs, reports the Associated Press in the article “Big Changes in Store for U.S. Credit Cardholders.”

Consumer groups warn that banks may use the nine month waiting period until the law goes into effect to continue to gouge customers with increased interest rates and over-the-limit fees.

Other provisions of the law, from the Consumer Reports blog, are:

• If your card has more than one interest rate on balances, then payments must be applied to the highest interest rate first.
• Credit card statements must be mailed out 21 days before they’re due.
• Individuals under 21 will need a co-signer on their cards unless they can prove that they have the means to make payments on their own.
• Bills can be paid online or over the phone without incurring a processing fee.
• Credit card agreements will have to be posted on the internet.
• Gift cards can’t expire for five years, and issuers can’t charge dormancy fees for unused amounts left on the card.

A coalition of consumer groups, which testified in favor of the bill, reported revolving credit – most of which is credit card debt – ballooned from $214 billion in January 1990 to about $950 billion currently.

 As family debt increases, payments on interest and late fees take an increasing portion of the household budget. The added costs of credit make it difficult to manage household incomes, especially if a family member loses a job.

The groups estimated that the average amount of debt held by households that revolve credit card balances exceeds $17,000.

While consumers who usually pay off their balances monthly are being hit by unfair credit card lending practices, card issuers are employing predatory tactics primarily targeted at the “revolvers” – those cardholders who carry a balance, the consumer groups told Congress during hearings on credit card reform.

Popularity: unranked [?]

By Rita R. Robison, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Guest Blogger

I love to sail on ships. I’ve had two opportunities to do so.

I sailed from Vancouver, B.C., Canada, to Sydney, Australia, with stops in Honolulu, Fiji, and Auckland, New Zealand. It was a fantastic trip. I enjoyed having someone else do the cooking, lounging on the deck, and meeting people from Australia and Great Britain.

My second trip was on an Alaska ferry from Haines, Alaska, to Seattle, Wash.

With rainy weather recently in the Pacific Northwest, I’m dreaming about cruises and sunny beaches.

If you’re lucky enough to be able to take a cruise, how do you pick out a cruise line and ship that’s right for you?

Here are tips for your cruise planning:

• Look for a lifestyle niche that appeals to you. Celebrity is aiming at the spa and gourmet traveler, Carnival is focusing on nightlife and entertainment, and Princess is hyping its romantic offerings, the article “How to Pick a Cruise Ship” on Cruise Critic.com reports.
•  Begin your search by reading travel magazines ads and Web sites. In addition, read ship reviews and visit cruise forums on the Web.
•  Make sure you understand the terms of your ticket contract. Cruise lines have wide latitude in matters involving operations and customer relations, according to the Federal Maritime Commission, an agency that will forward your complaint to the cruise line, but won’t address disputes over the contract. Ask for a copy of the contract either from the travel agent or from the cruise line itself before booking a cruise and read the contract carefully.
• Use a major credit card when you pay for your cruise. Credit cards may provide passengers with protection that wouldn’t be available for debit cards or cash payments, the commission reports. In the few cruise line bankruptcies experienced in recent years, those passengers who paid by credit card, or who obtained third-party insurance, generally have been able to obtain a quicker refund.
• Beware of travel scams, especially if a telemarketer or post card tells you that you’ve won a prize. Check out the offer with the cruise line and contact the Better Business Bureau to get a report on the firm before you pay any money.
• Look for “shoulder season” departures, just before or after holidays, and off peak in various regions: early spring in the Mediterranean, for example, or May or September in Alaska.
• Compare the costs of having the cruise line book your flight or doing it yourself. Often you can save money by arranging your own flight.
• Use a travel agent for your cruise. Certain vacations are too important or too complicated to arrange yourself, advises Consumer Reports.com. Most cruises fall into this category. The travel agent should be allied with an organization such as the American Society of Travel Agents, Association of Retail Travel Agents, or Cruise Lines International Association. So there’s full disclosure, ask whether your agent is involved in any preferred-supplier agreements, which are bonus commission programs that reward agents for pushing certain products. Also, most agencies charge fees, though some might be rebated after you book.

TravelAge West, a travel industry trade publication, includes cruise lines and ships among its Editor’s Picks as part of the magazine’s 2009 WAVE Awards. Check out their listing for ideas on what are the best features of various ships.

Before you sign any contract for a cruise, be sure to read the article “Cruiselines” on Consumer Affairs.com. It offers reports on the complaints it receives on cruise lines.

Consumer Affairs.com receives more complaints about Carnival than about all other cruise lines combined, the article states.

 Let me know if these tips are helpful. Also, did I miss any key points? If you’ve had a complaint with a cruise line recently, please leave me a comment about it.

Popularity: unranked [?]