Monday, August 15, 2011

All-Natural Scar Removal Remedies that DON’T work


Scars are ugly.  They’re crooked and odd shaped and bulge out in uncomfortable ways.  They remind us of our flaws, our short comings, and all of our insecurities.  They’re just absolutely disgusting.  And, worst of all, they’re practically impossible to remove.  

If you have a scar, you’ve probably tried everything to ride it from your body.  You’ve tried special oils and baths and even went to church to pray on it. 

Unfortunately, this post won’t give you the answer.   The following is not a list of all-natural scar removal remedies that work, but rather a list of ones to avoid.  Admittedly, some all-natural remedies may work for a select few.  On the rare occasion that this happens, great!  And to the rest of us, make sure to avoid these natural “cures”—especially if they’re listed below.

Mederma (onion extract)

Mederma is a gel based substance used topically to improve the look of scars.  Its main ingredient, Allium cepa, is extracted from an onion and this topical gel is sold in generic versions under the name Cepalin.  In 2006, several clinical trials proved that this all-natural remedy was a fraud. In 2010, Merc ran its own study in which they found that the drug does in fact work.   But guess who also produces the drug?

Friday, July 29, 2011

How to Find a Steal at the Pawn Shop


Pawn shops are filled with great deals.   You’ll find solid brass statues for pennies on the dollar and even a good condition bass guitar for half the original price. 

But what about those stories of people finding antique china thrown in the “dumpster bin?”  Or what about the story of a man finding a coin worth 44,000, and buying it for pennies?

To be clear, you won’t find a true steal unless you get extremely lucky.  But you want get lucky unless you’ve done your research. 

The following post is to help you prepare for that extremely luck moment.  Good luck and happy dumpster diving.
First step in finding a steal is to do your research onlineUsedPrice.com and Macraebluebook.com  are top notch sources for finding the going rate for popular pawned items.  Find information on computers, musical instruments, audio equipment, video & TV, video games, copiers, cameras, and even guns.  Moreover, UsedPrice.com has its own vintage section, great for those selling high priced, hard-to-find items.   If you’re a regular pawner, buy a yearly subscription for 1,200 for all categories or up to 150 for select categories.  If you’re not a regular pawner, buy a single book for 4 dollars. 

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Surety Bond Regulation for City Taxi Cabs

New York City taxi cabsImage via Wikipedia
The following is a guest article from the experts of Surety Bonds, the nation’s #1 surety bond supplier.

Walking through any metropolitan city can quickly turn into a game of high-stakes dodge ball, where the rubber balls have been replaced by golden yellow taxi cabs flying through crosswalks at breakneck speed. One unexpected sneeze or ankle twitch could land a cab driver in a heap of trouble, causing damage to their vehicle, surrounding property, passengers in the car and even pedestrians standing nearby.

While standard car insurance could help provide some financial assistance in the case of a taxi accident, cab drivers who are legally licensed to operate a taxi are required to secure a surety bond in addition to insurance. In fact, surety bonds for taxi drivers have been around for almost as long as car insurance itself. The first liability car insurance policy in the United States was written in 1898, though mandatory insurance laws did not begin appearing until 1927.

In January of 1922, a bonding law was passed requiring New York City’s cab drivers to obtain a $2,500 surety bond in order to carry passengers. At the time, there were widespread protests against the law as cab drivers and their supporters insisted that a $2,500 fee would bankrupt most of the city’s taxis. Granted, this amount would be like charging today’s taxi operators more than $30,000 just to operate. What drivers and their allies at the time did not realize, however, is that using surety bonds instead of regular insurance meant they could obtain a bond for $2,500 for as little as $60-300 in actual costs to them.

Despite protests, the law took effect in July 1922 and, unlike widespread predictions, the city’s cab drivers were not suddenly out of work. The law has remained intact and cab drivers nationwide are still required today to obtain surety bonds as part of their licensing process.

Depending on the state or city in which a taxi driver operates, the surety bond requirements range from $50-300 thousand. Drivers who are part of a fleet or larger company of taxis are often bonded in a group policy through their employer. Taxi surety bonds can cover damages caused by negligent operation of the vehicle including personal injury and property damage. By using surety bonds, it places financial responsibility for any accidents squarely on the shoulders of cab drivers themselves. This policy is meant to encourage safe driving practices among the thousands of yellow cabs patrolling city streets each year.
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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Local Doc Making a Difference: Dr. Robin Baradarian

Two of my friends told me great things about local Gastroenterologist Dr. Baradarian before I spoke to him myself and I wanted to share their stories;

Dr. Baradarian,
You saved my life, literally, so of course I’m happy to write you a testimonial. Dr. Baradarian found I had early stage colon cancer, so I was able to get treatment early on. I’m cancer free now, and i know I owe that to you and your staff. And thanks for taking the time to answer my and family’s millions of questions, you were very patient and kind and understanding throughout my whole ordeal, and I and my family thank you from the bottom of my heart.
-Jeb L. in Park Slope


Dr. Baradarian is hands down one of the most compassionate doctors I’ve ever seen in my life – Thank you for giving me a few more months with my dad. You were very calm and reassuring as you answered all our questions and even called from time to time to check on Pappy. We were lucky to find you, and I wish you the best in everything you do. I will recommend you for the rest of my life.
Love, Sally J.  
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Monday, June 27, 2011

New York Business of the Week

This week we shine our spotlight on the New York business Manhattan Time Service, the leading watch repair and service center in NYC, and this place has been around since 1978.
Manhattan Time Service (www.watchrepairny.com) has gone above and beyond the call of duty in providing top-quality customer service, and that’s why it’s our pleasure to feature this business. And we’re not the only fans: Celebrities, politicians and other notables such as Bill Clinton and Elton John. Services Manhattan Time Service offers include:
  • Repair
  • Polishing
  • Battery Replacement
  • Engraving
  • Retail
This business takes watch repair very seriously, more like an art than a business, and this was confirmed to us by several customers who raved about the expert care and quick turnaround.

Long story short, we’re glad to give this New York institution the New York in Words Bump, and if you want to see how other customers feel about Manhattan Time Service for yourself – check out their five-star ratings all over the web – on Yelp, CitySearch etc.!

Monday, May 23, 2011

Best Movie T-Shirts

Best Movie T-Shirts: "Nothing says not-ready-to-grow-up-yet like the right graphic tee shirt. Best quote from Step Brothers: "Dad, what are you doing? It s Shark Week."
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Friday, May 20, 2011

Granite Transformations Goes Green and Comes Out Swinging

Hey Guys and Gals,

This week we decided to take a moment to recognize companies that are making efforts -- and successfully -- to go green and implement eco-friendly technologies and methods into their businesses. Today we're shining the spotlight on Granite Transformations, a company that's been growing strong for over a decade but has since experience a big boost just as they started rolling out more and greener work practices.

Just their process of installing countertops on top of existing ones instead of replacing them saves a great deal of landfill waste, time and money. Not to mention their countertop slabs are built using over 60% less material. Another shout out goes to Granite Transformations for offering Trend Glass, a tempered glass that's made of up to 72% recycled glass.

These are great practices, but the real story here is that going green can and often does correspond to increased business, and that's why we're thrilled companies like Granite Transformations are out there setting an example. Keep up the good work!
Oh, and check out their website at www.granitetransformations.com if you need professional kitchen remodeling or bath remodeling.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

10 Foods That Help With Digestion

When we’re younger we feel that we can eat anything that we want. We don’t think twice about eating fried eggs with bacon for breakfast, putting away fried chicken and onion rings for lunch and eating a hamburger with all the fixings for dinner. However, as we get older and our bodies change we have to start doing some serious thinking about taking better care of our bodies so that we can improve our health, digestion and our general quality of life. If you’ve been having digestion problems, it’s imperative that you get on the right track now. Here are some foods that you should eat to help with your digestion:

Yogurt- High in probiotics, nonfat yogurt is a healthy food that helps the body in many ways.

Garlic- One of the best foods that you can eat, garlic helps to combat infections, asthma, intestinal gas, indigestion, high blood pressure and a series of other medical problems.

Papaya- This fruit helps to decrease the feeling of bloating.

Avocado- This fruit is rich in fiber and helps with digestion.

Lemon- The acid found in lemon helps with digestion.

Ginger- This root helps with digestion and neutralizes the gases found in foods such as broccoli and beans.

Basil- This tasty herb is good for indigestion and sooths diarrhea. It’s also helps to fight colds, coughs and stress.

Sage- This herb contains probiotics which are good for digestion and it helps to fight the symptoms of menopause by cutting down the amount of hot flashes that menopausal women experience.

Tofu- Cut down on the red meat and white meats and eat more tofu. Not only is it healthy and tasty, it’s also easy to digest.

Olive Oil and Flaxseed Oil- These oils help to get your digestion moving and help to soothe an upset stomach.

In general, eating a diet containing less fried foods, less meat and less fatty foods is a great start to having a better digestive system. Eating more fresh fruits, vegetables and fish and drinking lots of water every day will not only help your digestion, it will also help your skin look and feel better and lead you towards living a longer, healthier life.

This post was written by Dr. Robin Baradarian a board certified physician specializing in gastroenterology.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

About Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery

There are a variety of weight loss surgeries out there today that are available to people who are dangerously obese and want to live a longer, healthier lifestyle. A more popular type of weight loss surgery is Bariatric weight loss surgery.

What Is Bariatric Surgery?

There are different types of bariatric surgery, but they all have one goal in mind- to successfully get someone who is obese to lose weight. This is done in one of three ways:
Gastric Bypass Surgery- Re-routing the small intestines to a small stomach pouch so that the stomach becomes smaller and the patient feels full faster so he eats less.
Gastric Banding- Makes the stomach smaller by using restrictive surgeries so that the patient can take in less food. Surgeries include laparoscopic gastric banding which are different types of techniques involving the use of band placement on the stomach. This is the safest of the weight loss surgeries available today.
Gastrectomy- This procedure is used to removing part of the stomach. Again, the patient’s stomach is now smaller and so he consumes less food.

Bariatric Surgery Complications Include, But Are Not Limited To:

  • The body may stop absorbing certain vitamins and minerals.
  • The patient may become dehydrated because he is no longer able to drink as much water as he is used to.
  • The patient may get blood clots due to the lack of exercise.
  • There may be a leaking problem with one of the staples in the stomach.
  • Vomiting

What Can A Patient Gain From Doing Bariatric Surgery?


  • Long-term weight loss
  • A decrease in cardiovascular disease
  • A decrease in diabetes
  • A higher mortality rate
  • A decrease in cholesterol
  • Better bladder control
  • Lower blood pressure
  • Help with arthritis pains


To learn more about bariatric programs visit a bariatric doctor whom you trust. He/she will tell you about your options and can share some bariatric surgery weight loss stories with you.
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Monday, May 16, 2011

Cheap Tees and other Pleasantly Surprising Deals at RAG New York

Hey New Yorkers,

Alex Nivel here again, and this time we’re featuring a small business that most of you already know, especially if you’ve spent any time in midtown – R.A.G. New York. So first I checked out their website – their top sellers seem to be their cheap "I love NY t-shirts," and they also sell lines of shorts, fedoras, blazers and other apparel tailored to New Yorkers’ fashion senses. The first thing that struck me when I visited www.ragnewyork.com was the prices – for example, they have blazers that sell for $20, and some that go as low at $13 – and this just sounded insane to me.

Fortunately, I work a few blocks away from their Times Square location and 42nd and 7th Ave, in the mezzanine level of the subway station, so I decided to stop by. I’ve read a few positive reviews of the quality of their clothes online, but I wanted to check this out on my own. First I bought a fedora, then a black blazer, and being an obsessive shopper, I didn’t stop there – I also picked up black hi-tops and black slacks, and all for under $60. I’m no tailor, but I was pretty impressed with the quality of the clothes. The blazer material was pretty thick, and the stitching looks like it holds up (yes, I tried to give it a little tear at the seams.)

The store was pretty crowded, but that’s pretty much expected at any location in Times Square. In the future if I buy from RAG I’m going online, not in line. Most people there seemed like they were tourists buying NY memorabilia to take home, but I was there to find the rare deal on high-quality clothes in NY, and I succeeded. They’re selection isn’t huge, but that doesn’t bother me so much since the products they do choose for their inventory is usually high-quality and somehow incredibly cheap. So RAG New York gets our recommendation for budget shopping—only thing we ask is to expand your product line!




Happy shopping!

Superhero T-shirts Descend on NY

Hey there fellow New Yorkers,

Alex Nivel here, and we’d like to give a shout out to nopooh, a minimalist graphic tee design firm that this week’s spotlight on NY in Words.

Nopooh is the product of the fated collaboration between graphic designer and expert hand screener Rob Tanner and fashion photographer Mark Babushkin. Nopooh only prints a limited number of t-shirts for each design, which is why I was especially thrilled to get a free tee from their new line of vintage superhero tees.

First off, I didn’t request a specific t-shirt, but they sent me the Tee with Rex Dexter, the only superhero from their retro line that I recognized, and one of my favorite comic book heroes. For those of you who aren’t obsessed with comic books or are younger than 70, Rex Dexter was the son of a couple that flew to Mars in a spaceship, crashed there, and spent the next sixty years repairing the space ship. Rex returned to earth in the year 2000, just in time to help the US military repel an enemy invasion.

I was really pleased with the quality of the shirt – apparently they’re all printed on American Apparel tees – so overall this was a great experience! Got a free tee, with one of my favorite oldie superheroes on it, and it’s a pretty high quality t-shirt, so I’m happy to give these guys a positive review and recommend this tee to fashion forward dudes out there.

Cheers,
Alex Nivel

Also check out their blog at www.nopooh.com/blog. It can't be easy to come up with interesting or funny articles about t-shirts, but somehow they manage to do it.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Nice Work

That site is really impressive, it has forced me to go to that bakery several times!

in reference to: 1 Million Google Impressions | Affordable Web Design (view on Google Sidewiki)

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Hurricane Grill and Wings Hits Levittown Too!

Our friends over at Hurricane Grill and Wings have hit Levittown just in time to help us forget about all the snow. I'm sure some of those category 5 hot sauces can melt the ice. We are heading over today to cheer on the Jets as they battle the Steelers for the AFC championship game.


Their perfect atmosphere is only topped by the new and exciting selections on the menu. I am always on the hunt for something new so between all the craft draft beers on tap and yummy new dishes they are dreaming up I may never want to leave.


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Thursday, December 16, 2010

Final Decision May Be Looming...

The long term benefits to the community and the others it provides consistent revenue for greatly outweigh the short term cash they will get by selling the building in my opinion.

Places like this educate the community and help it to solidify.

We still have time to get the decision reversed though, so please sign the SAVE petition on facebook!

in reference to: Proposed Closing and Sale of The Children’s Aid Philip Coltoff Center (view on Google Sidewiki)

Monday, December 13, 2010

Help Stop an NYC School Closing, Just Sign Here...

http://apps.facebook.com/petitions/1/saveavillageeducation/

An important early childhood educational center is being closed in lower Manhattan. This center generates actual revenue the parent charity then uses to distribute to urban areas that are underfunded. Please help us to keep this place open by signing the facebook petition here;

http://apps.facebook.com/petitions/1/saveavillageeducation/

in reference to: Petitions on Facebook (3) (view on Google Sidewiki)

Friday, December 3, 2010

Children's Aid Society Leaving Lower Manhattan! Please Help

The charity is tricking people with that explanation, which actually is incorrect. (The money could be better used for poor kids) which is a good point but they are closing one of the few locations that actually produce large amounts of revenue that is then sent to locations that need funding.

Right Now! these centers product revenue which is used for people who need it. long term revenue and fund raising efforts for the entire charity is worth way more if this location stays open. And the amount of money they will get for selling the buildings during a horrible real estate market will be millions of dollars lower that what the actual value is.

please help if you can!

in reference to: Manhattan-Downtown Citing Neighborhood Wealth, Children's Aid Society May Close School (view on Google Sidewiki)

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Traditional Media Hates Links (HyperLinks) & Series of Tubes

I still do not understand why traditional media continues to resist change by not using links when referencing proper nouns like Amazon Kindle, Verizon, and Hershey's like done here in the first sentence. I'm impressed you were intelligent enough to link to your own content though. And i wonder if this will pass moderation. Just in case it does not I will publish on Google SideWiki because its a great modern tool that adds value to traditional content similar to the wonderful little "Link" or "HyperLink" that gets hidden by Old media, cannibalized by Facebook & Twitter and devalued by Google (GOOG).

Meanwhile, with out the mere "HyperLink" the internet would have gone nowhere.

in reference to: Kindle, Hershey's, Lincoln Climb Ranks of NBCU Brand Index - Adages - Advertising Age (view on Google Sidewiki)

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Bloomberg Rogue on Education!!!

How can you possibly justify putting someone with no relevant experience in such an important post?

Why don't you hire me as your pilot for your next flight then? You think this woman can fathom the horrors of inner city schools? You think she will understand educators when they speak?

Time will tell, but its not looking good Bloomberg.

in reference to: N.Y. Mayor Wins Waiver For Schools Chancellor Pick : NPR (view on Google Sidewiki)

Monday, November 29, 2010

Be Thankful You are NOT Starving Right Now!

Its one of the greatest lessons we could ever learn. Be thankful for every breath, every moment, every interaction….because there are many who would give everything for that one breath. One more moment with their loved ones.

Be thankful that you are reading this and not one of the 10,000 children who will die today because of global poverty. Even much of America lives below the poverty line these days. Be thankful that you can join me in helping these people! feedingamerica.org

In turn, you will be helping yourself, your family and our entire global society.

in reference to: Be Thankful Poem: Being Grateful for the Good Times & the Bad (view on Google Sidewiki)

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

More contact options please

In this decade there are multiple ways you can increase the usability of this site especially when victims and witnesses will need to contact you all quickly and easily.

in reference to:

"mail@stattorney.org"
- About the Office (view on Google Sidewiki)