Category: General

One more reason I hate spam

When analyzing how much of the email that comes into web hosting accounts, we discovered that it’s 94% spam and viruses. Thanks to our mail filtering device, most of that is blocked or quarantined. I went to google to look for stats, and found that our figure agrees with what’s reported by most other ISPs. A graph from one of our mail filters shows the severity of the spam problem, which is universal.

Increases in junk mail has required us to invest in mail filtering appliances and software, which is the case for many large companies and universities. However, not all companies can afford to make this investment. We offer mail filtering for web sites whether they are hosted with us or not. For a low monthly rate, your domain’s email can be protected. Pricing starts at $13.50 per month, for up to 10 mail accounts. Using the service is easy. A simple change is made to your DNS. No software needs to be installed on any of your systems. We do still recommend that each of your machines has an anti-virus application installed. While most viruses are email borne, there are still risks associated with simply being connected to the Internet. For more information, or to sign up, call us at 888-290-4601, extension 22.

Moore County Chamber Announces Finalists: Small Business and Entrepreneur Business of the Year

For Immediate Release
January 24, 2008

Contact: Linda M. Parsons, Vice President
Phone: 910.692.2936
Email: lparsons@moorecountychamber.com

Moore County Chamber Announces Finalists: Small Business and Entrepreneur Business of the Year

SOUTHERN PINES, NC – The Moore County Chamber of Commerce announced at a press conference on January 24, 2008 the six finalists for the Chamber’s Small Business and Entrepreneur Business of the Year Awards. The winner of each of these awards will be presented at the Chamber’s Annual Banquet on January 31, 2008 and is made possible in partnership with Progress Energy.

“The Chamber is proud to showcase the six finalists and their contributions to the enrichment of Moore County’s business Community,” stated Sherwood Blackwood, 2008 Chairman of the Board. According to Sherwood, “The Chamber was looking for a business that despite facing tremendous adversity would do it all over again, and whose fervor for running a business is rivaled only by their willingness to serve the community.”

The criteria for both awards included innovation, response to adversity and community involvement. For innovation the businesses needed to cite examples as to marketing ideas, overcoming significant challenges, employee relations, customer development, technology, distribution and competitive advantages. The category of adversity, the business needed to show how they addressed significant challenges, overcoming one or more of the following: Employee relations, growth, training, retention, management and technology. In the last category the business needed to indicate their involvement in the community, not including industry related organizations or affiliations. The steering committee that reviewed the applications received were Chamber executives and economic development executives from outside of Moore County.

The three finalists for the Entrepreneur Business of the Year Award have been in business less than five years and with less than 50 full time employees. These finalists include HomeChoice Network Inc., Bliss, A Salon Experience and Weichert Realtors, Larose & Company. The finalists for the Small Business of the Year Award have been in business more than five years and also have less than 50 full time employees. These finalists include Pinestar Farms Inc., ConnectNC Inc., and Moore Uniforms. The final award winner of each category will be presented at the Annual Banquet on January 31, 2008 at the Carolina Hotel.

For more information or to purchase tickets to the Moore county Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet visit www.moorecountychamber.com or call (910) 692-3926.

The mission of the Moore County Chamber of Commerce is to provide quality, value-added services and programs to members to unite Moore County area businesses in a committed effort to strengthen the economic environment and thus, improve the quality of life for all of Moore County. With nearly 800 members the Chamber is instrumental in Advancing Commerce and Community and exists to help strengthen the local economy and promote comprehensive community development.

Linda Parsons
Vice President
Moore County Chamber of Commerce
10677 Hwy 15-501
Southern Pines, NC 28387
910.692-3926 Fax 910.692-0619

Advancing Commerce and Community

And I thought famvir made me sick

On Friday I started taking famvir for an outbreak of shingles.  I knew from previous times that famvir gave me a pretty bad headache, but I thought I’d do it anyway and maybe this time it wouldn’t happen.  I withstood it for almost 4 full days, but then called the doctor to get something else. It was a wicked headache and I thought anything else had to be better.  I got the rx for acyclovir Tuesday and took my first dose with dinner. Pretty soon I was experiencing nausea.  Those of you who know me, know that this is a serious situation. I fought off the nausea for four hours and then finally had an episode of vomiting and diarrhea.  It was over fast, and probably not worth the four hours I spent trying to avoid it. We do what we do though, and it’s hard to overcome a phobia you’ve had all your life. This could have very well been a coincidence, but I attributed it to the acyclovir (nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are reported possible side effects).  I called my doctor the next day, and a nurse asked me if I could tolerate the famvir headache for just 3 more days.  So, I’m back on famvir now.  Just a couple of days to go.  Afterwards, I will probably take one a day to help prevent a recurrence of shingles.

The eye doctor told me that he saw no internal goings-on in my eye.  Only the exterior was affected, including the eyelid (outside and inside).  I have an antibiotic ointment to apply twice daily and a return appointment next week.

I should expect to have a complete recovery anywhere from a few weeks to 6 weeks.

More about shingles

I just learned that shingles’ name comes from the Latin cingulum, which means girdle or belt. There’s a lot of useful information about shingles at the FDA web site.

Eye doctor

Shingles on the left side of my faceI’m seeing the doctor this afternoon about my left eye, which is afflicted with shingles. If an eye is ever affected by shingles, get to a doctor, asap!

Here’s a new picture of what the rash looks like.  Don’t click on the thumbnail if you don’t want to see it.  I think it’s hideous.  I try to stay in so that I don’t attract mobs of torch-wielding villagers out in front of the house.

I’m still taking the 500 mg  of Famvir three times a day and am taking some oxycodone as needed.  I never thought I’d say this, but I wish I had some dex.

More about shingles

Message from a reader

I got this message from a blog reader, Earl.  I wanted to share it.

 

Here is my story concerning my reversal of a pre-cancerous prostate, called high grade PIN.
 
On January 3, 2002 I had a PSA level of 4.6 indicating my prostate was in trouble. I went to a Urologist, he took a biopsy, I had a pre-cancerous prostate ( which means I did not have cancer, however 70 % of high grade PIN patients go to full blown prostate cancer within a year). I had all the ingredients that were suppose to lead to prostate cancer ( abnormal cells galore). The doctor said "only" that we will have to watch it. I didn’t like the answer so I said I will do more than watch, I will fix it. I went on the on the Internet and researched the "alternative health solutions"  to fixing the problem. I did so and applied the information. I had a biopsy in mid August of 2007; the biopsy showed no traces what so ever of the pre- cancerous cells! The Urologists believed I had changed the structure of my bad pre-cancerous cells back to normal.
 
Here is what I did. First let me speak briefly about curcumin.It is the new "alternative health hope" for MM. My wife passed away from MM 10 years ago. I started taking it several months ago. Two things became apparent to me recently. My C reactive protein count ( CRP) is .2 as of a reading I obtained  last week ( after taking curcumin) and my Triglycerides were 71, over a (30) point drop from my last reading. Why is that important? Inflammation seems to be a big factor in cancer and therefore MM as well. I am not a doctor and cannot speak in technical terms nor provide scientific evidence of results occurring in my body. I can only speak  anecdotally. I took the CRP test to determine  my risk for heart attacks; I learned below 1 is low risk; between 1-3 is a moderate risk; between 3-10 is high risk. I was reading a blog about MM and a man was suggesting CRP is very relevant to cancer and MM. So my CRP reading was VERY GOOD to say the least. However there is more to my story and other factors that might have made my CRP go down as well.
 
Briefly, my program to get rid of my pre-cancerous prostate was/is the following: I lost 25 lbs and maintained the weight loss. I went to a diet of ALL organic foods, no read meat (chicken and fish instead), stopped drinking and smoking, walked every day, bought a vita mix and juiced up to 50 ounces plus every day, with few exceptions, of "vegetables only." I occasionally had fruit but in much lower amounts due to the sugar content. I ate two table spoonfuls of "ground flaxseed". I had a table spoonful of cod liver oiI, had 3 oz. of Noni juice, 1000 grams of vitamin C; Saw Pallmento, selenium, Zinc, 600 mg of NAC (N acycetal cysteine),  tomato soup daily, bought a purifier for my faucet,  WAS EXTREMELY DISCIPLINED and did not deviate. Why? I was scared I was going to die.
 
I used broccoli, kale, parsley,carrots,  and cabbage (red) mixed with water. My taking curcumin (mixed with heated olive oil) must be taken in context with the above information.
 
Anyone reading this might correctly conclude this guy is a bit over the edge; I can understand that conclusion. However, I made a choice to live and go through some sacrifices for awhile……..it worked. My life style change caused all kinds of other good things to happen to my body…….need less to say, I really feel good. It was a wake up call for me. I hope this information can help someone……I know the fear of cancer. What I learned through my experience gave "me control"……I could actually do something about my body to make it better. When the doctor said we should "watch the high grade PIN" ……..initially I felt hopeless. Then I took control; unfortunately or fortunately, you have to do "it" yourself………place it in your mind and do it.
 
I truly hope this information will help others. Always believe you can do it……..if you think you can , you can….if you think you can’t , you can’t.

Ancient history

My dad sent one of my high school yearbooks to me. He found it while he was cleaning out some things. I have always hated having my picture taken. This is from 32 years ago, so why not put it on my blog? This was taken without my knowledge, and I never knew who did it. I was running with a teacher’s dog in this photo. I had one of my dad’s army shirts on.  I loved that shirt and wore it until it was threadbare. Oh yeah — for the kids — this was back when the pictures in our yearbooks were all black & white and Gerald Ford was president.

Yearbook photo

Special Edition: Multiple Myeloma Series Upcoming Webcast

Special Edition:  Multiple Myeloma Series
Upcoming Webcast:
This year’s American Society of Hematology meeting in Atlanta has brought many exciting new developments.  Join us this Friday for our discussion with two experts, Dr. Brian Durie, Founder, a Myeloma Specialist and Chairman of the Board for the International Myeloma Foundation and Dr. James Berenson, Founder, President & Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research.  You’ll hear the latest groundbreaking news from the meeting and what these two renowned experts are excited about in Myeloma treatment and research.

“The Latest Myeloma News from the American Society of Hematology Meeting”
Friday, December 14, 2007, 2:00 pm Eastern (11:00 am Pacific)
Sponsored through an educational grant from Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
For a schedule of upcoming webcasts, to listen to recent myeloma program replays, and for further information, visit http://www.patientpower.info/specialeditionlymphoma.asp.

 

Featured Guests:

 

Brian G.M. Durie, M.D. is Chairman of the Board of the International Myeloma Foundation and a myeloma specialist at Cedars-Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Center in Los Angeles. He is also a member of the IMF Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Durie is the recipient of the Leukemia Society of America Scholar award and the U.S. Hematologic Research Foundation Annual Award, among many others.

 

James Berenson, M.D. is the Founder, President and CEO of the non-profit Institute for Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research (www.imbcr.org) and Berenson Oncology (www.berensononcology.com) in Los Angeles, California. A leading physician-scientist, Dr. Berenson has specialized in cutting-edge research related to myeloma and metastatic bone disease both in the lab and with patients for 20+ years. He has been involved in many of the major breakthroughs that have brought new treatments for patients with these diseases resulting in both an improvement in the length and quality of their lives. His latest initiative, “The Cure Myeloma Project” enlists the work of a full-time research staff engaging in rigorous pre-clinical and clinical trials, using human myeloma cells.

Andrew Schorr: Host and eleven-year CLL survivor

HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
Listen live at http://www.patientpower.info/specialeditionmyeloma.asp
Call in live 877-711-5611 or Email questions to andrew@patientpower.info  
ABOUT PATIENT POWER:
Patient Power is a weekly show hosted by Andrew Schorr, ten-year leukemia survivor, patient educator and patient advocate.  The show features renowned medical experts on topics that include cancer, pain, diabetes, and heart specialists, as well as experts in clinical trials and top pharmacists.  The show serves to bring patients together in a radio and Internet community to provide information about available treatment options.  Patient Power takes questions from callers and Internet listeners on topics such as how to find the right doctor, how to advocate for effectively, when to get a second opinion from a specialist and how to evaluate one treatment option over another.