Flu season typically runs from as early as October through May. Many parents have to make the tough decision on whether or not to get themselves and their children vaccinated. With the outbreak of the H1N1 strain, we have even more to worry about. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), on average every year in the United States, 5% – 20% of the population gets the flu. The flu can cause hospitalization for up to 200,000 of those individuals and even causes around 36,000 deaths per year. This article will provide some very general information about the flu vaccines available. There are references at the end which I highly encourage visiting to learn more about the options you have for yourself and your family.

Flu vaccinations are often a highly debated topic. Their effectiveness, cost and side effects tend to polarize people regarding the need for the vaccine. Many people feel that the vaccine is unnecessary or even unsafe. There are those who even believe that the flu vaccine is simply a way for drug companies to increase profits at the expense of others. Scientists try to match the virus to the form that is expected to be most prevalent in the upcoming season. While this is not a 100% guarantee that the vaccination will work, it will be effective against many strains.

There are now two types of vaccines available. Both vaccines work on the prinicpal that the body will build up immunity when it comes in contact with the virus. The body is exposed to a dead or weakend version of the virus. The virus causes your body to build up anti-bodies against it therefore helping to prevent a full strength flu virus from growing. This process of building up enough antibodies usually takes around 2 weeks. It should be noted though that the body will only build up the necessary defenses for those strains of the flu that it is injected with.

The first is the traditional “Flu Shot”. The flu shot involves injection of a dead flu virus into the body. Side effects can include but are not limited to:

• a low grade fever for 8 to 24 hours after you receive the shot.
• Soreness or redness around the injection point lasting up to 2 days
• slight chills or a headache within 24 hours

Some people may also suffer more sever allergic reactions to the injection.

The other option involves a nasal spray containing a live but weakened version of the virus. This vaccine is only approved for people 2 to 49 years in age, are healthy and not pregnant. The side effects include many flu like symptoms, but you cannot get the flu from the vaccination. Side effects include but are not limited to:

• runny nose
• nasal congestion
• sore throat
• fever

Many people are concerned that exposing the body to a live virus will cause the flu. According to Melanie Swift, M.D., assistant professor of Medicine and medical director of the Vanderbilt Occupational Health Clinic, and Thomas Talbot, M.D., assistant professor of Medicine and Preventive Medicine, the virus is modified that it cannot reproduce or survive once it is exposed to the temperatures is the human body.

It is important to make any decision regarding vaccination against the flu. Below are some resources and references for this article. It is encouraged to read through them to get all of the fine details not presented here. It is also a good idea to consult medical professionals, especially if you or someone you know is at risk.

Resources and References

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/
http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-flu.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-flulive.pdf
http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter/index.html?ID=3689
http://pediatrics.about.com/od/weeklyquestion/a/05_flu_shot_rxn.htm

Tomorrow is Halloween. Today I felt it would be fun to share some cool pumpkins I found on the internet. Be sure to click the links below to see more work by these artists! Enjoy and happy pumpkin carving!

Batman

World of Warcraft

Darth Vader

Death Star

Trick-or-treating is an activity that so many of us enjoy. If you are a kid, there is nothing better than going house to house and having someone drop a piece or two of delicious candy in your bag. You get to pretend you are a great superhero or a princess and show it off to the whole neighborhood. As an adult I have enjoyed it the last few years as well. I enjoy watching my son getting dressed up and taking him around to all of the different homes in the neighborhood. We typically get together with some friends making it a social experience for everyone. The kids get to trick-or-treat while the adults get to walk and talk while gathering memories of their kids in costumes.

A couple days ago my wife told me about an event they are holding in our neighborhood. Instead of going door to door, you can meet up at the basketball court with a lawn chair and candy. The kids can then go around to each lawn chair to trick-or-treat. This in my opinion is one of the dumbest things I have ever heard of. How lazy can we as people get? Are we too lazy to get up and answer the door? Do we have to literally have the kids come to our seat so we don’t even have to stand up? As an adult one of the fun parts of passing out candy is being suprised by the next set of costumes. There isn’t much of a suprise when you see them three chairs to your left coming your way. Are we too lazy to walk around the block a couple of times with out kids? Halloween is good exercise for both us and our kids. We can’t have that! We must sit on our lawn chairs and limit our kids to walking only the length of a basketball court…much further would just put too much stress on their little bodies.

I realize this plan is “safer”, however in my opinion it is completely unecessary. In our neighborhood parents are out with their kids keeping an eye out on them as they go house to house. There are always plenty of kids out so all drivers tend to pay extra attention. This basketball court trick-or-treat takes away from some of the great things about trick-or-treating. My family will not be attending this event. If there is no one home I will take my son to the neigborhood across the street. We will trick-or-treat the right way!

The NBA season starts today. The off season has seen some big name players changing teams. Normally you would think this would mix things up a little, however the big names just went from mediocre teams to title contenders. Their presence will make those teams that much stronger. In some cases it will be an experiment that could go very well or very bad. A specific example is having Shaq playing next to Lebron in Cleveland. It sounds like a good match, however will Shaq’s big body be too much for lebron to avoid when going to the basket? Also how about Artest in L.A. With Artest you never know what you are going to get. Overall I do not think it will be a very suprising year. Here are my predictions for division winners, finals matchup and NBA Champion.

East:
Atlantic Division: Boston Celtics
Central Division: Cleveland Cavaliers
Southeast: Orlando Magic

West
Southwest: Dallas Mavericks
Northwest: Portland Trailblazers
Pacific: Los Angeles Lakers

Finals: Boston Celtics over Los Angeles Lakers in 6

Post your predictions under the comments section.

About 6 months ago I discovered Hulu.com. I had seen advertisements on it, but always figured it was just a knock off of you tube. One day I finally decided to check it out. I found osme interesting clips on there but overall I wasn’t too impressed. Then something changed. It seems as the site gains popularity, they are starting to add some real content to their media library. By real content I mean full tv shows. This is not all that exciting in the fact that many of the major networks put up their shows on their respective websites the day after it airs on network television. If I miss this weeks episode of How I Met your Mother, I can go to cbs.com and watch it at any time. Hulu seems to take it a step beyond that however.

I have always been kind of techy person. I strive for new technologies that make our lives easier and more fun. Hulu is bringing one of the things I have longed for to reality. They have made deals with production companies to distribute full seasons of different shows. These shows do include some of the current network offerings, however they also incude shows from the past. It is very hard to keep up with every show currently on television. Having a resource like Hulu allows one to go back in time say 10 years and watch that series you were always interested in, but just didn’t have the time to get into. I almost feel it is a better way to watch because you don’t have to wait a week for the next episode. I dream of the day when I can use some type of internet connected device and at any time find any episode of any show I want and watch it instantly. Hulu is a great start to that. I am hoping for the company to grow and therefore add more content, creating a large media library for the world to enjoy.

In order to grow, money needs to be made. Advertising is something that I feel is one of Hulu’s strong points. Many people do not appreciate their shows getting interrupted by commercials. I am a part of this majority, however the way hulu has used advertising is definitly a large improvement over network television. For those who have not used Hulu, they usually have a couple different ways of showing ads. The first is just like normal television. They show you an ad every 8-10 minutes during your show. The difference is, they show you one ad that is maybe 20-30 seconds long. When watching hour long episodes these ads actually serve as a refreshing moment to catch your breath, stand up stretch and take a mental break. With just one ad, the “lets get on with it” feeling doesn’t have a chance to set in. You see the ad and you are back to watching the show. It is my opinion that the ads are more effective as well because the one ad sticks with you where as with multiple ads one right after another tend to get blended and are forgetful. Hulu’s other option is to watch a longer ad at the beginning of your show and then no ads during. This ad is usually around 2 – 2 1/2 minutes in length. This option is nice because you get your ad viewing done quickly. I actually prefer the ad breaks, but this option can appeal to those who really do not like advertisements.

With any luck, more of my favorite series will start popping up on Hulu along with some of those I missed along the way. With websites like Hulu those times where “There is just nothing on TV” are a thing of the past because in the future, everything will be on TV.

Here are some examples of great shows on Hulu that you may remember or may have wanted to see:

Stargate: SG1

Inspector Gadget

Doogie Howser M.D

Tonight we had a rare occurence. Our 3 year old son did not eat his dinner. Usually he throws a fuss and says he doesn’t like it (unless it’s hotdogs or chicken nuggets). Typically after a little coaxing we always get him to eat at least some of his food. Tonight he wanted no part of it. He asked for a hot dog and said he would eat that. We refused. He ended up going to bed without dinner. He complained a couple times that he was hungry and we offered his dinner back to him. We had chicken tetrazzini, which is a chicken and pasta dish with a cream of mushroom/cheese sauce. He has had it before, however he is now in a phase where almost everything prompts the saying “I don’t like that.” I’m not sure if it was the right thing to do to not feed him tonight. He did eat breakfast and lunch today. Our opinion as parents is that he needs to eat what is put in front of him. I grew up not liking a lot of things which is something I regret to this day. We feel that making him stick to our dinner plans will help to improve the variety of foods he will enjoy when he gets older. Still I can’t help but feeling a little guilty about not providing him with dinner.

What do you do in this situation? Is it more important to make sure your child is fed every evening, or is it important to teach him to eat foods he may not love perhaps at the sacrafice of a dinner or two?

When I was a kid, I was raised to play baseball. It was my life. My father is one of the biggest baseball fans in the world. I truly believe sometimes that when he dies, he will want to be buried in a baseball uniform rather than a suit. I’m still a big fan of the game, especially playing it. I play softball with the guys of Friday nights and have a great time doing it despite my skills not being quite where they were when I was 17-18 years old. As a kid, my brother and I would get together with a couple of our friends down the street and head down to the ball fields on a regular basis. We would hit the ball around, playing different games such as right field out, home run derby and more. My dad would often come out with us as well teaching us the fundamentals of the game in addition to throwing batting practice to us. I really cherish those times and cannot wait to share those same experiences with my boys. My oldest son is 3 and a half and my youngest is yet to be born, however my 3 yr old and I do have a lot of fun playing in the backyard. He has gotten to the point where he will occasionally make contact if I toss the ball to him, and has gotten very good at hitting of the tee. So good in fact that I feel playing in our yard may soon be the equivalent of Albert Pujols playing homerun derby in Williamsport, PA. So we may soon have to take out game to the real field.

There is one problem. We can’t. We live in Gilbert, AZ. There are so many nice days to get out to the ball field and play around, and there are a lot of ball fields here. Baseball and softball are year round sports. The thing is we can’t play on any of those fields. I mentioned earlier that my softball skills are deteriorating. A few weeks ago I wanted to get out with my brother and a couple friends to just practice a little bit. Unfortunatley it took us many tries to find a field to play on. We actually found one with a gate that was open and no sign that said do not use the field without permission. My guess is someone forgot to lock the gate..oh well.

In my opinion it is absolutely rediculous that we cannot play on the fields at the schools or city parks. The city park went to the extent of putting trash cans all over the fields to ensure no one would play on them. I do understand that there are a lot of people who do not use the field correctly and ride dirt bikes through them and what not, but how is the game of baseball supposed to grow if our children can’t even hit the ball around in their spare time. Each of those fields, both schools and city parks are paid for by our tax dollars. Why is it that we cannot play on the fields but we can pay $2.00 for 15 pitches at the batting cage next to the fields? I was driving past an elementary school the other day and found that it was locked up so tight you couldn’t even get to a playground. It is sad that times have changed so much. I don’t place all the blame on city officials, I do place a great deal of the blame on those who mistreat the fields and equipment.

I’m not sure there is a solution that will be realistic, however something needs to give. Everyone complains that America is overweight and doesn’t get out and exercise enough, yet it seems that there are more and more obstacles put in our way. I just hope that it doesn’t come to the point that our kids will have to rely on their back yard as the biggest field they can run and play on.

I was recently passed on an e-mail with some link to videos that give examples of “the fun theory.” The fun theory is a viral marketing campaign by Volkswagen. The premise of the campaign involves the idea that there are activities people should do in life that they typically do not do. The fun theory states that if we make it fun they will do it. This theory is really a basic concept that everyone has come across before. I remember being a kid and having to do chores, I would find little things that made it into a game. For example when picking up Legos as a kid we would set the bin that held the Legos a few feet away and toss the Legos in. Every kid has done this. Even as adults, we can see how this theory works. For example for most guys an hour and a half running while playing basketball is a welcomed activity where you couldn’t get most guys to spend 10 minutes on the treadmill.These videos serve as a reminder of this powerful tool. If we can add a little bit more fun in our lives, we just may accomplish a lot more. View a few more videos at thefuntheory.com

Electricity is something that as a society we have become incredibly dependent on. Unfortunately the electricity we use has to come from somewhere and usually that somewhere is “the grid”. Monthly electric bills can really put a dent on our wallets and on the environment. Lucky technology is helping to fix this through solar power. Here are 10 reasons why you should add solar panels to your home.

1. Electric Bills – Depending on the amount and size of panels you add to your home, you could save up to 100% on your electric bill. That’s right no electric bill.
2. Low Maintenance. Solar panels do not require a lot of maintenance. You may need to hose off the panels or clean the battery occasionally, but that is about it.
3. No power outages. Ever had the power go out in your house? Who hasn’t? Well power outages are a thing of the past as you now are providing your own power. You are going to be quite the popular neighbor during that next outage.
4. Clean Energy – You can have the piece of mind that the energy that you use is clean, meaning it has no harsh effect on the environment.
5. You can’t really waste solar power- Since solar power is coming from the sun, it’s hard to waste. If you have a big enough solar panel grid, you can leave all the lights, tv’s and computers on all day and not have to worry about wasting electricity.
6. Home value – Solar panels increase the value of your home. Potential buyers may be willing to pay more for your home knowing that their energy bills will be minimal.
7. Your contribution to national security – It’s not secret that the U.S. has become incredibly dependant on foreign oil. By adding solar panels to your home, you are doing your part to decrease that dependence.
8. Lead by Example – By installing solar panels, you are showing your children you are committed to protecting the earth. This commitment will motivate them to take an active part in various “green” projects.
9. Make Money – In some areas, if you are connected to the grid and you are producing more power than you are using, you can actually sell back power to the electric company.
10. It’s Cool – Who doesn’t want to be admired for having the latest and greatest technology. Solar panels are a great way to up your social status.

Solar panels are a wise long term investment. They are expensive initially, however with, power company, state and federal rebates, over 50% of the initial cost can be wiped away. Over time, the solar panels will pay for themselves in low to non-existent electricity bills. Overall, they are a very wise investment in both your future and your children’s.

This past weekend my brother went to Disneyland. I also found out that a friend of ours is heading there this weekend. Both have kids around the age of 4 and a half as well as a second younger child. News of these trips triggered a memory of our trip to Disneyland back in April. Disneyland is a fun place no matter how old you are, whether you are 2 or 72, there is really something for everybody. We took our 3 year old to Disneyland for the first time in April. He was very excited to go, as was I. I couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when he saw the characters and rode the rides. He is a tall kid for his age at 42″. This allowed him to get on a majority of the rides…Roller coasters here we come.

My mother-in-law came with us, so the first night, I volunteered to stay in the hotel with my son while he slept so my wife and mother-in-law could go do some of the bigger rides. They went on a couple rides including Space Mountain and Splash Mountain. The next day, my wife said there was no way that our son was going on Splash Mountain. She felt that the big drop at the end combined with getting splashed would be too much for our son. I protested profusely. Splash Mountain was one of the rides I was really looking forward to going on with him.

I never got my wish as him and I never got to ride. However being that I gave in, I was going to get my way and he was going on the other roller coasters with me. After all I love roller coasters, and with any luck he will too. Throughout the first full day we rode the Go-Go Gadget Coaster and Big Thundar Mountain Rail Road. In the afternoon it was time to try Space Mountain.

Six months prior my brother told me he took his daughter on it, who at the time was about the same age as my son. I couldn’t wait, this was going to be so much fun. He was big enough so I figured lets do it. So we go through the line, they check his height before we get in the coaster train. We are all good for blast off. I was so proud, my 3 year old boy was going to ride Space Mountain. He was growing up!

We are going up the lift and get into the dark room and are having a great time. Then the real fun starts, or so I thought. Once we started going, I freaked out. The ride was much faster than I ever remembered it being. I held on to my son, scared he was going to get hurt from the quick turns and g-forces on his body. All I could think about was his frail little 3 year old body not being able to handle the ride. I did my best to keep his head steady, which he was keeping down the whole time, probably not by choice. It was so loud and pitch black I couldn’t tell if he was enjoying the ride or screaming for his life. It was one of the most uncomfortable moments of my life.

Finally the ride came to an end and I could see him again. He was not crying, not even a tear in his eye. There was however, a very blank look on his face. He just turned and looked at me. I asked him if he liked it, to which he replied with a nod of affirmation. My wife then asked him if it was scary to which he replied with a drooping face, “yes”. He reminded us many times the rest of that day how scary it was. Each time, I could only think of how I hoped he was ok. Did I push his little body too hard with that coaster? Was I a bad dad for putting him on that ride? Is there going to be any effects from that ride? I was really worried and disapointed in myself.

Here we are 6 months later. My son was absolutley fine, but I will never forget the fear I had for him while riding. My advice to anyone who wants to take their child on those rides, ride them first. If you haven’t ridden them in over a year, take a quick spin and judge at that time whether you feel it is safe for your child. Just because they meet the height requirements doesn’t mean they are ready. If I would have ridden it first, I don’t think there is any way I would have had him ride it. That being said I do look forward to riding it with him again in a couple years. I hope that as he grows up he becomes a coaster enthusiast like me. For now, however, I realize I need to think with his safety first, and fun second.