What To Wear, What To Wear, WHAT TO WEAR???

That is the question, both men and women will be contemplating tonight and tomorrow. New Years Eve is one of the most talked about nights of the year, and is therefore both loved and hated. The constant chatter of where are you going, what are you doing and what are you wearing can be heard in bathrooms, lobby’s, office buildings and restaurants for weeks leading up to December 31^st. 

For me, the hardest part is what to wear. Should it be dressy, sexy, casual or simple? The truth is, it really depends on where you’re going, who you’re going with and what you’re doing. If you’re going to a deserted island, the smallest amount of clothing and a date would be ideal, a cabin in the woods, more clothes and plenty of firewood would suffice.  But here in Chicago the possibilities are endless, and the aftermath does not go UNSEEN. It’s true what they say a picture is worth a thousand word, and it doesn’t discriminate the good, the bad or the ugly.  

Why Your Cell Phone is Like a Cigarette

Direct from Ellie Marks at the Environmental Health Trust

We at the Environmental Health Trust dedicate our expertise and passion to make this a safer world for you and yours. We need your financial support to help us carry on doing so. Our work is far from done. We are now taking the awareness raising San Francisco legislation across the nation. PLEASE make a donation now at the bottom of this email. Considering 6 billion people use cell phones, this is an issue that touches all of us. We are one of the few non-profits working to save the brains of your children and grandchildren. Please help us do so. Thank you.

If you had a chance in the 1960s to prevent a global cancer epidemic arising from tobacco use, would you have done so?

We face a similar situation today, with one important difference. Cell phones are revolutionary devices that can save lives, but we must be smart about how we use them. Unsafe cell phone use has been observed to:

1. Damage DNA
2. Weaken the brain’s protective barrier
3. Lower sperm count
4. Increase long term risk of cancer

and trigger many other health issues we are continuing to learning about. However, most health professionals are unaware of the robust and growing science on the health consequences of cell phone use. Even worse, few parents appreciate that cell phones are basically two-way microwave radios; and they frequently unwittingly expose their young children and infants to cell phone radiation. We want to change that.

Take a half a minute and watch this video that is already changing the way many are thinking about cell phones today.

With your support we can do more work like this to help protect the world’s brains and bodies. Be sure to share this link with all those you care about.

At Environmental Health Trust we are working with experts, schools and community groups to hold major events in London, Ottawa, San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Capetown, South Africa and Washington, DC. We have worked with some of the world’s top scientists and local officials ranging from the mayors of Jackson, Wyoming; Portland, Maine; Philadelphia and San Francisco, to parliamentary leaders and experts in Canada, the UK, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Brazil and France.

This is not a theoretical hazard. The governments of Finland, France, China and Israel—nations with a sophisticated appreciation of microwave radiation—are taking steps to encourage safer cell phone habits. Resistance here in the US stems from a lack of conclusive evidence that cell phones harm human health. The tobacco industry said the same thing about tobacco use in the 1960s.

Help us make this a safer world for you.

At EHT, we believe that your ability to influence your own future should not be delayed while government, industry and the medical community wait for evidence of cell phone-related health problems to accumulate. Such evidence-gathering can take decades, and by then it will be too late to preserve the health of today’s cell phone users.

A generous donor is challenging us and will double your gift. We can’t do this without you. So please take a moment and think hard about how EHT has helped you—even with this single email message—and how we are aiming to continue to serve you throughout 2011.

Act now and have your gift doubled.

Post Holiday MOOD....

Was SANTA good to you??

With the holidays coming to an end, and decorations slowly coming down, to be put away till next year, I have found myself reflecting on the past year. Wondering at a time when so much has been given if I’m operating with an attitude of gratitude or one of unmet expectations.  Does that sound familiar? 

For many, this season is filled with parties, gift exchanges and celebrations, that it can sometimes become overwhelming. In the midst of celebrating with friends and family this past week, I was struck by the generosity of the season. Friends, family and loved ones spend weeks scouring the stores in search of the “perfect” gift, gadget, decorations, dishes and wrapping, for those they hold dearest to their hearts.  With the expectation that the recipient will be jumping for joy at what’s inside the pretty package, coupled with the slight fear they missed the mark completely. This is where all of us need to step back and check ourselves; do we really deserve any of it? The simple answer is, no.

If we consciously work on coming from a place of gratitude we would all be better off. Maybe that Retro Handset isn’t quite the style or color you would have chosen but lets’ be thankful for the people who gave it to us. We should all be thankful to have people who care enough about us, to think about us. Moving forward into a new year, let’s spend more time being grateful and less time expecting.



All I Want for Christmas...

As a child, it was quite necessary to bring in Baby Jesus' birthday with a "POW!" So immediately you would begin searching the internet, taking note of commercials and visiting toy stores to make sure that you didn't forget any of the new gadgets and most popular toys on your Christmas list. There was always one specific toy or gadget that you wanted more than anything else in the world and it went on the very top of the list. Now, as a parent, when you read your child's list, you know how valuable that object on the first line means to your child. It's your child's reassurance if Santa thought if  they were naughty or nice that year.

This year the number one toy on my child's list was Dance Star Mickey. Mickey can sing, pump the crowd up, and his dance moves are endless. I didn't rush to buy Mickey because I didn't imagine any other child having the urge to moonwalk across the floor with a doll. How silly of me! I took my time getting to Toys R Us the day after Thanksgiving. The location that I shopped at was sold out. And for that matter, the entire U.S. was sold out in every store! (Target, Kmart, Walmart, etc) I became a psycho mom, and called stores and searched online everyday to get a Dance Star Mickey. Fortunately, my brother found one for me in another state. Thank Goodness, he saved Christmas.

Encouraging personal style

Every person on the planet has a different and unique personality. That person's personality inevitably shines  through to their outward appearance.  Being a Fashion designer and artist I have never wanted something that someone else already has.  Even if it is like someone else s the whole point is to make it my own.  Sometimes I will change out my shoe laces to a different color that didn’t come in the box, add a patch to my purse or jacket, paint each nail with a different design, or wear a team jersey that sucks just because no one else will have it on.  Even identical twins strive to be different from each other.  This is what makes our world so special, interesting, fun, and dramatic. 

Each of our Artist Handsets are made in limited quantities.  We want to the world to stay ever changing and people’s styles to evolve with it.  A personal preference can very well change from day to day or mood to mood.  This is why it is said a girl can never have enough shoes…..or purses for that matter.  Don’t you get sick of looking at all the same colors throughout your day?  At work I’m sure all your items on your desk are black, right?  What if your phone was Red, your desktop organizer was Gold, and your clock was Blue?  Would you feel more creative?  More Refreshed?  

BEAR DOWN!!!

As the snow falls in Chicago and the glaze of freezing ice sparkles off street lamps one can only wonder…”What awaits are beloved Chicago Bears?” The worry began, a mere 9 days ago with the collapse of the Metrodome, aka, home of the Minnesota Vikings. With talk of moving Monday night's football game to here, there and everywhere from Indianapolis to Atlanta the league announced the game would in- fact be held nearby at the University of Minnesota. As Chicagoans fear, the conditions could be hazardous the world awaits…. Just who is going to win and who’s going to lose in one of the most talked about games of the season. 

Who's giving the GIFT of YUBZ??!!??

I bet your dieing to know what Gwyneth Paltrow gave the cast of GLEE.  It’s been covered through- out the entertainment world, from People.com to Extra to CMT and Entertainment Tonight.  "She actually gave us all wrap gifts," said Salling, who scored an old-fashioned telephone receiver that plugs into a cell phone”….. And just what is the name of that Retro handset?  Well….it’s the one and only YUBZ!  We are proud to announce that Gwyneth Paltrow is in fact using and giving our YUBZ Retro Handsets not only as gifts to friends and family BUT to the entire cast of GLEE.  I mean could you image how fun that would have been to be on the set of GLEE while Gwyneth was tapping her famous guest appearance.  Anyone can see that the YUBZ handsets are a great conversation piece but to have been a bug on the wall to hear what “Puck” and Gwyneth had to say about the fun new way to talk would have been without a doubt laugh out loud (lol) hilarious.   

Bringing it BACK....in an 80's kind of way!!!!

What goes around surely comes back around and in today's pop culture the 80’s have come back around! Welcome back to the world of leggings, vibrant, rich colors, mix and match prints, plastic jewelry, and of course the boom, boom-pow of the music.  What better way to fit in with the times than our Reto Handset. Despite the bright colors and prints, this phone has made a comeback for all the Right reasons.  1.) Who actually has a house phone? Not me; or anyone I know for that matter.  I miss it though….sitting on the couch with it comfortably sitting on my shoulder and actually being able to hear every word the other person said.  2.) Do you ever think about all that radiation your cell phone is giving off?  Does it get hot after your on it for too long and hurt your neck in the process?  Studies now show the effects a cell phone can have on your brain after a long period of time.  If I am on my cell phone for over 30 minutes a day for the next ten years then my risks of getting a brain tumor or cancer have just multiplied dramatically.  Scary!  To make it even scarier, the cell phone companies are not telling us this.  It’s a huge money making business just like the cigarette companies who didn’t want to tell us nicotine was bad.  Well….I guess we have to find out for ourselves, huh?   Think about kids growing up only knowing cell phones and never even seeing a house phone, boy the risks they are going to have.  When you use a Retro Handset you reduce the radioactivity by 96%!  So obviously talking on a “real” phone feels good, looks good, and IS good for you….what else do you need to know?

Holiday Gift Guide

So, what’s driving your holiday shopping this season?  Is it a child’s wish list to Santa, an ad on Thanksgiving Day, a celebrity must have or one of Oprah’s favorite things?  Black Friday is habitually referred to as the biggest shopping day of the year, featuring the seasons can’t miss holiday steals.  But is it all worth it? Are the deals and steals really that much better at midnight or 3:00am?  Personally I don’t see the draw, but to each their own. Where you one of the masses on November 26^th or did you stay home and shop yourself into a retail-comma via the web?

Whether you shop the web or the stores you’ll definitely want to check out Men’s Health 2010 holiday gift guide at http://www.menshealth.com/giftguide/gifts/geeky-girl/retro-handset.php .  Men’s Health has provided some great ideas, to get you thinking outside the box. Another popular Chicago gift guide, is brought to you by Midwest Home magazine:  http://www.midwesthomemag.com/media/Midwest-Home/November-December-2010/Holiday-Shopping-All-Wrapped-Up.

Where ever it is you are shopping this year make sure to tell your friends when you find something new and interesting. As we are all looking for the next big thing…what big thing are you buying or wanting this year?

Why you busy?

No, seriously….Why are you so busy? I’m sure you’re going to tell me it’s a combination of things.  Work, kids, school, friends, sports, dinner, dates, investments, dance, family, holidays, birthdays, and then, all of the unexpected things, right?

We now live in a generation where you can ALWAYS be reached no matter where you are and what time it is.  This means your work day may never end, your conversation via text could go on for days, and the erg may set in to check your email way too often.  Since we are always on call we need to find a way to organize and prioritize, otherwise life can make us crazy. YUBZ tries to take everyday electronic necessities and make them just a little more fun.   Sometimes it can be just a color that helps you calm down or maybe a design on your wall.  I personally need music throughout my day to stay calm while working. No one can argue that when you have comfortable, easy, and useful gadgets to help throughout your day, you don’t get so busy. Busy begins when one cannot handle their load or feel that they cannot handle it.  YUBZ strives to help you handle "it"and to enjoy your everyday tasks.

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