2023 World Dog Show Winner is From the PH

 Dalbong, the Corgi, is from the Philippines!

pc: ABS-CBN.com

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FYI: Cash Course - Investing & Stocks

Buying and selling stocks is an important part of a strong economy. Watch and learn with this quick video:
 

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World Vegetable Soups Ranked: Best, Great, OK, Worst

Sinigang is a sour soup that is native to the Philippines. Its main protein ingredient is pork, but seafood and beef are just as good.  I myself prefer shrimp 😀 yummmmy!

SINIGANG Recipe

SINIGANG Soup Recipe

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Student Loans Amount Due by College Degree

 

Read the full Instagram post H E R E

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Asking a Wall Street Billionaire How To Invest $100

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Ways to Cut Calories for Weight Loss

 

pc: weightloss.itop

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How Often You Should Clean Everything in Your House

pc: Homemaking_com

 

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Federal Reserve: Dave Ramsey Agrees With Bernie Sanders On This?

The Fed [Reserve Board] is using a hammer ... overkill, overkill, overkill... the Labor problem is not due to economic inflation. It is due to the Pandemic... and your efforts to "flatten the curve ..." -- Dave Ramsey

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Is Dave Ramsey Still Right About The Housing Market Not Crashing?

 Is money expert, Dave Ramsey, wrong or correct about the housing market?

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Family Relationships: THERE WAS A TIME

I have had some recent disappointments from certain relatives.  They made me believe/hope that they would come through on their word. Nope!

There was a time I would have set myself on fire, to keep others warm.

There was a time I would have crossed oceans to reach people who wouldn’t cross a stream for me.

There was a time I would try, too hard, to be seen by those, who would simply never see me.

There was a time I felt unworthy of a person, who could actually never be worthy of me.

But not anymore.

You see my friend, there are many ways to spend your time on this earth 

but wasting it on those who are not appreciative of your attention, is a crying shame.

Use your time wisely.

Save your best efforts for those who care. 

For those who would return the favour or at least appreciate your attention. 

Those who truly value you.

And the rest? 

If they do not see you now, they never will.

And they are missing out.

Make this the time that you realize your time is precious and should only be bestowed on those who bring you comfort, positivity, support, love, or joy.

Or all of the above.

Remember, you are the main act, not a warm-up, 

and this, my friend, is no dress rehearsal.

This is it.

The curtain is well and truly up.

Shine on.

✨

Author 👇

Donna Ashworth

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UChicago Medicine: Link Between Covid 19 and Vitamin D

 UChicago Medicine Study Finds Possible Link Between Vitamin D Deficiency and Contracting COVID-19 (by N B C Chicago )

Winter/Flu season is coming up (Northern hemisphere)!  Take heed...

pc:  Getty

 A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Chicago Medicine found a potential link between vitamin D deficiency and contracting the coronavirus.

Researchers looked at 489 UChicago Medicine patients and found those who had a deficiency in vitamin D that went untreated were nearly twice as likely to contract COVID-19 when compared to patients with normal levels of vitamin D.

“Vitamin D is important to the function of the immune system and vitamin D supplements have previously been shown to lower the risk of viral respiratory tract infections,” said David Meltzer, MD, PhD, Chief of Hospital Medicine at UChicago Medicine and lead author of the study. “Our statistical analysis suggests this may be true for the COVID-19 infection.”

The patients that were involved in the study had their vitamin D levels measured within a year prior to getting a COVID-19 test.

According to the study, half of Americans are deficient in vitamin D, and even higher rates of deficiency are found in Black and LatinX Americans as well as areas like Chicago where sunlight is limited year-round.

“Understanding whether treating Vitamin D deficiency changes COVID-19 risk could be of great importance locally, nationally and globally,” Meltzer said.

According to researchers, shelter-in-place orders to reduce the spread of COVID-19 may also decrease sun exposure, and in turn, potentially increase the need for vitamin D supplementation which should not exceed 4000 IU per day.

UChicago Medicine Study

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Average Car Payment in USA September 2022

Whoa!!! 😦😠😧

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Weird Jobs That Pay Over $125,000!

 I would apply for the golfball-diver job 😁😀😁

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Dog Breeds: Bulldog, French Bulldog, Pug

 

Dog health: Don't buy a bulldog until breed is reshaped, vets plead -- B B C

The bulldog has twice the health risks of other dogs, a study has found.

Urgent action is needed to reshape the breed and stop the UK joining the list of countries where the dog is banned, say Royal Veterinary College experts.

They want people to stop buying English bulldogs and two other popular breeds - the French bulldog and the pug - until breeding issues are addressed.

They're also calling on the public to stop "promoting" the dog on social media by posting and liking pictures.

The bulldog has soared in popularity over the past decade.

(pc: Getty ) Many bulldogs have a protruding lower jaw

The breed, also known as the English or British bulldog, earned comparisons with Winston Churchill for its jowly face, and was historically seen as a symbol of courage and endurance.

A fashion for ever more extreme features, such as a flat face, wrinkled skin and squat body, has made the breed prone to health complaints, raising welfare concerns.

With their large bulging eyes and flat face, the dogs are undeniably "cute", said Dr Dan O'Neill of the Royal Veterinary College, one of the authors of the study, but their extreme body shape after years of selective breeding has become their downfall.

(pc:  BBC.com) Bulldogs are also more likely to develop heatstroke than other dogs

"For breeds such as English bulldogs where many dogs still have extreme conformations (a dog's structure and appearance) with poor innate health, the public have a huge role to play by demanding dogs with moderate and healthier conformations," he said.

"Until then, prospective owners should stop and think before buying a flat-faced dog."

The English bulldog was once a muscular and athletic breed, but over the years has become a popular pet, with a trend towards a short skull, protruding jaw, skin folds and a squat build.

The public has an important role to play in driving change by not posting pictures of the dogs on social media or liking posts, thereby "inadvertently advertising" them, Dr O'Neill said.

But he admitted the "phenomenal" popularity of the bulldog is understandable, given the psychological effect they have on us. With their large heads, big eyes and docile temperament, they remind us of babies, triggering our nurturing instincts.

"We interpret this as the dogs being cute, and this is totally understandable and, in fact, very hard to fight against as a human," he said.

"What we deem is cute from the outside, if you're living the life as that dog, is anything but cute. It is, in many cases, a lifetime of suffering."

The breeding of the bulldog is already banned in several countries, and, according to an expert working group of vets and welfare groups, including the Royal Veterinary College, the same could happen here if nothing is done.

Owners who already have one should look out for health issues such as eye problems, difficulty breathing and skin fold infections, and seek veterinary advice if concerned, they say.

Veterinary historian, Dr Alison Skipper, of King's College London, said many of the diseases linked to body shape had been known by breeders for more than a century. Responsible breeding, prioritising health, could "improve the welfare of this popular and iconic breed," she said.

And The Kennel Club said a ban risked driving the problem underground.

"We urgently want to see people choosing dogs not just because they like the way they look, which is often driven by celebrity and social media, and instead find breeders who use the health tools available and breed a non-exaggerated dog, where health comes first, as described in the breed standard," said spokesperson, Bill Lambert.

The study, published in the journal of Canine Medicine and Genetics, compared the health of thousands of English bulldogs kept as pets with that of other dog breeds. It found English bulldogs were twice as likely to have one or more disorders in a single year than other dogs.

The commonest health complaints were infections in skin folds (38 times more likely than in other dogs), an eye disorder known as cherry eye (26 times more likely), protrusion of the lower jaw (24 times more likely) and breathing problems (19 times more likely).

A recent study by the same team found pugs were also at high risk of health complaints.

Read BBC's full article by H. Briggs 🠞 H E R E 🠜

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Favorite Tech-Free Summer Activities

Inexpensive, yet fun 👍 activities with your children during these dog days of Summer 2022 (by Rachel Cruze):

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.( John 16:33)

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10 Things You Didn’t Know About TJ Maxx

 ... & Why Prices Are So Low - by Katie Dupere

(I can attest to #5 below 😁😃 -- having seen it with my own eyes while in Germany)

If you are a budget fashion lover, then you likely take it to the ‘Maxx. By “it,” we mean your paycheck. And by ‘Maxx, we mean the much-adored budget retailer TJ Maxx.

Yes, TJ Maxx is likely the source of many dropped dollars, if you like your clothing and home decor to cost less than department stores. But when you’re down for a style hunt, you probably pull into the retailer’s parking lot without much thought on how exactly TJ Maxx does it all. But there’s a slew of relatively unknown facts behind the store’s inception and concept—not to mention insider tips to help you get the very best deals along the way.

If you want to know what a TJ Maxx yellow tag means or the difference between TJ Maxx and Marshalls (and yes, there is a difference), check out these 10 fast facts about TJ Maxx.

1. The first TJ Maxx stores opened in 1977.

In 1976, a discount retail corporation recruited Bernard Cammarata, who was the general merchandising manager of Marshalls at the time, to spearhead the launch of a new off-price chain selling apparel and home decor. A year later in 1977, the first two TJ Maxx stores opened in Auburn and Worcester, Mass. That history adds up to more than 40 years of deals.

In 1995, Marshalls was acquired by TJX Companies (TJ Maxx’s parent company), even though the inception and overall concept of TJ Maxx were likely inspired by the long-standing success of Marshalls stores.

2. Forget what you’ve heard: TJ Maxx is not a discount store.

Though you can score some pretty stellar deals at TJ Maxx, it’s not technically a discount store. TJ Maxx is an off-price retailer, which means it stocks excess inventory from merchandisers. According to the TJ Maxx website, the retailer sources inventory from “a wide variety of opportunities, which can include department store cancellations, a manufacturer making up too much product, or a closeout deal when a vendor wants to clear merchandise at the end of a season.” Discount stores, on the other hand, buy merchandise at full wholesale price but take less markup than traditional stores.

3. There’s actually a difference between TJ Maxx and Marshalls.

Though many shoppers think of the sister stores as interchangeably similar, TJ Maxx and Marshalls both have some distinct features. TJ Maxx has an expanded jewelry and accessories section and features more designer pieces for sale. Marshalls, on the other hand, offers family footwear, an expanded men’s department and a dedicated juniors department.

4. The majority of TJ Maxx products aren’t damaged or irregular.

According to SheFinds, 95 percent of products sold at the retailer are in top-notch condition, with damaged or defective products making up only a reported 5 percent of all TJ Maxx inventory. And don’t worry, any condition issues will always be disclosed on the tag—but it’s rarely a concern.

5. TJ Maxx is actually called T.K.Maxx in the U.K. and Ireland.

The TJX corporation launched T.K. Maxx in the U.K. in 1994. The slight name change was reported to avoid confusion with the existing discount department store chain T.J. Hughes, which already existed in the U.K. and was not affiliated with the TJX corporation.

Jonathan Adler vase (R) which I purchased from my local TJMaxx

6. There are more than 1,200 TJ Maxx locations around the world.

As of January 2021, there were more than 1,200 TJ Maxx stores around the world. For those curious, there’s another 600-plus T.K.Maxx locations in the U.K. and Ireland. Out of the 50 states, only Alaska doesn’t have a TJ Maxx location.

7. According to insiders, Wednesday is the best day to shop.

TJ Maxx shoppers claim that the retailer receives its biggest shipments (and marks down the most items) on Wednesdays, making it the best day to score new products and top deals. But deals and markdowns happen all during the workweek—just not on weekends. Other insiders claim shopping midday during the workweek—specifically Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays—will help you beat crowds and score top deals.

8. Yellow price tags mean the item is at its final and lowest markdown.

In the case of TJ Maxx, yellow means go. A yellow tag on TJ Maxx merchandise means the item has been marked down to its final—and lowest—price. Any introductory markdowns are printed on red stickers, while regularly priced merchandise features white labels comparing a product’s TJ Maxx price to its normal retail cost. But be warned: Some reports claim these retail prices may be slightly inflated, giving the impression of a better bargain.

9. TJ Maxx stores in select regions sell discounted designer merchandise.

And we mean designer. Select TJ Maxx stores have deals on top designer pieces in a special section called The Runway. In The Runway, you can find some of the biggest names in fashion, with some shoppers discovering Gucci, Celine and Saint Laurent pieces in the sought-after section. You can also shop The Runway (and regular TJ Maxx pieces, for that matter) online. When shopping in stores, The Runway merchandise will have a purple tag.

10. TJ Maxx has its own private labels, which turns out some of the merchandise the store stocks.

According to HerCampus, an estimated 10 percent of products available in TJ Maxx stores are created under independently-owned private labels. Clothing featuring the label Frou Frou, Mercer and Madison, Between Me & You, and more are all owned by The TJX Companies. These items are created especially for sales at TJ Maxx and Marshalls locations.

Read the full article 🠊🠊🠊 H E R E

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2022 Kentucky Derby Payout Breakdown $$$$

Place Prize Money 1 $1.86 million 2 $600,000 3 $300,000 4 $150,000 5 $90,000

pc: Yahoo

How the numbers work for the winner:

Winner gets $1,860,000 Jockey's team: 10% goes to jockey's team ($186,000) Jockey gets $130,200 (70% of team) Agent gets $46,500 (25% of team) Valet gets $9,300 (5% of team)

pc: twitter/nbc sports

Kentucky Derby 2022: 

Dissecting Prize Money Purse

Kentucky Derby Purse

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