I grew up eating healthy, playing sports and working hard. I helped my uncle out in his health food store on Singer Island in Palm Beach, Florida during summer. Eventually, I went to university to study nutrition. My wife also went to school for nutrition. For the most part, my diet and hers were very healthy growing up and still are. We are passing healthy eating habits to our children as they grow up. We even take our kids to McDonald’s, yet only a few times a year. Sometimes we buy them Happy Meals, other times we don’t, even when our kids want one. We are the ones in control of our children’s eating habits.

Whether McDonald’s offers their Happy Meals with a toy or not makes no difference in our decision to buy one or not. I would prefer they not sell the meal with a toy. However, what McDonald’s does is an intricate part of American business and freedom. It is a part of what makes America such a great country where people can use their skills and ideas to make their company, organization or business better. McDonald’s is not tricking people into buying Happy Meals. People don’t have to buy them for their children, no matter how hard they cry for one.

What you are suing McDonald’s for says to Americans, we are not capable of raising our children without the help of people like you, the government and other organizations outside the American home and family. We don’t need you to be our Daddy or Mommy.

In regard to your lawsuit, I think it eats away at the fabric that weaves together the great nation of America. Instead of suing McDonald’s, help teach people how to manage their diets better. Use your money and the money you will cost American taxpayers a to further educate people on how fatty the food is at McDonald’s. Do things like that and McDonald’s will continue to clean up its menu to be healthier.

Ultimately, it is the choice of the parent whether or not to buy the Happy Meal, not the fault of McDonald’s. They are using great marketing. We don’t have to say, “Sure. I will get you the Happy Meal.” People can say “No” even to food!

If you wish to write a letter to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, use the following email addresses or contact them at the mailing addresses below:

U.S. mailing address:

Center for Science in the Public Interest
1875 Connecticut Ave. N.W.
Suite 300
Washington, D.C. 20009
Main switchboard: (202) 332-9110
Fax: (202) 265-4954

Canadian mailing address:

Centre for Science in the Public Interest
Suite 4550, CTTC Bldg.
1125 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5R1
CANADA
Tel.: (613) 244-7337
Fax: (613) 244-1559

Email:

For journalists and copyright questions: cspinews@cspinet.org

For questions and concerns about your Nutrition Action Healthletter subscription (both U.S. and Canadian editions): circ@cspinet.org

For questions about articles in Nutrition Action Healthletter, or other questions about CSPI’s work:cspi@cspinet.org

For questions about CSPI in Canada: jefferyb@istar.ca

The iPhone is an amazing tool. However, the apps installed on the production version are very basicOnAssis more apps get developed the iPhone evolves into a smarter tool.

Right now I’m writing this article by speaking into my iPhone. As I speak, it writes what I say. It writes everything almost perfectly. That’s how smart this phone is.

So why did Apple make such an amazing smart tool like the iPhone and then send it out with apps like the calendar system that are very simple and could have been made better if they had added more features to it?

My guess is that Apple either didn’t want to fool with it and was rushing to get the iPhone out or they did it to make money with other apps. If Apple would allow people to be able to tweak the code of some of the apps like the calendar, maybe we would have one really amazing calendar app. But instead, we get all these other apps that are bunch of junk. Only a few of the calendar apps in the App Store have any real value.

Over the years, I have seen and talked to many customer service reps. Some have been understanding and helpful while others read their replies from a card without ever tapping into any other brain cells that involve thinking or judgment.

Many years ago, customer service used to involve people with brains that could actually resolve an issue. They knew their product and services well. However, these days, customer service reps read from cards or their PC monitor pre-written replies to issues that exist in the FAQ area or manual. Issues sometimes drag on for days, weeks, months or longer because no one can come up with a resolution, not even the managers who stand in the background of customer service reps monitoring conversations, problems and resolutions; the people who used to resolve problems if the reps couldn’t.

Why? Because customer reps are only expected to resolve issues that fall between specific criteria.

Reps and management can resolve problems A – W, but X, Y and Z, if not written down in the resolution manual, cannot be resolved especially if it involves thinking outside the box!

If a customer has a problem beyond the scope of repair or replacement, the customer usually is the one riding the short end of the stick. By the time customers start having problems, there is nothing customers can do other than complain. The companies have already profited. They are only worried about getting new customers. Customers with complaints get washed down the river of other complaints and their complaints get squashed…unless they are bloggers!

Here’s my complaint, Softbank and Apple! Take care of your customers better especially when your staff make mistakes. Don’t throw money at us. It is merely a band-aid. Correct the errors and make things better!

If you call yourself a Christian yet walk around all day with a doom and gloom attitude you are doing your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ no help in sharing His love. How in the world can anyone see His love through that kind of attitude? No one can.

If you feel like the world is on your shoulders, remember it isn’t. Jesus carries our burdens and we are free to live life to the fullest. We have nothing to fear in life or death.

Ask God to bring opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ into your life and regain your focus on sharing His love. You may be the only light a co-worker, friend, family member or loved one sees today.

I grew up with creative parents. My mother and father both showed their love throughout my sister’s and my childhood; well into our twenties.

My mother would create things and so would my father. They both had God-given talents for creativeness. Hardly ever did they run out of ideas.

As I sit here on the computer, something that takes way too much of my time, one good Valentine’s present I can think of off the top of my head would be to stay off the computer on Valentine’s Day. That would start things off well.

Then, another good suggestion would be to help wife by keeping or cleaning the house. But to make it all that more special, instead of doing the things I do on a normal day like washing the dishes and putting my clothes away, I can do her jobs she normally does.

Okay. Well, that is enough for now.

Just remember this. If you want to make the person you love feel special, then do something special for that person. Anyone can go shopping and buy a gift and present it wrapped. Be special for that special someone!

Now, I think that is a good Valentine Idea! What do you think?

For more suggestions, I am also contributing to ValentineSuggestions.com. Check it out.

Deadly Sins
Read: John 16:17-24

You now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. —John 16:22

You may be familiar with the list of seven deadly sins that was formulated during the sixth century: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, vengeance, envy, and pride. But you may not know that the original list compiled during the fourth century also included the sin of sadness. Over the years, that emotion was omitted from the inventory.

Some people are blessed with a cheerful disposition. They always seem to be happy. They wear a perpetual smile almost as if they were advertising toothpaste. But then there are others who seem to be chronically sad. They continually complain about life and its burdens. And who can deny that afflictions are discouraging?

While we acknowledge that not everybody is blessed with a bright outlook on life, we need to remember that joy is one of the gifts Jesus promised to His followers. And we need to resist any tendency to let sadness dominate our emotional lives.

Jesus promised His disciples on the night Judas betrayed Him, “Your joy no one will take from you” (John 16:22). Remember that joy is the fruit of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22). Let’s ask the Lord to help us look beyond our sorrowful circumstances and encourage our hearts by the vision of joy that awaits us (Heb. 12:2).

—Vernon C. Grounds
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit that’s always in season.

You alone, Lord Jesus, can true joy impart,
For You know the sorrow of the human heart;
You came here from glory many hearts to win
And in love for sinners suffered once for sin. —Anon.

Signup to receive Our Daily Bread at home. (Form works only on mobile devices)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

© Copyright 2010 RBC Ministries–Grand Rapids, MI 49555

Maybe it’s because the mainstream media reporters and newscasters are on break. Or maybe they are dressed in their Bermuda shorts and T-shirts wandering warm sunny beaches away from the cold as they sip their martinis and wade in the water celebrating their latest Green profits from all their Global Warming reports from 2009.

Whatever they are doing and wherever they are, Seoul, Korea is reporting the heaviest snowfall in 70 years.

Many states throughout the USA are reporting the coldest temperatures in 30 to 40 years and some states are reporting the coldest temperatures ever on record.

How’s that for Global Warming? Sounds more like Global Cooling.

Considering the stimuli the federal government has been creating at our expense, money that is being spent on unnecessary items like bailing out failing businesses, banks and pet projects, or even more grotesque, using taxpayer money to help friends line their pockets as they help line the politicians’ pockets, I am suprised the American taxpayers aren’t out in droves protesting and petitioning corrupt politicians out of office!

Here’s a good article I just read that sheds some light on this topic and may persuade the type of revolt America needs if taxpayers are to keep their money from being spent unwisely by their elected officials.

http://www.gopusa.com/mobile/view_page.php?type=2&num=1

Too many times people look for an opening in the conversation to get their opinion in instead of listening. If they would really listen instead of thinking about how they are going to respond, chances are the person talking to them might say something they need to hear that could change their opinion and keep the conversation from becoming an argument.

The next three games are crucial for the Dolphins who face teams that they should be able to beat, but cannot take for granted. All three teams, while not the best in their divisions, are good enough to stop the Dolphins bid for post-season play. Come on, Fins! Keep the momentum rolling!