01.31.07
Arkansas Proposes Brain Injury Commission
Rep. Sandra Prater of Arkansas recently proposed House Bill 1131 to establish the Arkansas Legislative Commission on Traumatic Brain Injury.Permalink Comments off
01.29.07
Project Laundry: Hang ‘Em Dry
Confession: I’ve always dried my clothes in a dryer. Even as a child, my family had a well-utilized laundry room with no outdoor clothesline in sight. There really was no excuse for this as we lived in a very temperate area of Northern California, where the summers are typically sunny and warm and the winters are quite mild. I think it really all boils down to laziness and lack of knowledge.
Recently I was faced with a serious laundry dillemma… our dryer ran out of gas and my two children and husband were simply running out of clean underwear and socks. While I waited on my husband to have the gas tank filled, I was pondering what to do about this situation when my lightbulb went on.
We are having an unseasonably warm and dry winter in Northern California and, although if we don’t see some rain soon, we will surely be facing drought conditions in the summer, I decided to use this Spring-like weather to our advantage and created a makeshift drying line that would hence dry our clothes.
For an entire week my children and I were forced to hang dry our clothing, which is precisely how long it took my husband to get the gas tank filled. But we enjoyed the experience so much that eventhough I now have my dryer back, I haven’t even been using it.
What did I learn in this eye-opening experience? Yes, it is more time and consuming. But it is really quite simple and there are so many positive reasons for drying your clothes outdoors on a line rather than in a dryer. I’ve done a bit of research and here is what I’ve discovered.
The average household will spend approximately $100 - $200 dollars per year on drying clothes in a dryer. Thus, using a clothesline saves money. It also saves a significant amount of energy and reduces pollution. Your clothesline-fresh wardrobe will smell better, feel more natural, be wrinkle-free (no matter how long they hang out) and will actually last longer as well, since they are no longer being subjected to a harsh, hot and tumbling dryer.
Hanging your clothing outside also gives you a great opportunity to expend some your own energy, ie. get some exercise, and enjoy being outside soaking up some sun at the same time. In addition, it is an activity that you can enjoy with your kids. I know my 4 and 7 year-olds had a great time helping me to hang our clothes out, then collecting them at the end of the day. We felt like a family in Little House on the Prairie! It has been a nice learning experience for the whole family and truly is worth the extra time and effort. So, unplug that dryer and Hang “Em Dry!
Clothesline Your Laundry, Dry Clothes for Free, Family, Home, Natural Health
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Do Minimally Conscious Patients Have a Chance for Recovery?
Technology Review recently ran a story, Raising Consciousness, that highlights the story of Terry Wallis, a 39-year old man who was in a minimally conscious state for 19 years after a car accident. In 2003, Wallis came out of that state and has continued to make improvements.Permalink Comments off
01.26.07
BIA-NJ to Hold Brain Injury Awareness Day at State House
The Brain Injury Association of New Jersey plans to hold Brain Injury Awareness Day at the State House in Trenton on Thursday, March 15, 2007 from 9am-5pm in the State House Annex Tunnel.Permalink Comments off
01.24.07
Litigating Brain Injuries is Now Available
As promised, I am letting the readers of the blog know that my new book, Litigating Brain Injuries, which I co-authored with Dr. Jeffrey Brown, Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, is now available for sale.Permalink Comments off