The German Underground Hospital on Jersey Island

August 20th, 2009

Jersey is one of the Channel Islands.  The history of the islands has been influenced throughout history by the various cultures that have occupied the islands during the last few hundred years.  One such historical site is the Underground Hospital located on the island.  For five years during World War Two, the Channel islands were the only British territories to have occupied by the German armies.  Just as with the influences the other cultures have had on the islands, so too have the Germans left their marks on the island of Jersey, historically and visually.

Many of those staying in the Jersey hotels, will feel this influence as they walk around the island, and visit the huge hospital that was built in 1944, when the threat became real for occupation by the Allied Systems.  When one first enters the hospital it is immediately noticeable, just how incredible of an engineering project the hospital was.  The laborers who worked on the hospital were forced to do so, and the atmosphere in the hospital today is chilling and palpable.

This is a site that is very real site, not a park or a museum recreated.  This was a building that was intended for the housing and protection of an entire regiment of the German Army.  Germany intended to conquer and take charge of the Islands.  This was meant to protect the forces from attacks by the air, or attacks from sea.  The tunnels are the areas that became the hospital.  The entire complex was never finished, as during the construction it became necessary to turn it into the hospital as the casualties became more in number, and the building was centrally located.

As the war progressed all that was unfinished was sealed off, and heating systems were added as well as air conditioning units, that were considerably sophisticated for the technology of the day.  This is a marvel of the genius of the work of the various men who in trying times succeeding in the construction and wonder of the Underground Hospital on Jersey Island.

What to do if you are not taking a vacation this year

June 26th, 2009

The American worker takes only more vacation time than a worker in Mexico. We are a nation of complete workaholics, who instead of feeling entitled to our vacation days, feel bad for asking for them.

Now, with the economy the way it is, people may not be able to afford the vacations that they once took. But instead of not taking that time off, you should still take it off and just stay home and think of other ways you can spend that money instead of on a lavish vacation with airfare and hotel plus attractions and food.

Why not take some time to actually discover the city that you live in. Take some time out to explore some of the cultural things in your city that you rarely have time for.

You could also get some things crossed off of your to do list. If you have been meaning to get your closet cleaned out, it would be a perfect time to actually do it finally. Having time to do it will make sure you do it thoroughly and don’t rush the process.

Take in some local sporting events. Treat yourself to some tickets to a game in town. Baseball is of course, America’s pastime and there is bound to be a game going on in your city during the summer.

Another option is to just spend some time around your house. Take some of the money that you would have spent on a vacation and put it towards something that you have wanted. Have you always wanted a hot tub in your backyard? Check out the website of Steven Barbarich, choosehottubsdirect.com. Think about how putting some of that money you would have spent on a vacation aside will help you buy something that you have always wanted.

No matter what to choose to do with your vacation time, just remember to relax!

Another Teenager Dies From Ecstasy Overdose

June 19th, 2009

The Edmonton Sun News reported recently that a 14-year-old Edmonton girl died in a hospital from an suspected overdose of the street drug ecstasy. The girl was one of two teenagers who became ill at a dance party for teens at the indoor Galaxyland Amusement Park in West Edmonton Mall.

The mother of the teen said that she had gone through DARE, the anti-drug and alcohol program most kids go through in elementary school. The mother also said that she had also been very forthcoming about how dangerous drugs were.

Cassie was taken off life-support Saturday afternoon at Stollery Children’s Hospital after she and her best friend Ashley, also 14, fell ill Friday night after ingesting a batch of ecstasy pills.

The pair were attending the Rock ‘n’ Ride Dance Party at West Edmonton Mall’s Galaxyland amusement park when they were rushed to hospital and transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit.

Cassie was taken off life-support shortly after 4:30 p.m. Her parents later learned she had taken six pills and each one was three times the normal dosage, adding they think it was the first time she had taken the drug.

Drug rehab or young adult drug rehab centers have programs to help parents and their teenagers deal with the issues of drug and alcohol abuse. There are many drug rehab centers that can help in situations like these.

SADD Launches Facebook and MySpace Pages

June 5th, 2009

SADD National has recently launched its first ever MySpace and Facebook pages. To stay up to date with the latest news and information from SADD National you can now add them to your friends list. The Student Leadership Council and SADD National staff will be constantly updating the pages and answering any questions. And looking into alcohol rehabilitation

Originally, the mission of SADD was to help young people say “No” to drinking and driving. Today, the mission has expanded. SADD has become a peer-to-peer education, prevention, and activism organization dedicated to preventing destructive decisions, particularly underage drinking, other drug use, risky and impaired driving, teen violence, and teen suicide.

SADD is an inclusive, not an exclusive, organization. SADD recognizes that the pressures on young people to drink, use illicit drugs and engage in other unhealthy behaviors are strong. SADD seeks not to punish or alienate those students who make unfortunate choices but rather aims to inform, educate, support and empower young people to make positive decisions in their lives.

SADD can be an important part of any drug rehab program or young adult drug rehab recovery program.

To Join SADD MySpace please go to MYSPACE
To Join SADD Facebook please go to FACEBOOK

Dental Care Away From Home

May 7th, 2009

With soaring health care costs and the wait for medical procedures getting longer, medical tourism has become on of the hottest trends in health care to date. According to the National Coalition on Health Care over 500,000 Americans are searching for health care abroad and the prediction is that by the year 2012, medical tourism will turn into a $100 billion business.

Dental care is in the forefront of combining medical procedures with travel. In the United States there are now over 120 million people without dental insurance, making it increasingly more difficult for people to afford simple but necessary dental care. Alternatively, one can find all types of dental procedures abroad, with hospitals and clinics using up-to-date techniques and cutting edge diagnostics to provide world-class care.

Whether it is implants, crowns, inlays and onlays, orthodontics, dentures and bridges, dental bonding, or root canal, dental procedures are becoming more and more common and popular in countries such as India, Thailand, Costa Rica, Argentina, and Hungary. Mexican physicians are some of the most sought after for United States citizens as the country is so easily accessible. Mexican hospitals and clinics are renowned for their state-of-the-art equipment as well as their dedication to personal care. With a wide array of clinics that boast safe and superior treatment, dental care abroad is an ideal way to resolve dental problems while offering the added perk of sightseeing in a vacation setting.

If you do opt for a dental procedure abroad, make sure you speak with your dentist of choice beforehand and look for a medical tourism company that will help you connect so that you can easily send X-rays and other information.