One of those people was Mrs. Pescatore, a neighbor of his grandparents’. The elderly Italian lady barely spoke English and raised noisy chickens as Joe Zanotti recalls, but the memory of her reaction to Mr. Pescatore’s death sticks with him today.

“She must have wailed for 3 solid days,” Joe Zanotti says. “It seemed like the entire town could hear her. Some was true sorrow, but I think some of it was because that was what you were supposed to do.” She also wore black from that point on until the day she passed because, he believes, that was also what you were supposed to do.

“The town did have its characters” mused Joe Zanotti. Mrs. Arnold, a wealthy woman who lived in an old large, stately house that was built, in the early 1800’s, by an ancestor of hers who was the original land owner of the entire area of the town and beyond.  On her property was a spring that fed water to many of Braeburn’s residents and she controlled the pipeline’s valve. If someone made her mad, Mrs. Arnold would cut off drinking water to the town until someone apologized, Joe Zanotti says. He remembers she always seemed to be mad at someone.

Then, the town had Mrs. Morbito, a quiet polite and somewhat reclusive lady according to Joe Zanotti. Mrs. Morbito lived in a more secluded area of town, for good reason. “She was the town’s moonshine lady,” Joe Zanotti relates. Mrs. Morbito always put her moonshine in old whiskey bottles, Joe Zanotti says, and he remembers a bottle his grandmother had that hadn’t been opened for 25 years.

When Joe Zanotti was around 16, his grandmother opened that bottle and he took a shot. “Wow, I was lit up,” Joe Zanotti says. “The stuff scared me!”

Finally, two doors from his Grandparents lived the Conner family.  Many years ago, Mr. Conner had been the town’s constable.  But, in the woods behind his house were remnants of old buildings that were used to stage chicken fights where people from far away would come for the events.  Joe Zanotti never saw any of the chicken fights and wonders if they were outlawed back then. “But, if they were, being a constable must have had its advantages” muses Joe Zanotti.

About Joe Zanotti

For Joe Zanotti, family heritage has always been important. Growing up in Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Joe Zanotti was always aware of his Italian and Slovak heritage enjoying the culture, foods and curtoms. In fact, he spent many weekends and long summer weeks at his grandparents’ house in the nearby mill town of Braeburn.

Born in 1958, Joe Zanotti currently resides in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, where he has lived since 1988. Joe Zanotti is registered as a professional engineer in eleven states, including Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois, Indiana, and the District of Columbia. He is single, with no children, has a brother, sister, nieces and a nephew and both of his parents are still alive.

The world today is connected in ways that no generation prior could have imagined, declares Anatesha Dunn.  Breaking stories across the ocean are old news in just moments, and family members “friend” each other on social networking sites just to know what’s going on. Anatesha Dunn says it time to shut the computer, dumb down the smart phone, and get back to face time. A favorite pastime of Anatesha Dunn is hosting a family meal.

Dinner parties don’t have to be lavish, says Anatesha Dunn. A back yard BBQ, a potluck lunch, or just coffee with the girls is sufficient. The idea is actually getting together. Anatesha Dunn cites that it’s perfectly acceptable to invite folks over with an online invitation, but also points out that a phone call is much more personal.

Preparing for these gatherings is nearly as fun as the event itself, claims Anatesha Dunn. She likes to invite a few guests over early to help place plates, carve fresh fruit for centerpieces, and make sure that all the last minute details are nice and tidy. After all, points out Anatesha Dunn, no one wants to have to run out for ice in mid conversation. It helps Anatesha Dunn greatly to create a checklist a few days ahead of time.

Birthday parties are one of Anatesha Dunn’s most beloved events, especially when the family’s children are the ones celebrating. There is something special about seeing a little one’s face when grandparents, aunts and uncles, and good friends gather around singing sweet birthday wishes, says Anatesha Dunn. Watching a child open a birthday gift, says Anatesha Dunn, is one of the greatest pleasures in life; one that just can’t be enjoyed by sending an e-card and an online gift certificate.

As social networking, online calendars, and instant messaging overtake Western society, face-to-face gatherings are fewer and fewer, laments Anatesha Dunn. Reports of depression are rising at alarming rates, and Anatesha Dunn feels that it’s directly related to the trend of sitting behind a computer screen. A person should not wait until they feel sad, says Anatesha Dunn, to reach out. God intended for humans to gather and bond – it’s why He created feelings.

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About Anatesha Dunn

Anatesha Dunn believes in Joyce Meyer’s positive, uplifting messages. A fan of Meyer’s book, Battlefield of the Mind, Anatesha Dunn takes spiritual guidance from Meyer’s advice to gain control over one’s own mind and refuse to let negative thoughts intrude. It is an attitude that has served Anatesha Dunn throughout her life.

Anatesha Dunn has worked most recently for Financial Freedom in Longwood, Florida. At Financial Freedom, Anatesha Dunn assisted with taking inquiries from potential clients looking for financial advice. During her time assisting customers with their financial needs, Anatesha Dunn no doubt relied heavily on Meyer’s advice on dealing with different temperaments.

“Learn different personalities and how to live with them,” Anatesha Dunn paraphrases from Meyer’s advice. “Once you know what triggers a certain personality, you can learn how to move through certain situations to get the end results you’re looking for.”

A devout Christian, Anatesha Dunn also follows the wisdom of Bishop T.D. Jakes. Once the subject of a Time Magazine cover story titled, Is This Man the Next Billy Graham?, T.D. Jakes is highly respected among Christians, thanks to his positive, uplifting messages. Anatesha Dunn especially appreciates Jakes’ take on change.

“Jakes accepts the inevitability of change, teaching how to embrace and accept it rather than fear it,” Anatesha Dunn says. “Mixing both sacred and secular insights, he shares a unique mix of practical and pragmatic steps, coupled with the sage wisdom of scripture for which he is noted.”

Anatesha Dunn believes in giving back, having headed up and assisted with fundraisers as well as participating in volunteer work over the years. She is certified in both CPR and First Aid and, in the course of her career, Anatesha Dunn has often been trusted with matters that are confidential and of a sensitive nature.

Anatesha Dunn currently lives on the East Coast, where she is actively involved with her church. She believes in Meyer’s advice to arm yourself with God every day.

“Begin your day with prayer to get your day started,” is the advice Anatesha Dunn takes from Joyce Meyer. “End your day with prayer and reflection of what you did that day.”

Anatesha Dunn believes in following Meyer’s Battlefield of the Mind in positive thinking as well. Using the power of positive thinking, Anatesha Dunn finds specific ways to impact every aspect of her life. Anatesha Dunn has learned to count her blessings, thanks to a couple of great role models.

Anatesha Dunn also believes in balance. Anatesha Dunn tries to approach every day with a cool, calm, level and objective mind.

“Life is an experience of both good and bad,” Anatesha Dunn says, taking from Meyer’s advice. “In order to really enjoy life, try to find the positive in everything.”

As co-founder of Wealth Engineering, Mario Romano knows all too well both the successes and struggles of melding different strengths and personalities. Mario Romano and Annette Raynor of Wealth Engineering demonstrate the power of opposing qualities. “Mario Romano is an honest, strong personality. Mario Romano will say what others are afraid to say and this enables us to get right to the heart of matters. This ability and Mario Romano’s unyielding commitment has allowed Wealth Engineering to enter markets it would take other teams years to penetrate,” says Annette Raynor.

Mario Romano, on the other hand, recognizes that Annette possesses the technical and communication skills to execute the company’s strategies. Mario Romano can get an audience with the CEO of a Fortune 50 company, but then “a powerful presentation is needed to tell the story, and Annette tells our story better than anyone,” notes Mario Romano.

Mario Romano and Annette Raynor acknowledge that the partnership, while highly complementary, is not without struggles. “Mario Romano has a personality that can overpower at times,” says Annette, while she takes a slower methodical approach to certain strategies and that, predictably, can cause frustration for Mario Romano. “We know the sum of our parts is much greater than the whole – combined we are a team that is more powerful than each of us would be individually. As long as we can accept our differences and forge ahead, we are a combination that cannot be stopped,” concludes Mario Romano.

Mario Romano began his Wall Street career at Lehman Brothers in 1982. From then until the beginning of the new millennium, Mario Romano held several executive positions with a select group of Wall Street institutions. Mario Romano also served as CEO of Romano Enterprises LLC from May 2000 through December 2004. In 2005, Mario Romano co-founded Wealth Engineering & Development and through their combined efforts, Mario Romano contributed to securing the largest contractual agreements for the InvestView platform of Global Investor Services Inc. Mario Romano has fine-tuned motivational skills that have allowed him to establish, grow and manage a group of over 100 retail stockbrokers. With over twenty-five years of Wall Street experience, Mario Romano believes the time has come for individuals to learn how to manage and grow their wealth. Mario Romano dedicates his professional life to these objectives and strives to solidify Wealth Engineering as a leader in providing financial education to the masses worldwide.

There are valuable tools that people can incorporate into their lives, notes Jonathan Berkowitz, tools that will help identify and relieve stress before it does harm. Jonathan Berkowitz helps clients learn to scan themselves for signs of stress. Jonathan Berkowitz asks, “Do simple set backs like lateness or changed plans make you feel a disproportionate sense of failure? Do you feel useless,” inquires Jonathan Berkowitz, “unless it feels like everyone loves you all the time?”

With practice it becomes possible, points out Jonathan Berkowitz, to identify personal signs that warn of stress. A good way to track stress, adds Jonathan Berkowitz, is to keep a stress diary. Jonathan Berkowitz explains that a stress diary can help a person to analyze stress, becoming aware of when and where it happens most often. Try keeping a stress diary for one week, suggests Jonathan Berkowitz, and be sure to write down everything. Jonathan Berkowitz says that it’s also important to note the time and the cause of the stress. It may be a traffic jam making you late for work, says Jonathan Berkowitz, or a tantrum thrown by your child. Keep track of these worries, says Jonathan Berkowitz, and what they are about. It could be that car repair expenses are higher than you expected, adds Jonathan Berkowitz, or your hours have been cut back at work.

After a week of entries, Jonathan Berkowitz suggests studying them for patterns or other things that you have the power to change. Categorize the stresses, suggests Jonathan Berkowitz, according to internal and external stressors. External stressors include things caused by other people or events. An example of an external stressor, says Jonathan Berkowitz, is an expensive car repair bill. Internal stressors, continues Jonathan Berkowitz, are caused by your own thought patterns and interior monologues. According to Jonathan Berkowitz, an example of an internal stressor is when an individual beats him or herself up about not earning enough money to pay for those car repairs. Another common example of internal stress, continues Jonathan Berkowitz, is worrying about things that are not likely to happen.

Stress diaries can be very helpful, says Jonathan Berkowitz, because they can give you a renewed sense of perspective on the stressors. For example, if you notice that the traffic of your morning commute is a consistent source of stress, Jonathan Berkowitz suggests exploring different ways to get to work. With new perspectives, says Jonathan Berkowitz, solutions to stressful situations are likely to become more readily apparent.

About Jonathan Berkowitz

Jonathan Berkowitz received a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Queens College in Flushing, New York in 1994. Following studies at the Long Island University, Jonathan Berkowitz became a certified school social worker and school Psychologist in 1997. Jonathan Berkowitz earned a Masters of Clinical Social Work from New York University in 1999, and later was recognized as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). In 2000, Jonathan Berkowitz was issued a Post Masters certificate in Early Childhood and Adolescence Psychotherapy. Jonathan Berkowitz obtained Post Masters certification in Gestalt Therapy from the Gestalt Association of Psychotherapy in New York City in 2002.

It was while Jonathan Berkowitz was studying at Queens College that he served in the Brooklyn Public Schools as a special Education Instructor from 1993-1994. Jonathan Berkowitz also served as a school Psychologist and Social Worker in Brooklyn with the Board of Education. Additionally, Jonathan Berkowitz did an internship in social work at Maimonides Psychiatric Outpatient in Brooklyn.

During 1999 and 2000 Jonathan Berkowitz worked as an outpatient social worker, MSW, CSW at New Hope Guild in Brooklyn, New York. Jonathan Berkowitz served as Administrative Assistant, MSW, and LMSW at Fordham Tremont Center in Bronx, New York during 2003-2004. Additionally, Jonathan Berkowitz offered his services as Clinical Social Worker, MSW, and CSW to the Jewish Board of Family & Children Services in Brooklyn, New York from 2002 through 2006.

During 2004–2005, Jonathan Berkowitz worked at the Bikur Cholim Department of Clinical Services in Rockland, New York as Administrative Director, MSW, and LMSW. Jonathan Berkowitz currently maintains a private practice in Teaneck, New Jersey focusing on children, adolescents, couples, and families.

To contact Jonathan Berkowitz, call 646-338-5424 or email berkj1517@yahoo.com. For more information about his services visit www.familiesheal.com.

Both figures, according to John Michael Hughes, have a likely 1% variability factor. The challenge of the scientific approach, says John Michael Hughes, is that it relies on too many factors, none of which can be understood by any one person. Scientific methods for determining the earth’s age, points out John Michael Hughes, involve seismic, geological and meteorological calculations that are difficult to corroborate. On the other hand, John Michael Hughes notes that the biblical approach does not account for enough of the established tenets of natural science. For example, there are certain facts about the age of rocks that are nearly impossible for a theologian to refute. However, John Michael Hughes believes that scientists and theologians can find common ground.

One good technique, says John Michael Hughes, is to give careful study to each other’s materials. Being familiar with the other party’s evidence, points out John Michael Hughes, facilitates communication during debate. There may be a way to find parity, suggests John Michael Hughes, between the age of lead isotopes and the length of Adam’s genealogy. What scientists have found to be the world’s oldest rocks, reports John Michael Hughes, have been found on Greenland, Australia, Asia, North America and Asia. The molecular similarity between these rocks, says John Michael Hughes, makes their wide geographic distribution even more interesting. The fact that these far-flung ancient rocks are so similar supports the idea that earth once had one massive continent, adds John Michael Hughes.

John Michael Hughes suggests that over time the continent separated and drifted apart into the continental configuration we have today. None of this seems incompatible with creationism, points out John Michael Hughes, unless the rate of continental drift is under discussion. And in that case, John Michael Hughes asks how can scientists be sure at what speed the continents drifted in previous centuries, before there was any scientific data?

About John Michael Hughes

Dedicating a professional career to a single purpose is recognized as admirable in today’s economic environment. For John Michael Hughes it was a focus and interest that began as he exited college. Graduating from the University of South Alabama with a Bachelor of Science degree, John Michael Hughes set his vocational target on the insurance industry early on.

From 1992 until 1995, John Michael Hughes served as an Insurance Adjuster for Pilot Catastrophe Services, Inc. In this position he handled commercial and residential property insurance claims for wind, flood, ice, and earthquake losses. As an early training ground his responsibilities and claim ranges allowed him to develop a strategic understanding of the complexities of insurance claims.

Leveraging this experience in claims, John Michael Hughes has invested the last fourteen years of his professional life in executive management with an all lines public insurance adjusting firm. From 1996 until 2000 John Michael Hughes served as the owner and Chief Executive Officer of JMH and Associates. John Michael Hughes gained further Acts Of God claims experience as well as first hand exposure to the complexities of business ownership. The years of experience tied to natural disasters allowed John Michael Hughes to quantify and qualify claims filed quickly. This skill set was sought after and led to yet another opportunity for John Michael Hughes.

Since 2007, John Michael Hughes has devoted his time and energy to Leeco Consulting Company, LLC, again acting as Chief Executive Officer for the company. With claims services focused mainly in Florida, John Michael Hughes has continued to handle both commercial and residential property claims. His services have also been utilized throughout the Caribbean for both wind and flood losses. John Michael Hughes has further refined his focus and now has a concentration in hurricane claims. With this expansion and professional focus has come larger cases and expanded claims responsibilities. John Michael Hughes currently provides claims settlements that exceed five million dollars.

A natural byproduct of extensive claims settlement work also created opportunities within the area of historical property restoration. With activities generally focused in Alabama, John Michael Hughes acted as a Director for AD, LLC from 1998-2009. John Michael Hughes provided property management and development for this firm. Additionally, from 1996 until 2005 John Michael Hughes managed and consulted on a 26-acre island land development in Florida through Perdido Gardens, LLC. As a partner, John Michael Hughes benefited when the partnership was sold to a public NYSE property development company.

John Michael Hughes continues to blend his knowledge of claims settlements management and restoration complexities in a deep, diversified professional direction that allows him to step outside of most traditional professional vocational paths. It has also allowed him the opportunity to pursue other passions.

John Michael Hughes is currently working toward a Masters in Theology and aspires to complete this training in the fall 2012. John Michael Hughes has reached a point in his life where he will be able to apply decades of experience to a profession and blend this time commitment with a deeper calling that speaks to a different opportunity for his future.

John Michael Hughes has several professional affiliations, including the Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters. He continues to participate in industry functions throughout the southeastern United States and is a highly respected veteran within his profession. John Michael Hughes has committed the last eighteen years pursuing a career that combines business, management and involving himself in the lives of people during their most critical times of need.

The need for seasoned claims adjusters has never been greater. The combination of record flooding in areas that traditionally have seen major damage and the increasing seismic activity throughout North America now requires that John Michael Hughes be more mobile. Natural disasters never isolate their occurrences and the demand for claims evaluations can pull many resources together within a very short period of time.

John Michael Hughes also continues his passion for the oceans.  From 1989 until 1992 John Michael Hughes was a PADI open water SCUBA instructor. At that time, he organized, taught and led groups on diving excursions and vacations. He continues to have a passion for scuba diving as well as enjoying golf, fishing, kayaking, water-skiing, snow skiing, racquetball, photography, reading and hanging out with his son.

John Michael Hughes currently resides in Florida and can be reached at johnmichaelhughes.com.

Having worked as a sales representative for high profile pharmaceutical corporations, Andre Moxie is prized for his work ethic, honesty and strength of character. Andre Moxie credits his armed forces experiences for emphasizing the value and necessity of these qualities. When people think of sales representatives, says Andre Moxie, they frequently resort to distasteful anecdotes based on door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesmen from days gone by. In reality, according to Andre Moxie, the best salespeople are the honest good listeners who want their clients to find the product that fits them best.

Andre Moxie acknowledges that there are always bad apples no matter where you look, but the key is to look deeper. When shopping for a product or service, advises Andre Moxie, it is not necessary to work with the first salesperson to come along. Pay attention to your sales representative, says Andre Moxie, and make sure they are paying attention to you. If there is not a good rapport with the salesperson, Andre Moxie encourages people to feel free to search out another sales person, as there are usually many others from which to choose.

For Andre Moxie, integrity is a core value that sets the tone for all of his other endeavors. This is the foundation to which Andre Moxie credits his professional success. However, Andre Moxie does not measure those successes economically as much as qualitatively. A satisfied client base, repeat business and friendly notes from thankful customers and employers are the things that Andre Moxie uses to measure his success.

About the Author

Andre Moxie entered the world the same year that the Beatles let it be known that they wanted to hold your hand. Born in Ithaca, New York in 1964, Andre Moxie was raised as an independent thinker during a time of great civil unrest. Andre Moxie completed his primary education and then entered the University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware in 1983 where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. Following graduation, Andre Moxie relocated to Yuba City, California and entered the Air Force as a 2nd Lieutenant.

From 1988 until 1991 Andre Moxie served his country as a Personnel Officer in command of 25 military Personnel and 30 civilian volunteers. Andre Moxie was stationed at Beale Air Force Base in California, 15th Air Force, Strategic Air Command.  While stationed at Beale AFB, Andre Moxie enrolled at Golden Gate University in 1988 where he earned a MS degree in Human Resources Management.  In 1991 Andre Moxie completed his service commitment and received the United States Air Force Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service.

Turning the corner and heading toward a professional carrier in the private sector, Andre Moxie was recruited in 1991 by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. The company hired Andre Moxie as a sales representative for the pharmaceutical giant to cover the Orlando, Florida territory.  In 1995 Andre Moxie left Pfizer for Merck & Co. and was a representative in the Hollywood, Florida territory in the Florida Region.

In 1996, Andre Moxie was promoted to Headquarters for Merck and Company’s. Initially serving as a Field Communications Coordinator for VASOTEC, Andre Moxie acted as a field communication specialist responsible for all field sales communications for Merck’s cardiovascular products. Again advancing in 1997, Andre Moxie accepted the position of Product Trainer HT/HF Market Integration Team Same Sales Trainer at Merck and Co.  In that position Andre Moxie was responsible for training representatives about Merck’s cardiovascular products.

In January 1999, Andre Moxie was appointed as Business Manager for the Miami District for Merck and Company. Continuing through the ranks of management, Andre Moxie found himself serving as Acting Senior Director Field of Implementation Team for Hospital and Specialty in 2005. Andre Moxie was entrusted to support and coordinate among sales management, marketing, and direct reports to achieve brand success for all Hospital and Vertical products. Filling yet another management need Andre Moxie accepted an appointment within Merck and Company in 1996 to the position of Senior Director of Training Planning and Brand. In this position, Andre Moxie collaborated with sales and marketing units within the company to fully develop one year and three year training plans, with emphasis on high-quality, value-added programs and resources that affected appropriate behavioral objectives.

Beginning in 2006 and continuing into 2008 Andre Moxie filled the position of Senior Director of Neurology Sales at Merck and Co. for the Southern United States. Andre Moxie was again advanced late in 2008 to the position of Director of Commercial Operations for the Mid South Joint Venture Sales force, Merck and Co.

From January 2010 to the present Andre Moxie has served as the Director of Commercial Operations for the New South Region, Merck and Co. Andre Moxie currently resides in the Metro Atlanta, Georgia area.

Dr. Randall Alifano PhD values photography precisely because it is such a democratic medium. For the benefit of his local creative community, Dr. Randall Alifano PhD discusses some of the aesthetic techniques for creating good images. The best place to begin, says Dr. Randall Alifano PhD, is to focus on composition.

Composition is the preparatory practice of arranging the visual details of a photograph, explains Dr. Randall Alifano PhD. Composition entails the organization of a photo in the viewfinder, making sure certain objects are in the foreground or background. Setting the focus and depth of field are more advanced factors of composition.

Dr. Randall Alifano PhD reminds budding photographers that skill in composition is also largely a factor of personal taste and points out that different people find various elements of a photograph visually pleasing. The rules of composition, explains Dr. Randall Alifano PhD, are an attempt to codify the most popular and effective techniques of picture taking. At the same time, Dr. Randall Alifano PhD emphasizes the freedom inherent in producing photographic images. Ultimately the finished photo should please the photographer.

There is no single right – or wrong – way to compose a photograph, says Dr. Randall Alifano PhD, but there are certain techniques that have been shown to provide good results. For example, making a judicious use of open space around the main subject of an image, notes Dr. Randall Alifano PhD, can make the picture more aesthetically pleasing. Beginners tend to focus on the subject. It is helpful to take a moment and see the entire image, foreground and background, to see what the whole image is communicating. Among artists, adds Dr. Randall Alifano PhD, the composition of a shot is considered successful when it communicates the photographer’s aesthetic. Dr. Randall Alifano PhD offers his aesthetic as one of making connections. His photography hopes to move the viewer to feel a sense of empathy with the image.

JS Properties, LLC, maintains that the primary difference between leasing to commercial clients as opposed to residential tenants is the lease terms and conditions. Commercial lease terms are generally longer and have more legal connotations than residential. The importance of carefully screening prospective tenants, points out JS Properties LLC, is vital to the process. A responsible, reliable tenant can make all the difference when leasing a property. Joyce Smotherman, owner and manager of JS Properties, LLC, also notes that professional property management for commercial leases has many benefits in addition to tenant screening.

Marketing and showing the properties, negotiating lease terms, changing the locks from previous lessees, ensuring prompt payment of rents due and handling any maintenance issues, says JS Properties, LLC, are just some of the responsibilities that a professional management firm will handle.

JS Properties, LLC says there are also the legal aspects involved with zoning and codes restrictions, in putting up signs and other considerations when leasing commercial real estate. All signs must meet the requirements for dimensions, height and other criteria before they can be erected. According to JS Properties, LLC there are also different zoning rules and codes requirements for different types of businesses and those rules must be researched and adhered to before a lease agreement can be implemented.

Joyce Smotherman of JS Properties, LLC, with over twenty-five years experience in the real estate business and complete dedication to her customers and clients, insures that every aspect of the commercial leasing process is handled professionally, in a timely manner and in the best interests of all parties involved.

Before a patient can begin to floss properly, Dr. Eric Siani DMD points out, it’s necessary to buy floss. As most people know, there are many types of floss available, made in multi-strand and mono-strand varieties. Dr. Eric Siani DMD explains that the problem with multifilament nylon floss is that it can shred and break, unlike the monofilament type.

On the plus side, continues Dr. Eric Siani DMD, the nylon floss is cheaper and price is important to many patients. Furthermore, according to Dr. Eric Siani DMD, both the single and multi thread flosses (waxed or unwaxed, flavored or plain) ultimately do the same job of removing food particles and plaque.

Dr. Eric Siani DMD always demonstrates proper flossing techniques to his patients. Dr. Siani recommends beginning with about 18-20 inches of floss. Wrap each end around the middle fingers on both hands, instructs Dr. Eric Siani DMD, so that there is only a couple of inches to work with.

Slide the floss gently between the teeth, advises Dr. Eric Siani DMD, and he says it’s best to hold the floss tightly between the index finger and thumb in each hand. Although it’s important to reach the base of each tooth and under the gum line, Dr. Eric Siani DMD recommends that a patient never force the floss. Otherwise, he or she may damage gums by bruising or even cutting them. When reaching a very tight spot between two teeth, Dr. Eric Siani DMD says to use a gentle rocking motion, moving from back to front, to see if the floss will move down to the gum line.

As a final tip, Dr. Eric Siani DMD reminds his patients to use a clean section of floss for each tooth.

First, stock up on supplies early in the year, says Neil G. Pansey. A lot of people wait until the last minute to get these things. Neil G. Pansey recommends getting them way ahead of time. What should be on the list of supplies? Neil G. Pansey says to buy batteries of all types, water, and non-perishable food. Neil G. Pansey reminds Florida residents that it will be more difficult to find these things as hurricane season begins.

It’s worth the cost of investing in solar-powered flashlights, says Neil G. Pansey. Battery-operated ones work well too, adds Neil G. Pansey. Make sure to have at least one of these per family member. Neil G. Pansey explains that it’s unsafe to have any less. Candles are not the preferred method of light when the electricity goes on, says Neil G. Pansey.

Are there pets living in the home? If so, make sure to get lots of extra food and cat litter if needed, says Neil G. Pansey. Make sure also to get some sort of pet carrier in case it becomes necessary to leave home quickly, continues Neil G. Pansey.

Most people have important documents they need to keep with them, points out Neil G. Pansey. Invest in some sort of plastic folder or document holder to keep them in, recommends Neil G. Pansey. It should be kept somewhere that can be easily accessed in case there is a need to evacuate.

Neil G. Pansey reminds Florida residents that during power outages, cash is needed. Go to an ATM and withdraw some money to keep at home in case of emergency. Keep it secure in an envelope in the plastic case with important documents, says Neil G. Pansey.

Neil G. Pansey concludes that by following these simple steps of preparation, you and your family will get through hurricane season safely.