Endocrine Disrupters & Our Health

What are Endocrine Disrupters? They’re in everything from skin moisturizers to skillets, from raincoats to water bottles. And they’re wreaking havoc on living things.

"... New research (is) showing that most toiletries and cosmetics contain endocrine disruptors—synthetic chemicals that behave like the body’s own hormones or block their normal function. These synthetic chemicals perform a range of domestic functions, and not just in the bathroom: They keep our moisturizer from separating and our scent from souring; our raincoats shedding water and our omelets slipping in the pan; our water bottles rigid, hoses flexible, and televisions from bursting into flames. But when our bodies absorb them, these ubiquitous compounds can scramble our natural chemical messengers, which can’t tell the fake hormones from our own. They don’t necessarily cause cancer, the disease we associate with toxic chemicals. Instead they infiltrate our biological operating systems, with disturbing, often irreversible results."

Audobon Magazine has an excellent article on Endocrine Disrupters and why you should be concerned about them. Not suprisingly, companies that make products that use synthetic chemicals containing endocrine disrupters are doing everything they can to keep you from being informed and concerned. Please read the article "Pandora's Water Bottle" in Audobon Online for more information on this silent danger lurking in so many products we use.

Starting Your Own Business?

What does it take to start and maintain a successful business? After more than ten years spent running my web design studio, there are many lessons learned. However, many of those lessons were learned before ever starting out on my own. For example, how to get along with coworkers, solve difficulties that occasionally arise with clients, earn a good reputation, and overcome challenges. Those lessons, and more were learned as an employee long before starting my own business. The best thing a budding entrepreneur can do is to learn from those who are already doing what he wants to do--by working for them.

I appreciated an interview in Forbes magazine of Matt Mullenweg, creator of Wordpress, and the practical experience that his experience as an employee provided before striking out on his own. He encourages would-be entrepreneurs not to start out too soon, and learn as much as possible as an employee. You may enjoy reading about the practical lessons he learned that made him a better entrepreneur.