Confessions of a Splenda Addict

by Art Graham

This started as reading a Facebook post from friend Gregg Weiss, 

"Do you use "Splenda" or any food items that contain it?

http://thepeopleschemist.com/splenda-the-artificial-sweetener-that-explodes-internally/

I commented on the post that I did, and was having digestive issues recently getting worse. Then I decided to send the note below to my family and close friend, but the testimonial deserves greater distribution.

"Hi, y'all. I have been very low key because I have had to spend some down time in bed with bad digestive tract issues that I have mentioned, just not the severity. Almost to the point of going to the gastro dr. or ER. 

I have been consuming Splenda  (sucralose) in various ways, in coffee, arizona diet green tea at lunch, and sprite zero in the evening. That makes for an all day consumption of what the linked article says is poison.

Eric told me to drink regular sprite, at least it won't kill me, and I tried. But I was addicted to Sprite Zero, and try as I might to drink LaCroix seltzer or other soda, I kept going back to Zero. It was worse than an alcohol addiction.

Lauren gave me some other sugar substitute, Domino sugar and stevia, and I used that whole box up. as well as a box of sugar in the raw and a box of Truvia. then I was left with a box of Splenda.

With my financial situation, I use what I can find in the cupboard. But no more. 

I have to be very disciplined to avoid Splenda, sucralose (and aspartame) . 

This email is to remind those who I care for to ride my ass about it if you see me going back to it."

Splenda can mess you up. Stay the hell away from it.

Self Branding - Is it a new business card?

I have been following of all things a Facebook group thread in the South Florida Social Media Groups. A member started a post thread about setting up a personal page (fan page, business page) to differentiate between personal and business posts, and  he was getting close to limit of members on a personal page.

This, I believe, is left for individuals who have attained a media following rather than personal promotion.

I have several Facebook pages for my alternate personas and business and music ventures. Some of these are prototypes to show clients, or to deal with my existing clients.

For this reason I chose a different outlet. A tantalizing offer from GoDaddy for a .me domain name caught my attention. After reviewing it, I purchased artgraham.me for $10, with no extra trimmings.

After that transaction settled, I went into my GoDaddy account, where you accumulate services for purchasing domains. I selected a one page free hosting for the web page, and a free photo album.

Within a couple of casual hours I was able to establish the basics of a personal branding. Right now only the Facebook logo and a link work, but they are as powerful as a business card.

I will be adding functionality and adding SEO and analytics and authorship to make this part of my persona.

Also, the last Blogger post I made moved me up in the SERP rankings for my name, and I am going to be checking that in Google search over the next couple days.

Happy Labor Day 2013 to those in the USA, to whom Unions provide identity for individual workers.

Thirteen Facebook fallacies and musings

If you are on Facebook to play silly games, share meme photos, or other "casual" uses, skip this read. It is not for you.

If you are on Facebook to be social media savvy, find work, or get laid, read on.

I took a brief respite from Facebook to sit back and analyze articles and experiences. Summarized for a quick read because I know you want to go back to your news feed.

• if you are on Facebook for shits and grins, then you are in the right place.
• if you are on Facebook to nurture a network of people you can work with, go to LinkedIn.
• if you are on Facebook to find a random sexual encounter, forget it. People are hiding behind themselves and will tease you but not consummate.
• if you are on Facebook to share information and skills, people will suck the life out of you.
• Noone I know has ever made a dollar off of Facebook (unadvertised) because they are cool.
• If you are on Facebook to show how much you know, people will repost it as their ideas.
• If you post quality photography on Facebook, it will be poached without credit.
• If you are on Facebook and are serious about developing yourself as a brand, create another page and leave you personal page for shits and giggles.
• If you are on Facebook and run ads, do not correlate likes with sales conversions.
• If you are on Facebook and join groups for music or bands, there will be more drama than discussion.
• If you use Facebook for gratuitous self promotion, it will only show how little you understand media.
• If you become addicted to Facebook until the wee hours of the morning, set a timer.

I have a personal page, and maintain at least ten other pages or groups. I can monitor visitors, demographics, likes, shares, etc. This is not just an anti Facebook spew.

08/29/2013 ADG 

Revisting places we created and moved on from

In our hectic daily pace, we sometimes forget about things. Jackie Jimenez mentioned her old wordpress blog that has not been updated. Made me think about things, and scroll some social history to remember that I am @occupybocaraton . True. Even had BocaChief as a follower and we messaged over protest locations. Yep. But not as me, as one of my personas. So I thought I would share that one post can kindle (not the cheezy book reader) a train of thought. TY.

Death and Taxes

January 3rd, 2012. If I pay county property tax today, I get a 3 % discount. Not much, but worth it. I go online to the tax payment web site, and the first page is a login screen. Your property number, Name, or address of property.


Not one for numbers, I typed in my name and clicked search button. After a few moments, I got a "No results Found" message. Impossible. Or was it..


I looked at the billing statement and saw that my name was Last, First. What?
So I tried the backwards combo and was able to access the system.


In my frustration, I sent an email to the tax collector's office this afternoon, stating the problem and potential solutions.


Surprisingly, I got a positive response back this evening. And they are going to fix it. Where is Bugzilla when you need it?

----
Hello Mr. Graham,


Thank you for contacting your Constitutional Tax Collector’s office and your suggestion.


The search option field can be clarified in more detail by stating “Enter:  Last name First Name”.  We appreciate your feedback and will submit the necessary changes.
----


One person can make a difference.

Kim Jong Il is dead. Who is next?

It has been a good year for good over evil as Osama Bin Laden, Gaddafi, and now Kim have left the world without three evil people.

A lot of money was spent in the search and isolate missions on Bin Laden and Gaddafi. Kim was apparently a victim of his own vices, including a substantial cognac bill.

This is a perfect time for countries that are needing to purge archaic dictatorial rule to make a stand, and perhaps get support.

One term I hope not to make it into the dictionary is IED (improvised explosive device).

When do you just move on and let justice prevail?

From a post this evening "Monday marks the four year anniversary of the brutal murders of a mother and daugher outside Boca Raton's Town Center Mall. Despite hundreds of leads police still have not solved the case". CBS12 NEWS link

While there are murders daily in Palm Beach County, and more recently in Boca Raton, this case haunts the memories of law enforcement and residents.

My home is approximately three blocks north of the scene of the murder. For four years, I have been reminded of this case by the almost daily placement of a Boca Raton Police Department car in the general area of the crime.

Security has been upgraded with cameras everywhere imaginable at the mall, yet the sentinel police cruiser stands guard.

Which brings me to my point. Does anyone think that the original perpetrator or any other criminal with a TV would come near this location to recreate the crime. Also it has been on America's Most Wanted, so even those who watch FOX network have been exposed to the crime.

Four years. The carefree experience of going to the mall shopping marred by the fear that one may be the next victim. I do understand what the local police and TV media are trying to do to revive a cold case, however it is time to let this tragedy be left to the professionals to solve. Not to remind the public of their vulnerability.

I have not mentioned any names out of respect for the family.