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Break Out of Your Rut With Lessons From Bill Murray NO TOMORROW
At the time of writing, a certain Bill Murray classic has been getting a lot of airtime. Let’s be honest, the movie “Groundhog Day” is probably one of the only reasons Groundhog Day is still widely celebrated. The weather predictions of Punxsutawney Phil, the holiday’s titular groundhog, are only accurate 39% of the time, according to the Stormfax Weather Almanac. But even though we can’t rely on the groundhog to tell us when spring is coming, at least we can use the holiday as an excuse to watch a comedy classic. Not that you need an excuse to watch “Groundhog Day.” It’s a great, super funny film. If you’ve somehow never seen this movie, here’s a brief synopsis: Bill Murray plays Phil Connors, a mean-spirited weatherman who is sent to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to cover the Groundhog Day celebrations. Somehow, Phil finds himself in a time loop, forced to relive that Groundhog Day again and again. performance, the transformation of Phil’s character, and the fact that “I Got You Babe” by Sonny & Cher plays on the radio every time Phil wakes up to relive Groundhog Day again. One thing that “Groundhog Day” does really well is capture the feeling of being in a rut. Take away the supernatural angle, and who hasn’t felt like they’re reliving the same day over and over again? There are definitely times when I feel like I’m continuously running on a hamster wheel. It is easy to find yourself falling into a rut with There are so many things that make this movie a classic, like Bill Murray’s
Habit is comfortable, but feeling like you’re in a rut can really drain your passion. “
1 –Dr. Harrison Linsky No matter how much you love your life, it’s normal to feel like you’re in a rut from time to time. But if you feel like you’re always in a rut, like you’re reliving Groundhog Day again and again, then it’s up to you to take action. Think about what you would like to change and do it. We only live once, so put yourself out there. order to break out of it, it takes something extra. We have to find the energy, or the nerve, to do something different. Don’t worry, I’m not about to go on a joyride with a groundhog. I just mean that during your busy day, it really helps to stop and smell the roses. Taking a minute to appreciate the little joys in your everyday life really puts things in perspective. I find that weekends and vacations help tremendously. They give you the opportunity to step away from your habits and bring something new into your life.
daily life and its routines. Even though I love my profession, the overall day in and day out is similar at work. Then when the workday’s done, it’s time to go home, do homework with the kids, collapse to bed, and wake up to do it all again. I hear Sonny & Cher … I think we end up in a rut because we’re creatures of habit. Habit is comfortable, but feeling like you’re in a rut can really drain your passion. In
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KEEPUPWITHTHE BIG BUSINESSES 3 Tech Trends to Accelerate Your Company
The line between technologies that are beneficial for large businesses and those beneficial for small businesses continues to blur. While the latest software programs were once only available to large companies that could afford them, some of these programs have also become available and profitable for small businesses to use. In an age of increasing connectivity, these are a few tech trends that small businesses should watch out for. CollaborationWith Artificial Intelligence While it certainly shouldn’t replace every customer interaction, using AI software programs for small tasks — like email marketing, data entry, accounting, and some low-stress forms of customer service — is invaluable to small businesses. Delegating menial tasks to AI can free up time for you to focus on those more important face-to-face interactions with your customers.
like TikTok, Pinterest, or Snapchat, can still work to your business’s benefit. A recent study showed that 45% of consumers head to social media when they have a question about something — are you going to be there to answer it? Keeping up with the latest and greatest tech trends in small-business management can be exhausting, but in an age where technological advancement is accelerating faster than ever, it’s necessary for the survival of businesses of all shapes and sizes.
Increased Use of Data Analytics “Big data” is intimidating. For years, sifting through customer data and extracting valuable information that can be used to grow businesses was something that only the largest companies had the time, funds, and expertise to do. However, more programs that reduce the upfront investment and expertise necessary to contextualize customer data are popping up. If you can make use of your customers’ data, you can give them an experience with your business that they won’t find many other places. Continued Reliance on Social Media Social media marketing remains an effective tool for attracting customers to your small business, even if the tools continue to change. While marketing on Facebook and Instagram might seem like old news, marketing on trendier apps,
How Painless Parker Changed Dentistry A QUESTION OF ETHICS
The most valuable lessons often come from the most unexpected — and sometimes questionable — circumstances. Painless Parker, as he came to be known, created many such circumstances. But in the process, he paved the way for the laws and ethics that govern modern dentistry today.
advertising painless tooth extractions for 50 cents. If it wasn’t painless, then he would give the patient $5. The advertising worked, but the procedures didn’t. Parker concocted a solution of what he called “hydrocaine” to numb the pain, but it
He advertised “magically painless extractions” that were anything but, and he used a big brass band to cover up his victim’s sounds of excruciating pain. Parker practiced unethically but still became an incredibly wealthy man. He went on to open a chain of dental offices, the first of its kind, that all practiced terribly painful procedures. When faced with false advertising lawsuits, he legally changed his name to Painless Parker so he could continue to use it to advertise. The wake of pain and malpractice Parker left behind fueled others in the profession to take action against people like him practicing dentistry. Painless Parker may have been a con man, but he left an indisputable legacy on the ethics of the field. Dentistry has come a long way since then, and although we aren’t thankful for Parker’s practices, we are thankful for the good that eventually arose from them.
was highly ineffective. He paid out a lot of patients, but it didn’t matter — his advertising scheme was so effective that it made his business boom. The fame of advertising turned Parker into a showman. He partnered with one of P.T. Barnum’s former managers and founded the Parker Dental Circus, which toured around the U.S. and pulled teeth in front of crowds of onlookers.
At the start of the 20th century, dental work was dicey. Dental parlors were unsanitary, and procedures were painful and expensive. It was also considered unethical for dentists to advertise or solicit business at the time. So, when Edgar Randolph Parker opened his own practice in 1892, he didn’t have a single patient for months. Parker decided to break the rules of dental ethics and began
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When standing in line at the gas station or grocery store, we often find ourselves faced with rows of chewing gum. These long-lasting candies have been a time-honored impulse buy for generations, but in an effort to stay relevant, many brands of chewing gum have encroached into dental hygiene territory. It’s no longer enough to be sugar- free; nowwe see packaging that claims certain brands of chewing gum are “good for your teeth.” While any sugarless gum can clean teeth by removing food particles, some brands are going a step further. By adding the naturally occurring protein casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP, though more commonly known as the trademarked name Recaldent) to their gum, some brands claim they can fight decay by hardening tooth enamel. To test these claims, researchers from the University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, attempted to determine if chewing gum containing CPP-ACP could promote an increase in specific bacteria species associated with dental health, including Streptococcus sanguinis. Researchers conducted a three-leg cross- over, randomized, controlled clinical trial with 19 participants. The participants were randomly divided into three groups: a group that chewed sugar-free gumwith CPP-ACP, a group that chewed sugar-free gumwithout CPP-ACP, and a group that did not chew any gum. The chewing
gum groups were instructed to chew gum six times a day for 20 minutes over the course of two weeks. During the trial, participants abstained from oral hygiene. Participants had washout periods of two weeks between intervention periods. After each intervention, supragingival plaque was collected. Researchers analyzed the plaque for bacterial composition by sequencing the V4 variable region of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. A linear mixed model was used to analyze the data. The results showed that when compared to participants who did not chew gum, participants who chewed CPP- ACP gum did experience a significant increase in the presence of health-associated bacteria:
Study Suggests CPP-ACP Sugar-
• • • •
S. sanguinis (112%)
Rothia dentocariosa (127%) Corynebacterium durum (80%)
Free Chewing Gum Increases Prebiotics in the Mouth
Streptococcus mitis (55%)
The results of the study were published in the Journal of Dentistry. Researchers concluded that “regular chewing of CPP-ACP sugar-free gum increases the proportions of health-associated commensal species in supragingival plaque to promote prebiosis and oral homeostasis.” Based on the results of this study, if patients ask about the health benefits of chewing gum, then dental professionals could suggest chewing sugar-free CPP-ACP gum.
Have a Laugh
Vegan Banana Pancakes
INGREDIENTS
• • • •
1 1/2 cups flour
• • • • •
1 cup soy milk
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp salt
● 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 extra ripe bananas, mashed
● 1 tsp vanilla extract
● Cooking spray
DIRECTIONS
1. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt 2. In a separate bowl, whisk bananas, soy milk, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla together. 3. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir. Don’t overmix. Lumps are okay. 4. Spray a heated pancake griddle with cooking spray, and scoop 1/4 cup of the mixture onto the griddle. Repeat until the griddle is filled. 5. After 3 minutes or when bubbles appear, flip each pancake. 6. 6After each pancake has risen to double its initial height, remove from griddle. Repeat as necessary until batter is gone. 7. Serve with your favorite toppings!
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Inspired by My Darling Vegan
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INSIDE This Issue
PG 1
How Accurate Are Predictions From a Groundhog?
PG 2
Important Tech Trends for Small Businesses to Keep Up With The Crazy Chronicles of Painless Parker
PG 3
Chew on That
Vegan Banana Pancakes
PG 4
Your Epic Adventure Awaits
Mythical Adventures Await in the Mediterranean
Ithaca, Greece If you want to chart your own odyssey, make your final stop Odysseus’ home, the island of Ithaca. Covered in lush greenery and quaint villages, Ithaca is a wonderful place to relax at the end of your trip. Visitors can enjoy their morning coffee by a seaside cafe before lounging on a secluded beach for the rest of the day. It’s no wonder why Odysseus fought so hard to get back to Ithaca! With dozens of other islands to explore, the Mediterranean is the perfect place to plan your own odyssey — minus the mythical monsters, of course.
One of the oldest stories in Western literature is Homer’s “The Odyssey.” This epic poem tells the story of Odysseus and his long journey home after the Trojan War. While Odysseus’ travels were fraught with mythical monsters and magic, many of the places he visited are said to be inspired by real islands in the Mediterranean. Even today, travelers flock to these islands looking for peace, adventure, and epic stories of their own. Sicily, Italy One of the most popular stories in “The Odyssey” is the tale of Odysseus rescuing his crew from Polyphemus, a man-eating Cyclops. It’s said that Polyphemus made his home on what is now modern-day Sicily. Fortunately, there are no Cyclopes in Sicily today; there are only cultural festivals, world-class golf courses, and delicious food. Gozo, Malta While Odysseus’ journey was perilous, he did enjoy one peaceful stop. Odysseus spent seven years on the mythical island of Ogygia, home of the nymph Calypso. Historians suspect that Ogygia was Gaudos, now modern-day Gozo, Malta. Gozo is home to the Ġgantija temples, which are older than the Egyptian pyramids. In addition to exploring its archaeological marvels, Gozo’s visitors can also enjoy snorkeling, horseback riding, and other memorable adventures.
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