Doug's Eclectic Mix: 11/29/09

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Need A Crane - Rental Or Contract Lift?

Crane rental companies have a complete range of industrial cranes
available for hire.

Even deciding what kind of crane you need is a complex process that will
require you to provide planned location, weight of load and distance
from the center of rotation (slew) of the crane that the load will be
moved. This is because a crane can move a heavy load a small distance
from the center of slew, or a lighter load a larger distance from the
center of slew. There are tables for ea...

Crane rental companies have a complete range of industrial cranes
available for hire.

You have two options, Crane Rental, or a Contract Lifting Service

Crane Rental

Renting a crane is a much more complex procedure than you might expect
if you are a first-time hirer. If you are looking for a crane in UK,
check out http://www.cranes-today.co.uk

As can be expected with any large piece of industrial machinery, there
are complex health and safety procedures to comply with.

When renting a crane, conditions are the client must provide an
appointed person and supply the rental company operator with a detailed
method and safety statements, drawn up by a competent and trained
person, prior to the lift. The appointed person must supervise the
lifting and provide qualified personnel such as slingers, signalers and
crane operators.

Renting cranes and plant is inevitably accompanied by risk. The cost of
a modern mobile crane ranges from 200,000 dollars to more than 3 million
dollars, so the financial consequences in the event of an accident could
be immense.

As a customer renting a crane or other item of plant, you will have to
satisfy the crane rental company that you have adequate insurance cover
for the following risks:

1. Loss of, or damage to, the crane whilst on rental.
2. Continuing rental charges whilst the crane is under repairs
3. Injury to the operator.
4. Third party cover (injury to other parties, including damage to their
property.)

Crane rental companies can arrange cover for loss of, or damage to, the
crane whilst on hire and continuing rental charges whilst the crane is
under repair. Insurance cover for lifted materials is also available.

Contract Lifts

In a contract lift, the crane rental company will choose the correct
crane for the job, raise the risk assessment and method statement,
arrange traffic management and the correct level of insurance. With the
introduction of new safety regulations governing the use of cranes,
clients who do not have sufficient experience and knowledge of crane
operations usually prefer to place orders on a contract lift basis.

A crane rental contract becomes a contract lift contract when the crane
owner supplies the appointed person and, hence, accepts responsibility
for all aspects of the lift.

All crane rental companies offer a contract lift service. This relieves
customers of the responsibility for preparing a method statement, risk
assessment, berthing study, lift diagram and managing and supervising
the lifting operation. The crane rental company takes all the risk and
concern away from customers, with a complete and professional tailor
made package where their trained and experienced personnel manage the
whole lifting process from initial concept right through to supervising
the final lift.

In a contact lift, the customer is still responsible for providing
accurate information relating to both the items to be lifted and to the
ground conditions. The customer must also have public liability insurance.

The preparation time required to produce the relevant method statements
and risk assessments for a contract lift will require a longer notice
period than for crane rental.

Friday, December 4, 2009

Need Something To Do: Serve!

Are your days dragging on? Are you looking for a way to contribute to
your local community? Do you want to get involved in a project bigger
than yourself? Do you need some hours to fulfill a community service
requirement? If so, I have got the thing for you: serve. It sounds
elusive and ambiguous, but it does not have to.

To serve others is a wonderful thing. There are a few compelling reasons
to spend your time in this valuable way. First, taking time to serve
gets you ou...

To serve others is a wonderful thing. There are a few compelling reasons
to spend your time in this valuable way. First, taking time to serve
gets you outside of your own life, your own cares, and your own needs
and forces you to focus on the needs and cares of others. Most of the
people in the world and even in your hometown have different issues,
problems, and concerns than you do. And this is a great thing. By taking
the time to serve people different than yourself, your life cannot
remain focused only on you for very long. You will find that you begin
to think of others' needs along with your own.

Taking the time to serve others can also be fun. Are you interested in
sewing? Why not start a sewing group at a local nursing home. Spend a
couple of hours each week teaching or reteaching elderly women a skill
that will help them connect with one another and pass lonely days with
fun. Or perhaps you love kids. Take a few hours each week to serve as a
recess monitor at a local elementary school. The teachers will love the
break and you will love getting to know the young children. Maybe you
are great at fixing cars. Consider taking that rare skill and using it
to serve single mothers or elderly people who are not able to fix their
own vehicles. What a blessing you can be and what a fun time you can
have when you serve others.

Serving is great because it is so easy. You do not have to commit forty
hours each week to serve in many organizations. Instead, set aside just
a couple of hours each week to serve in an area that you love. You can
even start to serve by doing something as easy as raking your neighbor's
lawn or by offering to pick up your neighbor's groceries when you pick
up your own. What could be easier than that? Or serve your friends by
offering to cook them a meal or pick up their children from school. Are
you passionate about women having healthy pregnancies? Volunteer to
serve one morning a week at a local pregnancy care center.

A final reason to serve is because it is important to the health and
life of all communities. Every community would benefit greatly if all of
its people were generous with their time and energies. Think of all the
great things that could happen in your town. Amazing things can happen
when people put their passions and their skills together. Needs are met
and problems are solved when people begin to serve one another.

Take some time right now to consider an area or two that you can serve
in. Think of ways to include the cares of others in your day. Make sure
that you choose to serve in an area that is fun for you. You will be
much more likely to do something well if you are having fun at it.
Serving others can easily be incorporated into even the busiest of
schedules, and your community will thank you for it.

Neighbours 'Aren't There For One Another'

Latest research has shown that 15 per cent of Britons do not trust their
neighbours at all, despite the fact that most neighbourhood watch
schemes can help reduce crime in the area and the need to make possibly
preventable home insurance claims.

Cornhill Direct Home Insurance polled around 3,000 people, of which just
over a third said they would ideally like to live in a more isolated area.

Furthermore, almost a fifth said they would actively try and avoid
contact with ...

Cornhill Direct Home Insurance polled around 3,000 people, of which just
over a third said they would ideally like to live in a more isolated area.

Furthermore, almost a fifth said they would actively try and avoid
contact with their neighbours and nine out of ten said it was no longer
"important" to be friendly with their neighbours.

A spokesman for Cornhill Direct Home Insurance remarked: "Having
neighbours you know and trust is important. A real sense of community
helps to reduce crime and vandalism and makes for a much safer place to
live."

"Getting to know your neighbours and doing things for them like taking
in their post when they are away definitely helps reduce crime," he added.

Reducing crime in an area by forming neighbourhood watch schemes and
additional security measures could be beneficial to home insurance
premium costs.

The National Neighbourhood Watch Association looks to broaden the appeal
of Neighbourhood Watch schemes to all areas of a community. This
includes raising the awareness of the watch movement, starting project
work and providing help and support in sometimes problematic areas such
as ethnic and diverse communities, high crime areas and young people.

The National Neighbourhood Watch Association tries to represent the
interests of the movement nationally to government and other agencies.
National Neighbourhood Watch Association strives to promote, help,
support, advise and develop the watch scheme, and to improve the
communications and co-ordination on a national scale by ensuring
consistent and effective structures are put in place. The National
Neighbourhood Watch Association provides information and training for
all; and promotes the exchange of good ideas and best practice.

Never Act Predictably

There exists an understanding among con men, comedians, stage magicians
and mind control experts that comes down to a simple axiom. "Now one can
defend against what they can cannot predict."

There exists an understanding among con men, comedians, stage magicians
and mind control experts that comes down to a simple axiom.

"Now one can defend against what they can cannot predict."

This is how comedians make you laugh. They allow you to assume one thing
and then shock you into laughter with another.

Con men come out of the blue, never telling their mark that they are
going to con them and steal their money.

Stage magicians use misdirection that causes their audience to assume
one thing while something else entirely is taking place.

Guerilla War of Minds

Mind Control, the covert attempt to influencing others thoughts, is no
different. You are required to create a context where the subject will
naturally assume what you want them to without ever having to say it
overtly. So something that seems to come "out of the blue" can be of
great benefit.

There are two benefits to this strategy. First, it will aid the subject
to draw their own conclusion. Second, it will stop them from making
their usual assumptions and create what is called in NLP a "pattern
interrupt".

Pattern Interrupt

Think about all the things that you do that are habitual, a handshake,
opening a door, reacting to something pleasant or disturbing. All these
are patterns engrained deeply into thought and behavior. When they are
interrupted the usual thought process stops. For example you reach to
open a door and it's actually locked. Or when you extend your right hand
to offer a handshake and the person reaches with his left hand to
complete the handshake.

In each of these cases we are brought from our usual pattern to one that
does not match our expectations.

Creating Mystery

Doing this well on a regular basis in various subtle and not- so-subtle
ways will elicit several types of responses from people. The most
general response is that they will separate you from the norm of people
that they experience, but that happens with crazy and annoying people
all the time. The key here is to do it in a way that envelops you in a
sense of mystery. Having that sense of mystery combined with a supreme
sense of confidence creates a unique attraction from those you wish to
effect. Think about it, there is something mysterious and comforting
about you. That's a nice combination.

How do you do that?

* Work outside others experience. You can do this alluding to things
that you know but that are secret. Saying with a kind smile "I don't
think I know you well enough." will create the proper patter interrupt
and make them more open to you.

* Unfold the extraordinary from the ordinary. Describe ordinary things
as if there is something much deeper within them. An ash tray can be
symbolism for how we burn away the things that don't help us. A doorway
represent stepping into a new awareness. A room can represent a special
place with the mind where we hold our deeper thoughts.

* Act crazy. This should be done infrequently but can have a dramatic
effect if the person has a strong rapport with and you set the context
of your "craziness" as being very personal and serious. When the
"craziness" is complete act as if nothing happened. This may risk
shocking the person into fear or bind them closer to you in trust so
caution must be taken.

* Keep moving. Don't rest on your laurels. Continue to think of subtle
ways to interrupt peoples consistent more thinking. Humor will be one of
your best allies here because itis the most socially acceptable form of
pattern interrupt.

The best way to "rise above" in this manner is to present everything
that usual to their experience and nothing that is ordinarily.

New Poll Shatters Myths About Mom of 2004

The new American mom has emerged. According to the just released "Voice
of Mom" Poll, conducted for ClubMom, the free national membership
organization for moms, the matriarch of 2004 heads up a strong family,
juggles many roles, embraces old-school values and is very much in
control of the world around her.

Moms - a group 82 million strong - love the role of motherhood, even
though they recognize it is a difficult job that leaves them with little
time for themselves.

Family life in America is strong. Nine in 10 mothers say their husbands
fully recognize and appreciate the job they do as a mom, and almost half
of all dads split the responsibility for raising the kids equally with moms.

Having children strengthens marriages say 69 percent of moms. Nine in 10
hug their children every day, and 62 percent say their family eats
dinner together five or more nights a week.

Most mothers feel their primary challenge is teaching values to their
children, 42 percent. Education and the economy and jobs are also big
concerns, 40 percent and 32 percent respectively.

But motherhood is a hard job say 88 percent of moms. A growing number -
64 percent - work outside the home, and three out of four find it
difficult to balance work and family life.

Overall they are happy with their career choices, but if money were no
object, only 10 percent would work full time and 42 percent would work
part time.

While moms are recognized at home, they think companies could do a
better job. Seventy-two percent say companies should offer more
discounts, and 92 percent feel companies should adapt their policies to
help working moms. Many moms, 44 percent, want more flextime, and a
third want more opportunities for convenient and affordable day care.

"We commissioned this poll to take a close look at today's mom - who she
is and what matters most to her. We wanted to offer moms the opportunity
to be heard and create a benchmark study that we can measure against on
an annual basis," said Alexandra Aleskovsky, chief mom officer for
ClubMom. "We plan to distribute the findings to Fortune 1000 companies,
the president and members of Congress and challenge them to do more for
moms."

New Web Site Assists Car Crash Victims

A site that assist you and inform you the best to solve being a car
crash victim.

"I Didn't Realize I Had So Few Friends"

Minneapolis, MN, August, 2002 – When Daniel Prins' wife was injured in a
car crash he thought all he had to do was notify his insurance company
to get matters resolved. After all, another driver who was charged with
DWI hit his wife Johanna and she was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

After weeks of frustration, Prins, Marketing Consultant, built an
Internet Assistance Program "The Car Crash Victims Alliance Of America."
The site provides free information for car crash victims on how to
protect themselves against serious financial exposure

"I Didn't Realize I Had So Few Friends"

While insurance company claims personnel are usually courteous, Prins
had no idea that his wife's case was immediately "compartmentalized". He
had to deal with a cast of about a dozen (medical bills from the
hospital, his own and other driver's main insurance contact, the police,
claims adjusters, property damage, etc.). In the process, he found out
that most of these individuals have their own agenda. Said Prins:" I
believe the only people truly on our side were the Emergency Crew and
Police at the scene of the accident."

Accident Frequency Is Astonishing

About 42,000 people are killed on our nation's highways each year. The
fact is vehicle crashes are an even greater threat to life and health in
the U.S. than crime! In 2000, there was one murder every 34 minutes,
while one person died from a traffic crash every 13 minutes. There was
one violent crime every 22 seconds, but one crash-related injury every
10 seconds. Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death in the U.S.
for people ages 6-33, and their economic cost is estimated to be $230.6
billion per year.

Victim-unfriendly Environment

The lack of clear rules and rights overwhelms car crash victims, often
traumatized and shell-shocked. This is especially true in states with
No-Fault provisions and damage limits. Even more disconcerting is that
it is difficult to obtain good information. The Internet's search
engines, for example, provide few clues for victims and are skewed to
offering suggestions and advice for accident perpetrators and those
seeking DWI defense.

The Road To The Attorney's Office

"I don't consider myself an ambulance chaser," said Prins, "but it only
took a short while for me to realize I was out of my league. Just
imagine, I had to negotiate with my own insurance carrier about the
pay-off value of my car while the accident was caused by a DWI driver
with another insurance carrier." Prins credits his attorney with
expediting the damage recovery process, and his web site now chronicles
a step-by-step selection process.

No Community Manager? There's Help

The current frenzy of real estate development in the United States means
homeowners associations are being incorporated at record rates.
Unfortunately, the field of professional community management isn't
growing at the same pace.

Today, more than 50 million Americans live in about 250,000
homeowner-governed neighborhoods - from small homeowners associations
and large, master-planned communities to condominiums and cooperatives.
Thousands more are formed every year.

These communities often are managed by professional community managers.
But when a professional can't be found, or the association can't afford
one, the volunteer board has to manage, as well as govern, the association.

Managing these communities involves collecting assessments, maintaining
architectural guidelines, enforcing rules, landscaping, facilities
maintenance, snow removal, trash collection, even settling squabbles
between residents - and that's just for starters. Fortunately, there is
help from Community Associations Institute, a nonprofit group that
supports not only the professionals who manage associations, but also
the elected volunteers who govern them.

Three features set community associations apart from other
neighborhoods, according to CAI. First, you share ownership of common
land and have access to facilities, such as swimming pools, that often
are not affordable any other way. Second, you automatically become a
member of a community association and must abide by covenants,
conditions and restrictions. The third feature is that you will pay an
"assessment," a regular fee, often monthly, that is used for upkeep of
the common areas and other services and amenities such as pools and
tennis courts.

In this type of community, you usually don't have direct responsibility
for maintenance, so you won't have to clean the pool or fix the tennis
nets. You may not even have to mow your lawn. But that doesn't mean
you'll never have to think about these things.

CAI emphasizes the importance of getting involved in your community so
you have a voice in the association's decisions and the future of your
neighborhood. You can get involved by attending board meetings, serving
on a committee or even seeking a seat on the governing board.

Volunteer homeowners who have to govern and manage their community
associations can get help from CAI's instruction manual for managing
property, financial investments and residents: "Self-Management: A Guide
for the Small Association."

Despite its title, the book applies to all sizes of condominium and
homeowners associations and provides the kind of information that helps
protect volunteers from common - and not-so-common - management problems.

Nonviolence for Social Change

The Nazis are gone but the Chinese Communist Party is still operating,
still grossly violating human rights and still denying their own bad
deeds at every turn. How long can something like this go on? It could go
on for a much longer period of time, if people don't stand up and speak
out against the atrocities.

Ghandi and Martin Luther King, Jr. advocated peaceful nonviolence to
change ailing social systems. They and their followers were able to
successfully change the social conditions of their times. Recently, a
lawyer in China named Gao Shizheng has called for symbolic ongoing
hunger strikes across China to support people who have encountered
violence and ongoing persecution perpetrated by the Chinese Communist
Party which currently rules China.

For over six years now, since July of 1999, the peaceful Falun Gong
practitioners have used nonviolent actions to draw world attention to
the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese
Communist Party. If past history is any indication, the Falun Gong
practitioners and human rights advocates such as Gao Shizheng will be
successful in the long run.

The Chinese Communist Party is a large stumbling block to overcome. They
are unwilling to admit that human rights violations are occurring in
China. Fortunately, the world knows better thanks to groups like the
Falun Gong practitioners, Amnesty International, Freedom House and even
the United Nations Special Rappateur on Human Rights.

One can find all kinds of evidence including testimonials, video
footage, and other documentation to prove the gross human rights
violations perpetrated by the Chinese Communist Party. In addition, the
very existence of a labor camp system in China demonstrates the
systematic nature of the human rights violations.

Virtually everyone in the world knows what is going on, yet China
continues to deny the facts. One is reminded of the many murderers
throughout history that have committed terrible crimes and yet
proclaimed their innocence. They are met with justice. But these are
individuals in society and here we are talking about a large group of
people, the Chinese Communist Party, acting in unison to perpetrate,
hide and then deny their abuses. It is harder to bring an entire group
to justice or convince them to change their behavior.

The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) numbers around 60 million people. That
is sixty million individuals that are willing to deny in tandem any
wrongdoing. It is similar to sixty million criminals all proclaiming
their innocence together at the same time.

In Nazi Germany you had a smaller group of people who were able to
plunge the entire world into war and commit horrible human rights
violations. It could be said that they were an organized group of thugs
similar but perhaps not as vicious as the Chinese Communist Party
operating in China today. In fact the Chinese Communist Party is
responsible for far more deaths over the decades than the Nazis were in
their day.

Staying in tune with the nonviolent means of achieving social change in
history, it becomes the duty of every individual in the world to speak
about the atrocities. As much and as often as the CCP denies human
rights violations every person should speak out about them. With many
more voices ringing with truth to counter the lies of the CCP, ending
the human rights violations is an inevitable conclusion. However, it is
a conclusion that must come sooner rather than later because people are
suffering.

To learn more about the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China
visit the FalunInfo or the Clearwisdom websites for additional
information. A simple action that you can take today to help in the
spirit of nonviolence is to call the nearest Chinese Embassy and say,
"Stop persecuting Falun Gong practitioners. Stop the human rights
violations."

Change is inevitable. As an individual you have the ability to help
bring an end to the atrocities sooner rather than later.

Of Humanity And Cruelity

This is story of a girl. A girl supposed to have a very soft heart. A
very sensitive girl.

This is story of a girl. A girl supposed to have a very soft heart. A
very sensitive girl. Someone one could call as a compassionate person. I
will tell you about how she acquired her pet, rather two pets. And how
one was beaten by her father and the other was beaten dead by herself.
Let me begin.

She had gone to visit one of her relatives many years back. They had a
litter of puppies. This girl fell in love with one of them and brought
him back with her, only to face the wrath of her father. She was ordered
to take the puppy back. This was a big shock and she was in tears. She
talked about this with her other pet. A man. Someone she treated as her
own child. They both cried together and this man prayed that the father
allows her to keep her puppy. Ultimately the father relented after two
days and all was well.

One day some guests came to their home. The dog was tied and locked
separately. But the dog wrongly thought that he was part of the family
and wanted to mingle with the guests. The dog made a blunder by thinking
like this. The family was not even of humans, nor of animals. Because
even animals have compassion. These people belonged to some unknown
cruel specie. True to character, the father took hold of the poor
helpless dog and beat him blue. May Satan bless the father. Our girl of
the story was heart-broken after this. She could not believe that her
father could behave so cruelly.

Next what? I told you in the beginning about a man, who was a pet of
this girl. Do you recollect? Now was the turn of the girl. She made the
man fall in total love with her and become totally dependent,
emotionally. And one fine day, she started beating this man. Like the
dog, this man was shocked and could not believe it. So he went to the
girl again thinking of their love. He was beat up again. This continued
till the man turned a lunatic and was killed in all the ways.

After reading this story, will you have any faith left in words such as
love, loyalty, truth, honesty, etc? Beware of humans. They turn into
beasts. Befriend beasts. Because they always remain only beasts. They
don't turn into something else. They will never turn a person into a
lunatic.

Office Theft: More Common Than Many Think

The good news: Many workers feel quite at home in the office. The bad
news: Some of them feel so much at home, they take the office home with
them in ways they shouldn't.

The good news: Many workers feel quite at home in the office. The bad
news: Some of them feel so much at home, they take the office home with
them in ways they shouldn't. In fact, 58 percent of office workers have
taken office supplies for their personal use, according to a new survey
conducted by Harris Interactive and lawyers.com. These people should
know they're putting themselves at risk of being fired and of possible
legal consequences for taking home company property, even something as
small as a stapler or a pen.

Among those who admit to taking office supplies for personal use, the
most commonly stolen office supplies include pens/pencils (77 percent),
followed by self-adhesive "sticky" notes (44 percent) and paper clips
(40 percent). Two percent of workers even take decorations such as
plants, paintings and office furniture.

It can happen more easily than you may realize. "People often forget
that workplace resources are not their own and are actually considered
company property," said attorney Alan Kopit, legal editor of LexisNexis
Martindale-Hubbell's lawyers.com, which is considered the most
comprehensive and trustworthy online resource for finding lawyers. "We
are not just talking about pens and paper here; employees are also
stealing expensive things, too, like computers, software and books."
Kopit suggests employees review their office policy and be sure their
behavior follows the regulations.

Employee theft costs small businesses billions of dollars a year-costs
passed on to consumers in terms of higher prices and to other workers in
terms of lower wages and fewer benefits. After all, in addition to pens
and paper, some people also steal resources directly related to the
productivity of the business, such as classified information, patents,
corporate contacts, case studies and periodicals.

Omaha Rules: How to Play Omaha Poker

This comprehensive Omaha poker tutorial will teach you how to play Omaha
poker high and Omaha poker high low.

Omaha poker is starting to become almost as popular as Texas Holdem
poker in casino poker rooms, online poker sites and live poker
tournaments. Omaha poker rules are similar to Texas Holdem rules. In
both poker variations the dealers deals community cards, which can be
shared by all the players.

However, Omaha poker and Texas Holdem poker are different games and they
certainly require using different strategy. Omaha poker can be played as
fixed limit, no limit or pot limit. In addition, Omaha poker can be
played as high or high low split. Here you can find introduction to both
Omaha high and Omaha high low rules.

Omaha High Rules
The play begins with the player to the dealers immediate left who posts
the small blind, usually the amount of half of the minimum bet. For
example, in a 4/8 dollars limit game, the small blind will be 2 dollars.
Then, the player to the left of the small blind posts the big blind,
which is the size of the minimum bet, 4 dollars according to this example.

After the blinds are posted, the dealer deals each player four face down
cards, starting from the small blind and continuing clockwise. The first
round of betting begins with the player to the big blind left who can
choose between calling, raising or folding. If he chooses to call, he
has to place a bet equal to the size of the minimum bet, if he raises,
he places a bet double the amount of the minimum bet, and if he chooses
to fold, he forfeits his hand.

The first round of betting continues until it gets to the player who
posted the small blind. If he chooses to call, he can place only half of
the minimum bet, which together with the small blind will complete the
amount of the minimum bet. Afterwards, the round of betting gets to the
big blind who can either raise or check.

After the first round of betting is complete, the dealer places three
face up cards in the center of the table. These are known as community
cards and this stage of the game is called the flop. After the flop, the
second round of betting begins with the player to the dealers left. The
minimum bet remains 4 dollars.

When the second round of betting is done, the dealer places a fourth
community card in the center of the <a
href="http://www.online-casinos-707.net/online-casinos.html">casino</a>
table, known as the turn. Then, begins another round of betting in which
the minimum bet raises to 8 dollars. This round of betting starts with
the player to the dealers left. After this betting round, the dealer
will place the last community card in the center of the table, which is
called the river. The river is followed by the final round of betting
with a minimum bet of 8 dollars.

After the last round of betting, all the remaining players are exposing
their hands, known as the showdown. Each player has to use two cards of
his four cards and three of the five community cards to form the highest
possible five cards hand. In an Omaha high game, the player whose five
card hand is the highest wins the pot.

Omaha High Low Rules
Omaha high low is played exactly like Omaha high until the showdown. In
Omaha high low, the pot is split between two winners: the player who had
formed the highest hand and the player who has the best low hand. If
none of the players has a qualifying low hand, the player who holds the
highest hand wins the entire pot.

Omaha high low is also referred to as Omaha 8 or better. It means that
in order to qualify as low hand, the hand cannot contain any 8s or cards
of higher value. The best possible low hand is called the wheel. A, 2,
3, 4, 5. Ace value can be either high or low and flushes and straights
are disregarded.

It sometimes occurs in Omaha high low poker game that the pot splits
between more than two players. It can also happen that one player, who
holds both high and low hands at the same five card poker hand, wins the
entire pot.

One Child's Death Is One Too Many- Preventing Backovers In America's Driveways

Vehicle backover injuries and deaths occur when someone, without a
driver's knowledge or awareness, is positioned behind a vehicle as the
driver is backing out of a driveway or other parking spot. Awareness and
understanding of the problem are the first steps toward reducing the
risk of backover deaths.

Vehicle backover injuries and deaths occur when someone, without a
driver's knowledge or awareness, is positioned behind a vehicle as the
driver is backing out of a driveway or other parking spot. Most victims
of backovers are children and the elderly. To add to the tragedy of
backover injuries and deaths, the driver is often a relative or
neighbor-or even the mother or father of the victim.

Since most of these heartbreaking incidents occur in private driveways
rather than on the road, they are not typically included in
traffic-crash fatality data. Therefore, experts often don't agree on the
exact number of children and others injured or killed in backover
incidents each year. But even one child who dies from a backover
incident is one too many. Awareness and understanding of the problem are
the first steps toward reducing the risk of backover deaths.

All Vehicles Have Blind Spots

In the case of a backover incident, the blind spot is the place behind
your vehicle that you cannot see in the rear or side view mirror-or even
by craning your neck out the driver's side window. Generally speaking,
the larger the vehicle, the larger the blind spot. Blind spots for
shorter drivers tend to be significantly larger as well. In addition,
the elevation of the driver's seat, the shape of a vehicle's windows and
mirrors, and the slope of a driveway can affect the size of the blind
spot behind a vehicle.

Technologies and Backover

At this time, no technology on the market is considered by experts to be
foolproof in preventing backover incidents. Even if an accurate
preventive technology is developed, it's important to remember that no
technology alone can protect your children. Keeping your children safe
from a backover tragedy requires education, supervision and vigilance.
Safety experts recommend the following tips to help parents reduce the
risk of backover incidents.

Safety Tips for Parents

• Ensure your children are properly supervised at all times,
especially wherever motor vehicles might be present.

• Teach children not to play in, under or around vehicles-ever.

• Always assume children could be present and carefully check the
street, driveway and area around your vehicle before backing out.

• Avoid making your driveway a "playground." If you do allow
children in this area, make sure that it's only when there are no
vehicles present. To further protect children who may be outside
playing, separate the driveway from the roadway with a physical barrier
to prevent any cars from entering.

• To prevent curious children from ever putting a vehicle in gear,
never leave vehicles running, and keep all vehicles, even those in
driveways and garages, locked up tight.

• When backing up, always know where all children are and have
them stay in your full view and well away from your vehicle.

• Look behind you as you back out S-L-O-W-L-Y with your windows
rolled down to listen for children who may have dashed behind your
vehicle suddenly-and be prepared to stop!

• If you're driving an SUV or truck, remember that the blind spot
behind your vehicle can be especially large: Use extreme care whenever
you back up.

Finally, talk with neighborhood parents about backover incidents and ask
them to teach their children not to play in or around any vehicle or
driveway. By working together to promote awareness and protective home
and neighborhood environments, we can help to keep all our children safe.

One Day In A Central Asian School For Children With Special Needs

While working on a student practical task in one of the Universities of
Asia, in Department of Psychology, I had an opportunity to visit a
boarding school for children with chronic psychic illnesses or
underdevelopment. That was an unforgettable experience. The boarding
school was an old ugly building on outskirts of a big city, behind a
ravine, and very difficult to find without a guide. Our group of
students, walked there for about 40 minutes, and eventually we found the
hi...

We were asked to put on white doctor smocks, and after that we entered
the building. First thing that shocked us, was very unpleasant smell
inside the school, we met the director and she told us that
unfortunately the amount of ill children had increased and it had been
very difficult to find any donations or financial support for school.
She asked us to bring old clothes if we could, because school could not
support everybody and most parents just do not want to know and take
care about their children. Some parents visit children ones or twice a
year, and these children are considered lucky.

Then we were led to the girls' part of the boarding school. There were
girls of different ages, and as young specialists in the field of
psychology we were surprised that there were children with different
levels of underdevelopment in one single group. Some of them had only
some chronic illnesses without mental disorders, but they were treated
like mentally ill patients! The day schedule was the same for them
everyday - they were sitting all in one room, all together about 35-40
children, or they had small walks around the building. I must admit that
we had tears in our eyes, because it resembled a prison for little
criminals.

These girls tried to hug us and we understood that they are in great
need of love and attention. They were telling us that their parents
would take them home soon. Some of older girls already had menstrual
periods and they didn't know what to do. Workers' salary in this school
is very low and there is no enough personal and nurses to help every child.

In the boys' section of the school we saw very similar sad picture.
About 35-40 children were sitting in one room with walls and chairs
only. Some of the children had become degraded in those conditions.
Having had finished our practice most of us confessed, that during
several days after the boarding school visit, they were seeing those
children in their dreams at night while sleeping. That was a real shock
for us. Most of us could not eat and sleep. Some of the students brought
clothes and toys to that school.

This boarding school and other similar places are a very sad unknown
side of the otherwise beautiful country and friendly people. Here in the
United States, I have a huge wish and hope to find donations and support
for the boarding school I visited 2 years ago.

One of America’s Best Kept Dirty Little “Secrets”

It is one of America's best kept ugly "secrets". It is so pervasive that
one in three women will be victim to it in their lifetime. It runs thru
all facets of society, ruining lives and putting additional burdens on
health care and business in the process. Domestic Violence will continue
to flourish and grow unless laws and views are drastically changed.

It can happen to anyone!! Young, old; rich, poor; Protestant, Catholic,
atheist; it knows not the boundary of neighborhood good or bad; white,
black, yellow, brown, green-it knows not the difference of color
although it prefers African Americans who are poor; male or female it
makes no difference although it prefers females between the age of
16-24. Eighty five to ninety percent of the victims are female who more
than likely know their attacker.

It is estimated that it causes 25% of workplace problems like
absenteeism, lower productivity, and excessive medical benefits use to
the tune of more than $5.8 billion annually. Seventy eight percent of
all Human Resource Directors recognize it as a substantial employee
problem. It costs corporate America $1.8 billion in lost productivity.
Eight million man days of paid work and 5.6 million man days of
household work are lost annually.

It is the largest cause of injury to middle aged women but it happens to
men as well. It is estimated that between 3.3 million and 10 million
children see it annually. Twenty two percent of middle class divorces
are caused by it.

It affects every fabric of our society-it knows no limits. It is also
estimated that nearly 50 percent of all suspected cases go unreported.

But I guess domestic violence in America is really not that important or
cost enough in economic or social terms or you would hear more about it.
I mean after all is said and done ninety percent of family violence
defendants are never prosecuted.

One out of three women report some form of physical or sexual abuse in
their lives most often a member of her own family. Maybe that's not
enough. Every year four to six million cases of physical violence occur
in intimate relationships. Maybe that's not enough. And remember only
fifty percent of cases are reported.

Police respond differently to domestic violence calls than to other
calls. Women in jail for a killing in a domestic disturbance get
sentenced an average of 15 years while men get an average of 2-6 years.
In 1990 there were 3800 animal shelters and 1500 shelters for battered
women.

Why is there such a double standard or no standard? Indeed it is a very
complicated issue that we are not going to solve today right here and
now. But the laws on domestic violence need to change, society's view of
the problem has to change, and until that happens domestic violence as
we know it will continue to flourish and grow.

In the meantime women would be well advised to be prepared and consider
what to do in an emergency. There are a multitude of resources on the
local, state and federal level available, but in the end it is going to
fall on your shoulders to arm yourself with the tools for self defense
or survival.

Those tools might include developing some knowledge of warning signs;
learning some techniques on self defense; carrying some non-lethal self
defense weapons; developing a workplace and personal safety plan. Don't
rely on someone else. You are the one that will make a difference!

One step closer to immigrating to the US: submitting your application

So, you're ready to jump through some hoops to immigrate to the United
States, huh? Well, it really isn't all that daunting a process if you're
prepared for it. Unfortunately, a lot of technical requirements and
miscellaneous tasks await a person who is ready to migrate to a new
country, especially one with the intense border control of America.
Don't you think you should know what they are?

One step closer to immigrating to the US: submitting your application

Remember that as you go through the immigration process, your embassy or
consulate will have a lot of power and so will the American immigration
officer; in fact the latter will have the final say. Evidence,
documents, and attitude aside, you aren't ever in total control of your
immigration. So make sure you cross your t's and dot your i's! Try to be
as accurate and complete with your application process so that you don't
encounter any obstacles on the road to your new living arrangement.

Before submitting your immigration application, there are some things to
keep in mind. In order to avoid pitfalls that often haunt others trying
to accomplish the same goal, follow the tips below:
· Your passport will be important when applying for a visa. Make sure it
is up to date and has accurate information about you
· It's easy to download an immigration form online; just make sure it's
the proper one and you have Acrobat Reader for viewing – also, when you
go to print, you may be required to print it out back to back and with
certain dimensions
· Fill out the form as extensively and deeply as you can, otherwise put
"N/A"
· An up to date, face-fronting photo with high contrast is a must for
your application so have this on hand
· Your host in the U.S. can start putting the process in motion by
sending in all necessary, up-to-date documents to the embassy you are
dealing with; you'll want to be sure that there are no inconsistencies
with the information your host and you give the embassy
· Prepare to answer questions during your interview about why you are
immigrating to the U.S.; there are certain qualifications to do such a
thing and you must be careful that you don't disqualify yourself on
accident!

You can easily obtain a visa application visiting U.S. government Web
sites on the World Wide Web. UnitedStatesVisas.gov and the U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services are tremendous resources for you.

Now, in order to submit your visa, you must locate the appropriate
embassy to submit it to. Make an appointment with the consulars office
and ask about fees ahead of time.

What you will need is: a passport, important documents, visa application
forms (of course), and payment for whatever fees. Once the consulars
office "okay's" you, you'll then greet an immigration officer in
America. Essentially, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will
determine the length of your stay and all those other important details
about your immigration status.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Online Games: How to Play to Win

Describes the features of the winning online player and how it is easy
to become one too.

Learn how to improve your playing quality and even overall understanding
of online gaming and how you perform while playing online. Gaming online
is a huge business nowadays and that means that there are millions of
people worldwide at online game sites all the time. Many are people just
like you and me that like to play online and have fun doing it. Some of
these people enjoy it so much, that they often do not even care about
improving their skill and raising their chances of winning.

So Why Should You Work on Your Game?
Working on skills will not only help you improve your success while
playing online games but will also give you higher self-esteem and a
sense of achievement. And remember that the faster you master the easy
games, you can turn to the more complicated ones and match your brain
and skills against the real experts.

How to Improve Your Online Gaming Skills?
Online playing is different than just playing on your personal computer
at home. While online, you have to pay attention to many different
things that need to be taken into account, and I will detail these here:

1) Internet Connection: Pay attention to your online connection and make
sure that the internet connection is strong and without any connection
breaks. These can be done easily by trying to play a simple online game
before moving on to the more serious ones. For example, play scrabbles
or checkers online and then see how your connection works.

2) The Graphics: Check that your PC screen is strong enough to run the
specific game you have in mind. Download the trial and play it on your
computer. If you can't run or if it does not run smoothly, be aware that
though the online version is less of a strain on the resources of your
computer, the game might get stuck or stall from time to time. What can
you do? Other than spending money on improving the hardware of your
computer, the only thing you can do is to pick another game.

3) Limit your game time: One of the most important facts that young
players tend to overlook is that they cannot play forever. The body
needs sleep and even though it might appear or one might not feel tired,
your performance drops as the hours pass by. It is important also to (if
the game permits it) try and drink water while playing and not Coca Cola
or Pepsi or anything else sweet or alcoholic. These will only make you
more sleepy than before even if for the first few minutes it will feel
as if they are invigorating you.

4) Game Plans: Have a look at how others are playing before you join the
fray. Study the manner how the game moves and how others hide or move.
Even if you end up playing against other players, eventually the nooks
and corners of the game are similar. Remember that people tend to move
in similar fashion so the whole point is to get a whiff of game movement.

5) Strategy: Look up different strategic models and systems offered and
posted on the internet. Your players might use some of these and if you
are aware of them it will be easier for you to block their moves.

Conclusion:
By preparing yourself for the online gaming experience you do not lose
anything. In fact, it works quite to the contrary. Think of it just like
in terms of playing at a game and not at game sites. You would not play
for money without researching it before, would you?

Online Gifts for Everybody

If you are one of those people that are too busy to remember the
occasions which are really important and further more, too busy to go
shopping for the wonderful gifts you would like to offer in those
occasions, you are the person that should look for Doghouse. And to be
honest aren't we all to busy in this fast-paced world? Why not try to
make life easier and less stressful, please the dearest persons to us
with great gift ideas and in the same time have a little fun in the
process? Does it seam impossible to you? Just go and see what
thedoghouse.co.uk has to offer.

Thedoghouse.co.uk is providing Internet-based online reminders via
email, mobile phone SMS reminders and an online gift catalogue and
service. The birthday remindersystem is an ingenious one and will help
you remember to buy that present when the special day is approaching.
The process for you is as simple as entering in the details of the date
of the birthday, anniversary or occasion, and let The Doghouse know how
far in advance you'd like to notified. You will receive a prompt
reminder to buy a gift straight to your laptop or mobile phone.

Once you know you have to buy a gift, your worries are not over. We all
know how time consuming is looking for gifts and how difficult is to
choose one. That is why Doghouse can even give you some suggestions of
appropriate gifts.
No matter what your budget is, for who you are buying the gift, or what
the occasion is, you will find here the best solution for you.
Thedoghouse.co.uk has a huge range of unusual gift ideas for people who
don't have the time to go shopping.

If you are looking for a traditional gift like chocolates, flowers or a
special bottles of beverages we can help you. Personalised Bottle of
Champagne is a real success. And there is an entire range of
personalised gift ideas so you can really make your giving all the more
special. We are free to choose from an array of Newspaper Gift Books or
Football Books, the perfect way to always remember a special day like a
wedding or a birthday.

If you are looking for something out of the ordinary you could give
someone the gift of becoming a Laird (Lord) or Lady of the Glen or an
acre of land on the moon. Why not offering a luxurious weekend of
pampering in a top hotel or a real adventure with a 30 Minute Flying
Lesson or a Half Day Off Road Driving. An awe-inspiring hot air balloon
flight is definitely a gift to remember.

Looking to something more substantial? Give them a real Share in their
favourite company like eBay, Cadbury or Rolls Royce or spoil someone
with an Orient Express Moveable Feast For Two on the Northern Belle or a
Photo Make-over.

Online Sale Of Alcohol To Teens Worries Experts

According to the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug
Information, the Internet can act as a type of general store where
computer users including teenagers can purchase almost anything--even
beer, wine and liquor--without any age verification. Parents may want to
learn what they can do to stop this trend.

Did you know that millions of children are buying alcohol online or know
someone else underage who does? In spite of this dangerous new trend,
states are moving to increase online wine sales even as they fail to
monitor alcohol Web sites to enforce underage drinking laws. That's the
word from experts who say a growing number of teens have credit and
debit cards that allow them to point, click and drink alcohol ordered
anonymously off the Web.

According to the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug
Information, the Internet can act as a type of general store where
computer users including teenagers can purchase almost anything-even
beer, wine and liquor-without any age verification.

Results from a recent survey of 14-to-20-year-olds conducted by Teenage
Research Unlimited (TRU) for the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of
America, Inc. (WSWA) indicate the following:

• Half a million minors ages 14-20 (2%) admit ordering alcohol
online themselves, and 3.1 million (12%) report having a friend who does it.

• Nearly one in 10 (9%) say they have visited a Web site that
sells alcohol. One-third-nearly 8.9 million ages 14-20 nationwide-are
open to the possibility of an online alcohol purchase before age 21.

• Seventy-five percent say their parents aren't able to control
what they do on the Internet.

Advocates believe there should be stiffer penalties for overnight
delivery companies that break the law and states need more resources to
monitor online alcohol activity.

"We know kids are buying alcohol online, we know states are allowing
more Internet wine sales and we know states are not doing even basic
monitoring or enforcement of these purchases," WSWA CEO Juanita Duggan said.

She believes that if states aren't encouraged to take action to stop
online alcohol sales, parents will have missed an opportunity to stop
the trend of Internet alcohol sales to children.

Duggan and local wine and spirits distributors encourage parents to let
elected officials and regulatory agencies know how they feel about this
issue.

Some say until state and local governments act, the burden falls on
parents to be advocates and to make sure they are making the most of the
preventive measures at their disposal.

Online Scams: How To Avoid Getting Fooled

Learn how to avoid the three most popular scams you will run into online
without damaging the thrill of surfing the internet.

Beware of the three ways of getting fooled into giving up your money
through seemingly innocent money-making schemes. Scams are all around us
and it can be found in every single area of life, but more so in such
areas where the risk is greater such as when dealing with credit cards,
bank accounts and other activities which involve sending or receiving
money online.

The Bank/Credit Card Email Scam:
If you get an email asking you to sign up to your bank account or credit
card through the email because your privacy is under danger or just to
receive a free gift or something: BEWARE! Do not sign up through the
internet address provided in the email. If the email does make you
anxious, go to the bank or credit card site using the address you know
already or through searching the search engines.
How Does This Scam Work?
The senders of the email know that only a very few will sign up but that
is all they need. When you signed up to the bogus internet address, they
got your user and password. Now its time for them to party!

The Missing Millionaire Scam:
If you receive an email saying that they represent a dead or missing
former ruler, high-ranking official or businessman from an African, Gulf
or even Russian: BEWARE! They offer you a chance to earn anything
between one to five percent of ten to fifty million. And for your
co-operation only. Don't get sucked into this, for though they speak of
giving you money, they will receive cash and from your account.
How Does This Scam Work?
They will ask you for your bank details in order to transfer the cash
and then they will use that to transfer a small amount. Now, once you
trust them, they will ask you for more personal and secure details
because they "need" that to transfer the entire sum in and out of your
account. What they won't tell you is that they will transfer all the
money out from your account: theirs and yours.

The Make Money Fast Scam:
This is the most innocent of the lot, but that is also why it is the
most dangerous. These are so-called companies that advertise that if you
only sign up and use their system, you will mint money. Please do not
fall for such schemes. They will pay you some money but then once trust
is built, they will fleece your bank account. Remember that quick money
scams are the surest and fastest way to lose all your money!

Conclusion:
Whatever you do online, always remember that the internet is not a safe
place. Treat it like you would treat any other business venture and
bring up your guard. If you play it safe and check out the companies
before committing, you will be able to guard yourself against losing
money to crooks.

Online Survey: Gamers Prefer Roulette

Gamers worldwide prefer playing roulette than any other game according
to an online survey conducted by Gambling Portal, and we details the
reasons why.

Out of a survey conducted by Gambling Portal, 64% of all gamers prefer
to play roulette and not poker, blackjack or even slots. Why?

One of the truly worthy games to play at a casino is roulette. It is not
just the spinning of the wheel that gives it its class, but the fact
that roulette is a game for true champions. Amateurs steer away from
roulette leaving it only to the true gaming enthusiasts.

1) Excitement:
Gamers state that no other game they have played can match the thrill
they feel after they have placed their individual bets and the wheel
starts to spin and ball flies and jumps from one slot to another. They
say that your heart jumps each time the ball collides with the wheel..

2) Simplicity:
In comparison to other games, roulette is simple to learn and simple to
play. All you have to do is guess where the ball will come to rest when
the wheel stops spinning. Even placing your bet is simple. You can
either bet on a number, a row, a couple of rows, a column, a row of
columns, a colour: black or red or even on odd or even numbers. To do
this you do not need to memorize different hand systems like in poker,
or calculate whether they will reach twenty-one like in blackjack. You
pick a number or a section of numbers and if ball rests on the numbers
you picked, you win.

3) Availability of Game Tables:
Unlike other table games where you sometimes have to wait for hours till
a seat opens up for you, roulette table seat up to seven or nine
players. There are even some larger tables that seat up to ten. In
addition, since roulette is a fast action game, players rotate more
often than say at a Texas Holdem match.

4) The Croupier:
Unlike other game tables, at roulette the croupier is an active
component of the game. When they state out aloud, No More Bets, everyone
sits back and waits. The croupier spins the wheel and he waits along
with everyone else for the ball to roll down into the inside track and
rest on a particular colour and number. Then, the croupier announces the
number and hands out the winnings.

5) Coloured Chips:
To make it easier for you to track your chips amidst all the other
chips, your chips are of a different colour than all the rest of the
players. There is no other game that allows you this option. This means
that you can track your chips super easily even if they are at the other
end of the table.

6) No Cheating:
People try and cheat at all games. But in roulette, no one is allowed to
keep his hands over the table until the croupier finishes handing out
all the money won. Even the croupier himself keeps his hands away and
uses a long stick to distribute the chips.

Conclusion:
Out of all the different games, those you can bet on at a regular or
casino or at home and those you can play for fun on your home computer,
gamers seek out and play roulette for all the of the above reasons. They
think it is the game that has everything in all one package. They must
know what they are talking about.

Opening Arctic Critical First Step Toward Energy Security

Opening the Arctic National Wildlife refuge (ANWR) to oil and gas
exploration is more than a first step toward a sound energy policy; it
may be vital to national security.

Opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil and gas
exploration is more than a first step toward a sound energy policy; it
is vital to our national security.

Americans will depend on liquid fossil fuels for transportation for many
decades to come. Because of this, the Middle East has a stranglehold on
the U.S. that cannot be allowed to continue.

Unfortunately, for now, the U.S. has little choice about being involved
in the region-a large fraction of the world's easily accessible oil is
found there. And international economic realities mandate that cheaper
oil will be used before investments are made to bring more expensive
reserves to market.

U.S. security interests in the Middle East revolve around two issues:
the free flow of oil from the region at a reasonable price; and the
curtailment of funds supporting terrorism as well as the export of
Wahhabism, the intolerant form of Islam that had its birth in Saudi Arabia.

A continuing dependence on this region is not in our best interests and
is becoming very costly in terms of dollars and blood. Therefore,
developing new sources of oil is about national security. Indeed, the
Iraq war is about oil in the sense that it is about dealing with Saudi
Arabia.

The Saudi regime is facing an increasingly radicalized Sunni majority
and a marginalized and restive Shi'ite minority. With the Shi'ites
likely to dominate Iraq, the war has served to bring pressure on the
Saudi regime to crack down on Islamic radicals and preachers and become
serious about curtailing the funding of terrorists.

As oil reserves are depleted in the Middle East, the cost of extracting
oil will rise. When this cost roughly equals the cost of extraction
elsewhere, the importance of the Gulf as a source of oil to the rest of
the world will decline.

There is plenty of oil, but not at today's relatively cheap production
costs.

Shale oil, for example, exists in huge quantities in four Western
states. But development of techniques for recovery of such oil is years
away and likely to be very costly.

Current world oil prices, however, can be moderated by the availability
of relatively small amounts of oil. And that is where ANWR comes in.

ANWR is estimated by the Department of Energy to equal as much as 30
years of imports from Saudi Arabia. More important, it is oil that can
be brought into production quickly using conventional techniques,
thereby being able to moderate prices in the near term.

With modern directional drilling techniques, the oil can be extracted
from as little as 2,000 of ANWR's 19,500,000 acres-all of which is
contained within land originally set aside for possible future oil and
gas production when the refuge was established. Combined with other
techniques, hazards to the environment can be virtually eliminated.

In the past, both the U.S. House and Senate have approved opening ANWR
to oil and gas production, but have failed to agree on the exact form of
the legislation. It would seem that now, with dependency on Middle
Eastern oil threatening our safety and our economy, those bodies should
find a way to come together on a plan to develop our own natural
resources and lessen money flowing into hostile hands.

Gerald E. Marsh is a physicist, retired from Argonne National
Laboratory, who has worked and published widely in the areas of science,
nuclear power and foreign affairs. He was a consultant to the Department
of Defense on strategic nuclear technology and policy in the Reagan,
Bush and Clinton administrations, and served with the U.S. START
delegation in Geneva.

Many consider opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil
and gas exploration a first step toward a sound energy policy.

Opening Doors For Those With Disabilities

There could be good news for the more than 54 million men, women and
children with disabilities in America.

There could be good news for the more than 54 million men, women and
children with disabilities in America. Many American firms are finding
ways to help them so they don't have to struggle to find drugstores,
health care facilities, education facilities, hotels, restaurants and
shopping outlets that are easily accessible.

With many baby boomers now entering their 60s and having a rise in
health- and mobility-related problems, there will likely be a sharp
increase in the number of Americans who will seek to spend their money
only at places that offer assistance for their mobility needs. In
addition, a positive customer experience will play a major role in
capturing the millions of dollars being spent by this growing baby
boomer market.

In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, was passed to
protect individuals with disabilities and guarantee them equal access to
all facilities. Over 15 years later, many people with disabilities are
wondering why so many places they want to go to are not accessible to them.

To help businesses become ADA compliant, Ingersoll Rand's Security
Technologies Sector created a strategic business unit for automated
openings. Ron Ratell, the unit's manager and ADA marketing manager,
believes the problem stems from a lack of awareness.

"Many small- and medium- sized-business owners are often unaware that
their facility is not in compliance with ADA guidelines," said Ratell,
whose company specializes in automated openings and also owns the
Schlage™ brand of commercial and residential locks, which are the
most widely used locks for homes and apartments in the U.S.

"More times than not, a business owner only becomes aware of
noncompliance following an accident or complaint by a person with a
disability. This reactive approach requires business owners to devote
unnecessary time and money defending themselves and their business,
while the building's openings remain noncompliant with ADA guidelines,"
added Ratell.

"Another problem that exists is that many business owners do not know
who to turn to for help on ADA accessibility issues or that there are
tax incentives that are available to help their operations become
updated to the necessary standards," Ratell said.

Currently, there are two major tax incentives programs available to
businesses to help cover the cost of making access improvements required
by the Americans with Disabilities Act. The first is a tax credit that
can be used for architectural adaptations, equipment acquisitions and
services. The second is a tax deduction that can be used for
architectural or transportation adaptations. Information on these ADA
Tax Incentives can be found at www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/taxpack.htm.

Ratell's company also offers business owners a wide range of consulting
services and turnkey solutions to help business owners make their
facilities ADA accessible. The Automated Openings Business Unit of
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required to be accessible. These solutions range from door handle
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and closing.

Knowledge of the opening usage, fire and life safety codes, and ADA
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your particular openings. Optimized solutions are provided to bridge the
gap between the owner's business objectives and ADA accessibility.

For business owners or individuals who have questions regarding ADA
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sources: the Americans with Disabilities Act Home Page (www.ada.gov),
National Organization on Disability (www.nod.org) and the United States
Access Board (www.access-board.gov).

Origins And History Of The Tarot

The origins of the Tarot are surrounded with myth and lore. It is hard
to know for sure what the facts are. The Tarot has been thought to come
from places like India, Egypt, China and Morocco. Others say the Tarot
was brought to us from the Sufis or the Jewish Cabbalists. Still others
contend that the origin of the tarot was from Moses. In the library of
Alexandria, in Egypt, there were scrolls that were based on the Book of
Thoth, an ancient book that came from Egypt's myste...

It seems that wherever there was a secret 'word of mouth' tradition
handed down from teacher to pupil, it was hailed as the origin or
beginning of Tarot. A large group believed it was the Gypsies who
brought the tarot to Europe, the word gypsy being a corrupted version of
Egyptian. That is highly unlikely, since evidence points to gypsies not
using Tarot until the 20th century. Before that, palmistry was their
preferred method of fortune telling.

The Historical Evidence Behind the Origins of the Tarot

It seems the only evidence there is to the origins of the Tarot can be
found in the cards that were made in Italy, around 1420. The symbolism
of the trumps can be found in the European art of the time, with some
drawings being exactly the likeness of those found on Tarot cards.

History tells us that a scholar named Marziano da Torona, who was
secretary to the Duke of Milan, may have invented the Tarot deck.
Marziano was a scholar and an expert astrologer. The young duke, Filippo
Maria Visconti instructed Marziano to create a game, using a deck that
would replace the common suits of swords, coins, staves and cups. The
duke wanted the new deck to have cards that represented virtues, riches,
pleasures and purities. Marziano went on to create the card deck that
Visconti wanted. He wrote a companion book to go with the deck of cards.
It is on display in the Paris National library. In the book, there are
no divine meanings to the cards, but no real rules for a card game,
either. The book focuses on the symbolic meaning of the pictures and the
different ranks of the depicted characters. Michelino da Besozzo is the
Italian artist credited with painting the cards.

Is it plausible that the origins of the Tarot as the curious card game
invented by Marziano da Torona? If so, why doesn't the book that
accompanied the deck refer to the divination of the cards?

The Mystery Continues About The Origins of the Tarot

Where did the word Tarot come from? It has been called a Hebrew, Latin
or Egyptian word. Is the word Tarot really an anagram, which when solved
explains the mystery of the cards? Once again, the historical evidence
of the origins of the word points to where the cards first appeared - in
Italy. The cards were called Carte da trionfi, which is Italian for
"cards of the triumphs". Later, a new card game was introduced, called
Trumps or Triumphs. As it was played with different cards, the original
Carte da trionfi became tarocco. In French they were called tarot.

What are these cards that are shrouded in mysterious beginnings used
for? Are they good or evil? The Tarot is basically a set of symbols,
which are printed on a pack of 78 cards. Regular playing cards have
hearts, clubs, spades and diamonds as suits. Tarot cards have different
suits, with meanings. The Wands (also known as staves or rods) point to
creativity and energy. There are the Cups (or vessels), relating to
emotions and friends; Swords cover the area of challenge and thought;
the Pentacles (coins or disks) relate to money and security. The cards
are placed in a particular pattern. A Tarot reader uses the cards as an
oracle that can answer questions from the past, present or future.

The philosophy behind the Tarot is that the future is subject to change.
If you are given enough notice, you can avoid the event you are being
warned about. The Tarot makes you think, make you take steps that you
might not have considered. When you ask a question of the Tarot that
relates to the future, you'll be shown what will happen if you don't
change anything. Many consider the Tarot cards as more of a counselling
guide than a divining tool. Tarot readings can provide flashes of
inspiration where otherwise the problems the person may be facing may
seem insurmountable.

Do the cards that are used today, all over the world come from the deck
Marziano da Torona created in the 1400's? Is the reason the origins of
the Tarot are so shrouded in mystery owing to Anima Mundi? The Anima
Mundi or soul of the world is seen as the vital force that presides over
the growth and continuity of all living things. Like a Universal
library, it contains the entire human races' memories and wisdom from
the past, present and future. It can be summoned with deep thought.
Imagine all the basic figures one could find in all religions, myths,
legends and folklore. When combined, this wealth of knowledge is a
powerhouse. To understand this more one can look at the Empress card of
the Tarot. The very essence of femininity is represented in the Empress
- she is the great mother Goddess of the world. She represents 'the
eternal feminine', in myth and psychology. Does working with the images
of the Tarot somehow allow our unconscious to connect with that human
collectiveness? Does the Tarot become a porthole to the storehouse of
answers to any question any of us has ever had? Perhaps it is because of
the mystical Anima Mundi that we can't pinpoint the origin of the Tarot
with certainty.

We may never really know the true history or the origins of the Tarot.
Nevertheless, we continue to be attracted to the Tarot's wisdom, symbols
and story.

Our Christian And Patriotic Truths, Justice And Our Real Freedom

On July 4th of each year the citizens of the U.S. "we the people"
commemorate our nation's birth with a patriotic holiday. We call it
Independence Day. We celebrate that our country chose to shake off the
shackles of oppression and to establish a government that believed in
the importance of liberty and a different kind of freedom.

Independence Day like many summer holidays, gets overshadowed by things
like parties, family gatherings, picnics, and day off from work. Yet, a...

Independence Day like many summer holidays, gets overshadowed by things
like parties, family gatherings, picnics, and day off from work. Yet, at
the heart of these pursuits is the desire to freely enjoy our lives, and
our individual way of thinking.

Throughout our U.S. history millions have flocked to our shores seeking
a life with this promise "The American Dream" as most call it. Our
country has grown tremendously in wealth and influence precisely because
we accepted these people. They are not always welcomed with open arms
because racism and bigotry have always been around. But the diversity of
our population is one of our greatest assets. Too often we think it is
the source of our problems. Our mindset is that it was alright for our
ancestors to find America's shores, but we're reluctant about today's
new arrivals, usually out of fear that will take our piece of American pie.

Today it is easy to criticize what we find wrong with our country, our
political, and our legal system. The lack of equality when it comes to
the freedom to pursue "life, liberty and our pursuit of happiness". It
is our right and a duty of each citizen to protest injustice. That was
exactly what was happening back in 1776 when the colonists were fed up
with the imposition of unfair taxation, representation, and repression
they felt from "Mother England".

Before we can prophetically speak on the issues of societal freedom I
think we must first look at our individual freedom. We cannot separate
the two and be fair, and we can't demand changes in the system unless we
first look closely at our own situations and face up to the freedoms we
have that come with our patriotic responsibility as a citizen, and
Christian beliefs.

If you are currently living with an income that meets your basic needs
of food and shelter, and you have the freedom to worship as you please.
If you have done some "inside work" to discover how much you live from
your false self (the one that always wants to get your own way – even
with good intentions) and the opportunity to live from your true self
(the one that is in union with God and our fellow man), then you must
face up to the responsibility of being a freedom fighter for God's
kingdom and this great country.

Before you pick up your picket sign and go marching off to war for
social justice, just take a moment to look at what Jesus did in his
situation in Palestine. He didn't go around demanding that Rome leave
the occupied Holy land. He didn't tell his disciples or the people that
He spoke to that they are the only ones who get God's grace. But He did
remark about the many that were persecuted, prosecuted, and those who
were not in favor with the current government and Jewish hierarchy. If
you are intrigued by these comments you could go read this for yourself,
the messages are there in the four Gospels of the New Testament.

Jesus gave us an invitation to follow Him in the way of real truth, real
justice and real freedom. He told us that when we receive others we are
receiving Him, and following the commandments that our Father in heaven
asks us to do. He gathered the small children in His arms and instructed
grownups to be innocent and trusting like children. He also told us the
world would not understand this, and we would face persecution, and
possibly prosecution when we choose to follow this path.

The struggle for each of us face is to be honest with where we are with
these teachings in our daily lives. This takes a daily assessment and
reckoning. We cannot be completely faithful unless we are spending more
time looking at ourselves, our faults, our shortcomings, and the
blessings that we receive, than we are at pointing out the faults of
others, or envying the blessings that others receive.

The teachings of Jesus in the Four Gospels give us clear cut directions
on how to do this. I know I can't begin to honestly assess my faults and
blessings without this help in the Four Gospels and also with the
strength we receive from our Father in heaven.

It All Starts With You

It has to start with each of us; the freedom to choose the way of love,
or hate. The individual freedoms we have cannot be separated from the
societal freedom we should all share. Here is why community is
necessary. Community must include everybody! If it only includes those
we like or want to be with, then we just create little cliques and
gather power, then we are in the role of oppressor (even when we don't
think so).

The followers of Christianity, who are true believers in the equal
spreading of God's Word and His blessings, are the real "Freedom
Fighters" in this world. We can do this from a position of humility and
service to our Father. We can be passionate and compassionate to one and
all. If we can truly see Jesus in others and ourselves; we can rejoice
that God hasn't reserved His love only for the righteous, but for all.

True freedom is the freedom to let go of past hurts and resentments, to
let go of future ambitions and trust that our Father in heaven will take
care of us. It is the freedom to truly accept others. It is freedom to
be a giver and not just a taker. It is this powerful freedom that oddly
springs from our acceptance that we are, powerless without our Fathers
grace, mercy, and blessings that He gives each of us through His love,
and being blessed by in living in this great country.

Pain Of Living

Pain. Immense pain. Sometimes unbearable, and sometimes
incomprehensible. So many of us live life in pain.

Pain. Immense pain. Sometimes unbearable, and sometimes
incomprehensible. So many of us live life in pain. The pain of
decision-making. The pain of thinking about life. The pain of keeping
dead relationships alive. The pain of memories that haunt us. The pain
of fear. The pain of getting up in the morning and the pain of sleepless
nights. The pain of loss of someone most dear and the pain of waiting
for them to return. Pain, and more pain in everything.

It is life. The life of pain. Look at your own eyes in the mirror and
many times you will see the pain of tiredness. The pain of trying to run
away from pain. Why? Because, we all live. Yes, pain comes because we
live. Only dead have peace. Or very small children or saints. Rest of us
are in some pain at all the times. Pain becomes such an essential part
of life that many times, we tend to forget that we are living in pain.
We become unaware of a life of cheer, and a painless life.

Is there anyway to counter the pains? Sometimes, when we begin losing
our balance, we do approach psychiatrists. But if the choice is wrong,
that may lead to bigger pain. Is a president of a nation without any
pains? Ask him/her and you will get a basketful of surprises. Is a young
teenager without pain? Ask and you will get another basket. Keep on
listing and keep on asking. CEOs of companies, students, junior
executives, shop owners, movie makers, celebrities, poor people...The
list will be endless and so will be the story of pains.

Any way out of pains? One can reflect about what is happening in one's
life that is killing the essence of living. But that exercise will not
take away any pain, unless we change ourselves totally. How to do that?
Let us begin with reflecting and finding out what gives us pains. Count
even the smallest pain. Let the journey of making enquiries begin.
Coming out of pains will only follow that exercise. Take the first step.
After reflecting about and counting all the pains, you may realize that
some pains are totally inescapable.

Parents Need to Be a Role Model for Teenagers

In order to be an effective parent we must be what we want our children
to become.

Parents should model what they teach. They should already be the kind of
people they want their children to become. The parents should put forth
a model of personal integrity and a loving marriage. The greatest gift
(besides life) that parents can give their children is a home that is
peaceful, warm, accepting, safe and secure. The first great building
block of that home is a solid, functional, loving marriage. As an
outgrowth of this marital relationship the parents model how to
communicate, how to love, how to disagree, and how to negotiate; they
model principles and virtues. They are the embodiment of what they
teach; they are kind, gentle, hardworking, patient, understanding,
tolerant, and resolute in keeping their standards. They are consistent
in their instructions, are open and interested in their children,
excited about their activities and progress, make the children feel
treasured, cherished and important, and they require responsibility,
accountability and impose or allow consequences.

All this is done in an accepting manner; never critical or judgmental,
harsh or unkind. Parents can only teach a virtue that they possess and
model. We teach what we really are and cannot teach anything else. No
parent can lead children to where they themselves have not been. Parents
cannot lift children to higher ground than they themselves are standing
upon. There are no secrets in the home and children can see through sham
and hypocrisy. They feel it, they sense it, and so it is necessary for
parents to be what they wish to teach their children.

The parent does not say, "Do what I say, not what I do." Someone has
said, "I cannot hear what you say when what you are thunders so loudly
in my ears!" Remember, whatever you are, you model, and whatever you
model, you teach. By proper modeling the parent invites in the son or
daughter to a higher moral life. There is no other way, no short cut, no
substitute for proper, good, virtuous role models. You are a model.
Whether you like it or not, you are an example and you cannot escape
that fact. The truth: we are either good examples or we are bad examples
to our children!
From the book "Let's Fix the Kids" by Dr. James Jones

In a boarding school for troubled teenagers modeling behavior must be
the same as Dr. Jones mentions. Staff personnel must live up to high
standards and set forth a positive and almost unapproachable role model.
Asking a student to do something you, yourself are unwilling to do makes
for a bad recipe. If you are considering placing your troubled teen in a
boarding school for behavior modification, make sure that the staff are
good examples of virtue and high standards.

Party Jokes: Startling But Unnecessary

Read 20 previously unknown secrets about general living that will give
you a good laugh.

Here, I focus on a range of items and features that we use in life
without giving them a second thought such as Coca Cola, body muscles and
holding ones own breath. Though, most of these notes are not
fundamentally necessary, they are such that you can use them for a good
laugh, at a drinks party or for picking up women or men.

1) Coca-Cola: Did you know that its original colour was green?

2) Mohammed: Did you know that this is the most used name in the entire
world?

3) Geographical Letters: Did you know that the name of each of the
continents begins and concludes with the exact same alphabet? Do not
believe that? Look up Asia, Europe, Africa, America, Antarctica and the
rest.

4) Muscle Strength: Did you know that the strongest muscle in the entire
body is that one which we use to lick a popsicle? Your tongue.

5) Credit Cards: In the United States, were you aware that each and
every person has at least two credit cards?

6) An Antique Machine: The word for an old machine that was once used
for writing letters and other documents is the largest word that one can
make if they click only on a single row of their computer's keyboard:
typewriter!

7) Blink: Men wink at women, but research has found out that the average
woman blinks nearly two times more than the average man.

8) Suicide: Even though you might have wondered if it was possible,
studies have discovered that it is impossible to kill oneself by simply
holding in your breath.

9) Licking: However much you may try, you will never be able to lick
your elbows.

10) Sneeze: Try sneezing. People will automatically answer you with a
bless you greeting. Have you ever imagined why? Some say that this
happens because a sneeze stops the functioning of the heart for a very
tiny second.

11) The Blue Sky: Did you know that a pig, no matter how much they try,
cannot look up into the sky?

12) Twisting Your Tongue: We have all dabbled with different
tongue-twisters in our day. But do you know which is the toughest? Sixth
sick sheiks sixth sheeps sick.

13) Ribs: Did you know that you should try not to sneeze too strongly.
Why? A very powerful sneeze has the ability to cause a fracture in your
ribcage. But, then again, if you try and withhold one, you stand the
chance of breaking one of the many blood vessels in your neck or head.
This could cause death.

14) Cards: Did you think that the Kings are all just random cards
referring to random figures? No. Each one signifies a different king:
Diamonds for Julius Caesar, Clubs for Alexander the Great, Spades for
David and Hearts for Charlemagne.

15) And finally: Most everyone reading this (Caught You!) are trying to
lick their elbows at this exact moment!

Conclusion: Most of these are not scientific facts, but they are
hilarious, funny and can be used to lighten up the ambience when a
conversation has gone dull. Use any and see your popularity rise up to
great heights. Visit http://www.gambling-portal.com for more jokes.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Passover: Laugh While Cleaning

Preparing for Passover involves a thorough house cleaning. While you are
doing that, here are some jokes to ease the experience.

Passover, or Pesach as it is called in Hebrew, is the 8 day festival
where the Jews celebrate their liberation from Egypt more than a
thousand years ago. One of the most important features of this freedom
festival is that the Jews cannot eat anything that is leavened. They eat
unleavened bread.

They must also make sure that no bread crumbs exist in or around the
house: the cupboards, the drawers, the kitchen, behind the bed, under
the refrigerator and anywhere else where crumbs might have fallen
through. To ensure that the house is clean of leavened food materials,
the Jews have to clean the entire house from top to bottom as thoroughly
as possible. And they do. During the week before Passover, house
cleaning is what goes on in most Jewish houses. To answer this demand
and to ease the tension, here is a joke on this subject called
Impossible Timing, which highlights this cleaning tension.

Impossible Timing:
Samuel, an observant Jew, who was also a financial wizard, left Brooklyn
to accept the position of Vice President in a famous broker firm in
Utah, which is well known for being a Mormon state.

When they learned this, the company's directorate applied tremendous
pressure on the company's president. "We are religious people here,"
they said. "It can't be that a Jew will handle all our money."

The president tried to ward them off, but when he couldn't manage it
anymore, he called Samuel to his office and explained the situation to
him. Samuel was offered the choice of either converting or leaving the
attractive job which also had a six figure salary quote attached to it.

Samuel had no choice but to convert, and he went home and told his wife
that from Sunday, they will start attending the Church services.

A few months went by and his wife kept troubling Samuel about the
conversion. "This is too difficult for me. I miss the Sabbath: lighting
candles and blessing the wine. I miss the holidays. Money is not
everything, Samuel dear."

And with each time that his wife complained, Samuel's conscience
increased until he could not take it anymore and he went to meet the
company's President.
"Look, I can't go on like this," Samuel said. "I am full of regret.
Money is not everything. I can't sleep and neither can my wife. This is
too heavy a burden for me to carry. I was born a Jew and I want to die a
Jew. And if you want me to quit, I will without making any trouble."

The President looked at him in wonder, "Listen, Samuel, I had no idea
that this was so difficult for you. I thought it was a trivial matter.
But you don't have to leave. Everything will be the same as before: you
can stay here with us without converting.

Samuel returned home happy and grinning from ear to ear. He ran to his
wife, who was watching Ricky Lake, "You won't believe it! It's a
miracle. We are going back to being Jews, and I still retain my job."

His wife looked at him with eyes that spat fire, and said," Are you mad?"

Samuel was shocked. "But I thought that this is what you wanted!" He cut
in. "All this while you have been crying and complaining. Don't you wish
to go back to becoming a Jew""

His wife looked at him with ever more fury, "Of course I want to. Of
course I want to," she said. "But now? Only a week before Passover?"

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Saturday, December 5, 2009

Need A Crane - Rental Or Contract Lift?

Friday, December 4, 2009

Need Something To Do: Serve!

Neighbours 'Aren't There For One Another'

Never Act Predictably

New Poll Shatters Myths About Mom of 2004

New Web Site Assists Car Crash Victims

No Community Manager? There's Help

Nonviolence for Social Change

Of Humanity And Cruelity

Office Theft: More Common Than Many Think

Omaha Rules: How to Play Omaha Poker

One Child's Death Is One Too Many- Preventing Backovers In America's Driveways

One Day In A Central Asian School For Children With Special Needs

One of America’s Best Kept Dirty Little “Secrets”

One step closer to immigrating to the US: submitting your application

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Online Games: How to Play to Win

Online Gifts for Everybody

Online Sale Of Alcohol To Teens Worries Experts

Online Scams: How To Avoid Getting Fooled

Online Survey: Gamers Prefer Roulette

Opening Arctic Critical First Step Toward Energy Security

Opening Doors For Those With Disabilities

Origins And History Of The Tarot

Our Christian And Patriotic Truths, Justice And Our Real Freedom

Pain Of Living

Parents Need to Be a Role Model for Teenagers

Party Jokes: Startling But Unnecessary

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Passover: Laugh While Cleaning