It Won't Be Fun - Tattoo Removal Pain Management

It Won't Be Fun - Tattoo Removal Pain Management
Do you want to make that silly dancing hula girl on your arm disappear? Or how about the girl that you decided to spend forever with, and then she decided to take off? Or, is your black widow spider tattoo keeping you from getting a job?

Tattoo removal is common these days. As more and more people get tattoos, more people are regretting it, and that's why the industry is booming. But if you want to get it removed, ask yourself this-Is it worth the pain to you? Here are some ways to remove it...
It's Not Fun To Get Tattoos Removed

Tattoo removal hurts! They take tattoos off with lasers, and it's not a comfortable procedure. If you thought getting that it may not hurt, wait until you've got a doctor burning it off. Still, it might be the right thing to do, especially if you've got one that's impossible to cover up.

Size of the tattoo is a factor, of course. A bigger one means longer and more painful removal. You'll also have a tougher time if you've got lots of colors. There will be some scarring and pain after the procedure as well, but it will heal before too long.

Anesthesia and Amnesia
You don't have to prove your toughness to anybody. There's no reason to grit your teeth and take the pain when a doctor's zapping your flesh with highly focused lasers. You're better off taking some anesthesia rather than taking the pain.

Doctors usually use anesthesia and sometimes painkillers for removing tattoos. Local anesthesia is used on the area where the tattoo removal is being done. Sometimes they will recommend a topical anesthesia that will cover everything. In some cases, they'll give you a pill to swallow for a pain reliever. Anesthesia and painkillers are your friends.
They will also use a variety of creams on the wounds which have antibiotics. It's likely this is the same stuff they will give you for your recovery.

Experience Is Key
One factor that determines the tattoo removal pain level is experience. How much experience do they have removing tattoos? If they have lots, that means they'll know how to do it just right so you won't be screaming in pain. If they're not sure exactly how to work the laser, you're in for it.

After the pain is over, your ex-girlfriend will be gone, or so we hope. If not, that's a whole different problem. Tattoo removal guarantees they'll disappear and it will look like you never had them.

If you want to undergo a safe, effective, and scientifically sound procedure for tattoo removal, Pittsburgh based medical spa and cosmetic surgery center is your best choice. For details, visit http://www.acquablumedicalspa.com.

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The Many Uses For Calcium Chloride

The Many Uses For Calcium Chloride
There are many uses for calcium chloride. It can be used in the industry, food, and can also be used in medicine. It is as basic salt. There are very common uses for CaCl2. It is used in the brine for refrigeration plants it is also used for ice and dust control for the roads and it is also in concrete.

Because it is able to absorb the water materials from its surroundings it has to be kept in a container with a lid. But because of its ability to absorb the water molecules it works great in the industry. The industry uses the CaCl2 to remove moisture. It is commonly used to pack drying tubes, because it excludes atmospheric moisture from a reaction set-up while still allowing gases to escape. The CaCl2 cannot be used to dry alkaline gases like ammonia because it forms addition things. It also added to liquids to remove delayed or dissolved water. This is just some of the uses that the industry uses it for.

The CaCl2 is also helpful in the food industry. The food industry uses it for many things but we going to go over a few. It is allowed by the European Union for additives to food. The US Food and Drug Administration also generally recognize the CaCl2 as safe.

It is used as an electrolyte in sports drinks. It also helps to keep canned vegetables firm. With the CaCl2 in the canned veggies it helps keep it firm without raising the sodium level. When it is used for brewing beer the calcium chloride is sometimes used to fix the mineral deficiencies in the brewing water. It also affects the flavor and the chemical reactions during the brewing process and it also affects the yeast function during the fermentation.

Now for the pharmaceutical industry it does help with many things. The calcium chloride can help with insect bites for example it can help with the bite from a Black Widow Spider. It also helps hypocalcaemia, which is a low serum calcium level in the blood. They can inject the calcium chloride intravenous therapy.

It can be used to quickly treat Calcium Channel Blocker toxicity, from the side effects of some drugs. The water form of calcium chloride is used in the genetic transformation of cells. It does this by increasing the membrane permeability; influence the competence for the DNA uptake. Allowing DNA fragments to enter the cell more readily.
There are so many uses for calcium chloride it is used in just about every field.

Calcium Chloride, corrosion inhibitor

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What to Buy For the Man Who Has Everything

What to Buy For the Man Who Has Everything
It's not just the man who has everything that we struggle to buy for. Anyone can pose a problem, even if it's someone we know well. And it's not limited to birthdays, or Christmas. How about Valentines day, or Easter, or an anniversary? What about that little gift just to say 'Congratulations', or 'I love you', or simply 'Thank you'. The person leaving work, or the one you've drawn in the secret-Santa. What do you get for them?

It's not surprising we sometimes struggle, particularly if the budget isn't large. Cash might not look like much, and gift vouchers can sometimes indicate a lack of thought or effort unless they've been requested or are in large numbers. A new top might look lovely to the person choosing it, but have totally the opposite effect on the recipient. Flowers and chocolates have their place, but don't last long and can be limited in their appeal to certain people. Most men wouldn't thank you for a bunch of roses!

So what is the answer? I'm sure there are several, and they'll vary from person to person, but for what it's worth here's my suggestion.

Don't try to push someone for what they'd like. They'll know why you're doing it, and buying what they suggest ruins any element of surprise. Don't try to second-guess what they'd like. Despite what they may have said in the past their taste might not be quite what you think. Try and think of something they won't have thought of. That way you'll get surprise, and you're also likely to be unique.

Ideas? OK, how about something like a mouse mat with pressure sensitive pads that sounds like a drum kit when drummed with your fingers? A radio-controlled Black Widow spider? A solar-powered frog? A water powered clock? A Twister beach towel? Once you start the ideas just keep on coming, and how many of them have you thought about before?

For these and many other ideas why not take a trip to [http://silicongems.co.uk] and browse around awhile. Prices start at only a couple of pounds and you may solve more than one present dilemma while you're there. Be known for buying unusual gifts, and you never know what you might one day get in return! [http://silicongems.co.uk]

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How to Pick Up Girls- A Few Simple Tips

How to Pick Up Girls- A Few Simple Tips
If you would like to learn how to pick up girls then you need to read this article where I will give you a few simple tips to help you increase your chances of picking up the girl of your dreams. Picking up girls is not as complicated as you might think. It took me a long time to realize this but once I did I was picking up more girls in a week than I had picked up in my entire life.

As with anything you do you really must be prepared. Prior planning prevents poor performance. So make sure you are looking good, smelling good and feeling good. Your personal hygiene really needs to be up to scratch, you must be wearing good clean clothes and your attitude needs to be right before you even begin. Once you have your grooming out of the way then the rest is in your mind. It is not unusual for a tall strong man to be super confident until it comes to talking to girls. You see it all the time they just go to water.

If you lack confidence then you really need to practice talking to girls. Don't try and pick them up. Make your objective conversation only. Say hello to every girl you see and you will soon discover that they are not like the Black Widow Spider and looking at eating you alive. Remember girls are looking to be picked up by guys who they are attracted to either physically, mentally or spiritually.

When you are confident enough to talk to a girl you are interested in go and speak to her. If you are in a dance club walk up and smile at her and ask her if she would like to dance. If she says no tell her that you are relieved she said no because you can't dance. If she laughs hang around and try talking with her. If she agrees to dance take her to the dance floor and dance away. It gives you the opportunity to talk into her ear while you are dancing because of the noise of the music.

After you have danced, or made her laugh if she knocks you back, offer to buy her a drink. You might have to get the waiter to bring it to you if she is concerned about a guy giving her an open drink, but it's worth the effort. Invite her to watch you get the drink if she is concerned about that. Once you have the drink sit back relax and talk to her like she was any other girl, just like the ones you were practicing on. Have fun with it and try to learn as much about her as you can. Girls love to talk so once you get her started; stopping her might be the hard part.

So there you have it a few tips on how to pick up girls that you can really use in any situation.

Find out how you can seduce the girl of your dreams through my easy to follow course. Find out more on How to Pick Up Girls.
Jamie Morgan runs a site on How To Pick Up Girls

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Life Change Lessons - Tools That Can Change Your Life

Life Change Lessons - Tools That Can Change Your Life
Valentine's Day has come and gone. A valentine card may still hold a special corner on the desk, red heart balloons, once so full and expressive are now deflated and droopy (if they're around at all), magnificent floral bouquets given to loved ones are now wilted and most likely part of a landfill, and See's has charted the revenue from yet another year of chocolate candy sales. Love was in the air for one national holiday. I trust it will still be in your heart as you greet each of the other 364 days of the year?

There were many events to reflect on as I review the month. Through the miracle of technology and the Internet I listened to six dynamic guest speakers during "Relationship Week", offered by Ty Bennett one of the leaders in the company of which I am affiliated. The following are some of the highlights from this motivating series and life changing thoughts:

a. Bob Burg wrote four best selling books about being a Go Giver vs a go taker. He spoke of the Law of Value: true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than what you get in payment or profit. "Be involved in people's lives-be more interested then you are interesting." This is a natural outcome of listening and asking questions. Bob encouraged his audience to make a conscious effort to be a better person.

b. Kevin Hall, author of Aspire, Discovering Your Purpose Through The Power of Words shared about the word, "genshai," which means not living small because someone else is. He spoke of the value in spending time with people who see the best in you and who think upward. Who know "the song in your heart, and can sing the words back when you forget." He spoke of the words, Namaste and empathy and living life with passion and purpose. Awesome book and such a genuinely kind person.

c. Another guest, Dave Blanchard, is the CEO the Og Group, founded on the teachings of Og Mandino, one of the world's most influential writers. I am honored to call Dave a friend and am deeply touched by his sincere desire to serve. He shared how we can use our dark history to enhance another life, rather than drag it around. Use it as a service to others-to learn that there is purpose to suffering. Dave spoke of the power in listening and waiting for that door to open-that place that is sacred and vulnerable. Listening is a gift - an enormous gift.

d. Mike Robbins wrote a book about authenticity, "Be Yourself, Everyone Is Already Taken." He spoke about learning who you are through relationship with others. Explored the notion that people want so desperately to be liked by everyone and to be thought of as wonderful. In that quest, we tend to want to change ourself for others-a futile task. Admit your fears-own them and to take action in the face of fear.

There were others during the week who also touched my life with awesome messages. The overall theme for the week is the importance of creating relationship, with service as the agenda, woven with genuine love, caring, and connection at a heart level. Out of that space, providence takes over and anything can emerge.

As February, 2010 is about ready to wrap up I continue to recount the highlights of the month. Another occasion was a birthday party I attended honoring 100 years of life for a relative of my husbands. I was amongst the 130 guests who were greeted at the door by Bea, garbed in her Romanian dress, standing erect and solid as a result of her full life. Her guests came from all aspects of life including men who were POW's, as was her late husband. I made a point of visiting with them as I table hopped and asked them to pray for Bowe Bergdahl, a resident of our community in Hailey, Idaho, who is still being held prisoner in Afghanistan.

Bea inspired all of us as we learned of her life through the words she wrote and her nephew read. After learning about rivets, she worked at Douglas Aircraft. They wanted to give her a raise of 5 cents an hour when her employer learned that she was leaving to join the WAACS, after WWII was declared in 1941. "No Go," Bea told them. As a young woman she collected black widow spiders because their webs were very strong and were used for crosshairs on bombsights and periscopes, instead of blond hair, which stretched. Her history is amazing-100 years on the planet. After losing her husband of 57 years of marriage, she figured out why life goes on after a love one passes away. "There is soooo much to do! Although I am legally blind, I still am active doing many things. I go to night school where we do upholstery. I cook, garden, travel and shop." In her spare time she studies for her bat-mitzvah coming up in March. What a role model she exemplifies with her positive attitude, zest and enthusiasm. I believe it to be an outcome out of a relationship with herself based on self-worth and a positive attitude.

I aspire to live with this lifestyle as I enter into the 47th year of marriage (with the same husband). On the 16th of the month, Gene and I celebrated forty-six years together of creating memories of joy, heartache, gratitude, humility, introspection, spiritual depth, connection, challenge and lessons to be learned-lots of lessons. It seems like yesterday when we snuggled with our kids on Sunday night to watch Lassie at 7 pm and Wild Kingdom at 730. Life is indeed a school and I'll always be a student, regardless of the years of formal and informal education. Life consistently provides the most superior school of all-if we allow it to teach us. A consistent opportunity to ask, "How do I change my attitude?" Making life changes can be exciting or scary. Here's where you get to choose.
As February is a month associated with love, and soon we turn our calendar to March, keep on loving, keep on listening, keep on learning, keep on laughing...keep on being present, keep on trusting, keep on by all means keep on loving yourself.

Alexandra Delis-Abrams, Ph.D., aka The Attitude Doc can help guide you towards a path of tremendous success in all areas of your life and give the life change lessons or change your life.

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An Overview of Abdominal Pain

An Overview of Abdominal Pain
We can hardly find a person who has not suffered from abdominal pain at least once in his life. Abdominal pain may be of different types, caused by a number of causes, which range from simple to life threatening conditions. Irrespective of the cause and the severity, it is troublesome for the sufferers and the caregivers, and hence forces them to go for a medical consultation.

Abdomen is the part of the body between the thorax and the pelvis, which is separated from the thorax by a diaphragm and from the true pelvis by an imaginary plane. Anteriorly the anterior abdominal wall supports it and posteriorly, the spine and back muscles. Skin, superficial fascia, deep fascia, muscles, layers of fascia (Fascia transversalis), extra peritoneal connective tissue and the outer layer of peritoneum form the anterior abdominal wall. The abdominal cavity extends upwards in to the concavity of diaphragm and downwards in to the pelvic cavity. Since there is overlapping by the ribs in the upper part and pelvic bones in the lower part, the exact size of the abdominal cavity is masked.

The abdomen contains digestive organs like stomach, small intestine, large intestine, liver, gall bladder, pancreas, and uro-genital organs like kidneys, ureters, bladder, fallopian tubes, ovaries and uterus. It also contains organs like spleen, adrenal glands, mesenteric lymph nodes, blood vessels and lymphatic vessels etc. Ligaments formed by peritoneal tissue attach these organs and keep them in position. The peritoneum is a large serous membrane lining the abdominal cavity and has got two layers. The outer layer is called parietal peritoneum and it covers the inner surface of the abdominal wall and the inner layer is called visceral peritoneum, which covers the organs and restricts their mobility. These two layers of peritoneum are connected by omentum and mesentery through which the organs get blood supply and nerve supply. The cavity formed by the two layers of peritoneum is a potential space, called peritoneal cavity, which is moistened by a serous fluid to avoid friction of abdominal contents.

Types of abdominal pain:
Depending upon the origin, there can be different types of abdominal pains.

1. Visceral pain (Splanchnic pain): This is caused by stimulation of visceral nerves by a noxious agent, which may be living organisms, toxins, mechanical stimuli like stretching, excessive muscular contraction or an ischaemia. Visceral pain is dull in nature and is poorly localized and felt in the midline.

2. Parietal pain: This is also called somatic pain. Here, some noxious agents stimulate the parietal peritoneum causing a sharp and localized pain. This type of pain is worse by movements.

3. Referred pain: Here the pain, though originating in other sites, is felt in the abdomen due to common nerve supply. Example: Conditions like pleurisy, pericarditis, torsion of testes etc. cause pain in abdominal region due to supply of nerves having the same root value (Spinal segments).

It has already been mentioned that abdominal pain is agonizing for the affected person and his family members irrespective of its cause and severity. Intensity of pain may not always indicate the seriousness of the condition because severe pain can be from mild conditions like indigestion and flatulency, where as mild pain may be present in life threatening conditions like perforation, cancer etc. Hence proper diagnosis and management is very essential.

Modes of presentation of abdominal pain:

1. Acute abdominal pain: Here, the pain is sudden with a rapid onset and short course, which may be due to severe or mild lesions. The term 'acute abdomen' is used in conditions wherein the patient complains of acute abdominal symptoms that suggest a disease, which definitely or possibly threatens life and may or may not demand urgent surgical interference. Acute pain may be colicky or non colicky in nature.

2. Chronic abdominal pain: Here the pain is long lasting and recurrent or characterized by long suffering. The complaints persist for a long time with fluctuations in the intensity of symptoms.

3. Sub acute abdominal pain: As the name indicates the duration of pain lies between acute and chronic conditions.

4. Acute exacerbation: In this state, a person having chronic symptoms comes with sudden onset of symptoms that simulate an acute condition. In such cases the patient or the bystanders give the history of chronic sufferings.

Causes of abdominal pain:
The etiology of abdominal pain can be discussed under the following headings.

A. Pain due to lesions in the abdomen: Example: Gastritis, Duodenitis, Appendicitis, Peritonitis, Pancreatitis, Intestinal obstruction, Renal colic, Cholecystitis, Gall stones with obstruction, Peptic ulcer, Intestinal perforation, Non ulcer dyspepsia, Food allergy, Hepatitis, Liver abscess, Mesenteric lymphadenitis, Inflammatory bowel diseases (Ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease), Dysentery, Cancer of the gastro intestinal tract (GIT), Abdominal TB, Abdominal migraine, Acute regional ileitis, etc.

B. Pain due to metabolic and general problems: Example: Poisoning, Renal failure, Diabetes, Thyroid problems, Hyper parathyroidism, Porphyria, Drugs, Lead colic, Black widow spider bite, Blood diseases, Malaria, Leukemia, Peri arteritis nodosa, Hereditary angioedema, Cystic fibrosis.

C. Pain due to lesions outside the abdomen (Referred pains & neuralgic pains): Here the pain is referred from other sites due to common innervations. Example: Pneumonia, Heart attack, Sub acute bacterial endocarditis, Torsion of testes etc. Pains as a result of some neurogenic lesions are also included in this category. Example: Herpes zoster, Spinal nerve root pains, Tabes dorsalis, TB spine, Abdominal epilepsy, etc.

D. Functional pain: Here, the pain comes without any lesions, mostly due to some psychological causes. Example: Panic disorder, School stress, Somatisation disorder, History of sexual abuse, Irritable bowel syndrome.

E. Pain due to lesions in the urinary tract: Both upper and lower urinary tract lesions cause abdominal pain. Example: Urinary tract infection, Cystitis, Pyelonephritis, Urinary retention, Renal colic, Ureteric colic.

F. Pain due to gynecological and obstetrical problems: Even though the gynecological organs are situated in the pelvis, most of the lesions present with pain in lower abdomen. Example: Menstrual colic, Ruptured ectopic gestation, Acute salpingitis, Endometriosis, Endometritis, Pelvic inflammatory disease, Torsion of polyp, Pelvic abscess, IUCD pain, Puerperal infection.

G. Causes in children: In children there are some common causes, which are worth mentioning. Example: Babies colic, Lactose intolerance, Milk allergy, Intussusception, Volvolus, Torsion of testes, Accidental swallowing, Streptococcal throat infection, Congenital megacolon, Overfeeding, Food allergy, Aerophagy.

H. Non specific abdominal pain: Here, no immediate cause is found even after history taking and investigations.

In about 35 to 40% of cases of abdominal pain, the cause may not be identified easily and hence treated symptomatically. But, if the pain persists along with the appearance of other signs and symptoms that indicate the underlying cause, it should be identified as early as possible to manage the case properly.

Provisional disease diagnosis:
Here the probable condition causing abdominal pain is diagnosed by considering the history, signs and symptoms along with other clinical findings.

Lab investigations:
This includes several diagnostic procedures that can help for the final disease diagnosis. The choice of investigation depends upon the signs and symptoms that indicate a probable condition. The suitable investigation helps to reach a final diagnosis.

Example: Routine blood, Routine urine, Blood biochemistry, Stool examination, X-ray Barium x-ray Ultrasonography, Endoscopy of GIT, CT scan, MRI scan, Gastric acid secretion studies, Laperoscopy, Mucosal biopsy, ECG, Excretory urography, ERCP, IVP, Exploratory laparotomy etc are some useful investigations.

Final disease diagnosis:
After doing necessary investigations, the disease or the condition causing abdominal pain is diagnosed by correlating with the clinical findings and the history of the patient. In case of a diagnostic dilemma, a team of doctors are involved in the diagnosis and management.

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How Can Firewood Racks Help Me?

How Can Firewood Racks Help Me?
If you have an old style wood fireplace, and are tired of having scattered wood all over your yard or living room, then you need a firewood rack. There are many advantages of a wood fire place, but also some problems, not with the fireplace itself, but the wood. On the outside, one of the biggest problems is keeping the wood neat and organized. Sure, at first when they come and deliver your wood, if you do it yourself, it's in a nice neat stack. After you start taking away logs on a regular basis, it always seems that there is one keystone piece that when removed, the rest of the stack starts to slide and make a big mess.

Another problem with the wood pile is that no matter where the stack sits, as you get to the bottom, the wood ends up wet and nasty. You may also find that this bottom wood has gotten insects in it, as well as that arrant black widow spider, ready to jump at you if you aren't paying attention. Then you also have to cover it with a tarp, and getting that secured can be a major hassle as well, especially during or after a storm. There is nothing worse than going out to get some wood, only to find your cover has blown over and the whole thing is now covered with snow, or wet from the previous night's rain storm.

A firewood rack can take care of all these problems. There are small racks for indoors, to make sure that the wood you bring in for the day's use is nice and neatly stacked ready to make your house warm. They can also be used to stack kindling in, so the pieces don't get strewn all over the house. For the outside, you can have your wood stack neatly organized, no matter what time of the year it is, or which log you pull off. They keep your pile up off the ground itself, so air gets under the pile and keeps it dry, and free from ground crawling insects. You can easily secure you tarp or other covering to the rack, and open it to one side, and only when you need to.

You can make a simple firewood rack for the outside, using 2x4s, or larger pieces, and making a U shaped frame. The length, height, and depth depends on how much wood you order or bring in on a regular basis. A full cord of wood is 8x4x4, face cord is eight feet long by four feet high, but only two feet in depth. There is the half face cord, and the Rick of wood. Both of these are 8x1x1.

You can either build your own firewood racks, or you can buy prefabricated metal racks. While more expensive than making your own, there are advantages of buying one instead. For one, since they are metal, there is not as much worry about them breaking under the weight of the wood. Since many are coated, they are resistant to weather, and wear and tear. Since they come in a variety of different sizes and styles, you can find an indoor rack that fits your home's decorations.

If you're interested in buying a firewood rack, check out my website for more information. Happy shopping and I hope you find the perfect firewood rack.

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Your Menopausal Symptoms - Laugh Them Away

Your Menopausal Symptoms - Laugh Them Away
Your menopausal symptoms are directly affected by your stress level. Chronic stress is like a black widow spider. She will eat you alive after she has had her fun with you.

Stress certainly serves a healthy purpose when it has a short duration. The hormones released during the flight-or-fight response can prime you for fending off that mugger in the back alley. However, when the stress response is constantly or frequently activated in your body and you must sit perfectly still while you are dealing with your irritating boss, or you have prolonged insomnia, your menopausal symptoms will become more bothersome. For example, your hot flashes may increase in duration and frequency and your menstrual period may become heavier.

In addition, cortisol, the hormone released during stress, will increase your belly fat, which is all ready a challenge for the menopausal woman.

Although exercising is a well-known healthy outlet for your raging hormones, laughter will have the same stress-relieving qualities. So, if you cannot get to the gym, at least make sure you can throw a good belly laugh.

Dr. Eva Ritvo M.D., Psychiatrist states, "When you laugh your muscles relax, your stress hormones decrease, your immune function improves, your blood pressure lowers, your pain triggers go down, your blood sugar levels lower, you forget your problems and your skin appearance improves. This is all research proven."

Laughter is especially important during the menopausal years because of the added stress that midlife brings. Not only are you challenged by your changing female hormone levels, but some of you are dealing with midlife issues such as empty-nest syndrome, caring for aging parents, or dealing with problematic marriages.

Laughter really is the best antidote. And it is totally free! If you really cannot find anything funny, then put your energy into spending time with hilarious people, or watching a comedy.

Remember to poke fun at your own imperfections and those of others (you may not want to do this to their faces), because if you know and can accept that we are all deeply flawed, then there is no reason to try so hard to be perfect.

We have all heard the advice that we should get rid of toxic people who vacuum all the humor out of our lives. I take issue with that because everyone is toxic at different times. If I listened to that nonsense, I would have emptied my life of all living things by now, including myself, my plants and my dog. It is far better to be kind and generous with your friends and time, and help others to rid themselves of toxicity with a good joke.

If you are still having a hard time seeing the funny side of life, then fake it, after all, women are quite good at that. Your body cannot distinguish between real or fake laughter, so it will trigger the same positive hormonal response. Your menopausal symptoms will ease and you will look and feel fabulous.

Glenda de Vries is the editor of http://www.NursingMenopause.com/ On the site you will find information on how to have a fabulous menopause.

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Wilderness Backpacking Survival - Hydration and Your Water Supply

Wilderness Backpacking Survival - Hydration and Your Water Supply
A good friend of mine talked me into driving out West to do a backpacking trip into the heart of the Grand Canyon. It was the middle of June with temperatures already soaring above 100. This would be my first backpack excursion into a harsh environment under strenuous conditions. We consulted an outfitter and park rangers on survival under the conditions of the canyon. Due to careful planning, it turned out to one of the best experiences of my life, even with scorpions, rattle snakes and black widow spiders lurking in the shadows.

The day before our descent, a S.W.A.T. team member, in excellent condition had to be taken out of the canyon by life-flight due to dehydration. He did not heed the advice of drinking water even if you do not feel thirsty. You lose body fluids quickly due to perspiration and evaporation. By the time your thirst mechanism kicks in, you are on the way to being dehydrated, which will hinder your performance and can also lead to serious problems such as: electrolyte imbalance, kidney failure, coma, shock, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and more. If dehydration is severe, it can easily lead to death.

We were told that at times water pipes into the canyon are shut down, and to prepare as if the water you carry is your only supply. We each carried enough water for our 3-day trip, and I packed iodine tablets, a backpacker stove, and waterproof matches. Looking back I should have also taken a backpacking water filtration device. We were also advised to hydrate before the hike and drink plenty of water along the way. The key was not to reach the point of thirst.

It is absolutely critical to keep ahead of dehydration in a wilderness environment, especially under hot arid conditions. Know the "Rule of Three"-you can live 3 minutes without air, 3 weeks without food, and only live 3 days without water. Calculate how much water you will need to carry with you for the duration of your trip. Check to see if there are sources like streams, lakes, or springs near the trail that could provide water for purifying or filtering.
In a pinch, you could also look for food sources that have high water content, such as berries, cacti, and other plants. First, make sure they are not poisonous. It is a good idea not to ingest anything with caffeine in it or alcoholic beverages both of which are diuretics and can contribute to dehydration, i.e. this would defeat the purpose of staying hydrated.

• Consider the environment you will be in.
• Bring enough drinking water with you to hydrate yourself before you start out, enough for your hike, and some in your vehicle or base camp for your return.
• Find out if there are sources along your journey that you can purify if needed.
• Drink as you hike. Do not wait until you are thirsty.
• Filter and or purify all back country sources of water.
• Get advice and knowledge from experts in wilderness training and the manufactures of water purification devices.

This article was written for informational purposes only. You should get proper training and further knowledge before you enter the wilderness. The responsibility ultimately is yours.

To get more knowledge on survival information, supplies, plans, kits, tips and more visit: [http://www.survivalnowonline.com], and on water purification and filtration visit: [http://www.survivalnowonline.com/page/waterpurification]
Gail Maimone invites you to her website to learn more on survival.

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The Business External Assessment - What's Out There?

The Business External Assessment - What's Out There?
When my two oldest boys were small, one of their favorite games was What's Down There? One of them would crawl into my bed first thing in the morning, and ask: "Dad, what's down there?". I would look at the floor over the edge of the bed and nonchalantly say something like "Oh nothing, except for the hundreds of black widow spiders (or alligators, or writhing snakes...), then I would slowly push the kid toward the edge of the bed. I could always gauge the enthusiasm of his response by the gruesomeness of the particular horror dwelling on the floor. My younger son (who still has a vivid imagination) would fight with considerable vigor, often producing uproarious laughter from the other family members who happened to be watching. His response was directly related to his knowledge of what was down there.

The same principle holds true for business. If you want your business plans to really be effective, you have to have a good knowledge of "what's out there". That means taking the time to evaluate important external factors, things like current economic climate, the global competition, other local competitors, and what customers are buying. Doing a good job at this assessment will produce considerably more precision in the goals for your own business. Indeed, good investigation will frequently add the quality of speed to your goals - knowing which things should be accomplished now and which can wait until later in the year.

To move into world class using your external analysis, however, you have to communicate the importance of those externally focused goals. When your staff know which goals are really significant, and see regular reports on progress toward those significant goals, a sense of vibrancy will arise in your business, and you will see all sorts of good activity that was never there before. It's worth the effort - give it a try!

Tim Connor is co-founder and president of Rodeo! Performance Group based out of Ocala, Florida. Rodeo clients have developed action-based strategies, reduced interpersonal conflict to zero, enjoyed an ROI of up to 20 times, built highly effective business plans, and developed new habits and attitudes - as well as skills - into their leadership. Our company will only work with clients if we feel we can show a return of at least three times what we will charge. Rodeo works with all sizes and types of business, with special expertise with medical practices and healthcare related businesses. You can check us out or sign up for our free newsletter, the Wrangler, at http://www.rodeopg.com

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Let it Go, You Crazy Fool, You Demented Soul - Laugh Hard

Let it Go, You Crazy Fool, You Demented Soul - Laugh Hard
Let it go, you crazy fool, you demented soul. Let it go that you can be someone else. Let it go that you are not OK, that you are not normal, and that the world is often too much for you. No one is really normal, and the world - with all its cares and woe- is way too much for almost everybody. We, who are mentally ill, are not alone. The whole of society is kind of crazed. Why else would so many people go postal, go bonkers, go bananas, so many get smashed, get stoned, and lose themselves in the refrigerator? Normal folks, they spend their time on the couch, in anger management therapy, reading books on relationship resolution, and joining groups to end their suffering. This is the way of the world. The crazed are simply one small, jagged fragment of a very fragmented universe. All you can do is to laugh to keep yourself from crying, or dying.

Twelve steps can be found from any point of madness: alcohol, cocaine, blubber, and sex.
Sometimes those paces taken away work, but they only work when the worker surrenders and doesn't try to work anymore. He or she doesn't try to fight against the addiction or the illness. I have fought all those demons: drugs, sex, and more: mania, depression, and the desire to die. The more I fought, the more I lost. I wouldn't just let go. I wouldn't surrender to their existence. I wouldn't for the longest time say OK, I'm an addict, I'm mentally ill, and get on with my life. I struggled against the definitions. I denied I was an addict. I denied I was mentally ill. I denied I was bipolar. There was a wonderful T-shirt I had once that had printed on the front, "Denial is not a river in Egypt." Wearing it made me and others laugh.

For the longest time I thought my problems were caused by others. My problems were caused by my screwed-up childhood and these problems were created by my parents, grandparents, and others in my family. I was trapped in a net of cause and effect not of my own making. I was like some poor insect snared in the Black Widow Spider's web stung until dead with her poison. In a sense I had not taken responsibility for myself or my own circumstances. By not owning either I could not forgive myself for my life in all its flaws and failures.

In another sense, I was in a dilemma. I was torn between guilt and hatred twice. I hated myself for having something I did not want and felt guilty for having it. I hated my elders for causing my mental illness and I felt guilty for hating them because they knew not what they did. They caused my problems, but I knew they loved me. They were just humans with problems they could not handle. I hated myself for not having what I wanted because I was not good enough to have it. Being normal, which is good, was what I wanted but wasn't. I was bipolar, which is something bad. Thus I hated myself for being diseased in the brain, but why should I hate me when I was not guilty of anything but being the wrong person in the wrong place? I was trapped in a hopeless spiral of negativity from which there was no escape as long as one attributed blame and avoided responsibility. But if you stop looking outside yourself, if you stop assigning responsibility to others, if you surrender to the situation you're in, the equation changes.

The Buddhists have an interesting view about the human situation, which parallels the predicament I found myself in. As humans, we are trapped in a world in which there are only three outcomes.

1. We don't get what we want and are unhappy.
2. We get what we don't want and are unhappy.
3. We get what we want and it changes and we become unhappy.

They say the only way out of this conundrum is to let go of trying to solve the dilemma. You have to give up on desire, attachment, and fear. In Buddhism this is a very big subject and goes to the heart of the philosophy or religion, if you want to call it a religion. It relates to becoming egoless or selfless, which is way beyond what I am trying to convey in this small essay. Yet there is a quality of selflessness about freeing oneself from the unhappiness of mental illness because one is no longer focused on the problem of self, but on freedom of self from condemnation and dread.

When you give up the desire to be normal- to be free of who you are - circumstances begin to change. In the circumstance of mental illness, if you accept the fact that you have a disease that may be or may not be permanent, but can be lived with when treated properly, it frees you to take responsibility for yourself. No longer are you subjected to second class citizenship. No longer are you just a patient. You are a co-participant in your treatment and recovery. The focus is not so tightly held on self as a sick person, but as a person who has a flaw that adds dimension to his or her being when properly treated. Like a beautiful diamond with a cloud in the crystal, the cloud can add interest.

When you give up attachment to your mental illness, it no longer defines who you are. Mental illness taken as a key underpinning of identity is struck away when no longer used as a crutch. No longer can I say I can get away with this or that because I am mentally ill. What I used in the past as an excuse for my actions is no longer viable. I am responsible for what I do. If I act like a crazy person, the onus is on me. Therefore I must do all that is in my power to prevent that occurrence. For me, who knows that I am bipolar, this means I must follow the prescribed course of medication and take care of my health to keep stress at a reasonable level. My identity has found a new ground. I am less egocentric because I am not focused on my identity as a crazy person. I see myself as person with a problem in a world full of people with problems. I am not an island but a part of a larger continent. I am not a person solely in need of help, but a person who can help.

The hardest thing to give up is fear. Mental illness brings with it an enormous amount of fear. There is the fear of what happened, the fear of what could happen again, and the fear of the reaction of others to the knowledge of your mental illness. The stigma of mental illness is real and enormous. The fear of what happened is easiest to give up. It happened in the past. Even if the past was just yesterday, it still is over. Smile-you got through it. When I have a down, and I still do, I know I will get through it. I will survive. Tomorrow is another day, and on that tomorrow I can smile. The fear of the future is harder. No one knows if they will breakdown again. Disaster could strike. But I say you can't focus on it. You must live in today. Keep your awareness here and smile. If you are OK today, that is enough. The alcoholics say "One day at a time." We with mental illness should say the same and laugh wholeheartedly that we are sane today in an insane world.

The stigma of mental illness won't go away until we make it go away. We, the carriers of the disease of mental illness, have to stand up fearlessly before all the cringing cops, doctors, politicians, social workers, do-gooders, couch potatoes, and others fearful folk and say: "We are just like you! We have flaws. We are treatable. We are not contagious. We demand our rights to be treated like full citizens. I shall not be talked down to. We are laughing at the strangeness of life and the beauty of the universe. See the luminosity that surrounds our special group of touched humans."

Carlton Davis, an author, artist, and architect, has bipolar disorder. He has written a moving memoir called "bipolar bare." This story, which includes 32 original drawings, is about coming to grips with the illness and appreciating it as a gift. To learn more about the book visit http://www.bipolarbarebook.com/

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What is Calcium Chloride Used For?

What is Calcium Chloride Used For?
You may not know it by name, but calcium chloride can be found in refrigeration plants, on roads and in concrete. This exceedingly useful chemical is even used in the medical field for everything from promoting bone health to preventing a magnesium overdose. It is often an additive in calcium supplements, though the most popular supplement is calcium carbonate.
Medically, calcium chloride can be injected intravenously to treat low calcium (Hypocalcemia), Black Widow Spider bites, hives, magnesium intoxication, acute lead colic or cardiac arrest. When patients pass out during open heart surgery, a dose of this can wake them up. In some patients who are experiencing weak myocardial contractions, boosting calcium levels can succeed where epinephrine failed.

Naturally, the presence of it balances the presence of everything from potassium and magnesium to stomach acids. If a patient is experiencing an adverse reaction to Cardizem, a Channel Blocker drug like calcium chloride can intervene and prevent a heart attack. Biologists sometimes use this compound in genetics to increase cell membrane permeability to ensure DNA uptake.

Surprisingly, this medical compound and industrial product can also been found in food. Calcium chloride is sometimes used as a firming agent or drying agent and has been approved by both the European Union and the US FDA. It is estimated that people ingest roughly 160-345 mg/day, although direct consumption would result in stomach irritation and ulceration. You may notice this compound on packages of sports drinks, pickles, chocolate bars, vegetables, milk and beer.

Sometimes liquid calcium chloride is also used in fertilizers. Ward Chemical is the top manufacturer of organic fertilizers containing this compound. They say that this biodegradable additive neutralizes the pH balance of the soil, reduces crusting, assists plant growth, ensures water retention, reduces high alkaline/sodium/magnesium/saline content, and protects plants from disease. Working quickly and efficiently, agriculture is one of many uses for this great mineral compound.

Visit us for free tips and training to help you make quick easy money and have the financial freedom you deserve.

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Presenting - The Best Pass-the-Parcel Christmas Presents

Presenting - The Best Pass-the-Parcel Christmas Presents
It's almost that time of year again, and it is time to get started thinking about Christmas presents. Although the holiday season is a family event, we all know that children are the priority. As with every year the presents seem to be getting bigger and better, but it is hard to find little presents for the obligatory stocking or a pass-the-parcel game. From scanning top 10 Christmas present lists to furtively looking through catalogues, its best to start early to avoid disappointment. Braving shopping centres and the crowds of swarming shoppers can make the festive season more stressful than it should be, but at least there are now lots of websites on offer to help. Pass the parcel is a popular childrens' game but because of recent trends for unusual party games it is now making a comeback with young adults.
 
Depending on the age group there are a variety of ideas for fun Christmas Presents.
If catering for a kiddies party, interactive toys are always a winner especially animals, babies and teddies. The Flying Pig toy would be a big hit; you pull back on his legs like a catapult and watch him fly through the air with a loud squeal and an oink! It is a brilliant pass-the parcel Christmas present or stocking filler. Egglings are also a good idea. They are tiny eggs that you crack and add water to. Wait and watch for a few days and you will see tiny plants growing either basil, wild strawberry or petunia; a fantastic idea for budding scientists. There is also the opportunity for buying "Grow-Your-Own" boxes with the opportunity for growing anything from shamrocks to carnivorous plants to daisies. The kits come with everything you need and children will love watching them grow; it sure beats making cress grow out of cotton wool at school!

Another fantastic pass-the-parcel prize is the Dino Dig. This is great for young archaeologists of ages seven and up and it is possible not only to excavate a Tyrannosaurus Rex but also to make an 11cm model using the bones. This kind of Christmas present is perfect for an inquisitive mind and will keep children amused for hours. For an unusual scientific present, the "My Mystery UFO" is one of the hottest gifts for Christmas. It leaves the impression of floating in mid air without batteries, cables or magnets. So how does it float? You will have to buy it to find out!

If you are hosting a Christmas party for girls, the Doll-Making-Kit fairy design is a perfect gift for creative little princesses. Suitable for children over the age of six, the kit includes everything you would need to make a beautiful fairy doll, including equipment and instructions. A great prize to help a whole group of children stay entertained after Pass-the-Parcel is Charades for Kids. There are cards for younger children that involve acting out animals and sports but for the older kids they are a bit more challenging, having to act out weirder actions like eating spaghetti or doing up your shoelaces. Another prize that will get their creative juices going is the now available fantastic kit for painting your own pyjamas. The pyjamas come in ages 18 months until 12 years and with a range of different coloured paints. It is not only something to keep them quiet for a few hours but a great way for them to get inspired and express themselves. For more magically minded children what about a Box of Wizard Tricks for a Christmas present? The box includes over 80 different magic tricks and all of the props to go with them; before long Harry Potter will be eating his heart out!
If you have quite a large budget for Pass-the-Parcel gifts, then the Rainbow in my Room projector is an amazing present. The projector uses different LEDs and motion sensors to create a beautiful rainbow with just the wave of a hand. It is a great bedroom addition and also good for soothing any bed-time worries. Another pricier gift is the Recording Studio taster. Following the trends of High School Musical and X-Factor, children can live out their dreams by recording one of their favourite songs professionally; great value for money and a really unusual Christmas present.

A lot of these gifts would also suit older children or even young adults, but for teenagers other gifts may be more appropriate. Things like an iPod case or money boxes are practical and small enough to make Pass-the-Parcel interesting. For a more technological present, the radio controlled vehicles and even the remote controlled Black Widow Spider may be the perfect thing for teenage boys (although not for their families!)
Whether catering for a party for under 3's, little princesses or teenage boys there is so much choice for Pass-the-Parcel Christmas presents, the only problem will be picking one!

Written by John Smith co-founder of GettingPersonal.co.uk

GettingPersonal.co.uk are one of the UK's leading on-line retailers of Gifts, personalised gifts and Christmas Presents [http://www.gettingpersonal.co.uk] Their website is packed with over 1,500 gifts for any special occasion.
For more go to [http://www.gettingpersonal.co.uk]

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Understand How Women Think and Increase Your Dating Success

Understand How Women Think and Increase Your Dating Success
I firmly believe that some dating advice that carries the disclaimer "for entertainment purposes only" REALLY IS "for entertainment purposes only". What's more, some guys are perfectly okay with that. It's enough for them.

After all, SAYING that one is acting on a desire to get better with women and going through the motions in a way that FEELS LIKE getting better with women is often A LOT safer than ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING.

It's potentially WAY less painful, also.

But lately it has occurred to me that there's an EVEN MORE fascinating phenomenon out there that is potentially lulling guys into a "false sense of security" of sorts when it comes to improving our skills with women.

Here it is: I think that a shockingly high percentage of men's dating advice is built around the premise that men and women THINK ALIKE about dating and seduction.
Moreover, we as guys tend to assume women think like WE DO rather than vice versa.
I mean, come on. It's the easy road, after all. Understanding women is complicated if not altogether enigmatic to us.

Therefore, when someone comes along and gives us advice on how to handle women, and does so in a way that MAKES SENSE to a man, what happens?

You guessed it...we assume that if it MAKES SENSE to us, it must be accurate and effective.
There's only one problem. Women aren't wired the way we are after all.

Sure, our basic emotional fabric, wants and needs are more similar than we often give credit for.

But nonetheless, what drives that which is feminine is VERY different than what motivates us as masculine men.

And for better at worse, it's the DIFFERENCES between men and women that spark attraction. Therefore, the DIFFERENCES are indeed at the heart of dating advice in general.
I'll give you a primo example...one that could transform how you look at dating/seduction advice from this moment forward if you let it sink in.

Here goes... One of THE most repeated themes in the Seduction Community is the concept of how attractive women can select their partners at will while "rejecting" all others.

Meanwhile, so the story goes, we as guys are left to compete against the herd for the right to "mate" with a desirable female.

Elaborate comparisons are often made with what goes on elsewhere in the animal kingdom.
Bighorn sheep butting heads. Alpha wolves slaughtering the young of competing males. Big bad Black Widow spiders of the female persuasion gobbling up their puny male mates right after intercourse.

Sheesh.
Basically, the message is, "Women are the lucky ones. They can have sex whenever they want, and casually reject guys right and left until they get to the one they want."
Us guys? We either become "more alpha", or we die virgins or something.

Guess what? That's how WE AS GUYS THINK, because it's WE who are motivated by sexual conquest.

Now sure, SOME women do indeed wield tremendous sexual power. And yes, they really do "reject" countless guys who want to "mate" with them.

At least that's how WE perceive the universe.
But here's the thing. You should see the e-mails Emily and I get from women.
They've got dating challenges of their own. And they think all the GUYS are in control when it comes to dating.

Perhaps you're thinking that we must be getting e-mails from all the less-than-attractive women out there who lack in the "sexual power" department.

Au contraire.
Sometime when you're bored at work, hit up our Facebook group and surf through some of the hotties who have accepted Emily's invitation and are ALL ABOUT going from "good" to "great" with guys.

Their challenges? They read like this: "I date a bunch of guys and they only want one thing...sex. When will I find a guy who will love me and want to commit to me?"
We have NEVER (as in NEVER, EVER) received a single e-mail from a woman who was concerned about "getting l***" enough.

And it's not because every woman has ultimate "choosing" power over guys in that area.
And for the record, it's also not because women don't like sex.

It's because they DON'T THINK LIKE A MAN DOES.
So the best dating advice to guys who want to get better with women is NOT to try to figure out how to get a woman to "select" you as her sex partner.

Instead, if you THINK IN TERMS OF WHAT WOMEN WANT, you'll realize that the man who represents who a woman wants to fall in love with and commit to is the guy who will TRULY succeed.

Does all this still seem a bit cryptic to you? Looking for a clearer indication that I'm on to something here?

Look no further than the WOMEN'S dating advice market. Because they do the EXACT SAME THING...in reverse.

Women "dating gurus" tend to talk to women as if we as men think like they do.
And it SELLS LIKE HOTCAKES.

Why?
Because it makes sense to women, of course.
Women want a man to commit to them instead of "using them and leaving them".
So what's the best advice? Simple: follow "The Rules" designed to cajole a man into committing before you give him anything he wants.

The reality? Any self-respecting guy, such as yourself, isn't going to fall for it.
Show me a woman who UNDERSTANDS that men want a woman who actually LIKES MEN, follows a worthy man's lead, basks in her own femininity and heaps unsolicited approval on the deserving man in her life...and I'll show you the woman who has guys FALLING ALL OVER THEMSELVES to put a ring on her finger.

Why is that? Simple...SHE KNOWS HOW MEN THINK, and represents what they want.
Can you make the extra effort to discover more about how women think?
If so, can you believe that it will pay off?

Can you trust that women REALLY DO follow a man's lead, therefore when you represent what THEY want they GLADLY reciprocate by giving you what YOU want?
I realize this is circuit-frying knowledge. But I also suspect that deep down you know there is real truth at the foundation of what I'm sharing with you.

Do you refuse to "settle" and choose to deserve what you want instead? If so, you'll enjoy Scot McKay's refreshing approach to dating and seduction, yours to discover at: http://www.relationship-advice.us
Stop by right now and Scot will personally send you a FREE 8-part mini-course ($47 value) when you sign up for the X & Y Communications Newsletter, which is always packed with unique and practical dating tips.
Also be sure to check out the X & Y On The Fly Dating Podcast On iTunes.

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Tips on Finding a Reliable Exterminator in Phoenix Arizona

Tips on Finding a Reliable Exterminator in Phoenix Arizona
When you need a pest exterminator, Phoenix, Arizona residents know that they can turn to professional pest control service providers to get the job done. People living in Anthem, Apache Junction, Avondale, Fountain Hills, Higley, Laveen, Maricopa, Tolleson and Tempe are all serviced by Phoenix pest control companies. You can get help controlling ants, pillbugs, rats, silverfish, black widow spiders, scorpions, earwigs, crickets, cockroaches and many other types of common pests. For quality services and effective strategies for getting rid of these and other pests, you need a knowledgeable exterminator. Phoenix, Arizona home and office owners can find pest control professionals who can provide what it takes to control these pests.

Insects need to be properly identified in order to determine what the most effective means might be to eliminate them from your home or office, and this is when you can turn to an exterminator. Phoenix, Arizona companies have trained service technicians who can come to your home or office and make a positive identification and then propose a plan to remove them from the premises. Certain pest control methods work best at certain stages of the insect's life cycle, and so the determination of which stage they are in can best be done by a trained exterminator. Phoenix, Arizona residents can rely on professional pest control service providers to answer all their questions and offer plans for pest removal that work.

Once the exterminator has gotten rid of the pests, you will want to maintain their eradication from your home or office. You can discuss maintenance options with your exterminator. Phoenix, Arizona pest control companies can put you on a regular schedule of maintenance, so that you will not have to worry about being inundated with pests again. Although chemical pesticides may need to be applied to the nesting and breeding areas of pests in order to eradicate them, once they have left the building mechanical controls may be all that is needed to keep them at bay. These might include an insect barricade erected around the outside perimeter of your home or office's foundation, so that pests cannot penetrate the barrier. Traps might also be in order, depending on the recommendations of your exterminator. Phoenix, Arizona pest removal companies can advise you about what the best course of action will be to maintain your pest-free home or office.

Because of the stage at which the pests invading your property are at, it often takes repeated applications of pest control products to remove the pests. Products are used that are slow acting, so that the insects can take the poison back to the nest, where it will eventually kill them. Some products were meant to kill insects at the egg stage, while others are effective at the adult stage. For the best treatment options, discuss this with your exterminator Phoenix, Arizona residents can find professional pest control services available in the Metro area and beyond.

Jonathan Blocker writes about the regulation and management of pest control In this article he talks about steps you can take to rid your home of unwanted guest.

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The Candy Shop War by Brandon Mull - Book Review

 The Candy Shop War by Brandon Mull - Book Review

Never take candy from a stranger! Brandon Mull, New York Times bestselling author of "Fablehaven," likes to use the messages we all hear as kids, like, "Drink your milk," and this traditional warning to stay away from strangers bearing sweets. The similarities to anything you've heard before stop there. "The Candy Shop War" is something completely new and different, and I might add, something fantastic and full of action.

Brandon Mull has created a whole new world where special candy can make kids float, shoot electric shocks from their fingers, and even enter the land of wonder through the looking glass...but it isn't anything wonderful in there! Nate is new to the neighborhood, having just moved in, and the friends he makes in the first days will become the truest sort he can hope for. They will come to rely on each other in ways they never could have imagined. The kids start doing after school chores for the owner of a new candy shop in return for special treats. Here's where that warning comes in to never take candy from people you don't know. The chores turn into assignments, which turn out to be quite dangerous and progressively wrong. The temptation might seem sweet but Nate and his friend Trevor decide to hang in there for other reasons. There is a mystery to be solved, and it turns out that there is a rival candy seller who has an interest in what is discovered. A great legend comes into play, and while talking dogs and horses are very cool, what is going on is becoming terribly bad. It's up to Nate and his friends to put a stop to it, if they aren't eaten by giant black widow spiders, or turned to bones and dust first.

This middle grade reader is fantastically full of adventure and fun of a completely different sort. While there is magic and wonder involved, it isn't like anything published in recent history. The underlying messages are well thought out, while the characters steal the show. Kids aged 8-12 will see themselves as Nate figures out what to do to save the day, and even as he bounces from rooftop to rooftop. Who wouldn't love to give their teacher fudge in order to make her forget about assigning homework? The writing is, as always, a pleasure to partake of. Brandon Mull is a gifted author who knows how to reach out to his readers even when giving them those important reminders to drink milk and not take candy from strangers. I will anxiously await even more published work from this author, and Shadow Mountain.

The Candy Shop War
by Brandon Mull
ISBN-10: 159038783X
Review by Heather Froeschl

Heather Froeschl is an author, award winning editor, and book reviewer, at http://www.Quilldipper.com and http://www.Bookideas.com

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Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid) - The Heroic Antioxidant

Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid) - The Heroic Antioxidant
Vitamin C or L-Ascorbic Acid is not manufactured by the body. It must be obtained through diet or supplementation. It is a water soluble vitamin found in the juices of fruits and vegetables and readily leaches into the cooking water of boiled foods. It is very sensitive to oxidation and is destroyed whenever foods are cut or torn which exposes the cells to air.

Alkalies such as baking soda or antacids destroy ascorbic acid.
Vitamin C is a very important antioxidant and is required for at least 300 metabolic functions in the human body. This includes tissue growth and repair, adrenal gland function, and healthy gums. It also aids the production of anti-stress hormones and interferon which is an important immune-system protein. It must also be present for the metabolism of folic acid, tyrosine and phenylalanine. Taking vitamin C can reduce the symptoms of asthma.

Ascorbic acid protects against the harmful effects of pollution, helps prevent cancer, protects against infection, and enhances immune system function. It increases the absorption of iron and can combine with toxic substances, like certain heavy metals, and render them harmless and allow them to be eliminated from the body. Very large doses of vitamin C may even render the venom of the black widow spider harmless.

This vitamin may also reduce levels of LDL (the bad cholesterol) while it increases levels of HDL (the good cholesterol) and lower high blood pressure to help prevent atherosclerosis. It is essential for the formation of collagen. Collagen is a protein that forms the basis for connective tissue, the most abundant tissue in the body. Collagen binds muscle cells together, gives support and maintains shape in intervertebral discs and eustachian tubes, and provides movement in joints. Vitamin C protects against abnormal blood clotting and bruising. It may reduce the risk of cataracts and promotes healing of wounds and burns.
Vitamins C works in concert with both vitamin E and beta-carotene. Taking these vitamins together allow them to repotentiate each other and may counter potential adverse effects of taking them separately. Vitamin E works to scavenge dangerous free radicals in cell membranes, while vitamin C scavenges free radicals in biologic fluids. These vitamins reinforce and extend the antioxidant activity of the other.

Ascorbic acid has a role in amino acid metabolism and hormonal synthesis. It contributes to the formation of tyrosine (the precursor for the neurotransmitters epinephrine and norepinephrine). During periods of stress these hormones are mobilized, and the small stores of ascorbic acid in the adrenal glands are depleted. Therefore, vitamin C may help the body deal more effectively with stress. Tryptophan is converted to 5-hydroxytryptophan in the presence of vitamin C and is decarboxlated to form the neurotransmitter serotonin.
CANCER: Cancer risk is reduced by the antioxidant characteristics of vitamin C. Researchers at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland found that free-radical activity damages DNA, which might initiate carcinogenic changes in colonic mucosa. Vitamin C suppresses this damage and limits adenomatous polyp growth in patients with colorectal cancer. This vitamin acts as a cytotoxic agent in cancerous cells to reverse chemically-transformed cells back to a normal phenotype. Vitamin C, together with beta-carotene, reverses cervical dysplasia, leukoplakia, and gastric metaplasia.

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE: A study at the University of California, Los Angeles, compared heart disease mortality rates in individuals with the highest and lowest vitamin C intakes and found that regular supplementation with vitamin C reduced the mortality rate from cardiovascular disease by 45%.

DIABETES: Ascorbic acid may help regulate insulin action in diabetics according to a study conducted at the National Institutes of Health. The study indicates that ascorbic acid participates in insulin regulation by inhibiting glucose-induced insulin release in pancreatic islets.

IMMUNE SYSTEM: A marginal ascorbic acid deficiency results in compromised immune system function according to a study from USDA Agriculture Research Service in San Francisco and UCLA School of Public Health in Los Angeles. This was despite the absence of clinical deficiency symptoms. Moreover, researchers at Arizona State University in Tempe report that high intakes of vitamin C stimulate the immune system response by degrading and detoxifying histamine and might indirectly enhance neutrophil chemotaxis.

COMMON COLD: Finnish researches reviewed current research on ascorbic acid and the common cold. They found that most studies report the vitamin to have only a small effect on cold prevention. However, the studies consistently show this vitamin helps reduce a cold's duration and severity. Vitamin C supplements given in therapeutic doses (1 to 8 grams/day) at the onset of a cold reduce the duration of cold episodes by as much as 48%.
VISION: Levels of vitamin C in the eye are 20 to 70 times greater than that found in plasma and other tissues. This vitamin plays a key role in proper ocular function by protecting the eye against light-induced loss of retinal pigment, epithelial cells, and photoreceptor cells. It also eliminates O2 from the lens and protects against UV radiation. There is some evidence that links higher intakes of this vitamin with a reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration.

Low intakes of this vitamin may increase the risk for developing cataracts. Low levels to none are found in cataractous lenses, while human lenses with senile cataracts have increased levels of free radicals. It is unknown whether these associations are the cause or result of cataracts. In vitro studies have shown that ascorbic acid may benefit glaucoma in the human eye.

CAUTIONS: Do not take aspirin and large doses of standard ascorbic acid together. Doing so may lead to stomach irritations, possibly contributing to ulcer formation. If you take aspirin regularly, use a buffered form of vitamin C, and take it separately from the aspirin.
If pregnant, take no more than 5,000 mg of ascorbic acid per day. A developing infant may become dependent on this supplement and develop scurvy when deprived of the accustomed megadoses after birth.

Avoid using chewable forms of this supplement, as these can damage tooth enamel.

Tom Nuckels is a health article author and owner of LpVitamins. His customers range from children to the elderly and from carpenters to doctors. To learn what sublingual b-12 and phytonutrients can do for you, visit lpvitamins.com.

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Childhood Innocense...And Other Myths

Childhood Innocense...And Other Myths
If you're under the impression that little girls are all as innocent as they appear, you might want to consider the possibility that the "sugar and spice" myth was most likely conceived by someone who never conceived a daughter.

Since I was the third daughter to arrive on the scene, I quickly assessed the situation. Precedents had been set, and being the baby of the family it became my roll to break them.
My grand larceny phase hit when I was three. The boy next door always left his silver tricycle on his front porch. So, I would rise early and wait with his trike at the top of the hill. When he attempted to climb the hill to retrieve it, I would chase him down the hill with it singing the theme from Dragnet (as I recall the words were dump ta duuu...dump ta dump ta duuu...)

My father tried to entice me away from this life of crime by buying me a new tricycle for my 4th birthday. It was large and blue and looked like the one that "Little Joy" chased Shirley Temple with on "Bright Eyes." Didn't take. I continued to terrorize that poor little boy with his own trike until my parents were forced to move from the state...at least that was what I was told at the time. Actually my Dad was transferred.

I eventually grew out of that phase and moved on to substance abuse. Our favorite treat was licorice root. They looked just like sticks and my sisters and I would go throughout the neighborhood amazing our friends by chewing on kindling. However, licorice root was rare and costly. No matter where our father hid the box, we would always sniff it out. Eventually he placed it in full view in the outside shed and pointed out the family of black widow spiders he had hired to guard it. Quitting licorice root cold turkey was no picnic I can tell you!

Now you can't possibly have a house full of girls without arguments breaking the monotony on occasion. Though our mother was very good at sorting things out and dispensing the proper punishment to the instigator, she sometimes got it wrong...thus prompting my first runaway attempt. I dutifully packed my little doll suitcase with clean underwear and socks, grabbed my pillow and headed out for parts unknown. I got as far as the curb outside our house and remembered that it was Sunday and perhaps running away from home would be considered breaking the Sabbath.

Our father in an attempt to impress upon us the virtue of saving money, bought each of us a little metal bank. We were to fill our banks with the coins from our allowance at which time Daddy would take us to the bank to open a real savings account. Well, I'm sorry but the call of all that loot got the best of me. I hid in my closet one night and maneuvered the coins out of the bank and hid them in my coat pocket. The next day my mother, who was suspicious of the way my coat was hanging, appeared at the little market across from the school just in time to catch me feverishly buying office supplies. OK, larceny was out now too.

I eventually gave up the life of crime and concentrated on teasing and humiliating my younger sisters. Hey. Everyone needs a hobby right?

Cindy Jaynes is a freelance writer and grandmother of twelve. To learn more about Cindy and how she earns a fulltime living online, visit her website at [http://www.easyks.com]

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Ten Things You Should Know About Betta Fish

Ten Things You Should Know About Betta Fish
1. Betta fish have superbly developed eyesight and therefore they swim to the top of the tank whenever they see a human hand hovering over it to place the food in.

2. Another name for betta fish is the Siamese fighting fish and its name is pronounced in the same way as when we say the Greek letter beta, it is for this reason that some misspell the name and is why you often see it written beta fish, which is the American way. Some think that the name has something to do with the Greek letter, but it is actually derived from the Thai word 'ikan bettah'. Betta fish are known as pla-kad in Thailand and live in shallow freshwater.

3. Because of the fantastic colours of the male betta fish and other advantages, they are the most popular aquarium fish. This of course doesn't mean you can just put them in the tank and not look after them, they need a lot of looking after.

4. Betta fish actually originate from the Southeast Asia, Thailand, Malaysia and China.

5. They grow to about 3 inches and have a relatively short lifespan of about 2 years, but some live up to 4 years, it has been known that in well looked after aquariums, some have lived over 6 years.

6. When the male betta fish is in his aggressive stage he will puff himself out. During this puffing out he raises his gill covers and fins to make himself look larger than he is and therefore looks more impressive. This puff-out is done both through aggression and during the courting stage when he is trying to impress a possible mating partner.

7. Some Asian countries breed them for fighting similar to the cocks in cockfighting. The betta fish used in this manner have shorter fins than the ones we normally see in our aquariums in the Western hemisphere. In fact wild bettas have very short fins, it is breeders that have developed the bettas with longer, brilliantly coloured fins.

8. The betta fish seem to continually make funny bubbles on the top of the aquarium; this is just his way of making a nest. The male betta fish when in the wild makes bubble nests so that when the female happens by he does his tribal dance with his fins flashing to suitably impress her, when she is suitably so impressed she will spawn after which he will fertilise the eggs. Then being the perfect dad he will pick the eggs up in his mouth and place them tenderly into his bubble nest. That's it; interlude over it was their 'Brief Encounter'.

9. For 2 days after the eggs have been laid and are safely deposited in the bubble-nest, the male looks after them totally, if any of the fry fall from the nest, he picks them up in his mouth and puts them back, so it is the male beta who cares for the eggs until and after they hatch, after which he may or may not choose to devour some of his young, so much for being the perfect DAD!

10. If the female doesn't then turn tail and get out of there as quick as possible, the male, just like the female black widow spider will turn on her male partner, the male betta will turn on the female.

Dennis owns Betta Fish Caring which helps people learn about betta fish care [http://www.bettafishcaring.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/430883

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Breeding Betta Fish

 Breeding Betta Fish

The best breeding fish are between six months and a year. During the courtship time of the male betta fish he continually makes funny bubbles on the top of the aquarium; this is just his way of making a nest. The male betta fish when in the wild makes bubble nests so that when the female happens by he does his tribal dance with his fins flashing to suitably impress her, when she is suitably so impressed she will spawn after which he will fertilise the eggs.

It is highly recommended that you purchase a breeding tank if you wish to breed betta fish. A ten gallon bare bottomed tank will be sufficient, but if necessary you can do it with a smaller tank. It is not a complicated chore, but you should condition your betta fish before the breeding commences. This is simply introducing them to live foods.

Introductions are necessary and to do this you must place your bettas in adjoining containers or purchase special tank dividers so that they can see each other without coming into contact. Don't want them disgracing themselves on their first date do we ?
The male will be doing all the one liners whilst the female will turn her back on him in disgust - playing hard to get really, that is of course unless he is really handsome devil. This usually lasts between 3 and 5 days, sometimes a little longer. When they have got to know each other you can put them together in the same tank.

Don't forget that betta fish like shallow water, so the water should only be about 5 inches deep. In order to help the male make his bubble nest is to put a large leaf in the tank. The pH level should be around 7.0 and the temperature slightly higher than 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

The breeding tank should be about 5 inches deep. Place a large leaf or a piece of foam in it to aid the male in building the bubble nest. When you are selecting the pair of fish you want to breed, take into consideration your favourite shaped fish and its colour that appeals to you. Also take into consideration that the male should be larger than the female and have lots of energy and the more vibrant the colour the better. You will know when the male is ready; he starts to make the bubble nest.

The female can lay upwards of 500 eggs and you will notice when she is ready, her stomach will distend and will culminate at the ovipositor - this is the white egg spot that protrudes from the abdomen. When you see vertical stripes on her flanks you will know that she is ready to lay the eggs. If they are horizontal stripes it will mean that she feeling stressful.

It should only take the male betta about 1 or 2 days to blow his bubble nest. Make sure there is a hiding place for the female so that she can make herself scarce after she lays her eggs. Place plants in the tank and this will provide shelter for her. The reason she needs this hiding place is because the male can become very aggressive during the courtship. Typical man really ?

The two of them circle each other under the bubble nest during the courtship, the male displaying his intense colouring and puffing his fins out to make himself more enticing. For the female to have her fins frayed an losing a few scales is not unusual during the spawning period.

The female will turn over and the male will literally wrap himself around her as she lays her eggs. The female is apt to become sluggish and lethargic, floating to the surface, so don't be alarmed. This laying her eggs is an exhausting job. The female takes a while to finish the process and this will happen a few times before the job is done. The eggs being fertilised will sink to the bottom. This is when the male will take over and scoop up the eggs in his mouth in order to carry them up to the bubble nest. It is the male who will then become broody and look after his young.

The eggs are fertilized and will sink to the bottom of the tank. Then being the perfect dad he will pick the eggs up in his mouth and place them tenderly into his bubble nest. That's it; interlude over it was their 'Brief Encounter'. If the female doesn't then turn tail and get out of there as quick as possible, the male, just like the female black widow spider will turn on her male partner, the male betta will turn on the female. It is the male beta who cares for the eggs until they hatch, after which he may or may not choose to devour some of his young, so much for being the perfect dad!!

As soon as the mating is over you must remove the female and return her to her own tank or partition of the tank. Please be careful when you do this so that you don't disturb the nest. It is whilst he is tending to his young that he will show greater aggression to the female. If any of the eggs fall out of the nest the male will scoop them back up and return them to the nest. Within a couple of days the eggs will hatch and the fry (young fish) will hang from the nest with their tails pointing downwards. The fry will live on the yolk sack of their eggs for another couple of days. If they fall out of the nest, just as when they were eggs, the male will scoop them up and put them back.

It takes the fry 3 or 4 days to start swimming, it is when they start to swim freely that you should remove the male or he will EAT THEM. The fry will need feeding twice a day, you can get a supply of baby brine shrimp or a very fine baby food called Daphnia from your pet stores. Alternatively you can feed them a dry mixture called Tetra. Tetra is designed for egg-laying fish, but is very good for the fry. This can also be got from your pet store.
At 2 weeks old you can start changing the water, but be extra careful because they are still very small and fragile. Remember they are still very small and fragile. Remember to be extra careful because fish or a very fine baby food called Daphnia from your pet shop.
You can also feed them Tetra. Tetra is normally for egg-laying fish, but is very good for fry. When the fry reach 2 weeks you can begin small water changes but do be careful as the fry are still very small. Remember that you must never over-feed your fish as the water will become foul very quickly and can be lethal to your fry.

Dennis owns Betta Fish Caring which helps people learn about betta fish care [http://www.bettafishcaring.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/429561

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Priapism

Priapism
The case where a man experiences a prolonged and painful erection that lasts for maybe a few hours to a few days is called priapism. This is a condition that is not related to any sexual activity or thought. What happens is that blood flows into the penis, but does not drain as normal. With little room to circulate, the blood becomes stagnant, acidic and loses oxygen where red blood cells become stiff.

Priapism can occur to anyone; even to new born babies. Priapism was named after the Greek god of fertility, Priapus where he was always projected well endowed and perpetually erect in statues and pictures.

Priapism usually occurs with an obvious cause of either some medications or certain medical conditions. There are two types of medications that cause priapism; increasing the recommended number of penile injections to treat some types of impotence or anti-depressants. The medical conditions that start priapism are those that cause the blood to thicken or where red blood cells lose flexibility and mobility like in sickle-cell anemia and leukemia. Even any trauma to the genital area or spinal cord may lead to priapism. Carbon monoxide poisoning, bites of black widow spiders and illicit drug use of marijuana and cocaine usually leads to priapism too.

There are basically two types of priapism; low-flow and high-flow priapism. With low flow priapism, blood gets trapped in erection chambers of men who are otherwise healthy. It also affects men with leukemia, sickle-cell disease and malaria. High flow priapism is a rare condition and is less painful. A ruptured artery from any injury to the penis or perineum may cause this condition as blood in the penis is prevented from circulating as normal.

It is always better to seek treatment for priapism; as soon as possible. This is because if left untreated, the erection can go on for four to six hours where the penis may get scarred if not treated early. This in turn leads to impotence. The treatment for priapism usually involves the draining of the penis by placing a needle in the side of the penis. Sometimes medications that act on blood vessels are injected to shrink blood vessels; which in turn decreases the blood flow to the penis. Those having sickle-cell anemia and priapism are usually treated with blood transfusion.

When meeting the doctor, it is important that you inform him or her of the length of time since having the erection and how long your usual erections last. You should be honest in disclosing legal and illegal medications that have been taken as marijuana and cocaine are linked with priapism. With this information, and a physical examination to determine the cause of priapism, the doctor can advise the necessary medication to treat priapism.

Kelly Moore runs a respected natural male enhancement [http://www.natural-penis-enlargment.com/how-does-it-work.htm] site, featuring free penis enlargement exercise [http://www.natural-penis-enlargment.com/how-to-last-longer.htm] and all the latest information on what products are making a buzz in the industry. Check her site at: Natural Mens Enlargement [http://www.natural-penis-enlargment.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/312259

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