On June 16, 2009 during a television interview, President Obama told a pesky fly to go away. When the fly didn’t go, Obama swatted it with his hand and commented, “That was pretty impressive, wasn’t it? I got the sucker”. PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals - wasn’t impressed and sent the President a “Katcha Bug Humane Bug Catcher”, a device for catching house flies alive to release outside. PETA supports “compassion even for the most curious, smallest and least sympathetic animals”. Of course, PETA also wants to protect fish from being eaten by having people call fish “sea kittens”.

In June 2009 the Mexican navy seized more than a ton of cocaine that was hidden inside approximately 20 frozen sharks. The sharks were cargo on a container ship in port in the southern Mexican state of Yucatan. Although those in charge of the shipment said the substance was a preserving agent, tests confirmed it was cocaine. As Mexico increases its efforts to stop drug trafficking to the U.S., drug traffickers have gotten more creative. They’ve hidden cocaine inside furniture, religious statues and sealed beer cans. Seek and you shall find - especially with the help of x-ray machines and sniffer dogs.

In 2009 the town council race in Cave Creek, Arizona ended in a two-way tie. In this bedroom community outside Scottsdale with a population of less than 5,000 the winner was determined according to Arizona law. In Arizona local elections can be decided by chance: rolling dice, flipping a coin or cutting cards. After lawyers drew up two pages of rules for cutting cards - including the candidate cutting the highest card being the winner - the king of hearts beat the six of hearts. The election for Cave Creek’s new town council member was in the cards.

In 2009 hospitals and clinics in Prague, Czechoslovakia are trying to get more nurses by offering a unique bonus to nurses who sign a long-term contract - free face lifts and breast implants. One nurse justified the unusual signing bonus by saying patients recover faster if nurses are attractive. According to Dr. Esther Sternberg, author of “Healing Spaces”, there is substantial evidence that more attractive hospital rooms result in shorter hospital stays, less medical complications and fewer rehospitalizations. Dr. Sternberg also says that patients recover faster if nurses love their work. Maybe nurses in Prague wanting free cosmetic surgery love their work more.

Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

[tags]Oddities, Current Affairs, Culture and Society, Women, Men[/tags]

When a family is contemplating sending their child to one of the group homes for troubled teens, the decision making process can bring up many questions and concerns. Some of the most common questions involve things like academic programs, safety, medical attention when necessary, staff qualifications, and more. Here are some of the FAQ about group homes for troubled teens and some of the answers that are most often shared.

Parents are ultimately concerned about their children, and the first thing that many of them wonder is whether or not they will be able to visit their child. Although different places and different programs vary in particular regulations, in general most programs allow parents to visit and interact with their child after a certain amount of time has passed or after a certain level of progress has been achieved. Some popular group homes for troubled teens such as Sunset Bay Academy in San Ysidro, California will allow parents to come at any time they have made an appointment to observe their child, and after a certain level of achievement is attained they can interact with their child.

Many parents often wonder, How do I get my child to a group home for troubled teens? and the answer is that some kids come willingly and others do not. While there is no direct single answer to this question, the best places will help families determine what the best way for each family is. Some may simply have their children be driven to the site, and other means may become necessary to get the uncooperative child there.

Another question about group homes for troubled teens is how long they have to stay at the facility. This answer depends entirely on each students progress and the individual willingness of each of them to commit to creating positive changes. Families also are concerned about the care that their child will have in the event that they become ill and need medical attention. The answer to this is that families will be happy to find that doctors and medical personnel are on hand to treat all kinds of needs that students may have.

Finally, another question that families have involves the qualifications of the teachers and counselors that will be working with their child. Although this standard varies between group homes for troubled teens, excellent places like Sunset Bay Academy have degreed therapists and counselors and teachers that are all certified or degreed in their specific area.

For more information on group homes for troubled teens please visit our website.

[tags]group homes for troubled teens[/tags]

Although making the decision to send your child to a CA military school is a difficult one, once you do make that decision you will need to decide which one to send him or her to. There are programs of many different types throughout the area, so you will need to look for certain characteristics to make sure that you are choosing the best CA military school for your teen.

Any and every well being organization should focus on more than one area of discipline and growth for the child, and the plan of action that is implemented should be one that professionals design around each of those children. Since each teen is unique, no single program would be suitable for every one of them. A successful teen specialty program should operate under the principle that success is more than just character development or academic, but is also measured by personal growth and strength.

A CA military school is one that is designed to help teens who struggle with many different aspects of life develop the skills and discipline that they need to succeed in life. From strong academics to physical fitness, responsibility, and dedication comes some of the states finest programs that are designed to have a positive and lifelong lasting influence on each child who attends.

Although academics is the basis of a CA military school, it should not be the only aspect that is pursued. Programs in problem solving, life skills, cooperation, self motivation, and others are strongly encouraged also in order to help a well rounded teen develop. Long term success is the ultimate goal of these schools and academies, and families find that different academies also have other differences between them besides their curriculum and programs.

One of the differences between these academies is the level of involvement that a family has with the student. Some of the organizations encourage heavy family participation right from the beginning of implementing a plan of action, and with other places, the family (especially at first) is discouraged from contact with the teen until certain levels of achievement have been attained. Depending on how your family feels and how professionals suggest options to you, you will need to think about how much family involvement would be best for the child. Some teens do better without much interaction from their families, especially in the beginning when the teen may feel betrayed, angry, and scared. Just be sure that any CA military school that you send your teen to has fully licensed and highly skilled professionals on staff for your childs benefit and yours.

For more information on CA Military School, please visit our website.

[tags]CA Military School[/tags]

The history if the humble condom is a success story that has been happening over centuries. Beginning as a linen sheath that protected from sexually transmitted disease, the contraceptive went on to become a useful way of preventing unwanted pregnancies. Condoms are now made from either polyurethane or latex and are the choice du jour for young people to engage in sex safely. To be able to reach such a status, a certain amount of positive branding had to take place, and one of the most successful has been the marketing campaigns by Trojan Condoms. We take a look at the reputation and history of the company to reveal the success behind the sales.

Back in the 1020s a rubber firm successfully developed a condom that would protect from sexually transmitted diseases and prevent unwanted pregnancies. To get off to a good start when it comes to business success, the company trademarked the barrier contraceptive with the name Trojan. BY 1926, the company had successfully become the first brand of condom manufacturers to run advertisements, which helped seal the monopoly in the condom market. At this time sales outside of pharmaceutical establishments were banned, so it was incredibly difficult for new companies to develop far enough to become an effective competitor in the industry.

In 1930 the company produced the first prophylactic made out of latex using new technology, and to establish itself further used a slogan to back up the brand, an essential factor in marketing. Now Trojan Condoms had an identity and could therefore make itself better known. In 1938, Trojan proved their worth, and boosted its reputation as the US Government destroyed seven million inferior quality condoms, yet not one of them was Trojan.

In 1940 the brand had a chance to target a specific market, introducing extra thin condoms especially for use by servicemen. This was just one of many ‘firsts’ the brand used to boost popularity and reputation. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Trojan Condoms became the first brand to advertise in a publication, and on television respectively. This marketing strategy ensured that the brand remained ahead of any other competitor by using techniques that form the basis of modern publicity methods.

Thanks to the success of the marketing team at Trojan, when the AIDS crisis struck in the late 1980s, the brand were recognised well enough and had a popular enough reputation that they were able to run an effective campaign to promote safe sex. The trust imbued in the brand meant that sexually active individuals were willing to use condoms to prevent transmission of the disease, an ethos that stands to this day with sales to sexually active young people.

The current campaigns are to highlight the dangers of contracting diseases such as Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea. With a vibrant and successful marketing history, Trojan Condoms could once again make it cool to have safe sex. This goes to show that not all policies in the marketing world are to make money, some strategies are potentially lifesaving.

Dom Donaldson is a marketing expert.
Find out more about Trojan Condoms and other brands of condom at Condom Care.

[tags]Trojan Condoms, condoms, contraceptives, safe sex, marketing[/tags]

You’ve surely heard of pepper spray, but do you know how it works? What exactly is inside that can that you carry to protect yourself?

All pepper sprays are not equal. Self defense sprays are rated in Scoville Heat Units (SHUs). This is the same way that hot peppers are rated, and the pepper spray’s rating corresponds to how effective the pepper spray will be, and how much it will burn in your attacker’s face.

Most pepper sprays currently on the market are rated at about 2 to 3 million SHU. For comparison, very hot habanero peppers rate at around 2 million SHUs. While every pepper spray formulation currently being sold is certainly strong enough to stop an attacker, the higher the SHU, the more powerful the spray should be, and the faster your attacker will go down, writhing in pain.

Currently available pepper spray types range from those designed to stop humans to those rated for dogs or bears; depending on their use, they may have a higher or lower SHU rating. Sprays used by law enforcement for crowd control may include pepper spray with a very low SHU rating, for example. Meanwhile, pepper spray designed to stop bears in their tracks will typically be stronger than the type designed for use against human attackers.

The first pepper sprays to be developed for self defense, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, utilized Oleoresin Capsicum (OC), an oil extracted directly from peppers. The OC is what gives the peppers their heat, and it causes coughing, a burning sensation, watery eyes, and other symptoms. The chili peppers were typically powdered, and the Oleoresin Capsicum was used directly in the process of making pepper spray.

Today, most pepper sprays are not actually made from peppers, but from artificially created chemicals. These affect the nerve endings and mucous membranes in addition to the symptoms caused by pepper-derived self defense sprays. These chemicals include Chloracetophenone (CN) or Orthochlorobenzalmalonitrile (CS); today, most pepper sprays include a combination of several chemicals, because some people may be more affected by one than by others.

Some pepper sprays include other chemicals in addition to these. For example, they may contain UV dye, which marks the attacker so that they may be easily identified if apprehended within 48 hours of the attack.

To turn chemicals into a useful self defense spray, the compounds are suspended in a liquid, usually water. They are then pressurized in a spray canister. The pepper spray can now be sprayed just like a can of spray paint. Some are designed to come out of the can as a fine mist, while others are in the form of a solid stream of foam.

Did you like this article? Bryan Hough is President of UBackOff.com a leading company in the Self Defense industry providing state of the art Pepper Spray products at wholesale prices. See our pepper spray blog @ Pepper Spray For Self Defense. Contact @ ubackoff_sales@ubackoff.com or 317-254-1760.

[tags]pepper spray, self defense, SHU, Scoville Heat Units, oc[/tags]

Baggage handlers get a bad name amongst travellers - frequently nicknamed ‘throwers’, it’s always the first story of the summer when someone’s luggage gets lost or damaged, and it’s always the baggage handlers’ fault.

I’ve been doing this job for a couple of years at a major British airport while I work my way through university and I really think baggage handlers get a bad rap: everyone’s quick to jump when one suitcase gets lost or damaged - naturally, due to Murphy’s Law, it’s always an MP or a celebrity of some description that this happens to - but no one ever thinks about how much luggage we handle on a daily basis. In 2007, our airport had 68,068,304 people through it; assuming each of them took their baggage allowance of two or three bags depending on their destination, that’s an awful lot of luggage and the vast majority of that went in and out of our stillages safely.

A lot of the time when someones baggage gets damaged, it’s down to one thing - their bad packing. Overfilled suitcases have a habit of popping open at the slightest touch, and this can happen before they’re even put in the stillages, let alone once they’re in there with other bags and cargo stored on top of them.

There’s also the habit people have of putting next to nothing in their bags, but still expecting it to be stable when there’s a little bit of weight put on it as tends to happen when they’re stacked in the stillages - put simply, that’s not likely to happen.

Sometimes bags just go missing; they get caught up in the machinery somewhere - often due to bad packing or just bad luck - or they fall off the conveyor belt and are either picked up by another passenger by mistake or fall in a part that nobody checks for a while and the plane has left before the error can be rectified. It’s very rare that cargo goes missing once it’s been put into a baggage handlers hands and makes it into the stillages, though it does occasionally happen if there are a lot of busy flights going in and out at once. Sometimes the cargo will get put in the wrong storage container and consequently go on the wrong flight, or something like that, but it’s a lot rarer than the newspapers would have you believe.

Being a baggage handler is hard work, and it’s frequently a thankless task, with a lot of negative press every time a celebrity’s ridiculous bag has a couple of sequins knocked off in the stillages, but considering the volume of traffic we get and the amount of bags we handle, I don’t think we do too badly.

Anna Stenning is a part time baggage handler and student who feels that they get the short end of the stick when items are damaged in transit or storage. Find out more about airport stillages at http://www.avatan.co.uk/

[tags]Stillages[/tags]

Everyone understands that London escorts are sometimes at risk of being subjected to dangerous situations. Although some circumstances are unavoidable, there are many measures that can be taken to make the job more safe for women.

By working for an escort agency, a certain amount of protection is provided making the work much safer. First of all, the agency has the name, phone number and address of the client that the girl is with so can keep track of her movements. Secondly, a trusted driver takes the escort to and from the appointment, waiting outside. He is on hand should she need any help. The escort will also be able to inform the agency of any clients who cause any trouble, so no other girls will be sent there in the future.

It is much safer for escorts to do outcalls to a client’s home or to a hotel; she is more free to leave whenever she wishes. Girls who do incalls invite the client into their home for appointments which can be very dangerous. Often, they work independently and have no security. If girls want to do incalls at their own home, the best idea is to have a flatmate in the building who knows everything about your job and when you are meeting a client. You could also send a text with the client’s details to someone you trust.

Of course, the most dangerous type of escorting is to work independently and pick up clients from the street. You would have no idea whose car you were getting into - whether it’s a respectable gentleman or a convicted criminal. This method of finding customers is much more rare than it used to be; with so many opportunities on the internet, there are plenty of other options to choose from.

Undoubtedly, the safest way for London escorts. to work is by joining a respected escort agency who will take bookings for you and send you with one of their drivers. It may be tempting to work independently so that you can keep 100% of the money you earn, but the amount of advertising you have to do can cost even more than the agency’s commission. Escort Agencies generally give you your own profile for free with a portfolio of your photos.

As the industry becomes less taboo, more options are becoming available to girls working as escorts. Make sure you take advantage of these opportunities and work as safely as you can.

Jack Paris and the team at VLondon writes about Men’s Health and Issues in London, from girls to London escorts to cars and all me’s issues.

[tags]london escorts, escorts, escort, escorts in london, london escort[/tags]

Visiting the city of London can be a magical experience. If you have never been before, you probably have seen it portrayed in film and television; the traditional red buses and telephone boxes, black cabs and London guards are still commonplace in the city.

There are so many famous landmarks in London that it can be difficult to fit it all in! It is recommended to prioritise and plan out your trip so that you are not disappointed. Hiring a London escort to show you around the city is also a good idea - having a guide accompanying you will make the whole experience more enjoyable.

Most tourists visiting from outside the UK have a keen interest in the British monarchy and wish to see the Queen Elizabeth II’s main residence, Buckingham Palace. If you time it well, you can watch the respected ceremony, the changing of the guard. It is one of the few working palaces remaining in the UK and also serves as the Queen’s office.

Another popular destination is Madame Tussauds, which displays waxwork models of the world’s most famous celebrities. Next door is the Planetarium which makes that day’s sight seeing easy! There are countless Museums and Art Galleries in London; the Tate Modern is well worth a visit, along with The Natural History Museum and the Science Museum - entry to these is free of charge. This can be part of a peaceful day strolling around the galleries with your London escort.

One activity that must not be missed is going to see a musical in the West End. Like England’s version of Broadway, large scale shows take place at theatres with some of the coutry’s most talented actors, singers and dancers. Whether you fancy the drama of Les Miserables or the fire of Chicago, you and your London escort will have an exciting and memorable time.

The London Eye is one of the best ways to see the view across London; as well as enjoying the ride itself, you will get a full view of St Paul’s Cathedral, The Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.

If you are able to make a reservation, afternoon tea at the Ritz is a delightful way to spend time with a London escort. The decor is exquisite and you will get a true taste of British etiquette. You could also stay at the hotel there for luxury lodgings. Your London escort will be more than happy to keep you company there!

Jack Paris and the team at VLondon writes about Men’s Health and Issues in London, from girls to London escorts to cars and all me’s issues.

[tags]london escorts, escorts, escort, escorts in london, london escort[/tags]

Tattoos have a long and interesting history. Tattoo art has been used for a wide range of purposes, including religious celebrations, decoration, and cosmetic purposes. The earliest evidence of tattooing dates all the way back to around 3300 BC. During these early centuries, most tattoos depicted a variety of different animals, fish, and monsters, and some evidence suggests that some tattoos were used as a therapeutic treatment for arthritis.

Since ancient times tattooing has been popular in regions such as India, China, and Egypt. In the Philippines, tattoos had tribal significance, and full body tattoos were common to signify tribal rank and accomplishment. In Japan, tattoos were used for decorative and spiritual purposes. And tattoos also seemed to be quite prevalent in northern and central regions of Europe, but as Christianity spread throughout the continent, tattooing became associated with paganism and lost its prevalence.

In the late sixteenth century, however, worldwide explorations reintroduced tattoos into Europe. In the 1600s Sir Martin Frobisher traveled to China and took a woman captive who had tattoos, and she was a popular attraction in Europe. Other similar events took place, and one English nobleman returned from an expedition with his own tattoo. And in the next several decades, tattoos became increasingly associated with sailors who frequently got tattoos on expeditions to Asiatic countries.

In the mid-eighteenth century, the first use of the term “tattoo” was recorded by Captain James Cook in Tahiti who observed the practice of body modification among the indigenous people. And in the late nineteenth century, King George V received a couple of tattoos while in Japan, and later his two sons also received tattoos which started a family and royal tradition. Tattoos became quite popular among the gentry in England, and it was estimated that one in five noblemen had a tattoo.

Today, tattoos are becoming more accepted in almost all cultures, except in Judaism which forbids the practice of tattooing. In the past, tattoos were applied using a variety of procedures, but in contemporary times, electronic tattoo machines are the most popular tools used in tattooing. And, as in ancient times, tattoos have also regained popularity among women.

Since around the 1990s, tattoos have becoming increasingly popular, particularly in North and South America and Japan. Consequently, the notion of tattoos as an art form has also risen in popularity as is evidenced by that growing number of tattoo art exhibitions and galleries.

Col. W.L. Todd’s Tattoo Machine(http://www.tattoomachines.com/) design and manufacture his own tattoo machine. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

[tags]tattoo machines[/tags]

According to a report by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, a nonprofit research group in Washington, 7% of Americans use the Internet as their main means of social communication. This group is referred to as “ambivalent networkers”. They are predictably the youngest users of information technology and also use mobile devices more than any other information technology users - always wanting to be available to others, but feeling conflicted about it. Then there’s the 14% of Americans who don’t use computers or cell phones. The other 79% of Americans fall somewhere in between - hopefully on software.

According to Nielsen Online, which measures Web traffic, minutes on social networks in the U.S. rose 83% from April 2008 to April 2009. With more than 200 million active members, Facebook’s minutes increased 700% in the same time period. Facebook is the #1 social network. MySpace is second, although its minutes decreased 31% in that period. Blogger, Tagged and Twitter are third, fourth and fifth respectively. Although Twitter’s minutes increased during this time period, Nielson figures show that more than 60% of Twitter’s users stopped using the free service a month after joining it. Not tweet!

According to the “American Journal of Medicine”, medical bills were involved in 62.1% of personal bankruptcies in the U.S. in 2007 - an increase of 50% in 6 years. Although more than 75% of these people had health insurance, 92% of them had medical debts over $5,000 - in spite of most being well-educated homeowners with middle-class occupations. About 170 million people get health insurance through their employer, but 25% of firms cancel coverage when an employee has a disabling illness - another 25% cancel within a year. Then there’s the 15% of Americans without health insurance. Hopefully, the U.S. health system isn’t terminally ill.

According to a survey of more than 35,000 women which was done by Woman’s Day and AOL Living, the majority of women aren’t happily married. More than 50% are bored in bed or can’t remember the last time they had sex. Fifty-two percent said their husband wasn’t their soul mate. Although 71% of these women expect to stay married to the same man for the rest of their lives, 57% sometimes regret marrying him. In fact, at some point in their marriage, 72% have thought about leaving their spouse. It seems the “for better or for worse” part of the marriage vow is getting worse.

Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

[tags]Current Affairs, Culture and Society, Women, Men[/tags]