OutFact

It is a known fact that advertising is made to attract our eyes. Marketers work very hard to plant visual memories in your mind. They use anomaly phrases, rhetorical questions, sexy images and ironic text. There are many reasons why this is done but the biggest reason is that it works. Our eyes are often caught and our brains captured for a moment while we digest the advertisement. Since the advertising world has done such a good job in making us look and think there is a slight hesitation in our gaze and direction of sight. This of course is the world’s best time to snap a shot or grab an image of a human on a surveillance camera.

One of the best methods of insuring that images are captured is to place them behind power advertising promotional signs. So often surveillance cameras are put up on corners of buildings or on ceilings. We saw after the 7-7 London Transit Bombings images of perpetrators used by police investigators to track down the other links of suspects and perhaps even prevent future attacks. As we study the human eye gaze innate characteristics and the time of visual recognition we see that some images take the mind-eye visual registration a second extra. This is enough time to catch a really good image of each passer by for use in face recognition software to use for searching databases of “Watch List” humans who are most apt to be problematic to our civilization.

Often if a person of ill intentions is casing a location, doing a dry run or preparing for an evil act, they will avoid cameras when they see them. One concept is to put up cameras in plain view, which are dummy cameras or decoy cameras. When someone avoid them they will look away causing an anomaly or someone who has something to hide. Then as they look away we would be wise to hide a hidden camera in a somewhat shocking advertisement, behind a glass or plastic encased ad. As the person looks away he or she is hooked on for a second longer on the image. Bingo, we got the image even if they attempted to avoid every camera in the place. This would work in Stadiums, Shopping Malls, Board Walks and Airports. Think on this.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

If you spend any amount of time in the backcountry at all, it will rain on you. Remember this – rain is a good thing; without it there wouldn’t be much backcountry to enjoy. How you prepare for rain and how you handle yourself and gear in the rain, makes the difference between a great experience and a horrible one. Here are some great ideas for ensuring your backcountry enjoyment when mother nature rains down on you.

Our best tips for enjoying the backcountry in the rain can be separated into two categories. The first pertains to getting ready to hike, camp or whatever else you love to do outdoors. Here are the Best Outdoor Preparation Tips:

• Always check the weather forecast. Understanding the type of rain to expect may even determine whether you go or not. If the forecast calls for severe thunderstorms with tornados, you will probably plan differently than you might for scattered showers. Check before you go, and check when you’re there. A good weather radio is an essential piece of gear for backcountry recreation.

• Store everything you take in re-sealable plastic bags, especially socks, matches, flares, food, maps and your first aid kit.

• Pack your sleeping bag in a large plastic trash bag or a specially designed waterproof bag.

• Pack a brimmed waterproof hat and jacket. Always have rain gear with you, even if it is only a large trash bag.

• Treat your tent, hat, jacket and pack with waterproofing spray – even if they’re called “waterproof” to begin with.

• For two weeks prior to your trip, be sure to take your multi-vitamins. You should be doing this regardless. A good immune system is an outdoor enthusiast’s best friend.

So now you’re packed and out the door. Once you’re there, common sense and a few tricks of the trade will help you get through unscathed. Here are the Best Outdoor Rain Tips:

• Never camp in a low lying area. Look for a durable surface which will allow water to run off more effectively.

• Look for a campsite this is somewhat protected from wind, flooding and heavy rain fall. Under a group of small trees is ideal. Keep away from the tallest tree in the forest – that’s where lightning likes to visit.

• Place a mat outside the tent door to collect debris. If you are base camping, the weight of the mat is not worth the benefit – so use rocks instead.

• Do not touch the walls of your tent when it is wet. This will adversely affect the water resistant capability of the tent. That is – you can create a leak.

• Use a tarp under your tent. You should do this regardless of the weather, but when it’s raining it becomes important.

• Sleep. There’s nothing better than sleeping in a tent when the rain falls.

• Check the forecast every hour. If the storm is worsening, you need to know about it. Do you have extra batteries for your weather radio?

• Never hold a fishing pole during a lightning storm.

• Emergency flares are excellent for igniting wet firewood.

• Body heat is a precious element. Conserve and protect your body by keeping it dry on the outside and wet on the inside. Drinking water becomes very important when body heat is being lost. Change into dry socks, get into your dry sleeping bag.

• Keep an eye on your tent, the tent’s rain fly and the ropes/stakes holding your tent in place. Standing water and high winds are the enemy of your tent.

Remember this – when it rains, you’ll see fewer people and fewer insects. Some of the most remarkable times you’ll experience will be in the backcountry during a rain storm – it can be exhilarating! Doesn’t sound so bad after all – does it? Use this information and you’ll Get It Right The First Time.

Get Outdoors!

About the author: Chuck Fitzgerald is the President of Arizona based BackCountry Toys, an online store providing backcountry specialty gear and educational information for outdoor enthusiasts. Visit www.BackCountryToys.com to receive the free newsletter “FreshAir” or call (800) 316-9055.

chuck@backcountrytoys.com

Anger is an emotional state caused by a real or perceived grievance (a cause of distress). You can be angry at other people, events, and even yourself. Physical conditions such as hunger, fatigue, pain, hormonal imbalances, and even sexual frustration can cause levels of anger to become elevated. Some even feel that genetic predisposition can cause some people to be more angry than others. Getting angry not only affects you emotionally, but physically as well. Your blood pressure increases, you have an increased level of adrenaline in your bloodstream and your heart beats faster. These are all natural responses to threats. It goes back to the basic fight or flight response that is programmed into each of us.

So, can we control our anger? The answer to that question is an overwhelming yes. With some basic techniques you can learn to manage your own anger levels. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t get angry at all. Many injustices and our own values give us valid reasons to become angry. What it does mean, though, is that you can control what angers you and how you respond.

The first step in taking command of your anger is to change your thinking. Believe it or not, changing some of your beliefs and expectations can decrease your anger immensely. When you expect people, including yourself, to behave a certain way and a different behavior surfaces, this can cause a great amount of anger. Perfectionist thinking causes a tremendous amount of anger as well. So, instead of expecting people to be flawless, give them a break, and give yourself one, too. If you don’t anticipate a perfect situation you won’t be angry when it doesn’t pan out.

Another way to help dissolve anger is to stop thinking in terms of always and never. Nothing is black or white; all or nothing. Everything is somewhere in between. If you get into the habit of thinking this way, you are less likely to become angry over any given situation. Of course, some situations are bound to cause anger, especially if you feel that something is unjust. But it is up to you how angry you get over any situation. You can be incensed or your can become enraged, but it is in your control.

A final way to prevent anger is don’t jump to conclusions. This can be one of the biggest causes of anger. Learn to talk out a situation instead of assuming you know the answer. No one is a mind reader. If you ask for clarification in a given situation you may be surprised to find out you misread the other person and their intentions. This can diffuse anger very quickly.

Remember, how you feel about any given situation is up to you and you alone. It stems back to your beliefs, values and expectations. Alter those and you can alter your anger levels.

Terry J. Coyier is a 37-year-old college student studying for an Associates of Applied Sciences degree. She is also a freelance writer who writes about bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses. Terry was diagnosed with bipolar ten years ago. She lives with her son in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. Terry is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers and her personal portfolio can be viewed here.

You all tear your hair out in frustration every time you see your inbox crammed full of spam again. Have you ever stopped and asked yourself where you get so much spam? This isn’t to suggest that spam is your fault but… if everybody hates spam so much then… why is there so much of it?

There’s a simple answer folks. Spam is an industry. There exists an entire infrastructure to support it and be supported by it. From the guys who design the email address harvesting software to the spammers who put together their mailshots to you right through to the ISPs and webhosts who make wads of cash for allowing the spam to pass through their mail servers. Spam is a living, breathing entity – make no mistake about it.

As with any business the spam industry needs customers. Those customers are you – you’re their target market. Every time you click on a hyperlink in a spam email you potentially make money for these guys. If you actually click through and make a purchase you’re making their job truly worthwhile. To remove spam we need to put a cease and desist order on ourselves. Stop opening the emails (spammers know when you do), stop clicking on the links (they know when you do this too) and most definitely do not, do not, do not buy anything, call any numbers or fill in any application forms that you receive via a spam email.

Defeating spam once and for all means boycotting it. The smartest spam blocker or most private email filtering system can never hit a spammer as hard as one thing – take away their source of revenue. Hit them where it hurts them most – in their wallet. No cash = no business = no spammers.

Could it really be that simple? If we ignore them will they go away?

This article was provided courtesy of Spam-site.com which reviews and tests spam filters.

If you are looking for the best in hospitality, luxury accommodations and five-star cuisine to entertain family, friends or important business associates, a mega yacht charter may be the perfect choice.

Mega yacht charter accommodations and hospitality areas are ideal for important celebrations such as weddings, birthday parties or special anniversaries. Large staterooms and quiet conversation areas offer charter guests appropriate privacy when aboard.

A well-planned mega yacht charter provides all the toys for your guests to use and enjoy. The abundance of space onboard most mega yachts allow for kayaks, jet skis, sailing dingys, water-skis and jet boats for guests with a thirst for adventure. Scuba diving equipment and a certified diving crew will take family and friends for an underwater experience of a lifetime.

Chartering your own private luxury yacht ensures privacy for you and your family and friends. It provides for luxurious living on a comfortable modern yacht, with a crew eager to pamper you and your company. It gives you the freedom to select your own itinerary, visit the sites you want to see, or simply to follow the wind wherever it leads.

A mega yacht is a vessel of over 90 feet in length that can accommodate a small number of guests in luxury. Prices start around $4,000 per person, plus expenses, for 6 guests, for a week. For a 160-foot yacht, expect to pay $14-18,000 per person for 10, plus expenses. Larger yachts can cost considerably more.

Yacht Charters Info provides detailed information about yacht charters, including Caribbean and Mediterranean yacht charters, as well as luxury, crewed, motor, private, and corporate yacht charters. Yacht Charters Info is affiliated with Business Plans by Growthink.

Need a restful oasis in your day? Entice attractive butterflies to your garden paradise!
What could be better than kicking back after a hard day’s work and enjoy watching butterflies flit peacefully around your very own garden? Here are some tips for making your fantasy come true!

– Butterflies love color! Choose a variety of plants for best results.

– Plant flowers in groups. These are easier for butterflies to see.

– Butterfly-loving flowers include Hibiscus, Rosemary, Asters, Daylilies and Black-eyed Susans, among others.

– Provide both sunny, open areas and shady ones for butterfly sunning and resting.

– A little overripe fruit is delicious to your colorful winged friends!

– Plant some flowers in pots you can move around.

– Discover what butterflies are native to your region in the US. http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/bflyusa/bflyusa.htm

– Share the beauty! Plan to entertain often in your butterfly garden!

– Be cautious using insecticides; most are toxic to butterflies.

– Enjoy!

About the Author

Colleen Langenfeld delivers deals, tips and creative resources to working moms who want the most out of their homes, families and careers at http://www.paintedgold.com . Sign up for our FREE online newsletter and get a digital Creativity Toolkit as our gift to you!

As you probably know, baby expense should be high on your list of things to plan for, before the baby comes. There is no cheap way to have and raise a baby: it takes sweat, work, lots of cash, patience, and more to have a happy, healthy baby. Some studies suggest that you will spend anywhere between $150,000 and $200,000 for your kids by the time they are 18 years old, not including private schools, special lessons, or college.

But if you waited until you had enough money, time and energy to have your baby, you would probably end up without any children. Here you’ll find a few ways to ease the finances, so that you can enjoy your new bundle of joy.

1. Get health assistance – if you don’t have health insurance, and can’t afford it, doctor’s bills can ad up really easy. But there are options out there for people just like you. This baby expense will probably be one of your biggest, so don’t be afraid to ask for assistance if your family needs it.

2. Breastfeed your baby, if possible. It’s free, it’s convenient, and it might help against breast cancer. It’s recommended as being the best form of nutrition for baby.

If you can’t breastfeed, don’t feel guilty. Try to apply for WIC (Women, Infants, and Children): http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic, a program designed to help middle and low income families with educational resources and food. You can also save money by buying formula in bulk, clipping coupons, and accepting free samples whenever they are offered. This is a baby expense you can’t do without.

3. Diapers – Some diapers are better than others, but most are basically the same. Store brand disposable diapers can be just as good as the name brand, for several dollars less than their name brand counterparts. You can save even more, if you use cloth diapers instead of disposable. As with breastfeeding, it’s a little more work involved, but well worth it.

4. Diaper Rash Prevention – instead of taking action after your baby got a diaper rash, prevent it with a drop of olive oil applied to their bottom every time you change their diaper: it works wonders (you should check with your doctor first).

5. Baby food – When it comes to baby food, a blender is your best friend: it will help you keep this baby expense at its lowest. Not only is it much cheaper, but it’s so much healthier! Save the little baby food jars for quick trips, or special occasions, and give your baby pureed food made by you. You can cook a week’s supply on the weekend, put the blended vegetables in the ice cube tray, for a few hours, and then place them in a freezer bag. Depending on your baby’s appetite and age, you can microwave one, two or three cubes before meal time. It’s quick, healthy and inexpensive.

6. Clothing – There is no need to buy expensive designer clothing for you little one. Do you think anyone will really notice that your baby is wearing Tommy Hilfiger? Babies look cute in anything: don’t waste your money! You can get most of your baby clothing at yard sales or second-hand stores.

7. Toys – they are big business, but you don’t have to feel pressured to get the latest and most expensive models. My kids were happy with everyday items as their toys: empty shampoo bottles (make sure they are cleaned and rinsed very well before handing them to your baby), plastic bowls, plastic containers from food products (margarine, sour cream , etc.) that they could stack up, etc. Also, buy some toys that will help with your baby’s development, are durable, and are age appropriate: a baby expense worth the money.

8. Wills – Get a will or update your old will. Name a guardian for your child and the trustee of your child’s inheritance (often but not always the same person). Without a will, the court will name these individuals and also split up your assets in accordance with state law which may not be the way you would wish. Please don’t try to avoid this baby expense: your kid’s future might depend on it. A simple will that includes a trust for minor children costs between $150 and $250.

Adriana Copaceanu is a busy mom of 2. Visit her at Busy Moms Online if you are looking for ways to maximize your precious time. And if you are a new mom, you’ll find everything you need to know at her
Baby’s First Year website.

What have you done with the photos you’ve taken with your digital camera? Hands up if they are languishing on your hard drive waiting to be printed. If your hand is up you are not alone. Well I have my hand up too! But I’ve promised myself that two years worth of digital photography will see the light of day before Christmas.

The problem is that we expect to do out own digital printing. Its supposed to be a feature. This “feature” puts many people off buying a digital camera in the first place. For one thing its not cheap. First you may need to upgrade your printer, or buy a photo printer. Then there are the running costs, which come as a shock to most new printer owners. The price of inkjets and photo paper doesn’t encourage much trial and error.

Having assembled all the equipment we then have to spend some time working out how to use it. Suddenly we have a hobby that we really didn’t want and don’t have time for. We just wanted a nice easy way to take fantastic photos. How much simpler it was to take a roll of film into the photo shop and collect the prints an hour later!

Well, here is the good news, you can still take you photos to the photo shop. Not only that but you can delete the duds first. Now that’s an improvement on film. Even better you can email your digital images to an online photo lab and receive the prints back in the post. If you have Microsoft Windows XP you can just click on “Order Prints” in the My Pictures folder and off they go. What could be simpler?

Ok so what about all the cool stuff you can do with digital images? You can do that too, but you don’t have to. The best thing for non experts to do is very little. You can crop and usually adjust the contrast and brightness with a single click using the software that came with your camera. If the software can manage red eye removal too, that is a trick worth learning-its easy.

The thing to remember is that digital images are free. Take lots. You can ditch the duds and still have one or two that are good for printing. Then you won’t need to bother with a lot of tricky time consuming editing.

Another option, useful if you do not own a computer, is to use one of the self service kiosks that are springing up in urban and tourist centers. These machines allow a little simple editing and you get your prints instantly. Over the next 12 months these are likely to be more widely available.

For more information about printing your digital photos check out http://tinyurl.com/4fm3q.

About The Author

Liz Beresford owns and operates the web site Digital Cameras and Accessories, which provides information and resources for digital camera buyers, particularly new buyers. You can find the best value digital cameras, equipment and accessories online at the Digital Cameras and Accessories shop.

http://www.digital-cameras-and-accessories.com/

At a recent homeschool convention, I had the opportunity to speak to many moms about ways to think “Outside the Books”, when it comes to our homeschooling. I wasn’t advocating never using textbooks or changing programs, but rather, helping them see that there are many ways to “show what you know”. It is also important for us to help our children see that real learning happens all the time, not just when they are filling out worksheets or sitting at our school table.

One way we have added a bit of spice to our homeschooling over the years is with a weekly Math Lab day. On one day a week I plan for us to leave the math curriculum on the shelf and do some hands-on learning with games, crafts, etc. Math Lab days are also great for using math software you have sitting around, but may never get around to using. Or how about those math games you have purchased, but usually remain on the shelf collecting dust?

Just what kinds of things can you do on Math Lab Day? I’m glad you asked!
Young children

* Counting games with candy, Legos, or anything else you might have lying around.
* “War” with a regular deck of cards or make your own deck with numbers to 100 and maybe a “wild card” or two to make things more exciting.
* If you have them, Snap Cubes (a popular manipulative) are great to play with, making “trains” of different color patterns. You start the pattern, and your child adds on to the train following the pattern. Then let them start a pattern and you finish it.
* Any board game that requires dice and counting.
* Use standard and non-standard items to measure things around the house. “Hey, Mom, did you know the cat is 50 paper clips long?”
* Kitchen – baking involves using lots of real life fractions – while you’re at it,how about sharing the “fruits” of your math lesson with a neighbor!
* Play store

Elementary thru Middle School

* Math with Literature! We love Sir Cumference, A Place for Zero, Equal Schmequal, and other titles in the math adventure series.
* Our favorite math games are S’math and Knock Out! from Muggin’s Math – we just purchased their new fraction games, too.
* Board games, including Monopoly, PayDay!, Sequence and more.
* Card games like UNO and War. A favorite is to use flashcards with math facts as our “war” deck.
* Videos: Multiplication Rock, Money Rock
* Play store and many of the other activities from the above list
* If you have any of the handheld, electronic math toys, Lab Day is a good time to make sure they are put to use
* Computer games – Money Town, Math Blaster, etc.
* Use activities from “Family Math”, “Math for Smarty Pants” or “Games for Learning Math.”
* Plan an imaginary trip and use a map to figure how many miles you will travel.
* For kids interested in the Stock Market, you can use Lab Day each week to track and check on a couple of stocks, plotting their progress on a graph.
* Visit one of the fun, free math game sites online like the Math Arcade at funbrain.com. There are lots more free websites for online learning in my book, Using the Internet In Your Homeschool.

One other idea that we’ve implemented, not just for Lab Day, but as a way to add some more real life application to our math lessons is the “Mommy Bank”. I gave each of my kids a blank check or savings registry book. Their allowance is “direct deposited” into their Mommy Bank account. They must add the amount each week. They also deposit money received for their birthday, odd jobs, etc. When they purchase something, I pay for it and we deduct it from their account in the Mommy Bank. Of course, older children often prefer to keep their money with them, but this works well when they are younger or for those kids who are not yet ready to carry around cash.

The above lists are just a few of the things we have done on Math Lab Day over the years. Writing this article has reminded me that my own homeschooling has fallen into a bit of a rut. Sounds like tomorrow needs to be an “Outside the Book” kind of day!

Homeschooling From the Heart exists to encourage and equip homeschool families. Cindy is the publisher of the free enewsletter, Homeschool Reviews for You, which features thorough reviews of homeschool resources. Homeschooling From the Heart sells only the ‘best of the best’ in homeschool resources at great prices.

Breast augmentation is one of the most sought after plastic surgery procedures. Women of all ages, sizes and walks of life get breast augmentation. For some women the choice is a matter of looking better, for others it may be a way to aid recovery after breast cancer. Whatever the reason it is still surgery. Surgery should always be taken seriously and before undergoing this surgical procedure a women should know as much as they can about it.

Breast augmentation is surgery to enhance or change the size or shape of the breast. Women seeking this procedure are cautioned to understand that it will not solve problems they may be having in their life. Unrealistic expectations regarding breast augmentation can lead a woman to regretting her decision. What breast augmentation can do is help the way you see and feel about yourself.

There was once a lot of media attention directed towards breast implants. Silicone implants were found to be susceptible to leakage which could cause health problems. Today the only approved implants are saline implants. Saline is a natural product already found in the body and leakage, if any, is not threatening. Other concerns, however, are still present with saline as with silicone.

There are always risk with surgery. General risks can range from infection to anesthesia problems. Complications that are specific to breast augmentation include, loss of sensation, problems being able to breastfeed in the future, and hardening of the implant. The most common complications are breast pain and numbness. The most serious complication that can occur are toxic shock syndrome, implants breaking the skin and skin dying.

The long term look at breast augmentation shows that many patients will have a need for at least one additional surgery within 10 years. There have not been studies to indicate how long an implant will last, but it is proven that they can break.

Breast augmentation is an expensive procedure. Most insurance companies do not cover this surgery. It is very important to understand why you want the surgery, what results can be achieved and what long term effects can occur. Reversing the surgery means extra pain and money.

Stephen Kreutzer is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides breast augmentation resources on Breast Augmentation Facts!