Safe From Strangers

There are few thoughts as terrifying as the abduction of your young child by a stranger. The fear causes parents to think long and hard about their children's safety. They tell them in a very clear voice, "Do not to talk to strangers."

The problem is though, that a child's view of a stranger is very different from a parent's view. From the child's perspective, because a stranger is someone they are supposed to be afraid of, they expect a stranger to look ugly or scary. In fact, few, if any strangers actually look like the child's notion. Then to make matters more confusing for children, we teach then to respect and listen to their elders and be polite. Then as role models, children see us talk to people we have never met before, day in and day out.

So young children get it and will not to talk to strangers. They will very willingly avoid scary looking people. However, when confronted by a friendly, kind looking older person, they will likely respond politely, which in most cases means "speaking when spoken to" and as they are taught in school, they will follow their directions.

Helping young children not to talk to strangers or not go with them, takes much more than the simple admonishment, "Don't talk to strangers."

Parents who want to increase the likelihood that their child will avoid or leave from persons unknown must spend a good amount of time talking about the issue and teaching their children on an ongoing basis. These tips may help:

1. When out in the community, in a matter of fact voice, point out the various people and ask your child if s/he knows them. Use this as an opportunity to explain that a stranger is any person we do not know, regardless of what they look like.
2. Next it becomes very important to differentiate the rules for grown-ups and the rules for children. Sometimes simply phasing it as, "Are you old enough to talk to people you don't know by yourself?" and then explain that they must have your permission to do so.
3. In the event a stranger approaches a child, they then must be equipped with strategies to manage the situation. Some parents provide a "code word." Explain to the child if someone doesn't know the code word, they do not have permission to go or talk with the person. In such situations, the child must be instructed to leave the person and immediately go to another adult they know, or older child if an adult is not available. It important to also teach the child that this is not rude. The child must understand that they have your full permission to leave the situation and to do so immediately.

Managing your child's safety, in your absence is truly a scary thought for most parents. We do not want to put undue fear in our children, but we do want to keep them from harm. It is important to understand how our own behaviour may contradict what we want children to do when approached by people they do not know. We have to talk about the difference between what parents may do and what children may do. Only parents may touch the stove... only parents talk to strangers.

Finally, in addition to teaching who NOT to talk to, we must also teach, who they CAN talk to. If for instance, your child is lost in the store, who can they talk to? Develop a list of safe persons your child can talk to - even if they do not know them. The list may include police, fireman, teachers and even cashiers in stores. Remember keeping children safe is an ongoing discussion and not a simple one-time set of rules.

Article Source:EzineArticles.com

Tea Cup Collecting

Collecting tea cups and saucers can be a very satisfying hobby that any age can participate in. Even pre-teens seem to enjoy learning the history behind the different styles and types of tea cups and their matching saucers. Grandmothers may still have cup and saucer sets from their youth that could be the basis of a teacup collection which would bring them many hours of joy.

Getting Started

A tea cup collection is within the reach of everyone, no matter what their budget is. Depending on where you look for collectibles to buy, you can find tea cups for as little as a dollar... or even less. Most of these original cups in the 17th century were custom made for the wealthy, and were fashioned out of fine silver. Since at this time, everything consumed out of these cups was steaming hot, it soon became quite clear that cups made from metal and hot liquids did not mix! Soon afterwards, tea cups began to be crafted of porcelain, and it wouldn't surprise any tea cup collector of today if people from way back in the 17th century didn't began a collection then and there, as tea cups can be rather addictive!

What's The Difference?

Before you can began to successfully collect tea cups, you should make sure that you know the difference between a tea cup and a coffee cup. To the untrained eye, these two cups do not look all that different. Here's a simple way to tell them apart. Coffee cups are usually bigger than tea cups. Tea cups have quite a delicate look to them, usually have a matching saucer, and their handles are set higher on the side of the cup than the handles on coffee cups.

Do your homework and try to learn as much as you can about the history of tea cups. Did you know that the first tea cups made in Europe didn't even have handles? It can also be helpful for you to learn and remember the manufacturer's name on some of the top selling tea cups, so that you will recognize them when you run across them. They include such names as Spode, Royal Doulton, Havilland, and Limoges. The older tea cups from Occupied Japan are also a popular collectible that will increase in value as time goes on.

Where Are All the Teacups?

Where to find these elusive collectible tea cups? Look around at your local flea markets, garage sales, antique shops, and ask the older females in your family about any tea cups they might have squirreled away. You pay get lucky and have an entire collection passed on to you by an aunt or a cousin that started a collection years ago. Also, online auctions are wonderful places to find good deals on tea cups. There are also web sites that have new and used tea cups for sale that may be of interest to you.

Decide before you get started collecting in a big way just how much money you want to budget for gathering collectible teacups. This hobby can be just as expensive or as inexpensive as you want it to be. Sometimes it's more fun to hunt for and find a teacup for a small amount of money than it is to pay $50 for one teacup.

Your Own Collection - Have It Your Way!

What kind of teacups do you like? This is your collection, so make sure that when you look at it, you see what you want to see. If there is a certain color or pattern that you really enjoy, then it doesn't matter who the manufacturer is - just as long as you like it! Some people go a bit further with their collecting, and add either tea pots or tea sets to their collections. Others are strictly tea cup purists.

Before you accumulate too many tea cups, you should think about where in your home would be a good place to display your collection. Some people use old-fashioned china cabinets for display, while others simply hang the teacups from a wall in their kitchen or dining room. Wherever you decide to display the, make sure it is a safe place where your teacups can not fall and get broken. You are building a collection that will have a lot of sentimental value to you in the future, and you should take the best of care of them. You may want to pass on your teacup collection to your children or grandchildren one day, so keep your teacups in good shape!

A type of teacup or teacup and saucer set to keep your eyes open for is the Occupied Japan type. A short bit of history about this type - After World War 2, the United States occupied Japan, so anything that left the country had to be stamped "Made in Occupied Japan". This was displeasing to the Japanese, so whenever they thought they could get away with not using the stamp, they did, and any goods that left Japan simply said "Made in Japan". As a result of this, not too many items were stamped with the "Made In Occupied Japan" stamp, and the ones that were are extremely rare and very collectible.

Article Source:EzineArticles.com

Top 5 Most Powerful Rivers in the World

When you think of a river, the last thing you think about is probably how strong its water really is. You are more than likely to think about calm flowing water that brushes over stones at the bottom of the river. Whatever you think about, it's definitely not how powerful the river is.

5. Brahmaputra River

The Brahmaputra River is located in Bahaduradbad, Bangladesh. It starts in southwestern Tibet, goes through the Himalayas, the Assam Valley, and then through Bangladesh. The Brahmaputra is about 1,800 miles long and is mostly used for transportation as well as irrigation. While most of this river is navigable, some parts are prone to catastrophic flooding in the spring once the snow of the Himalayans melt. This river is also one of the few that is known to have something called a tidal bare. This means that incoming tides form waves that travel up the river against the direction of the current. This is what researchers call a true tidal wave. This makes the Brahmaputra that much stronger.

4. Yangtze River

The Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia as well as in China. It is the 3rd largest in the world. The river stretches to about 3,964 miles and flows through East China Sea in Shanghai. The Yangtze is known for its flooding, and dams that have been built to prevent water from flowing outside of the river's banks have proven to be useless. Researchers have realized that the river actually has three different types of floods and that its tides are much too strong during some seasons to prevent water from overflowing. Many use the river for electricity and water transport, but they often, if not always have to live in the fear of their towns being flooded.

3. Orinoco River

The Orinoco River is one of the longest in South America. In fact, it is the 3rd longest in South America. The river is 1,330 miles long and flows through Colombia and Venezuela. It begins at the Delgago Chalbaud Mountain. Once the river passes the forested terrain and waterfalls, it slows. However, the waterfalls become rapids which have proven to be extremely difficult to navigate, even though during this time the river is downstream. Eventually the river dumps into the Atlantic Ocean. The river also experiences coastal upwelling year-round, which often poses a threat for those who live close to the river.

2. Congo River

You might know the Congo River as the Zaire. Whichever name you are familiar with, this river is the largest in Western Central Africa. At 2,922 miles, the Congo is the second longest river in Africa. This river is also Africa's most powerful river. Even though the Congo starts off as a peaceful river, especially near Lake Tanganyika, it eventually begins to widen and also picks up speed during this time. Eventually the water passes through the "Gates of Hell," which is a 75-mile long canyon that presents rapids that are impassable. At the Upper Congo, the river ends, but has a 60 mile stretch of rapids that make it dangerous and powerful.

1. Amazon River

The Amazon is the largest river in the world when looking at its volume. It is located in South America, and because it is so large, it can count for at least 1/5 of the world's complete river flow. This river is so powerful and so big that there aren't any points along the river that can be crossed by a bridge. The river has an extremely powerful discharge at the mouth which can release as much as eight trillion gallons of water each day. The river is said to be about 150 ft. deep, so if you're thinking about going for a swim in the Amazon, think again!

Article Source:EzineArticles.com

Unusual Cute Baby Names

Some points to consider when looking at unusual cute names for your baby.

When ever a parent is deciding on what names they will consider for their baby there are some points that need to be taken into consideration. These considerations are even more important when they are looking at choosing unusual cute baby names for their child.

1. Firstly it is important that you consider the baby's last name when choosing a unusual cute name for them. By saying the two names together you should be able to see if they sit well together and have a nice ring to them. If you need to repeat the name out loud as many times as you like in order to see just how good it sounds.

2. If your last name is short then choose a long first baby name as this will strike a good balance. However, last names which contain 2 syllables will typically sound good no matter what length the first name happens to be. Whilst if you have a long surname then choose a shorter baby's name in order to provide them with the right balance especially when it is said.

3. It is important to remember that any unusual cute baby's name you choose for your child will be with them for the rest of their lives. So although a name like "Precious" may suit your child for their first few years in the future such a name may cause them problems in finding the right sort of job or how the integrate with other people.

4. Also think twice before you choose an unusual name for your child. Research carried out has shown that kids with odd names are more often than likely going to be teased by their peers and find it more difficult to socialize.

5. Whenever you are choosing an unusual cute baby name is not to forget about the middle name as well. You do not want to choose a name that you love only to find that both the middle name and your surname do not sit comfortably with it. So yet again say all the names out loud in order to sit if they meld together beautifully. It may be that you need to change the first and middle names round in order to get the right sound.

So when it comes to choosing unusual cute baby names, parents should be wary of what they choose and spend some time taking into consideration the points provided above. Hopefully by doing this a parent will avoid the pitfalls which could lead to problems for their child in later life.

Article Source:EzineArticles.com

The Personal Power of Beauty

Beauty is Infinite, Beauty is Health, Beauty is Truth, Beauty is Power

What is the Personal Power of Beauty?

Beauty is the power of radiance, and your personal beauty has the power to illuminate your world to a more radiant and bountiful experience. There is abundance, joy, passion, sensuality and pleasure to be had in your beautiful life, and working with your personal power of beauty is a strategy for claiming even more. Your personal power of beauty is a treasure to behold, a way to be bold and a powerful journey for you to unfold. Beneath the surface of your skin is the story of your beauty, and this is the story that is meant to be told.

The personal power of beauty is a magical tool that enhances all aspects of your existence to a more majestic and magnificent experience. Beauty is the source of your personal magic; it is the essence of who you are, it connects you to others and to the plenty of this planet.

What is beauty? Where does it come from? Who has it?
When you think of beauty is it something you know you have within you? Or does beauty seem like something elusive and outside of you?

All people are beautiful, and it is our essential nature to radiate this beautiful truth.

The Beauty is on the Inside

Years ago, I saw an ad that I loved for Burt's Bee's products. The photo was of a group of Harley-type bikers, you know, heavy set men, grimacing, hairy and looking kind of scary. The caption on the ad said "The Beauty is on the Inside". It couldn't be clearer, beneath the packaging is where you will find true Beauty, it's on the Inside. This ad cracked me up, just thinking about it still makes me smile; the message was so clear, powerful and beautifully stated. Beauty comes from within, it emanates through the skin and vibrates around us.

Each of us has our own personal beauty, it is the unique essence of who we are, like our signature or thumb print, it is exclusively our own. Our personal beauty or inner beauty stems from the heart, our center of love. Our center of love is the vital force of our spirit, and the vital force of our spirits spring from the source of all life: Whether it be God, Goddess, Great Spirit, Energy, Vibration, the Creator, Nature, the Divine or the Force it is all the same source. Whatever you believe to be the divine spark of life within you; whatever you equate to the magic of your existence; however you understand life with its complexities and perfections and which ever way you account for the air that is your breath and the fire of your spirit all stems from the source of life, and the beauty within you is a part of the package. Our beauty is a divine light that sparks through each cell of our being. You truly can never be anything but beautiful, for you are life and life itself is beauty.

When you understand the source of beauty within you, you then have access to its potential for your greater abundance, power and ability to manifest change. The power of your beauty is already embedded in your essence, ready to glow. However, it is harnessed through your beliefs about yourself and the actions you take in the name of truth, beauty and love. You are born with the tools to become a channel for this very compelling and influential vibration. You are the vehicle for this sacred source to shimmer and shine.

Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty

"Beauty is truth, truth beauty. That is all ye know on Earth, and all ye need to know." -John Keats.
We live in a world where our concepts of beauty are decided by the collective consciousness, the standards of our society. Many of us, especially women, are victims of what is known as the 'beauty myth'. A world where fashion rules, perfect body types are most desired and our ways of looking and being are all meant to sell or consume products: beauty products, fragrances, diet pills, hair color, fashion magazines, douches etc. But that is not what true beauty is made of. The truth is we are already whole and complete beings, we are all perfect because we are each perfectly ourselves. What is true is that beauty is everywhere and within everything. For everything on earth and in the universe is of the divine source. Unfortunately, many of us were not taught to honor our own beauty in this way. We were warned against being too conceited or told we were not beautiful enough and sadly so many beautiful people have never had their own precious nature reflected back to them. We hide our beauty in the shadows, even the super models complain about places within themselves that they find hideous. In subtle and not so subtle ways we have been disempowered and misdirected by the media to seeing ourselves as less than the ideal of beauty. Every commercial on television is an assault, telling us what we need to do to be better, happier and more beautiful. This is the beauty myth and it can destroy our sense of self-esteem and even destroy the joy in our lives, it already has for so many people.

As adults, we need to re-teach ourselves where true beauty comes from. We need to re-connect to the radiant source of life within us and teach this to our children. True beauty comes from the heart and soul and spirit of who you truly are, it is your divine right to resonate with self-love and allow your beauty to take the stage. Your authenticity is buzzing with beauty. Life is love, love is truth and truth is beauty. All of life is sacred and all of life is beautiful. Beauty and truth are hand in hand, one does not exist without the other.

Elizabeth Stahl B.A., N.H.C., is the creator and facilitator of "My Goddess Party", Star of Aphrodite Mentoring and Life Coaching, Girls of Power and The Girls and Goddesses Parties - for girls ages 10 and up.

Elizabeth has 16 years of experience in the Natural Health Field specializing in Women's Health and Wellness. She combines her practice as a Natural Health Consultant (NHC), with her Life Coaching practice, Goddess Parties and Sacred Women's Circles. Elizabeth infuses Girls and Women with the essence of their divine feminine spirit and encourages their growth towards the women they want to be.

Article Source:EzineArticles.com

Love - The Binding Force

All human beings are product of love. The first process of your beginning- the conception is a bye product of love. Two people loved each other and then two cells completely mingled with each other, rather lost their individuality to become one. This oneness is only possible through love. Love is the essence of life. Nothing is possible in this world without love.

Once born, your first love is your mother. She has given you all she had in the form of life surviving energy- the milk. As a child, you felt comfortable clinging to the chest of your mother that was full of warmth of love. Love present within the womb, even, plays a vital role in development of child's personality. That is why; doctor's advice to carrying mothers is to remain happy, full of love.

You go to school and further up the journey of life. Your happiest moments are when you are in love. Love may not be confused with liking. Liking is outwardly while love is inwardly. Liking is superficial, like make up that can be washed away, but love is embedded deep. Love has no expectations, if it is true. A true lover wishes good for you. Try to see the moments, which filled you with a kind of ecstasy, kind of bliss, happiness, were not because of your material gains, but somewhere deep within it was your sense of loving. You loved those moments; you were lost in those moments. Your ego had disappeared. You were not wanting but were giving. But when you like, you want to get. You want to achieve. Your ego is inflated.

To love is to love god, to thank him for all he has given and this kind of love becomes worship. All your prayers may be useless, as those have been borrowed from others. Your love for the creator's creations comes from you. It is yours and it becomes your own prayer, your own way of thanksgiving. That is the basic nature given to you by the God.

At the end of the journey of life, people carry you on their shoulders, may be with cloudy eyes and a wetness filled with love. Your parting might be painful for them. The love leaves some tears in their eyes. Thus, the whole life, if minutely seen, revolves around love.

It is now proved scientifically too, that you are born with certain genes of your parents. These decide about many of your characteristics, behavioral pattern and finer points of your personality. These are called genetic characters or genetic personality.

During the course of journey of your life, you meet, interact and know many people and acquire many new traits and characters that develop and determine your personality. You may copy certain attributes of the people you come into contact with. People around you shape your ideas, your way of life and affect many of your original attributes. This environment around you plays a very important role. It has been seen many a times that a child born of a good parentage gets spoiled if allowed to grow in bad company. Company you keep determines your acquired personality.

Both the genetic and acquired characteristics go hand in glove. Here too, love or hate determine your being. Now, try to look at hate; it is another side of the same coin. If you love a person or a thing today, and you hate the same other day, it is not love. You love your wife or husband, but at times, when the wavelength crosses, you hate, the same person. Love and hate walk together, like day and light. As the length of light decides the duration of a day, and its absence allows night to settle in.
So is the case of your happiness and sorrows. Allow the light of real love; you will be filled with brightness. You will remain cheerful. You will be filled with an energy- positive energy that will make you happier. And if you settle for hate- negative energy, you will find your self in gloom, darkness and miseries. If you are filled with love, the day will be longer.

The love I am talking here is not the kind you are never tired of saying, "I love you". While you exactly mean, " I like you." If these are only words coming out of your brain in anticipation of some desire to be fulfilled and these don't come from your heart, your consciousness, your personality, this word- love, remains a noun.

Use Love as a Verb

Love is better expressed in the form of a verb. Loving is better than love, like singing is better than a song. Song is a pool of words, while singing becomes soul of the song. Similarly, loving becomes essence of love. It is an action and you are involved in it. You become a part of the process. Then it starts radiating from your personality, it starts reflecting through your eyes, your gestures, your body, your aura. Now it becomes a natural offshoot, a natural flow. It has a meaning that is loving. In verb form, you are involved, you are using your energy, and you love. It does not remain merely an expression; rather it becomes an action and only actions leave impressions. If you love, then it becomes your nature. Then it is you, yes, you become an action. Since you are a product of love and the meaning of your being here is to love, you justify your being. You become God or godly, you may say either way.

But for God's sake, do not minimize your identity by discriminating. Discrimination is good in liking, not loving. Once it dawns that every one is good and lovable, you love everything, every creation. You love flowers, plants, river and the sea. Love as a whole and not in parts. If it is done in parts, it is simply not complete and will not have any meaning. It has to be like a river, ever flowing, and non-discriminately- taking all that comes in its strides. If a big stone comes, it takes a slight turn and flows. Smaller events start flowing with the river. It does not stop till it reaches its destination. You are also here to love all- the people, the animals, plants, flowers, the river, the sea- whole of the universe, in its wholeness. Love becomes a holistic approach of life.

Love is blind, is an old saying. Real love is really blind. It does not see. It does not see any negative part in lover because a lover is aware of own faults too. The love only sees positively. If you love with complete acceptance, it is love. And if your love is true, it cannot be discriminatory, love is synthesizing energy, it unites, binds, mixes like water and is always holistic. That is how you were born. Whenever you love and are ready to let go your identity, willing to drop your ego, you are epitome of love; rather you become love- you become a source of productive energy.

Discrimination is analyzing energy. It breaks into pieces. In India, scriptures mentioned that each living being is a synthesis of five basic elements; earth, air, water, fire and space. The body is made of these five components and after the death, body constituents go back to original components, merge in the universe, mingle with is sources.

Scientists tell us that roughly 70-80 percent of body mass is water. The air and space takes up another ten percent part. Rest is a mass composed of earthy materials. It defines that basic nature of man is liquid, flowing, loving, non- resisting, like a river. The major constituent should be the governing factor, the ruling factor.

Take a glass of water; pour the water into a vessel of different shape. Water will very easily take the shape of new vessel. It will not resist. It is because water has a flow, it is ready to mix. It knows that it has no identity of its own. So is the life. But once the water in the glass is frozen; it solidifies, turns into ice. Now if you put it into another vessel, it will retain it hard shape. It will not accept new vessels shape. Because there is no flow now, it has hardened. An ego has crept in and it has become a man now. It does not want to change.

I, your ego that you acquire with the education system and society has frozen you, today. You have become ice, hard, solid without any flow. You only float in a sea but you are not part of the sea. Solidification brings hardness, a shape you cling to. It restricts you from mingling. Water mixes up easily you do not mix up. You remain aloof, though may be you are living in a crowd, called society. You do not flow, lest you loose your identity. But one day you are going to lose your identity.

Maintaining and keeping your identity has brought you in the fix. You are water basically, you want to flow, you want to mix up, and that is your basic nature. Basically and naturally you are born to love, flow. The importance of love, the warmth of love can still melt the icebergs in you. You get hardened since love is missing. Love is missing in your life because you do not love. It is very simple. Love is the binding energy; energy of flow and life should flow.

If you minutely study the composition of the body, all five natural components are singularly opposite in nature. Is fire and water compatible? Earth and space are diametrically opposite. Air and fire have nothing in common. But, when all these components are joined with energy, energy where one is ready to lose oneself, energy of love, energy of creation, you are born. Your creation is a natural phenomena.

Natural product of love is a child, a lovely creation, and an adorable possession. He smiles at least three hundred times a day. He stares at moon and stars, they twinkle in his eyes. He plays with the dog; he is not scared of the dog. Child put his hand in dog's mouth yet dog does not bite him. Have you noticed, why? Dog knows about the love of the child. An animal understands that this person is harmless, implying that he is loving the dog. If you love, you cannot harm any one. That is the basic rule, fundamental principle. Should we say that a dog has better understanding than a man?

Learn it from a child

Be child like. Be natural. Play with children, with nature. You have forgotten to live naturally. Your un-natural ways have led to your present miseries. When was it last when you sat under a tree? Smelled a rose, keeping it within your palms? How many times a week you play with your own children? Or you just rebuff them? You do not have time. You have grown and become un-natural. With you growing in years, your capacity to love must have also grown. Rather it has diminished. Now you complain about evaporation of love.

You are never tired of talking about songs of olden, golden days. You always cry about those days that have gone. You want to live for hours and years in Memory Park, but do not stay in a natural park or garden near your home, even for few minutes. You might be going there for a walk, but do not look around the beauty as spread by the creator. You fondly remember your childhood days. Probably, love was present in you, in some form or the other that has vanished now? Since you have stopped loving, you do not see love around. You think the world has changed, but it is you who have changed.

Your education system is faulty. System is trying to make a child competitive, right from day one. But life is not a competition. Life is not a race. Unfortunately, your entire running is causing diminishing effect on your basic nature, your nature to love. Life is a flow. You build dams of ego, greed, desires, hate and what not. This all stops the natural spring of love in you. The basic nature of man, the love got retarded in the journey of marching ahead of neighbor. And you forget that you are to live with the same neighbor, same people; you want to march ahead of. You feel anguished and then try to fix up somewhere else.

A poet has written beautiful lines going like this, " Let the tiny hands of a child touch the stars and the sky, because after reading a few books they will also be like you." Fortunately, they will be adult. They will also grow like you, tall. But a tree without shadow remains only ornamental. It may look beautiful, but of little use.

Let us not crucify the dreams of our childhood. Play sometime with small children and watch the flow of energy, the loving energy, that will take you to the seventh heaven. Be like a child. Fighting with buddies, but forgetting the next moment, is the most cherished value of all of us. Children do not carry any load, while your shoulders have stooped due the burden of small words spoken years back. Those words still disturb your state of mind. Is it not amazing?

All the tensions, miseries and unhappiness are result of your becoming unnatural. Your nature is to love, to synthesize, to flow, and to fly. Let the life flow because you don't know the moment of its end.

Let the love be the life, not the medium of life. Love should surround your being. It should radiate from your personality. You want to belittle the never-ending source, the origin, by drawing out of it in small vessels, mostly handful, by begging for love, by anticipating for love. And sometimes you ask for it. " Do you love me ", how many times have you said this? It is abundant, like vast sea, unending reservoir. You are wandering for palm full. Remember, water does not stay in palm. It will slip. Do not try to hold love. You are made to be a sea of love. Be like water, and you all know that if stored in small ponds, it become dirty with the time. It starts giving foul smell. Flowing river water does not get dirty, rather cleanses all impurities, all the dirt, the way, the shores and fills the thirsty life.

You are also thirsty of love. You search for it. You ask for it. It is not merchandise. You can buy or get in bargain. You cannot dream of it too. It is simply available, spread through out. The only need is that you be here. You be love. Once you become an embodiment of love, accumulation will disappear. Your thirst will disappear. You will look blissful always. You will start swimming in the sea of love. You will love your wife, your child, and your pet with the same intensity, once it dawns on you that life has no separate meaning other than love.

Article Source:EzineArticles.com

Diamond Watches - Unmissable and Unmistakable

Why do people wear diamond watches? If you have ever seen somebody wearing a diamond watch then you will probably realize that there was little point in even bothering to ask the question. Simply taking one look at the watch on their wrist would be enough to make it more than evident why anybody would be proud to wear such a beautiful piece of jewelry. Such watches have gained tremendous popularity in recent years for two major reasons.

The first reason why they have become so popular in recent years is as a direct result of the hip hop or bling culture which has become a tremendously successful fashion style. Most noticeably led by those hip hop or rap stars such as Eminem, 50 Cent and P Diddy, the hip hop culture is one that celebrates diamonds and all that sparkles and glitters. Naturally children and young people are keen to emulate their celebrities, and as a result, bling jewelry, including diamond watches, has become a distinctive fashion statement.

The second reason is that an increasing number of designer watches have come onto the market, with different brand names now being related to distinctive styles that have given the classic diamond watch a modern twist. There are seven main names to look out for if you are considering purchasing a watch, either for yourself or as a gift.

The first of these are referred to either as Joe Rodeo watches or sometimes referred to simply as JoJo watches. These are perhaps the most easily recognized diamond watches on the market and are available for both men and ladies. Joe Rodeo watches have a reputation not only for quality, but also for a style that is unmistakable.

Luccello Watches are superbly crafted and all, even more affordable line of watches (their Sport line) use VS quality diamonds. Luccello offers genuine diamond watches ranging from only $200 to all the way to $250,000. It is the only brand offering VS quality diamonds in a $200 range diamond watches. If you are looking for a stylish, quality brand name watch with no compromise to quality Luccello watch should be your choice.

A Luxurman watch is the brand to look for if you are looking for one of the more affordable watches, with more jewels than any of the other leading brands. They provide the best bang for a buck and are our best selling watches. Luxurman watches often appeal to younger people wishing to make a distinctive statement.

Another extremely fashionable and common brand is Benny and Co, whose diamond watches are beautifully crafted, and boast a distinctive look. The watch movement itself is Swiss made and incorporates a date. Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of Benny and Co watches are the vibrant colours in which they are available.

A Benny and Co watch comes with 3 (men's) or 4 (women's) interchangeable straps in a range of colours, and in almost all cases the colour of the face of the watch matches the colour of the strap, helping to tie the entire thing together creating an unmissable and unique watch.

When it comes to unmistakable style, and particularly when it comes to bling, then nothing can quite compare to an Iced Out diamond watch. An Iced Out watch is unique in that almost every aspect of it is encrusted with round cut diamonds. Usually almost the entire face of the watch, the bezel around the outside, and even the edges of the face and the lugs are decorated with diamonds. Hence the term 'iced out'.

Techno Swiss is another brand offering very affordable diamond watches, and they are available in a range of unique styles. One of the most popular of these incorporates a world map on the face of the watch. This world map is constructed from a mosaic of colored stones, and with the entire edge of the bezel encrusted with round cut diamonds, this is a watch which is not only affordable but highly distinctive.

The last but not least name to look out for if you are considering purchasing a watch to turn your girl's eye are the diamond Tenakey watches. These are perhaps the most distinctive watches of all the leading brands and include large, chunky faces that ooze masculinity and strength. Tenakey diamond watches are often considered by those who are looking for hip hop or bling watches, as the large chunky shape of the watch, combined with the sheer quantity of small round cut diamonds embedded on almost every aspect of the watch, makes these watches stand out from the crowd.

These are seven of the most popular brands. There is also a wide range of diamond jewelry available to compliment your watch in range of styles, from hip hop and bling to the more conservative traditional style. Which you choose is up to you, but one thing is sure: whether bling bling or traditional, a diamond watch says something about you that no words could ever convey.

Check out the hiphop diamond watches at ItsHot.com where you will find a wide range of Iced Out, JoJo, Tenakey and Benny & Co watches sure to meet your personal needs. Also, check out the ItsHot.com Blog for more information on diamond watches.

Article Source:EzineArticles.com

Staining Your Wood

Basic wood types:

* Softwoods- Pine, Fir and Cedar. (etc.)

* Hardwoods- Oak, Beech, Ash, Elm, Birch and Walnut.(etc.)

* The differences between them and how that will effect your overall project:

This is sometimes confusing because you have;

- Box wood and Aspen: A very soft Hardwood.

- Douglas Fir: A very hard Softwood.

Don't be concerned with the names "Hardwood or Softwood" we are looking at the characteristics of the wood itself.

If the wood has uneven wood grain, or blotchy patterns to it, chances are it is a softwood. When you stain it, it will stain unevenly. You may want this, to let the stain enhance the natural beauty of the wood. If you do not want this, place a pre-stain wood conditioner on your wood. It seeps into the wood fibers so that the wood will stain evenly. (With this product, I am not sure how dark of a stain, the wood can ultimately be, when finished.) Check with the manufacturer.

If the wood has a consistent flow or pattern to the grain, it's probably a hardwood. Use whatever stain you wish to enhance the wood grain.

I found out that hardwood such as Oak, may take a few more coatings of stain than softwood,(Pine,Poplar etc.) but the results are still very pleasing.

When I am looking for wood, I look for a piece that is unique, within itself.

It does not matter if it is "soft" or "hard".

Preparing wood for staining:

With the selected piece(s) at hand, check to make sure the wood is free of dirt, grease etc.

Drawing on a mental image of what you want to create, you have to decide what type of sand paper you should use. The lower the # grit, the rougher the wood will be, the more stain will absorb into the wood and the darker your project piece will be. (And thats on the first application)

The opposite is true as well. The higher the # grit, the smoother the wood will be, the less will absorb into the wood and the results are a lighter stained project piece.

I usually (for flat surfaced pieces) use a lower grit sand paper (60 or 80) to remove any blemishes and scuff's. Next I will use a higher grit# (100 or 120). I try to keep in mind what depth of stain I am looking for in my finished project piece. If I want a finished (med.) depth of stain, I will stop with the 100 or 120 grit. If I want it lighter, I will go with a higher grit number.

You can go with a high grit number (200 or more) and add multiple coats of stain. This is fine. You should experiment on a scrap piece of wood to see what is right for you.

When sanding is complete, wipe down wood with damp cloth. Making sure wood is free from any debris.

Staining your wood:

Put your rubber gloves on. Make sure stain is stirred well.

Using a sponge, brush, rag or clean cloth, apply stain to wood generously.

Make sure you work in one continuous movement across your wood, going with the grain. Make sure the entire piece is brushed well and evenly.

You can wait 5 to 15 minutes for stain to absorb.The longer you wait, the darker it will be. If you are not sure how fast your wood will take the stain, use a clean cloth and wipe on, wipe off. (That quick). This will give you a good idea. It's easier to add more stain, than to have to take it off.

Let's say you wait 5 minutes and you are not satisfied with the results. The manufacturer recommends you wait 4 to 6 hours before reapplying. You can, or you can just add it right away and only let it sit for the remaining 10 minutes.(Remember total time of 15 Minutes) Do not let it sit longer than 15 minutes in low to medium humidity. It will start to gum-Up and it makes your project look like a 6 year old did it. (nothing against 6 yr.olds.) If you are working in high humidity areas, you may want to reduce the time to 5 or 8 minutes max.

When you are satisfied with the stain color, place the piece(s) on something flat.(work bench, garage floor) and let dry for 6 to 8 hours.

Polyurethane:

You can use this for protection and beauty. It comes in Satin,Semi-gloss and High or Clear gloss.

Make sure that your wood is free of any debris. If you are using a spray can, stay 8-12 inches from piece being sprayed. With long even passes, apply the Poly.(Don't overspray, you will get runs.) Make about two passes and go on to the next piece. After a couple hours, reapply if you wish.

If your using the liquid. Wearing your gloves, brush it on with the grain. If you put to much on, you must continue to brush it out. You will have to babysit the wood, making sure that it does'nt hold bubbles or run. Once it looks like it is setting up, leave it alone for another 4 hours. Then reapply if you wish.

Please refer to the Manufacturers instructions and times. Mine are for reference purposes only.

Oil based stains:

Provides long lasting wood tone color. It penetrates deep into the pores to seal and protect the wood. (It brings out the natural beauty of the wood )

Water based stains:

Provides an even stain color. (It will not absorb unevenly like an oil based stain.)

Gels:

Adds natural colors to a wide range of wood and non-wood products (It is difficult to get out of grooves in wood.)

Pastels: Oil based wood stain which provides a soft pastel color while highlighting the grain of the wood. (This is a fine product if you wish to accent your decor.

**** The above, In"()" is author's opinion only, try what ever you wish. I only use Minwax products, because I feel they are the best.****

Dye's v.s. Stains:

Pigment stains will fill the grains and leave the wood surface with less colorant, whereas dyes will stain the grain and the areas between the grain approximately the same color.

Fillers:

Fillers can be nice to use when you are filling nail holes or brad holes. However, Using a wood filler usually won't stain the same color as the wood. I try to avoid fillers. I have heard that you can buy some powder form of the filler and add the color of stain that you will be using. Perhaps this will make the overall "filled holes" less noticeable.

One thing you might try is using some matching colored putty. Fill the holes, let dry. Putty won't get real hard, but let dry for a day. (All this is to be done after staining, and before Polyurethane.)

Use some Poly. in a spray can, and lightly go over you project. Let dry.

Repeat spraying at least one more time. Let dry. If you apply to much Poly. the first time, it will break the putty down. If this happens,leave it alone. Do not try to wipe it off. You will smear the Poly. that you have applied. It's easier to chip it off when it's dry, and try again.

(Manufacturer recommends applying the Colored Putty after you Polyurethane your piece and it has dried)

Supplies:

Your choice of wood. Stain, gloves, Polyurethane, brushs, sponges, clean white shop towels, and Putty. (If needed)

Do's & Do Not's and Tips:

All of the above are listed throughout the instructions. Please follow the Manufacturer's suggestions. However, if they don't work for you, try mine.

Article Source:EzineArticles.com

Asphalt Roads protection material

It is known to everyone that development of motor road network in any country reflects the potential of the country's general economic development.
In 20th century, roads came to our homes, and at the present, every second person of us spends a half of his or her working time as a driver or passenger.
The roads we take are those enabling us to reach the necessary place fast and without time-consuming traffic jams and crashes, and in many cases this depends on the quality of road pavement.

Asphalt concrete shows considerable strength, impermeability and resistance to water, and the ability of elastic and plastic deformation. It provides smoothness and elasticity of road pavement, comparatively noiseless traffic, and good road grip of wheel tires.
Unfortunately, The asphalt concrete, which is one of the greatest inventions of mankind unrivalled to the present time, loses all these positive properties in 2 to 5 years after the road is built.

Since the advent of asphalt concrete, best inventors in the field of road building have been trying to prolong the asphalt concrete service life by using various traditional methods such as strengthening the material with various polymers , road pavements impregnation with various oils, road pavement reinforcement with fabric, etc.

All the above methods result in sharp increase in the road pavement cost, and what is even more important, deteriorate the road pavement properties such as road grip of wheel tires and so on.
The search of conventional solution aimed at strengthening the asphalt concrete mixtures and improvement of repair methods is being conducted day and night by leading road-building specialists of the world. However, radical solutions of this problem require another approach and another conception.

The use of material TL is exactly such a solution. The new approach is based on the simplest intention to seal off the road from the action if factors causing damage to its pavement. This solution is a breakthrough in road building and maintenance, and material TL has corroborated its serviceability on the roads of Europe, America, Africa and Asia. The material is unique in its simple production and easy application.

TL-2000 is a black liquid single component micro-bitumen polymer composition asphalt rejuvenator to be applied to the surface of asphalt concrete road in a thin layer by pouring or spraying and subsequent spreading. A thin-film coating is thus created. The hardening time is 40 to 60 minutes (depending on the ambient temperature), i.e., in 40 to 60 minutes the road may be opened for traffic.
The method being proposed is compared with the existing ones in the table below

TL consumption is 0.7 to 1.5kg/m^2 depending on the road pavement condition. Adhesion of the material to the road surface primarily occurs through chemical combination with the bitumen component.

The active gaseous component of TL penetrates into bulk of asphalt concrete to a depth of 4 cm and chemically combines with the bitumen forming a copolymer bitumen composition having the necessary plastic and elastic properties.

Except for rejuvenation, TL performs the following main functions. After its application to the road surface, and complete hardening (complete polymerization), we obtain a thin membrane coating preventing penetration of water and gases including ozone into the road pavement and protect the road from ultraviolet and infrared solar radiation and various chemicals.

TL-2000 does not contain solvents and does not cause any damage to the road.
The material allows an increase in the road grip of a rubber tire by about 20 to 30% and thereby considerably shortens the braking distance and improves the traffic safety.
It is possible to produce and apply coloured modifications of TL. for instance, the road section with especially dangerous traffic conditions can be made red with an increased coefficient of friction, a parking place and be made green, etc.

TL-2000 can be used not for road coating or asphalt maintenance only. The available modifications of TL allow other applications as well. For instance, the TL-S modification shows properties of rubber in addition to the above-described properties.
The material is easily and quickly applied to underground concrete surfaces by using an air compressor or with a hand brush, ensuring perfect damp sealing.
The coating does not pass water at a pressure of up to 6atm. the work is done without material heating.

All modifications based on material TL are liquid single-component compositions hardening in contact with air.
They will not freeze at temperatures of about -30C .

In sealed barrels or other containers, the material can be stored even in the open air during up to 2 years.
Thus, a highly effective new material is now available . Its main features are as follows:

1. Application of the material to asphalt concrete pavements of motor roads, airfields, storehouses floors, etc. ensures a considerable increase in service life of the pavement and imparts them impermeably and resistance to water, acids, alkalis, oils, gasoline and salt solutions.

2. It is possible to obtain colours asphalt concrete surfaces.

3. It is possible to utilize ash and various other pulverous materials.

4. Application is easy, quick, cheap and convenient.

5. All the materials used for equipment cleaning (kerosene, diesel fuel, etc.) as well as the equipment itself are not expensive or difficult to obtain.

6. Application does not require special facilities. If the volume of work is rather small, brushes or rubber spreaders can be used.

Article Source:EzineArticles.com

Plastic Bags

Plastic bags are multi-purpose bags made of polyethylene. Plastic bags can be used for varied purposes such as to wrap food, store extra stuff while traveling, and to hoard wet or dirty clothes. They are also ideal as trash bags during journeys. Strength, durability, versatility, and variety are some of the key advantages of plastic bags.

Plastic bags are used for household purposes as well as for industrial purposes. Also, fancy looking designer plastic bags, that are highly cost effective and make good advertising, are often given away by the shopkeepers presently.

Self-adhesive, resealable drawstring or tote bags are the most commonly used plastic bags. Other than this, garbage bags and zipper bags are used daily in households. Tie-on bags, self-sealing bags, shrink bags, and durable plastic bags for heavy machinery are all used daily in the industrial areas. Hot packs, ice bags, moisture, and static control bags are of good advantage in the field of medicine.

Many food items that are available these days come in a wide variety of plastic bags, each suiting a different purpose. Some bags that are used in the vegetable and fruit sections come in rolls that can be easily cut off. These have opening at one end and do not have any sealing attachments. Plastic bags that need to be vacuum-free are made of more durable plastic and are closed from all sides except for a small opening through which the air is sucked out to create a vacuum inside before sealing it.

The size of the plastic bag depends on its purpose. Garbage bags need to be available in a variety of large sizes, for instance. Tote bags and drawstring bags need to be big enough to carry items that the shopper buys. Handles and logos of the company or the manufacturer can be custom printed on the bags.

Plastic Bags provides detailed information about plastic bags, custom plastic bags, plastic bag manufacturers and more. Plastic Bags is affiliated with Candlemaking Supplies.

Article Source:EzineArticles.com

The Benefits of a Cold Drink Vending Machine

The benefits of a cold drink vending machine from the standpoint of both personal and business use is immense. The advantage that vending cold drinks has over hot ones is that cold drinks are not as seasonal as their hot beverage counterparts are. From a business perspective, this is invaluable knowledge as it will help you to make better decisions regarding the flow and impact of your business all while helping you to manage and plan your revenue streams for the entire year without much of a disruption. There are certain beverages and drinks such as water, sodas and other cold teas that are essential to some people and consumed all year which you can take advantage of.

The single most compelling reason for having drink vending machines that serve cold beverages is water. There is not one other substance that is more essential to life and purchased by more people then any other beverage on the market. Once you begin to locate and pin down the best geographical locations, you might find that serving water in your vending machines can quickly turn profitable for you all by itself. If you are using these machines for personal use you will still find all of these points to ring true for you as well.

A cold drink vending machine also comes with the inherent value of not being subject to more seasonal conditions because you can find universal things to store inside of them instead of beverages such as snack foods. When compared to a hot beverage vending machine, the temperate of the colder machine allows you to change up your product offerings and adapt to the various changing seasons instead of having to implement newer machines to keep up with the weather.

Developing flexibility for your business and your customers is one of the best ways to guarantee success. If you factor in all of the time you will waste hauling off your hot beverage machines to replace them with cold drink vending machines you can end up wasting a lot of time and money. The simple solution that works for everybody is to stick with the easy plan of not having to waste more effort then necessary; the idea behind owning any kind of vending machine is to find a way to do the least amount of work while earning the maximum amount of profit.

Over an extended period of time you may very well find out that cold drink vending machines tend to outperform your other machines by a large margin. As it was stated before, this is all due to the flexibility of being able to offer other types of products within the machine itself. The morale behind this entire operation is that it is your job to constantly test which products and locations work while discarding the ones that don't. This business is demanding because it requires you to monitor your progress and chart your success over a period of time before you learn what works and what doesn't; once you finally understand the most efficient way to run your business then you can afford to be more hands off and worry free. Identifying patterns of success and duplicating them a countless number of times should be the crux of every business model.

Article Source:EzineArticles.com

Leather Office Chairs - A Fashion Statement

You have certainly observed in films or television shows that the office set-ups that are shown in them are mostly leather furniture. Even though there are several other options such as wrought iron, exotic woods, bamboo, cane, jute, etc., the use of the leather office chairs imply a statement of fashion explaining your status. There are numerous advantages of leather office chairs compared to the other materials, besides being the fashion statement.

Leather is a sort of natural material. It is basically the treated pelts of different animals. The cost of leather actually depends upon the scarcity or wildness of the animal. For instance, the skin of snake is costlier than the leather skin of a cow. The common leather skin of the various animals are manufactured and sold at a reasonable price from the farm animals such as the goats, cows, sheep, etc.

The furniture made from leather is typically quite touch. It would not be ripping apart if applied heavy weight. It would not get puncture. Leather furniture has immense ability to stretch as well as tensile strength. In every season, it is highly comfortable. It keeps naturally warm during winter and cooler in the summer. It is highly fading resistant.

An exclusive feature of the leather chairs which make them further comfortable is that when they become older, they tend generally to get molded to your structure. It results as the feel of "custom formed" which no other chairs manufactured from any other material can provide.

Leather chairs are a great investment decision of long-term as they are resistant to stain and does not require much maintenance. If there is any spill on the chairs, you merely can wipe it off with any damp cloth. Occasionally you can treat them with the quality conditioner of leather, which is the only upkeep the leather requires.

If you need to sit and work for eight to ten hours per day in your office, then the leather chairs are ideal for your health issues as well. It can prevent back troubles that you might have to face due to prolonged sitting. You can find chairs with special styles and shapes that would be suiting your purpose. You can even go for tailor made chairs of the color you choose.

Leather office chairs are available in a variety of styles and designs. From a range of finishes, a unique office chair set can be purchased. You can go for sold finish, textured, striped, or dotted surface, with a variety of additional styles as well as design combinations. Each piece can have a slightly unique color impact as hides of two animals are a bit different. You can get a greater range to select from, as there are numerous shades and colors. If you are willing to go for a pricey one, choose the leather office chairs made from skin of snake or deer.

Before you go for leather office chairs shopping, make sure that you research well and do not forget to study the buyers' reviews of the company.

Are you willing to make a fashion statement? Comfortable leather office chairs are all that you need.

Article Source:EzineArticles.com

Florist Tips - How To Make Fresh Flowers Last Longer

Fill a plastic bucket a third to half way with warm water. Warm water should be used as flowers take up warm water more readily than cold. Its preferable to add preservative to the water. (The use of preservatives is fully explained further on). Flowers only drink through the ends of the stems and not through the sides of the stems, and for this reason buckets should not be filled right up to the top with water, as foliage left on stems below the water line will rot and pollute the water. This will cause bacteria and the flowers will die more quickly. The foliage of marigolds, chrysanthemums, stock and daisies send off a particularly strong odour when left standing under water over a period of time.

Take the bucket of water into the garden with you. Use a sharp pair of secateurs and cut the flower stems on an angle - a slanted cut allows a better intake of water. Remove all foliage from the lower portion of the stems which would stand under the water line. Place the flowers immediately in the water.

Never overcrowd flowers. Allow enough air to circulate between each flower. Too many flowers crowded together in a bucket may cause the petals to become squashed and bruised. Place the bucket in a cool dark place and allow the flowers to have a long drink before being arranged. When picking short-stemmed flowers, use a smaller container.

Conditioning Flowers and Foliage - Allow flowers to have a good drink for four to five hours, preferably overnight before arranging. This step is called conditioning. It allows the stems to fill up with water and the flowers will become crisp. These flowers will last twice as long as those that have not been conditioned properly.

Bought Flowers - Bought flowers should be placed in warm water as soon as possible. Remove the wrapping paper, as paper can bruise the flowers and cellophane can cause them to sweat. When cut flowers have been left out of water for any length of time, cells start to form over the cut ends of the stems, which will prevent the stems taking up water readily. To remove this sealed portion, snip off about 2.5cm (1") from the stem ends and then place in water preferably with preservative added, and allow the flowers to have a long drink before arranging.

You may be given flowers when you are away from home. It may well be several hours before you are able to place them in water. The best way to keep flowers fresh is to place them in a strong plastic bag with some water in the bottom. Secure the bag with a rubber band. Another method is to wrap flowers in damp newspaper. If travelling by car, place the flowers in the coolest spot. As soon as you get home, recut the ends of the stems, place them in water and allow them to condition overnight before arranging.

Preservatives - A flower preservative helps destroy bacteria in the water. Flower preservatives are available in garden centres or supermarkets. Another alternative is to use a capful of household bleach in the water. If a preservative is not used, the water needs to be changed and the stems cut on an angle daily. If a preservative is used, the stems do not require recutting and water needs changing only about twice a week. Flowers like freesias, spray carnations and liliums have lots of buds. By using a preservative in the water, it helps develop the buds to open.

Special Treatment - Special treatment should be given to certain flowers to give them the longest life possible. Flowers with woody stems do not take up water readily. Woody-stemmed flowers include lilac, hydrangea, and rhododendrons. To help break down the thick fibres, you can split the ends of the stems upwards for about 5 cm. (2") After this treatment, place the stems in a container filled with warm water and give the flowers a long drink before arranging.

Flowers with Milky Stems - Poppies, poinsettias and dahlias have a milky liquid flowing through their stems. To seal this liquid in and make the flowers last, the ends of the stems should be held over a flame like a candle, gas jet or cigarette lighter. Hold the end of the stem over the flame for about thirty seconds until the end of the stem turns black. The flowers should be held on an angle to protect the delicate petals. Another method is to dip the stems in boiling water for about thirty seconds. Hold the flower heads away on an angle and protect the petals from steam by holding newspaper around the flowers. Place stems immediately in warm water and give flowers a long drink before arranging. If stems need to be recut later on when arranging flowers, you will need to repeat the above steps. To avoid this you could cut the stems to different lengths before sealing the ends of the stems.

Bulb Flowers - Certain flowers grow from a bulb. These include tulips, daffodils, jonquils, narcissus, irises and hyacinths. These flowers often have a white portion at the ends of the stems. Cut this white portion off before conditioning as only the green part of the stem can take up water. Daffodils, jonquils and narcissus have a thick sap which oozes from the end of the stems when they are cut. Wipe it off before placing the stems in water. Keep these flowers separate from other flowers when they are being conditioned as the sap can affect other flowers. The thick sap can clog the ends of stems and prevent the uptake of water. Stand the stems in about 7.5 cm. (3") of water and allow to stand at least six hours before arranging. Bulb flowers prefer shallow water. If daffodils, jonquils and narcissus are placed in deep water, the thick stems can become water logged and the stems shrivel up and the petals go papery.

Wilted Flowers - Wilted flowers can often be revived by standing the stems in fairly hot water right up to the flower heads. After the water has cooled, allow the flowers to stand in the water for a few hours before arranging. Roses can often be perked up by floating the whole stem, head and all, in warm water for half an hour.

Article Source:EzineArticles.com

History of the Internet

In this paper I will cover the internet’s experimental beginnings, the commercialization of this technology in the present, and what the project that is taking place that will probably be the future of the internet.

Before I begin talking about the internet, allow me to define what is the internet, who governs it, and what is the financial impact of this technology. The internet is made up of all computer networks that use IP protocol, which operate to form a seamless network for their collective users.[3 Krol] This means that federal, commercial, and institutional networks all compose parts of the internet. This network is connected to each other by either telephone wires, cable lines, or satellite signals. These wires, lines, or signals are then pipelined from server computer to server computer until your host server transmits the electronic information into your computer. The governing body of the internet is the Internet Society (ISOC).[4 Krol] The Internet Society purpose, according to Ed Krol, is to “promote global information exchange through Internet technology”. Another governing body is the Internet Architecture Board (IAB).[5 Krol]

This IAB board governs the protocol standards whereby how computers and software applications talk to each other.[6 ibid] They also make the rules on how to keep track of each 32-bit address number used by each computer on the internet. The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) is the governing body who takes care of operational and near-tearm technical problems of the internet.[7 ibid]

Along with all conveniences, there is a price to pay. Though information could be obtained from the internet for free, everyone has to pay for their own access to it. Just like NSF pays for NSFNET and NASA pays for NASA Science Internet, individuals pay their Internet Service Provider and their telephone company for access to the internet.[8 ibid] As Ed Krol in said in The Whole Internet User’s Guide, ”everyone pays for their part.”

The internet, just like the light bulb and the airplane, started out as an idea. In August 1962, a researcher at MIT by the name of J.C.R. Licklider wrote a series of memos that outlined a “Galactic Network” of interconnected computers whereby everyone could quickly access information and programs from any site.[9 Leiner] Another researcher at MIT, Leonard Kleinrock, published a paper in July 1961 that would make communication on the internet more feasible.[10 ibid] Kleinrock’s paper on the packet switching theory convinced MIT researcher Lawrence Roberts to set up an experiment that involved connecting a TX-2 computer at MIT to a AN/FSQ-32 computer at System Development Corp. at Santa Monica, California.[11 ibid] This experiment resulted in the first computer network ever built.[12 ibid] In 1966 Roberts took his computer network expertise to the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and quickly put together a plan for an “ARPANET”. During the implementation of this plan, Leonard Kleinrock’s theory of packet switching was put into practice by the development of key components called Interface Message Processors (IMPs).[13 ibid]

The impact of this development led to the assembly of the ARPANET. The first site chosen to implement the ARPANET is the Network Measurement Center at UCLA.[14 ibid] This was made possible by the installation of the first IMP and the first host computer at UCLA in September 1969.[15 ibid] Then later, the Stanford Research Institute, the University of California Santa Barbara, and the University of Utah were added to the beginning of the ARPANET.[16 Zakon] In October 1972, the ARPANET was successfully demonstrated at the International Computer Communication Conference (ICCC).[17 Leiner] It is this ARPANET that grew into what we know as the Internet.[18 Leiner]

Two different developments came from the ARPANET: the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and electronic mail.[19 ibid] These developments laid the groundwork for the commercialization of internet technology. In the early 1980’s, commercial developers of internet technology were incorporating TCP/IP into their products in order to network computers.[20 ibid] These commercial developers were shown in a 1985 workshop organized by Dan Lynch and IAB how TCP/IP worked and how it didn’t work. By September 1988, a trade show called Interop was organized to show how well each developer’s internet product worked with other developers products.[21 ibid] This trade show was important because demonstrated web browsers, webpages, and other network interactive material developed by different companies have the ability to interact with each other.

In 1990, “The World” was the first commercial provider of Internet dial-up access.[22 Zakon] Other companies such as CompuServe, Prodigy, America Online and others soon followed. These services allowed anybody with a computer and a modem to have access to the internet. According to Vint Cerf, an internet researcher now at MCI WorldCom, the internet has grown to include some 5,000 networks in over three dozen countries, serving over 700,000 host computers used by 4 million people by the end of 1991.

This explosive grow in the number of internet led to an emerging presence of an electronic economy. In July 1997, President Clinton presented a report called “The Emerging Digital Economy” to analyze “...the importance of electronic commerce and information technologies to the economy as a whole and to individual sectors of the economy."[23 [http://www.ecommerce.gov]] In this report, President Clinton presented some case studies such as: Internet traffic doubling every 100 days, Cisco Systems increasing their revenue from $100 million to $3.2 billion in just one calendar year, and Amazon.com, the first Internet bookstore, recording sales of only $16 million in 1996 skyrocketing to $148 million in 1997.

The internet produced a new economy that has huge economic growth potential. In April 1998, Vice President Gore announced that $500 million was invested by private companies to develop a “Next Generation Internet”. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of the U.S. government will invest $50 million toward this effort to help produce “…an Internet that is faster, more dependable, and can connect billions of computers and other devices.”[24 [http://www.appnet.fi/~ois/usis/current/super2.shtml]] The NGI group will collaborate with the Internet2 consortium, which is made up of corporate and university sponsors, to create an internet that can, “Facilitate and coordinate the development, deployment, operation and technology transfer of advanced, network-based applications and network services to further U.S. leadership in research and higher education and accelerate the availability of new services and applications on the Internet.”[25 http://www.internet2.edu]

This internet technology, initially used for the defense of the United States government, now is a tool to facilitate the commerce of the United States economy. Without this technology, a growing economic presence in the United States wouldn’t have been created. The internet is definitely does have an impact on the history of the United States.

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