Archive for July, 2008

by Phyllis Wheeler

Here's the issue: how to be sure your kids are safe from viewing objectionable sites when they are searching the Internet. After all, you don't want them to stumble across something they should not see.

I bet you would like to find a program you could buy that you could install on your computer to block objectionable content, but permit research.

Here's the bad news: filtering programs can't do the job by themselves. NentNanny and other applications like it search for certain words in the Web site your child is clicking on. Simple words like "belly" can be targets for blocking, causing frustration, while research on "breast cancer" may be impossible.

But these word-blocking solutions are no good at all at blocking objectionable photo sites that have no objectionable words attached. Ask me how I know? My teenage son figured it out. He just went to Google Images and started looking. Your son could do that too. And the objectionable sites he found weren't blocked by NetNanny, which was turned on.

In fact, the filter program could never block these sites because it searches for words. It can't evaluate pictures.

So, what can you as a parent do?

* Keep your computers where you can monitor what the kids are doing. Put them in the kitchen or wherever YOU are.

*Have a login password that only the adults know. The kid has to have permission, and oversight, to use the computer.

*Ensure that the kid logs off when the computer session is over, or turns the computer off. This makes the password required for the next session.

*Use filtering software. It may help.

*Make sure the kids know you will punish them if they are looking at objectionable sites. Visit their terminals at unpredictable times.

*Unplug the computer from the Internet if the child is using a word processor or other local program only.

*Require younger children to use your email address. This will allow you to protect them from vicious spam. As they get older, give teens their own email address, but make sure they give it out only to friends.

Following these precautions will help you keep your kids safe, and will teach your teenagers good habits for avoiding temptations.

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by Irina Thorton

Male hair loss may not be a contagious and threatening disease but it surely is a point of great concern for numerous men around the world. After all, a head full of hair is often a part of one's character, personality and sense of style. Losing it would be like losing a big part of you. For some men, the best solution would be to go for a natural hair loss remedy.

Why Go Natural

Treatment for hair loss comes in many other forms. You can opt for hair and scalp surgery or you can ask your doctor to recommend medication for male hair loss. These methods are alright for a lot of men but there are good reasons why a natural hair loss remedy makes sense.

A costly option would be surgery. However, it is usually not for everyone. There is a possibility that your surgeon might not deem you a good candidate for this procedure especially if you are already quite old. Medications too might work but they could result in some side effects in a couple of men.

A good natural hair loss remedy makes sense because it is not as expensive as surgery and usually does not promote any side effects. You can now take advantage of a hair loss solution that is both safe and affordable. What's more, if you choose a natural hair loss remedy product, it typically carries with it a lot of natural herbs and nutrients that can provide extra nutritional support to your hair and scalp.

Some Natural Remedies

There are also several natural homemade or do-it-yourself methods to avoid or stop hair loss. It is commonly believed for example that massaging the scalp with essential oils like lavender and almond oil can help reduce hair loss. Massaging is a natural hair loss remedy that is supposed to increase blood flow to the scalp, allowing for the optimum delivery of nutrients.

Regular Exercise - Another popular natural hair loss remedy is plain and simply aerobic exercise. Just like massaging, regular exercise is supposed to be able to help deliver the right nutrients to the scalp. This will help keep the scalp and hair healthy.

Relaxation Methods - Relaxation exercises are now also seen as possible remedies for male hair loss. These are of course, methods that are specifically recommended for those with temporary hair loss due to stress.

Natural Products

Natural Herbal Remedies - A good herbal or nutrient filled product might also be a possible natural hair loss remedy. Some products may be seen as better options over home strategies because a good natural product can go right down to the root of the problem.

It is a fact that most male hair loss problems are really caused by genes and hormones. The hormone DHT binds to the receptors in the follicles causing hair growth retardation. A natural hair loss remedy should therefore be able to block this cause of male hair loss.

Going for DHT Blocking - When you are considering a product as a natural hair loss remedy, do make sure that you get one that doesn't just have nourishing ingredients but DHT blocking properties as well.

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by Daniel LaLond Jr.

Moody Press, which boasts of being, "The Name You Can Trust," is an alleged Christian publishing house. As such, they pride themselves in publishing books that are true to scripture, Christ and His gospel. Multitudes worldwide, however, who rest their eternal hopes on the teaching published by "The Name You Can Trust" might be shocked to find that Moody Press should not be trusted.

For instance, in How Can You Be Sure That You Will Spend Eternity With God, by Erwin W. Lutzer (Chicago: Moody Press, 1996), Moody Press published:

Even a weak faith saves if it is directed to Christ alone. But a wrong faith leads to destruction even it is held with unwavering confidence (p. 134).

If you, my friend, are convinced in your heart that Christ paid your debt, and you are resting your eternal soul on Christ and nothing else, you too are saved (p. 115).

Such instruction is certainly quite scriptural. I mean, who would argue against the notion that if one is to be saved they must trust Christ alone. Nonetheless, under the banner of extolling Christ, Moody Press and Dr. Lutzer, in actuality, might dethrone Him.

You see, according to Dr. Lutzer's rhetoric, Christ alone is often theological code meaning that a Christian who turns and seeks salvation through some means other than Christ alone will still be saved. That is, "Christ alone" means that "works" of any kind or degree never affect salvation--even denying "Christ alone." I know it sounds ridiculous (and it is!), but bear with me as I illustrate. Kindly consider Hebrews 6:4-6:

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Now, concerning this serious passage of warning Dr. Lutzer believes and Moody Press scatters around the globe:

We have to admit the author is talking about true Christians in this passage...Yes, believers can "fall away"... they were beginning to doubt whether Christ was fully sufficient... The point is that so long as they were returning to the Old Testament sacrifices, they could not be brought back to repentance. Understandably, they could not be brought back to fellowship with God while they were offering lambs on the alter... Yes, believers can fall away, but not to eternal damnation (p. 150).

Those who sacrifice lambs on pagan altars will be saved? Is it congruent to teach that "a wrong faith leads to destruction" yet still promise paradise to those who reject the faith altogether and prove as much by sacrificing animals on pagan altars for the forgiveness of sins? A wrong faith leads to destruction, resolutely asserts the doctor, yet the blatant rebellion and no faith of Christ rejectors leads to life eternal? What a contradiction!

Friend, when the blind lead the blind they both fall in a ditch. Dr. Lutzer and Moody Press do not understand foundational Christian concepts and as such they lend salvation assurance where none exists. Don't be deceived By "The Name You Can Trust." Moody Press is not to be trusted.

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by Jon Ferriss

An acoustic guitar chord consists of several notes played simultaneously. There are several different acoustic guitar chords but one needs only to learn a few basic chords in order to play hundreds, if not thousands, of different songs. A basic fact to commit to memory before you begin is that major chords should sound bright while minor chords sound dark.

Acoustic guitar chord diagrams notate guitar chords. Rather than side to side (horizontal) the way guitar tabs run, the lines that represent an acoustic chord diagram will run up and down, or vertically. You will see a grid when looking at a chord diagram. The strings are represented by the vertical lines, while the frets are represented by the horizontal lines. The areas where you need to hold the string down is where the dots appear.

The acoustic guitar chord diagram will display six lines with numbers on those lines. The lines represent the stings from top to bottom of the guitar neck, and the numbers represent which finger is to be used on the string to produce a chord. 1 indicates that the index finger should be used, 2 for the middle finger, 3 for the ring finger, 4 for the pinky finger, and T for rare instances that the thumb is used. O represents an open string that is played, and strings marked with an X are not played.

One acoustic guitar chord you will use frequently is G major. This chord uses three fingers of your left hand: the middle finger on the third fret of the sixth string, the index finger on the second fret of the fifth string, and the ring finger on the third fret of the first string. Leave the other three strings open. Then play all six strings, one at a time.You should be able to hear the chord clearly.

If you hear buzzing or rattling, adjust your fingers on the frets. Move your finger down the string or try pressing the strings down harder on the fingerboard if the tone sounds off. Check to see that your fingers aren't touching each other or any of the other strings. Then when all the notes sound in tune, give them a strum all at once. You've just played a G-major acoustic guitar chord.

The E-minor acoustic guitar chord is easier on the left hand. The E-minor chord uses only two left-hand fingers: the index and middle fingers, both on the second fret, of the fifth and fourth strings respectively. Make sure that both strings are held firmly without the two fingers touching each other. You may want to play those two strings several times by themselves before attempting the chord, so you can adjust the fingering if needed. Then strum all strings to play an E minor chord.

Since this is a minor chord, the sound will be darker. If you are a beginner, good basic acoustic guitar chords to learn are A-major, A-minor, C-major and D-major. You should try to move back and forth between the acoustic guitar chords as quickly as you can. Practicing quick finger placement is critical.

Learning to play acoustic guitar chords will not happen quickly or easily at first and you will have to keep checking your finger placement. But if you continue to practice, practice, practice, the muscle memory will soon take over and you will be moving freely through all of the acoustic guitar chords. In a short time it will become second nature to you.

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by Elaine Petin

Cleaning your colon aids to rid the body of all of the toxins and parasites that can actually do a number on the body. A good cleaned colon is a step in the right way in avoiding colon cancer. Now there is instruction promptly available about the mortalities with colon cancer and the importance of early detection.

Colon cancer mostly starts in the large bowel and begins from an amount of deceased cells that have been lying dormant for a long period of time. An individual is at an even larger risk if there is a family chronicle of colon cancer. Colon cleaning is a very proficient healthful step in the battle against colon cancer. There are various factors that contribute to colon cancer and more people genuinely do need to become educated about them.

Negative diets that are low in fiber, limited of physical exercise, negative slumber habits, and smoking are all sparks for the colon to go unbalanced. After long time of maltreatment to the colon it is presumptive that a blockage will happen and could really likely go untreated or unheeded. When this occurs you have just created a breeding base for colon cancer to produce and spread.

By prevention of getting a natural colon cleansing and of course watching your diet and making sure that it is high in fiber are definitely means to avoid colon cancer. Colon cancer is a slow growth cancer and it usually makes no sense to delay until there are signs of cancer to start prevention. A big contribution of the threat comes into play when fat accumulates in the walls of the bowels and the rectum. They just hang out there and become big clumps of nothing more than a hazard to your health.

Regular physical exercise is also very beneficial because what it does is allows your physical structure to flush out damaging toxins that actually can contribute to cancer. As mentioned before, smoking provides another danger of getting colon cancer as well as extreme radiation which can come from needless X-rays, CAT scans, and mammograms. Symptoms like eczema, frequent flu, allergies, weak immune system, poor intestine movements, low vitality levels, and bloating can be revealing of too many toxins in the human body. Therefore colon cleansing can greatly reduce your chances of having colon cancer.

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by Bob Dale

Photography can be defined as the action of capturing photographs. In simple, yet technical terms, photography is the capturing of light and recording it onto another medium such as film or digital media.

Photography can be beneficial both for financial gain or personal pleasure. Those who do photography as a hobby find that it can be very fulfilling, while those who do it for a living can find that the better their photography is the more financially rewarding it can be.

Photographic technology has been rapidly advancing in recent years. During the film camera era, advances were slow. But in the digital camera era, the advances in technology have been rapid.

While the 35mm film SLR camera was an excellent photography device in the hands of a professional, the modern digital SLR cameras can provide nearly anyone with great photographs. "Once the 35mm film SLR camera was the camera to own but now, there are digital SLR cameras like the Canon Rebel Xti that give the photographer great results with less frustration than their film counterparts" says Minneapolis photographer Bob Dale.

Black-and-white photography, color photography, and digital photography are the three main styles of photography in use today.

Black-and-white photography is also known as monochrome photography. The early photographs and many photographs today are still in black and white. This type of photography continued to dominate for several decades even with the advent of color film, mainly because it was inexpensive and gave photographs that classic look.

Other types of monochrome photography are used for special uses to create artistic views of a subject in various hues of a color. Cyanotype photography is an example of using the monochromatic hues of cyan to create a photograph of cyan and white tones.

By the middle of the 19th century, a strong push was being made to develop color photography. Early color photographs maintained their color for only a brief time. In 1861 James Clerk Maxwell, a physicist, was able to take the first ever color photograph that held its color. However, it took the combined efforts of three cameras with three different lens colors to make the one color photograph.

Color photography became a lot more sustainable with the Autochrome in 1907. Color film didn't enter the mix until Agfacolor film in 1932. It was 1935 when Kodak introduced the modern color film. Polaroid came out with an 'instant' color film in 1963.

Digital photography uses digital technology to capture and create images. Unlike film photography, digital photography does not use photographic film for creating images. Images are instead stored in electronic media, such as a memory card in the camera.

As you can imagine, photography that is done in digital form can be easily saved, manipulated, and shared with digital electronics. Instead of dealing with tedious chemical and image transfer processes, you can simply print your pictures straight from the digital media or from your computer.

Most photography professionals who specialize in portrait photography or wedding photography choose digital SLR cameras. Digital SLR cameras give the photographer the ability to print out quick proof sheets so the customers can quickly pick out which photographs they want to buy.

Most wedding photographers now use digital SLRs in their wedding photography business because these cameras enable them to take pictures of the wedding ceremony discretely, without using flash. At the wedding reception, they can take high quality photos of the bride's wedding dress, the wedding cake, and wedding guests with a digital SLR that has a zoom lens.

A digital camera is a relatively affordable device. Digital cameras for novices can be purchased without much investment due to decreasing costs of electronic components and increasing market competition. In fact, a small, but very capable digital camera, can be purchased for less than $100 to meet most novice photography needs.

When you find that digital photography is fun, but your camera doesn't do as much as you want to do, it is time for a digital SLR camera that can deliver professional quality photography. You may even find yourself a digital photography professional before long.

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by Stewart M. Russell

Adolescents hate it and adults worry about how it spoils their beauty - acne is a problem many people have. The primary reason for acne is clogged skin pores and it's a common medical condition. Although it's medically accepted as such, for a person with constant acne problems, it's much more than that. For them, it's embarrassing and annoying and even cause disruptions to their social lives.

Acne doesn't just affect the skin. It can be a sign of another medical condition. People who suffer from acne willingly spend a great deal of money looking for a cure. Medically, acne is classified as clogged pores, pimples, cysts, pustules, whiteheads and blackheads. Oil glands that overproduce oils are the main cause of this condition.

Oil glands act as the skin protector, but sometimes, the skin cells below the surface blocks the oil from releasing and causes an oil build up under the skin layer. The retained oil stimulates naturally existent skin bacteria, which in turn multiplies and inflames the surrounding skin. This is acne.

Acne is not genetic and is also not caused by food and stress. There is a great deal of false information about acne. Some things that can serve to make existing acne worse are anything that rubs against the affected area like straps and helmets, some industrial chemicals and steroid, iodide or bromide based drugs exacerbate the acne or may cause it directly. Everyone's skin is different and some skin may be oilier than others, but there is no real research to prove that hormonal activity causes acne.

When should you start treating acne? There's no 'right' time as such. Everyone gets some acne during their lifetime and treatment should be sought when it gets excessive. Excessive acne is when a sudden severe breakout happens or mild acne continues for a long period.

Naturally and permanently curing acne needs a few fundamental lifestyle modifications. Since there are three steps in what causes acne, the best thing is to begin by stopping this initial process. First, the pores must be unclogged, the bacteria destroyed and the oil buildup minimised.

Getting proper rest and eating a well balanced diet can go a long way to preventing acne. But everyone's life is very busy these days and sometimes that is just not possible. There are some natural and easy ways to treat it that can permanently cure your acne.

Opening the pores requires skin cleansing and proper care. There are no magical remedies to cure acne. Daily cleansing, exfoliating and moisturising are the steps to healthy skin care. Antioxidant food varieties, such as leafy green vegetables, are excellent for improving your immune system, in turn fighting bacterial reactions. Reducing your oil internally is risky, since you shouldn't interfere with your hormones and metabolism. Instead, the focus should only be on reducing the skin surface oil.

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by Ray Lam

The laptop is the most wonderful creation of science. Before the laptop was the desktop computer, and it used to be that desktop computers were the most wonderful creation of science. The laptop has replaced it. The main reason this is so is because of its wireless features, which are available because of laptop batteries. Laptop batteries are so powerful. If you have a laptop or are thinking of buying one, then you should not miss this article. Let us learn about this.

Laptops are famous for their phenomenal power consuming capacity. This happens because these batteries must be small and lightweight so that they can be easily fitted in the laptop. A typical laptop battery lasts for about ninety minutes. This is a major problem because laptops are supposed to provide service even on the road or when moving. Using heavier and larger sized batteries can solve this problem.

Laptops usually run on batteries when a power source is not available nearby. Adapters can also help as the charge laptop batteries. With the improvement and advancement of technology, laptops are becoming very popular. Batteries have undergone several modifications that are intended to improve upon the performance and standby hours of the laptop. This feature is a competing factor in today's laptop world. More and more laptop manufacturers are using it as their main weapon against competition.

All these problems cannot be solved in an instant. However, some precautionary measures can be taken in order to save time and money. Leaving a laptop in a car that is parked in the sun will result in battery damage and this situation must be avoided. Using the laptop in a cool room will result in increase in the lifespan of the battery. Lithium ion batteries are well suited for those who switch from a fixed power source to a battery on a regular basis. On the other hand, nickel based batteries are useful for those who prefer using the battery as a primary source for the laptop.

The way in which a person uses a laptop battery and the type of battery used, is more important when we realize there are very few alternatives that can really satisfy a laptop user when it comes to battery failures.

Ultimately, the most important aspect of the laptop is it's ability to be mobile. This is why the batteries are so important. Most laptops come with one or two batteries or you can purchase an extra battery later. Most laptops batteries last from 2-4 hours when fully charged. Depending on the type of laptop and battery you have, it may be more or less.

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by Eddy Kong

According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, there are some 6.1 million people troubled by infertility issues. Within this number, there is a same amount of percentage of infertility issues affected both men and women, which is 40% respectively. 20% of the 6.1 million people are related to unknown causes to infertility.

There is various length of causes of women infertility. Causes such as ovarian and ovulation problems, tube or peritoneal causes, hypothalamic-pituitary causes, cervical, vaginal and uterine problems, and genetic causes are specific causes that are affecting women fertility worldwide.

What are those internal causes?

Disease such as diabetes, thyroid or other defects to the kidneys and liver are some of the general physiology factors affecting women infertility. Besides physical, modern women should take note on psychological or mental problems can also be a cause of infertility to them. Women that are suffering from ovarian and ovulation disorder are said not to ovulate at all, or simple ovulate irregularly, compared to the normal ovulation during the 28-day cycle.

Povary syndrome (PCOS), ovarian neoplasm, diminished ovarian reserve, luteal dysfunction, premature menopauses and Turner syndrome are some ovarian causes that affects a woman infertility. These factors actually prevent the release of a mature egg from the ovaries, or having homonal imbalances, or reproduction of eggs that may lead to chromosomal defects. Above all, peritoneal factors also can be a cause of infertility among women. This includes the uterine lining (the endometrial tissue) growing outside the uterus, and/or the blockages of egg from travelling to the uterus.

Another causes of women infertility are Hypothalamic-pituitary factors, which would include the common hypopituitarism, hyperprolactinemia, kallmann syndrome and other hypothalamic dysfunctions.

Problems from the cervical, vaginal and uterine could be one of the cause of infertility.

What is actually vaginal problems? It is the prevention of the sperms to travel to the tubes and vaginusmus, also known as vaginal obstruction. Then how did cervical problems cause infertility. It is the side effects of anti-sperm antibodies, insufficient cervical mucus which is needed for the sperm to travel and survive, and cervical stenosis.

Are you taking note of external causes?

After mentioning the internal causes of infertility, we shared discuss some external factors causing infertility. This include: the after effects of cosmetic usage, taking in alcohol, marijuana, having too much food additives such as monosodium glutamate (MSG), pesticides, coffee, cigarette or tobacco smoke, and many more.

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by Ramji

When you decide to open a business on your own, often times the excitement will have you ready to launch your idea right away, however one thing that may be holding you back. Funding is done by a large number of funding concerns and the points that one looks up to rely on a funding company are many. You have several options in gaining much needed capital to begin to implement your business ideas.

First place you should look is at the support of your friends and family for your business to gain capital. Commercial funding often leads a business to flourish. There is cheaper, tax efficient and secure commercial mortgage lending for business success. Some people will get lucky and be able to find a lender within their family or friends to begin a business. You will want to be extremely careful however, borrowing from close friends or family can hurt your relationship with them, if extreme care for repayment is not made.

Another excellent avenue is to investigate any type of small business loans your government may offer. Commercial mortgage lending are most affordable and efficient ways to finance the purchase of buildings and land for business purpose. Many governments will offer new business owners loans for business start up, or disaster assistance and training. Also with the fast growing internet population there has been websites that have been created that allow lenders and borrowers to come together in efforts of starting up a business.

Another idea is to seek out venture capital firms these are types of financial businesses that pull together all partners resources and use these funds in efforts to help a new business entrepreneur being their business. A funding agency can work more effectively with a helpline number on which a specialist broker is always there to help the clients queries answered. In addition, look into your home equity, these types of loans typically called a second mortgage, allows you to borrow money from an institution by using the equity contained within your home as a form of collateral.

Credit cards and angel investors are two other types of funding sources you can investigate. Specialty of a funding firm should be helping businesses in their account receivables area. Invoice business to business related transaction helps a funding firm to give individual attention to every customer. Using your personal credit card can be a very tempting funding source; this typically works if you have enough of a credit limit as well as the means to pay it. With credit cards, you will want to be extremely careful in using them for your business venture and make sure that you keep up with the minimal payments at least; otherwise, you could end up hurting your credit and its rating.

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