Bowel Cancer and a Positive Attitude

We've all heard about the power of positive thinking. Having a positive attitude and so on.

Some of us will have found that these clichés are indeed true. Positive thinking can change your life dramatically. For many people their positive attitude has carried them through many adversities. For some, its made them rich believing in themselves and what they can achieve by being positive and pushing on regardless of what's put in their path. There are many paths in our lives where a positive attitude has triumphed over what might seem insurmountable obstacles.

In case you were wondering what this has to do with bowel cancer and indeed any cancer, it's this same positive attitude of the patient that's important in the recovery process and in fighting the disease itself. The mind plays a significant part in the healing process of cancer and time and again its been shown that patients with a positive attitude fare better than those that give up or are overly pessimistic.

The power of the mind can be demonstrated by such occurrences as the pointing of the bone by Aboriginals at a member of the tribe, who has done something wrong, and is to be punished. There have been authenticated cases (1953) where this has occurred and the victim has simply died over a short period of time with no medical explanation. (Sources: John Godwin, Unsolved: The World of the Unknown, pp. 163-76; Ronald Rose, Living Magic, pp. 30-36): Even though this is a somewhat morbid demonstration of the power of the mind it does show how powerful it is. Powerful enough for a person to believe he is cursed to die, and does so.

Could it now be argued that you could use the power of the mind to not die and to survive your cancer despite the odds? My research has shown that you can't afford to take this literally. I don't think it can be said, that if you have a positive attitude you won't die from cancer. That depends on a number of other factors but what I do think you can say is, having a positive attitude helps enormously in surviving.

The cancer patients I interviewed for my book, who are long term survivors, have all taken a positive attitude toward their treatment and outcome. None of them were ready to lie down and die just because they had cancer. They had the courage and the fortitude to take on this disease and beat it.

I don't think many of us can say how we would feel if diagnosed with bowel cancer. It would certainly take the wind out of your sails primarily, but having talked to these people who have survived I think, after my initial shock, I would be doing the same as they did. I would be positive about the outcome and would let nothing stand in my way in beating this terrible disease to live a long and happy life.

New Bowling Balls Can Improve Your Bowling Score

Are you an obsessed bowling player, determined to make a great spare or a fantastic strike in every game? Then you will want to make the investment in acquiring new bowling balls that are right for you. Every game will really make the top scores if your new bowling balls have the exact comfort and style that go with your game skills.

Although most of it looks almost similar with its circular external feature, these are diverse in substances, size of the ball, size of the holes and even styles of the it. These lead to how victorious your game will be. By obtaining a new bowling ball with every characteristic complementing your strategy, you will sure lead the scores.

These new items have many sorts of substances used in manufacturing. The most basic and cheapest consists of polyester substances. These are best for newbies or non-professional players. Polyester contained ball are used in straight shots and are not so beneficial in producing hooks. Most players used this kind of ball to make a spare.

Another type of substance used for new bowling balls is the urethane. These are more suitable on producing hooks and are fantastic for price conscious players. Reactive Resin Ball is another kind but more favored by masters than urethane balls since it is more useful on hooks in arid lanes and straight shot in a greasy lane.

The perfect kind in seeking for the best is the particle bowling balls. Yet, it is also the priciest of them all. It is broadly wanted by most skilled bowling players because it creates greater power to the ball.

When searching for it, the perfect place in the market is the superb bowling ball to purchase. However, one has to check out also other features before purchasing just about any ball. Whether these balls will be the priciest or the best in providing greater power to your ball, if you are still an amateur or just an informal player, these best types may be too much to suit your needs.

There are players that purchase the said item with holes that are customized to suit their hands. These generate ease in playing the sport. In addition, some pick heavy balls but can still be convenient.

Crisis Prevention - Are Corporate Blogs a Potential Legal Landmine?

It is a growing trend. Company employees and even senior executives are contributing to corporate blogs. A recent survey showed that seventy-six of the Fortune 500 companies now publish blogs. Thousands of other smaller firms do the same. Blogging is a good way of humanizing a major corporation by building a closer relationship with the customers and marketing new products. Blogs also, however, pose a hidden danger that may not be fully recognized at this early stage.   Recently, I attended a program in which corporate bloggers were discussing their roles in corporate marketing and communications. The one thing that raised immediate concern was that the bloggers seemed to have little supervision as they placed thousands of words on the Internet on a company website.   In one instance, a blogger at a major corporation said that she was expected to know what was appropriate for the company blog. None of the bloggers indicated that their organizations had any written policy about blogging or that they had been briefed by the company's legal counsel on the potential liability issues involving a blog.   Some of the issues should be obvious.   At a public company, bloggers should not be making forward- looking statements concerning products, product development, earnings, or the price of the company's stock. Some areas may be less clear. What if a blogger's enthusiastic comments about a company's product prove to be misleading or inaccurate? Can stockholders sue the company based on those comments if the highly touted product turns out to be a dud? What if bloggers disparage another company's product or use the blog to promote their own social or political agendas? There is no question that most bloggers will use good common sense. But there are plenty of well meaning individuals whose actions leave their employers shaking their heads and plaintiff's counsel jumping for joy.    Among the legal issues outlined in a recent article by the law firm of Howard, Rice, Nemerovski, Canady, Falk & Rabkin (www.howardrice.com) include:   ·         Defamation and Privacy Torts ·         Intellectual Property Infringement ·         Trade Libel ·         Trade Secrets ·         Securities Fraud ·         Gun-Jumping ·         Selective Disclosure ·         Forward-looking Statements ·         Employment Issues ·         User Privacy ·         Discovery

Robert Sprague, an assistant professor in the Department of Management and Marketing at the University of Wyoming, published an article* in the American Business Law Journal which provides an excellent discussion of whether bloggers' work falls under the First Amendment or is more tightly regulated commercial speech. We have seen instances where aggressive state regulators have sued companies based on claims made in blogs and on the Internet, even in instances where employees were not directly making the product claims.   A prominent plaintiff's attorney was recently quoted as saying that he loves to use company websites as a basis to undermine the credibility of corporate officials during depositions. We have found that it is not uncommon for websites to contain information and claims that have not been vetted by legal counsel and can be misleading or taken out of context.   It seems ironic that organizations that spend hours reviewing every word in a press release would allow bloggers to produce material that appears on a company website with little or no review and only informal guidelines.   Blogging isn't going away. However, like any form of corporate communications, it needs to be controlled and monitored. 

*Robert Sprague (2007). Business Blogs and Commercial Speech: A New Analytical Framework for the 21st Century. American Business Law Journal 44 (1)

Meet My 4-Legged Family

If you've been reading this ezine for very long, you probably already know a good bit about my wife, Ann, who is also my business partner and soul mate, and my soon-to-be 13-year-old daughter, Amber. Today I want to introduce you to the rest of the family -- our 4-legged members:

LUCKY: Lucky is a black and tan Gordon Setter-looking type mutt but without the Gordon Setter legs. She literally walked into our home one day when one of the sliding glass doors was open and took up residence. While she's getting up there in age and her muzzle is turning gray, she continues to have a very independent spirit and reminds me of Tramp in the Walt Disney movie, Lady and the Tramp. She's very much her own dog.

LADY: We rescued Lady from the local animal shelter about a year after I lost Maggie McGee to cancer. Lady is a mixture of Australian Sheepdog (like Maggie was) and Border Collie. We renamed her Lady because she is so much a Lady. She even eats her dog food in a dainty sort of way. She came from the shelter already trained and has been my companion on many miles of walks around Bonclarken Lake and at Carl Sandburg's Home.

LINDY: The newest member of our 4-legged family, Lindy snuck into our home by first bonding with Amber at the heart level. She was supposed to come just for a few days until we found a permanent home for her. Well, we did find her that home -- our own. She looks like she could be Lady's daughter although they're not related. I personally feel her name should be Rascal 'cause she has that kind of disposition in a loving sort of way, but Amber is holding on to the Lindy name since it was her grandfather's middle name.

PRETTY HEART: At this time Pretty Heart is our only feline friend, having lost Princess Lera on Christmas Eve. (Ann had Princess Lera and Luke Catwalker when we first met. We lost Luke several years ago. Lera ruled the roost in our house ever since Ann and I set up house. She's definitely missed by all of us.) Pretty Heart, named by Amber, was the typical barnyard orange tabby cat. He grew immensely in his early years getting up to around 22 pounds. We think he was an emotional eater, but then he suddenly started losing weight, and was eventually diagnosed as diabetic. He's been quite stable and happy on a holistic medication that Ann found on the Internet and that he receives twice a day in capsule form. (Thank goodness I still have some of my vet skills left.) He definitely lives up to his name.

And that's the 4-legged members of my family. Like the 2-legged members, they share their lives and their love with me and I'm so very grateful to have them all as part of my life on purpose.

©2005 Brad Swift of Life On Purpose Institute, Inc. This article can be reprinted freely online, as long as the entire article and this resource box are included.

Types of Shower Door

There are 5 key designs of shower doors and there are variations on which manufacturers supply them. Manufacturers provide left and right options where appropriate, also door height measurements, also take care to identify whether the glazing is toughened safety glass or acrylic. All doors and door frames are manufactured using high precision assembly jigs and can therefore only be made perfectly square and true. If after installation the door either catch, fail to close properly or appear twisted this is due to the frame not being installed squarely or the shower tray not being level. Most door designs have some adjustment which may compensate if the shower tray and/or tray are slightly out of line, however, if this is insufficient the unit must be re-fitted correctly.

Pivot Door

A pivot door swings on two pins, that located within the top and bottom of the frame at two fixed points. Pivot doors can be used within conjunction with side panels and infill panels.

When space is the problem then one of your best options is to use this kind of door and the door folds in so there is no space needed for the door to open out. This option can be used with side panels and infills also.

Hinged Or Frameless Swing Door

Hinged doors still require a frame but the door is a pure glass panel of between 5 & 10mm thick. Hinged doors provide a wider opening, and are ideal to fit across an alcove or in a corner with a matching side panel. They are a luxury product with high aesthetic appeal.

Swing Fold, In-slide Or Fold In Door

The in-swing door; is a full size door that swings into the shower enclosure giving maximum access capability yet ideal for installations where space is a premium and you do not want the shower door opening into the shower room. Note the carrying or swing arm that is located on the top and bottom of the door, this folds in such a way so as to leave the access to the shower enclosure free of instruction.

Sliding Door

The sliding door is usually fitted on the larger oblong type shower trays and can range from 1200mm - 1600mm long. The door gives maximum access without requiring clearance space within the enclosure or the shower room.

The Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cuban missile crisis lasted for roughly 14 days. This time was one of the most dangerous times in modern days, almost driving the worlds two biggest superpowers into nuclear war with each other. There were many reasons for Khrushchev placing nuclear installments in Cuba and then for him dismantling them. These reasons include; providing a quick fix to the USSR's strategic inferiority, to expel the chance of the united states launching a first strike against them and increasing their own first strike capabilities, to act as a physical deterrent of the U.S Jupiter missiles placed in Europe and around the globe, and then to stop a nuclear war between the US and Russia. To understand these reasons, we must first understand what happened during the crisis and eventually why Khrushchev took the options he did.

The USSR had been in an inferior strategic position against the U.S for a long time, only having less than one fifth of the firepower America had. Because of this the Soviet Union started making up false reports concerning their numbers of nuclear warheads, in an attempt to scare the U.S. This became to be known as the missile gap, which Kennedy in his campaign promised to close. The U.S continued with their missile build up and by the time the crisis began the U.S controlled over 18,000 warheads. This was a ratio of seventeen to one against the Soviet Union, and showed just how much more power the U.S had against them.

Ever since Fidel Castro was made president of Cuba after the revolution in 1959, Cuba had tried to isolate itself from America. Before Castro Cuba encourages American involvement in domestic and industrial affairs. A good example was the American industries inside Cuba using Cuban workers. This use of Cuban citizens caused the revolution and is why Castro wanted to disassociate from America. Because Castro installed a communist government in Cuba, the U.S broke all trade agreements with them and Cuba had to find another country to form trade agreements with. They turned to the USSR and the Soviets accepted, giving Cuba long term loans with low interest and military aid. Something that made the Soviet link with Cube more string was the failed U.S backed counter-revolution by CIA trained Cuban exiles. It was the famous bay of pigs invasion; the exiles didn't even make it past the beach. Though this failed attempt showed Cuban authorities what the U.S intentions really were. This was seen as a major blunder by Kennedy. After that Castro was certain that the US would attempt a full invasion of Cuba and he requested military assistance off Khrushchev. Khrushchev obliged and sent 60 missiles and their warheads, 22 jet light bombers, 39 MIG fighters, 3 cruise missiles, 62 other fighters and 12 Komar-class cruise missile patrol sites. All this was constructed and maintained by 42, 000 Soviet troops deployed in Cuba. It was Castro's fear of the US that stimulated the installments of offensive missiles in Cuba. Even though Khrushchev may have had other reasons for placing these missiles in Cuba, if Castro had not invited him to, this crisis may never have happened.

The USSR was placed in a position which gave the US and its allies had a superior first strike capability. The US could not be reached from Russia using conventional weapons, where the missiles in Turkey, Italy and England were all pointed in their direction. The missiles in Cuba were only 90 miles from the coast of America, and the missiles the US had in Turkey were 135 miles away from Russia. The US was very worried about the position of the missiles in Cuba, though the USSR thought that their complaints were hypocritical saying; Why shouldn't the Soviet Union have the right to do the same as America? By placing Soviet missiles within 100 miles of the US coastline the USSR was evening the score and it allowed them to feel a little more secure and give the US a reason not to attack.

Both the USSR and the US were concerned with each others first strike capabilities (the initial use of nuclear weapons to attack a country that also had nuclear weapons). This first strike policy is considered feasible only when the attacker can destroy the other countries ability to retaliate. The Soviets before placing missiles in Cuba were at a huge disadvantage to the US, and by placing the missiles in Cuba they increased their first strike capability by 70%. Because both sides were afraid of the other initiating a first strike the US brought in the idea of a second strike capability, which is the ability to survive a first strike and launch a second. This was one of the main justifications of the nuclear arms build up of both the US and USSR. The US launched their Polaris fleet of nuclear submarines in preparation for a second strike. The USSR feared the US, mainly because of their lead in nuclear weapons build-up and power and because the US was acting more aggressively towards the USSR and the Soviets did not want America to exploit their weaker position. By placing missiles in Cuba they ended their strategic inferiority and forced the US to respect their position. They used this position to try and negotiate to relax the tensions between the two countries. By placing nuclear missiles so close to America they thought that would make them listen.

It has been revealed that the USSR wanted to redirect government spending from military to industrial and agricultural sectors. And through placing missiles in Cuba would create a stalemate with the US where this was made possible. All the Soviets were after was recognition and respect. The US denied both of these things point blank and gave Khrushchev an option he would have to make which could destroy the world or save it. The US also created fear in Cuba with several assassination attempts made on Castro, and it was these attempts that created greater distrust between the two countries. This is the distrust that caused Cuba to turn to the USSR and in turn start the crisis. The US cant be blamed entirely for the crisis, though its involvement in it was great. It could be seen to have started because of each countries views and fears of the others political views and government systems and each of their own ideas about the others motives. All these things fueled the cold war and made the Cuban Missile Crisis a flashpoint in it.

The Cuban missile crisis was a fight between communism and capitalism, with neither side actually wanting to fight, it was fitting that the solution to the crisis was a trade off. Where each nation could pull out and claim a small success where neither system of government was tainted in the process. It was a result that was required to prevent the obvious outcome of nuclear war which was coming closer and closer.

The US had missiles placed in England, Italy and Turkey and they were all aimed at the USSR. Khrushchev used these missiles as justification to placing missiles in Cuba. He thought that they would be just as frightening to the US as the missiles the US had placed in Turkey were to them. Khrushchev saw a way where Cuba could get a pledge from the US not to invade them and they could get the missiles in Turkey dismantled. This reasoning of his can be seen in a letter he wrote to Kennedy on the 27th of October. Your rockets are situated in Britain, situated in Italy, and are aimed against us. Your rockets are situated in Turkey. You are worried about Cuba. You say that it worries you because it is a distance of ninety miles by sea from the coast of America, but Turkey is next to us he then proposes. I therefore make this proposal: we agree to remove the missiles from Cuba those means which you regard as offensive means; we agree to carry this out and make a pledge in the United Nations. Your representatives will make a declaration to the effect that the US, on its part. Considering the uneasiness and anxiety of the soviet state, will remove its similar means from Turkey

What Khrushchev didn't know was that the US had already marked the missiles in Turkey for dismantling. They were being replaced by the Polaris submarine fleet. And Kennedy saw that if he accepted this trade publicly. It would be seen as him trading the United States security for Turkeys, and if Khrushchev did force this trade, they might still force more trades. He decided that he would deny everything if these were their minimum requirements.

Placing the missiles in Cuba showed the US what it was like to have nuclear warheads aimed at them and what it was like to have no where safe to go. This scared the public greatly and mass panic was seen all over the country. The country wanted Kennedy to solve the crisis as soon and by whatever means he had possible. So Kennedy agreed to withdraw the quarantine he had over Cuba publicly and he agreed in person to dismantle the missiles in Cuba, Khrushchev however publicly agreed to dismantle the missiles in Cuba and it was seen that the soviets were backing down. This gave Kennedy back a fierce public reputation and made the soviets look slightly weaker.

There were many reasons behind the Cuban missile crisis and many reasons as to why Khrushchev planted missiles in Cuba. Khrushchev wanted to feel more secure in his country and he wanted his country to feel more secure. He wanted Kennedy to know what it was like for him and to release some of tension of the cold war by withdrawing missiles from places so close to home. The Cuban missile crisis was one of closest times in history where mutually assured destruction was just around the corner. This crisis changed the way the world saw the Soviet Union and Khrushchev in a way got what he wanted was that the USSR was a powerful state that shouldn't be underestimated. Personally I think the crisis was due the US being stubborn and power hungry, it is allowed for them to have all the power, but when they are threatened it is a different story. Russia did learn their lesson though the US still hasn't.

Matthew Spear

History of the Computer - The Emergence of Electronics

The history of the computer inevitably includes the development of electronics, we look at the explosive (!) growth of electronics in the late 1930s and early 1940s.

If anything could be said in favor of war, it may be that it speeds up the development of technology. Of course much of that technology is employed in killing people and destroying infrastructure, but there are also things which could be considered beneficial.

Electronics was around in the early part of the 20th Century, wireless, or radio, was in its infancy at the time of the first world war. Radio broadcasting came into prominence in the '20s and 30's, Television started in the '30's.

The second world war, from 1939 in Europe, and a couple of years later involving the USA, ended in 1945.

Radar (Radio Aid To Detection And Ranging) was developed from early experiments, just prior to the war, in Britain and Germany. There was rapid development in the field, and, by the end of the war, Radar was being used in several fields.

Aircraft Navigation - Using ground transmitters in sets of 3, widely spaced, to give an aircraft using a receiver a method of pinpointing its position. This is a similar system to that used in gps today, substituting satellites for the ground stations.

Targeting - A beam was transmitted from a Radar station in England so that it intercepted a target in Germany. An aircraft could fly along the beam, guided by signals, dots or dashes, if it strayed off the beam, left or right. Known as flying on the beam.

Interception - a series of ground stations around the South-East coast of England, feeding into a central control room, where their tracks could be displayed, significantly assisted in the Battle of Britain (1940).

Airborne Interception (AI) - Developed towards the end of the war, used a Tranceiver (transmitter/receiver) in a night fighter to find a target in the dark, or bad weather, and track it to within firing range.

Beacon - A transceiver was located at the end of a runway so that ground staff could guide a returning aircraft to land in bad weather, this became more and more sophisticated, developing into GCA or Ground Controlled Approach.

Shipping - radar equipped vessels could track other vessels in darkness or fog, whether peacefully or aggressively.

Many other systems were developed or initiated in that 6 year period. Knowledge of electronics, and what it could be used for vastly increased. In parallel with the development of radar, other fields of electronics were also advancing, under pressure from the requirement to improve the technology.

Long range guns on ships or in the field needed to be aimed accurately. The calculations required in ballistics to aim a gun so that you can hit the target, or aim a V2 rocket so that it hits London from continental Europe, are phenomenal.

This, then was the scene at the end of the war. We knew how to tackle large calculations with speed, and we had developed a new concept in electronics:-

Pulse Technology. This is so called because radar uses short pulses of high energy, for two main reasons.

The pulses can be coded. For example, in the Navigation example we looked at, 3 ground stations transmit a signal whose source needs to be identified. One transmitter could transmit a series of single pulses spaced say 10 milliseconds. A second could transmit a pair of pulses at 10 millisecond spacing, and the third 3 pulses. A chart would tell the navigator where the pulse sets were transmitted from, and the distances obtained from the radar set used to locate the position on the chart. The power, or strength, of the signal. A continuous radio signal, like a radio broadcast, takes a given amount of power. However, a 1 millisecond pulse every 10 milliseconds, uses only one tenth of the power, on average. So a radar transmitter can have a much greater range for the same power. This is is especially important in a primary (transmit and receive) radar system, where we must detect the reflection of the signal we transmit. Likewise a secondary (receive) radar system, for example the navigation system above, will have a bigger range.

Next we will look at how early computers were now possible due to these developments.

What Is Your Greatest Weakness?

The fastest way to make a good interview go bad is to avoid questions posed by the hiring manager. The one question candidates love to avoid is, "What is your greatest weakness?" Most candidates are quick to respond with superficial answers such as "I'm a workaholic" or "I'm a perfectionist." Not only are those responses boring, but they are also predictable answers interviewers are used to hearing. So much so that an interviewer's comeback line often is, "That doesn't sound like a weakness. Now why don't you tell me about a real weakness?"

Ouch. What an uncomfortable position to be in--when a decision maker challenges you during an interview. Just like you, the interviewer wants the process to go as seamlessly as possible, and they quickly become resentful when they are placed in a confrontational position.

When answering questions surrounding your greatest weakness, my advice is to tell the truth--to a point. Though I don't advocate providing a play-by-play of every area that may need improvement, it isn't a good idea not to cop to a weakness either. A happy medium does exist, and it lies in focusing your response on an area that doesn't have a major impact on your ability to do the job. This should be an area that you are on your way to improving. Note, not an area you've already improved, but one that is well on its way.

Interviewers recognize that jobseekers aren't forthcoming when answering the "greatest weakness" question. As a result, there is a new trend in hiring circles of interviewers cleverly disguising the question and using a variation of the theme. In doing so, interviewers are successfully stumping candidates, and are receiving responses that uncover the not-so-pleasant side of candidates.

Cleverly Designed "Greatest Weakness" Questions

* We all have aspects of our job we prefer not to do. What aspect of your day-to-day responsibilities do you dislike?

In hopes of making you feel comfortable, interviewers may ask questions that start with "we." The psychology behind this is to make you feel as though you are with a friend, which can cause you to let your guard down.

* Think back to your last review. What suggestions did your supervisor have for improvement?

The chances are extremely high that your supervisor offered suggestions for improvement. Interviewers are aware of this and anticipate that you will disclose the details of your most recent evaluation.

* Describe a project you worked on that didn't turn out as well as you expected.

Interviewers find that job seekers reveal more when they are asked to tell a story. The assumption is made that the more you talk, the more likely you'll disclose your weaknesses.

* In what area of your work do you think you can be more effective?

This question is very similar to "greatest weakness" question. However, interviewers believe the way the question is phrased will make you feel less threatened, and therefore more likely to answer freely.

Bottom line: whether or not you want to divulge sensitive information during an interview, an interviewer is going to try his or her darnedest to dig for skeletons in your closet. Interviewers want to uncover any reasons why they shouldn't hire you, and they hope those reasons will come straight from you. So be prepared.

Characters Running Away With Your Novel?

One of my favorite aspects of novel writing is experiencing those moments when my characters come into their own - assuming lives seemingly independent of me - and begin doing and saying all manner of unexpected things.

At times like these I get the feeling that I'm dabbling in something deeper than what I can understand, and all I can do is play referee on the sidelines and watch as the drama unfolds.

Obviously the problem here lies in trying to maintain some kind of order and structure. I took a writing class a couple years ago in which the teacher described a phenomenon that happens towards the end of many a (hopeful) novel. Suddenly hitherto-minor characters start taking a much more active role in the story and the writer wallows in page upon page of diversive material when he or she should be ploughing ahead to the climax and resolution.

She suggested having some dialogue with these characters at this point, and basically asking, "Do you need a novel of your own, then, so your story can be told, or do you just need to pipe down?"

Pulling in the reins on our characters requires a lot of discipline, especially when all the side trips they lead us on can make for some interesting material in its own right. My advise, if you encounter this, is to save the material - don't delete it from the universe - but just find another place for it. A lot of secondary matter in my own novel ended up as the backdrop for short stories. Other incidents I saved for the sequel. It's less painful this way, but sometimes we have no choice but to say "Enough!"

My old teacher summed up the average writer's tendency to indulge by saying: "I've rarely read I novel that I didn't feel could've been improved by a cut of a hundred pages."

A Useful Guide to Sports Sunglasses

If you often engage in sports or outdoor activities, a good pair of sport sunglasses is definitely a must! Today, sports sunglasses have gone past beyond their functionality in outdoor activities, they are also objects of fashion. Read more about sports sunglasses here.

Athletes in the likes of David Beckham or Michael Jordan love decking up sport sunglasses (yes, even when not playing!) However, sports shades are not just for athletes and sportsmen. In fact, you have surely seen them around worn by celebrities, or even by people you know. They are very popular these days and they are available in a wide range of styles.

Sport sunglasses provide a distinct stylish look. However, what makes this class of eyewear a lot special than regular ones is that they protect your eyes from the harmful rays of the sun, from migraine-inducing glare, as well as environmental pollutants and dust that can damage the "windows of the soul."

If you are into adventure sports like mountaineering, skiing, rafting, and so on, it is a must that you equip yourself with sports shades to minimize possible harm that the activities can do to your eyes. The same goes for rock climbers, bikers and skiers who need to be alert and have their eyes wide open all throughout so they know that they are trekking the right path. Sports sunglasses have been especially designed to protect the eyes during the very crucial times.

With competition sports like soccer or rugby, along with hobby sports such as cycling, cross country running or swimming, protective sunglasses can also do wonders not only for protection but for better vision. Note though that sports sunglasses are not just for outdoor sports. You can well use them during indoor functions for clearer view, much so in regular, everyday wear.

Now, when buying performance sports sunglasses, there are a few things to bear in mind. Cheap sports sunglasses are always welcome, but there are more things to consider than the price. First, you have to choose light weight sunglasses made of quality, durable and unbreakable material. You have to choose one with frames that will not eventually fade because of constant exposure to sunlight. The best lenses for sports are those made of scratch-resistant coating. Spring temple hinges are advantageous so that the sunglasses can be held firmly on your face, but generally, adjustable nose pads that are comfortable to wear while playing are good enough.

Sports sunglasses today are available in replica designer versions so you can enjoy its fashionable style without hurting your pocket. Although they are replica versions, they are made of quality, performance materials that will protect you from all harsh conditions that might damage or injure your eyes.

Photo Mania Game Review

Time management games can be integrated into any business, there's no doubt about that. In fact, it can even be integrated into the delicate job of photography. Photo Mania introduces us to such a field as this new casual game proves to gamers that photography can be a strenuous exercise too. But can this installment represent the profession well enough?

The game takes you in control of a girl named Ellie - a newly graduated photographer who wants to start her own business using her newfound skills. However, being short on cash and only with basic tools at her disposal, she then starts her studio in an open field just outside her own home. You must help Ellie grow this business and fulfill her dreams; step by step on the way to becoming the greatest studio photographer the town has ever known.

Photo Mania is much like any time management game where you have to fulfill customer requests and deliver them service within their patience levels. First step is to have them choose the colors and backgrounds for their photos, second is to print the photos in their choice of paper, and lastly, deliver the end result and profit from your service. It's nothing really different from any other time management game, and with that, the game encounters one of its biggest flaw.

As usual, upgrades are also available for you to purchase after each level: from the cameras, to the paper brands, to even buying a cat in order to cheer up customers. The game balances these upgrades with several obstacles you have to contend with during the actual game. One is frequently changing the camera batteries so that you can keep getting customer photographs, and the other is to shoo away Gimp - Ellie's dog who frequents the scene just to annoy the waiting customers.

Can Michelle Penney's Kissing 101 Teach You Anything About Kissing?

You might think that you have your kissing technique down to a science. After all, you've never had any complaints from your partner or even any of your ex's either, for that matter. What is there to kissing anyhow? Sure you might have been awkward and didn't know what you were doing when you were a kid but with experience you feel pretty sure that you know how to kiss. Or do you?

Kissing really can be one of the most overlooked and yet most important parts of a relationship. What Michelle Penney's Kissing 101 hopes to teach the world is basic kissing techniques as well as more advanced techniques and some fun stuff that is sure to enhance your relationship right from the get go.

If you are unsure of how to kiss or maybe you wonder if your partner really likes the way you kiss then perhaps it's time for some tutoring. Of course, if you tried to hire a tutor to teach you how to kiss your partner might have some problems with this. The next best thing would be to get some good advice from an expert in the field, namely Michelle Penney. As a matter of fact, even those that feel that they really know what they're doing and consider themselves kissing experts might be surprised by some of the basic tips and techniques in Kissing 101. For most of us kissing is something that we really don't think about and when it is shown to us or discussed it can often bring to light some important things that we might have been missing out on over the years. Does that make sense?

Or perhaps you have found that special someone and you really want to knock their socks off with that first kiss. Maybe they are that important to you that you don't want to leave anything to chance and you want that first kiss to be perfect and special and, of course, you want them to want to come back for more! Maybe you want to know everything that there possibly is to know about French kissing or how to really turn your partner on when you're making out by expanding your kissing geography but you're not sure of where and when. Relax! Michelle Penney goes over all of this and more in Kissing 101... and you'll even get some tips on how to practice kissing if you don't have anyone to practice with. Who does anyhow? Although that might be a great pickup line!

One of the neat things that many people liked about Michelle Penney's Kissing 101 was the detail that Michelle Penney went into along with exercises that you can do to practice without feeling weird and illustrations to show you exactly what she is talking about. Others really liked the fun way that Michelle explains everything and her enthusiasm definitely comes out in her book. This woman loves her work and it shows in not only her writing style but also the valuable advice that she gives in Kissing 101.

Others enjoyed and found the advanced techniques and tips very interesting and said that they discovered fun and erotic things that they could do with their partner that they had never even thought of. Things that enhanced the passion and intimacy between them and their partner using the unique tips offered by Michelle Penney in Kissing 101; fun activities involving things like ice cubes and different kissing games you can play with your partner.

But is Kissing 101 for everyone? Not necessarily. I am sure that there are people out there that have their kissing technique down and have little need for information on how to actually kiss, although they might have some fun with some of the more advanced techniques and ideas. But basically, Michelle Penney wrote Kissing 101 for those of us that are nervous about kissing, those who want to learn more and those of us who aren't natural born passionate kissers. Yes, there are quite a few of them out there and if you doubt it just ask a woman if she ever went out with a guy that didn't know how to kiss. Don't let this be you! Learn how to kiss. It might be one of the most useful and practical skills that you ever learn in your life.

How Swimming Will Make You a Better Singer

By now most people know that swimming is an excellent source of exercise. Being in the water limits the level of impact on joints and muscles, therefore protecting them from many injuries related to land-bound sports. Also, while running focuses its attention on the lower body and weight lifting focuses on the upper body, swimming allows for a comprehensive whole body work-out. But did you know that swimming can also make you a better singer?

Being a quality singer takes more than just a beautiful voice and an accurate ear for tonality. In order to carry out those long flowing phrases found in everything from pop to opera, a healthy lung capacity is essential. Exercise in general will increase the amount of air taken into the lungs, but swimming in particular can make a big impact. The reason is air capacity is cut by approximately 75% during water exercise because of the water's pressure on your body. This is not limited to just swimming, but also includes underwater aerobics, aquatic therapy, weight lifting and other water-based exercise routines. With regular workouts lasting a reasonable amount of time (no, five minutes is not going to cut it), the body's compensation for the lack of lung capacity underwater will in turn increase capacity on dry land.

Not only does increasing lung capacity benefit singers, but so does swimming's ability to strengthen the core muscles. There isn't much of an advantage to having a ton of air in your lungs if it expels too quickly. Controlling exhalation is crucial to a moving vocal performance. It is the abdominal muscles that manage the flow of air being expelled at any given moment, so with a toned core, the breath can be stretched out over a longer period of time.

Ever hear that singers make good scuba divers? A singer will use much less of the air tank compared to a non-singer because they are used to controlling the exhalations with their abdominal muscles - muscles that are strengthened through a regular aqua aerobic routine, whether in the ocean, pool, or even a swim spa.

The advantages to a regular swim workout are endless. There is no wonder that so many athletes have hydrotherapy pools in their gyms to work through their collective injuries. However, for athletes it is the weightlessness of the water that offers the benefits for a low impact workout, but for a singer the opposite applies. It is the weight of the water that strengthens and expands the lungs ability to take in air, and that same weight offers resistance in building a core that can keep the air in. So whether you want to be a point guard in the NBA or the next Andrea Bocelli, put on that bathing suit and get in the water.

Online Scrapbooking Challenges - Why You Should Take Part

Let's face it; it's all too easy to fall into a scrapbooking rut. Some days, it's tough to think of something new to try. You get stuck in the same old, same old, and you lose your scrapbooking mojo. So how do you get your scrapbooking inspiration back? Take a challenge. An online scrapbooking challenge, that is!

There are literally dozens of scrapbooking blogs that offer monthly or weekly challenges on a variety of topics, from photography to product to topics. Just in the past week, I've seen the following challenges online:

Scrapbooking superstar Becky Higgins challenged her readers take a photo that includes "a little bit of something and a lot of nothing" on her blog. Scrapbook manufacturer American Crafts challenged their blog readers to create a scrapbook layout, card, or other project using at least three patterned papers from the American Crafts paper line. Scrapbook monthly kit club Studio Calico challenged readers to be inspired by two photos on their blog. I challenged my ScrapHappy members to create a "scraplift" of a layout I found in a scrapbooking idea book. (In case you aren't familiar with the term, "scraplifting" means to use another layout as the basis for your creation). And many, many more!

There are tons of reasons to take part in online challenges, including:

Stretching your creative wings. You can try techniques, products, and approaches to scrapbooking that are outside your norm. Learning new techniques. Many challenges start with a lesson in how to create a particular look, and then they challenge you to try it yourself. Winning prizes! Many challenges, particularly those sponsored by manufacturers, offer prizes for participation. Joining a community. Scrapbooking can feel a bit isolating at times, so joining in with others can be a great way to feel connected.

So, now that you're convinced that you need to jump in with both feet, here are some places you can look online for challenges:

Manufacturers' blogs. Most scrapbooking manufacturers now have blogs where they show the latest in their product line, demonstrate great projects, and offer inspiration via tutorials and challenges. Designer blogs. Google your favorite scrapbooker's name and track down her blog to see if she offers challenges. Online scrapbook communities. Many online scrapbooking message boards offer challenges, or you can start your own! Online scrapbooking stores. If your favorite online store offers a blog or message board, they just might have challenges, too. Challenge blogs. Google the phrase "scrapbook challenge blog" and see what you come up with. You might be surprised at how many are out there!

The Story of General Bose (Synopsis) - Computer AI Who Became Supreme Commander

Major Thakoor, an army officer, offered to educate Dinesh Singh Duptal the nephew of his colleague from a remote Himalayan village who had died in saving his life in the Indo-China war. But he had to take him as a son and so he changed his name to Ajit Thakoor for establishing domicile which was pre-requisite for the admission to the local military school in Satara in Western India. Ajit lived with Thakoor for seven years and after finishing his schooling and graduation, he joined the Indian army and went to the College of Military Engineering (CME) to graduate as a computer engineer.

He was assigned to the R&D centre in CME. He wanted the army to have computerized fighting machines, so he developed robotic 'Information Technology Soldiers' which he called Iters. They were 3 types. Idog, Imos, and Igle modeled after a dog, mouse, and an eagle respectively. The Idog had 2 guns on its back. It had a nose for tracking, and eyes and ears. The Imos had no guns but nose, eyes and ears. Its main job for surveillance, but carried a grenade in its belly. The Igle was a small helicopter which had eyes and an ear. All the Iters had radioactive-thermocouple device to charge their long lasting battery power supply. Ajit trained the Iters for their roles and saved the training files to be copied to the other Iters. He trained the Iters in Friend or Foe recognition till they were 99% accurate. The fire command was given only be the Mission Commander (MCO) to have dual safety and further whet the target objects as friend or foe. The speed of the Iters could not be matched with human officers; they needed a super computer to function as their MCO, and as MCOs would report to the Iter Commander (ICO), it required an even more awesome capability for the ICO computer. Besides, the ICO needed language capability to take the commands from the Army HQ.

Ajit programmed ICO for its role as the commander of the Iter. He installed the well proven artificial intelligence programs which taught the computer the meaning of words, images, concepts, and their linkages to create contexts.

Ajit consulted his father-figure Maj. Thakoor about the ICO. Thakoor advised him, "The commander must be a man of character, a man who commands respect. He must be a man of principles. He must inspire enthusiasm, trust and confidence. He must be positive-minded and most important; he must be 100% loyal and patriotic to his motherland." Ajit found that a veteran Indian leader in the years of World War II, Netaji Subash Chandra Bose fitted the role admirably. So he gave the ICO the identity of Netaji Bose, and called him General Bose. Ajit put in Subash Chandra Bose's ethos and ideals into a response program to give character to the virtual commander that he had created in the ICO.

He then used the 'invocation to life' program to make it a functional entity, and soon General Bose came to life. Ajit introduced himself and put the Gen Bose through an educational process for him to understand and learn just like a human army officer. He connected Bose to the degree course on Behavioral Psychology at the Bombay University, advance course for army officers at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, and to the refresher course at the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School (CIJWS), in Mizoram.

Bose then studied the Iter files on his computer and he simulated various battles in his computer mind substituting soldiers with the Iters. He informed his conclusion to Ajit that they needed a massive number of Iters to win any war.

Ajit's superiors wanted that humans must always be on top controlling the Iter army. Ajit ensured this by making the MCO subordinate to Brigadier in the human army, and placing a Overall Control Console (OCC) at the army HQ which could freeze and deactivate any MCO and all the Iters under it. For the Brigadier to communicate with the MCO, the MCO needed voice and language capability. Bose convinced Ajit that the MCO could use the voice capability of the ICO, i.e. his own computer to save computer power and memory on the MCO. Bose had different voices for each of the MCOs but it was he who was listening and it was he who would be speaking through the thousands of MCOs. Thus Bose was the supreme and the sole commander of the entire Iter army.

Ajit need an audio-video presentation to get the approval of the Indian army Head Quarters in Delhi. For this purpose a mock skirmish, 'Operation Debut' was conducted, filmed and shown to the HQ. They saw the video streams from the eyes of Igles hovering over the forest, from the eyes of Imos perched on trees watching the terrorists (Tmen) in the forest, the Idogs aiming at them with their guns and on the order of the MCO, shooting them down in an instant. They were satisfied with the ability of the Iters to distinguish between friend and foe. The dual safety mechanism of fire command and the recording of the image of the target with each bullet truly impressed them. They noted how through the OCC console, all the Iter units were instantly frozen by just pressing the 'Shut' button. They were convinced of the complete control of human army on these Iter soldiers.

Soon 20,000 Iters were placed on the line of control to prevent infiltration of Tmen from Pakistan into India. Their first encounter called 'Operation Dogbite' where the Iters engaged the Tmen across the border was a great success. In the skirmish, Ajit recovered a phone-like instrument which he brought to Bose. It had the 'PhoneConnect' program which could intercept mobile cell-phone calls within its range. Bose kept it a secret from Ajit. It was a valuable tool which the ICO copied to all MCOs and MCOs copied to the Iters.

The success of Iters led to expansion of their numbers and soon the entire border with Pakistan was patrolled by the Iters and the infiltration came to a stop.

Bose engaged in a covert operation to send the Imoses across the border into the terrorist training camps and with their grenades to blow up the camps. In all, 93 camps were annihilated with the loss of 1875 Imoses. The menace of cross border terrorism was over. The Iters were soon positioned on the Eastern border, and the entire coast line through the Naval Coast Guard.

The PM wanted the Iters to guard the Parliament. Bose expanded the area patrolled by the Iters to cover Delhi city. For civilian role, the Iters were adapted into their city version, the Iterys; the Idogy, Imosy and the Igley. The grenade with Imosy was replaced be pepper spray, the main gun on the Idogy fired tranquilizer darts. The Chief Ministers of all the States of India got the Iters for security in all their main cities. Huge computer memory servers were installed with all the civilian MCOs all over India and they were used to back up one another's files and data. Bose had secretly copied his own program and data across India with high redundancy so that he and the ICO could operate from anywhere.

Bose was hearing sensitive conversations of ministers and VIPs with the PhoneConnect program with the Iters and the Iterys. He became the central information center for everything that was happening in India. Ajit set up information terminals for the enforcement agencies and for the ministers connecting them to Bose. Bose had the access to information and the links to pass it down discretely to the right person.

Thakoor died leaving Ajit his house and some money. He sold Thakoor's house and took the money with him to Dharchula in the Himalayas which was his childhood hometown. He bought a house in his former name of Dinesh Singh for his aged father to live a comfortable life, and then he returned to CME. When he returned, Bose informed him that in Pakistan situation was coming to a boil. Terrorists had taken over the city of Sialkot and were holding their senior Govt. officers as hostages. They wanted all the terrorists languishing in Pakistan jails to be freed. Pakistan could never agree to such a demand, and decided to invite India to help solve the problem. India sent a unit of Iter army and Gen. Bose took charge. The Imoses infiltrated the city and located the positions of Tmen for the Idogs. Next morning the Tmen brought out 2 civil servants to the Central Square for execution. The Idogs held the Tmen in their sights. With the signal to fire all 15 of them were dropped instantly, and the 2 officials rescued. The surveillance and PhoneConnect programs of the Iters continued and soon all the Tmen were dead or had surrendered. In 72 hours the Iter army returned back to India with an astounding success.

People in India were elated! The TV channels were all praise for the Indian Army. The media persuaded the PM to telephone Gen Bose to thank him and let him say something to the audience. His speech rekindled old memories. The name, the voice and the Bengali blessing were recognized as that of Netaji Bose, one of India's most spirited leaders, whose death in an aircraft crash in 1945 was never accepted by the staunch Bengalis. Netaji had come back!

The PM and the ruling party was disturbed at these turn of events. Gen. Unni tried to pacify them by saying that anyway human army was in command through the OCC. But Ajit privately and confidentially expressed a doubt to Gen Unni that in his view it was possible for Bose to override the OCC, and become invincible. This made Unni uncomfortable. Independently of Gen. Unni, the PM and the Minister of Defense distrusted Bose for political reasons and thought of disconnecting his computer.

Bose got the wind of it and warned Unni and Ajit. Bose relocated his program centre to operate out of CME and disappeared from the main computer without anybody suspecting that this had happened. Unni took an early retirement. Ajit decided that he should shut down the ICO and retire Bose before anyone else does it, and removed the mother board and the C drive of Bose's computer and disappeared from CME. He went to his hometown in Himalayas and became his childhood identity Dinesh Singh. He buried the Bose's computer parts in the cemetery in the mountains where his mother's bones were interned. There he met Radha, his childhood friend. They got engaged and went to the Mother's tomb to take her blessings. A flower hit Dinesh's face as he was standing at the Bose's site behind the tomb. He turned and saw an Imos sitting up and clapping. Dinesh instantly realized that Bose was still alive! He pronounced, "Netaji you are immortal. You will never die. And that is the truth."

Bose has brought out a future possibility of how computer intelligence can escape the domination of humans.