11.09.07

Fiber Optic Borescopes - Your Questions Answered

Posted in Tips at 7:23 am de admin

“Just What Is a Borescope Anyway?”

A borescope, simply put, is an instrument which is used for making visual inspections in very restricted areas. They typically have an optical eyepiece on the one end, and a lens or lenses on the other. In addition, they may have a light-generating device attached to them, to illuminate areas which are normally dark.

“What Is the Difference between a Rigid Borescope and a Flexible Borescope?”

In a nutshell, a rigid borescope is constructed with a small-diameter tube which cannot be bent — to use them there must be no obstructions or blockages in the way. A flexible borescope is constructed with a tube which can be bent, or positioned. Flexible borescopes have the obvious advantage when it comes to viewing around corners and over obstacles, etc.

On the other hand, rigid borescopes generally will give you a more precise, detailed transmitted image. The reason for this is that they use a series of lenses to transmit the light through the tube, while flexible models make use of fiber optic technology, which generally does not produce the same quality of transmitted image. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 19% [?]

11.07.07

The Art Of Managing Conflict - How To Control And Encourage It

Posted in Nature at 1:36 pm de admin

Since the beginning of time starting with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, humanity has known conflict. Most people, especially the male species of which the author is a member; attempts to avoid, accommodate, compete, collaborate, or compromise conflict. Many sincere well intentional people such as coworkers, friends, family members, and spouses often disagree; this is normal, and helpful. Often conflict is attributed to one of the main reasons why most managers fail and my personal belief to be the pivotal cause of most societal problems. Remember, conflict of an in itself is never the problem; that would be too easy. People are always the problem.

The main benefit of healthy conflict is the exchanging of differing viewpoints and ideas. Healthy conflict can help to solidify a particular point or expose potential weakness in its rationale. If everyone agreed on every item without conflict, mankind still would be writing with a chisel and stone tablet. Let’s not confuse conflict with combat. Combat occurs when one or more individuals take a stand on a particular subject regardless of the validity concerning the subject and without the possibility of compromise.

I will be the first to state that the subject of managing conflict is much easier to write and speak about than to implement; with that said, realizing that one has a problem in that area is the first step in managing conflict. For this reason, everyone should understand that managing conflict must be an ongoing learning experience for each of us.

To begin managing conflict, managers and leaders must know what results they are looking for. The results and the ideal situation is where effective conflict management begins. The first question asked should always be, what can I do to resolve this situation that may be favorable to all parties? Remembering that we must always attack the problem and never the person we should always avoid using the word “you”.

Finding commonality with other individuals works magic; people feel comfortable with people that they feel they are just like them or that sees the world from their perspective. Rarely, will a conflict allow such an easy way out. Using previous relationships that was established with past successes is also a good method of finding commonality.

Make sure the conflicting parties explain to you what the issues are from their perspective. The best way to ensure that both parties are speaking the same language is to ask the exact same questions to each party independently. Having each party to explain what the issues are and what they feel the best solution is, helps you make sure that you are dealing with the exact same perceived issues. Many times, the conflict is simply the miscommunication of two parties talking at each other in lieu of communicating with each other.

Sometimes reminding all parties of organizational policies and procedures as well as the acceptable norm in the corporate culture; works wonders and helps all parties bring their conflict into a proper perspective. Developing a reputation of being a good listener, peacemaker, fair-minded, and results oriented, helps to enter into a conflict with credibility and a edge over most managers. Constantly go to work on developing the pseudo-psychology skills that all managers desperately need.

Mack Chapman is an entrepreneur, consultant, noted public speaker, and works for a major private university. He has a passion for inspiring and challenging organizations and individuals reach their full potential by creating an environment of success through collaboration and team work. Mr. Chapman can be reached at mchapman@mypherox.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mack_Chapman

Popularity: 19% [?]

The Art Of Managing Conflict - How To Control And Encourage It

Posted in Tips at 1:32 pm de admin

Since the beginning of time starting with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, humanity has known conflict. Most people, especially the male species of which the author is a member; attempts to avoid, accommodate, compete, collaborate, or compromise conflict. Many sincere well intentional people such as coworkers, friends, family members, and spouses often disagree; this is normal, and helpful. Often conflict is attributed to one of the main reasons why most managers fail and my personal belief to be the pivotal cause of most societal problems. Remember, conflict of an in itself is never the problem; that would be too easy. People are always the problem.

The main benefit of healthy conflict is the exchanging of differing viewpoints and ideas. Healthy conflict can help to solidify a particular point or expose potential weakness in its rationale. If everyone agreed on every item without conflict, mankind still would be writing with a chisel and stone tablet. Let’s not confuse conflict with combat. Combat occurs when one or more individuals take a stand on a particular subject regardless of the validity concerning the subject and without the possibility of compromise.

I will be the first to state that the subject of managing conflict is much easier to write and speak about than to implement; with that said, realizing that one has a problem in that area is the first step in managing conflict. For this reason, everyone should understand that managing conflict must be an ongoing learning experience for each of us.

To begin managing conflict, managers and leaders must know what results they are looking for. The results and the ideal situation is where effective conflict management begins. The first question asked should always be, what can I do to resolve this situation that may be favorable to all parties? Remembering that we must always attack the problem and never the person we should always avoid using the word “you”.

Finding commonality with other individuals works magic; people feel comfortable with people that they feel they are just like them or that sees the world from their perspective. Rarely, will a conflict allow such an easy way out. Using previous relationships that was established with past successes is also a good method of finding commonality.

Make sure the conflicting parties explain to you what the issues are from their perspective. The best way to ensure that both parties are speaking the same language is to ask the exact same questions to each party independently. Having each party to explain what the issues are and what they feel the best solution is, helps you make sure that you are dealing with the exact same perceived issues. Many times, the conflict is simply the miscommunication of two parties talking at each other in lieu of communicating with each other.

Sometimes reminding all parties of organizational policies and procedures as well as the acceptable norm in the corporate culture; works wonders and helps all parties bring their conflict into a proper perspective. Developing a reputation of being a good listener, peacemaker, fair-minded, and results oriented, helps to enter into a conflict with credibility and a edge over most managers. Constantly go to work on developing the pseudo-psychology skills that all managers desperately need.

Mack Chapman is an entrepreneur, consultant, noted public speaker, and works for a major private university. He has a passion for inspiring and challenging organizations and individuals reach their full potential by creating an environment of success through collaboration and team work. Mr. Chapman can be reached at mchapman@mypherox.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mack_Chapman

Popularity: 19% [?]

05.30.07

Diabetics, watch out for the great danger called TV!

Posted in Science, Tips, Health at 6:58 pm de admin

The health of children with type 1 diabetes depends on keeping their blood-sugar levels under control. Exercise and a healthy diet are important for controlling blood sugar.

Does TV viewing have a negative impact on kids with childhood diabetes? University of Oslo researcher Hanna D. Margeirsdottir, MD, and colleagues tried to find out.

The researchers studied the TV-viewing habits and computer-use habits of 538 children with type 1 diabetes. The kids’ average age was 13.

The researchers agreed on the fact that children should not spend more than 2 hours in front of the TV or the computer because the level of sugar in their blood will raise with every our spent in front of the TV,reaching a maximum level at 4 hours spent in front of the TV . Most likely if they spend a lot of time in front of the TV they can’t do body exercises which could easy up  the disease they suffer of.

“The time spent watching TV could otherwise be spent on activities that require a lot more exertion and burn more calories. What’s more, TV viewing tends to be associated with snacking and may lead to poor eating habits.”, says Hanna Margeirsdottir, researcher at the University of Oslo.

Popularity: 59% [?]

05.27.07

Improve your life through massage therapy

Posted in Tips, Health at 7:58 pm de admin

We are all living in a world dominated by all kind of pressures, let’s face it,  how many times were you coming home and said “I’m exhausted!”, i bet you don’t remember the number but you defiantly know that the number is big. Isn’t this problem going to effect you job, your life inside your family? Yes, it does ! This is why masseurs appeared and their job was boosted in the top of the most important jobs (THEY HELP YO TO RELAX!)

The ever-increasing fame of massage therapy among people worldwide has introduced a powerful and lucrative career in the field of massage therapy. People are looking forward to become a massage therapist and provide adept services in this industry. The process of massage therapy can be extremely grueling and tedious for a massage therapist but there is a great scope to earn fame and money in this field.

A career as a massage therapist can bring you great rewards and money. To pursue a career in massage therapy, one requires attending a reputed and recognized school. The school will train the individual in the fundamentals of a variety of techniques.

These schools are present all over the world and attending one of the schools will train you in some years. You will also be provided a license as a massage therapist. Most massage therapists prefer opening their independent business where they can either train prospective massage therapists or provide massage therapies.

If you are interested in opening your own massage parlor and provide expert services to your clients, you should include the following services in your parlor.

a) Swedish massage: This is one of the most popular massage therapies that include long, slow strokes to relax muscle tension.

b) Deep tissue massage: This type of a massage therapy works on the deepest part of the muscles. Athletes prefer this massage as it provides them the kind of relaxation they actually require.

c) Hot stone therapy: This massage therapy utilizes heated river stones to sooth muscles.

d) Maternity massage: The therapy help people ease the discomfort that may sometimes accompany with pregnancy.

As a professional massage therapist, you require to concentrate on quality than quantity. You cannot schedule more than a few massages per day. This can be tiring and also affect your proficiency. As a good massage therapist, you should concentrate on making your last massage of the day as good as your first.

If you are a customer and want to visit a good massage therapist to relive all your tensions and achieve ultimate relaxation, you require keeping certain points in mind.

First and foremost, you need to consider the qualifications of the person whom you want to receive a massage therapy from. Take special care that the therapy training obtained by the therapist must be from a reputed and well-recognized massage school in your country or state.

Second, try to collect reviews about the services provided by a particular massage therapist you want to appoint for the therapy. You can contact your friends, colleagues and relatives for best and honest reviews.

Once you appoint a massage therapist, you need to talk to him or her so that you can obtain the best possible treatment. Tell your therapist if any area on your body aches or has been restricted from this therapy. Also inform the therapist about the area of the body you need special attention.

During the massage therapy, let the therapist know whether a stroke is hurting you and ask whether it is normal.

A massage therapist can provide you the kind of relaxation you require.

Popularity: 58% [?]

05.24.07

Acne: Between disturbance and pain

Posted in Nature, Science, Tips at 10:18 am de admin

Let’s face it folks all of us had, have or will have to face this problem. The acne is the reaction you experience during the puberty period, it is molesting and hard to accept. In most of the cases acne appears on your face but you can have acne in other parts of your body, even in the ass (maybe fro here the so called pain in the ass ).  This is a fact because one of my friends had acne on his ass not on his face, maybe the brain thought the ass was the face and the face was the ass, just kidding.

Acne it is for sure a big problem and it has to be taken into consideration. Acne  can be debilitating, especially when scars begin to appear due to the inflammation which caused the condition. In fact, there are some people who have the genetic make-up which invites scarring although it differs from one person to another. If the inflammation is deep within the skin, the result will become more severe.

Generally speaking, depending upon the intensity of the inflammation of the skin, there are several types of scars which may appear. Whether they are caused by loss of skin tissue or, conversely, an increase of tissue – they are nonetheless a result of the acne condition. Some of the more commonly known scars which may appear as a result of the loss of tissue include: keloids, which are large raised scars; ice pick scars; fibrotic scars; atrophic scars; and macules, which are mostly red patches of skin.

While there are a number of acne scarring treatments such as: dermabrasion, laser treatments, and microdermabrasion therapy, there may be cases in which additional scarring can occur.

This is why it is so important to visit your dermatologist so that an assessment can be made as to what type of acne you have, what is the best course of treatment, and what type of scarring treatment will be most effective with the least amount of residual effects.

While these treatments are directed to the surface of the skin to remove the scars, it can also have the opposite affect, that is, produce additional scarring. Laser treatment may be more effective in removing the scar tissue, but would require additional treatment for the redness that will follow.

Acne can be devastating, especially to teens. Acne scarring treatments are no less frightening. When seeking acne scarring treatments, it is important to obtain more than one diagnosis. Perhaps one dermatologist will propose topical treatments, which are non-invasive. If the condition worsens, it may be necessary to have the treatments described above. However, it is equally important to treat the teen as well.

Popularity: 59% [?]

05.21.07

A Weighty Problem

Posted in Nature, Tips at 9:57 pm de admin

Americans are fat. There’s no denying that the whole country’s been fighting obesity for many years now. TV shows like “The Biggest Loser” and movies like “Super Size Me” have gone a long way to demonstrating that not only it is a problem, but that people are at the point where they are ready and willing to do something about it. However, what business owners might not know is that their employees’ weight problems are hurting business.

Ballooning employees are trimming profits

A study released in April found that overweight workers cost their employers more in injury claims than their healthier colleagues. The fattest workers had 13 times the missed workdays as the healthy workers because of work-related injuries, and their medical claims for the injuries were seven times higher.

Couple the immediate financial losses of injury claims with the future health care costs of weight-related illnesses like diabetes and heart disease, and having a bevy of overweight workers on staff suddenly gets very expensive. However, if employers treat the fatter employees differently from the leaner ones, they’re opening themselves up to discrimination lawsuits.

The Duke University researchers who conducted the study recommended that employers look into sponsoring company fitness programs in order to combat the problem. Though fitness programs may be a bit pricey right off the bat, it will go a long way to saving money in injury claims in the long run.

What to look for

There are a number of fitness programs out there that companies could turn to, but you need to have an idea of what to look for. Traceability would be one of the most important options for a business. If you’re going to be spending several thousand dollars implementing a fitness program, you want to make sure that you can see results.

Look for a program that allows you to log in at any time and keeps you updated on your employees’ progress. It’s good if you can keep track of them on both a group level and on an individual level, as well as by how many pounds and inches they’ve lost.

Also, look for something that will encourage employees to work together in a team effort to lose weight. One of the reasons “The Biggest Loser” is so popular is the teamwork that encourages all the participants to give it their best shot. In turn, the participants cheer for each other in meeting their weight loss goals, something that would boost morale both in and out of the workplace.

It benefits you, too

Sponsoring a fitness program could be a sound financial investment. Not only would it give you healthier and more energized employees in the meantime, it would prevent you from having to pay out costly injury and health care claims later on.

Popularity: 59% [?]

05.20.07

Doctors May Be Third Leading Cause of Death

Posted in Science, World news at 3:33 pm de admin

Thanks god i haven’t got to go to the doctors (except dentist) lately because  the figures showed bellow are STUNNING absolutely STUNNING.

This week’s issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association is fairly interesting. Seems that doctors are the third leading cause of death in the US with an estimated 250,000 deaths per year credited to them.

Here’s the breakdown:

12,000  — unnecessary surgery
7,000  — medication errors in hospitals
20,000  — other errors in hospitals
80,000  — infections in hospitals
106,000  — non-error, negative effects of drugs

This is an open debate feel free to post your opinions about this problem because i think this is one of the most whoring death source. In a death source TOP the doctors are in the third position shortly after deaths from heart disease and cancer.

Well this doctors problem was an interesting one from the beginnings of the humanity but  in the present we can’t accept this number of death caused by doctors (directly or indirectly).

This was a personal interpretation. Feel free to visit the source link.

Popularity: 27% [?]

Hormone Patch Safer Than Pill

Posted in Nature, Science, Tips at 12:40 pm de admin

For women who have struggled with the symptoms of menopause but are fearful of taking risky hormone pills, there is at last a bit of hope.
Hormone skin patches and gels, it seems, are far less likely than pills to cause dangerous blood clots. At least that was the finding from a recently published French study.

Patches and gels are already known to be effective for relieving the hot flashes and sleep-interrupting night sweats that plague many women. No one knows whether they will prove safer than pills in terms of breast cancer, heart attack or stroke risk. A large study currently under way may answer that.

But if they do, it may soften some of the backlash against hormones since a landmark study in 2002 frightened many women away from their use. Critics of that study have long contended that it is the type of estrogen or progestin, the dosage, and the method of taking the hormones that may affect the health risks.

The French study, while not the final word, is the strongest proof yet that this may be true, said Dr. JoAnn Manson, chief of preventive medicine at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. She has no financial ties to hormone drugmakers and just published a book giving women advice on hormone use.

Evidence is mounting that the method of taking a drug and possibly the dose are important factors, she wrote in an editorial accompanying the study in the journal Circulation.

Millions of women abandoned hormone pills after the Women’s Health Initiative study reported in 2002 higher rates of stroke among those taking estrogen, and of stroke and breast cancer with estrogen-progestin use.

The study tested Wyeth’s Prempro and Premarin, which contain synthetic estrogens made from the urine of pregnant horses. Some people believe that estrogens from plant sources are closer to what the human body naturally produces and may be safer. The plant forms are in many competitors’ pills and also in patches, creams and gels.

The French researchers compared 271 women ages 45 to 70 who suffered blood clots to 610 similar women without clots. Women taking various hormone pills were more than four times more likely to suffer clots than women not taking hormones or receiving them through patches, gels or creams.

The study was paid for by the French government and partly by hormone drug and patch makers.

Why the difference in risk?

“Part of the reason we think oral estrogens do cause clots is that they pass through the liver and can cause some clotting factors to be produced,” said Dr. Karen Bradshaw, director of women’s health and an endocrinology specialist at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Hormones through skin patches are directly absorbed into the bloodstream, and therefore can be given in far lower doses to be effective, she explained.

“This study, like others, may change things” in terms of what hormones women and doctors are willing to use, Bradshaw said. Before the Women’s Health study, Prempro and Premarin accounted for half of the hormones she prescribed. Now they account for about one-fourth, and much of that is the lower dose of Prempro that Wyeth began selling in 2003, a year after the Women’s Health study.

Premarin and Prempro remain top sellers in the United States, according to IMS Health, a drug marketing information firm.

A Wyeth physician, Dr. Eileen Helzner, noted that the French study did not randomly assign some women to get patches and some to get pills the most rigorous scientific test. At least two previous, smaller studies reached differing conclusions on the clot risk, and more research is needed before definitive conclusions can be made, she said.

She also noted that the federal Food and Drug Administration has not changed its Internet advice that all forms of hormone therapy “have the same risk profile.”

However, some women already have moved to patches.

Barbara Isaac, a research nurse and women’s health study coordinator at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, switched to Vivelle, sold by Novogyne Pharmaceuticals, after years of taking Prempro and Premarin

“It’s a tiny little patch. It’s the size of a small postage stamp. You put it on your belly and change it twice a week,” she said.

Although she is 63 and has used hormones for more than a decade, she is not willing to quit.

“I have a very busy life. My sleep is important to me,” she said. Before starting on hormones she had “drenching, drenching sweats you could just wring me out,” she said.

“My doctor who prescribed this for me is 70 or 71 and she still uses it,” she added.

Isaac and Manson are helping conduct the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study, or KEEPS, which is directly comparing pills and patches.

Ironically, some hormone patches seem to carry greater risks of blood clots than pills when used for birth control. The FDA recently required new warnings on one such contraceptive patch Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical’s Ortho Evra.

Also, women should tell their doctors about any other drugs, vitamins or supplements they are taking. The herbal supplement St. John’s wort can decrease blood-estrogen levels, undermining the relief any hormone treatment can give. So can certain antibiotics and other drugs.

Popularity: 61% [?]

05.18.07

Does Microsoft ban modified XBOX 360 consoles from LIVE?

Posted in Internet, Technology, Gadgets, Tips at 6:51 pm de admin

I have read this days on XBOX dedicated forums some post on how modified XBOX 360 consoles are to be banned from live. At first i thought there were some isolated cases but yesterday lots and lots of posts were emerged in some known Xbox 360 forums. It is possible to modify the firmware of the Xbox 360 drive to be able to play backups which of course includes pirated games. There has been no official confirmation from Microsoft about this issue but the frequency of the posts can only lead to the conclusion that Microsoft is actually banning Xbox 360 systems with modded firmwares.

Among those complains which were posted on the forums you could find the following statement :

  • Disconnect from Xbox Live with the inability to reconnect

A test results in the following status codes:

w: 0000 - 0021
x: 0000 - f001
y: 00a8 - 6820
z: 8015 - 1900

All of this could only leed as to the conclusion that Microsoft is ot banning the gamertag but the machine code of the system.

Another strange thing is the fact that some users reported that Xbox 360 users without a modded firmware got banned as well.

It remains to be seen if we can get a official statement from Microsoft about the occurrences. A good way to receive all the latest information is the original thread in the Xbox Scene Forum.

Popularity: 64% [?]

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