Showing posts with label Article. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Article. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Top 7 Tips To Stretch Your Back, Hip And Leg Flexibility
How much time should you spend stretching? This is up to you. To do all the repetitions of all exercises in the following would take at least 30 minutes. It is encouraged to try all the stretches and then decide what works best for you. You may choose to do only a few exercises that seem most helpful for your back condition. Or you may decide to do fewer repetitions of each exercise. Or you may do everything. You are the best person to decide what works for you. The exercises do not all have to be done at once. You can do a little here and there over the course of your day. Here are some of the tips that you can consider to adopt.
How To Monitor And Manage Search Engine Results
How To Monitor And Manage Search Engine Results
There are a variety of ways to measure search engine rankings for your website. Popular website tools like SEO Elite and Web CEO include search engine ranking tools that can track where your site ranks for identified keywords. But what if you don’t own SEO software?
To evaluate search engine rankings, you simply need a means of measuring rankings on a regular basis. Follow these simple guidelines:
Create and maintain a spreadsheet of your rankings. Having a document that you continually update can help you see weekly changes as well as trends over time. Be sure to keep it updated at least once a week so that you are always aware of how you rank for keywords and keyword phrases you are watching.
You can choose your keyword list based on the keyword phrases you’ve selected as important, those your competitors rank well for, or individual phrases identified by SEO software. If you want to get a jump start, you can identify which keyword phrases your site is ranked for in the top 20 on Google using SEOdigger.com. This tool provides a listing of which keyword phrases your site ranks within the top 20 Google search results for and can be a great tool to identify your competitor’s keyword rankings.
Record changes in search engine result placements simply by entering each keyword term in to Google or using SEO software. You can also find free tools online to report your rankings like CleverStat or GoogleRankings.com.
Continue to make changes, build links, and record your results. This step will never be completed but rather is an ongoing process. You should strive to become number one on all your SERPs and get so far ahead that none of your competitors will be able to compete. This requires constant and never ending consideration to building links and creating more and more reasons for other sites to link to you.
Consider reciprocal linking, link acquisition, as well as adding free tools to your website, valuable content, and helpful downloads. Access to these tools is ideal if you want to attract links to your website. Once you’ve added these valuable tools, make sure to let others know that they exist. Consider a free press release, email campaign or promotion.
Expand your keyword list. As you improve your overall rankings on major search engines, consider adding other keywords phrases that may be relevant to your website, products or services. Focusing on an expanded keyword list can result in more traffic and broader appeal.
Monitoring and managing your search engine rankings, especially on Google is necessary if you wish to increase the organic traffic to your website. This begins with basic monitoring and evaluation of your rankings on key search engines. Once you’ve developed your spreadsheet, update your rankings each week with free tools or SEO software.
Continue to focus on your rankings and developing inbound links through free tools and resources on your site as well as proactive link requests. Over time, as you improve your rakings for key terms and phrases, expand your list. Improving your rankings is a never ending process, but an important one. Stay the course and you’ll experience the results you’re looking for.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
The Use of Industrial Paints Today
The official definition of paint is that it is a liquid, liquefiable of composition of mastic (adhesive) solutions which, after being applied in a thin layer to a 'substrate', is converted into an opaque and solid film. It may be stating the obvious if one was to say that paint is most commonly used to colour, protect or provide texture to surfaces or objects, however, if one was to think of the many items that paint is applied to: ranging from walls, cars and canvas, it is only logical that there are many different variations and types of paint that are used for their different purposes. For example, the paints sold in hardware stores to be applied to household walls will naturally have a different chemical makeup to children's face paint, as the former would require a far greater degree of water resistance in order for it to be suitable for its purpose.
One such difference between the types of paint is the means by which it is applied. In the case of industrial paints for example, paint is applied in the form of a solid and further in the form of a very fine powder before being baked at a very high temperature. The intense heat then melts the powder and causes it to adhere (stick) to the surface to which it has been applied. The reasons for applying paint in this manner (commonly known as 'Powder Coating') involve the chemistries of the paint, the surface itself and possibly even the chemistry of the overall object being painted (the substrate) itself!
The application of industrial paints in this form has several advantages when compared to the traditional and conventional liquid paint approach. For example, powder coating emit little or no Volatile Organic Compounds (also known as VOC's) which are chemical compounds that have significant vapour pressures which may prove harmful to the environment as well as having adverse effects on human health. Other advantages of powder coating as a means of painting include the fact that this method can result in much thicker coating of paint being achieved without running or sagging, as would occur with the use of liquid paint. Also, the fact that coating overspray can be recycled means that powder coating can result in nearly 100% of the coating being effectively used, an advantage for any industrial firm in these times when austerity measures are required.
One such difference between the types of paint is the means by which it is applied. In the case of industrial paints for example, paint is applied in the form of a solid and further in the form of a very fine powder before being baked at a very high temperature. The intense heat then melts the powder and causes it to adhere (stick) to the surface to which it has been applied. The reasons for applying paint in this manner (commonly known as 'Powder Coating') involve the chemistries of the paint, the surface itself and possibly even the chemistry of the overall object being painted (the substrate) itself!
The application of industrial paints in this form has several advantages when compared to the traditional and conventional liquid paint approach. For example, powder coating emit little or no Volatile Organic Compounds (also known as VOC's) which are chemical compounds that have significant vapour pressures which may prove harmful to the environment as well as having adverse effects on human health. Other advantages of powder coating as a means of painting include the fact that this method can result in much thicker coating of paint being achieved without running or sagging, as would occur with the use of liquid paint. Also, the fact that coating overspray can be recycled means that powder coating can result in nearly 100% of the coating being effectively used, an advantage for any industrial firm in these times when austerity measures are required.
Natalie Eastaugh is the Internet Marketing Specialist for JDRWebsites.co.uk
If you wish to find out more on industrial paint as well as information about Black Country Paint, go to blackcountrypaints.co.uk
If you wish to find out more on industrial paint as well as information about Black Country Paint, go to blackcountrypaints.co.uk
Thursday, July 7, 2011
strangest wedding customs
Top 6 of the World's Strangest Wedding Customs
While weddings are universal affairs, it is the various traditions and customs associated with this ceremony that are as varied as the human race itself. Want to know how some of us exchange their wedding vows - and, more importantly, what happens before and after the wedding?
Welcome to the 6 strangest wedding customs around the world!
1. India. A very traditional custom is for the bride's sisters and cousins to hide the groom's shoes when he arrives at their house for the wedding. Indian customs demand that shows be removed at the entrance of the mandap or altar where the wedding is solemnised, and that is the when the groom's shoes are 'stolen'. It is a battle of wits and ingenuity between the bride's family, that does its best to steal the shoes, and the groom's family that tries to protect them at all costs. There is much laughter and teasing. If the bride's relatives succeed in stealing the shoes, the poor groom has to shell out whatever amount the girls demand to get his footwear back.
2. Scotland. Perhaps the honour for the weirdest wedding custom goes to Scotland where 'Blackening the bride' is practised as an important pre-wedding ritual. Of course, the poor bride has absolutely no idea just when she will be bombarded with the foulest of substances - she is taken totally by surprise. Her friends throw black liquid, eggs, sauces and any other revolting substance they can lay their hands on. The ordeal doesn't end here. After being blackened, the bride-to-be is paraded all through town!
3. Germany. Shattering a large number of porcelain or glass dishes prior to the wedding is a long-held German tradition. The bride and groom have to clean up the mess themselves. The belief behind this seemingly destructive act is that it will bring the couple good luck. Another custom more common in the villages of Germany is 'kidnapping the bride' by friends of both, the bride and the groom, and having the groom to hunt for her. The third custom is 'log sawing' in which a log is placed between two sawhorses and both the newlyweds have to work together to saw it in half.
4. Poland. In keeping with an ancient Polish tradition, the groom and his parents arrive at the bride's house before the wedding, where both sets of parents bless the couple. Another quaint old custom is to prepare 'passing gates' that leads to the reception venue for the newlyweds. The couple has to 'bribe' their way through by offering vodka to the 'gate keepers'. At the reception gate, the newlywed couple is accorded a warm welcome by the parents with the traditional bread and salt. While the bread signifies prosperity, salt represents hardship of life which the couple will face together.
5. Sweden. There are two customs that dominate a Swedish wedding - coins in the bride's shoes and kissing the guests. Her father places a silver coin in her left shoe while a gold coin from her mother is placed in her right shoe, symbolising that she will never be in want. At the wedding reception, the guests await an opportunity to kiss either the bride or the groom, sometimes both of the stars are favourable! If the groom goes out of the room for a while, all the male guests get to kiss the bride, and vice versa - all in a queue though.
6. France. The French have a wedding night prank that goes by the name of 'Chiverie'. In this, the friends and relatives of the newly weds gather outside their room and get busy clanging and banging assorted pots and pans. The din is intended to disturb the resting couple, and have them come out in their wedding attire. They are then expected to provide refreshments to the 'trespassers'.
Welcome to the 6 strangest wedding customs around the world!
1. India. A very traditional custom is for the bride's sisters and cousins to hide the groom's shoes when he arrives at their house for the wedding. Indian customs demand that shows be removed at the entrance of the mandap or altar where the wedding is solemnised, and that is the when the groom's shoes are 'stolen'. It is a battle of wits and ingenuity between the bride's family, that does its best to steal the shoes, and the groom's family that tries to protect them at all costs. There is much laughter and teasing. If the bride's relatives succeed in stealing the shoes, the poor groom has to shell out whatever amount the girls demand to get his footwear back.
2. Scotland. Perhaps the honour for the weirdest wedding custom goes to Scotland where 'Blackening the bride' is practised as an important pre-wedding ritual. Of course, the poor bride has absolutely no idea just when she will be bombarded with the foulest of substances - she is taken totally by surprise. Her friends throw black liquid, eggs, sauces and any other revolting substance they can lay their hands on. The ordeal doesn't end here. After being blackened, the bride-to-be is paraded all through town!
3. Germany. Shattering a large number of porcelain or glass dishes prior to the wedding is a long-held German tradition. The bride and groom have to clean up the mess themselves. The belief behind this seemingly destructive act is that it will bring the couple good luck. Another custom more common in the villages of Germany is 'kidnapping the bride' by friends of both, the bride and the groom, and having the groom to hunt for her. The third custom is 'log sawing' in which a log is placed between two sawhorses and both the newlyweds have to work together to saw it in half.
4. Poland. In keeping with an ancient Polish tradition, the groom and his parents arrive at the bride's house before the wedding, where both sets of parents bless the couple. Another quaint old custom is to prepare 'passing gates' that leads to the reception venue for the newlyweds. The couple has to 'bribe' their way through by offering vodka to the 'gate keepers'. At the reception gate, the newlywed couple is accorded a warm welcome by the parents with the traditional bread and salt. While the bread signifies prosperity, salt represents hardship of life which the couple will face together.
5. Sweden. There are two customs that dominate a Swedish wedding - coins in the bride's shoes and kissing the guests. Her father places a silver coin in her left shoe while a gold coin from her mother is placed in her right shoe, symbolising that she will never be in want. At the wedding reception, the guests await an opportunity to kiss either the bride or the groom, sometimes both of the stars are favourable! If the groom goes out of the room for a while, all the male guests get to kiss the bride, and vice versa - all in a queue though.
6. France. The French have a wedding night prank that goes by the name of 'Chiverie'. In this, the friends and relatives of the newly weds gather outside their room and get busy clanging and banging assorted pots and pans. The din is intended to disturb the resting couple, and have them come out in their wedding attire. They are then expected to provide refreshments to the 'trespassers'.
Former journalist Daya writes extensively about gift giving and the tricky etiquette involved in romance and relationships on the web. Her forte is wedding anniversaries -- how to celebrate them, what gifts to give, etc. See Daya's best picks for anniversary presents for women that guarantee to thrill the fussiest of women. At 1st wedding anniversary gifts, Daya offers a detailed guide to the traditional jewellery (freshwater pearl) and traditional (paper) gifts for the landmark 1st year anniversary.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
dream jobs that aren't
If you've always fantasized about pursuing a certain line of work, by all means, you should follow your heart. But before you dive headfirst into your dream career, you might want to investigate the facts. Under scrutiny, even a seemingly ideal job is bound to reveal some imperfections.
Warning: Potential disillusionment ahead! The following are the confessions of three professionals willing to divulge the hidden downsides of their dream jobs (and why they're still passionate about their careers despite knowing the truth).
The Dream Job: Restaurant Critic
Let's review the job description for this one: Eat delicious meals at fantastic restaurants and expense every morsel, sit in your pajamas in the cozy comfort of your home while you type up your opinion of the meal, get the thrill of seeing your name in print, eat more delectable freebies, write, repeat, then wait for the paychecks to roll in. That's all there is to it, right?
The Reality
"I am always concerned with consumption/weight control," confides Charyn Pfeuffer, a freelance writer and the food, wine and travel editor for Valley Lifestyles magazine, e-mailing from a fitness spa where she's "performing hours upon hours of exercise daily as a damage control attempt for the havoc my career wreaks upon my body."
"I regularly eat many-coursed meals (which means many, many calories), frequently attend winemaker dinners and love to cook at home as well, so it's hard to stick to any sort of diet," Pfeuffer laments. "Moderation doesn't really exist in this career."
In addition to health concerns, Pfeuffer acknowledges that it can be unnerving to know her words hold such sway over both her readers and the businesses she critiques. "It is tough to be in a position where you are judging someone else's creativity and passion," Pfueffer says. "It is a tremendous amount of responsibility to play a role in how the public perceives someone else's livelihood."
And of course, there's the pay, which Pfeuffer describes as less than impressive, joking, "[There's] nothing like having your rusted 1980 bright yellow Volvo valeted at some of the finest restaurants in San Francisco and Los Angeles."
Still, Pfeuffer feels the upsides of being a restaurant critic easily outweigh the downsides. "I adore what I do for a living and the once-in-a-lifetime experiences it affords me," she says. "Like some people idolize athletes, I idolize the creativity of chefs."
Dream Job: Vineyard and Winery Owner
Is there a more romanticized profession than owning a vineyard? It's difficult to even hear the word and not imagine golden Tuscan hillsides, an outdoor table crowded with wine carafes, soft cheeses and fresh fruit, and an enormous tub filled with laughing, long-limbed women, the purple stains of wine creeping up their legs as they crush grapes below their bare feet.
The Reality
"First of all, there's no vacation at all, no holidays, no retirement fun and no insurance," says Jeff Pipes, the owner of the sustainably-farmed and organic Pipestone Vineyards and Winery in Paso Robles, California.
Before entering this line of work, Pipes suggests asking yourself some serious questions: "Do you know about surveying, soils, chemistry and biology? Will you mind getting up at two in the morning for five weeks to turn on your frost control system? Can you work seven days a week for months on end? Do you have enough cash to live on for five to eight years after you buy your property and plant the vineyard?" If not, Pipes says, running a vineyard probably isn't for you.
"Remember," he adds, "this is farming. You can do everything right, and have a year or more of effort into it, and then Mother Nature can ruin you in just a few minutes with a frost or hail or a storm. You have to be prepared to be wiped out at any moment."
Still, Pipes is passionate about his chosen career. "Wine is one of the few foods where you can know the place from where it came, the family that grew it and made it, and the year and weather that made the wine taste like it does with each vintage," he says. "I love my life, every minute of it, but it's not for everyone in this fast-paced day and age."
The Dream Job: Fashion Merchandiser
Style Network addicts dream about parlaying their obsession with clothing into an exciting career in the fashion industry, envisioning themselves swathed in couture as they rub elbows with celebrities at the Milan fashion shows. Many of the stylish set aspire to a role as a fashion merchandiser for a specialty store, where they see themselves steering the hottest new trends in clothing and accessories.
The Reality
"People have the misconception that fashion merchandisers just play with clothes all day long, when in reality you are running a multi-million-dollar business," says Carolyn Williams, senior merchant of female accessories for Abercrombie & Fitch. "You still have to make Excel spreadsheets and analyze numbers."
Merchandisers must have profound knowledge of their target customer, and be able to foresee and capitalize on fashion trends. In addition to overseeing new product designs, they evaluate manufacturing costs, supervise production and determine retail prices. Ultimately, merchandisers are held accountable if a product they've developed fails to bring revenue to their company.
"It's not glamorous -- you don't spend your days going to fashion shows," Williams reveals, adding, "It's hard work, with long hours. And overall, it's not a highly paid profession."
And yet, even with the long hours and lack of glamour, Williams still feels that she has a dream job. "You get to take the idea of running a business," she says, "and apply it to an industry everyone can relate to. After all, we're all consumers and we all spend money on clothes. It's the best of both worlds -- fashion and business."
Warning: Potential disillusionment ahead! The following are the confessions of three professionals willing to divulge the hidden downsides of their dream jobs (and why they're still passionate about their careers despite knowing the truth).
The Dream Job: Restaurant Critic
Let's review the job description for this one: Eat delicious meals at fantastic restaurants and expense every morsel, sit in your pajamas in the cozy comfort of your home while you type up your opinion of the meal, get the thrill of seeing your name in print, eat more delectable freebies, write, repeat, then wait for the paychecks to roll in. That's all there is to it, right?
The Reality
"I am always concerned with consumption/weight control," confides Charyn Pfeuffer, a freelance writer and the food, wine and travel editor for Valley Lifestyles magazine, e-mailing from a fitness spa where she's "performing hours upon hours of exercise daily as a damage control attempt for the havoc my career wreaks upon my body."
"I regularly eat many-coursed meals (which means many, many calories), frequently attend winemaker dinners and love to cook at home as well, so it's hard to stick to any sort of diet," Pfeuffer laments. "Moderation doesn't really exist in this career."
In addition to health concerns, Pfeuffer acknowledges that it can be unnerving to know her words hold such sway over both her readers and the businesses she critiques. "It is tough to be in a position where you are judging someone else's creativity and passion," Pfueffer says. "It is a tremendous amount of responsibility to play a role in how the public perceives someone else's livelihood."
And of course, there's the pay, which Pfeuffer describes as less than impressive, joking, "[There's] nothing like having your rusted 1980 bright yellow Volvo valeted at some of the finest restaurants in San Francisco and Los Angeles."
Still, Pfeuffer feels the upsides of being a restaurant critic easily outweigh the downsides. "I adore what I do for a living and the once-in-a-lifetime experiences it affords me," she says. "Like some people idolize athletes, I idolize the creativity of chefs."
Dream Job: Vineyard and Winery Owner
Is there a more romanticized profession than owning a vineyard? It's difficult to even hear the word and not imagine golden Tuscan hillsides, an outdoor table crowded with wine carafes, soft cheeses and fresh fruit, and an enormous tub filled with laughing, long-limbed women, the purple stains of wine creeping up their legs as they crush grapes below their bare feet.
The Reality
"First of all, there's no vacation at all, no holidays, no retirement fun and no insurance," says Jeff Pipes, the owner of the sustainably-farmed and organic Pipestone Vineyards and Winery in Paso Robles, California.
Before entering this line of work, Pipes suggests asking yourself some serious questions: "Do you know about surveying, soils, chemistry and biology? Will you mind getting up at two in the morning for five weeks to turn on your frost control system? Can you work seven days a week for months on end? Do you have enough cash to live on for five to eight years after you buy your property and plant the vineyard?" If not, Pipes says, running a vineyard probably isn't for you.
"Remember," he adds, "this is farming. You can do everything right, and have a year or more of effort into it, and then Mother Nature can ruin you in just a few minutes with a frost or hail or a storm. You have to be prepared to be wiped out at any moment."
Still, Pipes is passionate about his chosen career. "Wine is one of the few foods where you can know the place from where it came, the family that grew it and made it, and the year and weather that made the wine taste like it does with each vintage," he says. "I love my life, every minute of it, but it's not for everyone in this fast-paced day and age."
The Dream Job: Fashion Merchandiser
Style Network addicts dream about parlaying their obsession with clothing into an exciting career in the fashion industry, envisioning themselves swathed in couture as they rub elbows with celebrities at the Milan fashion shows. Many of the stylish set aspire to a role as a fashion merchandiser for a specialty store, where they see themselves steering the hottest new trends in clothing and accessories.
The Reality
"People have the misconception that fashion merchandisers just play with clothes all day long, when in reality you are running a multi-million-dollar business," says Carolyn Williams, senior merchant of female accessories for Abercrombie & Fitch. "You still have to make Excel spreadsheets and analyze numbers."
Merchandisers must have profound knowledge of their target customer, and be able to foresee and capitalize on fashion trends. In addition to overseeing new product designs, they evaluate manufacturing costs, supervise production and determine retail prices. Ultimately, merchandisers are held accountable if a product they've developed fails to bring revenue to their company.
"It's not glamorous -- you don't spend your days going to fashion shows," Williams reveals, adding, "It's hard work, with long hours. And overall, it's not a highly paid profession."
And yet, even with the long hours and lack of glamour, Williams still feels that she has a dream job. "You get to take the idea of running a business," she says, "and apply it to an industry everyone can relate to. After all, we're all consumers and we all spend money on clothes. It's the best of both worlds -- fashion and business."
strangest jobs
In the good old days before electricity and massive industry, many jobs that now require no or little labor, were undertaken by humans. This list looks at ten jobs that are now (mostly) extinct. Each job contains at least one element of the bizarre. Be sure to add your own favorites to the comments.
A gong farmer or gongfermor was the term used in Tudor England for a person who removed human excrement from privies and cesspits, gong being another word for dung. Gong farmers were only allowed to work at night and the waste they collected, known as night soil, had to be taken outside the city or town boundaries. As flushing water closets became more widely used, the profession of gong farming disappeared. A latrine or privy was the toilet of the Middle Ages. A gong farmer dug out the cesspits and emptied the excrement. Gong farmers were only allowed to work between 9 pm and 5 am, and were permitted to live only in certain areas, for reasons that should not be too elusive. Due to the noxious fumes produced by human excrement, coroners’ reports exist of gong farmers dying of asphyxiation. This was obviously a shit job to have.
Groom of the Stool
The Groom of the Stool was a male servant in the household of an English monarch who, among other duties, “preside[d] over the office of royal excretion,” that is, he had the task of cleaning the monarch’s anus after defecation. In the early years of Henry VIII’s reign, the title was awarded to minions of the King, court companions who spent time with him in the Privy chamber. These were the sons of noblemen or important members of the gentry. In time they came to act as virtual personal secretaries to the King, carrying out a variety of administrative tasks within his private rooms. The position was an especially prized one, as it allowed one unobstructed access to the King’s attention. Despite being the official bum-wiper of the king, the Groom of the Stool had a very high social standing.
Whipping Boy
A whipping boy, in the 1600s and 1700s, was a young boy who was assigned to a young prince and was punished when the prince misbehaved or fell behind in his schooling. Whipping boys were established in the English court during the monarchies of the 15th century and 16th century. They were created because the idea of the Divine Right of Kings, which stated that kings were appointed by God, and implied that no one but the king was worthy of punishing the king’s son. Since the king was rarely around to punish his son when necessary, tutors to the young prince found it extremely difficult to enforce rules or learning. Whipping boys were generally of high birth, and were educated with the prince since birth. Due to the fact that the prince and whipping boy grew up together since birth, they usually formed an emotional bond. The strong bond that developed between a prince and his whipping boy dramatically increased the effectiveness of using a whipping boy as a form of punishment for a prince. The idea of the whipping boys was that seeing a friend being whipped or beaten for something that he had done wrong would be likely to ensure that the prince would not make the same mistake again.
Fuller
Fulling is a step in woollen clothmaking which involves the cleansing of cloth (particularly wool) to eliminate oils, dirt, and other impurities, and making it thicker. In days gone by, the fullers were often slaves. In Roman times, fulling was conducted by slaves standing ankle deep in tubs of human urine and cloth. Urine was so important to the fulling business that urine was taxed. Urine, known as ‘wash’, was a source of ammonium salts and assisted in cleansing and whitening the cloth. By the medieval period, fuller’s earth had been introduced for use in the process which ameliorated the process and removed the need for urine.
Resurrectionist
In Britain, the crime of snatching a body was only a misdemeanor and so was punishable by a small fine only. This led to a huge industry in body snatching in order to provide corpses to the blossoming medical schools of Europe. One method the body-snatchers used was to dig at the head end of a recent burial, digging with a wooden spade (quieter than metal). When they reached the coffin (in London the graves were quite shallow), they broke open the coffin, put a rope around the corpse and dragged it out. They were often careful not to steal anything such as jewelry or clothes as this would cause them to be liable to a felony charge. During 1827 and 1828, some Edinburgh resurrectionists including Burke and Hare changed their tactics from grave-robbing to murder, as they were paid more for very fresh corpses. Their activities, and those of the London Burkers who imitated them, resulted in the passage of the Anatomy Act 1832. This allowed unclaimed bodies and those donated by relatives to be used for the study of anatomy. This effectively ended the body snatching business.
Dog Whipper
A dog whipper was a church official charged with removing unruly dogs from a church or church grounds during services. In some areas of Europe during the 16th to 19th centuries it was not uncommon for household dogs to accompany – or at least follow – their owners to church services. If these animals became disruptive it was the job of the dog whipper to remove them from the church, allowing the service to continue in peace. Dog whippers were usually provided with a whip (hence the title) or a pair of large wooden tongs with which to remove the animals. They were generally paid for their services, and records of payments to the local dog whipper exist in old parish account books in many English churches.
Toad Doctor
Toad doctors were practitioners of a specific tradition of medicinal folk magic, operating in western England until the end of the 19th century. Their main concern was healing scrofula (then called “the King’s Evil,” a skin disease), though they were also believed to cure other ailments including those resulting from witchcraft. They cured the sick by placing a live toad, or the leg of one, in a muslin bag and hanging it around the sick person’s neck. Needless to say this job would also require growing or gathering up a large collection of toads, and in the case of doctors who used just the leg, chopping their legs off to give to their patient.
Knocker-Up
A Knocker-up was a profession in England and Ireland that started during and lasted well into the Industrial Revolution, before alarm clocks were affordable or reliable. A knocker-up’s job was to rouse sleeping people so they could get to work on time. The knocker-up often used a long and light stick (often bamboo) to reach windows on higher floors. In return, the knocker-up would be paid a few pence a week for this job. The knocker-up would not leave a client’s window until they were assured the client had been awoken. This all leads to the obvious question: who knocks up the knocker-up?
Toshers and Mudlarks
A tosher was someone who scavenges in the sewers, especially in London during the Victorian period. The toshers decided to cut out the middle man and it was a common sight in 19th Century Wapping for whole families to whip off a manhole cover and go down into the sewers, where they would find rich pickings. As most toshers would reek of the sewers, they were not popular with the neighbors. Similarly, the mudlarks were people who would dredge the banks of the Thames in the early morning when the tide was out. They would have to wade through unprocessed sewerage and even sometimes dead bodies in order to find little treasures to sell. In a kind of weird twist, this is now the popular hobby of some middle class Londoners who travel the banks to clean up trash.
Jester
We have all heard of the court Jester – the fool who was permitted to insult the king without losing his head – as long as it made the king laugh. It was a job that came with accolades and with fear. It is also a job unlike any existent today. How many families do you know that employ a private “comedian” so to speak? But, while the job did vanish from history for hundreds of years, as recently as 1999 one Kingdom (Tonga) has appointed an official jester. In a bizarre (and very amusing) twist, the man appointed happened to also be the government’s financial advisor. He was later embroiled in a financial scandal. The American jester to the Tongan court was Jesse Bogdonoff and he is pictured above.
A gong farmer or gongfermor was the term used in Tudor England for a person who removed human excrement from privies and cesspits, gong being another word for dung. Gong farmers were only allowed to work at night and the waste they collected, known as night soil, had to be taken outside the city or town boundaries. As flushing water closets became more widely used, the profession of gong farming disappeared. A latrine or privy was the toilet of the Middle Ages. A gong farmer dug out the cesspits and emptied the excrement. Gong farmers were only allowed to work between 9 pm and 5 am, and were permitted to live only in certain areas, for reasons that should not be too elusive. Due to the noxious fumes produced by human excrement, coroners’ reports exist of gong farmers dying of asphyxiation. This was obviously a shit job to have.
Groom of the Stool
The Groom of the Stool was a male servant in the household of an English monarch who, among other duties, “preside[d] over the office of royal excretion,” that is, he had the task of cleaning the monarch’s anus after defecation. In the early years of Henry VIII’s reign, the title was awarded to minions of the King, court companions who spent time with him in the Privy chamber. These were the sons of noblemen or important members of the gentry. In time they came to act as virtual personal secretaries to the King, carrying out a variety of administrative tasks within his private rooms. The position was an especially prized one, as it allowed one unobstructed access to the King’s attention. Despite being the official bum-wiper of the king, the Groom of the Stool had a very high social standing.
Whipping Boy
A whipping boy, in the 1600s and 1700s, was a young boy who was assigned to a young prince and was punished when the prince misbehaved or fell behind in his schooling. Whipping boys were established in the English court during the monarchies of the 15th century and 16th century. They were created because the idea of the Divine Right of Kings, which stated that kings were appointed by God, and implied that no one but the king was worthy of punishing the king’s son. Since the king was rarely around to punish his son when necessary, tutors to the young prince found it extremely difficult to enforce rules or learning. Whipping boys were generally of high birth, and were educated with the prince since birth. Due to the fact that the prince and whipping boy grew up together since birth, they usually formed an emotional bond. The strong bond that developed between a prince and his whipping boy dramatically increased the effectiveness of using a whipping boy as a form of punishment for a prince. The idea of the whipping boys was that seeing a friend being whipped or beaten for something that he had done wrong would be likely to ensure that the prince would not make the same mistake again.
Fuller
Fulling is a step in woollen clothmaking which involves the cleansing of cloth (particularly wool) to eliminate oils, dirt, and other impurities, and making it thicker. In days gone by, the fullers were often slaves. In Roman times, fulling was conducted by slaves standing ankle deep in tubs of human urine and cloth. Urine was so important to the fulling business that urine was taxed. Urine, known as ‘wash’, was a source of ammonium salts and assisted in cleansing and whitening the cloth. By the medieval period, fuller’s earth had been introduced for use in the process which ameliorated the process and removed the need for urine.
Resurrectionist
In Britain, the crime of snatching a body was only a misdemeanor and so was punishable by a small fine only. This led to a huge industry in body snatching in order to provide corpses to the blossoming medical schools of Europe. One method the body-snatchers used was to dig at the head end of a recent burial, digging with a wooden spade (quieter than metal). When they reached the coffin (in London the graves were quite shallow), they broke open the coffin, put a rope around the corpse and dragged it out. They were often careful not to steal anything such as jewelry or clothes as this would cause them to be liable to a felony charge. During 1827 and 1828, some Edinburgh resurrectionists including Burke and Hare changed their tactics from grave-robbing to murder, as they were paid more for very fresh corpses. Their activities, and those of the London Burkers who imitated them, resulted in the passage of the Anatomy Act 1832. This allowed unclaimed bodies and those donated by relatives to be used for the study of anatomy. This effectively ended the body snatching business.
Dog Whipper
A dog whipper was a church official charged with removing unruly dogs from a church or church grounds during services. In some areas of Europe during the 16th to 19th centuries it was not uncommon for household dogs to accompany – or at least follow – their owners to church services. If these animals became disruptive it was the job of the dog whipper to remove them from the church, allowing the service to continue in peace. Dog whippers were usually provided with a whip (hence the title) or a pair of large wooden tongs with which to remove the animals. They were generally paid for their services, and records of payments to the local dog whipper exist in old parish account books in many English churches.
Toad Doctor
Toad doctors were practitioners of a specific tradition of medicinal folk magic, operating in western England until the end of the 19th century. Their main concern was healing scrofula (then called “the King’s Evil,” a skin disease), though they were also believed to cure other ailments including those resulting from witchcraft. They cured the sick by placing a live toad, or the leg of one, in a muslin bag and hanging it around the sick person’s neck. Needless to say this job would also require growing or gathering up a large collection of toads, and in the case of doctors who used just the leg, chopping their legs off to give to their patient.
Knocker-Up
A Knocker-up was a profession in England and Ireland that started during and lasted well into the Industrial Revolution, before alarm clocks were affordable or reliable. A knocker-up’s job was to rouse sleeping people so they could get to work on time. The knocker-up often used a long and light stick (often bamboo) to reach windows on higher floors. In return, the knocker-up would be paid a few pence a week for this job. The knocker-up would not leave a client’s window until they were assured the client had been awoken. This all leads to the obvious question: who knocks up the knocker-up?
Toshers and Mudlarks
A tosher was someone who scavenges in the sewers, especially in London during the Victorian period. The toshers decided to cut out the middle man and it was a common sight in 19th Century Wapping for whole families to whip off a manhole cover and go down into the sewers, where they would find rich pickings. As most toshers would reek of the sewers, they were not popular with the neighbors. Similarly, the mudlarks were people who would dredge the banks of the Thames in the early morning when the tide was out. They would have to wade through unprocessed sewerage and even sometimes dead bodies in order to find little treasures to sell. In a kind of weird twist, this is now the popular hobby of some middle class Londoners who travel the banks to clean up trash.
Jester
We have all heard of the court Jester – the fool who was permitted to insult the king without losing his head – as long as it made the king laugh. It was a job that came with accolades and with fear. It is also a job unlike any existent today. How many families do you know that employ a private “comedian” so to speak? But, while the job did vanish from history for hundreds of years, as recently as 1999 one Kingdom (Tonga) has appointed an official jester. In a bizarre (and very amusing) twist, the man appointed happened to also be the government’s financial advisor. He was later embroiled in a financial scandal. The American jester to the Tongan court was Jesse Bogdonoff and he is pictured above.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Best self tanners Five Tips To Find The Best Self Tanner
If you want to achieve that 'just back from the beach' look and flaunt bronze tanned skin then you need the best self tanner. Self tanners give a beautiful golden glow to your skin without subjecting you to the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. However, you cannot just depend on any tanning product available in the market, as some of them can give an awkward color to your skin or make your complexion uneven or pale.
Here are some tips for choosing the best self tanner.
Look For Ingredients
The main purpose of sunless tanning is to avoid the harmful effects, like skin cancer and sun burns, of Sun tanning. But, remember that self tanners contain chemicals that react with the cells of the upper layer of the skin to give you a tanned look. Therefore, before buying a tanning product, you should check its ingredients. They should be safe and should cause no side effects. Some of the ingredients found in the best self tanners are DHA (Di-Hydroxyl acetone) and Tyrosine. If your skin is sensitive, you should consult your dermatologist before buying a self-tanner.
The main purpose of sunless tanning is to avoid the harmful effects, like skin cancer and sun burns, of Sun tanning. But, remember that self tanners contain chemicals that react with the cells of the upper layer of the skin to give you a tanned look. Therefore, before buying a tanning product, you should check its ingredients. They should be safe and should cause no side effects. Some of the ingredients found in the best self tanners are DHA (Di-Hydroxyl acetone) and Tyrosine. If your skin is sensitive, you should consult your dermatologist before buying a self-tanner.
It Should Contain Moisturizers
The best self tanners come loaded with moisturizers to give you a glowing tan. Moreover, they are easy to apply and give an even color. Therefore, you should look for sunless tanning products that contain the goodness of moisturizers like Aloe Vera and botanical extracts. Such products will not only give you golden hue but also make your skin smooth and supple.
The best self tanners come loaded with moisturizers to give you a glowing tan. Moreover, they are easy to apply and give an even color. Therefore, you should look for sunless tanning products that contain the goodness of moisturizers like Aloe Vera and botanical extracts. Such products will not only give you golden hue but also make your skin smooth and supple.
It Should Be Suitable for Your Skin Color
Especially, if you are fair-skinned, you should choose your self-tanner very carefully. It should give your skin a natural bronze glow. Avoid products that make your skin very dark; otherwise you may end up looking artificial.
Especially, if you are fair-skinned, you should choose your self-tanner very carefully. It should give your skin a natural bronze glow. Avoid products that make your skin very dark; otherwise you may end up looking artificial.
It Should Be Odor Free
Some chemicals used in self-tanners have strong odors. Therefore, you should choose a product that is odorless or pleasant smelling. Else, you will find it difficult to use the product.
Some chemicals used in self-tanners have strong odors. Therefore, you should choose a product that is odorless or pleasant smelling. Else, you will find it difficult to use the product.
Try the Product before Buying
Even the best self tanner may not suit you. Therefore, before buying a product, you should ask the brand for samples. This will help you to know how effective the product is, what type of smell it has, whether it is suitable for your skin color and type, and if it has some side effects.
Even the best self tanner may not suit you. Therefore, before buying a product, you should ask the brand for samples. This will help you to know how effective the product is, what type of smell it has, whether it is suitable for your skin color and type, and if it has some side effects.
To make the best use of the product you choose, you should read the instructions given on its label carefully. Tanning products work best when applied on exfoliated skin. Exfoliation removes the dead skin cells and ensures uniform tanning of the skin. Also, first you should apply only a small amount of the product. It takes few hours for these products to show results and they can be re-applied depending upon what type of color you want.
There are many self tanning lotions, creams, and sprays available in the market. Therefore, choosing the best self tanner could be a tricky task. Before buying a product, you should read reviews about it on the Internet. This may help you avoid products that may cause nasty rashes or bad skin color tone.
A self tanner could give you a bronze look without spending hours under the Sun. If you are looking for the best self tanner, please visit http://www.sunlabsonline.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6002431
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Summer solstice today June 21: Today is Longest Day of the Year
Today is the longest day of the year, most of the countries including India lying to the north of the equator of the earth will witness ‘Summer Solstice'. Although people are already sweltering in certain parts of the U.S. summer officially begins today. It’s the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Summer Solstice is an astronomical phenomenon occurs when earth’s axial tilt inclined towards the sun. The solstice happens twice in year – summer and winter.
A solstice is an astronomical event that happens twice each year when the Sun's apparent position in the sky reaches its northernmost or southernmost extremes. The name is derived from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still), because at the solstices, the Sun stands still in declination; that is, the apparent movement of the Sun's path north or south comes to a stop before reversing direction.
The term solstice can also be used in a broader sense, as the date (day) when this occurs. The solstices, together with the equinoxes, are connected with the seasons. In some cultures they are considered to start or separate the seasons, while in others they fall nearer the middle.According to Science Popularisation Association of Communicators and Educators (SPACE) President C B Devgun, the 'summer solstice' happens exactly when the earth's axial tilt is most leaning towards the sun at its maximum of 23 26. During the longest day in summer - 'summer solstice', long day can be witnessed in the North Hemisphere, while on the contrary, Southern Hemisphere will witness the shortest day of the year. After the Summer Solstice, the length of the day starts decreasing till the 'winter solstice'. India is also of the nations to witness this astronomical phenomenon- Summer Solstice.On June 21, Summer Solstice in India, the sun rose at 5:24 AM today and will set at 7:22 PM, in New Delhi. In order to witness this spectacular phenomenon, A 'Khagol Mela' has been planned by SPACE at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
A solstice is an astronomical event that happens twice each year when the Sun's apparent position in the sky reaches its northernmost or southernmost extremes. The name is derived from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still), because at the solstices, the Sun stands still in declination; that is, the apparent movement of the Sun's path north or south comes to a stop before reversing direction.
The term solstice can also be used in a broader sense, as the date (day) when this occurs. The solstices, together with the equinoxes, are connected with the seasons. In some cultures they are considered to start or separate the seasons, while in others they fall nearer the middle.According to Science Popularisation Association of Communicators and Educators (SPACE) President C B Devgun, the 'summer solstice' happens exactly when the earth's axial tilt is most leaning towards the sun at its maximum of 23 26. During the longest day in summer - 'summer solstice', long day can be witnessed in the North Hemisphere, while on the contrary, Southern Hemisphere will witness the shortest day of the year. After the Summer Solstice, the length of the day starts decreasing till the 'winter solstice'. India is also of the nations to witness this astronomical phenomenon- Summer Solstice.On June 21, Summer Solstice in India, the sun rose at 5:24 AM today and will set at 7:22 PM, in New Delhi. In order to witness this spectacular phenomenon, A 'Khagol Mela' has been planned by SPACE at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
