Don't you love the colors of spring and summer? Many flowers are in full bloom, delighting the senses with their beauty and fragrances. It always amazes me how quickly these seasons pass.
Just a few short weeks ago our flowering cherry trees were in full bloom. I captured them as a backdrop for a photo of our twin boys catching a ride with dad on the riding lawn mower. Only days later a strong breeze blew all the beautiful flowers away and all I have is the photo to remember them.
If you have a digital camera, you too can capture the beauty of your spring and summer flowers. I am by no means a professional photographer. I wouldn't even consider myself an amateur...maybe a novice at best! A digital camera, however, is very forgiving. It auto focuses for you and you can retake a picture until you are happy with how it turned out. In about 15 minutes I was able to photograph all of our flowers and get some great pictures to decorate our home.
We have some tall daisies that I took closeup pictures of from several different angles. The yellow walls of our dining room will make a nice background for those photos.
I never saw the weathered siding of our home as attractive until I photographed it behind some beautiful long-stemmed pink flowers. These photos will make a nice addition to our master bedroom.
Seasonal photos are great because you can change them with the seasons. Last fall I photographed our sons on the porch with some big pumpkins, and those photos will come out in the fall and replace the pictures of our summer flowers.
I love seasonal flowers, but because of hayfever we cannot fully enjoy them in the house. By displaying photos of them in the house we can enjoy them while they are in bloom as well as after their seasons have past.
2008年3月15日星期六
The Many Types of Coffee Pots
The definition of a coffee pot is a vessel used to brew or make coffee. These come in many different styles and offer various ways to produce the desired brew.
Drip Maker
The most widely used coffee pot today is the drip maker. These work by placing coffee in a filter and placing it inside of the container which holds water. The water is heated and pumped through the coffee where it then drips into the pot below. Water temperature is controlled internally to maintain a temperature just below boiling. Boiling coffee tends to produce a bitter taste which is undesirable to most people. These drip pots come with many features which include clocks, alarms, and delayed timers. Most offer the benefit of setting the timer to go off about the time you usually get up in the morning. It is very pleasing to wake up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee.
Percolator
Another popular type coffee pot is the percolator. Percolators work by pumping water into the container holding the coffee until the desired result is achieved. The coffee stays in the same container in which it is brewed. A basket keeps the dry coffee from being deposited into the coffee container. Percolators were popular in the 1970s and 80s before the drip maker became the coffee maker of choice. Percolators are still used today to produce large quantities of coffee since the drip maker usually has a limit of twelve cups.
Vacuum
Many people still enjoy the tradition of vacuum coffee pots because the pots offer interesting shapes and designs. These pots work on the theory that steam creates a vacuum which draws the water and steam through the coffee grounds without distributing the grounds throughout the coffee. The process is similar to the percolator with the exception of the repeated pumping action required of the percolator.
Coffee Pot Safety
There were times when coffee pots were made with long cords which would reach from a good distance across the room. This became a hazard to children who were playing on the floor. Many young children were burned when they pulled the pot off in the floor and the coffee splashed on them. Today coffee pots usually come with a short cord that will only allow you to use it close to an electrical outlet. It is important that you not use an extension cord since this could allow small children to get hurt.
It is also important that your home coffee pot be equipped with a timer that will automatically shut off after a certain period of time, usually two hours. This could prevent a fire if you forget to turn the pot off before you leave the house. This feature can give you peace of mind when you remember half way through your day that you left the coffee pot on.
Drip Maker
The most widely used coffee pot today is the drip maker. These work by placing coffee in a filter and placing it inside of the container which holds water. The water is heated and pumped through the coffee where it then drips into the pot below. Water temperature is controlled internally to maintain a temperature just below boiling. Boiling coffee tends to produce a bitter taste which is undesirable to most people. These drip pots come with many features which include clocks, alarms, and delayed timers. Most offer the benefit of setting the timer to go off about the time you usually get up in the morning. It is very pleasing to wake up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee.
Percolator
Another popular type coffee pot is the percolator. Percolators work by pumping water into the container holding the coffee until the desired result is achieved. The coffee stays in the same container in which it is brewed. A basket keeps the dry coffee from being deposited into the coffee container. Percolators were popular in the 1970s and 80s before the drip maker became the coffee maker of choice. Percolators are still used today to produce large quantities of coffee since the drip maker usually has a limit of twelve cups.
Vacuum
Many people still enjoy the tradition of vacuum coffee pots because the pots offer interesting shapes and designs. These pots work on the theory that steam creates a vacuum which draws the water and steam through the coffee grounds without distributing the grounds throughout the coffee. The process is similar to the percolator with the exception of the repeated pumping action required of the percolator.
Coffee Pot Safety
There were times when coffee pots were made with long cords which would reach from a good distance across the room. This became a hazard to children who were playing on the floor. Many young children were burned when they pulled the pot off in the floor and the coffee splashed on them. Today coffee pots usually come with a short cord that will only allow you to use it close to an electrical outlet. It is important that you not use an extension cord since this could allow small children to get hurt.
It is also important that your home coffee pot be equipped with a timer that will automatically shut off after a certain period of time, usually two hours. This could prevent a fire if you forget to turn the pot off before you leave the house. This feature can give you peace of mind when you remember half way through your day that you left the coffee pot on.
2008年3月5日星期三
With soaring cost of gas, its time for diesel engines?
Hybrids might be the fad right now but have you considered the new diesel engines coming out of Europe? In the last few years, most European countries have adapted diesel because of the technological advances that made it more reliable and a good alternative for gas guzzling engines.
Diesel engines can deliver extra power compared to any gas engines invented including hybrids which relies on the combination of gas engine and electric motor. Diesel engines are simple to operate and are known to produce higher torque and fuel efficiency which 30%-40 % higher than gas engines. Hybrid might deliver more mileage but the developed pulling torque of diesel engine is unequal. This is attributed to high compression of diesel which is 3-4 times that of gasoline engines.
Tip:
In 2006, a German auto maker unveiled a 2 cylinder turbo diesel car that developed 20 hp with a fuel rating of 157 mpg. This is unheard of on any fuel rating produced by hybrid cars. The car also can seat 4 passengers.
In the first oil crisis of 1970s, a few diesel cars appeared in North America and it was a disaster. Those cars were noisy, very slow and emit lots of black smokes. The fuel injection was based on a single fuel pump driven by the front camshaft gear and hard to control. This resulted in over fueling which has 2 devastating effect: black smoke and detonation since the engine cannot burn all the fuel. Furthermore, because the fuel injector timing is not based on specific load and rpm, it resulted in poor acceleration.
A better fuel management must be found to resolve this problem.
With advances in gasoline electronic fuel injection management, it was also adopted for diesel engine. One of them is the use of electronic common rail fuel distribution system. Using a solenoid for each cylinder coming from the common rail, fuel can be better managed since the engine computer can control the solenoid. This made combustion complete and eliminated the excess fuel that was causing poor acceleration and gas emission. A new turbo charger technology was also added to get more exhaust air at lower rpm. With these 2 additions, the new diesel engines run quieter in various rpm loads.
Although diesel fuel has a higher energy per-liter content compared to the same liter of gasoline, it has 15% more greenhouse gas emissions. This can be blame on sulfur which is added to diesel fuel for lubrication purposes. Sulfur also cause the formation of particulate matter which is a miniature carbon like particles formed after combustion. When breathe into our lungs, this particulates are hazardous to our health. To remedy this, a double air filtering system is added to the engine so the particles can be collected and recycled back to the combustion chamber. This eliminates pollution and made the engine run more efficient. Finally, since diesel engines are also known to produce Nitrogen oxides which cause acid rain, an exhaust gas recirculation (egr) system was also added.
Overall, the performance of the new diesel powered cars is very encouraging. On a test conducted on VW TDI engine recently, it showed one of the best mileage ratings for engine performance. Compared to hybrid engines, diesel engine is not complicated and cheaper to operate. This was made possible because of the innovations in electronic fuel injections which made it reduced emissions to help our environment. If you want to save money on gas bills and have a strong reliable engine, diesel engines might be the answer we are looking for.
Short Description:
A new alternative to high cost of gasoline must be found. Hybrid engine on its infancy and complex technology cannot fill that void. It goes without question that the new diesel engine which gathering huge following in Europe might be the answer.
Diesel engines can deliver extra power compared to any gas engines invented including hybrids which relies on the combination of gas engine and electric motor. Diesel engines are simple to operate and are known to produce higher torque and fuel efficiency which 30%-40 % higher than gas engines. Hybrid might deliver more mileage but the developed pulling torque of diesel engine is unequal. This is attributed to high compression of diesel which is 3-4 times that of gasoline engines.
Tip:
In 2006, a German auto maker unveiled a 2 cylinder turbo diesel car that developed 20 hp with a fuel rating of 157 mpg. This is unheard of on any fuel rating produced by hybrid cars. The car also can seat 4 passengers.
In the first oil crisis of 1970s, a few diesel cars appeared in North America and it was a disaster. Those cars were noisy, very slow and emit lots of black smokes. The fuel injection was based on a single fuel pump driven by the front camshaft gear and hard to control. This resulted in over fueling which has 2 devastating effect: black smoke and detonation since the engine cannot burn all the fuel. Furthermore, because the fuel injector timing is not based on specific load and rpm, it resulted in poor acceleration.
A better fuel management must be found to resolve this problem.
With advances in gasoline electronic fuel injection management, it was also adopted for diesel engine. One of them is the use of electronic common rail fuel distribution system. Using a solenoid for each cylinder coming from the common rail, fuel can be better managed since the engine computer can control the solenoid. This made combustion complete and eliminated the excess fuel that was causing poor acceleration and gas emission. A new turbo charger technology was also added to get more exhaust air at lower rpm. With these 2 additions, the new diesel engines run quieter in various rpm loads.
Although diesel fuel has a higher energy per-liter content compared to the same liter of gasoline, it has 15% more greenhouse gas emissions. This can be blame on sulfur which is added to diesel fuel for lubrication purposes. Sulfur also cause the formation of particulate matter which is a miniature carbon like particles formed after combustion. When breathe into our lungs, this particulates are hazardous to our health. To remedy this, a double air filtering system is added to the engine so the particles can be collected and recycled back to the combustion chamber. This eliminates pollution and made the engine run more efficient. Finally, since diesel engines are also known to produce Nitrogen oxides which cause acid rain, an exhaust gas recirculation (egr) system was also added.
Overall, the performance of the new diesel powered cars is very encouraging. On a test conducted on VW TDI engine recently, it showed one of the best mileage ratings for engine performance. Compared to hybrid engines, diesel engine is not complicated and cheaper to operate. This was made possible because of the innovations in electronic fuel injections which made it reduced emissions to help our environment. If you want to save money on gas bills and have a strong reliable engine, diesel engines might be the answer we are looking for.
Short Description:
A new alternative to high cost of gasoline must be found. Hybrid engine on its infancy and complex technology cannot fill that void. It goes without question that the new diesel engine which gathering huge following in Europe might be the answer.
3 Ways To Make Sure You Crank Out As Much Content As Physically Possible
Marketing to any niche online is hard enough as it is, but you need to have a healthy ammount of quality content to post across the world wide web.
Whether it be short reports, articles, multimedia, fully blown e-courses, or just a simple ebook: you need loads of the stuff.
In the following paragraphs I aim to provide you with the best ways to make sure you are cranking out quality content to keep your business/es packed with materials to use for sale, promotion, or to plump up websites.
The first thing I recommend you do is to accommodate room in your business plan to write articles on a regular basis. This is the key to getting them quickly completed and ready to go.
I try to do at least 7 articles a week minimum! I have a set day every week where I get my head down and get to work on writing as many articles as possible.
But I don't rush them, the key for me is to make sure I am pumping out articles in good fasion but also to make them of the best possible standard.
If you can write 7 articles a week you will find life online a lot easier; you can post each article to your blog/s, you can distribute some/all to various article banks that you have selected.
You can send them to ezine publishers to send to their mailing lists, or even send them to your own lists.
You could even compile all your articles from one week, assuming they are related, and create yourself a short report that you can sell or give away.
Articles are perhaps the most powerful form of content online because of their versatility.
The second way to guaranteeing you are producing your fair share of content is to compile small reports that may only be 5-15 pages long.
Again if you plan to work on this 1-3 hours every day you can ensure you pump plenty of these out every week! They can gain huge exposure to your list if you include giveaway or resell rights with them.
They are so simple to write and produce it is unbelievably easy. If you are still to create your first product online then I recommend you start by writing a few of these.
My main tip with these is to keep things concise, then throughout the report mention a more in-depth up-sell which will be part of your profit funnel, in which you will keep up-selling to your prospect.
These reports can easily become viral if you are selling them with rights or giving it away with rights, if not listen to this: get an affiliate programme.
The Final key to produce the most content possible has already been mentioned in this article and that is to schedule time for the creation of your content.
A slot of time every working day on my business plan is used to write articles and create products.
In this section of time I just get my head down and get to work, as long as you do this I promise you will find things very easy and there is a good chance you will enjoy it too!
To conclude I want you to go away now and schedule some time to create something for yourself! Even if you start with just an article a day or a small report every week.
You will soon have a big library of content you can refer people to, which is obviously excellent because it gets visitors to your site and then if you have produced the best you can your visitor will very likely refer others.
Once you have such a library of products, reports and multimedia you will start to find things easier online. The very last question I want to answer is you may be wondering what to write about?
Head off to your favourite forum in your niche and find a hot topic or one where people are having problems - write about that.
Whether it be short reports, articles, multimedia, fully blown e-courses, or just a simple ebook: you need loads of the stuff.
In the following paragraphs I aim to provide you with the best ways to make sure you are cranking out quality content to keep your business/es packed with materials to use for sale, promotion, or to plump up websites.
The first thing I recommend you do is to accommodate room in your business plan to write articles on a regular basis. This is the key to getting them quickly completed and ready to go.
I try to do at least 7 articles a week minimum! I have a set day every week where I get my head down and get to work on writing as many articles as possible.
But I don't rush them, the key for me is to make sure I am pumping out articles in good fasion but also to make them of the best possible standard.
If you can write 7 articles a week you will find life online a lot easier; you can post each article to your blog/s, you can distribute some/all to various article banks that you have selected.
You can send them to ezine publishers to send to their mailing lists, or even send them to your own lists.
You could even compile all your articles from one week, assuming they are related, and create yourself a short report that you can sell or give away.
Articles are perhaps the most powerful form of content online because of their versatility.
The second way to guaranteeing you are producing your fair share of content is to compile small reports that may only be 5-15 pages long.
Again if you plan to work on this 1-3 hours every day you can ensure you pump plenty of these out every week! They can gain huge exposure to your list if you include giveaway or resell rights with them.
They are so simple to write and produce it is unbelievably easy. If you are still to create your first product online then I recommend you start by writing a few of these.
My main tip with these is to keep things concise, then throughout the report mention a more in-depth up-sell which will be part of your profit funnel, in which you will keep up-selling to your prospect.
These reports can easily become viral if you are selling them with rights or giving it away with rights, if not listen to this: get an affiliate programme.
The Final key to produce the most content possible has already been mentioned in this article and that is to schedule time for the creation of your content.
A slot of time every working day on my business plan is used to write articles and create products.
In this section of time I just get my head down and get to work, as long as you do this I promise you will find things very easy and there is a good chance you will enjoy it too!
To conclude I want you to go away now and schedule some time to create something for yourself! Even if you start with just an article a day or a small report every week.
You will soon have a big library of content you can refer people to, which is obviously excellent because it gets visitors to your site and then if you have produced the best you can your visitor will very likely refer others.
Once you have such a library of products, reports and multimedia you will start to find things easier online. The very last question I want to answer is you may be wondering what to write about?
Head off to your favourite forum in your niche and find a hot topic or one where people are having problems - write about that.
2008年1月5日星期六
Eating Low Fat Products - Is It Good For Health
When you eat a diet that is high in saturated and Tran's fats, you are causing a buildup of calcium in your blood vessels that can later cause many different medical conditions. If you change your eating habits to include low fat foods, you can ensure that you will live for a good long time.
For those with a normal heart, each time the heart contracts, calcium is pumped in and out. When too much calcium accumulates, it can cause a myriad of problems with the electrical system of the heart. It can cause cardiac arrest, heart attack or arrhythmias. It has been found that when there is an abundance of saturated fat in the cells of the heart at the time a person experiences a heart attack, the chances of death are greater and the complications afterward can be severe.
Incorporating low fat eating to your daily routine can help you avoid many heart problems as well as circulatory problems. Any doctor or medical professional will tell you eating a low fat diet is the best way to stay healthy, and allow your body to function at its best. Low fat eating can be quite enjoyable if you do your research and you are willing to experiment with new flavors and textures.
Many people view low fat diets as bland and boring, but nothing could be further from the truth. Foods that you can enjoy on a low fat diet are fresh crisp vegetables in season as well as fruits, lean meats and fish and a variety of whole grains. Using sauces and spices to flavor food is also a great way to help you stick with a low fat diet.
Eating a low fat diet can contribute to feeling good about yourself again as it will enable you to lose weight. You may also experience a greater feeling of energy when you are eating a low fat diet. You will eliminate all of the foods that make your body work hard to digest them and it will give you more energy than you ever thought possible.
For those with a normal heart, each time the heart contracts, calcium is pumped in and out. When too much calcium accumulates, it can cause a myriad of problems with the electrical system of the heart. It can cause cardiac arrest, heart attack or arrhythmias. It has been found that when there is an abundance of saturated fat in the cells of the heart at the time a person experiences a heart attack, the chances of death are greater and the complications afterward can be severe.
Incorporating low fat eating to your daily routine can help you avoid many heart problems as well as circulatory problems. Any doctor or medical professional will tell you eating a low fat diet is the best way to stay healthy, and allow your body to function at its best. Low fat eating can be quite enjoyable if you do your research and you are willing to experiment with new flavors and textures.
Many people view low fat diets as bland and boring, but nothing could be further from the truth. Foods that you can enjoy on a low fat diet are fresh crisp vegetables in season as well as fruits, lean meats and fish and a variety of whole grains. Using sauces and spices to flavor food is also a great way to help you stick with a low fat diet.
Eating a low fat diet can contribute to feeling good about yourself again as it will enable you to lose weight. You may also experience a greater feeling of energy when you are eating a low fat diet. You will eliminate all of the foods that make your body work hard to digest them and it will give you more energy than you ever thought possible.
2008年1月4日星期五
Vitamin A Usage For Anti Aging
Vitamin A is required for night vision, bone and tooth development, maintaining skin tissue, reproduction, mucous membranes, and for iron metabolism. There are two sources of Vitamins A. The active form are obtained from animal products and are immediately available to the human body and the precursors types that must be converted to active forms to be utilized by the body. They are acquired from fruits and vegetables that have yellow, orange and dark green pigments, known as beta-carotene.
Vitamin A is also involved in maintaining the certain cells used by immune system to ward off infections and include b-cells, t-cells, macrophages, and natural killer cells. Vitamins A affect the production of the human growth hormone.
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and is stored primarily in the liver and to some extent the fat cells in the body. When needed the liver releases the Vitamin A into the blood stream to be carried to the cells and organs of the human body.
Unlike water-soluble vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins can reach toxic levels in the human body. The condition knows as hypervitamoinosis can occur if more than 10,000 IU per day of Active (animal) Vitamin A, or the synthetic version of Vitamin A is taken. This condition can be fatal. Do not take more than the recommended dosage of Vitamin A. Vitamin A derived from fruits and vegetables does not appear to develop toxic levels in the human body.
It is unknown why, but animals adapted to the polar environment contain high enough amounts of Vitamin A in their livers to be toxic to humans. As little of 30 grams of polar bear liver eaten in one meal can be enough to kill a human being.
Vitamin A in the form of Retinoid and Retinol are used in the cosmetic industry to improve the skin replacement rate. The effects of acne and the scars from acne can be markedly reduced by this higher skin cell replacement rate. The anti aging chemicals also found in vitamin A are absorbed through the skin and can increase the collagen level giving the skin a more youthful appearance.
Regular application of retinol can make the skin soft and smooth. The pores will be cleaned and less visible and wrinkles will be less pronounced thus the signs of aging would be reduced. Retinol has been found to improve skin texture, tone and color.
Vitamins A had been suspected to be a contributor to osteoporosis and with the increase in birth defects when taken in excess. The FDA recommends that pregnant women consume no more than 5,000 IU of Vitamin A per day.
Good sources of natural Vitamin A is found in sweet potatoes, carrots, collard greens, kale, pumpkin, spinach, sweet peppers, winter squash, apricots, cantaloupe, mango, liver, eggs and broccoli.
If you just feel that you need vitamins, supplements or herbs to fight the aging process then find a good health care professional prior to starting any type of home treatment.
Always consult your doctor before using this information.
This Article is nutritional in nature and is not to be construed as medical advice.
Vitamin A is also involved in maintaining the certain cells used by immune system to ward off infections and include b-cells, t-cells, macrophages, and natural killer cells. Vitamins A affect the production of the human growth hormone.
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and is stored primarily in the liver and to some extent the fat cells in the body. When needed the liver releases the Vitamin A into the blood stream to be carried to the cells and organs of the human body.
Unlike water-soluble vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins can reach toxic levels in the human body. The condition knows as hypervitamoinosis can occur if more than 10,000 IU per day of Active (animal) Vitamin A, or the synthetic version of Vitamin A is taken. This condition can be fatal. Do not take more than the recommended dosage of Vitamin A. Vitamin A derived from fruits and vegetables does not appear to develop toxic levels in the human body.
It is unknown why, but animals adapted to the polar environment contain high enough amounts of Vitamin A in their livers to be toxic to humans. As little of 30 grams of polar bear liver eaten in one meal can be enough to kill a human being.
Vitamin A in the form of Retinoid and Retinol are used in the cosmetic industry to improve the skin replacement rate. The effects of acne and the scars from acne can be markedly reduced by this higher skin cell replacement rate. The anti aging chemicals also found in vitamin A are absorbed through the skin and can increase the collagen level giving the skin a more youthful appearance.
Regular application of retinol can make the skin soft and smooth. The pores will be cleaned and less visible and wrinkles will be less pronounced thus the signs of aging would be reduced. Retinol has been found to improve skin texture, tone and color.
Vitamins A had been suspected to be a contributor to osteoporosis and with the increase in birth defects when taken in excess. The FDA recommends that pregnant women consume no more than 5,000 IU of Vitamin A per day.
Good sources of natural Vitamin A is found in sweet potatoes, carrots, collard greens, kale, pumpkin, spinach, sweet peppers, winter squash, apricots, cantaloupe, mango, liver, eggs and broccoli.
If you just feel that you need vitamins, supplements or herbs to fight the aging process then find a good health care professional prior to starting any type of home treatment.
Always consult your doctor before using this information.
This Article is nutritional in nature and is not to be construed as medical advice.
Using a cartidge for filtering
Every swimming pool requires a filtration system that will ensure that the water in the pool in clean and fresh. There are three basic types of filtration systems: sand filters, diatomaceous earth filters and cartridge filters.
Recent research has shown that most Elk Grove swimming pool owners prefer cartridge filters for their swimming pool. The cartridge filters have several advantages over sand filters. The biggest advantage is that cartridges filter over a much larger surface area.
The majority of cartridge filters used for Elk Grove swimming pools starts at 100 square feet and continue up to 300 square feet. These swimming pool filters do not clog up as quickly and require to be cleaned much less frequently.
Elk Grove pool owners also prefer cartridge filters because they are inexpensive and easy to replace. Most of these filters have a life span of around 5 years. These filters are designed to run at lower pressure than sand. This in turn puts much less pressure on the swimming pool pump. Generally these filters have to be cleaned once or twice a season by hosing them down.
Diatomaceous earth filters are made from fossilized exoskeletons of tiny diatoms. These swimming pool filters are very effective and can be used to filter out particles as small as 5 microns. Once the filter pressure rises, the filter is backwashed just like a sand filter and can be recharged with more power.
Recent research has shown that most Elk Grove swimming pool owners prefer cartridge filters for their swimming pool. The cartridge filters have several advantages over sand filters. The biggest advantage is that cartridges filter over a much larger surface area.
The majority of cartridge filters used for Elk Grove swimming pools starts at 100 square feet and continue up to 300 square feet. These swimming pool filters do not clog up as quickly and require to be cleaned much less frequently.
Elk Grove pool owners also prefer cartridge filters because they are inexpensive and easy to replace. Most of these filters have a life span of around 5 years. These filters are designed to run at lower pressure than sand. This in turn puts much less pressure on the swimming pool pump. Generally these filters have to be cleaned once or twice a season by hosing them down.
Diatomaceous earth filters are made from fossilized exoskeletons of tiny diatoms. These swimming pool filters are very effective and can be used to filter out particles as small as 5 microns. Once the filter pressure rises, the filter is backwashed just like a sand filter and can be recharged with more power.
2008年1月3日星期四
The Wide World of Womens Shoes
Cinderella knew the secret to a great pair of shoes. Every foot is unique, and no single shoe is perfect for every woman. Like palms and fingerprints, every foot has individual qualities. Some are short and slender, while others are wide and flat.
Forward-thinking shoe manufacturers have turned to science, creating more comfortable, specially-designed shoes to meet the needs of all women. As a result, women of all sizes can enjoy new designs and trendy styles.
Women with wide feet cannot, and should not, be expected to suffer in shoes designed for their slender-footed counterparts. All women deserve no less than comfort and style, and smart shoe companies are finally beginning to see the light. There are now women's wide-width shoes from everyone from athletes to brides, office workers to women who love to dance the night away.
Virtually every style of shoe is available in wide widths, from sandals and pumps to loafers and steel-toe job-rated shoes. There are hundreds of online retailers and boutiques offering all types of shoes, including the relatively new category of wide-width shoes for women. A quick online search will deliver the Internet homes of Zappos, Lane Bryant and Maryland Square.
You'll find terrific websites, like shoes.com and designershoes.com. It's just a sample of the many online shops selling virtually every variety of wide-width shoes for women seeking fashionable styles and colors.
Popular Wide Width Brands
Most every renowned shoe company uses the scientific structure of a woman's foot to design and create a truly comfortable shoe. As a result, wide-width shoes for women are now offered by many popular brand names. A Marinelli is a designer label that has recently introduced the Brook, Carolina, Cathie and Corina styles in wide widths. Anne Klein, another very successful brand, offers women's wide width shoes in the Bailey, Beril, Bryon, Cleo, Fanny, Cabos and Preston styles.
When listing the well-known brands that offer women's wide width shoes, it would be remiss to exclude names like Hush Puppies, Adidas, Jessica Bennette, Ros Hommerson, New Balance and La Canadienne. Sesto Mucci, Walking Cradles, Dino Monti, Jennifer B., J. Renee, Dani Black, Via Spiga and Soft Style are other popular choices. These brands, and others, have acquired tremendous response on the world market through the online sales.
Wide Width Styles
It doesn't matter what type of style you're looking for; you'll find it in a wider width. Those days of settling with only wide-width casual shoes are long gone. Now, women with wider feet can find great looking dressy and athletic shoes, boots, sandals, slippers and work-related styles.
Once upon a time, wide-footed women tried to force their feet into shoes made for their petite-feet sisters. Or, worse still, they would have to wear clunky men's styles. Now, all women can look and feel beautiful in shoes made just for them. Talk about living happily ever after!
Forward-thinking shoe manufacturers have turned to science, creating more comfortable, specially-designed shoes to meet the needs of all women. As a result, women of all sizes can enjoy new designs and trendy styles.
Women with wide feet cannot, and should not, be expected to suffer in shoes designed for their slender-footed counterparts. All women deserve no less than comfort and style, and smart shoe companies are finally beginning to see the light. There are now women's wide-width shoes from everyone from athletes to brides, office workers to women who love to dance the night away.
Virtually every style of shoe is available in wide widths, from sandals and pumps to loafers and steel-toe job-rated shoes. There are hundreds of online retailers and boutiques offering all types of shoes, including the relatively new category of wide-width shoes for women. A quick online search will deliver the Internet homes of Zappos, Lane Bryant and Maryland Square.
You'll find terrific websites, like shoes.com and designershoes.com. It's just a sample of the many online shops selling virtually every variety of wide-width shoes for women seeking fashionable styles and colors.
Popular Wide Width Brands
Most every renowned shoe company uses the scientific structure of a woman's foot to design and create a truly comfortable shoe. As a result, wide-width shoes for women are now offered by many popular brand names. A Marinelli is a designer label that has recently introduced the Brook, Carolina, Cathie and Corina styles in wide widths. Anne Klein, another very successful brand, offers women's wide width shoes in the Bailey, Beril, Bryon, Cleo, Fanny, Cabos and Preston styles.
When listing the well-known brands that offer women's wide width shoes, it would be remiss to exclude names like Hush Puppies, Adidas, Jessica Bennette, Ros Hommerson, New Balance and La Canadienne. Sesto Mucci, Walking Cradles, Dino Monti, Jennifer B., J. Renee, Dani Black, Via Spiga and Soft Style are other popular choices. These brands, and others, have acquired tremendous response on the world market through the online sales.
Wide Width Styles
It doesn't matter what type of style you're looking for; you'll find it in a wider width. Those days of settling with only wide-width casual shoes are long gone. Now, women with wider feet can find great looking dressy and athletic shoes, boots, sandals, slippers and work-related styles.
Once upon a time, wide-footed women tried to force their feet into shoes made for their petite-feet sisters. Or, worse still, they would have to wear clunky men's styles. Now, all women can look and feel beautiful in shoes made just for them. Talk about living happily ever after!
What is Liposuction or Lipoplasty Surgery
Liposuction is the most common cosmetic plastic surgery procedure performed in the United States. Invented in the late 1970s, it was introduced in 1982 to the United States, where it is now performed on more than 400,000 people annually.
Liposuction is also known as "lipoplasty" or "suction-assisted lipectomy." All of these refer to the removal of unwanted lumps, bulges, and areas of fat using a thin suction metal tube or a "cannula." This instrument is inserted into subcutaneous body fat through small incisions. A strong vacuum is then applied through a hose attached to the cannula, which draws fat from under the skin.
Liposculpture Information
The term "liposculpture" refers mostly to the practice of liposuction where the body parts are contoured and shaped into a slimmer profile. Because it involves sculpting and contouring, your plastic surgeon should be one who is blessed with a strong artistic sense. It is, after all, not the latest liposuction technique or machine that will give you the ultimate figure. Rather, it is the skills of the plastic surgeon who uses them!
Liposuction Candidates
The first group includes those who are large and wish to reduce their size, for many reasons, including being able to feel good in their clothing. These include women who gained much weight after pregnancy, or who take medications or hormones that cause weight gain. This also includes people who have gained much weight due to a bodily injury or disability that prevents them from exercising. And finally, there are many people who gain weight with aging.
The second group includes those who are generally fit, but who are frustrated with disproportionate fat buildup in specific areas, such as the abdomen, hips, thighs, buttocks, knees, upper thighs, cheeks, and neck. The reason for fat growth in these stubborn areas is genetic and therefore, cannot be reduced much -- even through exercise or starvation.
The third group includes men who have gynecomastia - an excessive breast growth. Although some of this breast growth is the result of the actual enlargement of breast glands, there is also extensive growth of the fatty tissue in the breasts. Breast growth in men is rather prevalent. In fact, one third of adolescent men grow breasts. One third of this group actually keeps their breasts into adulthood. This can pose much embarrassment, loss of self-confidence, and the inability to wear clothes comfortably.
During your consultation, the plastic surgeon will review your treatment options for body contouring and Liposuction, including pros and cons, potential risks and complications, recovery course, pre and post operative instructions, and esthetic outcomes.
Preparing for surgery:
Patients should stop taking anticoagulants for two weeks prior to surgery. Smoking must be avoided for at least one month prior to surgery as it can interfere with circulation and causes blood clots.
The surgery:
The time required to perform liposuction varies considerably, depending on the size of the area, the amount of fat being removed, the type of anesthesia and techniques used. Through a tiny incision, a narrow tube is inserted and used to vacuum the fat layer that lies deep beneath the skin. The cannula is then pushed and pulled through the fat layer, breaking up the fat cells and suctioning them out by a vacuum pump or a large syringe. The fluid lost along with the fat is replaced during the procedure to prevent shock. The patient is under careful observation throughout the procedure and receives intravenous fluids during and immediately after surgery
Recovery:
To control swelling a compression garment will be worn for several weeks. Your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection. You may experience some initial discomfort, swelling, and temporary numbness. All of this will subside with time; depending on the amount of liposuction, normal activity can be resumed anywhere from 10 days to several weeks.
Liposuction is also known as "lipoplasty" or "suction-assisted lipectomy." All of these refer to the removal of unwanted lumps, bulges, and areas of fat using a thin suction metal tube or a "cannula." This instrument is inserted into subcutaneous body fat through small incisions. A strong vacuum is then applied through a hose attached to the cannula, which draws fat from under the skin.
Liposculpture Information
The term "liposculpture" refers mostly to the practice of liposuction where the body parts are contoured and shaped into a slimmer profile. Because it involves sculpting and contouring, your plastic surgeon should be one who is blessed with a strong artistic sense. It is, after all, not the latest liposuction technique or machine that will give you the ultimate figure. Rather, it is the skills of the plastic surgeon who uses them!
Liposuction Candidates
The first group includes those who are large and wish to reduce their size, for many reasons, including being able to feel good in their clothing. These include women who gained much weight after pregnancy, or who take medications or hormones that cause weight gain. This also includes people who have gained much weight due to a bodily injury or disability that prevents them from exercising. And finally, there are many people who gain weight with aging.
The second group includes those who are generally fit, but who are frustrated with disproportionate fat buildup in specific areas, such as the abdomen, hips, thighs, buttocks, knees, upper thighs, cheeks, and neck. The reason for fat growth in these stubborn areas is genetic and therefore, cannot be reduced much -- even through exercise or starvation.
The third group includes men who have gynecomastia - an excessive breast growth. Although some of this breast growth is the result of the actual enlargement of breast glands, there is also extensive growth of the fatty tissue in the breasts. Breast growth in men is rather prevalent. In fact, one third of adolescent men grow breasts. One third of this group actually keeps their breasts into adulthood. This can pose much embarrassment, loss of self-confidence, and the inability to wear clothes comfortably.
During your consultation, the plastic surgeon will review your treatment options for body contouring and Liposuction, including pros and cons, potential risks and complications, recovery course, pre and post operative instructions, and esthetic outcomes.
Preparing for surgery:
Patients should stop taking anticoagulants for two weeks prior to surgery. Smoking must be avoided for at least one month prior to surgery as it can interfere with circulation and causes blood clots.
The surgery:
The time required to perform liposuction varies considerably, depending on the size of the area, the amount of fat being removed, the type of anesthesia and techniques used. Through a tiny incision, a narrow tube is inserted and used to vacuum the fat layer that lies deep beneath the skin. The cannula is then pushed and pulled through the fat layer, breaking up the fat cells and suctioning them out by a vacuum pump or a large syringe. The fluid lost along with the fat is replaced during the procedure to prevent shock. The patient is under careful observation throughout the procedure and receives intravenous fluids during and immediately after surgery
Recovery:
To control swelling a compression garment will be worn for several weeks. Your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection. You may experience some initial discomfort, swelling, and temporary numbness. All of this will subside with time; depending on the amount of liposuction, normal activity can be resumed anywhere from 10 days to several weeks.
2008年1月1日星期二
The History and Tradition of Amish Quilt Making
When you think of Amish people, you think of horse-drawn buggies, plain clothes, barn raisings, farms and quilts. However, the Amish came rather late to the quilt making. Long after their neighbors were piecing quilts the Amish still used the old German featherbeds and coverlets. There was a good reason for this. Amish communities were formed so that the members could remain apart from the temptations of the modern world. At this time, quilts were considered something new and modern. But what is considered 'modern' changes over the years.
The Amish do gradually make changes as well, but often a few decades later. Amish quilt making is a good example of this. Very few quilts are known to have been made by the Amish before the 1870s. Then over 15 years quilting became quite common. It is now considered commonplace and expected in the Amish community.
As we follow the evolution of their quilt making we find that the Amish always used conservative styles compared to what was popular in quilting at any given time. The first Amish quilts were made in one solid color, of brown, blue, rust or black. Often worsted wools were used, and though the fabric was plain, the quilting done to hold the layers together was intricate and decorative. Swirling feathers, curves and grids were typical quilting patterns. So even though they had adopted the quilting process, they still did not do the modern art of colored swatches and patches.
Gradually some basic piecing and additional colors were added. For example a quilt may have had a large diamond in the middle of a dark fabric with only wide border around it. Fabric colors evolved to include pumpkin, olive green and an occasional dark red. These new colors were still deep and solid.
As the general population moved on to elaborate Crazy quilts the Amish adopted some of the more basic of the block patterns. Nine patch, Around the World, and Sunshine and Shadow were popular. Only solid colored fabric was used but with more varied colors. Amish quilts were made of wool or cotton, as popular silks were considered too worldly.
Most people assume that Amish quilts were done completely by hand but this was not the case. Many Amish quilts were pieced using a treadle sewing machine but the beautiful quilting was always done by hand.
Although most piecing was done at home, when the top was ready to be quilted it was often an occasion for women to gather around the quilting frame. This sense of community and the importance of complying with community standards had a great influence on Amish quilting.
Changes in how quilts were made occurred slowly and only with community approval. Interestingly, this also brought about a good deal of variety from community to community as each community had its own, often unwritten guidelines as to how things should be done. Pink or white fabric may have been considered unacceptable in a more conservative area, while drab browns may have been thought dull and old-fashioned in a more liberal one. A quilt made in one community might be put away or sold when the family moved to another one.
In the early twentieth century new brighter colors became available. During World War II natural fiber was hard to come by and the Amish had to turn to the synthetics available. As most of the nation turned away from quilting, considering it old-fashioned and a waste of time, the Amish continued the tradition.
The Amish do gradually make changes as well, but often a few decades later. Amish quilt making is a good example of this. Very few quilts are known to have been made by the Amish before the 1870s. Then over 15 years quilting became quite common. It is now considered commonplace and expected in the Amish community.
As we follow the evolution of their quilt making we find that the Amish always used conservative styles compared to what was popular in quilting at any given time. The first Amish quilts were made in one solid color, of brown, blue, rust or black. Often worsted wools were used, and though the fabric was plain, the quilting done to hold the layers together was intricate and decorative. Swirling feathers, curves and grids were typical quilting patterns. So even though they had adopted the quilting process, they still did not do the modern art of colored swatches and patches.
Gradually some basic piecing and additional colors were added. For example a quilt may have had a large diamond in the middle of a dark fabric with only wide border around it. Fabric colors evolved to include pumpkin, olive green and an occasional dark red. These new colors were still deep and solid.
As the general population moved on to elaborate Crazy quilts the Amish adopted some of the more basic of the block patterns. Nine patch, Around the World, and Sunshine and Shadow were popular. Only solid colored fabric was used but with more varied colors. Amish quilts were made of wool or cotton, as popular silks were considered too worldly.
Most people assume that Amish quilts were done completely by hand but this was not the case. Many Amish quilts were pieced using a treadle sewing machine but the beautiful quilting was always done by hand.
Although most piecing was done at home, when the top was ready to be quilted it was often an occasion for women to gather around the quilting frame. This sense of community and the importance of complying with community standards had a great influence on Amish quilting.
Changes in how quilts were made occurred slowly and only with community approval. Interestingly, this also brought about a good deal of variety from community to community as each community had its own, often unwritten guidelines as to how things should be done. Pink or white fabric may have been considered unacceptable in a more conservative area, while drab browns may have been thought dull and old-fashioned in a more liberal one. A quilt made in one community might be put away or sold when the family moved to another one.
In the early twentieth century new brighter colors became available. During World War II natural fiber was hard to come by and the Amish had to turn to the synthetics available. As most of the nation turned away from quilting, considering it old-fashioned and a waste of time, the Amish continued the tradition.
How Does Satan Destroy Your Life
Quickly we ran stacking sand bag after sand bag around our house hoping and praying that we would detour the approaching flood! The rain once again began coming down in sheets of penetrating force meant to power its way through our temporary barrier. I smiled as the sand wall held, keeping the inside of our house dry, only to find out an instant later that our sump pump failed in the basement. My smile quickly faded and my eyes flooded with tears as I realized that our entire finished basement was under water.
Just a week before when the rain began to fall I discovered that our new house was built in a flood zone! Our insurance didn't cover floods and our basement would have to be gutted and redone! It would cost thousands of dollars!
The magnitude of the situation caused my nerves to frazzle and my emotions to explode in ups and downs on how I was ever going to get this project accomplished! My son's room was in the basement and now he had no where to sleep. The few pieces of furniture that were saved were in the living room along with my son's bed. The house was in such disarray I wanted to pull out my hair.
We had moved to our new house just one year before happy that we would have to do very little fixing up, but now everything had changed. Our home business was growing by leaps and bounds. The phone was ringing off the wall and new employees needed to be hired and trained for our expanding business.
The pressure was so great that I found myself lashing out at my children and my husband and secretly plotting to jump in my car and leave everything behind. In desperation I went to a doctor and he put me on two antidepressants, but it wasn't making me feel any better.
We stopped going to church because we were working all of the time to keep up with the business and make the necessary repairs to our basement. I stopped praying except for emergencies and reading my Bible, "Well, there just wasn't any time!"
My husband had a child from a former marriage and this child was disruptive. Every time it was time for visitation I prepared myself for a fight. It wasn't just the problems with his daughter it was her mother and her husband too. They demanded that we give in and buy anything they needed for her because we had more money than them. All I could think about was we already paid child support and she should buy these things from that money.
To make my frustration even worse my husband gave into all of their demands and this caused a serious rift in our marriage. I kept telling him to stand up to his daughter and ex-wife. But no matter what I said he wouldn't listen! He loved his daughter and he wanted a relationship with her and he felt he had no choice but to give them what they wanted.
And then it happened, a man who I met through our business began to show me some attention. He was thoughtful as he listened to my troubles. He smiled and invited me to take a ride on his motorcycle. He would call me on my phone and encourage me. I began to think of him as my friend and I looked forward to his calls and text messages.
I started blocking the bad from my mind and entertaining a brand new life with my motorcycle man. He didn't have any children, because he had never been married. Sure he told me he had been in jail for a few years, but he was a changed man and he wanted a wife and family.
Every time I thought of him it seemed easy, but when I thought about my own life it was a disaster. I began to pull even more away from my husband and family. I treated everyone badly and I left most of the phone calls over our business and the work for my husband to manage. All I could think about was myself and how horrible my life had become.
It amazes me how easily good people can be deceived because of the traumas everyone faces in the world game of life. This is the reason it is so important that we understand why bad things happen to people and how to avoid a massive disaster in the making. Our fight in this world is not against flesh and blood, but against Satan.
Ephesians 6:12, "For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age."
Natural disasters happen because Satan has the power to create havoc in our world. Jesus came to open our eyes to the devil's attacks. He came to teach us to be patient when we are forced to rebuild after a flood. He heals our broken hearts and gives us supernatural strength so we can stand up while we put our lives back together with joy and peace. He tells us in the "Lord's Prayer" how to pray so we can win the fight against Satan's evil tricks.
Matthew 6: 13, "Do not bring us to hard testing, but keep us safe from the Evil One."
Satan will take a disaster and overwhelm us to the point of paralyzing our ability to function. He will tell us over and over again that we have too much to handle. He is a constant voice of deceit that takes place in the battle field of our mind. A war that pits good against evil by taking our weak human thinking and making us believe that our suffering is overwhelming and impossible to overcome.
This is the reason why there are twenty million people depressed in the United States alone. When we don't understand that the battle of good versus evil takes place within our minds we are subject to how the world believes. Satan is the god of this world and his answer for people who are under mental fatigue from anxiety is medication. He tells us to think only of ourselves and numb the reality of our lives with alcohol and drugs.
Satan wants to destroy families. He wants a second marriage to fail because of complications with children from other relationships. He wants us to take our frustrations out on them and harbor grudges against the other parents. He wants to make us blame our mates so we will hate instead of love our families. Jesus tells us to forgive as many as seventy times seven.
Matthew 6: 12, "Forgive us the wrongs we have done, as we forgive the wrongs that others have done to us."
Satan is so evil that he will provide us ways to escape, which really are meant to make our lives even worse. This is the reason why many husbands and wives commit adultery when they are faced with a hard problem. They reach out to another person instead of Jesus for comfort and become lured away and trapped by compounding a situation into a substantial problem evolving a messy breakup that only leads to more frustration!
James 1: 12-15, "Happy is the person who remains faithful under trials, because when he succeeds in passing such a test, he will receive as his reward the life which God has promised to those who love him. If a person is tempted by such trials, he must not say, 'This temptation comes from God.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But a person is tempted when he is drawn away and trapped by his own evil desire. Then his evil desire conceives and gives birth to sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."
This is the reason why it is so easy for Satan to deceive people into believing that God caused a natural disaster. The media proclaims when a disaster occurs that it is an "Act of God". This simply is not true, God cannot commit evil. But Satan has the freedom to cause evil. He has the ability to tempt a person. He is the great deceiver, who came to bring every evil problem that can destroy people's lives.
1 Corinthians 10: 13, "Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out."
I gave my pastor a hug as he explained why all these bad things were occurring in my life. I knew Satan was a terrible force against Christians but I had no idea how easily he could persuade me to hate instead of love my family. I really did love my husband and his daughter. Just acknowledging this helped me to feel stronger.
As I left pastor Bill's office he gave me one final instruction. Testing can either make you stronger or it can corrupt your life and make it worse. I heeded his warning and became determined to fight against Satan's attacks that were meant to destroy my life!
Just a week before when the rain began to fall I discovered that our new house was built in a flood zone! Our insurance didn't cover floods and our basement would have to be gutted and redone! It would cost thousands of dollars!
The magnitude of the situation caused my nerves to frazzle and my emotions to explode in ups and downs on how I was ever going to get this project accomplished! My son's room was in the basement and now he had no where to sleep. The few pieces of furniture that were saved were in the living room along with my son's bed. The house was in such disarray I wanted to pull out my hair.
We had moved to our new house just one year before happy that we would have to do very little fixing up, but now everything had changed. Our home business was growing by leaps and bounds. The phone was ringing off the wall and new employees needed to be hired and trained for our expanding business.
The pressure was so great that I found myself lashing out at my children and my husband and secretly plotting to jump in my car and leave everything behind. In desperation I went to a doctor and he put me on two antidepressants, but it wasn't making me feel any better.
We stopped going to church because we were working all of the time to keep up with the business and make the necessary repairs to our basement. I stopped praying except for emergencies and reading my Bible, "Well, there just wasn't any time!"
My husband had a child from a former marriage and this child was disruptive. Every time it was time for visitation I prepared myself for a fight. It wasn't just the problems with his daughter it was her mother and her husband too. They demanded that we give in and buy anything they needed for her because we had more money than them. All I could think about was we already paid child support and she should buy these things from that money.
To make my frustration even worse my husband gave into all of their demands and this caused a serious rift in our marriage. I kept telling him to stand up to his daughter and ex-wife. But no matter what I said he wouldn't listen! He loved his daughter and he wanted a relationship with her and he felt he had no choice but to give them what they wanted.
And then it happened, a man who I met through our business began to show me some attention. He was thoughtful as he listened to my troubles. He smiled and invited me to take a ride on his motorcycle. He would call me on my phone and encourage me. I began to think of him as my friend and I looked forward to his calls and text messages.
I started blocking the bad from my mind and entertaining a brand new life with my motorcycle man. He didn't have any children, because he had never been married. Sure he told me he had been in jail for a few years, but he was a changed man and he wanted a wife and family.
Every time I thought of him it seemed easy, but when I thought about my own life it was a disaster. I began to pull even more away from my husband and family. I treated everyone badly and I left most of the phone calls over our business and the work for my husband to manage. All I could think about was myself and how horrible my life had become.
It amazes me how easily good people can be deceived because of the traumas everyone faces in the world game of life. This is the reason it is so important that we understand why bad things happen to people and how to avoid a massive disaster in the making. Our fight in this world is not against flesh and blood, but against Satan.
Ephesians 6:12, "For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age."
Natural disasters happen because Satan has the power to create havoc in our world. Jesus came to open our eyes to the devil's attacks. He came to teach us to be patient when we are forced to rebuild after a flood. He heals our broken hearts and gives us supernatural strength so we can stand up while we put our lives back together with joy and peace. He tells us in the "Lord's Prayer" how to pray so we can win the fight against Satan's evil tricks.
Matthew 6: 13, "Do not bring us to hard testing, but keep us safe from the Evil One."
Satan will take a disaster and overwhelm us to the point of paralyzing our ability to function. He will tell us over and over again that we have too much to handle. He is a constant voice of deceit that takes place in the battle field of our mind. A war that pits good against evil by taking our weak human thinking and making us believe that our suffering is overwhelming and impossible to overcome.
This is the reason why there are twenty million people depressed in the United States alone. When we don't understand that the battle of good versus evil takes place within our minds we are subject to how the world believes. Satan is the god of this world and his answer for people who are under mental fatigue from anxiety is medication. He tells us to think only of ourselves and numb the reality of our lives with alcohol and drugs.
Satan wants to destroy families. He wants a second marriage to fail because of complications with children from other relationships. He wants us to take our frustrations out on them and harbor grudges against the other parents. He wants to make us blame our mates so we will hate instead of love our families. Jesus tells us to forgive as many as seventy times seven.
Matthew 6: 12, "Forgive us the wrongs we have done, as we forgive the wrongs that others have done to us."
Satan is so evil that he will provide us ways to escape, which really are meant to make our lives even worse. This is the reason why many husbands and wives commit adultery when they are faced with a hard problem. They reach out to another person instead of Jesus for comfort and become lured away and trapped by compounding a situation into a substantial problem evolving a messy breakup that only leads to more frustration!
James 1: 12-15, "Happy is the person who remains faithful under trials, because when he succeeds in passing such a test, he will receive as his reward the life which God has promised to those who love him. If a person is tempted by such trials, he must not say, 'This temptation comes from God.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But a person is tempted when he is drawn away and trapped by his own evil desire. Then his evil desire conceives and gives birth to sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."
This is the reason why it is so easy for Satan to deceive people into believing that God caused a natural disaster. The media proclaims when a disaster occurs that it is an "Act of God". This simply is not true, God cannot commit evil. But Satan has the freedom to cause evil. He has the ability to tempt a person. He is the great deceiver, who came to bring every evil problem that can destroy people's lives.
1 Corinthians 10: 13, "Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out."
I gave my pastor a hug as he explained why all these bad things were occurring in my life. I knew Satan was a terrible force against Christians but I had no idea how easily he could persuade me to hate instead of love my family. I really did love my husband and his daughter. Just acknowledging this helped me to feel stronger.
As I left pastor Bill's office he gave me one final instruction. Testing can either make you stronger or it can corrupt your life and make it worse. I heeded his warning and became determined to fight against Satan's attacks that were meant to destroy my life!
2007年12月31日星期一
Anti Aging Cosmetics | Anti Aging Treatments | Anti Aging Cosmetic
Anti Aging Cosmetics
Media, Ads, etc, has highly highlighted on beauty, therefore every individual is trying to look like some supermodel these days. These days millions of people are aging rapidly in nowadays, thus the emphasis on beauty is increasing.
At present, marketplace is flooded with variety of anti aging cosmetics available with all manufacturers and sellers claiming that their anti aging cosmetic works better than the other cosmetics offered on the market. Famous people even have their own line of cosmetics, including Victoria Principal.
Amine Complex Face Lift
You could purchase a 2-ounce pump bottle of Vitamin C Ester for around $90. The cosmetic is known as Amine Complex Face Lift with an AM action that contains DMAE and C Ester.
The cosmetic comprises of resourceful hydrator, which helps in balancing the skin to its natural moisturizing level. The cosmetic claims to aid in humanizing the exterior of elasticity, while provide radiance to the face.
Its content including NTP Complex has the ingredient known as DMAE, which supposedly improves the lines of the skin, including areas around the jaw. It is recommended that the purchaser use sunscreens and moisturizers as well as the solution. The cosmetic recommends to avoid eye contact pumping 1-2 applications and applying it to the neck and facial area.
The ingredients this anti aging cosmetic include:
* Water
* Urea
* Tyrosine
* DMAE
* Propylene Glycol
* Disodium
* Zinc Sulfate
* Tocotrienol
* PEG-100 Stearate
* Sodium Hyaluronate
* Sodium Carboxymethl Betaglucan and so on
One of the ingredients is Green Tea, which is a great source for helping the skin. Though, one of the ingredients is Propylene, which is a flammable substance, and should not be used on the skin.
Thus, you can cross-reference for self, but Propylene Glycol is specifically employed in antifreeze and brake fluids, which are very harmful chemicals. As for the other ingredients, including Allantoin may not be harmful since it is used to treat infections and wounds and might do something for acne problems and/or splotches.
Still, you want to consider the harmful chemicals before considering spending top dollar on anti aging cosmetics.
Argereline
One of the anti aging cosmetics available on the market is Argereline, which is produced and marketed by Victoria Principal. This anti aging cosmetic supposedly produces powerful actions, while producing youthful skin in about one month.
The cosmetic claims to reduce wrinkles greatly, while hydrating the skin in minutes. In addition, the cosmetic retextures the skin while reducing moisture that is loss due to age and environmental diminishing.
One of the better deals about this anti aging cosmetic is that it is cheaper than many other anti aging cosmetics cost, with the pricing around $30. The manufacturers of this cosmetic claim that according to topical studies around 80% of users claimed the cosmetic diminished their lines and wrinkles caused form aging, laughing, squinting, and frowning.
You need to first cleanse your face, and apply then apply the solution. A few blobs of the deep-cleanser formula will remove filth and griminess, while melting away make-up according to the reports.
Thus, the process will start to tone the face area, while readying the skin for the next steps. It is recommended that the cosmetic is massaged into the skin. The aroma is of melon and after washing the skin, the skin supposedly feels entirely renewed and downy soft.
Therefore, the Argireline Molecular Complex according to the ads integrated into the formula makes aging signs vanish. For $30, you can consider the cosmetic, since it would be easier to make this amount verses paying hundreds or less for other anti aging cosmetics that claim to do the same.
Melatonin
Melatonin is another of the bodys natural hormones, which is necessary for slowing the aging process. The hormonal cosmeticion of Melatonin is manufactured by the gland known as pineal, which is found near below the head, or brain. Anti aging cosmetics with this ingredient might be worth considering.
DHEA
DHEA otherwise known as Dehydroepiandrosterone is a hormone in the flesh and body that functions off adrenal and is a predecessor of hormonal steroids, including estrogen and testosterone. Thus, the body and skin tends to advance to aging if this DHEA starts to decline. Thus, anti aging cosmetics with this ingredient and no other harmful chemicals might be worth a go.
Media, Ads, etc, has highly highlighted on beauty, therefore every individual is trying to look like some supermodel these days. These days millions of people are aging rapidly in nowadays, thus the emphasis on beauty is increasing.
At present, marketplace is flooded with variety of anti aging cosmetics available with all manufacturers and sellers claiming that their anti aging cosmetic works better than the other cosmetics offered on the market. Famous people even have their own line of cosmetics, including Victoria Principal.
Amine Complex Face Lift
You could purchase a 2-ounce pump bottle of Vitamin C Ester for around $90. The cosmetic is known as Amine Complex Face Lift with an AM action that contains DMAE and C Ester.
The cosmetic comprises of resourceful hydrator, which helps in balancing the skin to its natural moisturizing level. The cosmetic claims to aid in humanizing the exterior of elasticity, while provide radiance to the face.
Its content including NTP Complex has the ingredient known as DMAE, which supposedly improves the lines of the skin, including areas around the jaw. It is recommended that the purchaser use sunscreens and moisturizers as well as the solution. The cosmetic recommends to avoid eye contact pumping 1-2 applications and applying it to the neck and facial area.
The ingredients this anti aging cosmetic include:
* Water
* Urea
* Tyrosine
* DMAE
* Propylene Glycol
* Disodium
* Zinc Sulfate
* Tocotrienol
* PEG-100 Stearate
* Sodium Hyaluronate
* Sodium Carboxymethl Betaglucan and so on
One of the ingredients is Green Tea, which is a great source for helping the skin. Though, one of the ingredients is Propylene, which is a flammable substance, and should not be used on the skin.
Thus, you can cross-reference for self, but Propylene Glycol is specifically employed in antifreeze and brake fluids, which are very harmful chemicals. As for the other ingredients, including Allantoin may not be harmful since it is used to treat infections and wounds and might do something for acne problems and/or splotches.
Still, you want to consider the harmful chemicals before considering spending top dollar on anti aging cosmetics.
Argereline
One of the anti aging cosmetics available on the market is Argereline, which is produced and marketed by Victoria Principal. This anti aging cosmetic supposedly produces powerful actions, while producing youthful skin in about one month.
The cosmetic claims to reduce wrinkles greatly, while hydrating the skin in minutes. In addition, the cosmetic retextures the skin while reducing moisture that is loss due to age and environmental diminishing.
One of the better deals about this anti aging cosmetic is that it is cheaper than many other anti aging cosmetics cost, with the pricing around $30. The manufacturers of this cosmetic claim that according to topical studies around 80% of users claimed the cosmetic diminished their lines and wrinkles caused form aging, laughing, squinting, and frowning.
You need to first cleanse your face, and apply then apply the solution. A few blobs of the deep-cleanser formula will remove filth and griminess, while melting away make-up according to the reports.
Thus, the process will start to tone the face area, while readying the skin for the next steps. It is recommended that the cosmetic is massaged into the skin. The aroma is of melon and after washing the skin, the skin supposedly feels entirely renewed and downy soft.
Therefore, the Argireline Molecular Complex according to the ads integrated into the formula makes aging signs vanish. For $30, you can consider the cosmetic, since it would be easier to make this amount verses paying hundreds or less for other anti aging cosmetics that claim to do the same.
Melatonin
Melatonin is another of the bodys natural hormones, which is necessary for slowing the aging process. The hormonal cosmeticion of Melatonin is manufactured by the gland known as pineal, which is found near below the head, or brain. Anti aging cosmetics with this ingredient might be worth considering.
DHEA
DHEA otherwise known as Dehydroepiandrosterone is a hormone in the flesh and body that functions off adrenal and is a predecessor of hormonal steroids, including estrogen and testosterone. Thus, the body and skin tends to advance to aging if this DHEA starts to decline. Thus, anti aging cosmetics with this ingredient and no other harmful chemicals might be worth a go.
Saab 9-3 Offers the Best Safety
The redesigned Saab 9-3 model range now comes with innovative features as well as enhanced safety features for its customers. According to Saab, the Sweden-based automaker has made more than 2000 changes to the 9-3 including the availability of an all wheel drive (AWD) model. With this, Saab aims to boost its sales all over the world.
According to Australia's GM Premium Brands director Parveen Batish, the 9-3 model can achieve the companys target sales for the year 2007. He said: We did 1650 last year and this year we're tracking 16.5 per cent up on that. We're aiming for June 30 when we hope to be over 20 per cent up. It's been a great start.
Not only the Saab 9-3 comes with new features, but it is also available in several model trim levels on its model range. The vehicle can be ordered in various platforms like the 9-3 Sport Sedan, 9-3 SportCombi, and Aero XWD. There are also several power train options for the vehicle, a choice of 6 gasoline, 3 diesel and 2 Saab Biopower (E85) engines. These include the range-topping all-aluminum 280 hp/206 kW 2.8V6 Turbo with Saab XWD, new 180 hp/132 kW two-stage turbo diesel, and aluminum 2.0 turbo engine pumping out 150 hp/110 kW, 175 hp/129 kW or 210 hp/155 kW. A Saab head gasket is also included.
The main highlight of the Saab 9-3 is the safety features. The vehicle is equipped with a host of passive and active safety systems to provide the optimum protection for the occupants. Saab has conducted a real life simulation if the accidents and replicated those scenes to know what really happens when car crasher occurs. With this, Saab understands the way how vehicle crashes happen and prevent those things to occur in a Saab model.
Safety features include strong steel safety cage helps protect passenger compartment, Saab Active Head Restraints (SAHR) for front seats, side impact protection with 'pendulum' movement, roof-rail airbags, two-stage adaptive front airbags, pre-tensioning of seatbelts in side impacts, and wearer reminder system. Airbag deployment is being taken by the central sensing and diagnostic module (SDM). This can be triggered is a mere milliseconds.
Other safety features include It enhanced chassis dynamics and steering and brakes,
Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Mechanical Brake Assistance (MBA), Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD), Cornering Brake Control (CBC) Saab ComSense functionality, which uses the concept of 'dynamic workload management', and Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).
With these safety features, the Saab 9-3 obtained the highest five star rating in Euro NCAP crash tests. Moreover, the vehicle also received a "Double Best Pick rating in crash test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
According to Australia's GM Premium Brands director Parveen Batish, the 9-3 model can achieve the companys target sales for the year 2007. He said: We did 1650 last year and this year we're tracking 16.5 per cent up on that. We're aiming for June 30 when we hope to be over 20 per cent up. It's been a great start.
Not only the Saab 9-3 comes with new features, but it is also available in several model trim levels on its model range. The vehicle can be ordered in various platforms like the 9-3 Sport Sedan, 9-3 SportCombi, and Aero XWD. There are also several power train options for the vehicle, a choice of 6 gasoline, 3 diesel and 2 Saab Biopower (E85) engines. These include the range-topping all-aluminum 280 hp/206 kW 2.8V6 Turbo with Saab XWD, new 180 hp/132 kW two-stage turbo diesel, and aluminum 2.0 turbo engine pumping out 150 hp/110 kW, 175 hp/129 kW or 210 hp/155 kW. A Saab head gasket is also included.
The main highlight of the Saab 9-3 is the safety features. The vehicle is equipped with a host of passive and active safety systems to provide the optimum protection for the occupants. Saab has conducted a real life simulation if the accidents and replicated those scenes to know what really happens when car crasher occurs. With this, Saab understands the way how vehicle crashes happen and prevent those things to occur in a Saab model.
Safety features include strong steel safety cage helps protect passenger compartment, Saab Active Head Restraints (SAHR) for front seats, side impact protection with 'pendulum' movement, roof-rail airbags, two-stage adaptive front airbags, pre-tensioning of seatbelts in side impacts, and wearer reminder system. Airbag deployment is being taken by the central sensing and diagnostic module (SDM). This can be triggered is a mere milliseconds.
Other safety features include It enhanced chassis dynamics and steering and brakes,
Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Mechanical Brake Assistance (MBA), Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD), Cornering Brake Control (CBC) Saab ComSense functionality, which uses the concept of 'dynamic workload management', and Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).
With these safety features, the Saab 9-3 obtained the highest five star rating in Euro NCAP crash tests. Moreover, the vehicle also received a "Double Best Pick rating in crash test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
The Changing Face of High Blood Pressure Treatment
Doctors and Healthcare Practitioners are slowly but surely changing the way we not only look at high blood pressure but the way we treat the condition when diagnosed.
According to a study published recently in the Robarts Research Institute in Canada, scientists appear to have developed a simplified and potentially much more effective method of treating high blood pressure.
The project leader, Dr Ross Feldman, a clinical pharmacologist, demonstrated through the study that more patients had their blood pressure lowered and actually to a greater extent when the healthcare practitioners or family doctors involved used a simplified treatment protocol rather than having to choose from the rather large (and growing) number of drugs available to treat the condition.
The other side effect of this particular study was that though the primary focus of the study was purely in relation to hypertension or high blood pressure it would appear from the initial results of this study that it could cause a massive change in the way healthcare practitioners and doctors treat a whole series of chronic conditions and diseases.
The trial, otherwise know as the Simplified Treatment Intervention To Control Hypertension (STITCH) trial was a programme that analyzed the results of the treatment of both the 2100 patients with high blood pressure spread over 45 family practices in Ontario in Canada.
What is it about high blood pressure that makes it a problem and when ignored so lethal?
Barring a definitive diagnosis, most sufferers of high blood pressure, that is to say usually 19 out of every 20, are tragically ignorant of their condition.
Quite often an apparently symptom less disorder, a diagnosis of high blood pressure can be missed for years and hence the morbid description the silent killer.
If spotted there are a couple of signs that can be attributed to high blood pressure and if these are observed and with out apparent cause then they should not be left untreated.
These symptoms can include the following: Dizziness, Ringing in the Ears , Morning Headache , Depression .
Though the above can indicate high blood pressure it has to be emphasised that they might just as easily indicate other associate conditions.
What does high blood pressure mean?
Well, if we are to go back to basics then the bodys major tissues and organs are supplied and fed with blood pumped to them from the heart via a network of hose like vessels called arteries.
In nine cases out of ten then the particular cause of high blood pressure is hard to identify and as such in these cases the high blood pressure is termed Primary (Essential) High Blood Pressure.
In the majority of cases where the cause of the high blood pressure can be traced directly to one particular failing organ or cause then it is not uncommon for the associate problems to be treated successfully where this Secondary High Blood Pressure is not the direct cause of the associate high blood pressure.
In less than 10% of the incidences of high blood pressure diagnosed, the diagnosis falls into the category known as Malignant Hypertension. Quite often this is discovered totally by accident and may be as a result of an associate test such as an eye test whereby the Optician can sometimes detect the condition by merely looking into a patients eye.
It would appear that from this month onwards that treatment of high blood pressure will soon never be the same again.
According to a study published recently in the Robarts Research Institute in Canada, scientists appear to have developed a simplified and potentially much more effective method of treating high blood pressure.
The project leader, Dr Ross Feldman, a clinical pharmacologist, demonstrated through the study that more patients had their blood pressure lowered and actually to a greater extent when the healthcare practitioners or family doctors involved used a simplified treatment protocol rather than having to choose from the rather large (and growing) number of drugs available to treat the condition.
The other side effect of this particular study was that though the primary focus of the study was purely in relation to hypertension or high blood pressure it would appear from the initial results of this study that it could cause a massive change in the way healthcare practitioners and doctors treat a whole series of chronic conditions and diseases.
The trial, otherwise know as the Simplified Treatment Intervention To Control Hypertension (STITCH) trial was a programme that analyzed the results of the treatment of both the 2100 patients with high blood pressure spread over 45 family practices in Ontario in Canada.
What is it about high blood pressure that makes it a problem and when ignored so lethal?
Barring a definitive diagnosis, most sufferers of high blood pressure, that is to say usually 19 out of every 20, are tragically ignorant of their condition.
Quite often an apparently symptom less disorder, a diagnosis of high blood pressure can be missed for years and hence the morbid description the silent killer.
If spotted there are a couple of signs that can be attributed to high blood pressure and if these are observed and with out apparent cause then they should not be left untreated.
These symptoms can include the following: Dizziness, Ringing in the Ears , Morning Headache , Depression .
Though the above can indicate high blood pressure it has to be emphasised that they might just as easily indicate other associate conditions.
What does high blood pressure mean?
Well, if we are to go back to basics then the bodys major tissues and organs are supplied and fed with blood pumped to them from the heart via a network of hose like vessels called arteries.
In nine cases out of ten then the particular cause of high blood pressure is hard to identify and as such in these cases the high blood pressure is termed Primary (Essential) High Blood Pressure.
In the majority of cases where the cause of the high blood pressure can be traced directly to one particular failing organ or cause then it is not uncommon for the associate problems to be treated successfully where this Secondary High Blood Pressure is not the direct cause of the associate high blood pressure.
In less than 10% of the incidences of high blood pressure diagnosed, the diagnosis falls into the category known as Malignant Hypertension. Quite often this is discovered totally by accident and may be as a result of an associate test such as an eye test whereby the Optician can sometimes detect the condition by merely looking into a patients eye.
It would appear that from this month onwards that treatment of high blood pressure will soon never be the same again.
2007年12月30日星期日
Doctors and Healthcare Practitioners Changing the Way They Treat High Blood Pressure
Slowly but surely the face of healthcare treatment for high blood pressure is changing. The goal, it would now appear as a result of the information provided from a recent study in Canada is that there are significant results to be gained from simplifying the way we look at and treat high blood pressure.
Now this might not appear to be Rocket Science and indeed might actually appear to be quite logical to some but the results of this study if it were to be extended could radically change the way that not only the health care profession views high blood pressure but also the way that we, the patients, view high blood pressure as well.
The other side effect of this particular study was that though the primary focus of the study was purely in relation to hypertension or high blood pressure it would appear from the initial results of this study that it could cause a massive change in the way healthcare practitioners and doctors treat a whole series of chronic conditions and diseases.
The trial, otherwise know as the Simplified Treatment Intervention To Control Hypertension (STITCH) trial was a programme that analyzed the results of the treatment of both the 2100 patients with high blood pressure spread over 45 family practices in Ontario in Canada.
What exactly is high blood pressure and quite why can it (if left untreated) be so deadly?
Only in approximately 1 out of 20 cases will the sufferer be aware of their high blood pressure.
Quite often an apparently symptom less disorder, a diagnosis of high blood pressure can be missed for years and hence the morbid description the silent killer.
There are certain signs that can be a bit of a give away with regards to high blood pressure and these should not be left unattended if observed.
Included amongst the following are some of the symptoms: Dizziness, Ringing in the Ears , Blurred Vision, Increased frequency of urinating at night.
The above taken together would tend to indicate an occurrence of high blood pressure but a careful diagnosis is needed as they just as easily could indicate associate conditions.
OK, we have all heard the term high blood pressure but what exactly does it mean?
Well, if we are to go back to basics then the bodys major tissues and organs are supplied and fed with blood pumped to them from the heart via a network of hose like vessels called arteries.
In around 90% of all cases of diagnosed high blood pressure there is no one particular cause and as such this high blood pressure is called Primary (Essential) High Blood Pressure.
For those whose incidences of high blood pressure fall outside of the category described above then if the cause of the high blood pressure can be traced directly to one particular failing organ etc then the cause can usually be dealt with and as such the Secondary High Blood Pressure can accordingly be treated quite successfully.
In less than 10% of the incidences of high blood pressure diagnosed, the diagnosis falls into the category known as Malignant Hypertension. Quite often this is discovered totally by accident and may be as a result of an associate test such as an eye test whereby the Optician can sometimes detect the condition by merely looking into a patients eye.
Now this might not appear to be Rocket Science and indeed might actually appear to be quite logical to some but the results of this study if it were to be extended could radically change the way that not only the health care profession views high blood pressure but also the way that we, the patients, view high blood pressure as well.
The other side effect of this particular study was that though the primary focus of the study was purely in relation to hypertension or high blood pressure it would appear from the initial results of this study that it could cause a massive change in the way healthcare practitioners and doctors treat a whole series of chronic conditions and diseases.
The trial, otherwise know as the Simplified Treatment Intervention To Control Hypertension (STITCH) trial was a programme that analyzed the results of the treatment of both the 2100 patients with high blood pressure spread over 45 family practices in Ontario in Canada.
What exactly is high blood pressure and quite why can it (if left untreated) be so deadly?
Only in approximately 1 out of 20 cases will the sufferer be aware of their high blood pressure.
Quite often an apparently symptom less disorder, a diagnosis of high blood pressure can be missed for years and hence the morbid description the silent killer.
There are certain signs that can be a bit of a give away with regards to high blood pressure and these should not be left unattended if observed.
Included amongst the following are some of the symptoms: Dizziness, Ringing in the Ears , Blurred Vision, Increased frequency of urinating at night.
The above taken together would tend to indicate an occurrence of high blood pressure but a careful diagnosis is needed as they just as easily could indicate associate conditions.
OK, we have all heard the term high blood pressure but what exactly does it mean?
Well, if we are to go back to basics then the bodys major tissues and organs are supplied and fed with blood pumped to them from the heart via a network of hose like vessels called arteries.
In around 90% of all cases of diagnosed high blood pressure there is no one particular cause and as such this high blood pressure is called Primary (Essential) High Blood Pressure.
For those whose incidences of high blood pressure fall outside of the category described above then if the cause of the high blood pressure can be traced directly to one particular failing organ etc then the cause can usually be dealt with and as such the Secondary High Blood Pressure can accordingly be treated quite successfully.
In less than 10% of the incidences of high blood pressure diagnosed, the diagnosis falls into the category known as Malignant Hypertension. Quite often this is discovered totally by accident and may be as a result of an associate test such as an eye test whereby the Optician can sometimes detect the condition by merely looking into a patients eye.
All About Laser Pointers And Their Use
A laser will go through the lense of the eye without having any effect, and the lense is what determines vision loss, so laser pointers are not likely to affect your vision. It takes a powerful laser, much more powerful than a pointer, to affect tissue so I don't think your immature friends have done you any harm.
It looks like current green and probably blue, laser diodes are made primarily by frequency doubling. Frequency doubling means that an infrared beam is pointed through a crystal which causes the frequency to double. If the IR beam is 1064 nm, the output beam will be 532 nm green or blue. The extra crystal is the cause of the extra price.
I don't know why normal green led technology isn't used for green pointers. Perhaps no one has perfected it in a small package yet. Anyway, laser diodes are made of materials that have an intrinsic "energy bandgap," which determines the wavelength of light emitted from the laser. Some materials may have a broader bandgap, but not enough to tune the laser over multiple colors.
Those laser pointers used in business presentations and school lectures--is there any danger to the eyes if they are pointed directly? And does the answer change depending upon whether one is talking about humans or dogs or cats, for example? No, those lasers are not dangerous to people or any large animals. Their power is firly low, and the beam is not very precise. The beam shape is a primary factor which makes similar-powered scientific lasers more dangerous. Well-shaped beams can focus to a much smaller spot than irregular beams.
All the same, you will see stars if you look at the beam directly. The brightness level is not too different from looking directly at the sun ,which is dangerous for other reasons, mainly unseen UV and IR light. There is a device called an optical parametric oscillator that can increase the wavelength, i.e. reduce the frequency of a laser. If you want to increase the frequency, i.e. reduce the wavelength of a laser, this can be achieved by using the laser to pump another laser, a dye laser for instance.
Would this device work with a laser pointer? I would like to add something to the end of it rather than mess around with the internal parts. You would use the laser pointer as a pump for the laser you would have to construct outside the laser pointer. No need to take the laser pointer apart, but you would need to build some sophisticated optics for this. Actually the green laser pointers that are commercially available use a red laser to pump another laser, this time green. So they are actually two lasers in one device.
I've been wanting to buy a blue laser pointer but found that the only ones with the technology to create them and who hold the patent are a select few so any such laser pointer would cost someone about $1,000. Green laser pointers cost about $100, and the common red ones cost maybe $20 at most. Why the extreme difference in price? What are these diodes and why are they so difficult to make?
You will have to wait a little while to buy a cheap blue laser pointer. The reason is quite simple. Red laser diodes were invented 15 years ago. Green laser diodes were invented 5 years ago, and blue laser diodes were invented last year. Similar to DVD writers, flat-screen TVs, and other new products, the price drops dramatically as time passes. Mainly, this is because one company owns a patent at first and can chjaarge whatever they want. When the patent expires, or alternate technology is invented, the price comes down.
There is nothing particularly difficult about making the diodes. Figuring out how to make them, which semiconductor materials, deposition, heat-sinking, is the hard part. But like I said some of the laser pointers can cause a little harm to your eyes, so if you want to get one or make one, make sure that you don't point it at anyones eyes. Even though you have friends that point there lasers in your eyes thinking that it is funny, which it isn't, to wrongs don't make a right. Just show them how more muture you are.
It looks like current green and probably blue, laser diodes are made primarily by frequency doubling. Frequency doubling means that an infrared beam is pointed through a crystal which causes the frequency to double. If the IR beam is 1064 nm, the output beam will be 532 nm green or blue. The extra crystal is the cause of the extra price.
I don't know why normal green led technology isn't used for green pointers. Perhaps no one has perfected it in a small package yet. Anyway, laser diodes are made of materials that have an intrinsic "energy bandgap," which determines the wavelength of light emitted from the laser. Some materials may have a broader bandgap, but not enough to tune the laser over multiple colors.
Those laser pointers used in business presentations and school lectures--is there any danger to the eyes if they are pointed directly? And does the answer change depending upon whether one is talking about humans or dogs or cats, for example? No, those lasers are not dangerous to people or any large animals. Their power is firly low, and the beam is not very precise. The beam shape is a primary factor which makes similar-powered scientific lasers more dangerous. Well-shaped beams can focus to a much smaller spot than irregular beams.
All the same, you will see stars if you look at the beam directly. The brightness level is not too different from looking directly at the sun ,which is dangerous for other reasons, mainly unseen UV and IR light. There is a device called an optical parametric oscillator that can increase the wavelength, i.e. reduce the frequency of a laser. If you want to increase the frequency, i.e. reduce the wavelength of a laser, this can be achieved by using the laser to pump another laser, a dye laser for instance.
Would this device work with a laser pointer? I would like to add something to the end of it rather than mess around with the internal parts. You would use the laser pointer as a pump for the laser you would have to construct outside the laser pointer. No need to take the laser pointer apart, but you would need to build some sophisticated optics for this. Actually the green laser pointers that are commercially available use a red laser to pump another laser, this time green. So they are actually two lasers in one device.
I've been wanting to buy a blue laser pointer but found that the only ones with the technology to create them and who hold the patent are a select few so any such laser pointer would cost someone about $1,000. Green laser pointers cost about $100, and the common red ones cost maybe $20 at most. Why the extreme difference in price? What are these diodes and why are they so difficult to make?
You will have to wait a little while to buy a cheap blue laser pointer. The reason is quite simple. Red laser diodes were invented 15 years ago. Green laser diodes were invented 5 years ago, and blue laser diodes were invented last year. Similar to DVD writers, flat-screen TVs, and other new products, the price drops dramatically as time passes. Mainly, this is because one company owns a patent at first and can chjaarge whatever they want. When the patent expires, or alternate technology is invented, the price comes down.
There is nothing particularly difficult about making the diodes. Figuring out how to make them, which semiconductor materials, deposition, heat-sinking, is the hard part. But like I said some of the laser pointers can cause a little harm to your eyes, so if you want to get one or make one, make sure that you don't point it at anyones eyes. Even though you have friends that point there lasers in your eyes thinking that it is funny, which it isn't, to wrongs don't make a right. Just show them how more muture you are.
3 Best Places to Wear Your Crocs
Are Crocs best just worn inside the home so you can hide them from people? Of course not! Crocs have gained a good reputation among consumers and are now perfectly acceptable to wear to the streets or any casual gathering. Crocs has also released some new styles that are a lot less boxy or wide as the original Beach model. These new styles are also beautiful and can be worn with different types of casual outfits.
But the be it the Beach or the new Suede Alice, Crocs have now become so popular that you won't get any more uncomfortable stares from people for wearing a bold and candy colored footwear.
Where are the best places to wear the inexpensive and rubber clogs to? The best place to wear the shoes believe it or not is the work place. That is, if you don't work in a highly corporate setting where you are required to wear suits and pumps. If you work in the hospital, the mall, a school, or in an office where casual footwear is acceptable then make Crocs your choice of "work shoes". Crocs are extremely comfortable and should be a breeze to wear for 8 hours or more. Hospital workers and chefs have long discovered the benefits of wearing Crocs to work- the stress on their feet, angles, heels and legs are lessened and they find that they can stand and work for longer hours with roomy Crocs: Beach, Cayman, Endeavor and Professional. People who work in advertising agencies or design studios that are more lenient when it comes to dressing will benefit from the comfort of Crocs footwear. Somehow, it's easier to let the creative juices flowing when you are totally comfortable with your outfit. Pre-school teachers will be comfortable wearing the Prima or the Alice to work because they can easily run after the kids and move around the classroom.
Another great place to wear the Crocs in is the beach or the pool. With vents where air and water can easily pass through, Crocs are the perfect footwear to wear when you go swimming. They are very easy to wear and take off so you can easily slip them off when you want to go for a dip in the pool or when you want to swim in the ocean. You can also wear them as soon as you get out of the water because they easily dry. Getting them wet also won't result in any damage to the shoe. With the soles being slip-resistant, they are perfectly safe for kids to wear around the pool areas. You can also use them to go boating as they were really intended for this activity.
Another great place to wear your Crocs is in the great outdoors. Whether you are just working on a small patch of garden or taking a great adventure up the mountains, your Crocs will be the perfect shoes to wear. Crocs are comfortable and provide good traction. They are also water-resistant so you can wear them around the campsite or when you're going for a hike around the streams and brooks.
But the be it the Beach or the new Suede Alice, Crocs have now become so popular that you won't get any more uncomfortable stares from people for wearing a bold and candy colored footwear.
Where are the best places to wear the inexpensive and rubber clogs to? The best place to wear the shoes believe it or not is the work place. That is, if you don't work in a highly corporate setting where you are required to wear suits and pumps. If you work in the hospital, the mall, a school, or in an office where casual footwear is acceptable then make Crocs your choice of "work shoes". Crocs are extremely comfortable and should be a breeze to wear for 8 hours or more. Hospital workers and chefs have long discovered the benefits of wearing Crocs to work- the stress on their feet, angles, heels and legs are lessened and they find that they can stand and work for longer hours with roomy Crocs: Beach, Cayman, Endeavor and Professional. People who work in advertising agencies or design studios that are more lenient when it comes to dressing will benefit from the comfort of Crocs footwear. Somehow, it's easier to let the creative juices flowing when you are totally comfortable with your outfit. Pre-school teachers will be comfortable wearing the Prima or the Alice to work because they can easily run after the kids and move around the classroom.
Another great place to wear the Crocs in is the beach or the pool. With vents where air and water can easily pass through, Crocs are the perfect footwear to wear when you go swimming. They are very easy to wear and take off so you can easily slip them off when you want to go for a dip in the pool or when you want to swim in the ocean. You can also wear them as soon as you get out of the water because they easily dry. Getting them wet also won't result in any damage to the shoe. With the soles being slip-resistant, they are perfectly safe for kids to wear around the pool areas. You can also use them to go boating as they were really intended for this activity.
Another great place to wear your Crocs is in the great outdoors. Whether you are just working on a small patch of garden or taking a great adventure up the mountains, your Crocs will be the perfect shoes to wear. Crocs are comfortable and provide good traction. They are also water-resistant so you can wear them around the campsite or when you're going for a hike around the streams and brooks.
2007年12月29日星期六
How To Find Cheap Gas Online
Gas prices have gone crazy in the last few years and it's not very likely that they'll go down. We all need to keep on driving, so there's not much you can do. But, with a good internet connection and a little know-how, you can find the cheapest gas stations near you and save a little at the pump. Here are some websites you can use to find the cheapest gas.
Gas Buddy
Gas Buddy can help you find cheap gas in the US and Canada. First off, it tells you what the average gas prices each day. You can also see how much gas is in different parts of the country.
The front page has a US map. You click on your state and it shows you websites for that state. For example, I live in Arizona. When I clicked on Arizona, Gas Buddy gave me three different sites for checking gas prices. I looked at Arizona Gas Prices.com, where it lists all the places you can get gas in Arizona, with the cheapest at the top (At Superfuels in Yuma, you can get gas at $2.04 a gallon!). For a more detailed search, you can put in a metro area, state or zip code and it gives you a map from Google Maps, with all the stations and prices for the area you chose.
Gas Buddy has tons of sites to choose from, for each specific state. I found three sites for Arizona, so there's no telling what you might find in California or Texas.
MSN Auto
MSN Auto has a map that you can click on, or you can type in your zip code. It will show you all the stations for the area you chose, as well as the average price of gas. Under the map it gives you a list of stations and prices for the area you chose, starting with the cheapest. MSN Auto gives you the price for premium, low grade and diesel.
At the bottom of the page, it shows you an updated national average, along with the highest and lowest. The average was $2.21 a gallon. Cheapest gas in the USA? Springfield, Missouri at $1.73 a gallon. You're not so lucky if you live in Kaunakakai, Hawaii. Gas there is $3.40!
Gas Price Watch
Gas Price Watch is a giant database where users help keep the info up-to-date. You can join the site and create a profile. Then, you can save your closest or most used stations and check them with the click of your mouse anytime. If your station isn't listed, you can submit it and add it to the database.
On Gas Price Watch you can search the nation's gas stations by zip code, state, city, street address or intersection. Gas Price Watch has lots of advanced search options for members, and membership is free. If you join, you can become a "spotter." This means that, when you are buying gas, you can submit the prices to the site if they have changed. When it tells you the price for each station, it tells you how recently it has been "spotted." This way, users keep the system current.
The site is working on a feature called "My Route." With My Route, you can plot your usual way to work, and it will give you a listing of all the gas stations and gas prices along that route. It doesn't have to be your daily commute; if you're planning a trip, you can check all the gas stations along the way. I can't think of anything more convenient for a road trip than knowing all the stations along the way. My Route isn't ready yet, but it should be up pretty soon.
We're all dependent on our cars to get us where we need to go, and if the gas prices keep going up, we'll have to keep paying them. But, there are some ways to save if you're resourceful. Using the internet to find the cheapest prices near you is one way that you can be smart and save.
Gas Buddy
Gas Buddy can help you find cheap gas in the US and Canada. First off, it tells you what the average gas prices each day. You can also see how much gas is in different parts of the country.
The front page has a US map. You click on your state and it shows you websites for that state. For example, I live in Arizona. When I clicked on Arizona, Gas Buddy gave me three different sites for checking gas prices. I looked at Arizona Gas Prices.com, where it lists all the places you can get gas in Arizona, with the cheapest at the top (At Superfuels in Yuma, you can get gas at $2.04 a gallon!). For a more detailed search, you can put in a metro area, state or zip code and it gives you a map from Google Maps, with all the stations and prices for the area you chose.
Gas Buddy has tons of sites to choose from, for each specific state. I found three sites for Arizona, so there's no telling what you might find in California or Texas.
MSN Auto
MSN Auto has a map that you can click on, or you can type in your zip code. It will show you all the stations for the area you chose, as well as the average price of gas. Under the map it gives you a list of stations and prices for the area you chose, starting with the cheapest. MSN Auto gives you the price for premium, low grade and diesel.
At the bottom of the page, it shows you an updated national average, along with the highest and lowest. The average was $2.21 a gallon. Cheapest gas in the USA? Springfield, Missouri at $1.73 a gallon. You're not so lucky if you live in Kaunakakai, Hawaii. Gas there is $3.40!
Gas Price Watch
Gas Price Watch is a giant database where users help keep the info up-to-date. You can join the site and create a profile. Then, you can save your closest or most used stations and check them with the click of your mouse anytime. If your station isn't listed, you can submit it and add it to the database.
On Gas Price Watch you can search the nation's gas stations by zip code, state, city, street address or intersection. Gas Price Watch has lots of advanced search options for members, and membership is free. If you join, you can become a "spotter." This means that, when you are buying gas, you can submit the prices to the site if they have changed. When it tells you the price for each station, it tells you how recently it has been "spotted." This way, users keep the system current.
The site is working on a feature called "My Route." With My Route, you can plot your usual way to work, and it will give you a listing of all the gas stations and gas prices along that route. It doesn't have to be your daily commute; if you're planning a trip, you can check all the gas stations along the way. I can't think of anything more convenient for a road trip than knowing all the stations along the way. My Route isn't ready yet, but it should be up pretty soon.
We're all dependent on our cars to get us where we need to go, and if the gas prices keep going up, we'll have to keep paying them. But, there are some ways to save if you're resourceful. Using the internet to find the cheapest prices near you is one way that you can be smart and save.
Detroit Automakers Mold Their Future
The previous years losses and gains in the automotive arena are already reported. On one side, the industrys victors are celebrating their success. On the other side of it, a significant few are lamenting. Conversely, every storm must come to an end and the respite must be used for the betterment of the industry. Now, Detroit automakers are in the process of recuperating from the ill effects of market shifts and evident crisis.
Earlier, Chrysler opened the $1 billion-worth Jefferson North Assembly Plant that mirrored the travails and triumphs of Detroit the Motor City. Lee Iacocca reluctantly opened the factory in 1992, despite forewarning from experts who said it was crazy to build an assembly plant in the inner city with an aging work force. However, Jefferson North persisted and the result was overwhelming.
Jefferson North blends the best of Chrysler and Mercedes. Said offer captures the fancy of auto aficionados. As a fact, the hot-selling Jeep Grand Cherokee produced by the plant exceeded the owners expectations. Fortunately, it pumped out billions of dollars plus a breath of new life on the financial ropes just after experiencing a near-bankruptcy difficulty. In the previous years up to the present time, auto competition is downright intense. It was coupled with rising petrol prices and the boom of diverse types of vehicles. With the production falling, the plant seems a likely object for shutting. Chrysler prepares to announce that its restructuring will affect the plant. The restructure will likely pave way for the rebirth of Jefferson North as the automaker unfolds its own renaissance in the coming years.
The restructuring plan calls for the Auburn Hills automaker to jointly develop more vehicles with Mercedes Benz - its sibling within Germany-based DaimlerChrysler AG. This information was divulged by individuals familiar with the plan. In view thereof, the next-generation Grand Cherokee will be built off the vehicle architecture designed for the Mercedes M-Class SUV and go into production about 2010 at the said plant in Jefferson North. The upcoming Dodge Durango SUV will be built off the same architecture at Jefferson North. Other vehicles like the forthcoming Chrysler Aspen and other Jeep vehicles will also be manufactured in said factory.
If the automakers plan comes to fruition, Jefferson North, once dubbed "the plant that never should have been built," could get a multimillion dollar investment and play a great role in yet another comeback in the boom of Chrysler. "It's a pretty significant deal for the plant itself," said Jeff Schuster, global forecasting analyst for J.D. Power and Associates in Troy. "(DaimlerChrysler) putting faith in the plant by bringing in Mercedes says a lot. It's giving the plant a vote of confidence."
"Iaccoca said he didn't think it was feasible building a plant in the city with a bunch of grandfathers building cars," said Aaron Taylor, the former president of United Auto Workers Local 7 who is now working for the UAW International as a service representative for Region 1. And he emphasizes, "We begged to differ."
"I had to convince the membership to drop about 144 classifications down to about 10," Taylor said. "I told them that our survival hinges on this agreement and that if we could not get this, the plant would not be built."
"We try to think positive," said Robert Ledgerwood, a nine-year veteran at Jefferson North. "Hopefully, Chrysler can continue to make some quality vehicles that people want to buy. That's the most important thing."
Ford, on the other hand, is also aimed at producing quality lineup to end its miseries in the industry. It is not only concentrating on how to improve the Volvo CV joint but the enhancements cover its entire brands and makes. Powerful lineup coupled with courage and positive vibes could pave way for the most-wanted change for the Detroit automakers.
2007年12月28日星期五
SUPERFLY SUPERSETS
Everything is supersized and maximized these days from the cars we buy to the meals we eat. If only there was a way to maximize your workout so that you could build up your muscles to look really ripped with a high intensity workout with the minimum of effort and time. Well, it just so happens that there is such a method. Its called training with supersets and it lets you build maximize muscle and minimize training time. Not only that, it ads excitement and dimension to workouts. If you’re looking for a way to jump-start your workout or break through a plateau, supersetting could be just what you’re looking for.
So how does it work?
Supersetting is a method of very high intensity training.
Conventional weight training is done with ‘straight sets.’ A straight set is performed by doing a series of repetitions; 8-12 in a row for example, you then stop to rest for a minute or so before doing another set. A superset is an advanced training technique where you perform two exercises in a row with virtually no rest in between. This type of lifting is great for those interested in fatiguing the muscle maximally in a short amount of time. You can design an entire workout using multiple supersets, or you can add a superset at any point in your workout.
Because you don’t rest between supersets, you save time. It also means that intensity increases rapidly. Shortening the rest between sets is hard work however especially if you’re used to a long rest interval so you need to make sure that you give yourself plenty of recovery time at the end of your workout and top up on those body fluids. Supersets also reduce the risk of injury or enable you to work around injury because they don’t rely on the use of heavy weights.
There are three primary categories of supersets: same muscle group, agonist/antagonist and staggered sets.
Same muscle group
Same muscle group supersets are the most common category. These involve combining two exercises for the same muscle group, for example supersetting dumbbell flyes with the bench press. Within the same muscle group superset category there are four sub-categories. Each one has a slightly different effect.
Pre-exhaustion is probably the best known and most effective type of superset of all. Choosing two exercises for the same muscle group performs a pre exhaust superset; an isolation exercise first, followed by a basic, compound movement.
The whole point of pre-exhaust supersets is to push a muscle group beyond the point of exhaustion to achieve both muscle stimulation and growth that you would not normally achieve by doing straight sets alone. For example if you were doing regular straight sets of leg extensions to the point where you feel you can no longer do another rep, although you might feel you’re totally exhausted, you’d be surprised to find that you’re still able to do squats- though you may have to slightly lower your usual weight. Why? Because although you’ve completely drained your quadriceps with the leg extension exercises, the lower body muscles used in the squats (glutes, hamstrings, adductors and different sections of the quadriceps group,) are still fresh and ready to go.
So, by ‘pre-exhausting’ the target muscle with an isolated exercise, you can then continue to blast the fatigued muscle even further with the help of the assisting muscles in the compound movement. There is however, a drawback. By the second set of exercises you’ll only be able to use a fraction of the weight you used on the first set, which is fine if you’re aiming to build muscle, but if strength is your primary goal then you’re better off sticking to straight sets.
If you deliberately lower your weights on the second exercise and perform subsequent repetitions to failure this method is termed “drop-setting.” The “drop-set” method will not be effective if your training goal is maximal size and strength. While decreasing the weight to allow for more repetitions may provide a burning sensation within the muscle, the actual stimulus on the muscle fibers will be much less in comparison to a regular set (performed after a sufficient recovery interval). Most physiologists agree that muscle appears to grow in response to a stress of sufficient intensity and duration. Therefore, by sticking to heavier weights and adequate rest intervals, you can apply a greater stress in comparison to the “drop-sets” technique.
A word of caution
It’s not uncommon for pre-exhausted muscles to suddenly give out without warning. If this happens during a bench press or squat and you don’t have a spotter, the results could be disastrous. A safer method, particularly for beginners, would be select a second exercise that requires minimal skill and coordination (leg press, smith machine squat, hack squat) or one with a built in safeguard (power rack, safety catch, spotter, etc.).
Post-Exhaust supersets are the opposite of pre-exhaust. Again these involve a basic compound and isolation movement but this time you make the compound movement first and the isolation movement second. So what’s the advantage? Basically it means that you’re fresh for the compound movement allowing you to use more weight. This leaves you the option to use a heavy basic movement with low reps for your first exercise and the follow it up with a lighter weight and boost up your reps. Now you can pump up your size and get ripped at the same time.
Compound supersets are tough and exhausting. These supersets work two compound exercises together. Not for the faint of heart! While compound supersets can create great muscle growth very rapidly they are also very taxing on the whole system.
Isolation supersets are the other way of using same muscle group supersets. This is a useful method to use when definition is of prime importance over strength building, or you want to work up a particularly weak area on your body.
Agonist/Antagonist
An agonist/antagonist relationship is one where on any given lift, one muscle is contracting and the other muscle is relaxing (such as the biceps and triceps when performing a biceps curl). Working opposing muscle groups has a distinct advantage over same set muscle groups. When you do two exercises in a row for the same muscle group, it tends to significantly limit the amount of weight you can use because of fatigue and lactic acid buildup. Pairing opposing (antagonistic) muscle groups together can help you keep your strength up because as one muscle is working, the opposite one is resting. In order for this exercise to work you must choose muscle groups that are physically close together such as biceps and triceps, or chest and back, or quadriceps and hamstrings. For example, do a set of Tricep Pushdowns and then immediately do a set of Cable Curls. Since these two muscle groups are close to each other and have the agonist/antagonist relationship, it’s easy to force blood into the arm region this way. You would not want to superset the shoulders and calves, because they are so far apart it would be impossible to target blood into both these muscles in such a short space of time.
Finally, a staggered set is a type of superset where you combine a major muscle with a minor and completed unrelated muscle. This method is most commonly used for abs and calves. For example, you could throw in a set of calves in between every set of chest you do. Instead of resting and doing nothing in between sets of chest, you are doing something productive. This way you can get your workout finished much more quickly and avoid the monotony of working the minor muscle groups alone.
Weekly Superset Routine
Monday- Legs
Leg extensions / leg curls 4 sets
Squats / stiff leg deadlifts 5 sets
Standing calf raises 5 sets
Wednesday- Chest, Shoulders and Back
Flat benches / lat pulldowns 4 sets
Dumbbell inclines / pully rows 4 sets
Dips / shrugs 3 sets
Dumbbell presses / hyperextensions 4 sets
Dumbbell side raises 4 sets
Friday- Biceps and Triceps
Barbell curls / triceps extensions 3 sets
Dumbbell curls / overhead dumbbell extensions 3 sets
Preacher curl machine / triceps pushdowns 3 sets
So now you know… why superset?
There are three primary advantages of superset training over conventional straight set training:
Supersets save time:
The most obvious advantage of supersetting is to save time.
Even if you truly enjoy training, it’s probably safe to assume that you wouldn’t mind getting equal or better results in a shorter period of time.
Supersets increase intensity:
Usually when you think of high intensity, you think of forced reps, descending sets, negatives, etc. Supersets are simply another method of increasing intensity. Shortening the rest between sets is hard work - especially if you’re used to a long rest interval. The principle is: more work performed in less time equals more intensity and more intensity equals more muscle.
Supersets prevent injury:
Or allow you to work around an injury. Supersets allow you to overload a muscle and generate high intensity without requiring weights. This decreases your chances of injury.
Drawbacks
The only drawback with supersets, especially pre-exhaust where you do the isolation movement first is that you will only be able to use a fraction of your normal weight on the second exercise. For example if you superset Leg extension and Leg Press. If you can normally Leg Press with 135lbs. (per side) for 10 reps when you do the exercise first. When you switch the order and do leg extensions first, you might find that your quads are so tired from the leg extensions that even 265lbs. for 10 reps on the Leg Press is difficult. That’s okay, when it comes to muscle growth, but if your goal is power or strength then this would be counter productive. If strength is your primary goal, it would be better to just do straight sets of squats and to do your squats first. In a periodized training schedule for a bodybuilder, straight sets should be used almost exclusively during the off season strength and mass phase. Supersets can be added later during the pre-contest phase.
So how does it work?
Supersetting is a method of very high intensity training.
Conventional weight training is done with ‘straight sets.’ A straight set is performed by doing a series of repetitions; 8-12 in a row for example, you then stop to rest for a minute or so before doing another set. A superset is an advanced training technique where you perform two exercises in a row with virtually no rest in between. This type of lifting is great for those interested in fatiguing the muscle maximally in a short amount of time. You can design an entire workout using multiple supersets, or you can add a superset at any point in your workout.
Because you don’t rest between supersets, you save time. It also means that intensity increases rapidly. Shortening the rest between sets is hard work however especially if you’re used to a long rest interval so you need to make sure that you give yourself plenty of recovery time at the end of your workout and top up on those body fluids. Supersets also reduce the risk of injury or enable you to work around injury because they don’t rely on the use of heavy weights.
There are three primary categories of supersets: same muscle group, agonist/antagonist and staggered sets.
Same muscle group
Same muscle group supersets are the most common category. These involve combining two exercises for the same muscle group, for example supersetting dumbbell flyes with the bench press. Within the same muscle group superset category there are four sub-categories. Each one has a slightly different effect.
Pre-exhaustion is probably the best known and most effective type of superset of all. Choosing two exercises for the same muscle group performs a pre exhaust superset; an isolation exercise first, followed by a basic, compound movement.
The whole point of pre-exhaust supersets is to push a muscle group beyond the point of exhaustion to achieve both muscle stimulation and growth that you would not normally achieve by doing straight sets alone. For example if you were doing regular straight sets of leg extensions to the point where you feel you can no longer do another rep, although you might feel you’re totally exhausted, you’d be surprised to find that you’re still able to do squats- though you may have to slightly lower your usual weight. Why? Because although you’ve completely drained your quadriceps with the leg extension exercises, the lower body muscles used in the squats (glutes, hamstrings, adductors and different sections of the quadriceps group,) are still fresh and ready to go.
So, by ‘pre-exhausting’ the target muscle with an isolated exercise, you can then continue to blast the fatigued muscle even further with the help of the assisting muscles in the compound movement. There is however, a drawback. By the second set of exercises you’ll only be able to use a fraction of the weight you used on the first set, which is fine if you’re aiming to build muscle, but if strength is your primary goal then you’re better off sticking to straight sets.
If you deliberately lower your weights on the second exercise and perform subsequent repetitions to failure this method is termed “drop-setting.” The “drop-set” method will not be effective if your training goal is maximal size and strength. While decreasing the weight to allow for more repetitions may provide a burning sensation within the muscle, the actual stimulus on the muscle fibers will be much less in comparison to a regular set (performed after a sufficient recovery interval). Most physiologists agree that muscle appears to grow in response to a stress of sufficient intensity and duration. Therefore, by sticking to heavier weights and adequate rest intervals, you can apply a greater stress in comparison to the “drop-sets” technique.
PRE-EXHAUST SUPERSETS | |
ISOLATION EXERCISE (1ST) | COMPOUND EXERCISE (2ND) |
Leg Extension | Squat |
Leg Curl | Stiff Leg Deadlift |
Dumbell Pullover | Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown |
Tricep Pushdown | Close Grip Bench Press |
Dumbell Flyes | Bench Press |
Dumbell Side Laterals | Military Press |
Barbell Curl | Curl Grip Pullups |
A word of caution
It’s not uncommon for pre-exhausted muscles to suddenly give out without warning. If this happens during a bench press or squat and you don’t have a spotter, the results could be disastrous. A safer method, particularly for beginners, would be select a second exercise that requires minimal skill and coordination (leg press, smith machine squat, hack squat) or one with a built in safeguard (power rack, safety catch, spotter, etc.).
Post-Exhaust supersets are the opposite of pre-exhaust. Again these involve a basic compound and isolation movement but this time you make the compound movement first and the isolation movement second. So what’s the advantage? Basically it means that you’re fresh for the compound movement allowing you to use more weight. This leaves you the option to use a heavy basic movement with low reps for your first exercise and the follow it up with a lighter weight and boost up your reps. Now you can pump up your size and get ripped at the same time.
POST-EXHAUST SUPERSETS | |
COMPOUND EXERCISE (1ST) | ISOLATION EXERCISE (2ND) |
Leg Press | Leg Extension |
Incline Bench Press | Incline Dumbbell flyes |
Behind The Neck Press | Dumbbell Side Laterals |
Close Grip Bench Press | Rope Pushdowns |
Compound supersets are tough and exhausting. These supersets work two compound exercises together. Not for the faint of heart! While compound supersets can create great muscle growth very rapidly they are also very taxing on the whole system.
COMPOUND SUPERSETS | |
COMPOUND EXERCISE (1ST) | COMPOUND EXERCISE (2ND) |
Squats | Leg Press |
Bent Over Rows | Deadlifts |
Isolation supersets are the other way of using same muscle group supersets. This is a useful method to use when definition is of prime importance over strength building, or you want to work up a particularly weak area on your body.
ISOLATION SUPERSETS | |
ISOLATION EXERCISE (1ST) | ISOLATION EXERCISE (2ND) |
Dumbbell Flyes | Cable Crossover |
Leg Extension | Sissy Squat |
Agonist/Antagonist
An agonist/antagonist relationship is one where on any given lift, one muscle is contracting and the other muscle is relaxing (such as the biceps and triceps when performing a biceps curl). Working opposing muscle groups has a distinct advantage over same set muscle groups. When you do two exercises in a row for the same muscle group, it tends to significantly limit the amount of weight you can use because of fatigue and lactic acid buildup. Pairing opposing (antagonistic) muscle groups together can help you keep your strength up because as one muscle is working, the opposite one is resting. In order for this exercise to work you must choose muscle groups that are physically close together such as biceps and triceps, or chest and back, or quadriceps and hamstrings. For example, do a set of Tricep Pushdowns and then immediately do a set of Cable Curls. Since these two muscle groups are close to each other and have the agonist/antagonist relationship, it’s easy to force blood into the arm region this way. You would not want to superset the shoulders and calves, because they are so far apart it would be impossible to target blood into both these muscles in such a short space of time.
ANTAGONISTIC SUPERSETS | |
EXERCISE (1ST) | EXERCISE (2ND) |
Barbell Curl | Tricep Extension |
Leg Extension | Leg Curl |
Finally, a staggered set is a type of superset where you combine a major muscle with a minor and completed unrelated muscle. This method is most commonly used for abs and calves. For example, you could throw in a set of calves in between every set of chest you do. Instead of resting and doing nothing in between sets of chest, you are doing something productive. This way you can get your workout finished much more quickly and avoid the monotony of working the minor muscle groups alone.
Weekly Superset Routine
Monday- Legs
Leg extensions / leg curls 4 sets
Squats / stiff leg deadlifts 5 sets
Standing calf raises 5 sets
Wednesday- Chest, Shoulders and Back
Flat benches / lat pulldowns 4 sets
Dumbbell inclines / pully rows 4 sets
Dips / shrugs 3 sets
Dumbbell presses / hyperextensions 4 sets
Dumbbell side raises 4 sets
Friday- Biceps and Triceps
Barbell curls / triceps extensions 3 sets
Dumbbell curls / overhead dumbbell extensions 3 sets
Preacher curl machine / triceps pushdowns 3 sets
So now you know… why superset?
There are three primary advantages of superset training over conventional straight set training:
Supersets save time:
The most obvious advantage of supersetting is to save time.
Even if you truly enjoy training, it’s probably safe to assume that you wouldn’t mind getting equal or better results in a shorter period of time.
Supersets increase intensity:
Usually when you think of high intensity, you think of forced reps, descending sets, negatives, etc. Supersets are simply another method of increasing intensity. Shortening the rest between sets is hard work - especially if you’re used to a long rest interval. The principle is: more work performed in less time equals more intensity and more intensity equals more muscle.
Supersets prevent injury:
Or allow you to work around an injury. Supersets allow you to overload a muscle and generate high intensity without requiring weights. This decreases your chances of injury.
Drawbacks
The only drawback with supersets, especially pre-exhaust where you do the isolation movement first is that you will only be able to use a fraction of your normal weight on the second exercise. For example if you superset Leg extension and Leg Press. If you can normally Leg Press with 135lbs. (per side) for 10 reps when you do the exercise first. When you switch the order and do leg extensions first, you might find that your quads are so tired from the leg extensions that even 265lbs. for 10 reps on the Leg Press is difficult. That’s okay, when it comes to muscle growth, but if your goal is power or strength then this would be counter productive. If strength is your primary goal, it would be better to just do straight sets of squats and to do your squats first. In a periodized training schedule for a bodybuilder, straight sets should be used almost exclusively during the off season strength and mass phase. Supersets can be added later during the pre-contest phase.
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