A friend who had lived in New York in the 1970s was recently here for a brief visit. I asked him what, in this ever-changing city, he found to be most startlingly changed. He thought for a minute before answering. “Probably the visible increase in prostitution,” he replies. My astonishment at this comment was so palpable that he felt obliged to explain. “Haven’t you noticed,” he asked with surprise, “all these young women standing furtively in doorways? You never used to see that when I was here.”
I couldn’t resist my laughter. “They’re not prostitutes, They’re smokers.” For indeed they are. More American office buildings no longer allow smoking on the premises, driving those who can’t resist the urge onto the streets. The sight of them, lounging on “coffee breaks” near the entrances to their workplace, puffing away, has become ubiquitous. Since most new smokers apparently are women, my friend’s confusion was understandable. And there are more than ever since September II.
Stress is probably better measured anecdotally than statistically. I’m not aware of surveys on this matter, but anyone living in New York these days has stories of friends who, amid the scares of 9-11 and its aftermath, have sought solace in cigarettes. I used to go to a gym near Grand Central Terminal. Some days so many people stood outside, tensely smoking, that I assumed an evacuation had just been ordered. At least three friends who’d given up tobacco have lapsed back into the habit, claiming they couldn’t calm their nerves. Others have increased their previously reduced intakes. Some, in their quest for a crutch, have begun smoking for the first time. In Manhattan the frantic puff has become the preferred alternative to the silent scream.
New Yorkers, of course, are coping in more imaginative ways, as well. A friend swears he knows someone who has stashed a canoe in his closet in case he needs to escape Manhattans by river. Another says he has moved a heavy object d’art into his office so that he can smash the window if a firebomb makes the elevator or the stairs impassable. A woman working on one of the lower floors of her office building has acquired a rope long enough to lower herself to the ground; one who works at the top of a skyscraper tells me she’s looking into the purchase of a parachute. Still others have stocked up on such items of antiterrorist chic as flame-retardant ponchos, anthrax-antidote antibiotics and heavy-duty gas masks.
Crackpot friends of friends, but surely not your own? Hardly. One close acquaintance, concerned about my welfare as an international civil servant, tells me I should not be going to work at the United Nations without ensuring that I have, in my desk drawer, a flashlight, spare batteries, a clean cloth and water to dampen it with, all to facilitate an efficient exit through smoke and darkness. Though touched by her solicitude, I have not yet taken her advice. But I believe her when she tells me that many others have, especially her female friends.
Recent polls indicate that American women are, in fact, more stressed out than men. Over 50 percent in one national survey of 1,000 adults admitted to being “very” or “somewhat” worried in the wake of the terrorist assaults, according to the Pew Research Center. The anthrax scare may have receded. But recent incidents, from the airplane crash in the New York borough of Queens to the arrest of the London “shoe-bomber” to rumors of suitcase nukes, seem to have had permanently unsettling effects. Take food. A surprising number of people are apparently unable to touch their plates. (Some happily, discovering that fear is the best diet.) Others are eating too much, seeking reassurance in “comfort food.” Give the alternatives, smoking seems a reasonable refuge; after all, the long-term threat of cancer seems far more remote these days than the prospect of explosive incineration.
And let us not forget other obsessive coping behaviors. A surge in compulsive shopping, drink and self medicating has been reported, along with exercising, buying music and movie-going. I haven’t checked the stock prices for Philip Morris recently, but I’m told it’s doing better than expected. As people deal with their fears, the newspapers tell us the economy is bouncing back. Could ordinary people’s coping mechanisms be helping spur a national recovery that, in the first weeks after September 11, had seemed a distant prospect? Few things could be more American than giving in to your weaknesses–and finding that makes the country stronger.
May, 2009
Cigarettes: the saver of people under stress?
Tags: Cigarettes，stress, smoking
Enjoy a Japanese Bath in Home
As is known, indulging in a Japanese warm spring may be the most soothing enjoyment of the ways we relax. The natural water expels all the ordinary boredom and stress we stand by our utmost. It gives us the original vigor of human beings and make us believe that the world is wonderful originally.
But that’s not a real plan we can put into practice everyday. And it’s of course expensive to find a similar place to sink in the local city for an average dweller. There are a variety of bathtubs to help you accomplish this, such as Japanese bathtubs designed for comfort and aesthetics. You can choose from various makes and models of these tubs and have an uplifting experience. So we prefer to make joyment by building an enviable bathroom in home.
You may think that paying a few thousand dollars for Japanese bathtubs is a bit steep. However, factor in the cost of prescription medication and doctor’s visits and you will soon exceed the price of a bathtub. Buying a bathtub to relieve tension is an investment in your health and peace of mind. You have a spa like atmosphere in the privacy of your home. People have been completely satisfied.
It is unnecessory to select the type of Japanese tubs because the types of Japanese bathtubs are sure to satisfy even the fastidious consumer. What’s in your mind may be the price of which one you choose. A fully equipped soaking bathtub can be purchased as a freestanding or drop-in tub, and costs just over $4,400. It has many pleasant features which include: a multi-jet air bath system; integral seat; deep interior well; waterproof remote control; and so on. You also get a five year warranty on the entire system.
A standard tub has its value in market. Japanese bathtubs provide a totally different experience, as with the Sorrento Bathtub by Victoria and Albert. This modern side by side style Japanese tub can hold two people who want to share their bathing experience. This model can be purchased at a modest $2,677, and also comes as a freestanding bathtub.
You can purchase steps compatible with the freestanding models. The naturally white and gloss finish has an easy to clean surface that is resistant to mildew, mold and scum. The freestanding models also have oak steps that can be purchased separately. The Sorrento has an easy to clean surface that protects against mildew, mold and scum.
Tags: Japanese bath, price, relax, space, stress
A thief behind the horsedoor
Did you experience that you had been traced by someone strange? You would believe that you had leaked your own information at a time probably. But you would trouble with fear after that sort of leakage being excluded by examination. More than that, you will be curious about the capbility of FBI and CIA. But they don’t have privilege or priority of getting private information by special ways before information going into their database. Indeed these information is published by the public services who play the role of a friend of the thieves behind the horsedoor.
Now anybody could practice by the same way. The information that you get, for most engines, is equivalent to what the FBI and CIA get. In fact, some of the reverse phone number lookup engines subscribe to the same databases that these agencies use. It is amazing how much information a person can get, and how easily they can get it, in today’s age of information.
If you have caller ID, then you have the ability to trace any call back and get a huge amount of information just from the phone number. These directories are paid services that allow you to trace cell phone, and land-line, calls back to their location and the person who owns the number from which the call was originally made. How these services work is that you plug in a given number and the service will access their enormous databases, matching the number that you gave them to the one that they likely will have handy. Once they do this, they will gather up the information and serve to you the information that you are allowed, based on your type of subscription. This will definitely include the name of the person who made the call. Other features that you may or may not get include a background of the given person, their level of education, job, family history, and many other things. In fact, what you get is only limited by the privacy laws in the area.
However we possibly use that way to do something we need to act as a spy when our spouses are cheating us. Infidelity is most difficult to deal with when you share an intimate relationship with your loved one. When one begins to sense signs that their spouse is cheating on them, it upsets them a great deal. When you begin to have a gut feeling that your partner is not being loyal to you anymore, there is a strong urge to discover the truth.
Usually when men start indulging in an affair, they tend to keep it secretive and take all the necessary precautions to ensure they don’t get caught by their partners. This would mean that they would not come home with strange fragrances, lipsticks on their collars and no phone numbers written down on napkins. What they are unaware of is the fact that you can now track down the details of whom they are talking to through their cell phone and catch your spouse cheating.
With the amazing reverse cell phone lookup service, you can find out who your partner has been conversing with over the internet. It is quite strange that there are actually a few websites hosted online for people who would want to have extramarital affairs. More than often when two people get interested in each other, they continue to converse through email.
All you need to do is to insert the phone number that you are interested to know about into search option provided on the website. Then, this awesome website presents you with the name, address, cell provider and other such details about the phone number under consideration.
As we know, those information about some else is detected easily just like this. So we cannot help stunning that the reasons why pravite information runs around the whole world!
Tags: FBI, private information, public service
Make A Girl Like You
It is pretty damn frustrating when you’re trying to figure out whether or not that woman you’re talking to is actually into you or just look for some friendly conversation. Read on to learn some indicators of interest which women will give to a man she is interested in (for real).
Does she have her entire body facing you? If she does, then she is “locked in”. In other words, you have generated interest and now it’s time to progress towards higher levels of sexual attraction.
I completely agree with the fact that all women are unique beings. Some are going to have different preferences when it comes to men. But the thing you need to understand is that there are a few underlying things that ALL women respond. Seduction is really a matter of learning these things and using them to flip her attraction switches.
If a woman is sexually interested in a man, she will WANT to be checked out by him. A great example of this is if she begins fiddling around with her necklace or touches the area just above her chest when speaking to you. She is consciously trying to draw your attention to her assets.
You just have a fun time! Literally, what you need to do is show her the best time of her life. Just have a really good time and build TONS of positive, powerful emotions within her. Then when the situation seems to be at its climax, you need to get out of there. Just leave and tell her you see some friends you want to say hi to.
Leaving at this point will cause an emotional polarization where all the intense positive emotions leave with you. She will be left with the boredom of listening to other chumps’ pickup lines. This will create a hugely strong attraction for you as she will CRAVE to have all of those feelings again.
Women are only going to be attracted to you if they feel you are higher value than them. Simple as that. So you need to change your mindset and make yourself the prize rather than her. See yourself as the valuable commodity and she will respond very strongly.
And remember…if you want to make women crazy with lust, you MUST master your body language. This will give you an unfair advantage over the MILLIONS of men who are completely CLUELESS about its power!
Make an Easter Recipe
Easter is the springtime holiday marking the rebirth of Jesus and the renewal of the Christian faith.
It is a blessed time for the faithful to celebrate the life, death and resurrection of the Savior… and a magical time for children to enjoy chocolate bunnies, marshmallow chicks and jellybean-filled Easter eggs. But recipes are particular for us to do on the festival.
Easter recipes kids can make and serve at your Easter table or just for fun. Add a Bird’s nest to an Easter basket, or serve the Pear Edible Bunny as a salad with brunch. Your children will feel so proud that they were able to participate. These recipes for kids are easy enough for Scout troops, classrooms and Sunday school classes to prepare in a short period of time.Serve this festive cheesecake at room temperature for a more intense citrus flavor. For a bright touch, garnish the cake with orange and lime slices.
It’s actually breakfast (10 am - after the egg hunt), so I’m not having a green salad, like I normally would. But the rest of the menu is the same as other Easters: devilled eggs, homemade salsa & chips for appetizers …. genuine Honey-baked Ham; hash-brown cheese potato casserole; fresh fruit salad; egg casserole (actually trying a Cinnamon-Raisin French Toast casserole instead); rolls … Easter cookies, Chocolate Chewie cookies; lemon pie … virgin Mimosas, iced tea & coffee.
Have a Wonderful Easter Season!
A Step following Microsoft corp.?
The European Commission fined Intel a record 1.06 billion euros Wednesday for abusing its dominance in the computer chip market, the strongest sign yet that regulators worldwide are serious about opening the technology sector to competition.
The previous record fine for similar abuses in the European Union was 497 million euros, or $677 million at current exchange rates, imposed on Microsoft in March 2004 for blocking competition in markets for server computers and media software.
An officer said that the corporation had skewed competition and denied consumers a choice for chips and pursued a strategy aimed mainly at excluding A.M.D. by paying computer makers and retailers to postpone, cancel or avoid A.M.D. products entirely.
Intel has repeatedly said it did nothing wrong and that its rebates and discounts were legal and a commonly used way of rewarding companies for purchasing very high volumes of its products.
Intel also has suggested that E.U. officials have imperiled its rights of defense during the investigation. Critics of the approach in Europe say it has little concrete effect on technology markets, and has done little to lessen the dominance of entrenched companies like Microsoft.
Since 2004, Microsoft has paid additional penalties in Europe of nearly 1.2 billion euros for failing to comply with the commission’s administrative orders. And in January, the commission issued yet more charges against Microsoft for again leveraging its near-ubiquitous Windows operating system to promote other applications, this time its browser.
The Intel decision also is likely to be closely scrutinized for its effectiveness, in particular for signs that orders to cease rebate practices will make the microchip market more competitive.
Those orders could have a far greater impact on the Intel’s prospects than the fine. The orders also are a strong signal to other technology companies under investigation that additional decisions probably are on the way.
Several IT giants have been on the competition authorities’ radar. Currently, the EU is also investigating licensing practices of mobile phone chip maker Qualcomm and taking a close look at Google.
How to save money on girl fashion
I like my girlfriend, but I dare not walk along the street with her, because she doesn’t have tons of money lying around, but want in on the hottest outfits and fashion trends. There are plenty of items out there that look chic and stylish, and yet are easy on the purse strings. All it takes to land decent deals on cool clothes and accessories are heeding good advice and doing some really smart shopping.
As a result, people look for other means to fulfill their fashion hankerings. Some recreate the outfits of celebrities, pulling apart each piece and replacing them with less expensive but pricey-looking materials. Others do something else. The bottom line is: there are ways to get stylish without burning a huge hole in the pocket.
Look out for sales at your favorite stores, it helps if someone you know works at a store, ask them to let you know when sales go on.
Outlets are a great place to shop, and you can save a lot of money buying the same brand of clothes you love. If a parent is taking you out shopping, tell them you want to go to an outlet, that way you can get more clothes for the same amount of money your parents would spend.
After items stay in stores for months, retailers begin dropping their price to get rid of them. For those with enough self-control: wait out grabbing the merchandise for six to eight weeks after they hit the storefronts.
Benefit from half-off, buy-one-take-one and other such discounts - NOT by acquiring everything you are able to carry, but by bringing fashion-forward friends along. The two of you crave a new pair of pants? Hit the store together and get in on the special deals.
Everybody has that one place that messes up her shopping sense and judgment. Compel yourself to remain within a specified budget and guard against impulsive spending. Load gift cards only with amounts you’re able to spend and leave plastic moneys at home.
By some definite ways, girls can save a large mount of money but not only stare at fashions. Or you could enjoy more celebrities with the same money.
Renewable Energy Against Economic Recession
Now all around the world people are fighting against economic recession caused by financial crisis. State reduces expenditure, householders cut back expenses. But we cannot give up the necessory energy we live on. And we must find out some new ways to maintain the daily life. It’s possible to use renewable energy for your energy daily needs.
Renewable energy is becoming more and more common and popular in the households in many countries across the globe. It’s very important to consider an opportunity like this, because you may benefit in many ways and for times to come. If you are looking for something to help the environment and at the same time that can let you save money, something that may give you sweet dreams all night through, then you are in the right place.
Take solar power for example. As we know, the future has long held promise for solar power, which has never lived up to the hype. But rising difficulty have given solar research new life—-nations may soon market power-gathering fibers that can be woven into tents and clothing.
A number of householders have already chosen the option to supply their houses with renewable energy and they won’t change anymore, such great their satisfaction is and the number is just growing each and every day. Maybe this the first time that you are reading something like this, and it’s OK, so let me explain a bit more in depth what I’m talking about. I’m sure that you have heard about energy crisis, price rising, global warming, recession and so on…truth as to be said, the problems that we are facing in this era are closely related to each other. Till now you may agree with me or you may not, it’s up to you…those problems are facts.
And, do you know what the solution is? For every problem there is at least one solution, so…smart people out there have found a couple of solutions to solve the energy problem which is strictly related with environment and recession. And the solution for a single householder is to use alternative or renewable energy. Why? Because in this way he fights global warming and environment’s pollution, as alternative energy prices are not going to rise on the contrary…, see? Two ways are common for the householder who wants to switch to renewable energy, one is micro generation and the second is to connect the house to renewable energy utility companies, both are great but while the first is available all over the globe, the second depends on the country in which the householder lives.
Micro generation is a phenomenon already present in many countries, as the term suggests the energy is generated in small amounts, it can be used just to reduce the monthly bill or to provide a full supply for the entire household needs or as in many cases, a surplus of energy can be sold for a little revenue. In all three cases the energy is produced by micro power plants installed (and often built) at home, to exploit solar power, wind power or a combination of both. The energy produced is completely clean, and if you opt for a DIY solution it’ll be very cheap as well.
The other option is to connect your household to a renewable energy utility company. This is another great solution since you’ll actively contribute to a cleaner environment, and selecting the source of energy you want to use you are also cooperating against the rise of prices and recession as well. Unfortunately you cannot opt for it all around the world or at least not yet and not sooner than in the next two or three decades since not many countries have yet implemented renewable energy systems in large scale. But if you’re living in one of the countries where the option is available, you will be able to use green energy in your house, a short time after you contact the company, depending on the country and again on the company. Usually, according to what people say, up to 3 - 4 weeks are required after contacting the company and there are no additional costs if you want to switch to this option. Great, isn’t it?!
To conclude, switching to renewable energy sources is possible and easy to do, may save you some money, help the environment and fight the recession. Now that you know enough it’s just a matter of your choice. The article gives you an inner view of the energy landscape, but obviously it’s impossible to cover the topic in detail, which itself is very articulate and rooted in many areas, such as science, history, economy and also politics, but for sure now you have a clearer view and more available options.
Tags: Economic Recession, energy, Renewable, solar
Eating Disorders Have No Gender Specification
As we know, girls are accustomed to eating food all the time, and this causes them eating disorders and even obesity consquently. But eating disorders are existing also among males, recent studies have shown. Although there are still more female sufferers, these latest findings are disturbing, particularly to parents of male children.
It is also believed that males are less likely to seek treatment than females. This may be a result of too many decades of brainwashing about men being tough and therefore not needing help.
Eating disorders are the same in male or female sufferers in terms of symptoms and state of mind. Both show a history of the following: anxiety, depression, phobias, panic disorder, and dependence on drugs and/or alcohol. Both sexes show similar levels of unhappiness with their lives.
Although many people believe eating disorders to be a result of the media’s portrayal of beautiful models, this is not the main issue.
Reasons of this food sickness are various, such as pressure from work, boredom of living, being busy in debt, etc.. Unhappiness makes us hysterical in mind and hate taking meals. We may have no way to recover usual by ourselves.
The main issue is about self esteem rather than food. Most sufferers of these eating disorders have an undervalued sense of their real self. Unfortunately, eating disorders sometimes go unnoticed in males because a very thin man can still have muscle mass. This fact makes it even more dangerous in males because when they’ve reached the lowest weight ranges, they’ve lost more muscle and tissue.
The misconceptions that surround eating disorders in males often stop males from getting much needed treatment. The fact that it is seen by society as a ‘female problem’ and that males don’t have a problem with those things makes many male sufferers feel ashamed and uncomfortable about seeking help.
Men see being fat as weak, unmanly, and disgusting. For this reason, they often go into rigid exercise routines, becoming obsessed with the need to keep going, no matter how thin they become.
Because males and females have different preoccupations with body image, treatment needs are different for both sexes. One has to wonder if the medical professions know how to respond to these differences.
One sign of a male eating disorder is an obsession with body shape and weight as well as compulsive exercising and using lots of bulk-up products.
He may also be restricting foods or purging after eating. Men who are involved in competitive sports where body weight and shape is important are more prone to fall victim to an eating disorder.The first step in overcoming an eating disorder is admitting that you have a problem and talking to a professional about it. Also, get help from a nutritionist to plan a healthy diet that will assist in developing healthy eating habits.
As food industry goes into mass-produced streamline, eating what and how to eat become a prevalent problem. We have to take nutritions following the natural food our ancestors ate as possible as we can.
Improve Blog Traffic Through Writing Articles
As we know, articles are indispensable for a website or a blog. That how many readers it can attract depends on the perfection of the article you submit. Getting a high search engine ranking can be very difficult.
Undoubtedly, Writing articles is one of the best web site promotion strategies you can use to drive traffic to your website or blog without spending anything, and they can be very effective.
Participate at Related Forums & Blogs
Whatever industry or niche you’re in, there are bloggers, forums and an online community that’s already active. Depending on the specificity of your focus, you may need to think one or two levels broader than your own content to find a large community, but with the size of the participatory web today, even the highly specialized content areas receive attention. A great way to find out who these people are is to use Technorati to conduct searches, then sort by number of links. Delicious tags are also very useful in this process, as are straight searches at the engines.
Link Intelligently
When you link out in your blog posts, use convention where applicable and creativity when warranted, but be aware of how the links you serve are part of the content you provide. The best advice I can give is to think of the post from the standpoint of a relatively uninformed reader. If you mention a specific page at Wikipedia, a link is necessary and important. Also, be aware that quoting other bloggers or online sources (or even discussing their ideas) without linking to them is considered bad etiquette and can earn you scorn that could cost you links from those sources in the future. It’s almost always better to be over-generous with links than under-generous. And link condoms? Only use them when you’re linking to something you find truly distasteful or have serious apprehension about.
Cover Topics that Need Attention
In every niche, there are certain topics and questions that are frequently asked or pondered, but rarely have definitive answers. While this recommendation applies to nearly every content-based site, it’s particularly easy to leverage with a blog. If the online stock trading industry is rife with questions about the best performing stocks after a terrorist threat, your path is clear. Spend the time and effort to research, document and deliver and you’re virtually guaranteed link-worthy content that will attract new visitors and subscribers.
Edit your post one more time
How can you improve your title? How can you improve your first paragraph? Small details in your post, especially in the beginning of your post, can make an enormous difference in its ability to draw social traffic and links. You can definitely improve your title, first paragraph, formatting, and grammar within 30 minutes.
Use a Human Voice
Charisma is a valuable quality, both online and off. Through a blog, it’s most often judged by the voice you present to your users. People like empathy, compassion, authority and honesty. Keep these in the forefront of your mind when writing and you’ll be in a good position to succeed. It’s also critical that you maintain a level of humility in your blogging and stick to your roots. When users start to feel that a blog is taking itself too seriously or losing the characteristics that made it unique, they start to seek new places for content. We’ve certainly made mistakes (even recently) that have cost us some fans - be cautious to control not only what you say, but how you say it. Lastly - if there’s a hot button issue that has you posting emotionally, temper it by letting the post sit in draft mode for an hour or two, re-reading it and considering any revisions. With the advent of feeds, once you publish, there’s no going back.
But, basically, better article with wonderful story and a attractive title is the most important for the traffic rank and a foundation for the above suggestions. Because, there must be valuable stories for the readers who click the links, or it is a regret that you would get a bad opinion from the readers.
Tags: article, blog traffic, readers