War Against Crime Starts With TLC
by Frank Fourchalk
When I talk about "TLC", I'm referring to Teaching, Learning and Communicating collectively as a lethal weapon in the war against crime. If we want to put a different spin on crime statistics we must take the time to educate ourselves and others by acknowledging the TLC mindset.
Teaching, Learning and Communicating evolved from programs that involved partnerships between local police and communities in their efforts to reduce crime. It's a well known fact that working together is the only way to be successful at beating the crooks at their own game.
Teaching crime prevention is one of the police department's main focuses. Your local police department offers programs on Personal Safety that help to improve your safety at home and in public by offering advice on how to respond to physical attack.
Fraud Prevention is taught to combat deceptive tactics used to defraud consumers whether through identity theft, telemarketing or internet scams. Teaching awareness of these and other types of fraud are essential if we're going to survive in the 21st century.
Home Security Check programs are available to escalate the awareness of good home security. These programs focus on the importance of creating barriers between you and the bad guys through proper physical security.
Block Watch or Neighbourhood Watch are programs taught to proactive residents working together to help reduce residential break-and-enters and other property crimes within the community. Teaching communities about increased awareness and crime-prevention tips are this program's main focus.
Learning about each and every one of these programs is imperative if we want to keep ourselves safe from unscrupulous predators. Most crime is committed against people that are totally oblivious to their surroundings. In many cases these people don't know, and quite often don't care, about crime prevention until it's too late. Don't group yourself into that unsuspecting aggregation who have somehow convinced themselves that crime only happens in the movies.
Start the learning process by picking up the phone and enrolling yourself in the latest crime prevention programs offered through your community policing station. Take advantage of community resources so you can gather information that will be invaluable to you and your family's quality of life.
Communicating is an essential part of mobilizing our community's fight against crime. Think of a crime as an unfinished puzzle with several key pieces still sitting on the table. In order to fit another piece of the puzzle, you need a new piece of information from the community. Eventually with enough information, the puzzle is finished and the crime is solved. Sharing knowledge of crime prevention tips is essential in the building of a strong crime-fighting community. Keep those doors of communication open and you will be assured of closing a burglar's door of opportunity permanently.
So, remember that teaching leads to learning, learning leads to communicating and communicating leads to Crime Prevention.
About The Author
For more information on your home security check out http://www.yourhomesecurity.ca.
Permanence of Paper
Permanence of Paper
by Joe Zicherman
Historically, most of society�s writings and visual images have been recorded on paper. However, paper is an organic material and is subject to deterioration caused by chemical, physical and biological agents. While documents on paper several hundreds of years old have endured, most paper manufactured in the last two hundred years has a limited storage life due primarily to acidity induced as part of paper manufacturing processes used during that time period. Exposure to acidic air pollutants also contributes to paper degradation.
Chemically this degradation is a result of acid hydrolysis of the cellulose polymers which are themselves responsible for the intrinsic strength found in paper sheets. The hydrolysis reaction are also autocatalytic since they produce additional acid products which themselves further increase paper acidity and accelerate degradation occurring.
Since untreated paper is too absorbent for the application of inks, hydrophobic fillers also called sizings are added to paper surfaces as part of the manufacturing process which can also have an impact on paper permanence. Sizing impacts absorption of liquids to prevent feathering of inks and dyes and to provide a crisp image.
Paper made before the 19th century was often made by hand from linen and cotton rag materials which are excellent sources of high cellulose, long fibers. Gelatin, from animal hides, was used to size such papers and because the resulting papers were neutral to only slightly alkaline they had very good storage properties. The paper machine appeared at the end of the 18th century, and as the demand for paper outpaced sources of available gelatin, cotton rags and linen, wood fiber took the place of cotton and linen. However, wood has shorter fibers and lower cellulose content along with lignin so that chemical methods had to be developed to free fibers from wood and other plant matter to supply the increasing amounts of paper furnish needed. Mechanical action [�beating�] to soften and bleaching to whiten these new materials yielded pulps that could be laid down by machine as a sheet with subsequent drying to form paper.
Gelatin was replaced in the early 1800s with rosin which was mainly abietic acid isolated from pine resin. Alum (papermaker�s alum or aluminum sulfate) was used to precipitate the rosin onto paper forming an alum/rosin sizing. Aluminum sulfate reacts with water - and produces sulfuric acid � and production of paper on the paper machine demanded additional alum, so papermakers often used the salt in excess. The industrial revolution added outside factors such as air pollution and acidic oxides of nitrogen or sulfur and ozone to the environment. Early bleaching processes using chlorine and hypochlorites, strong oxidizers, also degraded the cellulose and reduced its strength. All of these led to diminution of paper properties. Fortunately, bleaching processes have totally significantly over the past few decades and the chlorination and hypochlorite steps are no longer used resulting in less damage is done to resulting fiber.
The strength of paper results from a combination of factors. The most important is the condition of cellulose, in particular chain length. Cellulose is made up of repeating units of glucose monomers and the number of glucose units present provides a measure of degree of polymerization (DP). In native cellulose from wood DP is about 10,000. Depending on the nature of the pulping and bleaching, the DP of processed cellulose falls to a range of 600 � 1100.
After this reduction the paper fibers are still quite strong, but fiber strength is highly dependent upon retaining this DP and acids break cellulose bonds randomly often cutting the cellulose polymer in central regions. These attacks drastically reduce the DP of cellulose and quickly weaken the fibers. Alkalis also attack cellulose, but by a different mechanism, in which only end units are removed (end peeling) so that alkaline degradation has much less effect on reducing DP (Bristow and Kolseth, 1986)
Some low quality papers such as groundwood for newsprint also contain high amounts of lignin.
Lignin contains phenolic entities sensitive to light which develop chromophores or conjugated double bonds in the chemical structure which can absorb light in the visible range. This makes paper containing high amounts of lignin very prone to discoloration or yellowing. While there is no doubt that lignin in paper contributes to its discoloration, there is little evidence to show that paper containing lignin loses strength faster than paper of similar quality without lignin (Luner, 1988). However, standard specifications for durable paper allow no more than 1% lignin, for papers used in archives, libraries, and other permanent records.
In addition to the acid nature inherent in paper and the exposure to acidic air pollutants, it is now known that exposure of stable or acid free paper to acidic books and papers � as in a library or archive � will lead to deterioration of such seemingly stable documents stored within the same collections (Smith, 1999). Other threats to permanence include those from water and fire damage, theft, and vandalism or biological agents. These are problems while not inherently present with paper materials have been addressed in depth by the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NDCC, 1999).
Because of its importance to society, the permanence of paper is addressed in a significant and growing literature much of which has been generated by the community of archivists and librarians.
About The Author
Thursday, April 3, 2008
The Ultimate Guide to Successful Ecommerce Fulfillment
The Ultimate Guide to Successful Ecommerce Fulfillment
by Joseph DiSorbo
In the past decade the internet has allowed the marketplace to flourish�virtually! E-commerce companies are launching all over the web. The sound of the bell when a customer walks in has been replaced with the click of a mouse thousands of miles away. With millions of patrons in cyber space, shipping has become a rather large component to any successful e-commerce venture.
Some companies have their own warehouse and staff while others ship from their very own home. However, many companies have been increasingly outsourcing their order fulfillment in order to cut costs, alleviate the hassles and to allow more time to focus on marketing, management and growth.
A high-quality fulfillment company organizes, manages, warehouses and ships your inventory in a cost effective and reliable manner. But in order to successfully partner with a company and actually cut your shipping costs there are several factors to consider.
The proximity of the fulfillment house to your customers is more significant than your proximity. For instance, if your client base is predominantly in the Northeast then hiring a fulfillment company in California is not the best idea.
Statistics show that 70% of the US population is located in the Northeast, Southeast and Midwest while California maintains another 16%. If your orders are distributed evenly throughout the country then fulfillment companies in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio would be your best options in order to minimize shipping costs.
Space is another issue that should be considered. You should choose a company that has a big enough warehouse to accommodate your needs and will accommodate your growth. Some companies yearn to see stock grow while others are content with a maximum and may not be prepared for an expanding business.
But you also don�t want to choose a company too large. Some larger companies have a minimum order amount and may penalize you if your numbers are too low. Even worse, low volume could lead you to get lost in the shuffle. That is why having a dedicated account manager is so important. Account managers are designated individuals that have the authority to act on your requests. Larger companies may have a call center or an account �team� to handle your requests which can lead to lengthy waits for your requests and confusion.
Your fulfillment company should be able to give you answers right away and help you stay completely informed. They should be able to provide you with your entire inventory and order information over the web.
Similar to FedEx guaranteed overnight delivery; a high-quality fulfillment company should guarantee order accuracy and shipping time. No company can ship all orders correctly but they should take full responsibility for their mistakes. Even the best company can make mistakes, but it�s how the mistakes are handled is what matters. The ideal company will provide a 100% accurate delivery or its free.
They should also have multiple shipping options. If they are experienced enough, they should know that labor strikes could arise at anytime and therefore, having several options like UPS, FedEx and DHL is imperative.
The longevity of a company shows that management is committed to the company. Ideally a business that is at least five years or older shows they know the business and can handle the unexpected. These companies will be able to provide references of satisfied customers. It�s vital to ask for at least three before hiring a company. If they hesitate then pass immediately.
Lastly, price and commitment are very important aspects when determining what company suits you best. Currently, there is no standard pricing in the fulfillment industry. However, you should be able to verify all charges without relying on your fulfillment company to provide a lengthy explanation. Over charging is a common practice so stay away from companies with hourly charges for receiving and assembly since it�s almost impossible to verify time spent.
Some companies try to lock you in a long term contract which can be a dilemma if their service isn�t as expected. Make sure there is a way out by choosing companies without a long term commitment.
Asking the right questions and looking for the right qualities in a fulfillment company is crucial when considering outsourcing. Hiring the best option can truly reduce and control your operating costs while providing you with more time to improve your company focus. Regardless of what company you choose, make sure they are as committed to your customers as you are. After all, no matter how web-happy we become customer service should always remain a top priority.
About The Author
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Enchilada � A Simple Yet Delicious Mexican Delicacy
Enchilada � A Simple Yet Delicious Mexican Delicacy
by Chris McCarthy
Enchilada is the traditional Mexican dish meaning 'seasoned with chilies'. It is simply dried red chili peppers soaked and ground into sauce flavored with some seasonings. The dish is very simple. It is a family staple. This Mexican invaded the American food market in the mid sixties and since then it has experienced soaring popularity. Many kinds of enchiladas are made depending on the ingredients. The red enchilada sauce is tomato based with red chilies and the green enchilada is made of tomatoes and green chilies. Mole may be used in the preparation too.
A typical enchilada may be made with corn tortilla. Fry tortilla in oil to soften it and dip it in your favorite enchilada sauce. Fill tortillas with chicken, meat or cheese fillings or vegetables, seafood, eggs, banana or even potato with white cheese and roll it, then place it in a casserole. Layer it with sauce, cheese and chopped onions. Fried eggs or salted cooked meat strips will add special touch to the side dish.
Follow the simple steps to preparing an Enchilada:
� Pre-heat the oven at 350 degree F.
� Add oil and cook a tortilla for 2-3 seconds in a heated large pan. Lift it and add another tortilla under it. Cook for 2-3 seconds. This way brown and soften the tortillas.
� Saute up onion and garlic and then turn off the heat. Add 1 cup salsa, 3 tablespoon tomato paste in 1 cup of water, crushed fire roasted canned tomatoes and prepare the sauce a bit sweet and not vinegary.
� Grease a casserole. Take the tortillas and cover it two third with shredded cheese. Roll it and place in the casserole. Cover the tortillas with sauce and the grated cheese. Put the casserole in the oven for 10 minutes till cheese melts.
It is basically tortillas stuffed with various fillings. This term is a Spanish-American name, which first came into print in 1885 and later in 1949 given the credit to be a Mexican dish for tourists. Now it is a staple for Mexican-American restaurants.
It is easy and simple to prepare. Heat oil, add onion and garlic to cook till tender. Stir some flour and mix till it is smooth. Add chicken broth, water and enchilada sauce. Cook till smooth. Stir in chilli powder and salt, cook over medium heat. Keep stirring till thick and add cheese with chicken and olives.
Dip the corn tortillas in prepared sauce for 5 seconds. Spread 3 tablespoons chicken filling in the center. Roll up and keep in a shallow dish. Pour remaining sauce over tortillas. Bake at 350 degree F for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for further 10 minutes. Garnish with sliced ripe olives and serve immediately. The artistic and cooling garnish of lettuce beholds an enchilada.
As you know, Tex-Mex cuisine originated hundreds of years ago when Spanish / Mexican recipes combined with Anglo fare. Enchilada is also derived from Mexican traditions.
About The Author
What Is Imperial Formosa Oolong Tea?
What Is Imperial Formosa Oolong Tea?
by Jon Stout
Oolong teas are rapidly gaining popularity in the Western world. And, among oolong teas, those created in Taiwan, referred to as Formosa oolong teas, are some of the most delicious. If you haven�t tried Formosa oolong tea, you�re in for a real treat.
Oolong teas originated in China. Oolong literally means black dragon. However, the tea is often referred to as Wulong tea, a name that originated with the person believed to have created this tea.
Wu Liang was a Chinese tea gardener, who, according to Chinese legend, was busy collecting and processing tea leaves when he spotted a river deer. He stopped to kill and prepare the deer and it interrupted his tea processing for the day, and he forgot to dry out the leaves.
He remembered the tea a day later. By this time it had begun to change color, and Wu Liang was afraid it had gone bad, but decided to finish drying it anyway. After completing the drying process, he made himself a cup and found that he had created a very flavorful and aromatic tea. This was the birth of oolong tea.
Oolong tea falls somewhere between black and green tea. It is fermented, but for a shorter period of time than black tea. Depending upon the length of fermentation, oolong teas can be closer to green teas in terms of color and flavor, or closer to black teas. In addition, oolong teas are traditionally made from the larger leaves of the tea plant. These are the leaves that grow further down the tea plant rather than the top leaves.
Formosa oolong teas are those produced in Taiwan, rather than in China. Next to China, Taiwan produces the largest quantity of oolong tea in the world. Formosa oolong teas fall into two categories, depending upon how long they�re fermented. True Formosa oolongs, like Chinese oolong teas, are fermented until about 30% of the tea leaves are red, leaving about 70% of the leaves green.
Formosa Pouchong oolong teas are closer to green tea. The leaves are fermented until just about 15% are red, leaving them 85% green.
To make Formosa oolong and pouchong teas, the leaves are plucked early in the day and then withered in the sun. Then the leaves are bruised lightly to cause the fermentation process to begin. Tea artisans will carefully watch the tea during the fermentation process, often shaking or tumbling the leaves regularly, until the leaves have fermented the required length of time and have reached the appropriate proportion of green and red leaves. It is ending the fermentation process at precisely the right time that makes a perfect oolong or pouchong tea.
Next, the leaves are dried, often using charcoal before they are graded according to the quality and sent for packaging.
Imperial Formosa oolong teas are considered the most sophisticated tea flavors in the world. It brews to a golden color and produces a very crisp liquor. It�s an incredibly flavorful tea, often with significant notes of orange and nut flavors and sometimes with a very woody and sweet finish that lingers on the tongue.
Imperial Formosa oolong tea is a fairly rare tea. It may be more difficult to find and may be a bit more expensive. However, it is a true connoisseur�s tea and will likely be one of the most exceptionally flavored teas you�ve ever experienced. You may find that each time you taste Imperial Formosa oolong tea you discover a slightly new and different nuance to the flavor.
Oolong teas of all varieties are also very healthy. Tea leaves naturally contain a high level of anti-oxidants. Fermentation changes these anti-oxidants, and the degree of the fermentation affects the amount of anti-oxidant changes. Because oolong teas are only partially fermented they retain a high level of anti-oxidants in their most natural state.
In particular, oolong teas have a very high level of polyphenols, which are some of the most potent anti-oxidants and are particularly effective at preventing heart disease and many forms of cancer. In recent years, scientists have performed a great deal of research on the positive health benefits of drinking tea and feel confident that being a lifelong tea drinker can help you live a longer and healthier life, protecting you from many serious illnesses.
Oolong tea can also be an effective weight loss supplement. The combination of the caffeine and anti-oxidants in oolong tea have been shown to speed up the metabolism and promote the oxidation of fat. And, research has shown that the caffeine in tea doesn�t appear to raise heart rate or cause jitters the way many other caffeinated beverages can. So, tea is safely consumed by most people who are normally caffeine sensitive.
Formosa oolong teas are some of the most delicious and satisfying of all teas. For the experienced tea drinker, oolongs can add a new dimension to a favorite beverage. And for the novice tea drinker, oolong provides a sophisticated introduction to the world of tea. Experience Imperial Formosa oolong for yourself. You�re sure to be delighted with this fragrant and flavorful tea.
About The Author
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Forget Emailing Pictures - Use Free Online Photo Hosting Websites
Forget Emailing Pictures - Use Free Online Photo Hosting Websites
by J.O. Moen
There is a very good alternative to emailing photos; they are called free online photo hosting websites. People love to share photos. However, photos take up a tremendous amount of space and can really slow down your email, not to mention take up a tremendous amount of space in someone's inbox.
On a free online photo hosting website you open an account and load your photos directly to that site. You can then invite family and friends to visit your site, check out your photos and even comment on them!
The following photo hosting websites are some of the more popular sites on the net.
FaceBook
FaceBook is a social network of people who have photo pages. You can find new friends through the search or you can link to your own friends and family while uploading an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos.
Anyone with a valid email address can join FaceBook. If you register with your school or work email, you can connect to co workers or classmates. When you have registered you can find a regional network to join and then you can connect to people in your area.
WebShots
One of the largest photo and video sharing sites, WebShots has more than 400 million photos to check out and is a great hosting site for your own photos.
They have free and premium memberships that offer lots of storage, ensuring that you will never fun out of space. You can share videos, photos and slideshow on both WebShots and on your personal website. You can even order prints of your photos and create custom photo gifts.
PhotoBucket
The self proclaimed most popular creative hub on the web, PhotoBucket links billions of personal photos, graphics, slideshows and videos to many of the most popular websites and social networking sites such as MySpace, Bebo, Friendster, Craigslist and Blogger.
However, the free online photo hosting website is not the only method that members can share their photos. They can also share their digital media via email, IM and even mobile devices.
Membership is free and it is a great place to share you latest shots of your new purple Mohawk or your adorable new baby.
Flickr
Flickr is a fun site where members can keep a blog of memories that they have captured on their cell phone camera, or maybe they just want to post their best photos so that they can show off their talents and perhaps earn the title web celebrity.
Of course, they can post their photos to share with family and friends. Flickr is a free online photo hosting website, but it also helps members get photos to the people who matter to them. Members can organize their photos, share and keep in touch with others.
The free membership on this site offers you a lot of options, particularly if you have a lot of photos to store and share.
Yahoo! Or AOL Photo Album
Yahoo! And AOL photo albums are free online photo hosting websites and are very effective for sharing your photos.
You can save, send and share your photos through these sites. There is no fee attached, the services are both free.
You can set your albums to private or you can make them public. Additionally, you can designate certain albums as private and others as public. If you want some simple photo sharing, storing and organizing, these are two great sites to use.
About The Author
Being a Parent... Opportunities to Turn A Bad Experience Into a Good Experience
Being a Parent... Opportunities to Turn A Bad Experience Into a Good Experience
by Bill Platt
The biggest challenge I have had to face in my own life is that of being a good parent. My kids make it hard for me to stay true to the rules of good parenting... They break everything I own... Repeatedly...
Fortunately, I do have the presence of mind to realize that as toddlers and young children, they really do not intend to break things... Instead, they are trying to get a grasp on how the world around them works.
Yep, the lego floats. I wonder what it will do if I flush it??
"Daddy! The toilet is stopped up."
So, Daddy pulls the toilet up, tries to backfeed a snake, and finally gives up. Daddy had to buy a new toilet, because he could not loose the lego stuck in its plumbing.
Of course, the kiddies never told me what they flushed. All I knew is that I could not get it out.
So, I turned it into a learning experience for my boys.
I carried the toilet to the street, and took the boys with me. I took my trusty hammer and broke the plumbing portion of the toilet to see what kind of blockage I had tried to overcome. Upon finding a lego in the plumbing, I instructed the boys that the reason they could not use their toilet is because their lego got stuck.
We have been working with the kids to teach them an understanding of the value of money. The six year old is starting to get it, but the boy who just turned four is still a bit unconcerned about such things.
I explained to the boys that we would have to spend money to buy a new toilet. And, because that requires money to be spent, I would not be able to afford to take them bowling as promised. I could have afforded to do so, but they needed to learn a lesson.
Once they calmed from losing their bowling privileges, we took a bad and made it fun.
Each boy got the opportunity to use the hammer on the remains of our toilet. The trash guys would not have picked up the toilet, because it was a big object. So, I killed two birds with one stone, so to speak.
Each boy got to take turns breaking the toilet into smaller pieces. They had a blast.
Then, we took the chance to teach them the basics of basketball. We needed the small chunks of porcelain in the trash barrel, so we set the barrel nearby and tossed bits of the remains of the toilet into the trash can, as if we were playing basketball.
It was an awesome experience overall, and my kids got to learn a few things, and try a few new things along the way.
And yes, we did wash our hands after our game of basketball.
About The Author