Don’t Be A Cyber Sissy: Shopping Online Is Safe OR Is It?

March 31, 2009 · Filed Under Technology · Comment 

by Roberto Bell
You would like to be able to go online and do some shopping, but with all the talk about identity theft you’re not sure if it’s safe to go shopping online. If you follow a few simple and common sense rules then it is safe to shop online.

Only shop with reputable or familiar, brand-name company that you have heard of You would like to be able to go online and do some shopping, but with all the talk about identity theft you’re not sure if it’s safe to go shopping online. If you follow a few simple and common sense rules then it is safe to shop online.

There are several signs you need to look for when shopping online. These are signs or symbols that show that the business your shopping with are legitimate and care enough to associate with the best the websites and Internet has to offer.

Shopping online is a lot safer than it used to be because merchants are now using a hack proof server or they should be. This is one of the signs you need to be looking for when you go shopping online. It’s a hack proof sign or something that says “hack proof.”

Another sign to be on the lookout for is the verification sign or a “veri-check” sign. This label or insignia signifies that this merchant is a member of a secure online credit source. This means that your online credit is secure with this company and they backed that up with a guarantee by using the symbol. If anything should happen to your credit card information that is proven to be their faults, they will take responsibility for it, however when you see that sign it is a safe to go ahead and shop with this online store because they are secure.

Looking at your browser’s Web address and see if there is not a little lock like a padlock in the upper right-hand corner or at the end of the address. This padlock will signify that it is a secured location and that no one else will be able to get to your information but you. This is usually a password-protected webpage that you have created yourself and if you do not share the password then you know you are safe because it is your own special webpage with that company. And if no one else has the password, sometimes not even the company itself, they make you come up with a new password if you forget yours, you know you are safe.

Make sure when you’re shopping online you always have your firewall and other safety options operational on your Internet browser because this is one of the way hackers can get to your valuable and secure information.

Finally, there should be no reason to give out your bank information more than one time if you’re returning to a secure site for a second or third shopping trip. Because a secure site will hold your information for your return visits, it will show your card ending in the last four digits and the type of credit card you paid with on your last visit to the online store. If you are asked to give your credit card information again you might be a little suspicious and check into that by calling the online store, there should be a number available for questioning.if they have a Better Business Bureau link go ahead and check that out to see if they have had any complaints because the BBB reports both good and bad comments.

Rohan Hylton writes on topics such as Guard Yourself with a Firewall, Anonymous Surfing, Visit Don’t Be A Cyber Sissy: Shopping Online Is Safe OR Is It?.

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More Information About Yeast

March 31, 2009 · Filed Under Food and Beverage · Comment 

by Jennifer Skipp
Commercial Yeast.–When yeast plants are deprived of water and food, they cease to multiply. However, under these conditions, they may be kept alive so that when water and food are again provided they will increase in number and carry on their work. Advantage has been taken of these characteristics of yeast, for although at one time the making of yeast was entirely a household process, it has now, like butter, cheese, canned fruit, etc., become a commercial product. The first yeast put on the market was collected from the surface of the contents of brewers’ vats, where it floated in large quantities; but as this was an impure, unreliable product composed of various kinds of bacteria, it is no longer used for the purpose of making bread. At present, yeast is carefully grown as a pure yeast culture, or product. It is marketed in such a way that when proper food, such as soft dough, or sponge, and a favorable temperature are provided, the plants will multiply and act on the carbohydrate that they find in the food. In fact, the purpose of the well-known process of “setting” a sponge is to obtain a large number of yeast plants from a few.

Commercial yeast is placed on the market in two forms–moist and dry. Each of these yeasts has its advantages, so that the one to select depends on the method preferred for the making of bread as well as the time that may be devoted to the preparation of this food.

Moist yeast, which is usually called compressed yeast, consists of the pure yeast culture, or growth, mixed with starch to make a sort of dough and then compressed into small cakes, the form in which it is sold. The moist condition of this kind of commercial yeast keeps the plants in an active state and permits of very rapid growth in a dough mixture. Consequently, it proves very useful for the rapid methods of making bread. It is soft, yet brittle, is of a grayish-white color, and has no odor except that of yeast.

Since the plants of compressed yeast require very little moisture to make them grow, an unfavorable, or low, temperature is needed to keep the yeast from spoiling; in fact, it is not guaranteed to remain good longer than a few days, and then only if it is kept at a temperature low enough to prevent the plants from growing. This fact makes it inadvisable to purchase compressed yeast at great distances from the source of supply, although it may be obtained by parcel post from manufacturers or dealers.

Dry yeast, the other form of commercial yeast, is made in much the same way as moist yeast, but, instead of being mixed with a small amount of starch, the yeast culture is combined with a large quantity of starch or meal and then dried. The process of drying kills off some of the plants and renders the remainder inactive; because of this, the yeast requires no special care and will keep for an indefinite period of time, facts that account for its extensive use by housewives who are not within easy reach of the markets. However, because of the inactivity of the yeast plants, much longer time is required to produce fermentation in a bread mixture containing dry yeast than in one in which moist yeast is used. Consequently, the long processes of bread making are brought about by the use of dry yeast. If moist yeast is used for these processes, a smaller quantity is required.

Liquid Yeast.–Some housewives are so situated that they find it difficult to obtain commercial yeast in either of its forms; but this disadvantage need not deprive them of the means of making good home-made bread, for they can prepare a very satisfactory liquid yeast themselves. To make such yeast, flour, water, and a small quantity of sugar are stirred together, and the mixture is then allowed to remain at ordinary room temperature, or 70 degrees Fahrenheit, until it is filled with bubbles. If hops are available, a few of them may be added. When such yeast is added to a sponge mixture, it will lighten the whole amount. Before the sponge is made stiff with flour, however, a little of it should be taken out, put in a covered dish, and set away in a cool, dark place for the next baking. If properly looked after in the manner explained, this yeast may be kept for about 2 weeks.

More certain results and a better flavor are insured in the use of liquid yeast if it is started with commercial yeast, so that whenever this can be obtained it should be used. Then, as just explained, some of the liquid containing the yeast or some of the sponge made with it may be retained for the next baking.

Quality of Yeast.–Of equal importance with the quality of flour is the quality of yeast used in the baking of bread. Yeast is, of course, accountable for the lightness or sponginess of bread, but, in addition, it improves the flavor of the bread if it is of good quality or detracts from the flavor if it is of poor quality. Since the condition of yeast cannot be determined until its effect on the finished product is noted, the housewife should take no chances, but should employ only yeast, whether she uses commercial or liquid, that she knows to be good and reliable. Compressed yeast may be easily judged as to quality. It should be grayish white in color, without streaks or spots, and it should have no sour nor disagreeable odor. If home-made yeast is used and the results obtained are not satisfactory, it may be taken for granted that a fresh supply should be prepared.

YEAST AIDS

As has already been explained, yeast, in order to grow, requires something on which to feed, and the food that produces the most rapid growth is that which contains carbohydrate. Certain of the carbohydrates, however, prove to be better food and produce more rapid growth than others, and these, which are known as yeast aids, are usually added as ingredients in the making of bread. The ones that are most commonly used are sugar and potato water. Sugar is almost always added, but it should be limited in quantity, because a dough mixture that is made heavy with sugar will rise very slowly. Potato water has been found to be a very satisfactory aid, because the starch of the potato is utilized readily by the yeast. If this aid is to be used, the water in which potatoes are boiled may be saved and, when the ingredients required for the making of bread are mixed, it may be added as a part or all of the liquid required. If it is desired to increase the amount of starch in the potato water, a boiled potato or two may be mashed and added to it.

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The Advantages Of Attending Community College

March 31, 2009 · Filed Under Education and Reference · Comment 

by Justin Sloan
If you happen to be fortunate enough to live in a community that has a community college you should really make the time in your schedule to check and see what kind of classes they can offer that can help you advance your education and your career. You might be amazed at the different types of courses you can take even on the community college level. I know that I have found some of the courses that are offered and the degree of learning that takes place to be quite impressive. I think that many people who have in the past disregarded the important role that community colleges play in providing an affordable venue for learning will be quite amazed as well.

Community colleges have an undeserved reputation for inferiority when this could not be further from the truth. A good many of the nations nurses are products of community college educations. In many states, the associates degree nursing programs are quite rigorous and provide more clinical experience than most bachelor’s degree nursing programs. This means that students graduating nursing school with an associates degree in nursing are often better prepared to deal with patient care than those who have the ’superior degree’. This by no means is meant to disparage B. S. Nursing students at all. In fact, most hospitals will not even consider you a candidate for an administrative nursing position unless you have the Bachelor’s degree. This is only meant to point out that associates degree programs can be quite competitive and inclusive despite common misconceptions.

Of course there are other benefits to learning on the community college level, at least for the first two years of your education. One of those benefits that speaks volumes to me is the fact that teachers in community colleges are dedicated to teaching. They are not working on their own research or books. They are there for the purpose of helping you achieve your goals, which means you aren’t an interruption in their pursuit of their own goals.

Community colleges also offer an excellent buffer for students who may not have been on top of their game academically in high school or those who are returning to college after a long absence from academia. You won’t find the large auditorium classes on the community college level that major universities are famous for offering. You also won’t find that teachers do not have time for their students. There is a lower teacher to student ratio in community colleges so that professors will have time to address the needs of students.

Another benefit is that even if you do not go on to get your four year degree after completing your community college education you will find that your earning potential is significantly improved over those who do not have at least a two-year college education. Research also indicates that students who complete a two-year degree program at a community college are more likely to finish and get a four-year degree than those students who begin their educational experience at a four-year university.

There are a few problems that can be associated with a community college education and you should take note of these so that they do not become a problem for you. First of all, some universities do not accept many of the courses that are offered on the community college level as transfer credits. Make sure that you know what courses are required for the university that you are planning to transfer to in order to avoid this. You also may find that you are limited on the courses you can take and the times in which they will be available. Make sure that you have all the limited courses well ahead of time so that you aren’t taking another year of classes in order to graduate.

All in all, a community college education can be just as enlightening as a university education if you enter into the process with an open mind and a willingness to learn. I hope you take advantage of this much less expensive option before moving on to university courses if possible.

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The Power of Positive Influence

March 31, 2009 · Filed Under Personal Development · Comment 

by Howard Platt
A positive influence may come in many shapes and sizes. There is a theory I read about, quite a long time ago but that theory left an impact on me. It goes something like this-just the act of observing something can have an influence on what is being observed. In simple terms, to look at something or just be in its presence actually changes its nature. Now if I was to explain what this means I would have to go into a physics lesson and that is not what this is about. The overall principle and how it relates to human behavior and interaction is what I am most interested in.

When we come into contact with other people we need to have the knowledge and inclination to discern whether they will have a positive influence over us or a negative one. While people can have all sorts of influence over each other, there are two general classes that we can examine and those are negative and positive. Negative influences are to be avoided or weakened in their power over you. These are people who are pessimistic, complaining, hopeless, deceptive, and basically believing that life is an endless struggle.

Filling your life with positive influences will have a far better effect on your ultimate destiny. Positive influences are people who are optimistic, disciplined, confident, supportive, cheerful, honest, loving, and generally believing that they can control their lives and destinies. The degree of influence we have over each other is much more powerful than you may have ever known. The mere presence of someone with a negative personality can affect you in a negative way. You see attitudes are contagious.

The trick is to free yourself from the negative influences while, at the same time, opening yourself to the positive ones. Luckily, positive influences are out there in abundance, and you can surround yourself with those who hold a positive attitude for the purposes of mutual encouragement and support.

There is no reason why the negative influences in the world should have more power over you than the positive ones, or than the influence you have over your own destiny. Negative influences try to hold you back, but you can free yourself from their clutches. And the key lies in recognizing them for what they are and negating their effect on you. A positive influence will stand out in a crowd as well as a negative influence will. Therefore it is your job to choose to fill your life with only positive influences and no matter who it may be, separate yourself from the negative ones.

The amount of approval we crave from the people around us will affect how much they influence us. We consciously or unconsciously do many things to win the approval of our peers, and this does not refer only to actions or favors. The problem comes when we actually start living like the person that others want us to be in order to impress them. These are not the actions triggered by positive influences. You see it is easy to miss the signs and we may not even be aware that we are adopting the attitudes and beliefs of those around us. So, you must choose wise and well the people that make up your own personal inner circle.

To this end, it’s best to be a positive influence yourself. This will serve to counter the negative influences and bring a more positive network of people into your life. In the case of influence, opposites don’t attract, “likes” do. And when likes get together, the influential effect is multiplied. So surround yourself with positive influences, and watch the exponential effect this will have over your ultimate destiny.

Hi, I am Howard G. Platt 111 a 25 year student of Personal Development and Self-Improvement. If you enjoyed my article and found it helpful I think you will enjoy information at: http://www.positive-thinking-for-you.com I also have some Self-improvement products available at http://www.nlp-self-help.com I personally use them everyday for personal growth. Thank you!

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Start Writing Your Life Story in Just One Hour

March 31, 2009 · Filed Under Writing and Speaking · Comment 

by AnnA Rushton
Your life story can be put into motion in just one hour with a very simple technique. No matter how long you have lived, or how action-packed your life, you can start to write your life story in the time it takes to watch your favourite TV drama.

Being overwhelmed is a common feeling when starting to write your life story, after all there are years of experience, anecdotes, and memories packed in there. By talking to lots of people about what has held them back, it seemed to me that knowing where to even start was a huge obstacle.

Well, it doesn’t have to be, just put aside an hour of your time in a quiet place with no interruptions. Settle down somewhere comfortable with a large notepad and a pen - and no matter how computer literate you are, this process needs to start with you physically writing stuff down. The Irish novelist Edna O’Brian said that there was an emotional connection between the hand and the heart, and it’s your heart that is going to give you all the material you need to start writing your life story.

Don’t worry, it is going to be transferred to a computer later and that’s when you will be using the more ‘business like’ side of your brain, but right now you want to access those emotions and feelings in the most elemental way - connecting your hand and your heart through your pen.

The Fast Start Method: This initial stage is all about spontaneity, and what you are going to do is just sit down and brainstorm onto your pad in a random fashion a rough outline of your life so far. Don’t worry about it being correct or in order, but start to make notes of the important events in your life by putting each one on a separate line and leaving a couple of lines space between each one.

It will be all over the place, but you can tidy it up later so right now take a look at the list you have made and start to add a line by each one to remind you of that event or time in your life. Just keep the pen flowing over the paper and don’t force it, just relax and write down what comes to mind. When you have added a rough note to remind you of the event, it could look like this:

1953 - born St Judes Hospital

1958 = primary school

19?? family emigrated - check Dad for date

1963 - first school in Australia - julie my best friend

1974 - first job at Ashworths - horrible boss!

1966 - sister born - home or hospital?

1959 - found out I was left handed

As you can see, the list can be a random mix of dates, events, and memories, so jot down everything as it comes into your head - you can discard or edit later.

Please, don’t worry about missing things out, or the order they are in for the moment. Just write them down as they come to you and when you feel you have ‘run dry’ then put the pad aside to come back to later.

Even if you are not aware of it, you are now starting to access memories by the very process of starting to think about your life so that you will find yourself recalling things that you thought were long forgotten. When something occurs to you, write it down in a brief note form, on your list if you are near it, or on anything else handy so that you can transfer the memory onto the list on your pad later.

This one hour session gives you the essentials for the ‘data bank’ you need to access for the actual writing and I suggest you plan to have at least one or two more like it to keep jogging your memory and remembering things you will want to have in your life story. When you feel you really add any more, then put it into a rough time order as near as you can and type it up in your computer or write it out more neatly.

This is your route map through your life story and remember it is not a ‘closed document’ but something that you can keep adding to all the time you are writing. There are several ways you can use this material for different types of life story - but first, get that list written!

AnnA is the author of ‘How To Write Your Life Story In 6 Easy Steps’ and an inspirational author and speaker on health, personal development and creativity. For more life story information visit http://www.writeyourlifestory.co.uk/ and for free email newsletters, resources, books and archives to enjoy visit http://www.catalystonline.co.uk

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