If you are not familiar with the person you are dating, you should never meet them in an isolated area where there is no one present. Depending on your age, your parents, friends, or guardians may wish to act as a chaperone. You will never truly get to know a person until you have personally spent time with them. This is especially true for people who use online dating service. While webcams are helpful, they cannot replace a face to face meeting. There are a number of dating safety tips that you will always want to follow.

First, you should always let people know where you are going on your date. If something happens, or you can’t be reached, people will know where to look for you. Take the number and first and last name of the person you’re dating and give it to someone you trust. Make it clear to your date that you’re doing this. If they have a problem with this, you should consider it to be a bad sign, and you may not want to proceed with dating them. For the first date, it is best to meet in a public place. If possible, meet during the day, and avoid dating a person late in the evening. You may want to start off your first date with something nice such as coffee.

When you go on a date, avoid having your partner meet you at your home. Never give them your address under any circumstances. Until you trust them, the two of you should agree to meet in a public place. If you don’t have your own car, you should have a plan to leave quickly if you become uncomfortable with the situation. While you’re on the date, it is important to listen carefully to what they are saying. This way, you can catch them in a lie if they say something later on which contradicts what they said earlier. If you see this pattern, this is a bad sign, and you will want to avoid dating this person.

Once the date is over, you will want to travel home without them taking you there. Never allow them to know where you live until you are absolutely comfortable with them. If you are dating online, safety is even more important than for those who are dating offline. The only thing you will see on most dating websites is a picture and profile of a person. This is not enough information for you to truly learn about a person. Even a webcam is not enough. Follow the guidelines in this article and protect yourself at all costs.

Ron Zvagelsky has a degree in Business Administration from the University of Southern California. He graduated Magna Cum Laude in May 2006. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of PlanJam – where you can find fun date ideas and then plan a date.

So many people are concerned with lowering their TCIR number or simply meeting their safety goals that they loose sight of the issue of actually making the workplace safer. I have even seen this attitude expressed through some safety governing bodies in my years working with safety.

If you want to improve your safety numbers here are some tips:

1. Make employees scared to report accidents by making veiled threats like drug testing, punitive accident investigations, loss of privileges, long reporting forms etc.

2. Make employees scared to report injuries through peer pressure. Establish an incentive plan for the whole group so that the benefit will be lost if any one-person reports and injury.
3. Reduce the number of recordable injuries by working with your attending physician so that he does not write a prescription or otherwise trigger a recordable event.
4. Lower TCIR by inflating the number of hours worked. Since the hours worked is in the denominator, make this number as large as possible. Include all office staff, salespeople, interns, co ops, contractors, anyone who can have any connection with your group that are not likely to report an injury.
5. Include safety performance improvement to each supervisor’s salary review. He will make sure that employees are discouraged from reporting injuries.
6. Assume every employee who reports an injury is faking and plans to sue the company. Treat each case consistently and the word will get around.
7. Spend hours reviewing the OSHA or corporate rules for what constitutes a recordable event. Get to know every loophole for how to avoid listing it on the chart. Document why you did not record them in case of an audit.

To find ways to really make your workplace safer see:

http://mikestrawbridge.com/workplace-safety-training.shtml

Mike Strawbridge is the owner of Straw Solutions Performance Improvement Consulting. He enjoys finding ways to improve any process including how to make more money in your business
http://www.mikestrawbridge.com

One of the many tools that home owners use regularly is a ladder. Whether you need to change the porch light bulb, clean the gutters or put something in the top of the closet. You may need a ladder to get the job done!

While ladders seem harmless enough and they are useful tools, accidents can still happen if you don’t follow some simple safety tips. You may be shocked to hear that each year; more than 400,000 people are injured from a ladder accident and end up in the emergency room or doctor’s office. Some injuries are as minor as cuts and scrapes while other injuries have resulted in broken bones or worse.

Below we are going to share some safety tips with you to ensure that you are properly using your ladder to get your chores done!

1. Before using the ladder, inspect it and make sure all the screws and side rails are in place. Stepping on to a ladder that isn’t secure, can result in you taking a fall which is exactly what we want to avoid!

2. Check the bottom of the ladder to make sure there isn’t any dirt, paint or liquid that has accumulated and will result in the ladder not being sturdy. For your safety, try to use ladders with non skid spurs – this helps the ladder to stay in place and prevent you from sliding.

3. Make sure to properly set up your ladder before climbing on. The ladder should be on a firm, level surface – never place a ladder on a surface that is uneven. Once you are certain the ladder is secure and level then make sure to lock the side rails to better secure the ladder.

4. Always position your ladder as close to the work area as you can. Do not overreach or stretch to the side, this could result in a fall if you lose your balance. It might take a little longer to finish your task if you keep getting off the ladder to reposition it but its best for your safety.

5. Never move the ladder with anything on top such as a hammer, paint can or the like. It won’t feel too good to have a can of paint end up hitting you in the head – any objects for that matter!

6. Don’t be lazy and pull out the step ladder if you will need the bigger ladder! Stretching and overreaching is one of the most common ways that people get hurt when using a ladder. With a bigger ladder you also have more bracing and you can lean up against it while working.

7. Most importantly always climb and descend the ladder facing it and holding on with both hands whenever possible. Also be sure to take one step at a time, if you miss a step that can end up with you falling from the ladder.

By following these few safety tips you will be able to avoid any unnecessary accidents or trips the emergency room. I know these tips sound like common sense but I see people make these simple mistakes daily for lack of thinking while working on something and trying to hurriedly finish.

Chuck Greene is an electrician with what some would call an odd love of laddders, especially the Little
Giant Ladder brand. He writes an maintains the Ladder Fanatic website in his spare time – which features information about the Little Giant
Ladders and testimonials for happy customers.

The setting for the history of hoodia gordonii is southern Africa. Long before Europeans explored the continent giving Latin names to the strange plants and animals they encountered, the San peoples knew hoodia gordonii by different names; xshoba, ikhoba, xhooba, etc. The question of hoodia safety had long been answered for them. They knew that hoodia gordonii was safe to eat, though not a preferred food source. The history of hoodia gordonii as an appetite suppressant goes back to these people. When traveling or hunting they knew that hoodia gordonii would ease their hunger and thirst. There was no question about hoodia safety. It had been used traditionally to treat abdominal cramps and indigestion. It was even used to treat hypertension and diabetes. Questions of hoodia safety came later in the history of hoodia.

Credit for giving the plant a Latin name goes originally to a botanist name Francis Masson, who sailed with James Cook. He called the plant Stapelia gordonii and wrote a book about it and other species of hoodia, which he called carrion flowers, because the blooms smell like rotting meat. Later on the name Stapelia was changed to hoodia, in honor of an ardent succulent grower named Van Hood. This begins the history of hoodia gordonii, by its current name.

In the 1960’s scientists at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) investigated many African plants that were used by native people for medicinal purposes. They were interested in hoodia safety and effectiveness as an appetite suppressant. The scientists identified what they believe to be the active molecule in hoodia gordonii and patented the molecule. The recent history of hoodia gordonii scientific research begins here. The CSIR licensed a British pharmaceutical company to continue investigation of hoodia safety and effectiveness. Phytopharm sublicensed the rights to Pfizer, who returned the rights after closing their branch which dealt with plants and naturally occurring substances. Pfizer stated that they believed another company would be better equipped to continue research into hoodia safety and effectiveness. The history of hoodia and Pfizer ends here, in the late 1990’s, and caused some questions among a very few people about whether or not Pfizer would have returned the developmental rights, if hoodia safety and effectiveness could be proven.

Another opinion about Pfizer’s return of the hoodia license; often drug companies have several years to market their version of a new drug before anyone can market a generic or a similar natural health supplement. Because of Phytopharm’s long delay in bringing hoodia gordonii to the market (they are still involved in clinical research of hoodia safety and effectiveness), many health supplement companies have been able to obtain large supplies of the plant from farmers in South Africa. This actually begins the history of hoodia gordonii as a natural appetite suppressant. News continuously comes in. Just a few weeks ago (May 2006), Phytopharm announced that they and their new partner (Unilever) had just completed the first phase of a five phase clinical research program into hoodia safety and effectiveness. The world awaits the results.

For more information about hoodia safety, visit the Hoodia Info Blog at http://hoodiainfo.blogspot.com.

Patsy Hamilton is an editor of the Hoodia Info Blog.

Well, is it! Do you back up your files on a regular basis? Do you have a back up plan in place? What’s important to your business and what isn’t? What happens if you get hurt, who will run your business? Do you have customers come to your business? What if

Halloween is quite possibly one of the most interesting, fun, and magical holidays we celebrate. There are so many things about the holiday that are still very mysterious and enchanting. Among those mysteries, sadly, is why there are people out there who would want to do something dangerous to ruin the fun of Halloween for others. There are many crimes reported each year during the Halloween holiday. Among the most common are vandalism, robbery, and assault. Others occur as well, including some cases of drunk driving and other such preventable hazards. However, it is very easy to prevent most of the hazards of Halloween from affecting you and your family as you celebrate.

To begin with, one of the most important things you could do is educate yourself and your children. The more you know about the risks to your safety, and where they are, the better able you will be to prevent something bad from happening. Countless resources exist to help you make safe plans for Halloween. A search on the internet will help you to find safety guidelines for trick-or-treating and other Halloween events. Also, schools usually give some pointers to children to ensure their safety. Local law enforcement agencies will be able to provide information as well. They will typically have the most updated information.

Candy has gained a reputation as the most dangerous part of the holiday. This may or may not be true. However, what is true is that it never hurts to play it safe. So, to be safe, make sure that your child is not accepting candy that does not appear to be in its original wrapper. Also, make sure that the wrapper has not been tampered with in any way. You can observe some of this while out trick-or-treating, but you will have to spend some time at home checking the candy further to make sure it is safe. Make sure your child knows not to eat any of the candy before bringing it home. Children should be accompanied by an adult. Never let your children go out unsupervised. It’s best to take your children only to the areas you know well.

One of the most effective ways to ensure your child’s safety is simply to avoid the traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating that once was the staple event of the holiday. Now it is much more common to find trick-or-treating events at local malls and at other centralized locations. This can be a great benefit, as more effort can go into making a much smaller area fun to visit. You avoid the potential hazards of traffic and strangers, the risk of bad weather, and just about all of the other things that could ruin Halloween. Consider either going to a centralized Halloween event this year, or hosting your own Halloween party to bring the fun where you are.

No matter where you go, you should think about the visibility of your child. The more showy the costume, the more memorable it will be. This is important because, no matter how careful you are, a child can easily become lost. The more obvious they are, the better. One very good costume idea for girls is to dress your child in a fairy costume. These attractive costumes are available in many bright colors and will guarantee that you child is noticeable. Fun and functional, you can find an excellent selection of these costumes. Remember, this is potentially one of the most dangerous holidays for strictly preventable reasons. Have fun and be safe on this Halloween!

Copyright (c) 2006 MagicFairyRealm.com

Magic Fairy Realm imports beautiful hand painted Fairy Wings and hand stitched Fairy Dresses from an artist community in Bali. See more articles like this one on their website at: www.magicfairyrealm.com

The definition of disaster, according to dictionary.com is “an occurrence causing widespread destruction and distress; a catastrophe.” There is little doubt that Hurricane Katrina did just that and more. And although people were able to escape, many were not and that made me think about what kind of preparation could be done for a “catastrophe” so horrific.

It’s easy to get caught up in everyday life and forget how quickly our existence can be turned upside down. How do we prepare for a misfortune of this magnitude? Do we become a country forever on guard, naively waiting to meet the next irremediable calamity? Scurrying around with cases of bottled water and canned soup in our closets; there is little doubt that our society preys on the fear factor. It’s in more than 50 % of the advertisements we see. So what are we to do?

Perhaps we can all chew on this food for thought. During a disaster you rarely think about getting out with anything but the shirt on your back, and it is not until the smoke clears that you realize you need much more. It’s not just the material things, but information, and documents that prove to be most valuable; they prove who you are and who you were. When was the last time you updated your resume and executed a review of your work history? It’s difficult to think about performing “job search 101″ when you have not showered in three days.

I have spent many years writing how to books and for the first time I realized that I don’t even take my own advice and complete the record books as I instruct others to do, or maintain pertinent information on my own family.

Recently my daughter suggested that perhaps we all need computer chips placed under our skin so we can easily be identified along with our personal, medical and work histories. I really think that is carrying things a bit far, but how do you start over when you have nothing? Did any one see the woman on the news who wrote her name on her arm so she could be identified if found dead?

How do you relocate and find employment for over half a million people? According to the Center for Law and Social Policy press release dated Wednesday, February 2, 2005, cuts to Adult Education proposed by President Bush would have devastating effects on the 51 million American out-of-school youth, and adults who lack a high school diploma or GED, and 29 million in need of English language services.

What does this have to do with Hurricane Katrina? Three states that would be hardest hit by the Adult Education budget cuts are Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi; states that faced especially high demands for adult education services. What kind of employment will the victims of Katrina be searching for and what type of training will the federal government offer those with limited education?

The federal government must learn that investing in the education of its citizens is the only way to assure that when disasters occur, and they will, families living in the ravaged area will have a fighting chance to start over with a shimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. People don’t want hand-outs; they want jobs, good paying jobs that will allow them to provide for their families.

In the coming weeks it will be interesting to see how the government handles the relocation of the hurricane victims. I was an Independent Living Program Supervisor about twenty years ago; working to reintroduce wayward youth back into society and it took me more than a year and some times two, to assist a client in creating a stable life journey. I know this is not the same, but the process of reestablishing a life is not going to be easy for Katrina victims and America better get ready. According to recent polls the poor and middle class in America already stand on rocky soil, live unstable lives and trust a purportedly insensitive inept government. Can it get any worse?

If you are interested in downloading the full analysis of the proposed adult education cuts, visit: http://www.clasp.org ; and for more information on how to prepare for natural disasters visit: http://www.ready.gov/natural_disasters.html.

DETRA D. DAVIS is a writer with more than 20 years experience in business-to-business, business-to-consumer copywriting. She creates instructional, operational and how to manuals for business and industry, currently working with J. Davis & Associates Publishing as an Editor. Visit her website at http://www.supportingourchildren.com
Email: detra_davis@supportingourchildren.com

President Wilson entered World War I to make the world “Safe for democracy.” The rise of the Fascists and World War II shattered his dream and the hopes of civilization that cataclysmic upheavals could be forever avoided. The long Cold War created a perilous world where major powers jockeyed for control with the threat of weapons that could destroy every living thing on earth. The fear of communism exerting a domino effect on small poverty-stricken countries led to the quagmire of Vietnam and the embarrassment of the Contra affair.

With the demise of the Soviet Union, the world breathed easier, believing that, at last, human efforts could concentrate on growth, space exploration, and scientific advance, rather than pressuring its greatest minds into developing new means of destruction.

Throughout history, there have always been regional conflicts, ethnic discord, and religious clashes. The super powers of each era have eventually stepped in and calmed the storms through diplomacy, cultural pressure, or an armed presence.

Iraq was undoubtedly a crude, cruel, despotic regime under Saddam, killing its own citizens, brutalizing and maltreating its minorities, and rattling defiant sabers at a world that failed to grant it the dignity and respect it felt it deserved. Its value to the world defined primarily by the black gold pooled beneath its deserts, it was one more unsettled region like Rwanda, Liberia, or Somalia. It demanded the same kind of response: unwavering political efforts to assert human rights, economic pressure from the world community and condemnation from its neighbors.

Instead, the greatest superpower in the world shunned continued diplomacy and invaded. The same dream of creating peace and democracy was verbalized at every opportunity. The lessons of unrestrained aggression and ignoring ethnic/religious diversity, first learned centuries ago in ill-fated crusades, were ignored. When you know you’re right, it’s hard to concede that everyone else isn’t wrong.

What have we created — a more unstable, troubled, and violence-prone world; an earth that shudders at the armed convulsions racing across its brittle, fragile surface. As new fires flare across the entire Middle East, we hear rumors that an attack on Iran is in the planning stages. From the world’s model of a democracy forged out of the wilderness and renowned for its desire for peace, prosperity, and humanity, we have become the hated face of the enemy, an imperialistic throwback to the 19th Century. We have become the all-powerful but hated Rome of the ancient world.

Despite its grandeur, Rome fell. Not to another superpower, but to the ceaseless raids of uncivilized savages who used their own brand of violence to defeat a culture that knew only violence to maintain itself and made no effort towards exploring peaceful options.

Are we doomed to repeat the past?

Virginia Bola is a licensed clinical psychologist with deep interests in Social Psychology and politics. She has performed therapeutic services for more than 20 years and has studied the effects of cultural forces and employment on the individual. The author of two interactive workbooks: The Wolf at the Door: An Unemployment Survival Manual and Diet With An Attitude: A Weight Loss Workbook, she also issues a monthly ezine, The Worker’s Edge, and various mini-courses on weight control, she can be reached at her Social Psych Blog drvirginiabola.blogspot.com
as well as at her weight control information site www.DietWithAnAttitude.com/index2.html

Portable generators are great to have when the power goes out. But when using a generator, there are three dangers that you need to know about in order to avoid them. They are electric shock, Carbon Monoxide poisoning, and fire.

When using a generator there is a chance of getting electrocuted. Make sure to keep your generator dry and if it rainy or wet don’t use. Operate your generator on a dry surface under an open, roof-like unit. Don’t touch the generator unless your hands are dry.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning occurs when you inhale your generators toxic exhaust. Most important, is to never use a generator indoors. This includes: inside your home, garage, basement, crawl space or any partial or enclosed area which is connected to your living space. Using a fan, or opening windows and doors is not enough to prevent CO build-up.

Finally, preventing fires while using your portable generator can be done easily. Propane, gasoline, kerosene, and any other flammable liquids should be brought outside for storage. All containers should be properly labeled.

Don’t store fuel near any fuel burning appliance like a gas water heater. Invisible fumes can move along the ground if fuel is spilled. It can then be lit by the appliances pilot light. Lastly, turn your generator off and wait for it to cool down before refueling. Spilt fuel could ignite on a hot engine.

George Thomas helps you find the right portable generator for your needs. Choose from electric, diesel, gasoline, Coleman, and more.

The ‘Consumer Product Safety Commission’ reports that thousands of people are treated for fractured bones, bruises and cuts from improper use of ladders every year. Hundreds of people die from ladder related injuries.

Some common safety tips that can be followed for a smooth working with your little giant ladder are:

(i) Inspect the little giant ladder. Make sure the ’spreaders’ can be locked when open and that there are ’safety feet’ on the ends. When choosing a little giant ladder be certain the ladder is able to carry the amount of weight that will be applied.

(ii) Check for ‘loose or bent rungs’ of your little giant ladder.

(iii) The little giant ladder should be kept clean of oil, grease, mud, snow and other slippery materials.

(iv) Carry a ’single or extension’ little giant ladder parallel to the ground. Hold the side rail in the middle of the ladder for balance.

(v) The ground under the ladder should be level and firm. Do not set your little giant ladder up on a muddy surface.

(v) Set the base of your little giant ladder one foot away from the wall for every four feet of ladder height.

(vi) Do not use bricks, boxes, etc. to raise the height of ladders to make them gorilla ladder.

(vii) Keep ladder off from windowpanes or sashes.

(viii) While using the ladder as an orchard ladder, turn the it sideways, and ease into the tree.

(ix) Face the ladder when you climb up or down. Hold on to the side rails with both hands. Use a rope to lift heavier equipments.

(x) Keep your body centered ‘between the rails’ of your little giant ladder. Wear shoes with ‘non-skid soles’. Do not wear ‘leather-soled’ shoes; they can be slippery.

(xi) Never use a ladder in high wind. Never stand on the top rung of any ladder.

And the last and not the least never leave a raised ladder unattended.

We offer the best online ladders and ladders accessories source. Check it out now on the Gorilla ladders and Little giant ladder guide.

Find all about ladders on – http://www.multipurpose-ladders.info