Do you want to create money-making new inventions? Not me. I just like to dream them up. Here are some of the new ideas I would love to see created in reality. I hope a reader or two will do something with them.
New Inventions For Outdoors
Free-standing tents without poles: The idea here is to have two inflatable sleeves that criss-cross over the top of a dome-style tent. Perhaps the rigidity would be insufficient for windy nights, but it's worth a try. Make them inflatable from inside, and you could quickly crawl inside and out of the rain to inflate it.
Rail-runner bicycle attachment: This is a new invention I want to try, but one that will not be popular with the railroad companies. Wouldn't it be great to be able to bike along train tracks? They go many places that roads don't go. The idea here is a device that holds the bicycle wheels on the track as you pedal along. Easy removal would be necessary, of course, for the occasional passing of a train.
Kites inflated with helium: If its been done, I haven't seen them yet. With some lift from the helium, these kites could be flown in any amount of wind. Designed right, they would still fly something like a kite, and with more maneuverability if designed like a stunt kite, with two strings. The first prototype might be a kite with a small helium balloon attached. If somebody makes this, I'll buy one.
Other New Inventions
Disposable t-shirts: Dollar stores have t-shirts on the shelves, so we know they're getting cheap. Why not invented a line of shirts that are low-quality, but good enough, and cost very little to manufacture? Sell them in boxes of 12, as "disposable clothing." Where's the market? Those who want less laundry to do on long trips, or those who want to have some cheap things to wear while doing dirty jobs.
Fast-food tube: These could be like the tubes at bank drive-throughs, but they would have to stay level for the sake of the drinks. Using these, one slow person won't hold up the whole line at the drive-through, because there can be several lines. The customers send money in through this conveyor system, and get food back the same way. Just pull up to whichever lane is empty. I'm waiting to see this invention.
Magnetic painting kits: This new novelty invention would consist of a flat "canvas" of magnetic material (steel?), and an assortment of many colors of iron dust or small shavings. Just apply the metal dust carefully to create any "painting" you can imagine. It would be something like a Buddhist sand mandala, but slightly more permanent. Spray the finished painting with a "fixer," and you could even hang it on the wall.
Invisible walls: This is a new invention that would be just plain fun. Make a wall with properly placed cameras, using the other side of the wall was the projection screen for these cameras, and the effect would be that of looking right into the other room - an invisible wall. I'm not sure about the practical applications, but an "invisible ceiling" would provide a nice view at night.
Magnetic signs for windows: Thousands of businesses use large magnetic signs for their vehicles, with their company name and logo on them. Of course these can only be used on metallic surfaces. To stick to car or building windows, they need a similar flat magnet or steel mesh material that is placed on the other side of the glass, to hold them in place. This may be one of those "unpatentable" ideas, but the first to trademark a catchy name and market them widely might do well with new inventions like these.
New Inventions I Would Like To See
What Is the Most Important Benefit to Submitting Articles to Article Directories?
The latest craze in internet marketing is writing articles and submitting them to directories. There are several reasons why this is so popular. The main reason is that it works. Submitting articles to directories achieves the impossible; it actually attracts visitors and possible customers to your web site.
Let us assume that you have already written your article, proofread and corrected all spelling and grammatical errors, and posted it to a popular article directory. What happens next is undoubtedly the most important and beneficial aspect of writing and submitting articles. The magic begins when your work shows up online at the submitted directory.
Search engines have special programs called spiders that "crawl" or follow links from one web site to the next. When a search engine spider lands on a web site, it "indexes" or saves a copy of the web page on the search engine's server. After that, the search engine can display that web page in the search results pages.
When your writing is displayed, the search engine spiders will index your article on the directory's site. Then it will follow the link you have placed in the author's information section and visit your web site. After indexing your site, the search engine will add it to their server and begin displaying it in the search results pages. In order for your site to be found by users of the search engines, your site must be visited and indexed by the search engine spiders. Submitting articles to directories is the easiest way to make this happen.
However, you can speed up the process by submitting your writing to multiple directories. Generally speaking, the more links you have pointing to your website, the more often the search engine spiders will visit and index your site. This will usually allow the interior pages of your site to be indexed faster. Also, if you update the information in your site, the changes will show up in the search engines faster.
This technique is a great way for new sites to get indexed by search engines without having to exchange links with other sites or purchasing costly one way links from authority sites.
There are many more benefits to submitting your articles to directories, but this is the most important one. After all, if the search engines can't find your web site, how will potential customers find it?
3 Steps to Creating A Knockout Corporate Logo For Dum Dums
A corporate looking logo can effectively make you look far more important than you actually are. By adopting this simple 1,2,3 step guide we can turn your existing crummy logo into a world beating effort - garaunteed to impress the ladieees.
Step 1 - Choose a dull font such as helvetica
In the world of high flying executives and corporate back slapping deals done upon yachts etc. the one thing almost all self-made millionaires will agree on is that you must give the impression that your company is a straightlaced solemn outfit. Standard fontfaces such as helvetica or times will signify your ability to fit in with suits without ruffling too many feathers and will be looked favourably upon by those all important investors looking to harvest some of their cash in your business.
Step 2 - Choose a dull colour such as grey
Battleship grey - has there ever been a colour more appropriate for the deadening nature of high corporate investiture? No, not by my reckoning at any rate. But surely a grey logo among a sea of other bland logos is just going to get lost isn't it? Hmmm, I've got to hand it to you, you're right but do you know what - if we add a smidgin of royal blue somewhere within our hypothetical logo we achieve the type of chin stroking brilliance that committee members and associate directors can spend literally minutes debating before abstaining to the golf course and soho massage parlours.
Step 3 - Choose a dull symbol such as a circle
Right this is where our creative minds get to have some fun. Do we put the grey/blue circle before the words or after? Above or below? Whatever you choose to do make sure it doesn't involve anything too clever or inspiring. Remember our aim here is to look 'corporate' and sensible not like some kind of fun loving chimps, you gets me. Right the logo should be just about complete and ready to enter the exhilarating world of corporate high life. To celebrate why not throw a lavish party inviting your corporate buddies like Dave and Steve from down the pub?
To summarise, what we want to achieve is an air of 'dullness' yet reliability. Choose a dull font, keep the colour palette strictly dull- nothing too interesting and if you must add a quirky symbol of some sort make sure it keeps well within the dull spectrum of ideas i.e. a circle or square. Corporate Logo Design is not rocket science but if you want to give off the right impression you've got to go with the flow. Right now where did I leave that bowl of cocaine I'm off to a corporate party. Toodle pip.
Get Your Daily Dose of Calcium in a Candy
Calcium: Everyone needs it.
Calcium is an important nutrient that builds strong teeth and bones and protects against osteoporosis. Research shows that calcium also helps control blood pressure and may help reduce the risk of colon cancer, according to the American Dietetic Association. It also could help you keep off excess weight.
Key organs and bodily functions depend on calcium to operate at their best. That's why health experts recommend a calcium supplement if you don't get enough calcium in your average diet. But with so many options out there - with or without additional nutrients- it's easy to become overwhelmed.
One thing to consider when choosing how to get your calcium is that pills are often very large and uncomfortable to swallow. The good news is that pills aren't your only alternative to the recommended low-fat milk, cheese and yogurt.
A novel approach to satisfying your body's need for calcium is now being provided by Mosaic Nutraceuticals, a Dallas- based natural supplement company. Mosaic has developed a premium calcium supplement that is easier to take - in the form of soft, caramel-flavored candies. Containing vitamin D and vitamin K, also vital nutrients in the absorption of calcium, these soft candy chews are not only good for you, but fun to take and great-tasting, too, according to the company.
What Are Intrusion Detection Systems?
With computer hackers and identity thieves getting more computer literate, the security your computer needs to keep them out has to always stay at least one step in front. There is a different type of computer safety tool that detects an attack or system intrusion before it has the chance to harm your computer. It is called an IDS or Intrusion Detection System and is another form of application layer firewall. Intrusion detection systems are programmed to detect attempted malicious attacks or intrusions by computer hackers trying to get into your system by detecting inappropriate, incorrect, or anomalous activity. There does seem to be some question of how well this system works when many personal computer users are going to wireless online connections. Some will argue that with the adoption of intrusion prevention technologies has created a unique challenge for security professionals. In order to make this type of system effective, such monitoring of these devices requires extensive security expertise and time. If devices are incorrectly tuned and not regularly updated, attacks of malicious traffic and intrusions may be permitted. In order to prevent downtime, security professionals also must continually check on these devices in order to keep the system running smoothly.
There are three different types of intrusion detection systems.
A host-based Intrusion Detection Systems consists of an agent on a host that can identify intrusions by analyzing system calls, application logs, and host activities. Network Intrusion Detection System is an independent platform that identifies intrusions by examining network traffic and monitors multiple hosts. These gain access to network traffic by connecting to a hub, network switch configured for port mirroring, or network tap.
Hybrid Intrusion Detection Systems combine both approaches and the host agent data is combined with network information to form a complete view of the network.
A Signature-Based Intrusion Detection System can identify intrusions by watching for patterns of traffic or application data presumed to be malicious. These systems are able to detect only known attacks, but depending on their rule set, signature based IDS's can sometimes detect new attacks which share characteristics with old attacks.
Anomaly-Based Intrusion Detection Systems identify intrusions by notifying operators of traffic or application content presumed to be different from normal activity on the network or host. Anomaly-Based Intrusion Detection Systems typically achieve this with self-learning.
A Signature-Based Intrusion Detection System identifies intrusions by watching for patterns of traffic or application data presumed to be malicious. These type of systems are presumed to be able to detect only 'known' attacks. However, depending on their rule set, signature-based IDSs can sometimes detect new attacks which share characteristics with old attacks, e.g., accessing 'cmd.exe' via a HTTP GET request.
An Anomaly-Based Intrusion Detection System identifies intrusions by notifying operators of traffic or application content presumed to be different from 'normal' activity on the network or host. Anomaly-based IDSs typically achieve this with self-learning.
Features and Benefits The Managed Intrusion Prevention Service includes:
Configure and provision device
Create initial policy; update and tune policy on an ongoing basis
Monitor and report on health and security events 24x7
Industry leading Service Level Agreement
Report all security events on the Client Resource Portal
Flexible reporting options on Client Resource Portal
Notify customers of major security and health issues
Upgrade and patch devices
Seamless integration with VeriSign's Incident Response and Computer Forensics team
Whether used for detection or prevention, Intrusion SecureNet technology is peerless in accurately detecting attacks and proactively reporting indicators of future information loss or service interruption. Using pattern matching for performance and protocol decoding to detect intentional evasion and polymorphic or patternless attacks, as well as protocol and network anomalies before a new attack has a signature created, the SecureNet System is ideal for protecting critical networks and valuable information assets.
Networking With Fiber Cables
Fiber cables form one of the most important parts of the networking industry today. Fiber cables are composed of one or more transparent optical fibers enclosed in a protective covering and strength members. Fiber cables are used to transmit data by the mode of light. Various types of fiber cables available are multimode duplex fiber cables, single mode simplex fiber cables, single mode duplex fiber cables, and plastic optical fiber cables.
There are many fiber optic cable manufacturers who manufacture full line of fiber cables in both single mode and multi-mode, simples, duplex and multi-strand. Several manufacturers provide low cost, quick-turn, high volume fiber cables and fiber cable assembly solutions.
Cables with complete assembly of fibers, strength members and jacket refer to fiber cables. These fiber cables come in variety of forms depending upon their usability and place of use. It is important to identify the exact requirement of fiber cables whether they would be easy to install, splice or terminate, etc. This is necessary as it ultimately decides the cost of installing the fiber cables.
Fiber cables are required to protect fibers from external hazards. Thus before installing the fiber cables one should always assess the place of installation of fiber cables. Fiber cables required inside the house or a building are not exposed too much of hazardous condition thus simpler form and not-so-tough fiber cables can be used for installation. But if the fiber cables are to be installed for longer distances and outside premises then the cables should be robust. They should also be installed well beneath the ground to protect them not only from ground digging, water logging but also from prairie dogs.
Fiber cables comes in different types based on their usage patterns as well. The zip cord and simplex fiber cables refer to those used for desktop connections. Simplex fiber cables are one fiber, tight-buffered and jacketed. A zip cord is actually two simplex fiber cables joined by a thin web. On the other hand fiber cables made of several simplex cables are breakout fiber cables. This type of fiber cables is strong, rugged and larger. They are also a bit expensive but prove to be economic where distances are not too long and fiber count required is less.
Small fiber cables required for dry conduit run, riser or plenum are known as a distribution fiber cables that needs a breakout –box to be broken up or terminated in a panel box. They contain several tight-buffered fibers bundled under same jacket.
Aerial fiber cables are good enough for outside installation where as armored fiber cables are used for under-ground wiring where rodents are a problem. These fiber cables have metal armoring between two jackets to prevent rodents from tampering the cabling connections.
Loose tube fiber cables are perfect for plant trunk applications to prevent fibers from moisture or water. They can be buried directly in ground but must be handled carefully to prevent damage. Ribbon fiber cables have twelve or more fiber cables packed together laid in a rows. They are also a plant fiber cables which are gel-filled and are good for water blocking.
All fiber cable manufacturers manufacture different fiber cables but their product literatures should be carefully studied so as to assess which type of fiber cables they specialize in.
Understanding Your Russian Women
So you have found your perfect match. There is definitely chemistry between the two of you and you undeniably click. She's beautiful, smart, kind, and funny. She is caring and warm. She is demure and proper, yet she gets out of her shell once in a while when needed. She is a charmer and can laugh at herself. Simply put, she is perfect.
Here comes the bigger challenge – keeping her. By now you have probably gone through a number of interracial marriage agencies, Internet-based marriage agencies, and a number of meet-ups in and out of the country. Never let your efforts go to waste. Make sure that your love is a keeper.
Here are the ways.
Forget everything you learned from the dating site or marriage agency you signed up for. Once you are together, it is up to the both of you to work on your compatibility. Start all over again and explore everything about each other as if you have never communicated before.
Don't compare her to other women, whether Western or Russian. Recognize the fact that that she is her own unique self. There may be things about her that you may find different, maybe even weird. But just sit back and you may actually realize that these are the things you miss the most when you're not together.
Know a little about her history. Her thinking and attitude are shaped by the grievances, hardships, celebrations, and experiences her nation and her people have had in the past. If you do exert some effort, you may be able to find fascinating things about her country and her ancestors. You will eventually be able to understand how and why she thinks the way that she does.
Understand her traditions. If you understand the tradition that your Russian woman grew up in, you will be able to determine the things she would find beautiful, interesting, and offensive. Know that Russian women are conservative and do not easily open up about sensitive topics such as sex. She is reserved and private, therefore she reveals her inner self only to a few chosen people. If you are sensitive about her nature, then she will appreciate you more.
Try to learn their language. Or at least learn how to say "I love you" in Russian. Doing this creates the impression that you are willing to do small, simple, and sweet things for her. Doing this also communicates that you ready for a committed relationship that may actually result in a walk down the aisle.
Find out what makes her tick. Be observant. Take visual clues of what she finds amazing. When you see her face light up, take note of what just took place or what she just saw. If you keep doing the things she loves, then you are sure to get that love back.
Stick to your woman. This is perhaps the best advice you can take. There is no excuse for cheating. And cheaters are not worthy to be forgiven. Russian woman, like any other woman of any descent, appreciate honesty above everything else. Without honesty, there can be no trust. Without trust, there can be no relationship.
Slimming Down For Summer
Hectic summer schedules can distract even the most dedicated exerciser, while backyard barbeques tempt Americans with high-calorie foods and snacks. Since it's the time of year to start trading winter wraps for warm-weather clothes, many are trying to slim down for summer and find healthy ways to improve their lifestyles.
According to a recent survey by Wrigley, nearly 85 percent of Americans believe a key to losing weight is to consume fewer calories. Most experts agree that combining physical activity while watching calorie intake is important in the quest for weight management and a healthier lifestyle.
"There is no need for a total diet makeover; taking small steps to enjoy a variety of foods and being more active can go a long way for Americans trying to lose some weight for the summer," says Molly Gee, registered dietitian at Baylor College of Medicine.
One easy way to control calories is to reduce high-calorie snacks or choose low-calorie alternatives. Chewing gum works well as a low-calorie snack substitute at an average of five to 10 calories a piece, and may be able to help Americans cut some excess calories during the days before summer. In fact, a recent study out of the University of Liverpool, conducted by Dr. Marion Hetherington, shows that chewing gum before snacking can help reduce hunger, diminish cravings for sweets and decrease snack intake by 36 calories.
Gee offers these additional tips to help people manage their weight for the summer months:
• Steer clear of temptation-have conversations far from the picnic table where the food rests;
• Party hearty, not hungry-don't skip meals-"saving yourself" for parties or barbeques can lead to binging;
• Move more-take advantage of the warm weather by taking walks around the neighborhood or through the park;
• Stay active-fill your days with warm-weather activities that don't emphasize food, including a trip to the zoo, gardening or window shopping;
• Chews wisely-replace high-calorie snacks with a piece of chewing gum (average of five to 10 calories). Chew gum when preparing meals to avoid nibbling and pack it when you travel to divert attention from high-calorie snacking.
Recognize Achievement with Awards
When a business, club, sports team, charity, association or other organization wants to recognize someone for doing well, one excellent way to do it is through custom awards. These awards can come in many forms. There may be an appreciation dinner, an article in the organization's newsletter or a check in the mail.
An award you can keep
But when a more tangible and permanent means of giving credit to a person who has performed beyond expectations is desired, custom awards are the best way. The award itself can come in many forms. It might be a sculpture, a photograph or a painting that conveys the good performance of the recipient by including the person's likeness. The award could be a gift that fits with the recipient's taste even if it has nothing to do with what they did to deserve it.
What is given depends on whether the organization has any existing traditions to follow or whether the award is something new. Traditions may dictate a particular form of award. If this is the first time such an award is being given, there may be an opportunity to be creative in deciding how to honor the person involved. Since the goal is not only to recognize the achievement but also to give something of meaning to the achiever, it is important to match the type of award to the situation.
Plaques are traditional awards
Many organizations give award plaques in recognition of various honors. They can be for superior service, for winning a competition, to recognize charitable efforts or for completing a course of study.
Typical award plaques are personalized with information about the award. This will include what the award is for, the name of the recipient, the year the award was given and the level of the prize if more than one was presented.
Award plaques can be made of different materials. A simple plaque might be paper with elegant hand lettering. More elaborate plaques have a wooden backing with a metal plate on which the personal information appears. Plaques can even be made of wood or stone with inscribed wording. They are all usually attractive, as they are designed to be displayed on the recipient's wall.
When it's sports, you're talking trophies
Award trophies are given to athletes and teams to recognize their success in sports. Many famous trophies are named for former athletes or coaches who were renowned for their success in the sport, like football's Lombardi Trophy and Heisman Trophy.
Some athletic award trophies go to individual athletes. They are given at every level of sport, from Little League and high school to college and professional. When award trophies are presented to individual athletes, their name and the date are engraved on the trophy and they get to keep it.
Team trophies can be a different story. They are usually kept in a display case in the team's office. They will have the name of the winning team and the date engraved on them. Depending on the trophy, all the players who participated on the winning team may have their names included as well. Some trophies carry on from year to year with the newest winners' names added to those who have been recognized before.
Some trophies for major athletic events like the Kentucky Derby have the names of each year's winners engraved on them, creating a long, complete list of the victors. These trophies remain with the event and are given to the new winner only long enough to have pictures taken. Visitors to the venues where these events are held can view the trophies while there, allowing them to recall the full history of the event.
The Site as a Reflection of the Design
Marc Jacobs is one of the youngest, hottest new designers and it is no surprise that his Web site displays the same fresh, sleek look that he is revered for by the Hollywood elite who wear his designs.
When you enter www.MarcJacobs.com, you are greeted with a choice of videos for his two main lines, Marc Jacobs and Marc by Marc Jacobs, and the ability to be front row at both shows. If watching the videos doesn't do it for you, then check out the other features of the site including the News & Gossip section that covers Marc's comings and goings in the press that are almost as fabulous as his clothes. Be warned though, parts of the site can be difficult to navigate as visual options come flying at you faster than the luxury designer can march clothes down a catwalk. But the beautiful creations more than make up for some minor navigational difficulties.
Marc Jacobs' collections are everything a luxury line should be, sleek sophisticated and cutting-edge. His original clothing line, Marc Jacobs, is flirty and flowing, yet manages to be simultaneously body-conscious. His more widely worn Marc by Marc Jacobs uses vivid colors and creative details to put his signature coolness stamp on traditional silhouette favorites.
When all is said and done, there is a reason Marc Jacobs is one of the best designers and is widely appreciated by all. The Web site is a great way to see behind the scenes of one the most widely anticipated fashion shows each season and view the luxury designer's most up-to-date collections of clothes for men, women and kids as well as housewares and other odds and ends, which is why I would definitely include it as one of my favorite picks.
Rats, Mice And Unicorns - Call The Pest Control Experts
Everyone has pests in their home at one time or another in their lives. Some are easier to get rid of than others. Calling in a specialist pest control company generally means you are more likely to find a long-term solution than just spraying a bit of insecticide yourself.
Ants are a plague in many homes. Finding the nest and pouring boiling water onto it may be very satisfying, but it won't get rid of more than a few thousands of the millions of ants in the nest.
Wasps nests can be dealt with easily if they are in the ground. It is simple enough to watch where the wasps are going into the soil. Then you just buy a puffer bottle of powder from the hardware store, squirt it around the nest entrance and the wasps carry it in. What if the nest is up a tree, or under the roof of the house. Do you really want to be up a ladder being stung by thousands of angry wasps? Forget it and call in the professionals.
Mice often come indoors in the fall, when it gets cold outside. The first sign that you have mice may be rustlings under the furniture as the mice build their nest from scraps of paper you drop. If you wait, matters will only become worse, packets gnawed and small black mouse droppings in your kitchen. Mouse-traps may work, but are you expert enough with a mousetrap that you are not going to set it off and break your finger. Do you really want to remove a mouse with a bloody broken neck from a trap before breakfast?
Rats are a fact of life if you live in the country. You can sit outside at night with a rifle, or you can find someone who will rid you of the infestation by putting down poison on a regular basis. If you shoot one rat, another one will move in to take its place, so while shooting them may be satisfying and good target practice it does not get rid of the problem permanently.
Pest control companies are very discreet and can be hired over the Internet, so your neighbours needn't know you have unwelcome visitors. After all it's not the kind of thing anyone likes to advertise. They will even lead away any stray unicorns.
