The Three Basic Types of Residential Foundations

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There are three basic types of foundations in use today in the construction of a home.

Slab Foundations

A slab foundation is a foundation built directly on the soil with no basement or crawl space. Slab foundations are common in areas where soil conditions are not suitable for a basement, and are the most common foundation found in warmer areas such as Florida, Arizona, California and Texas, or anywhere where the depth between the soil and stable underlying rock is very shallow. Slabs are the quickest and cheapest foundation because they require less labor, skill and materials cost. They consist of a concrete slab that is typically 6 to 8 inches thick. Embedded within the slab is a grid of supporting ribbed metal rods known as "rebar." Even in locations where basements are prevalent, slab foundations are typically laid to serve as the base for structures like garages, pole barns, and sheds. Slabs are the least expensive of the three main foundation types but provide no storage or utility space, as the home actually sits directly on a large platform of solid concrete. Slabs have the disadvantage of being difficult and expensive to repair when they settle and crack, and plumbing lines that protrude from the soil upward through the concrete can also be expensive to repair. In areas where the underlying soil is thick or prone to excessive expansion and contraction, cables are embedded which can be tightened to provide better horizontal support and minimize the width of cracks.

Crawl Space (Pier and Beam) Foundations

A pier and beam foundation consists of either vertical wood or concrete columns (piers) that support beams or floor joists above the ground. The areas between the soil and the bottom of the house floor is known as the crawl space. These foundations are built either at ground level or over a shallow excavation that varies in depth, but is commonly about 36 to 40 inches deep. The best crawl space foundations have a load-bearing concrete perimeter wall and concrete or steel piers, both having footings below the freeze line of the soil, along with a good barrier over the soil to keep moisture under control. Less expensive versions have no load-bearing perimeter walls, piers with shallow footings, and no moisture barrier at all over the soil. Crawl spaces that enclosed by a wall or by skirting must have vents on every side to allow air to circulate and help keep the soil dry under the home. These vents must be configured to prevent the entry of rodents and snakes. Crawl space foundations are most often used in areas where there is heavy clay content in the soil that can severaly damage (crack) slab foundations, or in waterfront or flood prone building sites where the necessary floor height to prevent water penetration of the living space must be higher than a slab can normally provide. The primary advantages of crawl space foundations are that plumbing lines are readily accessible for repairs, and foundation settlement problems are easier and less expensive to correct than with slab foundations. A primary disadvantage occurs when these foundations are not properly maintained or are constructed without adequate ventilation, allowing water or pests to cause damage. Crawl space foundations without adequate insulation applied to the bottom of the house floor can be very energy inefficient in a cold climate.

Basement Foundations

A basement is a type of foundation which includes an accessible space between the soil and the bottom of the first floor of a home. This foundation provides living space below the home, below the ground elevation. It is basically a slab foundation with walls and a floor. Basements are most often built in cold weather climates such as the Northeast, Midwest and Rocky Mountains, and in places where the cost of excavation is not prohibitive. Basements start with a hole approximately 8 feet deep, however, some homeowners will opt for a 9 or 10 foot deep basement wall to increase height and volume of useable space. The floor and walls are built, then the house itself is built over that. Basement foundations have the advantage of providing useful space for utilities, mechanicals systems, and storage not available in the previous two types of foundations. The primary disadvantage of basements is that because they are mostly below ground level, they are vulnerable to leakage, mold formation, and flooding. Basements in wet climates must always have a working drain and pump in the floor to combat flooding.

The Spirochetes Can Be More Significant To Patients Than Streptococcus Bacteria In Dental Infection

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Compared to streptococcal infections, spirochetes are represented in only a small percent of the total number of dental infections. Even less involved, but nevertheless significant to patients when they occur, are infections from parasites.

Dr. Price reported a case in which a woman patient had a huge abscess in her neck from a fistula of a lower infected molar tooth. Even after the tooth was extracted, the chronic abscess resisted treatment efforts for many weeks. A bacterial examination disclosed the presence of a large number of amoeba.

Treatment for amoebic parasites promptly stopped the infection. On the following page are pictures of this woman's condition: the fistula training under her chin, an x-ray picture showing her teeth and the infected tooth socket, plus a microscopic slide picture of the amoeba parasites causing her distress.

Amoeba were also found to nearly always be present in pyorrhea gum pockets, and in at least one instance the parasite had penetrated into the adjacent bone. It is hoped that learning of the presence of such organisms and the local and systemic harm they can cause will stimulate all readers to seek regular, competent prophylaxis care by a dentist or dental hygienist every three to six months.

While the foremost difficulties investigated by Price concerned infections in the root canal and other tooth parts involving streptococcus organisms, in this chapter we have tried to point out some other organisms that can be responsible for systemic disease.

Bacteria can also be involved via the mouth in a few other ways. At the time of the Dr. Price studies, tuberculosis was a rather common serious illness. Dr. Price pointed out to his colleagues at the Research Institute that severe tooth decay areas which exposed the pulp could provide an entry way through the teeth into the body for the tuberculosis bacillus.

By traveling through the root canal into adjacent tissue, bacteria could be picked up by the lymphatic system and transported to the lymph grands of the neck, and from there to other body areas. Enlarged cervical glands persisting for periods off time seemed to miraculously disappear when infected teeth were removed from patients, proving that bacteria do travel from the tooth to the neck.

Tuberculosis became a reasonably easy disease to treat when antibiotics arrived. Now, however, TB is again attacking more and more people - and customary treatments are no longer effective. The bacteria are mutating, changing their form and characteristics, much like what Price found to be occurring with organisms in dentin tubules.

Most people know that certain bacterial infections can be transmitted to others, such as scarlet fever, diphtheria, etc. Most also know that a person can be a carrier and transmit a disease without himself being ill of the disease. Do you suppose that those who have badly decayed teeth would be more apt to be carriers of bacterial infections? Don't you suppose that these people would also be more susceptible to becoming seriously infected themselves?

The most prevalent organisms which inhabit the mouth were discussed and it was stated that of the 10 varieties of streptococcus bacteria, the "fecalis" family was predominant in 65 1/2 percent of the cases tested.

Copyright (c) 2007 Sung Lee, and George Meinig D.D.S

The Secrets of Feminization Hypnotism

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The truth remains that even if we now live in modern age, people tend to remain critical on gender issues. Although transsexuals are gaining acceptance, they have yet to earn enough understanding and respect. As these individuals become more and more aggressive in expressing their personalities, they continue to come up with more ideas and practices. One of which is feminization.

Feminization is an effort to transform a male's appearance, behavior and thinking into that of a female. It could either be temporary or permanent. It is consciously trying to adapt feminine traits such as speech and behavior. Some common types are Forced Feminization and Hypnotic Feminization.

Forced feminization is when a male is instructed to adapt feminine ways against his will. It emphasizes the dominance of the female over the male - contrary to societal standards. Through this practice, the female gets to obtain personal satisfaction over gaining power over her subject. It is done through instructing the male to follow her directions; usually controlling the way he should act, think, and behave. The male is asked to portray the role of a typical feminine character. As the subject refuses to follow her demands, corresponding punishment shall be given to him.

An example is through physical contact such as through spanking and other stereotypical acts. He is asked to wear feminine clothing which are suggestive and provoking in nature such as undergarments. It is stated in some studies that refusal is usually unrealistic as the role-playing and submission secretly feeds on his fantasies and desires. But there are also cases where feminization is practiced as a form of abuse as in the case of sex slaves.

Contrary to forced feminization, hypnotic feminization involves a voluntary participation of the male. As per suggestions of the expert, he is then allowed to enjoy a particular fantasy. This environment usually evolves around being able to experience the feelings, thoughts, and even the physical traits of a female such as actually believing that you have breasts or female genital. It is a make-believe atmosphere where you could have somewhat realistic feelings and experiences. Hypnosis ends as per direction of the hypnosis expert.

The more conservative in us are yet to understand the reasons why some individuals undergo feminization. Feminization continues to create moral questions and it would take more than open mindedness and accepting gender issues. It may be a setback for transsexuals in gaining understanding but the fact exists that this practice exists.

The Samsung B3310 Green is a trendy handset

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The Samsung B3310 Green is a cool green coloured stylish mobile designed for the young and trendy. With features like QWERTY keyboard, GPRS, Bluetooth, camera etc, the Samsung B3310 Green is a great budget phone.

This handset looks sleek and stylish and has been designed to make heads turn. It has its own unique style with numeric keys located to the left hand side of the screen. The QWERTY keyboard slides out from under the front panel. When the horizontal keyboard slides out, the numbers appear to be the top of the keyboard. This makes typing easy, just like on an ordinary keyboard. This model is quite compact with dimensions of just 91x54 x17 mm. It weighs 101 grams so it sure wont weigh down your purse or packet. You can also get it in other colours like blue, pink and black besides the trendy green colour.

The screen is 2 inches long and has a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels. It supports 256,000 colours. You can enjoy good images, videos, web pages and more on this nice display screen.

The B3310 Green has an inbuilt memory of 40MB which can be increased using a microSD card. The phonebook can hold up to 1000 entries and you get a log of 30 missed, 30 received and 30 dialled calls. In terms of data, connectivity and internet features, this device is quite good considering the fact that it comes at a reasonably low price. This is a quad band GSM mobile and includes features like GPRS Class 10, EDGE, HSCSD and Bluetooth technology.

The Samsung B3310 Green comes with an HTML browser which you can use to load and view web pages. It also has an e-mail client which supports up to 5 e-mail accounts. It is not far behind when it comes to social networking either. Users get to enjoy one click access to social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, Flickr etc.

The 2 mega pixel camera is quite basic and has a resolution of 1600x1200 pixels. Video recording is also possible. Virtual communication is also made extremely easier. You can easily upload photos on to the internet or send photos via e-mail. It supports SMS, MMS and e-mail.

Samsung has also embedded great media features in this handset. It has an MP3 and MP4/H.263/H.264 player. This will make sure that you can enjoy both audio and videos on it. FM radio with RDS support is also present.

This phone also has an organizer to keep you updated about tasks, appointments etc. The voice memo feature reminds you of things you tend to forget in the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Other great features of this phone include USB port, lithium ion battery with 5 hours talk time, polyphonic and MP3 ring tones and vibration alerts.

The Green Samsung B3310 is reasonably priced and perfect for general use.

For further information on a comprehensive range of mobile phones visit www.phoneslimited.co.uk

The Root Canal Treatment, Gum Infection and Apicoectomy

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When a root canal filling develops a granuloma, cyst, or some other infected area at the end of the root, dentists will sometimes endeavor to save the tooth by performing an operation called apicoectomy. The area of infection seen on x-ray pictures is actually a hole in the bone of the jaw eaten away by bacteria and toxins. It contains pus, bacteria and infected tissue.

The apicoectomy surgery is done using a local anesthetic. An incision is made in the gum and the dentist invades the infected area and curettes away the diseased tissue.

In order to be able to remove all infected tissue surrounding a tooth's root end, it is sometimes necessary to also remove a portion of the tooth's root end (apex). This is done with a surgical dental burr or drill. The term apicoectomy was adopted because the end tip of the root is so often removed during this procedure.

Two or three stitches are used to close the wound. These areas experience some swelling for two or three days but generally heal with very little discomfort. Usually new bone immediately begins to grow and fill in the jaw at the end of the root, and after six to 12 months one can no longer distinguish the location of the infection sight. In other words, the area's appearance is now normal.

At times when cysts or other large areas of infection are found, dentists will elect to do the root canal treatment and apicoectomy at the same sitting. Generally I preferred doing both procedures simultaneously because it was much easier to clean out the root canal that way. In addition, we could spray a disinfectant through the root canal and vacuum the debris and infected material out from the root-end surgical area.

It was also easier to get a good dense root canal filling as any overpacking could easily be removed.

In my practice I did a fair number of these apicoectomy surgeries and I cannot recall any which did not show full healing at the end of the root of the tooth, usually within the period of one year. We were not universally successful with teeth treated nonsurgically.

A couple of case history reports from my files will allow you to see how well infections responded to the apicoectomy procedure.

The first is of a woman who came home from a trip to Mexico with severe diarrhea and intestinal involvement. When a leading Beverly Hills gastroenterologist was unable to cure her intestinal infection, the patient, knowing I was doing nutritional counseling, sought my opinion.

Oral examination didn't indicate any obvious pathologic conditions or tooth decay, but there were many fillings present. Full mouth x-ray examination disclosed large abscesses from accessory canals on both of her upper lateral incisors (the teeth next to the two front teeth).

Copyright 2006 SSLI Health Group

The Reason Why Online Real Estate Is Gaining Popularity

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If you want to buy a house, office, etc and have no time to meet agents or check each property by personally visiting it, then online real estate services will serve you just the right. You can purchase property anywhere in the country by visiting the correct site and selecting the best suitable property filters for yourself.

Also, if you are a real estate agent who is tired of showing the property to the potential buyers or want to increase his reach; just upload the pictures of your property and pick the best deal.

The online real estate serves both the buyer as well as the agent. However, before beginning you must always make sure that the site is authentic.

Let us now look at the perks of dealing with Real Estate online.

Saves Times: Time saving is the first and foremost reason for the popularity of Online Real.

From the buyers point of view: A buyer has access to the website and views the property options available to him, at any point in time, at any place, while doing any work. He does not have to be physically present, to go through the property. However, after selecting the property by viewing it in the pictures online, the buyer will visit the property to finalize it. But in this case, the visit focuses on finalizing the purchase. This saves so much of time.
From the Seller/agents view: Showing a property to the buyer every now and then is also a tedious job which is simplified into a few clicks with Online Real Estate. The buyer will contact the dealer as and when he is interested in a property. This saves the dealers time as well as transportation expenses.

Multiple Options/Comparison
The Internet has several websites for everything. Thus, providing you with multiple options to choose and compare with.

From the Buyers point of view: The buyer gets to choose from many properties available online. You can simply go through the many options available, pick out the suitable ones and compare and shortlist the best one.
From the Seller/agents point of view: The agent displays all it has to the online buyers. The scope of customers is wide and so the agent has many options. In certain cases, since the price is negotiable, the dealer can compare among the customers and sell the property to the customer paying a higher amount.

Easy Accessibility:
If you go purchasing property the traditional way, you first need to find a Property dealer, pay him a commission and coordinate with him on checking out the property. The online Real Estate has simplified this process to a great extent.

Buyers point of view: the buyer needs nothing except an internet connection to access an online real estate website. He does not need to pay any access charges; however, a certain access amount might need to be paid for accessing a few more features.
Seller/agents point of view: The agent needs to pay a sum of money for posting their properties for sale on the vendors website. However, a few services are always provided for free.

In todays world time is money. Nobody has spare time for even the basic things in life. We are so busy running our own races. In such times, online portals serve as a savior. They are so efficient and effective, cutting down the legwork and providing us with super awesome results that we want everything online.

Like everything else, purchasing a property is a task in itself, now simplified by Online Real Estate Services. So why would you waste your time anywhere else? Go shop Online. Few of the many reasons are stated above as to why Online Real Estate Services are gaining popularity.

The RealHello Kitty Story

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Checking Out the Hello Kitty Story

Hello Kitty is the name given to a simple cartoon character developed by the Japanese company Sanrio and which has developed into a global, political and cultural icon since its inception in 1974. The line-drawn Hello Kitty cat burst onto the scene in a line of greeting cards created by the company but soon spread like wildfire as Japanese consumers everywhere embraced the gently drawn feline art character. Soon a whole line of merchandise displaying Hello Kitty emerged, featuring dolls, shirts, toys, school supplies, vacuum cleaners, home appliances and much more. Within a few years the Hello Kitty icon was splashed all over Japan and then quickly entered the global marketplace.

Commercialization of the Hello Kitty concept expanded to major product lines and franchises. Taiwan-based Eva Air emblazoned Hello Kitty on their airlines and their ticketing materials. In the year 2000 McDonald's in Singapore began giving away Hello Kitty dolls with their Value meals, and generated such a mad dash of customers eager to get their hands on the product that riots ensued, a wildly successful product craze not seen since the early days of the Cabbage Patch phenomenon here in the United States. Sanrio expanded on the commercial success of the Hello Kitty product line by creating the Sanrio Puroland theme park based in Tama New Town, Tokyo Japan. Like a Japanese version of Disney World, the theme park features all of the usual attractions, restaurants, rides that one would expect, except with Hello Kitty replacing Mickey Mouse.

As with all mass market concept product crazes, some people might be left wondering how such a simple character as the Hello Kitty character could hold such an appeal to so many people. There is nothing spectacular about the story line of the Helly Kitty character. Here complete name is Kitty White, and she dwells with her parents and her sister Mimmy in London, England. However, the story line does not seem to be the real appeal-it's the abstraction of the character. Hello Kitty is not an embellished character in any way, and so people of all cultures and age group can effectively read into her whatever they want.

Japanese fascination with cartoons extends into adult life, and so it's not uncommon for a magical character to hold a spell over an entire population of people regardless of their age. The Japanese are a highly visual culture, and the Hello Kitty character plays into that aspect of their society quite well. Because Kitty is such a simple visual expression of an idea, she catches on quickly with people of all educational and ethnic backgrounds.

It is this aspect of the Hello Kitty phenomenon that lends itself easily to transforming it into an icon or a mascot representing a group's values or ideals. In this sense, it is no surprise that non-profit organizations have adopted Hello Kitty as the emblem of their organization's culture and philosophy. For example, Hello Kitty earned the award UNICEF Special Friend of Children and in Hello Kitty in 2008 was named ambassador of Japanese tourism in Hong Kong and China.

Hello Kitty has commercial admirers as well. The pop singer Mariah Carey famously decorated the rooms of her house with Hello Kitty curtains. Ms. Carey also collects the Hello Kitty products, a fascination that she shares with Drew Barrymore and the Hello Kitty picture has appeared on the album cover of Lisa Loeb.

Commercial fads seem to come and go, but there is a reason for Hello Kitty's enduring success. The charming, simple smile and the positive optimism radiated by this cartoon character seems to reach into the psyche of a critical mass of people, who in their own way interpret her subjectively in the light of their own culture and values. Because of this, it is not likely that the Hello Kitty phenomenon will disappear anytime soon, and Sanrio will continue to do well selling this commercial concept.

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The Real Beauty of Collage Picture Frames

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If you have a lot of pictures that you want to display but not enough picture frames or wall space to display them you should consider using collage picture frames. Collage picture frames are a versatile and economical way to display a variety of photos all in one frame. With multiple size openings, you can organize and beautifully display different sized photos without having to buy a bunch of individual picture frames. With collage picture frames, there are primarily two types of collage frames:

1. Matted collage picture frames 2. Standard collage picture frames

Each type comes in an assortment of sizes, shapes, and colors and has its own unique benefits. But in order to choose the right collage frame every time, you need to understand the differences between matted collage frames vs. standard collage frames.

Matted Collage Picture Frames

Matted picture frames are much more versatile than standard collage picture frames. They come with mats that have multiple openings in varying shapes and sizes. These frames offer a more casual look and let you easily display a wide range of photos in different sizes and shapes all in one frame. Mats also give you the option to completely change your photo layout simply by changing to a different mat.

Normally, mats and collage frames come together as a set however you can buy them separately if you want. This gives you the freedom to select any large picture frame you like and a mat with the color and different openings you want. With a matted collage picture frame you can create any look you want in whatever picture shapes and sizes you desire.

One thing to remember with matted collage frames is that your pictures will need to be secured. There are a couple of ways to do this however, the best choices for securing your photos without damaging them are linen tape or photo corners. If your photos can be easily replaced and you don't care about them getting damaged, then you can use a matte or transparent adhesive tape like 3M's Scotch Tape. Just keep in mind that you do this at your own risk and when in doubt you should use photo corners or photo linen tape.

Standard Collage Picture Frames

Standard collage picture frames on the other hand, have a more decorative and formal look because they have a metal or wood frame acting as the photo divider. These frames have a framed opening for each photo so they have a more formal look that's great for an office or home display. Standard collage frames come with either several framed openings within one large frame or as a group of smaller frames attached to one another.

They come in a wide selection of sizes and can be used as wall picture frames or can be displayed on a table top surface. One thing to remember with the standard collage frame is that the photo openings are fixed so you cannot change the size or shape of the openings unlike the matted collage frame.

Collage frames are truly the perfect way to display a lot of pictures for the best price. And, if youre looking for a unique gift a collage frame filled with pictures from a memorable event makes a treasured gift. So for a fun and inexpensive way to share your favorite memories, try using a collage frame and youll be happy you did.

The Purpose and Pervasiveness of Promotional Products

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Promotional products are intended to carry a brand message to a wide audience through word of mouth. By providing an everyday, practical use, they function as a possible conversation piece that can increase peoples awareness of a particular business.
Promotional products are everyday objects that feature a brand or logo and the contact information of some business or organization. They are typically given away for free, with the intent of spreading a brand message by word of mouth and increasing peoples awareness of a particular business. Promotional products are often used in guerrilla marketing campaigns.

Guerrilla marketing is a sub-branch of marketing that attempts to capture peoples attention and spread positive information about a brand or business through word of mouth. The concept was first described in 1984 by Jay Conrad Levinson. It has since spread, much like the concept it describes, in a viral fashion. Promotional products come into play as objects that deliver a message. It is important that the objects have some practical value as well as the sign content of a logo or brand image. It is the combination of image and a practical, everyday object that allows the message to spread.

That spread is known as buzz, which can be considered a metaphor for the communication inside of a swarm of bees. The key is horizontal or grass roots distribution of the brand message. Forming an emotional bond with the message is usually a goal of brand marketing. Guerrilla marketing may involve presenting promotional products to people in an unusual place or situation. Images, commodities, and the creation of situations comes together in a way that builds a social relationship between objects and an product-oriented relationship among people.

Products for the purpose of promotion were originally intended to be used by small businesses and entrepreneurs; however, as guerrilla marketing grew in popularity, fulfilling the strategy it ultimately describes, it has come to be used by businesses of all sizes. Corporate marketing strategy, which has made some brand images recognizable the world over, has latched on to the concept of creating localized grass roots buzz about their brands.

The internet has played a role in this spread, which is congruent with the idea that guerrilla marketing should take advantage of the current technological innovations, especially those in the communication industries. We are now at a time in which viral marketing and product placement are the norm online, and it has become difficult to tell the difference between word of mouth that actually originates from the ground up, and those that are planned, corporate marketing campaigns.

Promotional products were originally centered around the Christmas season, but as urban centers grew more multicultural and multi-religious in the twentieth century, corporate brands had to appeal to a wider audience. At the same time, a product-based culture is bound to continually cross boundaries of time, always maximizing the amount of available attention time of the consumer population.

These trends, combined with the ever-increasing range of commodities in production, has resulted in an explosion of promotional products in the everyday life of twenty-first century civilization. Now, people can go online to their favorite social networking site and proclaim their identification with an ever-growing array of brands and products.

Branded objects have a wide variety of uses centered around spreading a specific piece of information combined with a sense of identification with the brand on the part of the consumer. They can be used in political campaigns or to sell the basic commodities that occupy our time, both as objects of use, and as the objects of our attention and conversations.

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The Power of Your Self-image and How to Improve it for a Fulfilling Life

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I have been reading a book that I first read over 40 years ago. The book is called, Psychcybernetics, which was written by Maxwell Maltz in 1960. This book contained major breakthrough information at the time it was published and it continues to sell through word of mouth. Used copies are still available for two or three dollars.

What is so significant about this book? Dr. Maltz was a Plastic Surgeon who improved the physical appearance of thousands of people, especially those with deformities. Some of these people experienced major personality transformations following surgery. Others felt no different about themselves, even though photos revealed major improvements. Why? Because their self-image did not change. For example, some people who felt ugly before surgery still considered themselves unattractive after major improvements were made to their appearance. Dr. Maltz realized that our self-image or the picture of how we see ourselves is extremely important.

The bad news is that our self-image defines and limits what we will achieve in life. We cannot consistently outperform what we believe to be true about ourselves. Our self-image determines our degree of happiness and fulfillment, success in relationships, and our career accomplishments and satisfaction. It also impacts our physical, emotional, and mental health.

The good news is we can change and improve our self-image. Dr. Maltz concluded that 90% of the population could use at least some improvement of their self-image. His book provides practical exercises for improving one's self-image and for managing our inner critic. As our self-image improves, so does our self-confidence and self-esteem, which are important for any type of success in life. A strong and healthy picture of ourselves helps us to overcome many self-imposed limitations and beliefs.

Our inner critic is a major obstacle to experiencing a successful and fulfilling life. All of us hear the voice of this critic at times. It takes the form of inner dialog and negative self-talk. This is the voice that says, " You can't do it" or "You are not worthy of achieving your dreams".

As we strengthen and improve our self-image, we also diminish the power of our inner critic. This helps us to overcome our resistance (which is often at a sub-conscious level) to achieving our dreams. As our self-worth increases our limiting beliefs are changed into positive beliefs. We start believing in our worthiness and great potential.

What is something practical that we can do to enhance our self-image? Dr. Maltz advised people to go into the theater of their mind each day and play mental movies. Visualize yourself sitting in a theater looking at a large white screen. Then see yourself on the screen acting and feeling like the person you want to be. Also replay movies of yourself experiencing past successes. Our self-image is influenced more by pictures than words.

We become what we consistently contemplate upon. By frequently reliving your success experiences you reinforce an image of yourself as a successful person. Also, when you play mental movies of yourself acting as the person you want to become, you begin to see yourself in that way. We behave like the person we believe ourselves to be. When you enhance your self-image, your life improves from inside-out. This is one of the great secrets for finding happiness and fulfillment.

Copyright 2007. Raymond Gerson

The Power of Word Pictures

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Today is Wednesday, June the 26th, 2008. It is the last full day of our vacation in Yachats, pronounced "ya-hahts".

This amazing place was named after the Yachats Native Americans who were hunters and gathers in the 1500's. There are several translations of the word, but the one I appreciate the most truly characterizes the environment here: "as far as you can go along the beach."

I am in our living room, nestled up in the lounge chair, looking at the omnipresent ocean through our panoramic view windows. The sky is cloudy at 7:30A.M., with streaks of power blue on the horizon, hinting of a possible clearing.

Ocean waters appear foamy, grayish-white, but they play surf music with wave cymbals and splash drums. Sometimes they erupt into blow-hole spectacularsactually shooting spray twenty or more feet into the air between the volcanic rock fingers.

I have no idea what I will write about today. And you know what? That's okay. I will just let it flow; but I do want to provide more advice to aspiring writers, and some energetic support to all who delight in the healing power of words.

First idea, I think writers should capture images that inspire and connect emotionally with the reader. For example, the last two sunsets here were an almost out-of-body experience for me. We can all relate to sunsets, right?

Along these lines, I recall the sun sphere presented its magical illusion of disappearing into the ocean horizon. The sky became a radiant portrait of pastel colored ribbons, gleaming with flame red, tangerine, soft pink, and all shades in between.

Such a vision was accompanied by a sea chorus, singing to all of us about the mystery and wonder of life.

Next idea, I suggest writers read their material out loud. The sound of words casts a rhythm of sentences, which comfort, inspire, and reveal pathways to better stories. Or, they can even point the way to emotional healing.

To illustrate this, I remember the hike I took yesterday with our son Jason and our 14-year-old granddaughter, Kaidyn. I experienced considerable comfort and pleasure from reading out loud the following passages:

We started at a place called Cape Perpetua, high in the mountains off the Highway 101 South, heading out of Yachats towards the quaint town of Florence. The ocean view from the roadside observation station was enough to take our breath away.

In the distance was the pine tree covered peninsula that formed one arm of the U-shaped bay. Pulsating, whitecap waves, in parallel lines rolled endlessly up and over the volcanic rock slabs below. The rocks appeared to look like gigantic, distorted, black and white checkerboard squares.

This scene compelled us to move down the hilly hiking trail, which descended through ferns and Queen Annes Lace fauna to explore the rock formations at the oceans' edge. These ancient protrusions, we soon discovered, kept hidden wondrous tide pools, stocked with fishy sea smells of anemones, multicolored star fish, and purple and pink sea urchins.

We laughed and shouted to each other when making new discoveries, played out against a background of surf timpani and blow-hole eruptions. The water spray, sea energy, and excitement underscored the incalculable value of family love, and the awesome glory of life itself.

Last idea, whether you are a writer or not, I can't emphasize enough the importance of slowing down to stop and breathe. When you live more in the moment, your positive inner voice will guide you to achieve whatever you seekpublished books or healthy lives.

I believe we move too fast in American culture, or we just numb ourselves out with mind altering behaviors, distractions, and electronic devices. Let me share with you how I slowed down on my vacation.

At 10:30A.M this morning, the clouds had moved out, the sun is gloriously back, framing the sky with a collage of deep blue, power blue, and pale pinks on the ocean horizon. I walked outside to the grassy cliff behind our rental home, and simply paused to listen.

I became aware of the sea concert carried on a salty, windy breeze that embraced all of my senses. I assumed the crouching Tai Chi position, took a deep breath for three seconds, exhaled slowly for six; and floated my arms up like the extended wings of a great swan.

As I went through my healing ritual of breathing, stretching, dancing, and affirmations, I noticed my son and granddaughter observing me through the windows. They were laughing and copying my various closed-hand prayer positions. I smiled back, gave them a thumbs up, and finished the process of standing still in the blessed moment of the now.

Oh yes, the message (my inner voice spoke to me) was about the acceptance of humility and gratitude that comes from recording these precious moments; and the joy of sharing them with all who find comfort from a writer's word pictures.

The Power of Vision Boards

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Vision boards have transformed the lives of celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Oprah Winfrey and they have the power to transform your life too. They are a modern manifestation method combining concepts taken from creative hobbies like scrapbooking with motivational mind-mapping and brand development techniques used by marketeers. A vision board is quite literally a collage of pictures, phrases, poems and quotes visually represent what you would like to experience more of in your life. An increasing number of Hollywood celebrities, Olympic athletes, television personalities and top motivational speakers have started to share how vision boards help sustain their success. Vision Boards are fast being recognised as more than just a bit of creative fun, and credited by leaders of our time a powerful tool for transformation. From Barack Obamas Campaign Manager to Olympian Rueben Gonzalez vision boards are helping millions of people worldwide to manifest their dreams.

But vision boards dont work for everyone. This is because most people make the mistake of beginning a board without first connecting to their inner wisdom. The result is a board filled with images and words that arent aligned to their authentic desires. If a vision board only contains pictures of what the ego thinks it wants then it wont be effective. For a vision board to attract like a magnet it is important for it to be created with gratitude, positive intention, self-acceptance and a sense of flow. In order to begin the process relax your body, and mind and turn your attention within.

If you find yourself predominantly being drawn towards images of items youd like to own, then its probably your ego creating a shopping list, rather than your soul expressing its fullest vision for yourself. A simple way to escape your ego is to ask yourself what more would I want? every time you run into something that feels like it comes from outside of yourself or represents someone elses dream goal for you. Each time you ask yourself this question youll get closer and closer to the higher vision your heart holds for you.

The pictures you stick on your board may come from things in your outside environment like magazines and brochures, but you need your inner navigation system to guide you intuitively to the images and phrases that will inspire you and ignite the power of your board. Let the feeling of happiness in your heart help you find pictures that mirror what youd most like to manifest in your life.

Another common vision board blunder is to create a collage crammed with wishful thinking rather than overflowing with belief that you can truly have whatever you put on your board. Before any images are selected and stuck down it is important to have cleared out any limiting beliefs that may stop you from believing you have the power to enjoy the presence of your desired experience, person, place or thing in your life. If you dont believe that you are entitled to or can bring about the things you placed on your board, then you will block them from coming to you. But if you release any negative thoughts and emotion, and create your board feeling inspired, excited and enthused, then your board will be super-charged with the positive energy of your true potential.

Once completed it is crucial to hang your board somewhere that you actively spend the majority of your day. Poor positioning is something can completely stifle vision board success. Many people create beautiful boards filled with inspiring images that celebrate their greatest vision for themselves, then hide the board in a cupboard or hang it up in a room they never use. For your board to truly bring abundant blessings it needs to be located at eye level in a space where it can be admired and appreciated regularly. The best place to hang your board is in your office or living room. The more time you spend with your board the more movement you will make toward your goals and the faster they will manifest into reality.

If youd like to start the new year with a new vision for a new you, then a vision board is a powerful way to take stock on where you are at in your life and reflect on what you would like to do differently during the year ahead. Follow these 7 Simple Steps and discover how to take time for yourself, let go of all the things that didnt work out in the past, acknowledge the powerful creator within you, align your vision with the life youd love to live and support yourself in stepping forward with confidence and clarity into 2011.

How to Create a Vision Board 7 Simple Steps

1. Board Basics Choose a large piece of card, poster board, cork board or canvas big enough to spaciously arrange your selected words and images so that they have plenty of space to grow about the size of a large newspaper opened out. Youll also need pens, scissors, glue or pins, sticky tape, current photograph of yourself, and a big pile of assorted magazines ask at your local hairdressers for spare magazines if you dont have any at home.

2. Prepare a Space Find somewhere quiet where you can be undisturbed and completely relaxed. Prepare a special space to work on your board. Gather all the materials you need together so that they are within easy reach. Do whatever it takes to make the space feel as comfortable and special as possible. Play some uplifting music without lyrics. Place a vase of fresh flowers in the area. Light a candle.

3. Mindset Magic Let go of anything you feel you should, ought to or must aspire towards. Give yourself permission to explore the things that you really want to welcome more of in your life.

Ask yourself the following questions:

What would I like to be, do or have in my life if I knew it was okay to have anything I wanted? If I knew I deserved it? If I had full support from others? If I knew I could succeed? If I had no fear? If I had abundant resources and all the time I needed?

4. Mission Statement Connect with your sense of purpose and write a mission statement to summarise what it is you want to manifest in your life. If you are uncertain of what your mission in life is, take yourself back to your memories of how you enjoyed spending time as a child. Often we expressed the essence of our life purpose in the things that intrigued and occupied us as children. Also in the dreams we had of what we wanted to do when we grew up.

Take three deep breaths, turn your focus inward and ask yourself what am I here to do. Notice what thoughts, feelings or sensations you get. Write your mission statement in the first person, e.g. I am an inspirational teacher, making a positive difference in the lives of underprivileged children. Underneath your mission statement write the things you will experience as you actualize this vision of yourself, e.g. I am happy and healthy. I have wonderful relationships. I experience abundance in all areas of my life. I enjoy giving and receiving love.

Write your mission statement accompanied by a current photo of yourself at the centre of your board.

5. Flick, Snip and Stick Have fun flicking through magazines for images and words that inspire you. Tear or cut out anything that jumps out at you and make a pile of clippings. When you feel you have enough images for begin your board, put the magazines to one side and sit for a few minutes sorting through your images. You dont need to know what the image represents for you at this stage. Simply focus on keeping all the images you love looking at and trust your intuition on any pictures that dont feel right. Sift through the pile so that only the images and words that really inspire you remain.

Then experiment by arranging all your other images on your board in whatever way feels good. Move them around until you are happy, then stick or fix them in place. There is no right or wrong way to secure your images. Some people like them to be easily changeable fixed with scotch tape or drawing pins. Others like them to be pasted down with glue and varnished for a professional looking finish. Trust your gut feeling. The important thing is to arrange your images with plenty of space in between, so that you send out a message to the universe that you are always open to receiving more!

6. Position with Pride Proudly display your board somewhere in your home or office where you are most active during the day and will see it regularly (even if this is from your peripheral vision). Position it at eye level in a space that is in alignment with your vision i.e. not above your toilet or inside a cupboard! Ensure the space around your board supports your vision, clear away any clutter or things that dont reflect the words and images on your board.

7. Ongoing Process Allow your vision board to be a continuously moving creation with room to add more images as your ideas develop and change. Whenever you bring something on your board into being celebrate and express gratitude for this success :) pop a little smiley face next to the word or image, make a tick mark or write thank you!.

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If youd like to start 2011 with a vision board aligned with your highest vision for the year ahead a why not join Power-Up Your Year The ULTIMATE Vision Board Workshop on Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th January at the gorgeous 4* Lensbury Hotel & Spa, nestled in leafy Teddington right on the banks of the River Thames. Within easy reach of London Waterloo, M25 & M3. Visit www.visionboardworkshop.co.uk for more information.

The Power of Positive Images

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Images are all around us. We see them in the media, in nature, and in our own minds. The images in our head correlate to an emotion and can rule what we say, how we behave, and our thoughts.

Some images connote the negative; others the positive. Each image plays a significant role in our well-being that feeds our sense of harmony and balance with the world.

So how do we change negative images to positive ones? And are we safe in only having positive images as our guide?

First, lets examine what images we have stored in our computer brains. This seems simple enough, but make sure your list includes those images that may be associated with discomfort or pain.

Next, try the following exercise using your first impulse for an image to pop into your thoughts. Write down the image and its associated emotion or word, like happy, sad, scared, pleasant, unpleasant, soft, hard, kind, harsh, beautiful, uglyyou get the picture!

Here are mine:

When I say beautiful, my image is of a sunset on the beach. My feeling is one of hope.
For sad, I see a lost child crying for his or her mother. I feel loss and abandonment.
For kind, I see someone helping another across the street. I feel safe
For soft, I see billowy clouds in the sky. I feel light and uplifted.

Images are powerful and can change your state of mind. Use them when you are tired, scared, or unmotivated. They can shift your level of energy.

Consider this imaging exercise instead of doing a cross-word puzzle, computer game, or other mental exercise. You may discover a deeper understanding of who you are and why your emotions are so critical to your actions. To add some fun, get out your crayons or colored pencils and draw the images. When I do this, I feel like I am in kindergarten again!

Now lets look at examining unpleasant images like those associated with fear, sadness, and emptiness. When I say the word fear, I see an image of me standing at the edge of a cliff with the wind blowing. After I have had enough of that image (WHEW), I change it to an image of walking away from the edge with a circle of people all around me. The alternative image certainly makes me feel loved, accepted and safe.

You can change negative images in this way to help you release the stuck pictures of the past. Sometimes these images are so strong, that you can not change them on our own. Thats when you call in the professional troops to help you.

But in so many cases, you can use positive images to help you stay positive and to transform the old negative images of the past. There is so much you can do to help yourself. Images can heal. You have more tools in your toolbox than you realize. Its time to get them out of the box and use them!

The Origin Of Ancient Tapestries

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For the most part large size looms have been used to weave tapestries on. A good amount of types of threads have been used to create laces like gold, silk and silver threads weaving different pictures of subjects plus those of the peasant scenes after Teniers, Biblical history, mythology, etc. Tapestries have been used as wall hangings yet unlike needlework, it was woven on a loom. It was also made in levels much larger than would generally be used in hand-stitched embroidery; tapestry panels ranging from ten or twelve feet in height and twenty feet long are rather typical. The main medium was wool, but in special models silk was moreover used. In some of the finest works the use of gold and silver can be seen. The main center of tapestry weaving from the year 1500 has been Brussels. But the outputs during the years have enormously varied in quality. Biblical and Roman history, peasant, mythology and scenes ensuing Teniers were some of the subjects. Several seventeenth-and eighteenth-century works are let down by the reality that over the years a murky brownish image has faded their red dyes. Brussels tapestries usually own a mark with a shield with the letter 'B' on either side.

At times weavers add their names or initials, in the work. There were two critical factories in France. Both the Gobelins and Beauvais were established in the second half of the seventeenth century. Though the former was a private worry with State support, the latter was a Royal factory and it was only in the late eighteenth century when one could buy any of its productions. Though both did work of the highest quality, Beauvais was generally well-known for a chain of panels established on the Fables of La Fontaine, and for a large amount of sets of settee covers and chairs. The former was also produced at Gobelins, where approximately 1775 they made beautiful and model sets of furniture covers and matching wall hangings.

Example of these types of decorative harmony is to be seen in a room constructued by Robert Adam, remains at Osterley Park, near London. A set of furniture (shorn of its wall-hangings but even now intact Gobelins covers) made for Moor Park in Hertfordshire, is housed in the Museum of Art in Philadelphia. A good deal of of these rich ensembles are intact even now, but a collection of tapestries that had been made for a store at Croome Park in Warwickshire has been sold off for a sum of 50,000, and is now seen in the New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Once again in France at Aubusson, tapestry panels, chair covers and also tapestry carpets were produced. Most of the output belongs to the nineteenth century, despite the pattern of work is similar to an earlier era. Philip and Michael Wauters, supplying to international markets, they wove their tapestry in Antwerp. Works popularized by additional plants were copied here with accomplishment, these Flemish tapestries were also at times confused with the English productions they copied. Brussels was the center head of tapestry weaving.

The Mystique of the Dominant Woman -Addiction to Pain

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A number of years ago, in conjunction with my work with treating sexual addiction, a number of masochistic or submissive men began to come to me for help. The clients I saw did not seem immature or inferior. In fact, the reverse seemed to be true. They were successful by social standards: professionally, emotionally, and culturally, in marriages or out. They were frequently individuals of inner strength of character, possessed of strong coping skills and an ethical sense of individual responsibility.

I was initially at a loss. From these men came stories of contracting to be whipped, caned, verbally humiliated and more by a professional dominatrix. From these men came stories of having the dominatrix put a catheter up their penises, a procedure that is excruciatingly painful. More followed. The usual canning and whipping by an attractive young woman garbed in the traditional black leather garb, garter belts, spike high heels and wielding the ever-phallic whip. Over the years, the stories ensued: the cock-and ball torture, the hot, dripping wax on naked skin, the diaper fetishist who wants the Dom to be the babysitter; the writer who handcuffed himself to the radiator and had the Dom put safety pins in his anus; the man who wore a ribbon around his penis and, at the behest of the Dom, ate her birthday cake out of a dog bowl; the very heterosexual man who was obsessed with penises; the fellow whos dominant fantasy was to be a human toilet; wrestling fetishes with a strong woman who bests them; the business man who required extensive verbal humiliation prior to having the Dom put his head in the toilet.

A client of mine once called me nave. Didnt I know that there were probably 25 dungeons within a five-block radius of my 40th Street office? Dungeons? You mean like bats and rocks and dripping water? No, it seems, in luxury apartment complexes where the Dominatrix will have a special room for her torture and play.

The internet has fast blossomed to become the hottest sex show in town. A single dominatrix website offers thousands of eager ladies offering their fare. And there are hundreds of sites. If demand equals supply, it would seem that the search for the right dominatrix is a part of a significant number of American men. Is this condition of submitting fully to another may counter lives that, in our Western society are ego- centered, constrained, rational and competitive. Masculinity can be a burden.

I thought of the quantity of guys who leave for their lunch break, see the Dom, get the be-Jesus beat out of them and return, relaxed and focused, to take up their afternoon work assignments, and then go home to the wife and kids.

Does any of this even resemble sex? Is there an orgasm in this picture? How it is that humiliation and/or excruciating physical pain is the exclusive sexual delight for so many unfortunate fellows? And who is this dominatrix figure who yields such power (at $250 a throw, much more than my hourly fee!) what DOES she represent? How is it that my clients consistently seek for her, find her but are continually disappointed and disillusioned at the end of the session?

I wasnt the only one who was confused. One client who, giving me a written masochistic fantasy after months of therapy, said, Here it is. This is what I came to therapy for. Its terrible. Its sick. Its wonderful. I hate it; its my favorite fantasy. I cant stand it, I love it. Its disgusting. I dont want to stop it.

Viewed from the perspective of what I knew about the nature of the individual self, masochism puzzled me by flying in the face of everything rational about the nature of the human personality. People want to be happy and avoid pain and suffering. They seek to maintain and increase their control over themselves and their surroundings. And they desire to maintain and increase their prestige, respect, and esteem. Viewed from the perspective of these principles about the self, masochism/submission is a startling paradox. The self is developed to avoid pain, but masochists seek pain. The self strives for control, but the submissive seek to relinquish control. The self aims to maximize its esteem, but masochists/submissive deliberately seek out humiliation.

Why is it that so many shame-filled and desperate men scurry to the dungeons and dominatrix sites, longing to be dominated, hurt, tortured and humiliated by strong, dominant women? What is the basis of this compelling urge to surrender and serve, to relinquish control, to accept physical pain and emotional humiliation?

I began to see masochism and submission as a metaphor through which the psyche speaks of its suffering and passion. The connection between suffering and pleasure continued to intrigue me. Clients spoke of the rapturous delight in submission, the worship, in wild abandon and the deliverance from the defining bondage of normalcy.

Ritualized suffering seems to be a way they have of giving meaning and value to human infirmities. After all, there is no lack of suffering in human life. None of us need go looking for pain. The suffering of helplessness, disappointment, loss, powerlessness and limitation, is part of the human condition. This passionate longing to surrender and suffer comes into play in masochism. Submission, losing oneself to the power of the dominatrix, becoming enslaved to the Mistress is a defense against the displeasure of strong feelings of fear of being re-traumatized.

To understand the under workings of this phenomenon, we need to understand the role that the unconscious mind plays in driving behavior. Most of us vastly underestimate the scope of the unconscious mind. Here is an analogy that might give a better appreciation for its pervasive influence. In the daytime, we cant see the stars. We talk as if they come out at night, even though they are there all the time and we underestimate the sheer number of stars. In reality the hundreds of thousands of stars that we see on a clear moonless night are only a fraction of the stars in the universe. So it is with the unconscious mind: the orderly, logical thoughts of our conscious mind are but a thin veil over the unconscious, which is active and functioning at all times.

The unconscious mind holds the remnants of all of our childhood wishes and wounds. The unconscious knows no past; everything that happened years ago (including the frustrations, humiliations and anger of childhood) is still very much alive in our day-to-day lives.

The Dominatrix is a type of imago (Greek for image) that resides in the unconscious mind. She is the primary love object the one to be pleased through the ritualized act of offering up suffering. She is the one who can choose to give or withhold that which is most longed for be it discipline, punishment, humiliation, pain, teasing, foot worship, trampling or what have you. On the one hand, shes a fantasized vision of what they want a woman to be powerful, strong, dangerous, beautiful, in control, and sexual. The reality is that shes a dehumanized and debased object because the masochist uses her only to serve his narcissistic needs. Her humanity is reduced to the function she serves for the client.

Masochistic eroticism is completely divorced from loving a real other. It is a way of hating without risk. It is a technique of control. As master of the script, the submissive is no longer a victim: he can decide for himself when to suffer pain rather then having it strike without warning. Childhood trauma is converted into adult triumph. In the enactment with the Dom, the victim becomes the victor.

The sub/Dom torturous scenario is an attempt, repeated over and over, to undo childhood traumas and frustrations that threatened the development of ones sense of masculinity. What contributes to the sexual excitement are various factors: mystery, secrets, shame, risk, illusion, revenge, reversal of trauma or frustration to triumph. And all delectably stitched together into the final whole the surge of intense sexual excitement. Now the outcome is marvelous, for not only does one escape the threat of feeling the terror and powerlessness of the past, but immense sensual gratification is attached to the consummation.

Unfortunately, this intensity is hard to match when sexual gratification is associated with a real and loving person. Vanilla sex starts to seem boring and the significant other senses this lack of interest. The price paid in terms of marital satisfaction is significant.

In reality and in fantasies, the masochist/submissive builds his impregnable structure. His unconscious conflicts, torments and humiliations are enacted in his story line with its cast of characters, action, mise-en-scenes. The script is then taken to the Dom and experienced as living out his fantasies. He secretly invents himself as victor behind the unending suffering; he does not primarily enjoy pain but accepts it as a preliminary to some now- earned pleasure and the imagined love and acceptance of the Dom for enduring the suffering. He feels potent and victorious over his inner demons.

The masochist sets up only the appearance of being passive and victimized. In fact, he runs his own show. The scene is a staged repetition. A change or a disturbance of this masochistic ritual diminishes it value. It can even destroy it. It has to be kept as in ceremonies of the church. First this has to be done, then that: words have to be pronounced in a certain manner, and so on. All of these stage directions may appear to be haphazard, but within the ritual, there are recognizable meanings and connections. These scripts are the actualization of fantasies woven long ago in the pains of childhood.

The reason so many men experience disillusionment after a scene with a dominatrix is that no human being can ever get all the prerequisite details in exact place. Ever dissatisfied, he longs for and searches for the Dom who gets the fantasy in an exact fashion.

The ending of the session is his revenge for his childhood. The woman, so mysteriously powerful in childhood, is not able to overpower him; he proves it every time he puts on his clothes when the session ends and he pays his money hes the client; he pays the Dom for her services. Hes in control.

Unfortunately, the scenario must be repeated endlessly, compulsively, for perversion is nothing but a mental construction; a fantasy; it can never truly prove that he has won and can never provide sustained satisfaction. It does so only momentarily, and each time his life circumstances echo the original traumatic situation, he can mollify his anxiety only in repeating the scene whose very function is to reassure him that he is intact and in charge..

Another way to look at this dynamic is to see it as a reaction to narcissistic mortifications suffered in the past at the hands of parents, teachers, bullies on the playground, amongst other sources. We can define narcissistic mortification as a sudden loss of control over internal or external reality caused by the force of either internal or external enemies. The punishment sought by submissive/masochistic people has a humiliating meaning.

The person is attracted to being punished as a result of his own conscious decision. This is as opposed to earlier mortifications he which he may have been overwhelmed by a sense of powerless to do anything about the real or perceived humiliation. Thus, he is able to eliminate the memory of a childhood mortification imposed on him by someone else without his consent. He protects himself against a humiliation which was not ordered or provoked by him. In other words, the best defense against his terror of humiliation is self-humiliation.

Analysis of patients who have successfully dealt with these issues indicates of remorse. This remorse is eliminated by the acceptance of some punishment, by the restitution of some wrong committed. The problem with this strategy is feelings of guilt, remorse or shame that seek punishment and humiliation are not eliminated by the punishment the Dom dishes out because he has not faced and resolved the unconscious reasons for his behavior, and so is doomed to repeat the masochistic script endlessly. Rather than seeking resolution in therapy, he acts out for the sake of pleasure and release. Without resolution of the past, he is doomed to act out compulsively and without any resultant satisfaction.

At this point, the reader will forgive a foray into Freudian formulations. According to the debunked master, all perversions develop on the august day that the little boy discovers mommy doesnt have a penis. Could this happen to him? Could he become penis-less? This, combined with his desire to possess mommy and be a rival to daddy (who has a much bigger penis and so is a potent and dangerous rival) combine to produce castration anxiety, as well as guilt for the (repressed) incestuous wish toward the mother. (The Oedipal Complex) Ive witnessed the experience of castration anxiety in men who live with an underdeveloped sense of their masculinity. Perversion in all its aspects is, I think, an effort to shore up this sense of masculine inadequacy.

The attraction of the dominant woman is that she represents the phallic woman, a psychoanalytic term that describes the woman with a penis which allays castration fear. The Dom may wear a strap- on; her clothing and props are phallic symbols: high heels, whips, canes, the strong, aggressive leather attire, and certainly her domineering, controlling personality suggest a masculine attitude. A man who suffers from unconscious infantile conflicts about who has a penis and who doesnt and whether or not his place in the masculine world is secure can be tremendously reassured by a dominant woman, who represents the fact that mother has a penis after all and the dreaded threat to his masculinity will not occur.

Is there hope?

It takes tremendous courage for this population to come for treatment. They are emerged in shame and feel that no one would ever understand them. The biggest obstacle is the fear of letting go of the need for sexual intensity.

The whole process of treating these men is beyond the scope of this paper. Suffice it to say, they come in when the consequences of their behavior have become too painful: the considerable financial losses, the shame, the sense of not being an active agent in ones own life, the desire to know the sweet fulfillment of a stable, loving relationship that is marked by joyous, not shameful sex.

Recovery unfolds in three stages. The central task of the first stage is the establishment of safety. The central task of the second stage is remembrance and mourning. The central task of the third stage is reconnection with ordinary life and ordinary love.

The goal of treatment is not to eliminate the masochistic longings. Often, they are hard-wired from early childhood. But one can learn to be the master of ones own urges. Behavior can be separated from these urges. Ego-strength and self-esteem grows. He now knows that he is not alone and not doomed to suffer this condition indefinitely; he can expect to recover, as others have recovered. He can begin to sublimate some of his sexual energy into other interests, activities, goals and relationships. Sexuality begins to take its rightful place in the psyche, giving rise to intimate relationships wherein sex is something that is an act of joy and real connection,

The Most Delicious Japanese Knotweed Recipes

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Who would have thought that an invasive weed was so tasty? Well recent experimentation suggests Japanese knotweed is a tasty contender on the edible weed front and many top chefs in today's kitchen are now cooking up delicious recipes to serve to their customers.

As knotweed's taste is more commonly associated with that of rhubarb, it has a sensational sweet and delicious tang which makes puddings one of the top favourite recipes to make with the weed. One of the most common of these and easiest to make is the delectable Japanese knotweed crumble. Made from simple ingredients such as 50ml water, 100g caster sugar, 200g plain flour, 100g cold butter and 125g brown sugar, the combination of sweetness and softness from 500g's of Japanese knotweed plant, makes a wonderful desert after dinner.

Japanese knotweed crisp is also a popular quick and easy dish, similar to the crumble but much fruitier and slightly more mixed together. The recipe consists of 8 cups of Japanese knotweed pieces, 8 cups of strawberry pear and apple pieces mixed together with whole blueberries, 3 cups of oats, 3 teaspoons of vanilla, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1 1/2 grade C maple syrup. The dish is absolutely delicious and makes the perfect summer snack or winter dessert, although Japanese knotweed tastes best when in season. To compliment the dish, many people introduce cream or ice cream as a side accompaniment, however the tastiest ice cream is homemade and the most complimentary is claimed to be the blueberry maple kind. To make the blueberry maple ice cream you will need two cans of coconut milk, a handful of blueberries, maple syrup and a few drops of vanilla.

However, Japanese knotweed doesn't just need to be used in delicious deserts. To make a healthy and warm winter lunch with the plant is very simple. The recipe simply consists of four cups of vegetable broth, three and a half cups of Japanese knotweed and one cup of tofu cream cheese, the rest involves mixing the ingredients together.

There is also a delicious summer dish which involves a delicious combination of 8 cups of Japanese knotweed stalks, 3 tbs tamari soy sauce, 1 tbs chilli paste, 6 cloves of garlic crushed (less if desired) and 6tbs of sesame seeds toasted. Mix together all the ingredients except the sesame seeds and use these to decorate the dish after it is cooked for 20 minutes.

Delicious!

The Most Beautiful Wedding Flower Arrangements & Creative Celebration Ideas

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Flowers are beautiful. They have been used in marriages for many centuries as a way of showing admiration and well wishes to everyone. Flowers and plants were also used to make a crown for the bride and bridesmaids. They were considered a gift of nature and symbol of love. You must have seen Bridesmaids holding bridal bouquets, garlands, and boutonniere. Besides, wedding flowers are also used as the poesies to given to each guest as a symbol of thanks. Even in the 21st century, the flowers and their significance have stayed the same. Though, they have lost their importance in some cultures. But, a wedding ceremony is incomplete without a beautiful floral decoration. With the right usage of flowers, an ordinary place can be turned out into an exotic wedding place.

The bridal bouquet was made from wreaths worn around the heads of both the bride and groom. The garland was considered as a symbol of love & happiness. The bridal bouquet and the crowns were made of different flowers & leaves. Different flowers have different meanings. Small flower - nosegays were also kept beside every plate of the guests in presence at the dinner. Lets find more about popular wedding flower arrangement:

1. Bridal Bouquet

Flowers serve to make your wedding more colorful, memorable, and vibrant. But, there is no particular floral arrangement which is as individually special on weddings as the bridal bouquet itself. The wedding bouquet symbolizes the good luck and prosperity of the bride.

But, how will choose the right bridal bouquet for your wedding; let's find out:

Pick the Wedding Dress First

Since the bridal bouquet should match the wedding gown of brides, it is always recommended to finalize your dress first. The final color, design and other aspects of floral bouquet will depend on the color and style of your wedding gown. So, when you contact the online florist, don't forget to share the pictures of your dress or choose the bouquet that matches well with your dress.

Consider the Shape and Size of Your Bouquet

The bridal bouquet needs to emphasize the wedding dress, not cover it. Most brides choose the large bouquets. Nevertheless, if there is a beautiful detail work on your wedding gown, a large bouquet will cover it and diminish the purpose of carrying such a well-designed gown. You should also prefer something smaller and more dramatic, to give your wedding bouquet the wow factor youre wondering for.

Color Coordination

When it comes to choosing floral arrangements, color coordination is an important aspect that must be considered. For instance, whites & creams can be difficult to harmonize. It's vital to discuss the color with the florist while choosing the color scheme of your wedding bouquet.

Personalize Your Bouquet

The bridal bouquet is an important part of your wedding, and it must reveal your own style, tastes, and attitude. If there are some specific flowers that you prefer, coordinate with your florist to include them into the design of your bouquets design. Apart from the traditional history of the bridal bouquet, it focuses attention on the natural beauty of a bride on her special day. Personalizing the best bridal bouquet is not difficult, but it takes time. Discuss all the wedding planning stages with the florist and get a customized bouquet that best matches your preferences.

2. Wedding Corsages

Once you have made all the flower arrangement decisions for your wedding day, it is time to choose corsages for your special guests. Corsages are worn by mothers, grandmothers, and godmothers in weddings. Some families also prefer corsages for special guests at the ceremony. Most of the people forget about one of the most common and classic traditional parts: the corsage and boutonniere. For those who are choosing corsages the first time, the process would be a little confusing. What color should you pick? And, when should you get it? Lets find out:

Determine a color scheme:

Ask your partner if she has any preferred colors, and finalize a few colors you both love to design your outfits around. With this consideration, you can find a corsage that will perfectly fit your outfits. You may also pick a color scheme according to the seasons.

Choose Flowers:

Some of the most preferred corsage flowers are rose and carnation. Most brides also choose a mixed flowers which are consistent with their wedding blossoms. Another way is to match the corsage flowers to the attire that grandmothers and mothers are wearing.

Orchid
White Rose
Pink Gerbera Daisy
Purple Dendrobium
Purple Phalaenopsis Orchid

Once you have chosen the flowers for your corsages, you need to finalize coordinating boutonnieres for fathers and grandfathers. Grooms can choose a boutonniere that matches the color or style of the bridal bouquet. Rose and calla lily the widely-preferred choice for corsages. You can try a small bunch of greenery for a rustic wedding.

3. Wedding Table Arrangements

Apart from floral bouquets and boutonnieres, Flowers are also used to make centerpieces. It is a decorative piece that adds extras decorations to any ordinary room, hall, party, and boring wedding setting. A dinner decoration is incomplete without a centerpiece made of colorful flowers. Whether its an anniversary celebration or a well-arranged destination wedding, the centerpiece is something that needs to be arranged well. You need to consider several important things when choosing flower centerpieces for your wedding, such as:

Finalize Your Budget

Once you know how many tables do you need at your wedding venue including reception, buffet and decorative tables, you can figure out how many centerpieces you will require. You can find a large number of table arrangements online, choose the right one as per your budget and needs.

Venue Restrictions

It's vital to see your venues rules and regulations before making any big decision regarding centerpieces. Most hotels & facilities have restrictions on breakable glass or specific allergens. Checking for these limits earlier will counter the last minute blunder from happening. Some places also have regulations about who can set up and clean up. You must keep in mind all those rules while choosing centerpieces and table arrangements.

Table Shape

The shape of the table should be another significant thing that you must consider while deciding on centerpieces. If your venue has roundtables, you must choose round centerpieces that will look wonderful. Round or square centerpieces look perfect with the square tables. When you choose oval or rectangular tables, you get more space to play with. If you pick bouquets of different heights, you will have an aesthetically pleasing effect while having more room to play with color and shape. For the buffet or reception tables, you can go with the taller floral arrangements.

Lighting

The lighting of the wedding area should also be considered while designing the centerpieces. If the place is dimly lit, you should prefer adding candles with flowers. For inadequately lit areas, you need color. But, its recommended to go with deeper shades or jewel tones than pastels. A pale pastel or white with a few brightly colored flowers will look marvelous.

4. The Most Beautiful Wedding Flowers

Just, imagine yourself walking through a splendid garden with every bloom at its peak. Which one will you choose for your wedding? The colorful? The most common? The rarest? If you are getting confused choosing the best flowers from the wide range of varieties available, check out some of the best wedding flowers listed below:

Rose

Who doesn't admire Rose? It is known as a symbol of beauty and love; associated with many myths and fairy tales. Famous authors and poets have adopted the flower as a representative of beauty, passion,  emotion, and true love. When it comes to classic wedding settings, rose is the most popular option, Available in different colors and bicolor varieties; a centerpiece and bouquet made of roses can completely change the feel of any place.

Tulip

Tulip is a meaningful wedding choice that represents "happy years" and "consuming love". It is available in a comprehensive range of colors such as white, cream, pink, peach, yellow, magenta, purple, and red. Available throughout the year, you can find tulips at a very affordable, price. The versatile tulip can intensify casual venues and any type of wedding settings. Tulips are widely used to create bouquets, boutonnieres, and table arrangements.

Lily

Lily signifies elegance and magnificent beauty, making it an ideal flower for floral wedding arrangements. Comes with a smooth stem and in bright colors, the tulip is suitable for presentation-style bouquets and tall arrangements. Its miniature version is perfect for boutonnieres and nosegays. Lilies are also available in orange, mauve-pink, yellow, and dark purple.

Hydrangeas

Available in bright colors of pink, blue, green, burgundy, and purple; hydrangea represents "vanity" in the language of flowers. With a long stem and big bushy head; Hydrangeas is another popular option used to make wedding flower arrangements and bouquets.

Peony

The peony comes with a large full head which makes it more beautiful and unique. A bouquet made of peonies look gorgeous and perfect for weddings. Peonies are also widely used to make wonderful centerpieces and arrangements.

5. Creative Ideas that can Make Your Wedding More Special

Your marriage should be as special as you are. A wedding day is a festival of two individuals choosing to commit to each other. Its the conclusion of months of planning, hopes, and ideas. That's why its so essential that you have the wedding which is unique and fun. So, the wedding is an essential part of everyone's life. Most brides and grooms strongly desire an amazingly decorated wedding ceremony. We have listed some of the creative wedding decoration ideas that you should consider. Let's have a look:

A DIY Flower Station

Let your guests feel that it's not just the wedding party which is special to you by making everyone look great with their own boutonniere or corsage. Ask your wedding planner or florist to set up flower station and use some sturdy blooms such as mums or spray roses.

A Luxe Reception Lounge

You must give your guests a comfortable place to rest between dance breaks by making a lounge area at your wedding destination. You can decorate this space with a different type of flowers. Don't forget to fill the area with chairs, couches and plenty of cushions to sink into. It's an ideal way to keep everyone involved the party even when they're relaxing. Besides, you can hide the space with curtains to make a VIP vibe.

6. Guest Transportation

If you're wondering to shuttle your guests from hotels to the reception, don't forget to make the journey fun by engaging some cool mass transportation. You can choose hot air balloon ride and take your wedding transportation to a new level. Or, if it suits your wedding style and budget, you can make it more innovative with some yellow school buses; sounds strange works perfectly. Don't forget to decorate the buses with flowers.  And for additional flair, personalize the ride by playing fun music or adding a sign that shows, " Keisha and Harris's wedding".

7. A First-Dance Confetti Drop

You & your partner's first dance should be one of the highlights of your wedding. So, you must add a special touch to boost the entertainment factor. If you are going to dance on a slow and romantic song, then have fresh flower petals rather than confetti fell from the ceiling. Your wedding planner and local florist can work together to let this happen.

Upgraded Welcome Bags

Make your friends, relatives, and other guests feel like VIPs with creative welcome bags with a red rose. Customize tote bags is another ideal welcome gift for the guests. Also, add a person "Welcome!" note for your guests.

A Decked-Out Entryway

You don't need to spend a huge amount of money on an expensive Entryway. Simply, decorate your entrance with some fresh flowers. You can keep perfectly-designed flower arrangements to the escort card table to make a modern seating chart display.

A Show-Stopping Ceremony Exit

If you do it right, your function exit will be one of the most amazingly photographed moments of your wedding. You can jazz up the exit by passing out the rose petals, birdseed, colorful confetti, beach balls, and lavender buds for every person to toss your way.

Hang Your Flowers

If you want to create an intimate space for your guest, then you can hang flowers a few feet above the dinner plates. It is a unique idea that will make your wedding look more creative and beautiful

Use Table Lamps

Enhance the beauty of your weddings by placing reception table lamps. You can also use flowers or greenery together to hide cords and make the tables look more pleasant.

Rent Colored Glassware

If you are placing centerpieces in your theme-based wedding, then you can also use colored glassware to make your tables pop and look extraordinary. Fresh flowers kept in a simple vase always look beautiful and go well with your wedding tables.

When it comes to choosing creative weddings idea, there are no limits. You can celebrate your wedding and decorate the place in different ways. And, flowers can add a wow factor to it. Always choose the fresh flowers and book the flowers online in advance. Make sure the online florist deliver the flowers to your wedding destination.

Enjoy the Wedding

There are a lot of considerations that must be taken into account while choosing flowers for your upcoming wedding. In the end, you need to make sure that everything coordinates and suits your theme or wedding style. So, dont get too mad about restricting yourself, just decorate the place with fresh flowers and have fun.

Hope this article will help you pick the best flower arrangements and celebrate your wedding in the best way possible. Today, most people prefer ordering flower bouquets online and getting delivered it to their doorstep.

The Media Does The Mainstream Media Use Pictures Of Children And Animals To Manipulate People

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If someone has the tendency to buy a newspaper, they will have probably seen a picture of a child on the front cover at least once. And even if one simply looks at the front covers of newspapers and doesnt buy them, they may also have had the same experience.

Just a Picture

There is the chance that one hasnt really thought about this before but, even if they have, it might not have had much of an effect on them. As far as they are concerned, this might not be any different to having a picture of a celebrity on the front, for instance.

If this is the case, it could show that seeing a picture of the front page of a paper is something they have become accustomed to. Perhaps the children that they have seen have still been alive.

Drawn In

Conversely, one may remember seeing a child on the front and experiencing an emotional reaction soon after. This could have been a child who appeared to be happy, or it could have been a child who was no longer alive.

If they saw a child who was no longer alive, it is not going to be much of a surprise for them to have reacted in this way. At first they may have felt sad and, soon after, they could have been consumed by anger.

One Step Further

Once they settled down, they might have forgotten all about what they saw, meaning that they wouldnt have felt the need to do anything else. Even so, seeing this dead child may have had a big effect on what they believe.

Alternatively, one may have been felt the need to do something about what they saw. Lets say, for example, that this child was the dead refugee that was washed up on a beach in Greece; this may then have given them the desire to donate money and/or to make sure that their government offers to take in more of these refugees.

An Emotional Reaction

Through taking this approach, one wouldnt have taken the time to step back and to take a closer look into what was going on. Their head would have been put to one side and their heart would have taken over.

Now, one way of looking at this would be to say that this is the right way to behave; especially as a young child had died. Surely, if one didnt behave in this manner they would be a cold-hearted human being.

Another Point Of View

However, what this presupposes is that the mainstream media is only interested in informing people and doesnt have an ulterior motive. If someone was to believe this, they would have to be incredibly naive.

What if the mainstream media only used this picture as well as others in order to elicit a certain response from people? Ones ability to empathise and to experience compassion would then have been used against them.

A Closer Look

Soon after the picture of this dead child was seen by millions of people around the world, it was said that this child wasnt a refugee. Instead, this child was said to have lived in turkey for a number of years with his family.

These people were safe there, but his father wanted a better life in Europe. Thus, if this child along with his family had made it over, they would have been economic migrants as opposed to refugees.

Two Big Questions

It could be said that this is completely irrelevant; what is relevant is the fact that an innocent child has died. Yet, lets not pretend that this is something that rarely takes place; the reality is that children die every day.

With this in mind, why was this childs life was seen as so important that it had to be front page news? Also, if this child was already in a safe country, why was this child described as a refugee?

A Hidden Agenda

The trouble is that when one is caught up in how they feel, it is going to be a lot easier for the people behind the scenes to manipulate them. These people would have been only too aware of the kind of impact that this image would have on so many people.

But through focusing on one image and what the mainstream media says is happening, it makes it a lot harder for someone to be able to see the big picture. The main part of this picture - the part that the mainstream media doesnt reveal - is then going to be out of sight.

Another Example

It doesnt end there, though, as a picture of a polar bear has received a lot of attention recently due to how ill it looked. The picture of this polar bear was said to show the stark reality of climate change.

This is the kind of image that is likely to have a big effect on just about everyone who sees it. Nevertheless, soon after this image was seen by millions of people, an article on the Polar Bear Science website spoke about how this polar bear could be starving due to heath issues.

Creating the News

As a result of how this picture was presented, it would have been normal for someone to feel angry and guilty after seeing it. But if the polar bear was in a bad way due to the fact that it was ill, the appropriate response may have been to feel angry and sad.

After all, its not as if a polar bear lives forever. One then has to wonder why the publications that shared this picture didnt take the time to find out more about the image. This could be because they are not interested in reality; the only thing they are interested in is getting people to buy into their worldview.

Conclusion

Taking this into account, it might be accurate to say that the child who was washed up on the beach and the starving polar bear along with the other pictures of children and animals that they have used - are nothing more than a means to an end. The mainstream media simply uses these images to achieve a certain outcome.

If one does enough research, they may get a rough idea of what is going on behind the scenes, so to speak. With that aside, there is no denying how important it is for one to question what this source of information comes out with.