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Of all of the spots where your home is most vulnerable to intrusion during a burglary, the doors and windows are the most important areas to keep secure. They are potentially easy entry and exit points for the home, and burglars are very experienced in using ways to gain access through them. As a homeowner you want to give advance thought to their vulnerability and take steps to make it more difficult to break in through them. This article will deal with the subject of securing your windows.

One of the most important considerations regarding windows is the kind of glass that is used in them. If it is standard single pane glass, it will be very easy to break and the window will present a real security risk. Oftentimes, older home will have this kind of glass in the windows, so it would be good to put upgrading the glass in your windows on your list of things that need to be done to update the house, and do it as soon as you can.

Windows now come with glass that is hardened, much like your car windshield glass, and it is very hard to break them. And an added layer of protection is provided when you have double-pane glass of this type installed as it makes it that much harder to get through both panes, and a great side benefit is that it will also help with insulating your home better. Also pay attention to the quality of the window frames too. They need to be made of strong material that cannot be easily taken apart or destroyed by a crowbar or some other similar tool.

Installing locks on windows is a great home security improvement. Many homes have locks that are nothing more than levers that can be easily flipped by someone inside the home. The problem is that they can also be easily unlocked if someone does manage to get through the glass and gain access to them. It is best to have locks that require a key to activate instead. It makes getting the window open so much more difficult, and burglars don’t like to have too many obstacles in their path when breaking in. Stealth and speed are essential to their successful burglary, so the more that you do to slow them down the less chance they will be able to complete the job.

Finally, a good alarm system that monitors not only the doors but the windows of your home is a great home security tool as well. If the burglar somehow gets past all of the other security features and manages to get the window open, the alarm that sounds will usually be enough to foil the intrusion attempt at that point.

Windows can contribute to the beauty and enjoyment of your home, and if you take the proper security measures they can also provide a great deal of security as well.

Jim Johnson writes on many consumer related topics including home security. You can find out more about home security alarm and home security video system by visiting our Home Security Review website.

First.

Wikipedia is not exactly an open source project (http://news.com.com/Wikipedias+open-source+label+conundrum/2100-1038_3-5988267.html). I agree.

But it is more open than the old encyclopedias for which you paid thousand of dollars. Those were really closed projects.

Recent incident show that you do not have to be afraid of Wikipedia, fearing that wrong or commercial information is engineered into the database. When this happens, it will be traced easily and removed. Reporters from The New York Times are now banned to use Wiki as a research source.

Linux is an example of an open source project. Should you be afraid of using Linux? The two main problems of using Linux is that you will have to search for support when problems arise and you need to pay for programmers to develop bits and peaces that are missing.
The idea of open source developments however is that the source code is open to the public.
Second.

I normally close the door when I leave my home. People close (lock) their cars and many borders are closed, which lately is one of the main challenges in governance; how do we manage this constant migration traffic? This is perhaps a globalization issue, we have overlooked.
But closing borders won’t ban terror. It’s too late for closing borders when we live in an age where we are all connected. The virus is already amongst us. Yet new viruses will continue to harm (all of) us.

When the European Union is calling one of the largest companies in the world to open up - they are not talking about undressing the source code. They rather mean to give the competition a chance to plug and play with the worlds most used software.

Will the amount of viruses and adware and other spyware increase when using open source software? I don’t think so. And even if they do, you should already use firewall kind of protection the prevent whatever attacks.

Open source developments are social and based on confidence. The same confidence we use all day when we walk on the street; and although there are many traffic incidents, under normal circumstances you do not have to be afraid that someone deliberately runs in on you. If that would be the case, the little trust we have in each other will be gone for ever. But I don’t think it will go that far.

Even if you do not embrace open source initiatives, you shouldn’t be afraid of them either.

© 2006 Hans Bool

Hans Bool is the founder of Astor White a traditional management consulting company that offers online management advice. Astor Online solves issues in hours what normally would take days.
You can apply for a free demo account

In this last of a series of articles on famous psychics we’re going to cover another very popular modern day psychic who has had more than her share of sceptics and bashers. Sylvia Browne is probably one of the most controversial psychics of the modern era.

Sylvia Browne is most noted for her psychic talent, her great counseling ability and the extensive research she has done into parapsychology. She has a very down to earth, sometimes abrasive, but very dynamic and genuine personality. Yes, she does have a tendency to rub people the wrong way. But what controversial psychic hasn’t?

Browne has lectured and taught people all over the world including Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and Canada. Supposedly Browne first achieved her psychic ability at the very young age of three years old when she was living in Kansas City, MO. In her early years she shared her psychic gifts with friends and family. She eventually became very well known for helping people see into the future. She moved to California in 1964. From her new home she continued to assist people in private. Eventually, Browne wanted to form a professional organization to study the paranormal. This finally came to pass in 1974 when she formed The Nirvana Foundation for Psychic Research, which is a nonprofit organization. It is now known as The Society of Novus Spiritus. Since that time Browne has helped thousands of people find a deeper spiritual meaning in their life through God via her gifts.

Browne’s philosophy involves researching into people’s past lives through hypnosis. She also obtains much information through what is known as her channeling ability. She has established reincarnation as the key to understanding life. She accepts this as the central theme in her philosophy. However, she does not force this belief on anyone who does not accept it. To all her subjects she says, “Take with you what you want and leave the rest behind.” Browne is also very religious but does not force that issue either. If one chooses not to believe in a supreme being she believes that is their right. She tells people, “It does not matter if you believe in God because God believes in you.”

Browne, over the years, has appeared on shows such as Unsolved Mysteries, In Search Of…, That’s Incredible and the Montel Williams Show. She has also been featured in magazines like Cosmopolitan and People. She even had her own TV special called Haunted Lives and was a guest on the Larry King Show. She was heard on Coast to Coast by thousands and even had two Pay Per View specials in 1999 and 2000.

Browne has also had several books published including, “Journey Of The Soul,” “Conversations With The Other Side,” “Astrology Through The Eyes Of The Psychic,” and her Biography, “Adventures Of A Psychic” which was a New York Times best seller.

Browne has come under attack by many sceptics as have many other psychics before her. Some of the attacks have been so vicious that they have prompted her to post some rather strong responses to them on her official web site.

And again, as with all psychics who have come before her, the question still remains unanswered. Is she the real thing or just another very good entertainer?

Natural Cures for Depression - Do They Exist or Not?

Most people suffering from bouts of depression, anxiety and general mood disorders that greatly affect their quality of life don’t even know that they have non-prescription options to treat their depression effectively.

Instead, most people will either “bite the bullet” through the rough times, or they will seek the advice of a professional such as a phychiatrist or psychologist, and perhaps go through counseling, or be put on a prescription antidepressant such as Zoloft or Prozac. Did you know that antidepressants are currently the third leading classification of prescription drugs by overall revenue and profitability?

This tells us one thing for sure. Depression is very widespread, very common, and perhaps even overprescribed, some critics might say.

The news about some very popular prescribed medicines for clinical depression is alarming, to say the least. Side effects ranging from nervousness to nausea and sexual dysfunction or low libido are just a few.

This fact has lead many people suffering from this sometimes crippling mental health condition to consider alternative cures for depression - they are going natural. This is not to say the natural way to remedy the symptoms of depression is for everyone.

There are a lot of people who can still benefit from prescription meds, and never have any problems. Not only that, many people also benefit from the therapy that goes with the prescription, ie the talking through of their problems, their perception of their mental condition and so on and so forth.

However, there are a great deal out there who also can benefit from treating their depression with a natural cure. People who usually benefit the greatest are not the ones who may normally be diagnosed with having “chronic” clinical depression.

They are the people who have the occasional bout of the blues, and feelings of helplessness coupled with anxiety. If that’s you, you would most likely be an excellent candidate for natural depression treatment.

What is Depression? How is it Defined?

Depression is usually defined as a psychiatric disorder characterized by an inability to concentrate, insomnia, loss of appetite, feelings of extreme sadness, guilt, helplessness and hopelessness, and thoughts of death as a final means of peace and tranquility. While most people do suffer occasional down time, some people are more prone to feel this way consistently, and they are the ones who should seek professional help.

For the countless others, a natural way can be the best choice for the best results in fighting depression and regaining a sense of joy and peace.

Visit Natural Mood Enhancer and Stabilizer for more information on a very effective natural depression remedy. Danna Schneider is the founder of Herbal-Therapeutics Effective Herbal Remedies .

How many of you consider yourself to be a business person? How many of you consider yourself to be a business leader? Just about anyone can go into business or even call themself a business person. So then, what creates a “business leader”?

This is an important distinction. The secret to the difference between a business person and a business leader is how one communicates. Sounds like common sense to some…but please read on to learn 10 invaluable pointers to ensure your success in business communication.

1. Always ensure you have a specific objective when
interacting with someone.
Ask yourself: “What do I want to accomplish?”
Don’t try to fly by the seat of your pants or be
impromptu.

2. Know as much as you can about the listener(s).
Ask yourself: “What does(s)he expect, think, or
know about this subject?”Don’t assume that your needs, perspectives, and understanding of a topic are the same as your listener.

3. Make sure you can be easily heard by your listener(s).
Ask yourself: “Have I adjusted my voice for the
circumstances, such as room size/setup, number of people,
environmental noise?” Don’t speak so softly that people must work hard to hear you as this wastes time and is unproductive.

4. Pay attention to the speed of your message.
Ask yourself: “Am I speaking with a satisfactory rate
for the needs of the listener and the content of what I’m
saying?” Don’t speak too rapidly and run the risk of confusing your listener or having your message misunderstood.

5. Focus on your pronunciation and strive to be as clear
as possible.
Ask yourself: “Do I tend to use a casual style of
speaking as exhibited by dropping off word endings or final sounds, or mispronouncing words?” Don’t use a sloppy or imprecise way of speaking and convey an unprofessional image.

6. Concentrate on what’s most important in your message and
use emphasis accordingly. Ask yourself: “How can I deliver what I need to say and hold my listener’s attention?”
Don’t use the same pitch or inflection pattern and
become monotonous.

7. Become aware of your nonverbal communication when
interacting with others. Ask yourself: “What distracting habits do I have that may be detracting from what I’m saying?”
Don’t use gestures that are fidgety/call attention to
you in a negative way, and are not enhancing your message.

8. Sharpen your basic grammar skills.
Ask yourself: “Would I make the common mistake of
confusing correct pronoun usage (e.g. ‘Contact either Bob or myself.’ rather than saying ‘Contact either Bob
or me.’)?” Don’t fall into the habit of being agrammatical whether you are speaking or writing, and portraying yourself in a negative light.

9. Work on enriching your vocabulary.
Ask yourself: “Is my speech characterized by using the
same words repeatedly and do I have a habit of speaking in
jargon?” Don’t become complacent with your word choice and avoid using technical terminology if it is not known to the
listener.

10.Teach yourself to develop the art of listening.
Ask yourself: “Do I tend to do most of the talking and
dominate the conversation?” Don’t fall into the pattern of being long-winded and forgetting to ask open-ended questions to learn more aboutyour listener.

Implementing these 10 tips will position you to become a
successful business communicator.

Dale Klein is a Corporate Communication & Speech Specialist and is the owner of SPEECH MATTERS. When it comes to ensuring you speak with power, professionalism and polish, you’ll want to contact Dale Klein to get results at http://www.speech-matters.com or call 518-664-6004.

Swedish Scientists did a study and found that young men with low intelligence scores were more likely to commit suicide.

“Researchers from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute analyzed test scores for 987,308 armed forced recruits and then cross-referenced the data with those who subsequently committed suicide over 26 years - a total of almost 3,000. They found that those with the lowest scores were three times more likely to take their own lives. Institute associate professor, Finn Rasmussen, reported in the British Medical Journal: “There is a strong inverse association between intelligence test scores and suicide. Better performance on the tests was associated with a reduced risk of suicide.” So… “The scientists speculate that poor test scores could be associated with depression and schizophrenia - two conditions which contribute to suicide. They further offer: “It is also possible that people with low intelligence are less able to deal with their problems and may consider suicide as a solution.”

Now then armed with this information how can we prevent young men from joining suicide squads? Educate them? Give them something to live for? Use TV or virtual learning, things such as the discovery channel as we have in the United States? Why not? Al-Jazeera satellite television station is awfully effective on smearing America and her efforts. Why not use TV the other way, make small bite size history, math, language, geography, lessons on TV, helping them learn and helping them develop a desire to travel, understand and dream?

Before this particular study there have been only a few relevant studies on the subject, however there have been a few which indicated similar outcomes….

“Few previous studies have assessed the association of measures of intelligence with suicide. The 1946 British birth cohort study found that suicide was associated with delayed physical development but not with age at first speech, alertness (age 7 years), or measures of intelligence at age 15 years. There were only 11 suicides in that study and so it lacked power to detect potentially important effects. A study of 43 suicides in Israeli conscripts aged 18-21 years suggested that they were of above average intelligence,4 although patterns of suicide in the context of military service may differ from those in the general population. A study of university students in the United States, however, also found an increased risk of suicide among the offspring of better educated or professional parents. Suicide rates among Australian army conscripts were strongly associated with a measure of general intelligence, even after adjustment for several other risk markers, but this study was based on only 76 suicides. In a previous study of Swedish conscripts, associations with suicide were attenuated after adjustment for measures of conduct and personality. Several studies have examined the association of childhood IQ with overall mortality. In two Scottish studies low IQ at age 10-11 years and poor mental ability at age 11 years were strongly associated with all cause mortality.”

These studies in fact seem to make sense and so we need to work on ways to increase intelligence, thru early schooling, nutrition and in the home parenting. This will come soon enough. But we have TV sets now and if we were to set up their televisions with educational stations, we might find fewer young men joining suicide terrorist groups. Further I propose healthy bodies to go with those new healthy minds. I propose setting up soccer fields throughout Iraq with floodlights for use at night too. Keep the energy on the field and give them something to work for, teaching them a different kind of group teamwork, one that builds strength of character and camaraderie in a positive way. Help them develop in to strong young men with dreams and passion, intelligence and perseverance and you will find no more suicide bombers in that land. No that is a new vision for the youth of Iraq. Onward and Upward for all the right reasons.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

With the compensation society growing all throughout the planet, having possession of public liability insurance is becoming more and more obligatory. If you don’t presently have liability insurance integrated into your building cover, then now is probably the point in time to look into obtaining suitable cover. Here is some recommendations about why you need insurance, & what to watch out for.

What is professional indemnity insurance: Public Liability insurance is an insurance agreement that shelters you from claims that other individuals may perhaps make against you in the probability of an accident. If someone damages their belongings or harms themselves in or around your property or company then the professional indemnity insurance will shield you for any charges that may perhaps take place. Insurance generally ranges from two-hundred and fifty pounds up to ?1 million.

What are you protected against: Insurance will insure cover for accidents or loss that others could suffer in or around your house or company grounds. You are covered against claims from thief’s and injury that may possibly take place to any person from falling items or staff carrying out repairs. If a disaster takes place on your premises & somebody claims against you, your cover will support you to pay any fees.

What’s included A lot of contents or property insurance covers contain integrated liability insurance. You ought to check with your insurance company whether this is the case, & what level of cover you get. Even if the insurance is integrated, you need to confirm that you are correctly protected for any form of accidents that might well come about. Buy professional indemnity today.

Premiums: The premiums that you pay depend on the specific sort of coverage you buy. If you only insure your house, then premiums are extremely likely to be not as much as than if you are protecting a business. Nevertheless, payments are fairly cheap inexpensive the extent of protection that you get, and its as a result important for anybody running an organisation.

Credit card debt consolidation allows you to pay your current debts in 3-6 years. Under a debt consolidation plan, terms and conditions change. The purpose of debt consolidation is to speed up your paying time and at the same time makes lower monthly bills.

Always make sure that the new cost of the consolidated loan is truly less than what you are currently paying for to the various creditors. Not getting the lowest available interest rate has always been a problem faced by consolidation loan applicants. Be sure that there is something to secure the loan like your house for example.

Calculate the interest and the fees of all your existing accounts to see the total payments you’re making at present. After computing this, compare the figure with the consolidation loan amount. This will determine if you’re making a better choice or not.

If you’re already under a consolidation loan, be sure to make your deposits on time. This will assure your creditors that you really intend to pay for your debts. Having delayed payments might cause the creditors to resume the normal collection activities and what’s worse, they might turn it back to the regular interest rates and fees.

Be sure to keep in touch with your consolidation representative. There may be instances that your account will be turned over to a collection agency. Keeping your agent updated on the changes will help you solve your problems.

Pay your credit to your consolidation company. They are the ones that divide how much goes to each creditor.

Always check on your creditor’s statements. It is your duty to monitor the monthly statements sent to you by your creditors. Check if your creditor has reduced the rates. They should also have the late fees stopped. Also check if your debt consolidation company is paying your creditor the right amount.

There are many types of debt consolidation loans available. There could be a loan that would take you a longer time paying but has a higher interest rate. There are also loans that offer short payment duration and a lower rate of interest. If you could not pay for a larger amount every month, you could choose consolidation loans that offer a longer plan.

Rates of the consolidation loan also vary. There is the variable rate debt consolidation loan that allows you to make extra repayments anytime with no extra cost. However a fixed rate debt consolidation loan will only accept fixed repayments for the duration of the loan.

Mobile broadband has been advertised as the new achievement in the internet world that will be the key to the future of broadband. Recently, broadband has been available via a traditional phone line, Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line cable, that connects to your laptop through a modem. Wi-Fi broadband is soon going to more and more popular, whereby the fast internet connection is connected to the PC through a wireless intranet, and people are cleaning their homes of ADSL cables. But broadband on the go will take the internet technology further and offering another innovative idea in the developing of internet connectivity; a broadband connection almost anywhere without the use of a landline cable.

The idea of going online with a broad-band connection anywhere is surely an interesting concept for potential internet users, especially those people that more and more connect to internet with their PCs not from home. Business people who often travel for business are the target for mobile broad band since they will love the great opportunity of not having to search for a WiFi spot for a reliable internet connection. Mobile broad-band reaches much further than that, and if prices begin to be reduced and internet lines increase we will soon witness the majority of broad-band potential clients applying for mobile internet.

Mobile high speed connection works by connecting a small modem to a personal computer, which is referred to as a ‘dongle’, from where a personal computer is able to go online using the mobile broad-band service the internet users have acquired. Many companies are now marketing mobile broadband offers and coverage of the networks, also known as three G networks, which is now said to be nearly 90% of GB.

Broad-band speed is a key factor with any high speed internet line and mobile broad band suppliers some years ago struggled to convince potential mobile users that any mobile broad band could be as good as traditional, landline-based high speed broadband. High speed connections are improving, since Vodafone has announced mobile broadband speeds as fast as 7 mb, which is similar to most of the traditional landline internet broadband. The majority of the countries, including the UK, will soon finance with huge resources in fibre optic cable networks, to improve broad band speeds to up to 100mb.

In New Zealand an important telecommunications provider has reported that mobile high speed connection networks will soon develop fast in the next future and they have said that mobile broad-band will soon deliver speeds of up to 100mb by end of 2011, the exact year the GB’s fibre optic network will be completed. This could create a major shift in industry thinking, with the discovery of a super fast mobile high speed internet network with obvious advantages over the cabling of thousands of kilometres of fibre optic cables, without mentioning the practical point of view. wireless Broadband is available from Compare Broadband UK, visit for the latest deals.

If you want to consolidate your debt–and you own your own home–you’re in luck! If you’re willing to use your house as collateral, you have a lot of low-cost options for debt consolidation. Here are three loans to consider:

Second mortgage

A second mortgage is, essentially, another mortgage on a home that already carries a mortgage loan. The second mortgage takes a backseat to the first one, so it’s a bit riskier for lenders. Because of this additional risk, second mortgages usually carry shorter terms and higher interest rates. However, you can use the money you borrow from a second mortgage to consolidate your debt into one payment. And even though the interest rate is typically higher than your first mortgage, it’s usually still lower than the average credit card or personal loan rate.

Try using one of ABC Loan Guide’s
Recommended Second Mortgage Loan Companies.

Home Equity Loan

A home equity loan borrows a lump sum of money from the equity in your house–the value of your home minus the amount you currently owe on it. For example, if your house is valued at $250,000, and you currently owe $200,000 on your mortgage, you have $50,000 in equity that you can borrow. That means you can get a lump sum totaling $50,000, which you can then use to pay off other debts. In general, home equity loan rates tend to be low, and in many cases they are tax deductible.

Home Equity Line-of-Credit

A Home Equity Line Of Credit–also known as HELOC–is a type of revolving loan. Like a Home Equity Loan, you are borrowing from the equity in your home. However, unlike a Home Equity Loan, you don’t get a lump sum of cash. Instead, as a line of credit, you can draw on it any time for any amount (up to your limited maximum). HELOCs, in general, tend to have lower interest rates than Home Equity Loans.

Although borrowing a second mortgage or using the equity in your home can be a simple and low-cost way to consolidate your debt, it’s important to remember that, in all these cases, your home is the collateral for the loan. So before you borrow against your home, be certain you will be able to make your monthly payments.

View our recommended online Debt Consolidation Services online. Also, view our recommended lenders for a low rate Home Equity Line of Credit.