Archive for December, 2006

Parenting Tips: SATS! – A Daunting Educational Yardstick

Sunday, December 31st, 2006

Well, here we are again facing the dreaded standardized achievement tests (SATS). Everyone involved is a bundle of nerves. The head teacher wants to look good on the national league tables. The other teachers want to make a good impression. The poor children, everyone keeps telling them how important the tests are, so they are panicked about not doing well enough.

There are some children who excel at tests and love them. At the other end of the spectrum are those who become completely stressed over exams. Most kids could live just as well without them. If your child stresses to the extreme, how can you help?

SATS (standardised achievement tests) were introduced as a way of assessing schools rather than children. The government wanted to answer two questions: how well are the nation’s children doing, and how well are individual schools doing? To do this, they test children at age 7 to get a baseline score. The children are then tested again at age 11. The difference between the two scores is how much the children have learnt through their four years in school and is referred to as the “value added”. The aim is to raise the overall level of education among eleven year old, and SATS give the government a way of measuring this.

So how is this relevant to your child? It isn’t! The SATS have almost no relevance to an individual child. The secondary school will not use the SATS scores in planning their teaching – they will do their own assessment of each child. Besides, the scores on the SATS, called levels, are so broad that they do not really tell you how well your child is doing. The average eleven year old is supposed to score at level 4. But if your child is at level 4 you still have no idea if your child is the high end or low end of average. If your child scores at a lower or higher level, that too is unlikely to be news to you. Even without the SATS you would almost certainly have known if your child is ahead or behind the rest of the class – and so should the teacher. So your child’s individual SAT scores will not affect his or her education in any way.

By now you are probably wondering what to tell your child if she’s worrying about the SATS. Make it clear to her that it’s the school being tested, not her. Whatever her level, it won’t really matter. Tell her to just do the best that she can, but don’t coerce her in any way to study or practice for it. She’ll have plenty of tests in her life that will make a difference in her life.

If your reassurance doesn’t t help, then talk to her teacher. Find out how he handles explaining the SATS to his students. Let him know that you have concerns about your child, and would like to work out a plan of mutual support.

If you have concerns in general about your child’s school progress, then have a talk with the teacher. You may even need to talk with the head teacher or the Special Needs Coordinator (SENCO). Take action instead of silently worrying.

Answers To All Of Life’s Questions by Statnova

Sunday, December 31st, 2006

Are you struggling over the answers to life’s little questions, have unanswered questions of your own, or maybe just wish to see how your thought and morals add up against others throughout the world. Well, then you will be glad to know there is now a place that will help reveal the answers of life, where you will find answers to many of your questions, and of course learn if others have the same thoughts as you on many subject. The place is StatNova.com.

At StatNova.com, you can join and ask questions to people throughout the world choosing various categories such as Sports, School & Work, Sex, Love & Relationships, The Paranormal, Personal Habits, Entertainment, Family, Politics, Food & Drink, Philosophy & Religion, and Morality. You can even answer questions in all of these categories and then learn what others have answered.

Once you answer one of the questions, you will be taken to a page that list the responses of others that have answered that same question broken down into categories such as age, gender, race, religion, status, orientation, and politics for those that have added this to their profile. Learn what others in your age group or gender think on the same exact subject. You do not have to worry about any of this information being sent out to others, as there are no names listed only the percentage of people answering in each group.

Learn the secret to life’s questions like:

Sports – Who is the second greatest basketball player ever?

School & Work – Do you really use your college education at your work?

Sex – How often would you like to have sex?

Love and Relationships – Can you be in love with two people at the same time?

The Paranormal – Can a house really be haunted?

Personal Habits – Where are you the most ticklish?

Entertainment – Who’s the most annoying TV or radio personality?

Family – Are you close with your siblings?

Politics – Who should be our next president?

Food & Drink – Who makes the best pizza?

Philosophy & Religion – What is the meaning of life?

Morality – Could you ‘Pull the plug?

No other website on the net, delves into these questions where each and every person can ask questions that are perplexing their life without the worry of someone learning who they are. You can ask any question under the sun and learn what others think and feel about the topic, you may be quite surprised to learn that are many out there that feel the same way or you may not like the responses. Either way you will enjoying all the answers of real people just like you that also need answers.

Join in the fun whether your questions are serious or whimsical and learn where you rank in the world for all the various answers. You may even learn something about yourself you never knew or learn that you are unique in your thoughts.

Dress Up Your Bathroom With A Shower Door

Sunday, December 31st, 2006

A shower door can add to the beauty of your bathroom. It is much more useful than a shower curtain and can really look very elegant. They will not only look good but are practical in that they will form a watertight barrier and prevent water splashing out of the shower. Shower curtains will inevitably leak and cause more problems with clean up and deterioration of the bathroom.

You will get a wide variety of shower doors to choose from. Give freedom to your individuality in the choice process. The two most gorgeous are the glass shower door and the frameless shower door. The glass doors boast of a wide array of styles, some are lightweight while some are on the heavy side. There is a wide choice for you in the variety of glasses too, like the etched, frosted, molded and more.

You are also showered with different styles to match with various layouts. If your bathroom is small, a sliding shower door will be the best choice. In a sliding shower door you should take care to keep the path clean and don’t let moulds, dirt or soap build up to jam the track so that the door can run smoothly.

Accordion or doors that open out without tracks are very popular, but they are best suited for large bathrooms. The bathroom should have enough space for the doors to open outwards.

Frameless shower doors are in vogue these days. They are convenient and very elegant and fashionable. There is no problem in maintaining the frames or cleaning the built up dirt at the edges of the glass. They are very easy to install. The hardware in your bathroom should be attached to the glass to create a gorgeous and smooth finish.

You can also have your shower doors customized for the ultimate luxury look. You can then make an exact match for your bathroom decor and really add a touch of elegance to your bathroom.

You can hire a contractor to install your shower door or you can do it on your own. The project is not easy; you will need experience or at least recruit a good guide who will make you sail through your endeavor smoothly.

When you look online you can find many styles to choose from and can do comparison-shopping for prices as well. It is good to gather a number of styles and prices so that you can compare and save time. When you look at a picture online you will be able to envision the shower door in your bathroom and understand how it may look.

You should always be careful and practical while choosing your shower door. Keeping in mind the size of your bathroom, you should either pick sliding shower doors or Accordions. You should always plan the layout of your bathroom before investing in the shower door. Always be sure of your arrangements made because after installing it is very difficult to make any changes.

Ins and Outs of Offshore Banking

Sunday, December 31st, 2006

Both large organizations and individuals extensively use offshore banking. This kind of banking is in vogue for a myriad reasons. And these reasons range from the perfectly legal to the ones that are not so. Offshore banking demands a huge amount of funding. This is why it can be employed for works, both legal and otherwise.

The word “offshore” originated in Britain and traditionally it means banking as done in the Channel Islands. To be precise, it refers to the fact that the Channel Islands lay offshore from Britain. In fact, even today, you will find many offshore banks are situated in this island region. However, there are some prominent exceptions, like the Bank of Switzerland and the offshore banks located in Luxembourg and Andorra.

It is widely held that there are various unscrupulous practices, more commonly known as underground economy, involved in offshore banking. Organized crime, dodging taxes and money laundering are some of the things that are readily associated with offshore banking. However, it would be wrong to assume that everything about offshore banking is suspect.

Offshore accounts are very useful for traders whose business involves foreign currencies as well as Forex trading. It is very convenient for traders to have accounts in foreign countries where their businesses flourish.

The advantages of offshore banking are:

Political stability: Offshore banking permits traders to have personal bank accounts in every country which offers political and economic stability. Being a resident of a country put you at a risk of loosing your assets, while offshore accounts promises complete safety of your assets without the risk of your money getting frozen or completely disappearing.

Higher interest rates: Sometimes it can happen that offshore banking can provide you with a higher interest. If you have a large amount of money this can prove very profitable.

Offshore banking can help underdeveloped countries and helps to redistribute the world

How to Find the Right Washington State Compensation Attorney

Sunday, December 31st, 2006

If you currently live in Washington State and are looking for a personal injury attorney for your current personal injury case, you should consider a few of important things before you make the final decision to select an attorney and take your case to court.

The first thing you must consider is whether or not someone else is really at fault and if so, how much you can realistically expect to get for your personal injury case. You can determine this by setting up a free consultation session with two or more attorneys. Get a relative estimate on your potential winnings from all attorneys. Expect that you will get around three-fourths of the lowest estimate.

Now depending on your rough estimate you can deliberate on whether or not it is worth taking your case to court. If it seems that your case has the potential of a court case then you must seek out the best compensation attorney to fight for your cause. If you are suffering from financial constraints or not sure whether you want to spend without the hope of any returns, you can easily opt for Washington state compensation attorneys who will take your case without charging you unless you win. This way you do not have any further monetary constraint and the authenticity of the compensation attorney is also ensured.

Step three is to compile a list of attorneys who specialize not only in personal injury, but also in the type of injury that you had. If you were injured at work, then an attorney who specializes in workplace injuries is a better choice than one who specializes in car accidents. Choosing the right attorney will net you the most compensation.

The final step is to take the list you’ve compiled and contact each attorney on it for a free consultation, so that you can select the attorney you believe will best represent you. Follow these steps and you greatly increase your chances of receiving compensation for your injury.

The Compensation Attorney and your Defective Product Case

Sunday, December 31st, 2006

It has never been easier to get a personal injury attorney. They are everywhere. They are like the big brother of personal injury claims. Perhaps one can say that is the reason why so many companies are improving in their standards of consumer protection.

So what exactly happens when you approach a Compensation Attorney? You receive expert consultation and guidance on the steps to follow, and this usually comes free. Can life get any better and simpler? For someone who is aggrieved with the use of defective products, this is an excellent opportunity to understand his rights and entitlements and address the same effectively.

Most companies, however, still prey on unsuspecting victims, that is, they sell potentially defective products to those who have the worst quality of information. This often leads to detrimental life changes as a result of personal injury.

When you appoint a Compensation Attorney, you are doing service to self as well as society. You gain the satisfaction knowing that you have addressed the issue in some manner while also highlighting the cause for other not-so-lucky users of such products as well. The benefit to all is tangible.

The compensation attorney will immediately make you comfortable about decision to fight for claim with their professionalism and provide solutions for the pain that you have suffered. Never hesitate to get professional help if it helps your cause and is for greater good. With compensation attorneys on the rise, it is easy to get in touch with one by simply picking up the phone or clicking the mouse. Websites, Yellow pages and various local directories provide detailed listings of compensation lawyers. Most attorneys are happy to visit your office and home at your convenience for your personal injury claim. You have the right to buy products with the complete assurance of price and quality without worrying about unethical manufacturers. Compensation attorneys are the consumer police who constantly keep the erring companies on their toes.

Reverse Cell Phone Lookup As New Google Service

Sunday, December 31st, 2006

Lately a new Google service called Google Phonebook has started plenty of debates about individual information safety. Essentially, what this service provides is a way to do a free reverse cell phone lookup on any cell phone number you wish.

So why should you worry about reverse cell phone lookup?

Yes because what this service provides is not only the name of the cell phone owner but also a full address. On top of that, if anyone wants to use it even further, it can be used together with MapQuest, Yahoo or Google maps and get a sure way guide right to your home. The possibilities for misuse here are endless, form mail spam to many other more serious threats to your privacy and security.

Thankfully your e-mail address is not included, or you could without even realizing it become a victim of identity theft or maybe even worse.

Nevertheless, fortunately for us, Google has enabled us with a way to defend our privacy from malevolent reverse cell phone lookup users and have an option to have your information removed. All you need to do is just fill a simple online form or send a regular mail.

You can go online here: google.com/help/pbremoval.html or just send a letter to Google at: Google Phonebook Removal, 2400 Bayshore Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043.

Other services however, do not provide you with such an easy option to protect yourself from reverse cell phone lookup. Why is that? Well the reason is believe it or not ;) money. There is a lot of money to be made in selling information, especially personal information.

Since recently the market has seen an enormous number of such services emerge I will avoid even trying to list them all.

How can you protect yourself from reverse cell phone lookup?

The easiest way to do it is just do not provide your private info unless it is necessary. Specially avoid web-based forms that offer you some kind of incentives in return for your name, address or a phone number. In 99% of the cases, the reward is just not worth it.

Want to win a free I-Pod? Just fill out this simple form! Disregard it, nobody, except your mom and dad will give you something for nothing.

In addition, if you are already in trouble because of reverse cell phone lookup, change your phone numbers (both cell and regular), request anywhere you can that your private information stays unlisted.

If you run in to service that rejects to do it threat them with a lawsuit, and really consult your lawyer about it. Who knows maybe you can even turn the table and make some money on it.

Which mold remediation tools should you have for black mold projects

Sunday, December 31st, 2006

Do you know the tools needed for black mold removal?

If you look at black mold it is an organism that is alive. So the challenge is not just killing one spore but all of them that are alive. Black will reproduce because this, most do not kill all the living organisms so they reproduce. Use the same stuff what the pros use will create an easier task.

Mold prevention is just as important as killing mold. When working with mold alway be aware of the mold symptoms. Most do not have an idea how sick mold can make someone who is allergenic to it. This is a very common case when playing with these funguses for most.

So effective clean and kill mold like a professional mold remediation company. There are quite a few scenarios in mold removal, a popular one is mold removal in a basement. And the black mold removal in general is the other.

For ,mold removal in a basement, the same can be used from below explanation. But by following the same guidelines here you can be successful at your task.

You will need tools for your project.

You will need some wrap which most call visqueen. In all honesty, this is your condom for your work area to protect your area to bad organisms.

You need drywall cutters, not really saws. Keep in mind you do not moldy spores to be liberated from the powerful saw.

Got blue tape? use this to cover exposed areas. Used a lot with doors to seal the area and exposure to other rooms.

Do you have the organic liquid solution to stop harmful black mold. By having a cleaning solution that is organic and blocks, you really save time and energy on the project. Using a mildew cleaner is the best insurance you can give yourself on the project. Research some natural products available as they are becoming more prevalent. These will be your secret weapons.

Have a vaccum with a heppa filter. Using a heppa vac will clean that dust and suck in those spores. The particles will go into the vacuum and then not be able to escape because of the hepp filtration. This is very beneficial in a mold project.

Last make sure to protect yourself. A mask, niosh95 and a mold suit. also goggles to protect your eyes. These safety items can be found on the epa website and are the norm
Mold remediation can be dangerous, please review black mold symptoms before jumping in. This will help identify some reactions and protect you from health problems.

How to address dental anxiety

Sunday, December 31st, 2006

Anxiety or fear of the dentist is a problem that many of us have, and an issue that is somewhat hard to cure. This fear stops normal people from visiting the dentist so they can check on the health of their teeth. The best way to keep in top condition is to prevent dental issues before they have a chance to do serious damage. Someone who suffers because of anxiety will find any excuse not going to a dentist, this simply makes things worse.

When someone suffering from anxiety gets to a dental practioner, it is not unusual that it results in more than usual dentistry. Though they aren’t always aware that six monthly appointments to their dentist is the only way to keep teeth in top condition to prevent problems before they is serious

There are approved ways to get the better of your dental anxiety. For instance in bad instances it might be necessary to use some form of sedation. sedatives are administered by breathing or intra venously to the arm. Being sedated will make you calm though they are usually awake and able of talking to your dentist.

Alternatively natural herbs can result in a similar effect. Hypnosis, acupuncture, controlled breathing of the methods you could try.

Dental anxiety could result from a former from a previous experience that could have resulted in an in built fear that might last indefinitely. Anything resulting in leaves a bad memory can leave a fear that can grow out of proportion. Dentists aren’t spiteful people but an experience can make a patient feel that way.

You should seek the advice of those you know plus friends and family if they would recommend a understanding dental practioner. When you find for your first appointment you shouldn’t hold back putting any questions you might have, this will assist your mind to rest. It is also worth bearing in mind that you are paying their wage and it is their role to make you feel relaxed. A dental practioner should never make you feel intimidated, it is their responsibility to make the consultation as painless as possible.

Establishing trust is essential in the patient – dentist partnership, you will be seeing the dentist every six months. When going to the dentist for the first time you should tell him of your dental anxiety. If he isnt willing to discuss it with you or doesn’t do things to you relax, it would be advisable to find another dentist.

You can always tell a successful dentist are by the type of facilities they use, dentists who have lots of customers and up to date offices, have usually established themselves and their practice and proven they are indeed the best. A dentist with lots of patients has them for a reason and that reason is normally because people are satisfied with that dentist and are happy in the service and given.

If anxiety is an issue you are trying to come to terms with be sure to let your dentists know at the earliest time you can. This will enable him to help you to overcome your fear. As time moves on you will find that your anxiety is overcome as you establish a good relationship with your dentist.

you can get over any fear you might have had, it wont necessarily be quick but eventually your fear will reside and before you know it will be seeing your dentist without thought.

Who Am I? by Elysha

Sunday, December 31st, 2006

Who Am I?

You cannot see your self – you can only see what you are not.

What you are is the very ‘thing’ that gives birth to all life, sustains that very life and then destroys that very life.

You are that which constitutes the energy that is forever arising.

It is beyond its own creation.

The creation comes and goes in cycles – all things pass away, seen and unseen, internal and external – they are transient, all of it is transient, everything except for the very energy (heart) that sustains it all.

You are not the transient.

You are that which is beyond the transient.

It never dies – it cannot – it does not – it just is.

This is what and who you are – the very substance that is totally alive and yet beyond its own manifestation.

If you buy into believing yourself to be that which passes away then pain and suffering are the inevitable result of that belief. That cannot be helped. It passes away. You do not. To put your eggs into the basket that is under the crusher is not a good idea. To get on the train that is heading to fly off of the cliff is going to bring you misery.

If you choose to put your energy into believing that you are something that you are not – what to do? Who is to blame? If you do not choose what is already true of you…

How to be what you already are? There is no ‘how’, there is only the being thereof.

To be that which you already are – to be that – requires your alignment, your choosing to be in the same moment that the backdrop of existence is arising.

The one energy, heart, that arises as all things which come and go, arises now.

It is you.

This is who you are.

What are you?

You are the heart that is arising in this very moment as all things. The same energy that is arising as your neighbour, brother, sister, mother, father, friend, enemy… is you. The energy that is arising as the walls of your room, the cigarette butt in the gutter, the gutter itself, the moon, sun and stars, the trees and rivers, the pesticides and poisons, the rainbows and butterflies, angels and devils, the white, black and blue brotherhoods… is you. In other words, everything. Everything. Absolutely everything, seen and unseen. All of manifestation is but a reflection of the living one – which happens to be you. This one is arising now. Right now. Right here. Actually so. Energetically so.

This is who you are.

To take the part to be the whole that you are, is going to result in pain and suffering. That simply cannot be helped. To seek to gain from the part what only the whole can deliver is only going to leave you in anguish.

Such is the way that it is – such is the way that it always was.

Talking about this great matter or thinking about this great matter is not going to cut the mustard.

Believing that you are the unmanifest itself is not going to have you home in the heart.

You must enter this very energy (heart) directly and then stay here.

This you can do. It is already true of you.

Nothing has the power to prevent you from coming home to the heart. Nothing.

The part has no power to prevent the whole.

You are already the heart. It is the unmanifest arising as itself through the manifest. It is true of you now. You can enter it (and enter it you must – thinking about it is not going to bring you into being it – no way, no can do).

It need not take a long time to energetically connect with your beingness.

Your desire to come home is all that is required. If your desire to come home to the heart is not strong then very little is going to change for you. You will settle for less. And less is what you already suffer.

If you still think that you can hang onto your belief in your head (or shmee) and be the heart as well then you still have some fundamental lessons to learn about how the part cannot be the whole. No matter how big the part appears it is still only the part. It was born and it will die, like all else and all else is transient.

Because you settle for less than what you already are you are left with the continual seeking for what only the heart can deliver.

The illusion cannot deliver what you are always looking for in the “great out-there” or in the “great in-there”.

What you are has no beginning and no end. It is a continuity. That continuity is happening right now. You can enter this now and be this continuity. For that to actualise though, requires your surrendering what you have come to believe yourself to be. As simple as this is, it is very arduous from your normal mode of tendency.

What you are left with as you begin to align yourself to the heart.

Freedom.

The sheer pleasure of no longer trying – for anything. Always flowing from each moment with clarity to every arising circumstance.

The tremendous beauty of being the heart, informing your whole life. No rules, no regulations.

Seeing how this one that is you is also everyone and thing else. No doubt and no guilt. Endless clarity.

No fight, no problem. Constant depth of being home in the heart.

The continuity and exhaustlessness of being.

The freedom of the energy of what is beyond everything at all times (which is you)