Why Are All the Illegal Aliens Coming to the United States?

Have you ever asked yourself why all the illegal aliens are coming to the United States in the first place? One think tank member in an online forums ask; what is the deal is Mexico over populated or something like this?

He makes an interesting point. No, of course Mexico is not over populated. They just want to discharge their homeless and send all their working males to America to send back money so their economy will grow. The Catholic Church in Mexico likes it too as tithing is up 1000% and the Mexican economy which few discuss is growing as fast as China.

Additionally rather than trade with us, they are in the WTO and China brings over container loads of products to Mexico under armed Chinese Guard due to the corruption and hijackings of loads, ask FedEx, if you send anything to Mexico, generally you cannot have it guaranteed. I read were over 15 Billion US Dollars are sent back to Mexico per quarter, yet I have not been able to verify that yet. But go stand at a Western Union on Friday sometime and just stand near the front of the line and figure it out. Western Union makes a lot of money sending all that money to Mexico and now Wells Fargo is also in on the action along with some other banks wiring money back there. Consider this in 2006.

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

August 28th, 2008

4 Psychological Needs Help Deal With Conflict

Internal conflict, conflict within yourself, reflects the difference between what you really feel and what you are able or choose to do about it. Interpersonal conflict occurs between you and another person when what they do or say is different to what you feel and vice-versa.

Everyone has four basic psychological needs. These are the need to be valued, to be in control, the need for self esteem or self worth, and lastly the need for consistency or stability.

1. The need to be valued or appreciated by others is a basic psychological requirement

You want others to recognize your worth and appreciate your contributions. You are more motivated when your contributions are recognized. When you feel unappreciated, taken advantage of, or taken for granted your need to be appreciated and valued has been violated and this can trigger a response of fear, anger or frequently both.

2. The need to be in control

Being in control is important for everyone, but more for some than others. The more insecure you feel about yourself, the more controlling you may become. On the other hand, if you feel secure and confident about yourself, then your need to control others will reduce.

Whenever you have to deal with an over controlling person remember their need to control comes from their insecurity. Make them feel secure and their need to control will normally reduce.

3. The need for self esteem and self worth

By this I mean you should appreciate yourself and look to your strengths rather than any weakness (we all have both). A strong self esteem gives you a powerful, solid base for dealing with all types of problems and situations.

With a strong self esteem, you have the ability to positively respond or react to any type of situation, rather than reacting negatively by panicking of avoiding the potential conflict.

4. The need to be consistent

You need to know what is likely to happen in any given situation. You need consistency from family, partners, friends, everyone in your life otherwise you are always anxious about the unexpected.

This is not to say that no-one can change their minds but someone who changes opinions or reacts differently to the same situation brings a level of insecurity in to your life and you never know how to react.

The reason some people feel the need to change comes from their insecurity. They are insecure in themselves so they try to fit in with others all the time and will agree with whoever they feel is the most dominant personality.

Whenever any of these needs are not met conflicts, internal, external or both, are produced and people usually react in one of four ways.

They can retaliate, dominate, isolate, or cooperate.

Retaliation and domination can result in extreme violence. Isolation separates the parties but does not resolve the conflict whereas with cooperation one party allows their feelings to be ignored and accepts the opinion of another over their own.

If you are aware of these basic needs and reactions you will begin to understand how and why you and others react the way you do. Considering these needs, understanding them and acting upon them will make you a more complete and therefore a more confident person and will give you strength at times of conflict.

John has 4 grown up and successful children and recently completed a writing degree. He writes on a number of topics including Building Self Esteem. Go to Building Self Confidence for another article on self help and confidence.

August 27th, 2008

Teeth Whitening Techniques

There was a time when dazzling white smiles belonged to those who sashay down the red carpet in Hollywood. Today teeth whitening has become the fastest growing type of cosmetic dental procedure performed. Depending on the type of tooth whitening technique you choose the price ranges from a ten dollars for a tube of whitening toothpaste to up to $600.00 for in office laser teeth whitening.

The Cadillac of teeth whitening is the in office laser system. This is the costliest, but fastest way to achieve white teeth. Laser teeth whitening is a very simple procedure. The dentist applies a bleaching gel to your teeth (after putting protection over your gums) and places a laser light in front of your mouth. The cleaning action of the gel is activated by the light. This gel is left on your teeth for twenty minutes. The application is generally applied two more times to your teeth. In about one hour you leave the dentists office with the whitest teeth possible.

A very popular and mid priced tooth whitening technique is the tray based system. You can purchase these systems in stores. However, they are best if you have the trays made by your dentist. It takes a very short time in the office to have an impression made of your upper and lower teeth. Within a week the dentist will have a soft flexible plastic mold for you. He’ll give you the gel, which is generally a 10% carbamide peroxide and he’ll instruct you in how to use the tray and tell you how often. Results are seen quickly with a tray system.

Whitening strips are a recent addition to the market, introduced in 2001. They are quite inexpensive and do work, but may not deliver the exact results that you think. The strips have the advantage of having the exact dose of carbamide peroxide pre applied on them. However, the whitening strips will only whiten the teeth they come in direct contact with. The strips generally cover the six center teeth, eyetooth to eyetooth. Some people find their smile is longer than the strip allows for. You will not achieve a full mouth of white teeth using whitening strips.

Another type of whitening system is whitening toothpaste. Whitening toothpastes have many drawbacks. They take a very long time to show real results. Read their claims carefully. The success of whitening toothpaste is directly related to how long and how often you brush. However, over-brushing your teeth can cause the loss of tooth enamel. Tooth enamel cannot be replaced. Also, whitening toothpastes only affect the outside layer of enamel. This will make the yellowness of deeper layers of teeth more pronounced. Many people will whiten their teeth using an in office laser, or a tray system and then use whitening toothpaste to help keep their teeth white.

This article courtesy of www.smiling-brighter.com

August 25th, 2008

Muscle Car Spoilers

A muscle car spoiler is a car spoiler attached on a muscle car, which is a term for high-performance cars, primarily American models produced between 1964 and 1974. Muscle car spoilers make the vehicle unique and stand out in the crowd. Often with flashy, sporty styling, these mid-sized cars have special trims and large powerful engines (V8 engines). The special trims are intended for utmost acceleration on the street or in drag racing competition.

The muscle car models initially sported only rear spoilers. The construction of front spoilers not only enhanced the appearance, but also added functionality in terms of aerodynamic design. The muscle car spoilers, both frontal and rear spoilers, are usually molded into the bumper caps. This arrangement helps to reduce the car’s lift and drag and increase its downforce. Subsequently, these would ensure increase in traction, permitting the car to brake, turn, and accelerate properly and more forcefully.

Muscle car spoilers come in various sizes, shapes, and materials. In early cars, spoilers were made of plastic. Those were not fit to survive the constant exposure of UV rays of the sun. The spoilers are now made from polyurethane, which are durable and sturdy materials. A few are also made from lightweight steel or fiberglass. A car with a good spoiler means that there is less resistance, which would result in a higher top speed.

Some of the muscle car models that come with spoilers include the Pontiac Tempest Le Mans GTO, the Buick Riviera Gran Sport, the Dodge Charger, the Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS, and Oldsmobile Cutlass 442. The Pontiac Tempest installed its first rear spoiler in 1969, along with other accessories such as decals, and a 366 horsepower, Ram Air III V8. The Dodge Charger Daytona built in 1969 features front spoiler and a huge rear deck spoiler.

August 22nd, 2008

Prison Wives: The Forgotten Women In Our Society

Having a husband in prison is a stigma in our society. However it is possible to cope and get through this difficult time in your life. Let me help you along the way and give you a few tips.

I myself am a “Prison Wife.” My husband has been in the prison system for the past 22 months. He was first in a minimum security unit, a place called “THE FARM, ” with open doors, and no barbed wire. Now, he is in a half-way house, hoping to come back home the summer of 2005.

The “Prison Wife” is the forgotten one, as she waits at home for her husband. Our society takes care of the sick, the dyimg, the homeless, but the prisoner’s wife is alone and forgotten.

She is faced with insurmountable problems….financial,emotional, psychological, social, stigmatization, health problems to face alone, children to take care of. She keeps the household “together,” until her husband comes home. She works, pays the bills, pays the mortgage or rent, the car payments, insurances. She takes care of the children, repairs for the house, and just about everything else under the sun. Holidays and birthdays come and go. She is alone and lonely, most often faced with depression.
Most find it difficult to even face another day. She lives in hiding because she is afraid the neighbors may find out. So she lies and says he is on a “business” trip, to protect herself…after all, the neighbors would be shocked to know a criminal’s wife lives next door to them. And, what does she tell the children? No one wants to let their child play with a criminal’s child.

When her husband leaves for prison, the wife goes through a period of “grieving.” She goes through the same “grieving process” that a widow goes through. The only difference is that the widow can eventually move on, while the prison wife cannot. The Prison Wife is a “wife,” without a husband. She cannot go out and socialize, and it is difficult to make new friends, as she feels she is being “unfaithful” to her husband.

After a certain amount of time (months or even years), it is acceptable in our socity for the widow to step out, and start dating and even re-marry. The Prison Wife who is faithful and dedicated to her husband does not have this option….some women wait years for their man to return…10 , even 20 or more years.

There are close to 2 million prisoners in our country….that makes me wonder just how many wives and loved ones are left behind and forgotten. We think about the prisoner, but never, ever, think about those left behind…..the wives, the children, the mothers, the girlfriends, to name a few. Those loved ones, who did not commit a crime, except the crime of “loving a criminal.” They did not commit a crime, and yet they are punished.

When their husband goes to prison, they are not notified by the prison system where their husbamnd is. I believe there should be some notification system in this country. The wife must sit and wait, until her husband is able to place a collect call to her.

There should be support systems in this country for prison wives. There should be follow-up programs for families of the incarcerated, to see how they are coping.

I will now give you some tips on how to get through this period of your life. It is from my own personal experience, and I hope it can help you………..after all, just remember, you are not alone……….there are so many of us out there experiencing the same feelings and emotions…the same problems.

“Ways To Cope”

1. Take one day at a time……..Do not think too far in advance. Try to get “through one more day.”

2. Plan small projects for each day, and try to reach a goal. For instance, I put all our photos in photo albums, during the first few weeks of my husband’s incarceration. When that project was complete, I started cleaning out drawers and closets.

3. Organize tour life…………I re-organized bills and mail, using folders and envelopes, and I kept logs, writing everything down.

4. Keep pictures of your husband around the house….I had pictures in every room. I even had one posted on the refridgerator door.

5. Join a church group. I started baking cakes for the monthly cake sale. I enjoyed doing it, and felt I was contributing something to society.

6. Get involved…acquire hobbies. Knitting, needle-point, gardening, writing, keeping a diary….anything. just do something, even if you force yourself to do it. As time goes on, it will get easier, and you will begin to enjoy it. I planted an “Angel Garden,” outside in the yard, with angel statues, and flowers. I also began writing poetry, stories and letters to the editor. I also began writing a journal, which became a very important part of my life.

7. Keep in close contact with your husband….Accept phone calls (if you can afford it, as prison phone calls are extrememly expensive), send your husband letters, cards,magazine and newspaper clippings, and computer print-outs of thingd that interest him. Send him pictures (old and new)…Men in prison love to look at pictures from home. It helps them from becoming homesick. My husband has almost 100 pictures that he keeps in photo albums, and loves to share with the inmates, and show them our family and home. If I change something around in the household,or buy anything new, iI take a picture and send it to him, so he always feels connected to our home. I also tkae pictures of the pets, the garden, and the cars.

8. Keep a notebook near the phone at all times. Jot down things you want to discuss with your husband when he calls. Remember, those are 15 minute calls, and there is a lot to say in a short period of time, so get organized beforehand.

9. Cry when you have to, but also try to stay focused. Do not be torn apart by the prison system. You are still a person, and a wife…and you need to be supportive to your husband.

10. Try to stay healthy. Eat right, avoid junk food and alcohol. Exercise. Try walking. After all, you want to be physically fit when your husband comes home!

I hope this article will be of some help to the wives and loved ones of prisoners, as they await their loved one while he is in prison.

My name is Frances Russo,RN,BSN,MA. I am a retired Registered Nurse,who is now legally- blind , and does free-lance writing, as a hobby. I enjoy writing short stories for magazines and poetry. During my life, I enjoyed education, and international travel, having travelled to 28 countries. I’ve lived in Manhattan, California, Las Vegas, and New Jersey. My husband is currently within the prison system, and I enjoy writing a journal, which has become quite popular. It is called “Reflections Of A Prison Wife.” Please visit my web-site! http://journals.aol.com/crystalmoon222/reflectionsofaprisonwife/

Over 5800 have read my journal, leaving comments and identifying with it. They find strength in my journal. I have recently been interviewed by 2 newspapers, and my story will soon be published , along with photos (ASBURY PARK PRESS AND THE PRESS OF ATLANTIC CITY). My journal is the basis of a book I am writing.

August 20th, 2008

The Bird Flu: Boost Your Immune to Increase Your Chance of Survival

Many of the latest headlines are turning their attention to the latest bird flu, also known as the H5N1 virus. The problem is that this virus can mutate, so no one really knows what it will be that we need to be protected from.

There’s been a lot of concern and media attention about this. Here’s what Michael T. Osterholm, Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota has said, “An influenza pandemic of even moderate impact will result in the biggest single human disaster ever - far greater than AIDS, 9/11, all wars in the 20th century and the recent tsunami combined. It has the potential to redirect world history as the Black Death redirected European history in the 14th century.”

The latest news is reporting that ducks and geese are now carrying this virus and are going across the world, spreading this virus. It started in Asia and has now come to Europe. Soon it will be on the American continent.

A few dozen people have died from the H5N1 so far. Right now, it’s a virus that’s passed from bird to bird. Sometimes from birds to animals. Currently it is not transmitted from one person to another person. But over time, flu viruses mutate. In 1918, a bird flu virus mutated. It was called the Spanish Flu Pandemic. Over fifty million people died from it.

Some experts predict that the amount of deaths will be much higher than 50 million with this new flu…it could be a billion people, once the virus mutates to transmitting from human to human.

Drugs that fight the bird flu:

Two drugs that can help alleviate the problems caused by the avian flu virus. One is called oseltamivir (Tamiflu). The other is zanamivir (Relenza). You will need a prescription for either. They should be taken within 2 days of the appearance of symptoms and then continued for 5 days at the rate of twice per day. At this time… the drugs are in very short supply (especially Tamiflu which is the preferred treatment). Once a flu pandemic hits, they will be impossible to obtain. Currently you should be able to buy them at your drug store or you can order them online (you’ll need a prescription to get it).

So what do you do if you don’t know what you’re fighting against?

The one thing that always remains constant is to have a healthy, strong immune system that can fight disease. It’s been shown that some habits, supplements and herbs can have a beneficial effect on the immune system. There’s lots of information on this subject, I’d like to share with you what I’ve found from experts in this area.

Helpful Immune Boosting Supplements:

Alpha Lipoic acid is a special antioxidant that recycles both vitamins C and E in the human body. By helping to utilize vitamin C and E better, it helps your immune efficiency.

Bee Pollen is a substance produced by bees when they pollinate flowers. It’s a great energy and immune system booster, and was used by the late President Ronald Reagan.

CoQ10 is a nutrient, short for Coenzyme Q10 that is used in heart health and anti-aging.

Fish oil is a naturally occurring chemical in the bodies of fish. It contains omega 3, omega 6 and omega 9 fatty acids and is helpful for mental and physical health. Spectrum Essentials makes a good fish oil supplement that can be found in many health food stores.

Helpful Immune Boosting Herbs:

Oil of Oregano has been found to fight off many types of germs and improve immune health. North American Herb and Spice makes a good oil of oregano.

Super Greens types of supplements. If you don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables, make up for it by taking a super green supplement that has lots of stuff like wheat grass, barley, alfalfa, etc.

A couple other products that look promising are:

“Km” is a potassium mineral supplement from a company called Matol. You can find it sold online and sometimes in the phone book.

“Higher Mind” is a supplement from a company called Source Naturals and contains several vitamins, minerals and herbs that not only improve concentration, but also work to improve the immune. This supplement can be found in many health food stores.

Habits you can do to keep a strong immune system.

After being out in public, don’t touch your eyes or mouth and wash your hands often. Germs often stay underneath the fingernails so washing your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, focusing on the fingernails can go a long way towards stopping germs. If the person sneezing has the flu, everything in that room can be covered with flu virus with just a few sneezes. If you touch anything in that room, the virus is on your hand, and usually it finds it’s way to your mouth. So try not to touch anything, don’t touch your eyes or face and always wash your hands for 20 seconds after being in public.

Get out and do some exercise. Exercise helps to release stress and has been shown to improve the immune system by sending white blood cells zipping around the body to find intruders and kill them. After a few hours, the immune system returns to “normal” so exercise regularly to keep the white blood cell fighters working for you.

And when mentioning stress, find ways to get rid of stress in your life. You can do this by taking a good hard look at what exactly is stressing you out and then change your perspective of the situation. I know, it’s not as easy as it sounds, so you’ll have to establish priorities that are consistent with your own values and don’t let anyone else interfere with them. Also, be sure to take short breaks throughout your workday. Some other things you can do to fight stress are to not take yourself too seriously.and listen to soothing, relaxing music that provides the time you need to just think and reflect on what’s going on. Getting stressed just isn’t worth the toll it takes on your health.

Maybe the bird flu will transfer to humans this year, maybe not. I like to think positive and believe that science will immecdiately spot it in the human variant and will quickly come up with a cure. Until that happens, it’s best to have your immune system healthy and ready for anything that comes your way.

Jessica Deets has researched lots medical information and is concerned about what could happen regarding the bird flu. The website at http://www.bestfluinfo.com has more information about the bird flu.

August 16th, 2008

Media Muscle: Don’t Believe the Hype

The media saturates us with fitness products and programs promising miracles in the wink of an eye. According to the hype, you can get washboard abs in three minutes a day, loose those love-handles overnight, drop inches and pounds on a daily basis, and firm and tighten your thighs, hips and buttocks in just a few weeks. It certainly seems to have worked for the super-buff, trim and tanned spokespeople that promote these products and programs. The before and after pictures are compelling too, not to mention the heartfelt testimonials of all those satisfied customers who have had their lives completely turned-around.

The problem is, in reality, goals such as the building of cardio-vascular and muscular strength and endurance, trimming the body and increasing flexibility are only achievable in the long-term, involving slow and steady incremental gains over many weeks and months. No matter what the hype, and no matter what the media machine would have you believe, no individual can safely drop significant amounts of fat, nor significantly boost their cardio fitness, add lean muscle mass or increase their flexibility in such short periods of time. This is not however, to suggest that the fitness industry is simply trying to exploit you for your money.

While there are some companies and spokespeople that unashamedly seek to prey-upon peoples desire to be fit and healthy, most of the companies that make fitness products and design programs, as well as those who are hired to promote them, genuinely care about helping people to achieve their health and fitness goals. Companies that have been around the block also understand that their continued success in the health and fitness sector is dependant upon delivering results and providing high-quality service and support to their customers. At the end of the day though, companies are in business to make money, and competing as they are in the ultra-competitive health and fitness market, many resort to base tactics in efforts to boost their sales, gain market share and build profile.

It is fair to say that companies usually transmit through the media evidence, imagery, and opinions that are based on ideal outcomes. The marketing tends to focus on individuals who have achieved impressive, and often freakish, results, many of whom hold biased, solicited opinions. The phrase “individual results may very” is often the only acknowledgement marketers are willing to make of the fact that you, as the customer, are unlikely to experience anything even remotely resembling the outcomes they promote as being fairly typical and achievable for all. Evidence has shown however, for every one person that sings the praises of a particular piece of equipment or fitness system, there will be three or four who found it impractical, uncomfortable and ineffective.

When you enter into exercise by outlaying all sorts of money for programs and equipment that promise the world, you are bound to have high expectations. The problem is, while it can have a great effect in getting you excited about exercise in the beginning, being part of the hottest new trend or owning a piece of cutting-edge equipment does nothing to overcome the period when your initial reserves of energy and enthusiasm for exercise dry-up, usually somewhere in the first 30-45 days (4-6 weeks). It is for exactly this reason that so much fitness equipment quickly ends up as rusty, dusty junk in the attic or garage.

Tragically, this can also be the end of the line for many peoples efforts at getting fit, some of whom may be so discouraged they will wait many months or years before trying again, if at all. Even more remarkable, many of these same people will jump back on the fitness bandwagon by purchasing an all new super-system or mega-machine. And so, many people become trapped in a cycle of failure, forever taking one step forwards - and two steps back.

To avoid this trap, learn to be critical of the media hype and build realistic expectations. Many machines and programs advertised in media can be very beneficial in your quest to boost your fitness levels, but your efforts to get fit should never revolve around one single machine or program. Likewise, never get sucked-in by the idea that they will weave some sort of magic or give you some form of special advantage. Be cautious about expert or consumer testimonials, remembering that they do not represent the typical result, but have been recruited because they embody optimum results and provide compelling testimonials.

Regardless of the slogans and catchphrases, a period of 3-6 months is a much more realistic outlook on achieving significant changes to your physiological state of fitness, and possibly longer depending on your specific goals. Furthermore, if and when you attain your goals, you will need to continue to exercise to maintain your fitness, as muscle tissue and cardiovascular efficiency will degrade over time if you do not engage in regular exercise that is challenging and stimulating. The bottom line is that getting fit, and staying that way, is a lifestyle choice, not a fad.

Arron Stewart Is 26 years old, lives in Hamilton, New Zealand, and attends the University of Waikato as a graduate student in Sport & Leisure with an additional focus on Sociology and Human Resource Management. A website has been established featuring more information and selected articles of his work: http://www.geocities.com/arron_stew_79

August 13th, 2008