Fly Agaric And The Red Nose Reindeer

(Image Wiki)

Fly Agaric or Amanita Muscaria is an easily recognisable red toadstool with white spots. The active ingredients are hallucinogenic and this is why it is often found in stories and picture books accompanied by fairies. Indeed one of the effects of Amanita consumption is the sensation of flying. Amanita heightens the senses, induces a trance like state and this  can lead to spiritual experiences. The name Fly Agaric bares no relation to the flying experience under its influence but to the fact that Amanita Muscaria is a good insect repellent and was often sprinkled in milk to keep away flies.

As it happens, Fly Agaric is a favourite food of Reindeer who will seek the toadstools in places such as Siberia out even under deep snow. Some associations have been made between tripping Reindeer and the legend of Santa Clause. It would certainly explain flying reindeer with names such as Prancer, Dancer, Cupid and Comet!

‘…And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound…’

Clement Clarke Moore (1779-1863)

Some sources describe Shaman gathering Fly Agaric in red coats with white fur and black boots. Aparently these spiritual people  lived in tents known as Yurts and these had a smoke hole in the roof down which the Shaman would descend on a poll. Once safely on the ground they would hand out Fly Agaric to the guests inside. Doesn’t this compare rather well to Santa visiting with toys?

Another symptom of Fly Agaric consumption is a glowing complexion and red nose. Add to this a drug induced ‘ho ho ho’. Remind you of anyone?  

Historian Ronald Hutton of the University of Bristol argues against these claims, denying that there is any evidence for the Shaman connection.

Reindeer urine containing Amanita was consumed by the Siberian peoples. The active ingredient in Amanita is not metabolised by the body and thus remains in the urine. Some say this is the origin of the term ‘getting pissed.’ Reindeer excreted Fly Agaric was much safer than the raw product because one could experience the hallucinations without the negative elements such as nausea, loss of balance and sweating etc.

Not only that, reindeer would drink human urine especially if it contained Magic Mushroom. As a result herdsmen would carry their urine in oil skins to keep the herd together.

Successful Niche Blogging For Writers

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With the growth of the internet and digital services, niche blogging has become a profitable business for many people. There are a wealth of ideas to choose from such as dating, flower arranging, health and beauty and so on.

For writers, niche blogging means that traffic to your pages pays per click, so not only are you getting your name and content recognised but you are also making an income from each visitor.

Niche blogging should not be mistaken for splogging. A term which refers to spam blogging. In other words internet traffic is directed to fake, empty or non-existent websites. Niche bloggers use genuine content links and genuine web platforms.

As a writer, if you are planning to go in for niche blogging then I suggest two options. The first is ready-made niche blog sites such as Triond, Bukisa and Wiki Nut. These sites are free to join and users can display a wide range of topic on their profile.

While Wiki Nut and Bukisa categorise your content to be displayed on relevant areas of their site, Triond farms out articles to be shown on the most relevant websites such as Computersite, Socybery and Heathmad.

The Triond user’s profile acts as a platform for links and there is no actual content on Triond itself. Writers are paid per view and the websites upon which content are displayed contain pop up advertisements. There are two figures on your user account, one shows your pay received by content and the other shows what you have accumulated if you have added AdSense to your account.

If you want to go it alone then you can set up your own niche blog. This must be paid for. The website can be monetised using Google AdSense or Clickbank. Once your blog is set up then it will begin generating income.

A writer’s niche blog is not easy money. You must write regularly and consistently in order to gain an audience and keep them. When you are starting out, the best way to generate traffic is to link your articles to as many social bookmarking sites as possible. Some are good while others are a waste of time. I would recommend the following.

1. Facebook and Twitter
2. Stumbleupon
3. Digg
4. Zoolo
5. Xanga
6. Delicious
7. Google bookmarks
8. Reddit
9. Myspace
10. Amazon bookmarks

Setting up a profile with each of these is a time consuming business but once you have done it you can look for a ‘bookmarking demon’ which is a site made to enable  you link all your new articles to your chosen bookmark sites in a matter of minutes.

You cannot be impatient in this business! After a few years you will start to see a rise in your earnings even when you are away from your desk.  

What Planet Are You On? The Search For Gas Giant Tyche

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‘My very early morning jam sandwich usually nauseates people.’

In other words Mars, Venus, Earth, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto.

You may have come across this or another popular an acronym for remembering the order of the planets in the solar system (even though many dispute Pluto is a planet at all.) When I was at school there were 9 planets, well then Pluto got knocked out and demoted to star status. Now two American scientists want to stick a ball back on the galactic snooker table and call it Tyche.

Tyche is a Gas Giant and in fitting with its neighbours has been given a Greek Name. Tyche after the Greek goddess of fortune.

Matese and Whitmire are scientists from Louisiana-Lafayette University and according to Universe Today; they have been working on their theory for over 4 decades. On 26^th of April 2010 they published a paper entitled ‘Evidence of a Jovian Mass Solar Companion in the Ord Cloud.’ The document explored whether the existence of such a planet could be the reason for localised long-distance comets forming a cluster band rather than taking random paths.

Other scientists are sceptical about the theory calling it un-statistically sound and the evidence ‘subtle’.

The planet is said to be 1.3 Trillion miles from the sun and have a temperature of -73 degrees C. A bit too cold for a visit then! The Daily Mail claims that it could be ‘the largest planet in the solar system’ and ‘up to 4 times the size of Jupiter.’ Tyche may not have been born in our solar system but in fact pulled in by gravity.

The question on many people’s lips is ‘if it’s so big why has it taken this long to find it?’ Well it is apparently located in the Ord Cloud which is a long long way off. Don’t forget this is only a theory, so whether Tyche really exists or is just a load of hot air, time will tell...

Forbidden Fruit. The Sensual Appeal of Durian

Durian are football sized green spikey fruit with a soft yellow pulp with the consistency of banana around large seeds. It takes its name from ‘Duri’meaning ‘thorn’. It is often referred to as ‘The king of fruit.’ While it is a delicacy to some, it is disgust to others. The smell is something of a combination of paint thinner and old gym socks. The taste outweighs the smell and it resembles custard or a sweet vanilla pudding.

Durians originated in Borneo and Sumatra and have been consumed since ancient times. It has only been known about in the west for about 600 years. Although the fruit is available in many parts of Asia, the chief exporter is Thailand.

The King of Fruit grows on mature trees after about five years. The giant globes weigh around 7lb and are a danger to pickers and they must wear hard hats at all times during the harvest.

Banning

Durian is banned from shopping malls, trains, hotels and airlines etc. Anywhere that you see this sign. Hotel staff have been reported to track down Durian eating residents and march in to fumigate the room. 

In Cooking

Malaysians use Durian in candy, cakes, mousse and ice-cream.

Sambal Tempoyak is a Sumatran dish of fermented Durian, coconut milk and sambal sauce.

In Indonesia the seeds are baked with sugar and eaten as a snack. Raw Durian seeds are toxic and should not be consumed. The Indonesians also cook the young leaves, roots and stem as a vegetable.

Malaysian Border is made with minced Durian, salt and onions.

Durian honey is made with the nectar from bees. (The flowers close during the day but at night the Durian trees are pollenated by honeybees and bats.)

In the Moluccas Island, Durian husks are used to smoke fish.

Thai supermarkets sell Durian paste but this is often mixed with pumpkin which is of similar consistency.

Medicinal Properties

It is believed that a preparation of Durian leaves can aid fever. In Java Durian (pre-digested by elephants!) is sold for $300 and considered an aphrodisiac.

Words of warning

Pregnant women and those with high blood pressure are advised to avoid Durian

Do not consume the fruit with alcohol, caffeine or fizzy drinks as it will cause unbearable indigestion!

Keep The King of Fruits covered up in the fridge or the odour will contaminate everything else.

Don’t go on the pull after you have eaten Durian or you will probably get slapped!

Edible Fungi

My earlier article looked at poisonous and hallucinogenic fungi, now I am going to explore the edible varieties. Be careful with what you find and take home as even the most expert mushroom hunter has been caught out! If in doubt don’t!

Blusher or Amanita Rubenscens can be found in deciduous coniferous woodland in the late summer and autumn. The cap is pale brown to entirely dark red or brown with cream coloured warts. Pale coloured volval tissues give it a speckled finish. It gets its name from the way the flesh turns pink on bruising. The fungus has a peppery taste and leaves an acrid after taste. It is native to Europe and North America.

Ugly One, Ugly Milk Cap or Lactarius Turpis has a yellowy brown cap and is found in coniferous woodland in the autumn. It is a native to Europe and Russia but it was introduced to Australia and New Zealand. It is used in Russia as a spice and commercially available preserved in salt or pickle.

Sickener or Russula Emetica is aptly named due to the sickness it will cause if eaten raw. The Sickener can be found in woodland in the autumn. It is found in Europe, North Africa, Asia and North America. Although it will cause sickness if eaten raw it is not life threatening. Russula Emetica was once a favoured food of the red squirrel.

Poached Egg Fungus, Porcelain Mushroom or Oudemansiella Mucida has a convex head of a greyish white. It can be found in clusters on Beech boughs, stumps and trunks. The taste is nothing special.

Plums and Custard or Tricholomopsis Rutilans has a broad yellow speckled umbrella with purple scales giving it the colloquial name. It is most common in the autumn time. At one time it was considered edible after boiling but modern textbooks now record it as inedible. Plums and Custard emits a smell of rotting pinewood, it is native to Europe and North America.

Lawyers Wig, Shaggy Ink Cap or Coprinus Comatus has a tall head and shaggy white scales. As it matures it turns black and the fluid is often used as ink. Shaggy Ink Cap can be found on rubbish tips, roadsides, lawns and fields. The fungus is edible provided it is harvested prior to blackening. It should be cooked as soon as possible and can then be stored in the fridge or frozen. Lawyer’s Wig is cultivated in China for consumption. It should not be eaten with alcohol!

Antabuse Ink Cap or Coprinopsis Antramentaria is found on stumps of deciduous trees in the autumn. Its head is ribbed with grey brown scales. As it ages the gills liquefy. Like its relative Lawyer’s Wig, Antabuse Ink Cap is safe to eat provided you don’t consume it with alcohol! The fungus is sometimes referred to as Tippler’s Bane because it can cause nausea, vomiting, palpitations and tingling if taken with alcohol. Symptoms are not fatal but still pretty unpleasant.

 Weeping Widow or Lacrymaria Velutina is common during the spring and autumn. It is bell shaped and fibrulous tassels give it a fringed edge. It is distributed widely throughout Europe and has a pleasant but indistinct flavour.

Dryad’s Saddle or Polyporus Squamosus is edible but rather a waste of time! It lives off deciduous trees such as Sycamore and Beech. The cream cap is large and fan shaped with rings of brown scales, it has a black base or stem. The fungus can be found on trees from spring to autumn. Its name comes from Greek Mythology where mythological creatures Known as Dryads rode on toadstools. As well as Europe, Dryad’s Saddle is found in North America, Australia and North Africa. As well as being suitable for consumption the fungus can also be used to make thick paper.

Beefsteak Fungus, Ox Tongue or Fistulina Hepatica is liver coloured and fan shaped. Tubes give it the appearance of having warts. The fungus has yellow or pink pores; it oozes a strongly acidic red juice. Beefsteak Fungus gets its Latin name from Fistula meaning small tube and hepatic concerning the liver. It is edible and has been used as a meat substitute sold in French markets.

Wood Woolyfoot or Collybia Peronata has a broad bell shaped or flat umbrella and is leathery in texture. It varies in colour from a yellow ochre to a reddish brown; the stem gives it its common name, being of woolly appearance. It is found in leaf litter around August.

Man's Best Friend. The Canine

My earlier article published on The Real Owner is entitled Man’s best Friend the Canine and looks at the way dogs help us at work in numerous different jobs. I am now going to specifically explore the use of dogs in television commercials.

Andrex toilet tissue is made by Kimberley-Clarke and known as Kleenex Cottonelle in the US. In 1972 advertisers employed ‘The Andrex Puppy’ to feature in around 130 of their advertisements. Slogans include ‘Soft strong and very long’ and ‘be kind to your behind’. The cute golden Labrador was hoped to increase sales of toilet tissue and become a memorable representative of the company.

 Azko Nobel, producers of Durex paint have used the German Shepherd in their adverts since the 1960s. The advertisements became so popular that ‘Dulux dog’ has become a colloquial term for the German Shepherd.

Shepherd Dash took the part of the Dulux Dog for eight years, followed by Fernville Lord Digby and Gambit. Five of the dogs won shows and had to be constantly groomed to keep them looking their best. You can imagine the hair!

The Churchill Insurance dog is the well-known nodding British Bulldog whose catchphrase is ‘oh yes!’ The advertisers were challenged recently over claims that the dog says the ‘f’ word in one of the commercials. Here’s the link, I’ll leave you to decide.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkOQq8FBqu4

Taco and Bell used a Chihuahua in their adverts between 1994 and 2009. Voiced by Carlos Alazraqui the dog was favoured because it is a Mexican breed. The dogs chosen for the part included Dinky and Gidget.

Let’s not forget the Emmerdale Daz Dogs!

It’s amazing how the well-loved family pet has found its way into advertising in the hope that a cute canine face will help to boost sales and become a memorable household name.

Interesting Musical Instruments

I am going to look at two interesting electronic instruments, namely the Theremin and the Moog Synthesizer.

The Theremin is recognisable for its eerie sounds. It was patented by the Russian inventor Leon Theremin in 1928. The instrument is controlled without contact as it has two antennas (frequency and amplitude) which sense the hands. The electric signals are sent through an amplifier.

Owing to its spooky sounds the Theremin has found its way onto movie soundtracks such as Spellbound, The Day The Earth Stood Still and also the series of Midsummer Murders which began on ITV in 1997.

Moog synthesizers were designed by Robert Moog and refer to an analogue or digital synthesizer. The Moog company began selling their synths in the 1950s. During the 1960s the instrument was demonstrated at the International Pop Festival in 1967. In 1968 Wendy Carolos’ Switched-on Bach became the highest selling recording of its time. In the 1970s Rossini and Beethoven on Moog featured in the soundtrack of Kubrick's Clockwork Orange. The first rock recordings using Moog synths were Strange Days by The Doors and Satanic Majesty’s Request (The Rolling Stones) Moogs were also used in The Persauder’s theme composed by the late John Barry.

The Man With The Midas Touch. Goodbye John Barry

The musician John Barry died yesterday of a heart attack. The composer’s career spanned fifty years during which time he won numerous awards for his work. Barry was accredited academy awards for the scores of Born Free, Lion in Winter, Out of Africa and Dancing With Wolves.

The York born artist studied at St Peter’s School and took composition lessons from the organ minister of York Minster. He trained as a classical pianist but also learned to play the trumpet. Barry later studied under Jazz musician Bill Russo and the jazz influences are prominent in his scores.

It was during his National Service that Barry began performing. His big break came working with Adam Faith as he arranged scores and songs for Faith. The music of the 1960s film Beat Girl was the first score which Barry both composed and conducted. He went on to form the band The John Barry Seven and their hits included the theme for Juke Box Jury.

Barry was employed by EMI between 1959 and 1962 but he transferred to Ember records in 1962. In 1971 Barry wrote the theme for the Persuaders using Moog Synthesizers.

In 1988 Barry suffered a ruptured oesophagus which put him out of work for two years.

The composer was unsuccessfully married four times.

• Barbara Pickard 1959-63
• Jane Birkin 1965-1968
• Jane Sidney 1969 – 1971

He had four children.

The Dr No dispute

James Bond producers were unhappy with the music written for Dr. No and so they asked John Barry to work on the score which was originally written by Monty Norman. Norman went on to take all the credit for the film score and in 2001 the case went to court.

Norman received all the credit because he was the person contracted to write the score, whereas Barry was seen as the ‘ghost writer’.

Barry worked on 11 of the James bond tunes, collaborating with artists such as Duran Duran and A-ha.

The composer’s contributions will no double be sadly missed as, although he did not always take credit, many musicians regarded him as a mentor.

Subliminal Messaging In The Media

Subliminal messaging officially began in 1897 allowing advertisers and the media to slip information into our subconscious often without us being aware of it. Every day our conscious and subconscious are bombarded with images which can affect the way we feel. Television has been described as the largest tool for mass hypnosis. There are a number of ways in which messages are used through sight and sound. These include sex in promotional artwork, auditory repetition of brand names and manipulation of language in political broadcasting.

Backmasking is a technique whereby a song or piece of music has a different meaning when played backwards. Some say that The Beatles were masters of backmasking but I disagree. I am very sceptical and believe that some people with nothing better to do looked for controversy in the Beatles music. Other musicians who are said to have backmasked their songs include Britney Spears, Hannah Montana and Eifel Sixty-five.

1. Political subliminal messages. In an anti Al Gore statement the opposition emphasized the ‘rats’ in the word ‘democrats’. As the topic was medicine it made me think of animal testing.

Look at this cover of The Simpsons made before the September the 11^th bombings. Was it purely coincidental that they chose 9 dollars with a backdrop of the twin towers representing an 11? Or is somebody trying to put across a sinister coded message?

2. Subliminals in advertising. My friend and I were in the Co-op and happened to see this packet of Black farmer sausages. Just look at where the arrow is on the packaging. Soon after, the design was changed and the arrow was moved down. Had whoever designed them tried to be racist? or perhaps complimentary towards coloured people, or was it just a coincidence?

In 957 market researcher James Vicary created a movie called ‘Picnic’. In his theatre in New Jersey he showed the movie to 45,000 people. The text based messages ‘eat popcorn’ and ‘drink Cola were displayed once every 3 100ths of a second. His findings were that sales of popcorn rose by 57% and Cola by 18%. Critics claimed the findings were inconclusive.

Afghan Girl. The Search For Sharbat Ghula

(Image Wiki)

I usually have trouble getting Triond  to find suitable images for my articles but this time the subject of my topic came right up!

An Afghan Girl dressed in red with bright green eyes stares at you from the front Cover of The National Geographic, June 1985.  The image was taken by Steve McCurry to highlight the Afghan conflict and the refugee situation and is now the most recognised image in the world.

Sharbat Gula is from the Pashtun Afghan tribe. She was living near Peshawar in Pakistan as a refugee after being orphaned in 1984 following the Soviet Occupation of Afghanistan. There are no records to tell how old she was but roughly twelve years old when the photo was taken. Her identity had remained a mystery until 2002.

Many women came forward claiming to be ‘The Afghan Girl’ after the photograph became famous. In the 90s Gula was found using iris pattern technology. She was found to be living in the mountains of Afghanistan and married with three children. Her husband Rahmut Gul said that the couple married in her early teens. She spends her time between the city and the mountains caring for her children. She can write but she cannot read.

The photograph has intrigued and captivated western audiences ever since it first appeared on the cover of The National Geographic. The magazine set up a charity known as The Afghan Girl’s Fund. In 2002 a documentary featuring Gula was made.

Gula is aptly named ‘The Afghan Mona Lisa.’ It is undoubtedly her beauty and strong features which have made her such a memorable face, and such an icon for war and poverty.  Her haunting expression speaks volumes of war torn Afghanistan, in a way that no article could manage to achieve.

Busy Brits Skimping Oral Hygene Could Be Putting Their Lives At Risk

The human mouth contains 700 types of bacteria and they are not all friendly! We are almost all aware of the importance of good dental hygiene. Brushing twice a day can help to prevent cavities and tooth decay. Regular brushing is also important to ward of extremely unpleasant forms of gum disease. One of these is Gingivitis which can lead to periodontal disease which affects the tissues surrounding the teeth. Left untreated periodontal disease can lead to loose teeth, even tooth loss.

What you may not be aware of are the studies which have been done into a possible link between poor dental hygiene and heart attacks. Two types of harmful oral bacteria are Streptococcus gordonii and streptococcus sanguinis. A study by Bristol University concluded that such bacteria contribute to the formation of blood clots leading to heart attacks and strokes. The bacteria clump together in the heart arteries hanging on to fatty plaques.

A Scottish study also linked gum disease with heart problems. It concluded that those with poor dental hygiene had a 70% higher chance of developing the disease compared with those who brushed regularly.

On the 24^th of May 2010 the BBC announced Many Britains ‘too busy for a proper brush’ of their teeth. According to the article, one in three Britains do not give their teeth the daily two minutes in the morning and evening recommended by the British Dental Health Foundation.

A survey by Sovereign Healthcare claims that 80% of those questioned put off dental appointments for financial reasons. It’s not surprising people are getting their priorities in the wrong order with  NHS waiting lists soaring and the cost of a private crown is equal to that of a foreign holiday!

Poor dental hygiene and gum disease in pregnant women may lead to premature births. The University of North Carolina conducted a five year study on pregnant women and found that those with poor dental health and gum disease were between five and seven times more likely to go into labour prematurely. The baby may also be of a low birth weight.

What is the connection?

According to The University of North Carolina harmful bacteria in the bloodstream as a result of gum disease may be passed through the placenta. There have also been reports of pre eclampsia in pregnant women with gum disease.

Gum disease also increases the risk of mouth cancers and pancreatic cancer in males.

Other incentives to brush up on your teeth

Gum disease causes bad breath which will not go away.

People with diabetes should take extra care of their teeth because the elevated glucose levels in the body can cause tooth damage and gum disease.

Those with osteoporosis should pay more attention to dental hygiene too.

Cavities can form while you sleep so using Fluoride toothpaste before you go to bed will let you sleep easy knowing your teeth are taken care of overnight.

Bacteria can damage and weaken tooth enamel making it sensitive and brittle.

Tartar build up can only be removed by a professional dentist although brushing with a tartar preventative paste can help.

5 ways you can protect your teeth

1. Brush twice a day for 2 minutes with a Fluoride toothpaste
2. Floss
3. Use a mouth wash
4. Avoid excessive sugary foods
5. Visit your dentist for regular check ups

Think you have gum disease?

Periodontal disease is normally painless, but if you have swollen or bleeding gums, gaps appearing between your teeth, receding gums or painful sores it is time to see a dentist.

While factors such as a sedatory lifestyle, poor diet and smoking are seen as the major factors which cause life threatening illness, we must not ignore the importance of tooth care as well.

Going It Alone. Why Some Women Choose The Single Life

10 Reasons why some women choose the single life

1. Career. Some women choose to follow a career path rather than being involved in a relationship or family life. Women today have much more freedom to do this than their ancestors and there isn’t the pressure for them to marry for security that there was in the past. The advantages of single status in career women being that they do not have the distractions and potential emotional upsets that inevitably come with a relationship.
2. Illness. A woman who suffers from mental or physical illness may view herself as undesirable and therefore avoid the dating game. Something such as chronic depression or terminal illness can keep a woman single because she does not want to burden her partner. Women with contagious, life threatening diseases such as HIV and AIDS may also choose to be single for practical reasons.
3. Bad experience. This can be anything from experiencing an unhappy relationship between her parents, to becoming involved in physical or mental abuse form the opposite sex.
4. Commitment phobia. Both sexes can be commitment phobic, despite men getting most of the bad press! If it is not due to insecurity then it may simply be that the woman enjoys the chase, enjoys a life of promiscuity and does not want to settle down.
5. Some women have a low sex drive and/or are just not interested in men.

The Other Woman The Who? And Why?

Image by Wiki

1 Career woman

Danger rating *

When will she leave? In the morning

I once read an article written by a high flying executive who said that she only ever chose married men  because they ‘didn’t expect anything’. Such women deliberately seek out married lovers for no strings sex and to avoid commitment. They can have simple sex, devoid of emotion and then go to work and focus on their careers without distraction. As far as ‘marriage wrecker’ she is pretty harmless.

            2 Temptresses

Danger rating ***

How long before she leaves? After she has won him.

The woman is fiercely competitive by nature. She has a point to prove and doesn’t like to see anyone out with a better looking man. She will chase a married man as a challenge and lure him into her web. If shunned she will turn vindictive and may become rabbit boiler or wife stalker. The potential for marriage wreckage is great. She may fake a pregnancy or try to use emotional blackmail.

           

Adulteresses get a lot of bad press, but let’s not forget that the men have a part to play. There are times when married men deliberately go after other women, bestow them with gifts and attention which they really should be saving for their wives. These men usually have inflated egos and Narcissistic personalities. They have got loving spouses who spoil them rotten but it isn’t enough, they have to try for an adoring mistress as well!

Innocent victim.

Danger rating **

When will she leave? Months, a year, when she comes to her senses.

Loyal and trusting, unsuspicious. The woman who ends up with the philanderer may not even have known he was married. She is naïve and innocent and does not even bother to pose the question while they are ‘dating’. He has gone after her because he knows she is genuine, she will be generous in bed and adore him. The thing that will be most disastrous here is when she realises he isn’t in love with her. However, he preyed on a decent type so the likelyhood she will call his wife is minimal.

Emotionally insecure

Danger rating ****

When will she leave? Potentially never

The woman has gotten involved with the married man because she thinks she can’t do any better. She may have witnessed infidelity growing up and therefore assume that it is normal acceptable behaviour. She may not think she is worthy of a decent man. She loves and cares for her lover but becomes increasingly unstable as time passes. She may have underlying mental problems which did not show up at the start, so her married man is playing with fire. Finding herself emotionally trapped by him she may develop eating disorders, abuse drugs or start self-harming. Such erratic behaviour is a severe danger to his marriage.

10 New Year Relationship Resolutions

(Image by Wiki)

1. Turn off, turn on!

Unplug, shut down switch off your phone, your computer and spend time together. Set time aside for your partner.

2. Talk sex. When you have seen the same person naked a lot over the years it can be easy to get into a rut. Wear something new, create a sense of anticipation, and share a fantasy.

3. Slow down. There’s nothing like being in a hurry for killing off romantic/sexual feelings. If you are somebody who has a busy diary and always tied by the nose to a clock then make quality time together your priority and switch off the doorbell!

4. Do something romantic. Every relationship has its problems. Over the years you have doubtless at some point both shouted, sworn, niggled, bitched…

Think about what it was that made you fall in love with that person in the first place and forget all the negative stuff! Flowers, chocolates, going that extra mile will put you both in a romantic mood.

5. Be affectionate more often. Kissing, cuddling, touching is bonding. It doesn’t have to lead to sex, just kiss for the sake of it to show them you love them.

6. Time together without the kids. It’s important to have an evening now and again where it is just the two of you. Ask a relative or friend to babysit and hit a fancy restaurant.

7. Don’t sleep on an argument. For some reason a lot of arguments seem to start in the evening. Perhaps it is due to tiredness. If you have a problem with your partner try to fix it before you go to bed as anxiety and stress can lead to poor sleep.

8. Don’t argue in the bedroom. The bedroom is a place of rest, relaxation and intimacy. If you are having a conflict, try to resolve it in another room so that you don’t create a stressful atmosphere where you sleep.

9. Share a problem. ‘A problem shared is a problem halved.’ If something isn’t right in the relationship talk about it. What’s the worst that can happen! Keeping things to yourself only builds up resentment and makes a mountain out of a molehill.

10. Keep birthdays, anniversaries and special dates. There is nothing worse than feeling that your partner has forgotten your day, so if you are the absent minded type keep a diary. You will be able to avoid last minute bookings, flowers from the petrol station or the shame of having failed to remember altogether!

Titanic -The Greatest Maritime Disaster In Peace Time

On The 15th of April 1912 the Titanic sank in calm but icy seas on her maiden voyage to New York.

The Titanic sank in a usually busy shipping lane and one might wonder how it came about that nobody went to the rescue of the distressed ship. People certainly wondered about the lack of assistance from The Californian who was present that same night!

Apathy or genuine error?

Flares were sent up by the sinking ship and Captain Lord of The Californian was awoken. He dismissed the flares while the Titanic tried in vain to contact the ship using Morse lamps.

Lord later testified that the sea was calm and he had mistaken the Titanic’s lights for stars. He resigned in August 1912; some sources say he was dismissed. He was never tried for any offences under The Merchant Ship Act, but his reputation is dubious.

Construction

Rivets and steel from the Titanic were recovered and analysed. The rivets were said to have been made of low quality iron which broke on impact. The steel was found to become brittle at freezing temperatures.

Lifeboats

Titanic carried more than the legal requirement of lifeboats according to the British Board of Trading Regulations. . Of course they were not intended to accommodate passengers for any length of time but to ferry them to safety and return. The rescue mission seems to have been somewhat disorganized however. Lifeboat Seven carried 28 people with a capacity of sixty five. Lifeboat one was launched with only twelve passengers and Lifeboat Eleven was overloaded with seventy.

Bruce Ismay                   

Managing director of the White Star Line was under pressure from competitors which lead to a vested interest in the ship making the six day crossing.

Thomas Andrew

White Star requested that the six water tight compartments not go as high as they should because it compromised passenger living space. If Andrews had made the compartments to the correct measurements perhaps the Titanic would have arrived safely in New York.

Captain E Smith

Smith was on his retirement trip to new York and he wanted to get to America in record time. He ignored warnings of icebergs.

Chances of Survival

The 90’s film version of Titanic demonstrated how the upper classes had more of a chance of survival than those who were from the lower classes.

Top Scams & Scam Psychology

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I recently had 47 scam emails in my junk folder so I decided to look at them and think about just how scammers try to scam us and what to look out for.

Who do scammers target?

Everyone any anyone, but like all predators they will focus on certain groups of people such as the weak and the elderly. By weak I mean those people in society who are poor, uneducated or looking for love.

Phishing is a term for scamming the general public, whaling refers to scamming senior execs and other high profile figures. A recent phishing scam involved fake letters form the Inland Revenue.

The Psychological tactics

1. Threat

Playing on fear. In some cases frightening people with threats can make them act impulsively without thinking clearly.

‘If you don’t do X the Y will happen to you.’

Example: Scammers send you fake emails warning you that your account will be shut if you do not disclose your password and login details.

No company will ever ask for you to give out passwords and confidential information. The emails are usually poorly written using unprofessional language, poor spelling and grammar. They usually have an unconvincing signature block with a fake sounding name job description.

2. Sympathy

Love is blind…

Scammers use the sympathy vote to get money out of the days. I like to think that gone are the days when anybody would send money into a Thai bank account for their foreign ‘girlfriend’. Unfortunately I did meet somebody a few years ago who was paying a substantial amount of money to support a woman he barely knew.

Not only was there a likelihood that he was being ripped off, but the funds were set up by direct debit meaning that if the money was used for any illegal activity then he would be implicated.

Some of the junk emails I received were from Nigerians asking for money to support their families. While the money may go to a good cause to feed a family, it is far more likely that the sender is part of an organised phishing scam to get money for them! Then there is the question of misuse of email addresses.

3. Intrigue

‘You have 10 new messages!’

‘You have won a Cannon printer!’

A colleague at work once accidentally clicked on one of these messages and all hell broke loose. Down came a torrent of advertising windows with everything from shopping to dating. She was unable to close the windows and the computer eventually crashed.

I don’t think anybody deliberately opens these messages nowadays but be careful not to click on them by mistake. It’s easily done.

Sorry we missed you…

Recently across the UK there have been fake courier companies leaving cards through people’s letter boxes.  When the resident calls the number to rearrange redelivery guess what? No parcel, £300 premium rate phone call!

I haven’t ordered anything?

You may be wondering why I have included this scam. While it’s easy for the individual to keep a track on their Amazon deliveries, it’s not so easy for self-employed people such as merchants who receive large quantities of goods on a regular basis.

Courier vans will call again if they missed you, if however you have been away for a holiday and find one of these cards on the doorstep the best thing to do if you are in any doubt is ring up the supplier. They will be able to tell you when the parcel was dispatched.

Another possibility for sussing out if the company is legitimate is to call from a pay-as-you-go phone. That way they won’t be able to get £300 out of you the way they can if you are on contract.

We are testing the network.

Some scammers ring you up pretending to be phone technicians. They target contract mobiles and landlines. If the caller says they are ‘testing cell phone circuits’ be suspicious. If they ask you to press #90 or #09 your suspicions are confirmed! Somebody is attempting to scam you and pressing these numbers means that they can make a long distance call at your expense. Usually in the region of £20. When you are at work never transfer anyone to an outside line.

4. Seduction

‘What will you do with your first wage?’

‘Just think of paying off all those bills....’

Just as advertisers use seduction tactics to make you want to buy their products, scammers use the same technique to make you want to work for their (fake) company.

The thing to watch out for with online companies is the language they use. Scam company operators manipulate language to their advantage. Look carefully at what they are actually saying.

The Ukrainian Dating Scam

She’s a man eater…

I was intrigued that anybody would fall for this scam. The women who presumably work for a central organization invite men to their country. They are not interested in getting money paid into their bank accounts which is probably why men are less suspicious. They operate in different ways. When the man arrives in the country to meet his ‘true love’ she takes him to the most expensive restaurants, shops and so on, she asks for a translator (who works on commission) and she gives him numbers billed at premium rates. Then when he asks where she is going she says ‘to work,’ and off she goes to meet another man.

While it is naïve to think that any of us is infallible to scammers, there are things we can do to minimise the risk. As they become more proficient in their trade, we have to become more diligent, more suspicious. It’s sad really!