2/24/2009

Possible future of stock exchanges

With the electronic age firmly entrenched and the Internet and basic computer usage a fact of life, many people are taking a look at how computers are changing the workplace. Where most elementary schools may have had one or two computers in an entire school, some schools now have a laptop for every student. And while the average workplace use to have slow and clunky terminals, they have now been replaced with lightning fast machines capable of running a dozen complex programs at once.

One workplace that has been somewhat shielded by this evolution is the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Some consider this to be highly ironic, since the floor of the exchange is where the shares in the very computer companies that seem like they are taking over the world are traded.

The recent expulsion of Richard Grasso as head of the NYSE was seen as an ominous move by many specialists who work at the exchange. Grasso, while far from an ideal leader, was famous for trying to keep the individual traders employed when they could most likely be replaced by a newly designed computer system.

With the appointment of new exchange boss John Thain, a possible revamping of the entire trading system is expected, but how many jobs will it cost and what will it look like?

A major sign of impending change happened in April of 2005 when a company called Archipelago Holding merged with the New York Stock Exchange and the two became a publicly traded company. Archipelago is an electronic trading network, and it’s thought by many who work on the floor of the NYSE that this merger is the final nail in the coffin for the hundreds of people who carry on the tradition of floor selling that has been going on for over 200 years.

The possible evolution of the NYSE may not even be up to those that run it. As other markets across the world in places like Hong Kong, Frankfurt and London upgrade their trading methods and begin to phase out trading by people in favour of computers, an upgrade may become necessary to just keep up. Since the computer can process trades significantly faster than a human, the NYSE may have to do away with the traditional floor trader just so that the exchange remains competitive and relevant.

While the constant sea of change is inevitable, the future of the floor trader at the NYSE looks bleak. It is not known if there will still need to be traders to input the trades into the computers or if that phase of the trade will somehow be automated, as well. The only thing that is known for sure is that change will continue to happen and unless we learn to anticipate it, those that don’t will be left behind.
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Richard Grasso and the NYSE

Richard Grasso was born in New York City in 1946 and was chairman of the New York Stock Exchange for 8 years from 1995 until 2003. His career on Wall Street began in 1968 when he began working as a clerk. Grasso was also president of the exchange during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and his leadership was considered to be a major factor in getting the exchange up and working so quickly after the attacks.

Grasso grew up in the city and was raised by his mother. He joined the Army after attending university for two years, and it was upon his exit from the Army that he began working as a floor clerk on Wall Street. The rest, as they say, is history. Grasso worked hard and moved up, through the ranks, and by 1995, he was president. Although his tenure with the NYSE would end in controversy, he was thought to be a major force in keeping the stock exchange one of the top financial markets in the world.

Four years into his reign atop the NYSE, a controversy began when Grasso invited a group of members from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC) to the floor of the stock exchange. It is still unknown why Grasso would associate himself with an organization that the United States government considers to be a terrorist group that uses illegal drug sales to fund their war against the Columbia government. During the meeting, Grasso is reported to have said that he was bringing a message of cooperation from United States financial companies, since FARC has been known to preach anti-capitalism ideals. A scene like this today in the post-9/11 world is unfathomable.

Grasso’s downfall was precipitated by his receipt of what is known as a deferred compensation pay package. The reason why this was a problem was because the package was worth 140 million dollars, and the people who agreed to give it to him, the compensation committee, had been hand picked by Grasso and the members were made up of representatives of companies that traded on the New York Stock Exchange. An obvious conflict of interest led to Grasso stepping down as the chair of the exchange on September 17, 2003.

The story of Richard Grasso isn’t over as a lawsuit is still pending to attempt to recover some of the $140 million, as well as a counter lawsuit filed by Gasso.
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NYSE President John Thain

John Thain is the current Chief Executive Officer of the New York Stock Exchange. Before coming to the NYSE, Thain was the Chief Operating Officer and President for Goldman Sachs, one of the world’s most prestigious investment banks. During Thain’s tenure with Sachs, he was able to develop a portfolio worth over $300 million dollars in stock.
Thain was chosen for his business acumen, but also for the fact that unlike his predecessor, Dick Grasso, Thain isn’t as much of a showman and enjoys being behind the scenes at the New York Stock Exchange. There are famous stories of Thain while at Goldman Sachs that talk about how he was an important and influential member of their company, people didn’t talk about him because he was so quiet. This demeanor is thought to be a major reason why he was chosen to replace Grasso after the extremely controversial and public way he left the NYSE.
Thain attended the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and still has very close ties to the school today as a member of the MIT Corporation and with the Dean’s Advisory Council. Thain graduated from Harvard in 1979 with his MBA.
It was thought to be a bit of an upset that Thain would get the job to head the New York Stock Exchange. Many other higher profile business men had been bantered about in the media as possible successors to the tarnished throne of Dick Grasso, but Thain won out.
One of the hopes of Thain’s reign at the NYSE is that he will help to modernize the trading floor. A major criticism of the Dick Grasso era was that he refused to let computers and more efficient systems be installed into the exchange with the rational that since trading had always been done this way, it should always be done this way. One of the possible reasons Thain was chosen is that, while he is by all means an insider to the financial world, he has no particular allegiance to the men and women on the floor who trade stock, and while no one wants to fire people who are doing their jobs, the need to modernize the trading system to match other exchanges around the world is a must.
While no one can predict the future, it is hoped that the tenure of John Thain is just as effective as his predecessor Dick Grasso, just a heck of a lot quieter.
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NYSE During WWI – Why the Shut Down?

The history of the New York Stock Exchange is littered with colourful stories that feature soaring stocks and bonds, horrible crashes, as well as ceremonies to mark significant moments in history and even simple holidays.

When World War I broke out in 1914, the governing body of the New York Stock Exchange decided to suspend trading. In retrospect, an initial closing was probably a good idea since holdings in Europe of American securities were more than likely going to be extremely unstable. The shut down was considered to be an emergency measure, but a necessary one to keep the market from crashing altogether.

The market closed on August 1, 1914, but what shocked so many was that the market didn’t just close for a day or two, it closed for four months. While by today’s standards, the idea of no trading for four months seems outrageous and basically impossible, traders in that time felt exactly the same way. The only other time up to that point in the history of the NYSE that there was a closure was during the Panic of 1873, which featured over 30 firms on Wall Street to go out of business. But even then, the exchange only closed for 10 days, not months. So, what was the cause of this extended closure?

One of the major reasons was the president at the time Woodrow Wilson. He felt it was very important for all the Federal Reserve banks to be up and running before the stock market was reopened. But Wilson’s treasury secretary kept the market closed even after those banks were online. Why? The emergence of a secondary and much smaller trading market called the New Street Market had opened, and while it was a far cry from the organization and scope of the NYSE, it did help relieve some of the pressure that not having the NYSE open caused.

The New Street market was never really taken seriously by major business. The New York Times and the NYSE made sure the New Market didn’t gain any traction in the city. The NYSE heavily lobbed the government to reopen so they could put an end to the New Market once and for all.

The NYSE was kept closed for four months mainly out of fear of a crash that would plunge the economy into a recession or an all out depression. The New Market helped to get some trading done and when the proper safeguards were in place, the NYSE reopened.
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Is a Bull Market on its Way?

Recently, the Dow Jones industrial average broke an all time high, and recent stock news shows that the index is ready to break through to 12,000, which would also be a record high. Investors all over the world are asking themselves if this means another bull market, meaning a market that is going to be going up and up is about to start? Or is this a short term rise, and a bear market, or a market that is going to be going down, is starting? Investors have argued over the direction of the market for generations, just like sports fans arguing over who has a better defense.
Pessimists of the current markets point to the fact that while the NYSE is way up, the other markets like the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 are far below a possible record high. They also point to the fact that recent economic indicators are showing a downturn in the economy, although optimists argue that any economic downturn will be short-lived.
One of the best bellwethers for the overall economy is real estate. Since the real estate market deals in such “real” terms, meaning that they deal in land, homes and large buildings; things you can see and touch, the real estate market is very stable and not prone to seismic shifts in price and quality.
If you are going to judge the real estate industry on how stocks might do over the next year, than you might want to think about selling off your holdings now. Real estate experts agree that a “housing bubble” is about to burst, sending the price of real estate across the country into the basement, and a good chunk of the economy with it. A real estate bubble is caused when a flurry of investing causes the market to become overvalued. With the 5-year long real estate boom over, prices from California to Arizona to Florida are coming back down to earth, and the economy at large is going to suffer.
Cities like Boston have already been feeling the affects of this burst bubble. The real estate market there has been in decline for months now and the trend is spreading to New York and even out west where the housing market has been red hot for years.
While there is no way to predict what the NYSE and the other stock markets will do over the coming year, if the real estate market is an accurate indicator, than there could be trouble ahead and a bear market might not be far off.
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2/23/2009

Choosing a Gym for Aerobic exercise

When it comes right down to it, how you work out is very important. Everyone knows that it is important that you get a certain amount of exercise, and that you work your body in a certain way so that all of the muscle groups can get stronger, but you might not know that it is also important to have somewhere that you work out that is going to benefit your style and you as a person, so that you can have the best chance of being successful when it comes to working out.

There are many things that you have to consider when you are choosing a gym for aerobic exercise. The most important thing to think about is the fact that not everyone gets healthy in the same way. If you haven’t worked out much before, or if you have and it hasn’t been successful, perhaps you don’t know yet what way you are going to handle exercising the best, and what types of aerobic exercise are going to be most important to you. Therefore, no matter what level of fitness you are at, you have to be choosing a gym that really meets your needs by having lots of options. You always want to pick a gym for aerobic exercise that has a lot of options for you, because you never know when you might benefit from a change in how you work out and in how you get your exercise. This means that you have to be sure you are getting the most out of everything that you are doing, and you have to pick a gym that has lots of options.

That said, you also want to pick a gym that has modern equipment, and that has enough of it to accommodate all of the people that go there. You want to be able to work out when you have a chance, so be sure that you pick one that has hours that correspond to your needs. Be sure that you are getting as much out of your gym as you can.

Also, one of the biggest factors in how successful you are at working out is your attitude, so be sure that you pick a gym that caters to a positive attitude and one that makes you feel good about yourself. You’ll be much more likely to use it and therefore much more likely to be successful. Gyms come in all shapes and sizes (and price ranges), so you should be able to find a great one in your area.
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Aerobics and Healthy Eating

cuts back on your eating habits completely, because many times these aren’t going to have the proper nutrients for what you need as you are doing aerobics. Be sure that you are giving yourself plenty of chances to get as good of foods as you can when it comes to eating well, and be sure to talk to your doctor if you have concerns about what you should and should not be eating. These are all very important things that you can do to make sure you are on the right track when it comes to fitness as a whole.
There are many factors that come into play when you want to begin to talk about aerobics and healthy eating. No matter what, you should know that you can concentrate a lot of your enthusiasm for getting more healthy onto both aerobics and what you are eating, because these two things play into each other very well. Healthy eating is important for any kind of exercising style.

When it comes to aerobics and healthy eating, you should know that as you start to get more and more active, it is going to be very important that you have a good meal and a good diet to fall back on. As you start to want to be healthier, your diet is really the first thing that you should change about yourself. See your doctor for suggestions of what you should be eating, and implement these changes as soon as you can, because you are going to find that changing what you are eating is the best way to begin to be healthy and to lead a healthy lifestyle.

After you have started by changing what you are doing and how you are eating, you have to get into the routine of exercising in general. This is often something that is hard for people to do, because it takes a lot out of them and brings them into a situation where they really need to get down to business. By doing aerobics and other types of activity, you are going to be burning more fat and so your body is going to be needing more protein. This means that diets aren’t going to help you, because if you don’t have the proper protein that your body needs, you might find that you are too weak to work out as you should.

Therefore, the first thing that you have to focus on is eating a good diet – and then you have to realize that this diet shouldn’t be that
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Aerobic Exercise for Children

In this country, as in all countries, there is a problem with children needing to get more exercise. With the invention of the computers and the televisions, and the fact that now they are in even more homes it is not uncommon for a child to get little or no exercise. This is not good for children for many reasons. If a child isn’t getting the right kind of aerobic exercise, they are going to have more of a chance of being overweight and obese as they get older.

Also, they are more likely to have poor eating habits and to not care about getting healthy, which is also going to cause them problems in the long run. The other thing is that as children grown and develop, it is important for them to be getting aerobic exercise, because their bodies need to have exercise often so that their muscles can get strong, and their hearts and lungs can fully develop. This means that aerobic exercise for children is very important.

If you are concerned that your child isn’t getting the right amount of exercise, there are several things that you can do. First of all, enforce rules about healthy eating for your children. You have to make sure that your entire family is eating well, and that children are eating healthy foods. You also have to make sure that you aren’t letting your children eat in front of the television or the computer.

Also, set limits on how much television and computer they are allowed to use during the day. Make sure that you enforce these rules, and encourage them to do other things while the computer and television are turned off. You should be doing things as a family as well.

The biggest way that you can encourage your children to get the right kind of exercise is if you have family exercise times. You should try to find a time each day where your family can get together and do something fun outside, even if it is simply playing catch or going for a walk. All of this can turn into great family experiences, and it can also be a wonderful way for your family to get healthy together. If you are working out as a family, you are giving your family the best possible chance to be even healthier, and this is only going to be better for your children in the long run.
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Aerobics Exercise in Conjunction with Anaerobic Exercise

Getting your exercise is always important. This should be something that you already know, but what you might not know is that type of exercise that you are getting is just as important as actually getting it. In order to be completely healthy, you have to get all of the types of exercise that you need, and you have to be sure that you are getting them all in the right way. Aerobic exercise along with anaerobic exercise is the best way to make sure you are getting all parts of the work out that you need. When it comes right down to it, aerobic exercise along with anaerobic exercise is a great combination. You are getting your heart rate pumping with the aerobic exercise, and with the anaerobic exercise you are allowing yourself to do strength training, which is also very important for your body’s health.

With all of the types of exercise out there, you can make sure that your exercise regime includes aerobic exercise along with anaerobic exercise because this is going to be the healthiest way you can get the proper amount of exercise in general.

If you are concerned about aerobic exercise along with anaerobic exercise and you don’t know what kinds of exercise you should be doing, you really need to check with your doctor because after all your doctor knows the most about your body and what you can do to feel and look better with who you are. Your doctor can give you the correct combination of aerobic exercise along with anaerobic exercise and make sure that you are getting enough of both types of exercise in your daily routine. In short, aerobic exercise will help you to build heart and lung health and burn fat, while anaerobic exercise will help you build muscle.

Remember that it is not a good idea to only get one type of exercise, no matter how strong you think you are. In order to be really healthy you have to be sure that you are getting aerobic exercise along with anaerobic exercise to have a well-rounded level of health. This can really be your best shot at being competently healthy, because it is only by getting both types of exercise that you are allowing your body to have full control over its movements and to be fully in control of how healthy you are. Remember always that aerobic exercise along with anaerobic exercise is the best way to go – you don’t want to leave one type out.
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What’s not to Love? The Benefits of Aerobics

There are more benefits of aerobics for your body that you could possibly count. All over the world today, people are talking about new and better ways to work out, because all over the world the health rates of people are falling into very dangerous territories. That means that doctors and other health care professionals have been talking about the benefits of aerobics for some time. You too can cash in on this get kind of exercise.

There are simply too many benefits of aerobics to mention quickly. However, there are a few that stick out as very important. For instance, the best way that you can make sure you are living a healthy life is to get your heart rate pumping, and the absolute best way to get your heart rate going is to find something that you can do like aerobics, that requires constant movement without any resting In order to be really and truly healthy, you have to be able to have a constant movement and to get your heart rate going for a length of time. Allowing your hear to keep going a higher rate than resting for a set amount of time is one of the best ways to get healthy, because this delivers blood and oxygen to each part of your body at an even faster rate.

There are also many more benefits of aerobics that you might not have even realized. Besides for making your heart and lungs strong, aerobics makes all of your muscles stronger because you have to keep them moving for longer periods of time without stopping. This means that no matter what part of your body you are concentrating your aerobics on working, you’re going to find that you are getting stronger and stronger as time goes on.

You should talk to a doctor if you are interested in getting a full list of the benefits of aerobics, but know right away that there are many. Before you begin an aerobics routine, however, you should be sure that you are talking to your doctor, because there are some people who need to work their way up to a full fledge routine because of other health issues. Be sure that you have the green light from your doctor so you can get started on getting the benefits of aerobics straight to yourself! You will never feel so healthy as when you are working out and taking care of yourself, and getting into an aerobics routine is the best way for you to accomplish this.
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Following Fishes for Losing the Pounds: Water Aerobics

There are many different ways that you can get healthy – doing water aerobics is something you might never have thought of. However, not only can it help you be really healthy and get the most out of your aerobic work out, it can do a lot more, as well.

When it comes to using the water to work out, there are many ways that water aerobics can work for you. You can either do some of these exercises on your own, or you can join a club or a group that will teach you how to do them. No matter what you decide to do, you’ll be able to find that water aerobics fit right in to your regular work out routine.

Basically, doing water aerobics means that you are going to be providing your body with actual exercise. You are going to be doing aerobic work outs in much the same manner that you would if you weren’t in the water – for instance you are going to be able to run, walk, and do other movements during your work out. The difference is that you’ll be doing them in the water, which adds to the work out.

By doing your workout in the water, you are getting more resistance than if you were doing it in the air. Everyone knows that when you try to move through water you have to exert more force in order to make the movements that you want to make. This means that as you do your water aerobics, you are forced to use more of your muscle groups and you are forced to get stronger.

Most of the time you can be with a water aerobics class, which will help you figure out how best to do your water aerobics. This is a great way to make sure that you know what you are doing, and to make sure that you are actually getting as much out of your exercise as you can. The instructor will guide the class through a series of movements, where you’ll be able to do the same repetitive motions over and over again. Hopefully, you’ll find that this will increase your heart rate and allow you to be able to start to work your body in a great and aerobic way. By doing water aerobics, you can get exercise and strengthen every part of your body – plus, water aerobics can be the most fun you’ve had in a pool since you were a little kid!
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Full-Body Aerobics

We all know that it is important to be as healthy as we can be. Working out is something that most people take for granted, either they are the kind of people that do it, or they don’t. However, doing aerobics has much more behind it than simply that. If you truly want to be healthy, and you think that you know what you should do, you should add aerobics into your work out.

Even though some people like to target different parts of their bodies when it comes to aerobics, is also very important that you have a routine that works on each of your body parts as a whole, together. This kind of routine is something that you can do to strengthen your whole body, while you are working out.

When you are working on your entire body, there are several things that you have to keep in mind. First of all, you should be sure that you are working each of your muscle groups and that you are working all of them for an extended period of time. This is something that some people fail to do and can result in uneven and unhealthy training.

The best aerobics that you can do are going to be aerobics where you work each of your muscles in turn. Remember that you have to have a session where your heart is pumping, so a good thing to do is to be constantly moving while you are doing your aerobics. Then, you can move each of your muscles as well. The best whole body workout would be to start at a brisk walk in place. Get your heart rate up and going, and then you can start to work other muscles. Use your arms and do repetitive reaches into the sky, which will target your arms. At the same time, begin to do leg stretches, which will target your lower body, and then you can do side to side movements that will work on your abdomen. Remember that the best way to get a full body workout is just to remember to include each of your muscle groups in everything that you do. This is something that some people fail to do as they are working out, and therefore their aerobics aren’t going to be as helpful to them as your aerobics are going to be to you. Remember to include all of your muscles, and you’ll be losing weight and feeling healthier in no time flat.
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Working your Upper Body with Aerobics

Everyone knows that aerobics can be the most important thing in your life when it comes to fitness. Working out is something that a lot of people do, and for good reason. Doing aerobics or other types of workouts is a great way to make sure you are as healthy as you can be. However, aerobics not only helps you to be healthy, but gives you a chance to be more upbeat, and in better moods as well. Aerobics are all around good activities for you.

Sometimes, though, no matter how good an activity might be for our whole body, we want to focus on something smaller, like part of our body that we don’t’ like. It is always good to work out in a way that targets your whole body, but sometimes you might want to work on something that is really bothering you, or a point where you know you are very weak. This is where targeted aerobics comes in.

Our upper bodies are things that we know we want to work on. Our arm muscles and the other areas located above our waists are often the things that we don’t like about ourselves, and this are often what we want to change. We all need strong arms and a strong upper body, because we have to do a lot of motion during the day. That is why strengthening your upper body is so important.

When you are trying to target your upper body, repetitions are going to be key. You want to move your body in a way that makes your muscles work. As you are running or walking, you want to have repetitions in your movements with your arms and your shoulders. These should be moved and lifted over your head, and then put back down again, but you have to be sure that you are constantly repeating this movement. This is a good place to have your jumping jacks, because each time you move your arms up and down you are going to be working those muscles.

Another great thing to remember is that each time you move your muscles you are making the stronger. If you want to get rid of fat on your arms, you have to move the part of your arm that you aren’t happy with. Attaching small weights to your wrists is a great way to strengthen your arms during aerobic exercise.
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Aerobics and a Support System: Why You Need It and Who Should be in It

When it comes to any kind of working out, having a support system is very important. Most people use aerobics to stay healthy and resist weight gain, or even lose weight. There are a number of people who can be a part of your support system in order for you to be as healthy as possible. These people will help you stay motivated so that you aren’t tempted to skip your aerobics and watch television instead!

First, a health care professional should be at the head of your support systems. Doctors will be able to give you suggests about your aerobics routine as well as point out anything you are doing that could be bad for your body. When you have your doctor on your side for your aerobics, you know that you are being safe and making good health decisions. Make sure that you visit your doctor regularly to chart your progress and also check with him or her when you drastically change an aerobics program.

Also at the top of your list of support group members should be personal trainers. If you can afford it a personal train for aerobics is the best way to meet weight loss or maintenance goals. A personal train will also be able to correct your form and give you tips to making your aerobics workout go as successful as possible. He or she will be mental support as well, urging you to do better at all times.

Your family can also provide a great support system. Even while you are at home and not doing aerobics, you and your family can together work to live a healthier lifestyle by not smoking, eating healthy foods, and getting outside more often instead of sitting on the couch every day. You can take your whole family to the gym to try aerobics workouts. This is a great way to bond as well as do something right for your bodies together.

Lastly, look to others who are doing aerobics to round out your support system. You can work out with a partner in order to stay motivated. Find someone who likes to do aerobics as well and go to the gym at the same time or attend the same classes. This can be great motivation. You can also look to more wider workout partners by joining an aerobics class. After your class and showering, hang out with these new friends and you’ll find that living a healthy life is rewarding and easier to do that you may have first thought. When you are starting an aerobics programming having a good group of support people can truly make all the different.
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Don’t Forget Your Lower Body: Aerobic Targeting

When it comes right down to it, we all want to get healthier. You might not know it, but aerobics are going to be one of the best things you can do so that you can truly get healthier. Just think of the time that you spend worrying about how you look, or even the time that you end up sad and depressed about something in your life! If you can fill this time with aerobics, not only is it going to be beneficial for you, it is going to help you in more ways than simply your health.

However, sometimes you want to work on a part of your body in a way that makes it stronger. Many times the workouts that we create for ourselves simply have an idea to focus on your whole body. This can be great, because aerobics are something that can work well for your whole body. But many people have an area of their body that they would like to target, and so it is sometimes good to target just a piece of you.

Our lower body can be something that we want to work on. Your legs and rear end are parts of you that have to be strong because they are what get you through each and every day. You have to be able to have endurance when it comes to walking and running, and a lot of people don’t like the way that their legs or rear end look and want to change this by working out.

There are many things that we can do to strengthen our lower body while we are working out. Everyone should know that while you are doing aerobics you should be moving your legs constantly. The repetitions of whatever you are doing for your aerobic workout, such as walking or running, should be done in such a way so that your leg muscles are moving to their maximum potential. It is important to get your heart pumping!

A great way to increase the amount of work that your legs are doing, and therefore make them stronger, is to get leg weights to attach to yourself as you work out. This means that you’ll be able to be stronger because you’ll have to exert more force to move your legs and your ankles. This is a great way to make sure that your aerobic workouts target your legs and your lower body. Don’t forget to target all areas of your body when working out.
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2/22/2009

Online forex forums connect traders around the world

Most forex trading is done online, with investors looking at forex charts, considering trends, and making decisions. There’s very little interaction, even via the Internet, with other human beings. That’s one of the reasons that many traders also spend time in forex forums, chatting with other investors and sharing tips.

There are dozens of forex-related forums and message boards on the Internet. Some are tied to brokerage firms, while others are just freestanding forums on forex-related sites. Since the market is active 24 hours a day, you can usually count on the forums being busy at all hours too.

As mentioned, one of the reasons for visiting forex forums is simply psychological: Humans like to interact with other humans, especially when their day jobs require them to be alone with a computer for hours at a stretch.

Furthermore, there are a lot of emotions involved in trading. It’s real money, after all, and often large amounts of it. Online forums give traders a place to discuss the psychological effects of long-term trading, how it can become addictive and nerve-racking, and what impact it has on everyday life. You could think of message boards as being a sort of support group for traders, or the equivalent of the office water cooler.

Forex forums have more practical uses, too, of course. Traders find the tips and strategies offered by their fellow traders to be invaluable. Forums are often rife with people more seasoned and experienced than the average person, which benefits the newcomers. And many experienced traders enjoy visiting the forums because it gives them a chance to share their wisdom with others.

Forex forums are also useful for gauging the general mood of the marketplace. The charts and rates give you the cold, hard facts. But many times making a decision to buy or sell comes from the gut, based not just on the numbers but on how the market FEELS. The forums are a place to see what other traders are thinking right now. Do they feel optimistic? Pessimistic? Are things looking up? Are they discouraged? All of this information can be taken into account when considering a trade.

ForexFactory.com and ForexForum.net are two very popular, widely visited message boards. There are dozens of others out there, too. All forex forums give traders a chance to connect with their colleagues and to learn from one another.
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How to read a forex chart

The forex chart is among the most basic tools in a forex trader’s arsenal. Simply put, it is a graph of a particular currency pair’s performance over a given period of time. Reading forex charts is essential to a trader’s business, so it’s important to know how to read them and understand what they mean.

Every forex chart will be labeled with a currency pair: EUR/USD, USD/GBP, etc. Remember, all forex trading deals with different countries’ currency in relation to each other. The EUR/USD chart, for example, tells you how the euro and the U.S. dollar compare.

Along the bottom of the chart is the timeline -- 15 minutes, an hour, a day, a week, or some other period. Going up the right-hand side are incremental amounts. For the EUR/USD chart, the amounts might be 1.2531 at the bottom, going up to 1.2561 at the top. And of course the middle of the chart shows what position the EUR/USD pair held at what time.

The forex chart is useful because it shows in graphic terms how a currency pair is doing. You can see at a glance whether a currency is getting stronger or weaker, and you can act accordingly. Choosing the time frame helps you see very minor trends (in a 15-minute period, say) or more long-term ones (over the course of several days, perhaps).

You can find forex charts all over the Internet, on Web sites for forex brokers, tutors, and on other forex-related sites. Those are fine for glancing at trends now and then. But to be a serious trader, you need to have access to charts much more readily, without having to go to a Web site. That’s why trading software gives you forex charts, too (you need to have broadband Internet so you can be “always connected”). Obviously, if you’re going to be trading, you need to have convenient access to the very latest charts.

With dozens of world currencies, there are far too many possible currency pairs for anyone to keep track of mentally. Forex charts show at a glance what any currency pair is up to, and good software allows you to save multiple charts as “favorites.” Naturally you’ll want to keep an eye on the charts representing investments you’ve already made, and it’s smart to have a few additional ones saved, too, so you can watch for trends in currencies you haven’t traded yet. You never know when a lucrative new opportunity is going to be revealed.
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Finding a forex broker in a crowded marketplace

So you want to get involved in the foreign exchange market, or forex. You’re itching to trade one currency for another and make some profit. But you can’t just barge into Citigroup of Merrill Lynch and start throwing euros and yen around. To participate, you need a forex broker.

The preeminent forex broker for day traders (i.e., average Joes) is Advanced Currency Markets, or ACM. To many people, the Swiss company, founded in 2002, is synonymous with “forex broker,” trading about $70 billion a month.

There are dozens of other brokers, though, who service day traders. It’s done almost exclusively online, and in fact ordinary citizens rarely got involved with forex trading at all until the computer boom of the 1980s, and then exponentially more with the advent of the Internet in the 1990s. Since then, forex brokers have proliferated.

As you might expect, levels of reliability and competence vary from one broker to another. The Internet is rife with unsavory types seeking to take advantage of suckers, so you would do well to investigate thoroughly any broker you’re planning to use. Does their Web site look professional and reassuring, or is it riddled with dead links and spelling errors? Google the broker to see if they’ve been mentioned in news articles. Ask about their track record. And above all, avoid anyone who promises things that sound too good to be true, or who downplay the financial risk involved in forex trading.

Look for a broker that seems to genuinely want your business. Does the firm have customer service representatives available? Is there a phone number you can call to speak to a live person? The Web site should explain things clearly. If the site is full of language that seems designed to go over your head, look for a different broker.

If you set up an account with an online forex broker, it will work like this. First, you must apply for an account, which most brokers allow you to do online. This is to verify your identity and the validity of your bank accounts and financial records. Some brokers also require you to download their forex trading software, while others let you use whatever software you prefer. You will also have to transfer a minimum deposit to your account with your new broker. The minimum can be anywhere from $100 to $2,500.

Ideally, the broker you choose should offer service and support when you need it but should mostly simply stay out of the way and let you conduct your business. If you can find a forex broker who is professional and helpful, your experience in the forex market should be full of smooth sailing.
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Covering the basics of the forex market

The foreign exchange, or forex, market is relatively young, having begun in the early 1970s after the United States dropped the gold standard and national currencies started to fluctuate widely. For about 30 years prior to that, most nations had agreed to keep their currency values stable in relation to the U.S. dollar, making a forex market unnecessary. With that no longer the case, banks quickly realized that a profit could be made in “buying” currency when it was devalued and “selling” it after it strengthened, just like any other commodity.

Today, the forex market handles about $1.9 trillion in transactions every day, and it runs 24 hours a day, five days a week. (With nations around the world involved, it’s always daytime somewhere.) The most traded currencies are the U.S. dollar, the euro, Japanese yen, British pound, Swiss franc and Australian dollar.

The forex market is overwhelmingly dominated by international banks, government banks, investment banks, corporations, and hedge funds. In fact, individual traders account for only about 2 percent of the market. Nonetheless, a lot of people do try their hand at it, with varying degrees of success.

In the forex market, transactions are always handled in pairs: You buy one currency and sell another one. The idea is to make a trade when you believe the currency you’re buying is going to go up in value compared to the one you’re selling. Then, if it turns out your prediction was correct, you do another trade in the reverse direction -- selling the currency you originally bought and buying the one you sold -- in order to reap the profits.

For example, let’s say the market reports this: GBP/EUR 1.2200. That means the cost of buying one British pound is 1.22 euros. If you believed that course was going to change, and the euro was going to become more valuable than the pound, you might sell 100,000 pounds, buy 100,000 euros, and wait. Then let’s say a few weeks later, the exchange rate fluctuates to this: EUR/GBP 1.3100. Sure enough, the euro is now worth 1.31 pounds, a profit of 0.11 per unit.

The forex market is vast and daunting and mostly inhabited by giant organizations. But it can be navigated by individuals who have studied the finer points and who want to take a risk on something potential profitable. And since the whole world uses money, the trading of that money is always going to be a major force in the financial world.
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A forex demo shows you how it works before you jump into it for real

Before airplane pilots actually fly on their own, they usually practice in simulators that re-create what flying will be like without any actual risk. Since currency trading is as dangerous financially as flying is physically, it makes sense that there would be a forex demo available, too.

A forex demo is a smart way for a new investor to start. Reading books and taking online courses can teach you the basics, but the best way to learn anything is to get some hands-on experience. However, with forex, hands-on experience could mean losing your shirt. So a demo gives you real-world training with no actual money being involved.

Usually, the demonstration comes courtesy of a brokerage or other financial Web site that has an interest in currying your favor. The plan is that once you’ve tested your skills in the demo, you’ll get into the real thing and take advantage of the paid services the demo provider has to offer -- forex signals, managed accounts, automated trading, etc. The demo is like a free sample, offered in the hopes that you’ll enjoy it so much that you buy something, too.

For that reason, be should be highly suspicious of any Web site that wants to charge for a demo. Considering there are literally dozens of sites that offer free demonstrations, there is absolutely no reason that you should pay for it.

When you sign up for a forex demo, you’re given a username and password and shown how to use the demo system. Sometimes it involves downloading a piece of software unique to the company; other times it’s simply done over the Internet. (Some demos require Macromedia Flash, which most browsers have installed, but which you’ll need the latest version of.) You determine how much imaginary money you want to start with, and off you go!

Once you’re signed in to the forex demo, you do all the things you would do if it were a real-world situation: reading the charts, following the trends, visiting online forums to get other traders’ opinions, and making trades. The trades are recorded in the forex demo only and don’t go anywhere into the actual market since there’s no real money involved. When the market changes, the program determines how much you’d have gained or lost based on the decisions you made. You’re able to say, “Whew! Good thing this was only for practice!” or “Too bad this wasn’t real!” And once you’ve gained some expertise using the forex demo, you can move on to the real thing and start making some money for real.
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2/20/2009

Psittacosis: The Parrot Fever

When you are dealing with Psittacosis, you are dealing with a sickness that is found in birds but can be transmitted to other animals, as well as to people. It is a disease that is caused by an organism called Chlamydophila psittaci. Psittacosis can be infectious to humans, birds, cows, cats, sheep, goats and pigs. It will also infect all different kinds of birds.

Most of the time, birds get it from one another by inhaling dust from the droppings or from the feathers of the birds that have been infected. When a lot of birds have been together, like in a pet shop or boarding place, it might happen more often.

There are several symptoms that might show that your bird has Psittacosis, even though there aren’t any for sure symptoms. If your bird doesn’t eat or drink, loses weight, is depressed or listless, or has watery green droppings as well as discharge from anywhere, or dies suddenly, it might have Psittacosis. Even if a bird doesn’t show symptoms, it can still be a carrier, and can pass it to its offspring.

If you think your bird has Psittacosis, you have to be sure that it goes to a vet, even though diagnosis is tough. Treatment should begin right away ,and is going to be done by a vet and should only be done by an avian vet. You should also get any birds that have been exposed to your sick bird treated as well.

There are several things that you can do to make sure that you prevent any of your birds from getting Psittacosis. You should always take your new pet birds to the vet, and should isolate them from other birds for at least 6 weeks to make sure that nothing develops. You should also only get your pet birds from a supplier that has a good reputation.

It is possible for humans to get Psittacosis. If you are sick or elderly, or have an immunosuppressing condition, you are gong to be at high risk. If you have lots of exposure to birds, and have developed something that seems like a prolonged flue, you are going to want to talk to your doctor about your exposure to birds and see if this could be the cause of your ailment.

Remember as well that good hygiene plays a role. Be sure to wash your hands carefully after handing your pet bird or anything that comes into contact with your pet bird.
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Safe Toys for your Pet Bird

When concerning yourself with your pet bird’s health it is important to understand bird safety. Your bird’s vet can go over basic safety with you concerning your bird, but to truly be safe, it is important for you to learn about bird safety before you ever get a pet bird in the first place. Being in charge of a pet bird is like being in charge of a child—they need constant care and your attention to be safe at all times. When learning about bird safety, make sure that you learn which toys are good for your birds and which could be unsafe.

All birds need toys. Because your bird will be in a cage much of the time, toys provide entertainment and activity. Not having toys could lead to bored, depression, and obesity in your pet bird. However, if you choose the wrong toys, your boy could get hurt. Not all bird toys made are appropriate for every bird.

First, consider the size of the toy. Birds come in many different sizes, as do bird toys. If you get a toy that is too small for your bird, he or she could eat it and choke, like can happen if you give a very young child a small toy. However, toys that are too large could also be a problem. When a toy is too large, not only will your bird not be able to play with it, but he or she may also be scared of it, or it could fall/swing and hurt your bird. Buy toys that your bird can comfortably play with.

When purchasing toys, also read the label to make sure they are dyed with natural things like vegetable dyes, or else they should be untreated completely. Birds will chew on everything, so other materials could be harmful. If your toys include metal parts, talk to your vet, because some metals can make a bird very sick in some cases.

When you purchase a toy, attaching it in your bird’s cage is also an important part of safety. Never use clips not made for this purpose, as they can be made of an unsafe metal or snap off, causing your bird to be hurt when playing. Instead, use string to attach the toy or use clips made for birdcages.

Of course, your vet’s office may sell toys for your bird that are both safe and fun. If your bird is ever injured by playing with a toy, make sure to call the vet right away. Having your vet’s phone number on hand is important to make sure that your bird gets the best care possible.
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Health Care for your New Pet Bird

When you bring an animal into your home as a pet, no matter what type of animal it is, there are always things that you are going to want to do to make sure that that animal is well taken care of and is going to live a long and happy life. Such is the case with your new pet bird. You are going to want to make sure that you know a few things about how to care for your new pet bird so that he can live a happy life.

First of all it is important to recognize that not all pet birds are the same. This means that not all care is going to be given in the same way for the pet birds, so you have to be sure that you know exactly what you are getting into. This means that before you bring a pet bird home to live in your house, you have to research that exact type and breed of bird. Don’t rely on general pet bird info for each pet bird, and how to care for them. You have to be a responsible pet owner and be sure that you know exactly what your particular pet bird needs.

Next, there are some general pet bird rules that will come into play to help you be sure your pet bird is well taken care of. First, be sure that their cage is located in a spot where the temperature can be easily controlled. This should be spot that never gets too hot or too cold. If it is near a window, you have to be sure that the sun does not shine directly on it, and also that there is no draft that can come in and make your bird chilled. Controlling your bird’s environment is the first step to making sure that they are healthy and happy.

Next, you should set up a schedule to make sure that they are getting the proper food and water often. You always want to be sure that they have fresh food and clean water, so you should be sure to watch them carefully and see how often you are going to have to do this. The cage is something else that you have to be very careful of, you have to be sure that you are cleaning it out regularly so that there isn’t any smell, or any chance for sicknesses to develop.
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Birds and Metal Poisoning

When you own a pet bird, you know that there are always going to be things that you should look out for, and things that you have to be careful of so that your bird doesn’t get sick or injured. You always want to be on the lookout for things that will help your bird be happy and healthy, and you never want to be in a situation where you have done anything careless that is going to let your pet bird become sick. Birds and metal poisoning is something that you want to keep in mind when you own pet birds.

Many times, people keep their pet birds in cages that are designed just for them. This is the best way to do this, as the manufacturers of the birdcages are going to be sure to use proper things in the birdcage – things that aren’t going to make your bird sick. You should always keep your pet birds in a cage that is designed for them. First of all, they are going to be less likely to get out, and second of all, you know that the cage has been built and designed to hold pet birds, and therefore is not going to be harmful in any way.

If you keep your pet bird somewhere other than a bird cage, or if you let your pet bird roam in your house without supervising them, you always run the risk of having your bird be poisoned by something. Like any other animal, a bird will explore his surroundings, and might be tempted to nibble on the bars of a cage, or on something in your home. If there are metals that are unhealthy for birds, you might find yourself with a very sick bird.

The best way to avoid metal poisoning in your pet bird is to make sure that you are keeping your bird either in a cage that is designed for him, or that you have gone to the trouble to research your cage’s materials to be sure that they aren’t going to harm your bird. Also, you have to be sure to supervise your pet bird very much when he is out of the cage to be sure that he doesn’t get into anything he shouldn’t. A good way to do this is to bird proof the room that he will be in, and to make sure that nothing in that room is going to harm him. Then, while he is out, be sure to keep a good eye on him so he doesn’t get into trouble.
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Code Red: Emergency Illness and Your Bird

When you bird suddenly becomes ill, your very first step should be to call your vet. However, there are things you can do to prevent your bird from dying and to make your bird more comfortable while waiting for your vet or while on the way to the animal hospital. Birds make wonderful pets, but they require lots of work and attention, so if your bird becomes ill suddenly, it is important to provide the best care possible.

First, keep your bird hydrated. Just like humans, a sick bird can easily lose hydration, which can lead to a number of problems. Eating is important as well. If necessary, force-feed your bird. This will provide your bird’s body with the needed energy for fighting the illness. Your vet can instruct you on what to feed your bird and how to do it. In general, you should remove other foods from the cage to ensure that your bird is eating only the healthy foods for sick birds that you are providing.

It is also important that your bird be warm. A heater or light can make your bird uncomfortable, but make sure that your bird’s cage is in a warm room and provide a hot water bottle in the cage for your bird. Sick birds should have an environmental temperature of about 30 degrees Celsius, unless instructed otherwise by your vet.

When your bird is sick, quarantine from other birds or pets is usually recommended. Have an extra, smaller cage on hand use for this purpose and keep the ill bird in a different room. Use disinfecting sprays when handling he sick bird and clean his or her cage often to kill bacteria. To keep the germs low, keep the water levels in the cage as low as possible and replace often in order to stop bacteria from breeding.

If your bird is very ill, do not hesitate to take him or her to the local animal hospital. If possible, have someone else call or announce that you will be coming and get on the road, early treatment is the key to saving your bird’s life in many cases. Sometimes, no matter how well you care for your pet bird, his or her health will simply suffer. Make sure that you are providing the best home possible, and the rest is up to chance. The important thing is to look after your bird when he or she is sick to help your bird heal and become well again as soon as possible.
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2/18/2009

Five Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

If you’re working on a weight loss plan, one of the most difficult times of year can be the holidays. Around Christmas and New Years, the parties and meals you’ll attend will include foods that are high in fat and calories and low in nutrition. Fortunately, by following these five tips you can stick to your weight loss plan even as visions of sugarplums dance in your head.

First, avoid the alcohol. Cocktails and beer are usually served at holiday parties, but they can be full of calories. When you drink, you also have a decreased will power when it comes to saying no to other holiday foods and your appetite will be stimulate, so you’ll eat even more than you normally would eat at a party. Having one drink on a special occasion may be fine, but don’t overdo it every time you head out to celebrate the season.

Another great tip to stick to your plan during the holiday season is to show up fashionably late after you’ve already eaten a meal. If you do this, you won’t feel pressured to eat an entire meal of junk foods or snack on cookie or hot chocolate. Of course, showing up late may be insulting at smaller parties, so make sure you are not rude to the party host.

Use the holidays to get outside as well. You can play in the snow if the weather allows, which actually burns tons of calories. Walking up the hill to sled and having a snowball fight are great ways to get your heart pumping as well as work off those candy canes.

If the weather isn’t cold or snowy, use your time to head to the mall. When gift shopping, make a number of laps around the mall and take the stairs instead of the escalator. Keep this in mind at parties as well—get up and move around as much as possible. Christmas caroling is also a great way to stay off of your rear. This will allow you to do some walking while spreading the holiday cheer.

Lastly, avoid gifts of food. Of course, you can’t tell people what to buy for you, but if you find yourself with a bunch of brownies or boxes or chocolates, why not share the love? You can take these products into work or even donate unopened items to your local food bank. These tips keep you staying slim, every as you’re surrounded by goodies.
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Hate Exercising? Some Workout Tips for You

If you’re anything like me, you wouldn’t consider exercising your favorite pastime. In fact, some people downright hate exercising. However, exercising is a crucial part of a healthy lifestyle, and without it you definitely will not be able to lose weight. There are certain tips, however, for learning to love exercising, even if you truly hate it.

First, try finding some exercises that you like to do. Of course, you should work out all of your body, but if you absolutely hate doing one kind of exercise, then look for another to take its place. You don’t have to do crunches to strengthen your core muscles. You don’t have to do lunges to work out your lower body. You don’t even have to run—you can replace it with cycling or swimming. Find the exercise you like to do and your workout will seem more enjoyable right away.

You can also find other activities you like to do and make them work for your body. For example, if you like working on your garden, try doing some exercising surrounding raking or mow your yard by hand. If you enjoy the winter weather, you can try ice skating or sledding with friends. No matter what you like to do, you can find ways to get some exercise. Thanks to the introduction of the Wii and game like Dance Dance Revolution, you can even combine video games and exercise.

Another great tip to liking exercise is to find a training partner. When you work out together, you can help one another stay motivated, even if you don’t absolutely love exercising. With a partner, you can have fun as well, trying things like tennis or challenging one another to meet certain goals. Trainers can also provide this for you, as well as show you new and fun exercises to help you avoid getting bored or feeling overwhelmed at the gym.

Lastly, try taking some classes. Exercising classes are a great way to meet new people, learn new exercises, stay motivated, and above all, have fun. Most gyms offer low-cost or free exercise classes with membership or you can check out options at your local community center.

Staying motivated if you hate exercising can be hard, but set goals and don’t quit. You need to exercise as well as diet if you really want to lose weight. Make exercise fun and it won’t seem like such a chore.
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Dear Diary

When you’re trying to lose weight, one of the smartest and easiest steps you can take is to keep a food diary. A food diary is just like what it sounds—a notebook in which you record your daily food intake. You can track of a number of things in your food diary or you can keep it simple, but in either case, this is a great way in which to help yourself stick to a weight loss plan.

There are a number of pieces of information you can record in your food diary. First, consider just listing your daily menu. This will help you actually see what you eat on any given day and notice patterns of unhealthy eating that you never considered before. Some like to also record calories, protein, fiber, fat, and other nutrients. Portion size may be recorded as well. If you truly want to use diary format, you can also list the reasons you’re eating other than hunger, the cravings you experience, and your feelings about your diet on any given day. It’s your diary, so do what is right for you.

When you start a food diary, keep in mind that you don’t have to keep a traditional journal by the bed with a lock and key. You can use whatever kind of recording and writing tools you like best. For some people, the traditional journal or just a plain notebook works fine. You can also keep a food diary on your computer. Simply open up a word processing program and keep the icon on your desktop. Others like to use Excel or other data entry programs, which help quiet a lot when it comes to adding totals at the end of the day. Yu can keep your food diary on a laptop or palm pilot, or slip a notebook into your bag during the day—whatever works best for your lifestyle.

Remember to update your food diary very day and review it at the end of each week in order to track your progress. You may wish to note in your diary when you hit certain weight loss goals or when you gain weight in order to look for causes. You can show your diary to professionals to make sure that you are staying healthy as well. Food diaries work great for many people, so you should consider starting one today in order to lose the most weight possible.
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An Easy Way Out of Exercising? Gastric Bypass Surgery

For people consumed with losing weight, surgery may seem like an easy option. Gastric bypass surgery has helped a number of people and has come to light in recent years due to a number of celebrities receiving this procedure. Although a gastric bypass surgery may seem like an easy way to shed unwanted pounds, it is actually a very serious weight loss method and is not for most people. You should only consider gastric bypass surgery if you are very significantly overweight and need to lose the weight for medical reasons rather than for cosmetic reasons.

Gastric bypass, which is also known as stapling one’s stomach, works by decreasing the amount of food that can be held in the stomach. You lose weight because the food bypasses a part of the small intestine and decreases stomach size, which means that you physically can’t eat as much without vomiting. You also don’t absorb calories as readily, allowing these foods to leave the body naturally instead.

Before you choose gastric bypass surgery, you should consider all other options. First, try losing weight on your own using diet and exercise. This requires lots of will power, but is much easier and safer than gastric bypass surgery. You can also talk to your doctor about medications that could possible help you lose weight and alternative therapy techniques, like acupuncture and hypnosis.

If you and your doctor do decide that gastric bypass surgery s right for you, start by losing some weight on your own. The more weigh you can lose through diet and exercise, the easier the surgery will be on your body. You should follow all of your doctor’s recommendations at this point to ready yourself for surgery.

After the surgery, you will also need to continue diet control and exercise, complete physical therapy, and take any prescriptions your doctor tells you to take. The work you do after the surgery will help you to lose the weight you want to lose, and this work is not easy.

Gastric bypass surgery simply isn’t for everyone. Statistics show that as many as 10% of the people receiving gastric bypass surgery have medical complications, and even though these risks are decreasing with new technology, this is still a danger. Side effects could include infection, hernia, ulcers, blood clots, complications during the surgery, and even death. Make sure this is what you really need before you decide to go through with any type of procedure to help you lose weight.
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Great Ways to Fail at Weight Loss

Millions of people in America are trying to lose weight without much success. There are many reasons for this failure, although most would rather give up than fix their mistakes. Weight loss is hard! Without a little patience and knowledge about nutrition and exercise, your best weight loss plan may crumble. Learning the top reasons why weight loss plans fails is important so that you do not make these mistakes in your own life.

First, many weight loss plans fail because the people trying to lose weight follow too strict of a diet. When you cut back your calories, you will burn more than you eat, so you’ll lose weight, right? If you do this gradually, then yes, it works like a charm. However, if you suddenly cut too many, you won’t lose any weight at all because you metabolism will slow down. You also put yourself at danger for not getting enough for the vitamins, minerals, proteins, and other nutrients you need every single day in order to stay healthy.

Another common mistake is trying to go at weight loss alone. Everything you do regarding weight loss, from dieting to exercising, will be a hundred times easier if you have a partner because you will push each other not to quit. Working with a support system on a large scale is also important. Your friends and family should know that you are attempting to lose weight so that they can help you on the process and not tempt you by doing things like baking you cookies or taking up your gym time. Also, remember that professionals, like doctors and trainers, should come into the weight loss plan to help you shed the pounds.

Setting unrealistic goals is another good way to fail at a weight loss plan. When you set goals that you can’t easily reach, you push yourself to move forward and will feel successful even if you fall short. However, when you set impossible goals, you will find that you are easily frustrated. Don’t weigh in every day, don’t completely cut out all of the foods you eat on a regular basis, and don’t exercise to much right away. Gradually build up to reaching the goals you really want for your life, but smart out with smaller ideas.

Lastly, simply know yourself. Weight loss plans fail when you attempt to be something you are not. Maybe you have wide hips—a weight lose plan won’t completely change that, for example. You have to be happy with yourself on the inside before you change things on the outside in order to succeed at losing weight.
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2/17/2009

Scams to Avoid Working At Home

There are millions of people who want to earn a nice income with minimum effort from the comfort of their home. With the advent of internet, home based job and business opportunities are increasing day by day. Though there are thousands of legitimate companies that offer real work at home jobs to people, there are chances of scammers.
Since working at home is attractive, false job offers are prevalent on the net. Some common work at home scams are noticeable, like envelope.
Work at home scams take many forms. Most of the companies do not guarantee regular salaried employment for the home based workers. They do not mention how many hours you would need to work without pay. Some others require you to spend money on instructions before getting the job. Some companies require paid training. Therefore work at home scams cost victims thousands of dollars and also valuable time.
In order to avoid being a victim of work at home scammers, you need to scrutinize the company before accepting any job. In fact legitimate companies provide all the information in writing. Here are some tips to avoid work at home scams:
1. If you need to provide personal information, avoid giving it to an unknown person or company. Provide personal information only to the company that you confirm is legitimate.
2. You can check the company by typing the name of the company in the search box of Better business Bureau. If there is any complaint about that company, avoid contact with it.
3. There is no easy road to wealth. Any job requires some effort to earn better income. Therefore beware of companies that promise to make you rich overnight, there is no such thing.
Reshipping fraud is becoming a common work at home scam. This type of job, the home based worker needs to receive, repack and then mail the merchandise to a foreign address. They are promised a substantial amount of money. But the worker may not know that the merchandise was paid for with stolen credit cards.
The home based worker would therefore become a part of receiving and mailing of stolen goods without their knowledge. The worker receives the merchandize, repackages with their own funds and told it will be repaid at time of pay day, it gets worst!
They are then told, their pay will be via cashier's check, but oddly it's for more then owed. The worker is told to deposit the check and send the difference to the employer's overseas bank account. Eventually, the cashier's check bounces and owe their bank the amount of the whole check.
If you want to select a legitimate work at home job, then do not accept any job offer that promises to provide high income for a part time job. Some companies would promise you get rich quick schemes. Remember only hard work and dedication can help you earn a good income from home.
If you are asked to pay for start up kits, then do not send money to such companies. Legitimate companies do not charge anything to hire you. If you are not sure about the legitimacy of a company, then ask for references.
If the company is not willing to provide references, then beware!
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Internet Jobs Working From Home

Thanks to internet, stay at home parents, disabled people, retirees, college students and those who want to get relief from the pressure of office atmosphere can earn a good income by working at home. Work at home internet job allows you work conveniently from your home and at your own pace.
There are numerous home based job opportunities available on the internet. You can do some research and select the most suitable job that helps you stabilize your financial position.
You need not require providing any initial investment or charges for getting these types of jobs. All you need is a internet connection and a computer.
Virtual employees provide clerical or administrative services to a company hiring them. They also perform customer service jobs like answering calls of the customers, resolving their issues etc via email. For this type of job, you need have excellent communication skills and plently of patience dealing with customer questions.
Work at home internet job allows you work from virtually anywhere in the world. You can provide your resume online and can get appointments immediately if you have the required skills.
Once you have work from a legitimate company and then you can enjoy the benefits of conveniently working at home without compromising the time you need to spend with your family.
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Work At Home Classifieds

Allow you to advertise and promote work at a home job or business. However, legitimate and honest work is allowed here and posting spam and scams are strictly prohibited. You should remember that work at home classifieds are advertisements that are paid for and they have not been investigated generally. Hence, you need to review each ad in the classifieds and investigate carefully before investing time or money.
Work at home classifieds are normally categorized in the following groups:
1. Home based business opportunities.
2. Work at home resources like message boards; work at home blogs or websites.
3. Products for the work at home people or home based business owner.
4. Services for the work at home people like web design, blog design, and ghost writing and so on.
Work at home classifieds allow you know about home based job or business opportunities. They also help you understand the type of work involved and the minimum qualification required for that work. Therefore you can apply for suitable jobs.
There are free and paid advertisement classified for home based jobs and business. Free classifieds allow as many postings as possible. However, there may be scams in free classifieds and so you must be careful in scrutinizing the suitable jobs.
The classifieds clearly specify the description of the job and the essential requirements. For example, work from home data entry jobs require the ability to follow instructions, computer and typing skills, internet access ability and ability to spell and print neatly. However experience may be essential for data entry jobs. If you find the description suitable your qualification, then you can apply for the post. This helps you avoid unnecessary delays of searching legitimate work at home jobs.
Online work at home classifieds are also available so as to ease your work of searching home based jobs. You can get the contact details of the respective company from the classifieds so that you can apply for the post easily.
Home business classifieds provide various opportunities. You can select classifieds index to narrow your search. If you want to search for a particular option apart from those given in the classifieds, then you can type the name of such options in the search box.
There are separate home based job classifieds for moms. This helps moms who stay at home to look after their children but want to establish their career and financial position. Since there are numerous opportunities given in a brief form, moms can find out the suitable opportunity with little effort.
Some work at home classifieds provides you details about payment aswell. This helps you decide a job according to your convenience and needs. Since the ads in the classifieds are being upgraded from time to time, you can get the lastest jobs.
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Work At Home Business

There are wide varieties of business opportunities that allow you work at home. In fact a work at home business is not a new concept. There are number of old home based businesses, like a child day care, candle making, catering and much more. However the advent of internet improves the home based business options.
You can consider starting a home based business if you really have passion for it. You need to have the ability to work hard, dedication and effort would provide you reward once your home business is up and running.
Though work at home business requires hard work, you can also enjoy the freedom and fun of working at home. You can also spend splenty of time with your family.
Before starting a work at home business, plan well what type of home based business would suit you. Remember what seems perfect for your neighbor or friend may not suit you.
Starting work at home business is not an easy task. You need to consider whether there are any risks in that business. You need to consider whether the business requires huge investment. You also need to seek the help of a mentor who can guide you well to get sure success in home based business.
Some essentials for starting a work at home business:
Once you have decided to start a home based business, you need to organize it properly so that unnecessary delays can be avoided. The following things are essential for home business success:
1. A phone with unlimited long distance calling option, caller Id, Voice mail, call forwarding and anonymous call rejection.
2. You must have a calendar. You can also use a online calendar like Google, outlook or yahoo calendar.
3. Computer software tools, high speed internet connection, flash player, Adobe reader and Java script etc are also important. You can use email software like outlook or outlook express for business email.
4. A good filing system is extremely important so that you can do work most efficiently. Organize business mails, faxes, training materials etc in separate folders.
5. You can use Instant messenger service which allows you to communicate with your online contacts and getting your questions answered since your phone line needs to be opened for incoming calls from prospects.
6. You can use any room in your home for business purposes. But organize the room well so that you can work peacefully.
These simple steps can help you start home business and run it successfully.
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Start Your Own Work At Home Business

Starting a home business is not tedious. In fact, there are many advantages in starting a home based business. You can enjoy the fun of working in a home atmosphere and can work at your convenient schedule. But running an own business requires lot of dedication and effort. You must know how to manage time for work and family. However, your hard work and effort would be rewarded well.
Before starting work at home business, consider the following:
1. Whether you would have the freedom to choose when and where to work?
2. Whether the home business would allow you continue your current job and work at home?
3. Would the business require publicity or gimmicks?
4. Would the home business require heavy investment?
5. Are there any risks in starting a home business?
6. Do you have complete training and support to improve the home business?
7. Do you have acquaintance with any successful home business owner who can help as a mentor to you?
If your answer is positive to most of the above questions, you can start work at home business. Another important consideration in starting a home business is to do what you are really passionate about. This is because of the fact that you can put greater effort without any difficulty because you really love it.
Starting a child day care center, candle business, decorative gift baskets, wall paintings, fashion jewelry, photography, party rentals and some other home business is really inexpensive and straight forward. However these businesses may be time consuming and require lot of effort. But once your business is up and running, you can get better rewards for your efforts.
If you have a pc at home with an internet connection, your home business opportunities are vast. You can start work at home internet business if you have adequate knowledge and excellent communication skill. You can start your own online dating site which can provide more profits from every member that joins you site.
However you would need some investment. The dating website can earn you handsome profits when members subscribe for premium membership and when existing members renew their membership. The main benefit of this business is that you need not have any previous experience for this.
You can start work at home business if you want to enjoy the fun and freedom of working at home. However take the time to get an organized plan for your business. This helps you speed up and improve your home business.
You can allot a room in your home for business purposes. Then arrange the essential things like a chair, computer, cabinet, phone etc. A comfortable chair is very important if you have to work for hours at the computer. Also consider filing the essential paper work in a cabinet. Keep it organized!
If you need to spend more time on your home business, then schedule your household routines accordingly. Time management is very important to start a home based business. You need to have the ability to prioritize your work so that you can achieve success.
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Real Work At Home

Thanks to the computer and internet access, more people are enjoying the flexibility of real work at home job opportunities. Those who do not want to sacrifice their family life and career can make use of these jobs that can help stabilize both the career and financial picture.
There are number of legitimate companies that offer real work at home job opportunities. You can therefore enjoy the convenience of working at home and can get relief from the pressure of office in the real world. Most of the companies outsource their work like problems solving, customer service or management services to home based workers.
In fact home based workers tend to learn fast and are more loyal to the company hiring them. The company can therefore get the benefit of quality work without spending for training, office rent, and equipment and so on. Companies also get relief from paying unnecessarily to idle workers, because they only pay for the actual work compeleted.
Mystery shopping is a tool used by market research companies in order to measure the quality of retail services.
These companies appoint home based workers as mystery shoppers who interact with the business as a normal customer and send the report. The company in turn provides compensation for the services provided by the home based worker.
Online surveys include filling out questionnaires provided by market research companies. You can get smart income by participating in online surveys. The market research companies are ready to pay big amount for getting reliable unbiased survey report. You need not require any experience or special educational qualification.
Most of the online surveys do not even require typing. You simply need to click on a link that takes you to the survey site and then answer some multiple choice questions by just clicking the answer.
Real work at home job opportunities may or may not require experience and special qualifications. Minimum you need a computer with internet connection, that's it. You would need some basic computer knowledge and some knowledge with internet access. You need not even need step out of home to get a job. You can send your resume online. However while preparing your resume, be careful and prepare it with professional touch just like you would do for a real world job.
Most of the home based workers engaged in telecommuting jobs get smart pay rather than traditional telecommuters. Therefore one quarter of people working in telecommuting services in North America are home based workers.
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Real Work At Home Jobs

There are many companies that hire employees to work from their homes. Since numerous real work at home job opportunities are available on the internet, you can search and select the most suitable job for you. However, sorting out the real work at home jobs from the numerous job listing can be a time consuming process. But it is better to spend more time and effort to get a legitimate home based job, then being on the rough end of a scam.
By selecting a real work at home job you can enjoy the flexibility of working conveniently at home and at convenient times for you. You can work as a freelancer or you can join as an employee of a company.
Real work at home jobs include customer service, recruiting, sales, technical, telecommuting or writing. You can start working as a home based agent where you are an employee of a company and provide the required customer service. Another type of real work at home job involves providing administrative and clerical support in the form of a virtual assistant. You can also provide technical or creative services to clients.
If you have knowledge in advanced math or science or in some language, then you can select online tutor jobs. You can also join internet based companies that offer assistance to students in various subjects.
If you have good command over English then you can select the job of writing articles on every imaginable topic. If you submit the content for payment, then you can get the payment after the article hass been accepted. In turn if you submit to the Associated Content site without payment and submit it as free, you can get $1.50 for every 1000 views to your content.
Real work at home jobs allow you earn smart income without compromising your time. You can schedule your work according to your convenience. Part time, full time are available for some home based jobs. You should not be required to spend any initial charges or fees to get a job.
All you need is a computer with internet connection. You would be required to have some basic computer experience.
There are certain home based jobs that require full time work on a proper schedule but provide health insurance, pension, vacation and other benefits as in the case of real job. But you have to takes lot of effort to find such jobs.
If you have sufficient experience and qualification in any job, then you can get such jobs easily and enjoy the fun of working at home and at the same time you can enjoy the benefits of a traditional employee.
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Making Money Working At Home Doing Online Surveys

There are wide ranges of home based job opportunities that help you stabilize your financial position. Online surveys are one among work at home job opportunities that can make you some extra money. Sometimes good online surveys make money work at home.
Market research is essential for improving any business. Hence, the field is becoming a multi million dollar industry. Most of the companies require online surveys for product development, customer satisfaction and comparison with competitor’s products or services. They need unbiased and reliable opinions about their product or services and about their clients. They are ready to pay decent money for this purpose. Hence online surveys.
You need not pay any initial fees for making money with online surveys working at home. There is no risk and no obligation. The type of work involved you to complete and return the emails with surveys sent by companies on a regular basic. At the end of the month, the company would pay you the compensation in the form of check or in some other form.
Online survey sites are ideal for making money working at home. Most of the companies are ready to pay $25 for answering one single questionnaire. Therefore, you can earn $25 within a short period.
Since the research strategy can help the companies avoid millions of dollars in product development, they are willing to pay decent money for real opinions. They need online surveys on matters like what to introduce, how to make improvements to existing products and so on. They would seek the help of professional marketing agencies who specialize in questioning and understanding the opinions of potential customers. Since your answers to online surveys help them understand how to improve the product, the company would pay you more.
Online survey sites are perfect for work at home moms who want to earn an income without compromising the time spent with their children. Since it is an online program, you can do it from anywhere in the world. Another advantage of online surveys working at home is that they do not require any experience or special qualifications. You can make money without facing any complications.
There are numerous companies that provide you an opportunity to make money by working at home doing online surveys. There are some other companies that may offer you gifts instead of paying money. Therefore you must be careful about the requirements and offerings of a given online survey. Otherwise you may waste your time. There are some unscrupulous companies that do not pay promptly for taking online surveys. You should therefore be aware of such companies.
Making money work at home by taking online survey is a great method of earning more money without any difficulty.
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Legitimate Work At Home

Thousands of people have found success by using legitimate work at home job opportunities. You can also enjoy the benefits of legitimate work at home if you are ready to spend few hours daily doing the required work. These job opportunities are suitable for stay-at-home parents who need to care their children, students, retired, disabled persons and those who need to take care of elderly or sick family at home.
If you are not able to step out of home to get a job but want to get relief from the stress of increasing bills, gas costs and inflation, then work at home job is ideal for you. There are numerous intermediaries available online that can help you get a suitable home based work that earns you decent income. You would also be able to select part time or full time jobs according to your convenience.
In order to start work at home, you need a modern computer with internet connection and possible a phone. Basic computer knowledge is essential. However if you want to do jobs like computer programming, web or graphic designing, then adequate knowledge in the respective field is necessary. You can apply for the respective job and can get training online without even stepping out of your home. However be careful while making a resume since a good one can really help you land a desirable job.
Before starting a search for a work, you must understand that it is just like any other jobs where you have an employer, requirements and sometimes even schedules.
Transcription, customer service, translation, medical billing, clerical and data entry jobs are most suitable home based legitimate work that can provide you a decent income. You can select according to your ability and convenience. Most of the companies outsource this types of work part time and full time.
This is ideal for those who want to change their financial picture without compromising the time spend for family. They are 100% risk free and so you can start applying for a suitable job or you can also turn your hobbies to legitimate home based business.
There are many websites available on the internet, which can help you select legitimate home based jobs.
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Legitimate Work At Home Jobs

Allow you make decent money at flexible working times. These jobs are ideal for moms of young children, retired, students and those who are unable to step out of home for any other reasons. They also relieve from the pressure of office politics. You can enjoy the fun of working at home and at the same time you can earn money similar to normal jobs.
If you have a computer with internet connection and a phone, then you can start any one of the legitimate work at home jobs. You need to have some basic computer knowledge and communication skills. There are more than 5000 legitimate work at home job opportunities available on the internet. You can select anyone according to your ability and convenience. However you need to spend lot of time and effort in searching a suitable job.
Customer service jobs, medical or legal transcription, translating emails or documents in other languages, clerical and data entry jobs, graphic and web designing are some of the examples of legitimate work at home jobs.
There are numerous websites available on the internet which acts as intermediates to connect you and your valuable services to the correct employer. They also help you get part time or full time job according to your skill set. You can start working at home either day shift or night shift.
Telecommuting is said to be the best home based job for those who want to work independently without any pressure. Telecommuters or virtual employees can provide services by way of the internet and receive payment for their services.
Medical transcription is one of the fastest growing careers in North America which allows you work at home and earn big money. However it requires knowledge and skills. There are some institutions that give medical transcription courses for a short period. This helps you get a better career and earn decent monthly income.
Mystery shopping is yet another legitimate work at home job that offers a perfect outlet to work from home ideas of those people who are unable to go out of their home. Mystery shopping has flexibility and allows choosing convenient work schedules without compromising family commitments.
There are number of work at home job opportunities available on the internet. But sorting out the legitimate job opportunities is in fact very difficult and so you need to seek the help of websites who can sort out legitimate opportunities on your behalf.
While seeking the help of such websites ensure that it is reliable and is servicing in this field for number of years. Also talk with other people who are already in telecommuting. This would help you get home based job at 100% risk free.
Before starting work at home, try to clarify all the doubts and get a better understanding of the type of job and requirements. This helps you avoid the chances of failure. Though it would take time to get right opportunity, you would get sufficient benefits for your efforts.
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Working At Home As A Customer Service Agent

New York Times specifies that customer service work at home job opportunities have increasing in United States. Customer service jobs also called call center jobs require employing agents in work at home customer service jobs. The main advantage of this type of work is that it provides income to stay-at-home parents and physically challenged people.
Customer service work at jobs ranges from call handling to technical support. If you want to such a job, you would need some basic essentials like a modern computer with internet connection, basic computer knowledge, latest operating system, a phone connection, excellent communication skill to handle varied customers and of course some educational qualification.
How to get a customer service work, home job?
If you want to get a legitimate customer service work at home job that would provide you smart income, then try to follow the under mentioned tips:
1. The first step in betting a work at home customer service job is to understand the type of employment. It is not that much difficult. The concept is that the company hiring your service routes their incoming customer service calls to your home phone.
2. Then understand the type of duties require to be performed. Most of the customer service jobs include taking and logging orders, processing transactions, providing assistance to customers as per their requirements etc.
3. Discover the benefits of work at home. In fact work at home customer service jobs are boon to stay-at-home mothers, disabled people, retired seniors and college students. If you are not able to step out of home but need to earn some income, then you can select any of the customer service jobs according to your ability. Since agent hiring, training and scheduling jobs are being conducted online, you need not even get out of your home to get a job.
4. Once you have decided to work at home, and then do lot of homework to select a legitimate home based customer service job. You need to browse through the list of companies and websites regarding this.
5. Then submit your application and resume to the company you wish to. Always take care to prepare the application properly just like you may do in case of other jobs.
There are numerous benefits of doing customer service jobs at home. That’s why one quarter of customer service agents in North America start work at home. The convenience and independence are the two main advantages of customer service work at home jobs.
Every business requires creating customers and it is very important to retain an empathetic and trusting relationship to ensure customer commitment. Faithful customers surely add to long term success of any business and so their requirements should be fulfilled as soon as possible.
Hence the overwhelming need for customer service jobs arises. This situation provides more job opportunities for you. If you have the ability to do services regarding this, then you can earn some smart income at your convenient timings.
It is estimated that work at home customer service agents are earning more than the representatives working in traditional call centers. By employing work at home agents, the companies also reduce erosion in customer service jobs.
They can also save money on office rent, utilities and equipment. Therefore customer service work jobs benefits both the companies and the work at home agents.
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When Do Prisons Need Locksmiths?

Some prisons have been known to teach locksmith skills to inmates. There has been some controversy over this for obvious reasons. Why would prison officials give someone the tools to become an even better criminal? To learn the craft, the group has access to tools that can be made into weapons. Prisoners are quite creative in learning how to make and hide weapons. They're also creative in the weapons they do make with what few tools they are provided. So, allowing the prisoners to become locksmiths not only teaches them a skill to enhance criminal behavior, it also provides access to something that could later harm another inmate, guard, or nurse. But there has been much information and attention on reforming criminals as opposed to merely housing them during their time of incarceration.
It is true that people who go to prisons can become reformed individuals who decide to turn their lives around for the good of the public. There are people who are falsely accused and incarcerated who deserve a chance to improve their skills. But people who are put in the position of changing locks and maintaining security systems are supposed to be free of criminal backgrounds.
Much criticism occurred over the television series that provided information on improving security in homes. Professional criminals would be called to stage a break in to show the homeowners how vulnerable their security systems actually are. The homeowners would watch the whole ordeal on camera; then a professional locksmith would go in to change the locks and enhance the security system for the home. Some said this only set the stage for amateur criminals to learn more tricks. However, just as much damage is done by well-meaning individuals who keep valuable information from the public. How do our security measures improve? They improve by exposing the weaknesses. So, someone who has actually been in prison or jail for breaking and entering would be the best person from whom to acquire information.
Locksmiths have been called to several prisons across the globe because of staff carelessness. Keys are placed in the hands of what is supposed to be competent, trustworthy individuals. Allowing anyone to take these keys home after work only sets up the temptation for misuse and the chance to misplace a highly valuable set of items. Even long-term employees can become tempted by wrong-doing. High priority is supposed to be placed on keeping the criminals in their jails and prisons, which should mean high priority to protect the very keys that are necessary to keep them there.
When keys are lost to a prison, thousands of dollars must be spent to re-key and/or replace locks for the facility. Prisoners must be kept on lockdown while the locks are being replaced or re-keyed. This is an example of a simple mistake that cost the institution a large sum and also provided job security for the locksmith.
Not only does the locksmith have to keep the prisons safe, they also have to keep the employees safe in their own homes for the times a prisoner could be released who has a grudge.
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