Journal & Articles

A seed ascends around the turntable.

Have you recently bought an iPod? Or are you on the verge of buying one?

Take a look around next time your out and about. iPods are becoming as prolific as cellphones. Of course they are! The iPod is such a great gadget! Do you know the first thing you must do after buying an iPod?

You need to protect it! Most people don’t. Even though the iPod owner spends as much as $30 – $60 USD on iPod accessories. That’s 30 to 60% of the original iPod price.

The majority of people are buying fancy accessories such as fm transmitters, docking stations, wireless remote kits. Don’t get the wrong idea these are great gadgets BUT the first accessory you should be buying is protection for your iPod.

Get the basics before getting the fancy goods. iPod skins and cases come in a huge variety of styles and quality. Whatever your style – there is a case for you!

By purchasing a Skin or Case you’ll be protecting your iPod from these common problems:

* Click wheel scratches

* iPod screen scratches.

* Mirrored back scratches.

Despite the superiority of the Apple iPod, it still suffers from some major issues. Being easily scratched and short battery life. These issues lower the resale value of an iPod. This may not seem important but if you want to trade in your older one for a newer one, these things will matter. Aside from that, who wants their own pristine, beautiful iPod all scratched up? Every time you take your iPod out of your pocket it causes microscopic scratches!

There are many accessories out there but most do not fulfill the basic needs of your iPod. Protection. You need to protect your iPod before anything else. Make sure you first equip your iPod with a good quality case, skin, or sleeve.

The most popular iPod cases are as follows:

Cellphone sleeve converted to a case.

This is the most common and are most easily available. Unfortunately the mirrored back of the 3G and 4G iPod are easily scratched by the sleeve as the rub against it. If you can afford a 3G or 4G iPod then you can afford not to go this route. Protect your purchase and buy something specifically for your iPod.

iPod Silicone skin.

This is the most common case today. They come in every shape and size, color and texture. Be aware though there are mass produced low quality cases produced in China with questionable materials that tear easily. The cheap silicone skins also pick up dirt and lint easily. You can find better and branded products from the USA or Japan.

iPod Leather Cases.

iPod leather cases are also extremely popular. Unfortunately people have reported that the Apple branded one scratches the mirror back and does not have a cover flap. There are many quality leather case suppliers on the web. Check the stitching on the case for good workmanship. Belkin and Digital Lifestyle are a few that come to mind.

Water and Shock Resistant Cases.

There is an increasing need for these types of cases due to our active and mobile lifestyles. There are a plethora of cases in this market also but be forewarned that a case can only be water resistant not water proof. Water resistant means it can withstand water splashes certainly not to be immersed in water and definitely you would not bring diving! There are many aluminum cases available that offer superb shock resistance.

With the new knowledge you have, you are now ready to find the case that best fits your needs and most importantly your style! Happy case hunting.

A while back, we chewed over the question of why women might pay less to put wheels on the road (http://www.allstatescarinsurance.com/behind-the-wheel.html). Now we’re back again. This time with the results of one of these surveys we all love to hate. It’s one of those, “We told you so!” stories. There’s this corporation based over in Sacramento. It runs a big network of insurance agencies and related education services, collecting data from its more than 10 million clients. The good thing about computers is they let you crunch numbers. In this case, the corporation has published a report showing the median rates for men and women over multiple states. The bad news for men is this confirmation they pay an average 9% more than women on comparable vehicles. In actual numbers across all states, men pay about $765 for a six-month policy whereas women pay about $698 to insure the same makes and models. So what might explain this difference (remembering it’s a median number so there will be many instances where the difference is a lot more than 9%)? Well we start off with some fairly routine facts. When it comes to picking up tickets, men are clear winners. They are significantly more likely to collect a moving violation and, hardly a surprise here, up to 50% more likely to have a DUI/DWI conviction. When that favorite pub is just too far to walk, men take the risk. Then we get to the details of the policies women prefer. More opt for the discounts for lower mileages and are prepared to restrict their driving to the less dangerous times of the day and night, i.e. avoiding the time when all the men are driving back from their favourite pubs. Then we come to what might seem at first sight to be a slightly strange fact. Women who are the registered owners are less likely to own more than one vehicle and are more likely to be the sole driver. This is a survivor from the days when the man was the key player. He would have all the vehicles in his name with the wife or partner as the named driver. Now with more independent women around, they buy the one car they need and drive it themselves. No expensive men likely to mess up their claims records. Ah, yes, those claims records. Statistically, women are involved in less accidents than men and, because they drive more slowly, there is less damage to the vehicles. “What vehicles?” you ask. Well, on average, women buy less expensive and safer vehicles than men. Put all these factors together and this explains why women can expect to pay so much less than men on their car insurance rates. This does not mean, of course, that women will find their insurance “cheap”. Because of gender discrimination in the job market, women earn less than men so paying lower premiums takes a bigger percentage of their earnings. Sadly, our society remains less fair than women would like but, at least in this one area of insurance, the balance has swung to favor the women. Everyone should get multiple auto insurance quotes to find the best deal. But putting a woman’s name on the application gets a benefit.

Anxiety can be treated in two main ways. The first is the traditional prescription medicine you get from your doctor. And the other are the natural supplements you can find in any herbal shop. There are a lot of producers who claim to have the best natural anti anxiety treatment based on herbs. And while the effectiveness of these supplements can be really high for some people suffering from anxiety disorders, you have to understand that these herbal treatments are not approved by the officials. In fact, the majority of natural anxiety solutions you see on the market these days even don’t have any medical or clinical trials to prove their effectiveness. Also make sure to read about the ingredients of the supplement you want to try using. In most cases, these supplements are based around the same herbs, mixing them in different proportions. The most common herbs found in the majority of natural anti anxiety solutions are Valerian and Passion Flower. Both these herbs are known to help relieve the symptoms of anxiety and are found in numerous traditional remedies in cultures all around the world. Thankfully, there are a lot of clinical studies on the actual effectiveness of these herbs, and all doctors agree that both Valerian and Passion Flower can be effective for relieving mild to moderate forms of anxiety. Taking 50 to 500 milligrams of Valerian per day can help overcome some symptoms of anxiety and be a good addition to conventional treatment. Passion Flower extract can be also beneficial, if taken in safe doses (couple of hundred milligrams per day), and can also help relax and fight stress after a hard day’s work. Some people also state that Green Tea is a good way to prevent and treat anxiety in a natural fashion. Green Tea contains L-theanine, a natural compound that is known to have anti-anxiety properties. However, in order for it to be really beneficial in relieving anxiety, the daily dose should be between 100 and 300 milligrams. Many herbal supplements claim to carry L-theanine as the main active ingredient. Still, the actual amount of this substance found in most supplements claiming to contain it is too low in order to state that these solutions are really effective in treating anxiety. Some specialists state that the herb St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) is also quite beneficial for relieving the symptoms of anxiety and depression while not delivering the negative side effects of prescription medications. However, in order for the treatment to be really effective, a herbal remedy based on St. John’s Wort has to carry a high concentration of its active ingredient, hyperforin. This substance is quite similar to SSRI anti anxiety treatments, are known to regulate the levels of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine in the brain. Whatever herbal solution you choose to try, it still won’t be able to compare with prescription drugs like Valium. Moreover, only a professional doctor can choose the right treatment option for you and decide whether you need a prescription medication like Valium or a simple Valerian supplement. Don’t try to heal yourself without professional medical help, because you can make things even worse. Leave it to people who really know what’s best for you.

When it comes to losing weight, most people just think about losing weight fast, and getting rid of this problem once and for good. But when it comes right down to it, if you are not on the right plan, you will not be successful. So how do you choose a plan when you see fad diets and miracles around every other corner? A lot of people shy away from weight loss programs because they seem to think they will end up depriving themselves of something they love, all of their favorite foods. Yes it is true that you have to change your eating habits and increase your activity level, but it doesn’t mean that you have to suffer, either. Lower calories in with more calories going out is how you are going to lose weight fast, but that doesn’t mean deprivation. You just need to make some changes that are easy to keep and that works best for you. The first thing you want to start tweaking will be your calorie intake, but that doesn’t mean you have to go on a diet. Look at your average daily intake, and what you are taking on a daily basis that well, you may not need to take. If you can cut out one of your cups of coffee or a latte every day, you will have just saved yourself anywhere from 2-500 calories a day. If you are taking a latte every day of the week, cutting out that one latte will be enough for you to lose one pound. And look, you were able to go on living your own normal life, happy as ever. Think about the one thing that you can change today that may see results for you as early as next week. Your next step will be to do just that, take a next step. You will have to find a way to incorporate just a little bit of activity into your lifestyle. It may mean taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work, or parking a little farther away in one place you find yourself driving to every day. Whatever it is, you want to start small, and wait a week to notice the difference. Pick something that you know you can do every day, even if it is just for a few minutes, and make sure you do it. If it is something that you know you are going to do anywhere, like walk from A to B to get to work, all the better. The key with every weight loss program is to keep yourself motivated, and that means rewarding yourself after setting goals that you can achieve. And keep going. Sometimes you may come across a bump or plateau where you will need a little extra push, and there are resources that are available that can get you through those bumps. If you need that little extra push to jump start your weight loss program, medication like phentermine has proven to be very effective in helping those that have a problem sticking to diets. Cutting calories and restricting diets can create stress in itself, but Phentermine will give you that little extra you need to stay on track, without depriving yourself either. c

International organizations are now more or less agreed we have an epidemic of obesity! So, for the research community, the big question is which diet to recommend. Note the “recommend”. There’s no willingness in any government to try forcing a change in what we eat. The best first step is to recommend the most effective diet based on the best available evidence. There are a number to choose from under the general headings of low-carb, high-protein, high-fat diets. The problem with much of the current evidence is the small number of people enrolled in short-term trials. To be able to make general statements, there should be a statistically significant number of participants and the trials should last a reasonable period of time for the full effects to be measured. With dieting there’s also the problem that up to half the participants drop out of most trials. Just published is a new trial that lasted for two years. Called DIRECT (Dietary Intervention Randomized Controlled Test), it compared a Mediterranean, calorie-restricted diet based on the Harvard Medical School guide to healthy eating; a low-fat, calorie-restricted diet based on the American Heart Association’s guidelines; and a low-carb, non-restricted-calorie diet based on Atkins. The participants were aged between 40 and 65 and had a BMI of at least 27, or an existing diagnosis of diabetes or heart disease. The average was people with a BMI of 31 with 86% men. Over two years, 90% stayed with the low-fat diet, 85% with the Mediterranean diet, and 78% with the low-carb diet. Weight was lost consistently in the first six months, with the new weight then stabilizing. Those in the low-fat group lost the least weight with the loss by the Mediterranean and low-carb groups broadly similar with participants dropping two BMI levels. Everyone lost about 2 inches in waist circumference. But the Mediterranean and low-carb diets showed good reductions in blood pressure and improvements in metabolic effects making them the preferred approaches, i.e. there were real, measurable health benefits and not just weight loss. The recommendation is therefore for doctors or nutritionists to discuss dieting preferences with you, aiming to agree a strategy suited to your tastes. In selecting the diet, it may be that an Atkins approach is best for those who find it difficult to restrict their calorie intake. No one should approach this decision with closed minds. It’s a case of starting with one program and then varying it to find the combination of foods you find easiest to accept for the long-term where the greatest health benefits /A> are earned. Acomplia is a useful addition to the program. In clinical trials, it also performed well, helping participants lose an average 10% of their body weight. With the right diet, a little additional exercise, and Acomplia in support, there’s no reason why you should not break the two-year barrier and go on to an increasingly healthy future life. All it needs is your own willpower and the support of your family and friends.