Are Your Protecting Your Kids from Media Influence?

Many well-intentioned parents go to great lengths to protect their children from exposure to violence, sex, and profanity in the media. But in today's child-hostile media environment, such precautions are simply not enough. To truly protect your children from harmful influences, you must learn to look beyond arbitrary ratings to the messages being conveyed by the media.



During our waking hours, we are bombarded by an unceasing flow of television, radio, newspapers, magazine, books, billboards and signs, packaging and marketing materials, video games, and Internet communications. Each of these communications are designed with motives, some of which may not be obvious to the casual observer. To reach their goals, media designers know that they must first catch our interest. The techniques designers use to grab our attention often include subtle messages about values, lifestyles, and points of view. The cumulative impact of these messages influences our decisions and shapes our worldview.



Children are particularly vulnerable to media influence. Children learn social behavior through observing and replicating the behavior of others, including those that they observe in the media. Pioneering studies by renowned psychologist Albert Bandura, Ph.D., showed that children are likely to imitate the violent behavior they observe. Subsequent research confirms that children who are exposed to violence in the media view aggression as an acceptable way to deal with conflict. Other studies have shown that removing negative media influence can result in improved behavior. A Stanford University study by Thomas Robinson, M.D., found that children who cut down on television and video games decrease combativeness by 40 percent and verbal aggression by 50 percent.



You can combat harmful media influence by acquiring a skill known as media literacy. Media literacy is the ability to identify and evaluate the messages behind news and entertainment. Becoming a media literate parent will allow you to filter out harmful messages that could distort your children's view of life. Parental involvement and guidance on media-related decisions are essential to making positive use of media while retaining family values.



If you feel like you're already walking a tightrope between protecting your children from unhealthy influence and depriving them of fun and relaxation, don't lose heart. As with most parenting, caring is half the battle. Obtaining media literacy is not difficult and will pay big dividends in your children's development. Implementing a few simple techniques will put you on your way to becoming a media literate parent.



• Ask Questions. Asking questions about media messages will help you identify those that are not in line with your family's values. The Center for Media Literacy has identified five key questions that will enable you to make informed decisions:



o Who created this message?



o What creative techniques are used to attract my attention?



o How might different people understand this message differently than me?



o What values, lifestyles, and points of view are represented in, or omitted from, this message?



o Why is this message being sent?



• Discuss Media Literacy With Your Children. Talking to your children about media literacy can be an effective way to convey your values while promoting positive relationships with your children. Watch television programming with your children and ask them to identify messages that relate to sex, violence, drugs or alcohol. You can then discuss the underlying messages in light of the values embraced by your family. These discussions can take place anytime. Even short, impromptu discussions during commercial breaks can effectively communicate media literacy to your children.



• Practice What You Preach. In spite of the common parental admonition to "do as I say, not as I do," your children are more likely to do what you do than what you say. Show your children that you take media discernment seriously by changing the channel the next time a sitcom character jokes around about drugs, alcohol, or one night stands. Instead of covering your children's eyes during sex scenes at the movies, walk out. Letting your children see you act out your beliefs will drive home their importance and encourage them to model your behavior.



• Supervise Your Children's Media Influences. As your children are learning about media literacy, they need to have clear direction on what is or isn't allowed. Setting up guidelines, requiring permission to watch films, and monitoring computer use allows your children to understand what sort of things you view as inappropriate.



Applying these techniques will protect your children from negative media influences and teach them to make the right choice when confronted with a media-related decision.



© 2007 Accendo Academy - a Boarding School for Troubled Teens. Visit Accendo Academy on the web at http://www.accendoacademy.com for parent resources to help with your troubled teen. Our parent resources page at http://www.accendoacademy.com/ParentResources.htm provides additional articles and resources. You can read about our troubled teen program at http://www.accendoacademy.com/OurProgram.htm.

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10 Great Reasons to Buy Second Hand Clothes

Have you ever considered buying used or second hand clothes? If not, why not? There are plenty of good reasons to buy them and plenty of very stylish people who either wear them exclusively or a mixture of second hand and new.

1. It helps to reduce waste - any used and unwanted clothing that is bought is clothing that will not be disposed of in landfill. Landfill is a huge problem in the UK and also contributes to global warming by producing green house gases.

2. They cost less than new items - a piece of clothing in a charity shop, car boot sale or second hand clothing website will almost certainly cost a fraction of it's original new price.

3. You will get much better quality and even designer clothes for the same price as low quality new clothes.

4. It is great fun shopping for second hand clothes and the thrill of finding something amazing that costs next to nothing is much better than shopping for new.

5. By shopping for second hand clothes in charity shops, you can help to support the charity and it's valuable work.

6. Second hand clothes are bit different to the usual clothes that you can buy on the high street, you are a lot less likely to see someone wearing the same clothes as you if you wear second hand.

7. There is a huge choice of second hand clothes available from a variety of places including car boot sales, charity shops, vintage shops and websites so there is no reason why you won't be able to find exactly what you want.

8. Shopping for used clothing forces you to think more carefully about what you buy so you usually end up with a very stylish outfit that looks amazing on you.

9. Buying second hand clothes is a great way to experiment with new styles and looks. As the clothes are not expensive as buying new it is less risky and if you make a mistake you can always sell or swap it.

10. Buying second hand clothes instead of new reduces the environmental impacts that are associated with the manufacture of new clothes.

So buying used clothing is not only good for the environment, it is also good for your and for your wallet. Your wardrobe will also look better for a few carefully chosen pre loved clothes. Why not give it a try, you will probably be very surprised at what you find?

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How To Make Electricity With a Homemade Windmill

Are you looking for ways to save money on your electric bill?. Would you like to help the environment by cutting back on the use of fossil fuels? If you're looking for cheap sources of electricity and ways to help our planet, then electricity from a windmill might be the answer for you.



Your Personal Energy Source - at Home!

There are ways so that you can generate electricity at your home. Using a windmill, this is a fairly simple and straightforward job. You can start generating your own electricity from this renewable source of energy immediately - for free! Conventional non-renewable sources of electricity such as gas, coal, nuclear are becoming more costly every year, and the main drawback of these technologies is the fact that you can't generate electricity in your own house, using these sources of power.



The Size of the Windmill Determines Electricity Output

Many people buy a windmill kit to generate wind-driven power at home. Windmill kits are readily available in the market and once installed, it will start generating electricity. The amount of electricity generated will depend on the quality and quantity of wind where your windmill is located. If you have enough wind flow,, you will be able to generate electricity, possibly reducing your monthly electricity usage by as much as 70%!



Depending on the capacity of the system, some windmill owners often sell excess energy back to their utility company, during times of constant winds, and low energy usage.



Windmill Technology

Windmill technology is quite simple. Wind of at least 7 miles per hour supplies the kinetic energy to the blades, or rotor. The rotor then turns a generator motor, which makes an electrical current. Depending on the capacity of the system, the rotor, or blades, can take up some space. As windmill technology advances, it's possible to locate a windmill in spaces as small as a small backyard, a garden or even a rooftop.



Windmills require little maintenance, mostly just an initial investment of as little as $200 is required for a small, starter kit. The technology is well proven and thousands of people are producing electricity from windmills installed on their own properties, making electricity every month for their owners.



As conventional sources of energy become scarce and seem to cost more each week, now may be the right time to look for alternate sources of energy, and windmills are a proven and available option for energy now. For fairly small initial installation costs, windmill technology can be counted on to generate electricity now, and for years in the future.



You Can Use Wind and Solar Energy at Home

Including solar and wind energy, we already have at our disposal, renewable sources of energy we can put to use today.

With only a modest initial investment, wind energy can be harnessed reliably, with a minimum of effort, to help meet our energy needs.



I've looked at some of the more popular plans on how to build your own windmill. What did I learn? Read this review and save yourself a lot of wasted time and money.



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Shipping and Packaging Supplies

Looking for good shipping supplies? A modern shipping supply now has changed the way to move good from one place to place. The right shipping tools and processes can make all the difference to your business success.



Generally, packaging supplies include boxes, bags, anti-static materials, barcode labels and equipment, bubble wraps, edge protectors, envelopes and mailers, material handling equipment, safety supplies, scales, warehouse equipment, tubes, and moving supplies.



The most basic supply among shipping supply is of course different types of box that are used for packaging supply. Boxes that are used for different purpose and occasions are made available as such they many vary in size and type. The most common are corrugate box, mailers, slide loaders, and bulk cargo containers.



For shipping supplies a shipping-type box is necessary. If you make use of a shoe box or some other flimsy box, your package will be a disaster! Your customer will be quite peeved when their item arrives in pieces!



Nowadays among other the double wall, heavy duty box, computer box, storage bin, and storage file boxes are commonly used for packing supplies and are meant for the optimum utilization of space as space is a matter of concern in ship so boxes are made available in different sizes.



Anti-static bubbles, shippers, and shielding bags, mats and mailers are other extensively used packing supplies. Mailers include bubble mailers, poly mailers, rigid mailers, and corrugated mailers. If shipping for fragile items, for safety make use of two boxes it will act as extra padding. Bubble wraps ensure the safety of fragile and brittle goods.



Another precaution you might consider for effective and safe management of packed good is proper labeling the package. Another affective supply of managing goods is warehouse equipment which includes mat, ladders, warehouse belt and tools, knives, laminating machine and supplies.



Nowadays purchasing shipping is not so difficult task. Number of online sites offers the capability of order online with all the detail description of products.



This article is published by content writer of Search Influence Inc, US based SEO company on behalf of Boxking.com. For more information about Boxking.com can be retrieved by visiting Box King Ã

Ergonomic: What is it? What is the Objective of Ergonomics Programs?

According to the Polish Ergonomics Society, the term "Ergonomics" was originally coined by Wojiech Jastrzebowski, a polish educator and scientist almost one hundred and fifty years ago. The term "Ergonomics" comes from the Greek root words, "ergos", meaning, "work", and "nomos", meaning "laws", -the laws of work. Today, the term "ergonomics" is becoming more and more common, there are "ergonomic chairs", "ergonomic pens" and "ergonomic toothbrushes"; basically everything these days is "Ergonomically designed". In more practical terms, the concept of ergonomics has come to mean finding ways to "work smarter-not harder" and "Fit the work to the worker." In other words, "ergonomics" is the study of the physical and cognitive demands of work to ensure a safe and productive workplace.



Ergonomics is designing and improving the workplace, workstation, tools, equipment, and procedures of work in order to limit fatigue discomfort and injuries, while efficiently achieving personal and organizational goals. Ergonomics is improving the design of jobs and workstations that have unsafe qualities or have caused injury. Ergonomics is also defined as controlling errors, wasted motions, tools, material damage and quality. NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational safety and Health) defines Ergonomics as "the discipline that strives to develop and assemble information on people's capacities and capabilities for use in designing jobs, products, workplaces and equipment."



Health Ergonomics is based on the science of human physiology, pathology and its relationship to work. The healthcare professional already has the knowledge base and training in human physiology and the mechanisms of injury, required to decrease the incidence and severity of injuries in the workplace. This knowledge and experience base can also be used to optimize work capacity of both healthy and injured workers. Health Ergonomic Specialists use this knowledge of the relationship between human physiology, pathology and work to safely match the work demands to the capacity of the worker.



All of these definitions concede that Ergonomics is a multidisciplinary science that encompasses concepts of physics, work physiology, anthropometry, biomechanics, human factors engineering and work organization factors. The practice of Health Ergonomics is the application of the science of ergonomics and the sciences of human physiology and pathology, to the design and evaluation of work and work capacity. Thus ensuring that the work tasks, machines, tools and environments used for work are safe, healthful and effective for human use.



Ergonomic Objectives

How does the ergonomics process or program, work in the workplace? A successful ergonomics program utilizes the skills of many disciplines, including engineering, psychology, medical, safety, management and the employees or associates. The team works together to identify the problem, prioritize the problem, evaluate the cause or reason for the problem and decide the best mode of action to take to remedy the problem. Once these questions have been identified and evaluated, ergonomic change methods can be implemented.



Today, the practice of ergonomics has two primary objectives to enhancing workplace health, safety, and work design issues. These are to 1) Enhance performance and productivity and 2) Prevent fatigue and injury.



In order to obtain these objectives, changes need to be made to the worker-job interface. The four basic methods of change implementation, or work modification, used to improve or modify the workplace are 1) Change the work process, 2) Change the work environment, 3) Change the work management, and 4) Change the tools.



Ultimately, there is a hierarchy of preferred means of change in the work place. In order of preference, the first means of change or work modification is through engineering controls. Engineering controls involve changing or substituting the work process or work environment. An example of engineering controls would be to change the actual product or materials, or the size or shape or weight of the equipment used to perform the work. The second change method is administrative controls that change the way the work is managed. This can mean changing the work environment or the management of the work. Examples of administrative controls are: adding job rotation, changing rest work cycles or changing the order or time of exposure to the work tasks. The last method of control that should be implemented is the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). PPE is used as a last line of defense and only as a barrier between the worker and a particular work hazard. Examples of PPEs in ergonomics include: use of gloves or protective gear, safety goggles, gel inserts for shock absorbance or steel toes boots. In some cases, more than one of these means may be used to solve an ergonomic challenge.



Successful ergonomic programs are an ongoing process. Risk must be quantified or assessed, high risk or problem areas must be identified, and changes implemented through a process of decision-making. Follow up, after the work modifications have been implemented, is an essential component of a successful program to re-measure risk, ensure that the modifications are appropriate and safely adhered to, and determine if further intervention is required.



SUMMARY

The term "ergonomics" has several definitions, but is most commonly referred to as the study of work. The ergonomics process has evolved over the last few hundred years to a multidisciplinary science that encompasses concepts from physics, work physiology, anthropometry, biomechanics, human factors engineering and work organization factors.



Health Ergonomics is based on the science of human anatomy, physiology, pathology and how the human body responds to work. This knowledge and experience base, of understanding how the body responds and adapts to work load optimizes the assessment of work capacity of both healthy and injured workers. The healthcare practitioner can successfully apply the concepts of health ergonomics to effectively optimize human performance, reduce human error and fatigue and minimize musculosketetal injuries or CTDs.

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HVAC-Related Health and Safety Issues

An HVAC professional with Virginia's Able Air-1, Inc., Aris Parviz says that your HVAC system, if not properly maintained and monitored, can actually make you sick. Regular professional maintenance and attention to air quality are the keys to avoiding many health and safety risks posed by HVAC systems.





Whether due to damage or inadequate maintenance, your HVAC system can quickly become a safety hazard for you and your family. Here are some HVAC-related health and safety issues you and your family should be aware of.





Carbon Monoxide Poisoning


Carbon monoxide is the most common and serious safety concern with any home HVAC system. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a serious, possibly fatal, situation that can arise when any gas-burning system in your home is damaged, improperly installed or inadequately maintained. And it can cause brain damage or even death.





Because carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless, it's impossible to detect until you or someone in your family becomes ill. The first symptoms are usually similar to the flu - headaches, nausea and fatigue - so they're often ignored. But long-term exposure can be deadly; and children, infants and individuals with chronic health conditions are at particular risk.





A cracked heat exchanger is one common cause of carbon monoxide in a home, especially in older furnaces. The best way to avoid the poisoning is to have your heating system inspected and serviced by a trained professional every winter. Because the poisoning can occur quickly, it's important to understand and watch for the early symptoms. A carbon monoxide detector should also be an integral part of any home safety system.





Inadequate Humidity


Moisture control is becoming an important consideration for any HVAC system. A lack of humidity in winter months or dry climates can cause breathing difficulties, cracked skin, dry lips, sore throat and other health problems. Dry nasal passages leave your family prone to infection and respiratory illness, and can worsen cold and flu symptoms. Beyond impacting your family's health and safety, dry air can also damage your home. Cracked and separating hardwood floors, molding and furniture are just some costly results of inadequate humidity. You can contribute to the health of your family as well as to your home's longevity by installing a humidifier to regulate indoor moisture levels.





Incorrect Air Filtration


Incorrect air filtration can also pose a hazard to your family's health. Poor indoor air quality -- whether due to dust, allergens or airborne irritants -- is one of the most common contributors to respiratory problems and illnesses. Individuals with underlying respiratory conditions like asthma or allergies are especially vulnerable. Many health problems can occur as the result of poor air quality, ranging in severity from mild headaches to severe allergic reactions and breathing difficulties. Preventive maintenance and regular replacement of air filters is necessary to keep your home's indoor air safe for everyone.





Electrical Issues


In addition, electrical issues pose risks as well. One common problem is a water leak within an HVAC system. It's usual for an air conditioner's condensation drain to become clogged after a few years of use. This can cause water to leak onto the system's electrical components, result in equipment failure, and creates the risk of electric shock. Therefore, air conditioner repair is not something the average homeowner should handle himself. An experienced HVAC contractor will be aware of potential risks, and take the appropriate precautions. Regular preventive maintenance of your air conditioning system is necessary to avoid this type of risk.





The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.





Aris Parviz is a writer for Yodle, a business directory and online advertising company. Find an HVAC contractor or more HVAC contractor articles at Yodle Consumer Guide.

Things to know about High Pressure Tanning Beds

With more advanced technology, high pressure tanning bed takes artificial tanning experience to a new level. These super beds afford you better and darker tans in a much shorter duration. What's more, they are a lot safer then their low pressure counterparts.

The high pressure tanning beds are so named due to the type of lamps that come with it. Made of quartz, these lamps measure about 2 inches in length with a high wattage of a thousand. These are fixed behind potent glass filters which permit only express rays of destined wave lengths to pass thru. Also, the pressure of the gases which inhabit the space within the quartz lamp is at a far higher level then in the standard atmosphere which is why the beds are known as 'high pressure.'

The safety features of this new bed are quite revolutionary in its own way. The filters present prevent the majority of the dangerous ultraviolet ray B from passing thru while making sure that the amount that does pass in satisfactory for melanocytes ( skin cells ) kick. The ultraviolet A light which hits the skin melanin is therefore , much safer and offers a good tan with a noticeably reduced probabilities of skinissues. Or, the low pressure tanning beds are not able to filter the rays in the same manner and permit a bigger share of ultraviolet B rays to pass ( between 4-6% ), thus, increasing the possibilities of possible damage to the skin.

Yet another positive aspect of these tanning beds is the time they need to give you a good tan. With high pressure tanning beds, three to five tanning sessions are enough for you to get a good base tan. Since these beds do not allow the ultraviolet B rays to reach your skin, the negative effects of tanning are reduced to a great extent. As a result your skin retains the moisture and holds the tan for a much longer time. These tanning beds offer a tan that needs less maintenance. The tan procured by these tanning beds can be maintained by two to three tanning sessions per month.

With high pressure tanning beds, you get to save both your time and money. You only need a small amount to get a base tan with these tanning beds. You also save in terms of the maintenance cost of the tan that is procured via these tanning beds. However, the best part about these tanning beds is that they give you a much deeper and authentic tan.

To sum up, high pressure tanning beds are a safe and a pocket friendly way to get that bronzed look. Considering their pros, these high pressure tanning beds are certain to be gigantic in the tanning industry.

To know more about Artificial Tanning and Tanning Products visit: http://www.easy-tanning.com/tanningbeds/

Construction Project Safety Plans For Your Site

It's important to note that any construction work you do requires a construction project safety plan. It's that simple. It's also worthy of writing that no job you do is more important than the safety of those working on your site. In essence, what a construction project safety plan does is ensure that if you are ever doing a job that in anyway poses a threat to the safety of your workforce, every effort is made to reduce that threat. Similarly, it ensures that no shortcuts are made in the procedures on site, in planning or execution.

The most important factor of a Construction Project Safety Plans is that if a job cannot be done safely, it shouldn't be done. If it breaks this rule it is ruining any safety procedures you have on site, no matter how good they are.

A construction project safety plan is a way of a designated person or persons to assess and deal with any hazard on any construction site. You need to make sure that there is a qualified person doing this. Parts of this may include chemical hazards, confined spaces, working at heights or personal protective equipment usage.

What's most important here, however, is that your construction project safety plan allows for the proper co-ordination between the workforce and the safety management. This means you will have to ensure proper lines of communication as well as appropriate recording of any accidents, safety tests and other documentation showing due diligence.

Training your workforce is a key area where construction project safety plan comes into effect. Remember that the most important thing about planning safety is that you avoid dangers on site. If this means additional training, then so be it. Inspectors often find great joy in assessing training levels of workers, as it's often the best way to assess the general awareness of the site.

So what about the person involved in this process? What kind of a person are we looking at to ensure the smooth running of a construction project safety plan? This person not only has to have the organizational skills to run a project like this, but needs to be particularly knowledgeable in safety procedures, particularly those relating to the safety of your site particularly. This could include working at heights, or demolitions, depending on your site. They must ensure compliance with safety and health standards throughout the course of the construction project safety plan, and therefore must be well versed in those. Similarly, they must make safety inspections, and correlate safety data with the appropriate persons on site.

Going back to the original point, if a job cannot be done safety, then it should not be done. The whole point of a construction project safety plan is that we make these jobs possible by making them safer.


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Ensafe Planning Solutions provides a downloadable construction health and safety plan for construction contractors who are unable to write their own due to lack of time, money or knowledge. The plan is compliant with current US OSHA legislation and can be easily and promptly customized to any construction site in the United States.

Why Wear Safety Shoes in the Workplace

A startling 25% of all disability claims of the workers from around the world relate to foot injury.In the USA over 1,00,000 foot injuries occur in the workplaces every year,at a staggering estimated price tag of $ 1 billion.The crippling cost and distress to the employees due to foot injuries has prompted most nations including the UK to implement strict mandatory policies that stipulate protection in the workplace.These measures have paid huge dividends as can be seen in the Canadian construction industry where foot injury was reduced by a whopping 60% when protective footwear was introduced.

Although we very often link foot injury with inhospitable work environments, minor footwear ailments such as lacerations,blisters,flat feet,dropped arches and aches and pains that result from excessive standing at workplace, all take their toll towards creating an unproductive workforce, aided by chronic absenteeism.
Interestingly enough it is not laceration,amputation,dislocations and punctures of the toes that claim most victims:,it's " slips and trips' which account for the highest number of work related injuries across all industrial sectors accounting for two million sick days per year.

Common injuries in the absence of protective safety shoes:

1. Crushed feet, broken bones and amputations of toes and feet that occur mostly in construction,logging,fishing and oil rigging operations.

2. Punctures to the soles are prevalent in work environments where nails,wire,staples and scrap metal are used.

3. Cuts,lacerations and severed toes can result from work in chain saws, rotary mowers and agricultural machinery without adequate protection.

4. Burns due to chemical and molten metal splashes, flammable and explosive material associated with mining,manufacture of heavy metal and chemical production.

5. Electric shocks due to static electricity or direct contact with source.

6. Sprains,fractures and broken bones can occur literally anywhere where there is a slippery floor,cluttered walkway or simply inadequate lighting.