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<title>Latest Articles by Galway</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/</link>
<description>Articles at Populate.NET</description>
<language>en-us</language>
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<title>Hints And Tips For Using A Rotisserie</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Food_and_Drink/hints-and-tips-for-using-a-rotisserie.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Food_and_Drink/hints-and-tips-for-using-a-rotisserie.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 02 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ In these days when people are increasingly becoming obese despite the press spotlight being on healthy eating and healthy lifestyles, many are looking for a way to enjoy their favourite foods in a more health conscious way. It is important to remember that if food is eaten in moderation, with nothing being banned from the diet, we are much more likely to stick to a sensible eating plan. If we can do this while cooking our food in a more healthy fashion then we will be consuming much less fat and will be all the better for it.

Meat is often something people try to cut down on when looking to either lose weight or get healthier. However, meat contains a great deal of protein and, like everything else, if eaten in moderation can be good for us. The difference is the way we cook it. 
Grilling will always be better than frying or baking as the melted fat from the meat has chance to drain away. Rotisseries are also another fat saving device to cook meat on and the old reputation of kebab being bad for you is not strictly true, all you late night revellers will be glad to hear.

Good cuts of meat that aren't marbled with fat can be cooked on a rotisserie to leave you with a healthy piece of food that is very tasty. When cooking meat on a rotisserie it is important to load the spit as evenly as possible to make for uniform cooking. With chicken, use wet string to secure the legs and wings close to the body to make sure that they cook at the same time as the body and do not burn.

Rotisserie foods can be flavoured with a choice of marinades, rubs or smoke. Use hardwood chips from the likes of oak, pecan, hickory, mesquite, alder, cherry, apple or grape vine. These all have a low resin content. High resin contents can create an unpleasant taste. Herbs can also be added to the wood chips but both should be soaked in water before use so as to create smoke and not simply burn up the wood. For a mild taste of herbs, add tarragon, basil or rosemary but for stronger flavours try thyme, bay or marjoram. Nut shells can also be used.

Marinades are an easy way to add flavour to meat cooked on a rotisserie. If an acidic ingredient, such as white wine, juices, vinegar or soy sauce are added to the marinade, the meat will also be tenderised as well as flavoured. Marinades are useful in that you can afford to use strongly flavoured ingredients like garlic, chilli powder, ginger or any other spice. You can also have fun experimenting with any mix of flavours. Meat does not need to be sitting in the marinade for very long before cooking, or you can inject the marinade into the meat for a slightly different flavour.

Rubs are slightly different in that they are usually dry. Use brown sugar, salt, black pepper and red pepper as a base and add to this any herbs or spices that you like. Onion powder, cinnamon, paprika, cumin and oregano are good starters but any combination can be used that takes your fancy. ]]></description>
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<title>A Uniform Approach To Work</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/a-uniform-approach-to-work.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/a-uniform-approach-to-work.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 02 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ How big does a company have to be before they begin to think about using work uniforms? Would it be when the staff reached a certain number or would it depend on whether or not the staff were meeting and greeting customers? Would it depend on the type of work the business is carrying out?

Well, there is no hard and fast rule. Sometimes when a person sets up a company on their own, or with one or two staff, they immediately like to implement the use of uniforms. This can often portray a professional appearance to the public and shows a serious commitment to work.

If you are in any doubt about this think back to the last time a salesman or workman called at your door. Did you not immediately look to his uniform as some form of identification? Of course, this alone does not mean that the person is honest and above board but it will instil a certain amount of comfort. For those businesses longer established, a work uniform will soon become easily recognisable on sight.

A simple colour scheme is soon associated with a particular company and this is what will stick in people's minds. Add to this the fact that they can be embroidered with company logos or names and not only does the uniform look that little bit classier but also it offers a little more security to customers.

Talk of work uniforms and the mind immediately turns to nurses and policemen and the like. Of course, it is vital for such authorities to be able to be quickly identified and they will have variations within their profession, depending on rank which are also identifiable by the public. Shop staff also will wear uniforms but these days they are likely to be a lot looser than the formal uniforms of days gone by. Shops, particularly clothing shops, will specify that their staff where, for example, black trousers and t shirts.
This is not a specific bought uniform but a certain way that staff should look so that they can be seen by the public but it can also mean that they are more comfortable and it also allows for a little freedom of expression with their own clothes.

This form of uniform can cover many professions. Estate agents and many office workers will wear a 'uniform' in that they will all be expected to meet a certain dress code, normally revolving around smart suits, shirts and ties. Of course, this frees them up to change colours, within reason, but is not a set uniform.

Many workers like the idea of a uniform as this protects their own clothes and saves them having to spend out extra hard earned wages on work clothes. For factory workers, uniforms are in place mainly for the purpose of protection. Factory workers rarely come into contact with customers so they do not need to project that uniform appearance but they do often work with substances and materials that could damage clothing and this is where a protective uniform is essential.

So, work uniforms can be used to make staff easily identifiable to customers, it can be used to show a professional appearance to others and thus raise your company up the professional ladder and they can also be used for the protection of personal staff clothing. It doesn't matter if your workforce consists of one or a thousand, work uniforms are available for all. ]]></description>
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<title>A New Broom Always Sweeps Clean</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/a-new-broom-always-sweeps-clean.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/a-new-broom-always-sweeps-clean.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 02 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ With the plethora of products on the market today, it should be relatively easy for everyone to do their own cleaning. However, it's not having the right product that is the issue, it's normally the time that is needed to put in the elbow grease. In fact, we are increasingly being encouraged not to use all these new-fangled cleaning products as they can be damaging to our health and to the environment. 

For these reasons, many people like to employ the use of cleaning services, particularly if they have a big job on. Of course, there are some people that will want a cleaning service just to come in and do their house once in a while but for the purpose of this article, we will just discuss sensible reasons.

Sometimes cleaning services are brought in for a domestic house if it is a large one and a new owner is due to move in. Moving house is stressful enough without getting there and finding you have to scrub it from top to bottom. This is why a leaning service will be employed and they can then make much shorter work of it by getting several dedicated cleaners to spend as long as it needs to bring it up to scratch. This is so much quicker than trying to clean whilst moving furniture and boxes and can be done before you actually move.

For those who run commercial kitchens, cleaning services are worth a great deal in that they can come in while the kitchen is shut to the public and carry out a thorough deep clean, usually by steaming, and remove a build up of grease that would otherwise take days and days of hard work, if it came off at all. This will bring a kitchen into line with health and safety requirements and also makes for a much nicer working environment for the staff. It also makes for a better eating establishment with less chance of food poisoning!

For places like hospitals, cleaning services are now brought in, instead of being carried out 'in house' as they would of under matrons rule. Again, steam cleaning is an excellent idea in hospitals as it avoids the need for harsh chemicals and leaves no chance of residue.
When a garage is due for a re-fit or to be changed into a different business they will definitely need cleaning services to remove grease, dirt and smells that would linger with this type of industry. 

A more gruesome, but essential, use of cleaning services are those that are called in to clean up behind a murder scene. This is vital as bodily fluids can spread disease if left behind and if a murder has taken place in a residential place, someone has to clean it off. The naked eye will not see all the residue from this type of incident so special gadgets are used to show up blood spots so that they can all be dealt with.

Families of deceased people, whether murdered or not, will not like to clean up after the death of a loved one. Many times there have been reports of bodies being found where the people have been dead for quite some time. Sadly, it is a sign of our times that people lose touch with families, or contact is sparse. Sometimes, this means that people die and are not found for some time. By the time they are found, bodily fluids will have leaked into surrounding materials causing unpleasant smells and stains. These need to be removed by specialist cleaning services and these companies will normally deal with only this type of cleaning.

Sometimes it can take a strong constitution to deal with cleaning and a murder scene has to be the most difficult of all. ]]></description>
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<title>How To Buy A Wetsuit</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Recreation_and_Leisure/Sports/how-to-buy-a-wetsuit.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Recreation_and_Leisure/Sports/how-to-buy-a-wetsuit.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ For those with a love of water sports, it quickly becomes apparent that you need something that is going to keep out the cold and prevent you from shrivelling up like a prune, particularly if you're going to be surfing or diving anywhere around the UK, given its cool water temperature and infamy for rubbish weather.

You can go to any sports shop and find wetsuits for sale but where to start? Do you just go for the one that looks nice or do you realise that, financially, this is a pretty major purchase and will be an absolute must when you're in the water. So, if you're in the market for a wetsuit, do a little research and find out what you need to know. Here are a few pointers:

The first thing to consider is the fit. This is essential as with an ill fitting wetsuit you will lose more heat than you save, defeating the object and making you cold. A good fitting wetsuit will allow a little water in. This water is then quickly heated by your body, bringing it to body temperature. This is held against your skin, preventing any further heat loss. If the suit is too loose, it will allow too much water exchange and you will not stay warm. Check for a close fit on ankles and wrists. If the suit is too tight, enough water will not be warmed and you will still not maintain body temperature.

To avoid rashing, it is also important that the suit is comfortable and does not rub anywhere. Any collections of sand or salt water will soon tell you that your suit is too loose but not before you feel the pain. A good fitting suit will also ensure that the suit lasts longer, with no areas of unnecessary wear.

The performance of a wetsuit is something that needs to be negotiated. Put simply, performance is the amount of stretch a wetsuit offers. More stretch equals less resistance. However, super stretchy suits offer great performance for those who like to show off their tricky manoeuvres but less durability  because the suit will wear out quicker, particularly around the knees.

Warmth is a very important issue when purchasing a wetsuit. This means that you need to take into consideration where you will be spending most of your time in the water. Obviously, if you are a regular in the waters off Australia or Egypt then it's somewhat different to what is required of a wetsuit that spends most of its time off the coast of Scotland. Suits can be purchased with a 2mm thickness right up to a 7mm and it will make a drastic difference to get one at the wrong end of the scale.

It is important that you are comfortable in your suit but this has to be factored in when you are considering your performance and durability needs.

Neoprene is the fabric of wetsuits. It is a closed cell rubber foam to be precise and can be lined with a jersey fabric. Various degrees of stretch are available as choice. Seams are necessary on the suit to make it a better fit. However, this is negotiable. You can have a suit with few seams which will make it more flexible (better performance) but this will be balanced by the fact that it will not be such a good fit (less durable).

The stitching of a wetsuit will depend on whether it is aimed for summer or winter use. Flatlocked stitching is very strong and flexible but allows water to seep through needle holes. This is good for summer suits. Blind stitching will normally be used on more expensive winter suits and does not allow water through.

So you can see there are many things to take into consideration when buying your wetsuit. Apart from the above you will also need to look at what the style and colour choices are and also consider the price because there is quite a vast price range. However, get it right and you could be surfing, diving or rafting in much more comfort and for longer than you could manage without. ]]></description>
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<title>Can Anybody Build A Website</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Internet/Web_Design/can-anybody-build-a-website.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Internet/Web_Design/can-anybody-build-a-website.html</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Well, in theory, yes they can. Websites can be constructed in a very basic form and even school children are taught to do just this. It is relatively easy to learn how to insert text, to make your site colourful and to upload pictures to catch people's attention. Many companies will build a similar website when they first embark on a venture, just as companies in London have done, and this will ensure they have a web presence, more important today than ever before.

What it won't do is help people find your website. It won't guarantee you a position in search engines and it might only be visited by a few people who happen to find it by accident. This defeats the object of advertising and marketing in this way because it won't be seen by enough people.

What will make the difference is professional web design, London companies have found. A professional web design will do more than just make your site look pretty. It will ensure all the relevant information is included in the site, in the right places to grab visitors attention and it will create a design that doesn't confuse people.

Better than website design alone is a mixture of search engine optimisation and web design, London companies have found to their benefit. The capital is a good place to be for business but it can be difficult to get established with such a vast amount of competition. That's why what goes into your website is so vital.

If a website is SEO friendly then search engines will quickly favour it and it will be projected up the rankings in search engines and more people will see the site and use the company. The keywords will be just right, the density of these words will be just right and it will all be laid out in an order that not only makes it user friendly to internet users but also readable to search engine 'spiders' that determine whether or not the site is relevant to any particular search.

Of the companies that have employed the services of those that are proficient in web design, London companies have found they are best used within an SEO environment to ensure they gain the maximum exposure to potential clients. This brings many rewards and the initial outlay is quickly recouped. If an ordering facility is available to use on your website, building this into the web design make incur a little more outlay but will reap many more sales than people from the other end of the country finding your site, liking your product, then finding they have to travel to the other end of the country to purchase it. It would simply waste time.

If increasing sales is what you are after, then you will already know that the internet is the way to go. It is the medium that ninety nine per cent of the population use when looking for a product or service and you are already likely to know that very few people will look past the first two pages of search engine results. Therefore, if you're not on the first two pages, very few people are going to know your company exists.

In this time of companies falling all around us because of the credit crunch it is very important to get the advertising right and that right way is via the internet. ]]></description>
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<title>Baby Clothes For All Sizes</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Family/Parenting/baby-clothes-for-all-sizes.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Family/Parenting/baby-clothes-for-all-sizes.html</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ When it comes to buying baby clothes, there really is as wide a choice as there is for adults. Gone are the days when baby clothes consisted of a few rompers, bibs and home knitted cardigans. Nowadays you can choose anything from the traditional to jeans and boots for newborns.

Of course, it is the same with babies as with older people. Not all styles suit all babies. Doll like girly babies never look as nice in a pair of jeans as they do a delicate pink dress but then maybe I'm biased. I also can't possibly see how a baby can be comfortable, or as easy to handle, when it's wrapped in denim jacket and trendy shirt but then some parents prefer to project their infants into childhood and use them as fashion accessories than to keep them cosy babies for as long as possible.

However, the choice is up to the parents and the choice is out there. You can go to any department store or baby clothes shop and find everything from pure cotton romper suits and traditional style dresses, with knitted cardigans and dungarees. You can also find in the same shop, denim jackets, jeans and formal shirts for even small babies.

One thing that has changed over the years is the fact that babies born prematurely are being saved at younger and younger ages. This is a miracle and because the incidents are now so high, special measures have been taken by baby clothes manufacturers to ensure there is also a choice for these little ones. If you have ever seen the size of premature baby clothes you would know that they look the right size for toy dolls - indeed many of them are too big for dolls and this just goes to show us how far medical abilities have come.

To dress a 2lb baby is a great deal different to dressing a new born that weighs a whopping 14lb - and yes, they do come in that size! Of course, newborn babies have very delicate skin and particularly if they are premature it is important that they have natural materials next to their skin to avoid any irritation. Pure cotton is the one fabric recommended to parents of these babies, in fact, it is the best thing next to any babies skin.

When the baby is big enough to get on the move, this is when they get to the stage when tougher clothing is needed. Babies get through a lot of clothes once they are crawling and climbing and this is when you can easily afford to progress from pure cotton to other fabrics that are a little tougher. They are also on to more solid food and this causes so much more mess and creates endless washing, as any parent will tell you. This in turn, means that the baby clothes need to be a lot tougher to stand up to the constant washing and rigorous treatment they get.

When I had my children I was lucky enough to experience the best of both worlds. Having a daughter in the mid eighties meant that there were still so many pretty pink dresses around and she never looked out of place in  playschool wearing this. When my two sons were born in the early nineties, we were then into the era of jeans and sweatshirts for babies but rough and tough boys always need that little something extra for their baby clothes to stand up to. ]]></description>
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<title>Christmas Is Coming And Tiny Tim Is Down The Well</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Shopping/christmas-is-coming-and-tiny-tim-is-down-the-well.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Shopping/christmas-is-coming-and-tiny-tim-is-down-the-well.html</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Well, it's that time of year again! Christmas is on its way and the papers are full of doom and gloom about the worlds financial difficulties and how we're all going to be in mass debt if we are ever able to afford Christmas. The cost of food and fuel has risen so we will all be staying at home for the duration of the season, eating nothing more than roast sprouts. The fuel crisis will see us all sitting around candles trying to sing cheering Christmas songs for entertainment and Tiny Tim has fallen down the well.

Ok, I may be exaggerating here but that is what they would have us believe because nothing sells papers quite so well as bad news.

However, things aren't as bad as the press would have us think. Yes, we may be pulling our belts in somewhat but people are still buying what would have been considered luxuries not so long ago, whether they be in the form of food, clothing, home furnishings and the like. Sales may be slowing but they haven't stopped. So, how can we make Christmas that little bit special when we are needing to watch the pennies a little closer?

Well, the best tip is to buy good quality presents for our loved ones but less of them. This is much better value for money than spending the equivalent on lots of cheap presents that don't last five minutes. Your gift will last for years, bringing the recipient much joy and many happy memories of a good Christmas, the one where Tiny Tim got rescued!

So, what constitutes a good quality gift? One that will be useful and show thoughtfulness. A digital photo frame for example, means that the recipient will be able to display happy memories all year round in style. A good quality digital photo frame won't break the bank but it won't come across as a cheap gift either. Everybody loves a bit of new technology to play with on Christmas day and the digital photo frame is one gift that will fit the bill.

Alternatively, you could give a memory as a gift. A voucher might not sound that exciting but when it covers the expense of a day at Brands Hatch racing track and the chance to drive a Ferrari or Porsche, then that voucher creates an experience that will never be forgotten. There are also trips like balloon rides and local light aircraft flights that can be purchased as gifts. On top of that, all these events create pictures that can be framed indefinitely in a digital photo frame.

Of course, if you're really stuck for gift ideas you could always revert to the trusted slippers and socks but these won't last longer than one season whereas if you give a little time to really thinking about the recipient then coming up with something that will suit their interests shouldn't be too difficult. If you can't come up with anything more inventive, then a digital photo frame is something that can be kept and used now and in the future.

Food and drink are also good gift ideas but the problem is that they don't last. They may well be enjoyed at the time but the memory fades by the next meal and a gift that lasts longer will be much more appreciated. ]]></description>
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<title>The Importance Of Checking The Small Print</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Finance/Insurance/the-importance-of-checking-the-small-print.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Finance/Insurance/the-importance-of-checking-the-small-print.html</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ It is essential when applying for health insurance that you check all details of your policy. Particularly those that you think may come in useful in the future. For example, some health insurance companies will not cover you for alternative therapies and some incorporate a build your own type of policy where you can bring in aspects that suit your lifestyle, such as dentistry and optical care.

Many health insurance companies will not cover long term chronic conditions that may develop even after the policy was taken out. Illnesses such as diabetes, where care is costly and on-going, generally for the rest of the life span, may not be covered so it is worth checking out the small print of your policy and measuring it against your family history.

This is even more vital given that diabetes is on the increase in the UK to the point where we could be facing an epidemic of cases. A peak of diagnosed cases in the UK reached 2.5 million last year. With 167,000 new cases, this is double the increase of the previous year and this ushers in a worrying trend.

Experts from the charity Diabetes UK suggest this increase may be in line with a rise in the incidents of obesity. There is most definitely a link, say specialists. Nine out of ten diabetes sufferers have Type 2 which occurs when the body can no longer process blood sugar due to the pressures of being severely overweight. This leads to organ damage and years of ill health and is most definitely a thorn in the side of health insurance companies, hence their concern with insured parties maintaining a reasonable weight.

Taking out a health insurance policy in no way means that you can disregard lifestyle habits and the effect they have on your health. In fact, it should ensure that you take ever more care of yourself with a moderate exercise and diet regime to avoid long term health issues and high insurance premiums.

It is suspected that as many as half a million people in the UK could have Type 2 diabetes and not know about it. This figure is expected to double in the next two years and is putting immense strain on the NHS and the health of the nation. The issue is that it is so easily avoided with sensible eating patterns and a less sedentary lifestyle. Much of the increase has occurred in Scotland but this has been attributed to better recording of data. The problem is a nationwide one.

One of the things we can look out for is the symptoms of Syndrome X - better known as Metabolic Syndrome or Insulin Resistance Syndrome.  They include an 'apple' shape to the body, where fat accumulates around the middle leading to the dreaded beer belly or muffin tops. Directly beneath this extra layer of fat are the liver and pancreas which are key to controlling sugar metabolism. Too much body fat in this area and the organs will initially cope by producing extra insulin but further pressure and functioning is impaired to the point of causing Type 2 diabetes.

As with many health issues, the most important thing we can do is to work out a diet and exercise regime that keeps us as healthy as possible, be aware of the signs and symptoms of common problems that mean early intervention could prevent years of illness and check out the small print in health insurance policies. ]]></description>
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<title>Stansted Airport Is Still Growing</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/stansted-airport-is-still-growing.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/stansted-airport-is-still-growing.html</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Stansted airport parking is about to get more difficult!

Parking near airports has become increasingly difficult over the years due to a combination of increased volume of traffic and a rise in the number of people using international flights. The world has become a smaller place and the demand on business people to be accessible has grown. They are expected to jet from one country to another with a moments notice and they do it. Particularly in the current economic climate, it is important for people to feel that their jobs are secure, this is why they make themselves available yet it can only be the few without families that are truly happy with this lifestyle.

There is also the increase in the amount of people taking foreign holidays. This was expected to ease off due to world financial doom and gloom and for a while, it did tail off. However, this situation has also given rise to the fact that people feel the need for a holiday more than ever.

To this end, airports continue to get busy, people continue to use their cars to get to the airport and demand for Stansted airport parking grows.

BAA announced earlier this month that the Government have agreed permission for increased passenger numbers on Stansted's existing single runway. This means Stansted will now be able to service up to 35 million passengers a year. So, despite the economic crises, the projected figures for the amount of flight passengers is set to grow. This means that despite some people getting taxi's to the airport, a percentage of that growth will continue to use their own cars, thus needing extra parking.

Of course, all airports have a certain number of parking facilities and Stansted airport parking is no different in this respect. Allocated and managed car parks cover vast expanses of land near the airport and they are nearly always filled to capacity. Does this mean that extra passengers passing through will mean extra parking space needed? Well, it will certainly need to be considered. Road traffic hold ups are already notorious around airports - if extra traffic is directed towards them, the situation can only get worse.

Stansted was the only airport to have a cap on the number of passengers it can allow through it's system in a year and they have been waiting since their application nearly two years ago to have that cap of 25 million raised. It is the third busiest airport in the country and earlier this year made an application to the Government to install a second runway to cope with the amount of traffic.

Of course, these sorts of applications come with all sorts of complications, not only for air traffic but also for those on the ground and living nearby. Not only do they have to cope with extra plane noise but also the increase in road traffic to and from the airport. There is also the issue of Stansted airport parking and how this encroaches on surrounding landscapes. However, it would be sensible to assume that, as the airport has been there for a long time that you wouldn't purchase a home near an airport if you were concerned with any of the above.

That said, maybe there is a level of noise and nuisance that people are willing to put up with when purchasing a neighbouring property and they don't want this to increase. Again, that's probably not a reasonable expectation in these modern times. One for the government to consider, I guess. ]]></description>
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<title>The Punk Of Yesteryear And The Punk Of Today</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Beauty/Fashion/the-punk-of-yesteryear-and-the-punk-of-today.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Beauty/Fashion/the-punk-of-yesteryear-and-the-punk-of-today.html</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ The fashion for punk clothing has seen a revival in recent years and it's no tamer than the first time round. It is, however, a little more widely accepted in this culture of anything goes. Trends will always come and go in fashion, particularly for the young, but there is no longer this narrow corridor of what goes and what doesn't. There is an arena for people to express themselves through clothing whatever their preferred genre, including punk clothing.

The earliest form of punk, namely protopunk, began in the United States with the musical scene of Alice Cooper, Velvet Underground and the like. There was also a strong punk ethic among the transvestites with their own version of glam punk. It was also loosely known to have connections with the underworld of drug trafficking so it's understandable that back in the early Seventies, parents weren't that keen on their children getting involved in the whole punk scene.

In the UK, punk caught on in a big way thanks to economic recession. There was a strong flavour of dissatisfaction and anger expressed through punk music and this rebellious angst led to a rebellious way of dressing. Anything that appeared way out or extreme was punk clothing, from ripped, skin tight clothing to having pins and piercings anywhere and everywhere.

Back in the early days, punk music had a very definite feel but by the Eighties, things were moving in a more general direction. Other influences were beginning to be brought in with bands like The Clash being seen as a punk band but also bringing in touches of reggae, rockabilly and jazz. It became less about the angst of life and started include more melody and lyrics about relationships and life in general and fun - a little less harsh than the 'down with the establishment' feel that ran through original punk music.

This is pretty much the feel of punk today. It has a much wider range of musical styles and a pretty varied array of punk clothing, albeit still extreme. It is much more widely accepted as 'one of those things youths go through' - when did you last see a middle aged punk (Johnny Rotten aside). Punk music still covers feelings of anger and frustration but this surely has to be a better outlet than violence? At the same time, it also covers everyday life and other emotions that involve love and pain, fun and the more serious issues.

Punk clothing can be seen as fun, particularly by the young. Today's young punks have the advantage that to them it may all be new and extreme and exciting but to their parents who have seen it all before, it's simply a revival of a phase that is bound to pass once again and these parents have the security of the knowledge that it is unlikely to induce an uprising or to result in murderous young adults. This ultimately leads to the young people being able to express themselves with their punk clothing and punk music without incurring the wrath of their parents.
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Of course, punk is not the only alternative clothing and music scene we have in the public domain. There is also the goth and emo culture of today as well as main stream fashions that themselves can be, well, lets say unusual. The good thing for todays young people is that the older generation have lived through this themselves, they do not perceive it as a threat and not so many will try to suppress it as they did years ago. ]]></description>
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