<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<rss version="2.0">
<channel>
<title>Latest Articles by MrMerokee</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/</link>
<description>Articles at Populate.NET</description>
<language>en-us</language>
<item>
<title>Success Story.... Airline Growth And Early Airline Development In The United States</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Recreation_and_Leisure/Travel/air-travel/success-story-airline-growth-and-early-airline-development-in-the-united-states.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Recreation_and_Leisure/Travel/air-travel/success-story-airline-growth-and-early-airline-development-in-the-united-states.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Airlines are companies that furnish air transport services for freight, passengers or chartered flights. Airlines own or lease the aircraft that are used to carry out one or more of the aforementioned services. An airline may also form an coalition or partnership with another airline or airlines to benefit mutually.

The demand and pricing for air travel services depends on a number of factors, including leisure passenger needs, business passenger needs, demand for business cargo shipments and all of these are of course influenced by overall economic activity of a given area or region.

Overall, the demand for air travel services has risen quite consistently. While annual growth rates during the 80s and 90s ranged between 5-6%, there was a drastic 15% in earlier days of aviation during the 1950s and 1960s.

Growth rates are certainly not uniform across the board and differ from region to region. In areas where deregulation provided greater pricing independence and, in turn, competition, the results were lower fares and sometimes very dramatic spikes in overall growth.

After World War I the U.S. was inundated with airmen. Many of these aviators opted to use their war surplus planes to perform various barnstorming programs for passengers and spectators.

In 1918 the United States Postal Service began using airplanes to experiment with air mail service. They used aircraft services acquired from the United States Army. After the Army flew many air mail missions, the Post Office decided it was time to start their own air mail network, as the Army proved to be undependable. 

Eventually, the 1920s brought the advent of passenger airlines. Many of these companies offering passenger service still dealt primarily with transporting mail. Then in the year 1925, Ford bought the Stout Aircraft Company as well as started construction on an all-metal aircraft that became the first American passenger airliner. 

Pan American World Airways was the first American airline to go international, and was the only U.S. airline to do so before the 1940s. 

Immediately after Word War II there was a surplus of military aircraft, and some designs such as the Douglas C-3 that were used for cargo and troop transport, were converted to civilian passenger service. 

Even during the depression the American airline industry was profitable for most airlines and continued to be so until the start of World War II.  At this time the U.S. saw much better airline profits than did  war-torn Europe. Around this time the airline industry really took off with advances in technology as well as manufacturing procedures of aircraft. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Performance Bicycles: What Is Performance?</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Recreation_and_Leisure/Sports/Biking/performance-bicycles-what-is-performance.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Recreation_and_Leisure/Sports/Biking/performance-bicycles-what-is-performance.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ In order to talk about performance bicycles, we should start by defining the term. We all know what bicycle signifies, but what about performance? I think that many people tend to define the word performance as the ability to offer top operation, meaning top speeds, top maneuverability, and clockwork smooth mechanical functioning. 

While all of those minor definitions certainly relate to an overall concept of performance, I would like to offer another perspective of performance as related to bicycles. Though we all want to be the next Lance Armstrong, our own best personal performance does not have to reflect world's records for speed or distance. 

In my opinion, for the non-professional bicycle rider, even the more serious bicycle rider, performance should really be an issue of finding the bike that best fits your lifestyle. This is going to include things other than top, high speed racing performance.

The best bicycle for the more common user has many non-race related factors to take under consideration. How much can I spend on a bike? I have to carry my bike upstairs, will the bike be heavy to lift? There are many practical concerns that may end up making more of a difference than trimming a couple seconds of your mile. 

One thing to consider is where you will be storing your bicycle, and where it will be kept when you ride it to various destinations. You may not want to have a flashy top of the line bike in particular parts of town anyway. 

And if you want to get into the topic of non-flashy bicycles, boy, could I talk your ear off. There are so many amazing things about recycling old bikes [recycled bicycles] into fabulously functional and affordable new bikes! 

I remember when I was young, after a short period of ownership, dismantling and customizing my very fancy red and chromed Columbia touring bicycle that I had received one Christmas. The first items removed were the fancy chromed fenders and tail extension and of course the chrome chain guard.

I was not the only one of my friends who did this, risking the wrath of parents wondering why we took such expensive and fancy looking bikes and tore them down. I remember the Wynn brothers. They made chopper bicycles by mounting the front wheel fork and tube upside down in the bicycle frame giving the bike that motorcycle chopper look. This was our definition of a performance bicycle.

The Wynn brothers had a collection of used bicycles and bicycle parts that amazed me. What they did with those parts was even more amazing.

Sustain ability is the way to go. Every time we're able to use what already exists we're giving someone a new bike that may not be able to afford one otherwise. Or perhaps we're merely saving a spot in a landfill where stuff he haven't figured out how to recycle can go. 

Consider all your concerns and interests surrounding the type of bike that will best fit into your lifestyle and your community. You may learn something about yourself and the other people like you living just next door. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Reasons To Use Paid URL Inclusion</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Internet/Tools_and_Resources/search-engines/reasons-to-use-paid-url-inclusion.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Internet/Tools_and_Resources/search-engines/reasons-to-use-paid-url-inclusion.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ There are many ways to publicize your website and one of the most cost-effective ways is to make use of search engines.  

Search engines are the first stop for most people trying to find information, services, and products online. Because of this, it is essential that your website become visible as soon as possible in search results.

The Internet includes numerous search engines, some of which offer what is termed paid inclusion. This means that you pay the specific search engine a yearly fee for your web page to be included in their index.

Of course, every search engine already has a robotic program commonly called a spider; the spider is that which indexes all of the web pages it locates online, and it does this freely. Therefore, whether you pay or not, all Internet search engines will eventually index your web page, as long as the spider can follow a link to your page. The major issue is then, how rapidly your 
page is indexed.

A search engine that offers a paid URL inclusion uses an extra spider programmed to index the particular pages that have been paid for. The difference between the spider that indexes pages free and the spider that indexes only pages for a fee is speed.  

If you have paid for inclusion, the additional search engine spider will in most case, index your page almost immediately.

The debate over paid URL inclusion centers on the annual cost. Since the regular spider of these search engines would eventually get around to indexing your web page anyway, why is an annual fee necessary? The fee is necessary to keep your pages in the search engine's index. If you go the method of paid inclusion, you should be aware that at the end of the pay period, on some search engines, your page could be removed from their index for a certain amount of time.

It is simple to get confused about whether you would benefit from paid inclusion since the spider of any search engine will ultimately index your page without the additional cost. There are both advantages and disadvantages to paid URL inclusion, and it is only by considering your pros and cons that you will be able to decide whether to spring for the extra cash or not.

The advantages are apparent: rapid inclusion and rapid re-indexing. Paid inclusion means that your pages become indexed speedily and added to search results in a very short time after you pay the fee. The time difference between when the regular spider will index your pages and when the paid spider will is a matter of months, not days. The spider for paid inclusion usually 
indexes your pages in a day or two. Be aware that if you do not have any incoming links to your pages, the regular spider will never locate them at all.

Additionally, paid inclusion spiders will return to your pages often, sometimes even daily. The benefit of this is that you can update your pages constantly to increase the ranking in which they appear in search engines. The paid URL inclusion spider will show that result in a matter of days.

Primarily, the disadvantage is the cost. For an individual or a small business, the purchasing of the paid inclusion can be a financial burden. There paid inclusion, in order to be maintained, may also include an annual fee. As I just mentioned, how relevant the cost factor is will depend on your company.

Another, and perhaps more important, disadvantage is the limited reach of paid URL inclusions. The largest search engines, Google, Yahoo, and MSN, account for most of the organic keyword searches done on any day.  That means that your choosing to pay for inclusion in any other engines will amount to but a small fraction of the traffic to your site on a daily basis. Paid inclusion also usually does not guarantee that you will end up near the top of the listings which makes your site more visible.
 
Google, the most used search engine, usually updates its index every month, and there is no way you can speed up this process. You will have to wait for the Google spider to index your new pages no matter how many other search engines you have paid to update their index every day.  

One way to discern whether paid URL inclusion is a good deal for your company is to think about some common factors. First, find out if search engines have already indexed your pages. To do this, you may have to enter a number of different keywords, but the quickest way to find out is to enter your URL address in quotes. If your pages appear when you enter the URL address but do not appear when you enter keywords, using paid inclusion will not be advantageous. This is because your pages were already indexed and ranked by the conventional spider. If this were the case, your money is better spent by updating your pages to increase your standing in search results. Once you accomplish this, it is at this point you can consider using paid inclusion if you want to speed up the time it will take the regular spider to revisit your pages.

The most significant factor in deciding whether to use paid URL inclusion is to decide if it is a good investment. To figure this out, you have to look at the complete picture: what kind of product or service are you selling and how much traffic are you dependent on to see a profit?

If your company sells an inexpensive merchandise that requires a large volume of traffic to your site, paid inclusion may not be the paramount investment for you .The biggest search engines do not offer it [ although Yahoo directory listing cost $299.00 per year ], and they are the engines that will bring you the majority of hits. Then again, if you have a business that offers an expensive service or product and requires a certain quality of traffic to your site, a paid URL inclusion is in all probability an excellent investment.

You should also base your decision on whether or not your pages are dynamically generated. These types of pages [e.g. flash] are often difficult for regular spiders to locate and index. Paying to include the most important pages of a dynamically produce website will insure that the paid spider will index them.

Every now and then, a regular spider will drop pages from its search engine, although these pages usually reappear in a few months. There are a number of reasons why this can happen; but by using paid URL inclusion, you will avoid the possibility.  

Paid URL inclusion guarantees that your pages are indexed, and if they are inadvertently dropped, the search engine will be on the lookout to locate them immediately.

As you can see, there are various factors to consider when it comes to paid URL inclusion. It can be a valuable investment depending on your circumstances.  Assess your business needs and your website to decide if paid URL inclusion is a sensible investment for you reach your business objectives. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>A Guide To Choosing Your Personal Safety Alarm</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Technology/Gadgets_and_Gizmos/a-guide-to-choosing-your-personal-safety-alarm.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Technology/Gadgets_and_Gizmos/a-guide-to-choosing-your-personal-safety-alarm.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ The probability of facing hostility and violence in our daily lives is a lot higher than most people envision.  We all want to feel as safe, confident and secure in our lives as possible and personal alarms can help you to do that.

There are many different types of alarms out there.  Choosing the right alarm can sometimes be tricky.  Read on for suggestions and tips on how to obtain the right alarm for you.

The Objective of a Personal Safety Alarm

The objective of a Personal Safety Alarm is to shock and disorientate an attacker, giving you vital seconds to get away.  They are not designed to immobilize or scare off the attacker.  Personal alarms are not primarily used to attract the attention of passers by; there may not actually be anyone within earshot.  They also do not necessarily encourage people to help.

Key Features:

The most significant element of an alarm is the sound it emits.  This sound needs to be as loud and as high-pitched as possible.  Ideally, it also needs to be dissimilar to those usually heard such as automobile alarms, police sirens, etc.  Most experts concur; the most successful sound is constant shriek and over 130 decibels, not a sound we usually hear; thus making the alarm better able to shock and disorientate

A personal alarm needs to be simple to carry, but it is important to take into account whether a very lightweight and small alarm will be as loud as you need it to be (and whether it will get lost at the bottom of your bag).  Some small alarms can, in spite of everything, be very loud, although the sound may not last for very long.  They can be easier to handle for some people.  The best compromise is in an alarm that can fit without difficulty into the palm of your hand, but is still very loud (even if perhaps it is not as small and dainty as you would like).

Ease of use also is also a consideration: how would you operate the alarm in an urgent situation?  There are numerous different ways to activate different types of alarms, including push caps, push buttons and pull out pins.  How awkward is it to locate the button and activate it?  Do you have problems using your hands or fingers?  If so, perhaps you might need to use both hands.  As an alternative, are you able to operate it purely by pushing it against something else?

Important:

Remember, a personal safety alarm should be just one part of your personal safety strategy.  There are many other ways you can help yourself avoid violence and aggression.  Once you have set off your alarm, leave the situation as rapidly as you can, moving to a busy spot if possible.  There is no need to wait and make sure that your alarm has had the desired effect.  Just go. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>What Does It Mean To Be Politically Independent?</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Politics/Government/what-does-it-mean-to-be-politically-independent.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Politics/Government/what-does-it-mean-to-be-politically-independent.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ I have concluded of late that I could only consider myself a political independent if there is such a thing. I do not think I should be labeled Republican or Democrat, on the Left or on the Right or any other affiliation except to be a proud citizen of this United States and live by the principles on which this great nation was founded.

As far as I am concerned, our government, as it stands today, is in great need of an overhaul and a wake up call. I firmly believe that if our founding fathers could see the way our government and institutions run today, they would be greatly disturbed and dismayed on how far We The People have strayed from the principles that our republic was built on.

There was a time long ago and at the beginning of our republic and our experiment in democracy, that to serve in public office was considered a privilege and not a right. To serve in public office often meant financial sacrifice to those who gladly served the people and this great country, sacrifice or not.

Today most who serve in public office expect a windfall financially and are mainly interested in the influence they can gain to increase their wealth in office and for when they leave office. Where is the personal and financial sacrifice to serve? They look at their title as a possession and not a privilege. They pontificate to attempt to bend the will of the people to their ways of thinking instead of deriving their actions from the will of the people to whom they profess to serve. Some politicians become so entrenched in their governmental powers; they often feel themselves above the law.

Today's politicians are a washed in a tsunami of lobbyists, who bend the ears of those in government in order to influence the politicians' vote that will most benefit the interests of the lobby they represent. How often do we see politicians, who when they leave office, become pawns; working for one lobby interest or the other? Elected federal government officials need to be banned by law from working for a lobby for at least 5 to 10 years after they leave office in order to stop the habit of influence peddling after they in fact  leave public office. 

I dare say, I lay a good part of the guilt for the perversion of public office on We The People themselves whom have absolved their responsibility to impose and elect officials on their merit and desire to serve the people. They have abdicated their rights by allowing so-called public servants to make their own decisions of policy and directions for the public servants own benefit.  "To hell what the people want!" they say.  "We know what is best for them.  Where would they be without us?" they say as they puff up their chests and proudly strut.

I always thought that there should be some sort of term limitations for all federal elected positions, not just for the presidency. Change is good, as it allows the government to refresh itself on a regular basis by bringing new ideas and approaches to work for the people.

When will We The People ever wake up and demand that the government of the people, for the people, by the people be truly put into the hands of the people and not political demigods'? 

I see the slow demise of our republic if We The People are not brought to our senses. Will we follow the demise that history has shown us be-felled other once great nations and peoples? I would say, it is likely, considering the current state of affairs of government and the distance we have traveled from our roots of our democracy and our republic. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Information You Cannot Afford To Ignore...Home Security Limits, Choices And Systems</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Home/Home_Security/information-you-cannot-afford-to-ignore-home-security-limits-choices-and-systems.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Home/Home_Security/information-you-cannot-afford-to-ignore-home-security-limits-choices-and-systems.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ The first and very best form of home security is the process of making the right choices about who to bring into your house. If you allow many people to come through your home that you don't really know, you expose yourself to danger. It is a good idea to limit the number of your children's friends you allow through your house. 

Home security alarms don't usually end up protecting women and children from what they sometimes fear most. Domestic violence can not be deterred with a home security alarm. Women and children are far more likely to be injured by what has been locked in the house with them. 

Installing a home security system can be a complete waste of your time, energy and money. Most people do not respond to alarm sirens anymore. They will get irritated at the very sound of them and not go to investigate the cause.  Take auto alarms for example. There have been so many false alarms since the advent of car alarms that many people are conditioned to ignore all sirens. 

Returning to the statement that a home security system can be a waste of time, I give you this reason for concern. Home security is usually done so poorly that false alarms are the norm. Some people think that they can install their own home security system. This is a big mistake. They usually do the worst job and have the most false alarms. It is recommended that you use a professional alarm and monitoring company for the installations.

There is another problem that arises. I don't think that most people with a home security alarm even use it properly. To truly secure a home you would need to spend considerably more than what is typical. Office buildings use commercial alarm companies that are priced out of a regular homeowner's security budget. There are a lot of discount packages offered by home security companies and it is important to keep in mind that you get what you pay for. 

Another great idea for home security is locking the door. This may sound simplistic, but there are a lot of people that still live in a house or an apartment without locking their doors. They rarely lock there door whether or not they are home. If they plan to be gone for more than two days, they may lock their doors. There are also many, I am afraid, that do not worry enough about being burglarized and don't feel the need for home security. Whether you live in a city or out in the country, it pays to be diligent.

When you are away your home,  your security device should also include timers to time events such as lights going on and off while the homeowner is not home. These are very effective when used in conjunction with a friend or neighbor retrieving your newspapers and mail. When you are away, it doesn't matter if your lights make it look like you are home, and there is a pile of newspapers or mail on your front steps indicating that you aren't at home. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>How To Safely Survive Your Next Holiday Party</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Food_and_Drink/Wine_and_Spirits/how-to-safely-survive-your-next-holiday-party.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Food_and_Drink/Wine_and_Spirits/how-to-safely-survive-your-next-holiday-party.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ You should be concerned about your personal safety at your holiday parties.  I am going to discuss this topic in a frank matter[not sugar coated].  In doing so, I am making some general assumptions about the behavior of many holiday party goers in today's society.

It is common nowadays to attend more than one holiday party in the months of November and December.  With that said, whatever type of party you attend; remember that drugs and alcohol DO NOT mix.  Their use can have an effect on your ability to make decisions. It is important that you manage how much consume.

1.  Always get your own drink.  If possible, watch it as it is poured.

2.  Never leave your drink unattended.

3.  Don't share, drink or taste anyone else's drink.

4.  Dispose of your beverage if you think it tastes odd.  If this is the case, be sure not to leave it around for someone else to drink.

5.  You may not realize that anything was added to your drink.  Drugs used to spike drinks can be colorless and tasteless.

6.  Be aware of the behavior of your friends.  Is the way they are behaving out of character?  Do they seem too - out of it - for the quantity or type of beverage they had to drink?

7.  Watch out for your friends.  It is the responsible thing to do.  Are they drinking or taking too much.  Are they making safe decisions?  Are they OK?

8.  If it appears your friend needs to sober up or straighten out, be sure to check to see if they are OK.  Are they alone?  Who is with them?  Are they safe from harm?

9.  Encourage people who appear drunk to drink water or to eat something.  If you can, keep an eye on them.

10. Ask yourself, do you really trust those you are going home with?  Are you sure that they won't make you do anything you do not want to do?  Will they take NO for an answer?

11. If you are going home with someone different, let someone else know.  Introduce this person or persons to your friends.

If You Are The One Throwing The Party

1.  Know who you have invited to the party.  Plan ahead what you will do if there are any gatecrashers.

2.  Provide food and non-alcoholic drinks such as water, soft drinks or juice, as alternate beverages

3.  Keep a look out for your guests.  Make sure they are safely having a good time.

4.  Offer to organize taxis for your guests.  Also, make note of which taxi company you called.

5.  Create a safe atmosphere.  If you know that, someone is harassing or intimidating someone else, do something about it.  For example, you can let that person know you are watching; ask the person to stop; ask the person to leave; find the victimized person a safe place; do not be afraid to call the police.

Stay safe yourself and ask for help if you need it. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Halloween....  Where Trick Or Treat And Safety Should Meet</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Family/Holidays/halloween-where-trick-or-treat-and-safety-should-meet.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Family/Holidays/halloween-where-trick-or-treat-and-safety-should-meet.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Halloween may be a special day for children, but for parents, trick-or-treat time can be a little troublesome. Nearly 40 years ago when I was younger, I remember some of my parent's concerns:; like razor blades in apples or treats from Exlax made to look like chocolate candy, and avoiding strangers. That was then, this is now. 

Tips for Parents

Concerns about children and their well being, whether they are out in the neighborhood or back at home with bountiful bags of goodies, can cast a spell on the nights celebration. But not to worry! Following a few safety tips will ensure that Halloween will be a ...h o w l i n g.. good time for all. Here's what we can do:

Un-haunting Your House and Neighborhood

1. Welcome trick-or-treaters at home by keeping your exterior lights on.

2. Remove objects from your yard that might render a safety threat to visitors.

3. Ask you Neighborhood Watch or citizen group to police the community.

4. Involve students from a nearby college or university to be goblin's helpers. These pupils can help trick-or-treaters span busy streets and watch out for devilish situations.

5. If away from your home, drive slowly all evening, you may never see what creeping thing may suddenly circumnavigate your path.

6. Report any shady or illegal activity to your regional law enforcement agency or police department.

Ponder This

The best way parents and children can avoid trick-or-treating troubles entirely is by organizing a Halloween costume party with treats, games, contests, music, scary stories, and much more. Make your Halloween party the scene of action to be at! Schools, fire stations, libraries, even malls in many communities organize haunted houses and ancillary festivities for families.

Creating Suitable Costumes With Safety In Mind

1. Check that costumes are flame-retardant so the little ones are not in jeopardy near candle lit jack-o-lanterns and alternate fire risks.

2. Keep costumes short to prevent trips, falls, and alternate bumps in the nighttime.

3. Prompt kids to wear comfortable shoes.

4. Try make-up instead of a mask. Masks can be hot and uncomfortable and, more importantly, they can obstruct the vision of a child; a hazardous thing when kids are crossing streets and going up and down steps.

5. Make sure kids wear light colored costumes or put reflective tape on their costumes.

Dressed Up And Perilous?

Halloween blood and gore are unperilous stuff for the most part. But sometimes dressing up as a super-hero, a scary monster, or a slimy alien from outer space; coupled with the excitement of Halloween, brings out ferocious demeanors. Even fake knives, swords, and guns and other costume accessories can accidentally incapacitate people. If these objects are part of a costume for a child, make sure they are made from cardboard or ancillary flexible materials. Better yet, challenge kids to fashion costumes that do not need weapons to be scary or funmaking.

Preparing Ghost And Goblins For Their Tricks And Treats

1. Make sure older kids go out with friends they know. Younger children should be accompanied by an adult. If you live in a agricultural area, offer all children a ride in the truck.

2. It is advisable to set a time limit for children to trick-or-treat. Together, sketch out a safe route so you understand where they will be. Remind them not to take shortcuts through backyards, alleys, or playing fields.

3. Remind children not to enter strange houses or automobiles.

4. Attempt to get kids to trick-or-treat while it is still light out. If it is dark, make sure a couple of people are carrying flashlights that work and are loaded with fresh batteries.

Pranks That Can Be A Little Trickish Without Safety In Mind

Halloween is notorious as a night of pranks; toilet papering a house or lining mailboxes with shaving cream are not advisable. Try to get a handle on the plans of your children before they go out. Make clear to them that while you want them to have a delightful time, some tricks [pranks] could maim innocent children or destroy property.  

The Halloween Payoff..Eating The Treats 

1. Children need to know not to eat their treats until they get home. One way to keep trick-or-treaters from digging in while they are still out is to provide them a good meal or substantial snack beforehand.

2. Peruse all treats at home in a well-lighted place.

3. What to eat? Only unopened candies and other treats that are in authentic wrappers. Do not forget to inspect fruit and homemade goodies for anything incredulous. By all means, admonish children not to eat everything at once or they will be feeling pretty g h o s t l y themselves. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Exposed! How To Recognize And Avoid Con Artists On-line and Off</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Scams/exposed-how-to-recognize-and-avoid-con-artists-on-line-and-off.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Scams/exposed-how-to-recognize-and-avoid-con-artists-on-line-and-off.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Charity fraud can do and does do a lot of harm. The con artist takes advantage of the generosity of people and good intentions by taking their cash, money thwarted that was meant for people in need. You can make sure that any money you give gets into the right hands. Just remember these tips when somebody asks you for a donation. 

 1] Ask for identification, for the organization AND the solicitor. Find out what the purpose of the charity is and how funds are used.

 2] Ask if contributions are tax deductible.

 3] Important! If you are not satisfied with the answer, do not give. Go with your gut feeling no matter how you are pressed.

 4] Give to charities that you know.

 5] Thoroughly check out the ones you have never heard of before, or others whose names are similar to a well-known charity.

 6] Do not fall for high-pressure tactics. If solicitors will not take no for an answer, tell them NO way, AND DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR MONEY.

 7] Be suspicious of charities that only accept cash.

 8] Always send a check made out to the charity and not the individual requesting the donation.

It is also probable that you will come across charity schemes on the Internet. They are most evident online after a major man-made [e.g. World Trade Center] or natural disaster [e.g. Katrina] has occurred and there is a swelling of the desire of the to help whatever way it can. There have been cases where the con artist has developed an email or Website that mimics a known charitable organization but your contribution ends up going to the con artist instead of the charitable organization he claimed to have represented. More on this scam know as PHISHING in just a bit.

Below are two [2] more scenarios that have been commonly used by con artists in the past and one [1] that has been running rampant on the Internet.

THE PIGEON DROP

A person approaches you and says that he just found a large amount of money. What should he do with it?  Maybe his boss can suggest something. He then leaves to check with his boss and comes back a few minutes later. His boss said to divide the money, but first, each of you must put up some, good faith money. Once you hand over your share, you will never see it or the con artist again.

THE BANK EXAMINER

A con artist will contact you and tell you he is a bank official or police officer and that he needs your help to catch a dishonest bank teller. All you have to do is withdraw your savings and give the money to him so he can check the serial numbers. IF you do, you have been STUNG. A real bank official would NEVER ask you to withdraw your money.

Is it hard to believe that people fall for such tricks?  Con artists may be the greatest actors you will ever meet. The pigeon drop and the bank examiner schemes are two of the most successful con games around. Do not be fooled. CALL THEIR BLUFF BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.

PHISHING

Con artists and scammers have been busy on the Internet too. In many cases the swindle is accomplished by the con artist stating that he is asking for donations on behave of some charitable organization when in fact he is working for himself or herself.

Phishing has become a major problem on the Internet in the last couple of years. You receive an email from a fraudulent source that has created a Web page that looks like it is a legitimate email from a bank or other organization that is well known; one that you may have had some dealings with. Quite often the bogus email states that it is updating records or trying to correct some error made by the firm. The scammers attempt to get you to supply some personal information such as social security number, account numbers and the like. If you do supply that type of information the phisher is apt to use it by assuming your identity and cleaning out your accounts.

The bogus Websites and emails have been becoming increasingly believable and have copied legitimate Websites so closely that it sometimes takes a trained eye to spot them. Of late, there has been decent anti-phishing software on the market that you could use to help you discern the good emails and Websites from the fraudulent ones. I would recommend that you use this software, especially if you have problems discerning the good guys from the scammers.

There are many times when an appeal to you for money just does not sound or sit right. When this occurs, walk away from the appeal. 

You need to be able to recognize these scams on the onset so you can protect yourself, your resources and your identity. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>How To Keep A Cleaner, Longer Running Computer</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Computers/Hardware/how-to-keep-a-cleaner-longer-running-computer.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Computers/Hardware/how-to-keep-a-cleaner-longer-running-computer.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ One of the more neglected aspects of owning a PC is following some simple preventative maintenance procedures. Preventative maintenance procedures are commonly recommended for most all mechanical and technological gadgets.

A regular cleaning on the inside of your PC is of vital importance in increasing the life span of your computer and preventing premature component failure. It does not matter if you own a $500.00 machine or a $5000.00 machine. All will benefit. Keeping a cleaner PC can also go to keeping you PC a faster computer.

Can you honestly say that you remember the last time you did [or ever did] an internal cleaning inside your computer tower? A computer case can collect dirt, dust and other small particulates. If you're an owner of a dog or cat, it's very likely that your computer case may also have a sizable share of animal hair inside. If your PC tower sits on the floor it will increase the likelihood of the above occurring even more. 

The cleaning of the inside a computer is a bit more complicated and delicate than you may first believe. Before any opening of the tower for cleaning, it is imperative that you unplug everything... power cord, cable modem or phone line and any ethernet cables. The first thing you should do after opening the computer case is to touch the power supply to discharge any static. Doing this will insure that you and the inside of your PC are at the same voltage and no static electricity will damage fragile components.

If your computer case was built using foam type filters on the fan vents, remove them and gently clean them with a mild dish soap detergent and cold water. Be sure to let the foam filters dry thoroughly before putting them back in place. You may also be able to replace them with a piece of new air-conditioning foam filter cut to size. You can also remove large clumps of dust by vacuuming the fan vents from outside of the case. 

It is most important that you take extra care and precautions when vacuuming the inside of a computer case. I cannot emphasize that enough. Do not touch the motherboard or add-in cards. You probably should limit the vacuuming inside the computer case to the base of your tower case and any empty drive bays.

If you decide to use compressed air to help clean out your case, I would wait for a nice dry day and do it outdoors. Do not direct compressed air on any of the cooling fan blades as this may damage them with excessive revolutions per minute.

Last but not least, if not done already, raise the tower to about 5-6 inches off the floor. There are available at computer accessory outlets small bases on rollers that will fit the bill without too much expense. Doing this, will reduce considerably the amount of dust that can get sucked into the fan vents. ]]></description>
</item>

</channel>
</rss>

