Rabies In A Labrador Retriever

Rabies has been present in Labrador Retriever for as long as we can remember. It is a viral disease affecting warm-blooded animals that can be transmitted to humans. So if unfortunately you are bitten by a Labrador Retriever or any breed of dog, then there is a possibility of having rabies. The virus is derived from the saliva of an infected animal and then transmitted through close contact with saliva of infected animals, such as bites, scratches, licks on broken skin and mucous membranes.

Rabies is extremely fatal to animals and human alike once neurological symptoms have developed. It primarily attacks the nervous system causing encephalitis or inflammation of the brain. The first symptom of rabies includes a change in behavior, say for example from friendly to aggressive or if your Labrador Retriever became fearless being a cautious dog prior to the development of infection. Animals with rabies will also show more biting and chewing. They will start biting at people and other animals. They will also chew woods, stones and even buildings. Other symptoms of canine rabies include fever, dilation of pupils, drooling with foaming at the mouth, difficulty of swallowing and change in the bark or sound of the animal. These signs develop usually less than ten days after the onset of virus’ Once signs develop, especially to non-vaccinated humans, there is no treatment for this disease. Symptoms may later lead to paralysis of any part of the body, coma and even death.

When exposed or bitten by an animal, whether infected with rabies or not, wash and flush the wound or spot thoroughly with soap and water, detergent or plain water. Then consult your vet to test and observe your dog for 14 days for signs of rabies.

Rabies can threaten your dog’s life as much as yours. So maybe now you understand why it is very important to administer anti-rabies vaccination to your Labrador Retriever. Vaccinate your pet according to local health rules and regulations or check out with your vet for advice on how often and how much should be given to your dog. Some areas require annual vaccination while some allow a three-year vaccine. Proper vaccination and quarantine period is also a requirement when transporting animals between countries. Check out the place of your destination as well as the airline company for rules and regulations in transporting animals.

Every dog owner should know that it is their responsibility to ensure that their dog is well protected and vaccinated to prevent rabies and to prevent their dog’s possible death.

Rabies In A Labrador Retriever

Rabies has been present in Labrador Retriever for as long as we can remember. It is a viral disease affecting warm-blooded animals that can be transmitted to humans. So if unfortunately you are bitten by a Labrador Retriever or any breed of dog, then there is a possibility of having rabies. The virus is derived from the saliva of an infected animal and then transmitted through close contact with saliva of infected animals, such as bites, scratches, licks on broken skin and mucous membranes.

Rabies is extremely fatal to animals and human alike once neurological symptoms have developed. It primarily attacks the nervous system causing encephalitis or inflammation of the brain. The first symptom of rabies includes a change in behavior, say for example from friendly to aggressive or if your Labrador Retriever became fearless being a cautious dog prior to the development of infection. Animals with rabies will also show more biting and chewing. They will start biting at people and other animals. They will also chew woods, stones and even buildings. Other symptoms of canine rabies include fever, dilation of pupils, drooling with foaming at the mouth, difficulty of swallowing and change in the bark or sound of the animal. These signs develop usually less than ten days after the onset of virus’ Once signs develop, especially to non-vaccinated humans, there is no treatment for this disease. Symptoms may later lead to paralysis of any part of the body, coma and even death.

When exposed or bitten by an animal, whether infected with rabies or not, wash and flush the wound or spot thoroughly with soap and water, detergent or plain water. Then consult your vet to test and observe your dog for 14 days for signs of rabies.

Rabies can threaten your dog’s life as much as yours. So maybe now you understand why it is very important to administer anti-rabies vaccination to your Labrador Retriever. Vaccinate your pet according to local health rules and regulations or check out with your vet for advice on how often and how much should be given to your dog. Some areas require annual vaccination while some allow a three-year vaccine. Proper vaccination and quarantine period is also a requirement when transporting animals between countries. Check out the place of your destination as well as the airline company for rules and regulations in transporting animals.

Every dog owner should know that it is their responsibility to ensure that their dog is well protected and vaccinated to prevent rabies and to prevent their dog’s possible death.

A Men’s Guide For Buying Sexy Ladies Nightwear As A Gift

Valentine’s Day brings thoughts of romantic ladies nightwear. Yet many men are unsure and confused about the varying styles that are available. Nonetheless, nightwear is relatively easy to purchase as a gift, as the sizing is much less complicated than with many lingerie items. Provided here is a men’s guide to ladies nightwear.

Nightgown

A nightgown is probably the most traditional of all ladies nightwear. The nightgown is available in many forms, from ankle length to mid-thigh or above. Flannel is a traditional warm fabric for cold winter nights, but is not often considered romantic or sexy. Silk and satin are luxurious and romantic nightgown fabrics, while more risqué options include lace, mesh and even sheer fabrics. A short, sleek nightgown is often called a negligee or baby doll.

Chemise

A chemise is a short, body-skimming garment that can be used as both ladies nightwear and an alternative to a bra or slip. Chemises are often silk lingerie items, although there are other fabric options as well. The chemise is both sexy and comfortable, making it an excellent and very versatile option.

Pyjamas

Although pyjamas are often thought of a men’s alternative, ladies nightwear has grown to include feminized versions of pyjamas. Ladies pyjama styles are generally cute and flirty as opposed to outright sexy, but offer the woman a comfortable and stylish alternative for lounging at home on days off. Consider silk lingerie styles such as soft pants matched with a silk tank top.

Boy Shorts

Boy shorts are a cute, comfortable and sexy alternative to traditional panties. Many women love to sleep in boy shorts paired with a tank top or soft camisole top. Look for cute styles featuring fun patterns or slogans. This is a great option for sporty women who may not enjoy the fussy look of a nightgown or silk pyjama set.

Robes and Accessories

In order to truly complete a ladies nightwear gift, consider adding a robe or other accessory. Ladies’ robes are available in a wide range of styles, making it easy to find the perfect choice. A full-length robe is an excellent choice to provide coverage over a sexy nightwear option. If there are others living in the home, the full-length robe may be the best choice. If modesty is not a concern, consider a very short robe in silk or satin. To further enhance a sexy nightwear selection, look for a matching robe in a sheer fabric.

Other accessories vary dramatically. Perhaps a pair of high-heeled bedroom slippers would be a great choice. A pair of thigh high stockings would enhance a sexy ladies nightwear choice. Use your imagination when shopping for accessories, looking for those items that best compliment the nightwear that you have chosen.

Ladies nightwear is an excellent choice for men looking for a romantic Valentine’s Day gift. It is easy to choose the correct size, while the range of options ensures that it is easy to find just the right outfit. Make sure to allow time to find accessories, creating the perfect complete outfit.

My Review Of “Planet Earth” On My HDTV

We just bought a Blue ray HD DVD player for our HDTV. After we got it hooked up, which took a while… I, for some reason or another just realized that I did not have any HD movies for me to watch on it. Well I already knew which one I wanted to see first and that was Planet Earth. So I got on the internet and purchased it from an online store.

The bad thing though is that I had to wait three days; however I did save myself around twenty dollars, so it was worth the wait. So it came with multiple disks with around three to four episodes of Planet Earth on each of the disks. If you did not know already each episode of Planet Earth is one hour long. So once I put in Planet Earth to view on our HDTV I went to the menu of the first disk for the first episode. As you can imagine it was quite amazing how well the picture looked.

All of the landscapes were full as can be in color and the animals looked as if they were flowing across the screen as they moved. I was impressed also on how well Planet Earth was filmed with a HDTV camera. Some of the animals they film in the movie looks as if they are right there next to them and the animals are not even being disturbed by them being around. It is truly the most amazing documentary of its type. One episode that really impressed me is the freshwater one.

In the beginning of it, it shows Angel falls… the highest water fall in the world. Then it starts to break off from there and shows the extraordinary animals that live in the freshwater environment. Another thing Planet Earth does is how well it shows the over view of the land. Some shots are taken in high Earth altitudes while others are from space showing the landscape and everything around it. The space shots are also one of my favorite things to look at.

Of course on our HDTV it looks as good as it possibly can but it gives you a feeling of how small the Earth really is but at the same time when it talks about some of the environments it feels that the world is very large. When you are watching Planet Earth you may get to an environment that they begin to talk about that just looks alien to you. Some of the things that are in the environment look as if it was not real and you can not even imagine about being in some of these places in real life.

One that really shows what I am talking about is the caves episode. Basically what it shows you is the underground world of Earth. How things form under the surface and the weird little creatures that inhabit the caves. It is truly something that will be hard for most people living on the planet Earth to believe once they have seen some of the amazing animals that live on it. This documentary is truly amazing especially if viewed on a HDTV!

Five Pieces of Writing a Press Release

Most people seem to believe they can write a press release, mail or email it to a radio or television station and sit back and wait for the avalanche of phone calls. But as time passes and no producers are beating down the door, they make a few phone calls only to discover that no one even read the release.

The following five important components of radio and TV press releases will make your show idea come to life for producers and hosts, and also position you ahead of the pack.

1. Headline! Headline? HEADLINE!!! Arguably the most important aspect of your press release, headlines are so vital that entire books written and seminars focus on how to construct the most effective ones. Now, don’t let this scare you. Writing a killer headline is definitely a skill that can be developed; all you need is a clear and concise overview of your topic.

Write down your show idea and look it over. Now look it over again, remembering that it should be an idea for an interview that relates to your book but most definitely not a summary of the book’s theme or content.

What is your key message? Is your show idea newsworthy? Are there any well-known people you can tie into your topic? Do you have any impressive statistics that are relevant? Does anything controversial tie directly into your subject? The answers to these questions will help you develop a headline that will capture the attention of producers and hosts.

Your headline must communicate the topic of the show instantly in an eye-catching way. It should not be longer than one sentence and it should be designed to function as the sound bite on your topic. Now that’s a lot of weight to put on a single sentence!

Sometimes, you will need a subhead to support it. If your headline gives just a taste of your show topic, then a subhead will be useful for explaining it further. Anyone who reads the headline and subhead together should immediately click what the concept of the show is.

Here are two examples of the successful headline and subhead combination:

GLOBAL ECONOMIC CHAOS? Expert Reveals Predictions on Grim Future of US Economy

WISH YOU WERE FIRED?! The Secrets to a Happier Life

2. Topic Summary This is your chance to present a concise summary of your show topic. It should continue naturally from the headline and expand on it. The headline gets the attention and the discussion topic gives the reader more.

The discussion topic component of your press release should be two or three sentences, tops. Again try to tie your topic to current events, big names, big money, or controversy. Don’t be worried about repeating yourself in different sections of the press release. After all, you want to get a cohesive point across! Tip: try writing the headline and topic summary together.

Here is an example of a headline and topic summary which were written together. Notice the bolded words and how they tie the two together.

Topic Summary: The United States is about to move into a period of major economic chaos and poverty that will wake up people to overthrow the rule of money in society in a ballot-box revolution. Let internationally renowned expert reveal predictions on the grim future of our economy.

Headline: GLOBAL ECONOMIC CHAOS? Expert Reveals Predictions on Grim Future of US Economy

3. Talking Points/Questions These are an absolute must for radio and TV because they are the shaping tools that guide the host through your topic. Often, hosts read directly from press releases during an interview. This not only makes them look knowledgeable; it saves them heaps of time. So why not have them read questions you’ve created that you can answer very specifically, making yourself look knowledgeable and also making for a great interview. Yet again you will need to tie in current events and any controversy that will stir interest. Generally, it is good to give no more than 10 of these conversation shapers. For example here are a few examples of questions that were used in a release for a radio show on “How to Find the Perfect Pet for Your Lifestyle”:

*What are the primary reasons people decide to get a pet?

*What criteria should people follow when choosing a pet to make sure it fits into their lifestyle?

*What can families do ahead of time to determine what type of pet is best for them?

*How can families prepare children for the responsibility of caring for a pet?

*What are some of the things people need to consider before adopting a puppy or other young animal?

If you do get invited as a guest, your interviews will generally last anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes, so concise is a word you should keep in the forefront of your mind.

Remember: the more interesting the questions, the more interesting your interview.

4. Topic Overview Once you have gained attention with your eye-catching headline, topic summary and talking points, it is time to present your full show idea. This is your opportunity to position your author (or yourself if you are your author) as an expert on the show’s topic.

Do not write a sales piece here. Write the show. Work the author’s name, personal quotes and product name into the overview. Use the following liberally to build your topic and profile: statistics, testimonials, current facts, specifics from relevant news stories, and professional credentials. Use anything that will interest the producer, the host and their audience. Try to limit this section to no more than a page; the ideal range is 4-6 paragraphs with no more than 4 sentences in each one.

Here is an example of a Topic Overview of the pet show discussed earlier:

For some people ‘cute’ is the only criteria they follow when choosing a new pet. But deciding which pet to adopt based solely on the animal’s appearance can set new ‘pet parents’ up for disaster. After all, puppies don’t look quite so cute when they’re chewing your furniture! Lack of foresight is one of the top reasons an estimated 6 to 8 million unwanted pets end up at local animal shelters each year.

Enter pet expert Dr. Diane Pomerance, author of the new book, “Pet Parenthood: Adopting the Right Animal Companion For You.” As a bonafide animal lover, she wants to help prospective pet owners understand how to make the best decision when choosing a new pet – and to recognize that adopting a pet is a lifetime commitment and responsibility that requires much thought and planning.

“There’s no denying the attraction to a cute puppy or kitten,” says Dr. Pomerance. “But people need to be fully prepared for what’s truly involved in caring for that animal. Realistically speaking, they are bringing a child into their home. If you don’t have the temperament, the schedule or the space requirements to meet those needs, you should consider a pet that does fit your lifestyle.”

Another important factor that often goes overlooked is how children in a family will interact with the new pet. Pets make wonderful companions for children and can help teach them compassion, responsibility and respect for all living creatures as well as boost their self-esteem. But it’s important to determine ahead of time what type of animal best suits the household and what role each family member will take in caring for it.

Money also comes into play when adopting a new pet. Vet bills can be expensive and upkeep for some animals can be costly if they develop health problems.

“The reality is, pets can be expensive and time intensive. When you love your pet, obviously you want to provide the best care possible. So it is important to understand the costs and responsibilities ahead of time when choosing your pet.”

5. Biography Oddly, this is the element people tend to forget, underplay or overplay. It is important to position the author as an expert. You can cite a variety of qualifications — education, career, relationships, memberships, travel history, odd pets, and more. If the book is about religion, for example, anything the author does that pertains to religion is applicable.

Two warnings: Sensationalizing an author’s credentials will immediately turn producers and hosts off, and simply rehashing a resume with bullet-points is an absolute no-no.

If you take your time developing exactly what a book-related interview segment will be about, and then put lots of thought into developing a press release that clearly reflects your planning, you will command more media attention.

Kids and Money – Why Is It So Hard?

We learn so many things as we grow up. We learn how to walk, talk, and get away with not doing our homework. We learn how to play complicated games, many of them involving pretend money.

So, why is it so hard for us to learn how to manage money?

Why do so many people struggle to make ends meet, even on reasonably high incomes?

Why do so few people manage to provide sufficiently for themselves in retirement?

It’s not rocket science. We know what it takes. And there are some people doing it. So why isn’t basic money management as widely understood as basic geometry?

Imagine what life would be like if making money came as easily and naturally as riding a bike or tying your shoelaces. Imagine graduating high school with a permanent, secure, passive income already in place. You wake each the morning to find more money has appeared in your account overnight! If you want to travel, you do. If you want to paint, write, or do any other creative activity, you do. You choose your occupation based on what you love to do, not the burden of having to pay the bills. You have all the time you need to socialise with your family and friends, to stay in shape, and to practice your spirituality.

This world is not a pipe-dream. It’s not unrealistic. The world is alive with opportunity, more so now than ever before, and the opportunity is expanding exponentially.

With the right knowledge and attitudes, today’s kids can capture their share of that opportunity, and set themselves up for life.

So, why isn’t everyone doing it?

Because not everyone’s parents have the right knowledge and attitudes to pass along to their kids. Some of those who have the knowledge and attitudes are still setting themselves up in life, working long hours, and find it difficult to break the knowledge down into terms their kids can understand.

What can we do about it?

As parents, we need to be conscious that financial education ranks up there with education about nutrition, health, and communication. We must educate ourselves, so that we can educate our children.

There are many places to go on the web to get that vital financial education.

The Cash Smart Kids program (http://www.cash-smart-kids.com) provides lessons for the kids, plus additional reference material for their parents.

The Rich Dad website (http://www.richdad.com) is rich in content, and contains information about the Cashflow series of educational board games.

There are numerous e-Books, ezine articles, and offline financial publications with an online presence.

And, of course, there are dozens of relevant books in your local book store.

Hiring the Malpractice Attorney Who Specializes in Traumatic Brain Injury

This article serves as a reference tool for anyone in search of a medical malpractice attorney or an attorney who specializes in traumatic brain injury cases. By way of background, my wife, Cynthia Paddock Doroghazi, has written a book, Searching for the Open Door: A Woman’s Struggle for Survival after a Traumatic Brain Injury.

Her book chronicles how medical malpractice caused her traumatic brain injury and how medical rehabilitation ultimately leads to her financial rehabilitation and spiritual rehabilitation. Her physical recovery from her traumatic brain injury through intense physical rehabilitation enabled her return to her graduate studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. In thinking about her traumatic brain injury case for medical malpractice, it occurred to me that the concept of suing for malpractice, hiring a lawyer and going to trial is foreign to most people who suffered a traumatic brain injury or those who care for a traumatic brain injury patient.

Because my own law practice has absolutely nothing to do with traumatic brain injury medical malpractice or personal injury, I am able to give unbiased advice. In other words, I have no economic agenda behind offering suggestions to benefit a victim of a traumatic brain injury on how to hire an attorney to pursue those responsible for causing a traumatic brain injury or any other type of malpractice. The ability to hire a competent attorney to deal with insurance companies and/or those responsible for causing a traumatic brain injury is crucial because virtually no one will admit to fault in causing a traumatic brain injury and, insurance companies simply are not in the business of paying claims to traumatic brain injury patients or those who care for the patient who suffered the traumatic brain injury.

There are a number of specialty organizations, such as the American Association for Justice (AAJ), which offer online directories of their membership. Most attorneys with significant personal or traumatic brain injury practices are members of AAJ. However, bear in mind that most legal organizations are open to all attorneys and membership means only that the attorney has paid the membership fee.

The same caveat applies to use of online directories. A number of commercial online directories claim to screen their attorneys, or claim to list only highly qualified attorneys. Most are not being completely forthright on this point. Regardless of their promises, most on-line directories will list any personal injury or traumatic brain injury attorney who pays the required fee, and there is absolutely no guarantee that the listed attorneys are qualified to handle your case. Somewhat apart from this same issue are websites on the Internet, which look informational, but are in fact owned by law firms. Be very wary of any “traumatic brain injury information” site, which lists law firms or offers lawyer referrals, particularly if it does not make obvious the identity of its sponsor.

Generally speaking, television and radio advertisements are also a very bad way to find a personal injury or traumatic brain injury attorney. Many advertisements are paid for by referral agencies, which collect large numbers of calls and then divide them up between member attorneys. Even when the advertisements are paid for by a law firm, often many of the cases are simply referred out to other firms who share the enormous cost of advertising. Many times, the attorney with the big advertising campaign will not even have an office near you. Unless your traumatic brain injury case is worth a lot of money, you may well find that you are quickly referred to a different firm or that you cannot get much attention for your traumatic brain injury case.

Your best bet for finding a competent malpractice attorney to handle your traumatic brain injury case, is through something known as “referrals”. Probably the best way to determine which personal injury attorney (or one who professes to specialize in traumatic brain injury cases), is the best for your case is to consult with an attorney you trust, asking him or her to give you the name of one who specializes in traumatic brain injury cases. If you do not know any attorneys, ask your friends for names of attorneys they trust, and then ask that attorney for a referral to an attorney, who specializes in traumatic brain injury cases. It is important that they give you the name of an attorney, who specializes in medical malpractice and/or traumatic brain injury cases. Many of the best personal injury attorneys (or those who specialize in traumatic brain injury cases), do little or no advertising. They are referred by other attorneys, due to their reputation for doing good work and getting excellent results for the client with the traumatic brain injury and/or care givers of the one who suffered the traumatic brain injury. You should also keep in mind that when it comes to retaining a malpractice attorney (or one specializing in traumatic brain injury), bigger does not mean better. I cannot even begin to tell you how many times during my twenty-three years of developing cases for trial, attorneys from large firms have attempted to negotiate a settlement, saying that the case would ultimately be turned over to trial counsel in their firm if the case cannot be resolved without trial.

In most cases, that trial counsel was just another attorney in a big firm representing the client. The actual attorney assigned the case had, at best, an incomplete comprehension of the very specialized practice area and could not provide the best representation for his/her client.

When you are seeking a personal injury attorney for your traumatic brain injury case, recognize that most personal injury attorneys do not practice medical malpractice law, let alone specialize in traumatic brain injury cases. Just as you would seek a specialized doctor to provide a special type of medical care, the practice of medical malpractice law (with specialization in traumatic brain injury), is very specialized and in retaining an attorney, it is almost always best to look for an attorney or law firm, which has significant experience in handling cases involving traumatic brain injury.

Furthermore, within the area of medical malpractice, certain law firms specialize in particular types of injuries or causes of action. There are personal injury law firms, which focus primarily on burn injury or traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury. There are personal injury firms, which concentrate primarily on car accidents, construction accidents, or litigation over defective products. You will benefit from asking whether a lawyer you consult has experience with your type of traumatic brain injury case before you make your hiring decision, and do not hesitate to ask that lawyer for a list of previous case summaries that have the same or similar factual traumatic brain injury patterns as your traumatic brain injury case. Always keep in mind, however, that the attorney/client privilege generally precludes an attorney from furnishing references by name, but not by reference to similar or common facts to your specific traumatic brain injury case.

Personal injury attorneys (and those who handle traumatic brain injury matters), almost always accept cases on a contingent fee basis. From your point of view, this means that if they win your traumatic brain injury case, they receive a percentage of the award as their fee. Conversely, if they lose your traumatic brain injury case, they do not receive an attorney fee.

You do need to keep in mind that attorney fees are different from costs, and you may be responsible for certain costs associated with your traumatic brain injury case, such as the filing fee for your lawsuit, even if you lose your traumatic brain injury case. While this is rarely an issue, as most civil litigation settles short of trial, you should clarify the issue of costs with your attorney before signing any retainer agreement related to your traumatic brain injury case.

For a more thorough discussion on how to hire a malpractice attorney and what questions you should be asking perspective attorneys related to your traumatic brain injury case, click on:

HYPERLINK “http://www.newriverpublications.com/malpractice_attorney.html” http://www.newriverpublications.com/malpractice_attorney.html

To learn more about Cynthia Paddock Doroghazi (and her traumatic brain injury), or read blurbs from notable authors like Jim Stovall and Francis Fukuyama, or a sample chapter from Searching for the Open Door: A Woman’s Struggle for Survival After a Traumatic Brain Injury, go to:

HYPERLINK http://www.newriverpublications.com/Searching_for_the_Open_Door
http://www.newriverpublications.com/Searching_for_the_Open_Door

Depth of Field – A Major Player in Creative Control

When people talk about Depth of Field (also called DOF) you may wonder why you should care as long as your pictures are in focus. Well since DOF is generally referred to as the range of over all sharpness in a photograph; and most people are instinctively drawn to the sharpest part of the photo first, I would say, it is a major player in creative control.

Most articles on this subject immediately jump into talking about f-stops. These are numbers like f-1.4 or f-32 that represent how much light the aperture lets into the camera. I will explain more in a moment, but this is not where I want to start.

There are three basic things that affect Depth of Field and they are:

1) the lens aperture (f-stops)
2) the lens focal length (the size like: 35mm vs. 200mm)
3) the subject distance (how far it is from the camera)

Keep in mind that most digital cameras do not have f-stops as per say. In fact if you have a straight point and shoot camera with a set lens, it may feel like you have no control at all. Do not get discouraged. Although it does take more effort there are things you can do with any camera to enhance your DOF experience.

Both the point and shoot and even many of the more advance digital cameras are based on a false premise. They assume that all people want all their photos, all the way in focus, all the time. “Now wait a minute”, you say. “I want my pictures in focus . . . don’t I?”

When we say in focus, we are not talking about some 110 year old lady who can not hold the camera steady. Here’s a photo tip that many don’t realize; depending on where you focus in any given photo; so much in front of the subject and so much behind the subject will also be in focus. Generally, more will be in focus behind the subject than in front of it. So if you really want a photo sharp from edge to edge, focus 1/3rd of the way into the scene, not dead center.

There are several really good reasons for wanting to choose a narrow DOF verses a wide DOF. Remember Wide DOF means everything in focus all the time. For those who are not quote “into” photography then this mode will satisfy their needs 90% of the time. But for the rest of us; here are some examples of when you may NOT want to shoot that way.

A) Portraits: focus on the person and blur the background. This is helpful when there are distracting elements behind the subject.

B) At the zoo: focus on only one animal. The idea here is to obscure the fact that you actually took the picture in the zoo. You want to make your photo look like you took this animal in its own natural environment.

C) Flower shots: focus on one flower or better yet even just part of a flower and let the others around it become like a painted background for your photograph.

D) Sporting Events: focus in on the one who crossed the line first, jumped the highest, or ran the fastest. You can show the winner better by using creative DOF.

Back to the basic problem, how exactly do we control Depth of Field? Shooting an object that is 5 feet from the camera will have a much smaller DOF range than shooting that same object from 25 feet away. So, regardless of what type of camera you own, move in closer!!

If your camera has a zoom lens (say 35mm -200mm) the smaller the size, the wider depth of field. Most set lens are in the range of 28mm – 38mm, so there is less to adjust, less to think about, and unfortunately less control. However, here is another photo tip you may not be aware of; if you photograph someone using the 35mm end of the scale, more of the photo will seem in focus. The opposite is also true, if you take the same photo using the 200mm length of your zoom lens, much less of the photo will appear as sharp. This is selective DOF, and it has nothing to do with f-stops. Remember that you control which part is in focus.

If you do close-up photography (flowers, insects, etc) the close-focus or macro mode of your camera will already give you a fairly narrow amount of depth of field. But you can push that even further by using filters. Most cameras, will now accept filters. But even if yours does not (set lens again); you can actually hold the filter in place and shoot. Close up filters allow you to shoot much closer than the lens will by itself. They also usually narrow the depth of field and require a little more light.

Many of today’s cameras have more than one auto mode. In a fully automatic camera you have not gained much if any control, but if you have the option for Aperture priority or Shutter Priority you are back in the driver’s seat. Basically put: Aperture Priority means that you control the aperture (or f-stop) and the camera picks the right shutter speed to get a proper exposure. Conversely, Shutter Priority does the exact opposite, you control the speed and it will pick the correct aperture for the given light conditions.

Since I brought it up, I guess now would be a good time to explain f-stops. The words aperture and f-stop usually refer to the same thing. I have absolutely no idea why we don’t call them “a-stops”, but just so I don’t confuse anybody, I will call them f-stops. The f-stop controls how much light enters the camera. Many books and magazines confuse people by referring to how big the opening is and how small the depth of field is. Most people don’t care about the mechanics of the process they just want to understand the end result.

A small number (like f-1.4) means only a small amount will be in sharp focus. A large number (like f-32) means a large amount will be in sharp focus.

But wait, you’re saying to yourself, “I don’t even have an aperture mode.” Maybe you do, and don’t realize it. If you’re camera has little pictures or icons on it like, many cameras do, you may have more control than you realized. The picture of the small head means portrait mode. (Your girlfriends smile will be in sharp focus but not the tree behind her.) The picture of the little mountain means landscape mode. (Your girlfriends smile will still be in sharp focus, but so will the waterfall 20 feet behind her.)

Remembering that most people are attracted to the thing that is in the sharpest focus, it becomes very hard (visually) to be attracted if the entire photo is in complete focus. There is nothing specific to draw the viewers’ attention. By using the creative possibilities that depth of field offers; no matter what kind of camera you have, your images will be much more powerful and interesting.

5 Tips For A Healthier, Stronger Core

Core training has become the new “buzz” word over the last few years as more and more people have begun to realize its role in posture, spinal health, performance and overall aesthetics. What is less commonly known is that the core is anatomically defined as the region between the shoulders and knees, not simply the midsection. Most people view the core as simply being their abdominal muscles and, as such, miss out on a tremendous amount of value that other functional movements provide.

When I refer to the core I allude to the inner and outer units of our body. The inner unit consists of smaller, more static stabilizing muscles such as the transverse abdominis, multifidus, and the pelvic floor and diaphragmatic musculature. The outer unit is comprised of larger phasic (or dynamic) muscles that generate movement such as the gluteals, latissimus dorsi, erector spinae group, biceps femoris, and peroneals. Aside from generating movement, these muscles work synergistically to provide much needed pelvic stability during motions such as walking, running, and so forth. Because all functional movements such as lunges, squats, step-ups, most stability ball movements, and many others revolve around the pelvis, they will offer tremendous core training effects when done with proper technique. The following are 5 tips you can use to train the inner and outer units of your core with maximal efficiency.

TIP #1 – Brace your abdominals

This is the first thing you should be aware of during any and every movement that you will ever perform. Abdominal bracing consists of three parts. First, draw in your belly button as if you were to put on a tight pair of pants. This will activate your transverse abdominis, the body’s waist belt muscle. Second, raise your pelvic floor by performing a kegel (contracting the pelvic floor muscles up as if you holding in a full bladder). This helps to increase intra-abdominal pressure which will aid in spinal stabilization. Third, lightly create tension in your abdominal muscles as if you were about to get punched in the stomach. This activates the internal and external oblique muscles. By performing all three of these actions you will ensure that your spine is well protected through all movements. Abdominal bracing should be initiated before and maintained through each and every exercise. With repetition, these muscles will remember their roles and tend to maintain a tighter constricted waistline, even without you being aware.

Exercise: Belly tucks

Lie face down on the floor with your forehead rested on the back of your hands. Inhale, pushing your belly button into the floor (“ballooning” your abdomen). Hold for 3 seconds. Exhale, drawing your belly button towards the ceiling (as if being pulled by a string), raise pelvic floor, and tighten your abdominal muscles. Hold for 3 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

TIP #2 – Maintain a neutral spine

A neutral spine is attained when your spine is kept in its natural alignment. This is best achieved by ensuring that your back is flat (with slight lumbar lordosis) during all movements, especially lifting. This, in conjunction with abdominal bracing, is essential to better support the spine during all movements. Let us take the example of picking up a heavier box from the floor. The last thing you want to do in the situation is reach down without bending knees and picking up the box…this is a sure way to throw your back out. What is instructed to do in such a case would be to squat down keeping your torso tall (ie. neutral spine), with your abdominals braced, and lift through your legs as opposed to extending up through your torso. If these lifting mechanics are not met, you place you spine at a greater risk of disc herniation, especially if the load is heavier.

Exercise: Cat/Camel motions

In a four point stance (hands and knees) take your spine through a series of cat and camel stretches. Meaning that you round out the back like a camel and then arch it out like a cat. Repeat 6 times. Once you have completed the 6 repetitions simply allow your back (spine) to relax. Wherever it feels most relaxed is your neutral spine!

TIP #3 – Incorporate unilateral lifting

Unilateral refers to the concept of carrying (or pushing) a load on only side of the body. For instance, walking to work holding your brief case in one hand. By doing so, the body automatically activates its contralateral (opposite) side to stabilize the torso and maintain good posture. Studies have shown that this type of lifting stimulates much greater core muscle activation compared to bilateral lifting (equal load on both sides).

Exercise: Unilateral Lunge Walks

Perform your lunge walks while holding a weight, equivalent to 10% of your body weight, in one hand. Perform 10 reps with the weight in one hand, and then switch. The key is to focus on keeping your torso upright and minimizing and lateral swaying.

TIP # 4 – Use a Stability Ball

Incorporating a stability ball into your workouts will make such a difference in your core strength and spinal health. Working on the stability ball offers several benefits such as increased balance, range of motion, co-ordination, and muscle activation. Simply by sitting on the ball, your core muscles fire to a much greater degree in order to stabilize your body. Any unstable surface for that matter will foster much greater core muscle activation as your body is constantly readjusting itself to maintain proper posture. This type of body awareness is known as proprioception, and is immensely beneficial for athletes of all endeavors, and even for people who want more balance while standing in the subway. Incorporate the aforementioned unilateral lifting and you get twice the benefit! Exercise:

Exercise: Stability Ball 1-Arm DB Chest Press

Position your body on the ball so that only the shoulders, neck and head are resting on it. With the feet shoulder width apart raise your hips so that your body is in one straight line (essentially forming a bench within your body). Squeeze your buttocks together as if holding a $1,000 bill between them. Next, with a DB in one arm, push it up and towards your body’s midline as if creating an arc like motion. Repeat 12 times and then switch arms. Ensure to keep your body and then ball as still as possible. Notice the muscle activation in the posterior side of the body especially in the glutes and lower back!

TIP #5 – Incorporate multi-planar movements

Our bodies rarely operate in one single plane (ie. front to back, side to side). Often, our movements require us to move through several different planes such as when walking and looking back over your shoulder. It is important to remember that all movement stems from the core, especially rotation based movements. As such, it is important to strengthen those core muscles accordingly to ensure movement efficiency and injury prevention. Did you know that 80% of our core musculature inserts on a diagonal. This means that our bodies are anatomically constructed for such multi-planar movements involving diagonal and rotational movements. Examples are throwing, kicking, and swinging a tennis racquet or golf club. I’ve seen clients improve their golf drive by 30 yards by simply incorporating these multi-planar movements into their routines.

Exercise: Cable chop (from knees)

Position yourself in the middle of the cable crossover machine. Face your body at a right angle from the cables. Starting from your knees, keeping your body upright and strong, reach over and across your body grabbing the handle (with both hands) on the highest setting. Keeping both arms straight “chop” the cable across your body from above your starting shoulder to the opposite hip. Return slowly and repeat 8 times on each side. Be sure to drive the movement from your obliques and not your arms.

By incorporating these 5 core essentials, you can look forward to having firmer, stronger and more performant core muscles. Not only that but you will also be more efficient and stable in all your movements. And, if you participate in regular sporting activities you will have an added edge over your untrained counterparts.

Written by Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK. Do not reprint without permission. Copyright 2006 © Total Wellness Consulting.

The Joy’s Of Owning A HDTV

There is only one way to play video games now days and that is playing them on a HDTV. Whatever people have told you, what ever your friends, family, or co-workers have told you HD is the only way to go. Ok you might just happen to be an individual that has never seen something in HD and that is alright your not alone. Just about everyone in the United States has heard of HD but really don’t understand what it is.

A simple way to explain it is that the resolution of the picture is greatly improved. Improved? One may ask, well yes that is just it. So you should go out right now and see for your self. Now back to video games on a HDTV. For starters the picture is much clearer. When it is not in HD the picture has what looks like to be a fuzz effect going on with it. Now if you are one of those people that have never seen HD then you will not notice it and would have to look for it. But if you do have a HDTV and play your video games on it normally you will in fact notice a significant difference the quality of picture.

Not only that, if you were to play a video game that you play often in HD and then switched it over to standard definition it would be enough to make your self sick. Also it is a great excuse for you to go out and buy a HD DVD player. That way you can start buying HD movies and when you see an ad on TV about a movie and it says also comes in HD you can go out and buy it. The only down side to buying HD movies is the increase in price of the movie. You can usually get a normal DVD at around twenty dollars, for a HD movie you will be spending up wards to around thirty dollars.

Although that might be a lot for just one movie, HD movies come with an extreme amount of content compared to just a normal DVD. On every HD DVD there are just about all the extras for that movie that you possibly could want. If you want behind the scenes or interviews with the cast of the movie they are all there. I have personally only seen a couple of HD DVDs my self one being Pirates of The Caribbean: At Worlds End which was a great movie, but I know for a fact that all HD DVDs have all of the content I have just said.

It is kind of like a guarantee when buying a HD DVD player. Not only do you get an amazing improvement in the quality of the picture but you get all of the in depth coverage of the movie it self. I would say to all gamers or movie lovers that enjoys watching TV in general and is looking for a better experience save yourself the pain of standard definition and buy a HDTV.