Hard Armor Plates: Metal, Ceramic, or Dyneema

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Hard body armor provides the most protection from the widest range of firearms. While soft body armor can protect against a range of handguns, hard armor plates are the most effective defense against high-powered rifles and armor-piercing rounds. Hard armor plates are available from many manufacturers, in both metal and ceramic. Which is right for your needs, though? Should you choose metal or ceramic hard armor plates?

The most significant benefit is that they are effective against all handgun rounds and many high-powered rifle rounds. Some are even effective against military caliber weapons. This offers the utmost in protection for corrections officers, police, military and security personnel. In addition, these plates can also withstand blades, which many soft body armor types cannot.

Metal Armor Plates

Metal plates are the original form of modern body armor, and trace their lineage back to the Middle Ages. Metal was long the only option for those who needed protection from high-velocity and armor-piercing rounds. Metal hard armor plates are strong, durable and widely available, but that does not mean they are without their drawbacks.

The most significant drawback to metal plates is their weight. A suit of body armor made with metal can hamper movement and flexibility significantly. Even adding metal plates to a soft cloth bullet proof vest can create problems with additional weight. Thankfully, there is an answer to the weight problem.

Ceramic Hard Armor Plates

Ceramic has been used for centuries for its strength, resilience and durability. Today, it’s also used in the creation of body armor. Ceramic offers significant advantages over metal plates in that they are far, far lighter, but do not sacrifice stopping power, durability or strength. This allows police officers, security personnel and military personnel to enjoy the best possible protection without adding extra weight from metal hard armor plates that would impede their movements otherwise.

Dyneema Hard Armor Plates

Dyneema plates are the lightest plate between the ceramic and metal and weigh in at close to two pounds lighter that their ceramic and metal counterparts. The dyneema plates are a welcomed addition for someone who has to wear a vest of this protection rating for an extended period of time. Dyneema plates have a ballistic level III rating which will protect you against 7.62mm FMJ,.30 carbines,.223 Remington, 5.56mm FMJ round and grenade shrapnel. However to stop.30 caliber armor piercing rounds, you have to increase your ballistic protection to a level IV ceramic plate.

Metal, Ceramic or Dyneema

While metal plates have long been dominant in the industry, things are changing. As ceramic and dyneema becomes more widely available and more people become aware of the strength, stopping power and lightweight nature of these solutions, they are quickly becoming the preferred choice, even over metals like titanium.

Ceramic and dyneema hard armor plates are widely available today, both in full armor solutions and as add-on plates that can help augment bullet proof vests by adding protection to vital areas.

Music Industry Jobs And Working Conditions

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When you first start out in the music industry, especially as a performer, there is a certain level of romance about playing in a smoky club and using a dingy storage closet at your changing room. You think that you are paying your dues and will eventually make it big and can then look back on these simpler times with nostalgia. Never mind the fact that your working conditions are uncomfortable and can even be dangerous.

Music industry jobs working conditions vary from state of the art concert halls and recording studios to grungy basements and run-down clubs. However, as soon as you declare yourself to be a working industry professional, you and your health are protected by OSHA standards. OSHA stands for occupational safety and health administration and is the branch of the federal government that ensures your working conditions are safe.

In order to assure that your music industry working conditions are safe for you, you need to know your rights under OSHA. This means that regardless of where you are playing or what you are getting paid you should have a safe place to change and store your equipment. You should have easy access to drinking water and a clean toilet facility. You should be allowed adequate breaks during your working time; industry standard is generally ninety minutes of playing and fifteen minutes of break. If you feel that equipment or infrastructure is unsafe you should be able to report it to your building contact without fear of breaching your contract.

Music industry jobs working conditions don’t have to be as bad as they are as long as every musician, from the kid with his first live gig to the veteran performer, band together to demand safe and clean working conditions so that they can produce the best music possible.

Is The Next Housing Market Crash Coming?

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SAN DIEGO, CA – “Buy low, sell high” is a well-known adage attributed to the legendary billionaire investor and philanthropist Warren Buffett. Looking at today’s super-hot residential real estate market is hard not to wonder how much longer this craziness will continue.

Buyers are in bidding wars to buy homes, multiple all-cash offers with no financing, no contingencies, sale prices tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars above asking prices, double-digit annual home price appreciation, and a very low inventory of homes for sale.

According to the Case-Schiller Home Index, the average annual home appreciation in the 20 major metropolitan areas was 14.6% year-over-year as of this past May. Phoenix had the highest annual price increase of 22.3%, followed by San Diego’s 21.6%, and Seattle at 20.2%.

I vividly remember that back in 2005-2006, at the peak of that last super-hot residential real estate market, many were saying that the market would continue to thrive and prices would go up for at least another ten years.

Yet, by 2007 the home prices started to deteriorate and by 2009-2010 a wave of short sales and foreclosures dominated the previously super-hot markets. The hardest hit places like Phoenix and Las Vegas had property values depreciated in some cases by over 50%.

But this time it will be different… not. If there is one thing certain about real estate (and life in general), it is that it is cyclical. Every boom is followed by a bust, and every bust by eventual recovery and then another boom, etc.

In case of real estate, cycles are usually much longer than those of the general economy and they last, on average, about 15 years. In this particular case, it is important to note, that we are discussing a residential (homes) real estate cycle, which can be quite different from a commercial (investment properties) real estate cycle.

So, where are we today? The interest rates, including on mortgages, are at ultra-low levels. For example, recently our sister mortgage company closed a 15-yr fixed rate loans as low as 1.99%. This is quite remarkable given that the inflation rate is sky-rocketing. Just this past June, the inflation jumped by 5.4% year-over-year.

This was the largest increase of inflation since 2008. At this pace the U.S. is on the trajectory to have a double-digit inflation by 2023. Compare that to annual inflation rates of just 2.4% in 2018, and 1.8% in 2019, and 1.3% in 2020.

Money supply, government debt, and the public spending by the Federal Government are enormous. It seems that not too long ago, when the politicians were arguing about the federal budget, they were talking about millions, or at the most billions of dollars. Now if it is not a trillion, it does not seem to be a big deal.

The U.S. unemployment has been steadily improving since its peak of 16% in May, 2020. As of early June, the unemployment rate was around 5.9%. However, these figures can be misleading as they don’t include folks who are “under-employed,” e.g. went from a full-time to a part-time jobs, or those who earn less now than pre-pandemic.

Additionally, they don’t count workers deemed “permanently unemployed” (unemployed for more than six months) and those who “stopped looking for work”. The “real,” or the so called U6 unemployment rate, is around 9.7%.

So, how all of this translates into the residential real estate market? The current real estate cycle is about 15-16 year old, which is worrisome, but basically, as long as the money is so cheap, buyer demand so high, and supply of available homes for sale so low, the “music is still playing.”

Furthermore, we should not underestimate the “Covid-effect” on housing. One of the reasons why homes became so valuable was because of the lockdowns and the resulting work-from-home, teach-from-home, play-at-home and eat-at-home paradigm shifts.

If the cycles are the law of the universe, then it is safe to assume that this cycle must change too. When? Nobody knows for sure, as we realize that the cycle has changed only after it already did.

However, in my estimation, the catalyst for the change will be an increase of the short-term interest rates by the Federal Reserve, which sooner or later will have to happen given the high inflation.

Our real estate brokerage receives lots of inquiries from buyers and investors wanting to purchase properties. In our opinion, real estate buyers should proceed with extreme caution in such an over-heated real estate market.

The double-digit annual price appreciation is absolutely unsustainable as the real wage increases are in the low single-digits. It is important to understand that real estate is not a very liquid asset and there are substantial costs associated with selling it.

For most residential property owners, real estate should be a long-term game and buyers should take that under consideration when considering purchasing properties. When the inevitable market correction comes, home equity can be greatly reduced or even wiped out in case of highly-mortgaged homes.

In such instances, property owners can find themselves “upside down” on their mortgages, meaning they will owe more than the values of their properties. Short-sales and foreclosures will become familiar terms again.

On the other hand, the lucky residential property owners who currently own highly-appreciated real estate assets, maybe in a perfect position to cash out on their equity now when the market is hot and the prices are high (remember what W. Buffett said).

Residential home builders, especially those who build in the lower price ranges with projects that are already going, or about to go vertical and will deliver completed homes in the next 12 to 18 months, are in good shape because the current buyer demand far exceeds the supply.

However, past that time frame, it is anybody’s guess. Exorbitant prices of materials, high costs of land and labor, and onerous government fees make it hard for builders to deliver affordable houses and make a profit.

There could be another important consideration for selling sooner than later: Uncle Sam. The current administration openly talks about increasing taxes and in spite of their election promises, it is not going to be affecting only the “rich.”

For example, according to their latest tax proposals, the home-owner exemption from the capital gain taxes when selling primary residences, may be greatly reduced or even entirely eliminated. Oh, by the way, the capital gain tax rate is also going up.

Another significant tax change on the horizon for those who own any investment properties, even if it is a small rental house or condominium, is a proposal to reduce or eliminate the so called “1031 Tax Exchange” under which capital gain taxes can be deferred on investment properties, including small and large rentals.

Each situation is unique, but my general advice for Clients who want to buy real estate now is that there needs to be a compelling reason for them to do so. I recommend being patient and not buying into the frenzy, which sooner or later will pass.

Again, let us remember what W. Buffett says about buying low and selling high, and he certainly has a track record (and the bank account) to prove that he knows what he is talking about.

For Clients who own real estate and want to hold it for a long-term, I recommend that they review their mortgages and interest rates (if they have any loans on their properties).

If beneficial, they should look into refinancing them, with or without a cash-out, to take advantage of these extremely low interest rates, which at this point are way below the inflation rate, which makes them practically a “free money.”

For Clients who are considering selling or have shorter term ownership plans, this might be a great opportunity to review their properties’ values and determine if selling now, while the market is super-hot and the prices are super-high, is a good idea.

In conclusion, nobody knows what the future has in store, but a couple of things are certain: real estate is cyclical and change is inevitable. The current residential real estate market cycle is mature, prices are very high, and thus it is reasonable to expect a market shift.

Tips in the Proper Care and Maintenance of Taser Guns

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Owning a self-defense tool is a common scenario nowadays due to the rising cases of criminality and crimes. Majority of individuals decide to own self-defense devices to protect themselves and their families from harm. However, as responsible owner of these tools, it is your duty to care for them to maintain its proper functioning.

It is not enough that you buy these tools and store them in your bag or in your cabinet anytime you want. Like other gadgets and appliances you have inside your home, you have to observe proper guidelines on how to maintain and to care for these devices, otherwise it will not perform its best when you need it.

Purchasing a taser gun and getting the needed licenses are not the only duties you have as owner. As efficient and responsible owner, you should know how to care for the device properly to maintain its efficacy and functionality. If you do not want the tool to malfunction and harm you instead of the attacker, take time to regularly inspect and do regular maintenance. This article details the proper way to care and to maintain a taser gun.

Below are tips on how to properly care for a stun gun:

1. Be sure to recharge the batteries of your taser gun regularly. Since the indicator is not enough to show the amount of power inside the device, it is best to perform a spark test to find out if the batteries need charging.

2. Be sure to check the expiry date of the taser cartridge, especially if you have not used the tool for a long time. Most often, taser cartridge only lasts for about five years, thus do not use the batteries if it is beyond its expiration date. Remember that the expiration date does not depend on how frequently you use the device, but the expiry date is preprinted on the product label by manufacturers.

3. Bear in mind that taser guns are sensitive tools, thus be sure to take care of it and to handle it with care. Avoid dropping it on the floor because even though taser housing is made of plastic, it can crack and breaks once it fell on the floor on impact.

4. Be sure to place it in dry and moisture-free areas because it cannot function properly when wet. If moisture enters the device, take out the batteries immediately and dry its body for about 24 hours.

5. Avoid repairing the taser yourself, but bring it to an authorized and accredited service center for maintenance and repair. Bear in mind that taser guns are not made of simple circuitry and parts which can be repaired by ordinary individuals like you. If you find something defective and wrong with your tool, have it checked by the nearest service center technician. They are the only ones who are credible and experienced in repairing these devices.

6. Never place the device anywhere and within the reach of children to avoid tinkering and accidents from happening.

By following the suggestions above, you can care for the device effectively.

The Atlantics – Boston’s Classic 1970s Power Pop Band

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The Atlantics were formed in January 1976 by bass player Bruce Wilkinson and guitarist Tom Hauck, two students at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, just outside Boston. They wee joined by drummer Boby Bear and lead guitarist Jeff Lock. To complete the lineup Wilkinson recruited singer Bobby Marron, a friend from his hometown in New Jersey.

The Atlantics played their first concert in the spring of 1976 at The Rat in Kenmore Square. In May of 1976 they performed as the opening act for the Ramones, who were playing two nights at The Club in Central Square. The Atlantics made their first trips to New York in the summer of 1976, playing at CBGB and Max’s Kansas City. The band quickly became an important and authentic part of the emerging punk/new wave movement.

The following spring Ray Fernandes replaced Boby Bear on drums. In the summer of 1977 the Atlantics recorded their first independent 45 on Jukebox Records, “When You’re Young,” written by Bruce Wilkinson, backed with “Where Would I Be Without Your Love,” written by Jeff Lock. A thousand copies were pressed but never released, and the single is now considered a collector’s item. In the spring of 1978 Jeff Lock left the band and was replaced by Fred Pineau of the Bonjour Aviators.

The Atlantics were signed to ABC Records that summer, and in December the band recorded their LP BIG CITY ROCK at the Hit Factory in New York. The album was released in March, 1979, just after ABC Records was sold to MCA Records. Their new label, together with Premier Talent, put the Atlantics on a nationwide tour with Roxy Music, followed by a regional tour throughout New England. The band performed with artists including The Ramones, The Cars, Cheap Trick, Boston, Graham Parker, Talking Heads, and many others. The single “One Last Night” by Bruce Wilkinson received regional and international airplay, and the album garnered a glowing review in Rolling Stone.

In the summer of 1979 Paul Caruso joined the group as drummer, and the band came back in 1980 with what was to become one of New England’s biggest independent singles, “Lonelyhearts,” written by Tom Hauck. It was the flip side to “Can’t Wait Forever,” a Motown-flavored song by Bruce Wilkinson. “Lonelyhearts” rocketed to the top of New England radio and dance charts and stayed for months, and can still be heard on Boston radio stations including WFNX-FM.

During the next two years the Atlantics released several more songs on tape to Boston radio stations, including “Pop Shivers,” “Wrong Number” and “Weekend.” In June 1983 the band played their final show at the Channel in Boston.

The original analog tapes of many of the Atlantics most popular songs were consigned to storage. In 2006 these tapes were recovered and thirteen tracks were digitally restored for the ATLANTICS CD. These tracks were recorded between 1979 and 1982 in studios in the Boston area, and have no overdubs or other alterations. In 2007 the Atlantics released a live set from the Paradise club in Boston. ATLANTICS LIVE was recorded in March, 1979 and features many of the songs from BIG CITY ROCK. Atlantics CDs are available at CDbaby and at Newbury Comics.

In October 2011, the Atlantics were honored to have the “Lonelyhearts” single cover included in a wonderful new book by Matthew Chojnacki – ” Put the Needle on the Record.” It’s a collection of over 250 single covers by artists ranging from The Ramones to Pat Benatar to Run-D.M.C. The covers are accompanied by comments from the artists. The “Lonelyhearts” cover was designed by Tibor Kalman, who had recently started M&Co, which became a leading design firm. When the band first met with Tibor, he had several other ideas; one of them was to cover the sleeve with sandpaper (the rough side out!). The band thought this was a cool idea but it would not endear them to record retailers or radio stations. The cover concept that they went with – the rows of tiny photos of members of the band – was an instant hit, and luckily the song was too.

© 2011 Thomas Hauck Communications Services

Centered Kids Can Handle Bullies and Other Challenges!

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Americans were shocked when a mob of 400 Brooklyn teenagers looted and ransacked a shopping mall. We shake our heads in disbelief when young men kill their classmates and knock down strangers on the street. The fact is… destructive behavior will continue, if we don’t understand what’s happening to children.

Neglecting children or controlling them with put downs, hitting, insults or threats can create fear, anger and resentment. When parents don’t pay attention to a child’s emotional needs, they are making life difficult for their child.

Parents involved in constant conflict, domestic violence and child abuse make life “a living hell.” Children are thrown off their emotional center and can become bullies or easy victims. They may seek relief through drugs, inflicting pain on others or themselves.

The single greatest threat to children’s future is the failure to teach them how to discover inner strength. If parents don’t listen and stop abusive behavior at home, youth can become socially isolated and have difficulty at school. (30% of teens drop out of high school.) Disconnected teens can shut down their conscience and engage in destructive behavior with little remorse or empathy for others.

Education is important. However, equally important is a child’s emotional development so he or she doesn’t bully or become a victim and isolated. When children grow self-aware, they develop healthy friendships and experience success in school. A loved child becomes a caring adult.

Lack of self-awareness is the biggest social problem Americans face today. Children need love, discipline and support from spiritually centered adults to prevent addictions, mental problems and/or violent behavior.

We can’t legislate values, character or morality. It is up to parents, teachers and the adult community to create safe homes, schools and neighborhoods so children become balanced and spiritually centered.

What is a spiritually centered child?

All humans are spiritual beings with powerful instincts, intuition and a conscience for self-protection. However, children need to see healthy role models to grow strong and resilient.

Every child is born with undiscovered gifts and talents. With support from family, extended family, friends, neighbors and teachers, youth can develop the 3 C’s: courage, character and conscience. “Courage” gives children the confidence to stand up for self, walk away from trouble and learn from mistakes. “Character” is the process of developing self-discipline, resiliency, honesty, patience and empathy. “Conscience” is the ability to control self, feel remorse, know right from wrong, handle anger calmly and forgive others.

These attributes help children reach their potential no matter what is happening around them. Trusting their instincts and intuition (inner spirit and wisdom) gives children the emotional tools to develop self-awareness in order to reject negative influences.

Eighty-four percent of Americans believe in a higher power. Children do not have to attend church or synagogue to be spiritually centered. However, religious groups that strengthen families provide healthy role models and mentors for children as they learn the power of self-discipline, reflection and how to modify their behavior. Religious organizations provide a supportive “family” of people who care about emotional (spiritual) development.

We can no longer remain silent as children struggle alone! We must speak up, support families and come together as concerned community members to protect children!

When Americans work together, we will see positive change. Spiritually centered children can handle bullies and other challenges if they have the love and support needed to keep them safe and healthy.

Common Marriage Mistakes And Making The Marriage Successful

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Every marital relationship begins with a lot of hope and dreams about life-long connection filled with love and togetherness.

Really, only a few of marriages actually do fulfill the hopes of the participants and bring together a wholeness state of mind.

Why?

We’re too wrapped up in the idea of the body as who we truly are because as humans we can’t be whole.

There are numerous reasons for this however here we single out a few of those.

– Every young adult who is preparing marital relationship should be aware of these most typical pitfalls

– Getting married for the sake of love without first inspecting the depth of love

– Dedicating to a long-term relationship like marital relationship solely on the basis of that feeling of love is an error.

– Romantic feeling dies as time passes and far more important concerns like ‘household background’, ‘values’, ‘religious faith’, ‘financial stability’ raise their head.

These issues are of genuine significance which practically many individuals with feelings of wholly-shared love ignore.

Marrying someone who does not share an interest or hobby

While marital relationship with an individual who does not share an interest or hobby does not itself make the marriage unstable, presence of such an interest or pastime can make life more pleasurable for both the partners.

And this can make a genuine difference so while picking life partner this element should be considered.

For some reason or other this element is often neglected prior to marriage. And efforts start after marriage to adjust the partner to one’s own interest or establish a new typical interest.

While that is not a difficult job, the process of adjusting may become un-palatable and may lead to unstable marriage.

When considering compatibility, not knowing exactly what questions to think over.

Previously I discussed in a well-received session how to find the right marriage counseling or family therapy best for you.

We looked at to make a marriage successful one must do some basic homework, needs, so to understand to make their marital relationship successful.

– Believing mindful and appropriate quarries might offend her/him.

One may think that excessive investigation about future partner’s background may not be a good idea.

As the other partner may discover, this sort of believed procedure keeps numerous couples from asking the ideal concerns before considering a marital relationship.

– Depending too much on a friend or loved ones recommendation.

A substantial number of couples often get married on the recommendation of friends or loved ones.

While normally relatives and close friends are considered as well wishers, to take their suggestion is not always a good idea.

As their knowledge of an individual can never equal to the knowledge the person has about herself or himself.

The person to be wed is in a much better position to pick compatible life partner.

Finest escape is acting on their suggestion only after effective conclusion of your own inner compatibility check.

– Getting married just to please others

Often people get married to make someone else happy. It may be the shotgun type with the father or mother insisting, or it may be relatives.

There is no issue in making somebody pleased if that does not jeopardize one’s own marital relationship.

Most of time in such cases, marriages take place without exercising adequate care.

As an outcome, one might wind up marrying somebody not suitable, and if this is the case, how to save a relationship in the future will likely not be repairable.

Loving and enriching experiences with one another helps us side with wholeness more so than separation, and you must be mindful about the above things so that your marriage will last a lifetime while in this world.

Don’t you want your marriage to reflect Heaven?

(Please note, I like to suggest searching the net for other helpful material on the best marriage advice online and does couples therapy work?)

The Top 10 Ringtones of All Time

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Mobile phone ringtones have been around for nearly a decade now, with the first commercial ringtone services said to have emerged in Finland in 1997. Gradually, they have become an established part of modern life, with some of them becoming headline news over the years. So as we look back over the history of ringtones, which stand out as the “big hits” or “classics” of this new kind of music format? Here is an attempt at a top 10 list.

Nokia Tune

The Nokia Tune, based on a 13 note rendering of “Gran Vals” by Francisco Tarrega, a 19th-century Spanish musician, is typically included within all Nokia handsets as the default ringtone and has therefore become famous or infamous due to its popularity. It is the typical ringtone of the middle-aged business man who hasn’t got the time or inclination to work out how to change it.

Mosquito Tone

The mosquito tone or “Teen Buzz” is based on adaption of a high-frequency sound designed to repel teenagers from hanging around outside shops, without bothering older people, who could not hear the sound due its pitch. It began being used and sold as a “silent ringtone” for teenagers to use, for example in class, without the teacher being able to hear it.

Crazy Frog

The “Crazy Frog” ringtone was based on an animation called “The Annoying Thing” by Erik Wernquist, and made famous by the mobile content company Jamba who heavily promoted “The Crazy Frog” on TV and the internet. The ringtone spawned a chart hit based on a remix of “Alex F” which went to No.1 in the UK, Japan, Australia and a number of European countries;.

Nokia Morse Code SMS alert

Similar to the Nokia Tune, the Nokia SMS alert is probably the most famous “SMS tone” designed to be used for text message notifications. The tone spells out “S-M-S” in Morse Code.

Classic telephone ring

With the rise of personalised tones a lot of people have decided to avoid them in favour of the classic “bell ringing” sound of a normal telephone. A number of surveys over the years have shown this to be one of the most popular tones.

Sir Mixalot

In 1992, Sir Mixalot, a rapper had a huge hit with “Baby Got Back” which was re-recorded as a ringtone with the lyrics “Pick up the phone! Pick up the phone! ‘Cause you don’t want to miss this call and I cannot lie!.” This was one of the first “ringtone remixes” of popular songs to achieve success after being marketed by Jamba, the same company that produced the Crazy Frog ringtone.

R2D2 Ringtone

Ringtones based on the sounds “R2D2” from the film Star Wars makes in the film are emerging as a popular choice for ringtones. R2D2 sounds make a great choice for a ringtone as they are loud, easily heard and distinctive but just about manage to avoid a tack, novelty feel like some ringtones.

Nokia Dying Remix

Based on the classic Nokia Tune, the Nokia “Dying” or “Flat Battery” remix is a humorous version of the classic Nokia Tune where the sound eventually goes flat or explodes, giving a nod to the annoyance that it can cause when heard repeatedly.

CTU Ringtone

The popular TV show “24” features a highly recognisable ringtone on the phones in the CTU office complex. The same sound is now being marketed as a ringtone for mobile phones and is rapidly becoming a big hit.

iphone ringtone

When Steve Jobs announced the launch of the iphone in early 2007, his demonstration included a ringtone, which was quickly made available as a recording by a number of websites. The ringtone has been described as like “holy angels tinkling” and was eventually included within the standard ringtone set on the iphone.

Why Online Shopping is Faster, Cheaper and Better

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Ever since the dot com boom, the internet has transformed the way we live. Offering information literally at your fingertips, online banking an option, and enabling stay-at-home moms to earn income via telecommuting, the internet has provided endless possibilities for its users. Amongst the internet advances is the ability to shop online. Quick, effortless and easy, online shopping has given brick-and-mortar locations a run for there money.

Instant Gratification

Since we’re conditioned to want instant gratification in every aspect in our lives, we expect our purchases instantly, too. Instead of spending time traveling, looking for parking and finding the store you’d like to shop in before closing time, the internet is available at all times. You can shop at your convenience, any time, anywhere, no matter what.

Variety is the Spice of Life

Online shopping allows you to browse through endless possibilities, and even offers merchandise that’s unavailable in stores. If you’re searching for a niche product that may not be distributed locally, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for on the internet. What’s even more useful is the ability to compare items, similar or not, online. You can search through multiple stores at the same time, comparing material quality, sizes and pricing simultaneously.

Moreover, the internet compiles results from thousands of resources, so you’re guaranteed a larger selection that’s more likely to have what you’re looking for. Consider what you pay for a shirt found only at your local mall. By searching for the same or similar shirt online, you may be able to purchase the shirt directly from its manufacturer or from an outlet-type store. The in-stock online sellers often have additional sizes, so you never have to scramble to find the last item in your size.

A Hassle-Free Experience

Shopping via the internet eliminates the need to sift through a store’s products with potential buys like pants, shirts, belts and shoes all slung over one arm. Online shopping also eliminates the catchy, yet irritating music, as well as the hundreds, if not thousands, of other like-minded individuals who seem to have decided to shop on the same day.

Customer Service, Guaranteed

Say ‘goodbye’ to the days when you stood in line waiting, and waiting, and waiting some more for a store clerk to finally check out your items. Online shopping transactions occur instantly-saving you time to get your other errands done! Additionally, unlike a store, online shopping has friendly customer service representatives available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to assist you with locating, purchasing and shipping your merchandise.

Keeping Money in Your Pocket

Finding time to go shopping often requires cutting down in other areas of your life in order to get to the stores. And we all know that time equals money. With the rising costs of gas prices, it’s a no-brainer why online shopping is better. Not only do you have to pay for your items, you also have to pay to get there, twice. Your orders are shipped directly to your home or place for business, saving you time and money, without requiring you to leave your home.

In addition to saving gas money, online shops often offer great deals on shipping fees. Signing up for memberships may include frequent emails with special discounts. Though store locations near your home are ideal for trying on clothing, many online stores offer free or discounted return shipping. In fact, some stores even supply the return packaging, such as Victoria’s Secret and Zappos.com.

But perhaps the best perks of online shopping are the reduced prices. Why pay more from in-store locations when overstocked merchandise is available for less money? Search for reduced or discounted items. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, check out sites that offer auctions and free listings, such as eBay.com, Amazon.com, Craigslist.org, or even freecycle.com.

Ozark Superstitions

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We’ve all heard them. If you step on a crack, you’ll break your mother’s back. Break a mirror and bring seven years of bad luck. Never open an umbrella in the house.

Those are a few of the most popular, but did you know the Ozark Mountains of Missouri and Arkansas are filled with families who still believe certain, strange superstitions? Superstition, which can also be called magical thinking, is a term used to describe causal reasoning that looks for correlations between acts or utterances and certain events.

Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, the first white man to chronicle the interior of the Ozarks, referred in his 1818 book to early settlers as having “burdensome superstitions.” It cannot be proven whether these came from their ancestors or were beliefs assimilated by their close contact with the Osage and Cherokee.

Schoolcraft wrote, “Among all classes superstition is prevalent. Witchcraft and a belief in the sovereign virtue of certain metals so prevalent in those periods of the history of the progress of the human mind which reflects disgrace upon our species have still their advocates here.” He wrote about a “hunter who was so convinced his rifle had been bewitched so that he could kill nothing with it and thus sold it on that account.” The hunter suspected a malicious neighbor had laid a spell upon the rifle. Another hunter’s wife was convinced her brass ring was an infallible remedy for the cramp, “which she was much troubled with before putting on the ring, but had not had the slightest return of it since.”

Vance Randolph was a prolific researcher and writer who combed the Ozark Mountains in the early 1920s for superstitions, stories and songs from the old people who were first generation descendants of the early settlers. In his 1947 book entitled Ozark Superstitions he wrote, “The Hillman is secretive and sensitive beyond anything that the average city dweller can imagine, but he isn’t simple. His mind moves in a tremendously involved system of signs and omens and esoteric auguries. He has little interest in the mental procedure that the moderns call science, and his ways of arranging data and evaluating evidence are very different from those currently favored in the world beyond the hilltops. The Ozark hill folk have often been described as the most superstitious people in America.”

Most old people Randolph interviewed scoffed at the idea of being superstitious then told for a “gospel truth” a strange and wild belief they personally held dear. Often these “gospel truths” conflicted from hill and vale depending on the clan of people interviewed.

Moon signs are a great example. Every Ozark resident was sure he knew when to plant spring potatoes in order to guarantee the best crop. March 17 was the tried and true date, unless you were from the family who knew it was “absolutely right” to plant in the light of the moon. Of course, other families scoffed at “them senseless superstitions” and planted each year in the dark of the moon.

The moon controlled a lot of the old settler’s actions. Peering through the tree limbs to gaze upon a full moon was considered one way to “addle” your brain. On the other hand, the moon could help portend one’s future mate. If a girl heard a dove and saw the new moon at the same instant, she had to repeat this verse:

“Bright moon, clear moon,

Bright and fair,

Lift up your right foot

There’ll be a hair.”

Then, she was to take off her right shoe and would naturally find in it a hair like that of her future husband wrote Randolph.

Physical characteristics had a lot to do with success, according to many early settlers. In both the Arkansas and Missouri Ozarks folks repeat the saying “a man with lots of hair on his legs is always a good hog raiser.”

Small ears are supposed to indicate a stingy personality. Green-eyed women did not fare very well in early Ozarks culture if the following verse about a woman’s eye color gives any indication:

If a woman’s eyes are gray, listen close to what she’s got to say.

If a woman’s eyes are black, give her room and plenty o’track.

If a woman’s eyes are brown, never let your own fall down.

If a woman’s eyes are green, whip her with a switch that’s keen.

If a woman’s eyes are blue, she will always be true to you.

Weather was a subject of great interest. A rainbow in the evening meant clear weather, but a rainbow in the morning indicated a storm within twenty-four hours. Hill folks watched and listened to their animals and chickens to learn if it was going to rain. “If a cock crows when he goes to bed, he’ll get up with a wet head.”

A rain on Monday, according to some meant that it would rain more or less every day that week. Others said if it rained on Monday there would be two or more rainy days, but that Friday would be bright and fair. However, if the sun “sets clear” on Tuesday, it was sure to rain before Friday. Many native Ozarkers still believe rain during a funeral is a sign concerning the eternal destination of the dead person. “Blessed are the dead that the rain falls on,” goes the saying.

Certain household items and accessories had distributive properties. Eggs carried in a man’s hat would all hatch roosters. If a pregnant mother wished for a baby girl, she could place a frying pan underneath her mattress. Of course, she might carefully check her husband’s side of the bed under which he may have hidden a jack knife which was a sure sign he was looking for a boy.

The numerous, complex and often convoluted superstitions held by native Ozarks are sometimes ridiculed by “outsiders,” but that hasn’t diminished their enthusiasm for these closely held beliefs. In fact, a cardinal just lit on my mailbox. If I can slip outside and chant, “money cometh” three times before it flies away, I’ll have money in the mail before week’s end.