Archive for November, 2007

Pol Pot’s Perspective on Chauvinism

Tuesday, November 27th, 2007

By Vicheka Lay I. Introduction Pol Pot was actually the initiator of the Revolutionary Organization, whose policy completely transformed the Cambodia’s national administration. From the time he was a child, till he was a Sisowat College professor, Pol Pot was deemed as “nationalist” by many people, especially by his students and those who attended his lectures. Though it was depicted by Keo Samuth that “Under Pol Pot, for three years, eight months, and twenty days, our people lived in hell” (Fox&Ung, 1998, p. vi). Pol Pot deployed the doctrine of “chauvinism” to craze people’s mentalities and to legitimize his aggressive revolution. Understanding Pol Pot’s chauvinism means understanding more about his way of leadership, and Cambodia’s chronology. II. Pol Pot’s Chauvinism Educated in France, highly experienced in college teaching, and simple taste, Pol Pot and his ideals represented good virtues, such as social and economic equality, anti-corruption, desired by average Cambodians. At that time of crisis, Pol Pot was deemed as a hero to bring about changes in Cambodian social order to improve basic living conditions of the poor and the uneducated. All of these ideals embraced most of the poor peasants, so they eventually accepted this view and took up arm for the impending victory. This vision is also apparently seen in the preamble of The Democratic Kampuchea’s constitution, paragraph 4; whereas the entire Kampuchean people and the entire Kampuchean Revolutionary Army desire an independent, unified, peaceful, neutral, non-aligned, sovereign Kampuchea enjoying territorial integrity, a national society informed by genuine happiness, equality, justice, and democracy without rich or poor and without exploiters or exploited, a society in which all live harmoniously in great national solidarity and join forces to do manual labour together and increase production for the construction and defense of the country . (Jennar, 1995, p. 82). In March 1988, while teaching about the domestic situation insides Cambodia, he abruptly stopped the lesson and asked, “What can we do to make the people love us?” Several brigade and division commanders suggested exposing the corruption of other factions and demonstrating the Red Khmer’s patriotism; others maintained that the key was economics…Pol Pot kept shaking his head, dissatisfied. Then a battalion commander in the back row raised his hand and responded, “We must put ourselves in the same position as the poorest of the poor, then the people will crowd around us and love us.” “Yes,” cried the teacher, delighted that one of his lowest ranking students had answered correctly. “Yes! Yes!” (Chandler, 1999, p. 175). In his September 1979 speech, Pol Pot compared the monuments of Angkor favourably with the liberation of Phnom Penh; Long ago, there was Angkor. Angkor was built in the era of slavery. Slaves like us built Angkor under the exploitation of the exploiter-classes, so that these royal people could be happy. If our people can make Angkor, they can make any thing . (Chandler, 1996, p. 246). This statement, Pol Pot might want to refer back to during-Mohanokor Cambodia, when Cambodia was a powerful empire, owned many big and small territories outside its own sovereign state. In 27 September 1977, Pol Pot made another talk to revitalize Cambodia’s past; The History of Cambodia dated back more than 2000 years. It shows that like all societies in the world, Cambodian society had experienced many social phrases (Chandler, 1996, p. 237). In the era of primitive communism, there were not yet any divisions between classes. In the era of primitive communism, there were thus no struggles between classes. When Cambodian society entered the era of slave society, society had class divisions, which is to say there were slave-owners and slaves. These were called masters of slaves, masters of workers, and those who were slaves and workers for other people (Chandler, 1996, p. 239). Pot Pot’s new regime’s existence was to bring the complete equalitarianism to the society in all fields, as stated in the preamble of the Democratic Kampuchea’s constitution. For the three ghosts, communism was the unique political ideology to make Cambodia resurgent. To legitimize this vision as the foundation for Cambodia’s eventual victory, Democratic Kampuchea spokesman claimed, “Enemies have exploited Cambodia’s poor”, he also argued that ever since the country move away from “primitive communism” some “2000 years ago” into a world of class discrimination (Chandler, 1996, p. 235). To sum up, Pol Pot is classified as chauvinistic by his charisma. His simple taste, sympathetic to the poor (as stated above “to be the poorest of the poor), insightfully understand the status quo of Sihanouk and Lon Nol government, made him legitimate to transform the former (Sihanouk and Lon Nol) administration. Though the consequence was not like what he had promised, but what he said before the 17 April victory, penetrated into most of the poor peasants, until they took up arms to build better foundation for the Revolutionary Organization’s victory. Chauvinism Through National Unity. Criticized corruption, nepotism, class discrimination, the ruling elites looked at the peasants with contempt and disdain. Furthermore, the Lon Nol government was on the verge of total ruin and falling into the hand of Vietminh, Pol Pot regime guaranteed to bring about national solidarity and unity. From an outset, Democratic Kampuchea government ceased the international relations and aids, particularly the American aids, as Kieve Samphan claimed that American aid, designed to shore up traditional relationships, would be foresworn, but continued the French aid which he thought as less conservative. Pochentong International Airport, all the Western embassies and councils were entirely eliminated. All the Cambodian citizens, rich and poor alike, were to be evacuated to the rural areas, to form cooperatives, so that they could work growing rice, as already mentioned in the initial eight policies above. Agrarian Utopia was, of course, the political platform of the regime. Even though in the constitution, chapter five, article five started, “… Representing the peasants 150”. The party was working in the city and in the countryside with rural areas as the main base. City could not be used as the base area, because enemies was everywhere, the parliament, court, jail, police, and military were there. As the Seventeen April Nineteen-seventy-nine approached, Government soldiers were told that fighting was at an end; all Khmer were brothers who should reunite in order to recover Khmer territory lost to the Vietnamese. The reference was to Kampuchea Krom, those parts of southern Vietnam which were once part of the Khmer empire during its great age of dominance over much of mainland Southeast Asia and which were lost Vietnam between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. For the next three and a half years this irredentist, anti-Vietnamese theme was to be relentlessly and suicidally pursued by the Khmer Rouge. In fact, despite the Vietnamese statements welcoming the victory of the Kampuchean revolution, border provocations by Kampuchean against Vietnam began almost immediately. (Fox&Ung, 1998, p. 6). Revolutionary Organization was also called “pineapple organization”. Because all people’s routine activities were checked to make sure that the organization uprooted the enemies. In Unity Perspective, only friends were allowed to stay alive, but all enemies had to be uprooted. Not only the Vietnamese, people who were found to have connection with Vietnam, the Lon Nol regime was to be massacred. Furthermore, the ethnic groups’ cultures were unconditionally fired. Only Khmer language was allowed to be daily communicative language. The Chams were forced to eat pork which is against their religion. Unity means the organization had to embrace all the information, everybody had to be the same in term of clothes, language, food, social status, culture…etc. Any ethnic group dared to protest was murdered, because it was thought as “contradicted to the organization’s policies”. The right to expression, assembly, and vote were all abolished, because all of these were thought as “break the organization’s unity”. The evidence to uproot the ethnic Chams was clearly seen; It was Document N163 page 163 [?]…It said we will not spare the Chams, because if spared they will resist, and [and produce] revisionism…It said that the Cham races not to be spared because it has a history of resisting the socialist revolution, and also in the Champa period… “So we undertake a policy of discarding them now.” They were hand in hand with the Vietnamese, so they must all be killed off. It said that the Chams had already rebelled once, in the Eastern Zone…It said we had fled persecution in our Vietnamese country, and could not be trusted…The document said that now, they must be smashed to pieces. Whatever department they are in, they must be smashed to pieces .” (Kiernan, 1996, p. 280). All the religions were to be dismantled to the ground, because they would work against the Democratic Kampuchea, as the constitution, chapter fifteen, article twenty; “reactionary religions which are detrimental to Democratic Kampuchean people are absolutely forbidden” (Jennar, 1995, p. 88). In Pol Pot regime, religion would lead to conflicts between people and people and the state and the people. So Khmer Rouge decided to abolish all the pagodas and all the religious worships and they even converted pagodas to be the storehouses or other administrative offices. Unity means “no political rivalry”. In one of the elections in Maesor Prachan in 20 March 1976, more than 10,000 people, including inhabitants of other hamlets situated near the Tuol Don Teov work site, gathered to vote for the Assembly of the People’s Representatives. The 250 member Assembly was to comprise 150 peasant representatives, 50 industrial workers, and 50 from the Revolutionary Army. No other classes existed in Democratic Kampuchea. Everyone sat in rows in the newly-constructed square paddies. Several speeches were made praising Khmer Rouge Policies, then each person was given a piece of paper on which was written one name, that of the officially-selected candidate, Tum Choen. Voting consisted of rows of people in order filing past the voting box into which they placed the votes they had been given, all under the careful scrutiny of Khmer Rouge cadres. As expressed by Bun, the co-author of the book, entitled “The Murderous Revolution”, was that this Assembly vote, which had to be performed “with a smiling face”, was nothing but a “shameful face” (Fox&Ung, 1998, p. 70). III. Analysis Democratic Kampuchea regime did not provide equality to all its inhabitants at all. After the 17 April victory, all the evacuees were segregated between the “base people” and “new people” (or the Seventeen April people). New people were treated much harsher than the base people. Besides this, nepotism still existed. Ta Mok promoted his relatives to the high-ranking officials, and the Khmer Rouge cadres had enough food, while the people were starving. International relations were to be closed, but Pol Pot still retained his relationship to China, and even received China’s aids. I would call Democratic Kampuchea, “a totalitarian regime”. Everything, everywhere were devoted to Revolutionary Organization, even the national anthem, “the glorious seventeen April”, devoted to the organization. People had to attend the political lectures, devoted to praise the organization. The graffiti, organization’s slogans, poems, daily errands, and even the mentalities had to be organization-oriented. Two final questions have been arisen; did Pol Pot single-mindedly to gain his power? Was it a Revolution or Revenge? IV.Conclusion Democratic Kampuchea’s administration occurred from 1975 to 1979, which the world was in the state of “forward looking”. Nationalism is right in any country’s perspective, but not chauvinism, that mean aggressive nationalism. Hitler got rid of all the Jews, presented in Germany. Pol Pot, on the other hand, massacred his own people, is it really “chauvinism” to murder millions of his own people? This question, until now, remains mysterious to the world. The lesson of Pol Pot could be a useful example for the later leaders. The world is increasingly become boundless, and interdependent. The extremism of “chauvinism” is of no use in this progressive world. The world is revolutionary, and the more we are open to criticism, acceptance, and active listening; the more we become more philosophical, and the more we are open to development. Lay Vicheka used to be a lega assistant to a Member of Parliament. He is now the translator, freelance writer for Search Newspaper and writer for different websites around the world. Address: 221H Street 93, Tuol Sangke quarter, Russey Keo district, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Tel: 855 11 268 445, vichekalay@yahoo.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vicheka_Lay http://EzineArticles.com/?Pol-Pots-Perspective-on-Chauvinism&id=158757 online prescription xanax online generic xanax without prescription buy xanax online mo prescription xanax online overnight shipping

Increasing Perceived Value

Sunday, November 25th, 2007

By Daniel Wadleigh As you can probably tell, perceived value is what people are paying for. Perceived means what it brings to them mentally and emotionally as well as physically. Intrinsic value is mere physical replacement cost. For example, vitamins have an intrinsic replacement value of a few dollars, but they have a mental and emotional perceived value of comfort, hope, security and peace of mind because of enhanced life condition of well-being and longevity. This is to say that stressing the mental and/or emotional values of a product/service are critical to more sales. Or, if “adding value” to a commodity, the “extra cost”, if applicable, is more than justified by the extra perceived mental or emotional value, assuming that you relate all of the perceived value. Do you always buy the cheapest brand? Why not? I’ll tell you why you spend more - because the guy you bought from had a more professional looking store or truck, a longer warranty, better references, a longer track record, better service, more convenient location, better connections, knows your sister, is fun to do business with, has products from foreign countries, sold one to Robert Redford, lead the league in hitting at your high school, makes you feel significant when you come around, has earned your trust over time, has box seats at the Astrodome, knows how to fix it - fast, went to your University or trade school, sells a product that you heard Paul Harvey mention on the radio or saw in Reader’s Digest, claims a side benefit is better sleep or makes you appear better looking, is made in America, has environmentally safe products, makes you look like you’re in style, was once in the movie “True Grit”, has a cure for hangovers, was incorporated in the title of a book, was a piece of evidence in the O. J, Simpson trial, was used by American Indians to represent adulthood, reminds you of your first romance, is symbolic of a major accomplishment (like a graduation ring), Jack Nicholson has one, Michael Jordan eats them, demonstrates a level of economic affluence, makes life easier, feels good to the touch, pleases other people, impresses other people, draws people to you, might help you get a promotion, might put a little more romance into your relationship, can be stored easily, might be useful someday under certain conditions, might increase in value, makes a personal statement that you agree with, is something your Mother told you is good for you, claims to be safer, was bought at the “right store”, gives you peace of mind, reminds you to do something you need to remember, was bought at a discount, is generally accepted as a smart thing to have, was listed in the “What’s Hot” list, was part of David Letterman’s Top Ten List, is now offered by The Sharper Image, looks expensive, is the latest, is the fastest, brings back fond memories, is a way to have fun, is a way to be knowledgeable, has multiple functions, is something that you want that you can justify as well as afford, soothes the emotions, lightens the emotions, kills the emotions, saves time, eliminates boredom, initiates conversation, gets people to notice you, helps you get your way, comforts you when aggravated, lifts you up when down, helps the needy, is offered by organizations with your same level of integrity, is easy to learn, is harder to lose, gets you there on time, represents an opportunity to serve others, doesn’t compromise your conscience, does not require aggravation to accomplish, reduces fears, reduces doubts, reduces confusion, helps you to please someone you want to please, is something you know you should have done but put off, is pleasing to God, will save you money, will bring you money, will protect your money, will help control your future, makes you feel significant, makes you feel approved, makes you feel secure, or helps you identify yourself as a ______. These are the reasons why people want a product/service; it’s desire that moves it out! Daniel Wadleigh is a nationally published marketing consultant and has programs for start-up and existing businesses including effective web sites, e-mail/database, other non-internet ways to drive them to your website, and low cost ways to get more new customers. Go to: http://www.more-new-customers.com to get free copy of “Marketing to Men vs. Women- the 8 different responses” and a Free copy of “Market Research- 7 Questions to Ask to Start-up and 7 to Ask to Improve Any Business.” Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_Wadleigh http://EzineArticles.com/?Increasing-Perceived-Value&id=140576 order ultram on line tramadol money order buy tramadol 120 order pharmacy tramadol

5 Top Reasons for Doing a Background Check

Saturday, November 24th, 2007

By Sue Edwards When conducting a background check on the Internet, or by any other means, you should always keep in mind your particular reasons for doing a background check. Here are five reasons why most companies or individuals conduct background checks: 1. Negligent Hiring - in recent years, companies are being held liable in negligent hiring cases for not completing thorough background investigations. Companies and individuals have to face up to the fact that it is not only about what they know about a person, but also about what they should have known about a person. There is simply no way to avoid this. Not doing a thorough background check is as dangerous a practice as not having insurance. Doing criminal background checks alerts you to potentially dangerous job applicants or tenants (if you are a landlord). It is estimated that the average cost is $150,000 per incident. 2. False Skill or Training Claims - anyone you have hired, or are looking to hire, who falsely claims previous training, experience or education, is becoming a major problem for businesses and individuals. A recent study has found that 53% of applications contain falsehoods. Not doing background checks in this situation results in hiring incompetent, or even worse, dangerous people. Not finding false information on applications can also lead to high turnover, loss of business, loss of productivity and high liability exposure. By doing a thorough investigation, these risks can be limited. The average estimated cost is $32,000 per incident. 3. Workplace Violence - On-the-job violence has become a major problem. Homicide is now the #2 cause of death in the workplace. Not only is there a human cost, there is the cost of business disruption. Very often traumatic incidents can lead to firings. The cost of rehiring and training and possible expensive litigation is also a factor. The average estimated cost is $1 million per incident. 4. Employee Theft and Fraud - approximately 30% of all business failures are due to employee theft and fraud (cited by the US Chamber of Commerce). It is estimated that 70% of these crimes are committed by repeat offenders. Doing criminal, civil, workers compensation and Department of Motor Vehicles background checks are your best protection. The average estimated cost is $650 per incident. 5. Lawsuits & False Claims - it seems in our world today there are individuals who are always looking to take advantage of businesses. These individuals use nuisance, trumped up, or even fraudulent insurance and Workmen’s Comp. claims for initiating lawsuits. The dollar cost is staggering, with increased insurance premiums not to mention the cost of legal counsel. With just a few simple background checks (including criminal, civil, Workmen’s Comp. histories) you can dramatically reduce your risk. By spending just a few dollars you can save yourself thousands. The average estimated cost is $7,500 per incident. Protect yourself, the ones you love and your assets. The price is very small considering what the consequences might be if you dont take the time to do a background check! The Best Always & Stay Safe, ~ Sue Edwards This article is 1 of 3. To get all 3 articles in a FREE report visit:http://www.backgroundcop.com It may save your life! Sue R. Edwards has a diverse background in: Banking, Taxi Driving, Auto Mechanics, Industrial Mechanics, Nuclear Power, Computer Repair and Law Enforcement. Sue is an active foreign currency trader and internet marketer with a career online working for herself! http://www.realforextrading.com http://www.webmarketinggold.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sue_Edwards http://EzineArticles.com/?5-Top-Reasons-for-Doing-a-Background-Check&id=202191 settling credit card debt legal credit card debt elimination eliminate credit card debt debt consolidation program loan attorneys credit card debt elimination lawyers personal credit card debt elimination

How To Evaluate Your Old Coin Prices

Saturday, November 24th, 2007

By Frederic Madore Coin collectors are not rare, in fact you can find then in every walk of life. Depending on the type of collector, they will pay different prices for different coins. The actual price of any coin is based on the current grading system. This system is used everyday to evaluate coins whether they are new or old. But first the smart thing to do before evaluating your old coin prices is to gather information that will help you out. The thing is old coins are not always available on the market, so it would be a good idea to gather information about the old coins that do appears on the market and in what condition. To gather this information you could consult the reference section of you library or any other books about coin collecting. Another way to find such coins would be to use the internet. The internet can be a very useful tools when it comes to know what coins the collector are looking for and most important what there worth. All coins, new and old needs to be studied before any price can be placed on them. One area you should consider studying if you manage to become a coin collector is the coin grading process. The information you will gather will greatly help you evaluate your old coin prices. On top of that when you bring your coins to a coin dealer for a proper appraisal, you will have a better understanding of the whole process. IMPORTANT NOTE: Since you will evaluate old coins you should always be very careful in the handling process to avoid any damage to the coins. You must be aware of the various aspects that coin experts look at when they evaluating your old coin prices. Being aware of those special characteristics will help you perform better coin appraisals. When you perform your own grading make sure you do it on a clean surface. There should be no substances that have the ability to degrade you old coin prices. The first step I would recommend during your inspection would be to look at the faces of the coin first. Make sure you note all the marks and special characteristics you see on the coin. Do that for each sides of the coin. After that by manipulating the coin carefully you should look at the side. Make sure you touch the bare minimum of the surface area. Handling your coins with care will avoid the coin being damaged by wear and tear marks. After taking a good look at your old coin and trying to evaluate your old coin prices, the smart thing to do should be to consult an expert to get a coin appraisal. These experts can be located at your coin dealer or shop near home. Doing this will then tell you if you where close to the real value of you coin or not. Take note that the coin grading process is not an exact science; the value of your coins can vary from one expert to another depending on their knowledge of the coin grading system. This articles was written to help you understand the basic principles you need to find your old coin prices. Visit our website at coin-collecting-tips.com, we offer various information about the hobby of coin collecting. We help you become an expert coin collector. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frederic_Madore http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Evaluate-Your-Old-Coin-Prices&id=542078 online prescriptions for phentermine ordering phentermine online cheap phentermine on line cheapest phentermine pharmacy net

Low Rate Unsecured Loans: Tension Free Loan

Friday, November 23rd, 2007

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Steve_C_Clark]Steve C Clark Unsecured loans are the one for which you dont need to offer any asset for securing your loan. So, these are the loans which never involve a risk of repossession of your property. Also these are the best available options for the tenants. Due to the competition in the market at present one can find himself better placed to avail an unsecured loan than in the past. You just need to find out the best lender for you as there are many in the market. Another good thing is that now these loans are available at a much cheaper rate. Also the flexibility related with the low rate unsecured loan make them even more popular. You can borrow the money over a wide range, then there are lot of flexibility in repayments as well as interest rate. Low Rate Unsecured Loans: some important figures One can borrow anything around 1,000-25,000 depending upon the lender, personal repayment ability, past credit history etc. The interest rate can be of both kinds fixed as well as APR. You have to decide the better one for you. The typical rate is around 6.5% APR variable with most of the leading company offering low rate unsecured loan. The typical APR can vary as well with different lenders. However the interest rate range from 6.4% APR to 10.4% APR depending on the personal circumstances of the borrowers. Anyway it is always advisable to opt for a fixed interest rate as you will be in a better position to decide about your monthly budget. As with every loan there is repayment which is the most important part of loan, you have to be careful about the repayment mode and the tenure so that every thing fits well into your monthly budget. Repayment can be made over a period of 12 to 72 months. Repayment term also causes the interest rate to vary. You have to very judiciously find out the maximum amount that you can afford to pay monthly without making any defaults. Also it will be better to find out lenders who dont impose any penalty in case you wish to pay back your loan amount earlier that what you committed. Types of Unsecured Loans: Low rate unsecured loan can be of various kind. You can avail these loans for purchasing a car or repairing it, for buying a new house, for holiday purposes, for home improvement, last but not the least for debt consolidation. Low rate unsecured Loan: process of application The process of application is quite simple. You need to put up your quote on the internet and the loan application is forwarded to lenders offering these loans. You need to sign the form sent by the lenders and once the form is received by them, loan amount is credited into your personal account. If you need the loan urgently just let the lenders know about it and you have the loan amount available for you within few days. The entire process is this fast as there is no time wasted in verification and valuation of your collateral. One of the important requirements to avail low rate unsecured loan is your age and nationality. You must be citizen of U.K and must be of 18 years of age to qualify for these loans. So, now you need not to be worried any more if you want to avail a loan without any collateral. Here is an extremely competitive market waiting for you to cater all your financial requirements. Be a bit judicious to find out the loan offer that suits your personal requirements. Find out the cheapest APR and even with that it is advisable to find out weather there are any hidden charges. So, with a bit of wit and intelligence you can overcome all your financial hurdles. Steve Clark can tell you how to look better, live better and breathe better by giving you tips to improve your finances. He writes on loans. His ideas can help you rejuvenate your money. To find Personal loan UK, secured loans, unsecured loans visit http://www.ezpersonalloansuk.co.uk Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_C_Clark http://EzineArticles.com/?Low-Rate-Unsecured-Loans:-Tension-Free-Loan&id=324964 medication order ultram no prescription tramadol buy tramadol online without a prescription buy domain online 199mb com tramadol

Garden Success in Southcentral Alaska Part 3 of 3

Thursday, November 22nd, 2007

By Ann Roberts Select for Success Perhaps the only thing more important in Alaska than soil warming is variety selection. No matter how warm your soil, your garden will be a failure if your lettuce bolts, sending up a seed stalk instead of producing a head, your squash plants finally set fruit the week before the first frost, and your root crops never get around to producing. These problems are often the result of planting poorly adapted varieties. Unfortunately, many seed-rack varieties at your local supermarket simply wont do well in Alaska, even though the packet may read Seed especially developed for your area.” Chances are theyre the same varieties offered for sale in other northern states. Until his retirement, Dr. Curtis H. Dearborn tested varieties for Southcentral. More recently, Dr. Don Carling has been carrying out potato trials. In Southeast, varieties were tested by local gardeners directed by Walt McPherson. Recently, Bob Gorman has been conducting limited trials in raised beds in Sitka. These are only a few who, over the years, have engaged in variety testing for Alaska. The Cooperative Extension Service (CES), cooperating with the US Department of Agriculture, publishes the latest findings of the University’s Agricultural Experiment Station scientists in three lists covering major state growing areas: Interior, Southcentral, and Southeast. The Southcentral list, obtainable free from any local Cooperative Extension Service office, now includes notes on maturity, yield, and growing tips. Photoperiods The problem with poorly adapted varieties is often not cold soil, but photoperiods. Photoperiodicity is the striking effect of day length on growth and reproduction in plants. While many plants arent particularly fussy in their requirements for a daily light-dark cycle (these are called day-neutrals), some very important ones are definitely long-day plants. Still others are short-day plants, and it is these that present serious problems in far northern gardens exposed to constant daylight for months during the summer. Much of Alaska never really gets dark from early May to early August. Even at the southern tip of Southeastern Alaska, summer nights are still very much shorter than northern states like Washington and Maine. Daylight itself is not the problem; its actually the length of the night that counts. A short-day plant is really a long-night plant. Plants carry out some very important chemical reactions at night; if they dont have enough uninterrupted darkness to complete these, their whole life cycle may be upset. The most noticeable effect is disruption of the flowering process. A street light outside the window will keep a poinsettia (which requires at least 12 hours of night) from blooming. Commercial growers routinely force” short-day (long-night) autumn bloomers by darkening their greenhouses for part of each summer day. Most varieties of squash and cucumbers produce only male flowers during early summer. Only when nights lengthen in the fall are female flowers also formed, often too late to produce mature fruit. A few apparently short-day vegetables are eggplant, butternut squash, and true spinach. Most members of some other species (like beets and lettuce) are adversely affected by long days, but satisfactorily adapted varieties have been developed. Consult the variety lists Alaskan researchers have provided. A Successful Harvest There are wonderfully productive gardens in Southcentral, from north of Wasilla to south of Homer. By concentrating on soil warming, and by choosing adapted varieties of cool weather crops, you, too, can harvest success, sowing in Southcentral or on the Kenai Peninsula. Ann D Roberts is the author of Alaska Gardening Guide Vol 1, covering cold weather gardening in Alaska, with specific growing tips for vegetables. The book, written and published in Alaska, is in its third printing and is already the definitive and indispensable reference guide to every Alaskan gardener. Readers can check out its table of contents at http://AlaskaGardeningGuide.com. Ann is presently working on Vol 2, covering perennials and lawns. This article may be freely reprinted only in its entirety, including this final paragraph. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ann_Roberts http://EzineArticles.com/?Garden-Success-in-Southcentral-Alaska-Part-3-of-3&id=77905 cheap finasteride prescription buy finasteride without prescription best price generic propecia finasteride cheap online avodart

Turning the Tables - Interviewing The Interviewer

Wednesday, November 21st, 2007

By Joel Vance When is a question, also an answer? When what you ask, tells an interviewer something about your mindset, motives, understanding of the job, or what you are bringing into the company in the way of assets. At the end of an interview, its customary for the recruiter to give you the chance to put forward any questions. Asking the right questions, gives the impression of confidence, and of having paid close attention to everything that was discussed. What are you going to ask? That depends a great deal, on what areas have been covered in the interview, and whether anything crucial remains unclear for you. Prior to any interview, you should sit down and write out a list of what you want to know most about the job. You might also put down what you see as being key points to connect on, with the interviewer. Memorize your list, and if some items have not been covered in your time with the recruiter, this is the chance to ask about them. Research has shown that recruiters remember the beginning and end of an interview, with the rest kind of fading out. So the first impression you make, and the questions you ask, are key factors. The questions you ask can serve your interests in a variety of ways, including: * Communicating your long-term career goals * Reaffirming your key motivations in seeking the position * Emphasize your potential contributions to the company * Clarifying the companys needs, which is valuable information * Putting mutual expectations on the table Here is a sampling of questions you might ask, and how they may benefit you. 1. What are your expectations from me over the first six months? This will give you an idea of how fast the company would like to see you integrated into the job and functioning at peak efficiency. It will also provide a sense of what leeway is allowed for learning specific tasks. 2. What are the benchmarks that will be used to evaluate my performance? The timeframe in which you are expected to become competent at various tasks is important. Not knowing can lead to needless frustration and worry if you do get the job, then spend time on one task, when another should have taken priority. 3. Do you have performance evaluations, when are they done, and how will I know my score? If you are falling short of their expectations in a particular area, its important to know as soon as possible, so that you can take action to correct it. 4. What are the companys goals for this position? How does it figure in the day-to-day operations and long term plans? Knowing what the employer expects, gives you the security to learn and function to the best of your ability, without worrying about possible layoffs, or elimination of the position. Not that long-range goals rule those things out. But if the company has a vision for future success, they try to keep it intact, and only trim away what they can function without. 5. What are the immediate goals of my department? Youll know how to start contributing, as soon as youre hired. Goal-oriented employees are a welcome addition. 6. What are the long-term goals of my department? This will give you a chance to consider ways in which to contribute to the companys future growth, something you might share if called back for another interview. 7. What are your expectations from a new employee? Take this chance to get a general sense of company policy and atmosphere. Remember that recruiters are busy people. They may still have a whole afternoon of interviews after yours. Keep your list of questions limited to just the essentials. If you have memorized your priority questions at home, and can eliminate the majority after the interview, do so, then choose from among those that remain. This article is provided by www.ThePerfectInterwiew.com, the best place for learning insider interviewing techniques. Copyright 2005 The Perfect Interview Joel Vance is an Human Resources expert who has been in HR for 17 years and interviewed 3,159 people. He has also taught at 4 major universities around the country and currently has a best selling book on interviewing entitled The Perfect Interview at http://www.theperfectinterview.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joel_Vance http://EzineArticles.com/?Turning-the-Tables—Interviewing-The-Interviewer&id=78937 buy lortab online carisoprodol 350 buy mg online soma carisoprodol online purchase http carisoprodol online

Tips for Conducting a Criminal Background Check

Tuesday, November 20th, 2007

By Matthew Bass If you’re seriously interested in knowing about criminal background checks, you need to think beyond the basics. This informative article takes a closer look at things you need to know about criminal background checks. A criminal background check can give rise to many types of information about criminal/legal issues including arrests and convictions. If an allegation of child abuse is to be found it will be in the report as well. Criminal records information is not available to the general public in every state. Some states have criminal information online that is accessible whereas other states are more particular and require that a person interested in doing a criminal background check on another individual must fill out and submit a long and sometimes very involved, written application. In the case of written consent there is always a fee attached and fees vary greatly from state to state. There are oftenother requirements to be met as well including an authorization form and/or specific information to help identify an individual. This information might include, but not be limited to, a full name, address (street and mailing), birth date, social security number and county of current residence. Statewide record systems for doing a criminal background check are not always the most reliable for two reasons. First of all there are often a minimum number of both courts and offenses that maintain extensive records and secondly, the statewide system often has limited ranges on specific dates. Searches for both offenders and inmates are for all intents and purposes, meant only for those people who were sentenced to a state prison, not a federal penitentiary. Child abuse registry criminal background checks are only available for public access in a small number of states. To obtain necessary information for your criminal background check regarding child abuse, the best thing to do is to get in touch with the child protective service agency in the state in question. Many states provide website access to sex offender registries (abbreviated to SORs) but the degree of information you can find is very minimal. Now that we’ve covered those aspects of criminal background check, let’s turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered. To provide some examples of what different states offer in regard to information for conducting a criminal background check, we first look at Alabama. Alabama has a website for inmate searches but criminal records can be obtained by a telephone conversation. There is a setup fee and calls cost 35 cents a minute. Arizona provides a website for SORs and also takes phone or fax requests. Colorado has a SOR system as well but it can only be accessed by residents of the state. This state provides an Electronic Clearance System (ECS) and charges $6.85 per search. Connecticut on the other hand charges $25 for mail requests only while Florida has online access to their offenders but charges $23 for a criminal records search (with the exception of SORs which are done with no charge). To continue with the look at the state searches for information for a criminal background check, we have Georgia, which offers an online database to look for offenders but for other searches charges a fee up to $20.00. Hawaii charges searchers $15 for a name search and $25 for a fingerprint search while the state of Illinois charges $12 for a name search and $14 for a fingerprint search and necessitates that the form for this information be ordered online. If you’ve picked some pointers about criminal background checks that you can put into action, then by all means, do so. You won’t really be able to gain any benefits from your new knowledge if you don’t use it. Matthew Bass publishes BackgroundCheckWizard.com He provides more recommendations and information on Criminal Background Checks that you can research on his website. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_Bass http://EzineArticles.com/?Tips-for-Conducting-a-Criminal-Background-Check&id=215637 no prescription pharmacy diazepam buy valium in the uk buy in uk valium order valium online

Which Seduction Style Should You Use Tonight?

Monday, November 19th, 2007

By Jay Ashley Every woman is unique, and it’s essential that men understand this basic truth before they can expect any of their seduction routines to succeed. If you want to hit a home run tonight, make sure that you’re using the right seduction style on the right woman. Types of Seduction Styles: What Do They Find Attractive about You? All women respond differently to each seduction style. What seems sexy for someone could be a turn-off for another. The success of a seduction ploy also almost completely rests on the woman’s decision: no matter how good-looking you are, if looks aren’t important to them then you’re placed in same boat with the rest of the male population. It’s therefore important to know what THEY think is attractive about you and NOT what you think makes you attractive to them. Physical Attraction - Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on which side of the fence you’re standing on, most women - whether they admit to or not - allow themselves to be seduced simply because of physical attraction and no more and no less than that. This means that if they don’t find you gorgeous, you’re instantly out of the running. Physical attraction encompasses a number of things, depending on a woman’s fancy. Besides obvious factors such as being handsome and muscular, a woman might be also after tall guys, or men with dark complexion, a sexy foreign accent, ash blond hair, or violet eyes.Money Talks - A woman isn’t necessarily a gold digger just because she only allows herself to be seduced by rich men. Sometimes, a woman could be simply practical, toughened by the challenges of life. Still, do be careful when using money to win a woman to bed because you just never know what you’re going to get! It’s Not What You Have but It’s How You Use It - We need not spell the obvious. In the old days, women might have been motivated and interested purely in the disparity of sizes, but now that women are smarter, they know that it’s truly skills that matter most in the bedroom. If you have a sizzling reputation as a bed partner, trust us when we say that women might find themselves automatically falling for your seduction trap just because they’ve heard you were good in bed. The Boy-Next-Door - A lot of women on the other hand dig the boy-next-door type a lot. If you have the sweet cherubic look of a gentleman, you could seize the advantage by using your looks to get what you want. When a man appears infinitely harmless, most women usually allow their anti-jerk-shields to go down. This makes them more vulnerable to usual so strike while the iron’s hot! It’s more likely that they wouldn’t even realize they’re being expertly seduced! Charm without Salesman Suave - The right quantity of charm to use on a woman is a balance that most men find difficult to achieve. It’s very easy to overdo it after all then ending up like a glib-talking con artist out for no good. If you wish to charm yourself into a woman’s bed, just remember that charm is all about making both of you feel good about yourselves and with each other. Keep in mind that it’s very possible a woman might be looking for a combination or all of those in a man. If that’s your case, too bad, but there’s nothing you can do about it. If a man’s will lies supreme in the real world, inside the bedroom, it’s what women want that counts! Having trouble meeting women? Check out this excellent guide on the seduction of women from a womans point of view on the art of seduction! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jay_Ashley http://EzineArticles.com/?Which-Seduction-Style-Should-You-Use-Tonight?&id=324193 generic order ultram buy tramadol 180 tabs online order overnight tramadol cheap prescription tramadol

Free Diet Patches

Sunday, November 18th, 2007

By Alison Cole Studies reveal more than 300,000 Americans die every year because of obesity. Presently, about 60 percent of adults and 13 percent of children are considered to be overweight or obese. This unhealthy trend has made many people concerned and afraid that they may be or become obese. As a result, an increasing number of people are trying quick result weight loss programs that include diet supplements such as diet patches. A diet patch is essentially a weight loss program where the individual is expected to wear a patch, usually on the arm, until the desired weight loss is achieved. It is aimed at reducing weight in a short span of time. Medical reviews affirm that with every diet patch that is peeled off the body, the client will lose excess weight. In general, it is a profitable time for marketers of diet patches who make every effort to attract first time users. Free diet patches are being advertised through magazines, Internet and TV commercials. A number of diet patch companies offer free diet patches for a first time user. This is an effective marketing strategy, since people are more inclined to try a new product, when it does not cost them anything. The mindset of many consumers is that even if the product does not bring about the promised effect, at least they do not have to incur a monetary loss. Most advertisements for diet patches provide free trials for a week or ten days. Some companies offer free diet patches, if a customer buys in large quantities. Critics are apprehensive of the effect of diet patches, claiming that the distribution of free diet patches is a marketing gimmick. Some specialists state that diet patches may not have the same success as traditional weight loss products. It is important for clients to know that most diet patches claims are not clinically proven. It is important to note that a company will offer diet patches for a free trial only. Subsequently, the user will have to buy it, and the prices of some of these products could be prohibitive. There are a number of fraud companies on the Internet that insist that the customer provide credit card details prior to being approved for a free trial. These could be rip off tactics, and it is important to make enquiries and buy diet patches only from reputed dealers. Diet Patches provides detailed information on Diet Patches, Transdermal Diet Patches, Wholesale Diet Patches, Dangers Of Diet Patches and more. Diet Patches is affiliated with Prescription Diet Pills. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alison_Cole http://EzineArticles.com/?Free-Diet-Patches&id=353797 buy phentermine for cheap get phentermine online cheap phentermine overnight delivery cheap phentermine no rx