Doreneo

Child growth standards

2009-05-04T21:30:00.000-07:00

WHO Anthro (version 3, April 2009) and macros

This page provides the option to download the software WHO Anthro for use on personal computers (PC) and mobile devices (MD) with Windows operating systems. In addition there are macros for the statistical software packages SPSS, SAS, S-Plus and STATA to facilitate survey data analysis.

Software

The WHO Anthro software for PC has been further updated to allow users to correct for cluster sampling in the analysis of nutritional surveys. Additionally the survey module includes now the option to collect address data similarly to the inidvidual assessment. This information can be useful for mapping and stratified analysis. Furthermore another language option enables users now to change not only from English to French and Spanish but also to Russian. The PC manual has also been updated to reflect these changes.

Anthropometric calculator
Individual assessment
Nutritional survey

Before downloading the software please read the license agreement.

Open license agreement [pdf 9kb]

To download the software and respective manuals click on the links below. Before downloading the software we recommend users to study first the manual, in particular the description of the requirements and installation.

WHO Anthro for PC [exe 3.76Mb] | WHO Anthro for PC manual [pdf 1.69Mb] To download .Net framework WHO Anthro for MD [exe 7.91Mb] | WHO Anthro for MD manual [pdf 2.19Mb]

For manual installation via e.g. OS X or Linux

Installation files [zip 14.25Mb] | Instructions [pdf 117kb]

Macros

All four macros, i.e. the SAS, S-Plus, SPSS and STATA macro calculate the indicators of the attained growth standards (length/height-for-age, weight-for-age, weight-for-length, weight-for-height, body mass index-for-age, head circumference-for-age, arm circumference-for-age, triceps skinfold-for-age and subscapular skinfold-for-age).

Should you encounter problems with the download due to slow internet connection, please send your contact details to the address below and we shall mail you a CD ROM including the software and manuals.

To report any software or macro problems please make a brief bug report containing the details on:

The kind of problem found
Whether it appeared systematically or randomly
Where it was found on what platform (PC or Mobile), in what module interface, or in what macro
How it occurred, including what sequence of commands or buttons
What the expected result would have been
In case you managed to circumvent/solve the problem, how you did it

Send this brief report including the error log file to the following address:
WHO Anthro
Department of Nutrition
World Health Organization
Avenue Appia 20
1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
fax: +41 22 791 4156

who_anthro@who.int

Please note: This is not a helpline address.

How to Create Rounded Form

2009-04-27T23:23:00.000-07:00

How to Create Rounded Form

procedure TForm1.FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
var
f : HRGN;
begin
Form1.Borderstyle := bsNone;
f := CreateRoundRectRgn(
0, // x-coordinate of the region’s upper-left corner
0, // y-coordinate of the region’s upper-left corner
clientwidth, // x-coordinate of the region’s lower-right corner
clientheight, // y-coordinate of the region’s lower-right corner
40, // height of ellipse for rounded corners
40); // width of ellipse for rounded corners
SetWindowRgn(Handle,f,True);
end;

Download: Source Code

TAdvString Grid v.4.0.6.7

2009-04-26T23:16:00.000-07:00

TAdvStringGrid is a stringgrid with lots of extra possibilities:

insert / delete / move rows and columns
copy / paste to clipboard
save / load to internal file format
save / load / append to CSV file
save / load to XLS file (native, no Excel required)
save / load to XML file
save / load to stream
save to HTML with colors if specified
save to RTF with images, colors, fonts, alignment, HTML (native, no Word required)
save to formatted text files
load from MDB files
grouping
filtering
virtual mode
Unicode cell support
BiDi left to right and right to left mode support
cell alignment, cell color, cell font color, read-only cells, wordwrapped, …
automatic printing with optional title, page number, date, time, border, header and footer, font control, fit to page
automatic column sizing
column sorting (alphabetic, numeric, date, time, custom)
full sort when clicking on column header + arrow indication (like Internet mail)
automatic goto cell based on sorted column when key pressed
hints, comments, balloon tips
many advanced navigation options
rotated text
progress bars, bitmaps, icons, HTML formatted text, range indicators, buttons, checkboxes in cells
Windows XP, Office 2003 theme aware
built-in Firefox style search panel
printsettings, HTML export settings, find, find & replace dialogs included
native Excel import / export component included
native RTF export component included
TAdvGridWorkbook for multi grid use included
many more…

Homepage: http://www.tmssoftware.com/
Download: http://www.tmssoftware.com/
File Size: 3.68 MB - 9.13 MB
Delphi Version: Delphi 5 - Delphi 2007
Source: None

12 Effective Leadership Roles

2009-04-25T21:16:00.000-07:00

12 Effective Leadership Roles

Create an Inspiring Vision & Lead by Example

Create an inspiring vision, establish shared values, give direction and set stretch goals
Create change, lead change, manage resistance to change
Lead by example; practice what you preach; set an example, and share risks or hardship
Demonstrate confidence; win respect and trust without courting popularity

Empower, Inspire, and Energize People

Be enthusiastic; inspire and energize people, create a positive work environment
Empower people; delegate authority; be open to ideas; have faith in the creativity of others
Communicate openly and honestly; give clear guidelines; set clear expectations
Be willing to discuss and solve problems; listen with understanding; support and help

Build and Lead a Team

Use team approach; facilitate cooperation; involve everyone; trust your group; rely on their judgment
Bring out the best in your people; have common touch with them; coach and provide feedback
Permit group decision; help your team reach better decisions
Monitor progress, but don’t micromanage; avoid close supervision; do not overboss; do not dictat

Care for the Paint of your Vespa

2009-04-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

Care for the Paint of your Vespa

As with all vehicles made of metal, paint is applied to protect the sheet metal from the elements. Aside from giving our scoots character, the paint makes it possible for the metal body to last years, keeping corrosion away. May it be acrylic or 2K urethane or the latest low-emission and still under development water-based coatings, it still serves the purpose of prolonging the life of the metal shell of a scooter or a car. (I will be discussing the evolution of paint through the years in another thread)

We all want a glossy finish to our paint. But through time and even in normal wear and tear conditions, the paint we apply to protect our rides will succumb to oxidation, fading, acid rain pitting, bird/insect droppings, and hair-line scratches (more popularly known as “gasgas basahan”). These factors all lead to one result - a dull paint finish!

So what do we do with a dull paint finish? We buff it! Having your rides repainted is always the last resort, except if you want a new color or the coating is really beat up. The fastest way to achieve that gloss is to have the paint detailed, meaning buffed and polished.

Below is a process of detailing the paint of your scoot:

1. Degriming - This step coincides with washing the surface with shampoo. After rinsing, use cleaner clay to take out stubborn dirt build-up, paint overspray, and grime. General purpose adhesive cleaner or kerosene may be used to remove asphalt build up on some panels especially the underbody. Rinse the body again and dry completely with microfiber cloth and an air hose.

2. Masking - Out scoots, like cars, have rubber panels, chrome trims, plastic parts, which we do not want to touch with the buffing pad or buffing foam. So we use masking tape to hide these parts. We just want the painted areas exposed.

3. Compounding - We use rubbing compound to take away all the defects stated above. The compound is really a very fine liquid abrasive used with a wool pad attached to a polisher. As the wool pad turns at a maximum range of 1800-2500rpm, it heats up the paint slightly and the compound will work on making the clear coat even, taking away hairline scratches and oxidation. We will achieve a result that is relatively more glossy than the initial condition of tha paint but if you look closely, the surface will have small fine ripples called swirlmarks which will be removed by the next step.

4. Polishing - A polishing glaze is used with a polishing foam attached to a polisher to take away the swirlmarks produced by compounding. This step folks, is the secret to a glossy finish, provided that step #3 is done right. But this is the real deal if you want your scoot to be gleaming.

5. Paint Protection - Having achieved the glossy finish we want, we would like it to last as long as possible. We apply wax to the finish and try to leave a very thin waxy film over the newly buffed paint. Always use a microfiber cloth to wipe off the wax. And voila! A good-looking glossy paint finish!

Just a few facts about wax:
- Wax gives a shiny finish to our paint BUT it is limited to the condition of the paint. It is not a magic wand.
- It protects your paint by giving it a smooth surface where dust can easily be blown off. Dust on your paint will act as an abrasive when rubbed. That is paint protection, REALLY! I have seen a lot of gimmicks regarding wax and I just don’t know what others claim. Plain good marketing maybe? Roll Eyes
- Frequency of waxing? Once a week, once a month…it really depends…it’s very subjective. Personally, I wax once a month during summer and once a week during the rainy season.

The topic above is for OLD/EXISTING PAINT. For NEWLY APPLIED PAINT, here is a quick rundown:

1. Clearcoat Sanding - Most paint finish are sealed with clear coat or top coat. It is sanded down to reduce or completely remove the orange peel that is produced by painting. All newly painted cars, OEM or refinish, have this characteristic. No matter if it’s a robot spray or the best spray gun, orange peel will always be present, unless we use a paint brush Grin Anyway, orange peel may be considered a natural defect. Natural because it is the way sprayed paint behaves, and defect because it does not reflect light perfectly. For that glass finish you’ve always wanted, tell your painter to sand your clear coat with grits #1200, #1500, and #2000 sandpaper.

2. Compunding - Same as above but here we are taking out sanding marks.

3. Polishing - Same as above.

4. Paint Protection - Please use hand glaze or finishing glaze. NEVER EVER USE WAX on newly applied paint. Fresh paint takes an hour or two to dry, but a month to fully cure. Cured paint means that all solvents used as medium to make the paint sprayable have completely evaporated. The paint needs to breathe for a month. Applying wax, which contains silicone, will seal off the surface and block off the evaporation of solvents. This will result to what we call paint die back. To simulate die back, try putting a damp cloth inside a ziplock plastic. Seal it in and leave it. After a while you will notice moisture build up on the inner wall of the plastic. That also happens with paint. In case of die back, follow step #1 through #4 again. In severe cases, a new layer of top coat should be applied after sanding down to color layer.

A few facts:
- Brand new cars/scooters/motorcycles from the casa may be waxed since the newly bought unit has been sitting in the OEM yard for at least a month.
- All procedures apply to any type and brand of paint.

I hope you enjoyed this topic as much as I did writing it Smiley I have edited most parts from what I prepared initially since it was very long and technical. But please feel free to ask anything regarding this topic of paint-finishing and detailing. If I missed some vital steps, please let me know. Comments, suggestions, violent reactions are always welcome. Thanks for reading!

Article written by Macky Ochoa

New House Building: Money Saving, Convenience and Healthy House Tips

2009-04-23T19:51:00.000-07:00

New House Building: Money Saving, Convenience and Healthy House Tips

1. Approaches to Building

There are basically three different approaches to building a new home. They are: 1) Hiring a custom builder to build the home that you want.; 2) Buying a home from a production or tract builder who will build the home for you; and, 3) Hiring yourself as the builder (GC) and managing the process yourself. Each of these approaches has its advantages and disadvantages. This newsletter will examine all three.

2. What is a Builder?

Before we delve into each of these three approaches letâ€™s examine for a moment what a builder is and what a builder does. A builder is someone you hire to build your house, correct? Well, yes and no. It has been said that when you hire a builder you are really hiring four people: the builder, the builderâ€™s crews, the builderâ€™s subcontractors, and the builderâ€™s suppliers. What this means is that most builders do not build houses by themselves, but hire outside subcontractors to do part of the work-plumbers and electricians are good examples.

Except for a few very large builders who have the requisite staff and tradesmen on their payroll to build a house from start to finish, most builders are not only builders, but also general contractors, or GCâ€™s as they are known in the trade. That is, they hire and schedule other specialized subcontractors to work for them in the building of your house. Builder hires subs, manages their work and performs the essential function of QC.

There is nothing wrong with this practice; we are simply calling it to your attention so you have a clear understanding of it. Many of the ways (discussed later on in this guide) for saving money on your home building project build upon the understanding of this practice. With a firm grasp of this trade practice, letâ€™s move on to the considerations for choosing a builder.

3. Hiring a custom builder

The single biggest reason for hiring a custom home builder is because you have you own idea of what your house should look like. Custom builders by definition build the house you ask them to build. Big or small, single story of three story, brick or vinyl â€“ it doesnâ€™t matter. The idea here is that a custom builder will build a house the way you want it. Period. (as long as you can pay for it and it meets code requirements).

Because custom builders, never build the same plan twice, some of the efficiencies that often come with building the same or similar plan many times, which is what tract or production builder do, are not realized. Consequently custom homes are often more expensive, than similar sized production homes. However this cost differential is also due to the fact the custom home often, also, utilize more expensive materials and have incorporated into them more expensive features.

Custom home builders also have the reputation of doing better or higher quality work â€“ a reputation not always deserved. While custom home builders are often smaller companies where employees are people not just numbers, these builders tend to be more flexible, more responsive to customers, and they tend to take greater pride in their work. Conversely, unlike large companies that may have a site supervisor to supervise and will also have a quality control department, custom home builders often times have neither.

The last type of builder is a customized builder. They specialize in building homes from scratch or a blank sheet of paper. These builders are accustomed to creating unique, one of-a-kind homes. They are typically smaller builders and produce fewer homes per year.

Advantages:

Unlimited ability to customize
Buyers typically bring their own blue prints/floor plans
Offer more personalized service
Homes have a unique look, not cookie-cutter

Disadvantages:

Development of cost estimate takes time
Building timetable is also drawn out
No experience in building your exact home
Cost is higher â€“ no economies of scale in buying materials or building homes en mass.

If your plans are to build a custom home, we suggest you consider buying the House Building Guide. This Guide will help save you money, provides important convenience and healthy house building tips and contains many important resources and tools, such as a sample building contract, sample specifications, building timeline and much more.
Click here to learn more.

4. Production or Tract Builders

Most people will recognize this group of builders much more quickly if the phrase â€œmodel homeâ€� is used. Whenever visit a model home, you are dealing with a production or tract builder of one form or another.

A production builder is organized for high-volume production. They have standardized floor plans and a limited list of choices for floors, cabinets, counter tops, fixtures, etc. A common characteristic of production builders is the presence of a model home for prospective customers to tour. If this describes your situation, be aware of the model house trap. This is the situation that occurs when you tour a model home and fall into the misperception that what you see in this model home is what you will get when you buy the same model from the builder. These model homes are often decorated extensively and contain many upgrades. To actually get the home as presented could cost you tens of thousands of dollars in extras. If this is the type of home you are buying, I strongly suggest that you buy a book entitled Home Building Pitfalls. This e-book is written by a person who used to work for such a builder. The book goes into great detail about the do and donâ€™ts of purchasing such homes.

Here are the advantages of such builders:

Since these builders build in volume, cost should be lower
Time to build should be less
Pricing can be done quickly (because options and selections are limited)
Since models have been built hundreds of times any problems with the design should have been worked out and resolved

Here are the disadvantages:

Generally have the reputation of being lower quality
Ability to customize is greatly limited
Significant changes, if allowed at all, will be very expensive
Generally use cheaper, lower grade materials
Developments have a cookie-cutter look
Standard contracts that may be inflexible

If you are visiting model homes â€“ you need to take a look at Home Building Pitfalls. It is loaded with valuable information which will help you make an informed decision and avoid the many pitfalls in this process.

5. Owner Builder Approach

The third way to build a house is to use the owner builder approach. This approach is not for everyone. In fact, I would say it is NOT for most people. But, for the people that have the time and willingness to go down this path it will save them some serious money. And that is its big draw and why there is a growing trend in the country for these types of projects. Most custom builders mark up a project 15% or more, and in some markets a lot more. However if you just use the 15% number on a $300,000 home, you will save at least $45,000.

What exactly does the owner builder do? At minimum, the owner builder is required to be the GC and hire all of the required tradesman that will build the house. This alone results in the 15% or more savings. Many owner builders to more than this, they paint, they do inside finish work, they install flooring, - some who have a fair amount of construction literally build their entire home. The bottom line, is you can do as little or as much building as you want, but at minimum you must hire and manage sub.

The biggest obstacle historically has been financing, and today continues to be so. financing. Once you have decided you would like to be an owner builder, it is no simple task to find a bank to finance it. Why? Because banks believe that have a GC or builder involved ensures that the project is done correctly and therefore reduces their risk on these projects. A homeowner with little or no experience approaches, wanting to undertake an owner builder project, is a risky proposition from the bankâ€™s viewpoint.

After years of shying away from suggesting this build approach to homeowners, we no longer do so. The reason? There are several companies that now provide, not only the financing but also, ongoing construction support to help you through the process.
If you think the owner builder approach is for you and would like to speak with someone about it â€“ complete the form on the following page for a no-obligation evaluation.

6. Choosing a Builder

The best way to evaluate a builder is, as you might expect, to talk to other people he has built for and to look at houses he has built. Builders, like most businesses, will have ready lists of references to provide you. Obviously, a builder isnâ€™t going to give you the name of someone who has had a bad experience with him.

Consequently, the value of these references is limited. It is much more valuable to ask for a list of all the houses the builder has built in the last two years, and/or a list of houses he currently has under construction and contact these people as your references.

In addition, if you know of a subdivision or development that a builder has recently built, drive by and talk to the residents you see and get some unrehearsed, on-the-spot opinions and comments.

These opinions are much more valuable. Donâ€™t just talk to one or two people â€“ talk to 5 or even 10. I know most of us are used to dealing with the standard list of three references, but on this most important decision, donâ€™t take a chance. Talk to as many people as is reasonable until you are confident you know with which kind of a builder you are dealing.

When you meet with a builder, you should be prepared to interview him or ask him a list of questions. The following list of questions had been taken from the House Building Guide. It is available in a spreadsheet or checklist format entitled the Builderâ€™s Questionnaire and Interview Checklist.

How long have you been in business?
Have you or your partners built houses under any other names?
How many homes do you build per year?
How many homes do you build concurrently?
How much time do you spend supervising the building process?
Do you do the supervising yourself or do you have a foreman or site supervisor?
What work will you do with your own crews â€“ what work is subbed?
Do you have contracts with your subcontractors? Can I see a copy?
Can you provide us with a list of all of your subcontractors, including name, address and phone number?
How long has each sub worked for you?
Can you provide us with a bank reference?
Can you provide us with a copy of your insurance certificate?
Have you had any suits brought against you by any homeowners for whom you built?
If yes, why, and what was the outcome of the suit?
How many change orders would you consider â€œaverageâ€� in the process of building a home?
Are there charges or fees for initiating change orders (other than the obvious costs for the change â€“ some builders charge a flat fee of say $50, plus the construction charges)?
Can change orders be initiated by the builder?
If a mistake is made during the building process, who pays to fix the mistake?
What kind of warranty do you provide? (some states may mandate warranties)
Do you do the warranty work on your houses or is it done by a third party?

There are a number of other important ways to evaluate a builder. They include

Auditing or inspecting a home under construction.
Interviewing the Builderâ€™s subcontractors
Interviewing the Builderâ€™s Material suppliers
Do your research. Contact BBB, HADD and other consumer protection websites.

-Kitchen Safety-Fire Prevention in the Kitchen

2009-04-22T22:24:00.000-07:00

Fire Prevention in the Kitchen
EACH YEAR, KITCHEN FIRES kill hundreds of people and injure thousands in North America.Most of these fires can be prevented by following the basic fire safety tips on this page.

Don't leave cooking unattended
Never leave food cooking on your stove or in your oven when you leave home and stay in the kitchen whenever anything is cooking. Turn off stoves and appliances promptly when you're finished using them and unplug electrical appliances when they are not in use.

Keep appliances clean
Built-up grease catches fire easily. Wipe appliance surfaces after spills and clean stove surfaces and ovens regularly.

Be alert
Studies show that 42 percent of the people who have died in cooking fires were asleep. Do not attempt to cook if you have been drinking alcohol or are drowsy.

Wear close-fitting sleeves
Loose sleeves can dangle too close to hot stove burners and catch fire. Don't store things on or above your stove. Clothing can catch fire when you lean over stove burners to reach shelves.

Keep flammable objects clear of the stove
Pot holders, dish towels, and curtains catch fire easily. Keep such items at least three feet (one meter) from your stove.

Do not overload electrical outlets
Plugging too many kitchen appliances, especially heat producing appliances such as toasters, coffee pots, waffle irons, or electric frying pans into the same electrical outlet or circuit could overload your circuit, overheat, or cause a fire.

Operate microwaves safely
Microwave ovens stay cool, but what's cooked in them can be very hot. Use pot holders when removing food from microwave ovens.

Turn pot handles inward
A pot handle sticking out over the edge of your stove can be bumped in passing or grabbed by a child. Prevent burns and stovetop fires by always turning pot handles in toward the back of the stove.

Heat oil slowly
Heat cooking oil slowly over moderate heat and never leave hot oil unattended.

If a grease fire starts, smother it.
Never pour water on a cooking fire. If a pan of food catches fire, carefully slide a lid over the pan and turn off your stove burner. Keep the lid on until completely cooled. If a fire starts in your oven, close the oven door and turn off the heat source. If the flames do not go out immediately, call the fire department.

Close the door on microwave fires
If anything catches fire in your microwave, keep the door closed and turn off or unplug the microwave. Opening the door will only feed oxygen to the fire. Do not use the oven again until it is serviced.

First aid for burns
Run cool water over a burn for 10 to 15 minutes. This will minimize skin damage and ease the pain. Never apply butter or other grease to a burn. If the burned skin is blistered or charred, see a doctor immediately.

Stop, drop, and roll
If your clothing catches fire, do not run. Stop where you are, drop to the ground, cover your face with your hands, and roll over and over to smother the flames. If someone else's clothes catch fire, push them to the ground and roll them over and over, or smother the flames with a flame-resistant blanket or carpet.

The Mozart Effect for Children

2009-04-22T17:38:00.000-07:00

The Mozart Effect for Children

source : www.curledup.com

The Mozart Effect for Children is Don Campbell’s sequel to - and extensive application Of - musical and extra-musical benefits suggested in the original The Mozart Effect, 1997. The author focuses on sensory-motor stimulation and neuronal connections in the growing brain and body associated with the ages and sequential stages of child development. Campbell, enraptured by Mozart and his music and buttressed by the initial research on therapeutic sound by Dr. Alfred Tomatis in France, pulled together neuroscience research, case studies, and testimonials to propose fetal-intrauterine communication with soon to- to-be mothers. Methods of sound communication included possible changes in heartbeat rhythms, breathing patterns, tone of voice, physical vibrations, verbal chants, humming, light tapping, varied muscle movements, personalized stories with music (preferably by Mozart), singing, and family music-making renditions. This available usable human repertoire of sound methodology and love of Mozart leads the author to develop a rather ambitious, if not audacious, goal.

In the prelude, Campbell is asked, “Can music make your child more intelligent?” He responds, “True, many influences contribute to the molding of a life, and music is only one of them. But, unlike our genetic inheritance, which is fixed, our musical inheritance is expandable. We can turn up the volume and make it as positive a force as we wish… my goal is to simply give as many children as possible the incomparable gift of music— and, in doing so, to help them reach their emotional, intellectual, and spiritual potential.”

Campbell will go on to describe in what ways varied, soothing tones, repetitive movements, “catchy” rhythmical lyrics, lullabies (e.g., Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star), patting the stomach and related loving activities can work for soon-to-be parents and mothers/fathers willing to share and pursue this noble goal with newborn family members. Consequently, Campbell’s Mozart Effect turns out to be not one objective, measurable, or wished-for effect. In fact, as the stated goal suggests, the Mozart Effect, is produced if at all by overlapping, multi-dimensional, expressive, physical and empathetic activities that may be communicated to stimulate brain growth, perception, cognitive organization and understanding, visual-spatial benefits, the reduction of stress, motor enhancements, improve language, facilitate emotional, social, cultural, and academic skills, improve reading, procedural memory, creativity, aesthetic sensitivity, a stronger sense of identity, and the joys of community (pg. 8-9). The author asserts such effects (or the Mozart Effect?) are real and measurable. Research scientists might ask if they are robust, testable and disprovable.

In Chapter 2 the author covers pre-birth through birth. He summarizes some of the science underlying his general assumptions: “The ear is the first sense organ to develop in the womb… (to) “The human fetus is therefore capable of learning before birth at a level that can affect her postbirth behavior.” Campbell provides the mother-to-be practical suggestions for listening, playing, and singing music to stabilize her own internal emotional/hormonal status as well as help keep the unborn recipient relaxed, attentive, less stressed, and responsive to musical messages.

In Chapter 3, the focus is on the baby’s birth and coping with a new sensory world while bonding and learning to communicate with mother. Internally, the baby is generating vast numbers of neurons, synaptic connections, and potentially organized pathways for learning through out the growing body in tune with the mother’s focused attention, feeding/nurturing care, emotional and vocal support. Campbell views parent talk from the very beginning as an important opportunity to make vocal expressions, varied rhythmical movements, and baby play for fun with music (e.g., parentese).

Each succeeding chapter focuses on a developmental stage (6-18 months, 18 months to 3 years, 3 to 4 years, 4 to 6 years, 6 to 8 years, and 8 to 10 years). Each chapter offers themes of rhythm, repetition, improvisation, playing, mimicking and spontaneous movement of hands, arms, face, and voice to engage and create with music. The book provides examples of activities, musical selections, and adaptive materials mothers, parents and family members can use to engage in elements of musical activity with their growing child. Parents are always encouraged to listen, play (with or without musical recordings and instruments) and share musically-oriented activities that may stimulate, explore, and generate qualitative values. The author believes these loved and valued intangibles will mature and help youngsters integrate total mind/body experiences and sustain meaningful, healthy, life purposes.

The Mozart Effect, whether based on sound, convincing research or not, is not limited to an elite, economically privileged few in society but rather appeals to and strikes a chord in most of us who recall our earliest exposures to music or who may feel we missed out on some of the benefits described in the book. We may have only a limited appreciation of Mozart and little to no musical training, yet Campbell’s positive, sweeping approach carries no risks or negative side effects to adult or child. The work and musical selections may be used with the youngest of children and school kids of all ages, genders, ethnic backgrounds, interests, and levels of educational achievement. Highlighted applications, chapter notes, and a variety of resource materials, in addition to many of Mozart’s works, are included for interested readers to investigate, individualize, and enjoy.

How to choose: Breakfast cereals for kids

2009-04-22T17:37:00.000-07:00

How to choose: Breakfast cereals for kids

There are so many cereals to choose from! Here are some label-reading tips to help us make good decisions for our kids.

What makes a healthy breakfast cereal for kids?

Breakfast is an essential start to the day; it refuels children’s brains as well as their bodies. Cereals with milk provide carbohydrate, some protein, B vitamins, fibre and calcium. Add fruit to that and there’s more fibre plus a wider range of vitamins and minerals.

It's unlikely you'll need added vitamins and minerals in a cereal if you're eating a balanced diet which includes fruit, vegetables and cereals as well as meat or other protein foods, as they will provide vitamins and minerals in a form more readily absorbed by the body.

Sugar

Earlier this year Consumer magazine compared 26 breakfast cereals specifically aimed at children and found that over half of them were at least 1/3 sugar.

Often the excuse is that people are just going to add sugar at home anyway, but that’s really no excuse at all; we should be given the choice. High amounts of sugar in the diet are related to tooth decay as well as overweight and obesity, which is on the increase amongst our children.

Look for products with less than 15g of sugar per 100g, or if they contain dried fruit up to 25g per 100g.

Sodium

It’s best not to give children foods with high amounts of sugar or sodium as ‘everyday foods’ as they’ll become accustomed to these tastes. For children (and adults other than those on a low-sodium diet) look for a moderate sodium content of up to 600mg per 100g.

Fibre

For adults, breakfast cereals are often an opportunity to increase a low fibre intake, but kids don’t need as much fibre in their diet. Look for a cereal with more than 5g of fibre per 100g but no more than 15g.

The guide for fibre intake for children over 2 is ‘age plus 5’. So if your child is 8 years old they need about 13g of fibre each day.

No matter what they choose, the most important thing to remember about breakfast for children is to ensure they have it.

Article by:: Rose Carr

Diabetes Nutrition Tips

2009-04-21T22:42:00.000-07:00

Diabetes Nutrition Tips

People with diabetes have the same nutritional needs as anyone else. Along with exercise and medications (insulin or oral diabetes pills), nutrition is extremely important for good diabetes control. By eating well-balanced meals in the correct amounts, you can keep your blood glucose level as close to normal (non-diabetes level) as possible.

The following tips and guidance, provided by the American Diabetes Association, may be helpful for you. More information can be obtained at http://www.diabetes.org/nutrition-and-recipes/nutrition/overview.jsp.

What is a "free food"?

"Free foods" are foods that can be eaten freely without affecting diabetes control or weight, those with less than 20 calories and 5 grams carbohydrate per serving. Examples include diet soft drinks, sugar-free gelatin dessert, sugar-free ice pops, sugarless gum and sugar-free syrup.

Sugar-free does not mean carbohydrate-free. Compare the total carbohydrate content of a sugar-free food with that of the standard product. If there is a big difference in carbohydrate content between the two foods, you may want to buy the sugar-free food. If there is little difference in the total grams of carbohydrate between the two foods, choose the one you want based on price and taste. Make sure to read the label carefully to make the best choice.

"No sugar added" foods do not have any form of sugar added during processing or packaging, and do not contain high-sugar ingredients. But remember, they may still be high in carbohydrate, so you have to check the label. Fat-free foods can be higher in carbohydrates and contain almost the same calories as the foods they replace. Fat-free cookies are a good example. Fat-free foods are not necessarily a better choice than the standard product, so read your labels carefully.

Making healthy diabetes food choices

Knowing what to eat can be confusing. Everywhere you turn, there is news about what is or isn't good for you. Some basic principles have weathered the fad diets, and have stood the test of time. Here are a few tips on making healthful food choices for you and your entire family:

Eat lots of vegetables and fruits. Try picking from the rainbow of colors available to maximize variety. Eat non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, carrots, broccoli or green beans with meals.
Choose whole grain foods over processed grain products. Try brown rice with your stir fry or whole wheat spaghetti with your favorite pasta sauce.
Include dried beans (like kidney or pinto beans) and lentils into your meals.
Include fish in your meals 2-3 times a week.
Choose lean meats like cuts of beef and pork that end in "loin" such as pork loin and sirloin. Remove the skin from chicken and turkey.
Choose non-fat dairy such as skim milk, non-fat yogurt and non-fat cheese.
Choose water and calorie-free "diet" drinks instead of regular soda, fruit punch, sweet tea and other sugar-sweetened drinks.
Choose liquid oils for cooking instead of solid fats that can be high in saturated and trans fats. Remember that fats are high in calories. If you're trying to lose weight, watch your portion sizes of added fats.
Cut back on high calorie snack foods and desserts like chips, cookies, cakes, and full-fat ice cream.
Eating too much of even healthful foods can lead to weight gain. Watch your portion sizes.

Reading food labels

Reading labels can help you make correct and healthy wise food choices. Most packaged foods in the grocery store list nutrition information on the package in a section called the "Nutrition Facts."

The Nutrition Facts tell you the serving size and the amount of various nutrients such as total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, and fiber per serving
Nutrient content claims such as "low fat" provide a reliable description of the product.
The list of ingredients shows the ingredients in descending order by weight.
Foods that are exempt from the label include foods in very small packages, foods prepared in the store, and foods made by small manufacturers.

Sweeteners & desserts in diabetes

Having diabetes used to mean a lifetime of meals that lacked the most pleasant aspect of taste: sweetness. Today, the rules for avoiding sugar have been relaxed. If you have diabetes, that doesn't mean you can't eat sweets. New artificial sweeteners can give you sweetness that tastes as good as sugar, without sugar's effect on your weight. People with diabetes can eat desserts, use sweeteners, and still keep their blood glucose (sugar) levels in their target range. These options are available for sweetening your foods:

Sugar and other sweeteners with calories including honey, brown sugar, molasses, fructose, cane sugar and confectioners' sugar
Reduced-calorie sweeteners including erythritol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol
Low-calorie sweeteners such as ascelfume potassium, aspartame, saccharin and sucralose

Frequently-asked questions about diabetes nutrition

What foods can I eat a lot of? Are some fats better than others? What vitamins can help my diabetes? Learn the answers to these questions and more in this section.

1. Why do I need to see a dietitian?

Registered dietitians (RDs) have training and expertise in how the body uses food. RDs who understand diabetes can teach you how the food you eat changes your blood glucose level and how to coordinate your diabetes medications and eating. Do you know how many calories you should eat each day? How to cut down on the fat in your meals? How to make eating time more interesting? An RD can help you learn the answers to these, and lots of other questions. Your dietitian will work with you to create a healthy eating plan that includes your favorite foods.

2. Can I eat foods with sugar in them?

For almost every person with diabetes, the answer is yes! Eating a piece of cake made with sugar will raise your blood glucose level. So will eating corn on the cob, a tomato sandwich, or lima beans. The truth is that sugar has gotten a bad reputation. People with diabetes can and do eat sugar. In your body, it becomes glucose, but so do the other foods mentioned above. With sugary foods, the rule is moderation. Eat too much, and 1) you'll send your blood glucose level up higher than you expected; 2) you'll fill up but without the nutrients that come with vegetables and grains; and 3) you'll gain weight. So, don't pass up a slice of birthday cake. Instead, eat a little less bread or potato, and replace it with the cake. Taking a brisk walk to burn some calories is also always helpful.

3. Why does losing weight help my diabetes?

Weight loss helps people with diabetes in two important ways. First, it lowers insulin resistance. This allows your natural insulin (in people with type 2 diabetes) to do a better job lowering blood glucose levels. If you take a diabetes medicine, losing weight lowers blood glucose and may allow you to reduce the amount you're taking, or quit taking it altogether. Second, it improves blood fat and blood pressure levels. People with diabetes are about twice as likely to get cardiovascular disease as most people. Lowering blood fats and blood pressure is a way to reduce that risk.

4. How can I cut the fat in my diet?

Here are some beginning hints. See a dietitian for more advice. Stir-fry foods in tiny amounts of oil and lots of seasonings. Choose nonfat or low-fat selections, such as nonfat or 1% milk or low-fat cheese. Keep portion sizes on target. Avoid fried foods - bake, grill, broil or roast vegetables and meat instead.

5. Are some fats better than others?

Yes. Unsaturated fats are the healthiest for your body. This includes both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. You can find these "healthy fats" in foods like nuts, vegetable oils, olives and avocados.

The fats to cut back on are the saturated and trans fats. Saturated fats are found in full-fat dairy products like ice cream, half and half, sour cream, cheese, and meats, chicken skin, bacon and lard. Trans fats are found in margarines and shortening as well as many processed packaged foods and sweets. Trying to cut back on how much saturated and trans fat you eat is important to help reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.

6. What foods can I eat a lot of?

Forget about eating with abandon. The key to healthy living is moderation. Air-popped popcorn may be low in fat, but it still has calories. And calories count. If you can control the portion sizes of the food you eat, you will be able to eat a wider variety of foods, including your favorites, and still keep your blood sugar in your target range.

7. What can I do if I overeat over the holidays?

Put on your walking shoes and head for the pavement. Being more active helps lower your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol. Physical activity uses up extra sugar in your blood and helps your insulin work better.

8. Can I use low calorie sweeteners?

Low calorie sweeteners are safe for everyone except people with phenylketonuria, who should not use aspartame. Calorie-free sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, sucralose and acesulfame-K won't increase your blood glucose level. The sugar alcohols - xylitol, mannitol, and sorbitol - have some calories and do slightly increase your blood glucose level. Eating too much of any of these can cause gas and diarrhea.

9. How much weight should I lose each week?

Limiting your weight loss to 1/2 to 1 pound a week will keep you healthy, and let you enjoy the foods you love in small amounts. A slow steady weight loss is the key to keeping lost weight off.

10. Can I drink alcohol?

Yes, in moderation. Moderation is defined as two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women. A drink is a 5-ounce glass of wine, a 12-ounce light beer, or 1-1/2 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits. Make sure that your medications don't require avoiding alcohol, and get your doctor's okay.

11. Isn't glucose control easier if I eat the same things every day?

Probably, but this method of blood glucose control isn't very nutritious, not to mention boring. One of the keys to nutrition is eating a variety of foods each day. By checking your blood glucose two hours after starting to eat a meal, you can learn how different foods affect you. Over time, you will be able to predict how foods, and combinations of foods, affect your blood glucose level.

12. What vitamins will help my diabetes?

If you have a vitamin or mineral deficiency, it could be causing problems with your glucose control. For instance, one study found that taking the trace element chromium improved glucose control in subjects who had a chromium deficiency. More studies need to be done. If you choose a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, and meat each day, and keep your blood sugar close to your target range, you probably don't need to take vitamin supplements because of diabetes.

13. Are there herbs that will help my diabetes?

Many herbs supposedly have glucose-lowering effects, but there are not enough data on any herb to recommend it for use in people with diabetes. Herbs are not considered food by the Food and Drug Administration and are not tested for quality or content. Therefore, products can be promoted as helping health conditions without having to show evidence of this. Discuss the herbal dietary supplements with your doctor or dietitian before trying them. They may interact poorly with your diabetes medication.

About Heart Failure (CHF)

2009-03-27T21:26:00.000-07:00

Blogadmin on August 25th, 2008

The heart is a muscle. It pumps oxygen-rich blood to all parts of the body. When you have heart failure, the heart can’t pump as well as it should. Blood and fluid may back up into the lungs, and some parts of the body don’t get enough oxygen-rich blood to work normally. These problems lead to the symptoms you feel.

When You Have Heart Failure

Because of heart failure, not enough blood leaves the heart with each beat. There are two types of heart failure. Both affect the ventricles’ ability to pump blood. You may have one or both types.


Systolic heart failure: The heart muscle becomes weak and enlarged. It can’t pump enough blood forward when the ventricles contract. Ejection fraction is lower than normal.	Diastolic heart failure: The heart muscle becomes stiff. It doesn’t relax normally between contractions, which keeps the ventricles from filling with blood. Ejection fraction is often in the normal range.

How Heart Failure Affects Your Body

When the heart doesn’t pump enough blood, hormones (body chemicals) are sent to increase the amount of work the heart does. Some hormones make the heart grow larger. Others tell the heart to pump faster. As a result, the heart may pump more blood at first, but it can’t keep up with the ongoing demands. So, the heart muscle becomes more damaged. Over time, even less blood is pumped through the heart. This leads to problems throughout the body.

FastReport VCL 4.2.40

2009-03-26T23:39:00.000-07:00

FastReport4 VCL is an add-on component that allows your application to generate reports quickly and efficiently. FastReport provides all the necessary tools to develop reports, including a visual report designer, a reporting core, and a preview window.

Features:

Band-oriented report generator. Wide range of band types allows you to create any kind of report.
Report can consist of several design pages. Thus you can build a report that consists of cover, data and back cover - all in one file.
Wide range of objects that can be used in a report: text, picture, lines, shapes, charts, barcodes, cross-table, ole object, richtext, checkbox, gradient.
Visual report designer supports zooming, undo/redo, guidelines, rulers. Fully customizable interface with MS Office look. You can give your users the ability to modify reports and create new ones.
Report can contain datasets (tables, queries, DB connections). Thus you can not only use application-defined datasets, but connect to any databases and use tables and queries right inside a report. At this time the following libraries are supported: ADO, BDE, DBX, IBX, FIB, and many third-party DB libraries.
Report can contain dialogue forms to ask for some data before the report is run. You can create fully standalone, application-independed reports.
Built-in script engine that supports 4 languages: PascalScript, C++Script, BasicScript, JScript. You can perform complex data handling with it, manage the interaction with dialogue forms and controls.
The debugging tools: step, breakpoints, watches.
Visual query builder. You don’t have to learn the SQL language to create a complex query from several data tables.
Export filters allow you to export your report to many supported formats (PDF, RTF, XLS, XML, HTML, JPG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, TXT, CSV, Open Document Format).
Send report by email with one mouse click.
Web-reporting components. Distance no longer matters. You can browse a report using only web browser.
Special kind of report for dot-matrix printing. This type of printer is still alive and used in many corporations. Use FastReport for fast dot-matrix printing.
Report inheritance (supported both file-based inheritance and visual form inheritance used in Delphi/C++Builder). You have many reports with common elements such as titles, logos, footers?
Many more…

Homepage: http://fast-report.com/en/
Download: http://fast-report.com/en/download/fast-report-4-download.html
File Size: 7.9 MB - 8.7 MB
Delphi Version: Delphi 4 - Delphi 2007
Source: None

DRG :: Diagnosis-related group :: INA-DRG

2009-03-24T21:22:00.000-07:00

Diagnosis-related group

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Diagnosis-related group (DRG) is a system to classify hospital cases into one of approximately 500 groups, also referred to as DRGs, expected to have similar hospital resource use, developed for Medicare as part of the prospective payment system. DRGs are assigned by a “grouper” program based on ICD diagnoses, procedures, age, sex, and the presence of complications or comorbidities. DRGs have been used since 1983 to determine how much Medicare pays the hospital, since patients within each category are similar clinically and are expected to use the same level of hospital resources. DRGs may be further grouped into Major Diagnostic Categories (MDCs).

The original objective of diagnosis related groupings (DRGs) was to develop a patient classification system that related types of patients treated to the resources they consumed. Since the introduction of DRGs in the early 1980’s, the healthcare industry has evolved and developed an increased demand for a patient classification system that can serve its original objective at a higher level of sophistication and precision. To meet those evolving needs, the objective of the DRG system had to expand in scope. Today, there are several different DRG systems that have been developed in the US. They include:

Medicare DRG
Refined DRGs (RDRG)
All Patient DRGs (APDRG)
Severity DRGs (SDRG)
All Patient Refined DRGs (APRDRG)
International-Refined DRGs (IRDRG)

The system was created by Robert Barclay Fetter and John Devereaux Thompson at Yale University with the material support of the former Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), now called the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). DRGs were intended to describe all types of patients in an acute hospital setting. The DRGs encompassed both elderly patients as well as newborn, pediatric and adult populations. In 1983 CMS assumed responsibility for the maintenance and modifications of these DRG definitions. Since that time, the focus of all Medicare DRG modifications instituted by CMS has been on problems relating primarily to the elderly population.

In 1987, the state of New York passed legislation instituting DRG based payments for all non-Medicare patients. Included within this legislation was the requirement that the New York State Health Department (NYHD) evaluate the applicability of Medicare DRGs to a non-Medicare population. This evaluation concluded that the Medicare DRG’s were not adequate for a non-Medicare population. Based on this evaluation, the NYDH entered into an agreement with 3M to research and develop all necessary DRG modifications. The modifications resulted in the initial APDRG, which differed from the Medicare DRG in that it provided support for transplants, high-risk obstetric care, nutritional disorders, and pediatrics along with support for other populations. One challenge in working with the APDRG groupers is that there is no set of common data/formulas that is shared across all states as there is with CMS. Each state maintains its own information.

In 1991, the top 10 DRGs overall were: normal newborn, vaginal delivery, heart failure, psychoses, cesarean section, neonate with significant problems, angina pectoris, specific cerebrovascular disorders, pneumonia, and hip/knee replacement. These DRGs comprised nearly 30 percent of all hospital discharges.^[1]

The history, design, and classification rules of the DRG system, as well as its application on patient discharge data and updating procedures, are presented in the CMS DRG Definitions Manual (Also known as the Medicare DRG Definitions Manual and the Grouper Manual). A new version generally appears in October of every year. The 20.0 version appeared in 2002.

What is NLP?

2009-03-22T21:18:00.001-07:00

What is NLP?

What is NLP?

NLP is the psychology of excellence and the technology of achievement and success.

‘Neuro’ refers to the mind and how we organize our mental life. ‘Linguistic’ is about language, how we use it and how it affects us. ‘Programming’ is about our sequences of repetitive behavior and how we act with purpose. NLP is an accessible model to enhance effective communication, personal change and personal development.

“The way you think affects the internal and external language and the concepts you hold. This in turn affects the way you behave. It is a dynamic and synergistic process: the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Any internal or external change to any of the components will have an impact on the whole.”⁸

Main Benefits of Using NLP

NLP explores how we think and feel and studies or ‘models’ excellence in every walk of life. NLP is first and foremost about action. By using NLP you can give yourself more conscious choice over what you do and the way you act. Using NLP at work and in your personal life will sharpen your skills and boost your achievements. “The theories and practices of NLP will help you discover what makes some people excel in all aspects of their lives, and will enable you to do the same.”⁸

The awareness of how you do what you do is the key to self-management and influence. You can’t control people or events, but you can manage our response to them. Your skill and your ability to manage yourselves directly affect the extent to which we achieve your goals.

Harnessing the Power of Your Unconscious Mind

Our unconscious mind has a far greater influence and can accomplish far more than the conscious. NLP practitioners make the unconscious conscious. They are more consciously aware of what they do unconsciously. This gives them the power of managing their personal development in a way that enables them to realize their true potential.

“NLP is a process of discovery and as such it is about continually uncovering new ways of thinking and working. It is a process of continuous learning and growth and is key to profound personal development… By using NLP you can give yourself more conscious choice over what you do and the way you act.”¹

Applications of NLP to Business

NLP has given rise to a trail of techniques that can be used both personally and professionally. They are used internationally in various business areas and enable you not only to reach and influence others, but also to reach and perfect the different parts of yourself.

NLP can also help managers analyze success secrets of their best employees applied by intuition and teach others these secrets, thus “cloning” success without cloning people.

History of Computer Networking

2009-02-22T21:40:00.000-08:00

The history of computer networking is complex. It has involved many people from all over the world over the past 35 years. Presented here is a simplified view of how the Internet evolved. The processes of invention and commercialization are far more complicated, but it is helpful to look at the fundamental development.

Internet Timeline
Pre - 1900	Long distance communications via messenger, rider, smoke signals, carrier pigeon, optical telegraph, electrical telegraph
1890s	Bell invents the telephone; telephone expands rapidly
1901	Marconi's first tansatlantic wireless transmission
1920s	AM Radio
1939	FM Radio

In the 1940s computers were large electromechanical devices that were prone to failure. In 1947 the invention of a semiconductor transistor opened up many possibilities for making smaller, more reliable computers. In the 1950s mainframe computers, which were run by punched card programs, began to be used by large institutions. In the late 1950s the integrated circuit that combined several, then many, and now millions, of transistors on one small piece of semiconductor was invented. Through the 1960s mainframes with terminals were commonplace, and integrated circuits were widely used.

In the late 1960s and 1970s, smaller computers, called minicomputers came into existence. However, these minicomputers were still very large by modern standards. In 1977 the Apple Computer Company introduced the microcomputer, also known as the personal computer. In 1981 IBM introduced its first personal computer. The user-friendly Mac, the open-architecture IBM PC, and the further micro-miniaturization of integrated circuits led to widespread use of personal computers in homes and businesses.

In the mid-1980s users with stand-alone computers started to share files using modems to connect to other computers. This was referred to as point-to-point, or dial-up communication. This concept was expanded by the use of computers that were the central point of communication in a dial-up connection. These computers were called bulletin boards. Users would connect to the bulletin boards, leave and pick up messages, as well as upload and download files. The drawback to this type of system was that there was very little direct communication and then only with those who knew about the bulletin board. Another limitation was that the bulletin board computer required one modem per connection. If five people connected simultaneously it would require five modems connected to five separate phone lines. As the number of people who wanted to use the system grew, the system was not able to handle the demand. For example, imagine if 500 people wanted to connect at the same time. Starting in the 1960s and continuing through the 70s, 80s, and 90s, the Department of Defense (DoD) developed large, reliable, wide-area networks (WANs) for military and scientific reasons. This technology was different from the point-to-point communication used in bulletin boards. It allowed multiple computers to be connected together using many different paths. The network itself would determine how to move data from one computer to another. Instead of only being able to communicate with one other computer at a time, many computers could be reached using the same connection. The DoDs WAN eventually became the Internet.

Computers Networking Terminology.

2009-02-21T21:38:00.000-08:00

Data Network .

Data networks developed as a result of business applications that were written for microcomputers. At that time microcomputers were not connected as mainframe computer terminals were, so there was no efficient way of sharing data among multiple microcomputers. It became apparent that sharing data through the use of floppy disks was not an efficient or cost-effective manner in which to operate businesses. Sneakernet created multiple copies of the data. Each time a file was modified it would have to be shared again with all other people who needed that file. If two people modified the file and then tried to share it, one of the sets of changes would be lost. Businesses needed a solution that would successfully address the following three problems:

How to avoid duplication of equipment and resources
How to communicate efficiently
How to set up and manage a network

Businesses realized that networking technology could increase productivity while saving money. Networks were added and expanded almost as rapidly as new network technologies and products were introduced. In the early 1980s networking saw a tremendous expansion, even though the early development of networking was disorganized.

In the mid-1980s, the network technologies that had emerged had been created with a variety of different hardware and software implementations. Each company that created network hardware and software used its own company standards. These individual standards were developed because of competition with other companies. Consequently, many of the new network technologies were incompatible with each other. It became increasingly difficult for networks that used different specifications to communicate with each other. This often required the old network equipment to be removed to implement the new equipment.

One early solution was the creation of local-area network (LAN) standards. Because LAN standards provided an open set of guidelines for creating network hardware and software, the equipment from different companies could then become compatible. This allowed for stability in LAN implementation.

In a LAN system, each department of the company is a kind of electronic island. As the use of computers in businesses grew, it soon became obvious that even LANs were not sufficient.

What was needed was a way for information to move efficiently and quickly, not only within a company, but also from one business to another. The solution was the creation of metropolitan-area networks (MANs) and wide-area networks (WANs). Because WANs could connect user networks over large geographic areas, it was possible for businesses to communicate with each other across great distances. Figure summarizes the relative sizes of LANs and WANs.

-Safety Tips For Children-

2009-02-12T22:18:00.000-08:00

source : www.westcov.org
Below are safety tips that will help protect children from abductors.

www.ChildWatch.org

Rule # 1 - Telephone
Children should learn how to use the telephone in an emergency. Here are some tips:

Tell your children they don't need money to dial 911 or 0 for the operator. They should dial 0 if they are lost or don't know who to call when they need assistance.
Have them memorize their telephone number, including area code, as young as possible. Let them practice calling local and long distance numbers for you.
Practice making a collect call with them. Teach them they don't need money to make a collect call, even if it is a local number.
Children should learn how and when to use 911. Discuss different situations with them.

Rule # 2 - Family Password
How can your child know if it's okay to go with another person without asking for your permission first? A FAMILY PASSWORD!

Almost every child is taught by their parents not to go anywhere with a stranger. This is a weak message to leave with a child. How can a child tell who a stranger is? An abductor could be someone the child knows.

They may trick the child by saying "Mom or Dad asked me to pick you up". Your child can keep some distance from this person by asking for the FAMILY PASSWORD. Teach your child not to go with anyone who doesn't know the password. Promise them you won't send anyone without it.

Rule # 3 - I'm lost! Now what?
You come out of a store and turn around to find your child is not there, now what? It's time to put "Action Plan A" to the test. Teach your child, in advance, what they should do. A potential abductor may be able to take advantage of this situation if there is no plan.

First, your child should stay put and let you find them. They should stay in a visible area and not wander around looking for you. If they stay still, it will be easier than if both of you are moving, maybe in opposite directions. Alert security and show them your driver's license for identification and a photo of your child.

Teach your child if someone wants to help them, have them ask the person to look for you or call security or the police. Teach them to never go with anyone, ever.

Tricks Used by Abductors

Help me find my lost puppy
I need help with directions
Offer gifts/candy
There is an emergency
I want to take your picture
I'm making a reality TV show I want you to star in
Your mom (dad) told me to give you a ride home today

Rule # 4 - Secrets
The word SECRET is one that is used freely by both adults and children. Some secrets are good, some are bad, and some are ugly. Unfortunately, it is the most common weapon used by abductors to lure a child from safety. Children love secrets and most often see them as a way to feel independent from their parents. Your child should learn that if an adult asks them to keep a secret from you, this is a danger sign. The secret could be minor, a chocolate bar before dinner. What this person is doing is building up trust with the child to find out if they will tell everything. The secrets will build until they have control and power over the child. SECRETS = BLACKMAIL

Rule # 5 - Good Lies?
You expect your child to treat adults with respect and grow up to be polite and honest, however, there are exceptions to these rules. In fact, there are times when they should scream as loudly as possible if someone tries to pull him or her into a car or building. Attention is the last thing an abductor is looking for. Now comes a mixed message. Lie to protect yourself. Children should never tell anyone they are home alone; in this circumstance tell your children that it's okay to lie to someone who insists on talking to their parents. For example, if someone is at the door and the child is home alone, have them explain that Dad is busy and can't come to the door. Baby-sitters should be given the same instructions.

Rule # 6 - An Emergency Plan
Where would your child go in an emergency if you were not home? This is a question you want to address before it happens. Finding a trusted neighbor or friend's house for your child is very important for his or her safety. Identify this as a safe house. Choose someone who will likely be home most of the time, such as a retired person or a stay at home mother. Be sure to discuss this idea with them.

Rule # 7 - Strangers?
Most abductors are known by the child. This means all the advice to never talk to strangers is useless if an adult known to the child is the abductor. Children should learn the difference between a good stranger and a bad stranger. If someone tries to pull your child into a car or lure him or her away, they may need to rely on help from another adult.

Children should learn that it's okay to get help from a stranger if they are in danger. Your children should NEVER go anywhere with a stranger without asking for your permission.

Rule # 8 - Play Safe & Have Fun
Childhood is supposed to be fun, no pressure, no worries. As parents, this is what we want for our children. As we all know, there is no such thing as a perfect world, and children understand this better than we think. The news is filled with horror stories each night, which gives everyone, including children, a bleak picture of the way the world is.

Every city and town has its own set of problems, but in reality, the world is not filled with bad people. The violent crimes in this country are being committed by a small percentage of the population. These people are extremely dangerous to adults and children. Children need to understand that these predators have patterns and habits that can be avoided. Child predators look for opportunities, but once children realize this they can avoid potentially dangerous situations and protect themselves. Children should understand that most people would not harm them and the bad guys don't wear black. Remind your children to play safe, have fun, and enjoy being a kid.

Other Rules to Remember

Never allow your children to go alone to video arcades, public restrooms, parks, public pools, movie theaters, door to door selling, or school yards after hours.
Instruct your children to always use the buddy system.
Don't display your child's name on the outside of their clothing. This makes it easier for a stranger to approach and pretend to be your child's friend. This is also true of stickers placed in the back window of the family vehicle showing the names of all the family members. Although these are cute, it may provide a stranger with the names of all the children in the family.
Tell your children to avoid shortcuts and isolated areas.

www.escapeschool.com/1-Abduction.shtml

A Parent's Checklist
Young children should be taught to:

Never say they are home alone when answering the phone. Teach your child to take a message and say their parents will phone back.
Never answer the door. Whether home alone or with another adult, a young child is no match for someone trying to gain entry into the home or abduct the child from the entryway.
Never invite anyone into the house without the permission of a parent or other responsible party within the home.
Never go into other people's houses without letting parents know where they are.
Never get into anyone's car without a parent's permission.
Never take gifts or food from strangers or anyone else without asking a parent first.
Never play in deserted buildings or isolated areas.
Move away from a car that pulls up beside them if they do not know the driver. Run in the opposite direction the car is driving. Remember, get away...right away.
Say 'no' to anyone who wants them to do something you've taught them is wrong. Give your children permission to break the rules if they feel their safety is at risk.
Tell you, school authorities or a police officer about anyone who threatens them.
Never to keep secrets from you. Teach them to tell you if someone has asked them to keep a secret from you.
Go to the nearest cashier if lost or separated from you in a store or mall.
Know how to dial 911 and explain their emergency. If using a pay phone under pursuit or if detained in a stranger's home...DO NOT HANG UP THE PHONE. Police can use the open line to track the child.
Never to hide from parents in a store.
Scream and kick if someone grabs them and tries to take them forcefully. Teach them to yell, "Help, this is not my Dad/Mom!"

Teens should:

Tell you where they are at all times or leave a written or recorded message at home.
Never hitchhike.
Avoid shortcuts through empty parks, fields, laneways or alleys.
Go quickly to the nearest occupied public place (malls, stores, fire stations, gas stations) and scream for help if they are being followed.
Learn to recognize suspicious behavior and remember a description of the person or vehicle to give the police. Write the plate number in the dirt or snow if nothing else is available.
If approached for money, jewelry or clothing give it up rather than risk injury.
Feel that they can talk to you and call you to pick them up any time, any place.
Never operate a car under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Never get in a car as a passenger if the driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Scream and kick if someone grabs them and tries to take them forcefully.
Know that all rules change when they are physically threatened.

Parents should:

Avoid clothing and toys with your child's name on them. A child is less likely to fear someone who knows his/her name.
Check all potential babysitters and older friends of your child.
Never leave a child alone in a public place, stroller or car, not even for a minute.
Always accompany young children to the bathroom in a public place and advise them never to play in or around the restrooms.
Always accompany your child when going door-to-door, such as collecting donations for school fundraisers.
Point out safe havens such as cashiers in stores, fire stations, store security officers and other places or people children can go to if they need assistance or feel threatened.
Keep an up-to-date color photograph of your child, a medical and dental history, and have your child fingerprinted.
Talk to your children. Ask who, where, what and when.

Who are you going out with? Who will be supervising or chaperoning? Who is going to be there?

Where are you going? Where do they live?

What will you be doing? What are their parent's names? What is their telephone number?

When will you be home? When does the function start? When is it over?