A Mechanical Model to Explain How Penis Enlargement Works

A lot of guys have trouble understanding the mechanics and dynamics of Penis Enlargement and how it can work. I'm going to introduce a mechanical model to help explain things.

Think of one of those hot-dog balloons. You know, those long skinny balloons. Imagine filling that balloon up to its normal capacity using helium. Then, tie up the end so the helium won't leak out.

Then take the "nipple" of the balloon (the end part that is tied up) and attach it to the wall with a thumbtack.

 The balloon represents your penis.

The wall represents your pelvic girdle (where your penis is attached).

The nipple (the tied up bit at the end) represents your penile ligaments.

Okay, since the balloon is filled with helium, it should be sticking out and angled toward the ceiling. So, we can say that the balloon is "erect," just like a penis when it is erect.

The helium in the balloon represents the blood in your penis. Blood flows into your penis and this is what makes it erect. It's just like the helium gas in the balloon, this is what makes the balloon enlarged and erect.

So, now, how can we make it bigger...?

Take the balloon off of the wall and put 30% more helium gas into it. What happens? The balloon will get FATTER and it will get LONGER.

This is the same mechanism behind one part of Penis Enlargement. Remember, the helium represents the blood in the penis. If you can re-educate your penis to hold more blood, what happens? It will be just like the balloon with more helium, it will get fatter and longer.

Now, if you look at where the balloon is connected to the wall, you will see a knot (these are the muscles that attach to your pelvis - the wall in this instance). Between the knot and the balloon you have a small constriction. That's comparable to the ligaments in your penis.

Now, if you take that balloon off of the wall and hold the balloon and stretch the knotted end from each other. Keep stretching and stretching it. Now, thumbtack the balloon back onto the wall.

You will notice that the balloon now reaches farther up and out. This is because you stretched out that portion of the balloon. That portion of the balloon is just like the ligaments that support your penis. By stretching them out, just like the balloon, it will be able to extend out farther.

It's that simple. That's one way penis enlargement works.

If you want to really understand Penis Enlargement, read IRON MAN PENIS - THE RUSSIAN SYSTEM and start realizing your full potential.

Enjoy your day.

Georg von Neumann

Dog Knotting - The True Definition

A dog knot can mean very many different things. Some of them rather perverse, others more useful. This article is specifically about the true definition of a canine dog knot or dog knotting and what exactly it is.

When a female dog is in heat, and a male dog is in her vicinity, the two will breed. Usually the positioning is that the male mounts from behind. The female moves her tail to the side if she is ready. The male's penis penetrates the vagina and the bulbous glandis (erectile tissue part of the penis that is at base of the shaft) expands causing the two dogs to lock together. The standard term for this process is that the two dogs are "tied" together. It is also referred to as a "dog knot" or "dog knotting." After he has ejaculated, he dismounts but the two dogs are back to back, still connected by the male's penis. This "deflation period" can last up to 30 minutes. The two dogs are almost impossible to separate during the dog knot. This is the process that the breeder has to be patient with.

It is important for the breeder to make sure that the situation is calm. You don't want the female to get excited and roll around or pull the male, or vice versa. This could result in a breeding failure. One old-school, substandard, unguaranteeable practice for impatient breeders was to ice the dogs' genital areas to get them apart.

After the tie (or dog knotting), inspect the male and make sure that his penis has retracted properly, and isn't stuck in his hair. For the female, it is good to hinder her for urinating for several minutes in hopes that the sperm will be able to penetrate her eggs.

While it is totally logical and natural, there has been a lot of scrutiny on the dog breeding process and dog knotting in particular. In the simplest terms a "dog knot" refers to two dogs mating, and the processes involved. This is also a term known as "being tied." There are many definitions (including a rather valid use by engineers) for the term but the true meaning behind it all has to do with the way dogs breed.

Be sure to get your dog the best dog supplies available in order to keep your dog happy and content. Also be sure to feed him the best dog food available to keep him healthy.

Cheerleading - A Timeless Sport

While many people consider cheerleading to be a sport, there are some people who say that there is no way that it is a sport. That is just not the case, it is really a timeless sport that has been around for years and years. Take the time to consider what is involved in cheerleading before you make any judgments to say that it is not a sport at all.

First of all, you will know that cheerleading has been around for many years and will stick around for many years to come. The cheerleaders are an important part of any team, as they are who backs the team up and cheers them on. They are very important to the success of their teams. Another thing to think about is the fact that they became a lot more prevalent as college sports did. Some people think that there are only girls who are cheerleaders, but this is not the case either.

When it first got started, in fact, there were only men involved. It has only in the last century become very popular among the girls.

Take the time to focus on the things that make up the actual act of cheerleading. First of all, you have to consider the fact that it is a recreational activity. Although it may not be as organized as a football team or a baseball team, there is still a lot of sports and athletics involved. You will see that there are a lot of things, such as uniforms and other things that are involved that would lead someone to see it as a sport.

Whether you think it is a sport or not- it does not matter. This is one of those things where it is one thing to one person and another thing to another person. Do not stress out over the fact- it is what it is. Cheerleading is a great hobby, or sport, whichever you want to call it. Have fun playing!

If you'd like to learn more visit this page on how to cervical neck traction or celtic knot ring for more great articles. I hope you've found this article informative and enjoyable to read. Good luck.

How to Make an Over the Collar Dog Bandanna

Dog bandannas are an easy way to dress up your dog. Regular bandannas that you tie with a knot can present a choking hazard to dogs if they get caught on something. This tutorial will demonstrate how to make a dog bandanna that slides over your dog's collar, which is safer for your pet.

Tools and Supplies

You will need a piece of fabric at least 12" square, a pair of pinking shears, pins, a ruler, a marker, a flexible measuring tape, a sewing machine and an iron.

STEP 1 - Measuring Your Dog's Collar

This tutorial show you how to make a bandanna for ANY sized dog, so for that we will have to measure the collar to ensure a proper fit.

First, measure the collar from the end of the buckle to the first hole of the collar. Take 2/3rd's of this measurement for the length of width of the bandanna. For example, with a measurement of 12", the width of the dog bandanna you will be making is 8".

Now you have to make sure that the dog collar hardware will fit through the sleeve of the bandanna. If the buckle measures 1" add 1/2" to this measurement to make the sleeve 1 1/2" so that there is wiggle room for the hardware to fit through.

STEP 2 - Marking Out The bandanna Pattern

Take your ruler and pen and mark a line that is 8" across.

To make the sleeve part of the pattern, take your buckle measurement and double it. From the BOTTOM of your sleeve mark, find and mark the center of the bandanna. From your center line mark, measure down the width of your bandanna and mark it off. Now make connecting lines from that mark to the bottom of the sleeve measurements.

STEP 3 - Cutting Out The Pattern

Cut out the pattern that you have just made with pinking shears. You can use regular scissors, but the pinking shears cut a zig zag pattern that will keep the ends from fraying.

STEP 4 - Hemming The Edges

With the iron, create a 1/2" hem on all sides of the bandanna EXCEPT the top. Use pins to secure the hem, if you need them. The top doesn't need to be hemmed since it will be sewn down behind the bandanna.

STEP 5 - Sewing The Hem

Sew a straight stitch seam, as close as you can get to the edge, all around the bandanna.

STEP 6 - making The Collar Sleeve

Fold The sleeve part of the pattern in half and iron it down.

STEP 7 - Sewing The Sleeve

Now sew a straight stitch seam as close to the bottom of the sleeve as you can get.

Karen Friesecke is the author of Bloggie Stylish a new blog dedicated to recipes and free projects for dogs. Please visit Dog Bandanna Pattern to see this tutorial, complete with pictures.

Helicopter Pilots - Care and Feeding

You can't help but have the feeling that there will come a future generation of men, if there are any future generations of men, who will look at old pictures of helicopters and say, "You've got to be kidding." -- Harry Reasoner

I was a commercial helicopter pilot for 35 years. In that time I logged over 12,000 hours in 21 different models of helicopter, both military and civilian, and I learned a few things about how to survive in the cockpit. Mr. Reasoner's comment notwithstanding, helicopters do fly, and quite well most of the time. They're used on pretty much a daily basis in many parts of the country, for various tasks ranging from the mundane, such as spraying fields of almond trees, to the exotic, like chasing bears across ridge lines, about which more later. And public opinion concerning these ungainly contraptions, whose addition to the pantheon of aviation is somewhat more than noise and commotion to be sure, is mixed at best. It should be noted that one of the brighter lights of aviation design, none other than Igor Sikorsky, started out scribbling plans for airplanes. Igor soon tired of that, finding more challenge and stimulation in rotary wing design. And speaking of mentors, Leonardo DaVinci is identified pretty strongly with what is possibly the earliest rendering of a flying contraption. His studies on a machine for vertical flight, the "aircrew," circa 1493 were well in advance of the first airplanes.

But little has been written or studied about the pilots of these clattering machines. Helicopter pilots are, in many ways, the mirror image of their craft: they tend to be wary of recognition; they avoid controversy or public spectacle; they tend to be unobtrusive; and they require very little attention, or coddling for that matter. Lord knows their employers believe the latter. Pay scales in rotary wing aviation are notoriously low, and kept that way by an unwritten, unspoken rule in the industry which seems to militate against making waves. Most helicopter pilots are just happy to have a seat, and they intend to keep it.

Not that helicopter pilots are shy or introverted. Quite the contrary. In the company of other rotor-heads, they can be loud to the point of audible, and then some. Around the flying public, not so much. With customers, helicopter pilots keep to themselves, except for mandatory banter used to soothe the widespread, and sometimes pathological fear of flying found in many people. Full time helicopter pilots must often be part-time psychologists as well, easing their fares onto the couch, and then coaching them through session after anxious session in the air. This training also comes in handy when dealing with company owners, the FAA, air traffic controllers and those pilots who had the opportunity to enjoy a life in the sky, but who chose instead to attempt to make money flying--our fixed wing brethren.

So who are these reclusive aviators, the pilots Harry Reasoner refers to in his essay as "brooders, introspective anticipators of trouble."? What about the care and feeding of helicopter pilots?

Once upon a time, in a hangar far, far away, two pilots, a flyer of helicopters and a flyer of airplanes engaged in a conversation about their chosen aircraft. The fixed wing fellow in his pristine uniform shirt, and golden epaulets, the aroma of Aqua Velva clinging to his clean-shaven face, sneered at a passing line boy who washed the airplanes, and readied them for flight. He snickered, watching the lad heft the fuel hose, while he sat in shaded comfort.

Speaking of his machine, then being serviced in the punishing heat of the ramp, he bragged about the inherent stability of the plane, its capacity to stay aloft for many hours, its speed and altitude which made the distant earth pass by beneath him nearly unnoticed. He talked of his airplane's built in safety features which allowed him to stay out of harm's way while traversing the sky. He spoke in glowing terms about his airplane's gauge-studded cockpit, each dial, bell and whistle installed to give him peace of mind in the unforgiving atmosphere. He mentioned the all weather capability of his plane, and he bragged about the number of ways he could communicate with professionals on the ground through numerous radios, with an array of frequencies at his fingertips, all installed to cover any possible emergency. He went on to speak in animated fashion about the system of navigational devices, radar, air traffic controllers at his beck and call, and the comfort of knowing he always had, just an arm's length away, another pilot in the cockpit, someone who could back him up if and when things turned sporty, or just to spell him if he grew weary. Not that he'd need that, with his autopilot ready at the flick of a switch. "You see," he said. "I have every intention of expiring in my bed at age 85."

The helicopter pilot listened, bemused. Smiling, he waited for his colleague to complete his homage to the relative value of airplanes.

Then he patted the fixed winger on the back, and began. "Here's my ambition," he said. "Just like you, I'd like to die in my bed of old age, at around 85, after a long, colorful, adventurous career in the sky. And I intend to do just that. But here's the difference between us, my friend.

"I want to walk to the helipad every morning and pat the machine on its side, knowing there's a bond between us, and that the touch is important. I want to fuel it myself, knowing every drop of go juice goes in, and it's the right stuff, not half water, or sissy fuel. I want to check it over myself, and make sure the parts are still there, at least the big ones. I want to hit the starter, and suck in the stink of burning jet fuel, its glorious aroma sticking to my skin like aftershave. I want to lift the collective, feel the skitter of the skids as the machine gets light, and then feel it come alive under me. I want to pull pitch, and sense the imminence of the one maneuver that sets us apart from all you fixed wing guys--the ability to by God hover! There's no feeling like it in the whole world, and even if I'd never done it, I'd still miss it.

"Then I want to take off with a clatter and a rush, and feel the familiar rattle and shake in the airframe as I pass in to clean air. It always makes me smile. It's not like driving along a runway; it's like feeling the earth drop away beneath you.

"I want to take off in the morning mist, slither through scud that sticks to my windscreen and drips on my cyclic stick 'cause there's a leak in the greenhouse overhead. I want to soar across cornfields at 90 knots, scattering dogs and chickens as I go, while sucking in the loamy scent of fresh blown greenery that seeps into my cockpit. I want to careen through mountain passes at fifty feet above ground, counting the leaves of oak and hemlock trees as they whip around in my rotorwash, laughing with goats and elk as they salute me in their way as I pass them by. Then I'll land and snatch the branches and twigs out of my skids.

"I want to cruise near waterfalls, feeling the air turn chill in their wet presence out my door, and nip the underside of clouds with my blades, just to see the swirls and whorls I've created, and I don't care what the authorities say. I want to see brother eagle up ahead, slow my craft nearly to a hover, just like him, and fly formation off the fellow's wing, see him nod, acknowledging our fraternity, and then watch him fold his wings and dive as we part company till next time. I want to buzz a farmer in his field, and wave at his kids straddling his tractor, and give them ideas of maybe breaking free of the land and flying someday, too.

"You see, I'm not interested in 'inherent stability'. Life's never gonna be like that. Hell, nobody gets out of it alive anyway; why not look life in the eye and spit? And your long-range thing? See, here's why I picked helicopters: when I was a young pup, I could hold it all day. Now? That machine's got a pretty small fuel tank. It's perfect for me since I gotta pee every two hours, max.

"High altitudes never interested me; I want to see what I'm flying over, and get to know the landforms and orientation of it, follow the contours and feel the way the wind flows over hills and surges into valleys. The air is glorious, but the earth is home. As for my cockpit, I don't need two radios, a transponder, radar altimeter, GPS, fuel flow meter, digital gauges, and all that fancy stuff. Give me an altimeter, a radio, a map and a string in front to tell me I'm in trim, and I'll go fly. All those bright and shiny gauges make you forget you're supposed to be the one flying the machine. Every pilot worth a nickel knows where he is all the time, how much fuel he's got, how to get where he's going, what the weather is and when the machine's telling him something's about to spit up. As for the professionals on the ground, if they had the nerve and the imagination to fly they'd be up where we are. They're just timid folks, mostly, God love 'em. Men and women who'd love to be in aviation, but not too far in. And in an emergency, they're no good to you. Accident reports are filled with descriptions of pilots found dead in the cockpit with their hands crushing the microphone, calling for help.

"Peace of mind? If I was interested in that I'd have gone into the priesthood, or maybe bought a combination condom, bar and pizza shop in a college town. Peace of mind to me is being so attuned to the helicopter I can tell to the minute when I'll arrive, to the second when a low fuel light will snap on, and to the instant when the skids will touch the pad. Peace of mind is being able to tell a nervous passenger there's gonna be a bump thirty seconds before it happens, and then seeing their face when it does! Peace of mind is knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that I'm the one flying the machine, not flying by committee, and that whatever decisions get made stay made, right or wrong. Remember the eagle? You never see two of them flying along wing to wing. There's a reason helicopters have one pilot seat.

"See this," the helicopter pilot said to the plane pilot, pointing to his knees.

"Those are your knees," the airplane guy said.

"No they're not," the helicopter pilot responded. "They're my autopilot. Every helicopter jockey worth a nickel can fly the aircraft, light a cigarette, read a map, eat lunch, apply makeup if that's your thing, dial a radio, adjust the lighting, wipe the windscreen, open a soda, write coordinates, and tap a sticky fuel gauge to get it to read right, while flying with his knees, and never gain or lose twenty feet of altitude. The only autopilot I identify with is what I call myself driving home after work, 'cause my wife says I drive too fast.

The airplane fellow checked his gold Tag Heuer chronometer, and stood to go. He stretched, flicked a scrap of lint off his creased blue uniform pants, and walked to the hangar door, staring into the distance at his airplane shining in the midday sun. Then he stopped, and turned back to the helicopter fellow, tears forming in his eyes. "I love flying," he whispered. "I sure would love to try it sometime."

Byron Edgington is a writer, public speaker, and retired commercial helicopter pilot with 12,500 hours of logged flight time. Mr. Edgington lives in Gahanna Ohio, and has just completed his aviation memoir titled "The Sky Behind Me', to be published soon.

popflys@hotmail.com

UFOs Don't Exist Because ET Doesn't Exist

Some UFO skeptics suggest that terrestrial life is the only life in the cosmos, therefore, whatever UFOs are, they can not have anything to do with aliens. They advocate not just a 'rare Earth' hypothesis, but a 'unique Earth' hypothesis. That's despite the fact that there are 'billions and billions' of possible sites in the Universe where life could take hold, evolve and ultimately boldly go.

A few UFO skeptics do tone down that argument by acknowledging that extraterrestrial life forms exist as in extraterrestrial microbes, plants and multi-cellular animals but that extraterrestrial intelligences don't exist. That still means that UFOs have bugger-all to do with aliens. Even if extraterrestrial intelligence exists, only humans have invented technology, and even if aliens have invented technology, well those dumb alien bastards exterminated themselves within a short time frame after discovering chemical, biological and radiological warfare technology. The upshot is that extraterrestrial intelligences with a suitable 'boldly going' technology that have in fact survived to 'boldly go' have a mathematical value of zero; UFOs as a manifestation of these aliens therefore can not be and other more prosaic explanations must be found.

So are we alone in the Universe? That's a question that's been asked by millions of philosophers, scientists and the general public over the eons, without, to date resolution. Of course the word 'alone' implies alone in the sense of whether or not there exists elsewhere in the cosmos our rough equals; more likely as not our betters since humans have been around for only a tiny fraction of cosmic time. We want to get to know our neighbours across the street, not their pets, or their plants. The standard gut-feeling answer to the question 'are we alone' usually revolves around how vast the Universe is, and surely, given the billions and billions of stars in our galaxy and the existence of billions and billions of galaxies each with billions and billions of stars, coupled with the vastness of cosmic time, surely we can't be the proverbial 'It'.

There's unfortunately one slight flaw in that statistical approach. There's a rather long chain of events that have to happen, hurdles to be jumped, in order to get from the chemical elements of star-stuff which we're made of, to our hypothetical biological cosmic neighbours. Depending on whom you talk to, that chain can be extremely long indeed. The point is, if any one factor in that chain of causality has a very low probability of coming to pass, it matters not one bit whether or not all the other factors are extremely probable, the overall result is going to be low. If any one factor is as close to zero as makes no odds, then the overall answer will also be as close to zero as makes no odds. Certainty multiplied by certainty multiplied by certainty multiplied by certainty multiplied by zero multiplied by certainty multiplied by certainty multiplied by certainty ultimately equals zero!

It's been pointed out by others, and I tend to have to agree, that astronomers (being physical scientists) tend to be much more optimistic and supportive of the notion that advanced life forms in the Universe - extraterrestrial intelligences - are a dime-a-dozen. That's relative to biologists (being life scientists), who considerably hedge their bets and who it must be said are presumably better qualified to pass judgments. So, taking things from a more biological perspective, what's what?

With 13.7 billion years to play with since the origin of our Universe (that Big Bang event); with billions and billions of stars in our own galaxy alone; with billions and billions of galaxies scattered throughout the cosmos each with billions and billions of stars therein, with extra-solar planets (potential cosmic real estate for E.T.) being discovered around many of those stars in our own galaxy at a rapid rate of knots, (and by implication planetary systems should exist in other galaxies as well); with the chemical elements required for life commonplace throughout the Universe; with the principles of Darwinian evolution given as universal, what odds that we are really the proverbial 'It'? And what are the implications for UFOs being the manifestations of extraterrestrials?

When it comes down to the UFO extraterrestrial hypothesis (ETH), it's only our own Milky Way Galaxy we need concern ourselves with. Even I acknowledge that though extraterrestrial civilizations probably exist in other galaxies, travel times between galaxies quickly exceed any logical transit times available, even when invoking a "Star Trek" warp drive. Interstellar travel, travel within the confines of our own galaxy however, is quite another matter. Confining our 'are we alone' search to our own galaxy still gives us some ten billion years to play around with; billions and billions of stars and no doubt planetary real estate, all those abundant chemical elements, and Darwinian evolutionary principles. It would be a very brave scientific soul to suggest, given those sorts of statistics, that we are, even in our own galaxy, the proverbial 'It'; not just the new kid on the block, but the first and only kid on the block.

Not even a UFO ETH skeptic like a certain SETI (Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence) scientist of my acquaintance would argue we're the proverbial 'It' - it would make a mockery of his own chosen career path.

So in summary to that first objection that only terrestrial life exists: 1) The Universe is a bio-friendly Goldilocks Universe - we're here after all. 2) There is plenty of real estate in the cosmos that could give rise to and host hardy microbial life forms to kick-start things off. 3) The appropriate chemicals, organic chemicals, and biochemicals; appropriate life producing and sustaining chemistry full stop, are present throughout the cosmos. 4) There's been a massive amount of time for life to originate, evolve, survive, thrive and migrate.

Ultimately, what this all boils down to are three key points: 1) whether or not extraterrestrial intelligence exists, and if so, 2) does extraterrestrial technology, technology that can get E.T. from there to here, evolve of necessity? 3) Lastly, having evolved a sophisticated advanced boldly going technology, how long do you have it for? Translated, we need to answer whether or not Darwinian evolution, natural selection, will favor intelligence, technology and long-term survival.

Intelligence First

Some people object to the UFO ETH on the grounds that we (humans) are the proverbial be-all-and-end-all of the cosmos in terms of overall IQ smarts and being tool makers - there are no other advanced extraterrestrial civilizations, therefore UFOs can not have anything to do with extraterrestrial intelligence. Translated, they adopt the more religious point of view that humans (and human intelligence) were created in the image of God and therefore no other intelligences can exist. No alien intelligence means no-go to the UFO ETH.

An answer to that issue, that extraterrestrial life exists, but not extraterrestrial intelligence (for religious reasons or otherwise), is yet again that not even respectable SETI scientists would propose this as an objection to the UFO ETH since again that would undermine their own work. Clearly the evolution of intelligence, albeit being just one of many competing traits for biological survival-of-the-fittest, does have ultimate survival value. The Earth provides a practical example of that. Many species can be attributed to having a reasonable degree of ability to figure things out. It is possible to evolve extremely high levels of intelligence. The proof of that pudding is witnessed by we humans existing. If Mother Nature can evolve one biological highly intelligent species, She can do it again, and again, and again on other worlds.

Now based on a statistical sample of one (terrestrial life), it's been a long tough road to get from microbes to ferns to jellyfish to sharks to newts to crocodiles to crows to cattle. Once you have multicellular critters (like ferns and cows) that have survived and thrived in a reasonably stable part of the Universe over many generations, will they evolve intelligence? I mean finding an extraterrestrial equivalent of a trilobite is all well and good, but we want to find neighbours more like ourselves. Again, no alien intelligences translate into UFOs having zip to do with aliens.

The issue now is having evolved to a multicellular stage (like trees and magpies and buffalo), will organisms develop some higher brain function? Is there any further evolutionary advantage towards increasing one's intelligence? By going back to our sample of one, if Earth is any guide, the answer is roughly 'not likely'. There are millions of multicellular species that have existed, and do exist, on Planet Earth. There are apparently only a very few species that have evolved something beyond the minimum level of brain power required for their day-to-day survival. That doesn't inspire confidence that intelligence has inevitable value as a means of survival.

By far and away, most multicellular critters just operate on pure instinct and don't (can't) stop to figure things out (far less stop to smell and appreciate the roses) - but, there are a few exceptions. Many wild birds would put our everyday companion animals like dogs and cats to shame in the IQ department. I mean I adore my cats, but neither is a little furry Einstein. Whales and dolphins have also been credited with being in the higher IQ bracket; ditto our close primate cousins. In the invertebrate kingdom, the octopus is pretty smart - by invertebrate standards (and then some if one is honest). However, on balance, most multicellular critters put their evolutionary strategies into something other than higher brain functions. Take my cats. Is it to their survival advantage to 'figure things out' or to just be a bit faster afoot; have a bit more acute hearing; have sharper vision? Nearly all organisms put their survival abilities into something other than pure brain-power. Clearly brain-power has survival-of-the-fittest attributes. But, intelligence is not the only game in town, and therefore doesn't have what I'd call any evolutionary 'certainty' or destiny. However, it would be illogical to say that developing intelligence, the ability to figure things out, isn't valuable and doesn't have any survival value; it's just that if you were to list all the multicellular animal species on Planet Earth, very few would have an IQ of even one (the human average is 100). So, let's say evolving intelligence on another planet once having reached the stage of becoming multicellular is somewhere between near certainty and highly improbable. That's a rather 'have your cake and eat it too' position.

IMHO, the bottom line is that intelligence, the ability to figure things out, has evolutionary survival value and will tend to be selected for, and thus over time, there will tend to have life forms that have evolved ever higher IQ's. Here on Earth, just about all mammals and birds, and some exceptional invertebrates (the cephalopods like squid and the octopus), have reasonable IQ's at least when compared to bacteria, plants, insects, fish, etc. Of course just as some kinds of organisms are faster than others, or have keener senses of sight or smell or hearing, not all advanced organisms are going to end up equal in the IQ stakes. But, the fact remains, the ability to think, to figure things out, can only increase your odds of survival and leaving behind more offspring.

Technology Second

Okay, we have lots of widely separated planetary abodes throughout the cosmos that have an intelligent alien species on them. Since we assume your intelligent alien neighbours are fairly far away and you want to discover them, and then maybe communicate with them, that poses a problem. If you want to find them, you or your surrogate, has got to go to them, and/or they or their surrogate have to come to you. In a terrestrial analogy, you have a barrier like an ocean or vast desert or mountain range separating you from them so it's difficult to hike or swim the distance. The surrogate mentioned earlier could be a smoke or radio signal or laser beam, but if you want something more up-close-and-personal then you tend to need boats or planes or four-wheel drives or covered wagons, or in our interstellar scenario, rocket ships. Once you do establish 'first contact', you'd like to keep in touch. On Earth, the usual means of keeping in touch other than by face-to-face communication is by snail mail, phone, or email - snail mail apart, its radio or electromagnetic communications in general that's usually employed (even smoke signals use reflected light waves to deliver the message).

That introduces one additional complication for the UFO ETH; it's not enough to just be intelligent. You need to have technology (and even snail mail as noted above is still a form of technology). Then, and only then, will the 'are we alone?' question be answered to our absolute satisfaction. That's initially what SETI is all about. We need technology if we are to find (maybe communicate with) extraterrestrial intelligence(s); and/or extraterrestrial intelligence(s) will need technology to find us. One or both of us has to have invented engineering to a somewhat sophisticated level - maybe rocket ships, maybe radio telescopes, but something technological is required.

There's also a hidden assumption here - you actually want to seek out new civilizations. It matters not one jot if you have all the required technology but care not to use it for the purpose of answering that question - 'are you alone in the Universe?' I'll assume here that if you have intelligence, and you've been able to construct appropriate technology, then part of your intelligence is devoted to being a curious critter who wants to know and find out things - so that's a certainty of one. Curiosity and associated intelligence, or intelligence and associated curiosity are two sides of the same coin.

But what's the level of certainty of developing appropriate technology in the first place? Rather poor judging from all those terrestrial species that have a somewhat reasonable degree of smarts to their credit. There's the human species of course, and though while we're not quite a sample of one, there having been other hominoid species with some IQ capacity (like Neanderthals), its pretty close to being a sample of one. There are documentary observations of some animals (primates mainly) not so much manufacturing, but making use of existing 'tools' to assist in their survival. Alas, most intelligent species lack the anatomy and/or the right environment to manipulate objects. In the case of dolphins and whales, their ocean environment stymies any way and means of constructing things and making use of fire, for example. So, developing technology has to be rated, judging from our terrestrial sampling, as rather low; otters using rocks to break open clams not withstanding.

So, for UFOs to be alien spaceships, one needs an extraterrestrial intelligent species to develop appropriate technology, and here's where I see a bit of a bottleneck. The evolution of technology isn't inevitable and have a lot of just-so factors attached.

Firstly, your home planet has got to come equipped with the right sorts of materials like oxygen and metallic ores and other objects (rocks, wood, etc.) than can be turned into useful tools, and of course most important a suitable supply of energy sources. That you'll have at your disposal all the required material and energy resources is not a given.

Water worlds are out of the running since it's difficult to discover and utilise fire in that sort of environment.

You can't have all your required locomotive appendages (legs) in contact with the ground - some limbs have to be free to manipulate objects in your environment. Birds have wings that are off the ground, but since wings aren't good at making tools, that seems to rule out wings, and all birds of a feather, pretty much as well as tool makers.

So, I've already ruled out dolphins and whales and the cephalopods (like the octopus) being water based creatures; the birds with their useless wings as far as building things is concerned; and all the four-footed walking mammals (or reptiles or amphibians).

It might be conceivable that you can build up a technology using your mouth parts and/or using a tail (if you have one) to manipulate and build things, but we don't have obvious terrestrial case studies, although you might argue that bees, wasps, termites, ants and birds can build elaborate structures using just their mouths. So that's in the 'maybe' basket.

Technology is also a double-edged sword. The use of technology has had obvious survival value for the human species. You wouldn't be hard-pressed to come up with dozens of technological inventions that have enabled us to survive longer and thrive better and be ever more fruitful and multiply. But, our technological genie is also out of the bottle, and unless you're a hermit, you will have noted by now that technology can also reduce our quality of life, and no doubt you wouldn't be equally hard-pressed to give dozens of examples, from handguns to the automobile - which leads nicely into the last consideration.

Longevity Third

Lastly, there's the issue of longevity. If your neighbours buy up and move in, but then sell up and move out again in less than 24 hours, that doesn't allow much time to meet and greet them and gossip over an afternoon cup of coffee - blink, and they're gone. But if you're both on the block for twenty years, that allows lots of time for afternoon teas, philosophical chats, bridge games, etc. So, how long do technological civilizations last?

Well, the pessimist will look around and note global warming, probably antibiotic resistant germs giving rise to pandemics, chemical, biological and radiological warfare and/or terrorism, the extinction of biological species, rampant industrial pollution, and in general an overall quality of life heading rapidly down the drain, right down to the point that the human race will probably go extinct by our own hand. But if you're an optimist, then the sky's the limit.

It's not all that obvious that technology actually adds all that much value towards ultimate long-term survival. Lots of technological advancements have, like controlling energy sources such as fire, developing a sustainable food supply via agriculture, the rise of modern medicine and food preservation technologies. But then lots of modern technological wonders, the automobile, CDs, sofas, microwave ovens, and thousands of other consumer products don't really contribute much to our overall survival - certainly cars don't when considering the road toll! That brings up the fact that things technological can sometimes work in the opposite direction. Toxic this, pollutant that, nuclear the next thing; then throw in a bit of global warming; the rise of urban city living with overcrowding and in general overpopulation; chemical, biological and radiological warfare/terrorism; instruments of warfare in general, like guns; the overuse of antibiotics hence the rise of antibiotic resistant germs; exposure to electromagnetic fields - well, the list of horrors or potential horrors keeps on keeping on and on.

It makes for an interesting question: would mankind ultimately survive longer had technology never entered the equation, or not? It's an unanswerable question in that 1) we can't run the contrary as a controlled experiment, and 2) that the genie is well and truly out of the bottle and there's probably no turning back now.

Assuming humanity as a collective whole doesn't end up going the way of the Dodo within the next several generations, even centuries - whether it actually morally deserves to go extinct is another question - then what?.

It's hard to imaging what human civilization, what humans themselves will be like 1000 years from now. If you could come back 1000 years hence, would you indeed find a human civilization, indeed find recognizable 'humans' at all? Once you have evolved to the stage of being a multicellular critter with intelligence and advanced technology, then physics, chemistry and plain everyday evolutionary biology are no longer in control of your evolution. You are now in control! You are in control not only over the future evolution of other species (artificial selection instead of natural selection) but of your own evolution. The age of the designer baby is already here, albeit still in its infancy (pun intended). What will another few decades bring to this now embryonic field; obviously one with an ever ongoing and continuing maturity?

Humans will probably go kaput within 1000 years, not because of any global nuclear war, or pandemic, or asteroid strike, but because humans have by their own free will evolved themselves into something else, and the process has already started. In fact, it's possible that in 1000 years time there could be two humanoid species on Earth. One will be an amalgamation of flesh-and-blood plus 'iron-and-silicon'; the other pure 'iron-and-silicon' (artificial intelligence, perhaps in the form of robots).

The first is not too difficult a swallow. Just replace or augment flesh-and-blood bits with 'iron-and-silicon' bits (or wood bits, or ceramic bits, or plastic bits, etc.). Look at most pirate films and you'll see those beloved peg-legs and hook-hands. Do you wear glasses or contact lenses? What about a hearing aid? Perhaps you have an artificial joint(s) or a heart pacemaker. You surely have a dental filling (or two), maybe even dentures. Then there's artificial skin and all manner of other internal or external types of technology that have replaced your failed flesh-and-blood - like kidney dialysis. There's now serious talk about the development of a bionic eye within a few years (to go alongside the bionic ear). What further artificial bio-bits will be available in another 20 years, another 50 years, or another 200 years? The era of "RoboCop" or a real life "Six-Million Dollar Man" (and "Woman") is getting close to fruition.

Within 500 years or so, maybe less, I can envision that someone will be able to download the contents of their brain (their mind) into an 'iron-and-silicon' equivalent. Why? Well, does the word 'immortality' (or as close to immortality as makes no odds) suggest a possible reason? You don't think anything of endlessly replacing worn automobile parts for new parts to extend the useful lifetime of your car. Why not endlessly replace your worn parts? Your mind, that 'inner you' housed within your brain won't last forever. Replace it - transfer it to a more durable technology. Do it again, and again and again as is necessary. In fact, one might create a mega-mind or super-mind by merging into an 'iron-and-silicon' body containing a lot of minds (in much the same way as computer hardware can have a lot of operating software programs. By merging the minds of say a cosmologist, general relativist, quantum physicist and mathematician, one might speed up the development of the Holy Grail of physics, the Theory of Everything (TOE) - which is as currently conceived, a theory of quantum gravity.

Once your mind is contained in an 'iron-and-silicon' 'head', just attach that to an all 'iron-and-silicon' 'body'. Then boldly go where no 'iron-and-silicon' human has gone before. Immortality indeed!

All of which leads to a future Earth inhabited by a humanoid robot species, artificially evolved from today's human species. That process too has already started - robotic appliances, even artificial 'iron-and-silicon' 'pets' are now on the market. Research into artificial intelligence is ever ongoing. Watch that final minute of the final episode of the TV revision of "Battlestar Galactica"! How about those sci-fi "Transformers" or "Terminators", or Data (from "Star Trek: The Next Generation")? Then there's "Doctor Who's" Cybermen or his main enemy, the Daleks (though Daleks are part machine; part organism).

Think of those robots from "Westworld" or the "Futureworld" sequel where nothing can go wrong, go wrong, go wrong, go wrong, go wrong... Then there's "The Stepford Wives", "Cherry 2000", the original Cylons from the original "Battlestar Galactica", and many more. It might be just science fiction today - could it be science fact tomorrow? There doesn't seem to be any violation of physics involved. In physics, everything not forbidden is compulsory! However, some of those sci-fi scenarios suggest that perhaps ultimately there might be a conflict between the (part) machines we become, and the (artificially) intelligent machines that we create!

We're ultimately in control, so a quasi-robotic future isn't of necessity compulsory. But I suspect it will happen. Why? There are rational reasons for humans deliberately abandoning their flesh-and-blood existence and evolving themselves, if not 100% into 'iron-and-silicon' then at least into something part flesh-and-blood coupled with part 'iron-and-silicon' - sort of like we have today (recall those now primitive dentures and peg-legs).

Quite apart from immortality (well quasi-immortality anyway) arguments, its nice having more indestructible bodies and bodies that can be more easily repaired. Death won't go away of course, not totally - accidents will still happen. Presumably, your mind will be able to absorb 10, 100, 1000 times the amount of experiences, memories, knowledge, etc. than is currently the case. You might be able to explore environments now closed to you, like taking a stroll across the sea bottom - many kilometres down - in your 'iron-and-silicon' robotic 'birthday' suit.

All of which then opens up the entire 'boldly going' experience hinted at above. What's the hardest part of going to Mars? - it's the flesh-and-blood frailty of the human body - the need for gravity, oxygen, organic food, water, space suits, and that you can't carry spare flesh-and-blood parts along. Extrapolate to our exploration of the entire solar system, then our stellar neighbourhood, eventually the galaxy. Even if you don't want to go yourself, well, there's artificial intelligence housed in perhaps nanotechnology bodies, spreading throughout the cosmos like so much a cancer analogy.

The ultimate point of all of this is that if eventually us (humans), why not them (extraterrestrials) now? Translated, after a relative short period of biological development, a civilization can obtain longevity that evolutionary development into 'iron-and-silicon' provides, coupled with far easier expansion into the realm of outer space.

So, overall, UFOs might not be alien spaceships right here and now, because it's 1) somewhat relatively hard to evolve multicellular organisms (but obviously not impossible); 2) will intelligence tend to have evolutionary survival? 3) Associated advanced technology isn't inevitable and might even be counterproductive. 4) If counterproductive, longevity is at risk. Thus, Earth, with its multicellular critters and humanity with its technology, might be quite the rare planet within the Universe - according to some.

But, there's a catch. There's always a catch. What ultimately undermines the UFO ETH sceptics is that all you need is ONE boldly going, intelligent, advanced technological and long-lived extraterrestrial species and the galaxy is theirs for the taking and we're in their sights. Few pundits would like to bet against that ONE, given, in the immortal words of the late Carl Sagan, a statistical possibility of 'billions and billions'.

Science librarian; retired.

Fresh Rover - Giving Your Dog a Bath

Dogs have to have a bath often. They get so dirty and start smelling really bad after a while. Bathing a dog can be really hard, but here are some great ideas and tips on how to give your dog a bath.

First, make sure that you have everything you need to give your dog a bath. You don't want to have to run and get something only to find your dog running around the house dripping soap and water everywhere. Make sure that you finish all other grooming before you give your dog a bath. The bath should be the last thing you do besides blow dry his hair.

Brush your dog's hair. Get out any knots and any loose hair. Use a dog rake if you can. Dogs that shed a lot will shed a lot in the bath too and you don't want to have to clean a ton of dog hair out of your tub.

Put your dog into the bath tub or kiddie pool or other container that you are going to use. Take off her normal collar and put on another one. The normal collar can hurt the dog when wet. Buy one that will be good in the water and will help you restrain your dog and one that won't bleed when it gets wet. You don't want your dog turning out blue.

Rinse your dog off very well. Make sure he is completely wet. Use a bath tub that has a shower attachment that you can take off and use as a hose. It will be much easier and will allow your dog to have clean water the entire time. If you don't have that option, make sure you empty out the water a lot to keep your dog clean.

Rinse your dog all over. Do not use human shampoo but use dog shampoo. Make sure to get all areas of the dog. Don't put soap near the eyes and be very careful around the genitals. You don't want much soap near either because they can really hurt the dog. If you have a dog that has a lot of hair, make sure you work the shampoo in really well. You really want the dog to come out clean so be sure to get everywhere.

Rinse off your dog. Get every single part and don't leave any soap in the hair. It will irritate the dog and will make the skin itchy and red.

Use a towel to first dry off your dog Make sure the feet are completely dry so they don't get infected. If your dog has a lot of hair, use a blow dryer. They need to have their coat dried completely or they will get cold and sick. Don't use a human blow dryer because it can get too hot and harm your dog. They make tons of great hair dryers for dogs so get one before you bathe your dog. If your dog's hair tends to get curly after it's been washed, blow dry it too and brush it. You want your dog looking his best. Brush any dog's hair after you are done.

Groom your dog often. Find out how often your dog should be groomed according to where you live and what type of dog it is. Some will need to be washed every week, with a diluted shampoo but most will need to be washed less often.

Visit http://www.onlydogbeds.net for more dog care tips, and a large selection of dog beds.

Dealing With Foot Pain? Comfort Shoes Can Help

The foot is one of the most complex and intricate structures in the human body. There are twenty-six bones, thirty-three joints, and a daedal web of over one hundred and twenty different muscles, nerves, and ligaments. There is good reason for this elaborate design. The foot performs several important functions, which include: supporting the weight of the body, absorbing shock, acting as a lever to move the leg and body forward, and maintaining proper balance.

One explanation for the incredible intricacy of the foot is that it is rather small compared with the rest of the body. It is only a few inches bigger than the hand, and yet, could you imagine walking around all day on your hands? The impact that each and every step has on the foot boggles the mind. It is said that the force of a single step is about fifty percent greater than that person's total body weight. So, if you weigh two hundred pounds, you are putting three hundred pounds of pressure on your foot each time you take a step. No wonder we need shoes!

Oh, and we forgot to mention that the average person takes nine thousand steps each day and spends about four hours on his feet. People smarter than us have done the math and they have determined that the feet support a cumulative weight of over one hundred tons each day. That's the rough equivalent of four fully-loaded tractor trailers on your feet every day!

Foot Pain 101

Given what our feet must endure, it is no wonder that 3 out of every 4 Americans experience foot pain during their lives. While most foot pain is nothing more than an uncomfortable nuisance, chronic and severe foot pain affects one in seven older Americans. This type of pain often inhibits the patient's ability to move around. To make matters worse, lower back pain is a common symptom of chronic foot pain.

Podiatrists reliably inform us that foot pain often affects one of three areas-the toes, the hindfoot, and the forefoot. The reason these areas are the most commonly affected is because they absorb the most forces and pressure. When it comes to pressure, we are speaking about the toes.

The toes are often injured by ill-fitting shoes. Both the forefoot and the hindfoot absorb tons of force each and every day. They also contain dozens of bones on which bone spurs may form over time. A bone spur is an overgrowth of bone that can cause discomfort and pain. They are the most common cause of foot pain.

Dealing with Foot Pain

Believe it or not, most minor foot pain is caused by ill-fitting shoes. This includes specialty footwear like high-heels. Because they put tremendous pressure on the toes and make the hindfoot absorb all of the pressure of the step, high-heeled shoes are probably the worst thing to happen to the foot since bastinadoing (or toe socks). Perhaps that is why women suffer from minor and chronic foot pain at a higher rate than men do.

It's the shoes, right?

Foot pain is also caused by wearing the wrong type of shoes for the wrong type of activity. Really, there's a reason why athletic shoe makers sell billions of dollars of footwear each year. These shoes were designed to protect the feet while the user competes in his preferred sport. Sports or activities that are high-impact require more padding or support in certain areas. For instance, a marathon runner absorbs an incredible amount of force on his hindfoot, which is why professional running shoes are designed to absorb force. Wearing the wrong type of shoes can cause or even aggravate an existing injury.
The most common injuries that may result from wearing the wrong types of shoes are calluses, blisters, corns, muscle cramps, plantar fasciitis, knee and ankle injuries, and metatarsalgia. Let's take a moment to discuss a few of these injuries and the footwear that can help alleviate pain and treat the injury.

Corns/Calluses

Corns are really nothing more than hardened dead skin around the toes that often turns yellow and causes pain and irritation. Podiatrists recommend a wide, box-toed shoe that has soft cushions under the ball of the foot. A simple gel insole or doughnut-shaped pad may also work for corns.

Ingrown Toenails

When the nails curl into the skin and cause pain, swelling, and possibly even an infection, you will need to see the doctor. More often than not, she will have you walk around in sandals or in open-toed shoes for a few weeks.

Bunions

There are several different kinds of bunions, but the most common one occurs when a bony bump forms at the base of the big toe or hallux. Again, the podiatrist will recommend sandals or soft, wide-toed shoes. If the case is a serious one, he might prescribe bunion shields or splints.

Metatarsalgia

Metatarsalgia is an acute, chronic, and often painful condition of unknown origin that affects the ball of the foot. The doctor will prescribe special orthopedic shoes to help patients deal with the pain.

For Everyone Else

If you do not suffer from a specific injury, the best shoes to wear on a daily basis should be well cushioned with a stiff heel that can absorb impact. The area around the ball of the foot should be flexible and should offer the toes ample wiggle room, at least half of an inch. New shoes shoe feel comfortable from the start and should not have to be broken in.

Comfort shoes are a great option for sufferers of foot pain. Find your perfect pair today.

Miguel Bautista is a freelance writer who writes about a variety of topics including comfort shoes.

The Top 3 Characteristics of Gladiator Sandals For Men

Men have their own share of fashion statement. Their fashion trends had evolved from a single generation to a complexity of designs. From being barefooted up to being well-dressed, men are now competing with the women's choice of shoes.

Gladiator sandals become a popular footwear among all men because of its comfort and simplicity. It works perfectly for men in the male market for all season. These footwear have also instilled discipline among men when it comes to personal hygiene. With millions of sandals available in the market, how would one know which is the best? The important thing to do is to take note the top characteristics of gladiator sandals.

Long Lasting

Compared to women, men are more focused into strenuous activity and they are involved with a lot of movements. Having said this, it only means that they need well-made products and clothing to help them cope with their daily living.

The origin of gladiator footwear is those primitive times when men go out to hunt for food. Instead of going out barefooted, they use strong materials bonded together to protect their feet. The sophisticated crafts nowadays originated from those wooden materials. Through the tanning process (leather treatment), experts find out that leather can become stronger and lasts longer. The same concept is being used by gladiator sandal characterizing a shiny and well-polished appearance. The art of tanning also ensure protection to the texture of the sandals thereby increasing its life span.

It is the Romans that highlight the popularity of gladiator sandals. Their fondness of accessories lead to advancement of leather shoes until longer-lasting sandals was introduced. Men from all walks of life have their own preference when it comes to shoes. This type of sandal remains to be the best-seller due to good quality. It really gives the real worth of your bucks and it can even outlast ordinary slippers. The long lasting quality is also coined from real gladiators who are exceptional in terms of fighting inside the arena.

Comfortable

The comfort being offered by these remarkable sandals can't be described in just one word. To define comfortable is like saying that wearing it feels good when you are at home, when you are with your friends or when you are driving your car. It is like telling the world that you love to wear it all time even though you are strolling around, walking your dog out the garden, running some errand or visiting your neighbors. It is like being simply no one but yourself, but at the same time, still at your best.

Wearing a gladiator sandal is like walking your way back to the great ancient history. Something will never feel wrong because this type of sandal is just right for everyone no matter where you are and what you are doing. Since it is made off quality materials, it will not hurt the skin even if you wear it all day. The soles remain protected and it also works even to those who have sensitive skin.

Stylish

Even thought the sound of gladiator sandals make us think about the first generation, this footwear nowadays are available in various types and designs. Some has the appearance of modern thong for men, slightly ruffled, designed with strings, and jelly-like. It can't be denied that ladies version are more stylish however, men have their own share of creativity resulting to a handful of designs. They do not sacrifice their comfort in terms of fashion.

This type of sandal will keep reminding us about the rich heritage of Romans depicting the true values of gladiator with never-ending courage and strength.

Jill B. Watson is a fashion school graduate and hobby writer with a particular focus on bags, clothing, and shoes. To find out more about gladiator sandals for men, please visit http://www.allgladiatorsandals.com/category/gladiator-sandal-attributes/mens-collection/

Cleaning the Maltese Dog

Maltese dogs are beautiful, lovable and kindly natured dogs usually covered in thick white hair. They are tiny and weigh around 6 pounds, with their coats hanging silky, long and flat over the sides skimming the ground.

To keep their coat healthy, daily grooming is a must using an open-spaced pin brush without 'balls' on the pins. Lift the top layer of hair, spray a light coat of water or leave in conditioner and brush the bottom half of the coat free. Do this until the layer is no longer tangled to the skin then work up to the top layer.

Prevent matting by brushing the underbelly, though you can work them out with your fingers first since brushing causes hair loss. Spraying with coat conditioning oil also loosens the hair. Also remember to remove the mat gently or you may have to cut it out. Always comb the dog thoroughly to remove dead hair and knots.

Clean the dog's ears then insert a small cotton ball to prevent water from entering the ear canal and causing an infection. Soak the dog's skin then apply quality shampoo along the back, legs and under the tail. Lather your dog from the back to front, rinse the coat then shampoo again.

After the second rinsing, wash your Maltese's face carefully with a washcloth then rise to ensure all traces of soap are gone since soap residue irritates the dog's skin. Use 'coat handler' conditioner since it acts as a fragrance, de-tangler and leave in conditioner; all in one.

Apply the conditioner through the dog's hair then squeeze excess water from the coat, focusing on the ears, tail and legs then dry with towels. Blow-dry the dog then comb out the hair to make it smooth. Doing this regularly will keep the dog's coat healthy.

Read more about tea cup pomeranian and dog bath tub.

Get What You Want At Your Dog's Next Grooming Appointment!

Get what you want from your dog's next grooming appointment - and leave with your pet's best look.

Get a referral: If you are looking for a groomer, ask friends who have pets and people you see with dogs that have healthy, vibrant coats where they go for grooming.

Schedule a consultation: Have a five to ten minute chat with your prospective groomer to make sure you and the grooming stylist are on the same page with your pet's needs. Consultations are a great way to check out the grooming salon's environment and to see how their clients (the dogs) are being groomed.

Speak up!: Don't be afraid to tell the groomer what you want. Stand firm on specific services and/or treatments you do and don't want. The more information you give to you grooming stylist the better prepared the groomer will be to handle your dog.

Bring pictures: Use pictures as inspiration for your pet's desired look. Flip through magazines and tear out pet looks that you want to show to the groomer. But be realistic. If your dog has no fur or short hair, then do not select photos of dogs with hair cuts for longer haired dogs.

Discuss your pet's lifestyle: Is your dog an indoor or outdoor pet? How active is your dog? Ask yourself these questions so that you can tell your groomer who can then customize their grooming to fit the needs of your dog. For example, a short cut would better suit an active, outdoorsy dog.

To cut or not to cut: Prepare your dog for grooming by brushing its coat with a slicker brush, then following the brushing with a comb to remove knots created from shedding. Let your groomer know to work around knots should your pet have one or two to prevent your dog's coat from an extremely short cut.

Keep a watchful eye while at the grooming salon: Secure an appointment time when the grooming salon isn't busy to ensure more time is spent nurturing your pet. Dropping your dog off during busy grooming times can not only upset your pet with the rush, but can also allow for mix-ups and glitches.

Select the right groomer: Grooming can be an overwhelming experience for dogs. Avoid traumatic incidents and ease stress-related occurrences by choosing a groomer who is passionate about the well-being of animals and takes pride in their profession.

Tara Guillaume is the Founder of Flauci, The Pet-Beauty Shop, a pet specialty retailer of Flauci Pet-Beauty Collection grooming products and spa accessories for dogs and cats. At Flauci, pet parents can get pet grooming luxe for minimum bucks with our wallet-friendly, problem-solving pet grooming supplies and spa accessories. Our goal is to provide pet parents with the best tools for a healthy and easy DIY grooming experience using human-quality products made especially for dogs and cats.

The Comfort Of Flannel Clothing

Do you own any clothes that are made of flannel? If you do not have any flannel shirts, outfits, or pajamas, you are certainly missing out! Flannel is so very comfortable, and it is a great addition to any wardrobe.

Flannel shirts usually come in plaid style. There are many different colors and designs to choose from, however. They are great to wear for a casual work day, and for an outing on a warm though not very hot day. Any style of flannel shirt will go with practically any style of jeans. Flannel is easy to wash and can be ironed for a more put together look.

Flannel feels really good on the skin. Unlike wool, it almost never feels itchy or dry. Anyone wearing flannel will have a warm and soft feeling on their body all day long. If you hug a person who is wearing flannel, you can feel the warmth and softness as well. It makes getting close to someone much more comfortable than silk, which is cold and slippery.

Flannel pajamas are the best sleepwear for the winter. The material keeps the heat sealed in close to the body. You are less likely to feel cold right away when you get out of bed if you have flannel pajamas on. You will stay warm throughout the night, and you won't slip and slide under the covers like you would with silk pajamas on. This material is by far the best choice for winter pajamas.

You can honestly wear flannel shirts any time of the year. In the winter time, you can wear a flannel shirt under a pull-over sweater for added warmth. In the fall, you can wear a flannel shirt under a light jacket, since it is not that cold yet. In the spring, you can wear a flannel shirt over a tank top during a breezy but mild day. In the summer, you can carry your flannel shirt over your shoulder or around your waist, so you can put it on if you get chilly in an air-conditioned building.

There is plenty of comfort in flannel clothing. There is no reason why anyone should be without flannel in their wardrobe. It is easy to find styles that match your needs, and you can wear flannel anytime! It is one of the most comfortable fabrics available. Flannel is definitely a winning choice for everyone.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for used clothing, used watches, and vacuum food sealers. When shopping for used clothing, used watches, and vacuum food sealers, shop only at the best online stores for flannel, used watches, and vacuum food sealers.

Why Switch to Shampoo Made With Natural Ingredients

I think you would agree that you would be hard put to find a 100% natural shampoo on the shelves at your local pharmacy or supermarket. Virtually all commercial shampoos contain many harmful ingredients, and the worst offender is Sodium Laureth Sulphate. This product is also used in degreasing cleansers, detergents used for washing cars, floor cleaners and more, and they also put this in your shampoo, the product you use to clean your hair. This product creates the suds and when you feel these suds in your fingers while you are washing your hair, psychologically you are thinking that the suds are really doing their job. Yes, they are cleaning your hair, they are striping everything out of your hair, irritating your scalp, drying your scalp and contributing towards hair loss at the same time. SLS is also used in toothpaste, something to think about next time you clean your teeth.

There are alternatives available, such as shampoos made with natural products. So, what is different about all natural shampoo's? A lot, I changed to natural shampoo many months ago, after going through years of scalp problems, itching and increasing hair loss. I started by making my own shampoo mix using liquid castile soap (made with olive oil), this was concentrated so I diluted it with water, chamomile essential oil (a few drops) and some jojoba oil (closest natural oil to the skins own oils). When I made the shampoo I used a recipe and I could not understand why one would add oil to shampoo, but followed the recipe to the letter. OK, ready to give it a go, wet my hair and applied my shampoo mix, it was very runny because this is the nature of castile soap, I tried to lather it but it wouldn't lather, so after two attempts gave up and rinsed it out, I then sprayed my hair with Apple Cider Vinegar, massaged it through and my hair felt like straw, the vinegar neutralize the PH of the shampoo and helps to remove any remaining residue and gives the hair a shine. I then debated whether to get the usual shampoo and re shampoo my hair, but thought, no, preserver. I dried my hair off and hit it with the hair dryer and it looked revolting, it looked dirtier than before I shampooed it, it was late and I didn't have time to re shampoo my hair so I left it, but it felt cleanish. Two days later I tried again with my castile mix shampoo, this time I was able to get a bit of a lather up, the end result was not dissimilar to the first attempt.

At this point I was ready to tip the lot down the sink, but something kept saying to me, don't give up just yet. The third time I used it, it was like magic, I got a lovely lather up and my hair was like silk when I dried it, and it was so easy to style, no added product needed at all. The shine was amazing and this came from the Apple Cider Vinegar in the final rinse. I found that when I used the vinegar my hair felt like straw and I thought how on earth am I going to comb this out before drying it because I am not using a conditioner. I shouldn't have worried, there were a few knots, but the comb soon went through them painlessly.

I was at a loss as to why my hair looked like garbage the first two times I used the castile shampoo and then read somewhere that what is happening is the castile shampoo is leaching out all the chemicals in your hair left them from commercial shampoos and once these chemicals are all out everything comes right.

I give my hair two shampoos and do not worry if I do not get a lather up on the first round, I know that the natural shampoo is still cleaning and this is proven when I get a good lather up on the second shampoo. The jojoba keeps the natural oils on the scalp in check and balanced and does not leave any oil residue on the hair shaft but it does moisturize it.

I have noticed that I am not losing as much hair as I was pre castile soap, my hair looks cleaner, feels healthier, to touch it is like touching silk and I am not having to shampoo my hair every second day, I can now get away with three to four days in between.

Would I ever go back to commercial shampoo - No Way. Even the dogs use natural shampoo now, made with castile soap, neem oil and essential oils, their coats are like silk.

Shampoo bars are another alternative and the same as the liquid castile soap, just that the soap has been prepared as a solid bar, great for traveling with. In fact, you could use any castile soap on your hair and finish up with the same result I did. Why not give it a try, stop cleaning your hair with car degreaser, but you have to promise to stick with it, because then you will see the great end result. Also, you will save yourself heaps of money, because liquid castile and shampoo bars will go a lot further than commercial shampoo and conditioner. Changing to natural castile shampoo was one of the best decisions I have made in a long time.

Virginia Reali in conjuction with beauty consultants in Australia developed the Missai Naturals range of skin care product where you design your own skincare range. Missai also imports mineral powders to compliment the range. http://www.bmnedirect.com.au

Shih Tzu - Care and Feeding Tips for This Lovable Little Pet

Tips for the Care and Feeding of Your Pet Shih Tzu

The Shih Tzu first originated in Tibet and slowly became an extremely popular dog in all areas of the world. Although there are no great concerns with the care and feeding of these cute and cuddly little pets there are a few things that you should be aware of.

The first thing that you should know is that this particular breed of dog is going to require constant love and affection. This pet aims to please its owners and therefore will seek attention whenever the chance arises. This will include sleeping on your bed if it can. If this is not in your plans make sure it has a comfortable bed and teach it that it must sleep in its bed and not yours.

Even though the pet Shih Tzu likes to please you they can often be a little difficult to train, especially if you don't make sure they know you and your family are all pack leaders. These little guys are the ultimate in the saying of "give them an inch and they'll take a mile" types. They do respond well to consistent patient training though. You need to be firm but not harsh when training them.

While your pet Shih Tzu doesn't eat a lot you need to make sure that it is eating the best you can provide. If possible you should prepare its food yourself. That way you will know they are getting the best diet available. If this is not possible purchase the best natural food you can. Raw food will be the best for your pet. Do your homework before you decide what your pets diet should be. Read as much as you can and check with other dog owners and your vet before you decide. Don't overfeed them as they do have a tendency to get fat.

The next step should be to try and find a veterinarian that practices holistic medicine. You will want to schedule a appointment for your dog to be sure it has had all its shots. Depending on what you want from your pet you should check into a neuter and spay program to keep your dog from coming into heat as well as preventing it from having unwanted puppies.

If you are looking for a medication to use for fleas and ticks you should make sure that whatever you decide on is all natural if possible. There are a number of natural products that can be made from products found in the average household or bought from regular stores.

Due to their long hair grooming is an important part of your pet Shih Tzu's care. If you can afford it professional grooming is the way to go, but if you can't learn all you can about grooming so you can do it yourself. They will need to be brushed everyday to keep their hair from developing knots as well as getting matted. This can turn into an event that is enjoyed by both you and your pet. Many owners do have their pets trimmed so they are easier to care for.

If you are able to use a groomer they will tell you how often to bathe your pet Shih Tzu as well as the exact specifics on how often to brush your dog and how often it will need a trim. If you have questions, don't be afraid to ask them. After all, they are there to teach you everything that you need to know in order to do a good job at home as well as do their job when you come into the office.

This is just an overview of the care and feeding that you will need to do to keep your pet healthy and happy. While studying you will learn a lot more, but these guidelines will help get you started on a long happy relationship with a pet that will turn out to be your best friend.

If you are a pet owner or thinking about becoming one you should visit Natural Pets Health to get more information on natural pets health foods, products & cures. You will also find general information such as the pros & cons of owning along with the caring for & feeding of all types of pets from dogs to snakes to fish to exotics.

The 6 Top Causes of Dry Hair (4 of Them Potentially Serious)

Dry hair lacks the oil and moisture it needs to give it sheen and a soft texture. As a result, hair that's dry will be brittle and dull and have a straw-like texture. Most of us will get dry hair at one point or another--either due to over-processing or exposing it to sun, wind and chlorinated swimming pools.

Dry hair that comes and goes from these external causes is an annoyance. Chronic dry hair that comes from an internal source, however, can be a sign of an underlying health problem. That's why, if your hair is dry, it's important to take a look through these six top causes and try to pinpoint yours. If conditioning treatments do not improve your hair's moisture level, it may be time to contact a health care provider.

1. Excessive Washing and Blow-Drying, Harsh Detergents

Washing your hair too often, especially with a harsh shampoo, is a surefire way to strip moisture away. Heat from blow dryers, curling irons and electric curlers will also contribute to dryness.

"It's in vogue these days to shampoo every day, but shampooing doesn't only wash away dirt, it washes out the hair's protective oils," says Thomas Goodman, Jr., M.D., a dermatologist from Memphis, Tennessee, and assistant professor at the University of Tennessee Center for Health Sciences.

If your hair is dry, try washing it just two or three times a week using a mild shampoo and a quality conditioner like Giovanni Nutrafix Hair Reconstructor, which uses vegetable proteins to reconstruct extremely dry and damaged hair.

Like home remedies? "Mayonnaise makes an excellent conditioner," says Steven Docherty, senior art director at New York City's Vidal Sassoon Salon. Leave it on for five minutes to an hour before washing out.

2. Environmental Dryness

The climate you live in can also dry out your hair. Areas with lots of sun, dry heat and little humidity, for instance, will definitely make your hair drier than tropical, humid locales. Likewise, if you're an outdoorsy person who likes to spend time in the sun, wind, ocean or pool, your hair also risks being dry. You can cut down on the damage to your hair from the elements by wearing a hat while outdoors and always using a swim cap when swimming in chlorinated water.

3. Anorexia

Because people with anorexia engage in self-starving to stay dangerously thin, their bodies are denied the nutrients they need to function. This includes the nutrients necessary to maintain luster, shine and softness in their hair. Dry hair (along with dry skin and hair loss) is a common side effect of anorexia, and one that may manifest early on.

4. Malnutrition

Similar to anorexia, a person who is malnourished does not take in the nutrients necessary for the body to maintain healthy hair. As a result, the hair becomes dry, brittle and damaged. In particular, dry hair can be a sign that your diet is lacking in omega-3 essential fatty acids, which can be found in salmon and fish oil, walnuts and flax seeds.

5. Hypothyroidism

This is a condition in which the body produces too little of the thyroid hormone. Dry, brittle and thin hair is an early symptom of hypothyroidism, along with weakness, fatigue, depression and joint or muscle pain. If left untreated, the condition causes the body to slow its functions, leading to mental and physical sluggishness and other symptoms that can range from mild to severe.

6. Hypoparathyroidism

Hypoparthyroidism is having too little parathyroid hormone, which causes blood levels of calcium to fall and phosphorus to rise. This can lead to dry hair, scaly skin, cataracts, muscles cramps and spasms, seizures and more. The most common cause of hypoparathyroidism is injury to the parathyroid glands during head and neck surgery.

This article was provided by the world's #1 most popular and trusted holistic living e-newsletter -- FREE to you right now at http://www.SixWise.com! The old way of thinking: "holistic living" pertains only to personal health. The new way of thinking: "holistic living" means prevention of the negative and adherence to the positive in all SIX practical areas of life: relationships, finances, career, home environment, safety and health. With the SixWise.com e-newsletter, you will get holistic wisdom from the world's top experts in all six of these areas -- completely FREE with a simple sign-up (and a guaranteed no-spam policy!) at http://www.SixWise.com.

The Maine Coon Cat Breed

Are you a dog lover who wants to own a cat? If so, you may want to take a look at the extraordinary Maine Coon cat breed. This breed is extraordinary intelligent and has a personality that is not exactly cat like. If you think all cats act the same, you probably haven't seen a Maine Coon decide to take a leisurely dip in your family's wading pool.

The Maine Coon is known as a gentle giant, which is not surprising, since these lovely cats weigh in at anywhere from nine to twenty two pounds. The breed has a squarish face, a thick neck, large ears, big, rounded eyes, and a large, muscular body. The tail is long and quite bushy.

This cat breed was first seen in Maine in the late eighteen hundreds and most likely developed its thick coat as a way to protect itself from the bitterly cold winters in that area. When the breed was first established, only the brown tabby color was recognized. This coat color and the Maine Coon's bushy tail gave it the look of a raccoon, and it is probably this appearance that gave these cats their name. Today, this breed comes in many more recognized colors, including black, blue, cream, red, tortoiseshell, blue tortoiseshell, white, smoke, silver tabby, brown tabby, red tabby, blue tabby, cream tabby, and bicolors. Cats can have green or gold eyes, unless they are white, in which case, eyes can also be blue or mismatched.

The Maine Coon gets along well with other cats, dogs, children, and just about every other type of animal, except mice. This breed is notorious for its excellent hunting abilities. These cats have a wonderful personality and are the perfect cat breed for families. However, they are also content being the only animal in a quiet household.

If you want an extremely quiet cat, then the Maine Coon may not be the perfect choice for you. These cats are a bit on the vocal side. However, the mewling these cats make is a pleasant chirping sound that few people find to be annoying.

With the long coat this breed has, it is no surprise that the Maine Coon needs frequent grooming. You should be prepared to thoroughly comb out your cat's coat at least twice a week. If the coat begins to develop knots and snarls, you may need to groom him even more frequently.

Overall, this descendant of hardy farm cats is a healthy breed. If your cat seems to be feeling under the weather, he most likely has a hairball problem. Of course, you should seek veterinary care to be sure he does not have any more serious problems. While you are talking to your veterinarian, you may want to consult him about feeding your cat a cat food with hairball control.

Since the Maine Coon is said to be the most popular breed in the world, it would be no surprise if you decided that you wanted to own one of these beautiful animals. If you want an intelligent and loving cat, this breed may be the perfect choice for you.

I would love to share my secrets with you and my new special articles on cat training do just that! Everything you need to know to train your cat is included in these special reports: See our section on Cat Breads.