Black Widow Spiders

Dealing With Bug Bites When Bugging Out

2012-10-31T06:00:00.000+07:00

Dealing With Bug Bites When Bugging Out
Our summertime weather is now in full swing and numerous people will be practicing their bug out techniques. What this may encounter is taking off with the family to some desolate wooded area and pretending that this is going to be their new home for a short period of time. It doesn't really matter if you are using a tent, and RV or a pull behind camper those nasty biting bugs are sure to make your life miserable.

According to the section of the country where you are planning to hold your bug out will determine the types of bug population that exists. Some areas will feature an abundance of insects ranging from dangerous spiders to scorpions, many of which could cause some seriously painful reactions. In general bites and stings from insects can be dangerous but usually they are not fatal.

What makes a bug bite dangerous is the increased possibility of anaphylaxis. This condition represents an acute hypersensitive reaction which affects approximately 15 percent of the American population. Of this percentage only 1 percent will possibly dies from complications. This amounts to maybe 1500 deaths yearly.

It is the spider bites or scorpion stings which provide the most worries while in the wild. Scorpions are scary however in most cases they are not fatal. In Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and some parts of California one can find the Bark Scorpion which is particularly dangerous. These scorpion stings often cause numbness and associated tingling feeling around the tissue of the bite. If the bite displays these characteristics you should seek the services of a medical professional immediately.

When establishing your emergency retreat keep in mind that spiders prefers dark, damp areas so it would be wise of you to be cautious around wood piles or dead trees. Scorpions usually are rather active at night so be sure to inspect your bedding prior to use. Scorpions are known for their love of stowing away on anything they can. When I was in the wilds of New Mexico we had to shake our boots out every morning before putting them on as it was not unusual to find a scorpion or two had hidden inside during the night.

In North America we have two dangerous spiders to contend with. They are the brown recluse and the black widow. Unfortunately, most bites that people receive are actually from unidentified insects. As with any insect involvement there are specific procedures to follow in order to minimize the consequences of the bit. This is particularly of interest when it concerns the removal of ticks or dealing with bee stings.

While bugging out in the forest make certain you follow any kind of precaution and always wear protective equipment when it is called for. If you are stung by a bee you should follow the specific directions treating the bee sting.

First apply an ice pack directly onto the location of the sting. Alternate the ice pack on and off in order to minimize any tissue damage. Do this procedure for at least 20 minutes on then another 20 minutes off. If there are any kinds of symptoms as follow with the victim then you should consider the possibility of anaphylaxis:

* Dizziness
* Excessive itching
* Experiencing any shortness of breath
* General weakness
* Hives
* Increased swelling anywhere except where the bite has occurred
* Erratic heartbeat or palpitations
* Unusual chest pain
In the event that the victim is experiencing any sort of involuntary muscle movements you should seek emergency medical treatment immediately. If you are able to call 911 you should do so.

The doctor is going to want to know what kind of bug bite the victim so if you can identify it then that would be much better. If the bug is now dead you should place it in a container and take it to the emergency room with you. A word of caution here you should be very careful even with dead bugs as they can still generate a reaction to their venom.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4721492

Demon Bound - A Paranormal Romance by Meljean Brook

2012-10-30T06:00:00.000+07:00

Demon Bound - A Paranormal Romance by Meljean Brook
"Demon Bound" by Meljean Brook, the seventh book in the Guardian series, is a paranormal romance. This time the focus is on the developing relationship between two mismatched characters. The world of Guardians and Demons is complex with a lot of back history. Readers will get a better understanding of the storyline by starting with book one.

After she died Alice Grey was resurrected by Michael, the leader of the Guardians, a group of beings who protect mankind from evil. Each Guardian has a supernatural gift. Alice is known as the Black Widow because of her ability to interact with spiders. Before she died, she was trapped into a bargain with the demon Teqon. One hundred years has passed and he has come to collect. If she doesn't deliver Michael's heart, she'll be damned for eternity. The bargain stands and although Alice hides behind a facade of aloofness, she is very frightened.

Novice Guardian Jake Hawkins is still trying to deal with his new abilities. He thinks Alice is creepy but as they work together and he finds out more about her, he's intrigued. He uses his gift of teleporting to help Alice, never expecting to fall in love with her. As they try to get out of her deal with the devil they discover a secret that may change their world forever.
Readers will be blown away by the Black Widow, a fascinating and unique heroine, with a tragic back story. Jake, the resurrected Vietnam soldier, is another great character, who grows and matures throughout the story. The developing relationship between this unlikely pair is complicated and incredibly well-done. The ending is satisfying but the twists and turns take things in a new direction.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2415729

Importance of Keeping Your Home Pest Free

2012-10-29T06:00:00.000+07:00

Importance of Keeping Your Home Pest Free
No one really wants common pests in their home, but many people may not be aware that these common household pests can actually pose a health risk in many cases. Ants, roaches and mice are also unsightly and can cause damage to your home or food supplies. If you have been, waffling on whether to hire a pest control service or not, you might want to consider the following.

Cockroaches
The dreaded cockroach, most people go into hyper cleaning mode the minute one of these insects are spotted. Notorious for breeding by the millions in the walls roaches are commonly associated with poverty and a dirty home. Unfortunately, this is a false association as anyone, despite the condition of their home, can get roaches and once you have them it is an all-out war to get rid of them!
Were you aware that roaches carry salmonella and E-coli on their bodies? Environmental studies have also concluded that one in five American children has a serious reaction to roach allergens.

Rodents
They chew, scamper, leave droppings and are most notoriously associated with the bubonic plague! (Of course, it is important to note that the plague was actually carried by the fleas on the mice) Rodents are no fun at all, no matter what you think of those cute little white varieties at the pet store. Mice and rodents can carry and distribute disease such as Hantavirus, salmonella and more.

Spiders
Spiders can actually be a beneficial addition to the home, however most people would prefer they reside elsewhere! As a general rule, there are no truly deadly spiders in the United States. That being said an allergic reaction to the brown recluse or black widow can result in fatality, though it is rare. The biggest reason most people use a pest control treatment for spiders is good old-fashioned fear.

Bed Bugs
Bed bugs have been the bane of human existence for thousands of years. In the 1940's these pests were nearly eradicated in the developed world but in the last couple of decades, they have reappeared on the scene. Reports are steadily rising of bed bug infestations leading individuals to consider either buying new furniture or hiring pest control services! This pest is not dangerous per se, but their presence can result in nasty rashes and some allergic reactions. An interesting side note: natural predators include ants, spiders and roaches other pests that people commonly attempt to eradicate.

Ants
Notorious for spoiling picnics but in truth a much bigger problem in the home. Ants are somewhat like roaches in that if you have seen one more are on the way! While ants do not pose a serious health risk, they too are annoying and some species can inflict a painful bite. Eradicating ants is a complicated process that requires removing the trail, killing those already in the home and decimating the nest to prevent returns. Pest control treatments are the best solution, though there are some home remedies you could try.

Conclusion
These are not the only household pests but merely the most common. Some of these pests are dangerous in their own right while others are carriers of disease and illness. Anyone can have problems with these pests and others such as fleas but thankfully, with the right pest control services you can get on with living in a pest free and safe environment.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6871288

What Nature Offers Us In Writing And Business

2012-10-28T06:00:00.000+07:00

What Nature Offers Us In Writing And Business
The morning I spot the spider web hanging by its threads between two damp-infused tree trunks is the same day the Internal Revenue Service wants all corporate tax returns submitted by late filers. A barbed wire fence and rows of lush green ferns separate me and the giant web. An iron gate ahead of me is open, and the cool gray driveway that meanders past the web begs me to come in and have a closer look. I remain on the outside of gate and fence and marvel at the stillness of the woods. Standing on a flat sidewalk with man-made cracks, I am caught in the gap between a blissful, natural peace and a burning responsibility to complete my morning run.

The jagged edges of dozens of nameless plants barely reach the outside row of the web designer's artistry. Leaves on trees extend themselves in the direction of this delicate yet firm-looking spider web, seeming to offer praise and worship since the web sparkles with pure water droplets in the early morning light.

A hot breeze fit for use by a Southern gentleman courting his soon-to-be lady blows through me and musters its way through the wooded clearing. The web dances lightly and then stops - perhaps much like business owners mustering their own way through the final touches on their tax returns before sending them off to Uncle Sam and with just as much heat.

I touch my lips with my right hand, partly to cover my mouth - and I do not know why - and partly to remind myself to exhale. A pickup truck backfires in the distance and I am thankful for exhaling at this moment.
Witnessing the lone spider web among a scattered collection of trees completes my morning run, although I have a quarter-mile to go. By stopping, I find freedom, much like what Uncle Sam, baseballs and apple pie represent to Americans.

A ferris wheel at a carnival is much like this spider web - and the business of writing, too. It goes round and round in smooth fashion, but with too much information and not enough time to stop and smell the proverbial roses, we are in a jail of practicality, only going in circles. And feeling nauseous.

In our offices, in front of our computers, our work and information we seek to inform us, arrives in droves whether we sign up for it or not. Mailbox. Email. Overnight packages. Texts. Phone calls. Voice mails. Skype sessions. Instant messaging. And more. We are caught in a web of overload and we seek - and need - clarity and calmness so we may get unstuck from where we are to release and deliver our creativity to our writing.
Writing about life outside our offices electrifies and awakens our human need for freedom. Even if your written work and message focus on your business and not a fiction story or the outdoors, writing in nature can inform you in a way that supports your success and long-term goals. Writing workshops are a wonderful way to support you.
Think of the spider web. When was the last time a business venture dazzled you, only to devour you, your energy and your budget, much like the black widow eats the insects she preys upon?

When was the last time you stole moments in your day or evening when you took your notebook and a pen and headed outdoors to seek the freedom you are looking for, but have yet to articulate from your lips on your book project that is burning to see the light of day?
Nature allows us to breathe in freedom in all facets of our lives. It gives us the natural opportunity to exhale our worries, the colleague comparisons and the mental noise that talks back to us in the morning mirror.

Nature is free and open 24/7. The books we want to write can be born simply by taking a walk... whenever you wish.
Can you describe the last time you spent in nature on your creative projects?

Christy Heady is a published author of several popular books, the most recentBuzz: How to Create it and Win With It (2007), co-authored with former New York City Mayor Edward I. Koch.

As a journalist, Heady's articles and television reports have appeared locally, nationally and internationally in print and broadcast outlets such as CNN-Chicago, Bankrate.com, America Online, The Los Angeles Times Syndicate, The Chicago Tribune, PAX-TV, Consumers Digest, The Christian Science Monitor, and Charleston Style and Design.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6378712

Skin Rash Treatment - Rule of Thumb, Don't Be Dumb - Don't Scratch It!

2012-10-27T06:00:00.000+07:00

Skin Rash Treatment - Rule of Thumb, Don't Be Dumb - Don't Scratch It!
When treating a skin rash first look for the obvious causes of the outbreak. Is the skin being chafed by an article of tight clothing? Check to see if there are any other conditions contributing to the outbreak. Is it in the groin area, with urine burning the skin? Is it in the vaginal area- is yeast infection a possibility? Could it be a spider bite? What about chemicals? Poison Ivy or Poison Oak? Think fast, chemicals and spider bites can produce long term problems.

Think about what you've been doing in the past 24 hours. Have you been in the woods-close to any plants like Poison Ivy or Poison Oak? Have you been around any caustic chemicals such as paint thinner, gasoline or lye? Even bleach or dish detergent can cause a reaction. This is very important in determining proper skin rash treatment.
Think about it while you're loosening the clothing and letting the skin breathe. Next, get a clean (sterile if possible) cloth with warm water and lightly begin to clean the rash. Do not wash outside the affected area to avoid spreading the rash. If it is just a rash caused by chafing, loosening the clothing and the application of a moisturizing lotion or ointment should take care of it. Use a lighter crème such as Noxzema or a baza crème which will allow the skin to breathe. Apply it liberally and often. If it is in the groin area, make sure that it's kept clean from urine and sweat. Medicated baby powder will help.

If chafing wasn't the cause and it's not caused by a chemical, look for signs of a spider bite. It can be a small reddish brown or white dot surrounded by a larger red, blotchy area. It may or may not itch, but don't scratch it! Most spider bites are not much more than a nuisance. However, if you think it could be from a poisonous spider such as a Brown Recluse or Black Widow, call your doctor. Bites from these are very rarely fatal and then only in infants or the elderly, but can produce long term neurological damage. Generally the symptoms are flu-like and pass within a day or two. Again, call your doctor to be on the safe side.

If you suspect it is only Poison Oak or Ivy, use Calamine lotion as recommended by your pharmacist. Wash all the clothing that was worn and clean anything that could have come in contact with the plants. This includes bicycles or tackle boxes. Take care and wear gloves and don't allow your skin to come in contact any place the plants may have been. I can't stress enough that you have to have a pretty good idea of what the cause is to determine the proper skin rash treatment.

If the Vaginal area is affected it, may be a yeast infection. The symptoms may be redness in the area and pain during urination or sex. There are over the counter remedies such as Monistat, but it is best to see a doctor. Over two-thirds of the medicine purchased over-the-counter for yeast infections do not help because the diagnosis was wrong. The over use of these substances can set you up for a real yeast infection because your body is building up a resistance to the drug.

First aid will work if the condition is not serious but you have to think fast. If it persists call a doctor or your local poison control center. Don't take chances. Make sure that you're using the proper skin rash treatment.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1600044

Basement Basics - Basement Waterproofing and More

2012-10-26T06:00:00.000+07:00

Basement Basics - Basement Waterproofing and More
Basements are complex, and sometimes difficult to maintain. Waterproof your basement walls, and then you've got to worry about leaking pipes. Fix the pipes, and then you discover a nest of baby spiders in the corner. It's enough to make you want to pull your hair out.
But if your basement is properly waterproofed, the rest is easy. It's simply a matter of maintaining a checklist of Basement Basics. Here's a quick list of regular tasks you should perform every month or so.

Keep the floors clean. Is your basement floor concrete? If so, you can keep it clean by sweeping with a broom, then scouring it with a mixture of bleach and water (a good ratio is a cup of bleach to about a gallon of water; if you're unsure, err on the side of adding less bleach). If you have finished or painted floors, use dish soap or floor cleaner instead of bleach. Mop it, then dry-mop it to soak up all the soap.

Brush for Pests. Most of the spiders that nest in basements are harmless, and can even help keep your home free of other pests. Two poisonous spiders, the brown recluse and the black widow, have bites that can seriously injure or kill -- but they're extremely rare in much of the northeastern United States, and not terribly common in the rest of the USA as well. Still, an ounce of prevention is a good idea here: Sweep your basement's corners regularly, and dust about once every two weeks or so.

Clean the window wells. If your basement windows have window wells on the outside of your home, you're probably a homeowner who takes basement waterproofing seriously. But keeping those wells clean and free of debris is just as important as installing them in the first place. Clean window wells resist corrosion, and are less likely to have cracked windows in them. They're also less likely to serve as homes for possums, skunks, or bugs.

Check the pipes and ducts. If pipes lose their insulation, they can "sweat" condensed water into your basement, damaging your wood and concrete surfaces and creating good conditions for black mold growth. Loose pipe fittings can do the same thing. Check all the insulated pipes and pipe fittings in your home at least once every three years or so. If your home is heated through forced air, you'll probably have ducts in your basement. Ducts with loose fittings can waste heat and raise your heating bill.

Check for radon. If there is uranium in the soil around your home, it can break down into radon, an invisible, carcinogenic, radioactive gas that you can't smell. Testing isn't hard, and it isn't expensive -- and it's easier and cheaper than getting radon poisoning. Buy a test kit at a hardware store, or have a testing pro come to your home to check it out.

D. Michael Kirby is a freelance writer. He writes about travel, technology, home improvement, and more. One of his clients, Right Way Waterproofing, is the premier basement waterproofing company in the Delaware Valley, also specializing in mold remediation and basement remodeling.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4954195

Phobias Keep You Safe

2012-10-25T06:00:00.000+07:00

Phobias Keep You Safe
A phobia is defined as an irrational fear. There are hundreds of them.
Arachnophobia - fear of spiders
Arachibutyrophobia - fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth
Caligynephobia - fear of beautiful women
Hippopotomonstrosesquippeddaliophobia - fear of long words
Ithyphallophobia - fear of seeing an erect penis
Placophobia - fear of tombstones
Trichopathophobia - fear of hair
Triskadekaphobia - fear of the number thirteen
Xerophobia - fear of dryness
Zemmiphobia - fear of the great mole rat

...to pick out just a handful of mostly little known phobias.
Phobias keep you safe. That's an odd claim to make. Anyone who suffers from a phobia of something they can't avoid knows how disabling phobias are. And experiencing a terror of an object or circumstance that others don't have any problem with is likely to make life uncomfortable at the very least. But let's have a look at this whole phobia issue.
Snakes, spiders, and needles are very common phobias. Even chimpanzees suffer from snake phobia. It keeps them safe. Snakes can be lethal. But chimpanzees even go ape at a piece of hosepipe that looks like a snake lying on the ground. So being frightened of snakes makes more sense than not being frightened of snakes. Spiders too can be poisonous, so it makes sense to give them a wide berth too. Needles hurt so why not want to avoid having someone stick one in you and either suck blood out, or pump something in.

Fear of the dark. Well you can't see if there's any danger in the dark and in the dark danger (bear, wolf, lion, hyena, plague infested rat) has a better chance of getting up close to you. So it makes sense to want to keep a light on (have a fire burning) all night.

So you can see already that some phobias might have origins in our evolutionary past. And panicking or screaming or generally making a fuss would be of benefit to the whole tribal group alerting them of danger in much the way that one or two individuals in a flock or a herd will give an alarm call when they spot a predator on the prowl.
The only problem is that with a phobia, the reaction has gotten a little out of hand. The scale of it has gone beyond what is necessary, that's all.
But then there are the agoraphobics and social phobics. Phobias like these actually make a person's world very small and very frightening. But if you feel uncertain of yourself and have low self-esteem then the phobia provides a legitimate reason to avoid being out and having to interact with others. So the phobia, uncomfortable though it is, actually has some benefits.

The problem is, benefits or not, that when you are confronted with the thing that terrifies you, when you have to go on holiday and spend several hours trapped in an aeroplane convinced you are going to die, and then spend a fortnight looking forward to the terror of the return, you experience a very real Hell. Whatever the phobia is, when it happens, all sense goes out of the window and life becomes something that you'd readily give up rather than face that thing that frightens you.
This is a serious problem. Anything that debilitating, anything that has that much power to destroy the rational intelligence of a healthy mind is something to be treated with respect and with all seriousness.

So what's the difference between a phobia and a fear. I've handled snakes and enjoyed it, they are amazing creatures. But hand me a cobra and I'd back away with some trepidation. I don't have a problem with harmless spiders crawling on me, but I'd be seriously panicked if a black widow was crawling up my arm. This is a normal healthy, sensible reaction. Panicking because you are told there is a snake in a bag in the next room isn't. Panicking because you bring an image of a spider into your mind is abnormal.
A phobia fills your mind and there is nothing there but a desire to be away from the source of the phobia. Thinking about the object of the phobia brings on symptoms almost identical to their actual physical presence. Often when phobias are treated the sufferer is asked to score the severity on a scale of 1 to 10, where ten is the highest level of terror they can imagine and 1 is feeling just ever so slightly uncomfortable. If the score isn't 8 or above, then there is a strong likelihood that there is no phobia. That doesn't mean there isn't a problem, but it does mean the treatment could be different. Most people can handle fears up to level 7, above that it takes over the mind completely.

But it is all in the mind.
That's why a phobia is one of the easiest problems for a hypnotherapist to fix. I'll tell you quickly one of the 'tricks' we use to scramble up a phobic image. It's generally known as the five-minute phobia cure. Let's say arachnophobia, a fear of spiders, is the problem. The sufferer is asked to picture a spider in their mind and then put a funny hat on it, say a clown's hat with a big bobble on the top. Then you could put bright yellow Wellington boots on each of its eight legs, and maybe give it a big red nose. And you play around with the image until you see a smile or a laugh. It's just a question of finding the right elements that trigger a humorous response. You can't laugh and be frightened simultaneously.
What this does is interfere with the thought pathways that lead to a fear response when an image of a spider is encountered (imagined or real), so the neurons that used to fire so readily on presentation of that image can't do so, or can't do so without other neurons also firing that lead to a relaxation response. The more scrambled and the more humorous you can make the image, the more powerful the 'cure'.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/57534

Control Those Nasty Pests Lurking in Dark Corners

2012-10-24T06:00:00.000+07:00

Control Those Nasty Pests Lurking in Dark Corners

Tulsa, Oklahoma is located in the "Green Country" region of the state. It lies on the Arkansas River and faces extreme weather. It is a very populous city and area wise is second largest in Oklahoma. With the rise in population Tulsa has also seen an increase in pests, calling for serious pest control measures to be taken. Tulsa can be taken as a good example of how pests can infest and how residents are taking care of these problems.

Pest Problems In Tulsa
Tulsa residents have to face pest problems from spiders, mosquitoes and termites. The species of spiders include the hobo spider, the black widow and the brown recluse spider. These spiders are found hiding in closets, attics and dark storage areas. Spider stings can be painful and cause swelling and irritation. Mosquitoes can disturb sleep and cause diseases. Mosquitoes can detect their hosts from as far as 40 miles away. Other pests include ants, fleas, ticks, cockroaches, silverfish and termites.
Tulsa Pest Control Measures

Vacuum clean dark corners and remove spider webs
Eliminate or reduce bright lights at night that attract insects which are food for spiders
Trim garden bushes and clean wood piles lying in the garden or lawn area
Seal cracks and crevices in walls and around windows to prevent spiders and other pests from entering
Ice may be applied to spider bite areas to reduce irritation and swelling. If swelling and irritation persists medical attention must be sought.
Using nets and mosquito repellents help to remove the mosquito menace.

If you do have pests in your home, you need to make sure that they are taken care of immediately. If you don't get rid of them immediately, pests will also multiply and create havoc in your home. Professional pest exterminators are trained to handle any pests. Give them a call today, and let them handle any pests that you may have.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3875693

Overcoming Fear - Five Techniques for Unlearning a Learned Fear

2012-10-23T06:00:00.000+07:00

Overcoming Fear - Five Techniques for Unlearning a Learned Fear
According to many psychologists, humans are only born with two innate fears-the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. Both of these fears are healthy and designed to keep us away from danger while young. But if they are right, it also means that we have learned any other fears we have. The good news is that what we have learned, we can also unlearn. Here are five techniques for unlearning your fears:

Accessing a worst-case scenario: In other words, ask yourself what's the worst that could happen. Often we can remind ourselves that the worst that could happen is that everything remains the same, so trying something new wouldn't hurt. Be sure to use vivid descriptions when you access your worst-case scenario. The more vividly we describe situations to ourselves, the more likely our emotions will help us into action.

Study whatever you fear: We are often most afraid of what we don't know. The more we study a subject the more we can learn to become less afraid. For example, I grew up in Hawaii, where there are no poisonous spiders. The thought of being afraid of spiders seemed silly, especially when they do such a good job controlling other insects. Then I moved to Southern California, a place known for two poisonous spiders-the Black Widow and the Gray Recluse. Suddenly, I was afraid of every spider I couldn't recognize, wondering if it was the infamous Gray Recluse. Not until I studied the spider, learned how to identify it and how to avoid it, was I able to overcome my fears once more.

Systematic desensitization: This technique requires that you expose yourself to what you fear in small manageable increments until you can manage the fear effectively. Usually when we are afraid, we receive an adrenalin rush that makes us feel disoriented. Our hearts pound, our fingers shake, and we lose all sense of proportion. However, if you can learn to become comfortable with the adrenaline rush, you can also learn to manage the fear. In this example, someone who is arachnophobia might force himself or herself to simply look at pictures of spiders until the pictures no longer cause panic. Next, they might visit the zoo and force to themselves to stand outside the spider exhibit, then in the entrance to the spider exhibit, then inside the spider exhibit until their fears become manageable. Believe it or not, courage is not the absence of fear, but learning to get comfortable with fear.

Creative visualization: This technique allows people to become comfortable with their fears within the safety of mental images. To be effective, visualizations need to incorporate all five of your senses. You don't just visualize the scene; you smell it, feel it, taste it, hear it and touch it, all within the safety of your mind. Psychologists are finding an amazing correlation between creative visualization and personal effectiveness. It seems that whatever we tell ourselves often enough, we eventually prove to ourselves. In creative visualization you imagine yourself in the situation you fear until you begin to feel comfortable feeling the fear. Once again, you should encounter what you fear in small manageable increments until each encounter no longer produces panic.

Conscious Mind Focus: In this technique, you use the power of your conscious focus to tell yourself that everything will be alright. As I said before, whatever we tell ourselves often enough, we eventually prove to ourselves. Usually whenever we see something that we fear, our brains immediately begin to remind us of all the reasons for our fears. In conscious mind focus, you take control of your thoughts using what I call the SPAR techniques. Spar stands for:
Stop: Tell yourself to stop everything; stop moving and stop thinking.
Physicalize: Give yourself a mental and physical shake; snap your fingers, shake your head, stand up. Do anything physical that will wake up your conscious mind.
Affirm: Give yourself a positive but realistic statement to say out loud; something like, "This spider is not going to leap across the room and attack my jugular; it is more afraid of me than I am of it."
Reward: Give yourself a reward for the more positive response, even if all you do is a little happy dance.

If you repeat this technique each time you face your fears, you will eventually be able to face your fears more easily. In fact, you will even begin to associate that old bothersome adrenaline rush with the reward that you give yourself.
So here's the bottom line on fear...
The emotion of fear has been traced to a chemical release of adrenaline. Anything new, unfamiliar, or unexpected-whether dangerous or not-causes an adrenaline rush. Thrill seekers and performers have actually become addicted to that chemical rush, but those same chemicals cause panic attacks in others.
The same cause, but a different effect. Why? Some psychologists believe that it's our expectation of, and attachment to, a perceived outcome that causes our different reactions to adrenaline. When people believe that others won't like them the way they are, they become afraid to be themselves. When people think that a situation will overpower them and leave them defenseless, then that situation often makes them incapable of action and causes panic.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1023050

Quit Bugging US!

2012-10-22T06:00:00.000+07:00

Quit Bugging US!
If there is one thing that can be frustrating at times with cottage and chalet rentals, it would be the bug activity. I am often asked as part of the first 3-4 questions, "how are the bugs?" Truth be told, location, climate conditions, time of year, and environmental conditions, all play a significant role in bug activity and type of bugs.

If you are looking for a private, secluded destination, far deep in the bush, away from noise and any immediate neighbors, in the middle of acres and acres of forests all around, chances are you will be "bugged". Black flies and mosquitoes love the woods. It is their perfect breeding ground. So if cottage and chalet rentals in the deep woods are your thing, come fully prepared with enough bug repellent to deal with the annoying little critters.
Considerable amounts of precipitation, and pockets of still unmoving water pools, small ponds, rain barrels, bird baths, unused swimming pools, also offer the perfect conditions for the "larvae" to be laid and wait for the new life form as they come of age into their next form, mosquitoes or black flies. In your questions to your cottage rental proprietor, ask about still water spots. Inquire if they use B.T.I. Briquettes at all to deal with the problem.

B.T.I. is safe to families, kids, animals and the environment in reducing the larvae levels in still water with no threat at all to the Ecosystem of lakes and rivers
Late May and most of June is the start of the "bug season" in most parts of Ontario, and dies down in August. Early morning to just before the sun rises will bring them out, as well as at dusk, you will also see them come out. And at times through-out the day, depending upon the temperature and moisture levels of the atmosphere, will also play a part on their activity in your immediate vicinity and how much you will be "bugged" by them. Wearing long sleeve clothing and pants, hoodies and bug jackets can help a lot to keep them from "bugging" you. Giving the sun the opportunity to set completely can also help in reducing the annoyances of bugs. But also, light colored apparel will also be helpful. White, ivory and light colors are in fact a deterrent. Bugs are attracted to dark colors as they are associated with deer, moose, bears and other forest creatures that are also dark in color.

Other types of bugs that are also a factor in cottage rentals are hornets and wasps, and in some instances can be fatal. If you know your child or family/friend member is allergic to hornet and wasp stings, you MUST have the appropriate medical treatment with you on your vacation at all times. In the woods, hornets, bees and wasps have much larger nests and are usually much more intense in size of numbers. If you spot a nest, report it immediately. DO NOT make any attempts to dismantle or hit the nest, especially in day light. There are products in cans that can be purchased from a local hardware store that contain the right poison to close the entrance to the next and kill the queen in the fold, without allowing the members to escape or enter. However, these products come with explicit instructions on how to use them, and in most cases recommend the use be during the night hours.

Another little insect that is a huge nuisance and also carries a bite is the carpenter ant. Although typically docile, they usually do not bite people, but can at times. The real threat they possess is what they do to wood and rotten wood. They nest and burrow in wood, hence the name, and can hollow out trees, stumps, decks and yes even the frame of an aging cottage and chalet. Boric acid (basically soap) is what is used to get rid of them, completely harmless. It's used in the treatment of the nests and surrounding colonies. The key is to find the nests and get rid of them first, before they enter the dwelling. Asking about carpenter ants in your cottage rental queries is not unusual. They were here long before we came and put a house on top of them. Best practice is to sweep up the floors and wipe down the counters after every meal in the cottage. The cleaner the surroundings are, the less food to tempt carpenter ants into coming indoors and into your food.

Spiders....creepy crawlers that can be more than poisonous when it comes to their bites are also something to keep an eye out for when you are vacationing at a cottage rental, resort or camping. One of the most dangerous would be the female Black Widow. Typically found around woodpiles or in rotting stumps, they are black with a very distinctive red hourglass marking on the shinny part of the abdomen. Their existence is rare in Ontario, due to climate, though have been found as recently as 2009 in Oakville, Bruce Peninsula, and some southern parts of Georgian Bay. More commonly found in cottage country are "Daddy Long Legs" and "Dock Spiders". Both of these types of spiders can become huge, and do inspire a huge reaction when seen. Both are not poisonous, though they can be aggressive if provoked, so it's best to just leave them alone if you seen them. Look out for webs inside the dwelling and take the appropriate measures to deal with them to avoid a future problem.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6921107

The Brown Recluse Bites - 7 Steps of Treatment

2012-10-21T06:00:00.000+07:00

The Brown Recluse Bites - 7 Steps of Treatment
There are currently more than 20000 spider species discovered, but just a few of them can really give you more than a scary moment when you see them. Actually there are just a few that can treat and harm you, such as the Hobo and Yellow Sac Spider, but only the well renowned Black Widow and Brown Recluse can give you a disease or an illness or even be life threatening.

Now, we will focus on the Brown Recluse. The Brown Recluse can be easily found in the entire United States of America, but mostly it is seen in the Southeastern and Midwestern lands. The most favorite pray of this spider are the children under 8 years old, because they usually die because of the highly powerful poison that the spider is carrying.
The perfect habitats for the Brown Recluse are definitely the dry places such as barns, basements or attics and even in small objects such as cupboards or old tires. It seems to feel comfortable in the most unimaginable places, so be very careful. Be very careful also when you encounter a Brown Recluse. In any way don't make the spider feel threatened in any manor, because when they feel threat they will attack.

Although the Brown Recluse doesn't carry high quantities of venom, it is very concentrated, almost pure and, the most important, very powerful. It is said that this spider's venom is more poisonous than one of a rattle snake. The main affections that it causes are the kidney failure, severe coma, or even death, all of them after having painful gangrene in the immediate skin around the Brown Recluse bites.

Many people don't seem to care or to have an interest to get a treatment after they get bite by the Brown Recluse. Many of them feel on that moment a burning combined with an itching sensation, and don't give a great importance to this fact. Sometimes the manifestations after the spider's bite can get very serious and severe such as having fever, nausea or even muscle pains, days after the Brown Recluse's bite. The best action you can do after you suspect you have been bitten by this dangerous spider is to seek immediate medical attention from a specialized doctor.

The only method to identify if you were or not bitten by a Brown Recluse spider is to contact a specialized doctor that will conduct on you a series of medical tests such as a complete blood count (CBC), complete urine and electrolytes test and also take the history of the bite in terms of time and location.
In meantime you can also use the First Aid Kit before the ambulance comes and takes you to your local hospital, or your family doctor comes and begin the treatment. The things you can do yourself are:

Wash skin around the bite with cold water and soap
Apply ice packs on the spiders bite to reduce partially the imminent swelling
If it is possible raise the leg or arm above the hearth line
Be calm and take some pain reliefs

It is very important not to apply any creams or to suck out the highly dangerous venom. It will only spread the venom around the body and make your situation worse.
Most probably, you will be administrated by the specialized doctor a tetanus shot and some antihistamine tablets and other pain reliefs. Do not take any dapsone or steroids, because their use in this medical issue is very controversial.

After you will receive the prescribed treatment, you will must to go regularly to a hospital or clinic in order to see the evolution in time of the whole area of the bite. Sometimes you will need to be hospitalized or to have some plastic surgeries.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1435739

Log Racks - Not Just For Those Who Fear the Elements

2012-10-20T06:00:00.000+07:00

Log Racks - Not Just For Those Who Fear the Elements
Allow me a moment to tell you about my growing up in California - where we equate snow with going to trendy ski resorts wearing our super-cute designer snow clothes. Growing up in the Wild West was quite an experience: endless summer all year long, and sunshine and warm weather on Christmas Day. Of course, living in California meant that I grew up on a constant diet of barbecue, and spent my evenings on the beach enjoying bonfires while gazing across the beautiful Pacific Ocean. Of course, this required some of the finest woods known to man, including pristine red oak, and even cedar. Are you wondering yet what exactly this has to do with log racks? Keep reading, I'll explain as we go on.

As a strapping young man growing up on a small farm, it was my assigned duty to not only help split the logs, but to also stack the wood once split. Wanting to protect my father's hard-earned investment, the first log rack I ever own was self-built and home made. It was fashioned out of old cement slabs and rebar; a far cry from the beautiful log rack that I own today. While crude, it helped to keep the wood in a neat and orderly fashion. The only downfall was that the log rack did nothing to protect the quality of the wood itself. As my family used nearly two cords of wood every year (don't laugh; we liked our wood), we would find that the logs towards the top would be crisp and full of fresh fuel, while those towards the bottom would house bugs of all kinds, and promote the growth of dry rot.

Now do you understand what this has to do with log racks? The moral of this interesting story is that if you have large quantities of wood, you need a log rack. While you may think that are only good for those who live in the north, log racks are not just good for those who need to protect their wood from the wind, snow, and humidity. Indeed, racks are also necessary for those who want to make sure their firewood stays of the highest quality.
Those who live along the southwest coast of California know what I'm talking about when I say "El Nino:" a weather phenomenon that brings weeks of rain, followed by power outages and even minor flooding. When the rain comes, your wood is soaked to the core, and it takes a long time to dry out. As logs love the water, all moisture retained by the logs can result in the growth of mold and rot from within. And this is how dry rot starts -- once it begins, it will eat away and ruin your logs. But by keeping your wood in a log rack, you will be ensuring the quality of your wood, from start to finish.

Of course, this doesn't exclude the fact that bugs, spiders, and other vermin that love the dark, secluded places that a random wood pile would give them. Spiders indigenous to the warmer climates of the west (including the often fatal Black Widow) love to hang out in dark, cool places. And the empty spaces in your pile between logs serve as the perfect breeding place. If you don't pay careful attention while selecting logs, you could easily be bitten by a black widow, or many other things unpleasant, which could result in death. By putting your logs in a log rack, you are eliminating the wasted space that bugs can create a home in, you are ensuring the safety of your family for years to come, and keeping your logs organized and easy to access wherever you need.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2400306

The Soft Tip Darts Game

2012-10-19T06:00:00.000+07:00

The Soft Tip Darts Game
The electronic dart board is definitely a hit, especially for home users as they are safer than the old style darts thanks to the soft tip darts used in the game. The soft tips are made from plastic so as not to damage the dartboard, and consequently won't damage your walls so much either. Also the maximum weight allowed is set at 20grams, which is one of the reasons the old style darters are against the new electronic game, as they prefer the heavier steel tip darts that can be used on the bristle boards. However being made of plastic has its disadvantages too, as the tips can bend or break when in use so you will need plenty of spares for them as well. Fortunately they are very cheap and easily replaced as they screw into the barrel so can be unscrewed and replaced in seconds using a dart tool.

All the major manufacturers now produce soft tip darts, with the famous black widow darts set from Laserdarts and the devastators from Bottelsen, just to name a couple and there are a lot of convertible darts sets around which give you a set of screw in steel tips as well as soft tips, like the skinnys from Bottelsen, so you can use the same darts for both the soft tip and the steel tip games, which is neat. The skinnys also have the famous hammerhead action steel tip inserts that reduce those infamous bounce outs on the wires of the bristle boards. Also the shafts and flights for the soft tip darts are just the same as for steel tip darts.

The black widow soft tips have the spider grip aluminium shafts which are supposed to grip the flights better; 4 wires made of steel are embedded into the aluminum and covered in rubber so that the wires grip hold of the flights tightly and you can choose from 16, 18 and 20 gram weights; so if you are in to arachnids, these are for you. They even have a set with a gold colored finish that look really cool called Gold Widow darts, (guess what color the black widow darts are?). Bottelsen have got some great soft tip darts as well, their devastators are very popular as well as the Nemesis set, which have the Bottelsen spinning shafts.

The Piranha is one of the most popular darts in the soft tip world and comes in any weight you want from 12 up to 20 grams and has the new feature from Piranha, the Razor Grip which is an aggressive grip that helps stop any slippage when you throw. They also come with "Top Spin" spinning shafts that can rotate so if hit by a dart whilst in the board it spins the flight out of the way so reducing the deflection of the dart coming in.
The darts that come with the dart board sets are err..... how can I put it, not very good, so even the cheaper Soft tip Darts at $20-$30 or so would be a great improvement on those, so if you get one of the all in dartboard sets it is definitely worth investing in a decent set of darts as well.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/816093

Restrict Search Engine Access for Optimization

2012-10-18T06:00:00.000+07:00

Restrict Search Engine Access for Optimization
Robots.txt is one of the many tools a SEO service provider uses. This is basically a text file they put in the ftp directory of the site. This file is the first file search engine crawlers check to see if there are special instructions for them. These instructions are in fact very easy ones like "enter" or "don't enter." However the only crawlers in the Internet are not search engine spiders. There are also some "black widows" that crawl in the web to find sensitive information. The best way to restrict access to those black widows is setting up a simple password script. Of course not every web page has sensitive information and you may want to restrict access to the good intentioned spiders of the search engines.

Maybe your web site has a complex structure with lots of internal links. Or maybe there are lots of keywords inside the site that cause formation of different URL's with the same content. You may want to restrict access to more than one page with the same content. If that is the case, Robots.txt file can solve your problem easily. When using this file you must be careful not to put the file on the highest level of your site. If you do this the crawlers don't visit any part of your site. As an example, if you put the robots text to the URL, " http:// www. yoursite.com/ robot.txt", the crawler does not visit any address starting with your base URL. So to stop a crawler from entering a link from your site you must put it under its own folder like " http:// www. yoursite.com /unwantedlink /robot.txt"
The syntax of robots.txt is as follows:

User-agent: *
Disallow: /
The first line specifies the crawler you don't want to access to your site. The asterisk means "all the crawlers." This means you can specify the search engine crawlers you don't want. In theory this feature should stop the black widows we talked about but because they have malicious intent they don't obey the rules and check the robots.txt. The second line must be as clear as it seems. It disallows the crawlers from entering this folder making your site easier to be indexed by search engine indexers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5983131

My Pet Tarantula

2012-10-17T06:00:00.000+07:00

My Pet Tarantula
I have a pet tarantula. Her name is Lucretia. Lucretia and I have been together for about two years now. I have never been a big fan of spiders. You might even say that I'm a bit Arachnophobic (afraid of spiders). Sure, the little featherweight Parlor spiders that most of us live with everyday without hardly noticing are no big deal. But a Tarantula, a big, hairy, poisonous Tarantula? Yikes!

Well, here's how Lucretia found her way into my life. About two years ago I moved into a basement apartment of a friend's place. The girl who had lived there before me had gone to Arizona but hadn't quite finished moving all of her stuff out. There was a room of the basement with a bed sheet over the doorway and a sign that said "Keep Out". Some of the previous tenants stuff was still in there so I had agreed to leave that room alone until she returned for it as long as I could still move in.

So a couple of weeks went by and the girl came back from Arizona. She was very nice, and very pretty, so her and I got along quite well from the start. She asked me if by chance I had been taking care of her spider. "Spider, what spider" I said. Then she told me about her pet tarantula that had been living in that sheeted off room while she had been away in Arizona. At this point I was trying to remain calm and keep my cool rather than do what would have come quite naturally: Shriek in horror! But that type of behavior has never impressed a lady in my experience, so I held my tongue.

The girl from Arizona actually only moved upstairs so we became good friends in a short time. I agreed to let the tarantula stay in the basement with me.
As I've been caring for this tarantula for quite some time now, I've actually become quite fascinated with it. I did a bit of research and found the most interesting factoid concerning the tarantula's lifespan. Now of course, male spiders of any kind seem to typically draw the short straw when it comes to longevity. The male black widow is famous for being eaten by its mate soon after fertilizing her eggs. Hence the saying about the female black widow "She mates and she kills".

While the male tarantula isn't actually eaten by its mate, it does have a much shorter lifespan. The male tarantula only lives one or two years tops while the female can live for an incredible average of 25 years or more! That's how I know that Lucretia is a female. She was with the Arizona girl for several years before I even met her so she has to be female.
Anyway, the tarantula is probably one of the easiest pets to take care of. Every two or three weeks I put 8 to 12 live crickets in her tank which she eats at her leisure. Other than that I keep about ¼" of water in a small bowl for her and that's it. She seems to do just fine living in an ambient temperature (68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit most of the time in my house).
In two short years I've gone from being Arachnophobic to being a guy who sleeps with a live tarantula in his bedroom. I also have a new girlfriend who often sleeps in my bedroom as well, you know, the pretty one from Arizona. Life is good!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5802524

Common Insects and Other Pests Indigenous to Las Vegas

2012-10-16T06:00:00.000+07:00

Common Insects and Other Pests Indigenous to Las Vegas
If you live in Las Vegas or are planning to move there soon, you should know that in the southern Nevada desert, you're never really alone in your home! As in every other place in the country, every house has to deal with insects, spiders, and other pests of one kind or another; but in the desert, some of these nuisances can be downright deadly. Here is a snapshot look at some of the most commonly found pests in and around the Las Vegas area that are indigenous to this part of the country.

Oriental cockroaches
Cockroaches in the desert? Absolutely! Although these carriers of germs and disease are more commonly associated with highly humid areas, the oriental variety has carved out a little niche for itself in the southern Nevada desert lands. They are smaller than most of their cousins, but they still can contaminate food just as efficiently. Keeping your house clean and caulking small crevices to the outside are great deterrents.

Black Widow and Brown Recluse Spiders
Although the Black Widow is more common, Brown Recluse spiders are also found in the Las Vegas area. Both of these spiders fight against potential enemies with highly toxic venom, making their bites nothing to laugh at. The Black Widow's venom is 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake's, and the skin around a Brown Recluse bite will quickly degenerate and die, causing permanent scaring.

Africanized Honeybees (or Killer Bees)
Killer Bees have been in the Las Vegas area for about a decade, having moved northward from Mexico. Although they are hard to physically distinguish from their European cousins, it is their behavior that most often betrays their presence. They are highly aggressive and more liable to sting, and they've been known to chase people relentlessly for long distances.
Your best defense against these pests is to retain a good Las Vegas pest control specialist, and have him make regular visits to your home.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3484796

Bugs To Watch Out For In The Wilderness

2012-10-15T06:00:00.000+07:00

Bugs To Watch Out For In The Wilderness

There are certain bugs that you really need to look out for when you are outdoors. Really, when you go out into the wilderness, you are entering insect territory. Don't feel bad if the bugs start biting you or even stinging you, because you have now entered their land. It's nothing personal - they just want to look out for themselves like every other living thing on the planet.
Because there are so many bugs around, make sure that you wear insect-repellant anytime that you step outdoors into the wilderness. An insect-repellant can make you seem invisible to a bug, but wearing perfume or cologne might make you seem even more attractive. This is the same with brightly colored clothing as many types of insects are attracted to bright colors.
Here are a couple bugs that you really need to look out for...

Spiders
A number of different spiders are some of the most poisonous insects on the planet. Black widows are among the deadliest. You can easily and quickly recognize a black widow because they have an hourglass shape body as well as a white, red or orange spot on their abdomen. If you get bitten by a black widow, you can have severe pain, shivering, weakness and sweats that can last several days and even lead to more serious issues.
You should also take a look at the Fiddleback spider, an insect that you want to watch out for. It has a light spot on its back that resembles a violin, hence its name. You might have also heard this type of spider called a Brown Recluse because it hides in dark places. If you are bitten by a brown recluse, you might suffer from tissue degeneration around the site of the bite.

Scorpions
Depending on where you are, you may or may not need to watch out for scorpions. They are mostly present in dry and hot climates like deserts. Most of them are either brown or black and they live a nocturnal life pattern, which means they are really only active at night. They have adapted to their harsh climate by developing a light yellow or green coloring so they can blend into the environment around them. They grow to an average of about 2 1/2 cm but there are some that can grow as large as 20 cm, mostly in Central America.
They sting with jointed tails and can cause immense pain. If you are stung by a scorpion, you should seek medical attention immediately because some are very poisonous. You should not confuse a scorpion with a Whip Scorpion or a Vinegar Roon, both of which have straight tails.

Bees and wasps
You can almost instantly recognized a bee because most of them have a plump and hairy body while a wasp or hornet is slender and has absolutely no hair. Some of these insects live in the ground in colonies while others build their homes hanging off of rooftops or branches.
Being stung by a bee or a wasp is more serious than most people take it. Anywhere from 8% to 12% of the human population has a severe allergy to bee stings, so any time that you are stung, you should seek medical attention. When a bee stings you, it will leave its stinger inside of your skin, along with a venom sac that will continue to pump venom into your system.
Keep in mind that you should be very low conscious of insects anytime that you are out in the wilderness. If you ever find yourself battling a colony of insects, just run away as quickly as you can and try to get to a safe place. Keeping your body close to a heat source like a campfire will help reduce the risk of being attacked by stinging insects.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6661731

A Look at Common Northwest Insects

2012-10-14T06:00:00.000+07:00

A Look at Common Northwest Insects
Being in the Pacific Northwest is wonderful in the summer, when campers and hikers can relax in the cool shade of pine trees, listen to the sound of a trickling creek and enjoy the aroma of wild blackberries. What isn't wonderful, however, are the insects you encounter.
Prepare yourself for the dangerous insects you may encounter while hiking or camping in the Northwest with this guide to common outdoor pests:

Stinging Offenders: Bees and Wasps
Unless you're allergic to their bite or sting, bees and wasps are more annoying than they are dangerous. Good hiking safety practices include taking care around flowering flora, dead or hollow trees, and garbage cans. Do not tamper with hives or nests, as this may provoke bees and wasps to attack.
Avoid leaving food out in the open, as this will attract wasps. Some campers have found that laying out anti-static dryer sheets on a picnic table helps keep wasps away.

Itchy Offenders: Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are the insect people find most bothersome. Not only do their bites cause itching, but mosquitoes can transmit the West Nile virus. Wear a lightweight, long-sleeved shirt and pants, especially if you're in an area famous for its pests.
Insect repellant is a must. Prevent bites to your hands and face by applying an insect repellant that's safe to use all over your body. Avoid areas with still water, such as ponds or small lakes.

Eight-Legged Offenders: Arachnids
While most of the Northwest's spiders are harmless, there are a couple of species to be aware of: the black widow and the brown recluse.
The black widow is recognizable by its black, glossy look and bulbous abdomen. The underside of its belly has an hourglass shape that's can range from red to orange or white. The black widow is a highly venomous spider - you'll instantly know if you are bitten by one.
The brown recluse spider is gray, brown or dark yellow in color. The top part of its body is bisected by a black line, giving the spider the appearance of a small violin. Although the brown recluse is shy, its bite can cause necrosis. It can take a couple of hours to feel the effects of this spider's bite.
Prevention is the best protection against spiders. One good camping safety practice is to use an LED flashlight when looking for items in the dark. Wear thick gloves when going through brush, collecting firewood or looking under rocks. Carefully examine your shoes and clothes before putting them on.

Blood-Sucking Offenders: Ticks
Ticks are nasty creatures that mostly live in trees. When these parasites see potential host, they jump on and bury their heads into the skin. Ticks can carry lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
The best chemical defense against ticks is an insect repellent containing DEET. In wooded areas, wear a hat, a long-sleeved shirt tucked into pants, and long pants tucked into socks or boots.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4400069

How To Clean Spiderwebs

2012-10-13T06:00:00.000+07:00

How To Clean Spiderwebs
"There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise: ants...rock badgers...locusts... The spider skilfully grasps with its hands and it is in kings' palaces." So wrote Solomon in the Biblical book of Proverbs (chapter 30 v 24-28). However, Proverbs said nothing about the slave or other worker who had to deal with the spiderwebs in odd corners of the palaces and lesser homes (hang on - maybe this person is the superwoman character described in the next chapter).

Spiderwebs are almost a cliché of neglect and poor housekeeping that have a haunted-house, attic or Miss Haversham air to them. For this reason, most housekeepers wage war on them incessantly. And it's certainly undeniable that old spiderwebs filled with bits of dead flies, dust, fluff and other rubbish look ghastly.

Some people are nervous about spiders, even if they're short of full-blown arachnophobes. In the UK, at least, this is something of an unfounded fear. Few spiders in Europe are poisonous; the black widow of France, Italy and Spain being the major exception (two others, the sac spider and the violin or recluse spider are known to be dangerous). Even the fearsome-looking tarantula isn't particularly poisonous and most spiders, if they bite you at all, will do no worse than a wasp sting. (However, if you visit Australia, you will have to be more cautious, as they have a lot more poisonous spider species).

However, there are some good things to be said about spiders. A fresh and perfectly formed spiderweb is a masterpiece of design and delicacy - a spiderweb covered with dew or (rarer but even more exquisite) hoarfrost is a breathtaking sight, especially if sunlight catches it. Spiders are a completely environmentally friendly of killing flies, although you'd need a lot of spiders in order to control flies completely. And spiders are also a sign that your home does not contain too many toxins. If you can, get out of the mindset that spiders mean you are a poor housekeeper - be proud of the fact that your home has some biodiversity and can sustain a tiny ecosystem (especially if the spiders build webs on your houseplants). Children can often be fascinated by spiders, especially if they have read Charlotte's Web.

If you are spider-friendly, all you need to do is leave the spider alone until it reaches the end of its life - apparently, they eat their old webs when they need to make a new one. You may need to dust up the wings and other inedible bits that the spider will let fall after eating a larger insect. Once the spider has departed this world, then clean the web away.
The best way to clean a web away is with an old-fashioned feather duster, or else with a broom. Most of the people do that within the weekly house cleaning, but you may prefer doing it every month. If you have to clean a large number of old webs off a ceiling, then use a soft-bristled broom. Some people wrap a duster or soft cloth around the head of the broom to make removal of the webs from the broom easier, and this method also prevents smears of dust getting onto the ceiling.

If you don't want spiders in your house, don't kill one if you come across one. It won't hurt you (unless you are in a holiday home in France, Spain or Italy and suspect it's a black widow or some other nasty - learn what they look like from an online guide before you go. As a rough guide, black widows have red spots on a big black abdomen, sac spiders are yellow and have huge fangs, and violin spiders have very long legs). Scoop it up on a sheet of paper, a dustpan or even your hand, if you're brave enough, and take it outside.
If you do have the misfortune to encounter a more fearsome spider when holidaying overseas, don't panic. You have the advantage of size, strength and intelligence. Tarantulas can be encouraged out the door with a broom (or find someone to take you up on a dare to remove it bare handed) or ignored - some people keep tarantulas as pets. Poisonous spiders should be killed before anyone is bitten, especially if you have small children, elderly people or invalids in your house. Don't use flyspray - this can infuriate some species - but squash the spider with the underside of a shoe, a broom or any other handy object.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5050835

Arachnophobia and Other Fears

2012-10-12T06:00:00.000+07:00

Arachnophobia and Other Fears
We had a little excitement this morning at home. My wife came out of the bathroom and said, quite calmly, "Ed, there's a big black spider in the bathtub." Since I was watching my daughter, Ella, at the time, I carried her in there to investigate. I was a bit surprised that my wife did not call it a Brown Recluse. That's our running joke. She grew up in Brown Recluse territory, and so whenever she sees a brownish spider she says "Ed, I just saw a Brown Recluse. Go get it." I gently remind her that the Brown Recluse does not live in Northern California as I gather up the culprit and take it outside.

When Ella and I looked in the tub, I could understand why Melissa had not called it a Brown Recluse. This spider was a deep shiny black. I'm usually pretty casual about spiders, knowing that the only dangerous spider in our area is the black widow, a spider I had never before seen. But the color of this one caused me to act with a bit more caution. And it was good that I did. When I gathered up the critter in a Tupperware bowl, I could see, through the translucent plastic, a distinctive red hourglass on the belly. Here was my first Black Widow.

Needless to say, my wife did not share in my scientific enthusiasm at this discovery. She promptly took Ella from my arms and commanded me to take the spider far away from the house. I was gratified and a bit surprised that she did not encourage me to immediately squash it.

Now I want to pause here and put in a bit of a plug for spiders. They get a bad rap. They take the blame for a lot of stuff they don't do: flea bites, tick bites, bed bug bites, even mosquito bites. You name it, spiders take the blame for it. Most spiders don't bite humans, others only bite when confronted, and of those that do bite, there are only a handful that are truly dangerous to humans. Even the bite of the supposedly deadly Black Widow is fatal in less than 1% of all instances.

And then there are the legends that have grown up around the infamous Brown Recluse. Over 60% of the medically diagnosed Brown Recluse bites occur in regions in which the spider does not live! How a spider that lives only in the South Central portion of the USA can be responsible for so many unexplained ailments here in California and elsewhere is beyond me.

Here's a brief excerpt from a spider info site to give you some perspective:
A recent summary of reported spider bites in the United States between 1989 and 1993 included fewer than 5,000 incidents per year. These numbers seem small when compared to the over 800,000 dog bites that required stitches each year. During the study period, dog bites were responsible for 20 deaths per year, and auto-deer collisions were associated with 130 annual deaths. You might be surprised to learn that there were no spider-bite related fatalities during that four-year period.

At this point, you may be wondering what this has to do with life coaching. Fear not, I do have a point I'm getting to. And as the good Dr. Seuss would say, "This may not seem important I know. But it is, and that's why I'm bothering telling you so."
How do you feel about spiders? Do you cringe when you see one walking on your wall? Do you quiver at the thought of one crawling up your leg? Where do those feelings come from? When you were a youngster, did someone in your family go into paroxysms of fear whenever a spider was spotted? Did you inherit that fear? And does that fear continue to control your relationship with these critters?

Ok, lets face it, a fear of spiders is not going to prevent you from living a successful, abundant, joyous life. But here's the catch: What fears do you harbor that DO prevent you from living that life? What other fears have you inherited from your family and friends and the culture around you? And how do those fears keep from becoming the person you have the potential to be?

Because our fears are almost always founded in the past, they appear much larger than they really are. When we experience a fear in the present, we're really reacting to the projection of a deep-rooted belief that was planted inside us long ago. Just as the shadow of a spider walking in front of a light appears huge and frightening, so too do our fears become magnified many times when we look at the projection. The reality of the spider, when viewed from a place of present-time awareness, is much less scary. So too do your fears become manageable when you shift your perception from the shadow to the source.
Fears thrive on the lies and exaggerations that are possible only in the dark, hidden places. As soon as you bring those fears out into the light you can begin to see them for what they really are. The trick, of course, is knowing how to pull those fears out into the light.
So here's your assignment:

When you see a spider (or a snake or a mouse or you look down from a balcony or get onto a plane or fill in the blank) and you notice the dread that lives in the pit of your stomach, know that you have a great opportunity to practice shifting your perception. So the next time you find yourself face to face with a spider, rather than running away or calling for reinforcements, try to stop and breathe for a moment and become an explorer of your inner world. If you need to catch the spider and place it in a hermetically sealed container in order to breathe, that's ok! And then see if you can observe that spider with the objectivity of a scientist.

This practice will serve you well the next time you find yourself confronted by a fear that really does hold you back from the life you want to live. When you feel yourself quaking as you prepare to give a presentation, when you watch your arms quivering as you walk into a job interview, when your mouth becomes drier than the Sahara desert as you share your portfolio with a gallery owner, whenever you notice yourself entering a place of fear, become a scientist, objectively exploring the phenomenon. Become a neutral observer of your own life. When you discover the source of your fear, you may be surprised to find that the reality is much less scary than the perception.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/161736

About the Lifespan of a Betta Fish

2012-10-11T06:00:00.000+07:00

About the Lifespan of a Betta Fish
There are many facts to learn about the lifespan of a Betta fish. They are fun to own because of several reasons. These pets will live for many years without much care.
You can find and purchase one of these fish for a few bucks. Every color you could imagine can be found in these fish. Be sure to avoid keeping them with other fish, as the Betta fish will attack and kill any fish you put in their tank. These tropical pets can live up to six years. However, with proper care, you could keep them alive for eight years.
An interesting fact to remember is that the male Betta's are more bright and colorful than the females. It's the males duty to protect the baby Betta's until they are strong enough to fend for themselves. Once the nest has been created, remove the females form the fish tank.

The female fish is sort of like a Black Widow spider. She'll kill the male after the breeding has taken place. If you don't want this to happen, separate the male from the female. I wouldn't take a chance here. It happens quit often. I suggest that you pick up a split tank. These tanks are designed to separate the fish without them losing visual sight of each other.
The environments that these fish can live in are numerous. They can live in fish bowls, flower vases, or even a small pond. As long as you take care of them, you should be able to put them virtually anywhere.

One great thing about these fish is that they make great gifts. And as we know, mothers day is approaching fast. Maybe she'll appreciate a little friend to keep her company.
There are many websites that contain relevant information about the lifespan of a Betta fish. One thing that I highly suggest is that you create a simple guide that you can refer to whenever you forget something. For example, if you have a house sitter, it would be great if you had a guide to give to them. It could mean the difference between life and death for your fish. So, unless you don't mind losing a few of these beautiful fish to trial and error, I suggest that you take the necessary precautions when caring for Betta fish. I hope that this article has inspired you to new heights when caring for your new friend.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7033993

What Are Engineered Wood Products?

2012-10-10T06:00:00.000+07:00

What Are Engineered Wood Products?

When the average person stops to consider what the strongest materials to build with found in nature, the first thing to come to mind is steel. Hey, who can blame them because after all steel is some pretty strong stuff to build with. Just the same though, did you know that the material that a black widow spider spins its web from is in fact stronger than steel and some 20 times lighter?

So there are in fact better materials to build with out there but it all comes down to things like cost and weight factors. That is how much any given material costs to produce, and how much it weighs. You see, expensive materials drive up the cost of a building which you of course know, but so do heavier materials. For instance steel is very expensive and time consuming to handle.

So even though it's been around being used to build with for centuries, in spite of its inherent shortcomings, wood continues to be the number one choice in home building materials. It's relatively affordable and also light. It's also easy to cut and attach using just a saw, a hammer, and a handful of nails. Even so, all along wood has had one glaring flaw, and that is its grain.

Wood grain might be good on furniture but it's where wood tends to split when used as a structural building material. You see, pound for pound, wood is really one of the stronger of the available building materials but it's the grain in wood that is the problem. Not only does it tend to come apart along its grain but periodically a defective grain can be the source of a hidden, more exceptional problem.

Perhaps the very first of the engineered wood products to be made was common plywood. Now plywood gains its strength by alternating 1/8 inch wood layers so the grain runs counter to one another and the net result, is that it's a full 8 times stronger than a normal piece of wood of the same dimensions. Plywood also tends to have a high sheer or lateral strength.

Now do keep in mind that these 1/8 inch layers of wood can be laminated to several thicknesses, so not only is this system used to make plywood that's primarily used on surfaces but it is also used to make beams. Engineered plywood beams up to 4 and even 6 inches thick that are used to span distances far greater than a comparable sized piece of standard lumber could.

One more way that the grain in raw lumber is done away with to produce another type, or style of engineered wood products, is by shredding or chipping wood into chips fibres, or long strands. Once this is done these materials can be pressed, formed, or moulded into building materials like oriented strand board, or OSB. OSB is a type of low cost particle board that's used in home building, and general manufacturing.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5980847

Originally: DHA Pregnancy - The Secret to a Healthier Baby and a Healthier Pregnancy

2012-10-09T06:00:00.000+07:00

Originally: DHA Pregnancy - The Secret to a Healthier Baby and a Healthier Pregnancy

A pregnant pause? Why expectant mothers should keep up their omega-3 intake.
It's nothing short of a minefield. Somewhere between avocados and leafy greens, the dietary taboos are bound to come crashing d own on a pregnant woman, as if she's been infested by an alien and a Michelin connoisseur all at once. Some give up entirely and rely on a everything-in-moderation rule; some hire a team of nutritionists and the odd shaman; and some especially hungry ones ponder the black widow spider's strategy of devouring the male upon consummation.

But almost every one of them sticks to at least one commandment (or myth, depending on your level of paranoia), and that's a strict limit on oily fish intake at one portion a week. The well-intentioned rule was announced upon the discovery of poisonous heavy metals and fat-soluble toxins in fish. Though they are only ever present in trace amounts, these substances cannot be excreted by the human body at all and as such poses severe risks to children and pregnant women when consumed in abundance.
The rationale is sound and proven to an extent, but it fails to take new evidence into account. Never mind that Harvard researchers have now relaxed the rule because the benefits outweigh the risk of developmental defects. There's also a somewhat ironic twist: some of the benefits in fish are so diluted you can't capture it even if you have it for every single meal.

This is a bit complicated, especially if you're bearing a child (trivia: pregnancy makes you dumb, temporarily. Ask any mother/scientist.) In general, the benefits of fish come in two ways: it's a balanced source of nutrition, and it provides DHA.
DHA is a form of omega-3 fatty acid, which in term is an macro-nutrient as defined by the FDA. Omega-3s are generally described as "essential" because our bodies cannot manufacture it on its own. So we absorb omega-3 from fish, leafy greens, and so forth, which strikes an equilibrium with omega-6 and omega-9 sourced from the rest of our diets.
But our bodies are discerning consumers: while it finds a use for all omega-3 fatty acids, it would be on the lookout for a rare variety called DHA. When deprived of it, the body would try to make some of its own by an inefficient conversion process from other omega-3s. This compares very well with fish, who paradoxically don't make DHA at all, but accumulates it by scavenging algae.

DHA is the key here. As an agent of tissue development and growth, it assists in the infant's brain development. You might dismiss hand-eye coordination as a sport thing. But the language areas, which are unique to humans and the essence of our intelligence, are aided by the presence of DHA as well. As a matter of fat, a third of the human brain is made up of fatty acids, and the figure rises to 70% in the case of a new-born.
The mother herself benefits from improved overall health, and more specifically a lower incidence of post-natal depression. These are some of the reasons that DHA supplements during pregnancy are now formally recommended by European Union guidelines.
But since no amount of fish recipes would bring you the necessary amounts of DHA, fish oil supplements are the way to go. Try cooking up 250mg of DHA in your meals everyday, if you don't want to take my word for it. You'll be hugging a bottle by nightfall.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5913712

Lit Analysis - Newness Through Foils in Pride and Prejudice

2012-10-08T06:00:00.000+07:00

Lit Analysis - Newness Through Foils in Pride and Prejudice
I think we can all agree that, whether it's a short story or a novel or something in-between, THE most important thing about any story is this:

Something has to change by the end---or there's no story.

Whether or not you've ever seen that statement in a book or in an article, you know intuitively that it's true. Can you recall any story where there's no change by the end? Thought not.
Now, you may not realize it, but in absolutely every published story the change at the end always relates to some value stated strongly early on in the story, either by or about the main character.
And that early strong value statement is always an evaluation or description related to the main character, or one of the main characters, concerning-

a trait or characteristic,
a goal,
a problem,
a desire, or
an opinion or viewpoint.

That's what I call the old view.On the other hand, the change at the end I call the new view. And

the new view is always a reverse of the strong old view stated early on.

With that one principle, you can make sense of literally every story ever written and published. And you don't have to bring in a bunch of literary devices to prove your analysis, either.
However, you should know that there's a major difference between a short story and a long story, or novel. In a short story, the major support of the old view-new view relationship is the description of the main character, often having to do with descriptions of their feelings, thoughts, talk, and actions, though a physical description can be used to powerfully support the new view, too. For instance, in the first section of his famous short story A Rose for Emily, William Faulkner uses a strongly suggestive physical description of Miss Emily as being like a black widow spider, which obviously supports the repulsive revelation about her at the end of the story.

But in a novel, the major support of the old view-new view relationship in the story is the use of foils.
A foil is a character in a story who serves as a contrast to another character. Usually, the strongest, most important contrasts are with the primary main character or one of the other main characters. And the contrasts usually serve to highlight specific traits of the main character, and thereby reinforces the old view-new view relationship, the change from the beginning to a reversal ending.
Foils are major factors in novels, not short stories, because it simply takes much longer to properly develop a contrast between two or more characters. In short stories, there just isn't space or time for that.

Before we examine examples of foils, let's first take a close look at the newness factor, or the old view-new view relationship, in the famously popular novel, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. And then we'll look at how foils in the story are used as a major tool for supporting the new view reverse at the end.
On pages four and five of the story, the narrator presents a strong value statement about one of the two main characters, Mr. Darcy. The townspeople of Meryton acquire a biased or prejudiced opinion against Mr. Darcy, whom they have just met at a town dance:

... he was discovered to be proud... and above being pleased... He was the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world, and everybody hoped that he would never come there again.

At the dance, Elizabeth Bennett and her mother were rudely spurned by proud Mr. Darcy, and so their prejudiced opinions of him agreed with everyone else's. On his side, Mr. Darcy had little use for the "country folk," either, expressing to his friend Bingley that they were beneath him, which is further direct evidence of his pride.
Okay, now that we've identified the strong old view statement, on to the new view reversal at the end.

Near the end of the story, Elizabeth discovers that Darcy has rescued Lydia's reputation and the fragile reputation of the rest of the Bennett family, as well as her own. This allows her to reverse her prejudiced opinion of him and fall the rest of the way in love with him (after she found out the truth about Wickham from Darcy and visited his vast, rich estate and met his amiable sister, she was beginning to be pleased with him and to shift her opinion, but not quite all the way until she found out that he had rescued her own good reputation and the good reputation of her entire family). She expresses her reversed feelings to Darcy almost at the very end of the story when Darcy presents his marriage proposal a second time, which Elizabeth accepts gladly, based mainly on her growing respect and appreciation for his character.

With Elizabeth's engagement to Darcy, her family also reverses their feelings about him (the town, too, probably, though we are not told so) at the end of the story-a perfect old view-to-new view pattern, a pure new view reverse delight!
To firmly establish the old view of Darcy as proud and prejudiced in the story, Jane Austen supplies Darcy with major foils in the form of Bingley, Mr. Collins, and Wickham. In conversations with Jane, Elizabeth constantly compares Darcy's arrogant manners unfavorably to Bingley's courteous, friendly behavior, as well as Darcy's being "proud and disagreeable" to Bingley's being "so amiable." Even Bingley expresses to his friend his disgust at Darcy's pride at the first dance they attend in Meryton, as well as after the dance.
With Mr. Collins, Austen shows the contrast between him and Darcy in their behavior at Bingley's party and at the manor of Catherine de Bourgh, Darcy's aunt. In both instances, and in many more, Mr. Collins's toadying behavior is constantly on display, as compared to Darcy's dignified, though arrogant, mannerisms. So Darcy actually comes out ahead in the contrasts with Mr. Collins --- Darcy may be proud and not as agreeable as Bingley, and he may even be accused of showing his pride and arrogance toward Mr. Collins, but he's clearly much more sensible and respectable than Mr. Collins. You have to give him that.
The crucial contrast is with Wickham, whom Elizabeth takes a quick liking to because he confirms her negative view of Darcy. Wickham cements the developing old view of Darcy as proud and arrogant, even more so than previously thought, by telling everyone a story that portrays Darcy as profoundly unjust in his dealings with him. In addition to being seen as a victim deserving of sympathy, Wickham shows himself quite friendly and charming with the ladies, which is a noticeable contrast to Darcy's arrogant, standoffish behavior.

However, Darcy's unfavorable contrast with Wickham gets a sharp turnaround, at least with Elizabeth, when she visits her friend Charlotte, then married to Mr. Collins. After Darcy proposes and Elizabeth rejects him with accusations about his gross misbehavior toward Wickham (among other things), Darcy writes her a letter explaining how Wickham tried to elope with Darcy's fifteen-year-old sister, Georgiana, to get his hands on her inheritance, giving the lie to Wickham's tale of Darcy's abuse of him. When Elizabeth returns home, she shares the incident with Jane, her sister, concluding that she now sees Darcy as a good man and Wickham as a scoundrel. Add to that Elizabeth's visit to Darcy's rich estate and meeting his sister, who loves him as the perfect older brother, and the old view of Darcy as proud and arrogant begins to dissipate, at least for Elizabeth.

Finally, when she discovers that Darcy went to great trouble and expense to help Lydia and Wickham --- a man he thoroughly detests --- get married and thereby saved the good reputation of the entire Bennett family, especially Elizabeth's --- she cannot help falling in love with Darcy, seeing him as a person of high ideals, like herself, and one who appreciates, cares about, and loves her. So Wickham as Darcy's foil actually helps to enlighten Elizabeth about Darcy, finally, by highlighting Darcy's high moral character and his goodness as a person. That is what has made the new view reversal at the end --- the complete reversal of the universal negative opinion of him, including Elizabeth's, so well established at the beginning --- so strong and so satisfying, endearing, actually, to millions of readers for about two hundred years, all over the world.
Now, for Elizabeth's major foils: Jane, Charlotte Lucas, and Miss Bingley (Mr. Bingley's unmarried sister).

Elizabeth is closer to her sister Jane than to anyone else, so a contrast there is easy and natural. Elizabeth, herself, often notes the contrast when talking with Jane, envying her sister's goodness as opposed to her own teasing, cynical comments about people, such as,

Till I have your disposition, your goodness, I can never have your happiness.

Elizabeth's best friend, Charlotte Lucas, provides another great contrast by way of her attitude of pragmatism toward marriage, the opposite of Elizabeth's idealism. That is shown when Charlotte admits to Elizabeth that she would be marrying Mr. Collins for purely pragmatic reasons, not love, which is quite the reversal of Elizabeth's rejecting his marriage proposal for idealistic reasons, including not loving him. (That fulfills her commitment in conversation with Jane, in which Elizabeth energetically vowed not to marry for money or social advantage, but only for love.) And Miss Bingley is yet another good foil because she is cynical, like Elizabeth, but, more than that, she is also vicious and deceitful, which Elizabeth is not. Each of these foils helps readers to focus on a different characteristic of Elizabeth, and so we know her better because of these contrasting personalities, these helpful foils.

The perfect foil, perhaps --- in other words, the perfect contrast or reversal --- of the old view about Darcy's pride and arrogance so well established at the beginning of the story, is Elizabeth's new view reversal statement when she speaks alone with her father about her love for Darcy: "I love him. Indeed he has no improper pride. He is perfectly amiable."
As our examination of Jane Austen's novel, Pride and Prejudice, has shown, foils are a key factor in presenting the old view-new view relationship in novels. Now you will be able to see the foils, old views, and new views more easily in the next novel you read, analyze, and write about in your literary analysis essays.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5326104

True Macro Photography the Inexpensive Way

2012-10-07T06:00:00.000+07:00

True Macro Photography the Inexpensive Way
One of the things that most novice photographers get interested in almost immediately is macro photography. And why not? After all, there are some gripping shots of some really interesting things out there. We just are not accustomed to seeing the small things in life in a very large way. But usually after the first look at the price of a true macro lens we shy away and leave that part of photography to others. But there is a work around - let's take a look at it.

I have been doing macro photography over my whole 35 years career as a photographer and I have never owned a true macro lens (1:1 magnification). I have never done a lot of it and therefore never could justify the price. I have always owned a set of extension tubes though and when I have wanted to do macro photography I just pull those out.
Extension tubes work like this - as we focus closer with our lens, the focusing elements actually move away from the camera body. So by placing a tube between the camera and lens we can focus closer and get larger magnification. My extension tube set has three tubes of 12, 20, and 36mm and I can use two at the same time. So I can place my lens 56mm away from the camera body and still have aperture control.

One of the biggest challenges with macro photography is the shallow depth of field. I once had a dead Black Widow Spider that I thought would make a great subject. I set her up in a natural setting. But even in that situation I had difficulty getting her whole body in focus regardless of how much light (more light equals a smaller aperture and therefore increased depth of field) I poured on the subject. I ended up getting her head in razor sharp focus while allowing the body to gradually go out of focus.

Once you place an extension tube between your camera and lens you can no longer focus to infinity. The maximum focusing distance is considerably closer to the camera as is the minimum focusing distance. I find that for any lens less than 70mm the distance between the subject and front lens element is too small for all but the most special of circumstances. I usually use my 70 to 200mm Zoom for virtually all macro shots.
So if you have thought about doing macro photography but were put off by the price of a macro lens, try a set of extension tubes and start experimenting. I am sure you will be glad you did.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5314565