They’re Baacck! Once Nearly Eradicated, Bed Bugs Are Back With a Vengeance
February 27, 2010 | Leave a Comment
It’s a bad reflection on immigration and international travel, but these could have contributed to the recent resurgence of the pesky bed bug in homes, hotels and transportation. PreWorld War II Americans were familiar with these insects but thanks to DDT, bed bug populations have nearly disappeared in the 40s and the 50s. During this period, bed bugs flourished in other parts of the world like Asia, Africa, Europe and Central and South America.
Most of today’s younger generation have never even encountered a bed bug. However, true to its resilient characteristic, bed bugs are slowly letting us take notice of their presence. Other than hitching a ride on an international traveller’s luggage, their reappearance may also be blamed partly on some changes in the practice of pest control and the use of weaker pesticides.
Meet the bugs
Bed bugs belong to the family Cimicidae and are tiny, flat, reddishbrown insects with small wings and a disagreeable odor. They resemble ticks and are sometimes mistaken for such. They are nocturnal insects and will only come out to feed, normally on blood from warmblooded animals like bats and birds and yes, humans. If the environment is right, bed bugs can produce up to four generations in one year.
Adult bugs are about 1 /4 inch long while young nymphs are much smaller and have a lighter color. Female bugs lay eggs in hidden crevices, averaging about five eggs a day. The eggs appear white and are extremely tiny, resembling specks of dust. When hatched, little bed bugs become nymphs which undergo five moltings before becoming adults.
Even as nymphs, bed bugs are already fed with blood to survive. A bed bug can complete its life cycle from egg to adult in about 30 days, as long as temperature and environment are favourable. In her lifetime, a female bed bug can lay as much as 500 eggs.
They cannot fly, but are fast surface crawlers, able to cover distances in a short time. Their flat bodies enable them to slip through tight cracks and crevices, allowing them to hide in the most impossible to reach places, including between mattresses, seams and box springs.
Bed bugs do not nest but instead prefer to hide in groups in common places. They prefer to stay in areas where access to food (that’s us) is convenient. However, they are quite capable and willing to cross several feet of distance just to get to their meal.
How to know if you have bed bugs
Other than the telltale bites, the presence of dark spots and stains on areas where there are tiny cracks is a dead giveaway that bed bugs have landed. You might also find molted skins, tiny eggs and egg shells. You might also find some bloody spots on mattresses, sheets, chairs and walls. A bad infestation will give your home a musty smell, although this is often unnoticeable.
Why the bites should concern you a little
Bed bugs usually attack at night during sleep. A person will never feel their bite and feeding can last for as long as 10 minutes. They go for exposed areas of skin the face, neck, arms, hands and shoulders. Reactions to bites depend on each individual. Some develop a red swelling immediately while others don’t have any symptoms or signs at all.
It is highly unlikely for bed bugs to transmit diseases through their bites. The only concern about them is that their bites produce annoying allergic reactions like redness, swelling and itching. To combat these, corticosteroids and antihistamines are used to alleviate symptoms, coupled with antibiotics to help prevent infection.
The myth of the bed bugs
These insects can drink their body weight in blood during a feeding that lasts five minutes. When full, they can survive for long periods without feeding. Nymphs can survive for several months while adults can go as long as a year.
This fact is missed by people who think that ‘starving’ the bed bugs will kill them. Some landlords even assure new tenants that a bug infested apartment is already safe to occupy because it remained vacant for several months. This is an unfortunate belief, because bed bugs are so much tougher than that.
A measure of control
Only a thorough inspection and application of pesticide can exterminate bed bugs. Since they hide in difficult to reach places, it is extremely important that these areas are treated. For a more complete treatment, it would be wise to get the help of professionals. They are more experienced in determining bed bug areas and using the right kind of pest control methods to rid you of bed bugs.
Bed bugs are one of the oldest bugs known to annoy humans and are in fact referred to in classical Greek texts dating back to Aristotle’s time. The fact that they have continued to live among us is testament to their resilience. Like cockroaches, bed bugs may never be completely eradicated. All we need to do is try to control their population and apply treatment when necessity calls for it.
Thomas Salathe
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/theyre-baacck-once-nearly-eradicated-bed-bugs-are-back-with-a-vengeance-78382.html
Teen Issues Today: How to Deal
February 27, 2010 | 8 Comments
Parenting teens is often filled with turmoil and stress. While very few parents will truthfully say that there was no strife while raising their teenager there are ‘tricks’ to making this time of life a wonderful adventure.
When thinking about parenting, teen issues seem to pop up as some of the toughest. Teens have passed the relatively calm years of grade school but aren’t into the adult years yet. Teens struggle to figure out where they are in life and who they are.
Unless you’re an expert in parenting, teen problems may be overwhelming. Teens pull away from their parents, leaving parents wondering exactly what’s going on in their teens life. Issues like sexuality, peer pressure, drugs, alcohol and self esteem crop up at different times, making it difficult to know how to help the teens. Parents may feel out of the loop, knowing there are things going on but unable to reach their teen verbally in order to help them.
From relationship abuse to peer pressure to drink, teen girls are dealing with more than they can handle.
Mean Girls
Most teen girls have come face-to-face with “the popular girls” or the powerful clique at their school—or they might be a part of one. When teen
girls act out their emotions on other girls, it’s a sign they are insecure with themselves—more so than the girls they tease.
As you progress in parenting, teen concerns become less and less. Teens usually figure out who they are and who their friends are. Teens also begin to figure out what they want to do in the future and they become less present oriented and more future oriented. Experimentation with drugs, sex or alcohol often continues with some teens and will continue to be a source of concern to their parents. When the teen gets their driver’s license, they become more mobile than most parents would like them to be. They go to parties and engage in risky behaviors.
Relationship Violence
It is now estimated that one in four teenage girls has been hit by a guy on date. A lot of times we check out from thinking and so if you were to really look at all of his behavior and think about it, it would be hard to say that’s loving behavior.
You kind of stop knowing what you know. You can’t save him. You’re at risk. It’s your self-esteem that’s at risk. To add to issues of parenting, teen sexuality issues are becoming more out in the open now than they have been in the past. More teens state they are bisexual, gay or experimenting—often dating people of both genders. This is
more common in larger cities than it is out in rural areas but, with the advent of the Internet, teens are dealing with sexuality issues on the web.
Fortunately for parenting, teens pregnancies are down and teens are being more responsible for their sexual activity than ever before. Some of this could be related to the fact that teens can get birth control now without a parent’s permission at a low cost clinic or even at their own clinic.
Teen pregnancy is rarely a desirable event for a girl as well as for other potential baby’s relatives. But the main trouble is not that the future mother is too young to bring up a baby. The fact is that such a pregnancy is usually caused by some certain problems and this means that the awaited baby is not going to be happy.Though, the age of women is enduring to decrease, as younger women look for to conclude pregnancies.
Even for experts in parenting, teens issues like drug use or alcohol use can’t be overcome easily. Teens will continue to experiment with alcohol at parties, drugs like ecstasy and marijuana, and even solvent abuse.
Deal Teen Drinking
A few of the teen girls on the show admitted to drinking—and drinking so much that they black out. I call it dead girl walking syndrome, which means you’re not dead yet, but you’re killing yourself off. Slowly each time you black out, you’re killing off possibilities. ‘So I’m gonna check out temporarily.
Every time you drink, you’ve got to drink more because the hunger gets bigger and deeper and wider.
Cutting and Emotions
Some teen girls are turning to the unthinkable to express their hurt and frustration with the issues they face. What’s hurting you on the inside?
jane maria
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February 27, 2010 | 11 Comments
So, you’d heard of online dating services and were skeptical at first. After going out to bars and clubs and not meeting anyone, you decided to go ahead and give it a shot. You researched and found the most popular sites and signed up with a few of them to make sure that no stone was left unturned.
You carefully crafted your profile, so that it was an honest reflection of you. No sense in lying, you’re a nice guy and certainly worthy of a nice girl. You had your sister take a couple of pictures of you, because you know she’d make sure they would come out showing you in the best light and uploaded them.
Now comes the moment of truth. You carefully go through the profiles, looking for women that meet your requirements. You’re ready to make contact, but you don’t know what to say. It’s different talking to a girl in a bar. Especially after having a few drinks. Now you feel like you’re writing a love letter to the girl who sat in front of you in the seventh grade. Then, doubts begin to set in. What if her profile doesn’t accurately describe her? Maybe she just wants a man to take care of her or her personality is not as she presents it. Don’t be afraid my friend. By asking the right questions, you will be able to determine if this is a woman that you truly want to go out with.
The first question that you should ask is what she feels are the mistakes that other men who are on the site have made. Pay close attention to her answer and see if what she says makes sense or if she has unreasonable expectations of men. This will be a big clue as to how well you will get along with her and whether or not she will be able to get along with you.
The next question to ask is how she feels about online dating in general. This will give her the opportunity to voice any bad experiences she might have had. By listening to her, you will learn how to avoid making these same mistakes. This knowledge will help you with subsequent women that you correspond with as well.
The last and possibly biggest question to ask is how her last relationship ended. If she tells you that it was all her fault and that she broke her ex’s heart, thank her for her time and move on to the next woman on the list.
If she says it was all his fault and that nothing he did was right, ditto. Move on. Chances are nothing you do will be right either. If she responds that it wasn’t really anyone’s fault that the two of them just didn’t want to be together any more, bingo! Feel free to pursue her.
By simply asking the right questions, you’ve got a much better chance of finding the woman that’s right for you.
Gregg Hall
http://www.articlesbase.com/dating-articles/how-to-ask-the-right-questions-upfront-that-will-get-you-the-right-date-for-you-53010.html
The Perfect Valentine’s Date
February 27, 2010 | 4 Comments
The dating game, even at the best of times, can be a perilous business, filled with misunderstandings, secret signs that have not been picked up upon, and even faux pas; after all, we’ve all – at some point in our lives – thought that someone was interested, only to discover that it’s not actually the case. Similarly, picking the right Valentine’s Day Gifts can be tricky, especially if you’re thinking of buying Valentine’s Day Gifts for someone who doesn’t know how you feel.
So, for anyone looking to find themselves the perfect Valentine’s Day date – with or without the addition of Valentine’s Day Gifts – the essential starting point is to meet someone; and with heavy working schedules, the best places to meet the right person may not be immediately clear. One possible suggestion could be to join an evening class, although it’s important to pick the right type of hobby or skill. For example, if you’re a man looking to meet a woman, learning a skill that would generally not be of any interest to members of the opposite sex is probably a bad idea. Dance classes could be a great idea though, as there are usually lots of single men and women; it’s more than acceptable to ask anyone to dance. Late night shopping could also be a fruitful experience, and you could always pick up some great Valentine’s Day Gifts whilst you’re there. Other options, such as visiting an art gallery, or going to the theatre could also be worth considering, especially as gift shops also contain useful Valentine’s Day Gift ideas.
Once you’ve managed to find yourself a person whom you like, and seems interested in return, it’s time to move onto chatting them up. While it’s perfectly okay to include light banter about appropriate – or indeed disastrous – Valentine’s Day Gifts, there are some general pointers worth remembering. Always avoid using any one of the cheesy chat up lines you’re bound to know; no matter how great it might seem to ask a girl if she works for UPS – because she looks like she’s checking out your package – it’s unlikely to yield the results you expect. Jokes connected with Valentine’s Day Gifts are a bad idea too. It’s also a good idea to ask questions, and to be genuinely interested in the answers; she might even have a few hints for possible Valentine’s Day Gifts, providing everything works out well.
Assuming that all has gone well, and you’ve progressed to the actual date, it’s a good idea to do a little preparation in advance to make sure everything goes smoothly. Aside from small talk about possible Valentine’s Day Gifts, make sure you’ve got a few conversational tricks up your sleeve; hobbies, travelling, likes, dislikes and even food can be possible areas for conversation, as long as you use your imagination. The most important thing to remember though is to relax, and to be yourself. After all, you’re both there to have a good time.
But how do you know that you’re doing well, and that you’re making all of the right impressions? Indeed, how do you know if the person you’re on that date with feels as positively as you do? Especially if you’ve not had any Valentine’s Day Gifts or cards from them? The secret is in the body language of the person you’re hopefully enjoying the date with. When it comes to flirting, experts recommend that individuals look out for signals such as the direction of hands and feet – apparently, when we find an individual attractive, we tend to point towards them with body parts such as hands and feet – flashes of eyebrows and the mirroring of body language. It is also claimed that the areas of the body we look at widen when we find an individual attractive – although they might be looking to see if you’re hiding any interesting Valentine’s Day Gifts; friends might look at each other’s eyes, nose and mouth, but flirtatious individuals apparently tend to widen their gaze to other areas of the body, and might spend a large amount of time looking at their love interest’s mouth. And, apparently, people blink more often when they find an individual more attractive. It would seem then, that even in the absence of Valentine’s Day Gifts, all of the right messages can be given off; you both just need to make sure you’re paying attention. Of course, a great Valentine’s Day Gift would probably help no end too.
John Smith
http://www.articlesbase.com/gifts-articles/the-perfect-valentines-date-747254.html
8 Tips for the Perfect Sugar Daddy Dating Experience
February 26, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Meeting people can be a great deal of fun. Sugar Daddy online dating has given us this opportunity from the comfort of our own armchair, but just because you are searching from the comfort of your own home, don’t allow your common sense and instincts to lessen when making decisions. Here are some sugar daddy online dating tips to make your searches safer, more fun, and most importantly, successful.
Sugar Daddy Online Dating Tip #1 – “Allow me to introduce myself” is the most common form of introduction. It’s polite, it’s confident and it’s the ice breaker that takes you to the next phase of your online interaction. Never reveal your address, phone number, place of work etc. Do not allow anyone to pressure you into revealing personal details until you feel ready.
Sugar Daddy Online Dating Tip #2 – Always be truthful when creating your profile or making interactions with others. Remember that if you do arrange meetings with other members you will be found out if you have not been honest or used ‘out of date photographs.
Sugar Daddy Online Dating Tip #3 – Remember that having heard a voice over the phone.. whatever image you create in your mind is not likely to be accurate. Always see several pictures of your new friend before arranging to meet. Better still to interact via a web cam. This will give you a much more accurate impression of the person you are going to meet.
Sugar Daddy Online Dating Tip #4 – Always arrange to meet in a conveniently mutual place, preferably with other people around. Always let a friend know where you are going and leave them a contact telephone number. Should you both agree to go to another location, use your own method of transportation. In the early stages your date will be sensitive to your caution and want you to feel comfortable.
Sugar Daddy Online Dating Tip #5 – Remember that the Internet is a haven for scam artists. Don’t be taken in by anyone asking for money for whatever reason. You are seeking a friendship/relationship only and your fellow member should have the same agenda.
Sugar Daddy Online Dating Tip #6 – Sugar daddy dating sites are not to be confused with escort services. Beware of anyone that requires a GIFT of any kind before meeting. This is most likely to be a scam and not what sugar daddy dating sites are all about!
Sugar Daddy Online Dating Tip #7 – Remember if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Never allow yourself to be forced, tempted, or controlled into any situation where you do not feel totally comfortable. Life is for living so enjoy it to the full but be safe and smart while you do it.
Sugar Daddy Online Dating Tip #8 – Most sugar daddy dating sites encourage feedback from their members, positive or negative. Anyone that you may feel is abusive or harmful to you or any other member should be reported to your sugar daddy dating site administrators immediately.
So these are just a few simple but important sugar daddy dating tips which hopefully will make your online dating experience an exciting one. Remember that they are only guidelines and not rules. Everyone is different and you will need to explore together in order to discover the higher ground..
Trevor Taylor
Trevor Taylor
http://www.articlesbase.com/dating-articles/8-tips-for-the-perfect-sugar-daddy-dating-experience-692736.html