Sometimes using a word can change the cultural reaction to its meaning by John Scott

There's an obscure branch of science called semiotics. It studies the process called communication. How a message is passed from one point to another using signs and symbols. So, birds and frogs sing to attract mates. Other species of animals and plants release chemicals into the environment to mark their territory, tell each other when they are fertile and ready for action, and so on. Humans have developed language so that meaning is attached to sounds or images. At the simplest level, everyone will recognize the noises made when people are in pain or happy. Groans and laughter are universal. But then it gets complicated because different languages used in different cultures produce different meanings for the same sounds or images. For example, the several hundred million people in Indonesia and Malaysia (more than currently live in the US) think that the three letters "air" mean "water". In fact, groups of letters can be given any meaning. Some of these meanings will be kind, others less so. To understand these meanings, you have to be in the culture. Someone who is not a native speaker will never understand all the different shades of possible meaning in a given language.
One of the most feared words is most cultures is "acne". It may only be four letters, but to people approaching puberty or their parents and family, this is something to dread. There seems to be no end to the cruelty of humans to each other. Once a difference emerges in a group, it's picked on as something terrible and the attacks begin. Only those who match the norms are safe. That means anyone whose skin suddenly erupts into pimples is treated as a plague carrier. Their personal hygiene standards are criticized and every aspect of their character is put under the microscope. This treatment is damaging to self-esteem. Confidence fades when you are victimized in this way. What should be a normal part of growing up that everyone accepts becomes a dangerous rite of passage. There are only two ways to deal with this problem. Either the culture must change to be more forgiving of difference or the medical profession must supply a "cure".
Against this background, it's fascinating to see the spread of "acne" as a brand. Now emerging from Sweden on to the world market comes Acne, the fashion label, and Acne Paper, the fashion magazine. The fashion house has just opened its first store in New York offering a wide range of own-label clothing from fashion jeans to stylish dresses and blazers. It's also working on furniture, music and movies. The magazine is also about design (and fashion). It's mainly European in style. The importance of the use of this word is that it may begin the process of changing culture. If more people wear the clothes, sit on the furniture, read the magazine and listen to the music, the horror of the word may start to fade. People will still be cruel to each other but they may pick on different features (or just use different words). Until we get this cultural revolution, you can always rely on the drug market for relief. Buy accutane online and find an effective treatment almost every time. Better still, using an online pharmacy lets you buy cheap accutane - treatment is always better value when it's affordable.

What Determines the Price of Engagement Rings? by Adriana Noton

Giving engagement rings are an age old tradition when taking the big step toward marriage. Over the years, the price of engagement rings has fluctuated. This is due to the quality of the diamond. When choosing how much to pay for an engagement ring, one should have a good understanding of what determines the price of diamond engagement rings
The price of an engagement is based on the diamond that it holds, although the setting also plays a factor. The diamond industry determines the value based on what is known as the "Four C's." The "Four C's stands for Color, Cut, Clarity, and Caret.
The following outlines a description of the "Four C's" when determining the price of an engagement ring:
Color: The color of a diamond is assessed based on the deepness of the color. The higher quality and more expensive diamonds are colorless. The more colorless a diamond is the more valuable it is. Grading is performed on a scale from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow.)
Cut: The 'cut' of the diamond means how the diamond was shaped to permit light to reflect from it. In a fine cut diamond, light enters the diamond and reflects directly into the eye of the person looking at it through a microscope or other stone examining device.
Clarity: Clarity is determined by assessing any flaws inside the diamond. The fewer amount of flaws, the higher quality the diamond. The scale for grading diamond's clarity is:
* Flawless (F): There are no inside or outside flaws. * Internally Flawless (IF): There is a bit of outer flaws, but no inner flaws. * Very Very Slightly Included (VVS1-VVS2): There are very tiny flaws that are hard to see when looking under a 10x magnification. * Very Slightly Included (VS1-VS2): There very small flaws that one can see with some difficulty only under a 10x magnification. * Slightly Included (SI1-SI2): There are flaws that can only be seen well under 10x magnification. * Included (I1-I3): There are flaws that one can see when looking at with the naked eye.
Caret: The caret refers to the size of the diamond.
The following are some approximate prices of diamond engagement rings:
* $1,000 to $2,000: diamonds between .30 and .57 carats. * $2,000 to $3,500: diamonds from .4 to 1 carat in 14 or 18 carat gold * $3,500 to $5,000: 1 carat diamonds in 18 carat settings
Before you buy a diamond engagement ring, make sure you will be getting an AGS Certificate or a GIA Certificate. This will ensure you are getting a real diamond that is worth what you pay.
Giving a diamond engagement ring to your special love will make the engagement experience even more memorable and romantic. Before you purchase the engagement ring, it is important that you understand what goes into assigning a price to the ring. You should not have to spend more money than what the ring is worth as you will have other important expenses to think about as you and your love begin a life together.

The Importance of Ionic Plant Source Minerals by Marty Frye

The human body requires at least 60 minerals (70 is preferable) for optimal health. The human body also needs all 16 essential vitamins, 20 essential amino acids and 3 fatty acids.
Over the last 10 years, more attention has been given to minerals then ever before. Why? Minerals are vital to 95% of your organs. Many people have found this information, but are still confused about what form of mineral to take. Forms like chelated, ionic, colloidal, elemental, plant-derived, humic shale, rocks, and clay are thrown around like a baseball. All these forms have led to confusion about which one is the most effective. It is very important to note that minerals are stored in plants in an ionic state; it does not matter if they are called colloidal or ionic, and the fact is those minerals are IONIC.
The "Colloidal" form receives the most attention. Although "colloidal" and "minerals" get put together as if they are describing a specific type of mineral, this is farthest from the case. The term "Colloidal" denotes the microscopic size of the substances contained within a specific mineral. Let us take a closer look at Colloids. Colloids can be defined as particles of a substance, which are finely divided and mixed in a supporting substance like liquids, gels, gases, etc... Webster's Medical Dictionary defines a colloid as "a substance that consists of particles dispersed throughout another substance which are too small for resolution with an ordinary light microscope but are incapable of passing though a semi permeable membrane or as a mixture consisting of a colloid together with the medium in which it is dispersed."
It should be very apparent that materials, which are smaller in size are much easier for the body to digest and assimilate than those, which are larger. For example, protein that is in liquid form is easier for the body to breakdown than eating a slab of meat to get those proteins. The same can be said about pills, which must first be liquefied by your body before the materials in that pill can be used by the body. Once this has happened, the materials of that pill must be dispersed in some fashion so that enzymes and acids can produce chemical changes in its structure, which enable it to be assimilated. This effort is accomplished with those extra carrier molecules, which are synthetic by design.
Plant-derived minerals are fully bioavailable to the human body and the best way to get these essential minerals is to naturally extract them from the natural source. Another benefit of sourcing minerals from plants is that they do not need to be artificially broken down before the human body can use them.

Oral Cancer Screening by Jackson Sayers

ral cancer screening can detect different types of oral cancers before you even have symptoms. The earlier any type of cancer is detected, the better your chances of recovery. Cancers can spread very quickly, so by the time you even experience symptoms, it may be too late. An oral cancer screen can pinpoint abnormal cells or tissues that may be missed otherwise.
Malignant cells form anywhere in the oral cavity, the lips, the tongue or underneath the tongue, the throat, or the tonsils, causing oral cancer. If the disease starts in squamous cells, it is called squamous cell carcinoma.
If your doctor suggests an oral cancer screen, don't panic. This doesn't mean that you have cancer. Your doctor will perform the screening test, and if it comes back abnormal, you will have to undergo further diagnostic tests.
Oral Cancer Prevention
Unlike many other types of cancers, oral cancer has actually been decreasing in recent years. Oral cancer is most common amoung people over 45, although the number of new cases of oral cancer has increased in adults under the age of 40. Tobacco use (cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco) and heavy alcohol use increase your risk of developing oral cancer. Males face a higher risk of getting oral cancers. Sunlight is a risk factor for lip cancer. A strain of human papillomavirus (HPV) may also increase your risk.
There are a variety of oral cancer tests your physician might perform: looking for lesions or abnormal patches of cells in all areas of the mouth, staining lesions with a blue dye to determine how cancerous they might be, or gently scraping the mouth to collect cells to view under a microscope.

Male Yeast Infection Symptoms and Cures by Sandra Wilson

You're a circumcised male; yeast infections cannot happen to you, right? Wrong! One of the most popular myths that men believe in is that being circumcised will prevent a number of penile-related ailments, but don't kid yourself: circumcised or not, even you can suffer from a yeast infection.
Male yeast infections, often referred to as "male candida", are more common in men than you may think. Male candida typically happens when the candida fungus on our skin is allowed to grow out of control for a number of reasons:
- Antibiotics & steroids - Sex with an infected partner (vaginal and anal, since candida lives in all mucous membranes of our bodies) - Diabetes - Immunity disorder
When men have a yeast infection, they tend to mistake it as an STD like Chlamydia and Gonorrhea. When you go to the doctor to find out if you have a yeast infection or not, your physician will do a quick swab test of any discharge in the area. He or she will then look under the microscope and be able to tell you within minutes whether you have an STD or a yeast infection. Most men are relieved to find out that they only have a yeast infection, and not an STD or STI. If you do find out that you have a yeast infection, and if you have a sexual partner, be sure to tell the doctor so he or she may be able to prescribe treatment for your partner as well.
So how do you go about treating your yeast infection? Men tend to go for the antifungal creams and ointments that are available. You may be familiar with some of the more popular ones, such as Monistat, Canesten, and Femistat. Your doctor will also be able to prescribe you a pill to take orally, such as Diflucan.
Not interested in medical treatments? There are a number of natural remedies on the market for men. Some of these you can pick up at your grocery store, like garlic and natural yogurt with "active cultures". These are both usually eaten (though the garlic may be a bit unpleasant). Check out other options, like diluted tea tree oil and boric acid.
As a final note, be sure to check with your health care professional before seeking any natural treatments.

Choosing A Microscope: Compound or Stereo microscope? by Kathy Brasch

Your application is the most important factor in choosing a microscope. What you need to see and what you want to do with that image will determine what kind of microscope you need. Microscopes typically come in two types: compound or stereo microscope.The most common is the compound microscope. It is the one most people visualize when they think about microscopes. A microscope with one eyepiece is called a monocular microscope; with two eyepieces it is called a binocular microscope, or it might have an additional camera tube and is called a trinocular microscope. The compound microscope has a number of objectives (the lens closest to the object being viewed) of varying magnification mounted in a rotatable nosepiece. It uses a light source beneath the stage to illuminate slides. These microscopes are generally used to view very small objects such as cells or bacterium. Magnification of compound microscope scopes range from 40X up to 1000X. Actual magnification can be figured by multiplying the power of the eyepiece by the power of the objective lens.The other type of microscope is called a stereo microscopeor dissecting microscope. It uses two eyepieces and two paired objectives. Stereo microscopes come in models that have full zooming capability and models that just have only two magnification settings. Stereo microscopes are particularly useful for biologists performing dissections, technicians building or repairing circuit boards, paleontologists cleaning and examining fossils or any one who needs to work with their hands on small objects. You can find stereo microscopes that have a built in light source from above, below, or none at all. Magnification is usually much less than that of a compound microscope, but is figured in the same way by multiplying the power of the eyepiece by the power of the objective lens.

How to Enhance Career Expansion by Harrison Barnes

There are basically two different perspectives for the word career. For the category A, a career means something that you have worked for to attain, something to show everybody that you are engaged, an excuse to get away from home. Something you make up as an argument for not spending more time with your family, just so you can mull around. However, for people in category B, it means life itself. It is their identity, their destiny and something they cannot imagine themselves without. For category A, career expansion is something you work on meticulously, plan in detail, and chart out. For category B, it is simply a favorable change in situation they find themselves as a result of their dedication, hard work, patience and an efficient display of wit. In the age where people market themselves as products, category B is clearly the market leader. Stagnancy is what repels an individual from one's job. Apart from setting you goals and ultimate aim, one needs to focus on developing a plan that maps out the path from one goal to the next within a specific time frame. However unrealistic this may seem, it keeps you on track and gives you a sense of assurance that you are on schedule at various points in your career.
In today's cut throat job chase, there is a very thin line that delineates the best from the better. After the throes of gate crashing into a career have died down, there is so little time for an assured slack down. Therein begins the game of persuasion, domination, and an occasional display of arrogance, which needs to be safely and swiftly certified an assertive attitude. Naturally, the spoils of a luxurious lifestyle, perks, privileged treatment; these are some of the factors that drive any career-oriented individual. However, after being easier said than done, this involves a lot of hard work, a lot more sacrifice, and never losing track of the big picture. A focused effort in developing your career will give everything that you have wished for till date says A. Harrison Barnes, the owner and creator of Employment Crossing.com.
Career expansion is more or less a game of nerves and strategy in the age of Do-Or-Be-Deleted. One needs to be prepared to go to any lengths in this game of career expansion. More than proving oneself better than the rest of the herd, the latest game plan is displaying others around in a poor light, so that, eventually you end up as the dominant species. Success today is more about the adage, "The show must go on." Rather, as a keen lifestyle observer stated, Success is all about portraying a series of successful images. Look the part until you get it is the new mantra of society. This is what A. Harrison Barnes has experienced.
Being the best will take you only so far. For a more rapid rate of expansion in your career, you need to prove your versatility to handle changes handed down by changing market trends. It would also include proving to your superiors that you are a reliable resource and have an influence on your colleagues. This is not easy. It is a struggle that one must anticipate when you set your sights on a successful career Once you win over them you will have what you have always desired, believes A. Harrison Barnes.
Being at the Right Place at the Right Time
Planning your strategy would include being at the right place at the right time. In the worst case scenario, it is necessary to cultivate the belief that you are where you are for a specific reason and that you are having an education on the facts of life in real time. A. Harrison Barnes says that it is not possible for any business to always move upwards or is continuously expanding. There are ups and downs in every business, yet one needs to take the lessons out every situation to form a base for your career expansion.
Contribute to the Expansion and get recognized
Your contribution to the expansion of the firm very much affects your personal career expansion believes A. Harrison Barnes. Though organizational growth acts as an automatic boost for your career growth, individual performances come under the microscope in challenging phases your organization goes through. It is in such situations that you prove to the management that you have what it takes to pull off an untested strategy to help the organization come out of the situation intact. Even important is documenting whatever steps you have taken on a day-to-day basis such that your contribution is noticed by the management. You need to project your contribution to the expansion of the company above the rest of the herd. This is what will provide you the leverage to your career expansion.
Change
A. Harrison Barnes suggests you may have to start shifting gears if you do not see enough scope of growth or expansion in your career in the present organization. At the very least, the organization needs to provide you exposure to a new trend or technology that has just been introduced in your field of specialization. Once you decide that your career faces stagnation and is undergoing nothing beyond a probable slow death in the current scenario, your parameters for a different situation could include a prominent position in a start-up company. This could give you exposure to a platform where you polish on your leadership and man-management skills. Another favorable situation could be one that includes your role in working on a new project that has new implications in the current market scenario. This could give you a view-in on the procedures that go into place in implementing new strategies or making a new accessory fit in to your current work schedule. There is a lot you can learn in such scenarios.
Though there is nothing wrong in changing companies, a longer stint with an organization reflects a sense of stability when read from your resume. The decision to move out should come after all possibilities of growth have been ruled out through a careful and thorough introspection with friends or even a professional consultant.
Every career is dependent on the choices made by an individual. The right choices at the right time can help you progress your career in the direction you desire.