The Mortgage Loans Market Blog

Where to get contact lenses online

If you are looking at this article chances are that you are looking for a store to buy contact lens from, well if you shop online you can save alot of money compared to shopping at your local optician. There are many places where you can buy lenses online and it all depends on the type of lenses you want, below you will find some links to websites which sell contact lenses online in the uk.

http://colouredcontactlenses.me.uk/buy-coloured-contact-lens.html
http://buycontactlenses.me.uk/buy-black-contact-lenses.html
http://cheapcontactlenses.me.uk/buy-cheap-contact-lens.html

How to wear contact lens

The most important thing is to ensure your hands are always clean. Ensure that you rinse off your hands after washing them. Your eye may be subject to irritation if your hands are unclean as you wear your contacts. Check the contact lens; make sure that it is correctly arced. Put the lense on your finger. Use your other hand to hold your eyes open to stop blinking. Hold also the lower lid open using the middle finger of the inserting hand. Look to the roof and gently place the lens into your eye. Slide it slowly and look down to position the lens properly.

What you need to know about contact lenses

If you need to wear contact lens, you have to ask an eye medical specialist to check if you can wear them. Certain conditions like allergies & diabetes may prevent you from wearing lenses. Consequently, you should check with your doctor to see if you are eligible to wear lenses. If you’re doctor thinks you are able to wear lenses please read on for some useful advice on where to get them

Tooth regrowth is a crucial area of studies in the scientific world because any success in this area will indirectly help assist patients whose teeth are affected due to other causes like Cancer, accidents, sports or tooth damage or loss simply due to use of the braces around the teeth. So this is hot topic and there are studies going on in different areas like growing the tooth using Ultrasound technologies, genetic stimulation or simply using the membrane.

You can also read an article on what you can do now to regrow your teeth: How to regrow or repair bad teeth naturally

Dr. Tarak El-Bialy, one of the Egyptian orthodontist has observed and shown that the high frequency sound waves of Ultrasound may help bones heal and tooth material to grow. El-Bialy found that Ultrasound waves which commonly used for imaging can in fact stimulate bone formation as well – useful aspect which was never studied before. He conducted this study in lower-jaws in rabbits and was very successful. He extended his finding to human and found that Ultrasound could prevent damage to the roots of the teeth due to wearing the braces. Later he joined two Engineers named Jie Chen and Ying Tsui from the University of Alberta who developed small-circuit devices based small ultrasound machines, small enough to fit in the mouth. These could in turn be used in bandages embedded with tiny ultrasounds meant for healing the broken bones. Using low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) helps regrowth of teeth which will make patience to regrow their own teeth rather than using foreign metal objects in their mouth.

In another study at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the researchers found that regrowth of teeth out of single mouse cells. Based upon this successful research the scientists are hoping that single initial human tissue if put in culture dish could help them grow a tooth. But in order to successfully do that they need to find which human genes need to be stimulated for this growth.

There is effort in genetics as well towards the tooth regrowth. In a separate study scientists at the Yerkes Primate Research Center found that bone regeneration is possible using biological potential using membrane. Dr. Fritz at Dental Medicine at Emory and Yerkes conducted an experiment using rhesus monkeys to regenerate the about one cubic centimeter of jaw bone.

Al the three areas of study for tooth regrowth are in progress and it will take a few years before it comes to the clinic and can be used by the dentists on their patients.

The influential businessman Peter Sutherland believes that the time is right to put joining the Euro back on the agenda. When the case was last investigated and, with the publication of the Treasury’s Report on the Five Tests, effectively terminated, not joining the Euro was the more obvious choice. It’s an astute observation that the case is far from as clear cut perhaps decisively so. A growing array of critical factors have changed. As this is the time for quoting Keynes, it is worth bearing in mind the reproof he directed at someone who criticised the seeming inconstancy of his expressed views: “When the facts change I change my mind. What do you do?” At the time when the case for the Euro was last rehearsed, British citizens could be excused for following the classic Americans saying “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it”.

This well-founded attitude was based on a long period of increasing prosperity and moderate inflation. It was reflected in a long run of predominantly negative answers to the question, as posited by polling organizations, “if there were a referendum on joining the Euro would you answer Yes or No to the question ‘Should Britain join the Euro?’ Few would agree this American adage is appropriate today. Attitudes towards joining the Euro seem in flux.

An integral part in the long run of prosperity was undoubtedly the high value of the exchange rate of the pound against the Euro (and other currencies). Once again, things have changed. Where the exchange rate was debatably higher than it should have been before, now it is debatably too low. It was tricky to recommend committing to the Euro at the rates which were common in the late ’90s through to 2007 and it would be sensible to await some appreciation before fully committing now – but that some fall in the exchange rate can be welcomed is hardly beyond debate. Still, while we are on the subject of the exchange rate, it is not just quibbles about whether the rate is right or not at a particular time that should be important. Instead of that, the lesson that might be learnt is that the behavior of the exchange rate in recent times gives barely any ground for optimism about its role as a stabilizer when Britain’s exchange rate is floating. In fact there have been a number of studies which seem to show that the exchange rate may, for many countries, be as much of a detriment to the economy as it is something which stabilizes it.

When I say Intuitive thinking, I am not talking about using the occasional hunch or even having full blown psychic premonitions. Intuitive thought is a complete process that allows for psychic input as well as learned information, to form complete ideas that can be used in everyday life. It is a true altered state of consciousness.

With this one technique you can learn about, understand and invent processes that otherwise would never occur to you. It allows a person to approach true understanding of a subject matter, if given enough time.

It can also allow you to understand the current course of events in a specific subject area, and by application of thought, let you to alter or influence events in another direction. This is perhaps the true, greatest use of precognition, to see what is coming and avoiding it skillfully to your benefit.

I have used this type of thinking to make great personal strides in many areas of my own life, martial arts, psychic phenomenon and business in particular!

First I am going to make a few assumptions here. My working premise is that anyone trying this will already be familiar with some form of meditation or bio-feedback, as well as some type of psychic functioning.

Second, if you are interested in intuitive thinking skills, that you are a person with enough discipline to handle the potential problems that may arise from thinking in a new fashion. Quite frankly, when you begin to think in a markedly different fashion, it is possible to encounter situations in which your actions seem so different that to some they seem insane. Until your actions bring about the desired results, of course.

Even with the potential hardships involved, as we are moving into times so troubled that they cannot be understood in our common way, we need to have as many as individuals possible capable of alternative thought and action.

Start with an idea of the topic or subject you are going to address. You will need this idea as a starting point.

Drop into a theta brainwave state. You will recognize it either by the meditative feel of the state, the clarity and lack of verbalized thought, or you may notice clear photo like images in your mind. Both show you have reached the appropriate mental level.

Once you are in a deep clear space, introduce the idea you are going to work on. Hold it in your thoughts, getting a sense of the psychic reality of each portion of thought.

You will begin to feel as if you are thinking from the middle of your head. This is a sign that you are entering the correct mental space.

From this place of abstract thought, you will be able to focus on each critical part of an idea and allow the intuition to direct you from one part of the idea to the next. What is of interest here is that you will often move from information you already know, to information that is true, but you had no awareness of before.

The next step is to use this form of thought in daily life. This takes great practice and control, but will allow you to live as an intuitive being, rather than simply as a psychic. This is also a learning process. It will take time for your mind to learn how to react to the world while in this state.

It is important to understand that this is an integrated state. You are not just in a meditative state, but a logical one, that uses intuition and psychic information as part of its base. You will find yourself understanding not only what will happen, but often why and how to change it to a different, hopefully better, outcome, if needed.

About the Author

Dale Power is a psychic healer, researcher and educator that has been focusing on ways to improve psychic functioning in humans for the last twenty years.
Go to: http://healing.worldispnetwork.com to find out more about the work being done.

Aerial Infrared Roof Moisture Surveys

INTRODUCTION

IR P/PM (infrared predictive/preventive maintenance) is not limited to annual infrared surveys of electrical switchgear. For instance, infrared thermography can be a very effective tool for roof asset management. IR roof moisture surveys are performed on roofs to quantify the extent of roof moisture (water) that is inside the roof system. Infrared thermography is not leak management. No matter how the water got into the substrate, the purpose of this type of survey is simply to find and document where the water is located. Extending the life of a roof will save the owner the expense and aggravation of re-roofing or re-covering. Re-roofing means that the roof is taken down to the decking and replaced completely. Re-covering means that the waterproofing layer(s) are removed, the wet insulation is removed and replaced and a new waterproofing layer is put down. The cost of an infrared roof moisture survey is three to five CENTS per square foot. It cost between three and five DOLLARS per square foot to repair/replace roofs, so knowing the exact location of the subsurface water is extremely useful information, since only those areas that are damaged need to be repaired. This information is used to plan budgets and when needed, as a bid document for contracting repairs and/or replacement of the roof.

Keywords: Infrared, Thermography, Roof, Roof Asset Management, Infrared Roof Moisture Survey.

ROOF MAINTENANCE IN GENERAL

The ravages of sun, wind, rain, snow, chemicals, leakage, rapid changes in temperature and time – will eventually cause every roof to fail. Some roofs last 40-50 years…when they are well maintained. Owners may believe that a roof warranty will somehow protect them from having to do maintenance. Not so, as roof warranties are written by roofing manufacturers for the purpose of protecting themselves from liability. For example, often a warranty is written so that if improperly installed or defective roofing materials are used on a roof and water leaks into the electrical switchgear room causing an explosion, the roofing manufacturer will replace the materials, the roofer will reinstall the materials, but the building owner has to pay for the replacement of the switchgear and any downtime that resulted from the failure. Also, the roofer’s and roofing manufacturer’s liability, in the case of roof failures are also reduced by vaguely written roof warranties, which do not define words like “regular” or “routine” maintenance. Not accepting the roof warranty is not the answer, since the roof will not be installed unless the owner agrees to the warranty. To eliminate these problems, the building owner should have an agreement with a qualified roofer or roof consultant to inspect and maintain the roof (in accordance with the terms of the warranty) at least once a year.

Waterproofing problems manifest themselves in two ways: Leakage and entrained moisture contamination. Leakage is pretty simple, although the leak inside the building rarely directly relates to the exact spot on the roof, since the water flows down the slope of the roof to a spot that is not sealed and into the building at that point. Most leaks occur where the waterproofing is sealed or where there is a penetration of the roof. Since most types of roof systems absorb some amount of water, it is harder to find the exact spot of water contamination in the insulation because it may not leak into the building until it has absorbed all the water it can hold. There are three types of surveys that are used to find water in a roof. Nuclear gauges-which count neutrons, capacitance meters-which measure resistance, and infrared-which measures heat. Both nuclear gauges and capacitance meters are used to take spot readings on a 10′ X 10′ or 20′ X 20′ grid on the roof. These measurements are used to extrapolate where the water is from the readings obtained from the gauge. They are good for types of roofs that do not gain or lose much solar energy and therefore, do not lend themselves to infrared.

BASICS OF INFRARED ROOF MOISTURE SURVEYS

During the day, the sun radiates energy onto the roof and into the roof substrate, and then at night, the roof radiates the heat back into outer space (See Figure 1). This is called radiational cooling. Areas of the roof that are of a higher mass (wet) retain this heat longer than that of the lower mass (dry) areas. Infrared imagers can detect this heat and “see” the warmer, higher mass areas, during the “window” of uneven heat dissipation.

Figure 1) Areas of the roof that are wet retain heat longer than dry areas.

Some roofs and insulation types or combinations do not absorb any water. These roofs leak straight into the building. Even roofs, which have insulation types that do absorb water, some do not exhibit a good infrared signal, primarily for two reasons. 1) The surface is too reflective, and/or 2) the roof’s ballast is so thick (or dense), that daylight radiation is not absorbed into the substrate (insulation), therefore it cannot be emitted back into the atmosphere at night. Even with a strong infrared signal, factors on the roof can affect the analysis and interpretation of the data. Some of these factors: water between multiple layers, old patches, heavy flood coats, reflective coatings, heat-producing equipment under the roof -or heat blowing down onto the roof, stains, ponding water on the roof, heavy build-up of ballast at parapet walls and along edges, etc. These roofs should be inspected by other methods as described above.

WALK-ON INFRARED ROOF SURVEYING

To perform a walk-on or on-roof survey properly, a crew of three to four people is needed: an experienced infrared thermographer and helper, an experienced roof consultant or roofer and the building owners’ representative for access and security. The crew walks around the roof(s) and when an area of suspect moisture is found, the roof consultant verifies it is wet and then the helper marks the edges of the area directly on the roof with marking paint as instructed by the thermographer. The crew needs authorization and access to all areas and levels of the roof(s) from either ladders or roof hatches and plenty of time to collect data. The infrared images are stored on videotape or digital media and printed (See Figure 2).

Figure 2) On-roof IR image.

The next day, the thermographer goes back on the roof(s) to take matching visual photographs of the marked areas that contain subsurface moisture. The problem with on-roof infrared is that when one is standing on the roof, eye-level is at best six feet over the surface. Even with the best hand-held infrared camera available, there is virtually no way to get large areas (800 sq. ft. blobs or 100′ long striations) of moisture contamination on the screen in one infrared shot. Taking multiple shots is labor-intensive and makes the report confusing. When performing on-roof surveys, many times “you can’t see the forest for the trees.” Marking the roof is fairly easy, but it is very difficult/time-consuming to produce accurate drawings of the wet areas from painted lines on a roof. Often the drawing supplied by the owner is outdated, incorrect or even non-existent.

AERIAL INFRARED ROOF SURVEYING

There is never a time when on-roof imagery is better than aerial imagery. While the best IR imagery of a roof is taken from the air, the same laws of physics apply to both aerial IR and on-roof IR…like a dry roof, low winds and no rain on the night of the survey. Also, the “window” when the roof is radiating heat differently from wet and dry areas is longer with aerial infrared because slight nuances of temperatures over large areas are distinguishable. The high angle of view allows the aerial thermographer to produce more usable imagery and therefore accurate CAD drawings. The cameras that are used for on-roof surveys are not of sufficient spatial resolution to obtain good imagery from flight altitudes of 1,200 – 1,500 feet above the roof, so high-resolution, large format IR cameras (See Figure 3) are required.

Figure 3) Large format infrared imager, fixed-mounted in a light aircraft.

Once the aircraft is over a building, very little time (five minutes per 200,000 square feet, about 25 minutes for two million square feet) is required to fly over making multiple passes. The imagery is recorded on digital videotape. Visual photographs are taken earlier in the day or the next day. After returning to the office, the photos are printed and the thermographs are saved on the computer. The raw video imagery, thermographs and photographs are used to make an edited videotape copy of the passes over the building. Both visual and infrared images are used to do the analysis by overlaying the CAD drawing of the roof ‘over’ the digitized photographs and thermographs. The drawings always need to be corrected, because rooftop equipment has been removed, moved or added since the last update of the drawings. Then, areas of suspected moisture contamination are drawn on the CAD file. The result is a report where visual, infrared and CAD components (printed and video) are well matched and lined-up. The report is given to a roof consultant who verifies the wet insulation during the day, while making other condition notes on the roof.

Fixed-wing aerial infrared imaging provides many advantages over on-roof infrared imaging:

Access to multiple levels of the roof is not a problem. High-angle, straight down infrared images lessen reflection problems. High-resolution images capture large areas at once, making report writing easier and less expensive to produce. Plan-view imaging allows for infrared images, visual images and AutoCAD drawings to be reconciled closely. As a result, the report is clear, concise and easy to understand (See Figure 4a, 4b, 4c). Plan view imaging allows accurate marking of areas of suspect roof moisture contamination. The printed CAD drawings can be used on the roof to paint areas of moisture contamination directly on the roof (after verification), if desired.

Figure 4a) Photograph of a roof.

Figure 4b) Thermograph of a roof.

Figure 4c) Scaled CAD drawing of a roof.

The aerial infrared thermographer can wait for a good night for imaging, surveying many roofs under good conditions. The trending of roof moisture becomes possible. An aircrew of two can easily survey many millions of square feet in a single night. Processing the data is done in the office, not on the roof. Report components can be purchased as needed. Aerial IR allows the building owner to buy only the report he needs at that time.

The biggest advantage of aerial infrared is on roofs that are the most difficult to image from any distance or angle. Roofs that, for instance, have a lot of ballast, are covered with reflective coatings or for whatever reason are impossible to image while standing on the roof. With high-resolution, plan view aerial imagery, slight nuances of temperature can be seen from far enough away to actually see the pattern of heat and make a determination of where the problems are.

CONCLUSIONS

Every day millions of square feet of perfectly good roofing materials are disposed of in our landfills. Why? Because roofs are often replaced because know one knows where exactly the roof is damaged until it is too late. If you want your roof to last, it must be regularly maintained by professionals. Infrared roof moisture surveying is the best method of non-destructive testing on roofs, and aerial infrared is the best platform for performing infrared roof moisture surveys. Improvements in IR cameras and flight methodology, aerial infrared thermography and aerial infrared reports are getting better and more useable everyday.

Established in 1976, Gehring L.P. launched its North American operations in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

The 50,000 square foot facility provides a full service machine tool operation, engineering and assembly of custom precision honing machines, comprehensive research and development services, contract honing services, tooling re-work services, a highly skilled team of service technicians, spare parts and in-house manufacturing of super-abrasives by another Gehring Group member, Diato L.P.

After a six-month implementation Gehring L.P. went live on Encompix, the nation’s leading ETO (Engineer-to-Order) ERP system. The implementation or champion team was comprised of eight representatives from each department, including both end-users and managers. As with most successful implementations, the president was heavily involved and committed to the project’s success.

Adrian Mitrea was the project manager for the Encompix implementation. According to Mitrea, “We are seeing a streamlining of our processes with better communication between departments. Our people can see the whole process and not just their piece. They now understand the effect their work has on downstream operations, and we now have the discipline to make things happen the right way. This is a direct result of having a single, integrated system.”

According to TR Cutler, spokesperson for the ETO Institute (www.etoinstitute.org), “This Gehring implementation is indicative of the type of efficiency process many ETO manufacturers are completing to stay competitive in a global economy.”

Encompix (www.encompix.com) has filled the manufacturing software requirements of Engineer-to-Order companies since 1992. The company name reflects the commitment to developing business application solutions that encompass the complex areas of project-based and job-based manufacturing. Encompix provides ETO manufacturers with a competitive advantage by improving bottom line results.

Encompix www.encompix.com Roger Meloy 513-733-0066

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In a word Bayesian spam filters are “intelligent”. Bayesian spam filters are intelligent in so far as they’re capable of comparing two sets of information and acting on the result. This is in direct contrast to the vast majority of other spam filters who use pre-built rules to decide which e-mail is spam and which is not.

Bayesian spam filters can take one group of legitimate e-mail and another group of spam and compare the values and data of each. The definition of legitimate e-mail that it creates at the end of this comparison session is what it uses going forward to scan your inbox for spam.

FYI Bayesian spam filters are named after Thomas Bayes an 18 century cleric who created something known as Bayes Theorem. In summary Bayes Theorem is as follows: ..”in statistical inference to update estimates of the probability that different hypotheses are true, based on observations and a knowledge of how likely those observations are, given each hypothesis.” In plain English it looks for obvious repeating patterns to form an “opinion” on something. In spam filter terms that “opinion” becomes a rule which keeps you spam free (or pretty close

The really neat thing about Bayesian filters is that they’re capable of learning. For example if they decided to block an e-mail because the filter perceived it as junk but the user marked it as valid mail the Bayesian filter then knows not to block that type of e-mail in the future. So, in time, this type of spam filter learns enough to block spam far more effectively. AOL have embraced this type of spam filter with the launch of AOL 9.0 and AOL Communicator- if the big dog wants it then it must be worthwhile?

So what Bayesian spam filtering options are available to you? Well quite a few to be honest and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by some of the names involved The first one on the list is AOL with their AOL Communicator product. The spam filtering features in AOL Communicator and AOL 9 are, to be honest, impressive. Think what you will of the provider themselves AOL Communicator is an excellent product and is suitable for use by both PC and Mac OSX users.

Next up we have Eudora. The nice folks at Qualcomm have designed an excellent e-mail client that also has built in Bayesian spam filtering. I’ve used Eudora in the past and it’s a neat little package. Again the benefits here are advanced integrated spam filtering with your e-mail automatically. Mac OSX and OS9 users are in luck with Eudora providing support for both.

If you’d like to know more about spam filters or just spam in general please drop by our site at www.spam-site.com

Niall Roche is the content author and owner of http://www.spam-site.com.

niall@spam-site.com

The decisions we make everyday have a big impact on where we are in life, both spiritually and physically. Often these decisions are the ’safe’ choices. People don’t often venture too far off from familiar paths or too far out of their comfort zones and challenge themselves. As Aristotle the great Greek philosopher said, “Man perpetuates the familiar,” and especially teens. The obvious reason not wanting to appear different than their friends. They are afraid of being teased or ostracized from their peer group if they venture too far. They rather let opportunities pass them by than be shunned by the group that helpes define them.

Teenagers do you find yourself in a rut? If so, be honest with yourself and determine why. Are your friends holding you back from venturing forth? Are you concerned about what they might say? If they are true friends they will be the first to encourage you, if they don’t, ask yourself, then ask them why. The answer you arrive at should indicate to you whether they are a true friend. Odds are they will be encouraging and perhaps follow your lead. You will have then become a trend setter. Be bold and rise above the crowd. Start immediately. All progress starts but with a single step.

Parents help your teen with gentle encouragement. Perhaps post notes on their pillow or in their lunch bag. Let them know how much you believe in them.
For more information on decision making visit www.lunchbagnotes.com.

Ann Marie Parisi is a senior at Cal Luteran University in Thousand Oaks, CA. She is also a published author.

Do I believe there is a secret to happiness? I’ll bet you expect me to say “NO, there is just no simple secret.” While it is true that there are many factors that affect our happiness, I believe there is one secret that determines whether those factors will work for you, and that is the secret to happiness.

But first, allow me to share a some history. In 2001, I published the first edition of Climb Your Stairway to Heaven: the 9 habits of maximum happiness. I did all the things authors do, right up to getting myself some media interviews. Being an old hand at media relations (actually, Canada’s send-most-quoted consumer advocate at the time), you would think I would have been superbly prepared for the question that almost every journalist would ask me:

“So, which of the 9 habits is most important?”

What?! Which one is most important? Why, they are all important, of course. That’s why I wrote about them all. I was obviously too close to the forest to see the trees. Or, in this case, the tree.

After being asked this question a few times, I was forced to think, and think hard. And out of nowhere, I had an “Aha!” moment that stands the test of time five years later.

One of the 9 habits I wrote about is more important than the others. One of my 9 habits activates all the others. One of my habits is the secret to happiness. It starts on page 83 of the second edition.

“Count Your Blessings”

It sounds so simple, and so, well, almost corny. But let me give you a concrete example of how this works.

Count Your Blessings for Happiness

Have you ever bought a new car? Remember the pride you felt and the excitement when you made the choice? When you signed the papers? When you drove it off the lot? Do you remember that “new car smell”?

Then something happened. Where is that pride today? Where is that excitement now? What happened to that “new car smell”?

Simple. You stopped counting your blessings. When you bought the car, it was a step up. Perhaps it was a better car. Or a bigger car. Or simply a car that would spend less days on the hoist. You were grateful. You were appreciative. You were counting this blessing.

It does not take long for a new blessing to be taken for granted. And the new car becomes just another thing in your life that you take for granted. Consider this incredible set of statistics:

– 99% of people in the developed world take shelter for granted.
– 99% of people in the developed world take breakfast for granted.
– 99% of people in the developed world take lunch for granted.
– 99% of people in the developed world take dinner for granted.
– 99% of people in the developed world take clothing for granted.

At the risk of sounding trite or glib, most people in the developed world take cars, televisions, computers, vacations, toasters, freedom of speech, paper clips and thousands of other conveniences for granted. In fact, a TV remote control that requires a battery change or a web page that takes more than five seconds to load are considered serious irritations.

Who is happier, the person grateful to be able to change those batteries and wait for that web page? Or the person grumbling about the time it takes and the inconvenience and the bother and why can’t things work better? (Why don’t they make things like they used to? Why does the lineup have to be so long? Why is it so cold outside? Why do I have to go to work today?)

Of course you have every right to complain any time you choose. Nobody wants to take away your right to be unhappy. But I would love to take away your unhappiness, if you are willing to take action.

Arithmetic is not all that easy

This is where “counting your blessings”, simple and even corny, is not as easy as it sounds. Our knee-jerk reaction is to complain, to grumble, to be frustrated, to feel almost offended when things don’t work out “perfectly”, just the way we want them to. Imagine poor God, sifting through the millions of prayers he receives daily. Despite the cornucopia of blessings we receive, I am willing to bet that he receives ten times more “Gimmee” prayers than “Thank you” prayers.

Counting our blessings in this day and age of entitlement is not as simple as it sounds, and it sure is not easy to do. In fact, billions of dollars of advertising conspire to reinforce the belief that whatever we have is not good enough and that we deserve better. Who is there to tell us we have enough? Who can help us feel happy with what we have?

You. Only you. Are you ready to give up your own natural knee-jerk reaction and choose to be happy?

You can have all the confidence in the world, but if you do not actively feel grateful for the fruits of your confidence, it will not bring you happiness. You can have immaculate health, but if you do not think about how wonderful that is, it will not bring you happiness. You can smile, build friendships, achieve success, win the lottery, or do whatever you desire, but if you are not saying every day, “Wow! This is wonderful. This is grand. I am the luckiest man (or woman) alive because of this,” don’t expect it to bring you happiness.

Yes, there is a secret to happiness. The secret is gratitude. The secret is appreciation. Or, as I call it in Climb Your Stairway to Heaven: the 9 habits of maximum happiness, the secret is to count your blessings.

This is an excerpt from 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life. David Leonhardt is a freelance writer from Ottawa, Canada and also runs a happiness personal growth website.

Radware DefensePro Nets NSS Approved Status for its IPS Solution

Helping organizations secure, optimize and ensure performance for mission critical applications, Radware (NASDAQ: RDWR) the leading provider of Intelligent Application Switching solutions, announced that recent independent tests by the NSS Group, an independent security testing facility, confirm that DefensePro offers comprehensive and reliable Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) capabilities.

Realizing that application security involves more than strictly blocking malicious content, Radware submitted its DefensePro 3000 to the NSS Group’s IPS testing program, during which they conducted a series of real-world tests that examined DefensePro’s ability to thwart attacks while ensuring the availability and performance of mission critical applications. The NSS Group’s rigorous, independent tests proved that Radware’s DefensePro 3000 secured mission critical applications across high-speed and high capacity environments. Moreover, NSS Group found DefensePro’s throughput and latency are excellent under almost all network loads and across all packet sizes, underscoring Radware’s assertion that DefensePro offers industry leading defense and application availability.

“Beyond blocking or preventing attacks, an IPS solution must also guarantee network security and application performance and reliability,” said Assaf Ronen, vice president of research and development, Radware. “The NSS Group’s tests confirmed that only DefensePro’s advanced security features can block all manner of attacks while leaving these mission-critical applications unaffected.”

The NSS Group tests underscored the unique capabilities of DefensePro and concluded that:

Under eight hours of extended attack (comprising millions of exploits mixed with genuine traffic), DefensePro blocked 100 percent of attack traffic, while passing all legitimate traffic.

DefensePro’s switching architecture helped it post excellent latency figures under all traffic loads.

DefensePro demonstrated impressive SYN protection, processing 100Mbps of SYN flood traffic with negligible latency while safeguarding against illicit traffic patterns and hacking.

DefensePro blocked application attacks at a speed of 1-Gigabit per second by identifying and mitigating protocol and traffic anomalies in real-time.

“Radware’s overall performance is quite impressive,” said Bob Walder, Director, NSS Group. “Our tests found that DefensePro detected and, more importantly, blocked all attacks -even when subjected to extreme conditions.”

About Radware Radware (NASDAQ:RDWR) is the Global Leader in Intelligent Application Switching, enabling the full availability, maximum performance and complete security of all mission critical networked applications while dramatically cutting operating and scaling costs.

Radware’s integrated Application Security , Application Infrastructure and End-to-End Connectivity solutions are deployed by over 2,500 enterprises and carriers worldwide. Radware offers the broadest product line in the industry meeting application needs at every critical point across the network including Web and Application Servers, Firewalls, VPNs, ISP links, Anti-Virus Gateways and Cache.