The Tattooed Lady

MIAMI BEACH, FL - SEPTEMBER 07: Tattoo artist William Coy dips the tattoo needle into black ink as he works on a tattoo at the Tattoos by Lou studio on September 7, 2011 in Miami Beach, Florida. The Food and Drug Administration continues to look into tattoo inks to find out the chemical composition of the inks and how they break down in the body, the short-term and long-term safety of pigments used in tattoo inks and how the body responds to the interaction of light with the inks. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

A Tattoo is essentially a puncture wound, made deep in your skin, that's filled with ink to create a mark or design on the skin. A permanent tattoo is meant to last forever. The Tattoo that one sports explains to a degree the individuality of that specific person. A tattoo is most usually located in the right arm or chest. This goal is the same, to attract women. Tattooed women are said to be better tattoo subjects as well, according to many statistics. Tattoos are also used in skin tones to cover vitiligo , a skin pigmentation disorder. Tattoos were originally used for religious rituals or as symbolisms of particular groups.

Tattooing was formerly used to identify an individual, personality, and his accomplishments. Tattoos can be a great piece of artwork or it can be a piece that misrepresents the wearer. Often a Tattoo could represent something that needs to be hidden or a secretive empowering bit of information.

Tattoos will need to be exposed to the air in order to heal. Tattoos can be pretty expensive and custom tattooing can cost even more. Tattoos are now considered mainstream, with an estimated twenty-five to thirty percent of all adults having at least one.

Like any type of body modification, a tattoo should be given a great deal of thought, but all too often Tattoos are gotten on a whim, and regretted later for one reason or another. Tattoos are beautiful and I'm sure my artist is going to make them beautiful on me. I made sure to choose a reputable artist because tattoos that are not properly applied can end up looking hideous.

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What Do Body Piercings Say About You?

We hear all the time that tattoos often carry deeper meanings. They are chosen to represent a certain thing or to commemorate an event or achievement, but what about body piercings? What do they represent? Personally I have always chosen piercings the way I have chosen clothes or hairstyles, for how they look, but thinking about the deeper meanings assigned to tattoos has made me wonder if certain body piercings have perceived meanings.

My research all points to body piercings having no particular meaning in western culture although in history they had more significant meanings. For example, septum piercings were popular among warriors of various cultures because it looked fierce. It was common for the hole to be stretched to accommodate a bone or tusk. Other piercings originally had functional uses. For example, there is evidence to suggest that the Prince Albert piercing came about around 1825 when the fashion was for men to wear tight pants. In order to avoid an unsightly bulge, the men would have the piercing done so that the penis could be hooked to one side by way of a “dressing ring”. From the 16^th century, Indian women wear a Nath in the left nostril because this area is associated with the reproductive organs in Ayuvedra Medicine and the piercing is thought to make childbirth and menstruation easier. The piercing is therefore performed as a coming of age ritual. Then of course there are the various African tribes for whom lip and ear piercing and stretching are ritual and symbolic in nature.

So in short, while many body piercings may have originated for a certain purpose or as a particular symbol, in today's Western society they are chosen mainly for aesthetic appeal.

Remodelling The Kitchen To Add Value

My mother is preparing to sell up our family home. It is a little sad, after all that is the house I grew up in and there are a lot of memories there. I understand though. Now that my brothers and I have flown the coop it is a little bit on the large side for just her and Daddy. We are helping her to get it into shape to go on the market. It is really important in today's market that we work on investing in the house so that it yields a higher profit. We will be doing that by remodelling the kitchen. The reason we chose the kitchen is that as the heart of the home, most buyers tend to gravitate towards it. Homebuyers today are looking for modern kitchens with advanced technology. We are keeping costs down by doing some of the work ourselves. There are a few things we took into consideration when making our choices.

Buyers are looking for built in appliances, so we replaced the cooker, refrigerator and washing machine and also installed a dishwasher. Because of this addition expense we did not replace the cabinetry, instead we just replaced the doors as the cabinets were still structurally sound, but adding new doors gave them a new lease of life. We have kept the décor itself fairly neutral so that buyers have a blank canvas on which to build. The work is coming along really well and I am hoping that we can complete by the weekend.

Girl Power?

For most of us, we understand that men and women are now pretty much equal. Sure, there are still some who resist the notion, but for the most part the fairer sex is no longer second class. However, there are a large number of things that women have suffered through over the years and in some countries they still do. One thing that caught my attention lately was body modification. We are living in a society where cosmetic surgery is not only accepted, but actively encouraged. Female beauty has always been judged on an unattainable scale. Only a tiny percentage of women can hope to meet the ideal and even so, most will do so only with surgical help!

I feel almost as though women are being forced into body modification. Is this an alternative way of keeping us in line now that it is no longer socially acceptable to chain us to the kitchen sink? Sure it can be argued that women are the ones choosing to have cosmetic surgery to alter their bodies, but are they really? Are they in fact subconsciously driven to it by the constant pressure to look perfect? Who makes these decisions. The majority of designers in the fashion industry are male. Thy make clothes for tiny women and urge us mortals to starve ourselves into them. Has anything really changed? Or did we just swap one form of oppression for another?

Think about it. It all begins with the Victorian corset. These were used to create an extreme body shape and over time they actually physically altered women's bodies by rearranging internal organs and squeezing the body into shape. Is this so far removed from a breast augmentation? What about Chinese foot binding? Most shocking of all is perhaps the clitorodectomy - a body modification still practised in many developing countries where young woman's clitoris is removed.

It's definitely food for thought.

Girls Living Like Bachelors!

Doing It Like A Dude!

We often hear tales of single men living the bachelor life, but the latest statistics show that not only are more women turning to the bachelor lifestyle, but they seem to be doing it better! A recent study by the University of Edinburgh details that the number of people aged between 25 and 44 who choose to live alone is increasing, but just what effect does this have on us?

The research revealed big differences between how men and women were affected, with men being more likely to have financial difficulties, poor health and suffer from social problems and isolation than their female counterparts. The research discovered that women who choose to live alone are usually educated to a higher level and tend to have a professional career. In comparison, over a third of men in the same situation were in lower paid jobs.

Not all of those surveyed were single, half of the women and 35% of the men were in long term relationships, but had chosen to live apart from their partners. It was found that those living the so called bachelor life did have a strong social networks of friends, something which is very important because living alone can impact mental health, especially when teamed with long working hours, limited income and other health concerns. Women are better equipped to deal with these issues than men, meaning us girls actually make better bachelors than the boys do!

Anything they can do – we can do better!

Look At The Facts

I am really looking forward to our trip to South Africa, but so many people are really against us going! I have lost count of the number of times we have heard this little fact :

“South Africa has one of the world's highest incidences of violence, including rape and domestic violence, against women.”

It's probably true. However, I am not going to base judgement of a whole country on that one little fact. What about all of these other facts...

• South Africa is one of the largest producers of platinum, manganese, gold, and chrome in the world; also significant coal production. South Africa is Sub-Saharan Africa’s economic hub and one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of gold and platinum.
• South Africa held its fourth democratic election on April 22, 2009. South Africa has a sophisticated financial structure with a large and active stock exchange that ranks 17th in the world in terms of total market capitalization.
• South Africa is a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
• South Africa assisted the Allied war effort by capturing the two German colonies of German West Africa and German East Africa, as well as participating in battles in Western Europe and the Middle East.
• South Africa is Africa's most popular tourist destination, and for good reason. South Africa has a large number of national parks to visit, with Kruger National Park topping the list.
• South Africa is often described as “the rainbow nation” because of its diverse population. South Africa is a multicultural society, which in many ways is unparalleled in the diversity of its people, cultures and natural resources.
• South Africa, despite all its troubles and sordid history of Apartheid, is now one of the most important, democratic countries on the African continent. South Africa has played a key role in seeking an end to various conflicts and political crises on the African continent, including in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Sudan, Comoros, and Zimbabwe.
• South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world; and a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region.
• South Africa is a year-round destination so cheap flights to South Africa can always be found. The best times to visit depend on the activity you have in mind. Southern-hemisphere rules apply when it comes to seasons. In South Africa, the seasons are predominately summer and winter.

Pretty much out-weighs that statement doesn't it? South Africa has many great points and It's such a pity when people generalize it! I am not stupid, I know there are dangers, but South Africa is safe for all types of travelers, but precautions should be taken in smaller cities, especially after dark.  

Carpet drying and cleaning

Carpets and rugs can change the overall look of your home. They add and enhance the beauty of any place you decorate with them. It’s the first thing that instantly gets noticed by guests or whoever visits your home. Maintaining the cleanliness and appearance of your carpets isn’t an easy job especially if you’re too lazy to vacuum it often. Carpets needs constant cleaning as their texture has the ability to store dust particles. If not vacuumed regularly, these particles may cause nasal allergies, constant sneezing or skin blemishes etc.

Keeping your carpets dry is another major task for household people. Carpet drying takes much more effort than mere vacuuming. Damp carpets can provide the ideal surface for mold growth especially toxic mold that reproduces in creepy invisible places. You will be able to recognize black mold’s symptoms even if it’s beneath the carpet. It would cause infections, irritations in eyes and skin, musty metal like odour in room and similar sign that confirms your carpets is being mold affected. Humidity level inside home is also favourable for mold growth. The carpets and rugs absorb the wetness present in air that may result in constant dampness. It’s best to keep indoor humidity level low even if you have to use a dehumidifier. Mold needs merely 24 to 48 hours to start growing. If you accidentally spill water or liquid on the carpet than make sure it’s dried perfectly.

Methods of carpet drying

There are many ways of carpet drying at home. Some of those are

• Vacuuming is one method of carpet drying. It may take some time but make sure you the suction is done perfectly.
• Pull the carpet and put it outside in the garden or driveway under sunlight. Sun drying is the best way of removing even little moisture from your carpets.
• Replace carpet padding or separate carpet to dry both.

Always wear air mask, gloves to avoid dust while lifting your carpets. If there’s any mold growth underneath carpets than leave it to the professionals instead of trying to remove it yourself. Several cleaning companies offer professional help in carpet drying. ADET has newest equipments to dry even soaked carpets. The trained technicians work hard and double check that no moisture remains in the carpets. The team reaches you quickly and start working right away. They also investigate if the mold has begun growing already or not. It’s a necessity to keep your rugs and carpets dry to ensure the health of your family.  

What Can Audit Management Software Do For Me?

When it comes to managing your workforce, things have never been easier thanks to audit management software which is now increasingly used to help monitor performance. Audit management software has made it possible for upper management and indeed the authorities to audit companies with ease.

One of the best things about audit management software is that it is now possible to automate much of the auditing process. This includes surveying employees are clients on a regular basis. These surveys can form a key part of the audit system because they provide valuable information about employee performance and client expectations and satisfaction levels. Planning an audit is easy with the help of audit management software because it can be fully customized to fit the company. Once the audit has been set up the software can initiate the required tasks automatically making it less time consuming and much more efficient all around.

Perhaps the most common reason why companies are increasingly turning to audit management software is that it helps to ensure they are in compliance with standards and that they are maintaining the desired level of performance in all areas of the company. It is possible to use auditing packages to create a checklist of internal and regulatory standards which much be met. For example, a checklist for compliance with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) measures. If you achieve this compliance you will expand your client base because they will be attracted to the fact that you are accredited by such organizations.

Overall, audit management software has the capability to increase your work flow and improve the day to day operation of your business. It is something that many business owners seem to overlook, but once you start you will wonder how you ever managed to operate before without it. 

Body Modification Through History

The term body modification, depending on the context in which it is used, can have multiple interpretations across cultures including ideas about the individual, about ones culture, and as a form of rebellion. The road of body modification, piercing, and mutilation is untraveled by most people, yet it holds an undeniable fascination for many. The culture of body modification has superceded the limits of tattoos and piercing and has now gone on to include such extreme methods as scarification, implants and beading. In this sense, body modification serves as but another manifestation of the body projects that contemporary society enforces upon us. By the 1990’s, body modification was making substantial penetration into the mainstream culture and today it is pervasive, with tattooing, piercing, and cosmetic surgeries receiving extensive media coverage. Another form of body modification involved ear stretching with the use of counterweights.Any type of body modification requires sterile supplies and proper after-care. Some attempts at body modification can also have unintended negative consequences that might reduce self-esteem. Extreme forms of body modification are occasionally viewed as symptomatic of body dysmorphic disorder, other mental illnesses, or as an expression of unchecked vanity.

In the modern age, body modification is considered as a form of fashion accessory. This is why I think body modification is acceptable if it is tasteful, not too obvious and emphasises your already beautiful self. I would argue that body modification , rather than a marginal activity reserved for social deviants, is something that is becoming increasingly relevant to our understandings of the body. Many people believe body modification refers exclusively to such alterations as tattoos or piercings. While this is true, body modification can also include things such as implants (for example, breast implants or facial cheek implants) or plastic surgery to any part of the body

In ancient cultures, body modification was a rite of passage from youth to adulthood, which symbolized bravery, strength and tribal affiliations. Maybe in our society, body modification gives us a way to hide behind who we are. In the U.S., forms of body modification that people once considered rebellious or strange have become increasingly mainstream. Unfortunately, with the growing popularity of alternative and extreme body modification in the mainstream, there is a large number of people saying that they can safely suspend you that absolutely do not have the experience or knowledge to do so. Despite its growing popularity, there are still negative connotations surrounding certain kinds of body modification, while others are completely commonplace, for instance, it would be pretty hard to find a woman these days who doesn’t have her ears pierced, and one of the most involved, long-term, and committed types of body modification, bodybuilding, is not often even considered to be so. In the past two decades, there has been concern about the increasing frequency of "body art" among adolescents and the potential complications of these practices. Body modification also includes tattooing, piercing, branding and scarification.