Is your employer giving you asbestos cancer

There is some evidence that family members of workers heavily exposed to asbestos face an increased risk of developing mesothelioma. This risk is thought to result from exposure to asbestos fibers brought into the home on the shoes, clothing, skin, and hair of workers.

How High is the Risk for Cancer?

Not all workers exposed to asbestos will develop diseases related to their exposure. The risk of developing asbestos-related diseases varies with the type of industry in which the exposure occurred and with the extent of the exposure. Asbestos that is bonded into finished products such as walls and tiles poses no risk to health as long as it is not damaged or disturbed in such a way as to release fibers into the air. When asbestos fibers are set free and inhaled, however, exposed individuals are at risk of developing an asbestos-related disease.

How does smoking affect risk?

Many studies have shown that the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure is particularly hazardous. Smokers who are also exposed to asbestos have a greatly increased risk of lung cancer. However, smoking combined with asbestos exposure does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma.

Asbestos diseases are said to follow the trail of exposure. That means that wherever people have received asbestos exposure, regardless of their trade, age, sex or race, they are at risk of cancer and other diseases.

Unfortunately, the effects of asbestos on the human body were known to be deadly for years by the companies who employed the ‘greatest generation’ and made hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars off of their backs. But instead of taking simple steps to alleviate the problem and save the lives of thousands of their workers, they choose to do nothing and continue to make a “healthy” profit with a “deadly” product.

A life-threatening illness is terribly emotional. It has a broad impact and affects many people - family, friends and co-workers.

Many employers even went so far as to hide the truth from their workers and their families. And because the normal latency period for Mesothelioma is 20 to 30 years, many got away with this for years.

We urge you to find out more about Asbestos, and know your legal rights today!

No adult left behind 5 big benefits of lifelong learning

Malcolm Knowles (1913-1997), pioneer in adult education, titled one of his books, "The Adult Learner: A Neglected Species." And no wonder. Many people closed their books halfway through life; research on how grown-ups learn was in its early stages; teachers equipped to handle mature students were hard to find.

Today lifelong learning opportunities are plentiful and instructors well-versed in space age information delivery. Still, millions fail to take advantage. They need constant reminders of the pot of gold at the end of the adult education rainbow.

Five bright benefits come to mind. First is the prospect of a fatter paycheck. Job promotions go to smart people who keep up with the latest information and technology. It's just good sense to refresh and retrain for the workplace. New careers are created all the time so those who see what's coming and want to jump ship have got to be prepared with new certifications, diplomas and degrees.

Second is the enhanced self-esteem when you reach for new horizons, accept tough challenges and arrive at a whole new level. New learning is not a picnic but the joys of accomplishment are real. Your children are proud. Your neighbors are surprised and maybe just jealous enough to go out and do likewise.

Third is the freedom given to adult learners. The teacher is more facilitator than dictator. Adult students, unlike young kids, may be just as experienced as the person at the front of the room. Adult classmates share ideas and teach each other. Assignments may culminate in a group project or program rather than a graded exam. Memorizing facts is at a minimum; answers are not absolute.

True, there are some studies where exactness counts and tests are mandatory. But a quick Internet search turned up references to the use of adult education theories in highly regimented disciplines, such as nursing and medicine. Getting ready to pass state boards did not prevent creative teaching where students' views are respected and acted on. It is possible to combine traditional methods with adult learning styles.

Fourth is the shift of schooling to a 24/7 model and long-distance or online methods. Trade the classroom for your computer. Stay home and study in your bathrobe. Earn a degree without ever stepping on campus. Leave an email message for the professor at 3 a. m. With time and space constraints removed anyone who truly wants to go on learning can do so. Further, some class enrollments are open with start dates at your convenience.

Number five is making scholarship a habit. Education becomes second nature; it's who you are as much as what you do. People live longer now and their health stays robust. Folks dread the thought of 15 or 20 years after retirement with idle hands and minds. Luckily, such waste is out of fashion. Well known programs, such as Elderhostel keep people thinking, socializing and traveling. Grandmothers get their master's degree.

Invest in yourself. Empower your life. Jump start your future with strong commitment to lifelong achievement. Knowing these five benefits can wipe out all excuses.

Your used cars search is quicker when conducted online

There is a much faster and easier way to conduct a used cars search than walking around car dealerships or buying ads magazines - you can search from a whole range of used cars online with the help of a specialist website. A specialist used car search website will offer a huge range of tools that can help you on your used car search including an extensive search facility which can narrow down the time spent looking for a used car considerably.

By using a search feature you are able to quickly find the exact model of the car you are looking for right down to the colour and any other extras which you would like. A website such as this opens up your search considerably and enables you to search in as wider range as you wish to travel, if you want to stay close to home then type in the radius. The majority of specialist websites will have sections for private sellers and used car dealers which can give you a wide scope to choose from when it comes to conducting your used cars search in the shortest time frame possible and all from the comfort of you own home.

The specialist used car website is a virtual showroom but instead of just having a few cars which might not even be the type you are looking for you are able to compare the exact make and model using the search to narrow down the choices. All listings on the site will be accompanied by photographs which give a great indication as to whether you are going to consider looking at the car and are usually taken from different angles so that you can see the car just as you would in the showroom.

To help you narrow down your choices even further the photographs will come with a detailed description of any special features that the cars have and of course details such as how many miles the car has done, any extras such as electric windows, security features and of course the price of the car and details of how to contact the seller.

To help you get the best out of your used cars search a specialist used car website will also offer help by way of articles and hints and tips on how to get the best from a used car search online and this is of course the best place to start when looking to buy a used car. Gaining the information and knowing what to look for before buying a used car can save a lot of problems later, there are many honest sellers online but then again there is the odd one that will try to sell a rust bucket. It is essential that you gain information on what to look for in a used car before you actually make the arrangements to go and view the car, a specialist website will offer tips on what to look for and what you should avoid when buying a used car.

Identity theft recovery the road back

Not too long ago, a friend of mine mentioned that one of his coworkers recently recovered his stolen identity. I asked how long the process took. "Only two years" he replied.

Compared to my business partner's six year nightmare "only" maybe appropriate but like most victims of identity theft, he probably thought "when". As in, "when will I get my life back?"

Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a consumer nonprofit organization, reported that victims spend on average 175 hours trying to recover their identity, often over a period of years. Factor in out of pocket expenses, (usually over $1,500 according to the FTC) and recovery gets painfully magnified.

What are the steps to identity restoration? It starts with obtaining a police report. That report doesn't mean other law enforcement agencies have been contacted. Yet you must do a complete search of local and federal law enforcement databases too find out if anything else, including criminal activity exists on your identity.

You're also going to need the police report to contact the many and I mean many different agencies and organizations, including the Social Security Administration, The Federal Trade Commission, all of your financial institutions, the 3 major credit bureaus, the Passport Office, The Department of Motor Vehicles, the Post Office, as well as the Medical Information Bureau . All of these places must be sent a fraud notification alert. Concerning your financial institutions, get them to cancel your credit cards and close your bank accounts. Find out from your bank about any suspicious activity, such as accounts tampered with or opened fraudulently. Reopen new bank accounts with password verification.

Know your rights. According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1992, you must be told not only what's in your file but if that information is being used against you. The Federal Trade Commission recently expanded the rights available to victims of identity theft, including your right to get negative information due to fraud blocked from your records.

This brings us to the credit bureaus. Make sure your credit report reflects the identity theft and gets flagged with a fraud alert. Many victims have received assurances that the matter would be resolved, however months and sometimes years later, the credit bureaus have not cleared their records. This without a doubt ranks as THE biggest headache for identity theft victims.

Once a negative gets put on your record, it seems the credit bureaus refuse to remove it, in spite of the countless documentation you provide to them. This can affect you well into the future when buying a house, car or any other big ticket item. If you are going to do this by yourself, constant follow up is critical. That goes for all the organizations but especially the credit bureaus. Be diligent until the matter gets resolved. Getting a lawyer wouldn't be a bad idea.

Stay Away from "credit repair companies". No matter what they advertise, there's usually nothing they can do to help you with identity theft. Some of them even offer to help you apply for credit under a new identity. Hello? When trying to eliminate fraud from your record you don't want to create more fraud!

Advise the utility companies. It's not just bank accounts and credit cards. Many identity thieves commit fraud by opening telephone accounts, purchasing cable television or establishing credit with the gas & electric companies, in the hopes it will go unnoticed for as long as possible.

If necessary get counseling. Identity theft can be a shattering experience mentally and emotionally. Victims and family members often feel violated. It's not their fault of course but the feelings remain. A network of support groups and counselors exists if you need it.

The road back from identity theft can take years, cost a lot of money, and cause much stress and pain . But with follow up, support and belief that the nightmare will end...the nightmare WILL end.

Proper bra sizing what every woman should know

Most women do not wear the correct bra size. With monthly water retention cycles, dieting, and general aging, it also should not be assumed that the size you were two years ago is the same size you are today (or that a bra can be worn that long, for that matter). Even a change of 5 pounds can change your bra size. This guide will help you to properly measure your bust, so that you can find the size for you.

While most shops will have a salesperson to assist you in proper measurements, in order to buy sexy lingerie from a catalog, it is important to know your size.

How To Know If Your Current Bra Does Not Fit

The back rides up. This may mean that the cups are too small, or the band is too tight. The front of the band is too tight to get a finger under it. This means you need a larger band.

The bra cups should be entirely filled, or you may need a smaller cup. If, on the other hand, the cups are overflowing, you may need a larger cup or a different style of bra.

If the underwire digs in, you may need a larger cup size. (Or your bra could just be very old. In either case, it's time to replace it.) This could also be an indication that the side wings of the bra are not large enough.

Proper Measurements

First, you will need three measurements: under bust, upper bust, and full bust.

For under the bust, measure directly under your bust. With all measurements, hold the tape secure but not too tight. For the upper bust, measure above the bust and below the arms.

If the difference between the under and upper bust is less than two inches, the under bust is your band size (round up to nearest even number). If the difference is more than two inches, add 2-3" to the under bust measurement to get an even number and use this as your band size. For the full bust, measure around a fullest part of your breast. Make sure the tape is secure around the back.

Your cup size is determined by your full bust measurement - your upper bust measurement. If the difference is less than 1", you are a AA, 1" is an A, 2" is a B, 3" is a C, 4" is a D, 5" is a DD (or an E), etc.

Beyond Measurements

Of course, your measurements are just the beginning. There are other things to keep in mind when looking for a comfortable, yet sexy bra.

When trying on different bras, make sure that the area in between the two cups actually comes into contact with your chest. Do not make the straps support your breast alone! This will be very uncomfortable over long periods of time, the bra will wear out quickly, and the pressure on the straps can cause back problems.

If you are finding the band sizes to differ for a different brand, you may also need to change your cup size. Generally, as you decrease the band size, you will need to increase your cup size, while a larger band will call for a smaller cup.

Bra Styles

Different styles of bras have different fits. Beware the convertible bras: while they may sometimes work, it is rare that every possible style will work for your body.

Full Cup / Full Coverage - Designed for support, these bras cover the entire breast.

Half Cup / Demi Cup - These bras cover 75 percent of the breast. This is a sexy cut that increases cleavage, but make sure your breasts are not "cut-off" in the center. Your profile should still be smooth, and if it isn't, you need a larger cup size.

Underwire Bras - These bras give the most support.

Racerback Bras - These bras have a crossover pattern in the back. They can have a front or back clasp, or can simply pull over the head. This is a common style for a sports bra.

Halter-Top Bras - As the name imply, these bras have a strap that loops around the neck, rather than the usual shoulder straps. These bras can increase cleavage, and can be worn with both halter tops and tops with low center coverage.

Backless Bras - While some backless bras literally have only front coverage, generally this refers to bras with extremely low backs, so that many dresses with low backs can be worn without the bra showing.

Strapless Bras - These bras have no straps at all, only the band. Some of these can cover the stomach area as well, and some even cover the body like a leotard. These longer strapless bras tend to stay in place better.

Padded Bras / Push-Up Bras - These bras have extra padding in the cups in order to give the illusion of a larger breast and/or to increase the cleavage. The padding can be made of the same material as the bra, foam, or gel. Gel is becoming more popular because of its more natural look. In some bras, the padding is removable.

Dйcolletй - These bras are lower cut than a demi bra, allowing you to wear something even lower cut without revealing your bra.

Light-Support Bras - These bras have no underwire. While you may be tempted to wear one to an all-day event, if you are larger than an A cup, you may not be getting the support you need. A properly fitted bra will be comfortable whether or not it has underwire.

Sports Bra - These bras are designed to minimize bouncing during athletic activity. While some inexpensive varieties do this by squishing your breasts, it is better to find on that is sized by cup sizes (as opposed to small, medium, and large) and get fitted as you would with a regular bra. Over the long term, this will increase your comfort.

Nursing Bras - For the convenience of nursing mothers, these bras have a snap on each of the shoulder straps, so she can easily remove them to feed the baby without taking off the entire bra. Generally, nursing bras are full-coverage for the added support a new mother needs.

Now you can order all your intimate apparel with confidence! So next time you find the perfect little black dress, you can be sure you will look your best

Things you should know when camping

So, everything’s ready for your first camping trip, eh? Everything on your checklist has been prepared and you’ve already practiced with your camping equipment. The food, the drinks, even the first-aid kit is stocked. You’re set and raring to go! Well, congratulations on being well-prepared. You’ve come a long way indeed. But you still have to know a few important things before running off into the wilderness and plunking down that tent. Here are a few things that a first-time camper should know about.

Camping means working too, not just playing. Even if you really, really want to get away from it all, there are some things that you just can’t possibly avoid, like chores. When you go camping, you still have to do some of them. Picking out a good campsite, setting up your tent, unpacking your gear; these all entails some work on your part. Not to mention starting a fire, cooking, washing dishes, and cleaning up your trash.

Something will bug you. Right here and now, let’s make one thing perfectly clear. If you stay outdoors, you’ll meet bugs and insects of all shapes and sizes. There may be only a few, or there may be quite a lot, but be certain that you’re going to be bugged. What to do? Keep your campsite clean and tidy. Soda cans, food scraps, pieces of chips and cookie bits; they all attract insects, so make sure you gather and dispose your trash daily. Never eat inside your tent and don’t leave food lying around.

Don’t wear perfumes and colognes outdoors, too. They can and will attract insects. If you must, use unscented deodorant. Remember that lanterns and bright lights are like lighthouses to bugs, so if you have one, put it in a spot far away from your sitting area. Always bring along plenty of insect repellants.

Wet mornings are unavoidable. Even if it wasn’t raining the whole day or last night, chances are everything will be soaked by the time you wake up. That’s because of dew. Warm weather, coupled with high humidity, makes for an ideal environment for morning dew. This is a fact of nature and just cannot be avoided, so the next best thing you can do is to take down any dry or about-to-dry clothes off the clothesline, and cover anything you don’t want to get wet, preferably with a tarp, just before setting down for the night.

Waste not. Trash can really pile up at your campsite at a rate you wouldn’t believe, especially if you’re new to this. So you better bring along plenty of plastic bags to dispose them with. Use the campground’s garbage disposal areas for this. Avoid burning your trash in the campfire at all costs. If you’re fishing, don’t clean the fish at the campsite, too.

Never a good night’s sleep. Right now is a good time to tell you that no matter how comfy and warm and soft is your sleeping bag or air mattress, you’ll probably never sleep as good as you do when you’re at home. To make the best out of it, bring some sleeping pads along with your bag, as they add much-needed cushioning and insulation from the cold ground. They can also add more cushioning, which should make your sleep more comfortable.

Wood from the forest – not for campfires. Picking up wood that’s lying around your campsite and using it to build a campfire is not allowed. Why? This wood is essential in replenishing the nutrients in the ground for the plants and trees. So you can think of it this way: If every camper got wood from the forest for their fires, soon there would be no forest!

The importance of innovation

A regular and repeated argument in commercial circles is the one that debates the order of importance between the factory floor producing the product and the sales team ensuring that it finds its place in the market. While the latter ensures the generation of essential income to fuel and grow the company, without something to sell they wouldn’t even have a job let alone the commodity with which to generate sales. A regular chicken and egg debate if ever there was one – or is it?

To my mind both camps are eligible for the title of “most important” for this platitude must surely belong to another group even further back along the chain, the “innovator”. For without the guy who dreams up the product in the first place there is neither need for production or sale of the same. So, surely, it is the inventor, the ideas man, the designer who has first claim to assuring the success of any corporation regardless of its size or market influence.

How many factories exist now thanks to that Eureka moment of the innovator who sits up in bed at three in the morning armed with a thought that could change the World, or at least influence a small part of what we require to make it a progressive place within which to live?

The truth is we all need each other to complete a productive circle that involves many essential contributors to making an idea a commercial viability. To my mind there should be a much easier line of communication between industry and innovator than there would appear to be.

How many thousands of “would-be inventors” are there out there with ideas they have devoted their lives to but find it almost impossible to find commercial interest for, to aid or further their development. Most have no idea where to start when it comes to presenting an idea or even what rules apply to ensuring that their “genius” is not misguided. Organisations exist who are supposed to help but even they can be hard to find if unfamiliar with the territory.

Innovators are therefore left to find whatever route they can to reach a possible “buyer” for their idea. Many are not interested in producing the product themselves or getting over involved in it’s marketing, they are happy to leave that to the experts, leaving them, the creatives, free to continue further product development and the conception of new ideas.

One such link opportunity exists through a marvellous new website called DebutDay. Com An exciting new conduit and notice board that aims to connect the creative with the commercial world. To date innovators have relied on letter writing, agents, local development agencies etc to reach their goal. More recently innovators are falling “victim” to the audience hunting TV predators with programmes such as “ The Dragons Den”, “The Big Idea” etc who essentially use the novelty of the innovator as an ingredient for entertainment.

Often preying on the inventors need to win the Ј100,000 prize that may or may not actually help them towards fulfilling their dream. For every idea that is deemed praise worthy enough to progress forward there are many others who are left behind, often ridiculed in the process.

This is not honest assistance for creative people and does little more than mock their ingenuity and genuine dedication to what they believe in. The result of which is that, in my opinion, many will leave the experience more damaged than before they took part.

DebutDay. com does not judge or ridicule, it does not exclude or filter people out, nor does it offer preferential treatment. It is simply an equal opportunity facility for everyone to use as a way to say “Here I am and this is what I can do” thus ensuring all who access it are able to conduct their own development in a fair and dignified manner. So much more wholesome than the speculative route offered by “Game Shows”.

So, power to the innovator and all creatives. They are amongst the most important people on the planet who between them generate all the things we come to covet or depend on. That service is something that is greatly overlooked and under valued.

It is now time to give some new power back to them in order that they may have a greater chance of seeing their dreams fully realised. Maybe they should all take a look at DebutDay. com?