From Experience: Is It the Circle of Life?
From Experience: Is It the Circle of Life?
All of it in one way or another a part of my lifetime and not an analytical study of the way that business has changed but a comparison that is not at all hard to follow or see. What happened to our country now seems to be subtle changes that occurred as the years passed by.Always a reason behind a wage difference always because of the area of the country or because of the actual company I was working for.Basically it has all boiled down to the ultimate understanding that it was just the standard of living country wide had taken a turn for the worse and no one, definitely not me?wanted to admit it or look at it.Yes, beyond my capability to actually crunch numbers and really see what was happening somehow the American way of life has changed and it is harder than ever to do what needs to be done financially.Beyond my want to know at all of what has really happened, and understand it. Because the country that I grew up in, the country that was so fair to all was slowly changing. So much that it wasn't really noticeable immediately and if you were too busy trying to make ends meet possibly you didn't even think about it or find it unusual or sad. It really is sad, but real.Unions can't make it anymore. Why? Because we as Americans will not pay the price of labor unions and don't have to because unions no longer make a difference. Our government says that we can unionize and yet it will allow the companies that have had unions for many years to bail out on pensions that were part of union agreements and contracts. What good is unionizing when it means nothing?What once was not the norm is now. Women have worked for decades at destroying the American family as it once was and now just as men did before us we compete with one another and with them too.We for the most part took the original American Dream and turned it into a self serving egotistical attitude and had no real idea of when we had it all.We as women went past the wife and mother aspect of being female and ran to the far side of the businesses and corporate offices out of some depraved kind of jealousy and why I have no idea.I know that at this point we are far beyond being able to turn around and go back. I know that many would without a second thought throw me to the dogs for even mentioning it.Still there was a better time and place for all of us and it isn't going to be easy to find a place like that in the future.
Families that always relied on each other for emotional support now rely on each other to make ends meet.Families that had a bond of love that nurtured our young people to great achievements and discoveries have turned into families that have a bond that is produced by basic needs.The college graduate of today is now in a situation many times of having to look back at a generation that seriously lived beyond its means. At the same time there are those who for one reason or another found a place in society that allowed them to enter a comfort zone that is now turning into a place of uncertainty and the worry of yesterday coming back to haunt the future is real.Generations that lived through the Great Depression knew how to live without. Our government for how many years now has told us that there is no recession, no depression and that our country is on a firm footing.In my lifetime I remember someone?saying that we would retire in our fifties, that we would have more time to spend at home?a four day work week. Is it my imagination or part of a novel I read in my school days?It did not happen and no one seems to know why.A time when there was a bread winner in a family and one person could financially support a family.Did we use it all up? Did we somehow over do it? What went wrong with the country and where did all of the dreams of retirement, educational superiority of our country and the research and discovery so important to our country and our tomorrows die?The comfort zone is fading away and now the political arena challenges anyone who listens to find a side and take the walk to the extremes that are a regular part of the country that I grew up in.If not for the belief that something bigger than all of us is out there I would say that there is no hope that it will get better.Doom and gloom is a terrible thing especially for the privileged who have no idea of what it is to do without.Has our generation primed our children to believe that there will never be a time when we will live through another time in this country where more will be living in poverty than during the Great Depression?I remember someone?way back saying that the United States was on the top.Have we thought seriously of how it would be if history were to repeat itself and another depression fell upon us?Life has been good for many. Life has been hard at times and rewarding at other times. Many of my generation grew to be far wealthier than their parents could have imagined and yet is that wealth a temporary haven that will dissolve and turn into nothing more than a memory of what was?Is it our government, our society, our morals or the cycle of life that will return us to where we came from?Julie Pierce has worked in the retail sector for more than thirty years.
She has been a union member of the UCFW Union and the afl-cio more than once and has worked for more than one large retailer during the course of her career.She attended Gulf Coast Community College, Panama City Beach, Florida, in the nineties in the pursuit of a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications.Some of her work has been published during the eighties and nineties in various editorial pages of newspapers in the state of New Jersey and Florida. She also did some work as a community reporter for a weekly newspaper in Panama City Florida.
Float a Horses Teeth — What Does that Mean and Why is it Necessary?
Float a Horses Teeth -- What Does that Mean and Why is it Necessary?
So what does it mean to float a horse's teeth? I'm sure you've heard this a time or two (if you haven't, sooner or later you will from another horse owner or from your vet), and if you're like me, you imagined for the longest time what this could possibly mean and wondered what it involved.To float a horse's teeth certainly sounds funny, too.Floating means to smooth or contour your horse's teeth with a file (called a "float"). Unlike your own teeth, your horse's teeth keep growing. At times, your horse's teeth may develop sharp edges, making it difficult for her to chew food, hold a bit, or simply have pain and discomfort inside her mouth.An adult horse may have between 36-44 permanent teeth. And just like humans, your horse gets two sets of teeth in her lifetime. Your horse starts out with temporary baby teeth and by age five, will most likely have her full set of permanent teeth.The horse's front teeth cut hay and grass, while the top and bottom cheek teeth grind the forage between the flat surfaces in a sideways motion. This grinding action breaks down the food into a pulp before swallowing which helps it to be digested better. If your horse is unable to grind down food all the way due to uneven teeth surfaces, the unchewed food will not be digested as well.Most often, points develop on the upper cheek teeth toward the outside of the mouth next to your horse's cheek. And on the bottom cheek teeth toward the inside of the mouth next to your horse's tongue. These points can then cut into the cheek and tongue making your horse uncomfortable.Though it may seem tedious and like a burden, you know having routine dentist check-ups contribute to the overall good health of your own teeth. Well, your horse is no different and deserves some of the same attention to her teeth as you give to yours. Confined horses or those that do not have the ability to graze all day are more prone to teeth overgrowth, as they are not naturally grinding their teeth all day to keep them smooth. Also, just like you, your horse can have other dental problems. A horse can have excessively worn teeth, loose or broken teeth, or infected gums.One sign that your horse's teeth may need to be floated is if she is consistently dropping food from her mouth and you start seeing signs of weight loss. Your horse may also exhibit behavior like head-tossing or opening her mouth frequently.Possible horse dental problem indicators:
Drops food from her mouth
Exhibits difficulty in chewing
Excessive salivation
Loss of weight
Undigested food particles in manure
Head-tossing
Excessive bit chewing
Resisting having the bridle put on
Difficult handling while riding
Mouth odor
Blood in the mouth
Face swelling
Nasal discharge
Because horses are adaptable creatures, even if they are having discomfort, some do not show any signs of dental problems. So don't assume that if there are no symptoms, there are no problems.Sharp teeth edges can hurt the inside of your horse's mouth causing pain and creating sores on her tongue or cheeks. Your horse may show resistance when riding due to added pain from the bit pressing against the sores.The vet or equine dentist will carefully file all your horse's teeth that need smoothing to achieve a flat grinding surface between the upper and lower teeth. Having your horse's teeth floated is well worth it so she digests her food better, is in better spirits, and makes riding more enjoyable for you both.How often floating is necessary varies quite a bit from one horse to another. Some horses seem to have slower-growing teeth and may require floating only once every several years while others may require floating every few months. Even if your horse does not require her teeth to be floated often, it is still a good idea to have her teeth and gums examined once a year.The procedure the vet typically uses to float your horse's teeth is to first sedate your horse to make her relaxed. A special halter is put on with a rope thrown over a ceiling rafter or the equivalent in order to hold your horse's head up. A mouth speculum is used to keep your horse's mouth open. The vet will then either manually file your horse's teeth using a rasp in a back and forth motion to flatten the high points, or may use a power tool. The whole procedure is quick and painless - taking about 15 to 20 minutes to complete.If you're like me, you cringe at the thought of someone filing away on your teeth with a rasp. You can imagine the shooting pain from the nerves in your teeth. Personally, the dentist can't give me enough Novocain to make me feel comfortable before poking around or drilling in my mouth.Unlike us, a horse's nerves end close to the gumline, so there is no nerve where the tooth is being worked on, and therefore does not feel any nerve pain. We humans should be so lucky.Randall Holman, site owner of Front Range Frenzy and horse enthusiast, is the author of the above article. You will find other easy and practical basic horse care information on his website: http://www.FrontRangeFrenzy.com.
Poster, Print or Painting – Where Are You Going To Put It? – Home-Improvement
Poster, Print or Painting - Where Are You Going To Put It?
If you are redesigning or decorating a room, or house, care has to be taken where your piece of art is to be displayed. Even if you have bought a picture on impulse there are a few tips that will not only enhance the picture but its surroundings.As a good rule of thumb it is good to hang a picture so that its centre is roughly at eye level. If you have a grouping of pictures then also the centre of the group should be at approximate eye level.Wall size.For a narrow wall go for a smaller picture, or group of small pictures.For large walls go for the larger pictures.For walls that link to a low ceiling go for pictures that are vertically longer as this will help give the illusion that the ceiling is higher and open the room up.Picture framing.As a guide neutral coloured, plain or soft /delicate paintings will suit a more basic plain frame.Dramatic pictures may deserve a much bolder frame.Will the frames go together if pictures are hung in a group?Picture grouping.If you intend to hang more than one picture in a group then layout the pictures first, maybe on the floor to get a good idea as how they will interact. Bear in mind the layout and furniture in the proposed area as this may influence how you want the pictures laid out.Measure the total height and width of the layout, and as a tip tape some lengths of string to the wall to mimic the outside of the layout to make sure you are happy with positioning, and to act as guide for hanging.Consider the layout of the rest of the room. Do you want just one group of pictures in one area, or will one or two pictures elsewhere help balance the room?Help, advice and ideas.Look through magazines and notice peoples houses for styles and layouts you like. But an important point to remember is to look for what would be good for, and suit your home. Adapting what you want to fit your surroundings will give your home the stylish look you want. There is nothing worse than a picture that doesn't suit a room hanging in a position that doesn't look right.If you know someone who has the layout of their home you love, get their opinion on your choice and layout. They will be flattered.As a final tip - try to keep pictures away from bright sunshine, as they will fade over a period of time.Positioning your pictures is not a science, but a bit of planning and attention will no doubt give you years of joy.About The AuthorMichael Edwards is the founder of http://www.BlackAndWhitePoster.com which offers specialist galleries devoted to black and white, vintage, sepia and art posters or prints. The site also offers access to original and reproduction art.