Posts Tagged ‘science’

Calendars - Why They Can Be Slightly Out

Friday, July 23rd, 2010

Thousands of years ago, ancient Greek astronomers calculated that the track of the Earth’s axis is constantly, even if in a very slow way, shifting in a uniform pattern. The variation is very similar to the manner a spinning top slowly leans one way and then another as it slows down. It is a wobble that happens as its axis alters direction.

This odd movement of the planet is due to several factors, the most important of which is something called ‘precession’. Precession stems from the fact that the Earth is not a perfect sphere. It is in fact about twenty-seven miles longer around the Equator that it is around the Poles. The Earth then is oblate, or fat around the middle like middle-aged spread, but it is due to the spinning not to its age.

If you picture the Earth with its Poles off centre. Then rotate that image and you will find that any point, except the very centre of the axis, will travel in a circle. But very, very gradually. So slowly that it takes 26,000 years to go full circle and get back to where it started from.

This point then, any point you want, is very gradually shifting its position in relation to the stars because the axis is rotating too. The result of this is that, what we call the North Star (formally known as Polaris, which is actually one degree off true North) will not be above our North Pole one day. In fact, by about 15,000 AD, Vega will be almost above the North Pole, although it will be about four degrees off true North. But even this will not last, and by 28,000 AD, Polaris will be back above where it is nowadays.

One of the effects of the precession is that seasons change. They modify the dates that they take place, so that Summer could come earlier or later. The amazing thing about our calendar is that it is corrected for that (with the leap year). If it were not, the vernal or Spring equinox would move over 13,000 years from March 21st to September 21st., which is the date of the autumnal equinox, precisely half a year later.

It is for this reason that the precession of the Earth is generally referred to as the “Precession of the Equinoxes”. Although the precession of the equinoxes is very lengthy, it can be readily observed. The correct year of 325.25 days is the length of time from one vernal equinox to the next vernal equinox, however, it takes 20 minutes and 24 seconds longer for the Sun to appear in exactly the same place in relation to the stars behind it over the same period, which is why accurate star maps have to be stamped with the exact time and date to which they relate.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with researching Franklin planner pages. If you have an interest in calendars, organizers or promotional calendars, please go over to our website now at Promotional Desk Calendars

Calendars And How To Appreciate Them

Sunday, July 11th, 2010

The calendar is such a commonplace, everyday item, but how much do you really know about the operation of it. Why is it like that?

A DAY: The Earth turns at a reasonably steady speed about the imaginary line running between the North and South Poles named the Earth’s Axis. The time it takes to spin once is called a ‘rotation’ and this takes just under twenty-four hours. Nevertheless, because the Earth is constantly travelling around the Sun, the precise time from noon one day to noon the next is 3 minutes 56 seconds longer and this makes a day almost precisely twenty-four hours in length.

The actual time from noon to noon differs depending where the Earth is on its celestial course around the Sun, but if you average the days in a year out, it comes to precisely twenty-four hours.

A YEAR: All nine planets in our solar system travel around the Sun in almost perfectly circular paths called orbits. Each trip around the Sun is called a revolution and all the planets orbit around the Sun in the same direction. The course the Earth takes can be verified by noting its position against the background stars.

In view of the fact that you cannot see the Sun and the stars at the same time, it is necessary to note the position of the Sun in the morning and the see which stars come out there in the night. You will see that the Sun seems to pass through the twelve constellations of the zodiac during a year.

Earth’s journey around the Sun, which seems like the Sun travelling through the zodiac takes about 365.25 days. This is different from year to year, so astronomers add or delete a second in some years to keep their time accurate with the Earth’s motion.

THE SEASONS: The seasons mark the change in the pattern of daylight over the span of a year. Because the Earth is tilted off centre, different parts of it receive different amounts of sunlight on different stages of its path around the Sun, a path that we call a year. So, between approximately the 21st September and late March, the Earth’s Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, which produces Autumn and Winter, giving less than twelve hours of daylight per day.

From April to the 20th September, the Northern Hemisphere enjoys more than twelve hours of daylight a day, producing Spring and Summer. The exact opposite occurs in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Equinoxes occur at the points in the year when there is exactly twelve hours of sunlight and darkness in the day. So, the vernal or Spring equinox is on or around the 21st March and the autumnal equinox is on or around the 21st September. Summer officially begins on the day with the greatest amount of daylight, the 21st June or summer solstice.

The winter solstice occurs on the shortest day, the 21st December. ‘Solstice’ is a combination of two words meaning ’sun standing still’ and the days are so called because they are the days when the apparent movement of the Sun reaches its limits and reverses course again.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with researching Franklin planner pages. If you have an interest in calendars, organizers or promotional calendars, please go over to our website now at Promotional Desk Calendars

Home Schooling And The Family

Sunday, May 23rd, 2010

According to the National Center For Education Statistics, almost 1.1 million children underwent home schooling in 2005 alone. That’s a lot of children. Once upon a time, homeschooling used to be an extreme statement - something like a declaration of independence.

It was the conservative Christians who advocated homeschooling in the ’80s and legalized it in every State. But the typical homeschooler of today is not religiously motivated.

Later surveys indicate that parents are actually fed up with the public school system where a lot of the learning is superficial and compulsory. They are also concerned about the negative environment in school, which ranges from drugs and abuse to negative pressure from their peers.

As a result, we have a surprising mix of people who form the homeschooling world of today. They cut across all religious creeds and all regional borders. Their main aim is providing meaningful and productive learning through a method that strengthens the bond between the various members of the family.

These families all have one major thing in common - a long enduring commitment to the sanctity of childhood. The children of these families are given a primary position. Many believe, and, probably, rightly so, that home schooling allows parents to bring up their kids in a more natural and caring environment.

Public schools can make a child nervous, subservient and downright mean. Children who receive their education at home are protected from these damaging, negative influences until they reach an age where they can deal with them.

Home-schooling draws the whole family into the almost religious task of teaching. Everyone has a role to play. Both the parents together form a bond with the children. Any experience can be turned into an educational experience. Both the parents are aware of exactly what is going into their child’s education.

Parents also have a greater control over the type of religious and moral values that the child is taught. Even watching a film together can become an educational experience. Trips to the libraries, zoos, museums and other places become educational as well as recreational.

A home-schooling family is primarily dependent on the income of one earning member. That means that often spending has to be curtailed and proper planning of expenditure is a must. This helps to bring the family members together and everybody gets involved in the task of saving money.

Merely having a parent at home to look after, to nurture and to care for the children brings with it a lot of love and caring. Even the husband chips in and there is just no room for boredom.

Yes OK, problems still do sometimes crop up, and there will be many misgivings in your mind, but when you know that your kids can always count on you, and your kids know it too, then homeschooling becomes a very rewarding experience.

If you are interested in Home Schooling then please pop along to our web-based resource at Home Schooling Information

Teeth Whitening Using Lasers

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

In the modern world, many treatments are made easier by the use of lasers. Teeth whitening is no exception and laser teeth whitening is now one of the options that people have if they want to have whiter teeth.

Laser teeth whitening is best for those who want to have it done painlessly and quickly. Unlike other methods of teeth whitening, you do not have to wait days or months to see the results of the treatment. You will notice that once the laser treatment is over your teeth are whiter than they used to be. Many people are choosing this option because of the fast results that it brings. If you need to be in a presentation where you want everyone to see how beautiful your smile is, this is the best method you can achieve it.

How does laser teeth whitening work?

1. Teeth Cleaning: The dental expert will begin the process of whitening by cleaning your teeth. This is very important because the plaque and germs that are already on your teeth will have a huge effect on the whitening process. The result of the treatment is greatly affected by the present condition of your teeth. That is why they have to be cleansed first.

2. Application of Whitening Gel and Laser Treatment: Once your teeth have been cleaned, the dentist will put the whitening gel on your teeth. After the gel is applied, you will then be positioned for the laser treatment. The purpose of the laser here is to enhance the whitening process of the gel. Without laser, it would take several minutes or even hours before the gel can affect your teeth. With laser, the whitening ingredients in the gel are immediately activated so that it produces results in a matter of seconds.

For extreme cases of discoloration, one session is usually not enough to achieve the desired result. Sometimes, the person has to come back again for some more sessions before the change in the teeth color will become noticeable. But for those who have mild teeth discoloration, one session is often enough.

Is laser whitening right for everyone?

Like all professional teeth whitening treatments, you can expect to pay a higher price for laser treatment than for over-the-counter remedies. Laser teeth whitening can be as expensive as any other technician-assisted method. If you are used to the whitening products that you can buy from stores, you will be surprised at the cost of laser teeth whitening. It should be noted that the price varies from clinic to clinic. If you want to get the best deal for your money, you should do some extra research to find out which one is offering the most competitive price.

You will find many choices of laser teeth whitening dental surgeries to choose from on the Internet, but before selecting one, read over all the ads so that you do not miss out on any of the other great deals there might be. If you are intent on having a great Hollywood smile, you could set up a savings account just for the laser teeth whitening treatment. Once you see the results, you will not regret it and you can say that your money was well spent. Just think of it this way: why spend repeatedly on something that will take longer when you can spend once on laser teeth whitening and have an immediate and great smile?

If you are interested in laser teeth whitening or other ways of teeth whitening, just go to our website on Teeth Whitening

Should I Buy A Hybrid Car To Save On Gas?

Friday, April 23rd, 2010

As you pull up to the petrol station pump and fuel your car up with $10-$40 worth of gas, you may find yourself releasing a huge out sigh. How on Earth did fuel become so expensive? Should you consider one of those new hybrid cars you saw on the television? Everyone’s talking about hybrid cars anyway. Hybrid cars and other types of cars may seem like a good idea, but before you go out and do something you’ll regret, perhaps you should ask yourself a few basic questions about how you can start to save on fuel.

There are many options now that include everything from staying home to purchasing a hybrid car, but you have to find out what’s best for you. You can only do that by asking yourself the following questions.

Should you just drive less?

Of course, you could spend the rest of your life at home watching television, but how would you eat then? I know what you’re thinking you will walk more and get more exercise. That may be true, but what happens when you get bored with walking and riding your bike? How are you going to be able to get to the gymnasium? And, have you forgotten about work? You know you love listening to your books on tape while you sit in traffic at the end of the workday. Should you drive less? Perhaps not then. But what should you do? Well, have you ever considered buying a hybrid vehicle?

Should I buy a car that is more economical on gas?

Yes, you could do this, but what about when the vehicle starts to depreciate and it’s not as fuel-efficient as you thought it would be? And subconsciously, because you know you have a car that gets more mileage out of fuel, you are going to start traveling more miles than you traveled before.

How about getting up earlier each morning to look for the cheapest gas prices in the area?

Honestly, who has the time to do that? If you think about it, you would probably spend your time more profitably finding the right answer to the real question. Do you really want to spend extra time looking for a cheap gas station? What will your boss think if you arrive late for work and tell him you were trying to save money on gas? And really, how long do you think you’ll keep doing that?

Should I find a way to run my car on batteries?

Let’s see, you definitely don’t want to have to recharge your car’s batteries every day before you go to work because that might make you late as well. However, with a hybrid car, you wouldn’t have to worry about that. Therefore, the next question should be obvious.

How about purchasing a hybrid car?

Perhaps you should. It’s possible that buying a hybrid car would be a wise way to avoid paying higher fuel costs. Will your car depreciate right after you drive it off the forecourt? A hybrid won’t do that so readily because it brings the buyer in more and more money as they save on petrol. A hybrid car really might be a good solution here. However, it is always a good idea to conduct further research on a hybrid car.

If you are interested in the insides of New Hybrid Vehicles, please visit our website at http://new-hybrid-vehicles.com

Home Schooling and Studying by Computer

Sunday, April 11th, 2010

There is a computer in nearly every household in the West these days and the rest of the world is catching up very quickly. Therefore, it is very important for you to have one at home too, because of the many advantages it can bring, especially if you have an Internet connection. Nowadays, you must have some computer experience, if you want even a half-decent job, so learning how to use a computer must start at school. You and your child can have a unique educational experience with a computer at home. Children of today must learn about this very important device at the very earliest age possible and one of the best ways to achieve that is through home schooling computer programs.

Currently, even pre-school children are being taught how to use computers and their associated peripherals. If you decide to go for home schooling, you and your child will also spend most of your time making use of a computer and the Internet. Educating your children can be much more efficient when done online, because of the diverse resources available there. Your child will be provided with exceptional educational resources, from which he/she will benefit greatly not least since employment market trends today involve the Internet.

One of the largest ethnic groups who prefers home schooling is the African Americans because of some society issues and they can keep themselves informed about their heritage through home schooling. The parents of children from minority groups can help their children learn more about their history by having an Internet connection at home. The children’s education can be better encouraged by parents and they can also assist in improving the psyche of their children as well. Parents can teach their children about their own particular heritage through the different online resources.

It is vital to remember that home schooling will only work properly, if the parents are prepared to give their children their complete support. They must also be steadfast and prepared for the challenges that they will encounter. The parents should look for a rally good computer program or book that can assist their children to learn about using computers. Often, the lessons are divided into several parts or series so that the children can learn them more easily. Children have different learning capacities and since too often traditional schools cannot cope with that, the use of computers is an ideal opportunity for you to bring out the best in them.

Home schooling is not new any more, so if you think that your child is not performing well in school, talk to the teachers and get some information regarding your child. The guidance counsellor can also help you select the best education for you child. Home schooling is already accepted and perhaps it can help your child learn more in the comfort of your home.

If you are prepared to commit yourself to home schooling, you will have to talk over the subject with your child. You could start by asking your child about his performance in school and then raise the subject of home schooling. See what your child thinks about the idea. Explain its advantages. You could say that computer learning will be easier. It’s better if you and your child both agree on home schooling, since you will have to work closely together. It might not be easy to persuade your child to give up traditional schooling, where he has all his friends, so you will have to spend time with him and get to know his/her interests. Explain that computer programs can help a lot in home schooling. Tell your child that he can learn more about his particular interest, if he knows how to use the computer.

So why not start searching for the most appropriate home schooling computer program right now? You could talk to your friends, ask at the library or / and go online and do your research. There are lots of home schooling programs to pick from and it could take a while before you can find the right one.

If you are interested in home schooling then please pop along to our site at http://home-schooling.the-real-way.com

Home Schooling and Young Children

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010

In the last decade, home schooling has become very popular especially among middle and upper-middle class families. There have been many arguments over the years about home schooling, but teachers say that there are advantages as well as disadvantages in home schooling but it appears that the former outweigh the latter and so, a lot of families are now choosing home schooling over normal schools.

Cultures vary and somehow the relations within the family are affected too. In some cultures, family ties are fairly strong, but there are also those who don’t have very good relationships with other family members. However, through home schooling, family ties and relationships can be improved. Parents will spend more time with their kids because of the home schooling program and the children will have to listen to their parents too. Communication is much improved and both parties will learn about the importance of speaking and listening.

A lot of families prefer home schooling because of its diversity. However, since the cost of home education is a bit higher than normal schools, the financial situation of the family is quite important. However, even without considering money, many parents would still go for home schooling, because it can ensure their children’s safety. Public schools often have dangerous environments that can influence kids terribly, however if they are in a home schooling program, they can avoid these predicaments and their parents will be there to supervise them.

Rather than placing the kids at a public school, many parents prefer home schooling because the learning environment in the public schools is not that conducive. In public schools, very young pupils can experience difficulties that can affect them socially, mentally, and academically for a long time. Experts who have conducted surveys, claim that children learn better in a safe environment surrounded by loved ones. A further advantage of home schooling is that children can learn according to their capacity. You can’t just give a new lesson, if the former one hasn’t been learned yet. It may take longer, but the results are definitely better.

As mentioned earlier, home schooling is a bit more costly. If you think that you might be able to cut down the educational expenses of your child, you’re wrong. Home schooling expenses are just about the same as those of traditional schools. However, if you participate in the forums of the parents of home-schoolers, you will discover that there are ways to cut down costs. Naturally, you will need to spend on the resource materials, computer, and internet, but you can also use outside resources like cultural events, public libraries and lots of others.

You will get even more cost-saving ideas, if you get in touch with other parents. The Internet provides numerable possibilities and with a bit of research, you can definitely discover ways to ease the costs. If you don’t want to hire teachers, then you will have to learn the lessons as well, however, you have already learned the various subjects in your kids’ educational program, so you only need to review them. You can get further learning material online or the bookshop and later on, educate your children.

So, it is plain to see, that home schooling is far and away the best option, particularly if your child is still quite young. So, it all depends on you and your child, whether they continue this type of schooling until they graduate for college.

If you are interested in Internet home schooling then please visit our website at Home Schooling

Home Schooling Learning History

Sunday, April 4th, 2010

Do you consider that spending time in traditional classrooms is a waste of time? For some people, that is probably true. For example, an exam is coming up and the students are asked to memorize a lot of dates and names. However, after taking the test, they will definitely forget 90% of those dates and names. That’s what most students do every time they have exams. If you are one of these people, you will find traditional history lessons boring, so home schooling, which focuses more on the history of the world, will surely interest you more.

Just simple memorization is not enough to know the significance of historical, famous people and important events. Through home schooling in history, you can learn about the different cultures of the past in a different, but interesting way - that is your own way! Through the study of history, you will also realize the current situation of the world.

If you think that home schooling is the best option for your child’s learning, you should also be prepared to take on some responsibilities. Since there will be no teacher physically present, you will have to oversee your child’s learning progress yourself.

Let’s suppose that your kid is interested in sports. Through history and home schooling, you could start by just hanging a map on the wall of your child’s room. Mark the location of his favorite sports team and make sure that you track all the team’s activities and schedules. Then, you could go back to history by reading biographies of the various athletes, who had been popular in the particular sport that your child follows. Aside from that, you could also look into the history of that specific sport and discover where it originated, its inventor, and the other things happening in that particular time.

For instance, if your child loves baseball, you can teach your child about the history baseball, government hearings on the use of steroids and other favourite sports at that period in time. But remember that you can adapt this method to any interest such as dancing, cars or any invention. You can also have conversations with your child about current events or read interesting historical documents and other books. Apart from that, you could also watch documentaries together with the rest of the family. There are various resources that you can use while home schooling, like TV, maps, newspapers, books, a globe, an atlas, and encyclopedias. Due of the exciting adventures that you and your child will read about and see on film, your child will find it easier to remember the names and dates of the history lessons. After all, education is better when it is done in a fun way.

These methods are recommended for when the child is still young, but once your child is older, you must choose an appropriate home schooling program that is suitable for his/her age group. The programs are available at the elementary, high school, and even college levels. You simply have to search the Internet for these various programs. A good thing about these programs is that you can adapt them to suit the interests of your child. However, you must see to it that all the lessons are studied by your child.

Once you and your child have decided to try home schooling, you must be prepared for some changes to take place in your life. The learning environment will now be your home not a school and through the various resources that you can use including the computer and Internet.

If you are interested in Home Schooling then please pop along to our site at Home Schooling Information

Hybrid Cars vs. Conventional Cars

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

Today, the question on everybody’s lips is, what is the real difference between a hybrid car and a conventional vehicle? They suppose that there has to be some good reason why people are wondering whether hybrid cars are worth the money and checking their wallets and bank accounts to see whether they can afford to buy a hybrid car.

There must be a good reason why some other people wouldn’t consider spending their the money on a hybrid car because they feel their conventional car gets them to wherever they need to go well enough. Here are some of the reasons why someone might choose a conventional car over a hybrid car.

Hybrid cars are more expensive than conventional cars: because hybrid cars have a complex internal design, they do still have a fairly hefty price tag. On the other hand, conventional cars, which have gotten more efficient in design as the years have gone on, are quite affordable these days. Many people are selling their old conventional cars in favour of newer, more efficient versions.

They are so inefficient in fact, that some people even give their old cars away. However, since a large percentage of the general population has never owned a hybrid, there aren’t many people selling used hybrid cars yet. Therefore, the average person looking to buy a hybrid would probably have to purchase a new one from a car dealer.

Both a hybrid car and a conventional car use a similar type of battery: a hybrid car and a conventional car both use lead-acid batteries that have enough power to turn a small electric motor. These batteries are what you call “gear reduced”. That means that they can turn over this electric motor at approximately 300 rpms. Torque is generated to turn over the engine and the entire process is what starts the main petrol or diesel engine.

However, even though a hybrid car uses a lead-acid battery, the battery it uses to drive the car’s electric motor is of a different construction entirely. This kind of battery is known as a ‘deep cycle battery’ and it can be compared to the batteries that are used to move electric fork-lift trucks, some milk floats or golf carts.

That’s the main difference between a hybrid car and a conventional car. One person might choose a hybrid car because it makes them feel more secure. For instance, if a person buys a hybrid car, they can feel secure that their car will be less likely to run out of gas. Another person might not choose a conventional car because the cost of petrol doesn’t really bother them that much.

However, a conventional car provides security as well, although of a different sort. With a conventional car, an owner can be sure that they can always go to a junkyard, if they need to replace old parts on their car. On the other hand, those with a hybrid car will more than likely have to face some pretty pricey repair receipts if something goes wrong.

However, the final decision is up to you. There are risks involved with both types of cars. But those who like to try out new things might just consider splurging out on a hybrid car.

If you are interested in the technology of New Hybrid Vehicles, please visit our website on http://new-hybrid-vehicles.com

Creating A Promotional Strategy

Monday, March 15th, 2010

Even if you were to invent something earth-shattering, you would not earn any money out of it if you left the invention on your desk. The only way you can turn a profit from it is by selling it and in order to accomplish this, you have to inform people that it exists, that it is for sale and where they may get it from. In other words, you have to advertise it.

The US Patents Office has issued thousands patents for products that never made it and many of those did not make it, not because they were not excellent concepts, but because their inventors did not know what to do with them. A business is more or less the same as a new invention. It has to be marketed, unless it is situated in the middle of the only street in town.

Having already started the business, it is to be hoped that, you have already worked out your intended market and evaluated the need for your goods or services. Now you have to convert those potential customers into satisfied customers and this is where your promotional strategy comes in.

A promotional strategy is nothing more than a for reaching your intended market, which is of course the people most likely to require your services or products. At its simplest, your promotional strategy might consist of just hanging a sign over your door and relying on word of mouth from satisfied customers to circulate, so doing your advertising for you.

In some cases, this is indeed all the advertising a business requires, but the cases are not that widespread really. It works, if you are operating in a very small town or if your product or service is unique or very specialized or if you enjoy a long-standing good reputation. However, usually, customers require more details to go on before they will be attracted to your business.

Therefore, the goal of your promotional strategy should be to reach the greatest number of potential customers by the most economical use of your resources, which may include money, personnel and facilities. This means that you have to divine the channels of communication most used by your potential customers and try to connect with them through those. This is normally constrained by a budget.

Advertising involves the purchasing of time or space in the media you have selected in order to market your business to your intended market. You then have to come to a decision which form of advertising you are going to use: institutional or product advertising. Institutional advertising promotes the firm’s name as in: ‘Larry’s Boot Shop - The Best In Town’, whereas product advertising is more specific and might read: ‘Nike Walking Boots - 30% off at Larry’s. Offer Finishes Friday!’

Both forms of advertising can be successful and lend themselves better to some media than to others. Institutional advertising is better done on shop signs, sign-written vans or windows or promotional calendars, that is, static, long-term, business name advertising and product advertising is better done by newspaper, magazine, radio and TV, where one-off special offers can be promoted.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with researching promotional wall calendars. If you have an interest in calendars, organizers or promotional calendars, please go over to our website now at Promotional Desk Calendars