ON GUARD û Where's My Child!By Laura Quarantiello® Tiare Publications Group521 wordsWhat if the unthinkable happens and you discover that your child ismissing? First try to stay calm, no matter how difficult it is tokeep from screaming. Keeping a cool head is important. Check yourhome, your yard and the immediate area. Contact other people on yourblock in case they may have seen something. Call the parents of yourchild's friends. Check local parks and nearby stores û any place yourchild may frequent. If you still haven't found your child then callthe police. In most areas there's no waiting period before policewill investigate a missing child report.Law enforcement agencies generally categorize missing children casesinto one of four types and vary their investigations accordingly:Voluntary û includes runaways, abandoned or rejected children. Thisis the most common type and is generally handled as a low prioritycall.Parental abduction - often the result of child custody disputes,confusion over custody or visitation rights or because one parentfeels the other is unfit.Non-family abduction - children who have been taken away, kept orsecreted by someone other than their parent or legal guardian. Lawenforcement usually reacts fastest to this type of situation becauseof the danger to the child.Unknown - the reason the child is missing is unknown; it may bevoluntary or it may be abduction.Normally, a patrol officer will be sent to take an initial reportfrom you to determine whether foul play might have been involved. Theofficer will question parents and neighbors, search the area andbroadcast a description of the child over police radio.The investigation then moves into a second phase, during which thechild's information is entered into the National Crime InformationCenter (NCIC) database, surrounding agencies are notified and a morewidespread search is begun (exact procedures may vary from departmentto department). Law enforcement authorities are required by law toenter missing children under the age of 18 into the NCIC database anda 1982 law gives you the right to verify that your child has beencorrectly entered into this nationwide computerized informationclearinghouse.You can help police find your child by having a recent color photoavailable, along with as detailed a description of the child as youcan manage (hair color, eye color, height, weight, date of birth, anydistinguishing marks, what clothing he or she was last wearing). Letthe officer know if your child has been fingerprinted û a serviceoffered by many police departments. Also give the officer the namesof the child's doctor and dentist so that any needed records can beobtained. If you believe an ex-spouse may have taken the child, givethe officer a description of that person, his or her address, phone,etc., and their information about their vehicle.The safety of the child always comes first. Don't hesitate to contactthe police if you have any reason to suspect your child has beenabducted or has wandered off and become lost.And, if you have information about a missing child, contact theNational Hotline for Missing Children (1-800-843-5678), or your locallaw enforcement authority.(End)Laura Quarantiello is the author of "On Guard û How You Can Win theWar Against the Bad Guys" û a book jammed with information that canhelp protect you and your family against the creeps and crazies outthere. For more information please visit:http://www.tiare.com/onguard.htm.
Why is wood the first choice for windows and doors?
Wood has an aesthetic beauty and ambience unequalled by any other material and has unique qualities that only nature can provide. Homeowners increasingly appreciate the environmental benefits and the design potential afforded by wood. Celebrity architects constantly endorse wooden windows over other alternatives for cutting edge designs.
~ Timber is environmentally friendly ~
Every country is urged to support sustainable development and when this refers to window and door products we can safely say that the only material available that meets this criterion for their manufacture is timber, unlike all other extracted or mined materials. According to ENGOs, (environmental government organisations) The WWF (World Wildlife Fund), and Greenpeace, wood is "by far the best environmental choice for windows" as it is a totally renewable resource. With forests representing the single most important stabilising feature in the world's land mass, an international organisation, The Forest Stewardship Council requires its members to ensure that forests are replenished at least as much as they are harvested. As trees become older their ability to absorb CO2 reduces significantly and that is why these trees can be harvested and replaced by young ones.
When we compare timber windows with other types we find that much less energy is needed to manufacture wooden windows than those made with other materials. Also, in terms of CO2 emissions, a greenhouse gas linked to climate change, timber is neutral whereas aluminium would produce up to 4 tonnes of CO2 per 10 windows according to the BWF (British Woodworking Federation)
~ Timber is energy efficient ~
Timber is a natural insulator and if you want to save money it is a good idea to make sure you are not paying for warmed or cooled air that is seeping through the cracks of your doors and windows. Weather stripping is the best way to make significant savings on your energy bill. When you've checked your house to see where the air is going you will find there is no substitute for quality, energy- efficient doors and windows. These can be acquired at very affordable prices.
~ Timber is perceived to be a sign of high quality. ~
Stylish timber windows and doorsets are ideal for luxury living and modern production methods means manufacturers can supply quality products, made to the highest standards, to meet this need. If care is taken to treat the finished product correctly their clients have the assurance and guarantee of long-lasting pleasure. Wooden windows are perceived to be a sign of high quality so the value of property will always remain at the highest level.
~ Timber has a lower whole life cost than any other material ~
Research has shown that wood is the least expensive when it comes to looking at the whole life cost of all available materials used for the manufacture and installation of windows and doorsets. Wooden windows and doorsets are repairable and maintainable. If damage occurs to the timber a carpenter can repair it. If hardware is broken it can be replaced in the same position without needing a new sash. If maintained properly there is no reason why wooden windows and doors should ever fail.
K Parker Joinery is one of the premier manufacturers of quality
wooden windows, timber products and solid wood doors in South Africa.
How to Take Pictures You Can Use
Want to take pictures you can actually feel good about hanging on the wall? You have come to the right spot. Get specific tips to help you become a better digital photographer. Learn about the rule of thirds and background clutter plus a lot more.
AUTHOR BIO
Darrell Oller works with pix2posters.com where we transform up to 25 of your digital images into unique, personalized artwork for your home or office. Please visit our site for examples of our work.
I want to use my own photographs to decorate my home and office. I want pictures of the people that are important in my life.
I used to have a problem.
We have all seen the advertisements promising personal photographic glory.
"This camera makes it impossible to take a bad picture."
"Point and shoot! The camera does it all."
It is true, modern digital cameras are pretty amazing pieces of equipment. The amount of whiz-bang gizmos packed into one of these little technological marvels is truly amazing to those of us that can remember when Polaroid was cool.
All of these gizmos and features help us take better pictures. However, until the camera is designed to point itself, we can still take pictures that are less than striking.
A few of the problems we might have with our photos can include the following.
Cutting off the heads of our subjects.
Undesirable "stuff" in the background.
To much back light
Improper focus
Our subject may have their eyes closed
Some of our subjects may be looking away.
God forbid that any of these photo maladies could happen to us. We may even take a picture that is free of these problems, but is just unremarkable. We take care to avoid these common problems, but still our photos lack pop. Maybe the images are ok, but the photo just does not have any character.
What is the difference between the photos that the pros take and the photos that we take?
In fact, what is the difference between my sister's photos that always look good and mine that always look so ho-hum.
Composition.
From the base word "Compose," dictionary.com offers the definition "To make or create by putting together parts or elements." Sounds like a recipe doesn't it? A master chef uses the recipe as a guideline and adds her own special touches to make the dish special. A professional photographer has training and experience in choosing the ingredients that make up or "compose" a photograph.
Most of us will never get the extensive training of a professional. Still, we can learn to improve our photos quite a bit by learning (and experimenting) with a few tricks that can make our photography much better.
The Rule of Thirds
The Rule of Thirds adds interest to photos, especially photos of people. Imagine the field of your photo looks like a tic-tac-toe game. Imagine two vertical and two horizontal lines cutting your image into 9 areas. This pattern creates four spots where the horizontal and vertical lines intersect. Your photo will have much more impact if you place the focal points of your photo on these intersections. Images of people almost always look more interesting if the subject is off center. This type of placement will leave an open area opposite the subject. It is best to leave the open space in the direction the subject is looking. Try it out and you will be pleased with the results.
Get Close
Many times we are too far from our subjects. Move in! Most modern point-and-shoot cameras will focus properly as close as 3 feet from the subject. The idea is to make the picture have a subject. If your subject is a person, fill the picture with the subject. Capture the expression on their face.
Pay Attention To the Background
You may well have a great shot of your subject, but the background of your photo may ruin the shot. A plain background works better to highlight your subject. A busy background confuses the eye and steals attention from your subject. The garbage can or laundry basket have a place in our homes, but not in the background of our photos.
Portrait vs Landscape
Experiment with portrait and landscape aspects. We call it "portrait" when a picture is more vertical than horizontal. When a picture is wider than tall, we call it "landscape." These terms are the result of classic artists painting portraits in a taller format and landscapes in a wider format.
Many times an image that would seem to be a landscape scene makes a very interesting image in portrait mode. Just turn your camera ninety degrees an snap another shot of the same subject to compare portrait and landscape modes. Photos often become more interesting when they seem to break the rules a bit.
Do Not Fear Black & White
Color can make a picture beautiful. However, color draws a lot of attention. Sometimes that attention is bad. When you convert an image to black and white, the details of the image get the attention. Some images are greatly enhanced by removing the color.
We talk a lot about Black and White. To be correct, we should say "Shades of Gray" or "Grayscale." A picture that we call black and white actually contains many different shades of gray. Often a photo that has been reduced to 256 shades of gray is far more interesting than the same image in full color. Image details shine through that may have been overpowered by the vivid color of a dress or a wall.
Most of us have an image on our camera or computer that looks pretty dull and boring. The composition may be great, but the sky is gray and the grass is a little blue. Converting an image like that to grayscale sometimes will produce a classy, nostalgic image that soon becomes a favorite.
There are lots more tricks of the photographic trade. I will cover some of these in future articles. Practice these tips and you will take more pictures that you can use to decorate your own spaces.