I Am Woman, Hear Me Set Off The Airport Security Metal Detector

Copyright 2006 Mary Foley As I write this I'm sitting in Dulles International Airport waiting for a flight that departs so early it should be illegal. At least it's a cheap ticket. And even though I've only had three hours of sleep I was amused when the security guard surprisingly said "No beep?!" after I walked through the metal detector. Kinda sounded like an airport security pick-up line. This time I got off lucky with no additional wand scan or bag check. That's not always the case, and when I'm "wanded" there's always one article of clothing that sets off the monitor and declares "I am woman!" - my underwire bra. Increased airport security has stirred some of my female friends to take action. One gal pal is purposely buying a bra without underwire. Another is ready to offer her design ideas to Victoria's Secret for another type of Miracle Bra - one without metal hooks. For some women it's a practical matter of getting through security as fast as possible. But, for others it's a matter of not being embarrassed by drawing attention to the fact that they have breasts, breasts that often need help to stay put and to postpone the effects of gravity. Bras are considered a necessary item for women, at least for the last 100 years or so. And remember, good girls demonstrate modesty; they would never NOT wear a bra! Actually, I don't think it's really about modesty, particularly since I'm no longer 13. I think it's about being embarrassed that you're a woman, that you've got body parts that are attractive to about 50% of the population, and that it's your fault you can't better manage those parts so you're not setting off metal detectors. Follow that line of thinking and pretty soon you feel bad for taking up space, ta-tas and all. This is one time I'm glad the term bodacious is sometimes associated with ta-tas. Bodacious Women know they have breasts and aren't ashamed. They may wear form-fitting clothing or they may not. They may feel sexy some days because of their breasts or they may find them inconvenient protrusions. No matter the choice, their attitude is the same: no apologies for being a woman. Growing up a tomboy, I had an adversarial relationship with my chest. Basically, I didn't want one. Breasts didn't help with sports and they made it all too clear to the world that I would no longer be mistaken as Daddy's "little fella." The last ten years I've grown to like the fact that I'm female and that includes breasts. I also don’t take them for granted as I know there's a one in four chance of losing one or both to breast cancer. So, while I have them I'll wear the bra of my choice, or none at all. Hmmm…perhaps that's what was behind the security guard's remarks. Well, for him it will remain a mystery. For me, I'm glad to be a woman knowing I have bra-related and other choices. And, that's bodacious!

Las Peliculas de Poquer Mas Recomendadas

Desde la época de oro del Oeste, jugar al Póquer ha siempre sido un juego popular en Hollywood. A pesar de que muchas de las películas de Hollywood que se localizan en póquer no son muy buenas, y a veces presentan al juego de una manera ridícula, mirar el juego desde la gran pantalla es muy divertido, especialmente si eres un jugador de Póquer. Acá te presentamos las mejores películas que fueron producidas en Hollywood. Algunas son excelentes aparte de ser sobre el póquer, mientras que otras el juego es el tema principal de atracción. De todas maneras, si eres fanático del póquer, disfrutaras mucho de mirarlas! 1) The Sting, dirigido por George Roy Hill, 1973: Esta película es menos a cerca del póquer y más a cerca el arte de manejar las car6tas pero te proveerá dos horas de diversión sofisticada. El ganador de los Premios Academia de 1973, presenta al joven Paul Newman como el mejor artista de todos quien conduce a Robert Redford al arte de los trucos de carta. El trabajo de David S. Warn es basado en historias de juegos reales. 2) The Cincinnati Kid, dirigida por Norman Jewison en 1965: Este clásico es conocido por su estremecedor mano final y la inolvidable frase: "Llega a lo que se trata, no? Hacer la movida equivocada en el lugar preciso." The Cincinnati Kid es a cerca de la batalla entre Steve Macqueen que es un joven jugador de póquer conocido por "The Kid", y el veterano apostador de póquer conocido por "The Man" actuado por Edward G. Robinson, durante la gran depresión en New Orleans. Es una de las mejore películas de póquer que he visto en la gran pantalla. 1) California Split dirigida por Robert Altman en 1974: Puede que esta no sea una de las mejores películas de Altmans, pero es una de las mejores representaciones de la vida de dos apostadores profesionales actuada por George Segal y Elliott Gould. La narrativa no es particularmente directa y el final no es exactamente feliz, pero si logra describir una experiencia autentica. También, los fanáticos de póquer trivial disfrutaran de aprender que el legendario jugador de Póquer Amarillo Slim actúa un papel pequeño. 2) Rounders dirigida by John Dahl en 1998: No es claro si el éxito de la película empujo al boom del Póquer en el siglo 21 o la popularidad del póquer hizo Rounders un éxito total. De una manera u otra, Rounders es una de las mejores películas de póquer que ha habido en la pantalla. El tema de la película se basa en una maratón en la que Mat Damon y Edward Norton tratan de ganar dinero para pagar deudas de apuestas. EL campeón mundial de Póquer Johnny Chan también aparece en escena. 3) Maverick dirigida por Richard Donner en 1994: A pesar de que Maverick no es una película brillante en el ámbito del póquer, es una divertida y entretenida película par mirar. Te puede dar una idea básica de lo que era ser un jugador de póquer en el lejano oeste, con Mel Gibson como un maverick que trata de ganar suficiente dinero para el torneo del gran torneo final.

The Best Way To Stop Smoking

I am somebody who has managed to quit smoking, it took a lot of determination and will power, there were many periods where I was seemingly desperate and had mad cravings for just one last cigarette, however I was able somehow to resist. In this article, I will be giving some advice about how I managed to successfully stop this nasty and unhealthy habit, advice which I hope will help other people to also quit.

I had tried many times to stop smoking cigarettes and had always failed after only a few days. What I needed to do, was to try to work out why these previous attempts had failed and to hopefully learn from my mistakes. In my new quest to stop smoking, I would need to have a whole new approach from any that I have had in the past, an approach which may result in success rather than the normal failure.

I decided that I would only try again to stop smoking, when my life was in what I classed as a good period. I am the kind of person who easily becomes stressed and I can make the slightest problem seem like the biggest disaster. When I feel that things are not going well in my life, cigarettes become like my friend. At least I have something to look forward to do in that day, smoking. When I am doing well and am happy, I have far less of a need to smoke, therefore this will be the type of period, when I will start yet again to quit the fags.

When attempting to stop smoking in the past, I have always told everybody. This is a big mistake as to quit it is important that you stop thinking about cigarettes completely. When you are constantly being asked about how you are finding giving up the cigarettes, it is like a constant reminder to you. By going about it in a quiet way, maybe only telling your closest family members and friends, makes it a whole lot easier.

As well as quitting smoking, I also decided to seriously reduce my intake of alcohol. When I had failed in the past, it was normally because I had been drunk and could no longer bat away the voices in my head that were telling me to smoke. The alcohol weakened my resolve and increased the amount and severity of the cravings. It was important therefore to massively reduce the amount of alcohol that I was drinking.

Another reason why I had failed in my previous attempts to quit smoking, was possibly due to spending too much time with other people who smoked. I decided that in this new quest, I would attempt to stay away from other smokers as much as I could. This was not that easy as quite a lot of my friends are smokers. I had to be determined and make sacrifices. What I am attempting to do could have a very positive affect on my life, I therefore have to have the courage to do everything in my power that I think will help to lead to a successful conclusion.

I hope this article acts as an inspiration for other people to stop smoking.

How to Improve your Poker Skills

If you were trying to become a professional baseball player, you would probably spend much of your time working out at the gym, at batting practice and at your position as much as you could, well gambling requires the same dedication and practice if you want to be the best.

The first thing you must do to improve your poker skills is to play as many hands of poker a day as you can. This means instead of watching television, or hanging out with friends you should be in an online poker room or online casino playing poker.

Using the internet you can find many online poker rooms that will allow you to play poker online against live opponents. Playing live players instead of the computer is always better, because when you play against the computer it will always respond the same in any given situation. The computer just goes thru an algorithm which tells it what to do, but a person has to make a decision and given the same situation two hands in a row there is no telling what a person is going to do.

Besides playing poker as much as you can, it is also important to watch the game as well. I would recommend watching poker on TV, going to the casino and just watching and many online casinos will give you the option of watching a game. This will give you the chance to practice your skills of reading people. The more you watch the better you will become at noticing those small involuntary things we all do that tell others what we are thinking. An example of this is taught to the police when they are in basic training. When trying to come up with a lie most people will unconsciously look up and to the left. This means if you ask your child if they did their homework and they look up and too the left before telling you they had no homework there is a good chance they are not telling the truth.

When you can not play poker against live players or spend time watching it you should read about it. Reading about poker will not give you the experience that you need but there are many useful things you can get from reading. One of them would be the odds of any 1 card being dealt to you. Knowing the odds against you making the hand you are going for may influence your decision and save you a lot of money in the long run. There are many books written on the subject of poker and any book store will carry a good selection of them. I recommend only reading books from mathematicians and those who have made a name for themselves playing poker professionally.

Study psychology. You may not believe his but learning psychology will give you an advantage over the other players, you can learn how to overcome involuntary reactions to good news and bad news, making it harder for your opponents to read you and figure out what cards are in your hand. it will also teach you to mislead others into thinking whatever you want them to think. This skill can be extremely helpful in helping you win games and increase your wealth.

Three Words to Unlock the Cheerfulness of the Present Moment

Copyright 2006 Tom Russell

Has a ray of happiness ever reached you at an unexpected moment? Haven’t you longed for these rays to break through more often, and with greater intensity?

The present moment can be compared to an island in the middle of the sea. It appears to be isolated but beneath the surface the island is one with the entire globe. Like the island, you appear to be separate from the whole of life; however, at a deeper level you are one with God/Truth/Reality and no storm has the power to disturb this connection.

Awareness is a secret known for countless centuries. It is like the letter that was well concealed by placing it out in the open in the center of the table. Its beautiful simplicity often caused it to be overlooked and unappreciated. For example:

* “The Buddha was asked, ‘What do you and your disciples practice?’ He replied, ‘We sit, we walk and we eat.’ The questioner continued, ‘But sir, everyone sits, walks and eats.’ The Buddha told him, ‘When we sit, we know we are sitting. When we walk, we know we are walking. When we eat, we know we are eating.’”

* P.D. Ouspensky, author of In Search of the Miraculous writes:

“Trying to remember yourself is always right. Whatever you are doing, just try to realize that you are doing that. Effort to remember yourself is the chief thing, because without it nothing else has any value; it must be the basis of everything. Only in this way can you pass from the mechanical to a more conscious state.”

Awareness flourishes when you remember what a deeper part of you already knows, and does so in all kinds of circumstances and events, both pleasurable and challenging, simple and complex.

There are three simple words you can use to unlock the cheerfulness of the present moment. They are: “I am Here.” These three words instantly release you from rambling thinking and return you to the pleasantness of the present moment. They can be used many times a day, either silently or audibly, to teach the mind the supreme value of now.

Voice the words “I am Here” and let them remind you to notice as much about your environment as possible, including colors, the breeze, your posture, your voice, the room and the objects, the car you’re driving and the passing scene. Awaken to the subtle! No other place is richer than now.

“I am here” unlocks the power to keep your mind where your body is. Your body is always in the present moment, so why not join it? This is a classic tool for growth taught by history’s greatest teachers, including moderns like Vernon Howard, J. Krishnamurti and Idries Shah.

It is nothing short of amazing how much “I am here” opens you to the cheerful breeze that circulates through NOW. There is no force or hard effort in these words, just simple recognition. The wise increasingly understand, “Now is happiness -- now is intelligence – now is where I really want to be.”

There Are Many Easy, Non-Risky, Simple And Natural Stop Smoking Products...

There are such a large number of quit-smoking products, literature and options available on the subject of 'quit smoking' that it only adds to the existing confusion of the smoker. It makes him feel that it is easier to continue with smoking rather than to stop! Plus, as the number of cigarette brands increase so does the number of quit-smoking products!

Nevertheless, there are many easy, non-risky, simple and natural methods to stop smoking. The use of methods may vary from individual to individual. How easy was the path of smoking, when the journey began? How hazardous is the return journey and how lonesome? For, it is you alone that has to travel this path of beating the retreat!

The quit-smoking products available in the market are plenty in number. Start with books and periodicals, cigarette modification products, video tapes, audio tapes, thought-changing products, electronic and computer products, no-smoking signs, smoker and odor removal, nicotine chewing gums and even hypnosis! All these are reported to help quit smoking. And do not take this last option of “hypnosis” lightly—it confidently predicts total cure within minutes!

There are also nicotine replacement products and medications. But it is also said that these nicotine replacement products are just as bad as smoking cigarettes. Another one in the line is the herbal aroma nasal inhaler for smokers, which is also supposed to be good for busy or lazy persons. But, the ultimate benefit is reported by easy, non-risky, simple and natural methods. These methods are many in number!

There are certain simple looking but very effective 'stop-smoking products'. These products are not packed in colorful cartons but they are in the nature of methods! On the day you decide to quit smoking throw away the remaining cigarettes, hide the lighters and the ashtrays. Keep yourself busy by exercising, taking long walks, going to the movies or listing the things that you can buy with the money you previously spent on cigarettes. The first few days after quitting, spend as much time as possible in the places where smoking is usually prohibited like libraries and museums. Drink large quantities of water and fruit juice, but avoid hard drinks, coffee and other beverages associated with smoking.

There are also some lesser known methods. The various nasal inhalers are being advertised intensely. They are easy to carry, rather dignified too, and are being advertised useful for busy or lazy persons. In any case, making efforts to stop smoking with the help of nicotine replacement products and medication is just as bad as smoking cigarettes. The remedy should not be worst than the disease. Easy, non-risk, simple and natural methods are good in the long run.

The Art Of Listening

Everyone has a story to tell. However, not everyone may be willing to listen. Sometimes, we are amazed - in an unpleasant way – over the fact that we have not been paying attention to the one speaking to us. At some point along the story, our mind has wandered off, and we only drift back to reality when suddenly asked, “Are you still listening?”

That would be most unfortunate, since next to our visual skills, our ability to listen allows us to reap various benefits. If we listen to our mentor as he shares with us useful thoughts on life, we become good apprentices. If we listen to our professor as he lectures about the day’s lesson, we become good students. If we listen to our boss as he explains the rationale of the company’s recent policy, we become good employees. If we listen to our parents as they advise us regarding career choices, we become good sons/daughters. If we listen to a friend in dire need of unloading his troubles, we become good friends.

In short, listening is vital in developing good human relationships. To maximize our listening capability, here are a few tips.

1. Focus. It is but a single word, but its message conveys far more. Being focused means paying attention, and a lot of it at that. It means temporarily forgetting about other matters of consequence and lending a few minutes of your time to hear someone speak his mind out. It means giving interest to whatever it is that the speaker might want to say. It is taking his words seriously into consideration in whatever decision we are to make. It is placing his story in the context of his emotions, and trying to understand him within the events occurring in his life.

2. Watch out for non-verbal cues. The message need not always lie on the words, but also in movements that the speaker makes. If we also pay good attention to the speaker’s eyes, facial expressions, and gestures, we will be able to receive the message in totality. Moreover, if the speaker realizes that we are sincerely listening, we are boosting his confidence.

3. Be sensitive. A good measure of sensitivity is also essential to maintain enthusiasm in the part of the person speaking. If the person is at the peak of his emotions, do not interrupt. After all, if someone is extremely angry or anguished, it will be a form of catharsis to remain patient until he has calmed down. Unless the person is already causing bodily harm, it will do him well to let him be purged of his bad feelings.

4. Show unconditional openness. We may not always agree with what someone has to say, but being there to listen may be the least we can offer. While we may have different opinions about several issues, keeping our horizons wide is a healthy attitude. With these perspectives in listening, we become open to a world of unlimited learning and diverse experiences.