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What Inspires You?

Have you ever thought? What inspires YOU? What is it that drives you day in and day out? What is it that inspires you?

What Inspires You?

We think of creative people as being inspired and ask about their work. What inspired you to paint, draw, produce this piece of work? What inspired you to make this? Usually the answer is: a book, poem, film, experience, person, a place or in Cole Porter's case the 'phone call from the director'.

Something else or someone else inspired the artist, the songwriter. But what about the person in a regular job? What inspires you?

"Inspiration is a desire to live life without flinching. To take a risk and possibly fail.
To act on your emotions, creativity, ability and beliefs. To take criticism but have the faith in yourself to do it anyway. Bloody hard work, but then hard work never
killed anyone (or so my Dad says). Oh, and I find foster parents inspiring.
They pick up the pieces when the fundamental teachings and rules of our society fail. If I were religious I'd ask God to bless em."
Carolyn Tomley
(Sydney Morning Herald website).

What is it that inspires you?

You can begin to see that if nothing inspires you or excites you or lights up your life you are really missing something. You are just like a robot performing task after task. We believe that deep down you have a place where you can be touched. You have a place that is solely ours. Solely for you to show the world. Can you name it?

What inspires me, is the thought that I am more than my body. My limitations are only down to my thoughts. Thus I want to keep pushing the boundaries to find out what is there. Find out what I can communicate to the world. I am inspired by the fact that through what I do I may enable another person to open their mind. To remove the blinkers and reach their possibilities.

Julie is inspired by life. All that is around her. To Julie, inspiration is a rush of adrenalin, a rush of energy that creates a clearing in her thinking. It's that time when you see something from a different perspective and say to yourself, Why didn't see it like this before?

For Julie, inspiration is like the prisoner who says you can do whatever you like to my body but you can't touch my soul, my reason for living.

But what inspires you? What makes you go to that space where you continue to do what you do for hour after hour, when you forget the need to eat and drink. What is it that inspires you?

Some artists suggest that it is their imagination that inspires them. The need to tell the world what is going on in their heads. The links that they make. The different ways of viewing the world. After all literature, music and visual arts are all about the originator communicating with the rest of us.

So inspiration appears to be linked with the need to communicate with others. It may not be in words. But we feel it is about communication. What about you? What are you inspired to communicate?

Inspiration is linked to innovation. To introduce new ways of seeing things. Inspiration is a way of understanding the essence of ourselves. Understanding who we are and what we dream about. Whatever it is that inspires you, it is the core of your very being. So what is it?

Perhaps the role of inspiration is to wake us up from a big sleep. A sleep where everyday is the same. Where we contribute to the world but at the same time we don't contribute because there is nothing of us in there. Perhaps the role of inspiration is to get us to become involved with the world rather than be a bystander, an observer.

This was definitely the situation for Alice Foote MacDougall, an American Business woman before the second world war. Like many of her era she was driven by her husband's financial failure and the necessity of supporting her three young children.

What Inspires You?

...the opportunity offered by life to women is far in excess of any offered to men.
To be the inspiration is more than to be the tool. To create the world,
a greater thing than to reform it.

When we tap into whatever it is that inspires us we become a full member of society. We are able to share our ideas, thoughts and emotions. As we share and show our dreams, emotions and ideas and thoughts then we gradually become to understand the person we truly are.

So, the role of inspiration is more than we first thought. More that just a drive to action. It actually enables you to understand the very essence of yourself and what you have to offer the world.

Inspiration gives you understanding.

Inspiration gives you an identity.

Inspiration gives you a way of being.

Can you really live without knowing what inspires you?

The Absolute Truth of Absolute Inspiration

Testaments of Covenant - Inspired of God's breath

The New Testament is a collection of 27 books, of 4 different genres of Christian literature (Gospels, one account of the Acts of the Apostles, Epistles and an Apocalypse).

The New Testament was written primarily in Koine Greek, the language of the earliest extant manuscripts in the early Christian period. Even though some authors often included translations from Hebrew and Aramaic texts.

Robert Estienne (Robert Stephanus) was the first to number the verses within each chapter, his verse numbers entering printed editions in 1551 (New Testament) and 1571 (Hebrew Bible) it should be noted here that in no way were these number systems inspired of God, they were put there only as a study tool to make finding scripture easier.

The Absolute Truth of Absolute Inspiration

Some scholars including me, believe that some books of the Greek New Testament (in particular, the Gospel of Matthew) are actually translations of a Hebrew or Aramaic original, because of the strong Hebrew background and Jewish connections to it.

I regard both the New (Covenant) and Old (Covenant) as the undiluted Word of God, spoken by God and written down in its perfect form by humans.

Please be aware that in telling them what to write down that he in no way was sectioning behaviors that they revealed BUT was simply letting them tell the true stories of God's people in all it's glory and sometimes in all it's "Darkness" as well.

God is after all the most honest author in existence. If God had only dealt with the times when his people were in obedience and doing the right thing we would have had a very short bible (To the happiness of all skeptics worldwide I'm sure!)

but even more than that skeptics would have had a real issue against scripture (For once!) saying that God "Cherry Picked" the stories of his people to fit into a perfect plan, but because God told the whole sorted story to reveal that his plan could not be stopped by man's sin but was in fact perfect in itself without man's help!

For it was the same Spirit of God that exercised His hidden influence on the thoughts and writings of both covenant writers revealing pointed details both in vision and inspired thought, who made of the works of those who lived before Our Lord appeared both the bad and the good an active and steady picture preparation for the New Covenant relationship with God which he was to introduce.

But the works of those who wrote after He came back from death's grip revealed a real continuation and striking fulfillment of what the old Covenant said, bringing to the forefront what all the old covenant seers could only wonder about at the time, not knowing fully what their lives meant to his plan, trusting only in God's ability to weave it together to form a perfect tapestry.

We all take for granted what the bible represents, because we can see it complete before our eyes, but put yourself in the shoes of those who suffered to get it to you from the earliest centuries forward and you cannot think such things of this most holy book on your lap.

What I am saying here is not book worship which most Christians engage in today but just plain and simple everyday "Common sense" to just see the facts about the bible as they are without your preconceived skeptical ideas, no book in history has undergone the scrutiny and tearing apart that the bible has endured and never once been disproved (Sure you come up with so-called problems that have been completely addressed over the years on many web-sites and books, but no real issues that prove that scripture is false.)

Please face the facts, dear skeptic, scripture is true, God is real and you must repent and trust him to truly see it for yourself!

Until you decide to trust him your questions will go basically unanswered because it is only in trust that answers come for belief follows trust not the other way around. Just as seeing demands you Look, so True faith cannot come until real trust exists.

( Children do not believe what their parents say, they simply trust that they are right and over time that trust develops into a system of belief in what their parents tell them is true, but because human beings are imperfect and do not always tell true things, children develop "mistrust" because what they were told as children turns out to be untrue as adults which in turn makes trusting a Father God very difficult.)

Scripture cannot be overturned by man's hand, it is the most provable and perfect word ever given to men to improve their condition and thus to improve our planet. The problem is not with the bible but with it's critics because no matter how much evidence is presented to prove it to be of God, no matter how convincing the proof, no matter how the facts cannot be eluded the skeptics will not repents...why?

"The Bible cannot be true silly man because there's no God and thus because there's No God there can be no Word from a God who isn't there!" And they then state that we hold circular reasoning believing that the Bible is true because it says so, but if that were the end of the reasons I would agree.

However the Bible is supported by many outside sources from itself that prove it to be unique.

They do not want proof or evidence, they only want us to shut up and go away, leave them to their sin and let them alone. It is not based upon real interest in finding answers for the majority of skeptics out there, it is simply a childish mindset of "The facts only confuse the real issue of, it's my life and I determine what "proof" is and is not to me.

There are no set rules (or Absolutes of Truth) as Christians say there are to prove the bible true." Now this is not what all skeptics think, but only the ones who everyone believes represent the skeptics mindset. It's time that we demand that Evidence and proof NOT be set aside, not be trashed just because it goes against what I believe.

Truth must be upon a rock of immovable facts (Absolutes) and not in the sand of changing opinions of men. I for one am sick of so-called scholars telling me WHAT to believe and presenting half baked reasons to believe it that way, it's time we all think for ourselves but with absolute standards! If there are NO absolute standards to base things on then what makes any skeptic know if what they believe is true is in fact true? Without a real foundation of evidence to go on, any argument you present against God can be turned against your argument creating an endless circle of silly, unending madness!

The Bible is called the Holy Scripture and Word of God for good reasons. The Old Testament, is the collection of books written prior to the life of Jesus, but accepted by Christians as scripture because these books foretell of the savior to come in great detail impossible by any numerical system in existence today.

The Bible includes the Rabbinic Hebrew Scripture and the New Testament, which relates the life and teachings of Jesus, the letters of the Apostle Paul and other disciples to the early church and the Book of Revelation.

The New Testament refers to the threefold division of the Hebrew Scriptures: the law, the prophets, and the writings. The New Testament writers assumed the inspiration of the Old Testament, probably earliest stated in 2 Timothy 3:16 which may be rendered "All Scripture is inspired (breathed into) of God" or "Every God-inspired Scripture is profitable for teaching.

Throughout His teaching, Jesus often quotes the Old Testament, declaring that He did not come to destroy the Jewish Scriptures, but to fulfill them. "No Scripture," said Spurgeon, "is exhausted by a single explanation". The Scripture is a bottomless well of wisdom and instruction waiting to be eaten and digested into the life of those who read it's teaching in Faith and by Trust.

You see, for all the angered mistrust and insulting gestures given by the skeptic over and over again there is not the least bit of what it takes to have it revealed to them the Scriptures reality- simply Faith and Trust without which they cannot ever see the truth!

Inspiration means that "the Holy Spirit of God superintended the human writers in the production of Scripture so that what they wrote was precisely what God wanted written both the thought and the intent. Biblical inspiration is the doctrine in Christian theology concerned with the divine origin of the Bible and what the Bible teaches about itself. The Bible contains many passages in which the authors claim divine inspiration for their message, or report the effects of such inspiration on others, it also contains the truthfully communicated human thoughts and intents of those who hate God and his message.

In addition, Biblical inspiration can be corroborated by examining the weight of the Bible's moral teaching and its prophecies about the future and their fulfillment. Different groups understand the meaning and details of inspiration in different ways only because of personal agendas and doctrinal upbringings, this does not disprove scripture at all but reinforces what it says about man's capacity to be deceived and to deceive others.

I consider biblical inerrancy and/or biblical infallibility to be the necessary consequence of the Bible's doctrine of inspiration, though not all of us see it that way. At times this view has been criticized as tending toward a dictation theory of inspiration, where God speaks and a human records his words.

The theory which is commonly described as that of "verbal inspiration" is precise because When you break the doctrine of inspiration down to its essential elements, there are seven key factors that stand out to you:

1) Divine origin and causality; (Absolute truth come from an absolute cause)

2) Human agency; (By which the absolute cause could relate absolute truth through, as ink flows trough a pen)

3) Written verbally (in words, the creative picture makers that flood our thoughts forming our actions);

4) Plenary (all of Scripture is inspired, not just parts of it, it must be inspired in totality or not at all. WHY? Because of what it deals with...man's eternal destiny. If some were not inspired then some of the bible is out of God's control...that is impossible!;

5) Only the "Autographs" (the original documents penned by the biblical authors) are inspired (This is true only because man has tried so hard with demonic help to both change and improve upon what he originally said through translations of men); Because Scripture is inspired, it is

6) inerrant (In the original it is impossible for any mistake to have been made.); and Because Scripture is inspired and inerrant, it alone has

7) final authority upon all things in life and in eternity.

The word inspiration literally means "God-breathed" in the Greek. The Holy Spirit is the Agent of Inspiration Second Peter 1:21 tells us that "prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. In other words, how one views revelation and inspiration will determine how he views the Bible's authority.

I've learned that inspiration can come from anywhere in scripture, from the smallest word to the largest chapter or book. In the moment that inspiration hits you see the vision, it all seems so clear, it makes sense, it works. An inspiration which is not accompanied by a revelation, which is adapted to the normal play of the faculties of the human soul, which can determine the will of the inspired writer by motives of a human order, does not necessarily suppose that he who is its object is himself conscious of it.

Because I hold that even the words are inspired I believe that it also forms an integral part of the grace of inspiration itself. Because of this there is no denying that the inspiration extends, in one way or another, and as far as needful, to all those who have really cooperated in the composition of the sacred test, especially to those who penned it down, the inspired word, then is the most comprehensive notion of Divine inspiration.

The bible does not just contain inspired events and words, the Bible is the embodiment of God himself from cover to cover! God is revealed part by part in small pictures until the whole picture of his total plan is opened in the book of the revelation of saint John and finally culminating in the Word of God coming from heaven to Judge mankind.

Is Football a Dead Sport Walking?

An examination of the state of American football and a comprehensive solution to ensure its continued life

Football is dying because our brains just can't take it. More specifically, the brains of football players. One key thing you probably note in the title of this article is the absence of the word "professional", and that is because I am referring to the brains of all football players and not just professionals. Current media coverage might lead you to believe that the principle injury concern in football today - the effect of repeated concussions or more specifically, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (C.T.E.) - is one specifically concentrated in the professional ranks. This is not the case. Perhaps the most alarming aspect of this issue is that it is a long term issue and not one born in the NFL or CFL. The grave nature of this problem is receiving a cascade of study and the evidence supporting football's contribution to this illness is steadily building, but I will leave the researchers to the task of further building the scientific and medical case. Instead, I will concentrate this article on the impact of these study results on the game Americans obviously love and how that game may be changed in a way that might help it survive - along with the brains of its many participants.

Is Football a Dead Sport Walking

A Dead Sport Walking

Why am I giving American football this fatal moniker? Because as it is structured today... it is. Concussions are a common occurrence in football, as any player at any level can tell you. In addition, neurologists have already stated once a person suffers a concussion, there is a high probability that he will sustain another. They have added that it takes less of a blow, after several concussions, to cause the same level of injury and it requires more time to recover. This we already know as fact. Consequently, the simple math says football is fundamentally a game that causes concussions.

Further, research is solidifying the link between concussion head trauma and long-term degenerative brain disease. Thus enters C.T.E. into the picture. Adding up a little more math leads to an answer that says football, a sport that includes concussions as a basic part of the game, is a breeding ground for long term brain illness. At this point it is pretty clear that we all love a sport that is very bad for its participants' brain over a long period. When you consider that a young man just playing from the age of 8 until his senior year in high school has 10 years of sudden brain shifts caused from contact, it becomes obvious that a professional player at the age of 28 or 30 is clearly in danger of having long term problems from brain injuries.

Now ordinarily it would seem like common sense to stop doing things that hurt, but this is football. On an emotional level it is a national pastime and perhaps the most popular game in the land. On a financial level it is an engine that generates billions in revenue and supports millions of people, businesses and institutions. Given this view of the game how can I still say it is going to die? The simple answer is... mothers.

As the scientific evidence mounts, mothers will be faced with indisputable evidence that they are subjecting their babies to danger - and that is not something mothers are hardwired to do. So, even though most of the attention is being paid to the impact of this issue on the professional level, the game will actually be killed, literally, in its youth. Mothers will simply not allow their sons to play. The feeder system will be shut down. It has already started but as study results become more public even the most ardent football moms will succumb to the pressure from others who will question their motivation behind exposing their sons to clear danger.

And finally, there is a financial threat looming. Several lawsuits already exist regarding this issue. Based on the outcome of these suits, and to some extent regardless of their outcome, insurers will find it increasing difficult to provide the same level of coverage for professional teams, college teams, equipment providers and even coaches. The level of coverage required and the premium cost demanded by insurers alone can and will threaten many programs - if not the entire game.

So the dilemma becomes how to save a dangerous sport, but one that is enjoyed by everyone.

Bringing It Back From the Dead

The major problem in formulating a viable solution is that the issue is being discussed largely in a compartmentalized way. As I have stated, it is not an NFL problem... it's a football problem. The long term effects may be more apparent at the professional level, but it is increasing evident that its genesis is at a much lower level - perhaps even in youth recreational leagues. However, this approach has largely prevented a broader discussion - and a comprehensive solution - around the issue.

Given the long term nature of the problem, and that the end of the game will probably come at its lowest level - because of lack of participation from youths - the obvious answer needs to include changes at every stage from youth recreational football to the professional ranks. The solution I am offering is such a comprehensive solution.

The Fix

Since it starts with the first concussion and proceeds from there, with less volatility but increasing damage, the simple trick is to reduce the overall potential number of traumatic brain injuries experienced by a football player over his entire football life. This can be done on each level of competition through methods such as limiting the amount of full contact during practice, etc., but the real solution should focus on reducing the number of "contact football years" in a players life. But how and where should this reduction occur?

Because the greatest love of the game, the highest observance, the highest quality of play and the greatest benefit from revenue creation occurs at the college and professional levels, it makes little sense to reduce those years. And since the danger to the long term life will be presented in the form of lower youth participation, it makes most sense to reduce the contact at the youth level. Better yet, eliminate it all together. No mother wants to see their child hurt, especially from a concussion type injury, but it is far worse for a mother to see it occur with their 9 year old than with their 29 year old. So why expose the mother or the child to this? Youth contact football should be eliminated until the age of 15 or 9th grade - whichever comes first.

I understand the traditionalists and higher level coaches will decry this approach as one that will deliver to them a less prepared player, but I disagree. As it is structure currently this might be the case, but this restructuring offers the opportunity to actually do a better job of delivering the high schools and colleges a more highly skilled player.

The age group from 8 through 10 years of age should be structured as 8-man flag football. The emphasis should be on the most basic of skills and knowledge required. If you consider the current practice, we are presently introducing a new game to children - a dangerous game - which requires that they learn skills, positions, rules, formations, etc., while at the same time requires them to properly execute full contact in a violent environment. I know it is difficult for some to comprehend the concept at the youth level but the truth is the violence of the collisions for 8 and 9 year olds is the same for them as it is for grown men. And we ask them to execute proper contact with very little practice and experience. Most professionals have played for 15 years and more, yet they still sometimes execute poorly and expose themselves to head injuries. How can we expect more from an 8 year old first year player? And we ask this of them while expecting them to remember all of the other aspects of the game. It makes no sense. I propose removing the contact part of the game and direct all of the coaching and teaching to those other aspects. The competitive aspects, teamwork, physical activity, are all still present in this environment. In this way the next level of football will receive a more knowledgeable and prepared participant AND we have avoided - or cut off - those first few years of that potential first concussion.

The next level of youth football should be the 11 and 12 age groups who are advanced to an 11-man game, but again a flag game. This level should build on those fundamentals by exposing them to the 11-man game to include multiple formations on offense, the various defenses, special teams, special skills (kickoffs, punting, field goals, long snaps) and further reinforcement of the basic individual techniques required to play well. Again, without having to worry about the contact these youths can be exposed to more teaching and will absorb more.

The 13 to 14 age group should be the first key transition level. This should also be flag football but it should add - in practice - the introduction to the proper skills required for full contact. In addition, they should be required to wear a modified uniform to include padded pants, the light weight shoulder padding currently worn under shoulder pads and even a modified light weight helmet. This helmet should be something along the lines of what a lacrosse player current uses. This will begin to prepare them for the feel of the equipment and the restrictions the equipment present. Anyone who has played the game knows that it is different trying to turn your head and catch a pass with a helmet on than it is with nothing on your head. Of course these uniform changes will require some innovation but it is something I am confident equipment providers can quickly produce.

The next key transitional level should be the introduction of the tackle football game in 9th grade. All incoming freshman in high school should be required to play junior varsity football and no higher. 10th graders should be required to play junior varsity as well, except in those cases where a school cannot field a varsity team without 10th grader participation. And even in this case, varsity teams should be required to take only those 10th graders who meet a certain weight requirement. Size does matter in football. Other changes at this level should be a reduction in games played versus the varsity. For example, if a school district has a 10 game varsity schedule, the junior varsity should play no more than 7 or 8 games. Because it is their first exposure to the tackle football game, it will be taxing on them physically and as the season drags on, they will lose strength, focus,and technique - all of which might increase the probability of receiving a head injury. At the very least, it reduces the number of chances for brain injury.

11th and 12th grade level participants can continue to play the same game we see today at the high school varsity level.

At all levels of football changes are already occurring with respect to the actions that are being taken following a concussion, so that is not included as a part of this discussion. However, a continued examination of, and enhancement to those steps is clearly warranted.

Everyone Involved

The comprehensive nature of this approach cannot be limits to what occurs on the field. For it to really become an effective strategy to reducing the probability of C.T.E., leaders and adults at all levels of football, and society in general, must support it.

The professional level needs to strongly encourage it and support those organizations that follow this pattern. The NFL needs to get in front of this issue and lead the effort to change the game before it loses the ability to implement what the public will view as an honest attempt to change. Any attempt to delay, minimize are conceal the inevitable results of the scientific studies will create an environment of public mistrust that will be difficult to overcome, and worse yet, it will place the NFL in a position of having change forced on it instead of being in a position to lead and manage that change.

Is Football a Dead Sport Walking

College programs should encourage it as well, but should also modify their off-season camps to match this structure. Coaching clinics provided by colleges should also be structured to help direct coaches at the various lower levels as to what they need and expect out of the youth and high school programs. High school programs need to place more emphasis on who they hire to coach their junior varsity teams because it will become a much more important factor in the success of their varsity programs.

On a different level, I would go as far as to suggest that State level high school football leagues, school districts, State education agencies and State legislatures should adopt rules, policies, procedures and laws that require this structure. At the very least, they should outlaw contact football below the age of 15 or 9th grade. The outlawing of tackle football by State legislatures will put everyone on the same "playing field" and will prevent any entity (e.g. private schools) from acting on their own to continue the current structure.

There is even the potential for technological ingenuity with this new structure. Flags are clearly an out dated tool and not the most effective way to play the game. An enterprising company - for example the companies that currently provide laser tag equipment - might be able to develop light weight gear that will "signal" when a ball carrier has been touched by a defender. Some companies are currently experimenting with "smart athletic wear" and it is not too far a stretch for them to expand into this area as well. If this structure is adopted broadly across the country the potential sales for such an equipment manufacturer would be substantial.

What does this accomplish?

Ultimately, concussions in football cannot be avoided. Many equipment manufacturers have tried to create products to prevent it, but the evidence in this area is clear - nothing can prevent the sudden impact that causes the brain from shifting. Since those types of sudden impacts are inherent to the game, it can't be eliminated. But what we can do is reduce the frequency of this occurrence - and the long term effect in the form of C.T.E. and other degenerative brain diseases - by cutting years off of a football player's exposure to this type of contact.

If football is to be saved, I believe this level of modification to the entire lifecycle of a player's career must be made. It doesn't matter whether the career is just youth level or a 20 year professional career, we must do everything we can to reduce the amount of contact that leads to long term brain injury. By taking "full contact" years off of the front end of a football players career the number of potential concussions will be reduced - and by extension the potential for long term brain injury. If this threat is substantially reduced we all will be able to continue to enjoy the sport we love.

As the author of this article I participated in football beginning at age 8, through 4 years of college football. This included youth recreation league, junior high school, high school (including several playoff seasons and a 14 game state championship season), and 4 letterman years in college - two as a starter. During that time I have experienced at least one concussion incident in each year of football - a few requiring removal from a game and several during practices. I also witnessed hundreds of concussions experienced by fellow players during that time period. Almost none of these concussions received anything more than sideline attention and very few even received examination beyond the football training staff. I am not aware of any concussions that received follow on neurological examination. My fellow players, who played on every level from recreational youth leagues to professional football, are walking around today with the undiagnosed and untreated results of those many concussions. We may never know the impact of those concussions on their lives, but we can improve the game we all love so that the next generation can play it, enjoy it, and benefit from it without suffering long term brain injury. Through these recommendations I believe we can all successfully change, and continue to enjoy, the game America loves.

The Biggest Sex Secrets Every Man Needs To Know

Men are visual creatures. They become sexually excited when they stare at boobs. They like to watch porn. On the contrary, women are multi-sensory. They go through sex with all of their senses. While a handsome face will entice her visually, so will the sound of a man's voice or the warm of his stroke. When she is attracted to him, his smell is more powerful than other men's. Because of this sensitivity to the diverse channels of sensual stimulation, she gets turned-on by a variety of things which guys do not understand.

The Biggest Sex Secrets Every Man Needs To Know

Perhaps this may possibly come as a shock to the majority of men, women in lesbian relationships by and large testify a higher degree of sexual fulfillment than their heterosexual counterparts. A good number of men put high importance on their "extra load" between their legs in sex and are overly concerned about its size. While women do not deny the necessity of the male sexual organ, what they yearn for is a total "package" of experience. A lot of men fail to understand that kissing, touching, sucking, caressing and showing care for her are all the indispensable elements of a woman's sexual experience.

Quite a number of women see men as uninteresting because men suppose there is one approach to sex: get her wet, get inside and unload your sticky mess into her. Sex is not a job that consists of a succession of tasks that have to be performed in order to accomplish the end game. Concentrating only on orgasm takes the intimacy out of the sexual experience and can put a stop to the maximization of enjoyment on either party. Tricks, without proper sexual understanding, are empty, mechanical and tedious. The biggest sex secrets are not the moves, tricks or techniques. They are specific mindsets, beliefs and mental programming.

When it comes to sex, men and women are tremendously poles apart. Most men crave the "end result". They want to get straight to the point and have sex. But women are different. To turn a woman on you have to "seduce her brain" first.

Here are a few ways:

(1) Talk to her

Talk just about the things that excite her. Knowing what can arouse your partner mentally will help you to work magic when the moment comes. When you need something or like some changes, be truthful about how you are feeling but be careful not to assign blame.

Tell her that she is lovely or compliment her on something she worked hard on such as her hair or clothing. Girls like to feel that you find them eye-catching. It makes them feel better about themselves and they have to feel sexy first before they can act sexy. This is entirely in reverse of the way men behave. For that reason you must appreciate this difference before you be successful at pleasing your woman.

(2) Give her a hand

How time and again do you listen to her telling you she is pressured or exhausted? Whether or not she goes away to work, or stays at home to take care of children and household, or both, if at the end of the day, she is confronted with unclean dishes and unfinished housework, how can she feel sexy? Hence you ought to lend a hand to her. You can vacuum the carpet or wash some dishes. This thoughtfulness not only lightens her burden, it also demonstrates you care very much about her.

(3) Touch her often

When you stroll past her, run your hand across her back. Race your finger along her collarbone when she sits besides you. Hold her hand when you walk across the road, along the street or sitting in a movie. Offer her an affectionate hug will make her feel assured. Embrace her while she chats about her narrative of her day.

A quickie 5-minute massage on the neck, feet or back can be a wonderful way to let her know you care. Kiss her simply for the sake of kissing her and not meant for the purpose of initiating sex or humoring her. Look into her eyes for a lengthy period of time. Research has shown that prolonged eye contact builds up intimacy and this is what she desires to feel with you. These are the little signals that you want to touch her in non-sexual situations and make the transition on the way to intimacy a lot less abrupt.

(4) Play romantic games

A suggestion here is the 20 questions which is a simple yet perfect game played by kids, where you have to guess the answer by asking questions that can only be replied with "yes" or "no". Add a sexy twist to it and this game can make up for one steamy conversation! What type of questions would you have to ask to figure out what the sex position is, or what erotic gadget your partner is thinking of? This will work miracles to start the lines of communication and lead to mental arousal.

(5) Role playing

Fantasy can be tons of enjoyment and leads to mental arousal as well. Pretending you are somebody else makes it possible for you to venture to places you will not usually go. It means leaving your comfort zone and into another - acting!

Just see in your mind's eye yourself and your partner playing the role of headmistress and naughty pupil, getting into a fling with "secretary" and taking naughty photos, photographer and models, stripper and client.

Imaginations can run wild as expectations can be thrown out of the window and traditions conveniently disregard. The time you use up for role-playing will be well-spent through communicating and pleasuring yourself and your lover.

How To Talk To Women About Sex

Just talking about sex with a woman is a form of foreplay and most guys don't realize that. This is why you really want to know how to talk to women about sex. It opens up a frank, honest dialog that allows you both to find out what the other likes. And this is how you make each other happy!

Get Over Sexual Anxiety

Before you can work on opening this dialog with her, you've got to work on yourself. Most of us experience some kind of sexual anxiety. If you feel nervous at times when things are moving toward sex, or you're uncomfortable discussing sex with other people, these are signs that it might be holding you back.

Think back about your experiences as a kid and adolescent. It's not fair because everyone forms our opinions of sex before we have a chance to try it. This means that your church, your parents, friends, porn, sex scenes in movies, images on TV and whole host of other influences distort the idea of sex before we can see what it really is. Get a list of these things and see how they're affecting you today. Educating yourself about sexuality and simply getting more experience are good ways to overcome this fear.

Bring It Up

A great way to get experience talking to women about sex is to bring it up with your regular sexual partner. If you have someone you're sexually active with, there's a good chance that you're not talking about it much. You're just doing it. Casually, on a date somewhere, mention to her that she looks sexy and you want to do nasty things to her when you get home.

If the thought of doing that seems funny or uncomfortable to you, this means that you've got a way to go before you can be comfortable talking about sex! But with practice, you'll be able to do it like a pro.

How To Talk To Women About Sex

Build Up Sexual Confidence

There are always risks involved in both talking about and trying to initiate sex. If you don't take the risk, you never get the rewards. The rewards are more than just what follows; another major reward is sexual confidence. When you try mentioning it to her and it works, this makes you bolder and ready to try something else. Give it a try and see where it leads.

The first step in how to talk to women about sex is to get comfortable with it yourself. Then give it a try and take the risk. You'll be rewarded with sexual confidence you never had before, and soon you'll be as comfortable talking about sex as you are talking about the dinner you're having together.

Sex Education For Minors

Here is how it was when I was a kid. We learned about sex in school, in church, and of course, in our neighborhoods. Some kids had little comic books with hard-porn sex illustrations. I can only speak for the boys. I started to hear of sexual experiences from boys when I was in elementary school. Most of them were not true but we liked to hear them and live them vicariously.

We had little experience with girls but boys have an interest in girl's anatomy when they are very young, barely out of kindergarten, and they will try to explore their interest perhaps asking a girl to show her private parts.

Masturbation was common, speaking only for the boys. Group masturbation or "speed" contests occurred. There were occasional homosexual acts. Some boys began having sexual intercourse when in their early teens. These were called, "bad kids."

Sex Education For Minors

When I was about 12, my father took me on a 20 mile hike telling me about the birds and the bees. He mainly told me horror stories about masturbation. I really didn't know what he was talking about. I was much more interested in the old pits used for catching black bears, the snakes, and the fact that my father knew all the wild flowers by name. The most interesting thing was his story about the bear trainer who was sparing with a black bear who took only one swing at the man. He was knocked out for several days, more like a week.

Later a doctor was brought to the church to talk to the boys about masturbation. To say the least, we all had a great interest in the subject. Again, I was one of the youngest boys and got into a fit of the giggles. So did a couple of other boys. It was all new to us!

I might add that not all boys took up masturbation, just most of them.

Some boys had wet dreams. These were often told in detail. One boy had a dream where his ROTC instructor was really a woman in disguise. That way his admiration for the instructor and his desire for sex were satisfied in one swell scoop.

Sex was "totally revealed" in junior high school and high school but not in the classroom. We were now associating with girls and we played such games as "Post Office." We often mentioned the game "Pony Express," which was said to be "Post Office with a little more horsing around."

In "Spin the Bottle" or "Post Office" the reward was to go into a dark bedroom with a girl and receive a kiss. I don't remember how the game of "Post Office" was played but I remember "Spin the Bottle," a game we had played when we were tiny kids.

Some boys were now dating, Many of us were not.

So that is how we got our education. I remember a short morality lecture in my high school gym class, but that was it.

The fact of the matter is that we never had any in-depth sex education.

Sexual Codes

I don't think that in nature there is a code of conduct in regard to sexuality. Other primates have their own ideas. Some are very promiscuous to prevent confrontations. Others are more discrete, the males vigorously guarding their harem. This occurs with many other animal species.

Young animals are not always safe from adult males. If a female will come into heat, or estrus, if her young are killed, the young are in grave danger. Male lions are known for this behavior. The reasoning given by those who study such critters is that they must spread their DNA quickly or lose the chance to other marauding males. I think they know nothing of such talk. They just want sex.

A Zulu chief once said that clothing led to promiscuity, not nudity. When everyone is nude, nobody has a question about the anatomy of males and females. Some male children are bathed with their mother when very young and know about her. But most children know little of the opposite sex's anatomy.

Now days, because of television, children are exposed to nudity and sex. Actually, you can not see sex organs of a woman when she is nude. You see some pubic hair maybe, but not anything else. Television and movies until recently did not show the sex organs of men. Well, now you see that.

Sex Education For Minors

I suppose that hard porn leaves nothing to the imagination. That is something that I have stayed away from. Well, when I was a kid, a friend freshly home from the navy, showed me some pics he bought in the Philippians. Such images tend to stick in the mind.

Part of our problem is that we paint sex as wicked rather than as natural as scratching your nose. In some societies, teenagers are left to their whims, that is if we have not killed those societies off, they take off from the community and have sex. Fidelity comes only after marriage. Such societies simply face the facts and they don't have our problems. Babies come and, in at least the Amazon, they come from the Man in the Moon. Nasty fellow!

Some societies think that a stranger needs food, water, warmth, shelter and sex. They are know to share their wives with guest. You must travel north to see that but is all existent in other societies. We call those "Primitive Societies."

Some northern climes seem to promote sexual laxity.

I think that in most civilizedcommunities, sex education in schools is mandatory. Abstinence before marriage is often promoted and that works for many teenagers. The complaint here is that the emphasis may be "too much" on condoms and pregnancy prevention rather than local moral issues.

Here are my opinions for what they are worth:

Teaching in the Home

I asked my wife when she taught our children about modesty. She said when they start dressing themselves. In out society we often judge people by how they dress. We can teach our children to be modest and we can teach them about clothing and how it looks to others.

I asked her about how she taught other issues of sex to our children. She said that I taught the "hard stuff." I told he that I couldn't remember doing it but she said I did. It must have been during our Monday night family meetings when we taught a lesson, played games, and had refreshments. Based on that, I assume I taught the tenets of our church. So, maybe that is how you can teach your children at home. Spend on evening with them each week and teach them a lesson, have some fun, eat, and plan out the schedule for the week so everyone will know how the twins are getting to soccer practice and how Mary will get to her piano lesson.

I never taught any details of sex. We taught it belongs in marriaige and that is a binding force between couples and brings children into the home.

Teaching in Religious Organizations

If your religion has youth groups, that may be a good place to teach kids about ethics and moral conduct. Our church has the young men and young women separated most of the time. That leads to an opportunity to teaching specifics. One leader taught that the boys have a little "machine" inside them that brings on wet dreams occasionally and to leave it at that. One said that masturbation is stupid. The boys are not to masturbate but to be morally clean so they can represent the church throughout the world.

Teaching in Schools

I think sex topics should be taught early and often. In the early years, specifics of anatomy and reproduction could be taught. As children get older, they can be taught about sexually transmitted diseases such as was once taught in the military, the risks, the dangers, and prevention. The old military films showed some awful results of gonorrhea and syphilis. They showed male parts falling off and a soldier causing his wife to give birth to a blind child due to his gonorrhea. When I was in the army, the thinking was changed and replaced with morality training.

I think that sexual norms can be taught, helping students learn what is expected by them in society. Fidelity should be emphasized. Why? Because a person who is promiscuous before marriage may be apt to be unfaithful after marriage. That leads to much sorrow, legal problems, financial problems, and trauma to parents and children. This however, I understand, is not true in some parts of New Guinea. Fidelity usually works there despite premarital infidelity.

Premarital Counseling

I think a lot of misunderstanding and problems between newly weds could be removed by premarital counseling. Men can be very naive about a women, her needs, her concerns, and her anatomy. I realize that with time, things will come together but it would be better if these things were taught sooner. There are still many newly weds who are not experienced in sexual matters.

Unfortunately, there are many adults who have been married for some years who don't know what should be going on. That is why we have so many sex clinics.

A knowledgeable family doctor can give good advice to brides and grooms.

Fly Old Glory!

Why Porn Sex is Bad Sex

For many years I had a sexual style love similar to what I had seen in porn. In fact, this type of sex was like how I learned to masturbate as a teen. I practiced a sexual style of fast and vigorous and thought that this was the real key to great sex.

However, all this changed when I attended a sexuality workshop. At this workshop, 30 women described how they really liked sex.

Why Porn Sex is Bad Sex

Now, just about all the men had a big shock as they found what they generally liked was considered bad sex

Gee, over 90% of the women said they liked sex to be slow and connected, or used similar expressions. And only a few described porn style sex as their favorite style of sexuality. So it seemed that porn style is is bad sex.

Now as a qualified sexologist, I get to talk to a lot of ladies about sex. I really have looked into what women really want in sex. Most women still liked a high intensity sexual experience now and then.

But what they really wanted was most times an emotional connection with their lover they made love.

So from my research and the nice homework I have done over the years, what are some tips for guys to make love in this connected way.

    Open your eyes and feel into your lover when making love. See if you can become more sensitive and feel her orgasmic energy in your body. Eyes open sex can be challenging for some, but the rewards are feeling more in tune with your lover and more love flowing.
    Slow down how you make love. Take more time in foreplay and intercourse. Really get into your sensual touch on your lovers body. Try making love for 30 minutes or longer. Enjoy every second.
    Breath more. Try breathing into your belly. This helps you not to get too excited and as a result, to make sex last a lot longer. It also can you help build the energy to higher states of pleasure.
    Try making more sounds of pleasure so your lover can feel your energy more. This also helps men move the energy from their genitals to a more full body experience. This allows them to avoid the coming too soon issue that a lot of men face.
    Relax during sex instead of having a goal of orgasm. Really enjoy every touch and sensation and feeling with no goal. Let go to really feel your love for your lover and her feminine sexual energy.

Next time you make lover, try some of the above tips and see how your lover responds.

Violence Against Women, In War And In Peace

What is the difference... between a war zone and the situation faced by a female student walking across campus to reach her university library after dark? The similarities between the two [are] striking. A woman walking across her university campus... faces the prospect of immediate injury or death... Why is only one of these scenarios normally described as a war zone? - Thom Workman (1995, 1-2)

Recently, I asked my wife what it was that made her feel uncomfortable about walking alone from our university campus to our home at night. When I asked, we were returning from a dinner date, and we had been light-heartedly joking about some of the evening's activities. As soon as I asked the question, however, her demeanor instantly changed from light and playful to heavy and serious; she answered me in a nervous tone. She explained that she always called me for a ride or to walk her home because she did not feel safe walking down the dark, shrub-lined pathways that lead to our home without anyone nearby for protection. I pressed her for more explanation, and she replied that, if she actually were to be attacked, she would have no recourse for protection. She could not expect that anyone would hear or respond to a cry for help in that part of campus, she could not likely outrun an attacker, especially since she is currently pregnant, and she is too small to defend herself physically from a male attacker.

Violence Against Women, In War And In Peace

My wife's responses to my question, and especially the emotions that showed on her face while she talked, opened my eyes to the rawness and truthfulness of the fear that she feels. Men often hear women speak about the difficulties that they face in dark, isolated places, when they are on their own, but it is hard for most men to comprehend exactly why women have those feelings because they are so different from the things that men experience. Her feelings of fear and anxiety give credence to the observations that Thom Workman makes in his paper, "The Hidden Agenda of Mars: Race, Class, and Gender in Contemporary War" (Workman 2005). In his paper, Workman equates the "threat of injury and death, the preoccupation with survival... the forging of special reliances, rising anxiety, [and] stress" that characterize the feelings of men and women trapped in war zones with the feelings that female university students, like my wife, feel when they must walk alone in the dark (Workman 2005, 2). He argues that, since people in both situations have the same negative feelings, the practical difference between the two is, at least in this case, unimportant.

Workman's larger point, however, is that women are specially exposed to violence in both war and peace because violence is an inherent and fundamental part of the sociocultural practices enshrined in the patriarchal world system (Workman 2005, 5). This feminist perspective on war and violence, as he describes it, is that there is a tendency for patriarchal violence to focus on women because women are largely absent, even invisible, to security planners and to governments in general. This invisibility is rooted in the masculine ideal of security, and it is not an aberration that exists outside of the societal fabric. Rather, it is an integral part of what the leaders, and even the citizens of patriarchal societies understand to be normal and acceptable.

In Carol Cohn's article, Sex and Death in the Rational World of Defense Intellectuals, she takes this idea a bit further. She analyzes the significance of the pervasive sexual metaphors in the language of the defense community, and specifically in the area of nuclear deterrence. In her estimation, the specialized, sexual language of the defense community "both reflects and shapes the nature of the American nuclear strategic project" (Cohn 1987, 690). In other words, it is largely impossible to comprehend the culture and ethos of the defense community in non-sexual terms. Further, Cohn makes the argument that sexual metaphors and sexist language play "a central role in allowing defense intellectuals to think and act as they do," and that feminists have to carefully choose their words in order to speak to the right audience (Cohn 1987, 690). She feels that the men of the defense community would not be able to comprehend the feminist ideas of security because these ideas are readily expressible in the normal vernacular of the defense industry.

The effect of Cohn's argument is to strengthen the idea that Workman referred to when he proposed that war, and violence in general, are inherent parts of patriarchal systems. The same language the men use to talk about sex and sexuality in everyday life is applied to discussions about missiles and tactics. Violence and sexuality are inextricably linked in the defense world (Cohn 1987, 692-693), because the defense community, like every other segment of society, is dominated by patriarchy and mostly closed to the meaningful participation of women.

The consequences of the masculinization of the defense community are similar to the consequences of ignoring women in other aspects of society. In development, the outdated policies that excluded women from their calculations resulted in inefficient practices and failed efforts (Man-made Famine 1986). In what amounts to a terrible irony, women are usually the most adversely affected portion of society when development and reform measures fail (Cornwall 2003). Similarly, in the defense establishment, the decisions about when to go to war, what weapons to use, what tactics to follow, and who to identify as the enemy are all made without taking the female perspective into consideration. Women are invisible in defense circles, inasmuch as their perspective is ignored, and their invisibility results in egregious problems like the official policies of some militaries that advocate the use of rape as a weapon (Bumiller 1999, Kristof 1995, Mydans 2001, Sanger 1992, Shapiro 1995, Simons 2001a, 2001b, and Tetreault 1995). It can also result in abysmal security situations that make rape a common and poorly prosecuted crime (Makiya 1993, Polgreen 2005, and Sengupta 2003), and in a warped view of women that equates motherhood and maternal duty with martyrdom and murder (Bennet 2002a, 2002b, and McGirk 2007). Thus, the masculinization of the defense establishment all around the world makes women a special target of violence during times of conflict.

Violence against women in society in general, even during times of peace, is rooted in the same problems that motivate violence against them in times of conflict: patriarchal dominance, sexualized language, and female invisibility. Women are special targets of violence because of their uniquely vulnerable position in society; the structure of most societies ingrains the second class status of women into the male and female psyches from birth to death, and their second class status makes women more likely to become victims of violence, because it renders them the least able to influence society through politics or law.

Violence Against Women, In War And In Peace

Like in times of conflict, rape is one of the primary manifestations of violence against women in times of peace. Even in peace, the military is often the culprit, as evidenced by the problems that young women of Amazonian tribes face when Brazilian soldiers are stationed near their villages. The young women are wooed by the Brazilian soldiers, who offer the girls and their families food and other supplies. The soldiers then impregnate the girls, leaving their families and villages with ethnically mixed children that may or may not be loyal to the community when they are grown (Rohter 2002). United Nations peacekeepers have been the perpetrators of similar crimes in other parts of the world (Associated Press 2005, and Hoge 2005), just as American soldiers have been in Japan (Associated Press 2000a, and Pollack 1996), and even in the US Air Force Academy (Janofsky 2003).

More frequently, though, the perpetrators of violence against women in times of peace are not soldiers. The cultural attitudes that dictate what makes a woman a "good woman" in most societies make it difficult for women to get help when rape occurs, and even more difficult to get a conviction against their attackers. The societal barriers that prevent women from bringing their attackers to justice make rape a relatively low risk crime for the rapist. The shame of having been raped is projected onto the victim's family, not just onto her own person, and in some cultures the victim is often murdered in an "honor killing," or forced to take her own life in an "honor suicide," because her death is perceived to bring back the lost family honor (Associated Press 2000b, Bilefsky 2006, and Bumiller 1999).

This attitude is not limited to the third world or to ultra-conservative religious societies; it is alive and well even in the first world, even in the United States. Even I, as a white Christian male, can understand, to a small degree, the stigma of being a victim of crime, though not sexual crime. When I was in middle school I was mugged, and my coat and backpack were stolen. For reasons that remain inexplicable to me to this day, I was too ashamed to tell my parents about the mugging. After a few days of questioning me about what happened to my things, they finally got the information out of me. I can only imagine how terrible the shame of victimization must be for women who are raped or otherwise abused. In my case, it was a rather irrational shame that kept me silent. In the case of abused women, the societal taboos that surround sex and abuse, the fear of being rejected by family and friends, and the inherent difficulty and emotional pain involved in getting a conviction in rape cases constitute a very real and very rational sense of shame.

Despite the obvious fact that the victim is not at fault, she is likely to be perceived as being "dirty" or as having "asked for it" by dressing immodestly or walking alone in the dark, as if those factors give attackers a right to force themselves on the women (Magowan 2002). Indeed, the stigma attached to victims of sexual assault is so great, even in America, that for every one hundred reported rapes, only five rapists are ever convicted of their crimes. That statistic does not even include the unreported rapes, which surely outnumber those that are reported (Magowan 2002). The shame of having been victimized compels many women to remain invisible and hide the crimes committed against them, which in turn lowers the cost of committing such crimes and encourages rapists to victimize other women.

Thus, regardless of whether a woman lives in a country blessed with peace or cursed with war, she must face equivalent dangers. In order to make women safe, the stigma of victimization must be removed from cultural attitudes, and the plight of women must become visible to the population at large. Only when women are not in constant danger will they be able to enjoy the full benefits of living in peaceful, prosperous societies. It is a shame that half the population cannot fully experience the sense of security that should come from living outside of a war zone.

The Candy Store That Japan Built - Japanese Women, White Men & Sex

There is a segment of the Japanese female population that thinks having sex with a white man is cool. Many of them, some married, aren't interested in a relationship, only sex, and that's it. For these women having sex is much like going to one of the famous American theme parks with locations in Japan and enjoying a roller coaster ride and cotton candy. She just wants to have the experience or the thrill of having sex with a Caucasian man, and lock it away in her memory. For the most part these women are educated, work respectable jobs and fit into Japan's homogeneous society.

The Candy Store That Japan Built - Japanese Women, White Men & Sex

The opposite side of the coin is the hate that Japanese men have when they observe white men with their Japanese women. The slightly humorous side to the Japanese man's disdain is that Japanese advertising firms, which are run by (Japanese) men, unwittingly promote the desirousness of white men. The love affair with Caucasian people is everywhere in the Japanese media, from white families with smiling faces and pearly white teeth selling homes and cars, to Japanese women with white men at chapels selling wedding services, to blond haired, blue-eyed babies selling cell phones.

The Caucasian population in Japan is infinitesimally small, but Japanese advertising companies seem to love white people. No wonder the Japanese woman who has an almost insatiable desire for the new and kawaii and trying things different falls for the mystique of white men. More amazing is that some Japanese advertising executives aren't aware enough to know the effect their advertising has on the (female) population. Some have even said that white talent is less expensive to obtain than Japanese talent as an excuse what a ludicrous thing to say! A simple rule is: one is influenced by what is input into the brain.

For example, take a look at the relationship between advertising and smoking to understand the results of effective campaigns. Then, there is the shock of the Japanese woman who discovers that oftentimes the "white (man) knight, on a white stallion, in shining armor" is having sex with others and her thrill ride crashes. What she doesn't realize is that the men are only sampling the sweets in the 'Candy Store' built by Japanese advertisers and Japan's love for white people. Let it be understood that this is a nationwide phenomenon, and not just the Roppongi area of Tokyo.

The erosion of the Japanese women's interest in Japanese men can be partially blamed on the advertising industry's promotion of white as being "better". Another part of the problem is that a significant number of Japanese men lack an understanding of what women want. So as the white men plunder and pillage the Japanese female population just as pirates, the Japanese man has no one to blame other than himself and the media.

The Modern Male - Business Casual Yet Professional

It's easy for men to get confused after wearing business suits everyday for years, to confidently know how to look professional and not lose credibility when dressing down in updated business casual looks. When a man dresses too casually in the corporate world, it can oftentimes hinder his opportunities for advancement. Here are five great looks for a man in business that project his ability and expertise and show his modern style:

The Modern Male - Business Casual Yet Professional

Gray: The New Black

Dressing in various shades of gray is a great way to look taller and thinner as well as looking stylish. Why not try a wool sport coat either in a charcoal or medium shade of gray, a medium gray sport shirt with a gray dress trousers. I call this look modernly monochromatic! Be sure that when you wear all one tone from head to toe, that you include some interest by adding texture through a black reptile skin belt and shoes.

Classic Cardi's

The new cardigan is the new jacket sweater for fall. These sweaters are much more modern than days past. Wear a neutral-colored chocolate brown cardigan paired with a complementary print or plaid sport shirt. On the bottom half add a pair of wrinkle-free khaki's or tan dress pants. Finish off the look with a great pair of dark brown shoes and belt. Although there is no jacket present, this layering of 3-piece dressing is very business-like.

Try a Combo: Navy & Tan

Wear a navy blue sport coat, a striped blue and tan dress shirt worn open, a solid navy blue wool vest (optional), and a pair of tan dress pants. This is a very classic but authoritative look. These colors blend together beautifully to look modern and dapper.

Vested Interest: Argyle Is Back

Pair a solid sport shirt which coordinates with an accent color in a new argyle vest to add some color to your upper half. Top this ensemble off with a neutral-colored dress trouser or wrinkle-free khaki. This look is urban and very chic for fall.

The Modern Male - Business Casual Yet Professional

Feel The Difference: Texture is In

This season it is all about prints and textures. Buy a new sport coat in one of fall's newest textures like herringbone, tweed, or hammerhead. Under the jacket wear a dark merino wool fine-gauge polo sweater and add a dark dress pant and dress shoes to finish off the ensemble. If you wear suits and sport coats and ties everyday, you will enjoy dressing more business casual if your work environment allows you to do so. These are great dress down looks that allow you to express your more business casual side. Adapt these five looks for fall and look modernly chic as you arrive at the office in style.

Sarah Hathorn is a certified image consultant, speaker, and corporate image advisor. Illustra Image Consulting works with individual men and women who wish to update their fashion and professional presence. The company also provides corporate image services to organizations that wish to enhance their corporate brand within the marketplace.

In Women's Clothing, Casual Does Not Equal Sloppy

Today I'd like to address a common misconception about women's casual clothing: the notion that if you prefer casual clothes, then you must be lazy, sloppy, and you have probably let yourself go and no longer care about how you look.

Nothing could be further from the truth! Now, it's true that some types of casual clothes are not very flattering. Some women do wear shapeless T-shirts, baggy sweatpants and other types of clothes that are very comfortable, but also quite unflattering. But the choice to wear casual clothes does not equal a choice to let oneself go. Today, there are so many options when it comes to wearing items that are not just easy, relaxed and comfy - but also look good.

Remember how people used to dress back in the fifties? Well, maybe you don't remember, but we've all seen the photos, and most of us have seen the TV show "Mad Men." Back then, people used to really dress up - hats, those stiff little woolen suits, pointy shoes with heels... it was beautiful, for sure, but it wasn't very comfortable. And so, while so many blog posts and articles have been talking about how we have become too casual, how women don't know how to dress up anymore, I have to disagree. I am actually very grateful to be living in a time when I get to wear clothes that have stretch, that are not rigid, to wear comfy jeans and T-shirts and cute day dresses - I get to be comfortable AND look good.

In Women's Clothing, Casual Does Not Equal Sloppy

Because really, it's not a black-and-white choice between "dressing up" and "being sloppy," is it? There is such a huge selection out there of casual clothes that are well made, well cut, clothes that are cute and flattering. One of my favorite outfits, the one outfit that I keep reaching out to almost every single day, is jeans and a T-shirt. But the jeans are of high quality. They are dark wash, have stretch, a slight boot cut and a mid-rise. They elongate my legs and flatter my figure.

The T-shirt is not some baggy thing that saw better days, either. I like cute, feminine T-shirts in lively colors that flatter my skin tone, flattering v-necks and cute cap sleeves. Finishing up this casual look; a pair of fresh, modern ballet flats. So you see, this is most definitely a casual outfit and a very comfortable one, but it is in no way sloppy!

Another casual look that has nothing to do with sloppiness: a cute day dress. Especially now that summer is approaching, one of the easiest, most relaxed ways to get dressed is to choose a casual, comfy day dress. You can pair it with leggings and flats, or with cute sandals when it gets really hot. I own this A-line, sixties-inspired dress that I just love. The best thing about it is that it's made of modern fabrics, so it's not as rigid as dresses used to be back then.

Look. I'm a mom. I work at home, full time. I'm BUSY. When I go out at night, I like to dress up, but for my daily activities there's nothing like casual clothing - and they look great - pulled together, stylish and cute. Casual does not equal sloppy!

In Women's Clothing, Casual Does Not Equal Sloppy

Vered De Leeuw is a professional writer living in San Francisco. She loves fashion and believes that "casual is the new fabulous" and that modern women with crazy schedules need affordable, well-fitting, high quality

Modern Furniture - The Evolution From the Traditional to the Modern

The modernist design movement of furniture started in the 19th century. Erstwhile furniture like that of the Victorian era were ornate, complicated in design and did not give much attention to functionality. Made from gilded woods and expensive fabric of arabesque designs, the earlier furniture stood more for aesthetic appeal and the furniture cost increased by the several hours it took to create it. The modernist movement ushered in new methods of manufacture and introduced fresh materials as well, to revolutionize the industry. The style also changed from the visually heavy to the light mode.

In the 20th century, the furniture trend shifted from the erstwhile traditional and ornamental style to a more contemporary one that focused more on comfort and functionalism. Modern furniture started breaking away from the old mold and started embracing the new and innovative ideas of the day. Guided by the present and the future, infused with independence, free thinking and practicality than the conventional views that held sway earlier, furniture manufacture strived to achieve new levels of excellence.

Modern furniture based its evolution on several factors like design trend, materials and new manufacturing technology. The Werkbund and the Bauhaus Schools of design contributed to new ideas in modern furniture design. Exotic designs from countries across the world as well as Art Nouveau and the myriads of designers contributed to the diverse range of furniture that continues to dazzle the world. Here are some of the factors that have contributed heavily to the progress of modern furniture.

Modern Furniture - The Evolution From the Traditional to the Modern

Fresh Materials

Veering away from the traditional gilded woods and elaborate fabrics, the new designers of modern furniture turned their attention to the latest materials that the latest technology made available. With functionality as the fulcrum, designers now worked on balancing aesthetics and practicality using the new forms of steel, plastics and fiber, and incorporating new colors, textures, and shapes, to produce beautiful pieces of modern furniture by blending various materials and methods. Most of these products have straight lines and uses a number of materials like metal, glass and wrought iron.

Fabrics

Modern furniture uses smooth fabrics in place of the old, elaborate and decorative texture. Some of the favorite fabrics for modern formal furniture are linen, silk, and high quality leather, while the more casual modern furniture uses cotton and other blends of cotton with synthetic fibers. Other fabric used in furniture includes special fabrics that are acetate, acrylic, microfiber or nylon based.

Space saving

The geometrical shapes that abound in contemporary furniture designs provide for a streamlined, efficient and lightweight furniture made from reclaimed materials, tubular steel, chrome, plastic and glass, contribute to space-saving and you will find extensive use of natural fabrics like cotton, jute, silk and wool and the like.

Modern Furniture - The Evolution From the Traditional to the Modern

The strong influence of exotic designs

Many exotic designs from Japan, Africa and Asia that have now become easily accessible, dominate the styles of modern furniture. The revolutionary Japanese designs have had a telling effect on modern furniture.