Index of /articles/articles

Apache/2.2.15 (Unix) mod_ssl/2.2.15 OpenSSL/0.9.8n DAV/2 mod_fcgid/2.3.5 mod_auth_passthrough/2.1 mod_bwlimited/1.4 FrontPage/5.0.2.2635 Server at f-rk.com Port 80

Tags: Animals, Beauty, Business, Design, Family, Fitness, Food, Garden, Health, Home, Kids, Medical, Men, Movies, Music, Parenting, Politics, Recipe, Relationships, Shopping, Television, Women

Uncategorized Animals, Beauty, Business, Design, Family, Fitness, Food, Garden, Health, Home, Kids, Medical, Men, Movies, Music, Parenting, Politics, Recipe, Relationships, Shopping, Television, Women

Index of /articles/articles

Apache/2.2.11 (Unix) mod_ssl/2.2.11 OpenSSL/0.9.8i DAV/2 mod_fcgid/2.3.5 mod_auth_passthrough/2.1 mod_bwlimited/1.4 FrontPage/5.0.2.2635 Server at f-rk.com Port 80

Tags: Beauty, Business, Cosmetic, Design, Family, Fitness, Food, Garden, Health, Home, Kids, Medical, Men, Movies, Music, Parenting, Politics, Recipe, Relationships, Shopping, Television, Women

Uncategorized Beauty, Business, Cosmetic, Design, Family, Fitness, Food, Garden, Health, Home, Kids, Medical, Men, Movies, Music, Parenting, Politics, Recipe, Relationships, Shopping, Television, Women

Will Gas Get Cheaper?

March 7th, 2010

No comments

Articles Home
Will Gas Get Cheaper?

Most of us know the price on the oil pumps and it is always pinching. What makes oil prices different from other commodities that you can purchase in your store? Oil, unlike other products and services obey not only the laws of supply and demand but also the laws of geology. You cannot make more oil you have to work with what is available. If you are wondering if we are running out of oil, then rest assured that we are not. The oil reserves that are there will probably run another 100 years. However, it has to be remembered that though there is enough oil, most of the easy oil, the cheap oil has been got out. Experts theorize as to whether we have reached what is called the ?Hubbert?s Peak? where 50% of oil reserves have been depleted and the remaining 50% gets increasingly harder and expensive to extract. If we have, expect the prices on oil pumps to increase over the coming years.

We have to accept that the era of cheap oil is now part of history and low prices on oil pumps will only be blips. Consider also what effect politics can have on prices. Trouble in Saudi Arabia or political instability in Venezuela or Iran can cause price fluctuations. Consider also the threat of a hurricane and speculation, say in Venezuela. All these factors play a major role in what is reflected on your oil pump. At this point you may be wondering if other sources like wind power, solar or nuclear energy can save the day. To be optimistic they can and will probably will, but only if they replace oil consumption. While we can build nuclear power plants and erect wind turbines, these will not add a barrel of oil to the world supply because generally oil is not used for electricity. In some cases, these plants will run on oil and thus have no long-term solution.

With countries like China and India experiencing blazing economic growth, they are fueling the thirst for oil and the world?s appetite for this commodity is not going to diminish as a result. America however, remains the world?s largest oil consumer and as a result, do not expect prices on oil pumps to be showing any signs of going down anytime soon. The need to develop new and more efficient technologies becomes increasingly vital as we move towards the ?Hubbert?s Peak?. Innovation, this time, will mean surviving the energy crisis.

Tags: Home, Politics

Uncategorized Home, Politics

Oil in the Middle East

March 1st, 2010

No comments

Articles Home
Oil in the Middle East

Envision for a moment how life would be like without petroleum and its products. Perhaps, what comes to your mind is gas for your automobile. However, petroleum products are used in lubricating motor vehicles, cosmetics, fertilizers, drugs, plastics and a myriad of other items. Indeed, without this essential commodity, daily life for many people would change drastically. It is undeniable that modern industrial civilization depends on petroleum. The largest oil reserves reside in the Middle East with Saudi Arabia having the largest super giant fields in the world followed by the Unites States and then Russia. Saudi Arabia has the largest oil reserves accounting for 332.7 billion barrels. The United States trails second with 216.5 billion barrels and Russia third at 192.6 billion barrels. These numbers however do not account for the undiscovered resources which could amount to billions of barrels. Saudi Arabia is not the only country in Middle East with vast oil reserves. Among the top ten countries with the largest oil reserves also include Iran, Kuwait, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates. Clearly, oil in Middle East accounts for a largest percentage of consumed oil in the world.

To what extent do industrialized nations depend on oil? Consider that every day people use over 4,000 oil-derived products and items that have shaped modern life. Not only is oil essential to modern life but it also has deep roots in politics. Oil is considered a strategic asset. For example, price and production of oil in Middle East is affected by the political climate of the region. Oil was major factor in the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. This however is not an isolated case and many times the determination to control oil in Middle East countries has brought conflicts that have extended for years. What happens in Middle East is considered sensitive and as a result, all efforts are made to ensure that any conflicts in the region are resolved drastically. Oil in Middle East is vital to the economies of developed nations since it means that any price fluctuations affect their economies directly.

Oil in Middle East is extracted from some of the largest super giant fields in the world. Since the largest of these fields lie in the Arabian-Iranian sedimentary basin that comprises an area around the Persian Gulf, Saudi Arabia accounts for this large oil supply to the world?s markets. Search for new oil sources continue and the potential in the region continues to be studied.

Tags: Cosmetic, Home, Men, Politics

Uncategorized Cosmetic, Home, Men, Politics

Good Morning America

January 30th, 2010

No comments

Articles Home
Good Morning America

There is a lot of competition to be the most watched morning news show in America and Good Morning America has been one of the most popular since its inception in 1975 on the ABC network. The mix of news, weather, entertainment and features helps to wake up Americans across the country with their first cup of coffee of the day. The show is broadcast live from Times Square Studios in New York City, co-hosted by Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts. Its closest rival is the Today show on NBC.

Critics like it as much as viewers and the show won the Emmy award for Outstanding Morning Program in 2007, sharing the accolade with Today. However, Good Morning America won outright in 2008. The show’s producers have kept up with current trends and there is a well designed web site for the show. The news headlines are presented with news items from the USA and across the world. Articles are divided into sections, which include Money, Health, Politics, Entertainment, Sports, and Travel. There are also features on family life and recipes. Clips from the show can be viewed in the Video Vault.

Over the years, many famous celebrity guests have been in the Good Morning America studio including movie stars, Sylvester Stallone, Audrey Hepburn, and John Travolta. TV Superman actor Dean Cain has appeared and legendary singers, Liza Minnelli, Peggy Lee and Barbra Streisand. The Monkees, Ringo Starr and Madonna have also been invited.

The show has also expanded its audience into other countries outside the USA. It is aired in Australia and the Philippines and the Orbit Satellite Television network broadcasts it in Europe and the Middle East. Good Morning America launched a one-hour weekend edition on Saturdays and Sundays in 2004 with Ron Claiborne as the news anchor and Marysol Castro as the weather anchor who also presents special features. Good Morning America Now is the version that is one hour longer that has aired exclusively since 2007 on ABC News Now, the 24-hour news channel.

The show also has a radio version on XM Radio that debuted in 2006. In addition to news and features, listeners can take part in discussions on current topics. The four-hour show is broadcast on Mondays through Saturdays and is hosted by Hilarie Barksy. Good Morning America then is easily accessible and offers Americans living abroad a flavor of home.

Tags: Design, Family, Health, Home, Men, Politics, Recipe, Television

Uncategorized Design, Family, Health, Home, Men, Politics, Recipe, Television

How to ramp up your blog traffic and exponentially increase your readership

January 16th, 2010

No comments

Articles Home
How to ramp up your blog traffic and exponentially increase your readership

You’ve created a blog and you’ve got plenty to say. Great! Now, the trick is to bring in some sizable traffic! After all, unless you’re independently wealthy, you probably need to make some income. Competing with thousands, or tens of thousands of other bloggers, writing in a similar vein or topic, makes this a challenging goal. Here we go over some of the best moves you can make to increase your blog traffic and spread the word.

Make judicious use of the social networking sites. This is fast becoming a hot trend with bloggers. You’ve got to be careful to choose social networking sites that fit with your objectives. There are online comparison charts which allow you to see the main features and ratings of these social networking sites. Click through and browse around. Also check out some of the more obscure social sites. While their audience may be smaller, if their members fit the profiles you’re seeking, your ROI will naturally be greater.

If your blog traffic now consists of friends, family members and a few people who have wandered on to your site, you want to change this as quickly as possible! The more content you have, the better your page rankings become. So you definitely want to post every day, the more the merrier. New visitors are more likely to return when they see that your blog is active and has fresh content on a daily basis.

When you write a post, keep in mind that you want to create an interactive format, where your readers feel invited to put in their remarks. For example, let’s say you’ve written an opinion piece on politics. You might end the post with a leading question, such as ?This is where I’m coming from, but my perspective is certainly not comprehensive. What do you think?? You’ll soon have readers telling their friends about your insightful posts. More blog traffic for you!

There are special types of posts that can really work wonders for your blog traffic statistics. You’re the expert in your topic, right? Write longer posts of a how-to nature. For example, if your blog deals with gardening and horticultural topics in general, write a piece that tells your readers how to graft cacti of two different species. Readers love to learn about how they can gain some specialized skill they can practice for themselves. These tutorial style pieces are standalone ? they are as valuable a year from now as they are today, to current and future visitors. As possible, write at least one of these every other week. Again, with this type of post, word of mouth helps grow your blog traffic more quickly.

Another good strategy to increasing your blog traffic is to find other quality blogs in your niche and write comments on posts by that blogger. If you comment frequently, those readers get to know you and are likely to start clicking through to see what kind of content you have. New readers!

Seek out websites with related content, an e-newsletter and a large subscriber list. Offer one of your best posts to that website’s owner, to run as feature articles in an upcoming newsletter. You’d be surprised at how many click-throughs you’ll get as a result.

Last, but not least, check out cafepress.com. This is a great word of mouth strategy that earns you money too! You create a design ? your logo, for example, or any design that speaks to your topic audience. Cafepress then prints your design on a coffee mug, t-shirt or whatever you choose. It’s sort of a POD arrangement, so there’s no outlay of cash until a sale is made. They provide a store setup and you sell the products on your blog!

Building your blog traffic can take some time. It’s up to you to implement the most powerful strategies.

Tags: Design, Family, Garden, Home, Men, Politics

Uncategorized Design, Family, Garden, Home, Men, Politics

The new U.S. President has been elected, yet election news is still all the buzz!

January 14th, 2010

No comments

Articles Home
The new U.S. President has been elected, yet election news is still all the buzz!

The 2008 Presidential campaign is now over. For more than two years, we’ve been bombarded with television ads for every politician up for election or re-election. Did you think that after November 4th, it would all be over? I did. However, perhaps more than in any other Presidential election in our history, election news continues, with an unexpected fervor. If you take a quick look online, political forums and election blogs are absolutely bristling with participants, posting on message boards, blogs and anywhere else they can find to put in their two cents. Opinions are strong and debates lively. Everywhere you look, be it on your email client, news sites or banner ads on sites unrelated to politics, you’ll find post-election news and surveys galore. So why does the buzz continue, when the elections are over, done, finished?

One factor that certainly contributes to the continuing saga of election news is due to the breadth of failures of the outgoing administration. It seems there’s not a lot of good news anywhere. The economy, war, foreign policy, fuel and food costs, the credit crunch and banking debacles, rising unemployment, along with the stunning numbers of bank foreclosures ? did I leave anything out? Clearly, the American public wants substantial changes in all of these crises facing the average Jane and Joe.

Still, following most Presidential elections, the public usually adopts a wait and see attitude, at least until the new President is sworn in to office. This time around, even people in the international community were closely watching the U.S. election news and continue to do so. The actions of President-elect Barack Obama will surely impact international relations and the world economy.

A brief look around the net yielded some interesting election news topics currently being debated. The scope of concerns ranges from debates over ?Who’s better looking, Barack Obama or Todd Palin?? to discussions on the likelihood of Obama finding Bin Laden.

From what I saw, a great deal of energy is going into determining Sarah Palin’s political future, what will happen to her pricey wardrobe and how well-liked she now is. One amusing survey found that an amazing 66% of voters said they had always liked her very much, while a teeny 3% of respondents said they liked her only after the election was over. What’s your opinion on Italy’s Prime Minister Berlusconi’s remark that Obama ?has a good tan?? No kidding, that’s buzz.

On a more serious note, pollsters queried voters as to whether they believed our government participated in secret conspiracies. 89% of the voters said yes! How about President-elect Obama’s plan to close Guantanamo Bay and bring those prisoners to the U.S. for trial? Is the U.S. headed for fascism? Is Obama a socialist? Choosing between the two issues, which is most important? The economy or the war(s)?

So while the continuing election news goes from serious and substantive, to silly and even ridiculous, it’s unlikely to stop any time soon. All I know is that our new President has his plate overflowing, as perhaps no other President has in the history of our country. Frankly, I wouldn’t want the job.

Tags: Food, Home, Men, Politics, Television

Uncategorized Food, Home, Men, Politics, Television

Post election and the political discussion forums are still red hot!

January 5th, 2010

No comments

Articles Home
Post election and the political discussion forums are still red hot!

Prior to our most recent and historic Presidential election, the political discussion forums were jammed with people, voicing their opinions in sometimes quite vociferous and lively debates. Typically, after the election is over, the political discussion forums are sparsely populated. Not this time. Political junkies can smell big changes coming.

Perhaps this is due to the fact that Barack Obama is, almost across the board, diametrically opposed to everything President Bush has promoted and enacted. In normal Presidential elections, once the vote is in, there’s this lag period, where the President-elect sort of disappears from the radar until his inauguration. This is not the case this time around. While President Bush seems to be avoiding the limelight, Obama is being a very public guy, announcing Cabinet appointees, voicing his opinions on what needs to be done next and openly stating that he will be closing Guantanamo Bay pronto, bringing those prisoners to trial in the U.S. The media is courting Michelle Obama, speculating on who the lucky dress designer will be chosen to make her inaugural gown.

If you’re interested in politics, the political discussion forums are the place to be. There is no shortage of entertaining material with which to work and more opinionated commentaries than you can shake a stick at, virtually, of course.

For example, Obama’s selection of Hilary Clinton to serve as Secretary of State is huge. Many people feel that, as with Madeleine Albright, Hilary will be able to fill these shoes admirably, significantly improving foreign relations and world opinion of America. Governor Richardson is also being lauded as Secretary of Commerce. The choice of General Shinseki to head Veterans Affairs is somewhat ironic, as it was General Shinseki who lost his job due to advising President Bush that several hundred thousand more troops would be needed in Iraq. Just these few, select people are enough to fuel any political discussion forum for weeks, if not months, to come.

Upon entering any political discussion forum, you’ll find dozens of categories, so just pick your favorite rant. For example, Obama’s plan to engage in discussion with nations deemed by President Bush to be ‘rogue’ nations has got people gasping left and right (pun intended)! To paraphrase Obama, ?How can you improve relations and come up with solutions if you won’t talk to them??

As to environmental issues, green is the word and has sparked a lot of intelligent discussions in the political discussion forums. When gas prices skyrocketed earlier this year, people who normally didn’t think much about the green alternatives, finally had enough. These threads should prove informative.

Two wars, auto makers claiming imminent collapse, the economy, jobs, foreclosures and banking practices round out the meaty topics available for you to have your say, in the political discussion forums. Go get ‘em!

Tags: Design, Home, Men, Politics

Uncategorized Design, Home, Men, Politics

Sonny And Cher

December 28th, 2009

No comments

Articles Home
Sonny And Cher

When Cher and Sonny Bono met, it would prove to be the most important meeting of their lives. Their professional career as Sonny and Cher brought them international recognition and their romance led to marriage. After starting out as backing vocalists on hit records by legendary producer, Phil Spector, they formed a singing duo as Caesar and Cleo. This act failed to achieve commercial success however.

A change of name brought a change of fortune and the duo’s first album, titled Look at Us and recorded under the name of Sonny and Cher in 1965, included the number one single, I Got You Babe. This single remained their signature tune throughout their career. As with many of their subsequent records, it was written by Bono. He also fulfilled the role of producer in the studio.

More success followed with the singles, Baby Don’t Go and The Beat Goes On. The pair toured all over the world and was instantly recognizable in their hippie clothing. They were the acceptable faces of the 1960’s counter culture in America. Bono wrote another hit record, this time for Cher as a solo release in 1966, titled Bang Bang. Their private life was made more joyful by the arrival of their daughter, Chastity Bono in 1969. She inherited her parents’ genes and went on to become a musician and actress.

The duo branched out into other forms of entertainment, bringing the Sonny and Cher act to a wider audience. They played themselves in the 1967 movie, Good Times, a comedy that spoofed other films. It also starred George Sanders and Norman Alden, and was directed by William Friedkin, who later directed The French Connection and The Exorcist.

More comedy followed when a 1971 television special, The Sonny and Cher Nitty Gritty Hour hit the screens. Audiences liked the mix of live music and funny sketches. The same year brought their own variety show series. Called The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, it was also very popular and guest stars included Tony Curtis.

1972 was the year for two more Top 10 hits, namely All I Ever Need is You and A Cowboy’s Work Is Never Done. Sadly, the professional and romantic relationship for the two artists was near its end and the TV show finished in 1974 and they were divorced in 1975.

Fans were left with many happy memories and were able to follow the singing and acting career of Cher as a solo artist. Two of her most famous solo efforts are Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves and Walking in Memphis. Sonny Bono too made a career from acting and then surprised his fans by entering politics and becoming a Republican Congressman.
Tragically, Sonny died as the result of a skiing accident in 1998, aged 62. After his death, Sonny and Cher were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for TV.

Tags: Home, Men, Music, Politics, Romance, Television

Uncategorized Home, Men, Music, Politics, Romance, Television

» Meaning Of Words at F-Rk.com Articles

December 27th, 2009

No comments

Articles Home

<br /> » Meaning Of Words at<br /> F-Rk.com Articles </p> <p>

@import url( http://f-rk.com/articles/wp-content/themes/inove/style.css );

F-Rk.com Articles

Articles about the Meaning of Life, The Universe, and Everything

Home
About

Home
> Uncategorized > Meaning Of Words

Meaning Of Words

August 30th, 2009

Meaning Of Words

There is a popular attitude in this country among a certain misinformed segment of the population that the meaning of words is somehow fixed in stone. It is just amazing how many people believe this. People act as if words have one single definition which has always been will never change until the end of time as we know it. In reality, however, the meanings of words are highly malleable. Meaning changes depending on who is saying the words, what day it is, what situation they are in, and any one of hundreds of other factors.

I think I sensed this when I was a kid. My parents were very into training us to be resourceful children, so when we would ask for the meaning of words, they would have us look them up. Looking up words in the dictionary as a child was initially confusing to me. A lot of the time, the meaning of a word as it was explained in the dictionary didn’t quite match up with the book I was reading. Slowly but surely, I began to realize that the explanations of meaning were only approximate. They worked in some cases, but did not work in others.

As a linguist, I have dedicated my life to the meaning of words. I’m fascinated by definitions and the way they shift based on different cultures and subcultures. If you take a word like liberal, terrorist, freedom, faith, enemy, or anyone of thousands of politically contested words, you can see how people intentionally distort meaning to serve their purposes. The problem is that many people never really think about the meaning of words. They don’t understand that the language we use is intentionally manipulated behind the scenes, because they don’t understand that language is malleable. I find this endlessly frustrating.

Still, I am somewhat reassured by the fact that, for many children, an understanding of the meaning of words is a simple as opening up a dictionary. A love of language can start in early childhood, and can last a lifetime. This is why I’m careful to always get dictionaries for all of my young relatives. I may not be remembered as that cool uncle who got them a video game, but I might inspire something far more precious and ultimately more enjoyable than a few hours of gaming: I might inspire a lifetime of learning. And in my opinion, that’s one of the most precious things you can give.

Tags: Men

Men

Comments are closed.

Night Shift Jobs
People go to great lengths to diet. Although there is disagreement on how to lose weight most effectively, nearly everyone wants to do it. From the skinny to the hugely obese, the desire to lose weight is one of the biggest common factors for almost all Americans. Yet there are few people who approach it in the correct way. They try fad diets, exercise programs, supposedly effective weight loss pills, and all kinds of other trends. None of them take the simple step of eating to lose weight. If yo

Top

Tags: Animals, Beauty, Business, Cars, Cosmetic, Design, Family, Fashion, Finance, Fitness, Food, Garden, Health, Home, Kids, Medical, Men, Movies, Music, Parenting, Pets, Politics, Recipe, Relationships, Religion, Romance, Shopping, Television, Women

Uncategorized Animals, Beauty, Business, Cars, Cosmetic, Design, Family, Fashion, Finance, Fitness, Food, Garden, Health, Home, Kids, Medical, Men, Movies, Music, Parenting, Pets, Politics, Recipe, Relationships, Religion, Romance, Shopping, Television, Women

F-Rk.com Articles

Archive