Creating a Virtuous Cycle in 7 Steps

Today I want to further highlight how breaking out of the intensive care environment can create a virtuous cycle for all stakeholders. Long-term ventilation with Tracheostomy in ICU is usually a vicious cycle, with ventilator dependency, depression and hospital acquired infection at its core.

We can break out of this vicious cycle and create a virtuous cycle. Home intensive care nursing is an evolving and dynamic alternative for long-term mechanically ventilated adults & children with Tracheostomy and their families and it has become a massive success in other countries, in Europe in particular and I was very fortunate to gain insight and 'hands-on' experience in the Industry in Germany for a number of years.

In order to go the extra mile and create something of value for long-term mechanically ventilated adults & children with tracheostomy and their families, as well as for hospitals and intensive care units, INTENSIVE CARE AT HOME is extending services outside of the traditional intensive care approach, by looking at ways of how innovative and effective alternatives can be created in the context of:

1) Creating a virtuous cycle by dramatically improving quality of life outside of an icu environment - just by taking a long-term ventilated adult or a child with tracheostomy outside of the ICU environment back home, gives them and their family such a boost, with the natural consequence of feeling so much better.

2) Establishing quality of life that is focused around a holistic approach towards the ventilated adult or child in their own home, outside of ICU.

3) Establishing quality of life that is focused not only on the quality of life of the ventilated adult or child, but is also focused on the quality of life of the family- we all know how much time families spend in icu to be with their loved ones and essentially putting their life on hold, whilst feeling very stressed and outside of their comfort zone.

4) Creating and freeing up expensive resources for hospitals and ICU's in particular that can be used for more acute and sick patients that have a much higher need for critical care, in comparison to adults or children who are long-term ventilated with tracheostomy and have little or no quality of life in ICU.

5) Creating win-win situations for long-term ventilated adults & children with tracheostomy, their families, as well as for intensive care units and hospitals, in view of intensive care beds being one of the most expensive resources used in a hospital

6) Creating a quality solution outside of the traditional hospital approach, where intensive care trained nurses can contribute and use their specialist skills to make a massive difference to the quality of life of ventilated adults & children with tracheostomy and their families, whilst maintaining high quality nursing standards in a home care environment that enable the customer's quality of life to be the main focus.

7) Breaking out of the vicious cycle of long- term ventilation in ICU, where long term-ventilation triggers depression and depression causes long- term ventilation. On top of that - more often than not-long-term ventilated adults & children with tracheostomy in intensive care catch a hospital acquired infection that usually prolongs their already expensive stay in intensive care, adding on another loop to the vicious cycle and putting additional costs on to their already long list of expenses.

The list could probably go on and please leave your comments on our blog, as I have put this month's newsletter on our blog, as well as in the newsletter section.

Have a great weekend!

Creating a Virtuous Cycle in 7 Steps   

Creating a Virtuous Cycle in 7 Steps

Today I want to further highlight how breaking out of the intensive care environment can create a virtuous cycle for all stakeholders. Long-term ventilation with Tracheostomy in ICU is usually a vicious cycle, with ventilator dependency, depression and hospital acquired infection at its core.

We can break out of this vicious cycle and create a virtuous cycle. Home intensive care nursing is an evolving and dynamic alternative for long-term mechanically ventilated adults & children with Tracheostomy and their families and it has become a massive success in other countries, in Europe in particular and I was very fortunate to gain insight and 'hands-on' experience in the Industry in Germany for a number of years.

In order to go the extra mile and create something of value for long-term mechanically ventilated adults & children with tracheostomy and their families, as well as for hospitals and intensive care units, INTENSIVE CARE AT HOME is extending services outside of the traditional intensive care approach, by looking at ways of how innovative and effective alternatives can be created in the context of:

1) Creating a virtuous cycle by dramatically improving quality of life outside of an icu environment - just by taking a long-term ventilated adult or a child with tracheostomy outside of the ICU environment back home, gives them and their family such a boost, with the natural consequence of feeling so much better.

2) Establishing quality of life that is focused around a holistic approach towards the ventilated adult or child in their own home, outside of ICU.

3) Establishing quality of life that is focused not only on the quality of life of the ventilated adult or child, but is also focused on the quality of life of the family- we all know how much time families spend in icu to be with their loved ones and essentially putting their life on hold, whilst feeling very stressed and outside of their comfort zone.

4) Creating and freeing up expensive resources for hospitals and ICU's in particular that can be used for more acute and sick patients that have a much higher need for critical care, in comparison to adults or children who are long-term ventilated with tracheostomy and have little or no quality of life in ICU.

5) Creating win-win situations for long-term ventilated adults & children with tracheostomy, their families, as well as for intensive care units and hospitals, in view of intensive care beds being one of the most expensive resources used in a hospital

6) Creating a quality solution outside of the traditional hospital approach, where intensive care trained nurses can contribute and use their specialist skills to make a massive difference to the quality of life of ventilated adults & children with tracheostomy and their families, whilst maintaining high quality nursing standards in a home care environment that enable the customer's quality of life to be the main focus.

7) Breaking out of the vicious cycle of long- term ventilation in ICU, where long term-ventilation triggers depression and depression causes long- term ventilation. On top of that - more often than not-long-term ventilated adults & children with tracheostomy in intensive care catch a hospital acquired infection that usually prolongs their already expensive stay in intensive care, adding on another loop to the vicious cycle and putting additional costs on to their already long list of expenses.

The list could probably go on and please leave your comments on our blog, as I have put this month's newsletter on our blog, as well as in the newsletter section.

Have a great weekend!

Creating a Virtuous Cycle in 7 Steps   

Legal Support Services That Court Reporting Agencies Offer

Court reporting agencies supply legal support services to law firms and companies as they engage in complex litigation, or respond to other situations, which require services that qualify as legal support. If your law firm or company needs the types of assistance listed below, you will find them at a court reporting agency.

Early Case Assessment

Early case assessment focuses on evaluating a case from several perspectives, such as how much it would cost to litigate, whether it would be likely to have a favorable outcome, and how long it would take to conclude. Because early case assessment is based on the information that surrounds a case before it goes to court, it is often performed in tandem with deposition services, which help attorneys gather and organize information from depositions.

Complex Litigation Support

Litigation may be complex for several reasons, such as a large number of witnesses who must be interviewed before a case strategy is formed, a large volume of documents that must be reviewed before a case goes forward, and a short timeframe in which to try a case. When attorneys face these circumstances, they often require litigation support in the form of extra paralegals and court reporters, document retrieval and document review services, and early case assessment. A court reporting agency provides these types of assistance.

Deposition Recording

The statements witnesses make in depositions are crucial for forming case strategies and assessing the overall strength of a case. Consequently, court reporters that perform deposition services are especially valuable to law firms. Hiring a reporter from a court reporting agency ensures that the person has the right qualifications for the job.

Legal Videography

Legal videography applies to the visual recording of depositions, trials, company meetings, and other official proceedings. In addition to producing a visual document of a proceeding, videos help attorneys analyze the certain types of behavior that are difficult to record in a transcript, such as facial movements, tone of voice, and nervousness.

Record Retrieval

Retrieving official records such as medical records, court records, and financial records requires adherence to specific rules and regulations. For companies and law firms, hiring staff that are qualified to perform document retrieval is an unnecessary expense when the service can be outsourced instead. Court reporting agencies are qualified to retrieve the types of documents listed above, among others.

Document Review

Document review helps law firms and companies organize and review a large volume of documents, review documents that contain complex subject matter, and assess the value of the information documents contain. Often performed as a part of complex litigation support, document review is valuable for any situation in which organizing and/or reviewing documents presents unusual obstacles.

Conclusion

Court reporting agencies supply law firms with crucial legal support services. These services also benefit companies that have legal needs, or simply need the language of a meeting recorded and produced as a transcript. To learn more about the scope of deposition services and the other services court reporting agencies offer, contact an agency today.

Common Types of Bail Bonds   Tips for Selecting the Best Legal Staffing Agency   Judgment Debtor Exemptions And Timelines   Should You Outsource Your Judgments?   How A Wireless Expert Witness Can Help You   Legal Placement Services: The Difference Between Court Reporters and Paralegals   

Validation Letter: Temporary Solution When Being Sued By A Credit Card Company

Thousands of Americans are embroiled in credit card debts that the number of people being sued by a credit card company is on the rise. Unfortunately, many people think that they can get away with not paying their credit card debt when their accounts were marked as a charged off on their credit report.

The fact is, junk debt buyers, collection agencies and of course, the original creditor would still want to collect even a portion of the debt and to do this, they will have to file a card lawsuit. In doing so, they could get legal authorization to garnish wages, empty bank accounts or worst, debtors' properties may actually be seized once they are being sued by a credit card company.

The good news is, you can do something about it. You can prevent your creditor from getting a-hold of your money or property when being sued by your credit card company and even thwart possible lawsuits. How?

One effective but temporary solution to get more time to determine the next step is to request a validation letter when being sued by your credit card company. By requesting a debt validation letter when being sued by a credit card company, the other party will be required to send you a signed document that verifies the card debt in dispute. If they send this document, all collection efforts go to a grinding halt. From there, you will gain enough time to determine what you can do next to handle the credit card lawsuit.

You can either go ahead and study how to defend yourself in court or by hiring a lawyer or you can negotiate a deal with your creditor. To negotiate a deal with your creditor, you will have to contact the person with the authority to handle such accounts, and not discuss the issue with a random customer service representative.

Once you get a-hold of the right person, discuss the issue, and let him or her know that you are serious about paying the debt. If you are going through a difficult time, like a loved one being sick, you've gone through accidents, disasters or any events that could've led to depleted funds, let your creditor know and he or she just might give you a break. They could either drop the credit card lawsuit altogether or they just might agree to get only a portion of the debt with a sensible payment plan to boot.

If things work out in your favor, make sure you get everything in writing! Don't expect your creditor to do exactly what they promised because let's be honest, some will say just about anything just as long as they get the money. Get everything in writing, have the representative of the company, and yourself sign the agreement.

Common Types of Bail Bonds   Tips for Selecting the Best Legal Staffing Agency   Judgment Debtor Exemptions And Timelines   Should You Outsource Your Judgments?   How A Wireless Expert Witness Can Help You   When Should You Contact a Litigation Lawyer?   

What Kind Of Expert Witness Are You?

Importance of Specialization

Are you ready to share your expertise and help solve a case? Then be an expert. An expert witness is someone who holds valuable expert opinion about a particular subject. He is called to the witness stand to give expert opinion about a certain piece of evidence, fact, or information related to the case.

So if you have been working as a medical practitioner for years, you might be qualified to become an expert. Lawyers who represent clients in courts usually employ experts, so if you want to help solve a case, get listed in expert directories and get hired.

But remember, being an expert witness entails specialization. Specialization is that one narrow and particular area that you must have expert knowledge of. If you have specialization, this will make a great foundation for the case. It will give either the defendant or plaintiff higher chances of winning their case.

Types of Expert Witnesses: What Is Your Specialization?

Expert witnesses are classified according to different classifications. One of these classifications is based on their field of expertise. They are as follows:

1. Accident and Injury

Experts classified under this category are summoned to provide information related to injury valuation, severity of damage, and other factors that may help shed light to the accident or injury. For instance, in a personal injury case, an expert may be called to determine up to what degree the victim's injury is.

2. Business and Financial

In this category, expert witnesses are called to make expert testimony on matters related to the following: business, trade, commerce, taxes, fraud, inaccuracies in accounting, and other related matters.

3. Civil Litigation

Experts called to provide expert opinion on civil litigation matters are expected to give information that can solve civil cases, or cases between an individual and an organization (such as banks and lending corporations).

4. Construction and Architecture

Construction and architecture experts are tasked to provide relevant information related to breach of contract cases, faulty designs, and other construction issues.

5. Criminal Litigation

Experts under criminal litigation provide expertise on forensics, identification, and other procedures to solve criminal cases.

6. Medical and Psychological

If you're hired as a medical and psychological expert, you are to provide useful information related to medical malpractice, mental health, insanity, and other areas related to the medical field.

7. Science and Engineering

Science and engineering expert witnesses are called to testify in court to provide expertise related to product malfunction, engineering (whether civil, mechanical, or other fields of engineering), and electrical concerns.

Common Types of Bail Bonds   Tips for Selecting the Best Legal Staffing Agency   Judgment Debtor Exemptions And Timelines   Should You Outsource Your Judgments?   

The Top 10 Reasons For Judgments

Every year, countless judgments of many different types, are awarded to people and entities. When all courts and court types are totaled, including civil, small claims, federal, bankruptcy, and family and criminal courts; the total number of judgments awarded each year must be amazing.

Judgments are not cash, they are a chance at getting some cash in the future. This article is my opinion, and not legal advice. I am a judgment evaluation expert, and am not a lawyer. If you ever need any legal advice or a strategy to use, please contact a lawyer.

The common thread to all judgments, is that someone or something was harmed, damaged, ripped off, defrauded, robbed, a law was violated, or even someone became sufficiently annoyed. When a judgment names someone or something liable as a judgment debtor for a certain amount of money, that becomes a judgment that could one day provide some payments to the judgment owner.

Many judgments start from unpaid personal or business loans that creditors made, and the creditors include people, companies, banks, etc. Here are the top ten most common reasons people or entities start civil lawsuits to win judgments:

1) Money was lent, or credit was extended, that was not repaid.

2) A contract was breached, usually a business contract.

3) Someone was defrauded, robbed, or cheated.

4) Someone or something was damaged or destroyed, an example would be an auto accident. I bet there are more people driving now without insurance than ever before.

5) A tax bill, a service, or a some product, that was not paid for.

6) Something was not returned. This is usually something rented or lent. A rental car not getting returned would be one example.

7) Some law was violated. One example would be someone sued for spamming or faxing the wrong person too many times. Another example would be a bank that did not respond to a court subpoena to produce records, or an employer that did not respond to a court-ordered employee wage levy.

8) Someone did not pay all the rent they owed, and/or damaged someone else's property. An example of this would be a property eviction.

9) Someone owes for family or spousal support debts.

10) Someone stole property or money, or copied intellectual property.

Some money judgments also come from criminal courts, usually in the form of restitution judgments. No matter what the reason is that a judgment gets rendered, judgments are not cash, and do not recover themselves. Some court clerks have never even seen a satisfaction of judgment form. Most judgments are never repaid, and most eventually expire.

Common Types of Bail Bonds   Tips for Selecting the Best Legal Staffing Agency   Judgment Debtor Exemptions And Timelines   Should You Outsource Your Judgments?   

Automobile Appraisal Expert Witnesses For Litigation

According to the latest US census data, there were 10.8 million traffic accidents in 2009, with similar numbers seen in other years. Those are a lot of auto insurance and personal injury claims, each one requiring expert auto appraisers to evaluate the vehicular damage. If the insurance company has reason to reject any claims, the same experts could be asked to take the stand as auto appraisal expert witnesses.

Unfortunately, too many auto accidents are also the result of criminal negligence. Such cases usually involve serious charges, such as DUI, speeding, reckless driving, and even vehicular manslaughter. During the trail, lawyers will often rely on automobile appraisal expert witnesses to help prove their interpretation of the facts.

When is an auto appraisal expert needed?

Broadly speaking, an accident can be caused either by a mistake by one or more drivers, or due to some malfunction or failure in one of the vehicles. Since vehicles are often badly damaged and torn apart in the aftermath of a high-speed crash, how can the court decide what was responsible for the accident?

A qualified automobile professional can look for tell-tale signs of common problems, even in the worst damaged vehicles. Experience is also important, and a senior auto appraiser can use accumulated practical knowledge to analyze an accident scene.

Some cases require auto appraisal expert witnesses with a narrow focus of expertise. For instance, if a lawyer is convinced that her client's accident was caused due to a particular car model's faulty design, she will look for auto experts with long-term experience of that brand and model. Such expert witnesses can give first-person testimony based on real, practical experience.

Finding the right automobile expert

Really, it depends on the case. However, good lawyers follow some basic guidelines in selecting auto appraisal expert witnesses to support their side. This is because a court trial is an adversarial situation, where both sides will try to bring the better, more qualified expert.

When it comes to vehicular accident cases, both lawyers and juries seem to prefer practicing professionals from the automobile industry over non-professional and academic experts. Lawyers also look for auto experts who have the highest industry qualifications. It helps if the expert is also able to demonstrate an ongoing interest in updating and improving professional skills.

Lawyers are also interested in the candidates' personality and appearance. In court, the experts have to be able to communicate complicated concepts, present their own opinions and conclusions, and defend them against cross-examination (which can get quite forceful!)

Common Types of Bail Bonds   Tips for Selecting the Best Legal Staffing Agency   Judgment Debtor Exemptions And Timelines   Should You Outsource Your Judgments?   

AdSense Earnings Can Really Pile Up

As a person who has run his share of web sites, I am always looking for ways to make money for the work that I put in, and there are a number of ways to do so.

One of the best ways of accomplishing this is through AdSense earnings, and if your web site is popular enough, these can really start to add up.

I started out with a web site that was devoted to local high school sports, and soon had a solid, devoted fan base. I received the opportunity to receive AdSense earnings through a couple of major companies, and before I knew it, I was picking up a few dollars a day.

The way that AdSense earnings work is that a company agrees to put a link to their business on your site, and then whenever the get a customer through that link, you get a small percentage of the sale. As time goes by, as you can probably imagine, it can really start grow.

I remember in my first month of AdSense earnings, I had made about $50. It was not a huge amount, but it was something I was not really expecting, and it was a nice little boon to get that. I had not built up that many regular visitors at that point, and it was good to see some money coming in.

The next month I just about doubled my AdSense earnings, and things have pretty much gone up from there. I am not making a living off of it by any stretch of the imagination, but I do have a nice little chunk of change to put back each month, and the way that I look at it is that every little bit helps.

It really seems pretty simple in its conception, and it is one of the easiest ways I have ever made money. AdSense earnings work out well for you, but let's not kid ourselves, it is really good for the company that is getting customers from your site.

They are paying you a percentage, sure, but it is a very small percentage, and the fact of the matter is they are still making money off of each transaction. I think one of the things that makes it so appealing is that it helps all parties involved, from you to the company to the customer.

I will continue to use AdSense earnings for as long as I have my web sites up. If I keep turning profits the way that I have so far, it may be the sort of thing where I could actually retire early or travel more. It is something, I think, that anybody who has a popular web site with good traffic should seriously consider as a decent source of income.

Buy Google AdSense Account: Ads by Google   Does Google AdSense Really Work?   How Much Can You Make With AdSense?   Looking for an AdSense Niche? Want Some Truly Unique Tips?   How To Use AdSense Niches to Make AdSense Cash   Make Money With Google AdSense - Is It Really Possible?   

Why Do Some Choose To Believe In God Without Any Proof?

Many atheists wonder how anyone of any true intelligence could possibly believe in an invisible friend, or fall for the control schemes of religion. Still, what I've noticed is that those who are quite religious are not always as unintelligent as one might suppose. In fact, studying religious teachings might actually enhance intelligence in many regards. If you are an atheist you are probably going to want to dismiss this, but let's talk anyway, we can all debate it later.

You see, researchers have found that learning a new topic or subject, for instance law boosts a student IQ. Why? Because it is a totally different realm from the current reality and it is another way at looking at life, and I would submit you that in the same vein, it might also be true for religious studies.

Introducing a new concept (higher power or entity) is intellectually stimulating to consider of course, I can't fault anyone for taking that path of allowing a faith-based concept to explain the unattainable knowledge of our present period's scientific knowledge. One might ask a devout religious studier why they do not trust in self above all else, or how they can have faith that they know their faith is valid? See that point, although I realize I''s all just semantics, most philosophy is circular conundrum based.

Indeed, I'd speculate that the most entrenched religious followers may occasionally ask themselves such things, but they can't too much otherwise they will end up questioning their life's purpose and even their own existence. Some of the bible and other religious literature must not be taken literally otherwise it becomes irrelevant.

The other day, I was discussing all this with a very nice gentleman, a religious type through and through. He stated that the good book explains the beginning and how it all began, but also tells us that god is and has always been. He said humans don't get this because everything that we know has a beginning, and a perceived end. Still, I stated that;

We don't know that everything has a beginning - there are no observable proofs to that. In fact, if everything is made up of material that was here the prior then nothing has a beginning for sure. And even the concept of "nothing" cannot exist because once you think about it, you are observing it, even if in only your mind's eye, you have given it energy, thus, making it something. In that you have created something from nothing in that case, which is what religious folks proclaim god to have done, which would also mean he who ponders this has the power of god, if you have the power are you god?

Is this truth that you are god, that the mind is king of this domain? You see, you cannot know, you would have no proof either way. The highest power is self. The highest power is the mind, if you call that "god" then maybe everyone has a point of contention here? Hard to say, but I hope I've given you something new to consider.

The Presidency   Dorothy We're Not in Kansas, Christians We're Not in the OT   How Can We Walk on Water?   Abraham's Thoughts While Preparing to Sacrifice Isaac   

Climbing the Maasai Mountain of God - A Journey to the Top of an Active Volcano

The Maasai call it "the mountain of god", for not only do they believe their ancestors descended from it; they believe God lives atop it. It rises sharply and proudly out of the Great Rift Valley with jagged edges and carved angular slopes - as regal as is ominous, as beautiful as is rare - we call it Lengai. "Lengai" [pronounced: ling-eye] rolls trippingly off the tongue while conjuring images of mythical lands and far off places. It is, in actuality, a volcano - an active volcano at that; and the only active sodium carbonate volcano in the world.

Lake Natron

Lengai is situated in one of the most spectacularly jurrassic and underrated areas of Tanzania. Lake Natron is a natural alkaline soda lake that, from a distance, looks like a great, expansive puddle that covers the valley floor and glistens in the sunlight. The environment, however, is hostile; temperatures of the mud can reach up to 50 degrees Celsius and the alkaline level can reach a pH of 9-10.5!

Natron's edges are dotted in a pink tinge created by the thousands of flamingos that migrate there annually. They are some of the only creatures who can thrive in these conditions, the caustic environment actually acting as a barrier against predators. The fringe of the valley around it is composed of emerald green hills and slopes that create scenery unrivaled anywhere else in the world. Among this naturally pristine spectacle sits Lengai.

Setting up Camp

We arrive at the riverside base camp dusty from the hours of rambunctious 4 x 4 off-roading (no other type of vehicle could possibly make it out here). The campsite is minimalist complimented by the grandiose of the looming mountain that overlooks us. That is what we're going to climb tonight?? A few meters walk from where we set up our tents is a small river winding its way out of a canyon. We are told it leads to water falls, so we decide to take the short hike to cool off in the mid-day heat. After about 30 minutes of trekking in and out of water along the rocky ledges we reach the fall. Situated between two cliffs, it is blanketed in moss and flora. The noon sun makes rainbows in the mist and we swim and baske lazily on the shore like sirens. The scene is something of enchantment.

The Climb

The hike begins at midnight, the reason being we are to get to the top in time to watch the sunrise. As our vehicle clamors along the pocked earth to her base we can just make out a faint tableau in the moonlight. Our minds begin to wonder and we all sit silent with our doubts. We start trekking and immediately the effects of the 45 degree slope are felt. Our legs burn and shake with uncertainty beneath us. We laboriously climb higher through different elevations of vegetation: aromatic fields of mountain heather, dense grasses, rocky crevasses, and burned bush. We rest intermitantly to break our sweats and catch our breath. As soon as we stop moving however, the chilled wind penetrates our jackets forcing us to continue on our way, only to sweat again in minutes. It is virtually impossible to find a level of temperate comfort between the cold wind and the body heat generated by the climb.

As we near the top the landscape changes from difficult to hostile; the earth is covered in jagged rocks and loose volcanic debris. The slope continues to get steeper still and parts of the climb are having to be done on all fours. Whose idea was this?? Moments when one has to catch themselves from a stumble are often thwarted by a giant blast of cold air that wails down the incline like a banshee. We continue despite the innate urges to turn back - and suddenly the top comes into view in the blue-haze of daybreak. We lob ourselves over the side and all sit back in exhaustion and amazment as the African sun rises in the East.

From the distance, Lengai looks like her peak is exactly that, a peak. In reality, however, her ashen and barren cavern is vast and plain-like. The summit itself is lunar covered in a white molten crust with towering individual peaks (formed by mini-eruptions) that jut out in sharp, sporadic disarray. As you wander its vastness you feel a sense of tremendous accomplishment negated by a certain sense of unease. In certain areas, your feet crack through the crust setting free sulfurous smoke that rises out of the footprint as an eerie reminder that while Lengai may appear to be stable to the eye, she is anything but.

The wind is a constant force at this elevation; clouds fly past your face and seem to fall down the side of the mountain with no hesitation as if they're being poured like milk out of a carton. A trip to volcano's edge offers a spectacular view: a sweeping panorama of the entire region and beyond. Kilimanjaro, Meru and the lesser mountains are seen in the distant haze. The Serengeti lies just on the horizon. The sloping Great Rift slips effortlessly into the valley and from this vantage point looks like a massive green velvet curtain rippling to the floor. Summiting Lengai offers some of the most beautiful landscapes the eye can behold and is definitely a unique and worthwhile endeavour.

That is, until you start down!

Interested in climbing Lengai or planning a Tanzania Adventure? Combine this climb with a Crater Highlands Trek for a real "Out of Africa" experience! Contact Tropical Trails - The Tanzania Adventure Specialists at:

info@tropicaltrails.com

www.tropicaltrails.com

Climbing the Maasai Mountain of God - A Journey to the Top of an Active Volcano   

Rock Climbing Basics

Rock climbing is an exhilarating sport and one that is growing in popularity. Today, people of all ages are taking up this fun but physically demanding activity. Many aspects of rock climbing appeal to those partaking in this sport, but one thing which stands out most is that this is an activity that can be done both indoors and out.

Man-made rock climbing walls are perfect for training and for when the weather conditions outside are less than desirable. Indoor rock climbing walls are a great way to learn the various rock climbing techniques while being under the careful watch of more experienced rock climbing professionals. Because they're made to resemble the characteristics you'd find in a natural rock environment, many rock climbers never even venture outdoors. But for those who do, the outdoors experience is truly unique and awe-inspiring.

Countless rock climbing opportunities await those who do venture outdoors. Not all rocks though are optimum for the rock climber. First in importance is whether the rock face can be traversed horizontally or vertically. Equally important is that the rocks chosen for rock climbing must be solid rocks and they must be stable. Also look for locations where the weather is predictable, and where trails already exist.

Although this is a relatively safe activity if undertaken using the proper rock climbing equipment [http://www.climbinghub.com/rockclimbingequipment.html], rock climbing can be a dangerous sport, especially for those who venture far off the ground and away from more densely populated areas. It's one thing to want to climb in an uncrowded area, but should an emergency situation develop, being close to others could mean the difference between getting timely help and not getting the help the injured party needs to survive.

Many people mistakenly believe that the majority of rock climbing injuries result from falling. This belief might simply result from the fact that rock climbers who fall get more attention from local authorities, rescue squads and even the media. However, most rock climbing injuries occur to the hands, tendons, elbows and shoulders and are caused by straining and overuse. Although these types of injuries are not preventable, their occurrence can be reduced by taking time to properly warm up and stretch out these body parts. Using the right rock climbing equipment for the journey ahead is also advisable.

Rock climbing shoes are a must and help ensure a proper grip on the sometimes slippery surfaces. Helmets, which unfortunately aren't worn by many climbers, are a good way to prevent serious head injury. A rock climbing harness that is in excellent condition with no frayed or worn out parts, climbing ropes, webbing, karabiners and belay devices are other essential pieces of rock climbing gear.

Keep the above rock climbing basics in mind before venturing out on your next rock climbing adventure and you'll hopefully keep rock climbing accidents to a minimum.

Climbing the Maasai Mountain of God - A Journey to the Top of an Active Volcano   

Boxing Sparing Robots Needed

It is always difficult to find a good sparing partner to box with or practice martial arts. The better you get the fewer people who are willing to get in the ring or on the mat with your. Worse off if it is a friend and he makes a mistake, you often find yourself holding back on your gut instincts to take him out and exploit his foolishness in letting his guard down. If you do not take him down to the mat or clock him so hard he cannot see straight, you are actually doing him a disservice, as in a real fight it would have been over right then and there.

Unfortunately we live in the real world and in the real world if you are in the ring with a good friend you often hold back, if you get too tough, you trigger them to go all out when you are just there for practice and not to kick the ever-living crap out of someone.

I therefore propose Boxing Sparing Partners to spar with. Sparing Robots, which you can clock as hard as you can if the opportunity exists. Robots which you will not feel bad when you do and one which will hit you back on the level you set in case you make a mistake and unnecessarily leave an opening or let your guards down. Enough to sting you hard enough to learn the lesson but not hard enough to break you in half, break your nose or cause you a serious head injury.

Robots are perfect for sparing partners and we can build them to feel as if you are sparing with a real man, without damaging them and so they hit you back. This will help boxers and martial artists test themselves and excel in their quest to become even better. Think on this.

Success Lessons From Boxing   Boxing Sparing Robots Needed   Success Tips From Boxing   

Iron Mike and Boxing KOed

Sometimes, athletes can be extremely annoying to the average fan. It gets to the point that their freakish nature becomes more intriguing than watching them compete. Take the following pathetic account, for example.

Iron Mike Tyson . Let that name resonate for just one moment. In the mid 1980s and some of the '90s, Iron Mike Tyson made boxing the most exciting sport in the world -- even to non-boxing fans. This kid with the sheepish smile and Swarzeneggar body was an absolute fury inside the boxing ring. The youngest heavyweight champ ever, Tyson burst onto the scene with fists that could knock down walls and a interviews that could put a smile on Yogi Berra's face.

After a prison term for a rape conviction, Tyson became less of a devastating fighter and more of a freak. One minute he was crashing his car and walking away from it, the next he was denying raping a young girl but saying he wished he had, then he was nawing on Evander Holyfield's ear in a failed attempt to regain boxing prominence. Finally, after countless run-ins with the law, Tyson was pummeled into submission in one last title shot by Lennox Lewis, a champ who had run out of quality opponents.

There was a time that we all learned to love Tyson. Soon, we learned to hate him. And, in the end, many would pity him.

After squandering a 400 million fortune and claiming bankruptcy, Tyson decided to escape his demons and try to get some of his glory and a few of those lost millions back. He would fight again, after several years of recovery from the beating he suffered from Lewis.

Finally, an overweight, too old Tyson, lacking the skills he once had, took yet another beating -- this time at the hands of an unknown journeyman named Danny Williams. Knocked out in the fourth round, Tyson was left to ponder a dark future. His own trainer suggested that Tyson's journey must come to an end.

For nearly two decades, Mike Tyson has saved boxing from completely drowning in its own pool of greed, malevolence, and awful boxers. Whether he was decimating an opponent with the most powerful punches in history or boggling our minds with his strange behavior, Tyson awed virtually everyone who watched him or read about him. He did what all sportsmen should do -- he kept us entertained.

Now, with his latest defeat, Tyson and boxing are both beaten. And all we can do is hope for the next freak to get here soon.

Success Lessons From Boxing   Boxing Sparing Robots Needed   Success Tips From Boxing