Interior Design Blog

The Beatles’ nest- Liverpool, is regarded as one of the top tourist spots around the globe. If you are planning to go on a splendid adventure to explore culture, then Liverpool should be on the top of your list.

Known as the United Kingdom’s Capital of Culture, Liverpool boasts of its many spots that define tradition and traces history. It features awe inspiring cultural attraction in almost every corner. Whether you are a traveler in search for a sense of inspiration, an adventurer in search of an enriching experience or a wanderer who just wants to see the world, Liverpool has the right spots and places for you.

Liverpool is home for much world class architecture consisting of about 2,500 buildings. Just like the famous Taj Mahal and the Pyramids of Giza, this city’s set of buildings and waterfront are acknowledged as one of the natural and cultural World Heritage Sites.

The said heritage site covers the waterfront from Albert Dock, running through The Pier up to the famous Stanley Dock, including a good number of historic commercial districts in the area. It stretches as far as the Rope Walks area and the cultural quarter where St. George’s Hall reigns as the major attraction.

However, one should note that the wonders of Liverpool should not be mistaken for the World Heritage Site alone for in and around this city, you will be surprised with the cultural wonders that await you.

Among the top visited sites in the city that combine art and religiosity are two cathedrals. Both Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral and its Metropolitan Cathedral have been known to be fine attractions for eyes hungry of internationally acclaimed architecture. These cathedrals and other places of worship depicts Liverpool’s acceptance for religious diversity which has always been present due to the comings and goings of migrants in its famous docks.

Aside from the cathedrals, Liverpool boasts of many fine cultural gems within the William Brown Street better known as the Cultural Quarter. The street houses The William Brown Library, Walker Art Gallery, and the World Museum Gallery. Together with the beautiful St, George’s Hall, these buildings are famous neo-classical edifices.

If you are in for a tour of Liverpool’s fine early beginnings, then take a walk in that area and find the World Museum Liverpool, Tate Liverpool, and the Merseyside Maritime Museum. For sure, you would find a splendid experience that will qualify as your latest cultural feat.

A visit to Liverpool is incomplete without dropping by at the Pier Head where the most striking and famous buildings are located: Royal Liver Building, Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building.

If you are in for a more contemporary cultural quest, then you must consider spending a day or two at Liverpool’s The World of Glass. The place which offers countryside culture matched with a vibrant life at night and a pulsating set of sporting events is nestled between the cosmopolitan cities of Liverpool and Manchester.

Another must visit around Liverpool that offers its guests with a peek into history, and to that of the world of sports is Halton. The towns and villages of Runcorn, Hale, Widnes, Daresbury and Moore belong to this city’s must-venture-to list.

For accommodation in Liverpool please visit: Liverpool Hotels | Hotels in Liverpool | Hotel in Liverpool

Here’s where your dog’s dark secrets will come to light. Experts refer to these dogs as “Red Zone Dogs,” “Ticking Time Bombs” or “Loaded Guns.” Any way you choose to label them, these doggies are always in need of the immediate help of an expert who has the expertise in dealing with extreme dominance and aggression. You know when a crazy boyfriend or a girlfriend has some red flags that you wish you knew about earlier on, or, you knew about them but couldn’t really see the danger in them? It’s not much different when it comes to these dogs. Here we go.

Does your dog, or anyone else’s that you know of, possess any of these signs?

• Does your dog stop eating or pause from chewing on his bone, a toy or any object he feels like guarding from you by growling and snapping at you as you get near him? You notice a tense posture with hackles up as he looks at you sideways, downward or from a crouching position. You may see him block his dish or a bone with his head in a sudden move. How about eating his food very fast as if it’s going to be his last meal and even growling the entire time as he gobbles it down? This indicates a dog that doesn’t fully trust or respect you. Don’t be surprised if he lunges at your hand or feet trying to keep you away as if you haven’t fed it for days. Unless you want your fingers to become an appetizer, don’t try anything cute or sneaky on your own.

• Growls and really attempts to bite you when you are trying to restrain him, pick him off the ground, or just to push him out of your way? How about when you move him off your bed, off the couch or even off your lap? Sometimes it could be as minor as bumping into your dog and waking him up accidentally or intentionally. Again, if we could hear your dog talk, we’d hear, “How dare you disturb me you idiot. Can’t you see that I was sleeping like a baby?” This also happens to owners who let their lovely dogs sleep on the bed with them or with their kids. In a way, the dog’s taking over. You should remember that it is your home, your bed, and your dog.

• Steals something off the ground or off counters and as you chase him to take the object away, or grab a hold of it, he tries to bite your hand off. This also could happen when your dog is cornered, hiding under the bed, or when you wrestle him to the ground trying to get your favorite shoes or your underpants out of his jaw. A dog that fully respects you will NEVER do any of this and will definitely leave your underwear alone!

• Grabs the leash or even your clothes tightly with his teeth and won’t let go. Some dogs keep on tugging backward in an attempt to get it out of your grip. Just for fun, they might also growl to intimidate you even more. This is not a tug of war game and your dog knows it! He is basically saying, “Let me jerk you around so you can see how it feels, pal. You stop it, NO–YOU LET GO!”

• Bites at the air trying to scare you. You even hear the sound of those lovely teeth snap shut. If the dog is actually lunging at you, this is an attempt to challenge, scare, or dominate you. Remember, dogs are faster than you’d think and rarely miss. After all, they even catch a fly from the air. Ninety percent of the time, it is just a warning for you to back off, or the next time those canines will dig in your skin and do some serious damage.

• Attacks other dogs or your second dog in the household. Some of these dogs want all of the toys, all of the treats, all of Mommy’s or Daddy’s attention, and may push your other dogs out of the way. When finally frustrated, they’ll take matters in their own hands and do serious harm to the weaker and more vulnerable dog. This always happens when the owner walks in or is somewhere nearby. These are the dogs that could get along just fine all day in the backyard or even inside the house, but the minute that favorite “owner” shows up, all hell breaks loose! You’ll notice these dog fights mostly occur around the owner.

• Bites down on your hand and literally hangs on for a few seconds, growling, but doesn’t really break the skin. This is not a play bite! It is serious and you feel AND sense the danger. Or maybe it was just a warning. You don’t notice much pain or see any puncture wounds, but your dog is warning you: “Look. I could’ve crushed your bones or took a good chunk out of you if I wanted to, but I let you go this time. Not just yet.” This is a dog that always stays the same and gets worse as time goes by!

• Growls and snaps at you when you are arguing with your loved ones. You might notice lots of pacing back and forth, growling, barking and lunging at you or at the other person. It could be your spouse or one of your kids. Basically the dog is trying to get things under control on his own. Sometimes it may be that the dog doesn’t even want you to hug or show each other any affection. These dogs will push their way through and jump up on you, nip, growl or bark so you keep your distance from one another. Again, this shows lack of trust and leadership on “your part,” so the dog’s trying to step in. Who’s the control-freak now?

• Literally lunges at you by running up to you in an attempt to bite you. This is all premeditated. It’s not like most cases when you can make an excuse for your dog by saying, “Well, it wasn’t his fault because of blah blah blah…” This might be because you were trying to correct him from attacking a dog, a child, or just because he was trying to steal food off counters.

• Holds a grudge for something that happened a few minutes ago, a few hours, or worse even a few years ago and bites you unprovoked when you least expect it or when you DO see it coming.

• Snaps at you, at your loved ones or your other dog for no apparent reason. Again, this is just like a bully who thinks he can, and just because he feels like it. I’ve seen dogs that bit their poor owners totally out of the blue. I’ve tried to get to the root of the problem, but found no explanation other than the dog just “felt like it.” Some of these instances could be a sign of epilepsy, psychosis or other medical problems, but it is very rare. Sorry. You could just have a wacko dog that needs help! Basically you are dealing with a dog that needs an expert who specializes in dealing with extremely dominant and alpha-type behavior.

I’ve Saved the Very Worst For Last!!!

• And when he finally bites you, regardless of how much you scream, cry or shout out, “NO,” “ NOOOOOOOO” and try to get your hand out of his jaw, not only does he keep on ignoring you, but even tugs backward and shakes your poor hand like a rag doll. Some of these dogs bite down really fast multiple times leaving lots of puncture wounds in a matter of seconds! These are the bites that require medical treatment and leave a scar that easily lasts months, if not years.

This one is a no-brainer. If you own such a dog, you need professional help―RIGHT NOW! It has gone far the “beyond obedience” factor. You need to hire a professional that actually deals and accepts such cases on a regular basis. I am one of them, but thank goodness not the only one. Unless you start with an expert immediately, these warning signs are only the beginning of your problems. Dogs with such behavior never get better on their own. In fact, they always get worse. I am talking about “the worst-of-the-worst” here.

Look at it this way. Will any of YOUR bad habits go away on their own? Of course not. Psycho dogs are no different!

Kevin Salem is considered to be one of the brightest minds in the world of dog training and one of the pioneers in his field. It’s hard to paint Kevin’s image with the same brush as others, as his unique way of thinking, writing, and philosophy truly makes him distinct. Kevin offers Doggie Boot Camp or House Calls Nationwide. Try his book, hire him in person, or see him put his eyebrow raising skills into action on his award-winning web site: http://ww.DogSecrets.com

It doesn’t really matter whether your dog is a puppy or an adult, spoiled or abused, big or tiny. If you don’t pay attention to these certain characteristics, your dog could easily become your boss and may get aggressive with you, with other dogs, or toward your loved ones.

You must be able to recognize these signs from the early start before they get worse. If you notice your dog already being very persistent and even a bit dominant, the last thing you need to do is spoil it rotten and let it get away with murder. You basically would be pouring gasoline on fire. Take kids for example, say a kid is already strong, brave and rebellious AND you go out of your way to spoil it to death. You’ll definitely have your work cut out for you and might even end up on the Dr. Phil show for losing your sanity!

Here we go.

Does Your Dog:

• Constantly jump up on you, on others and on kids, regardless of how many times you tell him to stop? Do you always find yourself getting physical trying to restrain him, or else he won’t settle down right away?

• Refuse to stop barking, whimpering, scratching, throwing a tantrum inside the crate or when he demands to come in or be let out?

• Squeeze through door the door like a flying bullet and push you out of the way? How about crowding you, pushing you out of the way by making you back up and by stepping in your space every time you ask it to obey a command?

• Respond to commands only if you are holding a treat, eating at the table, or have some sort of treats in your hands? This means: “Look lady. You’re not worthy of my time. But, if you have something tasty, then I’ll think about it.” These dogs, especially around distractions, will ignore even your moist treats and STILL won’t respond to you. Sometimes the owners make the horrible mistake of giving their dogs the treats regardless of whether they responded or not. So the dog wins either way!

• Demand your attention and rarely stop misbehaving when you tell him to? You’ll notice your dog jumping up on you, getting on your lap, nudging at your hands and he won’t care whether you are tired, not in the mood to play, or if you are holding a cup of hot coffee. He will jump up on you even when not invited. “Drop whatever you’re doing, Mommy. I need to cuddle and love a tummy rub and I need it RIGHT NOW!”―that’s what your dog is saying to himself.

• Keep on barking back at you when you are trying to stop him from an unacceptable behavior. This could be when you are trying to stop him from begging for food, barking back at you, mouthing, and if you happen to stop him from stealing food off tables. Some dogs get on their hind legs and try to stand up to you to challenge you.

• Rarely obeys the commands that she already KNOWS and ignores you in your day-to-day routines. You most likely find yourself getting louder and louder, and end up forcing your dog into a sit or down position. Sometimes you might find yourself grabbing your dog’s collar to make her mind, tugging on her leash, or restraining her the entire time so she doesn’t embarrass you even more.

• Play-bite on your hands and wrestle you by pushing down on the leash with his paw or worse, sometimes with both paws. (Boxers are famous for this.)

• Jumps up on you and sometimes throws himself on the ground so you can’t make him do anything else against his will. Large breeds and spoiled dogs do this all the time and the owners end up picking them up and carrying them like a baby. (Yeah. Try carrying a Bullmastiff, Great Dane or a Saint Bernard!)

• Holds the leash in his mouth when you are in the middle of training or walking him. In your dog’s mind, he is walking you! This might seem cute to you and others, but in reality your dog sees you as the “dog” and he has—YOU–on the leash.

• Resists lying down for you on command. You might see your dog trying to compromise by giving you his paw, sitting, barking and even doing a rollover instead. Some of these dogs turn it in their favor and trick you by showing you their stomach and what even funnier is, most of you end up giving them a belly rub after all. Remember, it’s a down command! Not a “let me give you a belly rub” command. You probably didn’t know this, but the more your dog lies down for you flat on his tummy, the more he is actually submitting to you and sees you as an authority figure.

Here’s an interesting fact about the Down Command: If you tell ten dogs to sit for you, eight out of the ten might do it. But if you ask a group of a hundred dogs to do “a down,” you’ll be lucky if you can get five out of the hundred to do it. Getting your dog to lie down is a great way to establish leadership without being harsh or abusive. Try doing it WITHOUT a biscuit, holding your fingers as if you have a treat, pointing, bending over or slapping the ground. And good luck!

• Keeps getting frustrated and wraps the leash around you, backs away, nips at your hands and feet, starts to lunge and makes noises as if he’s gone mad. All this drama and temper-tantrum so you let him get to other dogs, cats, squirrels, kids on wheels or cars driving by. In a way, your dog’s trying anything possible to get his way.

• Humping anything that moves or breathes. This is rarely sexual. Most humping are a sign of dominance. Whether it’s a certain family member, your kid, your roommate, a poor stuffed animal, your sofa, or even the poor visitor, your dog is desperately trying to assert his dominance by letting them know that “he” is the one in charge here.

• Leans on your foot when you ask her to sit. This sometimes happens when a dog is scared or nervous. However if you notice your dog often sitting on your foot after the sit command, even without any distractions, sudden noise or any other reason you can think of, you better believe that she is trying to dominate you. It’s just like the neighborhood bully who loves to lean on that weakest kid in school.

• Out of the blue, urinates or defecates in an inappropriate place to upset you. You know for a fact that your dog is completely housebroken, has been outside, had access to the doggy door, and is NOT sick. It’s been weeks and even months since his last accident. This usually happens when you didn’t give your dog the attention he wanted. It could also be more serious issues such as: when you leave town, work longer hours, have a change in your schedule, brought a new pet into your home, have a guest over, date someone new, or start training your dog with a new attitude/new ground rules and your dog is upset and retaliates to get back at you. Yes. Dogs do this more than you’d think.

• Is a bit unpredictable when you grab him by his collar. Some of these dogs do back-flips and you can feel your fingers bending backward as you scream in agony. Trainers have dislocated their fingers and injured their wrists with such dogs. Basically, your dog is fighting you and saying, “NO WAY. I am not going to let you hold me against my will. Let’s see if you can still hold on to me when I do my psycho move on you.” These dogs may act fine in one moment, but then in the next moment, when you grab them by their collar, they try to bite your hand off. Unless you are dealing with a scared or abused dog, which is very unlikely, your dog should let you grab him by his collar at ANY given time. This shows trust and the fact that he truly “respects” you as a leader.

Make sure you seek the help of an expert in private. These bad habits always get worse as time goes by. Get ready because the next chapter goes more into dominance and aggression tendencies and these dogs will make these dogs seem like pussycats.

Kevin Salem is considered to be one of the brightest minds in the world of dog training and one of the pioneers in his field. It’s hard to paint Kevin’s image with the same brush as others, as his unique way of thinking, writing, and philosophy truly makes him distinct. If you are a fan of Cesar Millan, it will be difficult not to fall in love with Kevin’s book. You’ll finally be able to put an end to your dog’s: Jumping Up, House-training, Play-biting, Barking, Leash Pulling, Destructiveness, Bolting Out, Over-protectiveness– to complete off-leash response. 10 week old pups to 10 yr old adults, all breeds welcome. Kevin offers Doggie Boot Camp or House Calls Nationwide. Try his book, hire him in person, or see him put his eyebrow raising skills into action by visiting his award-winning web site: http://ww.DogSecrets.com

Just by correcting these ten mistakes and misconceptions, you’ll automatically improve your chances of success to a level matching the top 1% of the most effective dog trainers in the world. You may find this hard to believe, but even experienced trainers make some of these mistakes. Yes. I am referring to professionals who train dogs for a living.

If you really want to cut down on your training time and see a REAL difference in your dog’s training response, busting these myths will be your stepping stone in achieving jaw-dropping results!

Myth #1: Training Ruins a Dog’s Personality and Breaks His Spirit

Dog abuse does that–not proper training combined with dog psychology. When you catch your dog making a mistake, you need to correct it, not punish it. There is a big difference! Hint: A sign of an abusive method is when you or a trainer is yelling, hitting or hanging your poor dog by his feet in order to make him listen or submit. Certain training tools also can be “misused” in the wrong hands.

Myth #2: Train Your Dog with Treats and He Will Eventually Listen to You Just As Well, Even Without Any Tidbits Forever and Ever After

This without a doubt HAS to be the biggest scam in dog training history! Think about it. Would you still work for your company once they stop paying you? Then how could you possibly expect the same level of response from your poor dog, especially once you stop giving him those cookies? You should surprise your dog with treats once in a while, but at the very “end” of your training session and NOT before each command. That is being fair, smart AND practical. Besides, your dog should sit, stay or lie down because you said so and not because he’s going to get a crispy bacon strip. Most of us were raised that way and turned out OK, didn’t we? Wouldn’t you rather rely on your Love, Leadership, Praise and Technique, instead of Hotdogs, Cheese, Biscuit and Dried Liver? Let’s face it, it doesn’t take much talent OR skill to bribe a dog to death and then confuse it with dog training. Everybody knows that’s simply–“bribery!”

Myth #3: Dog Parks Are the Best Place to Get Your Dog Socialized

This is where your dog actually picks up lots of bad habits that aren’t easy to break. These include: barking nonstop for NO reason, tackling and chasing each other, humping constantly, start marking inside your home, and even stealing or guarding toys from other dogs–and maybe even from you. Let’s not forget jumping up on people, on dogs, growling, snapping, lunging and the chance of your dog being bullied by much bigger and stronger dogs. If you happen to own a tough dog, the day will come when your dog will meet his match that challenges yours, causing a very nasty dog fight. Don’t forget that not all of these dogs are going to be healthy, vaccinated or even spayed/neutered. You’ve probably known of someone that didn’t like you for no apparent reason. It is not much different in dog parks. There will be that one dog that will pick on yours and even maul it for no reason just because he felt like it. This results in your dog losing total trust in—YOU–and becoming fearful or even aggressive toward certain breeds, or worse, toward ALL dogs for rest of its life. As you can see, taking your baby to dog parks is a gamble where the odds are strongly against you. So choose wisely!

Myth #4: Don’t Bother Giving Your Dog ANY Commands, Until You Get His Visual Attention by Saying, “Watch Me!” First

Answer this honestly! Would you rather have your dog look at you or actually “listen” to you? I prefer both. But we all know that LISTENING is far more important. Then please don’t slow down your training progress with the annoying, watch me… watch me… watch me… that’s called nagging!!! (Poor men. Now you know what we go through.) You only need your dog’s eyes glued to you if you choose to prepare him for obedience competitions. Speaking from experience, most of you only care for a well-mannered and obedient pet, rather than a super-trained dog that wins you all these titles, ribbons and trophies.

Myth #5: Since “NO” Doesn’t Get Your Dog’s Attention Anymore, Change it to “Eh”, “Eh-eh” or “Shht” Instead

You definitely want your dog to stop whatever it’s doing the second it hears,“NO!” Even if you have been somewhat successful in getting your dog’s attention with strange terms such as: “Eh,” “Eh-eh,” or my favorite of all–“baaaah.” Your friends, relatives, kids, and your neighbors will laugh at you and have a hard time remembering it. Let’s face it. When your dog misbehaves, people naturally tell it–“NO!” They won’t really remember or even care much for any other terms. Sure, Cesar Millan can control dogs with “Shhht” and it works for him. Are you The Dog Whisperer? I didn’t think so! (Hey Cesar. You owe me one bud! )

Myth #6: You Can Solve Your Dog’s Bad Habits, Which Mostly Occur in Your Home, by Joining an Obedience Class

Here is the main problem with dog classes: they are structured to teach your dog the “obedience factor” only! Ask yourself AND the trainer conducting that group class, how are you able to solve my dog’s bad habits that mostly occur in my HOME, by joining your group class that is full of ten more unruly dogs? Can you really help me solve my dog’s potty training, jumping up, play-biting, barking excessively, over-protectiveness, bolting out the door, chasing my cat, counter surfing, separation anxiety and not having manners around my guests, by dragging it every Wednesday night to a group class? So here’s the truth most of these dog schools hide from you: Group-class trainers, no matter how qualified they may be, and no matter how much they are trying to be helpful, when it really comes down to it, they CANNOT help you with these issues. You need that one-on-one attention to accomplish those tasks. Even teaching your dog to Walk on a Loose Leash, Stay, Lie Down and Come to You When Called, are best taught in private or in your home first.

Myth #7: You Can’t Really Teach a Young Pup Under Four Months Old. And If Your Dog Is a Few Years Old, You Are Totally Out of Luck!

No dog is ever too young or too old to learn what is right and what is wrong, what is acceptable and what is not. It doesn’t really matter whether your dog is an eight week old pup or a stubborn eight year old dog. With a “Diverse Method,” all dogs can be trained and learn to follow your rules. For example, bad habits―such as peeing and pooping all over your house, jumping up on your guests, lunging, snapping, running around like a maniac, barking excessively, knocking down your kids, terrorizing the guests and chasing down the mailman, are all unacceptable behavior. I’m sure you agree that there is no excuse or age limit for ANY of these bad habits and with proper guidance and training technique, they can be solved.

Myth #8: All Dogs Can Be Trained with the Same Training Tool

There is no magical tool that works on EVERY dog. Some dogs are just too strong, too big, too fast, too stubborn, and too sneaky for their poor owners. So which training tools do top trainers swear by? The answer may surprise you. But they too rely on whatever tool that works best for them and their dogs. So why should it be any different with you? If the training tool in which you are using at the moment doesn’t seem to get your dog’s attention or match your physical strength, try a different one. Why use what doesn’t work? This is especially important when your dog is faced with hard-to-ignore distractions such as other dogs, your visitors, the mail carrier or around your neighborhood’s cats.

Myth #9: Dogs Were Born to Please

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the majority of our dogs would rather please themselves first. It’s obvious that your dog loves you dearly, but don’t confuse that with “respect” or “obedience.” Also, if all dogs were truly natural PLEASERS, don’t you think there would be NO dog training books, dog trainers, dog behaviorists or even doggie shrinks? Everybody would have a perfect dog with no bad habits and a dog that listens to you AND everyone else, no matter what the circumstances. Hey, he’s a pleaser, isn’t he? I rest my case!

Myth #10: If You Send Your Dog Away to Be Trained, It Will Learn to Listen ONLY to the Trainer and Still Ignore Just Like Before

Here’s how I will bust this myth once and for all! No dog trainer can argue with the fact that all the best-trained dogs you can think of have been trained by an expert first. Dogs for the blind, dogs for the handicap, hunting dogs, and attack-trained police dogs, are just to name a few. Doggie Boot Camp is a wise choice, especially when you travel out of town, have a busy schedule, mother to be, in process of moving, or, if you just prefer the “expert” to do the hardest part and have you do the maintenance. Basically your dog goes to rehab and gets re-trained, next comes the harder part–training YOU!

NOTE: These ten dog training myths have been presented to you in the most condensed way possible. As you read the rest of the book, you’ll learn more about how I back up what I am trying to convey with even more compelling facts. But you don’t have to take my word for it! I want you to research and study all ten of these myths and mistakes for yourself. Watch some dog classes, observe different dog parks, talk to a few dog owners who have actually tried different training methods, and compare this book to other dog training and dog psychology books on the market.

I’m confident the results you’ll get by following the “Diverse Method” taught in this book, will be so convincing, that you’ll agree other methods won’t stand a chance. This is because by being diverse, you are combining the best of every method making yourself highly versatile.

Kevin Salem is considered to be one of the brightest minds in the world of dog training and one of the pioneers in his field. It’s hard to paint Kevin’s image with the same brush as others, as his unique way of thinking, writing, and philosophy truly makes him distinct. If you are a fan of Cesar Millan, it will be difficult not to fall in love with Kevin’s book. You’ll finally be able to put an end to your dog’s: Jumping Up, House-training, Play-biting, Barking, Leash Pulling, Destructiveness, Bolting Out, Over-protectiveness– to complete off-leash response. 10 week old pups to 10 yr old adults, all breeds welcome. Kevin offers Doggie Boot Camp or House Calls Nationwide. Try his book, hire him in person, or see him put his eyebrow raising skills into action by visiting his award-winning web site: http://ww.DogSecrets.com

Polyester used to be a staple of the workplace. Companies that made employees wear uniforms seemed to go with the ugliest things they could find. Then, polyester was replaced with a simple t-shirt. T-shirts do not do the organization any favors. They cause the company to look bad in general. To give more class to uniforms, many companies are choosing to use embroidered shirts. These items offer elegant style that is lacking in many other uniforms.

This uniform choice allows workers to look much more dressed up than the other available options. They can come in long sleeves or short sleeves, so no matter what the climate is, they make a good choice. They add to the looks of the establishment. When employees are dressed nicely, customers recognize that. They automatically think better about the establishment as a whole.

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Embroidered shirts also set a company apart from its competition. While two companies might be in the same type of business, company branded apparel helps for customers to associate the two places differently. This can lead to more customers. Customers will typically flock to the business that is able to represent itself in a more professional manner.

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The susceptibility of the food chain to manmade chemicals has been highlighted once again by the Dow AgroSciences calamity over Aminopyralid.

The chemical, a herbicide popular with many farmers, is able to destroy weeds and nettles without destroying the crops or grass around them. However, the Aminopyralid, which is used to in the manufacture of many different Dow AgroSceinces products, has managed to outwit the brains that knew enough about its potential to warn against using it on food crops or on material that will be directly turned into compost.

However, despite these best intentions and precautions, Aminopyralid had slid into the food chain, and it is now being blamed for deformed vegetable crops and vacant plots and allotments up and down the country.

Scientists think that the contaminations originated in grass sprayed with the herbicide a year ago. Whilst materials themselves treated with the herbicide could not be sold as compost, nobody thought to concern themselves about the fact that Aminopyralid-treated silage, the cattle feed used over winter, might result in manure that was itself contaminated. That manure was then sold, to private gardens, to allotments and so on, and is now ruining harvests and – with those affected being told to not even think about planting in the same soil for at least twelve months – leaving allotments and vegetable patches forlorn and vacant.

And those twelve months, it is feared, could be just the beginning of a long road toward seeing our allotments and gardens fully Aminopyralid free.

The current suspension on Aminopyralid related products is not yet permanent, but even if it becomes so and farmers do not use the herbicides that they have already purchased then it is estimated that the problem of the contaminated manure will still be around for at least four more years.

The Royal Horticultural Society is conducting soil tests for people worried that they may have inadvertently contaminated their plot by using manure containing the echoes of Aminopyralid. However, a good test that any concerned person can do for free right now is to transplant a tomato plant into a 50% manure 50% compost mixture and then just wait and see for any signs, such as withered leaves and distorted shapes, that has been associated with the herbicide.

There has been a growing trend of people now turning toward growing their own food on allotments. The security of being able to check what, if any, pesticides or herbicides are on our food is often cited as a reason for this. So too s the growing concern over the effect that foods imported over long distances – often so that produce that is out of its growing season can still be stacked onto supermarket shelves – is having on the environment. The notion of food miles, and the acceptance of how they fit into expanding or reducing an individuals carbon footprint, means that more and more people find the prospect of growing their vegetables locally extremely appealing. Many councils have had to quarter the size of the allotments that they offer because demand is now so great. Let’s hope that the fear over Aminopyralid doesn’t affect this eco-friendly trend.

Matt Gammie is a writer for Ecoswitch

It’s a rare business plan that involves visiting the pale severity of the Arctic, but for those companies that do send their employees into the wilderness the return can be sizable. For these companies it’s not what’s visible in this fragile, remote and utterly unique portion of the world, but rather what is hidden, beneath the surface, swirling in giant lakes; the dark liquor of the deep earth that yells up to the oil prospectors through the ice, apparently desperate to be pumped upwards and put to use in our cars and factories.

The search for oil has long defined man’s interaction with the Arctic, but a new report by the Centre for International Climate and Environmental Research describes how, in somewhat of a closed system, the results of the climate change caused by fossils fuels such as oil will make future efforts to clean up after oil spills even more difficult.

The report also suggests that such spills may become more likely in the future, as climate change will stir up rougher seas, making the already difficult to navigate shipping routes even more dangerous.

Environmental groups, such as the WWF, are calling for a total ban on oil prospecting in regions where the oil companies’ strategies for spill cleanup are not credible. The Arctic fields pose two very specific problems; first that oil that has seeped beneath the ice is impossible to clear up, and second that deploying the technologies needed to clear up the oil is extremely difficult in the constant darkness that befalls the Arctic Circle for some of the year.

As oilfields dry up, and the yearning for oil continues, there is growing concern that oil companies will be more and more adventurous in their hunt for the bounty. To the dismay of environmental groups, global warming is actually making hitherto unreachable Arctic oil fields accessible, as ice breaks and recedes due to climate change.

The Northwest Passage is certainly more navigable now that at anytime in the past, as the warming climate turns solid ice into water. Research conducted by the Naval Postgraduate School, in California, recently estimated the Arctic sea could be completely free of ice by 2013.

It’s an off-colour irony that this sad fact will possibly benefit those companies that are most culpable for changing the face of our planet.

The influence, and outright corruption, that some of the major oil companies are able to exert on policy makers is nowhere more striking, nor tragic, that in the case of their interaction with the Arctic. In Alaska, the National Interests Lands Conservation Act of 1980 created the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, an area where wildlife and landscape were meant to be protected against the gluttony of the oil men.

The Act contained a contentious section; section 1002, which deferred a ruling on whether the 1.5 million-acre coastal plain could be drilled into. In 1987 the Department of the Interior completed a report that outlined the probable and proven resources of the area, through use of seismic processing (itself a controversial technique, due to the fact that it disturbs bears and has been directly linked with instances of mother bears abandoning their cubs) and other geophysical data. Since that report was presented many wells have been pierced down close to ANWR and it was no surprise to environmental groups when, in 2001, the esteemed Bush administration suggested that drilling inside the reserve to be a logical solution to America’s energy shortages.

Matt Gammie is an environment writer for ecoswitch, the green comparison website

Consumers worldwide have been feeling the pinch recently. Food prices have risen as the honeymoon period of cheap oil that allowed for the years of overabundant production in the west has ended. No more are the days of milk lakes and corn mountains. The days of food being so cheap that almost a third of everything purchased in the UK is thrown away look similarly numbered, as rising oil prices and unpredictable, poor harvests (themselves the result of climate change) press rates of production down, and the golden age of the Green Revolution slips further and further into memory.

Whilst food prices are rising they still take a far smaller bite out of the average wage packet than they did in the 1970’s – around 10% now compared with 20% back then. However, there has been much speculation that increased food prices will drive people away from the organic products that have been rising in popularity in the last few years.

Most supermarkets now carry a wide selection of organic products, from milk to shampoos, but, due to less intensive methods of production, these products are normally more expensive that their non-organic counterparts. Although there has been much speculation about a possible fall in sales of organic products in the face of economic slowdown, sales have continued to rise and the sector, which accounts for about 1.5% of all food purchased in UK supermarkets, is now valued at £980 million a year.

It is uncertain whether consumers will still be willing to pay that extra amount on each weekly shopping basket in a couple of month’s time. Should it be the case that the public’s acceptance of organic products drops off then this would be a great shame to the environmental movement, as organic products, for example organic milk, result in far lower carbon emissions than their non-organic counterparts.

Whilst an increase in food prices might lead people away from environmentally friendly, organic food purchases, rising costs are leading people toward more ecologically friendly practices in areas outside the supermarket isles. Allotments, where people can grow their own organic food, are in as high a demand as ever, and newspapers and television programmes are now reflecting the growing trend of people getting their hands and knees dirty in order to prepare the food they eat for dinner. In terms of reducing a household’s carbon footprint the shift toward economical, home-grown vegetables is great news, as it cuts away the emissions caused by the manufacture of fertilisers and transport of the product.

In addition to food there has been a growing use in services that allow people to advertise their unwanted goods rather than sending them to the landfill or incinerator. In the United States www.throwplace.com allows people to announce their desire to part company with everything from tables to computers. The website gives people the choice to donate to either individuals, businesses, American charities and international charities, and as well as being financially rewarding for the people who gain from the free goods it is also massively beneficial to the environment, as it reduces the amount of perfectly good items being sent to the landfill.

In the UK there is a similar system running through the freecycle network (www.freecycle.org). Here people can advertise both the things they want and the things that they have to give away. Many of the items being offered are the result of people moving house, and the system provides a good way of finding new homes for items that are far too good for the landfill, but not really worth the effort of selling; a perfect synergy between economics and environmentalism.

Matt Gammie is a writer for the green comparison website Ecoswitch, the green comparison website

As one of the leading manufacturers of hand crafted wooden baskets, Peterboro Basket Company has established a reputation of high quality among basket enthusiasts. The company is located in Peterborough, New Hampshire and has been in business for over one hundred and fifty years.

One of the founders of this company was Amzi Childs who came originally from Deerfield, Massachusetts. He arrived in Peterborough in 1841 to manufacture lead pipe. Meanwhile, a man by the name of Moses Chapman had erected a building in 1830 that served as a wheelwright shop. Along with a man named Asa Henry, Childs began to weave baskets in the wheelwright shop from 1851 until 1891. In that year, the basket business burned, and was later sold to the McLane Basket Factory that was located in Milford. The Peterborough business was moved there as well.

One of the foremen at Child’s factory was named Henry B. Needham. He had worked at the plant for fifteen years when the fateful fire occurred. After the business was moved to Milford, Needham established his own basket business, the Needham Basket Factory, in Peterborough in part of the White Machine Shop. Two years later, in 1893, Needham built a new building of his own.

His business began to boom, and in 1916 his business was incorporated and became the H.B. Needham Basket Company. In 1920, this company was reorganized to build a new building and was reunited with the Milford company. In 1926, tragedy struck for a second time as the new building of the H. B. Needham Basket Company also burned. The company was reorganized again, and became the present day Peterboro Basket Company.

Today, the business is still family owned and operated, and employs a large number of Peterborough’s Cambodian population. The company also has the Peterboro Factory Outlet Store that is housed at the same site that the manufacturing facility is. Inside, a team of artisans craft these homemade baskets with the same care that Amzi Childs did. Unlike other basket companies such as the Longaberger Basket Company, the Peterboro Basket Company does not offer tours of their facility due to insurance requirements. The company does, however, offer a video that shows the process in which these baskets are made.

The Peterboro Basket Company offers a variety of baskets for every occasion. Their most popular items include a beautiful knitting basket. This item has a lid and solid legs built onto the bottom that allows you to set these baskets anywhere that you are planning to work. Measuring 17”L x 11 ?”W x 13”H and costing $59.95, this basket can be a useful addition to any household.

Another popular item that is available from the Peterboro Basket Company is the Peterboro Traditional Magazine / Storage basket. This item is the largest in the Peterborough line and allows for easy carrying due to the presence of two swing handles. This model also has two legs that are on the bottom that are crafted from Appalachian White Ash. Measuring 20” L x 12”W x 11’H and costing $39.95, this basket can be used for storing magazines or for toting a huge picnic lunch to your favorite park or beach.

We have baby gift baskets that are cute and practical. Perfect for the newborn and new moms. For more information, visit this article on baby gift baskets.

Two non-profit organisations in the United States, alongside the private research Duke University in North Carolina, have spent the last three years monitoring the actions of gas and oil companies in the western Amazon, and have now completed a comprehensive map covering the area that shows the alarming extent to which the corporations have plans for commencing their destructive trade in their area.

The study identified 180 “blocks” that have been ear-marked for oil and gas exploration, an area that stretches 170 million acres, an area just smaller than that of oil rich Texas. Understandably, these findings have caused a huge amount of concern that the businesses are instigating a plan to begin operating in this delicate, bio-diverse portion of the world. The threat to wildlife and indigenous people is obvious, and the report found that many of the oil and gas blocks overlie areas of the greatest ecological wealth, meaning that any activity in the area would come at the cost of species that are already under threat, amphibians for example.

Environmentalists should be under no illusions as to the amount of pressure that businesses can exert on areas that have been in theory protected from their activities. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska is an example of an area that was recognised as being environmentally vulnerable, was defended through legislation and has still found itself under the avaricious eyes of the Bush administration and their oil drilling friends. When president calls for congress to authorize oil prospecting in a wildlife refuge, you realise that the measured, protective legislation put in place to guard environmentally valuable areas is all to easily brushed aside for the immediate plans of big business.

This study fond that the highest concentration of these ‘blocks’ were concentrated in the most pristine areas of the Amazon, and that even the world famous national parks contained within, such as Bolivia’s Madidi National Park, were earmarked for exploration. Overall, the study found that there are a total of 64 ‘blocks’ in the Peruvian Amazon, covering around 121 million acres or 72% of the total land. Peru, like many other developing, Amazonian countries, has been driving toward increasing its hydrocarbon exploration in its own borders, although it is not currently allowing such activities in its national parks.

The report focused on the impact that road building would have on these remote, potted havens of biodiversity. As well as destroying the rainforest beneath their path, roads make previously inaccessible areas easily accessible to human influence, including illegal loggers and poachers. Illegal logging is already a major problem in the vulnerable Amazon, where the sheer scale of the area makes effective policing very difficult. It is estimated that illegal logging accounts for around half of all logging globally, and would be devastating to a developing Amazonian country as it would cause a loss of biodiversity without bringing any of the economic benefits to the country as a whole due to the loss in tax revenue.

The report went on to highlight the huge impact that opening up these secluded areas of jungle would have to the indigenous people who currently inhabit the area. Many of these communities would be extremely vulnerable to disease brought in from the outside world, and there is a concern that traditional cultures and ways of life would be placed under threat through coming into contact with people from outside the forest.

Matt Gammie is a writer for the green camparison website ecoswitch