More and more, screen readers are being bundled with operating system distributions. Next month Anthony Loeff nonprofit worker is writing about digital tools for visually impaired Most legally blind people 81 percent do not use computers. Web browsers, word processors, icons and windows and email programs are just some of the applications used successfully by screen reader users.
Only a small fraction of this population, when compared to the sighted community, have Internet access.
The open source GNOME desktop environment long included Gnopernicus and now includes Orca. Indeed functionality remains limited compared to equivalent desktop applications, the major benefit is to increase the accessibility of said websites. A persons choice of screen reader is dictated by many factors, including platform and the role of organizations like charities, schools, and employers.
Recent versions of Microsoft Windows come with the rather basic Narrator.
The rest have some vision, from light perception alone to relatively good acuity. Experimental approaches in sensory substitution are beginning to provide access to arbitrary live views from a camera.
While Apple Mac OS X includes VoiceOver, a more feature-rich screen reader. Screen readers are a form of assistive technology potentially useful to people who are blind, visually impaired, or learning disabled, often in combination with other AT such as screen magnifiers. Linux distributions for the blind include Oralux and Adriane Knoppix. The latter developed in part by Knopper who has a visual impairment. A screen reader is a software application that attempts to identify and interpret what is being displayed on the screen. Later versions of Microsoft Windows include an Accessibility Wizard and Magnifier for those with partial vision, and Microsoft Narrator, a simple screen reader. Screen readers can be assumed to be able to access all display content that is not intrinsically inaccessible.
There are also open source screen readers, such as the Linux Screen Reader for GNOME and NonVisual Desktop Access for Windows.
Further, using a screen reader is, according to some users, considerably more difficult than using a GUI and many applications have specific problems resulting from the nature of the application. Almost 25 percent of those deemed legally blind, by any measure, have no vision. The movement towards greater web accessibility is opening a far wider number of websites to adaptive technology, making the web a more inviting place for visually impaired surfers. Screen reader choice is contentious: differing priorities and strong preferences are common. This interpretation is then represented to the user with text-to-speech, sound icons, or a braille output. The Macintosh OS also comes with a built-in screen reader, called VoiceOver. The console-based Oralux Linux distribution ships with three screen-reading environments: Emacspeak, Yasr and Speakup. The primary audience for such applications is those who have difficulty reading because of learning disabilities or language barriers. Access technology such as screen readers and Screen magnifiers enable the blind to use mainstream computer applications.
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The south beach diet is a way that many people are shedding the pounds. Miami cardiologic Arthur Agatston started this diet. It got its name when it became a very popular diet in South Florida. This diet is unique from many diets because it evolves. Instead of simply having a diet list that remains the same throughout the course of the diet, your requirements change in stages.
When you first start the south beach diet, it is much like every other diet. You cut out all those things in your diet that most people live for. Sweets, breads, carbohydrates, alcohol, and even fruits are forbidden. Unlike most diets, however, this phase is only supposed to last for two weeks. This is why it is usually seen as healthier than a no-carbohydrate diet. While no carbohydrates will certainly make most people lose weight, it isn’t healthy for the long run. You need these for energy and a healthy body.
After two weeks of torture with a south beach diet, you are allowed to have your forbidden foods back, but not in the same way as before. The hope is, that as you go through this diet plan, you will learn what foods are truly good for you. There are some fats and carbohydrates and even sweets that your body should have. A healthy body is well balance. The challenge is to find that balance.
When you add your foods back into your diet, you are supposed to do this step in a slow and healthy way. When you get through adding all of your loved foods back into your diet, hopefully you will have learned how to eat normal size portions. Many people eat otherwise healthy foods, but in too large of portions.
You will also have learned how to balance your diet so that you take in everything you need without overdoing anything. Advocates of the south beach diet conclude that you don’t go without anything your body needs.
You only get rid of those things such as carbohydrates and fats that are bad for you. The fats and carbs that are deemed good will stay in your long-term diet.
The south beach diet is supposed to become a lifelong way of eating after you make the steps to eat this way. And if it gives you the body image that you are seeking, who would really quit it? And on top of a positive body image, your doctor will also be proud of you for adopting a healthier lifestyle.
Read about the South beach diet
at http://www.best-south-beach-diet.info
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If you are planning on opening up a small business, it is very wise to offer your employees health insurance. Health insurance for small businesses is getting more and more affordable and is a great way to attract and keep great employees. So many companies do not offer health benefits to employees, and yet, this is one of the reasons most people will say they stay with one job or another.
Health insurance is not something that people want to be without, and if you are willing to help pay part of the premium, you will get good people who are willing to work hard for their pay and benefits.
I am a small business owner and am very frustrated because I want to offer health insurance to my employees, but I don’t know if I can afford to do so. Health insurance for small businesses is somewhat expensive. I have been shopping around and looking at the different products that are out there.
I think after doing my research that I will at least be able to pay part of the premium for the employees that have been with me for a set amount of time and I know they will appreciate at least having the opportunity to have health benefits with my company.
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Ayurveda, the Indian stream of medical sciences, is considered to be gifted to people by God himself. Earlier restricted to the ancient scriptures, the science is now being researched upon to find cures to several ailments that afflict people. Ayurvedic essential oils are the pure essences of several herbs and plants that have been identified with medicinal qualities.
Ayurvedic treatment differs from the conventional cures in the sense that it aims at curing the sick rather than the sickness. It is considered that the person as a whole must be treated if one wants to find a potent cure of the sickness. The ayurvedic essential oils help a lot in healing the person from inside.
The herbs and plants used to prepare ayurvedic essential oils are mostly of Indian origin. The ancient scriptures have a mention of the qualities of each of the herb. Moreover, one can find the method of preparing the ayurvedic essential oils to keep the essence of herb intact.
The natural state of the body is considered at equilibrium. A healthy person enjoys equilibrium, wherein doshas, agni (digestive fire), dhatus (tissues), normal functioning of mala (waste products), cheerful state of atman (soul), sensory organs and mind are working well.
Doshas find a special mention in the ayurvedic studies. There are three types of doshas or faults within the body- vata, pitta, and kapha. When the functioning of these three doshas is impaired, then human body takes up diseases.
Vata is identified with the cosmic element of air and ether, which regulates all types of movements. The person with a vata nature is likely to be ill with diseases of the neurological system, particularly the motor functions. Elderly people are more likely to have vata disorders. For the correction of vata dosha, ayurvedic essential oils will be very helpful. The ayurvedic essential oils used will be moist, calming, and warm to successfully cure the disorder. Some of the important essential oils used to treat vata imbalances are bergamont, orange, sandalwood, turmeric, frankincence, vetivert, camphor oils etc. Essential oils clear blocked passages of the body. They are also beneficial to prevent dryness of skin and loss of water in the body tissues.
Another dosha is of the pitta type. Agni or heat forms the primary constituent of pitta. Maintaining body heat is the primary responsibility of pitta. Hence, Pitta is responsible for metabolic process in the organ and tissue systems, in addition to the cellular metabolism. One can identify persons of the pitta type by their sharpness, prompt action and their intellectual capacity. Diseases of the digestive and metabolic systems largely affect the pitta type people, which is visible more during the middle ages. Ayurvedic essential oils that help in treating pitta disorders must have a cooling effect to let excessive heat out of the body. The essential ayurvedic oil must be essentially dry. The ayurvedic essential oils that best suit this type of imbalances are sandalwood, jasmine, lavender, neroli, tea tree oils.
The last type of dosha is kapha. Kapha is made up of earth and water. The body form and structure, inclusive of fluids, fats, muscles, bones etc. come under kapha. Respiratory system is more prone to kapha imbalances, which results into phlegmatic disorders. Such disorders are mostly visible in the children who may complain of chest pain or problems in breathing. Ayurvedic essential oils help healing these disorders. The essential ayurvedic oils used to treat kapha disorders will be opposite to the ones used in pitta disorders. This is because kapha has cold qualities unlike pitta, which is concerned with heat. Therefore, the ayurvedic oils will be light, warm and dry.
Ayurveda aspire to bring the person back to its normal natural state, by facilitating healing from inside. Ayurvedic essential oils further this object of ayurveda by using the pure essence of herbs and plants.
Bryan Josling is working with the Horticultural Research Station in Adelaide. He has also been involved with research on plants. To find Aromatherapy essential oils, essential massage oils, essential oils wholesale visit http://www.ndaroma.com.
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In health clubs, they run classes that call themselves “aerobics”. As you will come to see, they are neither aerobic, nor are they the best way to lose the excess fat. The main thing they accomplish for you is losing weight from your wallet.
True Aerobics
The word “aerobic” literally means “with air”. It is the opposite of anaerobic (without air). These terms refer to the way in which your cells are providing the energy for your muscles to work. Anaerobic means sugars are being burned without oxygen, which creates a by-product of lactic acid. This lactic acid accumulates in your muscles, causing them to feel like they’re burning. Aerobic means that blood sugar and fat are being burned in oxygen, which has only carbon dioxide as a by-product, which you exhale. Low intensity exercise is aerobic because you can inhale enough oxygen to meet your muscles’ energy needs. High intensity exercise needs far more energy, but you can’t breathe in enough air to keep up, so you feel “out of breath”. But your muscles still need the energy, so they switch to anaerobic. However, you can’t burn fat in anaerobic mode, only sugars, so you can’t keep it up too long, and you’re not accomplishing your goal of fat-reduction.
Whatever activity you choose, you know you’re in an aerobic mode if you can take deep breaths and carry on a conversation. If you’re taking fast, shallow breaths through your mouth, then no matter how slow you may be going or what kind of activity it is, you’re doing it anaerobically. Does that mean that walking to the store is aerobic activity? Yes. Most things you do all day are aerobic. For it to be exercise, though, you have to raise your heart rate. So, get the blood flowing by walking fast, and you’ll be burning fat in no time.
For aerobic exercise to be effective, it has to be long duration. When you start to move around, your body will burn blood-sugar in oxygen aerobically, but it won’t trigger your fat cells to provide any fat to burn right away. Your body would prefer to wait for your next meal to replace the blood sugar. It’s only when you show your body that it will need more energy right away that it will recruit fat from your fat stores. Once the fat starts to flow, you have to burn it, or else it will be re-deposited unused. So what does that mean? When you do a low-intensity exercise, it will really do you no good until you pass the 15-20 minute mark. Until then, you are just burning blood-sugar. Once the fat starts to flow, that’s when the work really begins, and you should continue exercising and burning that fat for at least 20 more minutes if you continue your low-intensity activity. If you switch to a higher-intensity activity, try to breathe as deeply as possible to continue your aerobic burning.
Use Your Biggest Weapons
If your goal is fat-reduction and you want to achieve it as quickly as possible, you must use your biggest weapons. Larger muscles burn more energy than smaller muscles. Therefore, your choice of exercise should make use of your largest muscles, which are your gluteus maximus and your quadriceps… your butt and your thighs. Walking, jogging, stair climbing, cross country skiing, rollerblading and bicycling are all great examples of activities you can keep up for a long period of time, while breathing deeply and using your largest muscles. Swimming, unfortunately, is mostly an upper-body activity, no matter how hard you think you’re kicking.
The arm movements that you see some “power-walkers” doing, as well as the complicated patterns in “aerobics” classes at the gym are doing nothing to speed up weight loss. Arm swinging can improve your circulation and keep your mind occupied, but is not necessary, and certainly is no substitute for a good leg workout.
High Intensity Usefulness
High intensity exercise has it’s good points, though. It is important to remember that a well-conditioned heart and lungs can fight heart disease and stroke, and makes all forms of exercise more effective. The only way to improve the function of your heart and lungs is to push them harder than normal, into the anaerobic side of things. When you’re struggling for breath, breathing rapidly, and your heart is pumping at its maximum, you are making them more powerful and prolonging your life. Although anaerobic exercise does not burn fat while you’re doing it, the exercise itself raises your metabolism so that you burn fat afterward for several hours. This is because your body is replacing all the energy you used. My other recommendations can be found in my article on Exercise.
Those high-intensity classes offered by health clubs are good for some people, but there’s no good reason for you to join one if you’ve never done it before. For some people, it makes the workout fun, which is a great motivator. The coach or instructor is also a great source of motivation because they encourage you to continue and push harder. Many people need that. Just remember that it is NOT aerobic exercise. The complicated patterns and arm movements serve no purpose, and if you can’t keep up for more than 20 minutes, it may be a waste of time. For most men (and women) it is far better to do a nice low-intensity warm up for 20 minutes, followed by a moderate to high intensity run or bike for another 10-15 minutes. To get the best aerobic benefits, try to breathe deeply throughout, because that’s what aerobics is really about!
Aerobics is good, but there are better exercises for weight loss, read my article called Exercise: Essential.
Aerobic exercise can be a part of your weight-loss equation. But the most important part you can’t find in a gym, learn more on my site.
David “Mr. Weightless” McCormick is the founder of Weightless Products, the best weight loss program for men. In his series of articles, he covers everything every man needs to know to lose weight fast and keep burning fat. There are no banners, no pop-up ads, no need to sign up, all articles are available in full for FREE. Wait Less for Weight Loss, visit Mr. Weightless today!
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My wife just walked by and said, “What are you doing?”
I said, “I’m writing an article on smoking. I’m against it!”
Smoking is a habit that is hard to break. Some years ago I stood by with a man’s son and watched his father gasp for air as he passed on to the great beyond. He had quit smoking, but too late. His vital capacity was too far gone.
Vital Capacity is determined by measuring the amount of air you take in with each breath. In the test you take a deep breath and then blow it out into a device that tells your doctor the volume of air dispelled. The more you smoke, the lower your vital capacity. This limits your activity when your lungs no longer expand enough to take in sufficient vital oxygen from the air that has only about 19% to begin with. That’s why my friend’s father was breathing pure oxygen in the hospital. Still, he could not get enough oxygen to save his life. We had said our goodbyes to a good father and a good friend.
Cigarette smokers double their risk of heart attack. They are at even more risk from sudden cardiac death. Stroke kills more young smokers than nonsmokers.
The American Cancer Society said some years back that when you stop smoking:
Within 15 minutes: Blood pressure, pulse rate, and body temperature of hands and feet return to normal.
Within 8 hours: Carbon monoxide level drop to normal and oxygen level increase to normal. (Carbon monoxide is a deadly poison.)
Within 24 hours: Heart attack risk decreases. Now isn’t that good to know? You will be able to say, “I quit smoking yesterday and I’m probably not going to have a heart attack today.”
Within 48 hours: Nerve endings start regrowing and your ability to smell and taste increases. Did you know that cigarette smoking stops nerve growth? Neither did I.
Within 2 weeks to 3 months : Circulation improves, walking is easier and LUNG FUNCTION increases up to 30%. Now, that is a great benefit, isn’t it?
Within 1 to 9 months: Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath decrease. Cilia regrow in the lungs with increased ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce infection. It takes a while if you’ve been smoking a long time, but the relief must be wonderful. My friends that have quit say it certainly is.
Within 1 year: Excess risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker. That’s good.
Within 5 years: Lung cancer death rate of a FORMER one-pack-a-day smoker decreases almost one-half. (Stoke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker after 5-15 years.) Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, and esophagus is half that of smokers. I’ve had friends that had to speak with a device or from thier stomach after cancer surgery on their throat and esophagus. It’s very sad to see that in light of that it could have been prevented. Some comunities have stopped chewing tobacco companies from giving chewing tobacco away at rodeos where it easily can get into the hands of children. Can you think of anything worse than mouth cancer?
Within 10 years: The lung cancer death rate is the same as nonsmokers. Precancerous cells are replaced. Risk of death from cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decrease. Did you get that? Precancerous cells are replaced. With good cells, I presume.
Within 15 years: Risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker. So now you are back to normal.
The other night I saw a young woman on television who said that she stopped smoking for financial reasons.
Think about it.
If you put $600 dollars each year into a stock mutual fund, annuity, or other financial instrument that generates 5% annually, you will have over TWENTY GRAND after 20 years. That’s if you add it in one chunk each year. The $600 figure assumes that you are spending $50 each month on cigarettes. I know that many are spending a lot more.You will have more if you invest $50 monthly rather than saving until you get $600 at the end of the year.
Okay! I know human nature. You won’t save the money.
YOU WILL SAVE YOUR NECK!
I read on the internet that Phillip Morris® has licensed two Chinese companies to make their cigarette brands. The Third World Market is what the cigarette companies are after.
Don’t be taken in by the Phillip Morris® television ads that tell you to go to their site to learn how to quit smoking. Television ads are used for two purposes. They either sale product or they enhance brand name recognition. It is illegal for Phillip Morris® to sale product. So what are they doing with their ads? You guessed it!
(Okay, so go to the Phillip Morris® site. Maybe you will learn something. They have links to health organizations that will help you to quit. http://www.philipmorrisusa.com/en/health_issues/quitting_smoking.asp)
Well, it looks like I got sucked into the Phillip Morris® ad after all.
Stop Smoking! It takes guts.
It pays off big!
I suggest you go to: http://www.givingupsmoking.co.uk/ to STOP smoking now!
The End
John T. Jones, Ph.D. (tjbooks@hotmail.com, a retired VP of R&D for Lenox China, is author of detective & western novels, nonfiction (business, scientific, engineering, humor), poetry, etc. Former editor of Ceramic Industry Magazine, Jones is Executive Representative of International Wealth Success. He calls himself “Taylor Jones, the hack writer.”
More info: http://www.tjbooks.com
Business web site: http://www.bookfindhelp.com (IWS wealth-success books and kits and business newsletters / TopFlight flagpoles)
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It is easy to lose weight quickly and naturally if you have a systematic weight loss program. Many people failed to lose weight successfully because of the natural tendency to choose easy quick fix programs such as going on drastic diets, popping diet pills or persuaded to buy some exercise gadgets that simply do not work. In my other articles, I have addressed these issues and why such easy quick fix programs simply do not work in the long term and will not repeat them here.
To lose weight quickly, naturally and easily, you have to combine a healthy eating habit, correct cardio and strengthening exercises. We shall touch on the subject of how to lose weight quickly and naturally through a healthy eating program in this article.
? Increase Your Metabolism - Eat 5-6 small meals daily. It has been scientifically proven that by eating frequently, you will raise your body’s natural metabolism. That means your body will burn more fat naturally. You become a fat burning machine all day long.
? Eat Less Calories - Although you need to increase meal frequency to lose weight naturally, you must be mindful of your caloric consumption. Calories consumed must not exceed calories expanded for your daily energy. So keep your meals small and cut down on dietary fats as each gram of fat contains 9 calories whereas each gram of protein and carbohydrate contains only 4 calories.
? Avoid Starchy And Processed Flour Foodstuffs - These foodstuffs are easy to digest and turn into sugar rapidly and in turn get converted to body fat if these sugar calories are not used up as energy quickly. So ditch your cakes, cookies, pizzas, pastas, white rice etc Replace them with high fiber bread, legumes, brown rice, grains and nuts instead. So stay away from fast food restaurants as most fast food menus offer such foodstuff.
? Avoid All Sugary and Soft Drinks - Reason is obvious. Most if not all of these kind of drinks are heavily laced with sugar and sugar gets converted to body fat very quickly. You have to run on the treadmill for 20-30 minutes just to burn away a can’s worth of calories in a soft drink. Just imagine how much body fat you will accumulate if you drink just three cans of soft drinks a day along with 2 cups of sugar added coffee?
? Avoid All Forms Of Alcohol - There are about 7 calories in a gram of alcohol. Alcohol calories have zero nutritional value. They are just mere empty calories. Indulging in regular alcohol consumption not only wrecks your health, it will set back your weight loss program completely.
Oh?.so you think this eating habit is difficult to implement or that you will miss your sugary foodstuffs and soft drinks? Not to worry. You may experience some withdrawal symptoms at first but after a week or two, you will be weaned off your sugar and simple carbohydrate cravings. Once your addictions to these foods are curbed, you will no longer have your sweet tooth and will naturally avoid such foodstuff.
Just by following these healthy eating habits, you will start to lose weight easily, quickly and naturally. Include cardio and weight lifting exercises into your weight loss program and your weight loss will be permanent.
Chris Chew is a fitness personal trainer of fashion models, actors and male pageant titleholders. His websites Male Pageant Winners and Personal Trainer courses
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