IKEA vs. Ashley Furniture

Diposting oleh amnom | 22.05

IKEA is an international home products retailer that sells flat pack furniture, accessories, and bathroom and kitchen items in their retail stores around the world. The company, which pioneered flat-pack design furniture at affordable prices, is now the world’s largest furniture manufacturer.

Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. is a furniture manufacturing company headquartered in Arcadia, Wisconsin. The company is owned by father and son team Ron and Todd Wanek. Ashley Furniture manufactures and distributes home furniture products throughout North America.

The Ashley Companies (Ashley Casegoods, Ashley Upholstery, and Millennium) offer bedroom, dining room, and home office furniture. It is the largest furniture manufacturer and top selling brand of home furniture in North America. It licenses its name to more than 300 stores in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, and Japan. It maintains a manufacturing facility in Whitehall, Wisconsin.


Much of IKEA’s furniture is designed to be assembled by the consumer rather than being sold pre-assembled. IKEA claims this permits them to reduce costs and use of packaging by not shipping air; the volume of a bookcase, for example, is considerably less if it is shipped unassembled rather than assembled. This is also a practical point for many of the chain’s European customers, where public transport is commonly used; the flat-pack distribution methods allow for easier transport via public transport from the store to a customer’s home for assembly.

Ashley Furniture HomeStore is a chain of independently owned and operated furniture stores licensed to sell Ashley Furniture products exclusively, including mattresses and accessories. As of September 19, 2008, there were 371 Ashley Furniture HomeStores operating worldwide.

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Neurobiological model

Neuroscientist J. Allan Hobson has hypothesized what might be occurring in the brain while lucid. The first step to lucid dreaming is recognizing that one is dreaming. This recognition might occur in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is one of the few areas deactivated during REM sleep and where working memory occurs. Once this area is activated and the recognition of dreaming occurs, the dreamer must be cautious to let the dream delusions continue but be conscious enough to recognize them. This process might be seen as the balance between reason and emotion. While maintaining this balance, the amygdala and parahippocampal cortex might be less intensely activated. To continue the intensity of the dream hallucinations, it is expected the pons and the parieto-occipital junction stay active.

Treatment for nightmares

It has been suggested that people who suffer from nightmares could benefit from the ability to be aware they are indeed dreaming. A pilot study was performed in 2006 that showed that lucid dreaming treatment was successful in reducing nightmare frequency. This treatment consisted of exposure to the idea, mastery of the technique, and lucidity exercises. It was not clear what aspects of the treatment were responsible for the success of overcoming nightmares, though the treatment as a whole was successful.

Australian psychologist Milan Colic has explored the application of principles from narrative therapy with clients' lucid dreams, to reduce the impact not only of nightmares during sleep, but also depression, self-mutilation, and other problems in waking life. Colic found that clients' preferred direction for their lives, as identified during therapeutic conversations, could lessen the distressing content of dreams, while understandings about life—and even characters—from lucid dreams could be invoked in "real" life with marked therapeutic benefits.

Perception of time

The rate that time passes while lucid dreaming has been shown to be about the same as while waking. However, a 1995 study in Germany indicated that lucid dreaming can also have varied time spans, in which the dreamer can control the length. The study took place during sleep and upon awakening, and required the participants to record their dreams in a log and how long the dreams lasted. In 1985, LaBerge performed a pilot study where lucid dreamers counted out ten seconds while dreaming, signaling the end of counting with a pre-arranged eye signal measured with electrooculogram recording. LaBerge's results were confirmed by German researchers in 2004. The German study, by D. Erlacher and M. Schredl, also studied motor activity and found that deep knee bends took 44% longer to perform while lucid dreaming.

Awareness and reasoning

While dream control and dream awareness are correlated, neither requires the other—LaBerge has found dreams which exhibit one clearly without the capacity for the other; also, in some dreams where the dreamer is lucid and aware they could exercise control, they choose simply to observe.[16] A 1992 study examining four forms of lucidity (knowing that dreamt people are indeed dreamt, that objects won't persist beyond waking, that physical laws need not apply, and having clear memory of the waking world) found less than a quarter of lucidity accounts exhibited all four, with scores increasing with experience.

Near-death and out-of-body experiences

In a study of fourteen lucid dreamers performed in 1991, people who perform wake-initiated lucid dreams operation (WILD) reported experiences consistent with aspects of out-of-body experiences such as floating above their beds and the feeling of leaving their bodies. Due to the phenomenological overlap between lucid dreams, near death experiences, and out-of-body experiences, researchers say they believe a protocol could be developed to induce a lucid dream similar to a near-death experience in the laboratory.

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Sleep and Dreaming

Diposting oleh amnom | 12.34

In the scientific age, sleep dreams have been explained as simply a function of brain chemisty or brain electrical circuitry, performing, at best, the function of flushing out waste or sorting out waking experiences, and, at worst, no function whatsoever. Sigmund Freud, who was the Viennese doctor who reconnected modern Western humans with dreams as significant events, explained them as part of an unconscious psychological mechanism that disguises and suppresses humans' all-encompassing, yet dangerous, sexual desires, but that has no other value. Carl Jung, Freud's protege for a while, understood dreams to have intrinsic value. He too conceptualized that they come from the unconscious of dreamers and serve the function of facilitating growth. For Jung, sleep dreams are meaningful, balancing waking attitudes, and their message is to be brought into consciousness. He postulated that sleep dreams speak in a symbolic language with the purpose of helping guide individuals to becoming fuller and more complete, "individuated."

We have found that approaching sleep dreams with the assumption that they are meaningful is most useful. Conceptualizing sleep dreams as emanations from the unconscious, both individual and collective, allows a dreamer to understand dreams as information from an internal wellspring of not-rationally attained information. Coming from "inside" the individual, they can be a guide to constructing a meaningful life that is not dependent upon sources outside the individual. Springing not from the conscious mind, sleep dreams are irrational and balance the limitations of the mind.

Sleep dreams seem to have a life of their own, they are wild and undomesticated. They are beyond the control of our rational minds. Because of this, sleep dreams often comment on our waking lives, encouraging us to balance our conscious attitudes and actions that have become too narrow, compulsive or one-sided. Sleep dreams can be understood to give advice about how to proceed in our waking lives.

The language of sleep dreams is not limited by the constrictions of wakeful mind-logic. They can seem utterly foreign and threatening to our rational minds. But taking the trouble to learn their language provides wisdom that makes for a life broader and richer beyond anything the mind can envision.

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All of us to dream of a body that owns by Arnold Schwarzenegger! However, it is not just about dreaming. A lot of hard work and diet plan goes in to making a great body. Diet plays an important role in body building. If you don’t follow the right kind of diet plan, you would not be able to get the body you dream of.

People in the business of body building have special diet plans. These special diets involve eating the right kind of amount of foods on a daily basis, if you tend to eat the right type of food more or less than the amount required, you will end up wasting all your efforts.

First, it is very important to know what you want. Do you want to bulk up the entire area or tone up your body? Once you determine your goal, it will be easy for you to plan the diet that will be apt for you.

Most body building diets also include dietary supplements such as proteins, vitamins and certain amount of minerals to accommodate the required amount of RDA or recommended daily dietary allowance.

The most important thing is to consult a certified doctor, dietician or nutritionist. People who want to gain muscle usually follow the formula of eating as much protein as they can. Once they take this amount of protein, they also require to train their body accordingly.

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About Dreaming

Diposting oleh amnom | 08.26

what are dreams? Well, with the above kept in mind (especially the order from chaos part) try to imagine this.; Your brain mind and spirit, while at rest "review" and analysis in it's own way long term, short term and spirit memory. It kicks around emotions, thoughts, ideas, actions and interactions of the short term memory. It has in it's background the trends of your life and philosophy to influence it. Your mind is also processing spiritual data, your beliefs, whether or not you violated them, your information gained through psychic intuition (we ALL have this to a certain degree) and of course, any communication from God. ALL THIS data, as well as your subconscious "reading between the lines" of what people do and tell you, is then processed unsupervised by you! All this data is a form of chaos, and your mind (like seeing images in wood grain or clouds) puts it all together in a form of visual "screenplay", a medley of sight, sound,emotion and imagined interactivity. The end result is.... You guessed it, a dream!

Ahh but would it not be nice if it were that simple! Dreams are easily influenced by factors in your life and spirit, and these influences create "categories" that are almost infinite. We do broadly categorize them in terms like "prophetic, standard, physical and nightmare" (to name just a few) And these we study each their own, in order to gain benefit from them. I look at it this way: Our mind and spirit together with our brain, is actually the greatest computer ever devised! To understand it's "back of the house" processing is to learn more about ourselves, God, our future and each other. Many things can be gained from dreams, better health (mental and physical), entertainment and even financial gain! (dreaming of a invention or idea) Now that you know some of the basics about dreaming and what (theoretically) dreams are you should have a better grasp on how to understand and use your dreams.
Ok, let's stop dreaming start action

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The best choice of fabric for baby bedding is pure cotton. Baby beds come in many varieties, and parents should remember that each type needs its own matching bedding.

When choosing a sleeping option for their newborn, many new parents choose Moses baskets. They can be used for the first 4 months or so, but they're not strong enough to support an older and heavier child. If you're looking for a way to ensure that your new baby is close to you always, this product works great as a portable bed. Although pillows and blankets are sold with many bassinets, there are many doctors that believe these items need to be taken out for a newborn's safety.

Cradles, though very similar in function to cribs, are usually tinier and do not stand as high. The difference between a crib and a cradle is the rockers that make it easier to rock your baby to sleep. Many infants gain the ability to sit up by themselves between the ages of 4 and 7 months, and many parents choose to transition them to a crib during this same time.

A baby should sleep in a crib until he/she is between 12 to 18 months. There is a wide selection of cribs, but the essential qualities to look for are that they are strong enough to support your baby and hard wearing enough to last. There are many options for baby sleeping - some go for the traditional crib setup, while parents on the go may opt for a lighter, portable model, which may have a higher cost. One type of bed which gives you lots of options is a crib which converts to another item of baby equipment. Expensive convertible cribs, which can be used as toddler beds are cheaper in the long run. Buying a baby crib bedding from a branded company is always recommendable.

Baby blankets made of soft, non-toxic material are good for babies. Modern fabrics mean that there is a wide choice of blankets which are soft and smooth enough for a baby, and which come in a range of colors.

Crib sets can be chosen in colors and motifs which indicate girl or boy, or you may prefer to choose bedding which can be used by either. There are some color combinations and cartoon characters for baby beds which can be bought for baby boy as well as baby girl. Sheet and blanket colors for baby girls are often delicate pastels like rose pink and baby blue. Bedding for boys, on the other hand, usually comes in stronger, darker shades. There are many exceptions to this rule, and you should be able to find options that are considered gender neutral.

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Donald Trump's Apprentice demonstrated in the first three seasons how important staying fit is for executives. Watching the Apprentice you will observe that both Troy and Kwame regularly engaged in physical exercises for keeping fit in the first season. This part of the script, I believe, is to show the importance of regular exercises necessary for being alert both physically and mentally.

The impression is that Donald Trump believes that it is inconceivable that you would be good enough for him as an Apprentice if you are not both physically and mentally fit. Therefore Apprentice candidates were expected to be physically fit, which was why they were shot in the first three seasons as people who are aware of the need for regular physical exercises.

Several of the Apprentice candidates were shown regularly engaging in different types of workouts…using weights, doing different types of calisthenics like press ups and pull ups, using tread mills and several other workout methods.

Watching the Apprentice male team members have a go at basket ball was very interesting, especially the interesting scene where Kelly, the Season two winner inadvertently put a whole through the wall as he played his game.

The gist here is that, apparently, the first three seasons of Donald Trump's Apprentice gave vent to the importance of exercise for the candidates and the viewers as a means of achieving both physical and mental well being.

Everyone is supposed to be active 75% of the time in a day, but for most executives, work situation compels them to lead a sedentary lifestyle with less and less physical activities as they sit long hours in the office, car or aircraft in the course of their work.
What, therefore, was being conveyed in the first three seasons of the Apprentice is that you must find time to exercise in spite how busy your schedule may be. Remember that, always. Your success depends entirely on both your physical and mental fitness.

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how to buy the best baby toys from the toy shop? Some baby toys is longer than seven inches. This is not appropriate for the new born baby. Moreover these toys have strings and rough edges. This may do harm to the baby. Those toys with loud noises can be detrimental for the children. So these toys should be avoided.

Another thing is the satisfaction which is the key to be ardent to buy learning toys from the shop. If we are not satisfied and if we are thinking that this toy won’t fit our baby, it should be avoided. Because mental satisfaction matters in case of purchasing baby toys.

Sometimes it is big fact that some new kind of baby toys which are very small to look at they should be avoided by the parents. Because they might be hazardous for the baby of three or under aged .They may not feel comfort while playing with that.

Parent should purchase learning or baby toys which is made from no chlorinated plastics. Because polyethylene which may cause negative health implications to the children. Children may enter these toys to their mouth and it may do harm to the baby. So toys made from this kind of unhygienic materials should be avoided by the parent of the children.

Many toys are made from wood or cloth or metal. Just we will have to make sure that Baby toys or learning toys should be made from non toxic, PVC free metals. Otherwise parents should be more aware to buy environmentally sustainable toys. In Europe fine toys are made in different factory.

Parent should in consideration when taking on new toy. Before purchasing that they should be sure that it is well tested before coming to the market. Product manufacturer should be aware in doing research whether the baby toys or learning toys are being tested.

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It is advisable to be mindful when doing water aerobics as a beginner. Safety is very necessary in whatever you do and that includes water aerobics. Doing your water aerobics correctly will ensure that you do not miss out on any aspect of it and also keep you from endangering yourself. Your instructor will tell you to move on, step by step so that you get all the benefits without harm. Knowing what to do and what not to do is the best way to learn.

Aerobics is one of the easiest exercises you can do, even at home or at work. There are several equipments you can use to make it easier for you to carry out some form of aerobics exercise indoors. If you have a swimming pool at home you can engage in water aerobics without any problems.

What makes aerobics of any kind very beneficial is that they target the whole body while concentrating on the both the heart and lungs. These two organs are responsible for feeding your cells with both oxygen and blood without which your health will be in danger.

None water aerobics usually starts with walking. As you walk you move your arms, swinging them forwards and backwards in tandem with your legs and this has the effect of forcing your heart to assume a higher beat rate. Your lungs are also toughened into producing more oxygen than when you are at rest. The advice is to begin from the small to the big in aerobics. For instance you don't have to run 100 yards at the onset just because you feel fit to do so.

So all it boils down to is that you should follow established rules while engaging in either water aerobics or any kind of aerobics. If it is none water aerobics then like said already, begin with walking, followed with the combination of walking and arms movement, up and down. This, as said before will toughen your heart and strengthen your lungs to do more work for you.

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Shampoos are one such thing that cannot be neglected, as it is important for clean and shiny hair of the baby, but can be harmful for the sensitive hair or skin of children due to the harsh chemicals in them. So, to avoid any negative effects of these baby-soothing shampoos, parents should be careful and must check ingredients that are contained in them to see if they are appropriate for use. Hair and skin of children are more prone to get dry easily, so baby soothing shampoos are generally designed in a way so as to clean, protect and moisturize gently.

Also, majority of shampoos made for children are hypoallergic and non-toxic, but still any carelessness on the part of parents can prove to be very harmful for the child in his/her future life as well. SLS or sodium lauryl sulfate is one controversial chemical, which is the main foaming agent, found in most soaps, shampoos, detergents and toothpastes and needless to say, are often found in baby shampoos as well. This SLS gets penetrated in the skin and builds in eyes and it has been verified by many doctors that this SLS may also cause blindness and eye damage to children.

Hence, in order to avert such harmful effects of baby shampoos, it is better to use organic baby soothing shampoos that employ natural ingredients for the hair care of your young one. These shampoos generally does not comprise in any synthetic preservatives, harsh detergents, SLS, alcohol or petrochemicals. Parents should nonetheless stay alert always, no matter what as there are many companies that claim to manufacture natural baby shampoos, but still consists of the same harmful chemicals. Bath time must be the time to enjoy for both parents and baby, after all who would like their cheerful little one turn into a crying and screaming child? Selecting a gentle and safe baby soothing shampoo thereby contributes a great deal to clean and happy baths for the baby.

Special baby soothing shampoos are also recommended by doctors during the initial years of the life of an infant. Baby shampoos normally do not comprise in sulfates that can commonly be discovered in most shampoos for adults. One unknown danger found among the traditional baby soothing shampoos is the pH balance. Though baby shampoos are usually less prone to sting if they by any chance seep inside the eyes of the baby, but if they have a high pH, they do and also lead to needless tangling of their hair.

So, it is important that the baby soothing shampoo must comprise in a balanced pH, i.e the one that is covered in the range of 4.5-6. One may also use Nitrazine paper to check the actual level of pH in the shampoo.

Read more about Organic Baby Soothing Shampoos on AMnom.com

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Cases and symptoms of swine flu H1N1 virus in human. The 2009 outbreak of swine flu is an epidemic of a new Influenza A H1N1 strain of flu virus that was clinically identified in April 2009. It is currently a Phase 5 outbreak, one level below an official pandemic.

International cases and responses

Although the exact origin of the outbreak is unknown, it was first detected when officials in Mexico and the United States suspected a link between an outbreak of late-season flu cases in Mexico and cases of influenza in Texas and California. Within days, hundreds more suspected cases were discovered in Mexico, with more cases also showing up in the U.S. and several other countries. By the end of April 2009, governments across the world had taken emergency measures to slow the transmission of a possible pandemic.

Swine Flu H1N1 Symptoms

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in humans the symptoms of the 2009 "swine flu" H1N1 virus are similar to those of influenza and of influenza-like illness in general. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. The 2009 outbreak has shown an increased percentage of patients reporting diarrhea and vomiting. The 2009 H1N1 virus is not zoonotic swine flu, as it is not transmitted from pigs to humans, but from person to person.

Read more International cases and the symptoms of the 2009 "swine flu" H1N1 virus in human on http://amnom.com/swine-flu-h1n1-cases-symptoms/

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