They may seem to be bold explorers - sniffing at and mouthing just about anything - but all dogs have an instinctive fear of anything unfamiliar to them. Fear causes stress on the body, which affects long-term health. To help your dog avoid the negative health effects of stress, it is important to socialize her. Socialization is the process of exposing your dog to a wide variety of places, situations, objects and people. A well-socialized dog is a confident, healthy dog that you can take anywhere.

An unsocial dog will attack other dogs, children, vets, and even you.

The things that startle dogs often surprise their owners. Hats, balloons, garden statues, and other mundane things that seem to pose no threat. To your dog, however, it is an unknown. If you are a subdued person, your dog might show fear around a bubbly extrovert. Basically, any situation or object your dog is not accustomed to can create fear and stress in her.

Cornell University College of Vet Medicine suggests that the socialization period lasts up to about 12 weeks (3 months) of age.

So it is best if the socialization process begins when the dog is a puppy. This is a key learning time for dogs, so they become socialized more quickly. However, even older dogs that were not socialized as puppies can reach that confident, relaxed state. Socializing a dog that is more than one year old may take a little longer, but the results are rewarding.

Socializing a dog is a very simple process: take the dog to as many different places as you can. Your dog will pick up on your body language and follow your lead, so it is important for you to act confident and relaxed, especially when your dog hesitates. While you are walking about, stop every so often to pet your dog and talk to her in a happy voice. Naturally, feeding her a treat or two will give her a positive association with the environment.

Here are some quick ideas to try to give your puppy confidence.

• Invite friends to meet her. This will help her get used to unfamiliar people.
• Take her to the shopping mall, into the park, school play areas to experience new environments.
• Introduce the puppy to anything you expect her to use daily - the yard, her leash, stairs.

Since your goal is to give your dog confidence, not traumatize her, never force your dog to accept a person or situation. Respect her feelings, and try again later.

While you are out and about, remember that you are your dog’s guardian. Keep an eye out for excited children running towards your dog. A good way to handle this kind of situation is to stop the kids verbally about 10 feet from your dog. Explain to them that your dog is just getting used to new places and new people. Ask them to approach quietly and one at a time so that your dog learns that children are nothing to be afraid of. Letting the children feed your dog a treat is sure to help her learn to accept these high-energy, enthusiastic strangers.

Properly socializing your puppy will ensure the best traits come out in your new pet and you and your pet enjoy your life together.

Best Pet Health Information is a resource which will help you find infomation, hints and tips to keeping your dog happy and healthy. http://www.best-pet-health.info

Copyright © 2005 Best-Pet-Health.info. All rights reserved. This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact.

Most of us work towards achieving some sort of objectives in our
life time. Though we have some elementary goals to achieve, they
may not be well defined and as a result they may turn out too
vague to comprehend and attain. Most of us fail due to
incomprehensible goals and objectives, which do not have any
vision and definition. As a person if you want to achieve
success in life, you will need to develop a definite personal
goal/s, which will lead your life to happiness and prosperity.
Personal goals are very important as they assume your
personality and character in its objective.

Personal goals may be anything and in any form; some people want
to achieve a tangible family goal, while many others want to
gain professional or business success. Whatever the nature of
your goals are, just remember that all of them are in fact,
highly personalized and private. However, there are some goals
which are team oriented, like a family goal involving your
spouse and children, or it may be a team goal to be pursued by
you and your business associates.

There are many advantages to set personal goals and some of
those benefits are:

1. You’ll be more enterprising and become highly talented once
you reach those goals

2. You will also be empowered to make better decisions on
matters of importance

3. You’ll also be more organized and effective

4. You’ll develop self confidence and self worth

5. You’ll also become highly motivated and energetic

6. You’ll have the satisfaction that you’ve achieved something
tangible and worthwhile.

But always consider both the positive as well as negative
aspects of your personal goal setting; there are times when you
would have sacrificed something to achieve your cherished goal,
but it may turn out failure, when you see that you have lost
somewhere else. Always keep in mind the safety and security of
your family in mind. If you feel that the goal you are trying to
chase is worth its value, both in satisfaction and results, go
ahead and achieve it.

Once you are ready with the spadework, create an action plan by
considering the following:

1. Divide your goals in to many smaller chunks of manageable
entities. You would preferably work on each of them to achieve
the final result. Let these smaller pieces be interlinked to
each other and have a connection to the ultimate goal.

2. Identify your goal by writing it down. Make sure that you
have listed all of them in their order of priority.

3. Set a time frame for accomplishing it. Without a time tag
attached to your goal, you’ll never achieve your goals. See that
you attach achievable deadlines to each of your goals.

4. List what you need to do to achieve the goal. You may need
your time and money to achieve those goals. Or you may have to
sacrifice many of your luxuries and conveniences.

5. Identify who, and/or what, you will need to work with to
reach your goal. This is often called as logistics part of goal
setting and you will need to list all those things and materials
needed for achieving goals.

6. List the skills and knowledge required to reach your goal.
Are you skilled enough to reach those goals? How deep is your
preparedness for reaching the destination?

7. Write down the steps you will follow. Create strict to-do
item lists and a series of reminders. Follow them without fail
and never deviate from the original objective.

8. You may need to change your action plan in the middle and be
ready to replace the old plan with the new one, which is
foolproof and practical.

Personal goal setting may not be a difficult task. Though it
feels very difficult and strenuous, a goal can be achieved, if
you are calm and determined. Be cheerful and sportive to accept
any failures in the course, as they will be your stepping stones
for future success.

While HD Radio is the hottest technology today, HD DVDs are another new technology that will soon allow you to view high definition movies on DVD right in your living room.

What are HD DVDs? It depends on whom you ask, as there are currently two competing HD DVD formats under development. Both support high def films but one goes by the easy to remember name, HD DVD. The other is called Blu-ray.

An HD DVD disk has a single layer capacity of 15GB and a dual-layer capacity of 30 GB. And Toshiba is developing a triple layer disk that will have a capacity of 45GB. However, this is still smaller than Blu-ray disks, which support 25GB for one layer, 50GB for two layers and 100GB for four layers.

This means that both formats will be able to play movies and programs recorded in high definition but, as you would imagine, the larger capacity disks will be able to support more additional information such as out-takes, director’s comments, interactive features, and even alternate high def versions of the same film.

In November of 2004, the DVD Forum decided that HD DVD would be the HD DVD successor to the DVD. On the other hand, the Blu-ray disk was developed outside of the DVD Forum, and was never submitted for consideration.

Why you should care

At this time, each of these formats requires a different HD DVD player - meaning that you will be able to play high definition movies recorded in HD DVD only in an HD DVD player and Blu-ray movies in only a Blu-ray player.

Both HD DVD and Blu-ray provide enough space to store crystal-clear, high-definition movies and both are expected to launch early next year.

Be sure to watch for future articles on HD-DVDs to get the latest news on this battle of the formats.

Are you familiar with HD Radio? This amazing, new technology makes AM radio sound as clear and static-free as today’s FM Radio … and makes FM radio sound as pure and crystal-clear as if you were listening to a CD. And, best of all, it’s free! To learn more about this new technology, just go my Web site, http://www.hd-radio-home.com, to get all the buzz. Douglas Hanna is a retired marketing executive and the author of numerous articles on HD radio and family finances.

I was 14 years old when my mother came home from the hospital and told me my father had died. “How did it happen?” I asked. “Why did it happen,” my brother questioned. “What happened?” asked our dazed and confused family.

From that day forward, I began to learn what a malpractice lawyer does. I learned that we had more questions than answers. My dad was young, only 46 years old. He wasn’t supposed to die. He had a family with three young children. He was gainfully employed and worked hard to provide for our family.

Our lawyer got the hospital records, and he had a medical expert review the records. The more our lawyer probed, the more questions we raised. “Why was he given that medication?” “When did the nurse arrive?” “Why wasn’t a blood test ordered?” “What happened when…”

Years later, while I was in college, our case came up for trial. I joined my mom for part of the trial, since it was during final exams. Being in Court was unfamiliar territory. Everything was formal. The procedures, the words, the questions-all need explaining. Our lawyer was a big-time lawyer whose hair was gray and was respected by numerous lawyers who passed him in the hallways in the courthouse. Their nods and greetings were deferential- with respect for his accomplishments and greatness.

I watched with fascination the rapt attention everyone had during cross-examination of the primary target in the case- a young doctor in training who committed the gravest of medical sins. Our lawyer was intense. The barrage of questions put to the young unapologetic doctor were non-stop. The answers were not satisfactory to our lawyer, or to the jury, or so it seemed to me.

The tension in the Court room was palpable and created knots in my stomach. The defense attorney was gentlemanly and put on airs. In my book he was a phony and I was hoping the jury would see through it.

Closing arguments came after three weeks of trial. I managed to arrive just as the trial resumed that day. I rushed from school to be in Court with my mom. What I witnessed that day caused me to apply to law school. Before that day, I was a biology major and was intent upon applying to medical school. You see, my father was a doctor and most of my family are doctors. I thought that was the path I’d naturally take. Not after witnessing closing remarks.

It is now twenty three years later and I vividly remember the day our famous lawyer made his closing remarks to the jury hearing our malpractice case. Neither the lawyer or my mother are alive today, but my memory of that trial lives on till today.

I remember most clearly the accusations directed at the young inexperienced doctor. I saw his red face and neck. I wanted to reach across the aisle of the courtroom and pummel him with my fists. That would be true justice! That would satisfy my anger that had built up for years waiting for this disputed case to come up for trial. Fortunately for the doctor, my senses overcame my desires to quash this little bug. He never knew what I wanted to do to him that day.

On that day, I realized that this lawyer- this ordinary looking, gray-haired man, who had accomplished great things legal- was telling a story so simple and clear that I realized anyone could do this. That day, I decided to become a lawyer.

One would think that with such a great lawyer anything would be possible. Unfortunately for my family, the results were not what we would have hoped. Despite this second loss, the first being losing my dad, I picked myself off and sent out those law school applications. I had one thing on my mind…to become a trial lawyer.

I’ve been a medical malpractice trial lawyer for the past 17 years now. The first 4 years as a defense lawyer representing doctors, hospitals and folks sued in accident cases. The next 13 years I spent representing injured victims in their quest for justice. When asked by a colleague which I prefer, representing injured victims or the wrongdoing doctor, my answer has always been clear…the injured victim.

My experience helped me understand what injured people have endured. It has allowed me to be more compassionate about the people I have the privilege of representing. This is my calling.

This is a true story.

Attorney Oginski has been in practice for over 17 years as a trial lawyer practicing exclusively in the State of New York. Having his own law firm, he is able to provide the utmost in personalized, individualized attention to each and every client. In our office, a client is not a file number. Client’s are always treated with the respect they deserve and expect from a professional. Mr. Oginski is always aware of every aspect of a client’s case from start to finish.

Gerry represents injured people in injury cases and medical malpractice matters in Brooklyn, Queens, New York City, the Bronx, Staten Island, Nassau and Suffolk Counties. You can reach him at http://www.oginski-law.com, or 516-487-8207. All inquiries are free and totally confidential.

As the name suggests, a lapel pin is a pin worn on your lapel.
There are many types of lapel pins that are suitable according
to the design that you want it to have. The design is only
limited by your imagination. They can be custom made with your
company logo, emblem or any other design that you may want.
Lapel pins make exceptional promotional products because they
look great, are created quickly, and are very affordable.

You can buy ready lapel pins or get them customized according to
your needs. Custom lapel pins can be made for any business,
organization or school and are perfect for fundraisers, trade
shows and promotions. When running competitions, events or
contests, giving out lapel pins to participants or fans makes
the event that much more memorable. A handcrafted lapel pin can
also be an excellent gift.

For Businesses

A well-made lapel pin looks great on the employees of both small
firms and big corporations. A single logo or message embodied in
a lapel pin strengthens the corporate spirit and adds to a
company’s confidence and commitment. Businesses can use custom
lapel pins to promote their business services, commemorate a
special event or new product launch. They can use them as
recognition for a valued employee or as a giveaway to promote
their company. You can make quite a hit with trade show and
convention visitors by giving out a lapel pin instead of a
business card!

For Groups and Organizations

You can easily recognize the members and associates of prominent
or public organizations anywhere, thanks to the unique lapel pin
that they wear. The more people that see the participants
wearing special lapel pins, the more recognition and education
you will provide for your group. Enthusiastic supporters may
wear it if they get it under the right circumstances, but it is
probably best if you don’t think of lapel pins as a source of
income!

For Teams

Custom lapel pins are a unique way to create sports memorability
that will last a lifetime. Many people collect and trade team
lapel pins with a fervor usually reserved for rookie baseball
cards. The more popular team pins to trade are sometimes even
traded two pins or three pins or more for that one highly prized
team lapel pin!

A few of the more popular lapel pin types are:

Cloisonné

No matter what your use, cloisonné is an elegant, durable and
affordable option for a custom made lapel pin. Cloisonné lapel
pins have a jewelry-like finish and the highest alleged value
among other pins. A cloisonné pin has a more “retro” look, and
therefore may be more appealing to collectors than other types
of lapel pins.

With a cloisonné lapel pin you are carrying on an ancient
artistic tradition. The cloisonné technique can be traced back
to 13th century B.C. in ancient Japan. However it was the
Chinese that really took over this art form by creating
beautiful vases and other artifacts. A cloisonné lapel pin is
actually just a modern interpretation of this ancient and
beautiful art.

Most true cloisonné lapel pins today are made on a copper base,
with enamel colors individually mixed. Due to their more
detailed manufacturing process, cloisonné also lends itself to a
more dressy or jeweled style of lapel pin. For example, you can
consider a cloisonné lapel pin if the design you are looking for
happens to include a stone setting.

Die-struck

This lapel pin is most popular as a two tone metal with no
color. This lapel pin is highly recommended for its beauty and
where colors are distracting and a plainer look is desired.

Die-struck (soft enamel)

Most popular for wanting to stay with a thick sturdy pin but
needing to have a full range of colors to choose from. This type
of lapel pin is recommended as a less expensive approach to the
cloisonné lapel pin.

Photographic Pins

Offers the highest degree of detail achieved in a lapel pin.
This process allows for pictures or photographs to be
transferred to a lapel pin. If you have artwork that has blended
colors this is the only process for you.

Silk Screen

Silk screen lapel pins will produce an exact replica of the
artwork you choose to reproduce on your lapel pin. When the silk
screen process is complete you will have a beautiful lapel pin.
You can use silk screened lapel pins for so many things too:
parties, corporate events, sports teams, school awards and more!
If you have artwork that requires a lot of detail, or if you
need solid colors for your text on your pin without moving to a
larger size, this is a good choice.

Photo-Etched Pins

Photo-etched pins are known as the most economical lapel pin
type. They can incorporate a full range of colors needed. A
photo-etched lapel pin also allows for more detail and intricate
designs. This type is a favorite for saving on cost and great
for a give away or lapel pin trading!

In Conclusion

In today’s marketplace, a lapel pin makes sense as a low cost
and high-perceived value promotional item. It is worn, and
talked about. When considering how to invest your marketing
dollars, take a long, hard look at lapel pins.

Amazingly, there are still a lot of people out there who don’t have a computer or don’t know how to use eBay. Even though all these people don’t know how to use eBay or a computer, sometimes they would still like to sell items on eBay. That’s where you come in with your eBay consignment business. All you do is list the items for the people wanting to sell on eBay. When the item sells, you pay the consigner the final selling price after you take your commission and fees for listing the item on eBay. If the item doesn’t't sell, you simply return the item to the consigner.

Sounds pretty simple right? Well there are a couple of problems that you will face when trying to set up this type of business. The first problem is trying to find merchandise at a price low enough to sell on eBay. When you start your own consignment business you can set it up in a way to make sure you have a constant stream of sellable items coming in. This article outlines some of the best tips to get you started with your eBay consignment business.

The Trading Assistant Program (TA) on eBay - The TA program is a great place to start. In order to use the service you must have had 4 sales on eBay in the last 30 days and have a feedback of a least 50 with no more than 2% negative feedback. The service is currently free, so be sure to take advantage of it!

You can get started here:
http://shiptrack.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?TradingAssistant&page=toolkit

Local Publications & Newspapers - You can cost effectively advertise your eBay consignment business in your local newspapers and publications. Think about the type of people you are targeting and the type of items you want to sell and then find publications that go out to that group of people to advertise in. If you’re interested in selling clothing, then you’ll want to advertise in school or church newsletters. Just be creative and try to think outside the box. There are also many free classified ad websites on the Internet that you can post your ad for free, just do a search on Google for “free classifieds”.

Flyers Around Town - Use your favorite word processor and create flyers to post around town. Great places to post flyers include: supermarkets, colleges, apartment complexes, government and city building and around downtown. Basically anywhere that gets a lot of foot traffic will work great. Create flyers that have tabs the people can pull off that include your name and phone number. By posting flyers around town, your potential consignors will be nearby making it easier to meet with them.

Read The Classifieds - Not only can you use the classifieds to advertise your service, but you can also read them to find other people looking to sell items. Simply call these people up and offer your services and an eBay seller.

People Moving - Keep an eye on any real estate transactions that your paper might publish. People who are moving tend to want to sell or get rid of extra items. Simply send your card or a flyer to the new owner and let them know about your services. Also a great place to advertise your services is through storage and moving companies.

Community Organizations & Clubs - By volunteering to speak at local organizations and clubs you can give your business some exposure. Clubs like the Rotary Club, and industry or trade organizations are great places to hit up. Also senior centers and retirement homes are a great place to speak at because these people are usually in the process of downsizing their lifestyle. To get your name and business out there you can offer to speak about many topics like, how to sell on eBay.

Message Board & Discussion Groups - There are thousands of message boards and discussion groups throughout the internet that you can get involved in. Some of the biggest ones include Yahoo! Groups and Google Groups. Also the eBay Trading Assistant has their own discussion group as well. These groups are a great place for you to learn about and discuss your consignment business. Just include a link to your consignment business website in your signature. Never post blatant ads for your services on these boards as this could be considered spam.

Yard Sales & Garage Sales - Most people think that you would go to yard sales looking for a bargain to sell on eBay. Instead of looking for items that you can buy and resell, just offer your services to the folks running the yard sale. That way if the item doesn’t sell, you don’t risk your own money by purchasing the item and taking it home.

Educate Others - Offer to teach others how to sell on eBay. There will be many people who attend your class, but decide that they don’t want to deal with selling on eBay even after they learn how. This gives you a great opportunity to offer your services and gives you expert status.

Word Of Mouth - As always, word of mouth is the most effective marketing tool you have. Always be sure to provide your clients with the best service possible and try to over deliver. When your clients are happy they will tell their friends about your services. Once you get a good track record and some happy clients, this type of marketing can multiply exponentially. You can even reward clients who do referrals by giving them a discount on their next listing with you.

Getting started with your eBay consignment business can be a tedious task and take some time. But once you get things rolling and on track, you can do very well and the business will sustain itself. By using the ideas in this article you can be on your way to running your own successful consignment business on eBay. Right now your biggest hurdle is just taking that first step, so get out there and get started!

This article was written on behalf of eBayBusiness.net by Webmaster and Internet Marketing Specialist Jason Cooper. Visit http://www.ebaybusiness.net and download 3 Free eBay Business eBooks today! (c) 2006, eBayBusiness.net. This article may be reproduced in all venues so long as the content and by-line are reprinted intact and all links are set live.

Homemade granola is one of my very favorite health foods for many reasons you will read below. It is something the allergic person can closely regulate by making modifications to the recipe. This recipe is perfect because it is cheap, healthy, can be organic and pure, makes a lot, and stores well. It’s a great food to stock in the house for hungry teenagers.

Why do I use the ingredients I use? Well, let me tell you…

• I use grains in keeping with Eat 4 Your Type (eating for your blood type.)
• I use wheat germ because it is high in selenium and zinc. Lots of my clients test they need this for their reproductive health.
• Celtic Sea Salt is used because none of the wonderful minerals have been removed from this particular salt and it has not been processed with high heat. High heat makes salt inorganic and difficult to bind to bodily fluids and tissues. This salt actually has a moist texture and is grey in color.

• I use sesame seeds (lots of them) because they are high in Tyrosine which helps with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Sesame products such as tahini, halvah, and raw sesame seeds help with the balance of serotonin and dopamine in the brain. When taken at about 1 tablespoon/day, it prevents depression.

• Whole flax seed acts differently than ground flax seed. Whole flax seed is very mucogenic. It swells and gets slippery helping the bowels to empty without strain.

• Pumpkin seeds are a wonderful seed for the reproductive system of both males and females. Something in it binds the breakdown byproducts of testosterone which cause Benign Prostate Hyperplasia. Pumpkin seeds also act as the base ring for progesterone and estrogen, so I often recommend the seed for perimenopausal women and great reproductive health. It gives the body what it needs in the form of hormones.

• Udo’s Choice Oil is the best combination of oils on the market. It has a perfect blend of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. I use the oil and the Wholesome Fast Food Blend.

• Blackstrap molasses is extremely high in bioavailable minerals and has lots of iron in it. These days I am seeing lots of people with tan chins which is an early sign of iron anemia.

Recipe: Granola

From the Kitchen of Denice Moffat

11 cups rolled Spelt, Kashi, or Oats (not instant)
2 cups shredded coconut (the organic kind may not have sulfites in it)
2 cups Wheat Germ
cup Spelt, Rice, Oat or Buckwheat flour
1 Tablespoon Celtic Sea Salt (it should be pink or gray…it it’s white there are no extra minerals in it.)
2 cups raw almonds or cashews
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup raw sesame seeds
cup raw flax seed
1 cup raw hulled pumpkin seeds

Mix the above in a large bowl then pour the following on top and mix in after first blending together:

cup almond, apricot, or Udo’s Choice oil
cup brown sugar
1/3 cup blackstrap molasses
1 cups honey
cup water
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 teaspoons almond extract

Divide mixture and spread onto two large cookie sheets. Bake at 250 degrees stirring every 20-30 minutes for 90 minutes or until edges start to turn brown. Turn off oven and let the granola sit in the closed oven overnight to finish drying out.

Add dried fruit of your choice before packaging. I use
Cranberries, raisins, dried apricot, dried cherries, banana chips or apple chips.

Store in airtight containers. I use ZipLock baggies. Makes 2 gallons.

Dr. Denice Moffat is a practicing naturopath, medical intuitive, and veterinarian working on the family unit (which includes humans and animals) through her phone consultation practice established in 1993. She has a content-rich website at http://www.NaturalHealthTechniques.com and free monthly newsletter.

Most people find home decorating an excruciating task that should only be handled by a pro. But there are some who find it very challenging, since it gives them a venue to push their creativity to the limits. If you are one of these few people, you certainly need lots of home décor ideas in order to make your home decorating task a success. But choosing the right home décor ideas can be tough; especially if you do not know what style you want for your home. That is why it is important that you first walk through design sites and shops that can be helpful to you. As you make your way through different stores, either online or local, you will come across lots of home décor ideas. These can include art pictures, mirrors, light fixtures, flowers and plants and area rugs and textiles.

Art pictures can add personality to your home. A portrait floral picture, for example, can give the illusion of height. Not only that - art pictures can also absorb noise and help change the room’s shape illusion, if placed at the right position. Mirrors are great in creating the illusion of space. If you have a dark room, you can hang a decorative mirror near a window so that light can bounce off the mirror into the room. This gives your room a more natural much-needed light.

Light fixtures are a nice way to set the ambience of your room. By using different types of lighting, your room can have different moods. For example, if you want a sentimental mood, you can have dim light fixtures.

If light fixtures set moods, flowers and plants add color to your home. They blend very easily with room accents and you can change them any time. You can have attractive plant pots and containers for your plants and flowers, and if you are allergic to flowers, you can have silk flowers instead.

The first four home décor ideas appeal to the sense of sight more. But the area rugs and textiles are for your sense of touch since these add warmth and texture to your home. These are effective at softening wooden or hard floors and they add patterns and contrasting colors into the room.

Victory Deferred: How AIDS Changed Gay Life in America. By John-Manuel Andriote. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1999. $30.00 (hardcover).

Reviewed by: David F. Duncan

The author states that this book will examine “both the ‘big picture’ and its finer details in considering the many ways AIDS affected the nation’s hardest hit community, gay men.” He succeeds in presenting many telling details of that impact. We are introduced to personalities, informed about critical events, and acquainted with controversies that might have lain forgotten in old newspaper archive or fading memories if they werent collected in this book. My only criticism of this rich body of material is that it is poorly organized, especially with regard to chronology. The events covered in a single paragraph may skip forward and backward over a decade.

Where the author may disappoint the reader is in his attempt to present the “big picture.” His historical claims read more like sound bites than serious analytic conclusions. When he asserts that AIDS activism brought about “the transformation of a disorganized collection of despised individuals into a self-affirming community and a full-fledged civil rights movement” and on a later page that “AIDS brought the gay community as a community out of the closet,” he seems to totally overlook gay activism that was well under way before the recognition of AIDS. His thesis is rooted in a picture of the 1970s as an era characterized almost solely by gays closeted in a ghetto where unending promiscuous sexual activity continued until AIDS ended the “party.” This sort of broad sweep painting of all gays of the 70s with the same brush is poor reporting. Though the author certainly has no such intent, it could even be taken as support of the sort of puritanical agenda that sees AIDS as the deserved outcome of an era of moral laxness, even as Gods judgement on homosexuals. It is true, of course, that those who were involved in the “party” were at greatest risk but, as we all know, many who were not promiscuous became infected. Nor has promiscuity disappeared from either the gay or heterosexual communities as a result of the AIDS epidemic.

While the author does a very good job of raising the important issues of power which relate to race, class, and gender, as well as sexual orientation, he seems to have little ability to rise above the immediate issue to give that promised “big picture.” Instead of giving us a broader perspective on the controversies and crises that he presents so well, he tends to focus on condemning the shortsightedness, inflexibility, or selfishness of one or more of the adversary parties. The fact that he often has blame aplenty for all sides to a conflict shows evenhandedness but adds little perspective. This focus on conflict is also reflected in the profusion of war metaphors in this volume, with chapter titles of “Rallying the Troops,” “The Making of Soldiers,” and “War Bonds.” The inutility of such “war on disease” metaphors was ably expressed by Sontag in her brilliant monograph Illness as a Metaphor.

Despite these criticisms of Victory Deferred as an integrative work, it is well worth the price for its profusion of anecdotal details and the important issues it raises and provides a degree of insight into. Even more than that, it preserves some element of the experience and wisdom of many persons interviewed for this book who are no longer with us.

Dr. David F. Duncan is the President of Duncan & Associates, a research and policy studies consulting firm in the areas of public health, mental health, and drug abuse.
http://www.duncan-associates.com

A bouquet is usually made just from flowers, but that doesn’t
have to be the case. You can make your bouquet more interesting
by adding other items, such as candy.

Yeah, you read correctly, I said, Candy!

Candy Bouquets are fun to make, look great, and they are a
fantastic talking piece. I promise that everyone that sees your
candy bouquet will feel compelled to comment on it. Young
children in particular, will be absolutely delighted when they
see your candy bouquet!

To make a candy bouquet, you will need:

- 5 Silk Rose Buds

- 1 Bunch of pearlies

- 2 Thin Gauge wires

- 1 Thick Gauge wire

- 9 Lollipops.

- Silk Leaves

- Stem tape (green or white)

- Ribbon

Step 1: Trimming the lollipops

Trim the lollipop sticks to about an inch or two in length, or
just below the wrapper. Later, we will wire and tape the sticks
just like normal flowers. We do this so that the lollipops can
be moved around and positioned more easily.

Step 2: Trimming the Rose Buds

Trim the stems on the rose bud heads, and then wire and tape
them.

Step 3: Wire the lollipops

To wire the lollipops you will have to put a twist in the wire
around the stick of the lollipop. You will probably have to do
this twice, to make sure that the wire is tight and wont come
loose. The easiest way to do this is to use long-nosed plyers,
and to squeeze the wire around the stick.

Step 4: Wire and Tape the Pearlies

Although you don’t need pearlies in your candy bouquet, they can
work well to soften the bouquet, and make it appear more like an
everyday floral bouquet.

Wire and tape the pearlies. Place the wire alongside the white
part of the pearly strand, and then stem tape in place.

Step 5: Assemble the Candy Bouquet

Now start to assemble the candy bouquet. Start the bouquet with
the lollipops in a bunch, in one hand.

Then slowly insert the leaves between the lollipops.

Fan the lollipops into a circular shape, with the leaves facing
out.

Place the flowers in next, keeping two lollipops between each
flower.

Fill any gaps left over at the end, with leaves and pearlies.

Step 6: Add Figure-of-Eight Bows

Make eight figure-of-eight bows, for the last layer of the candy
bouquet, and fan them around the base. You can use normal
ribbons or curling ribon.

Step 7: Prepare the handle

The last step in making a candy bouquet is to trim and tape the
handle.

That’s it! Simple isn’t it?

All you have to do now, is resist eating the bouquet long enough
for some other people to see it!