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Nigel Askew asked:

1. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral which has been used for thousands of years! The Greeks and Romans were the first to realise its potential and use it for example as insulation and heat and flame retardant. They also realised it was potentially harmful as they noticed that the slaves who mined it often died as a result of inhaling the dust.

2. The asbestos mineral is mined from the earth. South Africa has many such mines, some of which are open! Many miners have developed asbestos disease as a result.

3. The asbestos mineral in its natural state is harmless.

4. Asbestos becomes potentially harmful to health when it is mined or used in the manufacture of other products, essentially once it is in dust or fibrous form and capable of being inhaled or swallowed it becomes potentially harmful to health and can cause asbestos disease.

5. Exposure to asbestos dust/fibres by way of inhalation and/or swallowing can lead to the development of one or more of the following asbestos diseases: malignant mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer; asbestosis, pleural thickening and pleural plaques.

6. Malignant mesothelioma and asbestos lung cancer are, as their names suggest, forms of cancer and have no cure.

7. Asbestosis is scarring on the lungs which can cause problems with the respiratory system and whilst not so aggressive as malignant mesothelioma and asbestos lung cancer it usually gets worse over time. Although not normally a fatal condition in itself it often combines with other health issues to become a serious health issue. A recent Court decision has made it harder for sufferers of this conditions to obtain compensation for asbestosis. No compensation will be payable unless the asbestosis is sufficient to have an effect on lung function. Those who qualify will see their compensation reduced as a result of this court judgment.

8. Pleural thickening is thickening of the linings of the lungs and can cause symptoms of breathlessness and pain. Although not a fatal condition in itself it is evidence of exposure to asbestos and therefore a marker of the risks of developing one of the more serious asbestos diseases i.e. malignant mesothelioma or asbestos lung cancer. A recent Court decision has made it harder for sufferers of this conditions to obtain compensation for pleural thickening. No compensation will be payable unless the asbestosis is sufficient to have an effect on lung function. Those who qualify will see their compensation reduced as a result of this court judgment.

9. Pleural plaques are patches of fibrosis (scarring) of the lungs and are often calcified. They rarely cause symptoms of breathlessness and pain. Although not a fatal condition in themselves, they are, like pleural thickening, they are evidence of exposure to asbestos and therefore a marker of the risks of developing the more serious asbestos diseases.

10. Despite pleural plaques representing scarring on the lungs sufferers are no longer entitled to receive compensation for them. This is despite the fact that for the 20 years or so prior to 2006 compensation was routinely paid by insurers for this condition! There is an important distinction to be made here and that is if the pleural plaques are causing symptoms eg pain and breathlessness the sufferer is entitled to compensation.

Don VanPelt asked:




Nobody saw it coming, but Ugg Boots have certainly taken the world by storm and become a huge fashion craze. Everybody whose anyone is wearing them! Austrailians know that Ugg means “ugly” but these woolly sensations are still everywhere. Wondering exactly how Ugg Boots are made and just what makes them so comfortable?

Genuine Ugg Boots are made from the highest quality materials, including sheepskin hide. You can buy knockoff Ugg Boots almost anywhere, but only the real deal provides the comfort and durability promised by Ugg. If they are not made in Australia then they are not authentic. Ugg Boots are just not made in China, so don’t be fooled. Buying Ugg-style boots that are not genuine will leave you with boots that are far inferior in quality. Translation: uncomfortable and smelly.

Warm in the winter and cool in the summer, genuine Ugg Boots are made from Australian double-faced sheepsking, usually Australian Merino Sheepskin. The highest quality around! Saving a couple of bucks will get you some synthetic fiber that’s not the same.

Some folks wonder if any animals are harmed during the making of Ugg Boots. The short answer is, the sheep is slaughtered. BUT, that sheep was going to be slaughtered for meat to feed people-it is never actually slaughtered to obtain the sheepskin. Sheep farmers obtain a secondary profit for selling the hides in addition to the meat. So, understand that the making of Ugg Boots doesn’t directly harm the sheep.

Sheepskins have to be preserved properly before they can be processed into boots. Tanneries use large vessels called paddles, that hold anywhere from 3,000 to 15,000 liters of salt water and slowly swish the skins around inside. This is a gentle process that takes about 10 days to get the hides properly tanned and ready to be cut for Ugg boots.

Step 1. Tanning/ Processing

The first step in tanning or processing of sheepskin is “Soaking,” which takes about 16 hours to complete. During this process, the skins are thoroughly rinsed in cold water to remove any excess salt or dirt from the wool and pelt. This soaking process is done overnight in a vat of fresh cold water.

The next step in the tanning process is called “Fleshing.” This part of the process uses a fleshing machine which removes any excess fat and muscle tissue from the underside of the sheepskins. This part of the process is essential for allowing more rapid and complete penetration of chemicals in the later stages of processing, particularly during the pickling and tanning stages.

After Fleshing comes “Scouring.” This 30-45 minute segment of the process uses surfactants at high temperatures (around 38 degrees Celsius) and takes care of removing dirt and lanolin (grease) from the wool.

“Pickling” of the sheepskin then takes about 16 hours. Before the sheepskin can be tanned, they have to be ) pickled. Pickling means soaking the skins in a solution of acid and salt. Adding salt prevents any potential swelling of the skins because of the acid. It’s important to lower the internal pH of the skins to somewhere between 2.8-3.0, which will allow the tanning agent to properly penetrate the skin.

The 16-hour “Tanning” step involves using chromium salts which form cross-links with the collagen, thereby helping to stabilize the skin structure and preventing putrefaction or rotting. This step is performed at room temperature, around 25 degrees Celsius, and around a pH of 2.5-3.0. Once the tanning agent (the chromium) penetrates the skin, the process is stopped, and the chrome is fixed to the collagen by raisng the pH to 3.6 using sodium bicarbonate and heating the skins to between 35-40 degrees Celsius. In doing so, the shrinkage temperature of the skin is raised to anywhere between 60-100 degrees Celsius.

Next comes “Wool Dyeing” or “Fatliquoring.” This takes anywhere from 3-4 hours to complete. After the skin is tanned, the wool may be dyed any of a variety of colors. Wool dyeing needs to be done at about pH 4.5-6 and at 60-65 degrees Celsius. Special “pelt reserve agents” must be added to keep the wool dye from staining the pelt. Once the dye is stable, the pH is lowered to about 4.0 to fix the dyes to the wool, and fatliquor (emulsified oil) is added to the solution. Fatliquors are part of leather manufacturing that help to lubricate the collagen fiber and allow them to move flexibly and freely once the skin is dried. This is what makes the leather feel soft.

Drying of the skins then takes 4-24 hours. Forced air dryers are used with the skins stretched across a frame. Drying occurs at 50-80 degrees Celsius.

Drycleaning must then take place over the following 4-24 hours. Either a white spirit (high boiling petroleum fraction) or perchloroehtylene is used to remove any natural fat or grease that remains in the skins.

Following final removal of the pelt grease, “Pelt Dyeing” or “Syntanning” comes next. Back in the paddle (the soaking vessel), the pelts are dyed in cooler temperature dyes (less than 30 degrees Celsius). This minimizes staining of the wool. After the pelt dyeing is completed, syntanning involves using synthetic tanning agents to make the pelts added fullness and firmness. Finally, the skins are dried once more.

Step 2. Finishing

After the lengthy tanning process is complete, the final finishing is done so the skins may be used to make Ugg Boots.

The skins must be conditioned to approximately 20% moisture content. Staking is the process by which the skins are softened and stretched, and a “nappy” surface is added to the pelt.

Final “Combing,” “Ironing,” and “Clipping” then takes place to remove any tangles, burrs, or grass seeds that may be remaining in the wool. The wool is straightened using an iron to remove the natural crimp. Lastly, a clipping machine creates a uniform wool pile at a desired length (usually 12-15 mm).

Step 3. Manufacturing

A “clicking press” is used to cut individual panels from the skins. After being cut to the right size, the panels are then sewn together using special industrial sewing machines. The soles are then glued to the boot upper, and, finally, the Ugg Boots are ready for you to purchase.

James Nash asked:




Address People Search searches the addresses of people. Conducting a search would give the name, address, telephone number and other details of a person. This can be done for so many reasons. Some times a person will use these searches to look for a parent, child or sibling they have never met in their lifetime due to war, adoption and other reasons. Find a person by their address and search for peoples records.

Searching a persons location also helps build new relationship with others who have mutual acquaintances or similar hobbies or interests. You can also build new connections and relationships to acquire your goals and aspirations.

Location searches are the fastest option on the Internet. Conducting an online location and person finder is one of the most efficient and fastest searches on the Internet. The world has increasingly been connected through the Internet. Simply by knowing some details about the person would get you the name, location and other details about the person you are looking for. Doing quick searches on someone is also the most cost effective search and it can be done from the comfort of your home. There is no need to travel or go to any private detective.

Doing searches on somebody is mostly free of cost. There is no need to go to a library or club or any government offices. You can conduct address searches right away without any restrictions.

With the advancement in technology, the online person finder has been made very easy with the advanced option. This allows you to filter your searching and you can make it specific as per your needs. This saves a lot of time as you may have to read through number of pages.

There are umpteen numbers of websites that offer searches on the Internet today. Some are tailored to meet the needs of the people such as high school search, church search, military search etc.

Searching is both quick and easy on the Internet. Most of the data like name, address, phone number and emails are widely available on the Internet. The accuracy and completeness depends on the person you are looking for and the method you are using.

Also you can do searching on a person in search engines like Google, Yahoo and other search engines of your choice. You can just type the person’s name or address to get the full details about the person.

And finally, free address searches is not as effective as paid services. Only paid online location searche options provide you with the complete information and details about the person you are looking for. Go ahead and search, you may be lucky!

Neoli Marcos asked:




A dream that is not interpreted is like a letter that has not been opened.

—from The Talmud.

We are living in a dream-deficient society, to borrow a term from Nancy Grace, a teacher of the dream phenomenon since 1989. Ours is a society that talks about dreams only when they are interesting, that is when they are nightmares or movie-ish. Otherwise, we have become content with just waking up for the day, easing back into our routine work life, and not minding interpreting our dreams and what they are trying to tell us, just letting them accumulate– a treasure box of letters forever unopened.

Dream Interpretation Unlocks Metaphors

Not remembering our dreams is also like having a conversation but remembering only the nice grand parts of it, while missing the subtle details and nuances that make dreams more meaningful.

Here are five ways to make the most of your dream and dream interpretation then:

1. Keep a dream journal or diary. Make it a habit to write down your dreams of night before. Do this right away upon waking up; don’t trust yourself that you can remember your dream later in the day. As an exercise, this may sound tedious, but it’ll grow on you. You’ll be amazed to read about your dreams after a month, two months, a year.

2. Discuss your dream with your family, friends, or loved ones. There is an irreplaceable feeling of relief and liberation in being able to share your dreams with people who know you. They might offer their own versions of dream interpretation, helpfully adding to the rich layer of meanings in it.

2. Write a poem, or a song, or even make a film out of your dream.

Musicians like Paul McCartney, Johnny Cash, Sting, and Shawn Colvin all write songs inspired by their dreams. Painter Joan Miró would deliberately deprive himself of sleep, sometimes for several days, just to inspire himself to paint wondrous characters and sceneries that have percolated in his head. As a matter of fact, the Surrealist movement utilised the fantasies of their dreams for inspiration. (Think of Dali’s melting watches and clock.)

4. Don’t be afraid or shy to consult a dream interpreter or even a psychic. If you don’t feel comfortable discussing your dream with your loved ones, especially when they are included in the dream, then a total stranger may be the better person to interpret it. Oftentimes, the best dream interpretation come from people who don’t know you, and, thus, are able to take an objective point of view from your dream.