What is a QR code?

 

You may have recently heard the term QR Code, and you are probably wondering what a QR Code actually is? Well a QR Code (or Quick Response Code to give it its full title) is a kind or 2-D barcode that is easily read by smart phones and devices that have been specifically designed to read QR Codes. When your phone or device scans the code it is sent to a website or email or text and it is a great advertising tool.

Japan and the East is where QR Codes started and they are very popular in that part of the world, but they are now becoming more and more popular in the West too. Before long you will start to notice QR Codes on shop fronts, bus stops, billboards, product packaging, websites and much more besides, as QR Codes become the marketing tool for the 21st century.

With more and more people owning a smart phone, QR Codes are going to have a significant effect on modern society, especially in the marketing and advertising sectors, with a mass of information just a quick scan away. These codes differ from a normal barcode that just has straight horizontal lines because they can be scanned both horizontally or vertically.

In order to scan a QR Code with your smart phone, you will need to download a specialist QR Code scanning app. There are plenty of different QR Code scanner apps available that will enable you to read QR Codes when you come across them, and most of them are actually free of charge. Once installed all you need to do to scan the QR Code is to use your phones camera to scan the code, and the app will then load the data for you.

In layman’s terms a QR Code is an “image based hypertext link” and any URL can be converted into a QR Code so basically any website can be opened automatically from a simple scan of the barcode. If you want to encourage people to your website then just encode the URL into a QR Code. The possibilities are almost endless.

The QR code as a paperless flight boarding pass

 

Frequent flyers are discovering a brand new way to check-in to their flight by using their smart phone and a QR code. If you have not heard of a QR code it is those little black and white boxes that look like a barcode and that are popping up on most things nowadays, from newspapers to food packaging.

Tablet PC’s and smart phone users can get their device to read the information on the QR code just by pointing the camera at the QR code. This then enables the device to decode the information and use whatever program it needs to display the information, such as the devices internet browser.

A lot of new smart phones have a QR code reader already installed, but do not worry if yours is not one of them, as you will be able to download a QR code reader from your phones app store, usually for free.

The smart phone boarding pass basically works as a paperless e-ticket, and this is how it works.

The airline you are using will send your documents for boarding via email direct to your device and this will include a link to your QR code. Then whenever you need to present your boarding pass, you just bring up the QR code on your device and a scanner will read the information.

Of course with any new technology there is going to be one or two teething problems and if you are planning to go down the paperless boarding pass route then make doubly sure that your mobile devices battery has enough charge. It is going to be difficult to say the least to present your boarding pass if the device is dead.

Plus it is always prudent to have a paper copy as a back-up in case there is a fault with the airports QR code scanner, if the scanner cannot read your QR code and you do not have a paper copy, you may be asked to go and get a printed copy from your airline, causing you further delay.

The bottom line is, always have a back-up plan and you can’t go wrong.

 

The more obscure forms of body modification

Quite a few people have had a standard piercing in the earlobe and probably quite a amount of us have had a piercing in additional parts of the body, but there are a number of people who have opted for more out-and-out extreme body modifications.

One such body modification is known as human branding and is the procedure in which a symbol, usually an emblem or decorative outline, is burned onto the surface of the skin, with the purpose that the resultant wound makes it permanent. This is procedure is carried out by using a red hot iron and it consequently uses the actual process of livestock branding on a persons body.

Another body modification that involves the skin is the sub-dermal implant and refers to a type of body jewelry that is positioned beneath the skin, consequently permitting the body to mend over the implant and producing a raised outline.

The tattooing of the eyeball has been with us for a longer than you might think, and in fact it originated in the 1800’s. It was frequently used to right defects in eyes and the process can be carried out with a customary tattooist’s needle. The eye is basically held exposed while the tincture, which is the actual type used in a normal tattoo, is inserted inside the eyeball.

An additional form of body modification that involves the eye is the implanting of jewelry in to the outer stratum of the eyeball and this is one body modification that I must admit I hadn’t been aware of before. It seems that it was first completed in the Holland and it has come to the United States in recent years.

These are just some of the more obscure kinds of body modification that people have been undertaking recently and they will continue to gain in popularity.

The more obscure forms of body modification

Quite a few people have had a standard piercing in the earlobe and probably quite a amount of us have had a piercing in additional parts of the body, but there are a number of people who have opted for more out-and-out extreme body modifications.

One such body modification is known as human branding and is the procedure in which a symbol, usually an emblem or decorative outline, is burned onto the surface of the skin, with the purpose that the resultant wound makes it permanent. This is procedure is carried out by using a red hot iron and it consequently uses the actual process of livestock branding on a persons body.

Another body modification that involves the skin is the sub-dermal implant and refers to a type of body jewelry that is positioned beneath the skin, consequently permitting the body to mend over the implant and producing a raised outline.

The tattooing of the eyeball has been with us for a longer than you might think, and in fact it originated in the 1800’s. It was frequently used to right defects in eyes and the process can be carried out with a customary tattooist’s needle. The eye is basically held exposed while the tincture, which is the actual type used in a normal tattoo, is inserted inside the eyeball.

An additional form of body modification that involves the eye is the implanting of jewelry in to the outer stratum of the eyeball and this is one body modification that I must admit I hadn’t been aware of before. It seems that it was first completed in the Holland and it has come to the United States in recent years.

These are just some of the more obscure kinds of body modification that people have been undertaking recently and they will continue to gain in popularity.

The more obscure forms of body modification

Quite a few people have had a standard piercing in the earlobe and probably quite a amount of us have had a piercing in additional parts of the body, but there are a number of people who have opted for more out-and-out extreme body modifications.

One such body modification is known as human branding and is the procedure in which a symbol, usually an emblem or decorative outline, is burned onto the surface of the skin, with the purpose that the resultant wound makes it permanent. This is procedure is carried out by using a red hot iron and it consequently uses the actual process of livestock branding on a persons body.

Another body modification that involves the skin is the sub-dermal implant and refers to a type of body jewelry that is positioned beneath the skin, consequently permitting the body to mend over the implant and producing a raised outline.

The tattooing of the eyeball has been with us for a longer than you might think, and in fact it originated in the 1800’s. It was frequently used to right defects in eyes and the process can be carried out with a customary tattooist’s needle. The eye is basically held exposed while the tincture, which is the actual type used in a normal tattoo, is inserted inside the eyeball.

An additional form of body modification that involves the eye is the implanting of jewelry in to the outer stratum of the eyeball and this is one body modification that I must admit I hadn’t been aware of before. It seems that it was first completed in the Holland and it has come to the United States in recent years.

These are just some of the more obscure kinds of body modification that people have been undertaking recently and they will continue to gain in popularity.

Extreme body modifications from around the world

One exceptionally out of the ordinary aspect of modern society is the evidence that the general public is becoming fascinated in acquiring an extreme body modification such as ear stretching, in ever greater numbers. Go to most countries across the globe and you will notice that more and more of their citizens are sporting more and more outlandish and extreme kinds of body modifications. Ones that in the past were more linked to certain tribes on the continent of Africa are now finding their way into the cultures and societies of the more developed Western hemisphere.

Other intense forms of body modification include what is known as “branding”. Branding is normally associated with cattle farmers who utilize hot irons to mark their cattle in case of theft, but it is fast becoming an extreme kind of body modification that is growing in popularity. In the same way that cattle are branded the human version requires a red hot metal implement being pressed on to the skin, this causes a raised scar that will remain in place for the rest of that persons natural life. This kind of body modification does come with one or two health concerns as scalds more often than not can become infected rather easily.

Other kinds of extreme body modification that started life in other parts of the world but are becoming more and more popular include such modifications involve items being placed beneath the skin. These have originated in Japan and entail the placing of metal objects under the skin so that they leave a raised part of the skin in a specific shape. But whatever kind of body modification you choose and no matter what part of the world it originated from, you need to be aware of the health problems that are linked with the more extreme forms of body modification.

What does happen at an English bachelor party?

On a recent visit to England I was asked the question, “what is the difference between an English stag party, and an American bachelor party?”

The thing was that I did not know the answer to that question and so I decided to do some investigating whilst in England, before returning home.

It turns out that there are quite a few differences in fact and I was surprised just how much more liquor is involved in the English version compared to the American one. Now the Brits like a drink and with their more relaxed liquor laws they take full advantage of it. Now the UK stag do normally takes place about a week before the wedding ceremony although it can even take place the night before the wedding!

It usually began with the obligatory “pub crawl” this is where the groom, the best man and the rest of the group visit as many bars as possible whilst obtaining different levels of inebriation, before more often than not ending the evening a strip club. However, more and more stag dos are being taken in foreign countries and many British men head to destinations across Europe (with Eastern Europe being popular due to its very cheap beer) or they organize activity weekends. This is similar to the American tradition of organizing a road trip to another city for their bachelor party.

Alcohol is still the main ingredient of any good stag do and it is not just the fine British ale that you might associate with England, but shots and yes even cocktails are consumed in ever growing numbers and sometimes at the same time. The final part of the evening is concerned with trying to film the groom in a compromising or embarrassing situation, and this usually involves stripping him naked and tying him to a lamppost.

A strange new body modification from Asia.

When somebody asks you about body modifications the first thing that will possibly jump into your mind is something straightforward and popular such as body piercings and tattooing.

On the other hand, in recent times a different kind of extreme body modification is fast becoming a trend with people in Asia. They have taken extreme body modification to another plane with a kind of body modification that has grown to be known in the West as the “bagel-head”.

Asia being the land of incongruity and a setting where their population take pleasure in a first-class freak show, have had the courage to invent a entirely modern-day method of extreme body modification which is commonly identified as a bagel-head.

The process begins with a saline solution drip being inculcated by expert piercers into a specific spot, which instigates an extreme response by the body’s immune system, which causes inflammation and expansion. Fortunately, these saline injections do not last for too long and the bagel form itself only endures for a time period no greater than 24 hours.

The forehead is one of the most common places that are injected and another area where frequently one or two bagels are fashioned is the top of the arm, the outcome of which is giving the appearance of a “Popeye Doyle” type of huge bicep muscles.

On top of presenting the effect of looking like an utter this type of extreme body modification may possibly bring on a number of side effects similar to a headache, infection, skin stretching, a feeling of pressure, and presenting the appearance of possessing an injured eye.

It seems to be that thanks to the continent of Asia the errant example of the extreme body modification puzzle has been revealed, but it does bring up the matter of what will they think of after that?

The origins of body plugs

Starting countless years ago, body modifications such as body plugs have been on a gradual ascendant increase when it comes to being accepted within the culture of the West.  However, what about the variety of body modifications that were taking place across the globe, ones that were practiced a long time prior to the tattoo and piercing parlors began to pop up across the United States and Europe?

You are probably aware of the more popular body modifications such as tattooing and piercing, and you might have heard about some of the more obscure kinds of body modification such as body plugs and scarification. Body plugs have been used for generations in places such as Africa as part of a process that is known as stretching. The idea behind stretching is to take a normal sized ear piercing and by the process of adding bigger and bigger inserts stretch the earlobe to a size that the person requires.

People who visited the African continent who saw these tribesmen and women adorning such outlandish earlobes spread the word when they returned home and it was not long before people in the West decided that they wanted to try it for themselves. However, at the time it was not a process that seemed socially acceptable to the Western society but in Africa these body modifications were usually associated with certain aspects and social standing within certain tribes. Some body modifications were used specifically to mark a child’s coming of age where others were used as a sign of a persons rank within their tribe.

It took a number of years before body plugs became socially acceptable to Western cultures and nowadays they can be seen being sported by people from all walks of life as a sign of a persons individuality.

The origins of body plugs

Starting countless years ago, body modifications such as body plugs have been on a gradual ascendant increase when it comes to being accepted within the culture of the West.  However, what about the variety of body modifications that were taking place across the globe, ones that were practiced a long time prior to the tattoo and piercing parlors began to pop up across the United States and Europe?

You are probably aware of the more popular body modifications such as tattooing and piercing, and you might have heard about some of the more obscure kinds of body modification such as body plugs and scarification. Body plugs have been used for generations in places such as Africa as part of a process that is known as stretching. The idea behind stretching is to take a normal sized ear piercing and by the process of adding bigger and bigger inserts stretch the earlobe to a size that the person requires.

People who visited the African continent who saw these tribesmen and women adorning such outlandish earlobes spread the word when they returned home and it was not long before people in the West decided that they wanted to try it for themselves. However, at the time it was not a process that seemed socially acceptable to the Western society but in Africa these body modifications were usually associated with certain aspects and social standing within certain tribes. Some body modifications were used specifically to mark a child’s coming of age where others were used as a sign of a persons rank within their tribe.

It took a number of years before body plugs became socially acceptable to Western cultures and nowadays they can be seen being sported by people from all walks of life as a sign of a persons individuality.

How to tell if your man is a commitment phobe

So you are thinking that you have met the man of your dreams, but what if this particular bachelor does not want to give up his bachelor life, how do spot the signs?

Here are a few tips for you to keep an eye on when it comes to spotting if your man is looking at a long term future with you or with himself.

The first sign that he is not totally committed to you is if he spends a lot of time online playing someone from the opposite side of the globe at some weird and all consuming adventure game. If you find that most of his social interactions are virtual ones then you may want to consider leaving very quickly.

Next up is one of the most common problems that women find when starting a new relationship and trying to pin down their man to a long term commitment and that is the problem of the domineering mother. If he starts rearranging dates or turning up late because of something to do with his mother then you may want to think about your position in the pecking order. There is nothing wrong with a man who cares about his mother, but if it goes to extremes then you may want to look elsewhere.

Has he had a large number of short term relationships with other women? If you discover that he does not hang around for long then be worried, it could be that he just hasn’t met the right women yet and you are just the person to pin him down to a long commitment, however be wary that you may just be another notch on his bedpost.

Finally if you have managed to navigate through the first weeks of the relationship and when casually mentioning the future your man suddenly goes pale or makes excuses and heads for the bathroom, there is a good possibility that he is not here for the long haul.

African tribal body modification and its influence on the west

There are a large number of people who take their body modification inspiration from the native cultures of Africa, from Egypt in the north to South Africa the African continent is awash with body modification ideas.

Most tribes in Africa are well used to various kinds of body modification and in fact the stretched earlobe that has become more and more popular in western civilization in recent years began life in Africa. The Sara and Mursi tribes have used extreme body modifications such as the lip plate and the stretched earlobe for generations, the lip plates themselves carry different and significant meanings that are specific to a certain tribe. As a woman who did not get her ears pierced until her late teens I can honestly say that the thought of having a lip plate inserted makes me feel as uncomfortable as the pictures of those that have had it done look.

Body modification became popular amongst African tribes due to the fact that clothing was in short supply and so different kinds of body modification became popular in order to easily identify other members of the tribe. Scarification was one of the easiest body modifications for the tribesmen to do this involves using a sharp implement to cut the skin, this then causes scar tissue to grow leaving a permanent scar in the shape of a certain design.

Most governments in Africa have now banned the practice of scarification; however, certain tribes in countries such as Nigeria, Zaire, and Ethiopia defy this ban and still practice scarification.

In some tribes, scars are administered to tribal members depending on what age they are, and this includes newborn children and it is common among some African tribes to facially scar newborn children, something which seems to be bordering on the barbaric to us in the west yet seems perfectly acceptable to them.

Keep Mold Out Of Your Suitcases

                              

The way you store your stuff is important to make sure that you can use the luggage later on when the luggage is still in good form. Many people have no basics on how to store luggage safe because mostly the luggage is unfit to be used. Moulds are as a result of dampness. Any thing that is moldy can be hardly used for it is stained and sometimes comes with a foul smell. The foul smell in the suitcase will ensure that the smell is carried by any other thing you store there. It is essential that you avoid mold in your suitcases to ensure safe keeping of your luggage. The only way out is to keep your suitcase in a dry and airy place any time that you store it. Never store your suitcase when it has stuff in it. Make sure it is empty.

To avoid mold in your suitcases make sure that there isn’t any dirty stuff in it. Dirt will enhance the growth of bacteria in the suitcase and a bad smell comes with that. Soiled luggage is a factor that increases the chances of mold growth. It is common to store suitcases in other suitcases. It can really create space in your house where you can store more luggages. Drier sheets are put in suitcases being stored because they keep the suitcase dry and fresh all the time. This is one of the best methods to avoid mold in your suitcases.It is very important to store your luggage from the places being used so much if you do not need to use  the luggage at that particular time.

To avoid mold in your suitcases, keep off dampness out of your house. Any damp part of the house should be repaired to avoid dampnesss, especially the leaking parts. As repairs are being done, drainage and insulation should be done. To crown that all, ventilation is of essence to enhance fresh air circulation. Using air conditioners and dehumidifiers will make sure that the moisture is done away with to avoid mold in your suitcases and any other part of your house. Other solutions are available in the market. There are chemicals that can help you achieve to absorb moisture in your suitcase. A lot of caution should be taken because use of electronics like dehumidifiers and heaters can cause electric fires. With the stated ways you can avoid mold in your suitcases and the whole house at large.

How your lifestyle can leave your basement prone to flooding

Did you know that your lifestyle may leave your home and more specifically the basement of your home, prone to flooding? Having a basement in your home is great, whether you use it for storage or as an extra living space, but it is the area of your home that is the most likely to suffer from water damage when flooding strikes.

The reason why your lifestyle can leave your home susceptible to basement flooding is that if you are away from your home on a regular basis, then that slight trickle of water that you were unaware of may soon become a torrent. Then when you return home you will certainly be aware of a flooding problem, but by then it may be too late to salvage some of your more valuable items.

If you are one of those people who own property but for one reason or another you are not at home as often as you would like because of work commitments or you do a lot of socializing away from home, or you travel a lot, then you are going to need to make sure that you minimize the risk of flooding happening when you are away.

To do this you need to recognize the early signs of a water leakage problem, usually if it has been something that has been going on undetected for a length of time, you may notice a strange musty smell. This will be the result of mildew or mold growth that comes with an excess of water, another sign connected to this will be walls that are damp and clammy to the touch.

Once you have discovered that there is an excess water leakage problem then you will need to find out just what is causing the problem and where in your property the leak is coming from. If you have more than one level in your home then begin at the highest point you can as water will obviously flow downwards. Check pipes and lookout for cracks in walls, go from room to room until you know exactly where the problem is coming from, then you can start correcting the problem.

Of course it is no good taking these precautions if you end up going out and leaving a window open when there is a rainstorm due so double check all your windows and doors.

Eradicating mold from automobiles

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A friend of mine recently offered to take me to work in their car after mine was taken away to be repaired, it was an offer I was glad to accept, that is until I actually got into the car itself. There was a horrible musty smell, it was a strong smell, but I knew I had smelt smoothing similar in my car too. To my horror my friend told me that there must be mold or mildew growing somewhere in his car and but he did not consider it worth treating as he was about to get himself a new car soon.

I knew that as soon as I got my car back I was going to have to do something before the situation got a lot worse and the smell became too unbearable.

There is health problems associated with mold and mildew so it is something that needs to be eradicated as soon as possible.

The first task in eradicating mold is to locate it, this may seem like an obvious step but mold and mildew likes to grow in places where they will not be disturbed, such as underneath seats or the carpeting on the floor, or indeed in all kinds of out of the way places.

Once you have discovered where the problem is you need to go to your local auto supply store and buy the correct cleaning solution. For mold on carpets and upholstery then any kind of carpet shampoo should do the trick, but do not over wet the area, just spray, leave for a few seconds and scrub away. Then once completed double check that there is no more mold hiding in other places, ideally this cleaning should be done on a nice warm sunny day this is because you need to make sure that the affected area is completely dry. If not then you are just going to have the same problems again very soon, so park the car somewhere in the sunshine and leave all the doors, the sunroof and the trunk open to allow the air to circulate.

Follow this advice and you should be able to enjoy driving your car in a mold free condition for the foreseeable future.

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Extreme Body Mods In Japan

subdermal implants, ear surgery, elf ears, body piercing (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When someone asks you to think about body modification you probably instantly think about tattoos and body piercings. However, just recently a brand new type of extreme body modification has become a craze with the Japanese. They have taken body modification to a whole new level with something that has become known in the English speaking parts of the world as the “bagel head”.

Bagel heads have entirely grasped the imagination of a whole host of cheerless youthful citizens devoid of any sense of worth. Japan being the realm of strangeness and a location where their populace enjoy a good freak show, have dared to come up with a totally contemporary means of body modification which is universally known as a bagel head.

A saline suspension drip is infused by specialized piercers into a precise place, which brings about an exaggerated immune response by the body causing swelling and distension. Luckily, the saline jabs are not everlasting and the actual bagel contour only persists for in the region of twenty-four hours.

The places that are most commonly injected and the most prevalent body parts for creating these swellings are the forehead, a place where more often than not a couple of bagels are created and also the tops of the arms are injected to give the appearance of a Popeye style large bicep muscle.

As well as giving the impression of being a absolute fool and looking as if they require a dollop of cream cheese on their head swelling, this kind of extreme body modification may induce some side effects akin to headache, contamination, skin elasticity, a sensation of pressure, and giving the appearance of having a dodgy eye.

It looks as if, thanks to the Japanese the missing piece of the extreme body modification jigsaw has been discovered, but it does beg the question, what will they come up with next?

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Tourism in Queensland Flourishes Despite Flooding

English: Coolum, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are many times when some kind of natural disaster wreaks havoc on a country and the long term effects can be devastating. Not only do the residents have to rebuild their lives, but often the local economy suffers as well. A few months back I travelled to Queensland, Australia which you may remember was hit by devastating floods in January 2011. The good news is that they do not seem to have had a lasting effect in terms of tourism in the region. All of the major coastal resorts such as Brisbane, Rockhampton and the Gold Coast as well as the smaller towns and islands along the Sunshine Coast seem to be pretty much business as usual.

Talking with some of the locals about the recovery of the area in such a short time, the overwhelming response I got was that it is all because of the residents of Queensland. The locals are strong and resolute. They were not going to allow the tragic floods to ruin them. The area has seen thousands of volunteers from the surrounding areas come right into the heart of the most badly affected areas and start helping locals with the clean up operation. This was a mammoth task. There was sewage and chemical spills dangerously polluting the standing water so that had to be removed first of all and then there was the task of disposing of ruined furniture, toys, clothing and so on. The existing refuse sites were unable to cope with the additional waste and so long abandoned quarries were re-purposed as temporary tips. One of the biggest dangers was that the destruction of some buildings had dislodged asbestos fibres, so it was important to Queenslanders to get this clean up mission under way very quickly to minimize exposure risks.

So it is business as usual for the Australian tourist industry, but there is still much repair work needed especially to roads which have been riddled with potholes following the flooding. Donating to any legitimate charity flood appeal will help repair them, but if the locals are to be believed, these proud people would actually prefer that you just came by for a visit keeping tourism booming allowing them to fund their own repair efforts. So why not take a trip 'down under'.

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