Archive for March, 2009

Network Security 101

Tuesday, March 31st, 2009

As more people are logging onto the Internet everyday, Network Security becomes a larger issue. In the United States, identity theft and computer fraud are among the fastest rising crimes. It is important to protect your network and ensure the safety of all computers and users in that network.

What is a Network?

In order to fully understand network security, one must first understand what exactly a network is. A network is a group of computers that are connected. Computers can be connected in a variety of ways. Some of these ways include a USB port, phone line connection, Ethernet connection, or a wireless connection. The Internet is basically a network of networks. An Internet Service Provider (ISP) is also a network. When a computer connects to the internet, it joins the ISP’s network which is joined with a variety of other networks, which are joined with even more networks, and so on. These networks all encompass the Internet. The vast amount of computers on the Internet, and the number of ISPs and large networks makes network security a must.

Common Network Security Breeches

Hackers often try to hack into vulnerable networks. Hackers use a variety of different attacks to cripple a network. Whether you have a home network or a LAN, it is important to know how hackers will attack a network.

One common way for a hacker to wreak havoc is to achieve access to things that ordinary users shouldn’t have access to. In any network, administrators have the ability to make certain parts of the network “unauthorized access.” If a hacker is able to gain access to a protected area of the network, he or she can possibly affect all of the computers on the network. Some hackers attempt to break into certain networks and release viruses that affect all of the computers in the network. Some hackers can also view information that they are not supposed to see.

Destructive Attacks

There are two major categories for destructive attacks to a network. Data Diddling is the first attack. It usually is not immediately apparent that something is wrong with your computer when it has been subjected to a data diddler. Data diddlers will generally change numbers or files slightly, and the damage becomes apparent much later. Once a problem is discovered, it can be very difficult to trust any of your previous data because the culprit could have potentially fooled with many different documents.

The second type of data destruction is outright deletion. Some hackers will simply hack into a computer and delete essential files. This inevitably causes major problems for any business and can even lead to a computer being deemed useless. Hackers can rip operating systems apart and cause terrible problems to a network or a computer.

The Importance of Network Security

Knowing how destructive hackers can be shows you the importance of Network Security. Most networks have firewalls enabled that block hackers and viruses. Having anti-virus software on all computers in a network is a must. In a network, all of the computers are connected, so that if one computer gets a virus, all of the other computers can be adversely affected by this same virus. Any network administrator should have all of the essential files on back up disks. If a file is deleted by a hacker, but you have it on back up, then there is no issue. When files are lost forever, major problems ensue. Network security is an important thing for a business, or a home. Hackers try to make people’s lives difficult, but if you are ready for them, your network will be safe.

Robert Flanglin is very interested in security and enjoys writing about network security. Robert Flanglin also writes for the Network Security Journal ( http://www.networksecurityjournal.com ).

A Dozen Things You Must Know Before You Tie the Knot

Tuesday, March 31st, 2009

  1. Marriage was conceived by God, planned by God and designed by God. Therefore we need to seek God’s guidance in marriage. Too often we do what we have seen done without question. Everyone has opinions about marriage but you cannot afford to listen to everyone. Remember, what works for some people may not work in your relationship. Then who do you listen to? I’m glad you asked. I suggest reading books along with workbooks that focus on Christian marriage. For example: “Before You Say I Do”, by H. Norman Wright and “Too Close, Too Soon” by Jim Tally.
  2. I recommend getting Christian-based pre-marital counseling. There are counseling assessments that can help you to understand yourself and your potential mate better. Family history, personal types, and other aspects of your lives can be explored and discovered during the course of counseling: Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis and Family History Index. These are survey-like questionnaires that reveal information that facilitate the pre-marital counseling process. It can actually be fun.
  3. When you first get married, there is so much excitement going on, from the preparation to the honeymoon. Eventually things settle down and you start to find the rhythm of your new life. And all of a sudden you look at this new person and you ask yourself why did I do this? Some people panic when they experience this and think something must be wrong with them. Believe me, it is quite normal. There will be your first argument and figuring out which way the toilet tissue paper will roll and getting use to sharing your schedule and more adjustments to make and doubts will come up. Hopefully, knowing that doubts will occur will be a relief to you. You are normal.
  4. Take time to have fun. There is work involved in being happily married but you must take time to have fun together. Learning to live with a new person in a mutually satisfying relationship requires work. Learning to communicate so that you understand each other, attending marriage, seminars and figuring out what works best is necessary, and so is fun! Don’t abandon fun times as faded memories you had when you were single. Create new memories together! It is important to enjoy being in the presence of one another and give and get that special personal attention. ??
  5. Sexual purity before marriage is not emphasized these days due the social pressure and non-Christian influences. Sexual purity before marriage is the foundation to trust in your marriage. Many men will pursue their partner and yet not respect them after they give in or accuse them of infidelity after they get married. It may not make sense, it just is that way. We have counseled so many couples who have difficulty trusting due to their own sexual impurity prior to marriage. I use the word “purity” instead of virginity because your sexual behavior is more that not having sexual intercourse. Purity covers all of our behavior, not just “doing IT.” For example: oral sex and similar acts are impure between people who are not married. God’s plan for sexual fulfillment and sexual expression is in marriage. Because you are engaged doesn’t give you the right to have sexual intercourse or to “shack-up” together. The bed is undefiled in marriage, but whoremongers God will judge. Hebrews 13: 4. Sex was not meant to be a casual sport but a special, loving, physical oneness. Sex is what makes marriage – marriage. You become one flesh with your sex partner. We are all special to God, and He wants to save us from guilt, shame, disease the haunting of former lovers and degradation of impurity in our lives. He wants us to experience the most intimate act of love. If you and your potential mate cannot “help yourself” now, in the face of temptation, what’s to say you can resist temptation after marriage?
  6. Know what your potential mate values. What do you value? What is most important to you? Are your values compatible? During the dating period you should be discussing these kinds of things. Do you want children? If yes, how many? What religious convictions do you hold? Are you two compatible religiously? This is a very crucial area to explore because while you are dating and even in the early part of your marriage you may not experience much conflict about religion; however, once children are born there is greater conflict because each parent wants the children to be brought in their belief system. For Christians, God has given His will and that is that we do not unequally yoke ourselves with unbelievers II Corinthians 6:14. What greater yoke is there than marriage?
  7. Discuss all past serious love relationships. To talk openly about your past relationships is very critical because being open about something so personal takes you to the deeper level of communication. Each of you is entitled to have full disclosure. There should not be any surprises once you are married. If you or your mate suggests leaving the past in the past without revealing this part of your life, I can guarantee that one day someone from the past will show up when you least expect it. When this happens it can ignite insecurities and cause more pain than necessary. If you feel you do not want to trust your prospective mate with your whole self – perhaps you are not ready to make such a major step as the lifetime commitment of marriage. This is a test of honesty and vulnerability.
  8. Never settle. No one is perfect, but you deserve the best possible mate that God has for you. Some people accept a marriage proposal for the following reasons: they believe that no one else is going to ask them, because they have kids and no one wants them, “I’m no great catch, I can’t be choosy” or “I don’t love them but this person is stable and can provide for me”. None of these are the reason to say “I do”. Marriage, as God designed it, is to be a beautiful union of two people who are committed to Him, full of the king of love that He gives us, a place to grow, an incubator for our children. The ultimate goal is for everyone to experience love here on earth and to finally have a family reunion in heaven. Ask for God’s guidance in bringing the mate for you into your life. Wait on the Lord, don’t settle.
  9. Ask and answer important questions. While you are dating hopefully you using this time to get to know one another. One way to start is by asking some key questions. What kind family structure were you brought up with? Single parent, two parent. As a result of your family of origin what do you expect marriage will be like? What decisions did you make early in your life because of your upbringing? Complete this sentence: “When I get married and have kids, I’ll never ….” Describe your relationship with the parent of the opposite sex i.e. son and mother or daughter and father. The relationship with the opposite sex parent has a tremendous effect on how we deal with our mates. If a man disrespects his mother that is same kind of attitude he will have toward his wife. Recommend book “1,000 Questions for Couples” see Resources pag. Email me.
  10. Accepting your mate-to-be is something you need to contemplate early on in your relationship. Acceptance begins with accepting yourself. There are things you are good at and some things you need to grow in, this is what makes up who you are. Acceptance creates an environment where each person is allowed to be themselves and be loved unconditionally. The way God loves us. If an individual has not been use to being accepted and has low-self esteem they may find it difficult to accept that someone truly loves and accepts them. This is where pre-marital counseling can be helpful. When we plant seeds we do not stand over the sprout yelling, “Hurry up and grow! You are not growing fast enough you slow poke!” Like plants, as we grow, we need nurturing and care and love; just like the plants need sunshine and rain and cultivating. To the degree that you know yourself, you will be more capable of getting to know your partner for life. Never try to change another person.
  11. Be aware of any signs of abusive behavior. Does your partner try to bring around to their way of thinking by verbal put downs, name calling, profanity? Are you ever threatened with bodily harm, do you feel threatened? Have you been hit, pushed, “wrestled”, shoved, and slapped at any time for any reason? None of the above behaviors are acceptable. You do not deserve to be hit. And it is not your fault that you are abused. Does your partner try to isolate you from your loved ones and friends? End the relationship or let them know that you will not continue unless they get PROFESSIONAL HELP. Don’t fool yourself – whatever negative behavior is evident before marriage will be magnified afterward. Many people are killed every day from violence by someone they know. Please take this seriously!
  12. Start a devotional or quiet time to come before God as a couple. Establish time on your own to commune with the Lord. The value of each is that 1 you establish sharing a spiritual life together it will get you off to the right kind of start that includes the Lord. There are 3 parties in a Christian marriage, God, you and your spouse. Seeking spiritual guidance and wisdom will be a great sustainer when it times get difficult. And 2 you need your personal time in devotion because, although you are married, your spouse cannot meet all of your needs – only God can supply all your needs. Philippians 4:19.
  13. BONUS FOR INDIVIDUAL’S WITH CHILDREN When children are involved please ask them about their feelings. If there are negative feelings dig deeper to find out why they feel the way they do. I strongly recommend counseling for all involved since the after the wedding all of you will be involved. What plan have you all worked on to facilitate communication? If both parties have children, include all children in pre-marital discussions and counseling. Suggested book “Before You Remarry”.
  14. BONUS FOR INDIVIDUAL MARRYING SOMEONE WITH CHILDREN Ask yourself the following questions: Am I in tune with the feelings of the children? Am I willing to listen to the children? Am I flexible enough to endure the rocky waters that occur during the adjustment period? Am I open to new information such as classes, counseling and books that will help me understand how to blend into this family? Be honest and open. To men: Are you willing to separate your manhood and stand the negatives of the children while they adjust? Do you trust your mate’s ability to deal with their children?
  15. Medical tests Recommended Before the Wedding HIV, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, and Blood Type compatibility

Glenda M. Thomas, Editor of Sister 2 Sister Newsletter

http://www.glendathomas.com

Zimmer Durom Cup Recall Not Positive for Patients

Tuesday, March 31st, 2009

Many poor people who got durom acetabular used in their hip cup replacement surgical processes are determining that there are difficulties that far surpass the average expectations for recovery. These people are experiencing a lot of unneeded pain for longer periods of time, required to undergo revision surgical operations and elevated medical costs, and losing income by not being able to work at their official jobs. Although Zimmer Holdings, Inc. is demanding that that their hip replacement implant is not conceivably imperfect and have basically denied blame for the faulty surgical procedures, several unfortunate people are filing cases against them and taking settlements.

During the month of October, 2008 Zimmer announced that it had set-aside $47.5 million to compensate for lawsuits that had been filed against them. Many doctors have reservations that the implant is is not the issue like the company has stated. In Point Of Fact, when Zimmer tendered online education to docs in order to instruct them what was supposedly more correct methods for performing the implant surgery, approximately half of the docs refused to participate. Thus, the entire situation proceeds to be irritating for all parties attached, but none more than the hundreds of individuals who are needing a revision surgical procedure because of the problems with their implant coming loose in the socket.

These suffering people definitely deserve some help and restitution which is the main reason product liability lawyers are encouraging them to start the filing of lawsuits. dorr durom has been settling some of these claims, too. However, even if the money they are being offered sounds like alot to them, in most cases unfortunate people are resolving too fast and without provision being made for on-going problems if it happens again. If they don’t wait to find out what cases are actually going to be worth, individuals might find themselves paying thousands of dollars from their own personal assets when more problems start to surface.

Anyone who believes they do have a claim against Zimmer should start looking into it. If you imagine you may qualify, you can telephone a attorney to verify this info. Try to find a lawfirm that covers nationwide and that focuses primarily on litigation against irregular medical devices. This law firm has even set up a special division to research and process claims against Zimmer and win substantial settlements for their clients.

If your orthopedic surgeon informs you that you will need to undergo a revision surgery to fix your Zimmer Durom hip replacement device, get in touch with an lawyer right away.

Hair Test for Drug

Monday, March 30th, 2009

Hair Test For Drug

Drug screen has become a everyday problem round the world. Some societies execute drug screens on freshly employed individuals or present employees to assure a drug-free environment at work.

Insurance agencies and courts carry out drug screens on a frequent basis on distrusted individuals. The main query that comes to your mind, when you go for some trial is how to pass drug trial?

Internet sites much like Random Drug Testing provides the latest cleansing products including enduring cleansers, synthetic urine products, and saliva cleansing products, detox drinks and home drug essay kits.

Passing Thc Drug Test

Pass The Drug Test proposes pro support for every product, with support catered by drug test professionals which are highly experienced with unique types of drug testing ways and effects. Support is available by email and telephone. Transportation is instant, with complete secrecy assured, using plain and discrete packaging materials to conserve absolute client privateness.

Xanax And Drug Testing

Embedded on the new website is a well-rounded order of products for detox and examining aims. Permanent cleansers are proposed in 3, 5 and 7, 10, 14, 21 and 30 day systems, with a variety of herbs, roots, barks and minerals that are acknowledged lipides destroyers which make to break down fat cells and rid of toxins altogether. Phoney weewee is offered, which contains all components usually found in urine, specially balanced for pH with specific gravity, creatine and other weewee characteristics. A saliva cleaning mouthwash is tendered will remove toxins from the mouth with barely 3 minutes of use. We sell a range of cleansing drinks, from each one containing the most efficient herbs and fiber to help rid the body of toxins that may have piled up.

If you use Excite to seek the internet for us here are 10 Strategic words to apply to get hold of our internet site.

Pass Drug Test Niacin

Home Drug Test also provides drug testing kits including saliva, hair and urine based tests to see to it that detox programs are effective. For more information, visit Home Drug Testing If you have any questions, please call us at: 866-686-7277

Search Engine Optimisation Comes in Handy

Sunday, March 29th, 2009

You might think that creating a website to expand your business is enough to generate sales but think about the millions of web sites on the internet these days. Do you think that your site will be able to be found if you type in a keyword that is linked to your field of industry?

Experiment for a while. Try keying in a certain word or phrase in a search engine such as Yahoo or Google and see if it will lead you to your own website. If you’re new with how all of this works, then probably you won’t even see your website come up in the first 10 pages or so. This is the reason when search engine optimisation Melbourne comes in handy.

Although many people think that by submitting their website to several directories, they will be able to gain immediate traffic from the web which, in reality, is not the case. If you enter a keyword or search a word or phrase to find your site, where does it lead you? Is it to your site or a competitor’s site?

Your goal in search optimisation is to be listed in the first page of a search engine. By aiming for this, you will be bale to gain more traffic to your site, hence more people will know about what your business is. It is also important that your site is customized by a developer so that it will be easy for a search engine to locate your website. A lot has to be learned in search engine optimisation and if you want a booming online business, you need to know the concepts about search engine optimisation.

Heres Something: : Part C

Sunday, March 29th, 2009

A barrister bookcase is a unreformed shelf that is believed to have originated in Northern Ireland. Its differentiating feature is a transparent field glass face. This glass front is hinged at the allowing someone to easily access ledgers and other legal papers simply by opening the glass door. A barrister bookcase is ideal for just about anything. A barrister bookcase was frequently used by a lawyers since it was often necessary for them to move. Nowadays, they are also very favorable, particularly if one is always moving. The doors make this the case. This enables ledgers and collectibles to be moved while still inside the bookcase while still continuing them.

Great Shelves
Good Barrister’s Oak Bookshelves avert the use of the normal sidewise opening doors . Instead they use doors with a different opening mechanism. A scissor device used inside the barrister shelves control the moving doors do it in a parallel fashion without getting the doors jammed or tipped in the process. One favored position of A Barrister’s bookcase is the ability to have many of these units stacked together. The impression of an fetching cabinet will be given.A assortment of materials can be used to make barrister’s bookcases Whether madeusing glass or wood, these bookcases give a simple elgant appearance to a room.

This special kind of book shelves, despite their many merits, often are quite pricy. Luckily, their many rewards have moved some producers to start producing replica editions and some in modern versions at very reasonable prices. Many variations have simple appearances and can be made to fit a particular decor. They can also be made into customized.They can be stacked together allowing them to be easily used to create very interesting unit placements. Some can be used to create sofa tables, kitchen tables or even dining areas.

The Story of the Early Catered Chalet Trips to Chamonix Village

Sunday, March 29th, 2009

As far back as 1770 the inaugural alps accommodation lodge was opened up in Chamonix. Prior to this Chamonix Mont Blanc constituted a wild and tough rural hamlet where locals captured animals and farmed their own cereals.

Barns at this time were used to breed cows during the spring and summer. The cows milk was kept by making it into cheese and butter and stocked down in the valley for eating during the long winters. In the snow season the farmhouses were secured, and all valuables were put safely in a liitle hut.

The person who devised the chalet vacation is obscured by time, it was likely numerous zealous people who realized a formula which was new and exciting. With Erna Low it all began whilst she was a homesick student who could not afford to visit her family in Austria as much as she wished. And so in 1933 she gambled and put a small ad in the broadsheets to invite punters on a skiing vacation. For only £15 they traveled to and from the skiing resort, were provided with dinner and board in the sole inn, and paid for skiing equipment and tuition. Skiing was hard , there were no lifts, no safety fixings, just strong leather boots, but it was such a hit that she kept on taking people on vacations, ensuring she found supreme chalets and skiing guides.

These ski trips in the formative years were very different from the luxury we can enjoy today. In the early days hot water was in short supply, bathrooms would be shared out with all of the punters, and there wasn’t a chef; all the guests were expected to muck in. It was a complete lottery as to who might be in the accommodation for the vacation, one could be pleased by meeting new friends, or have an uncomfortable week amongst strangers.

Chalet holidays were later publicized on their new bonuses. A chef, who served you cooked breakfast and an evening meal and even made you afternoon tea, lots of warm water for bathing.

Try All Natural DrFloras Cleanse

Sunday, March 29th, 2009

Clean Out With DrFloras Cleanse Formula

A highly toxic colon works inefficiently because the residing chemicals interfere with its classifying activity. These toxins can be exposed via pollutants in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and, including but not limited to, the foods we eat. Not only can this nasty build up cause discomfort when passing waste, but it also prevents the full load of the waste from passing, which adds to the build up, upping the ante of the toxin levels in your body. We need to remove the effects of metabolic waste, mucous build up and toxins safely and naturally in order to feel renewed. There is absolutely no way around it, for toxins have proven to be practically everywhere. By using drfloras cleanse, toxins can be removed from the body easily.

The act of colon cleansing has been going on since the beginning of time, or at least since the beginning of recorded history. In fact, colon cleansing has been documented as having been practiced as early as 1500 B.C. in Egypt. Not only is that many years, decades, and centuries, but even a millennium! The benefits of colon cleansing are simply too hard to ignore! Colon cleansing is highly recommended by natural health practitioners. You should allow colon cleansing such as drfloras cleanse to purify your body, to make you much more healthier.The benefits of colon cleansing are hard to ignore, therefore you should not ignore them, but instead engage in the act of colon cleansing.

Enjoy the Benefits of DrFloras Cleanse Products Yourself

The drfloras system is a gentle, oral, dietary supplement that cleanses your colon. An unclean colon will definitely lead to a toxic waste build up in your colon, increasing your bodys toxin level. Not only will your body be able to rid itself of the pollutants, this superior formula also comes with an herbal anti-parasite component that allows your body to get rid of any nasty parasites that may have inhabited your intestinal tract. Parasites can cause loss of appetite, poor vision, sleep problems and irritability. Many people have used this great colon cleanser to not only cleanse their colon, but to also lose weight and to decrease feelings of tiredness and fatigue.

Discipline

Saturday, March 28th, 2009

I’ve been thinking a lot about what I believe to be the central challenge facing our clients right now, along with the rest of our society. It’s not an original concept by any means, but more and more I come to believe that it is the key to unlocking every success principle in existence.

Discipline.

Discipline may seem like an odd thing to emphasize- but I see the results of real discipline every day. I also see the results of the lack of discipline every day. Here’s what I mean:

Think about anyone who you would consider to have “made it”. You know the person- the woman who is the number one producer in your office and also has a family that loves her and is very close. Maybe you think of the guy who consistently outperforms everyone else and still has time to take numerous vacations AND train for a marathon. Perhaps you are envisioning the manager who genuinely loves developing the team and does a great job of it. Maybe you are considering your own track record right now. Whomever the example, picture clearly why they popped into your mind as an example of success. Now, if you watched that person very carefully, I guarantee you that you will see that nearly everything they do is purposeful, focused and disciplined. They are disciplined about setting goals and achieving them. They are disciplined about maintaining a great attitude, and they’re likely very disciplined about how they use their time. You’ll notice that when it’s time to work, that individual WORKS- so that when it’s time to play they can do so freely and without baggage.

On the other hand, consider the individual who perpetually seems to get the short end of the stick. You may know someone who is extremely intelligent, or is very positive and upbeat, or perhaps has a great sense of humor and everyone loves them. Everyone either knows somebody or is somebody who seems like they should be extremely successful in Life, but for some reason they just keep struggling and scraping by. If you watch that person very carefully, the underlying cause is almost always a lack of discipline- about Goals, about their Attitude, about how they use their Time, or about how they communicate- or maybe all of the above. Either way, I notice more and more that the most frequently occurring theme in the lives of truly successful men and women is the theme of discipline. As Albert Gray says in The Common Denominator of Success, they have “formed the habit of doing what unsuccessful people don’t like to do”. They are motivated by pleasing results rather than just pleasing activities. In other words, they are disciplined.

So then what I got thinking about was the question: “What is discipline?”

Well, I had heard once before that the word discipline has the same root as the word disciple. As in “a follower”. Now I didn’t want to get all super-religious or cultish on anyone, so I started thinking about what it actually means to be a disciple. I couldn’t really put my finger on it until recently when the answer was physically handed to me in church. The sermon was called “Majoring in the Minors” and the notes at the bottom read as follows:

“…a disciple is one who stays focused on what really matters, and is careful about letting other less important issues or concerns get in the way.”

Says it all, really. Again, I’m not trying to create some Cult of Personality here. I just encourage you as you begin this day, this week, this month, Your Life- stay focused on what really matters to you- at Work and in Life. Be careful about letting less important issues or concerns get in the way. I urge you…be a disciple of your own success.

Roger Seip is co founder of Freedom Speakers and Trainers www.deliverfreedom.coma national training company that focuses on memory training, goal setting, attitude management, time management and effective communication. He is an instructor as well as personal coach. Roger can be reached at 888-233-0407 ext 113 or roger@deliverfreedom.com

The Amazing Range Of Sex Toys

Saturday, March 28th, 2009

There are an amazing variety of sex toys available. Sex toys vary from purely male or purely female sex toys to toys that can be used by both sexes. There are also some sex toys that can also be classified as sex aids or marital aids.

The Purpose Of Sex Toys

Some sex toys aid the man’s erection, stimulate the female genitals to become more sensitive or provide a different feel to ‘normal’ sex. Other sex toys provide an ‘environment’ for variations in sex, for example so called orgy bed sheets. Sometimes they are used to help a person who has difficulty with unaided sex to achieve sexual satisfaction. However most sex toys provide a new way to directly stimulate the male or female genitals to achieve sexual satisfaction.

Using sex toys can provide new experiences and variation in the sexual experience. It can also provide a fantasy element for enhancing or revitalising a relationship.

The usual expectation is that a sex toy provides direct stimulation of the genitals in foreplay and/or during sexual intercourse or as a means to obtain orgasm through only the stimulation provided by the sex toy.

Types of Sex Toys

Vibrating Sex Toys

Probably the most well known sex toys are ‘vibrators’ which, as the name suggests, provide stimulation of the genitals using vibration. They are mainly used to stimulate the clitoris, but may also be used to stimulate any other part of the female body or that of a man’s.

The simplest of these are pencil or wand shaped (though normally thicker than a pencil). A good example is the Ceramitex vibrator. They often have an internal battery (or two) which powers a small electric motor. Sometimes the battery pack and controller are external and connected to the vibrator by a wire. This motor is fitted with a small, out of balance, weight attached to the shaft. As this weight rotates it throws the motor and vibrator into a small circular movement which causes the vibration you feel.

With a vibrator that has a controller, as the power is increased the speed of the motor increases and with it both the rate and strength of vibration. Both the strength and rate of vibration effects how stimulating you find the sex toy. The best effect may not be as strong and as fast as possible. The optimum settings may well change as your degree of excitement builds. To get the best results it is worth buying a vibrator which is controllable.

Different vibrators will have different characteristics and you may well find you prefer one combination much more than another and your preference may even vary depending on which part of your body you are stimulating.

More recently electronic vibrator controllers have appeared which provide not only the static control of power/speed but also allow you to select patterns of power pulses and surges. These can be very effective.

There are also other vibrating sex toys such as butterfly stimulators and vibrating penis rings.

Other Powered Sex Toys

There are some sex toys that use other ways to provide mechanical stimulation. These usually depend on a motor that makes the sex toy continually change its shape which provides a sort of rotational movement or makes it move back and forth. The back and forth movements are sometimes powered by an air pump rather than a motor. The movements have been used to create, for example, mechanical licking tongues, vibrators that ‘penetrate’ the vagina and mouth simulators to give a man a ‘blow job’.

On a bigger scale and much more expensive, there are ’sex machines’ that incorporate thrusting and vibrating dildos.

Combination Sex Toys

So far we have covered vibrating, moving and thrusting sex toys. As you may have guessed these are all offered in a bewildering array of combinations.

A common combination in many ‘Rabbit Style’ vibrators is clitoral stimulation using vibrations and vaginal stimulation using movement and sometimes a thrusting motion as well. An excellent example of these is the Hitech Crystal Fantasy vibrator.

Many sex toys add varying textures to their surfaces; a dildo or vibrator may have ridges or soft spikes or a rippled shape.

Sensation Change Sex Toys

Some sex toys rather than provide vibrating or moving stimulation, change the feel of sex.

For instance there are a variety of sleeves to put over the penis to provide different sensations for both partners while engaged in penetrative sex.

There are rings that squeeze the base of the penis and/or tighten the scrotum that assist the man’s erection and also changes his sensations. There are penis extenders and thickeners which may give a man’s partner greater sensations during penetration.

There are a wide variety of lubricants that can significantly change the feel of sex.

There are PVC and Polyurethane bed sheets that are water and oil proof that can be used for slippery or messy sex.

Why Use A Sex Toy?

A good question is: why do people use a sex toy? Surely fingers, tongues, penises, clitorises and vaginas etc all provide great sexual stimulation and enjoyment.

Well, apart from therapeutic uses (eg erection assistance), sex toys can drive the imagination (being taken by a machine), provide variety (new ways to do old things), vary the stimulating effects in otherwise normal sex (penis sleeves) and some can provide experiences not possible with ‘normal body parts’ (particularly vibrating sex toys and electro-stimulation).

Where To Start

If you have not tried a sex toy before and don’t yet have an idea of what you might like, try one of the simpler vibrators first. Most probably you will enjoy the experience and then start to wonder what other delights can be found with more sophisticated vibrators and other sex toys …

If you then find you do enjoy sex toys try out a few others and find what suits you. Above all, have fun trying them out!

Abbie Acworth has had a long term interest in sex, sex toys and sexuality and now writes articles for the UK on-line shop SexTingles that sells sex toys and sexy clothes. For a wide range of examples of vibrators see: vibrators.