MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Convetion, Exhibition)

It’s become very clear that when technology advances, so do mouse buttons. For instance, a long time ago there were mice with only one button. A second button scurried after the first; our lives became easier with the ability to right click. A short time later, a third button was found to be necessary. After a while, the wheel was invented.

At the current rate of progression, I’m quite sure that there will soon be more mouse buttons and more wheels. As to what they will do, I remain uncertain on that point. I was arguing with a friend last week about the subject of a button addition. He believes that with a fourth mouse button, one will be able to update his computer software. I argued with his prediction. I felt, and still do, that at the current rate of technological progression, a fourth button will perform an action much more impressive than simply updating software. I firmly believe that a fourth button will either cause a pizza to be delivered to one’s door, or pop up a dialog box which states how many light bulbs to buy next time one goes shopping.

After the fourth button comes into existence, I foresee more wheels being added. Honestly, I don’t see the need for ever having more than four wheels. After the four button/four mouse wheel is accepted into society, technology must further advance — as it always has and always will. The mouse will need to have more capacity. The wheels will be made larger, and inevitably the buttons will become doors. People will be able to ride in them to visit neighbors and family members to engage in conversation. Once this has happened, a communication device will be installed into the mice — or installed near the mouse inside a home. The communication device will allow people to call ahead before a visit, or to notify people if their mouse breaks down and can’t visit at the appointed time.

Benefits must always accompany new technology, else there is really no point. Speed is almost always involved with new technological achievements. Fax machines and calculators are two examples of how technology can increase the speed at which daily tasks are performed. Benefits of the improved mouse would include being able to ride in the mouse to the store so one can view an item firsthand before purchasing it. Once the item is viewed and the consumer is satisfied it will fulfill his or her needs, that person can immediately purchase it and bring it home with him. Waiting to possess items already purchased is very old-fashioned, in my opinion.

Another benefit of having this improved mouse is that people will be able to talk to each other face to face. Since people were born with mouths and ears, it’s important to keep them exercised and practice verbal communication more frequently. Person-to-person communication is important since humanity consists primarily of about six billion persons.

I predict that the evolution of mice in our world will play an integral facet in the evolution of technology and humankind. Mice will be an essential ingredient in the development of the human race and also will change how the world communicates, and how business is performed. There will be a radical jump in culture world-wide because most misunderstanding will immediately be made clear through instantaneous verbal and visual communication. An increased feeling will surface causing us to realize that we all live on the same planet. Soon after, family members will begin to feel that each member is related to the other.

Once mice have developed, changing their name might be in order. Perhaps they will be called cars — an acronym which stands for cats ate rat salad.

Andy Alt
Mental Dimensions
http://mentaldimensions.blogspot.com/
A humor column for people who enjoy observational humor, political farce, comedy editorials, satire and spoof, along with an occasional dose of non humor

As Winter gets underway, wild mice and rats enter houses more often to escape the cold and rats are also seen in increasing frequency in peoples gardens. However, while this can be a matter for concern, there are ways that you can humanely remove these uninvited visitors rather than calling the local exterminator. He will put down anti-coagulant poisons which cause a long slow death and a great deal of suffering to the mice and rats as well as the poison being potentially dangerous to you, your family and your pets.

How can I tell if I have rodents in my house?

House Mice will leave a cloying ‘acetamide’ smell; other mice leave little odour.

Gnawing : Rodents need to gnaw constantly to keep their teeth trim and they will gnaw on most things.

Tooth Marks : Larger marks made by Rats who can gnaw through soft metals such as aluminium or lead.

Droppings : a rats poo is 12mm long and often tapered at one end. A mouse poo is half the length and thinner.

Greasy Marks: Rats and House Mice leave dirty black smears along well travelled routes especially where the have to squeeze under objects.

You may also hear the scamper of little feet above your head as they scurry around your loft.

What Problems can they cause?

Rodents generally cause minor problems in houses, such as furniture damage, food nibbling and a few electrical and insulation damage. Some rodents however are good house guests and cause NO damage at all.

Chewing wiring is the main concern which can lead to electrical faults and expensive repairs.

Prevention

Do not call the exterminators! They get rid of the rodents in a cruel way which prolongs suffering and in the long term does not get rid of rodents from entering your home.

Exterminators use anti-coagulant poisons. These cause a slow painful death over around five days to the rodent. The anti-coagulant literally stops the rodent forming any blood clots, so it bleeds to deaths – blood will come from its eyes, it nose and other orifices and will also fill its so that they drown in their own blood – this is a horrible way to die.

Problems with the poison also can occur if the rodent is eaten before it dies.

Anticoagulants are notoriously non-selective and have the potential to kill domestic dogs and cats, wildlife, children, and even grown adults.

And while the anti-coagulants may work in the short term by killing any rodents in your home, your house attracted rodents before and so it will attract more. The key is prevention – and is the easiest and best long term solution. Repair broken air bricks and holes in external walls. Fill any floorboard hole, replace damaged skirting boards and remove any nesting materials. Don’t leave food rubbish in bags in your back garden, always put it in a bin! Rats are notoriously good opportunists and leaving out food bags will only encourage them into your garden.

Also, although it may be environmentally friendly to throw out any rotting fruit or vegetables on to your soil to decompose, this again will attract hungry critters.

How do I get rid of unwanted visitors?

There are indoor devices such as sensors which use electromagnetic interference or ultrasound to drive rats and mice away. They emit a sound inaudible to the human ear but one that is awful to a rodent – the noise will literally drive them away. You plug them into any plug socket and let it get on with it! However, do be careful when using these sonic repellents – don’t use them if you have bats in your loft as this will drive them away. Also if your neighbour has a ’small furry’ such as a hamster or pet rat or mouse, make sure you don’t plug the sonic repellent in a party wall as the sound may travel through the walls depending on how your houe is built.

Live capture traps are also good. Set them up in your loft with a strong smelling piece of food in it such as piece of sausage or strong cheese. And check on the trap twice a day.

Once you have caught the rodent, do not release him or her in your back garden – they will simply come back in! Get in your car and drive at least 2 miles away – otherwise they will be back in your house before you are! GRIN!

Jason Hulott is co-owner of CavyRescue, The UK’s First dedicated Pet Rat Charity. We provide a huge array of articles on Pets Rats and other Small rodents. Why not sign up for our Monthly newsletter? Visit CavyRescue now.

Recently, a Japanese study showed dramatic results of organ fat loss and increased muscle strength, in test rats fed rare phytochemicals from baby green apple skins.

Without additional vitamins or supplements, these rats lost 27% of their internal organ fat — “belly fat” in you and me– and increased in muscle strength by 16%, in just three weeks. Should these findings translate to humans, we could be looking at a true health breakthrough of the new century.

Belly fat in mice and men is a signature of aging. The body deposits additional fat around the organs and raises blood levels of cholesterol in response to uncontrolled oxidative stress (aging) in the organism, because body fat and blood fat are the natural protectors of every cell in our bodies.

Exercise, which elevates human growth hormone, was the only proven way to reduce organ fat before the discovery of the remarkable water-soluble polyphenols given to these test animals.

What could this mean for you? It means that a concentrated natural apple extract, with no side effects, may reverse some of the aging markers in the human body. It is also worth noting that every drug which is given to humans has first shown its effectiveness and safety in mice and rats.

Ancient Supermen

In ancient mythology, the apple was considered to be the Goddess’s sacred heart of immortality. The Celts called the western paradise Avalon, which means “Apple-land.” The Irish kings received the Goddess’s magic apples of immortality. King Arthur was taken to Avalon (Apple-land) by the triple Goddess, in the form of the three fairy queens.

The Scandinavians thought apples essential to resurrection. The Greeks said Mother Hera kept the magic apple garden in the West, where the tree of life was guarded by her sacred serpent, represented by icons showing the great Goddess offering life to her worshippers in the form of an apple. The Norse Goddess Idun kept all the gods alive with her magic apples.

And now science is proving the mythic legends. In recent human tests, polyphenols from apples dramatically raise the biological activity of all three of the body’s anti-aging, disease-fighting enzymes- superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase, and catalase. No wonder the apple eaters were considered to be “consorts of the Goddess.” Such a man would be stronger, look better, and live in radiant health much longer than his non-apple-eating peers.

Modern Medical Marvels

Phytochemicals in baby apple skins may be the closest thing to “magic” to come out of the labs since penicillin. The list of health conditions that these botanical compounds improve or prevent is truly impressive. Apple phytochemicals are showing promising test results in 3 of the 5 leading disease killers of Americans, including seven types of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

Apple polyphenols are 6 times more powerful than vitamin C against human cancer cells in lab tests. They may prevent asthma attacks, inhibit dental carries, lower cholesterol, and stabilize insulin response. Recently, scientists from Cornell University proposed that extracts from apples “could reduce the risk of neurodegenerative disease such as AD (Alzheimer’s Disease).”

But unfortunately, an apple a day won’t keep the doctor away. Polyphenols in ordinary grocery store apples are lost through ripening, storage and processing. Immature green apples, which are too bitter to eat, contain up to 10 times more polyphenols than mature fruit. And in nearly every study, the test animals are not eating whole apples. They are given dehydrated, highly concentrated powder extracted from the apple skins, the richest source of these phytochemicals.

The blessing of these natural botanicals are our inheritance as children of the legendary Goddess, Gaia. Her crown jewels are the fruit of the trees, and the blossoms of the rain forest. And her most precious emerald gems– baby apples– may one day reverse aging, cure disease, and help her children realize their ultimate perfect health and longevity.

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Katrina Kern is an author, women’s health counselor and former practicing nurse. More information on these exciting health discoveries, and her new e-book, “How to Absolutely, Positively Know When Your Body is Burning Fat,” are available now at http://www.applepoly.com/bellyfat/. You can find a link there for current medical studies and breaking news on apple phytochemicals.

As it starts to get colder here in the northeast part of the country we have to be particularly careful about protecting our homes from field mice. In this article we look at some low and no cost solutions that may work to eliminate field mice from your home.

These little creatures get cold just like we do, and in the fall, start looking for a warm place to spend the winter. They really love old houses, as the wood frames and many cracks and other openings offer very little resistance to their entry.Field mice are resourceful, small, and very fast. They are surprisingly intelligent. And they prefer to ponder a solution to a problem, such as how to get into your house, if they are afforded enough time to do so.

They are loosely related to rats but are much smaller; about 4 inches long with a hairless tail which is as long as the body. Their fur is usually gray, white, black, or brown. They are named field mice because their natural habitat is found in the grass of the rolling fields.They have much smaller teeth than rats and they have extremely sharp claws. As mentioned, they can move very fast and people often report that they first realized that they had a field mice infestation when they happened to see a blur out of the corner of their eye.

The common field mouse prefers a moderate climate and the fall season signals to them that it is time to find inside accommodations. They are often motivated to burrow inside your home by the smell of food.They are notorious scavengers and will live in the walls of your home, coming out only to eat. They have many natural enemies, including: wolves, bears, cats, dogs, snakes, and owls. Their nocturnal nature helps to keep them safe as a good number of their enemies sleep while the field mouse is awake.

So now, how do we get rid of these unwanted visitors? Below are a number of home remedies to get rid of field mice. We will first approach the problem looking at non-poisonous solutions:

Steel Wool – Field mice are very small. They can insinuate themselves into the smallest crack or crevice. An opening as small as 2 inches wide is large enough for a field mouse to enter. Use steel wool to stuff into any holes, cracks or crevices that you see outside your home, in your basement, walls or in your attic. A particularly favorite haunt of these small creatures is under the kitchen sink, so be sure to put steel wool into any openings under there.

Soda Pop – Amazingly, these little guys love soda pop. Put a saucer of the sweet stuff where they are likely to get at it. The mice will drink the soda and die. Apparently, it is the carbonization that does them in.

Mashed Potatoes (instant variety) – Place instant mashed potatoes near where you suspect the mice are hiding. They will eat the potatoes which will swell up in their tiny stomachs before they can be digested, thereby killing the mice. Unfortunately, they will probably die in the walls which may produce a smell.

Plaster of Paris with Chocolate – Mix dry chocolate powder with dry plaster of Paris. Place it where the mice live. The mice will eat the chocolate plaster and then go out in search of water. The plaster will kill them but, unlike the situation with the mashed potatoes, there is a good chance that they will die outside of your house while searching for water.

These low-cost solutions may prove to be all that you need to rid your home of field mice. If these treatments do not work, you may need something stronger. Look for part 2 of this article for stronger solutions to your field mice problem.

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