How to Lose Weight on a Cruise
How to Lose Weight on a Cruise
By Jeffrey Hauser
This article is addressed to two groups of people: those who have cruised and those who haven’t. Does that make sense? If you’ve cruised, you can relate to what this is all about. If not, I’m preparing you for what to expect on that fateful day when you do. Well, as a cruiser, I feel that an urban legend regarding weight gain must be put to rest. The myth perpetuated by former cruisers is that, during the course of the journey you will gain (a) 5 pounds, (b) 10 pounds, (c) 20 pounds, (d) so much
weight, they’ll arrange for a forklift on the other end. I can attest that this isn’t true.
But, people do add additional girth because, once at sea, they have forgotten how to
eat. Let me explain.
This ‘out-of-control’ behavior is the direct result of the insidious cruise line.
They make ‘food’ a destination by itself. By providing outrageous buffets, dining
rooms, snack areas, and unlimited cabin service, food is available in a nonstop,
never-ending, extravaganza that tempts even the best of strong-willed travelers.
One could eat continuously for the entire trip if one desired. Normal people become
transformed into eating machines with uncontrollable urges, heaping outlandish
portions upon their plates. It’s as if they were hypnotized into a feeding frenzy,
against their better judgment. Is there no help for these soon-to-be members of
overeaters anonymous?
Of course, and that’s why I’m here. There’s a simple solution, which I will share.
Begin with an attitude that says, I don’t want to hate myself when I get home, but I
still want to have fun and indulge. Consider every meal as a personal challenge.
Think about how you eat when you’re not on a vacation, where there is:
(a) less
temptation,
(b) limited choices,
(c) an actual cost associated with each portion, and
(d) consequences with overeating.
Then begin with your breakfast. Does a stack of
foot-high pancakes, a dozen sausages and a whole pineapple look anything like
what you eat at home? Try to make a relationship back to realistic needs. If you
usually have a piece of toast at home, then why would you require a tray-load of
Belgium waffles, covered with extra whipped cream, at sea?
It’s okay to treat yourself with a dessert that you might not normally order, but
try to keep things in perspective. The temptation to overeat, because all the meals
are included, is attractive. But the reality is that one day, you’ll be back home
bemoaning the fact you have to diet because certain clothes you love won’t fit
anymore. Another way to stay fit on a cruise is to bypass the elevator. Personally, I
never use one. Even if I’m on the 5th floor and need to get to deck 14, I walk the
stairs. And walk the ship often. And when you’re in port, walk there too. If you work
out at home, use the ship’s gym: it’s free. Then, when you grab the chocolate
mousse dessert at night, you have a fighting chance to keep your weight gain to a
minimum, if any at all.
To recap, avoid temptation and eat like you were at home. Walk everywhere and
often. Treat yourself in moderation. You may not lose weight, but you should at
least keep the status quo and you’ll thank yourself when you’re back on land.
Bon Voyage!
Jeffrey Hauser was a sales consultant for the Bell System Yellow Pages for
nearly 25 years. He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Advertising
and has a Master's Degree from Monmouth University. He had his own
advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and ran a consulting and design
firm, ABC Advertising. He has authored 6 books and a novel, "Pursuit of the
Phoenix," available at amazon.com. His latest book is, "Inside the Yellow
Pages." Currently, he is the Marketing Director for http://www.thenurseschoice.com,
a Health Information and Doctor Referral site.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeffrey_Hauser
Learning to sail the USA way
The syllabus can be readily divided into two parts. The Keelboat Sailing Certification Program is made up of seven stages while Small Boat Sailing Program contains a further two stages.
The Basic Small Boat Sailing Standard requires no previous experience or qualifications. It is the first course in the Small Boat Sailing Program. Students must demonstrate a theoretical knowledge of the names and functions of various parts of a boat together with common sailing terms, the sail and its ancillary components, the International Rules for Collision Prevention both at sea and on inland waters and hey should demonstrate a basic knowledge of safety procedures. On the practical side they must show they can tread water for 5 minutes and swim 100 metres, rig, launch and retrieve the boat, set and trim the sails, sail both upwind and downwind, tack and gybe, correctly apply the rules of the road, recover a man overboard, recover from a capsize, accept and pass a towline, tie four specified Knots within a given time. Upon completion he or she will be able to sail a centerboard or multihull sailboat in light to moderate winds and sea conditions in familiar waters.
The first course in the Keelboat Sailing Certification Program is known as Basic Keelboat. No experience or qualifications are necessary. To complete the course students will be required to demonstrate that they can put a name to and describe the workings of various parts of a boat including the hull, keel, deck bow and stern. The components of both the running and standing rigging. The different sails including the names of part of a sail - foot, leech, luff, head, tack and clew. The various spars, mast and boom. They will be familiar with sailing terminology used to describe various manoeuvres such as gybing and coming about. Students will understand the points of sail be it close hauled, reaching or running. They will understand the basics of collision avoidance including rules of the road. They will demonstrate they are familiar with regulations covering registration and identification, proper waste disposal, who to notify in the event of an accident and what safety equipment is requires by law to be carried on a vessel and how it is used. They will be able to demonstrate a knowledge of buoyage Participants will know how to anchor a boat and describe the choice of anchors and their attributes and failings. On the practical side they must demonstrate sail handling skills, they will display competence at the helm including mooring, sailing both upwind and downwind together with a successful tack and gybe. They will complete a successful man overboard recovery. They will show they know how to tie 6 different knots and understand their various uses. Upon completion of the course students should be able to sail a boat of some 20 feet in length in moderate winds in familiar waters.
The second stage is called Basic Coastal Cruising and students must hold the Basic Keelboat Sailing Certificate prior to undertaking this course. The course looks at safety on board including equipment and procedures. An understanding of fire prevention and fighting is required. Students will be required to demonstrate a knowledge of first aid and the treatment of hypothermia. Basic meteorology is considered and students must demonstrate an understanding of shipping forecasts. An understanding of the relationship between the skipper and crew and the respective duties of each is required. Students must be able to undertake basic chartwork including depths; types of bottom, hazards, bouys, beacons and lights. The practical side of this course looks at boat handling under power and sail, man overboard recovery, the various points of sail, reefing and heaving to, docking and mooring and some knot work. When completed the sailor should be able to cruise safely in regional waters on a sailboat of up to 30 feet in length, in moderate winds and sea conditions.
Trailerable Multihull Standard, this course is the second in the Small Boat Sailing Program. It may be taught as part of or following the Basic Coastal Cruising course. Completion of the Basic Keelboat is a prerequisite prior to taking this course. On the theory side students must be able to identify and name the various parts of a multihull that are not found on a monohull including the different wing decks, hulls, cross arms, three point rig, bridle line, safety nets, seagull and dolphin strikers. They will be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of multihulls including, performance, comfort safety and the danger of capsize. On the practical side the sailor will demonstrate: how to cast of and leave the quay with at least two different wind directions relative to the bow and then return and berth alongside, pick up a mooring buoy, manoeuvre in a restricted space, reverse, recover a man overboard, the different points of sail, tacking and gybing, sail a compass course within 10 degrees. They will anchor in the following ways, bow anchor and bridle and single bow with a stern line to the shore. When completed sailors are able to cruise safely in local and regional waters as both skipper and crew on an auxiliary multihull sailboat of up to 30 feet in length, in moderate wind and sea conditions.
Bareboat Chartering is the next stage. Participants are expected to hold the Basic Coastal Cruising Certificate before doing this course. The theory side covers the preparation of both crew and boat for a one week cruise including the preparation of a passage plan. Meteorology is considered including a look at fog and onshore and offshore winds. Seamanship is looked at and students should know what action is required if the engine fails, they should know how to anchor the boat bow or stern to. On the practical side the student will be able to undertake daily and weekly maintenance tasks, manoeuvre the boat under power in a restricted space, pick up a mooring buoy, use the VHF radio. The following navigational skills are required, plotting a course and establishing the compass heading and calculating an estimated time of arrival. Establishing a fix using visual bearing. Use a chart to pilot the boat into an unfamiliar harbour. Students must obtain and interpret a shipping forecast. When completed the individual can act as skipper of a boat up to 50 feet in length sailing by day in coastal waters.
The next stage is known as Coastal Navigation. This is a theory only course and no prior experience or knowledge is required. Students will be required to demonstrate knowledge of various State and Federal regulations pertaining to sailing. They must understand how the use navigational instruments including both steering and hand bearing compasses, binoculars, depth sounder, log, parallel rule and dividers. Participants must display an understanding of tide tables and their use when dealing with secondary ports. They should be able to convert bearings and compass courses between, compass, magnetic and true, plot a dead reckoning position, understand the effect of current and leeway when estimating a position and plot a position by two or more bearings, a running fix and a bearing and distance. Finally they will need to demonstrate a knowledge of buoyage and lights.
The Cruising Catamaran course deals exclusively with multihull sailing and concentrates on the differences a sailor finds as opposed to monohull sailing. Participants should have completed the Bareboat Chartering stage. On the theory side students must be able to identify and name the various parts of a multihull that are not found on a monohull including the different wing decks, hulls, cross arms, three point rig, bridle line, safety nets, seagull and dolphin strikers. They will be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of multihulls including, performance, comfort safety and the danger of capsize. On the practical side the sailor will demonstrate: how to cast of and leave the quay with at least two different wind directions relative to the bow and then return and berth alongside, pick up a mooring buoy, manoeuvre in a restricted space, reverse, recover a man overboard, the different points of sail, tacking and gybing, sail a compass course within 10 degrees. They will anchor in the following ways, two anchors of the bow or stern, bow anchor and bridle, single bow with a stern line to the shore and bow to fixed mooring. Upon completion the person can skipper a multihull sailboat of up to 50 foot in length by day in coastal waters.
Advanced Coastal Cruising follows and participants should have completed both the Bareboat Chartering and Coastal Navigation stages. Students will be required to demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the theory of sailing, an understanding of meteorology including the various cloud formations and the weather that can be expected with each. They will understand the needs of heavy weather sailing, the necessary sail changes and the use of the correct safety equipment and procedures. They will be able to describe: how set a second anchor to reduce swinging, how to recover a fouled anchor, how to use a trip line and an anchor buoy and when and how to set an anchor watch. They will describe how to tow or be towed. They will have a knowledge of distress signals. Students will correctly describe the actions required in the following emergency situations: a dismasting, running aground on a lee shore and engine failure. Students will be able to carry out maintenance and repairs on the engine. On the water students must: sail on all points of the wind and tack and gybe in a wind of at least 15 knots, sail a compass course to within 10 degrees, carry out a man overboard recovery in darkness. They will demonstrate their ability to set, sail with including a gybe, douse and pack a spinnaker. And finally they will stand a navigation watch of 20 miles both at day and night. When completed a person can skipper a sailing vessel of up to 50 feet in length both during day and night in coastal waters regardless of weather and sea conditions.
The next stage is called Celestial Navigation. The course is theory based and requires no experience or prior qualifications. The student must be able to demonstrate the Celestial Navigation required to navigate a sailboat on an offshore passage. The successful student will have demonstrated their ability to: Convert longitude into time and standard time and zone time to GMT. They will be able to calculate: the zone time given longitude, the chronometer error given a previous error and the daily rate, the time of meridian passage of the sun and calculate the boat's latitude from the observed meridian altitude of the sun, the times of sunrise, sunset and twilight, plot celestial lines of position on a Mercator projection or on a universal plotting sheet and the true bearing of a low altitude celestial body in order to determine the error and deviation of the compass. The student will be able to apply the corrections for index error, dip of the horizon, and total correction to convert sextant altitudes of the sun, stars, planets, and moon to true altitudes, determine the latitude at twilight by means of the Pole Star and the approximate azimuths and altitudes of the navigational stars and planets at twilight. In addition they will be capable of solving the navigational triangle using a navigation table and advance the LOP obtained from a sun sight to another LOP obtained from the sun at a later time and find the boat's position using a running fix (sun-run-sun).
This celestial theory can be put into practice during the Offshore Passage Making course. Entrants should be certified to the Advanced Coastal Cruising level. The student will plan a passage across either the Pacific or North Atlantic using Great Circle Plotting Charts and Climatic Charts. They must show an understanding of the essential factors to be considered when selecting a vessel for an offshore ocean passage of at least 1000 miles including hull construction and shape, keel, rig, and rudder type, fuel and water capacity. They must provide a list of tools and spares required for such a voyage. They must victual the boat for four people on passage for seven days. They must list the items to be carried in the first aid kit and describe basic treatments for injuries and illnesses that may occur together with identifying a source of mare advanced medical information while on passage. They will prepare a watch keeping system and define the duties of crew members both on and off watch. They will design a maintenance plan to cover: Bilges, electronic equipment, fuel system, hatches, galley equipment, rigging, safety equipment sea cocks, steering and the water system. They will describe the procedures to be undertaken in the following emergency situations: abandon ship, dismasting, fire onboard, lightning strike, man overboard. A comprehensive knowledge of the International Regulation for Preventing Collision at Sea must be demonstrated. When the course is completed is the sailor cans skipper a sailing vessel on offshore passages in any weather.
Ken Jones runs a Sailing Site.
More information about ASA Sailing Courses can be found here
To find an ASA Sailing Course in your area visit the Marine Directory.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ken_Jones
Creativity: A Field Trip for Your Brain
Before we begin, I want you to know that I heard you groaning when you read the title of this strategy; “Creativity. I’m not creative at all.”
And that is the # 1 reason why creativity doesn’t play a larger part in your life. You say it can’t and so it won’t.
Creativity is a funny thing. If you think you are creative you are correct and if you think you’re not, you are correct too.
But let’s suspend any mistaken beliefs for a moment and realize something very important. Everyone has the exact same potential to be creative.
Think back on the enjoyment you gained from doing something you consider creative. What did you do? How did it make you feel?
Here a few examples of your creative mind at work
* Building or repairing things
* Playing golf (the topic for another Creative Business Strategy)
* Participating in a hobby
* Buying meaningful gifts for family and friends
* Making a sale or running a successful marketing campaign that brought in a lot of money
* Singing in the shower
* Sharing new ideas with a friend or business associates
* Getting new ideas from reading a great book
* Writing a love letter
* Getting emotional during an inspiring movie
Did you notice something important? Not one of the things on my list has anything to do with “conventional” creativity.
Creativity is so much more than you think it is. Every one of the things listed above tap into the awesome power of your creative mind.
As you can see, your creative mind is at work all the time. You just don’t realize it the majority of the time. As a result, you don’t use it to its full potential.
The problem in using creativity successfully
Our rational mind is chattering so loudly most of the time that it drowns out the soft voice of our heart. And it is heartfelt inspiration and emotion that is at the core of all creativity.
As a result, you seek solutions in avenues outside of yourself. Instead, listen to and trust your feelings and ideas as well as your knowledge and experience.
When these things combine they form a complete creative thought process.
Factual thinking alone won’t get you there. When your deepest feelings combine with your rational thoughts they create a complete thinking process.
Today, in modern science, this is known as the study of Neurocardiology.
Use these ideas to empower your personal creativity
1. First and foremost stop telling yourself you are not creative. The more you realize you are using creativity the stronger it gets. Saying you’re not creative is simply not true.
2. When you are faced with any challenge, train your mind to stop chattering with worry, problems and negative outcomes.
Focus instead on what a great outcome will look like. Picture it in your mind, experience the emotion of how great you’ll feel when that outcome occurs.
3. A great way to stop the chattering mind is to imagine a big red STOP sign popping up in front of you, whenever you are struck with stress and worry.
Just think STOP. Picture a stop sign in your mind. Allow yourself to relax. Take a deep breath and let go of the worry.
Then simply allow yourself to evaluate how you “feel” about the situation. What do you FEEL the best outcome would be?
Picture that outcome in your mind. Ask yourself, “What created that solution.” Then write down your inspiration.
Finally, write down ACTION steps you will follow based on this creative idea.
Finally, take the ACTION step and evaluate the result. You’ll be amazed at how creative you are when you give yourself the opportunity to experience it.
Your personal creativity is amazing. All you really have to do it give it a chance to shine.
STOP telling yourself you are not creative and use your feelings and thoughts combined to create the outcomes you most desire in business and in your life.
Bill Gluth is “Your Talent in Business Expert” and a professional speaker, trainer and consultant. He is the first person to specialize in developing “talent” as a competitive business strategy.
Bill brings clear, simple and focused action steps to any business building program. He spotlights unleashing your talent in business so that you can learn how to be unique in a commodity driven world.
Learn more about Bill Gluth and his Creative Business Strategy Training programs by visiting http://www.developyourvision.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Gluth
What Have You Done To Protect Your Identity?
What Have You Done To Protect Your Identity?
By D. Silva
It's no secret that identity theft has become a major problem in this country. Last year alone, more than 9.9 million Americans fell victim to this devastating crime. And it can be devastating.
Identity theft occurs when someone acquires key pieces of your personal information with the intent to commit fraud. Most commonly, they use this information to open new credit accounts and run up huge debts. However, this is not the only use of stolen personal information. It can also be used by someone looking to immigrate illegally, carry out terrorist activities, assume a new identity, or even to blackmail you or someone in your sphere of relationships.
How does a thief gain access to your identity?
While most people believe their greatest exposure to theft is through the Internet, experts say your mailbox (where thieves can obtain account statements, new checks and credit offers) and your garbage are the easiest ways criminals can access your personal information. The theft of your purse or wallet is also common. And then there're those situations in which you willingly give out information over the phone (to someone who calls with a great offer) or over the Internet in response to a fraudulent email (commonly referred to as "phishing").
Once a thief has your information, he generally has weeks (even months) before you become aware that there's a problem. In fact, it may not become evident until you suddenly start receiving bills for revolving accounts you never set up, in towns you never visited, for items you never purchased. By this time, your credit report has become peppered with new accounts that you had no idea existed.
Once that happens, it's a nightmare trying to undo the damage.
However, there are ways to be proactive and protect yourself. For instance, most credit card companies offer services that will monitor your account for unusual activity, notify you immediately if there's a problem, and protect you from the fraudulent charges. The three leading credit reporting agencies in the United States: Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian, each offer monitoring services as well (although that's all they do ... monitor and inform).
There are other ways you can help minimize your potential risk as well:
Never share your banking information, particularly your personal password, with anyone unless you initiated the contact or you personally know the person you're dealing with. Legitimate banks and other businesses will not call or email you requesting your personal account information. When you receive a request for your account information (whether it's a bank account, a credit card account, or even a PayPal or eBay account), red flags should go up.
Always guard your PIN (personal identification number) at ATMs.
Sadly, you shouldn't leave outgoing mail in your home mailbox for pickup. Either take the mail to the post office or drop it off at a secure postal mailbox.
Never carry your Social Security card in your wallet. If you have to carry credit cards in your purse or wallet, as most of us do, keep them to a minimum. Preferably a single card.
Never use your credit card on the Internet unless you're initiating the purchase and it's done through a secure connection. You can quickly identify a secure connection by checking for "https" in the URL or the lock icon in the corner of the screen.
Keep a list of your credit card and bank account numbers in a secure location, such as a locked safe or a safety deposit box.
Always shred personal documents. This includes all those credit card offers you receive in the mail, old account statements, billing statements, credit card statements, etc. And use a double-cut shredder to be on the safe side. You can pick one up at nearly any office supply store for under $40.00.
Keep track of your bank and credit card statements. Make sure they arrive every month and monitor them for any unusual activity. If a bill doesn't show up, it can be an indication that someone has set up a change of address without your knowledge.
Order a credit report from all three agencies (Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian) twice per year, review them, and compare them carefully. If you discover any fraudulent entries immediately contact each agency, explain the situation and follow the proper procedures to correct the problem.
Identity theft is on the rise throughout the United States, but that doesn't mean it has to happen to you. Take a few diligent precautions and your chances of never becoming a victim increase dramatically.
Want to check your credit report for free? Learn exactly how to get yours here: The Quickest, Easiest Way To Obtain A Free Credit Report
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=D._Silva
Avoiding the Creative Crimes of the Century
Criminals are increasingly creative in the methods by which they steal your identity, your money, and your life. They are usually several steps ahead of the average consumer. With how many of the following "creative" schemes are you familiar:
* "Dumpster-diving"
* "Mail theft"
* "Pharming"
* "Phishing"
* "Skimming"
* "Shoulder-surfing"
One of the positive things criminals have done, if I may say so, is add "creative" terms to our vocabulary. It always amazes me how intelligent and creative criminals can be! - Always one step ahead of their next victim, and ultimately, the law!
Whether they go after your mail, or go "dumpster-diving", or go "shoulder surfing", or "pharming", the end results are always the same: They become successful over another innocent victim!
Identity criminals are basically lazy people, in my opinion. Rather than getting a legitimate job, they would rather come up with "creative" schemes to part their victims from their personal information and their money.
One of the laziest ways they steal our identity, usually with our unwitting help, is through "Dumpster-diving". They simply sort through a person's trash for paper records such as credit card offers, bank statements, past paid bills, or anything that has your personal and financial information. Sometimes they can obtain a full profile of us from separate documents (such as church records, car repair reords, personal letters, medical reords, etc.) they find. And businesses as well as consumers fall victim to this one form of theft.
Mail theft is a low-tech method lazy criminals use to go after your personal and financial information. As with "dumpster- diving", it another easy way for criminals to get what they want with hardly any effort on their part, thanks to our unwitting help. For example, we leave a red falg on our mailbox to alert the mail carrier that there is out-going mail to be picked up. Or the mail carrier might do likewise to alert us to pick up our mail. Unfortunately, criminals love this because they tells them that the mailbox is ripe for the picking. A friend of mines calls this "The Low-Handing Fruit Scheme".
"Shoulder-surfing" is a low-tech, low-touch technique criminals use to get your information - and they boldly do so in public places usually right under our noses or over our shoulders. Typically they would watch or listen carefully as we key our credit card number or password into a keypad, or give the our account number over the telephone. And don't for a moment think that they have to be standing within earshot to steal your info. No!
Sophisticated shoulder surfers have been known to use bioculars, telescopes, or super-sensitive listening devices to steal your info from across the room or across the street. Sometimes they will record the sounds for accurate playback. Recording of the keypad sounds help them analyze those tones for replicated PIN numbers and passwords. Some criminals standing nearby may even use their camera-cellphone to record the numbers they see or take a picture over your shoulder.
"Pharming" comes in several version. I'll just discuss one here. Similar to "Phishing", "Pharming" is an electronic scam in which criminals attempt to steal personal and financial information from numerous people simultaneously through something known as "Domain Spooling". Here the hackers take over a DNS server and redirect user information to a new website that they use to gather illegal information.
"Phishing" also bears mentioning here. It is a scam in which you, the consumer, are tricked into entering your personal and financial information (account numbers, Social Scurity number, PIN number, password, etc.) via a bogus email and website form. The email looks as if it was sent from a company with whom most consumers may have an affiliation, such as AOL ®, PayPal ®, eBay ®, or a major bank or credit card company; but, in reality, are nothing more than identity theives hiding behind the email.
"Skimming" is a another growing identity theft scam where criminals quickly and temporarily steal a credit card and run it through a credit card reader known as a skimmer that has been reprogrammed to steal information off the card. Often, this takes place at a hectic retail store where a consumer might not notice that their credit card has been taken from them for a few moments.
And the list goes on. I'm sure that by the time you read this, there will be several new types to describe new and creative way these cybercriminals have come up with to part you from your personal information and your money. It's seem to be a losing battle - but don't give up hope yet. There are several resources that will come to your aid. I've compiled them on my blog at http://www.ProtectingYourIdentity.blogspot.com.
Known as The Master Blog Builder, Etienne A. Gibbs, helps small businesses and non-profit organizations improve their customer relationship marketing. Often coming across cases that are calling out to identity thieves, he started the "Protecting Your Identity" blog. Contact him at: http://www.MasterBlogBuilder.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Etienne_Gibbs
DVD Burning tips
CD and DVD replication is a process that works by creating discs from scratch. Not to be confused with duplication (the act of burning information onto readymade, commercially-available blank CD-Rs and DVD-Rs), replication relies on the use of molds to produce actual discs that already contain digital data. It is the preferred and recommended mode of mass production for quantities in excess of 500 units.
Replication begins with a painstaking process called glass mastering. In this step, a laser is used to copy data onto a light-reactive glass plate. The plate’s photosensitive glaze reacts to the heat of the laser, thus etching several gigabytes worth of digital information for permanent storage.
The data encoded on the glass master comes in binary form, a series of 1s and 0s. While these 1s and 0s may seem like gobbledygook to the average human, it is the language that CD and DVD players understand. Once scored onto the plate via laser, binary information appears as very tiny depressions of varying depths, similar to the grooves on a vinyl record.
Since a glass master cannot be altered once it is completed, great care must be taken when preparing one. As a quality control measure, it has to be made in a clean room environment. Any defects or impurities on the glass master will definitely compromise the integrity and playability of the final CDs or DVDs.
A glass master is considered too delicate to be used for heavy-duty and large-scale disc production. Instead, it is used to create several sturdier, more durable metal molds called stampers. In a process known as stamping or pressing, each stamper is injected with a transparent plastic substance called polycarbonate. The excess plastic is then removed, leaving an exact impression of the mold.
To make the polycarbonate disc suitable for playing, it is then finished with a coat of reflective material. Once the replication process is completed, the disc is finally ready for labeling and packaging.
Replication is considered to be superior to disc duplication. As such, it is regarded as the industry standard. This is because it offers greater consistency in production quality and disc playability than the burning process. In a sense, burning may be likened to photocopying while replication may be likened to cloning. Replicated discs are exact and faithful reproductions of their glass masters; duplicated discs, on the other hand, may differ from their source depending on the quality of the blank media used.
However, due to the complicated and tedious nature of CD and DVD replication, its turn-around or completion time is considerably longer than that of duplication. Depending on the number of copies, discs may be duplicated within a matter of minutes. In contrast, a batch of discs can take two to four weeks to replicate.
Replication is also best left to the experts. Owing to the need for clean rooms and special equipment, the startup expense and preparation can be costlier as well as resource-intensive. But in the long run, replication yields a lower per-unit-cost than disc burning.
For more information ond DVD duplication services, please visit http://www.easydvdburning.com/dvdduplication/index.html
Jasmine Ong is based in the Phillipines, she is a leading technology and software reviewer and has previously had articles published in Businessworld and other periodicals. She currently writes for http://www.easydvdburning.com, the best DVD software resource on the web.
More DVD Burning tips
Are you looking for tips to make DVD burning a stress-free experience? Below are a few practical and sensible tips that will help you circumvent common DVD burning and playback problems.
As veteran disc copiers will tell you, DVD burning isn’t rocket science. There’s no secret formula to success. Nor is there an IQ requirement to get the job done. There is, however, a need for a bit of common sense. Read on and discover things you probably already know but don’t necessarily practice.
1. Always use reliable media. The quality of the blank DVD-R used often gets the blame for the bulk of burning errors. And while it isn’t always the only culprit, neither is it merely a scapegoat. The kind of blank media you use can and does affect the integrity of your finished product. Burning starts with selecting the right blank media. Right doesn’t always mean expensive though. Many reliable brands are reasonably priced. Generally, however, very cheap discs fall short of being right. So think twice before scrimping on DVD-Rs. In the long run, the little that you do save may cost you more in the form of defective copies.
2. Examine each and every disc. Occasionally, faulty discs can slip through the quality control inspection of even the most reputable manufacturers. Before burning, inspect the recordable underside of each DVD-R for cracks, scratches, spots and blotches. Physical defects, especially those on the disc’s photosensitive layer, will cause recording flaws and playback distortions.
3. Keep things clean. Burning errors can arise from the use of unclean hardware or media. Dust the outside of your DVD burner regularly to prevent contaminants from reaching the laser eye. Also handle and store discs with care. Keep them free of dust, grime or grease that may result in imperfect and unplayable copies.
4. Choose your software and hardware wisely. Look for user-friendly software that you can effortlessly navigate through. If your software has a complicated interface, you can easily make mistakes that can undermine the burning process. Also make sure that both your DVD burner and software have good customer tech support. When things go wrong, it always helps to consult the experts.
5. Keep your software updated. Burning errors are sometimes due to software bugs. Once anomalies are detected, software designers devise patches to remedy them. If you register your burning application and regularly install updates, you could save yourself a lot of needless trouble.
6. Check for compatibility. The format of the disc can dictate its playability. By default, the Universal Disc Format (UDF) specifications of most burning programs are automatically set at UDF 1.5. However, UDF 1.5 cannot be read by all drives and players. By switching to UDF 1.02 you can make your discs readable across the board. Don’t panic, it’s not as complicated as it sounds. You can easily assign UDF values from a list or dropdown menu.
7. Don’t multitask. For quicker and more efficient disc burning, turn off all other programs, including antivirus software, games and screensavers. The burning process is resource intensive. If you have other applications running in the background, the procedure may take longer than necessary. By overtaxing your system, you also leave yourself open to avoidable burning errors.
8. Don’t rush things. If you have time on your hands, burn at slower speeds. Doing so will reduce the risk of errors. If you’re willing to endure the wait, burning at slower speeds can yield more stable and higher quality DVDs.
9. Label with care. How you tag your DVDs can affect their performance. If you don’t want to invest in a new hardware that can print directly onto blank discs, you can choose either of the following options.
a. Simply write on your disc. But be sure to write lightly using a felt-tipped pen. Sharp writing instruments may scrape through the topmost stratum of the disc and damage the fragile recordable layer underneath it.
b. Use adhesive labels. Opt for the full, donut-style stickers that cover the entire disc. Avoid tiny stickers (such as mailing labels) that can affect the balance and performance of your DVD as it spins in your player. Small labels can also easily come loose and damage your player during playback.
DVD burning problems are often the result of a compendium of mistakes, many of which can be avoided using good old common sense.
As the above steps show, if you don’t overlook the obvious, burning can be a no-brainer, really.
Jasmine Ong is based in the Phillipines, she is a leading technology and software reviewer and has previously had articles published in Businessworld and other periodicals. She currently writes for http://easydvdburning.com/dvd-burning-for-beginners.htm the best DVD software resource on the web.
