How To Avoid Junk Food Consumption

Companies like McDonald, Pizza Hut and Dominos earn million of dollars by selling food items that are widely considered in the medical fraternity as "junk". Consumption of junk food is an addiction that is affecting millions of people across the globe including children, teenagers and even adults.

These foods are rich in harmful ingredients like fat, sugar, salt and preservatives that can result in serious medical complications such as coronary heart diseases, obesity, hypertension, diabetes and even cancer. Hence, it is very important to avoid these foods in the diet. Below listed are some useful ways of avoiding junk food consumption.

1. One should consume at least 8 big glasses of water everyday. This ensures effective removal of any toxins present inside the tissues and blood vessels.

2. Hunger is the biggest factor that makes a person vulnerable to junk food consumption. It is important to feed the stomach periodically with foods like nuts, cereals, fruits and milk.

3. It is important to change the diet pattern for a healthy living. One should start with a heavy breakfast, a reduced lunch and a very meager dinner. At every meal, the diet should be rich with fruits, vegetables and starch foods such as wholegrain bread, pasta and rice.

4. Fruits and vegetables are a great way of reducing toxin levels inside the body. These foods are rich in antioxidants and vitamins that can help in removing free radicals and lower the risk of coronary heart diseases.

5. One should avoid consumption of street food. Apart from lacking nutrients, food available on the streets can also result in food poisoning.

6. Another way of reducing the consumption of junk food is the increase awareness for fitness in children and adults.

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Make-Up Tips For the African-American Woman

Hello and welcome. This is an article that is GREATLY needed. At least I think it is. I started wearing make-up around the age of 14 and when I started, it was the WRONG shade for my skin tone. So! I am trying to speak out for all the Beautiful, Brown-Skinned Black Women that have as hard a time finding make-up as I do. So, let me give you a little background on me.

First of all, Black is beautiful, and the darker the berry the sweeter the juice! That being said, at 14 I was a little blackberry without a clue. When I first started wearing make-up it was just lipstick and it started out being my mom's Fashion Fair. My mother who is light-skinned and has a daughter who is dark-skinned. Needless to say her lipstick did NOT match at all. I was even referred to as a dark-skinned Ronald McDonald by a previous ex-boyfriend!

So, I believe that us brown-skinned and dark-skinned women need a little extra help because it is more difficult for us to find make-up that matches in drugstores, or make-up that is affordable. Plus Cosmo and Glamour and all of them always be talking about great make-up for spring, but uh, hello did you forget black girls like make-up for spring too? So, I feel your pain. I am a self-appointed make-up aficionado, and would like to offer my experiences as well as some products that are FABO and not so much fabo. So... without further ado, let's get started!

JUST AN FYI: These are all make-ups that I have had to use through trial and error so I am sharing from EXPERIENCE!

FACE: I find it hard to find a good foundation, and full-coverage make-up that is affordable so here are some wonderful finds that I have found that are both.

1-Cover Girl Queen Collection Natural Hue Liquid Foundation- Spicy Brown

PROS- it is good at matching skin tones that have yellow or red undertones, spreads easily and if you only need moderate coverage gives you a good bang for your buck. It is affordable ranging about 6-8 bucks, and you can find it in most drugstores, and grocery stores.

CONS- If you have dark spots and blemishes, this will NOT offer you the coverage you need! Not even close, okay? It also wears off quickly so you would need to reapply often. The bottle is upside down with a little spout, so if you pour out too much, you cannot put it back in the bottle and in these times of economic crisis er' little bit counts am I right ladies?!

Also, if you have problems matching your skin tone because you have BOTH yellow and red, or maybe blue and red undertones, this collection may not be for you because there is not a vast selection to choose from, so you might need to move on. Other shades that are good for brown-skinned to dark-skinned gals, and some of you fellas! Rich Mink, Sheer Espresso, and True Ebony.

2- Cover Girl Queen Collection Natural Hue Compact Foundation

PROS-It will give you more coverage than the Liquid Foundation. That's it. That's about all I can think of.

CONS-Unfortunately, it rubs off QUITE quickly. It is also tinted slightly differently than the liquid foundation so I found it harder to match my skin tone. Also, when it was warm outside it wipes RIGHT off, and revealed every blemish on my face! LOL, it also wipes off on your clothes, stains your hands, the whole bit. It's moderately priced as well, so if you want to look nice for a date at night, going somewhere cool, it's a quick fix, but I wouldn't wear it to the club, or a carnival, anywhere that will be warm, or sweaty. It also comes in the same.

3- Black Opal True Color Liquid Foundation - Black Walnut

PROS-Awesome Coverage. There is quite a bit in the bottle so it will last you quite a while. It is an upright standing bottle with a generous opening, so if you pour out too much, it won't be too difficult to get back into the bottle, so you can SAVE, SAVE, SAVE! I wear foundation every day, sometimes wash my face and re-apply if going out that night, and this bottle lasts me about a good two months or so. You will find that it ranges from about 8-12 bucks... depending on where you live. So it is a great buy.

CONS- If you have combination to oily skin, WEAR POWDER, and keep it with you! During these upcoming warm to hot days, you may look really greasy in the face. But if you keep Blotters with you, or powders, you should be okay. Also, it might just be that MY skin tone changes, so if that is the case disregard, but I find that when I go to buy a new one, the shade might not match like the previous one, so be mindful of that.

Another con is that Black Opal Products may be a little harder to find in stores than other products that I mention. I don't know if it's that they're not that popular, or what, but whenever I look I always find them in either Rite-Aid, or CVS. So, happy hunting. Other colors good for brown-skinned girls... Carob, Suede Mocha, and Ebony Brown..... And for you borderline caramel to brown-skin girls, Hazelnut!

4-Maybelline Pure Make-Up (Shine Free Foundation with H2O) - Cocoa (Dark 3)

PROS- Very affordable, easy to find. Located in Most drugstores, supermarkets, Wal-Mart. Costs range about 5.99-10 bucks, depending on your region. Full coverage, doesn't clog your pores, spreads easily.

CONS-Upside down tube, so you will have to be exact about how much is needed for your face, cause if you use too much... it will go to waste. Limited colors for darker skin tones. They only have THREE shades for women of OUR color. Dark 1- Tan, Dark 2- Caramel, and Dark 3-Cocoa. I have used the Cocoa. It is way too dark for my skin-tone.

However, the Caramel Dark 2 is too light. So, if you are pressed for money and don't have the money to experiment, I wouldn't waste my time on this product. They have FIVE shades dedicated to light, FOUR for medium and only three for us darkies??!!! Leave this product alone, unless you happen to match EXACTLY. Good luck evading the lady who tries to watch you when you try to sample the products in the store!

5- Black Radiance Color Perfect Oil Free Liquid Make-Up- Cocoa Bean

PROS-Very affordable! VERY! Somewhat accessible. Costs about 5.99-10 bucks, and you can find it in a lot of Beauty Supply stores, CVS carries it. Spreads evenly, good coverage, get quite a bit for your buck. Also, comes in a jar with an open spout, so if you have too much, you can put it back in there. Gives you a nice matte finish.

CONS- Cocoa Bean does NOT match my skin tone! But I also have strange undertones going on with my skin, so that could be why it is so difficult to match. When you apply this make-up it dries a different color, it's crazy. There's this... weird... applicator thingy, not sure what to do with it, but it just got in my way basically. Says it is good for all skin types, but I have very sensitive skin on my face, and I found that within thirty minutes my face was suffocating and I needed to wash it off. Other shades to try are Brownie and Mocha Honey.

6- L'Oreal True Match Super Blendable Make-Up- Nut Brown

PROS-Oh my goodness you guys this make-up was awesome! Spread really, really great! Matches wonderfully for a yellow undertone. Really does a brown-skinned girl justice. Light, so your skin can breathe. Good coverage for girls with blemishes. Pretty easy to find, and I say that with hesitance, because 7 times out of 10 they will carry all BUT the shades for brown-skinned. Um, I find them at Wal-Mart, Walgreens..and that's pretty much it.

CONS- This product has SPF and I am VERY allergic to sun block so it broke me out something terrible. Kind of hard to find. It's a little more expensive than the previous products mentioned. MMM, I would say about 10.99 and up. You may be able to find it on sale. Also, there is not a whole lot in the bottle, so use sparingly if you can. Other shades to try.... Soft Sable and Cocoa.

7- Revlon Color Stay Make-Up with Soft Flex - Mahogany

PROS- Pretty easy to find in most drugstores. Colors are good for brown-skinned girls. Kind of affordable. A little on the higher end but about 9.99-12.99 for this product. The coverage is okay... Not the best, but if you are looking for light to moderate coverage this is a good product.

CONS- Now, I found that Mahogany did not match my undertones that great. I know.... Again with the undertones. It dried and made my skin look a little grayish and chalky. There is not really a good selection to choose from for darker skin tones. Has SPF6, bad for me, but good for anyone who is not allergic. Also, again, if you don't have the undertone problem.... Other shades to try... Cappuccino and Mocha.

And lastly but CERTAINLY not least...

8- Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse - Cocoa (Dark 3)

PROS- OH MY GOSH...... loving this product!! (sing song voice) this is the current make up I am using now! It def does what the commercial says. It covers your pores, and gives you a great finish! Maximum coverage! Need NO concealer, well... maybe a little bit, but I don't use any. It is very affordable, anywhere from about 7-10 bucks. I found it right at the Kroger grocery store, so it should be available at most drug stores. It has a nifty little nozzle that squirts out and it's really convenient. It is also whipped feeling, and I apply with my fingers.

It just glides right on, and begins covering all my pores and dark spots, and its not too heavy, I don't have to put on a bunch. The top also comes off, so if I over-squirt, I can put it right back in the bottle. There's lots in the bottle, and you don't have to use a lot for coverage. I think I bought this bottle a month ago and I still have a little more than half a bottle left. It's great! I love it. Hopefully this will be the end of the road for me, but usually it isn't!

CONS-Again, it's Maybelline, and you know they don't cater to the brownies, so there are only three shades of this color which is aforementioned Dark 1, Dark 2, Dark 3. Dark 3 of this particular make-up works really well for me. Weird the other Maybelline product Dark 3 didn't work, but oh well. That's the only con I can come up with for this product so far.

So, in closing, I know a lot of people are saying well what about MAC? MAC, well first, MAC isn't exactly what I would call easy or easily accessible. MAC is usually found at a counter in a dept store, or MAC store in the mall, and both close around 9 pm. I am a girl on a budget, and I can't afford to pay 15-25 bucks for make up that doesn't seem to last very long, actually. And also, with my sensitive skin, MAC gives me a rash. I have tried the Studio Tech Compact in NW50. If you don't mind paying a little bit more then here are some other shades to try... NW45, NW47, NC50, NC55, and NW55.

PS, I have tried Clinique, the shade wasn't worth mentioning because it made me look gray and gave me a rash. Fashion Fair is good too if you can find it, but again, a little out of my budget right now, and usually can only be found in a dept store or the mall. I haven't worn it in years, so I do not remember the shade. But Fashion Fair offers a BUNCH of shades for us chocolates!

I hope this article helped a lot. I will continue to discuss blushes, concealers, lipsticks, and glosses, mineral powders, bronzers, eye shadows....ahh! Most DEF eye shadows, my favorite, and beauty tricks... some ghetto.... Hope you enjoy! Happy hunting ladies.

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Cash Register Shortage Control - Is Mandatory Payback Effective?

The high school senior was so excited about her upcoming school dance. Her dress was exquisite, and her shoes and purse matched perfectly. She was saving money from her job at the local fast food restaurant to pay for all she needed to make the event so special. There were flowers to choose, a limo for her and her date and a few friends, pictures, and a whole lot of extras that would make the evening a long lasting memory. She had all her future earnings planned out for the next few weeks and earmarked for the special occasion. What she had not planned for was the inexplicable shortage of $20 on her cash till at work. The restaurant had a policy that all cash shortages had to be paid back. "Oh no!" she thought. "I didn't steal any money; what am I going to do? I need every penny I earn to pay for the dance."

Mandatory Payback Policy

When consulting with retailers and restaurant owners, the conversation will generally turn to cash shortages. A few have boasted they simply did not have cash shortages because of the policy they put in place. The policy required cashiers to pay back shortages in their tills. They further stated that shortages may occur once or twice, but after paying for the shortages, a cashier was not often short again. The shortages required no investigation, no investment of a manager's valuable time, no disciplinary action, and no complicated cash handling policies.

Policy Repercussions

So having investigated many, many cash shortages and implemented effective cash control programs for retailers and restaurants, paying back cash shortages is not part of the equation unless of course a thorough investigation was conducted, the cashier admitted to cash thefts and restitution was part of the resolution. Docking pay or having an employee pay the employer for cash shortages could result in the employee making less than minimum wage and jeopardize the employer of violating wage and hour laws.

Unintended Consequences

Making cashiers pay back shortages may also have an opposite effect of its intention. Suppose that the young cashier is making preparations to go to the special dance, as in the scenario above. She needs money for her gown, matching shoes, tickets, hair and make-up, and perhaps sharing the cost of a limo. It's all a great expense for the young lady, but she is budgeting carefully and every dollar she earns is allotted as she prepares for her special event. She is a very good cashier and even better employee. But, alas, her cash drawer comes up short. She didn't steal any cash from the till. A mistake in counting back change or mishandling currency may have been the problem. Perhaps there are other possible explanations. Maybe there was a mistake by a manager removing excess cash from her cash register. Maybe another cashier rang transactions on her register while she was on break and mishandled the cash - or stole it.

According to the rules, our cashier has to pay back the shortage. She panics because she envisions her perfect evening will be ruined. She can't afford to pay back the shortage. Could she ask for permission to not pay back the shortage? Sure. Could she ask someone to loan her the money? Yes. But, she is desperate. She decides to get the money back by methods she knew other cashiers were doing. They had been ringing fraudulent transactions and stealing money for longer than she had worked there and not one manager ever questioned them about it. They had bragged often about their "extra" money. She had always been disgusted with their cavalier attitude about stealing. She makes her decision. She would only take the amounts needed to make her dance special, - and then pay it back.

She rings fictitious employee meals, voids, refunds and price reductions and pockets the cash. She's stealing! It was so easy that she continues to take money far exceeding the amounts she had intended to pay back. The manager can quickly spot register shortages, but neglected the other parts of cash management. The thefts continue long past her dance and her cash drawer is never short - and she never pays it back. She crossed the line, and is now a thief. If caught she could be arrested.

Cash Management

This story is true, and has occurred at many retail stores and restaurants. A sound cash management program does not require cash shortages to be reimbursed. The incidences of cash shortage should be recorded in the performance history of the cashier. Cash management programs should include investigations of significant cash variances and implementation of progressive disciplines for each incident that require retraining when needed. Acceptable tolerance levels should be established for each component of customer transactions such as voids, refunds, price reductions, and no sales. Performance in these areas should be monitored and disciplines established for poor performance. Each time an exception occurs outside the acceptable level of performance in handling cash transactions the discipline is stronger. For example, the first time a cashier is short more than $3, a written warning is reviewed with the cashier. The warning includes heavier repercussions with subsequent violations that may lead to suspension and possibly termination. The concept is called progressive discipline. The warning puts the employee on notice that their performance is being monitored, that proper cash handling is important, and establishes documentation of poor performance. The idea is to change behavior.

Effective loss control programs contain these elements of cash management. They are fair and equitable, establish the "ground rules" for performance in cash handling, and provide accountability to those employees who may be stealing by manipulating transactions. Requiring the payback of cash shortages as the foundation of a cash management program does not adequately address poor performance in cash handling. It may even the cash tills, but does little to address exploiting the lack of cash controls.

By D. B. "Libby" Libhart, CPP

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Five Fun Baby Shower Themes For Boys

When a bouncing baby boy is on the way, throwing a fun baby shower for the expectant Mom will make for one special day. Choosing a baby shower theme is one of the first steps in party planning so here are five fun options for baby boys. If you want to be the hostess with the mostest, go beyond that same old boring blue theme for a boy and dare to be different. Your guests will be thrilled!

1) Frog Themed Baby Shower - A green frog theme is an excellent baby boy shower choice and today, retailers offer a wide range of shower tableware and accessories with a froggy theme. When it comes to the food for a frog themed shower, think green. Make some cucumber lily pad appetizers and some peanut butter filled celery sticks with raisins to create flies on a log if you want to give your guests a smile while they are eating. For a centerpiece that does double-duty as your gift to the Mom-to-be, consider buying a frog inspired diaper cake. Every new Mom can use diapers and this is one creative gift that is sure to impress. As for the shower games, try an old-fashioned game of leapfrog.

2) Train Baby Shower - Thomas the Train has made many-a-boy think about being a train conductor when they grow up and Thomas has made the train theme popular for both birthday parties and for baby showers. The Carter baby company has introduced a beautiful line of train themed tableware that is the perfect choice for a boy's baby shower. You can get creative setting up a real toy train set to go around the buffet table. Buy the guests inexpensive conductor's hats and be sure to incorporate the train them in the invitations and thank you notes as well.

3) Old McDonald or Farm Animal Themed Shower - This shower theme is super cute for boys. You can incorporate all the barnyard animals such as pigs, cows, chickens, sheep and more into the party through the tableware, cake, and party favors. Decorate with cow print balloons and red, black and white streamers. Use a toy barn that will double as the baby shower gift as the centerpiece on the buffet or dessert table. Wilton has tons of fun barn animal cake and cupcake designs so just head to their website and do a quick search to find the perfect one for you to bake. For games, play barnyard animal charades or the name the baby animal game. Be sure to have the Old McDonald music playing when guests arrive at your ho-down! This theme is perfect for summer picnic-type showers. You could even use hay bales as seats around the picnic tables that are covered in red and white checked tablecloths.

4) Safari or Jungle Baby Shower - One of the most popular showers for boys is a King of the Jungle or safari animal baby shower that incorporates lions, tigers, giraffes, monkeys, and more. Create your very own jungle in your party location using tree cutouts and green paper vines. You can use stuffed monkeys to hang from the vines too. For the food, be sure to make some jungle animal cupcakes or a large Safari cake. There are instructions for an awesome Safari cake at Wilton. For the food itself, you can use animal-shaped cookie cutters to make jello-jigglers or finger sandwiches in animal shapes. An animal themed diaper cake or gift basket would make a perfect centerpiece.

5) All Star Sport Shower - If Dad is a sports enthusiast, then you can't go wrong with this shower theme. Create invitations or a shower banner that looks like a scoreboard. For the food table, lay down some fake grass turf that is painted with white lines like a football field. Serve the food on sports themed trays and be sure to have sports themed tableware like plates and napkins. And if Dad is a baseball fan, make it a "Little Slugger" themed shower instead.

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Cash Register Shortage Control - Is Mandatory Payback Effective?

The high school senior was so excited about her upcoming school dance. Her dress was exquisite, and her shoes and purse matched perfectly. She was saving money from her job at the local fast food restaurant to pay for all she needed to make the event so special. There were flowers to choose, a limo for her and her date and a few friends, pictures, and a whole lot of extras that would make the evening a long lasting memory. She had all her future earnings planned out for the next few weeks and earmarked for the special occasion. What she had not planned for was the inexplicable shortage of $20 on her cash till at work. The restaurant had a policy that all cash shortages had to be paid back. "Oh no!" she thought. "I didn't steal any money; what am I going to do? I need every penny I earn to pay for the dance."

Mandatory Payback Policy

When consulting with retailers and restaurant owners, the conversation will generally turn to cash shortages. A few have boasted they simply did not have cash shortages because of the policy they put in place. The policy required cashiers to pay back shortages in their tills. They further stated that shortages may occur once or twice, but after paying for the shortages, a cashier was not often short again. The shortages required no investigation, no investment of a manager's valuable time, no disciplinary action, and no complicated cash handling policies.

Policy Repercussions

So having investigated many, many cash shortages and implemented effective cash control programs for retailers and restaurants, paying back cash shortages is not part of the equation unless of course a thorough investigation was conducted, the cashier admitted to cash thefts and restitution was part of the resolution. Docking pay or having an employee pay the employer for cash shortages could result in the employee making less than minimum wage and jeopardize the employer of violating wage and hour laws.

Unintended Consequences

Making cashiers pay back shortages may also have an opposite effect of its intention. Suppose that the young cashier is making preparations to go to the special dance, as in the scenario above. She needs money for her gown, matching shoes, tickets, hair and make-up, and perhaps sharing the cost of a limo. It's all a great expense for the young lady, but she is budgeting carefully and every dollar she earns is allotted as she prepares for her special event. She is a very good cashier and even better employee. But, alas, her cash drawer comes up short. She didn't steal any cash from the till. A mistake in counting back change or mishandling currency may have been the problem. Perhaps there are other possible explanations. Maybe there was a mistake by a manager removing excess cash from her cash register. Maybe another cashier rang transactions on her register while she was on break and mishandled the cash - or stole it.

According to the rules, our cashier has to pay back the shortage. She panics because she envisions her perfect evening will be ruined. She can't afford to pay back the shortage. Could she ask for permission to not pay back the shortage? Sure. Could she ask someone to loan her the money? Yes. But, she is desperate. She decides to get the money back by methods she knew other cashiers were doing. They had been ringing fraudulent transactions and stealing money for longer than she had worked there and not one manager ever questioned them about it. They had bragged often about their "extra" money. She had always been disgusted with their cavalier attitude about stealing. She makes her decision. She would only take the amounts needed to make her dance special, - and then pay it back.

She rings fictitious employee meals, voids, refunds and price reductions and pockets the cash. She's stealing! It was so easy that she continues to take money far exceeding the amounts she had intended to pay back. The manager can quickly spot register shortages, but neglected the other parts of cash management. The thefts continue long past her dance and her cash drawer is never short - and she never pays it back. She crossed the line, and is now a thief. If caught she could be arrested.

Cash Management

This story is true, and has occurred at many retail stores and restaurants. A sound cash management program does not require cash shortages to be reimbursed. The incidences of cash shortage should be recorded in the performance history of the cashier. Cash management programs should include investigations of significant cash variances and implementation of progressive disciplines for each incident that require retraining when needed. Acceptable tolerance levels should be established for each component of customer transactions such as voids, refunds, price reductions, and no sales. Performance in these areas should be monitored and disciplines established for poor performance. Each time an exception occurs outside the acceptable level of performance in handling cash transactions the discipline is stronger. For example, the first time a cashier is short more than $3, a written warning is reviewed with the cashier. The warning includes heavier repercussions with subsequent violations that may lead to suspension and possibly termination. The concept is called progressive discipline. The warning puts the employee on notice that their performance is being monitored, that proper cash handling is important, and establishes documentation of poor performance. The idea is to change behavior.

Effective loss control programs contain these elements of cash management. They are fair and equitable, establish the "ground rules" for performance in cash handling, and provide accountability to those employees who may be stealing by manipulating transactions. Requiring the payback of cash shortages as the foundation of a cash management program does not adequately address poor performance in cash handling. It may even the cash tills, but does little to address exploiting the lack of cash controls.

By D. B. "Libby" Libhart, CPP

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Inexpensive Kids Birthday Party Locations

While throwing your child a birthday party is high on any parents list, most people don't want to spend a fortune for the celebration. Depending on the time of year and your budget, there are some great options for the location of the party (other than your home).

If you do decide to throw a party outside your home, be sure to include your child in the location decision. If the child is young, you may want to bring them to the location prior to the party so that they can get comfortable and excited about the upcoming event. Most kids look forwarding to opening their presents at the end of their party. So whatever option you choose, make sure you set aside a special place where all the party goers can place the birthday gifts.

1. Town Park Shelter. Many local communities offer rental shelters at the parks where they have picnic tables, grills and play equipment for the kids. The older children can go play while the adults hang out. The food doesn't have to be gourmet, instead keep it simple and easy like barbecuing hot dogs or burgers or a couple baked lasagnas with salad. Follow up with a fun birthday cake from your local warehouse club, grocery store or your own kitchen.

2. Fast Food Restaurant. Both McDonald's and Hardees offer kids parties that include a party hostess, food and cake at reasonable prices. The other great thing about these restaurants is that many have Playlands or plastic ball pits so that the kids can be entertained while the adults chit-chat and relax a bit.

3. Children's or Science Museum. If you have a larger budget, a local science or children's museum can be a great place to hold a birthday party. Some places have party hostesses and provide some supplies, so just check what they provide in your city. You may only need to bring a birthday cake and presents.

4. Movie Theater. Many towns have inexpensive or dollar show theaters that will rent out the entire theater or give you big group discount as well as discounts on snacks and soda. Some theaters will let you bring in some of your own snacks and a cake so just check and see what can be done at your local theater by speaking with the manager.

5. Neighborhood Club House. If you live in a planned community, chances are that you have a club house in your neighborhood or apartment complex. Often these rooms are either free or can be rented for a nominal fee by residents. The club house would likely give you more room than your home, but it would still be close enough that you could set up the birthday party relatively easily. Not to mention, you don't have to clean your house!

6. Local Fire Department. Often times, local fire departments have rooms that they will allow local residents utilize for free or for a nominal fee. Some fire departments will even give the children of a private birthday party a tour of the department and let them try on some of the firefighters' gear and get their photos taken. These pictures make great keepsake gifts for all the children.

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The Writing Style of Hemingway

For Whom the Bell Tolls portrays the typical Hemingway characters and addresses the issues of machoism and womanizing. In this novel, as in many of his other works, Hemingway employs extensive use of what is known as the Hemingway Code. Numerous influences from various people and events from his personal life also had an effect on his writing.

Many people hold the opinion that there has been no American writer like Ernest Hemingway. A member of the World War I "lost generation," Hemingway was in many ways his own best character. Whether as his childhood nickname of "Champ" or as the older "Papa," Ernest Hemingway became a legend of his own lifetime. Although the drama and romance of his life sometimes seem to overshadow the quality of his work, Hemingway was first and foremost a literary scholar, a writer and reader of books. This is often overlooked among all the talk about his safaris and hunting trips, adventures with bullfighting, fishing and war. Hemingway enjoyed being famous, and delighted in playing for the public spotlight. However, Hemingway considered himself an artist, and he did not want to become celebrated for all the wrong reasons.

Hemingway was born in the quiet town of Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, on July 21, 1899. His father was a physician, and Ernest was the second of six children born to Dr. and Mrs. Clarence E. Hemingway. His mother, a devout, religious woman with considerable music talent, hoped that her son would develop an interest in music. Instead, Ernest acquired his father's enthusiasm for guns and for fishing trips in the north woods of Michigan (Lynn 63).

From almost the beginning of his writing career, Hemingway employed a distinctive style which drew comment from many critics. Hemingway does not give way to lengthy geographical and psychological description. His style has been said to lack substance because he avoids direct statements and descriptions of emotion. Basically his style is simple, direct and somewhat plain. He developed a forceful prose style characterized by simple sentences and few adverbs or adjectives. He wrote concise, vivid dialogue and exact description of places and things. Critic Harry Levin pointed out the weakness of syntax and diction in Hemingway's writing, but was quick to praise his ability to convey action(Rovit 47).

Hemingway spent the early part of his career as a journalist. In 1937, he went to Spain to cover the Spanish Civil War for the North American Newspaper Alliance. After a few months in Spain, Hemingway announced his plan to write a book with the Spanish Civil War as its background. The result was For Whom the Bell Tolls.

The majority of his early novels were narrated in the first person and enclosed within a single point of view, however, when Hemingway wrote For Whom the Bell Tolls, he used several different narrative techniques. He employed the use of internal monologues(where the reader is in the "mind" of a particular character), objective descriptions, rapid shifts of point of view, and in general a looser structure than in his earlier works. Hemingway believed that "a writer's style should be direct and personal, his imagery rich and earthy, and his words simple and vigorous. The greatest writers have the gift of brevity, are hard workers, diligent scholars and competent stylists(Magill 1287).

For Whom the Bell Tolls is the most serious and politically motivated novel that Hemingway wrote. There are few comic or light episodes in the entire book. For Whom the Bell Tolls is an attempt to present in depth a country and people that Hemingway loved very much. It was an effort to deal honestly with a very complex war made even more complex by the beliefs it inspired(Gurko 127).

Common to almost all of Hemingway's novels is the concept of the Hemingway hero, sometimes known as the "code hero." When Hemingway's novels were first published, the public readily accepted them. Part of this acceptance was due to the fact that Hemingway had created a character whose response to life appealed strongly to those who read his works. The reader saw in the Hemingway hero a person whom they could identify with in almost a dream sense. The Hemmingway hero was a man's man. He moved from one love affair to another, he participated in wild game hunting, enjoyed bullfights, drank insatiably, he was involved in all of the so-called manly activities in which the typical American male did not participate(Rovit 56).

Hemingway's involvement in the war instilled him with deep-seated political views. For Whom the Bell Tolls is a study of the individual involved in what was a politically motivated war. But this novel differs greatly from Hemingway's prior portrayal of the individual hero in the world. In this book, the hero accepts the people around him, not only a few select members of the distinguished, but with the whole community. The organization of this community is stated with great eloquence in the quotation from one of the poet John Donne's sermons upon the death of a close friend. This is the quotation from which the book takes its title:

No man is an Iland, intire of it selfe, every man is a peece of the Continent, a part of the maine, if a Clod bee washed away by the Sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a Promontorie were, as well as if a Mannor of thy friends or of thine owne were; any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for I thee.

Therefore, while the hero retains the qualities of the Hemingway Code, he has been built up by his unity with mankind. In the end, he finds the world a "fine place," that is "worth fighting for"(Curly 795). In his personal confrontation with death, Robert Jordan realizes that there is a larger cause that a man can chose to serve. In this way he differs from the earlier Hemingway hero. The insistence that action and its form be solely placed on one individual is still present, along with the need for the character to dominate that action. However, this issue is not longer a single matador against a single bull, or an individual character against his entire environment. The person is the "instrument of mankind" against the horrors of war. The political issues of this book are therefore presented not as a "contrast of black and white, but in the shaded tones of reality"(Magill 491).

While Jordan is the epitome of the hero in his actions, he is also in command of himself and his circumstances to a far greater extent than Hemingway's previous heroes; he is driven to face reality by deep emotional needs. Jordan's drives in the novel seem to be a direct reflection of Hemingway's own, because Hemingway had also been deeply affected by the suicide of his own father (Kunitz 561). Ironically, suicide as an escape from reality is a violation of Hemingway's own code. The self-doubt and fear that such an act brings to the children of a person who commits suicide is a well-known psychological outcome. This is perhaps why the painfulness of their fears causes Hemingway's heroes to avoid "thinking" at all costs. For "thinking" too much may prevent a person from reacting. And without something to react to, the hero is left to face his inner fears (Magill 474). Death is also used by Hemingway at the end of the novel to resolve the dramatic conflicts established by the story. The theme of death is likewise observable in other parts of the book, such as when the characters express their concern about dying during the attack on the bridge. As in other works following the suicide of his father, Hemingway brings his characters face to face with death. He admires those who face death bravely and without expressing emotion. For Hemingway, a man does not truly live life until analyzes the significance of death personally(Brooks 323).

In contrast to the Hemingway heroes are his female characters. Hemingway's approach to women in his works is particularly masculine. They are seen and valued in relation to the men in his stories insofar as they are absolutely feminine. Hemingway does not go into their inner world except as this world is related to the men with whom they are involved. The reader comes to view them as love objects or as anti-love figures (Whitlock 231). Part of the reason Hemingway had this opinion of woman was because the way he viewed his mother. He believed his mother to be a manipulator and blamed her in part for the suicide of his father. "The qualities he thought admirable in a man-ambition, and independent point of view, defiance of his supremacy-became threatening in a woman"(Kert 103).

Hemingway's heroines almost always personify the physical appearance of the ideal woman in their beauty. But in their personality they appear as two types: the "all-woman" who gives herself entirely to the hero and the "femme fatale" who retains herself and prevents the hero from possessing her completely. The "all-woman" is acceptable in Hemingway view because she submits to the hero. She wants no other life than with him. By succumbing to the hero, she allows him to dominate her and affirm his manhood. The "femme fatale" is usually a more complex character than the "all-woman" (Lynn 98). While she may or may not be nasty, she does not submit to the hero and wounds him and all the men around her primarily because they can not manage her and thus can not assert their manhood through her. But despite Hemmingway's portrayal of women, he usually has them fall into the same basic category as the men. The heroine, like the hero, obeys the "Hemmingway Code." She sees life for what it is even as she longs for something more. She is basically courageous in life, choosing reality over thought, and she faces death stoically. In practically every case there has already been in her life some tragic event-the loss of a lover, violence-which has given her the strength to face life this way (Lynn 102).

For Whom the Bell Tolls "is a living example of how, in modern times, the epic quality must be projected" (Baker 132). Heroic action is an epic quality, and For Whom the Bell Tolls contains this element. The setting is simple and the emphasis is on the basic virtues of uncomplicated people. The men are engaged in the conflict are prepared to sacrifice their lives; they are exceptional for their deeds of daring and heroism (Baker 94).

Behind the conception of this idea of the hero lies the disillusionment of the American public, the disillusionment that was brought about by the First World War. The impressionable man came to realize that the old ideas and beliefs rooted in religion and ethics had not helped to save man the catastrophe of World War I. As a result, after the war came to an end, Hemingway and other writers began to look for a new system of values, a system of values that would replace the old attitudes which they thought proved to be useless. The writers who adopted these new beliefs came to be known as the "lost generation."

The "lost generation," was a name instituted by Gertrude Stein and it signified the postwar generation and the literary movement produced by the young writers of the time (Unger 654). Their writing reflected their belief that "the only reality was that life is harsh" (Bryfonski 1874).

A great deal has been written about Ernest Hemingway's distinctive style. Ever since he began writing in the 1920's, he has been the subject of lavish praise and sometimes savage criticism. He has not been ignored.

To explain Hemingway's style in a few paragraphs in such a manner as to satisfy those who have read his articles and books is almost impossible. It is a simple style, straight forward and modest. Hemingway's prose is unadorned as a result of his abstaining from using adjectives as much as possible. He relates a story in the form of straight journalism, but because he is a master of transmitting emotion with out embellishing it, the product is even more enjoyable.

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