Crime scene investigation understanding the csi effect

If you are a fan of CSI, be it the Gil Grissom original or the various spin-off shows, it's probably better if you don't get called up for jury service. Programs such as Forensic files, Law and Order, CSI, CSI Miami etc may be hugely popular and thoroughly entertaining but they have created what is know in academic and professional circles as the 'CSI effect'

According to Max Houck, director of the Forensic Science Initiative, a program that develops research and professional training for forensic scientists, "The CSI effect is basically the perception of the near-infallibility of forensic science in response to the TV show,"

The main distortion between fictional portrayals and the application of forensic science in the real world is 'time frame'. It can take several weeks, sometimes months to get results back from the lab, however, in the fictional world of forensic science and crime scene investigation, results invariabaly come back straight away.

It would seem that the CSI effect is most visible in the court room, particularly among jurors. Max Houck mentioned above, argues that Prosecutors fear the CSI effect among juries because they may question why everything is not subject to forensic analysis, when in fact not everything has to be. Equally, Defence attorneys are concerned about the CSI effect because jurors may perceive the science of forensics as completely objective and totally accurate, thus ignoring the possibility of human or technical error.

Writing for USA today Richard Willing outlined a number of examples that highlighted the CSI effect in action. These included:

A murder trial where jurors alerted the judge that a bloody coat introduced as evidence had not been tested for DNA. In fact, the tests were not needed because the defendant acknowledged being at the murder scene. The judge stated that TV had taught jurors about DNA tests, but not enough about when to use them.

A murder trial where jurors asked the judge if a cigarette butt found during the crime scene investigation could be tested to see if it could be linked to the defendant. The defence team had ordered the tests but had not introduced them into evidence. Upon doing so, the tests exonerated the defendant, and he was acquitted.

The fact that prosecutors are now being allowed to question potential jurors about their TV-watching habits.

To find out more about the CSI effect and to test your own crime scene investigation skills and knowledge visit

all-about-forensic-science. com/

Buying the perfect rod and reel

Over the several years that I’ve been fishing, I have had a lot of questions from my friends about the best rod and reel to buy. Apparently, I’m not alone in this, because ever since I started browsing the Internet, I’ve read countless emails and messages from people in blogs, forums and the like, all wanting to know which is the best rod and reel out there.

Now, I’m not going to lie to you. I truly believe that there is a perfect rod and reel out there for you. In fact, there are several perfect rods and reels out there, but you’d have to determine which one will suit you, depending on your personal preferences. Price is not going to be the determining factor here. Are you getting my drift now? Here are several ideas to help you decide the perfect rod and reel for you.

Decide on what fish do you want to catch. Particularly the size, since this is an important factor when you start choosing your tackle. It’s like trying to kill a fly with an axe. The size of your prey will determine the relative size of your equipment.

Next, think about where you would be going to fish. And I’m not talking merely about saltwater and freshwater fishing. You need to think about more specific issues, like the available space for casting, the amount of skill you have in making long casts, and even whether you’re going fishing on a pier, on a lake, or off a boat in the ocean. The answers you’ll get will also play a definite role in deciding what to buy.

Now, here are the different tackle choices available, broken down into basic categories.

Ultralight Spinning – This is ideal for small-sized fishing in confined areas. Lines from two to six pound test will give you a challenge, depending on your skill. If you land a fish with this tackle, you’ll have something to brag about.

Light and Medium Spinning – The staples in the spinning group. The sizes of the lines can go from six pound test to seventeen pounds. Most inshore saltwater fish can be caught with this tackle, and it’s recommended for use in an inshore boat, off a pier, or even on the shore itself, but not in the surf.

Heavy Spinning – The big boy you need for offshore trolling. These are also used in combination with surf rods when you want to go surf fishing. The line sizes here are twenty pound test and above. The largest sizes you can effectively use for a spinning tackle will be around thirty pound test.

Bait Casting – The conventional reels used mainly for inshore fishing. Used for casting artificial lures and plugs, and the line sizes range from twelve to twenty pound test. It’s not recommended using lines lighter than twelve pound test with this one.

Bottom Fishing – The mainstay of most head boats. Rods can go around six or seven feet long, with a conventional reel. Line sizes can go from thirty to eighty pound test. This outfit is really tough and rugged, and can easily haul big fish off the bottom.

Trolling – This is quite similar to bottom fishing tackle, but very much specialized. I would suggest getting a professional to help you with buying one, since you seriously need to consider price and size here. Prices can go around $1,000 for each.

An expensive tackle offers absolutely no guarantee that it is the best for you. A lot of seasoned fishermen have tackles that cost up to $400 each, as well as some that just cost around $50, and they swear that the cheaper ones perform just as well as the high-priced ones.

Where to get the best holiday home insurance advice

When it comes to getting the best holiday home insurance advice do you know where to find it? Unfortunately many people who go into the holiday home venture don’t, and this can end up costing them dearly. When it comes to getting holiday home insurance advice then there really is only one way to go, to a specialist broker. The broker can do all the hard work for you in securing you the best deal possible while giving you the essential holiday home insurance advice that you need.

When it comes to getting the most suitable insurance for your holiday home then it can be very tricky, one of the biggest factors that insurers think about is the fact that the home will be standing empty for periods of time and this leaves the property wide open to such occurrences as burst pipes and flooding during the winter months.

Very few people bother to read the small print that is included in every policy and this is where very often the insurer will put in clauses that you have to comply to certain security measures. These will usually include such things as your property not being left unoccupied for more than 30 days at a time or that you have the heating system drained when the building is unoccupied. Insurance for the holiday home does differ vastly from the insurance that is taken out for your own home and this is where the expertise of a broker comes in very handy.

Along with the most common features that you will want the insurance to cover, if you are considering letting the property then you will have to take out more extensive cover. If letting then you are considered to be a landlord and as such you will need to make sure that you are covered with liability insurance. Liability insurance will safeguard you should a tenant become injured on your property due to what is seen as negligence on your behalf.

Other components of the insurance for a holiday home include protecting the property in the eventuality that is should become damaged due to fire, floods and adverse weather conditions; cover in case the tenants should damage the property, loss of rental income due to unforeseen circumstances and temporary accommodation.

A broker will look around for the best policy with the least restrictions on you and which offers the best deal while at the same time giving you excellent holiday home insurance advice.

The benefits and drawbacks of buying designer kitchenware products

If you are in the market for kitchenware, you may be considering making the purchase of designer kitchenware products. As you debate the purchase of designer kitchenware products, you may be wondering what are some of the pros and cons to making the purchase of these types of products in this day and age. As with so many things in the 21st century, there definitely are pros and cons to making the purchase of designer kitchenware products.

Of course, for many people, one of the downsides to making the purchase of designer software is the price. In many instances, these types of products can be rather pricy. Indeed, depending on what type of product that you are considering making the purchase of, when it comes to the designer brands, these items oftentimes can be budget busting propositions.

By shopping around -- including surfing around the Internet -- you can (on occasion) save at least a bit of money on designer kitchenware products. Many people in this day and age have found themselves living on very restrictive budgets. Thus, if you want to attempt to save a bit of money on designer kitchenware products, you will want to spend the time shopping around. Again, keep in mind that deals that might be available in regard to designer kitchenware are to be found both in cyberspace and in the brick and mortar world. You will not want to limit your shopping to only one of these two important shopping venues.

Even considering the price issue, there are many benefits to be had by purchasing designer kitchenware. The greatest benefit to be had through the purchase of designer kitchenware is the fact that you will be able to stylish kitchenware products in your own home. Because the kitchen really is the room that most people spend a great amount of their time, it is important for many people to have attractive and appealing kitchenware included in their overall kitchen dйcor. If you are such a person, you definitely will want to take a close look at the purchase of designer kitchenware.

Finally, one of the benefits of designer kitchenware is the fact that these products usually are of high quality. While you will end up spending a bit more for designer software at the outset, because these are well built products as a rule, they will be around for a long period of time.

Your eyes have it

Your eyes demand attention whenever you are talking to someone or even glancing in their direction. They are an important feature of your face and the skin around the eyes can bring the eyes to healthy life or contribute to a dull, lifeless look.

Naturally as you age the skin surrounding the eyes develops fine lines and deeper wrinkles. This is because the delicate skin around the eyes is very different to the rest of the skin on your face. It is much thinner and in fact has very few oil glands which can keep it naturally moisturized. This means its dries out faster and being thin, if not treated gently can stretch and tear, causing bags and sagging.

For this reason is it important to treat the eye area gently and don’t wipe or rub the eyes harshly, instead just patting the area without pulling is recommended.

Puffiness around the eyes is common on waking but can remain throughout the day for a variety of reasons including tiredness, smoking, drinking alcohol, diet and even hormonal changes. If you do have a problem with puffy eyes try elevating your head slightly at night on a higher pillow and drinking plenty of water throughout the day to cleanse out your blood system. One cause of puffiness can be as simple as the cream you are using. Eyes are naturally sensitive and will water continuously to cleanse them of impurities. When using creams around the eye area make sure you don’t apply them too closely to the eye and seek out natural skin care creams without harsh chemicals and additives.

The cream will ‘creep about 1 centimeter by itself so just apply creams on the bone below the eye area. The cream will make its way further on the skin but not into the eyes themselves. When applying eye cream place a little of the cream onto your ring finger and gently pat the cream around the eye and dab gently to absorb, do not rub. You only need to apply a tiny amount of cream around the eye to bring satisfactory results in fact too much cream can irritate and cause the puffiness you are trying to avoid.

At LanaB we have developed a 100% natural eye cream that can be used safely around the eye area without causing irritation. Included in the ingredients are Jojoba and Avocado oils as well as Vitamins A and E, these combine to treat fine lines and wrinkles effectively and moisturize and balance the skin around the eyes.

Sculpting your nose with rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty is surgery on the nose. The procedure can be done for medical reasons, breathing problems, birth defects, or injury, or it may simply be done for aesthetic cosmetic purposes.

Rhinoplasty Procedures

There are two types of rhinoplasty procedures. The first type is known as an open procedure. With an open procedure, a minor incision is made between the nostrils, enabling them to lift that portion of nasal skin off the nose for better visibility of the cartilage and bone. This procedure gives the surgeon more control over the patient's nose because they are able to see the bone and cartilage. An open rhniplasty will leave a scar; however, for a skilled surgeon the scar will not be visible from a standard viewing distance.

The other type is closed rhinoplasty, where incisions are made on the inside of the nose, thus concealing any evidence of surgery. However, in some cases your surgeon may not be able to get to the target areas in order to perform the surgery sufficiently.

There are advantages and disadvantages of either type of rhinoplasty surgery. Therefore, it is necessary to consult with your surgeon to determine which type would be best suited for your situation.

Finding the Right Surgeon

Although nose shaping has been around for many decades, it does require incredible ability by the surgeon. Your doctor should have the proper certification and experience necessary to perform the given procedure.

Interview at least two or three plastic surgeons, he, or she should be board certified, and have a minimum of 5 years experience. During the consultation, ask how many rhinoplasties they have done in the last year, consider how well the doctor listen to your ideas, ask to see examples of their work and what can they do for you.

Likewise, if you are going to have general anesthesia, be sure the American Board of Anesthesiology has certified your anesthesiologist. In addition, make sure that you can be rapidly admitted to a nearby quality hospital in the event of unforeseen complications.

Rhinoplasty Fees

Surgeons fee: $3,500

Anesthesiologist: $700

Facility fee: $800

Average Total Cost: $5,000

Rhinoplasty is usually not covered by insurance unless the procedure is performed for medical reasons, e. g. birth defect, or accident. Therefore, you should consult the surgeon's office about payment plans or seek out a finance company that specializes in medical loans. If your insurer says that it is covered, be sure to get pre-authorization from them before the operation.

Complications

If you are careful and selective about whom you choose for your surgeon, anesthesiologist, and of course operating facility, there is only a less than 5% chance of any complications.

However, a possible risk you will need to consider and accept before having cosmetic nose surgery is revision rhinoplasty. First, because nose surgery is a difficult procedure and secondly, following the surgery your nose can change in ways which cannot be predicted beforehand. It is recommended to wait at least one year if a revision rhinoplasty is needed.

Recovery

A splint is applied to the top of the nose to keep it in place while healing and gauze packing is inserted for a couple of days to protect the septum from moving and minimizing bleeding. The splint is usually removed within a week.

Anti-inflammatory medication and a painkiller are prescribed for swelling and discomfort, as well as an antibiotic to prevent infection. You should also apply ice, elevate the head, and avoid blowing your nose and wearing eyeglasses.

Finally, few people ever regret getting a nose job. It has the potential to create a new appearance and lend new confidence. Just be careful

Tips for choosing the right bathtub

Many people spend a considerable amount of time in the bathroom.

Some people feel that spending time in the tub rejuvenates their energy and revitalizes their spirit.

Whatever the reason for spending some time in the bathroom, one thing is certain, the bathtub is one of the most important aspects of the bathroom.

If you are building a house, or if you are renovating or redesigning your house or bathroom, you shouldn't just choose any bathtub. Apart from considering the color that will go well with the color of the bathroom, or the latest design, or the manufacturer, there are other things that should be considered.

* Size of the tub

Aside from the obvious point, that this is important in checking how the bathtub will fit the designated space, this also needs to be considered for other reasons. Should you go for a one-person or two-person bathtub? Remember that if you choose a two-person tub, this will consume more water than a one-person tub.

The bathtub size is also interdependent with the capacity of the water heater. A bathtub usually requires 65% hot water. For some bathtubs, the hot water content may require up to 40 gallons. Consider then if after dispensing 40 gallons of hot water, will your water heater still have sufficient hot water for the rest of the household, or will it have enough time to reheat some water for consumption.

In this case, you may have to choose a smaller bathtub or upgrade your water heater so it will be able to supply enough water for a bigger bathtub. Another option is to install an instant water heater to the water source leading to the bathtub.

Also make sure that, with the bathtub's size, you get enough support for your head, neck and back.

* Material

Choosing the material for your bathtub depends on several factors: on how often you will use the tub, durability, ease of maintenance and budget.

Fiberglass is a cost-effective material, however, it doesn't have the durability of acrylic or porcelain bathtubs. Wooden and marble tubs are good-looking but these require much maintenance and may not last long. Cast iron tubs are the most durable, although these cost a little more than other materials.

* Depth

The bathtub's depth is important if you are considering using the bathtub for therapeutics. Many people enjoy soaking in a warm bath to rejuvenate the lost energy and to ease the pain in tired muscles. Soaking in a tub even reduces the stress levels that most people resort to a warm bath before going to bed.

However, few people know that there are special tubs designed for this purpose. Soaking tubs are designed to allow a person to immerse the whole body with comfort unlike that with a standard tub that is only designed to soak the lower part of the body.

* Functionality

Tubs with jets, such as whirlpool tubs, look very enticing, but will you be using the jets often? Consider the importance of the additional features and how will these features impact your power and water consumption.

* Features for the handicap and the elderly

People with handicap and the elderly rarely use the standard bathtub due to risks for additional injury. Check bathtubs that have features that allow easy entry and exit from the tub. These tubs also have grab rails and grab bars to prevent accidents while soaking in the bathtub. Check for ADA compliance if you want these features for your bathtub.

* Design

Most bathtubs come in cream and white, but are also available in other colors such as brown, maroon, pink, green and blue. Shapes are usually rectangle, oval, and round, but heart-shaped designs and corner styles are also offered.

These are important so the bathtub will match the color and the design of the bathroom. It also makes the bathtub inviting and makes soaking a comfortable experience.

With these tips, you can surely choose the bathtub that fits you.