The blog with a lot of topics

Archive for December, 2009

Have you ever wondered if what you know about Search Engine Optimization is accurate? Consider the following paragraphs and compare what you know to the latest info on Search Engine Optimization.

Search engine optimization is the art and science of making web pages attractive to internet search engines. Some interne t businesses consider search engine optimization to be the subset of search engine marketing.

In the middle of the 1990s webmasters and search engine content providers started optimizing websites. At the time all the webmasters had to do was provide a URL to a search engine and a web crawler would be sent from the search engine. The web crawler would extract link from the webpage and use the information to index the page by down loading the page and then storing it on the search engines server. Once the page was stored on the search engines server a second program, called an indexer, extracted additional information from the webpage, and determines the weight of specific words. When this was complete the page was ranked.

It didn’t take very long for people to understand the importance of being highly ranked.

In the beginning search engines used search algorithms that webmasters provided about the web pages. It didn’t take webmasters very long to start abusing the system requiring search engines to develop a more sophisticated form of search engine optimization. The search engines developed a system that considered several factors; domain name, text within the title, URL directories, term frequency, HTML tags, on page key word proximity, Alt attributes for images, on page keyword adjacency, text within NOFRAMES tags, web content development, sitemaps, and on page keyword sequence.

Google developed a new concept of evaluating internet web pages called PageRank. PageRank weighs a web page’s quantity and quality based on the pages incoming links. This method of search engine optimization was so successful that Google quickly began to enjoy successful word of mouth and consistent praise.

It seems like new information is discovered about something every day. And the topic of Search Engine Optimization is no exception. Keep reading to get more fresh news about Search Engine Optimization.

To help discourage abuse by webmasters, several internet search engines, such as Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Ask.com, will not disclose the algorithms they use when ranking web pages.The signals used today in search engine optimization typically are; keywords in the title, link popularity, keywords in links pointing to the page, PageRank (Google), Keywords that appear in the visible text, links from on page to the inner pages, and placing punch line at the top of the page.

For the most part registering a webpage/website on a search engine is a simple task. All Google requires is a link from a site already indexed and the web crawlers will visit the site and begin to spider its contents. Normally a few days after registering on the search engine the main search engine spiders will begin to index the website.

Some search engines will guarantee spidering and indexing for a small fee. These search engines do not guarantee specific ranking. Webmaster’s who don’t want web crawlers to index certain files and directories use a standard robots.txt file. This file is located in the root directory. Occasionally a web crawler will still crawl a page even if the webmaster has indicated he does not wish the page indexed.

Sometimes it’s tough to sort out all the details related to this subject, but I’m positive you’ll have no trouble making sense of the information presented above.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest acquisition: Free Adsense eBook and make sure to claim your free adsense ebook download!

This interesting article addresses some of the key issues regarding Search Engine Optimization. A careful reading of this material could make a big difference in how you think about Search Engine Optimization.

Even though SEOs have been considered as very cost-effective and useful tools for online marketing, it is important that you understand the risks and potential drawbacks. You can help your business run more efficiently by staying prepared for the possible consequences. You can also determine which approaches will work best for your target customers, thereby giving them quality service and unique content each time. Here are some proven tips.

The Risk Level

You first have to determine your current risk level to know what more you can do to protect your business completely. First of all, you have to gauge your level of expertise and experience in using SEOs. The more experience you have, the less problems you may encounter since you may already have gone through and solved a number of common pitfalls and problems. Consider the types of SEOs that you have used in the past, then check which ones can still work for your current industry.

Black Versus White

Black hat SEO users are putting themselves at risk for losing credibility and even getting penalized or banned. Some web sites and webmasters have been banned by search engines because of the abuse or misuse of certain techniques. There are plenty of black hatters who still believe that overstuffing keywords and using irrelevant content that boosts visibility can work for them in the long term. You are only waiting for search engine crawlers to find the site and render it useless.

The more authentic information about Search Engine Optimization you know, the more likely people are to consider you a Search Engine Optimization expert. Read on for even more Search Engine Optimization facts that you can share.

White hat SEOs are very ideal since these promise you long term visibility and a good reputation. Your target customers can better relate to you if you follow the guidelines and rules given by search engines to boost rankings. It will take some time before you score high on search results pages, but the wait and experience will be worth the wait.

Some of the Common Risks

Reward is not proportionate to the workload given. A single click may be enough for some web sites to instantly land on the first page of search engine results. The hard work of other webmasters who practice ethical methods can be trampled by unapproved techniques like spamming, content aggregating, scraping and plagiarism. Manipulating an algorithm may temporarily catapult your site into the front page, but you can face greater consequences once your actions are discovered.

Boosting Your Experience

Although several black hat approaches can offer you visibility instantly, the results are only temporary. People cannot refer to you or your company as reliable if you resort to unapproved techniques in trying to get their attention. You can boost your reputation and experience by following the right guidelines and patiently waiting for the right traffic to start flowing into your web site. Over time, you will find that your client base expands continually as long as you maintain good content and quality service.

Try to write good and informative articles yourself. Visit online discussion boards and listen to what other online experts have to say. Check out other ethical methods used by top web sites and learn over time how you can also become a master in your chosen industry. You can start learning more about keywords and meta tags to improve your visibility. Review how search engine crawlers work and what items and elements are needed in your site to make it easier for them to find you.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest acquisition: Free Adsense eBook and make sure to claim your free adsense ebook download!

The following paragraphs summarize the work of Sell Annuity experts who are completely familiar with all the aspects of Sell Annuity. Heed their advice to avoid any Sell Annuity surprises.

Businesses linked with financial institutions have been growing since early 1980’s. This growth was said to begun when loan associations and savings in certain strategic places like Ohio, Florida and California start selling annuity business and selling annuity products. The significance of annuity selling is thus discovered and many people eventually engaged in it.

Annuities are assets that offer a safe source of income. It can be acquired as an inheritance, gift or you can purchase it on your own. Selling annuity can be a viable option to have fast cash. You just have to be knowledgeable about the process and relative to it are the formulas used in annuity selling. You must be well-versed about these formulas because you will regularly use this on selling your annuities. These will be very useful for you as a seller because buyers will always have questions about certain annuity computations.

Annuities are priced through the discount rate. You must discount your future payments using the prevailing rate. These discount rates can differ widely from 7% up to 17%; but it can also be larger depending on the buyer. You can receive a lot more for your annuity if your discount rate is lower. Similarly, further out payments can be discounted more; thus you can receive lesser cash at present but your future payments will increase.

Basically, formulas used for selling annuities are similar with those standard financial formulas and symbols. These financial symbols include mathematical variables and symbols. Generally, the symbols to remember and what they stand for are: N as the term in number of periods; g as rate of growth, m as compounding frequency; r or I as the interest rate; CF as cash flow; PMT as the Periodic Payment; FV as Future Value; FVs as Future Value of a single sum; PV as Present Value and j as the jth Period.

Mathematical formulas are also needed to compute the annuity rate. For example if you are computing for the present value of an ordinary annuity, you can just use an ordinary annuity formula. The mathematical equation is the summation of all the present values of the future cash flows.

Think about what you’ve read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about Sell Annuity? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?

After the discount rates, the period will come next. In counting for your time period where your annuity will be earning, if the total days accumulated is 120 calendar days (e.g. 30days of four months) and you are paying semi-annually, your regular payment period is 180 days. This is according to a 30/360 day count or equal to 6 months. You can accumulate 60 days worth of interest, that’s 180 days less 120.

If you’re finding it hard to compute the income of your annuity, annuity calculators are available. The present and future values can be computed easily and accurately through this tool. Calculators are available for $35. Be cautious however because different financial calculators works differently.

There is also annuityTable that is offered for calculation of deferred annuities. One example is the PV tables or present value tables. There are also computer softwares for calculating the annuity. MS Excel for instance has simpler and easier formulas for annuity calculation. Websites about annuity computations also abound the internet. One example is Annuity.com

Formulas in selling annuities are very important not only for the buyers but also for sellers. Although there is a presence of computer software, tables, and computers nowadays, it is an essential move to know and be expert with mathematical formulas. These formulas will continuously be relevant as purchases prosper.

Since this is the case, whatever formulas that are very significant must be learned upon and put to mind.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest acquisition: Free Adsense eBook and make sure to claim your free adsense ebook download!

The following article lists some simple, informative tips that will help you have a better experience with Sell Annuity.

Annuities are fast becoming a big part of a person’s retirement program. While a lot of people are actually using them for the future, there are also others that avails of an annuity plan and then sell it off to others. These individuals have two ways to sell it. They can sell the product by themselves or they can ask a financial agent to do the job for them.

Retirement annuities can be obtained also in two ways. It can come in the form of your employer’s 401(k) or it could come from your own Individual Retirement Account or IRA. Generally speaking, retirement annuities can’t be withdrawn until after the owner reaches 60 years of age. While it is possible to get all your money before such time, the proceeds are subject to a penalty of ten percent.

For people who know how to handle their money and resources, they would avail of multiple retirement annuities for themselves with the sole purpose of selling the others to other parties. They would just leave a good portion for their own use. Selling annuities connection is a good way to ensure yourself that you have enough money for your own retirement and still earn a good amount from some of it as well.

Selling retirement annuities by your lonesome sounds like a good idea. For starters, you would be getting all the proceeds by yourself. You can also increase or decrease the asking price of your annuity. The last call is on you and you’ll be solely calling the shots. The final decision whether you will sell your annuity or just let is stand for your own use depends up to you.

However, selling annuities through a respectable financial company has its advantages as well. First and foremost, it would relieve you of all the legalities and paper work associated with the transfer. Your chosen financial company would be preparing all of them for you. They would assume all the legwork and you’ll just sit in your corner and wait for the sale to materialize.

See how much you can learn about Sell Annuity when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don’t miss out on the rest of this great information.

Furthermore, the burden of looking for buyers is on them. Financial companies who are an expert in selling retirement annuities have a long list of interested clients that they can call anytime. The whole transaction would be much faster with them on the helms primarily because they have the right connections. If you try to sell your annuity on your own, you might have to wait several months before a genuinely interested buyer would come by and seal the whole deal.

If you choose to sell your annuity through a financial company, there will be no effort or worry exerted on your part. On your perspective, everything would go smoothly because somebody else is doing all the hard work for you. You will be notified right away if a sale would transpire. All you need to do is to sign a few papers and you will receive the check real soon.

However, you can’t really increase or decrease the total sale amount of your annuity if it is sold through an agent. The annuity will be sold according to it current market value. And you’d pay a certain percentage of the sale to your chosen financial agent as commission.

You might end up with lesser amount than you have expected, but it still is way above what you have initially invested.

Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of Sell Annuity. Share your new understanding about Sell Annuity with others. They’ll thank you for it.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest acquisition: Free Adsense eBook and make sure to claim your free adsense ebook download!

If you have even a passing interest in the topic of Knitting, then you should take a look at the following information. This enlightening article presents some of the latest news on the subject of Knitting.

Beginners who are interested in knitting should follow basic knitting instructions like practicing with light weight knitting needles and using light weight yarn. This will help you with your accuracy and evenness, which comes after practice. Knitting basically consists of interlocking series of loops, which gives the fabric elasticity.

As these stitches are the fundamentals of knitting it is necessary to master them. You can also try circular knitting by using three or more needles, but you can make circular knitting by using circular needles.

Learning the art of cast on, is one of the important knitting instructions. To make a strong cast on all you have to do is make a slip loop over your left needle, then pass the right needle through loop, from the left to the right direction. Take the yarn under and over the right needle, then pull the yarn through the loop and take it on the left needle, by pulling the left needles through the loop in the right to left direction. You can repeat these steps to get the desired number of stitches on your left needle.

Purl stitch and the knit stitch are two of the most important stitches required for knitting. The knitting instructions for the knit stitch are simple and easy to learn. After getting the desired amount of cast on stitches, you have to insert the right needle into the first loop on the left needle, in a left to right direction, with the yarn under and over the right needles.

Then draw the yarn and let the first stitch slip off, repeat the steps until no stitches remain on your left needles. To create the garter stitch, you have to repeat the plain knitting back and forth. This creates a work which is alike on both the sides.

Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you’re fully informed about Knitting, keep reading.

To learn the purling which is an important stitch you have to follow the instructions. Bring the yarn in front of the needle and pull the right hand needle in the first loop, on the left needle, in the right to left direction. Passing the yarn around the back of the right needle, draw the loop backwards to allow the stitch to slip. But always keep in mind that the yarn should be in front of the work.

Once you master these two stitches, you can also try other stitches like the stockinet stitch, just follow some knitting instructions. To produce this you have to knit the first row, purl the second and work in this order. If you use a circular needles or a sock needle you can knit continuously.

Once you start practicing your knitting talents, you can even learn the increasing and decreasing method, or the methods of binding off, and to work even. These methods help you in creating variations in your knitting projects.

By following some simple knitting instructions, you can also learn weaving the stockinet stitch. Using a darning needle, join the ends of the piece. Draw the yarn in the first stitch on the upper piece, by inserting the needles from the wrong side. Then insert the needles from the right side of the lower piece in the first stitch.

By working in this manner you can weave the two pieces of the project using the stockinet stitch. Just make sure that you fasten your yarn before breaking off.
By using these knitting instructions you can create beautiful projects, by using simple stitches. Hence, along with some recreation you can also polish talents.

Those who only know one or two facts about Knitting can be confused by misleading information. The best way to help those who are misled is to gently correct them with the truths you’re learning here.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest venture: GVO and make sure to claim your $1 trial membership!

Knowing about your body can be very beneficial to your health as you age. Knowing about your blood pressure can help prevent strokes, heart disease and kidney disease. In this article you will find everything you should know about your blood pressure.

Anyone can have high blood pressure. It doesn’t matter your age, race, ethnicity or gender. Many people suffer from high blood pressure and have a higher risk of strokes and heart diseases than those with regular blood pressure.

What is high blood pressure?

High blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of your arteries. Your blood pressure is always rising and falling throughout the day and if it rises and stays that way over time, you have high blood pressure.

High blood pressure is usually referred to as hypertension. When you have high blood pressure it puts more pressure on the heart, making it work harder than usual. This is why you end up at risk for strokes or heart disease.

What is the normal blood pressure level?

The normal blood pressure level is less than 120 over 80 or less. The first number is your systolic pressure and the second number is your diastolic pressure. Your numbers are read 120 over 80, etc. If your pressure is 140 over 90 or higher you have high blood pressure.

What is systolic blood pressure? This is the force of blood in your arteries when your heart is beating.

So far, we’ve uncovered some interesting facts about Blood Pressure. You may decide that the following information is even more interesting.

What is diastolic blood pressure? This is the force of blood in your arteries when your heart is relaxing.

What are the risk factors of high blood pressure?

The most common risks of high blood pressure are stroke and heart disease. There are a few other risk factors that can be modified and some that cannot be. The following are some risks:

? Tobacco
? Physical Inactivity
? Diabetes
? Abnormal Cholesterol
? Being overweight

Who can get high blood pressure?

Unfortunately anyone can get high blood pressure but it is more common among African Americans. Nearly one in three American adults has high blood pressure. African Americans also have a much higher death rate from kidney disease and stroke than white Americans. Even so, with treatment you can help lower your blood pressure.

How can I lower my blood pressure?

Fortunately there are many different ways of helping to lower your blood pressure. Exercise is a great way to lower it. Doing physical activity will make your heart stronger over time. If you have a stronger heart it can pump blood easier lessening your risks of stroke and kidney diseases. It is never too late to start exercising!

If you are concerned about your blood pressure consult your physician. Ask any and all questions you might have and find the best way for you to lower it. If all regular ways fail, consider medication. Talk with your doctor about your health and lifestyle so he can choose the best medicine for you. If you want to live a healthy life, taking control of your blood pressure is very important.

Don’t limit yourself by refusing to learn the details about Blood Pressure. The more you know, the easier it will be to focus on what’s important.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest venture: GVO and make sure to claim your $1 trial membership!

The best course of action to take sometimes isn’t clear until you’ve listed and considered your alternatives. The following paragraphs should help clue you in to what the experts think is significant.

When it comes to spiritual healing, Kundalini Reiki is considered by many people as one of most basic yet effective means of today. This is because the practice involves simple and easily understood structures that anybody can practice.

Many people?who are into spiritual healing?are into Kundalini Reiki because it is far more easier that the practice of the traditional Reiki. Since Kundalini Reiki is derived from the traditional Reiki, majority of its techniques, means of treatments, and principles are pretty much the same. Only that Kundalini Reiki uses simpler methods to achieve spiritual healing in a faster and more convenient manner.

How Kundalini Reiki works

When we say Kundalini, it usually refers to the opening of various “healing channels” and “charkas” that gives people easy access in gaining the energy of the Earth. Here, the “root chakra” serves as the center of energy that paves the way for the Kundalini energy to enter.

Also referred to as the “Kundalini fire,” Kundalini energy is said to flow all throughout the person’s body and taps the body’s “main energy channel.” Once it the energy has reached “main energy channel,” the Kundalini Reiki will now exit the “crown chakra,” and comes back in a form of cycle.

In Kundalini Reiki, the energy that has been released from a person through a channel enters the “root chakra,” passes through “crown chakra”?which is usually located on top of a person’s head?and stay there for a period of time. During its stay in the “crown chakra,” the Kundalini Reiki cleanses the “charkas” in the different parts of the body and channels it all throughout the system.

If you find yourself confused by what you’ve read to this point, don’t despair. Everything should be crystal clear by the time you finish.

Here’s the step-by-step procedure how Kundalini Reiki works:

1. The first step in making Kundalini Reiki work is by opening the channels where Reiki energy will flow. This step is called the “first attunement.” This process also prepares the person for the second awakening of the Kundalini Reiki. Here, the person’s chakras in the hand, crown, and hand are opened and strengthened at the same time to complete the first phase. This first step is said to be the equivalent of Usui’s Reiki 1to 3 attunements which most people who practice traditional Reiki use.

2. The second step in making Kundalini Reiki work is the strengthening of channels. After the initial awakening of the Kundalini Reiki, the channels where the life force energy should be strengthened so it can accommodate the channeled energy. When the channels are strengthened, it ensures that receiving of energy in a gentle and sure manner. This process also paves that way for igniting the Kundalini energy and enables it to reach its minimum chakra.

3. The third step in making Kundalini Reiki work is strengthening the channels where the Kundalini fire will reach it maximum limit. Once this is done, the Kundalini Reiki will then perform its task of cleansing the person’s spirituality while strengthening and nurturing it.

For the Kundalini Reiki to work more effectively, the person who’s practicing it may also include extra attunements including “balance,” and the use of “diamond Reiki,” “crystalline Reiki,” “DNA Reiki,” “birth trauma Reiki,” “location Reiki,” and the “past life Reiki.”

Although Kundalini Reiki is a simple means of spiritual healing, people should be careful in using or practicing it because they can be grounded to the energy of the Earth if they don’t have enough knowledge and guidance when doing it.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest venture: GVO and make sure to claim your $1 trial membership!

Criminology is a theoretical science that is used in order to try to explain not only the relationship between the criminal and society, but also the relation of judiciary committee in the social setting and the criminal element in the social setting as well. By looking at different pieces of the scientific puzzle, it is possible for many people to come up with theories to explain how society functions with crime, in response to it and as a means to perpetuate the crimes. Through these specific theories, it is possible for individuals to understand some different stances on how crime is created in a society and how a society may influence an individual’s decision to commit a particular crime. In some cases, it is also used in order to determine how time and the general implications on moral and immoral behavior in a society. This can be one of the biggest considerations that are taken when a government is thinking about making an amendment to their laws.

Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture.

For example, homosexuality was considered, for a long time, to be illegal within the United Kingdom, including England. However, what ended up happening in 1967 was that a law was passed that allowed individuals to act in homosexual ways if they chose to, but only if the individual was over the age of 21. This helps to expose that there was likely nothing wrong with the specific act, but the people of the time that viewed the act. This is how criminology approaches crime. They look at the specific crime, and then look to determine how society or laws may have affected the crime at that period of time. As a result, criminologists are able to use these crimes and examples in order to understand more fully how individuals react in a society when it comes to laws and regulations. Criminology does not study crimes and specific laws. Rather, they simply study the reactions between individuals that are exposed to this type of situation. This helps them to be able to accurately understand how society functions. Crime seems to be an inevitable part of society. If we can one day understand why this is so, we stand a better chance of being able to one day eliminate crime from different societies.

Criminology is a unique field because it does not try to eliminate crime conclusively right now. They understand that first it is necessary to research and understand how society and crime are interrelated in different societies. Once this is clearly understood, we can begin to eliminate the criminal elements within a society. Because there are so many different societies, and crime does not relate the same way in all of them, it is very important to make sure that blanket theories are not created in order to try to attack crime on all points within the world. Rather, there are different rules and structures that play within different areas and may affect crime. Criminology views crime as something that cannot be avoided at the current time, but perhaps could be at some point when we understand more about interactions between the community and the individual.

There’s no doubt that the topic of Criminology can be fascinating. If you still have unanswered questions about Criminology, you may find what you’re looking for in the next article.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest venture: GVO and make sure to claim your $1 trial membership!

The look is rich, the feel is luxurious and the material is durable. Such is the definition of natural stone countertop. Whether it comes in the form of a slab or produced as individual tiles each piece of the natural stone is unique unto itself.
Always take time and care to choose the one that will work best for your needs. Most are virtually maintenance free and some require a bit of tender loving care to look their best such as regular staining or oiling. Natural stone countertops come in a variety of finishes with the most common being polished, high gloss, honed or matte. Below are some of the variables of living stone countertops.

Granite is the most durable of the natural stone countertops. The only harder stone is the diamond. It will not scratch, crack or chip and can withstand heat. It can though break dishes or glasses if set down too hard. Granite is available in rich colors and a polish that won’t wear off. Since granite is porous you need reseal it about once a year.
Soapstone, which is primarily made up of the mineral talc is popular in both modern or country style kitchens. The nature of soapstone means acids won’t etch the stone and the stains can be easily sanded out. Homeowners tend to like the not so perfect soapstone and view it as character instead of flaws. Mineral oil brings out its rich, dark color and makes it shine.
The sleek and elegant marble countertop is timeless. Usually found in the baker’s kitchen, it is the serious bakers’ choice for rolling dough. Marble is more porous than granite so it requires sealant to be applied more frequently to prevent stains. Since it is not nearly as hard as some other stone countertops, it is best to be used in small sections instead than the primary countertop.

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there’s more to Kitchen Remodel than you may have first thought.

Beautiful slate is available in tones of gray, green, purple and black. It’s certainly not just for roofs or floors anymore. Slate is definitely becoming a popular choice in the kitchen. Its beauty and strength make it a durable and stylish option. As with soapstone, regular treatment with mineral oil will bring out the beauty of this material. Any scratches can usually be removed by rubbing with a damp sponge. Deeper scratches can be buffed out by using steel wool.
Limestone consists mainly of calcite, a neutral-toned mineral. Limestone varies in hardness but is a more porous stone that stains easily. It requires regular resealing to prevent stains.

Quartz is an interesting stone countertop. Though often called engineered stone, this material is composed of natural quartz mixed with epoxy resin binders. Quartz is an incredibly hard and durable surface. It is nonabsorbent that makes it more user friendly and stain resistant. It is basically maintenance free with just a simple wipe off with warm water. Different pigments are mixed in the making of the quartz surfacing and because of this there are beautiful colors to choose from.
Lava stone is a more unusual countertop material that is often sold under the French brand name Pyrolave. Lava stone is quarried in France then enameled and fired. It has a very high gloss finish and colors can be customized.

So now you know a little bit about Kitchen Remodel. Even if you don’t know everything, you’ve done something worthwhile: you’ve expanded your knowledge.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest venture: GVO and make sure to claim your $1 trial membership!

When people look into criminology, they may initially be surprised by how expansive the field is. Anyone that is at all associated with the scientific study of crime, the relationship between the criminal and his or her environment, and society’s reaction to crime would have some sort of placement within the scene of Criminology. In some instances, criminologists are researchers that are trying to find the common links between deviant behavior and the environment, in order to try to pinpoint what it is that causes or perpetuates crime.

There are currently a number of different theories that attempt to explain, through the process of science, what it is that causes a crime to take place. These theories began to emerge in earnest in the middle of the 1800’s. Over the course of the next 200 or so years, new theories began to spring up and eventually they began to involve genetics, hormones and biological makeup. Previously, theories of criminology rested heavily on society and the environment’s effect on the individual as a source to either push an individual into crime or away from crime.

Those of you not familiar with the latest on Criminology now have at least a basic understanding. But there’s more to come.

There are three distinct schools of thought when it comes to criminology. One of the first schools of thought, the Classical school believes that utilitarian philosophy is the supporting notion of criminology. They argue that individuals have free will and can decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong. The hedonistic, or self-indulgent, side of the body must be balanced against the rational of the individual. When the hedonistic side wins, crime may ensue. Rational is the side of the individual that would consider the penalty of the crime and, if the punishment is severe enough, is believed to be the piece of the individual that would keep them from crime by looking at the costs. Positivists are those who believe that the factors that contribute to the criminal’s propensity to go against the law do not rest within their own control. Rather, elements such as society or the person’s chemical makeup do.

These are things that are considered to be outside the control of the individual, but are still things that may play what Positivists claim as the biggest part of the responsibility when a criminal has committed a crime. In the Chicago school of thought, individuals believe that criminals are a result of the disorganized environments from which they come. Later, this definition was extended to include the belief that older generations taught younger generations about the role of crime. It is then fair to say that these individuals believe that crime is a social occurrence only where the social makeup of the area is broken down and unequal.

Crime is often considered to be a blemish when it comes to the society of an area. It causes people to fear when they should not have to. Criminologists are, in their own way, attempting to determine what causes a crime or instigates that type of behavior in a person in order to limit the amount of crime that takes place.

Now you can be a confident expert on Criminology. OK, maybe not an expert. But you should have something to bring to the table next time you join a discussion on Criminology.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest venture: GVO and make sure to claim your $1 trial membership!