buddy-happy

Paying for your Child's College Education

2008-12-31T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author : Cindy Morus

This is probably the most intensive short-term cash drain on any
family's finances. Unlike most other big- ticket items, such as
homes or automobiles, that can be paid off in monthly
installments, college tuition must be paid out over a relatively
short period of time. With tuition at staggeringly high levels
throughout the nation, a family's commitment to provide higher
education for children can be overwhelming.

Ideally, a long-term plan for college education was initiated
from the birth date of your college-bound student. There is no
better way to ensure a child's education that a systematic
savings plan. But this is not an ideal world, many of us must
finance part of the college education out of the monthly family
budget.

Before selecting a college, parents need to: Determine how much
funding can be available from conventional sources such as
savings, income from the family budget, trusts, and part-time
jobs, if more money is needed.

Explore the availability of scholarships, low-interest student
and parent loans, second mortgages, and conventional loans.

Examine their own life insurance policies and retirement
programs to ensure that college funds will be available in the
event of their death.

Cost is not the only factor to be considered when selecting a
college. While private colleges are generally more expensive
than public colleges, they often have a wealth of financial aid
programs that will make the tuition bite less severe. Many state
and community colleges also have scholarships and loans
available.

Libraries and bookstores carry many excellent college guides
that give detailed information on individual college tuition
charges academic programs. Keep in mind that most colleges have
a financial aid office to assist students in determining when
financial assistance may be available.

Tuition and associated fees increase by 6% each year (or more!)

Category : Music

New Jeep Patriot to debut at the Geneva Motor Show

2008-12-30T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author : Lisa Ziegler

The Jeep brand is continuously expanding and conquering new territories with the premiere of its new Jeep Patriot at the Geneva Motor Show for this week. The Patriot is Jeeps new entry-level price point in the UK once it finally launches this summer. The Patriot combines interior flexibility and packaging of an SUV but with the performance, fuel economy, handling, and price of a family hatchback. According to Peter Lambert, managing Director of Chrysler Group UK, You cant escape the fact that the new Jeep Patriot looks like a classic Jeep- but there is nothing old-fashioned about the performance and fuel economy of this compact SUV or its state-of-the-art four wheel drive system. He also added, The market place is changing and the Jeep brand is leading that change as the Compact SUV market grows. Our research shows that the Jeep Patriot appeals to younger customers that want more from their traditional family car young families want a vehicle that looks different but still offers plenty of room and practicality, together with great performance and fuel economy.And since safety is becoming the primary priority for customers, Jeep has made sure that the Patriot is loaded with many standard features including side-curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes (ABS), ESP or Electronic Stability Programme with Electronic Roll Mitigation and the Freedom Drive I full-time and active four-wheel drive system. Add to that the top-of-the-line auto parts and accessories like Jeep car cover which boosts Patriots tremendous value. Lambert further stated, Small family cars with four-wheel drive systems are becoming more sought after as they offer better handling and enhanced safety on the road. The higher seating position of the Patriot, together with the new four-wheel drive system that automatically switches from front to four-wheel drive if you lose traction, offers drivers a real advantage in everyday driving conditions. The Patriot is as much at home on wet and icy tarmac as on mud, sand, or snow and still manages to achieve a class-leading 43.5 mpg.The Jeep Patriot is available in two variants: the Patriot Limited and Patriot Sport both are to be offered in the UK and will have a price below the Jeep Compass Limited model. The official launching of the Patriots range in the UK is scheduled in July 2007 and will also include the introduction of a VW-sourced 138bhp 2.0 liter six-speed manual diesel engine and a 168 bhp 2.4 liter petrol engine with a five-speed manual or a CVT automatic gearbox. Lisa Ziegler is a 29-year old native of Waldport, Oregon and is currently working as a senior research analyst in a top Automotive Research Consultancy firm.

Category : General Automotive

RSS Works: Hard Metrics to Prove It

2008-12-29T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author : Rok Hrastnik
Marketers are constantly asking if RSS marketing works and if this can be proved.It's time to take a look at some real-life RSS metrics from real-life marketers. These will show you what kind of results you can expect to see from RSS.I first presented this data at the Syndicate Conference in New York City, the first conference entirely devoted to RSS.To make a point, weâ™ll take a look at RSS metrics from 4 different viewpoints, each demonstrating one facet of RSS marketing and a different way of capturing RSS metrics. This data combined will give you the answer of whether RSS marketing is for you, as an addition to e-mail marketing, or not.1. CLICK-THROUGH RATES FROM RSS FEED TO SITE: THE RSS AGGREGATOR SIDERSS statistics should be most relevant when coming from actual RSS aggregators and their vendors, since these people can measure precisely how their users are actually using RSS.Customer Reader [http://www.customreader.com], who just recently launched a desktop RSS aggregator, which marketers can brand for themselves and then distribute to their readers, supplied us with their latest data. This data is based on 3,500 users of their brandable RSS aggregator and on the last [two weeks ago] 48 hours of their reader usage.The most interesting piece of data is the 23% average CTR (click-through rate) from feed to site within last 48 hours, which proves that RSS works in terms of getting readers from the outbout message to the site. RSS users are actually clicking on RSS content!Now, what is the âœfeed-to-sideâ CTR? It simply means that 23% of the end-users that subscribe to various feeds, clicked at least once on one of the content items in the feeds they are subscribed to.2. CLICK-THROUGH RATES FROM CONTENT ITEM TO SITE: THE RSS SOLUTION VENDOR SIDEConsidering the different RSS metrics systems and the fact that no marketing tool whatsoever can be measured 100% precisely from the outside tracking service side, seeing stats from RSS solutions vendors is important as well.On this end, some basic stats were supplied from SimpleFeed [http://www.simplefeed.com], the providers of one of the more advanced RSS marketing solutions.The stats are based on an app. 10,000 end-user sample, 30 day average and 4 months of data.They are seeing a 6.8% average CTR from content item [individual content item in an RSS feed] to site and a 150% [1.5 clicks] average CTR from feed to site within 30 days.3. SUBSCRIPTIONS AND CLICK-THROUGH RATES: THE MARKETER/PUBLISHER SIDEAnd finally, let's take a look at the stats from the publisher/marketer point of view.Lockergnome.com is one of the most popular tech sites on the internet.Although they are serving a more tech savvy audience, Lockergnome is an excellent example of the results you can ultimately hope to achieve using RSS.First of all, they are seeing a ration of 5:1 in favor of the number of RSS subscribers against e-mail subscribers, and even more interesting, a 500% better clickthrough ratio with RSS than with e-mail.4. SEARCH ENGINE VISIBILITYThe BTI Group is a smaller VoIP provider and, through their high ranking blogsite [http://blog.btigroup.com/], the proof that RSS works for search engine positioning.Here are just some of their achievements, as a result of their RSS marketing activities â¦a] 120 page-one search results on important industry search terms
#1 Voip vs traditional phone system
#1 VoIP solution provider
#2 VoIP small business
#2 VoIP architecture
#5 VoIP phone equipment
#6 VoIP benefits
#7 VoIP Small Business costsb] A 75% increase in traffic to the corporate websitec] BTIâ™s link popularity jumped from 164 in June 2003 to 1312 in December 2004 to 1405 in February 2005OVERVIEWThese metrics clearly show that RSS works for marketers and publishers.This data alone, also considering that RSS clearly gets 100% of your content delivered and actually provides you with an abundance of new marketing opportunities, such as podcasting, should be enough to make you do something about RSS now.Copyright 2005 Rok HrastnikRok Hrastnik is the author of Â»Unleash the Marketing & Publishing Power of RSSÂ«, acclaimed as the best and most comprehensive guide to RSS for marketers by leading RSS experts. The complete guide on RSS for marketers: http://rss.marketingstudies.net/index.html?src=sa7
Category : Extreme

THE 2 THINGS NECESSARY TO BUILD YOUR MLM BUSINESS

2008-12-19T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author : Devon Brown

When you think about it, getting people to join your MLM program has to do with just 2 things1. Exposure2. SalesLets keep this simple.Your goal in Network Marketing is NOT to make sure that you 500 bottles of wonder juice sitting in your garage. Your goal is to get other people in your downline. The more people in your downline the more money you make. Its as simple as that.So...The question now becomes:"How do we get people in our downline?"The answer comes down to doing 2 thingsPart 1Expose your business to as many people as possible.Generally speaking (if we use the 80/20 rule), if you expose your business to 100 people then maybe 20 will express interest in your opportunity.Part 2Take the 20 who have expressed interest and then make a sales presentation to them. If we're using the 80/20 rule again then 4 of them will actually join your business.It goes without saying that now those four who just joined your business must now do the process that you just did.So riddle me this batman...How do we automate this process?There are many ways to Expose your business:1. In home meetings2. Talking to friends and family3. Placing classified ads4. Handing our CD's or DVD's to strangers on the streetBut are any of these automated?Likewise...there are many ways to "sell" someone on your business.1. Take them to a live conference call2. Make a personal sales presentation3. 3-way them to your uplineBut are any of these automated?The reason I'm talking about automation is because as the title of this article is: "Expose, Sell, and Repeat the Process"But if the process is neither simple nor easy then it's not going to be very repeatable.It comes down to asking yourself the right questions.The question we should be asking ourselves is:"How do we make the processes of exposure and sales automated so that we can make the duplication process as simple/easy as possible for people to accomplish?"As I've stated in other articles I've written, Ease and Simplicity are two of the keys to success. Unfortunately, the higher ups in most MLM Companies don't seem to understand this little concept.If they did, maybe the industry wouldnt have a 97% failure rate. Devon Brown (a.k.a The MLM Success Renegade) Is one of the fastest up and coming superstars in the Network Marketing Industry. Devon is showing the Network Marketing world why the MLM companies and Gurus have it all wrong! Learn more about Devon, his Ideas On 100% Automatic Recruiting and His Powerful Concept of Simplified Duplication by visiting: Simplified Duplication

Category : General MLM

For your Information (FYI) - Bankruptcy

2008-12-16T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author : Robert Hanania
People view bankruptcy as a wake up call and well they should because that means they hit the bottom of the barrel and are now scratching the bottom - for more cash! If you believe misery loves company be secure in the knowledge that there are at least 1.5 million people in there with you, that's how many filed for bankruptcy in the last year. Anyone can over-extend themselves and many do for more reasons than I could count.Filing for bankruptcy is not only used by the lower and middle class but the rich as well. Famous people have fallen into the hole and climbed out, people like:
Donald Trump, Filed in 1990 - Kim Basinger, in 1993 - Burt Reynolds, in 1996 Rembrandt, in 1656. I am not sure about the last one; he may still be trying to dig his way out!In the old days they would send people to debtors prison or even put them to death (not in America though), treating them like criminals. In these more civilized times the government not only banned this kind of barbaric action but made into law rules to protect us.The bankruptcy code, also known by title 2 of the United States code (11 U.S.C.,101-1330), has been put into place to protect the rights of the individual and corporations, giving them a fighting chance against dept collectors, bankruptcy courts having the final word. There are basically two kinds of dept, secured an unsecured. Secured is where the creditor has some kind of collateral, be it your car, boat, house, or any material thing of value that they can take possession of if the dept is not paid. Unsecured is simply just the opposite, where the creditor has no collateral at all. In this case if the dept is not paid all they can do is use a collection agency where they call you day and night. Also you have to watch out with an unsecured dept because if the balance is large enough the creditor can put a lean on your property by getting a court order. This will prevent anyone from selling their house and moving away in an attempt to hide from creditors.If you or anyone you know is behind on payments there is something they should know. Since 1997 the government stepped in to stop dept collectors and collection agencies from harassing and threatening people in the middle of the night and using unethical collection practices. The Fair Dept Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) makes collections agencies follow certain guidelines. These are things collectors must do:
*Stop contacting you if the request is in writing and you dispute the dept in writing.
*Within 5 days of there first contact they must send you a letter stating the outstanding dept and creditor.
*If you want to dispute all or part of the dept the collection agency must stop contacting you until the creditor responds to your inquiry.
*If the collection agency wants to take you to court for the dept owed on behalf of the creditor it should summon you to the county where you now live or where you first singed the contract.Now, don't be alarmed just because a creditor threatens to sue you because most times it is just meant to scare people into paying on depts.Under the act (FDCPA) there are many things collection agencies can't do, some of which are:
*No calling you at work
*Indicating they may be working with the federal government
*No calling your friends or family
*Implying that you may go to jail, garnish your paychecks unless the dept holder plans to do itOur government, in its infinite wisdom reasoned a long time ago that if they send everyone to jail there is zero change of collecting on any dept on behalf of a creditor. You probably have heard of someone that has had there wages garnished, that is creditors who get a court order to take a piece of their check until the dept is paid. This is a common practice in states that allow wage garnishment and there is little you can do about it except for contacting an attorney. Did you know if you have an unpaid school loan or owe the IRS they don't even need a court order to garnish wages, even in states that normally don't allow this? You can bet on it, they can also take your tax refunds!As for personal property, in cases like a store dept (store credit card, personal check or payment plan) on an item like major appliances or furniture you may have bought they still need a court order to take it back, unless you let them in anyway. That's right! If you let them in without a court order they can come and get it back! Many times if is just not worth it for them to re-possess items because they have to go the process of getting a court order and pay someone to carry it out. Also it may be harder to sell a used item that may be stained or damaged. One final word on this point, remember on secured loans and cars there is a definite risk of repossession if the loan (mortgage or car finance) is not paid. There is usually too much money involved here for creditors to loose so these payments should be on top of your 'to pay' list!If you find collectors are not playing by the rules you should call an attorney or the Federal Trade Commission's response center at 1-877-382-4357 (FTC-HELP)
You can check out FDCPS's website at www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpa/dcpact.htm for more info.Robert is the owner and operator of this website: http://www.newmortgagefinance.com and a true fanatic of learning and sharing 'how to' material and info. If you love anything 'do it yourself'' you should visit this website and http://www.fileanddatarecovery.com.
Category : Finance:Bankruptcy

See the Birthday of Britney Spears & Other 1980s Star Babies

2008-12-13T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author : Michael Cree

The 1980s was a glorious decade to say the least. This decade initiated great cultural and technological advances which still are shaping the world in which we live today. Companies launched in this decade include CNN, MTV, USA Today, and technology unleashed in this decade were the video recorder, personal computer, compact discs, satellite dishes and the grandaddy of video games today - Pac-Man.

Meanwhile, in the rest of the country, babies were nursing, beggining to crawl, walk or talk. These were no ordinary babies - but Star Babies. Of course at the time they were oblivious to their potential and the influence that they would later have on the lives of all of us. What made these Star Babies different from all the other children who share the same birthdates? Was it destiny, luck, hard work or a combination of all of these? You decide - meanwhile here are the birthdays of the top young stars of the early 1980s.

YOUNG STARS BORN 1980 - 1982

BORN IN 1980

1. Ashanti ( Douglas ), R&B Singer, 10/13/1980

2. Chelsea Clinton, Former First Daughter, 2/20/1980

3. Christina Aguilera, Pop Star, 12/18/1980

4. Christina Ricci, Actor, 2/12/1980

5. Michelle Kwan, Figure Skating Champion, 7/7/1980

6. Venus Williams, Tennis Champion, 6/7/1980

7. Jessica Simpson, Singer, 7/10/1980

Born In 1981

1. Alicia Keys, R&B Singer, 1/25/1981

2. Anna Kournikova, Tennis Player/Model, 6/7/1981

3. Barbara & Jenna Bush, First Daughters, 11/25/1981

4. Beyonce Knowles, Pop Star, 9/4/1981

5. Britney Spears, Pop Star, 12/02/1981

6. Craig David, R&B Singer, 5/5/1981

7. Elijah Wood, Actor, 1/28/1981

8. Ivanka Trump, Model, 10/30/1981

9. Jessica Alba, Actor, 4/28/1981

10. Josh Groban, Singer, 2/27/1981

11. Julia Stiles, Actor, 3/28/1981

12. Justin Timberlake, Pop Star, 1/31/1981

13. Natalie Portman, Actor, 6/9/1981

14. Paris Hilton, Celebrity, 2/17/1981

15. Serena Williams, Tennis Champion, 9/26/1981

16. Roger Federer, Tennis Champion, 8/8/1981

17. Nicole Ritchie, Celebrity, 9/21/1981

BORN IN 1982

1. Anna Paquin, Actor, 7/24/1982

2. Kelly Clarkson, Pop Singer, 4/24/1982

3. LeAnn Rimes, Country Singer, 8/28/1982

4. Leelee Sobieski, Actor, 6/10/1982

5. Tara Lipinski, Figure Skater, 6/10/1982

6. Andy Roddick, Tennis Champion, 8/30/1982

List compiled and copyrighted from various sources. Every effort was made to insure the acuracy of this list, but can not be certain of 100 percent acuracy. This listing may be copied in its entirety and displayed but must contain the following notation: Courtesy of Shop Femina: http://www.shopfemina.com

About the author:

Michael Cree was married in the 1980s and has two sons born in the 1980s. He is also the webmaster/owner of Shop Femina http://www.shopfemina.com

Category : Kids & Teen

Interview for "Fragments of Reality" author Peter Cajander

2008-12-11T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author : Juanita Watson
Today, Reader Views is talking with Peter Cajander, author of "Fragments of Reality: Daily Entries of Lived Life" from Helsinki, Finland. Peter is talking with Juanita Watson, Assistant Editor of Reader Views.Juanita: Thanks for talking with us today Peter. Please tell your readers what "Fragments of Reality: Daily Entries of Lived Life" is about.Peter: Thanks Juanita. It's a pleasure talking with you. The book is really about the everyday life we're living but often too distracted to see or observe ourselves. It tells and talks from a bit of a different angle about issues we all ponder and face in our lives.Juanita: What inspired you to write your book?Peter: The book came about in a relatively short period of time while a lot was happening in my life. I simply wrote down some of my personal observations that occurred during my various daily activities. I was compelled to share those issues that we all have in common but seldom speak or talk with others.Juanita: Hearing that "Fragments of Reality" unfolded when there was a lot happening in your life makes me wonder….do you think it takes a certain level of external pressures, or life experiences to push one to pondering the deeper meaning of life?Peter: Often that is the case. We very seldom do anything voluntarily. Many times the 'big' turning points or crises are the required changes that enable us to renew ourselves.Juanita: What topics to you discuss in "Fragments of Reality"?Peter: The book is about life and life is about everything. It has over 100 articles and poems ranging from happiness, relationships, love, death, money to tranquility and meditation to name a few.Juanita: You refer to the behavior of the mind not being completely trustworthy. What are some of the ways our mind plays tricks on us?Peter: Our mind distracts us from being in the very moment. Either we worry about the past or think about the future. But all those are just images and illusions in our mind. They are not real. We cannot change the past and the future has not yet arrived, still we are seldom here, right now. Everything happens only in the moment. How much of your life do you miss by not realizing it?Juanita: Why does the mind trick us in these ways?Peter: Mainly it has to do with the fact that we do not know who we are. We are afraid of being in the moment, with ourselves. We would rather fill the void moments by mp3-players, radio, or talking with someone. We are plain and simply restless, in our mind as well.Juanita: How long have you been contemplating the inner musings of mind and soul?Peter: I have always tried to have an open mind and observe things around and within. It's more like a state of mind or being like a child that is curious about everything and always asking silly questions.Juanita:"Fragments of Reality" is a collection of your deeply insightful, personal observations. What importance do you put on journaling and writing, and why? Would you suggest others write as a form of self exploration?Peter: Writing is just one way of expressing among others. It has its limitations compared to a live dialogue. However it is a great way to share ideas and experiences. For example, weblogs are a wonderful new way of writing that also enables better interaction directly with the readers. The style in weblogs can be very informal and therefore it could lower the bar to get started. If you haven't already, you definitely should at least give a try!Juanita: Your book is titled "Fragments of Reality." What is reality, and how can people having the same experience, and at the same time, have differing perceptions of that reality?Peter: Everybody has a different reality. It is based on our personal history, knowledge, experiences, assumptions, cultural background, observations, and so on. We only see and hear what we know.Juanita: Who has influenced and inspired you on your journey?Peter: I've been inspired by people in all walks of life - from great artists, musicians, philosophers, statesmen, but also by ordinary people. Every human being can be a source of inspiration – even the nature itself. Can you see it?Juanita: Do you think it takes a certain amount of contemplation, or inward thought to achieve true happiness?Peter: I think so. Trying to find happiness outside of oneself is a never-ending quest.Juanita: We seem to be living in a world that puts full priority on this external quest. Why do you think we are finding ourselves living in a world, and a time, with this many distractions?Peter: We are not outside of this world. We create this world. Therefore the distractions are out there as long as we prefer to have or need them. It is very easy to look outside and blame the circumstances or give excuses for not doing something because of some distractions. It requires a bit more character to make your own decisions and take life into one's own control, baring the consequences as well.Juanita: What have you found to be the key point to remember in one's pursuit of harmony and tranquility?Peter: First of all you have to be honest to yourself. Then all it takes is to be aware in the moment. Sounds easy but the trick is not to forget this while living…Juanita: Is it really possible to change our thought patterns and beliefs that lead us away from peace and harmony?Peter: Yes it is. The first step is to become aware of our repetitive thought-patterns and models. This is not easy and often the people around us can see them more clearly than we ourselves. The first chapter of the book is called 'Belief System' and it focuses on identifying some of these in order to help us to pinpoint them in our own thinking.Juanita: Peter, what have you found to be the meaning/s of life?Peter: To know ourself.Juanita: What are your hopes for readers of your book?Peter: Pick and choose. Select a topic of your current interest and ponder about it. I have received very good feedback from many readers who are reflecting on the book's topics in their daily lives and getting new insights and realizations. Enjoy and explore!Juanita: How can readers find out more about you and your endeavors?Peter: Naturally the book itself tells something about me. You can also visit the web-site http://www.fragmentsofreality.com/ for more information and contact me directly as well.Juanita: Peter, thank you for talking with us today. You've given your readers much to contemplate and hopefully they will be inspired to obtain a copy of "Fragments of Reality" and continue their explorations. Do you have any last thoughts for your readers?Peter: Thanks a lot Juanita. Sure, don't take life too seriously. Smile and have fun!Juanita Watson is the Assistant Editor for Reader Views.
http://www.readerviews.com
Category : Self-Improvement

2006-07 NFL Fantasy Running Back Ratings

2008-12-08T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author : Brian Kevin Williams
This is the second part in a full-week feature of Fantasy Football rankings. We have gone over the top quarterbacks, and we'll now continue with the running-backs. We still have the wide receivers, tight ends, kickers, and defenses, left on tap for the rest of the week. We will also be including our "sleeper", "busts" , "break-out", and our "best overall value" picks for you in your fantasy draft. Today, we will be covering the runningbacks for your 2006-07 NFL season. This is a top list for who we think will perform the best, fantasy wise, in the upcoming football season.1. Shaun Alexander (Seattle Seahawks)
2. Larry Johnson (Kansas City Chiefs)
3. Ladanian Tomlinson (San Diego Chargers)
4. Tiki Barber (New York Giants)
5. Edgerrin James (Arizona Cardinals)
6. Ronnie Brown (Miami Dolphins)
7. Steven Jackson (St. Louis Rams)
8. Rudi Johnson (Cincinnati Bengals)
9. Brian Westbrook (Philadelphia Eagles)
10. Clinton Portis (Washington Redskins) *INJ*
11. Carnell "Cadillac" Williams (Tampa Bay Buccaneers
12. Lamont Jordan (Oakland Raiders
13. Julius Jones (Dallas Cowboys)
14. Willis McGahee (Buffalo Bills)
15. Dominack Davis (Houston Texans)
16. Willie Parker (Pittsburgh Steelers)
17. Reggie Bush (New Orleans Saints)
18. Jamal Lewis (Baltimore Ravens)
19. DeShaun Foster (Carolina Panthers)
20. Corey Dillon (New England Patriots)
21. Warrick Dunn (Atlanta Falcons)
22. Reuben Droughns (Cleveland Browns)
23. Chester Taylor (Minnesota Vikings)
24. Ahman Green (Green Bay Packers)
25. Kevin Jones (Detroit Lions)
26. Mike Bell (Denver Broncos)
27. Frank Gore (San Francisco 49'ers)
28. Thomas Jones (Chicago Bears)
29. Chris Brown (Tennessee Titans)
30. Greg Jones (Jacksonville Jaguars)
31. Cedric Houston (New York Jets)
32. Kevan Barlow (San Francisco 49'ers)
33. Dominic Rhodes (Indianapolis Colts)
34. Chris Perry (Cincinnati Bengals)
35. Marion Barber (Dallas Cowboys)
36. Deuce McAllister (New Orleans Saints)
37. Fred Taylor (Jacksonville Jaguars)
38. Cedric Benson (Chicago Bears)
39. Brandon Jacobs (New York Giants)
40. Samkon Gado (Green Bay Packers)
41. T.J. Duckett (Atlanta Falcons)
42. Laurence Maroney (New England Patriots)
43. Joseph Addai (Indianapolis Colts)
44. Michael Pittman (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
45. Tatum Bell (Denver Broncos)
46. Ryan Moats (Philadelphia Eagles)
47. DeAngelo Williams (Carolina Panthers)
48. Mike Anderson (Baltimore Ravens)
49. Ron Dayne (Denver Broncos)
50. Najeh Davenport (Green Bay Packers)Sleepers: Lamont Jordan, Deuce McAllister, Michael Pittman
(Coming off a disappointing season, I expect Jordan to bounce back and have a strong year with a new QB and new coach. McAllister was a Pro-Bowl running back before last year's injury; Bush isn't going to get every single carry for the Saints, so I wouldn't overlook McAllister. Pittman is going to see some time in Tampa, especially if the Cadillac breaks down, which many people expect just might happen.)Busts: Brian Westbrook, Mike Bell, & Cedric Benson
(I could be wrong about Westbrook, but I'm not sold on the Eagles, or Westbrook's health being 100%. It's a nice story for Mike Bell in becoming named the #1 RB, but let's get real. It's still August and Tatum Bell is still going to get his carries. When has Cedric Benson not been a bust for fantasy owners?)Best Values: Rudi Johnson & Steven Jackson
(Johnson has quietly put up back to back years of at least 1,400 yards and 12 TD's. This guy is definitely underrated, and will only improve as his team improves. Entering his third year in the league, this is going to be a big year for Jackson. With Marshall Faulk completely out of the picture at this point, this will be Jackson's season.)Break-Out Year: Ronnie Brown
(Ronnie Brown was impressive when given the ball last year for the Dolphins. With Ricky Williams out of the picture entirely, Brown will be the featured back in the offense for Nick Saban and company. With a legit QB in Culpepper, the Dolphins will be for real, so will Brown.)The New York Sports HQ will be covering issues regarding professional baseball, football, hockey, and basketball. Under special circumstances, we will also be covering other sports, such as golf, soccer, auto racing, and horse racing. We will provide insight, up to date news, opinion pieces, and all sorts of other information regarding the New York Sports world.http://www.nysportshq.com/
Category : Recreation-and-Sports:Football

What is Your Legacy?

2008-12-06T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author : Matthew Tuttle
How will you be remembered after you are gone? Perhaps you don't care or perhaps you haven't thought about it. Maybe, if you are like me, you have thought about it quite a bit. Two events in my life really got me thinking about this issue. The first was at my grandmother's funeral. She lived in a small town in the south and I remember looking back on the funeral procession and seeing that it stretched as far as the eye could see. That small town must have been shut down that day. Then came my father's funeral. I remember a stream of people coming up to me, many whom I didn't know, telling me stories of how wonderful a person my father was. I wondered how many people would come to my funeral and what they would tell my children about me. What will your legacy be? Here are some questions to ask yourself.How is your estate plan?Do you have a will? If not, you have chosen to leave your assets to your heirs in the most confusing and time consuming manner possible. If so, that's a great first step but it may not be enough. A well thought out estate plan leaves your belongings to your heirs in the most efficient manner while taking into account their different needs and wants. Your will might cover large items but what about the small stuff lying around your house? If have heard horror stories about siblings who no longer talk because of fights over trivial items not included in the will. Have you left your home equally to your two children knowing full well that one will want to live in while the other will want to sell it? People do things like these all the time, yet it's a recipe for disaster.Are you properly insured?Will you leave behind enough money for your family to maintain their lifestyle or a stack of bills? A simple rule of thumb measure to figure out if you have proper insurance is cut in half and drop the zero. For example, if you have $500,000 in life insurance you divide that number in half ($250,000) and drop the zero ($25,000). This is how much annual income your heirs could expect to receive from the life insurance proceeds. This example ignores a number of variables but it is a good starting point in figuring out if you have proper insurance.Are you making smart choices with your money?Are the choices you are making with your money today in line with the kind of legacy you want to leave? Are you teaching your children to be financially literate? If you want to be charitable what are you doing to achieve that goal? If you want to help with your grandchildren's education how are you doing it? You can use your money to accumulate as many possessions as you want but after you are gone it is all meaningless. I will never forget going through my father's effects after the funeral and seeing tie collection that he was so proud of. Unfortunately, they were too outrageous for me to wear and my brother doesn't wear ties.What are you doing to make the world a more beautiful place?I recently read a book to my daughter entitled "Miss Rumphius". It is the story of a young girl who tells her grandfather that when she grows up she wants to travel to far away places and live by the sea. He informs her that there is a third thing she must do, something to make the world more beautiful. When she grows old she has traveled and lives by the sea but something is missing. She realizes that she has done nothing to make the world a more beautiful place. So she starts spreading flower seeds all over her town, and in short order flowers were blooming everywhere. What are you doing to make the world more beautiful?Matthew Tuttle is the author of "Financial Secrets of my Wealthy Grandparents". For more information, or to sign up for his free newsletter, please visit http://www.matthewtuttle.com.
Category : Finance:Estate-Plan-Trusts

Sideways Market

2008-11-30T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author : Al Thomas
Last year you could have used a dart, thrown it at a stock page in the newspaper and bought that stock. By the end of the year you probably would have had a nice profit. This year you can retrieve your dart, throw it again, and there is about a 90% chance that any stock you hit will be down from its previous highs. What's going on?Even with my more than 30 years experience of trading markets there is one simple answer - more sellers than buyers. I'm not being facetious. In all those years I can't recall a market that went up this quickly, but I have seen them come down even faster. Remember the 20% loss of the DOW in 1987? In one day! Many of you don't. This break is a good lesson for those who failed to put trailing stop loss orders on all their stocks.Your broker certainly did not recommend a stop. His company discourages that sort of thing. Why I will never be able to logically understand, as it would benefit both the customer and the brokerage house. How? If you were sold out at a much higher price than that dog you have in your account now you would have more capital to invest when the market turns up again. You are a happy camper and the broker makes more commission because you have more money in your account to invest.Check out the stocks or mutual funds you now have in your portfolio. See where you would have been stopped out if you had had approximately a 10% trailing stop loss. I can almost guarantee you would have more money in your account today than you do right now.Let's try to use some common sense to figure out why this market is going nowhere at this time. Think of all the people who are sitting on stocks that are selling for less than they paid for them. A lot, huh?
I can bet many of them are saying to themselves, "I'm going to sell XYZ as soon as it goes up to where I can get out even". This effectively puts a cap on any strong rally.What are the pros doing here? Each time the market falls near its former lows they are in there buying from those people who have become discouraged and no longer want to wait for the market to head up. This is support.We have a group willing to sell their shares when there is a rally and another group willing to purchase shares when the market starts down which gives us the reasons for this sideways market.It is very difficult to make money in this type of situation so you must be very choosy with your purchases. Fundamentals don't apply well here. Technicians can make money provided they will sell with small profits. For those interested in the long term they must be patient enough to wait for the next leg up.Al Thomas' book, "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy
It!" has helped thousands of people make money
and keep their profits with his simple 2-step
method. Read the first chapter at
http://www.mutualfundmagic.com
and discover why he's the man that Wall Street
does not want you to know.Copyright 2005
Category : Leukemia

Baby Shower Theme

2008-11-26T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author : Vincent Chua
There are people who prepare not to select a theme when they prepare for a baby
shower. However, having a baby shower theme makes the celebration more
organized.When you have chosen a theme, you can easily think about what decoration you are
going to use for your preferred theme. Without a theme, you are prone to picking
several items that you feel will look good, combine these, and get an unorganized
look.Selecting and preparing a baby shower theme is not a complicated task. Here are
some suggestions to give you an idea on how to create a theme for your baby
shower.Teddy BearsSince the teddy bear is one of the first toys your child will own, it is nice to have a
teddy bear theme. You can use med-sized teddy bears to design the baby shower
party area. It is not necessary to buy the teddy bears; you can borrow these from
friends and family members. Also, you can purchase small teddy bears as party
favors to give to your guests.StarsStars represent dreams. "A star is born," they say. You can decorate the place with
stars hanging from thin strings. You can also design the walls and the ceiling with
stars and heavenly bodies. The program may also include wishes for the baby on
how he or she will be a dazzling star.DiapersThis is the basic need of the newborn baby. The baby shower organizer can
decorate the area with diapers, especially those with cute colors and designs. You
can even prepare a diaper cake by neatly stacking the diapers together.The organizer can also ask the guests to bring diapers as gifts. A better idea would
be to have a raffle for a special prize in which the raffle entry will be a diaper. This
will help the guests since they wouldn't have to think on what gift to buy. It also
helps the parents a lot, since they will have a supply of diapers for several months.BooksBaby and kid books are good gifts for the baby. With a collection of baby books, the
parents can have a small library for the baby.The decorations can be anything related to books. You can place books on the
table, or design the walls with books. You can even have a book-shaped cake and
cookies.Noah's ArkThis is a good idea if the parents are expecting twins. The guests will be requested
to bring a pair of gifts for the babies. Pairs of stuffed animals may be used to
decorate the place.Prince/PrincessEveryone wants the new baby to feel like a prince or a princess. You can adorn the
place with fairy tale concepts pertaining to royalty. You can create miniature towers
and castles, a garden and shining stuff fit for a royalty.FairyThis is a good option if you will be having the baby shower in the garden. You can
enhance the garden surroundings to make it look like the home of fairies. You can
include vines, arches, bees and butterflies, as well as small fairy-like decorations to
create a fairy garden.CharactersYou can choose a storybook or cartoon character as a theme. How about a
superhero? There are lots of options, and once you have selected one, you can
think about what items the character is associated with that you can use for the
party.With these simple ideas, you can conceptualize a special baby shower theme that
will be remembered by the parents and the guests.© Copyright Vincent Chua, All Rights Reserved.Vincent has dozens more baby shower related articles and tips at his site: baby shower theme,
check them out today!
Category : Home-and-Family:Babies-Toddler

ICANN or I CANNot that is the Question

2008-11-25T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author : Ann Louison
Well, it seems we should all be very busy registering new domain name extensions as soon as we can, irregardless of whether we feel this is necessary or not. With ICANN bringing on an additional bevy of new domain name extensions, there are more possibilities to celebrate and party.With Google now indexing .otherdomainextensions much higher than .com extensions irregardless of relevance to the topics or subject, it seems to be one of the few solutions to attaining top ranking positions.I guess this is the way the web is going to go at present; at least for the time being - until Google realizes (or maybe not) that it doesn't help any of us to find top ranking .co.uk, .travel or .other domains with very little relevant information and a lot of affiliate links than to find a really well informed .com domain with tons of useful information (presently ranking much lower than a .otherextension domain with much less useful information).I assume that Google will find a way to get around this but for the time being, having other domain extensions will put you in a much better position for getting tons of traffic. The newer they are, the better your traffic will be since the quantity of sites on any specific extension seems to also have a considerable impact on placing in Google.Combined with the newest craze of blogging and RSS feeds, why not get a foreign based blog or RSS instead of a .com blog or equivalent? Your profits are sure to hit the roof.With each new domain extension, the possibilities for Internet marketing remain boundless. Which reminds me, I got to get up and start building the only two other domain extensions I own other than the (now seemingly becoming useless and defunct) .com domains.Ann Louison is owner of a few gambling and casino portal sites and is dedicated to providing useful information on various topics.
Category : Traffic Generation

5 Ways To Make Money Online

2008-11-24T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author : Melanie Mendelson

There are many different ways to make money on the Internet. Here is an overview of the five most popular online business models:Sell Digital ProductsThe term "digital product" means that the product is delivered electronically. The customers will download the product to their computers. Some examples of digital products are downloadable e-books, audio/MP3, graphics (clipart and stock photography), video and software.The digital product business model is very popular because there is no inventory, no shipping and no fulfillment cost. Since the product is an electronic file, it costs you nothing to make an extra copy - therefore, the profit margin is 100%!Sell Physical Products"Physical products" are the products that are shipped to customers through the mail. Customers place orders on your website and you ship the products to them.There are several ways to get those products - you can make them yourself (for example, arts and crafts), buy them directly from a manufacturer or buy from a wholesaler (at quantity discounts).If you don't want to deal with the inventory and shipping, another alternative is to use a dropshipping service. Dropshipping means that the inventory is stored at the wholesaler company. You collect the customer information and payment, give it to the dropshipping company and they ship the product to the customer. Your profit is the difference between what the customer paid you and what you paid to the dropshipper.Become An AffiliateAffiliates send visitors to other companies' websites and get paid a percentage of all the sales they refer. You don't have to worry about creating websites, dealing with customers, shipping and payment processing. Your only job is to advertise those websites and send people there. People will buy products from those websites and you will be paid your commission.When you become an affiliate, you will be given a unique link with a tracking code. In your advertising, you will send people to that link. This unique code will ensure that all the sales will be properly credited to you.Sell AdvertisingIf you have a website that gets a lot of visitors, you can sell advertising on it. Other companies will pay you for advertising space on your site, just like they pay to advertise in magazines and newspapers.That's how all those "free websites" make money - they sell advertising. Free content attracts a lot of visitors. The higher is the number of people who visit the website, the more money you can make from advertising.Provide ServicesThere are many types of services that can be done on the computer through the Internet. The most common examples of such services are website design, programming, graphic design, writing, data entry and transcription.Many companies will gladly pay someone to do computer work for them on a project basis, so they don't have to hire full-time employees. As long as the work can be done without face-to-face interaction, you can do it from home on your computer and make money. Melanie Mendelson has been making money on the Internet since 2002. Get her FREE step-by-step Internet Business Blueprint at her website http://www.GoForYourDreams.com

Category : General Business

The Best Food

2008-11-23T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author : Dr. Randy Wysong

Everyone eats so everyone has an opinion about food. But if health is the objective, mere opinion doesnt count nor does fad or majority rule. Most people think the average cooked diet based upon official food pyramids is just fine. Some eat predominantly fast food. Others advocate veganism (eating only plant foods), or lacto-ova vegetarianism (plants plus milk and eggs). There are also proponents of special foods such as fresh juices, soybean products and macrobiotic cooked grains and rice. Everyone can make arguments on behalf of their beliefs. They can cite examples of people who have escaped disease and lived long. Some argue morality and ethics, such as those who say sentient animal life should not be sacrificed for food. Others set their eating practices by the standards of holy writ that eschew certain forms of foods and sanctify others. Others just eat what tastes good and thats logic enough for them. Eating beliefs seem to take on an almost religious character. People feel guarded and pretty zealous about food and dont like others meddling. But since health is intimately linked to what we take into our mouths, thinking, honest reflection and willingness to change are in order. It is easy to be deceived because wrong food choices may not manifest their full impact until late in life. Nutrition can even pass through genetically to affect later generations. In this regard, food ideas are also like religion in that hundreds of different sects can each claim to have the truth. But none of them needs to fear disproof since adjudication will not occur until everyone is dead and gone to the afterlife. The body is extremely adaptable and will attempt to survive on whatever it is given. If the food is incorrect there is usually no immediate harm. But the body will eventually be stressed beyond its ability to adapt, resulting in disease, degeneration and loss of vitality. Unfortunately, such consequences are so far removed in time from the eating regimen that caused them that few understand the relationship. So be careful before subscribing to bold claims about what is or is not good to eat. The true test of any health idea lies too far out into the future. Our best hope then is to be well grounded philosophically before we slide our legs under the dinner table. How do we develop a healthy eating philosophy and sort through all of the competing eating ideas? I am going to explain here a very simple principle that is so reasonable you need not even look for proofs. Follow along with me and see if you don't agree. Consider the following three premises:1. Just like a tree is genetically adapted to absorb certain nutrients from soil, and a lion is genetically adapted to thrive on prey, and a deer is genetically adapted to browse on vegetation, so too, are humans genetically adapted to certain kinds of food.2. The majority of foods we are presently exposed to are a product of the Agricultural/Industrial Revolution and occupy a small part of the genetic history of humans. (Refer back to the 276-mile time-line in which only a few inches represent industrial-type eating practices.)3. The natural, genetically adapted to food for humans must predate them. In other words, how could humans exist before the food they needed to survive existed? We were completely developed biologically prior to agriculture and any method of food processing. That means whatever diet archetypal humans ate was the perfect diet because that was the diet responsible for the existence and development of the incredibly complex human organism. That diet was the milieu, the environmental nutritional womb, if you will, from which we sprung. If you consider these three premises, the logical conclusion derived from them is that the best food for humans is that food which they would be able to eat as is, as it is found in nature. Our tissues were designed to be bathed in food nutrients derived from natural living foods, not with dyes, preservatives, synthetics, nutritiously barren starches and refined sugars and oils. Make no mistake; if we are not eating according to this principle, our bodies are in constant deficiency, imbalance and toxin exposure. The result of generations ignoring this principle is an epidemic of obesity, chronic degenerative diseases and the exhaustion of our digestive pe not eating according to this prinrocesses. A feature of all natural food is that it is raw alive if you will. This is consistent with the Law of Biogenesis that says life can only come from preexisting life. Life begets life. In spite of scientists dreams to the contrary, we have never observed life springing from non-life, nor have we ever even been able to create life from non-life in a laboratory. If we eat living foods, we enhance our own life. If we eat dead, devitalized foods we become devitalized and dead. Granted, this will not happen all at once, but as the adaptive reserves are exhausted we become just like the dead food we eat. So a fundamental feature of our natural diet was that it was raw. Yes, even the meats, organs, eggs and insects raw. Remember, were far back in time, even before the use of fire (much less the microwave, stove, oven, grill, deep fryer or extruder). Studies of the diets of past cultures and todays still-primitive societies reveals that they ate exactly as their genes and the environment dictated. We were not suddenly dropped from outer space onto Earth with fry pans, matches and rotisseries. We began on the forest floor, not in a line to a fast food counter. We had only our natural bodies in a natural world, exactly like every other creature. Every other organism on Earth eats raw foods exactly like they are found in nature. Do you think nature doesnt notice our decision to change all that? Would tofu qualify? No, because tofu is found nowhere in nature. Would oatmeal porridge qualify? No, because oatmeal porridge is found nowhere in nature. Would hamburgers, French fries, pop, breakfast cereals, granola, canned foods, candy, sports drinks, muscle building powders, vitamins and minerals, mashed potatoes, carrot cake, croissants, bagels, Jolly Ranchers, Ding Dongs, Cocoa Krispies, Good n Plentys or Fig Newtons qualify? No. None of these are found as such in nature. For those of you who are by now panicking (if not gagging) at the thought of eating raw foods, yes, there is danger of food-borne pathogens. But if you are careful and clean, the danger is far less than the danger of a lifetime eating devitalized processed foods. Raw natural foods must be safe or our ancestors would have not survived and we would not exist! It is a choice. When faced with a choice, why not opt for the wisdom of nature? Is it not strange we are the only creatures on the planet to cook our foods? Is it a wonder, given this, that we succumb with every imaginable chronic degenerative disease virtually unknown in creatures eating the raw natural diet? Simply think of yourself placed in nature in the total absence of modern technology. Ask yourself the question, what would I eat... and what could I eat? You could eat and digest fruits, nuts, insects, a fures eating the raw natural diet? Simply think of yourself placed in nature in the total absence of modern technology. Ask yourself the questiew plants, honey, worms, grubs, eggs, milk and animal flesh. These are about the only food substances in nature humans are capable of digesting without technological (including fire) intervention. These are, in fact, the very foods that are the mainstay of nomadic primitive societies. Only when these foods become scarce do unpalatable, inedible foods such as most grains and vegetables become cooked and processed to change their palatability, neutralize toxins and increase digestibility. So that is where we have been. But does this have anything to do with us here today in the 21st century microwave age? It has everything to do with us because it is this expansive historical context that served as the womb that shaped and defined us. It is this natural wild setting that occupies the vast majority of our history and predominates our genetics. It is the incubator within which life on planet Earth has developed. What would have been the predominant food in the wild? Likely prey. Envision yourself placed back in time in that setting with a family to feed. You would be looking for the most calorie- and nutrient-dense foods you could find. That would not be a few wheat seeds, some grass or a root. You would let the herbivores do all the grazing and digestion with their specialized stomachs that are capable of converting essentially any plant material into edible protein and fat. Then you would eat them. I dont like that either, but that is the way it is. Pretty simple isnt it? We should eat what nature provides that we can digest. Yet this is not explained in nutrition textbooks, and PhD nutritionists graduate without even grasping it. It cuts through all the theory, belief, and guesswork. It matches our natural bodies with our natural food. Our immersion in modern cookery and food processing has misled us. Foods such as granola, tofu, cauliflower and lettuce, which are marketed as the ultimate health foods, are in fact not natural human foods at all. These products either do not exist in nature, are so scarce as to never possibly be a sustaining food, or in their raw precooked form are unpalatable and even toxic. For example, raw soybeans contain a variety of chemicals that can stunt growth and interfere with the body's digestive enzymes. Eat enough of them and you'll die. Modern grain products are a result of agriculture and in their raw form are unpalatable, indigestible and also toxic. In nature one would never find enough kernels of rice, wheat or barley to even make up a meal, even if they were edible in their raw form. (Sprouted seeds and grains are an exception to this since they are digestible, raw and nutritious.) Who, if they were really, really hungry and options were available would eat raw broccoli, cauliflower or lettuce? These foods are only now made palatable by cooking or doctoring with manufactured dressings. Now this creates somewhat of a dilemma. Knowing what our natural diet is and consuming it are two different things. We are so acclimated to the modern diet that the notion of eating raw meat, for example, is nauseating to most. Nevertheless, as evidenced by primitive (but nutritionally advanced) peoples, raw meat and organs can be eaten with great nutritional benefit to humans, and they are totally digestible and nontoxic. Some cultures even bury raw meats and let them rot (ferment) and then consume them with gusto. These societies are robustly healthy until modern foods encroach. Then, like a dirty bathtub ring, modern degenerative diseases decimate those people at the periphery in contact with modern foods. It would be very difficult today to achieve the ideal raw, natural diet. But if the basic principle is kept in mind it helps remind us of our origins and points us to the appropriate, genetically adapted-to foods.This does not mean no processed or cooked foods should be eaten. It simply means that consistently doing so will stress the body's genetic capabilities and will ultimately result in less than optimal health. Look around the grocery store (usually the outside aisles) and consider what it is that could be eaten in its natural state. Increase the proportion of those foods. Processed foods should be chosen that compromise natural principles the least and are as close to nature as possible. They should be whole foods, packaged carefully to protect nutrient value and be free of synthetics, refined oils and sugars. For example, whole milk yogurt that has not been homogenized or pasteurized is ideal. The same thing pasteurized would be next best. The same thing pasteurized and homogenized next. Worst would be non-fat, pasteurized, homogenized, artificially flavored and sugared yogurt (which is, of course, what the majority eat because it tastes most like what they are used to candy). Eat the best foods you can find in variety and moderation and you will be doing the best that can be done. There, you have in a nutshell what has taken me decades of research, study and thinking to discover. It is simple and obvious, but that is the way of all great truths.For further reading, or for more information about, Dr Wysong and the Wysong Corporation please visit www.wysong.net or write to wysong@wysong.net. For resources on healthier foods for people including snacks, and breakfast cereals please visit www.cerealwysong.com. Dr. Wysong is a former veterinary clinician and surgeon, college instructor in human anatomy, physiology and the origin of life, inventor of numerous medical, surgical, nutritional, athletic and fitness products and devices, research director for the present company by his name and founder of the philanthropic Wysong Institute. He is author of The Creation-Evolution Controversy now in its twentieth printing, a new two volume set on philosophy for living entitled Thinking Matters: 1-Living Life... As If Thinking Matters; 2-The Big Questions...As If Thinking Matters, several books on nutrition, prevention and health for people and animals and over 18 years of monthly health newsletters. He may be contacted at Wysong@Wysong.net and a free subscription to his e-Health Letter is available at http://www.wysong.net. Also check out http://www.cerealwysong.com

Category : General Food

Meeting Employee Work Expectations: 4 Keys for Minimizing Turnover

2008-11-21T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author : Eric Fox
Workforce experts estimate that the cost of replacing a worker is 1.5 times the annual salary of the worker. To minimize your turnover costs and maintain a productive workplace, employers need to look beyond the salary and benefits.Work can be a satisfying and positive experience for your employees when their work expectations are being met. Salary and benefits are the obvious compensations that an employee expects from his or her employer, but there are a host of immaterial things that can provide job satisfaction. Whether you, as an employer, are considering a new hire or trying to retain current employees, there are four key factors that can help make work a positive experience.EnvironmentMany employees expect a pleasant work environment. No one wants to wake up each morning dreading going to work. Do your workers prefer a low-stress environment that has a social atmosphere? Perhaps you should consider assigning projects that require teamwork and personal interaction. However, different personalities expect different types of work environments. Some people work better under pressure and welcome the opportunity to be challenged. Giving workers the opportunity to express their ideas in a workplace that emphasizes results over personal relationships may give them satisfaction.Structure vs. IndependenceStructure is an integral part of the workplace for some employees. Perhaps they like to know that certain resources are available to them. Providing workers with specific timelines, procedures, or guidelines may be beneficial to them when completing a project or problem-solving. Some people, however, expect to work independently. They may want to set their own priorities or use their methods of problem-solving. Granting freedom to take on new responsibilities or to streamline current procedures might be a way to keep your employees happy.Work vs. Personal LifeMost employees expect a certain balance between work and personal life. They have commitments outside of work and feel that work should not distract them from fulfilling those commitments. Assure your employees that you understand their commitment to their families and other activities. Let them know that work will not interfere with their personal life, but also that you expect high standard of job performance.Career GrowthHaving a career is important to many people in today's society. If your employees enjoy their job, invest a lot of time and effort, and succeed at it, they probably expect to get rewarded. The reward doesn't always have to be monetary; sometimes a new job title, increased responsibility, or other incentives will provide the positive reinforcement they desire. Career-minded employees probably want to gain new experiences and increase their set of job skills, making themselves more marketable to other employers. Making sure your employees know there are opportunities for advancement may keep them satisfied and keep them with your company.Once you have identified the things that can make work a positive experience for your employees, you must keep the lines of communication open. Your employees may never be satisfied in their current positions if their work expectations are not met. As an employer, you understand the high cost of employee turnover. If you want to retain your employees, learn what their work expectations are and do what you can to increase their job satisfaction, making work a positive experience.Work Expectations article produced by Corexcel. Corexcel specializes in online continuing education and workforce training. For more information about Corexcel and the training materials they offer, visit http://www.corexcel.com
Category : Business:Workplace-Communication

The Jewels of Cleopatra's Mines

2008-11-16T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author : Jill Russell
Emerald was one of the first mined precious gemstone by ancient Egyptians in what is now called Cleopatra's mines. Legend has it that Cleopatra loved emeralds. It has been treasured by many different cultures for over 4000 years. Many prized it as a symbol of love and rebirth, because the Green color was a sign of spring when all things come to life. Some legends say emeralds give the owner the gift of eloquence and intelligence.Currently Emeralds are mined in Columbia, Zambia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia, Zimbabwe and Brazil. The most sought after come from Columbia, some mines in Columbia will have emeralds with a bluish tone and other mines will have a yellowish tone. Zambia also has very good clean quality emeralds which are less expensive than the Columbian ones and they have mostly a bluish tone to them.The traditional 25th & 35th wedding anniversary is the emerald. Emeralds are so rare that in perfect condition they are worth far more than a diamond of the same size. On the MOHS hardness scale, which measures a substances ability to scratch another's, emeralds are 7.5- 8 where as diamonds are a 10 – the hardest. If you buy an emerald with no inclusions, it very well maybe a lab creation.J. Russell, owner of Striker Unlimited Treasures, had been looking for a way to share her love of silver and crafts with others. This is when she came up with the idea to open an online jewelry store, http://www.treasuresnjewelry.com. Jewelry is her passion, where ever she is, she is looking for a good deal to pass on to her customers.
Category : Shopping:Jewelry-Diamonds

How To Win Craps And Beat The Casino At Their Own Game

2008-11-15T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author : Ellison Mansfield
If you've read any of my articles before, you know I always emphasize the fact that there are many viable systems for any type of gambling. Craps is one of those games that has many systems, and out of all the casino games, I'd say its one of the ones that involves the most skill on the part of the player in order to gain an edge over the casino. Before we delve into any complicated systems, lets cover some of the basics about craps.

Because the Craps table uses unfamiliar language, it is often considered very complicated. However, after learning the terminology, it is in reality, quite easy. In the middle of the Craps table are what is known as proposition bets. This includes all one roll proposition bets. The House has an advantage on these bets of from 2.778% on the "field" to 16.667% on any 2 or 12. For this reason, we will not be going into detail on any of these bets. If you want to win consistently, you want to stay away from these bets.

You may stand at either end of the table, as both sides contain exactly the same bets. If you were the first player at the table you would stand at one end of the long table and the stickman would let you pick a pair of dice. You, being the "shooter" would have to bet on either the pass line bet or the Don't pass. The first roll of the dice is called the "come-out" roll.

For today we'll cover the "Pass Line Bet" and the "Don't Pass Bet" to get you familiar with the game. Then next time we'll cover some additional bets, and start getting into the real craps strategy.

PASS LINE BET

If the dice thrown on the come-out roll total 7 or 11, (a natural) you win and are paid 1 to 1. (You would then bet and roll another come-out.) If the dice thrown total 2, 2 or 12 (a crap) you lose. (The dice would then go to the next player for another come-out roll.)

If the dice thrown total 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 then the total becomes the "point". You are more likely to win, than lose on the come-out roll. However, once the point is made, the odds turn against you.

Now, if 7 comes up on the dice, you lose the bet you made at the beginning. If the point comes up, you win.

Pass Bet Rules:

Come-out roll: Natural 7 or 11 you win
Crap 2, 3, or 12 you lose

Points: 4 5 6 8 9 10

Point rolls: Point you win
7 you lose

DON'T PASS BET

If the dice thrown on the come-out roll bet total 7 or 11, you lose. 2 and 3 win, and on 12 you "push" (neither winning or losing).

If the dice come up 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 as before, this becomes the point. After this, if 7 comes up first, you win. To lose, the point must come up.

Don't Pass Rules:

Come-out roll: Natural 7 or 11 you lose
Crap 2 or 3 you win
Crap 12 push

Points: 4 5 6 8 9 10

Point rolls: Point you lose
7 you win

Like I said, we'll cover more next time but I don't want to overload you with too much info at one time. Craps is an intricate game, and warrants that you take the time to learn it properly before trying to master its strategies.

Yes it's true: Ellison Mansfield has made a career out of gambling. He's flown under the radar for virtually his entire adult life, beating the casinos and stockpiling his winnings. After holding onto these secrets and amassing a private fortune over the past 16 years, he finally decided it was time to come out and share some of his knowledge with the world. Please see insidersystem.com for the latest winning tips and strategies.
Category : Article Marketing

4 Reasons why Portable Mp3 Players Take Content to The Next level

2008-11-14T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author : Steve Gover

With the recent advent of the Ipod, a lot of people are using
portable Mp3 players to carry their entire music collection
around with them. What just a few years ago would have required
you to lug a suitcase full of CDs around, now can fit in the
palm of your hand. Some Ipods can carry up to 60Gb of songs (and
now video) on a single miniature hard drive. The Ipod even looks
cool and lights up like a magical glowing device. Besides Apple,
numerous companies make portable Mp3 players

This doesn't even begin to get into the phenomenon of
podcasting. Podcasting is a simple concept with amazing utility
for the average consumer. Imagine if you could take an audio
broadcast of any sort (podcasting a teleseminar comes to mind)
on the airplane with you on your next business trip.

1)You don't have to be there when the teleseminar is held. 2)You
can pause it, rewind it, fast forward the teleseminar to any
point that you feel is important. 3)You can listen to it
repeatedly. 4)You can send the podcast to friends and family
members who can also take the audio content with them on their
merry way.

I do this all the time. It works great. Download and go. This is
bigger than you think. Overall, the ubiquity of portable Mp3
players is a cultural revolution as far as information transfer
goes. Why do I have to wait for a broadcast when I can be in
another time zone and replay it at my leisure.

When you take your Mp3 player on the road with you, you are
basically shifting time. No more sitting around waiting for the
video or audio presentation to start. You can download it to
your portable Mp3 player and start it whenever you want.

Portable Mp3 players seem to be here to stay. Find out why and
what the latest trends are: you'll be surprised how you ever
lived without one. I was

Category : Pets

Southern Explorations, LLC Launches World-class South and Central America Tours

2008-11-13T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author :

date">March 3rd, 2005s World-class South and Central America Tours

FIVE ADVANCED and Essential features of Your Follow up Autoresponder

2008-11-10T23:00:00.000-08:00

Author : Radhika Venkata
If you are not using a follow up autoresponder until now, just buy it. Follow up autoresponders are very valuable tool for online business.You can offer free email coursesSend ezines, ezine articlesFollow up your customerConduct polls and quizzes*****Your personal Follow up autoresponder software:These software should be installed on your web site. You are completely in control of your software. These are affordable with good features.http://www.autoresponseplus.com/http://www.scripts4webmasters.com/arpproadv/*****Five Advanced and Essentials features of a follow up autoresponder:1. Personalization of Your emails:If your subscriber sees his/her name in the subject field, they will stop a second at your email. Well... it's human nature to respond to their names. Once they stop at your email subject, more chances of clicking on your email and go in to the message.2. Email un/subscriptions:Advanced feature that needs some email forwarders to redirect subscribers emails to the cgi script. In this feature you can offer un/subscriptions through emails apart from form subscriptions.3. Broadcast emails:Broadcast emails also called one-time emails. Means instead of follow up emails at specific intervals, you can send promotional emails, ezines to your subscribers one time.4. Bounced emails:Very good feature. You can use this feature to clean up your lists. Your host will be happy as bounced emails uses the server resources and you delete them with your autoresponder script. Some free email services put your emails as spam or your subscriber no longer at their subscribed email or other problems like your subscriber email server is not working at the time of your emailings... Any of these reasons. The email will bounce back to your server. All these emails should be cleaned up once in a while, otherwise your host will send you email telling you are using too many resources.5. Custom fields:These are the fields to keep certain text in their text areas and if you keep the defined tag, the script replaces it with the text you provided. Great for keeping ads, signatures, links in your emails.FIVE BASIC and Essential features of Your Follow up Autoresponder: http://www.webmasters-central.com/wp/em/5basic.shtmlAbout The AuthorRadhika VenkataSubscribe to 'EbookBiz Magazine' which is completely focused on ebook business and Internet Marketing. Receive FREE Ebooks with Resale rights every month!http://www.ebooks-world.com/freetosell.shtmlWebmaster Resources: List Your product, ezine or web site free!http://www.webmasters-central.com/
Category : Business:Email-Marketing

Do you know who is snooping around your computer right now?

2008-11-07T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author : Joe Reinbold

How secure is your computer? Most of us have virus protection
and probably feel pretty safe. But how many know that there can
be many individuals out there who may be trying to snoop (or
actually snooping) around your hard disk all day long? I would
venture that there are not many sitting at their computer right
now who have even thought about it!

High speed access to the Internet, i.e. DSL, cable and a couple
of others have opened the doors to our work areas. I had even
recorded attacks on my computer when I was using a local dial up
service. The high speed access capability is great, I know that
from personal experience. But it does open you up to extra risks
since your Internet connection is probably open all day, even
when you are not using it.

Intrusions on the Internet are common because hackers do
frequent scans looking for systems they can break into. A
typical hacker may scan thousands. He or she isn't targeting you
personally. In the hour preceding the writing of this article I
had three attacks on my computer through my cable hookup. Two
were hackers probing to see if they could get in and the other
was a hacker checking to see if I had a specific Trojan program
that might have compromised my system so that they could get in.
This is a regular daily occurrence. Luckily my system has a
software (firewall) program that detects and stops any attacks.
It also logs in the attacks so that I can see what they were.
The program is called Black Ice Defender,
http://www.networkice.com and cost me about $40. It was well
worth the price. There are a number of programs out there and
one that seems to be generally recommended along with Black Ice
Defender is ZoneAlarm http://www.zonelabs.com which happens to
be free (free for personal and non-profit use).

A while back I had read several articles in PC Magazine about
these risks and that was what made me get a copy of Black Ice.
By the way it is easy to install and use. I don't know about
ZoneAlarm but from my readings it appears it is also fairly
simple. One of the ezines I subscribe to recently had a short
article about a site called "Shields UP!" where you could go to
check your computer security for free. If you are interested go
to: https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

These tests are for Windows systems. There will be two buttons,
"Test My Shields" and Probe My Ports". These tests take a couple
of minutes each and they will give you a full report. When I was
finished, I felt pretty good for the moment since they couldn't
get into my machine. In fact they evaluated it as "appearing
that my computer didn't even exist".

You can sit there and say that you are only a little guy or gal,
who would even try? Well that may be so, but on the other hand,
do you know exactly what you have saved on your computer -
credit card numbers, account numbers, personal information...?
You would be amazed at the number of files that are saved on
your machine by windows and other programs that you aren't even
aware of.

I have had to change credit card accounts twice in the last year
due to some large well known companies who's systems were
attacked and credit card files were compromised. So it can
happen, even to the big guys. The software is out there to help
you, it can be free or relatively inexpensive. Why not feel a
little more secure?

Category : Meditation

Introduction to Satellite Digital Audio Radio service(SDARS)

2008-11-06T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author : Jith Crs
Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS):SDAR is a satellite-based direct-broadcast radio service in which
digitally encoded audio entertainment material is broadcast to
Earth-based receivers, either directly from an orbiting satellite, or from the satellite to
the receiver via a repeater station (This is a special case in which the receiver is in a
shielded location). SDARS is a radio communication service through which audio
programming is digitally transmitted by one or more space stations directly to
fixed, mobile, and/or portable stations, and which may involve complementary
repeating terrestrial transmitters, telemetry, tracking and control facilities.
Through SDARS compact-disc quality audio is available because of digital transmition
is employed.History of Satellite Radio:Satellite radio is an idea over a decade long. In 1992, the U.S.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allocated a spectrum in the
"S" band (2.3 GHz) for nationwide broadcasting of satellite-based
Digital Audio Radio Service (DARS). Only four companies applied for a
license to broadcast over that band. The FCC gave licenses
to two of these companies in 1997. CD Radio (now Sirius Satellite Radio) and
American Mobile Radio (now XM Satellite Radio) paid more than $80 million each
to use space in the S-band for digital satellite transmission. The first satellite based radio launched by XM on Sep 25, 2001, then followed by Sirius on July 1, 2002. At this time, there are three space-based radio broadcasters:
Sirius Satellite RadioXM Satellite
RadioWorldSpace Satellite Radio Importance and significance of Satellite radio:We all have our favorite radio stations that we preset into our car
radios, flipping between them as we drive to and from work, on errands
and around town. But when you travel too far away from the source station, the
signal breaks up and fades into static. Most radio signals can only travel about 30
or 40 miles from their source. On long trips that find you passing through
different cities, you might have to change radio stations every hour or so as the signals fade in
and out. Now, imagine a radio station that can broadcast its signal from more than 22,000 miles (35,000 km) away and then come through on your car radio with complete clarity. One could drive
nearly hundreds of kilometers without ever having to change the radio station! Not
only would you never hear static interfering with your favorite tunes, but also the
music would be interrupted by few or no commercials.Satellite radio companies are comparing
the significance of their service to the impact that cable TV had on
television 30 years ago. Listeners won't be able to pick up local stations using
satellite radio services, but they will have access to hundreds of stations offering a
variety of music genres. Each company has a different plan for its broadcasting
system, but the systems do share similarities.XM Satellite Radio, Sirius Satellite
Radio and WorldSpace satellite individually provides digital-audio
radio services (SDARS), with commercial-free programming, digital-audio quality, and
countrywide coverage. Each company offers nearly 100 channels of digital music and
talk radio (many of them commercial-free or with a reduced number of commercials)
that can be received from coast to coast with no service interruption. Each
offering number of music channels, these services clearly provides programming options
not available through traditional radio.One of the main feature of SDARS is SDARS provides almost Commercial free (or Commercials are restricted) programs. And also it provides news, weather forecasts, and sports apart from
entertainment-based programs The primary application for this service is constant coast-to-coast coverage of radio for cars. We have all experienced the problem of trying to listen to radio on a long trip. Both AM and FM stations fade in and out as we drive into and out of their coverage
area. Portable full satellite radio service available now a days for
the car, home stereo and personal radio environments. Car manufacturers have been installing satellite radio receivers in some models for a few years now, and
several models of portable satellite radio receivers are available from a variety of
electronics companies.Signal reception is generally poor as well as variable in the cases of AM or FM. With the SDARS systems, radio coverage throughout the 48 continental states is solid and continuous. Unlike
for AM and FM channels SDARS signals are available in a unique formatSubscription based radio service:Because the technology requires access to a commercial satellite for
signal propagation; Satellite Radio services are commercial business
entities (not private parties), which offer a package of channels as part of their service
—requiring a subscription from end users to access its channels. Satellite
Radio Service can be subscribed at a monthly fee of $12.95 U.S. and up which
is very much worth full to the service that it gives. Future of Satellite radio: SDARS seems to get good market growth because of the following factors. Increasing
partnerships of XM and Sirius with Automobile OEM and distribution outlets made the
SDARS more popular. Introduction of more convenient hardware smaller and more
portable radios for the automobile as well as the home stereo,
computer and office and personal environments made possible at the
same time.Home and personal use Industry promotional advertising and
awareness campaigns given the SDARS more popular. Sirius and XM now
also offer subscribers the option of listening to their programming
online. Apart from all of this,
price drop of hardware making it more affordable for after market purchase.Author can be contacted through crsjith@gmail.com for more
information about SDARS.Jith is an Electrical and Electronics Engineer from southern India. Author is an expert in Avionics systems, Automobile systems and have good command over communication protocols.
Category : Computers-and-Technology:Satellite-Radio

Football fans can get to see all of the games this year

2008-11-04T23:00:00.001-08:00

Author : Michael Hanna

The ever-increasing season ticket prices means a lot of fans struggle to watch all of their team?s matches. With the price of even just a championship season ticket being around ?400 most fans can struggle to foot the bill, even if their team isn?t in the expensive premiership. This will mean that football?s best fans wont be able to support their team, just simply because they can?t afford it.But football fans have been offered a new solution. Barclays bank (sponsor of the premiership) has offered a great way for you to buy your season ticket this year. If you purchase any football season ticket with the new Premiership Barclaycard and it costs more than ?250, you'll benefit from 0% interest for as long as it takes to pay off. The Premiership card also offers 10 pairs of tickets to be won each month during the football season, by just making a transaction on your football credit card each month to be entered into a prize draw.And with more and more clubs from the premiership making it in to Europe fans can find it even more and more expensive to support their team. But, if your club does make it into Europe, don?t you want to be there to see them! The Premiership credit card also offers help when you're abroad. You can use your credit card anywhere in the world, and if you lose your card whilst abroad, Barclays offer an emergency card replacement service, and you won't be charged a cash handling fee for the service.But with having to work all week, and enjoying the football at the weekend, who has time to go and apply for a credit card? With Barclay?s card you also have the option of ordering your credit card online, which will save you time and give you more opportunity to keep up with the football stats.With football becoming more and more about money at least we, the devoted fans, can still afford to do what matters to us ? enjoy the football and support our team.If you want to find out more information on credit cards. Author:Michael HannaAbout MichaelMichael is a keen writer, and internet marketer living in Scotland:Contact details:E-mail: samqam@googlemail.com Phone: 0131 561 2251Michael's Website: Belfast

Category : General Sports: Soccer

Clean Vacationing

2008-10-30T23:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Lillian & Dave Brummet
Clean Vacationing(409 words)Admit it. When the sun is out and you are at your favorite campsite or cottage on the lake the last thing you want to do is spend a lot of time cooking a meal. Often, when vacationing, the lure to purchase instant foods is strong. Unfortunately, these convenience foods often come over packaged usually including some type of plastic. As we can see when we come across trash in the wilderness, the plastics tend to linger the longest - other than maybe glass and metal. Nothing ruins the feel of a pristine, natural area more than a bunch of garbage. Numerous studies prove that tourists return to an area primarily for its cleanliness and greenery. In this era where the economy has come to rely more on tourism, cleaning up is truly a benefit for the community.We soon realized that walking by these messes and complaining over such disrespect, we were behaving not much better than the polluters who left it. Now when we hike we pack a supply of plastic bags (grocery bags work well) to clean up as we go. Often we earn up to $10 in returnable bottles and cans in the process. When you take a bit of time to clean up some trash not only do you have a better trail or beach to come back to, you have helped to make it safer and nicer for the next user. This simple measure just might influence others to keep it clean, as well. When on the water with the canoe we also clean as we go by diving for garbage below the surface using a mask and snorkel. It is amazing the finds we have from these excursions under water. One of the first times we did this, we found an expensive diving mask in about 30 feet of water â" enough incentive to continue this practice! We have found antique bottles, jewelry, fishing lures and reels. It feels very good to clear up a beach of shards of broken glass hiding just below the surface before an unwary swimmer splashes into it. It does not, however, feel as good to find a large fish hook by imbedding it in the bottom of your foot. Take heart in knowing you have done a good thing as your expletive echoes off the far mountainside. Imagine an innocent child stepping on that hook instead of you and decide if it is worth taking the time... About the Author
-- Written by Dave and Lillian Brummet based on the concept of their new book Trash Talk. The book offers useful solutions for the individual to reduce waste and better manage resources. A guide for anyone concerned about his or her impact on the environment. (http://www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit)
Category : Movies

Are Website Directories Sustainable For the Future?

2008-10-27T23:00:00.000-07:00

Author : James Smithston

Website directories have been around since the beginning of the internet as we know it. There have always been web sties, or pages of web sites, devoted to links or categories of links. The only difference between an organized links page on a company website or personal website and a web directorys the size of the pages and the extent of the links. The website directories provide a great service in assisting searches find websites that they are looking for. As well as providing websites a place to be listed for easy access by searches. Because there are a number of various types of website directories, they are in deed sustainable fro the future. As I said, they have been around since the beginning of the internet. Some website directories are free and require that your link and post to the directory. Others are fee based. Though the fee based website directories are harder to maintain. They do help you get noticed better. And isnt that the reason for being on the web? Sustainable website directories are those that the search engine will locate by various links you have on your page. These sites are the ones you will want to be affliated with. Using them provides that you will be able to be located by searches. The search engines follow the links, maintain their directories on a regular basis review and post quickly and have back links. These services can be used to attract and keep customers at their site. Web directories are truly sustainable for the future. As long as people find the directories useful either for the category of links available or for simple SEO purposes, directories will be around to help guide people to sites and sites to people. Using a website directory is a win-win situation for all involved. Written by James Smithston. Get SEO benefits by having your site listed on our web directory. Submitting your site to directories like eonte will help boost your website's link strength.

Category : General Webmasters

Home Schooling And Public Schooling: Is One Better Than The Other?

2008-10-18T23:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Anne Clarke
When you consider whether or not to send your child off to a public school or to keep them at home, you must take many factors and weight them carefully before you decide. There are pros and consider for each option. Personally, I was home schooled for some of my education and I attended public school for the rest of my education, therefore have had experience with both.· Home schooling vs. public schooling:o Home school pros:1) You can purchase a home school curriculum, which will include most of the ideas and materials you need.2) Unlike teachers in public schools—your child gets one-on-one attention most of the time think of this when you consider Home schooling vs. public schooling.Teachers in public schools often have at least fifteen students at one time nowadays—maybe more. And I only had two sisters who were also being home schooled—all three of us learned essential lessons in every subject, but had mom right over our shoulders helping us understand the material—we even had "homework" to do (no pun intended) but were still usually done by lunchtime. This should also be carefully considered for the benefit of your child when you think about Home schooling vs. public schooling.3) You do not have to stick strictly to some mail-order curriculum.
You can adjust to your children's needs.Here are a few examples:You know your kid—if he or she is behind in math, slow down a bit, spend more time with math, catch the child up to the right level. Another example would be a child who is much more advanced in, say, grammar—you can choose to make his or her more challenging4) Many colleges and universities look for children who have been taught at home.Why? The answer is simple, most moms (or dads or guardians) are afraid that they will not teach their child or children as well as a certified teacher, thus they tend to overcompensate for these fears by actually teaching more than a child in that grade would learn.· Some of the downsides to home schooling your children:1) All children need to learn how to function and behave in society, especially when it comes to social relationships.This problem can sometimes be solved by involving your children in outside activities, i.e. softball teams, dance lessons, etc. In fact, our P.E. class when I home schooled was always practicing dance, because both my sisters and I took dance lessons.2) It takes time.In home schooling vs. public schooling you pretty much have to be unemployed, because home schooling can be a tough job—you do not only teach, you also grade, prepare lesson plans, and focus on your children the majority of the day. And then there are your other household obligations—someone has to clean the toilet, right?3) It can be frustrating:Especially if your child or children are hard to handle, they may not develop the respect for you that you must have from them as a teacher. Although a child's relationship with authority figures should be sound and proper, often they are not.If your child (children) does (do) not respect you or listen when you try to teach. Therefore when considering the idea of home schooling vs. public schooling—you might prefer the latter of the two in such a case.Teachers are trained to gain respect from his or her students—and often a child who starts out as a problem child will soon be "tamed" through the instructor as well as by following the example of the rest of the students in the class.Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles about homeschooling please visit Considering Homeschooling.
Category : Reference-and-Education:Home-Schooling

Motivate People with Feedback

2008-10-16T23:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Alan Fairweather
Someone once said - "Feedback is the breakfast of
champions." Personally, I think that pancakes, crispy bacon
and maple syrup are the breakfast of champions. However
there's no doubt that giving people feedback is absolutely
vital to ensure a motivated team who'll deliver results.One of the top three factors that motivate people at work is
- feedback.The majority of people want to know how they're doing at
work. They want to know when they're doing well and they
want to know when they could be doing better. There are a
small minority of people who don't want feedback at all; but
let's face it; you don't want these people on your team
anyway.Okay, so I'll accept the fact that many people don't want to
hear bad things about their job performance, however it
depends on how they hear the bad news that'll effect their
motivation at work. I'm sure that you'd want to know whether
you were doing your job okay - I'm sure I would.Like many people, I can be very sensitive to negative
feedback. At the end of any seminar or workshop I scan the
feedback forms looking for any comment that would dare to
suggest that I hadn't done a good job.It's easy for me to look at negative feedback on the forms
and say - "You can't please all the people all the time" or
"Who cares" or "What do they know anyway?"
I try to keep an open mind and think about what's being said
in the feedback. Is it something I should do something about
- if this person didn't like something that I said, maybe
there were others who felt the same way but didn't make any
comment? All I want to do in my job is be the best that I
can be, so it's important to listen to what my "customers"
have to say.We all feel different about feedback because we are all
different. Some people love it, others are okay with it and
others just hate it.
I'm sure that you have people on your team who always want
to know "how they're doing." They come and speak to you and
show what they're doing. "Is this okay boss, am I doing
this right?" They're constantly looking for reassurance that
they're doing the right thing. Then you'll have others on
your team who never come and speak to you and get most
uncomfortable whether you're giving them the good news or
the bad.But let's think about you for a moment about you. You might
be the kind of person who's comfortable with lots of
feedback or maybe you'd prefer it in much smaller doses.The important point is - the way you feel about receiving
feedback could affect the way you give it to your team.Managers who are happy to receive feedback are usually happy
to give it to their team members because they believe their
entire team feel the same as they do.
And of course if you look at it the other way round -
managers less comfortable with feedback tend to believe that
their team feel the same way. This is often the biggest
danger because many managers don't receive feedback from
their manager and subconsciously feel - "Why should I give
feedback to my guys when I don't get it?"Whether you receive feedback or not; whether you feel
uncomfortable giving it or not - you still need to do it for
your people. Just be aware that they're all different
individuals and they might react in different ways. Almost
everyone wants feedback - how much, is just a matter of
degree.Discover how you can generate more business by motivating
your team!
Alan Fairweather is the author of "How to get More Sales
by Motivating Your Team" This book is packed with practical
things you can do to get the best out of your people.
Click here now http://www.howtogetmoresales.comhttp://www.alanfairweather.com
Category : Business:Team-Building

Rising Popularity of Weight Loss Surgery

2008-10-04T23:00:00.001-07:00

Author : paul

Weight loss surgery is becoming very popular with each passing day mostly in advanced countries like the United States. Recently conducted research suggests that the number of bariatric, or weight-loss, surgeries rose by 450 percent between 1998 and 2002, with a leap from 12,775 to 70,256 cases. The most popular weight loss surgery known as the laparoscopic, or minimally-invasive bariatric surgery, increased from 2.1 percent to 17.9 percent. Weight loss surgeries are normally meant for dangerously obese people and these surgeries works best when diet, exercise and drug therapy fail. Weight loss surgeries are proven to reduce weight and keep it off, and to improve or cure obesity-related health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and sleep apnea. The risks associated with bariatric surgery are comparable to other major procedures. It has been observed that the risks are higher for patients who???ve attained 65 years of age and older. So weight loss surgeries are not advisable for all obese people. The most commonly done weight loss surgery is known as gastric bypass, in which the stomach size is reduced and the small intestine re-routed to minimize calorie intake. A strict and proper diet and exercise program after surgery is a must to keep weight off for the years to come. According to researchers, the popularity of Weight Loss surgeries is on a rise because along with their medical benefits, the minimally-invasive laparoscopic techniques are more widely available nowadays as opposed to a procedure in which the patient undergoes a major incision. Most of the people want to avail this simple and uncomplicated form of surgery. But unfortunately not all patients qualify for the laparoscopic technique as all surgeons are not comfortable with performing laparoscopic bariatric surgery. But due to the increasing demand of weight loss surgery, number of hospitals performing bariatric surgery, as well as the numbers of qualified surgeons, is increasing for the benefit of people suffering from morbid obesity. So, for people with excess weight that threatens their health, weight loss surgeries are a proven treatment. For more information on Adipex diet pills please visit the site http://www.adipexcart.com

Category : Lose Weight

Looking for Discount Motorcycle Helmets

2008-09-29T23:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Low Jeremy
If you are looking for discount motorcycle helmet choices, it would be good to look for them at helmet specialty shops and stores. But be very sure that every discount motorcycle helmet that you chance upon should be up to safety standards. Do not buy motorcycle helmets just by the price offered but also by the level of protection that it can provide. There are discount motorcycle helmets that are up to the job, it is just a matter of finding them.You must bear in mind that a motorcycle helmet is a very important element of the motorcycle riding experience. They are not used merely for aesthetic reasons but for safety reasons as well. A motorcycle helmet enhances your riding experience to a fun and secure level. A badly chosen helmet may not fit you or work for you properly, thereby lessening your riding experience.Choosing a motorcycle helmet can be difficult for most people. Even the most experienced riders can have a difficult time finding one that they would find suitable for their needs. One of the key issues faced by most riders is the fit of the motorcycle helmet. Riders have different helmet shapes and forms to check out. Not all of them may be able to fit suitably for everyone.There are full face helmets that offer full head and face protection for riders but may not be able to fit properly for some riders. Then there are also open faced helmets as well as half helmets that offer a more comfortable fit for most people but offer less protection if used in the absence of goggles and sunglasses which can help protect the eyes.Another key reason for choosing a motorcycle helmet is the style and appeal. Aesthetic value is what makes some helmets more popular than others. The technology being used in designing them can even become the reason why such helmets are preferred by most. Attractive colors and striking graphic designs can also provide helmets with good saleability. Price also is important to some people when choosing a helmet.If you cannot find a good helmet that would best fit or appeal to your tastes, you can always have one custom made. This way, not only will you be getting the helmet looks that you want, you can also have them custom made to be more comfortable to give you a more enhanced riding experience. No matter what helmet you choose, just make sure that you always put safety and protection on top of your list when you do your choices.This content is provided by Low Jeremy and may be used only in its entirety with all links included. For more info on Motorcycle Helmets, please visit http://motorcycle-helmet.articlekeep.com
Category : Automotive:Motorcycles

Radiant Energy -- Wireless Transformer of High Power Lines?

2008-09-19T23:00:00.001-07:00

Author :

Dog Worms -- Don't Let Them Get Started

2008-09-04T23:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Charles Burke
There may be no warning before dog worms strike.It was about two AM, when beneath our bed the new puppy we'd brought home from the pound just a month earlier began screaming.Not yipping or whining -- this was the kind of agonized screams that'll stand your hair up on end. Our cute, playful new puppy was being eaten alive from inside.He had worms, even though he'd received all the right shots just a few weeks before.Now he was dying, right there under our bed, and we weren't able to save him. The worms were just too advanced.He had been a happy little guy, playful and filled with fun. So that night -- and those screams -- have stayed with me a very long time.An experience like that will change your attitude fast. It sure changed mine. Up till then I'd been a bit cavalier about health care for my pets.However, dog worms are serious business. They need to be treated as soon as possible. And even if you're not sure, get your dog tested anyway, just to be safe. Being safe is far better than listening helplessly to your dog die in the night.If your dog has diarrhea, the cause can be dog worms and you should make an appointment with your vet as soon as possible.To determine if dog worms are the problem you will need to take a stool sample to your vet. In some cases, however, dog worms can occur even when your dog has normal stools. A yearly stool exam is needed to make sure your dog doesn't have worms. Puppies should be checked more often.There are several types of worms. Your vet can test for all kinds and give the appropriate treatment.Roundworms are the most common, and are usually found in newborn puppies. Older dogs usually don't have problems with roundworms.Hookworms are also common. This worm lodges in the small intestine of the dog. When your dog has hookworms he will often have vomiting and diarrhea. In young puppies this can cause anemia and other complications.Whipworms live in the junction where the large and small intestines meet. These worms cause inflammation in the lower part of the GI tract, and the symptoms resemble those of colitis. Whipworms are difficult to diagnose, but your vet will usually treat your dog according to the clinical signs.Some dog worms need a host in order to be transmitted. This type includes tapeworms. Fleas most often serve as the host to carry these worms.The flea ingests the eggs and acts as host for the larvae. then the dog swallows the flea with its tapeworm already present.Often dogs with tapeworms do not show clinical signs. With no obvious symptoms, this makes it hard to diagnose the problem. However, if you often see your dog rubbing his bottom along the ground or on the floor, he may have an infestation of tapeworms.It's important to get your dog checked. You don't have to learn the hard way like I did.Dog worms are a serious health hazard. They impact your dog's health and should be taken care of the minute you even suspect there could be a problem.Puppy-Toy-Tips.com Learn great ways to use puppy toys for training and socializing your new pup. Make sure you're on the right track when training your dog. Also, be sure to get the free eBook of puppy coloring pages for your kids.
Category : Home-and-Family:Pets

Free Spam Blockers

2008-08-22T23:00:00.000-07:00

Author : Matt Garrett
Remember when spam was just another horrible thing you would never eat? And then you grew up a little and spam became the lyrics to a great Monty Python song. And now spam is something to avoid at all costs. Or, in the case of free spam blockers, at no cost at all. Everything is better when itÃ‚â™s free, right? Such is the case with blocking out annoying spam from your email account, too.

Free spam blockers are popping up all over the internet. Kind of ironic, isnÃ‚â™t it, that some pop-up ads are advertising spam blocking technology. The problem with spam isnÃ‚â™t really the content, of course, itÃ‚â™s the time spent winnowing through all those e-mails in search of the ones that really contain useful information or are from people with whom you want to contact. The best free spam blockers in the world are not only free, but donÃ‚â™t take up any space on your computer. Yes, IÃ‚â™m talking about being very careful to whom you give your e-mail address.

The plain simple truth is that any time you fill out a form that asks for your e-mail address, you are just asking for spam. Maybe the site where you filled out the form sold your address to mass marketers and maybe they didnÃ‚â™t, but chances are if you have ever given your e-mail address to a company rather than an individual, you received spam because of it. And if youÃ‚â™re like most people doing business on the internet, youÃ‚â™re spending anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour and a half just checking your e-mail every day. You donÃ‚â™t have time to wade through the spam pool. ThatÃ‚â™s why getting yourself one of the reliable free spam blockers out there is so important.

You can almost instantly tell when youÃ‚â™ve come across one of these free spam blockers because of their oh-so-clever name. For instance, Spamhilator, SpamButcher, or SpamKiller. And you want to know a secret? They are almost all exactly alike. Oh sure, there are little differences that may mean a lot to you personally, but frankly it doesnÃ‚â™t matter. The best thing you can do is download them as a trial versionÃ‚â"and with so many on the market offering trial versions, it makes no sense to ever download any of the free spam blockers that donÃ‚â™t offer trial versionsÃ‚â"and check them out to make sure they do what they promise. And if they do what they promise, do they do it with a minimum amount of fuss and muss and maintenance on you part.

The key to using free spam blockers is maintenance. You got one in the first place to give yourself more time to do what you need to do. So why would you want to use a spam blocker is high maintenance itself? Go through all the free spam blockers that interest you and then narrow them down until you find the one that works completely in the background without throwing out stuff you really need and that doesnÃ‚â™t require you to keep checking up on it. ThatÃ‚â™s the one you want.

Learn Spanish On Line - Easy As One, Two, Three

2008-08-19T23:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Gregory Newell

I live in Caracas, Venezuela and spend my entire day speaking in English. Sounds bizarre right; I live in a Spanish speaking country and speak English all day. Well as an English teacher it is my job and one I don't really mind. The only problem is that after three months here my Spanish is still only mediocre at best and that is probably being generous. I finally got myself a tutor and that seems to help, however before that I had actually resorted to trying to learn Spanish on line. Yes I was that girl in the internet caf taking notes in her little notebook. The people around me (all of whom I am sure spoke Spanish) would glance at my computer screen or my notebook and then give me weird looks. Apparently it is a little uncommon to be studying Spanish in an internet caf in a Spanish speaking country; I guess I missed the memo.When I decide to learn Spanish on line I did a search and was quickly inundated with thousands of sights most of which ended up being irrelevant. However after a frustrating afternoon of trying to figure out which sites were actually helpful I came across one that seems to know what it is talking about and provides a wealth of information for free. LearnSpanish.com has been extremely helpful. Of course its ultimate goal is to sell you a product the free information is quite extensive and very well explained. There are numerous very good examples that are well explained and following the lessons there are free quizzes to test your knowledge. There are numerous sites like this, and I am sure some of them are equally effective and well done. However most will want to sell you a product, probably a home study kit, and the information on the site is simply to help you enough to entice you into buying the kit. Gregory Newell is a web author who's written about hot to learn to speak Spanish. If you want to learn Spanish on line then you might be interested in reading more.

Category : General Education: Home Schooling

What You Didn't Know About Import Car Magazines

2008-08-17T23:00:00.001-07:00

Author : David B

The global opening of the economy is evident from the rapidly expanding automobile industry, which is the litmus test for a healthy economy. This amazing expansion has created the need for a highly informative racy and quality content import magazines be it in the realm of import cars or be it the car audios. The pick of the lot is highly subjective considering that the individual needs vary and the options are unlimited and at times there is very little to choose one from the other. In spite of the apparent limitations there are some import magazines that are unique in approach and have created a niche - the classic example being the "Sports Compact Car'. This is one import magazine, which is inarguably a quality magazine and is highly subjective and directional in approach.Showcasing The Imports CarThe magazine begins well with a distinctive section titled 'Shifting Gears' which is the window to this import car magazine and is a highlighter of the what to expect from the particular issue of the magazine either in the form of an well written article or bits of news. The creativity of the magazine is not exploited optimally for it has tremendous scope for further enhancement of the content. The letter section like in any other import car section is an highly interactive section which is an area of interest to most subscribers and the editorial tem of this import cars magazine need to increase the length of this section for the one or two pages allocated to this engrossing section is definitely inadequate for a magazine of this stature and following.The Magazine With A NicheThe 'Sports Compact Car ' has a wide array of strengths - the significant being the 'Techno babble' section and the content of this section is evident from the name, which is self-explanatory. This section is inarguably one of the highlights of this import car magazine and there are few magazines, which could compete with this magazine on this front. The 'Techno babble' section is two full pages of strongly written and quality content pages, which are a learning experience for the enthusiasts. This section educates on the technical basis of what makes cars go fast and is an enchanting piece, which needs to be retained. The present day market is dynamic and changes quickly - the 'Off the Shelf' is one section, which is highly informative and well researched, which keeps the reader abreast with the latest products in the market. This three-page section has the details on all the import products available - be it cams or spoilers.This import cars magazine is unique in approach and what really sets it apart from most - other than the quality content - is the 'Webside' content which encompasses reviews on a wide range of import related websites using the feedback of the subscribers to give direction and focus to this section - this makes it all the more engrossing. The creatively inclined would find the section on 'Max Drive' irresistible for it focuses on including contributions by the readers which has photographs and a small write up on the modifications done by them on their personal vehicles which brings in a sense of personal belonging - rather than concentrating on what the big companies with big budgets have done in the past or are planning for the future. The 'Sports Compact Car' then is one import cars magazine which has few parallels considering that it has an attitude which cannot be replicated and brings in a sense of belonging to the reader which keeps the readers coming back for more! You can visit http://www.webcart.net David can be reached by phone: 323-933-9291

Category : General Auto and Trucks

Home Schooling - To Teach Or Not To Teach

2008-08-15T23:02:00.001-07:00

Author : Michael Russell
You have finally done it! The terrible twos are done, the tumultuous threes have passed and the torrid fours are behind you. It is time to send your bundle of joy to kindergarten! Especially if you are a stay at home mom you may be dreaming of a full or half day of alone time while your youngster scampers off to join the educational system. Or are you excited? Many highly traditional mothers who stay home, decide to teach their little ones themselves a la home school. The reasons for this particular choice are many and along with them, come advantages and disadvantages.Home schooling is exactly what it sounds like, opting to teach your child in the comfort and security of home. The parent (or sometimes home tutor) is required to follow the curriculum put forth by the school district or state that they reside in. This means that the child must accomplish certain educational requirements based on their grade level. Being home schooled is carefully monitored by the school district because at a certain age, the child is tested to make sure that they are up to the standards of education, especially when the child reaches higher grade levels.Home schooling has its advantages in that the child will have one on one teaching which is a lot more conducive to learning at each level. More time can be spent on subject areas that are difficult for the child . Another advantage being that the way each subject is taught can be more creative. For instance, a child learning about certain animals has the leisure of an afternoon at the zoo to discover and learn. Parents may also feel that home schooling their child will keep their own moral and ethical standards better instilled in the child, due to the fact that the parent is home all day to monitor what the child learns and experiences.While home schooling can be very positive academically there are some downfalls to it. One such downfall is the lack of social interaction the child may face. Part of growing up and learning is interacting with other children and dealing with all kinds of social situations, being both positive or negative. Along with this is how well skilled the adult is in teaching the child. A parent must have a good relationship with the child and have an exceptional grasp of the information that they are teaching. If there is no consistency as far as home school hours and what is accomplished , the child may fall behind academically. To be a home school parent, organization is a must.Being home schooled or not is a decision that each family must carefully consider before moving forward. The main goals should be to give your child a quality education while fostering his/her social development. If the parent thinks that being home schooled is the right option for their child, they should take full advantage of all the information they can find in libraries, their school district and even the internet to help them be an exceptional teacher for their child.. If done the right way, your child will be the exceptional and well rounded person that you aspire for them to be.Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Home School
Category : Reference-and-Education:Home-Schooling

How To Increase Your Adsense Earnings

2008-08-14T01:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Steve Hill

In this article I give advice about ways in which you can increase the amount you earn from Google adsense. I run adsense on a number of my sites and it is proving to be a very good form of second income. Many other people are now putting the code onto their own sites which can help them to pay for hosting and domain renewal costs.Should you run adsense on your website?In my opinion there are many positive reasons to have these google ads on your website but there are also reasons why you may not want them on there. On the positive side you are of course likely to earn money when people click on one of the ads, this can be a useful income, however unless you have either a high traffic site or a large number of sites, you are unlikely to get rich from it.On the negative side when people click on one of the ads it is actually taking away that visitor from your site. If you are offering a service it therefore probably is not worth signing up for adsense for that site. If the site is purely for information purposes I would say that it is worth adding the code.How to increase your adsense earningsThere are many ways in which you can blend the adverts into your website by choosing a particular colour for the ads as an example. Placement of the ads is also quite important and there is information on the Google site which advises where to put the adverts for maximum impact.I believe the best way to increase your earnings however is to get more traffic to the website. There are many ways of doing this:Google adwordsYou can create an advertising campaign using google adwords. You could opt to pay near enough the minimum fee per click and this will keep the costs down. People will then visit your site and hopefully click on one of the other ads, therefore making you money.This can work very well for certain subjects, but not so well for others. It is a matter of trial and error, I always run the adwords for around a month and then evaluate if it is worth carrying on after that point.It is obviously important that we do not spend more on our own advertising, than we are likely to earn.Purchase a text link adThis is becoming more and more popular as one way backward links are becoming ever more powerful in the eyes of the search engines. These type of links are however quite hard to come by.By purchasing a text link advert you are likely to have an increase in web traffic from two avenues. Firstly from the advert itself and also from the page rank value of the backward link.At articles-submission.com you are able to purchase nine of these permanent backward links for only ?50, which includes a link on a page rank five page.Writing articlesWriting articles can also help you to obtain more visitors to your site. The people who read the article are potential visitors, you also obtain a one way backward link from the article directory which you submit the article to, and other webmasters may also include the article on their own site, thus creating another one way backward link. These backward links help to increase your overall page rank. The higher the page rank, the more traffic you should receive.Link exchangeExchanging links with other websites which are hopefully in the same business sector as your own, also has value. These links are not as powerful as the one way links mentioned above but are still worth seeking.You can e-mail or phone other webmasters to ask if they would be happy to swap links with your site.Build a site networkIf you have the time and available funds you could also consider building a network of sites, all on the same theme. Each of the sites in the network would have a link pointing to the main site. They could also have adsense on the sites thus increasing your earnings in a two-fold manner.I hope this article helps you in your quest to increase your adsense earnings. Stephen Hill helps to promote a number of websites including:stutteringcheap ringtonesaviation cleaning products

Category : General Online Promotion

TIPS ON CHOOSING CHIC SPRING FASHIONS YOU WANT TO KNOW

2008-08-11T03:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Bridget Allen

When the snow starts to melt and flowers begin to dot the
scenery, you know it is spring! What better way to celebrate the
coming of the season with packing away your heavy winter
sweaters and coats and welcoming the spring season in with
pastel colors, feminine prints, and gauzy clothing? When it
comes time to plan your spring wardrobe, it may be tempting to
run around in thin, flutter sleeve shirts and flirty skirts, but
your local weather may not allow it. Keep your physical weather
in mind before you buy silky tops, cropped pants, and flippant
skirts--finding yourself out in the cold!

Many places in the country equate spring with rain. If you live
in an area where the March, April, and May showers mean
summertime flowers, then take this into account when choosing
your spring fashion wardrobe. Consider purchasing a fantastic
rain jacket, cute rain hat, or fantastic umbrella to warm off
the wet weather and remain dry. Also, the trend here of recent
allows individuals to wear brightly patterned galoshes with
everyday clothing in order to protect your tootsies from the
puddles.

If you area allows warmer clothing to be ushered in with the
spring season, then do not hold back! Choose strappy heels that
will provide your feet with a much needed break from stuffy
boots. Do not forget to treat yourself to that lovely pedicure
and paint your tootsies a lovely pastel shade of pink. Find
flirty dresses, skirts, and tops that are one hundred percent
feminine and spring-like. You may need to look into a couple of
cardigans to cover up on the chilly days, but look for one with
pretty trim like lace or crochet. Finally, lighten up from those
heavy wool pants and choose lightweight trousers that are
crisply pressed and khaki in color.

However, many of us live in areas where spring only means winter
with a few more flowers. If you find yourself stuck in winter,
even though spring has arrived, change your state of mind. Even
though you may still need those heavy coats, perk it up with a
brightly colored faux flower corsage. Look into swapping out
those dark winter colors for light springtime colors like pinks,
green, purples, white, cream, and blues. If you find you need
those winter boots, still treat yourself to a pedicure to perk
up your tootsies to feel more spring like on the inside.

Category : Organizing

The World's First Self-Cleaning Toilet Seat is Here - Part of the Touch Free Restroom System from ASC Hygiene Service, Atlanta, GA

2008-08-10T15:00:00.001-07:00

Author :

In the 21st Century public washrooms can be completely non-touch, thereby, improving the hygiene of an establishment. We start with the CWS CleanSeat as our key component which is manufactured in Switzerland by CWS and holds worldwide patents. It is produced by a company with 50 years in the washroom hygiene industry and an established product in European hotels, restaurants, airports, and corporate facilities. The CWS CleanSeat has been in use for over 10 years in Europe, and has an installed customer base of more than 100,000 locations. First, with the simple motion of a hand, the CWS CleanSeat automatically hygienically cleans and dries in only 15 seconds. It is entirely Non-Touch. The CWS CleanSeat was designed primarily for commercial restrooms (A home version will be available soon). The CleanSeat fills the need for a simple, effective, economical solution that will provide customers with a value added service and increased peace of mind. ASC offers non-touch soap dispensers, non-touch towel dispensers, non-touch faucets, etc. Read the health reports on our website to learn the danger of bacteria is public restrooms. Bacteria is transferred from person to person by people touching the same things in a common area. ASC has eliminated the need for employees and customers to touch anything in the public restroom. If bacteria cant find a place to keep transferring to it will just die out, therefore making even for a safer restroom.AmeriSwiss Company (ASC) a Preferred Distributor of the CWS CleanSeat and all the CWS restroom hygiene products introduce these fine products at the Florida Restaurant Show September 19-21 and the ISSA Show October 14-17 and was the buzz of the show and over 10,000 industry professionals stopped by our booth.For businesses to be successful, image by the public is very important. Yet there is one area that most businesses neglect when it comes to that image, their public restrooms. That no longer has to be the case thanks to the Touch Free Restroom System developed by ASC. In addition, the whole restroom is made sanitary by eliminating the need for customers and employees to touch any item in the restroom. In addition, ASC is looking for exclusive distributor to sell and service its products in the United States.

Category : Rugby

Identity Theft is Rather Silly if You Think About it

2008-08-09T19:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Lance Winslow
You know the idea that someone would want to steal someone else's identity and become them is rather interesting philosophically speaking. In my life due to successes in sports, business, politics, writing and other various endeavors I have had people come up to me and say; I wish I was you. And I am thinking no you don't you dummy?Sure you might like the trappings of success, the victory, notoriety, money, etc., but I guarantee you do not want the adversity that comes along the way. In sports the grueling workouts, pain and unbelievable commitment. In business you certainly do not want the 27 years straight, 17-hour days with no days off. And in the build you up and tear you down game of politics, well you certainly do not want to incoming stones. As far as writing, few have the commitment to sit down and write 6111 articles so I doubt they would want that either.So you can imagine how philosophically intriguing to me it is to think about this stupid identity theft issue we see now, as criminal try to car-jack your credit rating and become you temporarily in order to get boatloads of free stuff and risk being locked up in the slammer you see. It has occurred to me that those who wish to hijack someone else's identity ought to also if and when caught walk in there shoes for a year or two and see what it is really like.In fact I believe if someone steals someone's identity they should be also made to pay off all their bills, loans, do their work and become that persons slave for two to three years and then see how they like it. Well that ought to teach them indeed, consider this punishment for identity theft criminals and you will be glad you did. Consider this in 2006.Lance Winslow
Category : Legal:Identity-Theft

EPO - The Endurance Athlete's Steroid

2008-08-09T09:00:00.001-07:00

Author : David Petersen
Read the sports section of any newspaper lately and you will no doubt see the headlines dealing with Lance Armstrongâ™s alleged use of EPO. Apparently, he is accused of testing positive for having used the substance to enhance his performance during several Tour de France cycle races. Actually, the use of EPO in endurance exercise is nothing new and it has been recognized as an ergogenic or performance enhancing substance for several years. This article aims to provide some basic information on EPO, its mechanism of operation and the dangers involved with its use by athletes.What is EPO?EPO is an abbreviation for erthropoetin. Contrary to many of the articles currently in the media, erythropoietin is not a drug â" it is a peptide hormone produced naturally in the body, manufactured and released from the kidney. The role of EPO is to stimulate bone marrow to manufacture more erythrocytes (red blood cells). This has the effect of increasing the hematocrit - the percentage of blood by volume composed of erythrocytes. Special oxygen sensitive cells in the kidney are able to determine the concentration of oxygen in the blood, and this is the suspected mechanism for its release into the blood stream.A good example of EPOâ™s working is the effect of increased altitude on blood oxygen concentration. As altitude progressively increases, atmospheric pressure decreases. Therefore the amount of air at altitude decreases, decreasing the available oxygen (nitrogen, carbon dioxide too) needed for respiration. The kidney cells detect this decrease in oxygen and release EPO into the bloodstream to stimulate the production of more erythrocytes. Erythrocytes contain a protein called hemoglobin, which via the blood circulatory system transports oxygen from the lungs to other parts of the body and to a lesser degree carries carbon dioxide back to the lungs where it is exhaled.Why do athletes use EPO?Actually, the main use of administrating exogenous sources (not produced within the body) of EPO in humans is to treat patients suffering from anemia, especially those with kidney failure and those undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. However, with the recent great increase in genetic engineering technology, synthetic or recombinant EPO (rEPO) has become readily available and has come to be abused by athletes â" especially endurance athletes. The theoretical logic for its use as an ergogenic aid in athletes is this: if you increase the oxygen-carrying ability of the blood (erythrocytes) above normal levels, then it follows that the muscles will receive more oxygen and be able to perform better and generate more power for longer periods of time, thereby significantly improving performance.This logic explains why some endurance athletes train at altitude or participate in the forbidden practice of âœblood dopingâ as a means of boosting the number of erythrocytes. Blood doping involves drawing blood from an athlete to induce anemia, waiting a few weeks to allow erythropoietin to restore the hematocrit to normal levels (~ 45% men, ~ 42% women), and then reinfusing the athleteâ™s stored blood thereby boosting the erythrocyte density. Administration of rEPO is capable of producing performance benefits comparable to blood doping and significantly better results than several weeks or months of altitude training. An athlete may boost their hematocrit levels 3-4% within 4 weeks with rEPO use. As a result of this ergogenic effect, several athletic governing bodies have frowned upon blood doping and rEPO use, as they are essentially methods of cheating.How do you test for EPO abuse in athletes?Testing athletes suspected of rEPO abuse is complicated and may in large part explain athletes like Lance Armstrongâ™s predicament. Although there are some protocols for the detection of rEPO, unfortunately at this time it is difficult to perform these tests with a very high degree of accuracy. rEPO has very slight biochemical differences to EPO produced within the body and is detectable in urine, but its half-life is so short, it is usually undetectable within 12 hours of administration. Another method of detection is to measure the athleteâ™s pre-competition hematocrit and percentage blood composed of reticulocytes (immature erythrocytes). Sports governing bodies like the International Cycling Union have placed a ceiling on athlete pre-competition hematocrit values at 50% (that is 50% of the blood volume is erythrocytes) and reticulocyte values at 2.4%. Reticulocytes begin to appear in the blood immediately after a rEPO dose and then later mature into erythrocytes. The value of 50% is âœtheoreticallyâ proposed as the maximal hematocrit that can be achieved though natural physical conditioning means.This method of setting a ceiling value is somewhat flawed however, as it may discriminate against the very few exceptional athletes (Lance Armstrong included) having a naturally higher training-induced hematocrit. In other words, it may be difficult to discriminate between a superior athlete with a genetically higher hematocit that may have boosted their levels âœnaturallyâ by performing altitude training and one that received the unfair advantage from simply taking several doses of rEPO. In the future, it is likely that rEPO and anabolic steroid hormone manufacturers will be required to attach an identifying chemical âœtagâ to their products to assist with detection.What are the dangers associated with uncontrolled EPO abuse?As with most ergogenic substances, there is usually a downside associated with their use. Although its recent track record is relatively clean, the health risks associated with its uncontrolled rEPO use have in some instances proven deadly. There is a strong link between the deaths of several Dutch cyclists and their apparent use of rEPO in the early 1980â™s. The explanation for the deaths is suspected as an excessive proliferation of erythrocytes, producing a condition known as polycythemia.As the hematocrit increases, the other main component of blood called plasma decreases. Plasma is the liquid portion of blood, and under normal conditions forms about 55% per unit volume. In a condition such as polycythemia, the blood becomes thicker - almost sludgy, making it increasingly difficult for the heart to pump blood though the body. Again is unclear of the exact cause of the deaths but it is likely that heart attacks were responsible. The increased viscosity of the blood also increases blood pressure and the risk of a clotting incident like a stroke. Just as the temptation exists for the use of any performance-enhancing product, there is the associated temptation to experiment with ever increasing doses, so the risks associated with rEPO use by the inexperienced user are quite real.In conclusion, this article has aimed to provide some basic information on EPO and it effects on exercise and sport performance. Although there are some disadvantages associated with its use, it is probably the most effective ergogenic substance available today for endurance events. The benefits of rEPO on endurance-type exercise are comparable to the effects of anabolic steroids in events that rely heavily on strength and power. The future usefulness of EPO remains to be seen; but as science and technology advance, it is likely that rEPO may be replaced by less detectable and more effective substances such as recombinant hemoglobin and possibly even injectable genes.David Petersen is a Personal Trainer/Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and the owner and founder of B.O.S.S. Fitness Inc. based in Oldsmar, Florida. More articles and information can be found at http://www.bossfitness.comNOTE: You're free to republish this article on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided the article is reproduced in its entirety, including this note, author information and all LIVE website links as above.
Category : Coaching

Hurricanes and Audio Internet Streaming

2008-08-09T07:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Lance Winslow
Have you consider adding audio Internet streaming to your web site? What kinds of sounds might you put on your web site to entertain your web site visitors? There are all kinds of things no doubt, which are part of your industry or perhaps famous quotes, which might fit nicely in the context of your web site and go along with the venue.One thing that people tend to like it is hurricane winds and you can usually pick up a sound bite or two on the Internet for free. It is quite simple you can cut and paste the sound bite and look for commonality on the sound waves so that you can find a place to loop it so it does not take up too much space or cause problems with Internet users who wish to listen to it.It appears that during the 2005 Atlantic tropical hurricane season that Internet users searched the word; Hurricane; more than any other word on Google. And if that means that people will come to your web site and listen to be hurricane audio Internet streaming if you put it up. This is good to know and it might be something that is very interesting to what is going on in the world and something that will be enjoyable for the Internet users to which visits your site. It is really easy to do and it does not take up too much space and you can loop a little sequence and everyone will love it. Consider this in 2006.Lance Winslow
Category : Business:Audio-Streaming

Amazingly true, earn money with lousy videos

2008-08-08T09:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Doctor Wealthy

If your looking for a new ethical easy way to earn money you should look no further. Doctor Wealthy creates a guide on how to earn money with lousy videos, He doesnt care about fame he just wants to expand his business while keeping a low profile. Doctor Wealthy dont play games like most of the guys, he doesnt get people hyped by fake bank statements and checks. He simply lets you decide for a full 60 days to see if you can or cannot make money with his guide. However if you cant follow the simply instructions laid in his guide he will advise you to go see your doctor to see if your brain is working since you couldnt follow his simple instuctions His guide isnt something from the scammers corner, his rich and legit. Apparently theres been a couple of jealous gurus assaulting his website only because he makes more money with a strategy that they didnt want to be revealed. He doesnt BS like these guys he decided to offer people the real deal, a actual guide t make money and its so simple a little kid can follow the simple instructions laid out. People like doctor wealthy rarely come out to give people the legit money making system, most of the guys are scammers. His guide is nice simple and short and to top it off he offers 60 days money back guarantee. If you,ve been scamed then i suggest you visit Doctor Wealthy (WWW.DOCTORWEALTHY.NET) this guys dont play games. he wants to show serious people serious money.Visit Doctor Wealthy's site and you can see what his really talking about, I find him very intersting his guide is nice and simple for making money. When you buy his guide just dont get mad you never thought of the strategies youself, i nearly broke a window. Well enough said if you really want to make mone you should to Doctor Wealthy's website (WWW.DOCTORWEALTHY.NET) P.S. You better hurry up doctor wealthy's guide isnt going to stay cheap forever. You shoul act fast to get your copy of the guide i got mine.

Category : General EBooks

Why Talking A Golf Training System Isn't Always The Answer - Part 1

2008-08-08T07:00:00.001-07:00

Author : myemails888

Golfers will do anything they can in hopes to play better golf and hit the LONG ball. Am I right? Are you in this group of golfers? If so, I?m quite confident to say you?ve taken a golf training system / lesson or or two. Golf training lessons can be very effective in getting you back on track, if your swing has gone south. But, not always....Why is that so? Let me explain...How many golf training or lesson have you taken, only to be more frustrated, disappointing at your scores & performance and hitting the ball worse than before that golf lesson? Do you know why this is happening even to veteran golfers? It can be many different reasons, such as too many swing thoughts and possibly your behavior; making drastic changes that require hours at the range and hitting thousands of balls; or lastly, your body just can?t effectively move in the way it needs to, to make a mechanically correct golf swing, and many more hidden reasons....I?m inclined to say that for the majority of golfers, especially the older golfer, it?s the last reason above. Your body just can?t move the way it needs to. The question now is, why is that so? Why can?t your body do what you know it needs to do to swing the club correctly? It can drive you to the point of quitting the game. But there is hope. There is an approach that will almost 100% of the time correct this problem. Do you want to know what it is? It?s addressing your ?physical body and your mind limitations?. That?s what?s keeping you from a great game of golf. Do you know that hypnotherapy and even the misconceived NLP can improve your game of golf?Do you ever get on the course and just feel like you can?t make a full backswing? Or, it just feels impossible to maintain your golf posture and ?stay in your swing?? No amount of golf training systems or lessons or hitting balls will correct this. The reason is your "physical and mind? issue, and until you work on it, it will never get better. I?ve seen it time and time again. Golfers walking off the course in pure disgust. They?ve taken many golf training systems or even paying tons of money for lessons that they already knew, hit balls at the range, and even bought the latest, greatest titanium drive; and yet still can?t play like they think they are capable of.Stay tuned for Part 2 of "Why Talking A Golf Training System Isn't Always The Answer?"Eddy's website is about golf and its secret golf training system. Please visit golf training system for more information. Eddy's website is about golf and its secret golf training system. Please visit golf training system for more info.

Category : General Sports: Golf

Designing your Web Site for ALL Browsers

2008-08-07T15:00:00.001-07:00

Author : David Bell

How to Become a Bodybuilding Champion - The Art of Bodybuilding!

2008-08-05T21:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Greg Ryan
Yes, bodybuilding is an art! As the Potter molds the clay, so does the individual sculpt the body and mind. To the naked eye, most only see the exterior finish, to the champion; the art is in their history and in Rome.The sport of bodybuilding dates back to the Roman days of the gladiator. While what may seem as meaningless posing and superficial gazing to some, to others who participate and understand reaches far deeper into the roots of tradition.Bodybuilding is unique in that it combines the unknown elements of human nature with nutritional science, exercise and psychology. As different as a finger print is the outcome of ones process of becoming a champion. A true champion believes the art of bodybuilding lies not in his/her external stature, but in the depths of their purpose for doing so. And for the true champion, greatness needs no explanation!The sport of bodybuilding is about preparation, presentation and perseverance. To be a champion bodybuilder one must connect history with present day purpose. Without this one will never understand the true meaning of what it takes in becoming a true bodybuilding champion.Preparation:Proper preparation consists of three elements: consistency, variety and efficiency. No matter what your goals are; consistent training, eating right and recuperation time all play a vital role in becoming a champion. There are no short cuts or off seasons!Presentation:As important as the preparation is the presentation. Whether it is a running event, game or bodybuilding competition it matters not, what is important is that moment in time on display. While many unknowns abound during your time in the spot light, presentations can be mastered by prior visualition of the event, studying event criteria and asking for advice from those before you. As any champion knows it only takes seconds to become a second place finisher.Perseverance:With out hard work champions are at best mediocre. There can be no seasonal or part-timers. Taking short cuts will only by you time to when you will pay the price either physically, mentally or potentially.Personally, in the beginning I did not know I would be a champion, but what I did believe was sooner or later I would end up in Rome. Rome was not built in a day nor are champions. With a one day at a time attitude, in my mind it was only a matter of time to be where others only wished. Proper planning prevents poor performance!It is only you who can become what only you can believe! Be a champion!START LOSING WEIGHT THE RIGHT WAY FOR GOOD TODAY!
click here http://www.resolutions.bz Discover the common sense way to lose
weight with out dieting that the doctorâ™s DONâ™T want you to know.
Greg Ryan is a best selling author, former employee of Kathy Smith,
and high profile fitness expert.
Category : Coaching

The Hidden Benefit Of Computer Certifications

2008-08-05T09:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933
The web is covered with stories regarding the benefits of professional computer certification, and most of them are backed up with salary surveys and the like. While thereÃ‚â™s certainly nothing wrong with making more money and having better job prospects, thereÃ‚â™s one benefit of certification that many candidates forget about.

Confidence.

You canÃ‚â™t pay your rent with confidence you canÃ‚â™t pay for gas with confidence you canÃ‚â™t pay for ANYTHING with confidence, right? So who cares, right?

Wrong. The confidence you build from truly earning a certification, whether itÃ‚â™s an MCSE, CCNA, or CCIE, cannot be purchased, borrowed, or stolen. It has to be earned.

What do I mean by Ã‚âœtruly earnedÃ‚â? First, IÃ‚â™m referring to those little documents out there generally referred to as Ã‚âœbraindumpsÃ‚â. If you buy one of these things and happen to skate by a certification exam, did you learn anything? No. Did you learn anything? No. Are you going to be effective on the job? No. As I tell my students, when youÃ‚â™re standing in front of a server or router that isnÃ‚â™t working, and all eyes are on you to troubleshoot the problem, the correct answer is not Ã‚âœBÃ‚â. There is no multiple choice.

Secondly, IÃ‚â™m referring to the hope that the certification you earn was earned by taking a demanding exam.

Now, youÃ‚â™re probably thinking Ã‚âœokay, Chris has lost his mind. I should HOPE the test is demanding?Ã‚â

Yes, you should. ThereÃ‚â™s nothing more useless than earning a certification thatÃ‚â™s easy to get. ThereÃ‚â™s no feeling of pride, of achievement furthermore, if everyone else has that certification, what value does it have?

I can speak from experience on this one. Those of you relatively new to the field may never have used NT 4.0, but the MCSE NT 4.0 was the certification that ended up causing a lot of damage to the value of professional certifications. EVERYBODY had one. The tests were repetitive and far too simple, there were no simulation questions, and the exams required no real hands-on experience.

As a result, my MCSE NT 4.0 had little value. I also felt no sense of pride in achieving it.

Thankfully, exam vendors and authors seem to have learned their lesson. Cisco exams are not easy to pass, and the initial Cisco certification, the CCNA, demands hands-on knowledge and experience. Microsoft is (finally) adding simulator questions to their certification exams as well, and the MCSE exams have gotten tougher as well.

So if you should happen to fail an exam along the way to the top Ã‚â" and almost all of us do Ã‚â" just keep in mind that if the exams were not demanding, they would have no value.

After all, if it were easy, everyone would be doing it!

Choosing Cameo Jewelry

2008-08-03T03:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Blue Crockatt
Since cameos have been first made people have loved them & worn them. It makes such amazing jewelry that it just wont ever become outfashioned. It is certainly a mark of prestige for many & sophistication but anyone can wear a cameo. May it be on a velvet chocker or a stunning ring it just goes with any style. Now a days cameos are either hand sculpted from shell or other gemstone or molded out in many different materials.When it comes to choosing between handcarved or not you will be confronted with different types of marketing pushing either one. Handcarved pieces of course are all unique, some ladies profiles (as you will notice) are not really perfect. You might end up with a little weird nose or chin and you will definatly pay big bucks for handcrafted pieces made out out of genuine shell or gemstones. Still, for many those are the real thing & they wont consider anything else.If on the other hand, you don't mind the material as long as it look good & is durable you will be pleased to find many at affordable prices. Those very detailed perfect cameos are being molded mostly out of resin. You will find them in a variety of sizes & colors such as blue, purple, violet, green, carnelian, black, pink & more. Those are durable & you always get that perfect profile in beautiful details.Also the style is to consider, anything can figure on a cameo but mostly women are represented. Some have long wavy hair, other large hats, mostly young beautiful women with lots of grace. Also, flowers are a commun thing to find on cameos, may it be along with a lady's profile or on their own. Roses are the most represented along with carnelians. Many animals are also represented like horse, butterflies & more.You can also find your astrological sign with or without the sign's inscription written next to the zodiac design.For some great exemples of resin cameos visit the following link, you will find a variety of cameos to choose from with every item:http://www.sterlingsilverart.com/index.php/cPath/37All those may be mounted in rings, pendants, pins, earrings, bracelets and much more so there is a lot to consider when purchasing a cameo piece. Shop around & you will surely find many different styles & yours for sure!Silversmithing artist knowed for her beautiful selection of handmade personnalized caduceus jewlery & much more!
Category : Shopping:Jewelry-Diamonds

Where Are The Leaders?

2008-08-02T11:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Fred Tutwiler

There is a disastrous state of leadership in our national government. Our political system has devolved to a state of territorial agenda, short-sighted positioning and religious manipulation. Kind of like what one would expect in a new government such as Iraq. But not here! Let's see here: a disastrous military engagement, global terrorism, global warming, a chaotic immigration system, corruption, out-of-control health care costs, irresponsible deficits, and an energy policy that ensures our addiction to foreign oil for decades. In the midst of these urgent challenges, our elected leaders selfishly busy themselves with partisan politics and maneuvering to ensure control of one party over the other, all the while sabotaging each others efforts to deal intelligently with these serious issues. This isn't about Democrats or Republicans. This is about charlatans of all persuasions.The biggest impediment to leadership in our government is that America doesn't elect "leaders". We elect "managers". We put people in power who are well-suited for popular elections, but don't have a clue what it means to "lead". They know what it means to "get promoted" and "keep their jobs". Ugh! Think about it. A manager is primarily responsible to his "boss", and, ideally to the organization. He's "interested in" the customer's needs, but mainly because responding to those needs in a cost-effective way promotes the success of the company. And make no mistake about it, to a manager the life and health of the organization is everything. Yes, some managers do grow disillusioned with the organization, and leave it. But those who stay have a vested interest in the organization, MUCH more so than they have to the customers or any particular "customer service" policy. Isn't that what we're seeing in Washington? Our elected Representatives tow the "party" line, they do what their "bosses" tell them to do, or else they won't get that bonus (aka "earmark") or promotion (committee assignments!). If they want to keep their jobs, they do what the organization (aka, "their party") wants them to do. They help each other out and they always try to stay in front of the competition. Like the manager, our elected officials are first and foremost committed to keeping their jobs and getting promoted. And I don't care what bill of goods someone may be trying to sell, the point of view from the "keep my job" reality is COMPLETELY different than the point of view from the "do what's best for the customers" reality.One of the fundamental elements of human nature is that we will always focus our attention, both consciously and subconsciously, on whatever we are measuring. That which we measure, therefore, determines what actions we will take and the quality of those actions. If achieving the measured result is important enough to us, or if we can rationalize it enough, we are extremely tolerant of the unintended consequences of those actions, even if we would NEVER choose to produce those results.Map all of this on to the black comedy unfolding in our nation's capital and it appears that we have elected an army of well-meaning people who has a value system based on self-promotion, survival and keeping the boss happy. Well, that value system may be fine if you're hiring a summer manager for your ice cream store at the beach, or even if you want a loyal partisan to manage your car plant in Iowa. But it totally sucks for hiring someone who is going to have to deal with complicated political, economic and environmental challenges that plunge entire regions of the world into death and chaos.We need to stop putting managers in positions that demand leaders. We need people of courage and vision, and we need to reward them for being willing to upset the status quo, rather than punishing them as soon as they say or do something that ticks off our little corner of the neighborhood.Leadership is about finding a way to cause excellence and greatness. Nobody said that is an easy task. So what? Stop making excuses! I don't give a flying hoot if you, Mr. Congressman, or Mr. Senator or Mr. PRESIDENT, have to sacrifice everything you've got. I don't care how hard it is, or how much ridicule and abuse you have to endure. I don't care if you are frowned upon by your "bosses" or if you miss out on the juicy bonuses. You asked for the opportunity to lead, so LEAD! Fred Tutwiler has worked with companies, individuals and athletic teams, including the 17 time NCAA Champion UNC Women's Soccer Team and the WUSA League Champion Carolina Courage. Fred, The Reality Coach, challenges non-productive views of reality. He is the author of Your MEGAgiNormous Rules: The invisible rules you live by, why they keep you stuck, and what you can do about it. Download Fred's FREE e-book "Why DO We KEEP Doing The Same Thing Over And Over Even When We DON'T LIKE the Result We Get?" at http://www.megaginormousrules.com.

Category : General Politics

Why One Should Chose A Network Marketing Home Based Business

2008-08-01T16:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Jack Foley
There are many advantages for having one's own business but I believe a network marketing home business has to be the crÃ¨me de la crÃ¨me. Network marketing above any other online business will continue creating the most online entrepreneurs. Firstly ask any of the successful online entrepreneurs are they happier with the amount of time they spend with their families and the answer will be predominantly yes. That has to be the biggest advantage.Other business people will spend long hours at work away from their homes, away from their family, friends etc.Traffic, business meetings, travel, are going to be significant factors in any other business. These factors keep you occupied which in turn alienates you from the things you enjoy in life. With a home based business, your time is your own. You make the rules and all work is done online, no commuting, no "dressing for the office" etc. You getting the picture yet?Another huge advantage is your taxes. Every democratic government is crying out for entrepreneurs like you to go and do their own thing. Unemployment is a huge factor on which governments are judged by year in year out. If you can make it on your own without working for a public or private body, your going to make a lot of politicians happy. Basically now you are off the grid, able to "earn your own crust", not having to work for someone else that the government also lured into the country/state.So you might ask, what is my government going to do for me in return? Well, by filing your taxes efficiently and by claiming for anything and everything that is related to your own home business, you should in effect pay at most half if not much lower that a regular person who is paying government taxes. This "unwritten rule" really irritates the people who pay government taxes but in my opinion, it is correct. Any individual willing to take a chance deserves to succeed and deserves the perks for doing so.Finally, the most rewarding advantage of network marketing is that you are helping people achieve their dreams. This in my view is the biggest difference between a conventional company and network marketing. Anyone who has had experience working in a small business will tell you that the goal every month was to sell as much as possible at all costs. Customer relationships came second to the bottom line sales figure every month.In network marketing, itâ™s all about relationships. They are paramount to the success of your business. You must think in this manner as your downline are much more important to what you make this month. Your downline are your long term business builders. Look after them and they will make you very successful. But isnâ™t it rewarding to know at the end of it that all, the people that made you successful were the very same people that you guided to success. These scenarios are happening every day in network marketing. If you want to become one of these people give your home based business a try, you have nothing to lose only a regret that you didnâ™t start it sooner!Author Jack Foley works from home in Ireland
For more articles and information about Jack's home business, visit Jack's website:
http://www.residual-income-home-based-business.comCopyright Â© Jack Foley - All Rights Reserved
Category : Multiple Sclerosis

Not all Fats are Bad

2008-08-01T02:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Dianne Ronnow

Fats have been unfairly lumped together as being all bad for too long. Fat doesn't necessarily cause disease, and can actually cause a role in its prevention. The truth is that some fats are very bad for us and some fats are actually very good for us.Time has shown us that diets that restrict all fats fail in terms of weight loss. Since the end of World War II, Americans have been told that they need to restrict saturated fat in their diets. So we switched to margarine from butter, and did what we could to restrict fat. We have been constantly told that the reason for our health problems is that we still eat too much fat, especially saturated fats.Since Americans have been told to eat a low fat diet to lose weight, the results are that nearly two thirds of adult Americans are now classified as overweight and more children are overweight now than ever before. Obviously something is wrong. That is because we need special kinds of fats in our diets that we are not getting.If you are like me, you grew up being told that vegetable oils were the good oils and saturated fats were the bad ones. Now we are finding out that it is just the opposite. Diets that are moderate to high in "good" saturated fats and oils such as coconut oil and olive oil are actually very good for us. They raise good cholesterol levels and lower bad cholesterol, blood glucose and blood pressure. As a matter of fact, people who started adding at least 4 tablespoons of coconut oil to their diets every day, have found that they can now lose weight when they could not before on a fat restricted diet. Sometimes the addition of these oils even helps with their health problems.It turns out that the bad guys are polyunsaturated oils, which carry toxic fatty acids (long chain fatty acids or LCT's). These LCT's tend to produce fat in the body. Polyunsaturated oils are the vegetable oils we commonly see in the grocery store, such as soy, corn, cottonseed, rapeseed and safflower.We have been told that they lower cholesterol, but they way that they do is not healthy, as it ends up collecting in the liver. These oils are easily oxidized and damaged by free radicals. When cooked they become rancid in a few hours, even in the refrigerator. This causes damage to our body at a cellular level, the end results showing up as problems like diabetes, cancer, hypothyroidism and heart disease. And if that is not enough, these oils help us to get fat, lower the metabolic rate in our bodies, help suppress the thyroid function and cause our skin to age quicker.Trans-fat is one of the worst bad guys. Trans-fatty acids often appear on ingredient labels as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. It is what they do to vegetable oils to make them into hard fats such as margarine and vegetable shortening. It is used in the prepared food industry in baked goods like cookies, crackers, and most supermarket peanut butter to prolong the shelf life. These bad fats are used almost exclusively in fast foods that are fried. When heated and eaten, they turn into something like poison in your system, because your body can not process this kind of chemically made fat. Trans-fats not only increase levels of bad cholesterol, but they will decrease levels of good cholesterol in the blood stream and trans-fatty acids have been linked to heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Fats such as margarine and shortening should be totally avoided, as well as foods items that contain them.The United States FDA is finally catching up to this truth, and by January 2006 they will be requiring food products to label the amount of trans-fat they have in them.) What is frightening is that trans-fats are found in over 40% of the products on our supermarket shelves.The fatty acid chains in coconut and olive oil are medium-chain fatty acids (MCT's) and they promote weight loss by increasing the body's metabolism to create energy. Coconut oil has become popular lately, because it has been discovered that coconut oil is nature's richest source of MTC's. If you decide to add coconut oil to your diet, it is recommended that you purchase virgin coconut oil (VCO), usually found in health food stores, because it from the best part of the coconut and has not been chemically bleached and heat processed. It is better for cooking than olive oil, because olive oil can be damaged by the heat of cooking, making it similar to the other vegetable oils in the body when cooked.Even saturated fat from animals is not as bad as it once was thought to be, especially if it is from organically raised animals (free range and grass fed). Organic butter has a very high conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) content, which helps us lose weight and gain muscle. But non-organic meats may still be dangerous because of the way the animals were raised or fed. Most grocery store meats are filled with hormones, pesticides, medicines and unhealthy fat that gets transferred to us when we eat it.Organic grass fed and free range meat and eggs avoid these problems, and give us a much healthier source of protein and saturated fat. Organic saturated fats and oils are actually good for you and should be eaten daily. The body needs these fats for healthy functioning.So, forget the guilt and fry up that range-fed chicken in some coconut oil and enjoy! By Dianne Ronnow ? 2006 Mohave Publishing. All rights reserved. From "The Enzyme Health Diet Plan", a free ebook found at http://enzyme-health.com.Dianne?s FREE ebook, "Coconut Oil Diet Secrets" reveals how people are losing weight and getting healthier with coconut oil diets. To find out the secrets of coconut oil, go to the web site at Coconut-Oil-Diet.com now!This article may be freely copied as long as it is not modified and this resource box accompanies the article, together with working hyperlinks.

Category : General Food

Mobile Phone Insurance Eliminates Restless Moments

2008-08-01T01:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Jenifer Paul
Mobile phone stealing is on rise. Now we are used to buy expensive handsets and personalise it. It is really a great risk if you are not insuring your mobile phone. In case if you lose or damage it accidentally, you will have to pay full replacement cost to buy a new one.There are many benefits of mobile insurance.• If you loose your mobile phone, you can get the replacement soon so that you will not be left without mobile phone for a long period.• Your mobile phone can be repaired or replaced without any cost• You will not be responsible for any calls made by the thief who has stolen your mobile• The insurance coverage will be applicable even in abroad• The insurance coverage includes water damages , fake calls or mobile theft• Your monthly insurance premium will be very low and literally affordable• Once you buy your mobile insurance policy , you will be much relievedOn the other hand, if your mobile phone is not insured, you will be liable to pay all the calls that thief makes on your mobile phone. Moreover, buying a new mobile phone will create lots of inconvenience as you have to notify your friends and relatives for the changed mobile number.If you loose your mobile phone, virtually you can do nothing except informing police and filling in different forms. So, it is always safe to buy and affordable mobile insurance policy to avoid restless moments.3contractmobilephonesorangemobileshop
Category : Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing

Medical Spa Menu Offers Hope for Long-Term Blemishes

2008-07-31T16:40:00.001-07:00

Author :

Medical Spa Menu Offers Hope for Long-Term Blemishes &nbsp;by: Jenny DrakeA medical spa menu usually covers a range of services and treatments from pure cosmetic to deeper corrective treatments. A basic medical spa menu may include: <ul> <li>Face Treatments <li>Body Treatments <li>Corrective Skin Care <li>Photorejuvenation <li>Laser Hair Removal <li>BOTOX Cosmetic <li>Restylane <li>Collagen <li>Microdermabrasion <li>Vein Treatments <li>Cellulite Therapy <li>Corrective Peels</ul>Beyond that, some menus include exotic treatments auriculotherapy, herbal medicine, tui na massage and acupuncture, as well as the usual pampering treatments that go down so well. As an illustration, here is a summary of the more common offerings: Corrective Face TreatmentsNon-surgical corrective facial treatments are designed to reduce common skin problems associated with aging skin, renew and rejuvenate the skin, balance the overall hue/tone of the skin and address mild acne issues. Energetic Spa FacialsEnergetic Spa Facials are a holistic way of caring for your skin and work effectively to nourish and maintain overall skin health and well being. PhotorejuvenationIntense Pulsed Light technology corrects or improves a variety of skin conditions, such as rosacea, broken capillaries, unsightly veins, reddened scars and photoaging due to sun damage. The approach is gradual, with noticeable results achieved over several sessions. Treatment hs been compared to the sensation of a small rubber band gently snapping against the skin. BotoxWrinkles are caused by the contractions of underlying facial muscles every time you smile, laugh, or frown. Botox partially blocks the nerve impulses to them, causing the muscles to relax. After the solution takes effect, the overlying skin is smooth and unwrinkled while the untreated facial muscles still function normally. Cellulite TherapyThis is a non-surgical treatment for cellulite, a little like massage. The treatment increases local circulation to tissue temporarily reducing the appearance of cellulite. This procedure is also used after body liposuction to the smooth the skin. A complete course of treatments generally involves two sessions per week for seven to nine weeks.<table width=100% cellpadding=8 cellspacing=0 border=0 bgcolor=#dddddd><tr><td>About The Author Jenny Drake has a healthy interest in living life to the full. Her advice and writings are available for free download at Beauty Fitness Lifestyles.</td></tr></table>

Category : Health Organizations

Real Estate Investing - FSBOs vs. Agent Listings?

2008-07-31T05:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Dr.Phil Speer
Many would-be real estate investing professionals face discouragement because of the assumption that acquisitions require deep-pockets. Some even believe the myth that nothing-down purchases are impossible.The early 1980s era in real estate investing known as the Zero Down Real Estate Movement was initiated by Robert Allen with his best-seller, "Nothing Down." After observing how commercial properties were acquired with no money down, Allen applied 50 techniques from the commercial real estate industry to the residential property marketplace. He was reportedly paid $1 million advance royalties for his publication, and began holding real estate investing conventions across the country.The Nothing Down era was a startling eye-opener to the public. Very few were aware of Allen's predecessors, like Nick Nickerson, Al Lowry and Mark Haroldsen who wrote books on real estate investing requiring no money. Allen popularized the notion, and it was a strong public draw for his real estate investing seminars.However, some of Allen's convention speakers were ultimately revealed as "con men," and some bellied up. Robert Allen himself went bankrupt in 1996. The public generally concluded that Allen was probably a fraud, and that real estate investing was impossible without deep-pockets.The Wall St.Journal got wind of the Nothing Down Real Estate Investing Movement, and interviewed many investors who were using "Zero Money Down" techniques. The business editor of the Wall St.Journal interviewed me repeatedly (and others who knew of my real estate investing), and featured me in an editorial as one of the most successful investors in the nation who had purchased millions of dollars in rental property without any money.These previous unfolding events are pertinent to the conclusion of how to buy real estate properties with limited funds.I proved that properties could be acquired without cash (or credit) to the tune of $10 million in real estate investments during my first 4 years. I used a $10 bill in the acquisition of many of my properties.Purchases from FSBOs (For Sale By Owners) were possible through negotiations with motivated sellers. I bought millions of dollars in real estate properties without cash or credit by learning acquisition skills that required no money down.On the other hand, real estate properties listed by real estate agents minimally require a down payment that covers the agent's listing fee. These listed properties were no more valuable than the FSBO properties, but the agent fees demanded cash upon acquisition. In the intervening years since the 1980s, I have purchased some agent-listed properties, but my target acquisition continues to be FSBO real estate property from a motivated seller.Phil Speer, Ph.D., started his real estate investing career 25 years ago. Without the availability of credit and using only a $10 bill, he purchased $1 million in properties in his first year, and had accumulated $10 million in properties by his fourth year. He was featured in a Wall St.Journal editorial as most successful investor in the Nothing Down Real Estate Movement, and was honored with a Caribbean cruise as top investor of the year. In his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee, he has been a businessman and Human Resources Consultant for 30 years. He is an author, speaker and seminar director. To learn how to profit in real estate investing, even without cash or credit, read his report at http://www.CashinHouses.com/. Subscription is free to his Fix-up Ezine. He and other contributing authors provide free articles and resources on real estate investing at his online âœAcademy of Advanced Real Estate Investing Techniquesâ - http://www.AAREIT.com/.
Category : Debt Consolidation

Vagus Nerve Stimulation: What are the Benefits and How Does It Relieve Depression?

2008-07-31T01:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Charles Donovan
Vagus nerve stimulation is more effective than antidepressants and is not related to brain surgery or shock treatments. It is a 60-90 minute out-patient procedure, with robust antidepressant affects on the brain.The implant procedure is performed by a surgeon. A pacemaker-like device is implanted in your upper left chest. One lead wire is tunneled underneath your skin and coiled around the left vagus nerve in your neck.The vagus nerve has a direct pathway to hypothalmus and hippocampus in the brain. The implanted generator is programmed to send impulses to the vagus nerve. Stimulating the vagus nerve has been proven to favorably modulate those areas of the brain responsible for mood and depression. There are no pain fibers in the vagus nerve. The patient in the first few weeks after implant, slight voice alteration when the generator sends impulses to the nerve. The nerve gets used to the stimulation and the side effects, if any, disipate over time.This is a therapy for for patients who suffer from chronic or treatment-resistant depression, for which antidepressants drugs have not adequately relieved their depression.The FDA's Medical Devices Panel approved vagus nerve stimulation therapy. Final approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected by the end of June.You can learn more at http://www.VagusNerveStimulator.com. There is a free newsletter to keep you up-to-date on the latest developments.Charles Donovan was a study study subject in the FDA investigational trial of vagus nerve stimulation and chronic depression. He is the author of Out of the Black Hole: The Patient's Guide to Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Depression and founder of the VagusNerveStimulator.com Web site.Out of the Black Hole: The Patient's Guide to Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Depression is available on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com and at http://www.vagusnervestimulator.com/book/
Category : Sociology

Career as a Motor Home Delivery Person

2008-07-30T17:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Lance Winslow
Did you know if you love to travel or want a job driving for a living that you can make money delivering motorhomes? It is true. And it makes sense for those who love to drive but do not want to deal with people like they would if they were driving a bus, taxi cab, limousine or coach. Of course you could get a job as a truck driver too, but delivering motorhomes is nice because they are generally new or very nice.How much do they pay you? Well often if you drive one across country you can make $2500 or so and they pay for the gas and pay you 40% up front so you can buy fuel have some cash and then get paid the rest when you drop it off. And best of all many people get to drive some very nice vehicles and they give you money for a return airline ticket.Of course most pocket this money and find a motorhome to drive back the other way and get paid going both ways. So they can make $5,000 per two weeks driving each way. And still have plenty of time once they get back to enjoy their own home until they need some more money. What kinds of people take these jobs? Well people with good driving records who are not afraid to travel and enjoy the open road of course. Consider this in 2006."Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/
Category : Business:Careers-Employment

Ways To Combat Worrying

2008-07-30T11:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Karen Hastings, Hertfordshire

Worrying can make you physically anxious for example, increase in heart rate, butterflies and feeling tense. When people experience the physical symptoms of anxiety, this usually leads to more worrying about the symptoms, creating a vicious cycle.There are lots of practical steps you can take to combat your worrying and to break the vicious cycle. These are techniques that I share with my clients at my NLP and Hypnotherapy practice in Hertfordshire.Identify and clarify the worrying thought: Often worrying thoughts are experienced as several fleeting ideas and images that race through your mind. Spending the time writing down exactly what it is that is worrying you brings the thought out into the open. This in itself can show the worrying thought up as being less scary then when it was just in your head. Sometimes these thoughts are so automatic and quick that I will spend time at my NLP and Hypnotherapy practice, Hertfordshire helping clients identify worrying thoughts.Explore what the worse thing that could happen would be if the thought was true: Often you will find that it is much easier to cope with a clearly defined worst outcome, then the product of your imagination, which is usually fantasy based and much worse!Look at the thought logically: This involves examining the objective evidence of whether the thought is true. Create two columns on a piece of paper and on one list evidence to support the thought and under the other list evidence that disputes the thought. This is a process that is used at Hypnotherapy, Hertfordshire. The therapist works with the client to elicit the evidence, using a series of questions designed to help the person broaden their view of the situation.Another point of view: Try looking at the worry from another perspective. For example, what would you advise a loved one who was concerned over the same thought. Also think about other times in your life when you would feel different about the worry.What are the benefits or losses of holding onto this thought: Look at whether holding onto your worrying thought helps or hinders you.Over-generalising: Are you viewing the situation/self in all or nothing terms e.g. complete disaster------- totally perfect ? Actually rate your thought out of 100% to remind yourself that your worry is probably somewhere other then complete disaster on a sliding scale.Take Action: Rather then passively worrying which does not benefit you, look at whether there is anything you can do about the situation. Make a list of action steps that you can take.Free time: If you are always worrying then become stricter with yourself and how you spend your time. Dedicate a set time to worrying, ensuring that within your time you set goals for action or work on your worry by going through all the steps to combat worrying already discussed. Then set dedicated time each day for relaxing - time where you will practice distracting your thoughts from worrying. Becoming proficient at a good body relaxation technique can be really useful. About The AuthorKaren Hastings is a NHS experienced mental health occupational therapist, Master NLP practitioner and hypnotherapist. Karen uses hypnotherapy in Hertfordshire, along with cognitive therapy and NLP approaches. For more information about Hypnotherapy or NLP, Herts visit http://www.karenhastings.co.uk

Category : Self Improvement

Daily Simple Tips To Improve Breast Health

2008-07-30T00:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Julie Walker

Medical experts recommend the following measures to best protect your breasts while maximizing your overall health: Sensuality and sexuality are not opposed to or the enemy of spirituality. Celebrate the sensuality of your body!Expose your breasts to sun and moonlight. It feels good to experience the sun, sea, and air on the rest of your body at topless beaches or in the privacy of your back yard!Eat a little of soy-based products, such as soy milk, tofu, and tempeh regularly can help blocking the tendency for breast tissues to bond with extra estrogens that can cause disorder in healthy the functioning of breast tissue.Do not smoke cigarettes or other tobacco products - Like alcohol, smoking has been linked to breast cancer.Eat a well-balanced diet - Include lots of fruits and vegetables, and keep your intake of fried foods, red meat, and junk food to a bare minimum. Prevent taking hydrogenated fats like margarine and vegetable shortening. (Be conscious of products that are in many store-bought crackers, cakes, and cookies - even health-store brands.) Cook with olive, peanut, sunflower, or sesame oils and butter or - better still - clarified butter (ghee) on bread.Color TVs, microwave ovens, and computer screens release radiation that can cause damaged tissue. Use protected computer display terminals and try to keep a good distance like 3m away from your TV. Do not stand right next to your microwave. Try to avoid using microwave, and use healthier cooking methods like your over or stove as more nutrients will be kept.Enjoy nurturing yourself. You need to massage your breasts and/or pamper yourself with a massage or your favorite spa treatment. It is a MUST survival skill.Do not use underarm deodorant that contains aluminum salts or other compounds. Aluminum is a heavy metal that can enter the blood and lymph systems through the skin and severely challenge the immune system.The above information is found in Ms Yvonne Lee, internationally acclaimed book "To All Women Who Want To Enhance Their Breasts Naturally, But Don't Know How To Start". It describes and details the most important breast enhancement techniques from every corner of the world. Author Yvonne Lee, provides an unbiased pro-and-con analysis of each technique, in addition to practical information such as how and where to get it, cost, and potential impact on insurance coverage. The ebook version of the book is now available at: http://www.breastenhancementbook.com ANBES.com is offering Free Sample, Limited Period Only. Latest Nanotechnology Breast Enhancement Serum That Show Immediate Results In 5 Minutes ... While stock last! Consists of Pueraria Mirifica. Hurry Click Here Now> http://www.anbes.com/article/ Julie is the customer service guru of ANBES.com. Get latest Nanotechnology Breast Enhancement Serum That Show Immediate Results In 5 minutes. Go to: http://www.anbes.com/article/

Category : General Women

Probate Records

2008-07-29T19:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Josh Riverside
All important documents which are used in the probate process are known as probate records. The first category of records relate to personal properties which are to be submitted to the court.The will should state what assets are involved, who are the beneficiaries, who will be the personal representative, guardian for minor children less than 18 years old, someone to manage children's' property [if the heirs are minors or young adults], signature of witnesses, signature of self and endorsement by the notary.Courts and law firms give out prescribed forms for writing a will. Today, there are not only printed books, but also e-books, CDs and computer software, all available for developing a will. Software is a bit more expensive than book versions. [All these versions come within an approximate price range of US$25 to 50].The next important document is proof of assets, which are in decedent's sole name. These can include bank accounts, securities, Individual Retirement Accounts, life insurance policies/premiums, employee benefit plans, foreign property, Social Security benefits, IRS Tax Refunds and US Savings Bonds.The second category includes administrative papers which are necessary in any probate. These include "Petition for probate of will and Letters testamentary" or a "Petition for letters of administration", which is submitted along with the prescribed filing fee and the death certificate.The judge conducts probate proceedings, appoints a person to handle the probate issue and execute the will or administer the assets respectively. Then issues the order sought. Both the above mentioned letters are known as "letters". Some courts call this letter "Notice of appointment".When necessary, the judge holds hearings and clarifies queries raised by issuing written directions called "orders." For instance, there is an order to pay the decedent's debts and taxes and divide the rest among the beneficiaries.The next important record is Notice of administration. This is also known as "Notice to creditors". This is a notice given by the personal representative after identifying, gathering, appraising and safeguarding probate assets, for publication in a local newspaper. This is done so that every body, particularly creditors if any, will come to know of the current position of the properties. It enables the creditors to take responsive action by claiming the amount due to them by filing a `creditor's claim', to get back any money owed by the decedent. In Washington and some other states, `Notice to creditors' is optional.Then the Personal Representative disburses the property to all the heirs and beneficiaries, and obtains a document signed by them. This document, known as "Receipt and Waiver" signifies that the heirs and beneficiaries have received their respective share of the estate.Next, the Personal Representative submits all the Receipts and Waivers and a Declaration of Completion of Probate to the probate court.Finally the court issues an Order for transfer of property to heirs and beneficiaries. This is the epilogue of the probate episode.Probate provides detailed information about probate, how to avoid probate, probate court, probate law and more. Probate is the sister site of Free Last Will And Testament Packages.
Category : Legal:Living-Will

Never Ever Show You're Jealous

2008-07-29T18:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Samantha Stevens

O.k., you're standing there all alone at a party and in the far
corner of the room your boyfriend is talking to some groovy
chick. She's coming onto him and much to your dismay, he doesn't
seem to be bragging about all how happy he is in his
relationship with you. In fact, he even seems to be encouraging
and indulging the shameless slattern's disgusting, desperate,
gall-filled pleas for sexual attention. So you a) burst into
tears and run from the room b) go up to him and drape yourself
around his neck so she can't miss the fact that you and him are
"together" or c) stand there and repeatedly tap his shoulder
with your finger going "Um honey, honey, honey, I have to talk
to you ... until he finally is forced to turn around and scream
in your face "WHAT!"

Actually, none of the above are the right answers.
Unfortunately, the minute you display jealousy, you convey
neediness and insecurity and according to Jungian psychiatrist
William Rock Penfield, people of both sexes find this extremely
unattractive in a partner. What they really find attractive is
something called "the unattainable." That is why your boyfriend
is flirting with the gorgeous interloper in the first place. He
knows he belongs to you and therefore she becomes attractive
because she is unattainable. Another reason we flip out, and
become jealous is because we know we've already been "attained".
The person knows he already "has you" so there is nothing to
chase... no thrill to the hunt... the cupid's arrow has already
met its mark and now you are about as sexually exciting as a
carcass thrown in a burlap sack.

No,the best thing for you to do in such a situation, is to
mirror his behaviour. Make yourself unattainable. Replace
thoughts like "No, no, no ....please don't do this to me." and "
Please, please. Stop. Stop flirting with him!" to "Oh so you
think you have this relationship in the bag do you.... while
here's me brushing my breasts up against your best friend's arm
and here's me batting my eyelashes at that guy you hate and
here's me smiling and waving at you like nothing's wrong ...
nothing at all!" Make like you're the wild unpredicatable one
--like what he's doing doesn't matter --like you could leave
this party at any minute with his successor. Before you know it,
he'll be the one casting you the anxious looks, as you dirty
dance with the cute guy you just met near the fridge. If he
doesn't, maybe you should consider leaving the party with the
new guy. Or girl.

Because this mirroring trick works on both sexes. What doesn't
work is begging, pleading, crying and trying to blackmail the
person into never doing it again, later, when you get home in
bed. Who wants to be with a needy, whiny jealous person. What a
turnoff!

Category : Organizing

Best Motorcycle Eyewear is not just Coincidence

2008-07-29T17:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Maricon Williams
Purchasing the best motorcycle apparel such as an eyewear is neither luck nor coincidence. It takes the right reason to back up your choice of eyewear. To help you decide, here are some pointers to consider.

Lens

When it comes to lens, it is better to choose polycarbonate over glass. The former is shatterproof so you need not worry about debris entering your eyes when collision happens. Glass debris can leave a person blind so avoid it. Also consider bigger lenses so as to give you bigger eye coverage thus, maximizes your eye protection.

Color of the lens also matters. You have to coordinate it with various conditions of a given ride. Use clear lens at night and rainy days or in times when clean vision is indispensable. Yellow or amber tint can be used on foggy and low light driving conditions. Grey or smoke, on the other hand, you can use it on sunny a sunny ride. Lastly, the colors green, blue or brown can be used if you want a tweaked view when you ride.

There are different types of coatings. The first one is the Ultra-violet coating. It protects the eyes from harmful UV rays of the sun. Polarized coating is another type. This coating greatly reduces glare and allows you to see in the most blinding situation. This can help you avoid perilous road mishaps. Scratch resistant coating is another type.

As the name implies, this coating is made to protect your eyewear from scratch, pricks and the like. When you accidentally drop your eyewear, you will be secured that it will not be scratched. This is to be avoided because a scratched lens impairs vision. Even a light scratch can cause eye fatigue, that is.

Another type is the transitional light adjusting which adjusts the lens color so as to give more shade in bright conditions. Finally, another worth-having type of eyewear is the non-reflective inside coating. It eliminates the reflection inside the lenses.

Frames

If you are into sunglasses, choice nylon or plastic frames and never metal. The latter do not hold up to the rigors of riding. It can even get bent easily. Another factor to consider is the frameâ™s design. Look for a contoured bend to go with your head.

Fit

Your eyewear must have a snug fit to achieve the best protection. Be sure that the eyewear rests on your ears comfortably. Not too tight yet not too loose. A nose piece must be snug enough but will not leave marks on your nose.

Be sure to get bigger protection in order for your eyes and your eyesight to be free from probable risks.

Living Life from the Inside Out

2008-07-29T15:40:00.001-07:00

Author : M. Beth Page
What would life look like if we stopped for just a moment and took a break from the pace of our daily lives and asked ourselves what we wanted? Would the response be, more of the same, less of the same, or perhaps, something completely different?Listening to the voice of our wise heart and the messages it offers is simple. However, we make it hard to "take" the time to be with our true selves. The precious insights we have about life can be discovered in challenging times, quiet times and joyful times. Dawn Brown, Author of That Perception Thing!, reminds us that we can learn through pain, or we can learn through joy. The secrets to igniting your passion for your ideal life exist in the moments of joy.Too often, we are on the brink of exhaustion, heart ache, or burnout before we ask ourselves what we really want. Rather than experiencing a crisis of self, I invite you to create some quiet space for reflection. Consider booking a date with yourself and find a quiet place to reflect and complete the following exercise.Begin by placing your feet flat on the floor and letting your hands rest comfortably in your lap. Close your eyes and take three deep cleansing breaths. Begin to visualize yourself in a sanctuary of your own creation. Take a look around, where are you? What is around you? Is this place familiar to you? Note the details of your sanctuary. There are no editors or inner critics present in this sanctuary. This is a safe place. You are here with the inner voice of your wise self.Now, look forward in time. It's one year down the road. It's the beginning of a new day. Visualize your experience. Where are you? Describe your surroundings. You are on your way to do work that you love and enjoy. What are you doing? Who are your colleagues? What does your office look like? What are your activities on this great day? How do you feel as you experience your day? Pull out a pen and notebook and describe your day with as much detail as possible.Keep your notes from this exercise.
Re-read your notes often over the next month.
Collect data, gather information.
Open yourself to possibilities.
Often, we are living our plan B life, waiting for the right circumstances to execute Plan A. Now is the time. Have you captured your Plan A life – Your dream?If you are on a quest to get more out of your work experience, you are invited to join Beth Page, Laura Min Jackson and Clare Mann as they explore the opportunities for "Getting to the Heart of the Matter at Work in a free tele-seminar on Wednesday July 19, 2006. Clare, Laura and Beth are three contributing expert authors to the new book, "Awakening the Workplace." See below to learn more about this tele-seminar, and to register.Getting to the Heart of the Matter at Work is a free tele-seminar taking place on Wednesday July 19, 2006. Clare, Laura and Beth are three contributing expert authors to the new book, "Awakening the Workplace." To learn more about this tele-seminar, and to register, visit http://www.dreamcatcher-consulting.com/update.htm.
Beth Page is the founder of Dream Catcher Consulting, an individual coaching and organizational consulting firm which uses a collaborative model to maximize individual and organizational outcomes. Learn more at http://www.dreamcatcher-consulting.com.
Category : Business:Change-Management

Men Are Worried That Their Penis Does Not Measure Up

2008-07-29T14:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Philip Lim
Most men are very concerned with penis size, and how their penis measures up to other men's. Because of this, men have tried all sorts of ways to enlarge their penis. Some can be harmful and can cause discomfort to them, while many others are expensive or simply ineffective.Studies have shown that most men are interested in penis enlargement. In fact these studies show that most men are not satisfied with their penis length or their sexual performance. They are also dissatisfied with the firmness of the erect penis, but are unwilling to talk with their doctor about what they perceive as a problem.Many men are convinced that their penis is not large enough to satisfy their lover. This leads to an overall lack of confidence when making love, and this lack of confidence often leads to a softer erection, which feeds the problem by often leading to feelings of inadequacy. This can even lead to relationship
problems as these feelings take root and deepen.Feeling that you are an unsatisfactory lover leads to a lack of desire to have sex, which the woman in your life may interpret as sexual rejection. This can lead to further misunderstanding regarding sex and the relationship, and often leads to serious problems between couples.The adult entertainment industry is full of ads for products and programs for the enlargement of the penis. The products include pills, creams and sprays that claim they will cause penis growth. These claims range from the scientific to the outrageous. Below we talk about penis enlargement methods
that DO NOT WORK:Over the last few years, advertisements have been popping up for creams that claim that they will enlarge the penis with regular use. Do they work? Medical evidence has demonstrated that no topical preparation can do more for you than to increase blood flow in the area, which may aid in other programs and may also assist in erection firmness, but these preparations can do nothing on their own to promote actual penis enlargement.One of the most common products advertised for penis enlargement is the penis pump. It can be seen on sale on the internet, in adult bookstores and magazines. The pumps work by creating a vaccuum around the penis and bringing blood to the tissue. This can assist men with extremely poor circulation to have an erection. There is no actual medical evidence that penis pumps cause any actual increase in the size of the penis. Some men
may even find that if they use a penis pump over a period of time that they will be unable to get an erection without using the pump.Men have used this method of penis enlargement for hundreds of years. Basically you hang weight from your penis in order to stretch it. Many ancient and tribal people practiced this method. Does it work? Over time, with regular use, you can achieve greater length using this method. The drawbacks include a thinner penis, and because of the stretched tissue, often
less ability to achieve and maintain an erection. This method can also cause decrease in blood circulation to the penis, which can lead to serious problems including tissue damage.Surgery is a big step, and an expensive one. More importantly, it can lead to serious complications like infection. It can also lead to scar tissue formation which can cause a misshapen penis. A common form of penis enlargement surgery involves taking your body fat and injecting a small amount into the penis. This does not cause significant change in length, although it can make
a difference in girth.Some men have the connective tissue at the top of their penis cut, which does not actually enlarge the penis, but does cause it to jut further out from the body. Of course, having less support, your penis will not stand up as far from your body as it did previous to the surgery. Penis surgery doesn't change your
ability to get an erection, or the firmness of that erection. This is caused by blood flow in the penis.Philip Lim, editor of Lasting Longer In Bed reveals the amazing
secrets to boost your confidence and make a positive impact on
your sex life. You can learn more at http://www.LastingLongerInBed.com
Category : Aviation

Internet Businesses For Sale

2008-07-29T14:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Jennifer Bailey

Making a profit is the primary goal in any business enterprise. The same holds true for Internet businesses for sale. Profit is the excess of income over expense. Profit is an objective indicator of productivity, and a solid basis for growth, expansion and survival. Profit enables a businessman to realize his other objectives too.Not all enterprises are interested in making profits. For example, hospitals, schools, charitable institutions and government agencies are not basically concerned with the acquisition of profits. The non-profit enterprises customarily rely on gifts, endowments, receipts from money-raising projects, and subsidies. In profit-making enterprises, profit should not be the end in itself. Profit should be the beginning--acting as seed money for more products, more plants, more dividends and more opportunities.Growth is another primary objective of Internet businesses for sale. A business should grow in all directions over a period of time. An enterprise which remains stagnant for a long period is presumed to suffer from an organic defect. The strategies adopted to achieve growth are adding more products/markets, diversifying into new areas, increasing market share, expanding markets or cutting down costs and increasing productivity.Providing quality products and services is yet another objective of Internet businesses for sale. Those who insisted on and persisted in quality survived competition and stayed ahead of others on the market. Persistent quality earns brand loyalty, a vital ingredient of success. There are other business people who believe in quick money. Quick money comes through short cuts. These are the people who give us leaky taps and adulterated goods. Such enterprises will not survive for long.To earn market leadership is yet another objective of Internet businesses for sale. To earn a niche for oneself in the market, innovation is the key factor. Innovation may be in the product itself, its advertising, distribution, or any other aspect of the business. Small Business For Sale provides detailed information on Businesses For Sale, Small Business For Sale, Internet Businesses For Sale, Franchise Business For Sale and more. Small Business For Sale is affiliated with Business Loan Brokers.

Category : General Business

How To Boost The Performance Of Your PC To Play Video Games

2008-07-29T13:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Gregg Hall
Many people these days use their computers for a variety of things, not just work or research but for fun as well. You know that you like to play computer games, but if you are going to play them you should consider getting the accessories to make your gaming experience better and increase the performance of your game playing.Most of the games that you play will be much easier to play with a joystick. If you are serious at all about optimizing your game playing you need to go for a good one here. There joysticks available that will include up to eight programmable buttons and will also include gaming software that will even allow you to program it to particular games. Get one that is easily plugged in, via USB preferably and one that allows for multiple adjustments.If you are playing games on your computer a good mouse is not optional, choose a wireless optical mouse to get the best performance. Having an optical mouse will help give you an edge over those who don't have one. Again one that hooks up via USB is preferable, but be aware that since these types use batteries they will need to be replaced frequently.Some of the console games will require a gamepad and many of those you get for your computer will be set up identical to the ones for the console game players. Make sure it fits well in your hands, look for a USB connection and take the time to play with them in the store if you can to get a feel for which one you like the best.A high quality speaker system with at least two speakers and a subwoofer are a must have for gaming. I am not saying you have to buy the most expensive set of speakers you can find, but you need quality to be able to get the most out of the gaming experience. The difference in the sound between average speakers that come with a computer and a set of more high performance gaming oriented speakers is night and day.You may also want to include a headset, especially if you are playing late at night and are sharing your home with someone, or you still live at home. With a headset you can play all night and no one will know, until they try to wake you in the morning!You must have lots of RAM. That's short for random access memory of course, and if you have any intention of playing games with intense graphics, and I know you do, then don't cut yourself short here. This is a simple fact, more RAM is better period.Gregg Hall is an author and internet marketing consultant living in Navarre Florida. Find more about Video Games and Video game accessories at http://www.videoandcomputergamesplus.com
Category : Computers-and-Technology:Games

Bowyer to go Aboard KHI #2 Chevrolet Silverado

2008-07-29T08:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Noah Scott

Clint Bowyer, the popular NASCAR driver will start his first race this season behind the steering wheel of the No. 2 Camping World Chevrolet Silverado truck for Kevin Harvick Incorporated (KHI) at the upcoming NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series that will take place at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Georgia this weekend."I'm really excited to get back behind the wheel of a truck. I had a lot of fun last year in the Truck Series and I was really happy when Kevin and DeLana asked me to drive for them in a few races this season. It's great that Camping World has come aboard as a sponsor. Hopefully we can bring them a lot of success." says NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer."I'm looking forward to racing in Atlanta, especially since the track is similar to Texas, where I got my first Truck Series win last season. I'll be pulling triple duty, so hopefully I can start the weekend off right with a good run in the Camping World Silverado." he further explains.In addition, this year's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will be the stage for the racing debut of newcomer Cale Gale, joining KHI along with the team owner and driver, Kevin Harvick. So KHI should get a GM repair manual for their Chevrolet trucks. Clint Bowyer's driver skills at the 2006 NASCAR Truck Series made him to score a number one finish with 148/148 laps at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth aboard the Silverado truck owned by Davil Dollar. He also obtained a top 10 slot during a race in Martinsville Speedway and took the seventh spot. This 2007 season, Clint is back behind the steering wheel of the No. 2 Camping World Chevrolet Silverado truck owned by co-driver Kevin Harvick and hopes to be the first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion.Meanwhile, Charlie Wilson Crew Chief of Atlanta Motor Speedway commented:"We have Clint Bowyer in the No. 2 Camping World Chevrolet Silverado this weekend. He will drive the same truck (chassis No. 012) that Kevin raced at the California Speedway.""We are using the same set up in the No. 2 Camping World Silverado that the No. 33 AES Silverado has. Ron (Hornaday) has always run well in Atlanta and with the set up that we are using; Clint will run really well also." he added. Along with the No. 2 Camping World Chevrolet Silverado for KHI, Clint Bowyer is also the current driver Jack Daniel's No. 7 Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the NEXTEL Cup Series and the No. 2 BB&T Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the Busch Series. The Richard Childress Racing owns both of these two trucks. Noah Scott is a 30 year old native of New Jersey, writer, and car fan - having grown up with both parents being auto enthusiasts. He works for an automotive consultancy firm and regularly contributes articles to car magazines.

Category : General Autos

Advertising Schools

2008-07-28T03:40:00.001-07:00

Author : K. Monteith
Advertising Schools teach students how to promote goods and services through marketing, publicity, sales promotion, and public relations. The goal of advertising is to inform, persuade and remind consumers.There are no official qualifications for Advertising professionals; however a Bachelor of Science Degree in Advertising with a broad liberal arts background is preferred. A formal education in Advertising emphasizes the creative and visual sides of selling, as well as the technical and business aspects of advertising. Students learn to perform market research and develop new marketing strategies. They also learn about sales and other types of promotion, as well as pricing and product development.Career possibilities are unlimited for Advertising professionals. Available positions include media services, account services, creative services, copywriter, Internet advertiser, direct response advertiser, and many more. Professionals may seek a position with an Advertising business (ad agency) or the in-house advertising department of a large company.Generally, advertising professionals work a 40 hour workweek. Annual salaries range from $20,000-$55,000 or more, depending on education and qualifications.If you would like to learn more about the creative and lucrative field of Advertising, find the advertising school that suits you by searching the many options found at www.schoolsgalore.com.DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.comCopyright 2006 - All Rights Reserved
K. Monteith in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc. for SchoolsGalore.comK. Monteith is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Advertising Schools at SchoolsGalore.com; meeting your needs as your educational resource to locate schools.
Category : Reference-and-Education

The Achilles Heel of the NASA Space Shuttle Fleet is Highlighted in the Novel Deorbit the Space Shuttle: Stem Cell Rescue

2008-07-27T20:00:00.001-07:00

Author :

blood spraying the white cabin walls of Space Shuttle Atlantis flashed across television screens worldwide begins this near-future techno-thriller, a provocative novel by Tulsa, Oklahoma author Neil Mavis that dramatizes the terrifying possibilities of a space shuttle rescue mission gone awry. Space shuttle Atlantis is stranded when the Achilles heel of the space shuttle - a single point of failure - has been damaged. Mavis verified the shuttles Achilles heel during discussions with a NASA space shuttle commander.Deorbit the Space Shuttle: Stem Cell Rescue (Heuristic Publishing; Publication Date: April 11, 2005; $16.95 ISBN 0-9763863-0-5) is a thought-provoking and page-turning novel that showcases timely topics such as private spacecraft, medical marijuana, and stem cell research in zero gravity. With only a few hours left for the shuttle crew, Scott, a NASA outsider with an almost impossible idea, suggests a risky plan that has never before been considered. The government backpedals because Scott has a marijuana arrest, and no academic credentials. Senator Graff reverses his support to rescue Atlantis when he learns his candidacy will be ruined if Scott uses the technology the senator intentionally scrapped.In a thrilling race against the clock, and no other options remaining, Flight Director Glen Minns reluctantly agrees to Scotts rescue plan in spite of Senator Graffs protests. The rescue could doom the Senator, and the manned space program, along with Scott and his mother. In a surprise ending, no one will know until it's too late to turn back.Contact Information:Heuristic Publishing1611 S. Utica #140Tulsa, OK 74104<a href="http://www.heuristicpublishing.com" target="_blank">http://www.heuristicpublishing.com</a>

Category : General Environment

What Happens if You Die Without Making a Will

2008-07-27T19:00:00.000-07:00

Author : Simon Markham
If you die without making a Will in the UK, the state will decide who gets what and how much, so those who you would want to benefit may get far less than you hoped.Your estate (your property and all belongings) are frozen and become subject to the law of intestacy. You are said to have died 'intestate', meaning everything you own will be valued, tax paid at 40% if worth more than Â£275,000 (as at August 2005) and then shared out to your surviving spouse or relatives or given to the state if you don't have any.The problem with this is that neither you or your family will have any say in the matter if you didn't make a Will. The beneficiaries and the share they receive will be decided by the state and the whole process can takes months or even years because you didn't take the time to make a Will.Whilst the law and complete strangers decide how your belongings are shared, your surviving spouse or partner has all the usual household and living expenses to pay. If you are the main breadwinner they will probably be on a reduced income. Your surviving spouse or partner may not have access to money, she or he would normally have a right to if you had made a Will, because the assets could be frozen until all the formalities have been sorted out. If you have got a valid Last Will and testament it should take no longer than three months to complete the legal process and release your assets to the people who you chose.So Who Gets What if You Die Without Making a Will?When someone dies without making a Will or Last Will and Testament, their estate (all their property and belongings) are distributed according to the law of intestacy. This is where, in effect, the state writes your Will for you and is most likely not to meet your wishes. The following outlines the basic rules that decides who gets what:If you are married at the time of your death
Your spouse will get everything if you left less than Â£125,000. If more than Â£125,000 is left but you leave no children, parents or siblings, then your spouse will still get everything.If you are married with children at the time of your death
If you die leaving a spouse and children, then your spouse will get the first Â£125,000 and your personal effects. The remainder is divided as follows: your spouse gets a life interest in half and the other half is divided between your children. A life interest means that your spouse is entitled to the income on that half for their lifetime and on their death it will automatically pass to your children.If you are married without children but have parents or siblings
If you die with no children, but have surviving parents or siblings, then your spouse gets the first Â£200,000 plus personal effects and the remainder is divided two ways. Your spouse will get half and the other half goes to your parents. If your parents have pre-deceased you, this share is divided between your siblings.If you are not married at the time of you death
If you leave children then it will be divided equally between them.
If there are no children but your parents survive you, then everything will go to your parents.
If there are no children or parents, then your siblings will receive everything.
If you leave no children, parents or siblings, then your grandparents will get everything.
If none of these people are still alive, then it will be divided among your uncles and aunts.
If there are none of the above then your estate will pass to the Crown.Notes:
When using the term 'children' this includes illegitimate and adopted children but not step-children (unless legally adopted). Joint property generally passes to the surviving joint owner.Copyright Â© Make Your Will - Free Guide to Making a Will in the UK http://www.make-your-will.co.uk All rights reserved.Please feel free to publish this article online provided that the article and this copyright statement remain unchanged with live links.
Category : Clothing

Buy US Postage Stamps Online

2008-07-27T15:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Lloyd Lewis

Buy US Postage Stamps Online

For those interested in large quantities of mail, the Internet
is offering today great opportunities to buy US Postage Stamps
Online at higher volumes and special cost-effective prices.

In order to buy US Postage Stamps Online you must enter one of
the many websites that allow users to select their postage
stamps and print them from their own computer, no matter the
location around the world.

There is a small monthly fee that makes this very new mail
service, Buy US Postage stamps Online, more convenient for all
industry users.

More than that, when shopping online, user have the special
opportunity to buy extraordinary specialty stamps that usually
are not available at any post office.

The online services let users print official United States
Postal Service postage directly from their own personal
computer. All they need is a good printer and special piece of
hardware for a business, provided by your buy us Postage Stamps
online provider.

You select your postage stamp, print it and put it on the mail
package. After that, you have to simply hand it to the mail
carrier and your mail is on the way.

This easy procedure and the significant low fees have brought
more and more customers to postage stamps websites.

They are satisfied by the easy to follow procedures and the
extra options available, such as printing shipping labels or
professional looking mail envelopes.

Some websites offer special insurance for their users in order
to protect their valuable items. In other cases, the free
delivery confirmation allows you to easily keep track of sent
mail.

Other common features permit easy tracking of postage spent with
client codes and easy reporting. It seems that nothing is
impossible with the new online mail services and more and more
customers are attracted by them.

Category : Travel Tips

Maximum Cardio

2008-07-27T08:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Jeremy Likness
Depending on your goals and body type, different amounts of cardio may be required. A lean âœhard-gainerâ trying to add mass may benefit from only one or two cardiovascular sessions per week. On the other hand, someone like myself who is extremely prone to storing fat and sensitive to carbohydrates may require 3 or more sessions in order to maintain peak physique. Since you can only get better at a particular exercise by performing it, those interested in running marathons or participating in endurance events such as a triathlon must increase their frequency of cardio in order to prepare for the event.MAXIM 1: Your body type and goal for training will dictate the type, frequency, and length of your cardioWhen your goal for cardio is general health, you have a few decisions to make about what type of cardio you will perform. Many people enjoy taking long, slow runs. Enjoying cardio is important, so if you find an enjoyable method of cardio, there is no reason why you should discard it. The same decision should influence your choice for timing. Many people claim that you must perform cardio first thing in the morning and/or on an empty stomach to see maximal benefit. I disagree. If you have trouble waking up or putting a full effort into morning cardio, and will get a much more vigorous workout in the evening, then why not do it then? Perform cardio when you feel the best, when you are ready and know you will stick with it and give it 100%.MAXIM 2: Find cardio that you enjoy, and do it when you feel you have the most energyThere are many styles of cardio. There is some debate about what cardio is best for you. People preach about training in the âœzoneâ of a particular heart rate for maximum fat burning benefit. While it is true that your body will utilize more fat for energy during this period, this is not the entire picture. Moderate cardio means your body will recover quickly - your heart rate will return to normal within a short period. Intense cardio, which elevates your heart rate beyond the âœzoneâ, may not burn as much fat during the exercise, but your body will take longer to recover. Your body must process waste and your heart rate will remain elevated for hours after the bout of exercise. You will burn more calories throughout the day, and therefore you will receive a superior benefit.To better understand this, letâ™s consider a situation where you burn 200 calories during exercise. You have a choice: you might burn those calories walking at a brisk pace and reading a book, and it will take you 1 hour. Or, you might burn those calories performing short sprints followed by periods of moderate jogging, and you will burn those calories in 20 minutes. While the âœhourâ cardio kept you in the âœzoneâ for fat burning, guess what? The 20-minute cardio elevated your heart rate and took you into an anaerobic zone where your body accumulated an âœoxygen debtâ - a need for oxygen and fat burning to help flush waste from your system and recover from the intense exercise. So during a 24-hour window, you will burn MORE than the 200 calories, and therefore be closer to your fat loss goal.While there is no hard, scientific evidence to support this next maxim, I truly believe in it. I have witnessed this not only in my own transformation, but also with countless others as well.MAXIM 3: The less time it takes to burn the same amount of calories, the more calories you will expend later that dayThis maxim may seem confusing, but itâ™s very simple. It means that if you are going to burn 200 calories, when you burn that 200 calories in 20 minutes instead of 1 hour, your metabolism will increase throughout the day and youâ™ll end up burning MORE than 200 hours when that day is done. This is why high intensity interval cardio, like that recommended in David Greenwaltâ™s book, The Leanness Lifestyle or the âœ20-Minute Aerobic Solutionâ„¢â which is recommended by Bill Phillips in Body-for-LIFEâ„¢ is so effective - it burns the most amount of fat in the shortest period of timeJust because high intensity cardio may burn more calories doesnâ™t make it superior to moderate cardio except with respect to calories burned. There is some evidence that you may improve your cardiovascular health more quickly with high intensity cardio, but this is no reason to discard your long runs. If you have a busy schedule and wish you fit 3 short, 20-minute sessions, then intensity is the way to go. If, however, you truly enjoy your long bike ride or jog on the weekends, then go ahead and do it - you will still be improving your health and burning calories, and if it is something that you enjoy, you will stick with it! Remember, too, that if you are training for a marathon, all of the 20-minute high intensity cardio in the world will not prepare you fully to run 20+ miles. You must perform the moderate, long duration cardio to prepare your body for the event.This leads us to another maxim. Your heart rate can provide you a lot of information about your training. Over time, your resting heart rate should decrease. Mine went from the high 60â™s to a current value of 48 due to my cardiovascular conditioning. When you train with weights, you can use a heart rate monitor to see what your target heart rate is (weight training will take it to the anaerobic levels, or about the maximum heart rate you would want to train at) - this will provide much better feedback than a generic formula. By tracking your heart rate, you can monitor your effort. If you train today at 160bpm then have a lousy day and donâ™t feel like youâ™re receiving any benefit, use your heart rate as a guide. As long as you are pushing hard enough to hit that 160bmp mark again, you know you are getting at least the same intensity from your training as the time before.MAXIM 4: Use your heart rate as a tool for feedback about your progress, not as a âœRULEâ for fat loss (i.e. the âœzoneâ, etc)Many people are very intrigued by the readouts on machines when they perform cardio. Unfortunately, those numbers are based on generic equations that fit the âœgeneral populationâ rather than you as an individual. For example, calories burned are based on your weight. A 200-pound person at 8% body fat will have the same formula applied as a 200-pound person at 30% body fat. However, the more that you train and the leaner you are, the less calories you will burn during the same activity. In this example, the 8% person will actually burn fewer calories than the 30% person, due to their level of health and amount of lean mass. There are also issues with metabolism, activity throughout the day, nutrition, and many other factors that are not taken into account.Does this mean that the readouts are worthless? Not at all. In fact, they are very useful. When I did my morning run this morning, the readout said that I burned 610 calories in 30 minutes. While I may not have truly expended that amount of energy, it is a great reference for me. Why? Because the next time that I perform cardio on that machine, Iâ™m going to push myself harder and try to burn 650 calories. Again, I may not actually be burning 650 calories, but you can be certain that if the readout gives me that number, I will be working harder next week than I did today. So it is a great tool to gauge your own progress. It is also a great tool to mix up your style of training. If I do a high intensity workout and burn âœ400â calories, then I know if I come back and perform moderate training, I can shoot for âœ400â calories and expend about the same amount of energy during the activity.MAXIM 5: Do not take the readouts on cardio machines literally - use them as a scale to gauge your own progressIt is interesting to learn the various ways that different styles of cardio expend energy. A slow, moderate run may take 45 minutes to burn 400 calories. However, the same amount of calories might be expended in a 15 minute, high intensity run. This is due to the fact that your heart rate becomes extremely elevated, and your muscles begin performing extreme work in order to help you accelerate through the intense periods. On the same token, a âœslowâ jog on a steep incline may burn the same amount of calories. In this situation, your body is fighting against gravity, so again you are still performing âœhigh intensityâ effort despite the slower pace.As a final ingredient, consider variety. I can guarantee that if you always use the treadmill, your body will become so efficient at using the treadmill that you will begin to burn fewer calories doing the same workout. On the other hand, if you perform treadmill work one session, stair climber work another session, then go for a jog, you will continue to see the benefit of increased calorie expenditure. If your training permits, try to build in as much variety as possible. This will keep the fat melting off and continuously improve your cardiovascular condition.MAXIM 6: Variety is key - whenever possible, vary not only your style of training (i.e. moderate, high intensity, etc) but also the terrain or equipment that you train onI often have clients complain that they donâ™t have access to the right equipment to perform much variety with cardio. If you simply purchase an inexpensive jump rope, you can easily train two different exercises: jogging, and jump roping. Now consider different styles of training: moderate (low intensity), high intensity interval training, and just high intensity training (where you try to elevate your heart rate and maintain that throughout the duration of the exercise). This alone provides 6 different possibilities for a cardio session, which is more than enough variety to change things throughout your training cycles.Cardiovascular exercise is an important component of general health. While certain people may require different amounts and types of cardio, everyone should engage in at least a little cardiovascular activity each week. There are many methods for training which all have their advantages. You should learn what works for you and what you truly enjoy so that you will continue to perform cardio and reap benefits of good health.Donâ™t let someone fool you into thinking cardio isnâ™t necessary. Even if you are in top shape, a little cardiovascular exercise can still benefit your general health. The key is to change the style and frequency of cardio to suite your lifestyle and fitness goals. Consider various styles of training, different terrains, and new types of equipment to train on. As always, learn your body and donâ™t use any one elseâ™s rules to dictate your training. Keep a good journal, and find out what works for you. Peak cardio is a sure way to move closer to your peak, natural physique.You deserve to hear this topic covered in amazing detail as part of the 5-CD audio program, Lose Fat, Not Faith - pick up your copy online at Natural Physiques today!Jeremy Likness, the CEO of Natural Physiques (a division of Golden Summit Inc) is a Certified Fitness Trainer and Specialist in Performance Nutrition. He has coached clients around the world to lose fat, gain muscle, and live healthy after losing over 65 pounds of fat himself. He is the author of the internationally-selling e-Book, "Lose Fat, Not Faith" that has been sold in over a dozen countries. Visit Jeremy at http://www.naturalphysiques.com and join him on his weekly coaching call at http://www.become-your-best.com.
Category : Running

Fight Cancer With Broccoli Sprouts

2008-07-27T06:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Jeannie Crabtree

Fight Cancer With Broccoli SproutsBy Jeannie CrabtreeMom was right to insist on us eating our vegetables. She knew they built health and gave us the minerals we need.Take Broccoli sprouts. Broccoli sprouts are rich in a compound that provides significant protection against breast cancer and colon cancer. The compound is called sulforaphane glucosinalate.Sprouts grown from certain types of broccoli seeds contain up to 50 times more of this compound than mature broccoli.I have read that a brand of sprouts developed at John Hopkins University is guaranteed to have 20 more times the SGS compound than the mature broccoli. This one is called BroccoSprouts. You can purchase broccoli sprouts at your local health food store or grocery store.It is possible that Broccoli sprouts could carry thebacteria that make you sick - salmonella and e.coli, so you may want to take them out of the container when you get them home and soak in a bowl of water with a few drops of grapefruit seed extract for three or four minutes.Don't put the sprouts back in the same container unless you soak that as well. After draining them for a few minutes store them in the refrigerator.With Breast cancer and Colon cancer so common these days, be sure to add in this protective food, assisting your body to fight off illness and cancer.--------------- Jeannie Crabtree C.Ac. shares health answers that work, tips, nutrition suggestions and research in her newsletter and health blog. http://www.health-doc.com

Category : Cancer Treatment and Prevention

Spermicides

2008-07-26T20:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Amanda Johnson

Spermicides are one of the best birth control methods. It comes in the form of gel, cream, foam, film and suppositories. All the spermicides are similar in work but only thing is the amount of chemical (Nonoxynol-9) that contain, which may vary from 1% to 5%. FunctionSpermicides prevent pregnancy by killing or immobilizing sperms. It also blocks the ways so as to sperm cannot reach the eggs. It contains chemicals (Nonoxynol-9) that make the sperms nonfunctional. At the some extent Spermicides give you protection from some sexually transmitted infections but it is highly recommended that you should use condoms to protect yourself from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).Types of SpermicidesIt is available in the form of creams, jellies, foam, vaginal contraceptive film and suppositories.CREAMS AND JELLIESThey can be inserted into vagina with the help of an applicator. Creams are in opaque while jellies appear to be clear. It is immediately effective and can be used with condoms.FOAMSIt is like shaving cream. It comes in can. You must shake the can well before use. It is also used with the help of an applicator. First fill the applicator with foam and insert the applicator into vagina about 2 to 3 inches (The product must reach to the cervix to be effective). Push the end of the applicator to squirt the spermicides out. It is effective immediately. SUPPOSITORIESSuppositories come in the form of capsules. It is inserted into the vagina and pushed up to the cervix. It dissolves in the vagina when placed. It becomes effective only after 20 minutes. VAGINAL CONTRACEPTIVE FILM (VCF)It comes in thin squares. To use it, you first fold this film to half, insert it with the help of your finger into vagina and push up to cervix. Do this with dry finger unless the film will stick to your finger and you will not be able to place this film in the correct place. It dissolves over the cervix after insertion and it also becomes effective only 15-20 minutes.Advantages You can purchase it without a prescription of doctor. It is easily available in superstores and drug stores. Since it also acts like lubricants, it increases pleasure during intercourse. It does affect future fertility. You may enjoy insertion of spermicides into vagina as foreplay.Disadvantage It does not give you full protection against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like AIDS/HIV. Your partner can feel a bad taste during oral sex. You may feel some genital irritation. You must use it for every sexual intercourse.Although Spermicides are very effective as a birth control measure, you must take a decision which type of spermicides suits both you and your partner. You must follow the instruction on the product label.Find more information visit: Spermicides Amanda Johnson, We at Keepcondom.com are providing you the choices you can make, to select your condom brands according to your needs. Keepcondom.com

Category : General Sexuality

When the Entrepreneur Becomes a Manager (Again)

2008-07-26T14:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Hans Bool
For those of you who switched their management position for an entrepreneurial existence will recognize that the differences will not last for ever.As a manager (of larger companies) you have very little space to move. You have a department to protect. Your team, department or organizational unit, is part of a larger network. In that structure you are bounded by others and others are bounded by you.You are there to represent and protect your team. You also need to conserve your organization.If you want to change something you need to negotiate with others, for example by building coalitions. The more you try to pioneer and innovate the more you risk losing your original territory.In smaller companies the walls between the various teams and departments can be smaller and less rigid. Especially when dealing with a company in growth. Together with more growth decreases the permanence of the structure. Whereas in larger companies the job-descriptions are more focused and specific, in smaller companies they tend to be broader and diffuse.When you get to deal with yet an ever smaller company -- up to your own size -- there are even less walls and there is even less structure. If you are in the lead and as entrepreneur you have all the freedom to architect this business the way you want.And from there it starts again; You cannot do it all by yourself so you either start working with friends, or you delegate to other third parties (to be flexible), if you want to control more and grow faster you could start hiring people sooner. You start delegating, first by splitting the business by broad tasks and later by starting to formalize the process and the organization.There you go, back to the role of the manager.Â© 2005 Hans BoolHans Bool is the founder of Astor White a traditional management consulting company that offers online management advice. Astor Online solves issues in hours what normally would take days.
You can apply for a free demo account
Category : Mobile Phones

Flexibility in the Workplace: Making a Single Mom's Job Easier

2008-07-26T10:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Maria Romain
What happens when your child's teacher contacts you to inform you that your child is either sick or has gotten injured during recess? What do you do when parent-teacher conferences are scheduled during your normal work schedule? What happens when your youngster's school dismisses early? What do you do when you are asked to volunteer at your child's school or to chaperone a field trip? What if your baby wakes up with a stomach ache or with symptoms of the flu? If you are fortunate, you may have a relative or close friend that may be able to assist you, should an event occur as described above. If you are not as fortunate, how do you juggle your work schedule with your family life?More and more women have entered into the workforce than in the past. Furthermore, there has been a large influx of single mothers working to make a living for their children. Several of these women have encountered a situation where they either had to leave work early or could not report to work at all, due to a family emergency. How can corporations make a single mom's job easier?Companies are always asking its consumers for suggestions on how to improve their products and/or services. Corporations should also consider meeting the needs of their employees. If you are a single mom that is trying to juggle family life and work, you might want to consider asking your employer to offer the following options:• Flexible scheduling• Job sharing• Work from homeHow do you ask your employer for these options? Should you create small talk by asking about the corporate golf outing or some other subject that he/she may be interested in? The best way to communicate your needs is to be open and honest with your employer. Express your concerns calmly and professionally. Let your employer know that you take your job seriously and appreciate working for him/her. By the same token, inform your boss that your family is very important to you and you would like to negotiate a more flexible schedule that will meet the needs of your current situation.Some may argue that an employee's personal life should not infringe on his/her ability to work. Realistically, we all have outside influences that may affect our work schedule in some form or another. There is nothing wrong with wanting a little flexibility in the workplace. Due to societal changes, more companies have incorporated flexible work alternatives. Not only will employees benefit from flexible schedule options, they can also help improve loyalty, morale, and performance in the workplace. Giving the gift of flexibility is valuable to any employee.Maria Romain, president of Academic Success Management, Inc. is a writer for Corporate Snobs, a web-based company that offers the most unique corporate gifts. Find more articles on wonderful business gift ideas by visiting today.
Category : Business:Workplace-Communication

How To Avoid Getting Hooked By Pfishing

2008-07-26T05:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Cavyl Stewart
"Pfishing", sometimes spelled "Phishing", is a word that's used to describe a
method of identity theft where con men use fake e-mail that looks like it comes
from legitimate sources. This e-mail is designed to hoodwink you into giving
out personal and financial information. Once the scammers receive your
information they use it to either clone your identity or to empty out your bank
accounts and run up your charge cards. Here are some tips on how to avoid
becoming the next victim.1. Never respond to an e-mail that looks like it came from your bank or any of
your credit card issuers no matter how official it appears. Phishing scam
e-mails will tell you that there is some problem with your account and that you
have to click on an embedded link to correct that problem. They may threaten to
close your account, or report you to the credit bureau, if you do not respond.
DON'T DO IT. Don't call the telephone number that appears in the email either.
Get out one of your old bank or credit card statements and call the number that
appears there. Explain what the email says and follow the directions that you
receive from the actual employee. Chances are they'll tell you its a scam.2. Never give your bank account information, credit card numbers, Social
Security number, passwords, personal identification numbers (PIN), or Date of
Birth to anyone who asks you for that information by email. No legitimate
company will expect you to reveal sensitive information via email. Also, no
company that issues you a PIN will ever ask you to reveal that PIN to any of
their employees.3. Never respond to any offer to buy anything by clicking on the link in the
e-mail. Even if the e-mail looks like it comes from your favorite department
store it might be a scam. To avoid being hooked by Pfishing, type in the URL to
the department store by yourself. Go to Google.com to look it up if you don't
already know it.4. Forward copies of any Pfishing email to the actual company or bank that is
being imitated by the scammers. You can usually send any email to postmaster@
and then the bank or company name.5. If a Pfishing e-mail seems particularly threatening or worrisome to you,
report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ifccfbi.gov), a
partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center.6. If it's too late and you already provided any of your personal information,
account numbers, or PINs then you should immediately contact your banks and
credit card companies to make arrangements with them to protect your financial
interests. These companies and institutions are familiar with these scams and
they know what needs to be done.7. If you receive evidence of identity theft, such as unauthorized charges on
your credit card bills, or unexplained transactions in your bank account,
contact the police and file a report. Be sure to get a copy of the report for
your own records and to send to the companies that are involved in the
transactions. You also need to contact all three major credit bureaus (Equifax
at 800-525-6285, Experian at 888-397-3742 and TransUnion at 800-680-7289) and
tell them that you need a fraud alert placed on your credit file.8. You can get information on ID theft and Pfishing at the Federal Trade
Commission Web site at www.ftc.gov or calling toll-free 877-382-4357.Copyright © 2004 Cavyl Stewart. Discover 52 Ways To Do More With Software by signing up for my exclusive Free ecourse. Get resources, tips, reviews and recommendations you can use right now to help you achieve more, easier, and cheaper! 100% Original content. Visit: http://www.find-small-business-software.com/52ways.html
Category : Computers-and-Technology:Software

HAV-A-JOE Cigars, Were Introduced in 1947 as a Victory Cigar to Honor All the Joe's Who Served in WWII

2008-07-26T02:40:00.001-07:00

Author :

HAV-A-JOE cigars, were introduced in 1947 as a victory cigar to honor all the Joe's who served in WWII.HAV-A-JOE's brand name can be credited to Cpl. Joe Gonzalez who served in Africa and Europe. On his return from the war, Joe related to his family and friends how people in the towns and villages would call out "Joe", "I turned my head in the direction of the caller, even though we were all called Joe, I always felt they were calling out to me", Joe said. Joe's brother, Faustino, had a cigar company and came up with the HAV-A-JOE cigar brand name. HAV-A-JOE cigars were manufactured and distributed in the Tampa area by , F. Gonzalez Cigar Company, Tampa, Florida during 1947 - 1951. The current HAV-A-JOE cigars are made to the specifications and consistency of the post WWII product in aroma and taste. HAV-A-JOE's are handmade, long filler with a maduro wrapper. HAV-A-JOE is available in a handsome cedar box with 25 SOLDADOS (Soldiers), each wrapped in shaved cedar and cellophane for freshness. The size is a 6/44 corona, which coincidently was also the June 1944 D-Day date.

Category : Press Releases

Wear the Perfect-fit Helmet

2008-07-25T19:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Maricon Williams
Motorcycle accessories like helmet, are a matter of personal choice. In that case, aesthetic side often succeeds over anything else. At any rate, this has contributed why safety is overlooked.

To shun misconceptions in choosing motorcycle helmets, here are some of the factors that you have to consider:

Shape

This is the most important factor that you have to understand before purchasing a helmet. Riders come in varying head shapes. These shapes include round, oval, egg, reverse egg and earth. Helmets are also particularly made to cater to these varying head shapes. Thus, the choice is given to the purchasers. They must select the most appropriate helmet shape that will greatly support their head.

Visibility

Be sure that your helmet gives you appropriate peripheral vision. This is simply to avoid accidents and other untoward incidents.

Liners

Liners vary depending on the design, material and shape of the helmet. Liners must give comfort and protection to the rider. Thus, it must be compatible with the riderâ™s needs.

Liners that give pressure points must be avoided. Pressure points are usually located against the temples, forehead and cheeks. Helmet liner â˜skull capâ™ is preferable. Moreover, it is better if you personally try the helmet before purchasing it. This is to ensure that it will not be burdensome in the future.

Color

Color is important in the sense that it affects conspicuity. Bright colors are preferable over solid and dull ones. The purpose is to make the rider visible even during nighttime. This is to avoid collisions and the like.

Before you purchase a helmet, make sure that you are knowledgeable of all the factors involve. You do not purchase simply because it is hot or at the moment hype.

Also, before purchasing, wear it first for an extended period to be sure of the fit and feel. Wear ear plugs to be acquainted with the surrounding sounds.

Some of the leading motorcycle helmet manufacturers are Arai, Bell, Icon, AGV, Nolan, Thor, Erex. The helmets they are releasing are mostly tested and approved by Snell and DOT. Choosing is using your mind and your sensesâ¦

Are You a Real Estate Investor or a Circus Performer?

2008-07-25T18:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Paula Straub

Does the stress of monthly rent collection and after hour plumbing problems make you feel like a performing seal at the circus? You"re trying to keep a spinning beach ball balanced on your nose, at the same time that you"re wildly clapping your flippers together hoping to please an unappreciative audience.

Does thinking about selling your investment property make you feel like Bozo the clown? Having to paint on a happy smiley face when thinking about the large percentage of your profits that you"re going to lose to capital gains tax makes you frown?

There is a way to move on and leave the circus behind.

It"s called a 1031/Tenant In Common (TIC) Exchange. This kind of deferred capital gains tax investment is an attractive option for owners of investment property who are looking to get a return on their equity without having nearly 30% of their profits swallowed by capital gains tax.

Under the regulations of the 1031/TIC Exchange program, an investment property owner can "exchange" their current commercial property for a "like-kind" investment property of equal or greater value, deferring the payment of capital gains taxes and maximizing their profits.

A relatively new tax program, the 1031/TIC Exchange program wasn"t sanctioned by the IRS until 2002. Many commercial property owners who might qualify for the 1031 deferred tax program don"t know that it"s a viable option available to them.

Qualified investment property owners will discover that there are other benefits to the 1031/TIC Tax Deferred Exchange program. You"ll have a monthly income stream from your investment property, without the hassles that go along with being a hands-on landlord. And your new 1031/TIC Exchange investment property will pass directly to your heirs at the stepped up basis (according to current tax law). Your beneficiaries won"t have to pay capital gains tax.

There are three very important elements of the 1031/TIC deferred tax transaction that every investment property owner should know:

" You"ll need an unbiased third party qualified intermediary, perhaps a lawyer or qualified CPA, who will handle all of the paperwork and make sure the IRS guidelines are followed.

" You"ll need to work with a quality 1031 Sponsor Company with a continuous inventory of grade A commercial real estate.

" You"ll need to make sure that your new commercial investment is well maintained and serviced by a reliable property management company with a great track record and years of experience.

The 1031/TIC Exchange transaction can be a bit complicated for the novice. Attempting it without the guidance of a professional financial advisor, who specializes in this kind of deferred capital gains tax program, could lead to some unexpected and unsatisfactory results.

You could find yourself involved with a 1031/TIC sponsor company that handles poor quality real estate investments that may need work have little appreciation potential. They may have high tenant turn-over and require constant maintenance. You"ll need to make sure the 1031/TIC sponsor company you"re working with handles only quality real estate. This is often high end office space leased to long-term corporate clients.

You also want to avoid working with an unreliable property management company. Poorly managed properties make owners of 1031/TIC investment properties the targets of lawsuits from unhappy tenants, and may lead to eventual loss of equity as the building depreciates instead of increasing in value.

You can"t use a family attorney or CPA to generate the paperwork necessary for the 1031/TIC exchange. You need to find an unbiased third party who is experienced with this capital gains tax deferment transaction. There are many deadlines that must be adhered to when you"re making this kind of property exchange. If they are not met, you"ll find yourself paying those capital taxes out of your own pocket, despite your good intentions.

There is a way for you to get out of the circus ring and into the audience enjoying the performance.

For investment property owners who are interested in the 1031/TIC Exchange program, working with an experienced financial advisor is the only way to avoid all of the pitfalls of this complicated transaction.

About the author:

How much would you pay to save thousands of dollars in capital gains tax? Learn about your options in a free information packed teleclass. Sign up right now at http://www.savegainstax.comor email Paula Straub at askpaula@savegainstax.com

Category : Real Estate

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2008-07-25T18:22:00.001-07:00

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A Perfect Match For Your Pocket Cheap Secured Loans

2008-07-25T16:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Aldrich Chappel
You work hours earning money to give your family the right way of living. Sometimes it happens that deficiency of money arises and then you go for loans to cover up that deficiency. Cheap secured loans are the best way of getting the money which can be easily repaid afterwards without making hole in your pocket.The loan…..Cheap Secured Loans are available at low rates with easy repayment options. Cheap secured loans are meant to fit in a common man's pocket in the most appropriate manner.
Lenders ask for the following when you look for a cheap secured loan:• How much you want to borrow?
• How long you need to repay the loan amount?
• How much you are able to pay?
• If you need payment protection insurance(PPI)How the interest is calculated?Interest rates are calculated by the lenders on the system called risk based pricing. This means that they access each individual's circumstances and credit history before deciding which interest rate to offer to the borrowerPrecautionsThere are certain hidden terms which you should be aware of. These are:1. Lenders can charge you with a fee for loan arrangement.2. If you repay the loan before the end of the loan term, you may be charged with a early repayment fee also known as redemption fee. The fee can be as much as two month's interest.3. You can avoid paying the loan installment for some time. However, you still have to pay the interest which is added to your outstanding balance.How to find the best cheap secured loan deal?While looking for a loan your top most priority is to save your money from going out in the form of high interest. You can spend some time shopping for loans in the market. It is always recommended to start your search with banks and financial institutions. This will give you a brief idea about the market scenario. You can also bargain with the lenders for better rates and flexible terms.Will my credit score affect the loan?Yes, your credit status will affect the interest rate on the loan to certain extent. However, no lender could reject your loan application on the basis of your credit score. Your credit score reflects your encounters with debts in the past. Lenders look for them to get the assurance that you will be paying them loan installments smoothly.Applying for the loanApplying for the loan is quite simple and hassle free. You can even apply online through various loan lender websites. You need to fill details like your name, address, contact information, amount you are looking for, value of the collateral you are offering. The lender once satisfied with your application will himself contact you with his services. So let the cheap secured loans cover up your financial incompetence.Aldrich Chappel has been associated with get-secured-loans,since its inception. Having completed his Masters in Finance from Lancaster University Management School, he undertook to provide useful advice through his articles that have been found very useful by the residents of the UK. To Find Secured loans, cheap secured loans UK visit http://www.get-secured-loans.co.uk
Category : Finance:Loans

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2008-07-25T07:56:00.001-07:00

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2008-07-25T07:55:00.002-07:00

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2008-07-25T07:55:00.001-07:00

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Wrong Blames Can Kill A Life

2008-07-25T02:00:00.001-07:00

Author : C D Mohatta

To blame means to accuse someone of doing something wrong. It is very easy to put blame on a person when things begin going wrong and hammer that person left and right for being responsible for all the mess. Let us look at this further.Sometimes, in our personal relationships, when we say that things are in mess, the truth may be different. The situation may not be messy, but our viewpoint may have become messy. What we call as going wrong may indeed be going wrong, but not in the way we look at it. Let me try to explain. Some of us lie. We get caught, or feel guilty. We blame someone for exposing our lie and making a mess of something good. Can a lie be good? We wished our lies to flourish and keep us safe from the bitterness of truth, but our comfort zone got broken because of the exposure. Is this bad? Or our viewpoint was wrong to begin with? When we think more, we find that truth may be very bitter and highly discomforting, but it is always better than a lie. Is it correct to blame a person who exposed our lies? But we do that. Blame the other person for making us face the music. What the other person did was correct but since it hurts us, we accuse.Let me tell you something. What if someone accuses you of crimes never committed by you? What if the accuser himself/herself was the guilty party, but targeted you because you are a soft target? Between a couple this happens. If one of the partners is a compassionate person, the other partner can develop the habit of blaming him/her all the time of all the crimes realizing well, that no retaliation will occur.Many of us act like brutes at times and then we suffer in the guilt for a lifetime. Some of us, who are evil people never, suffer any guilt. But some of us carry the guilt of having done something wrong forever in our life. This guilt will never go, because the deed was indeed done. Why not to desist doing wrong? Why to travel on a wrong path? Why to torture others with blames that they never deserve? Every animal teaches us that it acts precisely as planned by nature. Only we human beings are confused about ourselves, probably because we are intelligent. Please view some of these peaceful fishes that swim without any care in the world. They are in bliss because they are not intelligent like us. Screensaver - Dolphinz , Screensaver - Aqua Panorama About the writer:C.D.Mohatta is a content writer. He writes for ecards & greetings, screensavers and wallpapers. Some links are: Screene.com, EcardUniverse.com and CupidEcards.com

Category : General Other

Why You Should Own a Food Dehydrator

2008-07-24T19:40:00.001-07:00

Author : mrbrown77@hotmail.com

Food dehydration has been around for years as an easy way to store food. Many techniques have been used in food dehydration and storage for over years such as adding salt and sugars to preserve the food. Food dehydration gets easier every year and there couldn't be a better time than now to learn about food dehydration and perhaps even by a food dehydrator. In this article you'll find 5 reasons why you should own a food dehydrator.#1. Cost effective: Food dehydration is a cost effective way to save money for a number a reasons. If you have kids and they like to snack give them healthier dehydrated snacks with low sugars and salts at a fraction of the costs you'll pay in the super markets. Fruits and meats are a great way to do this and add a little sugar to lighten their sweet tooth cravings a bit. Even if you don't have kids its a cost effective way for adults to snack as way and even if you add a little sugar and salt at least you know everything that is going into your food. In another of my articles I mention the fact that to buy a bunch of bananas and dehydrate them yourself is a fraction of the cost to buy already dehydrated bananas. #2. Health: In todays' society we have many concerns such as obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure. Sugar is the biggest contribution to diabetes outside of genetics and salt is the large contribution to negative effects on high blood pressure. So where food dehydration fits in is you can control how much salt and sugar gets added into your food. Keep it as low as you want and you can make healthy snacks that can be enjoyed by you and the whole family daily.#3. Interaction: Food dehydration is something that can be done with parents and kids alike or just as a husband and wife. This is something that is easy and can even be fun experimenting and coming up with new ideas. Not to say that it holds high entertainment value but its something that anyone can do and you get to create something that is not ordinary. We typically look at the kitchen for a few simple things; eating, cooking and baking now add a new element with food dehydration.#4. Herbal: Drying herbs in the dehydrator are great and easy to do. You can dehydrate parsely to make a great dish garnish or even dry garlic to store and add to pastas and so on. Cats also benefit from a food dehydrator. You can dry catnip in the dehydrator and give it to the little feline so that he/she can enjoy some added stimulation to their life. Drying herbs is easy and less work than putting them on a cookie sheet into the oven.#5. Trips: If you like going on family trips and don't want to spend a fortune in snacks then just make your own. Trips are a fun way to spend that off time but you are going to need snacks to keep everyone content. Easily make beef jerky or fruit snacks days before the trips and store. When you are ready to go just pack the snacks up and go as they are already ready to eat and have been stored up in enough quantity for the entire family. I know this takes away the fun from stopping at every gas station between home and your destination but I am sure you'll find a more creative way to spend the time.There are hundreds of more tips and reasons to own a food dehydrator and to practice food dehydration. Soon you'll be on your way to discover one of the oldest methods of food storage and food preservation. michael brownBuy a Food Dehydrator

Category : General Food

The Viable Alternative, And Most Beneficial Addition, To SEO

2008-07-24T17:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Matt jackson

S, E and O are probably the three most talked about letters on the Internet. Thats because search engines were">Download as Text |

Workplace Security Plan: Does Your Company Have One?

2008-07-24T11:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Felix P. Nater

The Consultant's Perspective...

The threat of violence whether it emanates from a disgruntled
employee or the threat of terrorism require both a concerted and
an individual response. Terrorism in any form is terrorism.
Having been exposed to the daily taunts, acts of intimidation,
verbal threats of bodily harm are as debilitating
psychologically as the blunt strike or the piercing bullet.
Vigilance and security awareness makes for a good prescription.
In previous writings, I've attempted to draw a correlation
between the disgruntled employee and the terrorist from within
by suggesting similar patterns of behavior, traits and
characteristics coupled with freedom of access and possession of
the companyâ™s secrets. My observations clearly implied a
volatile ingredient worthy of skeptical assessment.

Following a recent article written by Louis Rovner, Ph.D,
entitled âœProtecting Your Company from Terrorism Withinâ, I grew
more concerned. So,I interviewed him regarding the article. Dr.
Rovner is a psychologist in LA who consults to businesses,
government agencies and law enforcement agencies, one of a
handful of polygraph â" psychologist nationwide. He believes that
the potential for disaster is at every employerâ™s doorstep and I
agree with the assessment. He said, âœThousands of Terrorist call
the United States homeâ¦hundreds of terrorist sleeper cells
scattered throughout the U.S. awaiting orders and instructions
need to assimilate in order to surviveâ. What do they do? The
thrust of this edition is a testimonial to the existing synergy
between Dr. Rovner and I on the topic of workplace security as a
legitimate discussion. I believe the solution to the
minimization of any potential exposure is an aggressive but
practical security plan which addresses the workplace security
issues in greater detail incorporating training and security
awareness.

Now I would like to draw that necessary correlation between the
seamless similarities existing between the âœevent drivenâ
explosive conduct of the âœdisgruntled employeeâ and âœthe
Terrorist from withinâ. In an investigation I conducted several
years ago an otherwise hard working employee with a diagnosed
personality disorder was reassigned from his regular duties due
to a medical determination. It was to have been a temporary
change. However, during the ensuing assignment he was exposed to
constant abusive taunting and harassment by co-workers. In
response he began retaliating in his own way, initially
innocuously and eventually more aggressively. The verbal threats
directed at co-workers and supervisors escalated to more hostile
conduct. It was clear he was sending a message of his
displeasure. While left alone at the office computer terminal he
began browsing the Internet for bomb making sites. He had been
engaged in this clandestine operation for several days before a
sharp supervisor noticed his strange behavior at the terminal.
In an effort to protect the evidence, he used a ruse to get the
employee away from the terminal until my arrival. The subsequent
interview of the employee disclosed a pattern of hostile
retaliatory conduct in response to a lack of confidence in
management and his co-workers to protect him from the abuse. His
aggression escalated from the verbal to the near physical as he
sought ways to avenge his tormentors.

Are

You Really Safeâ¦? Before we get into a technical discussion
about the potential Terror from within, we need to answer a few
questions and remind you that the problem lies well within your
ability to manage. Do you know what to look for? Do you have a
mechanism to address breeches of safety or security? Are your
employees properly screened during the hiring process? Is there
a Workplace Violence Prevention Policy and Program and lastly,
are employees receiving relevant training? If we acknowledge NO
to any of these questions we have the ability to take corrective
action NOW. I know how resource intensive the process can be,
but you donâ™t have to go at it alone. Like the disgruntled
employee who is âœevent drivenâ the Terrorist waits for the
event. In both cases, they are the classic âœsleepersâ willing to
hide their intentions until they are ready to act out. Linda
Lockwood, PhD at the Metropolitan State College, Denver,
Colorado reminds us that workplace violence is obviously a
serious problem that must be better understood in order to
prevent its occurrences. I ask that we consider the threat from
within a bit more seriously by developing your security policy
and plans to minimize your exposure.

Protecting Your Company From Terrorsim From Withinâ¦

In his article Dr. Rovner, writes that the Employee-Terrorist is
âœcalculatedâ and will wait for the opportunity to strike, while
using the employer to survive beyond the stipends provided by
their terrorist group, the unwitting employer is the potential
target depending on the type of business or government agency.
But even if the companies are not specifically targeted says,
Dr. Rovner, they are indirectly and unknowingly supporting
Terrorist by providing a source of income. Like the Terrorist
who awaits the call to action, the disgruntled employee is
âœevent drivenâ by the circumstances. Both the âœTerroristâ and
the âœDisgruntled Employeeâ share some other common opportunities
as âœemployeesâ; they have access to the company and are familiar
with the company secrets.

The Potential Threatâ¦

Driving home a clear and evident example of the potential
terroristâ™s ability to penetrate even a secure environment, I am
reminded of the British Daily Mirror Reporter, Ryan Parry who
compromised the Buckingham Palaceâ™s hiring and recruitment
procedures by providing false credentials and gaining precarious
access to the President of the United and his wife while staying
at the palace. Even though the palace had an elaborate security
system and employed the most stringent security measures to
guarantee the safety of President Bush, Parry successfully
breeched security by falsifying his references. According to
security officials they were satisfied that both the security
and criminal records check were robust and done correctly. The
response may have satisfied some political end but didnâ™t answer
the question of what type of employee background check was done
to authenticate and validate the hiring during the screening
process. Such access was a breach at the hiring phase when in
all likelihood, the responsibility fell on the lonely shoulders
of a lowly paid clerk who merely followed the checklist.

What To Look Forâ¦?

I believe the collaborative process of the Threat Assessment
Team concept enhances the prevention and proactive essentials
and promotes shared awareness in the identification of the
potential threatening applicant during the hiring process. The
same collaborative process can be used to insure the right
individual passes the hiring and recruitment process early on
before permanent employment. Dr. Rovner says that companies,
agencies and organizations can take preventive measures. He
suggests that the Human Resource Department be a bit more
aggressive during the hiring phases by instilling the essential
skills of the investigator. Verification of all data at the
hiring process is critical. He said, âœOne of the scariest things
about the Terrorist is that they look just like you and meâ.
While psychologist have not developed a foolproof terrorist
profile, he suggests that most Terrorists posses a number of the
same traits. Tactfully worded questions during the interview
process will alert the interviewer. Dr. Rovner further suggest
that since the Terrorist possess common traits the use of
properly designed questions will tell whether the applicant has
most or all of the traits. He suggest they are:

-Loners -Dissatisfied with their lives -Have low self-esteem
-Are true believers -Are antisocial -Lack pity or remorse -Have
grievances against our country and our allies -Are tremendously
loyal to their terrorist group.

Anyone intimately familiar with the Threat Assessment Process
would quickly discern that some of the Terroristâ™s traits and
characteristics are common to the disgruntled employee.

If anyone would like a copy of Dr. Rovner's article, please send
me an email requesting the article.

Category : Meditation

Saved by a Pound of M&Ms

2008-07-24T07:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Zoe McNamara
Let me start by saying that child safety issues really haven't changed all that much. The unscrupulous are a little bolder and more creative, and there are many more ways for harm to reach your kids. But as always, parents need to have eyes in the backs of their heads.I grew up in the country. When I was in first grade, and my sister was in third, we felt perfectly safe walking home from school with our friends. We always made a point of passing by Miss Kinchâ™s, and handing our pennies through her kitchen window in exchange for homemade frozen treats.My father had a vegetable garden, and in the evening, while he worked in it, my sister and I would bring in the animals from grazing. Three years later, we moved to a city where everything was gray and nobody smiled.One cold afternoon I was waiting outside for my sister to come home from school, and I was approached by two of what I could only categorize as big people, since they were about twice my nine-year-old height. But an audience--and one that was very interested in what I had to say!They questioned me, chatted me up for a whileâ"then grabbed me. No matter how I tried to convince them that I wasnâ™t allowed to go beyond the corner where theyâ™d found me, they insisted that I come with them. I began to drag my feet a little, and they only yanked my arms harder. It still didn't occur to me at this point to fear for my safety.Whether my motivation was fear of getting in trouble for wandering off, or the sight of the lower end of downtown, I'm not sure, but I suddenly broke away, shouting that wherever we were headed, we simply couldnâ™t continue without a supply of M&Ms, and ran back to our apartment to get some, hoping those two wouldn't be angry with me for delaying our stroll.When I burst in and shouted breathlessly that I needed lots of M&Ms, my Mom pulled me in and locked the door behind me. I was horrified at her treatment of my new "friends," and went off to my room in a snit.The lessons for me as a parent are manyâ"listen to my child more, so she wonâ™t feel lonely and ignored. Talk with her more, so she wonâ™t feel like she has to seek the attention of potentially harmful strangers.Check her understanding of safety regularlyâ"don't leave your precise instructions up to the interpretation of incomprehensible Child Logic. Get to understand her view of the worldâ"it might need adjusting. And for goodness' sake, avoid basing your conclusions about the safety of your child on well-intentioned advice that doesn't take your values into account.copyright http://little-turnips.com 2003-2005 - All rights reservedZoe McNamara
Category : Ezine Publishing

Which puzzle gives your brain or your kid's brain the best workout ?

2008-07-24T00:00:00.001-07:00

Author : sudokupuzzle

Which puzzle gives your brain or your kid's brain the best workout ?SUDOKU, a seemingly simple numbers game that hails from Japan, has become the biggest and most addictive puzzle craze on the internet, newspaper, magazines, classrooms and even the mobile phones.So how good is Sudoku? The rules are simple, but the game is far from simplistic. An advanced Sudoku could have you scratching your head all day before finally giving up. But is it the ultimate mind workout, as many believe - or are there better ways to boost your brainpower?So what Exactly Is SUDOKU All About ?Sudoku is a mathematical puzzle in a very basic and elementary sense. A solver repeatedly counts and subtracts (working out what is missing from row, column or box) and calculates. The assertion that 'there is no maths involved' is not only irritating, it is a little ridiculous.If there is a three there, there can't be a three there, or there, but there could be one there " or there. Or it could be a five. That sentence would have meant nothing a year ago, but since then, to millions of newspaper readers, including those of this one and its Sunday sister, it has become all too familiar. We have become a nation of Sudoku puzzle addicts. The instructions are deceptively simple. Fill in the nine-column grid so that every row, every column and every 3 x 3 box within it contains the digits 1- 9. And no, you don't have to be a mathematician or particularly numerate " The Independent on Sunday runs one based one letters rather than numbers " to do it. You solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic. Math skills aren't necessary, although thinking inside the box is.Sudoku Puzzle develops your child's reasoning skills and concentration.Reports :The UK government-produced Teachers magazine has recommended that Sudoku Puzzles are done in the classroom as brain exercise! Kids gain huge satisfaction from completing a Sudoku puzzle.There are benefits in playing Sudoku puzzles for the oldies too ? as age catching up, the sort of exercise and mental workout which the brain gets from playing logic puzzles can help to stop memory decline, make them smarter and even halt the progress of Alzheimer?s disease .Get Free Sudoku Puzzles and Learn How To Solve Basic/Advanced Sudoku Puzzles At Your FingertipsVisit : http://www.interactiventure.com I am the author of this following article. My Point here is to share this Great and Amazing Puzzle to all Kids , Adults and Oldies because it really benefits all.

Category : General Education: Home Schooling

How To Build An Opt In Email List Of 1,250 Eager Subscribers

2008-07-23T16:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Codrut Turcanu
If you have ever wanted to discover how you can build your
own opt in email list, now it's your chance to learn the
amazing tactics that I'm using on a regular basis to
generate up to 1,000 opt-in email subscribers, quickly and
easily.FACT: everyone knows that when using email as the media of
your online promotion, you eliminate the need for high cost
advertising.In fact, email is free to use. The paid costs are for the
autoresponder service that helps you to collect opt in email
subscribers and build your opt in email list.One thing is for sure - with an opt in email list, you are
pretty sure that what you are sending out is received,
viewed and read by your leads and not simply being deleted.Here's why: they have signed up for your opt in list and
have consented in receiving the content you promised them.This means that there are constant reminders to your
subscribers about all your promotions: new products and
services as well as any information, tips and resource you
are having. There is also the chance that these messages can
be forwarded to other potential customers as your
subscribers tell their friends and family about you and your
Web Site.Be aware: a subscriber may unsubscribe when they feel that
they are not getting what they wanted or expected from you.
Make sure that they are pretty satisfied with your opt-in
email CONTENT and keep them excited in receiving your future
information.Here are 3 quick tips that can help you to build an opt in
email list of 1,250 eager subscribers:TIP #1 - Create Your Opt In Email Landing PageI bet you've seen an opt in email landing page before: it's
a web page where the main purpose is to get your email
address in exchange for free or paid CONTENT (e.g. an
eCourse, an eBook, updates, etc...)The KEY term here is "CONTENT". If you promise and deliver
great, exclusive CONTENT, you are going to create a
responsive opt in email list of eager subscribers who should
turn into your raving fans and customers.In order to get as many subscribers as you can (your focus
is to have a HIGH opt in conversion ratio - getting a % of
subscribers out of 100 visitors to your site!) you must
create a killer opt in email landing page. Here's how to do
it: spy on your competitors. Watch how they're building
their opt in email landing pages and copy their tactics.
Don't plagiarise them, instead, come up with your own opt in
landing page model.TIP #2 - Create Your Opt In Email Course CONTENTThe BEST way to keep in contact with your subscribers and
send them NEW information via email is with an opt in email
course that you create and upload onto your autoresponder.These email course lessons will be put on follow-up and your
autoresponder will act like an online FAX machine, sending
email after email to your opt in email list.I suggest you create at least 7 email follow-ups packed with
100% exclusive content because unique content is the KING.HINT: the more follow-up emails you write and add to your
autoresponders, the great chances you have to generate more
sales and turn subscribers into your eager fans and
customers.Make your CONTENT interesting and fun. Try to use a little
creativity but do not over do it.Write compelling tips and articles that can be very
informational but light at the same time. If your
subscribers enjoy your articles, they will go to your Web
Site by clicking the links that you recommend inside your
email.I suggest you NEVER come up with CONTENT not related to your
eCourse niche topic. If your web site visitors signed up
with your opt in email list to receive FREE information
about "how to make money online with eBay", do NOT send them
tips on "how to make money offline". That's nonsense.TIP #3 - Promote Your Opt In Landing Page Like CrazyBelieve it or not, the most effective tactic you can use to
promote your opt in email landing page is simply by...Writing and publishing online articles. Once you finish
creating an article packed with red-hot content and NO
advertising, research for top online directories and web
masters who accept article submissions in your niche topic.Here comes the most exciting part: if your article is
accepted and published by an online web site or publication
(e.g. Newsletter/eZine) it's going to bring you FREE traffic
to your opt in email landing page. More than that, if
others are seeing this article and like it, they can also
decide to publish it online, thus bringing you FREE exposure
to your opt in email landing page.You should receive 5-10 opt in email subscribers per day for
each high traffic web site that publishes your article. This
traffic is viral, it grows on autopilot and spreads like
wildfire.Within a month your article could build you a list of 1,250
opt in email subscribers eager to read your offers.Just last month I received 1470 opt in leads to one of my
niche eCourses, so this works, try it for yourself and
you'll be amazed at how easy it is to create your own
profitable opt in email list.Codrut Turcanu is a TOP eMarketer from Romania. Sign-Up For
His $47.97 eCourse For FREE And Discover Five Mega Powerful
Opt-In List Money-Making Tips, Tricks & Techniques.
http://www.OptinListConfessions.com
Category : Business:List-Building

What if Your Company Spent More Time in Team Building?

2008-07-23T14:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Lance Winslow
They call it Organization Capital in the world of academia and many Universities even offer courses on it. You can learn about organization capital in personnel management classes, human resource degree programs and even if you are going for an MBA. Why is organizational capital so important and who came up with that new buzzword? Well it is simple really it comes from the idea of team building and it probably goes back as far as early tool making in the human race and organizing a plan of attack to hunt down dinner such as a big Wooly Mammoth. Team Building is used in government, sports, military, non-profit sector and it stands to reason in business as well. You see if you work good together as a team that is worth something and therefore it is capital.If a team accomplishes more through the efficiencies of teamwork then it saves time and money to do other things of value to the shareholders, customers and forward momentum of the company in the market place. It comes from knowing your co-workers and team mates and knowing what they are all about and how they think. When you gel together and you can feel the unity, that is worth so very much and it helps the company succeed. My question to you now is; What if Your Company Spent More Time in Team Building? Think on it.Lance Winslow
Category : Business:Team-Building

Camping Tents - A Home Away From Home

2008-07-23T12:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Michael Cottier

You love the outdoors, especially when you spend a lot of time there. There is something serene about camping overnight in a beautiful setting. The sounds, the smell of the fresh air. It is such a departure from your regular, busy life. If you are the type who loves to camp, then camping tents are something that you will definitely need.Camping tents come in different shapes and sizes. There are also tents that are designed for certain weather conditions. For example, some camping tents are designed as all weather tents, and some have a good resistance against the wind. There are also some highly specialized tents. You cant expect to use the same tent on Mt. Everest as you would a warm, wind free campground in the summertime.Here is some advice that will help you choose the best camping tents for your needs:The Purpose - What do you need the tent for? People who go camping often may feel as if they need several camping tents. And this is true, especially if you camp in different climates or take different kinds of camping trips. For example, if you do a lot of backpacking and a lot of leisurely camping, you will need different camping tents of each. Leisurely tents can be heavy and when you are on foot, you want something that is very lightweight.The Features - Another important consideration when purchasing camping tents are the features. This also ties in with the purpose of the tent. If you do a lot of generalized camping, you will probably need camping tents that have a variety of different features. In general, you will want a tent that is easy to put up and will have features like sturdiness, wind resistance, and possibly a mosquito net. Do your research - There are a lot of choices out there for camping tents. Once you know what you need the tent for and have at least a vague idea of the features you will need, you can begin to research. When looking into the various tents, make sure you read the product specs for each one. Talk to a sales person. Or, if you are shopping online, feel free to contact customer service with any questions you may have. Websites in general do a great job listing all the information you will need. But if you have a question on different camping tents you can always contact them.Learn how - Simply making a purchase decision on which of the camping tents you would like is not enough. Once you buy it, you will need to make sure you understand how to use it. Failure to use your camping tents properly can lead to some very uncomfortable and even dangerous situations. Have several practice runs before you actually take your tent with you while camping.Camping tents are an important part of outdoor life. Some camping tents serve a general purpose and others are more specialized. If you need a tent for a mountaineering exhibition, for example, make sure you select a tent that will accommodate the weather and the conditions you will face. Backpacking tents are also different than campground tents because they need to fit in your backpack. Once you understand what you will need the tent for, you can begin to select one and make a purchase. For great deals on camping tents and other outdoor gear, check out Smokies Gear.

Category : General Sports: Outdoors

People Are Crazy... and Everyone Is A Racer

2008-07-23T05:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Michael James
â¦And everyone is a racer. If you doubt that, you've obviously never driven in New York City during rush hour. Look closely at the driver of that Japanese luxury car. He's just as miffed as you the racer is at having to drive fifty-five miles per hour when the speedometer on the car clearly reads one hundred and fifty. Why can't we drive it at that speed if the car can come close to it. Man, just look at him fiddling with the knobs pretending to be tuning the radio into a station. We racers know what he is really doing is setting the frequency of his imaginary laser beam roadblock remover system. You know the ones; they make little bomb sounds as we pretend we are obliterating our foes on the drive home.If you really want to annoy him, honk your horn, tailgate him for a few seconds then cut in front of him. When he reaches his boiling point, slam on your brakes and drive slower than you were both going previously. then apply your brakes and drive slower than you were driving before you cut him off. His typical response will be one of anger, an anger borne of the pent-up frustrations of living in a high tech world and being legislated into a low-tech existence. Our driver will invariably stab the gas pedal and swerve out of the lane in an attempt to pass you back. You, in turn, speed up, knowing that his intent is to block pass you at the first opportunity, then brake check you just so you get the message.And so this high-speed game of "chicken" unfolds on any highway others will graciously move over to let the two road-warriors carry on with the spectacle. I've participated in a more than a few such duels myself though lately I choose to be a bystander to other people's road rage. This emotionally charged ego-tripping could be very dangerous to anyone near the scene.Society says we should be punished for breaking their law of a maximum velocity of fifty-five miles per hour (in New York at least). Most racers will try to get away with as much as we can, just like on the track and usually have the skills to pull it off. The typical driver lacks all of the needed skills and courage to indulge themselves and so after one or more two hundred dollar speeding tickets, the potential racer's lust for life is usually squashed flatter than Spongebob in the Arizona desert. They usually go home more frustrated, angrier, and two bills poorer. I'm glad I race motorcycles; I'm glad I have a family of people who know and think and feel exactly as I do... we are fortunate to be real racers.Drivers aren't the only ones who are acting crazy either. Anyone who has walked or driven in Manhattan can attest to the fact that the craziest of all humans is not "Checkered Cabbus-Weavus"; that honor belongs to "Pedestrius Al-sue-yerbutt", the dreaded New York City pedestrian.No other form of life on the planet is capable of staring into the eyes of the errant tractor-trailer driver and then stepping nonchalantly into the path of his serpentine behemoth. If you've never seen eighteen thousand pounds of truck with all the wheels locked up you don't know what you're missing. The puff of blue smoke in the distance alerts one to the presence of "Pedestrius Al-su-yerbutt."While the truck driver shakes uncontrollably, trying to bring his heartbeat back below the three hundred mark, "Pedestrius Al-su-yerbutt" flashes an ear to ear grin. And why shouldn't they, they've just looked fear and death in the face and walked away unscathed. Others can only look on in amazement; children will point in their direction with wonder and awe. They are momentarily idolized as they relish fifteen seconds worth of their fifteen minutes of fame. They will be on the tongues of everyone who saw their gutsy moves,"Holy cripes, did you see that?"I'm glad I race motorcycles; I'm glad I have a family of people who know and think and feel exactly as I do... we are fortunate to be real racers and have our outlet.Before we forget that this is a moto-cross story, let me get to the heart of the matter. The point is simply how much we as off road riders and racers have to be grateful for. Unlike the road-rager and "Pedestrius Al-sue-yerbutt," we donâ™t have to drive our cars at one hundred and twenty miles per hour, nor do we have to tempt fate by stepping in front of speeding trucks just to feel that surge of adrenaline. Thank God we are real racers... I do. We aren't as unlucky as the folks who live out the two examples of non-racers.We are the normal; we can take out our frustrations on machines that were designed to be the healers of our pressures and frustrations. We have moto-cross and the woods to keep us sane. How lucky we are indeed. I'm glad I race motorcycles; I'm glad I have a family of people who know and think and feel exactly as I do... I am fortunate to be among real racers. So when next you are privy to witness any of the afore mentioned dramas, you'll knowâ¦ people are crazy, and everyone is a racer.Michael James*7 years covering professional motocross racing for Cycle News, mxlarge.com, motocross.com, and mxwired.com
*amateur motocross racer
*screenwriter - seeking representation-
*8 year columnist for several motocross papers and magazines
Category : Disease & Illness

Make Your Own Baby Food - The Easy Way!

2008-07-23T04:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Carrie Lauth
Is your baby about to start solid foods? Are you thinking of making
your own baby food?When you make baby's first foods, you can save money and reduce
waste. You also can choose more nutritious options. Fresh foods are
typically more nutritious than canned, and you can purchase
organic food to prepare for baby if you wish. You can also avoid
unwholesome ingredients that show up in commercial baby food.Making baby food doesn't have to be expensive or time consuming.
In fact, the easiest and cheapest way is the best way!The easy way to making your own baby food:1) Don't bother with buying one of those baby food grinders. They're hard
to clean and too much hassle.2) If you wait until your baby is 6 months old to start solids, you can
almost always just mash with a fork to the desired consistency.If you're breastfeeding, you can even wait until baby's
"pincer grasp" is developed and offer him small finger foods like peas,
bits of grated apple, and the like. The pincer grasp is developed when
baby can pinch small objects (like those bits of carpet fluff or food
on the kitchen floor!) inbetween his thumb and first finger. In fact,
if you have a family tendency towards food allergy, waiting longer to
start solids may be preferable. No matter what baby's age, always
offer one food at a time and wait several days to watch for signs of
allergy before offering another. Take it slow.3) Start with fresh single ingredient foods like:Banana
Steamed carrot, turnip, potato, yam
Avocado
Ripe pear, peach, melon, plum
Cooked squash
Grated apple- raw or steamed
Peas
Well cooked beans
Hard cooked egg yolks (avoid the whites until 1 year)Some of these foods could be served raw. Others are lightly steamed (steaming retains
more nutrients than canning), to make them softer for baby.4) It's not necessary to make a big deal of preparing baby's food.If you want to take a lot of time blending food and freezing them in ice
cube trays, you could certainly do that. But I'm all for the easy approach!Although you do want to avoid giving baby salt and sugar (and spices that may upset
the tummy), you can usually just take an ingredient from your own menu
and "make" baby's dinner.For instance, if you're steaming veggies to serve at dinner, take a tablespoon
of them out of the pan before you add butter and salt. Put this in baby's plate
and mash away. Voila! Instant baby food with no extra work. Or take a bit of
beef from your roast and mash mash mash until it's very soft.Even when you're at a restaurant, you can either bring an apple with you and
"grate" it finely with a spoon at your table, or bring along a banana or other
portable food. Any restaurant with a salad bar would have cooked beans or
avocado. Or give baby a bit of your baked potato (before you add the goodies
on top).Life with a new baby is challenging enough. Keep starting solids simple!For more helpful tips on simplifying life with kids, visit:
http://www.natural-moms.com/homekeeping_organization.htmlCarrie Lauth publishes a free newsletter for Moms doing things the natural
way. Get your copy plus free subscriber goodies at:
http://www.natural-moms.com/natural_mom_newsletter.html
Category : Blogging

Do You Know How To Write A Killer Sales Letter?

2008-07-22T14:00:00.001-07:00

Author : E. D. Zuck

???Try to win the love of a girl with flowers alone, and you?re in for a major heartbreak.???In the same light, try to win a customer with a description of the product by itself, and you?re in for a period of bleak earnings.???The painful fact is this: products don?t sell themselves. They need that human touch to convince the prospective buyer that he needs to purchase the said products, least he misses out on an advantageous opportunity. Sadly, persuading the potential buyer is made more difficult if the business is being carried out online. It seems that the anonymity involved in online transactions make people more hesitant about parting with their hard earned money.???How does an Internet marketer go about in selling his products then????It?s no secret that sales copies have become a must in this day and age. They have even become the landing page of many websites. The power of a good sales copy should not be underappreciated. Sales copies can convert an undecided visitor into a successful sale. After all, a sales copy is what the visitor would read to get more information about the product.???The nature of sales copies is quite sensitive. One word can win or lose a client. This is why many Internet marketers pay hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars for a killer sales letter. Most of the time, they hire a ghostwriter to the job for them. The problem here is that the ghostwriter can only know so much about the product, hence, he could only write just as less.???But guess what????YOU can write your own sales copy! Yes! You could! ???Below is a step-by-step procedure, a formula if you will, on how to churn out those superbly effective sale copies that would increase your conversion rate. STEP 1: Write an attention grabbing HEADLINE. Please bear in mind that a headline is composed of three parts:A line that would set up the main headline.Your main headline that should be in the biggest font size you?ll use in the entire copy. Preferably, it should be in a startlingly different color and in bold. A line that would elaborate on your main headline.???Here is an illustration of a headline using this method:Do you want to gain substantial earnings even while you?re sleeping??AN AUTOMATED BUSINESS SOLUTION IS THE DIGITAL EQUIVALENT OF A 24/7 SECRETARY OR YOUR ONLINE VENTURE!!!?Take And Deliver Orders Without Even Having To Log On To Your Website!STEP 2: Write an INTRODUCTION that your readers can relate to. You could do this by sharing a problem that should be familiar with them.STEP 3: Tell them who you are and share a list of your relevant accomplishments. This would help establish your IDENTITY and your CREDIBILITY. Many of your potential clients are wary about doing business online. By doing away with the unwanted anonymity and by assuring them of your reliability, you?ll be able to make their fears go away.STEP 4: Offer your PRODUCT. Yup! You have to do it here instead of earlier. The reason is that Internet users generally hate sales pitches. If your headline is about the product itself, they might just switch to another site.STEP 5: Assure your readers that the PRODUCT IS EFFECTIVE. This can be done in two ways:Offer confirmable statistics that would support your product?s needed usage. Present testimonials from people who have actually used your product. STEP 6: Enumerate the SPECIFICS OF YOUR PRODUCT. But make sure that this part is not riddled with technical jargons. Explain your product?s details in a colloquial way that anyone would be able to understand.STEP 7: Tell your reader the reasons why your PRODUCT SHALL BE BENEFICIAL to them. This step is crucial, as it is the point where you could transform the potential client?s interest into a perceived need.STEP 8: For that killer blow that would make them feel that yours is the best deal in the planet, bundle your product with BONUSES, and inform your readers of the corresponding VALUE for each freebie. ???Remember that a sales copy is that very integral component that bridges a page hit to a sale. By following the steps we have outlined above, there is no doubt that your conversion rate would dramatically increase! E. D. Zuck is the owner of Capt. EZ?s World, a unique provider of content that's updated daily, software, and ebooks for your website; as well as 10 Dollar Specials, where quality software and ebooks are provided on a weekly rotating basis for $10!

Category : Web Site Traffic

Antique Collectibles

2008-07-22T13:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Kristy Annely

Antique collectibles have a wide range of items in their list. Collections of items related to the past - items of early craftsmanship or things no longer in use, but having old memories attached to them - all fall into the antique collectibles list. Antiques include paintings, idols, statues, feng shui models, jewelry, hand crafted items, decorative arts, clocks and watches, and silver and silverware.Many collectors preserve these items for fun or as their childhood memories. There are also collectors who collect these antique items to gain huge profits. There are many new, amateur and experienced collectors always on the hunt for precious antiques.Interior designers collect antiques for beautifying their designs and to add that extra touch of class to their creations. There are antique dealers who purchase them for a low price and sell them for huge profits. Antique collections like porcelain pots with china paintings could be priced from $45, and there are antiques which go up to millions of dollars.Master painters like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci left great treasures behind in the form of their paintings and they are still the most sought after pieces of art. Great grandfather clocks and huge wall clocks that were handmade and keyed mechanically are a huge hit among antique collectors and dealers.Antique collectors on a large scale buy feng shui idols and traditional china statues. There are many sources from which collectors can purchase these antique collectibles, from antique dealers to Internet sites, to exchanges made among collectors themselves.New collectors can have a look at the various types of antique collections at museums and exhibitions where collectors collections are put on display for one and all to look at. They may inspire the amateur collectors and help them to go ahead with their collections.Before a young antique collector goes ahead with buying an antique collectible, he/she should keep in mind few points. First the price tag: you should not let a cheap price tag tempt you to put hands on something that you otherwise would not go for, and should not let a high price tag scare you away from a genuine antique.The key term in buying an antique is investment grade antique. The collector should decide whether the antique he intends to buy is really worth it. Genuine antiques and rare collections of art are really worth every penny you spend on them. Collectibles provides detailed information on Animal Collectibles, Antique Collectibles, Collectible Cars, Collectible Coins and more. Collectibles is affliated with Rare Coins.

Category : General Consumer: Hobbies

L.A.M.P. PROCESS STEP 2: ACT (Part 2 of 10)

2008-07-22T11:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Kevin McNabb

PRACTICEA very important lesson about life: in 30 days he can turn almost anythinginto a habit, if you practice it for a few minutes everyday. If you find that the new Habit is not taking hold, it is probably because you skipped a day. That won't work. You can't afford to skip even a single day. If you do, your momentum will drop to zero, and you'll have to start over again. During that first 30 days, if you miss even a day of practice, reset your 30-day clock to Day one and start from the beginning. The next time around, practice every day. By the 30th day, you of giving yourself a new habit. INTERNAL PRACTICEWhen we think of practice, we usually think of what I call external practice, the kind the do with your body. But there is a second kind of practice, one that is equally useful when it comes to developing a new habit and is far easier to perform. I call it Internal practice because you do it with your mind. This is what psychologists call visualization. Which is just a fancy word for practicing with your mind instead of your body. The latest research into visualization proves that your mind can't tell much of a difference between an activity visualizes and when you actually performed. This suggests that you can benefit nearly as much from practicing with your mind and the can from practicing with your body. PRE-MEMORYThe term visualization is misleading. Internal practice is far more than seeing the appropriate pictures in your mind. He must also feel the appropriate feelings, hear the appropriate sounds, tasty appropriate tastes, and smell the a corporate smells. You need to experience a practice session in your mind as if you are actually experiencing it with your body. The more realistic to make your mental practice, the more firmly you fix the " experience " in your brain. Sometimes a mental experience is so powerful that it feels like a memory instead of like something you just dreamed up. I call this kind of intense mental image a pre memory. This is something you " remember " before it happens, because you want to make it happen the way you have " remembered " it. You imagine the pictures, feelings, and sounds of your experience, and the tastes and smells if there are any, as clearly as if they had already happened. Pre-memories are the most powerful kind of internal practice, rivaling the memories you retain from actual experience. Your mind can tell so little difference between what's real and what you imagine that you can use pre memories to create new Habits the same way you have used actual experience to create your existing Habits. All it takes is repetition. To use pre memories to form a new Habit, just ask yourself these three questions:1.What would I see through my own eyes if I were actually practicing my new Habit?2.What would I hear?3.How would I feel?To deepen your experience, ask yourself this question:How would I feel if I really were enjoying this new Habit?Kevin McNabbhttp://tinyurl.com/ysep2a Dedicated to helping people find financial freedomand prosperity on a global level.http://tinyurl.com/2ytxskThis article is available for reprint, with the resource box intact.You can make money with this article by adding PPC ads tothis article, so that you will generate revenue from the click-thru's.Please see additional articles from Kevin McNabb athttp://kmanglobal.blogspot.com/

Category : General Business: Network Marketing

How To Use Email To Build Customer Relationships

2008-07-22T07:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Joe Love
The single most important marketing strategy you can use to maximize all of your other marketing is to communicate on a regular basis with your customers. You need to do this in order to maintain strong and positive relationships with your customers.People are bombarded with more information today than at any time in history. The moment a customer has transacted business with you, their minds immediately go to some other concern, issue, or problem, and your product or service is gone from their conscious thinking.Your challenge and biggest opportunity, if you're going to retain your customers, is to keep your customers constantly connected to you. Keep them constantly thinking about how valuable you are, and how much they enjoy and benefit from your products or services.The more contact and communication you have with a customer, the stronger and richer the relationship will become. Keeping in constant communication with your customers won't work if you don't do it strategically. Strategic means ongoing and purposeful communication that serves the customer.The Information Age is all about communication and one the most effective ways to build relationships with your customers is through email. Email is easy and anyone can do it. Unlike many other marketing tools it doesn't take any technical or artistic skills to execute a good email marketing campaign.Email is one of the least expensive marketing tools you have at your disposal. With email you can really nurture relationships over the long haul. Consider all those prospects that slip away just because it's not cost effective to keep engaging them. Lead management is one of the best uses for email.Email also can be customized instantly so that you're sending the message you want to a specific customer at the right time. In addition, email is interactive, providing you with specific feedback regarding how your prospect or customer feels about your message. It also gives the prospect or customer the ability to respond instantly to your message as well.Before you start up an email marketing program it's important to remember that you are doing it to establish better customer relationships. Every time you think about sending an email to a prospect or a customer, ask yourself, "Does this do anything to build a relationship, or is it just a general advertising message?"Communicating with a customer and telling him or her how great your product or service is, doesn't do the customer any good. Communicating with the customer and finding out how well your product or service is performing, offering him or her advice that will help him or her get longer and better use out of our product or service, is a great benefit to him or her.Your message should always be personalized. Whether your message is a print ad, direct mail letter, or a television or radio ad, in order to be effective, it must speak to one person at a time. If you want to build a relationship with a customer, keep it personal and make sure emails come from an individual, and not the company they represent.You don't have to limit your emails to building relationships with just prospects and customers. Use it to develop relationships with colleagues, people in other departments, and your employees. Email people who do what you do, who sell the product or service you sell, but in markets where you don't compete. Share with them, and find out what they're doing and where they're finding avenues of success.Relevance is perhaps the most important key to building customer relationships. Always think about who you are sending an email to and what you are sending them. Is it relevant to each and every person on your list? If not, segment the list and send your message only to those prospects or customers who will view it as valuable.The average business person receives about 50 emails per day, and has the time to maybe answer 10 of them. What happens when you send someone an email that isn't relevant? They don't answer your message, and just delete it. They often won't even pay attention to your emails anymore and you've wasted your opportunity to establish a good relationship.If you are sending out mass emails, only send them to people who have specifically requested to hear from you via email, and if a prospect or customer requests you to remove him or her from your distribution list you're bound by the CAN-SPAM Act to do so immmediately.Email is an important part of your marketing that you should use. If you aren't using it yet, start! If you already have an email marketing system in place, pay attention to it, have clear expectations, measure your success, and if necessary make changes to your approach. Keep it personal, and keep it relevant. Your customer list will build and your profits will show it.Copyright©2006 by Joe Love and JLM & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.Joe Love draws on his 25 years of experience helping both individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits, and achieve total success. He is the founder and CEO of JLM & Associates, a consulting and training organization, specializing in personal and business development. Through his seminars and lectures, Joe Love addresses thousands of men and women each year, including the executives and staffs of many of America's largest corporations, on the subjects of leadership, self-esteem, goals, achievement, and success psychology.Reach Joe at: joe@jlmandassociates.comRead more articles and newsletters at: http://www.jlmandassociates.com
Category : Business:Email-Marketing

Review of the Vagina Monologues/Barbados

2008-07-22T03:40:00.001-07:00

Author : Marsha Caddle

The Frank Collymore Hall was pulsing, vibrating, raving, crying, retaliating, and gushing self-affirmation when the Vagina Monologues came to the stage last Sunday evening, in a celebration of V-day hosted by the National Organization of Women (NOW). The Vagina Monologues is not only a revolutionary, provoking and eye-opening evening of entertainment, it is a bold step towards increasing awareness about violence against women and girls, and securing financial resources for organizations working towards stopping such violence and helping its survivors. V-Day was born in 1998 out of the Monologues, as its creator and performer Eve Ensler heard in her travels hundreds of women?s stories of rape, incest, domestic battery and genital mutilation. She joined with a group of women to found V-day, a global movement to end violence against women. The V in V-Day represents Valentine, Violence, and of course, Vagina; and this word resounded proudly throughout the auditorium as Varia Williams, Kaye Foster, Amanda Cumberbatch and Cecily Spencer-Cross stepped soundlessly into the lives of different women from across the globe, to share the latter?s experiences, or lack thereof, with their vaginas.At the opening of the show, the cast burst excitedly into the theatre, clapping in time and adding their own voices to a pre-recorded background chant of the title of the presentation. While the song itself lacked melody and unity with the subject, and suspiciously resembled a hastily-composed signature piece, it served to engage the audience and unabashedly introduce the theme of the show: vaginas. From their entry by the main hall doors and through the audience, the scene onstage into which the women of the cast moved helped, with its living room-type furnishings, to create an atmosphere of camaraderie among them, which was conveyed onto the monologues they interpreted, and so represented fellowship among women across the world. The creation of this sense of fellowship was supported by the encouraging words and looks exchanged among the women as they moved from one monologue to the other. It solidified a dual message: that women?s sexual expression and awareness is to be celebrated amongst ourselves, but also that violence against women is a crisis which we all share as women, and as a society. It undermines womanhood, not only the women who experience it directly, and it undermines civilization.There was no elaborate scenic or sound design, lighting or costuming. The nakedness of all these elements was key in supporting the theme of the vagina: that which is only directly visible through nakedness, but whose existence moves along a social spectrum from being forgotten, to innately felt, to overtly degraded. A subtly brilliant touch to the costume was a scarf - worn by each cast member ? which also served as a prop. It was alternately draped at the shoulder, tied about the head, or worn as a burka, as an uncomplicated mode of transition for the cast members into the different female subjects of the monologues. Manipulation of the scarf by the cast was completely unobtrusive, and contributed to providing some action on a set which would otherwise have been too static at times. This ability of the cast to abandon self and remain inconspicuous when necessary was transferred to their performance reading of the monologues. They were each able to slip quietly into the roles required to interpret each piece: the intelligent, introspective and refreshingly witty British participant in a vagina workshop whose catharsis came when she was challenged to ?be [her] clitoris?; the self-effacing older woman whose sad detachment from her own vagina was the lasting result of an embarrassing first sexual encounter left undiscussed and unexplained; the young, at first, innocent Southern American girl whose illegal seduction by an older woman was ? sadly, some might say ? her only opportunity to love her ?coochi snorcher?, and therefore herself. The actors were wonderfully convincing in their ?roles?, and their voice, accent and movement greatly strengthened the believability of the monologues being related. Amanda Cumberbatch was bright, funny, sexy and intelligent in her readings. Kaye Foster at times stopped just short of overplaying certain parts, but was endearing, amusing and greatly credible in her performances. Cecily Spencer-Cross assumed the role of narrator for much of the presentation, and in her one longer piece seemed not to shine as much as her fellow cast members. Some elements of her voice and movement were mildly distracting, although the compelling story was able to stand on its own, and convey to the audience the desolation and desperation which are left in the wake of grossly violent acts against women. First Vice President of NOW Senator Jessica Odle and well-known lawyer/thespian Andrew Pilgrim also gave creditable performances as guest readers, with Pilgrim?s vivid account of the rape and genital mutilation of a woman by her boyfriend evoking gasps and tears from the audience. Attaching a man?s voice to this piece was a wise directorial choice, and enhanced the sobering and bewildering effect of the account. The audience favourite for the evening, however, was Varia Williams? interpretation of ?The Woman Who Loved To Make Vaginas Happy?. Williams stepped into the exciting skin of a brash, intelligent, humorous and unapologetic Southern tax lawyer turned sex worker, whose greatest reward in sexually pleasuring women was experiencing their moans. Her monologue climaxed with a demonstration of these various moans, including the ?Trini moan? and the ?Bajan moan?, whose verisimilitude was summarily refreshing and entertaining, and earned her a standing ovation. In coming to each monologue Williams gave the audience a palpable sense of abandonment of self, and created among us an air of expectancy. Hers was a sound and outstanding contribution to an overall brilliant performance by the cast.The presentation was directed by Thom Cross, part of the team of Cross Caribbean Productions, whose conceptualization stayed true to the writer?s intentions. The script was well-interpreted, and a good use of space kept the stage comfortably balanced, particularly during the choral segments. Cross maintained unity in communication of the concepts being explored, while not compromising the theme of variety and diversity of experience which was a key part of the message. It was indeed a strong Caribbean interpretation and production of a not-so-brilliantly scripted North American creation. About The AuthorMarsha Caddle is an economist working in the area of women's economic security and rights. She has an avid interest in the theatre, and is a frequent critic of Caribbean literary and theatrical productions; especially those based on women.

Category : Women

Glass Chess Sets

2008-07-21T22:00:00.001-07:00

Author : Thomas Morva
The first glass chess pieces were made in the ninth century in what was then known as the Islamic Empire. The first glass chess pieces in their modern forms were made in Italy in the 19th century. It is most likely that these early glass chess sets were used for decoration rather than play. Many famous glass companies made decorative glass chess sets through the twentieth century. Glass chess sets now come in many forms and have become a popular medium for artists to demonstrate their talents, from creating traditional chess pieces to pieces representing the buildings in the New York City skyline.Glass chess sets can also come with a variety of chessboards. Some of the chessboards are made of traditional wood, while others are made of glass or have a mirror finish. The glass chess sets with mirror chessboards can look particularly stunning. Some of the wooden boards have storage compartments under the board where the glass pieces can be stowed.The glass used to build these chess sets varies greatly. Some are made of fragile, hollow blown glass while others are constructed with more durable solid glass. Frosted glass is good because it comes in a wide variety of colors, including white, blue, black, and red. Clear glass chess pieces make excellent decoration and are good for play when coupled with pieces of a different color.For people who want to play a more raucous game of chess, shot glass chess sets are available. Each chess piece has a shot glass built into it. These sets come with instructions for variations on the normal rules of chess. Opponents have to drink whatever type of liquor is contained in the shot glass portion when their piece is taken by the opponent.Although glass chess sets started off as decorative pieces of art, many of them are used for play now. Different types of glass in different colors can give the game a unique look.Chess Sets Info provides detailed information about travel, glass, wooden, magnetic, marble, ivory, themed, and collectors' chess sets. Chess Sets Info is affiliated with Original Content.
Category : Recreation-and-Sports