What is Your Legacy?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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