Can t get through the kitchen door

Children can be cruel to their peers - especially if there is a child that is a little different from the majority. Children go through many stages as they grow up. There is the gangly period when the girls physically outpace the boys. The boys then endure the lanky stage where they deal with two left feet while trying to come to terms with the newly discovered rib Adam had lost in the Garden of Eden. Each growth spurt carried it's own pain for most certainly - if not for all children.

Compound the normal growing pressures by adding something like being obese, and a child can find himself or herself lost in a hell from which he or she can see no escape. Many of us spend a lifetime battling our childhood insecurities. Those of us of a certain age remember cruel jokes and poems. Poems like: "fatty fatty two by four, can't get through the kitchen door". As adults we all too often find that the cruelties were not left behind at the school ground doors. They tend follow man through adulthood fed by an ever increasingly judgmental society.

It happened to Two Hundred and Sixty Five (265) pound Ricky Labit and his wife's cousin, weighing in at Two Hundred and Seventy Seven (277) pounds, on Dec. 21, 2007, when they told FOX News they were overcharged and banned by an all you can eat buffet in Houma, La. Why? Because the owners apparently believed them to eat too much. They said before finishing their meal, they were presented with a bill for $46.40, roughly double the normal buffet price. The waitress explained, "Y'all fat, and y'all eat too much." And, finally the two men were barred from the restaurant before leaving the facility.

Who knew the people of the Sportsman's Paradise could be so cruel? Certainly not yours truly. Having lived in the great State of Louisiana for five (5) years we fell in love with it. The Tennessee Mountain Man not being a light weight himself can actually see both sides of the Houma issue. In younger years he certainly got his money's worth when eating at such places.

Computer man owned a restaurant at one time. Sundays were an open buffet and there was a husband and wife couple weighing in around four hundred (400) pounds each who drove over an hour to get to the facility every Sunday. They were dreaded because they were the first to arrive - usually before the doors were unlocked, and they were the last to leave. And, incredibly they were able to eat the entire time. Then you never saw them for a week when the buffet was once again open. They were a site to behold

as they waddled about the place and had to turn sideways to get through the door. Unlike the skinny customers, they always had a smile on their faces. They were apparently happy and they were always treated with respect.

The treatment the two Louisiana men received at the restaurant was appalling enough. The State of Mississippi decided it should pile on. The big brother component of the legislature wants to make sure if one is of a certain BMI he or she cannot get service in a public restaurant. Mississippi is quick to say the bill is dead and will not become law. But, it has been the experience of the American people that once such a dumb move gets started it grows legs and keeps crawling along until the state manages to subdue another liberty.

Are the food police about to strike again? Back off people!

Have we found yet another way to assure that only the beautiful people dare be seen in public? Do we really want big brother regulating such things? First, the airlines started charging over weight people for two seats (explainable - see picture above), and now the government wants to bar them from even getting through the kitchen door.

Would you super size that and... give me a bag of chips and... a... diet coke, please?

The scoop on ice cream summer entertaining

The scoop on ice cream is that it's an excellent choice for simple, delicious and, if desired, elegant entertaining. Whether it's a birthday, graduation, summer holiday or family celebration, ice cream and novelties can make any occasion special.

Sundaes, root beer floats, banana splits, milkshakes and ice cream cones are always popular favorites. Serve an ice cream cake for a birthday or holiday celebration and see your guests smile. Add a scoop of ice cream on warm apple pie and you will delight everyone at the table. Serving ideas for ice cream are only limited by your imagination.

Other popular entertaining ideas, particularly for children, are the many novelties selections in the frozen food aisle. Novelties are separately packaged single servings of a frozen dessert, such as ice cream sandwiches, fudge sticks and juice bars. Today's novelties offer fun, tasty, convenient dessert options for you, your family and guests.

June and July of each year mark the annual Ice Cream & Novelties Promotion, sponsored by the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA). That's when you will find special promotions and prices on your favorite summer treats.

NFRA has these suggestions on storing and handling ice cream and novelties:

• Make the ice cream aisle your last stop.

• Put ice cream products in a separate section of the grocery cart or place on top of other groceries.

• When your groceries are packed, request a freezer bag or additional brown paper bag to insulate your ice cream for the ride home.

• At home, don't allow the ice cream to repeatedly soften and refreeze.

• Store ice cream in the main part of the freezer, not on the door, where it is subject to more fluctuating temperatures.

Here is an elegant yet simple dessert for your summertime entertaining.

Peaches & Cream Shake

16 oz Frozen Sliced Peaches

1 cup Frozen Non-Dairy Creamer, thawed

1 large scoop Vanilla Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt

1/4 tsp. vanilla

Place all ingredients in a blender and process on high for 1-2 minutes, or until well-blended. Pour into serving glasses and garnish with a peach slice.

During June and July, you can play Family Freezer Pleasers Online Instant Win Game.

Consumer credit counseling a double edged sword

Is your debt getting out of hand? You should ask for help sooner rather than later.

You should opt for consumer credit counseling the minute you realize that you are unable to pay your bills on time, or are unable to pay the monthly minimums on your credit cards. There is no point in reaching the stage where debt collectors start showing up on your doorstep every morning to extract their dues.

Credit counseling can give you some ideas of how to manage the debt. It may also bring some financial discipline in your life. However, not all credit counselors are reputable. Therefore, it is important to choose the right counseling service.

You should be careful of organizations that charge you more than the usual $10 up-front fee. Steer clear of services that offer to settle your debts at little or no money, as well, because such services are most definitely illegitimate.

A good idea is to check whether the firm is registered with either the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, or the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies.

You should also make sure that the payments made to the credit counseling firm are transferred to your creditors on time. Late or missing payments reflect badly on your credit rating, and if this their regular practice, you are better off without the services of such an unethical institution.

Credit counseling is often viewed as a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it helps you manage your debts better. On the other hand, it sabotages your reputation with creditors. It is, however, safe to say that the positive aspects of the service far outweigh the negative. While a few creditors may be wary of lending you money again, most of them will still be willing, once you have cleared the debts with the help of credit counseling. Part of the service of a good counseling service should be to help steer you toward a good credit rating once you have gotten out of debt.

It is important you do your research properly and opt for a service that does not further deteriorate your credit rating. For instance a company that tags you as a credit delinquent should be avoided, while one that simply informs your creditors about your decision to take up credit counseling is a better option.

In most of the cases, credit counseling works, and works well. Unfortunately, if you are too far into debt and nearing bankruptcy, this service will be of no use to you. It is also important to curb your spending urges; otherwise, whatever advantages that accrue from credit counseling will be lost.

Credit counseling works. Don't be afraid to give it a try. You may soon be able to relieve some of the constant worry that often plagues those who are deep in debt.

How to choose a flow meter easily

A flow meter is necessary for the task at hand. You know that. What you do not know is how to choose the right one for your task. But, there are some very good tools to help you decide. First of all, a flow meter is a device that is used to measure liquid or a gas in linear, nonlinear, mass or volumetric rates. Now, on to selecting the right flow meter for the task ahead!

Here are some things to consider about your needs that will lead you to choosing the proper flow meter.

• What type of fluid will you measure? For example, air or water? The flow meters will depend on this information.

• Totalization or rate measurement? It depends on what you need here.

• What is the viscosity of the liquid? This is assuming that it is not water.

• Will the fluid that you need to measure be clean?

• Local display or an electronic signal output? Which is the preferred choice here, or perhaps the necessary choice?

• What is the flow rate maximum and minimum for the flow meter?

• What is the max and the min for the process pressure?

From this point, you will want to make sure that the flow meter that you choose fits with the specification that you have listed. It can be quite simple to find the product that you need especially when you make your purchase through the web.

There are many information portals now devoted to the subject and we recommend reading about it at one of these. Try googling for “flow meter info” and you will be surprised by the abundance of information on the subject. Alternatively you may try looking on Yahoo, MSN or even a decent directory site, all are good sources of this information.

Homemade whey protein shakes using bodybuilding supplements creatively

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If you are serious about building muscle mass or sculpting your body you most likely supplement your diet with commercially available whey or soy protein powders (and possibly other supplements). No doubt within a short period of time you discovered the protein shakes whey powders produce may not be the best tasting drinks you've ever had. Despite this you try to stick with them because your goal is a better body and a supplement shake that doesn't taste so great is simply a sacrifice you make.

People find that the flavor of the protein shake powder they paid a good money for quickly gets boring. If you are taking your protein shakes two or even three times a day it can become a real chore. This is when people start to experiment a little by adding other ingredients to make their protein shakes taste a little better.

You can soon turn your boring, often tasteless, protein shakes into mouth-watering bodybuilding or dieting delights. All you need to have to get started is a blender and a little imagination.

Choosing What to Put in Your Protein Shakes

Before rushing off to your refrigerator to blend everything in site, let's go through some basic principles you will want to consider first. Not only do you want to create the best tasting shakes but you should also aim to make the most effective protein shakes for your dieting requirements. This is important because there is no point throwing full fat ice cream, chocolate sauce, peanut butter and full fat milk all together to create a wonderful tasting fat gaining shake. You need to be a little wise when choosing your ingredients.

So what kinds of ingredients make good choices for your shakes? I recommend using the following tips when getting your ingredients from the supermarket or refrigerator:

• Try to keep as many of your ingredients as natural as possible. A good example of this is using natural peanut butter instead of regular peanut butter. The natural version has better protein content and also natural fats that are important in your diet.



• Fresh fruit should be used whenever possible. Fruit contains the carbohydrates that will fuel your workouts and your day. The complex sugars in fruit are important to any diet (unlike the simple sugars in sweets, sodas, etc).



• Think about ingredients that will boost your shake's protein content. For example, you could throw a handful of nuts into the blender for a little extra protein without making the shake much thicker. You could add a few raw egg whites (if you are worried about eating raw eggs you may be able to find treated egg whites in cartons at your supermarket). You could always simply dump an extra scoop of whey powder in there as well.



• Make sure you have enough liquids. If you get a little too carried away you may discover your shake is easier to eat with a spoon then drink from a glass. When you first start creating your shakes it is a good idea to add your liquids (water, fat-free milk, fruit juices, etc.) in stages so that you get your desired consistency.



• Examine the nutritional information for each ingredient and consider the impact it will have on your dieting goals. For example, you may be opting for fat free (skimmed) milk if you aren't trying to gain weight.



• Always know what your goal is and make your shakes accordingly. If you are trying to shed the fat you will be skipping the types of ingredients that add too many carbohydrates and fats while trying to increase the protein content.



• Think of how you might create a unique flavor. You can try things like cinnamon, vanilla, honey, coconut milk, etc. Once you get the hang of this you will see the possibilities are endless.

Making Your Protein Shake

Once you have decided on the ingredients for your shake you are ready to start. It couldn't be simpler and if you can make toast you won't have a problem. It's a good idea to think about the order in which you will add your ingredients into the blender. Always add your main liquid source first so that everything else you add afterwards is easily blended. Following this, add your protein powder and give your blender a quick 'burst'. Now you are ready to add the rest of your ingredients and blend until you get the right consistency. At this point you may want to add a little more liquids to tweak your shake's thickness. Throw in five or six ice cubes to make your shake more refreshing.

Now you can let your imagination invent all sorts of bodybuilding and dieting concoctions that make your supplement shakes a great deal tastier. Don't forget to share your creations with friends at the gym and people across the world through the internet. You will also discover many ideas other people come up with to inspire you further. Visit websites and online forums for recipes and you can get some ideas from my site's homemade protein shakes using whey supplement powders section.

Happy blending!

Lows and highs in stocks

In stocks, traders and investors base their bids/asks, or buy and sell on lows and highs. The high and low in some instances have pips, currencies, spreads, or shares involved.

Most people in the trading industry will use charts to keep updated on pips. Pips are what traders call percentages factored into points. The percentages are quotes that determine the price set on currencies. The charts help these traders to keep track so they know when to buy and sell.

In the business, small and large banking institutions, as well as large and small companies invest in stocks, or Forex exchange. Using charts, the traders are provided quotes on both sides, which make up ask and bid phrase, depending on the stock market. The bids make up pricing, which is prompted once indicators within programs alert traders on Base Exchange that occurs between buying currencies on opposing sides. Once the alerts come in, the trader may select "ask" has the pricing occurs. The trader bases exchange on his, ‘ask' which could flip at the drop of a dime.

Quotes enable traders to set their marks on pips, which can decide decimals that rise over the averages. In stocks, decimals convert in some instances to match exchange within the currencies of a sole country. Decimals base values, which are constant at all times.

One of the largest industries and growing is Forex. The foreign market exchanges currencies in stocks that have reached in the trillions of dollar brackets. That is trillions in a sole industry. This fiscal market has made the highest mark in the stock market industry. The market has overridden the largest United States equity branches.

Charts are employed in Forex. The guides, aid traders by allowing them to read, interpret through indicators, which send signals. Within the charts are treks, basic strategies, powers, and so on.

Anyone intending to get in on stocks or in the stock market, should take time to learn about highs/lows, bid/asks, charts, pips, spreads and so on to avoid increasing the high risks. Staying informed is the key to successfully gaining in any stock exchange. Still, you want to choose charts and information that offers you precision in the stock market, Forex exchange markets and other stock industries.

Your best solution for just starting out is to download free charts that allow you to monitor and analyze, while exploring pips, spreads, highs, lows, currencies and so on in stocks.

African christmas

12. Christmas in African Nations

Christmas celebrations in African nations is characterized by

much outdoor activity because the season often occurs during a time

when the weather is pleasant. Using palm trees and participating in

processions are also characteristic features of activities related to

Christmas in many parts of Africa.

In South Africa, activities that occur outside during Christmas

include the usual caroling, but also the unusual ones of swimming and

camping. The beach and mountains play an important role during

Christmas in South Africa because the season occurs during the hottest

time of the year - summer.

Given the pleasant nature of the weather during Christmas,

families also take advantage of it by often going sightseeing in the

countryside on a relaxing drive in the late evening of Christmas Day. A

rich and sumptuous menu that includes a suckling pig or roast beef,

turkey, mince pies, yellow rice, vegetables and puddings usually makes

up the traditional South African Christmas dinner.

To create a festive environment, decorated pine branches and fir,

sparkling cotton wool and tinsel are used in homes and businesses as

decorations.

A similar decorative pattern of using evergreen, palm trees and

lighted candles are also seen in countries such as Ghana and Liberia.

While these are used in homes and businesses, they are also often

carried in processions and during caroling activities.

While South Africans gather at the beach during Christmas time to

enjoy the warm summer waters, people in other African nations often

gather outside at in town squares and in the streets to march, sing and

enjoy an overall feeling of merriment.

Despite the seemingly general similarity in activities, however,

countries have their own individual style that makes Christmas

celebrations unique.

Of all the celebrations in African nations, Christmas activities

in Ethiopia stand out for their difference in when they are celebrated

and how it is done. One of the features that make Ethiopian Christmas

different is that the main celebratory event occurs on Jan. 7, around

the time known as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day in North and South

America.

Given the general modest economic financial situations of a

significant number of the population in many African countries,

Christmas celebrations also tend to occur over a shorter period of

time, compared to activities in more wealthier countries.

Another difference in celebrations of Christmas in Ethiopia is

the participation of various people who take part in a pilgrimage and

converge on the capital city during Christmas Eve. These wanderers fill

the night air with a din of praying and chanting and create a

multicolor spectacle when they gather on Christmas morning to have a

religious service.

But retaining a similarity with other African nations, Ethiopians

enjoy a Christmas dinner that includes a meat stew. Stews, rice, root

vegetables such as yams, breads and soups often are part of the menu of

traditional Christmas day dinners in African nations.

Christmas dinners are likely enjoyed by families outside, where

everyone shares the meal while sitting in a circular pattern outside

under the shade of a sprawling tree, instead of sitting in a formal

setting at a table.

As is the practice in every household during Christmas, Africans

also exchange gifts. Popular items that are exchanged as Christmas

gifts include cotton cloth, soaps, sweets, pencils and books, all very

practical items that can be readily used. Again, this may be related to

the modest financial resources of up to half the population in many

African countries, as well as to cultural norms. Individuals aren't

able to afford extravagant gifts but they still want to surprise

children, family and friends at Christmas with an unexpected gift. The

generally pervasive cultural norm of humility and modesty that exists

among traditional African peoples, also plays an important role in not

having overreaching extravagance at Christmas.

The magic of art photography

One of the most emotional components of photography is the study of art photography. People naturally love or despise a photograph much as they love or despise a particular painting or sculpture. Art photography has the ability to move viewers past just looking at an object or image to seeing an emotion, a passion or a concept that stirs the thoughts as well as the feelings within an individual.

What is it about art photography that moves people and invokes emotional responses? Often viewers themselves cannot determine exactly what causes this extreme response within themselves when presented with an image. Some of the most famous art photographers such as Ansel Adams, Anne Geddes or Dorthea Lange all had a specific topic or theme they photographed, often representing the images in ways that were not typical of how they would normally be viewed.

The following artists have all contributed to the development of art photography by using themes in their photography:

* Anne Geddes – famous for her many pictures of babies, this art photographer is one of the most well-known modern photographers. Her works are often featured on cards, calendars and books.

* Dorthea Lange – best known for her amazing and haunting photographs of the depression, Dorthea Lange also did some photographs capturing the internment of the Japanese-Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Due to the sensitive nature and political climate of the time, many of these photographs were not released until 1972.

* Ansel Adams – amazing and breathtaking photographs, usually in black and white, of nature at its finest. Ansel Adams used his camera to show the world the beauty of National Parks such as Yosemite.

* Galen Rowell – famous adventure photographer that has captured wildlife and nature from around the world. His photographs range from the wildlife and terrain of Africa through to the Antarctic.

* Henri Cartier-Bresson – these strikingly moving photographs of people of all ages are very thought provoking. While some of the subjects of the photographs such as Truman Capote and John Houston are well known, many of the photographs are of everyday people with no special fame or renown.

* Jim Brandenburg – this artist features very close up and detailed photographs of wolves in nature. Brandenburg often spent literally hours waiting in extreme conditions for just the right angle and shot.

All art photography is a combination of luck and technical discipline. Being able to wait for just the right light, expression or movement to capture what the photographer is trying to explore is both an art and a science. Those art photographers that have become famous for their talent and training have spent years developing techniques and styles that make their pictures truly unique. Learning art photography is a wonderful way to capture images to save for future generations.

Does money make money

If you write articles for your website, try not to include the affiliate links in the body of your articles: it will give the impression that you have a vested interest in recommending them. You want your visitors to trust your advice, so don't turn your article into an excuse to promote products and make a commission.

Christian home based business called Disciple's Cross. With Disciple's Cross, you make beautiful crosses and send these crosses back to the company. The company will pay you for the crosses it accepts. It has been a lot of fun to participate in this business opportunity and wonderful ministry.

Instead of buying links, get one-way links from blog search engines and directories, as well as getting your RSS feed content displayed at other sites.

Does Money Make Money?

If it is your goal to accumulate wealth, believing the fallacy that money makes money, will hinder your progress to no end. This belief stifles many to a life of failure, and misery.

The goal setting theory of motivation means that you need to be positive - and realistic - to be able to reach your goal, especially if that goal is to make money.

How many times do we hear that "money makes money." Money can make money just as easily as Ferrari can win the Grand Prix without Schumaker in the driver's seat.

"Ferrari is the Grand Prix world champion." Do we say that? "Microsoft invented Windows." Do we say that? Or do we say, "Schumaker is the world champion." And "Gates invented Windows."? Of course we give credit to the person, or people. And that's because that is the reality.

Money is an innate, lifeless thing.

To illustrate...

Let's say we want to make our money grow, then we place a $100 note in a tin and bury it, and a year later we return and dig it up. How much money will there be? Only our $100 note we placed in the tin. There is no way, on God's green earth that there can be one cent more than the original $100.

Before spending a lot of time and money marketing an affiliate program, always check it out first. There are a number of ways to do this.

If you want to have more money and free time, you must work for it consistently and persistently with

I kept reading over and over again to get your own domain name and create your own web site. Then incorporate all your affiliate links into your new web site. Create a theme and join affiliate programs related to that theme. But I knew nothing about creating a web site. And what the heck is HTML?

the right opportunity until you reach success. Winner will never quit until they are successful.

People make money! And people lose money!

Certainly, money can earn interest, but the person (or rather the person's intelligence) is required to invest the money to earn that interest. In this regard, a person can make a bad investment, and not earn as much interest, or can lose money.

On the other side of the coin (no pun intended), a person can indulge in a business venture, and this way make money. Or lose it!

Whichever route is taken, it is the intelligence of the PERSON that either makes money, or makes more money. This is the way it has always worked, and always will.

Even in the event where someone has a big windfall, like winning the lottery, this money can be squandered, or made to multiply. Whichever it is, it is up to the person, to either invest wisely, or to spend endlessly. The history books are full of tales where enormous fortunes were won, and then lost.

Therefore, if it is your goal to make money, don't fall into the trap of believing that "money makes money"; it is a lifeless object, that cannot possible multiply without the intelligence of a human being. Rather...

Make it your goal to...

... learn about money, and how to invest and use it to multiply.

I do not remember how I got started but after a while I started searching for money earning opportunities on the net. I would sit and search for long hours every day. I would search till my eyes get sore. I was wasting my time but I did not know. Everyday I would search and click new sites. Making money ideas by Victoria, Duvet Dollars. See my Duvet Dollars review here!

With Google Adwords advertising program, you can make your ad show-up when somebody types in these terms… and you don’t even need your own product. There are thousands of retailers that offer you up to 70% commission for every product you sell.

With so many ways to make money online, what is the best way to work from the comfort of your own home without breaking a sweat?

Health food

Does your kid often eat junk food? Chances are, the answer to that one is a resounding yes because, as all parents know, children everywhere in the world absolutely love junk food such as hamburgers, pizza, candy, soda and salty foods like potato chips and french fries. Like most parents, you probably want to wean your child away from junk food (or at least lessen his intake of it) and reinforce his diet with healthy food such as grains, vegetables, fruits and nutrient-rich foods such as meat, beans, fish and nuts.

Here are some tips to help you achieve just that. The basic strategy is to make eating healthy food fun for the kids. You probably can even think of more ways to use this strategy when feeding your child.

(1) The Sneak Attack.

Sneak in those fruits and vegetables with a type of food that your child really enjoys. One example would be making muffins out of bananas or apples. If your kids like pizza, you can sneak in a wide variety of vegetables in there that your youngsters probably won’t even notice. Another tack is to arrange the food in creative ways that will appear funny and play-like to your childe. For instance, you can arrange the food creatively on a plate or make food stand at attention like people.

(2) Funny Name Game.

Kids below the age of four always fall for this one. It’s called the funny name game and involves giving healthy foods like fruits and vegetables funny names and conjuring up interesting stories involving the food. Obviously, many of these stories will conclude with the food being gobbled up by the giant child or having the food run for cover to avoid an alien attack by ducking into a big cave that also happens to be your kid’s mouth.

(3) The Taste Test.

The main reason kids don’t like vegetables is that they can’t stand the taste. Hence, if you can add things kids love like peanut butter to celery or some ranch dressing to broccoli, your kids may go for those veggies.

The main thing is to be creative about feeding your food. I’m sure you can look into your kitchen and discover your own way to make eating healthy food a fun experience.

35 weird facts you never heard of

1. Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.

2. Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite.

3. There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.

4. The average person's left hand does 56% of the typing.

5. A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.

6. There are more chickens than people in the world.

7. Two-thirds of the world's eggplant is grown in New Jersey.

8. The longest one-syllable word in the English language is "screeched."

9. On a Canadian two dollar bill, the flag flying over the Parliament building is an American flag.

10. All of the clocks in the movie "Pulp Fiction" are stuck on 4:20.

11. No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple.

12. "Dreamt" is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt".

13. All 50 States are listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the $5 bill.

14. Almonds are a member of the peach family.

15. Winston Churchill was born in a ladies' room during a dance.

16. Maine is the only State whose name is just one syllable.

17. There are only four words in the English language which end in "dous": tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous.

18. The characters "Bert" and "Ernie" on Sesame Street were named after "Bert the cop" and "Ernie the taxi driver" in Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life."

19. A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.

20. An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

21. Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.

22. In most advertisements, the time displayed on a watch is 10:10.

23. Al Capone's business card said he was a used furniture dealer.

24. Los Angeles' full name is "El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula."

25. A dragonfly has a life span of 24 hours.

26. A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.

27. A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.

28. It's impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.

29. The giant squid has the largest eyes in the world.

30. In England, the Speaker of the House is not allowed to speak.

31. The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.

32. Mr. Rogers is an ordained minister.

33. The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.

34. There are 336 dimples on a regulation golf ball.

35. "Stewardesses" is the longest word that is typed with only the left hand.

Four credit repair tips

You should take a good look at your credit reports at least once a year. This is the document that will have all of your personal and financial information on it. You will have to be aware of all the information so that you can change the mistakes or the wrong information that is on it. There are ways to fight these mistakes and you can repair your credit when you do this.

Credit Repair Tip #1 Change what you can

Figure out what you can change about your credit report. Think about the different ways that you can turn your bad credit scores into good ones. Are you paying your bills on time, do you have too much debt, what are you going to do about it? If you are willing to make the changes that are needed, you will have a better chance at improving your credit.

Credit Repair Tip #2 Create and follow a bill payment system

Figure out a good bill paying system and stick to it. You should make a record of all your bills and when they need to be paid. As you pay them you can check them off. This will help you keep track of what you paid, and what still needs paid. You will be paying them on time and this will help to eliminate your debt in all categories.

Credit Repair Tip #3 Get help if you need it

You can ask for help with your credit repair when you need it. There are debt-counseling programs that are designed to help you with your debt. These debt solutions are going to improve your way of life as well. They can teach you how to use your credit wisely and to make good decisions. These decisions will affect your life and make your credit report improve as well.

Credit Repair Tip #4 Earn extra money to pay down debts

If you have anything that you can sell off, it may be the time to do it. You can use the money that you get from the items that you sell to pay off credit debt. This is a great way to decrease your debt with money that you earn free and clear. You should try to do this as often as you can.

Strains and pains the pitfalls of overwork and over exercise

The other day, while I doing the laundry, I felt a sharp pain in my back after reaching down to pick up some shirts and socks that fell from clothesline. I had to stop doing the laundry since every time I tried to bend, the would pain shoot up again. It was clear that the pain cam from a strained lower back. While I was still able to move around, I just could not bend to pick up things. Aside from the pain in my lumbar region, I also felt discomfort every time I reach for a can of corned beef from the cupboard.

Wasting no more time, I went to see my doctor so that I could have a proper physical examination. After describing to him what happened and a quick psycho-motor test, the doctor informed me that the pain that I felt was not that serious. He explained that what I actually experienced was a muscle spasm or muscle strain. The doctor also advised me to take it easy with my daily physical activities. To reduce muscular tension, he gave me a prescription for paracetamol, an over-the-counter pain killer.

It was a great relief to hear that I only suffered from a very minor muscle strain. Some people are not as fortunate. An estimated 31 million Americans experience lower back pain every year.

But what exactly is a muscle strain and what causes it?

Muscle strain occurs when a muscle is pulled or teared due to over-exertion. It is a partial tear of the small fibers that make up the muscle. The tearing may be small and can only be seen with the use of a microscope. Athletes are very prone to muscle strain due to the continuous, repetitive use of their muscles in strenuous sports activities. These are the common signs of muscle strain:

l Weakness of the tendons

l Swelling, redness, open cuts, or bruising

l Feeling of pain in the affected area even while in a resting position

l Inability to move or use the body part with the strained muscles

A muscle strain is not only painful but also a major hindrance in doing our everyday tasks. It is important to take care of one's body in order to maintain the right physical condition that is needed to effectively do our work and to enjoy leisurely activities. Therefore, it is wise to follow these tips to keep our backs straight and pain-free:

l Protect the strained muscle from further injury taking time to rest and by avoiding strenuous physical activities.

l Apply ice packs on the affected area every 20 minutes. Make sure that the affected body part is comfortably extended which helps improve blood circulation. .

l After the inflammation disappears, you can use heating pad to relax the muscles in the affected body part.

l Take non-steroidal agents like aspirin to reduce the pain and to improve your mobility.

l Make sure to do warm-up and stretching exercises before undertaking any sports or sustained physical activities.

l Take plenty of time to rest after being engaged in sports and strenuous physical activities. Rest and sleep allows your body to replenish and repair injured or strained muscles.

Whether we're doing the laundry or doing the latest fitness routine, it is always best to do things carefully and progressively. The intensity of our physical movements must be carefully measured to avoid injuries and physical stress. By all means, we should lead active, vibrant lives --- while maintaining safety in all activities that we engage in. Just remember that whether it's exercise or doing household chores...too much of a good thing can be harmful, too.

Stop snoring and get a good night s sleep

When most people think of snoring, they think of it as an almost humorous nuisance. But snoring can have very serious effects on the quality of your life and your health.

Snoring has several causes. A cold or other infection can make breathing difficult and cause the sound of snoring as the sleeping person struggles to draw air through blocked nasal passages and throat.

Sometimes snoring is the result of a medical condition, such as swollen tonsils and adenoids (lymphoid tissues located at the back of the throat).

Snoring can also be caused by a misshapen wall separating the nasal cavity, called a deviated nasal septum, or a growth in the cavity, called a nasal polyp, both of which cause nasal blockages.

Snoring can also occur when flabby throat muscles are drawn into the airway, particularly when muscular control is overly relaxed by alcohol, drugs, or deep sleep.

The larger the tissues in your soft palate, the more likely you are to snore while sleeping. Alcohol or sedatives taken shortly before sleep also promote snoring. These drugs cause greater relaxation of the tissues in your throat and mouth.

Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea, but people who have sleep apnea typically do snore loudly and frequently. Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder, and its hallmark is loud, frequent snoring linked to intermittent brief pauses in breathing while sleeping.

Even if you don’t experience these breathing pauses, snoring can still be a problem for you as well as for your bed partner. The increased breathing effort associated with snoring can impair your sleep quality and lead to many of the same health consequences as sleep apnea.

Treating chronic congestion and refraining from alcohol or sedatives before sleeping can also stop snoring. In some adults, snoring can be relieved by dental appliances that reposition the soft tissues in the mouth.

Although numerous over-the-counter nasal strips and sprays claim to relieve snoring, no scientific evidence supports those claims.

Tips for a sound night’s sleep: relax before bed and try not to worry about whether or not you will be able to sleep, avoid drinking caffeine or alcohol before bedtime as caffeine can keep you awake and alcohol can cause you to wake up during the night (try a hot milky drink instead).

Try not to nap in the afternoon or early evening, try to take some exercise in the late afternoon or early evening , but make sure you are finished at least three hours before bedtime.

Try to avoid disrupting your regular sleeping pattern (this will help your body clock to know when it’s time to sleep)

Try wearing an eyemask or earplugs to help block out noise and light which can may be affecting your sleep.

Lighted christmas tree 11

A Lighted Christmas Tree For the Holidays

Have you ever wondered how the tradition of cutting down a fir or pine tree, and attaching lights and ornaments to it came about? Well, according to various online sources, fir trees were not brought inside at Christmas time until the 16th century in Germany and England, and not until much later to America. Many other traditional holiday customs, including images of Santa Claus, holiday songs, hand blown glass ornaments, and the lighting of the Christmas tree originated in Europe as well. The legend of the latter is that Martin Luther originated the tradition of decorating trees in celebration of Christmas, by bringing a small fir tree indoors and decorating it with lighted candles in honor of Christ's birth. This practice slowly spread across Europe and came to the United States as immigrants brought their Christmas traditions with them.

Today, everyone has a lighted Christmas tree, and it certainly wouldn't be Christmas without it! You can go out and pick your tree, cut it down yourself or buy one that's already pre-cut. Bring it home and put your lights and decorations on and there you have it, or you can choose a pre-lighted artificial tree from any number of local and online retailers. Lowe's and Home Depot have a nice selection of pre-lit Christmas trees in all sizes and styles that require minimal set up. The advantage to purchasing a pre-lit Christmas tree is that you don't have to mess with untangling the light strands every season, just to get yourself tangled back up with them while getting dizzy going around tree placing them just right on the tree! That's what makes it fun though, wouldn't you agree? Put on some holiday music, and enjoy some tasty beverages with family members as you decorate the tree.

Let's not forget the natural trees in your yard that make beautiful, stunning lighted Christmas tree displays during the holiday season. Use solid colored lights or multi-colored strands that are available in various sizes to illuminate the trees in glowing color. Of course, make sure that the lights are safe to use outdoors, and use water-proof power supply cords. Enjoy a safe holiday season with family and friends while celebrating old traditions and discovering new favorites. This is a time of year to rekindle relationships and spend time with our loved ones, sit around the Christmas tree, open gifts, and of course, indulge in decadent holiday treats and feasts that everyone looks forward to! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Italian cuisine a trip to the island of sardinia

The island of Sardinia perhaps most quickly conjures up the idea of sardines. A small island off of the western coast of Italy, it certainly incorporates seafood in to much of its regional cuisine. However, Sardinia has such a rich and various history that it bears little resemblance to the traditional idea of Italian cooking. Like many other Italian regional cuisines, Sardinia’s regional taste is often a surprise for a palette that is expecting red sauce and parmesan cheese to be the beginning and end of traditional Italian cooking. While it is a region of Italy, Sardinia’s history is shared with explorers of many European nations, such as Greece, France, and Spain. This diverse history of people shows in the traditions and culture of this isolated island destination.

While, being an island, seafood, especially shellfish, plays a large part in the regional cuisine of Sardinia, very few Sardinian meals do not incorporate lamb, a rich resource in the mountainous inland of the island of Sardinia. In addition to the lamb’s meat, a favorite of Sardinian chefs, very few meals are complete without the company of sheep’s milk and wild fennel. Stews and roasts are popular choices for the people of Sardinia. Looking at any Sardinian recipe, it is easy to see that the cuisine of this hilly island is a veritable stone soup of the many different cultures that have passed through the island over the years.

The seafood traditions of the Greek isles can be found in the mussel stews and roasted lobster dishes that keep the island’s fishermen busy. Malloreddus is a Sardinian pasta that can be found in many stews and pasta dishes accompanying chicken or rabbit basted in fennel or saffron. Malloreddus is a grooved pasta that very much resembles gnocchi in taste and texture, and is made of semolina flour and sometimes seasoned lightly with saffron, while most gnocchi is made with potato.

Stews are very popular in the regional cuisine of Sardinia, and even meat and poultry dishes are served in rich cooking sauces that could just as easily be served as soups. For this reason, accompanying a Sardinian entrйe with a hearty crusted bread or a side of potatoes makes for a very filling meal. Pasta, in the traditional sense is not as large a part of Sardinian cooking as in other regions of Italy. The pastas of Sardinia are more commonly associated with Middle Eastern cuisine. Hearty grains and fusilli more commonly accompany the dishes of Sardinian regional cuisine, as opposed the lasagna, spaghetti or linguine that Americans more commonly associate with Italian cooking.

Between the diverse history of Sardinia’s people, from France to the Middle East, and the various different landscapes and resources that can be found throughout the island, it is hard to put Sardinian cuisine into one category. One thing is for sure though, while you will find many different types of food on the island of Sardinia, it is unlikely that you will find anything like it anywhere else in the world.

Jobs suck. learn something that s not boring making money online

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Work no more then 2-3 hours per day and Become hated - BUT RICH!

BecomeHated is the newest money-making e-Book to hit the market, created by a team of 7 successful web entrepreneurs, with a combined income of $530,000 per month online. It is a step-by-step guide that is easy to understand to making money with ease online. This is a revolutionary new e-Book that surpasses the knowledge of The Rich Jerk's e-Book. There's no fluff, no fillers, but just straight-to-the-chase information on making money.

The Overall Opinion:

Become Hated is definitely a revolutionary e-Book resource that covers the essence of Internet Marketing methods that target to exploit all kinds of Internet opportunities. It has definitely lived up to it's name, and delivers everything you need to achieve success in internet marketing. I felt very motivated to do something after I learned all that valuable information.

Become Hated delivers the information in a very direct and simplistic way so you will know exactly what the content means. This is especially great because most "make-money-online" books are too broad and don't explain things thoroughly.

There are 8 different chapters that explain different kinds of ways to create yourself income online. The following are listed below:

High Yield Investment Programs Google Adsense Google Adwords Casino Scalping Blogging Arbitrage Betting Affiliate marketing Autosurfs

The Bottom Line is...

I highly recommend it far more than The Rich Jerk. Become Hated offers more techniques and is ideal for everyone. Even if you are not into internet marketing, there are two other chapters that are great for you. If you're serious, willing and determined to make money on the internet, this book is for you. Whether you are new or experience to internet marketing, this book provides the whole nine yards and great tips to boost your income. If you plan to succeed in this field, this book is your guide.

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Business growth rate control for maximum success

Business growth is something we all want. During startup, however, you have to balance your business growth rate with your ability to keep on top of the business launch. You don't want to get overextended because that will cause you to cut corners and your future success may suffer.

Controlling the rate of business growth is difficult to do especially if you are moonlighting. In this situation you have so many more balls to juggle because you have work issues to deal with as well as business issues. The key to effective business growth control is excellent organization and planning.

Micro manage for Business Growth Control

During your startup it is more important than ever that you micro plan your major projects. If you sell a 10 node network you will probably quote it by the number of hours for server installation, cabling infrastructure, taking care of the ISP and the telephone company, and taking care of the desktop. To control business growth you need to take this type of calculation to the next level and develop a detailed hourly spreadsheet to account for your hours each week:

Put your total hours and tasks required into a spreadsheet

Break down each of the tasks week by week

Estimate the number of hours you will need for each item during the week

Add in some cushion time to deal with unanticipated issues

Add general administrative tasks, work and family responsibilities, and leisure time requirements into the spreadsheet as well

This type of planning exercise will help you control your business growth because it will be easier to see if you are overextending yourself. An overextended person is a stressed person and a stressed person is not an effective business manager or service provider.

The Bottom Line on Business Growth

To control business growth the best thing you can do is to make sure you have a handle on everything you are working on. Break large projects down into smaller pieces. Fit your projects into the other responsibilities your have whether those are work or family related. Take a look at your weekly responsibilities and ensure you are not spreading yourself too thin in any one area. This micro management approach will ensure your business growth rate does not spiral beyond your ability to keep up.

Copyright MMI-MMVI, Computer Consulting 101 Blog. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

Accounting finance careers

Accounting Finance Careers

For those who enjoy the challenge of working with numbers on a daily basis, an accounting finance career is right for you. With the tools that were taught in school, you will be able to help a company or a business run efficiently.

But what is the first step that you have to take? Most companies will require that you graduate with a bachelor’s degree in accountancy, business, economics, math or statistics and also obtain your CPA or Certified Public Accountant’s license.

Given that the job market is very competitive, you will also have to get a master’s degree and be familiar with the latest accounting software around given that most companies use the computer these dates to upgrade records or add new information.

For the most part, accountants do not go out of the office much when everything they have to do is in front of their desk. But if the accounting firm has a client, they will have to leave and perform an audit in the customer’s place of office.

The working hours for most accountants on average are 40 hours a week. However, this gets longer during the tax season and towards the end of the financial year.

Your accounting finance career can go into one of the four major fields. If you want to be a public accountant, you work for corporations, the government, a non profit organization or one person. You can advise the client on tax matters, preparing their income tax returns and offering your consultation services when it comes to running their business.

If the accounting department you are working of is quite big, you are able to specialize for instance simply working on the employee’s compensation and benefits.

Management accountant is another and here, you will be responsible for asset management, budgeting, cost management and performance evaluation of the company. Your analysis of the financial information given to you is needed to help top level executives make strategic business solutions that will affect the company as a whole.

But a vast majority of accountants work in the public sector. They maybe employed on a federal, state or local level and their job is to make sure that all the money collected from the people through the form of taxes is accounted for.

The last option is known as internal auditing. Those who work here check and balance the company or the client they are working for in all facets of the organization so money is never mismanaged or wasted. They also recommend new procedures so incidents of fraud do not occur.

Graduates fresh out of college will not be handling an account or given an assignment on their own. They will be assisting accountants who are more senior to them and then after a year or two, be promoted to that position before becoming a manager or even a partner later on.

During this time, you will be able to specialize in one of the four fields mentioned or shift towards something else. Many professionals have gone from public accounting to internal audit or management accounting. But it is very rare that the opposite occurs.

Getting a college degree and your license can open a lot of doors to get you started on your accounting finance career. So, if you want to pursue this, it is yours for the taking.

Learn about how a guitar works and makes sound

How Guitars Work

Many people, guitarists included, have probably wondered how exactly guitars work. However, they probably also are confused by all of the terms used to describe how a guitar produces the sound we hear. There is quite a bit of physics involved in it, and those who haven’t taken a day of physics in their life probably wouldn’t understand it. This is where this article comes in handy. In this article, we will describe how both Acoustic and Electric guitars work in terms that everyone will understand.

How the Acoustic Works:

To start with, when a string vibrates (when you play it), it produces vibration at a certain frequency. The frequency at which a string vibrates is determined by the weight, length, and tension of the string.

The body of the guitar takes in the vibration of the strings and then puts the sound out into the air. This is the sound that is heard when the guitar string is played.

On an Acoustic guitar, there is a soundhole. This soundhole serves to amplify the sound of the vibration produced by the strings. Without the soundhole, the sound would be practically inaudible, which is the case with a solid body Electric guitar.

To alter the length (and therefore change the sound that is heard) of the string, you’ll alter the tension of the string. You do this by pressing down on the string on any of the frets and then playing that string. Doing so changes the frequency of the vibration, which, in turn, alters the sound that is heard.

How the Electric guitar Works:

Electric guitars really aren’t that much different from Acoustic guitars. In fact, the main difference between the two is that one is made of solid wood (with no holes), while the other has a hollow-body (with a soundhole). How Electric guitars work is a bit different than how Acoustic guitars do.

Just like with the Acoustic guitar, when a string is played, it vibrates. That vibration produces the sound that we hear. The frequency of the vibration is, again, determined by the weight, length and tension of the string.

With no soundhole, the Electric guitar is unable to self-amplify the sound produced by the vibration of the strings. Thus, the sound heard from an un-amplified Electric guitar is minimal. This is why guitar pickups and amplifiers are necessary to produce the sound loud enough for people to hear.

Pickups basically take the vibration of the strings and convert it into a useable electrical current. This current is then fed into the amplifier by way of a cable which is then interpreted by the amplifier. The sound that results comes out of the amplifier speaker.

Amplifiers that have pre-built distortion (and practically all of them do now) can distort the electrical current (vibration) by clipping it. The sound that results from this clipping is what is called distortion.

Other types of guitar effects found on amps and pedals do pretty much the same thing—they alter the electrical current which is fed to them by the pickups of the guitar.

And there you have it. That is, in a nutshell, exactly how guitars work. No physics necessary.

Homeschooling and college dlvy nicheblower. com

Homeschooling and college

As children grow out of their little pants and are ready to begin

their teens, many parents wonder if they should continue with the

homeschooling program. They fear that colleges may not give equal

opportunities to a child educated at home.

Many fears of this kind were put to rest when 2 homeschooled boys

got admission into Harvard. Harvard does not require a high school

diploma for gaining admission to their degree program. Many

colleges are more interested in the knowledge and behavior of the

homeschooled children rather than their high school diplomas. In

fact, other things being similar many colleges prefer

homeschoolers because of the diversity and richness they bring to

their college life.

Admission requirements may vary. While some colleges require the

child to appear for the SAT, others may need a general equivalency

diploma. And some may not care for any tests at all. The criterion

may vary depending on the college that you wish to apply to. But,

college courses really do not require any high school background

or special training.

It is common to come across parents who frantically try to shift

out their homeschool children to high schools because they fear

unavailability of college admissions. But college admissions are

open to all educated individuals, regardless of whether they are

educated at home or at a public school.

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Credit cards with bad credit

If you have less than perfect credit, you may have seen ads promising you a credit card regardless of your credit history or job status. Most of these ads are actually for a secured credit card, which can be a great way to rebuild your credit. Your credit may need rebuilding if you have a history of unpaid credit card bills, bankruptcy, repossession, or divorce. However, you need to be aware that there are scams out there promising a credit card for people with bad credit but not delivering.

A Secured Credit Card

Many people do not know the difference between a secured credit card and an unsecured card. The main difference lies in where the money comes from when you make purchases. An unsecured credit card is the standard card issued by most lenders. You borrow money to pay for your products and services and then you are allowed to pay the lender back with interest via credit card bills. A secured credit card for people with bad credit requires an initial deposit to set you. You deposit anywhere from two hundred to two thousand dollars into an account before making any purchases. What you buy is paid for using the money in your account. So you have control of your credit limit with how much cash you put up front.

Unfortunately, in order to open an account for a secured credit card you must have the hundreds, or even thousands of dollars, it takes to secure the credit. This up-front cost makes it a prohibitive credit card for people with bad credit, who are usually on a very strict budget as their debt takes up most of their extra income. Along with the initial deposit, you might have to pay application or set-up fees, and you could be charged a fee when you make future deposits to your account in order to raise your credit limit. These fees show up on your credit card bills.

Credit Card Scams

There are legitimate promotions for a secured credit card out there and you may find several on the internet if you search reputable banking institutions for their offers. However, some companies try to lure consumers into calling a false number. The phone number listed in the ad is not toll - free, but is a 900 number that you will be billed for using. The scammers might lead you to believe that you can get the secured credit card as soon as you call the listed number. In these false ads, there is usually no mention of set-up fees, initial deposit amounts, eligibility requirements, or credit card bills, which will be larger than normal due to annual fees and high interest.

How To Spot A Scam

If someone offers you easy credit with no qualifications to get a credit card, this person or company is probably not telling you the whole truth. Any reputable lender must check your credit report before offering you a line of credit. This precaution is especially true when providing a credit card for people with bad credit. Also beware of calling 900 numbers. These numbers are not set up to provide you with a service. They are set up to make the company a profit and your phone bill could show a charge up to $50 for a few minutes.

Private venture capital for small business startups

The idea of starting your very own business can be exciting, but the cost of getting it started can prevent you from being able to follow your dream. Too many new businesses fail and therefore traditional lenders are very careful who they give money to. Even if you approach them with a quality business plan, expertise in the necessary areas of operating it, and a commitment to make the business work they could turn you away.

As a result of these types of frustrations many people turn to private venture capital in order to start their own business. For a small business you may not need a large amount of money to get it off the ground. A private venture capital investor may decide you definitely have what it takes to offer a successful business and they will work out a deal with you.

With their investment, however, it is different than just a loan that you would get from the bank. You will need to repay the loan amount with interest. The investor also will own shares in your business and they will receive a portion of your profits. In most instances this amount is approximately 2% of your profits.

You will need to crunch numbers and see if you really feel that you will be able to make a good profit from your business even after giving the investor their percentage. Once you have paid off the loan in full to them you won’t have to pay it any longer. Keep in mind that it can take several years for a new business to have enough profits to pay extra on their loans.

Before you proceed with a private venture capital investment you need to make sure you are dedicated to owning your own small business. It isn’t as glamorous as some people think it is. You get to be your own boss but you also get to deal with all of the headaches that come along with it. You will have to work hard and work smart in order to be successful. If your only reason for opening the small business is to make money then you won’t enjoy it.

Private venture capital isn’t right for every type of business so you need to carefully evaluate what your needs are and what they can offer you. Take your time to find a reputable private venture capital investor. Some of them prey on innocent people that want to desperately own a business. Others are looking for quality business ideas that they can invest in. They offer a chance for you to be successful and they also make a profit at the same time.

You should be able to schedule a free consultation with a private venture capital investor to discuss the issues. You want to be able to communicate your goals as well as your financial needs to them. A good private investor will work to match your needs with something they can offer. If you feel like you are being taken advantage of in the deal you will want to walk away from it.

Merchants reach out

Merchants Reach Out

Sometimes we see some tremendous acts of community service that one of the really big businesses in town takes on. A huge international bank may donate some huge statue to the local park. A big oil company who has been in the city since it was started might fund a library or a new museum. When these things happen, those big businesses usually get their names attached to those projects. And while we are all grateful for the contribution these businesses make to our towns, nobody is kidding themselves that they just do that as part of smart business and to take the write off.

It is sad to be so cynical but when we think of true community service, it isn’t some massive company that has no real face or personality to us that really makes a difference. It is when that local merchant who runs the local five and dime or ice cream shop or that new business getting started pitches in that we really see the “community” part of community service start to mean something.

They say that small business really is the heart of our economy. But small business is what makes any city or town in America thrive. Even if the business is a branch of a large national chain, if the business functions for very long in your neighborhood, it doesn’t take long for it to become a local business.

Local merchants have good reasons to get involved in community service projects that are even more compelling than the reasons huge companies do it. Huge companies do it because they went to a seminar in New York where some hot shot wrote a book telling them it’s a good idea to appease the locals. But with a local business, there are no hot shots telling them how to appease anyone. They ARE the locals and they love your community just as much as anyone.

“Love” is a term not lots of people apply to the place they live very much. But our immediate neighborhood with the video store across the street, the pizza place just up the block and the grocery store that employs kids from your daughter’s Sunday School class just a mile away all make up a local neighborhood that you do have feelings for. So it is not wrong to want to make an investment in the businesses and public use spaces that will improve the quality of life for everyone you know.

Too often we sit around and wait for the government to kick in and make our lives better and improve things are broken down. We put too much value on the idea that “I paid my taxes, not the mayor can just get down here and fix our park”. The pivotal word in that complaint is “our”. The town you live in and particularly the part that means a lot to you is yours and it is all of our jobs to take care of what means a lot to us.

At the local level, it is the local merchant who can really make a difference in improving the quality of life for his family and the families that shop with him. By working together with other local merchants, you can fund small community service projects and even get out of the store and roll up your sleeves and help out yourself. When you do that, you will get a feeling of pride in YOUR town and in your neighborhood. And that pride will be shared by your neighbors who, incidentally, are also your best customers.

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Ipods finding the right ipod speakers

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Nowadays, you can throw a party anywhere as long as you have an iPod and a set of iPod speakers. They are so tiny, yet they can boom the bass and shake up the place.

iPod speakers are either portable, which you can carry around, or home models, which you cannot carry around because of some restrictions like, it is bigger and heavier and is therefore not handy, and it is not battery operated and work only when plugged into an electrical outlet.

The portable models are battery operated and has a size just slightly larger than iPod Nano and some weighs only half an ounce! Although portable iPod speakers offer sound better than most computer speaker, it can't compete with the home only or standalone iPod speakers that can produce louder, crisper, and more booming sound, for these iPod speakers get their power directly from an electical outlet that gives much energy compared to a low voltage battery.

Below are the best in iPod speakers that could rock us out of our seat with their booming sound.

-iBlasting the Room with iBoom iPod speakers

iBoom is the newest iPod speaker from DLO. The iBoom iPod speakers sport an amorphous shape and has a slot in the front which serve as a hub for iPod or iPod mini. The four iPod speakers only need 20 watts per channel to start producing sound. iBoom iPod speakers also has a built-in handle, an AUX in port, and can run either on AC power or a with six "D" batteries. When plugged in to an AC power, the iBoom iPod speakers will charge the cradled iPod. Design wise, iBoom iPod speakers look pretty good with a white iPod cradled on it.

The plus points for iBoom iPod speakers are (1) low wattage consumption but could still produce decent sound, (2) portable and (3) charge an iPod when it is running on A/C power.

- 'What's the new Black?'

For Altec Lansing, the answer is still black.

Altec Lansing's inMotion iM3 iPod speakers come in the usual Apple white and, now, in black. It weighs around 15 to 16 ounces only and is sized just a bit larger than the iPod.

Altec Lansing is known for creating sound system that could produce sounds in different ranges from the highest pitch to the lowest bass. And now that Altec Lansing has speakers for the iPod, expect that these iPod speakers would be of high quality. In fact, these iPod speakers has a class D amplifier to create rich, audible sounds.

To read the rest of this article visit

http://www. videoipods. ws/Finding-The-Perfect-IPod-Speakers-For-You. html

Mortgage outfits challenged on exit fees

You might have heard of an exit fee. It is the charge that the mortgage lender makes a person pay if they want to get out of a money borrowing agreement before the end of the term. Another name for it is a redemption penalty.

Well mortgage lenders are making large amounts of money on these exit fees at the borrower’s expense. In fact, as more and more people have tried to ditch their mortgage when a better deal comes along in the last five years, the money lenders have been increasing these exit fees by up to an unbelievable 450%. If you think that’s a staggering fact, consider this: In some cases they do not even mention it to the borrower.

The Financial Services Authority (FSA), however, is taking a stand.

What it plans to do is strike up an agreement with money lenders during 2006 in an effort to make these outfits quote the exit fees at the beginning of any mortgage agreement. The price someone pays to get out of the mortgage will then be fixed for that mortgage term.

That is, the cost of exiting an agreement will be the same if you get out of a mortgage after three years or after eight years.

It is actually the case that when someone enters a mortgage, the lender is legally required to say the exact costs that will be incurred by leaving the mortgage early.

But the problem is that there is a loophole in the law which allows organisations to increase the exit fee during that agreement without telling the person borrowing the money.

Take Cheltenham & Gloucester for an example. Here’s a case where the company’s exit fee has rocketed from Ј50 to more than four times that price - Ј225. That has happened in just a few years.

Another company, Woolwich, have pushed up the fee from Ј95 to Ј275.

You could argue that the lenders are doing this as retaliation against people who regularly swap their mortgages in an effort to save money on interest rates. The money is still not enough to stop these people moving their money around, but it means the money lenders get a nice monetary compensation at the end of it.

It takes this talk of exit fees to focus one’s mind about carrying out the necessary research when it comes to taking out a mortgage in the first place.

There might be some people out there who gloss over the fine print and miss information about many of the costs, changes and incentives connected to the agreement.

Do not just consider the interest rate – you need to look at everything.

Here are two very similar deals with the companies Northern Rock and Halifax.

You take out a repayment mortgage with both companies for 25 years, both based on a two-year fixed rate. After two years you exit both of the deals.

Northern Rock has its interest rates at 4.19%. The arrangement fee is 1.5% and the exit fee is Ј250 with no incentives.

With Halifax you pay an interest rate of 4.39%, a Ј499 arrangement fee along with a Ј175 exit fee. The incentive you have with the deal is free valuation and solicitors fees.

Even without any incentives, the Halifax deal is much cheaper – by Ј807 – over two years, despite the fact that it has higher interest rates.

The Northern Rock mortgage is going to be Ј14,671 and the Halifax mortgage is Ј13,864.

So when you take out a mortgage, do your homework. While the rules around exit fees may be about to change which will put an end to the game that money lenders can play at your expense with price hikes, if you put yourself in a position where you do not want to pull out of your mortgage because you have the best deal, exit fees will never have to be something you should worry about. And the money lenders will not be making a nice little sum of money when you leave the deal at your expense.

Building a financial services sales culture

A growing number of community banks are recognizing that new and more aggressive competitors are taking new business they “believed” they would or “should” have. To help combat this they no longer accept the practice of “business as usual.” They are taking the time-proven actions it takes to train, coach and reward their key business development team members to get them out on the street. Program results are showing ROI’s of up to 30—to-1!

This isn’t easy, to say the least. A major culture change is required for most community banks when it comes to selling. Bankers have long been of the mindset that banking is a business built when prospects come to the bank and request the service they want. Unfortunately the consumer has developed a slightly different mindset lately.

“Yes, my banker and I have a good relationship but that doesn’t mean I will only consult them for financial needs and services. There are lots of other options. ” Friends are friends but when money is involved there is a different emotion involved……greed.

The CEO of First Bank in Ketchikan, Alaska, Bill Moran, decided something new must be tried when he started planning for this new year. “I realized that to meet our growth goals we must be more aggressive about taking business from our competition and improve our “unfair share” of our market. There wasn’t sufficient  market expansion to maintain our historical growth and profit levels.”

First Bank launched its’ new effort with a 120-day action plan in January 2006 for its’ six branches. The intended focus was to be solely on gaining new customers and establishing new relationships.

“Some of the participating officers found it very difficult to break away from the familiar clients to concentrate only on prospects that had no prior relationship, “said Eric Bjella, VP and Program Manger.

The first step was to assess the sales strengths of each team member. It was important to know who were likely to make calls and build relationships easily (Hunters) and those with good processing and service-related skills but less confidence in their abilities to communicate with prospects (Farmers).  This was followed with a professional sales skills training session which included each member identifying from 5-10 prospects.

“The individual assessments and audience reactions to the training were very informative,” said Bjella. “Some of our people felt they never could be successful at making cold calls to strangers. But were they surprised!”

The training showed how to: qualify prospects, make impossible appointments, start building respect and trust from the first appointment, getting to real pains/needs and overcoming objections for desired actions.

The First Bank team met every 10 days in groups of 12 to report progress against their specific targets. While slow at first, calling activity grew and success was gradually achieved. Through coaching and confidence built on successful experiences, sales meetings progressed from a reluctance to report to lively dialogues between members, sharing helpful prospect insights with each other.

One member reported being devastated on her first call, to the point of tears. Executive Vice President Jack Vaughn reported this prospect had also called him to complain, only to contact him later, inviting him to attend a competitor’s bank sponsored business owners meeting. ”Wonders never cease to amaze me, Jack said. I didn’t think we would ever get any where with this prospect and then she did a complete turnaround.”

At the end of the 120 days First Bank captured several new customers, representing over $300,000 in new income to the bank’s bottom line. Less the training expenses that gave a 30-to-1 ROI, income vs. expenses. Other contacts made during this period are expected to move to First Bank in a few months through continued follow-up activities.

A different success story comes from a bank holding company in Iowa. Bank Iowa Corporation felt it was time for a sales culture to be started within at each of its 6 independently chartered banks, serving 17 communities. 

“We never had any sales training in our Company’s history, said Michael Thompson, VP and Program Leader. Our CEO, Stan Honken, challenged our presidents to have an officer calling program in place by year-end. I contacted some firms who might help us start a sales culture. After reviewing four, we selected Wemmers Consulting Group from Atlanta. Their program impressed us with its’ accountability factors, experience in bank training and real world application following the skills training.”

Bank Iowa’s Calling Teams intermingled Hunters and Farmers and all branch locations. Their program’s primary goal was to get Bank Iowa folks from behind their desks and out calling on prospects. Sales progress meetings were held every two weeks. A sales progress report, prepared by Amy Armitage, was updated and dispersed to all concerned. 

“As Rick had alerted us, calling activity was slow at first but picked up as calling frustrations and excuses were addressed and resolved in the weekly meetings. “We all learned a lot about the process of business development. This will be quite helpful as we continue forward with this program,” Michael said.

It is estimated that Bank Iowa’s 60-day effort helped bring in some $13 million in new business or about $400,000 in new income. Subtracting the sales program expenses this resulted in a 23% ROI.

Air canada freight

Doing it the People's Way with Air Canada Freight

Everyday around the world, people are constantly in need of a service provided that can transport their packages from one destination to the other. In answer to this need, air Canada freight is continuously upgrading their strategies and methods to cater to satisfy their customers' need.

In addition, this freight service is also expanding in different parts of the world. This is because it is important that even far off places have their own reliable air freight provider.

What people are looking in an air freight provider?

1. Reliability.

People want their packages to be handled and delivered properly. This is because they want their packages to arrive at its destination in the same condition that is sent. That is why people want their service provider to be reliable.

Gaining the trust of customers is not that easy. They are always on the lookout for another which will is better than what they have already. But then, once they know that no other company can do what theirs are capable of, that is the time when they will be converted to loyal customers.

Showing the customers how reliable you are will gain more repeat clients. In addition, they are likely to recommend you to other people who might be in need of the same service.

2. Competitive price.

When people think of air freight services, the first thing that comes to mind is the price. Because of the nature of the business, it is a common misconception that it is expensive and that not everyone can afford them.

With the many competing air freight services now available, there are already sudden changes in the price already. Before, customers need to pay for the customs fee or rates that are converted depending on the destination.

Nowadays, you can easily choose one provider that offers the best service at the lowest price.

3. Speed of service.

There are air freight services that do not conform to the promised time of delivery. This is what irritates customers the most. Before you know it, they will be looking for another provider that delivers what they say they will.

The speed of service is one of the vital factors needed in an air freight service provider. That is the initial purpose of the packages after all. It can be noted that the speed of the delivery should not compromise the quality of the package. These two should go hand in hand. Without the other, it can never work.

4. Far reaching.

Ever been in a situation wherein your provider did not accept your package because they do not cater to that certain destination? This can really irritate customers.

Packages are sent not only on usual locations and famous places. There are also important materials or things that should be sent to locations that are just as important.

The air freight service provider should know have a comprehensive knowledge about important places that are not the usual point of delivery. There should have one or two employees who should specialize in the familiarization of different localities.

Air Canada freight is aware of what people want in their service provider. This is the reason why there are continuous updates on how best to improve the tools, machines and the personnel that they have. If this means that they will be on top of the list of air freight provider, then all the effort will definitely be worth it.

Real estate buying and leasing in the philippines

Real estate, as said time and again, has been slowly picking up from where it left off in 1996, that is, aggressive buying by local bred people who are now residing in various parts of the world, particularly the United States of America and Canada regions. Filipinos who have opted to take their talents for better paying jobs abroad have allowed them to consider making investments in local properties, known to be among the affordable and feasible manners of investing for their future and their dependents. There is of course the difference between high-end and low-end sectors, but regardless, the bottom line is one of our basic hierarchy of needs according to Maslow’s hierarchy, that of which is shelter.

But wait, it is not all about security but more on studying the opportunities of being able to establish a medium of investment and income from outside the usual profession that most people practice everyday. Visitors, with emphasis on foreigners from other countries look for the cheapest means of lodging, especially when they want to make the most out of their trips. The Philippines is known to be among the top spots for foreigners to go to, especially once vacation time comes for them. Cost is definitely competitive, and compared to their normal neighboring countries of tourist attraction spots, people want something different. The belief that the world offers a lot is usually one of the reasons why foreigners immediately look towards the Philippine tourist spots, especially the beaches and resorts like Boracay and Palawan areas, have been the forefront of the aggressive investment of the country towards tourism. Come the summer time, even the local inhabitants crowd these places, and despite the inconveniences, they will go at nothing to be able to satisfy their hunger for a well-deserved break from reality.

With this in mind, foreigners see it as an opportunity to be able to make advanced bookings by being situated here locally before the expected boom and overcrowding of reservations and accommodations set in during the second quarter of the year. Finding alternative places to live in outside hotels which cost as high as $50.00 per day, depending on the type of hotel they are looking at, can be saved if they can find locally available condominium units for rent. Places that are usually the landing spot for most temporarily staying foreigner include the high class Rockwell Power Plant in Makati, Eastwood Condominiums in Quezon City, and The Fort at the Fort Bonifactio Area. Condominiums are being strategically constructed here, and there are also units that are being rented or sold at a fair price.

Among the offerings is located at the Rizal Condominiums, located beside the Professional Graduate School of Ateneo. Rizal Condominium is largely dominated in terms of occupancy by foreigners.

Current Properties for Sale

There is one unit being offered at the moment for sale at P30,000,000.00 and fully furnished. What surprises me the most is that this same price is close to the actual offering before the entire property was built and is certainly a good buy. I have yet to get the details from my sister-in-law who works in a bank, and I know the sale is really needed as soon as possible.

Just recently, another unit located in the classy area of Anapolis, Greenhills is being offered as well. A small pad worth P10,0000,000.00 is up for grabs at the One Beverly Place, one of the posh condominium units that can be seen along the busy streets of Anapolis Street, Greenhills. It is a good place to stay, especially for visitors who are in search of cheap goods and a relaxing place to stay since local folks come in droves to be able to kill their time and get good buys of consumer items such as designer clothes, electronic devices, cellular phones and computer peripherals.

Hence the investment for these type of properties is aimed at high-end markets. But considering the appraisal of land value, for sure, this is the interest gained from initial investments, something that money in the bank cannot even match as far as long term investments are concerned.

For more information, people can drop me a line at byalung@gmail. com for requests as photos, land data, property specifics and pricing per square meter.

Makeup brushes

You need tools to perform task, be it home, office or any other place. When going to places, you do some make up, but how you do that or you doing your own or going to parlor. No matter if you are going to parlor, some time you need to do it your own, even occasionally. In such situation you need certain tools to apply your makeup called Makeup Brushes. Yes, Makeup Brushes!!

You can buy your Makeup Brushes from your nearby cosmetics store. These brushes make your task easier and give you a new look. Before buying Makeup Brushes do a research on what you need and where you can get, especially the store where you will get value for money. Make brushes are available in the market in different variety, and price ranges. You can buy a bunch of these to apply Makeup in different parts of you body e. g. lips, eyebrows, nails, etc.

What are advantages of Makeup Brushes?

People think that, they don’t need Makeup Brushes until and unless fingers do not stop doing the task and that too so gently. No doubt you love your finger but use them to hold things. If you will give a little attention, then you will find that you almost use them to hold things like holding spoon or forks to eat food, holding pen to do writing, holding toothbrush to brush up teeth, etc, then why not you hold a Makeup Brush, while doing makeup. These are of great help to you.

Using Makeup Brush has several benefits:

* The brushes are simpler to control than your finger and so the result is much less messy.

* Brushes can help you applying blush on one cheek and then the other with a matching effect.

* Brushes make final effect natural and wonderful. Your face will glow more and each color should come blended into the next.

* Your fingers can contaminate your cosmetics, but your brushes do not.

Type of Brushes:

There are a number of makeup brushes available in the cosmetic shops ranging from purpose to size to cost. Choose according to your need. You can buy the following range of Makeup Brushes:

* Power Brushes - Luxuriously designed oversize brushes to dust loose or pressed powder across the face.

* Blush Brushes - These brushes gives user excellent control.

* Sponge Brushes - Sponge of this brush helps in blending of the cosmetics very well.

* Eye Brushes - your eyes are beautiful and after all important to you. You can Buy a range of eye brushes like Eye Shadow Brushes, Eye Liner Brushes, Eyebrow Brushes, etc to keep doing your eyes designing.

* Lip Brushes - These brushes gives your lips the true blending of color and cosmetics.

There are many more brushes are available for doing makeup and makeup of different kind. Identify your requirement and got them. Definitely, these will make you prettier.

How to buy make up Brushes??

Once you identify your need, go to a good store and decide whether to buy in sets or as apiece. Generally, stores sell in both ways apiece as well as set. Compare the prices and it is obvious that you will prefer buying along with saving. Buy these according to your budget. Prefer the store that sells both cosmetics as well as brushes. It is important to check for good quality makeup brushes. Even though these may be a bit expensive but prefer to take value for your money. Good quality brushes will give you greater control, good result and even will last long.

Take care of your brushes

Once you got the brushes of your need and choice, you need to take care of these. How do you do that??

* Always store your brushes in mesh brush bag.

* Don’t blow on your brushes. If you need to reduce some of the powder or cosmetics while using gently shake them.

* Clean the brushes regularly.

* After cleaning, dry them naturally. Do not use hair dryer etc, otherwise bristle will melt.

How to clean makeup brushes?

To clean your makeup brushes, please follow the followings cleaning rules.

* Run warm water over the bristles of the brush. Take care that base of the brush do not get wet, especially if is made of wood.

* Do continue rinsing till it become clear and clean.

* Squeeze the extra water but very gently.

* Reshape it delicately.

* Allow it dry in air for 24 hour.