Graphically speaking a thousand words

They say that a picture speaks a thousand words. Why should we let all those words be wasted if there is a better way? When I was younger, I remember wishing that somebody would turn all those lines of words in my books into pictures. My teachers would often come to class with charts which summarized entire chapters. These were easy to understand and very colorful. What I liked most about them, however, was that they made learning fun.

Today, my kids have started studying long lines of words. I have been trying to teach them to use flowcharts and matrices and make their student lives just a little simpler. They have a lot of fun using their crayons and making their charts brighter and prettier.

Of course, more than being fun, graphic organizers of all kinds help enhance learning. They stress on the important concepts in a particular subject of study. They reveal the patterns and associations that exist between a number of different aspects. If you are trying to understand the elements of causality between a number of concepts, a graphic organizer makes that easier to understand too.

Brainstorming is made a whole lot easier when one tries to use charts and diagrams to pictorially represent the various ideas that emerge at various points of time. Most of the ideas that emerge at brainstorming sessions tend to appear rather random. So, it is a good idea to graphically represent the various associations between concepts so as to avoid confusion. If one does this right from the beginning, as the volume of ideas grows, the element of confusion will be kept in check. So whether it is likeness or antagonism or causality, maintaining a graphic organizer will make life a whole lot easier for you.

Times have also changed a great deal from the days when we had to sit down with our pencils and erasers, rubbing out older lines as new developments emerged. These days both children and grown-ups can avail of computerized graphic organizers. A simple click of the mouse and a little dragging will allow you to make larger and smaller modifications to your chart. So whether you are looking for an easier way to study new concepts or are simply trying to sift through the information that you have collected, graphic organizers are usually a great help.

Of course, for those of us that are not technologically inclined, it makes sense to stick to the good old crayons and sticky notes. However you may use those charts, make those pictures speak for you.

9 terrible facts about hoodia gordonii

Everyone has been hearing the news and buzz on the semi miraculous

plant called Hoodia Gordonii which helps to reduce your appetite.

The weight loss gurus are betting their shirts that people who are

very challenged in losing weight will benefit in a big way by regularly digesting hoodia. I will now spell out straight and harsh facts about Hoodia Gordonii that I found online while conducting research about this exotic plant.

Fact #1

There are several species of Hoodia. Hoodia Gordonii in particular, is a rare plant that grows in South Africa.

Fact #2

Hoodia Gordonii is difficult to grow and only grows under certain climatic conditions that the South African region offers.

Fact #3

Hoodia Gordonii is on the Red List of endangered species—meaning—it

may become extinct in the near future.

Fact #4

Only Hoodia Gordonii has the molecule that effectively suppresses one’s appetite.

Fact #5

Because of its scarcity, authentic Hoodia is expensive; so if you see Hoodia in ads advertised for $20-30.00 per bottle, close your wallet and run!

Fact #6

The current supply of pure Hoodia is quickly diminishing; thus, it’s growing tougher to find 100% pure Hoodia any where.

Fact #7

Because of the rising demand for Hoodia and the fast depleting supply of the real stuff, many dishonest vendors are brazenly lying in their promotional ads and selling either fake or inferior Hoodia Gordonii under popular brand names. Be extremely careful which Hoodia product you consider ordering.

Fact #8

The FDA does not regulate the supply of real Hoodia which means that you can easily end up buying fake Hoodia at your local health store or online.

Fact #9

There exists an overabundance of counterfeit Hoodia in comparison to

the 100% pure stuff available through a few honest vendors.

Your absolute best bet to avoid buying fake or inferior Hoodia is simply to properly educate yourself about this amazing plant before you place your first or next order.

English chest history

If your closet is anything like mine, storage space seems to be very limited. There are multiple hangers on the ground and various garments that I haven’t worn in years but which I still treasure for sentimental reasons. The more I seem to hang these items, the more it seems that there is a conspiracy for the clothes to gang up and become more adamant about lying on the floor.

So, I have given up and now it looks like my closet is a place where clothes go when they feel tired and don’t feel like standing up on a hanger like the rest of their fellow counterparts. I have thought about the possible ways to arrange my chaotic closet world, and the best solution that I have reached thus far seemed to involve an English chest. Don’t be intimidated by the fancy term, it’s merely a big wooden box to throw your stuff in. Similar to the big toy box that you had when you were a little tyke. I figure it is a perfect solution to my mess. I will put all the things that I want to keep but can’t really find a perfect place for in this English chest.

For the early settlers, chests were vital because there were no dressers or closets to store clothing, household sheets, etc. Most of them didn’t have an attic or a cellar to store things. Chests and drawers the way we know them nowadays were nonexistent. Can you imagine the mess in their house? Once the English chest was invented, people immediately began to use it for a variety of purposes. The English chest was used to sleep on, as a dinner table, or in place of a chair. Chairs were expensive and not usually found among simple cottages.

Chests were made to be very durable and made out of the strongest woods. They were found in the poorest houses to big, extravagant mansions. By the mid-seventeenth century, English chests were decorated extravagantly. These are the ones we see today across antique stores that are popular. The Baroque style English chest had extravagant details that had many design elements which included elaborate carvings, heavy ornamentation, moldings, twisted columns, and motifs of shells or tulips.

Most of us know English chests as the kind that a new bride uses to store her precious wedding dress or other heirlooms. There are many other uses for this wooden box as history has proven to us.

Lanzarote villas - perfect for a cycling holiday

Lanzarote is a superb destination for a cycling holiday. Home to what is regarded as the toughest Ironman Triathlon in the world, the island offers year-round training in the perfect climate and some of the toughest climbs and routes you will find. Many of the worldґs top professional cyclists and triathletes come to the island in the winter months for warm weather training. Temperatures throughout the winter range from a daytime maximum of 20 to 23C, so no need for those 3 or 4 layers, gloves and hats! In general, the roads are good and not too busy if you stay away from the area around Arrecife, where you take your life in your own hands if you venture onto the expressway!

What makes Lanzarote stand out from other cycling destinations, apart from the weather, is the toughness of the terrain. There are more than 300 volcanoes on the island, and this results in a more varied type of cycling run as opposed to a more general up and then down route youґll find on other volcanic islands. The main volcano is Timanfaya which gives an excellent climb north to south in either direction. As the wind is nearly always in the north, climbing north to south is nearly always easier. At the top, you can have a rest and see the camels carrying tourists around the side of the mountain! Sorry, I didnґt mention the wind, did I! Often quite strong Trade Winds from the north, make some days in the saddle a 2 hour cycle out and a half hour back! Winds are generally a bit lighter in the winter though.

The toughest climb is further north around Mirador del Rio. Well worth it though – what a view from the top to the island of La Graciosa! Further south, the area around Playa Blanca is much flatter, and with that constant northerly wind, this makes a perfect base for your cycling holiday as you can plan nice routes into the wind to start, some climbs in the middle around Timanfaya and Tinajo, and then a lovely wind-assisted run back home. For the longer runs, carry on after Tinajo into the village of La Santa where there is a training camp for people from all sports, on to the beautiful beach and cliffs at Famara, inland to Teguise, and back down to the south through the lava fields around La Geria and Yaiza. A great day out – but remember the sunscreen!

Playa Blanca has many types of accommodation, but as you are going to spend so much time on the bike, your family need something rather special to keep them happy! Where better then than your own private villa with a pool, close to the beaches and resort centre to keep them amused until you return. A relaxing swim after your exertions is perfect – or you could do 500 lengths of training for your next Ironman!

When was the last time we bought a special gift for our mothers

Yes, like I said, when was the last time we bought something creative, unique and totally special for our mothers to show them that we love and remember them? When was the last time we got them a special gift to tell them that their sacrifice for us is appreciated? Motherhood is an extremely special experience and it’s an experience that no man will ever be able to experience. Regardless of how we were raised and how our mothers nagged us when we were younger, the sacrifice cannot compare to any other types of sacrifices we’ve made in our lives – rivaled only by OUR sacrifice for our children. Only when we become mothers ourselves will we be able to understand the true magnitude of motherhood.

A special gift says a lot

Forget about the conventional, off-the-shelves books, picture frames, calendars, organizers, flowers, vases and what-have-you-nots. Your mom won’t say they’re not special and will take the gift with a smile and a big thank you (and a hug) but they’re not really the kind of special gift that they, your mothers, will thank you, remember and cherish for a long time to come.

The pure convenience of the purchase speaks for itself. It’s nothing special.

So, what’s a special and unique gift?

A truly special gift is something that your mother will look back 5 or maybe 10 years down the road and smile to herself, her heart with burst and her face will beam with pride. The sacrifice, the love and the commitment was worth it, she’d think to herself. As she watches you ‘mother’ around your own children, she will think it was all worth it because she did the right thing.

A special gift should be something that reminds her of you, of motherhood.

Some ideas of a special gift you can get for your mom

• A motherhood-related product – this could be something related to motherhood, with a simple but meaningful quote to remind her of her motherhood years.

• Something you’ve designed or created

• A custom-made special gift designed especially for her

• Something you and your own children have come up with over the weekend or something you’ve worked on for a long time, like a scrapbook or a decorative doll

• A poem you’ve written

• A special home-made CD (maybe a special CD) of a vacation with you and your family in it

To find the right special gift for your mother, start with your mother’s personality. What does she like? What kind of memories does she have of raising her children? What are her hobbies and interests?

And once you’ve put your finger on what interests her, finding the right kind of special gift for you should be easy enough.

My skiing vacation to europe

Around a year ago, I went on a skiing vacation to France and had a great time by all accounts. The best part was that I went with all my friends, all of which had varied abilities, but were all eager to give it a go. Some of my friends compete in competitions and the like, whilst others have only been on the slopes a few times in their life. The fact is that we were all really looking forward to it, and we were all sure to enjoy ourselves whilst we were away. Unfortunately, we don't spend much time together, as we all go to different colleges, whilst others are trying to make it through the rat race.

When we decided to book the holiday I was delighted to hear that everybody was able to make it, and that everyone had promised to save up enough money to really enjoy themselves while we were away. The cost of booking the holiday worked out at around $300 for accommodation for the week as we were going to be staying at a backpacker's location, and it was only going to cost $150 for return flights. We really felt like we had struck a bargain, and we were even more delighted when we heard that the cost of living would be really cheap when we got there. We had decided to save up $1000 each, which meant that we would have more than enough spending money for when we arrived.

I have to say, I never quite expected Europe to be such an excellent skiing destination for people like us with mixed abilities. Sure, there are the Alps, but I thought these were only the playground of the expert skiers. How wrong I was! There are simply loads of different places in Europe you can go, regardless of your skiing ability, and you're almost guaranteed to have a great time. Also, the facilities right on the resorts are out of this world. It really is a great place to go skiing.

We arrived in France, and we were firstly shocked at how laid-back it all seemed. It was some surrealist painting, except in motion, with strange, stereotypically French characters passing by. Regardless of this initial culture shock, we soon got our skis on and experienced the awesome slopes for ourselves. Trust me - France is a great place to go skiing with your friends, and a great place to go on a vacation if you're looking to have a good time.

We chose France for our vacation, but there are loads of great European ski resorts, and in fact, some people even say that Europe is the home of the sport, and it is easy to see why. If you're looking for a great time, go for Europe, to experience a wholly different way of life, and skiing that is simply second to none. Check out your travel agent for good deals, and remember that the more flexible you are, the cheaper your holiday. By booking up the flights at the last minute, you can end up saving loads with some of the budget airlines, and by being totally flexible, you can avoid peak times, which means you can avoid peak prices. Your vacation in Europe doesn't have to cost the earth, but it can be a once in a lifetime experience that you will never forget.

The prosperity in gratitude

The unthankful heart... discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!

~Henry Ward Beecher

This is the time of year when we give thanks. It's the time when we look around our lives and feel grateful for all that we have. Our families, friends, and all of the love in our lives. We are grateful for the work that we do. We look to see the silver lining in all of our difficult situations, and feel grateful for the opportunity to learn so much from. Did you notice how abundant you felt when you were standing the in place of all of that gratitude?

Gratitude is a powerful thing to exercise when we are looking to create more abundance in our lives. Why? Because as we focus on all that we are grateful for, we begin to feel more abundant, and when we begin to feel more abundant we then begin to attract flow of abundance in our lives. What you focus on grows. Like attracts like. That's why you won't increase the abundance in your life by focusing on all that you don't have.

There is a blessing for us in the loving expression of gratitude. As we focus on what we have, we create more of it. As we focus on on our joy, we create more of that. As we focus on love, we indeed create more of that, and love is core and central to all manifestation in our lives. When you create from a place of love and intention your life will become more joyous and rich that you could have ever expected.

We are all energetic beings - and the energetic vibration of gratitude is one of the highest and purest vibrations available to us. Love and gratitude go hand in hand. Sending out this kind of pure positive energy into your life will bring more of that back to you - it's universal law, it's the Law of Attraction. Gratitude can start a positive momentum in your life that change your life forever. When you begin having an "attitude of gratitude" in your life, you jump start the process of manifesting all of your desires.

The question is, "It's Thanksgiving, but, shouldn't we practice gratitude all of the time?" The answer is yes! Especially if you would like to create more joy, peace, and prosperity in your life.

Integrating Gratitude Into Your Daily Life

1. Look for what you want to see vs. what you don't want to see. To often we go about our day waiting and expecting awful things to happen, or we expect to be disappointed. We walk around saying, "I don't like this, and this, and this...." and look for things that need changing. You would find that your world may conform to more of your liking if you focused on what you did indeed want to see. "I like this, I like that....oh and I really love that!" What a shift in vibration, do you see?

2. Appreciate and be grateful about something about you. Be grateful that you have a beautiful smile and a heart of gold. Be grateful that you are a savvy business person, or that you are inventive or intuitive. Be grateful that you are a wonderful parent. Be grateful that you are not perfect. (Wouldn't that be a bore?)

3 If its hard to find something to be grateful about yourself, start by looking around your world and appreciating that. The snow, the leaves, the sun. Look for beauty in your life. Focus on the penny that you do have vs. the one that you don't.

4. Keep track of all the good things that happen to you in your calendar or daily journal...even the little things. This affirms that good things do come your way, and you can begin to trust in God and the Universe as the source of your supply. Appreciate the synchronicities that occur in your life, they were given to you as a gift to affirm that you are indeed on the right path.

5. Want to see some fast results? For the next 30 days - set aside time to write for 10 minutes all of the positive things you can about your life, your relationships, your body, your work, your home etc etc. You will not be the same person at the end of those 30 days!

6. Open your mouth and let the gratitude flow from your heart. You will find amazing things begin to happen to you and those around you. Can you imagine what might occur? Play with this and adore someone today.

In gratitude,

Lori

Developing an e-mail newsletter

The creation of a newsletter is a serious decision because initiating one without the infrastructure and commitment to sustain it can wind up doing more harm than good. Your e-mail newsletter, once launched, will create an expectation among recipients and if you fail to deliver on that expectation it could lead to a backlash as your customers cll your reliability or commitment into question. The infrastructure you need includes content sources, graphic sources, and the e-mail capacity to send the newsletter. The commitment is eased when you create a timetable that details when the content needs to be concluded, when the graphics need to be completed, and when the newsletter needs to be edited and then ultimately sent. In choosing your send date, you need to think about the other newsletters your readers are likely to receive and make sure that you do not become just one more newsletter in their inboxes. We recommend you send it during a time of the month when there is traditionally less traffic. For example, Tudog sends its e-mail newsletter at the end of each month because most of our competing newsletters are sent either at the beginning or middle of the month. We have found that this increases our readership by approximately 20%.

The construction of a successful newsletter has 6 phases. They are:

1. Content

The newsletter you send stands or falls on the relevance and quality of the content you incorporate. If your website is meant to entertain you content needs to be entertaining. If it is meant to educate, your content better be educational. Tudog does not believe in using the newsletter for self-promotional purposes, as we think that readers rapidly grow tired of reading commercials and self-serving material. There are other forums to engage in self-promotion. Your newsletter is a service to your customers and needs to be written from the perspective of what they need, and not from the view of how it can serve you. By having your newsletter serve your customers, it will ultimately serve you too.

2. Frequency

You need to decide how often you are going to issue your newsletter. There are two primary considerations that need to make up the decision. The first is how often your customer base would engage you newsletter. If your sector is flooded with newsletters, you may conclude that there is an excess of reading material and that a quarterly newsletter is appropriate. Conversely, you may notice that there is both an absence of other newsletters and a hunger for information, leading you to conclude that a bi-weekly newsletter would provide you with an excellent opportunity. The second consideration is your internal capacity. You do not want to create an expectation for a newsletter that exceeds your production capacity. How many newsletters you are able to release each month needs to be the underlying driver to the decision how often your newsletter is released.

3. Design

How your newsletter looks is crucial not only because it represents your company, but also because it could determine how people receive the newsletter and whether or not they are drawn to read it. A well designed newsletter includes a clear delineation of all areas of content, integrated, relevant images, and an identity that is consistent with your company's identity. It is important that you view your newsletter as an extension of your company and that its personality is representative of the image you transmit to your sector.

4. Database

Your database is the list of people to whom you send your newsletter. Your list should be extracted from your client/customer base, prospective clients/customers, and your sector influencers. You should make sure that everyone receiving your e-mail newsletter either requested it or has a way to be removed from your list (clearly and easily marked in your e-mail). Your newsletter can be sent via snail mail, but the costs of printing and postage make e-mail a much more realistic and cost effective often. Using e-mail, you are able to send your newsletter as HTML, text, or in PDF format. You should select your format based on customer preferences. Tudog uses PDF after our inquiries indicated that our clients were most interested in receiving our newsletter in that format. You clients/customers may prefer a different format, but it should be noted that the content, design, and frequency are not influenced by format.

5. Marketing

Your newsletter needs marketing support so that it can reach out to a wider audience and better serve your company as a marketing tool. The support it receives can be as simple as being listed on your website (with a sign-up option) to advertising and special attention. Tudog markets its website by permitted reprints of our articles in magazines and other newsletters, drawing attention to the company, our expertise, and that our newsletter offers continuing exposure to the ideas and hints we publish.

6. Testing

We recommend that you test your newsletter before you send it out to your widest audience so that you can benefit from the feedback of your test group and ultimately send out the best newsletter possible. You should select a random group of people (between 50-200) to send your newsletter to, alongside a brief questionnaire asking for reviews on your look and content. Once you have their responses and incorporate some of their comments, you will know your newer version is close to the needs and wants of your target market.

Your e-mail newsletter is an excellent way to reach out to and become meaningful to your clients/customers. Embark on an e-mail newsletter only if you have the resources and commitment to sustain it. Done properly, it is a powerful and continuing tool for exposure and reinforcement of your expertise.

Flame resistant nomex iiia insulated coveralls maximum protection maximum comfort

When you are in the market for new work wear, you first decide what it is you need then you consider what it is you want. If you are lucky, you will find work wear that provides you wants and your needs with added bonuses you never expected. When you need protective work wear, you are left pondering who offers the best, and who offers you more. More people trust Nomex IIIA, and insulated coveralls by this outstanding company are second to none when it comes to getting the maximum protection mingled with maximum comfort.

You need protection. What do you get with Nomex IIIA insulated coveralls? You get the maximum protection. This is a company that leads the standards when it comes to what is acceptable and what is not acceptable in this industry. Industry standards are rigid. These rigid standards insure you get through the day in one, healthy piece. There are numerous companies offering superior protection but this is a company that leads the way in acceptable norms when it comes to your protective work wear.

You need comfort. What do you get with Nomex IIIA insulated coveralls? You get the maximum comfort. You will discover, if you have not already, that this is one comfortable piece of working apparel. When you are comfortable, you perform at your max. You will discover you get more, you save money, and you are comfortable!

Bulwark is one reason you are going to remain comfortable. Bulwark is an inherently flame resistant material utilized in the development of highly protective work wear. One thing to keep in mind is that you should always be comfortable in your work wear, but when you work around hazardous materials or in harsh environments, this need is much higher. You have to be able to flex, move, bend, and hightail it out of there need be. If you have work wear that bunches, crawls, chafes, or simply feels wrong, you will not be able to skedaddle when you need to get a move on it.

Bulwark makes this all possible. While it offers a high degree of protective benefits, Bulwark also offers a comfort that is second to none. That is why more people trust the reliable nature of Nomex IIIA.

You need more, and you will discover you get just that when you trust your insulated coveralls to the company that knows: Nomex IIIA.

You can depend on the superior construction, the best fit, the added comfort, and the total protection you get when you trust this one company for all your protective apparel needs. There are protective pants, shirts, hats, unlined or insulated bib overalls, parks, jackets, and much more you will get when you trust the one company that paves the way for all the rest.

You expect more because you give more. And, as a hardworking man or woman, you should be able to get what you want and what you need without struggling for the right fit or the right level of protection. That is why more people trust the quality and protection offered in each pair of Nomex IIIA insulated coveralls.

Buying baby clothes at a discount

Dressing your little darling doesn’t have to cost a fortune

It is no secret that having and providing for a new baby is an expensive job. With the expense of those all-important early doctor’s visits, necessary items for the nursery, and the rising prices of formula, diapers, and various infant accessories, it seems a wonder that anyone can afford to reproduce anymore. While it’s difficult to argue in favor of cutting corners when it comes to your baby, there are a few ways that you can save money on some of your baby related purchases. Baby clothes and layette needs are fortunately one area where you can afford to save a few bucks without diminishing the level of comfort and care that your little Nick or Jessica receives.

Secondhand Baby Clothes

This is a sore spot for some parents and not without good reason. The thought of putting “used” clothing on your baby can come with numerous unspoken horrors and various levels of mental anguish. After all, how do you know where that used Onesie has been? Fortunately, concerned parents can rest their minds easily and put aside the fears associated with purchasing secondhand baby wear by following a few bits of common sense. Used infant attire should only be purchased from a reputable source. A thrift store like those run by the Salvation Army or a good secondhand store that specializes in baby goods (Other Mothers is a particularly good chain in the Western United States) can be considered safe sources since they make a point of sterilizing such items before offering them for resale. Avoid purchasing any items for a baby from a garage sale or “flea market” unless you know the seller personally and even then do so with caution. Any secondhand baby items you do obtain – even those given to you by friends or family members – should be washed thoroughly before you ever put them on your child.

Shopping Online

The internet has been doing wonders for people’s wallets for years. In almost every case items that you can purchase in a local store can be found online for less. Baby clothes are no exception and there are literally hundreds of e-commerce web sites that will be more than happy to sell you everything you need for your baby’s layette and wardrobe at a considerable savings compared to what you’ll pay at the local Babies ‘R’ Us store. In addition to baby clothing, almost every other conceivable baby need can be met online for less. In many cases you can get free shipping as well. The web won’t save you from the occasional midnight run to the local 24 hour grocer or Wal-Mart for emergency diapers or formula, but it’s a veritable hero in most other regards.

Other options for saving money on baby clothes and accessories do exist, and most are fairly common sense approaches. Buying infant wear from Kmart, Target or Wal-Mart is certainly going to cost you less than shopping at Dillards, JC Penney, or Sak’s, for example, as will choosing off brand or no-name items instead of Baby Dior and Weebok’s. Babies cost enough money as it is, there’s no reason not to put a little green back in your pocket now by saving on baby clothes when you know you’ll be shelling it out for braces and piano lessons later in life.

Victim s anger

During the past several days I have felt so much stress, anger and frustration because my 25 year old son is a bank teller who had a gun pointed inches from his face during a local bank robbery.

Needless to say, my son has been going through a lot of uncomfortable feelings.....one of which is anger. I believe it is victim's anger. I think he is starting to feel a little better and will heal in time. Everyone in town has been asking him questions. Hopefully that will die down soon. Small towns quickly find something new to buzz about.

During the robbery my son was told not to touch the alarm button or he would get his head blown off! He followed directions and kept everyone safe by doing so. I'm very thankful for that. I would have been shaking in fear but he was calm on the outside.

My son and another teller were able to give a perfect description of the robber (who was so dumb that he didn't cover his face or bring anything to put the money in. ) The robber was caught on Friday and is now behind bars....thank God!

I had a nightmare the night before the robber was apprehended. In it the robber came to our home to cause trouble for all of us. I woke my husband up twice wimpering in my sleep.

I wish I could visit that bank robber in jail and express my anger at him because of what he did to my son. I haven't felt so much stress for quite some time. Making my son a victim of a crime was a terrible thing, in my opinion. These things shouldn't happen to anyone, but it does, and I feel very angry about it. Feeling like a victim doesn't feel good at all. You feel helpless and then you feel angry, very angry.

My son is a smart and sensitive person who never in a million years deserved to be treated this way.....and yet he was. It makes me so mad! It definitely makes my son mad too. It has been difficult to contain my anger, which is why I thought writing about it might help. I've certainly talked about it with friends and relatives and so has my son.

Talking and writing are my two best therapies when it comes to dealing with negative feelings. I guess that's why my brother David encouraged my writing by having me to submit it here.

Free money for your retirement

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It can be more than a little discouraging to start making retirement planning calculations. You’ll usually find that to achieve the annual retirement income you want, you need to be saving a lot more than is practical.

Suppose, for example, that you use a program like Quicken or Microsoft Money to determine that your retirement savings should equal to $5,200 a year—which is the same as $450 a month. (This savings amount will produce roughly $15,000 a year of retirement income if you save for 20 years, increase your savings with inflation, and earn 9 percent.)

Okay. That's great information to have. But practically speaking, where do you find this money? Well. first you want to get the free money that's available.

The first source of free retirement money

While $450 a month seems like a lot of money, you may be able to come up with this figure more readily than you might think. Say, for example, that you work for an employer who’s generous enough to match your 401(k) contributions by 50 percent. In other words, for every dollar you contribute, your employer contributes $.50.

In this case, you need to come up with $300 a month to have $450 a month added to your retirement savings. To make this calculation, you divide the monthly savings amount, $450, by 1 + the employer’s matching percentage, 50%. The formula $450/(1+50%) equals $300.

The second source of free retirement money

Also suppose that you pay federal and state income taxes of 33 percent and that you can deduct your 401(k) contributions from your income. In this case, the actual monthly out-of-pocket amount you need to come up with equals $200, not $450. To make this calculation, you multiply your share of the needed monthly savings, $300 in this example, by 1minus the 33% marginal tax rate, which equals 67%

In this case, the actual amount you need to come up with on a monthly basis equals $200 because $300 times 67% equals (roughly) $200.

Sometimes, most of your retirement savings money can come from others

Admittedly, $200 a month is still a lot of money. But it’s also a lot less than the $450-per-month savings you need to add to your retirement savings. In fact, most of the money in this example you need to save comes from other sources!

The preceding calculations argue for two tactics when saving for retirement. First, if an employer offers to match your contributions to something like a 401(k) plan, it will almost always make sense to accept the offer—unless your employer is trying to force you to make an investment that is not appropriate for you.

TIP If you do want to contribute $300 a month to a 401(k) plan and need to reduce your income taxes withheld by $100 a month to do so, talk to your employer’s payroll department for instructions. You may need to file a new W-4 statement and increase the number of personal exemptions claimed.

Second, any time you get a tax deduction for contributing money to your retirement savings, it’s almost certainly too good a deal to pass up. As described in the preceding example, you can use the income tax savings because of the deduction to boost your savings so they provide for the desired level of retirement income.

Cancer prevention eat your cabbage

Can eating your broccoli and cabbage help protect you against lung cancer? According to a study published in the October 29, 2005 issue of the British medical journal, Lancet, the answer is yes.

This isn’t the first time that it’s been suggested that cruciferous vegetables may have a preventive effect against lung cancer, but it is the largest scale study to date. There have been a number of smaller observational studies that reported a possible link between the vegetables and lung cancer prevention, but they were considered to be too small to be definitive. This study, conducted by a group of researchers at the Genetic Epidemiology Group at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France, compared 2,141 people diagnosed with lung cancer with a group of healthy people in the Czech Republic, Romania, Russia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. They chose countries where the consumption of vegetables like cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts has been traditionally high.

“We found protective effects with at least weekly consumption of cruciferous vegetables,” the research letter in the Lancet stated.

Researchers believe that the beneficial effects of cruciferous vegetables are due to the high content of isothiocyanates, phytonutrients that seem to have a strong anti-cancer effect. They are a more bioavailable form of glucosinolates, which also have been shown to have anti-cancer effects. The research conducted at Lyons takes the knowledge a step further.

Studies have shown that isothiocyanates neutralize cancerous cells by inhibiting cell proliferation. The cycle of a normal cell in the body proceeds from cell division, through specialization, and eventually, when the cell has either become damaged or has finished doing its job, to apoptosis – or cell death. The problem with cancer cells is that they don’t go through apoptosis. For some reason, their mutations make them resistant to the message that it’s time to die. Isothiocyanates appear to be a catalyst that triggers apoptosis. In laboratory experiments, they’ve induced apoptosis in a number of cell lines. They also seem to slow proliferation of a number of types of cancer cells, including lung cancer lines.

The researchers at Lyons found that there is also a correlation between genetics and the preventive effect of cruciferous vegetables. There are two genes that produce an enzyme that remove isothiocyanates from the body. The Lyons study correlated the results from a diet questionnaire with blood tests to determine whether those studied had inactive or active forms of those genes. They found that in people who had an inactive form of one of the two genes had a 37% lower risk of developing lung cancer. Those with an inactive form of the other had a 33% lower risk of developing lung cancer. In those with both genes inactive, there was a 72% reduction in lung cancer risk. In those who had two active gene types, there was no difference in risk at all.

Said Paul Brennan, lead author of the research letter, “…this indicates that there is a specific protective effect against lung cancer from cruciferous vegetables.”

Random trials to absolutely confirm the findings would be expensive and time consuming, Brennan notes. In the meantime, though, including cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli or turnips in your diet at least once a week may help reduce your risk of developing lung cancer.

What do essential fatty acids do in your body

Fatty acids are used in every cell of your body. They have several characteristics that give them the power to give your

body health and a feeling of well being:

· They attract oxygen

· They absorb sunlight

· They have a negative charge

· They readily reduce lactic acid

They Attract Oxygen

Fatty acids are needed to transport oxygen from the lungs to

the red blood cells that are circulating in the blood. They do

this by carrying oxygen through the capillary walls, red blood

cell walls and directly to the hemoglobin.

The red blood cells then circulate to deliver the oxygen to the cells. The fatty acids again move the oxygen from the red blood cells through capillary walls, through the lymph liquid, through the cell walls and directly into the cells to where the oxygen is needed.

Do you want more oxygen to reach your cells? Make sure you are supplementing with Fish oil.

Fatty acids reside in the cell membranes. Here they hold

oxygen so that pathogens cannot get into the cell.

Pathogens cannot not live in an oxygen environment, so the

oxygen in the cell wall acts as a death barrier for them.

Fatty acids also reside inside the cell to help form the various structures of the cell.

They Absorb Sunlight

Fatty acids readily absorb sunlight or light energy. This

ability allows these acids to easily attract and absorb

oxygen. It makes them chemically active and for this reason

they become rancid when exposed to sunlight and oxygen.

This is the reason why you need to keep them in the

refrigerator after you open their container.

They Have a Negative Charge

With the negative charge that they have, fatty acids are

active in many chemical reactions in the body. This negative

charge keeps the fatty acid molecules dispersed and prevents them from clumping together. This ability to keep dispersed, give the fatty acids the power to move toxic material throughout the body and eventually to

the channels of elimination - skin, lungs, colon, kidney,

lymphatic system.

This flow of electrons through the body helps to recharge the body and to especially promote brain and nerve functions.

In a more complex reaction, Udo Erasmus, in his book

called, Fats and Oils - The complete Guide to Fats and

Oils in Health and Nutrition, describes how fatty acid are

involved in the movement of energy,

"The negative charge also makes the essential fatty acids weakly basic (as opposed to acidic), and able to form weak hydrogen bonds with weak acid groups such as the

sulphydryl groups found in proteins. Sulphydryl groups are especially important in oscillating reactions, which take place

between them and the double bonds of the essential fatty acids. They allow the one-way movement of electrons and energy in molecules to take place. According to one to the world's best chemists, the Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling, such movement is required to make possible the chemical reactions on which life depends."

They readily reduce lactic acid

Both omega-3 and omega-6 help change lactic acid, which

occurs during strenuous work or exercise, into water and

carbon dioxide. This is important because without these

omegas, the body would have to depend solely on minerals

to neutralize these acid. If too much acid is created in your

body, minerals can be depleted and your body can become

acidic, which would invite all kinds of parasites and

pathogens to setup household in your body.

How to subscribe to a podcast

Podcasts have become audio and video versions of blogging. They are delivered by all manner of amateurs and professional organizations (usually news services) and are delivered through a multiplicity of channels. Podcasts are audio or video "bites" that address a particular topic or provide a small segment of entertainment or information.

YouTube and MySpace are loaded with millions of podcasts. Outside the adolescent networking space, there are scores of podcast feeds that put out new "bites" on a regular basis. If you are interested in exploring this new wrinkle in the broadband universe, there are a couple of tools you'll need to make it all work and several tools to help you find podcast feeds that might interest you.

The principal tool for subscribing to a podcast feed is a podcast or news aggregator. There are dozens of them; many are freeware. Generally a "newsfeed" is provided in either RSS or Atom format; the podcasts that are syndicated are usually uploaded to a web server for delivery. Any web server will do, and there are many services that are dedicated to hosting podcasts exclusively. An RSS or Atom feed provides a URL for subscription, and new content is downloaded whenever the aggregator reads the feed and finds it has been updated.

This is how new content from the feed is delivered to your computer automatically, or at least at the intervals your aggregator is set to check the feed. An aggregator will automatically deliver a podcast from a subscription feed that you have signed up for - generally it will be saved to your local machine and play in the default media player on your PC.

You can find a list of aggregators and where to find them at: podcastingnews. com/topics/Podcast_Software. html. Once you've got an aggregator in place, you can go in search of podcast services that might interest you on a regular basis. Like many computer subscription services, you might find yourself dumping a podcast on a particular day because the topic doesn't interest you or you don't have time. But the idea is to find a collection of regular podcast feeds that provide information on topics that interest you and to absorb that information in audio or video format.

Once you have located a website offering a podcast service, you'll generally find a button that will make you a subscriber. Click it, and you'll find regular downloads appearing in your aggregator, generally found on your desktop by its icon or by an RSS orange button. You can organize your podcasts into folders and either view or listen to them at will. If you are go on a subscription binge and then neglect the daily aggregate of material that's being automatically downloaded, you'll be piling up megabytes in a hurry if many of those podcasts are of the video variety.

As with websites, podcast directories began appearing the moment podcasts took hold as a mainstream Internet communications device. One of the oldest, largest and best organized podcast directories can be found at ipodder. org/. The site breaks out podcast feeds by category and provides folders for you to browse. Ipodder is a commercial product - an aggregator - but its website can be highly informative. If you want to review the A-to-Z podcast material from the site, you can find it in an online article at extremetech. com/article2/0,1697,1817856,00.asp.

Podcast Alley has a directory that provides good detail on each podcast it lists. It also provides a section on podcast software and some recent high profile podcasts for a casual click. Visit the site at podcastalley. com/. Other directories include podcast. net/ and, of course, the dynamic duo: google. com/Top/Computers/Internet/On_the_Web/Podcasts/Directories/; and podcasts. yahoo. com/.

Er dvd review

Nominated for 25 Golden Globes and 110 Emmys, including 7 for Outstanding Drama Series, ER has long been one of the best prime-time shows on television. Premiering in September 1994 on NBC, the hour-long hospital drama vividly illustrates the intensity and fast-paced stress endemic to hospital emergency rooms across America. Brought into being by Michael Crichton - famous Hollywood insider, novelist, and brains behind such films as Jurassic Park, Twister, and Timeline - ER fulfills its creator's ultimate vision (it took over a decade of pitching the show before network executives bit) for a close-to-life glimpse of the technology and the humanity omnipresent in the ER. Since its inception, many cast members have passed through the halls of ER, many of them having gone on to become big stars in Hollywood…

ER follows the exploits of a group of emergency room staff who work in a busy Chicago hospital. The show attempts to examine every detail of the ER experience. From the exhilaration of saving a life to the tedium caused by mountains of paperwork, all the highs and lows are covered. In the show's first year, a number of regular faces staffed the ER. Doctors Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards), Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle), Douglas Ross (George Clooney), and Susan Lewis (Sherri Stringfield) were regulars in the ER along with Head Nurse Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies) and Benton's medical student understudy (and later ER doctor), John Carter (Noah Wyle)… Any given episode tends to run multiple plot lines throughout the show, interweaving scenes in short snippets intended to heighten audience emotion and create the aura of a stress-laden atmosphere. The show's high drama, coupled with subplots of the staffers' personal lives and the display of cutting edge medical technology, combine to make ER one of most adrenaline-inducing programs in television history…

The ER DVD features a number of dramatic episodes including the series premiere "24 Hours" in which a long day in the ER is made longer when multiple casualties pour through the doors following the collapse of a building and medical students report for training (marking the first appearance for John Carter's character). Meanwhile, Dr. Benton performs a heart surgery normally reserved only for senior staff members while the staff is struck with a personal tragedy when Head Nurse Carol Hathaway is brought in following a suicide attempt… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "Blizzard" in which a major snowstorm first leads to an empty ER and then (following a 40-car pileup) one with overflowing capacity, and "House of Cards" in which, while trying to keep up with Carter, Deb nearly causes a patient's death…

Below is a list of episodes included on the ER (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (24 Hours: Part 1) Air Date: 09-19-1994

Episode 2 (24 Hours: Part 2) Air Date: 09-19-1994

Episode 3 (Day One) Air Date: 09-22-1994

Episode 4 (Going Home) Air Date: 09-29-1994

Episode 5 (Hit and Run) Air Date: 10-06-1994

Episode 6 (Into That Good Night) Air Date: 10-13-1994

Episode 7 (Chicago Heat) Air Date: 10-20-1994

Episode 8 (Another Perfect Day) Air Date: 11-03-1994

Episode 9 (9 Ѕ Hours) Air Date: 11-10-1994

Episode 10 (ER Confidential) Air Date: 11-17-1994

Episode 11 (Blizzard) Air Date: 12-08-1994

Episode 12 (The Gift) Air Date: 12-15-1994

Episode 13 (Happy New Year) Air Date: 01-05-1995

Episode 14 (Luck of the Draw) Air Date: 01-12-1995

Episode 15 (Long Day's Journey) Air Date: 01-19-1995

Episode 16 (Feb. 5, '95) Air Date: 02-02-1995

Episode 17 (Make of Two Hearts) Air Date: 02-09-1995

Episode 18 (The Birthday Party) Air Date: 02-16-1995

Episode 19 (Sleepless in Chicago) Air Date: 02-23-1995

Episode 20 (Love's Labor Lost) Air Date: 03-09-1995

Episode 21 (Full Moon, Saturday Night) Air Date: 03-30-1995

Episode 22 (House of Cards) Air Date: 04-06-1995

Episode 23 (Men Plan, God Laughs) Air Date: 04-27-1995

Episode 24 (Love Among the Ruins) Air Date: 05-04-1995

Episode 25 (Motherhood) Air Date: 05-11-1995

Episode 26 (Everything Old is New Again) Air Date: 05-18-1995

Using google adwords to drive laser targeted traffic

The biggest well known secret in generating wealth in the internet based business or e-commerce is Traffic. Everybody knows it; every site wants it and every site needs it. The point of websites is to be visited and viewed. Many elaborate designs, money and countless hours of developing a site to make them beautiful and attractive are utilized. Without traffic, it is for naught.

With traffic comes a potential customer which basically means sales which in turn means profit. While many sites have collapsed in the past with the downturn of many internet based business, many smaller sites have generated good money by concentrating on a certain niche and some subniches.

This is a reason why e-commerce site laser target certain groups of people and drive them to their site to showcase their sites and products. Precision marketing is essential so that you could count on all the traffic on your site as potential customers.

Using Money to Make Money

It's a common business notion that if you want to make money, you have to spend money. One good way of spending money for business gain is through advertising. Advertising brings in the people because through advertising, they know that there is such a company or product in existence. With the right type of advertising, you can see the spurt of traffic growth to your site. With a high volume of traffic, even if only a small portion or percentage turns out to be buying customers it is still a good average of profit generating income.

Right now, there is no other advertising scheme that would be worth every cent than using Google's Adwords. The surge in popularity of Google's Adwords is very evident as you can see so many sites sporting this ad scheme.

In using Google's Adwords, you pay a certain fee depending on the number of keywords your ad is keyword sensitive to. Each time a person does a search in Google, the keyword or keywords use generate ads in the side of Google which are generated by the keywords they have assigned for their ads.

This method laser targets the traffic a site wants for their site. This also ensures that you are readily visible in the first page of a search result. Paying Google for this ad scheme ensures that your target group of people sees your ads. You drive your laser targeted traffic to your site which provides for their needs and wants. You can also be sure that you can meet their demands and needs.

Aside from Google, you can also be featured in their other search networks, these includes sites like, AskJeeves, AOL Search and Netscape. These sites also show Adwords ads that react to searches done by visitors. There are also content networks, non-search engine sites that feature Google Adwords, which will also carry your ads. But this is subjected to the niche the site features. Your chosen keywords will determine which content network shall feature your ad. The frequency of your ad shall also be determined by your allowed budget.

Laser Targeting your Traffic

To get a good number or estimate of the traffic to buying customer ratio it is good to laser target your traffic. Knowing that your traffic are all potential customers and are interested in your products and company provides you with a more accurate statistics. This will show you how effective your utilizing of Google Adwords is.

Drive laser targeted traffic to your site by using keywords or keyword phrases for your Goggle Adwords that pertains to your company and to your products. There are many online internet tools that can help you in choosing keywords and keyword phrases that are currently in demand that could help drive laser targeted traffic to your site.

With your Google Adwords ad, you are ensured that every click to your ad is a potential customer that is precisely looking pr interested in what you have to offer. Make sure that your Google Adwords ad has the right keywords so that you can drive you're laser targeted traffic to your site.

Using Google Adwords to help boost the drive to increase laser targeted traffic will prove to be very beneficial as many other companies can attest to. The benefits are high with the cost relatively justifiable.

How to be the best that you can be

Have you ever wondered why it is that some people seem to succeed at everything they decide to do, while others struggle through life never quite finding the success and fulfillment that in a sense is everyone’s right?

You might have done more than wonder. It might even be that you’ve felt envious of others’ successes … and begrudged them their fame, riches, big house, fast car or whatever. I must admit to having done my share of that when I was struggling and convincing myself that some had all the luck, while others had none.

But then I began to wonder whether they actually had endless luck … or something else. And I began to read up on the subject – autobiographies of successful people such as Richard Branson and Robert T. Kiyosaki – and books on how to achieve.

I learned something very interesting: the way we look at things makes all the difference between achievement and non-achievement. If we see something as impossible it quickly becomes impossible, whereas if we start looking hard for possibilities these start presenting themselves. It’s a question of ‘I can if I think I can’, which might seem simplistic – but then life is often simpler than we think!

Everything begins with a thought. Alexander Graham Bell could not have invented the telephone without first thinking that such a device must be within the bounds of possibility. Likewise Sir Alexander Fleming, discoverer of penicillin, and that other famous Fleming – Ian, creator of 007 James Bond. Imagine how much poorer we’d all be without ‘phones, antibiotics and the super-spy whose antics both on the written page and our cinema and TV screens have held millions enthralled!

And start imagining how you could improve your situation by thinking different thoughts. Instead of thinking ‘I wish I had his/her money, lifestyle, private plane, island etc’ start thinking of all that you do have and counting your blessings. As you count them, perhaps – if appropriate - starting with your health, you’ll begin to see that things could be a lot worse than they are and you can move on from there to develop an attitude of plenty rather than of lack.

I used to be forever focusing on what I couldn’t afford, rather than on what I could. One of my favorite expressions was ‘I can’t justify the cost of that’. Bit by bit I took myself in hand, developing a different attitude and beginning to understand that I was creating my own destiny. When I made a negative choice it was almost inevitable that there was a negative outcome, whereas when I erred on the side of the positive (thinking ‘I can’ instead of ‘I can’t’) the outcomes of my decisions started improving.

As these improved, so did my attitude – unless it all began with my attitude? Once I stopped focusing on lack and started permitting the flow of good things I found after a while that I lacked nothing.

I also found more to like about myself than I had found when I let envy color my perceptions. And the more I liked, the more I believed that absolutely anything is possible – which indeed it is, if you set out to be the best that you can be!

© Pamela Glynn

Exercises to get in shape for summer - a much better option than dieting

If you're going to get in shape for summer, you are probably wondering what types of exercises to get in shape for summer are the most effective. Well, first of all, you should realize that getting into shape for summer requires more than just losing weight. Unless you've been toning your muscles as well, you probably will not look as good as you would like. Not only that, but muscle tissue also burns more calories than fat tissue - so if you add a little bit of muscle mass now, you'll find it easier to keep the weight off through the summer.

Resistance Training Is An Important Part Of Any Exercise Routine.

The best options for toning your muscles involve some resistance training, which should be a major part of your exercise to get in shape for summer. While you do not need to do a lot of weight lifting unless you actually want to bulk up a little, some resistance training is necessary. This includes getting free weights or a home gym in order to work out your upper and lower bodies. You should also use resistance training on your abdominal muscles - this way they will look much better than if you are just relying on un-weighted sit-ups or crunches to help you build your stomach muscles.

The other benefit of doing resistance training, especially on your abdomen, is that it will likely help you feel better during the rest of the day. Strong abs, for instance, will improve your posture. This, in turn, can also reduce the amount of aches and pains, especially in your back, that you have to deal with now and in the future.

Finally, exercising to get in shape is always a good idea! Even if you do not reach your goal for the summer, you will still have done your body good.

Overcoming our fear helps us live our lives more fully

Most of us are filled with fear of one kind or another: fear of change, fear of success, or fear of failure. We fear making mistakes, being alone, ending relationships or starting new ones. Many individuals fear aging, rejection, abandonment, and unemployment. Fear can keep us stuck in our lives! It can keep us from ending unhealthy relationships or from leaving a work situation that is no longer satisfying. In fact, it can keep us from reaching our goals and realizing our dreams! When we are helped to move beyond our fears, we can lead lives that are both challenging and fulfilling.

It is normal for all of us to feel fear in new situations, especially when we are venturing into unknown territory. Therefore the question is, if we all feel fear when entering into the unknown, why is it that some people are able to move forward in their lives, in spite of their fear, while other individuals become paralyzed? The real issue then, is not the fear itself, but how we hold our fear. If we hold our fear from a place of power or choice, we can take action, in spite of our fear. If we hold our fear from a place of pain or powerlessness, we become stuck or paralyzed.

Susan Jeffers, in her book Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway, divides fears into two categories: 1) Fear of things that can happen to us, and 2) Fear around taking action. She states that at the bottom of all our fears is the basic fear, “I can’t handle it”. If I lose my job, I wont be able to handle it. If my boyfriend leaves me, I won’t be able to handle it. If I go back to school, what if I can’t handle it? What if we believed that whatever happened to us, or whatever we did, we would be able to handle it? What would there be left to fear?

Therapy can help individuals to face their fears and come out on the other side of them. It can help empower clients by teaching them to stop playing the “when / then” games. “When I stop being afraid, then I’ll do it.” Or, “When I feel better about myself, then I‘ll do it”. In fact, it is only in going out and actually doing what we are afraid of, that we overcome our fear, and as a result, feel better about ourselves in the process! Psychotherapy can provide the encouragement and support that individuals need to overcome their fears and to transform their lives.

Optimists hope for more and aren t thrown by less

These are changing and challenging times. Life is difficult and setbacks are common in the great game of business and in life. Every person has a choice about the attitude they bring to their day and the actions they make. Those who will prosper must develop flexible optimism, resourcefulness, and persistence in the face of adversity and constant change.

Unfortunately, far too many are falling victim to the depression of our age, learned helplessness — "Nothing I can do is going to make any difference in what happens to me, so why try?"

By controlling your attitudes and habits you too can alter your life and influence others you live and work with. Here are fifteen practical tips to claim your own optimism advantage in bouncing back from any setback or disaster.

1. Nurture perspective and an appreciation for the healing power of time. One of Abraham Lincoln's favorite quotes was: "This too shall pass." Because we tend to think that our reactions to bad events will never fade, we also tend to feel especially good when we recover from trauma with unexpected speed. Don't underestimate your own powers of recuperation from emotional trauma. None of us will ever forget the horror of September 11th or Hurricane Katrina, but we now look back with a calmer perspective only time can provide.

2. Dispute catastrophic thoughts by checking fears against the facts. Optimism can be learned. Recognize that people often have catastrophic thoughts—feelings that everything is wrong and that nothing is going to change. Think of these thoughts as if they are being said by some external enemy whose mission in life is to make you miserable. Then dispute those thoughts. Try using cold, impersonal facts to maintain a reality-based perspective. If you struggle with the fear of flying, you note that the National Safety Council reports that you're 37 times more likely to die, mile for mile, in a vehicle crash than on a commercial airline.

3. Avoid victim thinking and seize the day as a survivor. As long as you are alive, you always have options. Survivors make the best of the options they have while victims whine about how few they have. There is never nothing you can do, the only question is whether a given action will work and if committed action is worth the investment of the time required to achieve the desired results. Survivors keep making choices one day at a time.

4. Control what you can—position, perform and persist. Security is not a fact; it is a feeling—a feeling that you can control what you do. You don't control all events that happen, but you do control your response to events. You don't control the cards you are dealt in life, but you can learn how to play even a poor hand well. Appreciate the words of Reinhold Niebuhr: "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." Get busy changing what you can—starting with your own attitude.

5. Move from analysis paralysis into action. Cultivate a continual sense of adventure that searches for and takes advantage of every opportunity. Failure to act doesn't prevent failure it just turns life into slow death. As Yogi Berra would say, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it."

6. Master the strategic skills you need to invent the future. The age of lifelong employment is over. You become an old dog when you stop doing new and improved tricks. Invest 5% of your time in education to stay a recyclable asset. If you hate your job, raise that to 10%. Search for what you enjoy and have the gifts to do. Bouncing back with optimism is easier when you have a job that gives you passion, fulfillment, and energy.

7. Manage your motivation by catching yourself being effective. You are probably tougher on yourself than on any other person. Instead of taking yourself for granted, love yourself the way you love others you care about. If you are not catching yourself being effective, you may be winning and not know it because you're not keeping score. Ask yourself daily, "What did I do today that made a difference?" Use your calendar to write down one success every day.

8. See mistakes as valued lessons on the way to success. Life is like a moving vehicle with no brakes; if you spend too much time in the rearview mirror, you may hit a tree out the front window. Keep your rearview mirror smaller than your front window by using self-criticism as course correction feedback on the road to success. Identify what was done wrong, but put your focus on the future: What are you going to do to rectify the problem? How will you handle it next time?

9. Persevere in reframing difficulties and downturns into strategic opportunities. Flexible optimists persevere even in the presence of obstacles and negative outcomes. They perceive failures as temporary setbacks, rather than final verdicts. What you think when things go wrong determines whether you give up or whether you get busy overcoming the problem. Victors say to themselves, "I'm going to figure out how to become successful one way or another." Victims say, "I'll never be able to succeed."

10. Build an expectation of success through persistent hard work and invest your worry time in constructive action. Hunt for the silver lining. A crisis can be a time to reinvent a business, to cut costs that are not adding value, and to reinforce and strengthen customer ties.

11. Relationships are critical in times of crisis. Learn to accept support from others; you don't have to go it alone. The tragedy of life is that the people you most want to spend time with you have to schedule time to even see. The people you least want to be with will find you wherever you are. Spend time with other optimistic and resourceful friends. Mark Twain said it well: "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great." The company you keep can bring you up or bring you down. Pick your friends and associates wisely.

12. Balance working and living smart by making time for your family. Research shows that time spent with supportive families, friends and faith communities can help people find strength and comfort. People look at their priorities differently after a personal crisis. Make dates and buy a few tickets! When you've paid for theater tickets or a sporting event, you find a way to get everything done so that you can go no matter what work demands appear. In fact, have tickets every day and be willing to give them up only when unexpected job or life demands require it.

13. To maintain a positive attitude, take your health habits seriously in difficult times. Eat right, exercise, get plenty of sleep, and include daily stress breaks in your day. Maintaining your health habits can do wonders to help you sustain your optimism and manage your increased stress levels.

14. Find the power of purpose and serving others. Friedrich Nietzsche once said, "The one who has a why to live can bear with almost any how." There is passion in being fully engaged in a meaningful mission and in doing your share of random acts of kindness. You make a difference for yourself when you make a difference for others. Faith, values and integrity are back in. People of faith tend not live in fear, but find peace in faith. Core values help direct your choices. They are both your anchor in the rough sea and the lighthouse that helps illuminate a positive and principled course in uncertain times. Honor is a gift you give yourself.

15. Use your sense of humor to regain perspective. Don't go through your life with your face in "park ". Humor provides perspective that breaks the stress cycle and invites a more positive attitude. If you know that some day you will laugh at a problem, don't wait—laugh as quickly as you can! Take your job and life seriously, but yourself lightly. Never forget that some days you're the bug, and some days you're the windshield. That's a perspective worth remembering in these challenging times.

Finally, experience the power of gratitude. Unrealistic expectations are a sure road to disappointment. Optimists hope for more, but are not thrown by less. Start counting your blessings instead of your problems. Choose to be happy unless something happens to change that feeling, instead of being unhappy until something makes you happy. End the day by identifying five things for which you are grateful. In fact, you can start by being grateful that you found this article!

Divisional outlook for june - nl east

It’s been quite a month in the NL East. What looked like a competitive race during our last review has become a runaway at the top and a surprising look from the bottom. The Mets have been on fire lately, and it appears that the Braves’ incredible streak of postseason appearances could be coming to an end.

New York Mets

Currently:

The Mets are surging, and are pushing their division lead towards double digits. They went 19-9 over the past month, and that includes an eight-game winning streak and a sweep of their biggest challenger for the title, the Phillies. David Wright and Paul Lo Duca continue to be pests on the base pads, and Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran are continuing in their roles of bringing them home. Not to mention, the pitching staff is leading the NL in team ERA.

Outlook:

There’s no reason, barring injury or an unforeseen slump, to foresee the Mets stumbling at this point. If they simply hold their lead, they’ll win the division.

Philadelphia Phillies

Currently:

The Phillies have stumbled lately, going only 11-17 over the past month, and that includes a six-game losing streak, with three of those losses coming in a damaging sweep at the hands of the Mets. Their offense has been pretty good, with Ryan Howard sitting in the top five in the NL in home runs, RBI’s and SLG. The problem in Philadelphia has been the pitching, as the staff is near the bottom of the NL in team ERA.

Outlook:

The Phillies need to fix their pitching problems now, or they’ll continue to fall further behind the Mets and never catch up.

Washington Nationals

Currently:

The Nationals quietly had a decent month, going 18-12 in their last 30 games. They have been a bit streaky though, as they had both a five-game winning streak and a five-game losing streak. The problem is that the Mets are playing so well that the Nationals haven’t made up any ground. Alfonso Soriano and Jose Vidro are continuing their strong seasons, but their offense still sits near the bottom of the NL in BA. The pitching staff continues to have issues, sitting near the bottom of the NL in team ERA.

Outlook:

Despite their statistical problems, the Nationals are winning games. All they can do is continue their hard play and hope for the Mets to stumble.

Florida Marlins

Currently:

The Marlins have also quietly been playing well, going 18-9 over the past month, and they’re currently on an eight-game winning streak. They’ve been doing it with timely hitting and strong pitching. The Marlins have lowered their team ERA to 4.29, which ranks fifth in the NL.

Outlook:

If Miguel Cabrera can continue his big offensive season and Dontrelle Willis can keep his stuff after a strong turnaround, the Marlins could wind up having a successful season for a young team.

Atlanta Braves

Currently:

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. When was the last time we saw the Braves sitting in last place this late in the season? The Braves have gone 9-20 in the past month, and are currently mired in an eight-game losing streak. How has this happened? Because both their hitting and pitching has been spotty. Edgar Renteria is the only position player who could still be considered as having a strong season, and the pitching staff has given up the second-most runs in the NL.

Outlook:

The Braves unbelievable streak of winning is not talked about as much as it should be. Baseball is perhaps the most difficult sport to reach the postseason, and the Braves have been doing so every year for over a decade. Perhaps it’s time to reload with young prospects and work towards next year.

The importance of having a beginner s mind as a karate instructor

As karate instructor or high-level practitioners of the martial arts, it is often useful to remember where we came from and how we got to where we are. Our journeys were not always easy and our students deserve to know about our own mistakes and experiences to illustrate that we too are human and went through many of the same struggles that they are faced with in their practices. Here is one such story from my own development as a martial artist.

During a lesson on a hot and humid summer evening during my stay in Japan, Ichihara-sensei (one of my instructors) was teaching us oizuki (front punch) when it suddenly hit me like a sledgehammer - not the punch thankfully, but a realization, an inspiration.

I had been training in karate for 14 years at the time and I suddenly realized that I had been making a basic error in the execution of the very basic front punch. It doesn’t really matter anymore what the mistake was as I have since corrected it, but the real lesson I learned that night was something much more than a minor technical adjustment. That night under the watchful eye of Ichihara-sensei I was reminded in my realization, of the importance of having a “Beginner’s Mind.”

It happens to all of us periodically and usually when we least expect it - in those moments when our confidence along with our egos takes over and suddenly we feel like we are invincible. We have mastered a particular skill and now, knowing everything there is to know, we become self-proclaimed experts, willfully demonstrating the infallibility of our technique to others. Right at that moment, something happens to bring us back down to Earth. For example you’re a good golfer and suddenly you hit an “air shot”; or you’re playing soccer, and faced with an open goal just six yards out you completely miss the ball and fall flat on your behind with the grace and poise of a 1-year-old just learning how to walk.

Back in the dojo, a senior ranked student performs a front kick and slips and falls over for no reason. He gets up quickly hoping nobody noticed the flub, and mutters about some undulation in the perfectly flat wooden floor. Trust me, I have seen this kind of thing happen repeatedly and it always reminds me of the importance of having a “Beginner’s Mind.”

If you watch any serious beginner in any activity, you usually see great concentration, heightened awareness and a real drive to succeed. Although they know their techniques are not perfect, their mistakes are usually due to a lack of knowledge rather than a lack of focus. We “experienced” practitioners of karate should learn from this and try to think back to that special feeling that we also had as beginners.

That exciting feeling of learning something new, of learning the next sequence in a kata, of successfully blocking an opponent’s attack, and of ending a fight against a black belt and being able to say you were on the floor just five times, instead of the usual ten. Better still that you actually put the black belt on the floor too!

A “beginner’s mind” means that you realize you have a lot to learn; it means that you’re open to criticism, but more importantly, the next time you fall flat on your face, you’ll get up with a smile rather than an attitude!

For insights on how to become a more effective instructor by better relating to your students, be sure to read my FREE Report: “Instructor Mastery: How to Become a Great Instructor Right from the very First Lesson.” You can download it at freekarateinformation. com.

Good luck and best wishes to you on your honorable and noble role in teaching. Feel free to write to me at Paul@freekarateinformation. com with any questions you have on your practice or your teaching.

Why

:
Many articles supply answers, but here I do not. Here, I ask the questions. If you want to rack your brains for finding the answers to these life conundrums. But, I warn you. Beware. These are not easy, and though somewhat hilarious and funny, they are real and true to life.

Should I begin? Ok, here I go:

1) How come Tarzan has no bears even though he grows up with wolves in the jungle?

2) Why does glue not stick to the insides of the tube or can that it comes in?

3) Why do they use sterile injections when executing someone who is condemned to death?

4) Why do we press down harder and harder or the remote controls even though we know that the batteries are low?

5) Why is it that when someone hits us in the ankles with his supermarket trolley and then appologizes, do we say that everything is ok? I mean, things are not really fine. Why is it that we do not say that it hurts?

6) Why is it that whatever the color of the bath soap, the bubbles are always white?

7) Why is it that you will never find a day when mattresses are not on sale?

8) Why is it that online casinos always offer big prize money for their tournaments but never reveal the real name of the winner after the competition is over?

9) If human beings evolved from monkeys, why is it that there still are monkeys?

10) Why did the Japanese Kamikaze pilots wear helmets during the second World War?

11) Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest but, then, duck when the empty gun is thrown at him.

12) Why do banks charge a commission when you go into debt even though they know that there is no money in that account?

13) Why do people go back again and again to the refrigerator hoping that something new to eat will appear there?

14) Why do people move their vacuum cleaner over a thin thread lying on the floor, bend down, pick it up, examine it, and then, place it on the floor again and move the vacuum over it again?

15) Why do people believe it when they are told that there are more than four billion stars, but when they see a sign that says wet paint, they have to touch and check?

16) Why does a plastic bag not open at the end where you first try to open it?

17) Why do you never hear jokes about father in laws?

18) Why are there dead insects inside enclosed electric lamps?

19) Why is it that in winter we try and keep the house as warm as it was during the summer when back in the summer we hated the heat?

20) Why is it that every time you try and catch something that is about to fall off the table, you always hit something else and drop that instead?

Conclusion:
Life has many oddities and conundrums: some funny, some less. I have mentioned but a few. Think of more? Send them to me.

How to select a humidifier

Cool winter air can be drying. It gives rise to colds and various types of allergies. It can damage paint and wooden furniture. We cannot control the humidity levels outside and this humidity will have some effect on your health as well as your home. But you can control the humidity indoors. Humidifiers allow you to moisturize your indoor atmosphere. We give you some detailed instructions on how to choose a right humidifier for your home.

What is humidifier?

A humidifier is a device that raises the moisture level in the air. It lowers the static electricity in the home, thereby minimizing the chances of getting an electric shock. Maintaining a humidity level in the range of 30 to 50% will ensure comfort and health for your family. Humidifiers easily achieves this optimum level of humidity.

How does humidifier work?

The basic principle used by all the humidifiers is holding the water in the tank and spraying it in the air electronically. Cool mist humidifiers or evaporative humidifiers use a fan that blows water through a filter. This water evaporates, raising the humidity levels. Warm mist humidifiers first heat the water and then dispenses it in the air.

How should I decide between cool and warm mist humidifiers?

You can make this decision based on your personal preference. Warm mist humidifiers are comparatively quiet. It also serves the purpose of dispensing inhaled medicines. You do not need filters as the bacteria are killed when heated. Warm mist humidifiers consume more energy because it has to heat the water. You run the risk of scalding if you are careless while handling the warm mist humidifier. If you live in a warm climate, it makes your air warmer.

What are the types of humidifiers?

There are many types of humidifiers based on size, water storage capacity and affected area. Tabletop humidifiers, or room humidifiers are meant for one room and hence are small in size. They are either cool mist or warm mist. Console units are large and hence can humidify many rooms. So you need to check the area covered to decide if it is right for you. They are cool mist. Furnace humidifiers are located in the furnace ducts and can affect the whole house. Though they seem more expensive in the beginning, the expenses incurred on their maintenance are negligible, thus saving your money in the long run.

How do I use humidifier regularly?

Clean and disinfect the humidifier frequently. Replace or clean the filter according to manufacturer’s instructions. If you do not follow the instructions, there would be growth of mold, mildew and bacteria, thus worsening the problem. Low humidity can dry out the nasal passage while high humidity is conducive to the growth of bacteria and mold. Maintain the humidistat properly, which in turn will regulate the humidity of the home.

Rss

To the uninitiated RSS is the buzzword but what is it?

RSS is a family of web feed formats, specified in XML (Extensible Mark-up Language) and used for Web syndication. RSS is used by (among other things) news websites, weblogs and podcasting.

· Really Simple Syndication

Web feeds provide web content or summaries of web content together with links to the full versions of the content, and other metadata. (Literally data that describes other data)

RSS, in particular, delivers this information as an XML file called an RSS feed, webfeed, RSS stream, or RSS channel. In addition to facilitating syndication, web feeds allow a website's frequent readers to track updates on the site using an aggregator. (A type of software that retrieves syndicated Web content )

It can be a format for syndicating news and the content of news-like sites, including major news sites like Wired, news-oriented community sites, and personal weblogs.

But it's not just for news. Pretty much anything that can be broken down into small items and can be syndicated via RSS, anything that has any kind of content makes an interesting RSS feed. Once information about each item is in RSS format, an RSS-aware program can check the feed for changes and react to the changes in an appropriate way.

RSS-aware programs, called news aggregators are popular in the weblogging community. Many weblogs make content available in RSS. A news aggregator can help you keep up with all your favourite weblogs by checking their RSS feeds

How can I receive RSS feeds?

There are several ways of receiving RSS feeds, but the technology is moving forwards and adapting very quickly. The main method is to download a program called a 'News Reader'. You can then set up this program to receive RSS information from whatever websites you wish that offer it, and browse headlines and story summaries that link through to the full story on the website.

There are several News Reader programs available for all platforms, many of which are free. See a list on google.

Directories (4)

E-mail Based (7)

Handhelds (12)

Java (13)

Linux (6)

Mac OS (15)

Web Based (53)

Windows (88)

Alternatively, some newer web browsers offer similar functionality already built-in which will detect whether the website you are viewing offers an RSS feed and will then let you create a constantly-updated list of links in your 'bookmarks' menu.

The Firefox browser (Windows, Mac OSX, Linux) will let you do this, and will alert you to an RSS-enabled page by displaying an icon in the bottom-right corner of the window . Apple's Safari browser (Mac OSX only) offers an even fuller service, and other browsers will probably follow.

There are also some websites that let you customise a list of RSS feeds too.

On this link to the site rsscatalogue. com you can instantly download a ready built RSS feed with the click of a button. This offers you a supply of RSS feeds with different outputs, the selection is vast and growing daily.

Preparing the self for a triathlon race

Swim, run, bike…and brag for the rest of your life!

And for one aspiring to become a competitor in a triathlon, he must not only do all that on the spot, he must do it over and over again months before he starts the race. And that is what we call "preparation".

The first junction in preparing for a triathlon race is to muster all the courage, will and power that you have to be able to understand the risks of joining. Once you're convinced that you can get over the so-called risks then the next best thing you want to do is to pick up the race.

Remember that it is you that will make the choices based on the qualities you know you have. The race you will be choosing must never go beyond your capacities so you can create achievable goals.

Most people in the field have the same strategy that everybody thinks is right. Swim as fast as one can, then bike to hell until the transition stage and pick up the remainder of his will to run the longest miles he has ever run in his lifetime. Those who know better can tell better the difference between making your own techniques and not by living in the paths of those who were proven to be unsuccessful.

You can follow common training processes and develop until you can actually formulate your own. Train and test your mettle. Train until your confidence tells you that you will achieve the achievable. Train but never exhaust yourself.

Be careful not to overstrain yourself though or to get agitated right before the race. This is inevitable but anyone can atleast minimize the doom these might inflict. Never loose sight of your faith in yourself during the competition because you bargain to believe more on pessimistic thoughts. There is never coexistence between faith and fear. Be sure that you choose the side that will cause you to win. One wrong decision will cause your self-belief to flicker. In a game of endurance, faith and will power will tell it all.

Preparation of the self includes prayers, visualizations, and of course the ritual of setting up gears and all other necessary equipments.

Crack dumb jokes if you need to or go with the flow of the tension. Daydream with the starting stages of the race and enjoy the scenery. While going your way through hell on the second junction, try to concentrate on the competition. On the last leg, chant over and over again that "it's already too late to quit".

Book review guerrilla marketing for free

Sure, advertising is easy if you’re Pepsi or Apple, but what if you don’t have millions of dollars to throw at TV and print ads? Any business owner out there looking to cut their marketing budget should look no further than Guerrilla Marketing for FREE – Dozens of No-Cost Tactics to Promote Your Business and Energize Your Profits by Jay Conrad Levinson.

We’ve all heard examples of businesses that spend nothing on marketing and yet never seem to be lacking in customers (Krispy Kreme Doughnuts comes to mind), but how do they do it? On the first page of the book Levinson lets you know that it is possible to grow a business without spending a dollar on marketing, but that it takes a lot of energy and time. Each of the simple tactics the book discusses (there are 100) are deceptively simple and, according to Levinson, have proven track records.

All that you need to get started is a telephone, a computer, a printer, business cards, and access to the internet. After that you will not spend another dollar. Techniques range from the relatively obvious, such as “write a marketing plan” and “have a website”, to not-so-obvious things such as “establish a referral program” and “get involved in your community.”

Many of the tactics involve giving to receive. In addition to doing volunteer work in your community, Levinson suggests joining local networking groups, giving away your product for free to non-profit organizations and schools, and doing free presentations on your area of expertise to local organizations. Levinson’s tactics will not just help improve your bottom line, they’ll help you become a more altruistic entrepreneur.

If there’s one downside to the book, it’s that some of the techniques involving computers are outdated. For example, Levinson suggests advertising on free online classified sites. That may have worked years ago, but these days those sites are covered in spam and I doubt that any business would gain anything from listing on them. The book was written in 2003, so most of the techniques are still pretty valuable, but there’s just a few that stand out as infeasible in 2006.

When reading Guerrilla Marketing for FREE by Jay Conrad Levinson, I found myself constantly putting it down and jotting down ideas that could help supercharge my business. Levinson truly invokes your creative juices. And the best part is that all of the techniques cost you NOTHING. This is a no-brainer purchase for all entrepreneurs and small business owners.

30 year fixed rate refinancing

30 year fixed rate mortgages are the "classic" mortgage in America (though they are not quite the original mortgage, in fact the concept originated during FDR's presidency over 60 years ago). Fixed rate mortgages have been exceptionally popular for three generations in America, and there is good reason:

- Fixed Rate Mortgages are predictable, reliable and widely available.

- What fixed rate mortgages are not is flexible, nor are they perceived as affordable.

That's beginning to change, as rates rise in the broader mortgage markets, adjustable rate mortgages, or ARM loans, are providing fewer and fewer advantages over fixed rate mortgages, except for the fact that most of the popular Option ARM or Cash Flow Option loans available in the market are in fact adjustable rate ARM mortgages. But in the past several months, new programs have been introduced which provide the payment flexibility of the adjustable rate mortgage and the security of the fixed rate mortgage.

Now, it is possible to obtain 30 year fixed rate mortgages with a fully amortized, principal and interest payment as low as, and sometimes lower than, a competing ARM or adjustable rate mortgage. 30 Year Fixed Mortgages are also available with Interest Only options for the first 10, 15 and in some cases 20 years. And to round out the offerings, even minimum payments, once exclusively the province of Adjustable Rate Mortgages, are now available to borrowers who want to know that their rate is fixed for 30 years.

So why refinance into an ARM in today's market? Depending on your credit score and other qualifying criteria such as the amount of equity in your home, a 30 year fixed rate mortgage may or may not be available to you personally at better terms than an Adjustable Rate Mortgage. In such circumstances, it may be advisable to select a Hybrid ARM mortgage, which allows for a fixed rate period of anywhere from 6 months to 10 years. Called hybrids because they combine the ARM mortgage with a fixed introductory rate (often called a "teaser" or "start" rate), the most popular loans in this category are fixed for 3 or 5 years. So is a Hybrid ARM a fixed rate mortgage? The answer is Yes and No. It is a fixed rate mortgage for the first few years, but it is important to realize that you will probably wish to refinance this loan at some point prior to the end of the fixed introductory period.

By contrast, the newly introduced 30 Year Fixed Cash Flow is a true 30 year fixed rate mortgage, with a fixed principal and interest rate, a low interest only rate, and an even lower Cash Flow option which allows the borrower to defer interest in exchange for equity. Once available exclusively to high net worth private clients of banks, these new fixed rate mortgages are incredibly flexible when it comes to payments even while their rates are dependably fixed for the life of the loan. For many borrowers, the 30 year fixed rate mortgage has never been more affordable, more flexible, or more accessible.

Before making any decisions about refinancing your mortgage, it's important to discuss your goals and your total financial situation with a seasoned expert who specializes in these programs. As always, our phones and our emails are open to your questions. Until next time, Live Smart.