Hardworking Slovenia

"Fire Your Bank". The Real Problem With Today's Teenagers (And Why Most Parents Just Don't Get It!).

2005-10-27T23:55:00.000-07:00

FIRE YOUR BANK

91 years ago,

way back in 1913 our Federal Government implemented legislation that removed their sovereign rights to increase the amount of money that circulates in this country. At the time, this may have seemed like the right and fair thing to do, but times have changed. Ever since that law was passed, the power to increase this country's supply of money has been held by the private banking institutions. The only way for banks to increase the amount of "money" in our country has been to create debt by issuing credit or loans to people who lack the cash they need.

Now, If you think banks have the money they've loaned you back in the vault, you're wrong. Banks create the money virtually from thin air, through a phenomenon they call "Fractional Reserves". In reality the monetary amount of money banks are allowed to lend to their customers surpasses the money they actually have in the vault by more then 90%. So if your bank has 3 Million dollars in deposits on-hand, they're allowed to issue over 30 Million dollars in loans. You may be surprised when I tell you that, in fact, less than 5% of the money that circulates in this country is actual cash. The remaining amount, over 95%, has been created by banks and other financial institutions, and exists only on the computer screen and in peoples minds.

Many people assume that if government continued to print money on a regular basis, inflation would soar through the roof. This would be true ONLY if the government printed too much money. However, if just enough money was printed to match the annual increase in gross domestic product, inflation would not be increased at all. For instance, if the US

Debt Free Eliminate Debt Debt Free Living

projected a gross domestic product growth of 4.5% the government could increase the amount of money necessary for a growing economy would be debt free.

This kind of system would obviously impact our economy for the better, decreasing overall debt and allowing us to quickly pay off our national debt. A strong economy equals economic growth not only for the country as a whole, but for individuals, businesses, and families alike. Should banks have ultimate power in creating money that doesn't exist? Certainly not! Unfortunately, however, the only way for Americans to send a message to banks (and congress) is to make a commitment to living debt free. This means dealing on a Cash- Only Basis and avoiding the use of credit cards and loans at all cost.

Author Mike Carey is a expert on economics and debt free living. For advice and information on how you can live debt free yourself and start living on cash, email Mike at mailto:bigshot@opportunity.com with the words "Interest In Cash Activity" in the subject box please include your name and where you read this article. Learn about Mike's simple legal cash plan, just send a blank e-mail to bigmike@freeautobot.com and you will receive a instant response.

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An address given by Rev. David B. Smith (aka. 'Fighting' Father Dave)
at the Sydney Town Hall, February 21st 2003.

The Street School Home Page

Dave was addressing students, parents & teachers at the Fort Street High School speech day. "The inspiration of a noble cause involving human interests wide and far, enables men to do things they did not dream themselves capable of before, and which they were not capable of alone. The consciousness of belonging, vitally, to something beyond individuality; of being part of a personality that reaches we know not where, in space and time, greatens the heart to the limit of the soul's ideal, and builds out the supreme of character."
(Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, October 3, 1889)

Who was Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain I might ask. No, not the one-time British Prime Minister. That was a different Chamberlain. J.L. Chamberlain was a general in the American Civil War, who fought for the North. Why mention him today? It will remain a secret at this stage.

My name is Dave. I generally function under the persona of 'Father Dave'. That's because I am a priest -an Anglican priest. Apart from being a priest I am also a boxer and all-round martial arts master. I am also a 'youth worker' of sorts.

In some places in the world I would be granted an enormous amount of respect because I am a priest. In this community, I find I receive more respect that I deserve on account of my reputation for hitting people. I personally believe that the only role in that list that really demands respect is the one of 'Youth Worker'

Working with young people is hard. I used to be a young person. I was a hard young person to work with. I was a difficult student at school. I went on to be an argumentative University student and then a troublesome seminary student. I've left behind me a whole string of academic institutions that have been somewhat glad to see the back of me.

Now I've been working with hard and difficult young people in Dulwich Hill for the last twelve years (which may be God's way of paying me back). Some of the young people I've worked with have really got their lives together and gone on to bigger and better things. Quite a number of them have died - mainly from overdoses but also from car accidents (often in stolen cars) and from suicide. Others I'm still working with. They're just not quite as young as they used to be.

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People ask me all the time 'Dave, what do you think is the biggest problem facing young people today'. Most people think I am going to answer 'drugs'.

I do not consider drugs to be the biggest problem young people are facing today. That's not because I don't think drugs are a big problem. I've worked with a lot of drug-addicted young people over the years. I have been robbed and manipulated by them, and I have watched many of them. Even so, I do not consider drugs to be the biggest problem plaguing our young people.

Some people think 'violence' is the biggest problem facing young people, and I am conscious of the fact that for young guys (in particular) problems of violence can still be a major issue. Violence is not nearly so big a problem in my area as it was five years ago, but we still managed to finish up one of our most recent blue-light discos with an all-in brawl in the streets. Problems of violence are alive and well in Dulwich Hill. Even so, I do not consider violence to the biggest problem facing young people.

Some people think in terms of lack of employment opportunities as the major issue. Others would speak in terms of family breakdown or problems of prejudice - all real issues. Personally though, I believe that the biggest problem facing our young people today is something a little less tangible. Personally I think the biggest problem I see with our young people is that most of them don't feel themselves to be a part of anything that is bigger than themselves.

Most young people I meet have tragically small horizons, very little ambition, and hence live in very tiny worlds. When I ask teenagers about what they would really like to do with their lives if they could do anything at all, most others speak in terms of getting something, whether that something be a horse or a car or a girl or just 'a lot of money'.

No one I speak to says 'If I could do anything I wanted I'd find a cure for cancer' or 'I'd negotiate a peace deal in the Middle East'. And this reflects, I believe, the fact that most young people I know have very narrow horizons. Indeed, most young persons I know seem to live in worlds that are not much bigger than themselves.

Go back a couple of generations and most European Australians were ready to lay down their lives for King and country. You wouldn't find many young people today willing to sacrifice themselves for Queen and country. You won't find many young people who have any real sense of loyalty to the Queen or to the country. Indeed, if you ask most young people what it means to be Australian, you won't generally get a reply that contains any ideals.

There are positives as well as negatives in this equation of course. Strong patriotism often goes hand in hand with strong prejudice against people of other nationalities. And our Australian cynicism towards our governing bodies at least means that we're not easily fooled by political propaganda. Even so, the downside of our 'loss of national identity' means that we've been thrust back upon ourselves and upon our peers to find some sense of personal identity.

Now if you're following me here at all you may well be thinking 'Yeah, Dave thinks that because he's working with a group of no good loser drug addicts. Hell, I don't know what happened to him since he left Fort Street, but that guy has been on a one-way downwardly mobile trip. Over here we've really got it all together.' Yeah? I don't know.

One of the most depressing groups of young people I've encountered in the past few years has been at my oldest daughter's school. She attends a different government run selective high school. I won't say which one. NOT THIS ONE! When she fist started school there they asked her whole class 'what did they want to be when they finished school?', and almost every other person there, apart from her, said 'a lawyer'.

Now people, maybe I've been prejudiced over the years by the enormous amount of time I've spent in juvenile courts and in the prison system, but it seems to me that if we're really on about building a better Australia, the last thing we need is more lawyers!

Now I know I shouldn't be black and white about this, but my daughter went around and asked her peers 'why do you want to be a lawyer?' Some of them answered 'because my dad is a lawyer' or something like that, but MOST of them said that it was because being a lawyer was a 'good job', by which they mean what ....? A job that can help a lot of people? NO! When people say a 'good job' they mean a job that makes a lot of money.

There was a time when we used to speak of the 'idealism of youth'. What's happened to that? When did youthful idealism get replaced by this 'I want to make a lot of money' mentality? Why do people who should know better want to make a 'lot of money'? Is it because you think you need a lot of money in order to survive? You don't! Is it because you think 'if I have a lot of money I will be really important and people will look up to me?' GET A LIFE!

Friends, I do not think that there is any greater tragedy in this community than a highly trained intelligent young person who has all the gifts and abilities necessary to really make a difference in this society, but who has no idea where to direct those gifts and abilities. It's like having a powerful loaded weapon and not caring where it's aiming when it goes off.

This is the tragedy: that most of our young people, I fear, drug-addicted and not drug-addicted, well educated as well as less well educated, winners as well as losers, live a life wherein 'my life is basically about me'. That's a tragedy.

One of my good friends is a guy called Mordechai Vanunu, who is still in prison in Israel for telling the world about all the nuclear bombs that his country has stockpiled. Morde has been in prison there now for 17 years. The worst thing about his prison term though was that he spent the first 11 and a half years in solitary confinement, which is one of the most torturous forms of human punishment - living in a world inhabited by one!

I see a similar tragedy taking place in the lives of so many of our young people who really have no hopes, dreams or ambitions in this life that go beyond themselves. What a small life to live! It's like trying to beautify the wallpaper in your own solitary cell!

It's this loss of idealism that I see as the greatest scourge afflicting our young people today, and my response to this situation is to teach these young people to fight, which might not seem like the most obvious solution to the dilemma to everybody.

The relevance of fighting to an individual's value system might not be immediately obvious to everyone, but I do seriously believe that pugilism and idealism are intricately linked. The bottom line is that I know that it all works.

I know that I've had an almost 100% success rate when it comes to taking in guys who have serious drug problems or violence problems, that by the time I get them to the side of the ring for a serious fight, they are no longer having problems with drugs or violence or any of those things, but have actually developed a real sense of who they are and what they are on about.

I know it works. I'm not sure I fully understand why it works, but I would note that if you go back to Plato's Republic, to the wisdom of the Ancient Greeks, you'll find that Socrates assigned a very high place to the value of 'themos', which we translate as 'aggression' or'fighting spirit'.

According to Socrates, no individual and no society is complete without properly developed 'themos'. Individuals and societies need to know how to fight if they are going to know real harmony and real justice.

The other authority I would appeal to today is Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain:

" The consciousness of belonging, vitally, to something beyond individuality ... greatens the heart to the limit of the soul's ideal, and builds out the supreme of character."

Chamberlain writes this out of his experience in the American Civil War - one of the most terrible wars in history.

Chamberlain was, ironically, a contemporary and a colleague of William Tecumseh Sherman who coined the phrase 'war is hell' and I don't think Chamberlain would have necessarily disagreed with Sherman. But Chamberlain also found that, for all its horror, war had one very positive side effect - it gave people a sense of belonging to something that was greater than themselves and so it could bring out the best in people.

Of course Chamberlain isn't the only person whose seen this. My old dears at the church used to say it all the time. "What these young people need is a good war" they used to say. Now they weren't stupid, and they knew as well as anyone else that the last thing we really need is a 'good war', but their point was that they felt young people needed some experience like they'd had in their youth, where they were forced to work together with a broad range of people across the community and to make sacrifices together as they committed themselves to a cause which was something far bigger than any of them as individuals.

Fighting has worked for me (and it's less costly all round than starting a war). Maybe it will work for you too. Find out! Come down and touch gloves with me. Do a few rounds. See how the experience affects you. (just don't all come at once)

Perhaps fighting is not your thing. That's OK. Find another way to get in touch with your ideals and values. Spend more time in church. Head up on a mountain by yourself for a couple of months and just think and pray about it. That works for some people. Just don't be content with a life that has no greater horizon than your own wealth and self-importance.

We live in an extraordinary society in an extraordinary period in human history. Think about it. At how many other points in history, and in how many other places in the world, have any group of people ever had the degree of choice about the future that we have today.

Think about it. The rest of your life lies before you and you can really choose to do with it just about anything you want to! Your options are really only limited by your imagination and your genetic potential. At how many times and places in human history has that been true?

If you were born a few generations back in a village you wouldn't have had these sorts of choices. Your dad was the village Smithy, so that's what you were going to be. If you were born on a farm you were probably going to stay on that farm until you died. If you were a teenage girl you probably already had a couple of kids by now and your path was fully set.

We're at the opposite end of the spectrum now. If you decide to spend the rest of your life entirely devoted to playing your guitar you can do it. You may become a great rock star, but even if you don't you won't starve.

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The government safety net will still support you in the end so that you can keep doing nothing but guitar playing if that's what you really want.

If you decide to devote the rest of your life to scientific research you can do that. If that's your vision and you're determined, nobody is going to stop you from giving your life to that.

If you want to devote your life to feeding the hungry and healing the sick you can do that, or if you just want to sit around on your bum all day too, you can do that too! The choice is yours.

But this is our dilemma. Never before in human history have we had such a wonderful variety of choices before us, and never before, I fear, have we had so little idea of what we should choose.

One final illustration from a Peace March: I trust that plenty of you guys made it to the recent Peace March, and good on you. Let me mention to you one placard that I heard about at a march. I didn't see it but was told about it. It said "nothing is worth dying for". I thought that this was very clever at first, but then it occurred to me if nothing is worth dying for, is anything worth living for?

Friends, I believe that there are things worth living and dying for. Find out what they are and live them! Live your life to the full. Fight the good fight. Keep the faith. And the blessing of God Almighty - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - be amongst you and remain with you always. Amen!

'Fighting' Father Dave Smith - Parish Priest, community worker, professional fighter, author, father of three.

Dave is the only Australian in Holy Orders to turn pro boxer to help fund his work. He is Parish Priest in Dulwich Hill, has a sixth-degree martial arts black belt, and has received numerous awards for his work with young people.

Get a free preview copy of his book, 'Sex, the Ring & the Eucharist' when you sign up for Dave's newsletter at www.fatherdave.org

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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Baby Car Seats Safety - Frequently Asked Questions. Justice Department Losing the War on Street Gangs.

2005-10-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

In this article you will be provided with information about baby car seats and keeping your baby safe while in the car. There are tips for buying new and used baby car seats. Answers to some of the most asked questions about car seats are provided as well.

Q. What is the best baby car seat?

The best car seat is the one that matches your baby's size and weight. It also fits properly in your car and is easily installed.

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Q. What types of baby car seats are available?

There are several types of baby car seats such as infant seats, front facing car seats, and convertible seats. There are also combination seats (can face front or rear), booster seats and integrated car seats. With each type of seat there are variations.

Q. Is a five-point harness or a shield safest for my baby?

A five point harness gives your child the greatest protection because it holds your baby tighter in the seat in the event of a crash. A T-Shield or over-the-head restraint allows too much room or can get in the way of chubby tummies and legs. The stalk of the T-Shield can cause serious injury to your baby.

Q. How can I find out how to safely install my baby's car seat?

All car seats (except most second hand seats) come with printed directions. If after reading the directions you still are not sure how to properly install it. You can call or email the manufacturer. Some police stations and hospitals have assistance programsas well.

Q. Is there a correct way to secure my child in the baby car seat?

Yes, there is a correct way in which to secure your child in his car seat. How you secure your baby in the car seat will likely depend on the age and size of your baby. For children under a year of age they should be placed in rear-facing seats in the centerof the rear seat. Older children can sit facing front and their seat are generally placed behind the driver or passenger in order to utilize the shoulder/lap belts.

Q. What is LATCH?

LATCH refers to Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. It is a baby car seat installation system. The lower hooks are attached between the bottom of the back of the seat and seat itself. The tether piece is a strap made of seat belt material with a clip that secures forward facing baby car seats and prevents excessive movement of the baby's head in crashes.

Q. What is a Tether?

The tether is a strap made of seat belt material with a clip.

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It attaches to the clips on the seat and secures front facing baby car seats. In a crash it prevents excessive movement of the seat and the baby's head, reducing the severity of injuries.

Q. How can I tell when my child is ready to use car seat belts without a booster seat?

Your child will be ready for using the car safety restraint system when s/he can sitall the way back in the seat and the knees can bend comfortably over the edge of the seat. The belt crosses the shoulder between the neck and the arm and the lap belt is low and touches the thighs. Your child must be able to remain seated the whole trip.

Q. Can a baby car seat be used safely in an airplane?

Yes it can. Airlines require children age 2 and under, to be in approved car seats. The seats must be 16 inches or less to fit in the airplane seats. Call ahead and find out ifyour seat is an approved seat. Once on the plane, the hostess/es, will be able to assistyou.

Q. Is it safe for me to use second-hand baby car seats?

Yes it is safe to use second-hand baby car seats provided you do a safety check. Belts and harnesses should not be frayed or cracked. There should be no cracks or tears in the seat cover and the seat should recline easily and stay upright when the baby is seated. Look into the history of the seat, if it has been in a car crash do not buy it, its ability to safely restrain your child has been compromised. If the seat doesn'

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t come with a manual contact the manufacturer to ensure the seat will be properly installed.If the seat is more than 5 years old do not use it, it may have been in a crash and older baby car seats may not fit in new model cars.

Q. What should I do if my baby car seat is recalled?

In most cases, the manufacturer will provide you with instructions of what to do if baby car seat is recalled. In some cases they will replace it for free they will have you bring it somewhere to get replacement parts also at no cost to you.

Q. Are there baby car seats available for children with special needs?

Children with special needs may require different restraint systems. Discuss your options with your pediatrician. Agencies such as Easter Seals have programs and information on baby car seats for special needs children.

Q. What is the best type of harness for my baby car seat?

There are four types of harnesses in baby car seats. The six-point harness has two straps at the shoulders, two at the hips and two at the crotch. The five-point harness has two straps at the shoulders, two at the hips and one at the crotch. The t-shield is a padded triangle that latches at the crotch while the overhead shield comes down from over the head and latches at the crotch also. The safest harnesses are the five or six-point harnesses. These prevent excessive movement of the baby in crash situations.

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The t shield and the over-head shield allow for too much room and could cause your baby to be ejected from the car in a crash.

In Conclusion

You can never go wrong if you err on the side of caution when it comes to your baby. The size and weight of your baby as well as your budget will decide what type of seat you will purchase. This article has provided you with a number of tips to keep your baby safe while riding with you in the car.

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About the Author
Martin Smith is a successful freelance writer providing advice for consumers on purchasing a variety of Nursery Bedding which includes Baby strollers, Baby car seats, and more! His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information.

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The Justice Department is at it again; promoting themselves in the mass media attempting to convince us we are safe.

DUI Arrest - DUI Laws - DUI Record

This time they are grandstanding a few arrests of alleged gang members. MS-13 is recruiting over 300 people per week in cities across the United States. Recently the Justice Department held a huge press conference, claiming that in a two-week period they arrested 582 people. Now then if the MS-13 gang is recruiting 300 people per week and the caught 582 in two-weeks then they are 18 gang members in the rear for that two-week period alone. Most of the offenders, gang members were said to be picked up between July 16 and July 28, other arrests followed after search and seizures of evidence was taken. Do not get me wrong it is great to catch these drug sellers, thieves and felons, but at a growth rate of 300 per week and an estimated 10,000 members and growing MS-13 is hardly under control; it more resembles a wildfire nearing its maturity.

Homeland Security said that most of these gang members picked up were done so on immigration violations and 76 faced criminal charges.

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Those who were picked up on illegal immigration issues will be deported and then return within a couple of days. So in fact they only captured 76 gang members that they will prosecute for fraudulent documents, drugs and weapons charges. At this rate they will never even make a dent on the MS-13 groups. Investigators collaborated and arrested members in 27 states, which means a little less than 3 criminal charges for each state? One might have to ask; "So, why the big press release by the Justice Department?" After all isn't that their job; catching 3 gang members in each of 2 states is piss poor performance; all that so they can have a press release and alert 14,500 media outlets and get on our nightly TV sets? Three gang members per state; what, come again, this is enforcement? No, this is a fraud, the government has failed to protect

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our borders and now catches some illegal aliens to deport in our cities and 3 gang members will go to prison or jail and then probably be deported? Meanwhile you and I, the taxpayer, are to pay for this? When they should not have let them into the country in the first place?

MS-13 or Mara Salvatrucha, is only one gang. There are also gangs, which are syndicated or franchised so to speak called the Surenos; the 18th Street Gang; Latin Kings; the Mexican Mafia; Border Brothers; Brown Pride and numerous others. Homeland security claims that they did a joint effort in many cities for these 582 arrests and claim that this huge crack down is part of the ICE's ongoing "Operation Community Shield." Yet so far to date the ICE has made only 1057 arrests. As MS-13 gangs grow they will soon reach such a huge critical mass that they will be growing faster than we can arrest them or pay to have them housed in jail. In Arizona one-third of all arrestees are illegal aliens and 30% of all prison inmates are illegal aliens.

Such piss poor performance is unacceptable. "Operation Community Shield" my ass, it is obvious that these public relations events to increase their next years budgets are more important than the actual mission of solving the gang problems in our nations. And those problems start at our borders. Wake up America, today we have gangs, tomorrow insurgents and all the while we are told to shut up, don't make waves and the government will protect you. Ah, bullshit. Think on it. Oh yah, thanks for lisening?

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs

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Relieve Stress at Your Workplace: It Might Just Help You Manage Your Weight!. Depression-My Story.

2005-10-25T07:45:00.000-07:00

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No doubt about it, when we feel stressed we want to raid the candy machine, or down a pint of ice cream. Of course we feel immediate gratification because of the "feel good" endorphins that are released when we eat something we love but now new research confirms these food urges are caused by more than endorphins.

Elissa Epel, PhD, a health psychology researcher at the University of California at San Francisco explains that when we are stressed a hormone called cortisol is released which can increase our appetite specifically for sweets. Moreover, the more ongoing stress we have on a day to day basis such as a demanding job can lead to cortisol levels being elevated all of the time, and can facilitate the deposit of fat in the deep belly area which is known to increase health risks.

Stress is a fight-or-flight response characterized by increased heart rate, increased breathing, increased blood pressure, and a 300 to 400 percent increase in the amount of blood flowing to our muscles, which prepares us to run or to flight. Unfortunately, in today's world we don't run nor do we flight. Yet the adrenaline and other hormones released during this process leads to a number of symptoms including:

�€� Anxiety
�€� Depression
�€� Excessive anger and hostility
�€� High blood pressure
�€� Insomnia (lack of sleep)
�€� Racing Heart
�€� Risk factor for heart attacks
�€� Tiredness

The most common behaviors that people use to cope with the symptoms of stress are:

�€� Critical attitude towards others
�€� Overuse of alcohol
�€� Compulsive eating
�€� Inability to get things done
�€� Smoking

As you can see, the most common coping strategies are not exactly healthy or positive choices. One problem is that many of the healthy choices such as exercise, yoga, and meditation aren't easy to do during the workday. What is easy is the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup calling your name every time you pass the vending machine. But wait! There is another choice to relieve stress while at work. Deep breathing can help you to get through the extra stress of the workday. Deep breathing can help you to relax by lowering your blood pressure, slowing your heart rate, and easing muscle tension and the best part is you can do it at your desk. The Mayo Clinic Women's Healthsource offers instructions on how to practice deep breathing.

* Sit in a comfortable chair with feet flat on the floor.

* Close your eyes or focus on an object in the room.

* Inhale slowly through your nose. Visualize your diaphragm moving down to create more room for your lungs to expand.

* Notice your lower abdomen expand as it fills with air

* When your lungs are full, slowly let air out through your mouth.

* Repeat as many times as you need to. Be sure you have cleared your mind of the worry list that was present before.

* When you are ready to end your session, don't jump out of your chair. Slowly bring yourself back into your surroundings.

Practicing deep breathing regularly

can provide great health rewards such as reducing anxiety, conserving energy, improving sleep, improving concentration, and relieving muscle tension. Coping with your stress in a healthy manner will help you to avoid the stress-induced temptations of the vending machine so you can manage your health and your weight with success.

Meri Raffetto is a Registered Dietitian and a recognized professional in the area of nutrition and wellness. She is the owner of Real Living Nutrition Services providing interactive online weight management programs. Sign up for her free monthly nutrition newsletter at http://www.reallivingnutrition.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

What is depression?

Depression is a serious medical illness; it's not something that you have made up in your head. It's more than just feeling "down in the dumps" or "blue" for a few days. It's feeling "down" and "low" and "hopeless" for weeks at a time.

It is not something you can just pull yourself out of! It is not something that you can just shake off. To read more about the signs and symptoms of depression go to this link: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/depression.cfm#ptdep3

For many people one tiny thing can set off a huge depression attack. I have suffered from depression now for 8 years, I guess to be truthful I have dealt with depression my whole life but just didn't realize it till the incident I am about to relate to you.

Www.brent-mason.com

8 years ago my husband Brent was in the military, he had been having problems with his health for a little over a year and the doctors all said it was in his head and that they could find nothing wrong with him. Our oldest sons were only 1 �½ and 3 �½ at the time and we lived in Olympia Washington. I kept telling him to get a second opinion but being we had military insurance and at that time it wasn't as flexible as it is now, he didn't want to go get a second opinion. We lived in a nice apartment and I love our life, although I was homesick a lot of times it was the life we chose and so I was happy till the incident I will tell you about.

I woke up one morning your typical morning, get up to pack Brent's lunch and wake him up for PT (physical training) it was 5:30 in the morning. He wasn't in bed which for him was very unusual but I thought he may have just needed to use the bathroom and I missed him getting out of bed. I walked into the kitchen to start making our morning coffee, and realized that the TV was still on which it shouldn't have been. I then started looking for Brent I went into the bathroom and found him in a coma on our bathroom floor.

I couldn't get a response from him and I panicked. I got the boys up threw them in the car and then dragged my husband from our bathroom to our van to get him to the hospital as fast as I could. Now why didn't I just call the ambulance? To be honest I didn't think about that all I wanted to do was get him some help.

When we got to the hospital he was still in a coma, the doctors couldn't figure out why he was non responsive. They pulled me and my sons out of the room he was in and told me to find someone to watch the boys and get back to the hospital as fast as I could and to call his family as they didn't think he was going to make it.

I was thrown our perfect life, our safe life was in just a few short hours going to change. I can deal with some stress but the thought of losing my best friend was more than I could bare.

We didn't have a cell phone at that time so I ran with the kids in both my arms to the payphone to call the only friend I had at that time to tell her what was going on, she was getting ready to move in 2 days but she told me to bring my kids to her house and she would watch them.

I then drove the 20 minutes back to our house dropped the kids off at her house ran home and called his parents. During that time I got a phone call from his captain that the doctor had called him to tell him to track me down as my husband was dying and they didn't think he was going to pull through. I screamed I cried I just didn't believe this was happening to us!

I got back in the car and smoked cigarettes to try to calm down, we had quit smoking a month before this, my friend had given me her cigarettes while I was at her house. I rushed into the emergency room and the doctor met me out in the hall way and was asking me all sorts of questions of course I didn't want to take the time to answer I wanted to get back to my hubby, my world, my best friend. The Doctor told me that his sugar levels were 950 and that he really should have died sometime during the night but he was a fighter.

Finally he let me go into the room where Brent was and I leaned over him pleading with him to not leave me, pleading with him not to leave his sons. He opened his eyes and the only thing he said was "I am mad at you, you were smoking" then he went back into his coma. Of course the doctors then pushed me out of the way and started trying to get him to respond to them, they then told me they were taking him to ICU to work on him and get him on a heart catheter.

48 hours later he was awake and was responding to treatment, they had found out that he was a type 1 diabetic although they still don't understand how he got it since no one in his family has diabetes and and Type 1 is not the kind you get because of your health or your weight you are usually born with it and diagnosed with it while you are still a kid.

After he was released from the hospital after a 7 day stay I lived in constant worry. I could not focus on anything except making sure he was ok, did he eat, did he take his medications. For weeks I could not sleep at night for fear he would have another attack, I still have times where I go through that now.

In an effort to try to calm my fears I started focusing on things in my life that I could control: my weight, the dirty carpets ( we rented so the carpets were very old and had always looked dirty but I was able to live with that till this happened.

I wouldn't do the dishes, my poor kids were always dirty, the house was a total mess. I mean have you seen those houses that are on tv that Oprah has shown well at one point my house looked like that. I only focused on scrubbing the carpet. I would get up in the morning look at the kitchen try to clean it up and just couldn't my attention would be drawn to the dirt spot in the carpet by the kitchen entrance. So I would go out to my cleaning closet get out my bucket and scrub brush and start scrubbing that spot. I would still be there scrubbing hours later when Brent came home for lunch.

My poor sons, I love my sons with all my heart but I will admit for the first month Brent was home from the hospital if it hadn't been for my mom and my MIL they wouldn't have been clean or fed. I looked at them and didn't want to deal. When I was scrubbing the carpets I was zoned out to everything! I didn't think, I didn't care. This was so not like me!

Finally Brent knew that something was

Got OCD? Learn how to Beat Your OCD Obsessive Compulsive Disorder now

very wrong with me so he made an appointment for me to see a doctor and I was diagnosed with manic depression and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). They didn't want to put me on medication right away they want to try to teach me other ways to focus my fears and obsession with out having to resort to medications. But after a month they realized I needed medicine to help me get through this time of my life.

I hate medicine, I don't like taking it, I have a hard time remembering to finish the whole dosage. So for me it was a struggle in the beginning to just take the medication. After a few months the medicine helped me get my life back to where I was able to handle it again.

Why do I tell you all this, not sure really. I just know that for me it turned my life upside down over the past 8 years we have several times that I have had to call the EMS to save him, our world has changed. I live in the fear that we will have to go through this again.

When he has episodes I go into a state of worry, depression. I pray that our lives will get back to like they were 12 years ago. No worries living in our own little world where nothing hurts us.

My Depression Cures How to Stop Your Depression Now Help Treating Depression

I still go into states of depression but now I know the signs I know when I need to call my doctor and I also know now that for me I cannot pull myself out of it! I now can share with my friends when I am down and have made up a support line of other moms who know me and know that I suffer from depression, who I can call or email when I need that emotional support that sometimes a family member cannot give.

I started Support for Moms in an effort to help other moms who suffer from depression or need a place to go to voice their feelings.

I went through another major depression this past spring and when I reached out for help from an online board that I was at I got booted as a moderator after 3 years of being a moderator on the boards and helping other moms who dealt with depression. They told me it was not because I was depressed but since the day before I had just posted that I needed help, I needed to talk and I posted my soul something I rarely do online or for that matter in person to anyone who is not family. I had a hard time believing it was for any other reason. This made me start searching for a place to post to find someone else who I could talk to who was dealing with what I was dealing with.

So Support for Moms was born!

It is my wish that the site and the boards offer comfort, support for all moms from all walks of life dealing with situations that they have no control over.

So if you are in need of comfort, support or just want to vent and get life's stresses off your chest please stop by our boards.

Thank you for reading my story and I hope this may help just one person.

Rebecca White http://www.supportformoms.com We proudly encourage interaction in our forums to meet other mothers with similar situations and to make life lasting bonds of genuine friendship. The forum is a comfortable, healing place where you can relate. Tips abound for saving time and money with coupons, rebates, organization and thirty minute dinner ideas. We freely give imaginative ideas guaranteed to keep your children occupied. Our goal is to continually provide the means mothers greatly need to restore their broken wings to make them stronger so they can carry their dreams to their full potential and we will watch them soar.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Review for the Playstation 2 (PS2), XBox and the PC

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Review for the Playstation 2 (PS2), XBox and the PC

GTA: Vice City is the fourth game in the Grand Theft Auto series. It takes place in the year 1986 in Vice City which is modeled after Miami, Florida. You could say that the theme is GoodFellas meets Miami Vice. Tommy Vercetti is the main character who was recently released from prison after doing a stint of 15 years. Tommy was and is involved with the mob so when he got busted he had the opportunity to rat them out for a lesser sentence, but didn't. As a reward the mob boss sent Tommy to Vice City on a job, a really good job, but things were fouled up. Someone had obviously had it out for him in a bad way and they decided to double-cross him, only he doesn't know who that someone is. Now the mob is none too pleased with him and he wants to find out who is at fault for everything that has gone wrong. Tommy is on a mission.

The mob that Tommy works for is the Forelli family and they sent him to Vice City to score some cocaine and then set up shop. Only his very first deal goes horribly wrong leaving him with absolutely nothing. So Tommy starts nosing around, trying to figure out who is behind all of this before he gets taken out himself.

The voice for Tommy Vercetti is done by Ray Liotta who has had some experience playing the part as a punk in the movie GoodFellas. He sounds like the genuine deal. Tommy comes from Liberty City and so does the Forelli family. Liberty City is where GTA: III takes place. There is some cohesiveness between GTA: III and GTA: Vice City.

Tommy Vercetti starts out living in a hotel room near the beach, this is his safe house, a place to take cover when being pursued by the police. If you change clothes the cops won't recognize you when you reappear again. In the hotel room you can stock up on some weapons and save the game when you feel the need to do so. Throughout the game other places will go on the market that you can buy. Once you buy a place you can save your game there and hide out there if need be. Also you will begin getting missions at these places. Many interesting places will come up for sale such as a strip club, a taxi company, an ice cream delivery shop, a film studio, the Malibu Club, and even a car dealership. Once all of the missions have been completed for that particular building you will begin earning money there. Be sure to make your rounds to collect your money often.

There are plenty of side missions that have nothing at all to do with the story line, but will help you out by either giving you money or special abilities. Try out the fire-fighter missions, the vigilante missions, the ambulance missions, or the taxi missions which were in the previous game too. Also there are new missions such as pizza delivery and target practice. Don't miss out on the dirt bike races and mini remote control car races down by the beach either.

This is the 1980's so expect some very tacky styles such as pastel suits and buildings. You will even hook up with a band called Love Fist who looks and sounds very typical for the 1980's. Tommy even wears a Hawaiian t-shirt for the better part of the game. The music on the radio stations play songs from around that time period and talk radio spouts off little quips about the era.

Ray Liotta is not the only big name on the casting list for this game. Look forward to hearing the voices of Gary Busey, Dennis Hopper, and Jenna Jameson. The voice actors did an outstanding job. In fact most of the sound in this game is spectacular. The sound effects for the guns, the vehicles, etc. make you feel like your in the game. The choice of songs from the 1980's was a nice mix. I can honestly say that nothing is lacking in this department.

There is an array of choices for weaponry and vehicles alike. There are mopeds, dirt bikes, hogs, helicopters, seaplanes, tanks, race cars, trucks, and the list goes on. As for weapons look forward to guns, guns, guns, flamethrowers, chainsaws, screwdrivers, knives, machetes, baseball bats, etc. You can find these in the mall or at Ammu-Nation. Many of these will be needed for the 80 plus missions that there are to complete.

Look forward to the police being more difficult to escape from. They seem to be smarter in Vice City than they were in Liberty City. They come equipped with tack strips to pop your tires and roadblocks to get in your way. Prepare for war with the police because they mean business. When you draw too much attention to yourself the FBI and the army will join in on the chase, then your chances are slim to none. If too many cops come on the scene at once the game has a tendency to slow down which makes it even more difficult on you.

The graphics are splendid, the characters look more life-like, but not perfect. However you can find yourself facing a building that you didn't even know was there because your going too fast for the game to catch up. You can see the sun shining on the windows of the cars. There are posters on the walls with pictures and writing that you can actually make out. Not to mention the area is huge once you have access to everything.

The gameplay is exciting although very similar to GTA: III. This is a spruced up version of a game already made, but it's still fun to play again. The story is different of course and there are some new, innovative things about the game, but all in all it's the same as the last one. It's funny, it's raunchy, it's violent, and it's definitely not for children. You will probably never run out of things to do, although you may get bored after awhile. The missions can be a bit difficult, but the game is pretty easy to figure out. When your feeling stressed out just bust out GTA: Vice City and take it out on some of these animated characters, after all that's what their here for.

Miranda Stites
HeroesOfGaming.com
"Saving Good People From Bad Games"
http://www.heroesofgaming.com/games/ps2/g/gta_vc/gta_vc_rev.htm

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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Solve Problems With A Word List. The American Dream - Are We Really Free?.

2005-10-24T13:04:00.000-07:00

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To creatively solve problems you need to get your mind looking in new directions. You can systematically do this by using a list of words, primarily adjectives, to create "what if?" scenarios. You start with the question, "what if it was..." and then insert a word from the list. The "it" in the question is the problem you're trying to solve, or the solution or situation that exists now.

Using "What If" To Solve Problems

An example will help explain the process. Assume your house is too crowded because you're running your business from it. You ask, "What if it was..." and insert from the word list, "smaller." The house is already too small, but could the business be smaller? The word "divided" might give you the idea to keep the business in just one part of the house.

Most words on the list won't help, so you can go through the irrelevant ones quickly. Don't automatically dismiss them, though, without a few seconds consideration. "What if it was hopeless?" may seem like a useless question, or it may make you realize that you just can't keep the business in the house any longer.

As with most problem-solving techniques, it's important to allow ideas to flow without judging them initially. Don't stifle the creative process. Evaluate your ideas later, when you're done with this part.

The Problem Solving Word List

You can create your own list of words. Use adjectives, descriptive phrases, and words that can change your perspective. These could include the following:

What if it was... larger, smaller, farther away, closer, sooner, later, easier, more difficult, higher, fat, rich, short, black, certain, hopeless, newer, boring, casual, subtracted from, cheaper, common, divided, more interesting, extravagant, subtle, or fun?

Steve Gillman has been studying brainpower enhancement, creative problem solving, and related topics for years. You can visit his website, and subscribe to his free Mind Power Course, at: http://www.IncreaseBrainPower.com/mind-power.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Transform Your Life In 21 Days!

The promises of THE AMERICAN DREAM (to have it all and enjoy it all, based on materialistic values system) has been holding us captive and threatening to take our power and freedom away- without our awareness, like a thief in the night.

Consciously or unconsciously we make daily decisions to either be a master of our own ship or destiny, if you will, or be a slave to our own circumstances and to other people*s expectations and belief systems that don*t serve our highest good and purpose.

Transform your life with Personal Power

After all it*s your life script - claim it and discover how your own personal power can truly transform your life to make it an adventure to be lived rather than a problem to be solved. Life becomes more of a struggle only when we are not true to our own calling and we give our power away.

Superficial/external values are indeed the ultimate slave master that demand nothing less than our complete attention, and sacrifice of our power and freedom. In order to be truly happy and fulfilled, one must feel free. However, in a culture that worships external values and is driven by the promises of THE AMERICAN DREAM (to the point where we become slaves to our addictions), one can*t help but wonder if we are truly free in America, Land of the Free. Just when we thought that slavery ended with the Civil war, the rat race we are all caught up in, in order to *get there*, painfully reminds us that there are still many slaves among us who are disguised as successful people. But looks can be deceiving. Behind all the outward appearances of having it all and enjoying it all, they are held prisoners and victims of the promises of THE AMERICAN DREAM. And sadly enough, those who do achieve THE AMERICAN DREAM (after considerable sacrifice) eventually realize that when you get *there,* there is no *there* there. They eventually discover that there is definitely more to life than achieving material success.

Isn*t it time to reclaim your own power and freedom and declare your own independence? It*s easy to do when you gain awareness and develop your own spirituality. Remember that awareness and the road to discovery and recovery run parallel. When you become aware of your true nature, that is beyond the man-made, narrow definition, you*ll be amazed to discover real freedom, real success and real joy that have been overlooked because of limited awareness, misconceptions and false belief systems perpetuated by THE AMERICAN DREAM, and reinforced by Hollywood and the media. If you wish to live with purpose and meaning and want to experience the difference between living consciously and unconsciously, live by the motto: *He with the most joys lives,* rather than *He with the most toys, lives.*

Don't underestimate your power to change yourself and even the world - become somebody*s hero. All you have to do to break free is to resist the temptation to live your life according to the interpretation of what someone else expects you to be, do or have. Listen to your heart and live by your rules. Why shouldn*t you?

After all, it*s YOUR life and YOUR dream.

About The Author

Author of *The American Dream*

http://www.Geela.com

Geela is an award winning singer/songwriter/composer, columnist, and author of the best-selling book *THE AMERICAN DREAM,* her true- life story of how she came to America as a young immigrant with nothing and overcame incredible obstacles to achieve mega-success. She founded ONE SPIRIT, ONE WORLD to help children and promote a culture of peace and harmony.

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Get a free sample of her music and her book at http://www.Geela.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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Chinese Input - Step by Step Instruction on How to Input Chinese Characters in English Windows XP. The Benefits of Luxury Duvet Covers.

2005-10-22T11:04:00.000-07:00

Chinese Input -

Learn a new foreign language easily - Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Chinese, Russian

Step by Step Instruction on How to Input Chinese Characters in English Windows XP

Enabling Chinese input is quick and easy, there are only a few steps you need go through to install the Chinese Language support and input method before you can type Chinese in your word processor or other program.

We have broken the steps to 3 different sections for your easier to read and follow. The steps are written based on Windows XP, and the configuration is similar with other version of Microsoft Operating systems.

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Step I - Install East Asian Languages

Depending on the selections you choose when installing Windows XP, you may or may not have East Asian Languages installed. Follow these steps to check whether or not your computer supports East Asian languages.

* From Start -> Settings -> Control Panel

* Double-click Regional and Language Options

* Click on the Languages tab

- If "Install files for East Asian languages" under "Supplemental language support" section is checked, then you can skip to the step II.

- If the box is NOT checked, you need check on the box of "Install files for East Asian Languages", then click Apply button to do the install.

You may need your Windows XP CD. Installing these files will allow you to use Chinese, Japanese, and Korean in your computer

Step II - Add Services for Typing Chinese

* After East Asian Languages pack is installed, click "Details" button under the Languages tab of Regional and Language Options.

* On the Settings tab of the new window, Click Add.

* In the "Input language" list, select Chinese (Taiwan) for traditional Chinese characters or Chinese (PRC) for simplified characters. You can add other input languages as well

* To install Chinese Pinyin Input Method In the same window, from the "Keyboard Layout/IME" list, select Chinese (PRC)- Chinese (Simplified) - Microsoft Pinyin IME 3.0

* Click Apply

After this step, your settings configuration should look like the screen shot displayed on this page: http://www.learn-chinese-language-online.com/Chinese-input.html

Step III - Use Your Keyboard to Type Chinese Characters

After installing East Asian support and adding services for Chinese, you are ready to input Chinese into your word-processor or email programs.

* On your Toolbar at the right hand side, you should see a language bar, letters "EN" for English, "CH" for Chinese

* Click this button to change languages or use ALT+SHIFT key combination to switch between languages.

- By switching to the Chinese setting, you can now type Chinese characters in most software applications and browses using Pinyin and accent numbers(1-4).

- Use the ARROW KEYS to toggle between characters until you find the character you need.

- To temporarily switch between typing Chinese and English, you can simply press the SHIFT key on your keyboard.

And that's it! You're ready to work on Chinese now!

Later on when you learn about

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new Chinese input method, you can add other Keyboard Layout/IME options, e.g. Chinese(Simplified) - Neima, Chinese(Simplified) - Quanpin, Chinese(Simplifed) - Shuangpin, etc.

Rosie From Learn Chinese Language Online (http://www.learn-chinese-language-online.com)

The goal of Learn Chinese Language Online (LCLO) is to reduce the Mandarin Learning curve, promote and introduce the most efficient way to grasp the broad foundation of Chinese language.

For a limited time, sign up free Learn Chinese Newsletter and receive 4 fantastic FREE prizes. Click here :http://www.learn-chinese-language-online.com/learn-chinese-free-newsletter.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Not all

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duvet covers are made of standard fabrics like cotton. Some can be made of luxurious materials like satin and silk. Luxury duvet covers are often more expensive than standard covers, but they provide can provide more comfort as well as a more luxurious appearance. Different types of luxury duvet covers have unique advantages.

Satin duvet covers are very popular. Satin is a luxurious fabric that looks and feels great. Satin is a blend of other materials like silk, cotton, and rayon. The types of materials used to make the satin have an effect on the look and feel of the fabric, but all types of satin do have some similarities. Satin is characterized by its shiny appearance. One side of the material is bright and shiny and the other side has a rougher and duller look. Most people think that the dull side is the most comfortable due to its deep grain and soft feel. The shiny side is perfect for giving a bedroom a classy, luxurious look.

Silk is another material used to make luxury duvet covers. Silk is a strong fiber that does not tear or crease easily. Silk duvet covers are smooth and soft to sleep on and look great in any room. Silk comes in many different colors and does not fade as quickly as many other materials. It is a hypoallergenic fabric, meaning that no one will have an allergic reaction to sleeping on a silk duvet cover.

Silk and satin are merely two types of luxury duvet covers available. Other materials like velvet and sateen also have unique advantages. Luxury duvet covers are among the most comfortable types of bedding available. Luxury duvet covers provide beauty as well as comfort, and they come in a variety of colors and patterns to compliment the look of any bedroom.

Duvet Covers Info provides detailed information about luxury and discount duvet covers, as well as duvet cover sets, sizes, materials, and more. Duvet Covers Info is the sister site of Slipcovers Web.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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The Most Effective Treatments for Acid Reflux Disease. Ezine Article Writing In 10 Easy Steps.

2005-10-22T05:31:00.000-07:00

Cure your Vertigo, Dizziness and Motion Sickness Symptoms

Acid reflux disease, or GERD, is a common compliant of the digestive system, often characterised by persistent burning or discomfort behind the breastbone. As the symptoms of GERD can mimic those of coronary disease, it is important that you visit your doctor, if you have chronic heartburn. If you have been diagnosed as having acid reflux disease, there are many treatment options available to you to help you manage your symptoms.

The treatment of GERD usually incorporates simple lifestyle changes. It is very important for patients suffering from GERD to monitor their diets, eliminating any foods or beverages, which seem to aggravate their symptoms.

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Avoiding a diet high in fatty foods and alcohol is very important and quitting smoking can also help decrease your symptoms. Another effective way to alleviate your symptoms of acid reflux disease is to try to manage your stress, which causes the body to produce more acid, often causing a flare-up.

If these changes are not enough to alleviate your discomfort, however, your doctor may prescribe drug therapy. Drug therapy is usually prescribed for the lifetime of the patient and often includes medications which inhibit the production of stomach acids, such as proton pump inhibitors or antacids.

While most patients tend to respond well to these treatments, sometimes surgery is the only option for those who do not respond well to other methods. The most common form of surgery used to treat GERD is fundoplication surgery, which repairs the lower esophagal sphincter, thus stopping the stomach acid from backing up into the esophagus. The average hospital stay is between one to four days, and it can sometimes take a patient up to five weeks to fully recuperate. Although surgery can successfully eliminate symptoms, a small number of patients will still need to take medication to fully control their GERD.

Whether you have been recently diagnosed with acid reflux disease or are a long-time sufferer, there are many treatment options available to you, and with a few simple lifestyle changes, under a doctor's supervision, can help you live with your symptoms.

Carl Spanier is the founder of Acid Reflux Cures a website that allows consumers to quickly and easily get acid reflux information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Proofreading and Editing service

1. Choose A Topic.

You need to choose either a hot topic or a topic about which you are passionate. If you can find a topic which is both these things, you have a winning combination. Think about what people are talking about on forums and in ezine articles that you have read recently. Check with Google to find recent popular search topics. Your task will be easier if your article covers a subject people currently find interesting. If you are interested in the subject, this will show in your writing and enthusiasm can be infectious.

2. Research Your Subject.

Remember that people will read your article to obtain information. The type and extent of your research will depend upon the type of article you intend to write. If you are writing an article about your own experience or viewpoint, you probably won't need to do much in the way of research unless you want to add in references to some contrasting views which have been published by other people. Obviously, if you are writing an article which includes statistical information, you need to make sure your facts and figures are correct.

3. Invent a Title.

The title can make or break your article. A title for an article is just as important as a headline for an ad. The first 3-5 words of your title are the most important ones so don't waste them by using words like "The Ten Best Ways To...". Put your keyword in the first 3-5 words and make sure your title is relevant to the article content. If your title doesn't grab people's attention they will never read the rest of the article. If they don't read the article, they won't see your resource box. You get the picture?

4. Write In Sections.

Write 3-5 major points on your topic. If you find you need more points, it is probably better to split the information into two (or even more) separate articles. Make sure that each section really is a fresh point and not a continuation of something you covered a couple of paragraphs back.

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The key to making your writing easy to do and easy to read is dividing up the content so that it is logically organised and does not jump backwards and forwards.

5. Count Your Words.

Between 700 - 1200 words is the best size for an ezine article. If you write less than 500 words, your article is unlikely to be taken seriously and anything much over 1000 words might demand more space than an Ezine publisher wants to allocate. Few ezines will accept any article over 1200 words long. If you write an article amounting to over 1200 words, first of all check that your writing is not sloppy, repetitive or unnecessarily long-winded. If your writing is "tight" and every word is informative, split the work into two articles and call them

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Part 1 and Part 2. Add an additional paragraph mentioning that the article is one in a series and point the reader in the direction of the url for the other article. You also get double the number of resource boxes that way!

6. Create Your Resource Box.

This is your advertisement. Most ezines demand that a resource box is limited to about 5 lines. Some insist on as low as 3 lines but 5 is a good average to work on. You need to fit into those 5 lines your name, your website url and a couple of promotional phrases designed to attract the reader's interest so that he will click through to your website. You will get the best results if your promotional phrases relate to your article content. If you only ever write articles about one subject and your website is only about one thing, you can keep to just the one resource box. If the subject matter of your articles varies, revise your resource box to suit each new article instead of just having a standard resource box telling your readers they should visit your homepage.

7. Proofread And Edit.

Never send off an article immediately you finish writing it. Leave it overnight, sleep on it, then come back to it the next day to proofread and edit it. If yesterday's work of art seems less appealing in cold daylight, rewrite it until you are satisfied with the improvement and then leave it another day. Do a spellcheck but don't just rely on your pc's spell checking software, read the article carefully yourself (if you visit my website, you will find a poem dedicated to the pc spellchecker which will illustrate why this is important). It is amazing what a short rest will do for the creative process: you will probably find yourself making many small alterations which will result in a polished piece of work. Sometimes you will find yourself in possession of a completely unsatisfactory article which has to be rewritten numerous times but that is preferable to submitting a substandard article.

8. Send To Ezine Publishers.

Find a large section of ezine publishers and list their name and contact emails. Send your article to them with a short personalized cover paragraph at the top. Personalization is important since most ezine publishers receive hundreds of these emails every day. Make sure you format your email by making a hard carriage return at the end of each line. Keep your lines down to 60 - 65 characters so that your article will be displayed correctly by email servers. If you neglect the hard carriage returns, your article can end up with breaks in strange places, the general effect will be messy and the article will be difficult to read. The result will be that the busy publisher will skip your email in favour of ones that are easy to read.

9. Submit To Article Directories.

There are hundreds of article directory sites where you can submit your articles. You can easily find these sites by searching with any major search engine. The submission process can be very time-consuming and there are services which, for a fee, will submit your articles to the directories for you. If you are operating with a limited budget, these services might be prohibitively expensive but automation is desirable as your time is precious. When submitting online to article directories, read the site instructions. Submission is normally done by way of an online form where hard carriage returns (except at the end of paragraphs) are to be avoided as the site's own software will deal with correct formatting.

10. Target Your Market

Don't Spray and pray: avoid the temptation to be lazy and send every article you write to every ezine publisher and article directory you find, this is spamming. Take a little time to check what sort of articles the various sites want. If you consistently bombard a site with unsuitable material, you can find yourself blacklisted by a potentially valuable source of free publicity. Remember, there are real people at those sites who have to read the articles before they are accepted, so don't annoy them by wasting their time.

Elaine Currie publishes articles at her Plug-in Profit Site at: http://www.huntingvenus.com/plug-in_profit_site.htm

To see more about article writing go to: http://www.huntingvenus.com/Ezine_Article_Writing_In_Ten_Easy_Steps.htm

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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Using Bargain Wines to Your Advantage. Why Some Men Don't Want To Commit.

2005-10-20T14:21:00.000-07:00

Using bargain wines is often preferable for occasions when it would be unwise to to invest a large amount of money in expensive wine.

Do you really want to use top-notch red wine for making sangria or for serving up at parties, when friends have already had enough to drink? No, I didn't think so!

Drinking Bargain Wines

Blended wine is usually cheaper and a reasonable bet in terms of drinkability.

!2ndWivesClub.com: A Stepmothers Sanctuary. Dont deal with remarriage and a blended family alone.

As a general rule, Chilean blends are the cheapest option, although it's often worth paying that little bit extra for Australian blends. In fact, a number of Australian producers market two excellent blends at the lower end of the price spectrum, one white and one red. The red is a blend of cabernet sauvignon and shiraz and the white consists of semillon and chardonnay. Keep an eye out for these grape combinations, if you're after a bargain!

Another winner at the cheaper end of the market is Spanish Rioja (both red and white). As Rioja is usually less fruity than the previously mentioned blends it is generally better for serving with food, rather than drinking on its own.

Other Uses of Bargain Wines

Sangria

How To Make Wine Ebook :: Winemaking Instructions Ebook

If you're making sangria, you need red quaffing wine - and lots of it. As sangria is made from red wine, sugar, fruit juice and spirits, the quality of the red wine becomes largely secondary. This is where boxed wines come into their own. Buy large boxes that are relatively cheap - no one will notice! Be sure to purchase reasonable quality fruit juice and don't go for the absolute cheapest wine as you may live to regret it, the following morning!

Large Parties and Receptions

When serving wine to a large party, cost is obviously important. As a rule, boxed whites are generally more palatable than boxed reds, so if want to trim costs, anywhere, buying cheaper white wine may be a safer option.

A great way to improve boxed red wine is to add a reasonable quality bottle of red wine. Provided that you choose the correct bottle of red, this can make an impressive difference to the taste.

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Of course, you do need some suitable decanters or serving carafes and a little patience to pull this one off, successfully.

Finally, choose your nibbles wisely. Plain potato chips will do little to help you disguise a poor wine. Instead opt for a selection of cheeses, as they will enhance the flavor of even the cheapest of wines.

Since Neil Best first pondered the question, Who made the first wine anyway? he's been recording his findings at http://www.goodglug.com Find about your favorite wine regions, wine recipes, and speciality wines along with how it's made and how best to store it for maximum enjoyment

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

500 Lovemaking Tips & Secrets: Increase passion and intimacy through great sex

If you are dating, engaged, or still trying to find Mr. Right, then this week's message is for you - Why some men do not want to commit or find it very difficult to commit to women they supposedly love. This topic is quite puzzling to most single women. You feel that a man who professes to love you ought to commit to you with ease. Here are some of the reasons why some men behave this way:

"Why commit when I am getting the goods free of charge?" - A lot of men, if given the opportunity, will sow their wild oats until hell freezes over. These men are like kids in a candy store - they just don't know how to choose when there are so many varieties to choose from. It is more exciting for them to keep you as one of their concubines, rather than get tied down and lose out on the opportunity to sample the delicious lovelies out there.

"What if I commit too soon and miss out on the most beautiful woman I have ever met?" This is the kind of internal talk that goes on in the head of the guy that is finding it difficult to commit. You may be the nicest person they have ever met, but something tells them that there may be someone else out there who is more beautiful, sexier, freakier, and just plain nicer.

Past hurtful experience that makes it difficult to commit - Some men want to commit to women,

Why Women Dump Men - Find Out Why She Broke Up With You

but find it very difficult to do so as a result of being dumped, cheated on, or simply being disappointed by someone they loved with all their heart. The hurtful experience could also be from childhood, such as having parents that divorced .

This sometimes makes a men feel that it is useless to commit to any woman, when there is the possibility that the relationship could break up. The relationship that once was his rock and foundation - his parent's - disintegrated. This type of man is usually a good man, but as a result of the bad relationship experience, has become gun shy.

From Commitment Phobe to "I Do"! A Commitmentphobia Support Group - Commitment Phobia an...

With some patience, love and the passage of time, this kind of man usually overcomes his commitment phobia.

Fear of taking on responsibility - With commitment comes responsibility, and there are some men who just hate to take on the kinds of responsibility that come with marriage and childbirth. They find it much easier to remain single.

Your inability to satisfy him in bed - This is an often-neglected reason why a man may not want to commit to a woman. Men have this fear that if they are not sexually satisfied now, when they have not committed to you, it may get even worse when you get very comfortable after they commit. There is a way to boost your abilities in this area without having to hang off chandeliers.

Michael Webb's Relationship ebook collection

Michael Webb's exciting, "500 Love Making Tips & Secrets" can take your lovemaking to a whole new level.

Just because your man is afraid of committing does not mean that he cannot commit to you. There is always a way to get the results you want. You can make yourself so irresistibly attractive to him that all his inhibitions will just simply melt away.

There is a way to get your man commit to you. Find out more by visiting: http://www.smartwomansguide.com.

Steve Ubah is the author of Passion Keys - A Woman's Ultimate Guide To Unlocking The Love In A Man's Heart. To find out how you can make your man fall madly in love with you, please visit http://www.smartwomansguide.com

A note to all publishers: Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine, newsletter or website as long as the article's content is not modified and all links as well as the author's resource box are included.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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Creative Ways to Decorate Your Walls. Stress Tips.

2005-10-19T23:55:00.000-07:00

Moving into a new house can sometimes cause a quandry. You can stand and stare at large... blank spaces for weeks wondering just what to do with them. These blank spaces are the walls of your new house or apartment.

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Most people have a hard time figuring out what to do with their walls, because their thoughts are limited to just paint and pictures. There's actually quite a bit more you can do to decorate your walls though, and here are a few of my favorite tips:

1. Create shadow boxes. These are especially nice to do as remembrances of loved ones who are no longer with us. If you want to create a shadow box for grandparents for instance, but you don't have anything handed down from them that could easily be used in this decoration, try visiting around to yard sales and flea markets. Find items that fit the timeframe of your grandparent's lives, or that remind you of them fondly. Use these items in your shadow boxes, then display them in a nice area of your home to symbolize both the love you had for them, and the legacy they left behind.

22-->2. If you love blankets or quilts, there are some very unique ways to decorate your walls with these. Simply attach pieces of wood to your wall, drill holes in them, and put dowel rods in the holes. On these rods you can hang your quilts or blankets just like you can on a regular quilt rack, except this way they decorate your walls. Placing the items just above a sofa is a great way to keep blankets nearby when you watch movies or snuggle up next to the fire. Also, if you enjoy quilting or sewing, you may want to use a similar structure on the wall to hold bolts of fabric for your creations. The walls look lovely, and you're also organizing your home!

3. Here are just a few other ideas: You can use old windows and some curtains to make a faux window in a room without enough windows. Your can use old picture frames to "frame" an oil painting or collage or quotations. Using small vases, you can have fresh flowers hanging on your wall. You could also make part of your wall into corkboard or a set of box frames so that you can display your children's artwork.

So there you have multiple, easy, and inexpensive ways to uniquely decorate your walls!

This article is provided courtesy of The Do It Yourself Home Decorating Network - http://www.diyhomedecorating.com - a large home decorating website featuring articles, tips, advice, and popular decor shopping. This article may be freely published on any website, as long as the author, copyright, website address and link, and this notice are left intact.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

26 ways to minimize and manage the unhealthy effects of stress, anxiety and burnout.

No doubt about it - we live in an increasingly competitive and stressful world. In many

Mental Health Support. Treatment For Depression, Anxiety and Stress with Zen.

subtle and not so subtle ways it affects us all and it's not unusual for people to lace their conversation with phrases like 'Stressed out', 'Anxiety syndrome', 'Panic attack', 'Burned out', and more. That's today's reality.

The question is, how do we go about dealing with that kind of world? What can we do to minimize the prolonged, unhealthy effects of a stressful environment? How can we prevent stress, anxiety and burnout from becoming a way of life?

Well, first we need to take a good hard look at what exactly is stressing us out and perhaps do a bit of repair work on our perspective of the situation. A good way to do that is by reviewing some very basic and constructive advice that has always been available but is often forgotten in our daily scuffle to get ahead.

For the most part, the advice is based upon common sense and can often provide clarity and guidance in stressful situations.

That said, study the list below to see if it contains something that will work for you. At first glance, these suggestions may appear deceptively simple but each will, nonetheless, require dedicated effort and discipline.

1. Don't try to please everyone. It's impossible, debilitating and very stressful.

2. Stop living your life according to the beliefs, opinions and prejudgments of others. Its your life, not theirs.

3. Create dependable friendships with people who can be counted on to support your effort to change, learn and grow.

4. Try to make changes gradually. Doing so will help you to maintain a more positive outlook as you progress. Attempting to change too much too soon often leads to disappointment.

5. Establish priorities that are consistent with your own values.

6. Examine your beliefs and goals. Are they unrealistic or unattainable?

7. Accent the positive and learn from the negative.

8. Focus on the present. The past cannot be changed. The future hasn't arrived yet. That leaves you with now. Now is the time to create the future you desire.

9. Are you a workaholic? If so, try to create a more balanced lifestyle. By so doing, you'll minimize a lot of stress too.

10. Choose a goal that you can be proud to work toward and which enhances and maintains your self-respect.

11. Don't forget to take short breaks throughout your workday.

12. Think ahead. Always have a plan B in case plan A does not work.

13. Mistakes happen. If it's your fault, admit it and don't waste time and energy with excuses.

14. Take the time to exercise regularly. Exercise is a good stress-buster.

15. Improve your relationships. Give up those that lead nowhere and drain your energy.

16. Pace yourself. Know your limits. If you feel you can go the extra mile and it's a worthy goal, then go for it...but don't obsess or overdo. Sometimes, less is more.

17. If a situation or workload appears overwhelming don't panic. Instead, analyze the problem and divide it into smaller, more manageable parts to be completed in an orderly manner.

18. Trying to be king of the hill is ok so long as it remains a game. When it becomes a stressful, obsessive and competitive desire to win no matter the cost, you've got a problem.

19. A little humor can often diffuse a tense situation.

20. Don't take yourself too seriously. Lighten up...your friends and co-workers will appreciate it and you'll feel better.

21. Continual worry or guilt solves nothing. Take action by changing what you can, ignoring the rest and concentrating your effort on creating a better future.

22. Choose work that: (a) you enjoy (b) you are capable of (c) produces results that are helpful to and appreciated by others.

23. Get plenty of sleep and rest. Sleep deprivation is a major cause of burnout, stress and anxiety.

24. Listen to soothing, relaxing music that provides the space you need to pause, reflect and regenerate.

25. Unreasonable deadlines can be very stressful. Try to establish a schedule that is realistic and manageable.

26. If a problem or situation is too complex for you to handle, seeking the aid of a qualified professional counselor or doctor may provide the help and guidance that you need.

Yoga Health Secrets: relaxation, stress-relief, health and inner peace

Bill Reddie is the owner of Channel 1 Records, a company that has been producing music for stress relief and stress management since 1972. Further information regarding the beneficial effects of music and its potential for relieving stress, anxiety and burnout may be found at: http://www.channel1records.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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Myth: Gastric Bypass Patients Can Never Be Nutritionally Healthy. Fight Overwork to Rediscover Family, Community and Yourself.

2005-10-19T09:08:00.000-07:00

A common claim from gastric bypass detractors is that after surgery patients can never be nutritionally healthy and they must take daily vitamin supplements just to survive.

It is a mistaken notion that weight loss surgery patients cannot lead a nutritionally sound life. The assumption is due to the restrictive and malabsorptive nature of the surgery it is impossible to eat a nutritionally sound diet. However, when healthy food choices are combined with a solid vitamin and mineral supplement program bariatric patients do enjoy sound nutritional health. In fact, after surgery, most weight loss patients are more nutritionally healthy than before surgery.

Furthermore, evidence suggests most Americans should take vitamin and mineral supplements to ensure nutritional wellness. In the 2005 Dietary Guidelines published jointly by the Department of Agriculture and Department of Health & Human Services the government concedes that dietary supplements are a useful source of nutrients when nutritional needs are not being met through diet.

Here's the quote: "A basic premise of the Dietary Guidelines is that nutrient needs should be met primarily through consuming foods. . . In certain cases, fortified foods and dietary supplements may be useful sources of one or more nutrients that otherwise might be consumed in less than recommended amounts."

In most cases Americans, even those criticizing gastric bypass, don't meet their RDI of vitamins. Furthermore, most Americans do not know the specific guidelines are for vitamin and mineral intake. Even more alarming, because Americans do not consistently have annual check-ups and blood work, many do not know the state of their nutritional health.

WLS patients who return annually to their bariatric centers undergo blood tests to screen for nutritional health.

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Most patients meet with a nutritionist to assess vitamin and mineral needs and make adjustments for better health. Gastric bypass patients are on top of the nutritional game when they follow the program.

Bariatric patients who desire optimum health and nutrition will take dietary supplements daily. Combined with wise healthful food choices they can meet their body's nutritional needs.

The Food and Drug Administration considers vitamins, minerals, herbals and botanicals, animal extracts, amino acids, proteins, concentrates, and teas dietary supplements. The FDA governs the labeling and intake recommendations for dietary supplements. The following are FDA terms for describing dietary and nutritional needs:

DVs: Daily Values - Daily values are two sets of references: DRV's and RDIs.

DRVs: Daily Reference Values - a set of dietary references that applies to fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, carbohydrate, protein, fiber, sodium, and potassium

RDIs: Reference Daily

Intakes - a set of dietary references based on the Recommended Dietary Allowances for essential vitamins and minerals and, in selected groups, protein. RDI's are essential to our health.

RDAs: Recommended Dietary Allowances - a set of estimated nutrient allowances required daily to maintain good health - established by the National Academy of Sciences. It is updated periodically to reflect current scientific knowledge. RDA's set the minimum intakes of vitamins and minerals and protein needed for the average person to stay healthy.

Kaye Bailey is a weight loss surgery success story having maintained her health and goal weight for 5+ years. An award winning journalist, she is the author and webmaster of http://www.livingafterwls.com and http://www.livingafterwls.blogspot.com

Fresh & insightful content is added daily, check in often.

To subscribe to the LivingAfterWLS monthly newsletter "You Have Arrived" click on http://www.livingafterwls.com and enter your details in the subscription box.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

The Overworked Manager's Rescue Package

Struggling to find times to eat with your partner and kids? Is your last two-week vacation a distant memory? Feel like work is taking over your life?

You're not alone.

Americans are stressing out and burning out from jobs that have them working nearly nine more weeks per year than their European counterparts.

Some Americans and Canadians have organized an annual "Take Back Your Time Day" to call attention to the problem. Consider these items from the "Take Back Your Time" handbook:

--Between 1979 and 2000, married couples aged 25-54 saw their total number of hours of paid work rise by 388, about 12 percent.

--Almost 40 percent of workers put in more than 50 hours per week.

--26 percent of American workers don't take any vacation time.

--Since the 1980's, work hours have risen by about half a percent annually.

Meanwhile, various devices have brought the workplace into the home. "

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The lines between work and home have become so blurred that the only way you can tell them apart is that one has a bed," writes "Work to Live" author Jo Robinson.

Experts say "time poverty" is hurting our marriages, our physical and mental health, our civic life, our kids and the environment.

Maybe you feel the pressure: A lack of time for exercise or healthy eating. Being electronically leashed to your job when you crave a chance to relax. You or someone in your family putting in ever longer hours at work for fear of being "downsized."

Then there are the more subtle signs. Ever notice how dining with friends requires combing your calendars for a few precious hours nearly a month away? Or maybe your dog looks under-exercised and lonely.

It wasn't always so.

Around 1900, American working hours were declining. Economics books and articles predicted the continuing expansion of leisure time, writes leisure scholar Benjamin Hunnicutt.

Hunnicutt notes that in a 1920's speech, biologist Julian Huxley said a two-day work week was inevitable because "the human being can consume so much and no more...."

In the 1930's, Hunnicut says, economist John Maynard Keyes observed that "when we reach the point when the world produces all the goods that it needs in two days, as it inevitably will...we must turn our attention to the great problem of what to do with our leisure."

Also in the 1930s, the Kellogg cereal factories began a 6-hour workday. Hunnicut says productivity rose, workers lavished timed on their families, and commercial recreation and nonprofit organizations flourished.

Yet, here we are, 70 years later, with complex economic, political and cultural realities leading to ever-shrinking windows of time for nurturing ourselves and our ties to each other.

What to do?

Activists suggest a number of steps you could take as an individual:

--Schedule once-a-week or once-a-month family times.

--Talk with coworkers and supervisors about ways to reduce after-hours phone calls and e-mails.

--Reclaim breaks and lunch time, even if you have to start small.

--Decrease the number of days you "stay late" at work.

--Read your company's policies on vacation time.

--Organize a civic or religious gathering to discuss time issues.

--Claim a block of time for cooking slow food, cuddling your pets, making music or photographing something beautiful.

You can also join with an organization. Advocacy groups around the country are organizing teach-ins, conferences and discussion groups about overwork. An "It's About Time" coalition" is bringing the issue to the attention of candidates for public office. Learn more at www.timeday.org and www.worktolive.info

Norma Schmidt, Coach, LLC, specializes in helping women who are both professionals and parents to create balance. She offers teleclasses, workshops and individual and group coaching. Norma also publishes "The Balance Point," a free, bi-weekly e-zine. Visit http://www.NormaSchmidt.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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Build Credit: Build Credit Score Tips to Improve. Positive Attitude is Not Enough.

2005-10-18T16:58:00.000-07:00

Build

Repair Credit Reports

Credit: Build Credit Score Tips to Improve

When it comes to building credit, build is the word of focus. In my mind, there are two types of credit scores, each with its own separate techniques for improving your credit. No matter where you may fall, I hope you take something from this article.

Everyone knows it takes credit to build credit. This can be very frustrating for those with no credit because it severely limits the available techniques you can undertake to build credit. For those that are just starting out, there are several available options. The easiest way to start your own credit is to piggy back from someone else's good credit. This can be as easy as being added to a credit card as an authorized or joint user, or by getting someone you know to cosign a loan for you. If these options are not possible, the next best solution is to apply for a secure credit card. These credit cards allow you to put a deposit down which is usually the limit you are allowed to spend. This takes any risk away from the lender and can help just as much as having a traditional credit card. In addition, most secure credit card companies will let you switch to a traditional credit card after a year or so if you make your payments on time. Above all, make sure you choose a company that reports to all three major credit companies and watch for fine print.

Some people already have credit but want to know what they need to do to improve their credit score. To these people I ask how much of your available credit do you actually use? To maintain the best score possible, you need to show these credit companies you are sitting comfortable. Try to keep under 30% of the credit you have at your disposal. Also make sure your credit comes from several various sources. This will show you are not only stable but established.

Checking your credit report is a very good idea, and depending on what site you use, it can be free. This is important not only for satisfying your curiosity, but also for guarding against identity theft. Before you go to get that new house, car, or job, make sure to request a free copy of your credit report. The last thing you need is false information making a bad first impression.

Take a look at our website freecreditreport.ws for more information on Credit Repair, obtaining a Credit Report, or your Credit Score.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Contrary to the popular saying "attitude is everything" attittude is not enough.

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You can have the right attitude and all the motivation in the world and still wind up playing "dead atheist."

You know, all dressed up and nowhere to go!

The key is that the right attitude must be followed by the right actions. That's the bottom line of the doing part you mentioned in your question.

Renowned motivational expert Anthony Robbins says that one of the keys to success is to "take action." In his work with getting people to take action, Robbins speaks often of "massive, intelligent action."

I've taken that concept and expanded on it a bit, and created a concept called "CMICA (pronounced ka-mee-ka). CMICA stands for Consistent, Massive, Intelligent, Creative Action. Let's look at each of these key factors below.

Consistent - For action to be successful, it has to be consistent. My friends in the health club industry tell me that January is the time of year when the most people will join a health club or gym. A very few will then show up and work out regularly. A few others will show up occassionaly. My friends tell me that most people show up once or twice and then are never seen again.

Seems like that's how we often approach taking action. "Well, I did it a couple of times and it just didn't work for me." Yeah right.

Nothing other than small, consistent, daily actions will bring you the success you desire.

Massive - Massive action simply means to "do all the necessary things" to get you where you want to go. Not a few, not some, not most, but ALL necessary things required to get your goal.

A common question at this point is "what are all the necessary thinngs I need to do?" That's a goog question, which leads us to........

Intelligent - The great news here is that the wheel has already been invented. By this I mean that what you what to accomplish has probably already been done. Through the process of modelling, we simply need to find someone who has done or is doing what we want to do and model their keys to success. Rememer, if it's possible in the world, it's possible for you.

At the same time, don't confuse activity with achievement. Make sure you are spending your time and energy on actions that get you closer the to your goal, and are not simply busy work.

Creative - If you want to really have some fun, be creative in your actions. While you are taking intelligent action, also ask the question "How can I do this in ways that have never been done before?"

Here's a four step process to get your creativity going:

1) Precisely define your goal.

2) Identify efforts that have not worked in the past and drop them.

3) Come up with crazy, silly, bizzare, outlandish ways to achieve your goal, that you would never do, but are fun to think about.

438-->438-->4252-->4252-->48-->4) Come up with creative ideas that will get you where you want to go. Sometimes the seeds for these creative ideas are in the crazy ideas. Other times, simply laughing at the crazy ideas will boost your creative juices for other solutions.

Action - Consistent, massive, intelligent, creatice ACTION is the path to success.

Remember, trying is not doing. Doing is doing. Oh, and one last thing before I close: get out there and do it!

Visit SecretsofGreatRelationships.com for tips and tools for creating and growing a great relationship. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 10 day e-program on how to enrich your relationship today, from relationship coach and expert Jeff Herring.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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Exercise and Heart Health: A Life Giving Marriage. Night Vision Devices -- The Ultimate in BackCountry Toys.

2005-10-15T17:30:00.000-07:00

Most people get their health out of a bottle these days, be it a bottle of vitamins or pharmaceuticals. However, with a little effort and dedication you really can get a hold on your life, turn it round and live it to the full!

If you've

Communication Magic - The Amazing Formula for Communicating Straight From The Heart

been diagnosed with heart disease or are at risk of developing heart disease regular exercise is essential for the health of your heart, body and mind. In fact, aerobic exercise and heart health really do go hand in hand.

With busy lifestyles and lack of time, regular use of home equipment, such as a treadmill, an elliptical trainer, a stationary cycle, a stair-climber, etc. is becoming increasingly popular. These items are now precision health giving apparatus that really can help get you in shape. Gyms are also getting more and more members, but often people slack off because of time restraints. If this is you, working out at home may be the answer for you ...

However, before jumping into your gym shoes talk to your doctor about your desires and objectives. Your doctor may be able to give you some useful insights you didn't consider as well as coaching from a medical point of view. If your doctor gives you the OK, try to work some exercise into your daily routine. The American Heart Association (AHA) suggests, for example, that patients start by walking five minutes a day, then increasing gradually to 30 minutes over several weeks. Walking is a wonderful way to start, as it is low impact, you need no special equipment, and it costs nothing. Swimming may be another good choice. This type of exercise is called aerobic training that involves large muscle groups, such as the legs, and keeps your heart rate pumping for a set amount of time. Unless

HOW TO GET OVER A BREAK UP - HELP TO MEND A BROKEN HEART

there are deformities of the heart muscle, aerobics and heart health are often found together and not only does the heart benefit, there are other advantages too.

Aerobic Exercising and Heart Health

As you can see, take it slow initially; it's really not necessary to sign up at the local gym or aerobic class. Although, after some time you might want to do just that.

Depending on where you live walking or swimming may not be an option. In such cases, you may like to consider a piece of home aerobic equipment such as a treadmill, stationary cycle or elliptical trainer. However, before purchasing a home trainer consider whether you will really use it. If the answer is yes, best get the best home aerobic equipment you can afford. Your heart will thank you.

Lack of exercise and heart disease

The American Heart Association has now added "lack of exercise" to the list of major risk factors for heart disease. The other risk factors are smoking, high blood pressure, and high blood cholesterol.

Exercise not only helps fight heart disease and gets you in shape, but if you live a sedentary lifestyle, a regular exercise routine can also:

help control high blood pressure,

reduce the risks of type II diabetes,

help prevent osteoporosis,

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improve your general wellbeing and help fight depression, anxiety and stress,

greatly help to lose weight

Those are just some of the benefits of doing regular exercise. I wanted to make a list of some of the disadvantages, but I can't think of any!

In an ideal world, in order to get the best results possible you should exercise three to five times a week for 30-60 minutes within your target heart rate. But even normal day to day events, such as taking the stairs instead of the lift, walking to work, walking the dog, or gardening can help. You can do many things to increase physical activity during the day; just try thinking about what you can do. The benefits are well worth the effort.

Another thing that has proven to be effective is cross training. In cross training you participate in 2 or more different types of exercise during the week, for instance: Monday walking, Tuesday treadmill, Wednesday swimming, Thursday elliptical training, etc. You may also like to insert some strengthening exercises too, such as weight lifting.

Not only will cross training help to tone your whole body, it will help stop boredom setting in.

Dog Obedience Training: STOP Your Dog's Behavior Problems!

Many people stop training not because they don't have the time (that's the reason they don't start), but because they get bored. If you can arrange a routine where you do something different each day, it is going to be difficult to get bored.

So, talk with your doctor and start now! Once you notice the result, nothing will stop you. You'll loose weight, be more toned and fit, will have a sharper outlook on life and, oh yes I almost forgot, you'll live longer!

About the Author:
Nicholas Webb, of AllAbout Heart Disease, speaks and writes with a passion telling it is as it is; helping others to live life to the full. This article is extracted from his newsletter "The Web's Heart". To subscribe, or read other articles visit The Web's Heart

Alternative Treatment for Reversing Heart Disease - Prevention

To learn more about how to beat heart disease and get into shape visit: http://www.AllAbout-Heart-Disease.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Police officer and Law Enforcement Job Testing Tips

Like choosing many other types of technology, choosing the correct NVD is all about how you are going to use it. When most people think of night vision capabilities, they think about spy movies, the military or law enforcement - applications where it is vital for the good guys to see without being seen by the bad guys. A drop in pricing over the past few years has made a NVD affordable for campers, hunters, hikers and a wide variety of other outdoor enthusiasts. However, high-end devices used for specialized purposes remain quite expensive.

There are two broad categories of NVD. Image Enhancement devices collect small amounts of light and amplify them to the point where the human eye can observe the object. Thermal Imaging devices capture the high end of the infrared light spectrum which is emitted as heat by objects. Image Enhancement devices will provide a much crisper image with detail while Thermal Imaging devices show regions of heat. Currently, five Generations of NVD exist. Generations 0 and 1 are less expensive and typically produce a poor image quality.

Raise Your Prices and Increase Sales!

Generations 2, 3 and 4 have increasingly better image quality and an equally increasing price to match.

Applications for NVD are actually quite diverse. They include but are not limited to: military, law enforcement, hunting, wildlife observation, surveillance, security, navigation, hidden-object detection, spelunking and entertainment. NVD can be found on helicopters, rifles, camcorders, cameras, boats....just about anywhere. A new craze found at up-scale gatherings is called "A Dinner in the Dark Party" where guests wear an NVD throughout their dining experience.

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Private Investor Lending

Many outdoor enthusiasts are beginning to discover the wonderful world that can be found after darkness falls in the backcountry. If you like to camp, hike or hunt, chances are good an NVD will be perfect for you. Use this information and you'll Get It Right The First Time. Get Outdoors!

About the author: Chuck Fitzgerald is Owner and President of Arizona based BackCountry Toys, an online store providing backcountry specialty gear and educational information for outdoor enthusiasts. Visit www.BackCountryToys.com to receive the free newsletter "FreshAir" or call (800) 316-9055.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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Accept Credit Cards Online Without a Merchant Account. Confessions and Tips from a Top Web Hosting Salesman.

2005-10-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

Kirkhams Ebooks Movies Freeware Shareware and Software

There are two major ways to accept credit cards on your website. The first and most expensive is to have your own merchant account. Not only is this option expensive, it also requires extensive credit checks, lots of paperwork, and usually takes days or weeks before you get approved. Fortunately, there is an alternative.

Third party payment processors who will accept credit card payments on your behalf exist in growing numbers. These third party processors will take a percentage of your sale for their troubles, then pass on the rest to you. Rates vary greatly from one payment provider to another so doing your homework is important in order to get the right fit for you. Some payment providers will accept all kinds of goods and services while others specialize in only digital products, or hard goods, or services.

General Purpose Payment Providers include:

Paypal - Owned by Ebay, Paypal offers one of the lowest rates of any third party payment processor. At the time of this writing, their standard rates were 2.9% plus $0.30 US per transaction. Paypal offers excellent support and great documentation to get you up and running in no time at all. www.paypal.com

2checkout.com - Has a $49 US one time setup fee. Their rates at the time of this writing were $0.45 US plus 5.5% transaction fee. Discount rates are middle of the pack, service is very good and through them, you can accept most major credit cards. www.2checkout.com

Digital Information Payment Providers include:

Clickbank - You pay a one time $49.95 US activation fee. They then pay you the retail price of your product minus $1 and a 7.5% fee. Clickbank also has an easy to use affiliate program so that you can make money when others sell your product. www.clickbank.com

Digibuy - An electronic commerce solution for publishers of software, shareware, electronic art, information, and data. They charge a rate of 13.9% per transaction with a $3 US minimum order. They provide you with many features including brandable order forms, invoicing and test orders. www.digibuy.com

All but Clickbank give you the ability to have brandable shopping carts. This allows you to customize your order forms so that the customer doesn't feel like they are leaving your site thereby building trust. All of the third party payment processors above provide you with help to get started.

Accepting credit cards online doesn't have to cost you a lot of money. Most times it doesn't even have to include a credit check. Most of these services will even make regular deposits directly into your bank account for ultimate convenience.

When you need to accept credit cards quickly and inexpensively, one of the payment providers mentioned above just might fit the bill.

SiteGround: Mambo hosting, PHPbb hosting, PostNuke hosting, Shopping Cart hosting, Flash hosting, Dr...

This article was written by Joe Duchesne, president of http://www.yowling.com/, a web hosting b2b company that offers a free ecommerce shopping cart. Copyright 2004 Yowling. Reprint Freely as long as you provide a clickable link back to my website from this resource box.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Web Hosting, Domain Name Registration, Inexpensive, Low Cost, Affordable, Reliable Provider, Reselle...

Have you ever gone car shopping with a former car salesperson? Their industry and sales knowledge is powerful information vital to the average buyer. Gaining their street smarts and savvy gives the buyer an edge. This "edge" can be the difference between getting good value and being taken advantage of.

As a former top web hosting salesman, I have decided to come forward and shed some light on the industry. The rapidly growing world of web hosting, domain names, and basic web design is still a mystery to many interested people. My intent is to help you understand basic "do's and don'ts" in order to help you make a better more-informed decision.

Affiliate Programs, eBooks, Software, Web Hosting, Domain Names, Advertising and Marketing

When I got into this business several years ago a close friend if mine had paid $35 for a domain name and had monthly expenses of $20 for simple hosting. By quickly checking the domain name I discovered it was in the hosting company's name and not the actual owner of the website! I also quickly realized that this $275 annual expense was available at less than $100.

Not controlling your domain name can become a huge problem to website owners even though it is the smallest annual expense. You can be "held hostage" by hosting companies who control your domain name. This is how they keep you paying more than you should monthly, because you cannot leave! Make sure you are dealing with a reputable reseller or actual Registrar when you buy your domain name. Also consider buying the name for 5 or 10 years for $40-$80. If your email address changes or the credit card expiration changes, you can accidentally lose the name and have fines of $200 to get it back. Be wary of free domains and free web hosting, as you still get what you pay for. For more info on the subject refer to DomainInformer.

Not having the username and passwords to access the web hosting accounts is another huge mistake many buyers make.

Cheap web hosting, domain hosting, budget hosting, Internet Access

If your web designer turns up missing, and you cannot gain access to the files you bought and paid for, then you cannot leave that web host. This is the most common problem I encountered in my selling names, sites, and design! By the time you realize you are over-paying, you are frustrated because you are powerless. Do not trust anyone to keep this information for you. The relationship may change and you will be glad you are independent, informed, and in control of the situation.

Finally you also need to keep a copy of the files on your hard drive and/or backed up on a CD. This way if the web host loses the files or your designer is MIA you have a backup plan. Be

Exclaim Domain Hosting, Domain Name Hosting

sure the

domain name is registered with you as the administrative contact, and that you have all username/password combinations for names and hosting accounts.

When you are a prospect everyone acts professionally, but what about after you are a customer? To be really comfortable with your web host make sure they give a 30-day money back guarantee. Load the files and see what kind of performance and customer service you get for a few weeks. If they promised 24/7 customer care on the 3rd ring and you are getting voice mail or being on hold for 15 minutes... you will be free to leave!

Web hosting is simply space in a computer where your html documents and jpeg. images are stored. Good web design allows for easy navigation through the written words and the pictures you want the world to view. What you need to be concerned with is the speed with which your website loads and the amount of uptime your host claims to give. When traffic is a heavy a slow loading website will frustrate interested viewers, and cause them to leave. In addition the host needs a backup plan for power and Internet connectivity. Many top hosts claim 99+% uptime year round. Get details about top hosts at HostReview.com.

Things to consider when buying web space are as follows: Will you utilize a database for a dynamic searchable site? Are you going to have a store, selling products online in a shopping cart? Are you going to have Unix or Windows based hosting? Do you need a secure site (static IP) needed to enter sensitive information like social security or credit card numbers safely? How much space do you need for large audio and video files, versus pictures and text only?

:: SH COM :: Web Hosting,Adult Web Hosting,Dedicated Server,Managed Hosting,Webdesign,Webhosting,Fir...

And what is the difference between shared and dedicated hosting?

To answer all the above simply I will paint some broad stokes below. More knowledge about technical info can be found at WebKnowHow.net http://www.webknowhow.net People are unclear on the differences between shared and dedicated hosting. Most everyone starts with shared hosting as it is more affordable and works fine. In a shared hosting environment, the computer space is sliced up and "shared" among many small sites. Shared hosting ranges from a few dollars a month for a simple site to as much as $30-50/mo if you are selling online. Dedicated hosting usually begins at $59 and can easily reach $200/mo. and more.

If your site ever gets really popular and/or you have many transactions happening you to will move to a dedicated server. Dedicated meaning that all of that computer's resources are allocated to you alone. If you do not know how to configure the server then you will need technical assistance in the form of an IT employee.

This technical expert will monitor the data center operations; of your hosting company to make sure data is backed up and protected by firewalls. Firewalls protect your computer from being "hacked" into unauthorized people. Another option you may consider is an emerging trend known as "managed dedicated servers". The host helps to manage the servers daily operation, in order to help the novice operator.

Both shared and dedicated hosting requires a decision between Unix and Windows. This has been compared with people's preference to Ford or Chevrolet. Some people grow up and get used to one and prefer it for some reason. Others know both and utilize what will be best in each situation.

From the viewer's perspective, both Unix and Windows look the same. If you are going to use ASP (Active Server Pages) you will need Windows. Unix utilizes PHP instead of ASP, and is generally more stable and affordable. This is because the license fees paid to Microsoft increase the hosting company's overhead and they pass that on to the consumer.

Many PC users have Front Page design software from Microsoft included as a gift in their original purchase. Unix hosting now includes front-page support for well under $10/mo.

All Cheap Web Hosting From $3 Per year.

So you can utilize design software you already have, and host for under $100 per year.

Dreamweaver is the other popular design software program you should investigate if you are thinking about doing website design. Be wary of friends or relatives who will do the design for free. If they are gainfully employed, the tasks that they are paid for will take priority, which places unnecessary strains on the relationship. More info on web design and search engine optimization can be found at http://www.promotionworld.com/.

We also need to understand the relationship between the static IP address, using a database, and using eCommerce features to sell products online. IP addresses help identify where the actual end user is located physically. This is important if we need to locate to the original sender of a message or a live user creating havoc on the Internet.

Many of us have bought an airline ticket online by now. You may have noticed the screen that alerts you to the fact your connection is secure. This secure certificate assures a computer user that it is safe to enter credit card info and buy without fear of someone intercepting your sensitive data.

The static IP allows authorities and credit card processors to track storeowners and their computers to insure 100% honesty. Most shared web hosting sites share IP addresses as well. This is fine for a simple informational website with just pictures and text.

Dynamic sites are capable of storing your name and user profiles at an initial visit. This allows the site to "recognize" you on a subsequent visit and quickly load the profile for instant access. Dynamic sites also search for products or names in the company's stored database. Searching for different items quickly and the site saving all your personal information, is a direct benefit of a database.

Most initial sites will not use static IPs or databases unless you are going to be selling online. These stores are referred to as eCommerce web hosting and are the most expensive of all. Monthly charges can easily exceed $50/mo when you consider all expenses of the static IP, payment gateway, merchant account, and shopping cart.

Buyers add items to their "shopping cart"; it totals shipping and taxes and charges your card.

United States bank account for non US citizens

Merchant account banks process your buyer's online purchase, charging 2-3% fee total to send money to your bank. You are then free to ship the product they bought.

My personal website has lots of pictures and text, yet is barely over 50 MB in size. 1 GB (1000MB) of storage, now is available for $10/mo, and has 20 times the storage I need. Large video files such as streaming video and audio are the largest users of space. 200MB and 10 email addresses are going to be as much as many small sites will ever need. Often of you prepay the year you can get a free month or the setup fees waived. Also find a host who pays you to refer friends, and you can get free months that way.

I hope this information helps you better understand the power of the Internet. We are all connected through this World Wide Web, and it is your right to benefit in every way possible. Come on, jump in, the water's fine...

About The Author

Jamie Chantiles is Director of Sales for DevStart. He has been featured in magazines and on TV as an expert in peak performance. His speciality is in increasing productivity and attaining peak performance by harnessing the power of your own brain. Jamie has worked in the web hosting industry, selling and training for the last 2 years. Read more stimulating, probing and revealing articles on HostReview (www.hostreview.com).

jamie@devstart.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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What's The Truth Behind Your Finances?. How to Buy Real Estate in Mexico.

2005-10-10T12:22:00.000-07:00

#1 - 100% Independent Home Mortgage Loan Advice, Tips on Rates, Brokers, Refinancing:

Between 15 - 20% of people in our country (UK) own there own businesses. This statistic is on the rise thanks to the incredible invention of the Internet. The staggering truth is that of these only 5% are genuinely financially free! You may well see lots of expensive cars driving on our roads and big houses inhabited by the seemingly wealthy, but these houses and cars are not yet paid for.

Never in our history has it been so easy to lend money. Banks and building societies are falling over backwards to lend us money. You can sign your life away to a 50-year mortgage these days if you choose! Banks and building societies are offering 125% mortgages to first time buyers and business is looking outwardly great.

The credit card companies also love today's economy. You can borrow enough money on a credit card nowadays to buy a brand-new car! The loan companies are also cashing in on ignorant and naive individuals and this really concerns me. The advertisement marketplace is going wild on media adverts for consolidation loans. You know the type? "We will help you to consolidate all of your existing loans into one affordable monthly payment" They call this type of loan a HOME OWNERS loan. Yes you can consolidate all of your existing debts into one affordable monthly loan, but what do you call affordable? People are consolidating their present debts into one huge debt and loaning the money to repay this new debt. To actually repay this debt in full will take these people years. What's more they've secured this loan on their one and only ASSET - their HOME!

These unfortunate people aren't thinking about the future and their long-term future plans, they're thinking about the immediate and present situation. In the meantime what happens when the interest rates begin to rise? The interest rates on a consolidation loan will take years to pay off and whilst you owe money to your lender you're not secure at all because your consolidation loan is secured on your home.

What does this mean?

If you cannot pay your loan the Loan Company will TAKE YOUR HOME as payment!

The reason it is so easy to lend money at present is because the interest rates are so low. At the time of writing this web page our present government has set the base rate of lending so low that people are dangerously getting themselves into debt through their own ignorance towards the economy. What is really happening will become all too apparent in the next few years when the tide turns and the interest rates begins to rise sharply. If you're not financially free or in control of your assets when the tide turns you will lose everything. History always repeats itself and sooner or later a recession will hit the world trading markets and all of those people who borrowed huge amounts of money to buy their big house and their BMW or Mercedes will be in big financial trouble.

Wait, it gets worse!

SHOCK - HORROR!

Once the tide turns the interest rates will saw and if you're not secure your financial world will come crashing down. The mistake that people have made is to foolishly believe that their loan rates will remain the same, they won't. Let me explain in simple terms to you my theory by giving to you a simple example:

If you have a current &interest only' mortgage of say �½100k and the interest rate applied is �½5% your monthly payment will increase with the interest rate. What happens if the interest rate climbs to 10%? Your mortgage could double. In 1989 the interest rate sawed to 15%. If this happens (and it could) your present mortgage payments could treble! How will you survive financially?

Your mortgage payments could increase by 300% inside 12 months and any other loans you may have will also require payment. If your wage doesn't allow sufficient funds to meet these demands than you will lose everything slowly and painfully. When the interest rates do begin to rise (and they will) the debt consolidation companies will cash in on you. Before you know it you could owe money for the rest of your life and if you can't pay what you owe than your lender will take your car your home and the clothes off your back to meet their demands.

SO WHAT'S THE ANSWER?

My advice to you is to pay off your existing debts as quickly as possible. If you are driving around in a car that is financed by a finance company pay this loan off as quickly as possible. Contact the finance company and ask them for a final settlement figure. This way you'll know exactly how much debt you're in. If you can afford to settle your finance early than take advantage of this and settle immediately. This way you'll own your car outright, you'll have paid less in interest and you'll have some equity if you need it. If you can't afford to settle the finance at the present than check what interest rate you are currently paying and search around on the Internet or in the high street for a lower rate of interest. Whatever you do, don't delay in taking control of your finances today.

Another mistake people make is to fall into the trap of &false economy'. They begin with the right intentions by searching for a lower rate of interest for their mortgage. What this means is that their monthly payments become lower. The mistake they make is to think they've got more money in their pocket. In affect this is a false economy. Instead of settling for more money in your pocket and still enduring a 10 year (or whatever) term loan ,why not use this extra money to increase payment on the capital of your loan?

This simple technique is called &Mortgage Acceleration' The Banks and Building Societies know all about Mortgage Acceleration they just don't mention it because it loses them lots of money in interest payments!

If you increase the capital payments of your mortgage every month you're paying off the entire loan quicker. If you can shave 2 years off your loan you've not only shortened your mortgage by 2 years you'll have saved yourself a packet in interest charges. A 25-year �½50k mortgage repaid 16 years early could save you over �½60k in interest! (dependant on the interest rate) Ask your Bank or Building Society about &Mortgage Acceleration' and see the look of loss on their face!

Don't settle for a lower rate of interest and extend your loan payments thinking that you're saving money, you're not. You are only extending your debt! You need to pay off this loan as quickly as possible whilst the interest rates are low. The longer you take to pay off your mortgage the more interest rate the Bank or Building Society will take from you. Whilst the interest rate is currently around 5% accelerate payment NOW and save even more money! Take advantage of the fact that if the interest rates are currently low than the amount of interest that you pay on top of your loan will be also low. If you can afford to increase payment whilst the rates of interest are low than I urge you take advantage of this immediately. If there is any way that you can accelerate your loan and pay it off early than I would strongly advise you to begin your financial organisation here and organise this today. A simple increase of �½50 per month in mortgage payments will save you money in interest payments in the long run. Your first step to taking control of your financial world is to pay off all of your existing debts as quickly as possible. When you have no debts, you'll be financially free and you'll feel as if a huge weight has been lifted from your shoulders.

POSITIVE PLAN OF ACTION:

Contact the bank or building society that you have your mortgage with. Ask for a final settlement figure on your mortgage and also enquire into the current interest rate that you are paying. Chances are that if you've not checked the interest rate you are currently paying in the past 12 months than you could save yourself money immediately by choosing a better deal. There are currently plenty of lenders all willing to offer you competitive deals on your mortgage and I would advise you to check them all out before you commit yourself to one. A simple saving of 1% in interest can save you pounds every month. With this saving in interest payments, use this extra money to increase your capital payments. If you only manage to shave a year off the length of your mortgage it will be one less year that you are in debt and one year sooner to becoming financially independent.

Talking of your mortgage, if you currently have an Endowment policy running alongside your mortgage than investigate this policy thoroughly. Most endowment policies are useless in today's interest market. What this means is that when your mortgage term ends there may be insufficient funds in your endowment policy to pay off what you owe to the lender. If this is true than your lender will be knocking on your door for this short fall. If you can't afford to pay than you could lose your home after 25 years or more of payments! Recently I read that some Endowment policies were running a short fall of up to �½13000! If this happens to you you'll owe your lender �½13k plus interest!

The smartest mortgage you can take is a straight &repayment' mortgage. As well as paying the interest back to your lender you are also paying the capital off from the offset, therefore reducing the total amount you owe quicker. My advice is to accelerate your mortgage and pay it off as quickly as possible before the interest rates sky rocket and your payment doubles or even trebles. When the tide turns (and it will) you'll be smiling in the content that you own your home and you own your car and nothing can take these away from you.

About The Author

Jay Ball is a leading business psychologist in the UK who is deeply passionate about his purpose in life - to teach as many individuals as possible how to free themselves of debt, misery and worry! He is the author of '10 simple seeds to success' and 'Believe & Achieve' as well as the MD for SUCCESS ACADEMY in the UK. Check out his website: www.successacademy.co.uk

info@successacademy.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

It's fun to dream about having a getaway place in Mexico, be it a charming condo by the ocean, a little cabin somewhere, or whatever... It's even more fun to do it!

In recent years it has become easier for foreigners to own real estate in Mexico, including Mexican beachfront property. See below for more about how this works... property near the ocean is handled in a different way from other types. But it's great that we can do it now!

How To Buy Foreclosure Real Estate!

Buying real estate in Mexico is different from the process at home in some ways, so do work with an attorney who knows the ropes and speaks good English.

Some Tips on Buying Mexican Houses, Land, etc.

Mexican real estate is typically paid for with cash or by check. Mortgages are quite rare.

Due partly to the rarity of mortgages, a house may be for sale for quite a while. This could be to your advantage when buying, and less so if you decided to sell.

Mexican title insurance for real estate is much less common than in the US, but you really should arrange to get it.

There's one kind of land to be wary of -- ejido land. Ejidos were land held in common in the past, and the titles can be murky.

LandLister.com -- The Largest Listing of Land For Sale Sites

If you are exploring the real estate -- be it homes, land, condos, or whatever -- in a particular area of a Mexican city or state, ask local people what is for sale. You may have a lot of choices that are not listed with real estate offices and don't even have signs out front. You can find treasures this way, even if your Spanish is pretty basic!

Prices may be higher if the seller knows that a foreigner is interested. So you may pay more than a local, but do feel free to bargain. It's expected!

Property measurements are often in square meters. To give you an idea, 1 acre equals 4046.86 square meters. One square meter equals 10.7639 square feet.

Buying Mexican real estate near the ocean

As individuals, foreigners can't own property within about 30 miles of the shoreline or about 60 miles of the border. But there are two ways that you can legally own Mexican real estate within these regions. Experts say that both methods are secure, when set up properly.

[1] A bank trust is commonly used for residential real estate, and that's called a fideicomiso in Spanish.

Forfeited Property - Bank Seized Real Estate

The bank "owns" the property but you as trustee have total control of the real estate, for building, selling, putting it in your will and avoiding inheritance taxes, etc. You can list more than one trustee, for example, yourself and your spouse or yourself and a friend.

Bank trusts are good for 50 years and are renewable. Setup fees run somewhere around $500 for this arrangement, and annual fees are about the same. There are regulations on how large the land can be.

[2] You can form a Mexican corporation, but none of the owners can be Mexican. If the land will be used commercially, this is the way to go. Costs to set up this corporation are several times higher than for a bank trust. Mexican corporate tax reports have to be filed, which you would have a Mexican accountant do for you.

So if you dream of having a home in Mexico, do your homework and go for it! Thousands of foreigners have done it, and many of them are living in their homes right now. You can join them!

Rosana Hart has traveled to Mexico many times. Her website, www.mexico-with-heart.com, contains the full text of a book she wrote about traveling in Mexico, as well as information, travel tips, and real estate tips on a variety of Mexican cities.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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Best of British: Gizmondo Doomed To Fail?. Internet Home Business Welcomes Newbies.

2005-10-08T12:54:00.000-07:00

Best

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of British: Gizmondo Doomed To Fail?

The Gizmondo combined media player, phone and gaming gadget went on sale in the last month for �½229. The device sports an impressive spec: - It can be used to play games, music tracks and movies, it can take and store digital photos and can send SMS, MMS and emails, GPS, GPRS and Bluetooth for multi-player gaming.

From April 22nd you'll be able to buy a Gizmondo for �½100 less - a cool 44% saving. In return, for this discount, Gizmondo users will have to watch three "Smart Adds" per day.

The Smart Adds will mainly consist of video clips and small games that come with redemption codes or barcodes that are wirelessly delivered to your Gizmondo over its GPRS connection.

I'm not so sure that this option is cheaper....Ok, 44% less but who pays the data cost for downloading the ad? Even if each ad is only 100Kb (I'm guessing they'll be more but I'm being generous) then on my network (Vodafone) at �½2.35/Mb these ads would cost me �½257!!!

Other reasons why I think the Gizmondo is destined for failure are:

- It costs �½229. Nintendo's DS handheld costs �½99, and a PSP is expected to cost �½129 - far less than the cost of a Gizmondo

- The DS already has a pool of fans of earlier Nintendo handhelds to draw on (87,000 DS handhelds were sold in the first two days in Europe) and the PSP is also likely to have a strong following

- Most importantly, it doesn't have a killer game for launch

I'd love to be able to 'Buy British' but I think the Gizmondo will go the way of the C5, Sedgeway etc. May be worth buying one as I bet it will be worth a bit in 10 years!

Maybe in a year I'll be proven wrong.

The author runs a blog following developments in the internet and mobile internet sectors. With over 10 years experience in strategy consulting and business development, and has seen and lived through the highs, and the lows of the industry.

Based in London, the author can be contacted on admin@connectedinternet.co.uk and his blog can be found at http://www.connectedinternet.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Debt Free Eliminate Debt Debt Free Living

It's a brain explosion, no it's intellectual overload, no .........it's just "simply" too much all at once.

Yes, I'll admit it. I can't deny it. I am a Newbie. I've come a long way in the last nine months. And, I'm living proof that anyone can build a website and start their own internet home business. Newbies are welcome more than ever. Web site builders are making it easier and easier for the tech challenged to succeed.

Information overload was and still is a dilemma I deal with everyday. It's hard to stay focused when there so much important "stuff" to learn. That is the key I discovered. Stay focused! It's so easy to get side tracked from the day's mission when there's so much information to distract you.

I found myself starting out to complete one task and running across another very interesting concept that I just had to try. Needless to say, a lot of times my original goal got lost in the massive learning frenzie my mind was undertaking.

It took a lot of time, research, learning, wasted monies, and dead end offers to get where I am now. But, fortunately I didn't have to spend years and years pursuing a degree as a computer tech. I'm too old to start all that again and with a family of six to care for, it would be a challenge I wouldn't likely enjoy at this point in my life. But then again, little did I realize the challenge of what lie ahead of me.

I was determined to get in on the internet boom. Although many of us still want to deny it, it is undeniably the way of the future. And NOW is the opportune time to get in. The tip of the iceberg of things to come you might say.

Discover the Future of Internet Marketing

The future of home business, or any business for that matter, lies inevitably in the rapid growth of the internet.

If you're not getting in now, it may be too late. Things are changing rapidly. Some things getting easier, a lot of things getting more technical and harder.

Regardless, if you are a newbie or a techie, keeping up is a challenge. But if you are a newbie, I know from my own experience that it's a mind blowing information explosion when you start down the road to creating your own successful internet home business.

If I can do it, surely anyone can. That's not just a clich�½, it's a fact. My kids had little faith. They said "no way", laughed at me, and never took the notion seriously. Who's laughing now? I am! Every time I get a check for doing something that I have grown to love. And every time I learn, and accomplish a new task that makes my internet business more profitable or easier to maintain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do you want an internet home business and just don't know how? Have you tried and given up? I have many times.

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But, as I discovered, there are some great programs out there that help make your journey easier. There are lots and lots of offers for your own free web site. And, that's great for a quick fix. But, remember it's still up to you to market that site and drive traffic to it to make it successful.

However, a theme based "content rich" website is essential for real permanent success in today's internet world. The search engines are more and more focusing on content as a means for recognition. So, if you want to stand on your own merit and develop a site that you can truly be passionate about, you need to do some work. Yes, you have to work at it. But, if you bring something you love to do and are very knowledgeable about into your work it will be enjoyable work. If your follow this golden rule you will be successful.

That will be the only inspiration and motivation you need. There is nothing easier than doing what you love to do. This is an undisputable fact of human nature. I knew nothing about building a site. Had no familiarity with HTML or the technical issues that surround the building, analyzing and marketing a site. But, I discovered that there is an abundance of help for us newbies. And I took advantage of it determined that I would get in on the internet boom now while there is still tremendous growth to come.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Computer Nuggets - Non-Techie Internet Tips

If you're a newbie and decide to take the great adventure into the techie world of the internet, I congratulate you. What an exciting journey! The best advice I can offer is to be sure to check out every program carefully. As a newbie you will need someone who will guide you from beginning to end and then further. Your journey will not end when your site is built. In fact, in many ways this is just the beginning.

You will need an all encompassing program that guarantees success. One that will take you step-by-step through the hosting, building, analyzing, marketing, and tracking process. To do all of these tasks separately just doesn't make sense and can get quite expensive.

Be sure that when you think you've found the program that's right for you, it offers a dependable support system. You Will Need IT! Take my word for it. Sometimes things just don't work for you because you're making one tiny little error, easily corrected with the stroke of the keyboard. Make sure they are there to help you figure it out so you&re not banging your head on the computer. Ouch!

So, go ahead, take the internet home business challenge. And don't you be afraid.......I did it..... so can you! Here's hoping that your journey is pleasant and successful!

Good luck and success!
Cheryl Johnson

Discover How to Enjoy a Debt-Free Retirement

Cheryl Johnson mother of four helping herself and others become and stay debt free. Publisher of Simple Debt Free Living at http://www.simpledebtfreeliving.com - a self-help plan ideas and resources for household budget planning, debt management, frugal and debt free living, and home business ideas. Money saving tips help balance the budget and maximize savings everyday.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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Identity Theft - How Can You Prevent It Happening to You?. 6 Tips For Avoiding Work From Home Scams.

2005-10-06T11:47:00.000-07:00

Virus - Hacker Protection for Non-Technical People

The nightmare of identity theft strikes an estimated 750,000 people every year. How can you keep from being one of them? While there is no guarantee that you won't become a victim, there are some steps you can take to decrease the risk and protect yourself.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, some everyday tips to protecting your personal information include:

�€� Not giving out your personal information to a stranger over the phone, the Internet, or through the mail. Your Social Security number (SSN), phone number and address, credit card or bank account numbers, and drivers' license number can be used by criminals to assume your identity. Unless you know the person you are communicating with or have invited them to contact you, do not answer any question that makes you uncomfortable. Identity thieves can pose successfully as agents from banks, credit card companies, Internet service providers, utility companies, or government offices. If someone calls claiming to represent a legitimate organization, confirm this by calling the customer service number listed on your statement or bill.

�€� Finding out how your personal information will be used and if you have the option to keep the details confidential when providing this data to a legitimate organization, for example, when filling out an application. Ask if the organization has a method of securing your information and if they plan to share it with other companies or individuals.

�€� Always monitoring the balances on your checking, savings, or other financial accounts. Keep an eye out for unexplained charges or withdrawals made without your permission. Carefully reading your monthly bank and credit card statements, then checking the amounts against your check register or other record-keeping method could catch a thief in the act of assuming your identity and spending your hard-earned money.

�€� Keeping track of your billing cycles. If your credit card statement doesn't arrive at its usual time, this could signal an address change by an identity thief.

�€� Being cautious handling your mail and even your trash. Place outgoing mail in a post office collection box or at the post office instead of leaving it out on your mailbox. Bring the mail inside promptly every day, and when planning to be out of town, enlist the help of a friend or neighbor to do the same. A thief can sift through your garbage in search of sensitive information. Shred all charge receipts, credit offers and applications, insurance or physician's statements, checks and bank statements, and discarded credit cards.

�€� Storing your Social Security card someplace other than your purse or wallet. Provide your SSN only when necessary, and ask to substitute another number if your state uses your SSN on your drivers' license.

�€� Carrying only the credit or debit cards you need. Leave other identifying cards at home.

In addition to the everyday precautions that can minimize your risk, there are some other actions you can take to improve your safety:

�€� Safeguard the information on your computer by updating your virus protection plan on a regular basis, using a firewall to keep hackers from accessing your files, and deleting any personal information on your computer before you dispose of it using a "wipe" utility program that clears the hard drive.

Best Anti Virus Program - Anti Virus Download - Computer Virus Removal

Never download a file from someone you don't know, and do not open e-mails from an unfamiliar sender; doing so could expose your computer to a virus. Finally, when submitting personal information over the Internet, look for the "lock" icon on the status bar to know that your browser is secure.

�€� Use passwords for your bank, credit card, and phone accounts. Try to think of a unique number that you can remember other than your birth date, your mother's maiden name, the last four digits of your SSN, or a series of numbers in order, e.g. 1-2-3-4.

�€� Find a safe place for your purse or wallet while you're at work. Ask about the policy your office has for securing your personal information, such as who has access to it, where it is stored, and how it is disposed of when you leave.

�€� Every year, order a copy of your credit report from the three different credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Check for the accuracy of each and correct any discrepancies. You may be charged for the report, but the savings you receive in peace of mind is well worth the fee.

�€� Clean up any credit damage as soon as you possibly can. Errors in reporting alone happen often, some estimates are as high as 62% of the information on a credit report may be inaccurate. That doesn't even begin to cover situations such as identity theft which is a serious problem on the rise in the U.S. You can consult a Credit Damage expert if you suspect that your credit has been accessed or used in any way without your permission. That includes companies running a simple inquiry without you saying they can. For more information on what an expert witness can do for you, go to http://www.creditdamage.com

When it comes to protecting your good name and your hard-earned money, a little caution goes a long way.

Cathy Taylor is a marketing consultant with over 25 years experience. She specializes in internet marketing, strategy and plan development, as well as management of communications and public relations programs for small business sectors. She can be reached at Creative Communications: creative-com@cox.net or by visiting http://www.creditdamage.com or http://www.internet-marketing-small-business.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Coffee Shop Business Plan - Coffee Shop Franchise Opportunity - Start a Coffee Shop

It seems like everyone is being flooded with advertisements on how you can be a millionaire by working at home. I see it when I turn on the TV, I see it when I read a magazine, I see it when I surf the Net, I see it everywhere! We just can't escape the latest get rich quick scheme. It seems like everyone and their grandma is trying to sell you that pie in the sky dream of living the perfect life. So the question comes up, is it truly possible to make a living by working from home or are all these advertisements we see just another scam?

The good news is yes, it is possible to make a decent living by working from home but you need to be cautious. You especially need to be aware of online "get rich quick scams". In this article I am going to cover 6 tips to help you discover which business opportunities are for real and which ones you should stay away from.

1) Do they have contact information?

Obviously scam artist don't want to be found. So do they have all their contact information on their web site? Such as their company name, phone number, and address?

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It's also important that they have a physical address and not just a P.O. Box. Once you have their phone number you should call them and ask them any questions that you have.

2) Are they a legal company?

Has the company been legally registered in their country? Each country has different laws in this regard, but in the United States you want to make sure that they are set up as a legal corporation. Look at the company name and see if there is a LLC, Inc., Corporation, Incorporated, Limited, Ltd., Corp., or Enterprises at the end of it. You can also do a search at Google and see if it is registered in that state. Just type in "search for corporation (name of state)" and you can find any registration data.

3) How do they accept payments?

Another sign to look for is how they have set up their payment system. Have they taken the steps to have their own merchant account? If not then are they using a reputable 3rd party payment system? If they are using a 3rd party payment processor then make sure that you can dispute any charges made to your account. Paypal is a good example of a reputable 3rd party payment processor. On the other hand I would stay away from any company exclusively using payment systems such as Stormpay or E-gold.

4) Do they offer a real product?

Do they offer a real product with real value? Most business opportunities that are scams won't even talk about a product or all they offer is a bunch of ebooks or other worthless products. If they are a legitimate company then you should be able to make money by selling their product or service. If the only way to make money is by recruiting other people to join then this is a sure sign of a scam.

5) What are other people saying about it?

It is always good to know the experiences that other people have had with the business opportunity that you are researching. You can take a look at forums where people talk about their experiences with home based businesses to get a good feel of a company. You can find some forums by searching for mlm forums, work at home forums, or home based business forums on Google.

It's also a good idea to get some referrals from the company itself. When you call or email them, ask them for some contact information of other members. That way you can get in touch with these members and see how it's working out for them.

Another good resource to check is the "Work-at-Home Sourcebook" by Lynie Arden which has more than 1,000 home business and franchise opportunities, complete with realistic descriptions of what the work entails, how much it pays, up front costs, projected incomes, and addresses and phone numbers to facilitate contacting specific companies.

6) Do they make outrageous promises?

Starting a home-based business is just like starting any other kind of business. It requires time, effort, and money. Be wary of any company promising you big money with little or no effort involved.

There are literally millions of people making a living by working from home and it's possible for you to be one of them. Just remember to use these 6 tips to find a legitimate work at home opportunity.

Jordan Williams is the owner of Webcashlink.com giving you the tools, software, and resources to maximize your online profits! Home Business Tools

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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Getting Started with Garden and Patio Design. Creativity Management - Short Term Goal Setting.

2005-10-04T10:54:00.000-07:00

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The art of managing outdoor space
Designing a patio - or a garden, is much like designing a living room or a park. It's all about space, and how you use it. To start with, you have empty space with nothing in it. Then you add plants, statues and other decorative items to fill that space and make it feel like a homey, comfortable space.. but wait! You don't want to actually fill it with stuff. Then it would look cluttered, which is not what you want. What you want is a balance between empty space and decorative items. The real issue, then, is how do you achieve that balance?

Use Clustering to make the most of your outdoor space
The first mistake most people make when decorating a patio, backyard or garden is to take their planters, fountains, statues, etc. and spread them out evenly to try to cover as much space as possible. This is especially tempting for those on a tight budget, since they may not be able to afford as many accessories and accents as they would like. Spreading things out evenly, though, creates a boring space which doesn't give the eye anything in particular to focus on.

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It is much more pleasing to group your plants and decor items into clusters, so that several items can be seen at once, in a friendly grouping, with empty space between providing variety. This way, your visitors' eyes can move easily and comfortably from one cluster to another - each cluster is distinct in character and the empty space between emphasizes their unique natures.

Try to think of each plant, statue, plaque or other accent as having its own personality, and place them together in groups that allow them to relate to each other in pleasing and complementary ways; place two low flowering plants on either side of a larger fern, or place a small statue between a palm and a vine - the possibilities are endless and are only limited by your creativity and imagination!

Take your visitors on a journey
Think about what a visitor will see as they enter and move through your patio, garden or backyard. What will catch their eye first? Once they've enjoyed looking at that, what will they look at next? Where will their attention be drawn, and where will that carry their feet? Professional designers set up their spaces much like a story; the intent is to guide their visitors' attentions - and their bodies - through the space so that everything is seen and everything is enjoyed in an interesting and pleasing order.

Try to create special accent zones to show off your most treasured items by placing them right in the visitor's path, or by placing them at eye level, or by surrounding them with unique accessories that set the entire cluster apart from the others. If you take a little time to consider what people will see and where they will go as they make their way through your garden space, you'll find that creating a relaxing and pleasant garden or backyard is just a matter of common sense!

Don't neglect the vertical space
It's easy to think about your outdoor areas in terms of their ground or floor space - the area where you can place a plant stand, set a statue or fountain, or leave a path for friends to walk - but you must also remember the space above the ground! In some ways, vertical space is even more important than ground space!

Walls or fences can be beautified with the simple addition of a garden plaque, a wall fountain or a planter on a shelf. If you want a more functional wall item, try a garden thermometer. Training a vine or some ivy up a trellis is a great way to use some vertical space and create a sense of intimacy and privacy as well.

Then, of course, there are the hanging items.. hanging plants are a great way of lifting the eye up to a new vantage point and adding a vertical element to your green space. Windchimes are a special prize, because they are not only a delight to the eye, but a treasure for the ears as well. Suncatchers also add a unique beauty with their ability to catch the sunlight and turn it into yet another decorative accent. When placing hanging decor, think 'outside of the box'... hanging items can be part of the clusters you create with your plants and statuary or they can hang by themselves, defining turning points along the garden path or providing embellishment to the open space between clusters.

There are so many ways to use vertical decor I can only mention a few of them here: Hang them from eaves and overhangs to adorn borders, suspend them from awnings and overhead beams for a more enclosed and intimate effect, and if you have a tree or two in your garden how about hanging a plant from a branch or placing a planter in the crook of a bough? Now you're using clustering and vertical space at the same time by using a plant to hold a plant!

Winged visitors - your mobile decorations!
Birds are beautiful to look at and lovely to listen to, but most important to your garden or patio design, they move around on their own! Attract birds to your outdoor space and you'll have a constant variety of design as they flit from branch to branch or light and preen on a fountain or statue. Birds are nature's own decor and attracting them to your garden or backyard is easy.. just give them something to eat, a place to bathe and somewhere to build a nest! Birdbaths and bird feeders are excellent as statue items and ensure a steady supply of feathered friends as well. Bird houses are especially nice because they can be used for vertical space decoration as well as providing a comfortable place for sparrows and starlings to nest or just to hang out for awhile! What's a garden or patio without the beauty and song of birds?

Dare to dream
These three tips are just the beginning of the process. They're intended to get you started thinking like a professional designer and considering the unlimited possibilities that your unused outdoor spaces present. Don't let your space lie dormant.. bring it to life with your own creativity, your own flair and with affordable garden decor and accessories from Springtime Gardens!!

Brian Dalton owns and maintains the Springtime Gardens website, and spends countless happy hours decorating and maintaining his own patios and container gardens.

Springtime Gardens - Affordable Garden and Patio Decor

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Screenwriting: How to Write a Screenplay that wakes up the world.

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.

There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas.

There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. Whilst there is no sure fire route to commercial success, these processes improve the probability that good ideas will be generated and selected and that investment in developing and commercialising those ideas will not be wasted.

Short term goal setting

The value of short-term goal setting on creative output should not be underestimated:

a) Short term goals break a task into smaller more manageable parts. What at first seems unfeasible becomes feasible when incremental goals are set. Feasibility is one of the requirements of motivation.

b) Short term goals produce far more output than a "do your best" approach. Write five pages a day and you have a screenplay in a month (first draft only). Do not implement that routing and it will remain unfinished under your bed until your kids grow up. Maybe they can take over the project.

c) Short term goals split the larger task into smaller sets of problems solving exercises. At each stage a problem is identified and the mind begins working on it, usually on various cognitive levels.

d) Awareness of the task is given priority in terms of mind space and actions.

e) Short term goals help build task experience. Task experience is required for making radical leaps or creative leaps.

These and other topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased (along with a Creativity and Innovation DIY Audit, Good Idea Generator Software and Power Point Presentation) from http://www.managing-creativity.com/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

**********************************

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained.

Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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Mulch Your Spring Flower Bulbs in the Fall for a Beautiful Spring Display. How Do Campers Protect Their Children?.

2005-09-30T08:20:00.000-07:00

Flower bulbs need a good, long, winter's sleep. Like some people we know, if they wake up before they are fully rested they get kind of cranky, and then they don't bloom well at all.

Actually what happens is during a mild winter, the soil stays too warm and the bulbs begin to come out of dormancy early.

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They start to grow, and once the tips emerge above the soil line, they are subject to freezing if the temperatures dip back down below freezing. And that's usually what happens. After the bulbs have emerged, they freeze and then don't bloom at all, or if they do it's a very sad display.

Another reason this happens is because the bulbs are not planted deep enough. They may have been deep enough when you planted them, but as the soil goes through the freezing and thawing process, the bulbs can actually work their way up in the ground. One way to keep your flower bulbs sleeping longer, which will protect them from freezing, is to mulch the bed.

In the fall just apply a 3-4" layer of well composted mulch. This layer of mulch will do a couple of things. It will maintain a higher moisture content in the soil, which is good as long as the soil isn't too soggy. Well composted mulch also adds valuable organic matter to the planting bed. Organic matter makes a great natural fertilizer.

A 3-4" layer of mulch also acts as an insulator. It will keep the soil from freezing for a while, which is good because you don't want the bulbs going through a series of short cycles of freezing and thawing. Then when the temperatures drop below freezing and stay there for a while, the soil does eventually freeze. Then the mulch actually works in reverse and keeps the soil from thawing out too early. Keeping it in a frozen state is actually good because the bulbs remain dormant for a longer period of time.

When they finally do wake up it is spring time, and hopefully by the time they emerge from the ground the danger of a hard freeze is past and they will not be damaged. If you can keep them from freezing, they will flower beautifully. The extra organic matter will help to nourish the bulbs when they are done blooming, and the cycle starts all over again.

We also plant annual flowers in the same beds with our spring bulbs. By the time the danger of frost is past and it's time to plant the annuals, the top of the bulbs have died back and are ready to be removed. The mulch that is added in the fall also helps to nourish the annual flowers, as well as improve the soil permanently. Any time you add well composted organic matter to your planting beds, you are bound to realize multiple benefits. The key words here are "well composted". Fresh material is not good.

You are welcome to use this article on your website or In your newsletter as long as you reprint it as is, including the contact information at the end. Website URLs must be active links. You are welcome to use this article with an affiliate link, http://www.freeplants.com/resellers.htm

Michael J. McGroarty is the author of this article. Visit his most interesting website, http://www.freeplants.com and sign up for his excellent gardening newsletter.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Teach your baby how to read,early reading,parenting advice,reading baby,toddler learning activity

Oh yes you have! Suddenly, "Where's Bobby?" You instantly realize that he is not where he is supposed to be-where you told him to stay! Little kids, and even older ones, just don't behave like they used to. Has anyone noticed that?

Since corporeal punishment of children has departed the scene, parents are left with the ominous job of establishing rules for their kids to follow using verbal communication techniques, as apposed to grandpa's "back-of-the-hand" coersion.

Kids learn how to manipulate parents from day one. This incredible talent allows them to keep stretching the leash, not realizing that parents know best. If they only had the ability at a very early age to understand why parents are so protective of them, parents could avoid headaches, ulcers, and nervous breakdowns caused by worry. But, that does not happen!

The demand for parents to watch and protect their children reaches the highest priority when there are no physical barriers, like your backyard fence, to keep them corralled.

Well then, what do you do to keep track of your children the most efficient and safest way in an outdoor camping environment? It's a little trickier out in the open countryside. You agree?

Short of roping them to a tree, parents just have to become sneaky and devious so as not to spoil their kid's new found freedom adventures. We wouldn't want to do that, would we? There are some sneaky, gentle, egregious, tearful, divine (call it what you want) ways to accomplish the mission, and go home without incident.

1. Homespun yarn to clothe the innocent:

Especially the first time that this child has ever been camping, an adult with camping experience should spend time explaining what to expect when they arrive at the campsite.

Choose from the list of things that seem important, and that you can relate to safety and protection. Attention span of small children is short, so don't dabble around. Get to the point quick. Review the rules with all the other kids as well.

2. Something everyone forgets:

One technique for insuring the return of lost children safely is not so obvious. Sewing a cloth label (having the name, address, and phone number) to the garment that the child will be wearing while camping is not a new idea, and it's a chore to do.

Do it for each child anyway. This is especially important if the child is found by strangers, is injured, and not responding.

3. Knowledge will save them:

Make every effort to teach and instruct the children of teachable age "direction finding" wherever they are. If it is 7:00 PM, the sun is in the west sky. Moss accumulates on the north side of tree trunks. And you know what I mean, right?

Show them how to use a compass and read a map. Even better, instruct them on using a GPS device, and let them carry one. If they just won't learn, then go ahead and tie them to a tree.

4. Nighttime is not necessarily sleep time:

Darkness hides many of the visual reference points that a child uses to find home base. It's true, they can use a flashlight to go to the bathroom and sneak up on their brother in the other tent. More worrisome are the "hide and seek" games that are especially attractive to children when in the woods.

Nighttime techniques to keep track of the kids:

�€� Attach fluorescent wrist or arm bands--a different color for each child.

�€� Have them wear sneakers with the flickering lights built into the shoe.

�€� Place a red or colored lantern on the table so that the child knows that it is home base.

�€� Attach a blinking light to the clothes or belts - a different color for each kid.

�€� Recognize each kid by the color of light you see.

�€� Put a whistle in their pocket to use if he or she feels lost or disoriented.

�€� Have them carry a small pocket flashlight that can be seen for a mile.

London by Night on AboutBritain.com

�€� Give older children a compass to carry and use on night trails.

�€� Dress them in bright light colored clothing - it reflects light better at night.

�€� Reinforce "mom's" rule - buddy teams of 2 or more anytime.

NOTE: All the devices mentioned are available at camping stores or websites. Consider a PLB (personal locator beacon) TerraFix 406 GPS I/O by ACR Electronics, Inc., or similar item.

5. Survival techniques aren't just for adults:

Stories about lost children while camping, hiking, or backpacking are common. If you don't teach your children survival techniques, no one else will. Well, there are a few exceptions.

Go on the trails with them and show them how to use the techniques, like build a shelter, stay on or close to the trail, keep warm, find water or food, place markers on trails, sensible direction choices, signaling, and etc.

6. After action reports:(my military background)

How do you ever know how much your child has learned, and retained in memory, unless you ask them? It will clue you in on what you thought they had learned, but hadn't. Repeating the process with them then becomes well worth it.

A good time to get into this is on the drive home from camping. Stuck with the boring ride home, your questions are a welcome distraction (that is unless they have a hand held video game unit).

7. Why didn't you think of this:

Kids sometimes learn better from other kids than from a bossy parent. Have you ever witnessed someone calling you bossy, when all you were trying to do was encourage them to learn? The stimulus to learn often stems from sibling rivalry and peer pressure. That is often overlooked.

To get around this, ask the older child or teenager that does know the actual facts and strategies, to teach the smaller ones.

Giving the older one the responsibility of doing this, signals trust by the parent and confidence in his or her abilities to do that. And when you get home, he will be more than happy to carry out the garbage. Right?

The camping experience that the child takes home with him or her is not about the wildlife they observed, nor about the natural wonders of nature. It is about how enjoyable it was to see how clumsy dad is at putting up a tent, and how mom or grandpa always burn the toast over the campfire.

Yet, underneath it all, the child mentally absorbs what everybody does and says, knowing all along that he or she felt safe, comfortable, and protected. Of course, thoughts about how they got themselves untied from the tree will also be remembered.

The author, Curt Graham, has over 40 years of camping experience. The decision to share his knowledge and experiences in that venture is exceeded only by his passion to make camping a recreational sport that is safer, more beneficial to participants, and a profound enjoyable happening that brings families and friends together like never before.

He has been writing articles, information packets, and marketing information for most of his career as a physician. Being published in Modern Physician, an elite magazine focused on physician executives, says a lot about his expertise. Feel free to copy, share, and send this article to family or friends. Kindly check out the website that he and his wife share with a passion:

http://www.CampingOnUs.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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How To Miss The Target. Setting Financial Goals - Part 2.

2005-09-28T07:49:00.000-07:00

Target setting in the workplace has for the longest time been seen as a key function of the manager.

The manager considers all the factors of the past, of personnel, and of production then sets the target that his boss feels he should be achieving.

It is not often that the target is based in reality or a practical assessment of what is possible.

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The boss wants to achieve greater production so the manager increases the target by an arbitrary number in the naive hope that his workforce will pull together like splendid fellows and achieve the new target for him because he is wonderful.

When the target is not achieved the manager is then quite comfortable blaming the workforce for their failure to achieve it, because he was quite clear when he told them what the new target was.

The fault therefore lies with the workforce.

Or does it?

Let us assume for one minute that the workforce is made up of human beings.

What happens when we tell a human being what to do?

The first thing, that is not visible to the casual observer, is that the little hairs on the back of their neck stand up.

What happens next is a function of the relationship between the teller and the person being told.

In a social situation the response will vary from "What did your last slave die of?" to an altogether more violent reaction if for instance ones partner was holding the iron when you told them to do the ironing.

In the work situation we are not allowed to make a negative response to our boss, even if we were, we know that it would end up with an argument which, because our boss is the one who pays us, does our performance appraisal and allocates our work, we will always lose.

When our boss tells us what to do the little hairs will still stand up but because it is our boss we know that any argument or discussion is pointless.

We paint on a false smile saying "Certainly it will be a pleasure" then we go away and work out how we can avoid doing what we have just been told to do.

This is a human reaction that we seem to forget about in the work situation. The violence of the reaction depends on the degree of telling that is done but the reaction is always negative.

When a target is set for the workforce the effect is of someone telling them how they should be performing.

If the workforce achieve the performance they have been set as a target it is as if they have admitted to themselves that their manger has the authority to tell them what to do.

Because they are human beings, they find that very difficult to accept.

The effort of the workforce is therefore focussed on how to fail to reach the target rather than how to make their manager look good as a result of their efforts.

This may sound as if targets are a bad thing but that is not the case.

The bad thing is the setting of the targets, not the targets themselves.

The catch 22 is how we can set a target, without setting a target.

The answer is ...... don't try!

Instead of setting targets, ask the workforce what they think the target should be.

Getting the workforce to set the target normally produces a target way in excess of the level of performance that the boss thought of as his stretch target, and oddly enough, this huge target, set by the workforce, will normally be achieved.

It will be achieved because it belongs to the workforce. Because it is theirs, they feel a pride in their ability to achieve it and its achievement becomes their focus.

Life however is seldom that simple.

Today's workforce have become accustomed to the tricks of a devious management who keep trying to get them to produce more for less.

If you ask today's workforce for their opinion they will suspect a trick and be very guarded in their response.

They do not trust the person who is asking the question. To get an honest answer there has to be trust.

To build that trust the manager has to behave towards his workforce in a different way, a way that will allow trust to build.

Until that trust has been built we will continue to miss the target.

Peter is simply brilliant. And I mean simply literally - his writings, though too rare here, are always extremely accessible. Someone whose wisdom I would always feel privileged to share.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

The Motivated Mind - A Complete Guide to Personal Change

In my earlier article "Setting Financial Goals - Part 1" I identified the 4 simple steps to setting up achievable financial goals. I mentioned that your financial goals should be broken down into smaller more manageable goals and then written down to help you visualize them. This article expands upon that information.

Writing your goals down has an additional effect besides allowing you to properly focus in on their success. In some cases you will discover that some of your goals are unfortunately so broad focused that they are unobtainable. However, don't despair, as you will also be able to identify the smaller more tightly focused and thus achievable goals very quickly and easily. When writing down your goals don't be afraid to dream about riches or retiring early in life just be realistic in your expectations.

Goals are more easily obtainable when they are broken down into separate steps or categories based on time frames.

When you place a time frame on your goals you are programming your mind to subconsciously motivate itself to succeed in fulfilling your goals. There are 3 time frames that are generally recommended for goal setting. They are short-term goals (within 1 year), intermediate goals (3-5 years) and long term goals (5 years or longer).

A short-term goal generally takes one year or less to achieve, based on the date the task is needed, the total estimated cost, and the required savings. An intermediate-term goal is the type of goal that can't be accomplished overnight but doesn't require many years to accomplish. Examples might include buying a car, getting an education or paying off your debts like credit cards. Normally an intermediate-goal is anywhere from 1-3 years. Finally a long-term goal is a goal that requires an extensive time commitment (5 years or longer) in order to get accomplished or fulfilled. Examples of long-term goals might include college education for a child, retirement plan or purchasing a home. Whatever the case, these goals generally require longer commitments and often more money in the end.

As we stated before you will need to accurately identify what your financial goals are in order to have them come true. You will need to identify the necessary steps that need to be taken in order to achieve your goals. Examples of such steps include the following:

�½ Start placing 5% or 10% of your paycheck in a savings account.

�½ Educate yourself on different investment strategies such as IRA's, stocks, mutual funds and various other personal investments. There are many more and all can assist you in short and long term goals.

�½ Make a budget for yourself that leaves you with some extra money (remember the 5% or 10%) and stick to it.

�½ Take every opportunity to use coupons. It seems like small savings, but when added together you could save 20-30 dollars at each trip to the grocery store.

�½ Shop around for bargains and do not live outside of your means.

�½ Work with a credit counselor to get help in lowering your monthly expenses and get rid of your debt.

These are just some of the things that you can do in order to realize your financial goals. If you truly set your mind to it and visualize the successful completion of your goals you will find that they are more attainable in the long run.

Timothy Gorman is a successful webmaster and publisher of Best-Free-Insurance-Quotes.com. He provides insurance information and offers discount auto, life and home insurance that you can research in your pajamas on his website.Other websites operated by Tim

Cellular-Phone-Solutions.com - Free information and resources regarding cell phones and cell phone plans.

Military-Loans-Online.com - Which provides free money saving loan quotes on all of your loan needs to include home equity loan information.

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How to Care for Your Cast Iron Skillet (includes recipes). Job Hunting Tips: Taking Care of Yourself.

2005-09-25T18:39:00.000-07:00

Easy Cooking Recipes

Some of the best meals I've ever eaten were made by my grandmothers in their cast iron skillets. Tender, flaky catfish; finger-lickin' chicken; and mouth watering cornbread were the traditional scrumptious fare. Today, we have a new generation of cooks, and they are conjuring up all sorts of new and tempting recipes to cook in cast iron skillets that have either been handed down through generations, or picked up brand-spanking-new at the local Williams-Sonoma store. But before I share some of those unusual recipes with you, I would like to first educate you on

how to care for your skillet.

First rule: Don't ever wash your cast iron skillet! Doesn't that just blow your mind? I was positive that my mother was slipping into early dementia when she told me that years ago. But I soon found out she knew what she was talking about, as always. Actually, you should wash your skillet the first time, but afterwards, put away the soap when it comes to cleaning your skillet. And never put it in the dishwasher.

If you have a used skillet that was handed down or picked up at a garage sale, you can clean the rust and crud off with a steel wool pad. Then wash it with mild soap and water, dry thoroughly, and prepare to season it as follows:

SEASONING YOUR SKILLET

What is seasoning? It's a process that you go through to "break in" your skillet, giving it a smooth, non-stick surface. And the more you cook in it, the better it becomes seasoned. You cannot overuse a cast iron skillet.

The seasoning process is applicable for both new and used skillets that you are breaking in. Generously grease the insides with shortening, oil or bacon grease, and heat in the oven for a couple of hours at 300 degrees. Allow it to cool completely, then drain off any excess grease, wipe completely dry with a paper towel and store. This procedure may need to be repeated a few times until your skillet has been completely broken in. And from

Soul Food, Recipes, Cooking Tips & Tutorials

time to time, you may still need to repeat seasoning sessions to maintain a good surface; especially if you cook acidic foods, like tomatoes, in it.

CLEANING YOUR SKILLET

Seasoned cast iron skillets can be cleaned up nicely with boiling water and a stiff-bristled brush. Brush the skillet vigorously with the brush, rinse it out with clean water, and completely dry it to prevent rust spots. Some people reheat the skillet again on the stove to make sure it is thoroughly dried. Remember, no soap and no dishwasher.

Another bonus when using cast iron cookware, is that it can also enhance the iron content of food. Scrambling eggs or simmering spaghetti sauce in an iron skillet can double or triple the iron absorbed in a meal. To this day, many doctors still recommend that a person with an iron deficiency have their food cooked in a cast iron pot or skillet.

RECIPES THAT YOU NEVER THOUGHT OF COOKING IN A CAST IRON SKILLET

Okay, here are some of those recipes I promised that you can stir up in your nicely broken in cast iron skillet:

CAST IRON GERMAN POTATO SALAD

4 slices bacon
1 medium red onion, diced
1 pound red potatoes, precooked and cut in half
3 tbsp. white vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste

Fry the slices of bacon in a cast iron skillet. When done, remove bacon with a slotted spoon and add onion to bacon drippings, cooking and stirring until onion is clear. Add potatoes and sear for 1 minute, cut side down, until brown and crisp. Remove from heat and pour the contents into a large mixing bowl, setting the skillet aside. Crumble the bacon and add to potatoes, along with the vinegar, salt and pepper, mixing thoroughly. Chill and serve.

MADIERA TUNA STEAKS

4 tuna steaks (3/4 to 1-inch thick)
1 cup orange juice
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
1/8 teaspoon onion salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Salt to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1/3 cup Madiera
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon horseradish or to taste

Marinate the tuna steaks in the orange juice for 3 hours or overnight, in the refrigerator.

When ready to cook, combine celery salt, onion salt, white pepper, flour, and salt in a large bowl. Remove the tuna steaks from the orange juice and dip in the flour mixture, lightly coating both sides.

Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet on high and add the tuna, searing for one minute, before turning over and searing for another minute. Reduce heat to medium and cook for one extra minute, being careful not to overcook. Remove tuna steaks to a warming plate and reduce heat to medium-low.

Add soy sauce, Madiera, cream and horseradish to skillet and stirring until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat and pour sauce over tuna steaks. Serve immediately.

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

1 20 oz. can sliced pineapples in syrup
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
10 maraschino cherries
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or nut of your choice
1 16 oz. package pound cake mix

Drain the pineapple and reserve the syrup. In a 10" or 12" cast iron skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar to the butter and stir until dissolved, then remove from heat. Arrange the pineapple slices in the sugar mixture, placing a cherry in the center of each slice and sprinkling the chopped nuts in the remaining spaces. Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions, using the reserved pineapple syrup in place of milk. Pour the batter over the pineapple in the skillet and bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then loosen the edges and invert onto a serving plate.

CAST IRON SKILLET CARROT CAKE

1 3/4 cups flour
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. grapeseed oil
1 egg
3/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups grated carrots
1 cup raisins

In a large bowl, beat the egg, then add the sugar and buttermilk, stirring together thoroughly. Then add the two kinds of flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt. Once these ingredients have been thoroughly blended, add grated carrots and raisins. Next, coat the insides of your cast iron skillet with the grapeseed oil and add cake mixture. Bake for approximately 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center. Cut into slices and serve warm.

BASURS ZALDA (GARLIC SOUP) OR MOSCOR ZALDA (DRUNKARD'S SOUP) (I don't know where this recipe originated from, but I have seen it on several sites and thought it was a hoot!)

2 tbsp. oil
3 eggs
3 cloves garlic, sliced thin
Parsley
Dry French bread, broken into small chunks
Water

Coat bottom of cast iron frying pan with oil. Add garlic and brown gently. Next add the chunks of French bread, stirring to thoroughly coat with oil. Add enough water to cover the bread, and add parsley. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes, then add the eggs, which can either be stirred in or poached.

This soup is good for sinusitis, colds and hangovers. However, be a good neighbor and stand down wind from people.

Bon appetite!

Charlene Davis is an experienced and published

Campground Cooking E-book

freelance writer specializing in online auctions, business trends, marketing strategies, e-commerce, parenting, travel, spirituality, cooking and food. She has a popular recipe website (http://www.busymomsrecipes.com) for today's busy Christian women, that has been featured in Quick Cooking magazine.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Interview Confidence Program

Looking for work is generally a miserable undertaking. No matter how much education and experience you have, you are in a powerless and vulnerable position.

You spend days preparing for an interview, trying to build up your self-confidence, create a relaxed, competent demeanor to disguise the turmoil and anxiety inside, and practice answers to questions you hope the interviewer will ask.

Is there any way to feel really calm as you approach the receptionist, uncomfortably aware that there are other people waiting, perhaps applicants for the same position? Sit down, take a deep breath, and listen to your inner voice.

Welcome the anxiety that is coursing through your veins. It is a free, non-addictive stimulant that is going to keep you on your toes and keep you hyper-alert throughout the interview. Remind yourself that without that anxiety, you would present yourself as lifeless and flat.

Remember the lists you have made: of your personal qualities, your strengths, the weaknesses you have identified which can really be presented as additional strengths. Let your mind slowly scavenge through the mental picture of your resume and pound those bullet-pointed skills into your skull.

Focus on your worth as a human being, your importance to those who know you and love you. You are about to be judged by someone who doesn't know you at all and who will have less than 60 minutes to assess your qualities. Self-preservation requires that you don't buy into that judgment. You may, or you may not, be offered be offered the position. Whatever the result, remind yourself that it is not the entire you being accepted or rejected, just your skills and qualities matched against a company's needs.

Ace your Next Job Interview with Answers to Tough Interview Questions and more - The Perfect Intervi...

The job interview is a dynamic process with everyone present involved in the flow. If you feel awkward or very uneasy, it may be that the company or the interviewer(s) are not a good fit for you and not being offered the job may, in the long run, be a blessing in disguise.

By all means, review your interview performance afterwards while it is still fresh in your mind. If you think of better ways you could have answered some questions, write the new answers down so you can review before your next interview. As soon as possible, send a "Thank you" note, restating the personal strengths you want to emphasize. If possible, e-mail or fax that day.

The next two steps are critical to maintaining your enthusiasm and job hunting energy:

a) Relax and let out the stress. Don't cross-examine every question asked and every answer given or your confidence will erode further in an avalanch of second-guessing and self-criticism. You have enough stress on your plate right now just worrying about whether or not you'll receive an offer.

b) Be kind to yourself. If you can afford it, take the family out to dinner to celebrate your having obtained an interview and having survived one of the most pressured experiences you will ever undergo. If finances don't allow that, at least talk to your family about the details, let them show you a little support, and give yourself a whole day off from the job search to relax, relax, relax.

Virginia

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Bola operated a rehabilitation company for 20 years, developing innovative job search techniques for disabled workers, while serving as a respected Vocational Expert in Administrative, Civil and Workers' Compensation Courts. Author of an interactive and emotionally supportive workbook, The Wolf at the Door: An Unemployment Survival Manual, and a monthly ezine, The Worker's Edge, she can be reached at http://www.virginiabola.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/