3rd anniversary gift - boy i m in trouble now

Your third anniversary is coming up and your mind is racing as you browse countless gift ideas, a new pair of shoes, a tie L, flowers, jewelry? Then just like last year and the year before your brain goes into full overload, shuts down and triggers “gift shopping procrastination” till the last minute when in desperation you grab a cheesy scarf or tie depending on the sex of the recipient.

Keeping a marriage for three years can be a tough job. Surpassing every challenge and overcoming obstacles of married life can be quite difficult. Anyone who can reach this milestone should be able to get through finding a thoughtful gift.

What gift are you going to choose for your loved one? In your mind, you probably think it must be expensive, or it must be unique. Well a gift need not always be expensive to be appreciated. Remember the old saying “It is the thought that counts“, While this is very true, we need to clear up one important point, the keyword in that saying is “thought“. This does NOT mean that you “thought” enough to get a gift, but instead refers to the thoughtfulness that went into the choosing of a gift whether it be homemade or outrageously expensive.

Leather is the traditional 3rd year wedding anniversary. Leathers are known to be strong, warm, flexible and durable as well. it has strong qualities like that of the married couple who has stayed together three years. So with that in mind, lets look at some leather gift ideas.

Leather clothing – you should check your spouses’ closet before buying leather clothes. Leather jackets can be appealing to almost everyone.

Leather shoes & bags / handbags – check your spouses’ shoe size before buying new leather shoes, be extra careful in choosing handbags, because wives are choosy when it comes to their accessories. You might want to enlist the help of one of her friends in choosing a gift like this.

Leather wallets – be careful with choosing the wallet for your hubby. Like wives, they can also be meticulous about it.

Leather roses - yes you read that right, and yes they are available, just search leather roses on any search engine.

Leather belts – this is a practical gift. Check out the size of your spouse before buying one.

Leather gloves – there are many type of gloves that you can choose. This is great for areas with cold temperature.

Leather desk accessories – check your spouses’ deck, is it organized? Give him/her a leather desk set to organize his/her desk.

Leather briefcase – this is the right gift for people on the go or for executives and lawyers.

Leather sporting goods - Is your spouse a sports fanatic? Footballs, baseball gloves and a lot of other sports equipment is made from leather.

Leather luggage – plan to have a romantic out of the country trip? Surprise him / her with a new luggage bag.

Next week we’ll cover the fourth wedding anniversary.

Lose weight with a healthy diet

A healthy diet should include foods from the four main food groups. One of the best ways to lose weight is to follow the food pyramid and eat the suggested servings of each food group for your age. This method of healthy eating does require planning and you need to have a copy of the food pyramid in front of you as you plan your menu for the week. Planning a weekly menu is a good way to get started and once you do this for several weeks, the kinds and amounts of foods that you should be eating will soon become clear to you.

Although junk food is a no-no when you are on a diet, many people who do eat healthy foods still indulge in their favorite snacks from time to time. There is nothing wrong with treating yourself from time to time as long as you don't make it a practice or overindulge. There are also differences in what vegetarians term "healthy foods", so if you don't eat meat, it does mean that you exclude all animal proteins from your diet. Proteins are essential nutrients that vegetarians might be at risk of not getting unless they pay particular attention to their foods.

Soy is comparable to animal protein and should be included in a daily diet if you are a vegetarian. Other sources of protein include

* Dry beans

* Peas

* Lentils

Some grains and vegetables are also good sources of protein. Soy milk and tofu are good sources of calcium and green leafy plants are a good source of iron.

Even if you are not a vegetarian, these foods will help to complement your diet and help you to feel full. All dieters should include a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement just to make sure. Drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day helps to flush out the burned calories and keep your body functioning the way it should.

Can six-pack change you into a real man

You may have seen lots of women being crazy about men with six-pack belly. I know because I am, as they look masculine to me. Almost every model I see on TV has the 6 perfect ripples and it seems all the women melt at the sight

Nevertheless, don't take it personally. Every man can have six perfect ripples on the stomach. The only problem is the extra fat that mostly takes place in the stomach area. The fat covers the six-pack body of a man.

I have seen some male models work very hard to achieve such good body. They have done so many exercises to get rid of the fat from their belly.

I'm sure every man can do it as long as he is willing to do so.

Do you want to have and show your six-pack? Don't worry, you can get rid of your fat and get your six-pack by learning the facts and finding the right way to reach your goal.

But you must make sure you discipline yourself in doing it.

Here are the things you should do to have a six-pack performance:

1. Avoid Fat - Avoid foods containing many fats and sugar as they will increase the number of fats in your stomach. Also, don't drink soda as it could kill your hard work.

2. Jogging - You can jog everywhere, either in the neighborhood or at the gym. Jog for at least 15 minutes and increase 5 minutes every week to get rid of your fat. .

3. Do Sit-Ups - Do your sit-ups every time you want to go to bed and after you wake up at least 50 times each (it depends on your physical strength).

4. Go to the Gym - If you are not sure about your exercise, go to the gym and find a professional trainer. Be a member of your local gym so you can be sure about losing weight and gaining muscle for your stomach.

If you can do it routinely, you may see the result in one or two months. It depends on how you train your self.

Those exercises, which mostly strengthen your stomach, are also important to support your spine and protect your back. So, don't ever give up doing your stomach exercises as you will get all the benefits.

There are good points by doing those mentioned above. You will not only have your six-pack, but also increase your health. You will change into a real man by having a healthy and well-shaped body.

Good luck with your exercise.

Jokes and riddles - how to write them

:
Just listening to or reading jokes and riddles may "wake up" your brain, but it is creating them that really exercises your brainpower. The process requires you to use both logical and lateral thinking skills. How do you do it, then?

Jokes and riddle don't come to mind randomly. In fact, after watching how many comedians create their routines, I am convinced that they use what I call "humor algorithms," even if they do so unconsciously. You can learn to do the same, but consciously, and as an interesting brain exercise.

Joke And Riddle Algorithms

One systematic and creative humor algorithm involves starting with a word or a subject, and then fitting it into various joke and riddle "types." For an example, I'll start with "chair." (I really am doing this as I write, so forgive the weak humor that is sure to result.)

The first thing I do is systematically think of all the types of chairs I can, and write them down. After that, I write down a few types of jokes, such as "puns," "misdirection," "differences," and "similarities." As I do this, it occurs to me that an electric chair might have the most potential for humor (all serious things do). Here is what I could come up with in thirteen minutes:

Differences: What is the difference between a toilet and a chair? I'm sorry, but if you don't know, I can't invite you over to my house!

Misdirection: Why did Charlie hate the chair they gave him for his birthday? Because they gave him the electric chair!

Similarities: What does my dog have in common with a chair? He has four legs and an IQ of zero.

Pun: Why did the customer at the motor vehicles department start rearranging seats after waiting for hours? Because he was the "chair-man of the bored."

Writing humor isn't necessarily easy, but it is great brain exercise. Whether it is easy or not, by using these "algorithms," anyone can write jokes and riddles. Why not give it a try?

World cup 2006 preview - czech republic

Outright Odds: 33/1

Group E Winners: 9/4

The Czech Republic may be ranked by FIFA as the second best team in the world behind Brazil and the best in Europe but they made hard work of qualifying for the finals. Pitted against Holland in qualifying, they lost home and away and also suffered defeat in Romania to finish second in the group. They won both home and away 1-0 against Norway in the play-offs to secure their place in Germany.

Despite a nervous qualification, expectations are high this time around for the Czech’s first appearance in the finals since they entered as Czechoslovakia in 1990. The side have not been out of FIFA’s top six since 2004 and can no longer be dubbed underdogs or outsiders. Under their old guise they twice finished runners-up in both 1934 and 1962 and they have the ability to go one better this time around.

For many of the current squad, it’s now or never, as the attacking force of Tomas Galasek, Karel Poborsky, Jan Koller and Pavel Nedved, back out of retirement, are all entering the veteran stage of their careers. All made their mark a decade ago as the Czech Republic surprised everyone by reaching the final of Euro 96 and taking eventual winners Germany into extra time.

Under manager Karel Bruckner, who took charge in 2001 after a successful spell as under-21 coach, the Czechs can be a real force to be reckoned with. Nobody scored more goals in the European qualifying campaign than Bruckner’s side and it’s hardly surprising, given his choice of tactics.

The Czechs play a cavalier style of attacking football that can be breathtaking to watch. Who can forget their classic Euro 2004 against Holland in which they battled back from 2-0 down to win the match 3-2?

With Nedved, Galasek, Poborsky and Tomas Rosicky, the Czechs boast one of the most creative midfields in international football. Jan Koller struck nine times in qualifying to take his tally to 40 goals in 66 appearances but he is in danger of missing out on the finals after suffering cruciate ligament damage in September 2005.

While almost unstoppable in attack, where the Czechs fall short is in defence. Full backs Marek Jankulovski and Zdenek Grygera offer plenty of attacking support from the back but are prone to being caught out. But given their overall ability they are worth a shout to win the tournament at long odds.

Recommended Bet:

At odds greater than 2/1, the Czechs offer much better value than Italy to win the group given their potency in attack. According to FIFA the Czechs are Europe’s top side yet the bookmakers don’t fancy their chances given the odds on offer. At 33/1, the Czechs offer good each-way value to win the tournament outright.

Czech Republic to win Group E @ 9/4

E/W Czech Republic to win the World Cup @ 33/1

Let your knowledge pay you some extra retirement income

Is there a topic that you have become particularly knowledgeable about? Have you had particular challenges in your life that you had to overcome? Do you have a hobby or a craft that you have a compelling interest in? Perhaps, you perfected a skill in a particularly technical area during your career. Did you ever think that you knew a better way to accomplish something, if only you had the chance?

All of us have some area of our lives that we have focused on enough to develop a particular set of skills in or knowledge about. We have come to take our experience, knowledge and skills for granted as we approach or reach retirement age.

What if there was a way that you could set up an “Information Stand” on your own street and have a stream of people arrive at your information stand each and every day. Heck, they each would even pay you a small fee to have their questions on your topic answered! Do you think that this might provide a little extra cash to supplement your retirement income? You bet it would.

Remember your childhood. Did you ever have a Kool-Aid stand on your street on a hot Summer day? Yeah, it was great. Adults would pay 5 cents per cup (some would even pay more) and when you ran out of Kool-Aid, you would simply make up another batch. You could do this until all of the adults had their thirst quenched and then sales would drop off.

Well, you can easily set up an “Information Stand” on the Internet at which to provide answers on the topic of your passion. There are some interesting characteristics of your “Information Stand” that make it better than a Kool-Aid stand:

1. Unlike Kool-Aid, you never run out of Information. In fact, you even gain more and better information as a result of the dialogue and the research that you do in building your Information Stand.

2. You become known as an expert. That’s right, the more activity that you have at your stand, the better you become known as a reliable source of information on your topic. In fact, when this occurs and the perception of your information becomes more valuable, people will be willing to pay more for your information.

3. Unlike the Kool-Aid stand, you can sell the information without you having to be there. You can even sell information while you are asleep or out playing with the other ‘kids’!

4. As word spreads like a virus about your information stand, the sheer number of people coming to your stand will increase exponentially.

5. Instead of being limited to just your street, you can have your Information Stand on the biggest Information superhighway of them all – the Internet!

6. Unlike the Kool-Aid stand, the line of people coming to your Information Stand never ends. In fact, as the word of your Information Stand gets out like a virus on the Internet, you will have an increasing number of people coming to you for answers to their questions. People from all over the world will be coming to your Information Stand all hours of the day and night! If you build it, they will come!

The very best news is that the technology now exists for you to establish your Information Stand on the Internet for an investment of less than $30 and a bit of your time. The software necessary to do this can be downloaded free of charge and the remaining components can be purchased inexpensively(Domain name - $7, Autoresponder - $20). You can visit my website to view video tutorials that show you exactly how to set up your Information Stand. It could not be easier!

Claim your place on the Internet today. Leverage your experience and knowledge into a stream of supplemental retirement income. You already have the knowledge needed, just carve out your niche and get going. It does not have to be perfect. In fact, it has been said that “Imperfect action is more productive than perfect inaction!” Take your first step today.

Slot machine myths

Slot machines are a popular draw in casinos around the world, and even though each country has their different varieties of slot machines, the basic notion behind them all is the same. Traditionally, slot machines are coin-operated machines with three or more reels that spin whenever a lever on the side of the machine is pulled and released. Slot machines are affectionately nicknamed “one-armed bandits” because of their one-armed appearance.

Newer variations of the machine allow players to insert cash or even paper tickets with barcodes in order to play slot machines. Some of the more recent slot machines will even have a touch screen that starts the reels spinning.

Now, on to debunking some of the more popular myths about slot machines:

- The average slot machine never gets hot or cold. This is because the odds of a person hitting a winning combination of reels are determined by a random number generator that is built into the slot machine’s software. The odds never change.

Amusement with prizes (AWP) machines in Britain are the exception to this rule. These AWP machines are progressive, meaning that the chances of someone hitting a winning combination increases over time if the machine has not paid out yet. Some of these machines will also grant winning combinations if it will help the machine to meet certain payout percentages.

- Though there is a logic behind where slot machines are placed out on the gambling floor, higher paying machines are not placed in areas with more traffic. Machines with similar payout percentages are put together.

- The temperature of the coins inserted into the slot machine will not affect the payout received. Slot machines do not sense temperature and payout different percentages depending on the temperature of the coins used.

- Using a slot club card will not affect the slot machine’s payout. The card only allows the casino to monitor how much a player gambles with and the corresponding amenities that should be granted.

- In most jurisdictions, slot machines cannot have their payout percentages altered depending on the time of day or day of the week by punching in some numbers into a computer. To do this would require the replacement of parts inside of the slot machine and in many areas it would also require regulatory supervision.

Once again, British AWP machines is an exception to this rule, as these machines have percentage keys and dip switches, and changing the percentages does not require any supervision.

- Contrary to popular belief, a slot machine that has not paid out in a long time is not “due to hit.” It is impossible to determine when a machine is due to hit since each spin is a random event and has no dependency on the spin before.

10 ways to save time and money with packing and shipping on ebay

One problem with eBay is that unless you are careful you can end up spending far too much time on routine tasks such as packing and shipping. Not only is there the time spent wrapping the items, but also when you take them to your local post office to have them weighed, stamped and posted. As someone who never seems to have enough time I have adopted some time saving measures which frees up my time to do other things.

1.Buy Stamps in advance.

Many of the items that I sell are similar, CDs , audio tapes and books. Therefore I know exactly what the postage is for these items and I buy in advance a quantity of stamps for the various denominations that I use. I can then pack, stamp them and just drop them into the post box without the need to wait at the post office counter.

2.Get a set of scales

Of course one really helpful piece of equipment is a set of postal scales. Not only does this save you time by allowing you to pre stamp packages but it is also very useful when you are listing an item. You can quickly and accurately calculate the exact cost of postage for each item. This can save you making those errors of under estimating the true cost of posting an item or having to make a special journey to the post office just to find out what it will cost to post.

3. Buy packaging materials online

A thriving industry has grown on eBay offering packaging materials. It really is a case of selling spades to miners, but as a result the competition in this field is very fierce. This means that you can make considerable savings if you go to the Business, Office and Industrial Category and look in Packing and Postal supplies. Also many of the major stationers such as Staples and Viking offer a good 24 hour service and often have some attractive special offers or gifts to make an even better deal. Most offer free postage for orders over a certain quite low amount.

4. Whenever possible use padded bags.

If it is suitable for your products one of the great time savers is the use of padded envelopes. They come in a big range of sizes and thickness and are suitable for a wide range of products. It is much easier and quicker just to pop something into an envelope and seal it than putting something in a box, put in padding and using tape to seal it. Also these days padded envelopes can work out cheaper than other forms of packaging.

5. Hold a stock of Post Office Forms

These days forms control our lives and it is no different with the postal authorities. Normally if you are a regular postal user your local post office will be happy to supply you with a stock of the forms that you might need. The ones I keep handy are customs declarations, recorded International and national forms and supplies of airmail and fragile stickers. Completing these and applying them to your packages before you go up to the post office can save considerable time.

6. Use Rubber stamps

I also have a selection of rubber stamps with First Class Mail, Do Not Bend, Small Packet Rate, This saves the time rather than writing these phrases over and over again.

7. Pre print return labels

I would never send out a packet without a return address on it. Over the years that I have used eBay I have had about 5 parcels come back to me because they were undeliverable for one reason or another. If I had not had a return address label on them they and the contents would have been gone forever. You can of course order a pack of name and address labels from the local printer but I have found the most cost effective is to use the sheets of plain labels such as Avery, the 65 labels to a sheet are ideal and print them off as required a sheet at a time. I then just stick one of these on to every packet I send out. And of course it also makes you look a little more professional with your packaging.

8. Pick the time that you go to the post office

There are always some times in the day or days in the week when your local post office is liable to be more busy than others. If you ask the counter staff I am sure they would be happy to tell you when these times are likely to be. Also they would also be able to tell you the times they would expect to be less busy. If you use this information you can cut down the time you spend waiting in line at the post office.

9. Copy addresses from Paypal notification.

Whenever you get payment notification from Paypal it will contain the name and address of the buyer. I always highlight and copy this and using my labelling software I paste this into the label template this saves having to write or type the information in. I always print my labels on the AveryL7160, 21 labels to a sheet paper.

10. Compare prices

There is plenty of competition to ship larger items and it is worth comparing prices for the various shippers and couriers to get the best deals. In my experience with smaller items it is difficult to beat the Post Office but for items that need to be shipped fast or weigh over 2 Kgs (4 1/2lb) it is worth looking for the best deal.

Bank of america online banking

Bank of America online banking is available to any customer who currently does business with the bank. Participation in the Bank of America online banking program is free and easy to set up.

One feature that sets the Bank of America online banking program apart from its competitors is the way it handles bill payments. You’d think a lot of data entry would be required, but that’s not the case. The program already knows the billing addresses of the most commonly used payees.

To set up a payee such as your electric company, start by accessing the built-in list of payees that the Bank of America online banking program maintains. The program already knows the names of the major players in the community and maintains the names and billing addresses that most customers are likely to use such as electric, cable, and utility companies, area department stores and local major financial institutions. Pick the payee from the list, enter your loan or account number and in seconds, that payee is set up.

If the payee does not exist in the list, you enter payee details one time, and you never have to deal with a payee again until there’s a change in address or other account details. When you have all your payees entered, they appear listed in alphabetical order. Next time you open the Bank of America online banking program to pay bills, you select the payee, enter the amount due and the day you want the payment to show up at the payee address.

Now here’s the cool part about the Bank of America online banking bill paying option. The money for the payment is not debited from your account until the payment arrives at the payee billing address. Most other bill paying options debit the money the day the payment is mailed not delivered, meaning the bank has 4 – 7 days to earn interest on your money! So in effect, you actually earn money by using the Bank of America online banking option.

International health insurance

One single best investment you can give to yourself is personal insurance. May it be health insurance, travel insurance or life insurance, it will still give you enough leverage to confidently do your task everyday anywhere without worrying so much that in any moment, an accident might occur.

However, these types of insurance have limited coverage that is not applicable on a particular situation. The situation I am talking about here is when you decide to live in another country. Sure, you have life insurance or health insurance. But these are only applicable within the boundaries of the United States. So if anything happens to you outside the country, these insurances cannot help you in any way. Same thing goes with travel insurances. Although they can be applicable outside of the country, the claim is only limited up to a certain extent such as medical evacuation, trip cancellation, and trip delays.

The bottom line is, when you travel and decided to live outside the United States, these insurance policies you have invested in your life is no longer useful. Thus, you need a particular policy that would be about to give you the coverage you need for this particular situation. You need an international health insurance.

In some way, international health insurance is just the same with other insurance policies available for you. But why get international health insurance?

For those who have no desire or could not afford to travel internationally, there is no need to purchase international health insurance. But for those who are considering going abroad and staying there, this would come in handy.

Of course there are prices to pay. While personal health insurance (valid locally) can cost you wealth, international health insurance costs even higher. But, the amount you pay is nothing compared to the benefits it will provide.

In most cases, basic international health insurance can give you coverage on things such as hospital accommodation, local ambulances, in-patient or in-hospital care, anesthetists', physicians’, and surgeons’ charges. Some provide you with radiotherapy, oncology, pathology, and radiology coverage.

For wider coverage, a more upgraded international health insurance can answer primary care and primary consultations for outpatient visits. Therapies such as homeopathy, physiotherapy, acupuncture, osteopathy, and primary care and primary consultations including prescribed medicines are covered. For added options, emergency dentistry and at-home nursing care are available at your desire. Of course, the wider the coverage you ask, the more expensive it would be. Usually, the international health insurance with this broad coverage can cost twice as much as the basic.

The coverage does not end here.

You can get more with higher premiums. If you opt for this, you can add options such as organ transplants, psychiatry, childbirth, rehabilitation, general practitioners consultations, home delivery, and other specializations such as eye, ear, nose, and troth consultations. Other coverage can include visit to specialists such as chiropractors, psychotherapists, dietitians, and osteopaths. Scans, x-rays, lab works, and others can also be included in your coverage along with prescribed medicines.

The bottom line for international health insurance is: if you need any medical attention whether here or abroad, you can always tap your insurance policy. After all, accidents strike at any given time, regardless of your location and situation you are into.

What you should know before taking supplements

These days there is plenty of controversy and debate over whether it is beneficial to take various supplements. There are many kinds of supplements out there all with different intentions. There are food or meal supplements, weight loss supplements, strength enhancing supplements, and performance enhancing supplements, just to name a few.

While I do believe that certain supplements can provide some benefits for weight loss and increased fitness, taking the wrong ones or taking too high a dose can create some unwanted serious side effects. If you are either currently taking any supplements or are considering taking any then follow these tips to ensure they will not do you more harm than good.

For starters, get a physical checkup from your doctor. Talk to the doctor about what supplements you are taking or are looking to take and explain what you want to take them for whether it is for weight loss or to increase your strength for fitness. Your doctor can make sure that you have no conditions that would be adversely affected by them and may also have other recommendations as well.

Do your homework and learn as much as you can about the supplements you want to take. Many weight loss supplements for instance are only a meal replacement with a very high cost. You can start by using the internet to do searches on them. Here you can get plenty of information on them. You can also ask the local pharmacist, a qualified fitness trainer, or a qualified nutritionist about them for an even more in depth look at them.

Stay away from supplements that do not list all the ingredients or are a new, unusual, or unknown type. Stick with supplements that have a good brand name, use pharmaceutical grade ingredients, and make no lofty claims as to what their supplements will do for you like rapid weight loss for example.

When you do find a suitable supplement to take, never exceed the recommended dosage for any reason. No matter how good a supplement is, more is definitely not better. There is a very good reason why the manufacturer listed the dosage they did. Increasing that dosage with the belief that it will increase the effects of the supplement is the main reason people get sick or injured from using them.

If at any time you develop any side effects from the supplements you are taking, stop taking them immediately! The weight loss, strength, or general fitness boost you are trying to get from them is not worth compromising your health for. You may even want to consult with your doctor in case treatment is needed to ensure against further incident from the effects you may be having.

Many people take many different supplements every day for various reasons and some people do report positive results from them. There are supplements out there that are beneficial to take to help you with your weight loss and fitness goals, but just remember that there are a lot of bad ones too. If you are considering taking any supplements, follow these guidelines and more important, follow good common sense.

What is a healing crisis

A difficult concept to grasp when undergoing a cleansing regimen is the detoxification symptoms that occur along the way. These unpleasant side effects are merely a necessary part of the healing process that we must endure so that we can experience the true benefits of a clean, healthy body.

The turbulence that our bodies experience during detoxification can be scary-- even horrifying at times. And if the detox occurs too rapidly, the symptons can be extreme and severe. So severe sometimes that death would be a welcome relief. This is what’s called the healing crisis. As the body eliminates the accumulated toxins and waste materials that have been stored for so long, it is natural that this will cause a reaction. Basically, we temporarily relive past conditions and illnesses as they are released. The good news is, once eliminated and released, we are free of future problems and diseases that arise from a toxicated body.

Detoxification can be induced through dietary changes such as going vegan or raw; water or juice fasting; and herbal cleanses. The more toxins that have been accumulated, the sicker and more miserable you will be during a detox cleanse.

A healing crisis is usually identified by:

intense joint or muscle pain

severe headaches

fevers and chills

skin eruptions (acne, pimples, rashes)

insomnia

cramps

fatigue

mood swings

emotional-rollercoaster-type behavior

The fact that must be faced is that there will be some degree of discomfort as the body rids itself of the poisons and toxins that it has been burdened with for so long.

The symptoms are only indicators that everything is working properly and the discomfort is temporary. If severe symptoms occur for more than 3 days or so, you can get some relief by slowing the detox:

Drink lots of clean, pure water

Get some sunshine and fresh air

Slow down and get plenty of rest

Reduce dosages of herbs if taking teas/capsules

Remember, sometimes things have to get worse before they can get better. It’s a difficult time but don’t give up. You’ll feel so much better when it’s over.

You will have faced the challenge and won a major battle. When you are strong for your body, your body will be strong for you!

Words cannot describe how this victory will impact you on many levels - physically, spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically.

So if you can hold on through the turbulent times and rough patches you’ll soon be greeted with radiant health and new possibilities.

Online car auctions 8 great reasons to buy online

Are you tired of the hassle of trying to buy a car through a dealer? Haggling with the salesman to get what you think is a great price only to find out from your buddy the great price he paid for his car. Or worse yet seeing the same car advertised at a lower price a day later. Have you ever heard of someone getting a car at an incredible price, or wondered what happens to cars seized by the banks, police agencies or government. Are you curious about what happens to t pre-owned government vehicles?

These cars are sold at auction; some at onsite auctions and some at online car auctions. Buyers can get these cars for thousands less then retail and some starting at bids of $100.00. If saving that kind of money isn’t a good enough reason to visit an online car auction then here are six more.

1. Online Car Auctions are Fun

Online car auction can be a lot of fun. First there is the excitement of bidding for that car you’ve always wanted. Then there is the thrill of getting your dream car at a dream price. You could even practice by guessing what the top bid will be and see how close you come. How much would you have saved?

2. Online Car Auctions Are Convenient

What a better place to shop for a car then in the comfort of your own home. Or if you have a laptop then you could bid anywhere. You could bid at your favorite coffee shop, or at the office (during lunch of course). In addition you can be researching your car, the seller, loans, insurance, or surfing your favorite sites while waiting for your winning bid to come through.

3. Online Car Auctions Save Time and Effort

Driving from dealership to dealership, or from private owner to private owner can waste a lot of your precious time and play havoc with your nerves. What if your schedule just doesn’t give you the time to run around? At today’s gas prices who wants to do all that driving. With online car auctions you set your own schedule for research and can bid at home or during coffee break or lunch.

4. Online Car Auctions Make Paperwork Easy

Many online car auction sites provide services to make your buying experience as simple as possible. They have automated forms to allow the processing of your sale to happen as quickly and easily as possible. They provide courses on proper bidding procedures. Online car auction sites provide access to companies that help you with finances and insurance. For your sense of peace many sites offer the ability to check the V. I.N number of the car you wish to purchase. There is a lot of competition out there so they do what they can to provide that great customer service experience.

5. Online Car Auctions Are Where You Get Your Car At A Bargain Price

Online car auctions are one of the best places to get a great car at a bargain price. Thousands of cars, trucks, motorcycles and SUV’s end up in auctions. Many of these vehicles are in prime condition; being either repossessed by banks or law enforcement agencies, or pre-owned government vehicles. Many sites boast cars sold for savings as high as 90% of retail. While this is possible most vehicles go for around wholesale or blue book value. Still a sizeable savings over anything you can get from a dealership.

6. Online Car Auctions Help You Stay On Budget

A major problem faced buy most buyers is letting your emotions influence your buying decision. Something the average car dealer knows how to exploit. Online car auction sites protect you from the heat of bidding by allowing you to place a maximum bid level before starting the auction. This way you can only bid as much as you common sense will allow. That is as long as you don’t let your emotion decide the maximum bid to begin with.

7. Online Car Auctions Offer Great Choice

There is thousands of seized and pre-owned cars at auction. You can find almost any make or model of vehicle at online car auctions. Even if the car is unavailable in your area it may be available in the near future or in a city close to you. Depending on the site they may offer access to vehicles in your immediate area or across the country. There are free online auction sites and sites where you purchase a membership for a small one-time fee. These sites offer instant access to large databases of online and conventional auctions across the United States.

8. Online Car Auction Sites Provide Peace of Mind

It’s very important to online car auction sites to maintain a good reputation. To this end many sites provide services such as vehicle history reports for a small fee, or programs to protect buyers from fraud or misrepresentation. You may even be able to check out the sellers rating if they have sold on that site before. There are also resources on how to purchase a car online and how to bid to your advantage.

Give Online Car Auctions a Try... Kust Remember

Information is your friend. Like any major purchase you should do your homework on the vehicle you plan to purchase. Once that homework is done familiarize yourself with the policies and guarantees offered by the online car auction site. Find out what you can about the vehicle and the seller. Look into insurance and financing options. Prepare well and you should have a very enjoyable experience and own the car of your dreams for thousands less than the guy next door.

Cruising - five quick tips before taking a cruise ship vacation

Cruising is a wonderful and relaxed way to see several countries while enjoying the sun. Today, cruise trips are extremely popular due to their low cost and luxury travel experience.

However, like all travelling, there are a few things you need to be aware of before you start to plan your cruise ship vacation.

Here are some cruise tips to help guide you on your journey.

1.All inclusive cruises are not available

Most all cruise lines do not offer an all inclusive cruise package. Alcohols, soft drinks and even water all needs to be paid for when on cruise ships. The only things included are the cruise itself, your cabin and generally at least 1-2 meals a day.

2.Shop around and consult different cruise travel agents

Cruise travel agents are like travel agents, but are experts in cruising. Be prepared to tell the cruise agent exactly what you are looking for. You could visit 5 different agencies and receive 5 different quotes for the same cruise. In addition, look for deals in off weeks. A fare may be $2000 one week and $800 the following week.

3.Be aware of added charges

If you are planning to cruise alone and don't want to share your cabin, you can anticipate a single's supplement charge of 10% to 100% of a per person's rate (depending on cruise line). In addition, a lot of cruises require you to pay extra for any cruise shore excursions, or any special activities that are offered on board. Be prepared to spend an additional 30% of the cost to take part in any of these activities.

4.Knowing when the best time to cruise is

Cruising is usually a little cheaper during the spring or fall. Weather can be uncertain, especially in the fall given many Caribbean destinations could have hurricane seasons during this time. This is something to watch out for. The dry season for Caribbean cruises is during the summer where as the rainy season is during the winter. Other cruise lines have short cruising seasons, such as Alaska cruises which normally run from May to September.

5.Have fun!

One of the most important tips that I can give to you on your cruise ship vacation is to have a great time. Relax! After all it's your vacation and you deserve to make the most out of it. There are many things for you to do, fancy dinners and dressing up, meeting new friends, visiting exotic locations, being on deck in the sun, doing cruise shore excursions, and much more! It's important to have fun, so when you come back you feel better about yourself and that you got the most out of your time and money.

Remember, cruising is an absolutely exceptional way to spend your vacation. They are very relaxing and a very enjoyable way to spend some time away. However, like all vacations, you need to know what is required before purchasing your dream cruise ship vacation. Keep this in mind and I have no doubt your cruise trip will be a complete success!

Home equity your ace in the hole

Almost 15 years ago, you bought your first home. You’ve been diligent in working and paying on the mortgage, and finally have more equity than mortgage. Ah, the sweet smell of victory, and home ownership. But are you playing the financial investment game as well as you think? Are you missing out on tax savings, funding strategies, or just plain smart money options? How do you check your equity options versus your tax savings options, to comparative shop and make use of your smart options?

Today, the tax benefits of retaining a mortgage on your home far outweigh the benefits derived from complete home ownership. Mortgage interest is fully tax deductible, and so are some of the options that come with equity lines of credit, second mortgages, or equity mortgages.

Borrowing against the equity in your home in order to pay off credit card debt, fund college educations, fund additions or needed repairs to the home, or to provide startup capital for that dream of owning your own business, is a tax advantage. Interest on first and second mortgages in general is fully tax deductible, and if you’re borrowing to fund education related expenses, or start that new business, some or all of those expenses are going to be deductible. It’s a win-win situation.

How is the dollar value you have in your home established? Well, there a couple of different ways that lending institutions determine home equity. If you’re dealing with a local bank that has held your mortgage since inception, many will not require an appraisal of the home, they will simply use the original established value of the home. Now, if you believe your home to be worth quite a bit more than the original appraisal value, you might want to request a new appraisal, but appraisals aren’t cheap.

In general mortgage companies will always require a recent appraisal before lending money against residential property. Either way, the equity in your home is established based on the current dollar value of your home, less any monies already owed against the property (that would be your first mortgage). There is an additional piece of information worth noting here. Usually, a lending institution will only lend a certain percentage of the homes value. With the creation of 125 loans, or loans where up to 125 percent of the value of the home is loaned, you may be able to borrow up to that amount, even with a second mortgage. 125 Loans, jumbo loans, and interest only loans are a relatively new market for home mortgages, and not loans that I would recommend, simply because they put the homeowner in a precarious position if the mortgage should be called in, if the home should sell prior to paying the mortgage down, or if a forced sale should occur.

Your home’s equity is a trump card, if you will adhere to some common sense rules and continue to stay abreast of your individual financial needs.

Work from home at any old age

The beauty of a Home Based Internet Business is that it does not discriminate against anyone on the basis of his/her age.

Governments the world-over appear determined to see the average person (ie: the people who pay their wages and very healthy retirement benefits) work until it is far too late to enjoy any semblance of retirement. Here in Australia, our Prime Minister (John Howard) and his Treasurer (Peter Costello), think it is necessary for us all to consider working until we are into our seventies.

What they (the Governments) do not understand is that age-discrimination is a huge drawback to the mature-aged worker when seeking employment. Ideas put in place in an attempt to address this problem are farcical. In many cases, if you lose you job for any reason at age 45 and over, you are constantly overlooked in favour of younger people who command less in wages, and who may provide a longer term of potential employment. Experienced Workers are often left to struggle for months, or even years, on Social Security payments.

I know this for a fact, as despite 30 years and a wealth of experience in the workforce, I found myself on the scrap-heap at a tender 45 years of age. However, you can not let it get you down as, in my case, there was 3 teenage girls and a wonderful wife to support, a home mortgage to take care of, a motor vehicle to maintain, and endless bills to pay. Sound familiar to you?

This is where a Home Based Internet Business can provide much needed financial support and employment when you need it most. And your boss will not care how old (or young) you are, because the boss will be YOU!!!! Get up late, work in your pyjamas, go play golf. It will not matter because you will be working for yourself. Your Home Based Internet Business will not happen overnight, but careful planning will ultimately see you succeed and build the lifestyle you so richly deserve. Imagine, residual income being earned, even while you are away on vacation!

There is a multitude of Home Based Internet Business opportunities available world-wide, and you will find one that perfectly suits your level of interest and budget. But do not forget the Golden Rule. If it sounds too good to be true, then it generally is.

So whether you are 18 or 88, and are looking for part or full time income, take a serious look at starting up your very own Home Based Internet Business.

TODAY IS NOT TOO SOON TO START!

Yours In Business,

Kevin Hiscock

How to bet on the superbowl

Since the SuperBowl is the last game of the season you have an advantage that you do not have during the beginning of the season.

With 2 weeks to go till the SuperBowl we know that the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears will be the ones representing their divisions in the biggest game of the year.

Many people like to bet on sports to make them more exciting, and the SuperBowl is no exception. It is common for many offices to have a SuperBowl Pool, and it is very common for friends to bet on the outcome of the game with each other, it just increases the fun of watching the game, but how do you know who to bet your money on?

There is no guaranteed way to know who will win without cheating, but comparing the states can help in making an informed decision.

There are many things to take into account:

Some teams have a great passing game; some teams are strongest on the run, so you have to look at whom are they playing and what is there defense best against. If you have a team that has a great running back, and the defense is weak against the run then that is a definite advantage to the team that likes to run the football.

The location of the game is also important the SuperBowl is always played in a Domed stadium so the weather is not usually a major factor in the SuperBowl but, if the stadium has Astroturf as apposed to real grass then that can effect a team, lets say one team has turf in their home stadium and he other team has grass, then this can be an advantage to the team who has turf.

The physical and mental state of the players must also be taken into account before placing a bet on the SuperBowl or any sporting event. Come the playoffs many teams have players on the injured list, but many players will try to come back for the playoffs to help their team, but often this backfires because they may not be playing at 100% and can re-injure themselves so that they are playing hurt during the big game. This means they will not be playing at their best, and this gives an advantage to the opposite team.

The mental state of the players can affect a players even more then an injury can. If a player is playing hurt he still has his head in the game, but a player with marriage or financial problems is not concentrating on the game, they may be thinking of their own problems. This can cause a player to drop balls or make stupid mistakes.

After researching all these issues you will start to form a picture in your head of who is the better team going into the SuperBowl, and this will allow you to make an educated guess as to who will win. Remember this guide will only help improve your odds of winning they are not a guarantee that you will pick all the winners.

Sharpening your listening skills like a katana

Sharpening Your Listening Skills Like a Katana

A critical mandate of the leader is to perfect his listening skills. The step here is to modify your basic outlook during interaction. How magnificent the world might be if everyone shifted to superior levels of listening. What about you? As a leader do you have desire to become a more effective listener? Why not give it a go?

Following are ten tactics that can empower you as a better listener

1. Pay attention for ideas and central themes. Hunt for the speaker’s fundamental theme or main points instead of getting lost in, or reacting to, the minor details.

2. Judge substance, not delivery. Concentrate, to your best ability, on what the speaker is asserting and try not to be unduly influenced by his manner of saying it.

3. Explore for areas of interest. It is tremendously easy to tune out a speaker, so labor on sharing his or her enthusiasm. Doggedly search for new ideas or insights which might be advantageous to you.

4. Never jump to premature conclusions. It’s easy to presume that you know the rest of a sentence or message after hearing the beginning. Shun prejudging a message, so you can accept and evaluate all of it.

5. Take pointers, but adjust your evaluation to the speaker. While taking notes you hone your reception, comprehension, and, of course, retention of the data.

6. Focus and resist diversion. External distractions include impertinent occurrences you can see or hear, or which may be affecting your other senses. Internal distractions occur when your mind meanders into unrelated memories or shifts its focus to qualms, plans, or expectations.

7. Deploy the rapid pace of thought to your benefit. A good number of people can think four or five times faster than they speak. Never let your quick mind indulge in unrelated musings to the conversation. Capitalize on your thinking speed by actively collating, inferring, evaluating, and abbreviating the messages being received.

8. Verify your emotions. Everyone knows that the intellect is slave to emotions. Be receptive to things that trigger your emotions and amplify your efforts to focus on a clear reception and comprehension of what is being said.

9. Flex your mind. You can shun complicated or trying subjects, or you can intellectually grapple with byzantine information so that you will have a chance to mature.

10. Love listening! Be an active listener. Take to heart the aforementioned suggestions. Ask questions and request clarification. Actively share in the sender’s pains to improve your level of comprehension, whether or not you think you will consent.

Your pet s health protect your children

If we had to name two things children want, it could be easily covered under the titles, pets and toys. We all loved toys as children and still love our pets even as adults. Pets play an important role in their owners’ lives. Some pets have even been known to save lives and learn to dial 911 in an emergency. As companions, they provide us with warmth and friendship, as well as undying loyalty. Some pets have special training and can assist people with disabilities. Others are great hunters and protectors of our property and our families.

For a child, a pet means even more. For children, a pet represents many things. They learn about relationships, compassion, responsibility, love, and so much more. It is not impossible to raise a child without a pet, but their lives are greatly enhanced if they are allowed to have one.

No one can downplay the significance of owning a pet. The benefits far outweigh the pitfalls. However we have to know how to be safe when choosing a pet – especially when we have children. Not only do we have to choose the right pet for our family, we also must keep our pets in good health to protect others in our household. And, keeping a pet healthy can be expensive. Certain types of pets require more care than others and you should always consider whether or not you can afford not only the purchase of your pet, but also the ongoing care they will require.

However, your concern for your child’s health is directly related to your concern for their pet’s health. There are diseases that a child or even an adult can contract from pets. Keeping your pet healthy is very important to your child’s health.

Zoonotic diseases or Zoonosis are terms used to describe diseases that can be transferred from animals to humans. Normal contact with an animal or contact with an animal’s bodily fluids can result in the transfer of disease.

I don’t want to scare parents away from getting a pet for their child because as I said, the benefits of owning a pet far outweigh the dangers and drawbacks if you take the necessary precautions. Here are 10 tips you should follow when choosing a pet for your child.

1. Do not buy a pet from disreputable dealers who keep large numbers of animals caged together waiting to be sold.

2. Always check the facilities where the animal was kept while waiting to be sold. If the conditions there are bad, then likely the condition and the care of the animal prior to sale was likely bad also.

3. Find out what care has been provided to the animals, by a licensed Veterinarian, prior to being sold.

4. Read whatever tips you can find about the type of pet you are purchasing for your child. You should know any diseases that type of pet is known to be susceptible to. You should know all about the proper shelter, food, and care your child’s pet will require. Reading up on this prior to purchase is a good idea, so you will know what you are getting into.

5. Clean your pet’s shelter and make sure all feces are removed daily.

6. Make sure you have a qualified Veterinarian examine the pet before you hand it over to your child.

7. Bathe your child’s pet regularly. Keep in mind your child will be in constant contact with their pet. Whatever the pet gets into, your child gets into.

8. Make sure your children get into the habit of washing their hands every time they handle their pet.

9. Stay current with all vaccinations and checkups your Veterinarian recommends. If your pet seems ill, keep your child away from them until you can get them to a Veterinarian.

10. Teach your child how to handle your pet to avoid having it injure your child. Make sure they know not to squeeze it too tightly, pull on its extremities, agitate it, or tease it unnecessarily.

These 10 tips I am providing you are by no means all the things you need to be aware of. Specific types of pets have different rules you need to be aware of about handling and caring for them. You should include your child in the learning process where possible so they understand why those rules are necessary. Read up on the pet you are bringing into your home and spend time discussing your questions and concerns with your veterinarian.

I hope this article has been helpful to you as a parent. Remember, know what you are getting into before you choose a pet for your child. What you don’t know could cost you in more ways than one.

Why you need the flat iron sedu tourmaline

The sedu tourmaline iron is now the top choices of not only celebrities but also many average people around the world. The product itself is also being used frequently by thousands of men and women who take pride in their hair.

So what make the sedu tourmaline flat iron so good?

Well the tourmaline iron itself has the smoothest plates available on any hair iron so this will not only stop any pulling or breakage it will also prevent your hair turning dry and frizzy.

One of the best key features about the sedu tourmaline iron in my opinion is it has a temperature control button. The best thing about this feature is you can adjust it to the temperature that best suites your hair. This way you can guarantee your hair will retain its moisture and give it that perfect shine every time. It may take some using before you work out which temperature best suites your type of hair but you’ll find it sone enough.

Another great feature is it is equipped with an IDCI plug; this will eliminate any chances of you being electrocuted while in the process of giving your self that thousand-dollar hairstyle.

And the best part of all? It will only take you half the time that other hair irons take to do your hair.

Ok how does it work?

The secrets in its space age technology the actual ceramic plates are infused with a jewel called tourmaline. Now the negative ion and infrared heat sensor will really deliver what other flat irons cant. All this combined results in the product being light weight, safe and ready to use just about any where. Now before you rush out and buy one make sure you look around as I have found a lot of companies offer different length warranties “obversely you want the longer warrantee” so take your time. Ok if you’re after a hair iron that really delivers then this is it. I have not heard any bad reviews about it and if its good enough for Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie and Jennifer lopez well I’m sure you will be more than happy to have you very own celebrity hair style!!

The military life then and now

For many Americans, being a part of the military is the only way of life they’ve ever known. Generations of male family members, and now female as well, have been a member of the armed forces, living and moving around the globe from base to base. Others have joined for shorter terms; they’ve proudly enlisted to protect our country during a time of unrest, enrolled to obtain funding for education or simply wanted to gain experience to utilize in their futures. And although there was recent talk of reinstating the draft, we’ve avoided it so far. So currently, whatever the individual reason is, the choice to become a member of our prestigious military is a personal and optional one.

Today’s military is quite different than that of our fathers’, grandfathers’ and even those who went before them. It still entails a great deal of hard work, dedication and pride, however there are presently greater options for members of today’s armed forces. These include advancements in such areas as education, private-sector employment and of course, the decision to allow women to hold combat positions.

Housing has also advanced in leaps and bounds. The familiar barracks of the old days are quickly being replaced with full-featured ‘installations’ that include modern accommodations, sports arenas and other recreational opportunities on the grounds, as well as family support in the areas of counseling, education, medicine and more.

And although our military processes have come under quite a bit of scrutiny over the past few years, being a part of any of the five main sectors of the United States Armed Forces can provide a challenging and rewarding lifestyle. Whether it be the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force or Coast Guard, members can look forward to long or short-term careers with benefits that can last throughout their (and their family’s) lifetimes just for holding that veteran status.

Every opportunity has its pros and cons and life in the military is of course, no different. If you’re considering a new career direction or just want to learn more about it, there is an abundance of information available online to assist in making the best choice for you.

Choosing an embroidery digitizing company

When you go online to choose an embroidery digitizer, what do you use as a criterion?

There are many companies that advertise online as offering embroidery digitizing services. So many in fact, that you may find it difficult to decide on a company at first.

Currently, if you do a search on Google for embroidery digitizers, your search will return somewhere around 449,000 entries for this one subject. This number includes the sponsored links that come up. Though many would click first on one of the sponsored links, Google hasn't done any research on the company; the company has simply paid for advertising on Google.

Now, some of your results will be links to companies that sell embroidery digitizing software. If you have no interest in trying to digitize your own embroidery patterns, then you have no need for the links to the software companies. Ignoring those will bring down the number of companies that you will can consider when you choose an embroidery digitizing company.

Where you will want to start with your comparison of the embroidery digitizing companies is with the prices and the turnaround. Some companies will offer a fast turnaround (starting at 24 hours). Some will not advertise a turnaround at all for their embroidery digitizing services. You may need to email the company to find out what their turnaround rate is. Just because they don't advertise it on their website does not mean that it is going to be a longer turnaround time than some of the other companies that do advertise their turnaround time on their website.

The next place you will want to look is at how much the company is charging for their embroidery digitizing service. Prices can vary greatly, and you need to decide on what you feel is a fair price for you to pay. You will probably want to comparison shop to come up with the price you are willing to pay. In some cases, you may get a bulk discount. For example, if you have four images that you are wanting to have digitized into embroidery patterns, then the company may give you a discount for having them do all four of the patterns.

The final thing you will want to look at when choosing an embroidery digitizing company is at the quality of their work. Most companies have examples of the items they have digitized on their website. If their examples aren't up to the standards you want for your digitized embroidery pattern, then you should probably look at a different embroidery digitizing company to digitize your embroidery pattern.

Keep in mind, once you decide on the company that you are going to use for your current project, you may still want to comparison shop each time that you have another embroidery pattern digitized.

What the secret teachers did not tell you about manifesting

As more and more people are getting interested in the law of attraction there are an increasing number of people who doubt that it works. Someone asked me recently, “Is this law of attraction thing a joke?” No it’s not a joke, it is one of several Universal laws which help to create a great balance.

But, with so many people having difficulty in getting success with the law of attraction I could see much more clearly how misleading “the secret” movie has been. If it is not misleading to you then for others it has fallen short of revealing the true secrets to manifesting.

The secret movie tells you do visualize and feel that you already have the thing that you want and then take right action and you will get it.

In reality there is a right way to visualizing and a wrong way to visualize. Fewer than one percent of people know how to properly visualize. Second of all most people do not know the right state of mind which you absolutely must enter in order to make rapid changes. Without the perfect mental state you simply won’t get the success that you are after.

Although the movie stress positive thinking few people understand the deeper reason for positive thinking.

Both positive thinking and visualization have their base in thought. It is important to understand the nature of thought first. If you understand thought at its tiniest level you will quickly come to understand how to best work with thought to willfully direct it to manifest exactly what you want.

The law of attraction requires that you understand what thought is and how to direct thought across space and time to bring to you what you want.

Many people come upon various block in applying the law of attraction to their lives. You can find many tools and teaching that will instruct you on just how to get rid of one problem or anther which holds you back from manifesting what you want. However I have found that the most powerful techniques are those found in old esoteric teachings.

Many years ago when the science of thought was being taught the teachings were simple and the emphasis was placed on the practices and development. The teachings were straight forward. Many of those ancient teachings would do well for today in helping others to stay simple and work on the developmental part of attracting.

You have to ask yourself how willing are you to take the steps necessary to master tried and true teachings to manifest what you want? Are you ready to give up and disbelieve, or are you willing to believe that there are a few things which you must learn in order to truly master the law of attraction?

Search engine optimization- the truth

Search engine optimization is the process of achieving top rankings in the search engines for a website's most relevant search terms. The most relevant search terms are the phrases that people are most likely to type into a search engine when looking for what the website has to offer. These are the search terms that it is essential to rank highly for, and these are the search terms that search engine optimization targets.

Search engine optimization is a constantly changing field. Knowledge and details play a huge role. An SEO professional determines what the search engines algorithmic variables are. The website is engineered so that it can be crawled and indexed for later retrieval. This is done in a fashion that makes it easier for the search engine to determine what search terms the web page is relevant for. Sounds simple right?

The main challenge of an SEO professional is to effectively aid both the search engine and the company whose website they are optimizing for in returning relevant results. Relevant results equal targeted traffic. Targeted traffic, simply put, increases a company's return on investment. It is incumbent upon the SEO professional to stay abreast of the latest changes in the search engine algorithms.

All a person needs to do is figure out the algorithm and essentially, a person can engineer a page to be the most relevant and top returned page for any term searched for.

The Steps”

1. Select your main search terms.

2. Allocate each search term to a suitable existing page. Split some pages if necessary.

3. Organize the internal linkages and link text to suit the target search terms and their pages.

4. If possible, organize links from other sites to suit the target search terms and their pages.

5. Organize all the on-page elements to suit each page's target search term.

6. Sit back and watch your rankings improve!

Here's the catch...

When a person is able to break down this process into one hundred simple, easy to maneuver variables, and given the competitive marketplace, and the obvious advantages that high search engine rankings can supply to a company, it invites abuse otherwise known as search engine spamming. The shady website optimizer is able to manipulate and affect the core virtue of what a search engine company stands for, that being the return of relevant search results.

The reason Google is able to maintain and improve upon its search results relevancy, is that they closely guard their algorithm and PageRank™ formula along with changing the variables often. This results in a constant state of flux between search engine optimizers and the search engines themselves.

In a perfect world, companies like Google would be able to freely give away the variables in its algorithm and work in harmony with SEO professionals in an effort to bring optimal results to all search engine users. There is too much at stake and a top ranking for a given search term can mean the difference between a highly successful company and a complete failure. This is what fuels the corruption and deceptive practices that many spammers employ. This breeds intense competition between the forces of legitimate optimization and those who are bent on deception.

SEO Takes TIME!

SEO's timeframe depends on a number of factors. Part of this involves the accuracy of keyword phrase choices: is the keyword phrase one your visitors would use to find your product or website? If your keyword phrases are targeted to your audience, you will gain optimum results. Did you use Paid Inclusion (PFI) and/or PPC (Pay Per Click) services? The best combination for success involves using a combination of SEO, Paid Inclusion and PPC services. If you do not use Paid Inclusion or PPC, using organic SEO only, it takes more time to achieve results.

Fast loading website how to

Are you interested in getting your website to load in the browser quickly? In case you have a personal website for hobby sake, it may be no big deal but if you are responsible for a corporate website attracting customers, this can be tremendously important. If the homepage takes forever to load into the browser, you may be losing out on crucial business. The only solution is to design the page again so that visitors or customers who open it stay there.

We need to understand that not every internet connection works on Cable, T1 or ISDN. A major number of surfers in the world still use modems today (normally 56.6Kbps). Therefore it is imperative that the site design should take into consideration that it should load quickly on a low speed internet connection.

Design parameters that have to be kept in mind are very simple:

Loading time depends upon the size (disk size) of the page. More space is occupied when you integrate images and multimedia content. The bigger the size, the larger the bandwidth required assuming that the loading time is constant. Multimedia files containing sound (.wav) occupy a lot of space (for example, a sound clip of 30 seconds occupies about 140KB). Video content is more taxing (at least 1MB). This content should be weeded out of the home page unless you feel that it can make or break your website. If you feel that you should keep these, make sure the page sizes are around 30-40K. Or you could put them on another page linked form your homepage.

Images can also get very large in size, especially if they are of high resolution. Keep the image size as small as possible. A page with a 600X600 image would take a long time to load. Image size depends upon the size. They can also be compressed using certain utilities available free on the internet.

Try and use images that you have used on your homepage, on the other pages also instead of changing them. When the images are opened for the first time, they are stored in the browsers cache, and subsequently loaded from there. This will fasten the loading process immensely.

Another way to load images quickly is by defining the image dimensions in the image tags. By this, the browser understands the amount of space required for the image and it does not need to readjust text and other content after loading the image. This will also prevent page jumping during the image loading process.

The home page should be short and descriptive. The longer the page more is the time taken to load. All extra information can be moved to subsequent pages and linked to the homepage. This will also help organizing the website better.

Air purifier - how to tell if yours is any good

These days it seems that everyone is gung ho about air purification systems. People with allergies, people with asthma and people who are just cleanliness freaks. It doesn't matter how often you dust the furniture, mop the floors, vacuum the rugs or change the bed sheets, your home just isn't really clean unless you have an air purification system.

But just how effective are these systems and are they all the same?

The answer may or may not surprise you. The truth is, not all air purification systems are the same. Some work well, some not so well, so the problem that most consumers face is how to tell if the air purification system they want to buy is the best one or for that matter, any good at all. Well, there are two ways to go about doing this.

The first way, and probably the most accurate is to first get yourself an in-home allergen tester. You can buy one of these things in just about any Sears store. Basically, the way these gadgets work is by measuring the levels of the eight most common allergens in your home. The process though isn't as simple as it sounds. Most require you to hook up the device to a vacuum cleaner which collects the allergens. After that you then have to mail the bag to the lab for them to test. You would do this before buying your air purifier. Then the next step in determining if the air purifier you want to get is doing a substantial job is by buying one on the condition that if you're not satisfied, you can return it. Most places will give you 30 days to try one out. You then take the purifier home, run it for the amount of time it says is required to make a difference and then rerun the allergen test. Send the next sample to the lab for testing and they will then be able to tell you the effectiveness of the unit you purchased. You can then decide if you want to keep the unit.

Sounds like a lot of work, doesn't it? Well, there is an easier way. Fortunately, there are independent companies that run tests on these air purifiers. You can easily find one on the Internet. While this does require you to take THEIR word for the findings, it certainly is a lot easier and quicker than going through the procedure above.

If you should go to one of these sites, what you will normally find is a chart with the following pieces of information. You'll see the lab where the test was done, the air purifier that the tests were performed on, the country where it was tested, the type of allergen tests that were done, and most importantly, the percentage of reduction. This is basically the bottom line. If you read these results you will notice that none are more than 99% reduction. This is because we don't live in a bubble and it just isn't physically possible to get rid of all the allergens, but 99% is very good.

Of course that all depends on whether or not you believe these results. Unfortunately, only your nose will know.

Wedding ceremony music

Music is an essential part of our daily lives, and it has the power to make your wedding ceremony a truly special occasion. Because so much depends on the music, you have to make sure you plan it carefully. The music you chose can make or break your event.

When choosing your wedding ceremony music, be sure you select music that corresponds with the formality of the wedding. Among other things, keep in mind the religious affiliation, and the length of the ceremony when planning the music. If you ceremony is held in a church, you can expect help from the church organist. Before you finalize your wedding ceremony music, there are a few important issues to consider.

3 Common Musical Categories

Classical – This genre of music conforms to an established form and appeals to critical interest and developed musical taste.

Examples of classical wedding music are:

"Canon in D" (Johann Pachelbel)

"Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin" (Richard Wagner) (also known as "Here Comes the Bride")

"Air" (from Water Music Suite), (George Frederic Handel)

"The Prince of Denmark's March" (Trumpet Voluntary in D major) (Jeremiah Clarke) "Guitar Concerto in D Major", Largo, (Antonio Vivaldi)

"Coronation March for Czar Alexander III" (Peter I. Tchaikovsky)

"Overture" (from Royal Fireworks Music), (George Frederic Handel)

"Promenade" (from Pictures at an Exhibition), (Modest Mussorgsky)

"Sinfonia" (from Cantata No. 156), (Johann Sebastian. Bach)

"Cantata No.29" (Johann Sebastian Bach)

"Prelude and Fugue in C" (Johann Sebastian Bach)

"Toccata" (from L'Orfeo), (Claudio Monteverdi)

"Romance from String Quartet" (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

"Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major" ("Elvira Madigan") (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

"Trumpet Tune in A-Major" (David N. Johnson)

"A Midsummer Night's Dream, incidental music, Op. 61 Wedding March" (Felix Mendelssohn)

"Winter," Largo or "Spring" Allegro (from The Four Seasons), (Antonio Vivaldi)

Sacred – Sacred music is dedicated to religious themes and symbols. It is music considered worthy of religious ceremony. Schedule a time to meet with the church organist before you begin selecting your ceremony music. Beware that some churches have very firm rules on what music is used in liturgical settings. The church organist should be well qualified to help you in selecting your wedding ceremony music.

Secular – Secular music is dedicated to non-religious subject matter. It is not necessarily forbidden during religious service, but you have to confirm with your house of worship that your chosen music is approved.

Examples of secular wedding music are:

"At Last" (Etta James)

"Only Time" (Enya)

"Come Away With Me" (Norah Jones)

"Appalachia Waltz" (Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Mark O'Connor)

"Unforgettable" (Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole)

"It's Only Time" (Magnetic Fields)

"The Look of Love" (Dionne Warwick/Burt Bacharach)

"The Vow" (Jeremy Lubbock)

"Come What May" (Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor)

"Storybook Love" from the movie "The Princess Bride" (Willy DeVille)

"Wedding Processional" (from The Sound of Music) (Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein)

"Can't help falling in love" (Elvis Presley)

"What A Wonderful World" (Louis Armstrong)

"When I'm Sixty-Four" (The Beatles)

Las vegas weddings at lake mead

If you are planning a wedding in Las Vegas, you may want to consider getting married at Lake Mead. There are several options to choose from if you would like to get married at this famous man made lake.

Lake Mead Cruises offers wedding packages that take place aboard their Mississippi style paddlewheel boats. The Desert Princess is the larger of the two boats they have available. It features two enclosed decks and an open air deck. This boat can accommodate groups of up to 250. The Desert Princess Too is available for groups of 75 or less.

Ceremonies can be performed on the top deck of the boat with the beauty of Lake Mead creating the perfect setting for your wedding. Packages include a wedding cake, champagne toast, and up to three hours of cruise time on the lake. You can also purchase additional time if you want your reception to last longer. Some packages even include keepsake boarding photos which would make great wedding favors for your guests. Hors d’oeuvres or sit down dinner receptions can be arranged and several bar packages are offered. Their menu offers you the choice of salmon, chicken, prime rib, or pasta entrees which are accompanied with salad, bread, and side dishes such as rice pilaf and vegetables.

Lake Mead Cruises can help you arrange entertainment for your wedding. They also provide a list of vendors for the services that do not come with their packages such as the minister, florist, and photographer. Package prices are more expensive on Fridays and Saturdays.

Another option they offer, rather than chartering the whole boat for your wedding and reception, is to have the ceremony on the top deck prior to one of their scheduled cruises leaving. You can then pay the regular per person rate for you and your guests to join the cruise after the ceremony if you’d like. Champagne brunch, mid-day, early dinner, and dinner and dance cruises are all offered. Rates for this run about $20-$60 a person depending on the cruise and group discounts that are offered.

If you don’t want to get married on a boat, you can still enjoy the scenery of Lake Mead by getting married in a park in Boulder City that overlooks the lake. The-Wedding-Company. com is a Boulder City, Nevada based company that provides this wedding package. The package also comes with a bouquet and boutonniere, photography, transportation, music, wedding cake, and a minister to perform a civil, religious, or renewal ceremony.

Lake Mead is a fantastic place to have a wedding. It really is an oasis in the desert and is quite impressive when you consider that just decades ago, this enormous lake was nothing but desert.

Gone too soon - kids murdered in a senseless rage

It’s been over 4 yrs since Daniel (age 12) and Chante (8) were snatched from our lives.

Gone too soon…. I still can’t believe they are gone. What happened to them only happens to other people, or on the news. It’s never ever so close, never so real. This time the news was personal. It was too real.

It was Memorial Day 2002. We had gone to Delaware to visit family for the holidays. I rose early that morning at about 3am, woke my husband up and said, “Boo, I don’t feel right and I think we need to get on the road”. It was a strange ride home. We hit Route 13 sometime between 4 and 5am that morning. No radio, no CD’s, just complete silence. I even drove and if you knew me, you’d know how much I try to avoid long distance driving. But this morning was different. There was a sense of urgency in my spirit. Something wasn’t right. We arrived home, went to work and went on with our normal daily routine. No news, no TV, no radio. As I look back now, that was very strange because I normally wake up to Wavy TV 10 with Don Roberts, But not this day.

After work I sat at the dining room table going over our household bills.

Then the phone rang.

“Hello.”

“They’re gone.”

“What?”

“They’re gone.”

“What are you talking about and who is this?”

“It’s Liz, the kids are gone Nicole, Cedric killed them.”

“Girl, stop playing, what are you talking about?”

“They’re gone, Nicole, they’re gone”

“Where are you?”

“At Mom’s.”

“Here I come.”

Liz’s mother Maria got on the phone and proceeded to tell me what had happened.

“Please come, she needs you.”

I yelled up the steps to Jerry, “Come on, Liz said Cedric killed the kids.”

This began a nightmare for me; but it could not compare to what Liz was going through, which could be described as a torturous, slow daily death. She was experiencing something so painful, yet numbing at the same time. Her heart was completely broken. You often hear and wonder about the expression “broken heart”, but I can attest that Liz’s heart was completely shattered…and there was nothing I could do but pray.

Somebody please wake me up. Please wake Liz up; this has to be a bad nightmare.

But we never woke up because it wasn’t a nightmare; it was real. Liz and I have been friends for 10 years now. We worked together and our families got together for cookouts, birthdays and holidays. Daniel and Chante were friends with our children.

We babysat for each other and our husbands were friends as well. Chante adored Felicia (my daughter). When Felicia was born I think Chante thought she was a doll. The way she would hold her when she was an infant was priceless. Tevan (my son) and Daniel went to the same school and were in the same grade. We lived just 5 minutes from each other. A month before this tragedy we celebrated Chante & Felicia’s birthdays. (Both of the girls were born in April.)

“He had to be a monster.” “He didn’t love those kids.” “He was no good.”

Those were some of the things that people would say after they heard what Cedric did to the kids. I would often overhear people say things in a store, in church or on my job since this story was in the headlines for quite some time both in the newspaper and on TV. “Double Homicide - Suicide” and “Man Kills Kids and Himself” were the headlines. But to me he was the complete opposite. He was a good provider and loved his children. He was fun; he had a good heart and would give his last dollar to help if he knew someone was in need. Whenever my family needed help he was there. He looked out for us. I can remember midnight trips he made to our home if our heat was not working or something needed to be fixed. He was not going to have the kids in the cold.

“I don’t care if you are in the cold Nicole, just the kids,” he would joke. He was like a big brother, always looking out for me, especially when my husband was out to sea.

I never knew the secret that Liz was hiding. And I thought I knew her so well. But she was like many women that are being abused. Most people never know. She knew how to hide it, how to cover it up and go on with her life - protecting her secret. Liz was being physically abused and she got fed up. She was going to leave him and he was not having it. He snapped.

I remember taking the rest of the week off to be with Liz. Being by her side was so very hard. I wanted to grieve. I wanted to mourn, but it wasn’t about me. When she was weak I had to be strong.

Liz donated Chante’s organs to Life-Net. She asked me to go with her to say goodbye to “Tae”. We walked into the hospital room and it looked as if she was alive. She was hooked up to the machines that kept her organs functioning. Her chest was going up and down. For a brief moment I thought she was alive. But she was gone. Just 8 yrs old. She lay there so beautiful, with her head wrapped up to hide the bullet hole.

I felt my knees wobble. But I had to keep it together. “Look at her nails Nicole, she had just painted them.” Liz was staring at her daughter’s fingernails.

“What do I say, what do I do?” I thought. Nothing – let her be. The nurse came in and said they were about to take her body down. They gave Liz a few more minutes to say goodbye.

“Liz, I will leave you here to be with Tae.”

“ No, please stay with me.”

I wanted to throw up, I wanted to scream, and I wanted to run. But again, it was not about me.

“Bye Baby, I love you, and I’m sorry.”

She kissed her, I kissed her, and we walked out.

There were no words from my friend until she said, “let’s go see him.”

At this time Cedric was laying in a coma at the hospital next door.

After he shot the kids he turned the gun on himself, but he didn’t die instantly. He stayed in the coma for almost a week before dying. Some say God didn’t allow him to die right away in order to give him time to repent for what he had done. Only God knows what took place during the time he was in the coma. I remember the day as if it were yesterday. He was in the bed lifeless. He was there, but not really there. But I knew he heard us. He knew we were there.

“They’re Gone, Cedric,” Liz said quietly while holding his hand.

“Do you hear me?” The words came in a whisper, tears streaming down her face.

“Daniel and Chante are both dead. Why?”

His finger moved.

We asked the nurse if he could hear, and she said no. But I know he heard her.

Daniel & Chante were buried one week and Cedric the next. These were senseless killings committed in a state of rage, a state of insanity. Years ago you couldn’t pay me to believe in temporary insanity but today I know it to be true. I believe Cedric lost his mind for a brief period and when he got it back it was too late. That’s just my opinion based on what we knew of him, or at least what we thought we knew. We all have thoughts in our minds; we all have the “mind chatter” and “the voices”. I believe that night that Cedric couldn’t stop the “voices”; he couldn’t turn the “chatter” off. There was no peace, nothing to overpower the evil that took place that night.

When we complain about the little things or sweat the small stuff like bills, kids not doing chores, bad hair days, the rain, kids getting in trouble etc, we should remember Liz and her daily struggles. She would give it all up in order to yell at Daniel today about his chores not being done or Chante not doing her homework. But that’s not possible. They are gone, never to return. There is not a day that goes by that she doesn’t think about her kids and her former husband. There will always be emptiness in her heart and an inconsolable yearning for her children.

Liz’s advice:

Take nothing and no one for granted. Tomorrow truly is not promised to us.

If you are in an abusive relationship tell someone that you trust and get out.

Contact a helpline, or your local YWCA.

ywca. org

ywca-shr. org

Today, Daniel would have been 17 and Chante would have been 12.

The real steal - credit card loss protection offers

"I got a call from a woman who said I need credit card loss protection insurance. I thought there was a law that limited my liability to $50 for unauthorized charges. But she said the law had changed and that now, people are liable for all unauthorized charges on their account. Is that true?"

Don't buy the pitch - and don't buy the "loss protection" insurance.

Telephone scam artists are lying to get people to buy worthless credit card loss protection and insurance programs. If you didn't authorize a charge, don't pay it. Follow your credit card issuer's procedures for disputing charges you haven't authorized. According to the Federal Trade Commission, your liability for unauthorized charges is limited to $50.

The FTC says worthless credit card loss protection offers are popular among fraudulent promoters who are trying to exploit consumers' uncertainty. As a result, the agency is cautioning consumers to avoid doing business with callers who claim that:

• you're liable for more than $50 in unauthorized charges on your credit card account;

• you need credit card loss protection because computer hackers can access your credit card number and charge thousands of dollars to your account;

• a computer bug could make it easy for thieves to place unauthorized charges on your credit card account; and

• they're from "the security department" and want to activate the protection feature on your credit card.

The FTC advises consumers not to give out personal information - including their credit card or bank account numbers - over the phone or online unless they are familiar with the business that's asking for it. Scam artists can use your personal information to commit fraud, such as identity theft.

That's where someone uses some piece of your personal information, such as your credit card account number, Social Security number, mother's maiden name, or birth date, without your knowledge or permission to commit fraud or theft. An all-too-common example is when an identity thief uses your personal information to open a credit card account in your name.

Be smart and learn what you are personally responsible for. Protect your credit cards and your identity.

Emergency hybrid response vehicles

Quite often when people have not yet shown an overwhelming interest in something, the government will provide a little push to get them started. For example, to get a program rolling, the government buys a million emergency hybrid response vehicles. Now, every city in America gets to participate in the experiment. Next, the manufacturer generates a promotional campaign based on their product and a strong concern for safety. Where better to present this than to the huge post 911 forum of emergency responders? With a little luck this campaign takes on homeland security proportions and becomes a great success. It’s all about putting the idea out in the public eye.

The term emergency hybrid response vehicle is already a hodgepodge. You can bet that to the corporate geniuses who put the buzz words together, they are worth billions of dollars, but what do they really mean? Webster says ‘Hybrid’ means “an offspring of genetically different parents” – fair enough. That explains the strangeness of terminology. Of course, to respond to something is to take appropriate action, the point being just that – a response rather than knee-jerk reaction.

Emergency responders have a hundred years of experience dealing with accidents pertaining to internal combustion. Accidents within the hybrid arena can involve high voltage, potential explosions and hydrogen handling issues. This gives them a practical heads-up on dealing with the new technology and points to the future trends being promoted.

But why choose the emergency vehicle to promote hybrid response? Well, petro-chemical fueled vehicles, emergency generators and alternate electric powered devices, still need a fuel source and are subject to supply limitations whenever disruptions to the distribution chain occur. This happened after hurricane Katrina and threatens to happen whenever Middle East unrest stirs world market fears. Hydrogen fuel is easily produced. We’re now another step closer to understanding emergency hybrid response vehicles.

The crystal ball says that emergency hybrid response vehicles are here to stay. The technology still has major glitches but it must be getting close. As a side note, you can bet the military budgets will soon allocate funds for a whole bunch of emergency hybrid response vehicles. Let’s see what happens when the gas prices soar and oil supply lines ultimately dry up. At least the emergency hybrid response vehicles will be out on the roadways!