Whats new in bodybuiding

Try Some Rubbers To Make You A Man Of Steel.

No I don't mean like that. I mean build some rock hard muscles.

Working out in the gym is great for building strength and muscle. Heavy iron is responsible for some of the best physiques of all time.

But there is another way to pack on solid rippling flesh.

Most of us have owned Chest Expanders/Bullworkers with steel springs at one time or another and had great results from them. Then one day we go to the gym and see everyone working out with iron and think "that is the 'only' way to do it".

Nowadays you can get chest expanders with rubber strands instead of steel. These have fewer disadvantages (i. e. pinched chest hairs) and are lighter.

Many of the old time strongmen performed feats of strength and set records for strand pulling.

Exercising with traditional weights, the resistance is the same throughout the exercise but, with springs and strands the resistance increases as it stretches.

This will work the muscles in a totally different way, starting with very low resistance and increasing as you get to your strongest point.

Want To Add A New Twist?

How about a few sets of slow motion exercises. These can be done with iron or strands.

You will need to reduce your regular resistance by at least 30%. Now do the exercise in slow motion so that it takes 10 seconds to lift the weight and 5 to lower it again. Aim for 3 sets of 8 reps, each to total failure.

When I say total failure I mean it. If you can finish a rep it is not total failure. Total failure is when you get part way through a rep and can not go any further. At failure point do not just stop, try for 4 seconds more to move the resistance before slowly lowering back to starting point.

If you can complete 3 sets of 8 reps then it is time to increase the resistance by 10%. If you can not complete the first set of eight in slow motion educe the weight so you can do at least 2 of the 3 sets for eight reps.

Do the exercise in perfect form without using any other cheating moves, if you do a curl, just use your biceps, not your hips or back.

You can perform many exercises with a set of strands and keep in shape when you can not get out to the gym.

With a little imagination you can do a variety of exercises in addition to the standard chest pulls.

You can put one foot in one of the handles to do one arm curls or upright rowing.

You can hold a handle behind your back and do overhead presses or tricep extensions.

Hold a handle by your abs to do lateral side raises.

Now There Is A New Kid On The Block And The Name Is Bodylastics.

Bodylastics are different sized rubber strands of varying resistance and you can exercise each body part with any resistance.

They come with, a door anchor that can be used on most doors at any height, 2 hand grips and 2 ankle straps.

With a little thought you can emulate any exercise you can do in the gym (and a few you can't). The Bodylastics website shows 140 different exercises.

What about the times when you cant get to the gym? Bodylastics are light at less than 2 pounds weight and can easily be packed in your hand luggage when travelling.

Bodylastics absolutely works. After only a few short weeks of using Bodylastics you will discover improvements in muscle building, toning, posture and confidence.

As with any new program it is recommended that you start slowly and build up gradually as you gain experience. Even Arnold had to start with low weights and learn from more experienced bodybuilders.

This article is provided as entertainment and no responsibility can be taken for loss or injuries incurred during physical exercise. If you have not undertaken any form of exercise for a while, please consult your doctor before starting any new exercise program.

Fitness is not a competition with anyone else. It is just for you, so find what you enjoy and go have some fun.

Are you destined to succeed in the business world

The work at home industry is comprised of two types of people.

The first group want to work at home so they can wake late, work in their PJs, and watch their favorite soap. These people may have succeeded in the corporate world, or in a regular job. They may be university graduates. They are just looking for an easier way to live their lives.

These are societies adventurers. They are separated from the ‘lazy’ segment of society by the fact that they work much harder at making their ‘get rich easily’ schemes work than most CEOs work at making corporate America work.

These people are often seen as dreamers. Their motivation may to stay at home and raise the children, get out of the rat race, build multiple streams of income, start building wealth by investing, or to do a better job than their boss did. However, their drive is to succeed.

The second group are innovators.

Innovators come from two places. They may be part of the newly defined Indigo personality type. These people may, or may not be geniuses. They help others, and often self destruct because they were forced to fit into the 4 main personality types, living in a cubical, and forced to maintain the status quo.

The second type of Innovator may, or may not, be a genius. In fact, they probably have never been tested. They just know that they are trapped in the corporate world. They probably have not reached a level of success that challenges their capabilities – but one, or more, managers have launched their careers by stealing this innovator’s ideas. When there is a deadline, or problem, this innovator is forced to solve it – and they do.

Where to You Fit?

Women have a harder time determining where they fit in this scheme then men. A man works from home and he is left alone for most of the day. However, women are often expected to take on the housework, run errands, and stop working when the family arrives home at night.

I am mentioning this because these things must be addressed before the woman leaves the workforce. Statistics have proven that even a simple task like ‘throwing a load of laundry in’ can substantially tip the balance between success and failure.

Men have their own problems to face. The number one mistake they make is asking their wives to work as secretaries. Wives rarely have the skills, or motivation, needed to succeed. If they did, they’d be in the workforce. Do yourself a favor and either do your own paperwork – or hire a ‘real’ secretary – a skilled worker.

The odds are, if you see yourself in one of the top categories then you will make an excellent, and successful entrepreneur.

If you fit into the first category, then you probably do not have the management skills needed to succeed, but now that you are aware of that drawback, you can remedy it easily.

People who fit into the second category can easily succeed, but they may find themselves trying to diversify too much.

A good manager starts any endeavor by focusing on themselves first. Measure your own strengths and weaknesses and find a business that ‘fits’ your skills, drive, and personality.

Improving indoor air quality

Stepping out for some air could be a better idea than you might think. According to the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, scientific evidence indicates that air in homes can be more seriously polluted than outdoor air. Considering that most Americans spend up to 90 percent of each day indoors-more than half of that time at home-you may be experiencing indoor air pollution without even knowing it.

Fortunately, many heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) manufacturers recognize the health risks posed by mold, pollen, bacteria and other pollut-ants and offer a variety of products designed to minimize these risks and improve indoor air quality (IAQ.) Here's a closer look:

New Innovations

Rx technology introduced by York®, a Johnson Controls Company, represents one of the most innovative advances in IAQ products. Rx technology equips all York Affinity™ air handlers with a unique MicroBlue™ coating that helps the coils inside the units resist standing water and microbes. This coating also helps to prevent the gym locker smell or "Dirty Sock Syndrome" that seems to afflict some heat pumps that operate in hot, humid conditions.

Bring Fresh Air In

Consumers can find a full line of IAQ products through the York Total Comfort Systems. The line's ventilation systems, for example, include a choice of air-to-air exchangers. Both the heat recovery ventilator and the energy recovery ventilator allow homeowners to manually or automatically adjust fresh airflow, as they replace a portion of stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air. The units also retain energy used to heat or cool the home, saving homeowners money on utility bills.

Let There Be Light

Ultraviolet (UV) air treatment systems cast UV energy on cooling system components to prevent the growth of mold spores and reduce allergic reactions. Additionally, electronic and media air cleaners remove up to 94 percent of the dust, pollen, pet dander, plant spores, fungi, bacteria, tobacco smoke and other small particles that also cause allergic reactions and affect IAQ.

Control Humidity

Finally, whole-house humidifiers let homeowners control indoor humidity levels. Restoring humidity in the home returns moisture to furniture and woodwork, makes it easier to breathe the air and helps ensure maximum comfort to occupants.

Healthy skin care education in 3 easy steps

Most people are self conscious about their skin. Everyone wants their skin to look young and healthy, and will go to many lengths to protect our skin from anything in the environment that could harm it. Our skin is the largest organ in, or on, our body. It performs many functions, primarily serving as protections against foreign substances entering out body. It also serves as a transfer point for the release of toxins from our body, and keeps water inside, inside. These are just some of the reasons our skin needs to be protected and cared for. Everyone wants to obtain the flawless skin of today's models and celebrities, and here are some ways that you can achieve just that.

Tip #1

Many experts say that exfoliating your skin is another great way to attain a beautiful skin. So, try to invest in a good body exfoliant or “loofah”, as it is commonly called, as it is capable of eliminating the dead skin cells from your body. Accordingly, this should be done once or twice a week so to free the skin to breathe. What's more, exfoliants help to prevent ingrown hair from developing.

However, it is necessary to avoid using any body exfoliant on the skin on the face. The main reason for this precaution is that the facial tissue is more sensitive and finer than those tissues of the body.

Tip#2

Something you might not have considered to be beneficial to your skin, yet is key to maintain a healthy glow is drink lots of water. It is often said that the simplest way to clear and supple skin that is no longer dry is to drink plenty of water. Water has long been considered as the most effective natural treatment or an almost free treatment for any skin condition because of its being alkaline, with pH 7.3. It prevents dehydration which is capable of producing sebum or oil from the sebaceous glands. Your skin needs water in order for it to function best, thus doctors and nutritionists recommend that a daily intake of between 6 to 8 glasses of water per day is highly needed.

Tip#3

To maintain and achieve healthier skin you should also watch your diet. Nutrition plays a vital role in skin health too. Specific foods such as those acidic foods and dairy products are said to be potent in causing an allergic reaction in some people. Also, one of the widely debated topics in the area of nutrition today is chocolates. Some say that chocolate does affect the condition of the skin, while others say it doesn't. Whatever the result may be, the best recommendation is just to follow a nutritious diet that has a number of fresh fruits and green-leafy veggies, as well as fiber.

Ways in which individuals with poor credit can obtain financing

Poor credit is an issue that plagues many individuals. There are a large number of people who find that their credit is less than satisfactory. Those who experience this problem may be concerned that they will be unable to obtain future loans if a poor credit history is a part of their record. This is not the case and there are many different ways in which individuals experiencing bad credit can obtain financing for a variety of different reasons.

Special Auto Financing

For those individuals who are looking for a poor credit car loan, this is a distinct possibility, as there are lenders who offer special auto financing for those who have poor credit history. Poor credit auto financing is something which individuals looking to buy a new car may be able to receive. The benefit which the lender receives from this relationship is higher interest rates paid by the borrower. However, even though the individual may have to pay a higher interest rate on auto loans than their perfect credit counterparts, they will be able to do so on a monthly basis and have the luxury of transportation while doing so.

Poor Credit Home Loans

Individuals with poor credit may also be able to obtain home loans. One will find that they may be able to obtain a mortgage with poor credit history from a lender who deals with similar individuals on a daily basis. There are lenders who specialize in home loans for individuals with bad credit and one will find a number of options when looking to obtain a home loan with their credit history in mind.

Poor Credit Personal Loan

An individual who has a poor credit history yet wishes to obtain a loan may just be able to do so. As with auto financing and mortgage lenders, there are also financial institutions that will issue poor credit personal loans to borrowers. Those individuals who may not have the best credit possible may still be able to obtain loans, poor credit aside. Individuals of all income levels and credit standings need personal loans for a variety of reasons such as children’s college education and home improvements. This is why the financial institutions may offer a type of poor credit personal loan. These loans may have a higher interest rate and stricter terms yet it allows the individual to gain access to money which they may not have had otherwise.

Conclusion

Poor credit is something that plagues individuals from time to time. It is important to keep in mind that although poor credit can have negative connotations it does not have to paralyze the obtaining of loans. Poor credit is not a problem without solutions and individuals can find ways around their poor credit history if they inquire with lenders who specialize in providing poor credit loans to those individuals who really need them.

Addressing anger management for kids in creative ways

It can be easy to loose your patience when dealing with an especially unruly or angry child, but in doing so you are really just reinforcing the child's angry behavior. You can use some fun ways to get the child to see the excessive nature of their own anger, instead of reacting with anger

Although in especially heated situations this may be a struggle, the faster you can get the child to release their anger, the quicker you can diffuse the situation and have an efficient conversation. Contrary to anger management for adults, anger management for kids is less restrictive. With Kids, it is possible to use more imaginative techniques.

First step: Point Out the Obvious

If your child is reacting in a ridiculously angry way, point it out calmly. You should not tease your child about it, but make them understand how silly it is to rave and rant. Pretend their words are blowing you over or make an exaggerated face of surprise in return. Make your message clear, but your reaction light hearted. Because kids don't have the same social experience as adults to pick up on small nuances, you don't need to be subtle in addressing anger management for kids. If their anger doesn't break down yours, you will be able to break down the walls the child has erected around their emotions.

Second step: Create Space

If the child is still not responding to your efforts even if you've reacted light-heartedly and calmly, there is no harm in expressing your inability to deal with the child in their angry state, and then just walking away. If the child runs screaming after you after using this technique, calmly remind he or she that you can only speak with them when they have calmed down, and do not react to them until their anger has subsided. You'll know that you have been effective in driving home your message if the child understands that they have to work past their anger in order to get your attention. If you are consistent in your message, the child will learn quickly how to cope with his or her own anger.

If you can remember how frustrating it felt to be a child and to want to be heard, you'll hold the key to anger management for kids. In the case of anger management for kids, it is less a symptom of underdevelopment, as it may be in adults, and more a lesson that has not yet been learned. The best teachers are not necessarily the strictest. When dealing with anger management for kids, remember that the best teachers are the ones who can see past the child's surface reaction to the little person inside who's begging for help.

Astrology and marriage

Astrology is the study of the positions and aspects of celestial bodies in the belief that they have an influence on the course of natural earthly occurrences and human affairs. Astrological predictions can be effectively used to predict many aspects of our lives such as business, romance, money, jobs etc. It can also be used to enhance overall success of individuals. The impact of the planetary motions on our day to day lives cannot be entirely ruled out. Millions of successful users of astrology will vouch for that.

For most normal human beings, marriage is a sacred institution. It means the union of two hearts, minds, bodies, and souls. It is often said that “marriages are made in heaven”. Well, could be very much true. But for all practical purposes, it is essential to find the right match for a man or a woman. Astrology can help do just that. Astrology plays a big part in finding the right matrimonial alliance. With the help of astrological predictions, the compatibility of a couple can be ascertained. This practice of matching horoscopes of would be brides and grooms are quite common among the Hindus in India. Marriages almost never happen here without horoscope matching. Astrologers also determine the ideal time and date of the marriage. Horoscopes of the prospective brides and grooms tell a lot about the past, present and future. Horoscope matching also guides the astrologer on the dates to be avoided. There are some periods in which influence of some planets like Saturn is quite strong. These periods may not be ideal for solemnization of a marriage. Marriages solemnized in these “bad patches” may not last long, or may be shaky. So, we can say astrology can be used to avoid future “break-ups” or divorces. Matrimonial matching by horoscopes requires a few important documents. First of all, the horoscopes of both the bride and the bridegroom are analyzed. Then some crucial information such as the date of birth, time of birth and place of birth, of both the man and the woman are collected. There are various permutations and combinations to be done to match the horoscopes. The influences of the motions of the planets at the time of birth are analyzed. This gives a rough idea to the astrologer whether the couple is compatible or not. It is not mandatory that the horoscopes of the bride and the groom need to match perfectly. Sometimes marriages are possible in the case minor differences between the boy and the girl. But in such cases, some corrective measures, as suggested by the astrologers have to be taken before the solemnization of the marriage.

It has been observed that the success rates of marriages are higher in cases where horoscope matching is done. Critics may have a different opinion regarding this. But they too cannot totally disprove the fact that Astrology is effective when it comes to marriages. The scientists may say that Astrology has no scientific basis. But that does not take the credit away from the practice of horoscope matching that is prevalent in India.

What exactly is dealer invoice

My first answer to that would be… who really knows? It’s a very elusive term thrown around by about all the car manufacturers’ and car dealer’s marketing departments. You know after many years in the business, I’m not sure I could tell you precisely what true dealer invoice or what is termed ‘dead cost’ is on any particular vehicle. I’m sure the owner or the ownership group could somehow calculate this elusive dollar figure but most of us humans will continue to search for the ever elusive animal we refer to as dealer invoice.

To say this term is a bit misunderstood is a rather large understatement. Maybe that’s why it works so good for the folks in the marketing department. Many potential car buyers assume that what they uncover on the internet is the car dealer’s invoice price. Well, not really. It’s certainly one heck of a lot closer than checking the MSRP of a give vehicle, but it probably isn’t going to be ‘dead cost’.

You hear it all the time. In fact right here where I’m at there is a local dealer that says all you’ll ever pay is $50 over factory dealer cost; and they have been selling cars this way since day one oh so many years ago. I guess it shouldn’t, but it really baffles me how this works on the consumer. Just do the simple math; if this dealer sold 300 cars a month (about 10 cars a day!) times $50 over factory cost (the inference here is that you are paying $50 over what the dealer gets the car for) this dealer would be grossing $15,000 per month on new car sales. I can unequivocally tell you that this would never cut the mustard! Think about it $15,000 a month and this dealer hasn’t even paid rent, utilities, insurance, salaries, benefits, and on and on. So, $50 over factory invoice… not hardly.

So what is it then… this thing car dealers call cost or invoice? Well, it’s a bunch of numbers being added – subtracted – multiplied – and divided before anyone knows the dead cost of the car for the dealer.

What’s a consumer to do?

Getting out on the internet and doing your homework is a very good start. The exercise of comparing the information you gather is a good one and is to your advantage if you want to start your negotiations at ‘invoice’ price. Which, by the way, you NEVER negotiate from the sticker price down.

While doing your research on dealer invoice prices it’s important to make certain you are comparing exact features and option packages to one another. This will at least give you baseline comparisons with which to work. All car dealers receive different incentives from the manufacturer; factory to dealer – marketing incentives – dealer holdback, and on and on. The fact that much of this is not disclosed is why it is very difficult to come up with dead cost for the car dealer.

For instance, in the case of dealer hold back; the dealer doesn’t even get this money until after the car is actually sold.

There are other expenses that the dealer has that are applied to the overall cost of a particular car, including how long a particular car has been sitting on the lot. You see the dealership finances their inventory and as such pays interest on this financing so a car that has been sitting on the lot for some time has cost the dealer more than the ones that they are just unloading from the truck.

As you can see, there are too many variables to any particular car at any particular dealership to know exactly what the dealer has put into a car in terms of cost. However, as we talked earlier, doing your research on the ‘invoice price’ is a good place to start. Just don’t stop there thinking you have all you need and don’t need to do any further negotiating on the selling price.

Purchasing cars and negotiating is almost synonymous. Getting a good feel for the invoice price is just a starting point. Now it’s time to roll up your sleeves and work on getting the best possible price you can.

Professional and stylishly embroidered catering wear can bring business benefits

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Most of us go to hotels and restaurants, and would have noticed the catering wear worn by waiters, chefs and counter service persons. We might also have been impressed with the stylishly embroidered catering wear, bearing the insignia of the establishment in a tasteful manner, worn by the staff of star-rated establishments.

Catering wear that is always neat and crisp creates a favorable impression about the standards of cleanliness the establishment observes. If the clothes are dirty and crumpled, customers might begin to wonder at the quality of the food served. Even if the food is tasty, they might not feel all that comfortable about its hygienic aspects.

Even more than quick service, it might be the quality and cleanliness of the catering wear that can influence the impressions of catering establishment 's customers. Even if the food comes a little late, they might not really mind; but if they feel the food is not hygienically prepared, they might never return.

Embroidering the catering wear tastefully not only adds to the overall impression; it can have business benefits in the form of better employee identification with the establishment.

Typical Embroidered Catering Wear

What exactly constitute embroidered catering wear? The list below will give an idea of the requirements.

• The primary wear consist of jackets for waiters and chefs that are comfortable and easy to work in


• Trousers that usually have elasticated draw cord waists or side waste bands


• Bib and waist aprons that serve to protect the primary wear and keep them clean


• The clothing should meet the food industry hygiene regulations


• The material used should protect the clothes from heat and stains, and should remain free of wrinkles


• The material should also be durable enough to avoid frequent replacement


• The embroidery should be professional and stylish, and done in a way to help create brand awareness

What is the Importance of Stylish and Professional Catering wear?

One major objective is to impress customers. They tend to be impressed with the stylish work wear worn by the catering staff of an establishment.

Another important objective is staff morale. Catering staff would definitely be happy with work wear that are both stylish, and professionally designed to make working and movement easy. Uniforms also identify a team. Stylish work wear can make the workers feel proud of being part of the team, and lead to better team spirit.

Things like these can make a noticeable impact on business results.

Conclusion

Embroidered catering wear that are always clean and crisp tend to tend to impress customers, and also create an impression of cleanliness. For catering establishments, an aura of cleanliness and hygienic practices is all-important. Catering wear can help create or destroy customer confidence about food quality.

In addition to impressing customers, stylish and professional catering wear can help inculcate a sense of pride and team spirit among employees.

Hgh spray

HGH Spray: a mist of a miracle and just what the doctor ordered too!

For long, the world had been plagued with health and aging issues, from overweight problems, libido issues, shortness of height to menstrual trauma and limited capabilities of optimal physical and psychological performance due to the shortage of HGH levels produced by the body. Though, there had been synthetically produced HGH supplements made available through science and smart marketing efforts, many of these options were unsafe for prolonged use while being very costly too; which left the ground clear for ethical manufacturers of an HGH product that could be the answer to man's quest for total wellbeing. So, emerged a herbal and safe option in the form of HGH spray. There were pills and powders already present in the market, but the convenient and ease of use that the HGH spray in a can contains plus the attractive prices make it affordable for the average person suffering a deficiency of HGH hormones to get it quickly off the shelves. Online stores and discounts further aid the marketing of a truly effective and reliable HGH booster that contains potent amino acids blend that are manufactured under strict quality control measures.

Even physicians are recommending HGH spray!

So effective are the results of a quality HGH spray product that it has the backing of medical experts too! This is because, due to having its base in homeopathy, certain class products such as HGH sprays like Secretagogue-1 and Sytropin, these use very studied and miniscule amounts of substances to trigger a positive response from the user's body. Thus, unlike synthetic HGH, which needs to be administered by a qualified physician and monitored in its injection into the blood stream, the use of HGH spray is so convenient and safe having no side-effects with minimal chances of an overdose being harmful that medical experts consider it a safe option for raising the IGF-1 levels.

HGH Sprays gets a thumb up over synthetic HGH injections: here's why

Synthetic HGH can not only be costly (tagged at $1000 as compared to $60 for an HGH spray), but also reduce the heart's efficacy and cause other complications, if used without discretion. Don't despair thinking of the possible counterfeit HGH options in the market and having to shell out hundreds of dollars for a human growth hormone elevation; among the few legitimate HGH enhancing products in the market that are safe and effective, we have for you a quick review of how Secretagogue-1, developed by scientists, has a unique gift of health for you!

Take a look:The key ingredient of Secretagogue-1 is L Arginine, a semi-essential amino acid that helps boost HGH production, treat cardiovascular disease and keep it at bay while also being beneficial in treating male infertility issues; safety is a factor you don't need to worry about when using either this HGH spray or Sytropin, which too helps boost immune levels, convert fat into lean muscle mass, accelerates wound healing and raises energy levels.

This Article is Originally Published here: HGH Spray

The grand canyon life in the gorge

An eagle swoops overhead, its vast wingspan silhouetted against the morning sun. A trained eye surveys the land below, anticipating any sudden movement.

Deep in the canyon beneath, the Colorado River runs its relentless course through Grand Canyon National Park, carved through the ages by this vein flowing through Arizona. As the sun climbs the morning sky, flooding the valley with light, the ground temperature rises and the creatures of the valley begin their daily quest for survival.

The immense scale of the Grand Canyon is difficult to comprehend. At its peak, the side walls plummet 1500 m (5000 ft) down to the river. At its broadest the canyon extends up to 29 km (18 mi) wide and overall the complex stretches over 446 km (227 mi).

The Grand Canyon is perhaps America’s most recognisable landmark. The region is a magnet for tourists, attracting over 5 million visitors each year. Nobody fully appreciates the landscape until they have experienced it for themselves.

From the Colorado River, deep in the canyon floor, layer upon layer of rock becomes noticeable, stacked like pancakes, each one representing millions of years of evolution. Tiers of lime and sandstone stand excavated by the river, wind and sands of time.

Above the canyon, the temperature in the plateau area ranges from one extreme to another. Down on the canyon floor, temperatures can exceed 100°F, though winter frosts are rare.

It’s surprising to imagine anything living in this hot and arid land far from the river, but the valleys are bursting with life. Plants and animals cling precariously to the vertical cliff faces, every nook and cranny bustling with activity.

Deep on the valley floor, the creatures scurry around, living their own rat race. The park is home to a wide variety of animals including the unique Grand Canyon “pink” rattlesnake. Ringtails, beavers and chipmunks are all widespread. Hundreds of bird species have made their home in the park, as well as countless insects and arachnids.

The canyon communities have their own pecking orders. Here, in this parched and hostile land, the food chain provides a delicate balance between survival, or finishing as dinner for those in the hierarchy. The environment is uncompromising and evolution has chosen its few.

In the distance, the eagle glides effortlessly over the broad crevasse. A sudden change in direction and the predator is racing to the ground at speed. Moments later, an unfortunate rodent has become breakfast.

How exercise can help with anti aging

In our quest for the fountain of youth people have taken up a new form of treatment, Anti-Aging Clinics. Here you can get injections of human growth hormone HGH and injections of nutrient supplements, however a simpler and perhaps easier away to do this is by changing your diet and exercising.

Strength training has been proven to help the body naturally produce HGH. The more you train the more your body produces HGH. Strength training is taking exercises to specifically strengthen certain muscles. You can do this by spending 20 minutes a day 3 times a week at your local gym or fitness center. Or if you have some simple equipment you can do this at home. Just some simple squats can stimulate the body to make HGH and help you lose weight as well. It will take about 24-48 hours for your body to build up HGH.

Research has found that for every hour you work out your body will make $10,000 worth of beneficial chemicals that it needs. This means that with some simple exercise you will not even need to go to an Anti Aging Clinic your body will produce the chemicals naturally.

Try to strength train on a regular basis. As well as getting the HGH you will also improve bone mass and get more oxygen to your body tissues and organs. This will help them function better. You will feel better when you lose weight in this way as well. This is what the HGH injections at the Anti aging clinic will do for you. However nothing beats the natural treatment that your body can do for you.

So instead of jumping on the bandwagon and running to the nearest Anti Aging clinic, give yourself a break and let your body do it the natural way. Strength training coupled with diet will go a long way towards achieving your goal of not only a great looking body but also very possibly prolonging your life.

As well as exercise try to adjust your diet to a healthier one with more fruits especially berries and whole grain cereals. Try to add some fish to your diet (not shellfish) to make a complete diet. Cut down red meats, salt, fats and refined sugar and you will find your body rewards you as you feel better and have more energy. This change of diet coupled with strength exercises will also help you to lose and keep off those pounds.

You can also add natural nutritional supplements to your diet to ensure you are getting enough of the essential nutrients. These, when taken at a proper level will also help the anti aging process.

Customer service customers serving customers

Did you know that an online business forum could pay significant dividends in customer service?

Customer service is a very important aspect of your online business. Some businesses err on the side of too little interest shown to customers while others can be extremely overbearing and smother a new client until they consider a restraining order.

There is a middle ground that can show your customers you care without pushing them to make an additional purchase. The struggle we all face in customer service is being able to adequately meet the needs of valued customers.

Certainly one of the best things we can do is respond swiftly and in the consumers best interest if they have a complaint. Future sales rest on the success of your ability to manage consumer complaints.

One of the ways to minimize consumer complaints is to allow customers to take an issue directly to other customers through a forum. At first blush this may seem like a good idea. However, it seems that when a consumer has the opportunity to ask questions from a third party they have a better chance at resolving many issues prior to a visit to your customer service department.

An example would be if a consumer were to purchase an electronic device from your online store and after working with the item, consider the purchase to be ill advised because they can’t make it perform correctly.

A customer forum would allow that consumer to visit with others who have used this product and may be able to provide guidance on how best to make the product function properly. In this case the consumer is happy, you minimized a complaint, and other customers are made useful allies in your online business success.

Certainly you will discover negative feedback in these forums from time to time, but this is simply an opportunity for your customer service department to shine. Take decisive action to remedy the problem and provide a post in the business forum with the steps you have taken to correct the issue.

This allows all customers to see the effectiveness of your ‘service after the sale’.

We’ve all been to stores where the clerk uses Point of Sale (POS) software to point out a variety of items that would go well with our original purchase. Sometimes this can be of help, but sometimes it’s just annoying. A business forum allows you to gauge a more appropriate response to customer problems and then demonstrate just how responsive you are. The good news is more than one customer will be impressed by your excellent response.

Paintball accessories for beginners

Every individual is not blessed with equivalent capacities. While person A might be a born singer, B and C may require immense hard work to garner a melodious voice and other skills to be an ideal singer. So, there exist numerous innate differences amongst individuals. However, victorious people are those who develop in them the potential that they lacked and establish their identity under the sun.

Keeping in mind the fact that initial training given to a person is the ground on which he erects the edifice of his successful future, Paintball, a globally recognized brand has presented an incredible assortment of numerous accessories especially for the beginners. Paintball offers different kinds of accessories for instance Paintball Bodybags, Paintball Guns, Paintball Gun Sights, Paintball Goggles and so forth. All these products are further classified according to variation in the patterns, colors, sizes and other features of the items.

The most outstanding characteristic of the Paintball accessories is their convenient handling and usage. These devices for instance paintball guns are crafted in a manner that they even a layman can operate them. Since the guns are endowed with almost all the latest features that one would expect, the user becomes familiar to them at learning stages only. This provides him a strong base and complete knowledge of how the equipment works. It also leaves no scope of experiencing problems in handling complicated instruments later.

Considering the instance of Paintball guns, in order to equip novices entirely and make them completely erudite of shooting, Paintball emporium also provides accessories like Gun Sights, Gun Barrels and the Paintball Gun Packages that include guns with a pair of goggles and sight. These devices aid in training and nourishment of the competence so gathered.

Assisting the beginners further, Paintball items are available at significantly low costs. This exclusive feature caters to the fact that trainees do not usually desire and most often cannot afford to spend much on buying their equipments. So, Paintball has come up with discount prices on many of the items that have been particularly quite popular among the masses. To cite an example here is the Paintball 32 Degrees Icon Electronic LED battery and charger Gun that has a regular price of $125.00 but in order to fall within everyone’s reach it is presented at a sale price of just $108.00.

Last but definitely not the least is the unique and bewitching designs that Paintball accessories come in. Besides many other purposes that these mind-boggling patterns serve, they accomplish the noteworthy task of keeping all the novices glued to the Paintball products. These eye-soothing designs of Paintball accessories never let an individual lose his interest in them. In fact it is found that people usually develop a pursuit in that area to try their hands at the Paintball items. Not just this but surveys have revealed that Paintball’s devices are even the foremost choice of top professionals.

So it is time for all the beginners to ponder that can any other brand serves their interests better than Paintball?

Home improvement loans in uk manufacturing home of your choice

How do you see your home? Are you always thinking of ways to make it better? You are heading straight towards home improvement. It is oft-quoted and usually it should be that your home should be a reflection of your own self. Rarely do we get a chance to mould into our own vision. Home improvement loan in UK is that one prospect that furnishes choice and freedom to find that home we started out with.

Millions of home owners in UK undertake home improvement projects every year. With current environment of strong housing demands and historically low interest rates, home improvement loan in UK have experienced incomparable activity. 24% of 2.4 billion loans taken every year, in UK, are for home improvement. Home improvement not only provides comfort and peace but it increases the value of home. Home improvement aid to build equity and achieve financial security.

Home improvement loans for UK homeowners provide maximum flexibility to carry out safety and health repairs. Before taking home improvement loans try to analyze why you want to make home improvement. If you are improving for the purpose of selling in UK, try putting yourself into the homebuyer’s position before making improvements. Home improvement loans will serve their purpose well if you take them for any of the following reason –

· Adding a new room like a bedroom

· Adding or remodeling a bath

· Adding or enclosing a garage

· Improving the kitchen

· Landscaping

· Health and safety repairs

· Electrical and Plumbing

· Roof, gutters, sewer or water lines repairs

Remember a home improvement loan should be taken for improvement rather than repairs. Repairs are for maintenance and would not as a rule add to the value of the home. In fact rather than concentrating on immediate repairs, look at the whole picture. Home improvement loans will be worth it if you have taken care to minimize the problem rather than fixing it. This will avoid a larger expense later on. Home improvement loans in UK will finance your remodeling plan, no matter how you intend to do it – via a contractor or yourself.

While taking home improvement loans, you can take any of the under given options.

· A second mortgage for home improvement enables you to borrow against your home. It will allow you to borrow about 80% of the value of your home minus the original mortgage.

· Home improvement loans via refinancing means taking out a new mortgage. For extensive remodeling, this home improvement loan is not right. To refinance, generally you'll need to have equity in your home, a solid credit rating and a steady income.

· You can take home equity loans for home improvement. A home equity line of credit, you are not charged interest rates unless you make withdrawals. The interest rates on home equity loans are tax deductible. However, read the terms carefully before you sign. If your home improvement loan is an ‘interest only’, then you pay interest for the term of the loan and the whole amount at the end of the term.

· An unsecured loan for home improvement in UK will be ideal for projects costing Ј10,000 or less. A lender will evaluate home improvement loans keeping in mind your credit history and income.

All the option which holds your home as security is secured. You can loose your home in case of non repayment.

Home improvement loans like any other loan should not intend to break the bank. Also, do not let the home improvement bug bite you and eventually make you do improvements that do not pay. Choose wisely while improving home and taking money against it. You are looking at your home and thinking “it would be nice if……..” and then suddenly the reality dawns upon you. You start calculating and find that you are short of money. Home improvement loans will bridge the gap.

Fano a dream of a holiday destination

You stand on the beach on Fano Island with your back to the sand-dunes looking out towards the North Sea and you wonder if what you’re seeing is real. The beach is so wide you cannot guess how far it is to the sea. You can see little black figures on the shoreline; sometimes they resemble the figure eight and sometimes they break in half, just for a fleeting moment, so that you see two ovals, one above the other. Everything about this island is dream-like and when you leave you wonder to yourself if you were really ever there.

But real this island is. Fano (pronounced fay-nooh) is the northern most of the North Sea islands that span from Holland in the south, to Denmark in the north. It is small, only about 8 km wide and 20 km in length and lies 3 km off the Danish city of Esbjerg, onetime 3rd largest fishing port in Europe and, undeniably, Denmark’s ugliest city, though a good deal better than many other cities to be found in Europe.

The only way to reach Fano is by a small car and passenger ferry that departs from Esbjerg every 20 minutes. There has been talk of building a bridge to the island, but it is to be hoped that this will never happen. After a 15 minute crossing you arrive at the main town of Nordby (pronounced nor-booh). It is called a town but it is really only a village. The island has two settlements Nordby and Sonderho (pronounced sunner-hooh) and both are exquisite.

When departing the ferry, spend some time walking the length of the main street. The street has barely changed in over 200 hundred years. Both sides are hemmed in by single storey thatched cottages - the ridge of the thatched cottages is finished with sods of grassy-earth, unlike England where the ridge is also made of thatch. And the road narrows in places so that a car can only just squeeze through. The street contains many little shops, selling everything from flowers, knit wear and crafts. There is an ancient potter (complete with a shaggy beard) who makes and paints beautifully simple pots, vases, plates and cups. You can also pop-in to the amber shop. If you talk to the owner, he will tell you how he collects the amber off the beach after the spring storms and polishes and grades the amber. He will even show you his more unusual pieces that contain insects that lived and died millions of years ago.

You can travel south to the island’s other settlement, Sonderho. Both villages are on the east side of the island, gaining protection from the North Sea on its westward side. Sonderho, especially, seems to ‘hunker down’ in the sand dunes. The visitor will leave Nordby knowing that the town is truly exquisite, he will arrive in Sonderho and know he has found something sublime.

Sonderho, is beautifully positioned on the south of the island amongst the sand dunes and reed beds. There are few shops but there is the Sonderho Kro (inn). It was founded in the early 18th century and has been in the same family for nine generations. The visitor really should dine there. The cuisine is superb and the inn is one of the most romantic spots on earth. You should try the smoked fish and meats, and afterwards walk in the small garden of the inn and inspect the smoke-houses. There is also a windmill on the outskirts of the village and a church, and both are well worth seeing.

The islands crowning glory is its beach. It runs the entire length of the island and is very, very wide. There are acres of room, even at the height of summer. You can be far away from everyone else despite the cars and camper vans that drive up and down it; the island bus that connects Sonderho to Nordby; the kite buggies and kite boarders that throng to the island; dog walkers; and the few nude tourists you’ll often see strolling along the beach! There is an annual kite festival held every year on the beach, in May, and thousands of kites are flown; it’s a fantastic site.

The island has, what seems like, hundreds of summer-houses. Most are holiday homes for Danish families. If you’re going to spend some time on the island, you should consider renting one and spend time amongst the dunes or in the woods, sitting on the porch, sipping wine in the a amber-glow of the long, Nordic summer evenings. The intoxicating, dream-like quality of the island will take hold of you and wash your weariness away; it’s a promise.

And when you come away, you’ll have dream-like memories of the shimmering images you saw on the beach and doubt if you were really there. Maybe the island is just a dream, maybe it isn’t. Perhaps, the island is the ‘Lorna Doon’ of the North Sea. A place, a lucky few, has had the good fortune to visit.

Web content writing

Web content writing is said to be the most easy and relatively straight-forward thing one can ever do. But when you finally sit down for it then you realize how difficult it can be. Web content writing means writing quality yet unique content for the website so that ultimately it boosts the business and your website. But ironically web content writing is chiefly driven by seo and web design. To be more precise web design literally dictates that what font should be used, particular type of wording, perfect layout. This is just for the benefits of the visitors so that they never feel uncomfortable or disappointed while surfing your site. Same happens in the seo as they want the content which is search engine keyword friendly. Thus, in short web content writers have to listen what seos and web designers have to say.

To be honest web content writing is not as easy task and involves a careful process. And this careful process is basically dependent upon the right information, the right style, and the right keywords. All these measure are taken just to attract more visitors, easy for search engines to index, assuring that you achieve a good ranking and are easier for web users to find. Thus, it won’t be wrong to say that web content writing is an art and skill which is to tackle with full ease. Else you will end up loosing your visitors and customers. The sure shot mantra to web content writing is that each and every word should be focused on the reader or visitor. The content should be very engrossing and crisp so that visitor is bound and attracted to read it till the end. As longer the visitor sticks around your website, the better your chance of getting your message across. And in return you’ll achieve your goal for which you actually strived for.

Keywording is the nucleus of any web content writing. It should be done in keeping the needs of seos and web designers. Both have their different needs and requirements and should be catered properly so that none of them suffers. As far as seo point of view goes keyword placing is the most important task involved in it. And for web designers there are certain rules which should be kept in mind. Those rules are as follows:

1- Always use 10 or 12 font size as this font size is best for readability.

2- As far as size goes always use Verdana, Arial, Palatino Linotype, and Helvetica. Reason being all of them are very clear, and well spaced.

3- Avoid the usage of any other color in web content writing. At times it looks very jarring for the eyes and makes it difficult to read.

4- Always use black text on white background as it is pleasant for eyes and also it’s the standard rule.

Thus, try to keep all these mentioned points in mind while doing web content writing and see your online business flourish.

Why use article writing software

:
We all know why we write articles, we all know it takes a long time and we all know that each article directory expects the article to be in it own special format.

Wouldn't you like to make your life a whole lot easier? As an owner of an articles directory I some times see 10 articles per day from the same author. I know that using article writing software will make his life managing the software a whole lot easier.

So every now and again a product comes on the market that's perfect for article writers. One such product just came across our desk, and it's so handy, yet so cheap that we had to tell you about it.

It's called Article Notepad; it's basically like Notepad but specifically designed for articles.

With it your articles are much better organized allowing you to create, edit, and save all your articles in one place.

We use it ourselves now instead of having different articles stored in txt or doc format scattered throughout my hard drive.

It features support for Title, Summary, Main Body, Resource Box, and Keywords. It also has a word count and the feature to save your resource boxes and import them into new articles.

Also a point which may of interest to you is that the full version has resale rights so if you want a relevant product to sell from your web sites where you keep 100% profit then this would be a good one.

The best part is that it's only $15!

Here's the link:

articlesbase. com/article-notepad. php

Any by the way, this article was written using Article Notepad!

Texas hold em rules how to play texas holdem

Texas Hold’em isn’t just any card game. It ranks king among poker games. It has cleaned out all other competition among card players across the globe. It is a game played in casinos, on television, Online, in basements, garages and kitchens, and everywhere a table can be found with room enough for a few players, some poker chips and a couple decks of cards.

Everyone is learning how to play this exciting game: young people, older people, men, women, professionals, non-professionals and more. It is a way to have fun or make a little or a lot of money.

Here’s how:

The game is most commonly played with 2 to 10 players, although it can be played with as many as 22. Like with most poker games, the object is to win the pots, the amount of chips and/or money the players have bet in a hand. This can be accomplished in two ways. Either a player beats the others by having the best five-card poker hand at the end of a showdown, or a player causes the other plays to fold and abandon the pot through aggressive betting and bluffing techniques.

At the beginning of a hand, the two players to the left of the dealer are required to the pay the blinds – two forced bets made in games that have a flop. In Texas Hold’em, there is normally a small blind and a big blind with pre-determined amounts. These blinds increase as the game moves forward, typically after set periods of time or after a certain number of hands.

In Texas Hold’em, a dealer button – a certain designated chip – is placed in front of the dealer to keep track of the blinds and the dealing schedule. This button rotates clockwise around the table, moving after each hand and changing who has to pay the small and big blinds.

The small blind is posted by the person directly to the left of the dealer and is usually equal to half of the big blind. The big blind is posted by the person to the left of the small blind and is normally equal to the minimum bet at first and then increases along with the minimum bet over the course of play.

Play begins when each player is dealt two cards face down. The cards are called pocket cards and are only revealed in some cases by the players in the showdown. The hand begins with blinds, as well as a pre-flop betting round, beginning with the player to the left of the big blind and continuing clockwise.

Then, assuming not all players have folded and at least two remain in the hand, the dealer places the flop on the table. The flop is made up of three face-up community cards that allow each player to form a five-card poker hand and is followed by a second betting round that begins with the player to the left of the dealer. A single community card, called the turn, is then placed on the table by the dealer and another betting round ensues.

Then, the final community card, called the river, is dealt, followed by another betting round and a showdown, if necessary. If at any time during the hand only one player remains, they collect the pot. However, if two or more players remain when betting ends, the players must compare hands to see who wins.

You re the inspiration

Thank God inspiration didn't wait for me. Had it done so, I'd probably still be trying to ward off the person holding the knife.

I wasn't trying to be inspired. I was trying to survive - literally trying to spare my own life. I knew if I didn't hold the door closed then the knife in the hands of the other person would be slashing at my flesh.

Trapped in the back room of the house, nowhere else to run, all my weight pressed against wood, knowing the other person wouldn't give up. That was when it happened.

Inspiration intervened.

'Put your coat on and let them in,' a small voice inside me whispered.

I looked at my coat hanging on the peg, a big thick skiing jacket. Would it protect me?

Maybe.

I unhooked it as I rested as much of my weight as I could against the door. Slipping it over my shoulders the small voice continued. 'Now let them in a bit at a time. A crack in the door at first, then let it open. When you feel it's right, pull them inside.'

It sounded bizarre to me, to allow someone attacking me to come beyond the piece of wood separating us, but that's exactly what I did, disarming them and then holding them until it was safe to let go.

You could argue that the small voice in my mind was the voice of common sense. You might call it intuition, spirit guides, God, or just plain crazy!

I've come to think of it as the voice of inspiration. Back then the voice of inspiration came as a surprise. Today, it's more of a friend.

The example I've given you may have saved my life, but since then it's helped me build and shape my life.

As I said at the beginning, 'Thank God inspiration didn't wait for me,' because I don't think I've necessarily been good at preparing to hear it's wise voice.

Yet inspiration has been with me, nudging, suggesting and playing around until I follow it's wisdom, change my reality and look back and laugh at myself for not following it's guiding force sooner.

Once a man wanted to win the lottery. For weeks he prayed to God and each week when his win failed to materialize, he complained during his prayers.

Then one day God came down and spoke to him. 'Meet me half way,' God's voice boomed. 'At the very least, buy a ticket!!'

And I think this is a little like what Edison meant when he said, 'Genius is 5% inspiration and 95% perspiration.'

Inspiration is just the thought, the idea, the guidance. Perspiration is the practical application, the grounding, the making it happen. And when we get this part right, who knows what great things we can create.

Today’s exercise

1. Go about life

2. Notice what goes on outside you

3. Notice what goes on inside you

With Love and good wishes

Neil

What is an air hammer

An air hammer is a type of hammer that is powered by compressed air. This type of tool is very convenient for many household projects. Any project including repairs, home improvements, and new construction can use an air hammer as opposed to a traditional hammer.

Air hammers require no swinging so they do not make the user tire as easily. This is especially useful for large projects that require a lot of nailing such as installing drywall. The convenience of pressing the hammer to the surface in order to deliver the nail home is much easier than traditional hammering. Air hammers will help prevent arm cramps and allow you to work longer without tiring.

Air hammers are also safer than traditional hammers. Because it is not necessary to hold the nail in place with your hand, this reduces the risk of hitting your finger. With traditional hammers, there is always the possibility of bruising or even breaking a finger if you miss the nail head. With an air hammer this risk is greatly minimized, making it a much safer option.

Using an air hammer will allow your project to be completed faster. Manually hammering nails is tiring work that can take a lot of time depending on the strength of the person using the hammer. With an air hammer though, this process is sped up considerably. You can increase the number of nails hammered and decrease the amount of time needed to complete the project.

Air hammers can be found in home improvement stores or hardware stores. They are also readily available online for convenient shopping in the comfort of your own home. There are many different brands available with various features. Decide the types of projects you will work on and how frequently the air hammer will be used to determine the brand and features needed. Do some comparison shopping to find the best price.

An air hammer is a great tool to have around the house. It is safe to use and will help reduce risk of injury. Air hammers are convenient and will allow you to complete a project faster than with a traditional type of hammer. Not only will you be able to finish a job faster, but you won’t be as tired. Because traditional hammers require a lot of manual labor, you are more prone to tire. An air hammer is a great investment for your home.

Money is a family affair

If you are single and don't have kids this tip won't mean much to you. For the rest of us that have others to consider when making money decisions it just may make things a little easier.

I guess the best knock-down, drag-out fights my wife and I ever had was about money. No, it never came to blows because she's meaner than I am. Believe me you can have a lot of fights in almost 40 years.

At some point we realized that it wasn't accomplishing anything. We still didn't have any money but we never earned a nickel fighting about it.

To get a handle on your finances it is going to take a team effort. The whole family has to be working in the same direction.

My suggestion would be to sit down and talk your money situation over with your spouse and the kids. It's important for everybody in the family to know what is going on.

You may be surprised at what the kids will come up with.

When I bought my first house I made a miscalculation on how much I would need to come up with for the down payment. When I realized it we had maxed out our credit cards and wasn't sure where we would get the rest of the money.

My wife and I discussed this with the kids and they offered to baby-sit and mow lawns. They came up with enough to cover the down payment. I'll never forget how proud that made them feel and how proud we were of them.

All too often one person in the family is strapped with making the money decisions. This is a great idea and the best way to keep things organized but they shouldn't take all the blame when something doesn't work out.

A family solves difficult problems everyday. Money is just one of them.

Increasing link popularity the gateway to the internet

Search engines are the gateway to the Internet; they are

the first tool that potential customers use to find the

products and services they need. This is why link

popularity is so imperative. If the customers do not find

your website, you have no possibilities of making any

sales.

You're probably wondering what the blazes is popular about

a link! Well, in a word - plenty! Link popularity refers to

the ranking assigned to your website by the search engines,

and it determines the ranking your page gets when keywords

are entered into a search engine. So, you're probably

wondering, how do I make my link popular?

Search engines are discretionary, giving status and ranking

to sites that have links to their pages from related,

quality sites. It's a simple formula, but a very important

one. Google created the system, and now virtually all the

most popular search engines employ it to rank your web

pages in their indexes.

The more commonly used your keyword is, the harder it will

be to achieve link popularity, but without achieving this

step, it is almost certain your site will never rank highly

on any search engine. But don't be discouraged; there are

tried and true ways of achieving link popularity using the

most competitive keywords.

There are a few things you should be aware of. The first is

that just linking up with a large number of other websites

will not achieve link popularity. In fact, it may have

quite the opposite effect. This is particularly true when

pertaining to websites that are nothing more than "link

farms" - pages containing line after line of indiscriminate

links. Search engines may aggressively discriminate against

your website if you are associated with a link farm, so

steer clear of them!

The next thing to bear in mind is the quality of the site

you are linking to. Never link to a page you have

reservations about your visitors seeing. The last thing you

want your website to appear as is indiscriminate and cheap.

Linking to sites of poor quality will only lessen your link

popularity, if not completely destroy it.

So let's get to what you need to do to achieve supreme link

popularity and improve your rankings to stellar status on

all the popular search engines.

The first step, and the fastest way to get your foot in the

door, is to get a listing in a popular directory, such as

Open Directory Project and Yahoo. If your site is

business-related, you will want to be listed on Yahoo, and

despite the fact that it will cost you around $300 a year,

it will be money well spent. If your site is

non-commercial, the listing will be free, but it will take

time and follow-up to actually get it listed. Open

Directory is gives you a free listing whether you are

business-related or non-commercial, but be prepared to make

a lot of follow-up inquiries before you see your site

listed.

You are aiming to get listed in the highest level of

appropriate category, and this just takes some common

sense. For example, if your company ships Alpaca wool from

an Alpaca farm located in the middle of Nowhere, Tiny

State, do NOT submit your listing to "Retailers from

Nowhere, Tiny State." BIG MISTAKE! All you have to do is

look a little deeper - and submit your listing to the "Fine

Alpaca Wool" category. You will not only associate yourself

with culture and quality, but you will be listed in a

national category.

The next step after you have attained directory listings is

to locate other quality sites that will increase your link

popularity. Try to find sites that are in some way related

to yours, so not only will your link popularity increase,

but your customer base may also be expanded. You want to

avoid your competitors and look for sites that are useful

to your site's visitors. Let's look at the Alpaca Wool site

example. Linking up to a site that sells knitting supplies

would be helpful to your visitors, and the chances of the

knitting supply site wanting to link up to your site are

also greater. By linking to a related site that will be

relevant to your website's traffic, you are increasing both

of your site's business prospects - and both of your sites'

link popularity.

Not all sites want to link to other sites, so you will have

to do some research when you are looking for possible

linking partners. Google is an excellent starting place for

your search. Make sure you enter keywords that you think

quality customers will also enter to find your own site.

Remember, your criteria are quality, highly ranked,

non-competing websites that have a links or resources page.

Go to these sites and objectively assess them. Look at the

quality of the product, the graphics, and the ease of use.

Then check out the other sites they are linked to, and

determine if your own site would fit in with the crowd.

When you decide you have found a good prospect, you must

set out to woo them. The first thing to do is to add a link

on your own links page to their site. This is an essential

first step; it shows good faith, and ups your chances

significantly of their reciprocity. After you have added

their link, you must contact the webmaster of their site.

Since this is almost always done by email, you want to make

sure it is immediately clear that your message is not junk

mail. This requires that you tell them right off the bat

that you have added a link to their page on your site. A

hook like this almost always insures the reader will read

on.

Next, be sure to be flattering and let them know how much

you appreciate their website. Make sure you emphasize that

you have actually visited their site, and that their site

is not just a random pick. Give them the address of your

links page, and ask them to check out the link for

themselves. It's a good idea to mention that they will not

only benefit from the increased traffic your website will

direct their way, but you will also increase their link

popularity. Briefly, explain why link popularity is so

essential, but do this in a sentence or two so you don't

sound like a professor! Finally, tell them you would

greatly appreciate if they would reciprocally add a link on

their own links page to your website.

Go through this process with as many appropriate sites as

you can find, bearing in mind the criteria of quality and

non-competitiveness. After you have emailed all relevant

sites, be sure to check these website frequently to see if

they have added a link to your page. Give it about a month,

and if no link appears, try another charming email. Then

give it another month, and if your site is still absent

from their links page, it's time to remove their link from

your own links page. The only time you want to pursue a

link further than this is if you believe a site is crucial

to your link popularity and your business needs. Just

remember to keep all your communications complimentary and

cordial.

Then set up a schedule to check your ranking in search

engines frequently to see if your link popularity has

improved. This is not achievable in the blink of an eye. It

will take some time and a good deal of work. There is no

way around the labor-intensive quality of improving your

link popularity, which is why search engines regard it with

such importance.

By the way - make sure you have a beautiful, streamlined

site or you will never persuade anyone to link up to you.

Be prepared to keep plugging away at this process, as long

as it takes, until you achieve link popularity stardom!

How does the price of oil affect the stock market

Ever since the price of crude oil started growing there has been talk about the price of oil affecting the share market and your investments. Now if you think about it logically it does sound like it would make an affect. If it costs a company more to run the company because oil prices are changing then it sounds like it would affect the share price. Same goes for the idea that people will be less or more likely top purchase shares in a company that has something to do with oil. So for instance would you invest in a company which sold hose sockets if you were in a draught? However is this theory about crude oil price affecting the share market actually real?

The rational behind this theory is that because many companies freight their products, they have to pay more to transport the products when price of oil goes up so does the transportation cost. This of course drives up the price of the product. So if the company wants to keep the price of their product at the same level, there will be less corporate profit and the share prices will go down after that. Makes sense right? Well maybe not!

Companies do tend to put up the price of their product or service if the price of providing it goes up. So the profit margin will stay at approximately the same. However if the mood of the population, and in particular the stock market investor population, changes about the product the industry might suffer.

Yes global events that affect the price of products like oil (think about Hurricane Katrina) do affect the investment mood. When there is a massive climb or dip people and investment companies tend not to change their portfolio around too much. But however when something grows in price over time people is less likely to react. We all know that the price of oil is growing but it is not like when a major event happens.

Straight after an event occurs fear spreads like wildfire. One person’s fear turns into the fear of an entire investment industry. So no one buys or trades, but there are generally lots of people selling. So there is no actual understanding of what is going on. Once the environment calms down so does the market.

So yes in massive bombs the price of oil will affect the price of shares. But in a long term growth situation it won’t matter. The price of oil has almost quadrupled over the last five years. But has the price of shares?

Not really because oil has become an even more precious commodity people want it even more. And owning shares in an oil company will give you that piece of Texas gold that you have been craving. So the price of oil shares hasn’t really changed, and if it has it has grown.

So if we know that market changes will affect the share price because of the mood of people buying and selling shares we can predict the change. If you feel a change in mood, it is almost certain that there will be change in market. So you can sell, but there also is a chance that the price will raise again after too long.

Philadelphia schools trying for better teachers

All schools need teachers. What’s more important, however, is that the schools, even Philadelphia Schools, need excellent teachers. Excellent teachers bring many qualities to their classrooms. It’s hard to say what’s most important in regards to characteristics that make teachers great; classroom management, knowledge of subject area, good communication skills with parents, students, and administration, participation in continuing education (required by most, if not all school systems), or a college education. All are indisputable musts for a good teacher. Philadelphia Public Schools recognize this and are working very hard to improve current faculty, and to hire and retain the excellent teachers their students deserve.

Teachers today don’t always look like the fresh-faced 21 year old college graduates of the past. Instituting an alternate-route teacher certification program is one way that Philadelphia Schools are expanding efforts to attract new teachers. This program looks for folks working in the private sector who may want a career change, or have always felt they had something to give to Philadelphia Schools students. Recruiting people from the business world to become teachers is a popular method to solve critical teacher shortages across the country. There are tons of people out there who may have never thought of giving teaching a try, but would make excellent educators for Philadelphia Schools.

I know a Kindergarten teacher who is decided to changed careers to go into teaching. She’s a former marketing executive who decided two years ago that she needed a change. Raising her daughter on her own, she wanted the convenience of having the same schedule as her child. Teaching is something that she’s always wanted to do, and with the added benefit of going to work with her daughter, it was a good switch for her to make. Add into the bargain that she’s an excellent teacher who is driven and dedicated to giving her students the best, and viola! a great teacher for Philadelphia Schools was born.

It’s easy to see, with the above illustration, how school districts like the one serving Philadelphia Schools are turning to people working in the private sector to pick up the chalk. At the same time, Philadelphia Schools are also trying to upgrade the qualifications of classroom teachers by cutting the number of Philadelphia Schools teachers with emergency certifications (those teaching out-of-field, i. e. a music teacher who is currently teaching special ed) and by raising the certification rate throughout Philadelphia Schools, especially among new teachers. By providing more curricular and coaching support, the Philadelphia Schools are helping its teachers improve their skills.

Only by focusing their efforts on recruiting new Philadelphia Schools teachers, keeping them in the classroom, and improving the teaching staff they have, can Philadelphia Schools hope to improve and raise the bar for their educators.

Consolidate your debts with home equity loans

Your home is your biggest asset. It does not just provide you shelter; it also comes to your aid when you are in financial distress. The equity of your home, built over the years, can be used to obtain loans by acting as the collateral. You can find two types of home equity debt, namely in the form of home equity loans and also in the form of home equity lines of credit otherwise known as HELOCs. Both of them are described as second mortgages, because just like the primary mortgage, the equity loan is also secured by your property. But unlike the first mortgage, the equity debt is repaid over a shorter span of time. The first mortgage is usually repaid over a span of 30 years, whereas the equity loan is usually paid within fifteen years. However, there are exceptions and the repayment period may be as short as 5 years and as long as 30 years.

The growing popularity of home equity loan generally coincides with the recent surge in property value and relatively lower rate of interest. Thus more and more homeowners are turning to home equity loans for managing their personal debts. Other advantages of the home equity loan also include lower interest rate and tax deductions, making this mode of debt even more popular.

So far as the equity rate of interest is concerned, it is slightly higher than the first mortgage, but considerably lower than credit card loans or other consumer loan interests. Because your property is used as the collateral in equity loans, lenders consider them as secure as the first mortgage.

The tax deduction feature may be the biggest reason behind the huge popularity of home equity loans. Mortgage debt comes with attractive tax savings compared to lets say consumer loans, thus it is highly cost effective to consolidate your other debts with this loan and enjoy lower interest rate plus tax deduction benefits at the same time.

With these benefits, namely considerably low rates for equity debt and tax deduction on the interest payments, it is no wonder that a number of homeowners are utilizing the equity of their homes to meet further expenses and debts. True, it is a mortgage on your precious home, but if you are able to pay back the entire amount within a short span of time and you have stable income, home equity loan is a good option for much needed credit.

Yoga s eight fold path to enlightenment

While many consider Yoga to be a form a physical exercise, it is also known to be an exercise in spiritual development. Most would agree that the true goal of Yoga is to provide the individual with the means to achieve inner peace and balance. To achieve these lofty goals, students are encouraged to become familiar Yoga's eight fold path. The eight fold path consists of eight disciplines; Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samhadi.

The first fold, Yama, advises students to engage with the world from a moral standpoint, and is actually broken down into five distinct elements. The first element, Ahimsa, teaches the student to respect the world around him. The second, Satya, teaches that one should be honest with themselves and with others. The third, Asteya, teaches not to steal from another. The fourth, Bramacharya, advises against overindulgence of any form. The fifth, Aparigraha, teaches the student to live a simple life that is not distracted by material things.

Niyama, or the second fold, is considered the path of self restraint and consists of three distinct elements. Shaugh, the first element, teaches students to keep the body and mind clean and pure. Santosh, the second element, teaches the student to be happy and contented with the task at hand and to give an honest effort in all endeavors. Tapa, the third element, suggests that certain pleasures must be given up in order to attain one's goals.

Asana is the third of the eight fold path, and it is concerned with physical training and building stamina. Asana is made up of 84 yoga poses, which are focused on developing strength, increasing health, and preparing for meditation. This stage is as much about physical conditioning, as it is mental or psychological discipline. Pranayama, the fourth fold, concerns controlled breathing. Proper breathing is important for mastering true relaxation and self discipline. The proper way to breathe while practicing yoga is to breathe in, and breathe out while pausing in between.

Pratyahara is the fifth of the eight folds, and is concerned with the individual's control of sensory stimulation. The intent is to induce a sense of inner peace and quiet, by tuning out external stimulation. Dharana is the sixth fold, and it is primarily concerned with focusing one's concentration on meditation. When a meditative state has been attained the student is then on to the seventh step, Dhyana. The final step, Samhadi, is attained when all previous steps have been completed and the individual experiences a true oneness with all things. The student is, as of this point, in tune with the universal flow. Namaste!

Tis the season to avoid litigation making sure your office christmas party is safe

According to recent statistics, a third of companies aren’t planning on hosting the traditional office Christmas Party this year, amidst concerns about legal action due to drunken antics and so forth. While I can safely say there are many more office safety risks during a party than the rest of the year (most offices just aren’t built for that level of snacks, alcohol and cheesy music), with a little thinking ahead the office Christmas party can become the celebrated institution it once was – without the dark cloud of litigation hanging overhead. It’s important to keep the office health and safety precautions in the background however – no one likes the idea of constant red tape when they’re trying to unwind. Already over half of managers recently surveyed felt the celebratory atmosphere felt very ‘forced’.

Here are 5 workplace health and safety steps you can take to minimise the risk of a litigious post party hangover.

1) Take it out of the office

The easiest way of avoiding the legal minefield of workplace health and safety laws is to take it out of the office! As I mentioned earlier, the typical office with its computers, water cooler and cubicles is just not built for the antics and tomfoolery of the stereotypical office Christmas party. Booking a restaurant or a hotel may seem like an unnecessary expense in the short term, but the different environment will help people unwind and enjoy themselves, and your precious photocopier will not be damaged by the exhibitionist office clown!

2) Leave off the Mistletoe

This one is less ‘health and safety’ and more to do with employment law, but one of the biggest concerns for legal action is the fear of sexual harassment in the workplace. And while the Mistletoe is a firm favourite, in some cases it really can be asking for trouble. By taking it off the list of decorations, you will limit your responsibility if someone does feel harassed or intimidated – remember that if you are funding the party, then the party will still come under the office rules, including those pertaining to sexual harassment. As a warning about office conduct in general, a worker from Merill Lynch was paid a Ј1,000,000 out of court settlement over comments about her sex life and breasts at the office Christmas party, so keep an eye out for inappropriate conduct.

3) Look out for hazards

Here’s a bizarre statistic for you: in 2002, 1,000 people were injured by falling Christmas trees. It just goes to show that hazards are everywhere, especially with the alcohol free flowing. If you can’t budget to have the office elsewhere, make sure you’re not creating trouble where there were no occupational health and safety hazards before. Typical Christmas office safety pitfalls can be easily avoided: Don’t allow people to stand on office chairs or desks to put up decorations and don’t allow fire hazards like Christmas lights to be hung on computers or air vents. Also, ensure that all the usual emergency information is not obscured by crass decorations – even if it means there’s no room for that last life-size reindeer model – the office health and safety laws must come first!

4) Watch out for the alcohol

It’s unsurprising that many managers are terrified at the workplace health and safety inspector’s nightmare: combining alcohol with expensive office equipment. Fortunately, there are steps you can take towards limiting the potential for damage and aiding office safety. It’s a well known fact that alcohol is most potent on an empty stomach, so put on some catering. Salty snacks are less recommended because they create a thirst which can be counter-intuitive for the alcohol-wary manager. A good way of being able to control the alcohol a little more is by making your own punch – the alcohol content is then up to you, and the fruit juice in them will cause the alcohol to be absorbed into the bloodstream that little bit slower.

5) Put on transportation

Booking some taxis or providing rooms for party goers to sleep may sound like an unnecessary expense at the end of the night, but the cost is far less than the risk they would cause to themselves by drink driving, or the damage to the company if they sue due to an accident as they stagger back to their homes. And the extra cost involved is all in the spirit of Christmas, and will ensure that for just one day, you aren’t compared to Ebenezer Scrooge!

One final word of advice: According to a recent survey, Bing Crosby’s White Christmas and The Pogues’ Fairytale of New York are our favourite Christmas songs, while Cliff Richard’s Mistletoe and Wine, and Wham’s Last Christmas are best avoided if you want to keep the moaning to a minimum! Some would call a Christmas over indulgence in Cliff a far more concerning breach of health and safety laws, than a little alcohol abuse!

Are you losing body fat or water

“I tried that diet and lost 8 pounds in the first week!”

“I’ve gained three pounds in one day! It must have been the cookie I ate or maybe the mashed potatoes!”

Stepping on the scale can become an anxiety filled event that leaves people wondering where they went wrong when the numbers don’t go in the right direction. This leads to panic and usually ends with blaming a particular food item that really wasn’t the culprit. Everyone who has been on a journey to lose weight has been there before. Even though you are following your plan and exercising regularly the number may go up 1-2 pounds or even up to 3-4 pounds creating unnecessary guilt that we have failed somehow. If it’s not always food that makes our weight creep up then what is it that causes these fluctuations on the scale?

When trying to lose weight the scale often becomes the only measurement of success and this makes it difficult to remember that every time we step on a scale it is measuring every part of our physical being at that moment in time, which means it measures our fat, muscles, organs, tissue and water weight. Body fat is not the only thing being measured. While organs and tissue don’t change much; fat, muscle, and water do change which can result in fluctuating numbers on the scale.

Water weight can affect your total weight anywhere from 1-10 pounds and sometimes even more. It is important to understand what kinds of dietary factors can make these fluid shifts happen. To start, many of the high protein, low carbohydrate diets can cause a dramatic shift in your water weight. This is because as you cut back carbohydrate intake your body starts breaking down the stored carbohydrates (glycogen) to use as energy, and this breakdown causes the body to excrete large amounts of water. Once the body begins to use stored fat for energy, weight loss slows. This is the reason why most people lose a significant amount of weight right away on a low carb, high protein diet. Extreme low carb, high protein diets can potentially lead to dehydration because of this significant fluid loss.

When a person following a low carb plan eats a carbohydrate-rich food they can easily gain 1-3 pounds. However, this weight gain can be misleading because it is usually your body replenishing the fluid it lost and not gained fat. This 3 pound fluctuation becomes frustrating for many people and they end up yo-yoing back and forth with fluid weight thinking that it must be the half cup of rice they had the night before that caused them to gain that 3 pounds when in fact eating the rice just allowed them to regain some of the fluid they had lost from following a strict low carb plan. The fact is carbohydrates do not affect your weight quite that simply. Excess carbohydrates can strongly stimulate insulin production, which promotes fat deposition and increases appetite. This kind of weight gain will happen gradually, not dramatically overnight.

Sodium is another dietary component that can lead to fluid gain. Sodium can cause the body to retain fluid, leading to these frustrating daily weight fluctuations. Some people are more sensitive to sodium than others. Watch your diet and see if your weight gain corresponds with a high sodium meal the day before. For example, eating out in restaurants can often increase your sodium intake significantly.

The best way to tell if you are retaining fluid is to pay attention to your body. If you get indentations on your ankles and lower legs from your socks then you are retaining fluid. If you wear rings and they become tight and leave an imprint in your fingers when you take them off then you also retaining fluid. Any kind of puffiness in your skin is a good indication of water weight.

The bottom line is that it takes 3500 calories to gain or lose 1 pound of body fat. This equates to an extra 500 calories a day over 7 days to gain a pound. This means if you gained 3 pounds in one day you can chalk it up to fluid weight otherwise you would have had to consume 10,500 extra calories that day which is not likely! True weight gain happens gradually and likewise we lose it gradually. Check your weight weekly instead of daily and look for overall trends. If you are seeing dramatic daily changes in your weight, it is likely the ever-changing shifts of our body’s water weight.

© Meri Raffetto, 2005

The top home owner insurance company

When you make an important purchase, such as a home owner insurance policy, you want to make sure you’re buying the best, from the best, right? If a family member contracted a potentially fatal disease, you’d want him to see the best doctor trained in that field, right? If one of your children were kidnapped, you’d want the best trained police officers and investigation specialists to handle the case, right?

The same is true for purchasing a home owner insurance policy. Home owner insurance policies protect some of the things that mean the most to you – you and your family, your home, your possessions, and even your bank account should a salesperson or even a neighbor come knocking at the door. Therefore, you want to purchase your home owner insurance policy from the top home owner insurance company around.

How do you shuffle through the good, the not-so-good, the average, and the excellent home owner insurance companies to find the top home owner insurance company? The one you immediately know you must do business with?

Well, you won’t immediately know which home owner insurance company with which to do business, because finding the top home owner insurance company is a process. It is a process; however, that helps you shuffle through the rubble.

The process is simple, actually. Figure out the kind of coverage you need and want, search the highest rated home owner insurance companies, and call for more information. See? Simple. But during this process, make sure you obtain printed information about the home owner insurance company and its policies, as well as speak with several representatives to assess the customer service quality, too.

There many not be one particular top home owner insurance company, but if you find a reputable one that meets your needs – financially and coverage-wise – as well as offers great customer service, it may just be the top home owner insurance company for you.