The five best gifts to give your family

When we think of giving gifts, we usually think of things to buy for people. Yet if you think back on gifts you’ve been given, it might not be the material gifts you received that are foremost in your mind – it might be the kind of gifts that deeply touched your heart and soul. It might be various ways, other than material things, that people expressed their love to you.

There are five gifts of love that we can give to our families that can make a huge difference in their lives.

THE GIFT OF CARING AND COMPASSION

We all yearn to feel cared for, yet many of us withhold caring and compassion for others. A profound gift we can give to our loved ones is to listen with our heart, to understand and accept rather than to judge, and to stay open to learning rather than to protect against being hurt.

Think about the last time someone actually listened to you and gave you understanding and acceptance. The feeling of being understood and accepted with caring and compassion is one of the best feelings in the world. Instead of focusing on getting this from others, why not focus on giving it to others? You might be surprised at how wonderful you feel in giving this gift to your family.

THE GIFT OF COURAGE

One of the best gifts we can give our loved ones is our own courage. This means being having the courage to stand in our truth, to be honest about what we want and don’t want, what we will do and won’t do, what is and what is not acceptable to us. It means having the courage to take good care of ourselves, even if others don’t like it. It means not succumbing to our controlling behaviors that come from fear: anger, withdrawal, compliance, resistance, but instead being honest and above-board about ourselves. It means being willing to face conflict rather than give ourselves up to avoid it.

When we have the courage to face conflict and tell the truth, we not only provide our family with a role model for courage, but we provide opportunities for our loved ones to step up to the plate in the face of our truth and learn to be courageous too.

THE GIFT OF SERVICE

We are on this planet to learn to love ourselves and each other, and to help each other. One of the best gifts we can give our family is to role model this by doing service. Helping others fills the heart and soul in ways that nothing else can. If children do not see their parents doing service and helping others, they may never learn the great joy and fulfillment that comes from giving. One of the best gifts we can give to our family is to provide ways of doing service.

THE GIFT OF CREATIVITY

All of us are born with various ways of expressing our creativity. Expressing creativity is a profound way of connecting with Spirit, since expressed creativity is a direct expression of Spirit. Providing your family with many ways of expressing their creativity is a great gift. Creativity can be expressed in so many ways – cooking, crafts, building things, music, art, movement, telling stories, writing, humor, photography and video – the possibilities are endless! Creative family projects are especially wonderful in creating family closeness.

THE GIFT OF LIGHTNESS OF BEING

Lightness of being – fun, joy, laughter, playfulness – is a great gift to give to others. Lightness of being is infectious – our laughter and playfulness can help others take life less seriously and “lighten up.”

Lightness of being is one the results of all the other gifts – of caring, courage, service and creativity. When we give these gifts, we feel a wonderful lightness within, the lightness that is the result of fully giving from the heart. Our own lightness of being can bring lightness into our whole family. Children love it when their parents are playful, funloving and joyful. Laughing together as a family is one of the most precious experiences in life.

We need to focus of giving these gifts each day, not just during a holiday season or special occasions. These gifts are far more important than any material thing we can buy for someone. In fact, we might not be so focused on material gifts if we frequently give the gift of love – of caring, compassion, courage, service, creativity, and lightness of being.

Why mont blanc can and must become a unesco world heritage site

Mont Blanc sits on the cross roads of Europe and it’s exceptional value and symbolism is in evidence to all. It’s rare qualities, its situation at the heart of Europe, and its position as Europe’s highest mountain give Mont Blanc a universal recognition. But, although Mont Blanc is the third most visited natural wonder on the world (behind the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls) it is the only one of the grand massifs of the seven continents which doesn’t benefit from UNESCO status. But why and what are these criteria?

The UNESCO convention for world heritage adopted in 1972 allowed for the designation of sites with an exceptional universal value: such as the pyramids in Egypt, the Galapagos Islands or Kilamanjaro. There are now 730 sites of which 144 are natural and 23 mixed (natural and cultural) in 125 different countries. 57 of these sites are mountains, or mountain ranges but Mont Blanc doesn’t feature.

Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in Western Europe with an altitude of 4807m. With new technologies the altitude of Mont Blanc can be accurately measured and its oscillations measured (between 4807m and 4811m). This constant fluctuation is due to the level of snow which accumulates on the rock summit (which is estimated to be 4780m) which is in turn dependant on precipitation and temperature. It is foreseeable that with global warming there will be an augmentation in precipitation and this will favour an elevation of Mont Blanc. The rise of the massif continues today at a rate of 1.5mm a year but is in competition with the forces of erosion.

Due to the fascination with which Mont Blanc captures the spirit and the imagination the massif has played a leading role in the birth and evolution of geology. Literature, natural history and the history of science converge when one talks about the rock structures of the massif. This interest in Mont Blanc started with Saussare in the 1700s who studied Mont Blanc as the key to understanding the formation of the Alps and all mountain chains. So the massif du Mont Blanc was and continues to be an object of scientific interest of the premier order, which has permitted the advancement of our knowledge of the Alps. A heritage which must be developed and conserved for the future.

The Mont Blanc Massif is also an important entity for flora and fauna. It is surrounded by deep valleys, has a very marked altitude range from 800-4807m and a large number of different and varied valleys. One can find all the animals symbolic of the Alps - royal eagles, marmottes, choucas, chamois - all of whom have developed and adapted very specifically to the alpine life and harsh winters. The region is also a botanical garden with a number of rare and protected plants with a richness in variety due as much from the variation in altitude as the various orientations of the massif, the chemical composition of the rock and the ancestral ways of man in the lower regions. The importance of several habitats: pine forests, rocks, meadows and moraines assure a good representation of species.

The glaciers of Mont Blanc cover a surface area of 170 square kilometres and is characterised by a great diversity of glacial forms - a nearly complete collection. The enormous accumulation zones at altitude form several currents of ice from the famous Mer de Glace (with over 5 million visitors per year the most visited glacier in the world) the second largest glacial complex in Europe after Aletsch, to hanging glaciers such as Le Tour or the long cascades of ice like Les Bossons - which starts practically at the top of Mont Blanc and culminates in the depths of the valley below (3400m of declivity, the largest in Europe). The aesthetic value and pedagogic quality of this range of glaciers merits them to be made a sanctuary for the benefit of all.

Mont Blanc’s 17000 hectares of snow and ice also make it a huge reserve and of water and humidity and a great barrier to global warming. Its deep glaciers and their steep angle enable them to be more resistant to global warming than others. The subtle interactions of orientation, slope, altitude, latitude, the amount of solar energy reflected and the rate of precipitation are the origin of a number of very different microclimates from one valley to another. This unique richness make Mont Blanc the ideal laboratory to study climate change. Indeed, one can see in just the last 50 years an elevation of 300m in the alpine ecosystems.

Mont Blanc represents both nature and culture and stands at the heart of an overpopulated Europe as a last great wilderness. With its full representation of habitats, its offers opportunities to study the adaptation of life at altitude - in different seasons and microclimates - to study the development of the Alps, and to learn the history of the Alps. One of the unique characteristics of the Mont Blanc massif is that while it represents a mountain wilderness it is very accessible. This is part of what gives it its charm and equally its vulnerability. And this is why it needs and merit’s the protection and recognition of UNESCO.

“Do we really need to save this type of condor? Not really…Apart from the fact that by saving the condor we will be able to save ourselves.” Conway MacMillan.

Why go for teeth whitening

People are generally vain in nature and so they continuously look for ways to improve their appearances as they grow old. While other people go for physical improvements like liposuction, nose lift and face lift, there are people who are more concerned with keeping their pearly whites whiter than ever.

As people grow older their teeth grow darker due to their lifestyle and personal circumstances. A person’s teeth become darker through continuous exposure to staining drinks life coffee and colas and darkening substances like tar from cigarettes.

There are toothpastes that can whiten teeth and remove stains that have settled on the outer layer of the teeth but this will not solve real stains of the teeth. This is the reason why people resort to having their teeth bleached.

A tooth is bleached through the application of a gel containing carbamide peroxide. While this substance enters the teeth enamel and makes it lighter, it will not have the same effect on fillings or tooth crowns.

Teeth bleaching can be expensive and some dentists charge a minimum of $400 for the treatment. However, most people who have undergone teeth bleaching find it worth their while and their dollars. However, there are teeth bleaching substances which are directly sold through the internet. Buying these products is generally cheaper than going to the dentist since you are no longer charged the dentist fee and other overhead, just the price of the teeth whitening.

There is a tooth whitening product that comes in plastic strips and is applied by just placing the strips on the tooth area. Other teeth whitening products require the use of a tray to keep the gel fastened on the teeth while it is being bleached. Tooth whitening products for sale over the net comes with a detailed instruction book.

Aside from being expensive, whitening one’s teeth is not a one-time thing because it is not guaranteed to last long. People who continue with a lifestyle filled with staining agents like coffee, cigarette and wine will definitely need to whiten their teeth after a certain period.

Teeth whitening agents are generally safe but some causes the teeth to be more sensitive to changes in temperature. Almost everyone who undergoes teeth whitening will notice the difference and improvement in their pearly whites, the degree of whitening however depends on the amount of time the gel is placed on their teeth. Home-based whitening usually requires a minimum of two hours but if you require a whitening degree that is several shades lighter than your tooth color, then the dentist may require you to keep them overnight.

While teeth whitening can cause some discomfort, the effects can boost a person’s market value. After teeth whitening, you now have a more brilliant smile which can make you more attractive and younger looking.

The new ky-ani sun-the antioxidant leader

November 17th, 2005 marked the beginning of a great future for many. The first bottles of Ky-ani Sunrise and Ky-ani Sunset were shipped and as of yet, more than 300 people have joined on to Ky-ani Sun to become distributors of these unique products.

So what differentiates Ky-ani Sun products from the rest of the field of health supplements? One word: blueberries. Not just your ordinary, every day blueberries, but the Alaska wild blueberries or otherwise known as the "Super Blueberry." In the bestselling book, "Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life - Superfoods RX," Dr. Steven Pratt identifies blueberries as one of the three major "Superfoods" that will change your life and your health. Why? Because blueberries contain more disease-fighting antioxidants than any other fruit. Dr. Pratt goes on to say that wild blueberries usually contain more antioxidants than cultivated varieties. The Alaska wild blueberry sits at the top of the blueberry kingdom. Because of Alaska's harsh freeze/thaw climate and having to protect itself from the 24-hour-a-day summer sun, the Alaska wild blueberry has up to 10 times more antioxidants than cultivated blueberries. Ky-ani Sunrise also contains, with the Alaskan wild blueberries, pomegranate, wolfberry, Noni, Aloe Vera, and other berry juices.

Brunswick Laboratories, a nationally-respected testing facility, compared the antioxidant content of Ky-ani Sunrise against two popular nutritional supplement drinks. The result? Ky-ani Sunrise's ORAC (antioxidant level) rating is twice as high as the next nearest competitor! You can see this study and more on the ky-anisun. com/erx website.

Along with Ky-ani Sunrise, which an ounce is taken per day in the mornings, Ky-ani Sun offers a product for the end of your day. Ky-ani Sunset is an Omega-3 powerhouse. Sunset combines Alaska wild salmon fish oil with tocotrienols (pure Vitamin E). Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are the two polyunsaturated fatty acids that are good for you. But Omega-6 (which are common in most foods we eat) and Omega-3 fatty acids are only beneficial as long as they're consumed in balanced amounts. Omega-3 fatty acids can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels, maintain a healthy circulatory system and maintain a healthy respiratory system as well as play a role in supporting breast and colon health. Taking the soft gels daily will be like the equivalent of two servings of salmon per week. Dr. Steven Pratt says, "I tell my patients that blueberries are one of the three major SuperFoods, along with spinach and salmon. If you learn nothing else from SuperFoods Rx, remember to eat blueberries and spinach most days and salmon...these three foods alone will change your life and health."

Although Ky-ani Sun doesn't plan on releasing a spinach product any time soon, two out of the three isn't bad at all.

The officers and directors are seasoned business experts and entrepreneurs with a wide range of successful business experience and associations. It is the goal of these individuals to create a network marketing company that will become the standard against which all other companies are judged in this important emerging industry.

Ky-ani Sun engaged several world-renowned experts, scientists, and consultants during the formation and development of this exciting business venture. Extensive investments in both finished inventory and raw goods have ensured the continued availability of the Ky-ani Sun products for the marketplace.

Becoming a Ky-ani Sun distributor is a fun, affordable way to help you realize the financial freedom that many dream about. You can secure your position today and start your own Ky-ani Sun business. Most people spend their health trying to gain wealth and then later in life spend all their wealth trying to regain their health. Start gaining your health and wealth today with Ky-ani Sun.

To learn more about Ky-ani Sun, visit ky-anisun. com/erx or contact Eric Elggren at erx@ky-anisun. com.

Want to incorporate your business here re some simple tips

Naming your business properly is important. It should be distinguishable from other companies. Depending on where you incorporate, it must contain words like ‘Limited’ or ‘Incorporated’. It must also not have words that imply any other purpose other than what is stated it its articles of incorporation or the corporate laws of the state. These would be words like ‘Bank’ or ‘Government’.

Picking a place of business is a crucial step. You need to decide which state or country to incorporate. Many states have different laws that govern how you incorporate business practices. These laws also may govern how you run your company.

Now that you have performed these functions, then the actual structure of your company will begin to take place. You will pick your board of directors, assign company byelaws, adopt the articles of incorporation and draft a shareholders contract.

For a small company with 1 or 2 partners naming your board of directors may be a simple process. For a larger company this may be a delicate and important task. A board of directors perform specific duties decreed by the corporation charter. This may be appointing executives, handing out shares, assigning dividends or other things. In larger corporations a board of directors may have influence when companies incorporate company procedures.

Shareholders may be one partner, most partners, or in the case of a public corporation may be the general public. For a small company traditionally 1,000 shares are assigned. It is possible that there will need to be additional shares assigned from the beginning.

Research your market. The financial success of your company will depend on knowing the product or service you will sell. In order to successfully grow in any venture you must know your industry. This will allow you to choose a name and a strategy for your business.

Define a clear marketing strategy. Getting the word out about the potential of your product or service is very important. If no one knows about you, how can they buy from you? Businesses often cut back of advertising and marketing when money is tight; a big mistake.

If cost is an issue, keep your marketing traditional, perhaps an ad in the yellow pages and passing out business cards. Look for cheap ways to get at potential customers. Newspaper ads are very expensive and too untargeted.

Then, you should know your demographics. Where do you intend to set up business? What is your target market in that location? Will your offer be suited to their taste and lifestyle? Remember how big and diversified the business world is now is so it is wise to explore your area first. It will also help you determine the cost of starting up business in your chosen location.

The reasons for your incorporation are clearly evident. A sole proprietorship causes you the individual to be responsible for any legal action against your organization. When your company has a lawsuit against them, the liability is on your shoulders. Your company incorporation is a blanket protecting you against legal and financial nuisances.

Spa great way to pamper yourself

Why do people go to a spa? They go to loose weight or they go to relieve stress. But what does everybody who goes to a spa have in common? They all go to be pampered. They go to have some time that is there own. When you go to a spa you are getting away from it all for a little while. There are many ways to be pampered while you are there.

There is the massage, be it sports, deep tissue, Swedish or one of the other types available at the spa. While it is true massage helps relieve stress, reduce toxins, and allows your joints to maintain flexibility amongst other things there is also the added benefit of feeling like a queen. Aside from you physical toxins that get worked away there is also the mental dimension that gets taken care of in the process.

Then there is the facial which is a deep cleansing of the face. Your skin is exfoliated and it feels smooth and is tighter but the feeling of having some care being focused on you, not to mention the way you look after a facial can only be described as pampered. You feel like you are renewed. This can be symbolic, in a way, as you are washing your mind and stimulating yourself.

You can get a manicure or a pedicure at a spa. It is different from your regular visit to the local nail salon. At the spa there are trained and well paid technicians who would help you select a color, apply the polish without chips or bubbles and be courteous throughout the whole experience. If you are looking for great service then a manicure or pedicure at a spa will give it that extra special feeling of being treated well.

If the spa you are visiting offers it, you could go for a body wrap. The body wrap works by having the body wrapped in a formula of oils, fragrances or herb or minerals. These formulas are different and are designed to pull toxins out of the body and to absorb them. The wrap helps push the body together so that if there are any gaps between the tissue in your body, they would be decreased. Some wraps may help with weight loss. Body wraps make you feel taken care of. It can be a good thing to have just before a massage.

Arrive early for your spa day, so you can get the best out of everything. If you start early you will start the day on a slower pace and that will help you relax through your various treatments. After your spa treatment you will feel much more relaxed and ready to pick up where ever you left off. You will have more energy to be with your family, get back to work or even go out with your friends.

An internet gambling glossary - part two

This is the second installment of my internet gambling glossary.

FOLD: In poker, to opt out of a round. The player loses all moneys bet prior to folding.

HIGH-LOW BET: In roulette, to bet either numbers 1-18 or 19-36. High-Low bets pay even money.

HIT: In blackjack, to request another card from the dealer.

INSURANCE: In blackjack, insurance is a side bet that pays two to one if the dealer has a natural, ( twenty-one on the first two cards dealt ).

LINE BET: In craps, an even-money bet that pays back 98.6%.

MAIDEN RACE: Features horses that have not yet won a race.

MIDDLING: To take both sides of a bet at different point spreads.

NATURAL: As in blackjack, when the player or dealer gets twenty-one on the first two cards dealt.

OVER/UNDER: A sports wager in which a bet is made that the end score will be higher or lower than the wager.

PAYLINE: The line on a slot machine window on which the symbols on each reel must align in order to win.

PICK THREE: To pick the winners of three consecutive horse races.

PLACE: A wager that a horse will win or place second.

POINT SPREAD: The amount of points by which the favorite is expected to win.

PROGRESSIVE: Any game in which the jackpot increases as the game is played by all players.

PUSH: A blackjack term meaning the player and the dealer have equal hands totaling the same amounts, resulting in a tie, (push).

QUINELLA: In horse racing, to select the first two horses to finish first and second, in any order.

RAISE: In poker, to increase the previous bet made in a round.

RAKE: A casino charge that takes a portion of each poker pot as a fee for housing, supervising and dealing the games.

RANDOM NUBER GENERATOR: Slot machine and video poker machine manufacturers are required by law to incorporate a computerized application within each machine that guarantees that numbers generated by each play are randomly selected in no particular order so that patrons can be assured that the results of each play are not “rigged”.

RIGHT BETTOR: In craps, to bet on the pass line, wagering that the shooter will win craps.

SEVENING OUT: In craps, to lose if a seven is rolled after the point has been established.

SHOW: In horse racing, a horse that finishes second or third.

SIMULCAST: Real-time TV coverage of a sporting event, such as a horse race or ball game, to other tracks and betting venues.

SPLIT-BET: In roulette, to bet on two side-by-side numbers.

SPLITTING: In blackjack, to split two same-value cards – the first two dealt – and play them as separate hands.

STAKES RACE: A horse race that offers the largest purses and is participated in by the best horses.

STAND: In blackjack, to not take any more cards, also known as “stay”.

STRAIGHT BET: In craps, this is a single-number bet.

TRIFECTA: A wager that three horses will finish a race in the exact order as predicted by the bettor.

WRONG BETTOR: To wager that a craps shooter will crap out on the come-out roll, or crap out after establishing a point.

Sell digital products through clickbank

If you want to increase the distribution of your digital products, Clickbank is one of the largest marketplaces you can turn to. When you join Clickbank, you will be able to find affiliates to help in the sale of your products. You are free to choose the commission rate, which can help you maintain a budget. Because certain products are more difficult to sell than others, the commission you assign will always be fair and competitive.

In addition to having more control over the commissions you choose for your products, you will also have the advantage of using tools provided by Clickbank to track all sales, commissions earned by each of your affiliates, maintain excellent customer service, and sell subscriptions, memberships, and products through Clickbank's new recurring billing system. Being able to easily see an overview of the amount in sales and the number of orders received in real time can help you have more control over your business.

By signing up for services offered through Clickbank, you will be able to communicate more effectively with customers, create a web page that is easy to order from, and keep an accurate record of all sales and commissions made each day. If you plan to sell multiple products, having excellent organizational skills is key to your success. Without these skills, it will be very difficult to pay affiliates, order additional copies of books and other products from publishers, maintain an accurate inventory count, and create an effective marketing plan.

Clickbank was started in 1998 and continues to provide many services to publishers, affiliates, and customers. Regardless of the types of digital products you wish to sell, if you don't have a secure platform to sell them on, you will not generate as much profit as you would like. When using Clickbank, you can feel secure when setting up your business. You will have confidence in knowing that your business will be a success due in part to the tracking systems that are available to you once you create your web page.

Because you won't have to pay monthly fees, Clickbank is an affordable way to sell your digital products. After paying a small activation fee, you will be charged a commission rate that is determined by the commission rate you want to offer affiliates. Along with tracking and marketing services, you will also receive free customer service support, free access to affiliates who work for Clickbank, and much more.

As the Internet continues to grow, more and more products will be offered to those looking for information, entertainment, and other items they can purchase online. Offering quality products that are easy to download is the first step in becoming a successful online business owner. When you use all the tools Clickbank has to offer, you will begin to enjoy the benefits of online sales which include a steady profit, satisfying customer demand, and sharing your profits with hard-working affiliates who want your business to be a success. Visit Clickbank today to learn more about the benefits of selling digital products.

How to treat baby s diarrhea

If you see these signs in your baby, you must treat her by giving as much fluid as you can. You can give either breast milk or formula (if your baby is not more than 6 months old). Water and soup are other alternatives for older babies.

There are also special fluids designed to replace water and salts lost during your baby's diarrhea. According to American Academy of Pediatrics, these fluids are very useful in home management of mild to fairly severe illnesses.

However, you should not prepare these fluids by yourself because you may make bad liquids for you baby, which of course can worsen her condition. You can easily get the fluids in nearby pharmacies.

When should you take your baby to a doctor?

You should take her see a doctor if these conditions below occur:

- You find blood in your baby's feces. This can be a sign of bacterial infection.

- There are changes in your baby's behavior, like she cries most of the time and you can't calm her down or she refuses to eat and drink.

- Your baby has a high fever, which is above 39°C.

Nonetheless, no need to be worried if:

- your baby acts normally as usual.

- your baby has no fever.

- your baby still wants to eat.

Generally, diarrhea recovers by itself without medicine. You just need to be patient and not to worry too much. Always observe your baby's condition and examine whether her feces get solid or not and whether there's blood in them.

The key is to keep give her as much fluid as you can. If she refuses, try to give the drink in small amount but do it frequently.

Why our dogs scratch themselves

:
Itching and scratching in dogs is a nothing short of a nightmare for pet owners. It can keep the owners up all night, driving them crazy. If it can be so painful for the pet owners, then just think how the dog must be suffering. All the dog does the entire day is itch and scratch, bite and lick leading to a complicated and aggravating situation if not attended to at the earliest. If your dog is itchy and scratching all the time, it is important to find out the cause of the itch. This can be quite difficult.

These are the symptoms of severe pruritus (itching) according to veterinarians. There are a wide range of causes and severity of itching and scratching in dogs with skin and coat trouble. The top ten worst itching offenders are:

Fleas
Airborne allergens
Parasites, such as ear mites, scabies or cheyletiellosis
Skin infections caused by bacteria
Ticks and lice
Food allergies
Fungal infections, including yeast infections
Seborrhea
Contact allergies
Whole-body illnesses, such as liver disease, immune-system problems and some cancers.
There are several types of scratching and itching that can affect your dogs. They can be broadly grouped under General Itching, Persistent Itching, Chronic Localized Itching and Chronic/Severe Itching.

In General Itching, the dog scratches the skin regularly but hardly shows any visible signs of localized problem. The most common reason for this could be fleas and ticks.

In Persistent Itching, the itching is more localized and the dog scratches a particular area but the visible signs are negligible to non-existent. This type of itching results in thinning of fur and flaky skin and more or less associated with allergies.

In Chronic Localized Itching, the itching is chronic and extremely painful for the dog. The symptoms include skin rashes and infection. These spots emit pus are make the dog smelly, ultimately resulting in hair loss.

In Chronic/Severe Itching, the dog experiences intense itching. The most common reasons for these are mange or microscopic mites, which lead to crusty and scab-like skin.

There are some other severe itching problems such as fungal infections. They are less common, but also require a vet's attention.

The best possible ways of treating itching in dogs is a combination of proper medication and skin treatment. Persistence in treating the itchiness topically while you are addressing the underlying causes through diet, supplements and medication will greatly benefit your dogs’ ability to heal and reduce his or her stress as well

If your pet is suffering from Itch or Flea trouble I strongly recommend the
product Neem flea
spray

Living with an alcoholic some dos and don ts

One of the commonest questions anyone working in the addiction field is asked is “How can I stop my wife/husband/partner from drinking so much?” Unfortunately the short answer to that is – you can’t. They will stop when it suits them, whether that is because they hurt so much or because circumstances change. That is painful to hear, but nevertheless it is true.

There is some good news, however, and that is if you can’t actually stop them drinking then there are things that you can do, or stop doing, that will make it more likely that they will take action and/or seek help for their drinking. Below I have listed a number of things that you should avoid doing as they often have the opposite effect to intended, making the situation even worse. I will discuss the things that you should do in another article.

Don’t protect the drinker from the naturally occurring consequences of drinking. If they embarrass themselves don’t make excuses, or if they fall don’t pick them up. Only intervene if there is a danger of the drinker being injured. For most people this kind of ‘tough love’ is a difficult thing to do, just ignore a loved one when they are drunk goes very much against the grain. However, protecting the drinker means that they never suffer the consequences and so are never aware of the severity of their drinking. Since many believe that problem drinkers only seek help when they are hurting, so protecting the drinker only delays that time coming and that it could be argued is more cruel.

Don’t protect the drinker from other consequences. If they take time off work through being too drunk or too hungover, don’t phone the boss and give an excuse. The problem drinker is only too happy for someone else to accept responsibility whereas they need to accept responsibility for their own behaviour if they are to change.

Don’t collude with the drinker. If they spend all their money on drink don’t lend them money or pay their debts. Again this is protecting and delays recognition of the extent of the problem.

Don’t join in and drink along with the drinker. It may seem a natural thing to do – “if you can’t beat them join them” but this just makes the drinking behaviour appear to be normal, which of course it’s not. Besides if you try and keep up you could end up needing help yourself, and one drunk is more than enough for any household.

Don’t scream and shout and nag about the drinking behaviour. This just provides an excuse to drink even more. That is, the logic that is used here is “I drink because you nag” rather than “You nag because I drink”. Yea, I know that is not logical but hey this is not about logic, its about drinking.

Don’t make threats and give ultimatums. Unless you are actually prepared to carry out these threats and ultimatums they will lose any power to influence the drinker. In fact, they may even provide an excuse for drinking, especially if there is a pattern of drinking to avoid stress and painful circumstances. Therefore you could be left feeling even more frustrated than before.

Don’t cry and sulk and withdraw to punish the drinker. The drinker can again view his as behaviour best avoided by getting drunk, perhaps with the immortal words “No wonder I drink, look at you!”.

Don’t try and have a meaningful conversation about the drinkers behaviour or your lives together when the drinker is intoxicated. It is easy to get lured into a conversation – don’t. Wait till the morning or when they are sober.

The downside to cosmetics - cosmetic allergy

The American Academy of Dermatology has revealed that on the average, adult Americans use at least seven various cosmetics or cosmetic products daily.

The thing is that products like shampoos, colognes, deodorants, moisturizers and other cosmetics have become part of people’s daily personal routines and they are considered necessities these days.

Cosmetics are primarily used to enhance beauty and some people have become so dependent on them that they become part of lifestyles.

Without any further explanation, it is apparent and very much understood that there are several specified ingredients in such cosmetics that function like antigens or trigger substances for allergic reactions, like fragrances and preservatives.

Cosmetic allergies are not so common. However, experts and studies found that on the average, about 10% of the country’s population is expected to form or experience a form of cosmetic allergy within their lifetime.

But it would be logical to assert that women are more prone to experience cosmetics allergy than men.

Symptoms of cosmetic allergy

Basically, there are only two major skin reactions that will clearly indicate the onset of cosmetics allergy. These are allergic contact dermatitis and irritant contact dermatitis.

The most common manifestation of allergies from cosmetics is inflammation in the infected skin area. The affected spot would exhibit redness and swelling, and most of the time, those two symptoms are carried out with mild to severe itching.

Basic and primary symptoms for cosmetics dermatitis immediately show up or develop after the skin has taken contact with cosmetic products.

Symptoms for cosmetic allergy occurs when the skin breaks down after contact with identified harsh substances. Upon contact, those substances or allergens immediately and directly affect and injure the skin’s outer layer, thus the onset of symptoms.

Like any other form of allergies, cosmetics allergy should not be considered a disease. Rather it is just a normal reaction as the body’s protective immune system throws out or rejects foreign and harmful substances.

Treatment of cosmetics allergy

Creams and ointments specifically manufactured to treat cosmetics allergy are available without prescriptions through retailers and drug stores.

Most of these medications contain cortisone in the form of hydrocortisone acetate and hydrocortisone. Cortisones help curtail redness, swelling and itching during the onset of cosmetics allergy symptoms.

In severe cases, doctors prescribe extra-strong medications and ointments that can effectively and immediately relieve the allergy. Antibiotics are needed if blisters in the skin, which is caused by cosmetics allergy, cracks and becomes infected.

How to prevent cosmetics allergy

There are some recommended measures that can help you prevent contracting cosmetics allergy. Take note of the following ways.

- Before using any cosmetic products, read its labels. Look out for active ingredients that can obviously trigger an allergic reaction to your skin. Find products or alternatives that do not contain such ingredients.

- Perform mini-patch tests to determine if a new cosmetic product is too strong for your skin. It is done by rubbing your wrist with the products and observing for any redness or recatio within 24 hours.

- When buying cosmetics, pick up those that contain very simple cosmetic formulas.

- When wearing perfume, apply it on your clothes, not in your skin.

It would do you no harm if you take several precautions to avoid getting cosmetics allergy. Prevention is much better that treatments. Remember, cosmetic allergy, just like any other allergies, is only treatable, not curable.

Defining agoraphobia discover the true definition of agoraphobia from an ex-sufferer s perspective

There are two things that are apparent when you start to seek a definition for agoraphobia and that is that, depending on where you look, there is more than just one definition. If we take a look in a dictionary, we will find that the interpretation given there is similar to the following: a disease which results in the sufferer being afraid of open or public spaces which, can result in the sufferer becoming housebound.

The second usual definition goes something like this: An anxiety disorder where the sufferer lives in fear of finding themselves in an embarrassing situation from which there is no escape. More advanced agoraphobics may, indeed, become confined to their home in order to avoid any such discomfort occurring whilst in public.

We can see that the result of being housebound is the same in both definitions, how the sufferer becomes housebound, though, is quite different. So, let’s compare both definitions to the real-life experiences of an agoraphobic.

I became an agoraphobic more than twenty years ago, following a series of panic attacks that occurred whilst I was travelling. At that time, my phobia was only connected to travel by any mode of transport that I chose: car, train, bus etc. but walking around outside posed no threat whatsoever. However, as the years progressed so did the severity of the condition and eventually, after around 18 years or so, I became totally housebound.

So, what is it that can make an agoraphobic’s life so limited? I’ll try to explain as best I can. But, if after reading this you can’t quite grasp the whole concept, don’t worry, most health professionals that I’ve consulted over the years couldn’t grasp it either.

As an agoraphobic, I lived in fear of when my next panic attack would strike. I was lucky, in one respect, in that I’ve never had a panic attack whilst within the confines of my home. However, I do know of other agoraphobics that do suffer them at home, sometimes quite frequently. For me, there was a fear bigger than the fear of having yet another panic attack and that was of having a massive panic attack that left me in a condition whereupon I could no longer stand up and walk or would result in some uncontrollable and embarrassing emotional outburst.

Knowing that certain situations could trigger my panic fuelled the second part of my condition. Being in heavy traffic made me feel very panicky and uncomfortable or standing still and not progressing forward on public transport had the same effect. So any thought of such an encounter brought on my “what if” syndrome. I’d be travelling down a road where the traffic was light and flowing freely when a thought such as: “I hope the traffic isn’t backed up at this or that road intersection” would enter my head and this would get me “what ifing”. “What if the traffic is backed up and we’re stuck there for twenty minutes and what if I have a panic attack and what if I can’t get to work and can’t get home?” This kind of thinking had just one outcome; it made me scared. And being scared and away from my safe zone just brought on my panic. This was one of the worst parts of my agoraphobia; me thinking my way into a panic attack.

Agoraphobia and its partners in crime, panic attacks and anxiety, stole everything that made my life good. But it didn't stop there. It's effects upon me altered the lives of my family and friends too. Having recovered from this nightmare existance, it's only now that I can look back and see just how debilitating this condition truly is.

The politics behind olympics games

Among the Greeks, fitness competitions and games were nationalistic in spirit; states were said to have been prouder of Olympic victories than of battles won. Women, foreigners, slaves, and dishonored persons were forbidden to compete. Contestants were required to train faithfully for 10 months before the games and had to take an oath that they had fulfilled the training requirements before participating. At first, the Olympic Games were confined to running, but over time new events were added. The winners of the Olympics were crowned with chaplets of wild olive, and in their home city-states male champions were also awarded valuable gifts and privileges.

As a visible focus of world energies, the Olympic Games have been prey to many factors that have thwarted their ideals of world co-operation and athletic excellence. Like in ancient Greece, nationalistic fervour has fostered intense rivalries that have at times threatened the survival of the games. Although officially only individuals are able to win Olympic medals, nations routinely assign political significance to the feats of their citizens and teams. For example, between 1952 and 1988 rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, rooted in mutual political antagonism, resulted in each boycotting games hosted by the other (Moscow, 1980; Los Angeles, 1984).

Politics has influenced the Olympic Games in other ways, from the propaganda of the Nazis in Berlin (1936) to pressures leading to the exclusion of white-ruled Rhodesia from the Munich games (1972). At Munich, nine Israeli athletes were kidnapped and murdered by Palestinian terrorists.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which sets and enforces Olympic policy, has struggled with the licensing and commercialisation of the games, the need to schedule events to accommodate television networks, and the monitoring of athletes who seek illegal competitive advantage, often through the use of performance-enhancing drugs. In 1998 a scandal erupted with revelations that bribery and favouritism had played a role in the awarding of the 2002 Winter Games to Salt Lake City, Utah, and in the selection of some earlier venues.

But, regardless of the Olympic Games tensions, it is historically proven that sports have acted as a liaison between nations and have greatly contributed to their evolution. Beginning with the sociological, psychological and physiological aspects of the human nature, sports have gained the praise of people worldwide, as they have contributed to their well being. Group-oriented, since in order to be a winner one has to compete, sport brings people closer together and generates team-spirit along with mind and physical awareness. But, whether or not the contemporary Olympic Games act as an opportunity for nations to learn from one another and cooperate or are just another opportunity for people to engage in competitive and hostile rivalries, only historians of the future will be able to judge with some certainty.

Top 5 reasons to avoid car loans

In the olden days, owning a car was considered as a part of luxury. But the modern circumstances have gone far from that stage. Today, car has become an inevitable part of a lifestyle and most families now have 2 or more cars. The car can be a necessity in the modern condition but the cost for it is not affordable for everyone. Majority of the car loan companies have come up with easy installment car loans as a possible method to arrange the money for car purchase. However, the car loans are not appreciated to be beneficial at all times.

The primary reason behind the discontent of the experts about car loans is the risk involved in it. Car loans are available in secured and unsecured options. However in most cases car loans are provided on the collateral security of the car itself. In most cases the collateral value will retains its value more or less during the whole loan repayment period. But, in case of car loans the collateral value will be depreciating at higher rates and it won’t be viable to support the loan during the whole loan process. The car loan lenders are forced to compensate their risk by including stringent conditions. This will reflect a practical difficulty, ultimately on the borrowers. And, in effect the car loans will not be advantageous.

Now many options are available for car financing. In most cases the dealers of the car itself will offer the financing of the car loan. Many banks and other private banks are also present in the market. Even then, the rates of car loan are higher than any other secured loans. In several cases unsecured loans are available as car loans. In the case of unsecured loans, the interest rates will be higher than any such loans. If the person has credit liability, the burden of the interest rates will increase in the car loans.

The repayment term of the car loan will also be a problem, as it will be short due to the risk involved in the loan. As the value of car decreases with the time, the lenders will be interested to limit the repayment schedule to as minimum as possible. The high interest and limited repayment track will in effect increases the monthly repayment amount.

In the present scenario, we are forced to change the car, according to the latest trends in the car market. The modern motor vehicle industry has come up with many attractive models that will gain the attention of people. The selling or exchanging of the car will become a problem, if you have a big balance in the car loan repayment. You will not be able to find appropriate deals as most of the people will not feel good to take up the loan associated with it.

Car loan refinancing is a popular option to reduce the hassles involved in car loans. But the efficacy of the car loan refinancing is also a question. Any faults in the repayment will also affect your credit score. In brief, car loans are potential dangers, which can imbalance your financial stability. It will be better to arrange the finance from any other source. And if car loan is inevitable, analyze the terms of the car loans carefully, before stepping in.

Nine important steps to an effective online marketing program

1. Determine your goals for your website. How will you drive traffic to your website? Plan for this up front, while developing your website. If search engines are important to you, then proceed to step 2.

2. Allocate a budget to online marketing and search engines. It’s as important as what you spend for designing and hosting your website. The budget you set will instruct these further steps you should take:

3. Optimize your website during design to perform well in search engines. Make sure it contains the correct density of keywords important in searches.

4. Make a commitment to keep your content fresh. Augment content as frequently as practicable, because search engines reward rich content.

5. Devote resources (your time or the money to hire others) to actively work on search engine placement. Monitor your ranking weekly or monthly in the major search engines for key search terms; this can be done manually or you can utilize automated software to produce a monthly or weekly ranking report. Even if you plan to focus on free "organic" rankings, plan to set up Pay-Per-Click accounts at Google and Yahoo. All companies that want traffic from search engines should consider PPC a basic cost, as essential as paying your monthly hosting bill. The budget can be as little as $20 a month … or much more, depending upon how aggressive you want to be.

6. Promote links to your website from your trading partners, in directories, through reciprocal links and discrete paid placements. “Link popularity” is highly important to search engine rankings. Monitor who links to you, and also who links to your competitors. Get as many links coming into your website as possible. Use viral marketing strategies, like posts or links from forums, bulletin boards, social websites like myspace and more.

7. Install a good statistics package. And review it frequently so you know what is happening with your website. Statistics will tell you if you are successful in getting people to your website. If you are having success in traffic but realizing few sales, that means you need to work on your "conversion" of website visitors by improving your products or improving the functionality and usability of your website..

8. Periodically measure progress in ranking and make adjustments to keywords and content as part of a regular maintenance program - at least monthly.

9. Submit your site URL to as many free sites as possible. Self-promote yourself by writing articles, placing ads on bulletin boards, e-zines, group sites etc.

Faqs of timeshare

Q:Who or What is TUG?

A:The Timeshare Users Group (TUG) is a web site operated by Bill Rogers and a group of volunteers who have a common interest in vacation timeshare ownership.

Q:I've read that this is a "not for profit" web site. Why is there a membership fee?

A:The membership fees pay for this site and all the associated costs of running the Timeshare Users Group ( phone bills, online fees, web site fees, domain registrations, postage, etc.....but no labor costs....we are an all volunteer organization.

Q:What are maintenance fees? And how much are they?

A:The cost of resort operation is spread among owners via an annual maintenance fee. The fee must also build up reserves to pay for non-recurring costs like furniture, appliances etc. that need periodic replacement and other capital costs as normal physical deterioration occurs. Cost is established by the developer or homeowners association. Caution: When a developer is in control, maintenance fees may be temporarily subsidized by the developer as a marketing tool while there is sales activity. After the homeowner association takes over, fees may quickly rise to unsubsidized levels.

Special assessments are sometimes added to maintenance fees to cover unexpected (non-reserved) expenses. These assessments are passed by the association board of directors. Severe storm damage would be an example where an extra assessment would apply.

Maintenance fees vary with the location and resort, but usually are in the $200 to $1000 per year range.

Q:Is buying a timeshare a good investment?

A:Timeshare ownership is an investment in quality vacations. Purchasers who buy a timeshare strictly for speculative reasons are usually disappointed as the resale market for timeshares does not appreciate as well or as fast as other real estate investments. As an investment in YOURSELF and your leisure time, a carefully researched timeshare purchase can be a good investment when compared to the cost of renting alternative comparable accommodations.

Q:If I decide to buy a timeshare, should I buy "new" from the developer or "used" as a resale?

A:All factors being equal, a resale from a previous owner or a resale company, will probably cost considerably less than buying direct from the developer. Deep discounts of 50% and more are not uncommon. There are instances where buying from a developer may be your only choice. Lack of a unit with the amenities, location or "extra" added programs like the Marriott point program might be a consideration to buy from a developer. Again, research your decision BEFORE you buy to secure the best deal for you. Where should you begin this research? I think you know the answer. Think "TUG"!

Q:Where is the best place to own a timeshare?

A:The answer can be as individual as each owner but the consensus answer falls into two categories based upon intended use.

If you intend to return to your resort frequently and exchange occasionally, your best choice is a resort you enjoy often.

If your primary intent is to maximize trade value and you do not intend to stay at your own resort very often, then you should buy at a resort which is in high demand.

While there is no single "best" choice, the current consensus of opinion says that Hawaii and coastal California are two easy choices that will produce top results.

There are many variables that would apply to any particular choice and a potential buyer is strongly advised to research factors that affect timeshare trade values before making a final choice. A membership in TUG that provides access to the resort ratings and reviews is an excellent place to start.

Q:Fixed week. vs. floating week ownership, what are they and which is better?

A:Fixed week ownership means that you have the right to occupy (or have available for trade or rent) a specific week and unit number at the resort you own every year.

Floating (sometimes referred to as flex) ownership means that even though you may be deeded a specific week and unit number, you have no use claim on that week or unit. Instead you have the opportunity to request a week within a specified range of weeks during the year. The range of weeks available for flex use is set by the resort and is the same range of weeks from year to year.

Advantages of owning a fixed week: You are guaranteed the week and unit you want every year (especially applicable to colder climate owners who want to vacation where it is warm in winter).

Advantages of owning a floating week: For those who are concerned about unforeseen work or schedule conflicts associated with a fixed week, floating time allows for additional planning options.

There are more implications with either type ownership especially as it applies to trading and vacation planning. A prospective timeshare owner is urged to examine the differences and make a choice to match the situation before purchasing.

Q:What is a bonus week and how can I get one?

A:The simple answer is that a bonus week is an "extra" week in addition to the one you own. It's given or sold as an incentive to timeshare owners for a specific reason.

A Developer Bonus Week (DBW) is available to members who own at participating resort. These bonus weeks are issued directly from the resort. They are sometimes issued as a signing bonus upon the purchase of a timeshare interval . Owners can sometimes purchase them from the resort as unsold developer owned weeks.

A second type of bonus week is one issued by an exchange company. Owners of high demand resort weeks receive them as incentives to deposit their timeshare week.

Bonus weeks are sometimes referred to as "Vacation Escape" weeks, "Getaway" weeks (or weekends). They are available to members of exchange companies like RCI, II and SFX. The exchange company makes bonus weeks available for purchase by members for a nominal fee. Purchased bonus weeks are considered "excess inventory" likely to go unused. Excess inventory is determined by the historical number of deposits versus the number of requests for each particular resort.

Bonus weeks usually come with expiration dates and may have other use restrictions relating to location, season and holidays.

Q:Which exchange company is best?

A:This is a "Coke vs Pepsi" question but it may be a moot point. The resort you own is probably affiliated with only one exchange company. There are, however, a few resorts affiliated with both. Do not let the resort's affiliation affect your decision to own or buy at the resort. Although there are preferences among people who have experience with both major exchange companies, there is no unanimous opinion that one is better than the other.

It should be noted that there are more than the two BIG exchange companies. TUG maintains a comprehensive list of timeshare exchange companies.

Q:If I deposit my week with an exchange company, does someone need to "take" it before I can request my desired week?

A:No. As soon as your week is deposited, you can request and get the week you want if it is available.

Q:I was contacted by company "X" offering to buy/sell/rent my timeshare for a fee. Can I expect them to do a good job?

A:Past experience by members and visitors to TUG have been unanimous in this regard. Never pay an upfront fee as a condition to buy, sell or rent your timeshare. This situation is probably the most common situation where an owner will probably be dissatisfied. ANY fee required before performance will probably be lost. These "fees" come disguised as "agent commissions", "appraisal fee", "advertising fee", etc. etc. They all have one thing in common. The money is always requested before performance is complete. Some of the more notorious companies preying on timeshare owners desperate to sell their timeshare will have the words "bank", "trust", "investment" in their company title. This is in an attempt to instill a feeling of confidence in their target. Do not be a victim. Verify the credentials and performance of any company making this type of offer.

If necessary we strongly suggest dealing only with an agent who works on commission from proceeds of sale. Failing that, there are experienced TUG members willing to offer advice on the "how to's" of selling your timeshare. Visit the TUG BBS and start asking questions.

Q:I am an RCI member. Can I transfer weeks to other RCI members?

A:Reply from RCI:

The form in the back of the RCI Directory, Membership Transfer Application, is mainly used for the sale of timeshare, but also for transfer of weeks. The most important parts of the document are the areas which indicate your account information, the week you want trasferred, and to what account it's going to. As long as we have that information along with your signature, it should be taken care of. That information can also be listed in a signed letter if you prefer. Once the information is completed, you can fax it to us at 317/805-9335 if you wish. Hope this helps. Thanks for visiting our website. Darrin Goodwin, RCI Internet Team.

Q:Since a timeshare accommodation usually has more facilities than a hotel room, are there any additional items I should consider bringing on my timeshare vacation?

A:Most timeshare accommodations have cooking and laundry facilities. While it certainly isn't necessary to pack anything more than you normally would for the typical vacation, some TUGGERS seem to be a different breed. Take a look at the A. R. Timeshare Checklist and then decide for yourself. (I'll let you decide for what the "A. R." stands for)

Q:Are there any tax advantages or disadvantages to owning a timeshare?

A:Good question. Since I don't even do my own taxes, I'll refer you to TUG's expert Timeshare and Taxes advice page to answer your question.

Q:What is the downside to owning a timeshare?

A: * You must continue to pay the yearly maintenance fee, which can increase over the lifetime of the resort, whether you use it or not.

* You could be required to pay additional "special assessments" arising from unexpected costs of maintaining or repairing the resort.

* Some people feel that owning a timeshare requires excessive advanced planning in attempts to reserve a popular floating week or to obtain a good exchange week. Planning a timeshare vacation a year in advance is not unusual.

* The majority of concerns with timeshare ownership seems to center around dealing with cost and interaction with exchange companies. It's often not the straightforward process the timeshare sales staff would have you believe.

It really is time to worry about identity theft

All of us, no matter how careful, can become victims of identity theft. In fact, it was determined every three seconds another identity is stolen. In 2007 there were seventy nine million credit card and Social Security Number thefts according to major news media investigations. That was an increase of four million additional people over the previous years statistics, that had their identity or financial information compromised. This makes identity theft one of the fastest growing crimes in America.

Anyone with a Social Security number and assets to loose should be concerned with identity theft. Unfortunately, a common belief by many people is they assume they have nothing significant for thief’s to take advantage of. Bear in mind criminals are much better than you are at making use of your information. For example; there is credit card theft where someone steals your credit card and runs up charges. Identity theft is where someone steals your personal information (social security number, date of birth, name, etc.) and uses your identity to open a new line of credit, gain employment or even establish citizenship.

You must realize that your information is stored locally and nationally. Your dentist, doctor, banking facility(s), college transcript, club memberships are examples of data configurations where your personal information is stored. I don’t have to remind you there have been numerous sophisticated agencies and institutions hacked into and identities stolen. How easy it would be to have your identity stolen from neighborhood businesses, your mailbox or even your trash receptacles. Yes shredding papers listing your personal information is a great step to protect your identity but as indicated, your information is everywhere.

It’s no secret that many savvy consumers have learned to place fraud alerts on their accounts which prompt creditors to call them if someone is trying to establish credit in their names. But did you know these alerts are generally only valid for a period of ninety days? Are you really confident enough to believe your going to take the time or for that matter, even remember to renew fraud alerts every three months? Remember too, just because you have fraud alerts placed does not guarantee you from becoming a victim.

There is an option to implement a credit freeze which locks down all of your personal information making it impossible for anyone to open a line of credit in your name, including you. There are also fees involved with many credit freezes. When you place a freeze, you pay a fee. From there on, if you want to open any new line of credit (loan, credit card, cell phone) the freeze must be lifted; there will be a fee for that as well. Currently 33 states and the District of Columbia offer the credit freeze option, but if you are not living in one of them, you cannot do this.

Credit watch services have come into prominence thanks to the many breaches that have been publicized. What exactly is a credit watch, and what benefit does such a service offer the consumer? Credit Monitoring (or a watch) is the credit bureau selling the consumer their own information. After there has been a change on your credit report, the bureau notifies you in 24 to 72 hours that there has been a change. It is then the consumer's responsibility to check the information for accuracy and by the way, if they find that it is a case of identity theft, the consumer is responsible for any losses, expenses and has to spend the time to clean up the mess. The Bureaus do nothing to actually prevent the crime of identity theft, nor do they help fix the problem. The FTC says it takes an average of 177 hours and over two years to clean up an identity or credit compromise, if you can clean it up at all.

I’m not trying to come off as a fatalist and give anyone the impression there is nothing that can be done about criminal activity. If you worry about identity theft, then it’s time you got to know about identity theft services. These agencies provide proactive identity theft protection.

On your behalf, ID theft companies request that fraud alerts be placed on your accounts. By placing these fraud alerts, you are asking that creditors take extra care to identify who you are and to investigate the validity of any pending transaction. These services also request that your name be removed from pre-approved credit card lists and junk mail lists. Additionally, services annually order your free credit reports from the three major credit reporting bureaus. In the event that your identity is compromised, qualified professionals are available to assist you in addressing whatever complications may arise.

In summary one might ask; if the consumer can do these things by themselves, what is the need for an identity theft service? The simple answer is nothing more than convenience and protection. The assurance that nothing is overlooked in the shuffle and required responsibilities in everyday living that would keep you from taking the measures necessary to protect your identity. These services have but one concern and mission, to safeguard your identity and assets.

Mortgage leads jump start your activity

As loan officers and mortgage brokers there are many avenues to go down in order to obtain mortgage leads for potential loan customers.

Activity is the key to obtaining leads in any sales industry. Sitting idle will get you no where except hungry and out of a job.

For instance, if you have a one o’clock appointment with a customer, don’t spend your day waiting around to leave for the appointment, build appointments in and around the vicinity of your one o’clock appointment.

This can be accomplished in the following way. Cold calling.

The day before your appointment, spend a couple of hours making some calls to potential customers in the neighborhood of your appointment.

Let them know that you will be in the area and you would like to stop by to introduce yourself and drop off some brochures. Keep it short and sweet.

In the mortgage industry your activities consist of many things to obtain leads. Such as chambers, rotaries, customer referrals, family, friends, community involvement, etc.

That being said, it is always nice to have a back up plan for slow times such as summer months and the holiday season.

This is where mortgage lead companies come in.

But just don’t go and invest with any old lead company, you want to make sure you get your money’s worth, so do your research.

Check out the mortgage lead company’s web site and speak with someone in their customer service department. Find out how they obtain their leads and what the quality of their leads is.

If the mortgage lead company is not obtaining their leads from web sites they own and operate on their own, than most likely they are recycling old leads and will be selling you old junk.

Remember, if you are not happy with the information you gather on their web site or through their customer service department, chances are you won’t be happy with the leads either.

Baseball products shopping trips

Fans put their very best efforts in to finding the greatest assortment of baseball products that they can add to their collections. Some of the searching techniques for these baseball products might take them and several of their friends on baseball products shopping trips to every baseball team location throughout the United States.

Some of these fans might go a little overboard in their baseball memorabilia collecting efforts. They start by buying the small things like baseball caps, and baseball gloves, and before you know it they want to try to collect every bumper sticker from every baseball team that they can put their hands on.

Their need to show their team spirit might get a little out of hand at times, but when they go on these baseball products shopping trips they all get a little excited. They are inspired by the baseball products that they see on websites throughout the Internet, that promote what they say is the largest collection of baseball products memorabilia in the entire United States.

Some of the baseball products that they find through these web portals are meant to help new players with their pitching speeds, and fans get truly inspired by this, because they at least want to get their speed to 103. Some of these dedicated fans will really enjoy the opportunity to own digital imagine binoculars that would bring all game they see up close, and very personal.

Other fans go on baseball products shopping trips to help improve their swing, and end up buying quality baseball products that bounce, spin, and zing across the playing fields. These consistent and very durable products are made of full grain cow leather hide, and nobody is really ever sure about what the baseball manufacturers put inside of them.

By the time these fans return back home from their baseball products shopping trips, their automobiles will be heavy weighted with all sorts of baseball memorabilia products that they noticed on all sides of the street. The shops with the colorful banners and watches, kept their attentions for quite a while as they talked to their respected manufacturers in lengthy detail.

There were fans that took advantage of the time on the road, to spend the downtime reading about skill tips, and strategy ideas that major league baseball coaches followed throughout the season. The time on the baseball shopping trips was never wasted because all of the baseball gear that was collected was bought to help players and kids learn all about baseball.

These baseball fans are devoted to spreading the word about baseball. While on their baseball products shopping trips, they make it a point to stop by every retail location they can, to search the aisles carefully for baseball products that can motivate the future players of their favorite sport. There are many things out there for them to choose from too, so they know that the kids in their fair cities will be running the bases and hitting homeruns every Summer starting in June.

Is click-to-call what local search has been waiting for

Click-to-call is an emerging contextual advertising format that will help spark the growth of localized search. It links online users to offline advertisers by combining Internet telephone capabilities. Although it has yet to hit its stride as a platform or even pierce consumer consciousness, the biggest interactive names, like Google, Yahoo, and eBay, are positioning themselves for a future in click-to-call. Let’s take a closer look.

Click-to-call ads (CTC) are delivered, like pay-per-click, through standard online search results. They mostly resemble standard paid search ads, too. The user sees the familiar text in a box, except there is an icon that can be clicked to connect the interested party with the designated advertiser via telephone. This process is fully online until the user activates the CTC functionality by clicking that icon delivered with the ad.

Next, the user is prompted to enter their telephone number, which may or may not be already stored with the search engine. Once the phone number is entered, the search engine calls the user and connects the advertiser at no cost to the user. It should be noted that search engines will be adamant about protecting the anonymity of user phone numbers in order to placate any understandable fears of being added to telephone marketing lists. It will be imperative for search engines to build user confidence because trust is precious, especially when introducing new products.

Since CTC incorporates phone use through the Internet, VoIP specific companies like Vonage and Fusion will be parlaying their niche of Internet telephony into partnerships with bigger Internet properties, as evidenced by Skype’s sale to eBay. Even an online advertising agency like ICMediaDirect. com has to consider the impact of a “hybrid” service, like click-to-call, will have on search marketing. Isn’t it funny how convergence, the calling card of technological progress, can make the telephone cutting edge?

Experts aren’t expecting great revenue generation straight out of the gate, but click-to-call could be at the forefront of yet another giant tech-based advertising expansion. One area that click-to-call may impact is local search. I believe CTC has enough functionality to ignite the long anticipated surge of localized search as a leading format of small business advertising. For example, if a person finally has had enough of a bad back – where do they go to find a chiropractor, the Internet? Could be. That’s where we can research and get a phone number. Just think what a chiropractor would pay per click of that icon that rings his office and the sufferer simultaneously. And you thought pay-per-click was targeted and relevant?

Finding out which businesses will advertise on local search via click-to-call is an easy task – they’re the ones filling the yellow pages of your phone book. These small businesses (think: pizza parlors, law offices, florists) are already heavily vested in local advertising, yet almost none use search advertising because the format has yet to incorporate small business. It’s believed that there are nearly 15 million small businesses in the United States today and almost none are benefiting from local search the way that it’s envisioned. When geo-targeted search is smoothed out and more popular, and CTC gets rolling, local advertising will realize more convenience and more targeting – and the world will witness another online advertising revolution.

Click-to-call is even more targeted than the pay-per-click search format as we know it today. Advertisers are going to pay more for CTC because anyone who takes the time to call is certainly a higher-percentage paying customer than your basic web surfer who indicates interest. While some web surfers may click ads to satisfy curiosity, few visitors will be clicking icons to make idle talk with businesses – as far as I can tell, this isn’t an issue for businesses listed in the Yellow Pages. Click-to-call is a potent ad format and advertisers are going to shell out top dollars for it. Keep an eye out for developments in this format and be ready to adjust your strategies accordingly.

Joseph Pratt

Media Analyst

ICMediaDirect. com

icmediadirect. com

e: joseph@icmediadirect. com

Who said homeschool is for kids only it s for highschools too

They say homeschooling is only for the younger kids in the elementary or lower levels but highschool homeschooling is also a very popular educational choice. Only this time, the decisions are most probably through the convincing power of the students themselves.

Most that do homeschooling are those teenagers who cannot take the pressures at school, especially those of peer pressure and bullying. Others cannot catch up with the lessons and curriculum programs of regular schools or would like to start early in life through training, internship and community volunteering jobs that would help them be knowledgeable and prepared for the struggle outside the four walls of their school.

This is why choosing the suitable curriculum for teenagers or highschool is very important. There are a lot of materials or support they can get especially on the Internet. They can talk to other homeschoolers in established groups through message boards, forums and chats to build a network. Homeschooling sites are also all over the net; they can browse through these sites, find an established support group in their area, get some catalogs and enroll in a curriculum or they can create their own study program.

This is good for those students who have very supportive and open-minded parents. But in case there are none and the student is left to carry out his curriculum by himself, homeschooling helps students to stand up and depend on themselves because one thing that is developed within is good independent study skills and more as they engage in continuous studying on their own.

In choosing the homeschool curricula, it is best if teenagers are present and take an active part in deciding which curricula to choose that would best apply to their learning styles and abilities. Better for teenagers is to create their own course of study. In this way, students will have good choices of activities which develop every aspect of their personality instead of just choosing a fixed program. Anyway, there are different approaches to choose from and combine that would help in the holistic development of the student.

For highschool, homeschooling can help them start in life, make a step forward through practical trainings and internship programs depending on the specialization they like to pursue. Computer based jobs like developing software, designing a web, database administration, graphics and multimedia designs, repairs and troubleshooting are very popular among the choices of training and specialization. These are the jobs that most students who hate school like the most.

So, why force them in fixed school curricula when they can actually be successful in what they want and might do best in the future.

Dental insurance plan a few things to remember

Regular dental check up is the foremost advice that any dental health care professional offers. But only few of us act on that expert advice. Simply because most of us are lazy. Besides, we do not want to spend money on something for which there is apparently no urgent need. Laziness is the state of mind and has to be taken care of by us on our own, but so far as expenses are concerned, dental insurance plans take much of the load off one's pocket. However, while going for a dental insurance plan, there are a few things you must ensure.

1.Make sure that the dental insurance plan allows you to choose your own dentist. If the dentist you want for yourself and your family is not among those that the plan approves, the expenses incurred by visiting such dentist may not be borne by the insurance providers. So, make sure that you are not put to any such irritating inconvenience. Pay a little more, if you have to, to be attended by your preferred dentist. It's well worth it.

2.Consider the restrictions, if any, imposed by the plan on your choosing the treatment options. There are a few insurance plans that tend to cap the number of treatments allowed while a few others would limit the expendable amount. Those who have a family history of poor dental health must consider this aspect very carefully and ensure that the plan they choose imposes the least number of restrictions on their choice of treatment.

3.Know what your plan covers exactly and what stands outside its purview. A good dental insurance plan allows a cleaning treatment every six months. X-ray and fluoride treatments are inclusive, as they cost little or nothing at all. So far as the major treatment procedures are concerned, you are required by many plans to pay 50 percent of the expenses. If your family has had good dental health in the past, you may ask for lesser coverage in this area.

4.Who all in your family would be covered under the plan is also an important issue. Mostly, dental insurance plans cover the spouse and also the dependent children right from the birth up to 18 years of age.

These are a few things that you must consider while going for an insurance plan so that all of your dental worries are a thing of past.

Discount roses by next day air

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Sending Roses and Saving Money with Overnight Flowers Shippers

Sending beautiful roses at a significant discount is easier than ever, thanks to a variety of direct-ship flowers sources on the Internet. These innovative flower companies import the best rose varieties and colors fresh from growers around the world. Then, they deliver them by overnight air direct to your special someone. The result is often fresher, longer lasting flowers, all at substantial savings. While overnight flowers arrive unarranged and don't offer the finished touch of a local florist delivery, they're fast becoming an extremely popular and reliable alternative for budget-conscious flower-lovers. We set out to test three of the better sources for flowers by overnight air, placing orders for one dozen red roses at hallmark. com, flowers-delivery-florists. com, and proflowers. com. All three orders arrived as promised on the morning of the appropriate day. All three were well packaged with quality roses that opened nicely and lasted the better part of the week. Which one was the best? You decide. Here is what we found.

Hallmark
When the Hallmark flowers arrived some people thought they looked a little unimpressive due to a dark color and tight buds. They hadn't opened much yet, but when they did two days later they had a pretty shape. The heads were firm, indicating healthy blooms and good hydration, and they lasted all week. Including a vase and shipping, our purchase came to $60.94. The vase was metal and didn't appeal to everyone in our office but served surprisingly well for displaying the roses. The bouquet included a couple of sprigs of Babies' Breath that didn't add much. The purchase also credited us with 500 Gold Crown points that we'll probably never use. Ordering was easy with a choice of available gift cards displayed online. The flowers arrived with a packet of flower food, and the whole box was decked out in an eye-catching purple color scheme. On the whole, this was a great product, even if it did come at a premium price.

Total Cost: $60.94 Delivered
Summary: The highest price, a stylish vase, the most attractive packaging, and roses that arrived a bit tight but lasted all week.

Flowers Delivery Florists
The roses from flowers-delivery-florists. com were quickly hailed as the office favorite due to their vibrant red color and large blossoms. At only $40.90 total, they were also the best bargain of the bunch. The stems were thick and sturdy, indicating healthy, well-developed flowers. After a few days the roses were still going strong, although one bloom may have been damaged in shipping as it was beginning to drop petals. Clichй Babies' Breath was not included. Instead, there was some tasteful foliage to complement the flowers. While basic, the free glass vase made displaying the flowers quick and convenient. The packaging was nice, and the roses were the only ones to come with cold packs to help preserve them during shipping. This bouquet was an eye-catcher for five to six days. So, at 30% less than the first order, it was definitely our pick for the best overall value.

Total Cost: $40.90 Delivered
Summary: The lowest price, best blossom size, and most impressive flowers upon arrival, still lasting most of the week.

Proflowers
The roses from Proflowers arrived before noon, which made us glad we didn't spend the extra money for "guaranteed morning delivery." The flowers themselves were pretty, with ample fluffy white Babies' Breath included. The price was reasonable at $44.97 delivered, but the roses arrived without any container, which made us wish we had spent the extra $9.99 for a vase. The flower heads seemed a little soft. After two days they looked fine, but by the end of the week they were in the poorest condition. Ordering was easy, although we didn't like the fact that our total purchase amount was not clearly displayed until the end of the process. The light green packaging was compelling, and flower food was included. On the whole, the Proflowers roses were definitely good quality but just not quite as nice as the other two.

Total Cost: $44.97 Delivered (vase not included)
Summary: A quality product at a reasonable price that was very satisfactory but not the most economical or long lasting.

Conclusion
While our test is just a one-time sampling, it dramatizes how easy and inexpensive it is to send a message of love, congratulations, or thanks with roses. All three sources performed exceedingly well, delivering superior flowers on time and without a hitch. The stems had to be cut and dropped in water, but that was relatively easy, and all the bouquets were beautiful for at least five days. Hallmark's flowers were particularly long lasting, as they arrived with tighter buds, but Flowers Delivery Florists was our favorite due to its strikingly vibrant flowers and particularly low price. All three online services offer a wide selection of bouquets, vases, and delivery options. So, check them out. Regardless of which you choose, you're sure to find the perfect gift for someone you love.

This article was written by John E. Williams, a writer and flowers lover in Chicago, Illinois and may be republished in its entirety on the Internet as long as this credit and the link above are included.

Attending to your air filter duties

The air filter is one of the parts and components of your car that you do need to change regularly. After all, it is one of those parts that really do a messy kind of work. Remember that one of its main functions is to actually prevent particulate matter from entering important parts of your engine.

What is important is that you should be able to keep in mind that air filters need to be changed regularly. Automobile experts suggest that you should at least replace an air filter annually. However, there are exemptions to this rule and these exemptions depend on the kind of performance that your car has along with its frequency of use. If air filters are new, they actually increase your car’s efficiency. So it means that if you have old or dirty air filters, you would have higher chances of receiving a lowered efficiency.

Replacing your air filters need not be expensive on your part as owner of a car. There is no need to go to a mechanic or auto service center. You actually can do it yourself. The whole activity is quite simple if you do know what you are doing.

You should first open the hood of your car. The air filter is usually mounted on top of your engine. However, for cars with carburetors, you would see that its air filter is located inside a round piece of metal. This metal would look like a medium-sized pizza. On the other hand, for fuel-injected cars, the air filters would be enclosed in a square or a rectangular housing which could be mounted somewhere on the side of your car’s engine and not on top of it.

When you have located your car’s air filter, unscrew or unclamp the top of the housing. You should be able to take the air filter out. You would know that it is indeed the air filter for it would be either round or rectangular in shape and it would be made out of paper or plastic and it would have a rubber rim.

When you have removed the air filter, you should first clean the area where you would be putting the new air filter. Try using a vacuum cleaner to suck out the dust or if you are planning on using rags, remember to seal the top of the carburetor first to keep any dirt and debris away. Upon finishing cleaning, put in the new air filter and then close the hood.

Pool hot tub water sanitizers

We all enjoy soaking or swimming in a warm crystal clear pool or hot tub yet at times keeping that sparkle can be a trying experience. Keeping your pools chemicals in the proper range is not only necessary to maintain that sparkle but also to keep your pool or hot tub safe for swimmers.

There are three basic ways to keep your pool clean and safe for swimming the traditional chlorine system, biguanide and mineral systems each are safe and effective for use in outdoor pools and hot tubs. Each system needs to be used independently of the other so which ever system you start using you must continue to use that system. You will also need to purchase the proper testing equipment for your system.

The old standard chlorine is available almost every place from your local pool supply store to Wal-Mart it is relatively cheap and easy to monitor and use. The big drawbacks of chlorine are it is harsh on your skin and can cause bathing suits and hair color to fade. Stabilized chlorine should be used in a pool or hot tub that is exposed to sunlight if your spa is inside or is not in direct sunlight non stabilized chlorine can be used.

The next type of pool sanitizers are the mineral systems these release minerals such as copper, zinc and silver into the water to keep the pool or hot tub algae and bacteria free. Generally the mineral system does use a small amount of chlorine to make sure the system is efficacious.

The third type of pool sanitizer is the "Bio" type of sanitizers such as Bioguard and BioDex. These all liquid sanitizers are very easy to use but they do require a specific testing unit and can not be used with chlorine. These sanitizers do not have the same harsh effects of chlorine and do not bleach out hair and swim suits.

Every type of pool sanitizers requires an oxidizer, the oxidizer or shock treatment removes the oils, lotions and other unwanted contaminations form the pool. Not all shock treatments are the same although monopersulfate which is an oxygen based oxidizer. Chlorine based shock treatments are also oxygen based. Chlorine shock should never be used with the Biguanide sanitizing system uses hydrogen peroxide as the main oxidizer.

No matter what type of sanitizer you use in your pool or hot tub you need to start with the basics. Make sure your Ph is between 7.4 and 7.6 this prevents corrosion and scale build up and reduces the irritation to swimmers skin and eyes.

Which of these cat breeds is the right one for you

There are many cat breeds out there. If you are like most people, you don’t know much about them. In order to help you to make a choice about breeds, here is some useful information.

Do you want a cat that can entertain himself and not get into mischief? Then don’t consider the Sphynx, the Rex, the British Angora and the Siamese. These cats are energetic and seem to be looking for trouble. For those who are looking for a cat to provide them with entertainment, these are a good choice. The Rex is a silly cat as it will attempt to amuse you.

There are other important features to consider as well. For example, if you want a long haired or a short haired cat. Those who do not have the time to groom the pet daily should not choose a long haired cat. Those who choose a long hair need to realize the commitment in taking care of that coat. If you do not, it can tangle and matt up and need to be shaven. And, it can pose a health risk too.

Vocal cats are often something that many people either consider or want nothing to do with. They can be quite noisy. Many cat owners do not have a problem with them, others realize that communicating with them is necessary and that in some cases, it isn’t the right choice.

Vocal/Noisy Cat Breeds:

Siamese

Burmese

Korat

Quiet Cat Breeds:

American Curl

Scottish Fold

Somali

Attitude is your next determining factor. Some cats enjoy being held and cuddled while others want nothing to do with humans at all. Some cats want the attention while others do not. Choosing which the right one for you is a much is.

Affectionate Breeds are great for children:

Snowshoe

Maine Coon

Ragdoll

Abyssinian

Tonkinese

Himalayan Persian

Reserved Breeds:

Nebelung

Russian Shorthair

Norwegian Forest Cat

Lastly, choose if you would like to go with a kitten or an abandoned older cat. Remember that kittens need to be trained but that adult cats can already be set in their ways. You can find many breeds of kittens to choose from at the local cat show and you can look for them at your local humane society as well. These cats need homes and these organizations are usually full to the brim with them.

I hope that you find this information useful and that it helps you find the perfect cat.

Collections create continuity of design

Increasingly, homeowners are looking to go with the flow-creating continuity from room to room with design elements that complement each other and tie the whole house together.

This has often been one of the greater design challenges, even for professionals. That's because while some design elements offer an overall sense of unity, others-that may have plenty of "wow" appeal on their own-simply don't work from one room to another.

Fortunately, spectacular new collections are helping create the sort of harmony that people desire. Known as the Architecturally Inspired Collections™, these simple-to-coordinate collections offer builders and homeowners the ability to blend a specific architectural design and finish seamlessly throughout a home. And with additional collections on the way, there will be plenty of options for beautifying the home.

The first two sensational lines consist of newly designed faucets, showerheads, door hardware and bathroom accessories that feature complementary styles and distinctive matching finishes. The traditional country-inspired Ashfield Collection is fashionable and flexible. This seemingly eclectic style brings together time-honored country traditions, while the sleek, coastal-inspired Avalon has a slight touch of the coast, aesthetically co-existing with any color scheme or decor. Plus, the exceptional quality of the collections gives consumers additional confidence in their design decisions; it's like having an interior designer in the house.

"Today's homeowners are looking for residential synergy, attempting to coordinate a wide range of products for their homes that blend a single theme," said Sandy Vandall, vice president of Research and Brand Marketing for the Black & Decker Hardware and Home Improvement Group.

The Ashfield and Avalon Collections will be available in an array of elegant, richly detailed matching finishes, including Polished Chrome, Satin Nickel, Oil Rubbed Bronze, Rustic Pewter™, Rustic Bronze™ and Tuscan Bronze™. Each finish carries a lifetime anti-tarnish warranty. Additional finishes are available on selected products.

Architecturally Inspired Collections is an innovative combination of the trendsetting designs of Price Pfister and Kwikset, two leaders in the home-improvement industry that are working together to help create continuity of design. More collections, including the upcoming Modern Collection, are planned for the future.