Camping gear checklist

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With camping season right around the corner, you are sure to be
planning the best camping trip ever with your family. In order to make
it a great camping trip, you need to be sure that you have the gear you
need for camping. We have created this great checklist for you to use,
to be sure that you do not forget any camping essentials.

Cooking Essentials For Camping

• Camp Grill
• Water
• Can Opener
• Food
• Pots and Pans
• Ice Chest
• Charcoal
• Matches
• Paper Plates
• Plastic Eating Utensils
• Spices
• Salt and Pepper
• Garbage Bags
• Drinks

Don’t Forget About Clean Up After Cooking

• Dish Soap
• Dish Towel
• Large Tub For Washing Up Cookware

Be sure that you plan meals that are easy. Hot dogs, hamburgers, and
sandwiches are some of the easiest low maintenance camping meals that you
will find.

Sleeping Essentials For Camping

• Tent
• Sleeping Bags
• Pillows
• Extra Blankets If Needed

Personal Hygiene and Shower Essentials

• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Towels
• Wash Cloths
• Soap
• Shampoo and Conditioner
• Hair Brush and Hair Accessories
• Razor and Shaving Cream
• Toilet Paper
• Small Mirror
• Deodorant

Clothing Essentials

• T - Shirts
• Shorts
• Jeans
• Jacket
• Raincoat
• Socks
• Underwear
• Boots
• Tennis Shoes
• Swimsuit

Miscellaneous Essentials

• Bug Spray
• Binoculars
• First Aid Kit
• Fishing Gear
• Hunting Gear
• Oil Lamps
• Flash Lights
• Deck of Cards
• Screen Room
• Knife
• Extra Batteries
• Cell Phone
• Battery Powered Fan

Camping is a lot of fun, and the more prepared you are, the better your
trip will be. Be sure and print this list out so that you will not
forget anything important for your camping trip.

More heads are better that one

No matter how you are looking at things, if another person looks - he will see them differently. So, to be sure you are doing the right things on the right way, you should not only think systematically yourself, but also provide channels to get feedback and other opinions.

"The manager of one car-service company phoned all his daily customers after the working time to make sure they were satisfied with the service and to ask them if they could have done something better." This is a very good example of how one company can be closer to its customers; but on the other side - it is very time-consuming and rather expensive. There is a proverb that we can use for better solution: "If Mohammed can't come to the mountain, the mountain will come to Mohammed." In order to gain as much feedback and opinions from your customers, you have to be sure that they can provide it easily the moment they decide.

You have probably made a nice-looking website to provide information, promote something, get the message out there or sell something. It is now time to think of some other usage for it - gaining feedback! Here are some ways to do that using live-support software:

• Be sure to place a contact point on each of your web pages. It can include the "chat" button, the "leave a message" button or even a visible link to "contact us" - where you have all the other contact points written;

• Provide visitors with incentives to give you their feedback. For example: We appreciate any of your comments and opinions and are glad to offer prizes for 10 of our visitors each month which gave us their feedback.

• Place imbedded links in your website text to receive feedback on certain important issues. For example: We developed a new product line according to your requirements. We will be glad to chat with you to hear your opinion or new ideas;

• Place the "chat" button on the e-mails you send. That way your customers can immediately reply to your message and you get the chance to ask additional questions you are interested in;

• Make paper feedback cards which you can give together with your products or services and write on them your website address where they can interact with you and tell you their satisfaction, their ideas for improvement or simply chat with you on any issue.

56% of consumers feel respected when marketers attempt to understand their interests. So, make sure that as many people from outside the business can comment regularly on what you are doing well or badly and that way make them feel respected.

Baby sleep tips - some tricks for the transition

As a new parent, one of your priorities will be to establish good sleeping habits with your newborn. Your baby needs to learn to sleep on his own; the transition from sleeping with his mother to sleeping by himself takes some time. Of course, as add added bonus, if you get your baby to learn to sleep on his own you will also get some much needed rest yourself. To instill good sleeping habits in your baby, research and try to employ different baby sleep tips: try a lot of things and see what works for you, and don't be afraid to trust your instincts.

Many baby sleep tips center on the idea of establishing routines and associations for your child between nighttime and sleep. The sooner you child begins to associate bedtime with sleep, the more likely he is to be able to go to sleep without a fuss. A period that is often overlooked, however, in establishing day vs. night associations, is the period of "transition" - that is, the one between being awake and falling asleep. Here are some transitioning techniques to try:

Try what is sometimes called "fathering down." Just before placing the baby into bed, the father should cradle the baby in such a way that the baby's head rests on the father neck. The father should then talk gently to the child. Because the male's voice is much deeper than the female's, babies are often more soothed by it, and will fall asleep more easily after being exposed to it for some time.

You can also try what is sometimes referred to as "wearing down." This is effective if your baby has been active throughout the day and is too excited to go to bed easily. All you have to do is place your baby in a sling or carrier - "wear him" in other words - for about half an hour before his bedtime. Simply go about your regular household activities: being close to a parent and slowly rocked about before bedtime will provide your child with an easier transition from being awake to being asleep.

Finally, if you've exhausted other options, you can go for the tried and true method of "driving down." Most parents are probably familiar with this as a last resort: place your baby in the car and drive around for awhile until he falls asleep. This one, while inconvenient, usually works every time, and if you desperately need some sleep it can be a godsend.

Obviously, you don't want to do things like drive around every night to get your child to sleep. Nor do you want to have to carry him around in a sling. The idea, though, is to start with these more drastic techniques and then slowly ease out of them. Keep in mind what a major transition your baby is going through when he is tiny: he's never slept on his own before. He simply doesn't know how to transition himself from being awake to being asleep. By employing these transition techniques you will be slowly teaching him how to do so, and as they are gradually removed your baby will learn good sleeping habits, which will ensure that both you and your child get a good night's rest.

Searching for adventure on grand cayman s sister islands

Most visitors to the Cayman Islands spend the majority of their time on Grand Cayman and make daytrips to Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. Though the smaller Caymans lack most of the conveniences and the luxurious surroundings of Grand Cayman, there is plenty to explore. If you are a scuba diver or outdoor enthusiast, you won’t be disappointed in what you find on the smaller islands. Tourists looking for relaxation will be greeted by peaceful beaches and incredible scenery. When you visit Grand Cayman, make sure you pay a visit to the rest of the family.

Deriving its name from the crocodile-like caymans Christopher Columbus thought he found upon his visit in 1503 (they were, in fact, iguanas) and the “brac” (Gaelic for “bluff”) that traverses the island’s center, Cayman Brac is the favorite day trip for visitors staying on Grand Cayman. Accommodations are hard to come by on this small island of 1,600 residents, but fun is never in short supply. Courtesy of the pristine natural beauty and some truly unique geography, Cayman Brac has come to be known as one of the world’s most distinctive scuba diving and rock climbing destinations.

Though Cayman Brac is just over 14 square miles, the waters surrounding the island are overflowing with excellent scuba and snorkel sites. Just a short boat ride from shore you will find Greenhouse Reef and Radar Reef, two sites with varying depths that can be enjoyed by divers of all skill levels. As depths at most of the coral reefs surrounding Cayman Brac are between 20 and 60 feet, snorkelers will also have no trouble seeing the sites in the crystal clear water. Though the reefs are certainly spectacular, adventurous divers from across the world come to Cayman Brac to experience the wall dives. Ranging in depth from 70 to 100 feet – with some walls extending much deeper – these sites offer an underwater experience unlike any other. Cayman Brac also boasts one of the most entertaining wreck dives in the Caribbean, the 330-foot Captain Keith Tibbetts that was intentionally sunk in 1996. In all, there are more than 70 distinct dive sites surrounding Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.

In recent years, rock climbing has begun competing with diving for the interest of Cayman Brac’s visitors. Starting at the western shore, the bluff that gave Cayman Brac its name rises gradually from sea level to an imposing 140-foot rock wall at the eastern shore. To date, seven major sections of the bluff’s eastern end have been bolted for climbers. In many cases, these climbs must be reached by traversing picturesque trails with excellent views of the Caribbean or by repelling down the bluff to sea level. Climbers should try to visit the Wave Wall – a climb that begins amongst crashing waves and ascends the overhanging bluff – and Dixon’s Wall – a site that is reached by cutting through the backyard of one of Cayman Brac’s most interesting and knowledge inhabitants.

If climbing and diving don’t strike your fancy, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy Cayman Brac’s unspoiled environment. Hiking trails wind throughout the island – especially along the central bluff – and most can be traversed by inexperienced hikers. Along the way, you can observe an incredible diversity of plant and animal life and explore some of the caves that many believe were used by pirates as hideouts and safe keeping for stolen treasure. To complete your visit to Cayman Brac, take a ride to “the end of the road” and admire the dramatic rock walls and pounding surf at the island’s southeastern point.

Five miles to the west of Cayman Brac, a mere 100 inhabitants quietly reside on one of the most peaceful islands in the Caribbean. What Little Cayman lacks in activities, it more than makes up for in pristine, white sand. As a result, the most popular site on Little Cayman is Point ‘o Sand Beach – an expansive stretch of sand known as one of the best beaches in the Cayman Islands. One of the most popular methods of reaching Little Cayman is by charter boat from Cayman Brac. Landing right at Point o’ Sand, these boat trips typically provide lunch and snorkeling equipment. Scuba enthusiasts should definitely visit Little Cayman’s famous Bloody Bay Wall, a shallow reef that drops off sharply into colorful world of sponges, sea anemones, turtles and tropical fish.

While Little Cayman is best visited by boat, Cayman Brac must first be reached by air as the smaller Caymans are located approximately 90 miles east of Grand Cayman. However, these short and affordable flights – typically only 15-45 minutes depending on the type of aircraft – depart four times a day from Grand Cayman. In the evening, it is just as simple to catch a return flight back to your resort on Grand Cayman.

Safe hiking at outdoor travel destination

Hiking can be a great outdoor vacation or adventure, and usually it is not dangerous. But, you are outside and often find yourself far from civilization, and you could get injured or even worse. With that in mind, it is very beneficial to heed some basic safety tips to keep your hiking adventure a pleasant experience.

First, do not travel alone. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. If you are strolling along a well-traveled area, you are probably safe. But, hiking through a thick forested area with canyons and winding trails is a different story. You could easily get lost.

Traveling with someone can help in many ways, especially if your partner has some experience with hiking. You can help each other up steep grades or apply first-aid if needed, though hopefully not. Also, if one hiker is injured, the other can travel back to the trail head to seek help.

Secondly, it is important to know where you are going. You may want to give someone your tentative course before you leave in the event you do get lost. Stay on well-traveled or clearly marked trails, that is unless you are experienced enough to go off the main trails.

No, the marked trails may not be as interesting but getting lost is even less fun. A map, GPS or compass is a necessity for any serious hiking trip. Since not all GPS units function in all areas, get details on your travel destination and determine if your GPS unit will help you in that location.

Third, do not go overboard on the gear you bring but be sure to take some basic gear. Bring either matches or a lighter, but keep in mind that lighters can run out of fuel and matches can get wet. Take your pick! A knife can also be a lifesaver, in the literal sense, especially those with useful gadgets.

A simple first aid kit can also be a lifesaver. Include bandages and gauze, anti-bacterial cream and other standard items. Sunburn and anti-itch reliever and aspirin may also prove to be appreciated items during the hike.

It is, of course, important to have some knowledge of first-aid also. For example, aspirin can at times be harmful. Or, if you do not know the difference between arterial and venous bleeding, bandages and gauze will do you no good.

A flashlight is a necessity, and toilet paper is just a good idea!

Fourth, take some basic provisions to keep you hydrated and your energy level high. Fluids, both water and sport drinks, are obviously essential. A heat stroke can kill someone, but it is preventable. Water weighs about eight pounds per gallon so take what you need, but not less.

Be sure to bring enough food for the entire hike. Depending on what you ring, about one pound daily is average for a male of medium build.

Finally, use common sense. Enjoy your hiking holiday and the beautiful surroundings. But, do not get carried away and tempt Mother Nature!

Know your cash back credit card

Cash back credit cards are great for those who pay off their balances every month and don't require a super-low interest rate. For the reward seeker who wants cold hard cash in exchange for his or her credit card loyalty, cash back credit cards pay you cash back or rebate a percentage of the money that you have spent on your credit card. Cash back credit card offers may all appear the same, however, in reality there are many different types of cash back credit cards so it pays to do a little homework before you choose your cash back credit card. Also, if you own or plan on applying for a cash back credit card know what percentage is earned on purchases, what spending categories are rewarded at higher rates and the method by which rewards are delivered to the customer.

Cash back credit cards began about 15 years ago and are very popular. The first cash back credit cards were issued by Discover and were rather simple, offering a flat percentage rate (typically 1% of purchases) rebated back to the customer in the form of a check at the end of the year or a statement credit.

Now there are many different types of cash back credit card offers out there. Some are simple others are rather complex to keep track of. Simple cash back credit card offers calculate the flat rate against all spending (or different rates for cerain category puchases, as in the case of the Citi® Dividend Platinum Select® Card) and show the earned amount on each month's billing statement. The consumer may call to order a check once the amount reaches $100. However, the more complex programs can be confusing since the banks rarely show which purchase amounts earned cash back at which rate. A single earned amount is generally reported on statements or is available upon request of the reward check.

Cash back rebates are not always presented to the customer in the form of a check but also as a statement credit. Some credit card companies that provide statement credit probably find it to be the easiest delivery process since it is electronic but may not be as satisfying for you since it is reflected as a reduction on your outstanding balance. Other credit card companies will mail you a check, either on an annual basis or once you have hit a dollar earnings threshold of $25, $50 or $100. In the previous years reward checks were automatically mailed, however, now it seems more common for the cash back credit card issuer to require the card members to order their reward check. This requirement means increased profits for the issuer when consumers fail to collect their earned rewards so it's important to remain active and monitor your earnings, either online or by calling your credit card company.

At the end of the day cash back credit cards will not make you rich but it is really a nice feature of the market that you can get paid several hundred dollars per year to use a no annual fee credit card. It certainly beats being in debt and paying interest!

Diamonds diamonds are all about clarity

Clarity is an important aspect of a diamond, and it is important to know how to grade the clarity of a diamond before you buy one. It is actually quite easy to learn how to grade the clarity of a diamond.

There are basically two things that you must understand:

Diamonds with visual inclusions and blemishes, and those that are ‘eye clean’ meaning that there are no inclusions or blemishesthat can be seen with the naked eye. From there, the clarity of a diamond is further broken down into subcategories.

Many people mistakenly think that diamond clarity refers to how clear it is. This isn’t so. Clarity actually refers to the internal and external imperfections of the diamond. The best diamonds, of course get a grade of FL or IF – Flawless or Internally Flawless – meaning that it is perfect. A grade of I-1, I-2 or I-3 means that the diamond is imperfect, with a grade of I-3 being the worst.

Other grades are VVS1 and VVS2, which means that the diamond is very, very slightly imperfect; VS1 and VS2, meaning the diamond is very slightly imperfect; SI-1 and SI-2, which means that the diamond is slightly imperfect.

When buying diamonds and diamond jewelry, visit a reputable dealer and ask the right questions. By doing your due diligence, you will be happy with the result of your eventual purchases.

Used pop up buying tips

Shopping for a used pop up camper? If you answered yes then you need to consider a few things before making a purchase. Being prepared before going out camper shopping can save you money and potential headaches down the road. Some things you should research are: what will you tow with, how much are you going to spend, what camper layout suits you and what to look for in a used pop up.

First and foremost, make sure you have the appropriate tow vehicle to safely pull a camper. Check the manufacturers towing recommendations in you owners manual. Sometimes this information is not clear in the manual so a call to the dealer may be in order.

A visit to an RV dealer may be your best choice, as the first question they ask you is "What will you be towing with?". A dealer always considers safety first before selling someone a travel trailer, so they have the resources to give you the correct information.

It is a very good idea to set a budget for you purchase prior to looking for a camper. Since you are buying used it is also a good idea to allot ten to twenty percent of your budget for small repairs and redecorating. You may not think it is such a great idea now, but you will thank yourself in the long run.

You will want a floor plan that works for you, so it is a good idea to take a look at what is available. A visit to a RV show or dealer will give you the opportunity to walk through the various styles available. Be prepared to compromise on the floor plan, since you are buying used. Just be sure that whatever you purchase makes you happy.

The condition of the used camper you are looking at should be high on the list of priorities. The number one problem with pop up campers is water and moisture. Left untreated water can quickly ruin the structure of the camper. If you see any signs of water intrusion, make a very thorough inspection of the surrounding areas to look for damage. This type of damage is very costly, if not impossible, to repair.

The canvas and mechanical systems are next on the list. Inspect the canvas and screens for rips, holes and mold. Check that the lift system works properly and that the roof seals tightly when lowered. Run all the systems in the pop up, such as heating, cooling, water and electrical. On the outside check that the lights function properly and that the tires are in good condition.

If any major problems are discovered, consider walking away from the deal. If not then you need to make an offer based on your inspection. Take into consideration any defects or damage that you noted. Remember your budget and that any repairs will be taken from the balance. Give the seller your offer, if he/she refuses to budge on the price you may want to consider walking away. Remember you are trying to get a good deal and stay within budget.

Hunting for online directories - the in depth strategy

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Directory marketing can help boost your companies performance a great deal. Not only will you get qualified leads for your business, your web site will also increase it's traffic ranking a tremendous amount.

Here are a couple basic advantages to online directories,

- Substantial staying power
- Repetitive marketing
- Your listing grows with the entire site
- No updating unless necessary
- Not necessary to link back to the directory

Please Note: This article is meant to discuss and implement marketing strategies for local business directories online, not link exchange, a. k.a swapping links with other websites.

For many people, one/two directories always come to mind,

- dir. yahoo. com
- dmoz. com
- directory. google. com

With web marketing, you want to have ever lasting staying power, online directories can provide you with this and more.

Many people who DO NOT use the internet everyday stick with the basics when they come online. Many people are usually looking for a specific service or product that they want to check up on within their local community. This is why it is so crucial that you get noticed locally online.

Every major city has at least one or two good business directories for you to submit your business to. Many of these directories don't even require that you have a website.

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Tips on how to find local directories online:

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Try being very specific when you search. There are two methods that work really good.

A) "Hamilton" Business Directory < Search for "Your City" plus "business directory". This should typically bring you to local business directories that usually are competing against one another. Don't be afraid to keep digging through this important search term.

B) Be VERY specific:
If in the case that you can't find anything, try searching for something general within your local area. For instance, if you "cut hair", try searching for "Hair Salons In (your area)".

Ex. "Hair Salons in hamilton, Ontario".

Doing a specific search like this should typically bring up local directories that are really trying to get the most exposure as possible. The reason why you should find a directory this way is because if you don't find anything by doing specific searches for specific products or services locally, you might as well reap the rewards of having your own local business directory and get all the advertising exposure that comes with it.

Directories online are there for one thing and one thing only. To give the owner of the directory massive exposure while helping his/her local, regionally, national community. That's it.

There are few people out there that just create a local directory just for something to do. These people typically have too much time on their hands and they probably take great pride in their directory online.

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How To Prepare For Directory Submissions

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There are certain key bullets of information that 90% of directories ask for, here they are in no particular order.

Name
Company
Position
Type Of Business
Phone Number
Fax Number

Email: - (may need to be validated)

Web Site
Title Of Your Site: - (keep it within 70 char)
Description: - (keep it within 200 char)

Search Terms:
If you are asked for search terms, don't disregard them. This is just there so that the directory you are submitting to can add these search terms to their "search engine" in order to find your business.

So if a directory asks you for search terms, add in as many as you can that you would want people to find your business by.

and... Category

That's typically about all that most directories will ask for. Very straight forward. I would recommend opening up "Note Pad" or "Word Document" and fill in these requirements on your own before you start submitting your company. It may save you a lot of time in the end.

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Targeting Regional & International:

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If your business is better off targeting people outside your local community, you might want to consider implementing a link exchange program. This is where you will find extremely competitive directories online that want to get as much exposure as you do.

Once you start targeting internationally, many of the directories you will find will most likely want to swap information with you. The good ol' barter system, an eye for an eye. Nothing wrong with this. Just make sure that the directory you link to doesn't "feel wrong".

... and I mean "feel wrong".

Someone came to me the other day and asked me to take a look at something. They said that they weren't sure if they should swap links with this other company. I simply asked them, what kind of feeling do you get from this other company?

This person said that the website was a little fishy and felt a little cold. What is the best course of action here???

Go with your gut instinct. You never want to link to websites that you don't even feel right about it. Besides, if you link to it from your site, you might as well put up a banner sign outside your window saying that you fully support this other company.

If an online directory asks you to exchange information and you don't feel that it would be valuable to your visitors, move onto another directory. If you feel fishy about it, so will others.

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Finding International Directories:

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For this you'll want to implement the same strategy as before when you learned about searching for "local directories". Try using the "country, state/provice" added with online directory or business directory.

So do a search like this:
Canadian Business Directory - or - Online Directories In Canada

This style of searching should bring you specific directories. Please remember that there is NO quick way of doing this. You must have patience since, even now, there are still literally 1000's of directories I've never heard of.

Directories keep popping up every day. Don't be afraid to search for new directories once a month, or once every 90 days.

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Placing Your Companies Directory Listing In The Right Spot:

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This step could be one of the most important steps you take for advertising within online directories.

I say this is important because without careful positioning, your directory listing may never see a visitor again.

Steps you can take to get proper placements:

- Do a "general search":
Search within the directory for something general and related to your business. Place your company within that search result.

- Only 2 clicks away:
Try placing your company within a category that is only 2 clicks away from the main directory page. This will increase your results. Some directories can't offer you this, it's ok depending on the popularity of the directory you are submitting to.

- Watch out for spammers:
Watch out for directories that list 100 companies on one page. This is called "Link Farms" online and is frowned upon from search engines.

- Find empty categories:
Don't be afraid to click in once more in order to find a category that has been barely touched. Getting your own category is the ultimate listing for your business.

- Don't go "unrelated":
Do not submit your company to "unrelated" categories. If you can't find a category for your business, try contacting the directory administrator to implement a new category for your business.

- Was it too confusing?
Again, go with your gut feeling. If you found the directory way too confusing to find anything, 9/10 times other visitors will also find it confusing and leave.

That about wraps it up for online directories. There is enough knowledge here to help you find the right directories for your business. Some tips have been excluded because every person adapts to their own strategy and I hope you will too.

Best Of Luck To Ya!

Tips to increase your self-esteem and confidence

Whenever one is beset by a situation that he or she is unsure of – facing someone admired, having to perform in front of an audience, or simply talking to others – he or she is facing a goodly amount of stress. Confident people are usually able to face these situations without blinking; but the rest of us will probably melt away and try to run away from the situation.

For most people facing this kind of low self-esteem, these situations present an opportunity for them to make fools out of themselves. This is a very embarrassing prospect.

If you are one of the millions of people that would like to stop fidgeting in front of others, trying to squirrel out of such situations, and being so unsure of yourself when facing presentations, here are a few tips to set you on your way.

1. Competence is Confidence - Some organizations, like the Toastmasters, help those afraid to speak in public toughen up by stressing this credo – and it really works. One secret to confidence and self-esteem is to be able to trust what you are able to do. This comes with a lot of practice and study. Whenever you practice a given skill, you increase your own confidence in your capability to perform even in front of other people.

Before a big presentation, study up. Try to know everything about the topic before you step in front of the audience. If you have practiced way before the presentation, you will be in a better position to knock their socks off.

Practicing in front of supportive people you trust will help you get feedback on how to improve your performance.

2. Believe in Yourself - One of the reasons people are not confident in themselves is the fact that they are already convinced that they will fail even before anything happens. Never underestimate the power of the mind. If you believe you will fail, you indeed will! A better exercise would to be to believe that you can succeed. Set your mind towards succeeding and you probably will!

3. Take Criticisms, whether Good or Bad - Most people are bad at taking criticisms. Instead of taking the criticisms personally, use every comment and suggestion to make yourself better. However, you will also have to look out for some criticisms that were never meant to benefit you. Ignore them and move on.

4. Remain Calm at All Costs - Panicking never benefited anybody. If you are suddenly in a situation where you are unsure of what to do or what will happen, keep your composure. If you don't know the answer, say so calmly. If you do not know what to do, it would not be bad to admit it. However, beneath your cool faзade, always try to keep a deliberate, quick thinking, demeanor. This itself could take a lot of practice, but it is well worth it.

5. Don't be Afraid to Fail - Many people are afraid to fail; they quit trying because they are not confident in their skills. If you are afraid to try, you will get stuck where you are. Failure can only make you better. Remember that every great man took risks and failed a lot before arriving at greatness.

6. Don't Base Your Confidence on What People Think Of You - While other’s opinion of you can be important, it should not sway you from thinking that you are important. They do not know you better than you do. If you free yourself from the shackles of peer opinion, you will be free to try new things and learn new skills. It does not matter if they think you cannot accomplish anything – take whatever good that can be gleaned from their advice and move on.

How to broker a consolidation service debt settlement

For anyone who is in serious debt, the first thing he should be doing is to hire a debt consolidation agency to help him get the best possible debt settlement. You'll receive a large lump sum of money through a debt settlement, which you can then use to pay off your debts and at the same time restore your credit rating.

That certainly sounds very easy, but exactly how does one go about consolidating your debt? The first thing to do would be to ask your creditor to either eliminate or lower the interest brought forward.

What often happens is that debtors feel guilty for falling behind on their payments and hence don't approach the lenders for help. The result of this is that creditors increase the monthly-equated payments, most of which results from raised interest rates. So, when the debtor is unable to pay off the raised interest rate, he is slapped with a penalty.

The actual amount to be paid may be insignificant; however, when added to his already ballooning debt, those unnecessarily added extra dollars will significantly increase his mental burden.

If you or anybody you know finds yourself in the position, you must as a matter of urgency take steps to eliminate your interest and penalty. As soon as you do this, the creditor will respond and give you the benefit of the doubt, as he no longer risks losing his capital.

The next thing to do is consolidating all your credit card accounts by turning them into a single debt. Then calculate the average interest added to one credit card account and apply this formula to the combined debt in order to settle the optimum (lowest interest rate) amount only, and hence decreasing the average interest rate.

Things can get even better and you can even repair your credit history if you settle with all your creditors at once. As soon as the amount you got is distributed to all your creditors, you'll begin to recover as each creditor clears your debt. All participating creditors will help themselves and you as you'll restore your credit and they'll recover the capital amount they almost lost.

The rise of social conscience in art inspired fashion

Art can be a means of reconstructing experiences, communicating emotions or echoing the sentiments of individuals or the masses. From the ancient to the modern, artistic works have run the table from simple observations on life to biting social commentary. The growing segment of contemporary artists who bravely showcase their displeasure with the current state of affairs using creation as an inspiration for positive social change are turning up in the strangest of places, even the world of fashion.

While the fashion industry is often viewed as an institution of pretentiousness, demand is still the driving force behind the successes and failures of it's resident elite. Just as consumability regularly forces the hand of design, or rather post runway re-design, growing discontentment and the desire to express the need for a higher social conscience is driving the union between revolutionary art and clothing.

The fashion world is not unlike the music industry, where most are willingly force fed the flavor du jour while a much smaller segment of others will seek out what suits their individual tastes. Shopping mall entrenched retailers are the "contemporary hits" formatted radio stations of the fashion world, where the top ten play list is decided on long before anyone has a chance to consider the merit of the work for themselves. Individualism in society is testing the boundaries of this formula and the effect can be seen in the increased demand for apparel that not only separates itself esthetically, but progressively as well. As more segments of society begin to understand the power of clothing as a mechanism of expression, the natural merger between avant-garde art and fashion will continue to grow. With a great multitude of artists continuing to communicate the need for changes in the way we view ourselves, our relationships with each other and the environment we live in, it seems only natural that the canvas of the human body is next in line as the foremost bearer of this message.

Spring break 2008 destinations. cruises or flight packages where are college spring break students going these days

Spring Break 2008 will most likely continue the trend we have seen over the past two years, a move to a more affordable spring break vacation. No longer does Cancun monopolize the spring break market. College spring break students have grown tired of the overpriced packages to Cancun. For years, travel agencies have inflated their Cancun packages because they knew the average college student would be willing to pay top dollar for a spring break trip to Cancun. Those days are over. The past two years have seen shift to other spring break destinations. The Bahamas have become extremely popular. The April 2006 issue of Travel Magazine showed that Bahamas spring break packages were now just as popular as Cancun spring break packages. Studies show college spring break students want a cheap spring break package. A Bahamas package can often be half the price of a Cancun package. Spring break cruises to the Bahamas are typically the cheapest route to take. Eliminating the flight portion of any spring break vacation will usually cut the price in half. Choosing spring break cruises instead of a flight package is often the best way to do this. If you live in the U. S. and want to travel to Cancun, a flight package is really your only option unless you drive. It is possible to fly or cruise to the Bahamas. Grand Bahamas (Freeport and Port Lucaya) is less than 35 miles from Florida. Cruises are very inexpensive from there, and they depart from several different ports on the coast.

It is important to note that Bahamas spring break package prices will most likely see an increase within the next few years due to demand. College spring break students are booking earlier every year so they can get a room at the more popular hotels. Most agencies are sold out at all hotels by December 1st each year. Bookings for spring break trips typically start around the second week of September each year.

Punching bags

Heavy bags and standing bags

Free standing bags are heavy bags that have large rounded bases and rest on the floor rather than suspended from the ceiling or hung from wall mounts. Free standing bags make a great choice for anyone who will be both punching and kicking the bag, this is because the foam on free standing bags begins close to the base and provides more useable striking surface for kicks. Another good feature of free standing bags is that, even when filled, that can be easily rolled away for storage or just rolled to the corner of the room. Standing bags can be filled with either water or sand. In most cases water is preferred; this is because water provides some energy feedback and adds a more realistic feel when hitting the bag. Sand will make the bag weigh more, but will have generate a thick, unyielding feel. Standing bags are usually designed to weigh between 250 and 300 lbs. when filled. Hanging bags are heavy bags that are suspended from wall mounts or from the ceiling through the use of chains and hooks. Heavy bags are known to be extremely durable and provide you with an intensive, fluid workout that develops stamina, strength and overall cardiovascular fitness. Hanging bags also provide some sway, which is good for developing coordination and improving reaction time.

Choosing the correct weight

The more weight a bag has, the less sway it will produce. Too much will make the bag hard to hit, and too little sway will make the bag feel like a rock, and fail to absorb impacts which will cause damage to bones and tendons over time. A 5'8" male with a weight of about 170 lbs. should look for a bag weighing between 60 and 70lbs. More skilled or heavier hitters might want to look for something closer to 100lbs while those looking for a bag with more sway might want to consider something near the 40lb. mark.

Choosing the right hanging bag

The market is almost overflowing with heavy bag manufactures; however there are a few who stand out. Heavy bags from TKO are generally considered to be very high quality and are known for there durability. Their bags are sought after by gyms and boxing schools alike. Everlast, while at the high end of the price range, makes very high quality equipment and should be considered when looking for a heavy bag.

Leather bags are extremely long lasting and will have a more comfortable feel when struck. Vinyl bags can mimic the feel and look of leather while remaining more affordable. Water-core hanging bags are adjustable in weight; this adjustability is attained by under-filling the water core.

Hanging a heavy bag

Unlike free-standing bags, hanging bags need additional hardware before they can be used. There are a variety of wall mounts and hooks that you can buy to mount your heavy bag virtually anywhere you need to. Common places to hang the bag are garages, workout rooms and basements. If you are interested in keeping the bag outside, you may want to look into a weatherproof, or indoor/outdoor heavy bag.

Bathroom vanities let your powder room vanity reflect shameless good taste in bath design

Prolonged gazing into one’s bathroom mirror used to be considered quite a vice. For vanity, it is said, is the step-sister of pride. With nothing more to the bathrooms of yesteryear than a sink, toilet, and mirror, we were offered little choice about where our focus should fall once through the bathroom door. And while Narcissus brought his own demise through excessive "self-reflection," we can probably be forgiven for rendering the bathroom mirror as our observation

point of choice.

The Afterthought

After all, the bathroom used to be the afterthought of home building and design. Bathroom design kept to the basics: A toilet, sink-cabinet combo, and perhaps some tile. Add some color matching, a couple of wall hangings, and of course, the mirror, and voila: your task was complete!

In hindsight, designing yesterday’s bathroom was really a simple and efficient process. In hindsight, creating such a bathroom was magnificently uninspiring, unimaginative, and dull.

With limited choices, and prohibitive pricing, vanities of distinction rarely entered the equation for a homeowner without a numeral at the end of their name. Even for those with limitless means, such a task usually involved finding the right piece of furniture in the appropriate size before hiring a carpenter (to cut a hole into the top) and a plumber (to retrofit a sink and plumbing). It required resourcefulness, planning, lots of time, and even more cash.

The Fine Furniture Revolution

The rethinking of bathroom designs came with the increasing availability of reasonably-priced middle and high-end vanity sink chests. With foreign imports driving down the cost and increasing the availability of fine furniture for every room in the home, builders and consumers began to consider investing more design dollars in the room guests very often visit -- the powder room. By choosing vanity styles to coincide with their home's overall design genre, consumers have driven expansion in the vanity/sink chest market that produced a bevy of elegant and affordable products. Ball and Claw traditional vanities, French Provincial style sink chests, and hand-painted and hand-carved furniture sinks -- the vanity market has truly embraced the realm of fine furniture. Never before have vanity choices been so plentiful or bathroom sink design concepts so broad. It's not the usual sink and cabinet combo anymore; it's a whole new ball game.

A Statement Piece - A Statement Place

Forget about Narcissus, and make your vanity a virtue. Let your vanity make a statement about you. Keep the New Yorker and Reader’s Digest, for sure, but let your bathrooms tell more about you than just your literary preferences. Make a gorgeous vanity the focal point of your bath, and with a painted canvas work of art, some carefully contemplated accessories, and perhaps even a beautiful chandelier, allow the bathroom to complement your taste and your commitment to design throughout your home.

Don’t reflect too long before deciding it’s time for a beautiful furniture vanity in your fine home. I promise you’ll love yourself for it!

Things to keep in mind while buying a timeshare

Timeshares, also known as fractional ownership, is something that has been around since the first extended family decided to save on the cost of their vacation by sharing the cost of renting a cottage or vacation property.

An important thing to decide is whether you need fixed or floating timeshare? Actually, it depends on your lifestyle and job. If you always take your vacation the same time every year, then a fixed week is the best bet for you. Families with children who like to take their vacations during school breaks are the typical consumers for fixed week timeshares. People with more flexibility in their scheduling and those who don't like being forced to schedule their vacation a year in advance will best benefit from the floating week timeshare.

If you decide to finance your timeshare, you also need to consider the added cost of interest, which can inflate your timeshare purchase by several thousand dollars if you are financing for 5-10 years. It is better to use cash for buying a timeshare, but if you do need to finance the purchase, try and minimize the cost by only financing for a couple of years.

Some things to watch out for in shopping for timeshares include being wary of prizes, especially prizes that ask that you only to pay the shipping and handling. Never pay for anything while you are just looking at timeshares. Purchasing a timeshare is not nearly the same as purchasing a house or even a condo. Some things are very similar but there are distinct differences that you need to be aware of, and you need to make sure that you have all the necessary details in front of you before you make any kind of decision.

Buy during a prime season - your timeshare will be worth more when you go to sell or exchange it. Never buy a timeshare on the spot. If it is a good deal, it will still be there tomorrow and the next day. It certainly will be there after you've had an opportunity to do a little research online.

There is something quite wonderful about a timeshare especially if you are able to trade or swap your week with someone who holds a timeshare somewhere else in the world. This can make your timeshare a real, lifelong bargain.

The point of having a timeshare is to have fun, not to be fretting about dirty carpets caused by other owners of your timeshare or leaking windows or any other unpleasant maintenance issue. You don’t want to have to worry about getting basic maintenance done. You want peace of mind knowing that the timeshare is well kept, the furnishings and carpets are clean and in good repair, and utilities such as cable television, phone and electricity are up to date. So you have to choose the other owners of your timeshare well.

Finally you have to know that there are plenty of scam artist on the Internet willing to take your money for a property they don't even own. Finding a timeshare deal is not hard but do your homework. Look at several websites on the Internet before making any decisions. Visit the resort you are interested in before buying a timeshare, new or used.

Discover your dream disneyland vacation come to life - a complete review

Though we were not big travelers, and though I couldn’t fathom the heat in southern California at that time of year, when my fiancй asked me where we should go on a short, affordable wedding, I suggested a Disneyland vacation. So what that we were grown adults. So what that neither of us cared for intense rides that make you throw up or standing in lines that seemed to threaten hours of misery. We made plans for our Disneyland vacation, foregoing the Disneyland hotel (in favor of cheaper digs, as we would only be in the room to shower and sleep), and deciding to drive (as we were only a few hundred miles away).

I love amusement park environments: I love the people, who have let their hair down and let go of formalities, temporarily I love the scenes to observe and enjoy; and I love the country fair snacks that one typically indulges in only once or twice a year—the fib, the hot fib sundaes in giant waffle cones, the cotton candy…. When I got to the gates, to begin my two-day Disneyland vacation, however, I thought I might change my mind. There were hundreds of people, not so much crowded and ready to burst through the entrance in excited, frantic television commercial joy, but still, in great suffocating numbers. But, my apprehension was assuaged when the gates did open and the people disbursed, walking with plenty of space between us into the park, immediately going into the closest food or rest stop building or walking into the building where Abe Lincoln gives the Gettysburg Address. (If you have made a long drive right before beginning your Disneyland vacation and are parched tired, and of course gullible, the wax figures become so alive for you it is startling…. A great way to start your Disneyland vacation experience, which is surreal at most times, anyway)

My new husband loved Michael Jackson at that time. He imitated Michael, performed singing and dancing to his albums, and was extremely excited to see the new3-D movie with Michael and his troupe performing Thriller I dreaded the lines, but was soon surprised and corrected: not only was the wait tolerable, but the entry after the wait was manageable: those staffed at Disneyland’s theatre instructed (and, where necessary insisted) each person entering move all the way to the far side of the theatre, sitting in the next available seat, orderly and successively…not just running to any old seat, changing your mind, switching, stumbling, bumping, and holding up the procedure. It was an organizational experience I have referred to for many years after. The Disneyland vacation, besides including all of the foodsat the park I craved, had, in those early eighties, tolerablethrill-seeker rides, beautifully inventive rides, and nostalgiashops (for people like me, who had watched Annette andthe other musketeers, had faithfully watched The WonderfulWorld of Disney every weekend, but had never had anyMickey Mouse ears or had never laid eyes on the real castleor other characters). And most impressive of all, besides theorganization, were the spaciousness and the cleanliness of the park. What an utterly superb Disneyland vacation. I am now forty-something, but I want to go back

From snowboarding zero to hero basic pointers to learn

There is much debate as to where snowboarding originated. But whether snowboarding descended from skiing or skateboarding, snowboarding is a legitimate sport that requires a descent on a snowy slope using a snowboard. It is difficult to really point out who started this fun-filled sport, but one thing is for sure: somebody will always have the idea of sliding down a snowy slope on a board or sled.

The growing recognition of snowboarding around the world is evidenced by its establishment as a sports discipline in 1995. As such, snowboarding has been included in events in Winter Olympics and Winter X-games. It even has a US Open tournament of its own. The growth of snowboarding as a sport is undeniable as more and more people get hooked on it.

Now that you are among the countless ones who want to try out the fun and excitement that only snowboarding can give, it is high time that you learn the basics of making your very first downhill ride on a snowboard. So how do you begin?

First, you need to procure the necessary snowboarding equipment. You need to have the right snowboarding gear, clothing, boots, and of course, snowboard. Make sure that your snowboard is the right size for you; not too expansive or narrow.

If you already have the necessary equipment, you can start learning the basics of riding your snowboard. Here are a few important things to remember as you start to find your destiny in snowboarding.

Keep in mind that snowboarding is similar to snow skiing. The body movements that enable you to control and stabilize your snowboard are the same as the movements in skiing. Therefore, if you are already a skilled skier, there will be fewer problems for you ahead. A skier will have easier time than a skateboard thrasher to learn snowboarding.

Always be in a relaxed position. Like any sport, snowboarding requires a calm and hang-loose mindset. Most accidents and injuries in snowboarding happen when one is in tensed position. As you mount your snowboard, keep your knees bent; a stiff stance will only make you absorb impacts between your snowboard and snow.

Do not start learning how to snowboard by immediately riding down the snowy slope during the first time. Instead, begin with snowboarding across a small patch of snow. Get a feel for the sport. Be conscious of your snowboard and your movement. Are you comfortable in your getup and equipment?

Try steering the snowboard over the small area you are in. Practice making turns, learn the finer points of toe-side turns, which means turning by lifting your heels up while pressing your toes to the snowboard; or heel-side turns, which make use of your heels for your turning. Once you have mastered the basics of balancing and steering your snowboard, you can move to a bigger patch of snow, but do not try a long and steep slope just yet.

Now that you have actually moved on your snowboard, you have to learn how to stop your snowboard. Stopping a snowboard basically requires making more turns until you find your self going for an uphill position. An uphill direction will certainly slow your snowboard down until you are in a complete stop.

After learning all the basic riding movements, you can now try a full-scale ride down a longer and steeper snow slope. Good luck!

How to find good real estate broker

The value of hiring a real estate broker lies in the fact that they can assist you in the process of either buying or selling a house. A good broker would know how to get proper financing, prepare your home for inspection and help you until the closing date. Just make sure your broker represents your best interest as there are brokers who represent both the buyer and seller in a transaction.

The best sources of information on where to find a good real estate broker are your friends and family who recently bought or sold a home. Ask them to refer you to a broker who is easy to contact. A good indication of a dedicated broker is the one who returns your calls immediately. Do steer away from those who can’t seem to find the time to call you back, no matter how good their referrals are. Other sources of information are newspaper ads and the internet. Try to visit open houses in your neighborhoods, as this is also a converging place for agents and brokers.

Before establishing any formal business relationship, determine just how much your broker asks for commission. This is important as some brokers ask for fees when handling closing documents, apart from the agreed commission.

Always make sure that the broker’s personality fits your own, as you’ll expect to spend a lot of time with him during the whole buying or selling process. If you can establish faith and trust with your broker, then you know you have found a good one. A good broker should also make you feel important and treat your transaction as urgent. Logically, a full-time broker or agent is much preferable to one who just works part-time.

Scrutinize the training your broker had and whether he’s familiar with current trends, especially in using the internet. A technology-savvy broker indicates the willingness to stay on top of his profession.

If you are selling, determine how your broker will market your house and ask for written marketing plan. See to it that your broker will get your property featured in several listings. Also, ask your broker if he’s willing to offer a commission to the buyer’s agent, as there are buyer’s agent who only deal with seller’s agent willing to give them a commission. Needless to say, this would facilitate your transaction.

Avoid brokers who ask you to sign exclusivity contract for several months. This is only beneficial if manage to find a dedicated broker. The downside, of course, is when you find a broker who gives less-than-respectable performance. Try to ensure that you protect your interests at all times.

Lastly, never ever give your broker money up front. These professionals earn when your property gets sold, and not a minute less. When a broker tries to ask for any remuneration before any work gets done, it’s time for you to seek another one.

Asheville north carolina bed and breakfast - a personal review

Where do you getaway to? Are you forever in search of that perfect spot that's simply away from it all, but still equipped with the necessities? What I mean by necessities is a stunning view, fine dining, as well as a comfortable place to sleep. Now if this sounds like your perfect getaway, then you might want to think about an Asheville North Carolina bed and breakfast. The mountainous region has everything that any outdoor lover could ask for. The scenery is impeccable, the dining superb, and the atmosphere peaceful. So what are you waiting for? That choice getaway to an Asheville North Carolina bed and breakfast is at your very fingertips. Hop online and check it out.

North Carolina is my home. This is the place I grew up in, completed my high school in, and later started my family in. Now you can say it holds a special place in my heart. I've been through it time and time again. And when I say through it, I actually mean throughout it. Of which I spent fifteen years in Chapel Hill, three years in Cary, and many weekends in Greensboro, Wilmington, Asheville, and Charlotte. Yes sure, I know North Carolina. This is not to be confused with South Carolina. I often hear individuals do this and it irks me like no other. These states are very diverse and should be checked up and referred to individually. Would you refer to New York City and Miami like they were the same? It's doubtful. Nevertheless, one of the finer places to escape from it all and take in a breath of fresh mountain air is Asheville, North Carolina. I recall the first time I stayed up there. A fine Asheville North Carolina bed and breakfast. I especially remember the service and hospitality was all that you'd expect in the south. Not to mention the view was unsurpassed. If you're into the outdoors, this is certainly a retreat for you.

Are you planning an Asheville North Carolina bed and breakfast weekend? Perhaps this is your surprise plan for your lovely lady, in this case it's time to consider your options. The Internet is loaded with deals and packages regarding any great getaway. You can discover specials on Asheville North Carolina bed and breakfast retreats. It's all on the World-Wide-Web if you take the time to look. For sure, you want your Asheville North Carolina bed and breakfast to be just right, but you don't want to get shafted. Get online now and see what offers are best.

Making money with adsense using free tools and boost your income

The internet provided people a way to make extra money. You may choose to make money by selling products, services or you can also make money online by being an affiliate website.

Another way to make extra income in the internet is through Adsense. There are many opportunities on making money by using Google Adsense program. Small websites and even blogs can make a substantial amount of income by just using Google Adsense.

More and more people are now finding new ways to make money by using Google Adsense everyday. They are now discovering that tools included in the program can benefit them and also you can take advantage of these tools to make money online. The best thing about these tools is that it’s free and relatively easy to use.

Here are some ways on how you can make extra cash on Google Adsense using free tools:

• Article Submission

This method is one of the most effective tools you can use to make money from Adsense. The key to this is by creating targeted traffic and also increasing the number of clicks on the adsense. In order to make this work, you have to make an interesting article that people will actually read. It should be easy to read, informative and also fun. You first have to make an article about a specific topic and submit it to article submission websites where it will be published and are available for people to read.

• Email Signature

Most people don’t know anything about how useful an email signature can be. Since emails are forwarded all the time and sometimes copied by some people, you can make an email signature develop targeted traffic and having them click on the Adsense program, therefore, making extra cash.

• Joining Discussion Groups

You can answer questions about a specific topic being discussed in a discussion board. By doing so, you can get people interested and may visit your website and click on the Adsense program. There are many online discussion groups where you can join for free and answer or ask questions. It can be a very effective way to make money using Google Adsense.

• Sending Teaser Emails

Send emails to everybody in your address book and everybody in your inbox. Most people receive a lot of emails in their inbox everyday, you should make the sure that the subject line is eye-catching and the content should be very interesting and can get people hooked on reading it. You should also include your website URL in your email to make interested people to visit your website.

Always remember that you can make extra cash in Google Adsense by having huge amount of targeted traffic in your website. If the people clicks on the Adsense link, you will make money.

You can also make money in Google Adsense by blogging. This is one of the most effective ways to make Google Adsense work. Many people online reads blogs, if you create an interesting blog, expect to make a lot of money using adsense programs.

However, you have to be sure that the website blog you joined generates huge internet traffic to make maximize your blog readers.

Google Adsense is one of the best ways to make money online. With the right tools and the right strategy, you can be sure you can make a substantial amount of income using Google Adsense program. Always remember that targeted traffic is the key in Google Adsense.

What you should know about rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis, also known as "RA" is a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack the joints. It is a disabling and painful inflammatory condition, which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and muscles.

The symptoms that distinguish Rheumatoid Arthritis from other forms of arthritis are inflammation and soft-tissue swelling of many joints at the same time, also known as polyarthritis. The joints are usually affected initially asymmetrically and then in a symmetrical fashion as the disease progresses. The pain generally improves with use of the affected joints, and there is usually stiffness of all joints in the morning that lasts over 1 hour. Thus, the pain of rheumatoid arthritis is usually worse in the morning compared to the classic pain of osteoarthritis where the pain worsens over the day as the joints are used.

As Rheumatoid Arthritis progresses the inflammatory activity leads to erosion and destruction of the joint surface, which impairs their range of movement and leads to deformity. The fingers are typically deviated towards the little finger and can assume unnatural shapes. Classical deformities in Rheumatoid Arthritis are the Boutonniere deformity and swan neck deformity. The thumb may develop a "Z-Thumb" deformity with fixed flexion and subluxation at the metacarpophalangeal joint, leading to a "squared" appearance in the hand.

Rheumatoid Arthritis occurs most frequently in the 20-40 age group, although can start at any age. It is strongly associated with the HLA marker DR4. Hence family history is an important risk factor. The disease is 3 times more common in women than men and up to 4 times more common in smokers than non-smokers.

The cause of Rheumatoid Arthritis is still unknown to this day, but has long been suspected to be infectious. It could be due to food allergies or external organisms. Mycoplasma, Erysipelothrix, Epstein-Barr virus, parvovirus B19 and rubella have been suspected but never supported in epidemiological studies.

Pharmacological treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis is divided into disease - modifying antirheumatic drugs, anti-inflammatory agents and analgesics. Disease - modifying antirheumatic drugs have been found to produce durable remissions and delay or halt disease progression. This is not true of anti-inflammatories and analgesics.

Common disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs used to treat RA include Humira, Remicade and Enbrel.

Typical anti-inflammatory agents include Glucocorticoids and non-steroidal anti - inflammatory drugs.

Analgesics include Acetaminophen, Opiates and Lidocaine.

Other therapies include weight loss, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, joint injections, and special tools to improve hard movements.

Severely affected joints may require joint replacement surgery, such as knee replacement. However, when drugs and surgery compound problems of rheumatoid arthritis rather than solve them, many people find relief by making consistent, lifelong changes to diet and lifestyle.

Many natural healing practitioners attribute rheumatoid arthritis to toxemia, which can be caused by several things, including but not limited to the many poisons that enter our systems through food, air, and skin.

The course of the disease varies greatly from patient to patient. Some patients have mild short-term symptoms, but in most the disease is progressive for life.

Disclaimer

The information presented here should not be interpreted as medical advice. Please talk to your doctor for more information about Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Permission is granted to reprint this article as long as no changes are made, and the entire resource box is included.

Car insurance be assured for a safe drive

Shopping for car insurance is the only way to save on the car insurance. Car Insurance is the perfect solution for your problem on car theft, accidents etc. People are quite dependent on their vehicles and losing a vehicle by an accident or theft will be a financial loss. Moreover it will affect our day to day activities like office, school, doctor's appointment etc.

Benefits of Car Insurance Policy

Some insurance policies offer number of standard benefits, while other benefits are available as optional covers in return for an extra premium. Some of the more common Car insurance policy benefits are:

• Windscreen

• Driving other cars

• Medical expenses

• Personal effects

• New car benefits

• Lock replacement

Many auto insurance agencies offers you benefits like less premium, 70% discount on first-rate service (if our recommended garages have not repaired your car), free car servicing (if your car has been repaired by one of our recommended garages). They also provide you additional services like breakdown assistance and motoring protection at minimal price. A car insurance agency controls your car insurance policy from beginning to end.

Nowadays it’s easy to buy your auto insurance online. Online auto insurance is the best option if you want to save your money and time.

Additional Car Insurance policy services include

• Motoring protection

This service pays for personal injuries that you have sustained from the accident and also we pay for injuries that others might have sustained. This service also covers for any kind of property loss. This service also handles any legal technicalities.

• Breakdown assistance

This services provides assistance incase your car breakdown and more often than not at a worst possible time. Complete details of these services are available when you get your car insurance quote or renew your policy online.

Valentine recipes - delicious puddings for your sweetheart

Valentine Recipes - Delicious Puddings for your sweetheart

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Here are Recipes of Delicious Valentine Puddings for your special person coming to dinner on Valentines's Day. Try these Valentine Recipes to make this day more Romantic.

Valentine Recipe:1 HONEY PUDDING

Mix one-half cup of honey with six ounces of bread crumbs and add one-half cup of milk, one-half teaspoon of ginger, grated rind of half a lemon and yolks of two eggs. Beat the mixture thoroughly and then add two tablespoons of butter and the whites of the eggs well beaten. Steam for about two hours in a pudding mold which is not more than three-quarters full.

Valentine Recipe:2 CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Take half a cake of chocolate broken in one quart of milk and put on the range until it reaches boiling point. Remove the mixture from the range. Add four teaspoonfuls of cornstarch mixed with the yolks of three eggs and one cup and a half of sugar. Stir constantly until thick. Remove from the fire, flavor with vanilla and pour the mixture in a dish. Beat the whites of the three eggs to a stiff froth and add a little sugar. Cover the top of the pudding with a meringue and set in the oven until a light brown. Serve cold.

Valentine Recipe:3 JELLY PUDDINGS.

Two cupfuls of fine stale biscuit or bread crumbs, one cupful of rich milk cream, if you can get it; five eggs beaten very light, half a teaspoonful of soda stirred in boiling water, one cupful of sweet jelly, jam or marmalade. Scald the milk and pour over the

crumbs. Beat until half cold and stir in the beaten yolks, then whites, finally the soda. Fill large cups half full with the batter, set in a quick oven and bake half an hour. When done, turn out quickly and dexterously. With a sharp knife make an incision in the side of

each; pull partly open, and put a liberal spoonful of the conserve within. Close the slit by pinching the edges with your fingers. Eat warm with sweetened cream.

Valentine Recipe:4 APPLE CUSTARD PUDDING.

Put a quart of pared and quartered apples into a stewpan, with half a cupful of water and cook them until they are soft. Remove from the fire and add half a cupful of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of butter and the grated rind and the juice of a lemon. Have ready mixed two cupfuls of grated bread crumbs and two tablespoonfuls of flour. Add this also to the apple mixture, after which stir in two well-beaten eggs. Turn all into a well-buttered pudding-dish and bake forty-five minutes in a moderate oven. Serve with sugar and cream or hard sweet sauce.

Valentine Recipe:5 APRICOT PUDDING

Take 1 tin of apricots, 6 sponge cakes, 1/2 pint of milk, 2 eggs. Put the apricots into a saucepan and let them simmer with a little sugar for 1/2 an hour. Take them off the fire and beat them with a fork. Mix with them the sponge cakes crumbled. Beat the eggs up with milk and pour it on the apricots. Pour the mixture into a wetted mould and bake in a hot oven with a cover over the mould for 1/2 an hour. Turn out; serve either hot or cold.

Valentine Recipe:6 CARROT PUDDING

Take three or four clear red carrots, boil and peel them, take the red part of the carrot, beat it very fine in a mixing bowl, put to it the crumbs of a penny loaf, six eggs, half a pound of clarified butter, two or three spoonfuls of rose water, a little lemon-peel shred, grate in a little nutmeg, mix them well together, bake it with a puff-paste round your dish and have a little white wine, butter and sugar for the sauce.

Valentine Recipe:7 CHEESE PUDDING

Take breakfast-cupful of milk into a saucepan with a piece of butter the size of a large egg. Let it remain until the butter is melted, then pour it over three-quarters of a pound of bread crumbs and half a pound of grated cheese; let these soak for twenty minutes, then add a pinch of salt and 4 eggs, well beaten. Pour the mixture into a well-buttered dish and bake in a quick oven upto 40 Minutes.

Valentine Recipe:8 DATE PUDDING

Melt three tablespoons of butter, add one-half cup of molasses, one-half cup of milk, one and two-third cups of flour sifted with one-half teaspoon of baking-soda, one-quarter teaspoon of salt, one-quarter teaspoon each of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add to the above one-half pound of dates, stoned and cut. Turn into a well-buttered mold. Butter the cover also and steam two and one-half hours. Keep at a steady boil. Serve with any kind of sauce.

Hope you will enjoy these Valentine's recipes. Happy Valentine's Day!

How to compare digital zoom against optical zoom

Many digital cameras offer both digital and optical zoom. These two often confuse the average camera buyer, until you know what you’re looking at.

Optical zoom works much like the zoom lens on a 35 mm film camera. It changes the length of your camera’s lens and draws the subject closer to you. The optical zoom keeps the quality of the picture. Digital zoom works differently. It simply takes the picture and crops it then enlarges the part that is left. It causes the quality of the photo to be reduced, sometimes greatly.

What this means in terms of output is you may have a larger view of an object with the digital zoom, but chances are your image will become unfocused. Details will become lost. It is actually best to turn off the digital zoom feature of your camera if possible. This will prevent you automatically zooming in too close as the digital zoom is often an extension of the optical.

There are a couple of things you can do if you want a closer view of a subject but want the quality of your picture to still be good. Try moving in closer when you take the picture. Often only a foot or two will do the trick. If this isn’t possible, you can set your camera to take a picture at its highest file size. This will result in a photo that can be cropped to include only your desired subject, yet allow for an image that is still clear.

Digital zoom has its place. It can be used if the only destiny of your photo is the internet. Photos online can be a much lower quality in the camera and still appear acceptable when sent through e-mail or posted on a web gallery. If your goal is printing, however, seek a camera that has a greater optical zoom and turn off the digital zoom. Your pictures will be better in the end, even if they are not as close up.

Family genealogy in art

Some people have the ability to get very creative in the projects that they make with needle and fabric. Some families might tie their family history in with creating Family Genealogy in Art that they will use as gifts at Christmas, or for the decoration of their own homes. The family tree has been eloquently drawn in charcoal, etched in glass, and included in quilts that people place at the foot of their beds.

The Family Genealogy in Art exhibit that they create could be large enough to cover one wall, or it could be small enough to fit inside two or three shadow boxes that can be arranged in several ways on a wall. The Genealogy in Art exhibit will certainly catch the attention of visitors because the artwork will most certainly contain the name of the person that they are visiting.

For the Family Genealogy in Art exhibit, a crafty person with a needle could sew items with special memories attached to them on fine pieces of linen and present them as a present. The artwork will contain some family history because the pieces reflect a certain person, and the name and date of the person that created the artwork can be sewn into the bottom corner of the item.

Other parts of a Family Genealogy in Art exhibit could contain an organized list of every family member's name. These organized lists could be turned into a quilt top or wall hanging with very little effort and the finished piece will serve as a genealogical family tree for many generations to come if it is cared for properly.

Some people prefer to use iron on transfers to place pictures of family members on the artwork that they are creating. Instead of stitching the family history, they prefer to display portraits that are arranged in an organized fashion that create branches of the family tree. The pictorial review will be a visual reminder of what ancestors looked like, and could help identify when a particular trait in the family became very noticeable.

The Family Genealogy in Art frames could be fashioned in heart shapes with the names of each family member and their descendants sewn into the shape. These stylish pieces of family history will serve as a record for future generations and establish a solid piece of family history that everyone can enjoy. Over time, the interest in creating works of art that cover some aspect of family history will be assumed by another family member and the tradition for tracking the family history will pass on to another generation.

Auto glass for your vehicle

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Auto glass is very integral to your vehicle and it has many functions like for safety of passenger from accident. Auto glass is more essential for safety. It also has other facilities like not allowing dust, smoke and sunlight inside.

You can find different types of auto glass and you can go according to your budget and preference. Many glasses has plastic film which prevent the glass from shattering and causing injury from smoke, ultraviolet sun raise and high frequency sound especially at traffic places.

When you replace your auto glass that time make sure that windshield is perfectly centered the glass should look as the part of vehicle. Now a days repairing auto glass usually take less then 30 minutes. As most windshield are now available laminated with multiple layer which make glass more safety form getting damaged which help the technician to remove the air in the damaged area and replace it.

Auto glass is an important structural component of a vehicle so one should always try to get the high quality glass product for their vehicles. In fact, any damage to your windshield or windows should receive careful attention, as even a tiny, seemingly harmless crack can quickly grow and escalate into a dangerous, shattered mess.

Take care, for larger cracks might result in more expensive repair work or complete replacement of a windshield. Since many insurance policies do not cover auto glass replacement, it is advisable to rectify the problem at the beginning. Repair damaged auto glass in time, as you may actually save a considerable amount of time, money, and frustration by seeking immediate attention.

Anna Josephs is a freelance journalist having experience of many years writing articles and news releases on various topics such as pet health, automobile and social issues. She also has great interest in poetry and paintings, hence she likes to write on these subjects as well. Currently writing for this website Entertainment Coupon Book . For more details please contact at annajosephs@gmail. com

Wallpapers for holidays - how to chose free desktop wallpapers

Desktop wallpapers for holidays are a great treat for the eyes during the holidays. These wallpapers add color and festive spirit to the computer screen. Whenever you look at your desktop, you get to see a lovely wallpaper with lovely colors, designs and text. That feeling cannot be easily described.

Desktop wallpapers and holidays - The holidays bring their own fun and festivity. Imagine your mood during Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving and other such holidays. Your mood is totally different. Your heart is full of joy and your thinking is very positive. you avoid thinking about all stresses and negatives in life during holidays. That mood is reinforced with Desktop wallpapers.

How To chose wallpapers - Avoid exe Files. All the static wallpapers are in JPG format. Whichever site offers direct images to set as wallpaper, use that and avoid exe files. Such files with wallpapers may carry ad-ware or spyware. If that is not present, then download and use it.

Design - Please remember that you will be using the wallpaper on your screen. The design should not trouble you in locating your icons. Therefore select designs where the images are more prominent on the right side of the screen. This will give you enough free space on left for icons.

File weight - Desktop wallpapers do not consume much CPU usage. So you need not worry about your system getting overloaded.

Bring holiday spirit on your desktops with holiday wallpapers. They are a joy to watch. You can also send your selection to your friends and family. Enjoy with these free downloads.

Paul revere internet marketing and the 80 20 rule

I’ll bet you thought you knew all about Paul Revere. He was, of course, responsible for inventing the Internet…uh, no… sorry, wrong turn.

Not that he couldn’t have used Internet marketing principles, however, had the Internet been available. Putting an ad up on Google sure would have made life a lot easier than, say, getting captured by the British…not to mention a greater impact, as Internet marketing goes.

But, his famous ride to awaken the colonists has historians - but not marketers – utterly baffled. Why? Let’s see first the problem … then how marketing (particularly Internet marketing principles) solves the problem.

Most historians don’t understand the 80/20 Rule. Don’t get me wrong. A lot of people don’t understand the implications of the 80/20 Rule. They don’t understand its recursive nature, the “64 – 4 Rule,” the “51.2 -0.8 Rule,” “Sierpinski Triangles,” and so on.

But, it’s really not necessary to understand all of that, anyway. What you should know is simple: the 80/20 Rule simply means 80% of your results will flow from 20% of your efforts. That’s the simplicity of the 80/20 Rule for Internet marketing…or anything else.

Paul Revere understood the 80/20 Rule well, in concept. I bet he would have taken to Internet marketing too.

You see, historians can’t understand why Paul Revere’s ride produced a word - of – mouth - epidemic (“buzz”) and why fellow yeller William Dawes’ ride did not. After all, Dawes traveled 17 miles on horseback that night. But, almost no one from the southerly circuit of towns he visited – towns like Roxbury, Brookline, Watertown, and Waltham – responded to the call.

That’s the reason he goes as an unsung hero in our history.

I am a wandering, bitter shade,

Never of me was a hero made;

Poets have never sung my praise,

Nobody crowned my brow with bays;

And if you ask me the fatal cause,

I answer only, "My name was Dawes"

'Tis all very well for the children to hear

Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere;

But why should my name be quite forgot,

Who rode as boldly and well, God wot?

Why should I ask? The reason is clear --

My name was Dawes and his Revere.

History rings with his silvery name;

Closed to me are the portals of fame.

Had he been Dawes and I Revere,

No one had heard of him, I fear.

No one has heard of me because

He was Revere and I was Dawes.

(The Midnight Ride of William Dawes

by Helen F. Moore - Century Magazine, 1896).

Seems unfair. Many historians lament Dawes, the unrecognized hero. But, then again, the 80/20 Rule shows us that life is disproportionate in its results.

That wasn’t Paul Revere’s only ride:

You see, the 80/20 Rule teaches us one simple lesson and …several very powerful ones. So don’t go away.

The simple lesson? That’s easy. Focus and prioritize on what you do best. Each of us is, or should be, a specialist in a particular niche. In other words, very good in one area – and a “duck out of water” elsewhere.

That was Paul Revere. As renowned historian David Hackett Fischer put it, unlike Dawes, Revere had an “uncanny genius for being in the center of events.”

• From the Boston Tea Party to the Revolution, committees and congresses sprang up all over New England. Revere rode from one city to another, bearing messages and linking to each other. Consequently, he was well known.

• He rode to Philadelphia from Boston regularly carrying organizational messages. He rode from Boston to New Hampshire, from Boston to New York, and from Boston to just about anywhere in New England.

• He connected people to people, and people to news and events. And he did it well. While 80% of the leadership belonged to but one committee, he was only one of two men who served on almost all of the committees in Boston. (80/20 Rule: The most accomplish the least. The least accomplish the most.) More popularly known as: “If you want something done well, give it to a busy person.”

• He was a clearinghouse for information about the British. In other words, if you knew something and didn’t know who to tell, you went to Paul Revere.

So, when the stable boy overheard the conversation of the two British officers, he went to Paul Revere.

When Paul Revere mounted his horse that fateful night, his travels were strategic…He knew who the town fathers, militia commanders, Minutemen officers, key ministers, opposition lawyers, merchant leadership, and other strategically placed individuals were… and where they lived.

Dawes did not have that gift. He was not well known. He had not traveled widely. Consequently, his efforts that night were spent on arousing common folk, no doubt, but most people didn’t know where to go, or who to contact, or what the next step should be.

Paul Revere knew the leadership. What they needed was what we all call in Internet marketing, a “message to market match,” (when and where specifically the British were moving).

Paul Revere supplied that match. The 80/20 Rule is a filter for precision matches between effort and result. He supplied that filter:

• Preparation and research? His “keywords” were people, places and events learned over three years…

• Key knowledge? The information from the stable boy… and when the British would move …

• Strategic “niches”? Most “profitable” towns to alarm in the shortest amount of time…

• “Pre-qualified traffic”? The individuals who were prepared to respond to his call, did so, like clockwork.

• “Message to market match”? They would act in direct response to his focused message… and …

• Call to action? “The British are coming. Resist them…now.”

Revere was less a rider and more a “guided missile” that night. Specific. Targeted. Effective. Those are the ingredients for successful Internet marketing…and the call to Lexington Green that next day was an 80/20 Rule “in play”.

Every Internet marketer knows from the 80/20 Rule, that Internet marketing is a process, broken down into steps, each step catering to the comfort zone of different kinds of individuals. The days of “one stop, one purchase” are over. Most people will NOT purchase in one stop…so devise other kinds of response (email follow-up, mini-courses, opt ins, surveys, etc.)

As any Internet marketing specialist knows, if people are confused, they take no action, except to leave the issue (or website) alone.

If Dawes had had a website, they would’ve left it confused with no way to respond to any call to action.

So, people didn’t act under his call … until days later, after Lexington and Concord were history.

Yes, William Dawes was a hero. But, his ride took so much more effort, accomplished much less, and took much longer to finish … Mixed results, at best.

History and Internet marketing turn on hinges produced by the 80/20 Rule.

About the Author

Wayne Sedlak is an Internet Marketer and Radio Talk Show host. Hear archived shows on Internet marketing, 80/20 Rule, Ebay and many other subjects at worldtalkradio. com/show. asp? sid=216 . For Internet marketing training: Icanmarketonline. com. Questions? Email: NetPublish@Direcway. com Call Toll Free: 1866.735.5871

Keywords: Internet Marketing, 80/20 rule, Paul Revere 1147 words poem