Choose the very best credit card for you

The question is which credit cards are right for you. Not all credit cards are the same. Some have a fixed rate, which simply means the APR doesn't change, or at least not that often. Most credit cards are open lines of credit, that you can use to make purchases. Most of them are unsecured, while a few are secured or prepaid. Prepaid credit cards are offered by a lot of major companies and act some what like a debit card, because you will need to open an account and your credit card will be funded by this account. These are great for people starting out with little or no credit or rebuilding credit. Low interest rate cards, are ideal for people with good credit that would like to take advantage of reduced interest rates. Some credit cards have an annual fee, while others do not. Some earn reward points. Store credit cards work similarly to regular credit cards, except there is no annual fee, and the card is only good for purchases at that particular store. These store cards are also effective at rebuilding credit. You would be surprised at the overall number of people who just don't bother to compare credit cards before signing up for them. You should compare the different features, different benefits, and details of various credit cards. Find, compare, and read reviews before you decide. You wouldn't buy a car without comparing details or benefits, and you never buy a house without looking at several first. Just apply these same principles to credit cards. Credit cards are convenient for customers and can be beneficial if used correctly. They are the perfect way to finance larger items while still earning points for everyday purchases. Just shop around first, and get the right credit card for you.

Small business marketing brilliant branding builds business

Copyright 2006 Marketing Maven Branding is more than product recognition or a simple logo. It is the overall intellectual and emotional impression people have when they think of your company and its product. It is a strong and consistent message about the value of your business. A memorable and trustworthy brand reinforces customer loyalty. It helps them remember that your business provides the perfect solution to their problems. Therefore, to succeed in branding you must understand your customers’ needs and issues. Brand building is an ongoing business strategy that has an easy-to-measure cost in time, money, and effort. Its value, on the other hand, is harder to establish because it involves measuring emotional associations that may not immediately translate into revenue. Branding is an essential element of success, however, and it should be reinforced during times when business is booming and when sales are slower. You want customers and potential customers to maintain a positive association with your company and its services. You control the messages you send out through marketing, advertising, customer service, and your Internet presence. Branding is a combination of everything your company uses to present itself. Here are a few key elements to analyze and enhance in your branding strategy: 1. Professionally designed marketing materials (logo, stationery, ads, and the like): These tell customers your company is strong, confident, and credible. Your marketing materials should reinforce your company's image and positioning over and over and over. 2. Consistency in advertising: Develop a tagline to succinctly describe your company - and use it! Develop a campaign that can provide different messages, but it recognizable as your brand. 3. Excellent customer service - always! Make sure your entire staff positively represents your business image. 4. A strong and professional website: It must be easy for viewers to navigate and understand. It should let visitors know what your company does and why they should care. Provide compelling, easy-to-understand, and interesting content. Make it easy for visitors to make purchases. 5. Differentiate your brand: Make sure your customers and potential customers understand why you are different from the competition. You want to establish a superior benefit with you target audience that encourages long-term loyalty. Branding is not what you say about your company and products; it's about your customers' perception of your company and products. To strengthen your brand, make sure you can answer the following questions: What do you do that is different from anyone else? Why do you matter to your customers? If you can't answer these questions, you don't have an effective brand. ACTION ITEM: Take a good look at your company and product/service strengths. Determine your primary strengths and benefits and then make sure your branding strategy (marketing materials, advertising, sales, customer services, logo, etc.) reinforces this. Simple, eh?

Strains and pains the pitfalls of overwork and over exercise

The other day, while I doing the laundry, I felt a sharp pain in my back after reaching down to pick up some shirts and socks that fell from clothesline. I had to stop doing the laundry since every time I tried to bend, the would pain shoot up again. It was clear that the pain cam from a strained lower back. While I was still able to move around, I just could not bend to pick up things. Aside from the pain in my lumbar region, I also felt discomfort every time I reach for a can of corned beef from the cupboard. Wasting no more time, I went to see my doctor so that I could have a proper physical examination. After describing to him what happened and a quick psycho-motor test, the doctor informed me that the pain that I felt was not that serious. He explained that what I actually experienced was a muscle spasm or muscle strain. The doctor also advised me to take it easy with my daily physical activities. To reduce muscular tension, he gave me a prescription for paracetamol, an over-the-counter pain killer. It was a great relief to hear that I only suffered from a very minor muscle strain. Some people are not as fortunate. An estimated 31 million Americans experience lower back pain every year. But what exactly is a muscle strain and what causes it? Muscle strain occurs when a muscle is pulled or teared due to over-exertion. It is a partial tear of the small fibers that make up the muscle. The tearing may be small and can only be seen with the use of a microscope. Athletes are very prone to muscle strain due to the continuous, repetitive use of their muscles in strenuous sports activities. These are the common signs of muscle strain: l Weakness of the tendons l Swelling, redness, open cuts, or bruising l Feeling of pain in the affected area even while in a resting position l Inability to move or use the body part with the strained muscles A muscle strain is not only painful but also a major hindrance in doing our everyday tasks. It is important to take care of one's body in order to maintain the right physical condition that is needed to effectively do our work and to enjoy leisurely activities. Therefore, it is wise to follow these tips to keep our backs straight and pain-free: l Protect the strained muscle from further injury taking time to rest and by avoiding strenuous physical activities. l Apply ice packs on the affected area every 20 minutes. Make sure that the affected body part is comfortably extended which helps improve blood circulation. . l After the inflammation disappears, you can use heating pad to relax the muscles in the affected body part. l Take non-steroidal agents like aspirin to reduce the pain and to improve your mobility. l Make sure to do warm-up and stretching exercises before undertaking any sports or sustained physical activities. l Take plenty of time to rest after being engaged in sports and strenuous physical activities. Rest and sleep allows your body to replenish and repair injured or strained muscles. Whether we're doing the laundry or doing the latest fitness routine, it is always best to do things carefully and progressively. The intensity of our physical movements must be carefully measured to avoid injuries and physical stress. By all means, we should lead active, vibrant lives --- while maintaining safety in all activities that we engage in. Just remember that whether it's exercise or doing household chores...too much of a good thing can be harmful, too.

Use the power of autosuggestion in the stock market

Self-Confidence is an essential starting point for any business venture. This is true even more if the business is trading in the stock market because psychology plays such a major role. Keep reading, this might change your life! About 10 years ago, I received a copy of the book "Think and Grow Rich!" written by Napoleon Hill. Today, I credit most of my success in business (including trading) to this book. At first applying some of the principles described in this book appears a bit crazy - for example reading a Self-Confidence formula and a Definite Plan aloud every day. But you really have to look at it with an opened mind and believe me (and many peoples who have made millions) this stuff works: Here is a brief overview (you really need to get the book): - First - you must have a burning desire - for a trader this desire should be "to become a consistent winner in the stock market". - Second - you have to have a definite goal including the amount you want to make and the date by which you want this money to be in your account. - Third - You need a definite plan, or what you will do in exchange for this money. Here is an example of a plan - it is generic enough to be applied to most trading styles. Items specific to your style should be added. Your plan should be read aloud first thing in the morning and right before going to bed. By December 31st 2006, I will make $200,000 dollars with my trading. In return for this money I will do the following: - I will follow a trading plan to guide my trading - therefore my job will be one of patience and discipline - I will plan each trade carefully - I will not jump into trades by fear of missing out - I will monitor the market's current picture - I will monitor the current picture for each industry - I will manage my trades to protect my capital and my profits - I will protect my capital through good money management - I will take responsibility for all my actions. - I will trade to trade well and for the love of trading, not to trade often and not for the money. The money will come as a result of trading well. - I will not be influenced by the opinions of others. I will reach my own decisions and follow them. - I will build the self-trust necessary to operate in an unlimited environment which has no rules. - I will be rigid in my rules and flexible in my expectations. -I will never think that taking money from the market is easy and I will never assume that I know enough. -I will have no particular expectation when I place a trade because I know that anything can happen. -I will treat trading as a probability game in which I don't need to know what is going to happen next in order to make money. All I need to know is that the odds are in my favor before I put a trade - I believe that I deserve this money. I believe that I will have this money in my possession. My faith is so strong that I can now see this money before my eyes. I can touch it with my hands. It is now awaiting transfer into my account. I am awaiting a plan by which to accumulate this money, and I will follow that plan when it is received. Read (and reread) this book and apply its principles to your life - and notice the difference in your Self-Confidence.

Florida homeowners insurance coverage

2005 marked a record year for hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, with weather reporters resorting to using the Greek Alphabet to come up with names for hurricanes and tropical storms headed towards the United States. Unfortunately a few of these hurricanes, including Dennis, Katrina and Wilma causes major destruction on both the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico sides of Florida. Because Florida is right in the midst of hurricane alley for nearly half the year, finding affordable Homeowners insurance coverage is nearly impossible for most homeowners and sustaining and repaying those Homeowners insurance policies is just as impossible for the actual insurance companies. For quite some time, in the 1980s and 1990s, many Florida residences were covered by the state run insurance company, called the Residential Joint Underwriting Association. Only recently have large private Homeowners insurance companies, like Allstate, begun taking on homeowners insurance policies in sections of Florida, along the coastlines and in the southern part of the state, where hurricanes are more likely to occur. Whether going through the state run RJU association or going through a private home insurance agency, there is no question that Homeowners insurance will be extremely expensive anywhere near the coast in Florida. The same home in Ohio may cost three times less to insure than it would on the coast of Florida, simply because of all the added coverage for hurricane season. Since most basic insurance policies only cover certain natural disasters that could occur anywhere in the country, most often hurricane damage is not included in this policy. For that reason, Florida homeowners have to go about purchasing extra hurricane insurance to make sure their home will be covered in case hit by one of these ocean storms. A law was recently passed in 2005 in Florida that requires plain language on insurance policies so that homeowners can easily understand the terms of their policy without being confused by the heavy jargon. Before this, many Florida homeowners were left to fend for themselves or to apply for Federal or Florida aid because many did not realize that even hurricane insurance often does not include flood damage. Of course this can be tricky to distinguish and this is where many homeowners found themselves at a loss. Even if the flooding is caused by a storm surge of rising water from the hurricane, this is not covered by the hurricane because it is not considered damage due to the high winds or rain of the storm, but is instead caused by the ocean waters rising. If Florida homeowners are in an area that could be considered a storm surge area, usually even up to 25 feet from the ocean, then they need to consider also including flood insurance as a separate clause to their Homeowners insurance. Be sure to discuss with your insurance agent exactly what types of water damage are covered in the hurricane insurance policy and the flood policy to make sure you are covered from all angles when encountering a hurricane. Currently legislation is in the works that will limit the amount of surcharges that Florida homeowners can be charged to help prevent price gouging because of the area that Floridians live in. If legislation is passed, this will help level out private and public insurance rates for Floridians, making it easier to acquire insurance from year to year even though they live in an extremely high risk area. If you are a new resident of Florida and have moved to the state between the months of June and November, hurricane season, you may not be able to acquire hurricane insurance for the first season, as many insurance companies put a block on new hurricane insurance policies until after hurricane season is over. This is to prevent those who may just acquire the insurance temporarily and then get rid of it after hurricane season is over. Before closing on the home, consider adding the current Homeowners policy into the contract on the home to ensure that you will be covered for the first season. If this is not possible, you may be able to find insurance to cover a hurricane but it could cost a pretty penny.

What does hypoallergenic mean anyway

The word “hypoallergenic” is a term that probably most of us have run across. It is used in advertising and placed on product labels of shampoos, moisturizers, make-up, and even jewelry. Most people think it means that a product that is hypoallergenic won’t react with their allergies. But is this really what it means? Cosmetics advertisers first used the word in the 60’s. It comes from the Greek prefix hypo, which translates to below or less. So the word translates to “less allergens”. Since it’s inception it has been widely adopted and used by advertisers, manufacturers, and marketers to sell products that claim to be gentler on the skin than other products similar to it. But is this really true? The American Food and Drug Administration has stated, “ Hypoallergenic cosmetics are products that manufacturers claim produce fewer allergic reactions than other cosmetic products. Consumers with hypersensitive skin, and even those with "normal" skin, may be led to believe that these products will be gentler to their skin than non-hypoallergenic cosmetics. There are no Federal standards or definitions that govern the use of the term "hypoallergenic." The term means whatever a particular company wants it to mean. Manufacturers of cosmetics labeled as hypoallergenic are not required to submit substantiation of their hypoallergenicity claims to FDA. The term "hypoallergenic" may have considerable market value in promoting cosmetic products to consumers on a retail basis, but dermatologists say it has very little meaning.” The FDA attempted to put regulations on products that claimed to be hypoallergenic in 1974. It stated that a product could be labeled hypoallergenic only if studies were conducted on human subjects and it showed a significantly lower reaction to allergies than products not making the claim. It then said the companies had to conduct these tests on their own and (most importantly) at their own expense. This of course caused major problems and companies immediately began lawsuits against the decision, claiming that the tests “would pose an undue economic burden on them.” The two biggest challengers of this attempt at regulation were Almay and Clinique, two manufacturers of “hypoallergenic” cosmetics. The FDA tried again to regulate the use of the word on June 6, 1975 by still requiring companies to do scientific studies but the procedures for the tests were changed to reduce the cost to the manufacturers. This still didn’t sit well with the companies who apparently wanted no regulations on what they were producing. Cosmetic companies challenged the FDA decision in the U. S. Court of Appeals, which ruled that the regulation was invalid. The court said the FDA’s definition of “hypoallergenic” was unfair because a lack of evidence that consumers perceived the term in the way it is described by the organization. The result? Manufacturers can continue to advertise and label their products “hypoallergenic” without any kind of regulation or standard set forth by the government. Consumers have no assurance that a product labeled “hypoallergenic” is any less reactive than any other product. Theoretically, a company could put out a product that is “hypoallergenic” that is full of toxins and allergens. The one small victory that the FDA seems to have had is that at least now manufacturers are now required to put the ingredients on the labels of the products so that consumers can avoid substances that they know they are allergic to or have had problems with in the past. As consumers, we must be aware of ingredients in the products we use because apparently the companies who make them aren’t very concerned about our health over their profit margins. There is no doubt that some products out there that claim to be hypoallergenic actually are, but if you are a smart consumer and concerned for you and your family’s health, you’ll do the research yourself and not rely on these companies claims. Hypoallergenic? More like hypohonest.

More fantastic vegas freebies

More Fantastic Vegas Freebies If you're looking for some great free things to do in Vegas, there are some amazing treats for you and the family awaiting. Many casinos in an effort to bring in more and more business are offering elaborate shows free for the family in an effort to bring more warm bodies into their casinos and out of their competitors. This is a win win situation for tourists and locals alike who are seeking entertainment that will leave a little money in their pockets to spend at the casinos (which is exactly what the casinos were hoping for). One of the great shows that is available free to families is the Fall of Atlantis Show at Caesar's Palace. This particular show is a laser, water, and light show that features wonderful animatronics action. Also notice that the show's platform is actually a salt-water aquarium. You can see divers feed the fish each day at 1:15 and 5:15 while another staff member is on hand to answer any questions you may have and explain a little about the facility. You can actually take a tour of the facility at 3:15 each day. Enjoy watching the gods as they entertain you rather than us entertaining them. The Cambridge Community Center offers a free movie and popcorn each Saturday at 1:00. Each week a different movie will be shown and children under 12 must bring an adult to keep them company. You can check out which movie will be playing by checking out the posting on Friday. Another great Vegas freebie is daily performances of the Hawaiian Marketplace Island Performers. These performances take place throughout the day from 11:00 am until 10:30 pm and feature wonderful dances that will remind you of the island. See hula dancers, fire and knife dancers, musicians, lei makers, and animatronic birds. The performances are free and take place at the Hawaiian Marketplace. For the Elvis fan in all of us you can see Pete Vallee perform as Big Elvis from Monday to Thursday with shows that take place at 3:00 and 5:00 pm at the Barbary Coast Casino. The admission for this show is free and he brings in quite a crowd with his vocal talent and heartfelt renditions of Elvis' ballads. M & M World should need no introduction. It is a wonderful and yummy place to visit. More importantly it is a free place to visit. This museum is open Sunday through Thursday from 9 am until 11 pm and Friday and Saturday from 9 am until midnight. This really is a neat attraction to visit and is much more than initially meets the eye. Take a stroll, look around and make sure you see all there is to see or you just might miss something fantastic. For another sweet freebie, you really must make plans to visit Ethel M's Chocolate Factory. The admission for this self-guided tour is free as is the first sample, but who can eat just one chocolate? Be sure not to leave this tour empty handed, as you'll be kicking yourself once you get back to the room and have a craving for something sinfully sweet. In addition to the chocolate factor is the Botanical Cactus Garden that is open from 8:30 until 7:00 daily. Another great thing to see on this particular tour is the Living Machine, which as waste-consuming ecologies that turns 32,000 gallons wastewater each day into water that is clean enough to use for irrigation purposes. The Marjorie Barrick Museum of History, which is located on the University of Nevada Las Vegas Campus, is another place to go and learn while being entertained. Admission is Monday through Friday from 8:00 until 4:45 and on Saturday from 10:00 until 2:00. Admission is free and the museum is closed on all state and federal holidays. This museum offers a great display of Western culture and the history of ancient Mexico. No matter what your specific interests are there are plenty of wonderful things to see and do in Las Vegas that do not put a strain on the pocketbook at all. 686

Blessed to be a blessing

To be blessed means to be consecrated, set apart, and highly favored. When God blesses you, He does not leave anything out. It is more than personal happiness, wealth or well-being. He sees His flock as holy, chosen by Him to be a peculiar people, high above all nations in praise, in name and in honor! (Deut. 26: 18-19) In other words, His blessings are designed to make you stand out from those who do not know Him! What makes you peculiar is that you are chosen to be a royal, holy priest for Him. In this role you are to be a blessing, not only to those around you but first and foremost to Him, who has called you out of darkness into His glorious light! (1 Pet. 3:9). Blessings, therefore, depend upon your obedience to God and being a blessing to Him and others. First, you must obey His voice and keep His commandments. (Ex. 16:5-6) In order to hear His voice and be able to distinguish it from all other voices you must know Him and acknowledge Him as lord over your life. His law will then be written on the tablets of your heart, and you will be in a position where blessings shall actually overtake you. Yes! They will not only follow you but run out ahead of you, waiting for you to receive them! What kind of blessings? You will be blessed whether you live in the city or on the land; your family and livestock will be fruitful; you will always have more than enough food and supplies whether at home or far away. Your enemies will be defeated, and everything you set your hand to will be blessed. Yes, everyone will sense that you are His and that they should have respect for you. Furthermore, you will have many possessions; you will lend and not borrow, and you will not be oppressed but rise above every situation that comes your way. (Deut. 28:1-13) King David was the perfect example of giving and receiving blessings. I love Psalm 63, where he tells God how his soul thirsts for Him and seeks Him first thing in the morning. David describes the world without God as a dry and thirsty land where no water is. He longs to see God’s glory and power! He describes God’s blessings as lovingkindness, that are better than life itself! He tells God that: “Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.” (ps. 63:7) It’s such a beautiful depiction of how we are to adore Him, as David did, blessing Him with our lips, giving Him our heartfelt thanks – even before we receive anything from Him! In Proverbs 8 17-21 it is as if the Lord answers David: “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches add righteousness. My fruit is better than gold; and my revenue than choice silver. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment; that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.” Be on the look-out for your share of blessings. They are ready to overtake you! Expect them, thank Him for them, and position yourself mentally, emotionally and physically to receive them. “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Mat. 6:33)

A secured loan needs very careful consideration

If you are considering taking out a secured loan then it needs to be given some very careful consideration. The loan can be taken out for almost anything and the repayments can be spread over many years. However it is essential to remember that during this time your home is at risk as it is secured against the money you are borrowing. The loan will be given based on the amount of spare equity in your home. How much equity is spare is determined by subtracting the outstanding mortgage from the total value of your home. The amount that is left is the amount that lenders will allow you to borrow on your home but occasionally for higher rates of interest some will lend you up to 125%. You have to make sure that the reason for taking out the loan outweighs the fact that you are at risk of losing your home. If you cannot keep up with the repayments then repossession is a possibility. One of the reasons why many take out a secured loan is to consolidate existing loans, this means only having one low monthly repayment. While this can be beneficial you do have to make sure that it is the right way to go. For example if you would only have to repay existing debts for a couple more years then taking out a consolidation loan for 5 years would end up costing you more. When it comes to getting the best rates of interest for a secured loan then it is essential that you shop around and get several quotes. The interest rates can vary considerably and even if it is just a fraction it can add a lot onto the loan when taking it out over many years. You do have much more to compare than just the quotes. You also need to read the small print and find out if there are any additional costs attached to the loan. Costs could include an early repayment fee which means if you are lucky enough to be able to repay the loan earlier than anticipated you could have to payout a lump sum. While this is just one of the clauses there can be others so the key facts of each loan you are considering must be checked. By going with a specialist website when it comes to taking out a secured loan you are able to search the whole of the marketplace. By searching with the best UK lenders you can be sure you are getting the cheapest rates of interest along with the best deal possible. You should never take out the first loan that is offered and the rates of interest are usually dearer if you choose to go with the high street lender for the loan. Always consider taking out payment protection for your secured loan. Payment protection can help if you should come out of work due to certain factors and as the loan is secured against your home this can be a safety net.

The future on seo for bloggers

You write a blog religiously every day or so. You provide informative, interesting content for your loyal readers. You’ve even got a couple of affiliate links in there, too. But is this enough to get great search engine results for your efforts? Probably not. Sure, you’ll get listed with the search engines easily. But without a top twenty listing at one of the majors (Google, Yahoo! or MSN), you won’t have traffic, literally, banging down your door. In order to get better search engine results you need to make sure you are using the right keywords (and know how to use them), have links pointed your way and regularly check the results of your hard work. Here’s how. Choosing Appropriate Keywords Do you know what search terms your visitors are using to find you? Most blogging sites give you the option of checking up to see just how people found you. If you don’t have this feature available, hop over to statcounter/ and install their free service on your blog immediately. Next, research those keywords. Visit Overture’s free site (inventory. overture/) and type in the most generic of the terms people are using to find your blog. You’ll get a list of related keywords used at a major search engine in the past month. Although it is an oversimplification of the search engine optimization process, try and stick to the more unusual but natural-sounding keywords as your top picks. Putting Keywords in the Right Places Once you’ve picked a keyword that applies directly to your blog, make sure to incorporate it into the following portions of one complete blog posting: # The title; # The first sentence; # Each header (if you have any); # Once a paragraph; and # The last sentence. If you have any links to outside sources, use the same keyword as your link text where possible. Also, for each blog posting, try and pick a different (but related) keyword to use. Feel free to reuse keywords every 30-45 postings. Submitting to Directories Your third step is to take these keyword optimized blog postings and post them to the article and blog directories. Most of the search engines determine the relevancy of your blog by how many outside websites link directly to you; therefore, posting your blog entries (with a link back to your site in your resource blurb) is an easy and straightforward way of doing so. Checking Your Progress It may take a couple of days to see any results, so try and wait a week before you take a look at StatCounter. Have your hits increased at all? Are there any new search engine referrals? To track your blog’s ascent up the search engine rankings for any given keyword, try Digital Point’s free Keyword Tracker Tool ( digitalpoint/tools/keywords/). It is an excellent way of ensuring your blog positioning efforts are paying off. With all blog postings, content is key. Without useful, interesting information that cannot be found elsewhere, your visitors won’t come back for more. Incorporate these simple search engine optimization techniques into your blogging practice however, and you’ll both keep the visitors you already have and dramatically increase your readership through high ranking search engine placement in no time.

How to set and achieve your goals

Goals – we have a love-hate relationship with goals. We love them because they are such a great idea and are a superb way to motivate us to achieve and then to evaluate our progress; but we hate them, because for much of the time, they go unattained and simply frustrate us. This isn’t what goals should do! Having been a Life Coach for many years now I would like to suggest some straightforward and practical techniques on how you can set goals you can achieve! After all, what good is a goal if it isn’t something you can achieve? • Life Coach tip no 1 - You have to want it! Firstly - do not bother to set goals for things you don’t really want. For example: if your partner says they want you to quit smoking or lose weight but you do not want to, why even bother setting this as a goal. If your goal(s) are not something you personally want to accomplish, and they are not relevant to you, you are unlikely to succeed – because deep down you don’t really want to. State your goals in a positive way – a goal should always be something you want to have, or change. Not things you or someone else think you should. Always ask yourself on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being totally committed and 1 being zero commitment. How committed are you to reaching your goal? If it is less than 8, you might want to reconsider the goal. • Life Coach tip no 2 - Focus Start small. Pick two or three areas that you want to work on. Too many people say to themselves, “I want to do this, and this, and this, and this……” and they end up achieving nothing! Most of what you do throughout your day can be done without a lot of mental effort, but change isn’t one of them. So try to keep your focus down to a couple of things. This way you can get success in your identified areas. Here are some aspects of your life you might like to think about: Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, Spiritual, Financial, and Relationships. Now, which is the first thing on your list? The others can follow later, but for now, you should focus on two or three, no more. • Life Coach tip no 3 - Goals - the long and the short So you want to lose 50 pounds? Good. Long-term you will. But for now, think short-term. Don’t think about losing 50 pounds by February. Think about losing 10 pounds by October 1st. This does two things. First, it makes it pressing and urgent. Instead of saying, “I still have 6 months to lose the 50 pounds” (6 months quickly disappears into 2 months, into one month – with the 50 pounds still securely in place!) your first goal is only a few weeks away, so you have to get started. This is far more successful in terms of reaching your goal. Secondly, as you reach these smaller goals (your mini-milestones!), you achieve a success, which gives you regular motivation and encouragement to keep going. • Life Coach tip no 4 - Make it manageable Instead of saying, "I am going to quit my 20 smoking a day habit straight off" change this to: "I am going to smoke no more than 15 a day for a week, then 10 the next week and so on." Give yourself small victories a little at a time. It is far easier to accomplish many smaller goals that make up a large goal – rather than trying for the large goal straight off! • Life Coach tip no 5 - Reward yourself along the way When you lose the 10 pounds by October 1st, go and order yourself large mocha with cream from Costa’s (just the one though!), then get back to your goal for November 1st. This puts a little fun back into the process of self-control and self-discipline. You will look forward to and enjoy the reward and when the going gets tough, you will say things like, “two weeks to go, and only two more pounds to lose” etc – I can do it, then I can enjoy my mocha guilt free! • Life Coach tip no 6 - Be specific with your timeline Don't just say, "I am going to lose 10 pounds." Say, "I am going to lose 10 pounds by December 1st." This way, when you start being tempted into Thornton’s Chocolates in the middle of November - under the guise of buying early Christmas presents for other people, you can say, "No way, only 5 more pounds to go in three weeks and I am not going to blow it now." • Life Coach tip no 7 - Post it where you can see it Keep your goal in the front of your mind at all times. Instead of allowing yourself to ‘forget’ that you are trying to lose weight by ordering a big slice of cheesecake, your visual reminder will help you to choose something a little on the lighter side but at the same time keeping on track – having your cake and eating it! This will help you beat your desire and stay focused. Post your goal anywhere you will see it regularly, like maybe the fridge or a mirror, on your wardrobe door – you know where is best, you must be able to see it regularly throughout the day. • Life Coach tip no 8 - Encourage, respect, and accountability Explain to a friend or family member what your goal is, including the timeframe, so they can help you with it. This person should regularly ask you, how you are doing etc? They should hold you accountable, but at the same time keep you motivated and encouraged. Obviously they must be the encouraging type! (If not, ask someone else who is) If you are blowing it, they can tell you so, but at the same time gee you up and say things like “Well, that's okay, it’s done now, don’t sweat it, just get back to it tomorrow." If you are doing well, they can say, "excellent, well done etc” and make you feel great. • Life Coach tip no 9 - Write (and then reap) the benefits If you are trying to lose weight your benefits might look something like this: Feel better, better self-esteem, longer life, clothes are more comfortable, a bigger choice of clothes shops to shop it, your husband says you look 25 again and so on. For quitting smoking, it may look like this: Fresher breath, no more brown fingers, less wrinkles on my face, no more red eyes, no more smelly clothes, longer life, and the wife won’t make me spend two hours a day on the back porch in the pouring rain anymore! By making a list you will be able to you see what you will benefit from accomplishing your goal. Again it is a good idea once you have thought of these benefits to write them down with your goal (On the fridge, mirror etc) so that when you review your goal everyday, you’ll also see the benefits to achieving it. • Life Coach tip no 10 - You have succeeded – reward yourself! This can be anything – large or small. If you dropped the fifty pounds, really treat yourself, plan to go out and buy yourself that size 12 dress you have always longed for – and then wear it with pride. Make a deal with a partner or friend that if you reach your goal they will take you out for a meal or and spoil you. Whatever it is you plan, make it personal, enjoyable and desirable to you, so you will look forward to it. Do not miss this part out – it is one of the most important bits. It will help to keep you motivated when you’re struggling and give you something enjoyable to aim for. Make sure you reward yourself for all your hard work! Remember folks – goals aren’t just for footballers! They are for us real people too!

Looking for internet business scam review

You have all heard the advice, If it's too good to be true be careful. This is great advice when you are thinking about making money on the internet but you are afraid of scams. One little word can make a free offer well, not really a free offer. Read read and read it once again. The scammers are out there looking to make a quick dollar while at the same time, telling you there is no such thing. Read and re-read any offer that is presented to you. First I want to tell you something you probably know is out there. Hard to think that these are still being sent out, but I got on myself, just two days back. The very first area that you need to practice care in is that e-mail in box. Anytime someone asks for information such as SS# or bank accounts be very wary. The best advice if you haven't initiated the call or requested information via e-mail never give out that type of information. In the same vein, you never want to deposit money into an account to which you are give a number in hope of getting a huge amount in return. The old good faith deposit, if it sounds too good to be true, you know the rest. Another good idea is to check on Google or your favorite search engine for scam alerts. Careful now, I have been told that now there are scam alerts that are there, just to try to get you to buy something. You are starting to see that you always need to be wary. Think about this, if you where looking to start a business, would you do it without looking into the background of the venture. Would you not talk to others in the same line. I would suggest the same of any online business venture. Money can be made from your home. It will involve time. It will involve some money up front. There will be missteps. With the right programs and with good solid back up advice the whole process can be made easier. Thinking about buying a e-book, why not ask for a referral to someone who has read the book and see if they considered the price fair and the advice solid. If there is a money back guarantee, read it carefully, print it out, and put it aside. If you are not happy with the home based business advice, or the weight loss advice, or whatever you subscribed too, ask for your money back. One more tip, use your search engine to research the name attached to the web site that you will be directed to. There are a lot of honest people out there that really want to help. Affiliate programs are some of the easiest money makers out there. The program you are promoting will want you to make money, because they make money. Could not be any easier. The majority of web sites that are selling either products or information at the very bottom will have the word affiliate. Simply click on the word and get the information on how to get started. Final piece of advice. Use good judgment and think objectively before you take out that credit card. Storefront refer to it as impulse buying, the same holds true on the internet.

Home owner insurance company some hints and tips and a couple of recommendations

The insurance market is very competitive. Insurance companies are trading policyholders every year. A lot of people are upset with their rates and so they begin to shop in the insurance company jungle. There are the familiar names and the not so familiar names. Insurance companies have a tremendous responsibility and their margin for profit is always under siege because of the cost of doing business. How does the average consumer evaluate a homeowner insurance company? The answer is that you can’t. That is somebody else’s job. Insurance for us is very personal. Insurance companies try to make it personal but sometimes that is impractical and impossible. The best way to choose an insurance company is to first determine how you want to do business. Do you like personal service and consultation? If you do then you need to purchase your insurance from an insurance agent. If you like the speed of online and telephone purchases then by all means use the cyber world and the 800 number insurance companies. The insurance company to most people is the agent. The agent is their connection and representative. Most people will either love or hate their insurance company based on their experience with their agentpanies still love to do business with agents. It’s hard to do business without an agent sometimes. They usually have a staff that assists them in servicing their policyholders. They are involved in the same community with their customers and so there is a bond between them. If you want to do business with an agent then compare home insurance companies that use agents. Ask around. Get a recommendation. There are more and more folks that want to bypass the agent and do their business on line or with customer service representatives at call centers. If this is your preferable method then you need to compare insurance companies that operate strictly online or by telephone. There are rating guides available that will help you determine the financial strength of each company. The AM Best insurance resource guide is probably the best.

Live the dream today

Have you an idea about how you could improve your life but do not have the confidence to make that dream into a reality? Have you a plan that you hope to implement when you are a little older, possibly when you are retired? In this article, I write about a dream I had when growing up as a teenager, a dream I made into a reality when I was in my early twenties. My name is Steve Hill and I was born in the second largest city in England, called Birmingham. The pace of life in Birmingham is quite hectic and the crime rate is fairly high. In saying this I am very proud to be a Brummie, the knickname for people who are born in Birmingham, and am very fond of the city. My parents would take us on holiday each year to the South West coast of England to a county called Devon. We would stay in a place called Brixham which basically seemed to be the opposite of what Birmingham was. It was very quite, was very relaxed, had only a small amount of minor crime and the people were a whole lot more friendly. I enjoyed some superb holidays in Brixham up until the age of about sixteen and would often dream that one day, I would actually live there. This of course was only a dream and I believed that I would probably make it happen when I had retired. At the age of twenty-three I was offered a voluntary redundancy package at the insurance company where I had been working since I had left school. This was a great opportunity for me to get paid to leave a company that I had been thinking about leaving for many years. I took the package on offer and then started to think about my next move, for example, where I wanted to work, where I wanted to live etc. At this point in my life I had been dating a young lady for around two years. I had told her about my dream of one day moving to Brixham and she also seemed to share my passion for the area. I then decided that I wanted to make the move now while I had the chance. Why should I wait until I am retired? Life is too short I thought to myself, I might not even live until retirement age. My girlfriend was very up and excited about my idea of moving to Brixham and the move went ahead. I have to say that I loved living in Devon and there were not many aspects from my past life that I actually missed, apart from my friends and family. After living in Brixham for a few years my father became very ill. I travelled up and down the motorway to visit him in hospital and eventually decided that it was now time to move back to Birmingham. This was because I wanted to spend as much time with him and my mother as I possibly could. I will without doubt return to Devon and do not regret for one minute making the move when I did. Life is about living and about making your dreams into reality.

Popular social networking websites

Popular Social Networking Websites Do you love using the internet to meet and talk to new people? If so, there is a good chance that you have heard of social networking websites before. If you have not, you will want to familiarize yourself with them because they are rapidly becoming the most popular way to communicate with others online. If you weren’t already aware, social networking websites are website that essentially act as an internet communities. While all social networking websites have their own rules and restrictions, many websites operate in a similar way, with similar goals. Their goals are to allow internet users to connect with other internet users online, often from all around the world. What is nice about social networking websites is that they come in a wide variety of different forms. There are many websites that are considered “general,” websites. These websites do not really have any particular focus, but there are social networking websites that do have a particular focus. Those focuses often include dating, religion, and school. If online social networking seems interesting to you, you will have to find a community to join. You can easily do this a number of different ways. By speaking to those that you know, on and offline, you could be alerted to popular social networking websites. You can also find these websites on your own by performing a standard internet search. Whether you perform your own search or rely on recommendations from others, it is likely that you will find a fairly large number of social networking websites. Just a few of those websites that may find include Classmates, Orkut, Yahoo! 360, and MySpace. Orkut is Google’s version of a social networking website. This website was created and officially launched in 2004. Orkut has a large number of member, form all around the world. What is nice about Orkut is that the system is easy to use, that is once you get in. To protect their social networking communities, a large number of social networking websites, including Orkut, have restricted access to the site. If you are interested in joining Orkut you must know someone who is already a member and they must invite you to join the community. If you do not personally know any Orkut member, there is a good chance that you could connect with and obtain an invitation from someone you meet online. Classmates is an online social networking website that is rapidly increasing in popularity. This website focuses on connecting long lost friends or old classmates. Classmates is free to use, but you must become a paying member to enjoy many of their member benefits. These benefits include, but are not limited to, searching for old classmates, reading their profiles, requesting more information from your classmates, or even contacting them. MySpace is another popular social networking website that can be found online. In fact, MySpace is known as being the most popular online social networking website. They currently have over one hundred million members! MySpace, like many other social networking websites allows you to create your own profile, in fact, your own personal page. Once your page has been created, you can easily invite other members to become a member of your network and visa versa. In addition to having a traditional profile page, with your personal information, you can also display a large number of pictures, video clips, and music clips. Although there are a number of features that makes MySpace so popular, the most popular reason for its popularity is that fact that it is completely free to use. As previously mentioned, MySpace, Classmates, and Orkut are just a few of the many social networking websites that you can find online. Additional sites include FriendFinder, Yahoo! 360, and more. To learn more about each of these sites or to join their community, you are advised to visit their online websites and request additional information. You should be able to find these websites by performing a standard internet search. Word Count 664

Casino aquatique bienvenue dans le monde des croisieres

: Retrouvez tout le prestige de votre serie favorite combinant Las Vegas a la Croisiere s'amuse, pour quelques jours ou quelques semaines, en couple ou en famille! Pour les amoureux des Caraibes, montez sur l'un de ces navires: Empress of the Sea, l'un des plus prestigieux. Vous offre pour de bons petits plats le Restaurant Carmen et Windjammer Cafй, puis digestion au sein des salons Pub Caroussel, Pool Bar, Salon High Society, Salon Viking Crown. A Bord, divertissez vous:Centre de remise en forme, Ping pong, Piste de jogging, Mur d'escalade,2 Piscines extйrieures, 4 Jacuzzis dont un intйrieur, Casino et decouvrez ses nombreux jeux tels la Roulette Americaine sans oublier sa Discothиque, Salle de spectacles, Salle de cartes, Cafй internet. Ce navire vous propose une croisiere inegalabe depuis San Juan:Caraпbes - Antilles, pendant 11 jours. Faites une escale a San Juan, Saint Martin, Saint Johns, Basse-Terre, Castries, Bridgetown, en mer, Isla Margarita, Willemstad, Oranjestad, en mer, pour revenir a San Juan. Explorer of the Seas: Decouvrez pendant 7 jours le Mexique, Miami en mer, Belize City, Costa Maya. Services similaires a l'Empress. Pur votre bien etre: Salon de beautй, Complexe thermal complet, Sauna, Spa, Solarium.. Alors faites vous chouchouter. Au niveau des loisirs, profitez donc de la diversite, osez melanger culture a farniente grace aux :3 Piscines, 5 Jacuzzis, Casino, Discothиque, Salle de spectacles, Salle de cartes, Cafй internet, Le thйвtre sur 3 ponts qui propose des productions dans le style de Broadway. Majesty of the Seas: en partance de Miami, profitez d'une croisiere de 4 jours pour vous echapper aux Bahamas , Cocoay, Nassau, Key West et Miami. Adventure of the Seas: en partance de SAn Juan, profitez d'une croisiere de 7 jours pour une escapade a Oranjestad, Oranjestad, Willemstad, en mer, Philippsburg, Charlotte Amalie, San Juan. Sovereign of the Seas: plus riche que les precedants en matieres de loisirs pour enfants: au club Adventure Ocean, les enfants beneficieront des activitйs а la fois йducatives et rйcrйatives (de 3 а 17 ans) Le FantaSeas Teen centre propose quant a lui une large variйtй d'activitйs pour les ados telles que les chasses aus trйsors ou repas pizzas. Au niveau de votre detente personnelle, vous retrouverez egalement le Shipshape center avec sauna, bains turcs, massages et salon de beauй centre mйdical а bord. Grandeur of the Sea. Presente les memes services que ses compatriotes. Laissez-vous charmer par la musique du pianiste au Schooner Bar, ou tentez votre chance au Blackjack dans leur casino. Allez voir un show faзon Broadway dans une salle impressionnante sans vous dйplacer Enchantement of the Seas:dispose de 2 restaurants principaux qui sont le My Fair Lady Dining room et le Windjammer Cafй. Les services presentes ci-dessus se retrouve egalement sur ce navire, casino inclus. Pour une croisiere de 4 jours, decouvrez le Mexique au travers des escales suivantes:Fort Lauderdale, Key West, Cozumel, en mer, Fort Lauderdale. A ne pas en croire ses yeux. A moins que le comfort et le charme de ce navire vous eblouisse au point de ne vouloir debarquer...

Give me something to sing about

Alzheimer's Disease is among the most prevalent brain disorders in the world. This disease is a form of dementia and is characterized by the loss of memory and difficulty in communicating, thinking, learning, and reasoning. Based on figures released by Alzheimer's Association, Inc., there are now five million people diagnosed with this condition in the United States. Every 72 seconds, at least one person is diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. More than $158 Billion is spent each year as a direct and indirect cause of Alzheimer's Disease. While scientists are certain that Alzheimer's Disease is mainly about progressive brain cell failure, the exact cause of this failure is still undetermined. Among the identified risk factors include aging, genetics, and family history. Currently, this disease is still considered as an incurable ailment. Most medical management procedures for Alzheimer's disease include the prescription of drugs that help improve the transmission of messages in the brain. Non-chemical approaches involve making behavioral changes in terms of how a person responds to a patient with this condition. Most sufferers of Alzheimer's disease exhibit emotional distress and may even have emotional outbursts and delusions. The environment of the patient must also be comfortable and highly secured. Indeed, finding a “treatment” for an incurable disease is very difficult especially at the latter stages where a patient's mind begins to withdraw deeper and deeper into itself. The mental health toll is a great weight not only on the shoulders of the person affected by Alzheimer's, but also on the emotional and mental health of the people around him. As memory, coherence, and even recognition start to disappear, the emotional toll the disease takes can only become worse with time. However, alternative approaches are being explored to help alleviate the emotional and mental health troubles caused by Alzheimer's. One such alternative that has shown encouraging initial results is singing. This approach was only recently applied on patients with Alzheimer's disease and is still lacking solid medical research. Anecdotal evidence shows that people with Alzheimer's seem to recall songs better than other memories. According to modern science, the parts of the brain that are responsible for music and lyrics are separate from the ones that control speech. In fact, it has been shown that people with Alzheimer's can still appreciate music. Patients that have been given music therapy have shown improvements in terms of their mood, ability to communicate, and capacity to retain information. Breaking down the communication block that comes as a symptom Alzheimer's is also seen as a major breakthrough in improving a patient's mental health. Patients who sing have also started to recover some of their learning abilities. The selection of songs also plays a role in influencing the mood of a person with Alzheimer's disease. The emotions conveyed in certain songs help the patients to express themselves and eventually associate the song with a memory or past experience. In essence, therapists are trying to use music to stimulate their patients to engage in emotional expression and release through singing. Songs by Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Broadway musicals, and a few modern songs are used by therapists to improve the emotional and mental health of both patients and their families. Additional anecdotal records indicate that some patients have even retained newly acquired skills. While these skills are mostly very basic such as writing a few letters of the alphabet or recognizing pictures of family members, these developments have encouraged some quarters in the medical community to continue their research and experimentation with music therapy. Since there is currently no indication that Alzheimer's affects the areas of the brain responsible for recognizing and processing music, most mental health experts see a lot of potential in this approach. The use of music seems to tap into something more subconscious than just listening and appreciating melodies. While what exactly is going on is still left up to study and speculation, there are already programs underway designed to test how having patients sing can help with other forms of dementia, such as Parkinson's disease.

Night hiking and other backpacking ideas

: What do you do when you need to be home instead of backpacking? Dream up new ways to backpack and new ideas for backpacking gear. Here are some of my most recent backpacking ideas for products and techniques. New Backpacking Ideas - Products Swamp cooler t-shirt. This is for hot desert hiking. Just soaking your shirt in a stream and wearing it wet is a great way to keep cool from the evaporative effect, but twenty minutes later you are far from the stream and the shirt is dry. The idea here, then, is a shirt that has water bags attached. Once filled, they slowly leak the water into the fabric of the shirt, keeping you cool for hours. Solid fuel fire starter sticks. Add a strike-anywhere match head to army fuel sticks and you have an instant fire starter. It would be something like a mini emergency flare. Rain cape tarp. Not of a poncho, but a tarp that has a chin strap and a few velcro attachments down one side. It would be cheaper and simpler to manufacture, and easier to actually use as a tarp. It would also easily cover you and your backpack. If you have ever held a rectangular tarp around you and over your head to keep the rain off, you get the idea. Disposable water container. The idea here is to have a water container for those long hikes in the desert when you need to carry extra water. When you have used it up, the container, which is made of wax paper, doubles as a good fire starter, eliminating its weight from your pack. Existing waxed milk and orange juice cartons could be used for this. Backpacking Ideas - Techniques Create body heat. You can carry less cold weather wear and sleeping gear if you have more body heat. To create more, eat fats before going to sleep. Fats create heat when they are digested (this is why eating whale blubber helps Eskimos stay warm). Corn chips are oily enough to help if you can't stomach a half cup of olive oil before bedtime. Air conditioning your tent. On hot and dry days, try wetting any large piece of cloth in the nearest stream and laying it over the roof of your tent. The evaporative cooling can lower the interior temperature of the tent by ten degrees. If you are using a shirt or other clothing that you'll be needing, allow enough time before dark for it to dry completely. Night hiking. I purposely planned a five-day backpacking trip in the Sierra Nevadas to coincide with the full moon. Each night I slept until the cold bothered me, then easily hiked through the rest of the night by moonlight. It got to carry a lighter sleeping bag, and it was a unique experience - one of those backpacking ideas I had wanted to try for a while. However, it did mean taking a leisurely nap in the sun every afternoon.

Casino et football font ils bon menage

: En effet, Casino 888.com sponsorisait le FC Toulouse et PartyGaming le FNCA de Nantes! Oui mais voila, c'йtait sans compter sur la Ligue Professionnelle de Football. Dimanche dernier, sur les maillots du FC Toulouse, on retrouvait bien les couleurs du casino mais les signes ???. Qu'est ce donc ???.com me direz-vous. Il s'agit tout simplement de son sponsor Casino 888. Pourquoi? Alors que les joueurs ont pour obligation de porter les couleurs et le nom du casino, la Ligue professionnelle a, quant а elle, dйcidйe d'exclure les casinos de la publicitй et du sponsoring. D'oщ l'omission. Or, tout le monde l'aura compris le sigle - faisait bien rйfйrence au casino sponsor de l'йquipe. La Ligue explique son refus. Du fait de l'arrestation de certains gйants de casinos en ligne depuis le mois de septembre, dont le derneir en date de Bwin arretй en France, la ligue se voit le droit d'interdire la publicitй, le sponsoring pour les paris en ligne. Samedi, une autre йquipe, la FC Monaco a rencontrй le mкme problиme que le FC Toulouse lors de son match face au Mans. Un reprйsentant de l'йquipe explique que, sans cette alternative, le coup d'envoi du match n'aurait pu кtre donnй. On se souvient encore des paroles de Jean-Luc Gripond, vice-prйsident du club nantais, "le FCNA a dйcidй de s'associer а un nouveau sponsor disposant: "premiиrement une dimension internationale, et notre football a besoin de partenaires de cette dimension, deuxiиmement un lien avec les nouvelles technologies, ce qui reprйsente pour nous le futur". Qu'en est il aujourd'hui? Un enquкte a йtй menйe ( voir notre article Bonnes Nouvelles pour les Casinos en Ligne). Les paris sont monopole d'йtat en France et on pourrait penser que l'arrestation des cadres de BWin s'est opйrйe au bйnйfice de la Franзaise des jeux. Aussi, peu de temps aprиs, la Commission europйenne a dйcidй de s'intйresser de plus prиs а la question du monopole d'Йtat pour les paris et les jeux. La volontй de la commission est clairement affichйe, soit les Йtats membres les considиrent nйfastes pour leurs ressortissants et interdisent totalement les jeux en ligne, soit ils les autorisent et permettent aux sociйtйs comme 888.com d'offrir leurs services sur le marchй.

Using games to teach esl

: One of the challenges in teaching English as a second language is to make learning as effortless as possible. By making learning easy and fun, the instructor can ensure that the material imparted is received, understood and retained. Language is all about meaning and context. The best way for students to find meaning and context in what they are learning is if they experience it. Is it possible then to teach the English language by allowing the participants to experience it? Yes it is possible, through games. According to Lee Su Kim, author of Creative Games for Learning Class, using games in the classroom help students to sustain the effort of learning. More to the point, it fosters interaction. What is language but a means to communicate? Through these fun activities, instructors will be able to promote the practice of English. Real-learning is when even outside the learning place, the student will still be able to apply the subject matter. Instructors have to understand that the more relaxed the learning environment is, the less anxious the students will be. Hence, the easier the students will be able to assimilate what is being taught. However, the use of games in ESL instruction requires careful planning, design and execution. Games should not be used as ice breakers or time fillers only. They should be used as part of the instructional design. Games should be seen and used as a motivational tool. Below are a couple of suggested games and their application. Charades – The class can be divided into mini-groups. The white or black board should accordingly be divided depending on the number of groups there are. Each group should have an assigned person who will draw the given phrase and an assigned person who will shout the answer. The other members will act as coaches. The instructor will show a phrase to the representatives and the first group to guess the answer wins the round. The time allocated for each round should not be too long because this activity should foster information retrieval and information relaying.

This activity should best be used as a review for idiomatic expressions. Guessing game – The instructor will write a word on a piece of paper and tape the piece of paper on the back of a student. The instructor should do the same for all the participants. The students should not know what word is posted on their backs. The instructor should then tell everyone that they can each ask three closed-ended questions (answerable by yes or no) from each of their peers in order to guess what the word is. This game is best used for students who already have a working knowledge of sentence structure.

The game can serve as an introduction to question formulations, which essentially reverses word orders.

Texas a m aggies basketball tickets what s going on in college station

For many years, Texas A&M Aggies basketball tickets have been nothing more than an afterthought in College Station. Texas A&M was always a football school, and little else mattered much at all. However, the culture in the area is beginning to turn, and the Aggies are providing fans plenty of reasons to go to games against their Big 12 rivals. As hard as it is to believe, local fans are realistically dreaming of a run to the Final Four, and below we’ll look at a few reasons why that’s the case. Coaching Simply put, Billy Gillispie is a coaching star. He was hired to run the program at Texas A&M in 2004, and the team hadn’t had a winning season since 1994 before he arrived. To make matters worse, the Aggies were coming off a dismal season in which they posted a record of 7-21 under previous coach Melvin Watkins. Gillespie immediately restored respect to the program, winning 21 games in his first season and advancing to the quarterfinals of the NIT, which was the first postseason appearance by the Aggies in more than a decade. Gillispie also drummed up interest in Texas A&M Aggies basketball tickets by refusing to make the excuses that had long existed under previous regimes, namely that Texas A&M was a “football school,” that they “didn’t have the support from the administration” and many other issues that he quickly dismissed. Talent Gillispie isn’t just a leader and a tremendous game coach, but he can recruit as well. He was one of the first coaches in Aggie Land to aggressively pursue top-flight recruits, and that pursuit paid off several times. He added talented current players such as Joseph Jones, Josh Carter and Donald Sloan, and each of these players turned down “bigger” programs to come and play in College Station. Gillispie is building a pipeline for recruiting in Texas and beyond, and that’s making the folks in Austin and Lubbock very nervous indeed. The more Texas A&M wins, the more credibility Gillispie and his program gain, and the snowball effect will take over from there. What it all Means This season is not a one-year wonder. The Aggies have posted three consecutive 20-win seasons, and they’re currently ranked in the Top Ten in both major college basketball polls. Their recruiting for next year looks very promising, and their young team is still getting better. What this all means is that folks better get their Texas A&M Aggies basketball tickets now, as they’ll become even harder to find in the very near future.

How to overcome a speech problem

Do you have a speech problem or speech impediment? I have managed to overcome a stutter which had had a major negative affect on my life for eighteen years. This article describes about how to overcome a speech problem and how to achieve fluency. According to recent figures around one percent of British people suffer from the speech impediment known as stuttering. Stuttering can also be known in some regions as stammering. I myself had a stutter from the age of four and during the period when I had the speech impediment, I had a fear of certain words beginning with certain letters. Any words which began with "b" were especially hard to say. I also had a fear saying words which began with d, v, g, and p. The way I would cope with these words was by either avoiding them or by findng an alternative word to say. This was not always easy and these difficult words were always on my mind. My goal was to eventually be able to say all words without any fear. Many different situations would be affected by the stutter, for example I found job interviews very stressful as I would stutter more when I was under pressure. At the age of sixteen, I became drunk for the first time. The results were quite amazing as I could now talk really well. The alcohol had given me a huge but somewhat false confidence boost. The fear of stuttering disappeared and the words began to flow. Unfortunately the fluency did not continue in the morning. Feeling very tired and hungover, my speech impediment returned in a big way. The previous nights experience had though, for the first time given me a belief that one day I could possibly eradicate my stutter. It goes without saying that you should not be in a permanent drunken physical state, however that what I needed to do was to be in a permanently drunk mental state, for example I had to stop worrying so much. There are many forms of stutter treatments out there including tradional speech therapy, group speech courses, one to one speech courses and even hypnotherapy. I personally believe that the way to go is one to one speech courses as every person who has a stutter is an individual and has an individual stutter. There is also self help stuttering therapies available via stuttering ebooks and dvds.

9 Steps to get out of debt part 8

Step 8 - Getting Insurance Most people are only one major disaster or a few weeks of unemployment away from bankruptcy. If you have done all this work to get out of debt, you don’t want it to all be in vain, just by one major crisis hitting you or your family. There’s nothing you can do to totally protect yourself from every type of catastrophe, but there are steps you can take to significantly reduce your risk. The first half of this article is going to be on insurance, and we’ll start with the type of insurance that is most likely to save you from being completely wiped out, medical insurance. This is one a lot of people choose not to buy because it’s quite often very expensive. This is a very dangerous decision, though. You never know when you will need medical care and we all know it isn’t cheap. Even if you are in perfect health, medical conditions can pop-up over night. You could wake up tomorrow and either have a major internal problem show up, or possibly have an accident and break a bone. You can easily rack up bills in the thousands, ten thousands or even hundreds of thousands from a single incident, and you never know when one will strike. Once this incident occurs, it’s usually too late to get insurance. If medical insurance is available through your employer this is usually the cheapest option, however you can still get insurance if your employer doesn’t offer it. The next cheapest option is most likely to get a group plan from another organization you belong to. Some examples would be a credit union or NASE. If you can’t find a group program, you can still buy insurance as an individual, it just typically costs more. The best way to reduce the cost is to go with a plan that has a high deductible. You may end up paying $2000 or so if you have a major incident, however it won’t completely wipe you out. If you own a home, you most likely have homeowners insurance because your mortgage company has required it, but if not, be sure to get it. If you rent, you may think you don’t need insurance on your property, however if a disaster was to hit the apartment complex or other place you live, you can still lose all of your possessions. You may think the apartment’s insurance will cover your losses, but it won’t; you will need renter’s insurance. This is usually fairly affordable. If you own a car, you are required in most states to at least have liability insurance, but depending on the value of your car and whether or not you can afford to replace it if you were in a wreck, you may also want full coverage to cover any damage to your vehicle. The last type of insurance I would like to mention is life insurance. This is something many people overlook, especially younger couples. If you are single and are not responsible for supporting anyone you may not need this insurance, but if you are married and have children or anyone else you are responsible for caring for, this is something you are going to want to have. To determine how much insurance you need, I suggest calculating how much your family would need to get by with you gone and multiplying that by fifteen. This will most likely be a shockingly high number, but it will allow you to support your family indefinitely by allowing them to live off the interest from this money rather than the principal. You’ll learn more about this in the next article.

The metaphysical view of death and life after death part 11

To conclude this section may we just add that Newton's subjects emphasize strongly that God is never once seen in the higher realms, although a strong feeling of a Supreme Power is felt ruling the ongoings of devachan, or "heaven," and the kinetic motion of magnetic streams of energy flowing in the atmosphere and environment. This truth denounces certain religious beliefs that in heaven one would finally see God face to face--for while on earth one may not see God's face and live, one would surely behold God's countenance in heaven. This principle has been vmisunderstood and misinterpreted for the past two thousand years; it should actually be understood in a mystical rather than in a literal manner. It reminds us of Gautama Buddha's silence when questioned about God--the implication of his subtle answer revealing a profound truth to the initiated. Summarizing the scientific viewpoint on death and the afterlife--based on years of careful psychical, parapsychological research--the following conclusions have been reached: 1) That humans are essentially immaterial in nature and that the human essence, or self-awareness, survives physical death. 2) That human soul-units exist at differentiated levels of awareness in dimensions beyond the physical light-spectrum, beyond the reach of physical sensory perception. 3) That contact with departed souls is a possible feat under certain conditions and circumstances. 4) That all human soul-units periodically re-embody or reincarnate to continue their evolution. 5) That all re-embody according to the law of causation, or karma; or soul desire. DISCUSSIONS As we have seen in the previous chapter, death according to the various traditions, metaphysical experiences and modern scientific discoveries, does not annihilate the human soul; and relationships formed on the physical plane do not cease at the termination of one's incarnation, as is normally believed; also, one's aspirations, goals and ambitions, though simply and seemingly cut-short prematurely at a stroke of the scythe by the grim reaper called death, is actually brought over to the Otherside for a further strategic development that would bloom in a later incarnation. We have also seen that the nature of death and the afterlife can be known to those who are willing to develop the necessary sensory faculties of the astral form and its ability of soul-flight. Additionally, we have dealt somewhat of the nature of heaven and hell, including the Judgment, from the various metaphysical, religious and scientific perspectives. We have described and hinted of some of the ways and means of avoiding those undesired experiences, states and conditions to be found in the bardo, and even in the lower astral. Non-attachment to the physical form and earthly life is helpful in the process of a peaceful and easy transition, and in a smooth journey through the bardo--this ought to be kept in mind. And lastly, with the descriptions by subjects of NDEs and communications from the beyond concerning the death process, we can be assured that dying does not have to entail any mental, emotional or physical agony; on the contrary, it may result in one of the most joyful states that average souls may experience at its present evolutionary level. It provides a certain pre-taste of what the nirvanic state is like when once the soul is liberated and fully aware of its divine unity with All That Is. Humans may fear death, but "being dead" is actually the present state of awareness of most people. To be unaware of one's higher microcosmic principles is simply a consciousness of death. What separates the seen from the unseen is the level of one's waking consciousness, and the psychological impurities within one's subconscious mind. There are several components in the microcosm making up what we call the divine, human being. The more components we are aware and conscious of, the more alive we become in the spiritual sense. Non-experience of the higher principles and realities do not mean that they do not exist, it is just that the faculty for higher perception has not yet been developed. Fear is what closes the veil to spiritual knowing. When we fear, we circumscribe our consciousness. Fear of the unknown, is the ignorance of the source of our fear. Identification with mortal principles simply perpetuates (or perpetrates?) one's mortal existence as a normal human being--and it also maintains one's fears. We are meant to be perfect--as advised by the Piscean Master--perfect in consciousness, in knowledge, and in awareness. Attaining immortality, or awareness of such, requires the shedding of mortal concepts, beliefs, attitudes and feelings. With such spiritual labour we gradually build the link between the lower and higher principles and ensure the continuity of consciousness, and the awareness of the illusory nature of death. With each extermination of a false concept we become more alive in a spiritual sense. Death, "the last enemy," as declared in scriptures, though inevitable, will be swallowed up in victory when once its maya-nature is understood and the continuity of consciousness acquired. Death will then lose its sting. Death ends when once the multidimensionality of one's being is realized, and when once one's liberation from the wheel of reincarnation is attained. What we call death is an illusion. This is echoed in the words of the Taoist poet, Chuang Tzu: "Birth is not a beginning, death is not an end." Fear simply robs individuals of their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual energies--energies which could be used for more constructive and creative purposes. When enlightened of the nature of death, like Socrates, we will not fear it; and this knowledge, understanding, and enlightenment would greatly help humanity to live an abundant life, as promised by Master Jesus. Like a chain effect, the awareness of the non-existence of death and the truth of man's purpose for being would improve the quality, nature, and service of every governmental department and institution, affecting society's consciousness, development and welfare. But to return to the emotion of fear ingrained in Man, there are several principles that assist one to "die" without fear: 1) Non-attachment to physical form, earthly possessions, and relationships. 2) Understanding that death is natural and that it does not end one's aspirations. 3) Understanding and being aware of one's true nature as divine and immortal. 3) Preparation through spiritual practices such as meditation, purification, and the acquisition of merit through service. 4) The unfoldment of love and compassion. From a higher perspective, death is no enemy. It is a merciful friend that grants us rest at a time when we need it. It provides a moment's respite until we re-engage ourselves in the battle of life through another incarnation with new--or old, unlearned experiences. What is important is the assimilation of experience, for if it does not take place, it will have to be undergone again and again until the lesson inherent in each one is learnt by the soul; this can sometimes prove to be wearisome. Life on earth should not be seen as a chance happening, as a biological occurrence in time and space, or as a chemical formation spawned by chaotic forces. Life is Real, is the only Reality and has a definite purpose. Knowing that life was formed on the earth plane for a purpose encourages the soul to discover that purpose. Soul-objective is known to the awareness-principle at deeper levels of consciousness and at the conscious level prior to incarnation. The purpose or intent of the Spirit, however, is normally forgotten once the "waters of Lethe" is drunk during the process of birthing. Our main task set by evolution is to be aware or more conscious of the "unconscious" levels of the mind; thus transcending the state of mediocrity or mortality. Mortal beings are not courageous enough to think, contemplate or face the conditions of death, they thus miss the true opportunities that life affords. When one fears death, one has not yet begun to live. "Death" to average individuals, is always thought of in connection with other people and never their own. This refusal to be spiritually-aware bind souls to an unproductie life in the cosmic scheme. This is the complaint of all mystics concerning the sons of men. In the Old Testament we read, "Man lies down and never rises. They rouse not from their sleep." (Job 14:12) From what we have said so far, it may be surmised that there are various forms of death, and this is true. St. Paul hints of this when he declared, "I die daily" (I Cor 15:31). We tabulate the forms of death in the following: 1) Death to higher realities and verities 2) Death to a higher awareness of divinity 3) Death of one's slumber in matter 4) Death of the false ego and its carnal, self-centered desires 5) Death of sleep 6) Death of the physical and etheric bodies 7) Death of the astral body 8) Death of the mental form We will briefly describe each one: death to higher realities and verities, and the death to higher awareness of divinity are related. This is in fact the involutionary path of the soul as it descends for the first time in a new cycle of manifestation, or "manvantara." In involution the soul loses a certain awareness only to regain it with an enhancement during the Path of Return. Most souls prolong this period of ignorance and awareness of higher multidimensional truths by their own free-will. Death of one's slumber in matter is the awakening of the soul's aspiration to spiritual possibilities--paradoxically, it could also mean being spiritually unconscious; this is followed by the death, or transcendence of the false ego and its expressions in the movement within the evolutionary spiral. The death of sleep occurs every night as the soul takes flight to subtle worlds. Death of the physical and etheric bodies occur when one leaves the present incarnation for the astral world. This is followed by the deaths of the astral and mental forms as the soul rises higher and higher to rest for a period in the causal body before preparing to reincarnate. Knowledge of the nature of death and the other worlds are important subjects for every metaphysician. As said earlier in this paper, in the course of one's metaphysical ministry, one would often encounter individuals in bereavement requiring comfort and solace. Equipped with a higher understanding of the nature of death and the purpose of life, metaphysicians are in a better position to enlighten humanity, and to fulfill one of their functions as ministers. To Catholics, administering the "Extreme Unction," or the last sacrament to the dying may be considered vital. But to the metaphysician, much more is required to guide the soul through the dying process. With the appropriate knowledge and occult ability, the metaphysician may assist souls in making a more meaningful transition. Deathbed-rites of an occult formula and design, taking the bardo into consideration, are needed by those engaged in the metaphysical field. The importance and purpose of life should be appended and stressed in those rites as a lesson not only for the departed, but for those who are left behind. An experience of a loss of a beloved one through the portals of death on the part of grieving and confused individuals should be looked upon by metaphysicians as opportunities for the sowing of the seeds of truth into their receptive consciousness. Metaphysicians as farmers in the vineyard of truth should play their part perfectly. By offering various truths concerning the nature of death-truths that are rational, logical, helpful and spiritually stimulating--we improve the whole image of the metaphysical ministry in the minds of the public. The more metaphysicians have to offer to the public as to occult and esoteric knowledge and as to the expressions of their high psychism, the more will the public's awareness be stirred and lifted to a higher plane of consciousness. Metaphysics as a synthesis of religious, spiritual, philosophical, and scientific truths has the capacity to offer what traditional forms of religion, science and modern philosophies are incapable of offering--that is, real help. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS In the Introduction of this paper we presented the purpose and the need of why this subject had to be written and discussed--of the importance of its place in the metaphysical ministry as well as its influence upon the individual and society as a whole. This purpose was again stressed in the previous chapter. In order to organize our thoughts regarding the subject, we formulated several themes that would be the basis for the structure of our paper. Our fundamental themes consisted of the following: 1) The survival of personal consciousness 2) The process of transition 3) The nature of life after so-called death The structure of our findings and of this paper, was based upon four perspectives: 1) Religion/mythology 2) The occult tradition 3) Tibetan Buddhism 4) Parapsychology From each perspective, we initially dealt with the basic themes from a certain point of view, but ended up with the same findings, the same conclusions, and the same cosmic truths; nevertheless, among the above perspectives, there is still much to be said about religion as a whole that has somewhat misrepresented the spiritual truths as taught by their founders. We are certain, though, that every metaphysician would research into this subject sooner or later as it is mentally and spiritually rewarding. In years to come "death" will be a time of celebration and not a time of mourning as it is now. Finally, in the fifth chapter, we discussed on humanity's basic psychological problem--that of senseless fear. We have seen how this fear robs man of his or her true life as a divine son or daughter of God living an abundant life in the here and now. We have also briefly discussed how the elimination of the fear of death would transform the individual and society as a whole. To sublimate and transcend this fear condition that overwhelms society we suggest that additional research be conducted into along the lines of soul-investigation, and into the many other principles of the bardo process not discussed or discovered by Tibetan Lamas. Ways of researching into this should be conducted in a scientific and intuitive manner, though this may not always be through conventional methods. Researchers should not fear probing into the invisible, into the immaterial, or into the abstract. Through research within a single avenue, other possibilities will present themselves. An answer to a single question begets many more questions, ad infinity; thus humanity progresses. Bibliography Agrippa, Henry Cornelius 1995 Three Books of Occult Philosophy. Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, MN. Bailey, Alice 1972 A Treatise on White Magic. Lucis Publishing Company, London. Barrie, Donald C. 1991 You Need Not Age Nor Die! Finbarr International, Folkestone, England. Budge, E. A. Wallis (Trans) 1953 Book of the Dead, The. Routledge & Kegan Paul, Ltd. London. Chaney, Earlyne 1989 Mystery of Death and Dying, The. Samuel Weiser, York Beach, Maine. Currie, Ian 1995 You Cannot Die. Element Books Ltd, Dorset, England. Drolma, Delog Dawa 1995 Delog: Journey to Realms Beyond Death. Padma Publishing, Junction City, CA. Evans-Wentz, W. Y. (ed) 1975 Tibetan Book of the Dead, The. Oxford University Press, England. Lauf, Detlief Ingo 1989Secret Doctrines of the Tibetan Books of the Dead. Shambhala Publications, Inc., Dorset, England. Liverziani, Filipo 1991 Life, Death & Consciousness. Prism Press, Dorset, England. Lodo, Lama 1987Bardo Teachings: The Way of Death and Rebirth, Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca, New York. Ma`sumian, Farnaz 1995 Life After Death. Oneworld Publications, Oxford, England. Newton, Michael 1995 Journey of Souls. Llewellyn Publications, Minnesota. Poe. Lori M. 1995 Journeys to Worlds Beyond. The Place of Light Publisher, Cincinatti, Ohio. Ramacharaka, Yogi (Year not given) Life Beyond Death, The. Yogi Publication Society, Chicago, ILL. Rinpoche, Bokar 1993 Death and the Art of Dying, Clearpoint Press, San Francisco, CA. Rinpoche, Chokyi Nyima 1991 Bardo Guidebook, The. Ranjung Yeshe Publications, Hong Kong. Saraydarian, Torkom 1993 Science of Meditation, The. Aquarian Educational Group, Sedona, Arizona. -- 1983 Cosmos in Man. Aquarian Educational Group, Sedona, Arizona Swedenborg, Emanuel 1958 Heaven and its Wonders and Hell. The Swedenborg Society, London. Copyright © 2006 Luxamore

Community banking who does it really help

Community Development Banks are more common in the USA than they are in the UK. They were originally set up to assist people who reside in lower income areas with the aim of helping those who wouldn’t ordinarily be able to gain access to conventional banking facilities to prevent social exclusion and also to, hopefully, act as a catalyst towards economic development. Although the concept has been much slower to catch on in the UK, the Royal Bank of Scotland has continued to play its part in helping to boost access to credit in low-income neighbourhoods where even bad credit loans are not accessible to all and to provide backing for social enterprise projects. One of its major success stories has been that of Aspire Community Enterprise Ltd. which was set up in 1999 in Bristol. Its aim was to provide meaningful employment and training opportunities to homeless and ex-homeless people through the distribution of a fair trade catalogue provided by the homeless. Within a year of its conception, Aspire had helped to provide full-time work for 15 homeless people who included ex-offenders and people with a history of drug abuse and it was also able to secure living accommodation for those employees who had previously been sleeping rough. Today, thanks to funding from RBS’ Community Development Banking division, Aspire now operates out of 9 UK cities and has helped over 250 homeless people get off the streets and back into work. The Aspire Group, as they are now called, have even bigger plans which they hope will enable them to venture into new business areas such as gardening services and furniture restoration which will, hopefully, offer a second chance to others who have fallen victim to social exclusion. With an increasing number of people falling victim to some kind of bad credit history appearing on their credit files due to one reason or another, there has, over recent years, been an improvement in the number of lenders, especially non-traditional ones, who have realised that there are many people out there who should be offered bad credit loans and the opportunity to repair their financial reputation but who have previously been unable to gain access. Projects like Aspire’s and the willingness of a major bank in the RBS to support such initiatives to tackle financial and social exclusion should be applauded. It helps to develop alternative markets and provides vital cash imjections for local community projects. Following its success, let’s hope we are likely to see other major high street banks also do more to help those less advantaged than others when it comes to borrowing money and to encourage a type of society where everyone feels included.

Tenant loans the beginner s guide

If you are a tenant or live at home with your family then you may already have experienced some problems when it comes to taking out a loan. Many of the great rates and deals that you see advertised are, quite literally, of no use to you at all as they may well be reserved for home/property owners. So, you can apply for them just to be turned down because you aren’t a home owner or you might be given higher rates of interest than those advertised. But, this is no reason to think that you can’t find a loan to suit you and your budget – tenant loans may well be the perfect solution for your borrowing needs. As you might expect tenant loans are loans that are specially designed to serve the needs of tenants when they need to take out a loan. So, you don’t need to be a property owner to get a tenant loans and you don’t need any form of security. All you need to do is to be willing to have the lender you approach check on your current finances and your past track record. Although, some tenant loans companies will even offer loans that don’t need these financial checks – these may be a little more expensive, however. You can take out tenant loans from various sources. In the past many big name lenders didn’t used to like giving out loans to non property owners but the sector is a lot different nowadays. So, you can approach a big name bank or building society, for example, or you can simply approach a tenant loans specialist. A lot of tenants do actually prefer to use a lender that only specialises in tenant loans nowadays. It can sometimes simply be quicker and easier to go down this path. And, many specialist tenant loans lenders will offer better rates of interest on the loans they give out because they have a better understanding of the sector that they specialise in as a whole. Whether you approach a general lender or a specialist one for tenant loans you do need to make sure that you shop around for the best deal before you choose the loan that is right for you. There are hundreds of tenant loans on the sector right now and some of them really are a lot cheaper than others – especially if you can find them on the Internet – so do look for the one that will cost you as little as possible.

New ideas in making money

Looking for some new ideas in money making, maybe this article can help you out. We will cover a method of making money that is often very overlooked. Remember when it comes to making money there are no rules (just as long as it is legal) and new ideas can be worth millions. Writing for other people is a nice way to earn an income online or offline. Text is everywhere and most people do not want to take the time to write. So they hire someone to write for them. You can make money not only by writing articles but you can also write sales letters, the text for flyers, brochures and ads. Everyday businesses are looking for solid writers. Next you should pick out a certain type of writing style and focus on that one type of writing. So let's say you want to write sales letters, start researching how a quality sales letter is written. Even if you have never written before it is ok, you will just have to learn. Now that you have done your research, it is time to perfect your writing skills. Start by joining an affiliate program or getting the rights to a product to sell. The goal here is not necessarily to make money off the product but to see how effective your writing skills are. Once your sales letters start selling the product then you know you are able to market your writing skills. If you are not getting any sales then keep on working on your writing skills. Once your customers see a boost in sales after hiring you, they will keep going through you. This may seem a little tough at first but once you find a writing style that works for you then the rest is easy. Most writers start out by overloading themselves. Only take on the amount of work you feel comfortable with, not getting your articles to your customers on time is one of the worst things you could do as a writer. There are many other new ideas in money making this is just one.