Summer ready feet only 6 steps away with bluebasins bath and body s perfect pedicure routine

bluebasins, Canada's newest premier line of bath and body products, is pleased to announce it's new foot care line, a great addition to their all-natural Canadian products

Toronto, ON, Canada - June 2007 - As the temperature rises, the layers start peeling off not only on the body but also on the feet. No longer are the thermal socks, stockings or boots needed because it's finally time to wear our summer sandals or walk bare footed on the grass. But are your feet summer sandal ready? Were you taking care of them all winter long although they were mostly covered. By the looks of it, quite a few of you were not. So with the official summer season already upon us, you can get your feet summer sandal ready quickly with the Perfect Pedicure Routine created by a new online all natural skin care product company, bluebasins bath and body.

bluebasins bath and body has designed their foot care system to naturally have your feet feeling and looking great. "We realize that a lot of people do not take great care of their feet either because they do not know how, have no time or no idea where to start, that's why we've created this simple system to start the user on a path to having great healthy feet," says Makeda Paul, owner, "besides, it's summer and you'll want to show them off with pride."

bluebasins has created a simple five step foot care system with the products created from 100% natural essential oils and herbs that promote healthy skin and soft heals. The entire system, recommended once a week, is designed to have your feet looking and feeling great. It includes products such as their Peppermint and Tea Tree Liquid Foot Soap, Revitalizing Herbal Foot Fizz, Warming Ginger Foot Mask, Tea Tree and Mint Exfoliating Foot Scrub, Peppermint and Tea Tree Foot Butter and Cooling Foot Powder. So even though your feet are abused throughout the day bluebasins bath and body products will help you take great care of them at home.

The Perfect Pedicure Routine includes ingredients such as shea butter, cocoa butter, essential oils of Tea Tree, Peppermint, exfoliants and herbs such as Kaolin clay, Lavender buds and mint leaves.

bluebasins bath and body products show consumers an alternative natural way to take care of your skin.

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About Makeda Paul

Makeda Paul is the owner of bluebasins bath and body creators of 100% natural, bath and body products. An Aromatherapist by trade, she creates her products using the best herbs, flowers, extracts, essential oils, exotic nut oils and butters. She believes, as is one of the missions of her company that ingredients should be pronounceable. Because of this, her clients know exactly what each of the products contains and how their skin can benefit from them.

Affiliate marketeing what it takes

Each of us has its own interest or has a hobby. Some love all kinds of books, music, and movies while others are into sports and traveling. There are also people who love to grow flowers and loves pets. These things help us to relax and forget our everyday problems and troubles and these things are common to people. But not everyone has a hobby that makes money for him/her except if you love your job.

Money making hobby could let you treat your family and friends with the extra cash or you can even quit your current job that you almost certainly hate. That is why many of us today go online to start a business; their reasons are either to supplement their income or to gradually replace their offline income from their job. Affiliate marketing is a great way to start in making money online.

Affiliate marketing is a revenue sharing partnership between a web merchant and one or more affiliates. The affiliate is paid a commission for referring clicks, leads or most often sales to the merchant. An affiliate’s advantage is that he can make money in a business where he doesn’t have the upfront costs of creating his own product, and he doesn’t have to worry about e-commerce, bookkeeping, or even customer support for it is the merchant’s responsibility.

Now, for sure you want to be an affiliate marketer with all that benefits an affiliate could get. But, do you have what it takes to be an affiliate marketer? Before you begin your venture into affiliate marketing, you need to decide first which area interest you. What products do you know the most and which products you could do the best job of selling? Once you discover your specialty, perseverance, patience, determination comes next. These are the qualities you should possessed to be a good affiliate marketer.

Too many online business prospectors lose out because they become impatient. You also have to know what your strengths are, the things in which you are good at and your capabilities and abilities related to your chosen streak. And the most important thing is you have to have a strong desire to succeed in affiliate marketing.

To be an affiliate marketer is not an easy task. You have to learn the techniques of marketing your product or service. You shouldn’t be looking at every chance because marketing is all about attracting you to look at this or that particular opportunity. To be a successful affiliate marketer, you should learn how to listen and to be taught because in life we need to learn skills to get by.

For an affiliate marketer, you should know how to market your site effectively, in will enable you to get thousands of visitors coming to your site which transforms into more sales. This only means that the faster you set up a website, the bigger your chances of making money online faster. You should avoid the same mistakes some affiliates make everyday, they are only building a short-term business where they just make a small sale. Make sure you do understand that you should be building a long-term affiliate business and not just something that makes you a few dollars on one sale.

It is also better to have knowledge on how to upsell your visitors for expensive services. This will in turn make you become recognized as an expert in your field and making money will be easier. There are some people thinks that just by having affiliate links on their website will bring them good profits. This can have some truth to it, but then most successful affiliates still believe that making use of strong marketing campaigns for their affiliate programs is still important. But affiliate marketers become much more successful when they treat their customers or online visitors as friends. Make a commitment to establish relationships with your customers and especially with visitors to your site. It is very important for an affiliate marketer to have a good business relationship with customers or visitors.

Tired of calcium pills try calcium as a candy

As doctors and scientists learn more about the aging process, they are finding that many things in the body are interconnected. Doctors used to treat a problem individually, but now research shows that it may be better to take a holistic approach with preventative medicine.

For example, almost everyone knows that calcium is needed for strong bones and teeth. However, now it is being discovered that calcium also can contribute to a healthy heart. Perhaps that is because calcium helps control weight, which is a contributing factor in heart disease.

Calcium also reduces the risk of colon cancer and is beneficial for people who have diabetes. Both conditions are affected by the level of calcium in our bodies.

Clearly, calcium supplements are beneficial for an aging America. But many prefer not to take those large chalky-tasting pills on a regular basis. For some, loading up on low-fat dairy products is a less-than-ideal alternative.

So Mosaic Nutraceuticals of Dallas introduced a novel way to get the recommended calcium supplement - in a butter-caramel soft candy chew.

"America needs calcium and America likes candy," said Charles Townsend, chief executive officer of Mosaic. "We just combined the two and now it's fun and tasty to take your calcium." The product is available in regular or sugar-free varieties.

Why do we need anti-spam software

Spam, otherwise known as junk email or unsolicited commercial email; is quickly becoming on of the most prevalent complaints of internet users. Not only is it annoying, but it is quickly becoming a dangerous and potentially expensive problem for businesses as well as individuals.

How is it dangerous?

First and foremost, spam is one of the leading causes for clogged networks and slow connections. American Online, one of the nation’s largest internet service providers; transmits over 8 trillion spam email messages a year. Those messages tie up valuable bandwidth and can slow down entire networks. Although end users will rarely see a significant change in their connections, they can rest assured that a noteworthy portion of their monthly bill is paying for that lost bandwidth.

Most spam includes images or weblinks within it commercial content. Although some of it is begin or at worst annoying, an increasing portion contains sexually explicit content. Spam messages frequently contain pornographic pictures or links to sex-related websites.

These messages are not suited for children yet can easily be accidentally opened by minors. In addition to simple sexual content, some of the most severely sexually explicit spam can contain images of such illegal and offensive acts such as bestiality or child pornography.

Aside from slowing connections or carrying unwanted pornography, spam is the leading cause of transmitted computer viruses. Computer viruses are programs which run malicious code which can damage computer systems, delete files and steal personal information. These viruses are often hidden in an email messages as attachments such as a pictures. Email transmitted viruses can render entire systems inoperable and delete important documents forever.

How can you stop it?

The easiest and most simple way to stop unwanted email is to employ a spam blocker. Spam blockers are manufactured by a variety of companies and be anywhere from free to costing upwards of 50$.

There are three basic types of spam blocking software. The first is a key-word blocker. These programs examine the header and body of an email message looking for a series of predefined criteria. For example, a program could be instructed to flag or block any email message containing the word “sex”.

Although seemingly straightforward, the spam blocker also has to stop any spelling variation of sex such as sexx or s_e_x. Although this type of spam blocker can do very well at stopping spam, it also has a tendency to block personal emails which may or may not contain flagged words.

The second type of spam blocker is an address list blocker which blocks or flags any emails not coming from a predefined list of addresses (such as the user’s address book).

Although this type of spam blocker does a very good job of not blocking personal emails from friends or family, it can inadvertently delete important messages from users not on the original predefined list. This can make it very easy to miss potentially important yet unexpected emails.

The third type of spam blocker is actually a hybrid of the aforementioned varieties. It will filter emails from known friendly accounts directly to the inbox while holding potentially dangerous emails in the filter. The user can then go in and sort through emails from either friendly strangers (non spam emails from unfamiliar addresses) or unfriendly strangers (spam emails from unfamiliar addresses).

Although these programs do require a slight amount of user interaction, they can protect your computer and keep you from inadvertently deleting important emails.

Garden statues and fountains in monasteries

Monasteries with dramatic gardens, adorned with garden statues and water fountains, flourished throughout Europe in the first half of the first millennium, and along with cross, monks carried the plough. Hard work, which had fallen into disfavor, was raised from the dust by the monks. "It was the special glory of St. Benedict [the founder of the order to which St. Augustine belonged] to teach the men of his day that work in the garden, sanctified by prayer, is the best thing a man can do, and this lesson has never been lost sight of since his time, as reflected in the beauty of the garden grounds."

Within the walls of Benedictine monasteries, therefore, were large gardens with dramatic statuary, water features, and hanging wall fountain gardens cultivated by all the resident monks, often along with smaller ones assigned to the abbot and the chief almoner of the community. Formerly despised by the earliest Christians as symbols of paganism, flowers were now grown to decorate the church. The roses were often grown in large stone garden planters and was held in the highest esteem. At Subiaco is still preserved the roseto, a little rose garden set with a large stone statue of St. Benedict. The rose bushes it contains are said to be the same as those whose beauty delighted his senses, and with whose thorns he was accustomed to mortify his flesh.

The coming of St. Augustine to Canterbury in 597 A. D. was the beginning of a new era in gardens for the British Isles. The civilization, arts, and letters which had fled before the sword of the English conquest in post-Roman times returned with the Christian faith. In England, the revival of horticulture and decorative gardens and the introduction of several new vegetables and fruits was brought about by the Benedictine St. Augustine and his disciples. The flourishing gardens sported water fountains whose design was clearly inspired by the fountains of Italy.

On the continent, monks incorporated fragments of Roman villas into their monasteries, and restored the former gardens, and added garden statuary. But not in England. There, little or no connection existed between classic and convent grounds. And although during the two centuries succeeding the advent of the saint, gardening certainly flourished within the newly founded monasteries. And to this day, their influence remains.

Audio book college tape textbook - an innovative learning tool

Over the last century since the development of the printing press textbooks have become a standard form of media for the delivery of education to students. The paper textbook is a wonderful resource, however, it is not suitable for every student. Many students suffer from learning disorders, which render them incapable of reading traditional textbooks.

These medical Conditions include (but are not limited to):

* Asperger Syndrome

* Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

* Autism

* Autistic Disorders

* Dyslexia

* Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

* Reading Disorders

* Rett Syndrome

By suffering one of these conditions it can affect the students ability to read and this in turn leads to them experiencing learning difficulties. In addition, children who are vision impaired cannot use traditional printed textbooks to assist them in the learning process.

In recognizing the special needs of these students text book publishers have begun to produce the audio book college tape textbook and this has certainly assisted the affected student in the learning process.

A Special Textbook That Meets Special Needs

The audio book college tape textbook has become a particularly popular and effective alternative for students with special needs. This group tends to include those students who possess a disability for reading print, due to blindness or visual impairment, a physical disability, or a learning or reading disability. Specifically, students who demonstrate specific reading problems should be encouraged to actively embrace the concept of an this type of textbook.

The college textbooks on tape are voice recorded versions of the standard class textbooks. As the majority of these books are recorded on 4-track cassette tapes you will usually require a special 4-track tape player to listen to the textbooks. With advancements in technology many of these textbooks are now being produced on CDs in digital format and are replacing the analogue formats on cassette tapes.

Talking Textbooks - Effective Learning Tools

These learning tools are only effective and beneficial when they are used properly. To have optimum success it is essential that the teacher and student understand the underlying problem and work closely together to ensure that the required audio book college tape textbook is available when required. The student and their carers should be well briefed on how to operate the the tape textbook to allow the child to participate with other class members using the traditional print textbooks.

Even though audio book college tape textbooks are designed to assist all children suffering from reading or learning difficulties, it is important to remember every student is an individual and what works for one student may not be suitable for others. In recognizing the individuality of each student the audio book college tape textbook may, in some circumstances, require minor or even some significant modifications to enable the affected student to benefit from the initiative.

Many students affected by reading and learning difficulties will, because they are very conscious of their problem, reject the audio book college tape textbook concept. It is vitally important that their carers, teachers and fellow students encourage the student to actively embrace the concept and by doing so this will help them attain an education on par with that of students without reading or learning difficulties.

Adult only all inclusive cancun resort the best getaway for adults

Almost all of us live in a big city with a stressful job. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to get away, even for a few short days? The adult only all inclusive Cancun resorts are highly recommended. You really can get the best bang for your buck, but only if you opt for an all-inclusive package.

Planning is very important for your holiday. Cancun Island offers several adult only all inclusive Cancun resorts. The majority of these are restricted to male or female couples, while other are open to all adults. Generally, these adult only all inclusive Cancun resorts differ by hotel. There is a wide range to select from so that you can go on a terrific holiday of your life time. Listed here for your convenience are two of highly recommended adult only all inclusive Cancun resorts to choose from.

1. Blue Bay Getaway and Spa

Blue Bay Getaway and Spa adult only all inclusive Cancun resort is notably known for its unrestrained ambiance for grown up fun. At this adult only all inclusive Cancun resort, activities and sexy games of a wide range are available. All adults can select activities suits them best. Additionally, the Blue Bay Getaway and Spa has the most supreme restaurants in the town where guests can delight in the taste of around-the-globe specialties.

In addition, there are some bars, spas, salons, and fitness center. All of these facilities are located right on its premises, making it very convenient. The Blue Bay Getaway and Spa adult only all inclusive Cancun resort has rooms that have great views of the nearby attractions.

2. Golden Crown Paradise Spa

With an outstanding indoor mini golf and more than 150 Deluxe and 60 Crown Clubrooms, the Golden Crown Paradise Spa is another very popular adult only all inclusive Cancun resort. This adult only all inclusive Cancun resort offers the great amenities that include two freshwater pools, three restaurants, four bars, nightly entertainment, a disco, tennis, and a fitness facility equipped with sauna and steam room.

Additionally, this adult only all inclusive Cancun resort has a beauty salon and spa, a shopping gallery, a car rental, as well as travel agency; all are located just on the premises. The needs and wants of any adult can be met at this resort. This adult only all inclusive Cancun resort has rooms that offer fantastic views of the ocean or lagoon; creating a very interesting holiday spot for adults. Each room is also discerningly decorated to ensure the comfort and convenience of the guests.

You have special priviledges as a member of the all inclusive Cancun resort if you bring your partner. This is because the Golden Crown Paradise Spa specifically caters to couples, honeymooners, and singles. Cancun resorts are truly unforgettable so be sure to set your sights on Cancun today.

Guide to roman shades pattern

Today’s decorative hardware can simply become a focal point for contemporary window fashions. We’ll find all kinds of appealing, useful and affordable decorative items, such as rods, poles, finials, scarf holders, holdbacks, rings, clips and pins. Get decorative hardware to give the finishing touch to your window and your room.

For example, you can pair wrought iron, brass or pewter rods with decorative brackets and finals to compliment any dйcor. Increase top treatments such as swags and scarves with stunning swag holders that pull the entire window treatment together. For accessory ideas that will top off your window treatments, explore stores, look at model homes, check out catalogs and surf the Web. We’ll find hundreds of window accessories to choose from so you can take full advantage of the windows in your manufactured home. Just ensure you have enough wall room to display your hardware and that your window frames and walls can support the weight of metal or wooden poles and rods.

Window treatments

Today’s window treatments stand for a smart new simplicity. Easy doesn’t mean plain, but does suggest a crisper, cleaner approach for your manufactured home windows. Giving your windows a fresh look is easier than ever thanks to an amazing array of high-tech shutters, shades, blinds, fabrics and decorative hardware in all sorts of colors, styles and finishes. Previous to choosing from the wide selection of new design possibilities, determine the function of each window and what you want the window treatment to do. Believe privacy, light control, ventilation, and the view and energy efficiency when selecting a covering for any window in your home. Consider that a well designed window treatment suits not only the window, but also blends with the rest of the room and adds to the sense of unity.

Savvy Shutters

You can use center window shutters in any room in your manufactured home and seldom need a fabric valance or drapery to dress them up. They are beautiful, help regulate light, insulate and fit into almost any dйcor due to their simplicity and clean lines. Even though available in numerous colors and stains, shutters look best when painted or finished the same as the rest of the window frame. You can increase them inside or outside the window frame. If you are doing the installation yourself, use an exterior mount to make installation easier.

Tips on sending the perfect bouquet of flowers

Flowers are a way to let someone know you care, so it is no wonder that sending flowers is such a popular way to commemorate events, from the birth of a new baby to Valentine’s Day. In fact, flowers are also the top choice for letting someone know you’re sorry. However, not all flower bouquets are as nice as the rest. Before you send someone flowers, you may want to do a bit of research.

Before you do anything else, take some time to think about the type of flowers that this person enjoys. While most people love red roses, there are a few who prefer colorful wildflower bouquets or exuberant sunflowers instead.

Next, take a look at the different arrangements available. Some come in beautiful vases or include collectibles as part of the arrangement. Others come in simple vases that let the flowers shine.

After you choose the flowers you want, it is time to send them to that special someone, right? Well, while you may be ordering from a reputable florist, that florist may not be the person actually choosing, arranging, and delivering the flowers. Instead, when flowers are being delivered to someone some distance away, the florist passes the task of filling the order onto a local florist. Ask who will be doing the actual delivery and find out if that florist has a good reputation.

Once you send the flowers to the recipient, don’t be afraid to follow up. Many times, a disappointing bouquet is delivered, but the person who received it may be afraid to offend the giver, so doesn’t say anything. If you mention that you want to be sure the arrangement looks fresh and that it contains the proper number of flowers, the recipient will probably be much more forthcoming about the condition of the bouquet. If it sounds like there is a problem, follow up with the florist where you placed your order and the florist who filled it. After all, the person getting your bouquet should get what you paid for.

Finally, you may want to consider sending a very different type of flower, a living plant. This way, your gift will continue to remind that lucky someone of the event the flowers were sent to commemorate long after a fresh bouquet would be a distant memory. If you are sending flowers to someone with a black thumb, you may want to try sending a dried floral arrangement instead.

Tips for an amazing spring break cruise

So the dreary winter days of study and concentration are over, and it's time to take a break - a spring break! College spring breaks offer students a chance to kick back and relax after months of hard work. One way many students celebrate is by taking a spring break cruise. Spring break cruises are fun, exciting, luxurious, and in many ways, safer than traveling to one particular destination while on break. Here are some tips for choosing an amazing spring break cruise.

How to Choose a Spring Break Vacation Cruise

Find a spring break cruise that offers all the party options, entertainment, and amenities you want. Many cruise ships feature a variety of restaurants offering everything from exotic cuisines to pizza and burgers. Also, ask about the entertainment. Does the cruise ship offer modern-day music concerts with the type of music you enjoy? What other types of entertainment are provided? Find out if the cruise has bars, dance halls, a casino, on-board games, and a swimming pool.

Spring Break Cruise Destinations

Popular cruise liners such as Carnival might offer many ships going to different destinations. A popular destination for college spring breakers is the Caribbean. Other popular spring break destinations include South Beach, Hawaii, Panama City, and Cancun. These places have beautiful tropical weather, abundant nightlife, and great beaches. If traveling from the United States or Canada, European cruises usually last two weeks or more, so choose one that will fit in your available time frame. No matter what your destination, being on the cruise ship for the entire trip is not so bad either. Cruise ships usually offer everything you could ever want during spring break!

Choose a Cruise Ship

There are a number of cruise ships that offer spring break packages including Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, or Costa Cruises. Familiarize yourself with these by researching online before booking a spring break cruise. Shop around to find great deals for the destinations and adventures that appeal to you. Look for all the features you want, and ask a few of your friends to come along. You might receive a discount by ordering multiple tickets. Compare destinations, on-board activities, entertainment, food, and other features before securing a cruise package.

Are You an Adventurer?

Some cruises are geared toward young adults who are seeking an adventure. These may offer parachuting, scuba diving, rock climbing, hiking adventures, or other extreme sports. Book an adventure cruise with a few friends who enjoy the same types of sports. This can be a fun, memorable time with your college buddies.

Cruise Safety for Spring Breakers

A spring break cruise might be your dream come true, but don't forget about safety. Be careful whom you associate with even while on board the ship. Travel with close friends you can trust and stay with them at all times, especially if you take an adventure excursion or go sightseeing on land. Keep your money and valuables in a locked safe if one's available. Take a detailed map with you when leaving the boat for a land tour. Also, find out the legal drinking age while on the ship and at its destinations. Have all the proper documentation and identification if traveling to another country. Also, let family and friends know exactly where you're going, what ship you're on, and how long you will be gone.

Book your spring break cruise online to enjoy savings and to find the adventure you want. You can check with travel and tour sites such as Travelocity, Expedia, Orbitz, Travelzoo, and others to see which offers the best deal.

Some tips when considering a puppy

A puppy can grow to be your best friend and a dedicated companion. However, it is important to understand what you are getting into before going out and purchasing a dog from a breeder. I have worked with dogs for some time now and feel qualified to share a few pointers.

First, make sure you think things through carefully and over a long period of time. Adopting or purchasing a dog is not a decision that should be made lightly—it is important to understand that you are brining another creature into your household and to be aware of the needs of that animal. For example, early training is crucial to the long term happiness of both you and your pet. Obedience classes are a must, as are such points as house-breaking, establishing yourself as the ‘pack leader,’ teaching your dog how to greet guests and outsiders, etc. This all takes a substantial dedication of time and resources. A new dog in your household should be thought of in a similar way to having a child—while it may sound silly, the needs of the two are actually in the same ball park.

One very important factor is the breed you choose. There are currently one hundred and fifty seven dog breeds as recognized by the American Kennel Club and each breed has its own unique traits, strengths, needs, and of course, weaknesses and problems. There are a number of websites on the internet with extensive information on the various breeds, and it’s important that you spend as much time researching your options as possible—do not make the all too common mistake of going out and picking a puppy just because you think it looks cute.

Furthermore, as opposed to purchasing a dog from a breeder (which can cost thousands of dollars, depending on the breed and the pedigree), consider adopting a dog in need from a local rescue organization. A quick search online can help you find dogs in your area that are in need of loving homes. Sadly, many of these dogs never find the homes they need, simply because folks purchase bred dogs. It can be tricky to identify the mix of breeds in a dog you find at a shelter, but research, discussion, and naturally the help of the employees at the shelter can help give you an idea of what breed the dog is. Once you have this information you can research online or in a library to learn more about the specific characteristics of the breed.

If you do decide to adopt from a rescue, you have my thanks—you are doing a good deed and potentially saving a life—so pat yourself on the back. If, for some reason, you decide it would be better for you to purchase a dog from a breeder, it is very important that you research not only the dog you are interested in, but also the environment the animal is bred in. It is an unfortunate reality that many breeders you find have little interest in the animals and are far more concerned with earning money—these are the people you want to avoid. Look for someone who truly loves their dogs and cares for them dearly. This is the sort of breeder you want to give your business to—not only to encourage responsible breeding practices, but also because dogs that are bred in a loving environment are more likely to make successful, well behaved pets.

I hope these few tips help to give you an idea of the kind of commitment necessary for adopting or purchasing a puppy, and also the considerations you should make when selecting a breeder. Good luck, and make sure you do your research and make the right choice!

Sweet crunchy apple makes a cameo appearance

An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but it's also a healthy reminder of favorite flavors and aromas, such as homemade cider, fresh apple pie and autumn adventures to go picking in the orchard.

Now there's a new apple in the grocery store that's likely to please the pickiest of palates: Cameo® apples are a gourmet variety noted for their thin skin. Whether eaten fresh out of hand or used in a favorite recipe, Cameos have an irresistible combination of sweet-tart taste and crisp crunch.

Born in the U. S.A., the Cameo apple was discovered as a chance seedling in the 1980s and has been grown commercially for the past six years. Cameos are a good source of fiber, vitamin C, folate and potassium-and they're rich in cancer-fighting antioxidants. Plus, one medium apple contains just 80 calories.

Here's one simple, delicious and zesty way to enjoy this Washington beauty:

Cameo Apple Salsa

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Refrigeration time: 1/2 hour

Makes: 4 cups

2 cups Cameo apples, diced

1/2 cup red onion, diced

1/2 cup (1 large) Anaheim chili pepper, finely chopped

1 jalapeсo pepper, finely chopped (optional)

1/4 cup lime juice

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in large bowl and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

Tip: For a snack, serve with tortilla chips or use as a topping to accent a meal of grilled chicken, fish or pork.

Cocaine use among teens

Cocaine is a powerful drug that can be snorted, injected when dissolved in water, ingested, or smoked as crack. It is often referred to as coke, snow, flake, blow, or other terms. Cocaine is highly addictive and dangerous. According to the NIDA about eight percent of high-school seniors have used cocaine.

What are the signs of Cocaine abuse?

• Immediate signs include increased energy and mental alertness, dilated pupils, decreased appetite, increased heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature, as well as fast speech.

• Users often have a runny nose or frequent bloody noses.

• Paranoia, restlessness, and panic can be a response to the drug.

• Drastic weight loss and not sleeping regularly are signs of cocaine use.

• Depression caused by stopping use of the drug.

• Drug paraphernalia such as mirrors and razor blades, rolled money bills, small bottles with lids, small plastic packets, small spoon-like items.

• Losing interest in activities and withdrawal from or change in friends.

• Frequently needing or stealing money.

Why do teenagers abuse cocaine?

Cocaine affects that brain chemicals that create pleasure and usually increases the sensations of sight, sound, and touch. Users often claim that cocaine helps them perform physical and mental tasks quicker and easier, although it can also have the opposite effect. Cocaine users usually find that they need to take more of the drug to produce the same effect or even just feel normal. So cocaine use often leads to addiction replacing school, friends, and family.

What are the health hazards associated with cocaine use?

• Those who snort cocaine suffer nasal problems such as loss of smell, nosebleeds, problems with swallowing, and chronic runny nose.

• Ingested cocaine reduces blood flow and causes bowel gangrene in which the tissue inside dies.

• People who inject cocaine have puncture marks, can have allergic reactions, and suffer the risks of getting STD's by sharing needles.

• For all users cocaine can cause heart attacks, strokes, seizures, abdominal pain and nausea, malnourishment, muscle spasms, and respiratory failure.

• Frequent users often suffer increased irritability, restlessness, and paranoia. They also suffer the risk of full-blown paranoid psychosis in which the user loses touch with reality and suffers hallucinations.

What about mixing cocaine with other substances?

Many cocaine users are mixing cocaine with alcohol because the combination intensifies the drugs euphoric effects. The human liver combines the cocaine and alcohol and creates cocaethylene. Mixing alcohol and cocaine significantly increases the risks and according to the NIDA "is the most common two-drug combination that results in drug-related death."

Cocaine is often mixed with other substances during processing. These substances are often unknown to the user and can be harmful to the body.

Written by Teresa McEntire

How math tutor software enhances learning

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Ever wonder how you could get your child the help he needs in math? The answer you maybe looking for is math tutor software. Such software allows your child to learn at his or her own pace, review topics he may need to reinforce, and do all of this in the comfort of your home. Tutoring software of all kinds is available. Some are more general and focus on grade level, and other software is more specific and focus on a single subject, such as algebra. Whatever the software, it is sure to help your child learn math.

As your child tries math tutor software for the first time, he may review some topics that he already feels he knows. Though he may be tempted to skip such sections, it is best that he follow the software and re-learn those topics. Often times, it is a misunderstanding of the basics that causes problems down the line. It is important to pinpoint the problem areas as soon as possible. Math tutor software may be better the child's teacher in this respect, because the teacher does not have the time to review all previous topics with the child to pinpoint the origin of misunderstanding, whereas the software does. As a child uses the software, he will gain a better understanding of the subject through learning to soft problems step by step (answers are usually explained step by step) and by repetition. Since most math tutor software titles are loaded with extra problems, he will have the opportunity to practice more.

So, how can your child get the most of the tutoring software? There are a couple of ways. The first is to USE the software. I've heard countless parents complain that a new such-and-such package goes completely unused. Sit down with your child and make a specific, realizable schedule. Rather than tell your child "use this math tutor software," and expect him to run off and become a math wizard, take the time to help him use it. Then, once he gets going and learns to use the software, put aside a set amount of time (one hour is usually good) for your child to use the software on his own. A time limit will prevent him from rushing through.

Another tool that comes with most math tutor software is the games. Kids love games, and they will get more practice on the subject matter the more time they spend with the software. By playing with games on the software, he may learn more without even realizing it. But, it is important to remember that the games should only supplement experience, not dominate it. The bulk of the software should be devoted to learning problem solving skills--learning the fundamentals step by step until they are understood.

So, as you can see there are definite gains to be had from math tutor software. They teach material a child may have had trouble learning in class, they reinforce subject matter through repetition, and they make learning fun for the student. I hope you and your child enjoy using computer software to help you learn more about math.

Flowers for your wedding day

There is no wedding without flowers. Flowers are the lifeblood of a beautiful wedding day celebration. Flowers are a multi dimensional part of your decorating strategy. They are beautiful, elegant, and provide a wonderful scent. The flowers you choose should compliment everything else in your wedding. Its colors should complement not just your dress. The colors of your flowers should flow with the colors of the dйcor of your reception site and the ceremony location.

Unless you are a florist, you’ll need to hire one. The florist should be experienced with wedding arrangements. Make sure your florist is able to deliver, install, and remove the arrangements at the end of your event. Even though many reception halls can recommend a florist to you, you should do your homework. Ask for references, and be sure to follow up. It may be tempting to hire a florist without check references, but it could also be irresponsible.

Your wedding flowers should complement the season, your wedding dress, and your color scheme. Your wedding flowers should also complement your attendants' attire, and the style of your wedding. Before you talk to your florist, prepare a list of wedding flowers you'll need. It will help focus your discussions, and help you stay within your budget.

When you discuss the flower arrangements with your florist, she should be able to recommend arrangements based on the size and location of your wedding. Ask to see photos of previous wedding arrangements, which will give you a feel for their creative qualities and what you can expect to see on your wedding day. It is even better if you arrive prepared with some pictures and magazine cut outs with your ideas.

You don’t have to take the florist’s advice on everything. If you feel strongly about a certain flower or color, it should worth fighting for it. It is your wedding, and you are the customer. You have to feel good about your flower arrangements.

Alternative ways to help quit smoking

The methods used to help a person quit smoking are as varied as smokers themselves. Some people find that they can quit smoking just by will power alone, going cold turkey and butting out forever. Others may find that in order to stop smoking they may have to enlist the help of others in the form of a support group or other network. Others turn to methods such as the patch or some types of chewing gum. As cultures begin to merge, however, there are more and more medical practices that have previously been unknown to Western science that may have many benefits to those who wish to stop smoking. Some of these alternative methods are discussed in this article.

Acupuncture: Acupuncture originated in China. It is the practice of inserting long, thin needles into various acupuncture points on the body, which is said to restore mental health and well being. As with many Far East ideas, acupuncture is concerned with restoring balance as a whole, rather than applying the health theories of the West to any one assigned area. The piercing points are areas which help to shock the body back into a healthy balance. Acupuncture is highly debated in medical circles, and studies have never conclusively proven that it is an effective treatment for anything at all. However, many patients who have undergone this treatment sweat by its results, and thus it may indeed be an effective tool when it comes to the battle to quit smoking. Addiction, after all, is in part a mental affliction, and thus if a patient believes that a treatment is working then it is possible that it is doing so. Additionally, acupuncture has been demonstrated to assist in the release of endorphins, the full effects of which on the body as a whole are still unknown to some degree.

Hypnosis: Another method that many smokers try to use when attempting to quit is hypnosis. It is vital that hypnosis be understood in its rightful context, rather than the societal myth. Hypnosis works along the same lines as subliminal messaging; by applying the power of suggestion to a subject who is concentrating on another matter, it is possible to affect the thinking processes of the brain. In this way, hypnosis can be used to curb the cravings that come with nicotine addiction and often lead the smoker to relapse.

There are also several changes to lifestyle that can be made in order to increase the amounts of dopamine found within the body. Dopamine is the active ingredient in Zyban, and levels of dopamine can be increased through a higher protein intake, stress reduction, and by taking vitamins and herbs such as Indian ginseng and magnesium.

Despite these methods and there levels of success, however, it is important to note that the key ingredient when it comes to smoking cessation is will power. No matter which other method you choose to assist you in ending the cravings and lessening the physical symptoms of withdrawal, sooner or later it is going to come down to your ability to say no to a cigarette that will ensure the end of the habit’s hold on your life.

3 ways to make money from working at home with coastal vacations and a blog

Three popular ideas today, and not particularly in this order, are: working from home, running a travel business and blogging on the Internet. It’s no secret that as computers and the Internet grow in popularity, so do the numbers of people who leave their jobs daily round the world to work from home. And it’s also no secret that the travel industry is among those industries earning big bucks, as referenced by Coastal Vacation and others in the trillions of dollars category earners. Plus it’s no secret that blogging is a blockbuster idea, a new concept that took off at the end of the 1990’s.

But look out when you combine all three of these big ideas together. They can sure pack a powerful punch! And here are three ways to turn this punch into profits…

1. Working at home, Coastal Vacation and blogging are all easy to do, quick to set up. No excuses. Just set up - and start selling!

There is no huge learning curve with any of these ideas. You’re probably already online reading this, and at home, so hook up a blog in a jiff at a cheap place like GoDaddy. com for roughly $2.99 per month, unless you know how to set up and maintain a Wordpress blog on your own hosting. Learn more about Coastal Vacations and ask how to get started with your own package, even if you go in on one with others in your family or other friends, etc. And voila, you’re up and running!

2. Working at home, Coastal Vacation and blogging are all authentic. Get your ducks in a row, then start selling, start earning.

Who hasn’t had enough with hype, cheap products and services, and down right junk? Well you get none of that with this powerful trio. With more and more people working from home today than ever before, at-home status is no longer taboo in the business world. People have earned the right to work from home, even many trusted travel agents and sales representatives who earn a good living online from home posting to their blogs with helpful articles, full color product brochures, multi-media files like movies and more. Add your authentic materials and other info to your blog; testimonials, product info, personal bio, multi-media files, etc. and stand out from the crowd.

3. Working at home, Coastal Vacation and blogging can all be marketed many ways as one solid package chock-full of benefits to make you more money. Use any number of these ways - - and more - - and start selling, start earning:

-With e-mail marketing. Send out brief e-mail messages to friends, prospects and website visitors with teasers or email sigs (signatures) that link to your blog.

-With autoresponder series and a subscription to your blog. Invite people to subscribe to your blog and to autoresponder messages about your products and services so they’ll learn more and become customers, referring their friends and family, too.

-With surveys, RSS feeds and comments. Invite interaction by submitting your blog’s RSS feeds to RSS directories, and through surveys on your blog. Invite comments on blog posts, too.

So give this powerful trio a try. Working at home, Coastal Vacation and blogging can help you with a powerful option to get ahead today.

Fly fishing catch and release yourself

When fly fishing, many anglers prefer to catch and release their fly fishing prizes. Still, what should you do when you’re the prize?

That’s Gotta Hurt

If you become a fly fishing fanatic, you will inevitably hook yourself one day. Of course, this has never happened to me, but my “friends” have done it repeatedly. Being a thoughtful and observant person, I’ve seen how they go about unhooking themselves from a fly. Again, this is never happened to me. Ever. No, I won’t take a lie detector test.

The Barb

The best hook removal method depends on the location of the hook barb. The barb is the part of the hook that keeps the hook from simply sliding back out of the fish or, in this case, you. The essential question is which direction will result in the least damage from the barb.

A “friend” of mine once managed to hook himself through the flap of skin between the thumb and forefinger. The hook penetrated from the top of this hand through to the palm. The barb had gone all the way through the skin. In such a situation, the best method is simply to cut the line at the base of the hook and push it the rest of the way through the skin. This technique will result in a minimum of damage.

Another “friend” of mine once slipped on a rock and hooked himself something fierce in the meat section of the palm about an inch below the pinkie. There wasn’t anyway to push the hook through, so it had to be pulled back out the way it went in. The problem, of course, is the barb could have caused a lot of damage on the way back out. So, what’s the solution?

There are two solutions [excluding the hospital] to avoiding barb damage. The first requires two people. The hooked individual should press the hook slowly toward the curve of the hook. Put another way, you want to compress this curve of the hook. This sounds brutal, but actually should cause the barb to retract from the meat of your hand. The second person then applies pressure to both sides of the entry point to pull it open. The hooked individual should then GENTLY slide the hook out trying to follow the curve of the entry path. Sounds painful, but it works.

If you’re alone, follow the same instructions but you’ll have to do without the pressure. Just go slow and easy. If the hook doesn’t slide, don’t force it. Just head off to the local emergency room.

Catch and release is a good way to fish. Even if you catch yourself.

Do you have too many credit cards

How many credit cards do you have? If you are like most people it is probably too many.

We've all been lured in by the siren call of better rates, special perks and rewards, or lower fees so that most Americans carry between five and 10 credit cards. The problem is not so much that new credit card offers are so attractive but rather that we do not stop to evaluate which cards we no longer need after opening a new account.

Carrying too many credit cards can wreak havoc with your credit score -- especially if you use too much of your available credit. Of course that leads to an important question -- how many credit cards should you have? Most experts say there really isn't a magic number. It is really more about proportion. Each person, household, or business, should evaluate spending and payment habits. It is important to note that once you start holding a number of credit accounts then your credit report will be impacted simply because you are now at greater risk of racking up debt that you can't handle.

Of course, it does depend somewhat on the type of card and the amount of credit involved. Store credit cards are notorious for impacting your credit negatively. In fact some consumer experts report that every time you open a store credit card, 20 points are taken off your credit score.

So how do you judge whether or not you have too many credit cards? The average person carries 11 "credit accounts" of varying types. Typically, seven are different types of credit cards and four are installment loans for cars, furniture, student loans or mortgages. Most people do not need seven credit cards. Usually two or three is more than sufficient.

Perhaps one will be a store credit card for a merchant that you shop frequently and that will make you eligible for savings and bonuses and another will be one of the major credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover that is accepted anywhere.

If you cannot maintain a low or zero balance on your credit cards then you have too many. Most people do need a credit card for emergencies so holding a low interest card can be a help with your personal finances but holding a number of cards that regularly add interest and other fees to your monthly budget is no bargain.

An important rule of thumb to remember is to keep your debt ratio under 50%. If your credit card has a $5,000 limit, don't carry a balance of more than $2,500. Creditors don't like to see a card almost maxed out because it makes you look like a risk who has trouble paying off debt.

The best way to protect your credit is to keep only a reasonable number of credit cards. A reasonable number is determined by your ability to maintain a low balance and make your payments on time. Ideally you should use less than 30% of your credit limit on each card. However, use caution when trimming down the number of credit cards. Some debt advisers warn that closing too many cards at once can cause your debt-to-credit ratio to fall.

For example, if you have $20,000 of potential credit and a $5,000 balance, you are using 25% of your potential. If you shut down a card with a $5,000 balance you will still have $5,000 of debt and only $15,000 of potential, upping your ratio to 33%. It is better to close excess accounts over several months (as you also pay down your balances). Also, don't close all your oldest accounts if you find abetter card. A long, successful credit history will do much to improve your credit rating so maintaining some older accounts until your more recent accounts age is a good idea.

If used appropriately, credit cards are a safe way to buy goods because they offer protection against fraud that checks and cash can't guarantee, especially when it comes to return policies or fraudulent purchases. However it is up to the account holder to use that credit cautiously. Maintaining fewer accounts means less chance of late fees and increased rates. Having more credit and more credit cards does not necessarily make a good rating. The key factors are job stability, paying as agreed and paying on time. Keeping up with payments on a few cards will build a better credit rating than opening numerous credit-card accounts.

There is no right number of credit cards for everyone. It depends on how much you spend and how much you can pay off. The key idea is to maintain a sense of proportion.

A review of popular river rafting trips and services

Organized river rafting trips are a good idea for novices and experts alike. River rafting tours provide all of the equipment, guidance, and instruction necessary. If the trip covers several days, the rafting company may provide camping accommodations as well. Trips are available for rafters of all skill levels, from beginners rafting for the first time, to skilled experts looking for the toughest rivers in the country.

River rafting tours are offered on many major rivers in the country. Trips are available in many different lengths, varying from an afternoon to a two week trek. River rafting trips designed for families as well as trips that cater to experienced rafters are available almost anywhere. While much river rafting is done in the Southwest, it is by no means the only place for a river rafting adventure. North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, and many other states have great rivers for rafting.

A couple of well-established river rafting outfitters are Dvorak Expeditions, California River Rafting Excitement, and the Nantahala Outdoor Center. All three of these companies offer great guides, top-of-the-line equipment, and routes on some of the best rivers.

Dvorak Enterprises was the first outfitter given a river recreation outfitters license in 1969. Run by the world famous Bill Dvorak out of Salida, Colorado, this company offers exciting river rafting trips to visitors in many states including Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah, and Texas, as well as New Zealand and Nepal. Dvorak Enterprises is known for its friendly, skilled, and knowledgeable guides.

California River Rafting Excitement is one of the top-rated river rafting outfitters in the Sunshine State. This company offers river rafting trips on five different California rivers, has trips designed for families as well as experienced rafters, and offers camping equipment for trips lasting several days.

Nantahala Outdoor Center in North Carolina offers a variety of river rafting adventures on several rivers in the area. The rivers range in difficulty to accommodate rafters at any skill level, and Nantahala offers great guides as well as a rafting school for novices.

River rafting trips are a fun way for adventurous travelers to unwind and relax. River rafting adventures are available for rafters of all skill levels, insuring that everyone will have a good, safe time.

You re not rich because your life is a mini drama

I realized that a major reason why people are broke is because it's wayyyyy more fun…Yeah I said it...it's more fun. I mean really, when you have money you already know the outcome; the outcome is whatever you want it to be...really not much creative effort there. What can I create if I already know what I will get? It's like playing the lotto and knowing you will win…what's the fun in that?

The fun in playing the lotto is not so much whether you win or lose but how you feel and the emotions that flow over you from the point where you decide to buy a ticket until the drawing takes place. The fun is to buy the ticket, hope you will win, think about all the wonderful things you will do with the money and sit in front of the TV with your heart in your hands as the numbers roll…the anticipation, the excitement...the drama. Will I win or not?…stay tuned to find out.

I realized that one of the reasons people are and remain poor is that it makes them feel alive. This is the key to a lot of life...This is the key to your entire life! Yeah we’ve all heard that the key to life and what people will do anything for is to survive, but if you break down survival what is it? - Knowing and realizing that you are ALIVE...

How do we know that we are alive when we feel that we basically live pretty boring lives? Well enter stage right our mini dramas that constantly remind us that we are alive. Throughout history man has struggled to survive…animals trying to kill us and we had to go out to hunt…but now fast forward several hundred years and most of us live away from deadly creatures, and the only hunting we do is in our grocery aisles, and so we have had to be a little more creative.

We no longer have the stories to tell of how we escaped a deadly tiger and killed it for food so what’s left?...For us to create these little story lines that show how difficult our life truly is and how we have conquered it. It's more fun to NOT know how you will survive for the next week; it's more fun to wonder where the money will come from to buy gas, pay the rent and then to figure out ‘Hey, I've got a solution!’ It's more fun to be in pain and anguish because you cannot afford something…Most people believe that having money is boring. What do rich people do all day?...shop, lunch and then spend the rest of their life bored silly…

Don’t believe me?...Let’s analyse this: When you are broke and you need $40 to buy gas you now have to think ‘How will I get to work with no gas? How will I get money to buy gas?’

There is a problem, and you can now become your own superhero, saving the day by figuring out ‘Hey, I’ll borrow some money from my friend Jo Doe to solve the problem.’

‘I’m a genius’ you think, then you have to go ask Jo and then wait for an answer, then you have back-up plans in case Jo says no…You feel embarrassed to borrow gas money, pain that you can’t afford the gas, anxiety about whether you will get the money, fear about running out of gas. Let’s look at another situation. Your rent is due…you have no money. You don’t answer your phone – can’t risk the landlord getting you on the phone…you hear footsteps…’Oh my god maybe he's coming!’ You are filled with paralyzing fear, anxiety, dread…what if we get put out on the street, we will have no place to sleep…everyone will know I am broke…Loads of emotions to keep reminding you how alive you truly are…

…but when you have money, the problem is already solved, isn’t it? Have no gas? Go to the gas station, pull out your wallet and pay for the gas. No problem! No emotion. Rent due? Write a check, pay the landlord. No emotion, no problems. No paid advertisers (we will come to that in a minute). No struggle, no solution to find…pretty darn boring don’t you think?

Most of us have spent 99% of our lives fixing problems, finding solutions. We can’t let a simple thing like being rich mess with a good thing, now can we?! You keep wanting to find solutions to show the creative genius that is you. After all, you must be alive or else you couldn’t have lived through no money for groceries. You couldn’t have lived through the gas drama and just like a soap opera…you never know what will happen next, so stay tuned for tomorrow’s show to see if you will have enough food, money, clothes, gas or if you'll even survive…

This article is excerpted from the book ‘You're Not Rich Because Your Life is a Min Drama’ by Ophelia Nicholson.

Exercise during pregnancy can you continue with your normal routine

Can you continue with your normal exercise during pregnancy? Well, back in the old days, pregnant women were considered to be fragile beings that should be hidden away until delivery. Thank God we don’t live in those times now.

Just because you’re pregnant, it doesn’t mean that you can’t get out there and get some active exercise. After you get the “all clear” from your doctor, be sure to fit in daily exercises during your pregnancy. In order to clear you for exercise, your doctor may give you some guidelines to follow to ensure a healthy pregnancy, but to get you started, here are some exercise guidelines of our own.

Sports & Recreation activities and exercises to avoid include:

-Contact sports and most competitive sports

-Any activity that can result in falling, such as downhill skiing or mountain biking

-Lying on your back or stomach during exercise, after the beginning of the fourth month

-Lifting heavy objects or heavy weight lifting

-Intense cardiovascular exercise – your heartbeat should remain under 140 beats per minute during your workout.

-Scuba diving or any activity that involves pressurized air

The most appropriate exercise during pregnancy can include:

-Prenatal Yoga

-Walking

-Swimming

Exercise is important during pregnancy. It can alleviate aches and pains, depression, and fatigue. Exercise also gives you the endurance and flexibility to get through your pregnancy and through labor. So what are you waiting for? Get out there, get active, and stay healthy. Exercise during your pregnancy is a great thing to do for you AND your baby.

Free and low cost ways to market your website

So you've got a product or service, but no money to market it with? Well, a lack of capital will make marketing a lot harder be it can certainly be done.

If you are trying to market your website for free, don't try every hyped up free advertising method that you see. Most of them don't work. The best free methods are the simple ones that just require some work. :-)

1 – Search Engine Optimization

You can optimize your site and start gaining good rankings on the search engines without spending a penny. There are two basic parts of search engine optimization – optimizing the webpages on your site and building links from other sites to your site. Both of these can be done for free. There are plenty of good resources on the internet that will teach you how to optimize your site and gain good rankings – just use google to find one and get started!

2- Link Exchanges

There are many websites out there who would be happy to exchange links with you. While doing link exchanges may get you some traffic, it's main purpose is for search engine optimization

3- Article Marketing

Write articles related to your website's industry and submit them to article distribution sites, like isnare. com Other webmasters will publish your article, with a link to your site at the bottom. This is an excellent way to get some traffic and also build links for SEO purposes.

4-Classifieds

Some products or services you can sell via classifieds. Just search the internet for free classifieds. One of the most important things to remember with free classifieds is to test and see if they are working.

These are some of the tried and true free advertising methods. There are others. There is plenty of traffic on the net – go get some for your website today!

Tips and strategies for encouraging healthy eating habits in your family

Most of us have a pretty good idea of what healthy eating is: lots of fruits and vegetables and not too much fat and sugar. But when it comes to kids, knowing what is healthy is only the start. And even if you shop ‘healthy’ it does not mean that your kid will willingly eat it.

There is hope. Kids need some extra encouragement and guidance along with a few of these strategies your kid is sure to eat healthy.

Be a gatekeeper.

It’s likely that the easiest way to get your kids to eat healthy is to remove the less-healthy options. Take control over what food and snack choices are in your home. If a kid is hungry they will eat it when there isn’t an alternative. Have you ever heard of a kid starving to death because his parents would not feed him potato chips?

Keep healthy food in sight.

As for those less-than-good-for-you foods, keep them in high cabinets and out of your kid’s reach. Arrange your refrigerator and cabinets so that healthy foods are the first foods that you see. If you choose to have some unhealthy options in the house keep them out of sight and you and your kids will be much less likely to choose them as an option.

Make healthy food convenient.

Wholesome foods, particularly fruits and vegetables require little preparation which is great for your ‘starving’ kid and you. Have a fruit basket at eye level on the counter at all times or have a container with carrots and celery sticks ready to go in the refrigerator. You might be surprised at how many more fruits and vegetables your kid will eat simply by having them visible and easy to grab.

Make learning about food fun.

Taking some of the mystery out of where foods come from can work wonders for some selective eaters. Prepare family meals together, have your kid mix the ingredients and serve the food to the rest of the family. Plant a vegetable garden as a family project and put your kid in charge of watering and picking the ripe vegetables. Kids that are involved are more likely to be a willing participant in the eating process.

Keep an eye on Portion sizes.

Parents often stress over how much their kids should be eating. Whether you are trying to get a selective eater to take a bite of anything green or limit the amount of dessert your sweet-toothed kid wants watching portions is necessary. Knowing the size of a healthy portion will give you some needed perspective. You can use the USDA’s Guidelines for Healthy Eating to learn about what a healthy portion is.

Set a healthy example.

Keep in mind that eating meals together isn’t just a great way to catch up on your family’s day it is also the perfect time to role-model healthy eating habits. Kids learn by watching their parents…That’s food for thought!

Why you should use a realtor

Consider this: if you needed work done on your teeth, would you go to a dentist or do it yourself? The same theory applies to real estate. The art of selling a home is something that takes years to perfect. There are so many aspects of home sales that the average buyers and sellers are unaware of. Also there are many aspects of the process that are only easily available to a Realtor. The actual process of selling a home is very time consuming and right about now, the seller has many more important things to consider, such as the impending move.

Realtors spend years learning the art of selling and how to interpret the real estate market. They can offer you insight and information that only comes from years of experience. Realtors are also experts on their area; they know the communities and what they have to offer, the location of schools, transport routes, and how the current market will affect the sale of your home.

Using a Realtor to sell your home has several advantages over a FSBO. Perhaps the most important of these advantages is exposure. The marketing of your home is of the highest importance. Without a robust marketing plan, your home will not be seen by prospective buyers and as such, will take much longer to sell. Realtors utilize the latest in internet technology to ensure that your home is seen by as many buyers as possible. Also, realtors have a large budget to purchase newspaper ads, hold open houses, and create flyers and information packs about your property. Realtors can also utilize a CMA to evaluate the correct value of your home and to price it correctly in your local market. This will enable your home to be competitive and attractive to buyers. Remember, homes sold by a Realtor sell for an average of 20-30 thousand more than homes sold by the owner. use a professional to sell your home, and free up the time you need to organize yourself for the process of moving your own new home.

Spirituality information - journey in the fields of forever part 57

“Just a little of this and some of that,” he replied with a teasing smile.

“And how do you two know each other, Matthias? I thought Gideon had very few friends,” I kidded.

“He has friends all over the cosmos,” Matthias replied.

“He and I have had quite some adventures together. We go way back. It’s a long story.”

Gideon laughed and announced in a matter-of-fact manner, as if he were telling me about the weather, “Matthias is what you’d call an angel, John. He’s on a short visit here . . . .”

“An angel? You’re an angel, Matthias?” I asked in disbelief.

“Oh yes,” he said, “I’ve always been an angel. I’m sure you’ve met others like us. It’s great when assignments bring me this way. I don’t get to see Gideon and Marla too often.”

“You know Marla, too?”

“Who doesn’t?” he replied.

“But you aren’t dressed like an angel,” I said.

“They call him,” said Gideon, “the Angel with the Golden Wings. Show him your golden wings, Matthias.”

I knew they were enjoying seeing me so confused. As I watched, Matthias pulled up his left sleeve to reveal a bracelet. On the bracelet was a charm — a pair of little gold wings, the kind you might find at any good jewelry store. “These are my golden wings, John, a left-over from the old days when everyone expected us to have large feathery wings that flapped as we flew. It was quite a dumb idea because the stupid things would go unstable at high speed and, had it not been for our celestial flight mechanisms, you’d literally have seen many falling angels. But what can I say? The people expected us to have wings, so wings we had. Now I carry my wings on this bracelet as a reminder that if the Chief wanted me to have birds’ wings, He would have made me a bird.”

“He means every word of it John,” said Gideon.

To read the rest of the story visit spiritual-simplicity. com

Women s golf clubs

Golf used to be considered the "gentlemen's game". But everyone knows as many women grace the greens as their male counterparts. Many golf clubs have as many women or more women members. There are women-only tournaments and mixed contests. The popularity of the sport transcends gender, and women flock to the course, every bit as thirsty for pars and birdies as the men are.

As more women began to take up the sport of golf, manufacturers realized that there was an increasing demand for specialized equipment. Women golfers know that playing to their full potential just isn't possible when they settle for using men's equipment. Of course, there is now a huge selection of specialized apparel, footwear, accessories and women's golf clubs on the market today.

Women's golf clubs are lightweight, easy to control and set at the proper lengths to match all body types, personal tastes and skill levels.

For example, many women's woods come with variable length lines, allowing all women to accurately shoot, regardless of her person hit. Also, some woods will have the target user's height displayed. If a woman's wood doesn't' show its height requirements, it is assumed suitable for women between 5'5" and 5'9".

Having a selection of flexible woods is crucial, as many women prefer to use woods more often than irons, even on the fairway. Compared to irons, woods offer bigger hitting areas, or "sweet spots". Fairway woods are designed so the bottoms glide over the surface of the ground without friction. Further, the length of these woods is usually greater than the length of comparable irons. In this case, a 4-wood is longer compared to a 6-iron. For these reasons, women often find that woods are easier to shoot with, more likely to launch the ball, and get better distance than irons do.

Specialized clubs are also available for the short game. The golf clubs should feel light, short enough to allow you to get right under the ball, and just feel right when you swing. An 8- and 9-iron or pitching wedge can be handy when a short approach requires precision rather than distance. Once the ball is on the green, it's time to pull out the putter. Women shorter than 5'5" should choose a putter that's less than 33" in length. Taller women should try different lengths until finding just the right putter.

Women who love to golf shouldn't compromise their comfort or performance by settling for men's clubs. Specialized women's golf clubs can make all the difference, and turn a good game into a great one.

10 killer ways to make your online testimonials more

1. PICTURES

Ask people if they would e-mail a picture with their testimonial. If they don't have one scanned you could have them send their picture by mail and you could scan it. This technique will give your testimonials more credibility.

2. ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES

Most online testimonials you see have text signatures. You could have people mail their written signature, scan it, and upload it with their testimonial. People will feel the testimonial is more official.

3. ONLINE AUDIO

You could record people's testimonials with a mini tape recorder over the phone, on your answering machine, or voice mail. Then you could convert the recording into a online audio file and upload it to your web site. You can find more information about converting audio recording's by typing "real audio" at a search engine.

4. POSTCARDS

Have people mail you their testimonial on a postcard, scan it and upload it to your web site. This will give people proof that the testimonial isn't fake because it will have a post mark on it.

5. PROFILES

Ask people to include a profile of themselves with their testimonial. You could just have them answer some questions like age, occupation, hobbies, favorite quote, etc. This will make your testimonials more entertaining to read.

6. HAND WRITTEN LETTERS

This is similar to the "electronic signature" tip. Scan and upload the entire written testimonial or letter to your web site. This will give your testimonials a feel of realism.

7. RECORDINGS

You could record peoples testimonials over the phone with a mini tape recorder. Then, take the recording and record it to an answering machine or voice mail system. Under each one, include a phone number they can call to hear the actual testimonial.

8. E-MAIL MESSAGES

When you get e-mail testimonials, publish the entire e-mail message instead of just the contents. It will be more believable because it will include the date, time, subject, who it's from and who it's to.

9. CONTACT INFORMATION

When you get testimonials from people, ask them if you could include their contact information under the testimonial. This will allow potential customers to ask your current customers questions about your product or service before they buy. Usually, they will trust them more than you.

10. ONLINE VIDEO

If some of the people who give you testimonials have a camcorder, ask them to record their testimonial on video and send it to you. Then you could convert the video to an online video file and upload it to your site. You can find more information about converting audio recording's by typing "real video" at a search engine.

Anchoring with nlp

There was some sunshine this weekend while I was writing this! At least here on the sunny south coast of England there was. I went out walking along the sea front with my partner Sara on Saturday morning and it was wonderful; the feeling of sunshine on my face, the smell of the air, the sites of other people out and about and happy, the local land train was shuttling people and their excited children back and forth from Bournemouth pier to Boscombe Pier and my senses were filled – a major event for human neurophysiology (mine anyway!)

The funny thing is, later on that evening when my friends were joking about my pink coloured forehead, I told them that I was really looking forward to summer and as I spoke, I felt the sun on me, imagined the fun I was going to have on the beach, remembered the smell, the amazing feeling of joy that I get from being there, just by anticipating it all.

A natural phenomenon we can replicate with NLP techniques. NLP stands for neuro-linguistic programming, which is just a methodology for helping make changes. We shorten it to NLP for easy understanding.

Without realising it, the time I had spent on the sea front earlier that day had acted as an anchor for the wonderful experience which immediately followed it. The next time I saw & heard the experience, albeit in my mind, my neurology went “I know what happens now” and started to produce the intense physical responses that it ‘knew’ were coming next.

In the field of NLP, an anchor is any representation in the human nervous system that triggers any other representation. For instance, the word ‘sex’ will immediately trigger images, sounds etc associated with that word. The word ‘chocolate’ will trigger different associations. I am not too sure which of those will create the most intense feelings though! These words are anchors. Anchors do not have to be words, they can be a wide range of things.

With NLP, we identify that anchors can operate in any representational system (ie. sight, sound, feeling, smell, taste.) Let me give you some examples;

Tonal: By that, I mean for example, the special way a certain person has of saying your name, like when a friend or family member says it. My mother shouting my name from the depths of my home when I was a child often signalled the fact that she had discovered something that I had done that meant trouble for me! “Adam!” often made me feel what I was in store for.

Tactile: The effect of a certain type of handshake for example, or the sensation of a reassuring hug compared to a loving cuddle. Rekindles all kinds of wonderful feelings.

Visual: The way people respond to certain items of clothing. I recently had lunch with a group of my friends from the town where I grew up and several of them commented on the jacket I was wearing. Now, whenever they see it, it reminds them of those comments and makes them smile.

Olfactory: Like when you smell a certain kind of food being cooked can suddenly have you remembering a time when you were in the school cafeteria.

Gustatory: The taste of your favourite food or the way certain foods can make you remember how you felt when you had it before. Maybe like when you were given soup and a big helping of love and sympathy when you were young and off school because you were poorly. I know every time I eat Heinz Tomato soup it reminds me of just that.

Once again, in the field of NLP, an anchor is any representation in the human nervous system that triggers any other representation. It is conceptually similar to Pavlovian conditioning (ie. bells and salivating dogs; some of Pavlovs findings feature in the field of NLP.

While the anchor I created for the sea front was unintentional, it is possible for you to use this NLP tecnique to anchor yourself intentionally. Have a go at this and learn this NLP technique for yourself……

Fistly, think of an occasion when you had a highly pleasurable, positive or enjoyable experience. See what you saw then (looking out through your own eyes), hear what you heard and feel what you felt. As you feel the sensations increase in intensity, squeeze the thumb & forefinger of your left hand gently together for a few moments, then release them. Now ‘break your state’ (Eg. by remembering what you had for lunch yesterday.) Squeeze your thumb & forefinger together again, gently pulsing them. The state will return.

To make the most of anchoring with NLP, it is important to really engage in the experience and make it wonderfully vivid in your mind and to then also put effort into recalling it when you first activate your NLP anchor for a few times. Imagine how powerful this can be when you want to feel wonderful if you are home, feeling gloomy. Instead of reaching for the chocolate, you can start to activate your “feel good” anchor.

Every time you want to get motivated to exercise, just activate your enthusiasm anchor. It is a really simple technique of NLP.

This is a simple but powerful NLP technique that can enable you to have access to the states and resources you want, when you want them. The use of thumb & forefinger is an example of a tactile anchor, but you can use any representation to anchor something for yourself or someone else.

Guidelines for setting anchors with NLP;

In order to get a ‘strong’ anchor for an experience, it is important to

a) Ensure that you have a powerful example of the experience to work with.

b) Anchor in as many representational systems as possible (visual, auditory, kinaesthetic, etc).

c) Set the anchor just before the experience peaks.

d) When you activate the anchor, do it accurately. Be precise!

e) With tactile (kinaesthetic) anchors, pulsing the anchor can help to maintain the experience

One of the people who came on one of my NLP training courses was particularly taken with the idea of anchoring. Shortly after the NLP training, one morning his wife offered to make him a cup of tea, and as she did so, he gently tapped the side of his cup with his ring. He repeated this the next few times she made him a cup of tea. After a while, all he had to do was tap the side of his cup subtly with his ring & she would spontaneously offer to get him a cup of tea!! Very Naughty use of NLP, Eh?! Just by creating a sensory representation (tapping the cup) that coincided with her making tea, he was soon able to use that representation as a trigger for what he wanted. He did eventually share his NLP anchoring experience with his wife and you can be sure he makes a lot more tea than she does now!

Now I know that by now some of you may be thinking “But isn’t that manipulative?!?” One answer is “Yes, so use it for doing good stuff!”

Another answer is “no.” It is no more manipulative than making yourself look good and smell nice when you go out. In those situations you are trying to get people to think the best of you and have a good response to you, a response that you are attempting to anchor through your choice of clothing, grooming and smelly perfume.

Here are some of the sorts of things that I go out of my way to use NLP to anchor whenever I see them or experience them:

- Smiles.

- Laughter.

- Excitement

- Confidence

- Good feelings

- Good performance (especially by waiters & waitresses!)

- Anything that looks good, useful or fun; Achievement and success are especially useful for stopping smoking, reducing weight or growing in confidence.

It’s happening all the time anyway:

As I said at the beginning, anchoring with NLP is a naturally occurring phenomenon anyway. You are exposed to it all the time in everything you do. Everyone is doing this stuff all the time, often without really knowing it. All I am inviting you to do is to become conscious of the anchors that you and others are setting (maybe using NLP), and to start using them purposefully to get good results, rather than randomly to get whatever you get. Use NLP with mindfulness.

Taking this a step further;

Recently, I was working with a team of related staff members with regards to doing some NLP consulting with them. I asked them how they would know that the two days had been a great success. One of them said it would have a ‘feel good factor’ and simultaneously made a gesture with both hands towards his tummy. When I repeated the words ‘feel good factor’ to him, he nodded in confirmation. Later on, I referred to the feel good factor, and simultaneously used his gesture. Instead of a nod of confirmation, I got a full physiological response, including skin colour changes, posture and energy changes…the full works. His words had been a good anchor, but the words plus the gesture were far more complete. When I used both, I got a full response. I continued to use the anchor throughout the consultation. At no time was he aware that I was using NLP & his anchors – he just had the experience of being really well understood.

You can use NLP anchors to capture and re-use positive experiences for yourself & others. Now have a go at doing this NLP exercise too…

1) Think of an occasion when you had a highly pleasurable, positive or enjoyable experience. See what you saw then (looking out through your own eyes), hear what you heard and feel what you felt. As you feel the sensations increase in intensity, squeeze the thumb & forefinger of your left hand gently together for a few moments, then release them. Now ‘break your state’ (Eg. by remembering what shoe you put on first today.) Squeeze your thumb & forefinger together again, gently pulsing them. The state will return.

2) Identify something that someone you know already does, and create a subtle anchor. Set the anchor while they are doing the activity. Later, fire your NLP anchor and see what happens. If they do the thing you anchored, then it worked!

3) When you (or someone you are with) are experiencing something you want to have more of, anchor it.

As usual, remember that this stuff is powerful so use your NLP skills wisely. As well, allow yourself to start becoming aware of when it is being used on you. Advertisers, politicians and stand-up comedians all know the power of NLP anchors and use them with great cunning (and to great effect.) Awareness with NLP is the key – have fun.

Evaluating your web site performance

If you expect your site to stimulate some form of action, whether it is visitors filling out a form so a representative can contact them, or purchasing a product, there are steps you can take to insure that your website is functioning at peak efficiency. One of the first indicators of how well your site is working for you is finding out the number of visitors in a given period of time. A good baseline measurement is a month in which you haven't been doing any unusual offline promotional activities.

However, just because hoards of people have passed through your gates does not mean your site is successful. Usually, you want those visitors to actually do something there. It is equally important to monitor the number of visitors to your site who made a purchase. This figure is called the site conversion rate, and it is an essential element of the efficacy of your website.

To find the site conversion rate, take the number of visitors per month and figure out the percentage of them that actually performed the action your site is set up for. For example, if you had 2,000 hits to your site, but only 25 of them purchased your product, your site conversion rate equals 1.25%. To get this figure, take your number of visitors and divide that figure by the number of visitors who made a purchase. Then divide that result by 100 (25/2000 x 100).

If your website is set-up to get visitors to fill out a form, make sure to then figure out what the difference is between your site conversion rate and your sales conversion rate. This is because not everyone who fills out your form will actually become your customer. However, whether your site is set-up to sell a service or product, or to get the visitor to fill out a form, the site conversion rate will measure the success or failure of your website whenever you make changes to the site.

You may find that you need to implement some additional marketing strategies if you find that traffic to your site is extremely low. There are several effective methods to improve the flow of traffic to your website, particularly launching a search engine optimization campaign. This campaign is targeted at increasing your position in search engine results so that consumers can find your pages faster and easier. You can either research the steps you need to take to improve your search engine rankings, or employ a search engine optimization company to do the work for you. In either case, after your have improved your search engine positions, make sure you keep on top of them by regular monitoring and adjusting of your efforts to maintain high positions.

Another factor to examine is how easy it is for a visitor to your website to accomplish the action the site is set-up for. For example, if your goal is for the visitor to fill out a form, is this form easily accessible, or does the visitor have to go through four levels to get to it? If it's too difficult to get to, the customer may just throw in the towel and move on to another site. Make sure your buttons are highly visible, and the path to your form or ordering page quickly accessible.

Finally, have a professional evaluate the copy on your website. The goal is, of course, to get your visitor to make a purchase or fill out your form. Website copy must be specifically geared to your online campaign and not just a cut and paste job from your company brochure. The right copy can make the difference between profit and loss in your online campaign.

Protect your privacy by erasing tracks left on your computer

When you browse the web information is continuously collected by the websites you visit and by your own computer. For example, websites at a minimum collect information about the web browser you use the operating system of your computer and the geography you reside from. However, what surprises most users is the amount of information that is collected on your computer from your surfing habits and daily use.

Your web browser stores a lot of different types of information which is designed to improve your internet surfing experience but nevertheless poses a privacy risk. The sites or URLs which you visit are stored in the browser’s “history.” Search results are saved when you enter a search term into a search engine like Google. Web content and images are stored in the “temp” folder. Files that you download are stored in the download manager.

Websites also place “Cookies” onto your hard drive. A cookie is a small text file and is used by websites to offer advanced features. Some of the information that cookies store include shopping basket items or log-in information for a membership site. Cookies can also store information about when you visited the site including date and time.

Given all this information being collected above you can easily see why this could become a privacy risk. It would not take someone who knew what they were doing too long to figure out what websites you visit, what you have bought online and what search terms you are looking for. This is unfortunately not the end of it.

If you are a user of instant messenger or chat programs like AIM, MSN Instant Messenger or even Skype then it is important to be aware that the programs saves your chat history. Most programs allow you turn this feature off.

There are number of other places besides your web browser where information is stored on your computer. This data can allow people to figure out what you have been doing on your computer. Media players like RealPlayer and Microsoft Media Play store audio and video playing history. Microsoft Office like Excel and PowerPoint applications store information about the most recently accessed files.

Another important thing to remember is that when you delete a file it is not necessarily permanently erased and can be recovered with the right software. When you first hit delete the file is moved to the Recycle Bin. Even when you empty the Recycle Bin the file still exists on your hard drive until Windows overwrites it.

Here are two things you can do to help reduce the privacy risks from your computer.

- Use a free software tool called “CCleaner” ( ccleaner. com) to clear information collected by your web browser and Windows’s Temp Folder. This software automates the manual process of using your browser options menu to clean out cookies, URL history etc. Try to run this tool once a week or more frequently if you are a heavy internet user.

- If you work with sensitive data files on your computer then you may want to consider investing in secure file “shredder” software. This type of software actually overwrites or “bleaches” the file you want to delete which means that it cannot be restored.

When auto sales sail

Back in the day when a person needed a new car, he would peruse the classified ads in the paper and maybe mosey down to the local dealership to kick a few tires. My, how times have changed. Today, the same car buyer needs to only turn on his computer, and in a matter of minutes he has a fat selection of Buicks, Toyotas, and BMWs at his disposal. Online car sales have created a unique business opportunity for the average Joe in love with four-wheeled transportation.

When the internet began, many saw it as a way for fast communication. Little did we know how much it would change our world. Today a motorcycle sells every 18 minutes on the popular auction site eBay. An SUV will go every 30 minutes through the same site. Millions of dollars worth of metal and engine parts exchange hands virtually every single day, and those who love cars are understanding the possibilities of this unique business opportunity. They purchase a car locally, assess its value, maybe tune it up a bit, and then turn to the world as their buyer.

Several sites exist that allow a car owner to sell besides eBay. Specific sites just for cars allow millions of internet users to peruse a lot of thousands. Additionally, brand-specific sites will narrow the choices for the purists that love a specific kind of car. German made, Japanese made, and American made-it doesn't matter as a site exists for nearly any kind of car. And as a result, those with Grandma's Studebaker sitting in the garage no longer have to sign because the neighbors do not understand its true monetary value. They will find the perfect buyer and thus can turn more than a marginal profit.

This unique business opportunity has the potential to allow a car love to combine his passion with a genuine job. If gets good at it, he will eventually find himself a way to earn some extra cash. He can attend estate auctions or even purchase vehicles from local dealers and then sell them online for a profit.

Obviously this kind of opportunity does not work for those with only a few dollars to invest. It requires some significant finances because cars do not come cheap, but those who love cars and can afford the investment will quickly find themselves sucked into the world of online automobile sales.

In the end, the internet offers a much broader market than we could ever imagine. It also offers more risks. Those engaging in this activity must make their deals cautiously. They should check out the websites they are using and investigate what type of money transactions they do and do not allow. Money orders and PayPal often are the most reliable forms of payment. With this kind of money exchanging hands, a seller should exercise caution.

Thus we can see that those who love cars can find a unique business opportunity in online car sales. If they have the cash needed to finance their operation, they will soon find themselves engaging in conversations with people across the country, and they may even find a new car that they love so much they will not let it go.