Teaching - a survival guide for students and new teachers part 2

The advice may sound silly, but take notice anyway, because it is based on 28 years of teaching experience and listening to students discussing teachers’ appearances. When you start teaching your life will be much easier if you conform to student expectations. The time to be different is after you have established yourself.

Children are very traditional in their expectations of what teachers should wear. They react in a more positive way to a teacher wearing a suit. If suits are not your style then look for an alternative smart look, a jacket and tie for men or a blouse for women. Avoid the temptation to wear ultra-fashionable clothes because children want you to be different from them.

Dress is one way that teachers set themselves apart from the children they are teaching. Young teachers, especially, need to set themselves apart from the children. A lot of children will have older brothers and sisters in their early 20’s and will relate to a young teacher in a similar and inappropriate way unless the teacher distances him or her self.

Clothes should be chosen to be discrete. Tight trousers and revealing blouses will attract looks but will do nothing for your discipline. Loud ties, cardigans and sandals should also be avoided.

If you usually wear more casual clothes and feel uncomfortable and conspicuous in a suit or blouse then wear them for a week or so outside school because, otherwise any discomfort you feel will transmit itself to the children.

You may think that distancing yourself from the children is not a good idea, however following this advice will reduce many of the problems faced by young teachers, such as over friendliness and the unwanted sexual attentions of the adolescents in your charge.

Your hair style should be fairly conformist; no very long hair or shaved heads for men and no very short hair for women. Young men may think about making themselves look older by growing a beard. Make-up should be discrete and designed not to elicit comments.

Starting an internet business - financial implications

The old adage that you will never get rich working for somebody else is probably as true now as it was when first coined. Because of this many people dream of working for themselves and will set up a small business - normally in the trade they are trained for or if very lucky doing something for a living that that they originally got interested in originally as a hobby.

Most people considering this step would seek advice from a business adviser or their bank, particularly if they were seeking some form of financial backing, and would be expected to submit a business plan. This plan would be expected to show projected revenue, margins and expenses. Revenue would be based on projected sales or services provided after market research and expenses would be material costs etc. and advertising costs. Expense would be expected to be sustainable and a profit shown after an initial start up period.

However, the above basic principles do not always apply when considering certain internet based businesses. Before signing up the potential rewards would be shown and explained but would also carry the warning that these are not necessary atypical.

Training, advice and the sourcing of potential advertising normally come after the initial sign up and these costs must be carefully considered against the available budget.

These costs would be both one-off and ongoing costs. Ongoing costs would include monthly web hosting and subscriptions and one-off or occasional costs would include advertising costs, purchasing of leads and subscription upgrades. Advertising is essential to promote any type of business and costs should be carefully monitored as some types of internet advertising can become very expensive.

Any business needs time to develop and become established and unless you are extremely lucky costs will continue to rise until sales start to be made. These costs are very difficult to predict and eventually could reach a limit where there is no alternative but to admit defeat and close the business down.

Starting an internet business should be seen as an enjoyable experience and in the early days as an addition to an established income - not a quick fix solution to a financial problem.

The many hats of the private investigator in the criminal justice field

Private Investigator also known as Private Detective requires broad knowledge to be very successful. You need broad based training, just like many other criminal justice professions. The last thing you need is to be called for a job only for you to discover that you are not equipped to handle that job. In this article, I will discuss some of the many hats (jobs) private investigators may be called to wear.

1. The private investigator may be called to wear the hat of Interviewer. This requires their talking to people to gather facts.

For example, a law firm preparing for a case in court may hire a private investigator to interview witnesses. Though a lot of people will call this interrogation when done by a private investigator, but the job here is just to help the law firm gather the facts.

2. The private investigator may be called to wear the hat of a Researcher. This involves going over mountains of paper to fish out information. In this digital age, this may involve using the computer and the internet.

It will be wise then for the private investigator to be high tech savvy. Investing time and money in computer training will not be a bad idea for those that don’t want to forgo work in this area.

3. The private investigator may be called to wear the hat of a Surveillance Person. Surveillance can be said to be synonymous with investigation. In the old days, this is probably the majority of the job done by private detectives.

An example is spouse that suspects his/her partner of cheating. He/She would hire a private investigator to follow their partner to catch them in the act of cheating. Private investigators normally accomplish this through surveillance.

The surveillance would normally be captured on video or still camera. This way, the private investigator will have the physical evidence to show the person who hired him/her. In the current reality TV craze, there is even a television show on this. The host would video tape the cheater, sometimes with hidden video camera. The video tape is then played on television.

4. The private investigator may be called to wear the hat of Store Detective. Theft is a big problem for retail stores. To help combat this problem, retail stores would hire private detectives.

The detective’s job is to catch shoplifters or employees that try to steal goods or merchandise. The detective will usually be hidden out of sight and most likely use hidden video cameras to watch shoppers and employees. If there are shoplifters, you can be sure the private detective will catch them.

There you have it! The many hats private investigators can wear in their profession. Those that prepare themselves with the right training will have plenty of jobs at their disposal. Who knows, they could end up being TV stars, like the star of the TV show, Cheaters.

Tips regarding setting up of merchant account

Merchant account is a kind a service offered by banks or merchant account providing companies to business owners or traders. Merchant account enables a business man or a trader in providing credit card processing services to its customers or buyers. Also, it supports a trader with easy transaction of money by swiping a credit card.

In-spite of merchant account being such a big business tool there are many business owners or traders who end up making mistakes in implementing this tool. Merchant accounts are more or less like a deal that can prove a blunder if not dealt well.

It is a fact that credit card processing service adds to the growth and enhancement of business. Customers lurk for opportunity where they don’t have to face hassle like carrying cash or getting short of it while shopping. Thus, with a merchant account you tend to attract such wealthy buyers. But if you open a merchant account with a bank or a company that does not provides you with the offers cherished by your rival trader, then you surely to lose your benefits of credit card processing and competition in the market.

There are some small businessmen or traders who either end up giving up on the service due to the heavy charges or fee demanded by the banks or else they end up choosing the wrong bank for their merchant account. No doubt that merchant account is often opened by bigger business companies, thus banks tend to charge big. But there are also banks providing low monthly charges and sometimes no rental fee. You can always search and find the bank or merchant account providing company that offers just a percent or two per transaction. Here the key point is research, never go for a merchant account without looking for two or than two banks or companies offering merchant account services.

The main thing to be kept in mind while selecting the right merchant account is the type of business you do i. e. the merchant account you open should be flexible enough to benefit the kind of business you do. Also, if you are an online business trader then you should always check for the terms and conditions offered by the merchant account providing company you wish to tie up with.

Apart from basic suitability and fee charges, the main thing that matters while selecting for the right bank or company is the safety factor. Do not forget to ask yourself how safe and reliable is the deal with the company you chose for opening your merchant account? Is there any hidden charges or loop holes that might create or ad to your burden at later stage?

For those who do their business on internet and have to choose an online merchant account providing company, such precautions play a big part and act as a savior from any fraud or troublesome deal.

Thus, never deal without thinking and thinking hard. Always be sure of what kind of benefits you want from your merchant account and be clear of your objectives of setting up a merchant account.

Cash loans for the unemployed ready money in distress

Unemployed people are persistently cash-strapped. Lack of an income, regular expenses and a drying or non-existent bank balance often has them lurking for finances. In such a precarious situation any financial emergency can make them desperate and the results can be disastrous. To prevent any such misdeed and provide immediate relief by means of instant cash, lending companies provide cash loans for the unemployed.

Cash loans for the unemployed come with many advantages. Giving a thought to the dismal financial condition and urgent requirements cash loans for the unemployed are available at a short notice. Unemployed people are already short on funds and if the cash is not made available instantly the entire purpose of giving such a loan might be defeated. Secondly, cash loans for the unemployed are given without a credit check. The lending institutions do not take into account any negative credit ratings or ccj’s while giving such a loan.

Cash loans for the unemployed are a risky investment for the lenders. The person they are lending to is unemployed, he or she doesn’t have any bank balance, the collateral is missing and the repayment capacity does not exist - together all these facts present a picture which is not at all pleasant for the lending companies. But they appreciate the fact that any person in such a difficult situation needs a helping hand to ameliorate his condition. Striking a balance between the needs of unemployed and their profits, the lenders provide the cash loan for the unemployed.

Cash loans for the unemployed must not be misunderstood as a charity or something, which has to be taken and swindled. Like every other loan, cash loan for the unemployed has to be repaid and that too with interest. The lending companies are professional organisations, which have operating costs, and must make money in order to survive and compete. A borrower must understand that the interest paid by them on the loan forms the major chunk of lenders profit.

To offset the risk involved in giving cash loans for the unemployed lenders charge high interest rates and have quick repayment periods. The lending companies also impose heavy penalties on defaulters and those who are late in repaying the loans. Since the risk is greater the companies tend to lend smaller amounts. The terms are indeed, strict for the borrower and favour the lender but the borrower has a little choice, but to agree. Considering the circumstances in which he is trapped, a cash loan for the unemployed is the best possible solution available to him.

A cash loan for the unemployed might be the only alternative, but still the borrower can choose his favourite lender. The lending market is very competitive and various lenders are offering innovative schemes and discounts to attract customers. If the borrower shops judiciously, he will surely extract a better deal on a cash loan for the unemployed.

The borrower should make sure that he gets funds when he needs them the most; he should clearly indicate this to the lender. To get a clear picture on the lending time taken by various organisations he or she should enquire extensively. The borrower should make an effort if possible, to negotiate a deal that ties the loan repayment with his subsequent employment.

The negativities in borrowing a cash loan for unemployed are numerous. The interest rates are higher, the loan amount small, the repayment period quick and the penalties for default very high. If you are contemplating on taking such a loan give it a serious thought. Take every fact into consideration, don’t get carried by the emotions alone, make a rational judgment and ensure that you repay the loan as agreed.

Online floor plans for your dream home

There are various websites on the internet that allow you to view some of the finest floor plans. Some of these sites charge you a nominal fee to download the exact specifications of the online floor plan that suits you while others offer the most popular online floor plans for free!

The benefit of browsing through a website that offers online floor plans is that a whole new world of possibilities will open in front of you.

All of us have a dream house in mind that we would like to build and live in some day. In fact, many of us work towards a fine house where we would like to relax in. Sadly, the rising costs of living and even inflation have ensured that this house remains a dream for most.

The same is the case with me. I dream of a fine house with a lavish garden where my family and I can relax and enjoy life. And although I don’t have the means to afford the house right now, I am pretty sure that one day I will be able to afford it. Meanwhile I continue to source out various aspects of the dream house. And recently, I stumbled upon a goldmine – online floor plans!

Speaking for myself, when I went to one such website looking for online floor plans, I was confronted by a mind boggling range of online floor plans for literally any kind of house. This particular website had floor plans that could be searched by any or all of a combination of key words. For instance, I could search for online floor plans based on number of rooms. I could also select to view online floor plans based on the style of construction.

If I knew what I wanted and more or less how I wanted it to look, I could opt to see online floor plans based on the area of the construction or the material best suited for the online floor plan of a particular type of construction. Why? I could even view online floor plans for futuristic and designer homes!

While most of these floor plans are very basic, unless you decide to buy a complete online floor plan with drawings, scale sheets, blueprints etc, they still offer one a wealth of information about the kinds of construction taking place.

And once you browse through the comprehensive collection of online floor plans, your dream house will look that much better and you will be motivated to build and live in it that much sooner. Trust me! I still continue to browse through online floor plans. And my dream home is getting better by the day.

Bungee trampolines discover new heights

Trampoline jumping has literally been taken to new heights with the launch of a gravity-defying, adrenaline-pumping sport known as bungee trampoline, introduced by the world of extreme sports. In bungee trampoline, the jumper has an adjustable harness attached to the waist, connected to bungee ropes on both sides. This allows various types of somersaults and other airborne aerobics as the jumper is catapulted up to 12 to 14 meters in the air.

Bungee trampolines can be set up on almost any high footfall outdoor or indoor locations such as amusement parks, beaches, swimming pools, summer camps, schools, festivals, acrobatic training centers, water parks, gymnasiums, etc.

Most Bungee Trampolines are built from high quality materials such as aluminum and stainless steel and should fulfill certain safety standards and regulations. Anyone who weighs between 45 to 200 pounds can comfortably participate in a bungee trampoline jumping. Experience is not needed except for extreme stunts and aerobics, which should never be attempted without the supervision of a professional. Another advantage with bungee trampoline jumping is that even people with certain physical disabilities can take part because the harness attached to the waist makes it much safer than conventional trampolines.

A single jumping unit may have more than one trampoline which allows multiple jumpers to use the bungee trampoline at the same time. However, there are also bungee trampolines designed for only one person at a time. Most of the bungee trampolines used today come with a client control apparatus, using a counter and a timer which can be easily operated by a single person. Recommended power supply for bungee trampolines is 110 or 230 volts and 10 amperes electrical outlet.

There are several models, types, and designs of bungee trampolines. Some of them have been modified to make the jumps more exciting and thrilling. For example, Forest Maxi Bungy Trampoline, captioned “Maxi bungee trampoline fly in the trees” (maxi-trampoline. com) features a harness and elastic system which is connected to natural trees from 5 meters to 20 meters high construction. Participants (5 years and older, adults below 200 lbs.) can jump up to 20 meters and land on their feet in the middle of the trampoline. 230 volts or 110 volts is the average supply of power used by this bungee trampoline.

An example of a four person bungee trampoline:

Camp Cayuga (campcayuga. com), a private coed residential summer camp in Honesdale, Pennsylvania has introduced what it called the Big “Trampoline Thing", as a part of its extreme jumping sports program. This is the basic configuration of the bungee trampoline:

A large rig combines a trampoline system with a bungee cord system. The rig features 4 separate trampolines, so 4 people can be accommodated at one time. The patented Bungee Cord System includes a hydraulic lift that automatically readjusts the height settings on the rig as participants jump higher. With this safety feature, the bungee cord cannot be over-stretched while jumping, and catapult the jumper up to 24 feet in the air.

Bungee Trampoline jumping, like the regular bungee jumping, should be approached with caution because it can result in injuries like sprains, fractures, scrapes, bruises and cuts, or serious injuries to the head and neck which can cause paralysis, or even death. Children should always be supervised by adults, and inexperienced adult jumpers should seek the help of instructors or professionals.

The copywriter s secret weapon against readers fear

If you’re a good B2B copywriter, you probably do your homework before accepting any new copywriting assignment. You research your prospect. You research your product, and even your competitor’s products. And you know your product can greatly improve your prospect’s bottom line. No questions asked.

So theoretically, all you have to do is present your benefits, offer a proof element, show how the benefits overwhelm the price, and you’re in the clear. Right? Not even close. Here’s why.

Even if your product doesn’t carry a 6-figure price tag, your prospect is still going to be reluctant to even request more information. The reason: fear.

the B2B buyer is afraid of making a mistake. If she doesn’t know your company and has never heard of your product, your offer represents a risk to her career. Perhaps she has made a few similar mistakes in the past which have cost her. So you have to get her over this fear if you even want her to give you your most-wanted-response: become a warm lead.

One of the best ways to do this is through the use of testimonials. That’s right, use testimonials to overcome objections.

Most copywriters are taught that testimonials are merely the proof element of a marketing promotion. And while testimonials back up what you say in your B2B marketing message, you can use them for so much more. An effective testimonial can overcome just enough of a prospect’s objections to make the difference between totally ignoring you and requesting more information about your product.

Here’s an example. Suppose your company sells walk-in refrigeration units to restaurants. The goal of your promotion is lead genearation. You know you have a good product to sell, you know your prospects will be concerned about mold growth inside your units. You don’t have a lot of space in your ad to devote to the technical reasons why your product deals eliminates mold growth, so use a testimonial to handle the concern. Like this…

“Since our restaurants are in the Southeast where it’s humid, I was concnerned about mold contamination of our food inventory. But our XYZ Model 123 has been working round the clock all summer long with no mold growth whatsoever. Thanks, XYZ. You really took the worry away.” – Joe Snuffy, Snuffy Restaurants of Florida, Inc.

The benefit to this method of overcoming objections is twofold. First, it gives you a satisfied third-party who is happy with your products and doesn’t mind your telling others. Second, it overcomes an objection that you know other prospects have without having to devote large amounts of copy to overcome it.

Testimonials can help you out in a big way in B2B lead generation. And while they are great to backing up your product performance claims, don’t forget to overcome objections with them as well. The benefit to you will be greater response when generating B2B leads for your product or service.

Homepage sweet homepage

The Internet has been around a few years, so naturally, everyone should know how to create an effective Web site by now, right? Of course not! The storefront has been around for centuries, yet not every business is successful. How can this be?

The consumer is a finicky breed. It is impossible to please everyone who happens by your Web site, but there are some standard components you must present. Just as every retail outlet isn’t going to sell the same product; it will understand the consumer’s general expectations of it. Each will probably express the product it offers prominently, provide examples of its product for consumers to see, display its contact information, and have someone on site who can attend to customers. The same formula applies to creating an effective Web site.

Here are some Web site MUST haves:

• A welcoming home page that contains key words to attract search engines;

• An “about us” page that demonstrates your credibility;

• Success stories and testimonials from satisfied customers or members;

• A “call to action” or pricing page that clearly expresses your product or service’s terms;

• A prominent “contact us” page; and

• An online press kit that provides the media with all the tools it needs to write or report on your business or organization, as well as links or copies of media coverage you’ve already enjoyed (check for reprint permissions before offering copies of printed material).

Here are some details on each of these Web site components.

The Home Page: Do I belong here?

The very word “home” evokes comfort for most people. Home is warm, inviting, and comfortable, and so should your Web site’s home page. You have seconds to impress upon a Web visitor to stay in your site – don’t scare people off with flashy graphics that take forever to load, or require them to give you any personal information whatsoever simply to enter your site.

Imagine having someone dance around in your storefront’s doorway, blocking customers from getting in – or requiring them to hand over their name and phone number before opening the door. No customer will tolerate that kind of treatment.

The instant someone reaches your Web site, they will ask themselves “do I belong here?” They may not realize they’re asking that, but they are. A person seeking pet supplies who visits dogstuff. com is going to expect to find dog stuff – not the personal Web site of someone whose nickname is “Dogstuff.” Make sure your product or service is featured prominently on your home page. People need to know if they are in the right place as quickly as possible.

Opinions vary in terms of content on the home page, but all Web designers agree that if your home page is going to feature any words, make sure they are words related to site’s business or organization. This is how search engines find Web sites – through keywords used on the home page. If Dogstuff. com actually sells pet supplies, then words like “pet supplies,” “dog food,” “dog collars,” and “flea medication,” would be effective key words. “Dogstuff. com: the place to find dog stuff” would not be.

Also, if you offer any sort of subscription, such as an eNewsletter, you must hit visitors over the head with it immediately.

Section Two: Do I trust these people?

People are pretty cautious when it comes to purchasing products or services online. Your Web site must provide evidence of your business or organization’s credibility. Who are you? What are you all about? Use testimonials and refer to high-profile clients.

If your business or organization is relatively new, don’t mention it. The only time you should probably throw around “years in business” is when you hit ten. If you have been covered in the media, mention it here. Better yet, provide them a link to your online press kit in this area. People generally tend to trust businesses and organizations more if they’ve been covered by the media.

Section Three: What’s in it for me?

If your Web visitor has moved past your home page and finds you to be legit, he or she will now want to know if you can really give them what they want. What is unique about your business or organization compared to your competitors? This is where you differentiate yourself. Are you budget-friendly? Do you guarantee your work? Are there any special deals available? Even though they’ve ventured beyond your site’s front door, you still need to convince your visitors that they are in the right place. Reinforce this by providing examples.

Section Four: How much?

The reason most people use Web sites to learn about a business, organization, or product is because they aren’t ready to pick up the phone and talk to someone. They want to explore things on their own and make their decisions without dealing with any kind of sales pressure. They may not even be ready to subscribe, sign up or buy and are simply in search of tangible information. When you refuse to display the costs of your products or services on your Web site, it hampers the visitor’s experience.

Be up front about pricing and terms. If the cost of something depends on the customer’s particular needs, explain that. For instance, a wall paper outlet may not be able to give a customer an exact cost of wallpapering a certain room without that room’s dimensions. In most cases, the customer will understand that. Simply saying “call for prices,” is a turn off.

Section Five: How can I contact you?

Believe it or not, your Web site is not going to answer every customer’s question. The general expectation of most Web visitors is to find the “Contact Us” link in the main menu or along the footer. If possible, try to offer your e-mail address as opposed to automatically opening the visitor’s e-mail program. Not everyone uses the e-mail program on their computer as their sole method of communication. It’s usually best to set aside a page of your Web site that contains your physical address, phone and fax numbers and e-mail address.

If certain questions should go to certain people, provide that information as well. People like to think they are getting to the right person when they complete a “contact us” form, or e-mail a question.

Other General Rules

Web site design does not begin and end with these five sections. Providing additional resources and links to customers, eNewsletters, and message boards are also ways to keep people coming back to your site. In general, you should be sure that your site is easy to navigate and kept up to date. Have friends or colleagues test it out as you’re designing or having it designed. Remember, your Web site is your virtual store front. Take the steps to attract and keep customers the first time you build, because there’s nothing more frustrating (or costly) than having to shut down for repairs.

Review america s most wanted recipes

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This has been one of the most fun recipe books I have used. The Author, Ron Douglas, gives very detailed information on how to cook the recipes that are in his book. These recipes are from some of the most popular restaurants in America. You can click the link at the top of my blog to see a list of the restaurants.

I have tried many of the recipes and my family is asking me to make more of them as they choose from their favorite choices. Using this book has saved me time and money from taking my family out to eat and gives you more variety to offer them at home.

Many times it was the same old thing from the kids “not this again tonight for dinner” Now adding some of these recipes offered in Ron’s book I hear “oh wow were having that for dinner” I get much more joy and smiles at the dinner table.

I have also used some of the restaurant recipes to impress my guests at dinner parties. My favorite thing to do is when I have to go to a party that requests me to bring a dish to pass, I will use one of the restaurant recipes and everyone wants to know how I made it. I have fun making conversation with friends and showing off.

I recommend this cookbook to anyone who enjoys cooking and likes to get compliments. For more info please visit my website at Restaurant Recipes

Quitting smoking is not as hard as you think

Have you ever wanted to quit smoking and convinced yourself than you are destined to smoke cigarettes the rest of your life? Have you ever tried to quit and gave up halfway thought the day or that same night? If you think that quitting smoking is just impossible, I would read on.

It truly is not as hard as you may think. Take it from a true one packer a day smoker or better on some days. It was like a true friend to me that I couldn’t let go. I have smoked a good thirty to thirty six years of my life. I’m not quite sure when I started smoking. I quit one time about ten years ago for a week. The big mistake I made back then was to ask a friend for a smoke so I could see what I was missing. That was a big mistake! I was back full time again and tried several times since and failed on all attempts except the last attempt.

Quitting smoking for me was always like a ritual that I attempted two or three times a year. The excuse was always the cost of cigarettes. Never did I complain about the possible ill effects that it could possibly have down the road. Sure I was aware everyday about how bad it was. I heard it on the news every day on how the smokers were getting the boot in restaurants and buildings. The worst people to smoke around were the non-smokers that quit smoking. I know, my wife quit ten years ago. I smoked outside come rain, snow or blizzard. I hope as a non-smoker I never get like that.

I was not a very pleasant person to be around when I attempted to quit. I’m sure smokers know how short tempered one can get, when one has not had a cigarette for a while. Every morning I attempted to be a non-smoker, I set myself up for failure by having a coffee and shortly after breakfast I ran around outside hoping to bump into someone who smoked. I always had a nic fit around lunch and dinnertime, only to give in to the craving over and over again. I did not last a good part of a day. I just about gave up trying to quit. I was convinced that I was going to smoke the rest of my life. I thought I was hooked for good, until one sunny afternoon around 3:oopm I had my last cigarette while I was washing my jeep.

Everybody tells me that I was ready. I really don’t know if I was ready. What I do know is there are several key things that I had to do to give it up completely, and I am not really sure of the one key thing that kept me a non-smoker two months later. I know that one of the key things that helped was telling myself once and a while that I was a non-smoker even when I knew I smoked. I would not say it out loud if people were around me that knew I smoked. They would probably think I was losing it. I told myself that I was a non-smoker for about two weeks prior to quitting. Self-preparation you may want to call it. I truly knew that I wanted to quit. Maybe I was ready.

That sunny afternoon I had one cigarette left which I smoked halfway through washing my jeep. I told my wife that I was not going to buy any more that afternoon. She heard me say that many times before. She told me to give a try and purchase some later and not to be hard on myself for a least trying. Again she repeated it was okay to buy some later. I think my wife just about gave up on me quitting as well.

The other key thing to do if you are attempting to quit is to learn how to procrastinate. That same afternoon I kept putting off buying cigarettes until bedtime. Bedtime came and it was too late to go to the store. I put it off until the next morning.

Morning came and I convinced myself that I was a non-smoker. I decided the other key thing to do was invite my weaknesses. I had coffee, which they say you shouldn’t do. I almost stopped my brother-in-law from coming over that same night because he smoked. I told my wife to have him come over, but he had to smoke outside alone. I thought about it for a moment and decided I was going to stand outside and watch him smoke. They also said not to drink beer or alcohol when you’re attempting to quit smoking. I bought myself a six-pack and drank and watched him smoke. That was the very first day. I finally quit and had no craving the next day. The nic fits were gone! The cravings were gone! The grumpiness from not smoking was gone! The wasted dollars on cigarettes was gone! It was like being born again.

The one key goal on quitting smoking for me was to convince myself a couple weeks before, that I was a non-smoker. Quitting halfway through the day was the other key thing to do. Think about that for a second. The day for me was not as long as it would have been if I quit first thing in the morning. When you quit in the morning, you have approximately 16 hours to go before you go to bed and forget about it. I quit at 3:00 in the afternoon with only 8 hours until bedtime to forget about it. It was half the amount of time to put everything to rest. I had a 16-hour jump to get the nicotine out of my system before the morning. Quitting in the morning was always tough before, because smoking and a cup of coffee was always an enjoyment for me.

The last key thing to do was just learn to say no for the remainder of the next day. The craving was not as bad as it was on other days that I quit. It must have had something to do with the time I quit. The craving was not as bad as prior attempts. The next day I could not understand why I smoked all that time. The addiction is finally gone and I do not want to pick up that cigarette to see what I am missing!

Just convince yourself that you are a non-smoker for approximately two weeks.

Finish that last cigarette half way through the day when you are doing something that you enjoy. Make sure you are in a good mood!

Do not tell anybody that you’re quitting. Just tell them you are not buying any for the rest of the day.

Learn to procrastinate for 6 to 8 hours, which shouldn’t be too hard for some of us.

Face all your weaknesses that you think will put you back on the smoking train.

Say no for one day! Say no for one day! Say no for one day!

Day three will set you free!!!

Core value eating

Who is more likely to sustain desirable weight, the valued self or the devalued self?

If you believe it is hard to lose weight and keep it off because you lack something, like discipline, will power, or just common sense, your efforts will come from shame of what you are, rather than value of your health and well being.

When the shame gets exhausting, distracting, confusing, or overwhelming, as it always does, human nature makes us revert to the familiar, which requires far less mental energy. That means the old eating habits.

Your problem in reaching and maintaining your desired weight is not due to personal failings. You have plenty of discipline – you have gone through so much trouble time and time again to lose weight. You certainly have will power or you wouldn’t keep trying after each failure.

The problem lies not in you, but in your weight-loss programs, which set you up to fail.

No weight control program can succeed by dominating your consciousness with food and weight. This actually increases the unconscious impulse to eat.

Setting "goals" for weight loss makes you fail in the long run. In other words, you win some, you lose some. In the long run, winning and losing even out and put you back at your original weight, if not higher.

No weight control program can succeed unless it helps you regulate the core hurts that make you overeat and attack food.

A successful program must develop a conditioned response to regulate eating automatically. Otherwise, you will have to do the near impossible: “stop and think about it,” when swept up in a rush to eat.

With Core Value Eating, you stop thinking so much about weight and start looking at yourself and others with more compassion.

Instead of making goals, you create more value in your life. You value yourself more, which automatically makes you value your health and well being.

You learn to motivate yourself with "Acts of Kindness," especially when you relapse. (Who are more likely to repeat mistakes, those who punish themselves with guilt or shame or those who value themselves?)

Compassionate eating conditions Core Value to occur with the impulse to eat. The reflex of Core Value will then motivate whatever you do, including food consumption.

Begin Core Value Eating with a list of five “Acts of Kindness” you will do for yourself when you have a temporary relapse of overeating or an attack on food. The point is to change the motivation to eat from avoiding core hurts to experiencing Core Value. In making your list, think of what will help you eat from your Core Value next time.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

With Core Value Eating, you learn to view your cores hurts compassionately, and when they occur, to look for the light of Core Value.

In that light, emanating from deep within, you will not have to worry about “managing” your weight. Your Core Value will do it for you.

Core Value makes us worthy by motivating us to accept, value, love, and, most important, feel compassion for self and others.

Health and well being depend far more on how much we value than how much we are valued, even though we’re a lot more sensitive to the latter. You are probably quite aware of the times in your life when you didn’t feel valued in relationships at work or at home. What you did not notice is that those were times when you valued far less.

Here’s a little test to show the power of value. List of the qualities that you believe make a person worthy of love. Just think of people who you believe are lovable, and list their most lovable qualities.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Your list consists of various aspects of compassion. You have described a person who is accepting, valuing, and loving, someone who makes an emotional investment in others, not just herself. You have described someone who is compassionate.

When you feel compassion for yourself and others, you cannot feel a core hurt and you do not have an impulse to overeat.

Choosing a professional organizer

Professional Organizer's are becoming increasingly popular, for a very good reason.

The past decade has seen life become increasingly sophisticated yet far less labor intensive for most of us. If you want to get and stay ahead, make use of professional organizer services, or what I call 'efficiency services'.

We outsource more and more tasks in our home to other companies just as if our home life was a business. A few of the efficiency services that you probably use include: Delivery services, car wash, launderette, various home maintenance, etc.

Now more of us can afford for those chores to be taken care of by others, what is there left for us to do? How can we use our money to maximize the opportunity of our time? That is where professional organizers come in.

Imagine what a professional organizer working for you could do for you personal organization. Everything comes from organization. As a professional organizer I consult with many people to organize everything in their life, organize goals, organize home, organize time, etc. I have chosen three core tips to help you choose a professional organizer that is suitable for you personally.

This may seem strange but I believe the skill of listening is one of the most important that a good professional organizer can have. If the professional organizer can not fully and completely listen to everything you are about and where you are coming from they will never be able to take you to a level of personal organization that satisfies you.

Choosing a professional organizer can be a cause for anxiety itself, which defeats the point of organization services. So here are some key insider tips from a professional organizer, on how you can choose a good professional organizer for your own style and way of doing things.

Make a list of 10 or so professional organizers by doing a search online or in a phone directory. Contact them by phone or email and let them know you are contacting 9 others to find one suitable for you. This lets them know they can not 'hard sell' you.

Take a look at their website, read some of their articles, and read their reply email or hear them out by phone. Tell them you still have the others to contact before making your decision. A good professional organizer will approve of your organized approach.

On your check list you need to score them on 'How good they listen to you and hear you out'. 'How interesting and thoughtful they're products and articles are'. 'How they're email response made you feel about them'.

Those three factors alone will give you enough to be able to at least make a short list and might allow you to choose a professional organizer in no time at all.

In modern life I believe time becomes so precious to the potential of opportunities and experiences life has to offer. Using a professional organizer will allow you to maximize the life opportunities you can take advantage of.

Great tips for low carb dieters

If you have ever been on a 'diet,’ you will know how frightening that word is. Diet mean deprivation, right? Wrong. With a low-carb diet, there is no deprivation. In fact, you have the freedom to eat a lot of stuff that traditional diets do not allow. You only need to go light on the carbs! Carbohydrates (or carbs as they are lovingly called) are a type of complex sugar. They are ‘complex’ because they have a kind of wrapping that needs to be broken down by the body. Carbohydrates are found in almost any kind of food - bread, pasta, vegetables, and fruits. Carbs are stored in the liver where they are then broken down to form simple sugars called glucose. A diet rich in carbohydrates supplies a surplus of sugar to the body. This leads to obesity, diabetes, hypoglycemia, hypertension, and type II diabetes. Research has proved that the traditional low-fat, low-calorie diet is ineffective in reducing weight.

In a low carb diet, the carbohydrates in the diet are replaced with fat and proteins (poultry, cheese, meat, fish, and eggs; along with lots of vegetables). Carbohydrates should ideally make up only 5-10% of the daily calorie intake. The reasoning behind this diet is that carbs are readily converted into fat due to the action of insulin. Elevated insulin levels cause fat to be deposited in the body. So you become fat. High sugar in the blood also stimulates hunger signals in the brain. This is what produces the hunger cravings that lead you to binge on more carbs. So, it’s really a vicious circle, where the more you eat, the more you want.

The only way to put an end to this vicious cycle is by limiting the carb intake. Soon, the insulin levels start to fall and glucagons are produced. Now, glucagons are the nice guys - they burn fat and unclog the arteries. Low carb diets facilitate quicker weight loss and stabilize the blood sugar level (diabetics, are you listening?).

How to start a low carb diet:

-Consume lots of water as constipation may set in at the beginning of the diet

-Fiber and vitamin supplements need to be taken

-Sugar, pastries, and white flour are all taboo

-Avoid caffeine

-Exercise regularly

-Avoid saturated fats

A word of caution:

Many items in the market are marked “sugar free”. But these items are to be avoided. Sugar-free does not make it carb-free. Sugar-free cakes, biscuits and snacks still contain starch, which gets converted to sugar. Beware of the ‘no sugar added’ labels. This just means the manufacturer has not added any extra sugar to the product.

Fibers are good for you. Both soluble and insoluble fibers are necessary for good health.

It is quite normal for your body to become smaller without you losing weight. So, take your body measurements. Do not starve yourself or go hungry. Eat smaller meals and increase the frequency. Do not restrict the calorie intake, as this will slow down metabolism and force the body into ‘starvation mode.’ Instead, increase the fat and protein in your diet.

A diet without exercise is like a ‘10’ without the ‘1.’ Bump up your exercise level and add some weightlifting to your routine. Keep a diet diary, and meticulously and honestly keep records of what you consume.

Once the excess weight is gone, and your blood chemistry and energy levels have stabilized, you may start adding more carbs back into your diet.

Cold coffee-who woulda thought

"What is the last thing that your patrons taste/drink before leaving a restaurant ?" And if you do not believe me go out there and watch. Nearly everybody will toss back that last cold cup of coffee before leaving their table, therefore it is vitally important that your coffee tastes wonderful hot, warm or cold.

Now how can you be sure that your coffee tastes good.

STEP ONE : CLEAN the EQUIPMENT

Cleanliness is more important than godliness, therefore ensure that you not only clean your bowls every night (there must be a joke in that line somewhere), and your coffee supplier can give you urn cleaner to really clean them occasionally, or run them through the dishwasher. DO NOT FORGET THE BREW BASKET. This will be dirtier than everything else, so once again ensure that there is no oily residue, plus clean the showerhead, and the area around it. If you have an urn or dual system, ask your coffee supplier to come in and train/educate your staff on how to properly clean the equipment.

STEP TWO: CALIBRATE the EQUIPMENT

Many times I go into a restaurant to find the brewer is short-potting (no this is not a gardening term), and the remedy can be very simple. Adjust the timer or float mechanism. BUT, maybe the equipment is short potting because the water line (including the filter/strainer) or machine or showerhead is clogged with lime, or some other gunk. Cleaning and maybe de-liming is necessary. Remember that if your brew time is too long, your resulting (revolting) coffee will be bitter, with a burnt after-taste. It’s rather like drinking coal tar - although I must admit I cannot remember the last time I knocked back a shot of coal tar.

Also, ensure that the water coming out of the showerhead is at the correct temperature, too cold and you will underextract, too hot and we start going down the coal-tar path again. A simple thing to check (use an oral thermometer, not a r...... one), and then adjust the temperature on the thermostat as necessary.

STEP THREE : WATER

A cup of coffee is 98% (approx) water, so if your water tastes lousy, your coffee will taste lousy. So test your faucet water by comparing it to the taste of a bottle of filtered water. And if necessary, put in a proper water filtration system. Remember your ice, soda, and cooking will all taste better.

STEP FOUR : YOUR COFFEE/COFFEE SUPPLIER

The people responsible at your coffee roaster will cup (taste) coffees through the temperature range, right down to room temperature - specifically to address the question at the top of this page, and to ensure that the coffee tastes good even when its been sitting for a while in your coffee cup. The coffee cupper (and by the way the best tea tasters, coffee cuppers, and wine sommeliers are all women, this is because physiologically God built a woman’s mouth differently to a man, and women have much better taste buds than men ) will cup and blend the coffee so that the taste profile always remains the same. People do not want surprises when they first wake up, least of all in their coffee cup at 7am, therefore the job of cupping and blending is one of the most difficult in the world. Mind you, most people don’t want a surprise in their martinis about 12 hours later, so once again tasting and blending is vital.

Having determined that your coffee supplier/roaster (hopefully one and the same company) can roast and blend coffee well, lets look at packaging, and the whole bean versus fractional pack/ground coffee debate.

Your coffee supplier is loaning you brewing equipment, and if you want to do a whole bean programme (no that is not a spelling mistake), they will lend you a portion control/doser grinder. Now the grinder they lend you will be a proper commercial grinder, costing about $700. But just consider that your roaster uses a grinder where the blades alone cost upwards of $15,000, and your roaster is checking the degree of grind several times a day with very expensive and sophisticated equipment. Therefore what chance do you have with a $700 grinder of achieving a consistent grind? And just remember that your brewed coffee quality will vary enormously with the vagaries of heat and humidity playing havoc with the coffee particle size coming out of your grinder. Or you can buy fractional packs, which have been nitrogen flushed to remove oxygen and preserve freshness.

A doctorate in nuclear engineering is not required to understand that fractional packs will always produce a better, and more consistent brew than a whole bean programme. The difference between local/regional coffee roasters is not in the roasting. Anyone can set themselves up as roaster. Even you. Buy some green beans and toss them into your hot air popcorn popper, and Voila you have air-roasted some coffee. And provided you didn’t cremate them, they probably smell wonderful. No, the difference in coffee roasters is how they buy the coffee, where they buy their coffee, how they blend the coffee, and most importantly (and this is really where the women are separated from the girls/ politically correct phraseology) how they pack the coffee.

Coffee’s enemies are heat, oxygen, light and humidity. Therefore coffee that does not arrive in your restaurant in foil/film wrapped, hermetically sealed bags will lose its freshness within a day or two. BUT, packing equipment is very expensive to buy and run, and this where the difference lies between a roaster dedicated to ensuring freshness in your patron’s coffee cup, and one who does not have what it takes.

And now dear readers to summarize :

Correctly clean and calibrated coffee brewers (try saying that after drinking a couple of martinis)

Clear, pure, and great tasting water.

Good fresh coffee, from a hermetically sealed portion/fractional pack.

Follow these simple rules and your clients will leave with a smile instead of a grimace.

Some differences between bluetooth and infrared

f you are not sure about Bluetooth and what it is, perhaps we can enlighten you a bit. To be sure, it has nothing to do with being unhappy with the market your dentist did when he last cleaned your teeth.

What Bluetooth is is a terrific ppiece of technical knowledge that helps to bring with it the promise of freedom from cables along with the simplicity in networking that has yet to be matched by LAN. It can and is used in a variety of electronic devices, the most familiar to most people being the cellular phone. For more information on audio devices, please go to foraudio. com.

Unlike infrared technology, Bluetooth isn't a line of sight method and it provides ranges of up to 300 plus feet. It uses very low power which means it is ideal for integration into tiny battery powered devices. To put it short, the applications with Bluetooth are virtually endless.

In the essential and profitable marketplace of wireless and handheld devices, the closest competitor to Bluetooth is infrared. Infrared holds many key interesting features, although the line of sight it provides doesn't go through walls or through obstacles like that of the Bluetooth technical knowledge. Therefore, it's application in the workplace are limited.

However, the greater range and radio frequency (RF) of Bluetooth make it much suseptible to interception and attack. For this very reason, infrared has yet to be dispensed with completely and is considered by many to be the complimentary technical skill to that of Bluetooth. And the main reason for that is that infrared has inherent security isssues due to its line of sight. Another major differentiation between infrared and Bluetooth is in the data rates. Infrared can have data rates of up to 4 MBps, which provides very fast rates for data transfer, while Bluetooth only offers 1 MBps. Although there are a few disadvantages, Bluetooth still remains the best for short range wireless technical skill.

Is Bluetooth difficult for a non-technical types? Not really. Once you have been around Bluetooth for a while, you'll find yourself right at home with the use and application of the technical know-how. All you need to do is play around with it, and read books or manuals whenever you get the chance. In no time at all you'll be a professional in the vast world of Bluetooth wireless.

Bluetooth currently has hundreds of devices, making it the best wireless solution in the world. With additional devices comingout daily, you can bet that Bluetooth will be around for a very long period of time.

Bluetooth has several positive features and one would be completely hard pressed to find downsides when given the current competition. The only real downsides are the data rate and security, but if those things are not urgent to you in your application, it's difficult to beat.

Las supersticiones en los casinos

La mayorнa de los jugadores casino siguen una cultura de las apuestas que es muy personal. Estas consisten en ciertas creencias, supersticiones, objetos, vestimentas y hбbitos que deben o no deben hacer a la hora de jugar. Es importante tener un procedimiento en el casino para poder apostar con mбs seguridad. Prуximamente te presento una serie de hбbitos y creencias respetadas por muchos jugadores profesionales. Son solo lo que algunos dicen que es cierto, no necesariamente lo son.

La primera es entrar y salir por la misma puerta del casino, lo cual es creнble que traiga buena suerte. Sin embargo, algunos creen que trae mala suerte hacerlo.

Otra de las creencias es a la hora de jugar a los Dados, es importante soplarlos antes de tirarlos en la mesa del juego. Dicen que puede traer buenos resultados.

En el pуquer, dicen que jugar una carta que se cayу al piso durante el juego no es conveniente, y puede traer mala suerte. Usar vestimenta negra puede traer mala suerte en el casino.

Los objetos de la suerte tambiйn son parte de la cultura de los casinos. Estos sirven para acompaсar a los jugadores en los juegos trayendo buena suerte. La pata de conejo, muсecos de peluche, una foto de un familiar querido, una piedra, o trйbol de cuatro hojas son algunos de los clбsicos objetos de la suerte.

Las piedras de la suerte estбn clasificadas por meses. La de Enero es Granate, Febrero Amatista, Marzo Aguamarina, Abril Diamantes, Mayo Esmeralda Junio Perla, Julio Rubн, Agosto Olivino, Septiembre Zafiro, Octubre Уpalo, Noviembre Topacio, y Diciembre Turquesa.

Jugar con dinero de otros jugadores dicen que trae buena suerte. Sin embargo, otros creen que apostar con su propio dinero es mбs conveniente.

En el casino, las supersticiones de donde jugar, donde sentarse, son muy importantes. Por ejemplo, elegir la mesa en donde apostaras tu dinero generalmente es la misma. Los jugadores tienen su mesa habitual que les ha traнdo muy buena suerte en el pasado. El asiento tambiйn es de respectiva importancia. Sentarse cerca de alguien quien creas que te traerб suerte es muy comъn, tanto como sentarse cerca de alguien quien no confнas no es recomendable.

La vestimenta es parte de las costumbres de los jugadores. En general dicen que vestir de negro no es conveniente, sin embargo la mayorнa de los jugadores lucen traje negro.

Muchos, tienen sus nъmeros de la suerte escogidos. El 7 es considerado uno de los mбs comunes, mientras que el 13 no trae buena suerte. Tampoco se acostumbra dejar dinero arriba de la mesa de juego, porque quiere decir que el jugador gano demasiado y suficiente.

Sin duda, todas estas costumbres son muy subjetivas y depende en lo que uno cree o no cree. Pero si lo crees, es mejor que lo hagas!

Can you get free treatment for bipolar disorder

Unfortunately, many people with bipolar symptoms are unable to get the treatment, medications and support they require due to financial difficulties. There is an option, however.

Some people with bipolar disorder receive medication and/or psychosocial therapy at no charge by volunteering to participate in clinical studies (clinical trials). Clinical studies involve the scientific investigation of illness and treatment of illness in humans.

Clinical studies in mental health can yield information about the usefullness of a medication or a combination of treatments, the efficacy of a behavioral intervention or type of psychotherapy, the reliability of a diagnostic procedure, or the success of a prevention method.

Clinical studies also guide scientists in learning how illness develops, progresses, lessens, and affects both mind and body. Millions of Americans diagnosed with mental illness lead healthy, productive lives because of information discovered through clinical studies.

These studies are not always right for everyone, however. It is important for each individual to consider carefully the possible risks and benefits of a clinical study before making a decision to participate.

In recent years, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has introduced a new generation of "real-world" clinical studies. They are called "real-world" studies for several reasons. Unlike traditional clinical trials, they offer multiple different treatments and treatment combinations.

In addition, they aim to include large numbers of people with mental disorders living in communities throughout the U. S. and receiving treatment across a wide variety of settings. Individuals with more than one mental disorder, as well as those with co-occurring physical illnesses, are encouraged to consider participating in these new studies.

The main goal of the real-world studies is to improve treatment strategies and outcomes for all people with these disorders.

In addition to measuring improvement in illness symptoms, the studies will evaluate how treatments influence other important, real-world issues such as quality of life, ability to work, and social functioning. They also will assess the cost-effectiveness of different treatments and factors that affect how well people stay on their treatment plans.

The Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD) is seeking participants for the largest-ever, "real-world" study of treatments for bipolar disorder. To learn more about STEP-BD or other clinical studies, see the Clinical Trials page on the NIMH Web site at nimh. nih. gov, visit the National Library of Medicine's clinical trials database at clinicaltrials. gov, or contact NIMH.

How lazy linking can boost your online profits

Every webmaster knows that highly targeted traffic can be converted into online earnings but for most online entrepreneurs, acquiring visitors is a huge challenge.

One of the best ways to ensure a steady flow of targeted traffic to your website is by ranking high in the search engines for particular keywords and key phrases that define your business. Backlinks are one of the vital tools that can help you rank higher – but you don’t have to spend hours each day on trading links manually.

The alternative comes from automated link exchange software and directories. Websites offer you such opportunities like getting links from other webmasters who have joined the same program. A few examples of these link exchange directories are:

o Gotlinks. com

o Linkdiy. com

One of the most interesting offers on the market today is, however, automated linking, which follows the same “lazy linking” theme but also creates extra incentive for it’s members: when someone signs up, they get a 50% monthly commission from everyone who signs up under them.

o MyLinkMachine. com

Lazy linking versus manual link exchanges

One of the cons associated to automated linking websites is that you don’t have so much control over who your link partners are and on the status of your backlinks. While this was a real problem a few years ago, when the links were directed to your site in bulk and you had absolutely no way of filtering them, today all great automated link exchange websites offer 100% control over your link partners.

In other words, you can filter out website link exchange partners that are not related to the topic your website is on (this is really important with the search engines, who want to see backlinks from related websites).

Since this major argument against automated link exchanges has been eliminated, we are mostly left with the benefits:

* Save time – since everything is automated, you don’t have to check your email, get the code from a link partner, go into your web editing software, do the exchange and then send confirmation to the other webmaster. With link directories like MyLinkMachine. com, the website does all that for you.

* Get more link partners – it’s so much easier to find link partners in a common area such as the link exchange directories, rather than emailing individual webmasters who might not even be interested in an exchange.

* Get more links than you could ever get with manual link exchange – the truth is that manual link exchange demands a lot of time and patience, not to mention an excellent organizational skill to manage all your link exchanges.

Automated link exchanges eliminate all these difficulties and it will only take you minutes to accomplish what a manual link exchange campaign would take at least a few hours.

Listening devices aid plumbers wild life lovers

There are all types of listening devices available on the market today. The can be as large as a twenty inch parabolic dish, as small as a wristwatch, or even as small as a matchstick lapel microphone.

Listening devices have many more uses than just surveillance work, too. Listening devices such as the Bionic Ear have been used for magnifying animal sounds for personal safety, recording bird calls for nature photography, and were even used during Desert Storm. You can even use listening devices with your recorder to make fantastic recordings as gifts.

Some listening devices can be added onto a camera or DVR system. Other devices can accurately pick up sound from as far as three hundred yards. Listening devices can increase sound up to thirty decibels and record with concert-hall quality sound. There are other listening devices called concrete microphones or electro-acoustic receivers that can pick up minute vibrations like those given off by a bomb, and professional plumbers can even use them to locate leaky pipes in the foundation of homes. Naturally, they can also be used to identify voice leakage and their sources in a room, as well. They can detect vibrations in virtually any solid surface whether it’s steel, glass, concrete or wood.

One of the best uses for listening devices is to amplify sound for the hearing impaired. These listening devices can pick up sound from as far away as one hundred yards, and they are small enough to fit into a woman’s purse or a man’s shirt pocket. One of the best features about these listening devices is that they minimize feedback and scratchiness and weigh as little as three ounces.

Jamaica s all-inclusive resorts leaders in destination weddings

Long before destination weddings were the rage, couples were quietly flying down to Jamaica for romantic beachside ceremonies. The all-inclusive resorts on the former British island have been catering to wedding – and honeymoon – couples for decades and have perfected the destination wedding to an art form. The island's resorts range from the casual to the elegant to the slightly risquй. Consider one of the following for your wedding or honeymoon:

Sandals Resorts

With seven resorts on Jamaica, guests of Sandals can enjoy the historic south shore of the island, active Montego Bay, or the casual atmosphere and seven-mile white sand beach at Negril. These couples-only resorts include everything: accommodations, all meals, premium drinks, golf, land and water sports, scuba, transportation to and from the airport, and all tips and taxes.

One of the innovators in destination weddings, Sandals offers a wide range of options for bridal couples and each couple is assisted by a designated wedding planner. The basic Sandals wedding package, which is free to couples staying seven nights or longer, includes a picturesque location for the ceremony, a marriage license and all of the necessary documentation, one 5"x7" wedding photograph, a wedding officiant, a wedding cake, a Champagne and hors d'oeuvres reception for four, flowers for the bride and groom, a gourmet honeymoon dinner, and breakfast in bed the morning after the wedding.

Additional features may be added, including music, additional flowers, and additional photography. Sandals also has an exclusive agreement with Preston Bailey, party planner to the stars, and offers three of his elegant coordinated wedding packages.

SuperClubs

SuperClubs operates a diverse collection of Jamaican resorts, each with their own emphasis and flavor. All resorts include accommodations, meals, drinks, land and water activities, scuba, tennis, golf, use of the fitness facility, transportation to and from the airport, and taxes all in one price.

SuperClubs has been hosting destination weddings for over 30 years and each of the company's resorts has onsite wedding planners to assist with all of the special details. SuperClubs also offers a free basic wedding package to couples staying at least three nights at one of their resorts. The basic package includes the marriage license, preparation of all the necessary documentation, minister fees, recorded music for the ceremony, witnesses if necessary, Champagne, a decorated wedding area, a wedding cake, flowers for the bride and groom, a candlelit dinner for the bride and groom, and breakfast in bed for the wedding couple on the morning after the wedding.

SuperClubs in Jamaica all have their own personality. These resorts include:

• The Grand Lido - The flagship of the SuperClubs brand, the Grand Lido Resort sits on 22 acres of tropical gardens at the edge of Negril's famous Seven-Mile Beach. The resort is a consistent award-winner and holds the AAA four-diamond distinction.

• Hedonism II – The somewhat risquй Hedonism II bills itself as a modern Garden of Eden. Among its many features, the relaxed and casual resort boasts two beaches – one of which is "clothing optional."

• Negril Beach Villa – This self-contained Spanish-style villa, located right on Negril's Seven Mile Beach, is ideal for housing the entire wedding party. The villa comes with its own cook, gardener, and butler to cater to your every need.

The lush tropical landscape and friendly people of Jamaica make the island an ideal honeymoon or wedding destination. Enjoy its many beaches, shopping for unique art and crafts, and the singular – and spicy – Jamaican cuisine.

The 7 secret keys to wealth - key 1 add value

This article is one out of seven that I wrote about wealth. The whole series contain a lot of free valuable information about key factors that can help you become wealthy. The rich do things in a different way. That difference is the one I want to explain here. Let’s scrutinize together these strategies that can make you more money and help you boost your income.

The whole series contain the following articles . . .

1. Add Value.

2. The Multiple Streams of Income.

3. Passive Income.

4. Residual Profits.

5. Leverage.

6. Specialization.

7. Compound Interest.

Now, based on my own experience I believe that one of the faster and safer methods to create wealth is to add value to other people’s lives. You see. I believe that wealth can be created. The rich often become rich by offering better technology to other people than the one they already have. After all, that’s the idea behind capitalism.

The idea is to become rich by enriching other people’s lives. If you focus on making money, chasing money, growing money, getting money, you may stay poor. If you think about solutions, how to come up with solutions to other people’s problems you may become rich one day.

The beauty of this is that you don’t have to force people to give you their money. You don’t have to steal, cheat, lie, deceive. In fact you don’t need to make big efforts. You don’t need to beat up anybody in business. If you come up with creative solutions to common problems and learn how to market the ideas effectively, people from all around the world will be willing to give you their money in exchange for the products and services that you offer them.

Your goal like mine is to make money. That’s how we exchange values today. Money is turning into a drug in society lately, because many people can’t understand how the system works. Before money was invented people could understand much better the concept of creating wealth.

This is how it used to work. Let’s say that you were a farmer, so you had lots of food. Other person in the same town was a carpenter. So, whenever you needed some furniture for your house, you went to the carpenter and exchanged values with him. He agreed to make the furniture for you in exchange of some food for his family and himself.

In some way you agreed to work certain amount of time on your farm rising crops for others while others agreed to spend time working on their businesses for you. That’s how it used to work and that’s how it still works today but with a small change. Today we use money as a mean of exchange.

The reason we exchange values is because we humans can’t be expert in everything. We use a special kind of social leverage. I do something for you because this is my specialty and you do something for me because that’s your specialty.

The only difference is that today we use money as an intermediary which makes it even easier to exchange one value for other. Now I don’t have to waste time with the carpenter agreeing how much I think a bag of beans is worth compared with a chair. The carpenter sells the furniture for certain amount of money and I know since the beginning if I want to purchase it or not.

Money is simple. Some people want to make it complex but it is not. Now I don’t know if you have noticed something here. If all we do is to exchange value, then society doesn’t advance. We would still be in stone age. It would be something like this: I get some bananas for you and you hunt some animals for me.

You reap what you sow. That’s why when you enrich society, you yourself become rich! So, adding value can make you money, but it won’t necessarily make you wealthy. In fact even if you work for yourself and you are able to become financially free at a young age, it is probable that you still will have to work a lot if all you do is to exchange values.

Then how do you become wealthy? By creating values. You need to find solutions to common problems. The better your solution is the more money you can expect to make. Most people still get it wrong when they discover this.

Let’s say that you find a common problem and you decide to write a book about it. Your book contains information to all those people that are facing this problem and it helps them solve it. Now, analyze this, how many books about the same subject aren’t out there containing information about how to solve that problem?

Unless your book is among the best ones on the market then you still have not created something new. You have added value but your perceived value in the eyes of the general population is too low.

Wealth is not directly proportional to your efforts. In fact it has been said that “Poverty is a big effort that produces a small result while riches is a small effort that produces a big result.” You may think that you have created a diamond, but if most people don’t like it, think it is too expensive or are not willing to buy it, then you won’t make any money and you will be frustrated.

It is important to understand what people want so you can give them what they want. People want better technology, cheaper energy prices, more money, more knowledge, fresh new information, among other things. Your income will be directly proportional to the general perceived value of your efforts to improve the lives of others.

Of course there are people that make some money stealing and committing illegal acts, but graves and jails are full of those kind of people don’t you think? I don’t blame nor judge those who take that path. It is their own decision and I respect that, but as I said before, there is a safest path.

Most people in society make money by adding value to others, otherwise society as we know it couldn’t exist. If you wake up every day and go to work on your job, whatever your job is, if it is legal, then most probably you are adding value in some way to the life of others.

If you choose to work for yourself because you want to become rich or financially free and you do something, make something, build something or offer some services to other people, you may still not become rich until you realize that you need to create values. If your perceived value is too high, even if you do not create something huge you still may become rich.

For example if you have the funds required to build houses or residential real estate and you hire a custom home builder company, you may generate a huge income this way. One general problem that people have is that they need a house where to live. Houses are very expensive.

A new house is a general solution to a common problem. You are still not creating something new. There are millions of houses out there, but the perceived value of what you are doing is so huge that you may become rich within a few years. “The easiest way to make money is to help other people make money.” The easiest way to become rich is to enrich other people’s live.”

If you lie, steal, cheat or deceive, you may be disappointed of the results. No body is stupid. People that make money the wrong way and get away with it are experts on their field. Amateurs often get caught and get in trouble. You see. Society is competitive. Life is though, but it is also pretty, specially if you play by the rules.

Some people like the gray area. Gambling and trading fall under this category. Both of these are quicksand. Today you are above and tomorrow you are bellow. I trade the financial markets and I love it. I gamble from time to time. I play the lottery sometimes just for fun.

I don’t lose the real thing from my sight though. This includes the time and effort that I devote to my activities. Instead of sitting in front of a slot machine for hours, I sit down and write a few articles that could help or improve the life of somebody, somehow, somewhere. I devote must of my working time to adding value and whenever I can I create some values I do it too.

I understand you. Creating value is very hard. I know. To come up with creative solutions to common problems is not easy. That’s the beauty of it. If it were easy someone would have done it already. If no one have discovered a solution to that problem is because it is hard.

You don’t have to do it yourself though, but there is always a price to be paid. You can spend time and think hard how to do it or you hire someone to do it for you and pay them. That’s what many company do. They hire qualified employees like engineers, software developers, etc, to come up with the solutions and pay them substantial incomes for their efforts.

Some employees feel exploited because they have to produce more than they earn otherwise the company would go bankrupt. Did you understand what I just said. If you have a job, you will probably have to produce more than what you earn, otherwise the company that you work for would go bankrupt. It is how the system works, believe it or not.

In the other hand, no one prohibits you from starting your own company if you live in a free market economy. If you ever find a way to work for yourself, you will realize how productive your efforts really are. When you no longer have a boss who tells you what to do, when you are on your own, you will see if as an employee you were underpaid or overpaid. You never know for sure unless you try it.

I have being working for myself for quiet some time and I used to work for other companies in the past. Now I can compare. In some jobs I was underpaid, while in others I received more than I deserved.

Some people start working for themselves and become millionaires within 6 months. Others go back, find another job and stay as employees for the rest of their lives.

The bottom line is as follows. The first key to creating wealth in your life is to add value to the life of others. Your wealth will depend on the perceived value of your efforts in the eyes of society. On a free market economy people bid with their wallets.

If you are a doctor working for a hospital and you make a quarter of a million dollars per year, within four years you can become a millionaire based on your income alone if you save it all. If you use part of your income and save another portion of it, you still can become a millionaire even if you don’t save it all.

That’s because the perceived value that you add is high and your income indeed is also high. The same with lawyers and home builders. The same with many other professions, products and services that are in high demand. If in the other hand you do something that anyone can do, then your perceived value by society will be too low. Unless you become very good at it, you won’t make a lot of money. Then you have the second choice.

Create something new. Create something that’s really new. A new market that didn’t exist before. A product that is really innovative and solve a real problem. A service that truly help people solve a problem. Something that do not exist yet. Simply something new. Create a good solution to a common problem.

Next you will have to learn how to capitalize on your idea. Creating is not enough. Other people will try to still your idea. The better your stuff is the more coveted it will be. Others may hate you because you are smart. Expect to make money with this for a few years. The very moment that people find out your thing is profitable, they will start trying to copy it even if you patent it.

They will attempt to go around it. They will make a big effort to make money from it. It seems that is easier to copy/steal other people’s work than to burn neurons and come up with a solution to a problem. That’s why if you do it, if you take the time to develop something new, create values and help people to really solve a problem, you stand the chance to be on top of everybody else on that field. You simply created it. You are the owner.

When in two or three years people start copying you, it would be too late for them. You already made your millions. You became wealthy. You reaped what you sowed. Now you may move on and create something else if you want or retire and live in peace.

Just don’t forget that the better your idea is, the more envy it will generate as well as others will try to steal it. If you can stand all that and discover how to market your ideas effectively you will be on your very own path to wealth.

Last but not least. Add more value than what you expect to receive. What? You may ask. The only way you can possible do that and be joyous at the same time is through leverage, which I explain on one of the other articles on this series. People will happily exchange their values (money) with yours if they perceive that what you are giving them is greater than the money they are paying you for it.

There is a lot of manipulation going on in today marketplace because of this. All to make the clients feel that they are getting more than what they are paying for. That’s not good. You can be honest and make lots of money at the same time.

Remember this, to be successful, people need to perceive that they are getting more than what they are paying. The only way you can achieve this is through leverage. Otherwise you will have to work too much to satisfy your clients tastes and needs.

I share more information about leverage in my other article. I hope this article was helpful to you and increased your understanding of how to create more wealth in your life. There are many myths surrounding this subject, but the basics have always being the same.

EasyWebRiches © 2006

All you need to know about travel humidors

Early models of travel humidors were patterned after air-tight cases in which the cigar aficionado placed cigars already maintained in a cellar humidor. This worked well except that when one opened the travel humidor, since the maintained humidity existed as a result of already moist cigars, each time the humidor was opened, humidity would escape and the ambient humidity of the room replaced the humidity that had been inside the travel humidor.

When humidors where first created by Zino Davidoff in the early 20th century, we were large cellar humidors which certainly made for restricted travel. One now had the ability to strive for the perfect cigar, but only from home. Most people would agree that the feasibility of travelling with a large room did not exist, and still does not, even today. A dilemma arose as to how to preserve a moist cigar while travelling.

Today humidors can be found that are battery-powered or can be plugged into any available AC outlet or a combination of both. While these types of humidors are more functional than ostentatious, we can be made of any materials in varying shapes and designs, suited to the taste of even the most discriminating smoker.

Most travel humidors are made of very durable plastic, designed to withstand the rigors of being moved about and for its lightweight portability.

Travel humidors now meant that a society that is becoming increasingly more mobile as a result of the prevalence of automobiles and air is no longer demanded to choose between having a perfect cigar and being tied to home or having to leave behind one's favorite pastime to travel.

Term life insurance company - how to compare them and choose the best for you

There are some companies that only sell term life insurance but they are the exception and not the rule. Term only life insurance companies are usually companies that are proponents of buy term and invest the difference. Most life insurance companies sell both term and permanent life insurance. There are some life insurance companies that have affiliates that sell supplemental policies to support their wide range of life insurance products. Shopping for term insurance is relatively easy but the number of life insurance companies that sell term insurance is staggering. There are a number of things to consider when you choose a life insurance company. How do you want to be serviced? That is an important question to answer because that will help determine what kind of life insurance company will best service your needs.

If you would like to have ongoing professional advice then you need to look at insurance companies that distribute their products through agents. There is an increasing number of people that prefer to do everything themselves either over the internet or by telephone with customer service representatives. There are insurance companies that do business this way as well. Once you have determined your preference then you can narrow down the insurance companies that fit your needs. This kind of evaluation will save you a lot of time when entering a rather large insurance marketplace.

The next step is to ask yourself why you are purchasing life insurance. This will give you a better idea about what kind of policy to look for when obtaining quotes. Debt coverage is usually best protected with term insurance. You may want to look at companies with extensive term portfolios. There are a lot of reputable insurance companies and they are highly regulated by their individual state’s insurance commissioner. There is a rating bureau called AM Best that gives a rating to each insurance company according to their financial strength. You can find this book in most libraries.

There is a story in every digital picture frame

Are you running out of space to display your favourite photographic memories? Fidelity Electronics has introduced state-of-the-art technology that allows you to view your personal photos on a high-resolution digital picture frame. This new technology allows photos that are being hidden away to re-appear again giving them the pride and place they so rightly deserve for all to see and admire. Each ingenious product has all the high technology, modern design and requisite features one requires for displaying precious and memorable moments.

Over the last year, Fidelity Electronics of Canada has been intensely involved in developing the digital photo and picture frame market. Fidelity recently launched their newest Digital Picture Frame, the DPF-1500 Pro with 1GB of internal memory, and an impressive 15" high-resolution color LCD screen.

Fidelity now carries 9 models of different digital picture frames each with different capabilities and styles. Useful features include, rotation, zoom, auto start and auto format. Many of the frames are also multimedia and play MPEG video and MP3 music on built in stereo speakers.

Digital picture framing will offer a new visual experience to people of all walks of life, from the high-tech pro for a traditional sales presentation to the grandmother that wants to display family photos on the mantel or hanging on the wall.

All frames have the capability of being viewed directly from all popular digital memory cards - without the need for a computer, camera or Internet connection and most include internal memory So you can sit back, relax and enjoy showcasing your photos. Imagine the conversations it will create as you, your friends and family admire your digital images! For something different, music can also be added making it the perfect presentation tool...

The love of photos really has no boundaries, all your vacation shots, party photos, baby snaps and other personal photos can come to life in just one picture frame, giving you a stylish touch to an instant photo gallery! It’s another marvellous breakthrough in the field of digital photograph framing. If you are looking to achieve a modern display of high resolution digital photo frames that offers crisper graphics, then bid farewell to the old photo lab and other obsolete contraptions and enjoy your photo memories with the new look of today.

With auto start and auto format functions all Fidelity Electronics products are effortlessly stylish while remaining perfectly functional in the same breath, making anyone of their range of digital picture frames the perfect presentation tool.

Seo - pagerank and link popularity are not the same thing

A definition of both P It's important to note that Google PageRank is not the same thing as link popularity.

Two concepts that are commonly confused when it comes to search engine optimization are page rank and link popularity. Page rank focuses only on the quantity and popularity of your links in the search engines. Link popularity however refers to the “quality” of your links. These are not interchangeable turns as Pagerank is actually a term that is part of the definition of Link Popularity.

All of the major search engines’ algorithms do assess link popularity in one way or another. The two main types of links that seem best to boost your link popularity are links form relevant categories in big Internet directories and links from similar sites to your own that are focused on the same keyword phrases that your site is. These sites are considered to be high quality sites.

If you want to avoid sabotaging yourself then stay away from links that the search engines might consider to be low quality such as Free For All Sites. You are particularly cautioned against using one of those “Link to 1000 Targeted Sites for Free” type programs as they will only serve to lower your link popularity in the eyes of the search engine. Although they might increase your page rank temporarily (maybe for just a few days) this type of link farming might actually completely sabotage your link popularity. It’s just not worth it. Never do anything to sacrifice your link popularity which is much more crucial to your website’s overall success.

Usually there is no need to sweat over you link popularity if you have not done anything that the search engines may not like such as hire a company that specializes in link farming to enhance your SEO. Offering a quality product or service at a reasonable cost is usually the best way to get other quality sites to link to you.

Why not a stag party in budapest

Split down the middle by the Danube river, yet inundated with great bars, outrageously fit Hungarian women, and with the heat of the South European sun beating down - Hungary's Budapest should be top of your list for a stag party location this year.

The capital of Hungary is quickly becoming one of Europe's most sought after destinations. Either side of the Danube lie the historic Buda, or the cosmopolitan centre of nightlife and shops that is Pest - acting as an intoxicating mix for a great stag weekend. Why not explore this vibrant, cultural city before the hoards of tourists descend to make it another crowded Paris.

Whatever you have planned, Budapest is so diverse that you will always find something to do in this "Paris of the East". Whether it's eating and drinking at one of the hordes of ludicrously cheap city bars, relaxing out the day after in one of the 123 registered thermal spas or simply checking out Buda's historic castle - this Eastern European capital never sleeps.

So prepare for a trip of sights, sun and wild stories to tell. Just remember to book your Monday off work. Its probably best really.

Budapest in a nutshell:

- Weekend on a shoestring? No issue. Have a beer for 80p, and dine for less than a fiver,

- Soak up the sun with some of the highest summer temperatures in Europe.

- Adventure sports, Trabant rallying and absailing in the Pilis Mountains. You may want to lay off the lager beforehand though.

Kortrijk tourist information

Kortrijk, also referred to as Courtrai, is a historical city situated in West Flanders in Belgium. Positioned on the Lys River, Kortrijk was first established by the Romans under the name of Cortoriacum. Possessing a population of over 70, 000 individuals, Kortrijk remains a thriving city: one that is surrounded by many other famous locations, tourist attractions, and popular cities in Belgium. The cities nearest to Kortrijk include Halluin, Menen, Neuville-en-Ferrain, Roncq and Wevelgem, and travellers staying in Kortrijk, will therefore find the attractions in such cities easily accessible during their stay in Belgium. Other popular cities nearby Kortrijk include Antwerp, Bruges, Brussels, Ghent, Liиge, Mechelen, Mons, Namur and Ostend.

Famed for its textile manufacturing, Kortrijk started producing both lace and linen as early as the fourteenth century. Tourists will find that Kortrijk is home to a number of spinning and finishing mills, and the Battle of the Golden Spurs actually took place very nearby historic Kortrijk, and the city has established a memorial for the battle in 1906 called the Groeningstraat, just east of the Grote Markt.

Places of interest:

The Municipal Museum of Fine Arts in Kortrijk, also known as the Stedelijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, is home to one of the finest art galleries in Belgium. The museum holds the extraordinary paintings of the sixteenth century painter, Roeland Savery, as well as the extraordinary works of other painters; a number of archaeological artifacts, ceramics, porcelain, pottery and, because the museum is housed in a seventeenth century patrician house, travellers get the opportunity to enjoy the astounding beauty of Renaissance architecture. The museum is open Saturday through Thursday and is closed on Fridays and special holidays.

Situated in the heart of Kortrijk, tourists will find the Grote Markt, a popular Kortrijk tourist attraction. Within the Grote Markt, tourists can see the World War I memorial, the ruins of the clothes hall, the Grote Markt Belfry, first built in 1307. Additionally, the official town hall of Kortrijk, the stadhuis was built around 1420, still possesses some of its original Gothic architecture and travellers can view the myriad craved statues throughout the building. Finally, if tourists possess an affinity for architecture, while staying in Kortrijk they can view the two large towers that form the Broeltorens: fortification towers established in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.

Things to do:

Guests in Kortrijk can enjoy a relaxing stroll along the River Lys or they can enjoy the many sites that a historic city like Kortrijk has to offer. Typically tourists rave about the architecture in Kortrijk. Visits can see the Menin Gate, established in 1927; a memorial for the British soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and the Church of Our Lady is just a stroll away from the Broeltowers, a short distance from Grand Place. Outside the Church of Our Lady, the ruins of the original castle that once enclosed the church still remain and the church is the oldest building in the city of Kortrijk. Further, a highlight found in the Church of Our Lady is that site seers can view paintings of all the former rulers of Flanders. Meanwhile, buildings like the Palace of Justice offer a striking contrast in terms of architecture, giving the city of Kortrijk an equally modern appeal.

Food & Drink:

For those tourists looking to get a cultural taste of Belgium’s finest foods, the most popular specialties ordered among dining tourists in Belgium are Endives with Bйchamel Sauce, Ardennes Sausages and ham, Belgian Waffles, Mussels and chips, and of course, the favorite traveling treats are Belgium chocolates. While visiting Belgium, tourist may also want to try some of the world-famous beer that Belgium offers: over 400 different brews of Belgium’s famous beer are available, including fruit bear, Stella Artois, Leffe, Hoegaarden, and Duvel, among many.

The Cafй Rouge-Kortrijk requires no reservations in advance, and has everything a hungry tourist desires. Further, the Cafй Rouge-Kortrijk possesses ultra modern architecture, its dйcor is one of sophistication and it is famed for its tea, served with a side of cake and chocolates. Diners have the option of trying fondue, flavored potato chips, soups, salads, waffles served with fresh fruit, and crиme brulee, among other fine dining options.

Alternatively, in nearby Wevelgem, tourists can dine at Biggles, a restaurant revered for their fine service and friendly atmosphere, or the La Dolce Vita, at Stationsstraat 10 near the railway station, an Italian restaurant offering pizza and tagliatelli, among other fine dishes. Finally, travellers can enjoy fine wine in almost any of the cafes in Belgium, as many of the sites have a license to sell spirits.

Hotels & Accommodation:

Center Hotel

Bed & Breakfast Full House

Kennedy Hotel

Best Western Hotel Belfort

Parkhotel

Entertainment:

The nightlife in Kortrijk offers much to the traveler looking for adult fun and entertainment. Further, while staying in Kortrijk, guests will have accesses to unlimited recreational facilities. Nearby Brussels is home to ten theaters, cinemas, discos, and entertaining clubs like the Le Fuse, Les Jeux d'Hiver and The Music Village.

Kortrijk offers more than fine accommodations, dining, as it offers easy accessibility to site seeing adventures. For instance, while visiting the Castle’t Hoge, tourists can bask in the beauty of the International Rose Garden. The Castle’t Hoge demands no entry fee and families can spend the day enjoying the scenic view. Travellers can also relax at any number of the cafes and pubs located in the Grand Place, Kortrijk. Again, many of the pubs offer the national drink of Belgium, beer, and there are over 400 fine varieties to choose from.

All of the sites in Kortrijk are easily accessible. Travellers can visit tourist attractions via rental cars or they can travel by train to other major cities in Belgium. Meanwhile, some tourists choose to cycle along the Lys River and to take in the fresh air and gorgeous view. Essentially, no matter what form of transportation tourists utilize, they will find an extraordinary abundance of things to do, see and enjoy while staying in Kortrijk, Belgium.