How to dominate your fantasy racing league

Fantasy football has been extremely popular for years and the Internet has increased the popularity of fantasy sports in general to all time highs. One of the fastest growing fantasy sports is fantasy racing. The NASCAR Nextel Cup Series has exploded in popularity over the past two decades selling out all race events and grabbing huge chunks of the TV ratings. And that, in turn, has increased the popularity of fantasy racing leagues.

There are a wide variety of fantasy racing leagues to choose from. Just like football, you can find a local office pool where you choose a driver or two each week to more sophisticated leagues that involve multi-million dollar salary caps and point systems. Some fantasy racing leagues are free and others charge a fee to participate. Contestants battle it out for bragging rights to thousands of dollars in cash and prizes.

Some consider fantasy sports games of chance but if you ask those that participate and win and finish near the top of their league(s) consistently, you will learn that fantasy sports are Games of Skill. You need to study and stay up to date on all aspects of the sport your fantasy league is based on.

For fantasy racing leagues based on the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, you need to study and chart how each driver and his team perform at each track. NASCAR is a team sport, a driver alone cannot win a race. If a driver changed teams during the off season, this may impact his performance. There are 36 races on 23 different race tracks and over 50 drivers to choose from so your notes can get quite extensive.

Wallbanger Fantasy Racing offers a helpful cheat sheet that you can individually chart drivers with. I suggest you print one and then make copies or you can come up with your own system. If you want to dominate your league, you will need 23 pages (one page for each track) for each driver you chart. You will also need a folder or binder to stay organized.

You may be asking where do I start?!? Here are some of the things that may factor in to which driver you choose at a certain race track:

Some Driver Factors you need to keep records of include:

-- How does this driver perform on short tracks like Martinsville and Loudon?

-- How does this driver perform on flat ovals like Indy and Phoenix?

-- How does this driver perform on super speedways such as Atlanta and Charlotte?

-- How does this driver performance on restrictor plate tracks? (Daytona and Talladega)

-- How does this driver perform on a Road Course?

-- Does this driver have recent multiple wins at a specific track?

-- Has the driver ever raced at this track? (Busch or Nextel Cup Series)

-- Did the driver participate in Saturday's race?

-- What is the drivers average finish at this track?

-- What is the drivers average finish this season?

-- Does your driver have teammates? How many? Do they work well together?

-- How well do the Driver and Crew Chief communicate?

-- How well does the Pit Crew perform?

-- Is the driver happy with his team?

-- Does this driver get good fuel mileage?

-- Does this driver occasionally make a mental mistake?

-- Does this driver usually hit something or get caught up in a wreck?

-- Is the driver aggressive?

-- Where is your driver in the standings? Close to a bubble spot?

Some Race Day Factors include:

-- The drivers starting position

-- The drivers location on Pit Road

-- The drivers health status (sick or injured)

-- Happy Hour speed

-- Happy Hour or Practice crash

-- Day or Night Race

-- Pre race engine change

Some Track Factors include:

-- Surface (Concrete or Asphalt)

-- Banking (Flat, Average, High Banked)

-- Track Configuration: Oval, Road Course, Other

-- Restrictor Plate Required?

-- Has a certain make of vehicle dominated this track?

-- Is gas mileage usually a factor here?

Please remember that this is racing. "Rubbing is racing" and accidents WILL happen. Your driver may get collected in "The Big One" or may simply blow a tire going into turn 3, that will happen but not as often to those that study make smart choices on race day.

The bottom line is that if you take notes and study the sport and its participants, you will finish more consistently near the top of your fantasy league standings week after week. This will ultimately land you a championship and a chance at winning some big and sometimes profitable prizes. Find more information on fantasy racing at race4cash. com

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Long term care health insurance - a closer look

Kids today face an ever growing number of temptations ranging from drinking and smoking, drugs, gambling and pre-martial sex. Unfortunately, due to their youth and inexperience they fail to realize that what they do in their youth can have a great effect on their quality of life as they grow older.

On the other hand, as people grow older and approach retirement age they begin to realize that the carelessness of their youth did have a profound effect on the quality of their life but now they are ready to do whatever it takes to remove as much risk as they can. As a result, an ever increasing trend has been the purchasing of long term care health insurance as one way of reducing the financial risk a prolonged illness poses.

Long term health insurance is one the best ways to reduce whatever fears you may have in terms of how you'll be able to take care of your health after (and in some cases at a much younger age if you are the victim of an untimely accident) retirement as well as ensure your family (your spouse, children and even your grandchildren) that they won't get saddled with the potentially huge amount of debt that can result from the high-cost of medical care. Long term care health insurance is one of the best ways to guarantee that not only will you receive higher quality care but that you won't lose a lifetime worth of savings in the process.

Because health care costs continue to rise at dramatic rates nearly every year, it's becoming increasing advisable to begin coverage much earlier in life. Traditionally, individuals wouldn't even consider long term care until nearing retirement or even until after retirement but you may want to reconsider your thinking if that's been your plan. A few big reasons you may want to consider looking into long term care health insurance as early as your mid 50's are premiums and approval. Policies taken out when someone is in their early 50's (this is still seen as a favorable age group ) is much less expensive then one initiated in their early to mid 60's and the older you get the higher the premiums.

However, if you take out a policy when you are younger you will continue to pay the same premium even as you get older. Sure, you may pay for 10, 15 or 20 years before you need it but when you do need it you'll have much better coverage.

Another big reason you may want to consider taking out a policy earlier in life is that you greatly increase your odds of getting approved with no riders or other exclusions. Once you get hurt or sick and realize you need long term health insurance then it's too late to get coverage because no insurance company will issue you a policy - at any price.

If you're currently a little older and you have other income besides your Social Security benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and you absolutely have no trouble paying for your daily needs and all your monthly expenses then you should definitely look into a long term care health insurance plan.

Once you make the decision to look into purchasing a long term care health insurance plan you need to be aware that whatever company you talk too will assess your health and you current state of life before issuing you a policy. That will assess your ability to handle the Activities of Daily Living (ADL).

These so-called Activities of Daily Living are activities like: taking a bath, continence, dressing yourself, eating by yourself, going to the toilet (without any help from others) and getting yourself in and out of bed. If you can't most if not all of these activities you change of getting approved and a policy issued is greatly reduced.

On the other hand, different companies use different approval criteria and there are different types of policies you can apply for. Some policies are geared towards home health care or having a personal home nurse while others are designed for care to be received while staying in a long term care facility. You will be given the option to choose the type of plan you would like when you apply but like most things, you pay for what you get and different plans come will different price tags. Just make sure you thoroughly understand all your options first and if you feel pressured and uncomfortable then politely move on to the next company to apply.

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Making the most of the outdoors decks

With spring approaching, many of us are dying to get outdoors, some of us are itching to refinish our wooden decks and others of us are resisting the urge to rush out and plant our seeds too early!

Decks usually need re-finishing every three years or so, and it will soon be dry enough to make a start. Preparation of decking (or any exterior wood) is very important. Wood is more prone to difficulties than other materials are and it must be well protected from the elements, particularly direct sunlight and heavy rain.

Decks cannot be finished until the weather is quite dry; this is because the deck wood needs to be completely dried out before applying sealers etc.

If you decide to re finish your deck, you will need to do it in two stages; first there is the stripping and cleaning and then there is the finish - either paint or stain. All decks need to have water repellant and preservative applied to them, preferably not by spray but by hand painting. Even redwood and cedar need a water repellant.

Common problems include flaking paint, mold and discoloration, usually from exposure to the elements. If you find isolated patches of flaking paint you can scrape and sand it off and simply re-prime it then paint it over.

Mold will usually indicate moisture from somewhere, so check your down pipes or see if your gutters are full of leaves. This can be remedied by washing the wood with a fungicide and then once you are sure it has been rinsed off and dried properly, apply primer and paint.

In some cases there may be mold or rotting wood from termites, in which case cut the wood, burn it and replace. Keeping the paint jobs up to date is often a deterrent for termites. Bare wood soon turns gray but the color may be able to be brought back with wood cleaner and then you can apply a natural finish.

Bad cracks need to be filled with filler that has some flexibility before priming the area and repainting. When you apply stripper, roll the stripper onto the deck (water based stripper will not harm plants) and force yourself to wait 20 minutes.

Use a garden hose to wash off or a power washer. (Note: if you use a power washer you may have to sand the wood afterwards to get rid of the fuzzy effect from the friction of the washer.) After two or three days to let it dry you can finish off the prep.

If you are using paint, the higher the price - the better the quality, the words premium or quality may be an indicator. Of course, you will pay more, but how long does it take you to paint a deck? Maybe you will save yourself extra labor time if you do not have to repaint it for five years instead of three. Look for water repellant qualities and UV blockers.

Some painters recommend two coats of primer sealer and one of top coat and some recommend two coats of top coat and one of primer! It would seem that one or the other of the paints better have two coats! Using a quick drying self priming alkyd paint is ideal.

If you want to go with staining, a stain that is heavy bodied will show up the grain but not the texture, whereas lighter bodied will still show the texture. Coat the stain with a sealer once it is dry, one that says it is 'non chalking' to avoid your finish being rubbed off with wear.

A protective finish will make your work last longer no matter which effect you are going for. If the deck is new remember to let it weather for a month or two so that it will better absorb the stain; also seal any knots in the wood before you primer.

If your deck is new redwood or cedar and you want it to have that bleached and weathered look, you can now buy decking bleach to get this 'aged' look almost instantly (well overnight!). Well, now you know how to make an old deck look brand new and how to make a brand new deck look old. Yes, life is strange at times ....

Remortgage - what is it and why you should do it

Remortgage can be defined in two different ways. The first is when a homeowner takes out a loan, using their property or the equity in their property as collateral, when they already have a loan on the property. The second definition is when a homeowner changes their current loan to a new lender.

Remortgaging by taking a loan out on existing property is usually referred to as a home equity loan. Since the homeowner really does not own their home, since they are still paying to the bank, they can not actually use the home as collateral.

However, homes and property go up in value over time, so the home is building equity. Equity is when the home and property is worth more than the amount of the original loan. For example, a person buys a home for $100,000 but it appraises at 150,000. This person would then have $50,000 in home equity or money that belongs to them which they do not owe the bank. They can then remortgage and get a loan for the amount of their equity.

Changing lenders is actually common. It may seem like a strange tactic, but it is very beneficial. Some people start out with a loan that may have high interest or fees because they could not get a better loan. After a couple of years their credit is better and they want to see about lower their fees and interest. This is a good time to remortgage.

Usually a remortgage is not done until after two years with the current lender. This is because most contracts include penalties for early termination of the loan, including paying it off. This is to protect the lenders interests.

The lender is in the business of making money and they do not make as much as they would like when a person ends their loan early. Usually, though, after two or three years the penalties are waived and the homeowner is free to find a different lender.

Normally when you come to the end of your fixed rate period you will be moved onto the lenders standard variable rate, where the inertest rate will be higher and fluctuate. This is when it is a good time to remortgage, switch lenders and start afresh on another fixed rate mortgage product.

Remortgaging can save a homeowner a lot of money. Especially if the original loan carried high interest due to bad credit. By remortgaging a person can find a loan with lower interest. That means lower monthly payments now and less money paid in the long run. It is a great option for the homeowner.

Some homeowners take advantage of remortgaging. They stay with one lender for a certain time until they find a better deal. By remortgaging a person can take full advantage of the opportunity to save a lot of money on their home purchase.

It is not hard to remortgage, which makes it an even better opportunity. All a person has to do is stay current on the lending trends and interest rates. They should keep their credit in good standing as well. When the time is right they can then begin to shop around and apply for better mortgage deals.

Memories on hand the beauty of class rings

The first recorded instance of class rings for a graduating class occurred at West Point in 1835. The tradition has spread, and now in the United States class rings are a common purchase by studetns, often times seen as almost an intregal part of tradition as the caps and gowns on graduation day. Class rings are a great way of not only having a living momento to your high school or college years, but also as a way to tie you to your fellow classmates, to increase that sense of comradery and belonging to something greater.

At one time class rings were genreally a single design made by the high school or college, and the only design chancge would be the graduation year, but today class rings are usually at least somewhat customized by each student. Because of this, there no longer really is a “typical” class ring, though popular generalities still exist. Men's rings are generally larger than women's. The most popular color is gold, though that differs depending on the school and company providing the rings. Students have the option of ordering rings made of white gold, silver, or different alloys of other metals. The center stone is traditionally one of the school's colors, but there are no guidelines for the size or cut of the stone, and that can easily be cusomized however a student wants. Josten's is probably by far and away the best known maker of class rings, though Balfour, Herff-Jones, and ArtCarved are three other major companies that also sell class rings to students.

The school’s name usually appears on the side, though the year of graduation is necessary on at least one side. This is, after all, the distinguishing mark that shows exactly where you belonged in the long history of whichever institution you attended. The school’s logo, motto, or insignia is also a common choice for design. Many students have their name, initials, or nickname engraved on the underside of the ring, underneath the stone, to mark it as their own. This further gives the personalized feeling to the ring, while still keeping you attatched to the larger whole. The ring belongs to you and you only, and yet the year of the class is there, the school emblem is there.

The science of phobias

Here's how phobias work.

There are two parts to your mind - one that thinks, and one that feels.

The thinking part is the conscious, rational mind that you are using now as you read this.

The feeling part is the unconscious, emotional mind. It takes care of automatic tasks like regulating the heart, controlling pain and managing our instincts.

It's the unconscious mind that is programmed to act instinctively in times of danger. It reacts very fast - making you run or fight - rather than allowing your thinking mind to philosophize while you are attacked by a tiger. This has great survival value.

The unconscious mind is also a very fast learner. The same emergency route that can bypass the rational mind in times of danger can also stamp strong emotional experiences (traumatic ones) in the unconscious mind. This makes evolutionary sense - it ensures that we have vivid imprints of the things that threaten us.

And just as we have two minds, so we have two memory systems: one for the facts and one for the emotions that may or may not go with those facts.

Sometimes, when a person experiences a very traumatic event, the highly emotional memory of the event becomes trapped - locked in the emotional brain - in an area called the amygdala which is the emotional storehouse. There is no chance for the rational mind to process it and save it as an ordinary, non-threatening memory in factual storage (in the hippocampus). Like the memory of what you did last weekend.

Instead, the emotional brain holds onto this unprocessed reaction pattern because it thinks it needs it for survival. And it will trigger it whenever you encounter a situation or object that is anything like the original trauma. It doesn't have to be a precise match.

This is pure survival again. You only need to see part of a tiger through the bushes for the fear reaction to kick in again - for the "fight or flight" response to trigger - you don't have to wait until you see the whole tiger or identify it exactly as the tiger that attacked you before. In fact, it probably only has to be something orange and black moving through the bushes. This is why the pattern matching process is necessarily approximate, or sloppy. You err on the side of safety. You don't have to have all the details to know if something is dangerous.

This is the basis of a phobia: a fear response attached to something that was present in the original trauma. The response is terror, shaking, sweating, heart pounding etc. And because of the sloppy pattern-matching it can get stuck to literally anything - animal, mineral or vegetable. It may not even be glued to the thing that caused the trauma. So a child attacked in a pram by a dog may develop a phobia of prams rather than of dogs.

It is because phobias are created in this way, by our natural psycho-neurology, that they are so common. It's the way we are wired. Approximately 10% of people have a phobia. It’s a very human thing. And it's precisely because they are created by the unconscious mind that they seem so irrational. Of course they are - the rational thinking brain hasn't had a chance to go to work on them.

Many traditional phobia treatments, including drugs, attempt to deal with the phobia by calming things down after this response pattern has triggered. They treat the symptoms, not the cause.

To treat the cause, this trapped traumatic memory has to be turned into, and saved as, an ordinary unemotional memory of a past event. The emotional tag, the terror response, needs to be unstuck from that object or situation.

This is exactly what a remarkable therapy called the Fast Phobia Cure does. It allows the phobia sufferer to review the traumatic event or memory from a calm and dissociated, or disconnected, state. The rational mind can then do its work in turning the memory into an ordinary, neutral, non-threatening one. And store it in factual memory where it should have been to start with. This happens very quickly because the mind learns fast. It learns the fear response quickly and it learns (or relearns) the neutral response just as quickly. And when that happens the phobia is gone.

Debt consolidation service in birmingham

Jane was a fun loving girl from Birmingham, you could say she lived for today. She wanted all the latest fashions and gadgets and certianly was not afraid to use her credit card to pay for them.

She had a weird philosophy on life. For some reason she believed she would die before the age of thirty, however thought that if she was still alive, she would by that stage be earning lots of money. This huge wage packet would be more than enough to pay for any debts that she accrued in her late teens and twenties.

Jane was a girl who could never say no to going on holiday with her friends. There were a number of occasions where she booked a holiday when in reality she could not afford it. Never mind, I will pay for it with my credit card and worry about it at a later date, she thought.

At the age of twenty four, Jane decided to buy a car. Not just any car, or a car for somebody on her earnings but a quite expensive model. You may be wondering how she paid for this car, it was a car loan of course.

Clothes shopping and actually shopping of any kind was a weekly must do thing for Jane. She was a true friends to shop retailers and signed up with many of stores card schemes, who's motto is buy now, pay later.

Jane had a very happy and exciting time during her late teens and twenties, however she did not die before the age of thirty. Companies started knocking at her door, asking for the debts to be repaid. Jane had loan repayments and credit card repayments coming out of her bank account on around eight different days in the month.

This was when Jane needed help and she sought the help of a debt consolidation service provider. For Jane it was now time to grow up and to live in the real world. This was very hard for her to keep track of.

Phentermine a strategic step towards weight loss

In recent times obesity is a problem facing by majority of the masses through out the globe. Over the short term many pharmaceutical companies are jumping into the bandwagon for manufacturing diet pills and claims to be the best. But the question that now arises which one to choose. Studies claims that, if a particular diet pill doesn’t help you in decreasing your weight within 4 weeks, it’s better to discard it. How ever doctor’s consultation is a must for a safe health.

Particularly diet pills for obesity helps obsessed people loose weight by suppressing appetite and crabbing their desire to have food everytime. Several diet pills are also available on the internet nowadays. But one such diet pill that is proving to be very effective is Phentermine. Approved by the US FDA as a treatment for obesity, Phentermine diet pills help over weight patient’s loose significant amount of weight within a span of 3 weeks. Anyone who uses Phentermine should always keep in mind that to loose weight it requires a mixture of well balanced diet with some exercise regimes.

Phentermine diet pills are short term treatment for obesity. It targets our neurotransmitters in the brain and changes the Serotonin levels in the brain and releases Adrenaline and other related chemicals. As a result, there is a increase in blood pressure and loss of appetite.

Since phentermine diet pills are short term and effects fast, obsessed patients can expect a considerable amount of weight in a very short period of time. This is a very important advantage over other diet medicines. Side affect like dizziness, upset stomach, nausea, and heavy sweating. But slowly and steadily as the body gets used to the drug, these affects disappears for good.

Generally a dose a day in an empty stomach is enough to receive the desire result. In case of a missing dose, don’t try to over dose it. It’s better to skip over that dose and then continue the regular schedule. For further information and for the right amount of dose consult a genuine dietician.

Is an online bank account for you you betcha it is

It’s important that you choose your bank account according to your needs. But sometimes its gets really tough for a person to open a bank account. The reason being that the bank demands two forms of ID, a utility bill and may be even a reference and you don’t have time for it.

Let not yourself be intimidated. You have got a solution - open an Online Bank Account. Do you know what is it? How can you have it? Is it safe to have a bank account online? Hold your curiosity! We have your answers.

Online banking (Internet Banking) can be said as the mode of banking where bank services like transaction, payments, etc are executed over the internet through a bank’s secure website. If you have a bank account online, you can avail the bank services even if you are not in town. Above all, online bank account helps you to avail services outside bank hours. So it’s evident that the customer availing online bank account is increasing day by day.

Are you getting worried about its safety and security?

Did you ever ponder why the number of customers having online bank account is increasing day by day? Certainly because these online banks offer facilities that enjoys the best security system. They bring their best effort to protect financial and personal information of their clients. The online bank service utilizes the advanced encryption and security software to ensure you the safety and protect your account from the hackers.

This also allows you to enjoy number of services:

1. It helps you to access your account online free via internet from the privacy of your home at day or night.

2. Depending on the type of online account you have, you are permitted to transfer your money between your accounts.

3. You can also pay your bills directly from your account. (Depending on type of online account you have; it may require some fees as well.)

4. They allow you to view your balances and also check the outstanding cheques or debts.

5. You can also download your account statement.

6. You can also process any number of online account creation or alteration.

Some guidelines to open such accounts are:

1. Choose an institution. Check what type of account you want, whether a saving account, free checking Account, etc.

2. Get to the Online bank’s website.

3. Pick up the product that matches your needs.

4. Then provide the bank with the necessary information like your name, birthday. Sometimes even Driver’s License number or Government ID.

5. Agree to abide by the rules. Also accept the responsibility for certain actions.

6. Print, sign and mail the document to the bank.

As these steps are done, you get your account open in the online bank. After a few transactions you will agree that the online bank provides you better control over your finance. Moreover opening a bank account online is easy, effective and is equipped with the services that matches your present needs.

Alternative medicine is holistic western medicine is reductionist

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The major difference between alternative medicine, or what I'll call holistic health, and Western medicine, is in approach.
A Western doctor, or MD, sees his duty as searching out disease, diagnosing it, and treating it. If he does that correctly and effectively, he's done his job. Most often, this means the doctor prescribing a pharmaceutical drug or a surgical procedure to remedy the situation. The patients is passive in all of this.
A holistic health practitioner sees her duty as an educator and a facilitator. She feels that the body can heal itself, and it doesn't necessarily need outside influences (drugs, surgery) to heal from an illness or to prevent an illness. In holistic health, the patient is an active participant.
This is the best and the worst thing about holistic health! The patient is actively involved in the healing process. Everything you know about your body says that this is the right approach. It makes so much sense. That's the good part. The bad thing about this is that it is HARD WORK for the patient. In most cases, the patient must make changes to their lifestyle. Change your diet, do more exercise, stop using sugar, do these stretches, stop negative thoughts, meditate twice a day, etc.
Making lifestyle changes is immensely difficult. The only time it's easy is when you are faced with a life-threatening disease. When you find out you have lung cancer, it's pretty easy to quit smoking. However, it's far too late by that time. Lifestyle changes need to come before the illness becomes manifest.
Let's examine one of the big differences between holistic health and Western medicine: holism versus reductionism.
Holistic versus Reductionist
This is a major shift in perspective. Taking a holistic perspective means that you cannot understand a single problem with a single part of the human body without looking at the whole person. We use the short-hand “mind, body, spirit” to refer to the whole person.
This is not how a Western doctor is taught to see a patient. He sees the patient as the disease. “This is an epileptic,” it is not a whole person who has epilepsy. He feels that he can administer a drug or perform a surgery that will cure a person's liver without making any difference to the rest of the person. Of course, this is never possible, so when the inevitable “complications” arise, the Western doctor deals with those one at a time, often causing additional problems for the person, whether in body, mind or spirit.
Even those three parts of the person are treated by separate people in Western society. The body is the domain of the medical doctor. The mind is the domain of the psychiatrist. Spirit is left to the priest, rabbi or pastor. There is no overlap in roles, except for referrals from one to the other. In our bodies, of course, there is tremendous overlap. A loss of connection to God or the universe will cause no end of mental and physical problems. Mental stress causes many physical diseases, as we well know. Who can coordinate between these in the Western system? No one. Problems falling “through the cracks” between mind, body and spirit is a common failure of Western medicine.
A holistic practitioner understands the interconnections between mind, body and spirit. They work on the connections, and, although the practitioner may not be an expert in all three, they focus on the overlaps rather than ignoring them.
In my opinion, a holistic approach is better in almost every case for almost every person. Understanding the linkages between mind, body and spirit is essential to understanding how to stay well and how to heal. Western medicine can play a part within the scope of holistic health by offering emergency solutions to problems that arise quickly and need to be fixed immediately.

In search of self

The human self is a temple of the Divine.

Life goes on. You can choose to let life flow or get stuck and just keep spinning your wheels. Each day offers a chance to look at the brighterside of life and enjoy it. Each day is a chance to be connected with your divinity. Each day heralds a new beginning. You have to be part of it.

The world never stands still. Time comes when battles that were once critical no longer top the list of priorities. That is if you learn to reconcile yourself with the past, sort out the precious lessons and move on.

Take control of your life, validate yourself, honor and respect your being and most of all, love yourself. This is not about being aggressive, domineering and always in control and confrontational. It is not about becoming self-absorbed.

Far from it. It is about offering a more compatible YOU in a relationship. There are inevitable bumps in any relationship, unavoidable falls and pitfalls. No problem lasts forever. There has to be a way to adjust your sails and enjoy the breeze, not get lost in the storm.

Take stock of your life. What are your illusions? What is your reality? How do you deal with failure, with disappointments and the other elements thatfuel stress? Are you just coping, mostly in a crisis management mode? What can you do?

Sometimes, one's world, one's hopes and dreams come crashing with a big bang, a major shaking up of life. This is a chance to take a great leap of faith, to grow and strengthen your self-trust that is eroding. Move on without fear. Fear can be paralyzing. Move on instead with self-confidence. Have faith in yourself. Faith is enduring.

Grab the chance to harness the power from the river of knowledge already flowing through your being, to take that first step to get up and move on to the next phase. Time to let go and really let go. Hanging on to personal loss builds up powerful negative blocks; these fuel anger, grief, bitterness, vindictiveness, distrust, confrontation, erodes self-confidence - all negative but very powerful energies. Over time, accumulation of these take its toll on your health.

Why allow a negative influence to knock on the door? Hurtful issues tend to get remote and forgotten. over time. Why dwell on these, the negative energy gets very powerful and takes on a life of its own. What purpose does it serve? NOTHING.

Take peace over misery any day, any time. In a world of turmoil, deception, hypocrisy and insensitivity, not to mention fighting with inner demons, peace can be elusive. Believe in the power of love and peace. Loving yourself

first enhances your capability to share that love with others.

Strengthen your personal power. Nurture your spirit, let it bring forth deep insight, thus, perspective. Search deep within, bring out the glitter from within your soul, let it radiate joy and peace. Help make this a better world.

END

Cheap car insurance

Yes! It is possible to get cheap insurance. The best way to find low cost insurance is to get insurance quotes from several different companies and then you can see what the cheapest rate is. Here is a list of some things that contribute to the cost of your insurance.

The first factor would be the area in which you reside. Insurers look at your neighbouring area. If your area has many accidents it will affect and increase your premium rate. Most of the time, you will find more fender benders in inner city area. In rural areas you might find more severe accidents. The reason for this would be because of the higher speeds on the open highway.

The second factor would be the type of car you own. If you have an older vehicle with some damage your insurance will obviously be cheaper. Owning an expensive sports car will surely increase your insurance rate.

The third factor would be young driver discounts. Some companies offer discounts for good students with a 3.0 grade point average as well as drivers training discount. If you put the two together the discount can be quite significant.

The fourth would have to be matured driver and retired discounts. Some companies can offer retirement discounts and mature driver discounts to lower the rates for senior citizens.

These were just a few things that can contribute to your insurance rate. Be sure to ask about any discounts when shopping for your car insurance. Think about where you live, your vehicle and how you arrange your coverage. If you do a little more research and educate yourself it will help you get the insurance that is right for you, and an insurance that will save you more money. So go out inform yourself and save money on your car insurance!

Curb your enthusiasm dvd review

Nominated for 20 Emmys and winner of a Golden Globe for Best Television Series (Musical or Comedy), Curb Your Enthusiasm is one of the more clever and hilarious shows on TV. The HBO original series is the brainchild of Seinfeld co-creator and writer Larry David, whose life maintains a peculiar resemblance to the quasi-fictional George Costanza. And just like George Costanza and his neurotically-low self-esteem (i. e. "God doesn't want me to be successful), Curb Your Enthusiasm propagates a Murphy's Law theme of "what can go wrong will go wrong". It's a true-to-life reality show about nothing in which every episode is certain to cause comedy connoisseurs everywhere to tremble in enthusiastic anticipation…

Curb Your Enthusiasm centers around the actual life of Larry David - post-Seinfeld and living the high life in Los Angeles. Just like Larry's other successful TV venture, the show doesn't focus entirely on plot, instead following the mundane and routine adventures of a famous Hollywood insider. And just like his alter-ego George Constanza, Larry often witnesses simple acts and gestures on his part snowball into a series of misunderstandings and embarrassing situations. Accompanying Larry on his daily adventures are his wife Cheryl (Cheryl Hines) and his manager Jeff Greene (Jeff Garlin) as well as a host of Hollywood and Broadway celebrities who make regular guest appearances... Blurring the line between fiction and reality, Curb Your Enthusiasm is the perfect sequel to Seinfeld. In a nutshell, it's a glimpse of what would've been had Jerry and George's pilot been picked up by NBC (which ultimately raises the question - who wouldn't love a show about a man sentenced to be another man's butler?)…

The Curb Your Enthusiasm DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere "The Pants Tent" in which Larry's khakis inadvertently bunch together to create a "pants tent". This innocent natural wonder becomes the source of enmity between Larry and his wife's friend Nancy. The girlfriend of Larry's new friend Richard Lewis is also offended by the incident. Meanwhile, Larry's problems compound when he phones Jeff and refers to his wife as "Hitler," unaware of the fact that Jeff's parents are listening in on speaker-phone... Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "The Bracelet" in which Larry spends an entire day attempting to purchase a bracelet for Cheryl in the aftermath of a fight they had, and "The Group" in which Cheryl becomes jealous when Larry's voluptuous ex-girlfriend Lucy bumps into the couple…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Curb Your Enthusiasm (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (The Pants Tent) Air Date: 10-15-2000

Episode 2 (Ted and Mary) Air Date: 10-22-2000

Episode 3 (Porno Gil) Air Date: 10-29-2000

Episode 4 (The Bracelet) Air Date: 11-05-2000

Episode 5 (Interior Decorator) Air Date: 11-12-2000

Episode 6 (The Wire) Air Date: 11-19-2000

Episode 7 (AAMCO) Air Date: 11-26-2000

Episode 8 (Beloved Aunt) Air Date: 12-03-2000

Episode 9 (Affirmative Action) Air Date: 12-10-2000

Episode 10 (The Group) Air Date: 12-17-2000

Camping with your dogs - ten commandments

CAMPING WITH DOGS –

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

In the U. S. alone, more than 30 million people each year take their pets with them while camping. Yet, when we first started RVing with our dogs, we were unable to find much written on the subject. Sure, there were the occasional articles in magazines that reminded us to use pet ID tags, bring plenty of water, and take their favorite toy. But in terms of providing genuine support or bottom–line information, there was nothing out there. Since it was something that we felt was badly needed, we decided to write this article.

While there are numerous issues to consider while camping with dogs, these are some of the most important.

1. Make Sure that Your Dog Can’t Get Lost

It’s one thing if your dog gets free in your neighborhood. It’s another when you’re at a rest stop, nine hundred miles from home. Either train your dog to come when called or make absolutely sure that they’re on a leash at all times.

2. Get All of their Vaccinations Up to Date

If your dog gets into an altercation with another animal (or a person), the central issue will become their rabies shots. If you stay at a campground that has a demanding pet policy, you’ll need to verify your dog’s vaccination records. If you cross into Canada, you’ll have to confirm that your dogs have had their shots. You get the idea.

3. Make Your Dogs Easy to Identify

If your dog does get lost (unfortunately, it happens all the time), the ability to easily identify them will become critical. For permanent identification purposes, consider tattoos or microchips. At a minimum, make sure they wear tags that show their name, your current phone number, and the date of their last rabies vaccination.

4. Clean Up After Your Dog

The biggest complaint about dogs has nothing to do with their bark, their bite, or their behavior. If you pick up after your dog, you’ll be helping dog owners everywhere.

5. Learn How to Provide First Aid to Your Dog

If a medical crisis occurs while at home, you drive to your local veterinarian. But if you’re heading down a dark highway in a strange town, it will seem like a bad dream. Although there are ways to get help while on the road, it always takes more time. In the meantime, your ability to provide competent first aid could save your dog’s life.

6. Involve Your Dog in Everything You Do

If you really want your dogs to have a good time, include them in your activities. Take them with you on long walks. Buy a cheap plastic wading pool and let them play in the water. Throw a ball. Cook them up a hamburger. If you do stuff like that, they’ll do cartwheels the next time you decide to take them camping.

7. Call the Campgrounds Before You Go

Even if a park claims they’re pet–friendly, always call ahead to confirm their policy regarding your dogs. We’ve arrived at parks (with our two German Shepard dogs) after a long day on the road only to discover that “pet–friendly” meant dogs weighing under 20 pounds.

8. Plan Ahead for the Unexpected

Have a plan (for your dogs) in case of a flat tire, a serious accident, or a fire in your RV. Start with a few extra leashes, a pet carrier, and an extra fire extinguisher. Then have a fire drill to identify potential problems.

9. Learn About Your Camping Environment

The U. S. is a huge country with a vast assortment of dangerous wildlife, treacherous plants, unpredictable weather conditions, and demanding environmental challenges. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you might inadvertently be putting yourself and your dog in danger.

10. Recognize and Respect the Views of Others

While some of us can’t imagine traveling without dogs, others can’t image traveling with them. If you keep your dog under control and clean up after them, you won’t give others much to grumble about.

Happy Camping with Rover!

Brainwave entrainment mp3

Why should you use a Brainwave Entrainment MP3? Maybe because you want to life longer.

Clinical evidence shows that a Brainwave Entrainment MP3 increases the levels of DHEA and Melantonin in the body of the listener. Both substances are known to play an important role in the body with respect to aging and environmental stressors. A Brainwave Entrainment Mp3 can also lower the levels of Cortisol. Cortisol can reduce the immune system and has been related to weight gain.

Some people think that they need a special audio equipment to listen to a Brainwave Entrainment MP3. But the equipment quality will not hinder the effictiveness of the Brainwave Entrainment MP3. All you need is a working CD Player or a working MP3 Player.

A Brainwave Entrainment MP3 can enhance some important part of your life. It can improve your learnig ability, creativity, problem solving ability, concentration and memory.

How to make the switch to working online part 3

I know everyone wants the magic bullet or the secret elixir to making money online, and the truth is I don’t have it. The most I can do is tell you what I have done and the things not to do in order to make the switch. The best part about not being able to tell you how to make your money online is that it will not limit you in your pursuit to do so. The sky is the limit and when you find your niche you’ll watch your business returning more than you ever thought possible. I don’t have to remind, but the Internet can deliver more customers to your business than being located in the most expensive and trafficked intersection in downtown Manhattan. Here are four lessons to keep in mind while discovering your calling online. Hopefully they will reduce the bumps along the way.

First:

Wait before you act. I am sure most of you were like me and discovered how some others were making their money online and decided to do the same exact thing in order to make some cash. You have to give yourself a breathing period before you act on those urges and more importantly before you spend money. Here is a simple rule: For every $100 you are about to spend, wait a day. The average wage is about $10 an hour and $100 is roughly 1 days worth of work. Before you spend that money on something, ask yourself if it will help you in your quest to making money online. Wait, think about it for a day, then if you still think it is a good idea, go for it. Even if that idea doesn’t pan and make you money back, you had the time to properly analyze the information and hopefully did a little more research and soul seeking. You’ll be surprised how much money you will save when you employ this tactic of waiting.

I love to read both online and offline and when I get into the mode of one idea or another I want to jump on it while it is fresh and seize the day. This is particularly dangerous online because of all of the information and plethora of ideas available from all sorts of people who claim to have made it big online with whatever technique they are promoting. Don’t forget they got rich promoting those ideas and encouraging that “I can do anything” emotion.

Second:

Ask for someone else’s opinion. When I say most of my friends and family don’t know what I do online, I mean it, they don’t. The reason for them not understanding what I do is simply because their generation was not immersed in the age of the Internet like my generation was. But business is business and marketing is marketing both on and offline. I know there are a lot of different techniques, but the basic principles hold true in both worlds. Before you set out to make your millions online, tell someone else how you plan on doing that. On top of telling them, ask for their opinion and listen. More often than not, you will have to explain things like you are talking to a 5th grader, not in disrespect but in order to bring understanding of what it is you are planning on doing. If it is a get rich quick scheme or sounds to good to be true, you will probably see that in your discussion. Listen and heed those warnings. Don’t get defensive with question after question. A one-hour discussion with another person can save you hundreds of hours of work and more importantly wasting your time. The Internet is full of ways to make money online, but if you can’t name one person who has done that to make money, it is probably because no one else has.

Third:

Develop a leather skin. I know after that last point you might think this is counterproductive, but I am referring more to the criticism you will for sure get. I was fairly lucky in the area of criticism. Most of my friends and family have come to expect that I would try and do things others typically don’t. With the help of family, I bought a house at 19 to rent out the rooms while going to college and many more atypical things. Other people are not so lucky when it comes to criticism from their support group. It is hard to combat that negative energy and comments while you aim for your goal. Most of that criticism comes from a lack of understanding on their part. Take the time to sit down with them and explain your logic and method you are using to obtain your goal. Hopefully that will squelch the criticism, but it is not guaranteed to do so. The truth is those criticizing your idea normally care about you and don’t want you to fail trying to obtain some lofty goal they don’t understand. In this case, the more they know about your goal and method, they will probably start supporting you in your endeavor.

If talking fails to rally the support you need, surround yourself with others who have the same type of goals you do. Find a forum or small group that is aiming to do what you are doing, and join the community. Others might not understand your need to go after these goals, but your new friends will. Make your intentions known, and see who is in support of them. Those are the people you should develop a strong relationship with.

Fourth:

Draft your ideas. Like doing an outline for a paper in high school, it is still important to map out your plan of action and develop the idea. The last thing you want to do is get caught with your pants down in the business world. Having a clear thought written down with the steps you want to take will save you a lot of time. As you truck along on your online ventures, it is easy to get sidetracked and lose focus. Having your plan or goals down and in a visible place will bring you back to where you need to be, much like the Constitution is for the United States (bad example but you get the idea). Goals and visions change all the time, and that is okay. When you feel the project is going to take you in a new direction, simply make the changes to your business constitution.

On a final note, I wish it were easy to tell people how to live and make money online, but it isn’t. The most I can do is give you a set of guides and some time saving methods to help you along in your quest. I have had to learn the hard way more often that not even though I had the counsel of others that had gone on before me. I still tried the same stupid techniques guaranteed not to make you money and wasted countless hours doing so.

Consolidation loans climb out from the debt pit

With so many people dealing with the negative effects of credit card debt, consolidation loans have become a popular way to go. These loans allow you to consolidate your credit card debt and only have one payment to make each month. This brings down the amount you have to pay each month and helps you get out of debt sooner without suffering from financial distress. If you are considering one of these loans, you may have a few questions about how they work and where you can get them. So read on to find your answers.

Why Do I Need Consolidation Loans?

If you have much credit card debt and other loans that you are paying on each month, it can become difficult to make all of your payments each month. This means you may be paying $100 or more each month in interest. So you need to consider using a consolidation loan to get a better rate, and save some money each month. If you want to see how much you can save, you can tally up the interest rates on all of your debt and then compare it to the rate of the consolidation loans. More than likely, you will save hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year on interest by taking advantage of a consolidation loan.

Another great reason for taking advantage of consolidation loans is that they will help you dig yourself out of debt. When you consolidate all of your credit debt into one loan, you will have a lower payment each month. This will help you to pay off your debt quicker and to have more money left over each month for living expenses as well. If the consolidation brings you more available cash, you can pay cash for most purchases until you clear up the balances on your credit cards. It also means you can avoid adding more debt than you can afford.

Where Can I Get Consolidation Loans?

There are various places you can turn to if you a need consolidation loan. But be careful to avoid fraudulent schemes when you go looking for these loans. Often, your local bank can help and there are various places that you can find online that also offer you a various choices in loans. Before you decide on a company to get a loan from, be sure you take some time to check out the company. Look for reputable financial institutions and only settle for a loan that will improve your financial position.

How Can I Choose?

No doubt there will be various lenders competing to offer you consolidation loans, but you want to make sure that you find the loan that is best for you. Make sure you take a look at your debt and find the loan that can help you reduce it as fast as possible. Also, you may want to shop around to find the best interest rate. Consolidation loans are great ways to help you reduce debt and your monthly payments, as long as you use them wisely and choose a trustworthy lender.

Secured loan for people with bad credit history

Are you facing problem getting a loan, just because you have a bad credit history? If yes, then there is good news for you. Now you can avail a loan specially designed for people like you, popularly known as “Bad Credit Secured Loan”.

A Bad Credit Secured Loan is defined as a secured loan for people with bad credit. Lenders define “bad credit” as a black spot in your credit report, it includes missing a credit card payment, defaulting on a previous loan, filing for bankruptcy in the past seven years or not paying your taxes.

A secured loan is a loan that is secured against property. Secured personal loans are suitable for when you are trying to raise a large amount; are having difficulty getting an unsecured personal loan or have a poor credit history. The interest rate charged is low as compared to that in the case of unsecured loan.

A poor or bad credit history can happen to anyone, to even you or me. In case you fail to make payments that were due on the previous loan just because you had no money with you. Your default will get noticed in your credit report and can pose as a hindrance in taking a loan. Considering all these circumstances the Bad credit secured loans is introduced to help those who are in trouble and couldn’t get the loan just because they have a bad credit score.

You can get a Bad Credit Secured loan only if you own a property. Your property will work as a security against the loan. You can borrow any amount from Ј5,000 to Ј75,000 and repay it over any period from 5 to 25 years. Bad Credit Secured Loan is an easy and manageable route to generate extra cash.

You can use the Bad Credit Secured Loan for any purpose. You can use the loan to buy your dream car or you can go out for a luxurious holiday or you can make improvement in your home or for debt consolidation or anyway you like. It solely depends on you how you wish to spend it.

If you are looking for a Bad credit secured loan, first you should shop around, though it will be a little difficult for you but your efforts will definitely pay you in future by getting the best deal for you. One of the fastest growing industries online is the financial industry. Now you can look for the online lenders who can offer you loan that you need. You can browse through various credit website and can choose among them. And then, you can compare the quotes of different lenders and look for the deal that is most suitable and match your expectations.

A Bad Credit Secured Loan allows you to borrow money at a far better rate than an Unsecured Loan because your home is used as security. Bad credit secured loan can also be used to tackle bad credit. This loan offers not only a remedy to the bad credit but also helps in building a positive or good credit status.

Bad Credit Secured Loan provides opportunity to people with bad credit to take loan and fulfill their desires by keeping their property as a security with the lender and can upgrade their credit status.

Do you want to be paid for online survey

Are you looking for new and unique ways to supplement your income? You must be aware that the internet has many opportunities for those who are willing to work. You can get paid for online survey as one of the many ways you can develop different streams of income in order to work from home.

Is it Worth Being Paid for Online Survey?

The success you see in order to get paid for online survey is like any other venture, entirely up to you to establish and nurture. Those who are willing to work hard, do their research and prove themselves to the companies that pay large fees for your opinions are the ones who will be paid for online survey. So many people expect that they can merely buy an opportunity online and expect the opportunity to set itself up. These are the people who are doomed to failure even with the easy and simple process of getting paid for online survey.

What Kinds of Questions Will be Asked?

The typical questions that will be asked by all survey companies and market research firms are your age, your income ratio, if you are employed and by what industry as well as your gender and ethnic background. These questions are asked in order to put you in a demographic group so that you will be paid for online survey that pertains to your situation in life. You certainly don’t want to be answering questions about international travel if you have never been out of state.

You may be asked to give your opinion in order to be paid for online survey on a number of different subjects. One day you may take a survey about what kinds of snacks your children like. They will show you various types of snacks and ask you questions about them. They will want to know what is most important to you when you are choosing a snack for your child and what brand you typically buy and why.

You may be asked to view a mock up of a commercial they are thinking of producing. You will typically watch a cartoon rendition and then you will be asked to pretend that actors and actresses are in their roles. You will be asked a series of questions pertaining to that ad such as what part stood out the most and which part you enjoyed the most. They may also ask you about how the ad made you feel. It is important to give honest answers to these questions as that is the whole purpose of getting paid for online survey.

When Can I Start?

You can start to get paid for online survey as soon as you sign up with various market research firms and survey panels. Many times, depending upon your profile, you will receive your first survey in a few days. Some weeks you will not see many survey opportunities, but there will be those weeks where you will have many. You can get online and start your research immediately, but a word of caution, there are many people out there who are devious and want to take your money. Do your research carefully so you can avoid being burned. There are many trusted sites out there, and it is up to you to go out and find them.

Currency conversion in thailand

Your trip to Thailand is all set. You have booked your flight and hotel, packed your bags and you are ready to go. But, you just found out that your money is no good in Thailand!

Well, actually it is good; it just needs to be converted to the local Thai currency. You have many options – some good and some bad.

Option #1 is to go to your local bank or currency exchange in your home country to get some of the local money. This is a bad idea because you will get a really bad rate of exchange.

Your second option is to change some money at your home airport. There will be a small booth with the rates posted and this will be as bad as option #1.

Your third choice is to pick up some traveler's checks at home and cash these in Thailand. This can be good or bad. It is ok if you don’t have to pay any fees for the TCs. And don’t even think about cashing them in at your hotel. You will get ripped off big time. Cash them in at a Thai bank. Don’t forget to record the numbers somewhere and stash them safely.

Fourth option is to bring all cash with you. This is obviously dangerous because if you lose your wad, your vacation is over. Bringing some cash with you is ok – but just enough for one or two days.

Fifth would be to bring an ATM card with you. Having a debit ATM card is an easy way to get Thai Baht at the current rate of exchange. Having a second debit card specifically for your trip is a good back up.

Last would be to use your credit card to get cash. Be careful. You may get a double whammy. You may get charged when you get your cash and then get charged an international exchange fee. There is also the possibility of your credit card being cloned – so be careful. I recommend that you don’t use a credit card in Thailand.

When I go to Thailand I bring a few hundred dollars to exchange to se me through my first couple of days. I also usually have a few thousand Baht left from my last trip. I transfer money to two different debit ATM accounts and use one as a primary and one as a backup (just in case). I bring my checking account ATM card with as a last resort. I have yet to use this but it is good to know that I have options.

I used to bring traveler's checks with me but when the bank started charging me 1% for them, I stopped using them. Also, only being able to exchange them at banks during business hours, or cashing them in at the hotel at terrible rates is not how I want to do business.

I prefer to use a debit ATM card since ATM machines are everywhere in Thailand and they are open 24 hours per day. You get the best rates and ATM machines provide the most convenience. Just plan to have a couple of different ways to fund your trip. It is no fun to be in foreign country on vacation with no access to funds.

Organic skin care products

More women are in the market for organic skincare products. The trend toward organic is growing; Walmart has recently publicized its intention to increase its offering of organic food by 50%, and more people are extending their interest in organic products to organic skincare products in addition to food. After all, what you put on your body is just as essential as what you put into your body, since it is absorbed into the skin, and organic skincare products work effectively without all of the chemicals, which can cause health problems. Like all organic products, organic skincare products come from all natural products and contain no harmful chemicals.

Organic skin care products are held to the same standards as organic food products, and the US. Department of Agriculture has recently released guidelines concerning the labeling of organic products. If something is labeled 100% organic, it must contain all organic products. However, if a product is labeled as simply “organic” it can contain up to 5% of non-organic material. This small percentage is often not a huge concern for most consumers, but for very strict adherents to organic products, 5% can make a difference in whether they purchase the product or not. If the label says that the products is “made with organic ingredients” it must have at least 70% organic material in it. Depending on how adamant you are about purchasing organic skin products, you will want to inspect the label before buying. If you are shopping on the web, you can find out whether or not something is 100% organic by consulting the site or asking the webmaster.

All organic products, including organic skincare products are made from materials that are grown on soil that has been certified as pesticide-free for at least 3 years. Organic skincare products are made without:

· Synthetic pesticides

· Insecticides

· Herbicides

· fungicides

· hormones

· chemical fertilizers

There has been some talk that the FDA is warning cosmetic companies to eliminate dangerous chemicals in their products, or their goods will carry labels, similar to the warning labels on cigarettes. Many dyes and other chemicals found in non-organic cosmetics and skincare products are hazardous and carcinogenic, and as one proponent of organic skincare products comments, “If you knew what was in your skin cream or foundation, you would never want to have it anywhere near your face!” A traditional skincare treatment program places about 100 chemicals on a woman’s face, many of them hazardous. Organic skincare products can function the same way, but without the chemicals.

You can find organic skincare products which:

· exfoliate

· cleanse

· condition

· nourish the skin

· hydrate the skin

· moisturize

· purify the skin

Many organic skincare products are made from cold-pressed, unrefined oils, herb and flower extracts and from organic fruits, nuts and seeds. Peach pits can make an excellent exfoliating scrub to scour dead skin cells and renew one’s complexion. Citrus fruits refresh and revive the skin, and mud masks purify the pores. A popular choice is a cleanser with orange peel oil, calendula and marshmallow. You can also find an exfoliant with bergmont and orange, or a conditioner made of hazel, burdock, plantain and vitamins. A rosewater spray hydrates skin that becomes dry from indoor heating in the winter and the sun in the summer.

Many women who use organic skincare products say that their skin feels even more fresh and pure after using organic products, and that they do not want to switch to their old non-organic brands. Another advantage to using organic skincare products is that, since they are made from plant oil, herbs, flowers and fruit, they often combine skincare with a pleasing fragrance. This means that you can combine skincare with aromatherapy. The orange and bergamont skin cleanser not only refreshes your skin but can lift your mood as well!

Your wedding rings

The early Egyptians were convinced of the connection also, even going so far as to claim that the wedding ring finger is directly connected to the vein of love (vena amoris) that flows to the heart.

Ancient Greek and Roman cultures agreed that the vein in the wedding ring finger, also called the healing finger, runs directly to the heart.

In the ancient art of hand reflexology, one of the areas corresponding to the heart is just under the spot where a wedding ring resides on the left, not the right, hand. Pure coincidence?

The wedding ring finger was the last touched by the priest when quoting the "Trinitarian" formula, "In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost."

During the period of western Barbarianism, brides were more often than not kidnapped and held captive. It is thought that the wedding ring was used at that time to tie the bride to the home of her husband-to-be, or whoever happened to be guarding her at the moment…like a leash!

The wedding ring of old was a promissory symbol. Since it represented a significant financial cost, it was something of a down payment by the groom, and deterred broken engagements (for which three years of excommunication was the punishment).

It is only recently that the custom of giving two wedding rings--an engagement and a separate wedding ring--has been widely adopted. Previously, the ring given in engagement was also used during the ceremony as the wedding ring itself.

A very practical reason for the placement of the wedding ring is the belief that it would be less likely to be broken, chipped or lost altogether if worn on the left hand.

But did you know that the wedding ring was not always worn on the left hand at all? There was a period when it was the custom to wear them on the right hand, and wealthy Elizabethans used their thumbs to display large, fancy rings!

Superstitions and customs abound around wedding rings. Anyone might feel, for example, that it was a portent of ill omen if the ring were dropped before the wedding, and even worse if it were broken or lost! But it's also generally considered bad luck to buy your wedding ring on a Friday or to wear the ring before the actual wedding ceremony takes place.

The rings, of course, take on whatever personal meaning you give them. A beautiful concept, embraced by the early Egyptians as well as ancient cultures around the globe, holds the ring to be a symbol of eternity. The ring has no beginning and no end, thus manifesting perfect love for a lifetime…and beyond.

Block island - memorable vacations in a secluded hideaway

Block Island is a refuge for people and nature. You’ll discover towering cliffs, stunning views and some of the best beaches on the New England coast... and without the crowds. You see Block Island takes a little bit of effort to get there, and this is good news for you, as most people won’t take the trouble to take the one-hour ferry ride across.

But it’s their loss... and your gain.

Block Island is a seaside jewel lying 12 miles off the southern coast of Rhode Island. This is a place where nature clings to every pond, stone-walled trail, beach, and everything in between. It’s a paradise for cyclists, and a haven for those ready to leave the trappings and demands of the mainland behind.

Most people take the ferry from Port Judith, which takes one hour across The Sound, and plants you in the hub of Block Island at Old Harbor. A Seasonal ferry service also runs from Newport RI and Montauk NY.

Coming to the Island is a shift in time, with its rugged undeveloped reserves... and open field farmlands... and narrow roads lined with stone walls and wild roses. Block Islands invites you to relax in dress and time. It’s a chance for you to rediscover nature again, and appreciate this geological remains from the last Ice Age.

Here’s suggested destinations to help you enjoy Block Island to its fullest...

THE VIEW FROM MOHEGAN BLUFFS...

You don’t want to miss the view from Mohegan Bluffs. Take the Mohegan Trail from the village of Old Harbor out to the Bluffs.

Mohegan Bluffs overlook the southern coast of Block Island, and on a clear day you can see Montauk, NY on Long Island, about 18 miles away. The cliff’s tower 200 feet above the shoreline and offer stunning views of the landscape and the Southeast Light. A steep set of wooden steeps leads down to the beach below.

At this beach a marauding band of Mohegan Indians were repressed by the local tribe, and give name to the bluffs.

THE BLOCK ISLAND LIGHTHOUSES

Block Island has two lighthouses: Southeast Light and North Light.

Southeast Light sits atop Mohegan Bluffs and was moved back from a perilous position on the cliffs in 1993. This is an attractive redbrick lighthouse built in 1875, and contains a museum inside for you to explore.

North Light is at Sandy Point on the northern tip pf Block Island. This is the fourth lighthouse in this location and was built in 1867. Two of the previous lights were washed away and the third was dismantled because its position did more harm than good.

North Light is within the boundaries of the Block Island National Wildlife Refuge, and that’s where we were heading anyway...

BLOCK ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Located on the North End of Block Island the refuge is now a 127-acre habitat for wildlife and for visitors to enjoy the wonder of this natural environment.

If you’re a bird-watcher then the fall season offers a spectacular opportunity to view migratory birds, especially songbirds. Bring your camera and binoculars for a very special trip to a very special refuge.

The shoreline area runs from Settler’s Rock to Sandy point and the North Light, and then from here to Great Salt Pond. This is an ideal area for walking, bird watching, and breathtaking views.

BLOCK ISLAND BEACHES & PONDS

Block Island beaches are the first stop for many first time visitors. The choices are many and varied. It has 17 pristine miles of gorgeous beaches.

The two-mile Crescent Beach area consists of four beaches: Frederick J. Benson Beach, Scotch Beach, Mansion Beach, and close to the ferry landing is Ballard’s. These tend to be the most popular, but don’t forget just a few minutes bike ride away are deserted beaches, where you can enjoy your own spot of peace and harmony.

For such a tiny area, Block Island boasts an amazing 365 ponds - that’s right - one for every day of the year. So as you bike and hike around the island, it doesn’t matter where you’re at... you’re only a few feet away from water.

Permits are required to fish the freshwater ponds.

Other things to do on Block Island include: visits to Manisses Animal Petting Zoo, Settler’s Rock, located at the end of Corn Neck Road near a beach on Rhode Island Sound - the rock marks the landing point of European settlers of Block Island in 1661, and kayaking in New Harbor.

Block Island is a well-kept secret. Very few people know about it as a superior vacation destination. And to be honest that suits me just fine. I’ll continue to take my trips and enjoy the sanctuary it offers. But I’ve shared it with you now, so you have to promise to visit... soon.

While Block Island is a great place to visit for the day, you’ll get more time to enjoy the island if you stay overnight, or even longer, at any of the varied lodging available. But advanced booking is a must.

Inns and bed and breakfasts abound on the island, with many located near the village of Old Harbor and nearby New Harbor. For more information on inns and bed and breakfast accommodation check out blockisland. com.

Daulton s story is sad not funny

I recently touched on the topic of gambling by ex-athletes and came to the conclusion that, if controlled, gambling is not necessarily a problem. I truly believe the gambling that Charles Barkley and others do is pure entertainment and a way for ex-athletes to come back down to earth after retirement. I even went as far as to say that I would rather see Barkley gambling with a sportsbook than recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction. This article is not nearly as positive, and I am going to examine the other end of the spectrum. I am going to touch on the topic of when ex-athletes can’t find a constructive medium, like sports betting, to shed their demons. Actually, I am going to look at one subject in particular. I am going to take a look at Darren Daulton.

I recently went through a rather rough time in my life. In March, I got out of a two-year relationship, which was almost immediately followed by a close relative’s diagnosis with cancer. At that time I was also finishing my master’s degree at the University of Florida. This might seem like a positive, except that all the friends that I had once relied on to be my support were getting ready to leave and had little time for a dramatic like myself. OK, you are starting to wonder why you should care about this—if at all. I am not here to complain, but to try to relate to Mr. Daulton. This time in my life was extremely painful for me, and there were times where fantasy seemed like reality. Most publications have tried to bash Daulton and poke fun of him. This is not what I am here to do. I actually saw Daulton out at a local bar here in Gainesville recently and the first emotion that came to me was not to poke fun of him, but to feel sorry for him. This man is one of the greatest examples of how athletes can fall so far from grace. It was only back in 1997 that Daulton was celebrating a World Series victory with the Florida Marlins and now here he was, hanging out with a bunch of college students, half of whom had no idea who he was. I knew, and I felt terrible about it.

If you don’t know who Daulton is or his story, let’s get you up to speed. Daulton made his Major League debut with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1983 and stayed there until he was traded to the Marlins in 1997. The Marlins would win the series that year and Daulton would retire a champion. Daulton was a three-time all-star and the glue that held the close-knit Phillies ball club together. Upon his retirement, Daulton was passed up for a managing position, divorced his playmate wife, and did a two-month stretch in the Pinellas County Jail. From that point, things really started to unwind. Daulton started to consider himself a member of the Fifth Dimension. This dimension is a world that involves telepathy, energy transfers, astral planes, and other parallel universes. He explains this dimension as being ‘just is,’ where yesterday, today, and tomorrow all happen at the same time.

"I've been thrown in jail five or six times," Daulton says from his home in Tampa. "Nicole thinks I'm crazy. She blames everything on drugs and drinking. But I don't take drugs and I'm not a drunk. Nicole just doesn't understand metaphysics."

It is exactly these types of responses that have everyone baffled. Daulton has even gone as far as to say that his friends can’t understand him because they are limited to five senses, hinting that he is not. Daulton says he is tuned into higher powers. With his friends baffled and his wife gone, Daulton’s support group has surely dwindled.

Daulton now mainly spends his time at home in Tampa, alone, writing and preaching his magical stories. It’s amazing how truly deafening silence can be when you are alone. Some of his writings read like riddles.

"Reality is created and guarded by numeric patterns that overlap and awaken human consciousness, like a giant matrix or hologram," writes Daulton.

He is especially prone and familiar with the number 11. He says he sees this number everywhere: in license plates, houses, and always on the clock. This, to me, is a blatant sign that this man needs help, but other columnists only want to pick on this man and vilify him in print. Why not try to get another human being some help?

The saddest moment of all is when he starts to talk about the end of the world as only a person who needs mental help can. Daulton thinks the world will end on December 21, 2012, the date the Mayan civilization believed the world would end. It is also the last day on the Mayan calendar. What might be Daulton’s strongest cry for help comes from his next quote.

"I can't wait to disappear," he says. "I'd disappear today if I could."

Darren Daulton, I want you to trust me when I (and others) say that we don’t want you to disappear. We want you to get better and live a happy life, forgetting about all the troubles of your past. To tell you the truth, I don’t think your behavior is embarrassing at all. On the contrary, I think the behavior of those who mock him is. To come around full circle, think the next time before you judge the innocent gambling that Charles Barkley is doing; it could be a lot worse. I could be writing a story about ‘Sir’ Charles doing a year in state prison on charges of cocaine trafficking—or even worse, a story about Barkley losing his mind. Thank the Lord that his hardware is still in tact, and I don’t think gambling is going to affect that.

What to see in pretoria gauteng

Pretoria didn’t develop as quickly as Johannesburg did over the years but two of the most impressive buildings are located in this beautiful Jakkarandastad (city, filled with the most beautiful purple flower trees called the Jakkaranda).

The first building is The Union Building that was built on Meintjieskop, Arcadia, named after Stephanus Jacobus Meintjies. Arcadia was farmland, originally belonging to Andries Francois du Toit, who then sold it on. Sir Herbert Baker was the architect of The Union Building and it was built from light sandstone. The building was completed in 1913, 3 years after the colonies united, forming the South African Union.

The building is 275 m long and has a halve-round shape with two wings at the sides, representing the English and Afrikaans (Boer) population of South Africa separately at that time. The gardens of the Union Building consist of roses imported from England, plants from Rotterdam and others from South Africa. Today, tourists from all over the world come to see this building.

Parliament spends the winter months in Pretoria at the Union Building, while they spend their summer months down in Cape Town.

The Voortrekker Monument is the second great building and can be seen from almost any location in Pretoria. It was built in honour of the Voortrekkers who left the Cape Colony and embarked on the Great Trek back in 1836. This monument is the icon for all Afrikaans South Africans. The architect for the monument was Gerard Moerdijk and construction started on the 13th of July 1937. The monument was inaugurated on 16 December 1949 and stands 40 metres high with a base of 40 m by 40 m.

An amphitheatre which seats 20 000 was built to the north west of the monument in 1949. The focus point of the monument is the cenotaph. On top of the Hall of Heroes is a dome from where you can view the inside of the monument. The sun shines through this dome only one day a year at exactly 12 o’clock on the 16th of December, onto the middle of the cenotaph and the words “Ons vir jou, Suid-Afrika” (we for Thee South Africa).

This ray of sunshine symbolises God’s blessing on the lives of the Voortrekkers. The 16th of December is the day of remembrance, a promise that was made to God to always remember this day, treating it as a Sunday, every year, because He was with them when they fought and defeated the Zulu’s at the Battle of Bloodriver. Lots of lives were lost on that day and at present, we remember those who lost their lives.

People in South Africa have different views and it means something different to everyone in regards to the Monument as well as the Battle of Bloodriver. Doesn’t matter what your opinion is these days, these two building are very impressive and has to be visited! Go there, see the buildings, read about the history and learn a little more about how South Africa became the country it is today!

Treat yourself with a rewards credit card

How good would it make you feel if every time you spend money you get a reward? Pretty good I would think, well you can, with a credit card reward scheme, but only if you know how to manage these credit cards.

Credit card rewards are a great way to reward their loyal customers by given them something back every time they use their credit card. Most credit card companies give you reward points, for example say for every Ј10 you spend you get 1 reward point back. You can then save these points and redeem them for holidays, TVs, flights and more or even cash rebates.

The credit card companies are looking for ways to make us spend more money with our credit cards and as the more we spend the more profit that the credit card companies will get. Interest rates are getting higher and do not forget the retailers as they charge them a fee of up to 2% on the amount that we spend in their premises.

A cash back credit card is properly what most people go for. With cash back credit card you can purchase whatever you wish, and receive cash back, however, with point rewards you are restricted to what you can purchase. You usually receive your cash back in a lump sum each year, and many customers tend to see this as the best option. The people who can make this scheme work to their advantage are the credit card customers that never pay interest charges, as they get all the advantages but do not pay a penny back in interest.

One of the best cash back credit cards on the market is the offer from American Express, their Blue card and Platinum card are two of the best cards around, you have to spend more to gain full advantage of the Platinum card spending over Ј7,500 to get a 2% return on every Ј100 spent.

The best reward cards are usually self-motivated as with Virgin who will give you more value for putting your reward points, into buying airline tickets with them. Although Tesco will only redeem 50p for every Ј100 spent in their store means they are not exactly breaking the bank!

The credit card reward scheme is not for everyone; if you are a borrower meaning that you don’t pay your debt off fully each month then a reward card is not for you. The reason is the interest that they add to your account every month, will exceed the amount of points that would have accumulated on your spending so you’ll not benefit from this scheme.

Many credit card reward schemes are now targeted to the travel market. Credit card companies look on this sector as being more lucrative for the consumer and the rewards are specifically targeted as a benefit that many people will enjoy. Supermarkets are becoming more prominent in the reward credit card environment with Asda, Sainsbury’s and Tesco major players allowing consumers to charge their reward points to their weekly shopping bill.

The ins and outs of lasik eye surgery

When many hear the word surgery, they automatically think of a lot of pain and possible complications. Is that also what you think about LASIK eye surgery? Think again.

The eye is one of the most sensitive areas of the body, which possibly enhances the fact that many may consider the surgery to be somewhat risky. However, LASIK eye surgery is the safest and most commonly performed method of refractive surgery.

The amount of pain experienced is also minimal. In fact the surgery is performed whilst the patient is awake. The procedure involves the eye firstly being washed out with a solution to numb the area. Clamps are then used to hold the eyelids open in order to perform the surgery without the patient blinking. Once the numbing solution has taken effect, an incision is made in the cornea. Tissue is removed using the laser and the surgeon then closes the incision opening. It's as easy as that, the surgery is complete. The surgery is so simple that many patients will be back working again the following day.

There are thousands of people who have undergone LASIK eye surgery, with the benefits of living life without the dependacy of glasses or contact lenses and an increase in the quality of vision the resulting factor.

As with many surgical operations, LASIK can have complications. The patient may experience double vision, dry eyes, light sensitivity and a few other problems.

The cost of having the surgery can vary for a number of reasons, such as the equipment used for the surgery, and also the testing that is carried out before the procedure. You may find that some surgeries will perform different levels of testing so make sure that you research into what is carried out within the quote of each provider. Also, opt for a surgeon that has experience with the procedure, even if they are slightly more expensive than another surgeon - you can't put a price on your site.

Overall though, LASIK is a safe procedure that is the most commonly performed refractive surgery due to its simplicity and major benefits as a result. It is definately a subject that you should research into further if you are considering having any kind of eye surgery.

Interpreting web analytics what all that data actually means

Your web site is your connecting point with your customers, and you can learn a lot by analyzing the traffic that comes through it. According to John Marshall, CEO of web analytics company ClickTracks. com, “Web analytics is the process of measuring various aspects of your web site in order to understand how you can improve your customers’ experience.”

Quantifiable Goals: What Analytics Measure

Before you run out and purchase a web analytics tool, take a good look at your web site and figure out what area you’re looking to improve. Analytics provides a tremendous amount of feedback, but the data you need to zero in on is dependent upon your goals.

If you’re tracking an ad campaign, such as PPC, SEO, email, or print, you might be very interested in the following data results:

• Keywords. Web analytics tools measure the visitors you gain from various keywords. It’s important to separate the results from your PPC ads versus your SEO results, so you understand where your traffic is coming from.

• Click activity. Some of the more advanced web analytics tools monitor suspicious PPC activity, to help you guard against click fraud.

• Coupon Codes. When you place advertisements in print ads, coupon codes can help you gauge their effectiveness. You simply provide a coupon in the ad that gives your customers a code to enter in order to activate the coupon. Your shopping cart system can pick up that coupon, and every time someone uses one, you know they found you through that ad.

• Bounce rate. This is the percentage of people who click through one of your ads, and leave within a few seconds of arriving at your landing page. A high bounce rate may indicate that you need to be examining how well your landing page correlates to your ads.

• Visitor segmentation Analytics tools can compare the behavior of one group of visitors against that of another. Groups are usually broken down by factors such as whether they came through a pay per click ad or an organic ad, or whether they found you through your search campaign versus your email campaign, etc.

If you’re trying to understand how your users experience your web site, or tracking your sales process to determine how well your site is converting, you might be more concerned with these measurements:

• Unique visitors. This refers to individual computer users, as opposed to the number of times that users come to your site. It’s a measure of how many people are spending quality time on your web site.

• Conversion rate. This number tells you what percentage of your users actually make purchases on your site. If your conversion rate is low, that usually indicates a problem somewhere in your sales process.

• Funnel report. This measures conceptually how deep visitors progress into your site. Web analytics track visitors through the checkout process stages to see at which stage you’re losing them, so you know what pages you need to modify.

The fundamental thing that web analytics can achieve for you is performance improvement. It enables you to observe your customers’ behavior and understand which elements of your site are working, and where adjustments are needed, to deliver the best possible customer experience. Advises Marshall, “Tracking your traffic lets you recognize what your buyers want and give it to them. Start by defining what you’re trying to improve, focus on the relevant data, and make your decisions based on what that data is telling you.”

Google keywords tool guide

If you have thought about starting your own website or already have one, and have done any research at all, you have read about the importance of keywords. Everything on the web is driven by keywords. It’s the fuel the Internet runs on.

One of the ways to get great traffic to your website is through the Google Adwords program. You select the keywords you want to bid on and set up the budget you want to use to get traffic based on those keywords from websites that utilize the Google Adsense program and other sources.

There is a tool to help you choose the best keywords to bid on that you definitely need to know about. I just learned about it from a friend, so we are going to learn how to use it together. Open a new browser window and copy and paste this address into your address bar.

https://adwords. google. com/select/KeywordToolExternal

If you are not sure about all of the terms used in association with keywords and Google’s Adwords program, click that very first link that says, “keywords for your ad campaigns”. You can use that as a guide if we get into unfamiliar territory.

In that first paragraph is a link titled, “Learn More”, that gives a more detailed explanation about using the Google Keywords Tool. In this article, I am going to try to give you the information in layman’s terms to make it easier to understand.

As with anything, you should also at some point read the terms of service. It is always a good idea to read the terms of service for any program you are about to use. But we will skip that step for now.

We all think we know which keywords we want to and are targeting with our website. I just had a humbling experience. I have been at this for a long time and have a lot of experience in optimizing websites for keyword content. However, I just clicked the tab at the Google Keyword Tool that says, “Site-Related Keywords “, to extract keywords from one of my own websites and can see that it is not optimized for the keyword I would have chosen.

You may want to do this first. Put in your URL and let it pull out the keywords it finds to be most relevant to your website. You might be as surprised as I was. Now I am going to be re-writing some of the text content at my website before I bid on any Google Adwords. Without the Google Keyword Tool, I would have likely just wasted money.

Make sure your website is optimized for the keywords that you wish to target by analyzing it with the Google Keyword Tool before bidding on your Google Adwords.

Now, using the other tab, “Keyword Variations”, you can type in one keyword phrase or keyword per line and it will give you suggestions as to other keywords and phrases you can bid on that are related to your topic. (I like to type in one keyword or phrase at a time)

The suggestions the Google keyword Tool creates for you are based on statistical data Google compiles from the numerous searches that occur daily through their search engine, so those keywords and phrases are more likely to produce targeted traffic to your website.

As you type in each keyword or phrase and check the results the Google Keyword Tool gives you, look over to the right. You can add the keywords and phrases you might like to bid on. Create your list as you go. You can always edit it down to a few later on.

Once you have your list of keywords and phrases you might want to bid on, you can login to your Google Adwords account and check to see how much it will cost you for each of them. Then you can decide how to spend your budget wisely. Nothing replaces good research. The Google Keyword Tool takes a lot of the guesswork out of buying Google Adwords and I applaud them for creating this great tool.

Now, what they do not say anywhere at the Google Keyword Tool website, is that you can use this tool to analyze your competitor’s websites as well. Go to Google and type in your targeted keyword or phrase. Copy the URL of the top 10 results. Analyze each of them using the “Site Related Keywords” tab at the Google Keywords Tool.

By doing this, you will see what keywords and phrases their websites are optimized for. If you want to compete with them, you need to optimize your website in a similar way and you may want to start bidding on keywords and phrases that match those that were pulled from competing websites.

Follow success and it will follow you. Do what successful people are doing and you are likely to also achieve success. The Google Keyword Tool can help you do that.