Seven drywall finishing tips

Hanging drywall is almost an art. Just ask anyone who does it professionally and they'll tell you that it takes years of practice to do a perfect job. If you're lucky enough, you might even get a few drywall finishing tips out of the conversation. If not, don’t worry. Here are some drywall finishing tips that everyone can benefit from!

Make Sure You Have Everything Before You Start

Drywall finishing tip #1: You need to have at hand a taping knife spreader, application knife, joint tape, joint compound, bread pan and a corner taping tool.

Get Secure About What You're Doing

Drywall finishing tip #2: Drywall demands that all your measurements are accurate and that every panel is tightly secured to the supports that it's nailed to. Could there be anything more embarrassing than to complete a drywall job - only to have it unexpectedly fall down during dinner or entertaining guests?

Make sure that your nails are long enough to keep the panels on their supports. If you're more comfortable with using screws, then use them instead. You could even use a second set of nails as reinforcement. The important thing as that you feel as secure about your project as they're secured to its foundation!

Beware A Muddy Mess

Drywall finishing tip #3: When mixing your cement (or mud), strive for a consistency that resembles icing on a cake - not too stiff and not too loose. Essentially, you should be able to scoop some of this mud onto a trowel, hold the trowel upside down, and not lose any of the cement. At the same time, you should also be able to easily apply this cement into drywall joints without too much effort.

While mixing, take care not to "whip" the cement. A whipping action will inadvertently attract air - air which will form bubbles in drywall seams.

Mesh Your Work Into A Smooth Finish

Drywall finishing tip #4. Use mesh tape instead of paper tape. Because mesh tape is porous, it allows the cement to seep through it. The end result is much smoother than paper which is sometimes visually apparent.

Use More Glue And Save On Nails

Drywall finishing tip #5: Use an adhesive to hold panels in place. Although this technique can't and should never be used on the ceiling, you'll only need to insert nails at the edges of drywall panels.

Give Your Drywalls A Little Dimple

Drywall finishing tip #6: You can hid the heads of your nails by hammering them in just below the surface of the drywall. This might take a little practice beforehand, as you don't want the nail heads to show, but on the other hand, you don't want to break the surface of the drywall either!

Patch Like A Pro

Drywall finishing tip #7: Stuffing a hole with newspaper tends to leave weak spots on a wall. Instead, cut a sizeable circle around a hole that needs patching. Insert a support piece that will fit behind the hole, and then glue it in place with cement. After about three hours, use even more cement to adhere a small piece of drywall to the support piece you inserted earlier. When dry, cover the hole with more cement and tape. You want to continue this process in the same manner as if you were concealing a joint.

For agents and brokers simple guide to selling your commercial real estate

If you are just starting out as a real estate agent, it can be difficult to get started selling commercial real estate. However, commercial real estate is the big money maker in the real estate business. Since commercial real estate has become quite popular since it is such a money maker, it can be difficult and expensive to get started in this type of real estate. There are, however, a variety of ways that you can get started and start getting more commercial real estate deals if you are willing to do a little work.

Online Free Ads

One great way that you can get started in selling commercial real estate as an agent is to use inexpensive methods of advertisement. One great way to get the word out there about the property you are trying to sell is to use free online ads. There are a variety of different websites that are available for you to post classified ads on that list a property, or even multiple properties for sale, and the great thing is, you will not have to pay a penny. Not only is this a cheap way of exposure, but it is also a quick way to get your property noticed. Many times, your ad will be seen quicker when you put it on the web and by many more people. Local newspapers take more time and money to get you the exposure and only reach a local group of people, while advertising with free online ads can get your world wide exposure and help you sell the commercial property.

Free Real Estate Publications

Another way that newer real estate agents can get their commercial properties noticed is to advertise them in free local real estate publications. Whether it is a publication specifically for real estate or a publication that only includes real estate, this is a great way to advertise your property for free. This is an excellent way to gain local exposure, not only for the commercial property you are trying to sell, but also for you as an agent. Make sure that you continue to run ads for your property in these types of publications. Even though at first you may not see results, remember that many times it takes awhile for commercial real estate to sell, but perseverance can lead to a large pay off when you finally sell the property.

Quality Signs

If you are trying to sell a commercial property, especially one that is near a well traveled road, you may want to invest in a quality sign to advertise the commercial property. A small unprofessional sign may not attract any attention at all, but a larger sign that is well crafted and attractive can get the attention of many people who are driving by. You never know who may drive by the property and see your sign. While it will take a bit of money to get a great sign, it will be worth the money that you spend to get your property noticed. One never knows when a local business will need a new site, or someone with money to invest will be looking for an opportunity, and your sign will make sure that they will see your property when they drive by, which may lead to a sale.

Establish Business Connections

As a new real estate agent, one of the best things that you can do is to start establishing business connections with a variety of different people. Speak with other real estate agents that are successful in selling commercial real estate and learn from their mistakes and their successes. Also try to get involved with local business people and know the market that you are trying to sell in. Often, if you can get the word out that you have a great piece of commercial property, it may spread to the right business people that will want to check it out. A great deal of being successful in the commercial real estate market has to do with the connections that you have, so work on making various business connections.

Find Your Own Leads

Even if you are working in a broker’s office, you should not expect the leads to be coming your way within the office. More than likely any leads within the office will be given to someone with more experience in commercial real estate until you have proven yourself to excel in this field. You will have to take the initiative to get the job done, and it is possible with a great deal of hard work. Check out the Chamber of Commerce in your area and find out who the business people are. You may also want to attend local zoning meetings where you will meet prospective investors who are looking for great properties. Even hitting up your local golf courses can help you make friends with local business people who may be prospective clients.

While it may be difficult to get started as an agent in commercial real estate, it is definitely possible if you are willing to work hard. Using the internet to advertise as well as free local publications can get the word out quickly and inexpensively so you will save money and get a broader base of exposure for what you are selling. Signs will also provide great exposure and show that you are serious about the commercial real estate business. Also important is making the right contacts and finding your own leads so you can excel in this business and prove to be a great commercial real estate agent. There is a great deal of money to be made in the commercial real estate industry, and hard work, dedication, and patience on your part can help you become successful.

Advantages of homeschooling

Why So Many Families are Making the Homeschool Choice

It is no secret, homeschooling is becoming the more and more popular choice for families seeking the best education for their students. And the advantages of homeschooling are so vast that you could easily encounter ten different homeschooling families and hear ten different advantages of homeschooling.

As a result, it is difficult to define the main advantages of homeschooling without missing key advantages or reasons that people choose to homeschool. In fact, one could easily say that the advantages of homeschooling are only limited by the imagination of each homeschooling parent.

When polled, however, homeschoolers agreed on several major advantages of homeschooling.

At the heart of all of these advantages is Freedom!

The freedom advantage encompasses many of the advantages of homeschooling cited by homeschooling families:

• Freedom to instill values and morals that are consistent with the religion of the family

• Freedom to define their own schedule

• Freedom to spend time as a family

• Freedom to pursue other interests

• Freedom to focus on necessary academics

• Freedom for real world socialization.

These freedoms and much more make homeschooling the choice for families all around the world.

Read on to learn about the four major freedom advantages of homeschooling:

Advantage #1—Freedom to Instill Morals and Values

Advantage #2—Freedom to Develop Real Life Socialization

Advantage #3—Freedom of Flexibility

Advantage #4—Freedom as a Family

Advantages of homeschooling #1

Freedom to instill values and morals that are consistent with the religion of the family.

Many homeschooling families cite this as the number one reason they choose to homeschool their children and therefore one of the main advantages of homeschooling. In a world where religious freedom is attacked from all sides, parents are choosing to take back their rights and invest time into the character and beliefs of their children.

These parents are raising their children in an environment where their convictions drive the education. Conviction leads to passion; it leads to direction; it leads to a sense of purpose. As a result, parents who homeschool out of conviction tend to be very successful teachers.

Think back to your favorite teacher. Was he an individual who did not really care about what he was teaching? Was she someone who lacked any kind of drive or purpose? I would venture to say that your best teacher was someone whose passion was evident. And when passion drives you, you can implement that passion into every subject, into every activity, into every aspect of your homeschooling program.

This is a huge advantage for homeschooling families. Not only do they have the opportunity to train their children in the way they should go, but their passion makes the program all the more dynamic. And this is a major advantage in any school setting.

Advantages of homeschooling #2

Socialization

Why list socialization as one of the advantages of homeschooling? Isn’t this the topic that causes the most controversy for homeschoolers? Indeed, this is one of the major concerns for new homeschoolers as well as people on the outside.

But the fact is, homeschoolers have an advantage in the area of socialization.

Why? It has long been recognized among college admissions counselors that homeschoolers have the advantage over their peers in the ability to converse and interact with their professors and other personnel without intimidation. They also have the advantage of working with fellow students of all ages because this has been the way their schooling was structured every day for years.

Rather than experiencing the controlled socialization of a classroom, the secret exchanges when the teacher isn’t looking, and the limits of socializing only with children their own age, homeschoolers socialize at all kinds of different levels.

Younger students have the advantage of learning from older homeschoolers who they encounter through support groups, field trips, homeschool “classes” and more. And one of the advantages for older students is that they develop a sense of responsibility and concern as role models for younger students.

Homeschoolers also have the distinct advantage of working with people of all ages, income levels, and professions. Parents need only tap into the endless opportunities to help their child develop their character, their social skills, and their ability to handle life.

I hear comments all the time about how well homeschoolers handle themselves with adults, with other students and in difficult situations. The time spent with their parents has given them the advantage of seeing first hand how to solve real life problems, how to balance their schedule, how to handle tough situations, and how to find the time to get it all done.

Advantages of homeschooling #3

Flexibility

For some, the flexibility advantage means a schedule that meets the demands of their situation; others view the flexibility advantage as the ability to customize curriculum to the needs of their child; and still others view the flexibility advantage as the ability to allow their child to dig deeper into a topic rather than simply move on the next unit.

Many homeschooling families are families on the move. Whether this is because of work demands or kids who are involved in sports, acting, dance, etc., they need a flexible schedule. One of the advantages of homeschooling is that it allows a family to remain a family while also meeting the demands of an active schedule.

Customized curriculum is a huge advantage to homeschooling. Homeschoolers are not limited to curriculum at a set grade level. Instead, they are able to determine the exact level to meet their skills and abilities and begin there. This means that some homeschoolers will be working at a fifth grade level in math, a sixth grade level in English, and still another level for other subjects. This approach gives students the advantage of mastering necessary concepts before moving on and to progressing quickly in those subjects where he or she is most successful.

It also has the advantage of opening the door for further study in a topic of interest. If your student is taking a literature course in school and is fascinated by William Shakespeare, the teacher will not stop and allow extra weeks for further study. Instead, the passion ignited soon takes a back seat to the demands of the class. Homeschooling families can take advantage of those passions and allow students to dig deeper and learn more.

Advantages of homeschooling #4

Family Time

This is one of the biggest advantages to homeschooling! Where better to nurture relationships, build confidence, instill character, and strengthen bonds than the family? Research indicates that students in families who eat at last one meal together per day are more successful and less likely to get into trouble. Imagine the impact that you can have on your child’s future by increasing your family time tenfold!

Will your child learn from peers and/or teachers who may or may not share the same values or will he have the advantage of learning from you? What character traits will they model as adults?

One of the advantages of homeschooling is that through you, they will learn to respect elders; they will be spared the down beating so prominent in schools today; they will develop confidence in who they are; and they will become adults.

Time with the family is so short—homeschooling allows you to maximize that time and enjoy your children.

The advantages of homeschooling are limitless! In fact, the advantages you experience may be completely different from the advantages listed here. However, the advantage of instilling your own morals and values, the advantage of socialization, the advantage of flexibility, and the advantage of family time are all advantages of homeschooling that center around freedom! And that is one advantage that applies to everyone!

Top 7 pull down attic ladder tips

Here are a few tips if you're thinking of building your own steel or wood attic pull down ladders. The basic concept behind attic pull down ladders, is, course, getting into and out of the attic. You are creating folding stairs, basically. When you need access to the attic you pull down your ladder. When you're out of the attic and don't need to go back, you fold your ladder back up.

You can purchase a whole kit to build an attic pull down ladder, choosing from either a steel ladder or a wood one. These kits can be found at a major outlet building supply store. The kits allow for quick and easy installation of the folding attic ladder. The two things you need to first determine before you make the ladder kit purchase is that you have enough room to swing your ladder open and that you also have adequate floor space around the area where the bottom of the attic pull down ladder would sit that you would be safe accessing and exiting the attic via your pull down ladder.

Check your home dimensions and the dimensions of the pull down attic ladder kits you're considering before you buy one. Check out community building codes as well. Once you're done constructing your attic ladder you can neatly trim the opening.

Keep in mind that this is not an easy construction, and that you will need several hours free to complete the installation as well as one other person to help you build your attic pull down ladder.

Predicting oil prices the shortage lies in the fact

Any numbers of energy experts—in Wall Street, in specialist trading outfits and in government bureaus throughout the world—have concluded that, since demand for oil will continue to outstrip supply, crude prices will remain on a firm-to-higher path in the foreseeable future. The problem is that hardly any statistical formulation is based on audited or established facts. Data from countries within the OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) has proven to be totally unreliable. And oil consumption estimates from countries like India and China are just that, estimates.

Pressed for facts at a recent news conference, an official from the US Energy Information Administration conceded that “we are working on best-available data, not on the type of data we would like to possess.” For example, the Saudi government has been claiming, for well over a decade, that it can increase production by at least 10% at short notice, if and when stability (and sanity) needs to be injected into the energy price spectrum; prior to the start of the March 2003 Iraq war, OPEC’s publicly stated objective was a trading range of US$22-28 per barrel, and the Saudi concept of price stability has been changing with each passing day.

Moreover, nobody really knows how much oil the Saudis actually sell, and how much excess capacity is waiting to be tapped. For that matter, OPEC’s other members are not too liberal on output data either. Iran, for instance, has never been able to explain the gap between oil revenues recorded in the national budget on one hand and oil sales disclosed in OPEC publications on the other. Iraq’s government claimed yesterday that its monthly oil production had finally exceeded pre-war levels. But, given the quantum of illegal, non-approved oil deals executed by Saddam Hussien, who knows for certain how much oil Iraq was exporting in 2003? And, given the widely fluctuating security situation, is today’s data from Iraq valid for a forecast of tomorrow?

To add to the confusion, a former senior executive of Moscow-based Gazprom revealed in a statement from exile in London that “the story of the vast Russian petrochemical sector is continuously shaped and re-shaped inside the Kremlin. For the Putin administration, oil and gas are highly strategic weapons, and they don’t care a damn for the global demand-supply equation.”

Well, the largest consumer groups don’t care a damn either. Not surprisingly, one has yet to hear anything akin to a mass protest at the steady rise in gasoline prices at American and European pumps.

And, as far as consumption statistics from India and China are concerned, the less said the better. “One bad harvest, which depends largely upon the weather, will halt India’s 10%-plus growth rate in its tracks, simple as that,” a Mumbai-based trader in stock options warned his clients in a blog posting today. At the same time, a Chinese Communist Party executive told foreign journalists in Beijing last week that “higher oil will not impact China, since the biggest component of national GDP growth for the next few years will be non-urban in nature, and incremental consumption of oil will not be too significant. Don’t expect China to lead the charge beyond US$100 per barrel.”

The fundamental problem in predicting the future of oil prices, of course, lies in the paucity of sufficient facts, either for demand or for supply. When confronted by this fact-shortage, a Citibank analyst cited the terror premium. “The threat of terrorism is contributing at least US$30 to the price of each barrel of oil sold on the world markets today,” she insisted. “One cannot be too precise here, but the movement of the oil price graph since 2001 is ample evidence that terrorism, or rather the threat of it, has provided the core momentum after oil prices breached the US$50 per barrel mark.”

Will the absence, hopefully, of a terrorist spectacular over the next 12 months or so cause the terror premium to narrow? And will a major terrorist attack in the West result in the widening of that premium? The more you ask those questions, the more imprecise the opinions become. Because if 30% of today’s crude prices are a consequence of terrorism, then perhaps energy experts should concentrate on studying terrorism rather than pouring over dubious supply and demand statistics!!

In the meanwhile, the entire oil exploration scenario is riddled with inconsistencies. A series of exploration programmes, particularly in West Africa and Central Asia, have been placed on slow track, or have been shelved, at least temporarily. At the end of the day, with virtually all price-related projections inherently lacking credibility, it is natural that the focus returns to production, sales and unprecedented profits---whatever the reason for a barrel being priced at US$90-plus might or might not be.

Good luck

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Good luck, people called it, when a couple I know had a business handed to them for free. It was making a little money, but the owner didn't want to deal with it anymore. Other things were going on in his life, and he just wanted to drop the whole business. However, the lease on the building the business was in still had nine months to go.

This is where my friends enter the story. The owner had a problem, and they had a solution. Here are three reasons they had a business given to them, and why they were so "lucky."

1. They let the man tell his story, and they listened.

2. They looked at the business, and saw the opportunity.

3. They worked, doing what it took to benefit from their "good luck."

Good Luck Comes From Preparation

You can say they were lucky. The owner agreed to give them the business if they would simply take over the lease on the building. The biggest reason for their good luck however, includes the ones given, and goes beyond them: They were ready.

Having some money in the bank made it possible to handle the transition. They had previous experience with a small business. They were willing to learn what they needed to learn, and were mentally prepared to work.

Another example: John was "so lucky" to get a $6,000 car for $2,000 at an auction, a friend told me. I mentioned that John went to the auction regularly, that he had made himself familiar with car values, and that he always kept money available for such opportunities. Of course, it didn't seem to register with my friend.

My friend could have been "so lucky," too, but he had to be ready. He might have saved $2,000, or obtained a credit card with a high enough limit, or arranged with someone to borrow the money and split the profits when deals like this came up. Since he didn't do any of these things, there was no opportunity here for him.

If you want good luck, aren't there always thing you can do to prepare? To be lucky in love, you comb your hair, right? If you want opportunities in the stock market, start studying, setting aside money to invest, and exploring the possibilities. Prepare for opportunity, and it will come more often. Good luck!

Are you a credit card tart

Some people use the word tart as an insult; others as a bit of friendly banter. Either way, it's not the sort of term you associate with financial matters, especially not with credit cards. A credit card tart is someone who moves from credit card to credit card, taking advantage of the best offers. In the process, that person can save hundreds, and perhaps make money as well.

Being a successful credit card tart takes a bit of knowledge and a lot of organisation. The knowledge has to do with finding out which preferential rate deals are available. The organisation comes in remembering when you need to switch from one card to another.

How It Works

Many credit card companies offer incentives to get customers to sign up. Some incentives are low balance transfer rates. These allow people to transfer balances on which they are paying a high rate of interest to credit cards with a lower rate of interest. Sometimes this interest rate is as low as 0%, though this is usually available for a limited period of between six months and one year. Other balance transfer incentives offer a low rate for as long as the balance transferred stays on the card.

Credit card companies hope that people who take advantage of these incentives will remain with them even when the preferential period runs out. Many people do, but credit card tarts use these incentives to their advantage. Instead of keeping their debt on the same credit card forever, credit card tarts move their balances from card to card, taking advantage of the best offers. This is also known as 'rate surfing'.

Making The Most Of Rate Surfing

Rate surfing can save hundreds as people who are enjoying a low or nil balance transfer rate are able to pay off some of the balance when making their payments.

To make the most of rate surfing, look at the small print to see what transactions the preferential interest rate applies to. There may be a different rate for withdrawing cash, using credit card cheques or making purchases.

Keeping A Good Credit Rating

The key to being a successful credit card tart or rate surfer is to make all the credit card payments on time. Late payments will affect your credit rating. A poor credit history will make it harder to get a new card the next time you want to take up an offer.

Credit card companies have now got wise to rate surfers and credit card tarts. Many of them have introduced a one-off balance transfer fee. This is usually a fixed percentage of the balance transferred. In some cases, there is no cap on the fee, so transferring a large balance could incur a huge fee. This is a way for credit card companies to make rate surfing less attractive, as the practice costs them hundreds of thousands in lost interest each year.

Credit card companies are also becoming very selective about who gets their credit cards. This is another way of clamping down on credit card tarts, so if you're a credit card tart, enjoy it while it lasts.

Health care the many advantages of taking a multivitamin

It is vital to our health to receive the nutrients our body needs. Most of these important vitamins and minerals are available in food, but not everyone gets the right amount from the food they eat. To prevent serious health care problems it is wise to make sure you supply your body with the right amount of these nutrients.

Why Take a Multivitamin?

Multivitamins provide essential ingredients needed to maintain good health. They come in different forms, including tablets, capsules, and liquid. This is the convenient way to get the daily doses of important nutrients. Along with a healthy diet, a multivitamin will help support good men's health and women's health.

Feel Better With a Multivitamin

Although most people do not suffer from serious malnutrition, their bodies might be slightly deficient in some nutrients. Even a slight deficiency can pose an increased risk of numerous diseases. Even what is considered minor problems can cause a person much suffering and loss of production. Sleep disorders, loss of memory, and lack of energy are common complaints. To support good health care, a multivitamin is very helpful.

Everyone has different needs due to lifestyles, genetics and age. There are different formulas that supply a wide range of nutrients at general nutritional levels.

Multivitamins for All Ages

People of all ages can benefit from a multivitamin. Children are growing and need nourishment for their organs and healthy bones. Pregnant women have special needs to help their child to be born healthy. As people age they develop different requirements for good health. Many young women have an iron deficiency and require an extra boost of iron. There are formulas for all ages and different needs to promote good health care.

Health Care Benefits

Some deficiencies are hard to pinpoint, but a multivitamin could help prevent serious problems in the future. Healthy skin, good cholesterol levels, diabetes, enzyme absorption and digestion are often improved with a combination of vitamins and minerals in a multivitamin. Some doctors use vitamins as therapy for specific conditions but it is not recommended to take mega doses without consulting your doctor. The recommended dose is the safest way to take the multivitamin.

One Pill a Day

Instead of taking a handful of supplements, a multivitamin can give you the recommended minimum daily requirements at one time. It will keep the dosages in balance to help insure the absorption of key ingredients. Doctors report that everyone would benefit from a daily multivitamin, and you will too!

Stock splits and how you can profit from them

Stock splitting is something that investors like. When stocks split, it means you have twice the amount of shares you did before. The value of each one does go down but the amount increases. This gives you greater leverage and the stocks have a chance of going up in value in the future.

Companies sometimes like to split their stocks down the middle. If you have 100 stocks worth $2 each and the company splits its stocks, you will then have 200 stocks worth $1 each. The total value is the same but you feel like you have more stocks. It is like changing money – you have two notes instead of one although your pair of $10 notes are the same in value as the $20 you had a moment ago.

Smaller investors can get into the market more easily because of stock splitting. Someone is more likely to buy cheaper stock if they do not have a lot of money to invest. If a company is selling stock for $300, an investor might think that is above their budget, but if the stock is split and ends up at $150, the investor might consider that a reasonable price. Splitting stocks is a game where the value does not go up or down but people prefer stocks which seem to be cheaper and think they are getting a better deal.

There are various ways that a company might decide to split their stocks. Nearly all companies will stick to the two stocks for one rule, but some might offer three for one. Another company might reverse split their stock, meaning you had ten stocks worth $200 before. Now you have only five stocks but they are worth $400 each. If a company feels that its stock price is too low, it will consider doing a reverse split. It might want to make sure the company does not get de-listed or another reason for a reverse stock split is when you want fewer stockholders, perhaps wanting to make your company private.

If a company has lower stock prices, they have more liquidity. More people find the stocks affordable and there is therefore more interest in them.

Sometimes, however, stock splitting might provide false hope for investors because an investor will expect certain returns on his investment when the stock price changes. If the company does not deliver what people expect, they might lose the market’s confidence which means falling stock prices.

Stock splitting is not always good or always bad. It depends on the company and the reasons for the split. The company will split its stocks to alter the perception of its investors. If this works out the way they want it to, the stocks might raise. If not, there will be no change.

Bird flu h5n1 influenza status briefing natural protection

The Bird Flu has a defined area of infection and has found a host that has kept it alive for millenniums. Pigs are in the mutation chain as the virus transitions to people. The next bird flu step could be an overnite pandemic or a wimpering gasp of disappearance.

The virus H5N1, has a few similarities with the Spanish flu of 1918 that resulted in one of the largest pandemics in the last 200 years. Both of these contagious outbreaks cause high fever, lower respiratory tract failure symptoms, prostration, myalgias, and a postviral weakness that could last up to 6 weeks.

Twenty-four hour access channels have warned of a coming pandemic that may arrive in the form of H5N1 avian influenza, more commonly referred to as ‘bird flu’. The market for poultry products has decreased internationally because of a lack of consumer confidence in a safe supply.

In Eastern Asian countries entire flocks of chickens have been destroyed because of an outbreak that easily spreads from bird to bird, infecting the entire flock.

Proactive Steps

Current laboratory research currently indicates existing flu prescriptions should be an active and readily available treatment should the ‘bird flu’ H5N1 make its presence felt. While this is good news, there is a second wave effect that has historically been seen in such a widespread influenza outbreak. The second wave may occur when the flu strain alters just enough to render existing medications ineffective.

Knowledge is a primary key in the battle of any communicable disease. Understanding symptoms can provide both peace of mind as well as the information you need to know should a doctor’s visit be required.

Defining Bird Flu

Like the more common flu strains, ‘bird flu’ may include fever, sore throat, muscle aches and eye infections. However, ‘bird flu’ may also include pronounced lethargy, acute breathing difficulties and chest pain. In more extreme cases pneumonia may make an appearance as well as potential organ failure.

This virulent strain of flu virus has, to date, been spread primarily through poultry and water fowl. The limited human fatalities that have been reported have all been a result of close interaction with infected birds.

The incubation period for humans who do contract ‘bird flu’ may be as few as two days or as many as 17.

Industry Protection

Chicken farmers are taking radical steps to keep their investment safe. Disinfectant sprays are beginning to be applied and sterile clothing is becoming common when entering poultry facilities. Symptoms that include bird inactivity and decreased egg production are routinely reviewed and monitored.

What If?

Members of the World Health Organization have worked to develop a plan that could be implemented on a global scale to address both current issues as well as those that may be forthcoming in the event of a ‘bird flu’ pandemic. Steps are currently being taken to address the issues surrounding ‘bird flu’ and partner countries are gaining assistance from the findings of the World Health Organization.

Flu Shot

It is unclear if the annual flu shot will assist in the reduction of ‘bird flu’ cases should a pandemic occur. However, there is evidence to suggest they it may in fact do so.

It may be that ‘bird flu’ will never reach epidemic proportions, but knowing what it is and what it is capable of doing is a help in preparing for a flu strain that could join the ranks of some of the world’s greatest viral killers.

The best prevention of the bird flu is a strong immune system. Exercise the body and the lungs. Look for a natural antiviral supplement. While modern scientist search for a vaccine, we have natural remedies that we can employ. Colloidal silver is known to kill bacteria and virus.

Understanding better lasik surgery

I had my Lasik Surgery last year and I found important to write an article abou it

For many of you oth there it no clear information about LASIK, LASIK can be a solution to imporve your eye sight.

LASIK is a shortened term standing for "LA ser in SI tu K eratomileusis". This correction procedure utilizes two devices to alter the degree of near-sightedness in an eye. LASIK is usually safe, provided you are a good candidate. The success rate for LASIK averages above 95 percent for most experienced LASIK surgeons. LASIK Eye Surgery can eliminate or reduce your dependence on glasses or contacts. Dr Stephen Slade is a specialist in Houston Texas, and around the world, in LASIK, and other types of refractive and laser eye surgery.

LASIK is done most often on people who use glasses or contact lenses because of myopia (nearsightedness). It is occasionally used to correct farsightedness .

LASIK eye surgery is a safe and effective treatment that has continued to gain popularity among patients. LASIK is a surgical procedure that can reduce a person's dependency on glasses or contact lenses. The procedure permanently changes the shape of the cornea (the delicate clear covering on the front of the eye). Lasik stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis. Basically what's happening is a small flap is cut on the cornea, the clear covering of the eye.

LASIK Houston is a popular destination, but not all clinics are the same. Be sure that you're getting what you need and want from your vision correction, and that you feel safe with a surgeon who has performed thousands of successful LASIK procedures . LASIK eye surgery may be an option for you if you have nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) or astigmatism. Nearsightedness occurs when the eyeball is slightly longer than normal or when the cornea curves too sharply, causing light rays to focus in front of the retina and blurring distant vision. Lasik actually produces, instead of a spherical cornea, an aspherical cornea.

LASIK can be difficult to understand for some candidates . Once better educated, patients can proceed to find and contact qualified surgeons in their area by searching our directory of practices. LASIK is a surgical option for correcting your vision. It is a way to fix your eyesight, without the use of glasses or contacts, and a way for you to be able to see the world as you are supposed to see it. LASIK MD is the leading provider of laser vision correction in Canada. Our LASIK eye surgeons are among the most renowned and experienced in the world having performed over 400,000 laser eye surgeries.

LASIK laser eye surgery is performed in sterile conditions. The surgeon applies anaesthetic eye drops to eliminate any pain and a small 'clip' is used to keep the eyelid open. LASIK technology is quickly advancing, and we strive to be on the cutting edge. It is often tempting for other San Diego LASIK surgeons to use cheaper technologies to increase their profits. Lasik is not right for everyone. By having a wide base of surgical choices for your patients you can open the door to a new value proposition.

Direct salestips cookie cutter service doesn t cut it anymore

In the evolution of marketing, one trend that has thankfully become a mainstay in the strategic planning process of today’s innovative businesses is the practice of niche-marketing. In brief, it is the deliberate attempt to more narrowly define your marketing message so it speaks clearly and powerfully to a small market segment whose needs you are uniquely qualified to meet. Companies who have jumped on the niche-marketing bandwagon are successfully navigating the rough whitewaters of today’s uncertain economy and are demonstrating that a company can never stop “fine-tuning” their strategy for growth.

Having made this point, you may be expecting us to lament about the many reasons you should incorporate niche-marketing into your strategy for growth, or expound upon the 6 steps you should take to more narrowly define your customer profile. While these are certainly worthwhile endeavors, that is not the focus of this article. In fact, narrowly defining your target customer is a difficult task for most direct selling companies, due to the fact that their increasingly diverse distributor base reaches an ever widening target customer.

Any direct seller will tell you that it is not uncommon to find at an in-home show, the hostess’ 16-year old niece sitting alongside her 72-year-old grandmother. Niche-marketing is a challenge at best for direct selling companies and would make for an interesting topic of a future article. Instead, we use the example of niche-marketing to make a point that there is great value in knowing – without a doubt - who your customer is and suggest that this same concept can be used to understand your distributors and ignite your business.

What’s this miracle elixir that will improve distributor loyalty, increase retention, revitalize recruiting and strengthen distributor moral? It’s something called… niche-servicing. Put simply, niche-servicing is the effort on the part of a company to narrowly define the various segments that exist within its distributor base, going to great lengths to understand, acknowledge and meet the unique needs of each of these segments. Stop for a moment and let that sink in. In fact, go back and read the definition once again so that you grasp the significance and value of this new concept.

Now that we have your attention, let’s take a closer look at the four components of niche-marketing and how you might employ them within your business.

Component #1: Narrowly define the various segments within your distributor base. This means that you no longer see your distributors as one cohesive group with similar interests, needs and motivations. To do this, you’ll need to extract some data that can give you a better picture of who you are serving. For example, what percentage of your sales force falls into the four age ranges: 29 and under, 30 to 45, 46 to 65, and 65 and over? What other groups exist within your distributor base? Are there significant size groups of stay-at-home moms, single moms, husband and wife teams, “Internet Only” distributors, or rural dwellers who may be in an area all on their own? Find out if there are specific ethnic communities within your sales force. Know where they are located and meet the leaders of these groups. Knowing the “genetic make up” of your sales force is the first step to implementing niche-servicing within your direct selling company.

Component #2: Understand the unique needs of each of these segments. This requires that you invest some time and resources in researching each segment you have identified as being significant. Two methods of getting to know a specific segment of your distributor base are surveys and focus groups. While face-to-face research is ideal, it can be costly. Randomly selecting a group within a segment and flying them in for an all day focus group would certainly provide you with a wealth of information and create massive good will within that segment however, it may not be in your R&D budget just yet. A less expensive alternative is to utilize your company’s website to gather the necessary insights from your primary distributor segments. Interactive on-line surveys are ideal, in that they allow you to capture the results in a format that can be analyzed statistically as well as objectively. On-line chats with a particular segment are another way to open up dialogue and better understand what a particular segments needs.

Component #3: Acknowledge the unique needs of each segment. The first outward step to incorporating niche-service into your strategic plan is to simply acknowledge these groups as valued segments of your distributor base. This may be as simple as putting the spotlight on a success story within a particular ethnic group each month, or establishing an award for a husband and wife team who exemplify true partnership in business and in life. Acknowledgment of distributors who are single moms may come in the form of an annual college scholarship that is awarded to the son or daughter of a star distributor who is succeeding in business while raising a family on her own. There are endless ways to acknowledge and bond with these unique segments. In fact, the simple act of recognizing the challenges a particular group may face can do more good for distributor moral than you ever imagined.

Component #4: Find innovative ways to meet the unique needs of each segment. Here is where a company puts its money where its mouth is, by going the extra mile to meet the needs of their primary segments. This may include adding a few pages to the company website that speaks specifically to a particular segment or offering special breakout sessions at your national convention that offer solutions to the unique needs of seniors, Hispanics or distributors who also juggle a 9-5 job. If you have a considerably sized segment under the age of 28, niche-service might include a “Generation X” Conference that features retro music, young keynote speakers and a message that hits a cord with this very special generation.

As we round the corner and head further into the 21st century, consider the value of forgoing the “cookie cutter” approach to servicing your distributors and incorporate niche-service into your strategic plan. Your reward will be greater loyalty and an influx of distributors who see your company uniquely positioned to meet their specific needs.

Bladder cancer and the effects of colon cleansing

You have probably heard about some of the many ways that you can cleanse your colon, but you may not understand the benefit of colon cleansing. There are many reasons that you are going to want to have a colon cleansing done at least every couple of years.

Herbs are good in intestinal cleansing since they get rid of pounds of foul smelling food debris that have been stocked inside the colon. Often colon cleansing can take up to a month and there are products that are very effective such as powers, teas, and pills. Increase your level of exercise to assist in eliminating constipation and speed up detoxification and colon cleansing.

Increase the fiber in your diet and include whole grains, fruits and vegetables to help activate colon cleansing and constipation relief. For detoxifying or cleansing the colon, it is also important to include probiotics in your diet in order to replenish the good bacteria in the intestines. Many people swear to the fact that after years of self-medication and doctor visits, a colon cleansing is what finally cured them of many of the diseases they were suffuring from for years.

As the awareness of colon cleansing is reaching more and more people, new methods of colon cleansing are also available. A colon cleansing kit consist of a 3 part system. The tea, powder, and the pills as mentioned above. But far from the only thing on the market.

Constipation is caused by so many different contributing factors that it is very challenging to come up with a colon cleansing recipe that will work fairly widely. Juice fasting is a great way of cleansing the colon. The second way is to use cleansing herbal formulas which often contain herbs that are known to kill parasites, reactivate the peristalsis (muscular action of the colon) and eliminate mucus and compacted feces from the sides of the colon wall.

Often the colon wall muscles will expand and lose tone. Good colon health implies the proper and adequate functioning of the colon and toxic-free state of the colon.

The best thing to do is to make sure that you are having a colon cleansing done every couple of years so that you are not going to have any complications in the near future because of all the toxins that you may be taking in. Please remember that it is important to consult a medical practitioner for advice before you start a colon cleansing program. Happy colon health to you, and please visit my websites to learn more about colon detoxification cleansing.

New zealand car rental - things you should know

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New Zealand Car Rental
If you're visiting New Zealand a rental car is one of the best ways to get around. New Zealand is a small country but has the astounding geographic diversity of a major continent squeezed into its small size. For example, within 3- 4 hours drive of Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city, are sub-tropical beaches, volcanic mountains with ski fields, boiling mud pools, ancient forests, unspoiled trout fishing rivers and world class golf courses.

Having a rental car gives you the freedom and flexibility to go where you want and when you want.

Driving in New Zealand
For most overseas visitors driving in New Zealand is a breeze because, compared to what they are used to, there is surprisingly little traffic on the roads - especially in the South Island. Whilst New Zealand is about the size of UK its population is only 4 million - UK by comparison has over 60 million.

Another difference is the limited number of motorways and freeways. Roads are generally only 2-laned and frequently windy due to the ever changing landscape. In New Zealand we drive on the left, as in UK. If you're from America or another country that drives on the right then you might feel apprehensive about having to drive on the "wrong side of the road". Don't be - it's straight-forward and tens of thousands of foreign visitors happily do it every year.

New Zealanders typically show a little less consideration to other drivers than is seen in UK, Australian, and the US where more cars on the road force people to be more considerate. Having said that, don't be put off - driving in New Zealand is nothing like the harrowing experience of driving in Italy or parts of Asia!

New Zealand Car Rental Firms
New Zealand car rental firms range from the familiar multi-national big brands through to small local car rental firms. The advantage of the big name rental firms is they can be found throughout New Zealand and offer the biggest and newest range of rental vehicles. The disadvantage is that generally they're the most expensive and often have lots of hidden costs.

At the other end of the scale are the small local operators who typically have older rental cars. Whilst you may not end up driving this year's latest model the advantage is that the smaller car rental firms can be substantially cheaper, so leaving you more money to spend on the many exciting attractions New Zealand offers. Between these extremes you'll find a wide range of NZ car rental firms catering to different needs and budgets.

What Sort of Driving Licenses are Required in New Zealand?
You can legally drive in New Zealand for up to 12 months if you have either a current driver's license from your home country, or an International Driving Permit.

Most car rental companies require drivers to be over the age of 25 and to have held a full license for at least 3 years. Some firms will rent vehicles to younger drivers. For example, A2B Car Rentals rents vehicles to drivers who are 20 or older and hold a full driver's license. At the manager's discretion, a holder of a license for less than three years is acceptable but may incur a higher insurance excess.

Make sure your overseas driver's license is current. If your license is not in English, you should bring an English translation with you or obtain an International Driving Permit. Contact your local automobile club for further details about obtaining a translation or an International Driving Permit.

In New Zealand it's a legal requirement that all drivers, including overseas visitors, must carry their license or permit when driving. Naturally you will only be able to drive the same types of vehicles you are licensed to drive in your home country.

What are New Zealand's Road Rules?
Here's a brief over-view. You can get more details the NZ Government Land Transport Authority website ( ltsa. govt. nz/roadcode/)
· In New Zealand, all vehicles drive on the left-hand side of the road as in UK.
· When turning left, give way (or yield) to traffic crossing or approaching from your right
· When the traffic light is red, you must stop
· Speed limits are strictly enforced by police using radar, speed cameras and un-marked patrol cars. Fines for speeding can be expensive
· The speed limit on the open road is 100 km/h (approx 60 mph)
· In built up areas the speed limit is 50 km/h. (approx 30 mph)
· Drivers and passengers must wear seat belts at all times

In Summary
If you're planning to visit New Zealand a rental car is one of the best options, especially for independent travelers who want to experience everything New Zealand has to offer. A rental car gives you the freedom and flexibility to go where you want and when you want to enjoy this wonderful country.

Asian dating - respect and honour

Honour and respect are two of the most important elements in Asian culture, and they shouldn't be overlooked when it comes to dating. For instance, traditionally, Asian women are taught at a young age to know their place around men, treat them with respect and accommodate them, while men are taught to protect and provide for the women. Although these traditions have become a faded practice in Western culture, respect still plays an important role in the Asian dating scene.

If you are Asian and are seeking a serious relationship with a man or woman from your ethnic culture, you will need to take into consideration that every move you make could be watched carefully by your partner's family, who may very well act as the third party to your date. With this in mind, here are a few tips you will want to think about when you begin dating:

Make an Impression - Be on your best behaviour. Listen to your date, create casual conversation, and be accommodating and thoughtful.

Treat your Date with Respect - Remember the saying "treat others as you would like to be treated", well this is when it really counts. Be considerate and patient, even if you find the topic of conversation to be of little interest to you. You should acknowledge what is important to your date and respect it.

Give them space - You don't want to come on too strong in the relationship, as this could either scare off your date, or make him or her jump to wrong conclusions. Creating a comfortable dating experience is the best way for you to discover if what you have found is an acquaintance, friend or potential lover.

Every once in a while visit the planet Earth - Be careful not to be mislead into believing that your dating relationship is something more than it is. Remember, not everyone is seeking a long term commitment (which could include you) therefore, before you let your imagination run wild from misinterpretation, make sure you take a realistic look at the relationship that is developing.

Above All have fun - Let's face it, the whole point to dating is about having a good time, and enjoying the other person's company, so don't be afraid to loosen up. Let your personality shine and take pleasure in your dating experiences.

In the end all that should matter when it comes down to dating, is that you and your date enjoy one another's company, are comfortable together, and share similar interests and values. If you find that there is no chemistry forming, it's time to say goodbye, and move on, regardless of how much your family may like him or her. After all, it is you who has to make the choice when it comes to your love life, for only you can determine who truly makes you happy. Therefore, grant yourself the respect and honour of making and standing by your dating decisions.

Increase your websites traffic with articles

To have a successful website on the internet you need to accrue one way links. The search engines such as Google, Yahoo and others can detect link exchanges between sites and even the new triangular link exchanges. Then they devalue those links.

Creating those one way links is the problem. It can be a very time consuming task. A one way link means that, another website chose to link to your site without reciprocation. The common reason would be that your site contains quality or unique content.

The circular problem is, in order for someone to find the content on your site they first had to get there. In order for someone to find and appreciate your content, you need to increase the traffic to your site. More people need to see it. How can we make that happen?

One way for people to get their websites seen is by writing articles. That and directory submissions are great way to bring visitors to your site.

First this is to write an article about a topic that is somehow related to your website. If your website is related to scuba diving, your article should also be about scuba diving. It should be anywhere from 400 to 700 words in length.

When the article is complete write a biography section. In fact, write about ten or twelve biography sections. Each bio should be different than the one before to establish diversity of content within the post.

After your article is complete you will want to submit your article and bio to different article websites. Those websites are allowed to distribute the articles to other website owners looking for fresh content. They can reprint the article intact with your links in the bio section. So every time your article is published, it brings a new one-way link to your website.

If you're looking for links look to directory reviews and article submissions. These are very valuable tools in establishing your online presence.

Keywords tags copy - don t waste your time unless you know what your doing

Keywords alone won’t create high search engine rankings for your eCommerce web site. Combining keywords, repeated several times on your page, with copy that communicates well and provides good reading for the viewer will boost your rankings for your chosen keyword(s). Your tags and the body of your page become critical elements for eCommerce success.

Your Title Tag should be the keyword or phrase you are targeting. Search engines ‘find’ title tags and display them. Your title tag needs to be at the beginning of your copy, and repeated numerous times throughout your page. Remember that people read search engine results and humans aren’t search engines. If what we are reading doesn’t capture our interest and attention, we click the mouse and go on to something else. Repeated keywords or phrases and compelling copy are a winning combination.

Creating Meta Tags is very much like Title Tags, except they will be longer and more descriptive. This tag is a page description and it’s also available for viewers to read in search engine results. The keyword or phrase needs to be repeated and a compelling description about your product or service needs to catch the eye of the reader. You don’t want him/her to lose interest and move on to someone else’s web site.

Once your site visitors find you (because you have such great keywords and phrases!) the composition of your page becomes paramount. You need to think about including pictures, slideshows and videos. They must be compelling enough for your visitors to want to hang around and not only see what you have to offer, but consider making a purchase. Your Alt tag for your graphics needs to include your primary keyword or phrase again.

Staying with the assumption that you want the visitor to make a purchase, you create compelling copy that describes your product or service and suggests how it may be helpful and important to your viewer. Be sure to use your keywords and phrases again in the first line of your copy and throughout your page. Search engines look for words and phrases that are repeated on a page.

We cannot over-emphasize the importance of compelling copy. Text that is boring simply means your visitor will move on to another site. Your graphics (pictures, slideshow, video) will capture your visitor’s interest, but your copy will make the difference between a purchase and a lost opportunity. Your visitor needs to be able to click on just one link to purchase your product or service. And that link must be available to the viewer on the page that is being viewed.

The key is to make a purchase as simple as possible for your cyberspace customers. Using the tags we’ve talked about, keywords and phrases will get them to your page via their favorite search engine. Your eye-catching graphics will pique their interest. And your compelling copy and simplicity of purchase will increase your average visitor value. Truly a successful cause and effect combination!

Tips on avoiding work at home scams

Working from home can be a perfect opportunity for any person looking for a more flexible schedule. Many parents, both moms and dads alike, love the idea of being available for their children when they need to be there. Working from home sure beats driving to and from the office in rush hour; wearing uncomfortable suits, ties and heels; and dealing with the boss.

Finding the right work at home business can be frustrating if you do not know what you are looking for. If you are lucky, you might already have a job where your employer will allow you to take your office to your home. This is an ideal situation for those who are already employed. However, if you are looking for work, or you want to stay at home with the kids, then you may need to look harder to find a home based job. While there are many reputable companies out there looking for people to work from home, there are just as many that are scams.

How do you avoid falling into the trap of a work at home scam? It is not always as easy as it seems. There are many illegitimate companies out there that want to lure you into their trap. They may ask for a large sum of money up front or may promise you that you will earn a large sum of money in a very short amount of time. These are definitely companies that you will need to be aware of before handing over any cash for a business start up.

You can also avoid work at home scams by checking into the Better Business Bureau. If someone has a problem with a certain company, he or she is likely to report that company to the BBB. You can do an easy search on that site to see what kind of complaints have been lodged. This is also a good place to turn if you have been the victim of a work at home scam. You can lodge a complaint so others will know that about the bad experience you have had with a particular company.

Another way to tell whether or not a company is legitimate or not is to find out who the company is before you decide to deal with them. Check around on the company’s website to see what kind of contact information they give you. If there is no mailing address (look for a physical street address, not a P. O. Box), then you might want to be cautious. A P. O. box could indicate the company is an unscrupulous fly-by-night operation looking to take your money.

If the company does not offer you customer service options, that could be another red flag warning you to stay away. A good online company that looks for real employees will always be available 24 hours a day to help with questions and concerns you may have while you are working. If there is no contact information, be aware. This may be a scam and you do not want to get involved.

Using the Internet for work can be a wonderful way to stay at home while making some extra money. However, you do need to be extra cautious when starting up one of these businesses. You do not want to be the victim of a work at home scam.

Fun and food in home grown vegetable gardening

Growing vegetables in your garden can save you money. During harvest time, your own produce becomes part of your meals. Home gardeners feel deep satisfaction in preparing salad or seasoning the casserole with freshly picked plants from their own vegetable gardens. Their feeling of the taste is incomparable. Fresh surplus are distributed to friends and love ones while some are keep frozen.

It doesn't require much space to grow vegetables. Even a container pot or a window box will do the trick. Where space is limited, you can grow a mini-garden indoor or outdoor. If you have a good sun, access to water and enough containers, growing a garden's worth of fruits and vegetables in a limited space is a no-brainer. You can even harvest more than one crop if your choice of plants and planting schemes are all well planned and executed. Windowsills, balconies and doorstep areas can be used, as well as empty packs of milks, pails, plastic buckets and cans.

When planting in containers, proper spacing is very important. One sturdy plant is better than several weak ones. Crowding chokes root systems will slow growth and poor production. With container vegetable garden, you no longer need to worry about poor soil types and bad drainage, or heavy-duty tiller to break up hard clay and rocks. There is no weeding to worry about and you can change the looks of your container placements by simply moving them around anytime to a place you wanted to.

Vegetable gardening offers a change from the monotony of the supermarket. You can grow variety of vegetables that you want. When choosing plants for your vegetable container garden, consider container worthy crops such as beans, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants and radish. Other root crops such onions and turnips can also do well in containers, but remember to always take care of these crops by ample fertilizers and water. Also consider grapes and berries. Though some take a while to get established, they bear fruits more each year. Planting for fall crops can be started in early summer, though summer planting can still be done in June in most regions.

One great advantage of growing vegetables and spices in containers involves the advent of the upside-down gardening. Crops with the likes of tomatoes, basil, parsley, rosemary and peppers do well with this approach. The ideas is that the vines will cascade downward instead of growing up a stake. A grow box can be treated by punching perforations through the bottom of a container. The other option is to purchase a device specially designed for this purpose. Upside gardens do not require a great deal of space and is perfect for balconies and patios.

Equally important, seeds and soil must properly be taken cared of in your vegetable container garden. Seeds do not always have to be bought. Reasonably fresh dill, anise, fennel, coriander and other seeds already on the spice rack should grow. If not, they are too old to add much to food anyway and should be replaced. Scoop out seeds from vegetables you've bought, dry them a week or so before planting.

Soil preparation on the other hand is very crucial for good results. Have the soil tested. Every state has a land-grant college that will test soil for a small fee. It will give abundant basic gardening advice, and garden resources tips. Start growing those veggies in your garden and turn your home made meals into something truly special. Take care of your plants to make them productive by keeping them watered and harvested.

Honduras snorkeling and diving adventures

Honduras is best known for its underwater riches, particularly its vantage point to the world’s second largest barrier reef. It has a well-deserved reputation as one of the best (and cheapest) places to learn to dive or complete your dive-master training. Your dives will show you coral reefs, yawning underwater caves, wrecked ships, and the docile whale sharks. But after you have had your fill of snorkeling and diving, you’ll find out that there is more to discover in this beautiful country.

Honduras is the second largest country in Central America, but it remains largely undiscovered by the mainstream tourist. Though it has gained some renown for its pristine coral reefs and warm tropical waters – both in its Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean sides – the country also boasts of impenetrable rainforests, and rivers meandering through largely unexplored jungle areas.

Its northern Caribbean coast sparkles in miles of white sand beaches, lush greenery and rich cultural diversity. Just 30 miles away from the north coast are the Bay Islands, famous for first-class diving off the barrier reef that extends northward as far as the Yucatan Peninsula. You can also visit the Hog Islands and, farther east, the Swan Islands.

Nature and Wildlife

Those who want a more terrestrial nature experience can visit the country’s extensive park system, which covers almost a quarter of its total area. You have the opportunity to trek up to cloud-forests (mountaintops covered with clouds or rain for more than 70% of the year) and rainforests, home of elusive wildlife like the jaguar and giant anteater. Its coastal wetlands provide the habitat for monkeys, manatees, alligators, and dozens of waterfowl species. This gives many opportunities for kayaking or canoeing through mysterious mangroves, but the more adventurous should conquer the world-class white-water rafting rapids of Rio Cangrejal near La Ceiba.

The northeastern Honduras is occupied by the Moskitia (literally, mosquito), an area of 8,500 square miles. It holds one of the largest still-intact rainforests on the isthmus, sometimes referred to as the Central American Amazon. Moskitia is not accessible by road: you can only use a plane or small sea vessel. But those who go there are well-rewarded with experiences of tropical wildlife, open coasts, estuaries, river valleys, flood plains, fresh-water swamps, lagoons and mangroves.

Bird-watchers should visit the inland Lake Yojoa region and the area surrounding the coastal city of Tela to spot nearly 400 of the 700 species of birds, native and migratory, that fly through the Honduras. The ancient Maya ruins in Copan, an archaeological World Heritage site, remind you of Honduras’ long and ancient history. You can puzzle over the hieroglyphic stairway in Copan and the scientific enigmas in the 2,500-year-old Talgua Caves. The ancient city is found in Los Naranjos Archaeological Park.

When to Go

Like most tropical countries, Honduras has a rainy season and a dry season. In the interior, especially the west and south, the rainy season is roughly from May to November, with rains coming in the afternoon and lasting an hour or so. On the north coast and the Bay Islands, the rainy season comes later in September to December, but anytime outside these months is perfect for your diving and snorkeling.

Travel is easier during the dry season, especially for scuba diving and trips to La Moskitia. February and March are good months, because the weather is fairly stable in most of the country; the roads and trails are drying out but the trees and underbrush are still full and green.

Planning Your Trip

Honduras is an inexpensive country for travel, though the diving will be expensive. Your next biggest expense will be for lodgings: there are luxury hotels, but the average hotel should cost you up to $25 a night and there are budget places that go for $12 in the more popular destinations. Food for most travelers costs up to $8 per meal inclusive of drinks, taxes and tip. Budget meals at street vendors and no-name eateries might cost $5 or less.

Hiking, trekking and biking are very good in Honduras, so do prepare for these; if you can, bring your own bike. Canopy tour – where you slide from treetop to treetop – is an exciting thing to do in La Ceiba, Rio Cangrejal and the Roatan.

How to start your own successful business

Running your own business can be a daunting experience, you give up a secure income and go out and risk it all. If you have a family it makes it even more nerve wracking.

However, the rewards can be brilliant. These include, more money than you earned in your job and no boss that constantly tells you what to do.

Like everything in life working for yourself has its up’s and downs. If you want to do really well you may find yourself working long hours for little pay for the first few months while you get yourself going.

It is normal for you to get slightly stress during this time and ask yourself why you made the decision to move across.

You need to be patient at this point because in business, things seem to have a habit of building like an elastic band, there is nothing for a long while and then it all happens at once.

Many people have said to me that they haven’t started their own business because they don’t know what to sell.

This is rubbish because you can sell almost anything in this world as long as there is a market for it.

You don’t need to know everything about the product or have loads of money behind you.

You can start off small and then grow big; it’s not that hard, it just takes patience, perseverance and hard work.

The first step to starting your own business is making the decision to do so. The next step is then to stick with that decision 100%.

You then need to decide what products to sell and find out whether there is a market for it.

Once you have decided what you are going to sell you need to do a cost analysis and see if the business is viable.

If it is possible to make a decent amount of profit and you can live on what the business pays you then it is time to start selling.

You need to market your product; the way you do this depends on what your individual product is.

Every product will sell better or worse depending on how it is marketed.

You may want to take an advert in a local paper or get some flyers printed and then drop them off.

Maybe you can call some local businesses up and try and sell them your product or service.

Once your product starts selling you need to reinvest as much money in the business as possible and keep the profits in the business.

Keep this going until your business is in a healthy situation finically.

If you are diligent about the way you conduct your business, you will reap the rewards.

Working for yourself is 1000 times better than working for anyone else.

Remember, if you don’t take the risk there is no chance that it will ever happen.

Lowering blood pressure with the help of acupuncture

Doctors and scientists from the Irvine university of California have recently discovered a new method of lowering blood pressure. This method is based on electroacupuncture, which seems to have a significant effect in lowering blood pressure. The method has been tested on rats, by inducing low electric stimulation at the front of their legs, and their blood's pressure after the treatment was 40 percent lower than before(their blood pressure had been artificially increased before). This opens new doors for hypertension treatment, maybe it will even replace the traditional medical treatments with this ancient method.

These are all the methods that were tested :

Needles were inserted into:

-pericardium 5-6, and they were rotated every 10 to thirty minutes. While this procedure was performed, the rats' blood pressure was being raised by doctors.

-the rats' forelimbs, without any stimulation or twist, for 30 minutes.

Also, the pericardium 5-6 was electrically stimulated with frequencies ranging from 2 to 100 hertz.

During these tests the changes in blood pressure were continuously monitored, and the results carefully recorded. The most successful in lowering blood pressure were those tests which involved manual and electrical acupuncture, which had serious effects in lowering blood pressure, lasting up to one hour, and ranging from 33 to 36 percent. The best results were recorded at the rats which had been stimulated by electroacupuncture, especially at those treated at the electroacupuncture frequency of 2 hertz.

However, the best results were recorded at the rats stimulated at the heart (6-7) and stomach (36-37). Their blood pressure was lowered up to 44 percent for the heart stimulation, and 36 percent for the stomach.

An important observation that doctors made was that this electroacupuncture treatment can only lower blood pressure for the hypertensive people, it has no effect for healthy people.

We can only that these treatments involving acupuncture will soon be available to everyone, because they represent a very good way to lower blood pressure

Augusto pinochet president of chile born 1915

After seizing power in a bloody CIA-backed coup, General Augusto Pinochet ruled Chile with a rod of iron for two decades, during which human rights violations became the norm of Chilean life.

Hailing from an upper-middle class background, Pinochet entered the military academy in Santiago at the age of 18, graduating three years later as a second lieutenant. By 1968 he had risen to the rank of brigadier general.

In 1970, Salvador Allende, a Marxist, became president of Chile with the backing of the Christian Democrats, and began restructuring Chilean society along socialist lines. In the process he expropriated the US-owned copper-mining companies, alienating the US government and foreign investors. He further annoyed Washington by establishing relations with Cuba and Communist China, which the United States did not recognise at that time. As a result, America imposed tough economic sanctions and the CIA spent millions of dollars destabilising the Allende regime, much of it going into Pinochet’s pockets.

By 1972, the Chilean economy had collapsed. With no foreign investment, production had come to a standstill. There were widespread strikes, inflation, food shortages and civil unrest. With the backing of armed forces, Pinochet staged a military coup on 11 September 1973. It was bloody even by Latin American standards. The navy seized the key port of Valparaiso, while the army surrounded the presidential palace in Santiago. Allende refused to step down. When the palace was overrun a few hours later, he was found dead. It appears that he shot himself rather than face inevitable torture and execution.

A junta took over and declared marital law. Those who violated the curfew were shot on sight. Pinochet was named president two days later. He broke off relations with Cuba – Nixon had staged his famous rapprochement with China by then – and moved against Allende’s supporters. Some 14 000 would be tried and executed or expelled from the country, while Pinochet claimed he was only trying to ‘restore institutional normality’ of Chile.

In June 1974 Pinochet assumed sole power, with the rest of the junta relegated to an advisory role. Under Pinochet’s tyrannical rule, it is estimated that 20 000 people were killed and torture was widespread.

While Pinochet continued to maintain tight control over the political opposition, he was rejected by a plebiscite in 1988. He eventually stepped down in 1990 after immunity from prosecution in Chile. He stayed on as army chief of staff. However, during a shopping trip to London in October 1998, he was arrested on a Spanish warrant charging him with murder. He was later accused of torture and human rights violations. For 16 months, he fought his extradition through the British courts, and then in January 2000, Home Secretary Jack Straw decided that he was too ill to stand trial and sent him back to Chile.

Laptop accessories you can t live without

Now that you’ve spent several hundred dollars or more on your laptop, it’s time to look into accessories and add-ons that you shouldn’t be caught without. Some are necessary for your computer’s well being, while others simplify your life through ergonomics or another means of simplifying things.

You could spend a few hundred dollars on these accessories and add-ons, but that’s okay. Depending on how you use your laptop, this additional investment could actually make you more productive, thus giving you an increased earning potential – or at least a little more free time to spend with the family.

- Internet security software. This is vital for high-speed connections, especially those of the wireless variety. They are the most vulnerable to hackers and data thieves, so pick a reliable and trustworthy security suite.

Firewalls or all-in-one package products are both good options, but if you go with the former you should complement it with antivirus and spyware protection. Either way, you’re reducing intrusions of all kinds, which will give you more freedom to enjoy your portable Internet connection.

- Data backup solutions. The CD burner that came with your laptop is a good way to save multiple copies of your important data, but there are faster and more portable options.

One option is to buy and use a flash drive. Most use USB 2.0, which means that they save and retrieve data as fast as you need them to read and write. They’re basically tiny hard drives that can fit into your pocket or on a keychain.

Another good choice is an external hard drive. This can be left at home or the office so that you can back up all of your data once a week or so and leave it there. You’ll appreciate not having all of your data in the same place if something catastrophic, like a flood or fire, happens.

- Accident coverage insurance. Okay, so YOU might be the world’s most cautious and conscientious person, who’s never had any sort of accident with any electronic product, but what about the people around you? Not everything is within your control, but with accident insurance you won’t have to worry about the consequences of your daughter-in-law accidentally knocking your brand-new laptop off the kitchen counter.

Most insurance is offered when you purchase your computer, but third-party coverage can be found for a reasonable price. Do Web searches or ask your laptop-enabled friends and coworkers: odds are someone will know what you need.

- Warranty coverage. This should be purchased when you get the laptop. It’ll cover just about anything that goes wrong, from broken keyboards to display problems.

Before you buy the warranty, though, you should make sure that you are familiar with its terms as well as any options that you might have. It’s important to know how long the manufacturer’s original warranty is in place as well as what differs between its coverage and that of the extended warranty that you’re thinking of buying. You should also know what you’ll have to go through to make a claim as well as how much, if anything, you’ll have to pay of your own money.

- A security system if you travel with the laptop. These can be found at any computer store or online. The price range is very broad, so research before you buy. You need to know exactly what sort of locking/security system you need to keep your laptop from being stolen. It’s worth the investment even if your insurance covers theft. Even if you have replacement coverage, your warranty won’t replace the data on the stolen computer. It’s best to protect it as much as possible.

- A padded travel case. This is important if you travel anywhere with the laptop. It helps protect it from exterior scratches and provides a little padding if you accidentally drop it. This won’t do much good if it falls down eight flights of stairs and hits a cement floor at the bottom, of course, but a smaller and less horrifying accident can be made less traumatic with a little padding. And with the case, you also have a convenient place to store other computer stuff, like your extra battery and the charger.

- A cooling pad if you intend to use your laptop as an actual laptop. If your computer is on your lap, odds are you’ll have nicely toasted upper legs when you’re finished. Even with today’s technology, portable computers can become very warm to say the least. A cooling pad or stand will provide a buffer between your legs and the computer. It’ll also give you another sweet accessory to brag about in computer forums and company meetings.

- An external keyboard to plug in to a USB port. This is important if you’re stationed in, say, your home office with the laptop and want to do lots of typing. Most laptop keyboards can become uncomfortable after long-time use, but a “regular” ergonomic keyboard will offer plenty of comfort. You’ll also have the advantage of picking out an external keyboard with Internet hot keys and other features that the laptop’s model won’t give you. And your laptop’s keyboard will last longer if you don’t use it when you can use the external one.

- Better yet, invest in a docking station so that your laptop can become a desktop when you’re at home or in the office. You’ll have to buy a desktop monitor to go with it, but you’ll appreciate not having to hunch over the laptop the entire workday. You can also position the desktop monitor basically wherever you want for improved comfort and visibility. Or, if you’re busy with an online poker tournament when you’re supposed to be working, you can arrange your docked desktop so that your boss can’t see it.

- Retractable USB cables. These are great for people who don’t want to trip over a tangle of cords when they have three or four USB devices hooked up to the computer. These cords are also very easy to store (say, in your nice leather traveling case) because they compact easily.

- A better battery. This is especially important for traveling users. Many of the batteries that come with laptops will only work for 45 minutes to one hour. Invest in a larger, better battery so that you won’t have to run around in circles looking for a power outlet.

With the above accessories, however, you’ll be able to relax and play or work with your computer – instead of having to constantly worry about what-if situations. There are countless other accessories on the market, with new ideas and technologies emerging almost every day. You should keep up to date with trends and new designs by visiting computer forums or reading computer magazines on a fairly regular basis. You might find some new accessory that you can’t live without.

Affordable hair transplants - how to choose a hair transplant center

While opting for an affordable hair transplant keep these 10 tips in your mind. And I am sure you will never go with a wrong decision in choosing the right hair transplant center for you:

1. Consistent Results

With dense-packed follicular unit hair transplantation and microscopic graft preparation, natural, finished and reliable results can be achieved. So prefer a hair transplant center with these facilities.

2.Affordable hair transplant:

A high hair transplant cost does not guarantee you the best results, it is imperative for you to have knowledge of hair transplantation restoration procedures and costs and know what is applicable to you. You can go for an affordable hair transplant only after a comprehensive decision with other patients.

3. Quality Control

Every step of your hair transplantation should be performed with the highest standards, with full attention from start to finish to ensure that you achieve good results.

4. Choose least time consuming clinic

You should choose a hair transplant center and specially a qualified surgeon who can place your grafts close enough to finish a specific area of head in one surgical session. This will make hair transplant less time-consuming, more convenient, and ultimately less expensive for you.

5. Microscopic Dissection

It will be better if you choose a clinic equipped with modern technologies of hair transplant like Binocular stereoscopic dissecting microscope. Every single graft is prepared in a meticulous manner by using microscopic magnification. All follicular unit hair transplantation will provide you natural and superior results and preserve your donor’s hair also.

6. Total Patient Comfort

Hair replacement center should be comfortable for patients undergoing hair replacement. Choose a replacement center where recreation facilities are also available like listening to music or watching movies.

7. Experience

Before going to a hair replacement center you should check their prior performance and experience in the related field.

8. Dedications and Commitment

Dedication and commitment of doctors is also necessary for a good treatment. You should try to find a hair replacement clinic with well-qualified and dedicated doctors.

9. Recognition

Before going for a treatment check the recognition of the hair replacement clinic. Are they following world-class procedures for hair replacement? Are they really affordable or too expensive?

10. Do not go for fake advertisements-make a research by yourself. Find the center with affordable hair transplant over the internet and then enquire personally.

Perfecting your performance on the golf course

The obstacles you face on the golf course range from sand traps to water and trees. Even though you will not usually encounter more than one obstacle during the game, having to move your golf ball from behind a tree or trying to get it out of a sand trap could end up costing you a higher score. Golf balls that are lost in the water cannot be retrieved, so you will have to place a new golf ball near the water and sacrifice a shot in order to get back on track. Because of these obstacles, your game may never be as good as another golfer, but it is the obstacles that make the game much more interesting.

If you dread the obstacles on the golf course, you are not alone. They can be a real pain to get around and could cost you valuable strokes. In order to avoid these obstacles, the best way is to perfect your swing so that you can purposely avoid these obstacles. If you see a few sand traps, or brush up ahead, plan your next move. This could be anything from shooting over the trees, shooting around the sand trap, or shooting past the water to get to the green.

Once you reach the green, you should not think that you are safe from obstacles. Greens that are on hills are also obstacles you much overcome. If you don't hit the ball correctly, it may roll down into a sand trap or small pond. When trying to get the ball on the green, you should gauge the distance and use enough force to push the ball to the top of the green and close to the hole. Inexperienced golfers are apt to overshoot the green, which can cost them two or three strokes if they are not careful.

When practicing at home, you can create obstacles such as hills and bodies of water by purchasing a putting green and moving to different areas in your yard. This will help you learn how to gauge your shots and learn how to control your ball. You can also practice at the driving range or on the golf course. Golfing at different courses that offer a variety of obstacles is a great way to learn even more about controlling your golf ball so that you can avoid these obstacles.

Golf is a great game, but it takes patience and practice in order to become better. If you are prepared to have a good time while golfing and you are able to focus on performing well, the game of golf will become even more enjoyable.

Generate free traffic

Who says you need to spend tons of money to market your business?? Well those are the old school of thoughts. Welcome to the new Internet marketing strategy.

The basic idea started of with the algorithm of the search engine. In order to rank well in the World Wide Web, you need to have lots of website putting a link to point to your website and its called Link popularity.

Why should the site owner do you a favor if he does not benefit from it? Unless both parties benefits from this mutual agreement, if not the party seeking a link from the established website might need to pay an advertising fee! This is not really a bad idea if with this arrangement; you have a promised stream of traffics.

However, if you are new in the Internet business and don’t have much budget for such advertising, submitting an article about your business is the best idea! And the more the merrier!

Writing an article about your business is the best and most effective way to market your business on the Internet. Best of all, its FREE. Yes everybody is doing it and why shouldn’t you?

Some pointers when submitting your article to a directory:

1) Pick the right category

A search on the site will generate a few articles and you have a clue where your business belongs.

2) Key worded content

What is that? Basically if you are selling gifts in your business, litter sparingly your article with the word “gifts”. Chances of it being search by the search engine for “gifts” will be higher.

3) Length of article

The viewer reading your article might not have much patience and it is best to convey your message in the shortest possible time. Very often I read articles that beat around the bush that is very bad for marketing. The viewer might get agitated and skip your article for the next one unless your article is very well written. My suggested length will be between 300-600 words.

4) Don’t forget to add your URL

I have seen article very well written and yet they are doing themselves a disservice by now putting an URL to their website!

Getting all excited?? Why not? Put on your thinking cap and start to write your article for your business. Don’t forget, it must be key worded content to promote your business.

Happy writing and good luck!

Rgs

Stephen Ng

Learning spanish begin by listening - part 1

I remain convinced the primary reason why so many Americans are attracted to Mexico is in the Gringolandias, or Gringo Expat Enclaves, they will never be faced with what seems to be the overwhelming task of learning Spanish. The British, I am told, do the same thing in the south of France. An intricate and well-organized expat infrastructure awaits the would-be retiree and alleviates the fear of having to master the language. Everything is organized around the monolingual Gringo and negates any need whatsoever to learn Spanish.

Whether this is a good or bad thing is not within the scope of this series, "Begin By Listening." I think the point is, and most of my readers would agree, if I am going to gripe and complain why something called a "Gringolandia" should even exist, then I should provide an answer or solution instead of criticizing all the time. I have been writing for years about how to go about overcoming the fear of learning Spanish. However, it wouldn't hurt to go over it again, perhaps in a new and different light.

Two important advantages of learning Spanish, if you plan to retire to Mexico, are:

You could significantly increase your social standing and sense of community if you were able to socialize with more than the other gringos in the Gringolandias. In Southeast Asia, the locals used to call this phenomenon "Social Incest." The Americans, mostly those in the Foreign Service, would live in American enclaves and only socialize with one another. Their ability to mix with the locals was non-existent because they didn't know the languages. Unlike their then cold-war counterparts, the Russians, the American Foreign Service workers were then, as they are today, not required to have any language fluency nor develop it onsite. The Russians arrived onsite with bilingual and bicultural fluency. Fluency before arriving in the country—imagine!

Without the language, your social involvement is severely limited to only those who speak English. That can and should change, in my view.

The other reason is that in the Gringolandias, the real estate for residential housing can cost much more than in your ordinary, run-of-the-mill Mexican neighborhoods. Not always is this true, but you will have an ability to ferret these deals out if you are bilingual.