Credit reports and scores often confuse consumers

Most people who are of an age to care about their credit are aware that the three main credit bureaus, Experian, Trans Union and Equifax, maintain credit reports on them. The bureaus keep track of loans, credit cards and bankruptcies and make note of whether each consumer pays his or her bills on time. Most people are also aware that their credit history is also available in the form of a credit score, which is, in essence, their overall credit worthiness reduced to a three-digit number.

Beyond that, many people have, at best, a vague understanding about how their financial transactions are regarded by the credit bureaus. There are a number of myths and misconceptions about credit reports and credit scores and how they are affected by things people do financially. Here are a few examples of these popular misunderstandings:

A consumer has only one credit score - Not true. Each bureau keeps track of financial transactions independently of the others and may have more or less information to work with than the other bureaus. Plus, until recently, each bureau used their own scoring system. In all likelihood, if a consumer were to contact each bureau to obtain his or her credit score, the result would be three completely different figures.

Your salary affects your credit score - Your score is simply a reflection of how well you handle the credit available to you. If you earn more money, you might have more available credit, or not. Either way, the score is simply a reflection of what type of credit you have and whether you pay your bills on time. How much you earn is not part of the equation.

Canceling a credit card raises your score - Not necessarily true. Credit bureaus examine how much of your available credit you are using. Less is more; the bureaus like to see that you are using as little of your available credit as possible. If you owe a lot of money on credit cards and you cancel an unused account, it may look like you are using a larger portion of your available credit. That will actually raise your score!

Marriage merges credit reports - Your credit report is your own. That will not change if you get married. Jointly borrowed money will show up on both reports and will affect both of your scores. And just as marriage doesn't merge the reports, divorce won't separate the joint items. If you get divorced and your ex doesn't pay on your joint loans, your score will decrease.

The process of compiling credit scores is a complicated one. It's understandable that many people don't entirely understand how the system works. Perhaps the best way to keep tabs on what is going on with your own finances is to check your credit report regularly. You can get a free copy at AnnualCreditReport. com.

A great new investment product your sanity

Investing is a great way to make money. It’s nice to invest in something and see it grow and prosper until it’s worth much more than when you first bought it. That’s a basic principle of investing. But it doesn’t just apply to the stock market. It applies to your life and your sanity, too!

When you look at your whole life’s enjoyment, a UK personal loan may be one choice you want to make to increase that enjoyment. And since many people are choosing to make a UK personal loan part of their financial portfolio, you might want to make one part of yours as well.

You can get a UK personal loan from many lending institutions that are eager to do business with you. Because they want to do business with you, they offer a variety of competitive interest rates and a huge range of available loan amounts for whatever your need. And, because they want to do business with you, they’re also able to offer a variety of repayment plans suitable to your situation. Often, the only determining factor of how much you can get is simply what your current job is and what future prospects you have. And there are many available online at the click of a link!

It doesn’t matter what kind of credit history you have or what kind of financial situation you’re in. There is probably a loan option available to suit your needs. However, you should be aware that the better your financial situation and credit rating, as well as any assets you have to help you get a secured loan, could point you toward a better interest rate than other types of loans.

Be that as it may, having a loan can really turn your life around. Whether you are getting a loan to consolidate your bills or leverage your investments or simply to help you enjoy life a little more than you would other wise, a UK personal loan may be the right choice for you!

Be sure to shop around, since some companies may be able to get you a better rate than others. And, once you’ve found a loan company who wants to provide you with a loan, it doesn’t hurt to go back to ones who gave you a higher rate before and let them know. They may just come back to you with another offer! Now that’s wise leveraging!

So make an investment in your life with a UK personal loan. You’ll be glad you did!

A brief overview of euro talk

If you wished to learn a new language or learn your own native tongue better then where would you go on the web to do so? The answer is Eurotalk. ie. Euro Talk manufactures interactive language learning software that is educational in nature but also makes learning fun. With software in over 100 languages such as English, French, German, Irish, Italian and Russian, Euro Talk sells DVD ROMs and CD ROMs that are appropriate for individuals of all ages and for those at every stage of language learning.

Every disc purchased from Euro Talk not only helps the learner become proficient in the given language but it also provides help with the other 99 languages which means that the door to learn a new language, or many new languages, is there. Learning a foreign language can open many doors for a person in regards to education, and jobs and it is also extremely beneficial if you plan to do any travelling.

A browse of eurotalk. ie will show you that the site is very easy to navigate through and everything is laid out for the cybersearcher to clearly read. Take advantage of the free demo disk offered at the site and peruse at your leisure.

Euro Talk not only sells language learning software but it also stocks plenty of quizzes, games and special interest software that can be of interest to people of all ages, from children to teenagers to adults. Euro Talk software is categorized according to language as well as languages by region and it has a section for beginners, beginners +, intermediate and advanced.

The children's section of Euro Talk is broken down into a section for children ages 2+, children from ages 3 to 7, children from ages 6 to 10 and children who are 10+ years in age. There is also the ever-popular category for all ages.

The online catalogue at eurotalk. ie gives details about every type of language learning software the company sells and there is a vast assortment of featured products as well as special offers.

Check out the sections "Eurotalk Explained" and "Eurotalk Example" and read some of the testimonials that are posted to the site to see why eurotalk. ie is the only website to go to for all of your language learning needs!

(No Sources used other than the eurotalk. ie/ website)

Insurance in the form of a swimming pool safety fence

Have you installed a swimming pool safety fence or are you going to employ full time lifeguards to supervise your children in the pool this summer? Think of how many kids converge on your home when the weather heats up and how easy it is to court danger and consider the level of peace of mind you want for yourself and your family. A swimming pool safety fence is the only answer.

What could possibly go wrong?

Without a swimming pool safety fence, you leave yourself wide open for a list of realities that you could face. Drowning is the second highest cause of accidental injury-related deaths in children aged fourteen or younger. In the few seconds it takes to turn hamburgers on the barbecue or dash inside for more cold drinks, a child can die. You may or may not hear a splash, but even if you do, it could possibly be too late.

All water activities should be placed behind your swimming pool safety fence. Spas, Jacuzzis, wading pools and buckets are best kept out of harm’s way.

Homeowners’ liability insurance protects you from the legal ramifications of an accident, but a swimming pool safety fence will protect everyone who is invited to your home from becoming a victim of drowning.

Is a fence enough?

Perhaps; perhaps not. It depends on the layout of your yard, the accessibility of the yard from inside the house, whether there are rocks, tables or chairs that can be climbed on to facilitate entry over the fence, and any number of other elements. A swimming pool safety fence should be at least five feet high, and should not be climbable. No opening should be more than four inches wide, so that children cannot squeeze through. Audible alarms can be installed so that you will hear if someone is entering through the gate. The closures on self-closing and self-latching gates and doors around the pool must be situated beyond a child’s reach and all gates should open outward. You can even install pool safety covers for added protection. Having a phone connected near the pool is another way of ensuring help is never far away. You might also like to erect a sign displaying CPR techniques, and point it out to all who use the pool.

When all’s said and done, a swimming pool safety fence is the best physical protection you can provide against child drowning, but adequate supervision is also a must. As a swimming pool owner, it is your responsibility to provide a safe, healthy environment for your own family and for people who come into contact with the pool. Be vigilant for everyone’s sake.

The history of the pet rock

Origin of Thought

In 1975, Gary Dahl, an advertising executive, launched the sale of a fad that would make him a millionaire. This great profit is even more impressive when one takes into account the short time in which the rocks were sold, only six months, and also the low cost of the product, about four dollars. Dahl’s ingenious marketing involved commonplace gray pebbles, bought from a construction supplier, which were then sold as live pets. The idea was inspired by the hassle, mess, and money that pets such as cats or dogs or fish required. And so, Dahl began the production and sale of the Pet Rock, which did not need to be walked, wouldn’t cost hundreds in vet bills, and would not poop on the floor.

Specifics of Production

Dahl named the company "Rock Bottom Productions," and sold the rocks for $3.95 a piece. The pebbles were imported from Rosarito Beach in Baja California, Mexico, and then packaged in a small cardboard box, designed like a pet carrier. Dahl also created a "Pet Rock Training Manual," containing instructions on how to properly care for one's pet, including how to house train one’s pet: "Place it on some old newspapers. The rock will never know what the paper is for and will require no further instruction.” The instruction manual included such commands as sit, stay, roll over, play dead, and come.

Why would anyone ever buy a pet rock?

"If there were more fads, there would probably be a lot fewer psychiatrists." — Ben Hakuta, creator of Wacky Wall Walkers

Indeed, pet rocks give us more pleasure than we know. These pets support this argument through their very existence, showing us that it is not an actual item that brings joy to the child in the human mind, but merely the idea of the item. The pet sits in a niche in the mind, created by the power of the owners’ imaginations. It is in the actual exercise of the mind that such pleasure is found. It is quite a valid point that finding such productive and effective uses of recreation time can be more preventative and beneficial to the health of our minds that even the most advanced psychological treatments.

People who purchased these unusual "pets" often gave them names, talked to them, petted them, and taught them to perform simple "tricks".

Pet rocks still live on

Like most fads, it never totally died out. There are memorial pages, spin-offs, and one can still purchase such a pet, though new manufacturers have given their rocks new features and looks. For instance, not many plain gray pebbles are sold any more. One can buy rocks that are inscribed, painted, and decorated in many a manner, lending the rock much more personality than afforded Dahl’s creation. One can purchase a rock with an agenda, or one can buy a rock that is individually painted in memory of any dearly loved pet, or one can still purchase that rock that is completely void of previous perception, and let its idea grow in the mind.

Virtual Pets

Virtual Pets follow the same formula as Dahl’s product. Operating more in the mind of the owner than anywhere else, Virtual pets can be an electronic toy, a computer program, or even a video game. However, though perhaps securing more time from an owner, virtual pets do not leave as much room for imagination as the pet rock.

Green choices give valentines day gifts with the planet in mind

Here are a few distinctive gift ideas that make a positive ecological impact:

Give Organic Flowers

Conventionally grown flowers are often dangerous to the environment and the workers involved with growing them. An option to giving cut flowers is seeking out locally grown live houseplants. There are plenty of flowering varieties available, and they are beautiful, year-round gifts, which add vibrancy to homes and offices. One of the advantages to purchasing plants grown close to where you live is that you are not contributing to the resource use and greenhouse gas emissions of air shipping, which is common with imported flowers.

Give Natural perfumes and fragrances

Many perfume fragrances are synthetic and often made from toxic petrochemicals derived from crude oil. There are more earth friendly alternatives and it is easy to make your own natural perfume too.

Give cards that use recyclable paper, send e-mail cards, or make your own.

- Choose a locally made card, rather than one that has been mass-produced and traveled a long way to reach you.

- Choose a card with little or no glitter - these are easier to recycle.

- Make your own card - you might get extra points for effort.

- Go traditional and write your own love note.

- Send an e-card (save the trees!).

Give Organic Wine and Spa Set

Picture this: Your loved one walks into the bathroom — and it has been transformed into a spa. A lavender-scented hot bath has been drawn. Wine and chocolates are waiting in a tray by the tub. Moreover, you are waiting to give a massage with natural oils. Sound good? This case has all the organic goodies you will need — just add candles. Only problem: You will have to clean the tub. Now, that is love.

Fair Trade chocolate is sweeter

Everybody loves chocolate. It tastes excellent; it makes you feel good; and it is hard to imagine Valentine’s Day without its sweetness. However, all is not well in the chocolate industry. Like coffee, chocolate is produced in some of the most economically disadvantaged regions of the world. Cocoa bean farmers find themselves under tremendous price pressure from buying cartels. The result is institutionalized poverty and an alarming reliance on abusive child labor. It all filters down to the candy aisle at your favorite grocery store. The solution for responsible consumers is Fair Trade cocoa and chocolate. Fair Trade certification guarantees that cocoa farmers receive a guaranteed “floor price” of at least 80 U. S. cents for non-organic cocoa, and a premium for produce meeting organic standards. This is often well above the market price, and the upcharge is passed to consumers. In return, the cocoa producers warrant a variety of progressive labor and environmental practices. It works out for everyone.

Use your imagination

Romance is about spontaneity, inventiveness, and the personal touch. We have given you five specific suggestions for greening your Valentine, but there must be dozens more.

And don`t forget: use only reusable bags, bottles or recyclable containers.

Study tips for test taking students

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You're in the thick of the school year. It seems like there are so many things going on, like assignments, projects, and extracurricular activities. Now a test is coming up and you've got to do well on it. How should you study so you do better on that test?

First of all, when you study for a test, you shouldn't be learning something completely new. It is faster and easier to recall something you have already learned than to learn something completely new. After each day of classes, it is a good idea to review everything you have learned. It doesn't have to be a long review either. Simply jog through the day's topics. That way, you give your brain another chance to soak up the information. Hopefully, this review will make future studying less time consuming and less of a learning process.

Where you study is important. Find a place that's readily available with minimal distractions. A popular place to study is home. However, for some, home can be too distracting as it is easy to get sidetracked. What may help is if you study in a place that's similar to the place where you're going to take the test. When you study, you might associate certain topics with the environment. So if you take the test in a similar environment, you can more easily retrieve these associations. For example, if you're going to write a test in a lecture room, it may help to study in a lecture room.

Some people study well in a group since they can get help from others in areas in which they are lacking. They may also gain valuable insight from others on what they have overlooked and which critical areas to focus on for the test. On the other hand, some people study well alone. They know what they have to study. A group can be distracting as they engage in off-topic conversation or try to do absolutely everything but study. You're the one who knows yourself the best, so determine what works best for you.

There are various methods you can use when studying. For example, when studying for a test, you can do different things, like reading through your textbook, reading through course notes, answering textbook questions, redoing past assignments, reviewing previous tests, researching online, talking with others, and more. You can also use memory-improving techniques like mnemonics, visualization, and association. Try a combination of different studying methods and track your results.

A method that works well for most people is studying in small pieces instead of large chunks of time. Studying in large chunks of time increases the chance that you will overwhelm your brain with information and start forgetting things. If you study in small pieces of time, you aren't absorbing all of this information at once and get chances to rest. Furthermore, you should rehearse what you study and do it in expanding time intervals. For example, if you study ten digits of PI, you could attempt to rehearse the ten digits in one minute, then two minutes, then four minutes, and so on.

In addition, state of being is important for studying. It has been shown that if you study while intoxicated, you will do better if you take the test while intoxicated. If you study while sober, you will do better if you take the test while sober. The sober case showed better results than the intoxicated case. Thus it's better to stay away from the drinks while studying and while taking the test.

Finally, make sure you eat healthy and get a good night's sleep before the test. If you think there is not enough time to sleep, take a look at some time management tips so you can help use and manage your time more efficiently.

Do you want to be a friend or a date

First of all, let's define "friend".

Do we want to find an "old" friend?

Lots of websites specialize in helping you find an "old" existing Friend.

These sites are called "classmates", "reunions", "public records" or names along the lines of trying to find acquaintances from way back, from school, the Service or previous jobs.

Do we want to find "people"?

We can use "publicbackgroundcheck", "usa-people-search", "peoplefinders" types of sites for finding people.

If, however, we are looking for love and are calling it friendship initially then things get really complicated.

For the word "friendship" the Web comes up with 46,100,000 replies.

So we should be more specific about what exactly the "friend" word means. "a person you know well and regard with affection and trust; "he was my best friend at the university" ally: an associate who provides assistance; "he's a good ally in fight"; "they were friends of the workers" acquaintance: a person with whom you are acquainted; "I have trouble remembering the names of all my acquaintances"; "we are friends of the family" supporter: a person who backs a politician or a team etc.; "all their supporters came out for the game"; "they are friends of the library" a member of the Religious Society of Friends founded by George Fox (the Friends have never called themselves Quakers) "

wordnet. princeton. edu/perl/webwn

We can now of course rank friends: good friends, intimate friends, family friends ad infinitum. When we then continue to talk about "friends" and "friendship" we soon start approaching the decision we have to make; do we just want to be penpals or do we want to meet face to face at some point in time.

This brings us to the dangerous word: DATING.

Yes, we have now convinced ourselves that we want to date somebody.

Just on the Web or for real? We can now play games based on the fact that most people trying to find dates on the Web are married. Does that surprise you? Given the anonymity of the Web it is very likely that if I am fat and ugly I don't want to emphasize this fact when I try to attract a date, so temptation is very great to embellish things a bit and to say in my description that I am "Voluptuous" and "Attractive".

Who knows, in all likelihood I will never meet this person anyway and this is only fantasy. Guess what? I now start corresponding in earnest on the Web with this person I know nothing about. I tell this person all my deepest secrets, except the fact that I am ugly and fat. After doing this for a while my "Date" says that we should meet in person, because it seems we are really compatible.

YEEKS! What now? Well, you brought this on yourself and you have these options:

1. Go on a crash diet and get a face lift.

2. Forget about this person and try again with a new date.

3. Hope your Date is fat and ugly too so you should take a chance and meet anyway. (This takes a lot of courage).

4. Hope your Date is pretty or attractive and VERY understanding and will accept you the way you are. (Fat chance).

So, anyway, there you have it, some of the possibilities you have when you want a Friend.

One thing you should pick up from this : you are probably better off if you are honest to your future friend or date; it may prevent depression, bouts of overeating and Internet Withdrawal Symptoms.

Seo - hot blog content is excellent seo

The most essential component of a blog is not only its keywords, but also the timeliness of its content. It is timely content that is going to attract the search engine and also readers. This means that you must have content that is unique, expert or original. When your readers add their own comments and links to your blog this expands the search ability of your content. It should also be content that is focused on one topic and that seems specialized, fresh and new.

Another essential component of Blog content is that it must be up to date, just as any news article is. This is also what marketing and advertising experts call "hot content.” Cutting and pasting articles from other sites simply won’t work because the search engine sites will simply ignore what you come up with. Nobody wants to read yesterday’s news. Or you will get a complaint if the page is indexed in the search engines and the content belongs to someone else. When it comes to hot content, originality is key!

Another crucial reason why your content must be original and fresh is because on the blogging page, your content is arranged in reverse chronological order. The most recent content is presented at the top of the visible page and provides immediate access to topics that are most timely (meaning the blogs you have just written.)

Another great thing about a blog is that it is of a viral nature. It can be distributed for free through an RSS, Atom or XML feed that allow readers to subscribe to your entries just like they would a magazine or newsletter. This means that users can subscribe to blog content. This brings repeat business to your site and increases your chances of the affiliate links inside your blogs of being picked up and spread by other affiliate marketers.

Dog training with a training collar or choke collar

There are a variety of names that go under the broad heading of “training collar”. Some of them are --- choke collar, choke chain, training collar, correction collar and slip collar. These are all training collars and are used by professionals and amateur trainers alike.

Training collars are effective tools if they are used properly. Here are a few thoughts to apply when using training collars:

Does it fit? A properly fitted collar makes the collar easier to use and a lot safer for the dog. Determining if the training collar is the right size is relatively easy. The ideal size training collar should fit snugly, yet comfortably over the dog’s head. It is important that the training collar not fit too tightly, but it should not be too loose either. A training collar that is too tight will be too hard to put on and off. On the other hand, a training collar that is too loose can accidentally fall off of the dog’s head when it lowers its head. The collar should also not be too long.

It is best to measure the dog’s neck with a tape measure, then add 2 to 3 inches to that measurement. So if your dog has a neck 12” in diameter, you would want to buy a training collar that is 14” in length. Chain slip collars are generally sized in two inch increments.

* Has it been put on correctly? Put it on right and it will be more effective and less dangerous.

* Is it being used correctly? Don’t use the collar as punishment. Rather, use it only as a sharp reminder to the dog about their behavior. Use short sharp jerks of the collar, not constant pressure. Using constant pressure could be dangerous to the dog.

* Is it the right weight for your dog? In addition to the weight, the size of the links should also be appropriate for your dog’s size and weight.

* Is the collar placed correctly? It is important to properly place the collar on the dog. When fitting a training collar, the part of the chain which is connected to the leash should be on the top of the dog’s neck. With this type of arrangement, the collar releases the instant the leash is loosened. Training collars work by making the collar tight and loose in a fast manner. Tightening the collar is the first part of the correction, and making it loose is the second part of the correction.

If the part of the training collar that is attached to the leash is not on the top of the dog’s neck, the collar can still be made tight, but it will not release back to a loose state easily. This constant pressure on the dog’s neck initiates a counter response on the part of the animal, and the dog will quickly learn to pull and strain against the leash.

Make sure you purchase a collar that is both well made and strong. This is a vital step to the safety of yourself and your dog.

What do you do if the collar breaks? First, don’t panic! For the fist couple of minutes your dog won’t even know they have an unexpected freedom. If you continue to pretend that the collar is still attached, you can usually get control of the dog back.

If your collar should break, you can usually make a quick replacement by making a “slip lead”. Just take the snap of the leash and run it through the handle and then slip the loop you formed over the dog’s head. Not perfect, but sure solves the immediate problem.

Family lineage is a treasure hunt

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Family lineage is one of the most interesting topics for anyone to discuss because it is unique to each family. Finding everything from royalty to heroes in family lineage is exciting. Having a personal record of family lineage is a great treasure. Recently, the Latter-day Saint church provided Larry King with a copy of his family history during his evening TV show. King commented that although he had received many gifts during his life, he would cherish the gift of his family lineage above all the rest.

How do you find the origin and story of a family name as unique as von Niederhausern der Hoboлken Dans or as common as Jones? There are three major sources for finding information about your family lineage without the help of one of those little kiosks in the mall.

1) Family History Libraries

The easiest way to learn more about your family lineage is to download all the information that has already been compiled. You can do this with the Ancestral File database that is indexed at the world’s largest genealogy library, The Family History Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Downloading your family tree onto a GEDCOM file can help you do research on the ancestors you are most interested in. In order to find as much information on your lineage as possible in the database, you’ll need to gather information about your parents, your grandparents, and your great-grandparents.

2) Internet

Since only a small percentage of genealogy enthusiasts will ever make it to the Salt Lake Valley, the information has been placed online at FamilySearch. org—a non-profit website that helps make vital records available to researchers.

3) Field Research

Field research is not always the most practical method for filling in the gaps of your family lineage. It’s certainly the most time consuming, but it is also often the most rewarding. After exhausting the data that’s already been compiled in indexes, the next step is to do your own research. You can hire an accredited genealogist to do this for you, or you can tackle it yourself. Field research is done by going into census records, birth/death records, marriage records, and anything else that’s available in order to find information on a family.

These are some basic sources of finding information. Certainly, volumes have been compiled on the subject of family lineage, but only recently has a new method of research been revealed—DNA testing. Through DNA, people whose research has hit a roadblock and hasn’t moved for years can conduct a DNA test to either confirm records already obtained, link themselves to someone they believe to be a relative, or determine what ethnicities make up their DNA.

Remember that building a record of your family lineage is a very time-consuming process, but it is extremely rewarding. Through either the help of a professional or your own efforts, family lineage is a treasure worth discovering.

Ergonomic questionnaire

These days, computers have become so inevitable part of our lives that we need to use it for various purposes. Be it a free time or working hours, except a very few people, all depend on this machine to get their jobs done. There are certain things you need to know about the computer work hazards and the preventive techniques you need to follow to make your stay in front of the computer, trouble free.

I have come across some common worries shared by people who have to sit for long hours in front of the computer.

Is there a term called overuse of computers? If so, where do I draw the line?

If I have to use it on a daily basis, how many hours of my presence in front of this machine is recommended?

Will I be able to finish my work if I am to follow my recommended time schedule?

Here is a checklist that will help you create a safe, sound, and relaxed workstation. You can try using it in combination with the purchasing guide checklist. There are two options – ‘Yes’ and ‘No’. The questions relate to different topics like working postures, seating, keyboard, monitors, accessories, work area and some general questions. If the response is ‘no’, it means that a problem exists.

Working Postures:

1. Do your head and neck need to be upright, or in-line with the your torso (not bent down/back)?

2. Do the head, neck, and trunk need to be facing forward without twisting?

3. Does your trunk have to be perpendicular to the floor (you may lean back into backrest but not forward)?

4. Do your shoulders and upper arms need to be relaxed and in-line with the torso, normally about perpendicular to the floor (but not elevated or stretched forward)?

5. Do the upper arms and elbows need to be close to the body and not extended outward?

6. Do your forearms, wrists, and hands need to be straight and in - line (forearm at about 90 degrees to the upper arm)?

7. Do the wrists and hands need to be straight (not bent up/down or sideways toward the little finger)?

8. Do both the thighs need to be parallel to the floor and the lower legs to be perpendicular to floor (thighs may be slightly elevated above knees)?

9. Can your feet rest flat on the floor or should they be supported by a stable footrest?

Seating (Chair):

10. Does the backrest of the chair support your lower back?

11. Does the seat width and depth have the capacity for the specific user (seat pan not too big/small)?

12. Is the seat pan of your chair too long to press against the back of your knees and lower legs?

13. Is your seat cushioned properly, rounded, and blunt with a "waterfall" front?

14. Do the armrests of your chair support both forearms while working on the computer without meddling with your movement?

Keyboard:

15. Are the platforms for the keyboard/input device stable and large enough to hold a keyboard and an input device?

16. Are the input devices (mouse or trackball) located right next to your keyboard so that they can be accessed and used without having to reach them?

17. Can the input devices be easily activated with their size and shape fitting your hand (not too big/small)?

18. Does your workstation ensure that your wrists and hands do not rest on sharp or hard edges?

Monitor:

19. Is the top of the monitor screen at or below your eye level so that you can read it without bending your head or neck down/back?

20. Can the user with bifocals/trifocals read the screen without bending the head or neck backward?

21. Does the distance of the monitor allow you to read the screen without leaning your head, neck, or trunk forward/backward?

22. Is the monitor positioned directly in front of you so that you don't have to twist your head or neck?

23. Do you ensure that glare (for example, from windows, lights) is not reflected on your screen that makes you sit in awkward postures so as to view the screen better?

Work Area (Desk and Workstation):

24. Between the top of the thighs and your computer table, do you have enough room or your thighs (thighs are not trapped)?

25. Do you ensure that your legs and feet have sufficient clearance space under the work surface so that you can get close enough to the keyboard/input device?

Accessories:

26. Is your document holder stable and large enough to hold documents?

27. Is your document holder placed at about the same height and distance as the monitor screen so that there is little head movement, or need to re-focus, when you look from the document to the screen?

28. Is your wrist/palm rest padded and free of sharp or square edges that push on your wrists?

29. Does your wrist/palm rest allow you to keep your forearms, wrists, and hands straight and in-line when using the keyboard/input device?

30. While doing telephone and computer tasks simultaneously, do you keep your head upright (not bent) and your shoulders relaxed (not elevated)?

General:

31. Do your workstation and equipment have sufficient adjustability that ensures your safe working posture while allowing you to make occasional changes in posture when you work on your computer?

32. Are your computer workstation, components, and accessories maintained in serviceable condition and do they function properly?

33. Are your computer tasks planned in a way that allows you to vary tasks with other work activities, or to take micro-breaks, or recovery pauses while at the computer workstation?

So that is all about it. Living carelessly is the easiest thing to do, but could be the most dangerous thing too. On the other hand if you take some precaution, it can be the foundation for a healthy living, later in your life.

Remember that all the computer related hazards are not going to hamper your life in a very short span of time. But it may take years to show the symptoms. As I said earlier, prevention is better than cure.

Pills for zits think again

Anyone who has not gone through the horrible battle with acne is such a lucky person! Having break ups or zits can cause so much disappointment and even anxiety. Acne is so common that it's considered a normal part of growing up. In fact, about 17 million people in the United States have acne. It is a common skin disease that is closely associated with pimples. Pimples form when hair follicles under the skin clog up. Most pimples form on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders. Wile it is not considered a serious skin problem, pimples and acne can cause scars, and worse, low self-esteem. No one knows exactly what causes those annoying facial bumps. Hormonal changes during the teenage years and even during pregnancy somehow contribute to the development of acne.

What are the other causes of acne? Well, there are many myths about what causes acne. Chocolate and greasy foods are often blamed as the culprits for those nasty breakouts. Others point to sleeplessness, lack of hygiene, and stress as the main causes of acne for both teenagers and adults.

There are a number of prescribed medications for the treatment and prevention of acne. But not many know that birth control pills are now being used by many women for acne treatment. Since acne can be triggered by fluctuating hormone levels within the body, it is understandable that acne can appear at the various stages in life when hormone levels are changing, specifically during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. It also makes sense that controlling hormone levels may help reduce acne outbreaks. Hence, the use of birth control pills for the treatment of acne is an attempt to regulate hormones.

It is important to understand that every human body contains both male and female hormones. Overactive sebaceous glands are the result of rising levels of the male hormones, namely: testosterone and androgens. Birth control pills contain artificial female hormones (estrogen and/or progestin). The theory is that birth control pills shut down the ovaries which are producing inappropriate male hormones allowing a more balanced male/female hormone mixture.

There are many issues which have to be considered before using birth control pills as an acne reducing treatment. Probably the most important issue is whether the person has used any other treatment before resorting to the use of birth control pills. There are many pros and cons about taking birth control pills as medication for acne.

While it is true that birth control pills can be useful to manage hormone levels, people with acne problems should also consider their skin type, hygienic practices, and genetics. Almost all birth control pills contain a combination of estrogen and progestin hormones in various combinations. Birth control pills that contain estrogen and progestin hormones with higher androgen (male hormone) activity are more likely to make acne worse. Some women may actually notice their acne worsen with the use of birth control pills until the estrogen levels become dominant. If one notices such change, they should discuss the situation with their doctor. Switching to another brand may bring acne back under control. There are several brands that may help clear up acne but it is important to use a product that has been approved by the Food and Drug Agency (FDA). The advice of a doctor is still needed before a person uses a birth control pill for acne treatment.

Birth control pills can have undesirable side effects including nausea, weight gain, water retention, and mood swings. There are also other more serious health risks than acne to consider. Prolonged use may increase your chances of heart attack or stroke.

Keep in mind that using birth control pills for acne control is only a temporary solution. Many women find that once they stop using birth control pills, their acne returns. It is for these reasons that using birth control pills for acne control should be considered only after all other treatment options have failed.

Indeed, looking good must never come at the expense of feeling good and being healthy.

Casinos ou culture singapour attire les touristes

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Depuis que Singapour a rйduit ses exportations de composants йlectroniques, cette derniиre cherche aujourd'hui a dйvelopper son activitй touristique pour compenser. Pour cela Singapour mise sur ses casinos et jeux vidйo importйs.
Selon le co-fondateur de Lonely Planet Guides, si Disneyland a rйussi travers le monde а s'imposer et а rйunir chaque jour des millions de touristes, la Chine peut espйrer alors prospйrer grвce а ses casinos.

Toutefois, Singapour dispose d'un important handicape: elle n'a pas de Angkor Wat ou de Taj Mahal comme investisseur. Depuis longtemps, cette ville est surtout rйputйe pour ses innombrables centre commerciaux et ses promotions annuelles "Singapore sales".

Vis-а-vis des йtrangers, Singapour dispose d'une image peu flatteuse en matiиre politique. En effet, elle est surtout connue pour ses passeurs de drogue, son taux important de vandalisme, ses coups d'йtat politiques et son interdiction de vendre des chewing gum. Culturellement parlant, son dйveloppement a surtout йtй refreiner par les multiples restrictions dont notamment la libertй d'expression et la censure de films et piиces de thйвtre.

Toutefois, avec la nouvelle gйnйration de chinois et l'influence des indiens et autres asiatiques qui commencent а voyager partout а travers le monde, Singapour a commencй а travailler sur le projet de nouvelles attractions, incluant deux nouveaux casinos ou encore un parc sur le thиme du Studio Universal, et un йquivalent des bateaux mouches franзais, mкme si aucun de ces projets n'est particuliиrement singapourien.

Ainsi, Singapour se "dйmocratise" et se modernise avec l'ouverture de clubs et de cinй-clubs oщ l'on peut voir le film new zйlandais Lord of the Rings. De plus, la fameuse sociйtй de location de films Blockbuster a ouvert ses portes et l'on y trouve а Singapour nombre de films indiens de Bollywood, afin d'attirer d'avantage de touristes indiens.

Ce mкme mois, quelques jours auparavant, Singapour a autorisй les courses automobiles йquivalentes aux cйlиbres Formule 1, espйrant ainsi attirer les touristes de l'autre continent. Citigroup, le groupe en charge de ce projet, espиre gйnйrer un bйnйfice compris entre $150 et $200 million par an, et montrer par lа mкme que Singapour a changй.

Mettre un circuit de Formule 1 est une idйe brillante mais reste encore loin d'кtre une idйe typiquement nationale, ce qui, au final, risquerait d'enclencher une rйaction inverse а l'objectif tant attendu.

Quant aux casinos, ces derniers devraient ressembler а ceux dйjа prйsents а Macau afin d'obtenir un bйnйfice de prиs de $37 milliards de dollars par an.

Face а ce changement radical, la population locale reste sceptique, voir pessimiste.
Pour eux, la mise en place d'un circuit de Formule 1 n'est qu'un moyen d'obtenir une publicitй gratuite. Concernant les casinos qui devraient voir le jour d'ici quatre ans, ces derniers se sont rйunis pour signer une pйtition allant a l'encontre de ce projet, justifiant les mйfaits des jeux sur les familles et les joueurs compulsifs, en ajoutant par ailleurs que ce concept attirerait d'avantage la population locale que les touristes.

Des intellectuels et reprйsentants de communautйs tels Paul Thйroux , romancier et йcrivain pour l'йquivalent du Guide du Routard, dйplorent cet engouement de la part de la ville. Pour eux, Singapour cherche а devenir une ville moderne et effacer toute son histoire et culture, pour faire place а une ville "que l'on trouve partout" , ce qui reprйsenterait йgalement la fin du quartier de Chinatown, cйlиbre pour ses magasins .

Top 5 ideas for personalized wedding favors for spring of 2006

Are you completely bored with seeing the same old key chains and candies whenever you go shopping for wedding favors? Even the most boring wedding favors can be made remarkable with a little bit of thought and effort on your part.

Personalized wedding favors are all the rage. Taking the effort to personalize a wedding favor indicates to the guest that you care and appreciate their presence. Here are the top 5 ideas for personalized wedding favors.

- Miniature Wedding Books - The miniature editions books are perfect for weddings and celebrations of all kinds. These collectible books can have covers custom designed by you, your message printed on the cover, spine of the book and even on the inside flaps! You can choose from a variety of titles like The Kiss, Love Letters and Passion. Miniature wedding books make fantastic personalized wedding favors and you really cannot go wrong with them.

- Frog Prince Soap With Keepsake Crown - The delightful glycerine soap frogs come in a clear box with a personalized ribbon that reads "…At last I found my Prince!" followed by the names of the bridal couple and the wedding date. The guests can use the soap and keep the crown as a memory of the wedding. A truly royal personalized wedding favor!

- Custom Designed Candy Filled Wedding Tins - Candies are a pretty common wedding favor. However, to make your own unique wedding favor, try personalizing the candies. You can choose to personalize the lid of the tins with the names of the bridal couple and the wedding date or even have a photograph of the couple custom made into a label for the mint tins. Fill the tin with heart shaped candies and you'll have a lovely personalized wedding favor.

- Personalized Swizzle Sticks - Now here's something that will really stir things up. You can choose to have the names of the bridal couple and the wedding date printed on white swizzle sticks with a sculpted bride and groom on top to boot! Now not only can guests get fancy stirrers with the drinks they want, they even get personalized wedding favors to take home!

- Wedding Coffee Collection - personalized coffee present a wedding favor idea right in step with today's wedding celebrations. An exclusive blend of finest coffee is custom packed with the names of the bridal couple and the wedding date. A heady personalized wedding favor for sure!

These are just some of the personalized wedding favor ideas that would work well. However, you may choose to come up with a wedding favor idea that is totally unique and suited to your personality.

This new year s resolve to be happy

As we all know, some of the most common New Year’s Resolutions are to lose weight, to stop smoking, to save money, and so on. Instead of resolving to do things that can cause you stress, this new year, why not resolve to be happy?

Find out what makes you happy

Take a few minutes to write down the things that make you happy. Is it your family? Your job? Taking time to golf, play piano, watch movies, or other leisure activities? Just focusing on what makes you happy could help you realize: are you not giving yourself enough time to be happy? Sometimes this relates directly to the amount of sleep that you get.

Find out what makes you unhappy

Are there things in your life that make you unhappy? Your boss? Your bills? There are any number of things in life that can make you stressed, angry, sad, or otherwise unhappy. Take a moment to write down things in your life that make you unhappy.

Pick a target

Look at the things in your life that make you unhappy. Choose one of them and resolve to fix that situation. If dealing with your in-laws makes you unhappy, let your spouse know that you won’t answer the phone when they call. Simply minimizing your interactions with things that stress you out is one way to solve things.

Another way to target things that makes you unhappy is to deal with the root cause. If you can’t stand the hour commute to work, then maybe it’s time to a) move closer to work, or b) get a new job. Don’t be afraid to try something big this year. Getting a new job might sound daunting, but it can improve all aspects of your life if you get a job that you like.

Go Big

Say that your job causes you a lot of stress. This could be because you are not well suited to your job, because of disagreements with coworkers, or because you feel that there are limited opportunities for advancement. Imagine how your life could be with a new job. You could make more money. When you come home from work, you would not take out your anger and stress on your family and friends. You might enjoy doing your job for once, which would make it more of a pleasure and less of a chore. These payoffs show that choosing to make a big change in life can be the way to go. Yes, finding a new job, or a new home, or a new boyfriend can all seem like terrible ordeals, but once they are over you will be in a better position. Instead of staying in a rut that gets you down constantly, this year could be your year to get out of that rut and spread your wings to fly.

The sentiment is summed up best by Empire Records: “I do not regret the things I have done, but those I did not do.” Go out and make this year your best ever.

Payday loan lender - your financial facilitator

A payday loan lender provides short term financial aid to a borrower for his/her unprecedented needs as in case of avoiding late payment penalties or other family emergencies. The borrower needs to repay this loan amount within a predetermined time.

Payday loans can be considered as a substitute to bouncing checks, pawning private property, or borrowing money from family and friends. These loans may also be used to shun late-payment penalties and negative marks on credit score. The best solution to this problem is offered to you by a Milwaukee payday loan store.

Generally, you do try to save money from your monthly income to prepare for financial shortfalls or unexpected expenses. Nevertheless, sometimes, you might have a periodic requirement for short-term financial support. When used maturely, payday loans can provide valuable aid to these temporary cash needs. However, you should assess the pros and cons of all alternatives before borrowing.

To provide relief at times of such momentary financial crisis, there is the payday loan company in the financial market. These lenders offer you loans for a short term that is normally up to the date of your next paycheck. The services offered by the payday loan lender come at a cost; along with the rate of interest on the loan amount, there is a service fee as well.

Hitting Upon The Right Kind Of Financial Assistance

Nonetheless, you must be careful that there are no hidden costs involved in the deal. In order to ensure this, you must make an effort to gather as much information you can about various deals being offered by lenders from a payday loan store or company. This comparison will help you evaluate the costs and benefits of the deals and help you get the most favorable deal for yourself.

You need to consider important aspects like the best customer service, fees, rate of interest and repayment period, etc. before you finalize your deal with the prospective lender. This initial effort would definitely pay off to help you save later when the payday loan is due. The rate of interest varies from one lender to another. Therefore, a comparative study of different deals can help you get the lowest interest rate. This is a significant facet because if in future you rollover your loan repayment, and if the interest fee is enormous, the longer you keep the loan amount, the higher your fee amount will build up on your existing pay back amount. You could thus end up paying much more than your loan amount itself.

Another point to be kept in mind is that although the payday loan company does provide loans to borrowers with bad credit history or those already in debts, they charge a huge fee. The conventional payday loan lender on the other hand charges a nominal fee and levies reasonable rates of interest on the loan amount. Therefore, you should validate the credibility of the lender you strike a deal with to ensure quicker and hassle free financial assistance.

Internet marketing never stop talking

If there is one thing that every online business should understand it’s that Internet marketing is a process that may have a beginning, but it has no end.

Because you will continue to learn more about Internet marketing the longer you’re in business you will (and should) continue to find new ways to market your website. This could come in short-term Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising, long-tern Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies, the effective use of online directories, the use of website details located in both online and offline advertising and keyword rich content for your website. However, there is a world of other ways to advance your Internet marketing strategies.

You may well discover your market is not confined to a specific region of the world. As your brand grows you may find the need to develop multi-national websites that contain product descriptions and content geared specifically toward the residents of a specific nation.

Many sites will have one home page with a choice of which language group or nationality the visitor may be most comfortable with.

It may be your website is not at the place where this type of site is practical or needed, but if does give a future focal point to observe what might yet be.

Too many ecommerce websites think too small and only cater to what they believe to be a small niche market for their products or services. A business that refuses to grow is telling the world, “I don’t want your business.”

As a business owner you should be constantly on the lookout for means and methods of letting more people know about your site. Internet marketing is not a one-size-fits-all concept. You will need to continually work at locating new approaches and new markets. Allow autoresponders to do a significant amount of the response work of your business so you can continue to work at the task of taking your message to the people.

If you ever get to the point where you believe you have finally arrived in regards to your Internet marketing strategy it might be time to be worried. You certainly can have a good handle on Internet marketing, but there will always be one more trail to travel, one more group to approach, one more press release to send out and one more email that needs to be sent.

Your website is worth talking about – and you’re the mouthpiece.

So, what are you saying?

Video poker how to play the game

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If you are looking for a fun and challenging alternative to playing slot machines, video poker is the game for you. Instead of simply pulling the machine handle and hoping that you will be lucky enough to meet a row of identical icons, in video poker your moves would rule whether you win or lose. Moreover, the house edge in video poker is much lower than at slots.

Playing video poker is similar to playing draw poker on a slot machine. It enables you to enjoy the action of poker without having to face other players who may be more experienced and skilled than you are. In addition, in video poker, there are no dealers, no rakes, no bluffing, no cheating; it is all about you and your poker skills.

How to Play Video Poker:
There are several variations to video poker. Some of the video poker variations are played with standard 52 card decks while others are played with additional wild cards. All the variations are based on the traditional card game of poker. Therefore, a basic knowledge of poker hand ranking is necessary.

You start by choosing the coin value you wish to play and then pick the number of coins that you want to bet. Afterwards, you click on deal and five cards will appear on your screen. You can discard some or all of the cards and replace them with new ones. After pressing hold on the cards you wish to keep, you push the deal button and the machine replaces your discarded cards with new ones.

The outcome of the second draw determines whether you win or lose. Each video poker machine displays its payout table, which details the number of coins the machine pays for each five card poker hand. The payout table differs from one video poker variation to the other and so is the minimum hand that qualifies for a payout.

Video poker odds are the same as in regular card poker. A 52 card deck produces more than 2.5 million hand combination. Each video poker machine is set by a random number generator, which simulates the probabilities of drawing any of the poker hand combinations. While in regular card poker, the casino ensure its profits by collecting a rake, in video poker the casino ensure its profits by setting each machine pay table differently.

Video Poker Tips:
1) Learn the basics of draw poker before you start playing video poker at online casinos or at a casino nearby.
2) Know the machine payout of the table you have decided to play at by selecting the machine that offers the highest return.
3) Adjust your strategy to the specific video poker variation you intend to play.
4) Use a mathematical strategy to play the game correctly.
5) Do not keep cards that cannot be used to form a winning hand.
6) Hold on to any pair instead of keeping a high card.
7) Keep any pair rather than draw into a straight or a flush.
8) Practice playing online video poker in a play money mode.

Your success in good website design by e-fuzion

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Every consultancy design website for internet users, the challenge now is to design them for search engine spiders as well. The main purpose of website design is to give a unique identity to your company business. Logo design, Web design maintenance, Ecommerce web design solutions, corporate website design, flash website design and graphic designing are few services to name. In web designing service provides different color combination to attract people. Most of the people follow your website on two ways from own promotions, from search engines A number of research show that all web users depend on search for guidance on the net. Web Design Delhi company e-fuzion draws the website very carefully and creates the attention of customer and induces him to take a certain action. As internet is a visual and psychological medium so color combination is very important in Web Design Delhi company e-Fuzion, on the internet we don't deal with face to face selling. If you have been to shopping in the supermarket, you might have observed, how each product is displayed there to attract the customers and entice them to buy the product. Another important factor in web designing is color combination. It is more desirable to have websites with rich content than which are simply attractive to look. Visitor’s measure the quality and effectiveness of your website based on the content that you provide on your website. In order priority, the five most important usability features a designer should always implement in web site. That’s ease of routing, simplicity and intuitiveness, clearly indicated menus and links, a well-designed site map, clean uncluttered design. A well designed navigation had two benefits. Which helps the users to find better index the inside site. Many a times, websites are not be able to provide an effective solution to the problems faced by the customers and leave them in a state of dilemma. Have become aware of the fact that overloading a website with images, irrelevant text or colors, is ineffective and unnecessary. Using web design themes that offer calming, informative, query solving designs are in demand. Basic colors or fonts are making a comeback. Web Design Delhi consultancy (e-fuzion) provides big strategies to design web sites neat and cleanly. Web Design Delhi company e-Fuzion provides different colorful designs, which create a special stage among other web sites.

This knowledge will come handy when you are taking assignments individually. Moreover, when you have a number of reputed clients mentioned in your profile, and can show projects that you have designed for them; people will gradually begin to have interest in your work.

Three golden ways steps to mar stress

Ask a literary person how to deal with stress & he will say you, do it the way Shakespeare, Wordsworth & Shelley did. Or, read the positivity of their writings and you will be stress free.

Ask a modern stress management guru & he will come out with a whole set of CDs, manuals and modern techniques to beat the stress.

…different people have different ways to mar the stress.

What do you prefer? The object is one Stress Management. Let’s find out one by one how you can lead a stress free life.

Step 1: Gush into the literature:

“UNDER the greenwood tree,

Who loves to lie with me,

And turn his merry note

Unto the sweet bird’s throat,

Come hither, come hither, come hither:

Here shall he see

No enemy

But winter and rough weather

–William Shakespeare

Then let not what I cannot have

My cheer of mind destroy;

Whilst thus I sing, I am a king,

Although a poor blind boy.

–Colley Cibber

Its simple. Just read the above lines again and again, and get at the meaning of the words, through your heart!

Step 2: Introspect

What is stress?

Stress is the state of your mind!

What is mind?

Mind is a bundle of thoughts.

When your mind unnecessarily ponders about the bundle of thoughts, stress takes control of your personality!

What is the solution then?

The stressful thoughts will have to be changed to sincere and pleasing thoughts - and as the wise saying goes:

When the Thoughts are changed, the Mind is changed,

When the Mind is changed, the Man is changed,

When the Man is changed, the Society is changed,

When the Society is changed, the Nation is changed,

And when the Nations change for the better, we say there is plenty and prosperity all over the world!

It is so simple-oh, man, you have complicated the issue, beyond the tolerable proportions and that is the reason for your stress!

Step 3: The modern stress management techniques:

All the modern stress management techniques, the lengthy lectures on causes of stress, the bulky books on the subject, become a kindergarten stuff, as compared to your ability to control your mind. When you establish control on the rapid and agile movements of the mind, where is stress?

Do not think that by controlling the mind, you are curbing its normal and useful activities. It is just like the horse, galloping ahead, but well-controlled by the jeans!

If the stress is related to your health, it is another matter, it needs to be tackled in consultations with health professionals and good psychologists. Severe health problems, combined with stress, can be fatal also. Share your views, sorrows and health related concerns with your friends and well-wishers. You may get valuable advise and unburdening the stressful thoughts in your mind, will itself relieve you to a great extent!

The mind tools, thus, have a definite role to play in taking the stress out of your personality.

What are the advantages to owing an apple ipod nano

With so many handheld devices on the market these days, the Apple iPod Nano is clearly an excellent choice. But what makes this particular unit such an obvious way to go? Here are some of the advantages that this iPod brings to the table.

For people who like to take a lot of music with them, the iPod Nano is the ideal choice. Depending on the process of file storage, you can have anywhere between five hundred and a thousand music tracks loaded at any given time. Unlike some lesser models where you would have to settle for a much smaller selection, you can easily have music from a variety of genres at your fingertips, enough to get you through the longest airline trip, or through any number of situations where you need some pleasant distraction. Organizing the tunes is simple as well, so you can always find whatever is the ideal music for your current mood.

Accessing the tunes is also easier than ever with the Nano version of the Apple iPod. The click wheel has the familiar look that you have come to rely upon. What has changed is that it is much more responsive than some of the earlier models. This means you can perform all the functions at lightning speed, from searching the menu, forward and rewinding through the songs and even pausing when you need to step away from the Nano for a moment. The display area is also a nice size in comparison to the overall unit. You have a viewing space of about 1.5 inches for display, which easily allows you visual contact with the menus.

Improved battery life is another perk of the new and improved Nano Apple iPod. While older versions would provide you with up to twelve hours of listening pleasure, the Nano will keep going for up to fourteen hours in between charges. That pretty well makes for the vast majority of a whole day's playing time. You will also find that recharging the Apple Nano overnight is quick and easy. Simply plug in the charger and you will be good to go when the new day begins.

With all the improvements that come with the iPod Nano, it just makes sense to head out to the store and make this unit your own. Check with find electronics stores as well as major discount retailers. Then have fun loading all your favorite tracks on your new handheld Apple iPod Nano.

Weight loss success results from finding the right balance of calories and exercise

Weight loss is not just about changing what you eat, it's also about adding more exercise activities during your week.

We need to change our eating habits, to stop eating the junk foods and highly processed foods and replace them with good, healthy foods. You need to eat foods that supply you with all the nutrients that are required to keep our bodies healthy.

Before making any changes, I recommend that you start a food and activity journal. In this, you not only write down what you eat, but where, when, and what you were feeling at the time. This will help you will see what triggers your hunger and what satisfies your appetite. What foods do you routinely shop for? What snacks do you keep in the pantry?

Once you start to see patterns in your journal, you're ready to start taking action. But keep in mind that deciding to reduce the calories, fat, saturated fat, and sugar in your diet is a big step, and trying to do that at the same time you endeavour to make a drastic change in your physical activity level, may be biting off too much change at one time. Which, sadly, can set you up for failure. Instead of trying to make all the changes at once, I recommend that you set smaller, more realistic goals for yourself and plan to add in a new challenge each week.

Don't plan to starve yourself, either. This won't help you lose weight. It's much better to eat small, regular meals five or six times a day, so that the body never feels threatened and tempted to hold on to its fat stores. Eating regular meals also helps to maintain your blood sugar at a constant level so that you don't start craving sugary food when your blood sugar levels drop.

Adding fibre to your diet -- such as whole grain cereals, legumes (lentils and beans), vegetables, and fruits -- can help you feel full with fewer calories.

Another great tip: Prepare your meals and snacks at home. This is a great way to save money, eat healthy, and spend time with your family. When preparing meals, choose low-fat/low-calorie versions of your favorite foods.

Snacks can comprise simple of a piece of fresh fruit, cut raw vegetables, or a container of low-fat yogurt. These are portable and an excellent choice to tide you over until mealtimes. Take these snacks with you for a healthy alternative to chips, cookies, or candy.

As I mentioned earlier, weight loss success also requires that you increase your physical activity. Aim for at least 30 minutes (adults) or 60 minutes (children) of moderate intensity activity for at least three or more days a week. If you are just starting to be physically active, remember that even small increases provide health benefits. Check with your physician first, and then start with a few minutes of activity a day and gradually increase, working your way up to 30 minutes. If you already achieve 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a day, you can gain even more health benefits by increasing the amount of time that you are physically active or by taking part in more vigorous-intensity activities.

The balance of calories consumed against your activity level will either cause weight loss or gain. The more calories you eat, the more physical you need to be. For example for every 100 calories you consume and not burn a day, you will gain about 1 pound in a month. That's about 10 pounds in a year. The bottom line is that to lose weight, you must reduce your calories and increase your physical activity.

Obesity - not everybody agrees it is an epidemic

Obesity has become such an important topic in health and self-improvement circles that it deserves its own "News and Views" column. Here is the February, 2006 issue.

**Book claims obesity "epidemic" is a big lie

In his new book, "Fat Politics: The Real Story Behind America's Obesity Epidemic", writer Eric Oliver claims that the ramped up concern over obesity in the last ten years has been driven by the weight loss industry.

According to Oliver his research led him to conclude that, "Based on the statistics most of the charges saying that obesity caused various diseases or that obesity caused thousands of deaths were simply not supported."

The writer does not dispute that the average American adult is between 8 and 12 pounds heavier today than in 1975. But he does dispute the significance of this weight gain to average health.

He claims that pharmaceutical companies and the diet industry have funded groups like the International Obesity Task Force whose objective has been to promote the dangers of obesity. According to Oliver, "nearly every prominent obesity 'expert' has been financed or supported in some way by the weight-loss industry."

One important outcome of this effort was the successful lowering of the obesity standard in 1998. As Oliver says, "Suddenly tens of millions of Americans became 'obese' even though they hadn’t gained a pound."

Oliver's main contention is that "the scientific evidence is simply not there that most people who are either 'overweight' or 'obese' are in any danger directly from their weight."

This flies directly in the face of current orthodoxy on the impact of obesity on health. Those who warn us about obesity say it greatly increases the likelihood of conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and even some cancers.

**Obesity in Children linked to lack of exercise facilities

In a study published in the February issue of Pediatrics, researcher Penny Gordon-Larsen of the University of North Carolina's School of Public Health and Medicine looked at the correlation between overweight and availability of exercise facilities.

The researchers gathered statistics on the number of physical-activity facilities, the rate of overweight children, and the average physical activity levels for each area. Facilities included were schools, public recreation facilities, parks and YMCAs, as well as dance studios and private gyms.

Not surprisingly, the study concluded that "more disadvantaged communities have a great deficiency in terms of the number and types of exercise facilities available."

**Link between "food insecurity" and obesity challenged

In another study conducted by researchers at Tulane University, the link between "food insecurity status" and obesity has been challenged.

Prior studies suggested that people not sure where their next meal was coming from might overeat when they got food, or possibly eat less-nutritious, higher calorie foods.

But in the study of nearly 17,0000 kindergarten children, kids in "food insecure houselholds" were found to be 20% less likely to be overweight.

The researchers concluded that some risk factors did contribute to overweight. These were low physical activity, watching TV more than two hours a day, high birth weight, being from a low-income family, and being either black or Latino.

Various causes of peptic ulcer

Peptic ulcer is a disorder of the digestive system that causes inflammation and lesions in different regions of the gastrointestinal tract. The disorder involves erosion of the mucus-covered protective surface of either the stomach or the duodenum.

Most peptic ulcers occur on the premises of genetically inherited physiological abnormalities, such as: inappropriate production of mucus (a natural protective substance that surrounds the internal soft tissues and organs), inappropriate production of bicarbonate (a chemical that neutralizes the effects of digestive acids) and poor blood circulation at the level of the stomach.

The major cause of peptic ulcer is infection with a type of bacterium called Helicobacter pylori. Although there are various other factors that contribute to the development of peptic ulcer, the disorder generally occurs as a consequence of infection with Helicobacter pylori bacteria. These bacteria weaken the internal organs’ protective walls, allowing gastric acids and pepsin to cause serious damage to soft tissues and organs.

Another cause of peptic ulcer is the stomach’s overproduction of digestive fluids. In normal amounts, gastric acid and pepsin have a very important role in the process of digestion. However, when the stomach secretes these substances in excess, they can cause ulcerations and lesions to the internal tissues and organs.

Research results indicate that smokers are exposed to a very high risk of developing peptic ulcers. Smoking increases the stomach’s production of digestive fluids, thus facilitating the occurrence of the disorder. Furthermore, smoking slows down the healing of existing peptic ulcers and increases the risk of complications. Similar to smoking, caffeine can also lead to an overproduction of pepsin and stomach acid, thus contributing to the occurrence of peptic ulcer.

The excessive consumption of alcohol also greatly contributes to the development of peptic ulcer. Statistics indicate that peptic ulcer is very common among people who suffer from cirrhosis, a disease associated with the abuse of alcohol.

Studies in the field have found that certain oral medications are also a potential cause of peptic ulcer. Commonly prescribed in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have various side-effects at the level of the gastrointestinal system, and they greatly contribute to the occurrence of peptic ulcer. Ongoing treatments with aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen interfere with the normal activity of the stomach in several different ways: they slow down the stomach’s production of mucus and bicarbonate; they stimulate an overproduction of pepsin and gastric acid; they perturb the blood circulation in the lining of the stomach.

Emotional stress also seems to affect the activity of stomach, increasing the risk of developing peptic ulcer. Although medical scientists haven’t established clear connections between emotional stress and peptic ulcer, it seems that people with emotional problems are commonly confronted with gastrointestinal disorders.

By contrast, physical stress has been confirmed to be a major cause of peptic ulcer. People who have acquired stomach injuries or people who have suffered surgical interventions are exposed to a high risk of developing peptic ulcer.

Mission acomplia- the goal is a healthier world

When Acomplia, the wonder weight loss drug, hits the market, it will have a gigantic mission to complete - the mission to cure obesity in a 200 million strong population around the world. The mission at hand of Acomplia is a Herculean task in real. Not only because of the large number of people who require treatment but also because most of these people consider acomplia as the last resort.

Acomplia thus has the faith of many people to free them of the excess weight. Losing weight for many people is not just a task to become prettier or more handsome; it is a way to do away with the various health problems that have afflicted them because of being overweight. Diabetes, heart diseases, high blood pressure are some of the most common disorders that ensue because of being overweight.

Acomplia is well equipped for this mission, i. e. in dealing with excess weight. This drug works by blocking a pleasure center in the brain (known as Cannabinoid type I or CB1). Blocking CB1 receptors generate a feeling of satiety in the patients. Thus, patient automatically loses weight when food intake is reduced. This is the first in the kind of drugs with such mode of action.

Ours is a culture that believes in force feeding. Even if you are not hungry, you will surely consume something during mealtimes. Many people complained of a guilty feeling when they skipped meals. But what needs to be understood is that after 40 food is no longer required to promote growth and just to maintain oneself. With acomplia dampening appetite, a person will just consume sufficient and abstain from overeating, i. e. half the mission against obesity is accomplished.

Acomplia diet pill not only suppresses appetite but also has positive effects on the urge to smoke (although clinical trials on the drugs actual potential in this area have not yet been checked). Similarly, this drug improves cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Patients who underwent tests during the research period reported a weight loss of an average 19 pounds and waist measure decreased by 3 inches after taking the drug for 2 years. The results are remarkable, if seen in comparison with patients who took a placebo. The latter were just able to lose 5 pounds and 1.5 inches from their waist.

Acomplia surely is not the first drug to combat the problem of obesity. Many drugs such as Fen-phen, which is a combination of Fenfluramine and Phentermine, too created much enthusiasm in users; but had to be withdrawn from the market after reports of heart valve problems. Similarly Meridia and Orlistat failed because of their severe side effects. Acomplia is not free of side effects either. But the side effects are milder. Nausea, mood alterations with depressive symptoms, anxiety and dizziness are some of the common side effects faced by users. Since acomplia is a prescription drug, the patient must have been recommended use of the drug by a certified doctor.

Planning your next vacation

When getting ready for your next vacation, you can keep costs and hassles to a minimum with a little advanced planning and preparation. The following tips will help make your next trip a fun and relaxing experience from beginning to end.

Maximize frequent flyer miles

Travelers can get a big value lift by maximizing airlines' frequent flyer programs. Identify which airlines partner together, such as those in the SkyTeam alliance, which includes Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, Aeromйxico, Air France, Alitalia, Czech Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Korean Air. Members of alliances have agreements in place that allow passengers to earn and redeem miles on flights with any of the carriers in the alliance. That means travelers flying with Continental, for example, can designate that the miles earned on the flight go into their Delta SkyMiles account.

To further your travel perks, book hotel and car rental accommodations with companies that have partnerships with the airline on which you earn your frequent flyer miles.

Research destinations and fares in advance

Travelers can save on travel costs by researching airfares and destinations early. This will give plenty of time to book accommodations and organize documentation without last-minute charges. If you are traveling to another country, it is important to know what paperwork and identification you will need before you depart. Be sure your passport is up-to-date and research visa and health information pertaining to specific destinations. If you are visiting several foreign destinations, look into special fare packages offered by alliances.

Pack smart

Travel light. Bring pieces that are easy to layer for comfortable transitions from daytime to evening and from outdoors to indoors.

Dress for security

When traveling through the airport, dress with security in mind. Wear slip-on shoes with little or no metal in them and minimal jewelry. Keep your boarding pass and identification easily accessible.

Prepare for the journey

Bring along reading materials and other entertainment, such as crossword puzzles. Also be sure to pack snacks and water to keep hydrated throughout your travels. While at the airport, take advantage of airport lounges, such as Northwest's WorldClubs, to relax in before your trip. Passengers without the ticket class or frequent flyer status to access lounges can often purchase a one-day lounge pass.

When you're packing for your next vacation, don't forget to pack in those frequent flyer miles.

Digital photo printing for canvases

The best way to create and transform a favorite photo into a striking piece of photo art for display on the wall is to make a canvas print from digital photos. Printing digital photo on canvas is also useful for personalized gifts such as wedding and anniversary gifts, etc.

There are a few important things you should know before you hand over your digital images to digital photo printing service and order a canvas print.

The photographic quality of your canvas will ultimately depend on the size and quality of the original image you submit. For example, for a digital camera that produces high 5 Megapixel resolution images, canvas size ranging from 32 cm x 25 cm to 117 cm x 90 cm can be reliably used for digital printing.

On the other hand, a low 2 Megapixel resolution can be reliably used only on canvas size ranging from 32 cm x 25 cm to 65 cm x 50 cm. So, in order to get the best quality digital print on canvas, it is recommended to set your camera to the highest resolution possible, and carefully select a canvas size suitable for the image.

You can also print photos taken with analog/conventional cameras for digital print on canvas by scanning them. The quality of the resulting print will depend on the size and quality of the scanned image. So, remember to check what dpi your image will need to be scanned at, to determine your preferred size of print on canvas.

For example, for a 5 cm x 8 cm photo scanned at 600 dpi, a canvas of 40 cm x 40 cm is needed to prevent the resulting print on canvas from pixilating (reduce in image quality). Most digital photo printing services can do the scanning for you, but if you are careful enough when doing it on your own, you save a few dollars on a great piece of photo art.

There are a few things you should look for before doing business with a digital photo printing service. According to TopTenREVIEWS, these are the criteria to evaluate digital photo printing services

• Ease of Ordering Process – the digital photo printing service should provide customers with quick ordering steps that are easy to follow

• Quality of Prints - the original digital photo should be duplicated with the closest resemblance on the print

• Pricing - price reductions and discounts should be offered for bulk orders and prepaid orders

• Shipping Costs - shipping charges should be kept to a minimum

• Turnaround Time – there should be a quick turnaround time without charging additional fees

Do i need to stop my acne skin care regimen during pregnancy

Pregnancy usually brings along with it a host of medical concerns which prompt behavioral and lifestyle changes. It is common knowledge that pregnant women should avoid smoking and drinking, not to mention some excessively physical activities. But there are also a host of other medicines and procedures which should be avoided during pregnancy. So, the question is, how does pregnancy affect acne skin care regimens?

Many acne medicines are quite explicit about the fact that you should not use them during pregnancy. Roaccutane and Accutane are certainly among these. For those of us that have used the products, the medicine packaging picturing a pregnant woman with an ‘X’ over her sent a strong message that they should not be used if you are, or might become pregnant. There are other medicines, such as Tetracycline tablets and topical retinoids such as Tretinoin and Adapalene which can have detrimental effects on the bones and teeth of developing fetuses. While these medicines should clearly be avoided because of the detrimental effects they have on your baby, there are other medicines which should potentially be stopped simply because they are no longer appropriate when pregnant.

Pregnancy is often associated with a period of drier than normal skin. As a result, a number of acne medicines which are designed specifically to dry out the skin, namely benzoyl peroxide cream or gel may no longer be appropriate.

But does this mean that there are no acne skin care regimens that can be followed? Absolutely not. There are in fact a number of milder and often natural solutions which can contribute to healthier acne free skin which either have no, or even positive effects on your child. To replace harsh creams or gels designed to dry out the skin, an excellent alternative is tea tree oil. A milder facial wash can also provide the cleansing effect of an acne wash without over-drying your skin, which is naturally drier due to pregnancy. But because you may be giving up some of the acne fighting power by switching over to a milder wash, it is a good idea to supplement your acne fighting regimen with some natural clay masks such as Kaolin and Bentonite which will absorb oil and clear blocked pores naturally.

The second avenue through which pregnant women can clear up their skin while positively affecting the health of the child, is through their diet. By consuming higher quantities of raw vegetables, whose antioxidant properties serve to take free radicals (also referred to as bacteria) out of your system, you can cut down on the amount of bacteria released through your pores. In addition, by cutting back on the quantity of sugars and refined carbohydrates that you eat, you will naturally cut down on the amount of sebum or oil that your body produces. This will keep your pores clearer and allow the bacteria which passes through your pores to come out cleanly and without causing infection and acne. These approaches, in addition to providing you with clearer skin, are a safe and healthy alternative to acne fighting while simultaneously improving the health of your child.

Spanish grammar lesson on the present progressive tense

The Present Progressive Tense

The progressive tense is used to describe actions that are in progress at a specific moment in time (the present). In English, it is the auxiliary verb “to be” and the present participle. In layperson terms, the “present participle” means verbs with “ing” attached to the end of the verb.

The present tense is used much more frequently in English than it is used in Spanish. As in Spanish, we use it to talk about actions that are in progress “now” or “right now.” But in English, we also use the present progressive tense to describe habitual actions or to speak in general. For example:

I am living in the suburbs.

I am working in the post office.

I am taking Spanish lessons.

In Spanish, the present tense is used to emphasize that an action is taking place now. But many Spanish grammar books do not indicate that there is another use for the present progressive tense. And that the present progressive tense can be used to stress that an action is continuous.

I learned this one from trial and error. As embarrassing as it is to admit, a five year old little girl corrected my Spanish grammar. That’s how I found out.

The first time it happened it happened with an adult. I was trying to tell an adult that I am learning Spanish. Since the Spanish grammar books taught me that the Spanish present progressive tense is only used to describe actions that are in progress “right now,” I did not use the present progressive tense to say that “I am learning Spanish.” Because I was not learning Spanish at that specific moment. At that very moment, I was trying to talk to her in Spanish. So I said “Aprendo espaсol.” She politely corrected me and said “se dice estoy aprendiendo espaсol”.

At the time, I thought that maybe she was wrong and that my textbook was right. So I tried telling my next door neighboor’s five year old that “Yo aprendo espaсol” who proudly corrected my Spanish. She told me: you’re supposed to say ‘“yo estoy aprendiendo espaсol.”

Forming the Present Progressive Tense

In Spanish, we form the present progressive tense by conjugating the verb “estar” with the present participle. You form regular “ar” present participles by dropping the “ar” and adding “ando.” And you form regular “er” present participles by dropping the “er” and adding “iendo”

Let’s try it.

My grandmother is eating pork chops.

Mi abuelita estб comiendo chuletas de cerdo.

The uncle is working.

El tнo estб trabajando.

The father-in-law is dancing.

El suegro estб bailando.

The stepmother is cooking the lobster.

La madrastra estб cocinando la langosta.

The grandson is doing nothing.

El nieto no estб haciendo nada.

You are washing the windows.

Tъ estбs limpiando las ventanas.

Now let’s try a few on your own. The answers appear at the bottom.

The nephew is selling cars.

The daughter-in-law is writing a letter.

The sister-in-law is receiving a lot of gifts.

The grandchildren are playing.

The cousin is buying a tie.

Answers:

El sobrino estб vendiendo carros.

La nuera estб escribiendo una carta.

La cuсada estб recibiendo muchos regalos.

Los nietos estбn jugando.

El primo estб comprando una corbata.

Derby offers interesting take on pace

This year, strong convictions are starting to mount about who is a logical pick and who might be considered a “Budweiser Longshot.” A few horses to keep an eye onfrom this fan’s point of view are Brother Derek, Lawyer Ron, Barbaro and Sweetnorthersaint.

Let’s start with the probable favorite, but first, let me remind you that the post-time favorite has only cantered into the winner’s circle twice since 1979. Fusaichi Pegasus did it in 2000, and Smarty Jones did it in 2004. So, as probable as some of these horses may sound, it’s a statistic that does merit serious consideration. It makes it even more intriguing with the 20-horse field likely for this year’s running of the roses.

Brother Derek, the Cecil Peacock-owned and Dan Hendricks-trained horse, is a monster. His last outing, a 3 and Ѕ rout in the Santa Anita Derby (G-I), drew rave reviews from sportswriters all over the country. He also leads all of the derby horses in graded stakes earnings at $1,114,980. The real question for him is where is he going to go? He enjoys the front-running style, like in the Santa Anita Derby, but also has sat back in some races, like in the Santa Catalina Stakes (G-II). If he does go for the lead, he’ll be joined by Sinister Minister. As you remember, Sinister Minister put on quite a show as he went gate to wire in the Toyota Blue Grass(G-I). Bob Baffert has said countless times that “he can’t rate.” All he can do is run, and run fast. In the Blue Grass, he set fractions of 45.88 for the half and 1:09.94 for three quarters. If he does that at Churchill Downs as expected, he’ll be all out of gas, because the track at Churchill is far different from the speed-favoring Keeneland track where Sinister Minister put on his show.

We know Brother Derek likes to run, and we know Sinister Minister is going to go to the lead.

Brother Derek isn’t the only horse that loves to be on the front. Barbaro, who was game in his wins in the Florida Derby (G-I) and the Holy Bull Stakes (G-3), also loves to be near the front. In those two contests, he was first or second at every call of the race just like in his three previous lifetime starts. The only question surrounding Barbaro is trainer Michael Matz’s decision to give him a five-week rest between the Florida Derby and the Kentucky Derby. Matz, who you’ll hear much about this next week and a half, survived a plane crash in the ‘80s and has only been training horses for seven years.

Lawyer Ron and Sweetnorthersaint are two prospects who have earned serious consideration for the first Saturday in May. Lawyer Ron, undefeated on dirt, won the Southwest Stakes, the Rebel (G-III) and the Arkansas Derby (G-II). He has tons of tactical speed, but has had a tendency to not like the dirt that is being kicked up in his face, and he loves to be on the front end. A half mile into the Arkansas Derby, he went to the lead in the blink of an eye from his fourth position on the rail, and fought off rivals Private Vow and Steppenwolfer late. Sweetnorthersaint is a horse many people are starting to love after his romp in the Illinois Derby (G-II). His tactical speed, Illinois Derby win and smooth, steady stride remind many fans of War Emblem, who won the Kentucky Derby in 2002.

Those four horses should take a lot of action from the bettors, but who is the horse you need to watch out for as a longshot?

A. P. Warrior is that horse. He failed to menace the proper bid in the Santa Anita Derby, but he’s beaten some good horses while running at Santa Anita in Arcadia, California, including beating Bob and John, winner of the Wood Memorial(G-1), twice, and he also has knocked off Point Determined, a son of Point Given, who was a great horse a few years back. A. P. Warrior loves to sit off the pace. For his win in the San Felipe (G-II) he sat off the pace, then had a strong rally at the top of the stretch to win with a half a length to spare. Look for him to be running late.

There’s no question that everyone has a favorite “Derby analysis,” but keep in mind that the post-time favorite has won only once since ’79. If Brother Derek can sit off the lead, he’ll be in good shape. Be looking for A. P. Warrior and Brother Derek, two West Coast horses, to be near the front as the wire nears in the 132nd Kentucky Derby.

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