A whitewater rafting family vacation

Now this is something everyone can enjoy together: whitewater rafting! Planning a whitewater rafting family vacation will not only make you the coolest parents to ever exist, it will also provide a powerful bonding experience for your family as a unit.

This type of cooperative adventure experience is second to none in terms of building family trust, proper dependence skills, and overall self-reliance combined with teamwork. There is no better combination to develop great skills in your children than an exciting whitewater rafting family vacation.

The idealism behind a whitewater rafting family vacation is that your family will end up in the raft learning from each other and cooperating as a team for the great, noble cause of adventure.

The reality behind a rafting family vacation is that the family has a great amount of fun and ends up laughing and screaming their way to jubilation as they cruise up and down the raging waters together. Either result, of course, makes for an explosively exhilarating family vacation and will make you a hit among parents for years to come because of your unforgettable vacation idea.

Take the Plunge

Booking your whitewater rafting family vacation is literally just a phone call away. There are a variety of travel agents and support staff available at a large number of rafting facilities that can book and furnish your entire vacation plan within minutes and have your family on their way to the greatest vacation experience of their lives. This type of thing doesn’t have to happen just once in a lifetime either, as many people take whitewater rafting family vacations several times a year and end up making it a regular part of their lives.

It has been said that “the family that rafts together, stays together” and it couldn’t be truer. The notion that families experiencing adventure and skilled turmoil together are closer is certainly supported by nature and biological evidence.

Clutching tightly to your parents as your plunge into the river is a great bonding experience, as is yelling at your children to “paddle faster” before hitting the swirling currents. All of these experiences add up to the wonderful reality of excitement behind a whitewater rafting family vacation.

Of course, you could just take your kids to Disneyland and only partly experience adventure this summer. You could even go on an amusement ride to attempt to capture some of the fun of whitewater rafting. It might work.

Vacation checklist - plan your dream trip now

Are you tired of the cold and snow?

Do you feel the need to get away...and soon?

Have your children been to your very favorite places?

You need a vacation. And the time to plan it is now!

Dreaming of a fabulous vacation and actually pulling one off are two different things. As a modern professional, you are probably an expert at scheduling, time management and project coordination in your career.

These are the same skills you need to use when it comes time to plan your dream vacation.

And the first tool you need is a vacation checklist.

A vacation checklist will get you on top of your planning immediately and keep you there right up until the day you leave on your trip. A vacation checklist will ensure

- you don't forget anything and take exactly what you need,

- and you actually pull off the trip of your dreams.

Your vacation checklist doesn't need to be fancy. Just thorough. You can make one yourself or find a free one by looking in the resource box following this article. Whatever checklist you use, you'll need to customize it for your own use, of course. And if you start now, customizing your entire trip will be easy.

Using your vacation checklist to keep track of your notes, start out by vacation dreaming.

- Where do you want to go?

This is easily decided by determining what type of vacation you're in the mood for. If you're tired of the cold, you'll want warm...and maybe beaches. If you need rest and recreation, you'll look for places that can pamper you and evaporate your stress. If you want to show your kids the world, you'll look for family-friendly and educational adventures.

- How long a trip will this be?

Mark down on your checklist the length of your vacation. Are you working around a school schedule? How many vacation days are you willing to trade for your dream vacation? Would you rather take one long vacation or several long weekend jaunts? Factor in travel days...that will tell you whether you want to drive or fly. And that will affect your next item...

- What's your travel budget?

This part of vacation planning needn't be a downer. By planning ahead, you can maximize your travel monies through booking the least expensive travel and hotel arrangements. Do a little upfront research and write down on your vacation checklist how much your dream vacation will cost. Divide that amount into equal monthly payments between now and your travel dates. Can you make that happen? Do you have other monies set aside you can allocate for your trip? Be wary of just putting your trip on credit. No matter how wonderful your dream vacation is, paying for it after the fact can tarnish its memories.

- What are your expectations?

We've all been on vacations that we had high hopes for but didn't turn out as we envisioned. Sure, stuff happens, but you can put the odds on your side that your vacation will be what you dream of by planning as much detail as possible ahead of time. It also helps to ask yourself the simple but powerful questions of

- am I wanting to make lifetime memories with this vacation?

- am I wanting to cram in as many activities as possible on this vacation?

- are my vacation wants in conflict with my vacation realities? For example, do I want to take my spouse on a romantic getaway but I have five children under the age of ten and they must accompany us?

Bottom line...when it comes to vacations, planning is king and your vacation checklist is queen. Plan your dream trip, make sure your expectations are in line, keep track of everything on your checklist, and before you know it, you'll be THERE...exactly where you want, with the people you want, doing what you want. Enjoying the vacation you dreamed of.

Tips on buying a timeshare resale

Have you ever bought an inexpensive car only to find that upkeep and dissatisfaction made it more expensive than if you had just bought a better one in the first place? The same is true in timeshares. The "satisfaction quotient" of a timeshare will actually be determined by your buying the right one in the first place. This is true whether buying a developer's timeshare or a resale. The only difference is that you will buy the resale for one third to one half the price. Consider the following attributes when purchasing:

The Location. Is it in a demand area? Can you walk to shops, restaurants and other off-site amenities? Does it have major attractions close by? The property on the beach is better than the property a block back. Some resorts feature solitude and a "get away" location with great views of the wilderness. What will suit your lifestyle and desires?

The Design. Was the project a motel conversion or purpose built? Some motel conversions are excellent. Others result in turning a substandard motel into a substandard timeshare. Is the property a mix of Studio, One and Two Bedroom units? Is it attractive and well laid out or just a box? The more attractive the physical layout of the property and the unit floorplans, the better.

The Management. First and foremost: Are the units clean? Look for dust, non-working windows, squeaking doors, seedy landscaping, etc. The better maintained the property, the higher the value. Does the appearance please you?

The Fiscal Stability. This is harder to find because it is not visible. Ask for a copy of the Owner's Association budget or financial statements. If this is out of your area of expertise, ask the Owners around the pool. Have there been a lot of special assessments? If there is a professional Property Manager (a CPM or RRP), ask them. Is the project "living beyond its means"? Look for the reserve study. When will the property need a new roof and will the money be in the bank to pay for it? Another non-technical way is to review the last few minutes of the Board of Directors meetings.

The Unit Size. As a general rule, the people who buy the larger units are the happiest. The ability to bring friends and family along on a vacation is not to be overlooked. Two bedroom units offer this possibility. In other cases you may not want this possibility to exist so a smaller unit will be the best selection. Think it over not only for the present, but also for the future. Young singles have bought studio units. They don't work so well after the marriage and the third child.

The Season. Buy the high season if that is what you wish to consistently use. If the summertime is high season and you are a schoolteacher who can only vacation then, you should go ahead, bite the bullet and buy that season, even though it may be at a premium price. If you have school age children the same applies. Sometimes, the reverse is true. For example, we have many Owners of Southern California beachfront resorts who live in the east and Midwest and have specifically purchased the "off season" because it gets them out of the cold. It works perfectly for them.

The Price. This is last on purpose. You are looking at buying a lifetime possession. If you get the wrong one, the dissatisfaction will be present long after you have forgotten what you paid for it. At current resale prices, I don't think there is any way to lose. Resale timeshares are like antique furniture. They will either hold their value or increase with time. Look at resales as though they will not really cost you money, they will save it. The worst that will happen is that you will have a lifetime of incredible vacations and at the end you will sell it and get all or most of your money back. The longer you own, the better it will be because alternate accommodations (hotels) will only cost more in time due to inflation. The best units in the best season in the best projects have held their value best. Currently, resale prices are generally half of the original developer sale price. In some cases it may be less and in some more. To assure yourself of not paying more than you have to, shop around. Call a title company in the area to find out what the resales in a specific resort are going for. Ask a resale Broker to show you some comparatives. In other words go about it as you would buying a house. Obviously it is not as major a purchase, but time spent getting the right product is absolutely worth it. Remember that you will own it for years. Another trap to avoid is that of buying a cheap timeshare for exchange. Make no mistake. Low quality exchanges for low quality with only rare exceptions.

Key Point - Since we are offering 80% financing for the purchase of timeshare resales, you can now afford to buy the best property; the one you really want. You will be much happier in the long run if you do. All this may be summed up by one phrase:

Buy Quality!!

Tips for a smooth start to breast feeding

Many different sources were used while writing this article; I hope you find it informative and helpful.

There are many ways to plan to be a mother and to breast feed for the first time.

First find out as much as you can, this can involve reading about breastfeeding during your pregnancy, check out our web site there is a mass of information on it, so you will know what to do once your baby is in your arms, attending antenatal lessons and learning `about breast feeding there, or you can even join a support group and enjoy mingling with other mothers who can give you lots of tips and guidance.

During pregnancy, it is very important you take good care of yourself. This ensures when it comes to the time to have your baby, it is as stress free and healthy a birth as it can possibly be.

There are plenty of things you can do to prepare yourself for feeding your baby whilst you are still pregnant; these include ensuring your breasts are prepared for the feeding experience. It's always a good idea to tell your midwife or obstetrician of any breast surgery you may have had as this might influence your abilities to feed your baby. Also check your nipples to see if they have become inverted, this can present difficulties when the time comes for the baby to latch on,

Speak to your friends and family about their breastfeeding experiences, or go to a breastfeeding support group so you can meet and chat to other breastfeeding mothers.

Once your baby has been born, its important that the baby is put to the breast immediately. This is because the suckling instinct in a baby is very strong when they are first born. If you can get your baby to latch on inside those first few minutes of life, it is imprinted on them and subsequent breast-feeding experiences should become a lot easier.

Most maternity hospitals give you the opportunity to let your baby stay in the same room as you overnight. This is a good idea, so make certain you take advantage of it. It will give you that added time to both get to know one another and create the mother and baby bond that is so important.

If your baby does sleep in the nursery it's important that the nursery staff don't feed your baby formula whilst you are sleeping. Insist that when he awakens he is brought to you for feeding from your breast even if it is the middle of the night.

Don't be concerned that you are not producing much milk to start off with, this is normal. The thin liquid that is created just after your baby is born is rich in nutrients and antibodies. It is enough to keep your baby happy until your milk "comes in" a few of days after your baby is born.

I hope you found the above helpful and you have a good experience breastfeeding your baby.

Roger Overanout

Take action to achieve success

As I was going through a new training course, that is helping me to develop a new career, there it was staring me right in the face - Take Action!

Few people REALLY understand how important this concept is to success.

We all know the old saying, “Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda,” when we see an opportunity slip away. I know I’ve said, “I THOUGHT OF THAT YEARS AGO!” about some new gadget I came across. I didn’t take action. I let small problems be excuses for not moving forward with the things I truly want.

Well, I finally decided enough is enough! I want a new lifestyle revolving around the goals that I want and not what someone else thinks I should want.

Everything doesn’t have to be perfect the first time. I’ve definitely fallen into that old trap! Heck, most people don’t even notice. Just do something! You can fix the mistakes later. We learn from our mistakes.

By allowing yourself to say, “I changed my mind” and “I was wrong”, you will experience newfound freedom.

We are all creatures of habit and hate to be blown out of our comfort zones, but taking risks and just getting out there can move mountains.

“Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill’s entire book revolves around one premise and that is to think. After thinking, take action and be persistent.

Be positive in your thinking and stay away from negative influences. When you hear negative comments, just realize most people are envious and secretly wish they were as brave as you.

Don’t believe that success is hard. It is a process, so take it one step at a time. You can learn what you don’t know.

I could go on and on about positive thinking. I’m sure you’ve heard it before. If you are looking to change your financial situation and your life, believe in yourself and take action! Don’t let anymore wonderful opportunities pass you by!

Wishing you GREAT success,

Sue Edwards

Tv on pc free

The exciting news about your PC is that you can actually turn it into a TV and watch more than you ever could by using cable or satellite. We all know that antenna’s are so obsolete that no one hardly remembers what they were used for and why. Today since you can turn your PC into a Free TV and receive much more than ever before it will not be long before the cable companies and the satellite companies will become as obsolete as the old fashion TV antenna. You can receive 2500+ TV channels free on your PC is that not remarkable! The cost for lifetime is FREE. You find that you have no ugly hook-ups or dish setting in your yard. The system is very easy and the progress is amazing. This wonderful package deal is a simple software package that cost less than $10.00 and is good for a lifetime with any updates available for download free.

The PC world has already started making flat screens and enlarging the screen so that the user has a much better image to view. Next, the VoIP system will develop surround sound that enhances the hearing of a program. Finally, all you need to do as the consumer is go to your TV on PC network system and download the package deal. Then you will be ready to sit back relax and watch just about anything you want. The program offers movies, sports, news, music channels, live championship football, money, drama, retail and much more for your viewing pleasure. Now that we have the wireless networking capabilities, you can take along your laptop when you travel with full capabilities to view TV no matter where you are and what you are doing. The countries in Europe have already been using this system for years and now it finally has come to America.

The TV on PC program offers you this incredible value for a very low price and does not matter if you are using broadband or dial up they both work. You need no hardware and no subscription to become a part of this system. You only need the right software and instructions to access. This is legal you are not pirating. You now not only can watch national programs but also have access to over hundreds of international channels plus thousands of worldwide radio stations.

You are able to watch music videos plus all types of videos such as the Emmy’s from last year, movie trailers and so much more. The ability to see places like Times Square and many other places from all over the world from live cam is outstanding and amazing. Installing your software and accessing this wonderful program is very simple if you are able to turn on your computer then you are able to get access. This program is a sport lovers dream for all types of sports from all over the world. The sporting events within the United States made available for your viewing live or you can select to watch at a later more convenient time. What ever your preference there is no other form of viewing the world than what we offer you by having your TV on PC.

Home insurance and hurricane preparations

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The violent winds, rains and storm damage from hurricanes can devastate communities and cause billions of dollars worth of destruction. The losses from hurricanes this year alone have surpassed that from almost any other natural disaster in years. The risk to your home and possessions can be enormous and you really should be considering insurance cover for hurricane damage if you live in any area that is exposed to the risk of hurricane. As well as insurance cover however, there are other steps you can be taking to prepare for, and minimise the damage to your property and risk to your family that hurricanes pose.

Since the Atlantic hurricane season in June and continues through till the end of November, there is a significant of the year during which you should be in some way for hurricane threats. Some of the preparations below will be required by insurance policies, others will not but are still helpful to you and your family. Some of them may even be able to bring down your insurance policy price as the insurance company recognises that you are safer than you otherwise would be and are therefore less likely to be making a claim.

Be Prepared

First of all you should be familiar with the terms of your insurance policy and any disaster preparedness and response plans they have. These will help you in the case that disaster does strike or you find yourself in need of making a claim.

If you think you may need to evacuate your area, you should contact the appropriate authorities before hand to know what those requirements will be. You should have a plan formulated in advance and if there are shelters nearby you should know where they are and how to get to them.

Keep supplies such as food, water, gasoline, portable radios and batteries stored somewhere safe so they will be available to you in the emergency. Several flashlights with extra batteries should be included. Copies of important identification and insurance documentation would also be useful in certain situations to speed up applications in the event that wide spread devastation occurs. Medical supplies such as aspirin and aspirin free painkillers, antacid, bandages, gauze and disinfectant are also useful.

While insurance is a very important step you should be taking to protect your possessions and family in the event of disaster, there are many other steps you can take to prepare for the situation also.

Increased web site traffic - doing the little things

More often than not, obtaining increased web site traffic dictates that most business owners follow many of the established guidelines that the internet marketing community deems important and necessary. Yes, these procedures are virtually mandatory, but many web site owners often overlook a multiplicity of simple concepts that can exponentially increase the bottom line. However, by taking the initiative to add these simple and easy to use steps, the online business owner is certainly assured of guaranteed web site traffic. As more visitors become customers through these means, more transactions will be generated and provide a handsome profit. These simple steps costs absolutely nothing and the qualitative aspects of prospecting for customers is not compromised.

Obtaining more site visitors can be procured through various techniques such as Yahoo Answers, establishing a presence on social sites like MySpace, utilizing YouTube, and forum creation/maintenance. These are just a few of the specifics that can bring a substantial amount of quality visitors to your site on a continual basis.

Yahoo Answers is an excellent resource for online marketers. This service allows Yahoo members to ask and reply to questions on any subject matter. Inevitably, a subject that pertains to your online business will appear on Yahoo Answers. Your reply can include a backlink to the web site for potential business or you can create a question with the same objective. It is quick and easy to use.

MySpace is a social networking site that can include information about your web site, a brief biography, and any additional information that is relevant to the topic at hand. Since this is a personally maintained web presence, you can include several backlinks to your site.

YouTube is the popular personal video site that caters to countless thousands of individuals on a daily basis. By subscribing to YouTube, you can post remarks at appropriate locations and build a vast number of rewarding backlinks as well.

Creating a forum and maintaining it with relevant material is another way to generate more visitors and potential customers. Not only will you be able to attract a large number of individuals to your web site, you will also create an atmosphere for continual business from repeat customers who will be eager to purchase your products. MySpace provides similar benefits as well.

Any online entrepreneur can buy targeted traffic for quick results, but using the four aforementioned services costs nothing and will provide the opportunity for increased web site traffic. As the online business continues to expand with a quality customer base, the web site owner can use these services at no cost - what a great benefit! Don't hesitate to use these techniques to grow your business accordingly.

Credit repair is as important as getting out of debt

Avoiding complications in credit repair is almost important as getting out of debt. When we have bills that were neglected simply because we didn't have the money to pay the bills, or else we purchased items instead of paying the bills, we are in debt.

If you are considering a Home Equity Loan to get out of your current mortgage, don't. Why? Simply because most Home Equity Loans get you deeper in debt and once you are obligated you will find the problem is more complicated than when you applied for the loan.

Lenders often target home owners with financial difficulties offering them high interest rates and making them believe it is a solution for debt relief. In most cases, this is where foreclosures come in, or selling homes come into place. The solution is only an option to get you in debt deeper. One solution then is for homeowners to consider the Reverse Mortgage Loans. This type of loan is often as equity against your home, belongings, and so on. The loan offers a 'cash advance' solution and requires that the owner does not pay on the mortgage until the end of the mortgage term or when the home is sold.

Most lenders provide a lump sum advance, a line of credit, or else a monthly installment to the home owners. Some lenders even offer a combination to the homeowners. This is certainly a good solution for repairing your credit, and building your credit to a new future. The downside is that Reverse Home Mortgage Loans often are more suitable for the older generation of people that have built equity over the years in their homes. Another disadvantage is that almost all home loans require upfront payments, such as title, insurance, application fees, origination fees, interest and so on. Therefore, it pays to ask questions and shop around before taking out another loan to repair or build your credit. Fannie Mae Home Keeper Mortgage Programs are one of the many that offer a Reverse Home Mortgage Loan.

Another option for paying off your debts and repairing your credit is to borrow the money from family members or friends. If you have someone that trusts you enough to loan you the money to get out of debt, it is often better than getting a loan. There are several options or questions you must consider before asking family members or friends to loan you the money to build or repair your credit. One of those questions should be the obvious. Can these people afford to lend me the money to get out of debt? Are these people kind enough to loan you money without putting high demands on you. Of course there may be interest involved, but remember they are loaning you money they could be spending on their own bills. Is it possible that you can repay the loan without complicating your situation further? Can I repay these people that loan me the money to free myself of one debt? How long do I have to repay the loan? Make sure there are no extra complications before asking friends or family for money to help get you out of debt.

One of the best solutions for finding a way to repair your credit is searching the options to make the money yourself. If you have a mortgage payment and struggling each month to make ends meet, you might want to sell your home. Many homeowners go for this option simply because they make more money in the long run. Once they sell their home they are often able to repay their mortgage loan and then take out a loan for another mortgage more affordable. If you decide to sell your home to repair your credit and get out of debt, be sure that you look around for the best possible solutions in order to prevent further complications.

Make sure you know how much is owed on your home before you set a price for resell. If there are any repairs that are minor or major, try to repair them first before selling. If you can't afford to repair the home, try to do minimal repair so that you can up the price of the home you are selling.

Add video to your website or blog to increase its value

Over the years we've heard a lot about how to give your web site more value. At first everyone said to put lots of interesting information on your site and you would see a stampede of visitors come your way.

Then we were told to dress our sites and blogs up with logos, graphics, and photos. That helped to bring traffic, too.

Finally we were told to give your sites all the right keywords to bring in the utmost in search engine traffic. By now, that technique has been used just about everywhere it can be.

Now, the Internet is moving to a different phase. Increasingly, top sites are using video to increase their value and bring in lots of traffic. Think about the last time you logged into Amazon or CNN. You very likely were greeted with a professional-looking video that started up on the page and relayed a movie preview or news report.

In the past, you would have to hire a video production house to create, process, host, and post your video, all at a cost of thousands of dollars. But not any more.

Now you can have that same kind of professional video on your site or blog for a price that fits any budget. It's relatively easy to create using low-cost equipment commonly sold for home use.

In the course I teach, I show students how to use Hollywood tricks to transform any space in your house into what looks like a National TV studio. You can do this for under $97, camera not inlcuded. Now that's an advantage for your site or blog that you shouldn't pass up.

What should your site or blog video be?

* Interview yourself or an expert, giving information that your visitors would find interesting.

* A demonstration of how to use your product or service.

* A high-tech, entertaining addition to your ebook or instructional CD.

We live in the television age, when just about everybody would rather look at a video that SHOWS them how to do something rather than have to read about it or listen to someone tell them about

it.

A video gives you much higher response and a far better informed customer base. When people really understand what you are offering and what you can do for them, making sales (often at a higher price) is far easier.

Beijing less well known tourist attractions

When you visit Beijing as a tourist, the capital city of China, you will inevitably be taken sightseeing by your tour guides to view monumental and historical attractions like The Great Wall of China, The Forbidden City and The Ming Tombs amongst many others.

However, more and more of the residents of Beijing are saying that there are many less well known tourist attractions that you must visit and these lesser known places, on their own accord also have many charms and delights for tourists.

For example, Cui Jian, a famous Chinese rock star who performed on a Rolling Stones act in Shanghai in 2006 was known to have said, "I am not at all interested in all that historical kingdom culture, stuff that shows this was once the greatest kingdom or something like that".

Cui recommends that tourists when visiting Beijing should also soak up the atmosphere in the 798 art district in Beijing's eastern Dashanzi instead. This1950s period factory zone has been transformed into a bohemian community of art galleries, cafes and bistros, outdoor sculptures, colorful graffiti painted on factory walls among many other interesting features.

Another Beijing resident, Wu Jianxin, who is an owner of a private wine club, grew up near Houhai, which was once a quiet lakeside village, which is now being overrun by noisy bars and boat rentals for tourists. Wu likes to take leisurely strolls in Baiyun Guan or White Cloud Temple.

This Taoist temple ground has a certain mystical charm about it and without the tourist crush like those in the major attractions, is a wonderful place to just enjoy a leisurely paced sightseeing. A sight to behold when you are in the 800 year old Baiyun Guan are regular traditional ceremonies and rites being performed by Taoist monks. This ancient temple is also the headquarters of the Chinese Taoist Association.

Li Jing, who is a designer by profession, prefers to take his walks in the Nanluoguxiang area. This area has well preserved stretch of backstreets although situated in downtown Beijing, is almost unknown to many tourists. These backstreets are home to many local bars, hostels and boutiques. The area exudes the ambience of old Beijing when contrasted against the city's modern superstructures.

For tourists who like to bring home unconventional souvenirs should visit Jindian Consignment Shop. Here, you will not find the usual replica dragons or jade chopsticks which you can find in souvenir shops all over Beijing. Instead, you will discover unusual and remarkably quaint souvenirs to bring home, such as old bus passes, Chinese antique clocks and flying pigeon bicycles (whatever that is).

Having visited Beijing on a number of occasions myself, I have to disagree with the locals who only recommend the less well known tourist attractions. My recommendation is to see everything Beijing has to offer including the major tourist attractions many of which will leave you awestricken.

The business of publishing

Congratulations, you're published! But what exactly does it mean to be "published"? Besides the fact that your work is finally in print and your college alumni has asked to interview you for their newsletter it also means fame and fortune, right? Well, ok, maybe not on the level of J. K. Rowling, but at the very least you can expect a call from Oprah, right? I hate to be the one to break it to you but you're probably not even on her radar screen. The truth about publishing is really stranger than fiction and the truth is: getting published is only half the battle. The other half is to keep your reality check in balance so it doesn't bounce.

While publishing is all about creative expression, it's also about business and it's those business savvy authors who will succeed in the end. Now you don't have to be an MBA to be a keen business person, you simply have to understand that the choices you make relative to your books future should be based on strategies that will enhance sales not just drain your pocketbook. So, how do you do this? First, take a long, hard look at your reader.

At Author Marketing Experts, we always create a reader profile for each book we promote. This reader profile will tell us where to find buyers for the books we represent. Taking this first step helps us sort through our choices when it comes to book promotion and make decisions on behalf of our authors that are sound and will help leverage sales.

There are times when it's a waste of resources to do a nationwide radio or TV promotion. In fact, some of our programs don't include any outreach to broadcast media. Why? Because as alluring as it might seem to appear on the Today Show, what's the point if your audience doesn't watch morning TV? And, if your audience isn't watching this show, the chances are slim they'll even consider you anyway. What? More rejection? Who needs it!

As you embark on or continue your campaign, ask yourself a few tough questions. First, what's your ultimate goal for this book? If it's just to give away at family reunions, that's great! But then you'll probably want to nix any marketing. If your book is an arm of your business and you have speaking engagements lined up through the end of the year. You probably don't need to spend a lot on marketing since most of your sales will come from your speaking engagements (i. e. back of the room sales). On the other hand, if you wrote this book to grow your business or to leverage your credibility then you will probably want to dial yourself into your industry through enhanced media exposure.

For fiction authors this area becomes a little tricky. First, you need to determine your long term goals. By long term we mean: do you want to stay in this business or was this book just "something you wanted to do." If it's a hobby, then treat it as such but if this is going to be your career, then you need to keep your message out there on a continual basis, through venues such as author events, talks, signings, print and broadcast media.

Make sure the choices you make, make sense for your book and aren't just made because you've always dreamt of being on Oprah. I've known authors lured into inappropriate marketing plans by big, flashy names and promises of stardom, wasting thousands of valuable marketing dollars and heading in a direction that wasn't right for them. If you're serious about your work, ready to let go of your muse and face the task at hand with some business savvy, then you're really ready to get published. Below are some guidelines that will help further your success!

1) Reader profile: create one of these at the beginning of your marketing campaign and keep refining it as you move through the process. Refine and redefine who and where your audience is and how to get to them.

2) Time commitment: determine what you can and can't reasonably do. If you have a full time job it probably doesn't make a lot of sense to commit yourself to forty hours of marketing a week unless your boss is on vacation.

3) Investment: how much are you willing to invest in your future? Are you willing to invest money without seeing much in return knowing that you are building a foundation or do you want to see immediate monetary results? Most authors don't see a return on their investment for a year or more. Are you committed enough to yourself or your project to keep this investment going?

4) Reality check: what's realistic for the industry you're in? Are you latching onto a fad or something with more longevity? Are you getting into a brand new market that will require lots of reader education? Or are you trying to go mainstream with a non-mainstream topic? While this is an admirable goal, it can be like swimming upstream.

5) Budget: while we encourage authors to invest in their future, we've also seen a number of people go into heavy debt, quit their jobs and even sell their homes just to promote their book. While that kind of dedication is certainly admirable, remember that although you have the potential to make a great deal of money it's not going to be overnight. The lure here is of course that "If I stick with it, this next sale will make me famous." Well, maybe or maybe not. If you've been plugging away for a while without any significant success get a professional to give you some honest, constructive feedback about your plan, your market, and your book. It might be that a poorly designed cover is the reason you're not making sales, or a topic that's fallen off of the public's radar screen. In the meantime as you're waiting to hit the big time you'll still need a place to sleep and Uncle Vinnie's couch will get old real quick.

6) Burnout: we hear this term often, even to the point of being overused. What we're really talking about here is author burnout. We've found that the average author only markets their book for ninety days. That means ninety days of day and night marketing, radio interviews at 3am and a book signing every weekend. On day ninety-one they are so tired, so discouraged and so broke they quit. You can avoid this by giving yourself realistic goals and a realistic timeframe in which to complete them. There's nothing in the world like seeing your book in print. If approached realistically, objectively and with sound business sense, it can be one of the most exciting times in your life.

Must learn skateboard tricks

Some of the most exciting things to watch in a sporting event are the tricks that professional skateboarders do. While not everyone can be at that advanced level, there are many tricks the amateur intermediate and advanced skateboarders can learn that will, if nothing else, it impresses their friends. Perhaps they can continue on to learn more and become professional or semi-pro and compete for prizes and money. Learning the tricks can be fun but it is especially important to know and understand that trick riding can be very dangerous and is highly prone to injury. More people get hurt in skateboarding accidents when attempting tricks than with any other form of skateboarding.

There are several forms of tricks that can be learned. Some of them are harder than others so it is best to start off with the easy ones before advancing to the more complicated ones. This also gives the persona sense of accomplishment and will give them confidence to be able to attempt the harder tricks. One of the easiest tricks to learn is a simple jump. This is simply a position change on the board that requires some dexterity and balance. While skating, jump and make a half turn so that you are now faced the other direction on the board. Once this is mastered, you can try for a complete turn.

Another easy trick to learn is how to walk the skateboard. This is done by zig zagging the back and front wheels so the top wheels pop up and are placed at a forty five degree angle when landing. Then the back wheels are popped up to meet the front. The skateboard continues to walk continuously. This is a flashy maneuver that is easy to accomplish and not terribly dangerous. It takes a little practice and balance, though, to make it look smooth.

A full turn is a bit more difficult but with some practice and a good balance it can be accomplished without too much trouble. The front wheels are popped up while pivoting a half turn on the back wheels before the front wheels land. This can be advanced to a complete turn once this is mastered. After some basic turns and holds are learned, the skater can start doing some of the more advanced tricks that involve ramps and rails. These tricks are much more dangerous are done at a faster pace so it is important to be confident in the skateboarding basics before attempting.

How to prepare for a trip with your kids

With distant destinations now easily accessible, and low-cost airlines making travel more affordable most parents plan to take their children with them when they go abroad. Making a family vacation a success for all, however, takes a little more than just booking the tickets.

Health comes first

For off-the-beaten-track travel, before you even start opening the atlas, the first issue to consider is health. Ask yourself, if you want to go somewhere far off and exotic, whether your children are old enough to understand the importance of any necessary medication. Will they get something out of the vacation, too, apart from an increased dislike of long-haul flights? Pre-trip jabs may take their toll on your tots, and you may find that administering anti-malarial tablets, for example, to youngsters on a daily basis can get tiresome.

As a general rule of thumb, it’s better to avoid visiting areas at an altitude of more than 3,200 feet with babies under 12 months, and, while 2-year olds should be able to cope with 6,500 feet altitude, make sure you can turn back easily to lower ground if they start having difficulties.

Arrange for a medical check-up, and ask the advice of your local doctor or pediatrician well in advance of your planned vacation, to allow for possible inoculations, and to make sure your children will be able to travel well. Think also about the routines and natural rhythms that your children are used to—and every child is different. While a certain disruption will be inevitable, try to respect your children’s body clocks, and don’t try to cram too much into a short period: Round-the-world trips in eight days with under-10s may not be the best way to spend your vacation time!

When you are sure that this is going to be a fun time for the whole family, you can start planning properly. Here’s our guide to a stress-free trip with the kids.

Do your homework on your home from home

It pays to do a little research before taking action. We suggest that you contact the hotel or resort you are hoping to stay at, and ask them about facilities for babies and children.

Questions to ask before you book your hotel/resort:

* What are the room-sharing options for you and your children?

* Are there childcare facilities, and what are they exactly?

* How much do they cost, or are they included in the price of the rooms?

* Are they available every day, all day, or only at certain times?

* Is there a baby listening service?

* Who are the child minders: hotel staff, specially trained hotel staff, outsiders?

* What child-centered activities are on offer, and who runs them?

* What security measures are in place? Do parents sign the children in and out each day?

* Are there indoor and outdoor play areas?

* What food is available? Is it the same as the adult menu, is there only fried food, or are there special child portions?

When you are satisfied with the answers, and feel that your kids will have a good time, you’ll be ready to book your tickets.

Babies—to go, or no?

Many readers wonder if it is wise to travel with infants. In fact, the under-2s are probably the easiest age group to manage on the move. This is for several reasons: They travel free on airlines; babies of up to six months or so are still eminently portable and go easily on your lap; babies usually don’t suffer from jet-lag; and, last but not least, babies are an open sesame to a genuine welcome wherever you go, loved as they are all over the world.

Book the right seats

If flying with a baby, try to book specific seats in advance to give you more leg room and space for a travel cot. Let the airline know you are traveling with a baby, as you should be able to get priority when boarding, and they may even be able to provide a “sky cot” or special baby seats. This website can help you identify the right seats before you purchase: seatguru. com.

If traveling by train, request seats together—two seats facing another two is a good configuration for families of four—and make sure to ask if there are any family reductions for the tickets. And, if driving a rental, check to see if child seats are provided.

Packing for baby

Pack plenty of disposable diapers in the main baggage, to check in, plus wipes, bibs, and milk formula, if you use it. In your hand luggage, you should include a few of these items plus a spare change of baby clothes, so that they are easily accessible during the journey.

If you are on a long-haul flight, you might consider preparing bottles of milk in advance, which you can ask the cabin staff to warm up for you, or, if you don’t mind the extra baggage, a travel sterilizer holding a couple of bottles without risk for up to three hours.

Strollers may end up being more trouble than they’re worth—depending on your destination, you may not find a smooth enough surface to use them once you arrive, and they may not arrive with the rest of your baggage. Instead, why not think about a backpack or sling to carry your baby, and, if she’s taking her first steps, encourage her to practice walking.

Flying with children

This is more challenging, because children—as opposed to babes in arms—are mobile and usually keen to stay on the move. On the plus side, there are seatbelts to keep them in place.

Contact the airline well in advance—at least 24 hours before the flight—to book any special children's meals. Take advantage of any options to book specific seating, as a window seat is a boon and makes for constant distraction for younger children, plus they can’t escape down the aisle without you noticing.

Check with your airline also to see if there is a special play area in the airport lounge, priority boarding, and special fun packs for children. Be sure to claim all these extras if you can, and ask about arranging visits to the cockpit.

The bare necessities…

A small first-aid kit is essential, to be packed in your main baggage (for security reasons, most airlines will not allow sharp objects in your carry-on), containing at the very least: a small sewing kit, good insect repellent and after-bite lotion, waterproof band-aids, crepe bandage, sterile dressings, a roll of micro-pore tape, antiseptic cream or wipes, analgesic, antihistamine for allergies and bad bites, suntan lotion, and a Swiss army penknife (with tweezers and scissors).

You’ll have made a note of your passport numbers, issue and expiry dates, your travel details, and credit cards. Before you leave, take a digital photo of your passport pages, and send it to an e-mail address you can easily access, just in case, or leave photocopies with a trusted friend or family member who can be contacted easily. It shouldn’t be necessary to take more than two major credit cards with you, and one per adult is ideal, to minimize loss by theft.

Pack a few healthy snacks, in case of delays, especially for long journeys, and things that are easy to eat: dried fruit, such as raisins or figs, and fresh bananas, apples, and mandarins are convenient traveling fruit; fruit juice and water in screw-top bottles or individual cartons with straws are better than cans or family size cartons, and reduce the risk of spillage.

Added extras…

You should pack a couple of goody bags to distribute when mid-trip boredom kicks in. These can contain special treats like a chocolate or fruit bar, a new toy or book, or a favorite game or DVD. Extra wrapping can add to the excitement. These bags should be kept in your carry-on luggage, or slipped in as a surprise in your kids’ carry-on bag.

Audio story cassettes or CDs will keep the whole family entertained in the car, and with portable players and headphones, the children can choose what they want on a train or plane—just remember to bring spare batteries. A small bag of notebooks with pencils attached on a string or crayons and paper is a good stand-by for younger children.

Little helpers

Get the children involved in the whole business of traveling and let them pack their own little cases. You can make this fun by telling them to choose just one of their favorite toys or games, or allowing them to fill one small bag only.

Older children might enjoy keeping a log book or travel diary to show their friends, which they can fill with ticket stubs, beer mats, postcards, and other objects they pick up on the way—so don’t forget a stick of non-spill glue or adhesive tape, and safe scissors. A disposable camera or small digital will also help your kids make their own souvenirs.

A new wallet with some of the local money could also be given, to give the children a taste of financial autonomy and a little practice in simple math.

Last-minute planning

This may seem obvious, but leave yourselves plenty of time on the day of departure, and make sure, if booking a cab, to take the traffic into account.

To make your kids more visible—and easier to spot if they go astray—pick out their brightest clothes for the journey, and wear something that will make you stand out in a crowd, too. Failing that, give them little whistles to blow if they get lost.

Before you leave, dress your baby in layers that are easy to take off or put on again, according to the temperature in the cabin. Plus you won’t need to change her whole outfit if there’s a spill.

Surviving the journey

Change your watches together to the time of your destination, if flying across time zones, and get the kids to calculate when lunch time and dinner is there to help them adjust.

On take-off and landing, you can alleviate the discomfort that the sudden change in air pressure can bring by giving your baby a pacifier or a bottle to suck—make sure it’s to hand. Children can have candy to suck, or can drink water or juice to alleviate possible earache.

For younger children, attach a little plastic bag to the seat cover in front to keep their crayons and toys easily accessible, whether the fold-down tray table is in use or not.

Once the initial excitement of settling in and take off is over, and before any in-flight films are shown, a bag of toys and games is invaluable. (It was in your carry-on hand luggage, right?) This may also be the time to rediscover more traditional activities, such as coloring-in books, cards, and, if you have the patience, I-spy…Older children can learn to map read, or start filling in their travel log.

On arrival…

Once you’ve all reached your destination safely, show your children the fire escapes, if they are staying in a separate room from you, and make sure they know who to go to for help in the hotel or resort, introduce them to the reception staff and any designated staff who deal with children. Remind them not to go off with strangers, or to pet any stray animals.

Older children could be given responsibility for keeping the room keys or for sending the family postcards if no internet cafй is handy for regular updates.

Back home…

It’s always a good idea to take your kids for a post-trip check-up with your pediatrician, if only for your own peace of mind.

Further Resources

How to Get the Best Deal Every Time You Travel, available from the IL Bookstore: ilbookstore. com .

Wanna be a car dealer

Cars are one of the most important purchases in a person’s life and therefore it is wise to have the best information going into such an investment. As a car dealer this is especially important to remember when you are looking to sell cars that are used. Used cars are by far the best choice financially for someone that cannot afford to absorb the huge depreciation cost that goes along with the luxury of driving a used car. I’m sure you have heard the mantra that a new car instantly loses thousands of dollars of value as soon as you drive it off the lot.

Anyway the thing about used cars is that your buyers are not protected with things like warranties and the like that protect the owner of a new car from buying a lemon and having to pay for repair after repair. In one way the used car has stood the test of time (if the owner is being honest about its history) but, as a car dealer, you never know sometimes and it is good to have ways of protecting yourself from a poor purchase when you sell cars.

If you are a car dealer it is wise to check out the car’s repair history with a service called carfax. You simply give them the VIN (vehicle identification number) that is usually located on a metal tag on the dash of the car and they can pull up the history of the car as all repair shops enter the repairs in a national database. This includes everything from minor repairs to major overhauls.

Another thing to get in the habit of doing is taking it to a mechanic to get it looked at. Many times there are large repairs or service issues that have not shown up on the carfax report but are going to instantly add significantly more to the bottom line when you sell cars. This type of information can and should be used when negotiating on the price of the car as a car dealer.

The last thing that I would suggest to you as you become a car dealer is a site called edmonds. com which is a vehicle appraisal site. This site is great for coming up with the market price when you look to sell cars. The site is good because it takes into account the extra features that the car may have as well as the area of the sale and the present condition of the car. It is an unbiased resource that the seller can’t argue with and provides another strong basis for price negotiation. Hope this helps, and have fun!

Cash advance service - the real story

A cash advance is commonly known as a 'payday loan' because it often secures a person's finances while they're in between paychecks. It is a short-term loan, frequently an advance on a paycheck, that does not require a credit check and rarely succeeds $500. A cash advance is a very convenient loan for people who need money, typically cash, instantly and perhaps have bad credit or no credit. Usually the borrower will immediately write a post-dated check for the amount of the loan and accrued interest, to be held by a cash advance service until the date of maturity (the borrower's next payday). When the loan matures, the cash advance service then processes the check ordinarily or withdraws the payment directly from the borrower's checking account.

A cash advance service operates much like a credit card service in that if the borrower cannot afford the loan amount and interest at the time of maturity, they have the option of paying a fee to extend the loan (or 'refinance' it). The fee grows exponentially every time the loan is refinanced.

Payday lenders, as well as larger, more conventional banks, offer various cash advance services. However, much controversy surrounds these services, which critics say exploit the poor, needy, and young, enticing them with loans that merely imprison them in debt via high interest rates and refinancing fees. Although a cash advance may benefit someone who is temporarily unable to pay their bills or buy groceries and would not be able to obtain the necessary funds otherwise, such loans may not be in everyone's best interest. The controversy over cash advance services is so great that payday lending is illegal in twenty-five states in the United States. Thus, many payday lenders must coordinate with banks outside their state to provide cash advances to customers.

Select an earth friendly product good for your health good for the environment

Our earth is everyone’s responsibility. We all want to have a healthy environment to pass on to our children, but it can often seem like eco-friendly behavior is difficult to attain. Environmentally conscious consumers will be happy to hear that more and more earth friendly product lines are being developed to make healthy living simple and convenient.

Living an earth loving life is not just good for the environment in the long run, it is also good for your health immediately. The chemical products that have become so ubiquitous in our society’s day to day life are making people very sick. Research is now linking chemicals found in everyday household products to a prevalence of allergic reactions, occurrences of asthmatic attacks, and even the rise of cancer. An earth friendly product provides a healthy alternative that will work great and not make people sick.

There are many harmful aspects of our homes that we have little control over. It is unfortunate, but many of us live in homes that were built in ways that are not ecologically friendly. Although many people are not aware of it, their homes are filled with pollutants in the form of paint, fabrics, and the very building materials that hold up the roof. These products emit fumes and gases that actually cause the air inside a house to be more polluted than the air outside.

Although homeowners tend to start in an environmental deficit, this does not mean that they cannot make their houses healthy over time. Natural home products have been developed for all aspects of life, including home building materials, chemical free cleaning products, organic foods, natural beauty products, and environmentally friendly fabrics. By always selecting an earth friendly product, consumers can ensure that everything new entering the house will contribute to the overall good of the family’s health and the environment’s future.

There is now no excuse for using chemical based products. First, it is easy to find retailers that carry natural products. Shoppers no longer have to go to specialty stores because the earth friendly product they desire is likely stocked on their local store’s shelf and can even be found online. Second, as the products gain strong fan bases, clear favorites are starting to stand out. Next time you are out shopping, look to see which products most people are reaching for. Finally, unlike before, natural products are very competitively priced, making them affordable for all budgets.

Conceptions in healing the hidden self

Conceptions in Healing the Hidden Self

Developing our concepts will assist us with conjuring up new ideas and perceptions that lead us to healing the hidden self. Through theorizing, shuffling, and developing new ideas we can change our view on life by changing our main beliefs and perceptions.

The common human must consistently maneuver through the healing process by re-training selves to think positive and seek success. Believing that you have the power within to success will assist you with approaches you will need to take to live a better life. You will react differently in each situation, which better decision-making will allow you to reap rewards.

Healing the hidden self and your self-perceptions will take you a long way to the success, since you will shuffle through your failures to avoid making redundant mistakes. Our inner self-perceptions are major influences in our life. We must endeavor to change misconceptions that lead us astray to ensure that we are developing positive self-perceptions. We must continue to attain more successes in our life. Healing of the hidden self and the way we believe and perceive will open the doors; typically, we may close in our own face. By changing the way one believes and perceives, it can help one to develop and grow into a well-rounded, balanced person.

Conceptions are our origin. From the start, we all develop ideas, notions, thoughts, etc from influences, impressions, observation, educational sources, parents, and so on. We develop hypothesizes and ideas from our understanding of the way we comprehend and perceive.

By understanding, our ways of learning we can shuffle through the mud puddles successfully, reform, and transform the mind. Still, behaviors and habits must be considered.

Behaviors and habits form from our conceptions, rather the influences that leave impressions on the way we perceive. The bible tells us that “Bad influences,” reflect on our personality and conceptions and ultimately can encourage bad behaviors and habits. Useful habits then must be developed through positive influences.

With this fact in sight, now you can work through healing the self by examining your influences. Think of the people in your life. If these people are not bringing something to your table, thus they are only hindering you from healing the hidden self. You must consider removing bad influences; otherwise, you may stay stuck in the same pattern.

Who are influences?

Influences are people, places, things, et cetera. Consider all the nouns and you will find the answer. Influences include effects, stimulus, inspirations, persuasion, manipulations, control, authority, pressure, weight, power, etc and all influences shape our personality. That is if we all them to.

When you examine influences in your life, also consider your environment. Does your environment hinder you in some way from achieving your goal to heal the hidden self? If so, then you must consider moving to a better environment.

Does your job hinder you from achieving your goal to heal the hidden self? Despite that, employees and employers may have a positive attitude that reflects on you, your job may have a powerful influence that affects your life. For example, if an artist is working in a Pop Shop, likely this person despite positive attitudes surround he will feel a sense of emptiness. Thus, to relieve the emptiness this person must explore his abilities, skills, potentials, etc and move to change his career. Only until the artist finds his purpose in life will he find a sense of healing of the hidden self.

We must also consider our main beliefs to adapt to new conceptions and ideas that assist us with healing the hidden self.

Common causes of acne

What causes acne?

Worldwide there are about 60 million people who are suffering from acne. Most people develop acne during adolescence. It is most prevalent in those aged 16 to 18 years. The exact cause of acne is unknown, but doctors believe it results from several related factors. One important factor is an increase in hormones called androgens (male sex hormones). These increase in both boys and girls during puberty and cause the sebaceous glands to enlarge and make more sebum. Hormonal changes related to pregnancy or starting or stopping birth control pills can also cause acne.

The most common reasons for acne are:

• There are higher levels of sex hormones at puberty than in younger children.

• These hormones are converted in the skin to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which stimulates oil glands to enlarge.

• The oil glands, called sebaceous glands, produce sebum. The more sebum, the more likely it is that acne will be troublesome.

• If sebum and keratin (dead skin cells) block the skin pores, comedones can develop.

• The wall of the follicles may rupture.

• Bacteria and comedonal debris cause acne pimples or pustules (inflammatory lesions).

Aggravating factors

Some people have particularly severe acne. This may be because of:

• Genetic factors (family members have bad acne). Researchers believe that the tendency to develop acne can be inherited from parents. For example, studies have shown that many school-age boys with acne have a family history of the disorder.

• Hormonal factors (higher levels of androgenic hormones) due to:

• Polycystic ovaries (common)

• Enzyme deficiency eg sterol hydroxylase deficiency (very rare)

• Excessive corticosteroids (eg Cushing's disease) (rare)

• Psychological stress and depression

• Environmental factors such as:

• High humidity causing swelling of the skin

• Cosmetics especially certain moisturisers, foundation and pomades (watch out for lanolin, petrolatum, vegetable oils, butyl stearate, lauryl alcohol and oleic acid)

• Petroleum oils.

• Pressure from headbands & chin straps (eg: "fiddler's neck").

• Pressure from sports helmets or equipment, backpacks, tight collars, or tight sports uniforms

• Stress can also cause the production of hormones, such as cortisol, which can aggravate acne. Stress brings upon different hormone levels. With hormone changes the body prompts the skins oil glands to enlarge, secreting more oil. Which causes white heads, black heads and pimples.

• Certain medications. Vitamins are good for your body, But an excess of vitamins B1, B6 and B12 can cause acne flare-ups. These vitamins are good for the skin, but avoid overuse.

• Picking and squeezing can actually send the infection deeper into the skin and can cause scarring.

For more information, please visit skincarereviews. net

Can you lose weight without a weight loss plan

The simple answer to this question is NO! However that is probably not going to leave many readers satisfied with this article that is supposed to be about weight loss plans. So in the next few paragraphs I want to tell you more specifically why it is a good idea to lose weight number one, and then why it is essential that you have a strategy number two.

So why do we lose weight? Well actually much of the time it is because we don’t like how we look. The problem with that is it is such a fickle feeling and doesn’t provide enough incentive to buckle down to a weight loss plan and carry it out. We can get through life fairly unscathed socially when we are fat if we avoid certain situations namely anything having to do with a swimming suit or an athletic event. The major thing that allows us to do this is the fact that everyone else around us is fat and so we fit right in. We all, especially those in the northern climes that don’t benefit from good amounts of sun, use food to elevate our mood and the fact is that it works. What we are starting to understand is that our motivation should be our health rather than our looks, and if we truly new how dangerous obesity is it would scare us enough that we would take losing weight seriously.

The fact that obesity is a killer is plain. The big three killers for the obese would be art disease atherosclerotic disease, diabetes, and cancer. That obesity is a MAJOR risk factor for these killers is plain as day. Think with me for a minute about all the things that go wrong with an obese individual that send them spiraling toward and early death. First atherosclerosis from high fat and cholesterol diets combined with large floppy hearts, and hypertension that is caused by obesity. This just sets a person up for a major cardiac event that if it doesn’t kill them the first time will on subsequent tries unless they get their act together. Now think about diabetes mellitus type II which has is main etiology in the insulin insensitivity that comes with obesity. This contributes to heart disease as well as renal failure, blindness, and neuropathies that result in either unbearable pain or in amputations. Pretty bleak picture? Make you want to hear about the importance of having a weight loss plan?

This should be brief because it deals with life truths that are pretty obvious. You must plan carefully in life to succeed, learning in life from mistakes and capitalizing on opportunities. You must also plan to achieve discipline. These things are just not natural to humans who if left to their own devices become fat, lazy, and fail. So you must have a weight loss plan to: 1) lose weight properly, 2) lose enough weight to make a life prolonging change, and 3) to maintain your new lifestyle. Sounds easy right? No way! But worth it? For sure.

Credit cards to avoid

Not every credit card is a good one - just because it promises a few good things. The truth is, that you really do not know just how good a credit card might be until you read the fine print that gives you all of the details. Merely comparing a few of the more open and upfront (on the advertisement) features might give you a starting place, but you should go a little deeper than that in order to get a credit card that is worth having.

Choose a type of credit card that you think will benefit you the most. Make your choice from either air miles cards or drivers cards if you travel a lot, or get a rebate card for general shopping purposes. You can also choose specialty cards from booksellers if you purchase a lot of books, or entertainment credit cards if you frequent this type of place. You will do well to take a little time to see what kind of different credit cards are available. Make your choice related to the things that you normally charge the most amount of money each month.

A good place to start is by looking at the interest rate. Interest rates can range from 9.99% up to a little over 18%. The lowest rates of interest are for those who have good or excellent credit. Anyone else can expect to get a card with a little higher rate. Ideally, you want to get a card with as low a rate of interest as you can. While you may not pay any interest in the first year, remember that it will be charged during the second year. It can also be started suddenly if you make a single late payment on some credit cards.

Then you will want to look and find out if the credit card allows you to make balance transfers - and when. This little great feature can really save you some money if you can get it with 0% APR interest and no fees attached. Be sure to find out when you can make the transfers, though, since some cards require you to list any transfers when you apply, and no more can be made after that. See also just how long you can enjoy not having to pay any interest on this amount. It could be anywhere from three months to the life of the transferred amount.

The introductory offer should be looked at next. This includes the balance transfers but also tells you just how long you have to make new purchases and pay 0% APR interest on those charges. The length of time on your introductory offer and the time on your balance transfers may be different.

Lastly, look at the amount of rewards and compare them. Some credit cards will give you a large number of points or miles when you make the first purchase. This is great and can really be a big help since other cards may not offer this kind of deal. Be sure to see, though, whether or not various fees or limitations in some way eat up this great value attached as conditions. Also, many, but not all, credit cards will give you a percentage of your average purchases, such as what you charge on gas, food, and medicines.

By paying off your credit card in full each month, you can enjoy a greater level of savings by not having to add on any late fees or interest. Watch out for credit cards that require minimum balances.

How to learn german fast

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The following tips to learn German are personal recommendations that you probably won't get from a teacher. But it is worth giving them a try.

Picture Dictionaries
Picture Dictionaries are books that differ significantly from what you would expect from a regular dictionary. They are made up of different themes - such as "At the airport" or "in the supermarket". They will show many pictures - mostly things and situations that fit this specific theme and mention the words below the picture in English and German - and maybe many other languages. You might think this is just for kids. But any adult can get such a great deal of information out of a picture dictionary. It makes learning fun, visual and context sensitive. Most people learn better in a visual way. So these mostly 2-sided themes will help you tremendously because they summarize the most relevant vocabulary for a theme clustered together with pictures that are fun to look at and to browse through. I use them myself regularly and it just doesn't feel like you are learning - it's as relaxing as going through a magazine. But the amount of content you pick up this way is amazing. Think of it: It resembles much more reality than learning pairs of printed words. A word is just an abstraction of something real. So when you are learning pairs of words you are dealing with two abstractions tied together. However, we tend to think in pictures. Your mind has to do two things: Translate the picture in your mind to an English word, translate the English word into the German word by looking up that word pair you memorized. So when you look in picture dictionaries you get the words associated directly with pictures in your mind.
Sometimes a picture dictionary is the only way to explain a certain thing to a non-native speaker, because in many situations we cannot explain what we mean even in our own language - particularly certain types of food or special technical terminology.

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Another unusual way to learn German - as well as any language is through advertisements. Why ads? Because ads are made by professional marketing experts for just one thing: Transport a message clearly and quickly and get in your memory and make you remember it. That's exactly what you want when you learn a language. A teacher or a textbook author does not come close to the effectiveness of the communication professionals in the agencies. So while you may not like to be bothered by ads in your own language you should take a look at them in the language you want to learn. Certain phrases will store themselves in your brain instantly remain in your memory for a long time. Most of them are short, funny and easy to remember. Eh, it's advertisement isn't it?

Picture Associations
When you hear a word in German that does not resemble anything you know in English try to think if this word reminds you of anything funny or strange that your know. The more unusual the association the better. Consider the German word 'Kissen' which means 'pillow'. Just think of yourself kissing your girlfriend/boyfriend on a pillow. This association makes sense and is easy to memorize. The best thing: It involves emotions. Emotions are a great accelerator for memorizing and remembering things. It doesn't even have to be positive emotions. Negative feelings work as well. Anything that is not boring will make you remember the words you wanted to remember.

What You Should NOT Do
Although it might seem tempting DO NOT use music and song lyrics to learn German or any other foreign language. Most songs contain either a form of dialect, inappropriate slang or rude language. Many songs play with language by falsifying it and twisting it around. Some use very old-fashioned and poetry-style language. So don't use it.
Don't read German newspapers. Most of them are very political and use a terminology which is extremely hard to understand. The sentences are extremely long, so usually when you get to the end you cannot remember how it started. Newspapers are clearly for the advanced language learner. So please stay away from them in the beginning.

This article was first published in our German Language Knowledge Base.

Closer to success with a distance learning business degree

Do you believe that you're stuck working a dead-end job? You're unable to advance because you're lacking a formal education. The 40 hour plus weeks come and go, and the financial requirements of a family make it more or less impossible to attend college. How ever many find that a distance learning business degree allows them to achieve more success.

Many distance learning programs provide financial aid for those students that qualify. This reduces the stressor of having to come up with the money to pay for a degree when you're ready to take the plunge. Most online colleges which are accredited by the regional accreditation agency offer the same resources as a traditional brick and mortar college.

Distance learning programs are developed with the individual who doesn't have time to attend regular classroom studies. The majority of programs offer the same classes as brick and mortar schools, and provide ample interaction with online instructors when working through a distance learning business degree. The biggest benefits of these programs are the ability to work at your speed, continuing to work at your current job, and still having time with your family and friends all while working towards graduating with a distance learning business degree.

Classroom Tools Part Of Tuition Cost

It's just a fact of the program that most business degrees require certain classroom tools. The majority of accredited institutions provide these tools as part of the class, and generally the cost is included in your tuition. A few schools may require you to purchase these tools locally, or provide access to another school close by.

If you're an entrepreneur and dream of owning and operating your own business there may be some skills that you're lacking. While knowing everything about the service or product you want to work with is required, it's also important that you posses some basic business skills. Generally investors in new companies like to know that the person operating the business has the necessary skills to handle all aspects of the business.

Now investors aren't the only benefit you might gain from earning an distance learning business degree. Knowing what to do in particular situations, and being able to grow your business with the skills learned are direct benefits you'll experience.

It's a must that you have the drive and self discipline to work on your own time, and do the required studying. Without having a classroom to attend you're one hundred percent responsible for completing your classes and those assignments and tests that go along with them. The reward is well worth the work when you graduate from an online learning program, the first step is requesting information today from a school. Get started today.

How to avoid problems when using credit cards

Credit cards have many powerful advantages. They allow you to make internet purchases, hotel reservations, and many other things. However, credit cards can lead to many years of financial turmoil if you don't know how to use them properly. Credit cards should be taken seriously, and in this article I will explain the steps you need to take to make sure you keep you credit healthy while using your credit cards.

Credit cards are basically like loans. Any money you borrow will have to be paid back. You want to make sure you never charge more money than you actually have. While this may sound like common sense, many young people make the mistake of not figuring this out before it is too late. It is also important to keep track of your purchases and know your balance at all times. Small purchases will add up. You also want to make sure you hold on to receipts and compare them with your credit card statement. Mistakes can happen, and you don't want to be penalized for something which isn't your fault.

If you see something on your bill which isn't correct, immediately contact the company and report it. Never allow anyone to use your credit card, even if it is your family or friends. If they spend money on your card, you are the one who will be held responsible for paying the bill. Many people also make the mistake of borrowing more money than they have. You shouldn't borrow $700 unless you have at least $1500 or more in cash. Always make sure you have more money than you borrow. Not doing this can lead to you getting in debt which is difficult to get out of. If you default on your payments, your credit could be ruined.

It is also important to always pay your bills on time. Being late can lead to you being given finance charges and interest which make it harder to pay back the money you owe. When you pay your bill, always pay more than just the minimum payments. Most people who only make minimum payments can take a long time to pay off their loans, because the credit card companies will charge interest on the principle. Many people also make the mistake of using one credit card to pay off another card. This doesn't work, and can put you into even more debt.

The way you use your credit card will have an important impact on your future. The average American family owes $10,000 in credit card debt, and it will take them many years to pay off. You want to avoid this by being responsible and paying with cash as much as possible.

Visitors guide to san diego california usa

The city of San Diego is located on the southwestern coast of the state of California, in the USA. This pristine, coastal city has much to be proud about and boasts a number of exceptional attractions, including America's best zoo. San Diego city center contains an extremely high concentration of museums, second only to Washington DC. With a popular of around 1.3 million, the city covers approximately 320 square miles / 830 square kilometers.

Close to Mexico, much of San Diego has a strong South American character and atmosphere, with many notable Mexican restaurants. City life is generally relaxed and centered around the downtown district, which can be found on the harbor. Many impressive entertainment venues are situated in downtown San Diego, together with shops and important businesses. Of particular interest, downtown's Gaslamp Quarter contains a cluster of historic Victorian buildings and structures. Other import areas worth a visit include Balboa Park, the Hillcrest District, together with La Jolla and Mission Bay, which stand alongside beautiful stretches of sandy beaches.

San Diego Tourism:

Tourist attractions in San Diego are excellent and include many superb beaches, which make San Diego the perfect holiday destination for all ages. Facilities include a number of notable buildings, museums and art galleries, countless must-see sights and family attractions, and a number of large parklands and gardens. Top attractions include Mission Beach and Pacific Beach, which both offer a range of water sports and coastal walks.

Also worth a visit in the city are the world-famous San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld San Diego, the Museum of San Diego History, the Museum of Art, the striking cathedral of the Basilica San Diego de Alcala, Knott's Soak water park and nearby Legoland California. Also a popular excursion from San Diego is the city of Anaheim, home to the spectacular Disneyland Resort, which can be reached by car, with the journey lasting around 90 minutes.

San Diego Transport:

Around San Diego, public transport is reliable and efficient and the city is easy to reach by road, with a number of highways and interstates close-by. The San Diego Trolley is one of the most popular methods of transport in the city and travels to all of the main attractions. Greyhound buses operate within San Diego and connect a number of California cities, together with Amtrak trains and taxicabs.

San Diego International Airport (SAN) stands around 3 miles / 5 km from the city center and is an important transport hub. With three large terminal buildings and many passengers arriving each day, San Diego Airport offers plenty of ground transportation options, such as shuttle buses, taxis and car rental.

San Diego Hotels:

Being a popular and sunny city of California's coast, San Diego predictably offers a variety of hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and affordable accommodation options. Some of the most popular hotels in the city can be found in the center of the downtown district, conveniently near to facilities such as shops and restaurants. Further hotels are located around Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, Mission Bay, Mission Valley, the nearby island of Coronado, La Jolla, and the scenic North County countryside. Hotel rates in San Diego rise during the summer season and at the weekend.

San Diego Restaurants:

San Diego offers a good selection of restaurants, which are readily available and suit most palates. Restaurants, cafes and bars have improved greatly in recent years, due to San Diego's rapidly expanding tourist appeal. Concentrated around the downtown areas of San Diego, Hillcrest neighborhood and La Jolla district, Mexican and Asian cuisine is particularly popular in the city. Many restaurants in San Diego feature live music and often stay open late. The numerous cocktail bars along the beachfront provide the perfect place to end your evening.

San Diego Shopping:

The city contains many large shopping malls, clustered in the Mission Valley area. The Mission Valley Center is perhaps the city's most notable shopping mall and features an array of shops, together with a large food court. For local arts and crafts, together with specialty shops, head to the Old Town district, while the Hillcrest neighborhood is the place to visit for boutiques and general fashion accessories. A number of antique shops and surfing-related items can be found along the Mission Beach area.

San Diego Weather:

San Diego features warm and sunny Mediterranean-style weather, typical of California, with sunshine throughout the year and pleasant breezes from the Pacific Ocean. Temperatures during June through August are at their hottest and can reach 27°C / 81°F. Winter and spring are warm seasons and many people visit the San Diego area at this mild time of the year. December and January are the coldest months, although daytime temperatures are still quite warm, generally around 18°C / 64°F, although lows of 12°C / 54°F are not unknown.

Best yoga position

Yoga has simple and effective body movements that strengthen one's back, firm the stomach, and redistribute body weight. Yoga exercises stretch and tone the body muscles. They increase endurance and improve flexibility.

Yoga Asanas or positions are the best among all exercises for toning muscles, lubricating joints and massaging the body. Yoga postures bring physical as well as mental stability, health and vigor. These Asanas were developed thousands of years ago and have evolved over centuries. They work wonders in keeping the body healthy and the mind peaceful. Asanas exercise the nerves, glands, ligaments, and muscles. In other words, yoga exercises are the most comprehensive method of self care

Although asanas are very powerful, the effect becomes dramatic when they are done the right way. The mind must be in harmony with the body movements. For this it is essential to equip yourself with the other tools of Integral Yoga.

The aspect of Yoga that most people are aware of is "Hatha Yoga" or the Yoga of Postures. Developing a strong, healthy and flexible body is but one aspect of this ancient science. Yogis revere the body. However, they do this because they realize that a weak and tired body is a hindrance towards spiritual progress. By being mindful of their breathing while they practice the various postures, they train themselves to discipline their minds. By disciplining their minds, they are able to abide by the principles which Yoga stands for. First amongst these principles is "Ahimsa", or peacefulness in thought, deed, and action not only to other human beings, but also to all living creatures, and most importantly to our own selves. Remember this when you tend to push yourself into a forward bend! You will be able to do it over a period of time, just be easy on yourself.

Anyone can practice Yoga. You don't need any special equipment, clothing, or lessons; all you need is the will to pursue a healthier and happier lifestyle. The Yoga Postures and Asanas exercise every part of your body. The stretching involved helps in toning your muscles and joints, including your spine and your entire Skeletal System. Yoga not only facilitates in improving your body but also aids in keeping your Glands, Nerves and your other internal organs in radiant health.

A writer s guide to finding freelance writing jobs

Writers are very much in demand these days because of the rising demands for their online content. The pay is oftentimes better and the hours are not so long. Many even freelance full-time.

Freelance writing extends to several different categories. Before you begin looking for work, you’ll have to decide whether or not you want to get credit for your writing. If you insist on a byline, you may have difficulty finding a lot of paying jobs. Byline jobs are out there if you look. However, the most money to be made is from working as a web ghostwriter.

There are several different categories of freelance writing. When you see the term “content writing” you will normally be providing text for an existing or new website. Your writing will have to be engaging and clear for website visitors. Article writers concentrate on providing articles for websites, newsletters and blogs. Generally, articles for the web are between 400 and 800 words each. Any more than that is difficult for readers to sit through while looking at a computer screen. Copywriters are challenged with putting readers in the mood to buy. They write copy for Internet sales letters and marketing sites. Ebook ghostwriters provide clients with full-length books on a variety of topics.

Freelance writers need to be professional in their online presence. This means spell-checking all writing, including e-mails to clients. It is also a good idea to get an e-mail address that is specifically used for your writing. A personal e-mail address with a goofy handle will make you appear unprofessional. Your first and last name or a combination thereof is a good choice for your web writing e-mail address.

Writing for the Internet has a few differences from writing essays in school or writing for print magazines. Readers online have short attention spans, and you’ll need to keep your sentences short and your paragraphs clear.

The other difference is the use of “keywords” in certain writing assignments. Keywords are words that have been selected by your client to be used in the article. These words have been selected because they are Internet search terms and your client wants their website to show up for those search terms. Keyword articles will require you to use the word or phrase a certain number of times in the article. Sometimes it can be difficult to use the words without making it sound forced. Experienced web writers have developed ways to make the keywords flow naturally into their articles.

Below are some of the areas and industries where freelance writers are needed. Read on and find the freelance path that is right for you.

MAGAZINES

Freelance writers are frequently hired to contribute articles for magazines. In fact, this is one area where you can actually get regular assignments as a freelance writer especially if clients find your work good. The rate for every article is quite generous especially if it involves interviewing. Some writers even kill two birds with one stone by also taking photographs for the interview. This way, the client also pays for the pictures that accompany your article.

NEWSPAPER CORRESPONDENT

Another area where you can get freelance work is the newspapers, where editors often hire freelance correspondents (sometimes called “stringers”). This is especially true with areas that are outside the city. Newspapers find it cheaper to hire correspondents and pay for their services than to send their own staff writers to cover an event.

ONLINE WRITERS

As mentioned before, online writers are in demand nowadays because writers are needed to update website content. Magazines that maintain their own websites hire freelance writers just to do online content. In fact, not all the write ups you see on the Internet can be found in the magazines and not all articles in the magazines are used for online content.

PR WRITING

Public relations writing is a cost-effective way to advertise products. Because of this, companies hire writers to do their PR write ups for them.

BLOGGING

Blogging is yet another way to make money as a freelance writers. Blogs are an ever-growing form of Internet media. Blog writers generally provide their own content. You can make money as a freelancer by starting your own blog and posting to it daily. If you love to write, you can start several blogs at once and multiply your earnings. Once you become an experienced blogger, you can apply for blogging jobs and post for other people.

GHOSTWRITING

Many freelancers find success with ghostwriting. When you work as a freelance ghostwriter you provide writing services for clients who will then use the work as their own. Ghostwriting is a lucrative opportunity, especially when you focus on web writing. For the most part, the Internet is a text and image based platform. Companies and individuals who run websites constantly need text to make their websites attractive to visitors. Since writing is something that a lot of people would rather not do, this leaves plenty of opportunities for people who love to write.

Once you’ve gotten a few web writing assignments under your belt, you can decide what type of web writing suits you best. You can find work on writing message boards, freelance writing job sites, such as FreelanceWriting. com, and classified ad sites like Craigslist. org. Whenever you apply for a job, make sure to include your contact information and a few well-selected writing samples.

Learning from the best good advice for your e-biz

More and more people are realizing the potential that having an online business gives them to increase their income or free them from their nine-to-five jobs. But the unfortunate truth is that most new e-businesses fail. One of the biggest reasons is that, all too often, eCommerce newcomers dive right in, without first learning how to start and run a business right. Many Baby Boomers have lost their life savings because they didn’t invest the time and effort into studying the ropes of selling online.

Get Guidance Before You Begin

If you’re an aspiring Internet entrepreneur, you need to seek out the advice of those who have already succeeded in E-Biz. Experience may be the best teacher, but learning from other people’s experience can spare you a lot of problems.

You may not know any wildly successful ‘Netrepreneurs well enough to ask them to mentor you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get their guidance. Many experienced entrepreneurs have put out training resources that share the knowledge they’ve gained and the sound practices they’ve developed through trial-and-error. Explains education specialist Les Cowie, of VisualLearningSystems. com, “It’s so important to take the time to understand what you need to do before you do it. There’s a lot of educational material out there that people don’t take advantage of.”

Don’t wait until you make a mistake or run into trouble to educate yourself. Whether it’s getting licensed, legally structuring your business, or choosing a search-engine friendly URL, doing things right the first time can save you time and money, and even keep you out of legal hot water. You can give your business a solid foundation by investing in training classes (such as eBay University e-courses or Visual Learning Systems’ interactive, internet-based classes), CDs, books, videos, or seminars.

Know Your Sources

Unfortunately, you may not know where to go to find the advice you seek—the search engines are full of self-proclaimed "E-Biz experts." Before you simply hand over your money and take their advice, make sure they are reputable:

•Listen to what they’re telling you: If someone tells you their system can make you rich overnight, or with little to no work on your part, run—far and fast! Starting an E-Biz is not simple or easy—it takes time and a dedicated effort on your part. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling you a dream they can’t deliver.

•Look at the results: What kind of success have they achieved with their own advice? You want to listen to people who are already accomplished in the areas they’re advising you about.

•Listen to what others are telling you: Check with the Better Business Bureau for a complaint history (BBB. org), and search the Internet to find what other people are saying about them. If the majority of their customers have had positive experiences with them, you’ll feel comfortable knowing they’re legitimate. If not, you won't waste your resources.

While there are no Absolute Guarantees that your e-business will be a profitable venture, you can set yourself up to achieve your goals by knowing what you’re getting into. The more familiar you are with how E-Biz actually works, the better prepared you’ll be to deal with the issues that arise. Says Cowie, “It’s entirely possible for anyone to start an online business and do very well – it’s just a matter of equipping yourself to succeed.”