Searching for an Internet Service Provider to Search With?
by Frank Muller
When you are looking at an ISP it would beneficial if they are located near you because, theoretically, it is easier to deal with any issues that may crop up. Services offered and prices charged vary a lot form 1 internet service provider to the next. The small business ISP's are generally popular as they often give great customer service and provide technical support fairly quickly.
These types of vendors offer good competitive price schemes and rely on a good standard of service provision. Another factor that stands out with smaller ISP businesses is the enthusiasm to please. Some of the larger, well known, ISP companies have developed their own in-house technical support and also support other Internet Service Providers. Often these larger ISP's don't offer the flexibility of the smaller ISP's. Generally speaking the bigger organizations have a much larger customer base and do not apply the resources in order to please customers.
For the business user ISP is generally cheaper provided by medium to larger size organizations. Money invested in research and development mean that big companies can offer more technologically advanced processes and connection speeds than the smaller organizations. When choosing an ISP, it is recommended that you do some research before signing up with your chosen ISP.
Make a list of the services you require from your chosen ISP. Search the internet for suitable ISP companies. See how potential vendors respond by emailing them questions regarding key service requirements. If your are a business seeking an ISP go to other similar size companies and ask the Director of IT for feedback on the vendor that they currently use.
Internet Service Provision - Free
Some Internet Service Providers provide a free service and even will help you determine which is the best ISP for you. It is worthwhile getting a free ISP to access the internet after which you can then compare the service offered. Broaden your horizons by surfing the web using a free internet service offered by one of the many ISP.
Dial-up internet connection is not really worth paying for nowadays due to the faster alternatives of broadband and T1.
Once you start using the net you must have a cleansing program that uses anti-virus and ad aware killing programs. To stop unwanted access to your system by intruders you must utilise the firewall protection software.
Basic Gude - P2P Technology
What do you know about P2P? Are you embarrased to ask about it? This guide will run down most of the major P2P services and how they work. Individuals can now benefit by sharing each others files by using P2P technology. Second generation P2P does not work off centralized servers such as Napster. First of all each peer connects to another peer whith whom they intend to share the files with. The next step is to exchange IP addresses. After connection has been established the software will then start the search for the file that is being shared. After finding the location of the shared file all the nodes are connected. At this juncture the download starts and the peer has a screen whereby he/ she can see the download progress.
About The Author
Frank Muller is the owner of http://www.internet-service-providers-focus.info
Low Rate Unsecured Loan: No-Security Money At Low Interest
Low Rate Unsecured Loan: No-Security Money At Low Interest
by Andrew Baker
The basic style of living that we follow nowadays demands a lot of amenities. Fulfilling these may require some extra money in addition to the regular income. It may seem like a problem when a needful person does not have an asset to pledge. But actually it is no more a hindrance. Low rate unsecured loan solves this problem.
A low rate unsecured loan provides money for any and every purpose of the borrower as it is a personal loan. It can be used for debt consolidation, home improvement, a vacation or educational expenses.
As the name suggests, low rate unsecured loan does not require any collateral for its approval. The borrower can borrow money without pledging any asset with the lender. Inspite of no assets attached to the loan, the lender provides a low interest rate to the borrower.
To apply for the low rate unsecured loan, the borrower has to fulfill some basic requirements like:
* Proof of employment
* Residential proof
* Age proof of over 18 years
* Proof of regular monthly income
With all these details in place, the low rate unsecured loan is approved easily. The approval is a fast process as there is no evaluation of assets required in it. As a low rate unsecured loan, an amount of �1000-�25000 can be borrowed. This amount is borrowed for duration of 6 months to 10 years.
Bad credit people also can avail low rate unsecured loan but that is available at a slightly higher rate of interest to make up for the high risk involved in the deal. This rate can be brought down either by proving good repayment ability and also by researching online. Timely repayment can help in improving the credit history of the bad credit borrower.
Low rate unsecured loan can act as a support for people who want to improve their credit history in addition to fulfilling the need for money. A genuine step in this direction can help a borrower achieve contentment.
About The Author
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Finding The Best Espresso Machine For You
Finding The Best Espresso Machine For You
by Richard Brown
You need to know what features are most important on a machine when looking for which espresso machines would best suit your needs. There are many espresso machines out there, with many manufacturers producing various makes and models. Upscale coffee houses use their wealth of knowledge and what their associates in the business say to discover which espresso machines are the best. Even they though, need some help when new makes and models are introduced to the market. What should a consumer do? Continue reading to find out.
One feature to look for in an espresso machine is the built-in grinder. These machines tend to have a special grind dial as well to help you the level of coarseness your grind produces. If you don't have a built-in grinder, then you will need to calibrate your separate bean grinder machine to correspond with your new espresso machine. Many of these grinder machines come preset to a certain grind, such as for a French press or automatic drip brewer, which may be too coarse. It may take several tries, and several shots of espresso before you achieve the grind that's perfect for your machine. Espresso experts suggest that two ounces of espresso be pulled between 17 and 23 seconds from a double basket.
If you're having trouble doing this grind test, bear in mind that good machines should be able to tolerate a variation in the coarseness of grinds. You can tell which espresso machines are the highest quality because they won't get clogged by grinds that are slightly too fine or too coarse. The finest machines have a safety valve that gives the machines a higher tolerance to force water through grinds that require more pressure, such as finer grinds. The espresso that is produced may not taste as good if the grind is not exact. Industry research has shown that there is an ideal pressure for extraction. Higher pressures from too-fine grinds can result in the shot taking too long to pull, which will result in espresso that is too strong and bitter. Grinding the beans too coarse will result in shots that finished too quickly, with a weak flavor and color.
Another thing that can indicate which espresso machines are highest quality is how loud the machine is. Premium brands should be relatively quiet. The best make of espresso machine is at the decibels of a whisper--in other words, a very low decibel. A good rule of thumb is that you should be able to carry out a normal volume of conversation while your machine pulls a shot. That way, you can tell all your friends how fantastic your machine is before they taste it for themselves.
About The Author
Your Own Business: Deciding what is Right for You
Your Own Business: Deciding what is Right for You
by Blair Rhodes
In an earlier article, entitled �Your Own Business: The First Steps,� I discussed what the initial nuts-and-bolts steps are in starting a business. In it, I made the assumption that the soon-to-be entrepreneur had already decided on a business but needed some direction on what to do next.
The response to that article has been positive, but the most common question asked of me is �Okay�but how do I actually decide what business is right for me?� So I now want to take a step back and see if I can offer a little direction in helping the anxious entrepreneur make an educated choice.
Most businesses are basically selling a product or a service. My focus will be on products for the most part, but much of what follows can easily be applied to services. The main thing to remember is that if you are offering a service, then you are expected to be an expert in that service. If you are not a good plumber, accountant or massage therapist, then do not choose that as your business! That is, unless you take the time to learn and study first.
Whether your business is a product or service, always be sure you are offering the best you possibly can. Excellence creates value and value creates repeat business and positive word-of-mouth.
I also wish to address another issue that I get questions about. Many people have said to me that I don�t talk about business plans, business models, complex marketing plans and such things that are in all the other books or articles. My answer is that such things eventually need to be done, especially if you plan is to take out a huge loan just to get started. If your particular business idea dictates such formalities upfront or if you personally feel more comfortable doing them first, then by all means do so.
But I believe many people are trying to start small businesses using whatever limited capital and time they already have. That is to whom I am addressing my suggestions. I feel that if you spend all of your time writing business plans and feeling everything needs to be perfect then you�ll never get the business actually launched. Spend your time getting the business started small and perfect it as you grow. The following steps will help you build towards all that other stuff, but will get you the important information you need to know faster.
That being said, be sure you have enough time and capital to get it started and ready for growth. Keep your overhead low so you can compete until you are established. I should say keep overhead low for you, but spend what is needed for customer satisfaction. Be sure you set it up according to the local, state and national regulations. Seek support from professionals as needed, including accountants and attorneys.
Analyzing a Businesses� Potential
1) Selecting Your Product (or Service)
While you are getting started, I feel it is generally more effective to focus on a specific product, product category, or customer base. This allows you to provide for your customers better by specializing and should also reduce your marketing costs since it should make it more cost-effective to reach the people who desire your product or service.
You will also find that your business and quality of life will be better if they are products or a service you are passionate about and in which have some expertise. If your business idea is a service, you probably know what you�re good at and do not need to follow this next step.
Write down a list of products that interest you and you know something about. Focus on what you can basically make a part of your life. For instance, I enjoy the feel of pashmina and cashmere products, and I enjoy interacting with others who are the same. I had also been to Nepal and Kashmir a few times and welcomed the opportunity to make visiting those countries a part of my business life. This made building the family pashmina and cashmere business, The Pashmina Store, which you can find at http://www.thepashminastore.com/, much more interesting and fun.
The list should not be too long, maybe five items or so. Remember that this is about focus.
2) Research the Existing Market and Demand
Obviously, you�ll never get any business or make enough profits if there isn�t a large enough market for your product or service. You�ll have to decide if the market is big enough by yourself. That decision will depend on what your expected profits will be per customer, your marketing costs, and how much money you wish to make.
To get an idea of the market for the products on your list, simply look at the existing companies out there. You can do this by looking in your local phone books or just driving around town. If you intend to market outside of your local area, such as an ecommerce business, do some searches in Google and/or Yahoo to see what the results are. Doing these things gives you an idea of who you competition would be, how they market, what their products and prices are, and just how many there are.
Keep in mind that if there are a lot of companies, it doesn�t mean you can�t compete. Conversely, if there are not many companies, it doesn�t mean that it is not a good business for you. You may be a pioneer! But it is a good idea to get a general idea of the potential demand for each product on your list.
One great way to do this is using a wonderful tool that Yahoo Search Marketing offers. It tells you how many searches have been conducted for your keywords in the last month. It also gives you other related keywords and the demand for them as well. An incredible wealth of knowledge for free. It can be found here at http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/srch/index.php.
Keep in mind that Yahoo is much smaller than Google in terms of the number of searches. If Yahoo has a good number of searches for certain keywords, it is likely to be several times larger at Google.
Once again, it is up to you to decide if that market is big enough. If you can make a larger profit margin, then typically the market can be smaller. If the profit margin is smaller, then you will have to sell more to make a living.
3) Learn More About Who Buys the Product or Service
As you do steps 1 and 2, you�re going to start learning about who actually buys the product or service, but it helps to dig a bit more. Be sure you are learning about the decision maker in the purchase of the product or service. For example, the decision maker for a children�s product is probably a parent. The decision maker for a type of men�s clothing may actually be the women behind the man.
By knowing about the customer, you�ll start to learn just how much it might cost to reach them with your marketing message, what their expectations are, how much they are willing to pay, and where they shop now.
A good way to learn more is to visit the competition and observe. Also, look at where they advertise. Talk to a salesperson where they advertise to learn even more. Find out the advertising costs at that time as well. You may quickly discover that it will simply be too expensive for you to get to the customer. That doesn�t mean to give up; it might just mean you have to consider new and cleverer ways.
4) Discover the Wholesale and/or Initial Costs
In order to get an idea of the potential profit margins and your initial costs, you will have to know what your products may cost you at wholesale, what your minimum order will be, what set-up costs may be involved, shipping costs, if there are any customs fees, and/or other initial costs � such as any specialized equipment you may need just to get started.
Most of this involves finding out who your wholesale suppliers and/or manufacturers are and contacting them to ask questions � and don�t be afraid to ask questions. As long as they know you are serious about your business and future success, they should help answer all of your questions about what may be involved.
Be realistic with them, it does nobody any good to brag about how you�ll be good for tens of thousands of orders if you know you�ll have to start with an initial order of 100. Find out what their minimum is, what the price will be, other costs involved, etc. Ask about where price breaks are so you know how your inventory costs will be affected as you do grow.
You cannot expect free samples on your first call with them so don�t be offended and do be prepared to pay for them. But do get the samples if you can. You�ll probably find that you won�t be going with the lowest cost provider since their product may be of a lower quality or their service leaves much to be desired. The cheapest product does you no good if your customers dislike it or you can never get a reliable stock sent to you. It may take time, but you�ll be in business for the long term if you offer your customers reliability and quality. In order to deliver this to your customers, your own suppliers have to do the same for you.
You may discover liquidators as you research sources of product. These types of suppliers are not typically going to be long-term, reliable sources of product since they only offer what is on the liquidation market at any given time. You may consider them for a one time deal if the quality if right, but don�t expect them to be your long time supplier for any particular product.
Some Pointers
When you are researching and choosing the best products for your business don�t �fall in love.� Remember to never get too attached to a particular product, concept, location, supplier, manufacturer or such. If you do this, you�ll lose site of reality and try to make the facts fit your desired outcome. If the numbers don�t add up, then don�t do it.
Since I�m not in the business of selling you anything, I can use the words that franchises and business opportunities avoid like the plague � �work� and �sell.� Yes, you will have to work to be successful. Yes, you will have to sell to be successful. Selling is not just the normal concept of the salesman pitching a product and desperately trying to make the deal. It is much more complex than that. It is not a single transaction or one-off deal.
In business, as in life, you are always selling. You must sell yourself through your appearance and personality. You must sell the potential customer on just considering your business or product. You must continue to sell yourself even after the sale with excellent customer service and attention to any problems or issues that may arrive.
Remember what I said at the beginning about focus. Keep yourself focused for success. Focus your business on a product, service, customer group, or other such thing. By focusing, you truly are an expert and can serve your market better.
When you know what you business is going to be, focus even harder. It will be tempting to think the grass is greener doing some other business. You�ll never launch any business this way. If your research convinces you that something is a good product with a good market, stick with it and move forward. Don�t waste your time on activities not related directly to your business. Focus your attention on making yourself successful in the business you chose. You control your future, don�t let others give you second thoughts or steer you away from your objective.
Finally, never underestimate the power of organization. It seems so simple, but since the majority of your competition probably isn�t that well organized this is a simple way to beat them right out of the gate. By being organized, you�ll know just who to turn to when something goes wrong. By being organized, you�ll know where to go when the unexpected happens. Keep notes on your research, keep notes on your suppliers, keep notes on your customers, keep notes and know where they are. Keep organized, period.
About The Author
I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Sicily Region
I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Sicily Region
by Levi Reiss
If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Sicily region of southern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you�ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.
Sicily is the football kicked by the Italian boot. It is an island in the Mediterranean Sea located off the southwest tip of Italy. Sicily was first inhabited about ten thousand years ago. Agriculture and animal raising date back well over four thousand years. Its rulers have included the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Germans, and Spaniards, among others. This mountainous region is prone to volcanoes and earthquakes; in 1908 an earthquake and subsequent tidal wave killed eighty thousand people in the coastal city of Messina. Sicily�s population is about five million, with an additional ten million people of Sicilian descent around the world.
Agricultural products include wheat, barley, corn, olives, citrus fruit, almonds, and, of course, grapes. Tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers are prominent in local cuisine. Sicily is Italy�s second region for organic food. Many think that the Arabs introduced pasta to Sicily, which subsequently introduced it to the rest of Italy. Cattle, mules, donkeys, and sheep are raised. Sicily claims to have invented meatballs, The seas surrounding Sicily are bountiful, favorites include sardines, tuna, and swordfish. Sicily is famous for desserts, including frozen treats made with snow from Mount Etna.
Sicilian heavy industry includes petro-chemicals, chemicals, mining, and electronics. Tourism is a major factor in the Sicilian economy. Did you know that the Valle dei Templi in Agrigento on the Mediterranean Sea has some of the finest Greek ruins on earth?
Palermo, arguably the world�s most conquered city, is Sicily�s capital with a population of a little under seven hundred thousand. It is a definite tourist destination, with its numerous historical churches, museums, theaters, and Italy�s largest botanical garden. Another urban tourist destination is Syracuse, dating back to Ancient Greece. The Greek writer Cicero described it as �The greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of them all.� Both earthquakes and World War II caused heavy damage, but many of the most interesting sites have been reconstructed.
Sicily devotes about a third of a million acres to grapevines, it ranks first among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about 213 million gallons, also giving it first place. If Sicily were an independent country, it would rank seventh in the world for wine production. About 54% of its wine production is red or ros� (only a bit of ros�), leaving 46% for white. The region produces 19 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. Only a little more than 2% of Sicilian wine carries the DOC designation. Sicily is home to over three dozen major and secondary grape varieties, with more white than red varieties.
Widely grown international white grape varieties include Malvasia and to a lesser extent, Chardonnay. The best-known strictly Italian white varieties are Catarratto, Grecanico, Inzolia, and Grillo. The first three of these varieties are blended in the wine reviewed below.
Widely grown international red grape varieties include Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. The best-known strictly Italian red varieties are Nero d�Avola, Frappato, and Nerello Mascalese.
Before reviewing the Sicilian wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Insalata di Finocchi, Arance Sanguigne de Olive; Fennel, Blood Orange, and Olive Salad.
As a second course try Pollo con Prosciutto e Melanzane Fritte; Braised Chicken with Proscuitto and Fried Eggplants.
For dessert indulge yourself with Cassata; Candied Fruit and Chocolate on Sponge Cake.
OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY While we have communicated with well over a thousand Italian wine producers and merchants to help prepare these articles, our policy is clear. All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.
Wine Reviewed
Tasca d�Almerita �Regaleali� Blanco 2005 IGT Sicilia 12.5% alcohol about $13
We�ll start by quoting the marketing materials. �Made with the local grapes Inzolia, Greciano, and Catarratto, this wine is matured only in stainless steel and is not put through acid-softening malolactic fermentation. The producer chooses this approach to retain the bright fruitiness and racy crispness of the wine. Enjoy with steamed mussels, chicken or summer salads.� And now for my thoughts on the wine.
I first tasted this wine with broiled chicken burgers accompanied by a hot pepper relish, and red peppers. The wine was light, perhaps a bit intimidated by the relish. It was delicate, but not weak. When I finished my glass with the red peppers, the wine was quite fruity and sweet.
I next tried this wine with fillet of sole poached in an onion sauce, accompanied by brown rice and okra in a tomato sauce. The wine tasted light and citrusy in the presence of the fish, and was more powerful when facing the rice and the okra. I finished that meal with fresh pomegranate. The wine became sweet and acidic, but did not take on new flavors.
Isola is a Sicilian fresh cheese made from sheep�s milk. The Isola cheese was powerful, strong smelling and strong tasting, especially when you crunched into a peppercorn. Unfortunately, the cheese overpowered this relatively light wine. In contrast, when paired with an Asiago cheese from northern Italy, the wine became quite full bodied and fruity. Sometimes rules such as local wines with local cheeses are meant to be broken. I had a bit of wine left over and finished the bottle with out-of-season strawberries. They brought out the wine�s complexity and softness.
Final verdict, in spite of its low official rating, I found the wine pretty good. I would buy it again, but avoid pairing it with strong-tasting food.
About The Author
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Trojans Are No Match For Rollback Rx
Trojans Are No Match For Rollback Rx
by Jacob Henderson
Let us have some insight into PC problems if you do not have rollback software installed. There is nothing worse than having your computer crash on you when you are working hard at completing the most important project you have done so far. You didn�t think you would need a disaster recovery solution or have to repair computer problems. All you can think about is doing a good job on your project, when your computer behaves strangely and a lot of pop up windows start appearing. You try to fix computer settings but it doesn�t seem to restore your work. What can you do? If it is Trojan spyware, your antivirus might not detect it.
Rollback Rx Software Keeps Your Data Safe
If you have Rollback Rx system restore software installed in your system, you never need worry about losing your data. You can use the snapshot technology to keep taking snapshots of your entire system so that should any of the above problems occur, all you need to do is rollback your pc to a healthy snapshot, without losing any of the data you were working on. Your project is intact. Backing up work is important, but even if you forget, Rollback Rx won�t. It is fantastic disaster recovery software that repairs computer problems quickly.
When Rollback Rx system restore software and disaster recovery solution is used to fix computer problems, it rolls back to the snapshot of your choice, and if there was any malware or virus, it discards those in the process, keeping your system free of corruption and the associated damages that occurred after that snapshot. In all this, it retains all the data that you worked on prior to your computer problem or Trojan infection. Maybe you are wondering what you would do if your system crashes so completely that your Windows operating system wont start up. Rollback Rx system restore software is still operational because it installs behind Windows and can restore your pc even in such a situation. The snapshots you take at periodic intervals hold the key. Snapshots can be created in seconds and they don�t even occupy much space on your hard disk. They just exist as a map of the system at the sector level.
Safety And Privacy Of Data Assured
Rollback Rx pc restore software comes with certain protection settings that let you see the partitions in your system that are protected by it. You can view the space used by Rollback Rx. You can select the drives on which you want to run Rollback Rx, and repair or fix computer problems by running a maintenance on just the protected drives so that you can make best use of space available on your system.
About The Author
Rollback are available at http://www.horizondatasys.com/Default.aspx.
http://www.horizondatasys.com/195837.ihtml
http://www.horizondatasys.com/169614.ihtml
Tea: How Is White Tea Different From Other Teas?
Tea: How Is White Tea Different From Other Teas?
by Marcus Stout
In recent years, white tea has gained great popularity. Tea connoisseurs everywhere have come to appreciate white tea�s delicate, slightly sweet flavor. Though white tea comes from the camellia sinensis plant, just like black tea, green tea and oolong tea, there are several significant differences between white tea and other teas.
Processing - White tea is harvested before the leaves are fully open, when the buds have fine white hair covering them. This is much earlier than other teas are harvested. In addition, white tea leaves are not fermented. Rather their leaves are simply steamed and then dried, often right in the fields. This protects white tea�s delicate flavor.
Availability � Less white tea is grown than other types of tea in the world. Most tea gardens designate just a few tea bushes for early harvest to create white tea. In addition, white tea is grown in far fewer areas of the world. Most of it is grown in China and Japan, and a little is grown in small areas of India and Sri Lanka. However, we may find more and more tea gardens concentrating on white tea as the demand for it grows.
Cost � Because white tea is fairly rare, you�ll find that it costs a bit more. However, white tea is gaining popularity, which means that it�s likely that it will become more readily availability, which is likely to drive down the price.
Flavor � White tea has a very delicate flavor that is slightly sweet. It has a paler color than other teas. In fact, it may appear that you didn�t steep it long enough, if you judge just by the color. It also has far less aroma than green, oolong or black tea.
Serving method � Do not pour boiling water on white tea leaves; the temperature should be a bit shy of the boiling point. And, experts recommend that you not use sweetener or milk in white tea; it should be served plain.
Caffeine Content � White tea has the least caffeine of any tea. White tea contains about 15 mg of caffeine per serving, while black tea contains 40 and green tea contains 20. This makes white tea an excellent choice for the caffeine sensitive.
Health Benefits � White tea contains all the benefits usually associated with drinking green tea, but with additional benefits, as well. Like green tea, white tea holds antioxidants in their natural state. These anti-oxidants have been shown to:
� Reduce your risk of cancer � Many different studies have supported the finding that green tea and, because of its similarity, white tea, can prevent and possibly even help treat cancer. Several studies have shown that Asian cultures, where tea drinking is most common, to have significantly lower incidences of many forms of cancer. Some other studies have suggested that a compound in these teas can actually inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
This compound may prevent cancer in healthy people, and may even be able to slow down cancer�s progress in those already battling the disease. It appears that tea may be most effective at preventing bladder, colon, rectal, esophageal, bladder, liver, lung, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer.
� Lowers Cholesterol - Tea has been shown to be effective in lowering LDL cholesterol. Tea also appears to inhibit the formation of abnormal blood clots. These clots, also known as thrombosis, are the leading cause of heart attacks and strokes. Many studies have shown that when coupled with a low cholesterol diet, participants who drank tea reported lowering cholesterol levels more than participants on the same diet who did not consume tea daily.
� Ease Rheumatoid Arthritis �Tea�s anti-oxidants may also be able to prevent and reduce the severity of rheumatoid arthritis. Several studies have shown dramatic reduction in the incidents of arthritis in mice that were fed tea. In addition, the mice that did develop arthritis developed a milder form with an onset later in life. In addition, rheumatoid arthritis is far less common in the Asian world, where tea drinking is much more frequent.
� Help Lose Weight � Tea�s combination of catechins and caffeine appear to speed up the metabolism and may help with weight loss. It may also help regulate insulin in the body, which can be beneficial for diabetics.
� Prevent Alzheimer�s disease � Studies suggest that tea drinkers may also be less likely to develop Alzheimer�s disease.
� Improve your immune system � One benefit of drinking white tea that is not found in drinking other forms of tea is that white tea seems to be especially good at improving your immune system, which makes your body more effective at fighting off bacteria and viruses. White tea seems to be especially effective at killing the staph and strep viruses.
So, as you can see, white tea is very much like other teas, and very different at the same time. What this means to most of us is that it�s a great tea to add to our usual list of treasured teas. Once you try white tea, you�re certain to want to drink it just as regularly as the other varieties of tea you�ve grown to love.
About The Author
The 4 Most Popular Coffee Brewing Methods
The 4 Most Popular Coffee Brewing Methods
by Craig Barista
Coffee Brewing Methods range from popular Espresso or French Press methods to lesser used methods like Turkish. Here we explore the four most popular Coffee Brewing Methods.
Let's start with the Drip Filtration style.
Drip Filtration is probably the most popular method of all. The Drip Filtration machine works by spraying hot water across ground coffee that is held in a conical shaped filter. The hot water then slowly moves through the ground coffee. Once the water reaches the bottom of the conical filter, it drips into a container beneath it.
The most widely used conical filters are made of paper, while expensive stainless steel or gold conical filters are also available. Yes I did say gold. When buying paper filters, be sure to use oxygen bleached paper. Chemically treated papers may affect the taste of your coffee. Another point to be aware of with paper filters is that you may also have some of the flavorful coffee oils trapped by the paper filter. It is the oils that produce the rich crema when you make an espresso.
The grind is also important with Drip Filtration. If the grind is too fine, you may clog the pores of your filter. You can avoid this by using a course grind (read about grinding here).
Finally, if you do not expect to drink the full pot of coffee, either by yourself (all that caffeine....) or with friends, beware the constantly heated coffee. It loses its flavor and may even become bitter. And the golden rule....never reheat coffee.
One of the simplest of all Coffee Brewing Methods is the French Press or Plunger. This is probably the easiest way to make great coffee!
The French Press works by directly mixing ground coffee with near boiling water. The coffee flavors get drawn out into the water and then the press or plunger is depressed, separating the exhausted coffee grind from the brew. While the process has a similar taste to the Drip Filtration style, the French Press can extract more flavor from the coffee grind by extending the brewing time. But be careful. Manual infusion requires you to get your timing right. If you let the brewing process run too long you may end up with a bitter coffee. Conversely, if you brew too quickly you will have a weak tasting coffee.
One more point, use a course grind. You don't want fine ground coffee escaping through the metal filter and into the brew. A dusty cup of coffee is not an experience worth having.
Probably the most popular of the Coffee Brewing Methods in recent times is making an Espresso using a machine.
So how does an Espresso machine make a great cup of coffee? Super hot, pressurized water is forced through fine ground, tightly packed coffee. The pressurized infusion process ensures that the water stays in contact with the coffee grounds long enough to draw out much of the coffee ground flavor. The water then finds a path through the coffee grounds. And the coffee commences to pour into your cup. When the water finds a path through the coffee grind it is referred to as the 'shot being pulled' through the group.
The sign of a good espresso, using fresh coffee beans, is the richness of the crema. Crema is the hazelnut foam that sits on the surface of the coffee. This is produced by the pressurizing process and the oils of the coffee bean. Oils break down with time, and so a rich crema will be produced using fresh beans.
And if you didn't catch it when I started talking about Espresso, use a fine grind. Using a course grind allows the water to 'brush past' the grind rather than infuse with it. Using a course grind will still produce a good coffee, but it will taste more like a coffee produced using a Drip Filter coffee brewing method rather than true Espresso coffee.
The most Italian of all the Coffee Brewing Methods would have to be making Espresso coffee using a Moka Pot.
The Moka Pot style is also known as a Stovetop coffee pot. Moka pot's come in several sizes including 2, 4 or 6 cup capacities. The Moka Pot a simple 3 piece pot. The water reservoir is at the base, with a coffee basket in the middle and the brewed coffee ends up in the top.
The coffee brewing method is very simple. The pot is placed on a stove top which heats the water in the lower reservoir. As the water reaches boiling point, the steam rises and the water starts to push upward through the coffee grounds. This continues to travel up the central funnel and seeps into the top chamber where it comes to rest. The process finishes when the coffee stops moving into the top chamber. This should only take a few minutes to brew depending on the cup size of the Moka pot.
The grind should be a fine grind, similar or finer to that used in an Espresso machine. If you want to fill the coffee basket the way traditional Italian drinkers do, then heap the coffee grounds high in the coffee basket and screw the two pieces together. Don't worry about compacting the coffee. When the top half of the pot is screwed on, the grounds will be compacted by the filter screen. You should end up with a dry, compacted puck of coffee grounds at the end of brewing.
So there you have it. The four most popular Coffee Brewing Methods.
Cheers,
Craig.
http://www.the-java-cafe.com
About The Author
Cheers,
Craig.
http://www.the-java-cafe.com
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Tips For Data Recovery
Tips For Data Recovery
by John Ugoshowa
Anytime your hard drive crashes or you lose your data, you�ll need to turn to data recovery to properly restore your information. Data recovery is something most computer users are familiar with, as a majority of us have had to turn to data recovery at some point in time. Even though hard drives are becoming better and better, they are still mechanical and will always encounter problems.
The first thing to do, before any problems happen, is to always back up your data. If you create backups of your information, you�ll be well prepared in the event of a disaster. This way, even if your hard drive cannot be repaired and the data is lost forever, you�ll have the back ups to continue going as normal. If you didn�t make back ups, you�ll find the situation very traumatic when you discover that your data cannot be recovered.
Most hard drives will last for years before they start to encounter any type of malfunction or hardware problems. You can help prevent data loss by turning off your computer when it isn�t in use, or shutting it down when you hear the hard drive making an odd noise. If the hard drive starts to malfunction, letting it continue to run will only do more damage. If you shut it off immediately and take it to a specialist, you�ll have a much better chance of getting it repaired.
With natural disasters, hackers, viruses, or other problems, you won�t have the time to react. Before you know it, your hard drive will be damaged and your data will be gone. Although this can be very frustrating, data recovery can normally bring your information back. All you need to do is take the hard drive to a local specialist, then let them work their magic and show you the power of data recovery.
There are software programs out there that claim to recover lost data, although you should avoid them at all costs. Most of time, these software programs will do your hard drive more bad than good. Even though software may cost a lot less than professional data recovery services, the professional services will guarantee their work. If you turn to software and it only makes things worse - your more or less out of luck, as the software doesn�t guarantee anything.
Anytime your hard drive fails and you seem to have lost your data, you should turn to professional data recovery services immediately. They may cost you a lot of money, although they do the job right the first time. When it comes to your data, you really don�t want to take any chances - especially if you had important documents and files stored on your hard drive.
About The Author
For more information on data recovery see the computer section of Quickregister.net Free Search Engine Submission Service at: http://www.quickregister.net/partners/
The Key that Opens the Door to Extraordinary Families
The Key that Opens the Door to Extraordinary Families
by Lori Radun, CEC
We've started a new game in our home. Each night at the dinner table we each take turns asking another family member a question about himself. "So, Rick, how are you feeling about your interview on Monday?" "Mom, what do you want for Christmas?" Sounds like just a normal conversation, right? Well, there is a purpose to our game. We have two introverted boys who struggle with social skills. This game was created to better teach them how to communicate and take interest in other people's lives. As adults, we are all required to be able to start a conversation with a new person or communicate our concern for the important people in our lives.
What is this new game we play called? There is no formal name, but this game is a family ritual, and family rituals help you create extraordinary families. According to the Webster's Dictionary, a ritual is "any formal, customary, or ceremonial observance, practice or procedure". Family rituals help define who your family is. Every family has a different way of doing things and your children will come to identify certain rituals as special, and they will begin to differentiate themselves from other families. Family rituals provide comfort and security. Think of the child that follows the same ritual every night before bed. Mom or Dad helps her get ready for bed. They read 3 books, talk about their day and end the evening with bedtime prayers. This child comes to expect this routine every night and this very ritual is what provides the trust that is needed between parent and child.
Family rituals build family bonds. My two boys have a special handshake they engage in to demonstrate their love for one another. It's too complicated for parents, so we don't even try to learn it. You can count on family rituals to generate a lot of wonderful family memories. I very clearly remember, as a child, going every Sunday to the donut shop with my parents. We would pick up our donuts and then go park in a parking lot somewhere. I would sit in the backseat eating my donut while my parents read the newspaper in the front seat. Now, it might seem like a strange ritual, but even today, as an adult, having a donut on Sundays brings back special memories. Lastly, family rituals can be used to teach values and practical skills. Without even knowing it, having a family game night is teaching your children patience, cooperation, and good sportsmanship.
There are five major purposes for family rituals:
1. Family rituals are used to celebrate something. Rituals during the holidays are probably the most popular kind of ritual. Most families have a certain ritual they go through that helps them celebrate Christmas, birthdays, Thanksgiving, Cinco de Mayo, and other special dates. But what about celebrating the first day of Spring, the last day of school, golden birthdays, or report card day? The possibilities are endless.
2. Family rituals can be used to smooth transitions and change. When it was time for my younger son to give up his pacifier, we introduced the "Paci Fairy". We told him the Paci Fairy was going to come at night to take all his pacifiers and leave him a special toy. My son never asked for his pacifiers after that night. We all go through change in life, and family rituals can make those times of change exciting and normal. Consider introducing rituals for potty training, new births, 1st period for girls, 1st shave for boys, new drivers, and graduations.
3. Another purpose for family rituals is to solve a problem. There are always family problems that need to be solved. Weekly family meetings are an excellent way to address those problems. Consider having chore rituals to increase family cooperation. I know of families that will go through a silly ritual when their child is having a temper tantrum.
4. Family rituals should be used to help family members connect with one another. Mealtime and bedtime rituals are excellent ways to connect. Introducing family fun nights on a regular basis generates closeness. My older son and I have a special way we say "I Love You". It is a hand signal we use that no one else understands. Connection in your family is critical to creating an extraordinary family.
5. Family rituals are great for teaching skills and values. One great way to introduce values into your home is to create a "Value of the Month" program. Decide what your top 12 values are for your family and assign that value to a month. For instance, February is a great time to teach the value love, and November is perfect for thankfulness or gratitude. Incorporate special rituals each month that teach those values. Reading books, playing games, doing a family community project, and watching movies that pertain to that value are great ways to reinforce what you want your children to learn.
Think about the family rituals you already engage in. What rituals would be good to add to your family to create happier and closer relationships? What problems in your family need to be addressed, and how might you add a ritual to help with them? What changes or special days do you want to celebrate in your family? To get you started, I recommend having one solid ritual of connection daily. Create one modest weekly family ritual, and work in a monthly family ritual as well. Celebrate at least one family ritual for major holidays and birthdays. Remember, the purpose of creating family rituals is to equip your children with the skills and values you want them to learn, great family relationships, and wonderful family memories.
About The Author
Tips for Efficiently Finding Your Query in All Search Engines!
Tips for Efficiently Finding Your Query in All Search Engines!
by Edita Smith
World wide web is a perfect source for finding any information about any topic you are looking for. You can research a lot of information without leaving your desk. But most of the time a common problem is that you frequently waste an important portion of your valuable time with the irrevelant search results.
This article discusses the best ways to get better results from the search engines. To be able to receive the best results in terms of relevancy, you need to give some idea to the search engine. Although some people think of search engines as simple ask question and get answer robots, search engines do not programmed to work exactly in this manner. Instead, search engines work more like complicated database search and retrieval programs in which you direct the search engines about your query.
It is very important to give some idea to search engines about what you are looking for. What are you planning to find? Are you piling up any information regarding a comprehensive topic such as astrology? If any information coming out with the word "astrology" is important for you, then you are really lucky, because millions of search results will be available for you to analyze! And this is perfect solution for you if you are there to waste your spare time! Indeed irrevelant results bother many people because they try the first web site which came out as the result of search, and go to the next one, and then to the next one and so on. Altough many hours are spent in this trial and error method, the chances to reach the web site needed is still pretty low. The reason is that search engine will bring any website which includes the word "astrology" in any of its part. Can you imagine this? All the websites in world wide web with the tiny word "astrology".
Being as specific as possible is the only best solution to get what you want. If you are in front of your computer with the idea of getting more information about "Chinese Astrology", then immediately transfer this info to the search engine and type the phrase -Chinese Astrology- to the search engine. In this query, search engine will rank the web sites in an order of importance and will try to do its best to bring the websites which uses the terms "Chinese" and "astrology" at the same time according to their relevancy. You can get more relevant result by using quotes for the phrase you are searching. This way you command the search engine to give results containing both Chinese and astrology at the same time as one entity instead of retrieving one word and the other as seperate words. By doing this your search results will be filtered further and you will be closer to what you are looking for.
Web directories are great if you are already know what you are looking for. For specific queries you should prefer to look into directories other than search engines because they are organized to navigate back and forth of the directory tree with categories and sub- categories structure. Web directories may not give reference close to what you are looking for, but they are very time efficient and give perfect results since they are created according to specific topics and sub topics navigation needs.
No matter which search engine or directory you use to search the web for your needs, these tips will help you to get better results in your efforts to search the web time efficiently and get imddediate results!
About The Author
Wildfire Preparedness: The Five Aspects Of Readiness
Wildfire Preparedness: The Five Aspects Of Readiness
by Paul Purcell
A classic 70�s tune gives us the lyrics, �She ran calling �Wildfire��..� Then a love song, but today, possibly the beginnings of an action / adventure / horror movie. With rainfall low, and temperatures and winds high, the wildfires we�re currently battling across the country are heavily taxing our first responder assets. More fires will surely follow if these conditions continue.
First responder assets aside, these fires have affected local civilians. Thousands have evacuated, and many find nothing but charred vacant lots when they return. What are some innovative ways civilians can protect themselves, their property, and actually help firefighters in the process?
At the household level, most of us have smoke detectors. That�s good, because in a house fire, as in a wildfire, where there�s smoke, there�s F.L.A.M.E.:
Family � Something as massive as a wildfire will affect your whole family. Prepare them now.
Landscaping � Simple and subtle steps can make your property much more fire resistant.
Awareness � In an emergency, time is crucial. Stay aware of the threat and get the warnings early.
Moisture � Some say you fight fire with fire. We say you fight fire with water.
Evacuation � Even after taking all the other steps, a wildfire is something best avoided.
Family
A prepared and involved family is far more able to handle any type of disaster than those who wait for last-minute instruction. Therefore, one of the best things you can do for your family is to prepare them for one of the most common and least forgiving enemies; fire.
1. Take the family on a fire-safety tour through the house. Locate dangers such as overloaded electrical outlets and safety items such as extinguishers and escape routes.
2. In emergencies, redundancy is our friend. You should have more than one smoke detector, fire extinguisher, and escape route from rooms or the house. Hint: If you�re a heavy sleeper, buy a �baby monitor.� Put the transmitter near the farthest smoke detector and the receiver in your bedroom.
3. Make sure everyone in the family knows how to use a fire extinguisher, and how to call 911.
4. Have regular fire drills. Let each family member have a turn being the one who discovers the fire and who has to warn others. On at least every other drill, have everyone evacuate blind-folded on their hands and knees (while exercising due safety) to mimic the realistic conditions of a fire evacuation.
5. Revisit every family emergency plan with the whole family during wildfire season and certainly if one is in your area and possibly heading your way.
Landscaping
Though tragedies usually take the lead in newscasts, stories still abound of how some homeowners managed to protect their properties from wildfire by simple and subtle changes with their landscaping and home. Take these steps now, since in a fire, time is of the essence.
1. Your main landscaping consideration is to remove any dead, dry vegetation, whether on the ground or in your trees, that could transfer fire to your house. Since this aspect of wildfire preparedness has been adequately covered by others, here are a few good outside sources:
- General wildfire landscaping tips: http://www.firewise.org/resources/files/wildfr2.pdf
- Florida wildfire landscaping pointers: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FR/FR07600.pdf
- More on landscaping during wildfire season: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FR/FR04700.pdf
- Fire-resistant plants: http://web1.msue.msu.edu/emergency/pubs/wildfire_resistant.pdf
2. Be ready to seal your house before evacuating. Create covers for any opening on your home such as attic vents (roof turbines can be covered with metal trash cans), crawlspace openings, etc. Gather your material (such as plywood) and cut, paint, and label (where it goes) each cover now, keeping them stored on your property for immediate use. Put a couple of hooks over each opening you might cover and drill corresponding holes in the plywood covers. The hooks will hold the cover in place while you drill in the screws. This allows one person to do the job and frees up others to perform other necessary tasks. Hint: Also make covers for your windows (including garage door windows) just as if you lived in a hurricane zone.
3. Create a �fire tool box� and include everything needed to prep your house in advance of a wildfire. Store extra garden hoses, water sprinklers, �Y� connectors for extra hoses, wrenches to turn off your gas, rolls of heavy-duty aluminum foil (to cover the openings you didn�t make covers for), machetes and gloves for last minute brush clearing, etc. Store extra tools because you won�t have time to replace tools that might have been broken or lost.
4. Make sure first responders can see your home�s address. Put your house number on your mailbox, near your front door, and painted on the curb by your driveway.
Awareness
A common theme in all our publications and presentations is the fact that in an emergency, our most crucial asset is time (see our other articles at http://www.disasterprep101.com). The two key elements of time in a wildfire are one, to have as much done in advance as possible, and two, get as early a warning as possible.
1. Don�t wait for a wildfire to approach to start your landscaping. Perform that now and keep your property as fire-retardant as you can.
2. Don�t wait for the smell of smoke to warn you a fire is on its way. If fire conditions are right, monitor news channels and listen for community warnings.
3. Learn to recognize your community warnings. Does your community have a reverse 911 system? Sirens? Will the local TV or radio station broadcast the alert? If your community doesn�t have any of these systems, why not start them in your neighborhood? At the very least, have a phone tree.
4. Buy an NOAA Weather Alert Radio since they�re being incorporated into the overall Emergency Alert System. You should also know who your local Ham Radio operators are. See http://www.arrl.org
Moisture
Water is the king of firefighting and fire suppression substances. The best protection for your property lies in your ability to keep a �dome� of moisture in one form or another all over and around your home.
1. One publication under �landscaping� above lists beneficial plants that hold their moisture well. Regardless of the types of plant life in your yard, keep them well hydrated (while following watering ordinances).
2. When setting up your sprinklers, give your yard adequate spray coverage, especially over areas that might worsen the fire such as an above-ground propane tank or wooden deck attached to your house. The best sprinkler for surface areas is the professional directional type rather than the small garden variety that only sprays a weak pattern over a small area. Your garden store rep can help.
3. Put sprinklers on your roof, being sure to anchor them in place since the high winds generated in some wildfire wind storms can blow them off the roof.
4. If you have an in-ground sprinkler system, great! It will give you even water coverage over the grounds and provide a good foundation for the comprehensive water system you�ll need. To your in-ground system add separate �fire� lines that feed water to sprinklers that either spray directly against your house, or outward from your yard to cover vegetation surrounding your property. Too, have a sprinkler line permanently installed on your roof to save you the time of manually putting sprinklers up there. Also, install an additional input valve to allow water from a secondary source like a water pump drawing from your swimming pool.
5. If you have a pool, pond, well, or creek, you have a reservoir that should be put to good use so you don�t draw off the municipal water firefighters need to prevent fire from nearing your property in the first place. It�s a simple matter to keep a gas-powered generator (which self-reliant families should have) and a water pump (such as a pressure-washer), and use the two to draw water from your pool and feed it to your sprinklers. If you have a well with an electric pump, hook your generator to the pump to keep it running should local power fail. Exercise caution when setting up your generator so it doesn�t start its own fire.
6. A final consideration with sprinklers is position. Cover the outer perimeter of your yard, spray against the outer walls and roof of your house, and cover the crowns of your trees if possible. Also, consider outward-pointing sprinklers anchored to an elevated position such as an upper floor deck or porch, or your roof.
Evacuation
We strongly recommend evacuation, even if you�ve taken all the above steps and feel they might work. It�s best that you be pre-prepped and ready to leave at a moment�s notice since time is our most valuable asset. The more ready you are in advance, the more time you have.
1. All your landscaping steps should be taken care of now and maintained, especially during fire season.
2. In wildfire-prone areas, and especially during wildfire season, keep your bugout kits and vehicle ready at all times (with fuel tanks topped off). Hint: With your documents, keep the non-emergency numbers for local authorities so you can call to find out when it�s safe to return.
3. Perform last-minute landscaping ONLY if time allows, since you�ll want extra time to perform the household shutdown steps. However, don�t do anything until you�ve loaded your car with provisions and have nothing left to load but people and pets (in their carriers and/or ready to go).
4. Inside the house do the following:
- Move all flammables (such as furniture and curtains) away from windows making sure each is closed and latched. Lower and close any metallic blinds.
- Leave your fireplace damper open, and close the fireplace protective cover.
- Close all interior doors but don�t lock them.
- Turn off your heat/AC system, and cover any window air-conditioners or floor heater vents with aluminum foil and duct tape inside and out.
- Turn off all gas coming into the house whether from underground line or above-ground tank.
- Turn on inside and outside lights so your property is visible in heavy smoke. Firefighters may need to use it as a beacon.
5.To protect the valuables you don�t have room for in your evacuation vehicle, consider these:
- For waterproof valuables, put them in a bathtub, storage tub, or trashcan you�ve filled with water. (Notice we didn�t recommend your pool, since you should be using it to feed your sprinklers.)
- Large valuables such as antique furniture, etc. should be carried into the center of the house on the lowest floor (the same place you�d go in a tornado).
- Major appliances, such as your oven, fridge, freezer, dishwasher, clothes washer, and dryer, tend not to be consumed by flame or crushed by debris and thereby offer a protected storage location for other valuables. Hint: Disposable diapers are surprisingly flame resistant, and might be useful as wraps for some items stored in an appliance.
6.Lock up the house, leave a note on the door telling authorities you�ve evacuated, check with neighbors to make sure they�re on their way to safety, hop in your vehicle, and leave. Hint: If the area is getting smoky, listen to your radio for road closure information, turn your headlights on low, and set your climate controls to �re-circulate� so as not to draw in smoke from outside the vehicle.
Naturally, this is an article that could go for a few dozen more pages since it�s such an important topic and certainly one where we could offer extensive detail. For now, this will have to do. Will the above information make you fireproof and prevent any damage to your property? No. But it�s very likely to help, especially if you take these steps now. Taking these measures also helps firefighters since any time a wildfire is delayed or a home protected, you take one more item off the shoulders of first responders. Prep now, stay safe, and remember that preparedness is not only a social responsibility; it�s your only true protection.
About The Author
Sunday, November 25, 2007
But, Butter is More Natural...!
But, Butter is More Natural...!
by Ian McKenzie
Another short chapter in the butter versus margarine debate.
Yes, I'll have more to say about what I consider the pros and cons of butter and margarine are at a later date! But, for the time being I would like to comment on the title above. I heard this comment from someone extolling the virtues of butter in relation to margarine.
I am afraid that I fail to understand the claim or belief that butter is natural! Sorry, I mean more natural than margarine! Let's take a quick look at how butter is manufactured.
Firstly, a paddock with grass growing and supplies of water is generally required.
Secondly, grazing in the paddock, we generally require one or more bovine animals of the female gender, commonly called cows.
Now immediately, this term "cows" or "cow" should give us a few clues. Isn't the term "cow" used colloquially to refer to an ugly or bad tempered woman? Or it can also mean something unpleasant or disagreeable..., "I have had a cow of a day..". Or, "a fair cow...". The term is also used expressing sympathy on occasions..., "the poor cow", an unfortunate person! And finally, for something that seemingly takes forever, we may say, "till the cows come home".
But no, I am not going to use colloquialisms as a part of my argument.
Let's just look at the facts. Let's look at the part these female bovines play in the butter manufacturing process. The farmer has the cow or cows fenced in a paddock, breathing fresh natural air, eating green natural grass and drinking fresh natural water from the natural stream.
But, that is about where the "natural" bit ends! Basically the first part of the manufacture of butter necessitates a cow or cows eating copious quantities of grass, drinking heaps of water and of course constantly breathing fresh air! The grass is masticated, being mixed with cow saliva, before being swallowed and passing through the cow's oesophagus and through the cow's alimentary canal until it comes to the first of several sac-like enlargements called stomachs..., and yes, cows have more than one. Here the masticated grass/saliva mixture is further mixed with other juices produced by the cow and the digestion process takes place. However, the vast majority of what has gone into the first bovine orifice, the cow's mouth, after much processing will come out of two other orifices at the opposite end of the cow, as waste product.
Talking of orifices, there are yet another five involved in the first part of the manufacture of butter!
And the poor cows are not able to do it on their own! They need the assistance of a bovine of the male gender, commonly called a bull! Yes, the farmer needs occasionally to let a bull into the paddock with the cows, for it to 'have his way' with them.
This part of the butter manufacturing process involves the bull placing his appendage into one of those five orifices of the cow mentioned above and pumping in some of his own special juices. The expected result of this is that the cow becomes pregnant, and eventually produces calves. Now, this is a very important part of the butter manufacturing process.
You see, cows are members of mammalia, a class of vertebrates whose young feed upon milk from their mother's breasts. In the case of cows, this milk production is one of the by-products of the digestive process mentioned above. But the obtaining of milk from the poor cow for the process of butter manufacture is far from natural! You see, the teats on the cow, the final four cow orifices mentioned above, are squeezed by either the farmer's hands or a milking machine. The cow's body processes are therefore fooled into thinking that the calves need feeding, and the milk is produced!
But, where does the butter come from? Well, the milk is stored in vats and left to stand. The nutrient rich stuff is heavier and goes to the bottom, and the lighter saturated fatty gunk known as cream floats to the top. Machines are then used to beat the hell out or this fat. Two end products are produced. One is a watery translucent liquid, which is poured off and used for other purposes. The other end product is a pale yellow semi-solid stuff that is then generally processed further by adding things such as salt and colouring and packaged into containers.
It is then sold as butter!
"A natural product.....!!!" But, butter is more natural����..!
Another short chapter in the butter versus margarine debate.
Yes, I'll have more to say about what I consider the pros and cons of butter and margarine are at a later date! But, for the time being I would like to comment on the post title above. This comment was made by an acquaintance of mine whilst extolling the virtues of butter in relation to margarine.
I am afraid that I fail to understand the claim or belief that butter is natural! Sorry, I mean more natural than margarine! Let's take a quick look at how butter is manufactured.
Firstly, a paddock with grass growing and supplies of water is generally required.
Secondly, grazing in the paddock, we generally require one or more bovine animals of the female gender, commonly called cows.
Now immediately, this term "cows" or "cow" should give us a few clues. Isn't the term "cow" used colloquially to refer to an ugly or bad tempered woman? Or it can also mean something unpleasant or disagreeable..., "I have had a cow of a day..". Or, "a fair cow...". The term is also used expressing sympathy on occasions..., "the poor cow", an unfortunate person! And finally, for something that seemingly takes forever, we may say, "till the cows come home".
But no, I am not going to use colloquialisms as a part of my argument.
Let's just look at the facts. Let's look at the part these female bovines play in the butter manufacturing process. The farmer has the cow or cows fenced in a paddock, breathing fresh natural air, eating green natural grass and drinking fresh natural water from the natural stream.
But, that is about where the "natural" bit ends! Basically the first part of the manufacture of butter necessitates a cow or cows eating copious quantities of grass, drinking heaps of water and of course constantly breathing fresh air! The grass is masticated, being mixed with cow saliva, before being swallowed and passing through the cow's oesophagus and through the cow's alimentary canal until it comes to the first of several sac-like enlargements called stomachs..., and yes, cows have more than one. Here the masticated grass/saliva mixture is further mixed with other juices produced by the cow and the digestion process takes place. However, the vast majority of what has gone into the first bovine orifice, the cow's mouth, after much processing will come out of two other orifices at the opposite end of the cow, as waste product.
Talking of orifices, there are yet another five involved in the first part of the manufacture of butter!
And the poor cows are not able to do it on their own! They need the assistance of a bovine of the male gender, commonly called a bull! Yes, the farmer needs occasionally to let a bull into the paddock with the cows, for it to 'have his way' with them.
This part of the butter manufacturing process involves the bull placing his appendage into one of those five orifices of the cow mentioned above and pumping in some of his own special juices. The expected result of this is that the cow becomes pregnant, and eventually produces calves. Now, this is a very important part of the butter manufacturing process.
You see, cows are members of mammalia, a class of vertebrates whose young feed upon milk from their mother's breasts. In the case of cows, this milk production is one of the by-products of the digestive process mentioned above. But the obtaining of milk from the poor cow for the process of butter manufacture is far from natural! You see, the teats on the cow, the final four cow orifices mentioned above, are squeezed by either the farmer's hands or a milking machine. The cow's body processes are therefore fooled into thinking that the calves need feeding, and the milk is produced!
But, where does the butter come from? Well, the milk is stored in vats and left to stand. The nutrient rich stuff is heavier and goes to the bottom, and the lighter saturated fatty gunk known as cream floats to the top. Machines are then used to beat the hell out or this fat. Two end products are produced. One is a watery translucent liquid, which is poured off and used for other purposes. The other end product is a pale yellow semi-solid stuff that is then generally processed further by adding things such as salt and colouring and packaged into containers.
It is then sold as butter!
"A natural product.....!!!"
About The Author
Are You a Gourmet?
Are You a Gourmet?
by Emma Snow
What exactly does it mean to be a gourmet? Does watching public television cooking shows on Saturday morning while folding the laundry count? How about being fascinated with Julia Child and having all of her cookbooks on your Amazon wish list? Knowing what zest, garam marsala and charcuterie mean, does this qualify you as being a gourmet? Where did the term come from and what exactly does it mean?
A gourmet is someone with a discriminating palate who is savvy when it comes to fine food and drink. The word comes from the French word groumet which defines a person in charge of the wines at a meal. While this definition is a start, most people think they have a discriminating palate, but discriminating between a Big Mac and a Whopper probably doesn't count. What exactly are gourmets discriminating about? Who decides what is and isn't gourmet? From my research, I have come up with three things that qualify a person to call themselves a gourmet. While not an exhaustive list, qualifying in each of these three categories is a good indication that you can call yourself a gourmet.
If you still don't own a blender because you are saving up for a Waring or refuse to brown your bagels in anything other than a Dualit toaster, you are good in the first category of gourmet, knowing your equipment. Note that I don't say you need to own this equipment to be a gourmet, just know what it is and have a sincere desire to own it all someday, like when you win the lottery and can actually afford it. A few of the necessities in a gourmet kitchen include a Cuisinart food processor, Emilie Henry bakers, All-Clad pots and pans, Viking range, SubZero built in refrigerator, Kitchenaid mixer, Espressione espresso machine, Wusthof knives, and a Polder thermometer and timer. You will also need to include fine china, silver cutlery and beautiful table linens. Doing some calculations from the Williams Sonoma site (which should be one of your favorite places to shop), a fully equipped gourmet kitchen including service for 8 would come to over $25,000.00 This figure doesn't even start to cover the many food items you should have.
That brings us to our next category, food. Do you know terms such as foie gras, sevruga, gravlax, fleur de sel, truffles (not the chocolate kind) and herbes de provence? Have you ever eaten any of them? If you can answer yes to most of these, you are a definite gourmet. A good gourmet kitchen will be stocked with the finest wines, caviars, cheeses, produce, meats, breads and pastries. It will also have multitudes of herbs and spices as well as liqueurs and natural extracts. Hundreds of volumes of cookbooks are also a necessity and must include authors such as Jacques Pepin, Simone Beck, James Beard and of course, Julia.
The last area that defines a gourmet is drive. This means wanting to constantly learn more about fine foods and wines. Taking vacations to France and Italy are a start as well as visiting wineries, fish markets and farmers markets everywhere you go. Food should be an obsession, not just a past time. Magazines such as Saveur, Cuisine, Cook's Illustrated, Fine Cooking, Gourmet and Bon Appetit should dot the landscape of your home. You should also have a strong desire to take cooking classes and cooking vacations and your ultimate dream would be to one day attend "Le Cordon Bleu" cooking school in Paris. Yes, knowing French is a strong plus.
If you can say you qualify in even two of these categories, I would say you are a budding gourmet. Three would mean you are definitely a gourmet. Now that you have qualified yourself as such, don't hesitate to share it with others. Remember, however, that they may want you to actually cook something for them since they assume all gourmets can cook. This, however, was not one of the qualifying factors, so don't feel pressured if actually using your gourmet items scares you. Instead invite them to a gourmet restaurant and correct their pronunciations of items on the menu. Knowing the equipment, understanding the names and tastes of the foods and having the desire to cook someday is all you need to be a gourmet. Besides, who has time to cook when you are so busy learning to be a gourmet?
About The Author
Sweets and Savouries for Diwali
Sweets and Savouries for Diwali
by Liz Canham
Entertaining family and friends is a large part of Diwali, so every home needs to be prepared to provide tasty nibbles for guests at a moment's notice.
Diwali is a time of celebration and apart from the oil lights and candles which decorate homes, the puja and the prayers, special sweets, savouries and snacks are central to the festival.
Sweets �mithai�, of which the Indians are inordinately fond, are given as presents�. These sweets are made with a combination of any of paneer (similar to cottage cheese), semolina, chickpea flour, thickened milk, wheat flour, coconut, grated carrots and spiced with any of cardamom, nutmeg or cinnamon with nuts and raisins added for texture. Here�s a favourite.
Kalakand
Ingredients:
500g paneer
1 tin condensed milk
2 heaped tbsp full cream milk powder
Flavourings to taste
1 silver leaf (optional)
Mash the paneer coarsely with a fork and add the milk powder and condensed milk. Mix well.
Heat the mixture in a thick bottomed pan. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.
Remove from the heat and spread onto a greased baking tray. Sprinkle cardamom powder or slivers of almonds or pistachio nuts on the top.
Top with the silver leaf if using. Cool and cut into squares.
Makes: 15-20 pieces
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Sweet and savoury snacks are consumed at home and might include pooris (deep fried bread, which puffs up almost to a sphere, made with cumin and green chillies or with sugar and cardamom), samosas (pastry triangles stuffed with spicy peas and potato), half-moon shaped pastries, filled with coconut, nuts, raisins and spices. Here�s a taste of both sweet and savoury.
Besan Laddus
Ingredients
250g Gram flour (besan)
300g Powdered sugar
400g Ghee or butter
3tsp Cardamom powder
2tsp Almonds, chopped
2tsp Pistachio nuts, chopped
Method
Heat the ghee or butter in a frying pan. Add the gram flour and stir well to mix. Fry on a low heat until it is pale brown and the flour is cooked. Allow to cool.
Add the powdered sugar, cardamom powder, chopped almonds and pistachios to the flour mixture and form into small balls with your hands.
Murukku
Ingredients
90g rice flour
120g cup white gram flour
1 tsp Sesame seeds
� tsp Cumin seeds
� tsp Chilli powder
� tsp Asafoetida
3 tbsp Oil
Salt
Oil for frying
Method
Mix the flours together and add the spices, seeds and salt. Rub in the oil and add water to make a thick dough. Twist the dough into circular shapes.
Heat the oil until a pinch of the dough dropped in, rises to the top with bubbles around it.
Fry until golden brown, turning occasionally and drain on kitchen paper.
Cool and store in an airtight container.
Another favourite snack, which is quick and easy to prepare for guests is Masala Cashew Nuts
Just deep fry large cashew nuts in ghee or oil, drain on absorbent paper and sprinkle with a mixture of salt, red chilli powder and garam masala. Be sure not to try to fry too many at a time or the ghee may initially bubble up too fiercely then cool too quickly, leaving the nuts very greasy.
About The Author
As well as a love of Asian cooking as you can see in her Asian Food and Cookery website, Liz seeks to help newcomers to the world of internet marketing with tools, tips and training from her Liz-e-Biz website.
http://lizebiz.com/
Determining Your Baby Shower Guest List
Determining Your Baby Shower Guest List
by Jennifer Barnett
Pregnancy is always an exciting time. You are busy thinking about a thousand things - what sex the baby will be, what name to choose, how to decorate the nursery, etc. But, many of your friends probably have one thing at the top of their priority list - your baby shower. Baby showers are a great time to get together with friends and celebrate the upcoming birth and all the excitement that goes with that.
When the appropriate time comes, you will probably be approached by at least one friend about a baby shower. This may be your best friend from high school or the girlfriend you ran around with while still single. You may even be approached by relatives who want to throw a shower for you. Some people have multiple baby showers - one thrown by family members, one thrown by friends and one thrown by coworkers. No matter who throws the shower for you, you will need to think about whom to put on the guest list. Chances are, your aunt, best friend or coworker are not going to know everyone you would like to invite, so she is going to need a little help from you.
First, you will need to decide if you think you are going to have more than one shower. If you hear rumors of a family shower, you probably do not want to invite family members to your "friends" shower. If you have coworkers that are also close friends, you do not want to invite them to your "friends" shower only to find out you are having a work related shower as well. So keep your ears open to try to find out as much as possible to avoid duplicate invitations. You can even ask people you are close to if you feel comfortable enough and explain to them why you are asking. It will not be the worst thing if Aunt Silvia has to tell you to hold off on inviting your best friend to the family shower "just because."
Be sure to ask the shower host how many people can attend the shower. It may depend on where the shower is being held. Some people have their showers at their church so there is plenty of room and seating, but many people have them in their homes, so there may be a limited amount of space. You also do not want to overload your shower host's budget. She may be thinking you will invite fifteen people and you do not want to show up with a list of a hundred people. Remember that the shower invitations, decorations, and refreshments are going to cost your host money and you want to be respectful of her generosity in offering to throw you a shower.
Once you have an idea of what type of baby showers you are going to have, then you need to sit down and write out a list. You may want to jot down names on a sheet of paper before you start looking up addresses. You may even want to ask some other people whom you should invite. With all you have going on, chances are you may forget someone, so it will be useful to have another person helping you. You do not want to hurt anyone's feelings by unintentionally leaving them off the guest list.
After you get your list set, you will need to start gathering addresses. Actually giving your names and addresses to the host may best be done on the computer if you are comfortable using it. Many people already keep names and addresses in online address books, so giving your host your shower list may be as simple as printing the address list and checking the names of those you want to invite. If you do not have your addresses online, you can type them into a spreadsheet to give to your shower host. An online copy of addresses may come in handy depending on whether she is going to have addresses printed on envelopes, print address labels for the envelopes, or hand write the addresses on each envelope. No matter how she is going to do it, having a nice, clear copy of all names and addresses will be beneficial.
Finally, if you forget someone important on your list and feel badly about it, invite them out to a special one-on-one lunch with you. It will not be the same as being at the shower, but can help mend hurt feelings from being left out.
Have fun determining your baby shower list. Call a few of your closest friends, grab your old address books and have a good time reminiscing as you jot down names.
About The Author
Saturday, November 24, 2007
6 Critical Benefits of Preparing Your Own Personal Budget
6 Critical Benefits of Preparing Your Own Personal Budget
by Bruce Hokin
The task of preparing your own budget is a liberating experience. You can finally see the true state of your personal finances. The benefits listed below may help encourage you in making your decision to start today. Ready to begin? Let's go.
Benefit #1. The budget focuses your thinking.
Without a budget you are not able to clearly see the extent of your spending compared to your income. This is the most important role of your budget. It will show you whether you are living within your means or whether you are living on borrowed funds. It is also the tool that can show you where all your money is being spent. This allows you to answer important questions, such as "Am I wasting money on things I don't really need?", "Is my credit card debt to blame for my predicament?" and "How much better off would I be if I could manage to be debt free?".
Benefit #2. Helps you save money and set goals.
Once you have correctly prepared your budget, it will show you how much you need to save from your income to meet your expenses and set aside some funds for emergencies. It allows you to set goals, both for the amount and the timing. For example, you may set a goal of paying $3,000 (the amount) off your credit cards, within 1 year (the timing). Once you make a commitment to yourself to make this work the budget becomes a tool that will help you stay on track.
Benefit #3. Keeps your goals in your mind.
It is easy to slip back into your old spending ways if you do not commit to making the budget work. The budget will help you keep the goals you set in your mind when you are tempted to give in. When you are out, it can help you say no to frivolous expenditure, say no to that daily coffee-shop coffee, think twice before you hand over your hard-earned money on things you don't really need and wait until that item you really want goes on sale.
Benefit #4. Helps you live within your means.
Every time you make a spending decision, it has a positive or negative impact on your financial position. The budget can show you clearly how your spending habits affect your finances in advance. Your budget can help you understand that if you spend money on this item you can't use the same money to spend on something else. You only have a finite income. If you spend more than you earn you are living on borrowed money and the cost of that money is interest. The interest on borrowed funds is most probably the cause of your financial worries.
Benefit #5. Puts you in control of your finances.
If you've prepared your budget correctly, you will see how much you have available to spend, after taking into account your debt repayments and savings requirements for your future needs. This information can take away the guilt you may have felt when purchasing some item(s) you knew you couldn't really afford. With a budget you know what you can afford and what is beyond your means. When you know you can afford an item you really want, the purchasing experience will be much more enjoyable and rewarding.
Benefit #6. - Tracks your progress toward your goals.
Once you prepare you budget it should not put into a drawer and forgotten. It should be a live document that you refer to weekly, or at least monthly. This is your guide to financial freedom. You need to check your progress towards your goals, thus giving you the incentive to keep going and achieve your financial objectives. If you make the effort and follow your plan, you'll be surprised how easy it really is to reach financial freedom.
About The Author
The History of Credit Cards
The History of Credit Cards
by Shahid Khan
Credit Cards Replacing Paper Money
A credit card is a small piece of rectangular plastic that is no thicker than a sheet of paper, though it cannot be folded. Initially credit cards were metal tokens in the shape of coins, then they changed to metal plates to celluloid then fiber and now plastic with perhaps a photo of the holder and a magnetic strip on the reverse containing security information such as a personal identification number enabling the card to be used at money dispensing machines (ATM�s) and merchant establishments.
What is meant by �Credit�?
Credit is the system of buying some produce or service without having to pay for it at the time of the transaction. The payment is made at a pre-determined later date with the addition of a fee to the bill amount. This is like loaning someone money to buy something without actually giving them the cash but instead giving them the product they want to buy. So, the system of credit is not new to humanity in fact, it is as old as civilization itself or perhaps even older. The entrepreneurs of the inhuman kind have been proclaimed responsible for identifying human needs and wants as a rollicking business, and so they invented the credit card system. Though, disputed by many, The Diners Club is credited to be the ones to invent the credit card in 1950.
When Were Credit Cards Invented?
In contradiction to the theory that �The Diners Club� started the credit card system, the Encyclopedia Britannica records the origin of credit cards www.onlinecreditcardsinfo.com in the United States as far back as the 1920�s. During this time firms such as oil companies and hotel chains started issuing credit cards to their regular and valued customers who were free to use their services and pay them at a later date. These cards were only useful for purchasing goods and services from the companies and establishments that issued the card. However, references to credit cards have been found as early as 1890 in Europe. It was only in the late 1930�s that companies started accepting each other�s credit cards and this is when things began to get complicated for accountants.
Computers Promoted The Use Of Credit Cards
In the beginning there were no computers to record the credit card transactions and the process of verifying the credit balance of the card was done manually through a regularly updated credit card directory, much like a telephone directory. This system was time consuming and tedious and provided many loop holes for credit card fraud. Today, with computerization, the use of a credit card is instantaneous. All one needs to do is to �swipe� the card through a slot machine and the amount entered. If there is adequate balance in the account of the holder the transaction is completed and the customer billed a month later. Usually credit cards allow for a 50 day credit free period. If the outstanding bill is paid during this time the customer does not have to pay any interest on the transactions, else there is a whopping 2.9% charge per month on the bill amount.
Who Issues Credit Cards?
Banks and financial institutions are the main issuers and promoters of credit cards. The invention of the first bank-issued credit card is credited to John Biggins of the Flatbush National Bank of Brooklyn in New York. This was the year 1946 and Biggins did not know at the time that he had hit upon an idea that would take the world of credit by storm in times to come. From this first credit card called �Charge-It� many cards have flooded the market such as the all famous �American Express� credit card and the Diners credit card. The Bank of America issued the BankAmericard in 1958. This card is now known as the �VISA� card. Around the same time the popular MasterCard came into being. These are the two prevailing cards being used today. The era of plastic money had begun.
About The Author
Numbers, Domains, And Your Brand
Numbers, Domains, And Your Brand
by George Meszaros
Avoid numbers in your domain name unless it is part of your business name. If your business is called 1-hour Photo, it is perfectly normal to have the number one in your domain name. In case you had to have the chocolate.com domain name, but it was not longer available, please don�t register chocolate847.com. Unless, you have a great reason to have a number in your domain name avoid it. A great idea for domain names with numbers is when your phone number is your domain.
If you don�t want to have your phone number as your domain name by itself, you could combine it with your company name. It is possible to have your toll free number as your domain name. Before you commit to a toll free number, check with a domain registrar to make sure the domain name is still available. Your phone company usually gives you 5 or more toll free numbers to chose from, so if the first number is not available ask for another one.
Including a number within your domain name may create problems, as when you tell your customer your web address, you will always have to tell them it's a number and not the word. For instance, if you have chosen a domain name such as bestonlinebusiness4everdotcom, if you were to tell someone your web address, they may try to type it as bestonlinebusinessforeverdotcom ' instead of bestonlinebusiness4everdotcom.' This kind of domain name would create mix-ups.
Both hyphens and numbers make it difficult to communicate your domain name verbally. In addition, they may be hard to remember. Avoid using spelled-out or roman numerals in domain names, as both can be the source of confusion. The same rules apply to domain name with numbers and hyphens as it is to domains without them.
Your Web address should be part of your overall marketing strategy. Make sure you add your Web address to all of your marketing materials. All of your marketing materials should feature your Web address and your e-mail address. When you print your business card, catalogs, brochures, letterheads, always have your domain name included.
About The Author
Wildfire Preparedness: The Five Aspects Of Readiness
Wildfire Preparedness: The Five Aspects Of Readiness
by Paul Purcell
A classic 70�s tune gives us the lyrics, �She ran calling �Wildfire��..� Then a love song, but today, possibly the beginnings of an action / adventure / horror movie. With rainfall low, and temperatures and winds high, the wildfires we�re currently battling across the country are heavily taxing our first responder assets. More fires will surely follow if these conditions continue.
First responder assets aside, these fires have affected local civilians. Thousands have evacuated, and many find nothing but charred vacant lots when they return. What are some innovative ways civilians can protect themselves, their property, and actually help firefighters in the process?
At the household level, most of us have smoke detectors. That�s good, because in a house fire, as in a wildfire, where there�s smoke, there�s F.L.A.M.E.:
Family � Something as massive as a wildfire will affect your whole family. Prepare them now.
Landscaping � Simple and subtle steps can make your property much more fire resistant.
Awareness � In an emergency, time is crucial. Stay aware of the threat and get the warnings early.
Moisture � Some say you fight fire with fire. We say you fight fire with water.
Evacuation � Even after taking all the other steps, a wildfire is something best avoided.
Family
A prepared and involved family is far more able to handle any type of disaster than those who wait for last-minute instruction. Therefore, one of the best things you can do for your family is to prepare them for one of the most common and least forgiving enemies; fire.
1. Take the family on a fire-safety tour through the house. Locate dangers such as overloaded electrical outlets and safety items such as extinguishers and escape routes.
2. In emergencies, redundancy is our friend. You should have more than one smoke detector, fire extinguisher, and escape route from rooms or the house. Hint: If you�re a heavy sleeper, buy a �baby monitor.� Put the transmitter near the farthest smoke detector and the receiver in your bedroom.
3. Make sure everyone in the family knows how to use a fire extinguisher, and how to call 911.
4. Have regular fire drills. Let each family member have a turn being the one who discovers the fire and who has to warn others. On at least every other drill, have everyone evacuate blind-folded on their hands and knees (while exercising due safety) to mimic the realistic conditions of a fire evacuation.
5. Revisit every family emergency plan with the whole family during wildfire season and certainly if one is in your area and possibly heading your way.
Landscaping
Though tragedies usually take the lead in newscasts, stories still abound of how some homeowners managed to protect their properties from wildfire by simple and subtle changes with their landscaping and home. Take these steps now, since in a fire, time is of the essence.
1. Your main landscaping consideration is to remove any dead, dry vegetation, whether on the ground or in your trees, that could transfer fire to your house. Since this aspect of wildfire preparedness has been adequately covered by others, here are a few good outside sources:
- General wildfire landscaping tips: http://www.firewise.org/resources/files/wildfr2.pdf
- Florida wildfire landscaping pointers: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FR/FR07600.pdf
- More on landscaping during wildfire season: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FR/FR04700.pdf
- Fire-resistant plants: http://web1.msue.msu.edu/emergency/pubs/wildfire_resistant.pdf
2. Be ready to seal your house before evacuating. Create covers for any opening on your home such as attic vents (roof turbines can be covered with metal trash cans), crawlspace openings, etc. Gather your material (such as plywood) and cut, paint, and label (where it goes) each cover now, keeping them stored on your property for immediate use. Put a couple of hooks over each opening you might cover and drill corresponding holes in the plywood covers. The hooks will hold the cover in place while you drill in the screws. This allows one person to do the job and frees up others to perform other necessary tasks. Hint: Also make covers for your windows (including garage door windows) just as if you lived in a hurricane zone.
3. Create a �fire tool box� and include everything needed to prep your house in advance of a wildfire. Store extra garden hoses, water sprinklers, �Y� connectors for extra hoses, wrenches to turn off your gas, rolls of heavy-duty aluminum foil (to cover the openings you didn�t make covers for), machetes and gloves for last minute brush clearing, etc. Store extra tools because you won�t have time to replace tools that might have been broken or lost.
4. Make sure first responders can see your home�s address. Put your house number on your mailbox, near your front door, and painted on the curb by your driveway.
Awareness
A common theme in all our publications and presentations is the fact that in an emergency, our most crucial asset is time (see our other articles at http://www.disasterprep101.com). The two key elements of time in a wildfire are one, to have as much done in advance as possible, and two, get as early a warning as possible.
1. Don�t wait for a wildfire to approach to start your landscaping. Perform that now and keep your property as fire-retardant as you can.
2. Don�t wait for the smell of smoke to warn you a fire is on its way. If fire conditions are right, monitor news channels and listen for community warnings.
3. Learn to recognize your community warnings. Does your community have a reverse 911 system? Sirens? Will the local TV or radio station broadcast the alert? If your community doesn�t have any of these systems, why not start them in your neighborhood? At the very least, have a phone tree.
4. Buy an NOAA Weather Alert Radio since they�re being incorporated into the overall Emergency Alert System. You should also know who your local Ham Radio operators are. See http://www.arrl.org
Moisture
Water is the king of firefighting and fire suppression substances. The best protection for your property lies in your ability to keep a �dome� of moisture in one form or another all over and around your home.
1. One publication under �landscaping� above lists beneficial plants that hold their moisture well. Regardless of the types of plant life in your yard, keep them well hydrated (while following watering ordinances).
2. When setting up your sprinklers, give your yard adequate spray coverage, especially over areas that might worsen the fire such as an above-ground propane tank or wooden deck attached to your house. The best sprinkler for surface areas is the professional directional type rather than the small garden variety that only sprays a weak pattern over a small area. Your garden store rep can help.
3. Put sprinklers on your roof, being sure to anchor them in place since the high winds generated in some wildfire wind storms can blow them off the roof.
4. If you have an in-ground sprinkler system, great! It will give you even water coverage over the grounds and provide a good foundation for the comprehensive water system you�ll need. To your in-ground system add separate �fire� lines that feed water to sprinklers that either spray directly against your house, or outward from your yard to cover vegetation surrounding your property. Too, have a sprinkler line permanently installed on your roof to save you the time of manually putting sprinklers up there. Also, install an additional input valve to allow water from a secondary source like a water pump drawing from your swimming pool.
5. If you have a pool, pond, well, or creek, you have a reservoir that should be put to good use so you don�t draw off the municipal water firefighters need to prevent fire from nearing your property in the first place. It�s a simple matter to keep a gas-powered generator (which self-reliant families should have) and a water pump (such as a pressure-washer), and use the two to draw water from your pool and feed it to your sprinklers. If you have a well with an electric pump, hook your generator to the pump to keep it running should local power fail. Exercise caution when setting up your generator so it doesn�t start its own fire.
6. A final consideration with sprinklers is position. Cover the outer perimeter of your yard, spray against the outer walls and roof of your house, and cover the crowns of your trees if possible. Also, consider outward-pointing sprinklers anchored to an elevated position such as an upper floor deck or porch, or your roof.
Evacuation
We strongly recommend evacuation, even if you�ve taken all the above steps and feel they might work. It�s best that you be pre-prepped and ready to leave at a moment�s notice since time is our most valuable asset. The more ready you are in advance, the more time you have.
1. All your landscaping steps should be taken care of now and maintained, especially during fire season.
2. In wildfire-prone areas, and especially during wildfire season, keep your bugout kits and vehicle ready at all times (with fuel tanks topped off). Hint: With your documents, keep the non-emergency numbers for local authorities so you can call to find out when it�s safe to return.
3. Perform last-minute landscaping ONLY if time allows, since you�ll want extra time to perform the household shutdown steps. However, don�t do anything until you�ve loaded your car with provisions and have nothing left to load but people and pets (in their carriers and/or ready to go).
4. Inside the house do the following:
- Move all flammables (such as furniture and curtains) away from windows making sure each is closed and latched. Lower and close any metallic blinds.
- Leave your fireplace damper open, and close the fireplace protective cover.
- Close all interior doors but don�t lock them.
- Turn off your heat/AC system, and cover any window air-conditioners or floor heater vents with aluminum foil and duct tape inside and out.
- Turn off all gas coming into the house whether from underground line or above-ground tank.
- Turn on inside and outside lights so your property is visible in heavy smoke. Firefighters may need to use it as a beacon.
5.To protect the valuables you don�t have room for in your evacuation vehicle, consider these:
- For waterproof valuables, put them in a bathtub, storage tub, or trashcan you�ve filled with water. (Notice we didn�t recommend your pool, since you should be using it to feed your sprinklers.)
- Large valuables such as antique furniture, etc. should be carried into the center of the house on the lowest floor (the same place you�d go in a tornado).
- Major appliances, such as your oven, fridge, freezer, dishwasher, clothes washer, and dryer, tend not to be consumed by flame or crushed by debris and thereby offer a protected storage location for other valuables. Hint: Disposable diapers are surprisingly flame resistant, and might be useful as wraps for some items stored in an appliance.
6.Lock up the house, leave a note on the door telling authorities you�ve evacuated, check with neighbors to make sure they�re on their way to safety, hop in your vehicle, and leave. Hint: If the area is getting smoky, listen to your radio for road closure information, turn your headlights on low, and set your climate controls to �re-circulate� so as not to draw in smoke from outside the vehicle.
Naturally, this is an article that could go for a few dozen more pages since it�s such an important topic and certainly one where we could offer extensive detail. For now, this will have to do. Will the above information make you fireproof and prevent any damage to your property? No. But it�s very likely to help, especially if you take these steps now. Taking these measures also helps firefighters since any time a wildfire is delayed or a home protected, you take one more item off the shoulders of first responders. Prep now, stay safe, and remember that preparedness is not only a social responsibility; it�s your only true protection.
About The Author
Friday, November 23, 2007
Golf Lesson: The Mid Irons
Golf Lesson: The Mid Irons
by Andrew Koblick
I have always liked the medium irons, the four-, five-, and six-, for they are the clubs which come into use so often in tournament play. Also, the five-iron is the dividing iron between the medium and short irons, and it is an excellent club to practice with when learning the iron game. It has just enough loft and distance to enable the beginner to acquire the feel for the entire golf swing.
I've spent hundreds of hours practicing the medium irons, and I feel they are a strong part of my game.
DISTANCE
The medium irons are used for distances up to 170 yards under normal conditions. In other words, you should figure the regular distance for a six-iron to be 150 yards, a five-iron 160 yards, and a four-iron 170 yards. As we pointed out in the chapter on short irons, there is a maximum, medium, and minimum yardage for the medium irons as well as the short irons. Every golfer should have a pretty good idea how much he can get out of each club, and the only way he can find this out is through practice and experimenting with the various clubs.
USING THE MEDIUM IRONS
THE ADDRESS.
The square stance is used for medium-iron shots. Both feet should be on an imaginary line that runs parallel to the line of flight. The weight is equally divided between your two feet, and the ball is positioned slightly left of center between the feet. The upper part of your arms should be in close to your chest, and the right elbow should be relaxed and pointing to your right hip. In this position you are absolutely "square" to the ball, that is, your feet, hips, and shoulders are on a line paralleling the line of flight.
THE BACKSWING.
After settling into your stance and making the minor adjustments of the feet, body, arms, and hands that are necessary to become completely comfortable over the ball, "tune" yourself up for the backswing by waggling several times. Then swing the clubhead away from the ball in a one-piece movement. I have the feeling that my shoulders and the middle part of my arms dominate my backswing. As the shoulders turn away from the ball, the arms simply follow the turn, thus bringing the club-head inside the line of flight.
As the hands reach about belt-high, an upward cocking action of the wrists takes place, moving the clubshaft into a vertical position as the weight is swung to the right side. The right elbow is pointing down and close to the right side at this stage of the swing. The left knee turns in toward the right knee to let the left side turn away from the ball freely.
At the top of the swing, about 85 per cent of your weight should be on your right side. Remember, however, that your weight should be centered on the inside of the right foot and leg, not the outside. The shoulders have turned a full 90 degrees, but the hips have turned only about 45 degrees. This is because you want a little live tension in the left side so it will snap back and lead the left-side action into the start of the downswing.
If the left hip is allowed to turn farther than 45 degrees, the entire swing is thrown out of balance and the tendency is to swing the weight to the out�side of the right foot. An extreme effort must then be made to shift the weight back to the left side on the downswing�quite a physical chore if you are off balance at the top of the swing.
THE DOWNSWING. At the start of the downswing, there is a slight lateral shifting of the weight, initiated by the left hip, to the left side. The left heel is planted firmly on the ground, and the weight is centered in the middle part of your feet and toward the heels. The head is steady and behind the ball. The feeling should be that the head or neck is the axis, or hub, of the swing, and the shoulders are turning around this axis throughout the swing. Do not let the entire body move laterally into the shot. When this happens, the body sets up a blocking action so that the hands and arms cannot func�tion properly, and a pushed or sliced ball usually results.
Halfway down, the left arm and shoulder have begun to exert a strong pull-down action which generates a little extra clubhead speed. This brings the hands and arms into the hitting area in a fully cocked posi�tion. The body and hands are now set for the explosive hitting action through the ball, which is primarily applied by the right forearm and hand.
In one brief instant your hands are behind you, and in another split second they are in front of you, with the right hand turning over the left.
while the arms are fully extended toward the target. The left hip has turned out of the way, yet the head and shoulders are still behind the ball. At this point, the right shoulder begins to pull the head and body into an upright position so that a balanced swing can be completed with a high finish of the hands and arms. Almost all weight should be on the outside of the left foot, and toward the heels, at the finish. If it isn't, you have a balance problem and you should work to correct it. Remember, you should always try to work your weight back in through your heels through�out your swing.
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What�s In A Domain Name?
What�s In A Domain Name?
by George Meszaros
Branding your business on the Internet starts with your domain name. Buying the right domain name is an important part of your planning process. Even if you don't plan on using the domain name right away you should purchase it anyway before someone snatches it. You can buy a domain for under $10 so it is one of the least expensive investments you will make. To put it in numbers, there are about 70 million .com, and about 10 million .net registered domains in the world.
Don't think that all the good domain names are gone. There are more great domain names available to you than you will ever need. Even though there are about 100 million top-level domain names registered already, there are many more to choose from. Don�t believe it for a minute that you won�t be able to find a domain name that will work for your business. A little bit of research and creativity will go a long way in your efforts to the find the right domain name for your company.
The name registration is a simple process. There are many domain registrars you can choose from. Some of the larger registrars are godaddy.com, enom.com, and networksolutions.com. All registrars have simple a registration process; a few clicks and you are done. The interface is user friendly, and you could register your domain name in less than ten minutes.
Registering a domain doesn�t mean you own it permanently. Think of it as a car lease without getting stiffed with expensive lease termination fees. You have the right to use it, but you don�t own it indefinitely. You are simply registering it for your business or personal use for a certain duration. You can register your domain for one year or multiple years. It is best to register business domains for multiple years. For additional protection, select auto renew as an option. Auto renew ensures that your domain is renewed even if you forget about it. You�ve probably heard horror stories about companies letting their domain names expire. If it happens to you, it could have devastating effects. In the worst case, you may be forced to go out of business. If your domain name becomes part of your brand, losing it could mean losing your business.
Once the registration expires you have to either extend your registration or let it expire, so someone else can grab it. If you are forgetful, you may want to select the auto renew option, so you don�t let your domain name expire against your wishes. Don�t think nobody will want you domain name, there is an entire market that is dedicated to profiting from expired domain names. Don�t fall victim; take your domain name registration seriously.
All of the larger registrars are reputable companies, and you should have no difficulties registering your domain with them. A word of advice, watch out for the up sell. Most registrars make most of their money through the up sell such as providing hosting services, e-mail solutions, shopping cart software. I don�t recommend hosting your Web site with the registrars. Register your domain with them, but don�t fall for the up sell. Let the registrars do what they are the best at, registering domain names.
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Protect Yourself from Identity Theft
Protect Yourself from Identity Theft
by Sarah Russell
It�s happened to me. About a year ago, someone got a hold of my bank card numbers. Fortunately, the crook made some international purchase which immediately clued me in and my bank was quick to settle the whole thing. But most people aren�t so lucky. Identity theft is a serious crime that�s growing each year. Victims of identity theft can spend months, or even years, trying to repair a ruined credit history, which can compromise your chances of getting a new job, a bank loan, insurance or even rental housing. Follow these steps to help keep your identity safe:
Protect Your Credit Card Number When Making Purchases
Check your receipts after making a purchase with your credit or debit card. In most cases, the printed receipt hides all but the last 4 digits of your credit card account number, but some terminals still print receipts that show all 16 digits of your account number and the expiration date. If you get one of these receipts, black out the numbers entirely before throwing it away � this is all the information a thief needs to make charges using your card. You're also permitted by law to hide the first 12 digits of your account number on any copies of the receipt that the seller keeps.
It�s especially important to keep tabs on your receipts at restaurants. Think about it � you pay for your meal and then leave the signed receipt on your table for the waiter to pick up. But in a busy restaurant, it�s easy for a potential thief to �accidentally� bump your receipt off the table (or just steal it) and get your information. If the restaurant�s receipt shows all of your account information, black out the first 12 digits of your credit card number before leaving the restaurant.
Do You Really Need To Give Your Social Security Number?
Be very stringent about who you give your social security number to. You�ll probably need to share your number when you apply for credit or for a bank account, but sometimes a store or an organization will want to use it as an ID number, simply to identify you within their system. This is not only dangerous � it�s illegal. The law says that social security numbers aren't to be used as ID numbers. If you�re ever unsure about giving out your social security number, ask if there�s an alternative � there is in most cases.
Destroy Documents That Contain Sensitive Personal Information
Buy a paper shredder and use it to destroy any documents that contain credit card numbers, social security numbers, phone numbers, your date of birth and any other personal information before throwing them away. Any credit card offers should also be shredded � thieves can fill out the applications and open a line of credit without you ever knowing. Don�t think that throwing out these documents is enough � identity thieves aren't above going through the trash to find information that can help them get credit in your name.
If The Worst Happens
If you do become a victim of identity theft, take the following steps immediately:
* Contact your credit card companies to let them know what�s going on, close your accounts and ask to have new cards issued to you.
* Place a fraud alert on your file with any one of the three major credit bureaus. The other two will be notified automatically.
* File a police report. You may need it to show to creditors as proof of the crime.
* File a complaint with the FTC, which maintains a database of identity theft cases used by law enforcement agencies for their investigations.
It�s not fun to think about identity theft, but in this age of technology, you can�t afford not to. Identity thieves get smarter every day � just think of the recent rash of companies announcing that their client databases have been hacked into, exposing personal information. Some things are out of your control, but there are some simple precautions you can take to keep your personal information secured. Keeping your identity safe may be one of the most important things you do for your financial future.
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Top 25 Environmental Gift Ideas
Top 25 Environmental Gift Ideas
by Shannon Kilkenny
Now that Thanksgiving is over, Christmas gift buying is in full swing. The challenge is on! With only a few shopping days left and perhaps many gifts still to buy; here are a few ways to minimize your shopping time and frustration and simultaneously make a significant difference for the environment. When making a few changes in your buying styles and habits you can have a considerable impact on the environment with little effort.
It�s really fairly easy. Just follow some of the gift ideas below and enjoy the satisfaction of being part of the �green� movement by greening your gifts. Make it a truly �green� holiday this year. Take heed!
Remember try to give gifts that people need, can use and are practical. Be creative! Try these��
1. Tickets to movies, concerts, museums, sporting events, outdoor activities or an annual pass to national parks.
2. House or garden plants, herbs, seeds and bulbs. Pots and planters boxes made from natural ingredients.
3. Gift certificates to clothing, electronics, books, grocery, or vitamin stores.
4. Donate to one or more Charities in the name of your recipient.
5. Give the gift of YOU! Make coupons for services such as babysitting, a night out at the movies, dinners dates, weekends away, massages, yard work, dog-walking or help write a resume or article, give a computer lesson or offer some other talent or skill you can share.
6. An old book or collector�s item. Things with a unique meaning. Shop at antique stores, estate sales or flea markets.
7. Cook home-baked sweets and put in a reusable tin box, a kitchen container, or another usable item.
8. Any homemade item. A knitted hat or scarf.
9. Fair-trade organic chocolate or coffee. Always a hit.
10. Clothes and other items made from hemp, wool, or organic cotton.
11. A roll of postage stamps.
12. Office supplies such as recycled paper and envelops.
13 Energy efficient light bulbs, battery re-chargers, or solar-powered products.
14. First aid kits or emergency road side equipment.
15. Board and card games that will be used over and over again.
16. For your children, you can open a savings account, buy stocks or bonds.
17. A gift gasoline card for your teenager or college student.
18. A calendar marked with important dates, such as birthdays, anniversaries, and family gatherings.
19. A book of favorite recipes.
20. Carbon offsetting. This purchase erases negative energy footprint of reducing carbon emissions.
21. Music and books. itunes or the equivalent downloadable books and music.
22. Plant trees in the name of your beneficiary.
23. Name a star after
24. Have a party and invite everyone over as your gift.
25. A years membership to an Environmental organization, a health spa, the auto club.
The list is really endless if you just take a moment to think about your purchase. If you consider where the product was made, what it is made of, who made it, what actually went in to the manufacturing of the product, you might want to reconsider that purchase. Fact: A manufactured item will generate 70 times its weight in waste during manufacturing. Wow!
To learn more about how become more environmental conscious when planning your holiday parties and events, planning conferences, workshops and seminars, and events of all sizes, shapes, and styles, visit my website: http://www.successfuleventplanning.com.
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Auto Insurance Center
Auto Insurance Center
by David Yury
Are you looking for a great way to compare auto insurance companies and the rates available to you? Then you need to check out the Auto Insurance Center at http://www.autoinsurancefree.com. There are wonderful articles to read as well regarding various auto insurance topics. Find out how to keep your auto insurance rates low and the consequences of driving without vehicle insurance.
The terminology surrounding auto insurance can be quite confusing at times. Auto Insurance Center offers a great section that explains all the terms in very simple language. This really helps to take the complexity out of deciphering the various terms involved with auto insurance quotes and policies.
Hopefully, you will never be involved in an auto accident, but should it happen, do you know what to do? Go through the check list provided on the site to find out what items you need to carry in your vehicle for such incidents as well as the information you need to collect and share. Also find out the process for reporting the accident to the authorities and to your insurance agent.
Auto Insurance Center allows you the convenience of entering all your information and then getting several great insurance quotes. This is the perfect way to find out who can offer you the very best deal on auto insurance without having to spend hours on the phone compiling the information yourself. They feature insurance quotes for every state so you are sure to find the valuable information you need.
If you don�t find everything you need at Auto Insurance Center, you can contact them by phone or email. They offer a very friendly and knowledgeable customer service team that can assist you with any questions or concerns. In addition to auto insurance, you will find information on renters insurance, health insurance, and life insurance.
The Auto Insurance Center offers consumers a great one stop resource for all of their auto insurance needs. The site offers quotes that allow you to compare prices, information on getting the best rates, and wonderful articles to help you stay on top of the events taking place in the world of auto insurance. All of this information is free to use, so take the confusion out of your auto insurance needs and start using Auto Insurance Center.
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Feel free to visit: http://www.autoinsurancefree.co.nr
Outsmart Fraudsters And Protect Your Identity
Outsmart Fraudsters And Protect Your Identity
by Mark Walters
One of the most frustrating aspects of Internet Marketing is born in the WHOSITS database. This database, owned by Google, lets anyone see the information submitted when a small business owners purchases a domain name.
Unfortunately, anyone can gain access to the information. Most small business owners learn this within hours of buying a domain. The first calls come from internet marketing companies that promise to get their clients at the top of the search engines for a paltry $20 - $100 a month. Of course, what they don�t tell the prospective client is they use black hat SEO tactics which usually lead to the site being banned � forever.
The next set of calls come from telemarketers selling everything from magazines, to loans, to business opportunities. It is frustrating.
Filling in Forms
There are several ways to remain anonymous on the web. The most popular method is to use a bogus business name that leads to a PO box in a �mailing center.� This way, the fraudsters are frustrated by the �ghost.� And, if lucky, the business owner may entice the fraudster to use the information resulting in legal retribution.
There is also no reason to enter your real information into forms. Remaining vague, or using the wrong prefix before your name, can protect your identity.
Save Your Password
Everyone knows what spyware is. Few people know that it can tap into the �save your information� services on your PC. Many people use the �fill form� tools in Windows and in their computer browser. Spyware comes in, collects this data, and then sends it to fraudsters.
Never include any information in these boxes. Another way the PC collects sensitive data is the drop down box that asks �Do you want to save this password.� Always select no.
PC Protection
Any website that is linked to the internet needs a firewall, spyware cleaner, malware cleaner, and virus scan. AVG has a free virus scan that many businesses swear is the best in the world. It not only removes viruses, worms, and trogans, but also can remove malware.
Yahoo has a nifty little spyware remover on their browser tool bar. This tool, in conjunction with lavasoft�s spyware remover has offered many businesses almost 100% protection.
Windows comes complete with a firewall. However, many business owners shut this down and use ZoneAlarm.
These tools will protect most PCs from phishing attacks and spyware that roves the net looking for small business owners who must include their information on the web.
Web Information
Many small businesses must include their address, and contact information on their website. However, saving the information in a gif image makes it invisible to spyware and hackers.
Encrypting the email or leaving a space is another way to protect email addresses. Many small business owners are starting to show their email addresses like this: smallbusinessowner @mydomainname.com
Notice the space � this makes the email addy invisible to spyware. However, users can copy and paste the link into their browser.
Instead of posting the email at all, why not consider adding a form to the website. Most forms can be set to automatically email the owner the moment the form is submitted � but the information remains invisible to hackers.
One last tip: Change passwords once every two to three months.
About The Author
Thursday, November 22, 2007
The Newest Work Hazard For Computer Users: CVS
The Newest Work Hazard For Computer Users: CVS
by Amy Thomas
Millions of Americans go to work every day to sit at a computer for 8 or more hours, seven days a week. While office work is hardly considered to be a "dangerous" job, several years ago, doctors began to notice that certain afflictions are becoming increasingly common among those who use computers all day long.
First, the medical community became aware of CTS (Carpal Tunnel Syndrome), a painful and sometimes debilitating inflammation in the wrist, arms, and hands. In response to the increased number of office workers being diagnosed with CTS, computer furniture manufacturers began to develop ergonomically correct keyboards and keyboard trays, as well as computer chairs that offer more comfortable seating for computer use. Now, many employers provide ergonomically correct workstations for their office staff and CTS is on the decline.
Unfortunately, a new hazard has now taken the place of CTS. It's called CVS (Computer Vision Syndrome), and is caused by prolonged visual exposure to a computer screen. CVS has, in the past two years, become the number one health complaint of office employees.
Like CTS, Computer Vision Syndrome is also preventable. There are a few things you can do to reduce the sensitivity and eye strain associated with computer work. According to optometrist Dr. Larry K. Wan, there are five key ways to reduce the effects of CVS.
Dr. Wan suggests getting regular eye exams, which means (according to NIOSH�the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health) once a year. While many contact-lens wearers are required to get eye exams each year to renew their lens prescription, it's important for those who don't wear contacts as well. Tracking the health of your eyes will allow your optometrist to identify whether or not you're experiencing a deterioration of vision due to CVS.
Dr. Wan also contends that proper lighting is important, citing that eyestrain can be caused by excessive lighting either coming in through a window, or from interior lighting itself. Dim your lights when using a computer.
Glare is another factor that Dr. Wan claims can cause CVS. In addition to adding an anti-reflective coating to your eyeglasses, glare can be prevented by anti-glare screens attached to your monitor, or by using an LCD monitor arm. LCD monitor arms actually allow you to tilt or slide your monitor at the touch of a finger, eliminating strain as the light in the room changes. We found affordable, high-quality LCD monitors online at Versa Products, Inc.
Adjusting the brightness of your computer screen can also help. Optimize for comfort which may mean either reducing or increasing the brightness. Find one that feels comfortable to your eyes.
Interestingly, Dr. Wan also tells his patients to blink more often. When staring at a computer screen, we tend to blink less than we normally do�a process which keeps the eyes lubricated and comfortable. Make a point of blinking more often and every half hour, blink about ten times in a row, slowly. This will help reduce the effects of CVS as well.
About The Author
VersaTables specializes in http://www.versatables.com/ computer lab furniture and other office furniture at the lowest prices possible. Visit our website today and save thousands on your computer furniture and lab tables. VersaTables.com
Controversy over Manhunt 2
Controversy over Manhunt 2
by Kirk Jensen
Controversy over Manhunt 2 spreads as Britain and Ireland have already censored the computer video game; and sales in the US look to be put on hold or restricted all together.
In New Your video game publisher Take-Two announced on Tuesday June 19th that it was temporarily suspending the release of the ultra violent computer video game "Manhunt 2" because of the ongoing rating issues faced in the United States and the the ban in Britain and Ireland.
Take-Two said int a statement that it need time to "reviews its options" but would "continue to stand behind this extraordinary game."
"We believe in freedom of creative expression, as well as responsible marketing, both of which are essential to our business of making great entertainment," Take-Tow explained.
The computer video game "Manhunt 2" had been scheduled for release on July 10th in the Untied States for both the Nintendo Wii and Playstation 2.
However critics are concerned with games' content, "which depicts escape of an amnesiac scientist and a psychotic killer from an asylum and their subsequent killing spree. In the Wii version, the consoles motion-sensitive remote is waved around to control a virtual murder weapon."
There is still skepticism on whether violent video games lead to violent behavior, but many big retailers, such as Wal-Mart, which accounts for 25 percent of U.S. computer video game sales, refuse to carry "Adults Only" titles.
This suspension was a setback for creator of Roskstar games, which came under fire for the popular "Grand Theft Auto" series of urban crime games, with Take-Tow earlier this year "underwent a shareholder coup that ousted its chief executive and nearly all of its board."
Take-Two has done very well for itself with last year revenues just over $1 billion, and with Manhunt 2 it is expected to generate around $40 million according to analysts, which suspension or setback can hurt Take-Two sales.
For Take-Two new management its goals are to rein in the creative talent and tell the video game industry that they are in the business of making money and to make games that sell not game that are artistically beautiful but not available at Wal-Mart. Agreed, if Take-Two or Rockstar or whatever company creates game that may look great but are to violent or have too much sexual content to be put on the selfs at Wal-Mart that need to reconsider how they create their games. For more article like this one please go to http://www.gameznstuff.net/blogs.html
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Never Miss A File Again With Rollback Rx
Never Miss A File Again With Rollback Rx
by Jacob Henderson
Rollback Rx is the most effective solution to fix computer problems for any computer user. If you were a business owner, one of your biggest nightmares would be to lose critical data because a software download misfired, or because an update failed. The data loss, big or small, could result in major losses depending on how important it was. There is always the risk of major data loss if there is no suitable computer security software installed.
Easy Solution
Businesses operate for profit. They would rather spend their money on growing their business than investing in fancy technology. They want a solution that is easy to use, quick to restore computers to an operational state and flexible. They do not want to wait for long periods of time for technical support to figure out what is wrong to fix computer problems. In the event of a disaster recovery due to system crash, they simply cannot afford to lose customers because they were unable to react in time. Rollback Rx fits the bill on every count. It saves money on technical support, because every user in an organization can be trained to use this system restore software.
Thanks to Rollback Rx, speedy recovery from a virus attack or system crash is possible. This is regardless of whether the operating system booted or not. When Rollback Rx is installed in the system, it is as simple as clicking the mouse and returning to a healthy PC without losing data.
Tremendous Time Saver
Multi user systems are even more critical to maintain and keep running. Imagine a network of ten computers down because of a virus attack! The system downtime would have been several hours � but with Rollback Rx, it is reduced to minutes because of the ease with which it operates, quietly and efficiently. Even a remote network administrator can restore computers located elsewhere to working status. Response time to fix computer user complaints is only three minutes or less with Rollback Rx, whereas without it, problems often take more than a working day to fix.
Rollback Rx Saves You Money
Businesses prefer Rollback Rx system restore software because it saves them tension from waiting for tech support, while saving them the costs related to fixing computer problems. They are able to concentrate their efforts at satisfying their customers rather than worry about data loss and how to recover it. Rollback Rx�s snapshot technology enables them to save pictures of the entire system at various points of time so that they can rollback or roll forward to a specific configuration. Their employees are more productive with decrease in downtime of systems. They are able to save money on additional expensive software.
About The Author
Rollback are available at http://www.horizondatasys.com/Default.aspx.
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Metal Buildings and Their Advantages
Metal Buildings and Their Advantages
by Mike Zhmudikov
Why metal buildings?
Metal buildings are fast gaining popularity and preference over conventional building materials such as wood and lumber. The reasons are the several advantages you enjoy with a metal building as compared to other materials where such benefits are absent.
Also, an insatiable demand for non-renewable resources like wood has resulted in clearing of forest cover which has adversely affected the global environment. High costs, low availability and limited options have led to the shift from other building materials to metal buildings.
What are the advantages of metal buildings?
Metal buildings have numerous advantages over other building materials which makes them the preferred choice for building strong, stylish and durable high-quality buildings.
Cost-advantage: Metal buildings are relatively cheaper when compared with buildings of other materials. What distinguishes them is that they have low maintenance costs as well. Building a metal building is a one-time affair and the expenditure is a long term investment.
Durability: Another important feature of metal buildings is that they are very sturdy. Metal buildings are heat-resistant and are strong enough to withstand climatic changes. Other materials such as wood do not withstand climatic changes that well.
No labor costs: Professional metal building companies deliver pre-fabricated dismantled metal framework with marked components. These require just bolting and erecting which can be done easily with the help of the detailed assembly handbook making doing-it-yourself possible for smaller structures.
No waste: If a 40� X 60� wood building is to be constructed, tons of waste is to be expected. In case of metal buildings, this is not the case. Prefabricated building engineered at the factory in accordance with pre-decided dimensions and completely recyclable material guarantee that there is no residual waste.
Desired design: If you require very high ceilings or want to have a complex design according to the placement of your heavy machinery, metal buildings are best suited for you. You can choose from a wide variety of options and give your requirements beforehand to have your own customized metal building.
Insulation cover: Another addition with metal buildings is the insulation cover you can opt for. Insulation advantages not only reduce the noise level of falling rain in the interiors but also lower overall energy consumption costs.
Insect-resistant: Metal buildings are not affected by insects of any kind and hence are more durable.
An ever-rising demand, use in churches, bridges and mammoth corporate house buildings testify the revolution the use of metal in buildings has brought about.
About The Author
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Got Your Eye On An Iphone? Here�s The Latest
Got Your Eye On An Iphone? Here�s The Latest
by James Mosieur
The iPhone goes on sale on June 29th, are you ready? Read the latest tips on snagging your own iPhone.
Do you have your heart set on an iPhone? You may want to get in line now. A May poll by research firm M:Metrics revealed that about 19 million U.S. cell phone users are ready to fork over as much as $599 for the new iPhone. That�s almost what Bernstein Research predicts Apple will sell through 2008.
The new iPhone will go on sale June 29 and all indications are the demand will be huge. AT&T is hiring 2000 temporary workers to help with the launch. Apple CEO Steve Jobs has forecast sales of 10 million iPhones in the first 18 months �a conservative estimate based on independent research.
AT&T nabbed the iPhone exclusive early on. M:Metrics analyst Mark Donovan said "Two-thirds of the people who said they have a strong interest in buying an iPhone currently subscribe to AT&T's three biggest competitors." He added "In this mature market, it's all about stealing customers from competitors."
Even the hefty price tag � as much a $599 with a two year contract � does not seem to discourage potential buyers. It is still unclear what plan AT&T will require with the iPhone but you can be sure the lure of technology will overpower the fear of the unknown. Donovan noted that once the initial group gets its iPhones contract pricing may be a barrier to some buyers.
Because of the youthful demographic, T-Mobile customers seem to have the most interest in changing. According to the M:Metrics survey, 12.5% of T-Mobile subscribers expressed a high interest in buying the iPhone, compared to 8.1% for Sprint Nextel customers and 6.7% for Verizon users.
Here are a few iPhone shopping tips.
� Get your www.CellForCash.com transaction started right away. You can have your box by the time you get your iPhone and some cash in your pocket to help you get past the sticker shock.
� AT&T spokesman John Kampfe says "The iPhone will be available�only in AT&T-owned retail stores, Apple retail stores and through Apple's online store.� Check out Apple's online store on June 29. According to Steve Jobs the iPhone is set to go on sale at 6 p.m. that day. But forget trying AT&T's site; the company says it won't be selling iPhones online, at least initially.
� Call a few local AT&T stores and see if you can get on their waiting lists or if your local sales representative has any tips about how that particular store is handling requests.
� Show up early at an Apple store or company-owned AT&T store before they open on June 29. The big question is how many phones each store will stock.
� Wait until the June 29 launch mania dies down and hope that AT&T and Apple decide to allow locally owned AT&T agents to sell the iPhone.
AT&T Inc. has spent $50 million on its network in anticipation of the heightened activity expected to follow the iPhone's debut on the 29th, anyone willing to break their existing contract can expect to pat $175 on top of the cost of the new gadget.
Apple is hyping this product like no other and it�s far from over. Stay tuned for more info as we get it.
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Making The Most Out Of Your Free Adobe Photoshop Tutorial
Making The Most Out Of Your Free Adobe Photoshop Tutorial
by Mario R. Churchill
You may be having the very best of the world's free Adobe photoshop tutorials, but if you yourself are not prepared for it and not as driven to devise ways to maximize your learning, you may find yourself unable to get your money and time's worth from your Adobe photoshop tutorial. A free Adobe photoshop tutorial is very loose and does not really compel you to give it time on a regular basis. You hold the decision ultimately on what terms you are going about with the free tutorial, along with many other things.
Be Consistent
Regardless of the amount of time and type of tutorial you are under, consistency is key to be able to really make it work. Set aside a time and place for your learning. You can't just expect to learn a lot if you are not able to devote much time and energy to learning the concepts on a regular basis. It takes 21 days to make a habit, so at least get in the tutorial for 21 days at a fixed time and place so that you will be able to make the tutorial part of your daily routine online.
Set a Target
You must have a goal of completing the free tutorial if you want to be continually motivated to finish the course. That way, you will be free to take your learning to new levels and aim for advanced topics in the fastest possible time that your schedule will permit. A target will ensure that you are going somewhere and that will help you efficiently map out how you are to go about with your learning.
Apply Every Concept You Learn for Faster Retention
Merely reading the concepts won't make you a photoshop genius. You need to really install the software and apply whatever concept you learn from your free tutorial. Applying the concepts also helps you master it more quickly. That way, when new concepts build, you will better be able to integrate the new concepts with the old concepts you have painstakingly taken the time to apply. By the time you finish the free tutorial, you will be able to do it with less questions and worries, and you will also be well-equipped enough to teach others.
Get a Learning Buddy
Having someone to follow up on your progress or learn the tricks of the trade with you is one of the more efficient ways to learn. You will be able to have accountability and not be slack if you have someone to work with in learning from the free tutorial. Being able to regularly talk about your progress and goals from the tutorial will keep you in the right perspective.
Note and Track Your Progress
Have a checklist handy. There you will be able to track your progress in learning. If you happen to have things you specifically want to learn from photoshop, take note of them and list them accordingly. Mark those which you have already accomplished so that you will be able to know how capable you are becoming and how much more skill training is needed. This way, you will also be able to determine how much more time you need to practice on certain topics to further cement the knowledge that you have acquired from the tutorial.
About The Author
How to Revolutionize Your Retirement Thinking
How to Revolutionize Your Retirement Thinking
by Lin Schreiber
As you think about your retirement life, acknowledge that "who you are" is much more important than "what you do". This one shift in your belief structure will enhance your chances of having a happier, healthier retirement.
Hate change? If so, you're in for a rude retirement awakening. Why? Because not since adolescence have you experienced as much change as you will in retirement. Retirement is all about change. Major change. Now before you run screaming from the room, consider this. Change can be a really good thing. And, if you're going to have the rocking retirement of your dreams, then you will need to embrace change even if you can't learn to love it.
You hear the word "retirement" and you imagine the room full of admiring colleagues, the gentle retelling of the famous time you messed up, the president's toast and, finally, the gold watch. Maybe retirement will be the end of your work life. If so, this is the biggest change you'll experience since birth. Your life will no longer be about "What do you do?" And, that's actually a gift. Retirement gives you the opportunity to grow into the best possible YOU. "Who you are" is so much more important than "what you do."
Of course, even if you do have the gold-watch experience, it may not be the end of work as you know it. A 2003 survey conducted for AARP found that many Americans between the ages of 50 and 70 plan to work far into what has traditionally been viewed as their "retirement years." Nearly half of all pre-retirees (45%) expect to continue working into their 70s or later. Of this group, 27% said they would work until they were in the 70s and 18% said "80 or older," "never stop work," or "as long as I am able to work."
But if you're done with work, you will need to fill all those hours with something. And the search for how you will spend your time is a change unto itself. Wilma was an executive secretary for over 40 years. She so dreaded the day she would stop working that she did no planning for the inevitable. Always attentive to her appearance, after retirement she devoted her life to resisting the aging process. She primped and shopped and beauty-parlored her days away. She tried Botox and had a face-lift. She was exploring a breast enhancement when her life radically changed. She was diagnosed with breast cancer!
Ironically, her excursion into cosmetic surgery led to early detection and she was back on her feet in no time. But she took life a lot more seriously and was soon the local coordinator for Y-ME, the national breast cancer organization. Her involvement with the group and other women with the disease became a passion that filled her life with purpose and meaning far beyond that of even her working years.
Another other major retirement change is location. If you're going to move from the four-bedroom house where you raised your children to an apartment in town, then everything is going to be different. Will you be relocating to a warmer climate or moving closer to the grandkids? Even more radical change. And if you're headed for a retirement community, the biggest change of all, because you'll no longer have the healthy advantage of being surrounded by people of all ages.
So how do you embrace change? Begin by changing your attitude from one of hostility to one of acceptance. Delight comes later. Consider your daily routine. If you always take the same route to the grocery store, go a different way. If you put both socks on before your shoes, try a sock, a shoe, a sock, a shoe. Add variety to your favorite activities. Try a new hiking trail or even a new restaurant. Learn to go with the flow. Everything is changing around you all the time. Stop fighting it.
If you really want a change, get a new relationship. If you're single, this might be the perfect time to seek a new mate. But if you're happily married or in partnership, you can still expand your circle of relationships by seeking out new friends. Take the initiative and make the call to the woman you really liked at the last garden club meeting. Or attend that interesting lecture at the club and see who else turns up. Go out of your way to say hello to someone you don't know.
And, by the way, if you're happily married, this retirement thing is going to change everything. There's more than enough truth to the old adage, "I married you for life, but not for lunch." Take a lot of time to talk over the future of your marriage once you're retired long before the golden-watch day arrives. Plan activities you'll do together or make a deal that you'll spend some days apart. But whatever you do, don't let that change sneak up on you.
If you're heading for retirement, remember what Bob Dylan said, "The times they are a changin'." But since there's not much you can do about it, you might as well put a smile on your face, open your arms wide, and welcome newness into your life.
To get started, consider the biggest change you expect in retirement and identify three action steps you can take to help you embrace that change instead of resisting it.
Copyright (c) 2007 Lin Schreiber
About The Author
PC Time Synchronisation Services
PC Time Synchronisation Services
by David Evans
Computers maintain time and date information using internal real-time clock chips. These chips are battery-backed and maintain time even when the power to the computer is switched off. However, the components utilised are relatively low-cost devices and have a tendency to drift by relatively large amounts. This article describes various ways of keeping the time on your computer accurate. It also shows how to synchronise a computers system clock with a highly accurate reference clock.
Computer systems time can drift anything from a few seconds a day to a few minutes each day. When processing transactions or performing time critical tasks across a number of computers, incorrect time can be a real headache.
The Internet found and solved this problem a number of years ago by developing the Network Time Protocol. NTP can be used to distribute accurate time from a highly precise time server to network time clients. Most modern operating systems have the ability to synchronise time with a NTP server. Generally, all that is required is the IP address or domain name of Stratum 1 or Stratum 2 NTP servers.
LINUX and UNIX operating systems can download the full NTP implementation from the NTP web site 'ntp.org'. NTP is freely available open source software available under the GNU public licence.
Microsoft Windows XP/2000/2003 and Vista operating systems have an integrated SNTP client. SNTP stands for Simple Network Time Protocol. Simple Network Time Protocol provides a sub-set of the Network Time Protocols algorithms. SNTP provides a simplified NTP algorithm with many of the complex routines to acheive high precision removed. Windows operating systems allow an IP address or domain name of a Internet or Intranet NTP server to be entered in the time properties tab. The SNTP client will then periodically contact the NTP server in order to update and synchronise system time.
A problem arises, however, if the computer does not have access to the Internet or is not networked. What is required is local access to an accurate time reference. However, there are many freely available time and frequency resources that can be utilsied.
A number of national time and frequency radio broadcasts are available. These radio broadcasts are generally referred to by their 'call sign'. WWVB is the North-American time and frequency radio transmission, broadcast for Colorado in the States. DCF is the call-sign of the German radio time transmission, which is broadcast from Meinflingen near Frankfurt. The UK time transmitter is located at Anthorn, Cumbria, it's call sign is MSF. A number of other broadcasts are available in France, Canada, Switzerland and Japan. USB and serial radio receivers are available that can receive radio time broadcasts and provide computers with accurate timing information. The PC system time can then be synchronised to the received time and frequency radio source.
The problem with national radio time broadcasts is that they inherantly have a finite transmission range. Their transmissions are generally regional and limited to national boundaries. The Global Positioning System (GPS) provides a solution to this. The GPS system operates from a number of orbiting satellites. Each satellite has an on-board highly accurate synchronised atomic clock. GPS can provide highly precise timing information anywhere on the face of the planet. All that is required to receive the GPS transmissions is a low-cost GPS receiver and antenna. The GPS antenna needs to be shown a good clear view of the sky for correct operation. By connecting a PC to a serial or USB GPS receiver, accurate timing information is continuously available.
To summarise, a wide range of highly accurate computer timing references are freely available. Utilising the Internet, National time and frequency radio transmissions or the GPS system can ensure that a computers time remains locked to a precise time reference.
About The Author
Why Photographers Need To Use Camera Downloader Program?
Why Photographers Need To Use Camera Downloader Program?
by Martin Brinn
As a digital camera owner you may not be surprised to learn that digital import software to automate image transfer from your card-reader or digital camera is important. Everyone needs to get their images from point A the camera to point B the computer and we need this task performed with the minimum of fuss and bother. As photographers we are all aware that there are occasions when we will need images rotated or some pictures may require a little resolution correction. Using professional digital camera downloader program like RoboImport to automate photo transfer and to perform some image adjustments easily manages mundane digital camera workflow tasks.
When purchasing your new digital camera it may come with program that claims to be the �gift with your purchase�, some quaint little image viewer. Usually this digital camera import software is offered on a trial basis or it is the bare minimum quality, if it�s any good at all. With the lower cost of digital cameras today many don�t even come with any digital camera downloader software at all, in fact if you�re lucky your camera package might come with a driver for your computer for digital camera communication but nothing else at all. Some new images may believe that since their new camera did not come with any special digital camera workflow program, it�s not required. Unaware that the uploading photographs from their camera does not require time consuming steps. They will begin by creating folders, then picking photos out one by one and face the next process of cataloguing and arranging. This is simply unthinkable for photographers or even new photography enthusiasts who have thousands of photographs to process and organize.
Digital camera workflow program specifically developed to transfer your photos from your camera to your PC does far more than automate the picture transfer process. Any program that would just perform just this task is really quite inadequate. Photographers require professional digital camera workflow software such as RoboImport. This recommended digital camera workflow program will detect the camera connection for us photographers that may not be seasoned computer experts. RoboImport will create the required folders to transfer the images into, and even rename it accordingly. Some less professional digital camera import program may present a problem during the upload process by duplicating filenames and sadly overwriting other treasured photographs that may be present in the computer. RoboImport takes the precaution of renaming pictures from the standard number your digital camera presets, by reading and recording the EXIF information of the photographs to create a unique code representing the date and time the photo was photographed. The complete EXIF information including your cameras make, model and settings will also be transferred with your images, retaining this information is absolutely necessary for professional photographers.
RoboImport will also rotate images when required, correct image resolution (DPI) and add any further IPTC-NAA information to the photos you would like to include. When managing hundreds of images this is an exceptional time saving feature. Wildlife and travel photographers are also considered with the added ability of RoboImport to include GPS coordinates of the photos location.
Professional photographers who do not have access to their RAW photos do not do their work any justice. JPEG images are not as good in quality and are prone to bleeding and blurring the photographer was not responsible for, and certainly their camera did not create, this is a result of the compression required to convert photographs JPEG images or other formats. RoboImport saves both the RAW image file and the JPEG image in separate folders giving the photographer the photograph they really took, as security and backup against format conversion damage.
Excellent digital camera workflow program like RoboImport will also open your Picajet photo manager, or other available digital photo manager you might have on hand for further assessment of your photographs. The time and fuss saved by using software to automate image transfer gives the photographer back their time to spend on the tasks they want to be performing, like taking masterpiece photos.
To learn more please visit RoboImport�s home page:
http://picajet.com/en/index.php?page=Digital-Image-Management-Software
About The Author
A 31 years old photographer and writer with in-depth coverage of a wide range of subjects: digital photo software review, travel, scenics, people, geography, lens review, luxury foods and handcrafted products. Based in Phoenix, Arizona state of US, I am available for assignments anywhere, but consider this area and USA, where I have lived for nearly 20 years, a specialty.
http://www.picajet.com?writer=martinbrinn
The Power of Attraction
The Power of Attraction
by Matt Bacak
The power of attraction concept has become very popular in recent months. The power of attraction is a mindset that you can have things attracted to you if you take the right steps. For example, if you change your mindset from worry to confidence then you will attract the things you desire. Another example is to let your desire be known and send this information out into the universe. The universe will respond by sending the things you desire your way. Many people believe that this concept is extremely powerful.
Are you looking for ways to improve your business? What specifically do you desire? Do you want to make more contacts? Do you want to earn a higher income each month? Begin by writing down the things that you desire. For example, you might want to earn $10,000 per month. Then set a goal a little higher than this amount. For example, make your goal $15,000 per month. Believe that you can achieve this goal each month. Set your mind on a positive path.
In other words, look for the impulse that comes from within and act on it. You have planted a seed within yourself. Your job is to act on the signals from this seed. Those actions will set you in the direction of your dreams and intentions.
Here�s an example of the power of attraction at a conference. There are hundreds of people at the conference. They were instructed to get out 3 business cards. On the back of the first card, they were to write down something they wanted that someone on this planet can provide. They had to be specific.
For example, they are looking for a particular product or person. The power of attraction dictates that they can find somebody in the room that has what they are looking for or know someone who does. They repeated the process with the two other business cards as well. They have planted their order in the universe because these people wrote their desires down.
Here�s another example. One man wanted to talk to the famous business man Richard Branson. This man thought about it in the airport and suddenly a magazine article about Richard Branson appeared to him in the airport gift shop. The man now has a chance to contact the author of the magazine article so he can eventually meet Richard Bronson. This shows the power of attraction and networking. This also shows you that your desire can come to you in some surprising way.
Follow this exercise and get your desire out in the universe. They may just come true.
About The Author
For more information, visit Bacak's site at http://www.powerfulpromoter.com or sign up for his Powerful Promoting Tips at http://www.promotingtips.com
Why I Love Wine Holders And Wine Caddies!
Why I Love Wine Holders And Wine Caddies!
by Ken Finnigan
Aside from the brief mention here and there with regards to the Wine Bug or Bugus Erectus, very little mention has been made as to how versatile a wine holder or wine caddy really can be! At the risk of sounding like an infomercial, I would like to point out why I love wine holders and wine caddies.
A wine holder is a great way to display that single bottle of wine that you want to set apart from the rest of your collection. Maybe you have a bottle of wine that you bought while on your honeymoon in France, or maybe it�s just a bottle from the market, which you think is fabulous, either way wine bottle holders are a better option to simply standing it on the counter. We all know that bottles should not be stood up because the cork can dry out and spoil the wine, so not only does a wine holder display you favourite bottle, but it also does this the correct way!
Some wine holders also double as a wine server, which makes it even more appealing. Aside from just showing off a bottle of wine, wine servers also are a great way to serve that Chardonnay or Merlot at a dinner party. From traditional to a little more eccentric, wine servers are always a conversation piece as well as a fantastic method for displaying and serving wine.
How often have you been invited to dinner and showed up with a bottle of wine in a plastic supermarket shopping bag or a brown paper sack from the liquor store? I know I have done it many times, and always feel a little awkward showing up at a nice dinner with the bottle in a brown bag that makes you look like a bum. Enter the wine caddy! Able to hold from one bottle to a few, a wine caddy is, in my humble opinion, a much better way of transporting wine. Some even hold wine glasses, which is perfect if you are looking to have a lovely picnic in the park (be aware of public drinking laws before doing this, while it might be acceptable in some places, others you could get arrested).
So this is why I love the wine caddy and the wine holder! So many styles and so many uses, I only wish I had written about them sooner!
About The Author
A Practical Use Of Open Source Code Softwares
A Practical Use Of Open Source Code Softwares
by Roberto Sedycias
As we started the project of our web site, we knew that the proprietary software costs would be too high for our financial resources. Our only option then was to make use of Open Source Code softwares.
However, within the Open Source Code there are lots of softwares to choose from, and it�s up to the system analyst/programmer to pick the ones that best suit the project goals.
In our case, we picked Linux as our operating system. However we faced a big question: Which Linux distribution ? There are dozens of linux distributions, each one with specific advantages, sometimes with or without paid services.
We chose linux Slackware because we thought that it would suit better our needs, in terms of stability and reliability. Slackware is a conservative distribution, meaning that it only offers in its distribution package kernel versions and third party libraries, once it�s been proved to be stable and reliable. As a result, Slackware is one the most stable Linux operating system on the market. If the user wishes the most recent Linux kernel and libraries, we recommend to look for a different distribution.
Another reason for us picking Slackware, was because of its text interface, which at the beginning may become a bit difficult, in the long run however it offers a better understanding of the Linux environment. This way most of Slackware configurations are done thru text scripts.
Once it was set the operating system, we picked Apache as our web server. Apache is one of the most popular web server in the internet. For server programming language, we chose PHP. Also, a very popular programming language. Our experience with Apache/PHP proves that this setup is very reliable, working extremely well in our production environment. For workstation programming language, we chose javascript, which besides of having a simple syntax, it offers lots of resources.
Apache web server is really a complete web server. Also, it can become very complex with many configuration setups.
For our database, we picked Postgresql. This database has been made available to the public for more than 15 years, and besides of being well debugged, it offers so many resources that it has become one of the best database options from Open Source Code softwares. Extremely reliable, Postgresql has reported cases where there have been databases in production with over 4 terabytes. Besides all of that, Postresql is not the most popular Open Source Code database. A matter of marketing ? Probably.
As for the programming language PHP, we had to use an object oriented application structure. There are many PHP application structures being offered with Open Source Code license. Object oriented application is very important, because it makes programming very easy and scalable up to the point where the system may grow without many problems. Also, it helps to keep PHP code separated from HTML, with the help of some specific libraries, such as Smarty. We make use of Smarty library and we believe that it is a very important resource, which can even make web pages faster thru the use of its cache functions.
Also a very important set of libraries worth mentioning for PHP systems, is the PEAR libraries. In PEAR web site, among the many libraries being offered, there are the database interface DB and the MAIL_QUEUE, which sends emails thru the use of database.
As we came to the end of our project, we had to use some sort of real time database replication. For that we chose the DRBD and Heartbeat libraries. The use of database replication is very important and should not be postponed. Just after 3 months our system got into production, our server hard disk became bad. Thru the use of DRBD/Heartbeat we were able to put the system back into production within seconds, without loosing any data. DRBD/Heartbeat replication is done thru the use of a lan network between the server and slave nodes.
Our project also makes use of ImageMagick (enlarge and reduce images), Iptables (firewall), Tsearch2(text search in portgresql) and Mon (linux monitoring tasks).
Also a very important library worth mentioning is the pseudo APC compiler for PHP. Speed is always a critical factor for internet sites.
Our web site is already in production and based upon our experience we can say that the Open Source Code softwares we picked, proved to be extremely reliable and stable. Open Source Code softwares can certainly be an excellent option for developing web sites.
This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author�s name and all the URL�s (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.
About The Author
This article can also be accessed in portuguese language from the News Article section of page http://www.polomercantil.com.br/mp3-mp4-audio-portatil.php
Stock Research � Hedge Funds � If Bear Stearns Doesn�t Know � Who Knows???
Stock Research � Hedge Funds � If Bear Stearns Doesn�t Know � Who Knows???
by Richard Stoyeck
As the hedge fund world becomes bigger and bigger as more and more hot money seeks the elusive alpha of maximum performance, it is becoming apparent that more and more newspaper space will be devoted to hedge funds, and private equity. Recent news has taken us into the inner sanctum of Bear Stearns, truly a dominant investment firm in the world today. It might be argued that Bear Stearns is the best managed Wall Street firm in existence. Some might say Goldman Sach�s. In any event Bear Stearns would have to be on the short list.
Investment firms for almost a decade sat by and watched hedge funds form, and amass vast investment capital pools while successfully charging 2% management fees, and 20% of the profits. Some of these hedge funds in a few years, have grown to possess capital bases equal to that of investment banking firms that have been around for generations. Taking some of the risks that were involved to achieve this performance is now coming home to roost.
Bear Stearns is the latest firm to stub its toe in the hedge fund industry. The firm is FAMOUS for quantifying and judging RISK before making its bets. This time however it seems that Bear Stearns threw its usual caution to the wind in embracing the formation of two hedge funds over the last year or so.
The second hedge fund was considered a more highly-leveraged version of Bear�s High �Grade structured Credit Strategies fund which was formed last year. Both funds were managed by Ralph Cioffi, who up until recent events took hold, had the reputation of being a MASTER at this game, and the game is the subprime mortgage bond business.
Most people are not aware of it but Bear Stearns is the finest fixed income trading firm on the planet bar none, and this has been true for several generations. This makes recent events even more perplexing to understand.
Jimmy Cayne who is Bear�s CEO is embarrassed at the very least, and certainly upset enough that there will be major changes in the leadership of the units responsible for the pain being inflected on the firm�s reputation. This should not have happened at Bear Stearns, that�s the point.
Actions Taken and Implications
Mr. Cayne has made the decision to inject $3.2 billion of Bear Stearns capital into a bail-out of the older fund. Bear is also negotiating with the banks that put up the credit facility for the other fund, the highly leveraged High-Grade Enhanced Leveraged fund. What Bear is trying to prevent is the forced sale of the debt obligations underlying the fund�s investments. These issues trade by appointment as they say, which means they rarely trade at all. Bear knows the Street smells blood, and will take advantage of any weakness that Bear shows.
So what are the implications of this latest hedge fund debacle? It clearly shows that the most sophisticated investors on the planet who put their money into hedge funds may in fact have NO IDEA what they are investing in. Instead, they are betting on the institutional reputation of the firms standing in back of the hedge funds. In this case nobody knew more about this market segment than Bear Stearns, yet they caught in a terrible position.
This is not Cayne�s fault, but as CEO, it is always his responsibility. I believe him to be the finest Wall Street executive of his generation. Nevertheless, his underlings certainly let him down, and they are among the highest paid people in the world today. Some of these industry veterans are drawing $10 million dollar annual incomes. Let the investor beware is the rule of the day, especially when it comes to hedge funds.
But Wait � There�s More
The average hedge fund uses about six to one leverage in order to obtain the performance success we have become accustomed to seeing in the hedge fund world. Investors in Bear Stearns� fund called Enhanced Leverage put up about $638 million of their own money. The fund was then able to borrow about 10 times that amount. They used repo-financing and a credit facility at the Barclay�s Bank.
Enhanced Leverage then went out and invested about $11.5 billion in both bonds and various and assorted bank debts on the long side. On the short side, they had about $4.5 billion through credit default swaps. These transactions were originated on the ABX Index, all of which were tied into subprime mortgage bonds.
I know you are asking how it all came undone. What happened is that the underlying bonds of the whole market segment are what you could call the subprime market came undone. Back in February, this hurt Bear�s two funds. The funds and the hedges laid on by Bear went under water in March simultaneously. The hedges should have performed when the market worsened, and they didn�t. That was the killer. The hedges did not do what they were supposed to do.
In late May, Bear knew they had to do something. What Bear chose to do was close down the redemption process. In other words, not allow any investors to withdraw their remaining funds, which would create a run on the hedge fund. This is similar to Franklin Roosevelt closing down the banks in 1933, to prevent a run on the banks from taking place.
The banks who lent the money to the Bear Stearns sponsored funds quickly began selling down the securities in the funds in an attempt to back into some kind of positive equity balance. This was all the result of margin calls brought about the funds� poorly performing, and now distressed investments. Bear finally agreed to a bail-out of one of the funds injecting $3 plus billion dollars into the fund. The firm as of now will not rescue the other fund, known as Enhanced Leverage.
In our opinion, Bear will not be the last firm to experience problems with hedge funds, and investors are in for a further rude awakening as the hedge fund industry continues along its under-regulated path of seeking maximum investment performance. Many hedge funds are overextending, and frankly have no idea as to their actual open positions in the financial world.
Bear and nobody is better than Bear says it will be another week or two before it knows the extent of the losses of its investors in these two funds. If that is true of the best managed risk taking firm in the world today, how much confidence can you have in the hundreds of other hedge funds out there that are poorly managed compared to the legendary Bear Stearns.?
The answer is you�d better sleep with your pants on, if you think your money is safe in the hedge fund world. You think you�re sleeping on a nice warm bed. What you don�t realize is that the bed is sitting on a railroad track with a 100 mile per hour train bearing down on you. The problem with hedge funds is the leverage. Six to one is normal, and then you get the ones that go crazy and start approaching 10 to 1 leverage in the race for performance. It�s great when the market is on your side, but when the market goes against you; these entities literally go out of business.
Warren Buffett has always talked about being able to sleep at night with your investments. He also talks about what would happen if you wound up in a coma, and woke up 10 years later? Would the investments you made ten years ago still be good, or not? Would you like to wake up from a coma, owning hedge fund investments for the previous ten years, maybe yes, maybe no, but as an investor, you better be able to answer that question?
About The Author
Surefire Hit Gift Ideas For Kids
Surefire Hit Gift Ideas For Kids
by Lydia Quinn
Whether it's a holiday or a birthday, kids can be especially hard to buy gifts for. Here are some surefire gift ideas that will make any kid happy.
Games
The best games to get a child are usually the tried and true games that have stood the test of time. These include Candyland, Chutes & Ladders, Monopoly, Battleship, Sorry, Operation and PayDay. These games have been played for generations and are fun for the whole family, as well as the kids.
Toys
The old standby's may be your best bet. These include Barbie's, Lego's, Mr. Potato Head, Hot Wheels, Nerf toys, kitchen and baking play sets, doll houses and remote control cars. Action figures or play sets for the child's favorite TV show or movie are also a great idea.
Educational
Terrific educational gifts include books, the line of VTech, LeapFrog and Leapster electronic learning products, globes, science kits, See 'N Say, wooden blocks and telescopes.
Creativity
Nurture the child's creativity with gifts that allow them to be creative and have fun too. Creative gifts include modeling clay or PlayDoh, craft kits, coloring books, art supplies including markers, crayons and pencils, jewelry making kits, notebooks and journals, EtchASketch, origami kits, Spirographs, sewing kits, bead sets, gardening kits, musical instruments, electronic keyboards and stamp and sticker sets.
Electronics
For electronics items, you can't go wrong with MP3 players, digital cameras, handheld games and video game consoles.
Old Fashioned Games & Toys
Some great old fashioned gifts include puzzles, card games like UNO, bingo and activity books, bubble making toys, an easel, rock tumbler and banks.
Sports Equipment
Most kids, but especially boys, will absolutely love any sports equipment you get them. Consider balls of every kind including baseballs, footballs, soccer balls or basketballs. Accessories like gloves, nets and bats are also great. Wonderful outdoor activity gifts include kites, lawn games, trampolines, tents and tunnels, water toys, playhouses, pogo sticks, bikes, hula hoops and wagons.
Whatever you choose, just make sure the thought comes from your heart and it will surely be a loved gift.
About The Author
Registry Cleaners Are A Necessary Utility
Registry Cleaners Are A Necessary Utility
by Arvind Singh
Despite what the experts say, Registry cleaners have their place of importance in cleaning and maintaining the system registry and keeping your computer in good health.
Many so-called experts on the subject will post various tips and advise on multiple forums and Blogs about the system registry and the use of registry cleaners. Some of them also advise against the use of any form of registry cleaner though they will, in the same article, admit that the registry continues to bloat with useless information that may slow down the system in the long run. Their 'long run' is about three months. So then, how do we remover this redundant information or useless entries from the registry to de-bloat it and make it faster and more responsive to the programs installed to run on the system?
The Best Way To Clean The Registry
The answer to this problem is to either use software that can run through the system and clean out any link or file that leads to nowhere or else manually dive into the registry and grope around in the dark without doing anything but damage to the system. Even the experts advise against this because even the so-called gurus of Windows operating system cannot shuffle through the system registry and know exactly what they are doing in there. It will always be a trial and error system.
The registry cleaners such as express registry cleaner, Win registry cleaner, PC Mantra's registry cleaner and many more registry cleaner are special programs that are designed to scan the registry entry for entry and test the links to see if they are actually connect to some program in other parts of the registry and the system. If the links or files fail to produce a link to another program or file they are obviously loose ends and need to be removed from the registry. Because the registries scan will unnecessarily stop, if even for a millionth of a second at these broken links, will delay the process. Just add this one delay, no matter how short, to the hundreds of thousands of useless entries it will encounter, every time it scans the registry, which may be several times a minute.
Where Does This Junk Come From?
These broken links come from programs and viruses that are removed by the uninstall programs and anti virus software. This process of removal leaves traces of the program in the registry and has to be expertly removed with registry cleaners. It is not necessary to scan the registry every second day, however, the registry must be cleaned at least every six months or so. If the registry cleaners are absolutely safe then why will they have a registry backup program built in? There is always a risk involved. Perhaps that is the reason even the best programs have a backup function � Such as any Windows Operating system.
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Georgia Foreclosure Listings Offer Huge Bargains To Georgia Homebuyers
Georgia Foreclosure Listings Offer Huge Bargains To Georgia Homebuyers
by Bob Smith
Taking the midnight train to Georgia? You may want to consider it if you are a Georgia foreclosure listing investor. Georgia, as the rest of the nation, is experiencing unprecedented foreclosure listings. Too many homeowners simply are feeling the strain of the current economy and defaulting on their mortgage.
Georgia foreclosure listings can be obtained in a myriad of places. Newspapers, magazines and the internet are th primary source. The internet is the most commonly used means of finding foreclosure listings. Simply type in Georgia foreclosure listings in any serach engine and there will be hundereds if not thousands of websites for you to browse.
Make sure however, that if the foreclosure listing service requires a subscription that there is due diligence in reporting any and all findings. Make sure the listings found on the service are current and up to date, being updated at the minimum daily. Another item to watch for is that the foreclosure listing is comprehensive. A true comprehensive listing provides data such as complete address, city, state, zip code, lender information, contact information, and a photo of the property would be a huge plus.
Foreclosure listings can provide a number of opportunities as many times they are priced far below market value. For the first time homebuyer, they may find a home that is within their means as the price is so competitive. For the foreclosure listing investor, thye may find �fix-me-up� homes that with a little sweat equity, the property can easily be flipped. Now, there are people that are choosing flipping houses as a career choice. If you are a savvy investor and good with tools, flipping may be the way to go. Additionally, more and more people are turning to foreclosure listings to find investment property to rent to others. In this scenario, the homewoner actually is having others make the mortgage payment for them while they build their nest egg for future use. Finally, foreclosure listings can be a terrific resource for finding a secondary or vacation home. Since many foreclosure listing sites provide listings from all over the country, a ski chalet in Vail may just be on the market at a price you can now afford!!
Whatever your personal need, foreclosure listing service offers a great opportunity for property you may never have known about if using traditional house-for-sale methods.
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Rioja Wines
Rioja Wines
by Ruth Polak
The Rioja region in Northern Spain is situated in the Rio Ebro valley, it's northern border being bounded by the Sierra de Cantabrias mountain range and it's southern by the Sierra de la Demanda. The resulting geographical location creates conditions that have produced a perfect environment for vineyards.
The Denominaci�n de Origen Calificada Rioja covers some 57,000 hectares located in 3 Autonomous Communities those of La Rioja, The Basque country and Navarra. Between them they produce around 250 million litres of Rioja wine per annum Of which 85% is red and the rest whites or ros�s.
Wine has been produced in this area for centuries, initially by monks in the middle ages but as far back as 1635 the Mayor 0f Logro�o decreed that no carriages were to pass along the roads next to the cellars for fear that the vibration from them might affect the juice and the ageing of the precious Rioja wines.
In 1102 we find the first document making reference to the safeguarding of the quality of Rioja wines when King Sancho of Navarra legally recognized the wines from this area. Then in 1787 the Real Sociedad Econ�mica de Cosecheros de Rioja (Royal Economic Society of Rioja Winegrowers) was established with the sole purpose of encouraging the cultivation of vines, wine production and its commercial development.
In 1902 came a Royal Decree which defined the "origin" applicable to Rioja Wines and then in 1926 came the Consejo Regulador (Control Board) with responsibility to define the designated boundaries of the Rioja region, supervise and issue the "seal of approval", and to recommend the legal action to be taken against mis-use of the name Rioja. In 1945 the board received it's legal structure and then in 1953 finally became officially established from which time it has set out the foundations for a modern and efficient production of these world famous Spanish wines.In 1970 this responsibility was clearly defined thus, �The Control Board shall uphold the Designation of Origin and implement, monitor and foster the quality of its wines.�
The long history of the production and development of Rioja wines has resulted in a wine of outstanding quality which can confidently stand shoulder to shoulder with many of the worlds finest wines. This was further acknowledged when on April 3rd. 1991 a Ministerial Order granted the category of �Calificada� to the D.O., the first and only wine designation of origin in Spain to attain this ranking.
Rioja Wines, Grape Varieties.
For many centuries wine has been produced in the Riojan area and obviously this lengthy passage of time has resulted in the natural selection of grapes best suited to the area and best able to produce wines of the highest quality.
Factors such as soil type and climate play a large part in this selection process but of course the resultant wine is an all important consideration as well.
Today seven varieties of grape are permitted by the Regulations of the Denominaci�n de Origen Calificada Rioja, these are:-
Red grape; Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano and
White Grape; Viura, Malvas�a and White Garnacha.
Types of Rioja Wines.
Most Rioja wines are normally the result of the harmonious combination, in varying proportions, of the different varieties grown in the region and the different sub-areas within them.
Rioja wines exhibit much aromatic complexity. They are fresh, with a medium body, a balanced structure, and an excellent bouquet.
* Red wines: Classic wines of bright colour with a fresh, penetrating aroma; light in the mouth with medium alcohol content. Tempranillo is the predominant variety used to make these wines.
* Ros� wines: Bright pink wines with a strong fragrance. They are light and fresh in the mouth, with medium alcohol content. Garnacha is the predominant variety used to make these wines.
* White wines: Greenish-yellow, which can be more or less pale. They exhibit fine aromas and prove light in the mouth with fairly low alcohol content. Viura is the predominant variety used to make these wines.
Ageing Rioja Wines.
Rioja wines are aged in 225-litre oak casks, with periodic rackings, followed by a further period of bottle ageing. There are over 270 ageing bodegas in Rioja which have a total of over 900,000 casks. The different Rioja wine categories are based on minimum ageing periods, which can vary between 1 and 3 years in casks and between 6 months and 6 years in the bottle, depending on whether the wine is to be a Crianza, a Reserva or a Gran Reserva.
Rioja wines are aged in oak casks of 225 litre capacity with periodic rackings.
Then follows a period of bottle ageing. The length of the ageing process differs between different categories of Riojan wine and can vary from 1-3 years in the cask and 6 months to 6 years in the bottle depending on whether the wine is to be a Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva. Today there are over 270 ageing bodegas in Rioja with over 900,000 casks.
The lengthy tradition of winemaking in the Rioja region of Northern Spain with the inherent wealth of experience that such a period of trial, error, disaster, success and experimentation produces has resulted in blessing the world with a marvellous wine which will satisfy the most discerning palette.
The Health Benefits of Red Wine.
A further excellent fact about Rioja, and most dark red wines, is that scientific evidence now tells us that they are positively good for us.
Drunk in moderation they provide us with those all important anti- oxidants. One of which in particular, called reservatrol, has been shown to have anti-cancer properties as well as to have an anti-blood clotting effect. Further proof perhaps of the health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet. So now when you take a drink of red wine and say, " your health", you can really mean it. CHEERS!
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Defeat the Fear of Failure of Your Small Business
Defeat the Fear of Failure of Your Small Business
by Kelly Sims
So you have decided to take the plunge and venture into the world of entrepreneurship. You are enthusiastic, eager, uncertain and terrified all at the same time. Believe me, most people in your shoes feel the same way. The start-up phase of any business is often the most exhilarating, but for many, it is also the most trying. Fear of failure often stops would-be entrepreneurs before they even have a chance to bring their ideas to life. The following are some ideas that may help you to stay focused on your goals and will hopefully give you the extra confidence to pursue your venture.
1. Research the need for your product or service. If there are already 8 dry cleaning services in your town of 1,200 people, chances are your dry cleaning business will not succeed. If you are still determined to open your business when the demand isn't great, consider adding some creative or innovative products or services that the competition doesn't offer. Look into your local small business service centre for information on demand in your industry. Knowing that a service is in demand will give you the extra confidence that your business has potential.
2. Once you have decided that your business venture is viable, surround yourself with positive people. An encouraging word from a friend or family member can go a long way. Confidence and positivity go hand in hand. Conversely, negative thoughts bring self-doubt, and self-doubt almost certainly leads to failure. If someone in your life is negative concerning your business, try to discuss it with them as little as possible. This doesn't mean don't talk to them, just stay away from the subject of your business. Only talk about your business with positive people. This will help to leave you feeling excited at the end of your conversation instead of defeated.
3. Stay involved in the lives of your family and friends. A start-up business can be all encompassing. It takes over your thoughts sometimes night and day. Don't forget to put things into perspective. The most important things in life are your friends and family. Don't neglect them. You need to have a healthy balance between work and family and friends in order to be happy in your life. Remember that happiness is your ultimate goal. If you are not happy, then what is it all for?
4. Read as many books as you can find. Read books on your industry, opening a business in this industry and business in general. Many online bookstores allow you to read reviews of books before buying them. These reviews will most likely be from people like yourself, looking for the same kind of information as you are. They will let you know if the book is worth purchasing. Learning as much as you possibly can about your industry and opening a business, is a sure way to gain confidence.
5. Get involved. Join trade associations if they exist for your industry. The advice and insight you will receive from the individuals already working in your field can be even more valuable than the information you can read in a book.
6. Don't listen to the inner negative voice. Self doubt and fear of failure are what stops many would-be entrepreneurs from realizing their dreams. Whenever you realize that your inner dialogue is turning negative, change it immediately. You control your thoughts. Positive thinking is a powerful tool that will contribute greatly to your success.
7. Love what you do. If you are planning on opening a home cleaning service, but can't stand cleaning your own home, you are in all likelihood doomed to failure. Choose something that excites you and that you feel passionate about. You need to feel motivated in order to continue growing your business in the years to come.
Remember what your goal is and stay focused on that. Don't let fear of failure defeat you. Regrets are one thing you certainly don't want in life. Once you've researched your venture and know it has potential, keep the next steps in mind. Learn, stay positive and enjoy this exciting phase of your life. Good luck.
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Barbecue Ribs - Competition Style in Your Backyard
Barbecue Ribs - Competition Style in Your Backyard
by Bill Anderson
Great barbeque recipes are hard to come by. Most recipes and books leave out important information like times and temperatures. In our book, �Competition BBQ Secrets�, we give you all the details on how to cook professional competition quality meats. And... guess what? You can do it to in your back yard. You don�t need a fancy $2000 offset smoker. Just use your Weber kettle grill!...
Prepping your grill
Just about everybody has a Weber kettle charcoal grill in their back yard. You can smoke some pretty good ribs on these things. This is one of my favorite barbeque recipes because I can use mesquite wood and Lee will not allow me to put mesquite in his expensive Lang Smoker because of the residue it leaves on the inside surfaces. Anyway... here�s how to set up your charcoal grill so that you are �offset smoking� and not grilling... I simply start it up by making two piles of charcoal briquettes on opposite sides of the grill (away from the center). Make sure your vents on the bottom of the grill are open and not clogged with ashes. I then squirt my lighter fluid on the briquettes and light them.
Start soaking your wood chips at least an hour before you will need them. I make sure the charcoal is white before I start smoking so that all the lighter fluid has burnt up and does not give your meat a lighter fluid taste. If you want to use a charcoal chimney to start your charcoal, that�s OK too - some people hate using lighter fluid. Just dump your �white� charcoal from the chimney on opposite sides of the grill when they are ready. You can place a disposable aluminum pan between your charcoal piles and fill it with about an inch of warm water or beer if you want.
Prepping your ribs
You can either buy spareribs or what is called loin back ribs. If you buy the big spareribs, cut the brisket end off the ribs at the joint. Then trim the skirt meat off. Don�t throw this away - you can cook it separately and eat it too. You also want to pull the membrane off the back side of the ribs. If you want, you can put your favorite dry rub on both sides of your ribs at this time. I prefer the more natural taste of the smoked meat with a little BBQ sauce, so I do not apply any rub or any other seasonings before smoking. That�s the great thing about barbecue recipes... you can change them up to suit your liking! Just don�t change the �technique� too much.
Let�s start smoking
When you are ready to start smoking, place your grate on the grill so that the holes near the handles are over your charcoal piles. This way, you can add charcoal as needed to maintain your heat. Some newer models have hinged grates for this purpose.
Now all you do is place your meat in the center of the grate - away from the charcoal piles. When I smoke ribs, I use a rib rack on top of the grate. Weber makes a good rib rack and you can get one at any good store that sells Weber grills. Place your trimmed pieces anywhere not directly over the coals. Throw some soaked mesquite chips directly on the charcoal and close the lid (don�t overdo the mesquite chips - mesquite imparts a strong smoke taste so a little goes a long way). Feel free to used soaked hickory, pecan, oak, apple, or any other �flavor� of wood chips that suits your taste buds. This is another way to personalize your barbeque recipes... there are all different types of woods and wood combinations that you can use. There are even unique and exotic woods like grape vine. I personally like mesquite as I feel it is the only smoke flavor that will not get covered up by your sauce. If done right, it�s not overpowering, but you can still taste that delicious smoke flavor.
Open the vents on the lid all the way and insert a thermometer through one of the vent holes. This is important! I use one of those confection/deep fry style thermometers with the clip and long stem on it. It�s important to measure the temperature as close to the meat as possible. Smoke your ribs at 230 - 240 deg F. If the temperature is too high (around 300 deg) for the first 30 minutes, don�t worry about it too much. If it gets any hotter than 300 deg then crack the lid a little to let some heat escape. When the temperature gets too low, just open the lid and toss in a few new briquettes and/or soaked wood chips. Try to stay �ahead of the game� as far as heat is concerned because it�s easier to cool down a hot smoker than it is to get it back up to temperature if your fire goes out.
Cook the ribs for 3 hours. Don�t open the lid unless absolutely necessary - remember, �if you�re looking, you ain�t cooking�. While you are adding charcoal, you can also spray the ribs with apple juice to keep them moist. After 3 hours, take your ribs off and wrap tightly in foil and return to the grill for one more hour.
Ready for glazing
After one hour in the foil, take your ribs out of the foil and place back on the grill. You�ll know your ribs are getting done when the meat is pulling away from the bone - this is a sure sign that your ribs are getting done. Maybe gently tug on one of the bones to see if it is �loose�. Also... if you pick up one end of a slab with a pair of tongs and your slab bends down 90�, then that is another sign that your ribs are getting done. Barbeque recipes are not an exact science... you have to use some common sense. If it�s cold outside, or humid, or dry your times and temps may vary. Just keep an eye on things and increase or decrease times accordingly.
After removing from the foil, apply your favorite BBQ sauce and glaze the ribs for one more hour. You can cut your BBQ Sauce with honey to make a sweet glaze if that is what you like. Apply your glaze to both sides and flip after 15 minutes and reapply glaze after each 15 minutes. After one hour of glazing, let your ribs rest for at least 15 minutes and then slice between each bone. You are now ready to sink your teeth into some of the best ribs you have ever tasted! Mouth watering, tender, and falling off the bone good!
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Improved Search Engine Rank: Google Page Rank Misconceptions
Improved Search Engine Rank: Google Page Rank Misconceptions
by Peter Nisbet
Improved search engine rank is attainable through good search engine optimization, part of which is the maximizing of your Google Page Rank through intelligent linking with other web pages. In this first part of 2 on the subject of Google Page Rank, we will look at the argument for attaining high listings through a linking strategy.
Google Page Rank is a buzz term at the moment since many believe it to be more important to your search engine listing than search engine optimization. If we ignore for the moment the fact that Page Rank is, in itself, a form of SEO, then there are arguments for and against that belief.
Before we investigate these arguments, let�s understand some fundamentals of search engine listings. First, most search engines list web pages, not domains (websites). What that means is that every web page in a domain has to be relevant to a specific search term if it is to be listed.
Secondly, a search engine customer is the person who is using that engine to seek information. It is not an advertiser or the owner of a website. It is the user seeking information. The form of words that is used by that customer is called a �search term�. This becomes a �keyword� when applied to a webmaster trying to anticipate the form of words that a user will employ to search for their information.
A search engine works by analyzing the semantic content of a web page and determining the relative importance of the vocabulary used, taking into account the title tags, the heading tags and the first text it detects. It will also check out text related contextually to what it considers to be the main �keywords� and then rank that page according to how relevant it calculates it to be for the main theme of the page.
It will then examine the number of other web pages that are linked to it, and regard that as a measure of how important, or relevant to the �keyword�, that the page is. The value of the links is regarded as peer approval of the content. All of these factors determine how high that page is listed for search terms that are similar contextually to the content of the page.
Without doubt, there are web pages that are listed high in the search engine indices that contain very little in the way of useful content on the keywords for which they are listed, and have virtually no contextual relevance to any search term. However, a careful investigation of these sites will reveal two things.
The first is that many such web pages are frequently listed highly only for relatively obscure search terms. If a search engine customer uses a common search term to find the information they are seeking, they will very rarely be led to a site that has little content other than links, but it is possible. The second is that they contains large numbers of links out to other web pages, and it can be assumed that they have at least an equal number of web pages linking back.
It is possible to find such web pages for many keywords. An example is on the first page on Google for the keyword �Data VOIP Solutions�. There is a website there that is comprised only of links. The site itself has little content, but every link leads to either another website that provides useful content, or another internal page full of more links and no content. That is how links can be used to lift a web page high in the SE listings.
Such sites frequently contain only the bare minimum of conventional search engine optimization, but the competition is so low that they gain high listings. You will also find them to contain large numbers of internal pages, every one of which contain the same internal and external links.
It is true, therefore, that it is possible to get a high listing without much content, but with a large number of links. However, is that a legitimate argument for those promoting links against content? Could you reasonably apply that strategy to your website? Could a genuine website really contain thousands of links to other internal pages and external pages on other websites, and still maintain its intended purpose?
In the second part of this article, titled �Search Engine Rank: Google Page Rank Misconceptions� wI will explode some myths about Page Rank, and explain how many people are wasting their time with reciprocal links, and perhaps even losing through them. It may be that a linking strategy is not so much an option, as a choice between the type of website that you want: to provide genuine information or to make money regardless of content.
Improved search engine rank might be synonymous with Google Page Rank, but perhaps only if you want to sacrifice the integrity of your website.
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PC Time Synchronisation Services
PC Time Synchronisation Services
by David Evans
Computers maintain time and date information using internal real-time clock chips. These chips are battery-backed and maintain time even when the power to the computer is switched off. However, the components utilised are relatively low-cost devices and have a tendency to drift by relatively large amounts. This article describes various ways of keeping the time on your computer accurate. It also shows how to synchronise a computers system clock with a highly accurate reference clock.
Computer systems time can drift anything from a few seconds a day to a few minutes each day. When processing transactions or performing time critical tasks across a number of computers, incorrect time can be a real headache.
The Internet found and solved this problem a number of years ago by developing the Network Time Protocol. NTP can be used to distribute accurate time from a highly precise time server to network time clients. Most modern operating systems have the ability to synchronise time with a NTP server. Generally, all that is required is the IP address or domain name of Stratum 1 or Stratum 2 NTP servers.
LINUX and UNIX operating systems can download the full NTP implementation from the NTP web site 'ntp.org'. NTP is freely available open source software available under the GNU public licence.
Microsoft Windows XP/2000/2003 and Vista operating systems have an integrated SNTP client. SNTP stands for Simple Network Time Protocol. Simple Network Time Protocol provides a sub-set of the Network Time Protocols algorithms. SNTP provides a simplified NTP algorithm with many of the complex routines to acheive high precision removed. Windows operating systems allow an IP address or domain name of a Internet or Intranet NTP server to be entered in the time properties tab. The SNTP client will then periodically contact the NTP server in order to update and synchronise system time.
A problem arises, however, if the computer does not have access to the Internet or is not networked. What is required is local access to an accurate time reference. However, there are many freely available time and frequency resources that can be utilsied.
A number of national time and frequency radio broadcasts are available. These radio broadcasts are generally referred to by their 'call sign'. WWVB is the North-American time and frequency radio transmission, broadcast for Colorado in the States. DCF is the call-sign of the German radio time transmission, which is broadcast from Meinflingen near Frankfurt. The UK time transmitter is located at Anthorn, Cumbria, it's call sign is MSF. A number of other broadcasts are available in France, Canada, Switzerland and Japan. USB and serial radio receivers are available that can receive radio time broadcasts and provide computers with accurate timing information. The PC system time can then be synchronised to the received time and frequency radio source.
The problem with national radio time broadcasts is that they inherantly have a finite transmission range. Their transmissions are generally regional and limited to national boundaries. The Global Positioning System (GPS) provides a solution to this. The GPS system operates from a number of orbiting satellites. Each satellite has an on-board highly accurate synchronised atomic clock. GPS can provide highly precise timing information anywhere on the face of the planet. All that is required to receive the GPS transmissions is a low-cost GPS receiver and antenna. The GPS antenna needs to be shown a good clear view of the sky for correct operation. By connecting a PC to a serial or USB GPS receiver, accurate timing information is continuously available.
To summarise, a wide range of highly accurate computer timing references are freely available. Utilising the Internet, National time and frequency radio transmissions or the GPS system can ensure that a computers time remains locked to a precise time reference.
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Wine And Cheese Parties Are Positively Delicious!
Wine And Cheese Parties Are Positively Delicious!
by Ken Finnigan
If there is one thing we all love I think we can all agree it would be food. In many cultures around the world food is a very important aspect of life with special occasions and food intertwined with each other. Food is a social and fundamental part of society. Face it going to dinner with a friend is much more fun than eating dinner alone. Perhaps that is why dinner parties are such a genius idea, the notion of a group of people getting together to share a meal as well as stimulating conversation while sipping a glorious wine is nothing short of sublime. Putting together such a gathering of companions does not need to be a daunting task, which often seems to be one of the main reasons many people do not host as many soirees as they would like. A much more simple wine and cheese party can give the same jovial atmosphere as a dinner party with less work, less expense and above all less stress on the host or hostess.
Not much is required for having a wine and cheese party compared to holding a dinner party. Decor can be relatively simple and often works best as such. Fancy plates and glasses are not obligatory either. While it is important to make sure that you have proper wine glasses, do not go out and buy glasses just for the occasion. As stated in an earlier article, Essential Wine Accessories, red wines tend to be served in a larger bowl style glass than whites because of their bigger bouquets, but many wine glass companies nowadays manufacture a more universal wine glass which is suitable for both reds and whites. Don�t feel obliged to buy red wine glasses if you only drink white and vice versa because if you would only get use out of them occasionally when you had an event like a wine and cheese party it is not worth the expense.
Plates are much the same as wine glasses. If you do not plan on throwing many events it is not worth the expensive of going out and purchasing small serving or even mingling plates. Mingling plates are special plates that have a hole in one side to side in a wine glass so that while a person is eating and drinking they do not have to worry about balancing their glass or setting it down somewhere. Instead you can opt for a much less expensive yet still fashionable idea of cocktail napkins. Go down to your local party supply store and pick up a variety of small cocktail napkins in different colors and patterns. Using a variety of cocktail napkins not only is less expensive but also means you can better color or theme coordinate if you are having a themed wine and cheese party.
The most important part of a wine and cheese night is of course the wine and cheese! It is important to pair the two as best as possible, even if neither you nor your guests are sommeliers. Wine and cheese from the same regions tend to go very well together, but this does not mean you have to serve a French wine with a French cheese. Some of the most basic and most popular pairings for wine and cheese are:
Brie with Merlot, Champagne or a Sweet Sherry
Camembert with Chenin Blanc or Cabernet
Sharp Cheddar with Cabernet, Sauvignon Blanc or Rioja
Cream Cheese with White Zinfandel
Muenster with Beaujolais or Zinfandel
Roquefort with Tawny Port
Swiss with Gewurztraminer
So as you can see having a wine and cheese party is very simple, inexpensive and just as enjoyable as a full on dinner party! Don�t stress if you don�t have the right sort of glasses or plates, the wine and cheese party is meant to be a stress free social event with friends and loved ones.
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What Is A File With A .LNK Extension?
What Is A File With A .LNK Extension?
by Arvind Singh
LNK files are shortcut files that link to an exe file somewhere on the system. These can build up in the central database called the registry and slow the system down drastically if they are not cleaned from time to time. Registry cleaners, such as Windows XP registry cleaner, Free registry cleaner or a Eusing registry cleaner can do the job.
A shortcut file is also known as a link file because it is linked to the program it is expected to startup. A .LNK file is usually linked to a .exe or executable file or program. It is actually a pointer to an .EXE file that may be anywhere on your system. When you click on the shortcut it's like clicking on the .EXE file and the associated program starts to run. Many a time a LNK file will stop working for no reason at all. This is because of some malicious software known as viruses that download themselves and disrupt the underlying .EXE application. They do this by disrupting the association with the program and the link file. Many times the change is unintentional because a downloaded program makes changes to the registry to facilitate their programs thus corrupting the registry. These changes can be undone by registry cleaners that are available for free download from the Internet.
It is possible to undo or repair the damage to a LNK file by going into the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.lnk section of the registry because this is where all the LNK files and associated information is stored for the computer to use. However, it is not as easy as it sounds. You may do more damage to the system than good if you do not know exactly what you are doing in the registry. There fore, it is better if you search through the Internet and locate a registry cleaner, such as Windows XP registry cleaner, Free registry cleaner or a Eusing registry cleaner then down load the windows registry cleaner you feel is best for your system and run it to scan the registry and then clean the registry of all the redundant files or broken links.
By using a registry cleaner on a regular basis you will find that your system will be making less errors while operating. Most of the LNK or EXE errors will have been done away with as well. The system will also run more efficiently and faster than before the registry cleaner was run on the system. The registry is the central database of the system and stores all the information the system needs to run efficiently. Any changes in the system are reflected in the registry in the appropriate section. The registry grows in size as the system is used. Thus when a program requests some information it has to be located in the registry and the registry searches through the entire filing system to locate the information. This is how the registry slows down a system drastically as it grows.
The registry will keep all information entered into it. So the redundant information has to be cleaned or erased from time to time. This is accomplished with the help of registry cleaner software. Registry cleaner software is a great tool to speed up the system and make it more stable.
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How SEO Companies Create Gateway Pages
How SEO Companies Create Gateway Pages
by Chris Angus
If you are thinking of hiring a professional SEO expert or a search engine positioning company one thing you might want to ask them is whether or not they are intending to create doorway pages, also known as gateway pages to optimize your site. This is a common tact of many SEO companies that is used to propel websites to the top of the search engine pages quickly but it is not necessarily a technique that is embraced or condoned by the search engines themselves. This works as long as a search engine like Google does not catch you and penalize you for spamming.
Still creating these gateway or doorway pages is the main service that search engine optimization experts actually enhance a site. What are they exactly? They are pages that these search engine-positioning companies create independent of your site that are stuffed with keywords and then submitted to the search engines. Of course these pages also have a link to your site.
Creating all of these pages is easier for these SEO companies then you think. Many of them use automated software like WebPosition Gold (WPG) to generate pages that will rank high for a search engine. Using a program like this an SEO company can create different doorway pages that are tailored to attract the different
These positioning companies will even go to the trouble to create different gateway pages for each search engine, using the WPG Page Critic function. This tool tells Webmasters what keyword density each engine supposedly wants to see (based on past results), and how many times you should put particular keyword phrases into the text and meta tags of the gateway pages. Rather than spend thousands on a professional you can get a copy of this program or one like it for under $200 (and even less if you look for similar products on Clickbank.)
Chris Angus is a website Promoter � He can be contacted at chris (at) http://seocompanyuk.com
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Monday, November 19, 2007
How to Find the Perfect Gifts for Everyone On Your List
How to Find the Perfect Gifts for Everyone On Your List
by Chris Robertson
With the holidays just around the corner, many people are wracking their brains, trying to think of the perfect gifts for every person on their list. It can be hard to find gifts that convey the right emotional tone and that the recipient will enjoy. Here, then, are tips to find the perfect gifts for everyone on your list.
Friend, Family or Colleague?
First, write down the name of every person for whom you'd like to (or are obligated to) buy a gift. Next, give each person a rating on a scale of one to five, depending on how close they are to your intimate inner circle. If it helps, draw a series of five concentric circles, with the center circle representing those who know your dreams and aspirations and experience your joys and tribulations as they happen. The outer circle represents those people who may not know the "real" you, such as your boss or a business associate. There may be people on your list, such as your child's teacher, who isn't close to you, but who has made a tremendous difference in your child's life. Even though she may not know you well, you might decide to put her name in the second circle.
The reason for this exercise is to keep things in perspective when choosing gifts. It's all too easy to get swept up in the excitement of shopping, and select an inappropriately intimate gift for someone to whom you're not that close. Rating each person can seem calculating, but it will prevent you from buying lingerie for your pastor's wife!
Practical vs. Whimsical
The next step is deciding which people on your list would enjoy practical gifts, which would appreciate whimsical gifts, and which could go either way. So, put a "P" (for "practical"), a "W" (for "whimsical"), or a "PW" (for "practical or whimsical") next to each name. Women who are practical might enjoy a handbag or a blender, while those who are whimsical would appreciate jewelry and painted glass. Those who straddle the fence might find leather goods appealing, since they're both practical and luxurious.
The man who's whimsical might enjoy any number of personal electronics, such as a gaming system or DVD player. A practical man who's into cars, on the other hand, would appreciate a car alarm or even automotive parts. A man with a foot planted in both camps might enjoy something like a radar detector, a headset, or a telephone.
The Zen of Shopping
When you have many people on your gift list, it's important to keep yourself from getting caught up in shopping mania - going to the mall and grabbing whatever's available. Now that you have a list that has helped you define your relationships and determined the kinds of gifts each person might enjoy, why not take your time and shop online? Online mega malls have tens of thousands of items that would make perfect gifts. Best of all, they're often available at wholesale prices and the online stores can dropship them in a matter of a few days. No hassles, no worries, and your holiday shopping is complete!
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To learn more about subjects like Gifts please visit the web site at: http://365megamall.eordersonline.com/
For more information and informative related articles and links about this subject matter and content, please visit Majon's Gifts and Collectibles directory: http://www.majon.com/directory/Gifts_and_Collectibles
Use EASY Registry Cleaner
Use EASY Registry Cleaner
by Walter Scholler
The main benefit of each registry cleaner is its simpleness or not. But not all of them can be called easy in use. These terms are often dismissed. Only that software can guarantee users simple usage which was created special for Internet majority population who often has no time to lean much about software. And this is the fact. All what a user should know about a "cleaner" is that how to scan and fix a PC and the Windows registry. Simple idea: pro soft - for professionals, intro - for home users. All is fair. Some characteristics below prove it.
Easy registry cleaner advantages and disadvantages
From home users:
* Good-looking interface
* Different gratifying to the eye "skins"
* Easy navigation
* Not numerous options
* Easy Help support
* Thoughtful FAQ (frequently asked questions) list
* Easily added plugins for additional scan operations
From professionals:
* Too much colors making program like for children
* Not a lot of functions
* Spoon-fed FAQ and Help support
* Needless "skins"
We can think out much more advantages and disadvantages but the final result - easy registry cleaner will be always better for home users only. I'm sure professionals will like them when they will have a hand in such "cleaner" construction. One way or the other such software should be created in future.
So, we can say that the features of easy registry cleaner allow users to fix and clean safely and easily. These two factors are the most important in case of home user's security and convenience. Professional registry cleaner, in its turn, does the same work but in different performance. But the final choice is user's who have to choose between convinience of easy registry cleaner and multifunctionality of pro registry which is just hidden in easy registry software in order do not make inconveniences for a user.
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Company Official Site:
http://www.fixiter.com
Why I Love Wine Holders And Wine Caddies!
Why I Love Wine Holders And Wine Caddies!
by Ken Finnigan
Aside from the brief mention here and there with regards to the Wine Bug or Bugus Erectus, very little mention has been made as to how versatile a wine holder or wine caddy really can be! At the risk of sounding like an infomercial, I would like to point out why I love wine holders and wine caddies.
A wine holder is a great way to display that single bottle of wine that you want to set apart from the rest of your collection. Maybe you have a bottle of wine that you bought while on your honeymoon in France, or maybe it�s just a bottle from the market, which you think is fabulous, either way wine bottle holders are a better option to simply standing it on the counter. We all know that bottles should not be stood up because the cork can dry out and spoil the wine, so not only does a wine holder display you favourite bottle, but it also does this the correct way!
Some wine holders also double as a wine server, which makes it even more appealing. Aside from just showing off a bottle of wine, wine servers also are a great way to serve that Chardonnay or Merlot at a dinner party. From traditional to a little more eccentric, wine servers are always a conversation piece as well as a fantastic method for displaying and serving wine.
How often have you been invited to dinner and showed up with a bottle of wine in a plastic supermarket shopping bag or a brown paper sack from the liquor store? I know I have done it many times, and always feel a little awkward showing up at a nice dinner with the bottle in a brown bag that makes you look like a bum. Enter the wine caddy! Able to hold from one bottle to a few, a wine caddy is, in my humble opinion, a much better way of transporting wine. Some even hold wine glasses, which is perfect if you are looking to have a lovely picnic in the park (be aware of public drinking laws before doing this, while it might be acceptable in some places, others you could get arrested).
So this is why I love the wine caddy and the wine holder! So many styles and so many uses, I only wish I had written about them sooner!
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Georgia Foreclosure Listings Offer Huge Bargains To Georgia Homebuyers
Georgia Foreclosure Listings Offer Huge Bargains To Georgia Homebuyers
by Bob Smith
Taking the midnight train to Georgia? You may want to consider it if you are a Georgia foreclosure listing investor. Georgia, as the rest of the nation, is experiencing unprecedented foreclosure listings. Too many homeowners simply are feeling the strain of the current economy and defaulting on their mortgage.
Georgia foreclosure listings can be obtained in a myriad of places. Newspapers, magazines and the internet are th primary source. The internet is the most commonly used means of finding foreclosure listings. Simply type in Georgia foreclosure listings in any serach engine and there will be hundereds if not thousands of websites for you to browse.
Make sure however, that if the foreclosure listing service requires a subscription that there is due diligence in reporting any and all findings. Make sure the listings found on the service are current and up to date, being updated at the minimum daily. Another item to watch for is that the foreclosure listing is comprehensive. A true comprehensive listing provides data such as complete address, city, state, zip code, lender information, contact information, and a photo of the property would be a huge plus.
Foreclosure listings can provide a number of opportunities as many times they are priced far below market value. For the first time homebuyer, they may find a home that is within their means as the price is so competitive. For the foreclosure listing investor, thye may find �fix-me-up� homes that with a little sweat equity, the property can easily be flipped. Now, there are people that are choosing flipping houses as a career choice. If you are a savvy investor and good with tools, flipping may be the way to go. Additionally, more and more people are turning to foreclosure listings to find investment property to rent to others. In this scenario, the homewoner actually is having others make the mortgage payment for them while they build their nest egg for future use. Finally, foreclosure listings can be a terrific resource for finding a secondary or vacation home. Since many foreclosure listing sites provide listings from all over the country, a ski chalet in Vail may just be on the market at a price you can now afford!!
Whatever your personal need, foreclosure listing service offers a great opportunity for property you may never have known about if using traditional house-for-sale methods.
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Baby Portraits � An Oil Painting From Your Photos
Baby Portraits � An Oil Painting From Your Photos
by Allan Holder
Forget the tie this Father�s Day; oil painting portraits of children is a Father�s Day gift that is sure to be unexpected. A custom-created oil painting can be commissioned from a professional using a photograph of your baby, which is especially helpful if you�re child does not sit still for long. If you are truly adventurous and enjoy experimenting, you can even paint an oil painting on your own.
A Unique Gift Idea
A child portrait, especially a baby portrait, is not only a timeless and classical way to commemorate the privilege of fatherhood, but is also a Father�s Day gift that will likely be completely unexpected. Forget the work shirts, golf equipment and barbecue supplies this year; a Father�s Day gift should be a sign of thanks and appreciation for your special dad. Furthermore, a baby portrait is truly a gift that he will cherish for the rest of his life and one that will probably also become a family heirloom.
An oil painting is a non-traditional and unique Father�s Day gift idea. While baby portraits, just like any other original oil paintings, can be expensive, it may be worth the cost to be able to convey a special message to the man who has been such a wonderful father.
How it�s Done
Most babies are not willing to sit still for the long hours that are necessary to paint a traditional portrait; however there are many artists who will create an oil painting from your photo. Choose a photo that is clear and accurately portrays the expressions and personality of your baby. Giving a Father�s Day gift such as a commissioned baby portrait will forever preserve that particular moment in time for the father and will be a vision that he will surely carry with him always.
Select the Right Artist
When it comes to oil painters, not all artists are the same. Make sure to choose an artist that specializes in portraits, perhaps even one that works solely on baby portraits. Choosing an artist that works mostly with landscapes and still-life paintings or other non-human subject matter may not be the best choice for your baby portrait, though his or her work may be impressive. The artist that you commission should be able to capture facial expressions and the humanity of the child in the portrait. In order to select the artist that is best for you, ask your friends who they have heard of and spend some time looking through portfolio books.
Once you have your commissioned baby portrait, make sure that you wrap it well so that it does not get any scratches before Father�s Day. Select a location in your home that you can be proud to feature the work. As your child grows, you will likely want to place this baby portrait next to future portraits of him or her.
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Mobile Search - The Next Big Thing?
Mobile Search - The Next Big Thing?
by Mark Scriven
Annual mobile phone sales are predicted to hit 1 billion by 2009 and there are already 4 times as many internet-enabled phones in the world than there are PC's.
According to Dotmobi (www.dotmobi.net), one third of the global population are connected via mobile phones today and approximately half are expected to be using a mobile Internet phone by 2008. An IPSOS survey suggests that 29% of mobile phone users in the UK searched for news and information on their handset during 2005.
The statistics are impressive and will get any marketers pulse racing. But it does seem as if we've been hearing about the potential of mobile search market for some time, and yet very few travel companies appear to be active in the mobile search space and mobile e-commerce revenues are still modest.
Up until now most advertisers have been ignoring mobile as a marketing channel, according to a new report by Forrester Research called "Interactive Marketing Channels to Watch in 2007." It suggests that only 13 percent of marketers use mobile text message ads and only 11 percent bother advertising on wireless application protocol (WAP) sites. It seems clear that advertisers are waiting for evidence that the market is there before deciding to jump in themselves.
Barrier and limitations to growth
Despite the huge number of people that have access to the mobile internet there are a number of barriers to mobile web adoption. For example;
1. Cost and clarity - carrier data plans can be expensive and confusing compared to normal internet access plans.
2. Screen Size - the limited screen size of many hand sets negatively impacts the user's browsing experience.
3. Ease of use - due to the limited screen size there is an increased number of clicks needed to get to content.
4. Lack of content - there is a 'walled garden' approach to the content offered by many mobile network operators which means that not all mobile users get full access to content.
Competition - the WiFi explosion
Another factor that may have impacted on the growth of mobile internet usage is the increasing availability of high-speed WiFi internet access in many public areas. Airports, hotels, bars, libraries and commercial shopping centres are increasingly offering WiFi, and it's often free. This has encouraged users to use laptops and PDA's to access the internet while on the move rather than through mobile phones.
Mobile is the perfect advertising platform
Despite these barriers to growth travel companies cannot afford to ignore the e-commerce and marketing potential of this platform. All of the barriers to growth outlined above will be overcome over time as technology improves and network and content providers adapt their services to facilitate the growth. The issue is not really whether the mobile search market will make an impact, but how it will make an impact.
In many ways mobile is the perfect advertising platform. It's always with the consumer, it's always on, it provides personal profiling data, it provides location data, it's interactive and it has multiple billing options already built in.
At present the major bulk of mobile searches are related to ring tones, news, entertainment, maps and directions, directory listings, local restaurants and other local services. As many as 60,000 UK users a day are checking train times on their mobile phones.
Local search is clearly the natural mobile advertising opportunity. Going forward, more complex searches and bigger transactions will become viable as technology advances and users become more comfortable with using their handsets for searching.
In a recent Travelmole interview, Nancy Lyndhurst, the product manager for O2, said some of the larger travel brands like Cathay Pacific, Accor Hotels and KLM are already successfully marketing with mobile technology. She also cites the example of Lastminute who received a �3,000 holiday booking online from a customer using their mobile telephone.
Mobile marketing spend to reach $11 billion by 2011
A recent report by the telecom division of Informa Group stated that advertisers are expected to spend a massive $11 billion on mobile marketing by 2011. Optimistic predictions like this have compelled the major search engines to start making significant investment in the future of mobile search themselves.
Google have predicted that their own mobile division, based in London, will "become the biggest driver of new business" for the company.
Google has developed its own mobile search engine and has signed a number of deals to provide mobile search services to major operator portals. Motorola have even agreed to add a dedicated "Google" button to some of its hand sets. LG, one of the top 5 mobile firms in the world, have announced that they will start to ship handsets pre-loaded with Google services from this month.
Yahoo has unveiled a new application called Yahoo Go Mobile which makes its various services available on certain phones. Not to be outdone, Microsoft launched Live Search for Mobile in February at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona.
There are also a number of start ups like Jumptap and Medio who will be bringing services to the new mobile search space.
It's clear that the major search properties, in partnership with the phone manufacturers and network services, are intent on driving the mobile search sector forward. With this kind of momentum there's no doubt that mobile search marketing will eventually become a major part of online marketing, it's just a question of when. Could 2007 be the year of mobile search?
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5 Ways to Boost Your Earning Potential
5 Ways to Boost Your Earning Potential
by Mary Gormandy White
1. Networking - Build a network of other people who are influential in your career field. Professional organizations, chambers of commerce, and networking groups are great resources for meeting people who are leaders in your field and community. As you cultivate mutually beneficial relationships with your networking contacts, you�ll likely learn about new job opportunities before they are announced to the general public.
2. Computer Skills - Having strong computer skills is a key to success in just about any career field. People who keep up with the latest software applications and operating systems often have a competitive advantage when it comes to being considered for promotions and getting new jobs. Even if you are very busy, there are a number of options for inexpensive and convenient online training programs that can help you stay on top of the latest advances in computer technology.
3. Professional Licensure - In many fields, there is a huge salary difference between licensed and unlicensed professionals. Say, for example that you work in the office of an apartment complex. Because of your work experience, you might very likely have the skills needed to be a real estate agent or home inspector, and you could boost your earning potential by becoming a licensed professional in one of these fields.
4. Get Certified - When employers are looking at hiring highly skilled professionals, they want to be sure that the candidates they choose do in fact have the skills to do the job. Earning a recognized certification in your field is one of the best ways to prove your skills to prospective employers.
5. Earn a Degree - One of the best ways to help yourself move up in your career is by increasing and validating your knowledge base with a degree. In many types of jobs, your pay rate is directly related to the highest level of education you have completed.
Working toward an advanced degree in your field can demonstrate to your current and future employers that you are committed to long term career success. If you already have an undergraduate degree, a graduate degree can have a positive impact on your earning potential.
The power to boost your ability to make more money is in your hands. The better connected you are and the more able you are to demonstrate your skills, knowledge, and commitment to employers, the more control you will have over your future career success.
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Sustainable Construction: The Future of Commercial Development
Sustainable Construction: The Future of Commercial Development
by Tony Seruga, Yolanda Seruga and Yolanda Bishop
Sustainability is a significant issue of our times. Considering the social as well as the environmental benefits resulting from sustainable development, it is a no-brainer to direct all concerted efforts towards this notable cause. Sustainability can be defined as the ability to fulfill today�s needs without affecting the ability to fulfill tomorrow�s needs.
Sustainable development is recently being actively pursued by several developers and planners; the following are the primary factors that have contributed to its relevance, awareness and prominence:
* Some countries have made it a legal requirement and included sustainable development in the regional and local policies.
* Agencies are setting standards for sustainable development and are making efforts to promote it.
* The UK government has included sustainable development in its policy among other environmental issues like carbon dioxide emission reduction.
The UK government has made some remarkable progress in light of the recent trend towards sustainable development. It has defined a set of indicators that measure the quality of life; these include social, economic and environmental issues. The ratings on these indicators help measure how well a project is faring on the sustainable development scale.
Sustainable development is not an option for high-profile projects alone; efforts are being made to make it increasingly more feasible for all project types and budgets. Sustainable development includes the use of sustainable materials, resources, and design which includes the location, orientation, structure, systems, construction, use and also the eventual disposal of waste. All these elements are significant and in order for sustainable development to initiate and flourish, all or at least a few should be sustainable.
Sustainability does not indicate that the elements should simply have the �recyclable� label. Each person involved at every step of the process should work to ensure that the recyclable products actually get recycled.
Design of a project is the chief consideration that establishes whether a project will really meet the sustainable development requirements. The various decisions involved throughout this comprehensive and cumbersome process will determine the quality of products and resources that will be available to the project team. As we are still early in the course of sustainable development, an approach of trying and learning from the results is needed to arrive at the �perfect� combination for a sustainable development project. The following are among the various considerations for sustainability:
* Resource extraction and depletion
* Land use
* Waste disposal
* Contamination of ground water and surface water
* Global warming
* Pollution of air, water, noise etc.
* Economic development
* Impact on communities
* Environmental degradation
* Habitat destruction
Our current method of construction and approaching a development project is taking a toll on the environment. To name a few impacts:
* Extraction of required materials consumes the rapidly-depleting non-renewable resources
* Waste generated is disposed into the sea or landfills
* Resulting pollution affects the atmosphere and the quality of life
* Waste of energy due to poor construction and rapid failing designs
The major factor that drives people towards or away from a sustainable development project is the cost. In an attempt to compete and win a contract, builders offer extremely low prices. This strategy, however, has some very adverse affects and, if not checked immediately, can lead to extremely harsh consequences for the environment and for the people.
Solutions to this problem have been ascertained and the implementation of these solutions requires a strong will and a commitment to improve the conditions and thereby, make a difference in the world. Although the economic cost of alternatives to sustainable development is low, the costs to the environment and the people are much higher. These costs include a reduced quality of life, dangerous health impacts, polluted air and many more. The sooner we realize the relevance of sustainable development, the better we will be at taking steps to flip the situation in our favor. Either we choose to get away with the monetary costs and pay the environmental costs or we learn to take responsibility and consequently, pay the economic costs for a better and healthier environment. Soon, the costs shall disappear into a better and healthier quality of life.
Another way to look at the costs might provide the required motivation to commit oneself to this approach. The economic costs that seem additional at present will transform into nothing. In a matter of a couple years, sustainable development will be the norm and the way of life and at this time, the owners of sustainable projects will be enjoying the edge. The extra costs will become savings then. Realizing the potential and benefits of sustainable development is an asset in itself and those who act intelligently on the available information will benefit.
The sustainable development solution is a choice at the moment but soon enough, this choice will turn into a mandatory obligation. And perhaps, then might be too late to reverse the damage that has been done and to correct the actions. We should take responsibility for our actions and should follow the sustainable development approach as this is a decision we will be proud of. Acquiring this approach is not just the rightful decision that will prove rewarding for ourselves but it is also the selfish decision. In no time, sustainable development will become the required standard for urban, suburban, residential as well as commercial development.
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Internet Paid Surveys � Fast Facts To Digest
Internet Paid Surveys � Fast Facts To Digest
by Davion Wong
Internet paid surveys are one of the most popular work from home opportunity to earn an extra income stream with the spare time you have. There is great flexibility. You are your own boss and call your shots. You decide when you want to take the surveys and how long you want to spend your time on the internet paid surveys. The flexibility and the good payouts are some of the reasons why internet paid surveys are extremely popular among the work-at-home mums, retirees and students who have some spare time in between lessons.
Internet paid surveys are not all work and no play. They can be fun to participate in. Not only that, what you feedback to the survey companies would help the product companies to plan and develop better products. If you are already a consumer of that specific brand of products, you stand to gain in the end when their products improve. And you can claim some credit for being the one who suggested the changes. On top of that, the survey companies would pay you for your opinions. So, it is mutually beneficial for you to do the internet paid surveys.
Most of the survey companies are free to join and can pay anything from $2 to $150 for each completed internet paid survey. There are also others that would enter you into their prize draws and even some would put you into the sweepstakes for a chance to get more cash rewards. There are quite a handful of survey companies that would reward you with points or credits that can be accumulated for cash redemption when you have accumulated enough.
You probably would start off first with internet paid surveys in the form of questionnaires. Subsequently, you could be invited for focus survey groups or even product testing and so on. These often take more time but the rewards can be great. Not only so, you would find these survey groups and testing rather interesting. While earning money, you are also enjoying the process.
Even though internet paid surveys have been responsible for the extra income thousands of folks are receiving every single month, there are still skeptics. This is understandable as it sounds too good to be true. But the truth remains that it is possible to earn additional income. Though it cannot replace your day job, extra few hundred to one or two thousand dollars a month would definitely improve your life. Plus you need not be spending too much time and attention on internet paid surveys in order to achieve that.
You may also have heard about internet paid surveys directories that are offered online. Are they any good? Well, the answer is yes! Such directories are packed with listings of reliable and paying survey companies that consistently can offer paid surveys to do. Anyone hoping to search and locate each company on his or her own efforts would take ages to do so. So why not learn more through my survey blog about these directories that can get you started earning money with internet paid surveys?
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Auto Insurance Center
Auto Insurance Center
by David Yury
Are you looking for a great way to compare auto insurance companies and the rates available to you? Then you need to check out the Auto Insurance Center at http://www.autoinsurancefree.com. There are wonderful articles to read as well regarding various auto insurance topics. Find out how to keep your auto insurance rates low and the consequences of driving without vehicle insurance.
The terminology surrounding auto insurance can be quite confusing at times. Auto Insurance Center offers a great section that explains all the terms in very simple language. This really helps to take the complexity out of deciphering the various terms involved with auto insurance quotes and policies.
Hopefully, you will never be involved in an auto accident, but should it happen, do you know what to do? Go through the check list provided on the site to find out what items you need to carry in your vehicle for such incidents as well as the information you need to collect and share. Also find out the process for reporting the accident to the authorities and to your insurance agent.
Auto Insurance Center allows you the convenience of entering all your information and then getting several great insurance quotes. This is the perfect way to find out who can offer you the very best deal on auto insurance without having to spend hours on the phone compiling the information yourself. They feature insurance quotes for every state so you are sure to find the valuable information you need.
If you don�t find everything you need at Auto Insurance Center, you can contact them by phone or email. They offer a very friendly and knowledgeable customer service team that can assist you with any questions or concerns. In addition to auto insurance, you will find information on renters insurance, health insurance, and life insurance.
The Auto Insurance Center offers consumers a great one stop resource for all of their auto insurance needs. The site offers quotes that allow you to compare prices, information on getting the best rates, and wonderful articles to help you stay on top of the events taking place in the world of auto insurance. All of this information is free to use, so take the confusion out of your auto insurance needs and start using Auto Insurance Center.
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Feel free to visit: http://www.autoinsurancefree.co.nr
Tea: How Is White Tea Graded?
Tea: How Is White Tea Graded?
by Marcus Stout
White tea has become a very popular drink in recent years. Though it�s been grown at least as far back as the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.), it is a new beverage to most people in the Western world.
Later, during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) the emperor Hui Zhong declared white tea to be the most elegant form of tea, and this declaration made white tea more popular and increased the number of tea gardens growing the variety. During this same dynasty, a new method of white tea preparation emerged, known as the Song method.
Prior to this, white tea leaves were processed into cakes and prepared by boiling pieces of the tea cake in kettles. During the Song Dynasty, white tea began being produced in powdered form. After the white tea leaves were steamed and dried, they were ground into a fine powder. This powder was whisked with hot water in wide bowls. This method of preparation produced a tea that was either emerald or iridescent white in color.
The most popular cultivars for white tea include Da Bai, Xiao Bai, Narcissus and Chaicha bushes. Based on the different standards of picking and selecting the white teas, they can be classified into different grades. Following is an overview of white tea grades.
Bai Hao Yinzhen Tea � This tea is produced mostly in the Fujian province of China, but is also produced in the Jiangxi Province, the Lin Yun Province and the Yunnan provinces of China, too. It is generally referred to as Silver Needle tea and is considered the highest grade of white tea.
The best Yinzhen white tea is picked between March 15 and April 10. It must be picked when the weather is dry and only unopened and undamaged buds are to be used for the best flavor. This tea is very low in caffeine. It is very pale in color when brewed, and has an extremely mild flavor. In fact, it is so mild that some people find it nearly tasteless. When brewed this tea will look pale yellow and there should be floating white hairs that reflect the light.
Bai Mu Dan Tea � This tea is known as Pai Mu Tan, White Peony or White Hairy Monkey Tea. It is grown primarily in the Fujian and Chongqing Provinces of China. This is a lower grade of Yinzhen tea that contains fewer buds and more leaves. It is picked only between March 15 and April 10 and only on days where there is no rain, no frost and no dew on the ground.
The stems must not have any purple buds and leaves must be completely undamaged and buds completely unopened. The best Bai Mu Dan uses the top two leaves and the unopened bud only. Once the leaves are dried they should appear green.
This white tea has a delicate floral fragrance and a mellow, fruity and sweet taste, but brews up slightly stronger than Bai Hao Yinzhen Tea. The liquor is shimmering and clear. The brew will have a very pale green or golden color. This tea is considered to be the second highest grade of white tea.
Shou Mei Tea � This tea is primarily grown in the Fujian and Guangxi Provinces of China. It is produced from naturally withered upper leaves and tips of the tea plant. It is plucked later than Bai Mu Dan, resulting in darker leaves. This white tea will have a stronger flavor than many other white teas, somewhat like oolong tea. The flavor is fruity, but can become bitter if over brewed. It is considered a fourth grade tea.
Darjeeling White Tea � This tea is grown in the Darjeeling region of India, where it is picked and rolled by hand and then withered in the sun. It must be grown at high altitudes with lots of rain to produce the right flavor. Darjeeling white brews to a very pale color and delicate aroma.
Ceylon White Tea � Ceylon tea is produced in Sri Lanka. It is harvested and rolled by hand and the leaves are withered in the sun. It has a very pale color when brewed and has a bit of a honey flavor. Ceylon white is a highly prized Sri Lankan tea.
Within these different categories of white tea, there are some grades based on the quality of leaf used. For example, in white teas in general, the highest grades use a higher proportion of bud to leaf. However, there are no internationally recognized standards for the grading of tea, so it can be quite difficult to determine the highest qualities in white and other varieties of tea.
In general, higher quality tea should be higher priced, but tea that is rare is also higher priced, so that can make it difficult to spot the best teas, too. First pluckings in white tea produce a higher quality of tea, so it�s wise to shop for tea that is labeled such in order to get the best quality.
Finding the best white teas may be a bit difficult and may cost a bit of money, too. However, the best white teas are so very delicious that they are well worth the extra time and cost.
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