Time management essential for university students

Making the cut in university admissions does not mean everything will be smooth sailing. All the hard work back in high school has paid off, and was only a warm-up for what is yet to come. For many people college can be more hectic and stressful than high school.

Unfortunately, many students assume that they can take it easy once they reach college. This is a common misconception of many new university students; that college is little more than a four-year party with a gigantic cover charge.

The truth is that being a university student means a much more work and dedication to studies. It does not mean there's no room for fun, but there it must be strictly regulated to ensure educational success.

The key to successful combination of study and recreation is time management.

Managing time between academics and recreation is not easy, as many university students can attest. It is important to set realistic goals to avoid failing to achieve those goals and becoming frustrated. Goals should not be too simple, lest failure occur from doing too little; goals should be both challenging and achievable. Typically some degree of trial and error is required to find the proper level of challenge.

Many factors should be considered when doing a time management plan. For example, it is important to determine both what the specific goals are going to be, as well as when the work to meet them will be done. This works to avoid the pitfall of procrastination.

A university student is most definitely not at a loss for activities to undertake. Without parental supervision and assistance the myriad of small tasks that all must be personally dealt with can become overwhelming. Not all the amenities of home may be readily available. It may be necessary to drive to the laundry rather than walking to the laundry room, and shopping for groceries and cooking meals may be required. For freshmen it can be very difficult to adjust being a college life.

It is the student's responsibility to manage the time for these activities with the time necessary to study. There is no outside regulation or enforcement to prevent poor planning from destroying overall performance. This provides training for life as an adult, and despite the tendency to view the sudden glut of freedom as license to act on whim, self-control and discipline are vital to a successful academic career.

Passing each and every exam scheduled should be the minimum goal of any academic plan. It will be necessary to study thoroughly and manage time properly to achieve this.

Time management tips for college:

Set an achievable number of goals. Having too few will yield no satisfaction and will increase the likely of academic failure due to lack of action. Too many will often cause a sense of being overwhelmed, failure, and frustration. Avoid this by listing every goal that must be achieved, writing them down, and prioritizing them. Remember to be realistic and find ways to organize the goals so that they can all be completed.

Once the goals are organized according to importance, assemble them into a plan that allows completion of goals on a realistic and achievable schedule. Further break this plan down into weekly and daily goals. Make an effort to leave as much room for reorganization as possible, since life has the habit of disrupting even the best laid plans.

Flexibility is key. If a task takes more time than expected, quickly reorganize the daily or weekly goals to keep everything on track. If extra time is found, consider using it to get ahead of goal as insurance against an unforeseen future delay. Always remember that no plan is set in stone. If mistakes are made or reality turns what once seemed possible into the impossible, start over and re-plan. Creativity often means the difference between success and failure here.

It may seem obvious, but include time to sleep in the plan. Always welcome a break. Too much work and too little rest will wear nerves and cause stress, ultimately resulting in failure on goals. If stress levels simply get too high, take a break and catch up later.

Finally, always remember to have fun. Celebrate the completions of goals by going to parties or whatever recreation is most enjoyable to you. As time management is done more effectively the time available for doing fun things will increase.

Envy of the gods - book review

Envy of the Gods, a science-fiction novel, has a cast of five main characters that struggle through a rise to leadership, tough ethical decisions, the re-discovery and use of ancient textbooks, and a society that strives for a better, more efficient way of life.

In a ruthless and brutal age, much like our age of barbarian kingdoms, the novel takes the reader through immense social and governmental changes. Cold, power hungry Duke Atan Ishtba is on his way towards unchallenged dominance of surrounding kingdoms. Yet Raphela's intense beauty not only brought him to his knees. All his efforts at wooing her with jewels and finery are only in vain. Her heart lay with the rightful leader who is destined to rule the land with a caring and enterprising heart. Between the two they bring education to the masses, equality to women and better economic situations for the general public.

This is not done through some kind of super-human power, but rather through genuine hard work, learning to use their minds creatively and through the generosity of the Ancients – who left behind a written legacy of their advanced knowledge. The loyal support of friends like Mahtso and Fatell, help these two through their many adventures.

The author never tells us much about the Ancients, the terrain or other such background information. I was clueless, until it was made clear in the end, that the book is based in another world entirely. Certainly, the characters were quite likely to be of humanoid life. Envy of the Gods is very interesting indeed, and deserves a second read.

I do, however, feel it is necessary to voice some negative comments. The back cover does not explain the book very well at all and the front cover image does not have much appeal. I felt, that at times, some of the events were not exactly believable or could fit a realistic timetable. But then, science-fiction genres can push many boundaries that other genres cannot.

This 320-page novel by Andrea Savitch is the first in the trilogy and though it does not require subsequent novels, the author has created sufficient curiosity to entice readers to wonder where she will take them next.

ISBN#: 1-933538-11-2

Author: Andrea Savitch

Publisher: Bridgeway Books

Online business vs. brick-and-mortar business

Building Confidence

Your customers are looking for convenient ways to shop, but they have to feel secure in the process. Online businesses are responsible for protecting customer privacy. It is not enough to keep your customers safe and secure, you have to constantly communicate it to them. Posting your Privacy statement on your site conveniently is a good start, but there is more.

Explain your customers what is done to keep their information secure. Assure them that the information they provide you is neither shared nor sold with a third party. Describe the technologies in the background ensuring customer safety. Give details, without getting too technical, about how encryption technology works. When you put in plain words the security measures you take your customers will appreciate it and they are more likely to trust you.

Dealing With The Extra Space

Now that you don’t have to physically store every product you want to sell online, you can increase your virtual inventory without increasing your rent. You can offer a larger variety of products increasing your customer base. If you are a manufacturer, you can offer drop shipping your products for other businesses. (Drop shipping is the concept of the manufacturer-shipping product directly to the consumer instead of shipping to a wholesaler.) If you are a retailer, you can have products drop shipped to your customers directly.

Location Location Location

Brick-and-mortal retail is all about location. The right location can make or break your business. The same is true for online business, except it is virtual location that matters. Your online business relies on store visitors just the same as a brick-and-mortar business. Online businesses get most of their visitors through the search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and MSN. The better position you have the more traffic your site will receive. On the Internet, traffic is everything.

Price

The bigger market presents you with more opportunities, but it doesn’t come without a price. The fierce competition dictates competitive prices. You have to be able to set the right price for your product that allots for a reasonable profit margin while maintaining your competitive pricing structure. Many people that shop online are more price conscious than brick-and-mortar shoppers.

Guanajuato too many false expectations

A friend of mine told me about a conversation she had with a person she knows in one of the Mexican Prime Living Locations on the west coast of Mexico. This area, one to which many Americans flock, had become too expensive for her to continue living there. When my friend asked her where she might want to move, Guanajuato was her first choice. But, she lamented; she couldn't live in Guanajuato because she doesn't speak Spanish.

Three years ago, while sitting in one of Guanajuato's plazas and doing nothing much but watching the tourists, a lady from San Miguel de Allende approached us and asked if we lived in Guanajuato. After exchanging pleasantries, she said she was in town looking for cheaper accommodations since the cost of living in San Miguel had become unaffordable for her. Then, almost in tears, she said she would have to retreat back to the States since she could not speak Spanish. She concluded she could not live in anywhere in Mexico other than the exorbitantly priced Gringolandias where she didn't have to speak Spanish.

Four days ago while strolling home from El Centro, we met an American couple from yet another Mexican west coast town that were visiting Guanajuato. They were looking for a cheaper place to live in Mexico because the area where they live has become too expensive for them to keep living comfortably. They were in Guanajuato checking out the lay of the expatriation land. While my wife spoke to the woman, the husband took me aside and spoke to me in hushed tones as if he were revealing national security secrets. He asked furtively, "I suppose we will have to learn Spanish?"

That evening, I was doing some reading on the Mex-Connect forums when I came across an interesting entry. This lady expressed her indignation that while she was in Guanajuato visiting for a week or two, no one would speak English to her. She was, as many Americans seem to be, convinced the locals could speak English but were only pretending not to. She acted as if these Mexicans knew this woman was coming and decided to make a pact in order to torture her by speaking only in their native tongue?

She said, now pay attention to this, "They should speak English."

I would love to tell you this is an isolated nutty woman but I've heard it in person and online too many times for it to be so.

If you really want to see what Americans who do manage to make it to The Mexican Highlands think about the city of Guanajuato, you should read the travel forums. There seems to be a consensus among them that Guanajuatenses are all actually bilingual in English but in some deviously planned plot, all agree never to speak to Americans in English. One lady stood outside a sidewalk restaurant in El Jardin and shouted the "I know you speak English and are pretending you don't" mantra in front of God and all his witnesses—Mexicans and Gringos alike!

The truth is that when we first moved here, we found precious few who spoke English. We set about learning Spanish with a vengeance. Frankly, we couldn't have cared less then nor do we care now if we ever encounter another English speaker. When we encountered trouble, we figured out how to handle it in Spanish. Our reasoning was that Mexicans decided long ago that Spanish was going to be the language they spoke and they have been very happy with the decision ever since.

Of the many reasons I write what I do on expat and Mexico issues (I am most certainly an equal opportunity critic) is for the following reason. The people who make their way to Guanajuato, mostly Americans who come with ridiculous and outrageous expectations, go back to the U. S. as self-proclaimed experts on Mexican culture. They spend the rest of their lives mean-mouthing the city to all their friends, family, and neighbors.

Would you not agree that those who return to the States and then write the following should not be allowed outside America's borders?

"I had to walk an entire block to my hotel and carry my own bags."

"Of all the nerve! I had to walk up some stairs to my room because there was no elevator!"

"I know they all speak English in this hotel and are pretending they don't."

"I screamed (in English, of course, since I don't speak Spanish) at that Mexican kid writing graffiti on the wall. He acted like he didn't understand me. I know he was faking."

These go on and on.

So, how do you get through to these people who are flooding into Guanajuato? You tell the truth.

I tell the truth in my articles so those who do end up coming will not be the types with silly and unrealistic demands. They will be the type who return to America and tell their reasonable friends they had a good time in Guanajuato in spite of the bumps and bruises one is bound to encounter in another culture.

Can you imagine a hoity-toity American coming to Guanajuato and trying to make his or her way through the Pastita barrio to visit the Olga Costa Museum and encountering the not-too-unusual practice of some Mexicans who abandon the issue of their hyper-fertile female dogs alongside a trash dumpster? Dumping puppies at the trash bin will send most Americans I know into a tailspin of apocalyptic proportions. They will not describe Guanajuato kindly in any venue. It's best they know what to expect before they get here.

The Spanish issue is almost an unfathomable one. And, it is sad.

Many could expatriate to Guanajuato if they mastered Spanish. They could live far more cheaply if they could live, shop, and function in a Spanish-speaking neighborhood. Most Americans have absolutely no idea how to begin the process. They resort to taking classes.

One person wrote me and said I had almost convinced him not to come to Guanajuato to study Spanish. That isn't the point at all. Study Spanish in America by using any number of the home study courses before enrolling in a class at home or abroad. The classroom will teach you a lot of things about the language but impart little to no spoken fluency.

Someone wrote and said they had studied Spanish for nearly 20 years but still cannot speak the language.

I rest my case.

About basic bank accounts

Despite easier than ever access to personal finance services, there are still 3 million adults in the UK today who are completely outside the banking system, and don't have access to a bank account.

Many of these people are unable to get a standard account because they have a poor credit score, either because of past financial difficulties or simply a lack of positive financial history. While high street banks are always keen to deal with people with good credit ratings, they can be cautious about making credit facilities such as overdrafts available to people with sub-prime ratings.

A new kind of bank account was needed if the industry's government prompted goal of increasing financial inclusion was to be met, and Basic Bank Accounts were born.

Basic bank accounts, also known as starter accounts or introductory accounts, are a very simple type of account which offer little in the way of credit or ways for accountholders to get into debt. There is usually no overdraft facility, no cheque book, and no debit card. The accounts simply provide a way for money to be paid in either over the counter or by electronic transfer, and withdrawn by cash machine.

This lack of features means that there is little risk or cost involved for the banks, and so their approval rates are much higher. In fact, about the only people who will have their applications rejected are undischarged bankrupts, or those with a history of fraud or very serious bad debt.

So how can getting a basic bank account benefit you? Firstly, most accounts will let you set up direct debits to pay your bills, and this will save you money as many companies will give you a discount if you pay in this way.

Also, the government is moving towards paying all benefits and pensions direct into bank accounts rather than in the old way over the Post Office counter, and basic bank accounts will let you receive money in this way.

Finally, this kind of account can be a 'stepping stone' into other financial services, helping you to build up a better credit rating, and in the future to take advantage of other services available such as overdrafts and debit or credit cards.

Since they were introduced, basic accounts have been very successful, and there have now been around 5 million accounts opened. Both the government and the banking industry say they are committed to increasing this figure even more over the next few years, until ideally every adult has some form of bank account, and so we can expect to hear a lot more about basic accounts in the near future.

How to select affordable term life insurance

Affordable term life insurance is ideal for most individuals. While it’s true that whole life insurance covers you for your entire life and provides a savings component, most Americans aren’t looking for those benefits. With term life insurance, there are no extra costs for benefits you don’t want or need, i. e. savings components, and with no extra costs you pay less. Term life insurance is cheaper and gets to the point. It provides financial benefits to your beneficiaries in the event of you death. Period.

However, there are certain factors you should look out for when selecting affordable term life insurance. Those factors are as follows:

Buy early. The earlier you select an affordable term life insurance policy, the more affordable it the policy will be. Life insurance companies are more apt to offer affordable insurance premiums to younger people because they are less risky to insure.

Make sure the term life insurance policy offer guaranteed renewals. When it’s time to renew your affordable term life insurance policy, you can actually be denied or forced to pay higher premiums than before. Insurance companies implement these policies because, well, you’re getting on in years and becoming more of a risk to insure. While you can’t always get around paying the higher premiums, you can get around being denied. Simply select a life insurance company that guarantees renewal. This way, you won’t have to begin the search process all over again, thus you won’t risk paying even higher premiums than you would if you renewed, or not finding life insurance coverage at all.

Look for premium discounts. Purchasing a lower amount of term life insurance coverage doesn’t always mean you’ll pay lower premiums. Sometimes life insurance companies offer premium discounts if you purchase a higher amount of coverage. So, you may actually be able to get more affordable term life insurance if you purchase $250,000 than you would if you purchase $200,000.

Golf consistency and scoring

I am not the best golfer on earth, my handicap varies from 16 to 18 most of the time, but I am not unhappy. I did not take the game up till my thirties, have never had a lesson, nor do I use the best clubs. For me golf is about camaraderie, being out amongst nature, and competing with myself. Luckily I have a great bunch of friends who share these ideals and we have a great time taking a dollar or two off each other.

Therefore my improvement comes from reading books and magazines, and watching golf shows. I read everything I can, and spend ages reading through the 500 odd pages I found at happygolfhacker. com I would like to share with you two tips that without doubt, reduced my handicap.

The First.

As a consistent swing is the aim for most golfers, and it is important to repeat the swing over and over again, but is that possible when the clubs are all a different size. Therefore I maintain the same ball position for every club. I have come to the conclusion that the ball position is the most critical part of the golf swing. To ensure that the stance is comfortable and correct, I move my right foot closer to the left as the club becomes more lofted. Then I can play with the same swing every time, on the same plane. Every now and then (but rarely) I may change the ball position, for example, to cut the ball around a corner, but of course that’s when I play some of my straightest shots!!

The Second

I believe scoring is best achieved around the green, especially chipping and putting. When putting, I always line up the put, but I do not concentrate on the ball, rather the very last dimple on the back of the ball. I focus on that point alone, therefore ensuring that I will strike the ball from straight behind it, which in turn will get the ball rolling correctly. When you start to use this methodology, you may initially have trouble with pace, but after practising for a while, the technique is very sound.

There are many great stories and hints at happygolfhacker. com

Good Golfing

What are debt consolidation benefits

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Today, most people are holding more than one credit card and many people are taking loans such as home loan, personal loan, auto loan & etc. Different monthly due of each credit card and loan may make you hard to manage your payment. This may cause late payment or miss payment occur which may impact your credit rating. The situation becomes even worse if you just make the minimum payment each month, the interest and financial charges are stacked over the debt. If you are in this situation, debt consolidation is your option to bring your financial back to manageable stage.

Let review what are the major benefits of debt consolidation you can enjoy by choosing this option.

1.Consolidate multiple payment into one monthly payment

Each credit card and loan has different monthly due date, with the debt consolidation, you can combine these multiple monthly payment into one. After the debt consolidation, you will only need to remember only one due date and make only one payment, debt consolidation has made your life easier in management your debts and the chance of being late is minimized.

2. Reduction or elimination of the accrued interest and penalties

When you are making only minimum payment each month on your credit card accounts, the interest and financial charges are stacked over the debt. Hence the total debt amount continues to grow like mushroom. What a debt consolidation program can offer is eliminates the portion of your total debt built up by interest and other financial charges; hence, the total debt amount is reduced consequently.

For example, if your $3000 debt has accumulated to $5000 which the $2000 is incurred by interest and financial charges, the debt consolidation program will first eliminate or reduce the $2000 from your debts.

3. Reduced interest rate

The counselor will be able to negotiate on your behalf with your creditors to get a much lower interest rate. With the new lower interest rates, the monthly payments are also less than what used to be earlier.

For example, you have 3 credit card accounts with 18%, 12% and 9% interest rate, you are paying an average of (18%+12%+9%) / 3 = 13% of interest rate. If your consolidation program can reduce your interest rates to 12%, 10% and 7%, you are paying an average interest rate of 9.67% after your debt consolidation.

4. Your debt free life is accelerated

A successful debt consolidation program can make one debt free within 2 to 4 years and saves some money for you. Debt free life is a dream for many debtors, debt consolidation with an effective repayment plan in place, you will be able to realize your dream and enjoy your debt free life sooner than you ever dream of.

5. Get rid of collection calls

By placing your debts under debt consolidation program you can avoid harassing collection calls too. The consolidation company you are working with will notify your creditors that they will be representing you from then on.

6. Obtain a good credit

Late payments and charged-off accounts make your credit report look bad and your credit score goes down consequently. With the debt consolidation program, your accounts start to get paid off eventually. As a result, you will building a good credit into your credit report and rise your credit score.

In summary

Don't let your debt lead you into financial crisis, consolidate all your hard to manage monthly payments into single payment with the reduced interest rates not only can save you some money, it will help you to bring your financial into a manageable level.

Hot tips to compare business credit cards

As a business owner, every decision of yours can have a long standing impact on your business. You may not know this, but even choosing your business credit card can have profound implications for your business sustainability. So it is important for you to compare business credit cards and select one that suits your business needs. Because wisely chosen business credit cards may well turn out to be the secret weapons that given your business a cutting edge over the competition.

Credit Limits on Your Business Credit Card

First, compare the credit limit of the card. Since, many business credit cards have a minimum and a maximum credit limit, you should have a sound idea of how much your credit limit needs to be. If the maximum credit limit is not enough, or if the minimum credit limit is too little, you might want to pass.

Both extremes are not good for a business. A credit card without a high limit will force you to use more than one card, which will make accounting a nightmare. At the same time, too much credit makes it tempting to splurge, and that could potentially bankrupt your business. Think smart when evaluating a business credit card and find one that offers a credit limit that is just apt for your business.

Compare Interest Rates

While comparing business credit cards, you must consider the interest rates charged by the cards. Generally, start-ups and small offices may not be able to pay the entire balance each month. This is because money is tied up and becomes unavailable for paying off small debts. Therefore, identify a business credit card with the lowest possible interest rates. However, if your business is financially stable, then you might like to consider a card that offers freebies or air mile discounts perhaps. If you see you can pay off balances every month then don’t even bother evaluating the interest rate because you know you can afford to pay off the balances every month. So assess your business situation and your attitude towards credit cards honestly in order to select the best possible card for yourself and your business.

Rewards Programs

Many business credit cards offer rewards like free or discounted goods and services. These rewards may include air miles or discounts on office supplies, for example. However, such business credit cards always have higher interest rates. Therefore, ignore these cards if you generally carry a balance every billing cycle - even though the offers may be very tempting. Gauge the interest rate in comparison to the rewards and you will see that you may pay more interest than the amount of the rewards you have accumulated.

Business cards, much like regular credit cards, offer additional benefits like extended warranties, travel insurance, and purchase protection. The exact value of these benefits, however, can differ from one card to another. The same company can have different schemes on different cards. When you compare business credit cards, evaluate these benefits in detail. Find out as much as possible about these benefits – by questioning the salesmen, scouring the web site of the card, asking for references and actually following up on them. For example, if two cards offer travel insurance - one may only offer a hundred thousand dollars while the other offers a million dollars in insurance. If you travel frequently and you are absent minded, then the latter card is good for you. However, if your business is local in nature or if you travel only a few times per year, then perhaps you should opt for the first card.

How to choose a good web host when they all look alike

Choosing a web host is never easy. There are just so many unknowns when it comes to finding a host. It's hardly ever possible to walk into a web host's office, look around, meet the owners, and get a feel for whether or not you'd like to do business with these people.

It's important, though, that you bend over backwards to establish whether your prospective web host is a credible provider - or a fly by night artist.

The webmaster industry is awash with horror stories about signing up with a web hosting company, onlty to find out later that this 'business' is run by a 14 year old who lives at home.

For the most part, you'll make your decision using whatever information you can find online.

Start out with the website of the web host you are considering.

Is it professionally designed and written? Typo's and spelling errors may signal that this is a company ran by kids or amateurs.

Is the website easy to use? Is it designed with a view towards helping people? Are help materials available online? This should give you a flavor for whether the company is client oriented.

Where is the company located? Is there an address? Can you email them?

Look at the Terms of Service. Does your prospective web host clearly spell out what may be expected of them and what is expected of you? Every deal is different, but both parties should clearly know what the deal is.

Next, do a search for the company on Google. Are you finding any negative statements? Try different searching techniques, like typing the company name followed by the word "scam", or by the words "poor support".

Now, try emailing their customer support department. Do you get a fast reply? What about their sales department? Do they answer enquiries quickly? Let's face it...if they won't pay any attention to you when they're trying to get your business, how much more will you be neglected after you sign up?

If you follow these simple suggestions, your chances of signing up with an excellent web host increase substantially.

The power of belief broken down

Here is a suggestion for a game to play at your next party. Write down this question on a piece of paper and pass it around. Make sure that everyone gets a chance to answer it. The question is, “How important is “belief” to you? I wonder what kind of answers you would get? Tell everyone that they can not qualify the question by asking questions about the question. Some will be tempted to ask things like, “Do you mean my religious beliefs?” or “Do you mean beliefs in general?” Just tell them to answer the question the best they can the way it is written, which is again: “How important is belief to you?” It will make for an interesting game I promise you that! Eventually someone in the group will say that belief is so important that it makes all things happen. This is the answer that the famous architect of the 50’s and 60’s Frank Lloyd Wright would have given. Frank Lloyd Wright was the controversial architect that created weird shaped houses and buildings that seemed to come out of the future. He used designs that many architects of his time said could not be done. You may recall one such house in the movie “North by Northwest”, an Alfred Hitchcock movie where the villain’s safe house hung over the side of Mount Rushmore on steel girders. Frank Lloyd Wriight is the chap from whom we take our quote today. He is the one who said, "The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen."

Actually, Wright’s ideas are not so extraordinary. Many people believe like he that things happen because our belief in them makes them happen. On the other hand, Wright said two things in that quotes and some people find these two statements a mystical match-up. Wright said “The thing always happens that you really believe in”, and “the belief in a thing makes it happen.” Some would argue that one thing has nothing to do with the other. What about you? Where do you stand when it comes to belief and Wright’s presumption? This is another one of those positive thinking statements that crosses the spiritual metaphysical line so it is important that we get it correct.

Part “A” of his statement is harder to agree with than part “B”. Consider, in part “B” all he is saying is that - beliefs have power and it is that power that makes things happen. Without that kind of power most things would not get done. He has my complete agreement on that. “Belief in a thing makes it happen.”

However part “A” is saying something different. It is saying that things happen that you believe. Well, isn’t also true that things happen that we sometimes don’t believe? Absolutely! I am in a middle aged man and I still experience things that happen that I just could not believe. But before you are quick to agree with that last statement I suggest you pause and ponder it a bit longer. I must ask myself openly and honestly if I have become a believer because a thing happened that I could not believe. Suddenly I am in a new reality. Time has put me there. Just because I did not believe it doesn’t mean that I still don’t believe it. It is very possible that my disbelief has turned into belief over time. Now as I begin to look at the evidence I am beginning to wonder if part “A” isn’t also true. Example: I do not believe that nice attractive women often pick bad men to be their love-interest or partner. In fact that is true. The nicest prettiest women do go after the seemingly seedy characters in men. And though I refuse to believe it, it happens time and again. Upon examination my belief has changed over time and “The thing that happens which I say I don’t believe, I really do believe” making part “A” agreeable after-all.

But Frank Lloyd Wright did not mean this as two separate statements. He really did mean it to be a mystical, spiritual meaining if you will. The thing always happens that you really believe in is meant for us to reflect on the idea that to what extent we believe in a thing it will happen. Further, it is because the power of our belief is what makes a thing happen. This statement taken at face value brings up all kinds of debate for it represents something more than the two separate statements. It is almost as if Frank Lloyd Wright was trying to tell us a grand secret of the universe. I take his side once again. I too believe in the sacredness of the power of belief. I would further add to his statement that once you have attained belief, or once you know a thing to be true in fact, it no longer requires faith because it is known. Faith is something that is needed before we know for certain. Belief follows faith in order.

I believe one of our missions on earth is to become knowledgeable. In a spiritual explanation one could say that process comes in three stages. The first is complete unknowning. The second is having faith in a thing (going with it even though you do not believe yet). The third is knowing it as fact, (faith is no longer required). That is belief. Once we see life in those three stages, Frank Lloyd Wright’s presumption takes on the greater meaning I spoke about.

Read this article a second time to get the thrust. So why is this important to our self empowerment? Because in seeking self empowerment one looks for the sources of power from within. One source is belief; but before there is belief there is need of faith and knowing this will help us to be self empowered.

An introduction to mountain biking

Even if there are no mountains where you live, it can make sense to buy a mountain bike, just because of the security they provide, even in urban areas. And there's always the chance of a weekend ride in the country.

If you're a bicycle enthusiast, but have only tried cycling on the road, it's time you gave mountain biking a try. By mountain biking, I mean more than heading down an actual mountain - although that what most people think about when they hear the phrase "Mountain biking."

However, mountain bikes - light bikes with fat tires and front suspension - make it easy to go cross country riding as well.

So even if you live in an area that has no mountains - get yourself a mountain bike anyway! Those fat tires make for a nice ride - and as long as they're properly inflated they can go almost as fast as the thinner tires of road bikes, but you don't need to worry about going up curbs or down curbs.

There are three styles of mountain biking - the one everyone thinks of which is downhill riding, free riding, and cross country. If you're a professional cyclist or a dedicated amateur you'll want to buy a bike specifically designed for each style, but if you're a casual cyclist who'll want to try one style one weekend and a different style the next, any good mountain bike will do.

Most people will buy a brand new tool whenever they take up a brand new hobby. This is a mistake. Examine yourself. Have you done this in the past - decided on a hobby, bought all the equipment, used it once - then stored it in your garage and never used it again?

So, if possible, rent a bike first - indeed, in so doing you'll be able to try out quite a few bikes and decide on which one you'd like to buy. Make sure that the people renting you the bikes have taken proper care of them, of course, and that they're not just "beaters."

Are you a beginner?

If there's any mountain biking in your area, chances are there'll be a club or two, which will cater to beginners. The best thing to do is seek out your local bike shop. Anyone there can tell you what goes on in your area. In addition, most bike shops will have racks featuring the brochures of local clubs, and bike maps of the local trails, for free.

Practice makes perfect

If you're not in shape - you can get in shape with mountain biking... if you make a concentrated effort to do so. Set yourself goals of miles to ride each day. If you don't have the time to ride an hour or so everyday, but if you have a steep hill near your home, you can always spend ten minutes or so doing wind sprints up and down that hill. This will increase your stamina and strengthen your leg muscles no end. (Make sure you check with your doctor to make sure you have no health problems that would limit vigorous exercise.)

Don't get on a bike and then find the toughest trail and through yourself down it. Start with beginning trails and work on your skills for a while.

Staying safe

Riders fall. Face it - it's going to happen. So the most important piece of equipment you have, after a good bike - is a good helmet. Never buy a used helmet - you don't know what's happened to it. Also of use to the mountain biker are goggles or other eye protection, elbow and knee pads, and good shoes. Always carry a few dollars and some change in a pocket so you can call for help if need be, and make sure you have identification on you at all times. (That last bit of advice is good for any type of biking, or jogging, come to that!) Always be prepared for the worst to happen, and then it [probably] never will.

Do you know what the best antiaging skin care product is

While searching for the world's best anti aging skin care product I found myself traveling to the mountains of the Swiss Alps, the jungles of Africa, the caves of Egypt. All the while in the ed my discover was on so simply yet incredible it was more then i had bargained for.

Green Tea as an Antiaging product?

Who knew that in one cup you could possess something that can prevent heart disease, gum diseases, help you lose weight and even cure cancer? The claims against green tea are bold, so what can it do in terms of an antiaging skin care product? It's an ancient drink that has been used as health food for all the benefits mentioned above and more.

Green tea has a high content of polyphenols. Polyphenols while in some plants contribute to the color of leaves during fall and autumn, in tea they act as an antioxidant. Helping to prevent cardio vascular disease and cancer.

The Polypheols in green tea which give it antiaging properties are known as catechins. Catechins make up almost 25% of the volume of a dried tea leaf. For comparison one cup of green tea will provide you with 10-40 mg of polyphenols which is more then a full serving of broccoli.

It turns out that green teas actually do help with skin care and the prospect of having healthy, younger-looking skin. There are polyphenols in tea that do a lot of the work and these are generally called "catechins”. These catechins perform the bulk of the work and believe me, there are a lot of different catechins in tea, especially green tea. In fact, green tea has almost 20 times the amount of catechins in it as black tea.

Tea increases the antioxidant quality of your skin and even your blood by allowing it to take on more oxygen and breathe easier, so naturally the higher amount of polyphenols you have working for you the greater antioxidant quality your skin has. It sounds like an unorthodox method in terms of skin care, especially in a market filled with creams and lotions and serums, but it is possible that the best antiaging skin care product out there is something you drink.

Further Research

While I continued to research antiaging skin care products, I was overwhelmed with the vast number of commercial creams, and lotions available. We are on a quest for the perfect product to reverse signs of aging, when really the best weapon we have to fight it is free. We should be using our knowledge and education on the topic to our advantage before we run out to purchase the latest fifty dollar jar of cream. The best weapon against aging is in fact our knowledge.

Adjustable king size bed - how and why you should choose one

The reason a person gets an adjustable king size bed is because they usually are smooth and has a habit of quiet operation utilizing the finest German motor technology. An adjustable king size bed allows you to adjust the contour of the mattress to various positions for comfort and even enjoyment. Some may need them due to medical conditions and that's alright. Do not be mistaken as an adjustable king size bed is not a hospital bed. Users of adjustable king size bed will begin to imagine the exquisite comfort as they lie on it, and begin to adjust their adjustable king size bed when they want to watch a movie, read a book, eat some snacks, or even to finish their work a notebook at the end of each day. The bonus of having an adjustable king size bed is that no one will need to place a bunch of pillows just to be comfortable. After all, your adjustable king size bed is at your command at a touch of a remote control.

Having said that, your adjustable king size bed still needs you to adjust the contour of the mattress for your own comfort, enjoyment or for medical needs. Once you get used to your adjustable king size bed, it becomes easy to operate, quietly adjustable and some brands of adjustable king size bed that is made with German technology really has a long life-span. An adjustable king size bed provides exceptional support for pressure-point relief and comfort. This is perfect for those who prefer a firm, supportive mattress or a more plush, supportive night's sleep. Another important medical benefit of your adjustable king size bed is that it can help to increase comfort and body circulation through 7 zones of comfort in with the help of a hand held control only!

Currently, the market offers adjustable king size beds with these features. As power failures are a major concern for many situations, manufacturers of adjustable king size bed also take into consideration the effects of that towards their adjustable king size bed products. Therefore, some manufacturers have included a feature for power reserve with remote battery module that allows bed to be lowered in the event of power failure. As comfort seems to be the feature that requires ongoing improvements, manufacturers have also innovated to make adjustable king size bed units that come with ergonomic remote control hand wand with back-lit, raised rubber buttons for more responsive feel, and enhanced night viewing. Talk about innovation indeed!

For those who are stressed out, they can seek refuge from their adjustable king size bed because some comes with two recessed body massage motors that can be adjusted to two variable speed for therapeutic body massage. This brings the ability of an adjustable king size bed to aid in the improvement of relaxation of tired muscles, circulation aid and many more to a whole new level. Most adjustable king size bed requires no lubrication because motors permanently lubricated. That's what I call convenience!

We all know that we tend to doze off after sometime of massage, and therefore, adjustable king size bed manufacturers include a special 30-minute massage timer that automatically turns off after the preset time elapses. This gives you further peace of mind.

If these are not enough to make you want to run out to buy one, perhaps you already have your very own unit of adjustable king size bed!

Factors influencing the impact of humor in persuasion

Humor’s effectiveness will always ride the emotional tides of your audience members. How well a joke goes over may depend on whose company your prospects are in, whether they are winding down for the day or still up against deadlines or other workplace pressures, whether they are awake and alert or feeling drowsy, whether they have a headache, etc. Always be in tune with how your audience is feeling and always assess the atmosphere you’re in to determine whether it is conducive to humor.

There are a lot of factors that contribute to whether or not humor will be effective in persuading someone. Often, it will simply be the mood or situation that makes it obvious whether humor is appropriate or not. For example, if someone has just learned of a death in her family, you probably shouldn’t start cracking jokes. Another example would be if you were speaking in a religious setting where there was an expectation that a certain degree of reverence always be maintained. You probably wouldn’t go wild with the humor in this kind of setting. The appropriateness of humor for a particular setting or mood is usually not too difficult to discern. You just have to be observant. What may be funny to one person one day will not be funny the next, even if it’s the exact same joke told in the exact same way.

There are many other less apparent factors that influence humor. Have you ever considered factors such as what time of day it is, the number of people in your audience or even the layout and lighting of the room? All of these things can influence how your humor will come across. As far as time of day, mornings are typically more stressful, since it is then when most people are confronted with all the demands that await them. Under certain circumstances, this stressfulness may be precisely the type of mood you’re looking for. Other times, you may want an audience that’s a little more relaxed. When people are on a lunch break or winding down for the day and readying themselves to leave work, you may find that they are more receptive to a good joke.

When considering the size of your audience, the general rule of thumb is “the bigger, the better.” That is, the bigger your audience, the more laughter you will typically get. Why is this? It’s because laughter is contagious. The more people involved, the more we laugh. For example, when a movie theater is packed, the laughter tends to be greater and last longer than when there are only four people in the audience. This is one of the reasons why TV producers use canned laughter in their programming. Often the scenario being acted out really isn’t even that funny, but studies show that the use of laugh tracks actually gets us to laugh more. Whether the material even registered as being funny or not, we are more inclined to laugh along if we hear others laughing.

Knowledge of this tendency can give you a real advantage when considering the layout of the room you’ll be speaking in. Notice the seating arrangement. How many people are expected to show up compared to how many chairs are set up? Always make sure there are less chairs set up than there are people expected. If audience members sit closer together, it will be easier to get the energy going and evoke more laughter than it would be if they were spread out all over the room. A seemingly sparse audience will surely dampen humor’s designed effect. A more compact seating arrangement will not only help people laugh more freely and more often, but it will also give off the illusion of greater attendance. Another consideration is the lighting of your speaking area. The audience’s ability to see your facial expressions and body language is of prime importance.

How to stretch your way to fitness

Not many things pay off for the body as much as stretching. Nothing could be simpler or take less time. Alas, most Americans neglect stretching as part of an every day fitness program.

Stretching boosts muscle flexibility, which in turn leads to decreased likelihood of injury, better muscle performance, and a sense of well-being that lasts for hours after you’ve finished.

Ideally, you should stretch several times each day. Stretching in the morning gets your body ready for the activities ahead. It also presents your brain with a focused, quiet activity can result in a feeling of peace and lowering of anxiety levels.

In the evening, stretching will help work out the kinks of a day’s wear and tear. Stretching and relaxing muscles before going to bed will lessen soreness after a hard day and will have you waking up feeling wonderful.

Finally, stretching is an unquestionable must prior to any vigorous physical activity to prevent injury and reduce post-activity soreness

10-15 minutes is plenty of time for the morning, evening, or pre-activity stretch. The following stretches provide brief examples. An abundance of books and videos are available for more detail.

The most basic stretches can be performed while seated. Start with your neck. Look down at your stomach. Then slowly roll your head to the left, then back so you’re looking at the ceiling, to the right, and back down. You should feel the muscles in your neck stretching. A similar motion can be performed with the wrists. While seated, simply move your closed hand in a circle using your wrist. Then lift each leg, and draw the same circle with the feet around the ankle. Make 3-5 such circles in the clock-wise direction and then the counter-clockwise direction with your neck, both wrists and both ankles.

Move to the calf muscle. Find a wall, chair, stability ball, or something that you can safely lean on. While leaning comfortably against the object, move your right foot two feet back. Slowly bend your left knee so that your right ankle flexes. You should feel the muscle in the back of your lower right leg being stretched. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and release. Repeat the exercise with your left calf.

The best way to stretch the front of the upper leg (the quadriceps) is to lie down on a flat surface (floor, bed, mat, et cetera). While lying on your left side, with your left elbow on the surface, and your left hand supporting your head, pull your right foot up behind you, so that the knee is bent as far as possible. Reach back with your right hand and grab onto your right foot. Pull you foot towards your back until you feel the muscle stretching. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds. Perform the same stretch for your right leg.

For a basic shoulder stretch, clasp your hands behind your back and slowly lift them upwards. You’ll feel the muscles in your shoulder stretching. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds.

Countless other stretches exist, but this schedule gives you a basic routine. Consult with your doctor and, if possible, a physical trainer to fine tune a “flex schedule” that’s right for you.

What is credit counseling

Credit counseling is a good resort to manage various debts properly. Generally credit counseling is a professional counseling, provided by various organizations to help borrowers for repaying their debts properly. With the help of these organizations, people can manage their debts and lessen their burden.

Credit counseling helps people to overcome their debts burden. Their counseling enables borrowers to pay off their debts with smaller, monthly repayment that is convenient for everyone to pay. Especially credit counseling is required for those who are confused with various debts and different lenders.

These days, credit counseling services are easily available. Many companies provide this service. One can find out this service from his local communities and over the internet. For providing credit counseling service, some companies may charge fees or some organizations do not charge fees for their services. To manage debt problem properly, it is important to find a proper credit counseling service.

However, credit counseling is the best option for borrowers to prevent all sorts of debt damages. The way a credit counselor works is as follows:

•At first, a counselor evaluates a borrower’s condition and on the basis of that he makes a plan. And this plan helps the borrower to pay off his bills. Sometimes, legitimate counseling service can convince creditors to take less than borrowed amount and arrange a longer repayment period.

•In case of credit counseling, most of the time borrowers do not need to pay their bills directly. But, instead of that, in every month they make only payment to the credit counseling service and that amount is distributed among their creditors in accordance with the agreements they have arranged. All together, their arrangement will help borrowers to lessen their loan load and manage their debt properly.

As it is mentioned before that choosing a right credit counseling company is also important. With help of an unprofessional credit counseling company, a borrower can more get into debts, instead of coming out of it. Even more, such kind of unprofessional companies can misguide borrowers too. Therefore, individuals are advised to choose a credit counseling company wisely. In that case, one can take help of local associations of credit counseling companies. By making some efforts borrowers can make this service remunerative for themselves. Borrowers should check the reputation of various companies, duration of their service, and if possible they can try to get the opinion of their previous clients. At the same time, borrowers should bear in mind that at the time appointment with credit counseling company, it is better to present as much of their documentation and paperwork as possible, like proof of their expenditure, their income, the verification of their debts etc.

Credit counseling is offering borrowers a service that will help them to eliminate all confusion and complication regarding various debts and creditors. To manage debts properly and prevent monthly budget from unnecessary loan load, the necessity of credit counseling is unavoidable.

Trouble getting sleep beware

After a grueling exam, a major business presentation, or enduring rush hour traffic, what do people anticipate or look forward to when they get home? Aside from seeing one's family and enjoying a hearty dinner with them or watching your favorite TV program, one of most important thing for all humans, and even animals, is to enjoy sleep.

It is really frustrating not able to sleep. You toss and turn on every side of your bed. Until you thought of every single detail you have done during the day. While most people can easily get a sleep even sitting on a chair, there are others who seem to to have trouble getting and staying asleep. This is one of a classic symptom of anxiety and stress.

Anxiety and stress are two different words to describe the same experience such as increased heart rate, abdominal discomfort or dizziness. While stress is normally a response to a threatening situation, anxiety is mostly caused by worry. Usually anxiety is observed as more short term. Anxiety ends when the triggering situation to cause this feeling ceased, while stress can last for weeks, months and even years.

Difficulty in sleeping is only one of the many signs if your life is clouding you with anxiety and stress. However, there are many other symptoms associated with stress and anxiety. Because each of us has a unique chemical make-up, the symptoms will vary from person to person. When anxiety is diagnosed, it can also generate many symptoms such as:

· difficulty in concentrating

· feeling restless, tensed and apprehensive

· loss of appetite

· specific obsession over stressful topics

· depression

· frequent feeling of crying for no apparent reason

· constipation

· difficulty swallowing

If you also find yourself worrying compulsively over going crazy, dying early, having a serious illness, or of being alone, these are also other symptoms of anxiety.

Stress can bring about risky mind and body disorders. If not given attention immediately, it can lead to other chronic health problems.

Common symptoms of stress are relatively the same as with anxiety. This also includes:

· panic and anxiety attacks

· over eating

· mood swings and irritability

· sadness or depression

Anxiety is an unpleasant feeling of apprehension or fear, while stress can come from any situation or a thought that makes you feel frustrated, nervous, angry or even anxious. When anxiety and stress starts affecting your everyday life and it is blown out of proportion, it's time to get help.

To gain relief from anxiety and stress, changes has to be made. Change the way you explain a situation to yourself. If possible, try not to veer away from situations that makes you feel anxious and be confident that you can cope with it. View events in your life as challenges that you can manage. Help yourself to find relief from anxiety and stress. Take a positive outlook in your life and motivate yourself that you can handle the situation when face with it.

Here are some practical ways to cope with anxiety and stress.

· Calm yourself and relax.

· Exercise regularly. It can improve your mood.

· Eat lots of fresh vegetables and fruits to increase body energy.

· Talk to your friends and your family about what is bothering you.

· Meditate. This will also help you if you are having sleeping difficulty.

Anxiety and stress are a common feeling we experience in our everyday lives. However, life seems to torment us with new ways in stressing us and afflict us with anxiety. We just have to know how to deal with it. It is also better to speak up and talk to someone about your worries than keep it to yourself and forever suffer the consequence. There are available medications that can relieve the symptoms for anxiety and stress.

Remember that anxiety and stress are manageable and can be treated. Getting anxiety relief is really not hard to obtain. Now relax, and go get yourself some sleep!

Give credit consolidation a go

There are a lot of ways to get out of debt and to help your credit rating. It depends on your personal situation, but you maybe able to get help to negotiate debt settlement. Credit consolidation is another great option for almost anyone. You need to remember that personal finance is your responsibility. You will have to learn all the steps it takes to repair your credit and get out of debt before you can really understand the process. You also want to make the situation as uncomplicated as possible. You will learn how to be self-sufficient and rely on yourself when you can get out of debt. This is always a stressful situation, so you want to do everything you can to minimized the stress for you and your family. No matter how stressful being in debt is, it is a lot less stressful than actually being in debt.

There are many different ways to get out of debt, so it is worth it to explore all the possible options you have in terms of getting out of debt. You need to think of all the assets that you have and how you can make them work in your interest. Owning a home can be a great asset and can really help you get out of debt. You might want to take out a second mortgage on your home to help you get the capital you need to get out of debt. You should also think about all the insurance coverage that you have and see what it can do for you. You’ll want to see if you can borrow against your life insurance policy. If you’ve paid a lot into your life insurance policy, than this would be a great solution for you. You might also be able to take money out one of your policies if you are sick or have been injured. This could help you pay off your debts or take care of certain expenses that you might have. It is important to explore all the options that you have before you decide on one. You need to find out exactly what you are getting into before you sign anything.

You might want to consider different type of assets other than your home or your insurance polices. Think about your car. Do you pay a lot each month in car insurance, car payments, or car maintenance? This could be a great way to get out of debt if you can sell your car. If you live in a city where there is good public transportation, you could save lots of money each year by living without a car. Sometimes your job may help to subsidize your transportation to work if you take public transportation to the office each day. You should think about any way to get out of debt and get your life back in order.

Personalize any occasion with unusual custom cameras

Whether it's a wedding reception, a sports gathering, an anniversary party, or even a baby shower, these special occasions and others can be even more meaningful with custom cameras. Photos are necessary to capture these once-in-a-lifetime moments. Why not let your guests capture them for you with unique custom cameras? These types of cameras are both decorative and useful. Here are some ways to make the most of every event with custom cameras.

Wedding Day Moments

There can be many meaningful, sad, happy, and even funny moments during a wedding reception. One wedding photographer can't possibly capture all of them. But with disposable wedding cameras, many of these moments can be captured on film by your guests. Here's how. Order customized wedding cameras in advance and place one or two cameras on each guest table. Invite your guests to take the photos as they fellowship. Be sure they get photos of all the children and grown-ups at the wedding. Ask them to capture special moments for you! They'll be glad to do it - and it's something fun for everyone.

You can even order special wedding cameras with your names and wedding date printed on the cameras to add that personal touch. Disposable wedding cameras are decorative, and there are many styles to choose from, so you can easily find custom cameras to match your wedding decor.

Don't Miss the Action at Parties

If you're busy serving food and drinks, cleaning, answering questions, etc. - all while trying to enjoy talking with your party guests - you probably won't have time to snap pictures! This is when custom cameras really come in handy. Order several custom cameras to spread among guests and have your party guests take pictures for you. Each guest will capture unique moments that you probably would have missed.

Custom cameras come in many themes so you can include them at almost any type of party. There are disposable sports-themed cameras as well as custom disposable cameras for birthdays, holidays, baby showers, proms, graduations, Bar Mitzvahs, and many other events. They are great for almost any special occasion where pictures are a must!

At a sports party, for instance, you might order custom disposable cameras with the team's logo to show team spirit and to match your sports decor. There are licensed custom cameras with NFL, NBA and MLB team logos for the choosing.

Where to Buy Custom Cameras

You can find a variety of custom camera choices by shopping online or perhaps at a local specialty printing company. Buying online is easy because you can order any time of the day, search through many custom camera themes, and have them delivered to your doorstep.

If you feel that you can use a little help getting photos of your next big event or party, choose custom cameras and let your guests do all the work. It's the easiest way to capture those special moments!

North carolina homeowner s insurance saving money

North Carolina homeowner’s insurance can be affordable – and even cheap! Simply follow these tips for saving money on North Carolina homeowner’s insurance.

Choose your home wisely. If you’re getting ready to move to North Carolina, or are already a resident looking to relocate within the state, choose your home with care. Actually, choose the location of your home with care. Some parts of the state are susceptible to more severe weather than others, which means the homes in those parts are more susceptible to weather-related damage, too. For example, Wilmington residents are more likely to pay higher homeowner’s insurance premiums than Charlotte residents. Why? They are closer to the water, i. e. closer to storms.

Safeguard your home against hurricane and storm damage. If you aren’t willing to choose a home – or relocate – based on saving money on North Carolina homeowner’s insurance, you can take steps to safeguard your home against hurricane and storm damage. Obviously having sturdy home and garage doors, as well as strong windows, helps. However, you should check local building codes to make sure your home is up-to-date with what’s required. These building codes were most likely created with storm-resistance in mind. You may also want to talk to your neighbors about the kinds of safety precautions they take – especially if you’re new to the area.

Be selective when it comes to the homeowner’s insurance company. Most people don’t want to be considered a snob, but when it comes to keeping a homeowner’s insurance company from gouging your bank account, it’s alright to be selective. Choose a reputable insurance company with a strong financial rating. Make sure the insurance company is licensed to sell homeowner’s insurance in North Carolina; otherwise, you could end up losing more money than you save should you have claim and settlement problems with them. As long as the company is licensed in North Carolina, the state can assist you with any problems.

Debt relief and debt reduction

Debt relief can be provided only when there is debt reduction. There are many agencies and financial organizations, which can provide debt relief. Debt relief is in the form of lower rates of interest and refinance rates. However the debt still has to be paid the principal amount has to be paid. The period of paying the debt may get longer or you may get more time to pay the debt.

In such situations of debt relief, it's essential that you bargain for lower rates. When lower rates of interest are there, there are fewer outflows of funds. Therefore you can save dollars. This debt relief can then pay for other expenses and savings, hence you can have debt relief now, why postpone it for another time. Hence the cell phone that you have been eyeing for can be yours. After all a dollar saved is a dollar earned. These dollars can then be utilized for making investments that can earn revenue for us. This revenue can then be pent for the services and goods required by us, rather than taking loans.

As you have less payments, there is a cumulative effect of savings and where you had to pay $500, you may en up paying close to only 90% of the amount or even less. All banks compete with each other. For them they must be able to recover their investment as well as make a small investment on the investment. Therefore they will renegotiate with the borrower for lower rates of interest, thus your debt relief can start right now without you having to spend extra dollars. Therefore its pays to be financially savvy. Remember its not just the guys in suits who are smart, but you and me are equally smart and up to the challenge of making money work for us.

Use of steroids in baseball some recent facts

Steroids are extensively used by bodybuilders, athletes and models. The use of steroids has been detected in numerous places including High School sports, baseball, football, and, most notably, in the Olympics. These steroids are basically hormone drugs. The form of steroids used in sports is anabolic steroids which are derived from testosterone. Recent research has revealed that a major portion of NFL superstars have been using anabolic steroids. This contradicts popular opinion that the NFL is drug-free but shocking as it is, it is true.

Baseball is no exception when it comes to steroids. The first discovery of steroids in baseball was the publicized Mark McGuire incident when he was found guilty of possessing Adrostendione in his locker. Due to extensive press coverage of the incident, the baseball major league committee brought in the anti-drug policy. Notably, this was the last American organization to do so. However, athletes still continue to use various disguised or “stealth” drugs which can easily bypass doping tests. This was discovered when the home-run rate soared unbelievably through the following years. Evidently, many other baseball players had followed in the footsteps of McGuire.

In 2003, Jason Giambi was found guilty of using “stealth” steroids, namely the Cream. Another player Barry Bonds, consumed a clever mixture of the Cream, the Clear and a number of other drugs in specific stacks so that the steroids in his blood would not be detected.

Unfortunately, steroids are NOT supplements as many people think. They are drugs and they pose a whole boatload of threats in the form of side effects. Most athletes are either unaware of these effects or are too obsessed with their careers that they hardly ever think of the consequences. This has led to the ban of steroid usage in many sports organizations. Also, many nations including the US have made severe laws to control the trafficking of these substances.

Steroids in baseball

Steroids are synthetic hormones which were first developed around the 1930s to treat hormone imbalances. Anabolic steroids, the most commonly known ones, were developed for muscle and bone growth. But as modernization of these substances took place, scientists confirmed that these steroids had the power to explode muscle growth and enhance one’s performance in extremely short periods of time.

This made many bodybuilders, athletes, models etc. turn to steroids to give them the edge they needed over their competition. Suddenly anabolic steroids were everywhere from basketball, cricket, football, baseball and even the great Olympics. Since the famous discovery of steroid usage in the 1954 Olympics, athletes from almost all sport bodies have clung on to this trend.

Baseball, the US national sport, wasn’t far behind in the steroid game. Mark McGwire, the famous baseball superstar was first found guilty of ingesting Androstenedione, an anabolic steroid that converts itself to testosterone once digested. It was later confirmed that this steroid was the primary reason for him scoring an acclaimed home-run before his retirement. Instantly, many other professional baseball superstars began using steroids and the major league committee was forced to ban their use.

However, most players continued to use “stealth” drugs that helped them use steroids without being detected in doping tests. The most controversial of these “stealth” incidents happened in 2003 when Jason Giambi and Barry Bonds were caught using the Cream and the Clear, two of the world’s most disguised steroids. Bonds was found using the steroids in a stack with many other fertility drugs to bypass doping tests.

For decades, researchers have stressed the fact that overdose of steroids could lead to severe side effects. This came true with Steve Bechler, who died on the field. Though the cause was initially unknown, research revealed that it was the result of a steroid overdose.

Panj-aab my brethren please listen to us

Where water (aab) is means name, language, land, arts and culture. There water makes merry go, that land is called Punjab. The land of five sisters

1. Beas (ancient name Vipasha)

2. Chenab(ancient name Askini,)

3. Jhelam (ancient name Vitasta)

4. Ravi (ancient name Irawati,)

5. satluj (ancient name Shatadru)

All these five sisters take birth in high and hygiene Himalayas, and then play in open fields of Punjab, making this land of warriors full of joys. This, these have been doing since theirs births from pre historical ages to today in space age. The Punjab has become food grain basket of nation due to selflessness services of these unspoken sisters of Punjab. This Panj-aab (in Persian Panj means Five and aab means water) has impact on every aspects of lives, in water land of Indian subcontinent (Punjab is a geographical name to that land which is called playground of five sisters cutting across the physical barriers).These daughters of Himalayas has never taken partisan consideration on physical barriers to theirs services. This is an effort of abcnewsnetwork team in this part of world to make Pollution in surface water (Rivers), a public debate in Punjabi’s society, in theirs heritage, these five rivers are the life line of this joyful society. After so many years of services to theirs brethren, now they are praying for survival because of following elimination threats by theirs own.

Water quality of rivers in East Punjab (Indian)

S. No. Parameter 1.Satluj 2.Beas 3.Ravi Ghaggar BIS (ISI)/ USEPA

1 Temperature 0C 16 16 14 16

2 pH 7.7, 7.8, 7.8, 7.6, 6.5-8.5

3 Conductivity (mmho) 378 342 202 424 Max.2250 for only irrigation, Industrial Cooling, Controlled Waste disposal

4 Nitrogen (No2 + No3) 1.0 1.4 .04 2.34 1 mg/L.( drinking water)

(10 mg/L. for other)

5 DO (mg/l) 7.7 7.8 9.0 5.8 4-6

6 BOD (mg/l) 1.8 4.2 0.4 28.0 2-3

7 COD (mg/l) 6.4 14.4 1.6 57.6 6 mg/l.(WHO)

8 Cl - (mg/l) 20 23.0 10 54.0 250 mg/l

9 So4 14 16 8.0 30 250 mg/l

10 Na 4.2 14.6 1.8 21.2 26 for industrial only

11 Fecal Coliform 170 500 0.0 500 drinking water 0col./100 mL

water bathing

<2,000 col./100mL

12 Turbidity (NTU) 22 24 7.0 62 0.5-1.0 NTU

13 Total Coliform 500 5000 7.0 9000 <50(DW)500(OB)-5000 (dwt)

14 TDS 340 302 194 396 500

Source: Punjab Pollution Control Board Report

List of major industries discharging their effluents into Rivers in Punjab

Source: Status of Water Quality of Rivers of Punjab, 1989,

1. Sutlej 2. Beas Ghaggar

• NFL Naya Nangal

• PNFC Naya Nangal

• Punjab Alkalies, Naya Nangal

• Ropar Thermal Plant, Ropar

• M/s. Swaraj Mazda, Asron (Distt. HSR)

• M/s. United Pulp and Paper Mills, Asron (Distt. HSR)

• M/s. Mukerian Paper Mills, Mukerian

• Goindwal Industrial Complex, Goindwal • M/s. ABC Ltd., Rajpura

• M/s. Stepan Chemicals, Rajpura

• Focal Point, Rajpura

• M/s. RMI (P) Ltd., Rajpura

• M/s. Bharat Commerce India Ltd., Rajpura

• M/s. Patiala Distillers (P) Ltd. V. Main, Distt. PTA

• M/s. Escorts (P) Ltd., Bahadurgarh

• M/s. Goetze India Ltd., Bahadurgarh

• M/s. Hindustan Wire Products, Patiala

List of Municipal Corporation/Committees discharging their effluents into rivers (East Punjab)

1.Sutlej 2.Beas 3.Ravi Ghaggar

• Nangal

• Anandpur Sahib

• Ropar

• Phillaur

• Ludhiana

• Jalandhar

• Nawanshahr

• Phagwara

• Hoshiarpur

• Kapurthala

• Sultanpur • Pathankot

• Mukerian • Dinanagar

• Gurdaspur

• Dhariwal

• Dera Baba Nanak

• Fatehgarh Churian

• Ram Das

• Amritsar

• Ajnala

• Majitha • Rajpura

• Mohali

• Patiala

• Zirakhpur

• Samana

• Patran

• Nabha

• Gobindgarh

• Sirhind

• Budhlada

• Bucho Mandi

• Rampura

• Sunam

• Bathinda

• Sangrur

• Khanna

• Mansa

• Barnala

• Kharar

• Dera Bassi

• Banur

• Tappa

• Baretta

• Maur Mandi

• Longowal

• Moonak

• Dhanaula

• Khanausi

• Lehragaga

• Ghanaur

• Amloh

• Bhawanigarh

• Ghagga

• Bassi Pathana

Source: Punjab Water Supply & Sewerage Board

Above statistics are from eastern Punjab (Indian), the situation is also worst in western Punjab (Pakistan).Following are highlights.

1. PAKISTAN: Focus on the slow death of the River Ravi

The wide variety of fish that once swam in the Ravi has vanished as have the tiny minnows and crabs children used to catch in the shallow waters along the banks. Even the reeds that used to line the river have gone. The river is virtually dead even when the normally dry bed carries water, such as after the recent winter rains.

The life that once thrived here has been killed off by the dumping of millions of tons of toxic industrial effluent in the water along with huge amounts of raw sewage. As the river has died, so has a facet of life in the city of Lahore has died too. The hordes of Sunday picnickers, rowing enthusiasts and the amateur fishermen have all gone. So have the boatmen who used to ferry people to the Mughul-age vantage point in the middle of the river known as 'Kamran's Baradari.' The extreme pollution of the River Ravi has destroyed most of the 42 species of fish that once lived in the river, as well as the bird life around it, which has migrated to other areas. The survival of small invertebrates, micro fauna and flora is also threatened Source: of IRIN report

2. In Jhelum River the DO content remains well above 7 mg/l. The BOD downstream of Jhelum is around 2.2 mg/l. River Chenab receives pollution loads from many industries and cities. As a result the DO is totally depleted in various stretches. The BOD downstream of Faisalabad is 4.2 mg/l. The pollution in River Ravi is the highest of all the rivers in Pakistan. Most waste water discharges in the river reach between Lahore and Balloki, a length of 62 km. The river presently receives 47% of the total municipal and industrial pollution load discharged into all rivers of Pakistan. The BOD in the river after receiving Lahore municipal discharges is estimated to be 77 mg/l on the basis of mean annual flow. Between Lahore and Balloki under low flow conditions, the river is completely devoid of DO and simply acts as a sullage drain. Source: pcrwr.

3. The BOD in Indus River downstream of Attock is 2.9 mg/l. In Indus River water quality was studied at Dadu Moro Bridge at Kotri Barrage with nitrate levels at 1.1 and 7.5 mg/l, phosphate at 0.02 and 0.3 mg/l, BOD at 2.4 and 4.1 mg/l, faecal coliform at 50 and 400 per ml. Due to industrial waste discharges from Punjab and Sindh, the content of heavy metals such as nickel, lead, zinc and cadmium have also been found in Indus water. Source: pcrwr

4. Water quality of rivers in west Punjab (Pakistan)

pH Cl N So4 Coliform

Chenab 28 0.4 0.4 240

U 7.9

C 7.9

D 8.0

Jhelum 23 0.0 0.5 240

U 8.0

C 7.7

D 7.9

Ravi 8.0 7.0 0.1 27.0 00

Source: pcrwr

It is sad that water in these rivers has not remained fit for drinking and even not suitable for open bathing. Which is being common feather of rural Punjabis’ culture, without it one can not taste the original flavor of this rich and joyful society. Once considered God equal status in Punjabi society the poor five sisters of Punjab has become place for every possible pollutants wastes of society ranging from domestic, agriculture’s, chemicals, Industrial wastes etc. Most of the big industrial units are located on the banks of rivers, it is done only to release theirs pollutants wastes into these Rivers because in this society it is common perception that “water wash every body” and Holly Ganga can wash all sins by one dip in it. In Pakistan side of Punjab in Lahore people on the banks of Ravi give meat to birds because the meat given to the birds is regarded as a religious ritual by many, just as feeding sparrows or ants are seen as deeds smiled upon by Allah (God). There is also a superstition that anyone feeding the kites and crows at the Ravi will receive good fortune. Thus this type of public opinion about purity of water benefits to all pollutants producers. So it is the responsibility of leading Punjabis intellectuals across the all physical barriers to draw attention of common Punjabis on these old perceptions about purity of running river water. Otherwise these five sisters of Punjab will die in the hands of theirs rich, joyful, and brave brethrens, who are well famous for theirs openness and helping nature in all around the globe. If there were no Chenab, no Jhelum, no Ravi, no satluj and no Beas; where Punjabis will celebrate baishikhi (take bath in rivers on first harvesting day), Bansant, And Lohri without this Punjabi brethrens can not remain as joyful for which they are famous. The Punjabi culture is live because of its openness and joyfulness. If there will no joys in it then, it will not remain Ideal for other to enjoy the life. Last not least Punjabis has a history to fight against odds in past. Every time they come out with more joy and experiences, so when their own sisters are calling them for survival then this community which has history of many wars and fights fought for other sake will not let down it owns.

Dinesh Singh

Special correspondent

abcnewsnetwork. com

Pay for your tuition with an educational grant

If you recognize the value of having a post secondary education but are having a hard time coming up with the funds to get yourself through. A financial grant is one way that you can get yourself up to several thousand dollars in aid money. Grants, unlike other forms of financial aid, come with the added stipulation that you do not have to pay them back!

Grants are funds given to tax-exempt nonprofit organizations or local governments by foundations, corporations, governments, small business and individuals. Most grants are made to fund a specific project and require some level of reporting. The process involves an applicant submitting a proposal to a potential funder, either on the applicant's own initiative or in response to a Request for Proposals from the funder. Other grants can be given to individuals, such as victims of natural disasters or individuals who seek to open a small business.

1. Educational Grants

There are conditions that apply to grants, of course. You didn't think you were going to get something for nothing did you? First of all, you must prove that you are in financial need. Grants are awarded only to those students that have demonstrated their family income level is below a certain level. There are also grants offered by corporations to benefit certain minorities and disadvantaged groups of individuals.

2. Apply Early Also, Apply Often

It never hurts to apply for an educational grant. Who knows, you just might get it! Of coruse, you can't just phone a school up and apply, you will be required to fill out several complex application forms. Some grant applications also require a written essay.

3. Grant Application Forms

Most of the time, you can find application forms posted online so there is no need for you to visit the institutions yourself in person. This form is more commonly known as FAFSA form or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form. You just have to fill up the FAFSA form and this form is consequently evaluated by the government. With education becoming more and more expensive, it makes the most sense for you to try and lower the costs as much as possible.

A new breed of wine enthusiast

Do you remember the episode of Taxi where Father Jim takes a hit off a joint and says, Columbian, Indica strain, South side of the mountains, picked in October, in the morning. Now that wasn't wine tasting but there are wine enthusiasts that can tell you the strain of grape, the area it was produced in and in some cases, the specific vineyard. What you say? You make your own wine and you consider yourself a wine enthusiast. But do you ferment your own grapes and look down on the people that use kits? Yes there are a few definitions of wine enthusiasts. You may even consider yourself a wine enthusiast if you go to lots of wine tasting events such as the Los Alto Arts and Wine Festival. There are many more events in wine regions all over the world. At these events, wine enthusiasts can go to taste the new offerings of both domestic and foreign wineries.

Imagine my Surprise

Before my wine enthusiast stage, I pictured wine tasting as a gathering of stuffy looking men with moustaches who would look at and smell the wine, take a sip and spit it out. I thought it was all quite stuffy and high-brow, something akin to polo. Another view of the wine enthusiast was the one portrayed in TV and movies, that of the cork-smelling, glass swirlers with a superiority attitude. I remember my wife asking me to go to a winery for tasting. I relented after a few words and resigned myself to the fact that I was going to "taste" wine. Happily I went and discovered the joy of wine tasting. I had no idea it would be that much fun. My God, they weren’t all stuffy. Most of them were good people who had a love of wine in common.

A Changing of the Times

In the past, the public generally took their wine choices from so-called wine experts. That has changed because of more wine tasting opportunities and the fact that most community education programs include wine education classes. This has taught the general public to judge the wine on its own merits, after all each person has individual taste.

Here Taste This

There are lots of conversations that go on while wine tasting. Wine enthusiasts are generally very social animals who love nothing better than to discuss the merits of the favorite wine of the day. They take great joy in introducing new offerings to complete strangers within the wine tasting room. They discuss different vineyards and wineries. The may steadfastly claim their love for a certain blend but they are open to at least trying new wines. Back in the day, wine enthusiasts were depicted as unrelenting about trying new blends.

So what's in it for me?

These days there are advantages to being a wine enthusiast. People get paid well as tasters. Another more likely source of benefit to the wine enthusiast is in educational forums, teaching other people what to look for in a good wine. With this multi billion dollar industry, there are lots of spin-offs. Wine accessories are a huge business and growing by leaps and bounds.

Project team building and morale

"You have lost your subject when you have lost his inclination; you are to preside over the minds, not the bodies of men. The soul is the essence of a man; and you cannot have the true man against his inclination."

-- Sir Walter Raleigh.

Check your project. Does your staff exhibit the characteristics of high morale?

1. You do not encounter small groups of people who scatter furtively when approached.

2. Lateness and absenteeism do not interfere with the organizational program.

3. Better qualified people fill vacant positions.

4. The informal social network quickly absorbs new recruits.

5. Decisions to hire, fire, promote or demote are usually unanimous among those consulted.

6. Dismissals and demotions are rare.

7. Supervisors are well acquainted with their staff and vice versa.

8. The distribution of pay and privileges is taken for granted.

9. Organizational ceremonies are well attended.

10. You are seldom called upon by subordinates to help maintain their authority.

11. Staff who get involved in organizational conflicts are apologetic, not complacent.

12. Both parties welcome you in conflict situations. Yet, morale shouldn’t be confused with happiness. If your organization subscribes to the above-mentioned high morale factors, they accept the goals, obey rules and participate in organizational life. Consider the following morale-building factors…

REWARD AND PUNISHMENT

Rewards such as pay, prestige and privileges directly affect morale. The puzzle is to reward the most productive staff, without lowering the morale of others. After all, it’s the employees’ conception of justice that determines whether a group’s reward system works. The individual’s expectations determine whether they perceive treatment to be just or unjust. For this reason, consider the following guidelines for creating a just system of reward and punishment:

There must be ample respect for the equality of peer equals. In cases where the equal treatment of equals presents a logistics problem – as in the case of a limited number of free tickets to the ball game – the allocation should be made by chance. Lots may be drawn or a decision can be arrived at through rotation.

Avoid paying supervisors less than their subordinates. Such incongruities reduce morale.

Promises made must be promises kept. The wise manager will spell out a promise for promotion in writing or at the very least in front of a witness. The performance of a promise should be as meticulously carried out – no more and no less than was originally discussed.

Every manager should observe due process. No accusation or claim against an employee should ever be acted upon without hearing the employee’s side of the story, allowing him or her to examine the evidence and to obtain evidence on their own behalf.

AVOID STAFF RATING BLUNDERS

Unfortunately, errors in evaluation do occur with disturbing regularity and consequences. Common causes include:

The illusion of consistency – Individuals who have an unblemished track record one year are automatically assumed to have displayed similar performance the following year.

Masking an individual’s performance – In teamwork situations, individual contributions become difficult to measure.

Masking of individual performance by intermediate supervisors – Intermediate supervisors may be driven to inaccurately report the conduct of subordinates for two reasons:

(a) An individual with an outstanding track record may be lost by promotion or transfer, or may steal some of the credit due to the supervisor.

(b) A poorly performing individual may not be accurately reported by his superior for fear of repercussions of inadequate supervision.

Defects of rating systems – Supervisors tend to give higher ratings to more compliant subordinates. To avoid this bias, encourage the individual’s peers and subordinates to submit performance ratings as well.

Invisible performances – Most intricate organizational programs include several activities not visible from the top, and some activities only visible to those individuals directly involved in them. Managers should not assume that no news is good news. Solid information should be collected concerning the performance of an activity for which a manager is responsible.

DEVELOP YOUR STAFF

Proper training of recruits encompasses not only the acquisition of specific skills. Also required are new images, social relationships and moral values. The importance of proper training is often overlooked. As a result, recruits leave soon after joining. The manager who wishes to make a dramatic improvement in organizational effectiveness should consider initiating a strong training program. The actual training program should be structured in an unrushed manner in order to gain maximum benefits.

CURTAILING CONFLICT

Organizational conflict leaves scars in more places than solely on those individuals directly involved with the conflict. When conflicts reach the stage of one party trying to destroy the other, it’s too late for the manager to salvage much of anything. If the manager plays the role of judge in a conflict, he or she will probably get little thanks from the winning party, while the losing party will attribute the manager’s decision to bias or stupidity. If a manager works hard at isolating any developing problem before it reaches a conflict stage, success will be easier to attain.

New age spirituality morning has been all night coming part 73

In the middle of trying to put the pieces together, there was a banging on my bedroom door and, as they sometimes do, Malika and Jonathan rushed in.

“Hi, Daddy!” Shouted Jonathan.

“We thought you were sleeping,” said Malika. “But when we heard the phone, we knew you had to be awake.” “Hi kids,” I said. “Is everything OK?”

They must have seen the confusion on my face as I sat there. Malika replied, “Yes, of course. What’s the matter, Daddy?”

“Nothing. Did you and Jonathan have a good time last evening? You didn’t give the baby-sitter a rough time, I hope.”

“Baby-sitter?” She asked. “What baby-sitter?”

“The one who took care of you last night,” I said. “What do you think I’m talking about?”

“We didn’t have a baby-sitter last night, Daddy. Are you sure you’re OK?”

“Maybe you were sleeping and the phone woke you up in the middle of a dream,” said Jonathan.

I looked at them curiously and then said, “Yes, I must have been dreaming. It seemed so real.”

“Tell us about your dream, Daddy,” said Malika.

Not wanting to say much, I replied, “It was something about going out to dinner with friends and leaving you and Jonathan with a sitter. That’s how dreams are sometimes. They seem so real.”

“You were so tired when you came home from the office yesterday,” Malika said, “that immediately after dinner, you told us you needed a nap. You changed into your nightclothes and fell asleep. It was very early. You really slept for a long time. I hope you’re rested now and feel a lot better.”

“And, Daddy,” said Jonathan, “you left the lights on. Malika and I turned them off.”

“Well, thank you. Let’s go get washed up and I’ll be down for breakfast in a few minutes,” I said.

I got out of bed and after a little while went downstairs for breakfast. Saturdays and Sundays have always been very special days for the children and me. During the week, they attend school and I go to the office. But on weekends we spend as much time as possible with one another. They grow so quickly and then they’re gone. I wanted to enjoy every moment I spent with them. Although it may appear at times that raising children is 90 percent sheer frustration and 10 percent pure enjoyment, I think the joy and the love make it all worthwhile. Like most other Saturdays, today promised to be fun.

After breakfast, the children wanted to go over to a friend’s house for a short while. When they were gone, I went upstairs and decided to rearrange some of my books while listening to music. Last night’s dream was still so vivid. If I listened carefully, I could still hear the mournful sound of bagpipes and the crash of the ocean upon the shores of the little village.

Thinking about nothing in particular and everything in general, I was starting to put the dream into the background of my mind when I noticed a sheet of paper at the foot of my bed. Paper comes from trees, I mused as I reached down and picked it up. Trees? Theo was speaking about trees last evening. Who was Theo? Oh, the dream, of course. Well, dreams are dreams and reality is reality, and they are two distinct segments of life. Thus ran my thoughts.

I glanced at the writing on the sheet of paper, assuming that it belonged to Jonathan or Malika. There, penned in beautiful letters, were the words, “Dinner at the Restaurant at the Edge of Eternity — 7:00 P. M.” I stared at it again, as I stood there in total amazement. Perhaps my dream was not a dream after all.

To read the rest of the story visit spiritual-simplicity. com