Are you getting a good nights sleep

According to recent poles 40 million Americans may have chronic insomnia, with problems related to falling asleep and staying asleep or waking up to early in the mornings. In fact, more than 100 million Americans do not get a full 7 – 8 hours sleep every night. Last year over 26 million prescriptions were written to help Americans sleep. Prescription drugs can have side effects, in most cases the dosages need to be upped to get a full night sleep the longer one is on them and most people become addicted to prescription sleep aids making it so they cant stop taking the them unless they don’t want to sleep for a few days. There may be an answer to America’s sleeping problem at your local health food store.

If you are having trouble sleeping, there are a few steps you can take to help your body naturally get to sleep. First try to get to bed at the same time every night your body runs on an internal clock and if you don’t get to sleep every night at the same time you can through that clock out of whack so a regular bedtime routine is good practice even if you aren’t tired try to lay down maybe read a book or listen to some relaxing music. Lifestyle choices will affect your sleep as well such as smoking, illicit drug use and pharmaceuticals, alcohol and caffeine; try to limit your intake of such things for better sleep. Next in line is nutrition, a combination of herbs and vitamins can help naturally relax the body and mind to help one get better sleep all night long. Green tea is an herb that is loaded with the amino acid l-Theanine, studies have shown l-Theanine to can help calm the brain, given today’s high passй lifestyles most of us are still thinking about work or what needs to go on your grocery list while laying in bed, l-Theanine helps calm your thoughts for a better nights sleep.

Other beneficial vitamins and herbs are as follows:

* 5-HTP: helps promote healthy sleep, a precursor to serotonin vital for mood regulation and sleep.

* Ashwagandha: an Adaptogenic herb, helps combat stress, calming herb.

* B Complex: good to combat stress, helps maintain a healthy nervous system function.

* Calcium: helps relax muscles.

* Chamomile: anti-anxiety herb, good for ADD, insomnia and stress.

* Catnip: a calming herb, used to help you sleep with out affecting you the next day.

* Hops: primarily used for treatment of anxiety and insomnia for thousands of years.

* Lemon Balm: Primarily used for ADD, insomnia, stress, and Irritable bowel syndrome.

* Magnesium: helps relax muscles and is a good brain relaxing mineral.

* Skullcap: used in the past primarily as a calmative and a digestive aid, and is known for its calming effects.

* Valerian: is a tranquilizer and calming herb useful for disorders such as restlessness, nervousness, insomnia, hysteria, and headaches.

The above listed herbs can be found in combination by several manufacturers such as Source naturals and Planetary Formulas to name two. Herbal supplements can create a natural relaxing and stress relieving environment for the body before bedtime.

Finally, there is melatonin which is a hormone naturally produced by the body. Melatonin is secreted from the pineal gland and is only released in darkness during sleep in healthy people. Unfortunately melatonin declines as we age and supplementation might be needed to help bring back normal sleep at night.

The statements in this article are not intended to diagnose, treat and cure or prevent disease please consult your health care physician before discontinuing medication or introducing herbs into your diet if you are currently on medication for sleep, herbs tend to enhance the effects of medications and side effects from those medication may increase.

Red velvet cake in a nutshell

Red velvet cake is a chocolate cake prepared by adding red food coloring, to the cake to give it the well known red color. Originally this red color was obtained by adding beets! Well, I think I will take the food coloring!

This cake has been very popular for many centuries. The most basic ingredients for this basic cake are flour, baking soda, buttermilk, vanilla extract, sugar, cocoa powder, vinegar, eggs, and salt. Ingredients required for the preparation of red velvet cake, as all other cakes also, should be measured using measuring cups or spoons. Different ingredients have different ways to measure, in order to receive the accurate amount of ingredients.

Mixing the ingredients together for this scrumptious cake is the initial step in the preparation of a red velvet cake. You can use spatulas, hand blenders, or electric blenders to prepare batter for a red velvet cake. After done mixing the ingredients, the oven needs to be preheated. This basically means that the oven needs to be at the proper temperature before the cake ever enters the oven for baking. Don’t forget this important step!

The baking pans need to be greased before baking. You can use non-stick cooking spray, butter and flour, or butter and powdered sugar. As for baking time, it is usually based on the size of the red velvet cake being baked and the type of oven being used. Typically, these cakes are baked at 350° F, but all recipes are different so be sure never to assume. Read all recipes carefully.

After baking, all red velvet cakes must be left for cooling for around 5-15 minutes and then removed from the pans. Frosting is spread on the cake once the cake is COMPLETELY cool, no sooner or the frosting may melt right off the cake. Usually cream cheese icing is preferred for red velvet cakes but other frostings are also creative choices. A true Southern lady wouldn’t dream of any other frosting except the cream cheese version.

These delicious red velvet cakes are most popular in South America and the southern United States, although they are popular in other areas too. Red velvet cakes are also sometimes called "devil's attraction" because of the red color. The red color, in today’s baking world, is traditionally caused by red food coloring. Sorry to burst your bubble but for those of you who are wondering, red food dye hasn’t always been the “red” of choice. Back in the older days, people used beets to make the original red cake. I don’t know about you, but the thought of beets in my cake seems a bit disgusting.

If you are interested in purchasing one of these red velvet cakes for a special event or occasion, they start at around $10, and go up from there based on the size you may need. They may be prepared in tier structures for wedding celebrations or in single layers for a special afternoon snack.

For diet conscious people, low fat red velvet cakes can be prepared using low calorie sugar, cream, and a chocolate supplement which may contain less fat but it definitely does not lack in flavor so do not worry about what you might be missing out on.

The red velvet cake can be purchased in bakeries or pastry stores. Some specialty stores even offer home delivery packs and those special cakes can be ordered online, via internet, or over the phone.

No matter how you slice it, the red velvet cake is a classic and can be enjoyed for any occasion. They have an original color which never goes unnoticed and a yummy flavor which is sure to tantalize taste buds.

A red velvet cake is your solution for any craving for a cake break… so dig in.

Home loan with bad credit score is this possible

Are you hesitant to apply for a home loan just because you have a bad credit score? Good credit score is important but if you have bad credit it does not mean the end of the world. You can still get a home loan if you have a bad credit score.

You need to be very careful in your decision at the time of applying for the loan. Do not haste for the loan to the first offer you are presented. Many money lenders might try to rip you off just because of a bad credit history. Do not accept whatever they have to offer, look out for other options. There might be a better option waiting just next door.

A good search can help you fund lenders who are willing to provide you loan at a much lower interest rate.

Is credit score important?

Credit score is definitely important. No matter it is just a three digit number but it has great importance in today’s business world. Your credit score directly reflects your credit standings and your capacity to repay the loan. A Bad credit score does’nt makes it impossible to get the home loan but it will certainly affect the interest rate you’ll have to pay.

One of the best ways to improve your credit score before applying for the loan is to do credit score repair. All you have to is get a copy of your credit score from any credit agencies. In fact you need to check your credit score once in six months. The reason for this repair is that there might be certain errors in your credit report. Its quite possible you might have paid your dues but they are not recorded in the credit report. You have to notice all these errors and inform the credit agencies to do the necessary corrections. Remember a credit score repair can help you improve your credit score by quite a margin.

Bad credit score is definitely not the end of the world. Your home loan can still be approved. The only drawback is the high interest rate which could have been way low if you had a good credit score. Improve your credit score with the help of following tips

• Pay your dues on time

• Check your credit score at least once in six months

• Avoid creating multiple accounts. Close all unnecessary accounts. Remember zero balance accounts are also taken into consideration.

How to save money when buying high end home air filters

How to Save Money When Buying High End Home Air Filters

Are you in need of air filters? If you are looking to replace the air filter on your air purifier, you may be. Unfortunately, there are some individuals who put off replacing their high end air filters, as they are concerned with the cost of replacement. Although high end replacement air filters can be costly to replace, there are a number of steps that you can take to help you save money.

The first step to go about saving money with the purchase of high end home air filters is by knowing that you do have a number of different options. This is important as it allows you to compare prices. In fact, comparing prices is one of the best ways to save money on high end air filters. What you can do is visit a number of home improvement stores to compare prices. This approach is one that most decide to take, but it can be time consuming. A better approach is to compare prices online.

When using the internet, whether it be to shop online or just compare prices, it is best if you already know what type of air filters you are looking for. You may have more freedom if you can purchase a universal air filter. If you are looking for an air filter for a specific make and model, be sure to know exactly what it is that you need. You can then perform a standard internet search with that information. This will help to give you targeted search results. These results should include links to stores that sell the high end air filters that you need or are interested in buying. Targeted results with the use of a standard internet search can also help you save time when compare prices.

As previously stated, the internet is a great way to compare air filter brands and prices, but the internet can also be used to buy. What you will want to first do is check the online websites of air filter and air purifier manufacturers. Many not only have their products sold in retail stores, but many also sell right on their own websites. This is a great way to save money, as you often gain access to lower prices when buying directly from the manufacturers. That is why manufacturer websites should be your first stop.

Even if you must shop for high end home air filters locally, there are a still a number of ways that you can go about saving money. As for comparing prices, you may first want to call your local home improvement stores, instead of visiting them. This approach can save you time, as well as money on the cost of travel. One way that many try to save money when buying air filters locally is by visiting department stores and discount stores, as they are known for their affordable prices. This is true, but they do not always carry filters that can be considered high end. That is why you may find the best luck and best prices on high end home air filters by shopping with home improvement stores instead and by buying your filters in bulk.

Searching for sales is another great way to find high end air filters for the home at affordable prices. Keep your eyes and ears open, even before you officially need to have your air filters replaced. Many retailers advertise their sales online or in newspaper inserts for local stores. Also, be on the lookout for coupons. Some home improvement stores place them in their newspaper inserts. You may also be able to find printable coupons or moneysaving certificates on the websites of air filter or air purifier manufacturers.

As you can see, there are a number of different ways that you can go about saving money on high end home air filters. In all honesty, no matter how much money you are able to save, any savings is still nice since these filters can be costly to purchase, although they are more than worth the costs.

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Data entry jobs enjoy the freedom at home

So it is looking like I might be leaving Venezuela soon and I am starting to wonder what I am going to do for money when I get back. I spent a ton to come down here and now most of it has disappeared as I paid my credit card bills with bank accounts that had no money coming in. I won’t need too much immediately as I will be going to law school and getting financial aid. However I am eventually going to need some cash.

During law school it is hard to find a job that will be flexible enough to understand a law students schedule; one that will let you move around you hours based on classes and exams. So I was thinking about it and wondering if I could find a data entry job part time. You know one that will pay me for the work I get done and I can do it at my pace. Ideally they could give me a certain amount of work for a week and I could just do it that week when I get a chance, but as long as I did it I would get paid.

There have to be data entry lobs like this out there. Okay so they probably don’t pay as well as the other more steady ones but they would still pay. If these types of data entry jobs prove impossible to find maybe I will simply do what all my friends threatened to do when college got to tough; stuff envelopes or fill out online surveys. Hey I am going to be a poor struggling law student, I am not to proud to stuff envelopes, I will just have to invest in a lot of bandaids.

Choosing a company name

When forming a limited company the name of the company can be an important decision. Some people may choose the first name that they think of and others may select a ready made company for speed or because they like a particular name. However, many businesses may prefer to select a company name that either clearly distinguishes itself from its competitors or contains something unique or personal. Company names can be chosen for different reasons.

One of the most common ways of selecting a company name is to use something personal. A quick look through your local newspaper will probably introduce you to many personalised business names. Johnson Consulting Limited, T Smith & Son Limited, Stephens & Barley Limited are some fictional examples of what may be found. This may instantly make a company recognisable locally, it can be deemed as more personal by its customers, and often works well within geographical areas. However, it does little to tell new customers what your company does.

A popular choice for a small business is to choose a name that is ‘descriptive’. This tells prospective clients exactly what your company does. Examples of this may be to call your business The Window Company Limited, City IT Consultants Limited or The Advertising Agency Limited. Whilst this does serve to reinforce your primary business it offers little differentiation and may easily be adapted by competitors.

A less personal option is to use a company name that is ‘associative’. This type of company name helps to create an image or connection to your business activity. It is less direct than using a descriptive name but helps to position your company’s name within the market through peoples understanding of what words mean. For example a flick through the Yellow Pages will offer plenty of examples of this. A hairdresser called Classic Cuts or a printer called Selectaprint Limited are examples of what may be found. These names offer some differentiation but may not ultimately set your company aside from its competitors.

An alternative is to choose a company name that is ‘freestanding’. These names are completely abstract and not related to the companies business activities. A fictional example may be to call your catering company Zedoc Limited. There are many popular brand names that illustrate this point. Consider, Kodak, Gillette, or Mars, these names will probably be instantly recognisable to you and conjure up a particular product or business. This is a good way of setting your company aside from the competition but it is important to consider the market that you operate in. Will your prospective clients know what your business is offering?

Choosing a company name may be a simple process, but it is not uncommon for people to deliberate over names for quite some time. Whilst company names can, and often are, changed during the life of the company most people like to choose a name that they like from the outset. Therefore consider your market, how much you want to differentiate from your competitors and what your company name should say about your organisation. Once the decision is made focus on the important business of making your company a success.

What is a credit report

For most people having good credit is a necessary part of their financial well being. Your credit history has a large impact on the ability to receive a mortgage, car loan and credit cards. Most of time your credit rating is based and formulated using information that is found on your credit report. If you are new to having credit or finally realized how important credit can be, here is some information on what a credit report is and its importance in the credit process.

A credit report is a document that is used to summarize your financial reliability. Usually credit reports compile information that includes current loans and credit cards you have, your payment history, your outstanding debt and other personal information such as your current and previous address, full name, aliases, and companies or lenders that recently requested your credit report.

Credit reports are a very useful tool for companies and lenders to determine if a person they are either loaning money to or can be providing a job or an apartment for is reliable and stable with their finances. For instance, if you would like to apply for a credit card, when filling out the application, you sign a waiver giving the credit card permission to pull your credit report and analyze it. From this point the credit card company will look at your credit report to see if you have lots of other credit cards, the debt that you owe on those credit cards and if in the past were you late paying the monthly bills for the credit cards.

Credit reports are instruments used by lenders and other entities to protect themselves against risk. While a credit report with lots of negative info can be bad for the person that is applying for a loan or apartment, credit reports are in most cases very helpful for consumers that keep up on their payments and are financially responsible. These consumers are able to acquire import loans such as mortgages and business loans that can help them reach their life goals.

Because credit reports are so important to the process of acquiring loans and a big factor in renting an apartment or applying for a job, it is extremely important that consumers know as much as possible on how credit reports are used, how they are scored and strategies on how your credit report can show you as being financially responsible.

Financial solutions and the fast secured loan

In this day and age, it is easy enough to get into financial difficulty. The cost of living is rising; the level of the average worker’s wage is not rising in keeping with that and thus a deficit is appearing between the standard of living ten years ago and that present in modern day life. The level of savings that individuals have has also fallen as a result of the above. This has combined to leave many households facing severe debt and thus in need of a fast secured loan.

There are many fast secured loan deals available on the moment, especially those that can be found on the Internet. A number of companies offer the fast secured loan to individuals owing their own property now because the house in which they live can be used as equity against the loan. That is to say that a fast secured loan guarantees the company offering the loan itself repayment in full because an individual taking one out would have to sign a legally binding agreement stating that his or her house can be used to repay the debt if he or she is unable to do so by any other means.

Although it is necessary that an individual consider his or her financial situation carefully before offering his or her house as a guarantee, the fast secured loan can provide an immediate cash injection that may be necessary for a variety of reasons and thus is highly convenient.

A number of fast secured loan brokers offer access to their financial products on the Internet making it easy for a homeowner to find the right loan. The brokers will match the loan to an individual’s circumstances, lessening the chance of the application being rejected or the homeowner being charged well over the odds for interest.

Lost creek ranch and spa

Lost Creek Ranch and Spa

Located between Grand Teton National Park and Bridger Teton Forest, in Wyoming, is an incredible family vacation spot called Lost Creek Ranch and Spa. Your vacation will start off right with the complimentary transportation they offer from the nearby airport. Rates for the ten cabins and twenty rooms include all meals. That is just the beginning.

Children under the age of six stay completely free and staff will provide cribs upon request. During the day, there are supervised children's activities so the adults may enjoy some time on their own. Activities include a heated pool, whirlpool, exercise equipment, tennis, hayrides, lawn games and a game room. Ridding instruction is available for both children and adults.

The spa offers a sauna and team room as well as massage. What a wonderful way to spend the evening after a long day of vigorous activity.

Each of the cabins includes a private porch, refrigerators and fireplaces. Picnic tables provide a nice outdoor experience for the whole family. The staff will also do your laundry free of charge so you can spend your time doing more enjoyable things.

Dinners are served family style and offer two choices each evening. Breakfast can be either a full continental one or your choice from a large menu. Lunch is served buffet style and offers a large variety of choices. Kids can either eat with their parents or enjoy a special kid's dinner with their newly found friends. They have a special menu of kid-favored food to choose from with the second option.

Not only is the staff highly trained in their particular occupation, but Lost Creek Ranch offers something found rarely elsewhere, a one to one staff and guest ratio. No matter what you need or want, there is always someone ready and willing to accommodate your wishes.

Natural herbal remedies harmful effects and things to avoid

In recent years the issue of Alternative Healing has skyrocketed to the forefront of the medical field. A 2004 government survey concluded that more than one third of adults use alternative medicine and healing.

However, there are over 300,000 higher plant species. A good herbalist may know of one or two thousand of them. This means that even an experienced herbalist can make mistakes. Let’s take a look at some of the most common problems.

Pregnant women should avoid barberry root bark, cascara sagrada, feverfew, juniper berries, mugwort, pennyroyal, pokeroot, rue, senna, southernwood, tansy, thuja and wormwood. All of those herbs can increased a risk for miscarriage. Safe herbs during pregnancy would be Manna, Butternut Bark or Root, Flax Seed, Slippery Elm and Lemon Verbena.

No matter what herb(s) you are taking, be mindful of anything unexpected. Stop taking whatever it is and consult an expert you can trust.

Make certain you have the correct diagnosis. Diagnosis is not easy and sometimes doctors make mistakes. Generally, however, a doctor is much better equipped to diagnose. Discuss any planned herbal discipline you plan to undertake with your physician.

Watch for any allergic reactions. Even though you may have never had any allergies in the past, if you are embarking on an herbal journey, watch carefully for any adverse reactions. If you experience difficulty in breathing within 30 minutes of trying a new herb, food or drug, call 911 immediately! You may be having an anaphylactic reaction which is the most severe form of allergic reaction. This condition can quickly become fatal unless treated promptly. This reaction is rare, but you need to be careful and be aware.

Watch for any interactions. Medicines often interact negatively with one another. So do herbs. Always be careful when taking more than one drug or herb or a combination of both. If you suspect an interaction consult your physician or pharmacist.

One interaction that you should be aware of is Antidepressants known as monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors. They interact badly with wine, cheese and many other foods. St. John’s Wort is also an MAO inhibitor so the same food restrictions apply. If you plan on using St. John’s Wort, discuss it with your physician or pharmacist.

Lastly, make certain that both your physician AND your herbalist are fully aware of all medications and/or herbal treatments you are using.

Miles credit cards strategies to accumulate miles

Put simply, miles credit cards allow cardholders to earn points for every dollar charged on the card. The accumulated points can be redeemed for reduced or, in some instances, free airfare. There are many promotional offers and some cards offer more points than others. To entice the customer, certain miles credit cards offer no annual-rate, no APR fees, additional bonus miles with new sign-ups, balance transfers at reduced or no interest rate for a certain period as well as no blackout date for miles redemption.

Credit card companies have also come up with affinity card programs that allow cardholders to collect airline miles with purchases at some of their most preferred retailing outlets and merchants. This lets cardholders add more miles at a faster rate with purchases from their favorite retailers. On the downside, these cards tend to have high annual fees and interest rates.

Frequent flyers tend to be mostly business travelers, who travel often due to work. However, careful planning can help normal travelers to accumulate good miles. Some tips to accumulate miles at a fast rate are:

1) Utilize Partner Services - Miles cards normally have tie-ins with car rental companies and hotels as part of their marketing strategy that also provide mileage points accumulation. Using these car rental companies or hotels and charging them to the miles card will also help to increase the points accumulated by using necessary travel expenditures.

2) Vacation or Tour Packages - Miles credit cards offer vacation or tour packages to encourage customers to travel and thus to increase demand for their airlines. Once again, by utilizing these vacation or tour packages, cardholders can accumulate more mileage points on the card per trip, earning more points while vacationing.

3) Non-frequent Travelers - For less frequent travelers, it is better to charge any travel related expense to the miles card when you travel. The travel related expenses could be anything from buying souvenirs, groceries, fuel while in a different location, etc, which also helps to accumulate additional miles on the card.

4) Affiliate services - Some miles card programs partner with a network of allied airline carriers. Examples of these kinds of network alliance services include the Star Alliance or Flying Blue programs. If your preferred airline does not fly to the location that you desire, try to choose from another airline that is part of the alliance network, giving cardholders yet another opportunity to accumulated miles.

Most miles credit cards have numerous benefits for frequent flyers. However, the benefits could vary, based on the specific program. Some mile cards provide additional or bonus points while making certain purchases. The points can later be traded for airline miles. Some miles credit card programs allow portability or the transfer of points to other frequent flyer accounts, and some even offer consolidation of all accumulated points to one single card. These earned miles give you free or reduced travel tickets. In addition, most of these cards also offer various other travel-related benefits, including free additional tickets, upgrade opportunities, lost baggage insurance, car rental insurance, and greater coverage amount for travel accident insurance.

Apart from points, most mile cards also offer different type of rewards for members. This could be anything from free hotel stays to car rentals, discounted vacation packages or even free airline tickets, in some instances. Certain airline miles card programs entice customers with an attractive offer to take advantage of free bonus miles, as high as fifteen to twenty thousand free points, in some cases. In general, you will receive flight miles per trip taken, but some miles card programs will offer a generous point total per flight, amounting to more points per mile than the actual miles flown. (Be sure to check with each reward miles program for specific details.)

Miles credit cards can be pretty costly for the credit card companies as well as the airlines. As such, miles credit cards tend to have higher interest rates and annual fees than traditional credit cards. One of the most recent promotional trends with certain miles cards programs is to enable cardholders carrying balances to qualify for a free domestic airline ticket on any airline. It is advisable that customers evaluate the pros and cons of such offers as in most cases, the cost of finance charges on the left over balance outweigh the benefits of getting a free ticket.

These cards will also have an expiration period, before which the accumulated miles need to be used. It is important to know this period and use the accumulated miles to get the maximum benefits. Nevertheless, miles credit card offers have become immensely popular as they allow customers to accumulate valuable miles through ordinary purchases, which later can be transferred to free flights and vacations.

Satellite q a things to know before you buy a satellite dish

* What is a satellite dish?

A satellite dish is a piece of equipment that transmits data signals from the ground to the satellite that orbits the planet. It is basically an antenna that is designed to receive signals from a satellite.

* How does a satellite dish work?

A satellite dish works by pointing it toward the sky at a specific azimuth or coordinates. It works as a receiver of a signal from the satellite and those signals are sent to the feed horn, then transmitted to your satellite receiver.

* Is the placement of the dish important?

Yes. For maximum quality, you should place your satellite dish in an unobstructed area. It should have no trees, buildings or other things that can restrict or obstruct the signals that the satellite is transmitting to your satellite dish.

* Can I place the satellite dish anywhere on my property?

Yes. As long as there is no obstruction to where your satellite dish is pointing, you can place it anywhere in your property. A very good example is installing the satellite dish in your roof.

* Do you need to ground a satellite dish?

Yes. There are local laws that require you to ground your satellite dish. In some places, there are no laws regarding grounding a satellite dish. However, grounding is still a must because of the build-up of static electricity. Static electricity can mean disruption of the signals or, in some cases, damage to your receiver.

* What is entailed in installing a satellite dish?

When installing a satellite dish, you will need a lot of things. First, you have to determine the location where you want to install your satellite dish. It should be in an area where there are no obstructions between the signal and the dish.

Satellite dish providers usually include all the equipment necessary to install the dish. They will also include a manual on how you should install the dish and where should you point it.

* Who is responsible for maintenance and upkeep on the satellite dish and connections?

It depends on your agreement with the provider. Usually, if you buy the satellite dish you will be responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the satellite dish. If you rent it, the service provider is usually responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the satellite dish. However, the connection or signal is usually the sole responsibility of the satellite signal provider.

* What do I do if I lose a signal and can’t get it back?

If you lose your signal from your satellite dish, it is best that you call your provider's customer care service. They will instruct you on what to do. You can also check your satellite dish owner's manual.

How to obtain the best offset mortgage

This article will briefly discuss what an offset mortgage is; and how an independent mortgage advisor can help you buy the best offset mortgage.

An offset mortgage links your main current account and/or savings accounts to your mortgage. Every day or month, the amount owed on your mortgage is reduced by the amount in these accounts, before the interest is calculated on the loan. When the money in your savings/current account increases, you pay less on your mortgage. If the money in your savings/current account decreases, you pay more on your mortgage.

When it comes to finding the best offset mortgage, it pays to have expert advice because there is more to a mortgage deal than meets the eye. Your mortgage will probably be the largest financial commitment in your life, and it pays to take time to look at the different options available to you.

There are different types of offset mortgages available on the market. You could look at ‘best buy mortgage tables’ to find the best offset mortgage, but that only gives you superficial information. It doesn’t show you the mortgage’s flexibility; i. e. the ability to underpay, take payment holidays, or overpay, or what the fees and charges are. In the last couple of years, fees for mortgages have increased. Fees can be in excess of Ј1000, and several mortgage providers are now charging fees as a percentage of the sum being borrowed, for example: a 2% fee on someone borrowing Ј120,000 on a new low two-year fixed rate deal would pay Ј2,400. Once fees are taken into account, the best offset mortgage deal may not be the one with the lowest interest rate.

Recent research has shown that the best offset mortgage is not necessarily offered by the top 10 biggest mortgage lenders. The top 10 mortgage lenders offered only 11% of the best 250 mortgage deals available on the market, despite the top 10 having more than a 60% share of the mortgage market. To guide you through this myriad amount of information available, an independent mortgage broker will give you impartial advice about the best offset mortgage, as they have comprehensive knowledge of the mortgage market. A mortgage broker is fully authorized by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and they have the necessary qualifications to advise you.

Your mortgage broker will perform a ‘factfind’ to learn about your financial situation and circumstances, and your wants and needs. Your broker will assess your ability to repay the mortgage, your credit history and credit scoring profile. Offset mortgages are usually calculated on an affordability basis and not on a simple income multiplier, which allows people with ad hoc financial income, such as a self-employed person, to possibly obtain a larger mortgage than with a standard, more traditional mortgage. All of the information you provide will help your broker obtain the best offset mortgage available for you on the market.

After the best offset mortgage has been sourced for you, your independent mortgage broker will provide you with written details about the mortgage, which will include:

- How much you want to borrow

- The type of offset mortgage you’re interested in

- A description of the mortgage; who the lender is and the interest rate

- Overall cost of the mortgage including the fees

- How much your payment would be if the interest rates increased

- The flexibility of your offset mortgage

An independent mortgage adviser will answer any questions you have and ensure you have all the necessary information about the mortgage market. It is worth spending time with them, as they are there to help you find the best offset mortgage. Resources

Training to be a beekeeper

Training to be a Beekeeper

Training to be a beekeeper is a time consuming skill that many take seriously because you have to share a passion for something that was once declared a simple hobby to which has joined the billion-dollar food market. The beekeeping industry has come a long way from it being a simple hobby to where it's going on tables across the world. Many beekeepers that have not been brought up in a family that practiced this are going to have to really learn fast from an experienced beekeeper that has had years of experience from knowing the biology and study of bees and what to expect when they turn out a good product of honey. What many people aren't aware of is and this may sound kind of gross, but honey is actually regurgitated food because bees not only make honey, but they eat it as food during the winter months since there are no flowers around when it's cold so it's a way for them to sustain food through the cold months.

It's amazing that bees have mastered the art of survival during the winter months. Beekeepers also have to keep in mind that certain times of the year there may not be any honey production since bees are most active during the warm months so that's why many of them are actually farmers since they have to have a way to make a living when it gets cold. This is an expensive hobby and it may look cheap because you can make a box put some slides in them and allow the bees to come there, but the thing is that you have to know where to put the boxes for the bees to build their hives in.

You have to train yourself to be knowledgeable in the area of entomology because you have to know what insects will be compatible around bees because some insects will feed on bees, yellow jackets, hornets, and wasps which are primarily mites and are one of the most annoying insects because they're so relatively tiny that you need a microscope to see them up close. Science plays a huge part in a beekeeper's training and gaining experience since most people aren't savvy to science and the elements of it which is important and necessary because you have to have some idea of how to manage bees and what to do to keep their habitat healthy and to keep pests from overtaking the hives and killing the bees. There are a lot of steps involving the proper education and training of a beekeeper and what you're looking for is someone who is serious and dedicated to a way of life that's been a tradition in some families for generations.

Many people learn through the ranks of great grandparents, grandparents, and parents and it's just a family tradition and way of life that's taught to children. It wasn't even about making money it was actually just one other chore on the farm, but in the years it slowly progressed into a farm staple that was being sold like it was produce, meat and dairy, but it's still a profitable market anyway you look at it and it's one of the sweetest things in the world.

Business plans what is including

Business Plan - What Is It?

A business plan is a document that provide answers to the type of questions anyone who may provide financing would like to know about your home business. A business plan says. "I've considered this from every angle, and here's what I've come up with". What is your product or service? This is the first question every business plan should answer. You must explain in the clear, concise language what in the world you plan to produce or what service you plan to provide.

Who are Your Customers? You need to clearly identify your customers in order to properly target your advertising, packaging, pricing, et.

What Makes You Different? You need to identify the "primary factors" that will make your business different than other businesses you'll be competing with.

What are Your Expenses? Your start-up expenses include any equipment that you need before you can get up-and-running, while your day-to-day expenses are staff costs and supplies.

Following is a Simplified Example of Business Plan

Catering Plus

The business will be a home-based catering company, producing luxury food for special occasions such as birthdays and weddings. We will provide a comprehensive catering service, while specializing in high end customized cakes, which have a higher profit margin than other foods.

Our catering business will be aimed at middle-class customers who desire a top-of-the-line catering but must operate on a budget. Our initial market area will consist of Mytown and the affluent area of Theretown.

We will only use commerical grade ingredients purchased from wholesalers and provide top quality design and service. This will allow us to provide food that looks tastes great, while keeping costs as low as possible.

Beause I will be using my kitchen and making the food myself, there are only two real expenses: The purchase of an industrial grade mixer and then the day-to-day cost of supplies. Our research has shown that this supplier offers the best value for start-ups.

To wrap it up, you should include a breakdown of both projected profit and loss per month (in graph form)for the first year in business. Show one-time and day-to-day expenses versus projected profit to indicate how you will pay-off your loan. Your business plan should show you making enough of a profit each month to live on - if it doesn't, then it may be considered unfeasible.

Study a Few Real-World Business Plans

The best way to get a real a feel for the dos and do nots of a business plans is to find real-world plans that have already been approved and study them. A good place to start is the internet. Once you've studied a few, you will get a better feel for how much work will be involved in putting your business plan together.

Chairing a meeting the most effective way

How many times have you attended a meeting where the only thing that gets decided is the date of the next meeting? Or where one person dominates the meeting? Or the meeting is swamped with trivia or unrelated information?

It is a commonly held assumption that chairing a meeting is simply a matter of reading out the agenda – that is assuming there is an agenda and that the addenda actually covers the topics which are most pertinent to the matter in hand.

Chairing an effective meeting is a skill. One that is learnable. Outlined below are some simple principles; which if followed can result in focussed efficient meetings where everyone feels their opinion is valued and the job gets done.

Rule number 1 – there is no place for ego. As the Chair Person you are the facilitator, the most effective are those who listen, who use open ended questions to tease out reasoning and to involve others.

Rule 2 –. Be very clear about what is the purpose of the meeting? Do you want lots of ideas – to brainstorm possibilities, identify the implications of things already identified, broad-brush strokes or determining detail.

Rule 3 – Be prepared, create the agenda, have any supporting papers prepared and circulated in plenty of time so that others have time to read in advance

Rule 4 – – At the beginning of the meeting ensure that all parties are introduced, keep it snappy. Set out clearly what sort of introduction is required: name and role, or background information. Give the time scale e. g. “Please introduce yourself give a brief outline of your experience, no more than a minute.”

Rule 5 – Set explicit parameters for the meeting from the outset: “By the end of the meeting we need to have achieved ……. We are going to concentrate on principles today so save the specific detail for the moment”

Rule 6 – Have high expectations. If the meeting is due to start at 10.00am start on the dot who ever is there, they will get the message. Start late to accommodate late - comers and they will assume it is ok to come late. Be clear about end times too. If you have asked colleagues to read materials before the meeting don’t read them out. The next time you ask them to read beforehand they will assume it is not worth the effort. Have high expectations and stick to them.

Rule 7 - What ever decisions are agreed at the meeting MUST STAND. If you are unsure about their validity set up as a pilot with an end time agreed. Don’t put the decision up for grabs if you are not happy to run with the outcome. You can give a structure for decisions which make it absolutely clear what is open to negotiation and what is up not.

Rule 8 – Involve all parties. Ask questions to specific people if they are not taking an active part in the proceedings, “What do you think about…… Fred” If others are dominating value their contribution but involve others “ Thank you Bertha that’s very helpful, what do the rest of you think about what Bertha has offered?”

Rule 9 – Keep the meeting on track, identify how things will be recorded, summarise the discussion, identify points for action, who will do what, the time scale for action, how things will be monitored and by whom and when

Rule 10 – model good meeting behaviour and accept nothing less from colleagues. Taking a positive part in the activity, being generous with ideas, listening to others, no aggression, bullying. A healthy professional discussion where diversity of ideas and approaches are constructively used to create the best solution and not as personal attacks is the ideal.

If colleagues are going to give of their best they need to know that all contributions are valued, that they will get credit for their ideas and that the whole organisations is strengthened by the collective success rather than scoring points off one another. As Chair Person it is you who will set the tone and manage the process.

Lucky brand jeans 04

It seems to me that jeans never fit quite right. It has always seemed like a waste of money to buy expensive blue jeans when they don't work any better for me than the cheap ones do. I've tried everything from Levi's blue jeans to Wal-Mart, and nothing works. I think it has to do with the shape of my body. You see, I have a long pelvis. All the jeans that I get seem to ride too low on me, or to ride up in the crotch.

The best fit that I have found is a pair of lucky brand jeans. I had almost given up entirely on all of blue jean kind when I found them last week at the mall. They were on the remaindered rack. It seems that the lucky brand denim jeans that I had found were slightly irregular. It is a good thing too, or I never would have bought them. I would not care if lucky brand jeans were the most famous brand in the world. I still would not pay what they ask for them normally. At least I would not have before. Now, things are different. I know how well this one particular style of lucky brand jeans fits on me.

Unfortunately, one pair of blue jeans alone is just not going to cut it. That is why I am going to the lucky brand jean outlet next week. I do not understand why anyone, once he or she has picked out the style of pants that he or she likes, would buy them at a normal store. If you can drive a few miles and buy your lucky brand jeans at one half the price, why not stock up at the outlet store? I guess that people who buy designer jeans are not the most practically minded people. They like to show off the fact that they can waste their money on bluejeans, so many do not like to buy them cheap.

I know that the lucky brand jeans are good because, for the very first time in my life, I have gotten a compliment on my pants. Maybe it is the fact that I always wear extremely worn, patched, and threadbare trousers, but no one has ever had a nice thing to say about my pants before. Now that I am wearing the lucky brand jeans, however, one of my best friends told me that I look cute. And she is a girl, so her opinion counts!

How to get the best rates on homeowner s insurance in iowa

There is no law in Iowa that requires a homeowner to purchase homeowner's insurance. If your home has a mortgage on it then your lender will require that you purchase homeowner's insurance, but even if your lender insists that you buy insurance keep in mind that you do not have to purchase insurance from any company recommended by your lender.

You have the choice of which company to purchase your policy from, and you have considerable leeway in the terms and the cost of your policy.

The first thing you want to do when purchasing a homeowner's policy is to make sure that you are buying the right size policy. Your policy needs to cover the replacement cost of your home – in other words, your policy should provide enough money to rebuild your home from the foundation up and to replace all of your home's contents – but don't make the mistake of insuring the value of the land under your home.

If you truly want to get the best rates on homeowner's insurance in Iowa there are several fairly easy steps you can take which will put you on the right path.

Start by taking good care of your credit rating. Don't start spending beyond your means. Many people are not aware of the fact that your homeowner's insurance premiums are affected by your credit rating. The better your credit rating the better your premiums will be.

Next, clear all weeds and brush at least ten feet away from all structures. This will reduce the fire risk to your property and should save you money each month on your premium.

Install deadbolt locks on all exterior doors. Install motion sensitive floodlights for your property and trim all bushes around windows in order to discourage burglars. Make certain that every single window, regardless of which floor it's on, has a working lock and make certain windows are kept locked.

If you can afford it, talk to your agent about installing a sprinkler system and/or a home security system that monitors your property for fire or burglary 24/7. Many such systems can save you as much as 20% or even 30% each and every month on your insurance costs.

If anyone living in your household is 55 or older and retired let your insurance agent know that as well, since having someone on the property most of the day can save you cash every month on your homeowner's insurance premium.

What is the deductible on your policy? If you can afford to increase your deductible you can reduce your monthly payment – sometimes substantially.

Make certain you have installed the proper number of smoke and fire detectors for the layout of your house and make certain that all of them work. Detectors need fresh batteries twice yearly.

Buy a fire extinguisher that is specifically designed for kitchen fires and make sure it's easily accessible.

If you up-grade your electrical or plumbing talk to your agent – very often such up-grades, especially if your home is over 15 years old – can result in a substantial reduction in your monthly insurance cost.

Now get online and start comparing policies and their prices among the different insurance companies doing business here in Iowa. Remember that if you are truly serious about finding the best rates on homeowner's insurance in Iowa that you will need to take the extra time to compare prices on at least 3 different websites.

Good luck!

Posturing introduction

Posturing: Introduction

It increases muscular strength. It reduces tension and stress. It has a low potential for injury, and it doesn't even look like exercise.

Why, then, don't more people practice yoga.

People think of yoga as being passive and mystical - an otherworldly activity that doesn't relate to their lives. People are experiencing a vacuum because of all the outward directed activity, and they are going to have to go back to the experience of self.

Although the Indian discipline of yoga has been practiced for more than 5,000 years, in this country there are few followers. Almost half the American adult population swims and close to a quarter runs or jogs, yet only 2 percent practices yoga.

The word yoga derives from the Sanskrit root yuj, meaning to yoke or connect. Through yoga's various techniques, one is said to arrive at mental and physical equilibrium, better health and inner peace. It has been described as providing, in effect, a ''work-in'' rather than a workout.

There are at least eight main branches of yoga and several offshoots of each, but essentially there are only two concerned with exercise: hatha yoga and kundalini yoga.

Hatha is the most popular type of yoga in the Western world. It is a slow-paced discipline that emphasizes controlled breathing and assuming various physical poses. It is said to aid the nervous system, the glands and the vital organs.

Kundalini, which was introduced to this country in 1969 by Yogi Bhajan, is more active, combining various modes of breathing, movement and meditation. It is based on the idea that body energy that is coiled below the base of the spine can be tapped so that it travels upward through different energy centers or chakras until it reaches the head. At this point one arrives at one's highest potential.

Classically, there are 84 basic yoga positions, or asanas, which are coordinated with special breathing techniques. The asanas range from simple bends and twists to pretzel-like contortions reserved for the most advanced practitioners. The various poses elongate the muscles and build flexibility. Along with the proper breathing, they help rid the body of tension. Static holds isolate and strengthen particular muscles.

Asanas have been evolved over the centuries so as to exercise every muscle, nerve and gland in the body. They secure a fine physique, which is strong and elastic without being muscle-bound, and they keep the body free from disease. They reduce fatigue and soothe the nerves. But their real importance lies in the way they train and discipline the mind.

Comets visitors from beyond

Comets - Visitors From Beyond.

The one thing we love the most in the world of astronomy is a good mystery. And if there was ever a mysterious and yet very powerful force of nature that we witness in the night skies, it is the coming of the mighty comet.

The arrival of a comet within view of Earth is an event of international importance. Witness the huge media attention that the Haley or Hale-Bopp have had when they have come within view The sight of these amazing space objects is simultaneously frightening and awe inspiring.

Above all, it is during these comet viewings that the astronomer comes out in all of us. But what is a comet? Where did it come from? And how does it get that magnificent tail?

We should never confuse comets with asteroids. Asteroids are small space rocks that come from an asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. While still quite stunning to see, they pale in comparison to the arrival of a comet. Asteroids also have received considerable study by the scientific community.

Not as much is known about comets. As a rule, comets are considerably larger than asteroids. The composition of a comet is a mixture of nebulous, gasses, ice, dust and space debris. One scientist called the composition of a comet as similar to a “dirty snowball” because the composition is so diverse and changeable. The center or nucleus of a comet is usually quiet solid but the “snowball” materials often create a “cloud” around that nucleus that can become quite large and that extends at great lengths behind the comet as it moves through space. That trailing plume is what makes up the comet’s magnificent tail that makes it so exciting to watch when a comet comes within view of Earth.

The origins of comets is similarly mysterious. There are a number of theories about where they come from but it is clear that they originate from outside our solar system, somewhere in deep space. Some have speculated they are fragments left over from the organization of planets that get loose from whatever gravitational pull and are sent flying across space to eventually get caught up in the gravity of our sun bringing them into our solar system.

Another theory is that they come from a gaseous cloud called the Oort cloud which is cooling out there after the organization of the sun. As this space debris cools, it gets organized into one body which then gathers sufficient mass to be attracted into the gravity of our solar system turning into a fast moving comet plummeting toward our sun. However, because of the strong gravitational orbits of the many planets in our solar system, the comet does not always immediately collide with the sun and often takes on an orbit of its own.

The life expectancy of comets varies widely. Scientists refer to a comet that is expected to burn out or impact the sun within two hundred years as a short period comet whereas a long period comet has a life expectancy of over two hundred years. That may seem long to us as earth dwellers but in terms of stars and planets, this is a very short life as a space object indeed.

Scientists across the globe have put together some pretty impressive probes to learn more about comets to aid our understanding of these visitors from beyond. In 1985, for example, the United States put a probe into the path of the comet Giacobini-Zinner which passed through the comets tail gathering tremendous scientific knowledge about comets. Then in 1986, an international collation of scientists were able to launch a probe that was able to fly close to Haley’s comet as it passed near Earth and continue the research.

While science fiction writers and tabloid newspapers like to alarm us with the possibility of a comet impacting the earth, scientists who understand the orbits of comets and what changes their paths tell us this is unlikely. That is good because some comets reach sizes that are as big as a planet so that impact would be devastating. For now, we can enjoy the fun of seeing comets make their rare visits to our night sky and marvel at the spectacular shows that these visitors from beyond put on when they are visible in the cosmos.

PPPPP 728

Types of musical groups

Throughout history conductors and musicians have experimented with different sizes and make ups of musical groups to produce the style they are looking for. Composers have used a single person, groups between 3-10 and it is not uncommon to even have 50 or more members in a single group.

One of the largest musical groups is the orchestra. An orchestra is typically composed of professional musicians who have mastered their instrument and, in many cases, have some type of degree in music. Orchestras typically perform in concert halls and play symphonies, which are often historic pieces written by famous musicians like Beethoven or Mozart. These historic symphonies are performed exactly as they would have been hundreds of years ago when their creators first wrote them. The orchestra is lead by a conductor who helps keep the tempo and controls the symphony. The instruments used in orchestras are traditionally acoustic instruments and fall into four categories: woodwind, string, brass, and percussion.

A choir is in some ways the opposite of an orchestra. Instead of being composed mainly of instruments, a choir is based on vocals and can contain several hundred members. Choirs are also very old and are seen most commonly in churches. Many popular musicians, including Elvis, discovered music by joining his local church choir.

Because of the availability of electronic instruments, it is no longer necessary to use a large number of people to produce loud music, so modern music groups usually have between 3-10 people. The majority of modern music groups have a lead singer, a drummer, a guitar player, and a bass player. Some groups have additional singers, guitar players, keyboard players, synthesizers, as well as saxophones, and other more traditional instruments. Modern music groups use many different combinations of musical instruments, as well as playing styles, to achieve a desired sound.

A cappella groups are similar to choirs in that they do not use any instruments and they both have their roots in the church. Modern a cappella movements include barbershop and doo wop. Although traditional a cappella is primarily lyrical, many a cappella pieces emulate the sound of instruments or various other noises one may experience in everyday life. While a cappella is not prevalent in mass pop culture, it is becoming more common. Outreach groups have started a cappella competitions, and there have been hundreds of a cappella albums recorded in the last ten years.

The types of groups mentioned in this article are a small sample of the various music groups the have been assembled to get a certain sound or emulate a style. Historic groups like orchestras and choirs are sure to stay in the mainstream, as well as pop culture groups, but as the world and music change, there is no telling what kind of new music groups we may see in the future.

Children toys in foreign language training

Children Toys in Foreign Language Training

Learn a second or third language for some of us can be very hard for children and adults. There are many ways to learn a foreign language including toys, games, and puzzles for the children of all ages. The young children are the easier it is to learn a new language the natural way.

Children can learn a new language just as if they learned their natural speak by playing and making it a fun adventure. You as a parent doesn’t even need to know the language; learn with them by spending time with your child and having fun with it.

A second language is a skill and it will give your children knowledge to further their career and help them to communicate with others. Making learning a fun adventure will teach them and they won’t even realize it. It takes practice on a daily basis and using what they learn everyday will help them to keep it in the memory process a lot longer.

Learn the foreign language of finger spelling can be a fun way to be able to speak to people that can’t talk or hear. Reach the Internet for Children’s toys learning to speak foreign languages. Finger spelling can teach your children to translate, giving them the skills that is necessary in many ways and at the least expected time.

Teaching the finger spelling method can be done on the Internet using the free translator software. Just type in the word or phase and it will translate using finger spelling at the convenience of your PC.

Finger spelling also can be taught by using flash cards. Teach your children to speak with finger spelling as if they were learning their natural language or division math skills.

The free translator on the Internet for teaching finger spelling comes in many different languages giving your child and yourself choices of the language you want to learn. The finger language can be taught for the baby to grandparent’s age bracket.

Start teaching your children as early as 1 year to learn one or two new languages using the Muzzy program. It is a know fact the earlier children are exposed to different languages the easier it is for to learn the natural way giving they a richer IQ and vocabulary.

Muzzy comes in several languages including Spanish, French, German, Italian, and English. Get one program or all of them. Your child can never learn too much, since the future looks bright.

Muzzy comes with CD’s for the children to sing along with while traveling, DVD’s to watch and learn from. A script book in Multilingual will be provided with a guide for the parent and storage case to store everything in.

Muzzy comes with a doll, a cute little animal to cuddle and play with. Interacting with the children by talking to them and letting the child repeat. Makes fun a learning time letting it come natural them.

Muzzy will teach the children multilingual languages by singing songs and playing games with them. Learning can be fun and entertaining at any age. Muzzy will advance by age and level as they progress moving along with the children by using what they learned and adding to each level.

There are many different way to teach children at an early age different languages. Research the Internet and find the different way to start your children at an early age a new foreign language using toys.

Puzzles, talking telephone, games, Computer software and many other items are available to make learning fun and natural. Free software is available on the Internet giving children computer time skills as well as learning.

Learning to speak a new foreign language takes time and practice. Use your children’s new learning skill on a daily basis.

Origami is good for you

Origami is Good for You

Origami, the art of paper folding has proven to be so much more than just a beautiful craft idea. Origami is good for you. This realization has been taken to the classroom and used by many teachers to broaden the student's way of thinking. Origami compels the student to develop skills in an interesting way. This activity teaches skills that are necessary and beneficial in every day living.

Patience is something that we all need to learn. Each and every day, whether at school, at work, at home or at the grocery store, people need to practice patience. This is difficult for some individuals, especially for the child who is waiting their turn for the swing for example. Origami can be used to instill this importance of patience in both children and adults alike. Because this activity requires careful attention and precise folds, it cannot be rushed if hoping to achieve the intended result. One must be very patient when attempting an origami project.

Attentiveness or awareness is also essential in our daily existence. Whatever environment we find ourselves in it is important to be aware of the situation and activity around you. The art of origami teaches people to be aware and to pay attention. This is imperative in order to complete an origami project accurately. In a group setting the instructions are normally relayed by one person for example a teacher or instructor. To know which folds to make, the student or individual needs to listen attentively. This is a good practice for anyone.

Origami is great for fine tuning motor skills. This activity requires an individual to use their hands, both hands to fold the paper in order to achieve their goal. Our hands are needed to do just about everything. Origami would be beneficial for people who are experiencing difficulties with their hands, especially where fine motor skills are required.

Sequencing is important to learn. No matter what activity a person sets out to do there are steps to be taken. If the third step is taken before the first, it's unlikely the outcome will be favorable. Let's use baking a cake for example. First of all the ingredients need to go in the bowl, then they need to be mixed adequately and then put in a pan to bake. If the ingredients were all thrown into the baking pan without first of all being mixed, the result would be a mess not a cake. The same idea works with origami. If steps are skipped the results would be less than expected.

Origami is good for kids and their self-esteem. Kids are easily intimidated by other kids. Being able to complete an origami project can be gratifying for children. Realizing they independently created a work of art can make them proud. Not only will they feel proud but they may feel equipped to take on projects that otherwise may have been avoided. There'll definitely come a day when everyone will be demanded to work independently. Origami projects are good for you.

A trading strategy that consistently beats all major indexes

Are you looking to outperform the market and optimize your profits but are not sure how to pick the right stocks? Has investing become a chore? Do you find yourself investing in hot stocks after they have made their big move? Would you like to learn how I increased my portfolio by over 400% in under 7 years? Do you want to discover how I have outperformed the market over the past 3 years by a margin of 5 to 1?

Do You Hate Research? . . . I do!

I have always wanted to find an investment strategy that made sense. An investment strategy in which I do not need to know the intricacies of the market, predict market trends or follow specific stocks. How can I get the inside information of what is hot before the rest of the market knows? I can't. Nor do I need to.

Plus, I don't have that kind of time to commit to in-depth research. Like you, I have a regular job that I need to devote my time to. I am not a day trader; nor do I want to spend all of my free time on the computer doing research. Always following the stock market and getting stock quotes is not how I want to spend my free time.

I Avoid Individual Stocks . . . they are too unreliable!

Everybody wants to buy low and sell high. While millions of people do make money this way (and many millions loose money), I have found an easier and more effective way to use the market to my advantage. I do not trade in stocks. I do what I can to avoid individual stocks. And I consistently beat the market . . . month after month after month.

If not stocks, what's the alternative?

Like many people, I got heavily involved in the stock market in the mid to late Nineties. Tech stocks were going through the roof and I, like everybody else, wanted a part of the action. It seemed an easy way to make money. Everybody was getting rich. You did not need a special investment strategy to beat the market.

During this time, I engrossed myself in the financial markets. I wanted to learn as much as I could without giving up my day job. I was trying to find the next best tech stock, IPOs and the occasional pre-IPO offering. But it was not until I discovered options trading that I discovered an investment strategy (The Yager Trading Strategy) that can work in any kind of market . . . Bull, Bear or stagnant.

That's right...OPTION trading!

And I am not talking about stock options or writing covered calls. Options trading...I started selling options on S&P futures, using different methods and trading strategies. And I did well. VERY well.

Between July 1998 and January 2000 (a span of 18 months), from my option trading system, I turned an initial $25,000 investment into $167,615. That's over 670% increase. And this was not paper money where you buy a stock and it has a certain listed value. This was real, taxed income. Profits collected on a monthly basis.

Market fluctuations and volatility have diminished greatly since then...reducing the premiums. Those types of returns are no longer available, but the option trading strategy is still very sound. I still consistently beat the market. Even the years the DJIA, Nasdaq and S&P were all down, I posted more than a 22% gain.

Learn the option trading strategy or see how to make money with this strategy. I describe the strategy and show actual recent trades on YagerInvesting. The information is FREE. No subscription required. This is a method for risk capital only.

For the preceding 12 months (May '06 through April '07) this is how my strategy, The Yager Trading Strategy, performed:

DJIA-----20.3%

NASDAQ-----14.7%

S & P 500-----17.3%

Yager Trading Strategy-----32.2%

Using an ad tracker is key to the affiliate marketer

Using An Ad tracker Is Key To The Affiliate Marketer

There’s a lot of money in affiliate marketing. This is true, however, only to those are seriously and zealously working on his affiliate program. Success in affiliate marketing varies in every individual affiliate and for the most part, it depends on his will and perseverance. No matter how good an affiliate program is, it will not prosper if the affiliate marketer does not pay the price of hard work. One must exert extra effort especially on the aspect of promotion. Nothing will happen if the links or banners would just lie idle in a web page, an affiliate must be able to convince the visitor to click it and proceed to the business site to buy the products. No click-throughs means no income for an affiliate marketer.

You can actually generate a full-time income by means of affiliate marketing and you can do it at home, and yes, even while you sleep. You must have a good web site to begin with. It must have good promotional and informative contents, pleasing design, inviting banner ads and all other important elements in an affiliate marketer’s web site. It would be great if you have exhausted other means of advertising such as newsletters, email marketing, message boards and ad listings such as Google AdWords. You just have to go online once in a while to check your site and update it and to watch over the development of your marketing program. Does this sound so easy?

It can be this easy if you have planned your affiliate program well and have taken all the steps towards success carefully and diligently. Now, there’s a tool you can use to help you go through the program with ease and confidence, the Ad Tracker. For many experienced and successful affiliate marketers, the Ad Tracker is a key to a successful affiliate marketing program.

What precisely is an ad tracker? It is a marketing tracking software or program that allows you to trace and take note of every click-through made by visitors of your site and by other customers who got your referral link. There are ad tracking service providers as well, so you will just have to pay them to do the tracking for you. With the ad tracker, you can keep an eye on the progress of your marketing campaigns even offline. This tool or program is especially helpful if you are engaged in several affiliate and pay-per-click programs and have placed ads in emails, pop-ups and pop-unders, message boards, auto responders, Ezines, forums, several web sites, surveys and various ad service providers.

Of course, you don’t want all your efforts to be put to waste so you want to make sure you are getting paid for your hard work. Likewise, you want to make sure every dollar or cent you disburse in your advertising campaigns is wisely spent. With the help of the ad tracker, you will know accurately how many and which of your links where clicked on, how many clicked on your links, how many of your emails were opened and how many of those who opened your email clicked through the business site and purchased a product, how many products were purchased, which of your banner ads or links brought the most leads and sales and many other pertinent facts and figures you need.

Sales records and all data stated are necessary in any business as this could determine if your affiliate program is still worth continuing. This would also help you determine which of your marketing strategies is most effective and which is most beneficial for each product or service you are promoting.

Every decision and plan you make must be well grounded on facts. That decision or plan of action may not be the best, but it is something not to regret about when you had valid reasons for coming up with such decision or plan. You cannot just decide to terminate your affiliate program, just because you don’t earn big in an instant.

If you are serious with affiliate marketing, again and again, keep in mind that your success lies mainly on promotion and your hard work. If you don’t seem lucky enough to convince many of your site users to buy the products, don’t be disheartened and jump into a conclusion that your affiliate program is a failure. If it works for others, it could work for you, too. Know whether your advertising techniques are effective or not, which works best for your program and which doesn’t. Get an ad tracker to help you know all these and you’d surely be on the right track towards success!

Benefits of time management 14

Does it ever feel as though you don’t have enough waking hours in the day? That’s a fairly typical feeling for almost everyone and it can cause a lot of stress. For many working adults they have a lot to juggle. Full-time jobs mixed with a busy family life can result in a person feeling overwhelmed. There are ways to make life easier and one is finding a way to divvy up your time better. When you consider all the benefits of time management programs, it seems clear that having one can make a significant difference in your life.

It’s interesting when you stop and consider that most of us really aren’t in control of our own lives. We work for someone else, during the hours they insist on, we involve our children in so many extracurricular activities that we end up with no time left for ourselves. One of the benefits of time management is finding time for you so you can enjoy your own pastimes.

An effective approach that has worked for many people is to set goals. Most of us have vague goals of things we want in our lives. These may include where we want our career to go and also how we envision our personal life in a few years. Without clearly defined goals, it can be hard to keep them in sight. Therefore one idea that can be very helpful is to write down your goals as well as a time period for achieving them. This gives you a deadline and will likely keep you much more focused and driven. The benefits of time management can certainly include charting your own destiny.

Writing things down can be effective in other areas as well. You may be surprised to see how much time you are actually spending on non-productive activities each week. Things like watching television or playing video games is relaxing but it can impact how you perform in other areas. Jotting down your daily routine for a week will help you determine what you are spending unnecessary time on. This time can then be redirected towards something meaningful, perhaps taking a walk with your spouse, or enrolling in a class. You’ll quickly find that one of the benefits of time management is having more time to improve your life.

Whatever changes you make in your personal life to improve your position, you can do the same in your professional life. If you aren’t progressing up the corporate ladder as quickly as you’d like to, look at what you can do to change that. Perhaps this might mean taking a few courses during the weekend or evenings. The benefits of time management for you might include rearranging your time so you can get a degree that will help your career take off.

Being in control of your own time is essential for success. You can start changing your life and your future today by looking at how you spend your time now and how you need to be spending it to get exactly what you want. Once you make those changes, the sky is the limit in terms of what you’ll accomplish.

Promoting your blog

Promoting Your Blog

Blogging can be a great deal of fun for some bloggers but for others it is a source of income. Whether this income is earned through an AdSense campaign, paid advertisements, affiliate marketing or some other type of revenue generating source one of the key elements to maximizing this profit is by driving greater traffic to the blog. This is because the more visitors the blog receives the more opportunities there are for the blogger to have visitors click through the advertisements in the blog. There are a few basic techniques which bloggers can rely on to promote their blog and increase traffic to their blog. This article will cover a few of these key concepts including participating in relevant message boards, optimizing the blog for search engines and keeping the blog interesting to visitors.

Active Participation in Message Boards

Participation in message boards which relate to the blog topic is actually one very simple way for blog owners to drive traffic to their blog. However, one caveat to using this type of promotion for the blog is to avoid violating the rules of the message board. This is important because some message boards have strict regulations regarding the inclusion of links to other websites on the message board. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the blogger being banned from the message board and may also cause other message board users to not think highly of the blog owner.

Another careful consideration for the blog owner is to avoid posting the web address to his blog in a way which will be considered spam by other message board users. This is important because other message board users are likely to not visit the blog if they believe the blog owner is simply spamming the message board. This can be avoided by including the link to the blog in the signature and ensuring the posts made on the message board are informative and of interest to the other message board users. Building a reputation as a useful contributor to the message board will be beneficial to enticing other users of the message board to visit the blog.

Optimizing Your Blog

Search engine optimization is another factor which blog owners should also carefully consider. Optimizing the blog for search engines can be beneficial because improved search engine rankings often lead to increased blog traffic. Depending on the amount of competition on the blog subject rising to the top of the search engine rankings may not always be easy. Blog owners who have a blog with a very popular subject may face stiff competition for search engine rankings from other blogs and websites which may have the means to hire professionals in the search engine optimization industry to assist them in achieving high rankings. However, there are some steps the blogger can take to attempt to boost rankings. Some of these steps include researching and using relevant keywords naturally throughout the blog postings, incorporating these keywords into the title, META and image tags and avoiding black hat optimizing techniques which could result in the blog being penalized by search engines.

Keeping Your Blog Interesting

Finally, one of the simplest ways a blog owner can help to drive traffic to his blog is by regularly updating the blog and keeping it interesting. This is important because a blog which is interesting is much more likely to not only maintain blog traffic but also generate new traffic. This is because readers who are interested in the posts on the blog are not only likely to keep coming back to the blog but are also likely to recommend the blog to other members of the target audience. This type of word of mouth advertising can be very beneficial because those who have an interest in the content of a particular blog also typically have friends who would also be interested in the blog. Once one blog owner recommends a blog to one or more friends, these new blog visitors are also likely to recommend the blog to others if they find it to be interesting, useful or otherwise worthwhile.

PPPPP

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Airbrush art taking care of your airbrush

Airbrush Art-Taking Care of Your Airbrush

One of the main things that you need to know how to do with airbrush art is how to take care of your equipment. Keeping your equipment in proper working order and clean will save you a lot of money and hassles. Equipment that is not kept clean and properly cared for will break down more often. Also equipment in is not taken care of and cleaned will not produce quality airbrush art.

First let's look at how to clean your airbrush. One rule of thumb to remember is the type of cleaner you use will depend on the type of paint you use. Solvent based paints should be cleaned with a solvent based cleaner. All water based paints can be cleaned with water or a commercial cleaner designed for airbrushes. Windex is useful when cleaner your airbrush between color changes while using your airbrush. Never soak or leave your airbrush exposed to Windex for any real length of time. You should not have to take your airbrush apart every night to clean it, it is alright to only do a complete break down and cleaning once a month. Just make sure you do not go any longer than that. When you take it apart to clean soak it in a commercial grade cleaner overnight. The next morning take an airbrush cleaning brush to it. Make sure to oil your airbrush up before putting it back together.

Most artists find the using their airbrush without the needle cap gives them more control. Removing the needle cap is fine but should you hit your airbrush against something or drop it you could end up damaging the needle itself. So to take care of your airbrush make sure that when you are not using your airbrush that you replace the needle cap back onto it. This will give a little protection to the needle itself should the airbrush happen to fall. A damages needle can be disastrous to your ability to create high quality art, because if you are unable to straighten a bent needle back out or the needle should break completely you will not be able to finish your airbrush art until you can get a replacement.

If you do end up bending your needle you can try and straighten it with either pliers. Place the tip within the pliers and gently try and straighten it back out. Remember to do this gently so that you do not break your needle.

The better care that you take of your airbrush the longer it will last. So keep your airbrush clean with the right cleaners and once a month do a full break down and cleaning. With needles most artist find that the airbrushes coming out of China bend easier than any of the other airbrushes. So look for one that is made elsewhere so that you do not have to keep trying to straighten a bend airbrush. The best airbrushes to use that are the easiest to take care of are name brand airbrushes. The knockoffs are harder to take care of because are made from cheaper parts that break easier than the name brands.

Powakaddy

PowaKaddy

The PowaKaddy Company is the world’s leading manufacturer of powered golf carts. All carts made by PowaKaddy are designed by golfers for golfers. That means you are getting a cart that will meet your needs because the advice from avid golfers goes into the design of every single cart. It’s best to have a product designed by people who use that product. PowaKaddy knows this all too well.

PowaKaddy golf carts are pull carts on which you put your club so you can easily walk your round of golf. Most are run by small batteries that are on the cart. Here are some of their products along with a brief description of each:

* Freeway Titanium Compact and All-Terrain – These carts break down for easy transportation. In just two simple clicks, it opens and closes making these carts very easy to use. PowaKaddy has made these carts from an AMST alloy chassis which makes them light and strong. These are their best selling power carts. The compact version is easily transportable, and the all-terrain version is designed for rugged, hilly courses.

* Freeway Titanium Sport – This cart is similar to the Compact, but PowaKaddy has added some touches of refinement. The chassis is also made with AMST alloy steel, but it also has low profile sport wheels and a nearly noiseless engine. It also has an Electronic Distance Function which will automatically drive your cart forward.

* Robokaddy – This cart is touted as the neatest, lightest powered cart that obeys your every command by remote control. You direct operations via a small pocket sized transmitter. The motors are very quiet and it easily folds up for convenient transportation and storage.

* Classic Legend – This new cart combines all the best features of the Classic with the PowaKaddy Freeway. It has a removable handle, and is made with AMST steel just like the other PowaKaddy carts.

PowaKaddy also sells state-of-the-art regular pull carts for golfers who don’t mind providing their own power to transport their clubs. Their extensive line of golf bags fit perfectly on any of their carts as well as any other pull cart. PowaKaddy provides a large line of golf accessories as well for golfers to choose from.

This amazing company has great products for the avid golfer. If you’ve never considered the possibility of a motorized pull cart, go to the PowaKaddy website and find out everything you need to know about these exciting new innovations! Find them at www. powakaddyusa. com.

Bridging the gap between off line and on line advertising a superbowl case study

I just don’t get it. Advertisers spend millions of dollars for a 30 second or 1 minute spot in a football game yet in many cases they fail to follow through online.

I mean, if you are going to spend that much money to get your product visible wouldn’t you want to back that up somehow?

In this article I look at some of the shortcomings of a Super Bowl campaign and what I think advertisers should be doing about it.

So, Super Bowl 40 (sorry XL) has come and gone. Like so many other people I of course watched the game. Not so much for the game but for the commercials.

You see, Super Bowl Sunday is the time of year when many companies launch their year’s advertising program starting with an inaugural Super Bowl commercial.

And like every year, the usual suspects were there – Budweiser, GoDaddy, Pepsi and Coke to name just a few.

Now, there are some interesting things that took place with the commercials this year. For one thing, there were a lot of web properties hosting the ads online. Last year there were only a handful, but this year big names like Yahoo! and Google got into the ads.

Even the NFL website had the ads on its site appearing immediately following the game.

But what perplexes me is that none of these advertisers (except perhaps for GoDaddy) attempted to relate the offline advertising done during the game with anything they did online.

For example, if you were to take a look at any of the Pepsi, Coke or Budweiser websites before the game, you'd find no mention of the Superbowl. Pizza Hut did a little better job with the givaway of the boots Jessica Simpson wore during the commercial but that’s about it.

In today’s era of cross platform marketing I’m surprised that none of these sites really tried to build buzz leading up to the Super Bowl with their websites.

Further, there was little change to these sites during the game or even after. It’s as if the advertising during the game happens in a vacuum with no consideration for other media.

Granted they are spending millions for the right to have their ads show up during the game but in light of that I would think spending a few thousand to ensure the website helps further promote their message would be in order.

In fact it’s always bothered me when a company does TV advertising and the website doesn’t reflect the message found in the advertisement. There are only a few cases where I’ve found the website and the advertising work well together.

Geico, for example does a great job of tying their TV ads to their website. When you go to http://Geico. com one of the first things you see is the Gecko – their mascot.

So if Geico can do it, why don’t other companies?

I mean, if you look at the Coke or Pepsi websites you see they keep the branding intact but that’s about all they do. They don’t seem to reflect any current television promotion.

So while I was entertained by the commercials that weekend, I was also a little disappointed because that’s all they were – isolated bits of entertainment with little residual value because they didn’t tie in other forms of promotion. Namely their websites.

Really, when you look at how other TV ventures are embracing the web – with TV shows crossing over and working with web properties like AOL and Yahoo! you begin to wonder why advertisers don’t also integrate more fully.

I guess maybe it has to do with the whole marketing industry and the fact that they still don’t fully “get” the web. They know their clients need a website, but some of them don’t know why yet.

Many marketing execs fail to see the value of any type of online marketing even though it’s easier to measure the impact of an SEM campaign than any TV advertising campaign. With SEM, both Paid and SEO, you can track and measure visitors, impressions and conversions. With TV all you get is an estimate of total reach.

So to any Super Bowl advertisers who may read this please listen to this – to make your campaign really successful, why not try and integrate some of the marketing message into your website? You may be surprised at how successful it is.

Adjustable rate mortgages when they are the right mortgage

Most of us are familiar with tradition rate mortgages. We borrow a fixed amount of money for 15 to 30 y ears and we agree to pay it back at a given interest rate over the life of the loan. Our payments are the same amount every month, whether it is for 5 years or 30 years. For the majority of homeowners out there this is the most ideal type of mortgage as it has no surprises or sudden increases in monthly payments. However, for some home buyers, an adjustable rate mortgage may very well be the better financial tool.

An Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) is one that can go up or down over time depending on market conditions. Some ARM's adjust once, while others can adjust several times over the life of the loan. The main purpose behind an ARM was to let people buy more house then they might be able to afford now assuming that as the years went by their earning power would be greater and thus when the mortgage rate adjusted they could afford the new payment. Unfortunately, many people don't understand how ARM's work and are often unprepared for when the rate adjustments take place.

There is a segment of the population out there that can benefit from ARM's, regardless of the rates associated with them. Those who plan to be in their home for five years or less typically can save quite a bit by using an ARM vs. a traditional mortgage. An ARM let's them pay an interest rate that is usually below market rates for the first few years of the loan. Since a homeowner may be planning to move in a short time span (such as when the kids graduate from school) they can take advantage of the low up-front rate and sell the home before the rates have a chance to adjust.

A savvy home buyer who maintains a stellar credit rating could also use ARM's to get a lower rate up front for a few years and then switch to a fixed rate mortgage through a refinance down the road. They may be able to save thousands of dollars in interest by switching from an ARM to a traditional mortgage even after paying the refinance fees.

Finally, ARM's can be the right mortgage for you if you study the markets and know where the rates are heading. If interest rates are currently running high and you know that over time they will settle back down, then getting an ARM can help you take advantage of those lower rates over time while helping protect you from the high rates of today.

Of course, as with any mortgage, you should carefully review with the mortgage lender all of the costs and assumptions. An ARM is not always the best mortgage tool of choice depending on your situation. Make sure you understand what you are signing and always get more than one mortgage rate quote no matter what type of mortgage you go with.