A private island honeymoon spot off the coast of panama

Islas Secas is not a private island, it is a privately owned group of 16 small islands 12 miles off Panama’s Pacific Coast. If you want to feel like a castaway on your honeymoon, with all the comforts then Islas Secas could well be the place for your private island honeymoon.

Islas Secas is a unique kind of resort built very definitely with the expression eco friendly in mind, and is the ideal honeymoon destination for couples who just don’t want the 5 star crowded all singing dancing resorts that are found all over the world today.

There are two ways to arrive at Islas Secas, either by boat to the floating dock on Cavada the largest of the islands, where you will be met by the entire staff. The dock is floating because of the incredible rise and fall of the tide in the Pacific, so much so that the 16 foot tide empties the bay each low tide.

If you fly in you will arrive on the resort’s private plane after a one hour flight from Panama City, and once again be met by the staff line up.

You’ll be shown to your own totally secluded ocean view guest bungalow known as a ‘Casita’, and there are only six all told in the entire resort. They are round and very elaborate semi permanent tents on a concrete base. There are windows all the way round to make sure you will be cooled by the sea breezes because there is no airconditioning.

Every Casita has solar electricity, which gives enough power for low voltage lights hot water, and small fans. All designed to have as little impact as possible on the environment.

The casitas all have terrific views , and covered areas alongside known as a Ranchito which has hammocks and seating. Everything is totally private thanks to the way it has been landscaped with tropical foliage, with convenient gaps to enjoy the views of the beach and the sky which at night is spectacular.

What you do on Islas Secas is very much up to you. This luxury private island is a luxury escape a luxury total getaway from all the pressure of 21st Century life. So if you really want to get away, then this is the place to be.

There are a number of activities to be undertaken, with the scuba diving and big game fishing quite brilliant if that is what you want to do. One of the beautiful things about these waters off Panama where Islas Secas is situated is the complete lack of people. This means nothing has been ruined or lessened by tourism because there is simply nobody here. Put another way, there aren’t anyone’s footprints on the beaches.

You could make an executive decision after taking advice from the very knowledgeable staff to become a castaway for the day. You could be taken in the morning on the resort’s boat to Pargo Island complete with picnic lunch, beach umbrellas towels, snorkelling. You can spend all day there, and you will feel very much like Robinson Crusoe. The island is everything you ever thought a small deserted tropical island would be. The powder sand, shells, driftwood, with a backdrop of palm trees and not one footprint apart from the your own – paradise!!

Your options at the end of such a glorious day, and of course you may well have gone fishing at Hannibal Banks or surfing at Morro Negro, you can then visit the Spa for any number of treatments to relax you and ease any tired muscles in preparation for happy hour at 5pm at La Terraza a beachside terrace to drink cocktails and discuss the days activities with other guests in preparation for the feast that is dinner.

Then tomorrow, with perhaps some hiking, shell hunting, hobie cats, snorkeling, whatever, this is such a great hideaway.

Islas Secas isn’t for the Gucci Loafer, Radisson Hotel type, but very much for the couple or family who want an escape, with no TV’s or cellphones, just peace, solitude on one of the best private islands anywhere with some of the best hosts anywhere as well.

To find out more about Central America go to worldwidevacationspots. com/categories/Central-America/

Acne scarring - what are my treatment options

:
Acne Scarring can have serious effects on a person's self-image and emotional state. Fortunately there have been significant advances in the treatment of acne-related scarring in recent years. It is important to note that nothing will completely heal the majority of scars.

Laser Therapy - Using lasers to treat scars is a new technology, but is one of the most promising options for severe scarring. The lasers remove the scarred skin, and encourage growth of new skin in its place. After treatment, the skin will be pink and swollen for a week or so. During this time, bandages need to be kept over the skin to prevent infection. It takes months for the skin to return to normal, but most people will see less noticeable scars and smoother skin. Laser scar treatment can be quite expensive, however.

Surgical Therapy (Dermabrasion) - This form of scar treatment uses a motorized burr, which usually contains diamond particles. Diamonds are very strong abrasives when in a powder-form. A scab will form once the procedure is completed. Once the wound is healed, a smooth pink layer of new skin will appear. Multiple treatments are often necessary, and each one can cost $1500.

Creams and Gels - There are many topical treatments that claim to reduce the appearance of scars. Some contain Vitamin E and other nutrients. Mederma is a popular brand name. Many people report that it can improve scars in as little as 8 weeks for new scars, or 6 months for older scars. Results with topical ointments like this will vary from person to person.

Collagen Injection - This is a temporary fix, where the patient's own body fat or collagen is injected into the scar site. This works well for some people with deep-pitted scars. The material injected serves to raise the skin, and reduce the pitted appearance, and wrinkling from the scar. However, this procedure needs to be repeated every 6 months and can be expensive.

Read more at adult-acne. org.

Emollients and lubricant drugstore laxatives

Stool Softener Laxatives - Emollients

Stool softeners and emollients work by absorbing water into the fecal matter. This makes the fecal matter softer so it can pass easier through your colon and out the rectum. Two of the chemicals used in stool softener laxatives are docusate sodium and docusate calcium.

Don’t use these types of laxatives since they have chemicals that can produce side effects. Docusate sodium has been found to increase the toxicity of drugs when taken at the same time. In addition, they affect liver function.

You can find some of these laxatives at your local drugstore under the names,

* Colace – contains docusate sodium

* Dialose – contains docusate sodium

* Surfak – contains docusate calcium

Other products that contain docusate sodium and docusate calcium are:

* Senokot-S, Correctol 50 plus, Fleet Stool Softener, Phillips Liquid-Gel

Avoid using docusate with mineral oil since this increases the chances of absorbing some mineral oil into the body. Mineral oil in the body tissues can form tumors.

Pregnant women should avoid using this type of laxative.

Lubricants Stool Softeners

Lubricants stimulate a bowel movement by coating your colon walls and fecal matter. These lubricants also help keep water in the fecal matter, preventing them from becoming hard and difficult to pass through your colon and rectum. One such lubricant is Mineral oil – (not recommended)

Avoid laxatives that contain mineral oils. These oils can cause a pneumonia that is difficult to clear. They interfere with intestinal absorption of food nutrients, and fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamin A, and collect in the lymph nodes when used often.

Mineral oil is not a food. It coats food and prevents it from being digested and prevents absorption of vitamins and nutrients.

Dale Alexander, author of Arthritis Common Sense, 1981, reminds us that,

“Crude mineral oil was discovered, by Indians, on top of stagnant water in the oil fields. Today, mineral oil is refined into pure from petroleum. Refineries could not sell mineral oil for automobile use, so their representatives educated people to pour it into their bodies. Just the way mineral oil does not pass qualifications for a car carburetor, it forms puddles of useless oil in your intestinal loops.”

Mineral oil passes from the mouth, all the way through your colon, and out the rectum without being absorbed. However, it sometimes passes through the intestinal walls in small amounts and poses a health hazard in the body. It also leaks out of the rectum, if too much is used.

Some of the lubricant drugstore laxatives are:

* Alin plus phenolphthalein –

* Dioctyl sodium sulfosucciante – a detergent type substance that lowers the surface tension of your colon walls and fecal matter.

* Docusate potassium

* Magnesium hydroxide – brings in more water into your colon. When too much is taken, it can create embarrassment for you.

* Osmolak plus lactulose (lactulose is a synthetic sugar that pulls water out of the body and into your colon to soften stools.)

* Sokol plus mineral oil

Dioctyl sodium Sulfosucciante belongs to a family of chemicals that reduces the surface tension of the fecal matter in your colon allowing water and fat to penetrate and make the fecal matter softer. These chemicals are known as,

* Dioctyl sodium succiante (also known as docusate sodium)

* Dioctyl potassium succinate (also known as docusate potassium)

* Dioctyl calcium succinate (also know as docusate calcium)

If you are pregnant, do not use mineral oil or other oils to get relief from constipation. During pregnancy you need good absorption of minerals and nutrients to provide for your newborn. Excessive use of mineral oil during pregnancy can cause bleeding in newborns.

In her book, Linda Clark’s Handbook of Natural Remedies for Common Ailments, Linda writes about mineral oil,

“The message has finally got through to the public and the medical profession that mineral oil is one of the most damaging of all laxatives. It robs the body of Vitamins A, D, E, K: interferes with absorption of calcium and phosphorus, and can actually lead to other diseases.”

After school activity for the hyperactive child

ADHD refers to attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder. Most children who

suffer from this disorder suffer from attention problems as well as hyperactivity. Parents of such children are well aware that inattention and hyperactivity continue throughout the day. Keeping such children busy after school hours can be as difficult as keeping them safe during the school day.

The first step while choosing the right after school activity for your child is to understand how ADHD affects him. Is your child interested in sports? Is he put off by the fierce competitiveness, or does he find it hard to get along with teammates? Does your child vocalize his feelings, or is communication a problem?

For a child suffering from ADHD, physical exercise is always beneficial. Exercise takes up the extra energy and helps to stimulate the brain. Team activities teach social skills and discipline. But, if your child shies away from team sports, you may want to look at activities like dancing, cycling, swimming or gymnastics. Martial arts not only teach techniques of self-defense but also teach self-control and patience.

If your child shows aversion to sport and shows inclination towards the fine arts, you may need to look at some other options. Acting classes are a wonderful form of creative exercise. It also provides the child with ample opportunity to develop his social skills. Music, art or dance can help the child to keep himself busy and entertained.

In case the child is not interested in any of the above, you may want him to join a Boy Scouts club or other community oriented clubs that take up social work. Cleaning a park, putting on a show, helping out in an old age home are various activities that may pique your child's interest.

Whatever form of activity you choose, make sure that you monitor your child's progress periodically. If you feel that there is no progress, you may need to change the activity. Anything that increases your child's self-esteem is good. You may enlist the help of the coach or teacher to assess your child's development.

There are certain activities that are detrimental to a child suffering from ADHD. Computer and video games are a definite NO. Since these games need no interaction, children will feel all the more isolated. These children also find it difficult to distinguish between the good and the bad messages. They may therefore show an inclination to stick to messages that are not needed. Games that need the child to sit and wait for his turn patiently tax his patience and will not be a success.

Although you would want these children to be as near to normal as possible, understanding their needs and limits will help you select the right after school activity - one that is fulfilling, tiring as well as challenging.

All about apex nc

Apex, which is a suburb of Raleigh, is located in Wake County in North Carolina, with the town motto of “The Peak of Good Living.” The town had an estimated population of nearly 32,000 residents as of 2007.

Incorporated in 1873, Apex was so named because of its distinction as the highest point located on the Chatham Railroad between Jacksonville, Florida and Richmond, Virginia. Population growth was slow but steady in Apex for the first several decades. After experiencing a devastating fire in 1912, the town was rebuilt and is now one of the most complete railroad towns throughout the entire state.

During the Depression, the town experienced some more minor setbacks. By the 1950s, however, the town really began to grow. This was largely due to the proximity of the town to North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park.

Despite the major boom in population growth, Apex managed to maintain its small-town feel. When the population boomed to almost four times its original population in the 1990s, however, the town’s infrastructure was stressed greatly. The town managed to keep up and by July of 2007 it was listed in CNN/Money magazine as one of the top 100 small towns.

Apex offers a mixture of races and ethnicities, though over 80% if the population is Caucasian. The median income for its residents is quite respectable, with the median household income being $71,052 and the median family income being $78,689. Less than 2% of the population is living below the poverty line.

A number of transportation options exist in Apex. The Raleigh-Durham International Airport is located nearby, as is I-40 and US-64. Although the town is not directly serviced by passenger trains, there is Amtrack service nearby in Raleigh and in Cary. The town is served by the Triangle Transit Authority, which provides bussing in the region and also connects to the bus systems within Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill.

Golf exercise and fitness and why you can no longer ingnore it

No golfer can afford to ignore golf exercise and fitness programs which have become part and parcel of the modern golf game.

There are actually several reasons why it is good idea to pay attention to golf exercise and fitness.

The era of golf exercise and fitness, as well as golf-specific conditioning programs were ushered in by golfers like Tiger Woods and Annika Sorendstam for the women.

Never before had the world witnessed such physically fit professional golfers who were involved in regular exercise programs and who played the game while in superior physical condition.

Admittedly this new breed of golfers went against the grain. For years the game of golf has been viewed as a luxurious leisure sport where correct golf technique was much more important than exercises and muscle conditioning.

This image has changed literally overnight in golf courses around the world because of the tremendous and awesome impact the new breed of golfers like Tiger Woods brought into the game.

The truth of the matter is that more and more golfers are involved in golf exercise and fitness workouts. But be careful. There are many fitness professionals who have no background in golf, but realize the market for golf fitness and say they have 'golf-specific' training programs only to apply general fitness (machine training) to your golf improvement program.

These types of programs will not prepare your body to play your best golf. The training for golf is completely different and should be done by a qualified and certified golf fitness professional.

The easiest way to tell if a fitness professional knows golf is to ask a few golf technique questions to test their knowledge. If they hesitate or cannot answer these basic questions...run! Do not work with them.

A credible and qualified golf fitness professional will apply golf exercise and fitness tips and techniques that will improve your current physical limitations, which will enable you to perform a repeatedly sound mechanically golf swing for 18 holes.

Another added benefit of a golf exercise and fitness program is injury prevention. Statistics have shown that over 80% of all amatuer golfers have played with some kind of injury at one point in the golfing career.

The most common golf injuries is the low back, elbow and shoulders. These injuries are caused completely be a physically declining strength and flexibility and can easily be avoided with a proper golf exercise and fitness program.

The only downfall is the expense. You're looking at $40 to $150 per session. That is exactly why I put together the first online golf training performance program over 5 years ago. To make it affordable and easy-to-do right off your computer and in your home saving time and money.

You can view online video demonstrations of every exercise, with easy-to-understand step-by-step instructions that can be printed off for ease of use. There is even a complete section on golf performance issues like driving distance, consistency, mental golf, putting and motivation.

Understanding how your body is positively or negatively affecting your game is the first step in realizing how a golf exercise and fitness program can literally change your game overnight!

Weight loss setting reasonable long term goals

We see a lot of people struggling with weight issues and their body image. With the available resources and materials for weight loss spilled all over the place, those, who are over weight, are a bit confused about which method to follow to shed those extra lbs. Although the basics of weight loss do not change, they depend on setting realistic goals, cutting the calorie intake and exercising a little bit. Many presume that a weight loss program is all about a restricted diet, or fad diets, or diet pills and involving strenuous physical exercises. But, actually the basics of weight loss program are rational, flexible and healthy to which any one can adhere to while they work well on the person aiming to lose weight.

The first basic step towards weight loss is to set a reachable goal. When setting a goal to reduce weight, it is good to know the reason for doing so, benefits you may get at the end of the weight reduction program and the changes you are willing to make in your diet. This kind of analysis of the self helps understand the problem the better way and helps in setting realistic goals for weight loss. The weight loss efforts should be a reasonable one and should be gradual.

Once the goal is set to reduce say two pounds a week, then comes the step of creating a food journal to analyze and monitor what you eat for the particular week. This food journal helps keep track of what you eat, or drink. Sometimes the feeling towards the food you eat is also jotted down. This is very important as it throws light on the food pattern and habits of the person. The weight loss is also recorded. By reviewing the food pattern, the foods that needed to be avoided can be seen clearly and can be substituted with healthy foods. The secret is to be very consistent with this surely you will see positive results. Water is a very good natural hunger suppressant and can be taken in good quantities, if you note that you are drinking less amounts of water. It too can contribute to the weight loss efforts.

When the diet is combined with good exercise say walking or swimming or aerobics, it too aids in burning calories. The exercise should be in such a way that when it is done, it should be enjoyable, choose the kind of activity which interests you a lot than slogging. Exercise too needs to be tracked in the journal to see its effects with your own eyes.

Auto detailing making your old car new again

The wear and tear of seemingly ordinary, day to day driving can take its toll on even the most cautious of drivers. Nicks, scratches, dents, chips, and the like, can etch the surface of your car like an acid, marring the pristine finish it had when you drove it off the lot. These unwanted (and yet inevitable) scars are the proud automobile owner’s nightmare, but can be easily remedied by way of the talents of a professional auto detailer.

Those long bouts of highway driving we are all subjected to from time to time, can be as frustrating for the drone of the open road as much as they are for the caked layer of insects which inevitably grace the hood, bumpers, windshields, and grills of a once clean car. It’s an annoyance most easily absolved through a thorough automobile detailing. A good auto detailer can polish, buff, and wax your car back into the condition you remember it, and the condition you deserve it to be in. Of course, you might say, professional automotive detailing is not a necessity, I can scrub and polish my own car, thank you very much.” But this can be a dangerous misconception. Using the wrong equipment, or using improper techniques, or unqualified persons to work on your car can actually do more harm than good.

Cheap shampoos, soaps, scrub brushes and such, can wear down the quality of your automobile’s paint job, leaving it more spotted, tarnished, and lusterless. Even hasty, careless work with something as seemingly inconsequential as a bristly old rag can leave nearly unnoticeable scuffs, slowly wearing down the shine of a once beautiful marriage of paint and wax. This is where the talents and experience of a professional auto detailer can save the day. In the hands of a good detailer, your car can gain back the brilliance it once had, and had subsequently lost through the trials and tribulations of everyday use.

And that’s nothing to say of the interior. We all of us know how easy it is to stain, scuff, and generally wear down the carpet and upholstery of your car of truck’s interior, leaving it a paltry version of its former self. And then there’s the non-visible horrors of an unclean car: the smell. The tiniest of coffee spills or other such filth and dirt that can so easily be trudged into your car, can burrow their foul odor deep in the fibers of carpets and seat covers. And anyone who has ever taken their dog for a ride to the park knows that unmistakable canine musk lingers on well after the dog blanket and tennis ball have been removed. Such unpleasant odors area fact of your car’s life, but are in no way a death sentence. A thorough auto detailing can exorcise even the most offensive aromas from that enclosed space where, behind the wheel, we spend so much of our time.

There’s no need to go on driving a car that is slowly deteriorating away from its former glory. We can all recall that new car smell, that fresh-off-the-lot fragrance that has burned its way into all car drivers’ memories; it’s one of the saddest truths about regular car use that this smell represents cleanliness, and whose only hope of recovery can be through cleanliness. automotive detailing is your best bet to improving the look and feel of your car is by utilizing the efforts of a good detailer. A full auto detailing will appease that nagging guilt you feel whenever the sun comes out and all the blemishes of a once fine automobile are exposed for every prying eye to see. His expertise can do what the rest of us folk have neither the time nor the equipment to accomplish – and he might just have you, if not enjoying, at the very least, dreading that unavoidable rush-hour just a little bit less.

Making money without worrying about the cost of generic cialis

How would you like to make extra cash by offering your website the opportunity to buy Generic Cialis without you having to worry about medical information or Generic Cialis cost ? Affiliate marketing is a great way to make extra cash off of your web traffic without having to warehouse anything and without you having to worry about Generic Viagra cost . With affiliate marketing all you have to do is put our affiliate banner in a prominent place on your website and point your web traffic to our site. That is all you have to do. You don't have to worry about answering medical questions, you don't have to worry about carrying stock, and you don't have to worry about the constant changes in Generic Cialis cost . All you have to worry about is making money.

Affiliate marketing is a great way to turn your web traffic into extra cash for you and all you have to do is follow our affiliate marketing guidelines. So if you think that your website meets our criteria, and you are interested in making some very easy extra cash while providing an extra service to your web traffic that costs you nothing, then fill out the online application today and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

The first harvest

First responders arrived at the home initially, followed soon thereafter by paramedics. We picked up the dispatch over the radio scanner and prepared our minds and equipment in trauma room one. This one was a long time coming which surprised us all since the scene was within five minutes of the ER by car. 45 minutes passed before the call came telling us they were inbound.

The ambulance pulled up to the doors and he was brought in on a stretcher. He was SOA - smurfed on arrival, or perhaps I should say cyanotic for the sake of the purists, which really means that his skin was a most unappealing shade of blue. No IV line had been started, and the rescue team were bagging as they hurried him into the ER. 45 minutes on scene, four paramedics accompanying him - the focus of the time on scene had been concentrated on CPR alternating with unsuccessful attempts to intubate.

My heart leapt into my throat as the stretcher was rolled into place beside where I stood waiting, under the saucer shaped overhead exam light, with IV catheter in hand & fluid hung ready to get a line started. With his face partially obscured by venti-mask this bare-chested man lying on the stretcher was the spitting image of a man I deeply cared for - was it... ? No time to pause to know that instant - other things took priority and the IV was started, the ER doc tried to intubate, the parameds kept up CPR and the theater became a whirlwind of fast working professionals, some drawing blood for lab, taking x-rays, connecting the lines for cardiac monitoring etc...

Very quickly I became busy pushing medicines through the IV line, atropine, bicarb, epi, we drained the crash cart in short order and had the house supervisor dashing for more. As I paused between each administration I was able to see the man more distinctly and know he was not the person I thought him to be at first glance, although he could surely have been the man's brother.

All efforts to intubate were unsuccessful as were the medicines we were giving and the jolts from the defibrillator The patient's wife had arrived and we learned that he was on the waiting list for a new heart. With sadness, and after an hour of all out effort in the ER we knew his name would be off that list that night.

The doctor called the code. The patient was pronounced. We removed the signs of our interventions and made him presentable. His wife grieved. The ER physician returned to his call room and the nursing staff began the mountain of tasks and paperwork that follow an unsuccessful code.

My partner had recently been certified for organ harvest and she noted on his driver's license that he had agreed to be a donor and so after providing his wife a bit of time to cry, we had the task of approaching this subject with her. I remember how his wife handled it - she was a hero that night. We watched the time and let her know when we would have to begin at the latest. A wonderful trooper, she departed leaving her husband in our care. It would be the last time she would look upon his features as he was to be cremated.

"K" and I studied the manual closely, assembled all the necessary items and got started. We worked together and by carefully retracting, snipping and cutting delicately, removing first one eye, and then the other, being sure to get as much optic nerve as possible, pin it, cage the specimens and pack them properly. It's a highly emotional feeling, the first time you actually perform an organ harvest, and as emergency nurses, a scientifically interesting change of routine as well. "K" and I remained high on our experience the remainder of our tour of duty.

That was the first time I participated in an organ harvest. There have been others since that night, but no matter how many chance and circumstances will bring me to participate in or perform over the course of my nursing career I will never forget Mr. "S" or his brave wife. I am left filled with awe every time I think about the contribution Mr. "S" made.

If I were to write a blockbuster movie or a best-selling novel I would never come close to leaving a more meaningful contribution than that of Mr. "S" and all those who like him donate their organs. My mother had cataracts from an early age and her quality of life was greatly improved by being able to have lens implants. My father, still flying his private plane at age 82, recently had a lens implant done and passed his FAA flight physical. I hope it comforts Mrs. "S", as it should, to know that her husband gave of himself so that others would be able to lead better lives. What finer contribution can any of us hope to make? I remember Mr. "S" with great respect and every once in a while speak quietly and smile while telling him ... Mr. "S", you're a hell of a man. Somehow I think he looks down and smiles back...

I hope that the next time you renew your driver's license, or otherwise come across the question of whether or not you would like to become a designated organ donor you will remember Mr. "S" too and all of the fine people like him and consider checking the box that says yes.

Written as I smile, remembering Mr. "S"

Be debt free to live in harmony

Why you should know more about Chinese Medicine?

If you understand why Chinese medicine is superior to occidental medicine, you will be able to solve a lot of problems beside debts.

Chinese medicine:

Identify the source of the problem ==> Make The Patient Conscious about these problems ==> Eliminate the problem ==> Explain to the patient how to avoid this problem ==> Explain to the patient what to do to put this problem far away for him

Occidental medicine:

Identify the problem (not the source, only the most apparent) ==> Eliminate (or maybe not) the problem ==> Give the solution

It's clear now that in the second case, the patient doesn't really know the causes of his problem, and he is more likely to fall again in the same situation.

In the first case, everything is done for the patient to understand his problem at the root. He will be able to fight with more weapons, and win while in the second case, he doesn't know who, and where the menace is coming from...

You must identify the real cause of your debts if you want to be debt free. Now that I explained to you how to deal with any thread, let me explain why so much people have so much huge debts.

The reason is that the interest rate is leading to these situations. It is inevitable, for the growth of the economy to establish interest rates, and to be able to adjust them, when it's time to do so.

Question: Do you remember the Chinese principle? How do you know that the society based on the interest rate is the most advantageous for people?

Like the commerce is based on justice, interest rate is based on injustice, as we have seen earlier. It is the real cause of debts, and the cause of your problem right now. It is the source.

How commerce is based on justice? You will understand after reading this: You own a product A, and other human being need this product for one of these 3 reasons:

Vital Need (water, foods...)

Solve a problem (the car – train, bus, plane – for long distances;air conditioned...)

Feel Good (beauty products, health care...)

You are exchanging these product A against money. You need that money, and your customers need your products. It is justice because everybody wins.

It is exactly the opposite effect with interest.

Once you understand and start implementing this Chinese principle, you will be able to find even more causes to your problems. See here the inevitable consequence of interest: Master/visa card, Discovery, American Express. Everybody has one, or more.

You are given the right to buy what you can't buy. What does that mean? It means that without this loan and the interest that you will pay for it, you will normally not be able to buy your car, or your house, or... Unless you win more money, or borrow from someone!

Our subject here is to find the ways to get out of that debt. But the most important is to let you control.

Choosing a pos supplier factors that need to be examined

Are you a retailer who is seeing success and profits, but who would like to be seeing more? If so, you are definitely not alone, as that is the goal of anyone in the retail industry. When it comes to improving your business, profit wise, you want to do so without having to incur large expenses. One way that you can not only improve your business, but modernize it as well, is by purchasing updated POS systems. POS systems are used to help make running your business smooth, while still promoting the utmost level of accuracy possible.

When it comes to POS systems, two of the most common products purchased are POS cash registers and POS scanners. Whether you are looking to purchase a POS cash register, a POS scanner, or both, you will need to find a POS systems supplier to do business with. As mentioned above, you are likely looking for quality products that can help improve your business’s success, but at the same time you don’t want to pay more than you have to. For that reason, it is advised that you carefully choose who you do business with, when buying POS systems. The POS supplier that you choose to do business with can be the determining factor in whether or not you are able to get a return on your investment.

When it comes to buying POS systems, there are a number of important factors that you will want to examine. Perhaps, the most important factor is reputation. You will want to do business with a POS systems supplier that comes highly rated and recommended; one that has a good reputation. By choosing to do business with a supplier that has a proven track record, you are more likely to get results. If a POS supplier comes highly rated and recommended, even by your competition, you know that you may have found a good, quality POS supplier to do business with.

In addition to reputation, it is also important that you examine customer service. When it comes to POS systems, there are two different types of customer service which you will want to examine. If this is your first time buying POS systems, there is a good chance that you will have questions. You will want to do business with a POS supplier that will not only answer your questions, but has the POS products that can best fit your needs. Perhaps, most importantly, you will want to focus on the customer service that you may receive after the sale. For this, you may want to think more along the lines of technical support. Should a problem arise with your POS systems or their POS software, will you be able to seek assistance from the supplier in question? You should look for a POS supplier that will not only offer you assistance with buying POS cash registers or POS scanners, but also one that you can turn to, should something go wrong, after the fact.

Of course, you will also want to examine the selection of POS systems that the POS supplier you are interested in doing business with has. Do they have a number of different POS cash registers or POS scanners to choose from? What about prices? Are they relatively affordable? Keep in mind, when examining POS system prices, that most POS suppliers do not divulge this information on their websites, often times you have to ask for a quote or request additional information over the phone. When having a large selection of POS products to choose from, in a wide range of different prices, you are more likely to find the POS systems that best fit your needs, yet at affordable prices.

When examining POS suppliers, you will also want to examine maintence plans or warranties. The majority of POS scanners and registers are built to withstand time; however, there may come a time when one of your POS systems needs to be repaired. You will want to do business with a POS supplier that has a maintenance plan, and a good one at that. In addition to traditional repairs, you will also want to examine updates. As technology advances so does POS software. You will want to do business with a POS supplier that automatically supplies you with POS software updates or other POS updates. In fact, the services that a POS supplier offers is, perhaps, the most important factor to examine. The more assistance you receive, with any questions or problems that you may have, the longer your system will be in working condition for; thus increasing its usability.

In short, when looking to buy POS systems, including POS cash registers or POS scanners, you will want to do business with a supply company that not only lets you buy a product from them, but from one that will be there for you in the future. Long-term use is what enables you, as a retailer, to get a return on your investment, making it a wise one.

Why you must visit siwa a sahara oasis in western egypt

Siwa is a small desert oasis some 350 miles west of Cairo, and the best time to go there is between October and April, which is before the mosquitoes and the heat arrive. At this time of year the nights can be very cold, even freezing.

It isn’t easy to reach Siwa which is the most western of the five major oases of Egypt. A hire car, fully air conditioned can take about eight hours to get to this Sahara Oasis.

Most of the tourists who visit Egypt restrict themselves to the Nile Valley, and visit the cities of Aswan, Luxor and Cairo. There they explore the familiar ruins and monuments of ancient Egypt, including the Great Pyramids and the temples of Karnak, Luxor and Abu Simbel. Sadly they are missing something totally unique in the Siwa Oasis, which after all is one of the great places of history, because of the visit of Alexander the Great seeking confirmation that he was a demi-god from the Temple of Amun.

If you love the desert, and you want to explore well off the tourist trail the Siwa with its oases, tumbledown ruins, salt lakes, springs, tombs, and amazing eco hotels is not to be missed

A few of the eco - friendly hotels at Siwa are as follows.

At the budget end of the market is the Palm Trees Hotel with a beautiful shady garden.

The Shali Lodge which has one of the best restaurants, but only eight rooms.

The Adrere Amellal, which is top end of the market, no electricity, and some way out of town

Please note, there is no bank in Siwa, so take plenty of cash.

The first thing you will see when you arrive at the Siwa Oasis is Shali, the remains of the old fortress, rising above the town square. When you climb up to the top of the hilly outcrop through the labyrinth of alleyways you will see the entire oasis below you. It is very lush after the arid desert with its springs and lakes, and beyond that you can see the mountains and the Great Sand Sea of the Sahara Desert stretching apparently forever.

The best way to explore the oasis is to hire a bicycle or hire a donkey cart, and for a few pounds the local boys who drive the carts will take you to Bedouin villages, Roman ruins, Cleopatra’s bath, and the Hill of the Dead where you will find ancient Egyptian/Roman era tombs, some still containing mummified remains.

A visit to the Temple of Amun is a must do, and if you want to go further afield then the hotels will organise jeep safaris.

It is important to remember that Siwa is still a traditional society, and it is courteous to conform to the rules. Shorts, bikinis and brief tops should not be worn. It is sensible to be covered up, and women need to cover their upper arms, and wear one piece bathing suits with a long shirt if they bathe in a public place like Cleopatra’s Bath.

Siwa is a beautiful Sahara Oasis, and should be visited now, before tourism takes a hold and spoils it forever.

For more holidays in Egypt visit worldwidevacationspots. com/categories/The-Middle-East/Egypt/

Build the confidence to approach other people through the power of compassion

Do you often feel uncomfortable in a social situation? Perhaps you’re overly shy? Or your stomach ties up in knots at the thought of approaching someone even just to say “Hi!”

Well the good news is that there are many techniques which you can use to help you overcome this problem of social shyness or anxiety. I’m going to share one of my favourites below. But first, three important points that need to be highlighted (so imagine them covered by ink from a bright yellow fluoro highlighter pen)

1. Don’t expect to get the confidence of Tony Robbins in one day. All changes happen in small steps. Make an effort to stretch yourself just a little bit further every day. And celebrate your victories, no matter how small they are. Those small victories will over time grow into a massive change in your confidence.

2. The best way to overcome a fear is to face it and succeed. What I’m presenting today is one way to build the courage to face your fear. What you need to do though is not only use it, but also search out a whole host of other techniques as well. And use them! Different techniques may be more appropriate for different situations. We’ll of course be talking about many of the other techniques in future articles.

3. As always, if your social shyness or anxiety is causing difficulties in your life, please consider talking to a doctor or a counsellor. They will be able to expand on this strategy, and provide you with many more. They really can help.

So, as promised, here’s one of my favourite techniques for helping you feel more confident as you approach other people in a social situation.

You will be tapping into one of the greatest powers you have within you. More powerful than all the fear you may currently feel.

That power is compassion.

In many of us though it lies asleep, a luxury we feel we can’t afford just yet. Maybe something we’ll get around to exploring when we get over our problems and start feeling happy about ourselves. After all, how can we be compassionate towards others when we don’t even feel good about ourselves?

Is that what you think?

Well, I think we’re better served by looking at things from a different perspective. One that sees compassion not only as a tool for helping others, but also for helping ourselves.

So, how do we use compassion in this situation?

SEE THE OTHER PEOPLE AS BEING JUST LIKE YOU!

They are human. Somewhere within them they have fears too. Their fears may not be visible to you on the surface, but they’re there. We are all human.

We all desire human contact!

We all desire friendship!

We all desire to be loved!

So before approaching someone, remind yourself that they too may have difficulties making the first move. They may be waiting for someone to talk to about their problems and their issues. They may be waiting for someone just like you, who can understand them and their own fears. Someone just like you, with a heart filled with compassion and love. And perhaps in time, if a friendship develops, you can help them with their own fears.

Why does this work? Simply because it takes the focus off you, and places it onto the other person. How can you help them? How can you be their friend in a time of need?

Of course, don’t approach them with these questions directly. It would not be appropriate in most social situations, especially if you don’t know the person yet. Just approach them with this understanding, that they’re just like you. They too are human. Make conversation. Talk about them, and their interests. Many times this may lead nowhere. Sometimes though, it could develop into one of the best friendships of your life.

They’re just like you. So there’s no need to be afraid. They also want someone to talk to. Help them!

You can let your shyness or anxiety be a source of fear within yourself, or you can let it build your compassion towards others who are also facing their own demons. Choose compassion! In return, you will also be helping yourself overcome your own fears, one conversation at a time.

Lance Beggs

Canon underwater cameras - what you need to know

Simply for capturing the terrific memories that you experience, you will get fond of using Canon underwater cameras quickly.

Underwater cameras have most of the same features as the handy cameras that we used outdoors - the only difference is that they have certain functions that are more innovative because they are water resistant and can be used to capture pictures under the sea.

Of course, these underwater cameras are not only exclusively for taking pictures under the sea because some of them are also designed to be used in outdoor activities. In heavy rain these cameras will not be affected because of the protective device to guard against water and pressure damage. They come in a number of forms, with their prices relecting the entire range of normal camera pricing.

The cheapest type of underwater camera for instance is the simple disposable underwater camera. These cameras are able to take about twenty to thirty pictures. These cameras are waterproof enough to be utilized when there is harsh rain and snow storms. These are best use for fun scuba trips and family vacations; it will certainly capture the memorable parts of the family fun.

One of the best known brands of underwater cameras is the Canon. It has been proven efficient in all forms of underwater adventures. Canon underwater cameras have a lot of designs that offer different features. Each of the cameras gives advantages and special features that you will really enjoy. However, as you would expect from a quality brand like Canon, these cameras might appear a bit expensive because of the gadgets used on it; nonetheless they are of best quality and you will have no regrets once you see the resolution of your pictures.

Many conventional digital and film cameras have waterproof housings. Placing your camera inside will allow you to 'transform' your existing camera into an underwater camera. However, if you want excellent photographic quality from under the water, we would always advise purchasing a dedicated underwater camera.

Canon underwater cameras came in various models. The higher the photo resolution that it has, generally the more expensive the price is. Many of the underworld photographers that I know prefer to use Canon underwater cameras because they offers a "one of a kind quality". The Canon Company is one of the pioneering companies that launched underwater cameras in the market and you know you will be getting quality when you buy Canon.

Enjoyable activities with your dog

A dog is more than just a pet. It is a friend one can always count on when things go wrong and no one seems to care. Having a dog for a pet is not just about feeding it and giving it a good home. It also takes maintenance to keep that dog strong and fit.

Spending time with man’s best friend further deepens the relationship one has with a pet. It tells the dog that the owner loves being with it and by either playing or working together; it strengthens the communication, understanding and respect between man and animal.

There are many ways to teach a dog discipline and learn new tricks and by teaching it through games instead of the normal routine added with a little imagination, it can both be fun for the dog and the owner.

One game is called follow the leader. This activity consists of a group of owners and the dogs. By placing objects such as cones or cans on the ground and making the group go around these objects, the dog will learn to follow when it is called. Further strengthening that could be by switching who the leader is and doing the entire process all over again.

Another game is hide and seek. Children play this game with other children but by teaching the dog to stay in one place then have the dog search for the person when the dog’s name is called, it teaches the dog discipline and will make the dog learn to wait until being called.

One can modify this game by a hiding a treat in a certain area and have the dog look for it. The animal will learn to use its keen sense of smell to search for things and be rewarded for it.

Waking up in the morning and taking the dog out for a jog is another good chance to spend time with the dog. This gives both the owner and pet a good exercise keeping both physically active and in shape. Dogs like to play often and by sometimes changing the game with a little twist like catching the Frisbee or fetching the stick; it not only strengthens the limbs but also involves some thinking on the part of the dog to successfully catch the object.

Spending quality time with ones dog through a variety of activities is fun. It gives the animal an opportunity to learn good manners making it easier to live with and make the owner enjoy how wonderful the experience can be.

How a home loan can help you

Home is not something that one purchases everyday. It is everyone’s dream to own a house, buying a home requires huge capital and good planning, when you decide to purchase a house you do not feel like compromising on anything but your resources are limited. Now with the home loan schemes you need not get disheartened as home loan can make your dream of an own house turn into reality. By buying a house of your own you give yourself as well as your family a lot of security, house is a big asset and an asset always brings security, happiness, contentment and stability to your life.

If your credit rating is high then the interest rate that you will have to pay will be comparatively low. Home loan is also available for the people with poor credit rating or bad credit history. In this case the interest rate is usually high and the terms and conditions are less flexible as the risk factor is high from the lenders point of view. By opting for bad credit home loan the borrower can enhance his credibility and get a solution to his financial problems. A credit check will be done, but your lender can offer you the loan you need and give you various options.

Home loan is basically of two kinds; secured home loan and unsecured home loan. In secured loan the borrower keeps something as collateral against the loan amount that he borrows. As this loan is secured, the lender feels safe to give loan and for this reason the loan amount is high and the rate of interest is usually low in secured loan, the terms and conditions are more flexible and the repayment policy is simple. People who have something to keep as collateral are advised to opt for secured home loan.

The other kind of loan is unsecured home loan in this kind of loan the borrower has to keep nothing as collateral. In this kind of home loan the risk factor his high from lenders point of view therefore the loan amount is low and the interest rate is high as compared to secured home loan, the repayment scheme and the terms and conditions are also comparatively flexible. People who want small loan amount and do not have anything to keep as collateral can opt for unsecured home loan.

Home loan can be taken for short term as well as long term. In short term home loan the monthly repayment amount will be much more compared to long term home loan. In long term home loan the length of the loan may exceed unto 25 years and in this you have to pay lesser amount as monthly repayment. One should evaluate his income plan his budget and then decide whether to opt for long term or short term home loan.

Every borrower who wants home loan must take care of certain factors. Firstly, he should see to his requirements and choose the kind of loan i. e. secured home loan or unsecured home loan. Secondly, the borrower should calculate his income and pay back capacity before deciding the loan amount. The borrower should be clear about the calculation of interest rate, monthly payment amount and the different kinds of fees (if any) that he has to pay.

With the improved technology, now the best way to look for home loans is online. All the major lending institutions have their websites, you can surf these websites and compare the rates, policies and terms of different lenders and then choose the best kind of home loan for yourself. This whole process of searching for home loan online is completely hassle free and will save your time energy and money.

How to use online stock trading for your success

Many investors will tell you that trading in stocks might be the good old-fashioned way of investing, but it works. Regardless of the ups and downs, and there are many on the rollercoaster that is stocks; stocks are an exciting game that has a place for anyone. In the age of the information superhighway there is a whole world of varied stocks that you can build wealth with. You might only make enough money to use in your next investment but with online stocks the door is truly open.

Online stocks are a huge market. You can start online with cheaper penny type stocks and you can even purchase some of the high-end stocks for a couple of hundred dollars a share. Like most online shopping, most of the stocks that are for sale online are available in the real world market, but they cost more. Because of the lack of human contact and advice given, buying online stocks gives you the opportunity to get into the game without the high fees of your average broker. The online trader is also completely in control or his or her stocks.

Trading online does mean that you will have to be familiar with certain terminology. To do so we have compiled a list of some select of the most common available online stocks and their meanings. We suggest you take these means and do some more research. Let’s look over what kind of stocks can be brought and purchased online and in the real life stock market.

Penny Stocks: While not all ‘penny stocks’ actually cost a penny, they are the cheaper stocks on the market and are considered cheap and dirty by some. Others however have made large profits by trading in penny stocks, because once the price raises you can sell the many stocks you have purchased and make a return. Penny stocks are normally available for upstart or new companies who want to offer their stocks at cheaper prices to get them off the floor. Trading in penny stocks is a common form of online trading.

Blue Chips: Like their name suggests blue chips are premium stocks. Blue chips are the stocks of companies whose names you hear every day. So if you look at the steel that your fence is made from or the airline you fly with, you will probably find that their shares are blue chips. Because of the ‘assurance’ that blue chips will continue to grow, they generally cost a fair bit and are amongst the highest priced stocks. Blue chips are known for being strong and either maintaining their price or slowly growing over time. Blue chips also have the added value of climbing rather rapidly after a fall or at least recovering quickly.

Bonds & Futures: Bonds include municipal offers and can be issued by the companies. Futures however normally relate to farming crops, so if the oranges crop is doing well the orange futures will also do well. Futures also include wheat, livestock and other farming products.

If you really search you can buy almost any kind of stock online, all it takes is someone willing to sell them. The availability will depend on which website you are using and what they have access to.

Like any form of stock trading, just because you can now buy and sell your stocks online, that doesn’t mean that you should forget all about being careful and doing your research.

Reasons to refinance when rates are moving up

:
Interest rates have enjoyed record lows during the last few years allowing many people to refinance and enjoy lower mortgage payments. Now, interest rates are moving in the other direction. The average 30 year fixed rate, according to mortgage giant, Freddie Mac, was 6.31% last week. Still, during this same period, refinancing accounted for 43.6% of mortgage applications.

Why would anyone refinance when rates are going up? With cash-out refinancing, you refinance your mortgage for more than you owe and keep the difference. Freddie Mac is predicting, by year end, homeowners will convert $204 billion of home equity into cash, up from $142 billion in 2004.

1. Pay off home equity credit lines. The average rate for a HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit) rose to 6.97% last week, up from 5.09% from a year ago. Most HELOC loans have variable rates that go up when the Federal Reserve raises short term interest rates. Recently, the Federal Reserve announced its12th consecutive rate increase and they sent out a strong message they will continue the short term interest rate increase. Using a refinance to pay off a HELOC not only will lower your existing HELOC interest rate, but you can stop worrying about the Fed …for your second mortgage at least.

2. Consolidate your mortgages. Unless you put 20% or more down on your home, there is a good chance you did a combination (or piggyback second mortgage) loan to avoid PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance) which is required on loans with less than a 20% down payment. Second mortgages typically carry higher interest rates and a cash-out refinance may allow you to consolidate these loans into one lower monthly payment.

3. Secure A Fixed Rate Mortgage. Rates for adjustable mortgages, which are sensitive to Fed moves, have been rising faster than fixed rate mortgages. Borrowers with loans close to a rate adjustment are facing an increase in monthly payments and the possibility of even higher rates down the road. Many borrowers who plan to stay in their homes are fending off the higher rates and potential future increases by refinancing into fixed rate mortgages.

4. Improve Your Home. Home Equity Lines of Credit and fixed rate second mortgage rates have been rising. A cash-out refinance can prove to be a cheaper way to finance your home improvement, especially as the cost of the improvement increases. Properties refinanced during the 3rd quarter of 2005(?) saw 23% appreciation since the original loan was taken out. Improvements made after the refinance may lead to even greater increases.

While many people will no longer be interested in refinancing for a lower rate, there are many reasons to consider refinancing even as interest rates increase. If you have an existing second mortgage, need cash to consolidate credit card debt, or want to do some home improvements, refinancing your current home mortgage may be the best financial move for you. For more information regarding current rates, you can visit our website at greenwoodloans. com/.

Fighting plant enemies

The devices and implements used for fighting plant enemies are of two sorts:

(1) those used to afford mechanical protection to the plants;

(2) those used to apply insecticides and fungicides.

Of the first the most useful is the covered frame. It consists usually of a wooden box, some eighteen inches to two feet square and about eight high, covered with glass, protecting cloth, mosquito netting or mosquito wire. The first two coverings have, of course, the additional advantage of retaining heat and protecting from cold, making it possible by their use to plant earlier than is otherwise safe. They are used extensively in getting an extra early and safe start with cucumbers, melons and the other vine vegetables.

Simpler devices for protecting newly-set plants, such as tomatoes or cabbage, from the cut-worm, are stiff, tin, cardboard or tar paper collars, which are made several inches high and large enough to be put around the stem and penetrate an inch or so into the soil.

For applying poison powders, the home gardener should supply himself with a powder gun. If one must be restricted to a single implement, however, it will be best to get one of the hand-power, compressed-air sprayers. These are used for applying wet sprays, and should be supplied with one of the several forms of mist-making nozzles, the non-cloggable automatic type being the best. For more extensive work a barrel pump, mounted on wheels, will be desirable, but one of the above will do a great deal of work in little time.

Extension rods for use in spraying trees and vines may be obtained for either. For operations on a very small scale a good hand-syringe may be used, but as a general thing it will be best to invest a few dollars more and get a small tank sprayer, as this throws a continuous stream or spray and holds a much larger amount of the spraying solution. Whatever type is procured, get a brass machine it will out-wear three or four of those made of cheaper metal, which succumbs very quickly to the corroding action of the strong poisons and chemicals used in them.

Of implements for harvesting, beside the spade, prong-hoe and spading - fork, very few are used in the small garden, as most of them need not only long rows to be economically used, but horse - power also. The onion harvester attachment for the double wheel hoe, may be used with advantage in loosening onions, beets, turnips, etc., from the soil or for cutting spinach. Running the hand - plow close on either side of carrots, parsnips and other deep-growing vegetables will aid materially in getting them out. For fruit picking, with tall trees, the wire-fingered fruit-picker, secured to the end of a long handle, will be of great assistance, but with the modern method of using low-headed trees it will not be needed.

Another class of garden implements are those used in pruning but where this is attended to properly from the start, a good sharp jack-knife and a pair of pruning shears will easily handle all the work of the kind necessary.

Still another sort of garden device is that used for supporting the plants; such as stakes, trellises, wires, etc. Altogether too little attention usually is given these, as with proper care in storing over winter they will not only last for years, but add greatly to the convenience of cultivation and to the neat appearance of the garden.

As a final word to the intending purchaser of garden tools, I would say: first thoroughly investigate the different sorts available, and when buying, do not forget that a good tool or a well-made machine will be giving you satisfactory use long, long after the price is forgotten, while a poor one is a constant source of discomfort. Get good tools, and take good care of them. And let me repeat that a few dollars a year, judiciously spent, for tools afterward well cared for, will soon give you a very complete set, and add to your garden profit and pleasure.

Success university - secret x factor - master resell rights

What is the key attribute that could drive the success of the Success University and Master Resell Rights Strategy?

Secret X Factor!

Not too long ago, two successful internet marketers utilized the same formula to gain success, namely, the "Secret X Factor." The first marketer gained experience and success by building online X Factor and building name recognition in his field as he began his business. Again, he did with this with the Secret X Factor.

Of course, one of the problems this marketer faced was that he had a lot of competition in his field. Even though friends and colleagues told him that the field already had a lot of competition and that his success would therefore be difficult to attain as someone new to the field and therefore not an "expert," he utilized the Secret X Factor to overcome this difficulty.

First of all, when one is first breaking into a new field, he or she must realize that even the "experts" were, at one time, newcomers to their field as well. Therefore, newcomers must realize that basically, they are on the same footing as the experts once were, and they, too, can attain the same level of success and expertise as the current experts have.

Second of all, every niche market is a gold mine waiting to be tapped. To do this, you just need to position yourself properly so as to gain the greatest benefit and therefore profits.

To establish much-needed and much-deserved X Factor in order to market his e-books, this marketer first used free reports to gain exposure, but then shifted to "master resell rights." These master resell rights do two things for entrepreneurs of products such as e-books. The first one is that they can establish greater perceived value to the buyer, because oftentimes, buyers are getting free products and/or a reduced price from the reseller as compared to the original author or creator of the product or e-book. The second thing master resell rights can do is to encourage the resellers to sell the product for the original author. They also create X Factor for the author or creator of the product, because his or her name becomes increasingly well known as the product gains greater exposure.

This first marketer learned that this was the best method to use to gain exposure. Simply put, he saw that this method worked for other experts in their chosen fields and as a tried-and-true way to gain exposure and X Factor, he felt it was the best method utilized.

For the second marketer, the Secret X Factor created over $10,000 in sales for him in just a 24-hour period simply because he sent out a few e-mails. Even more remarkable, however, this marketer had no e-mail list or web site, as many entrepreneurs do.

This marketer stressed that one of the reasons he had such great success in just 24 hours is that people know that they can trust and depend on him. In addition, he is easily available to them by phone. He stressed that maintaining this trust, X Factor, and easy availability will simply draw people to you. One effective way of gaining this trust is to give them something that is of value to them. One good way to do this is to provide them with regular content that they find is of use to them. If you continue to provide this good content to your readers or subscribers, your X Factor will increase over time. Providing a forum and participating in it is also a good way to provide this type of information and in addition, it allows your subscribers to participate in the conversation as well.

Finally, this marketer states that to gain X Factor online and therefore increase the level of success you attain in your particular niche market, you must work to help solve your participants' or customers' problems. If you do this over time, you will eventually gain X Factor and "expert" status. Most online entrepreneurs want to gain instant "expert" status, but this is simply not realistic. This happens over time. This marketer states that what you should do instead is to focus on a single goal or strategy, and then hone and make it your area of expertise. In this way, your reputation will grow. As your reputation grows, so, too, will traffic to your site and ultimately, sales of your particular product or skill.

Yes a gift card is a great present

Almost everyone has at least one person on their shopping list that seems impossible to buy for. That person may be incredibly picky; may go out and buy everything they want when they want it; or may be someone you do not know all that well.

For example, some couples who get married do not register for gifts because they already have their households established and do not feel they need any additional items. In that case, a gift card or gift certificate to one of their favorite restaurants, the theater, or for travel from an airline or travel agency would likely be appreciated. Or maybe the person you are buying the gift for is someone who lives far away and the gift you want to purchase is very bulky which would make shipping expensive. In that case a gift card or gift certificate for that item would work well.

A gift card can also be a great gift for someone you know extremely well. For example, my sister-in-law loves to get massages. But she has four children and a tight family budget so massages are a luxury she cannot usually afford. So for her birthday and for Christmas I give her gift certificates for massages or to a day spa. She loves receiving them!

I’ve also given my children gift cards. For example, last year my son wanted a recliner for Christmas. We wanted to get it for him but he lives 600 miles away and one wouldn’t fit in his vehicle for his drive back home after the holidays. Buying one and shipping it didn’t seem cost effective to us. We decided we would rather put that shipping money into a nicer recliner so we gave him a gift card to buy a chair where he lives. Because we weren’t sure what furniture store he would want to buy the recliner from, we gave him a Visa gift card which can be used anyplace a Visa charge card can be used.

The major credit card companies, including Mastercard, Discover, American Express, and Visa all sell gift cards. The gift cards are redeemable wherever their credits are accepted.

Gas gift cards are another gift card I like to give. My nieces and nephews who drive love them, because like most other teenagers who drive they are always scrounging for gas money. And since gas gift cards can be used for gas and also for purchasing snacks inside the gas station, they are a gift that is very appreciated.

Teenage girls usually love gift cards or gift certificates to the local mall. For me, teenage girls are difficult to shop for and I have a teenage daughter! Most teenage girls love clothes but can be very picky about what they like. Also, choosing the right size can be difficult since sizes are not uniform among stores. I prefer giving a gift card in order to avoid the recipient having to go through taking the unwanted or wrong size item back to the store to exchange.

If you need to find a gift for someone who loves to go to restaurants and you want to buy them a restaurant gift certificate, consider purchasing one from your state’s restaurant association (if they offer gift certificates). Then the recipients will be able to go to any one of the association’s member restaurants which usually gives them a large choice. For example, the Wisconsin restaurant association sells gift certificates to use at any one of their member restaurants of which there are over 7,000.

If you are looking for a gift for that person who seems to have everything, consider giving them something similar to a gift card – give a gift in their name to a charitable organization such as the Red Cross.

Some people say giving a gift card is the lazy way to give a gift. I don’t agree. I think a thoughtfully chosen gift card is a wonderful gift. It shows the recipient that you want them to have something special they can truly use.

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.

Credit cards and aprs

You probably see a lot of credit card offers on a daily basis whether it's on television, the internet, a magazine or in the mail. In the advertisement, you probably see or hear APR mentioned several times in the form of Introductory APR, Standard APR, Cash Advance APR, Balance Transfer APR and Default APR. The differences between these APRs might be confusing at first but they are pretty simple to understand.

Introductory APR refers to the initial interest rate you receive for purchases on the credit card when you first get it. This Introductory APR is usually really low (around 0%) and lasts between 6 and 12 months.

Standard APR is the interest rate the credit card goes up to after the Introductory APR period is over.

Cash Advance APR is the interest rate you receive for cash advances.

Balance Transfer APR is the interest rate you receive for any credit card balance you transfer over to your new credit card. As a side note, if you have a high interest rate credit card and the new credit card company's Balance Transfer APR is lower than your present credit card's interest rate or if they offer the Introductory APR for balance transfers, transfer your balance to the new credit card if you can pay the balance off within the Introductory APR period.

Default APR is the interest rate your card goes up to if you are late on payments or go over your credit limit.

Preparing luggage for your trip

Luggage is a vital part of any trip, everything you need will be inside. Check your luggage prior to your trip and make sure all parts are in order and it has no rips or tears. The last thing you need is a zipper that comes apart at the airport while the handlers are moving your luggage.

When buying luggage choose quality bags that are built well and will last. But avoid the fancy luggage as this can be a target for thiefs. Fancy gold latches, big brand names and classy leather finishes can all be triggers for a thief. Stick with the classic look over the showy styles that will attract a thief.

Tagging your suitcase with a bright and distinctive marker will make the bag easier to spot on the carousel and prevents another traveler from mistakenly taking your bag. This will also make it easier for baggage handlers to find you bag should it become lost or needs to be removed from the plane. Thieves are also less likely to take a bag as they can be spotted much easier.

When packing your suitcase make sure you know the weight allowances allowed by the airline and weigh your bags before leaving. If your bag is overweight consider using two smaller bags, this is more of a hassle, but will save you on surcharges for the overweight bag. Check with your airline to determine the weight allowances that apply to you. You also have the option of using services that will pick up and deliver your baggage to your destination.

Keep proper identification in your luggage in case they become lost, this way you can be found. Placing a copy of your itinerary in each piece of luggage will assist the airline in finding you if your luggage is in fact lost. Use caution on how much personal information is left in the bags, to much information exposes you to identity theft.

Being prepared for security will make your screening process with the TSA much more pleasant. Check the TSA website for banned and limited items such as liquids and gels. They also have rules in place on how such items should be packed. Always use clear plastic bags inside your luggage as the screener can easily see inside. Locking your bags is also highly recommended and you should consider TSA approved locks. If your checked baggage is picked for screening the TSA will cut your lock unless you are using an approved lock, in which case they have a special tool to unlock it and re-lock it when finished.

Take a carry on with any essentials you will need in case your main luggage is lost or delayed. This is especially important if you will be travelling with children. Again check with the TSA website for carry on bags. The rules are a little different, some things are allowed to be checked but are not allowed in your carry on baggage.

Planning ahead will make your travel experience much more pleasant and enjoyable.

7 tips for sales letters from a consumer standpoint

Sales letters, whether in actual mailed letter or email format, is probably one of the most tedious and annoying means of advertising ever devised. From a customer perspective, getting your physical mail box flooded with flyers and your email inbox stuffed with spam is NOT a good way to start out the day. From a salesman or business owner's perspective, trying to offer people a product that you KNOW will actually help them becomes more difficult because the public in general is becoming more jaded from all the trash letters being sent out by half baked marketing groups with substandard products. To this end, here are 7 tips from an irritable consumer to give some advice to people making sales letters:

Honesty is the best policy - nobody likes a scammer, with the sole possible exception of the scammer himself and any associates who make a profit alongside his sales. Those "wonderful" people aside, everybody else would rather take a scammer, disembowel him, and hang him from a flagpole by his intestines. So first thing's first: you want us to read your letters? Shoot straight and don't hide or lie about facts.

Get to the Darn Point - you're not writing a novel, are you? It's a sales letter. Keep it short so you don't waste our time, and if something can be said in 5 words, why phrase it in 20? Granted, some of those lengthier statements may be intended to amuse us, but if we wanted a quick laugh, we can always just go out and watch a mime getting run over by a truck.

Talk TO your Readers, not AT Them - a lot of letters come across sounding like they're being delivered from a stage or a pulpit. Talk TO your readers, person to person, not AT them like you're making a grand speech. Again, if I wanted to fall asleep listening to a speech, I'd just go to church or a corporate meeting at work, or maybe watch TV and look for a politician.

What's In It for The Reader? - yep, that's the bottom line bubba. What's in it for me? Your new fangled high tech swiss army bulletproof cell phone may come with more processing power than an entire network of PCs, it might be made from materials that theoretically shouldn't exist through modern smelting methods, and may even include a tazer gun in case I get mugged. But what do I get out of it when all I need from a phone is a longer battery life, a built in MP3 player for my tunes, and a high powered "babe" magnet?

Fine Print Makes People Nervous - use large, clear print for your letter text. Nobody likes having to use a magnifying glass to read a letter. Fine print, from the stand point of a consumer, will often hold various arcane stipulations designed to squeeze extra bucks out of our wallets. We like knowing what we're getting into and what we're buying without any hitches, snags, and hidden agendas, thank you very much.

Concentrate on Getting Interest, Not a Sale - if you try to push your product off on me, I'll shove it back into your face and down your throat. There's an old adage: Don't call me, I'll call you. This applies to most any potential consumer. As far as I'm concerned if you push for a sale, then all you want is my money. If, on the other hand, you catch my interest and give me a good reason to call you, THEN we can talk about my buying your stuff. Make it worth my while.

Let The Reader Know How to Reach You - one of the most irritating aspects of business sales letters is incomplete or vague return contact information. I know that being "mysterious" and "hard to get" is a common ploy. News flash here: playing hard to get makes people walk out on you, and being mysterious usually means you have large skeletons in the closet to hide. So, that translates to you're being a scam. If you want to talk about making a sale, let me know how to reach you quickly and easily.

Managing the income portfolio

The reason people assume the risks of investing in the first place is the prospect of achieving a higher rate of return than is attainable in a risk free environment…i. e., an FDIC insured bank account. Risk comes in various forms, but the average investor’s primary concerns are “credit” and “market” risk… particularly when it comes to investing for income. Credit risk involves the ability of corporations, government entities, and even individuals, to make good on their financial commitments; market risk refers to the certainty that there will be changes in the Market Value of the selected securities. We can minimize the former by selecting only high quality (investment grade) securities and the latter by diversifying properly, understanding that Market Value changes are normal, and by having a plan of action for dealing with such fluctuations. (What does the bank do to get the amount of interest it guarantees to depositors? What does it do in response to higher or lower market interest rate expectations?)

You don’t have to be a professional Investment Manager to professionally manage your investment portfolio, but you do need to have a long term plan and know something about Asset Allocation… a portfolio organization tool that is often misunderstood and almost always improperly used within the financial community. It’s important to recognize, as well, that you do not need a fancy computer program or a glossy presentation with economic scenarios, inflation estimators, and stock market projections to get yourself lined up properly with your target. You need common sense, reasonable expectations, patience, discipline, soft hands, and an oversized driver. The K. I. S. S. Principle needs to be at the foundation of your Investment Plan; an emphasis on Working Capital will help you Organize, and Control your investment portfolio.

Planning for Retirement should focus on the additional income needed from the investment portfolio, and the Asset Allocation formula [relax, 8th grade math is plenty] needed for goal achievement will depend on just three variables: (1) the amount of liquid investment assets you are starting with, (2) the amount of time until retirement, and (3) the range of interest rates currently available from Investment Grade Securities. If you don’t allow the “engineer” gene to take control, this can be a fairly simple process. Even if you are young, you need to stop smoking heavily and to develop a growing stream of income… if you keep the income growing, the Market Value growth (that you are expected to worship) will take care of itself. Remember, higher Market Value may increase hat size, but it doesn’t pay the bills.

First deduct any guaranteed pension income from your retirement income goal to estimate the amount needed just from the investment portfolio. Don’t worry about inflation at this stage. Next, determine the total Market Value of your investment portfolios, including company plans, IRAs, H-Bonds… everything, except the house, boat, jewelry, etc. Liquid personal and retirement plan assets only. This total is then multiplied by a range of reasonable interest rates (6%, to 8% right now) and, hopefully, one of the resulting numbers will be close to the target amount you came up with a moment ago. If you are within a few years of retirement age, they better be! For certain, this process will give you a clear idea of where you stand, and that, in and of itself, is worth the effort.

Organizing the Portfolio involves deciding upon an appropriate Asset Allocation… and that requires some discussion. Asset Allocation is the most important and most frequently misunderstood concept in the investment lexicon. The most basic of the confusions is the idea that diversification and Asset Allocation are one and the same. Asset Allocation divides the investment portfolio into the two basic classes of investment securities: Stocks/Equities and Bonds/Income Securities. Most Investment Grade securities fit comfortably into one of these two classes. Diversification is a risk reduction technique that strictly controls the size of individual holdings as a percent of total assets. A second misconception describes Asset Allocation as a sophisticated technique used to soften the bottom line impact of movements in stock and bond prices, and/or a process that automatically (and foolishly) moves investment dollars from a weakening asset classification to a stronger one… a subtle "market timing" device.

Finally, the Asset Allocation Formula is often misused in an effort to superimpose a valid investment planning tool on speculative strategies that have no real merits of their own, for example: annual portfolio repositioning, market timing adjustments, and Mutual Fund shifting. The Asset Allocation formula itself is sacred, and if constructed properly, should never be altered due to conditions in either Equity or Fixed Income markets. Changes in the personal situation, goals, and objectives of the investor are the only issues that can be allowed into the Asset Allocation decision-making process.

Here are a few basic Asset Allocation Guidelines: (1) All Asset Allocation decisions are based on the Cost Basis of the securities involved. The current Market Value may be more or less and it just doesn’t matter. (2) Any investment portfolio with a Cost Basis of $100,000 or more should have a minimum of 30% invested in Income Securities, either taxable or tax free, depending on the nature of the portfolio. Tax deferred entities (all varieties of retirement programs) should house the bulk of the Equity Investments. This rule applies from age 0 to Retirement Age – 5 years. Under age 30, it is a mistake to have too much of your portfolio in Income Securities. (3) There are only two Asset Allocation Categories, and neither is ever described with a decimal point. All cash in the portfolio is destined for one category or the other. (4) From Retirement Age – 5 on, the Income Allocation needs to be adjusted upward until the “reasonable interest rate test” says that you are on target or at least in range. (5) At retirement, between 60% and 100% of your portfolio may have to be in Income Generating Securities.

Controlling, or Implementing, the Investment Plan will be accomplished best by those who are least emotional, most decisive, naturally calm, patient, generally conservative (not politically), and self actualized. Investing is a long-term, personal, goal orientated, non - competitive, hands on, decision-making process that does not require advanced degrees or a rocket scientist IQ. In fact, being too smart can be a problem if you have a tendency to over analyze things. It is helpful to establish guidelines for selecting securities, and for disposing of them. For example, limit Equity involvement to Investment Grade, NYSE, dividend paying, profitable, and widely held companies. Don’t buy any stock unless it is down at least 20% from its 52 week high, and limit individual equity holdings to less than 5% of the total portfolio. Take a reasonable profit (using 10% as a target) as frequently as possible. With a 40% Income Allocation, 40% of profits and dividends would be allocated to Income Securities.

For Fixed Income, focus on Investment Grade securities, with above average but not “highest in class” yields. With Variable Income securities, avoid purchase near 52-week highs, and keep individual holdings well below 5%. Keep individual Preferred Stocks and Bonds well below 5% as well. Closed End Fund positions may be slightly higher than 5%, depending on type. Take a reasonable profit (more than one years’ income for starters) as soon as possible. With a 60% Equity Allocation, 60% of profits and interest would be allocated to stocks.

Monitoring Investment Performance the Wall Street way is inappropriate and problematic for goal-orientated investors. It purposely focuses on short-term dislocations and uncontrollable cyclical changes, producing constant disappointment and encouraging inappropriate transactional responses to natural and harmless events. Coupled with a Media that thrives on sensationalizing anything outrageously positive or negative (Google and Enron, Peter Lynch and Martha Stewart, for example), it becomes difficult to stay the course with any plan, as environmental conditions change. First greed, then fear, new products replacing old, and always the promise of something better when, in fact, the boring and old fashioned basic investment principles still get the job done. Remember, your unhappiness is Wall Street’s most coveted asset. Don’t humor them, and protect yourself. Base your performance evaluation efforts on goal achievement… yours, not theirs. Here’s how, based on the three basic objectives we’ve been talking about: Growth of Base Income, Profit Production from Trading, and Overall Growth in Working Capital.

Base Income includes the dividends and interest produced by your portfolio, without the realized capital gains that should actually be the larger number much of the time. No matter how you slice it, your long-range comfort demands regularly increasing income, and by using your total portfolio cost basis as the benchmark, it’s easy to determine where to invest your accumulating cash. Since a portion of every dollar added to the portfolio is reallocated to income production, you are assured of increasing the total annually. If Market Value is used for this analysis, you could be pouring too much money into a falling stock market to the detriment of your long-range income objectives.

Profit Production is the happy face of the market value volatility that is a natural attribute of all securities. To realize a profit, you must be able to sell the securities that most investment strategists (and accountants) want you to marry up with! Successful investors learn to sell the ones they love, and the more frequently (yes, short term), the better. This is called trading, and it is not a four-letter word. When you can get yourself to the point where you think of the securities you own as high quality inventory on the shelves of your personal portfolio boutique, you have arrived. You won’t see WalMart holding out for higher prices than their standard markup, and neither should you. Reduce the markup on slower movers, and sell damaged goods you’ve held too long at a loss if you have to, and, in the thick of it all, try to anticipate what your standard, Wall Street Account Statement is going to show you… a portfolio of equity securities that have not yet achieved their profit goals and are probably in negative Market Value territory because you’ve sold the winners and replaced them with new inventory… compounding the earning power! Similarly, you’ll see a diversified group of income earners, chastised for following their natural tendencies (this year), at lower prices, which will help you increase your portfolio yield and overall cash flow. If you see big plus signs, you are not managing the portfolio properly.

Working Capital Growth (total portfolio cost basis) just happens, and at a rate that will be somewhere between the average return on the Income Securities in the portfolio and the total realized gain on the Equity portion of the portfolio. It will actually be higher with larger Equity allocations because frequent trading produces a higher rate of return than the more secure positions in the Income allocation. But, and this is too big a but to ignore as you approach retirement, trading profits are not guaranteed and the risk of loss (although minimized with a sensible selection process) is greater than it is with Income Securities. This is why the Asset Allocation moves from a greater to a lesser Equity percentage as you approach retirement.

So is there really such a thing as an Income Portfolio that needs to be managed? Or are we really just dealing with an investment portfolio that needs its Asset Allocation tweaked occasionally as we approach the time in life when it has to provide the yacht… and the gas money to run it? By using Cost Basis (Working Capital) as the number that needs growing, by accepting trading as an acceptable, even conservative, approach to portfolio management, and by focusing on growing income instead of ego, this whole retirement investing thing becomes significantly less scary. So now you can focus on changing the tax code, reducing health care costs, saving Social Security, and spoiling the grandchildren.

Finding the right golf software

There are many ways to improve your gold swing when you are a beginner golfer. If you do not have the time to take lessons, purchasing software that records and gives you feedback can help you see mistakes you are making and offers solutions on how to correct them before they become habits that are difficult to break. You can find this software in pro shops, sporting goods stores, and online.

Before purchasing any type of software, find out if you need other equipment including a camera or additional computer software to run the program. Many times you will need a camera because you need a picture of your swing so it can be analyzed. After taking a few pictures of your swing, you will upload them to your computer and the software will do the rest. After analyzing your swing, you will receive feedback, advice, and visual images to help improve your swing. Golf analysis is important especially if you want to become better at the game of golf in a shorter amount of time.

In addition to golf software, there are many books, tapes, and educational CD’s you can purchase that also offer advice and critique on your golf swing. One of the best ways to improve your game is by watching other golfers. Many pros have spent hours watching old games on television to find out how to stand, swing, and other tips pertaining to golf clubs, weather conditions, and specific golf courses. Even though you don’t have to spend hours watching old matches, you should watch golf pros at their best by catching highlights or watching specific moves over and over until you are able to mimic it on the course.

Another way to improve your golf game is by purchasing the right equipment and learning how to use it properly. Taking lessons or reading books about golf can help you distinguish between one golf club and another. Because each serves a different purpose, it is important to know which ones to use during the game.

Over time, your golf game will improve. Through practice, observation, and by listening to those who have been playing the game for a long time, you will be able to play a better round of golf in a few months. Golf analysis software along with lessons can help you see your strengths and weaknesses more clearly. Only then will you be able to improve your golf game and impress your friends and others.