Driving through the desert

It is important that you do take some time to check your vehicle before you actually go through a journey through the desert. This is because the excess heat on your vehicle could make it act up. Also, you would not want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere without any means of communicating for help to anyone.

If you are planning on driving through the desert to some location, automobile experts suggest that you inform somebody about your plans. Let them know when you are going, when you should be expected to return, as well as where is the exact location of your destination.

You should also get a full service tune up before you start on your voyage. You should also bring your car for service at least a week or two weeks before your planned trip. That way, if there are any things that need to be worked on, the personnel could start on it. While at it, have the personnel check your battery terminals for corrosion. If there are, these should be cleaned with a wire brush that has been dipped in baking soda and water. Also add distilled water to your battery if your batteries are sealed.

Go through your tires as well. Inspect for wear. Also, maintain the proper air pressure on your tires. You should know the right amount of pressure by checking your car owner’s manual. Your radiator should also be checked for leaks.

As per your coolant, check for strength in the radiator overflow reservoir. You should be able to do this using a hydrometer. Make sure that the antifreeze is clean and that it is filled up to the proper level as indicated in your car. Now, if the coolant has not yet been replaced or flushed for the last 15,000 miles, this would be the right time to do so.

The organic gardener

It’s not always easy to be an organic gardener. Even committed organic gardeners sometimes long to spray herbicide on goutweed or pesky poison ivy. When Japanese beetles or rose chafers arrive in throngs just before your garden party, you may suffer an urge for the good old days — the time before you understood that spraying an insecticide would kill beneficial bugs along with the bad, aggravating your pest problems. But there are also problems that are more easily addressed with organic solutions.

Each winter, the Ecological Landscaping Association ( ela. org) holds a conference and eco-marketplace where researchers, landscapers, gardeners and environmentalists meet to share knowledge and ideas. This year, one of the presentations I liked best was by Dr. Richard Casagrande of the University of Rhode Island, who spoke on biocontrol of invasive species. He explained that for some problems, organic controls work better than chemical controls.

Casagrande said that when gardeners hear that foreign species of insects have been introduced to help control invasive plants like purple loosestrife, there is a knee-jerk reaction: “Great. And when they’ve finished eating the loosestrife, what’s going to happen next? Will they eat my delphiniums, or my peonies?”

He explained that although people of good will did introduce some evil exotics like kudzu and oriental bittersweet, the process of introducing foreign insects to combat these plants is very tightly controlled. The University of Rhode Island has quarantine labs that are as tightly controlled as the perimeter around the White House.

First, scientists look at how the invasive species performs in its native land. Purple loosestrife came from Europe in the early 1800s, probably in soil used as ballast in ships. But it is not a problem there. Why not? It evolved there, and over time some 120 species of insects learned to love it. Of these, 14 are host-specific, meaning that they don’t eat anything else. A few of these insects were brought to quarantine labs to determine if they eat related species of the target plants, or if they would attack any of our major crops, such as corn, wheat and soy.

If you’ve ever tried to dig out purple loosestrife, you know that it has an amazing root system that will challenge even the strongest back. Scraps of roots left in the ground will start new plants. Not only that, each mature plant produces millions of tiny seeds every year, so even if you did poison or pull a plant, the soil is full of time-release capsules — seeds that will start the process all over again next year, and the year after that, and so forth. Even burning the plants will not solve the problem. But it can be kept under control with the use of introduced beetles.

Since 1994, beetles that eat purple loosestrife have been successfully reducing stands of this exotic. They reduce the number of plants to about 10 percent of pre-introduction levels; as the number of plants drops, so does the number of predator beetles. Similar efforts are under way to control phragmites, that tall grass that has such beautiful plumes in wetlands and roadside ditches.

Casagrande has been using biocontrols to reduce populations of the lily leaf beetle that has been decimating our oriental and Asiatic lilies in recent years. The beetles are so pretty that you might want to use them as earrings: bright red with black trim, about 3/8ths of an inch long. Their larvae, in contrast, are disgusting: They carry their excrement on their backs to deter birds — and organic gardeners. Casagrande and his co-workers have introduced parasitoids from Europe, tiny wasps that reduce the beetle’s population. The parasitoids are doing the job at test sites in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, and are established at release sites in New Hampshire and Maine.

So what can the home gardener do? First, realize that help is on the way in the form of biocontrols. Second, recognize that herbicides for plants and insecticides for beetles ultimately don’t work. Yes, you can kill lily leaf beetles or loosestrife with a spray, but you can’t eliminate them. Third, use pest-resistant species such as ‘Black Beauty,’ a lily that is less attractive to the lily leaf beetle. Lastly, handpick beetles. I handpicked lily leaf beetles twice a day last summer and never saw a larva.

As organic gardeners, we have to accept that we are not in total control of the environment, and that sometimes we have to wait or endure some losses. Biological controls do work. Some exotic pests, like the birch leaf miner, are now nothing more than a minor annoyance, and there are already places where purple loosestrife is no longer a problem. So stay the course — be organic.

7 ways to make alkaline diet benefit you

The premise of an alkaline diet is that the nutrients found in supplements, alkalizing foods, and water can bring the body back to balance. These vitamins, minerals, and herbs infuse the body with new energy, vitality, and better health.

Alkaline foods and water must be consumed in order to provide nutrients the body needs to neutralize acids and toxins in the blood, lymph, tissues, and cells.

When pH balance inside the body is ‘out of balance’ the body tries to correct that sensitive pH balance. That process shows up as uncomfortable symptoms, including colds, flues, allergies, diseases, viruses, and bacteria.

When the pH level in our body is unbalanced, almost any area of the body can be affected. For example when the nervous system is effected as the result of unbalanced pH balance it shows up in the form of the depression. When cardiovascular system is effected we could have heart disease or experience other heart-related problems, including thickening and hardening of the arteries, coronary heard disease, pain or discomfort in the chest, stroke, high blood pressure, and heart failure. When muscles are effected we often feel fatigue and lack of energy. When skin is effected by improper pH balance we age quicker than normal.

When the body’s pH level is in balance, the body reaches ideal weight and corrects negative health challenges naturally.

Transition to a more alkaline healthy diet requires a shift in attitude towards food. The important point to remember is that small changes go a long way. Add more alkaline foods to your diet gradually.

7 Sure-fire ways to make alkaline diet benefit you:

1) Reduce the consumption of sugar and products made from sugar, including soda pop, pies, ice cream, jello, jams & jellies, artificial juices, puddings, doughnuts, corn syrups, chewing gum, sweetened drinks, cookies, breakfast cereals, liqueurs, mixed drinks.

2) Avoid processed foods and condiments including ketchup, salad dressings, pickles, luncheon meats, canned fruits, breads, relish, cheese dips, peanut butter, prepared seafood, frozen vegetables, crackers, canned soups, hot dogs, sausages, sweetened yogurt.

3) Avoid cooking and heating foods and drinks in microwave.

4) Avoid dairy, meats, fried foods and fast foods.

5) Increase your consumption of raw vegetables and raw fresh fruits (without sugar). You should include raw vegetables in every meal. If your breakfast is so small that you only eat toast or cereal, stop eating toast and take fresh fruits or vegetable juices instead. If your lunches are usually consist of sandwiches try to substitute it with a raw salad or a vegetable juice. Have a large salad before you eat a heavy entree at dinner. This way, you will be sure to eat all of the salad instead of finding yourself too full to finish it.

6) Grains form the base of a balanced diet and are important in maintaining the alkaline balance in the body. Grains are great source of vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients, including folic acid, fiber, carbohydrates antioxidants and phytoestrogens. The Department of Food and Science and Nutrition at University of MInnesota determined that consumption of whole grains reduces the risk of chronic diseases including cancer and cardiovascular disease. By eating grains you can eat less but feel full. Grains should comprise about 20% of your diet.

7) Don't forget to hydrate. Drink at least half of your body weight in ounces of good quality of water each day. Add liquid minerals to increase the quality of water.

If you follow these easy 7 steps it will allow you to create the proper alkaline balance within your body.

Creating the proper alkaline balance within your body will bring you increased quality of life. You'll start seeing immediate improvements in your health. Your energy will increase, your concentration will be stronger. You'll build strength, stamina, and resistance to diseases. Your entire body will function more efficiently just like it was meant to do.

The challenges of being an expat spouse

……What Unique Opportunities Exist Here?

What are the challenges you are facing as an expat spouse?

Do you see yourself here by circumstance or has this move been your choice?

Is this a unique opportunity or something you are tolerating until your spouse’s contract is over and you can go home?

It is important to realize that the experience you have is your experience and that it may differ from your spouse’s. You may love the place; they may not. Or it may be the other way around. Many people manage the move and then, after the initial glow of living overseas has worn off, one partner becomes unhappy. Often it is the trailing spouse, the one who is following his/her partner to this new location…you!

Make this a unique opportunity.…To do something that you have always wanted to do, to stretch your creative muscles, to spend more time with your family, etc. If you have always dreamed of writing a novel, join a writers group and get involved with other writers. If you want to get fit, join a team sport to increase your fitness and your social network. Have you always thought about studying something that deeply interests you? This might just be the ideal time and opportunity to do that! Or have you just wanted to spend more time with your partner and family? How can you do that now?

Is your spouse busy and involved in his work?

Do you find yourself with more time on your hands than you know what to do with?

Do you feel lost in the shuffle?

You may have to adjust to doing more things on your own and managing more of the home/family duties than previously. There will often be times when you do things on your own, when it would be nice to be doing them together. Realize that most of your expat friends are in similar situations. Look for ways to empathize with and support each other.

Make this a unique opportunity…. to spend more one-on - one, quality time with your children, if you have children or to deepen and strengthen your friendships. Have you always wanted to do meaningful volunteer work? What opportunities are knocking here?

What will this move mean to your career?

Have you lost your sense of self?

Do you find yourself asking yourself…. What’s in this for me?

…. Where/How do I fit into this picture?

You may not be able to work or you may not want to. Either way, adjusting to being a non-income earner can undermine your self confidence. Have you thought about a stock answer that you can pull out when you meet someone who discounts you because you are not working? Do not apologize for your position. State it proudly. The decision you made to become an expat living in a foreign country demonstrates that you are adventurous and willing to experience new things. s"

Make this a unique opportunity…. To find as many ways as possible to enjoy the adventure of living in a foreign country. Have you always wanted to study that foreign language? Now just might be that time. Have you always wanted to take 6 months off and just spend it with your kids? Grab the opportunity and make the most of it. Who knows when it will present itself again?

Do you feel isolated and alone?

Is there anyone who truly understands what you are going through?

Are you missing your family & friends?

Make sure that you establish support networks. You can't rely on your partner to fulfill all of your needs - they simply can't do it and they probably didn't in your home country either. Join clubs, attend functions and make the effort to get out. People won't usually come knocking on your door asking to be your friend - you have to get out there and make it happen. Reach out to others in the same situation.

You will find that expatriate friends often play the role that family play back home. They are often the closest friends that you will ever make. Remember you are all in the same boat. Find opportunities to support each other.

Make this a unique opportunity….. To reach out and create an overseas family. Reach out to local families. Learn the local customs, ask a local to teach you how to cook the local cuisine. Be creative. Look for opportunities to connect with others. Bring others into your global family and enjoy this unique time in your life.

How are you handling the challenges of living in a different culture?

Do you find yourself unsure of how to deal with the simplest of things?

What are your needs and interests and how are they being met?

You will have the opportunity to do things that you have never done before. This is a great way to learn new skills that broaden and make you more self-sufficient. Things as varied as simply coping in a country where everyone speaks a different language and learning how to manage in an unfamiliar situation, teach you a degree of independence and autonomy that can be empowering.

Remember that other expats are in the same situation. You are not alone.

When you live in a place for all of your life you get complacent about what that country offers you. You don't take advantage of the opportunities it offers because you have all the time in the world; expats don't. You are in this country for a limited time period. Use it to your best advantage.

Make this a unique opportunity.... To see and do as much as you can while you are here. Be creative. Think outside the loop. It may provide the solution that you need. Take advantage of as many of the different opportunities that you can. Optimize every chance you get to explore and do different things.

ENJOY this UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY!

Quote of the week:

“A successful marriage is an edifice that must be rebuilt every day.” Andre Maurois

Betting on horse racing sensible money management part 2

In a previous article I jokingly suggested I had put all my assets – my savings, the deeds to the farm, my kids’ Trust fund, and the proceeds from selling one of my kidneys – on a horse at Newbury. I showed this was potentially financial suicide, and an extreme example of bad money management.

I wrote that more often than not a losing punter will find himself saddled with a bunch of bad betting habits. It is these bad habits that have gotten him, and his betting bank, to where his is now – the Poor House.

To arrive at a change in fortune, and to start making consistent profits, the losing punter has to be prepared to make changes to the way in which he bets. In the previous article we talked about the cornerstone supporting my own personal betting strategy, and that is finding value in every bet you make.

You will only ever make a profit from betting if you consistently back horses at prices too high when compared to their actual chance of winning. This is exactly how bookmakers have made their money for generations – they consistently lay horses at prices too low compared to the actual chance of the horse winning. When punters continue to take these low prices day-in and day-out, it will only ever be the bookmakers who come out with a profit in the long run.

The second ‘bad habit’ I want to examine is the subject of inappropriate staking. What do I mean by staking that is not appropriate? Well, what I am driving at is placing bets that are generally too large in proportion to the size of your betting bank.

Before I expand upon this, the concept of a betting bank is a side-issue in itself. You categorically MUST have a sum of money put aside for the sole purpose of betting. It scares me rigid when I hear of people simply ‘dipping’ into their current account to place a bet using their debit card.

If you do not have a separate account for your betting activities, you cannot keep records, and you will not be able to answer that simple question, “Am I making a profit, or a loss?”

It goes without saying, that betting involves a degree of risk, and you should never bet with money you cannot afford to lose.

Getting back to inappropriate staking, the idea of lumping all your money on one horse is an extreme example of over-staking. Of course, on the one occasion this strategy may pay off. We had friends round a few nights ago to play one of those Race Night DVDs. I was comfortably in front by studying the form before each race, and placing considered bets at what I considered to be value prices. As you might imagine, I had a suitably smug expression on my face as we came to the last race, and our friends were complaining I enjoyed a ‘professional advantage’.

My wife then decided to put every penny she had left on an 8/1 chance. The race turned out to be the ‘lucky last’ for my wife, and she walked away with the whole bank!

But seriously, continue with these tactics, and it will not be long before you lose everything.

Personally, I would never consider starting any betting campaign with a bankroll of less than 100 points. In other words, I will divide my bank by 100 to arrive at my unit stake. You can see that I will only ever be putting 1% of my bank at risk when I place a bet.

This is a very generalised approach, and you might argue that a little more consideration should be given to a punter’s typical strike rate. True, if someone has a strike rate of 50% then it is statistically highly unlikely that he will suffer a run of 100 losers to go bust. So, in this case you might be justified in operating a smaller bank. Bear in mind that when flipping a coin, it is by no means unusual to see 6 or 7 ‘heads’ in succession, and losing runs in double figures do occur.

Erring on the side of caution, you could foresee two such losing runs occurring twice in close succession. In which case, I hope you can see that even when considering a system which such a high strike rate, having a bank of well over 20 points now seems very sensible.

With my own Redd Racing betting service, we enjoy what I would consider to be quite a healthy strike rate. However, we have experienced a negative swing of some 60 points during one particular month a couple years back. The account recovered to make a profit by the end of the month, but it underlined the importance of having a bankroll large enough to absorb the losing runs that EVERYBODY has to endure from time to time.

Indeed, it would probably be better advice if I suggested members of my service had a bankroll of 150 or even 200 points in reserve.

Yet I often receive emails asking me whether it is OK to deposit Ј100 with Betfair and start with unit stakes of Ј10.

Betting with stakes too high in proportion to your bank normally comes out of a desire to make money quickly. I think we are all guilty of getting overly greedy sometimes, and unwilling to think a little more long-term. People are inclined to set themselves unrealistic profit targets, given the size of their betting bankroll. Having a bank of Ј100 and expecting to be able to make Ј100 per month is not realistic. Get-rich-quick does not exist.

Akin to the Tortoise and Hare story, let me give you an example of where what might initially seem like a very moderate return, actually gives surprising results over time.

If you started with Ј100 in your betting bank, and increased this bank by just one-half of one per cent every day, after just 6 months your account would have a balance of Ј244 due to the compounding effect. You could more than double your investment in 6 months with this seemingly small daily profit return. Take that to your bank or building society and see if they can come anywhere near such a deal!

Hopefully this demonstrates how ‘slowly but surely’ wins the race.

To summarize, my advice would be to set your unit stakes at one per cent, or even one half of one per cent, of your total betting bank. By striking only value bets, and when the odds are in your favour, your betting bank will grow. As your bank grows, so you can naturally increase the size of your unit stake to make more profit – but your bets will still be in proportion to your bank.

In the next part of this Sensible Money Management series, I will look at more bad habits that suck money from the accounts of losing punters.

How life insurance can cover your mortgage balance

Discussing the need for life insurance is never a pleasant topic, and certainly combined with talk of mortgage payments, it can be downright distasteful. But it is your responsibility as the principle breadwinner in your home to consider what might happen if you or your spouse were to perish. Would your spouse be able to meet the most basic needs of food and shelter? While the money necessary to pay for basic amenities like food and transportation are attainable through a single income source, most families simply cannot afford to meet their most basic requirement, the mortgage payment, without the income from both spouses.

How it Works

If you are in this situation, it is important to take the necessary precautions in case you or your spouse dies unexpectedly. While saving enough to cover your mortgage is certainly an ideal solution, it is largely unfeasible for most contemporary families. As a result, individuals often opt for mortgage protection life insurance policies. These policies are designed specifically to meet the needs of your home mortgage payment in the event that you or your spouse dies.

The idea behind mortgage protection life insurance is simple: you pay a monthly premium in exchange for which the insurance company agrees to pay off the rest of your mortgage should you die.

Pricing

Pricing for mortgage protection life insurance policies parallels that of traditional life insurance price criteria. For example, if you smoke your rates will be higher, just as if you are an older individual. But certainly the most determinative factor in your price will be the amount of coverage you need. The more you owe on your home, the more insurance you will need to pay it off, which of course means the more expensive the insurance premium will be.

Alternatives to Consider

While mortgage protection life insurance will cover your mortgage payment, as all home owners know, this is only part of the cost of owning a home. In addition there are taxes and repairs to prepare for. For a family that has lost a breadwinner, making these types of allocations can be difficult. As a result, many individuals opt for coverage which goes beyond just mortgage protection and instead provides payments sufficient to cover all the expenses associated with owning a home. This type of insurance often comes in the form of a term life policy which is for an amount which exceeds the price of your home. Of course, this extra coverage comes with a price. But with this coverage also comes quite a bit more flexibility. Under a term life policy your family is not bound to pay off the house with the money they receive, but can instead use it in whatever manner they feel most compelled to. This can be especially helpful if there are other medical costs to consider or if you have children approaching college age.

Life insurance is not a pleasant concept to consider because it requires that we think about the potential for our own demise and the resulting consequences of our death. It is vital, however, that as individuals who are responsible for the financial support of others, we consider these difficult questions and decide whether a life insurance policy is the best solution for us.

Independent search engine directory network isedn - breaking news

Watch out for a shift in the pay-per-click (PPC) industry, happening right now! This shift is finally going to give smaller search engines and directories the ability to tap into the PPC market, currently monopolized by the big guns online (Google, Yahoo & MSN). They will attain this lofty goal by banding together and delivering paid ad placements on a mass community scale for a fraction of the cost.

More and more advertisers are going to want to advertise through the ISEDN because of the sheer amount of exposure that they will be able to receive through all the search engines and directories partnered together through this network.

I was able to be the first to interview Mel Strocen, CEO of Jayde Online, Inc., the parent company of ExactSeek. com.

The Independent Search Engine & Directory Network (ISEDN) was an outgrowth of ExactSeek's commitment to bring affordable and effective search advertising to the web community. Although ExactSeek was successful in partnering with a number of search engines and directories, it became apparent that popularization of a new pay-for-inclusion program would be better served by an active and independent association of search engines and directories than by a single engine.

Here are some excerpts from that interview:

Martin: "When was the ISEDN formed? ( isedn. org )"

Mel: "The organization was officially founded in June of this year, although the idea for a network of this kind was being discussed for several months previous to that. The ISEDN website, however, is only a few days old."

Martin: "How many members does the ISEDN network have right now?"

Mel: "47 members at the moment, but the network has been acquiring new members at a rate of 3 - 5 per week."

Martin: "What kind of market reach can the network deliver?"

Mel: "It really depends on how big the network becomes. Some search engine and directory members have reported 10,000,000+ searches/month but, given the rapid growth of the ISEDN and the fact that it's only a few weeks old, we really haven't had the opportunity to determine the total number of search impressions the network can deliver. We expect to receive specific numbers from the members in the coming weeks which will enable us to provide a more accurate picture of the network's search reach. My best guesstimate right now is that pay-for-inclusion listings are displayed approximately 120 million times per month. Of course, that figure will grow as the ISEDN grows."

Martin: "Why should advertisers choose the ISEDN network over Google or Yahoo?"

Mel: "The most obvious reason is cost. An advertiser buying a 3 or 12 month listing is looking at a cost of $3 - $4 a month. I'm not aware of any other engine that can match what the ISEDN offers in terms of value or exposure. Where else can you buy targeted keyword terms for less than $5 a month and get top 10 exposure for your site listings across 45+ search engines and directories?"

Martin: "You're right, that is amazing!"

Martin: "Because of the sheer distribution size this could potentially have, what preventive measures are being implemented for click fraud?"

Mel: "In the ISEDN advertising model there is no incentive for click fraud to occur. You pay a one time fee for your selected keyword term and that's it. Competitors or bots could click on your ad repeatedly and it wouldn't cost you a penny more. With the monetary motive for click fraud removed, it's unlikely to be a problem."

Martin: "What does the future hold for the ISEDN?"

Mel: "It's a little early for me to speculate on how the ISEDN might evolve. ExactSeek is just one member. Future plans will depend on member participation and input in the coming months. What I would like to see is for the ISEDN to become a counter weight to the gradual monopolization of search on the Web by engines such as Google, Yahoo! and MSN. I would also like to see the ISEDN contribute in other areas related to search such as search relevance and possibly the support of open source search software. In the long term, I believe the Web and searchers in general will be better served by diversity than by monopoly."

Martin: "Are members going to decide the future of the network?

Mel: "The short answer is yes, they will. To function effectively, the ISEDN will in time need to implement some kind of governing structure that determines the organization's future course. What that structure is and how the ISEDN evolves will depend on input from the members. Initially, direction and objectives will most likely be determined by majority concensus.

We've just added a private member discussion forum to the ISEDN website which will allow members to voice their views on issues such as the network's direction, objectives, online advertising, governing structure, network promotion and other topics of relevance to the membership.

Martin: "So will any of the discussions from the network forum be opened up to the public?"

Mel: "Eventually, yes. Assuming public interest, we'll setup discussion forums that allow webmasters and/or siteowners to ask questions and provide feedback to individual ISEDN members or to the membership as a whole. If we go this route and, I expect we will, it should help to improve communication between searchers and search providers. It should also help raise general public awareness of the many excellent directories and search engines on the Web that currently are under the radar."

Martin: "So how does the advertising portion work?"

Mel: "Every ISEDN member is provided with an XML feed to implement within their search results or directory listings. The feed can be modified by the individual members so that pay-for-inclusion listings are displayed in a way that matches their site look and feel, but regardless of how the listings are displayed, advertisers are guaranteed top 10 exposure across the entire ISEDN network. Premium placement of this kind is made possible by the fact that we limit the number of times any one keyword term can be purchased and because all paid listings are rotated in the SERPs (search engine result pages) on each individual engine and directory.

Surveys have consistently shown that few searchers look at more than 30 search results for any given search query. The ISEDN advertising model takes this into account and limits the sale of any keyword term to 30. If a keyword term has been sold less than 10 times, the paid listing almost always appears on the first page of search results (depends on how many listings an ISEDN member displays per page) although not always in the same position. If a keyword term has been sold more than 10 times then paid listings begin to rotate between the SERPs. On sold out keyword terms, the worst case scenario for an advertiser would be that his listing would appear on the first page of results roughly once of every 3 searches on his keyword term. This is somewhat offset, however, by the fact that the system supports broad keyword matching as well as exact keyword matching.

Martin: "With this first come, first serve program - Are you worried that bigger companies will buy out all the keywords available?"

Mel: "Not really. There are literally millions of keyword term combinations available. As the more obvious terms are bought out, it might require more creative thinking on the part of advertisers to come up with good searchable terms, but other than that, I don't anticipate a problem. Based on current trends, many buyers either forget to renew their keywords or simply let their listings expire. The end result is that thousands of keyword terms will be rolling over on a continual basis. In the event that the program becomes so wildly popular that keyword availability does become a problem, we may have to look at changing the parameters of the system to accomodate demand, but that's unlikely in the forseeable future."

THIS IS AN ADVERTISER'S DREAM!

Anytime a PPC or paid inclusion ad can get distributed through an entire network of competitors, it has the potential to be very powerful and deliver a lot of quality results. Personally, I would much prefer to advertise within 100 websites rather than just one. The power of advertising is in the numbers!

This couldn't have come at a better time. The SEO industry is crying for quality PPC alternatives. Google's recent battle with click fraud has left many advertisers world wide wondering if they should really keep their entire internet advertising budget within one basket.

Increase Your ROI Through Smaller Programs Online:

More and more, Smartads is recommending paid advertising in smaller, more tightly knit search engines and directories to our clients. ROI (Return on investment) is very important to the adverising industry, and we have found that advertising in smaller ventures rather than the bigger gorillas online, brings better results.

The reason for this is simple:

* - Less competition

* - Greater targeted audience

* - More local opportunities

* - More exposure for your money

In the old days, creating smaller, more targeted PPC campaigns used to be a lot of work for the marketing professional to research and maintain. The ISEDN has made that job a lot easier for us to maintain on a larger scale. Why would spend hours trying to find smaller directories and other programs, when you can find them under one umbrella?

To check out this internet advertising shift for yourself, go here: isedn. org

sleep work play 8482 at home program helps people with allergic asthma communicate better about their condition

Millions of Americans share their beds with enough dust mites to trigger an allergic asthma attack in susceptible people. In fact, two million times a year those symptoms are severe enough to cause a trip to the emergency room. In an effort to help allergic asthma sufferers reduce their exposure to allergens in the home, Andrew Dan-Jumbo of TLC's While You Were Out has partnered with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) on an educational campaign called "Sleep Work Play™ at Home."

As part of the "Sleep Work Play at Home" campaign, asthma and allergic asthma sufferers can enter an essay contest to win a personal "at home" consultation with Andrew and a $500 gift certificate for supplies to manage exposure to allergens in the home. Contestants can enter online at sleepworkplay. com by Thursday, July 13, 2006.

Sleep Work Play™ aims to improve the dialogue between patients and physicians by helping patients to explain their experience with asthma symptoms.

At the Web site, you can find a questionnaire designed to help patients better assess the impact allergic asthma has on daily functioning. By asking three simple questions, Sleep Work Play helps allergic asthma patients understand that interruptions of sleep, work, school or play are not inevitable aspects of their disease and that improved communication with their doctor can lead to better asthma management.

Mimi Gilles, one of 10 million Americans who suffers from allergic asthma, attests to years of interruptions in her sleep, work and play. Rushing to the ER because of an asthma attack became an accepted intrusion in her life-she even considered herself lucky when the hospital visits were limited to only once per month.

However, Mimi finally found relief from her allergic asthma symptoms by discussing another treatment option with her doctor. "Until you know there is another way to manage your illness, you don't know there's anything different about how you have been living," Mimi reflects.

If you are being treated for asthma and have tried reducing allergens in your home, but are still affected by symptoms, speak to your physician about a new treatment plan.

Key person life insurance

Small businesses help keep our country going. But a small business needs help to keep going after the loss of someone vital to the company. There are options available you need to know about.

KEY PERSON IS ANYONE WHO IS IMPORTANT

In small to medium size businesses, the key person may be the business owner, a top sales rep or the person who does the financing. What would happen to that company if one of these key people were to suddenly die? There may be a rough period of transition until a replacement is found. If the owner was the one to die, that could mean the resulting death of the company. Losing the top sales person may mean losing some of those accounts that kept the business running.

YOU NEED LIFE INSURANCE ON THE KEY PERSON

The key person is someone who is vital to the company; someone who cannot be easily replaced and whose knowledge is key to the company. By not recognizing the affect the death of this person may have on the organization, a business may be setting itself up for failure. A few simple steps can be taken that will help ensure the business will be prepared for the unexpected.

KEY PERSON LIFE INSURANCE FOR THE COMPANY

Key person life insurance can do several things for a company. It can give them the means to establish a business continuation plan. It can provide the economic means to find a replacement and give them the training needed to fulfill the duties of the person that was lost.

In situations where the death of the owner otherwise means the death of the company, key person life insurance can be used to pay existing debt and allow for an orderly transition to take place.

IS KEY PERSON LIFE INSURANCE IMPORTANT FOR YOU?

The need for key person life insurance depends on your circumstances; maybe you haven't thought about the need or even considered it. If your business relies on you or key associates, you need to think about what exactly it is that you need to protect.

Triathlon swim testing your endurance in the first leg

If there were anything more difficult than the transitions of the triathlon race then swimming would be it. Truly an endurance sport, swimming in triathlon races can actually dig the life out of you, especially when your body is not well adapted to the conditions that it requires.

You may have some basic backgrounds in swimming since it is known to be the most popular pastime sport Americans have. But you, when you're seriously into the game of triathlon then backgrounds are no longer enough to let you know the feeling of reaching the finish line.

Your triathlon training in swimming can cover all or most of the strokes. And you may choose to use them during the race, after all no one says that freestyle stroke is a guarantee to get through the swim stage. Nevertheless, as we might have observed most racers are comfortable with freestyle stroke because it provides speed.

But competitors, at one time or another, can be seen using different strokes for whatever purpose they deem necessary. The problem with this though is that they have to break the momentum and start with a new stroke over again once they gain their speed. Somehow, this creates the struggle and that is what we want to eliminate. You have to get through this junction as smoothly as you can be.

You can get this through training. If you cant cross the pool straight for now, you never have to worry since practice will always create more perfect ways to achieve what you first set your mind to achieve.

Swimming is not only an activity of endurance, it also requires you tons of patients to get the proper technique and strength. Thrice a week practice will do you best, other than that you may over-exhaust your self or lack training.

While the swim part is not actually the longest stage, it still garners the longest training to master. After all, swimming is nearly a hundred percent technical.

On the general view, swimming should not be taken as the speed game. You only have to get through it to be able to reach the 2nd and last lap. It must not tire you, it only has to warm you up. It will prepare your muscle to flex during the last two legs of the race. The trick lies in the efficient use of energy so there will be more for the run and the bike stages.

You can't expect to see yourself swim but you can trust an eye from a good trainer. He will show you the details of your flaws and will help you work on them.

Advantages in joining a mls real estate listing

When you choose to sell your home on your own, you want all the help you can get. Though you can save thousands by skipping the commissions of a realtor, you put yourself at a marketing disadvantage. That is why you need to get your property listed on the multiple listing service (MLS) for realtors. There are many advantages in joining a MLS real estate listing. A look at them will show you that paying a flat fee to get a “for sale by owner” listing on MLS is well worth the money and effort.

The first of many advantages in joining a MLS real estate listing is that it is the key to sales success. Did you know that about four of every five home buyers get to the property they want through the MLS? By being listed on MLS, you will have most every real estate sales person in the region working for you. Most flat fee MLS listing services will keep you on for as long as 6 months, but in most cases you wont need that long with exposure to so many realtors, brokers, and customers.

The second of the advantages of joining a MLS real estate listing is that you are saving as much as 2% to 3% on yrou sale. Though that does not sound like a lot, it is actually $2000 per thousand you sell meaning you could end up saving as much as $20,000 or $30,000 on the sale if you skip the realtor and pay the flat fee to list on MLS.

Thirdly, one of the advantages in joining a MLS real estate listing is that you will be seen. If you are selling as a for sale by owner, then you have to hope someone “accidentally” drives by your home or sees it in the newspaper by chance. Also, even if a realtor drives by, they will likely not show a home that is not MLS listed. If you are on MLS, though, you will come up in searches and have your house shown with much more frequency. It works much better when luck is taken out of the equation.

Finally, it is just good sales and business sense to list on MLS. Far and away, MLS is the best way to sell your property fast and for a price you like. Since the internet is considered the second best value and power versus reasonable cost for property, listing on MLS gives you the exposure you need.

There are many many advantages in joining a MLS real estate listing service. You will find that your home is better marketed, that you don’t have to rely on the luck of a drive by, that you save a great deal of money, and that you are linked in with thousands of realtors who essentially end up working for you. So if you are going to sell your home yourself, you should find a flat fee or free MLS listing service so that you have the best possible chance of selling your home quickly and at a price you want.

Gestational diabetes

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This type of diabetes is a temporary form of insulin resistance that usually occurs halfway through a pregnancy. It results from excessive hormone production in the body, or the inability of the pancreas make the additional insulin that is needed during pregnancy in women with no previous history of diabetes. Without enough insulin, sugar builds up in the blood to high levels. This is called hyperglycemia.

Gestational diabetes affects about four percent of all pregnant women although it is usually goes away after childbirth. Untreated gestational diabetes can lead to problems for both the mother and the child. Although insulin does not cross through the placenta to the baby, sugar and other nutrients do.

Extra blood sugar goes through the placenta, giving the baby high blood sugar level. This causes the baby’s pancreas to produce extra insulin to get rid of the blood sugar, which can lead to microsomatia or a fat baby syndrome. Microsomatia develops because extra blood sugar and insulin cause the baby’s body to produce extra fat.

Babies with microsomatia are prone to other health problems including damage to their shoulders during birth. Because of the extra insulin newborns may have very low blood sugar levels at birth and may also have a higher risk of breathing problems.

The treatment of gestational diabetes should start quickly to prevent adverse effects to the mother and the baby. It should aim to keeping blood sugar level equal to those of pregnant women who do not have gestational diabetes. Treatment includes special meal plans and scheduled physical activity as well as daily blood sugar testing, so as to keep it under control.

For complete information on Gestational diabetes, diabetes supply, diabetes treatment, diabetes mellitus visit diabetesmellitus-information. com

Learn about several institutions offering mortgage loans

A mortgage loan enables a person to buy a home, and they can pay the money back to the bank or financial institution over a certain period of time. The time frame can be decided by the borrower, depending on how much he is able to pay every month. Most individuals will make the responsibility personal as it is their home.

There are several types of mortgages available in the market. There are the low interest mortgage, adjustable rate mortgage, interest only mortgage, assumable mortgage, fixed rate mortgage, reverse mortgage. The most common type of mortgage is the low interest mortgage which is the preference of many of the borrowers.

There are many mortgage brokers whose only job is to find clients the best offer, and also will take a fee. They may be biased as they want to work with only some lenders, as they may be getting better offers. A borrower must always do some research of his own, as this will allow him also to be in the clear field. This will allow the borrower to ensure he is on the right track.

The time allotted for repayment to the bank will be a minimum of 15 years and anyone can stretch it to 25 if they want to. There are a lot of individuals who choose a lesser repayment time, as they will be able to pay less interest for the entire borrowed amount. There will be several documents to provide such as the pay slips and audited accounts depending on whether one is salaried or not.

A borrower must not immediately accept any mortgage that is offered by any bank. If the interest rate is also a little less than those of the others in the market, it could be suspicious. Many financial institutions are known for hidden costs. Thus a borrower must also check for the initial down payment percentage, other fees such as processing fees and legal fees.

While going in for a mortgage, the debtor should ensure to get the insurance covered. This will be useful in case of any natural calamities and also if he falls ill and is unable to pay for a few months. A mortgage can also be refinanced at the bank. This will allow the borrower to get more time to pay the loan, plus he can use some money for developing the property.

It can be refinanced for various reasons such as renewing the loan, reducing the loan interest or because of credit problems.

The value of the property also must be kept in check as the time goes by. As it is likely to increase the debtor can also ask the bank to reduce the mortgage amount easily. There will be several online companies, who offer to help borrowers compare rates with banks.

An independent financial advisor will also be of great help when it comes to choosing the right lender. They can be sought through friends or trusted colleagues.

Some facts and myths about acne

Truth is acne is actually part of growing. The acne pimples are part of the skin forming like wounds and cysts that occur as part of the changes a kid experiences in the process of puberty. Teenagers would seek counsel from any of their peers or even their parents about these pimples or they may choose to deal with it ignorantly.

The following are the most common myths about acne that teenagers believe and the facts that oppose these ideas:

• Washing the face for many times

Many believe that the more they wash their face the lesser pimples they get. This isn’t proper, this is called over washing. In fact, complications may result from over doing the routine since it will irritate the skin due to the use of harsh soaps.

Acne occurs as a result of some foul changes such as dead skin cells inside the skin and doing something harsh on the surface of the skin wouldn’t make a difference. It is good to wash the face regularly but it must be done gently using a cleanser or mild soap. The number of washes should not exceed to two times a day.

• Popping the pimple/s

Some people just can’t wait for their pimples to vanish so they choose to pop it out. By doing this, the skin becomes vulnerable of infection, scarring, and even more pimples due to the bacteria that gets into the skin while popping the acne pimples out.

• Tanning for acne treatment

Sunlight kills skin bacteria but it doesn’t mean that it is an alternative for treating acne pimples. In fact, if skin cells die out and result to dried skin then the skin produces more oil which is one of the factors that cause pimples.

• Diet as one factor for getting acne

Chocolate, coffee, oil, and sugar among many foods people eat do not, in any way, cause acne. No type of diet can cure acne but healthy lifestyle can certainly avoid infections caused by pimples. Some foods were actually proven to exacerbate acne only in cases of allergy but never were it proven to be the main cause.

• Long hair complicates acne

The cause of acne is bacteria and if the person’s hair is long and is not cleansed properly then it will definitely complicate acne.

• Girls are more susceptible to having acne than boys

Acne is commonly present among boys due to the male hormone called androgen which is dominant.

The most disturbing myth about acne is its being contagious. People don’t have to fear friends who have acne because the bacteria that cause acne is basically contained by the skin and not in the surface.

Acne is disturbing for growing individuals but it would become less disturbing if kids and teenagers know the facts and not the side lies.

Learning about tax negotiation

If you are considering implementing tax negotiations, the first thing you must do is find a qualified tax specialist. You will not be able to effectively handle a tax negotiation on your own, and the help of a trained professional is imperative. A competent tax professional will be able to collect all of the pertinent information, complete all of the necessary paperwork, and handle all of the correspondence with the Internal Revenue Service representatives. There are numerous ways that a tax negotiation can work in your best interest.

There is a program entitled “Offers in Compromise”. This program allows you, through your hired tax professional, to make an offer to the Internal Revenue Service for an amount that is actually less than the amount of taxes that you owe. Sometimes, the Internal Revenue Service will accept this offer, and you will be able to become debt free from the Internal Revenue Service for much less than what you had originally owed.

If you do choose to enter into tax negotiations with the Internal Revenue Service, and you have decided to make an Offer in Compromise, you need to understand that the Internal Revenue Service has three factors that they examine when deciding whether or not to accept such an offer. The Internal Revenue Service will look at many factors and determine if any of the following apply in your particular case; whether there is any doubt that you even actually owe the liability, whether you can afford to pay the liability if you truly owe it, and whether or not the settlement would promote effective tax administration.

Prior to 1992, the Internal Revenue Service was less likely than they are today to settle a tax liability for less than the actual owed amount. However, due to new procedures and regulations that have been put into place concerning the settlement of back taxes, the Internal Revenue Service is accepting more and more Offers in Compromise.

While tax negotiations are used to settle back tax situations, there are also other instances where tax negotiations are also used. Taxpayers sometimes use tax negotiations when the Internal Revenue Service says they owe a certain amount of tax and the taxpayer does not agree. Tax negotiations are also used to extend the amount of time, as well as lower the amount of interest that is to be paid for any back taxes that may be owed.

Tax negotiations should only be used in the most extreme situations. A tax negotiation is a tool, and should be used as such. Do not think that you can hire a tax professional every April and get out of any taxes that you may owe; the Internal Revenue Service will not take kindly to such an abuse of the system.

If tax negotiations may be the only hope for you, make sure that the tax professional you hire is licensed and has relevant experience handling your type of situation. They may just end up saving you a ton of money, as well as saving you from a lot of financial aggravation.

The latitude at free dating websites

I want to start this off by thanking myself for joining a free dating website. I spent so much time going to bars and clubs with my friends hoping some guy would come pick me up. I am grateful that I spent all of that time in the bar though, it taught me one thing; what type man I should stay away from!

Bars are full of creepers, you never know who’s going to try and pick you up. With free dating websites you get to see who is interested in you and who you’re interested in long before you go home with them. For me, using a free dating website is all about safety. My friend always left with guys from clubs, it just wasn’t my style, I guess I was always too afraid. At least now I can see who I’m talking to, and learn a bit about them before hand.

I met this one guy while on a free dating website, named James about 4 days ago, he seems really nice. I got a hold of him via the messaging feature on the free dating website, because he seemed to be a very good natured, calm, intelligent man. James is very concerned about the environment, as am I, and he is trying everything he possible can to be proactive about the matters at hand. He is very conscious about current events and issues and tends to stay on top of everything he does. Hmm, that sounds good, hehehe!

Although I barely know James, actually, we’ve only shared a few messages, it’s nice to know that I have complete control and can cut our relationship anytime. Free dating websites really give you the power to do that. If you’re concerned about your safety, or really just lose interest, on a free dating website you can just tell them, “Hey, I’m not interested, sorry”.

Anyways ‘m still using this free dating site to converse with James, hopefully everything works out between us.

Marriage counseling using games to reduce tension

Marriage is one of the most enjoyable but also one of the most painful experiences that people undergo. It carries with it the whiff of romance and eternal bliss, but sometimes you get a pack of thorns instead.

How Do You Ensure Your Marriage Is a Bed of Roses and not Thorns?

One of the major ingredients that a happy marriage needs is a willingness to compromise. But that is much more difficult than it seems. Everyone will agree that they need to compromise, but what happens when the issue is not a simple and tiny one? What then? Who Compromises first? I am sure you must have said to yourself at one point or another that enough is enough. You will no longer be the patsy. You are an independent person and your partner has crossed the line. Maybe.

Maybe your relationship has died and you are just beginning to realize it. Maybe your sentiments are more passionate than romantic. Maybe you no longer love her.

Stop being a fool!

What if I told you that the solution to your marital strife is not divorce. Am I mad?

Look around. How many divorces do you know? Plenty. Me too. But are they really happier off?

What is the first thing that a divorced person does? He or she goes out and starts looking for partners.

Isn't that strange? No. You say that everybody needs somebody to love. Maybe. I say that they had that somebody and they just let them go. So please stop being foolish.

Why not tackle your problems with a simple suggestion? A Game.

Games as a Peace Maker:

Playing brings out the child in us and causes us to express more than we normally would. We also release bottled up frustration and let go of mental thorns in our outbursts of joy and anguish as we win or lose. Games unite people together and therefore I suggest playing together but if you wish one can play against the other. The game turns into a battle but only this time, after its over, you will both feel refreshed from losing all that bottled up pain and anger.

Games to Pick From:

Try picking games that both of you like or at least somewhat active ones. You could even play hide and seek in the house or something else. If you do prefer playing cards, pick a game which does not go on for long and which requires some thinking like hearts, poker, bridge or rummy. Keep score and determine before hand that the loser has to do something for the winner. Chores is not a prize for the winner! If you lose you have to do something that that the other person wants for themselves like give them their favorite massage or cook them their favorite meal.

Conclusion:

Games are a welcome ambrosia to love and will excite you as a couple to disregard all your frustrations and anger and deal only with the good. The anger and frustrations will not magically disappear, but now you can deal with them together calmly and in a good mood.

Understanding and maintaining a good credit history

Credit history may be defined as a record of how a person has borrowed the debt and repaid the same over a period of time. A good credit history is an important aspect of your life.

Keeping a good credit rating is of immense importance to maintain the quality of life. It helps you to have easy access to loans at competitive rates of interest and with lesser formalities.

Establishing a credit history is the first step towards having a good credit rating. If you do not know your credit rating checking with the local credit bureau and getting a copy of the report would be the first step towards this end. Absence of credit history affects young and old. The problem of not having a credit history is also common among divorcees and widowed women as they might have shared the accounts with their spouse and that were reported in the latter’s name. Building a credit history by applying for credit in a local business unit or bank may be resorted to in such cases. Another option would be to open a savings or checking account to show your management of Money. Paying the bills on phones and pagers on time will demonstrate the capacity to pay. Securing a standard or secured credit card may also solve the problem in building up a credit history.

Maintaining a good credit history shows your responsibility to pay off your debts. Should you feel that the debts are getting out of your control you should not hesitate to seek the help of a financial counselor who can assess the situation better and find the best option to bail you out of the trauma. A poor credit history may not only deny you further loans but also creates stumbling blocks in finding a job or letting out an apartment. The importance of rebuilding the credit history assumes significance in such a situation. Obtaining a credit card either standard or secured and making regular repayments and payments of various bills on time to mention a few would enable you to get back to a good credit rating. At the end a good credit history is your passport to the ever expanding world of credit...

Be a proud owner of your own best ways of quitting smoking

How to quit smoking is not only a million dollar question, it is a question affecting millions and millions and their number is increasing day by day. The number of surveys conducted on smoking, small and big, by local bodies, governmental and non-governmental organizations are a legion! But are these well-intentioned efforts helping to curb the addiction of smoking? The answer, unfortunately, is in the negative and the tobacco lobby is busy with their expansion plans.

Is there a happy smoker? May be a rare one! More than 80 % of the smokers’ population, who formed part of the authentic survey, gave a straightforward answer that they wished to quit smoking. It is, therefore, appropriate to conclude that the majority of the remaining 20 % smokers, require some reasoning and pressure to bring them to the right track.

What it is that latent in the tobacco, which holds powerful sway over these unfortunate millions? It is an innocent looking eight letter word - nicotine. The more we try to understand it, the more it exhibits its enormous ferocity! It has such a telling effect on the physical and psychological areas of human beings, caught in its net, an individual finds it nearly impossible to free himself from its vice-grip. Nicotine is a drug naturally found in tobacco. It is highly addictive.

What happens when a smoker smokes? The smoke is inhaled and nicotine is transported deep into the lungs, where the bloodstream is waiting to receive and it is carried throughout the body without further loss of time. Evil is known for its lightening speed in doing its job and so does the nicotine!!

So, the nicotine is ‘the all-pervading reality’ within the blood-stream now, and it reaches wherever the blood reaches, that is to say the entire human system.

At this time, let us say an innate desire sprouts in the smoker to give up smoking. Some thing within him is trying to bring him to the right track! He starts discussing the issue with the fellow-sufferers and as his private research advances, he is startled to know what type of addictive nicotine is! It is not less powerful an addictive than heroin or cocaine!

Now is the right time to quote Mark Twain: “Quitting smoking is easy. I have done it a thousand times.” Got it? Because to cope up with the withdrawal symptoms is not easy. Nicotine has made your body and mind its permanent home. It can’t be evicted that easily. Try to dislodge it — come dizziness depression, irritability, anger, frustration, headache and restlessness.

But remember, all these negative tendencies have got to be resolute because by now you have decided to quit smoking and formulated your own best ways to do it.

Best of luck!

On-the-go tips

Whether you're spending time at the office or are constantly on the move, there are some ways to make life easier while on-the-go. Try these tips:

• Stay organized. Use a calendar to write down all your engagements, addresses and phone numbers. Keeping all the information in one place can keep you from wasting time looking for it later.

• Find your time wasters. Keep track of the ways you waste time for one week. Do you spend 10 minutes finding your keys? If so, make a key hook by your door-and use it.

• Make the most of your trips. Knock a few items off your list on the way to work or at lunch, freeing up some night and weekend time.

• Finish what you start. When you work on a project from start to finish, it's one less item on the to-do list.

• Readjust priorities. Since you can't really do it all, re-evaluate which activities really need your time and focus.

• Look for grab and go snacks to give you a lift. Kraft To Go! snacks, which come in two cheese and cracker varieties, are a great source of calcium. They fit in your purse, briefcase or bag, and are great for women on-the-go who are looking for a wholesome, grab-and-go snack.

Video poker introduction

The two main types of machines in casinos are slot machines and video poker machines. Slot machines tend to be more mundane. It's simply a matter of dumping coins into the machine and hitting a button to see if you got lucky. Video Poker, on the other hand, rewards players that can think. There's actually strategy involved in video poker. The game doesn't have a steep learning curve. In fact, the basics can be learned in minutes.

If you have never played video poker before, let me give you one good piece of advice. Don't play unless you can afford to play the maximum credits. That's where the real money is made. I wish someone had told me that when I started out. I walked up to a quarter video poker machine, put in one quarter, and hit a royal flush. I got paid $62.50 for the quarter. However, had I played the maximum credits, just $1 more, I would have received $1,000. I lost $937.50, because I didn't play $1 more. That's a huge chunk of change to lose.

Playing video poker is pretty simple. First, you load credits into the machine-remember to always play the max. You are dealt a hand of five cards. All machines tell you what combinations you need to get a payout. After looking over your initial hand, you decide what cards, if any, to keep. When you hit deal again, new cards are given to you and your hand is now complete. Should your final combination warrant a payout, it will be paid now. While it's rare to get a royal flush dealt to you on the first five cards, make sure you have all five cards held before hitting the deal button if this happens.

Video poker never gets boring. There are so many types of video poker games out there now. They all offer different payouts and many offers different ways to play the game entirely. For instance, there are different styles like traditional, Joker's Wild, and Deuce's Wild. There are also different payout methods like Bonus, Double Bonus, Triple Bonus, More for Four and so on. Before playing any machine look to see what the required paying combinations are and what they pay.

The best machine to play, from a consistency standpoint, is a 9/6 Jacks or Better machine. The 9/6 refers to the payout on a flush and full house. Not all Jacks and Better machines pay the same amount. Make sure yours is a 9/6 machine before playing. These machines give you the best bang for your buck. The 9/6 machine is known as a “full-pay” machine. It's named this because players are getting the best possible payout for their money. It's no secret that a skilled video poker player can almost eliminate the house advantage by playing a 9/6 machine and using the proper strategy.

Show your customers you care

It is gift-time once again and you are tearing at the few strands of hair on your head trying to find something to give your valued customers. Being an automobile dealer you realize the importance of making a customer feel happy and wanted and more than anything else, special. If you really want to achieve this, you could think seriously about gifting them with Buick Lucerne Keychains.

With a wide range of options to choose from, you certainly will have a difficult choice to make. Which one should you go in for? Is the leather and gold combo better than the metal oval one or maybe we should gift the silver? Do we buy the same model for all the 1459 customers that we have or should we buy some of each?

When you think of buying Buick Lucerne Keychains, you will also think about the value addition you can make to the product. For instance, if you want your customers to not have trouble in case of a breakdown in the vehicle then you could gift them a keychain engraved with your number on the reverse side. Not only do you give it a personal touch, but it also is a highly practical solution.

When you are in the midst of nowhere wondering what to do with an automobile that has conked out, you could ask them to call your customer service centre, from where they could give you a few tips on how to restart your vehicle. How would they do this, if your number was not engraved on the Buick Lucerne Keychains?

If you decide to buy a large number of keychains, you could get in touch with the manufacturer and ask him for a decent discount. It does make a lot of sense for an automobile dealer like you go gift his customers Buick Lucerne key chains. They make wonderful gifts and your customers are going to appreciate your gift idea for its beauty, style and practical utility.

While you are on the subject of gifts, you could also check out the other accessories that come with a Buick stamp. There are car seats, shelves and other safety accessories that would give your car a classy look. If that is what you are looking for, there’s no problem; just log on to the internet for more information. There are websites that cater to practically all your needs. If you are looking for wholesale rates, when you want to buy in bulk, there are sites that offer you good deals.

Since these articles are made of very good material, they do last a very long time, long enough for your customers to remember the services that you are capable of rendering. There might be quite a few names that are available, but there is no doubt that Buick Lucerne Keychains are right on top of the list. A wonderful gift idea you cannot go wrong with the Buick Lucerne Keychains and it is sure to make a lasting impression.

5 tips to increase website traffic for your mlm business

An aggressive linking strategy can deliver repeated website traffic for your MLM business.

Getting your site on as many major internet "intersections" as possible, when you target the correct markets, will deliver ongoing website traffic to your MLM business. The repeated exposure will help:

1. Increase the Google page rank of your site

2. Increase the website traffic received when users do organic searches

3. Increase your exposure and visibility as an expert in your niche

Most important now is the relevance of your links. It is all about quality, not quantity. Link swapping, which was once very popular and widespread, has become almost obsolete.

An ideal link has these properties:

1. It originates from the home page of a high ranking web site related to the topic of your site

2. The proper keywords are contained in the anchor text of the link

3. There are only a few outgoing links on the the page your inbound link is coming from

Assuming your links adhere to these rules, here are a few more requirements to increase the effectiveness of your links in driving website traffic to your MLM business:

1. The more high ranking relevant sites that link to yours, the better

2. The more closely the content of those sites relates to the content of yours, the better

Here are five key steps for your link-building strategy:

1. Submit your site to the Web Directories.

For example, visit these 3 sites and submit your website:

dmoz. org/add. html

stpt. com/directory/addsite. htm

elib. org/how_add. php

There are thousands of sites just like the 3 listed above that allow you to add your site to their directory for FREE. Do a Google search for "add your link" This will definitely help increase website traffic for your MLM business.

2. Give away free content

Another effective method for increasing website traffic for your MLM business is to write quality original articles that other people can post on their blogs, newsletters and websites.

Your articles should always contain a resource box with a link to your website. If you are marketing an affiliate program, never use the affiliate url in your resource box. Instead, purchase a good domain nameand redirect it to your affiliate url.

3. Request links from other site owners with relevant sites Although this method is not as effective as it once was, it will still result in increased website traffic to your MLM business.

4. Provide testimonials to other website owners When your testimonials are published, it adds more credibility to your links.

5. Purchase ezine and newspaper ads This can be a quick way to expose a targeted audience to your link and get a fast influx of website traffic for your MLM business.

The person whose site has the most quality, relevant links wins the internet marketing game. Your goal is not just to increase website traffic but to also increase sign ups and sales. So make sure to use all of the methods for marketing your business online to achieve reliable and lasting results.

A skill which bring new pinnacle

At e-Fuzion we understand the growing importance of the social media and provide tailor made solutions to help clients harness the potential of the Social Media... SEO Delhi Company focuses on the core aspects of Social Media Optimization which are: Increasing your link ability through fresh, informative and eye catching content Making tagging and book marking easy through implementation of Social Book marking buttons on your blogs and important pages Rewarding Inbound links Making your content travel through creation of presentations and submission of the social sharing sites. We also syndicate encouraging the smashup from an SEO Delhi company standpoint, Social Media Optimization, if done in the right way, can provide you with the following benefits: Traffic, A good number of quality back links, Increase in Page rank.

The Social media campaign that we undertake for our clients follows a stepwise approach which is defined as follows:

Researching the audience: To enable this, we at e-Fuzion with SEO Delhi Company, understand your business domain and niche and try to identify communities, forums, Book marking sites and other web sites that cater to your interest and goals. We thoroughly research and identify the audience that would best define your targets and goals. We then identify processes through which a buzz can be created and actively involve our team of experienced professionals in the communities identified.

Winter sport skiing in les arcs la plagne

As winter is approaching in the Northern Hemisphere, many people from all over the world will be planning winter vacations. What better way to enjoy a winter vacation and yet having a healthy full body workout instead of gaining winter weight by going on a skiing vacation?

In this article, we will be taking a look at two of the more popular ski resorts in France and if you are heading to Europe for your winter holidays then the information here may come in useful.

The ski resorts of La Plagne and Les Arcs in France are surrounded by breathtaking white capped mountain ranges. Both resorts attract skiing enthusiasts mainly from France and Europe. However in the past few years, the resorts are also attracting more and more Asians and American skiers and holiday makers.

La Plagne is one of the largest single ski areas in the world, with 212kms (about 132 miles) of pistes served by 144 ski lifts and is linked to Les Arcs by a four minute cable car ride. This ski resort is made up of 10 villages and is probably the most visited ski resort in the world.

In additional to skiing activities, visitors can also indulge in other activities such as bowling, working out in a fully equipped gym and sports centre, get away from the winter chill by taking sauna baths, go hang-gliding or ice-skating.

For a family outing, there are more than 200 shops to go shopping in or dine in La Plagne myriads of restaurants. Bars and dance clubs light up La Plagne by night.

La Plagne is sometimes billed as the 'third generation' French ski resort with its futuristic architectural designs has probably also influenced other ski resorts in France such as Flaine, Avoriaz and Les Arcs to go for the new world space age architecture and abandoning the charming rustic designs of traditional ski resort architecture.

Skiers in La Plagne will encounter various permutation of piste and off piste, from exhilarating steep descents on the huge glacier at Bellecote(3,000m or almost 10,000ft), then cruising delightfully down quiet meandering larch lined avenues to the charming villages of Montchavin-Les Coches, Champagny-en-Vanoise and Montalbert.

Now let's take a look at Les Arcs. This resort has a Eurostar train terminal connection at Bourg Saint Maurice and thus making it the most accessible high-altitude ski resort in France.

Les Arcs is also known to have pioneered the so called 'ski evolutif', which is a technique used for fast learning by progressing quickly from short skis to longer skis.

Les Arcs is also the homeground of the "Kilometre Lancee" in which daredevils on huge 237cm or 8 ft skis, clad in thin aerodynamic plastic suits and donning 'Darth Vader of Star Wars' style visors, speed down the specially designed track at exhilarating breakneck speed of up to 240kph (150mph) or more.

Just like La Plagne, Les Arcs ski resort has acres and acres seemingly never ending good cruising ski terrain and its off piste opportunities are simply fantastic.

Take for example, the Aiguille Rouge, which dominates the resort has many challenging runs down its front face slopes. The Aiguille Rouge is also the starting point for one of the longest skiing descents in the French Alps. The largely black run down to the charming village of Villaroger is over 16km or about 10 miles long. Whew!

With such fabulous skiing opportunities, it is therefore not surprising that La Plagne along with Les Arcs ski resorts in France is able to attract so many skiing enthusiasts from all the world, isn't it?

Tips for choosing a health insurance policy part 1

Choosing a health insurance policy is a very important decision and will affect your health in either a positive or negative way, depending on your choice. You will want to be sure that you pick a health insurance policy that will have you covered when you need it. If you are not sure how to pick a health insurance policy for you and your family, consider the following helpful tips. Following these tips can help you pick the best health insurance policy that will cover you and your family adequately while being affordable.

Tip #1 - Consider Your Needs - When you are trying to choose the right health insurance policy for you and your family, you need to take your health needs into consideration. If any of you have a pre-existing medical problem it can make it a bit harder to get medical insurance. You should also carefully consider what needs you are going to have in the next few years. If you are planning to start a family you will want to make sure that your health insurance policy covers maternity and other OB/GYN costs as well. When considering your needs you want to make sure that you purchase enough health insurance coverage, but you also want to make sure that you are not going to pay for coverage that you do not need.

Tip #2 - Are Doctor and Facility Choices Available - Another factor to consider when you are choosing a health insurance policy is the doctor and facility choices that will be available with your insurance plan. Many insurance companies only work with certain doctors or care facilities. If you already have a doctor that you really like you may want to be certain that you can continue to see this doctor and have it covered by your health insurance. Also make sure that it is fairly easy to see a specialist as well. Some insurance companies require doctor referrals and advanced notice if you need to see a specialist, which can be time consuming and can take up time you do not have.

Award honors success in fight against diabetes

Ice cream or yogurt? Regular or diet soda? These may not be critical decisions at your dinner table - unless you're one of nearly 18 million Americans living with diabetes today.

People with diabetes face daily challenges. To remain healthy, they must monitor their blood sugar levels, eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly. Some people also need to take insulin to stay alive.

In an effort to recognize champions of these challenges, Eli Lilly and Co. established the LillyforLife Achievement Award in 2002. The award celebrates the inspiring achievements of people of all ages who live with diabetes.

Those recognized do not have to be well known or famous for their achievements but can be everyday people who have accomplished or are working toward exceptional personal success.

This year, Lilly has expanded the award program to include not only people with diabetes but also anyone impacted by the condition or involved with the diabetes community.

Categories of submission include: patients age 18 or over; patients age 17 or under; professionals; caretakers or spouses; and journalists.

One person from each category will be selected by a panel of judges to receive this special award. Applicants are eligible to apply for one category. Peer or self-nominations are accepted from the public through Aug. 30, 2004.

Last year, Rick Largent was honored with the first ever LillyforLife Achievement Award. Largent has been living with type 1, or insulin-dependent, diabetes for 25 years. He has faced extraordinary challenges during his life beyond diabetes. An unfortunate accident left him quadriplegic, and he later lost his 19-year-old daughter to cancer.

Largent neglected to control his blood sugar, putting himself at risk for diabetes-related complications. It was not until he began using an insulin pump that he started taking control of his health again.

Largent began traveling cross-country sharing his story and teaching others that anything is possible when diabetes is managed well. He also visited Capitol Hill in an effort to educate policymakers on the dual dilemma of diabetes and disabilities.

Largent's resilience to conquer diabetes and quadriplegia represents the kind of spirit the LillyforLife Achievement Award stands for. As many who live with diabetes know, if the disease is managed, there's no reason you can't achieve your goals.

Natural relief for arthritis and joint pain

The years of teaching high impact aerobics are catching up with me. Sure it's been great for the ticker, but the knees on the other hand are showing signs of age and making icky noises. What my Physical Therapist friends call "creep" and "crepitus" (which is just nice technical way of saying "grinding") had become loud enough to be heard by the naked ear! At the rate I was going - I was sure I'd need a knee replacement by 40. Of course this just won't do. So I've taken to doing leg extensions regularly and… taking glucosamine.

Glucosamine - What's That?

"Glucosamine" is a natural constituent of cartilage which has been shown to stimulate the production of connective tissue! In more technical terms, glucosamine is considered an "amino sugar." An amino sugar is the component of a carbohydrate which does not contribute to the body's energy - instead it gets incorporated into body tissues, forming such structures as tendons, ligaments, bones, skin, nails, eyes and heart valves.

What is Glucosamine Used For?

Glucosamine supplements have been used most recently (according to the research I consulted) for everything from joint pain to connective tissue repair. It's best know for its contribution to tendon and ligament support, for building joint cartilage as well as reducing destruction of cartilage. It has also shown promise in reducing inflammation due to asthma and bursitis, lessen the incidence of food allergies, tendonitis and skin problems! As if that isn't enough - what I find most exciting about glucosamine is its use in relief of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

How Glucosamine Works

It's fairly basic. We produce less glucosamine as we age, therefore our cartilage has difficulty retaining water. Depletion of this fluid, which ads "cushion" to the joints and other tissues, can create everything from joint pain to arthritis. Glucosamine (together with its counterpart chondroitin - another naturally occurring substance) - helps to counteract this water loss as well as restore cartilage.

Side Effects

So What's the bad news? I always want to know. Here's what I found: Since these substances are naturally occurring - they work on the body differently than synthetic drugs (think Prednisone) or anti-inflam's like Naproxen. This said - it takes a while to notice signs of joint help - more than likely it could take up to a year of regular supplementation before the benefits take hold. Once they do, however, 50% of all regular users have reported definite decreases in symptoms of joint pain - I will let you know! The only other downside I could find to the glucosamine/chondroitin complex users were nausea and heartburn - although they are rare and counteracted by eating prior to supplementation.

How To?

As I've just stated, always take the glucosamine/chondroitin complex with meals to avoid side effects. I take one, 500 mg tablet once a day. Dr. Mindell (I am a big fan of his work: see below) recommends taking just 1-3 500 mg. tabs daily for three weeks (to get a boost), then take one, 500 mg. tab daily.

My Usual Disclaimer:

As always, please check with your healthcare provider before supplementation - discuss with him/her any medications you are taking to avoid interactions. Although herbs and other naturally occurring substances are considered "food" (simply because they can't be patented and trademarked thus cannot come under scrutiny of the FDA) they are still very strong substances in the body and should not be taken lightly! Check out more literature - educate yourself!

My Favorite Resources (and research sources for this article) Include:

Balch, Phyllis A., CNC. Prescriptions for Nutritional Healing. New York: Penguin Putnam, 2004.

Khalsa, Dharma Singh, M. D. Food As Medicine. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2003.

Mindell, Earl, R. P.h., Ph. D. The Vitamin Bible. New York: Warner Books, 2004.

Mindell, Earl, R. P.h., Ph. D. Prescription Alternatives. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003.

E-banks that accept us casino players

Recently, the US Federal government banned online casinos from operating in America by making it illegal to transfer money to them through any US bank or payment system. As a result of this law, most of the popular online casino networks such as Party Gaming and PlayTech left the United States. Overnight, online casino players found themselves being chased by the Federal government.

But, after a fortnight, the online casino industry came up with a solution and new online casinos started taking root. These began to operate under a different business umbrella, and by doing that, rendered the transfer of money to and from them legal. A major part of this was enlisting electronic banking systems that would accept this new clarification and start doing business with me. Listed in this article are the electronic banking systems that accept players from the United States that wish to play in online casinos.

The Payment Systems You Can Use:

1, 2) MasterCard and Visa:

The most popular credit cards in the world, you can use these for depositing money into your casino account. But, please note that the casinos do not deposit your winning through your credit card. They use one of the other electronic payment systems. This is also the biggest reason why you should refrain from using your personal credit cards today for gambling.

3, 4) Visa Delta, Visa Electron:

These are debit cards that one can use to deposit cash into their casino account. By debit card, it means that the money you pay through the card, is immediately withdrawn from your bank account. This is a comfortable option, but here too, you cannot receive money into it.

5) Neteller:

Based in the UK and traded on the London AIM Stock Exchange, this e-bank company is one of the major independent electronic banking entities in the world, and it allows players to transfer money to and from an online casino.

6) Neteller Instacash

This is Neteller's version of the Debit Card, and, in fact, it is just like any other debit card with one difference. To use, InstaCash, you have to pay a small amount. But, most casinos will offer to pay this for you, so read their regulations.

7) EcoCard

Based in the European Union, EcoCard offers a wider range of electronic banking solutions than the other e-banks. Other than the regular card and debit system, you can decide beforehand how to create a flexible financial account. Because they use a wide network of banks in Europe, transactions made through EcoCard are quick and efficient.

8) FirePay

This e-banking system is solely web-based and carries out its transactions just like a debit card. You place cash into your FirePay account, and then, you can use that money to pay or deposit into your casino account. While it will not cost you a dime to open an account, you will be charged a minimal amount each time you transfer money from your bank account to FirePay.

9) Moneybookers

All you need to open an account is an email address! This e-banking system uses transactions from your credit or debit card or your bank account to whichever company you wish to move your money to. Regulated in the UK and run by Gatcombe Park Ventures Limited, this is one of the relatively new e-finance companies that allow transferring money to online casinos.

10) eWalletXpress:

Owned and run by Navaho Networks Inc, eWalletXpress is a new electronic payment system that has been created to answer the need for US players to transfer funds to online casinos.

11) 900Pay:

This is a completely different e-banking system. Instead of charging your bank account or your credit card, 900Pay charges your telephone bill for all your financial transactions. This is one of the fastest methods of electronic payment because you do not have to go through a long and detailed sign up process. And, if you were wondering, this does work to fund your casino account.

How to accredited college degree today starting from scratch

To accelerate the process of achieving a bachelor's degree, the program accepts up to 90 transfer credits from accredited colleges and institutions. Students without an approved associate 2019s degree from a regionally accredited college may transfer up to 64 credits and be granted junior status. Students awarded an approved associate%u2019s degree from a regionally accredited college may transfer up to 64 credits. Credits from Other Institutions Credits earned at other regionally accredited colleges and universities should apply toward a general studies degree.

Private school teachers with 2-5 years of full-time experience and a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university are eligible to apply. While most courses taken at a regionally accredited college or university are transferable, many issues impact how courses apply to a given degree program. Admission requirements include an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university, and course work in biology, chemistry, and mathematics. Eligibility for Admission To be eligible for admission, you must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. for most programs admitted to a full-time degree program in an accredited college/university maintaining a grade point average of 2.5 or above. Prospective students with baccalaureate degrees from colleges not regionally accredited, including Bible colleges, may be admitted upon evidence of ability to pursue graduate studies. - Hold an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or one that is a candidate for accreditation. Typically, the last 30 semester credits (senior year) of any regionally accredited bachelor's degree must be taken directly from your degree-granting college. Previous Degree Problems An applicant must have a previous bachelor's degree, master's degree or doctoral degree from an accredited college or university.

If the degree was granted by another accredited college or university, the applicant follows the policies and procedures of this section. Each accredited college and university listed provide a variety of online master's degree and online MBA programs in many specialized areas. Not all unaccredited colleges are degree mills in the traditional sense of the word as some provide legitimate academic work. Applicants must have earned a baccalaureate degree (or higher) from an accredited college or university prior to enrolling in this status. A two-year college degree in child development or early childhood education from an accredited college or university including the minimum course requirements below. All students interested in pursuing graduate education must fulfill the following initial requirements: Possess an earned bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. (summer term only): Candidates must have a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university. (summer term only) Candidates must have a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university. About half of all regionally accredited colleges accept ACE/PONSI recommendations for degree credit. All admissions to the Graduate College require that the student hold a baccalaureate degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university. Applicants must hold an OD degree from an accredited college of optometry and/or an advanced degree in an appropriate discipline. Rather than investigating "accreditted online college degrees," look into the opportunities available through the nation's largest accredited university. We feature hundreds of IT and Computer courses and degrees from accredited colleges and state licensed colleges and universities. Materials submitted in support of this application cannot be returned Possession of a bachelor's degree, or its equivalent, from an accredited college or university. Applicants with a master's degree or earned doctorate from a regionally accredited college/university are not required to submit GRE scores. Its credits and degrees are recognized and accepted by other accredited colleges, universities, and professional schools throughout the United States.

In order to qualify as a non-degree-seeking graduate you must: hold at least a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university. (two-year program begins each fall) Candidates must have a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Additional Keywords: Earn your accredited college degree online, and from the convenience of your home. As long as the online college degrees are from an accredited organization there is no depreciation in their value. Acceptance of online college degrees from all accredited institutions is definitely on the rise. accredited-university-online. com/