The parisian rules of tipping

Sitting at the terrace of a sidewalk cafe in Paris and sipping on a Perrier while watching passers-by is a pleasure many travelers promise themselves to experience when they are in Paris. But with the check comes the question: to tip or not to tip?

The check is all inclusive

Unlike in America, cafes and restaurants in Paris directly include a 15% service charge in your check. This is required by French law as tips are assessed for taxation purposes.

The 15% service charge is clearly itemized on your check, on top of the VAT tax (a French version of the sales tax). The words ‘Service compris’ (Tip included) indicate that the tip has already been included in the total to be paid.

The good news is that prices rated on the menus are all-inclusive: they include both the 15% tip and the sales tax. There is no last-minute unholy surprise when you are given your check. What you saw on the menu is what you get charged for, no hidden extras.

So no extra-tips then?

Well, a small extra-tip is always appreciated of course. It’s the mark you were satisfied with the way you were served by your waiter (‘garзon’ in French, pronounced ‘Gar-son’ with the ‘on’ sounded like in ‘honking’ not like in ‘son’). It’s a sort of a ‘Thank You’ note. But you are under no obligation here.

Small extra-tips are also appreciated because they directly line your waiter’s pockets, unlike the 15% tip charge which is usually tallied up at the end of the day, and divided amongst all waiters. In some bars the owner may even keep the totality or part of the tip charge. French law does not require indeed that service charges be distributed to waiters. So your waiter might not even see a dime of it.

But once again, you paid your dues when paying your check, and you are under no obligation to extra tip.

How much should the extra tip be?

Extra tips may range from just a couple of Euro dimes for a coffee or a soft drink, to 1-5 euros for a lunch or dinner. A nice ‘Thank You’ is 5 to 10% of the total check. But once again, there is no obligation, and no steadfast rule as far as the percentage goes.

Tipping elsewhere

A tip is a valuable extra income for their beneficiaries.

Case in point: taxi drivers. The average driver employed by a cab company earns about Ђ1,400 a month – which is roughly equivalent to $2,500 in New York City. This is for 10 hours of hard work per day. A few years ago, cab drivers used to work 14-15 hours a day, 6 days a week to pad up their wages. French law now forbids it. So tipping them 5-10% of your fare is generous.

It is customary to tip the usherette at the Opera house: a couple of euros are fine [the usherettes get also paid on sales of evening programs]. Give 50 euro cents the ushers at the movies. There was a time, not so long ago, when usherettes at movie theaters were not paid at all by theater operators. They lived on tips only. This is no more the case today and they are on salary, but usually no more than the minimum wage.

One euro per bag to your hotel porter should make him smile.

In some expensive restaurants, at classical concerts halls, or at the discos, ladies in the lobby usually take care of your coats. It is customary to tip 1 euro for every large item when you come back to pick up your belongings.

If you take a guided tour at the museum, you might leave 1 or 2 euros to your guide to thank him for imparting his knowledge to you.

Summing up

These are guidelines based on custom and experience. Yet they are not strictly followed. These advices apply as well in other parts of France, where your tips will be considered a mark of generosity on your part as the standards of living there are not as high as in Paris.

This is what tipping really is: a demonstration of generosity, and a way to express satisfaction for the service you were just provided.

(Written in collaboration with Vincent Ramelli, a Paris-born expert of the city and a regular contributor to Paris-Eiffel-Tower-News. com)

Students consolidate loans now to save thousands in interest

Going to college is about to get even more expensive.

At a time when rising tuition costs already weigh heavily on future college graduates and their families, Congress recently passed a Bill raising interest rates on student loans and cutting $13 billion from the federal student loan program. These higher rates promise to have a significant impact on the cost of repaying student loan debt for years to come.

The Bill impacts Stafford loans - popular because they require no credit check or test to qualify-and PLUS loans, available to parents of dependent undergraduate students, regardless of financial need.

Under the new legislation, the interest rate on new Stafford loans will jump to 6.8% from the current rate of 5.3%, while the rate on new PLUS loans will jump to 8.5% from the current rate of 6.1%. Both rates will be fixed.

The average cost of tuition, room and board has climbed at more than double the rate of inflation over the last eight years. Such hikes have also meant skyrocketing student loan debt, which rose more than 70% from $11,400 in 1997 to more than $20,000 in 2005.

The good news for recent grads or students who will graduate this spring is that they CAN still lock in a low fixed rate. But there's not much time. With rate hikes expected to take effect on July 1st of this year, loans must be consolidated by June 30, 2006.

"Time is absolutely of the essence-particularly for this year's graduates," said Frank Ballmann, student loan expert and an executive vice president at consolidation leader Educational Direct. "They'll need to act quickly after graduation to get the pre-July 1 rates, which would rise by over 1.5% on July 1 based on today's interest rates."

Ballmann offers the following tips for students and their parents:

• Students with $20,000 in student loan debt would pay an extra $300 in interest next year, based on the recent rise in interest rates, if they don't lock in the current loan consolidation rate.

• The interest rate for consolidation loans can be locked in at a fixed rate for as long as it takes you to repay your loan.

• Consolidation saves money and time-lowering monthly payments with a single fixed interest rate and simplifying the loan repayment process with one monthly payment.

• There are no fees or credit checks to consolidate student loans; it is free and is a right given to borrowers under the federal loan programs, authorized in the Higher Education Act.

Sales from your site make it simple for prospects

Building a web site often can lead to interesting deviations caused by practicalities and changes in perspective. This is okay so long as you keep things simple for prospects.

Many business owners unintentionally erect barriers between themselves and their customers when it comes to the site sales process. Simple mechanisms can be put in place to remove these barriers. A business owner that is always looking for new ways to connect with potential customers often finds his or her efforts paying off many times over. Some of the most common web sales barriers are lack of contact methods, payment methods, and delivery methods. To bridge these potential barriers, a business owner can provide more options to crossing each of these barriers.

Contact Barriers

Simply adding contact options can be a great way to create more sales. Some web sites only offer email or even just a contact form as a means of contact. Yet there are many people that prefer to conduct transactions over the phone, by mail or by fax. Retail sites discover this fact the first time they go through a hot sales period such as Christmas. Some people just like to call. No, I don’t know why. They just do.

Providing a broad range of contact options also builds credibility. Having an office address, fax and phone number in addition to an email address shows the prospective client that the business does in fact exist and has made themselves transparent and easy to contact. Providing such information gives people the impression they aren’t dealing with some Nigerian scam.

Using an 800 number is also an excellent way to build credibility and remove a sales barrier. Picking up the tab on calls from potential clients is a polite gesture and may encourage a potential buyer one more reason to call. Toll-free numbers are easy to obtain these days and can cost around 6 cents per minute - a small price to pay for building confidence in your audience.

Payment Barriers

Many web sites provide only one way to pay for merchandise - credit card. There are many reasons to offer more payment methods. For one, not everyone has a credit card. Although in the United States, it seems like almost everyone does, this is not true in over-seas markets where there is resistance to credit. Furthermore, some people just don't feel safe providing credit card information over the web. Regardless of how safe or unsafe Internet transactions may or may not be, it is usually the job of the business owner to provide what the consumer wants.

It is a simple matter to provide an address and a printable order form for most web sites where a check can be mailed. If you are running a home business, a PO box is a simple solution to keep your business separate from your home. Some mail box services allow for your address to be a suite number instead of a box number, which can further improve the image of your business.

Providing a phone number by which orders can be placed is also a way to remove a barrier between you and your potential customers. Of course this means there must also be someone there to answer the phone. Simply answering the phone can be the difference between a sale and a lost sale.

Delivery Methods

For businesses providing products, providing a variety of delivery methods is yet another way to cater to the desires of your customers and potential customers. Many people have a preference for delivery and meeting this preference could be a deciding factor when deciding whether or not to place an order. For those businesses providing services, providing a delivery pickup service for a deposit and/or contract can be a perfect sale closer.

Conclusion

By removing barriers between you and your potential customers you can increase the chances of making sales. Other options are also available, like instant messaging support, mapped out directions, video conferencing and more. Be careful to not confuse your audience with too many options. It is often a good idea to direct your audience to default options for contact, payment and delivery so as not to confuse people. Other options can be shown as small links or drop down options. By working to connect more with your audience, your sales and customer satisfaction can be increased dramatically.

Cashing on with acomplia to reduce obesity

Some things in your life need not be changed but those extra pounds are not one of them. It is human tendency to have more and more of anything. Having excess intake of food is one of them. But it is a tendency which can give way to more fat than your body needs, that way making you obese.

The obesity is termed as a disease. Science today has progressed so much that it has given way to multiple ways to deal with obesity. The major ways to deal with obesity are exercises, controlled diet, surgery, obesity removal pills and liposuction. Amongst them surgery and liposuction are costly affairs. Exercises and controlled diet program are the best and sure way to success but are time consuming.

So, the best way to put forward is a combination of diet pills, exercises and a controlled diet program. The diet pills give a short term solution to remove obesity. And if it is used in conjunction with exercise and controlled diet one can rest in peace of the fact that he would be losing weight in no time and will be sustained for long.

Amongst the various diet pills available Acomplia is in the news these days. Acomplia (Rimonabant) and is developed by Sanofi-Aventis. It is approved for sale in the UK and the EU and is waiting for approval from FDA for sale in the USA. But it is hard to get Acomplia from local pharmacy or online pharmacy as it is just introduced. But there are certain online pharmacies which sell Acomplia. It would be worthwhile to go and search Acomplia from online pharmacies rather than running around the pharmacies in your locality in the quest for losing weight.

This is how Acomplia works - there is a receptor called CB1 which is activated by endogenous cannabinoids and Acomplia helps in blocking the endogenous cannabinoids. It releases chemicals such as anadamide which increases appetite. But as Acomplia (Rimonabant) blocks the endogenous cannabinoids the appetite becomes lower.

As stated earlier, Acomplia (Rimonabant) is a short term weight loss drug so, it is imperative that a person should not continue it for long. If you are thinking of taking it you should consult a doctor before taking it. It has side effects like depression, nausea and irritability. But the side effects are mild and for short period only. It is advised that a person consult a doctor in case any side effects or symptoms appear after taking the drug. There is saying that goes this way “Look before you leap” and it applies in case of taking Acomplia too.

Understanding your professor

Picture the black-and-white Disney movie starring Fred MacMurray: The old absent-minded professor, beloved inventor of Flubber, wearing a shabby cardigan and dreaming up endless new, amusing contraptions in his garage out behind the house.

Or, picture the old MGM movie of your choice, featuring the classic professor—also beloved, he's easy to spot, with his horn-rimmed glasses and tweed jacket with the leather patches at the elbows. He's rather fussy, graying at the temples, and his favorite thing to do is hang out in his book-lined study (in coat and tie, of course), absorbed in The Origin of Species or some other light reading, as the grandfather clock slowly ticks the evening away.

Now get out the big magnet and erase this videotape. Today's professors defy typecasting. They may wear tweed jackets or spandex biking shorts. Their personalities may run the gamut from austere ("should have joined the family mortuary business") to fried ("the sixties were so cool") to wacky ("star of the karaoke lounge at the Ramada Inn on highway 50"). They may have Ollie North military buzz cuts, Richard Simmons perms, Shirley MacLaine pixie bangs, Gilligan bowl cuts, or Michael Jackson—well, that strings-over-the-face thing that he does. But there is one thing professors do have in common: They've all worked hard to win their position on the faculty.

You're probably going to respect most of your professors; some of them you may even adore and look back on one day with great nostalgia. A few of them, for one reason or another, you may come to dread.

But keep your eye on the ball; remember what you're here for. Your main concern shouldn't be whether you like the professor, but whether you can learn from him or her. Here's something you might hear: "Well, yes, I did get a D in calculus. I just didn't like my teacher." That is so feeble! Instead of a plausible explanation, it sounds more like a lame excuse coming from a whiny brat who bombed the course because he or she either couldn't cut it or just didn't try hard enough. You probably don't want (we hope!) to sound like that.

We actually witnessed the following scene: Chad's mother was at a family reunion when the subject of college grades came up. Some of her sisters and cousins bragged about their children's grades; but Chad's mother, who had absolutely no reason to brag on this subject, tried to put the best face on her son's dismal academic record. "Chad's so smart," she began. Family members sighed and rolled their eyes; they had heard about Chad's "brilliance" ad nauseam for the last seventeen years. "He just refuses to apply himself in a class unless he respects the professor," she insisted. "If he has no respect for the teacher, he won't lift a finger."

Is this something to brag about? That Chad is some misunderstood genius and not, in fact, just a misfit of barely mediocre intelligence who acts obnoxious and superior to camouflage what is probably a staggering inferiority complex? We think not.

Our point here is this: Your work in college will be easier and far more pleasant if you and your professors get along. Therefore, it's a wise move on your part, and good personal politics, to find out something about this diverse group of men and women you're going to be dealing with for the next four years.

Hierarchy

There's a hierarchy in academics, just like there is in the military. You can get a big clue as to the status of your professor in the college pecking order—length of service, scholarly and professional achievement—by his or her rank (it should be in the course catalog; it also could be in the school phone book).

On the lowest rung, like military privates, are instructors or lecturers (translation: no job security, a temporary position at best, they need to move up the ladder real quick).

Next are the lieutenants—assistant professors. This is where new Ph. D.s often begin (traditionally, it's a bigger vote of confidence to start someone out here than as an instructor); they still have a way to go to prove themselves, but they've got more time to do it.

After a typical "window" of about four to seven years, assistant professors who have done well (or who have somehow convinced colleagues and deans that they've done well) may be promoted to the rank of associate professor.

Eventually, some of these, who now rank as the rough equivalent of majors in the army, will be promoted to full professor or, as it's officially called, professor. They're colonels, or even generals, now.

Some institutions honor their most distinguished faculty members with "super ranks," which signify an endowed position and a higher salary. If you see someone listed as "University Professor of Economics," or "Truman Langdon Professor of Chemistry," you can assume that this person is golden in the university's eyes; that he or she has brought the institution special prestige and is being rewarded for it. (Helpful translations for this could be "please don't leave our faculty and take your big grant with you." Or, "You're the only one on the faculty who's publishing anything. Please stay here and make us look good.")

At the other end of the scale (no benefits, slave labor) are part-time faculty called AIs (assistant instructors) or, more commonly, TAs (teaching assistants). For the most part, these are advanced graduate students who are getting classroom teaching experience and financial support while they're working on their doctorates. (Which means they're expected to do a lot of work grading and preparing lectures, while, at the same time, they're supposed to be taking classes and working on an awesome thesis that will get them a full-time, paying job on some faculty somewhere.)

Many undergraduate classes, especially at the freshman level, are taught by TAs, and if you attend a large university, you'll almost certainly encounter several of them during your first year or two. This is not necessarily bad; TAs are often effective and caring teachers, and many undergraduates actually prefer them to some of the full-time faculty, who are older and perhaps more remote.

Etiquette

You can't go wrong by saying "professor." It's the proper form of address at all levels. (Don't call your teacher "Associate Professor Jones," even if that is her actual rank.) You're also safe in referring to Mr. Smith, your history teacher, as "Doctor Smith," even if you're not sure whether he has his Ph. D. You'll rarely be corrected, even if you're wrong, for conferring a doctorate on somebody. TAs frequently prefer to be called by their first names, but wait for them to say so; it's their call. Otherwise, address them as "Mr." or "Ms."

Advertising your home business with google adwords

The object to successful advertising is to find a method of conveying your information to as many people as possible, while keeping the cost on the advertising low to begin with. This is the easiest way to generate traffic, and retain your profits. Google Adwords is a great method of getting both of these objectives done and making your site successful. It is very important to try and maintain a low click through cost when trying to target the appropriate customers.

It is no secret that pay per click can really make your business swell with traffic and customers, by placing the highest bid on a keyword, or keywords you can get great page ranking when someone types your keyword into their browser for a search. If you have heard of Google Adwords you will know that it is not really a pay per click search engine, but a very powerful Google tool that can be used as an advertising template. It is said that the largest Internet based network for marketing is indeed Google. It is a global industry and is a very good way to get exposure on the Internet. If you are interested in the Google Adwords you can find it on just about every page that Google showcases, their ad can be found in a little rectangle by the organic search results that are free.

The basic premise of the Google Adwords realm is quite simple, the member makes their own advertisement, and then has to bid on a keyword, this key word will then trigger the next step of the process. The next step is where the appearance of the ad can be showcased, to the viewers online. A members site consists of approximately 25 words or characters, this will include spaces so be mindful, it will also allow for a description segment of up to 70 words or characters, again spaces included in the total so you must watch what you are using as description. The great thing about this feature is your site will be posted within just a few minutes of you submitting it to Google. It could even become one of the sites that are sponsored, where they will sit on the right hand column of the search engine pages.

Google’s Adwords runs a little differently than the standard pay per click programs, it is not entirely based on the bid you place on the keyword. It has other factors penciled into the equation, such as the click through rate, plus the cost per click. This in turn dictates what your page ranking will be in the end of the ratio. You will need a steady flow of traffic to your site prior to this method to be effective, so it is best to get a good game plan in motion.

Makinging resolutions stick

Every year I watch at the gym as it floods in January, then slows to a trickle by March. Why is it that we seem unable to make behavior change goals that last? Well, there are several reasons.

Failing to consider why you currently do (or do not) engage in certain behaviors.

As humans, we naturally do things that are rewarding and avoid doing things that are not. One of the biggest problems people have when they try to change their behavior is that they fail to look at all of the reasons why they are currently doing what they are doing. Ask yourself, what is the benefit to this behavior? Why am I not __________?

People often try to remove bad behaviors, but fail to replace them with similarly effective positive behaviors. People who try to quit smoking either cold-turkey or by sucking on hard candy often end up gaining 30 pounds and being miserable. The oral part of smoking is only part of the problem. Most people smoke to relax, so, unless you find another effective way to relax, you are going to have difficulty at success. Nicotine is a drug and, you may feel withdrawals that sugar or other activities are not going to fix. If you feel those cravings, talk with a physician to help you get over the physiological part. You can then more effectively deal with the stress-relief and habit parts of it.

Setting goals that are too big

We want immediate gratification. Most of the big selling products are geared at helping us achieve big goals faster. That being said, most people are not motivated by goals that you cannot reach for two or three weeks or, worse yet, months. “I want to reduce my cholesterol by 30 points” is not a realistic short-term goal. “I will do one thing each day to reduce my cholesterol” is much more reasonable. This is especially important at the beginning of a behavior change. Set real goals that are rewarded every day or at least every week. For example: “If I go to the gym for at least 1 hour, I can __________ tonight.” Focusing on weight loss can be too slow to be rewarding, instead focus on burning at least 500 calories at the gym each day. The end result is the same, but the rewards are much more frequent when you focus on the daily calories and you will stay more motivated.

Setting goals that are too hard

Most people are not going to go from being couch potatoes to exercising nearly every day. That is unrealistic. Set a small, achievable goal. Once you achieve that regularly, then up the ante. To get the reward, you have to do more. For example, “I will walk for 45 minutes a day 3 days a week” can be fine tuned to “I will walk 45 minutes a day at a 14 minute mile pace, 3 days a week.”

Setting too many goals

Focus! Rome was not built in a day. Change one or two things a little bit. Cut back by 5 cigarettes per day and start walking for 20 minutes 3 days a week.

Setting goals without sufficient rewards

Just feeling better is often not enough of a reason to keep people motivated to exercise, eat more healthfully or stop smoking. We want rewards that are as great as the effort we put out. If you are competitive, set goals with a buddy and compare notes. Let your friends know what you are doing. A public commitment to a goal makes it easier to keep, and people who know what you are doing will often give you those much needed kudos. If you are a private person, buy something or do something special as a reward.

Setting goals that are too vague

“I am going to exercise more” “I will eat better.” “I will have a more positive attitude.” None of these is specific enough to create any substantial or consistent behavior change. You want to be able to answer the question “How will I know when/if I have accomplished my goal?” Goals ideally need to have a frequency, intensity or duration (Preferably all three). Frequency is how often you will do the new behavior or will not do the old behavior. “I will eat at least 1 fruit each day” or “I will not drink more than 1 cup of caffeine per day.” Intensity is how strong you do the behavior “I will eat at least the minimum number of servings from each food group.” “I will not get more than 30% of my calories from fat.” Duration is how long you will do the behavior “I will walk for 45 minutes each day.” “I will not sit for more than 1 hour at a time.”

Setting the wrong goals

If you want to “feel better” look at why you feel bad in the first place. Are you sleep deprived, eating poorly, not exercising, depressed, physically ill or in chronic pain? Choose your goals accordingly. If you want to “improve your relationship” getting more physically fit might not be the answer, despite what many people think. Get with your partner to figure out what the problems are. Then set your goals, keeping in mind that the only person you can change is you.

In summary:

Anything you do to help yourself feel happier or healthier will lead to other positive changes.

Start with something small that you will do.

Do not eliminate any behavior until you have found a reasonable replacement

Ask yourself what the benefit is to your current behavior pattern. Make sure your resolution provides the same benefits in a healthier way.

Ask yourself what you hope to accomplish with this resolution. Make sure your resolution actually accomplishes that.

Ask yourself why you are not already doing it---what is holding you back. Address those issues first.

Ask yourself if you are willing to do what is necessary to change. Change is hard work. Really figure out if you are willing to work or are happier staying the same and just complaining and getting pity attention.

Make sure your rewards are rewarding and frequent

If you find it hard to make successful resolutions, find a professional who specializes in behavior modification. Usually one to three sessions is all it takes to help you be successful.

Highly skilled water sports

When parents took their children to lakes during the summer they were intent on teaching their children to ski. These unsuspecting parents had no idea what their children might choose to do with that newly acquire talent. At first the parents were all in favor of the many hours that their children chose to spend outside. They were not privy to the fact that all of that time was spent on skis learning various tricks.

The parents were very positive about skiing because they felt that this water sport was a good physical activity that would keep their children busy and out of trouble for the better part of the summer. Looking outside once in a while might have given them a reason to change their minds. If they had, they might have had a hand in training their children for the things that were occurring in the middle of the lake.

The parents never gave it a second thought when they saw ramps being built on docks in the center of the lake. They did notice the increase in high speed boats on the water and made a mental note to check in to that fact with the neighbors. They wanted to caution their children to stay out of the way of those boats, but even if they had remembered it would have been too late.

When water sports are enjoyed by children without parental controls, they have a tendency to get very extreme in a very short amount of time. The superb craftsmanship in water skis in use today is very different from the skis that parents used when they went water skiing as a child and the new age athletes get totally addicted to this particular water sport.

The things that can be done on the new designs in water skis are definitely different from the old days. The ski designs are made with lighter materials that allow them to soar through the air and twist and turn with precision accuracy that people grew to love the sports extremely well. Water skiing has turned into extreme water sports that require extremely refined skills and nerves of steel.

Parents are in awe of the number of feats that can be accomplished on skis and some people simply wonder how some skiers manage the moves that they do when they rise up out of the water behind the ski boat with no skis on their feet. Even if the skis are lightweight, there are some water sports enthusiasts that prefer to ski barefoot. They are still able to achieve great heights when they ski but they prefer to experiment with the no shoes approach that they consider a skill.

Garden of eden a jungle captive s lesson in dreams come true

BBC News recently reported the story of horticulturist and orchid collector, Tom Hart Dyke, who was kidnapped in 2000 in the Darien Gap in Panama by Colombian Guerrillas and held hostage for nine months in the South American jungle. He was on a plant collecting expedition with his friend Paul Winder when captured.

They experienced a horrific kidnapping ordeal and were both threatened with being beheaded. During this dark passage, in order to stay sane, Tom spent his time jotting down plans in his dairy and dreaming of a map garden containing exotic plants from around the world.

The original plan took root, he recalls, when he was threatened with execution: “My guards kicked down the door on June 16, 2000, my sister’s birthday, and said: ‘You’ve got five hours, mate.’ I started scribbling in my diary, drawing the shapes of my garden. It took an AK47 to focus my mind. It was: four walls, start drawing. The whole garden started with that threat. Five hours later the guards came back and we had iguana and armadillo for supper as usual; there was no more mention of being shot.” [Taken from Times Online, Aug. 4, 2006]

After his miraculous release, Tom set about building his dream garden and worked hard on cultivating a neglected two-acre garden at his family’s ancestral home in Kent. His dream garden is now a reality. Like something out of a fairy tale, Tom’s magical walled garden is situated in the historic Lullingston Castle grounds. He calls it “The World Garden of Plants,” which is divided into four continents and is now an award winning tourist attraction open to the public.

Think of this article as that AK47 to focus your mind on your dreams. Okay, so this article might not be as threatening, but it’ll spare you the nine months of captivity in the heart of darkness -- sans iguana and armadillo.

But seriously, since most of us don’t have guns pointed to our heads and we live in a predominantly free society, there should be no excuses for not living our dreams. Take the time now to concentrate your thoughts and focus on your dreams:

* Write out your plans for your magical dream world in a diary as Tom did.

* Re-create your plans by sketching them on paper. Use colors to make your drawing memorable.

* Visit your nearest Staples and get a pin cork board to create a Vision Board. Tack pictures, quotes, magazine cut-outs, and drawings that represent the dream lifestyle you want to live or the BIG goal you want to achieve. Look at that board every day and see yourself living that lifestyle.

* Create a replica ‘vision board’ by putting similar pictures on your fridge with fridge magnets as a further reminder.

* Put another reminder photo near your bathroom mirror; create a screensaver of it on your computer; and discreetly, or not so discreetly, put that dream sketch or photo somewhere near your workspace where you can look at it daily. During your breaks, you can focus on these pictures with intensity and daydream about what it would be like to actually live out your fantasy.

* Kidnap yourself! Take yourself hostage and go into captivity for a while to focus only on your dream world and the new reality you want to create for yourself. Go on a two day or week long retreat (or longer) to refresh and renew your mind, body, and soul and use this quiet time of solitude to reflect on your dreams.

* Watch the DVD movie The Secret which provides a powerful and visceral experience of the magic that can happen when you concentrate your thoughts on what you want, visualize your dreams, and feel the excitement of what it would be like to actually be living your dreams right now!

Become obsessed with your dream! Write down all the steps you need to take, all the goals you need to accomplish along the way, and list all the resources you need to tap into to recreate that Shangri La in your mind.

By immersing yourself in an oasis of dream thoughts, your heart will overflow with positive energy that will seep through and permeate every pore, cell, and molecular structure in your body. This is the timeless Law of Attraction that The Secret movie makes so vividly clear, where what you want, wants you, and you attract the very thing that is top of mind. You can use these dream thought projections to penetrate the far reaches of space and literally create your own Garden of Eden on earth.

Top beach vacation spots in the world

One of the most telltale signs of going on a luxurious vacation is having a tan. If you want to impress your friends when you return from your next vacation you should choose one of these great beaches.

1. Copacabana Beach, Brazil

With clear sandy beaches and sparkling water it is rated as one of the best beaches in the world. With a backdrop of the rolling hills of Brazil, you will not only find yourself tanning here but also enjoying the beautiful scenery. In addition to being a great place for tanning and for enjoying the landscape, Copacabana Beach is rarely quiet. There is always something happening on this beach so get out there if you can.

2. Waikiki Beach, Oahu (Hawaii)

This is a paradise for vacationers. You will be able to sit in the sand and watch the surfers along the two mile long beach. Hawaiian beaches offer soft sand and spectacular sun. Be sure to stick around at night to see the beautiful sunset across the horizon.

3. Crete, Greece

Greece is naturally one of the most beautiful areas in the world to vacation. As a coastal area, it has over 100 miles of luxurious beaches for you to enjoy. Try the area of Rethimno on the islands northern coast. The beach is beautiful but tends to be crowded, as it is one of the most popular spots on the island. If you are looking for a place to tan in solitude then try elsewhere, as there are plenty of small, secluded beaches scattered around Crete.

4. Baby Beach, Aruba

The soft beaches of Aruba are one of the best beach vacations because the water is so calm and shallow. You can put out a low beach chair for the day and just relax and read a book. If you would rather work on your tan than take a dip, you can spread your beach towel out in the soft Arabian sand that lines the shore of Baby Beach.

5. Newpoprt Beach, Southern California

As one of California's top beaches, Newport provides a hint of the American dream. Lounge with other vacationers and sunbathe or slip into the water for a while. Lifeguards are only on duty during some times during the year.

6. St. John Island, Virgin Islands

St. John Island is technically a National Park. It is located in the beautiful Carribean and the lands are highly undevelopped. Beaches such as Cinnamon Bay are beautiful and also very remote. Bring your significant other or your whole family.

The benefits of using a b2b exchange agency

Millions of people use the internet each day for business and for fun. As a result, internet marketing has offered people from all over the world the opportunity to have a successful business. With the right goods or services as well as good marketing strategies, you can easily make a good living with this type of business. Even if you don’t have your own goods or services there are plenty of excellent affiliate programs to be a part of, you can help create websites for people, and even write articles for them to post on their sites.

It is important to understand how internet marketing works though as it is quite different from traditional types of sales. It doesn’t matter what you have to offer if you aren’t able to reach the target market to let them know about it. There are so many different types of marketing strategies that you can incorporate that you need to learn about them.

While you may be familiar with various types of online marketing, you may be missing out on one that can be beneficial to you. A B2B Exchange Agency can help you will specific needs. This type of business is the bridge that gaps the space between buyers and sellers. The term B2B simply translates to Business to Business.

This has become one of the most popular types of marketing online in recent times. This type of marketing allows an online business to reach thousands of potential customers. This means you can quickly get a high volume of sales without spending too much time or money to do so.

With the help of a quality B2B Exchange Agency, you will be able to build partnerships and business relationships. You will be able to increase the amount of sales you make and this will result in higher profits. There are many different ways that a B2B Exchange Agency offers services.

They often help set up electronic catalog services so that you can effectively manage your inventory. This often means you will be able to offer more efficient customer service which is very important to the reputation of your business.

One of the most important things that a B2B Exchange Agency offers is the opportunity to reach those in your target market. When it comes to the concepts of online marketing, it isn’t the volume of people you reach but the number of sales you make. Reaching those in your target market help ensure that a large percentage of them will end up making a purchase.

It can be frustrating to effectively market your online business on your own. There are so many other aspects of the business that you need to focus your attention on. Allowing a B2B Exchange Agency to take care of this part of things for you can be very helpful. It will also help to reduce the amount of paperwork you have to do and the amount of hours you put in each day.

Learning what your customers have to say is a great way to find out what is working and where you need to make further improvements. With the right B2B Exchange Agency, you will be able to use their feedback effectively. This in turn is going to help you improve your online business and generate even more income.

However, in order to reap all of these benefits from a B2B Exchange Agency, you need to do your homework. Not all of them operate the same way or offer you the same level of services. It is worth your time to investigate their reputation and to ask for specific samples of the work they have accomplished for other online businesses.

You should take the time to have a free consultation with at least three B2B Exchange Agencies. During this consultation you need to ask them how they will increase your amount of sales, how they will reach potential buyers, their contacts, the types of tools they use online to build quality business relationships, and how they conduct market research.

After you have completed this process you will be able to put your confidence in a B2B Exchange Agency. You can be assured they will work hard to assist you with your marketing techniques so you can reach your target market, increase sales, and start generating more profits.

Home improvements making decisions

If you have a family, planning home improvements should be a family matter. Still, you want to stick to ideas that work.

Ideas That Work

We’ve all seen families who get along well most of the time and families who are constantly at odds with each other. One common denominator among families who get along are homes that work for them. Let’s talk about ideas seen more than once in homes that work. It may help you explore what will work for you.

Many families with school age children have a computer and homework area near the kitchen. It’s often a computer desk and the breakfast area table. This is usually sandwiched between the kitchen and family room, and all three areas are open to each other. It’s an easy area for parents to make themselves available to help and supervise the children while they themselves perhaps cook, talk, read, or have a cup of tea (or other beverage) before or after dinner.

Family rooms are also great for TV, movies, and computer games. A finished basement provides an ideal place for a “home theater” for the same sorts of things, but supervision becomes tougher.

Unfinished basement areas can be just what’s needed for a workbench, an artist’s studio (especially walk-out basements with big north facing windows), a sewing area, a place to practice a musical instrument, a place to refinish furniture, a potting bench for plants, a place for the pets when the family has guests. I’ve seen all of the above work well alone and in a variety of combinations.

Many modern homes have a “formal living room” that is too small to really work as a living room. It can be set up and decorated as a library or study and be the perfect place for a parent to do some serious work and not be interrupted too frequently.

Master bedrooms are getting larger and larger. They often have a small seating arrangement included in their design. This can be a parental retreat for quiet conversation.

Master bedrooms can also provide a quiet corner for a computer desk and work area. If looking at work space isn’t relaxing to you, you can always shield it from view with a decorative folding screen.

Don’t forget the importance of family dinners. Studies show that children of families who have dinner and conversation together several nights a week, week in and week out, tend to be more successful and happier than those who don’t. It can be at the kitchen table, in the breakfast area, or in the dining room, but plan for it and make it happen if you value the success and happiness of your children.

Every home is unique and so is your family. When improving your home, look for ideas that work.

Vintage luggage labels

Luggage has always had to be distinguishable from the luggage of other travelers. Modern travelers have many choices when it comes to their luggage, and though many modern travelers choose the ubiquitous small black rolling bag, many others make their luggage an extension of their identities. They can do this through picking unique styles, materials, colors or shapes. Going further back in time and travel history, when travelers used steamer trunks predominantly, many tourists chose to individualize their luggage through the liberal use of luggage labels. Many of these labels were issued individually from the globe’s premiere hotels, ships and trains (and later, airlines).

Luggage labels were initially used to identify passengers as belonging to the group taking a certain train or staying at a particular hotel. They were used to ease the work of those porters and bell hops who needed make sure the luggage got to and stayed at the proper destination. However, they later became badges of honor. The traveling class would proudly display the luggage labels as emblems of their leisurely lives. The luggage labels marked them as proud members of a higher social stratum. Luggage labels identified the passenger as someone who was cultured and possible very wealthy.

The first labels were issued at the turn of the 19th century. They reached a peak of popularity by 1940 but went into decline with the onset of World War II. Luggage labels went into a decline at this point because the war brought international travel to a halt. The advances that later came in the aviation industry were the ultimate cause of demise for luggage labels. People began to pack smaller bags and would not travel for such extended periods of time, thus eliminating the need for the classic steamer trunk and eliminating with it the canvas for labels of the world.

Today luggage labels are very popular collectibles. They are a tangible throw-back to an era of glamorous travel. Some labels available for collection represent countries, hotels and transportation companies that no longer exist. Others are nostalgic reminders of the glorious pasts of organizations and destinations that are still popular places to visit, even today. The labels come in an infinite array of colors, designs, sizes and shapes, allowing the collector to have an expansive and eclectic collection of interesting historical memorabilia. These labels represent a piece of the past, when travel promised more than just a new destination, but also, adventure.

8 steps for a woman dancing with cancer

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1. Submit. Give up. Make room for the miracle.

2. Inform yourself. Listen to your intuition. Examine all the options, but only use what feels right to you.

3. Accept support. Surround yourself with loving friends, healing music, special colors, prayer and affirmation. Create a ceremony of healing/wholing and invite your supporters.

4. Anoint your breast(s) with healing herbal oils such as calendula, dandelion, or poke. Visualize healing energies suffusing your tissues.

5. Maximize the healthy qualities of your diet:

• Use organic olive oil and butter to the exclusion of other fats.


• Increase your use of beans, especially lentils, and fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, miso, tamari, homemade wines and beers.


• Include immune building and anticancer herbs in your diet:


• Daily use of a nourishing infusion, especially red clover flower or burdock root or violet leaf infusions.
• Daily use of fresh herb vinegars, especially yellow dock, burdock, and dandelion root vinegars.
• Frequent use of a long-cooked soup containing seaweed (such as kombu or wakame), astragalus root, and medicinal mushrooms (reishi, shiitake, puffballs, etc).

6. Increase you exercise level. Take a yoga or tai chi class weekly. Walk daily. Get a weekly massage. Pamper yourself with activity.

7. Use drugs (chemotherapy, tamoxifen, anesthesia, pain killers) as required but:

• consider a short trial of a powerful herb such as poke root before resorting to drugs; and


• always combine drug use with complementary herbs. For instance, protect the liver with milk thistle seed tincture.

8. Use radiation and surgery as needed but:

• always combine with complementary herbs; and


• be willing to set limits that you feel comfortable with - they can't take your lymph glands if you say "No."

For more information, see Breast Cancer? Breast Health! The Wise Woman Way by Susun Weed. ashtreepublishing. com

Susun Weed
PO Box 64
Woodstock, NY 12498
Fax: 1-845-246-8081

Use your credit card sensibly

A credit card is a wise option if you wish to make frequent purchases and keep a track of your expenses. The facilities could even be used to postpone payments on certain articles, thereby earning more interest on your money. It enables you to shop without carrying large amounts of money, thus eliminating the risk of theft. However, the credit limit on the card should be used sensibly, to avoid a bad credit rating.

Ways to use your credit card wisely:

Listed below are some tips on how to manage your credit card sensibly:

Select the right credit card: It is essential to choose a credit card that meets your specific requirement and adds significant value to your monetary assets. You need to shop around and compare cards, before selecting one that offers the best rewards at low interest rates.

Don’t buy if you can’t afford: Credit cards make provision for you to ‘buy now and pay later’. However, you should buy only those articles with the credit card that you are sure to afford paying back, within the time limit allotted. You should be aware that most credit cards charge an additional fee and a relatively higher rate of interest on late payments. You need to carefully analyze the pros and cons of the offers, to increase your credit card limit.

Avoid paying extra fees: Banks charge an annual fee on credit cards and so the use of fewer cards would mean less annual charges and minimized interest rates. Before opting for a credit card, you need to compare the benefits offered with the fees charged by the credit card company.

Pay on time: It is important to make a regular monthly payment, without crossing the credit limit. You ought to try and pay more than the minimum amount. The faster you pay, the quicker you minimize your debt on the credit card account. This helps to avoid the extra fees charged and the high interest rates applicable.

Manage debt wisely: It is important to manage your debts in a responsible manner. It would be beneficial to discuss your financial issues, if any, with the company and bank. You could adopt a payment schedule to help manage and curb your credit card debt.

Don’t use a credit card for long-term borrowing: Funding long-term borrowing through a credit card is not advisable. This would only increase the rate of interest on your credit card account.

Utilize the interest - free period: Most credit cards offer an interest-free period. The period could be anything between forty-four to fifty-five days. You are promised additional interest-free days if you make purchases at the beginning of the month. A comparatively lesser number of interest-free days are offered on purchases made at the end of the month. You are expected to pay the entire credit card closing balance within the time limit specified, if you wish to avoid paying interest on your expenses during the interest-free days.

Credit cards are a great help to those who wish to avoid paying by cash. However, you need to make use of the facilities offered judiciously.

Online dating services not just for the younger generation anymore

If you’re over the age of 40, you may not think the online dating scene has very much to offer you. But you would be wrong!

Not only are people 30 years old and younger signing up for online dating services memberships in record numbers, so are people much older than that. So if you’re a little more, shall we say, mature, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find yourself in good company on an online dating service website.

Actually, the company may be so good, that you can finally tell your nosey friends to bug off and stop trying to fix you up. You can make your own dates using an online dating service, and they’ll be dates you’ll really want to go out on because online dating services give you the chance to get to know people before you go to the trouble and expense of going out on a date. Now, you can’t do that with that blind date your friend Sue keeps trying to set you up with, thank goodness.

And you don’t have to worry about security and confidentiality on online dating websites. All your personal information is kept personal until you’re ready, if you ever are, to divulge it. If someone falls head over heels in love with you and they start bugging you, you can have that person blocked from contacting you. Too, if at anytime you feel someone is being abusive or threatening in any way, you can report them, and many online dating services will revoke the threatening person’s membership.

So online dating is safe and secure, it must be hard, right? Nothing could be further from the truth. You simply fill out the membership form, pay, post your profile and picture if desired, then BOOM! You’re in the online dating business!

What could be better! Well, just the fact that you can place yourself in a category or sign up at a special online dating service site that lets you be a bit more selective in the other mature or senior singles you’d like to connect with. For example, there are Jewish online dating services, Asian online dating services, and Christian online dating services just to name a few. You can even sign up for particular cities through websites devoted to them. Atlanta online dating services, Cincinnati online dating services, New York online dating services and Nashville online dating services are just a few examples. And while your own city may not have an online dating service of its own, you can check into dating services of larger cities close to you.

So what are you waiting for? The significant other of your dreams is just a mouse click away!

How to make traffic exchange websites work for you

If you don’t drive visitors to your site, they won’t come to you in multitudes. And multitudes of visitors are what you need to make your website successful.

Website advertising drives more traffic to your site through ads and links you distribute all over the Internet. However, ads are a less active way of driving traffic to your site. Once you post an ad, it’s up to the particular ad to attract viewers and entice them enough so they would visit your site. If you think you still need to do something more, well, why don’t you participate in a traffic exchange?

A traffic exchange is a technique to drive more traffic to websites through traffic exchange programs. These programs or websites are websites that offer to increase the traffic in the sites of their members. The idea is to sign up with these programs. Once your site is listed as a member, you will then need to earn credits. These are gained by surfing through websites that belong to other members of the exchange. In exchange for your visit, you will be granted a credit. The more credits you earn, the more members of the traffic exchange will surf through your site.

The credits you can earn equates to a certain number of visits that are driven to your site. However, members of traffic exchange programs also have the option to upgrade to a higher-level membership, which increases their credit ratio. This increases the number of visits equivalent to each credit they earn.

In a nutshell, a traffic exchange is just like any simple exchange of benefits. Aside from exchanging traffic through the traffic exchange programs, however, members can also interact with other website owners in more ways. As a website owner, you will most likely come across sites that complement yours, as you surf and browse through other member sites. To get more benefits out of the traffic exchange program, you can contact the webmaster or owner of a website you’re interested in and can arrange to exchange links as well. These equates to plenty of benefits, given the small price you have to pay. All it takes is some time and effort. Some traffic exchange programs may charge some fees for additional features or extra credits. However, generally, traffic exchange programs are mostly free of charge and available to any website owner or webmaster who is not keen about leaving the dirty work up to static, unmoving ads and links.

Traffic exchange is an easy way to generate more traffic to your site. This is a more active way of pursuing traffic, since the number of visits to your site depends on the number of websites you also browse through. The initial benefit of traffic exchange program is so downright advantageous that this is more or less a foolproof and a truly effective way to drive traffic to your site. Since it also has some other bonus advantages, then, you’ve got even more reason to sign up for a traffic exchange program now. Don’t just leave your ads to do the job. Reach out and make sure that traffic gets to your site. Traffic exchange is the way to do it.

Treating depression

Health care providers can take care of depressed people. A physician, for one, has also training in treating psychiatric disorders. The same goes with the physician assistant and the nurse practitioner. If the case is severe, these health care providers will automatically refer the patient to mental health specialists.

The mental health specialists are composed of the following: psychiatrist, psychologist, a psychiatric nurse specialist and even a social worker.

The psychiatrist offers treatment and diagnosis for mental and psychiatric patients. A psychologist, on the other hand, is trained for counseling, psychological examination and psychotherapy. The social worker knows counseling to a certain degree, whereas a registered nurse who has taken masterals in psychiatric nursing can help out the patient.

Before the diagnosis can be made, the health care providers or mental health specialists will ask the patient on the following: symptoms, overall health and medical and mental history of the family. A physical exam will be carried out as well as some lab tests.

Depression, being an illness, requires tremendous emotional support from the family. A family member must accompany the patient on doctor visits to give the latter a boost.

During the course of the visit, the doctor will figure out if the case is severe, mild or moderate. Depression is severe if the person experiences all the symptoms and if it keeps him from doing all his daily activities. Moderate, if the person has a lot of the symptoms that it hampers his activities. It can be categorized mild if the person has some of the depression symptoms and if he needs more push to do all the things he needs to do.

No one must underestimate depression. It is a real illness, and therefore the patient needs all the help and attention he can get.

As said earlier, you are not alone in this problem. Fortunately, depression, of all psychiatric illnesses, proves to be one of the most treatable. With proper care, more than 80 percent of those suffering from major depression experience significant improvement. Even those suffering from severe depression can helped. Here are some treatments for depression problems:

Psychotherapy There are many types and methods of therapeutic approaches used for treating depression. The most common types are behavioral therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, rational emotive therapy, and interpersonal therapy. Approaches also include psychodynamic and family approaches. Both the individual as well as group modalities have been used commonly, but these depend on the severity of one's depression, the financial resources of the person, and resources that are available locally.

Arguably the most prominent therapy in treating depression, the cognitive behavioral therapy is commonly used for handling the condition. There has been extensive research and medical studies that conducted to check or assess the safety as well as the effectiveness in treating depression using this type of therapy.

Considered the father of cognitive behavioral therapy, many written studies and books support this type of therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy uses simple techniques that focus primarily on the patient's negative thought patterns. These negative thought patterns are also known as cognitive distortions. A person suffering from depression may from time to time use these cognitive distortions, igniting the condition.

The therapy starts with the establishment of a supportive and warm environment for one suffering from depression. Making the patient learn about how his or her depression problem may be a result of thinking in cognitive distortions is generally the next step. The types of faulty logic and thinking are also discussed in this step (such as "everything or nothing logic," "blame mis-attribution," "overgeneralization," among others) and the person being treated is encouraged to start taking notes of the thoughts he or she has been having as they happen throughout his or her day. This is conducted for the person to understand and realize how often and common this kind of thoughts are occuring.

In this type of therapy, the emphasis is mainly placed on realizing the thoughts as well as the behaviors that are associated with the depression problem rather than on the emotions themselves. The rationale for this emphasis is that is strongly believed that by altering one's thoughts and consequently, behaviors, his or her emotions will most likely change as well. Because of this type of therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy is often short-term (generally lasts up to a dozen sessions or two only) and best suits people that are experiencing some kind of distress that is related to the depression they are having. Individuals that are able to handle a problem using a perspective that is unique and therefore are most likely cognitively-oriented could also do well under this approach.

Interpersonal therapy, on the other hand, is also a therapy on a short-term basis used for treating depression. In this type of treatment, the focus usually lies on the social relationships of the patient and determine ways in improving these relationships. It is strongly believed that in order to improve the overall well-being of a person (or the patient in the case); he or she needs to have a stable and good social support.

When a person's relationships become unhealthy, the person would most likely suffer from this problem. This therapy approach then seeks to enrich one's skills in social relationships, expression of his or her emotions, assertiveness, and communication skills. This type of approach is usually done individually but sometimes can be used also in a setting for group therapy.

Many individual approaches would place importance more on the patient's active personal involvement in recovering from depression. Persons being treated under an individual approach are usually enticed and encouraged to finish homework assignments between sessions. If the person is not capable yet to join in therapy sessions actively, then his or her therapist could be the one to first provide the patient an environment that supports him or her until the medication starts to help improve his or her state of feelings and mind.

Psychodynamic or psychoanalytic approaches in treating depression currently do not have much research to recommend their use. Although there are some therapists that might use psychodynamic theory in helping conceptualize a patient's personality, there are some issues raised on how this could prove to be an effective and efficient depression treatment.

Couples or family therapy could also be considered if the depression of the patient directly affects family relationships. These types of therapy focus on the interpersonal relationships among family members. In addition, these approaches seek to ensure good communication in the family. The roles of the family members in a patient's depression could be examined. Education about the depression problem in general might also be used as part of the family therapy.

Medication The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved numerous medications for treating depression. These drugs have been sorted into classes; each medication has a unique chemical structure which acts on various chemicals present in the brain.

It is necessary to remember that all medications approved by the DFA to treat depression are effective and recommended - they just do not work the same effect for everybody.

You might want to closely work with the doctor in determining which drug is the best for your condition. Sometimes, conditions may involve having more than just one medication; some work with a mixture of medications. This is important: Do not change your medication or discontinue your dosage without asking your doctor.

The importance of goal setting

Just as having a business plan will help you to get from where you are now to where you want to be, setting yourself goals will allow you to get through each stage of your plan with a clarity of purpose that is essential in good business practice.

The goals and targets you set yourself can be for any aspect of your business and can be as small or as grand as you need them to be. When setting your goals you must make sure that they are within your reach, make sure that you set yourself SMART goals:

S. M.A. R.T Goals are always Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time bound.

SPECIFIC

Keep your goals simple, if there is more thing that you want to achieve, that’s great (and there should be), but do it one step at a time. Simple doesn’t have to mean easy but it does need to clear in you mind what the single specific outcome will be.

MEASURABLE

If your goal can not be measured then you will never know when you have reached it. By the outcome of your goal you should know whether you have achieved it either by the amount of money you have made, the progress to next step of your plan, a hit or miss on a sales quantity etc. In other words there must be a tangible outcome that you can say you have achieved.

ACHIEVABLE

It’s great to have a dream and to want nothing but the best for you and your family, but to get the best is a step-by-step process and you cannot start missing out the steps and still expect to get the same results. That is why your goals must be achievable from where you are now. Keep your goals realistic, if you are just starting out then expecting a 5 figure a month turnover as your next step will only lead to greater set backs in the long run as you don’t make allowances for what happens in between.

RELEVANT

Don’t get ahead of yourself. Keep your goals relevant to what stage of your business you are currently at. Enthusiasm can be a dangerous thing if it’s not kept in check. Achieving your goal should directly further your business and smoothly segue you to the next logical step. It might feel slow but it will take longer if you have to back track at a later date.

TIME BOUND

So you know what specifically you want to do, you know how to measure whether or not you have achieved it and you know that it’s the next relevant step in your business plan, so all you need to know now is when you are going to do it. If you don’t set a time frame for your goals then you will find yourself drifting along in a constant state of procrastination, making little progress.

“Work expands to fill the time available”

Date at work but work at dating office romance rules for dating co-workers

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If you’re like every other workingwoman (or man) who is dedicated and hard working, your commitment to work makes it nearly impossible to meet anyone outside of work. You're probably not just a nine to five worker - you're that successful someone who works extra hours and weekends, and is trying to get ahead to be successful. And you know what that makes you? Sexy!

Both men and women are attracted to people who are confident, passionate and focused, with interests and areas of expertise. Who wouldn't be? Think about it-and there isn't an easier, simpler or more convenient place to meet them than at work.

Date at Work - But Work at Dating

Even though it's often advised against, dating people you work with makes practical sense - after all, we spend so much of our lives in the office, there's often no other way or time to meet anyone else. But you have to be extra smart about your choices, and take special precautions if you're going to venture into an office romance.

Water Cooler Gossip

The one overriding warning worth heeding--the one that should dictate all of your actions and words--is this: People talk. No matter how friendly your co-workers are, or how tight-lipped the object of your affection seems, secrets are almost always spilled, one way or another, whether accidentally or intentionally. Translation? Say nothing and do nothing that you do not want everyone else to know about. This means no chit-chat with the girls at the water cooler about his size or performance, and no pillow talk with him about how much you loathe your boss, and can’t wait to take over his or her job. There’s too much at stake, like your livelihood to take risks, and there’s too much to lose, like a potentially great love, not to give it a shot.

The Rules About Dating Co-Workers

1. Don’t mix business and pleasure on company time. Agree to date out of work hours, but don’t turn a business lunch into a romantic lunch.

2. If you’re a supervisor or employer you must stay fair. Don’t give someone you’re dating better work or pay, and don’t punish someone you’re breaking up with by giving him or her worse work or pay. Otherwise, you may find yourself on the receiving end of a lawsuit.

3. Make sure he or she is actually single. If they’re not -- then keep personal remarks at work limited to sports, the weather and the kids. Don’t gripe or listen to gripes about a spouse. "I’m sorry, I’m not comfortable talking about your wife. I want to keep our relationship all business because I value us as co-workers," is all you need to say and do.

4. Don't Boast. Your co-worker boyfriend or girlfriend may look like Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie, and you may be so pumped up that you've got a hot date with the hottie -- but keep your feelings to yourself -- and your friends outside of work. Work gossip is inevitable, but you must practice good behavior by keeping the water cooler talk to work and the weather.

5. Don't Make Out At Work. Keep all affection outside of office parameters. It's okay to meet at the office, but don't smooch at the office.

6. Don't Have Love Spats At Work. If things weren't great the night before, don't bring your disappointment to your staff meetings -- no pun intended. You will have to practice wearing two hats -- even if you're mad, don't put the kabosh on their comments at the Monday morning meeting and act out your frustrations at work.

7. Do Put Rumors To Rest. If you hear gossip, don't fuel the fire by denying the truth. Everyone finds out that you're dating eventually. While you should not announce your relationship, you can say, "Yes, we're dating. We're both single adults and we’re working very hard to keep our social life separate from our work life." And smile.

Both dating and working are natural parts of life, and it's natural to become attracted to people you work with. If you're both single and available, go for it! But be impeccable with your behavior and your work. You're going to be under more scrutiny in this relationship than you would be if you were dating someone you didn't work with.

Ten steps to reduce your risk of identity theft

You've probably heard about identity theft on television or read about it in the newspaper, and you may already be aware of the damage these crimes can cause victims and their families. What you may not know is how to protect yourself from these attacks. Below you'll find ten steps that can help you minimize your chances of becoming another identity theft statistic.

1. Invest in a shredder – Never throw anything away without shredding it first. Identity thieves will dig through dumpsters and trash bags looking for credit card receipts, voided checks, paid bills, credit card offers, and other items which provide them with your personal information.

2. Mail everything from the post office – Leaving your outgoing mail in or on your mailbox is an invitation to have it stolen by an identity thief. Not only can they get all of your personal information from the check, but they can even alter the check and cash it themselves. Instead, drop it by the post office or another mailbox.

3. Use a post office box – Incoming mail is also a target for identity thieves. Your bills, checks, even junk mail can be used by these thieves to steal your

personal information. If you have a post office box, then your mail will be delivered safely to that box.

4. Have a non-published phone number – Some identity thieves will also use the telephone in an attempt to get your personal information. For example, one scam involved a caller telling a person he or she had won a government grant that was going to be directly deposited into their checking account. Of course, the caller needed the person's checking account number to deposit the money. If your phone number isn't available, then you won't be harassed by these calls.

5. Check your accounts weekly – If you don't already, you need to get in the habit of checking the balances of all your financial accounts on a weekly basis. Waiting for monthly statements isn't good enough because by then your account could have been completely drained.

6. Check your credit report yearly – Every year, you should request free copies of your credit report and check them for any errors, such as credit cards or loans you never took out. If you find out now that someone is using your identity, you can start correcting the problem before you need to use your own credit.

7. Memorize PIN numbers and passwords – Never write down your PIN numbers or passwords. No place is a safe place to keep these important pieces of information. Keep them in your memory so no one can steal them. Also, make them more complicated than an ordinary word or your birthday. It shouldn't be easy for anyone to guess.

8. Keep only basic information on checks – Your checks should only include basic information about you, such as your name and address. Your social security number should never be printed on your checks. If it is, then you're basically handing over the keys to your identity to any thief who comes in contact with your check.

9. Eliminate unwanted credit card offers – Those credit card offers you throw away can be used by identity thieves. They simply have to complete the application and change the address to have a card sent to them in your name. You should shred them, but you can also call 1-888-567-8688 or visit optoutprescreen. com to opt-out of the credit card offer mailing list so you'll stop receiving them.

10. Carry only necessities – Never carry anything in your purse or wallet that isn't necessary, such as extra deposit slips, social security cards, birth certificates, etc. The more personal information your purse or wallet contains the more valuable it will be to an identity thief if it is lost or stolen.

Although we only promised ten steps, we're throwing in an extra one to help you protect yourself even further.

11. Go electronic – Bank statements, most bills, and many other documents can all be viewed electronically so you never have to worry about them being stolen out of your mailbox or your trash. Contact your financial institution, credit card companies, and utility providers about the availability of this option. As an extra bonus, many of these businesses offer incentives to individuals who sign up for these electronic programs.

These steps are only some of the ways you can protect yourself from identity thieves. For even more suggestions on reducing your risk or details on what to do if you've been an identity theft victim, you need to read Identity Theft: A Resource Guide from PCSecurityNews. com. The ebook is available at pcsecuritynews. com.

Bird flu how are americans going to catch it

Bird flu, which is the lay term for the H5N1 variety of avian influenza, started in Hong Kong in 1997. Since then it has spread to China, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Laos, Russia, Indonesia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Romania, England, Croatia, Macedonia, Kuwait, and most recently to Turkey.

The H5N1 virus has infected many species including ducks, chickens, turkeys, tree sparrows, peregrine falcons, great black-headed gulls, brown-headed gulls, gray herons, Canada geese, bar-headed geese, little egrets, pigs, clouded leopards, white tigers, mice, domestic cats, crows, magpies, peacocks, blue pheasants, rare eagles, turtledoves, swans, terns, and others.

Human infections have occurred in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Indonesia, and now Turkey. Almost all human infections have occurred by humans ingesting blood or insufficiently cooked meat from birds infected with the virus, or being in close contact with sick birds—children playing with sick or dead birds for example.

One recent case involved a person acquiring bird flu by coming into contact with a glove from a person culling (removing and killing) infected birds. There have been several instances where transmission of the H5N1 virus is thought to have occurred directly from human-to-human—parents taking care of their children who had the virus.

Transmission of the H5N1 (bird-flu) virus to humans to this point has, therefore—in the vast majority of cases—involved ingestion of, or being in close contact with, infected birds. As the virus continues to spread, via migratory birds from country-to-country, it could come to North American and the United States via this mechanism as well. If that were the case, then American’s could well be exposed to the virus through ingestion of, or close contact with, infected birds. This mode of transmission could also take place once the pandemic begins.

However, once the pandemic actually begins, by definition human-to-human transmission will be the primary mode of transmission. In other words, once the pandemic starts, those who become infected will most likely have gotten their infection from someone else—another human. And, given what we know about seasonal influenza and its transmission, it is most likely that children will be the biggest source of infection. Therefore, while we might have to worry about acquiring the virus from both wild and domestic birds, the much more important source of human infections will be each other.

Once the global pandemic starts, it will come to the United States through travelers from other countries where the pandemic has already begun—unless the pandemic actually starts in the United States—which is possible but unlikely.

Bradford Frank, M. D., M. P.H., M. B.A.

The Frank Group

P. O. Box 138

Lakewood, NY 14750

800-488-2353

AvoidBirdFlu. com

Where there s smoke there s flavor smoking foods on gas grills

Today's grillers are hungrier than ever for more flavorful foods, as evidenced by the steady increase in the sales of wood chips and wood chunks over the last several years (according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association).

"When you add particular kinds of wood smoke to your food, you are taking advantage of a technique that most people associate with charcoal. Actually, it's just about as easy to control wood smoke with a gas grill, and the results are fantastic," says Chef Jamie Purviance, author of "Weber's Real Grilling."

As one of the country's top grilling and barbecue experts, Purviance offers consumers useful tips when smoking meats, fish and vegetables on gas grills:

Choosing a Smoking Flavor. "The world of barbecue has its traditional pairings of certain woods with certain meats, like hickory with pork and mesquite with beef. Those traditions wouldn't last if they didn't taste great, but keep in mind that there are many flavors of wood and foods, other than pork and beef, that improve with a touch of smoke," says Purviance. Purviance suggests smoking with hardwoods provided they are sold dry and untreated. Avoid softwoods, like pine and fir, because they are too resinous for smoking.

According to Purviance, hardwood chips and chunks fall into three categories of flavor intensity: pungent (mesquite, hickory and pecan), moderate (oak, maple and alder) and mild (apple, cherry and pear). "Beef, lamb and pork handle the pungent woods really well," he adds. "For the moderate woods, I like fish, pork and poultry. It's amazing what a handful or two of oak chips can do for chicken pieces. Very quickly they pick up a deep wood-fired flavor without any bitterness. The mild woods have an even sweeter, fruitier quality, which works beautifully with chicken and also with vegetables."

Prepping the Wood. Not quite ready for grilling, wood chips should be soaked in water for at least 30 minutes; chunks need at least a one-hour soak. Soaking ensures that chips/chunks will smolder rather than simply burn. Thoroughly drain and loosely fill the gas grill's smoker box, such as the one featured on some Weber Summit® grills, and leave enough room for air to circulate.

On the Rocks. Even without a smoking attachment, you can still enjoy the diverse, rich flavors imparted by smoking. Simply place presoaked wood chips in a foil pan, cover with aluminum foil, and poke enough holes in the foil to allow the smoke to escape. Once the grill is preheated, place the foil pan directly on the bars or lava rocks over the lit burner. Place the cooking grates on top, turn the burners on high, and close the lid. Begin cooking when the grill is fully smoking.

Smoking Sense. Whenever smoking your foods, Purviance offers this last reminder: Meats and vegetables will taste best if the smoke is kept inside the grill. So don't peek too much. Keep the lid down when grilling with wood. And, for safety, always allow the wood to cool completely before disposing it.

The common cold children s leading source of discomfort

Our body is always prone to different infections, sickness, and illnesses that may harm our health. It is necessary for each person to take enough vitamins and minerals to increase our body's protection from harmful bacteria and viruses that cause illness. Vitamin supplements are usually given to children who need more protection against illnesses. A change in the weather, how they go about their outdoor playtime activities, and what they eat and drink affect chilren's state of health.

Among the many illnesses contracted by children, perhaps there is none more common that the common cold. The common cold is a highly contagious viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. It is one of the most common reasons why children visit doctors and become absent from school. From having headaches to sniffles and sneezes, to a sore throat and irritating cough, having this particular infection usually catches up with us or our children when our body's immune system is no longer able to stave off viral attacks.

The first few symptoms of a common cold are often felt in the throat, a symptom that is characterized by a somewhat tickling sensation. A runny or stuffy nose can also occur when dealing with the common cold, which also includes the annoying sneeze. Children with colds may also experience sore throat, cough, headache, mild fever, muscle aches, fatigue, and loss of appetite. A child that is sick with the common cold is likely to have a watery to thick yellow or green discharge from their nose.

How do we get the cold virus? Rhino viruses are invisible droplets in the air we breathe or on things we touch. This specific virus is the main cause of a common cold, and can penetrate through the protective lining of a child's nose and throat, provoking an immune system reaction which are really shown as cold symptoms. A common cold is most contagious during the first two to four days after symptoms appear, and can still be contagious for up to three weeks. Catching a cold is easy, since this can be done through contact with another person, or by breathing in virus particles that were spread in the air through sneezing or coughing. Touching the mouth or nose after touching another surface that is contaminated with the rhino virus can also spread the disease. The whole duration of this kind of infection depends on the treatment or the child himself. Common cold symptoms generally appear two or three days after exposure to the said infection. Most of the colds that we experience lasts for up to one week, but some clears up in as early as two weeks.

In order to prevent your children from getting this common infection, it is advisable to stay away from anyone who smokes or is currently having colds, since its virus particles can reach up to twelve feet when someones sneezes or coughs. After blowing their noses, it is good if children wash their hands thoroughly and frequently. It is also good to teach them how to cover their noses or mouths when coughing or sneezing to prevent the infection from spreading out. Since the virus from a common cold is contagious, it is better for people, especially the children, to not use or share towels, eating utensils, and drinking glass. As they always say, prevention is better than cure.

Evade the ebay scams

If you're doing business on eBay, you must know how to identify a scam, and how to evade them. If you are scammed, there are a number of actions you can take to correct the situation.

You can without doubt avoid many scams with the payment method that you use, whether you are a buyer or a seller. eBay owns Paypal, and in most cases, Paypal is the payment method you should use.

As a buyer, if you are scammed or less than satisfied with the item when it arrives, you can dispute the charge easily, and demand a refund. The seller must reply and show proof that the item was shipped, or Paypal will return your funds to your account.

As a seller, you can shield yourself by only accepting Paypal. This will remove the chances of receiving a bad check or having the buyer dispute a credit card charge. Instead, they must dispute the charge through PayPal, and you of course will be able to provide evidence that you shipped the product.

Another frequent scam that buyers use is the bidding scam. This type of scam is run either with two separate eBay accounts - with one person in control of both of them, or with two friends with separate eBay accounts. A very small bid is placed on your item, using one account. This is followed by a very high bid, from the other eBay account. Before the bidding ends, the high bid is cancelled or withdrawn, leaving the low bid as the winning bid.

If you are an eBay seller, you can further protect your auctions by placing a notice on your auctions page declaring that you have the right to back out of the sale if you suspect potential fraud.

Put your personal trainer in your pocket with itrain

Public Virtual fitness training is the new format – these courses are available for the public to register online. The new online-personal training service can be used as a primary contact with your personal

fitness trainer or as a supplement to your personal training package.

iTRAIN is a breakthrough, Web-based product that provides personalized audio fitness classes to consumers who want the benefits of

a personal trainer at an affordable price. Its customized workouts combine Hollywood personal trainers and music entertainment in one package.

It is a subscription-based program in which personalized workouts are downloaded to your MP3 player of choice.

iTrain is a revolutionary idea that's lending even more justification for the purchase of your MP3 player and giving you added punch every

time you step in the gym. The breakthrough is a welcomed (and cost-effective) new tool for attaining and maintaining a healthy fitness level,

providing engaging content and music.

The fundamental principle of optimum natural health and fitness is moderation and balance in allthings.

Health is a journey rather than a destination. Health and fitness are the basics for quality living. It is a personal

thing and a lot of people have a lot of issues that they're embarrassed about or are not comfortable sharing with others.

They are essential to high levels of human performance, regardless of the kind of performance involved.

It is known to reduce absenteeism, raise productivity, and increase employee safety practices and morale.

Healthy, fit people are less susceptible to depression or anxiety. They are also known as essential to happiness and longevity.

Health and fitness are not mutually inclusive although the one affects the other. Health risks arising

from obesity include heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, gall bladder disease, and prostate, colon and breast cancer.

Virtual Training is an e-mailbased, interactive training program designed to provide our busiest clients withthe expertise,

attention, and flexibility needed to achieve their health and fitness goals.

Put Your Personal Trainer in Your Pocket with iTRAIN. It is a new hot fitness tool that allows users to download workouts

onto any MP3 players. iTRAIN is the voice that won't let you give up. It was creates as a portable workout device to bring the world's

top trainers' voices to people everywhere. It is the premier source for downloadable workout programs.

“iTrain is great for people on the go: it’s a personal trainer

in your pocket for an entertaining workout anytime, anywhere,” said Fanny Morere, an iTrain spokesperson.

Unlike other programs on the market, iTrain includes all aspects of health and is under the supervision of

healthcare professionals and is designed for success.

Conclusion Itrain is really a unique concept, a great idea for the way we work, live and workout.

iTRAIN now has over 120 workouts in 10 difference categories, for people ranging from marathoners to first-timers.

Five scams you ll want to avoid

Many websites claim to offer home business opportunties. Some people do make money at home through online jobs, but many of these so-called opportunities are scams. How do you know the difference? Here are some tips for avoiding home business scams.

First, use some common sense. If you are looking because you're short on funds, it can be easy to talk yourself into believing the promises you will read online. Try to look at the offers objectively. Many scams try to convince you that you will become wealthy with little effort, and you might even see on the website that this is some "secret" for making money that is just now being revealed. Much later they reveal the cost for learning the secret. Before buying this kind of information, take a moment to wonder why it's being sold. If it's really that effective, the person selling it should be wealthy and not need to sell anything.

Second, don't get involved in a pyramid scheme. These are programs that pay you to recruit but don't really have a product to sell. You make money by getting other people to join the system. This only works for those who start the pyramid scheme, and is illegal in several states. Note that this is not the same as home party or similar plans where you get a percentage from what you sell in addition to a percentage from those you recruit.

Third, don't pay to stuff envelopes or make products. In fact, don't pay to work for anybody.

Forth, getting paid to do Survey's. While some companies may pay you, I have found that the majority do not. They offer a entery into a sweepstakes where "you could win" but in my experience the sweepstakes even has a catch as well where if you do win they want you to pay a registration fee of let's say $600.00 then you will get the "All inclusive trip for 2 to the Bahama's". Don't buy into it. There are way better things to waste your time on.

And lastly, anything with the word "Blaster" in it is a SCAM, unless you want your email filling up with spam don't do it. I had a campaign with Ad Blaster and I'm still unsubscribing to spammers.

Avoiding home business scams means avoiding anything that offers easy wealth. It also means avoiding paying to work for somebody. Don't expect anything online that makes no sense in the real world. Don't get scammed.

The real value of plasma tvs

You may be surprised at just how tuned in to TV many Americans really are. A recent survey found that not only do half of all Americans want a plasma television, but many of them will go to great lengths to get one. Here's a closer look:

She Said

Forget chocolate, it seems that women are craving their favorite shows in high definition. A third of women said they would give up chocolate for 12 months in exchange for a plasma television.

He Said

Forty percent of men surveyed said they would endure a 48-hour "chick flick" marathon, if it meant they would be rewarded with a plasma television. One-fifth of the men surveyed said they would give up all sports-related activities: watching, playing and reading about their favorite sports and athletic heroes.

So why are plasmas so popular? Experts say the TVs' crisp images, vibrant colors and sleek designs tend to appeal to both men and women. For instance, the Pioneer PureVision plasma television features technologies known as Deep Encased Cell Structure, Crystal Emissive Layer and PureDrive II. They help enhance brightness, create richer, deeper blacks and improve video processing. In short, they create a sharp, bright, accurate picture-something that both genders seem to appreciate.

If you plan to purchase a plasma anytime soon, Pioneer suggests taking the following factors into account:

Size

Forty - to 65-inch plasma displays are usually well-suited for viewing high-definition content in a primary home theater.

Brightness

Brightness should be consistent from different angles. Try to see the TV you are considering in a lighting environment similar to your home.

Sharpness

Lines and edges should be sharp and clean without trails. К Make sure the sharpness holds up in dark or fast-moving scenes.

Color

Colors should be true-to-life, not cartoonlike. You should see detail and subtle gradations in the color.

Details

You should be able to see picture details such as blades of grass, pens in shirt pockets and individual faces in a crowd.