Do you have the cheapest mortgage cover available

Mortgage cover - or mortgage payment protection insurance (MPPI) as it is usually sold - can make all the difference to you losing your home or keeping it if you find that through some reason such as becoming ill, unemployed or having an accident that you cannot work for a period of time. The cover would pay out usually for up to a period of 12-24 months which gives you enough time to get well or find another job and get back to work.

While the cover should be classed as essential it is only worthwhile taking if taken the right way. Good quality, cheap mortgage cover is available but you will typically have to go to an independent specialist adviser for the cover. You can a quote for mortgage payment protection cover from an independent online provider and compare it to the quote offered by your bank or lender. An independent provider can in most cases offer you cheaper premiums along with their expert advice on insurance products which means that you get the best deal available and a policy that is suited to your particular needs.

Mortgage payment protection insurance is usually offered alongside your mortgage when you take it out, but the high street lenders premiums are always sky high when compared to an independent provider. The high street lender uses many tactics to try and get you to take out the insurance alongside you mortgage and some will even try persuading you that the cover must be taken there and then or you cannot have the mortgage.

While some lenders will want you to have protection you should know that you can choose to go independently for your cover and it is not compulsory.

So if you want the cheapest mortgage cover that is available then forget the high street lender and instead go to an independent provider. Mortgage cover is confusing and, as the media regularly highlights, only a specialist can provide the best quality product for the cheapest premiums while answering any questions you may have regarding the product.

Boating rules and regulations - what you need to know to stay safe and out of trouble when you re on the water

Before you start looking through the boat classified ads for a new boat for sale or even a used boat for sale, so you can get out on the water as soon as possible, you should stop to consider getting familiar with the basic boating rules and regulations. These may affect the type of boat you buy and how you plan to use it. Although boating almost rhymes with partying, they are not one in the same. The number of registered boaters continues to rise each year and although the number of fatal accidents has seems to level off over the past few years, the amount of boating congestion and traffic hasn’t. Each year it seems as though there are more and more boaters on our inland waters and major gateways and your local county law enforcement is now consistently monitoring them for improper boating operation. Below are and the boating regulations below should help you to remember that. Below are some of the key boating rules and regulations you should be familiar with, if you prefer to stay out of the clink, so to speak.

Age requirements: Persons must have attained the age of 14-16 years to operate a motorboat with an engine size greater than 15 horsepower. Persons between the ages of 12-15 may operate a boat provided he or she is accompanied by an adult. This regulation varies from state to state, so check your local authority.

Boating in Restricted Areas - Restricted areas are normally marked with buoys, beacons or diver down flags. Be careful to check for restricted areas at your local DNR launch site or steer clear of marked areas.

Slow-No Wake Zone: Marked zones require that you operate your boat as to not create a wake.

Riding on Bow: It is illegal to ride on the bow, unless equipped with seating, or gunwale of a boat that is traveling at speeds greater than slow-no wake speed.

Improper Distance: It is illegal to operate a boat when traveling greater than slow-no wake speeds within 100 feet of a shoreline in water less than 3 feet deep, any moored or anchored vessel, any dock or raft, a marked swimming area. Personal water crafts must stay at least 200 feet from any Great Lakes shore and not cross within 150 feet of another vessel.

Failure to Regulate Speed: It is illegal to operate a boat at speeds that could cause danger to property or life or speeds that make it impossible for you to safely manage your vessel including;

 speeds greater than 55mph on small inland lakes

 faster than reasonable speeds in severe conditions

 speeds greater than slow-no wake speeds with persons riding on bow

Reckless Operation: Includes operation your vessel that endangers the safety of others or the property of others. For example; weaving your boat through congested waterways, jumping the wake of another boat, driving close to another vessel with restricted visibility, chasing or harassing wildlife or causing damage from the wake of your boat.

Pulling Skiers: Towing skiers must only be done during daylight hours. That means from dawn until dusk. It is unlawful to pull skiers from sunset to sunrise. Boats towing skiers must be equipped with a wide angle rearview mirror or have another person on board, 12 years or older, to observe the skier.

PWC (Personal Watercraft) - Operation and Regulations: applies to Jet Skis and other types of watercraft that the user sits on or stands on as opposed to sits in.

 each occupant must wear a life preserver or life jacket

 if equipped with a kill switch – cord must be attached to the driver

 inflatable life jackets are not acceptable or approved for PWC’s

 can only be operated during daytime hours and cannot be used from sunset to sunrise

 must maintain at least 50 foot distance from other objects including boats, shore, docks, swimmers unless moving at no-wake speed

 jumping the wake of another vessel or driving excessively close is unlawful

 it is unlawful to operate the vessel in a designated area for bathing, fishing, swimming or in a restricted area

 operated the vessel while intoxicated (blood alcohol content of 0.08 or higher)

 it is unlawful to operate the vessel within 50’ of a diver down flag

Note: there are additional requirements and regulations for PWC – personal watercraft. (Jet skis, etc.) See your local state DNR, Secretary of State for applicable rules and regulations.

Alcohol and Drugs: In some states, alcohol is involved in as much as 25% of boating accidents. It is illegal to operate your boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It is also illegal for the owner of a boat to allow another person who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs to operate their boat. In most states, if you have a blood alcohol level in excess of 0.1 % you are guilty of a misdemeanor. In some states it’s 0.08%. If you’re BAL is 0.07%, your local Sheriffs deputy can apply other tests to determine if you are under the influence.

Your blood alcohol level is dependent on your weight, your metabolism and how much food is in your stomach. Heavier persons or persons that have recently eaten will have a higher tolerance to the effect of alcohol.

Blood Alcohol levels - FOR REFERENCE ONLY

For a medium size adult male weighing approximately 175lbs his blood alcohol level will be as follows;

1 drink in Ѕ hour - .016

2 drinks in 1 hour - .032

3 drinks in 1.5 hours - .048

4 drinks in 2 hours - .064

5 drinks in 2.5 hours - .08

6 drinks in 3.5 hours - .096

For a large size adult male weighing approximately 225 lbs;

1 drink in Ѕ hour - .01

2 drinks in 1 hour - .02

3 drinks in 1.5 hours - .03

4 drinks in 2 hours - .045

5 drinks in 2.5 hours - .06

6 drinks in 3.5 hours - .067

Blood Alcohol Levels and How it Feels Physically:

.02 – relaxed feeling

.05 – less alert and physical coordination and impairment starts

.07 – legally intoxicated in many states

According to this reference data, it’s clear that a few drinks over a period of a few hours maybe enjoyed and managed, but 4 or more drinks regardless of your size puts you and others at risk. So as they say on TV – don’t drink and drive and if you choose to drink – do so responsibly.

Exercises you can do in your chair

It is possible to exercise without moving from your chair, and these types of exercises can be ideal for seniors or people who are otherwise restricted in the methods they can use to keep in shape. Here are some ideas for exercise while you sit and watch TV or even if you just feel like sitting down and at the same time giving your muscles a workout.

There are several exercise you can do that involve using the rotational abilities of your body parts only. To strengthen your back, try pelvic tilts. These can be achieved by pressing backwards, towards the back of your chair, with your pelvic area. When your lower back is pressed against the back of the chair, release the pressure and return to the normal sitting position. Do this continuously for about ten or twenty repetitions.

There are some very simple exercises you can do while sitting down for the upper parts of your body. Try doing shoulder shrugs (raising your shoulders up towards your neck and back down) and circles (moving your shoulders in a circular motion several times). These exercises should also be repeated in sets, combined with some head rolls (moving your head in a circular motion) to strengthen your neck. You can also tilt your head from side to side to stretch out the neck muscles.

The hands can also be exercised through stretching, both of the fingers and by moving your wrists in circles to stretch them out. Finger flexing is also a useful exercise, and fingers can be stretched by putting one hand over the fingers of the other, and pressing back slightly until pressure is felt. Do not crack your knuckles. To exercise chest muscles, try interlocking your hands behind your back and pushing slightly upwards.

When it comes to your lower body, you can exercise your legs by stretching them out in front of you as well as raising them out one at a time. Ankle pumps, raising your feet up to the tiptoes and then back down, are also useful exercises.

There are also exercises you can do in your chair by using light weights and other devices designed for smaller workouts. This equipment is designed to enhance your strength, so make sure to use some of the stretching exercises first in order to get your muscles warmed up to the task.

Small weights or weighted balls can be raised gently in the hands in a variety of ways. You can try curls that are good for your biceps, and even flies to strengthen your shoulder muscles. Just holding the weight out in front of you is a good exercise to strengthen both your muscles and your stamina.

Weights with straps can be purchased for exercises that will strengthen your leg muscles - just strap the weights onto your ankles and do any of the stretching exercises mentioned above.

Other exercise equipment can be used, such as the much favored Bow Flex and other elastic materials that are designed to put some stress on muscle groups. You can use your chair both to maintain your current condition and to strengthen your body!

Lions clubs encourage early childhood vision screenings

Health screenings are a traditional part of the back-to - school season throughout the country. Eye screenings in particular are important for children entering school for the first time, since vision and learning are inextricably linked.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, vision problems affect one in every 20 preschoolers and one in four school-aged children. Unfortunately, most children do not receive proper eye screenings prior to entering school. Studies show that only about 20 percent of preschool children have their vision screened through government or private programs.

Photoscreening is a screening method that uses a camera to photograph a child's eye. It can detect conditions such as lazy eye, farsightedness and nearsightedness, cataracts and misalignment of the eyes.

More than 430,000 pre-literate children in the U. S. between the ages of 6 months and 5 years have been photoscreened for such vision problems through their local Lions clubs. Nearly 26,500 of them have been referred for treatment.

These photoscreenings, which are done by trained volunteers, are a cost-effective way to identify vision problems in children and have been shown to be 85 percent to 90 percent accurate.

Vision disorders are the fourth most common disability among children in the U. S. The earlier children are screened, the better the chance of preventing permanent vision loss.

A child might be exhibiting signs of a vision problem if he or she:

* rubs his or her eyes often;

* has trouble focusing;

* blinks more than usual;

* squints when focusing on

distant objects;

* frowns excessively;

* stumbles over small objects;

* is sensitive to light;

* has inflamed or watery eyes.

If you notice any of these signs in your child, contact your doctor or check with your child's school or your local Lions club for screenings in your area.

Lions Clubs International - recognized worldwide for its service to the blind and visually impaired - also dedicates itself to helping those less fortunate in communities around the world.

Foreign nationals snap up philippine apart-hotel or condotel investments

Beth Collingz, director of PLC International Marketing Networks, said her company had been very busy catering to buyers from the United Kingdom and Australia who were interested in investment properties as well as holiday homes here.

A lot of this interest is being driven by the relatively cheap market prices here compared to Europe especially UK housing prices and the easy payment options available for condominium hotel developments Collingz said. She added that offshore property investors, foreign baby boomers as well as overseas Filipinos were looking for ways to maximize their return on investments as they approach retirement.

And so they are purchasing second homes, particularly condotels, where they use the condo for vacations and rent it out when they are not using the unit said Collingz, who runs the internet based PLC Global Pinoy marketing network. The buyers gain rental incomes that on today’s purchase prices give a projected ROI of some 8 percent to 16 percent depending on the mode of payment for the unit she said.

Collingz’s firm is in partnership with Pacific Concord Properties, Inc., which has market ready projects in Metro Manila and Cebu under the brand Lancaster Suites, with more being built in other locations. Condotels are gaining a following because, in Pacific Concord’s case, the owners can make the condos available for short-term rentals when they are away.

At least 85 percent of PLC Global Pinoy’s condotel sales in the Philippines were to international clients. While such a level of foreign purchasing activity is not as high in the Philippine provinces, Cebu in particular, has seen a sharp increase in real estate purchases by international buyers in the past several years she said. Foreign buyers were aware that it was a buyer’s market in the Philippines right now with many properties available and fewer local buyers continued Collingz.

Wood floors contribute to better air quality

Allergy season is in full swing and an estimated 35 million Americans suffer from health problems as a result of allergens. In fact, statistics from the Allergy Consumer Review show that allergens account for 10 million missed workdays each year.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air quality is one of America's top environmental issues, with pollutants such as chemicals, mold, dust, dander and pollen contributing to various ailments.

To help cut down on allergens caused by poor indoor air quality, many experts suggest adding wood flooring to a new or existing home. Wood floors contribute to better air quality because they don't collect the dust and dirt that are often embedded in carpet. As an added benefit, a new wood floor can last three to six times longer than carpeting.

Further, carpet can hide the harmful bacteria, mold spores and pet dander that researchers say could be responsible for the increase in asthma cases in the U. S.

"Over the years, we've seen a number of allergy and asthma cases attributed to poor air quality in people's homes," said Dr. Neil Schachter, professor of pulmonary medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

A recent EPA study also found that hardwood floors greatly reduce the accumulation of toxins. To help improve indoor air quality, Schachter offers these simple tips from his book, "Life and Breath."

* Check your air conditioner. Check the ducts in your central air-conditioning unit once a month to remove extra water that may have accumulated.

* Inspect your walls. Wallpaper is a potent food for dust mites and mold, both of which can grow behind the wallpaper. Use flat, washable paint instead.

* Avoid carpet in the bedroom. It is estimated that the average bed contains 10,000 dust mites, which usually burrow deep into carpets.

"Wood floors are not only beautiful, they're also renewable and extremely durable," said Kelly McCloskey, president and chief executive officer of the Wood Promotion Network. "And by installing wood floors in their homes, consumers send a signal to the industry to plant more trees, resulting in more forestland."

Flashlight buying guide

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Gone are the days when buying a flashlight meant one would automatically seek out Maglite. Whilst recognising the impact and unprecedented success of the Maglite design, LED, HID (High Intensity Discharge) and Xenon technology along with ultra strong casing materials means that the flashlight has evolved to a state where the more powerful the beam does not necessarily mean the larger the flashlight.

When seeking out high performance, reasonably priced lighting tools it is easy to become swamped by the amount of brands on the market. Flashlight technology at the beginning of the 21st century offers a baffling variation of bulb type, body material, body size, power source and price range. This guide is a brief overview of the salient points worth consideration when buying any quality flashlight.

In the same way that feet measure length so lumens measure brightness. The higher the Lumen count the brighter and further the beam will show. Occasionally you may find brightness levels measured in Candlepower or Candelas, this describes a unit of light at source. One Candlepower/Candela is equal to 12.57 Lumens.

Perhaps the most significant breakthrough in lighting technology was the L. E.D. (Light Emitting Diode). The L. E.D. produces light on a molecular level as distinct from a normal bulb, which heats a filament therefore using more energy to produce less light. As a result an L. E.D. will last a lifetime and dramatically lengthen the life of a battery. They do, however, vary in purity. Like diamonds, at the point of production some produce clean white light whereas others have a very slight blue, violet or green tint.

Xenon Lights produce a broad spectrum of light (including infrared) and can be made to have a high maximum lumen output by the inclusion of Xenon gas in the bulb thus enabling light to be produced at a higher pressure, but they are comparatively less efficient users of power. H. I.D technology (High Intensity Discharge) uses a Xenon bulb slightly differently with the addition of a tubular outer bulb and an inner arc tube with a cerium-doped quartz partition in the bulb to block out most ultraviolet. HID torches have lumen output of approximately 500-1000. Lighting technology could be described as a battle between light and heat, as the energy to produce the heat detracts from that which produces the light. The undoubted master is the LED. It makes light without the need to heat a filament, thus lengthening bulb and battery life. However the power from a Xenon bulb can be astoundingly bright yet harder on the batteries.

Casing material has progressed so far as to be almost indestructible if dropped and virtually water resistant in very wet conditions. A good, quality flashlight will invariably have an Aerospace grade aluminium body and a rugged construction and design.

Manufacturers vary in quality and specialism. Surefire have a quality range of Xenon and LEDs with a comprehensive range of accessories. Ledwave produce excellent, powerful and reasonably priced LED and Xenon lights. Nextorch can boast the extraordinary Saint, capable of producing a massive 450 lumens, plus a range of ingeniously, versatile LED, Xenon and rechargeable torches.

Navigating the labyrinth of flashlight production is tricky and ultimately dependant on what job will be asked of it. Lumen output to size ratio, tough hardwearing casing material and bulb / battery life are essential elements to take into consideration when choosing a lighting tool to last and perform over time.

Hello from chicago - part 3 - multiple austrian connections

Chicago, Screenz Internet Cafe, Saturday, October 21, 2005, 10:25 am

So the two of us expatriate Austrians are staying at the Arlington House Hostel, in itself an exciting experience, to be immersed in this environment of young (and older) travellers from all over the world.

We got going early again this morning, at about 7 am. In the shower room Linda and I were talking and joking to each other in our Austrian dialect, all of a sudden a woman in her mid to late forties said, in German, "Am I hearing Austrian being spoken around here?"

It turns out that she is currently in Chicago with her 22 year old daughter who is working as a nanny in Boston. The two ladies got away for the weekend to Chicago. Linda and I said how astounding it was to run into someone from Austria during our trip to Chicago.

Well, it was time to get breakfast so we headed east to Clark Street, one of the main restaurant areas in Lincoln Park. We strolled northwards and bumped into a bakery / restaurant called "Austrian Bakery" which was open at this early hour. Of course we went inside and we saw a whole assortment of beautiful baked goodies, a variety of breads and rolls, and a glass display case full of cakes and pastries.

One thing that Austrian cuisine has is great pastry and great breads. As a matter of fact, Austria's loaves of rye bread, with their crispy crust, can hardly be found anywhere else, even in Toronto, where you can generally find foods from all over the world. You really have to go to a very specialized bakery that will make these types of loaves from scratch.

Well, this place had them, and talking to the owner we found out that he hails from the same province as Linda and me: "Steiermark" or "Styria" (in English), whose capital is Graz, Austria's second largest city. The young man who owned the bakery had completed his apprenticeship in Graz, and both Linda and I had gone to university in the same city. What a coincidence.....

We enjoyed a beautiful breakfast with different types of breads and sweets, and then we were approached by a young lady sitting at a table next to us who asked us in German if we were from Austria. Of course we confirmed and she indicated that she was from Salzburg and was currently studying medicine in Michigan.

So within about an hour and a half we had met 3 Austrians from 3 different Austrian provinces in Chicago. I sometimes go years in Toronto before I run into anybody from my home country, so this Austrian connection was definitely surprising.....

Well, it's a cool, grey and rainy day, but we decided we would defy the weather and made plans to head to another one of Chicago's interesting neighbourhoods: the Pullman Historic District.

Bbq grilling versus smoking - the great debate

We all have heard about barbecuing, but we are unaware of the real tricks in it. Barbecuing is also a form of art. To a person who is new to this art may get confused, because cooking meat in an open fire is a really tricky method. In order to get a really good and delicious bbq dish, one must have a lot of patience. Barbecuing can be done in two methods: through grilling and smoking. Grilling is the quickest method of cooking meat over a direct source of dry heat, whereas, smoking is a slow process, where the food is kept at a particular distance from the fire. Now let us take the two separately, to know the real processing.

BBQ Grilling

Grilling is of two types: direct and indirect. But before going into the details, let me tell you that there are three varieties of grills: charcoal grill, gas grill and electric grill. Charcoal grills are relatively inexpensive when compared to the other two. Now we'll go back to the types of cooking. Direct method is a high heat method and is used for cooking relatively small pieces of food. Steaks, chops, chicken breasts, etc are some of the typical foods that can be grilled directly. In indirect method, as the name suggests, the food is kept to the side of the heat source. It is somewhat like baking a cake or such type of foods. Now we will move on to smoking.

BBQ Smoking

Smoking is the finest way to cook food, even though it takes time. If grilling is best for cooking smaller pieces, smoking is best for cooking larger pieces. Roasts, ham, ribs, brisket, etc are some of the foods that can be smoked. One must maintain a steady temperature, to come up with a deliciously smoked food. The normal, suited temperature for smoking is between 200-225 degrees. If you cook the meat until it's 165 degrees in the middle, it would make the meat more tastier, as the smoke flavour gets deep into it. For basic bbq smoking, you can use the regular grill. The only thing that one must be aware while smoking is, the selection of right type of wood. Because, each wood is different in its own way. So we have to experiment with all sorts of wood to find out which one is the best. Smokers may vary in shapes and sizes. There are smokers running in gas and charcoal. But the heat coming from any type of smoker is a cooler one, which is why it takes a lot of time to smoke.

Now to end with it, barbecuing has to undergo one more process, that's topping it with sauce. In fact it is the topmost ingredient, which one can't omit while barbecuing. Types of sauce varies according to the region. If vinegar-base sauce is typical in Southern United States, tomato-base sauce is typical in Western United States. The best time to apply sauce is during the last stage of cooking. ie, when you are sure that the meat is well cooked, because, sugar is one of the main ingredients in barbecue sauces and it tends to burn easily. So you must cook the meat before you burn the sugar.

The sleep-blood pressure connection

Sleep is more important than most people would assume. It somehow rejuvenates the body, relaxes various internal systems, and helps the brain from going into a gradual state of self-destruction. A lack of sleep can bring side effects that range from the annoying and mundane, such as feeling a little light-headed, or the very risky, like a loss of alertness while driving. Mental health and physical well-being alike are both subject to some serious damage if someone regularly lacks sleep, with the effects often being readily apparent. However, some recent findings indicate that women may be risking more by not sleeping than men do.

Blood pressure levels, according to a recent British study, showed a sharp increase if a person regularly has less than adequate sleep. The cause of the lack of sleep, whether insomnia or stress, did not seem to bear much importance. However, a regular lack of sleep showed a sharper increase in blood pressure for women than for men. According to the study, a 42% increase in overall risk of increased blood pressure was found for the women who participated in the study, in comparison to the men, who only increased their risk by 31%. These findings were reportedly unexpected, though there are no indications as to what actually caused this result.

Further research is needed to find out what other potential factors contributed to the results. There are some doubts on whether or not the results should hold any veracity, particularly as there was no clear link between sleep deprivation and blood pressure in men. However, preliminary data from the research showed that there was one for the women in the test. The exact reasons for this is still unknown, though this has been taken as being suggestive of a gender-specific link between blood pressure and the hours of sleep a person gets. According to the reports, the subjects used for the research had no history of blood pressure problems and were assessed over a three-year period, from 1997 to 1995. The study was repeated with the many of the same participants from the first test, with the time frame being 2003 to 2005. The results showed a disparity in the average levels from the first group and second group, but the gap between the males and females that developed higher blood pressure remained.

The researchers took into account that there were other factors that had not been fully investigated at the time. These include lifestyle, obesity, smoking, and genetics. Any of the above factors could have had a role in the results, though no one is entirely sure just how the lack of sleep played into the interactions, or it if was even a factor at all. The fact that there appeared to be a gender disparity between the results might also be difficult to truly remove, though there is currently no concrete basis for this assumption. It is worth noting that the same factors that could have contributed to the increased heart rate in the female test subjects were also present in the males, yet the difference between the two was far from negligible.

How to communicate better with body language secrets

"I don't let my mouth say nothin' my head can't stand." Louis Armstrong

Since the 1970’s, learning how to communicate better has had a lot to do with understanding body language.

Julius Fast wrote a book entitled, Body Language in 1970. He talked about a new science called Kinesics. It opened the way to more studies and books on the subjects. Today, the term Body Language is very common and understood as an important element of communication.

In fact, experts in the field of communication suggest that there is a rule that says that 7% of the meaning of what a person is saying comes from their words.

Interestingly, 38% is based on the tone of their voice. 55% of the meaning comes from the body language of the person that is speaking. This rule comes from research that was published in the late 1960’s.

Some now think that the percentages from this research might be slightly different. Nevertheless, the bottom line is still the same. If you don’t know the basics of body language, you are missing a valuable tool for learning how to communicate better. We speak body language on a subliminal level, without actually realizing that we are communicating through body talk.

1. Face

The most expressive part of your body is your face. When you enter a room if you feel nervous, your expression might make you look aloof or unfriendly.

Smiling at the room is a sure-fire way to remove anyone’s doubts about your approachability. Smiling makes us look warm, open and confident.

2. Eyes

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. They certainly give people clues about what we are feeling.

A direct gaze towards someone can show interest - direct staring on the other hand can mean an intense dislike. Very little eye contact can show that you are shy.

3. Hands

Have you ever watched someone’s hand gestures when they are talking? Open hand gestures tend to make a person appear open and honest. Bringing hands together to a point can accent the point you are making.

Wringing your hands or excessively moving your fingers and hands will give away nervousness. It can even make someone look dishonest - are they trying to hide something?

4. Posture

If you lean towards someone you are showing an interest in that person. If we are feeling low in confidence, we tend to slouch our shoulders and look down.

Men and women use different body language. For instance, women will stand close to each other, hold eye contact with the person they are talking to and use gestures.

Men make little effort to maintain eye contact and don’t rely on the use of gestures to communicate. Men and women can learn how to communicate better by observing the differences in their use of body language.

Consolidate your credit card debt

Consolidating your accept find debt is without reservation one of the smartest adjustment you could unusually make. Credit single out consolidation is exquisite for anyone who is looking to have better credit now, and in the future. Consolidation is very common these days, and it is actually a sure way to combine your debt and make sure that you never get yourself too far in credit card debt.

Even though professional are various reasons why to consolidate your debt, one of the more fitting reasons is to seal a sharpened rate. If ace is a program to get lower rates on a current consolidation, then you? ll have no reason to consolidate your debt. Anytime you are able to consolidate your debt and save yourself a bit of money - you should never hesitate to do so.

Consolidating your conjecture tag debt entrust also conserve you a company of rule as well. If you have managed to get yourself in debt, chances are that you owe a lot of money on your credit card, or possibly several different credit cards. Consolidation will put everything into one bill, making it easier for you to pay. Paying just one bill can help you save a lot of time, as well as prevent stress.

Although consolidation commit station your believe tab payments into one bill, you should never gain it for that take up alone. The last thing you want, is to pay more money to avoid getting more than one bill a month. Credit card debt consolidation is a wise investment though, as it may give you lower monthly payments over an extended period of time. It will also close out other accounts as well, which could help you to improve your credit.

If you are looking to consolidate your accept make out debt, you shouldn't hesitate to contract

the professionals succor you. There are a gang of companies and banks that specialize in consolidation, and would be further than willing to help you. Before you make your decision though, you should always research your options available and find the best one for your needs. You should also make sure that there are no hidden fees or other problems as well. If you take the time to research, you? ll save a lot of money in the future at besthostbest. com

A clump of human race who aspect to surmise analyze debt consolidation, let their conjecture cards get the best of them. A credit card can be great to have, although it can be easy to abuse as well. If you aren't careful in your spending, you can rack up debt before you know it. Once you get yourself in credit card debt, it can be really hard and very stressful to get out of it. Normally, it will take you months and possibly even years to get out of debt.

If you? ve prepared the understanding to character to believe spot debt consolidation, the first jungle to do is to look at your debt, and see exactly how much you owe. If you know what you owe and who all you owe it to, it will be much easier to contact the professionals and get them to help you. When you contact them to help you, you shouldn't be afraid to ask them any questions, as you should always be looking for the best deal possible. Although credit card debt consolidation is a great thing, you should always do yourself a favor and wait until you find the best deal possible.

The best facial care regimen for beautiful skin

Taking great care of your facial skin is easy once you establish the right routine, and sticking to a regular cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing schedule can help you achieve a flawless, smooth complexion that glows with health. Every person’s skin is unique, so developing your facial care regimen will be likely to require some trial and error. Knowing thoroughly what different kinds of products do, and what your skin type needs, can help you create the ultimate skin care plan custom designed for your individual complexion.

The first thing to consider when choosing skin care products and coming up with your treatment plan is your skin type. If you often notice flaking, find your skin is easily irritated, or feel that you are prone to premature wrinkles, you probably have a dry skin type. If you are vulnerable to acne and blemishes, or find that you constantly need to powder your nose to keep shine at bay, you have an oily skin type. If, like many people, you have pimples and grease in some areas and irritation and flaking in others, you have combination skin, which usually requires the most individualized care.

Keep your skin type in mind when buying the four products that will make up your skin care routine. You will need a cleanser to use twice daily, an exfoliant to use a few times per week, a moisturizer to use as needed, and one intensive treatment for weekly use. The cleanser should wipe away dirt, makeup, and excess oil, and will keep your pores free of clogs. The exfoliant will slough away dead skin cells that can cloud your visage, and exfoliating will help keep your skin looking youthful and vibrant. The moisturizer will tackle dryness, redness, and irritation so that you can maintain a silky smooth texture and a fresh, dewy look. The intensive treatment should be a commercially available or homemade mask that will tackle your biggest skin problem.

For your cleanser, look for a product free from alcohol or other potentially drying agents, and choose the gentlest product possible. It should be strong enough to cut through excess grease, but not so strong that it strips your face of the natural oils that keep it resilient. Your exfoliant should be especially designed for facial skin, the most delicate skin on the body, so don’t try to make your body scrub do double duty on your face. The moisturizer you pick must be non-comedogenic to keep your complexion clear, and should be water based for maximum effectiveness. Use your moisturizer only when you notice redness or dryness. For people with dry skin this may mean applying a thin layer after every cleansing, but for others it might mean occasional spot treatments. Use a mask treatment once a week for a luxurious, deeply penetrating solution to your skin problems. You can find a mask recipe or premixed product for any issue under the sun, so whether your dominant skin trouble is acne, dryness, or visible wrinkles, or if your skin is in great shape but could use an infusion of nutrients, you will be able to find a treatment ideal for your skin.

Seo can be rocket science

Over the past week, there has been a lot of discussion about the “SEO is/isn’t rocket science” debate. Although this issue has been around for years, the spark that brought it back to life can be traced back to the Search Engine Strategies Conference and Expo in Chicago. During the Search Engines Strategies Conference in Chicago, which took place from December 4th through the 6th, Jason Calcanis (the cofounder of Weblogs Inc) completely wrote search engine optimization off as a complete waste of money and resources. His philosophy is that if you build a clean page and great content, the traffic and rankings will follow naturally.

This statement caused quite a stir among not only the audience (which was primarily made up of a bunch of SEOs) but also the search engine optimization community as a whole. Angry blog posts were flying up left and right, and there was not a lack of great discussion on both sides of the issue.

At the beginning of January, Shoemoney made the statement on his radio show and blog that ninety-five percent of search engine optimization is “super simple” and the other five percent is what really matters in the world of SEO.

After all this various discussion, Todd Friesen (aka Oilman) decided to write an excellent blog post to address all of these various issues. Although he does not update his blog very often, the posts he does write are always well thought out. This particular post helped to give the SEO community some perspective on this issue. Even though ninety-five percent of search engine optimization may be extremely easy for someone who does it on a daily basis, it is still a complete mystery to ninety-nine percent of the population. The purpose of his post can be summed up by the idea that instead of spending time arguing within the SEO community, we need to realize that there is an entire world full of people who probably don’t even know what the term SEO means.

Bankruptcy isnt your only option

Don't rush into bankruptcy if your business debts are starting to rack up. Even if it looks like you will never be profitable, don't throw in the towel yet.

1. The Temptation To Quit Will Be Greatest Right Before You Suceed

If youve been bending over backwards trying to make your business work, then you haven't failed. You haven't really failed until you give up. Ironically, many businesses innovations come during periods of tension.

2. Don't End Up Being The Captain That Goes Down with His Ship

Unless you have unlimited liability, such as a sole proprietership that is unincorporated, don't worry. Even if your business fails horribly, customers can't delve into your own personal belongings to pay for debts owed. The exception here is a partnership, and this is why some Enron employees that were completely not related to the fiasco ended up losing everything - they were legally a partner in the business.

3. Don't Let The World Know

No, it's not dishonest. Informing each and every customer about why your business isn't doing as well as it used to is a bad idea. They will immediately run, or think of running. Try to make it look like everything is fine - business as usual.

4. What To Do When Creditors Come After You

If you have creditors knocking at your door, chances are youve let things fall for quite some time. You might want to voluntariliy put yourself into an agreement with them before you declare bankruptcy. You can negotiate your debts down to a lower level using bankruptcy as a threat to them - after all, if you go bankrupt, they get nothing.

5. This Is Your Last Resort

Bankruptcy is a lot like suicide - it's the absolute last resort. Having had a bankrupt company stays with you for a long time in everything you do - your credit rating, your employment history, and even just in the way you think of yourself day-to-day. It's better to have everything wrestled from your hands than to give it up without a fight.

Three ways to harness your emotions to raise your credit score

Many people think that credit scores are only about managing money and debt well. But more and more people are starting to realize the importance of harnessing their emotions in order to control their money and eventually to raise their credit score. In fact, in recent years there has been an awareness on the link between our emotions and our money – that is, how our financial health is affected by our emotions.

If you want to repair your credit you should not only deal with the numerical side of things. You must also be emotionally intelligent enough to manage your finances which in turn will help raise your credit score. Here are three important suggestions to consider.

1. Don’t make excuses on your past money mistakes.

If something happened that contributed to a low credit score which needs an explanation, such as a case of ID theft, you must explain it on an explanatory note in your credit report. But lenders do not want to hear every excuse you have that caused you to have a low credit score. Instead of wallowing in self-pity and explaining in the smallest details every personal and financial crisis you had that made your credits core decrease, put your focus and energy on the here and now to improve your credit rating. Lenders will see you are a responsible debtor if you set your focus on the present and not on the past mistakes.

2. Remember that your credit score is just an important 3-digit number.

Many debtors can’t help feeling depressed, angry or frustrated when they have a low credit score, can’t but a house, a car, and are having a miserable financial life as a result. But being in a constant negative state will not help you if you want to raise your credit score. It is easier said than done, but if you want to raise your credit score, you should keep in mind that it takes time. But the good news is, you have today to start improving your credit score and each action you take can contribute to that. And before you know it, all the little and big things you did will accumulate that it will not look as dire as it seems years from now. always be aware of your emotions and remind yourself that your credit score is just a number that does not exactly tell you how good or bad you are with money, but only shows how well lenders think you repay your debt. But if you are severely depressed, do not keep it to yourself anymore and seek help. a credit problem is a fixable solution that takes time before you see the results. Do not add more problems to it by turning it into an emotional burden.

3. Record how you respond to your debt and money and work on those responses.

Many of us see money as a source of security or a marker of success, or something that makes us happy, which leads to more debt. If we spend on things that we like because they make us happy even if we don’t need them or even if we overspend, we will face large debt for sure. Financial experts advise keeping a money journals where you keep your money fears, hopes, and how you spend it each day. If you keep track of where you spend your money you will be more aware of what makes you want to buy and if you want to raise your credit score you will stay away from those occasions where you tend to overspend.

These three main pointers are really important to remember and practice if you want to raise your credit score. If you want to know more important pointers you can visit our website now.

Raising your credit score should not be dealt with only on the numerical side. If you want to raise your credit score, be aware of what makes you want to spend, how you respond to money, be professional in dealing with lenders and learn from past mistakes.

Going from the pinch collar to the soft-collar

[Adam's replies denoted by '>>' within original question]

Dear Adam:

My pup is a 8 month-old male Labrador.

I have read your "Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer." I have also just finished 8 private lessons with a trainer using the pinch collar. My question is: With the pinch collar on the lab works well; put a soft collar he won't work the same; if fact, he won't even go in a down sometimes. So I didn't really teach this dog anything; only that he feared a correction with a "pinch." What's your opinions, and I'm sure you've got them.

First, there should be NO FEAR associated with the pinch collar. I'm assuming that you've misunderstood some of the basic concepts or you just described it peculiarly in your e-mail.

As for your question, here's what you're missing: CONDITIONING YOUR DOG TO THE BEHAVIOR. So far, all you've done is taught your dog to UNDERSTAND the behavior. But you have not turned the behavior into a CONDITIONED RESPONSE. This is why - in my book - I advise you to give the COMMAND-CORRECTION-PRAISE (enforcing the behavior every time you give the command) for the first couple of months. ESPECIALLY if the dog is less than a year old.

DO NOT SWITCH TO THE SOFT COLLAR BEFORE THE DOG IS CONDITIONED. You will be undoing your progress and teaching the dog to be collar smart. (Please review the section in the book about not teaching your dog to be collar smart).

P. S. I thought your book was really good and have toyed with the idea of putting another $100 bucks for the videos. I do though disagree with your opinion on dog parks. I love taking my pup to the dog park and he loves going. Its a great way in the evening to get all the excess energy out and see them collapse for the night. It doesn't seem to have anything to do with socialization, its just plain fun for them.

Karen

Junk food is fun, too. So is unprotected sex. And lawn darts. And small cars made by Koreans. And smoking dope in your mother-in-law's bathtub. And wearing a yarmulke to your neighbor's weekly Klan meeting. And going into a gift shop and asking THEM for your gift. (Alright, so I'm not only a JERK but I'm also a SICK JERK)

That's all for now, folks!

Adam

Dogproblems. com

Four steps toward the raise or promotion you deserve

Most everyone has been in the situation at one time or another in their lives. Working hard, doing what is expected of them, and seemingly being passed over when it comes to raises and promotions. It may cause feelings of resentment and the desire to seek out a new place of employment as soon as possible. It some cases, this may be unavoidable. You may work for someone who simply doesn’t know how to run their business and doesn’t know the value of good employees. In many cases, however, there are subtle things you can do as an employee to make sure your work is rewarded.

Step #1: Go beyond the expected

If you go to work every day with the attitude that you will do everything that is expected of your job requirements, there is a decent chance you will never get a raise or a promotion. In order to stand out in a manager or employer’s mind, you have to go above and beyond your required duties. If there is a job you want to move to, begin learning the job. Ask questions. Show an interest in the company beyond the limitations of your particular job.

Step #2: Attitude

If everyone you work with has a sour attitude about their place of employment, it can become easy to fall into this way of thinking. Avoid it. It may help you to “fit in” with your friends at the workplace, but it will do nothing to improve your position in the company. Instead, try to be the person who lifts spirits. Complete your work with a positive attitude and it will show.

Step #3: Volunteer

This step is especially important and goes hand in hand with the first step. Every job presents opportunities to step up and do things that aren’t manifestly required of you. Do these things, if you want to get ahead. It may seem like thankless work for a while, especially if you have an employer who tends to take advantage of his or her employees, but eventually it should pay off. If it doesn’t, you know you work for a poor company and it may be time for a change.

Step #4: Become friends with the boss.

This doesn’t mean sucking up. An employer will see through this and you will wind up in the same position you were in before. It means building a mutual, real relationship with your boss. It doesn’t have to mean going to dinner at his house or bringing him coffee every morning. It simply means talking to him about the business. Letting him know that you are there. An employer can’t very well decide to promote you if they don’t know who you are.

Follow these steps and you will be sure to get the raise or promotion you deserve. Remember, the final, unwritten step, but perhaps the most important one of all: ask for it. If you know that you deserve it, and have done everything a model employee could do, the worst that can happen is your boss will say no. At that time, you will know that it’s time to look elsewhere for better career opportunities.

Get ripped abs by doing basic strenght training

The best way to get hard ripped abs is by doing some strenght training. Increasing your cores strenght has many benefits and strenght training is the most important in this case.

Strength training is not running on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike, or using an elliptical machine. Although those types of aerobic machines use "resistance" to increase your workout intensity,

it's not the same as strength training. Strength training is structured according to different goals throughout the season, just as training is structured around key races.

Strength training is a fancy way of describing the process of building muscle power by lifting free weights or working out against resistance, by using equipment like Nautilus or Universal machines

or by working against large elastic bands. While "aerobics" was the exercise catchword of the 1970's and 80's, strength training is the trend of the 1990's, hailed as a critically important

complement to aerobics in a total fitness program.

Strength training is linked to high bone mineral density in adults of all ages and both sexes. Osteoporosis is a type of skeletal deterioration, characterized by decreasing bone density that weakens

the bone structure (Graves and Franklin 2001). Strength training is performing a lift for several repetitions, 10-20 generally is recommended for children. There is such a high level of concentration

for weightlifting that the chance of injury outweighs any potential benefit.

Strength training is a great way to spice things up and add a completely different challenge to your body. The nice thing about strength training is that it offers so many ways to set up your workouts.

there's always something new to try and you never run out of new exercises, different types of resistance, new routines and a variety of ways to work your body. Strength training is any exercise you do

against some kind of resistance. This resistance can be machines, free weights, tubing or your own body weight. It is essential for optimal health, fitness, and function; this is especially true in the

over-50 audience. The challenge is in making strength training safe, sensible, and effective, given the specific needs of this market segment.

Strength training is the practice of using free weights, weight machines, and rubber resistance bands to build muscles. With resistance the muscles have to work extra hard to move. Strength training

is done FIRST (following the warm-up) on days when you do both strength and cardio training. This will optimize the hormonal response that maximizes your body's ability to build and develop muscle.

Strength training is primarily an anaerobic activity, although some proponents have adapted it to provide the benefits of aerobic exercise through circuit training.

Strength training differs from bodybuilding, weightlifting, power lifting and strongman, which are sports rather than forms of exercise.

Strength training is a great way to improve strength, endurance, and muscle tone. But remember to start slowly, use proper form, avoid heavy weights, and increase workouts gradually to prevent injury.

Strength training is important for cardiac health because heart disease risk is lower when the body is leaner. One study found that cardiac patients gained not only strength and flexibility but also

aerobic capacity when they did strength training three times a week as part of their rehabilitation program. Strength training is critical for combating frailty and disability, for increasing strength

and mobility, for staying active and self-sufficient. Research has consistently shown the fitness and health benefits of strength training for older adults.

Strength training is physical activity intended to increase muscle strength and mass. Adults who engage in strength training are less likely to experience loss of muscle mass ( 1 ), functional

decline ( 2 ), and fall-related injuries than adults who do not strength train ( 3 ). Strength training is not just for male bodybuilders and competitive athletes. It is for everyone and yields many

benefits to the human body, internally and externally.

Stacks of steroids for sale online

Steroids are one of the most popular and the most controversial drugs of the recent times. These drugs are beneficial drugs, if taken in right amount, right purpose and right age, but often steroids are abused.

Yet, there is a wide range of steroids available for sale online as well as offline. Some of the common steroids for sale include EPO, Anadrol, Ephedrine, Anavar, Dynabolon, Andriol, Enanthate, Arimidex, Dianabol, Clenbuterol, Deca durabolin, Clomid, Cypionate, Cytadren, Cytomel, Esiclene, Lasix, Equipose, Growth Hormone, Essentiale forte, Halotestin, Masteron, HCG, Propionate, Thiomucase cream, Winstrol Depot, Nolvadex, Proviron, Omnadren, and Stanozolol.

Online steroid shopping has grown extremely popular among amateur and professional bodybuilders. There is a wide array of steroids for sale online. You can easily pick your steroids from the steroids for sale online.

However, there is a little problem in buying steroids online. There is a plethora of sites claiming to be offering real & legal steroids for sale, but the big majority of such sites are lying. Many of the sites offer fake & spurious steroids for sale, and there are many other offering alternatives of the ordered steroids for sale.

There are a number of sites that are offering illegal steroids for sale. The illegal steroids are the drugs that don’t have backing of the food & drug agencies. The purchase/possession/importation of illegal steroids is prohibited by the laws of most of the countries including the United States. The purchase & importation of steroids without prescriptions is also illegal and prohibited. Thus, you are advised to buy steroids according to law and under prescription.

The sites offers steroids for sale online can also be scams. There are many instances when some fraudulent sites claim offering steroids for sale, but once you have orders steroids and made payments, these sites just vanish from the internet. There are a number of instances when sites deliver fake/wrong or alternatives or poor quality steroids, which can be dangerous for health.

Thus, you must buy steroids from a genuine site offering real steroids for sale. You can do some research on internet to find one of the genuine sites proving quality steroids for sale.

Cheap air ticket for last minute travel

Planning a holiday getaway can easily turn into a stressful venture when the matter of costs comes up. Air fare by itself can kill the excitement. And when people already factor in accommodations, food, and shopping, or any other would just give up and stay home.

If you think on taking a vacation that requires any sort of wide planning, such as out of the country or worldwide even to a popular destination in a different state, it is probably going to be necessary for you to enlist the services of a travel agency.

Try to find out which travel agency you are considering is helpful with. Agencies with more extensive (think global) affiliations are more likely to be able to get you lower prices and added favors for your vacations. Keep in mind, however, that just because they are affiliated with a large group does not mean that the agency itself has to be bigger. Common knowledge would suggest that the bigger the agency, the easier it is to negotiate lower prices.

At last, ask for references from the agency of both clients and dealers. Clients of course, are people like your self who have used the agency’s services to visit on vacations earlier. Dealers are the people with whom the agency deals in order to purchase items such as hotel rooms and airline tickets, and will often have a clearer thought of how the agency operates and where or not they can do all that they claim as far as cost cutting and favors. So, how does lower cost or cheap air travel works exactly simple a solution.

Eros Tours & Travel provide cheap airline tickets for last minute travel within USA, Caribbean, Canada Hawaii, Asia Europe, Mexico South Pacific and South Central America.

Over 24 year of experience in last minute cheap provide travel industry brings you the best possible discount available for all your travel, like weather traveling on Coach (Economy class), First class or Biz (Business class). No Advance Purchase Required on the most Fares. Buy online and save up to 45% on all your Last Minute Domestic air travel. We provide Consolidator fares with up to 70% savings on airline tickets for cheap international flights, generally the best overseas travel bargain available.

For Search flights, make on line Reservation and save on Flight booking, Cruise reservation Hotel, Car Rental etc. and Vacation Packages. Plan your Air Travel with Confidence. Air ticket guarantees Low Prices.

Example: Atlanta to Los Angeles starting as low As $ 228.00 (No Advance Required)

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Burbank (BUR) Atlanta (ATL) 258 158

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Long Beach (LGB) Atlanta (ATL) 258 158

Los Angeles (LAX) Atlanta (ATL) 258 158

Oakland (OAK) Atlanta (ATL) 258 158

Ontario (ONT) Atlanta (ATL) 258 158

San Francisco (SFO) Atlanta (ATL) 258 158

San Jose (SJC) Atlanta (ATL) 258 158

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Learning to play tennis

Most people begin to learn how to play tennis by watching tennis matches on television. They will learn about the scoring system used in the tennis matches and learn how to differentiate between one tennis racquet brand and another. Over time, they will also know the different playing styles of every tennis player on the circuit and some they will be able to identify on sight with their full name. They might concentrate very intently on each ball service because each player seems to have a different serving style.

It is common to see children playing alone outside with a racquet and a ball. They are learning to play tennis by practicing their serve on a concrete wall. They might realize that tennis requires them to run more quickly than they initially thought, and by the end of the day they are ready to go to bed early because they are extremely tired. The next day that they practice tennis in this manner, they might be more willing to pace themselves in their tennis training.

The local library has many sources of information that people can use to gain knowledge about the game of tennis. There are sports magazines and internet sites with plenty of information to read, hear and visualize, as well as an unlimited number of videos that people can rent to view when they have some free time during the day. All of these news sources will be verified and children find this information resource invaluable when they join a tennis team at school.

A tennis player can learn all about the world of tennis by studying how to become a professional in the sport and by following the career trail of players who have played professionally for many years. They might even learn where the tennis courts are in their hometown so they can practice volleying the ball over an actual net.

Many neighborhood apartment complexes install tennis courts to lure in the right crowd. Any tenant that has the energy to play tennis will generally have a proactive lifestyle. Neighbors can spend many hours on the tennis court getting exercise just to keep fit. While they are busying themselves by learning tennis, they will generally stay out of trouble and spread good cheer among other residents who live there.

Some parents might be willing to sign a child up for a lessons at a local tennis center. Learning the game from someone that has perfected their craft is generally the best way to learn it. The tennis centers will have regulation courts where people can learn to serve the tennis ball with precision and returning the ball several times after that will be what their formal training in tennis will perfect.

People get inspired to learn tennis by buying tennis outfits and equipment. The salesmen at a sports equipment outlet will be a good guide to make sure they have everything they need. When learning to play tennis, only the basic equipment needs to be purchased. Players can move on to more expensive styles in racquets after their tennis training has been completed.

Pre-approved credit cards and bad credit

Nearly every time you go to your mail box, there it is another letter saying you are pre-approved. Should you take it? Are you really pre-approved? Or is it just nothing more than the standard junk mail? Well, it could be any of the above. Before most companies send you a pre-approved letter through the postal service, they have a pretty good idea of your credit history.

Generally, you have filled out some form in the past, was denied perhaps, or even approved, and the company has knowledge of this. Thus, the offer for pre-approved credit cards start arriving. Even if you have less than perfect credit, you could still qualify for these pre-approved credit cards. The pre-approved credit cards offer you get will depend on your credit. These offers may be secured or unsecured.

If you have bad credit, it is likely your pre-approved credit cards will be secured. This will mean you have to pay a deposit in order to have any sort of credit line. Furthermore, your credit line will never be more than your deposit amount. The amounts you can deposit will be stated on your pre-approved credit cards offer, typically between $250 and $1,500. These pre-approved credit cards will have high rates of interest and little to no benefits to speak of.

If you have good to perfect credit, your pre-approved credit card offers will be unsecured, which means no deposit is typically required and you could benefit from a wide variety of benefits, great interest rats, and rewards.

Either way you go, rather you have good or bad credit; you can still obtain offers for pre-approved credit cards from lenders. For those with bad credit, you have the opportunity to work on rebuilding your credit and improving your credit rating with the secured pre-approved credit cards.

Make sure before you accept any pre-approved offers, you check out the company, its reputation, and make sure it a valid offer, from a valid company. Never offer up your personal information without first checking out the credentials of the company, otherwise you could walk right into a fraudulent offer.

Taking advantage of your concierge in cancun

Travelers often dismiss concierges as meaningless middlemen. Yet, when vacationing in Cancun, your hotel concierge can supply you a world of information and opportunity. These jacks-of-all-trades can be found at most resorts and know Cancun as well as anyone. While some concierges may have more valuable connections than others, any one of these hotel professionals can provide invaluable tips for your stay. Best of all, their assistance and advice are free of charge.

When in Cancun, you’ll obviously be in search of unique recreation and entertainment opportunities. To access the best this exotic destination has to offer, ask your concierge for assistance setting up special activities for your vacation. Whether you want to go scuba diving or snorkeling with Cancun’s premier dive masters, take a private tour of ancient Mayan ruins or play a round at one of Cancun’s exclusive golf resorts, your concierge is the best ticket to the finest attractions.

Keep in mind concierges are paid to be the ultimate Cancun insiders. They attend museum exhibits, dine at the finest restaurants and frequent the exclusive clubs, all for the sake of telling you what's worth your time and money. Along the way, they develop business relationships that offer hard-to-find tickets, reservations and discounts. As a result, restaurants are more likely to accommodate concierges from high-profile resorts for last-minute reservations or special accommodations than the average tourist.

When asking about restaurants, it pays to be specific. Suggest a location, view, price range or cuisine to ensure your concierge knows exactly what you’re looking for. The same goes for any request you make of your concierge in Cancun, anything from shopping for the perfect gift to locating a doctor or babysitter. The more information you provide the concierge, the more they will be able to help.

Your concierge can also serve as a travel agent - confirming flights, changing seat assignments, securing visas and boarding passes, even planning entire vacations. Concierges can even act as personal assistants, running errands like delivering business materials and picking up needed supplies.

Just as important as those perks, a good concierge will serve as an instructor of local customs and etiquette, letting you how to dress at the beach or the best way to experience the nightlife. Your concierge will also be up to date on events and festivals in Cancun and can suggest the best times to visit certain attractions.

Like every other travel detail, the best travel tip regarding the concierge remains the ability to plan and organize. To take full advantage of the possibilities outlined above, your relationship with the hotel concierge should begin well before check–in. Though many travelers aren’t aware of this fact, you can call the concierge up to one month before you arrive to discuss any of the objectives for your trip, be it business or pleasure. With such advance notice, your concierge can make all of your arrangements and appointments and even grant you a detailed hourly itinerary when you arrive. An advance call to the concierge is also the best way to ensure a table at a popular restaurant or a ticket to a sold-out event. While a concierge can often use his connections to make a last-minute reservation, the more time you allow the better.

Calling in advance can also qualify you for special pricing at your hotel. The concierge will know about seasonal specials the resorts don’t advertise, in addition to discount opportunities for dining and sightseeing.

As mentioned, concierge services are free. However, introducing yourself and offering a $20 gratuity at the beginning of your vacation is a good idea if you plan on making several requests. As a general rule, a tip of $5 is acceptable for dinner or entertainment reservations. A tip up to $100 might be in order if the concierge developed your itinerary or exhibited truly exceptional service. Furthermore, when you return to the resort, the concierge will certainly remember you and be prepared to serve again.

Why hire a private detective to perform an accident reconstruction

Do you represent a client who is fighting with an auto insurance company? Are you trying to determine exactly which driver was responsible for causing an accident? If so, it is important to do more than just listen to eyewitness reports in order to perform an accident reconstruction: it's important to hire a private detective to investigate the reports and the accident to determine what really happened.

Accident reconstruction is a process by which an accident is researched. A private investigator will review the stories from witnesses who watched the accident take place as well as those who were in one or more of the vehicles involved. In addition, the scene of the accident will be visited so that the information can be put into perspective.

During the process of researching an accident reconstruction, the private investigator and his team will also review videotaped evidence if it's available and take photos and measurements of skid marks on the pavement – both those indicating braking and sliding to the side. Once all of the information has been collected and evaluated, the reconstruction of the accident can begin if it is found to be necessary.

Accident reconstruction may not be necessary in the case of one car being rear-ended by another, but can make all the difference if the accident involves failed seatbelts or rolled vehicles. In the cases where accident reconstruction is necessary, it can be used to determine the rate of speed at which the involved cars were moving. It can also be used to consider the conditions of the road, the angle of impact and more – all of which can contribute to which driver was responsible for the accident.

Because accident reconstruction can provide visual details of the scene rather than just testimony, it can prove to be a particularly valuable resource when you are asked to prove a case for your client. However, that doesn't mean that you should conduct the accident reconstruction on your own.

A private investigator can take the information that you have about the accident, access additional information at the scene and make the time to talk with witnesses while the accident is still fresh in their minds. Private investigators who are skilled at accident reconstruction are able to do the research, manage the information and work with software and engineers to accurately recreate the accident – and what led up to it.

Whether your work involves representing someone who was in an accident or a member of their family or your work involves determining whether or not the individual has a case, accident reconstruction is a tool that you can use to prove your case.

You can be sure that the insurance companies will take advantage of accident reconstruction to determine whose responsibility the accident was; why give them an unfair advantage? Hire a private investigator so that you can be sure of what really happened – so that you too can take advantage of accident reconstruction, determine responsibility for an accident and get your clients the benefits that they deserve.

New technical writer the four dimensions of your user reader

OVERVIEW

To create an effective User Document, the writer must know who he/she is writing for. This article presents four dimensions (Skills, Attitude, Knowledge and Experience) for describing the User of your product (your Documentation Reader), and how to build a Persona that turns your generic User into an almost-real person. The article stresses the need to actually USE this information when structuring and writing your User Document.

GETTING INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR USER

The marketing department or product development team should be able to tell you who the intended User of the product is. (If they cannot, then the product is in big trouble.) Ask them to provide you with a complete description of the User. Ask them if their description can be make less strict (requiring fewer skills, ect.) and thus be applicable for a wider audience. Ask them how sure they are of their intended Users.

Ask them if they created a "Persona" (see below) to design the product. If so, ask them for the description of that Persona.

We will use this information to analyze your User in four dimensions. We will then re-build the ideal User into an almost-real person, who you can use to help design and write your User Document.

Timing: My estimate is that if the communication paths between you and the marketing and development teams are effective, then you should be able to complete this series of steps in a few hours spread over several days. This description of your User/Reader is an essential element in structuring and writing your User Document.

THE FOUR DIMENSIONS OF YOUR USER (Reader of your Document)

Four dimensions define your User/Reader. These dimensions are:

* Skills

What skills do you assume that your Reader must have in order to understand your User Document? (These are the skills that you assume that they have when they START to read your User Document... not the ones that you will teach them in the User Document.)

In a classic example of failure, a company that taught software programming did not specify that its students had to know how to use a particular computer word processor. As a result, students spent 80% of the class time learning how to use the word processor, rather than learning to write programs. The class was a failure.

List the skills that you expect your Reader to have.

* Attitude

Your Reader's attitude is almost always a combination of anger (impatience at having to read this stuff instead of using the product), and fear (something is not working the way your Reader expects it to). Write with compassion for your Reader. Are there other attitudes that may affect how your Reader uses the product and your documentation?

* Knowledge

What information do you expect the Reader to have when they read your User Document? Is there something that you expect your readers to understand or to have to figure out for themselves? If there are such items, then you should tell your Reader where to get the needed background information.

* Experience

Skills plus practice, yields experience. Are there any experiences that you expect your Readers to have, so that they can understand how to use the product or understand what you are writing? BEWARE of your Readers' experiences that may negatively affect how they use your product. One example is a product that radically changes the way that the User currently does things. Devote some space in your User Document to overcoming these problematic experiences.

WRITE FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR READER

These four dimensions spell out the word "SAKE." This reminds us to write for the SAKE of our Readers. You use these four dimensions when generating the topics for your User Document, as well as reviewing the material that you have written. These are topics for other articles in this "New Technical Writer" series.

Make sure that you tell your Reader about any SAKE assumptions that you make about them. Thus if you assume them to have a special skill, such as "welding steel" then tell them your assumption early in the User Document. If possible, tell them where they can get the background SAKE items that they might need. For example, if you assumed that your Reader has the skill to identify a certain bird, then tell them were to learn to identify that bird (perhaps with a link or reference to a birding authority).

You want to avoid situations like the one in the example above: the unstated requirement for knowing a specific word processor that ruined a programming class. Is the assumption that everybody knew how to use that esoteric word processor a reasonable one? The course developers should have checked with their sales department, since they sold the course to students who could not possibly have known about that esoteric word processor.

You really must clearly state (early in your User Document) any out of the ordinary assumptions that you make about your Reader.

YOUR READER AS A REAL PERSON

From the SAKE dimensions, and from the descriptions of the typical User of the product that you got from the marketing or development teams, you will create a real-as-possible person to represent your typical User. Such a representation is called a Persona in the product development industry. The Persona is also your User Document Reader.

If the marketing and development teams use a Persona, and they provided a description to you, then use their Persona. You may have to add some description to it.

If you have to create a Persona, follow these steps (overview):

1. Imagine the generic User of your product.

2. Focus on this User. Describe the User. Think about his/her background, education, family, hobbies, interests. The goal is to make your generic User as tangible as possible.

3. Perhaps give the User a name, and even spend a minute or two to find a photograph of this Persona.

4. Evaluate for yourself if this Persona is a good representation of the User. Make changes as necessary.

Think about how the Persona got your product (for example, did they purchase it, did it come bundled with some other product, was it a gift, etc.). Think about what they are most likely to want to do with your product.

Later we will use the Persona to help define the topics of the User Document, and to help you write the actual text.

CHECK

Once you have generated the SAKE items and the Persona, write them out, and let members of the product and marketing teams check them for accuracy. "Accuracy" means "how closely your Persona coincides with their (product and marketing teams) view of the product's User." Discuss these points and make modifications as needed.

USING YOUR READER

Unfortunately most courses and books about technical writing stop here in their instructions about "knowing your Reader." These courses and books expect you simply to keep your Reader in mind when you write.

But you can and should do much more with the description of your Reader. The Persona will help you structure the information in the overall User Document; it will also help you write each of the topics.

The SAKE dimensions will help you as you revise your writing. Here the SAKE dimensions will

* help you avoid using language your Reader might not understand, and

* help you avoid jumps in your writing that your Reader will not be able to make.

Other articles in the "New Technical Writer" series will describe how to use your Persona and SAKE dimensions to design and write your User Document. See the "Resources" or "Author Information" section of this article to find links to related articles.

How to shape your body instantly with liposuction

There is no doubt as to how fat-shedding procedures are popular nowadays in a world that has been plagued for vanity. Among the most popularly discussed ways of making one look slim and sexy is liposuction. While liposuction has become a frequently used buzz word, a lot of people do not actually know what exactly is. Here is a short primer on liposuction.

The surgical procedure known as liposuction is intended to diminish deposits of fat in the body to shape and sculpt it. This is done by using a canula – a thin tube with vacuum-suction action, to remove fat under the skin. Some procedures use a probe powered by ultrasound that breaks up small pieces of fat to make the removal easier.

Liposuction can be done on various body parts, which includes the thighs, hips, the abdomen, the back, neck, buttocks and face. Depending on where bulges caused by fat deposits are located, you may have them sucked out to shape your body. Liposuction can be useful for people with big bellies, or sagging arms and things. It can also be useful for men who have larger-than-normal breasts.

The liposuction procedure is performed by a plastic surgeon or a specially-trained dermatologist. Technically, any duly licensed medical doctor may perform liposuction, so special training is not required. However it is always safe to have liposuction performed by someone who is experienced with liposuction, and more often than not, such practitioners are those who have received special training.

Since liposuction, especially those performed nowadays, is just a minor surgery, it can be performed in a doctor’s office as well as hospitals ad surgical centers. Many people prefer to have it done in the doctor’s clinic since the place is less threatening or intimidating as big hospitals. Wherever the surgery is performed, the important matter is that hygiene should be kept as with any other types of surgeries. It is also important for emergency precautions to be available in case of any untoward incident. Thus it is beneficial to have the surgery performed where there is a hospital nearby.

When looking for a practitioner to perform liposuction it is important for one to be inquisitive. You should ask questions to the doctor about everything there is to know about liposuction until you get a good grasp of what is about to happen. While it is important to trust the practitioner doing the surgery, trust should be earned by checking how much the doctor knows about the procedure. The physician should be able to discuss not only the benefits of liposuction but the problems as well, together with all the precautionary measures to be taken.

You should be watchful of advertisements that promise results that are too good to be true. When choosing a practitioner, it is also important to weigh all factors and not only to look at the cost, you should consult several doctors to make sure that you have all the options. If you inquire about liposuction, you should not be pressured to decide on it at once. This is a surgery and you should have a sound mind when deciding to take it. Once you decided to go into it, you must follow all the instructions of the doctor carefully to make sure you have a successful operation. Liposuction is not for everyone, and before you decide to have it you have to be sure that it is for you.

The dream to be slim is somewhat inevitable nowadays and it is good that there are procedures available to make this happen. To know more about liposuction, contact your dermatologist or family physician. You may also learn from the various websites about the procedure as well as the many publications available out there.