Bingo history story of the game bingo

The origins of contemporary bingo go back to 16th century Italy, where the lottery game Lo Giuoco del Lotto dItalia was introduced. The popular chance game was introduced to North America in the late 1920s by the name of Beano. A toy salesperson of New York was responsible for changing the name of the game into Bingo and to the increase of its popularity throughout the US.

In the late 18th century, the original Italian lotto game made its way to France. Historical evidence shows that a game called Le Lotto was popular among the French high society who used to play the game in parties and social gatherings.

Le Lotto used to be played with special cards that were divided into three rows and nine columns. Each of the three columns consists of 10 numbers, while each column had five random number and four blank spaces in it. Each player had a different lotto card where he used to mark the number announced by the caller. The first player to cover one row won the game.

By the 19th century, the lotto game spread around Europe and started to serve as a didactic childrens game. In the 1850s, several educational lotto games had entered the German toys market. The lotto games purpose was to teach children how to spell words, how to multiply numbers, etc.

By 1920s, a similar version to the lotto game, known as beano was popular at county fairs throughout the US. In beano, the players placed beans on their cards to mark the called out number. The first player who completed a full row on his card, used to yell out Beano!, until one night in December 1929, when a New Yorker toys salesperson by the name of Edwin S. Lowe visited a country fair outside Jacksonville, Georgia.

On his way back to New York, Lowe had purchased beano equipment including dried beans, a rubber numbering stamp and cardboard. At his New York home, Lowe has been hosting friendly beano games. During one game, one excited winner who had managed to complete a full row stuttered out Bingo, instead of Beano. Listening to the excited stuttering girl, Edwin S. Lowe thoughts went away. Lowe decided to develop a new game that would be called Bingo.

While Lowe’s Bingo game was making its first steps in the market, a Pennsylvanian priest asked Lowe to use the game for charity purpose. After a short tryout period, the priest had found out that the bingo game causes the churches to lose money. Since the variety of bingo cards was limited, each bingo game ended up in more than five winners.

In order to develop the game and to lower the probabilities of winning, Lowe approached Prof. Carl Leffler, a mathematician from Columbia University. Leffler was asked to create bigger variety of bingo cards that each of them will have unique combination of numbers. By 1930, Lowe had 6,000 bingo cards and Prof. Leffler went insane.

Since then, the popularity of the bingo game as a fundraiser continued to grow. In less than five years, about 10,000 weekly bingo games took place throughout North America. Lowe’s company grew to employ several thousands of employees and to occupy more than 60 presses 24 hours a day.

Now, bingo is one of the most popular chance games in the world. It is played in churches, schools, local bingo halls and land based casinos in the US, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and other parts of the world.

Making love last when infertility comes between your marriage

Jay and Mariana are the perfect couple. They met and dated during their senior year in high school and had been inseparable ever since. After a long wait, they were finally engaged right after finishing college. After less than a year our of college, Jay and Mariana decided to tie the knot.

The first few months as newlyweds was a bliss. They were so in love that there wasn't even room for even a single petty quarrel. But on their second year as husband and wife, things began to change. Suddenly, both began to feel the pressure and frustration of still having an empty nest. Their romance and intimacy was slowly eroded by the sense of incompleteness.

Mariana was so consumed about having her own child that she eventually drifted away from Jay. In her mind, marriage was all about having a family. At times, she would feel very depressed and think that maybe she was at fault. At the back of her mind, she was worried that something was wrong with her and that is reason why she has not been able to conceive.

Jay had his own share of stress and anxiety in their marriage. Even if he tried to hide his frustrations, he could not help but express his envy whenever his best friend Mikey spoke about his one-year old son and how his wife Pamela was expecting their second child.

The couple found family reunions and other occasions with relatives to be particularly difficult. Jay and Mariana were always bombarded with questions about when they would finally have children of their own. The sight of nephews and nieces made them more sensitive to the fact that they were childless. Both of them had to endure endless questions, jokes, stares, and the noise of happy children. They would not have minded the laughter, crying, and screams of the children --- except that these little packages of energy and fun were not their own. Every family reunion, an insensitive aunt would always joke about the “stork” that lost its way and never reached Jay and Mariana's empty home. The couple just kept silent everytime they heard that cruel joke.

For such a long time, Jay and Mariana exchanged accusation and blame for not having a child of their own. The stress and anxiety of not having a child almost took a toll on their marriage. Fights became more frequent and the moments of intimacy became rarer --- which further complicated their problem. How could they have a child if they were always fighting?

With the prodding of a mutual friend, Jay finally agreed to go with Mariana to a doctor. After a series of tests, the doctor told them that Mariana was perfectly capable of getting pregnant. The doctor also said that Jay had a very low sperm count which could probably explain why Mariana still could not get pregnant.

Like Jay and Mariana, many couples experience problems with infertility. In fact, in the Unites States, it is estimated that six million couples face infertility challenges each year, or about 10 percent of all married couples. Infertility is the failure of a couple to become pregnant after one year of regular and unprotected intercourse. Under ideal circumstances, the probability that a woman will get pregnant during a single menstrual cycle is only about 30%. In many cases, infertility is caused by a combination of factors in both partners that conspire to prevent such conception from occurring. Infertility affects one in 25 American men. Men infertility cases are due to low sperm count or poor sperm quality. In most industrialized countries like the U. S, sperms counts have been found to be in a decline especially among busy, career-driven men.

Getting more from international travel guides and deals

The growing demand for international travel is a by-product of the extensive tourism efforts of many countries to draw tourists to visit their shores. This is evident in the mass distribution of pertinent travel literature by host countries at many overseas markets and exhibitions to sell their local attractions to potential tourists from all over the world, apart from lobbying with foreign embassies for the issuance of travel-friendly advisories.

The undeniable presence of travel agents and travel agencies in domestic markets has fast-tracked the promotion and sale of overseas destinations to locales who are enticed by discount travel rates, affordable tour packages, attractive locations and other vacation deals that are available at their choice destination. Apart from delivering regular sales functions, travel agencies assume the hustle and bustle related to overseas travel by providing premium services to all their clients. These services range from the booking of flights and hotel accommodation, securing of pertinent travel documents such as passports and visas, obtaining adequate travel insurance for the traveler and coordinating with overseas agencies in the case of packaged tours. Legitimate travel agencies are usually affiliated with an international network of travel agents to ensure that the traveler is better served from the moment he sets foot on the flight right to when it’s time to say goodbye.

Incidentally, major airlines have expanded their global destinations and likewise increased the frequency of flights between host countries to support relevant tourism objectives. The incidence of air travel is steadily on the rise each year and airline companies benefit much from economies of scale which allows them to offer more affordable flight packages.

All these developments prompted an upsurge of demand for international travel and flights from families and friends who wish to travel abroad for recreation, as well as from individuals on official business overseas..

Golf stance and its physical requirements

Golf stance is one of the most ignored terms and issues in the golf swing and yet the golf stance dictates the success of every golf swing you make.

When golfers think of golf stance, they don’t realize how hard it is to maintain over 18 holes (four and a half hours). Just take a look at the position your body is in during your set up. There are many physical issues taking place, even though it is a static position at the start.

Let’s go over the physical requirements of the golf stance right now.

Bend At Hips To Address Golf Ball

To achieve this initial movement takes strength and flexibility in not only the lower back, but the hamstrings and core muscle groups. If these muscle groups are limited, you will have a very difficult time achieving this simple move.

Flex In The Knees

A combination of bending at the hips and knees allows you to get to the ball. The shorter the club, the more the bend at both the hips and knees. If your quadriceps are weak, you will have a very difficult time maintaining the proper knee flex therefore causing you to create in improper golf stance…resulting in mishits and lack of distance.

Ankle Flexion

Take a look at the ankle joint of any golfer. It is definitely bent (flexed) to accommodate the bending of the knees and hips. If your calf muscles are weak/or tight, you will find it very uncomfortable to stay down at the ball. I see so many golfers with tight calf muscles and they never even knew it.

Spine Extension (Erectness)

This is a BIGGY! How many times have you seen the golfer (maybe even you) in his/her golf stance with the dread ‘camels back?’ This is very common among older golfers and is a KILLER in the golf swing. I could (and probably will) write a complete article on this physical limitation. But the bottom line is a rounded (weak) upper spine will dramatically hinder your ability to make a full backswing. Result: very short drives and a lot of embarrassment.

I just briefly covered just a couple of physical requirements of the golf stance, but I hope you know see the importance of addressing your physical limitations to achieve the end result.

Longer drives, lower scores and beating the pants off your golfing buddies! Pay more attention to your golf stance!

How breakdown cover is helpful when purchasing a used car

After buying a house, buying a used car is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll make, so it’s important to get it right.

The problem is, however, very few of us are qualified to check the condition of the car when we’re looking for a replacement. We are more likely to use first impressions as a basis for our decision; how tidy the car looks, the colour, etc.

That’s why dealers put effort into keeping the cars clean and polished.

Obviously, it’s a good idea to take someone along with you, someone with a knowledge of cars and who is able to advise on things that you know nothing about. You may also be referred to a trustworthy dealer by a friend and some dealers will have vehicles pre-inspected by the RAC. Just ask to see the report.

By the way, having a good breakdown cover package, and being able to call on roadside assistance, is common sense, especially if you purchase a used car which could have problems that you know little about. This can be even more important if you buy privately, from someone you don’t know.

There are things you can do to help yourself, such as validate the ownership of the vehicle - by checking the log book or registration details, accuracy of the mileage and age.

You could look for signs of poor colour matching or non-original welding. These could be tell-tale signs of the vehicles’ involvement in an accident. Check under the bonnet and look for engine leaks, look on the ground for oil leaks and for blue smoke from the exhaust pipe.

Ask to see the service history - is it close to another service? Is the mileage correct? What’s the condition of the seat upholstery? It’s also a good idea to take the car for a spin - check the steering, brakes, gears, clutch, etc. How does it handle in general?

All these things can add up to help you make the right decision. If you’re looking for real peace of mind, however, there is the option to get the experts to check it out for you. Considering the fact that you could be spending a few thousand pounds, the cost of an RAC Vehicle Inspection is well worthwhile. And you can get a good discount if you already have RAC breakdown cover (even if it’s only roadside assistance).

For only a fiver, massively reduced from Ј24.99, you can also get an RAC car data check. This will tell you whether or not the car is stolen, if it’s an insurance write off, if there’s any outstanding finance on it or even if it’s had previous plates.

The last thing you want to do is to buy a vehicle, find out later that it’s not roadworthy and end up paying a small fortune to get it through the MOT. More importantly though, your life and the lives of others may rest on the condition of the vehicle you purchase, so if in doubt, get a qualified second opinion before you buy.

Uk business embrace customer service training

In today's competitive markets, it is often the quality of customer service that determines the winners and losers.

'Customer service training can be the magic ingredient that makes a business or organisation stand out from the crowd.' says Mike Wilkinson, Chief Executive of Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board and Chair of the North West Tourism Sector Skills and Productivity Alliance for Tourism in the North West.

'Great customer service training makes all the difference when it comes to winning repeat business, and acts as a magnet to quality staff as well as improving staff retention rates.'

Since launch in 1993, over 300,000 people throughout the UK have taken part in Welcome to Excellence - the largest customer service training programme in the UK and the only one recommended by the The Regional Tourist Board Partnerships Ltd.

Clients range from tiny B&Bs to some of the biggest names in tourism and leisure such as Bourne Leisure, De Vere, English Heritage and the new Wembley Arena.

In the North West, Welcome to Excellence has been embraced by thousands of businesses large and small, with more than 2000 people being trained each year.

Mike Wilkinson says 'Welcome to Excellence currently offers a series of seven interactive one day courses, all of which are frequently updated to reflect changing conditions and legislation.

'Welcome Host' is perhaps the most famous of the seven courses, but the Welcome to Excellence programme also includes much more for staff at every level. For example, 'Welcome All' focuses on how to provide a top class welcome to people with disabilities, 'Welcome International' provides an insight into how to deal with people from other cultures and 'Welcome Management' is designed especially for managers, showing how to develop a business-wide customer service strategy.

'Welcome to Excellence is already widely regarded as the gold standard by the tourism, leisure and hospitality sectors, but we are now seeing it being increasingly sought after by other businesses and organisations for which customer service is critical such as local authorities, transport operators and retail outlets.'

'Fantastic!' is how Jackie Mottershead of Oswaldwhistle Mills, describes the impact of Welcome to Excellence on the shopping village near Blackburn, which is the third biggest tourist attraction in Lancashire.

Oswaldwhistle Mills employs 60 staff of its own, all of whom took part in Welcome Host training, in addition to 70 staff employed by concessionary retail outlets based in the shopping village.

'I was amazed and thrilled by the scale of the impact' says Jackie. 'The staff had a huge improvement in motivation and our sales increased by 20 per cent in the six months following the training. Welcome to Excellence was certainly the biggest single factor in this achievement.'

Mike Williamson comments 'It's always exciting to see evidence of the huge difference that great customer service training can make.'

The Imperial War Museum North is an award winning building created by world famous architect Daniel Libeskind in a stunning waterfront location in Manchester. Danielle Hird, Volunteer Coordinator at the Museum, was determined that the quality of customer service should be as impressive as the design of the building. She turned to Welcome to Excellence to raise standard in customer service amongst the front of house volunteers on whom the Museum depends. Over the last two years, more than 70 volunteers have benefited from both the 'Welcome Host' and 'Welcome All' training courses.

Danielle says 'We chose Welcome to Excellence because it allows volunteers to gain an accredited customer service certificate.

'The Welcome to Excellence courses are great. They help increase the volunteers' awareness and understanding of the vital importance of their role. For many, it is also a real confidence boost and shows them how to deal with tricky customer situations. It also helps inspire them to make the most of their role and really try to improve the customer experience. Importantly, our customers really notice the difference. We get very positive comments about the quality of customer service at the Museum. The culture of the organization has stepped up a gear - customer service is now something that all staff and volunteers see as central to what we provide'

This is a viewpoint shared by Charles Quinn, Visitor Services Officer at Grosvenor Museum in Chester, which has made extensive use of the Welcome to Excellence programme.

Charles says 'Local authority services such as ours are constantly striving to deliver best value and Welcome to Excellence has been extremely useful in helping us maintain high levels of customer service. Our staff invariably return from the courses more positive and motivated, with a fresh perspective on the importance of their role. This makes all the difference to the quality of the customer experience.'

Welcome to Excellence training is available throughout the year at a number of local venues. However, another option is to train your own in-house Welcome to Excellence trainer. This was the route preferred by Centre Island, an independent Liverpool based hotel group comprising two Crowne Plaza hotels, four Holiday Inns, two Express by Holiday Inns and a boutique hotel, 62 Castle St.

Dee Keeley, Group HR Manager says ' We see customer service training as absolutely crucial to helping us achieve and keep the edge we want in the marketplace.

' We opted for Welcome to Excellence because it is an established programme and it is also constantly being refreshed and developed. Welcome to Excellence was also cost effective, compared to the other options we considered. What's more, the programme can be delivered in-house by our own team, something we think is very important to keep the momentum going.'

For Centre Island, being able to train and support their own in-house trainer through Welcome to Excellence was an essential part of the appeal. 'It gives us complete flexibility' says Dee 'It means that the trainers can tailor the courses to make them completely relevant to our business and also makes it simple to run the courses frequently. We run a training programme every two months in each of our nine hotels.'

Mike Williamson says 'We believe passionately in the value of customer service training and are actively involved in assisting with customer service training for the Capital of Culture in Merseyside in 2008. We are delighted that subsidised Welcome to Excellence training is available in the North West, with approximately 50% of the funding from the North West Development Agency.'

Looking to the future, Welcome to Excellence is set to introduce a stream of new courses over the coming years as well as refresh the existing courses.

Sue Gill of The Regional Tourist Board Partnerships Ltd says 'With the Olympics and Paralympics Games in London in 2012, The eyes of the world will be on the UK and the event will interface with all parts of the UK's customer management and service offering. There has never been a more important time for all businesses to raise the bar when it comes to customer service training. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us all to aim to set new world class standards'

Mike Wilkinson is confident about ambitions for the North West.

He concludes 'We have a great and long tradition of hospitality in the North West of England and through building on that heritage through consistent improvement and customer service training, we can ensure that our businesses continue to lead the way and increase their competitiveness, providing standards of customer service that are second to none.'

Rubella of many names

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Rubella has many names: Roseola, German measles, three-day measles to name a few. Rubella is often mild which means that in several cases initial attacks will go unnoticed. This initially is not a bad thing; Although it does make the virus very hard to properly diagnose. In most cases the Rubella virus will enter in the human body through the nose or throat. Rubella can last between one and five days. It has been proven through studies that children can cover from the virus more quickly than adults as their immune system is more active, or just more simpy in better shape.

Common to most viruses that live in the respiratory tract, Rubella is passed from person to person by tiny droplets in the air. These are droplets that are breathed out during normal respiration. It is important to note that the Rubella virus can also be transferred from mother to developing baby in the bloodstream by way of the placenta. Generally the incubation period for Rubella is two to three weeks. That is how long it takes to establish itself.

Above I said that another name for Rubella is the German measles. That's funny because the name "German Measles" actually has nothing to do with the coutnry of Germany. Instead it comes from the latin, which means 'similar'; This is because rubella and measles share common symptoms.

Symptoms of rubella include:
- Swollen glands or lymph nodes
- Joint pain and swelling
- Inflammation of the eyes
- Flaking (caused by dry skin
- Nasal congestion
- Pain in the testicles
- Loss of appetite
- Fever
- Headache
- Rash

The pitfalls of selling on e-bay

The concept of online selling and bidding really went revolution because of E-Bay. Through E-Bay, both sellers and buyers could make the most out of their deals. Despite of the revolutionary way of E-Bay, there are still some pitfalls when using it as a way for profitable business.

These pitfalls are divided into different categories. One of the most common downfalls of E-Bay is the market differences. Though the world seems smaller now because of revolutionary technologies, it is however divided.

This division could be shown in the different market interest of countries. These differences could be attributed to culture, language, religion, beliefs, customs, and even distance. Some products which are popular in the European area might not be a hit to other parts of Asia. Instead of reaching a worldwide market, the products only reach the interested market.

The next pitfall would be the work needed in order to process the materials coming from other countries. This involves the taxes as well as the shipping costs. Some countries have absurd international rules meaning that if you bought something online from Switzerland and you live in Singapore, the shipping rate as well as the taxes charged could worth more than the item itself. This is one of the worries of potential customers because they do not like the high rates included when ordering directly from E-Bay. Despite the original intent of convenience of E-Bay, many people are not willing to risks their credit cards in charging that kind of amount.

Aside from money issues, there are also government regulations that should be considered when ordering in E-Bay. Sometimes, there are government regulations which states that certain products are prohibited in the country. Be sure to be familiar with the legal things of purchasing something from other countries because you might never know, you could be a candidate for jail without you even knowing that it is illegal.

Other than that, there is still an age old problem which could be considered as a pitfall in E-Bay. It is called communication. There is still the existence of the communication barrier. In the world of internet, miscommunication is a common thing and this could happen when holding transactions in the internet. The common language in the internet is English and if ever you do not have the capacity to express and comprehend English, it would eliminate the chance of expanding your market.

Despite all of those pitfalls, there are still ways to overcome these obstacles. Internet is here to stay and so is E-Bay.

So many affiliate programs which one do i choose

You need to ask questions first before you join an affiliate program. Do a little research about the choices of program that you intend to join into. Get some answers because they will be the deciding point of what you will be achieving later on.

Will it cost you anything to join? Most affiliate programs being offered today are absolutely free of charge. So why settle for those that charge you some dollars before joining.

When do they issue the commission checks? Every program is different. Some issue their checks once a month, every quarter, etc. Select the one that is suited to your payment time choice. Many affiliate programs are setting a minimum earned commission amount that an affiliate must meet or exceed in order for their checks to be issued.

What is the hit per sale ratio? This is the average number of hits to a banner or text link it takes to generate a sale based on all affiliate statistics. This factor is extremely important because this will tell you how much traffic you must generate before you can earn a commission from the sale.

How are referrals from an affiliate’s site tracked and for how long do they remain in the system? You need to be confident on the program enough to track those people you refer from your site. This is the only way that you can credit for a sale. The period of time that those people stay in the system is also important. This is because some visitors do not buy initially but may want to return later to make the purchase. Know if you will still get credit for the sale if it is done some months from a certain day.

What are the kinds of affiliate stats available? Your choice of affiliate program should be capable of offering detailed stats. They should be available online anytime you decide to check them out. Constantly checking your individual stats is important to know how many impressions, hits and sales are already generated from your site. Impressions are the number of times the banner or text link was viewed by a visitor of your site. A hit is the one clicking on the banner or text links.

Does the affiliate program also pay for the hits and impressions besides the commissions on sales? It is important that impressions and hits are also paid, as this will add to the earnings you get from the sales commission. This is especially important if the program you are in offers low sales to be able to hit ratio.

Who is the online retailer? Find out whom you are doing business with to know if it is really a solid company. Know the products they are selling and the average amount they are achieving. The more you know about the retailer offering you the affiliate program, the easier it will be for you to know if that program is really for you and your site.

Is the affiliate a one tier or two tier program? A single tier program pays you only for the business you yourself have generated. A two tier program pays you for the business, plus it also pays you a commission on the on the sales generated by any affiliate you sponsor in your program. Some two-tier programs are even paying small fees on each new affiliate you sponsor. More like a recruitment fee.

Lastly, what is the amount of commission paid? 5% - 20% is the commission paid by most programs. .01% - .05% is the amount paid for each hit. If you find a program that also pays for impressions, the amount paid is not much at all. As you can see from the figures, you will now understand why the average sales amount and hit to sale ratio is important.

These are just some of the questions that needed answering first before you enter into an affiliate program. You should be familiar with the many important aspects that your chosen program should have before incorporating them into your website. Try to ask your affiliate program choices these questions. These can help you select the right program for you site from among the many available.

If you would like to see some of the Affiliate Programs that answer the above Questions

go to work-home-profits. com

and have a look.

Warmest Regards,

Greg LLoyd

Leather sofa care

You would think that all leather sofas would be created soft. You know the type of leather sofa you sink right into when you sit down. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

Some of these solutions come from regular household items and some are products you can buy.

Home Remedies

* Saddle Soap is an excellent way to soften tough leather. This leather conditioner has been around for hundreds of years when it was used by cowboys to keep saddles and other horse tack in good shape. It may not be the best thing for a leather sofa though.

* Vaseline is something everyone has laying around the house and it's cheap. Dab a soft clean cloth into the gel and then work it into the leather sofa in small amounts until it feels dry. You will want to wipe the sofa with a dry cloth to remove any excess grease but the leather will absorb most of it. Try this on a small area first before doing the whole couch.

* Shaving cream has been a good standby for many people. You want to use shaving cream on a clean damp cloth, working it into the leather. You will be amazed at how quickly this softens your sofa.

* Mink Oil is a favorite for many people. You can find Mink Oil at just about any leather shop and is not very expensive.

* Lanolin is another natural ingredient that will work.

* A mixture of 500 g bag balm, also called milk salve and 100 ml of glycerin also makes a great home remedy if you have a lot of area to cover and a small budget to work with.

* In all cases mentioned above, try it in an inconspicuous area first before doing the entire surface. Wait to see how well it soaks into the leather.

Commercial Products

* Leather CPR Cleaner and Conditioner is made with 100% natural ingredients and in addition to softening, Leather CPR also helps remove dirt, grime, and sweat. In fact, this conditioner will also help cover small scratches on your leather sofa!

..leathercpr. com

* Liquid NIKWAX is also a great option for removing dirt and softening your leather sofa. All you need to do is gently apply it with a clean, dry cloth.

..nikwax-usa. com

* Leather Vital is a product made in Canada that has an amazing ability to soften even the stiffest leather sofas. It deeply penetrates, filling in dry cracks and actually nourishing the leather.

..leathertown. com/care_products. htm

The big purchases- buying a home or automobile

The Internet has allowed for the growth of many local websites that cater to their respective communities. While there are many local web sites that allow for the exchange of conversation and photographs, there are also sties that allow for the buying and selling of goods. More specifically, sites that allow you to buy or sell a car or home in your local market. Dealing with smaller websites, when attempting to buy and sell cars and homes, can offer several advantages. Unlike large sites, these small sites are usually pretty flexible and their prices for listing an item, if there even are any, will be much lower. With most big sites you need to go through drawn out sign up processes.

Most large sites will want bank account information and/or a credit card number. And before they even let you conduct business you will have to wait for this information to be verified. The verification time can vary from a few days to a few weeks. If you need a big ticket item, like a car, really fast, these sites will be a pain to deal with. Additionally, large auction sites that sell high value items will take a percentage of your selling price as a fee, if you happen to be on the selling end of a transaction. For a car or house sale, this can really eat into your profits. If you are on the buying end of one of these expensive purchases, you may need to be a member for a certain number of days before you are allowed to make purchases or bids. This can be quite frustrating if you want something fast.

In addition to having to pay fees and registration costs at many large national Internet sites, you will also have to abide by the rules governing how you are allowed to contact sellers and buyers. Most sites will want you to only conduct communications through their platforms. You will have a difficult time getting phone numbers and personal e-mail addresses. Not being able to get in direct, immediate contact with a person, will really hamper a sale, especially when trying to buy a house or a car. Most of the time, there are many parties interested in a sale, and if the lines of communication are slow, buyers usually miss out on prime buying opportunities.

Small local sites are becoming increasingly popular because they have less stringent rules and they have cheaper transaction fees. Most small sites will allow you to trade phone numbers with other parties so you can enjoy immediate communication. Additionally, if you have some question about how to use the site properly, such as how to upload pictures, contact buyers or sellers, or simply navigate the site efficiently, you are much more likely to get a quick answer from the people who run the site than if you were dealing with a huge company. So the next time you think about purchasing a car or a home look to your local sites for help.

What should i ask before deciding on a home plan

If you decide to get a home plan, there are certain questions you need to ask. Make sure that everything is clear before you make your purchase.

You should know all of the following before deciding on a home plan:

1. Do the plans or blueprints include the electrical and the plumbing? – The rough plumbing should be included in the plans. It should have a detailed presentation of the pipes and where they come into the house. The electrical lightings and outlets should be included.

2. How will I customize my plans? If you want to customize your plans, you can buy a reproducible master copy printed on erasable paper. This erasable paper will allow you to make changes. You can ask your local draftsman or engineer to make changes for the plan and layout. This will also allow you to reproduce copies of the plan after the changes have been made. Customizing your plan is often necessary to make your plan perfect for your individual tastes.

3. What are the things included in the blueprints? – Of course a blueprint should be well detailed. It should include:

a. Foundation plan – a foundation plan shows how the foundations are built. This is where the thickness of the foundation walls are emphasized including the spacing, floor joint sizes, column locations, furnace, water and heater locations, plumbing, windows, doors and other miscellaneous details that are related to the basement and foundation.

b. Coversheet – a coversheet is a representation of the house when it is built. A coversheet may not be compulsory for a home plan but it would be better if it is presented. The purpose of a coversheet is to give the owner a perspective of how the home will look after it has been constructed. This may contain the front, top, rear and side view of the house. This is important so that the owner can give suggestions.

c. Floor plans - the floor plans indicate the construction and layout of each part or floor of the house. The ones naturally included are wall sizes, room dimensions, plumbing and electrical locations, doors, windows, flooring and the structural information and the special conditions related to the floor plan.

d. Elevations - this is a representation of the exterior of the house, its size, shape of the doors and windows, size of the trim, the dimensions and the height, the depth of the foundation, shingle types and moldings, replacement of materials, the pitch of the roof, and the gutters and downspouts.

4. Are the blueprints signed and approved by the architect? – This is very important to ensure that an architect has reviewed the blueprint and it has passed all the requirements of a home plan. You can also ask about the background of the architect who signed your home plan.

These questions are essential in choosing a home plan. Take the time to get the answers, this is your home after all.

Anabolic steroid is mvp of growth maturity

Anabolic steroid is natural or synthetic endocrine, which regulates the body functions. Anabolic Steroid is also called ‘Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid.’ Anabolic steroid helps to build muscles and body mass.

Anabolic steroid was discovered in 1930. Since then, anabolic steroid drugs have been used for several medical purposes comprising bone growth stimulation, appetency, puberty, and muscle development. The most far-flung use of anabolic steroid is for chronic wasting conditions including AIDS and cancer.

Presently, anabolic steroid drugs are one of the most controversial drugs. These drugs are often used as performance & stamina enhancing drugs. There are a number of side effects and serious consequences linked with the abuse and overuse of anabolic steroid drugs. Some of the anabolic steroid side effects include giddiness, early hair loss, mood swings (anger, depression and aggression), delusion, feelings of fear and suspicion, sleeping problems, vomiting and nausea, trembling, joints pain, yellow fever, high blood pressure, problems in urinary system, heart problems, stroke, liver damage and many others.

The anabolic steroid drugs affect males and females in different ways. The major “anabolic steroid side effects” in males include increased breast or nipple size, enlarged prostate gland, powerlessness and reduced sperm count. The major “anabolic steroid side effects” in females include excessive hair growth on body and face, decreased breast size, deepened voice and menstrual problems.

These anabolic steroid side effects have made the drugs category, which is usable only by prescription, in order to deal the conditions, which occurs when human body produces lesser testosterone quantities such as delayed puberty and impotence. According to a 1988 US federal law, the use and distribution of anabolic steroid drugs is illegal. These drugs were put under the category of controlled substances in 1991.

The anabolic steroid drugs have an anticoagulant effect. Used with extreme care in combination with other drugs, these drugs have the same effect, including warfarin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and aspirin. Simultaneous use of anabolic steroid drugs and corticosteroids may increase the risk of foot and ankle swelling. The combination is very likely to cause acne. The anabolic steroid drugs may also help lowering blood glucose levels. These drugs should be used with extreme care in patients taking insulin or other antidiabetic drugs.

Maternity wedding dresses gone are the days of the maternity bridal moo-moo

With upwards of 20% of women now expecting before they marry, the pregnant bride no longer has to worry about the “shotgun” wedding. Only a few years ago the wedding dress choices were extremely limited and many brides truly had to compromise on their dream gown. However, times have changed and today’s ASAP wedding has a new definition when it comes to appropriate attire for a gown.

Thankfully the days of the Maternity “Moo-Moo” and hiding the fact that the bride is pregnant are behind us. Even the once forbidden “white gown” has taken its rightful place as an acceptable color choice for maternity brides.

Even though the planning cycle is at a quicker pace for most of these weddings you finally have some choice and can select a wonderful designer gown. Today’s “Mother-to-be-Bride” can select from a variety of styles and fabrics. Designs range from those featuring full and formal to sleek and clingy that leave little to the imagination.

In general look for a dress that highlights your positive features. If you want to minimize your growing tummy then look for an Empire or A-line style dress that breaks away at the bust line. These styles can be found as off-the-shoulder, strapless, detailed upper bodice or with simple lines.

On the other hand, if you want to show the world that you are a proud expectant Mom then choose something more form fitting. Sheath style gowns in soft fabrics such as stretch silks will not add bulk but will instead show off your curves.

Wedding gowns these days are designed around brides’ individual tastes and lifestyles. Modern women are breaking the moulds when it comes to choosing their dress. There are many exciting options now available to the Mother-to-be-Bride. Today’s pregnant bride is no longer embarrassed like they were 10-20 years ago and the Maternity Wedding Dress is proof of that.

Your dogs diet - feeding fables that every dog owner should know

Canine nutrition hasn't become as laden with diet fads as have human meal planning. But it has accumulated a number of myths which survive the ridicule of the veterinary profession. As you acquire a dog, your more experienced friends will shower you with advice, which may include some of the following affirmations:

- "A clove of garlic keeps worms away" Garlic has enjoyed a reputation for centuries in the folk medicine of many cultures as an antiseptic, a treatment for high blood pressure, etc. But if your dog really does have worms, (and most of them do at one time or another), the quickest way to get rid of them is to have your veterinarian give him a specific worming medicine under his supervision.

- "Raw meat makes a dog vicious" Raw or cooked meat is essential to a dogs nutrition. Fifty percent is the standard ration, and it may compare as much as 75 percent of his diet. If he is fed only meat, he may become high strung, not because the meat is raw, but because he is being given an unbalanced diet.

- "A sugar cube dipped in coffee is good for a dogs heart" It is particularly good for his morale, because it probably means that he is sharing your after dinner coffee with you. Give it occasionally as a harmless treat, but not as a regular "medicine", and not as a heart remedy.

- "Dogs cannot digest starch" They cannot digest uncooked starch, but they can cope with most cooked ones such as rice, whole wheat bread, and macaroni. However, dogs do not receive much nourishment from these foods.

- "Sugar causes worms" Sugar is quick source of energy for dogs, as it is far us. Worms are caused by worm larvae. A puppy may get worms from his mother, and an adult dog may get them from infected food or drink, from the saliva or feces of an infected dog, or from swallowing fleas and lice which act as hosts to tapeworm eggs - but never from sugar.

- "Raw eggs improve dog's coat" A raw egg yolk from time to time enriches a dog's diet. Cooked eggs are an acceptable substitute for meat in an emergency. But the best coat conditioner is far, especially unsaturated fat, rich in vitamin E, such as linseed and wheat germ oil. The eggs reputation as a coat conditioner is probably due to the fact that yolk is mostly fat.

- "Milk causes diarrhea in an adult dog" Milk is healthy for all dogs. A bowl of milk with a beaten egg yolk and a couple of pieces of whole wheat toast or dog biscuits is a standard supper dish in many kennels. There are various causes for diarrhea, including internal parasites, indigestion, a change of diet, food poisoning, certain contagious diseases - and sometime, but not always, milk.

Knowledge and concern are important in feeding a growing puppy whose nutrition is the foundation of his future health. But common sense is all you need to feed an adult dog correctly, as his own experience will help guide you most of the way.

Psychological self-improvement ways to overcome fear starting today

People are usually afraid of negative things. They are afraid of self-improvement because of this fear. Psychological self-improvement may help you in this situation.

In psychological self-improvement, The best way to remove this fear is to understand that life is always in the cycle of ups and downs. No one is permanently up or permanently down. Remember that no one can avoid these ups and downs even the most envied Hollywood stars.

What we should do about these downs is to learn from it and not to avoid it. We should learn how to handle our problems for our psychological self-improvement.

Problems affect us every day. These problems bring us misery due to the fact that we have feelings. We should never loose hope in figuring out solutions to these problems. All we need is to learn how to overcome it and not to be overcome.

Problems can never be overcome but we can learn from them. This is where Psychology plays an important role.

Psychologists say that we should always be careful in our decisions concerning our problems. We should handle our problems properly and learn how to deal with it. Learning from mistakes helps us in preparing ourselves for psychological self-improvement

There are a lot of myths about every event in our lives is due to pre-determined reason. Another belief says that what we encounter in our lives today is our preparation for other things that may come in our lives. To understand what may happen to us in the future, we must learn from the present.

With all that, it is also true that the unexpected can happen anytime. However, you should keep in mind that a psychological self-improvement is not always for the worse and consequently, you must never let go of a chance, because you are afraid to take the risk.

Remember that, from time to time, something has to happen in order to free you from monotony, so you shouldn’t be surprised if, at a certain moment in time, instead of being afraid of change, you desire it with all your heart.

If there are some things that hinder you from going on, here are some tips to help you move forward:

Just think of the positive impacts results from the psychological self-improvement. Know important they are and reflect on how to increase them, by adding some other good aspects, which need certain assistance.

Try to picture somebody else in your situation, as picturing ourselves in a less desirable position, always looks more dramatic than it really is. If you realize that the other person can handle the change, you can be sure you’ll be able to handle it as well. This is a good psychological self-improvement.

Think of the worst situation that can result after the self-improvement. Try to find various solutions to it. Reflect on how much you can loose, if the worst happened, and how important those things are to you. If you find more than one reasonable solution, you are safe and the self-improvement can’t be stronger than you are!

Self-improvement is not bad at all. All we need is to learn how to handle some negative changes. We should also reflect from it to learn and use it in the future events that we may encounter. This could be your ultimate psychological self-improvement.

Avoid common bodybuilding weightlifting injuries-common mistakes in gym

Bodybuilding by weightlifting if done wrongly is a sure recipe for injuries. Sometimes even painful and permanent injuries that will derail your bodybuilding program. This article will address the common injury prone mistakes bodybuilders make in their quest to build a fit and muscular body and how to avoid those weightlifting injuries.

Many people who workout in gyms complain about backaches and they blamed it on their desk bound jobs sitting in front of the computer at long stretches of time. Perhaps they are right. Then why is it that more bodybuilders have backaches when compared to their non gym going colleagues?

Aren’t those people who lift weights are supposed to have stronger back muscles to support their musculature and should be less prone to backaches? I think you are getting the drift. Many bodybuilders suffer from common weightlifting injuries that they don’t even know it.

Many people actually think that if they do not suffer any pain when they are lifting weights, they are not injured. I want to debunk this bodybuilding myth right now. You see, many weight lifting injuries are very often sustained over a period of time.

It is because of the wrong weightlifting form being repeated over and over through many training sessions that cause the wear and tear of joints, tendons, cartilages and muscles. Many injuries do not just occur immediately or overnight like the weights dropping on your toes or painful muscle tear during your lifts.

Therefore executing your weightlifting movements in the correct form and techniques not only help your muscles to grow big and fast, it is also crucial to prevent bodybuilding injuries.

Common causes of injuries can also be attributed to lifting weights that are too heavy or that the bodybuilder who may be sick, and yet headed for the gym when his condition is not optimum for handling the weight he usually lift as he is in a physically weakened state.

So when the weights are too heavy or you are too weak to lift the weights you usually do, you are forced to cheat by swinging the weights up using momentum and lowering the weights by using gravity.

These movements not only waste your time in the gym as they are definitely not helpful in helping you build muscles. They will cause injuries.

An example of a common exercise done in the wrong form and a recipe for injuries is the common bar bell curl.

• Barbell Biceps Curl – This exercise is perhaps the most commonly executed in the wrong form and causing injuries that people don’t even know why they are injured. In every gym, you will see people swinging their barbells with their body rocking thru and fro in the movements.

The rocking movement places tremendous stress on the shoulder joint which is the most unstable joint in the human body and the lower back. Over time, the shoulder joints and lower back will pay a heavy price for the wrong form and technique used during the lift.

Other common bodybuilding exercises which are often wrongly executed are the lat pull down, bench press, leg extension, military press and list goes on.

So the next time when you have backache or joint pain, don’t blame it on other causes if you are a bodybuilder and that you lift weights often. Just reflect on the weightlifting exercises you are doing and examined them as to whether they are the cause of your injuries.

Better yet, hire a personal trainer or a bodybuilding book with picture illustration and description to learn how to lift weights in the correct form and technique to prevent common and serious weight lifting injuries.

Learn stock trading from playing poker

Picking good stocks is only the first step to become a consistently profitable trader. Those of you that track the performances of stock picks I post on cisiova. com/analysis. asp know that it is impossible to determine if a stock is good without a good exiting strategy. And for most traders, exit strategy is the hardest part. Many people say that to trade profitably you need to develop the right mentality. Unfortunately, such winning mentality can only be developed through experience. However, there is a short cut to get through the learning curve without throwing thousands of dollars in the process. This short cut is playing POKER.

Yes you heard me right. Apparently, playing poker has a lot of similarities with investing in stocks. First of all, they both deal with money, uncertainties, and a keen judgment of potential risk and reward. In this article I will explain the similarities and differences between stock trading and poker. But before proceeding, make sure you know the rules of Texas Holdem and fluent with the terminologies.

Think of stock picking as looking for good hands to play. In Texas Holdem, you can look at the two hole cards and decide whether you can play the hand or not. Similarly, you can analyze the stock before entering a position. Fortunately for you traders, no one will raise pre-flop, so you just pay the commission. Remember to exit the position you also need to pay the commission, which implies that the cost of entering a position is two times the commission. Good poker players only play good hands, so you should do thorough researches before entering a position. One good thing about trading is that you do not have to wait for good stocks like poker players wait for good hands, you can find good stocks on stock picking websites or using screeners to find them yourself.

Once you call the blinds in poker, you get to see the flops and two more cards. Think of these cards as the performance of your stock after you enter the position. In poker, the flop can make a good hand, a medium hand, or a bad hand (by helping your opponents). In trading, you can observe the potential of the stock as well, and you should objectively judge the downside and upside potential of the stock. In poker, there are times that you have a good hand, and your opponent have a better hand, and you know you are beat. These are the times where your mentality matters the most. An experienced poker player will fold his hand regardless of the amount of money he has put into the pot. As a trader, at times that you think the upside potential fails to actualize, you should sell the stock regardless of how much you have lost. On the other hand, when a good poker player knows he has the winning hand, despite the possibility of losing at the river, he would bet aggressively, without fearing the small losing possibility. In trading, this translates to if the stock goes up and manifests higher upside potential, you should not fear that you will lose your recent winnings. Therefore the winning mentality is to ride when the stock is going up, and sell when the stock is losing its heat. This discipline is easily said than done. So many times I have heard people lost all their money because they hold on to losing positions (due to hope) and sell winning positions too early (due to fear).

By playing poker, you would get the chance to master your emotions, learning not to hope when you are beat, and not to fear when you are favorable to win. You want to lose small and win big, not the opposite.

Now go practice. This mentality only develops with experience.

The benefits and importance of sarvangasana

It is known as the queen of asanas which works out to be very beneficial for your mind, body and soul. Sarvangasana is a combination of three parts such as "sarva" "anga" and "asana" which means "all body posture". It is one the asana which is very important and helpful for your entire body including the pressure massages for your thyroid glands. The other benefit from this asana is the projection of stability emotionally and otherwise. Every muscle that is pushed and pulled benefits the organs inside, which in turn shows on your body and face. It soothes the nervous system which otherwise seems to be overloaded with unwanted work.

By doing this asana properly it could help you in curing your ailments related to bronchitis, asthma, heavy breathing and shortness in breath. Digestion is one of the major problems which many people face, due to fast food and other junk we fill in our stomachs. Your digestion would come in terms with your food by this asana as well as your body would be a place of better health. If you happen to be anemic your conditions could improve by simply doing this asana as well as have daily routine in dietary and exercise habits.

This asana also known as the candle stand as you have to keep your body straight as a candle. This asana also helps in regulating the sex glands which we all know would be very beneficial for future parents as well as for a good sex life. Due to good circulation of blood and purification factors the organs in the lower part of the body strengthen making your body stronger and healthier. Your neck muscles also benefit due to the stretch. It is one of the recommended poses for women after childbirth and those who go through the painful menstruation cycle.

Academic degrees

The first universities were founded on Europe in centuries XII and XIII. Education carried out it, like in other professions, people properly described. Of the same form in which a carpenter obtained the condition of masterful carpenter when its league saw it described, a professor became teacher when its league gave the license him of its profession.

The candidates who completed three or four years of study of texts prescribed in the Trivium (grammatical, rhetorical and logical), and that passed the examinations lead by their teachers, they received the bachelor rank. A degree was then a passage in the way to become a described teacher - of "the graduated" word there, based on Latin gradus ("step").

Nowadays the terms masterful, doctor and professor mean levels different from academic profit, but initially they were equivalent. The University of Boloсa in Italy, considered oldest of Europe, was the first institution in in the last granting the title of Doctor in Civil Law years of century XII; also it granted similar degrees in other matters, including the medicine. Nуtese that nowadays in medicine is only applied the term of doctor for the students who have completed their first level of academic formation.

The University of Paris used the term masters for graduated his, practical that it was adopted by the English universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

The names of the degrees possibly tied with the studied matters. The students of the faculties of arts or grammar were known like teachers, but those in philosophy, medicine and laws were known like doctors. The doctor degree assumed a position greater than the one of the teacher degree, since the study of the arts or the grammatical one was a prerequirement necessary to study philosophy, medicine and laws. This lead to the modern hierarchy in which more the title of Doctor in Philosophy (Ph. D) is an advanced degree than the one of Teacher in Artes (M. A.). The practice to use the term doctor for all the advanced degrees was developed in the German universities and it extended everywhere.

The French terminology is related close by to the meaning original of the terms. Baccalaurйat (cf. loquacious) confers the French students who have completed successful their secondary education and serves to enter the university. When the students graduate as the university, a license is granted to them, which is very similar to which a professional league had done, and it qualifies them to teach in institutions of secondary education or to continue its studies.

In Germany, the doctorate still is the greater granted degree; additions to the title that specify the study area, like Dr. rer. nat can be included. (Doktor rerum naturalium) in natural sciences and Dr. Ing. (Doktor-Ingenieur) in engineering.

In Europe the degrees through the Process of Bolona are being harmonized, that is based on the hierarchy of three levels (Loquacious, Mбster, Doctor) that is used at the moment in the United Kingdom and the United States. This system is gradually replacing the system of two levels that is used in some countries.

Types of academic degrees:

These are some examples of specific degrees. More information to see the article on the general term.

Associated degree of (the United States): AA, AS

Degree of foundation (United Kingdom): FdA, FdEd, FdEng, FdMus, FdSc, FdTech

Degree of bachelor: BA, BS, BSc, BFA, BCL, LLB, MB, BChir

Degree of Masters: MA, MSc, MS, MPhil, MRes, MFA, MTh, M. Div., MBA, MESci, MGeol, MTCM, MPA, MPAff, MPM, MPP, LLM, MEng, MSci, MChem, MPhys, MMath

Degree of specialty: EdS, B. Acc.

Degree of doctorate: PhD, EdD, EngD, DNursSci, JD, DBA, DD, DSc, DLitt, GIVE, DMA, DMus, DCL, ThD, PharmD, DPhil, SUNDAY, OMD, PsyD, DO, Md

Casino games - craps

Craps is one of the simpler casino games to learn. It is also another of the more popular casino games often played at parties, barbecues and sometimes even on the street. The lure of this game is that you only need a pair of dice and a few friends and you’ve got all you need for a game of Craps.

However, it is the casino version of the game that gives Craps its reputation of being a fast paced, exciting game. Players often begin with this game in the casino because of its ease of play. The basic concept is this: you place a bet on what is referred to as the “passline bet.” You make your wager before you roll the dice. If you roll a 7 or 11, then you win. If you roll a 12, 3 or 2, you lose. Any other number becomes the point number, meaning that number must be rolled again before the seven for you to win anything. If you roll the seven before you roll the point number, then you lose.

However, you do have the option to bet again in addition to your original bet. It is known as the odds bet: meaning the casino (online or real) does not have their usual house advantage and it also hedges on true odds. Many casinos and online casino sites offer lessons for Craps as it is one of the most popular and exciting games played. There is usually a great amount of money riding on Craps games and the atmosphere around the Craps table is filled with cheering spectators, all vying for the opportunity to see a player win big. This is the best way to get in the game when you are checking out a casino.

Most online casinos will allow you to play the game for free before offering you the option to play for real money. So what are you waiting for? Stop by at an online casino today and see for yourself what the fuss surrounding a game of Craps is all about.

The forum lifecycle and those who monitor them

Online forums thrive on the idea of a free exchange of thought. If your business provides a forum you are making it possible for people around the globe to share their ideas and perspectives.

Because a single perspective may be at odds with another divergent idea the employment of one or more moderators is vital. This does not mean that the business owner must moderate it, but they can either hire a freelance moderator or they can accept a volunteer moderator from their membership list.

Forums can and occasionally do get heated with two or more individuals posting material that may be considered inflammatory or simply designed to ruffle feathers. This is where the moderator comes in.

Rules should be posted and pinned (stickied) to the top of your forum categories. These rules should be prominent with strong encouragement to read and abide by them. Failure to follow the guidelines could result in either the suspension or banning of a user in violation of the rules.

Obviously this action is taken as a last resort, but sometimes it is very difficult to rein certain forum members in.

The moderator should use both caution and wisdom in making a decision about the status of a forum member who violates the rules.

Posts that attack a person should be dealt with quickly and, in some cases, should be removed.

Not everyone who signs up for your forum will stay indefinitely. You may even have some members who will sign up look around and never post. Other member can best be described as lurkers. These members are content to read other posts, but rarely provide their own feedback. This may be a matter of comfort or a simple desire to learn what they can without becoming overly involved in a community such as a forum.

The third group of members will likely be the smallest percentage of participants. These members will be active and will spend a significant amount of time with the forum and will respond when others have a question or comment. It is typically from this small pool that you may find your volunteer moderators.

You should also know there is a certain lifecycle to forums. You may find a burst of participation from a core group of members that can last several months, but little by little these cyber veterans drop by less and less while new recruits take their place. An established forum will change dynamics multiple times over its existence. This is normal and is to be expected. You may also find there may be a need to replace your moderators from time to time especially if they are volunteer. Their interest may decrease over time or their circumstances might change – always make it easy for them to pursue a new life dynamic by leaving them in the driver’s seat when it comes to the length of their involvement.

Don’t spend too much time lamenting the changing dynamic because it means you are gaining new interest in your forum and, by proxy, your products or services.

Forums provide an excellent opportunity to reach out to consumers, but it’s always in a state of flux. Allow your forum to roll with the punches.

Consolidating your student loan debts makes sense

So you've finally finished school and have officially entered what so many adults like to call "the real world", you may feel as though your newly earned money is going directly from your paycheck to your debt repayment plan (with nothing left for your pocket!).So you think about consolidating your loans, but is that really the best option you have? Yes it is actually! Here's why. By consolidating now it's possible to save hundreds, even thousands of dollars in interest that would have been incurred over the years. Especially right now because interest rates are at their lowest and now is a great time to take advantage of that fact. Also by consolidating your loan, you make it more convenient to pay off your debts. Most importantly, you are lowering your overall interest rates which will save you lots of money over longer periods of time. It's essential to get a fixed rate though, or eventually the interest rate could rise. Be weary of companies that try to pull you in by offering very low introductory interest rates, these jump up in the near future leaving you stuck with a high intrest rate.

Consolidated loans means you only have one lump payment, instead of several smaller ones. Generally the monthly payment is less than all of your loans put together, which frees up a little more money for your wallet. Over time, this could save you money and allow you to have more money readily available to use for stuff like furniture or maybe stereo equipment. Or instead of spending it, having that cash to put into savings will definitely turn out good in the long run. Having one payment makes keeping track of your loan easier which could mean less late payments and a clearer view of where you are at when it comes to your debt load.

When you consolidate, you create the possibility of a lower interest rate. This is because sometimes opportunities arise in which you can defer or through forbearance have a chance to make that interest rate drop even more, thereby putting more of your monthly payment to the actual principle amount of the loan. Which for you means a faster payoff. If you can look for a consolidation that allows for no prepayment penalty, because you can pay off these loans quicker. As you earn more money a plan where you can prepay without punishment is ideal as having this option can bring you closer to being debt free even faster. Another benefit to consolidating student loans is tax breaks. There is a deduction that you can claim whether or not you itemize, this can reduce the amount of taxable income up to $2,500.

And yet another advantage that consolidating your student loan can do is raise your overall credit rating. This is because you will have reduced the amount of creditors actually on your credit report. The more creditors you have on your credit report wanting to collect from you the worse off your actual credit score will appear. One consolidated loan means only one creditor, this will immediately improve your credit rating. Then eventually when all your payments have been made your credit rating will improve further.

Now that all the benefits and advantages to consolidating your student loan debts have been layed out for you, doesn't it make sense to do it? With more free cash, easier and more convenient payments and payment schedules, an improved credit rating, tax breaks, lower interest rates, and even being out of debt sooner, consolidating is definitely worth looking into! So what are you waiting for?

Dog training part iii - communicating with the dog

Fundamentally, dog training is about communication. From the human perspective the handler is communicating to the dog what behaviors are correct, desired, or preferred in what circumstances. From the canine perspective the handler must communicate what behaviors will give the dog the most satisfaction to his natural instincts and emotions. Without that inner satisfaction a dog will not work well.

A successful handler must also understand the communication that the dog sends to the handler. The dog can signal that he is unsure, confused, nervous, happy, excited, and so on. The emotional state of the dog is an important consideration in directing the training, as a dog that is stressed or distracted will not learn efficiently.

According to Learning Theory there are a four important messages that the handler can send the dog:

Reward or release marker

Correct behavior. You have earned a reward. For example, "Free" followed by a reward.

Bridge

Correct behavior. Continue and you will earn a reward. For example, "Good".

No reward marker

Incorrect behavior. Try something else. For example, "Uh-uh" or "Try again".

Punishment marker

Incorrect behavior. You have earned punishment. For example, "No".

Using consistent signals or words for these messages enables the dog to understand them more quickly. If the handler sometimes says "good" as a reward marker and sometimes as a bridge, it is difficult for the dog to know when he has earned a reward.

Rewards can be treats, play, praise, or anything that the dog finds rewarding. Failure to reward after the reward marker diminishes the value of the reward marker and makes training more difficult.

These four messages do not have to be communicated with words, and nonverbal signals are often used. In particular, mechanical clickers are frequently used for the reward marker. Hand signals and body language also play an important part in learning for dogs.

Dogs usually do not generalize commands easily; that is, a dog who has learned a command in a particular location and situation may not immediately recognize the command to other situations. A dog who knows how to "down" in the living room may suffer genuine confusion if asked to "down" at the park or in the car. The command will need to be retaught in each new situation. This is sometimes called "cross-contextualization," meaning the dog has to apply what's been learned to many different contexts.

Next: Dog Training part IV - Reward and punishment

Little known stress management tips techniques how to relax more worry less

What is Stress?

To understand the need for stress management, we must first understand stress. When a person is in danger, the body reacts, preparing to defend itself. The heart rate increases, blood pressure climbs higher, breathing becomes faster and blood flows to the muscles. This is great if a fierce dog is chasing you, because it gives you additional energy to get out of harm’s way. Unfortunately, the body reacts in the same way in response to daily problems and changes and over time this causes issues. Your body is ready to flee, but you don’t need an extra spurt of speed. With no way to release this additional energy, you become nervous, anxious and worried. This is called stress.

Physical issues such as an illness, lack of sleep or eating poorly can cause stress. Stress can also be caused by mental pressures like worrying about work or a death in the family. Major life changes can also cause stress. Not only negative changes such as being laid off from a job, but changes that are considered positive as well, such as a marriage or a promotion at work can result in stress.

What Problems are Associated with Stress?

Stress management can help with the physical effects of stress. Stress can cause a number of health problems and can make existing problems worse. Fatigue, back pain, depression, high blood pressure, insomnia, headaches and constipation are just some of the signs of stress.

Stress Management Techniques

Stress management is the process of dealing with stress and lessening its negative effects.

To effectively deal with stress, it is necessary to sense when you are feeling stress. Next, you must determine what is causing the stress. This will be different for each individual. For example, one person might consider the daily commute a great time to wind down from work and listen to relaxing music in the car, while another finds the rush hour traffic incredibly stressful.

Once you have recognized the cause of the stress, see if you can get away from it or avoid it completely. If that is not possible, consider ways to lessen your exposure to the stressor. For example, can you spend less time engaging in a stressful activity? Can you limit the activity to certain days?

Think about your emotional reaction to stress. Do you try to perform every task perfectly? Are you trying to keep everyone happy? These attitudes are bound to cause stress when you fail to live up to your own expectations. In the name of stress management, take it easier on yourself, ask for help if you need it and recognize that no one is perfect.

Exercising regularly is a great stress management technique. The physical activity releases pent-up energy and distracts you from your anxiety, helping you to relax.

Other Stress Management Tips

- Get plenty of sleep every night

- Get away from stressful situations by participating in hobbies and other activities you enjoy

- Prepare well in advance for stressful events

- Meditate or use deep breathing exercises

- Eat healthy, nutritious meals and limit the amount of alcohol and caffeine you consume

- Manage time wisely and don’t take on more than you can handle

- Ask for help if you need it

- Learn conflict resolution skills and use them

Increase web site visitor return rates

Every visitor to your web site is a precious potential client. It was hard work to get that site visitor there in the first place, so you should make every effort to encourage the potential client back.

The bottom line is that if the visitor found what they were looking for quickly and easily, they are much more likely to come back to your site. Here are six additional techniques you can use to help bring visitors back to your site. They are:

1. Email Newsletters

2. Bookmark Buttons

3. Periodic Updates

4. Games

5. Contests

6. Message Boards

A newsletter is perhaps the best tool for bringing people back to your web site. To have a newsletter all you need is a simple form on your web site to collect user's email addresses and an email client. That's it! It you want to go even more low tech, just have a bit of text that says, "Email us at youremail@yourdomain. com to Join our Newsletter."

Once you have a few people to send a newsletter too, try to think of ways that you could provide useful information to potential clients. Maybe you will offer discounts to newsletter members, or perhaps send them articles on topics related to your site. Always have a link for subscribers to opt-out. And don't forget to request newsletter readers to visit your web site in every newsletter you send out.

A bookmark button reminds people visiting your site that they may want to visit your site again. When people bookmark your site, they are of course more likely to come back. Bookmark buttons can be easily created in javascript.

Periodic Updates could be a quote of the day or an image of the day or perhaps new articles every month or week. Anything that will make visitors want to come back for the next update will suffice. Once you have determined what your periodic update is, remind your visitors to come back for the update. It won't do much good if your visitors don't know about your updates.

Games in Flash or javascript can be quite simple, yet quite entertaining. Perfect examples are those Orbitz ads. If you don't know what I am talking about, Orbitz has Flash game ads that include golfing, pitching, piloting blimps and other fun things. They are really simple and are designed to get clicks more than repeat business, as the games are ads, but on a web site, similar games would get visitors come back.

Contests are great for web promotion and brining people back to web sites. People who enter the contest you may sponsor will want to come back to see if they won. Also, if it is a user submittal contest, people will want to come back to see the winning entries - especially if they have won! You may even get people sending word of your contest to their friends. Viral marketing, where friends tell friends and so on, is extremely effective.

Message boards can become a second home for some people. If you have an active board, people will come to your web site just to see what people have posted.

Regardless of your choice, just make sure you give them a reason to come back.

Credit cards for teenagers

People have to start their financial learning at some point in their lives, and this usually starts when they are children or young teenagers. But what sort of financial products are good for teenagers, if anything at all? One on hand you need to teach them the value of money, but on the other hand they need some form of card or cash in order to start being independent. If you are unsure what type is right for your children, then here is some advice on credit cards for teenagers.

Stay away from normal credit

If you have a child, then you should really stay away from traditional credit cards, because these types of cards do not promote responsible spending. Although a credit card would allow a child to make mistakes about spending and learn from them, simply giving them a line of credit will probably end in disaster. You have no way of stopping them from spending the whole limit in one go, and they are putting you and themselves in debt.

Prepaid cards

Despite normal credit cards being a bad idea, there is a new type of card on the market that is being targeted at children. These cards are known as prepaid cards, and have most of the facilities of a credit card; except that you put money on the card in the same way you put money on a mobile phone. Instead of giving your child a credit card, you can put a certain amount of money on the card each week or month and then the child can use the card as they see fit.

Benefits of prepaid cards

The main benefit of a prepaid card is that it combines the freedom of having a card with the ability to control spending. This makes it ideal for parents who want to give their children a level of financial responsibility but still have the means to control the amount they spend and on what. By having a card with a statement, the parent can see exactly what their child is spending their money on and when. This is a very useful tool in helping to educate children on money expenditure. Also, prepaid cards are safer than having your child carry around cash, plus it also allows them to make purchases online.

Drawbacks of prepaid cards

Although many believe these cards are better for children than other financial products, there are still question marks over whether they are a good idea. Although they are touted as helping children to learn about finance, this can be done in other ways apart from giving out a card. Also, keeping track of spending is not always easy, as some of the cards allow cash withdrawals, meaning that they could spend their money on anything. Also, there is the danger that parents will put too much money on the cards, which will have the opposite effect on teaching children about money and simply make them believe they can spend what they like. Also, there are fees involved in these cards, such as an application fee and top up fees. Although these cards might be good for some families, you should think carefully about the benefits and drawbacks before deciding on whether or not you want your child to have such a card.

Save the body sway for the dance floor not in your golf swing

Body motion in the swing is necessary, but too much of a good thing can wreak all kinds of havoc with your golf swing.

I received a question over the weekend from a BioForce Golf subscriber about “body motion” in the swing.

The question from our subscriber asked how not to fall into the trap of too much movement backwards during the golf swing.

What we are really talking about is weight transfer during the golf swing.

Too much weight transfer onto the back foot during the take-away and backswing causes difficulty in getting back to your front foot on the downswing.

This creates some difficulties in your timing during the golf swing.

Oftentimes, this type of swing fault is termed “body sway.”

So how do we fix this golf swing fault?

Let’s take a brief look at golf swing mechanics.

Optimal golf swing mechanics are both a rotational (rotating around a fixed spine angle) and linear (weight transfer backwards and forwards) movement.

It is the sequencing (proper order) and combination of these two biomechanical movements that develop the great foundation of your golf swing.

Amateurs often have difficulty performing these two biomechanical movements simultaneously and in the correct sequence.

Discussing “Body Sway” in Relation to Linear Weight Transfer of the Golf Swing

Amateurs often shift their weight too far onto their back foot. Once this occurs, they are never able to get their weight forward, causing them to “spin out” and leave the clubface open at impact.

A conversation I had with top teaching pro Rick Smith on body sway enlightened me on one of his teaching points: the weight transfer in the backswing cannot go past the inside arch of the back foot.

In order to limit your weight transfer in the swing to this position, you must “feel” it in your swing. You must be able to feel your weight on the inside of the back foot and not allow it to move any farther back.

If your weight transfer exceeds this position, your timing will be off, your golf swing mechanics will be flawed, and compensation of the downswing will occur.

Now knowing what we need to know about golf swing mechanics and the problems resulting from “body sway,” how do we go about fixing it?

The golf swing is one of the most intricate athletic movements performed in sports today.

It requires precision in every biomechanical movement involved in the swing, the correction sequencing of each movement, and the correct timing.

As a whole, the golf swing is a very difficult movement to perform.

Attempting to “fix” a swing fault when swinging the golf club at full tilt is almost impossible.

So what are you to do?

Simply, it is much easier to break down the golf swing into parts.

Working on pieces of the golf swing and then re-building the swing is the way to go. This is a much easier task to achieve.

Once you have broken down the golf swing into pieces, then you can focus upon the area of the golf swing that is giving you difficulty.

Fixing the area of the golf swing that is giving you problems can be addressed by implementing swing drills.

Swing drills introduce and re-enforce the proper swing mechanics into your body and allow you to eventually cure your swing fault.

This will eventually return you to a position where you can “feel” every position in the golf swing.

So, if you are struggling from “body sway” in the golf swing, break down the swing into parts and address the area of the golf swing that needs help through swing drills.

Sean Cochran

Real world advice for choosing a modeling agency

Choosing a modeling agency is the most important decision a new model will make when embarking on a career in the modeling industry. The agency that a model decides to sign with will basically become a second family. Therefore, it is vital for the aspiring model to meet everyone on the “team” and be certain that everyone has the same career goals in mind from the beginning.

One of the toughest challenges a new model will face is weeding their way through the thousands of agencies out there in order to find the ones they “click” with. Many of the lesser known, a. k.a. rip-off agencies, offer potential models free portfolios or comp cards for signing with their agency. Keep in mind that, one should never pay to sign with a company, and rarely is anything ever free of charge, especially at the beginning of a career. Read the fine print of every contract. Usually a “catch” can be found when it comes to these types of offers.

Since the question of finding a quality company to work with is so important, how does the new model decide which ones are good and which ones should be avoided. Finding a quality modeling agency is the single most important step to becoming a successful model. Any model, no matter how beautiful, without a team of agents that are excited to be working with them, is doomed to mediocrity from day one. The fact is that top clients like Calvin Klein, D-Squared, Armani, Guess, DKNY, skincare companies, and the like, will only deal with certain agencies. Unless you are represented by these agencies, don’t plan on ever seeing yourself on billboards or getting mainstream magazine exposure.

The goal of every new model wanting to really succeed should be first to sign with an agency in one of the fashion capitols: Milan, London, New York, or Paris. Being represented by these agencies early on makes it infinitely easier to establish a global network of credible companies to work with throughout your career. Signing early on with a modeling agency that has a solid background and name recognition within the industry is a must as a foundation for any career.

For models living in or near one of these major modeling centers, open calls are the best way to get noticed and ultimately signed. For those who are not living in close proximity to any of these cities, there are ways to get your picture in front of the agents without traveling, and without spending a fortune on professional photography. Did you know that you can submit your pictures to agencies worldwide using a digital camera and never even leave your home? You just need the right contact information.

Submitting photos to a big modeling agency in top fashion locations can be intimidating for new models if they don’t know exactly what they are doing. Models often wonder what they should include in their portfolio and in what order to present pictures so as to make their book stand out from the crowd. Learn how to present your pictures and personality in a way that will have even the biggest clients looking twice. Ever wondered how you can get noticed before you even have a portfolio? These are just a few of the questions that all new models should know the answers to before: A) Spending a single dime on professional photography, and B) Before moving forward and approaching agencies. The fact is that if you know how to approach large agencies correctly you have a much better chance of getting a contract offer.

The answers to these questions and many more regarding the modeling industry can be found in the best-selling new e-book, The Model’s Bible. Written by international supermodel Caleb Lane. In his book, Caleb shares his real-world experience that stems from working in the fashion capitols of the world over the past 10 years. Caleb has worked with top clients like Calvin Klein, D&G, Kenneth Cole, Armani, Guess, Vogue, GQ, and many more. Visit modeling-success. com and instantly download everything that you need to know in order to get your career as a model jump-started and headed the right way!

The ideas in your head will rule your world

It does not matter where the ideas come from, and it doesn't matter whether they are right or wrong, once an idea is in your head, it will rule your world.

Only a few months ago I gave a keynote address to 3,000 people at a regional parenting conference. In the talk I had mentioned the difficulties parents face with Drug abuse by their children. During the question and answer period following my talk a clergyman stood up in front of and offered, "I think we need to decriminalize drugs because drug use is a victimless crime." He was offering this as a counter point to my comments in my address about how damaging drugs are to American youth.

My first reaction to this man's comment was sheer astonishment. I could not believe that Clergyman was willing to stand in front of all of these people and say that. Then I realized that he had an idea that was ruling his world. Not only did I disagree with him, but I also have a very different idea that rules my world.

I replied, "I disagree! I do not believe that drug use is a victimless crime! In my 29 years of teaching 46 kids who sat in my classroom are now dead."

And then continuing to address the fellow, I said, "Now, sir, please listen carefully to how those 46 young people died. Three of them died of causes that might not have been preventable. One boy died of a disease; one girl died when an airbag in a car exploded unexpectedly in her face during a slow moving accident in a shopping mall parking lot; and the third died in a private airplane crash while flying with his father.

But, sir, hold onto your seat and ask yourself if you still can consider drug use as a victimless crime when I tell you that the other 43 kids were either stoned, high, or drunk at the time that they died! Those kids were all victims of drug use! And that figure is just the tip of the iceberg. Every member of those kids' families, their friends, their teachers, their coaches, their pastors, and the other people who loved them were hurt by their drug use and were all victims, too!"

That clergyman had an idea that was ruling his world: He was willing to stake his personal reputation in front of 3,000 people on the idea that illicit drug use is victimless!

That idea was ruling his world! It did not matter to him what I had just said. The idea in his head was so powerful that he did not even listen to what I had said, rather, choosing to form a smart retort. I don't know where his idea came from and I am pretty sure his idea is wrong, but nonetheless it is ruling his world.

Ideas are powerful. Even wrong ideas are powerful. In the hands of an overzealous person a wrong idea can overpower a right idea.

As parents it is our job to help children to load their heads with strong ideas to use in making all of those decisions they are going to make. We must find ways to communicate those ideas in a manner that our children can use them.

One of the keys in communicating ideas to children lies in listening carefully to them. Lectures seldom pass on ideas to others. Two way communication is the best way to share ideas with kids. Allow children to challenge your ideas without becoming argumentative.

Good ideas are the vaccination against bad decisions. Vaccinate your children with your values and ethical thoughts.

Electirc rc cars for fun and excitement

Electric RC cars and trucks are generally considered best for beginners, since even if you choose to build your own car, they tend to be simpler and easier than nitro cars. They’re also a great deal quieter and run much cleaner, meaning you’re less restricted by where you can run them. In terms of speed and power, they do have a great deal of pickup, though not as much as the nitro cars.

Electric RC cars use rechargeable battery packs to power their motor and steering, which are usually recharged from a 12-volt car battery or wall socket. Batteries run for about 5-10 minutes, depending on the type of engine your car has, and charging the battery usually takes 15-30 minutes. Because of this, it is strongly recommended you have at least two battery packs, to allow for quick replacement of the battery. This means your car can keep running while the other battery is recharging, giving the car more overall running time.

At first glance, getting started with an electric RC car can be much less expensive than a nitro vehicle. But there are other costs to consider as well, such as additional battery packs, a battery charger and other accessories that will add to the cost, making it closer to the price of a nitro car in the long run. Of course, this cost also depends on what kind of car you end up purchasing and what kind of battery pack it requires, as well as how often you run the car and the quality of the batteries you get. Though the initial outlay of cash can be steep, but you’ll want to get quality battery packs and a good charger to save replacing cheaper batteries.

The main reason electric RC’s are said to be easier than nitro is in the amount of maintenance and tuning their engines require. Though the care, maintenance and cost of battery packs is steep, it is still less trouble for the new driver than the air filters, tuning, fueling and various other engine parts that require attention on a nitro car. Instead, careful conditioning and proper storage of your battery packs will keep your electric RC running smoothly for years. Always consult your manufacturer’s instructions to make sure you’re getting the right battery packs for your car, and that you’re caring for them properly.

Easier and cleaner, electric RC cars and trucks offer the genuine racing experience to the beginner on an easy learning curve. Proper conditioning and maintenance of the car and its battery packs are still easier than the many parts and problems often associated with nitro RC’s. If you’re a beginner, or if you just want to get to the races, an electric RC can offer you the speed and fun you’re after for less work.

Also keep in mind that if you think you’d prefer an electric RC, but still want the experience of building your own car, that you can also purchase electric kits. These include complete instructions to build your own car from scratch, and because their systems are less complex than the nitro cars, they are a little easier to build yourself.

Electric RC Car Motors

In order to prevent unnecessary wear and tear on your electric motor, it is important to always break in your motor, before you drive it for the first time, and every time after you change its brushes. One easy method is to run the vehicle with the wheels off of the ground at about 1/4 power for about 5 minutes. This will slowly get the brushes fully seated to the commutator without causing wear and tear on the engine, and will allow your motor to run at its full potential.

Your electric car will come with instructions on how to change the brushes on the motor, as well guidelines for how often. Remember, if you change the brushes on your motor, be sure to break it in again. How often you replace the brushes—and the motor, for that matter—depends on where and how much you’re running or racing your car. Generally, a motor should be replaced after it has gone through five or more pairs of brushes, but it will always depend on the individual car, its motor and how well they’re running.